r. Jack. He'll want ter hear."

CHAPTER XXIII

PUZZLES

David's convalescence was picturesque, in a way. As soon as he was
able, like a king he sat upon his throne and received his subjects; and
a very gracious king he was, indeed. His room overflowed with flowers
and fruit, and his bed quite groaned with the toys and books and games
brought for his diversion, each one of which he hailed with delight,
from Miss Holbrook's sumptuously bound "Waverley Novels" to little
crippled Jimmy Clark's bag of marbles.

Only two things puzzled David: one was why everybody was so good to
him; and the other was why he never could have the pleasure of both Mr.
Jack's and Miss Holbrook's company at the same time.

David discovered this last curious circumstance concerning Mr. Jack and
Miss Holbrook very early in his convalescence. It was on the second
afternoon that Mr. Jack had been admitted to the sick-room. David had
been hearing all the latest news of Jill and Joe, when suddenly he
noticed an odd change come to his visitor's face.

The windows of the Holly "parlor bedroom" commanded a fine view of the
road, and it was toward one of these windows that Mr. Jack's eyes were
directed. David, sitting up in bed, saw then that down the road was
approaching very swiftly a handsome span of black horses and an open
carriage which he had come to recognize as belonging to Miss Holbrook.
He watched it eagerly now till he saw the horses turn in at the Holly
driveway. Then he gave a low cry of delight.

"It's my Lady of the Roses! She's coming to see me. Look! Oh, I'm so
glad! Now you'll see her, and just KNOW how lovely she is. Why, Mr.
Jack, you aren't going NOW!" he broke off in manifest disappointment,
as Mr. Jack leaped to his feet.

"I think I'll have to, if you don't mind, David," returned the man, an
oddly nervous haste in his manner. "And YOU won't mind, now that you'll
have Miss Holbrook. I want to speak to Larson. I saw him in the field
out there a minute ago. And I guess I'll slip right through this window
here, too, David. I don't want to lose him; and I can catch him quicker
this way than any other," he finished, throwing up the sash.

"Oh, but Mr. Jack, please just wait a minute," begged David. "I wanted
you to see my Lady of the Roses, and--" But Mr. Jack was already on the
ground outside the low window, and the next minute, with a merry nod
and smile, he had pulled the sash down after him and was hurrying away.

Alm