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and that he got it down to the Glaspells'； but 't ain't so。 The doctor says he
didn't ketch nothin'； an' he can't give nothin'。 It's his head an' brain that
ain't right； an' he's got a mighty bad fever。 He's been kind of flighty an'
nervous； anyhow； lately。
〃As I was sayin'； 'course you can ask； but I'm thinkin' there won't be
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nothin' you can do ter help。 Ev'rythin' that can be done is bein' done。 In
fact； there ain't much of anythin' else that is bein' done down there jest
now but； tendin' ter him。 They've got one o' them 'ere edyercated nurses
from the Junctionwhat wears caps； ye know； an' makes yer feel as if they
knew it all； an' you didn't know nothin'。 An' then there's Mr。 an' Mis' Holly
besides。 If they had THEIR way； there wouldn't neither of； em let him out
o' their sight fur a minute； they're that cut up about it。〃
〃I fancy they think a good deal of the boyas we all do；〃 murmured
the younger man； a little unsteadily。
Larson winkled his forehead in deep thought。
〃Yes； an' that's what beats me；〃 he answered slowly； 〃 'bout HIM；Mr。
Holly； I mean。 'Course we'd 'a' expected it of HERlosin' her own boy as
she did； an' bein' jest naturally so sweet an' lovin'…hearted。 But HIMthat's
diff'rent。 Now； you know jest as well as I do what Mr。 Holly isevery one
does； so I ain't sayin' nothin' sland'rous。 He's a good mana powerful good
man； an' there ain't a squarer man goin' ter work fur。 But the fact is； he was
made up wrong side out； an' the seams has always showed badturrible
bad； with ravelin's all stickin' out every which way ter ketch an' pull。 But；
gosh！ I'm blamed if that； ere boy ain't got him so smoothed down； you
wouldn't know； scursely； that he had a seam on him； sometimes； though
how he's done it beats me。 Now； there's Mis' Hollyshe's tried ter smooth
'em； I'll warrant； lots of times。 But I'm free ter say she hain't never so much
as clipped a ravelin' in all them forty years they've lived tergether。 Fact is；
it's worked the other way with her。 All that HER rubbin' up ag'in' them
seams has amounted to is ter git herself so smoothed down that she don't
never dare ter say her soul's her own； most generally；anyhow； not if he
happens ter intermate it belongs ter anybody else！〃
Jack Gurnsey suddenly choked over a cough。
〃I wish I coulddo something；〃 he murmured uncertainly。
〃'T ain't likely ye cannot so long as Mr。 an' Mis' Holly is on their two
feet。 Why； there ain't nothin' they won't do； an' you'll believe it； maybe；
when I tell you that yesterday Mr。 Holly； he tramped all through Sawyer's
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woods in the rain； jest ter find a little bit of moss that the boy was callin'
for。 Think o' that； will ye？ Simeon Holly huntin' moss！ An' he got it； too；
an' brung it home； an' they say it cut him up somethin' turrible when the
boy jest turned away； and didn't take no notice。 You understand； 'course；
sir； the little chap ain't right in his head； an' so half the time he don't know
what he says。〃
〃Oh； I'm sorry； sorry！〃 exclaimed Gurnsey； as he turned away； and
hurried toward the farmhouse。
Mrs。 Holly herself answered his low knock。 She looked worn and pale。
〃Thank you； sir；〃 she said gratefully； in reply to his offer of assistance；
〃but there isn't anything you can do； Mr。 Gurnsey。 We're having everything
done that can be； and every one is very kind。 We have a very good nurse；
and Dr。 Kennedy has had consultation with Dr。 Benson from the Junction。
They are doing all in their power； of course； but they say thatthat it's
going to be the nursing that will count now。〃
〃Then I don't fear for him； surely〃 declared the man； with fervor。
〃I know； butwell； he shall have the very best possibleof that。〃
〃I know he will； but isn't there anythinganything that I can do？〃
She shook her head。
〃No。 Of course； if he gets better〃 She hesitated； then lifted her chin a
little higher； 〃WHEN he gets better；〃 she corrected with courageous
emphasis； 〃he will want to see you。〃
〃And he shall see me；〃 asserted Gurnsey。 〃And he will be better； Mrs。
Holly；I'm sure he will。〃
〃Yes； yes； of course； onlyoh； Mr。 Jack； he's so sickso very sick！ The
doctor says he's a peculiarly sensitive nature； and that he thinks
something's been troubling him lately。〃 Her voice broke。
〃Poor little chap！〃 Mr。 Jack's voice； too； was husky。
She looked up with swift gratefulness for his sympathy。
〃And you loved him； too； I know〃 she choked。 〃He talks of you often
very often。〃
〃Indeed I love him！ Who could help it？〃
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〃There couldn't anybody； Mr。 Jack；and that's just it。 Now； since he's
been sick； we've wondered more than ever who he is。 You see； I can't help
thinking that somewhere he's got friends who ought to know about him
now。〃
〃Yes； I see；〃 nodded the man。
〃He isn't an ordinary boy； Mr。 Jack。 He's been trained in lots of ways
about his manners； and at the table； and all that。 And lots of things his
father has told him are beautiful； just beautiful！ He isn't a tramp。 He never
was one。 And there's his playing。 YOU know how he can play。〃
〃Indeed I do！ You must miss his playing； too。〃
〃I do； he talks of that； also；〃 she hurried on； working her fingers
nervously together； 〃but oftenest hehe speaks of singing； and I can't quite
understand that； for he didn't ever sing； you know。〃
〃Singing？ What does he say？〃 The man asked the question because he
saw that it was affording the overwrought little woman real relief to free
her mind； but at the first words of her reply he became suddenly alert。
〃It's 'his song；' as he calls it； that he talks about； always。 It isn't much
what he saysbut I noticed it because he always says the same thing； like
this： I'll just hold up my chin and march straight on and on； and I'll sing it
with all my might and main。' And when I ask him what he's going to sing；
he always says； 'My songmy song；' just like that。 Do you think； Mr。 Jack；
he did havea song？〃
For a moment the man did not answer。 Something in his throat
tightened； and held the words。 Then； in a low voice he managed to
stammer：
〃I think he did； Mrs。 Holly； andI think he sang it； too。〃 The next
moment； with a quick lifting of his hat and a murmured 〃I'll call again
soon；〃 he turned and walked swiftly down the driveway。
So very swiftly； indeed； was Mr。 Jack walking； and so self…absorbed
was he； that he did not see the carriage until it was almost upon him； then
he stepped aside to let it pass。 What he saw as he gravely raised his hat
was a handsome span of black horses； a liveried coachman； and a pair of
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startled eyes looking straight into his。 What he did not see was the quick
gesture with which Miss Holbrook almost ordered her carriage stopped the
minute it had passed him by。
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CHAPTER XXII
AS PERRY SAW IT
One by one the days passed； and there came from the anxious
watchers at David's bedside only the words； 〃There's very little change。〃
Often Jack Gurnsey went to the farmhouse to inquire for the boy。 Often；
too； he saw Perry Larson； and Perry was never loath to talk of David。 It
was from Perry； indeed； that Gurnsey began to learn some things of David
that he had never known before。
〃It does beat all；〃 Perry Larson said to him one day； 〃how many folks
asks me how that boy isfolks that you'd never think knew him； anyhow；
ter say nothin' of carin' whether he lived or died。 Now； there's old Mis'
Somers； fur instance。 YOU know what she issour as a lemon an' puckery
as a chokecherry。 Well； if she didn't give me yesterday a great bo…kay o'
posies she'd growed herself； an' said they was fur himthat they berlonged
ter him； anyh