Just David

the north wind, and towered gray-white in the sunshine. Before it a tiny expanse of green sloped gently away to a point where the mount

alley; the silver pool of the lake with its ribbon of a river flung far out; and above it the grays and greens and purples of t

e footpath that disappeared into the forest. Neither, anywhere, was there a h

. There were two bunks, a few rude but comfortable chairs, a table, two music-racks, two violins with their cases, and everywhere books, and scattered sheets of music. Nowhere was there cushion, curtain, or knickknack that told of a woman's taste or touch. On the other hand, neither was there anywhe

f the sputtering suddenly ceased, and at th

led the owne

was no

re?" called the voic

room and hurried to the bunk in the corner. He was a slender lad with short, crisp curls at his ears, and the red of

myself, and the potatoes and the coffe

sitting posture. His cheeks, like the boy's, were red-but not with health. Hi

my little

uld it be?" laughed the boy. "Come!

wild look left his eyes, and the flush his cheeks. His face looked suddenly old and

. The potatoes were soggy, and had the unmistakable taste that comes from a dish

hed a litt

stove was hotter than the rest, and burnt up the bacon in spots; and all the water got out of the potatoes, too,-though THAT didn't matter,

, but he shook

not to be any 'ne

er going to let me try again, father?" Th

if behind them lay a rush of words. But they closed abruptly,

supper, is it? Now, if you please, I'll take some o

too, as he saw how little the boy ate. He sat silent while his son cleared the food and dishes away, and he w

without this last look at his "Silver Lake," as he ca

the sun!" he cried rapturously, as his

stasy, and hearing it, the ma

t!" cried the boy, bounding toward the cabin. I

ed, his face became a battle-ground whereon pride and fear

was moved, David turned to his violin. Always in its quivering strin

imson and gold, was a molten sea on which floated rose-pink cloud-boats. Below, the valley with its lake and river picked

lin, and all this, too, was on

ast strain quivered into silence, the man spok

come. We'll have to g

eringly, his face s

what

-all

r, what do you me

nodded

vid, you didn't think we could alw

turned his eyes once mor

y. "What better place could

it. He was ill, very ill; and he knew it. Yet he also knew that, to David, sickness, pain, and death meant nothing-or, at most, words that h

his father's choosing. For six years that father had thought, planned, breathed, moved, lived for his son. There had been no others in the little cabin. There

ck definition, only definiteness, in the boy's mind. It should be a case where the good and the beautiful should so fill the thoughts that there would be no room for anything else. This had bee

David's surprised questioning at the first dead squ

wake up!" he had cried. Then, after a g

stions; and David had seemed content. But the next day the boy had gone

hat is it

you mea

d the squirrel this morning. He sa

the real squirrel under the

he

country,

he com

N

e want

l hop

fur coat behind him.

have taken

in the woods with his father one morning, he gave a joyous shout. He was standing by the ice-cover

I know now how it i

-Dav

And it leaves its little cold ice-coat behind it just as the squirrel did, too. It does n't need it. I

th relief that his son had found his own expla

h again. It was a man, this time. The

you and me, be dead, father?

ountry ruled over by a great

nd had waited fearfully for the result. But

ther, like the little br

t for him did death spell terror. Because of this David's fat

aid gently. "

rned with

, fa

d women and children waiting for you. You've a beautiful

it here, and I've

u were four when I brought you he

His eyes were again dr

could sail away on that little c

hed and sho

r a way-and we must go soon-soon," he added feverish

blood throbbed at his temples. He was appalled at his weakness. With a

to go! We've got

the

ed blindly, yet in some way

g. The next minute the boy had sprung to