CHAPTER XVIII

TWO HAPPY TRAVELERS

The return trip had been fully explained to Rico, and he knew that they must leave Sils in the evening. Sam was going with Stineli and Rico as far as Sils; the rest of the family gathered about the door and waved farewell to them until they were lost to view.

"If grandmother could only see us!" said Stineli, as they neared the little church. "Let us go over to her grave for a moment." This they did, for Stineli knew exactly where it was.

"Are the two children here who are to go to Lake Garda?" they heard the coachman say as soon as he arrived.

Rico and Stineli stepped forward. "All right," said the man. "I have instructions to look after you. The coach happens to be full inside, but I am thinking that you are young enough to like it up here with me." He helped them up, tucked a large blanket around them because the night was cool, and then the stage rolled on.

This was the first time that Rico and Stineli had been alone since he came back, and they were both glad of the opportunity to sit so cozily in the starry night and feel again the sweet companionship that they had given up long ago. They had so much to say that they slept but little during the night. They reached Lake Como in the morning, and arrived in Peschiera on the same train that had carried Rico when he came before. He led Stineli by a roundabout way in order to keep the view of the lake hidden by the trees until they came to his favorite place on the bridge.

Suddenly it burst upon them in all its beauty, as Rico had often wished to describe it, only it seemed much more beautiful to Rico now that Stineli was seeing it, too. He rejoiced to hear her say presently, "Oh, it _is_ prettier than Lake Sils--ever so much prettier."

They sat down on the bridge, and for the first time Rico spoke to Stineli about his mother. He told her how well he remembered her, and how often they had been together on this bridge, and how much they had cared for each other.

"Then your home must have been here," said Stineli. "Where did you go when you left the bridge? Can't you remember that?"

"Yes, I know just where we went, but I can't find the house. Everything is just as it used to be until I get to the station; I never saw that until I came here by myself, and I think they must have taken the house away."

The sun was low in the heavens before they left the bridge. Rico was secretly rejoicing over the fact that their coming would be a surprise, for they were not expected for a week and here they were at the garden!

"What a lovely place!" exclaimed Stineli. "What gorgeous flowers!"

Silvio's sharp ears heard this exclamation. He pulled himself up in bed and called to his mother, "I do believe that Rico has come with Stineli."

Mrs. Menotti hastily ran to her son, fearing that he was ill, but just at that moment Rico appeared. How glad she was to see him safely back! Her surprise and warm welcome were more than Rico had anticipated. Before Rico had time to present Stineli the girl had gone directly to Silvio's bed, speaking to him so kindly that he put his arms around her neck and gave her the greatest hug his little arms were capable of giving. Mrs. Menotti told Rico that she was more than satisfied with the girl's appearance, and he had no fears about her conduct.

Although she spoke no Italian, Stineli found various ways in which she could immediately make herself useful. The Latin words she had learned in school helped her, and she tactfully used motions when Rico did not explain for her. She carried the tray with Silvio's supper to his bed and cut the food for him, propping him up comfortably with pillows before she joined the mother and Rico in the dining room. After supper Stineli made the others go to Silvio until she had finished the work, and then she joined them.

She began to amuse Silvio with a little gift that she had brought in her pocket so that it might be convenient when she wished to give it to him. It was simply a number of wooden figures, with faces and dresses gaily painted on them, and put together on a central piece so that they would dance comically when shaken out. This was Peter's handiwork, and it afforded Silvio unceasing amusement. Stineli also made the shapes of animals with her hands, and let Silvio watch the shadows on the wall. The mother could hear him say, "A rabbit! An animal with horns! A long-legged spider!"

The clock struck ten before they thought it could possibly be so late. Rico immediately arose, for it was his usual time to leave, but a dark cloud seemed to settle on his face as he said good night and went out.

Stineli noticed that something was wrong with Rico, so she followed him to the garden. She took his hand impulsively and said: "You have been so good to bring me here, Rico, that I shall be very sorry if you are not going to be happy. You can come over every day; don't you think we can be happy?"

"Yes, and every night, no matter how happy we are here, I have to go away and remember that I don't belong to anybody."

"But you must not think that, because you and I have always belonged to each other. If you only knew how I missed you all those long years that you were away! Many times I had to work so hard that I would rather not have lived at all, but I used to think that I would gladly bear it if I could just see you once more. Now that everything has turned out so beautifully, I am sure that we ought to be happy."

"Really, Stineli, I will try," said Rico, and the cloud vanished as they stood with clasped hands for a moment before he left the garden.

Stineli bade Silvio good night when she returned to the house, but he grasped her hand and begged her to stay with him.

"Very well," said the mother, "Stineli may stay, but to-morrow she will be ill, and you will have to do without her."

"Then go to sleep now, but come early in the morning," said the boy.

Mrs. Menotti had prepared a cozy room upstairs for Stineli. It overlooked the garden, and the outdoor fragrance greeted them as they entered. The girl went to sleep feeling assured that her new home would prove to be a happy one.

At first Stineli was handicapped in her new surroundings by her ignorance of Italian, but it was remarkable how well she and Silvio entertained each other. He was always obedient and cheerful in her presence, and complained of loneliness whenever she was gone. Mrs. Menotti noticed with gratitude how rapidly her son was gaining in strength. He enjoyed his meals more than ever before, for Stineli liked to arrange things prettily, and to plan surprises for him on his tray. Then, too, he slept better and longer than had been his custom.

Stineli was tireless in her efforts to please the sick child. She adapted everything at hand to his entertainment. Having always lived with children, she understood how to amuse them. In a remarkably short time she had learned all the Italian that Silvio used. She soon began to tell him stories, although some words failed her and others came with painful slowness for a time.

Now that Mrs. Menotti was freed from the care of Silvio, she formed the habit of going to meet Rico when she saw him coming. She was always eager to express her appreciation of Stineli.

"I hadn't supposed that a young girl could be so thoughtful," she said at one time. "She does things for Silvio from morning until night as if it were a real pleasure to her, and she knows as much about housekeeping as a woman. I feel as if it were Sunday every day." Rico never tired of hearing Stineli praised.

Any one seeing the group sitting so cozily together when Rico was there would have taken them to be a very happy family, and so they were until the hour arrived for Rico to leave them. His face darkened every night so that Stineli was worried, but Mrs. Menotti was too much absorbed in Silvio's happiness to notice it.