With a suddenly old, drawn look on his face, the elder man had turned away.
Half an hour later Simeon Holly climbed the stairs to David's room, and as gently and plainly as he could told the boy of this great, good thing that had come to him.
David was amazed, but overjoyed.

That he was found to be the son of a famous man affected him not at all, only so far as it seemed to set his father right in other eyes--in David's own, the man had always been supreme.

But the going away--the marvelous going away--filled him with excited wonder.
"You mean, I shall go away and study--practice--learn more of my violin ?" "Yes, David." "And hear beautiful music like the organ in church, only more--bigger--better ?" "I suppose so.".
"And know people--dear people--who will understand what I say when I play ?" Simeon Holly's face paled a little; still, he knew David had not meant to make it so hard.
"Yes." "Why, it's my 'start'-- just what I was going to have with the gold-pieces," cried David joyously.

Then, uttering a sharp cry of consternation, he clapped his fingers to his lips.
"Your--what ?" asked the man.
"N--nothing, really, Mr.Holly,--Uncle Simeon,--n--nothing." Something, either the boy's agitation, or the luckless mention of the gold-pieces sent a sudden dismayed suspicion into Simeon Holly's eyes.
"Your 'start' ?--the 'gold-pieces'?
David, what do you mean ?" David shook his head.

He did not intend to tell.