summoned Mrs. Holly from the shed doorway to come and see.

So urgent was his plea that Mrs. Holly came with hurried
steps--but she went away with steps even more hurried; and David,
sitting back on his woodpile seat, was left to wonder why she
should scream and shudder and say "Ugh-h-h!" at such a beautiful,
interesting thing as was this little creature who lived in her
woodpile.

Even then David did not think of that empty woodbox waiting
behind the kitchen stove. This time it was a butterfly, a big
black butterfly banded with gold; and it danced and fluttered all
through the back yard and out into the garden, David delightedly
following with soft-treading steps, and movements that would not
startle. From the garden to the orchard, and from the orchard
back to the garden danced the butterfly--and David; and in the
garden, near the house, David came upon Mrs. Holly's pansy-bed.
Even the butterfly was forgotten then, for down in the path by
the pansy-bed David dropped to his knees in veritable worship.

"Why, you're just like little people," he cried softly. "You've
got faces; and some of you are happy, and some of you are sad.
And you--you big spotted yellow one--you're laughing at me. Oh,
I'm going to play you--all of you. You'll make such a pretty
song, you're so different from each other!" And David leaped
lightly to his feet and ran around to the side porch for his
violin.

Five minutes later, Simeon Holly, coming into the kitchen, heard
the sound of a violin through the open window. At the same moment