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〃Fairy stories； David？〃 asked Miss Holbrook lightly。
〃No； not exactly； though there was a Princess in it。 Mr。 Jack told it。〃
David's eyes were still out of the window。
〃Oh； Mr。 Jack！ And does Mr。 Jack often tell you stories？〃
〃No。 He never told only this oneand maybe that's why I remember it
so。〃
〃Well； and what did the Princess do？〃 Miss Holbrook's voice was still
light； still carelessly preoccupied。 Her attention； plainly； was given to the
sewing in her hand。
〃She didn't do and that's what was the trouble；〃 sighed I David。 〃She
didn't wave； you know。〃
The needle in Miss Holbrook's fingers stopped short in mid…air； the
thread half…drawn。
〃Didn'twave！〃 she stammered。 〃What do youmean？〃
〃Nothing；〃 laughed the boy； turning away from the window。 〃I forgot
that you didn't know the story。〃
〃But maybe I dothat iswhat was the story？〃 asked Miss Holbrook；
wetting her lips as if they had grown suddenly very dry。
〃Oh； do you？ I wonder now！ It wasn't 'The PRINCE and the Pauper；'
but the PRINCESS and the Pauper；〃 cited David； 〃and they used to wave
signals； and answer with flags。 Do you know the story？〃
There was no answer。 Miss Holbrook was putting away her work；
hurriedly； and with hands that shook。 David noticed that she even pricked
herself in her anxiety to get the needle tucked away。 Then she drew him to
a low stool at her side。
〃David； I want you to tell me that story； please；〃 she said； 〃just as Mr。
Jack told it to you。 Now； be careful and put it all in； because II want to
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hear it；〃 she finished； with an odd little laugh that seemed to bring two
bright red spots to her cheeks。
〃Oh； do you want to hear it？ Then I will tell it；〃 cried David joyfully。
To David； almost as delightful as to hear a story was to tell one himself。
〃You see； first〃 And he plunged headlong into the introduction。
David knew it wellthat story： and there was； perhaps； little that he
forgot。 It might not have been always told in Mr。 Jack's language； but his
meaning was there； and very intently Miss Holbrook listened while David
told of the boy and the girl； the wavings； and the flags that were blue；
black； and red。 She laughed once；that was at the little joke with the bells
that the girl played；but she did not speak until sometime later when
David was telling of the first home…coming of the Princess； and of the time
when the boy on his tiny piazza watched and watched in vain for a waving
white signal from the tower。
〃Do you mean to say；〃 interposed Miss Holbrook then； almost starting
to her feet； 〃that that boy expected〃 She stopped suddenly； and fell back
in her chair。 The two red spots on her cheeks had become a rosy glow now；
all over her face。
〃Expected what？〃 asked David。
〃Nnothing。 Go on。 I was soso interested；〃 explained Miss Holbrook
faintly。 〃Go on。〃
And David did go on； nor did the story lose by his telling。 It gained；
indeed； something； for now it had woven through it the very strong
sympathy of a boy who loved the Pauper for his sorrow and hated the
Princess for causing that sorrow。
〃And so；〃 he concluded mournfully； 〃you see it isn't a very nice story；
after all； for it didn't end well a bit。 They ought to have got married and
lived happy ever after。 But they didn't。〃
Miss Holbrook drew in her breath a little uncertainly； and put her hand
to her throat。 Her face now； instead of being red； was very white。
〃But； David；〃 she faltered； after a moment； 〃perhaps hethePauper
did notnot love the Princess any longer。〃
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〃Mr。 Jack said that he did。〃
The white face went suddenly pink again。
〃Then； why didn't he go to her andandtell her？〃
David lifted his chin。 With all his dignity he answered； and his words
and accent were Mr。 Jack's。
〃Paupers don't go to Princesses； and say 〃I love you。'〃
〃But perhaps if they didthat isif〃 Miss Holbrook bit her lips and
did not finish her sentence。 She did not； indeed； say anything more for a
long time。 But she had not forgotten the story。 David knew that； because
later she began to question him carefully about many little pointspoints
that he was very sure he had already made quite plain。 She talked about it；
indeed； until he wondered if perhaps she were going to tell it to some one
else sometime。 He asked her if she were； but she only shook her head。 And
after that she did not question him any more。 And a little later David went
home。
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CHAPTER XXI
HEAVY HEARTS
For a week David had not been near the House that Jack Built； and
that； too； when Jill had been confined within doors for several days with a
cold。 Jill； indeed； was inclined to be grieved at this apparent lack of
interest on the part of her favorite playfellow； but upon her return from her
first day of school； after her recovery； she met her brother with startled
eyes。
〃Jack； it hasn't been David's fault at all；〃 she cried remorsefully。 〃He's
sick。〃
〃Sick！〃
〃Yes； awfully sick。 They've had to send away for doctors and
everything。〃
〃Why； Jill； are you sure？ Where did you hear this？〃
〃At school to…day。 Every one was talking about it。〃
〃But what is the matter？〃
〃Feversome sort。 Some say it's typhoid； and some scarlet； and some
say another kind that I can't remember； but everybody says he's awfully
sick。 He got it down to Glaspell's； some say；and some say he didn't。 But；
anyhow； Betty Glaspell has been sick with something； and they haven't let
folks in there this week；〃 finished Jill； her eyes big with terror。
〃The Glaspells？ But what was David doing down there？〃
〃Why； you know；he told us once；teaching Joe to play。 He's been
there lots。 Joe is blind； you know； and can't see； but he just loves music；
and was crazy over David's violin； so David took down his other onethe
one that was his father's； you knowand showed him how to pick out little
tunes； just to take up his time so he wouldn't mind so much that he
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couldn't see。 Now； Jack； wasn't that just like David？ Jack； I can't have
anything happen to David！〃
〃No； dear； no； of course not！ I'm afraid we can't any of us； for that
matter；〃 sighed Jack； his forehead drawn into anxious lines。 〃I'll go down
to the Hollys'； Jill； the first thing tomorrow morning； and see how he is
and if there's anything we can do。 Meanwhile； don't take it too much to
heart； dear。 It may not be half so bad as you think。 School…children always
get things like that exaggerated； you must remember；〃 he finished；
speaking with a lightness that he did not feel。
To himself the man owned that he was troubled； seriously troubled。 He
had to admit that Jill's story bore the earmarks of truth； and
overwhelmingly he realized now just how big a place this somewhat
puzzling small boy had come to fill in his own heart。 He did not need Jill's
anxious 〃Now； hurry； Jack；〃 the next morning to start him off in all haste
for the Holly farmhouse。 A dozen rods from the driveway he met Perry
Larson and stopped him abruptly。
〃Good morning； Larson； I hope this isn't truewhat I hearthat David
is very ill。〃
Larson pulled off his hat and with his free hand sought the one
particular spot on his head to which he always appealed when he was very
much troubled。
〃Well； yes； sir； I'm afraid 't is； Mr。 JackerMr。 Gurnsey； I mean。 He is
turrible sick； poor little chap； an' it's too badthat's what it istoo bad！〃
〃Oh； I'm sorry！ I hoped the report was exaggerated。 I came down to
see ifif there wasn't something I could do。〃
〃Well； 'course you can askthere ain't no law ag'in' that； an' ye needn't
be afraid； neither。 The report has got 'round that it's ketchin'what he's got；
and that he got it down