not return, but some day you will come to me, your violin at your
chin, and the bow drawn across the strings to greet me. See that
it tells me of the beautiful world you have left--for it is a
beautiful world, David; never forget that. And if sometime you
are tempted to think it is not a beautiful world, just remember
that you yourself can make it beautiful if you will.

You are among new faces, surrounded by things and people that are
strange to you. Some of them you will not understand; some of
them you may not like. But do not fear, David, and do not plead
to go back to the hills. Remember this, my boy,--in your violin
lie all the things you long for. You have only to play, and the
broad skies of your mountain home will be over you, and the dear
friends and comrades of your mountain forests will be about you.

DADDY.


"Gorry! that's worse than the other," groaned Higgins, when he
had finished the note. "There's actually nothing in it! Wouldn't
you think--if a man wrote anything at such a time--that he'd 'a'
wrote something that had some sense to it--something that one
could get hold of, and find out who the boy is?"

There was no answering this. The assembled men could only grunt
and nod in agreement, which, after all, was no real help.