of them."

"Many as a hundred?"

"Sure--if they were big enough. Anyway, David, they'd start you, and
I'm thinking you wouldn't need but a start before you'd be coining
gold-pieces of your own out of that violin of yours. But why? Anybody
you know got as 'many as a hundred' gold-pieces he wants to get rid of?"

For a moment David, his delighted thoughts flying to the gold-pieces in
the chimney cupboard of his room, was tempted to tell his secret. Then
he remembered the woman with the bread and the pail of milk, and
decided not to. He would wait. When he knew Mr. Jack better--perhaps
then he would tell; but not now. NOW Mr. Jack might think he was a
thief, and that he could not bear. So he took up his violin and began
to play; and in the charm of the music Mr. Jack seemed to forget the
gold-pieces--which was exactly what David had intended should happen.

Not until David had said good-bye some time later, did he remember the
purpose--the special purpose--for which he had come. He turned back
with a radiant face.

"Oh, and Mr. Jack, I 'most forgot," he cried. "I was going to tell you.
I saw you yesterday--I did, and I almost waved to you."

"Did you? Where were you?"

"Over there in the window--the tower window" he crowed jubilantly.

"Oh, you went again, then, I suppose, to see Miss Holbrook."

The man's voice sounded so oddly cold and distant that David noticed it
at once. He was reminded suddenly of the gate and the footbridge which
Jill was forbidden to cross; but he dared not speak of it then--not
when Mr. Jack looked like that. He did say, however:--

"Oh, but, Mr. Jack, it's such a beautiful place! You don't know what a
beautiful place it is."

"Is it? Then, you like it so much?"

"Oh, so much! But--didn't you ever--see it?"

"Why, yes, I believe I did, David, long ago," murmured Mr. Jack
with what seemed to David amazing indifference.

"And did you see HER--my Lady of the Roses?"

"Why, y--yes--I believe so."

"And is THAT all you remember about it?" resented David, highly
offended.

The man gave a laugh--a little short, hard laugh that David did not
like.

"But, let me see; you said you almost waved, didn't you? Why did n't
you, quite?" asked the man.

David drew himself suddenly erect. Instinctively he felt that his Lady
of the Roses needed defense.

"Because SHE didn't want me to; so I didn't, of course," he rejoined
with dignity. "She took away my handkerchief."

"I'll warrant she