That already half a dozen relatives were interfering with the way he wanted to bring the boy up, and that David was in a fair way to be spoiled, even then, with so much attention and flattery.

The father had determined to make a wonderful artist of his son, and he was known to have said that he believed--as do so many others--that the first dozen years of a child's life are the making of the man, and that if he could have the boy to himself that long he would risk the rest.

So it seems he carried out his notion until he was taken sick, and had to quit--poor chap!" "But why didn't he tell us plainly in that note who he was, then ?" fumed Simeon Holly, in manifest irritation.
"He did, he thought," laughed the other.

"He signed his name, and he supposed that was so well known that just to mention it would be enough.

That's why he kept it so secret while he was living on the mountain, you see, and that's why even David himself didn't know it.