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〃Simeon； ddon't go；〃 begged the woman； tremulously。 〃Youyou
don't know what's there。〃
〃Fiddles are not played without hands； Ellen；〃 retorted the man
severely。 〃Would you have me go to bed and leave a half…drunken；
ungodly minstrel fellow in possession of our barn？ To…night； on my way
home； I passed a pretty pair of them lying by the roadsidea man and a
boy with two violins。 They're the culprits； likely；though how they got
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JUST DAVID
this far； I don't see。 Do you think I want to leave my barn to tramps like
them？〃
〃Nno； I suppose not；〃 faltered the woman； as she rose tremblingly to
her feet； and followed her husband's shadow across the yard。
Once inside the barn Simeon Holly and his wife paused involuntarily。
The music was all about them now； filling the air with runs and trills and
rollicking bits of melody。 Giving an angry exclamation； the man turned
then to the narrow stairway and climbed to the hayloft above。 At his heels
came his wife； and so her eyes； almost as soon as his fell upon the man
lying back on the hay with the moonlight full upon his face。 Instantly the
music dropped to a whisper； and a low voice came out of the gloom
beyond the square of moonlight which came from the window in the roof。
〃If you'll please be as still as you can； sir。 You see he's asleep and he's
so tired；〃 said the voice。
For a moment the man and the woman on the stairway paused in
amazement； then the man lifted his lantern and strode toward the voice。
〃Who are you？ What are you doing here？〃 he demanded sharply。
A boy's face； round； tanned； and just now a bit anxious； flashed out of
the dark。
〃Oh； please； sir； if you would speak lower；〃 pleaded the boy。 〃He's so
tired！ I'm David； sir； and that's father。 We came in here to rest and sleep。〃
Simeon Holly's unrelenting gaze left the boy's face and swept that of
the man lying back on the hay。 The next instant he lowered the lantern and
leaned nearer； putting forth a cautious hand。 At once he straightened
himself； muttering a brusque word under his breath。 Then he turned with
the angry question：
〃Boy； what do you mean by playing a jig on your fiddle at such a time
as this？〃
〃Why； father asked me to play〃 returned the boy cheerily。 〃He said he
could walk through green forests then； with the ripple of brooks in his ears；
and that the birds and the squirrels〃
〃See here； boy； who are you？〃 cut in Simeon Holly sternly。 〃Where did
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JUST DAVID
you come from？〃
〃From home； sir。〃
〃Where is that？〃
〃Why； home； sir； where I live。 In the mountains； 'way up； up； upoh；
so far up！ And there's such a big； big sky； so much nicer than down here。〃
The boy's voice quivered； and almost broke； and his eyes constantly
sought the white face on the hay。
It was then that Simeon Holly awoke to the sudden realization that it
was time for action。 He turned to his wife。
〃Take the boy to the house；〃 he directed incisively。 〃We'll have to keep
him to…night； I suppose。 I'll go for Higgins。 Of course the whole thing will
have to be put in his hands at once。 You can't do anything here；〃 he added；
as he caught her questioning glance。 〃Leave everything just as it is。 The
man is dead。〃
〃Dead？〃 It was a sharp cry from the boy； yet there was more of wonder
than of terror in it。 〃Do you mean that he has gonelike the water in the
brookto the far country？〃 he faltered。
Simeon Holly stared。 Then he said more distinctly：
〃Your father is dead； boy。〃
〃And he won't come back any more？〃 David's voice broke now。
There was no answer。 Mrs。 Holly caught her breath convulsively and
looked away。 Even Simeon Holly refused to meet the boy's pleading eyes。
With a quick cry David sprang to his father's side。
〃But he's hereright here；〃 he challenged shrilly。 〃Daddy； daddy； speak
to me！ It's David！〃 Reaching out his hand； he gently touched his father's
face。 He drew back then； at once； his eyes distended with terror。 〃He isn't！
He isgone；〃 he chattered frenziedly。 〃This isn't the father…part that
KNOWS。 It's the otherthat they leave。 He's left it behind himlike the
squirrel； and the water in the brook。〃
Suddenly the boy's face changed。 It grew rapt and luminous as he
leaped to his feet； crying joyously： 〃But he asked me to play； so he went
singingsinging just as he said that they did。 And I made him walk
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through green forests with the ripple of the brooks in his ears！ Listenlike
this！〃 And once more the boy raised the violin to his chin； and once more
the music trilled and rippled about the shocked； amazed ears of Simeon
Holly and his wife。
For a time neither the man nor the woman could speak。 There was
nothing in their humdrum； habit…smoothed tilling of the soil and washing
of pots and pans to prepare them for a scene like thisa moonlit barn； a
strange dead man； and that dead man's son babbling of brooks and
squirrels； and playing jigs on a fiddle for a dirge。 At last； however； Simeon
found his voice。
〃Boy； boy； stop that！〃 he thundered。 〃Are you madclean mad？ Go
into the house； I say！〃 And the boy； dazed but obedient； put up his
violin； and followed the woman； who； with tear…blinded eyes； was leading
the way down the stairs。
Mrs。 Holly was frightened； but she was also strangely moved。 From
the long ago the sound of another violin had come to hera violin； too；
played by a boy's hands。 But of this； all this； Mrs。 Holly did not like to
think。
In the kitchen now she turned and faced her young guest。
〃Are you hungry； little boy？〃
David hesitated； he had not forgotten the woman； the milk； and the
gold…piece。
〃Are you hungrydear？〃 stammered Mrs。 Holly again； and this time
David's clamorous stomach forced a 〃yes〃 from his unwilling lips； which
sent Mrs。 Holly at once into the pantry for bread and milk and a heaped…up
plate of doughnuts such as David had never seen before。
Like any hungry boy David ate his supper； and Mrs。 Holly； in the face
of this very ordinary sight of hunger being appeased at her table； breathed
more freely；