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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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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； and ventured to think that perhaps this strange little boy was
not so very strange； after all。
〃What is your name？〃 she found courage to ask then。
〃David。〃
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JUST DAVID
〃David what？〃
〃Just David。〃
〃But your father's name？〃 Mrs。 Holly had almost asked； but stopped in
time。 She did not want to speak of him。 〃Where do you live？〃 she asked
instead。
〃On the mountain； 'way up； up on the mountain where I can see my
Silver Lake every day； you know。〃
〃But you didn't live there alone？〃
〃Oh； no； with fatherbefore hewent away〃 faltered the boy。
The woman flushed red and bit her lip。
〃No； no； I meanwere there no other houses but yours？〃 she
stammered。
〃No； ma'am。〃
〃But； wasn't your motheranywhere？〃
〃Oh； yes； in father's pocket。〃
〃Your MOTHERin your father's POCKET！〃
So plainly aghast was the questioner that David looked not a little
surprised as he explained。
〃You don't understand。 She is an angel…mother； and angel…mothers
don't have anything only their pictures down here with us。 And that's what
we have； and father always carried it in his pocket。〃
〃Ohh；〃 murmured Mrs。 Holly； a quick mist in her eyes。 Then；
gently： 〃And did you always live thereon the mountain？〃
〃Six years； father said。〃
〃But what did you do all day？ Weren't you everlonesome？〃
〃Lonesome？〃 The boy's eyes were puzzled。
〃Yes。 Didn't you miss thingspeople； other houses； boys of your own
age； andand such things？〃
David's eyes widened。
〃Why； how could I？〃 he cried。 〃When I had daddy； and my violin； and
my Silver Lake； and the whole of the great big woods with everything in
them to talk to； and to talk to me？〃
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〃Woods； and things in them toto TALK to you！〃 〃Why； yes。 It was
the little brook； you know； after the squirrel； that told me about being dead；
and〃
〃Yes； yes； but never mind； dear； now；〃 stammered the woman； rising
hurriedly to her feetthe boy was a little wild； after all； she thought。 〃You…
…you should go to bed。 Haven't you aa bag； oror anything？〃
〃No； ma'am； we left it；〃 smiled David apologetically。 〃You see； we had
so much in it that it got too heavy to carry。 So we did n't bring it。〃
〃So much in it you didn't bring it； indeed！〃 repeated Mrs。 Holly； under
her breath； throwing up her hands with a gesture of despair。 〃Boy； what are
you； anyway？〃
It was not meant for a question； but； to the woman's surprise； the boy
answered； frankly； simply：
〃Father says that