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did she sink wearily into a chair； and seem for a moment at rest。
David looked about him in surprise。 Even his untrained eye could see
that he had entered a different world。 There were no sumptuous rugs； no
silken hangings； no mirrors； no snowflake curtains。 There were books； to
be sure； but besides those there were only a plain low table； a work…basket；
and three or four wooden…seated though comfortable chairs。 With
increasing wonder he looked into Miss Holbrook's eyes。
〃Is it here that you stayall day？〃 he asked diffidently。
Miss Holbrook's face turned a vivid scarlet。
〃Why； David； what a question！ Of course not！ Why should you think I
did？〃
〃Nothing； only I've been wondering all the time I've been here how
you couldwith all those beautiful things around you downstairssay
what you did。〃
〃Say what？when？〃
〃That other day in the gardenabout ALL your hours being cloudy
ones。 So I didn't know to…day but what you LIVED up here； same as Mrs。
Holly doesn't use her best rooms； and that was why your hours were all
cloudy ones。〃
With a sudden movement Miss Holbrook rose to her feet。
〃Nonsense； David！ You shouldn't always remember everything that
people say to you。 Come； you haven't seen one of the views from the
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windows yet。 We are in the larger tower； you know。 You can see Hinsdale
village on this side； and there's a fine view of the mountains over there。 Oh
yes； and from the other side there's your friend's houseMr。 Jack's。 By the
way； how is Mr。 Jack these days？〃 Miss Holbrook stooped as she asked the
question and picked up a bit of thread from the rug。
David ran at once to the window that looked toward the House that
Jack Built。 From the tower the little house appeared to be smaller than
ever。 It was in the shadow； too； and looked strangely alone and forlorn。
Unconsciously； as he gazed at it； David compared it with the magnificence
he had just seen。 His voice choked as he answered。
〃He isn't well； Lady of the Roses； and he's unhappy。 He's awfully
unhappy。〃
Miss Holbrook's slender figure came up with a jerk。
〃What do you mean； boy？ How do you know he's unhappy？ Has he
said so？〃
〃No； but Mrs。 Holly told me about him。 He's sick； and he'd just found
his work to do out in the world when he had to stop and come home。 But
oh； quick； there he is！ See？〃
Instead of coming nearer Miss Holbrook fell back to the center of the
room； but her eyes were still turned toward the little house。
〃Yes； I see；〃 she murmured。 The next instant she had snatched a
handkerchief from David's outstretched hand。 〃NonoI wouldn't wave；〃
she remonstrated hurriedly。 〃Comecome downstairs with me。〃
〃But I thoughtI was sure he was looking this way；〃 asserted David；
turning reluctantly from the window。 〃And if he HAD seen me wave to
him； he'd have been so glad； now； wouldn't he？〃
There was no answer。 The Lady of the Roses did not apparently hear。
She had gone on down the stairway。
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CHAPTER XV
SECRETS
David had so much to tell Jack and Jill that he went to see them the
very next day after his second visit to Sunnycrest。 He carried his violin
with him。 He found； however； only Jill at home。 She was sitting on the
veranda steps。
There was not so much embarrassment between them this time；
perhaps because they were in the freedom of the wide out…of…doors； and
David felt more at ease。 He was plainly disappointed； however； that Mr。
Jack was not there。
〃But I wanted to see him！ I wanted to see him 'specially；〃 he lamented。
〃You'd better stay； then。 He'll be home by and by；〃 comforted Jill。
〃He's gone pot…boiling。〃
〃Pot…boiling！ What's that？〃
Jill chuckled。
〃Well； you see； really it's this way： he sells something to boil in other
people's pots so he can have something to boil in ours； he says。 It's stuff
from the garden； you know。 We raise it to sell。 Poor Jackand he does hate
it so！〃
David nodded sympathetically。
〃I knowand it must be awful； just hoeing and weeding all the time。〃
〃Still； of course he knows he's got to do it； because it's out of doors；
and he just has to be out of doors all he can；〃 rejoined the girl。 〃He's sick；
you know； and sometimes he's so unhappy！ He doesn't say much。 Jack
never says muchonly with his face。 But I know； and itit just makes me
want to cry。〃
At David's dismayed exclamation Jill jumped to her feet。 It owned to
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her suddenly that she was telling this unknown boy altogether too many of
the family secrets。 She proposed at once a race to the foot of the hill； and
then； to drive David's mind still farther away from the subject under recent
consideration； she deliberately lost； and proclaimed him the victor。
Very soon； however； there arose new complications in the shape of a
little gate that led to a path which； in its turn； led to a footbridge across the
narrow span of the little stream。 Above the trees on the other side peeped
the top of Sunnycrest's highest tower。
〃To the Lady of the Roses！〃 cried David eagerly。 〃I know it goes there。
Come； let's see！〃
The little girl shook her head。
〃I can't。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Jack won't let me。〃
〃But it goes to a beautiful place； I was there yesterday；〃 argued David。
〃And I was up in the tower and almost waved to Mr。 Jack on the piazza
back there。 I saw him。 And maybe she'd let you and me go up there again
to…day。〃
〃But I can't； I say；〃 repeated Jill； a little impatiently。 〃Jack won't let me
even start。〃
〃Why not？ Maybe he doesn't know where it goes to。〃
Jill hung her head。 Then she raised it defiantly。
〃Oh； yes； he does； 'cause I told him。 I used to go when I was littler and
he wasn't here。 I went once； after he came；halfway；and he saw me and
called to me。 I had got halfway across the bridge； but I had to come back。
He was very angry； yet sort ofqueer； too。 His face was all stern and white；
and his lips snapped tight shut after every word。 He said never； never；
never to let him find me the other side of that gate。〃
David frowned as they turned to go up the hill。 Unhesitatingly he
determined to instruct Mr。 Jack in this little matter。 He would tell him what
a beautiful place Sunnycrest was； and he would try to convince him how
very desirable it was that he and Jill； and even Mr。 Jack himself； should go
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across the bridge at the very first opportunity that offered。
Mr。 Jack came home before long； but David quite forgot to speak of
the footbridge just then； chiefly because Mr。 Jack got out his violin and
asked David to come in and play a duet with him。 The duet； however； soon
became a solo； for so great was Mr。 Jack's delight in David's playing that
he placed before the boy one sheet of music after another； begging and
still begging for more。
David； nothing loath； played on and on。 Most of the music he knew；
having already learned it in his mountain home。 Like old friends the
melodies seemed； and so glad was David to see their notes again that he
finished each production with a little improvised cadenza of ecstatic
welcometo Mr。 Jack's increasing surprise and delight。
〃Great Scott！ you're a wonder； David；〃 he exclaimed； at last。
〃Pooh！ as if that was anything wonderful；〃 laughed the boy。 〃Why； I
knew those ages ago； Mr。 Jack。 It's only that I'm so glad to see them again…
…the notes； you know。 You see； I haven't any music now。 It was all in the
bag （what we brought）； and we left that on the way。〃
〃You left it！〃
〃Yes； 't was so； heavy〃 murmured David abstractedly； his fingers busy
with the pile of music before him。 〃Oh； and here's another one；〃 he cried
exultingly。 〃This is where the wind s