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unconsciouslyit rolled off； indeed； like the proverbial water from the
duck's back。
David hardly knew sometimes which he liked the better； his
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imaginative adventures between the covers of his books or his real
adventures in his daily strolls。 True； it was not his mountain homethis
place in which he found himself； neither was there anywhere his Silver
Lake with its far； far…reaching sky above。 More deplorable yet； nowhere
was there the dear father he loved so well。 But the sun still set in rose and
gold； and the sky； though small； still carried the snowy sails of its cloud…
boats； while as to his fatherhis father had told him not to grieve； and
David was trying very hard to obey。
With his violin for company David started out each day； unless he
elected to stay indoors with his books。 Sometimes it was toward the
village that he turned his steps； sometimes it was toward the hills back of
the town。 Whichever way it was； there was always sure to be something
waiting at the end for him and his violin to discover； if it was nothing
more than a big white rose in bloom； or a squirrel sitting by the roadside。
Very soon； however； David discovered that there was something to be
found in his wanderings besides squirrels and roses； and that waspeople。
In spite of the strangeness of these people； they were wonderfully
interesting； David thought。 And after that he turned his steps more and
more frequently toward the village when four o'clock released him from
the day's work。
At first David did not talk much to these people。 He shrank sensitively
from their bold stares and unpleasantly audible comments。 He watched
them with round eyes of wonder and interest； however；when he did not
think they were watching him。 And in time he came to know not a little
about them and about the strange ways in which they passed their time。
There was the greenhouse man。 It would be pleasant to spend one's
day growing plants and flowersbut not under that hot； stifling glass roof；
decided David。 Besides； he would not want always to pick and send away
the very prettiest ones to the city every morning； as the greenhouse man
did。
There was the doctor who rode all day long behind the gray mare；
making sick folks well。 David liked him； and mentally vowed that he
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himself would be a doctor sometime。 Still； there was the stage…driver
David was not sure but he would prefer to follow this man's profession for
a life…work； for in his； one could still have the freedom of long days in the
open； and yet not be saddened by the sight of the sick before they had been
made wellwhich was where the stage…driver had the better of the doctor；
in David's opinion。 There were the blacksmith and the storekeepers； too；
but to these David gave little thought or attention。
Though he might not know what he did want to do； he knew very well
what he did not。 All of which merely goes to prove that David was still on
the lookout for that great work which his father had said was waiting for
him out in the world。
Meanwhile David played his violin。 If he found a crimson rambler in
bloom in a door…yard； he put it into a little melody of pure delightthat a
woman in the house behind the rambler heard the music and was cheered
at her task； David did not know。 If he found a kitten at play in the sunshine；
he put it into a riotous abandonment of tumbling turns and trillsthat a
fretful baby heard and stopped its wailing； David also did not know。 And
once； just because the sky was blue and the air was sweet； and it was so
good to be alive； David lifted his bow and put it all into a rapturous paean
of ringing exultationthat a sick man in a darkened chamber above the
street lifted his head； drew in his breath； and took suddenly a new lease of
life； David still again did not know。 All of which merely goes to prove that
David had perhaps found his work and was doing italthough yet still
again David did not know。
It was in the cemetery one afternoon that David came upon the Lady in
Black。 She was on her knees putting flowers on a little mound before her。
She looked up as David approached。 For a moment she gazed wistfully at
him； then as if impelled by a hidden force； she spoke。
〃Little boy； who are you？〃
〃I'm David。〃
〃David！ David who？ Do you live here？ I've seen you here before。〃
〃Oh； yes； I've been here quite a lot of times。〃 Purposely the boy
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evaded the questions。 David was getting tired of questionsespecially
these questions。
〃And have youlost one dear to you； little boy？〃
〃Lost some one？〃
〃I meanis your father or motherhere？〃
〃Here？ Oh； no； they aren't here。 My mother is an angel…mother； and
my father has gone to the far country。 He is waiting for me there； you
know。〃
〃But； that's the samethat is〃 She stopped helplessly； bewildered
eyes on David's serene face。 Then suddenly a great light came to her own。
〃Oh； little boy； I wish I could understand thatjust that；〃 she breathed。 〃It
would make it so much easierif I could just remember that they aren't
herethat they're WAITINGover there！〃
But David apparently did not hear。 He had turned and was playing
softly as he walked away。 Silently the Lady in Black knelt； listening；
looking after him。 When she rose some time later and left the cemetery；
the light on her face was still there； deeper； more glorified。
Toward boys and girlsespecially boysof his own age； David
frequently turned wistful eyes。 David wanted a friend； a friend who would
know and understand； a friend who would see things as he saw them； who
would understand what he was saying when he played。 It seemed to David
that in some boy of his own age he ought to find such a friend。 He had
seen many boysbut he had not yet found the friend。 David had begun to
think； indeed； that of all these strange beings in this new life of his； boys
were the strangest。
They stared and nudged each other unpleasantly when they came upon
him playing。 They jeered when he tried to tell them what he had been
playing。 They had never heard of the great Orchestra of Life； and they fell
into most disconcerting fits of laughter； or else backed away as if afraid；
when he told them that they themselves were instruments in it； and that if
they did not keep themselves in tune； there was sure to be a discord
somewhere。
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Then there were their games and frolics。 Such as were played with
balls； bats； and bags of beans； David thought he would like very much。
But the boys only scoffed when he asked them to teach him how to play。
They laughed when a dog chased a cat； and they thought it very； very
funny when Tony； the old black man； tripped on the string they drew
across his path。 They liked to throw stones and shoot guns； and the more
creeping； crawling； or flying creatures that they could send to the far
country； the happier they were； apparently。 Nor did they like it at all when
he asked them if they were sure all these creeping； crawling； flying
creatures wanted to leave this beautiful world and to be made dead。 They
sneered and called him a sissy。 David did not know what a sissy was； but
from the way they said it； he judged it must be even worse to be a sissy
than to be a thief。
And then he discovered Joe。
David had found himself in a very strange； very unlovely
neighborhood that afternoon。 The street was full of papers and tin cans； the
houses were unspeakably forlorn with sagging blinds and lack of