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〃David； youyou aren't making all this up； are you？ You're saying just
whatwhat Miss Holbrook told you to？〃
〃Why； of course； I'm not making it up；〃 protested the boy aggrievedly。
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〃This is the Lady of the Roses' storySHE made it uponly she talked it
as if 't was real； of course； just as you did。 She said another thing； too。 She
said that she happened to know that the Princess had got all that
magnificence around her in the first place just to see if it wouldn't make
her happy； but that it hadn't； and that now she had one placea little room…
…that was left just as it used to be when she was the girl； and that she went
there and sat very often。 And she said it was right in sight of where the boy
lived； too； where he could see it every day； and that if he hadn't been so
blind he could have looked right through those gray walls and seen that；
and seen lots of other things。 And what did she mean by that； Mr。 Jack？〃
〃I don't knowI don't know； David；〃 half…groaned Mr。 Jack。
〃Sometimes I think she meansand then I think that can't betrue。〃
〃But do you think it's helped it anythe story？〃 persisted the boy。
〃She's only talked a little about the Princess。 She didn't really change
things anynot the ending。〃
〃But she said it might； Davidshe said it might！ Don't you
remember？〃 cried the man eagerly。 And to David； his eagerness did not
seem at all strange。 Mr。 Jack had said beforelong agothat he would be
very glad indeed to have a happier ending to this tale。 〃Think now；〃
continued the man。 〃Perhaps she said something else； too。 Did she say
anything else； David？〃
David shook his head slowly。
〃No； onlyyes； there was a little something； but it doesn't CHANGE
things any； for it was only a 'supposing。' She said： 'Just supposing； after
long years； that the Princess found out about how the boy felt long ago；
and suppose he should look up at the tower some day； at the old time； and
see a ONETWO wave； which meant； 〃Come over to see me。〃 Just what
do you suppose he would do？' But of course； THAT can't do any good；〃
finished David gloomily； as he rose to go to bed； 〃for that was only a
'supposing。' 〃
〃Of course；〃 agreed Mr。 Jack steadily； and David did not know that
only stern self…control had forced the steadiness into that voice； nor that；
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for Mr。 Jack； the whole world had burst suddenly into song。 Neither did
David； the next morning； know that long before eight o'clock Mr。 Jack
stood at a certain window； his eyes unswervingly fixed on the gray towers
of Sunnycrest。 What David did know； however； was that just after eight；
Mr。 Jack strode through the room where he and Jill were playing checkers；
flung himself into his hat and coat； and then fairly leaped down the steps
toward the path that led to the footbridge at the bottom of the hill。
〃Why； whatever in the world ails Jack？〃 gasped Jill。 Then； after a
startled pause； she asked。 〃David； do folks ever go crazy for joy？
Yesterday； you see； Jack got two splendid pieces of news。 One was from
his doctor。 He was examined； and he's fine； the doctor says； all well； so he
can go back； now any time； to the city and work。 I shall go to school then；
you know；a young ladies' school；〃 she finished； a little importantly。
〃He's well？ How splendid！ But what was the other news？ You said
there were two； only it couldn't have been nicer than that was； to be well
all well！〃
〃The other？ Well； that was only that his old place in the city was
waiting for him。 He was with a firm of big lawyers； you know； and of
course it is nice to have a place all waiting。 But I can't see anything in
those things to make him act like this； now。 Can you？〃
〃Why； yes； maybe；〃 declared David。 〃He's found his workdon't you
see？out in the world； and he's going to do it。 I know how I'd feel if I had
found mine that father told me of！ Only what I can't understand is； if Mr。
Jack knew all this yesterday； why did n't he act like this then； instead of
waiting till to…day？〃
〃I wonder；〃 said Jill。
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CHAPTER XXV
THE BEAUTIFUL WORLD
David found many new songs in his violin those early winter days；
and they were very beautiful ones。 To begin with； there were all the kindly
looks and deeds that were showered upon him from every side。 There was
the first snowstorm； too； with the feathery flakes turning all the world to
fairy whiteness。 This song David played to Mr。 Streeter； one day； and great
was his disappointment that the man could not seem to understand what
the song said。
〃But don't you see？〃 pleaded David。 〃I'm telling you that it's your
pear…tree blossoms come back to say how glad they are that you didn't kill
them that day。〃
〃Pear…tree blossomscome back！〃 ejaculated the old man。 〃Well； no； I
can't see。 Where's yer pear…tree blossoms？〃
〃Why； thereout of the windoweverywhere；〃 urged the boy。
〃THERE！ By ginger！ boyye don't meanye CAN'T mean the
SNOW！〃
〃Of course I do！ Now； can't you see it？ Why； the whole tree was just a
great big cloud of snowflakes。 Don't you remember？ Well； now it's gone
away and got a whole lot more trees； and all the little white petals have
come dancing down to celebrate； and to tell you they sure are coming back
next year。〃
〃Well； by ginger！〃 exclaimed the man again。 Then； suddenly； he threw
back his head with a hearty laugh。 David did not quite like the laugh；
neither did he care for the five…cent piece that the man thrust into his
fingers a little later； thoughhad David but known itboth the laugh and
the five…cent piece gift werefor the uncomprehending man who gave
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themwhite milestones along an unfamiliar way。
It was soon after this that there came to David the great surprisehis
beloved Lady of the Roses and his no less beloved Mr。 Jack were to be
married at the beginning of the New Year。 So very surprised； indeed； was
David at this； that even his violin was mute； and had nothing； at first； to
say about it。 But to Mr。 Jack； as man to man； David said one day：
〃I thought men； when they married women； went courting。 In story…
books they do。 And youyou hardly ever said a word to my beautiful Lady
of the Roses； and you spoke oncelong agoas if you scarcely
remembered her at all。 Now； what do you mean by that？〃
And Mr。 Jack laughed； but he grew red； too；and then he told it all；
that it was just the story of 〃The Princess and the Pauper；〃 and that he；
David； had been the one； as it happened； to do part of their courting for
them。
And how David had laughed then； and how he had fairly hugged
himself for joy！ And when next he had picked up his violin； what a
beautiful； beautiful song he had found about it in the vibrant strings！
It was this same song； as it chanced； that he was playing in his room
that Saturday afternoon when the letter from Simeon Holly's long…lost son
John came to the Holly farmhouse。
Downstairs in the kitchen； Simeon Holly stood； with the letter in his
hand。
〃Ellen； we've got a letter fromJohn；〃 he said。 That Simeon Holly
spoke of it at all showed how very far along HIS unfamiliar way he had
come since the last letter from John had arrived。
〃FromJohn？ Oh； Simeon！ From John？〃
〃Yes。〃
Simeon sat down and tried to hide the shaking of his hand as he ran the
point of his knife under the flap of the envelope。 〃We'll see whathe says。〃
And to hear him； one might have thought that letters from John were
everyday occurrences。
DEAR FATHER： Twice before I have written ＇ran the letter＇； and