CHAPTER X

A LITTLE LIGHT

Stineli became more and more depressed as the days passed. The children complained, "Stineli won't tell us any more stories and she won't laugh with us any more."

One day the mother spoke to the father about the change in Stineli, but all that he said was: "It is because she is growing so rapidly. Let her rest a little and give her plenty of goat's milk to drink."

After about three weeks had passed in this way, the grandmother went with Stineli to her room one evening and said, "I can understand, dear, how hard you find it to forget about Rico, but I am afraid that you are not resigning yourself to the inevitable as it should be your duty to do for the sake of the dear ones about you."

"But, grandmother," sobbed Stineli, "you don't know how it hurts me to think that I gave Rico the notion of going to the lake; and now that he has been killed, I am to blame for it."

A great load seemed to fall from the grandmother as she heard these words. She had given Rico up for lost, for she could not otherwise account for his complete disappearance. A strong hope of his safety now came to her.

"Tell me, child," she said, "all that you know about his going to the lake."

Stineli told of Rico's longing to see the pretty lake he remembered, and how she had advised him to make the trip. "I am sure," she said, "that Rico started for the lake, but father says that he would get killed anyway."

"We have a right to hope for something better," said the grandmother. "Have you forgotten the song we sang the last night that Rico was with us?

'Whatever in His care is laid Shall have a happy end.'

Of course it was wrong of you to advise Rico without consulting your parents, but you did it thoughtlessly and meant no harm, so you may dare to hope that there will be a happy ending to Rico's going to the lake. I feel satisfied now that the child is alive and that he will be taken care of."

From that time on Stineli began to be her old self. To be sure, she missed her friend, but she cherished a secret hope that he would return to her. Day by day she looked up the road to see if he might not possibly be coming down the Maloja Pass, but the seasons came and went and nothing was heard from the missing boy.