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The Works of Henry Van Dyke: The valley of
The Works of Henry Van Dyke The valley of Author:Henry Van Dyke Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: HALF-TOLD TALES THE TRAITOR IN THE HOUSE JUSTICE OF THE ELEMENTS ASHES OF VENGEANCE THE TRAITOR IN THE HOUSE Guest, who came from beyond the lake,... more » had lived in the house for years and had the freedom of it, so that he had become quite like a member of the family. He was friendly treated and well lodged. Indeed, some thought he had the best room of all, for though it was in the wing, it was spacious and well warmed, and had a side door, so that he could go in and out freely by day or night. It must be said that he had earned his living on the place, being industrious and useful, a very handy man about the house; and the children had a liking for him because he sang merry songs and told beautiful fairy-tales. So he was all the more surprised and aggrieved when the Master of the house said to him one night, as they sat late by the fire: "I suspect you." "But of what?" cried the Guest. "Of caring more for the house you came from than for the house you live in." "But you know I was at home there once," said the Guest, "would you have me forget that? Surely you will not deny me the freedom of my thoughts and memories and fond feelings. Would you make me less than a man?" "No," said the Master, "but I will ask you to choose between your old home and your new home, now. The house in which you lived formerly is become our enemy—a nest of brigands and bloody men. They have killed a child of ours on the highway. They threaten us to-night with an attack in force. Tell me plainly where you stand." The Guest looked down his nose toward the smouldering embers of the fire. He knocked out the dottle of his pipe on one of the andirons. Two fat tears rolled down his cheeks; he was very sentimental. "I am with you," he said. "Good," said the Master, "now ...« less