CHAPTER VIII

THE SURPRISE ATTACK

Without turning his head, the beggar picked up a stone and tossed it into the river.  He repeated this twice.

Lucia watched, fascinated.  The soldiers left their hiding-place and came down to the road.  The beggar took something out of the pocket of his coat, handed it to one of the soldiers, and shuffled off in the opposite direction.

Lucia waited to see what the soldiers would do.  She expected them to return, but instead they waited until the beggar was out of sight, and then hurried across the foot-bridge and plunged hurriedly into the mountains opposite.

Lucia caught sight of their shining helmets every now and then as they climbed higher and higher, and finally disappeared.  She was undecided what to do, but after a little hesitation she determined to follow the beggar.  Now that the Austrians were out of sight there was no need for her to avoid the open path, and she hurried to it and ran quickly in the direction that the man had taken.  She did not know where she was, or how far she would have to go before she reached Cellino.  She had seen nothing of the town from the mountains, and she guessed that it was much farther away than she had at first supposed.

She walked on as fast as she could, keeping a sharp lookout for the beggar, but he had apparently disappeared, for she could not find him or any trace of him.

It was late in the afternoon when she reached a part of the river that was familiar to her, and with a start she realized that she was still a good three miles from Cellino.  She was very tired and very hungry, but she sat down to consider the best plan to follow.  She knew nothing of what had passed between the men at the bridge, but she had sense enough to realize that whatever it was, it was not for the good of the Italian forces.

Some one must be warned, and soon, for the speed of the Austrian soldiers made her feel that the danger was imminent.

“I will go on to town and warn them,” she said aloud to Garibaldi, “that is the best plan, and then I can find something to eat.”

She jumped up and started off with renewed energy.  At a little path that turned to the right she left the river and came out on the broad road at the foot of a valley.  It was not long after that, when she saw the little white cottage ahead.  The sight of it gave her courage.  There, at any rate, would be a human being to talk to, and bread to eat.  She ran the rest of the way, and did not pause until she was in the little room.

The sight that met her eyes sent a sudden damper over her spirits.  Everything was upside down.  The green bed was stripped of its sheets, and all the familiar ornaments had gone.  Lucia stood dumbfounded trying to realize that Nana had really gone.  A feeling of loneliness and despair made the tears come to her eyes.