New Walks in Old Ways 



and comfort, at my beck and call, in 

 hours of need. 



The walls of Dumbiedykes — as the 

 name itself would indicate — are sup- 

 posedly silent, but I assure you they 

 are not. On the contrary, they speak 

 frequently to those who can claim a 

 real acquaintance with them. The 

 peculiar thing about it is that they 

 either cannot or will not commune 

 with strangers. There are a few be- 

 sides ourselves who, whenever they 

 rest beneath its roof, hear these mystic 

 voices; but you must have endeared 

 yourself in some real heart-gripping 

 way before the walls give up their 

 stories of the years. 



As in the case of the elves that live 

 in the eaves outside, these wall-fays 

 not only evade the notice of all save 

 those who love them, but their speech 

 is for those who hear it only. True, 

 they lay no injunction of secrecy upon 

 those to whom they talk. They do not 

 need to do so, for there is that in their 

 [i6] 



