Page 59 (1/2)

The result of that secret colloquy was that David knelt down in front

of the dining-room fire, and made a slice of sht roast an apple for Mrs Richie," the old

ested And David's eyes shone with silent joy With

anxious deliberation he picked out an apple from the silver wire

basket on the sideboard; and when they went into the study, he

presented a thread to Mrs Richie

"Tie it to the steently, and indeed her white fingers blundered with the unaccustomed

task When she had accomplished it, David wound the other end of the

thread round a pin stuck in the high black mantel-shelf The apple

dropped slowly into place before the bars of the grate, and began--as

everybody who has been a child knows--to spin slowly round, and then,

slowly back again David, squatting on the rug, watched it in silence

But Mrs Richie would not let hier

to touch him--his shoulders, his hair, his cheek, hot with the fire

"Won't you colanced at Dr Lavendar as though for advice; then got up and

cli an eye on the apple that

bobbed against the grate and sizzled

"Will you hed "I see

somewhere"

"Oh, you will, one of these days," Dr Lavendar assured hihtfully