Janet hoped that Mr. Leonard might not exact the fulfilment of Felix 's promise ; but Felix himself , with the instinctive understanding of perfect love , knew that it was vain to hope for any change of viewpoint in his grandfather . He addressed himself to the keeping of his promise in letter and in spirit . He never went again to old Abel 's ; he did not even play on the organ , though this was not forbidden , because any music wakened in him a passion of longing and ecstasy which demanded expression with an intensity not to be borne . He flung himself grimly into his studies and conned Latin and Greek verbs with a persistency which soon placed him at the head of all competitors . Only once in the long winter did he come near to breaking his promise . One evening , when March was melting into April , and the pulses of spring were stirring under the lingering snow , he was walking home from school alone . As he descended into the little hollow below the manse a lively lilt of music drifted up to meet him . It was only the product of a mouth-organ , manipulated by a little black-eyed , French-Canadian hired boy , sitting on the fence by the brook ; but there was music in the ragged urchin and it came out through his simple toy . It tingled over Felix from head to foot ; and , when Leon held out the mouth-organ with a fraternal grin of invitation , he snatched at it as a famished creature might snatch at food . Then , with it half-way to his lips , he paused . True , it was only the violin he had promised never to touch ; but he felt that if he gave way ever so little to the desire that was in him , it would sweep everything before it . If he played on Leon Buote 's mouth-organ , there in that misty spring dale , he would go to old Abel 's that evening ; he KNEW he would go . To Leon 's amazement , Felix threw the mouth-organ back at him and ran up the hill as if he were pursued . There was something in his boyish face that frightened Leon ; and it frightened Janet Andrews as Felix rushed past her in the hall of the manse . `` Child , what 's the matter with you ? '' she cried . `` Are you sick ? Have you been scared ? '' `` No , no . Leave me alone , Janet , '' said Felix chokingly , dashing up the stairs to his own room .
He was quite composed when he came down XXXXX tea , an hour later , though he was unusually pale and had purple shadows under his large eyes .
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