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〃Hm…m； well； I wouldn't worry about the 'work' part；〃 laughed Mr。
Jack； 〃particularly as you aren't going to do it just now。 There's the money；
you know；and we haven't got that。〃
〃And it takes money？〃
〃Wellyes。 You can't get those things here in Hinsdale； you know； and
it takes money； to get away； and to live away after you get there。〃
A sudden light transfigured David's face。
〃Mr。 Jack； would gold do it？lots of little round gold…pieces？〃
〃I think it would； David； if there were enough of them。〃
〃Many as a hundred？〃
〃Sureif they were big enough。 Anyway； David； they'd start you； and
I'm thinking you wouldn't need but a start before you'd be coining gold…
pieces of your own out of that violin of yours。 But why？ Anybody you
know got as 'many as a hundred' gold…pieces he wants to get rid of？〃
For a moment David； his delighted thoughts flying to the gold…pieces
in the chimney cupboard of his room； was tempted to tell his secret。 Then
he remembered the woman with the bread and the pail of milk； and
decided not to。 He would wait。 When he knew Mr。 Jack betterperhaps
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then he would tell； but not now。 NOW Mr。 Jack might think he was a
thief； and that he could not bear。 So he took up his violin and began to play；
and in the charm of the music Mr。 Jack seemed to forget the gold…pieces
which was exactly what David had intended should happen。
Not until David had said good…bye some time later； did he remember
the purposethe special purposefor which he had come。 He turned back
with a radiant face。
〃Oh； and Mr。 Jack； I 'most forgot；〃 he cried。 〃I was going to tell you。 I
saw you yesterdayI did； and I almost waved to you。〃
〃Did you？ Where were you？〃
〃Over there in the windowthe tower window〃 he crowed jubilantly。
〃Oh； you went again； then； I suppose； to see Miss Holbrook。〃
The man's voice sounded so oddly cold and distant that David noticed
it at once。 He was reminded suddenly of the gate and the footbridge which
Jill was forbidden to cross； but he dared not speak of it thennot when Mr。
Jack looked like that。 He did say； however：
〃Oh； but； Mr。 Jack； it's such a beautiful place！ You don't know what a
beautiful place it is。〃
〃Is it？ Then； you like it so much？〃
〃Oh； so much！ Butdidn't you eversee it？〃
〃Why； yes； I believe I did； David； long ago；〃 murmured Mr。 Jack with
what seemed to David amazing indifference。
〃And did you see HERmy Lady of the Roses？〃
〃Why； yyesI believe so。〃
〃And is THAT all you remember about it？〃 resented David； highly
offended。
The man gave a laugha little short； hard laugh that David did not
like。
〃But； let me see； you said you almost waved； didn't you？ Why did n't
you； quite？〃 asked the man。
David drew himself suddenly erect。 Instinctively he felt that his Lady
of the Roses needed defense。
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〃Because SHE didn't want me to； so I didn't； of course；〃 he rejoined
with dignity。 〃She took away my handkerchief。〃
〃I'll warrant she did；〃 muttered the man； behind his teeth。 Aloud he
only laughed again； as he turned away。
David went on down the steps； dissatisfied vaguely with himself； with
Mr。 Jack； and even with the Lady of the Roses。
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CHAPTER XVI
DAVID'S CASTLE IN SPAIN
On his return from the House that Jack Built； David decided to count
his gold…pieces。 He got them out at once from behind the books； and
stacked them up in little shining rows。 As he had surmised； there were a
hundred of them。 There were； indeed； a hundred and six。 He was pleased
at that。 One hundred and six were surely enough to give him a 〃start。〃
A start！ David closed his eyes and pictured it。 To go on with his violin；
to hear good music； to be with people who understood what he said when
he played！ That was what Mr。 Jack had said a 〃start〃 was。 And this gold
these round shining bits of goldcould bring him this！ David swept the
little piles into a jingling heap； and sprang to his feet with both fists full of
his suddenly beloved wealth。 With boyish glee he capered about the room；
jingling the coins in his hands。 Then； very soberly； he sat down again； and
began to gather the gold to put away。
He would be wisehe would be sensible。 He would watch his chance；
and when it came he would go away。 First； however； he would tell Mr。
Jack and Joe； and the Lady of the Roses； yes； and the Hollys； too。 Just now
there seemed to be work； real work that he could do to help Mr。 Holly。 But
later； possibly when September came and school；they had said he must
go to school；he would tell them then； and go away instead。 He would see。
By that time they would believe him； perhaps； when he showed the gold…
pieces。 They would not think he hadSTOLEN them。 It was August now；
he would wait。 But meanwhile he could thinkhe could always be
thinking of the wonderful thing that this gold was one day to bring to him。
Even work； to David； did not seem work now。 In the morning he was
to rake hay behind the men with the cart。 Yesterday he had not liked it
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very well； but nownothing mattered now。 And with a satisfied sigh David
put his precious gold away again behind the books in the cupboard。
David found a new song in his violin the next morning。 To be sure； he
could not play itmuch of ituntil four o'clock in the afternoon came； for
Mr。 Holly did not like violins to be played in the morning； even on days
that were not especially the Lord's。 There was too much work to do。 So
David could only snatch a strain or two very； very softly； while he was
dressing； but that was enough to show him what a beautiful song it was
going to be。 He knew what it was； at once； too。 It was the gold…pieces； and
what they would bring。 All through the day it tripped through his
consciousness； and danced tantalizingly just out of reach。 Yet he was
wonderfully happy； and the day seemed short in spite of the heat and the
weariness。
At four o'clock he hurried h