When she had walked for a little distance she looked back.  Maria and the soldier were in earnest conversation.  Maria in her timid way was apologizing for her cousin’s rudeness, and Roderigo was beginning to have doubts of the superiority of Southern beauty over the Northern, particularly when a gentle spirit was added to the charm of the latter.  Lucia did not know she was the subject of their talk.  She shrugged her shoulders and turned her thoughts to a more important question that was puzzling her.  It was, how to slip out of the house the next morning without disturbing the already suspicious Beppi.

CHAPTER III

BEFORE DAYBREAK

Lucia found Beppi asleep in the grass, curled up in the same position that he had been in earlier in the day.  One of his little hands had tight hold of the precious pink bag, and a sticky smile of blissful content turned up the corners of his full red lips.

Lucia looked at him and shook her head.  There might have been twenty-seven instead of seven years between them, for there was something protective in her expression.

“Little lazy bones, asleep again!” she said, shaking him gently.

Beppi stirred, one eye opened, and then with a sudden rush of memory he sat up and began excitedly:  “I just this minute fell asleep, just this very second, truly, Lucia!  I have watched the goats, oh, so carefully, and they have not stirred,—­see there they are only a little farther away than when you left.  I only closed my eyes because I thought I might go on with that nice dream, but I didn’t,” he finished sorrowfully.

Lucia laughed.

“Look at the sun,” she pointed.  “It is late, you should have driven the goats home long ago.  But I knew you would go to asleep after you ate up all the candy, such a naughty little brother that you are.  What kind of a soldier would you make, I’d like to know, dreaming every few minutes?  Come along, get up,—­we must hurry back to Nana, or she will be worried.”

She took his hand and together they drove the goats before them to the cottage.

[Illustration:  “Together they drove the goats before them.”]

Nana Rudini was waiting for them at the door.  She was a little, wrinkled-up, old woman with bright blue eyes and thin gray hair.  She spoke very seldom and always in a high querulous voice.

“So you’re back at last, are you?” she greeted, when the children were within hearing.  “Supper’s been on the stove for too long.  What kept you?”

“Very busy day, Nana,” Lucia spoke in much the same tone she had used towards Beppi.  “I had to help Aunt and Maria at market.  More troops have arrived and the streets are crowded.”

“Oh, sister, you never told me that!” Beppi said accusingly.  “Where are they from?”

“The south mostly,” Lucia replied, “fine soldiers they are too, if you can judge by their looks.”