CHAPTER VII

A PRECIOUS LEGACY AND A PRECIOUS PRAYER

The pleasant summer days were at hand. The grandmother did not forget Rico's loneliness, and she helped Stineli with the work as much as possible, so that she and Rico might play together.

In the early days of September, when every one made an effort to stay out of doors for the last of the warm evenings, the teacher was forced to remain in the house, for he was growing weaker and coughed more and more. One morning, when he tried to rise as usual, he fell back upon his pillow, exhausted. This brought to his mind serious thoughts of how things would be left in case he died. He had lived among these mountain people all his life and loved both his home and his work, but he had no children, and his wife had been dead many years. The only one who lived with him was a faithful old servant. He had made no plans for disposing of his property. He loved his violin more than all his other possessions, and it grieved him to realize that the time was at hand when he must leave it. He remembered the day that Rico had been there and had held it so lovingly, and the desire came to him to leave it with the boy, so that it might always have the care it deserved. It seemed a shame that he must actually give away things for which he had worked so hard and cared so much. Many plans for disposing of them presented themselves, but each was put aside as he faced the grim messenger and realized that earthly things had served him all they could.

A fever was taking firm hold upon him. All the evening and through the long night he lay restless, thinking of his past and the little he had done for the world. He was seized by a longing to do some one a real kindness before it was too late. He reached for his cane and tapped the wall for his servant, whom he directed to summon the grandmother to him. It was not long before she stood by his bedside. Without waiting to extend his hand in greeting, he said: "Please be so kind as to take the violin from the wall and carry it to the little orphan, Rico. I want to give it to him. Tell him that I hope he will take good care of it."

The grandmother understood the restless impatience of the sick one, so she immediately lifted the violin from its place, saying: "That is truly good of you. How astonished he will be! I will come in later to see how you are feeling."

Rico was standing on the doorsteps when he saw the grandmother coming, and he ran to meet her.

"I have come with good news for you, Rico," she said. "The teacher has asked me to bring you this violin. He wishes to give it to you. Take it, Rico. It is your own now."

Rico seemed suddenly petrified. The grandmother touched his shoulder, repeating: "It is yours; take it, child, and be happy. The teacher wants you to have it."

Rico trembled as she laid the gift in his arms. "If that is true, I will take it," was all he could say.

"You will always be careful of it, won't you?" asked the grandmother, to fulfill the teacher's request, but she smiled as she thought how unnecessary the caution was. "Now, Rico," she added, "I will go home, but I hope that you will not forget about the teacher's kindness, for he is very sick."

Rico went up to his room, where he could be alone with his treasure. Here he examined it carefully and played softly to his heart's content. So absorbed was he in his pleasure that he forgot to think of the time until it began to grow dark.

His aunt met him at the foot of the stairs, saying: "You may have something to eat to-morrow. You are so excited to-day that you deserve nothing."

Rico had not thought about supper. He said nothing to his aunt, but walked contentedly over to find the grandmother. Stineli was lighting the kitchen fire when he went in. Ever since she had heard the good news in the morning, she had been wishing that she had time to run over to tell Rico how glad she was. Now that he suddenly stood before her, she could contain herself no longer. She exclaimed over and over as she danced about: "It is yours, Rico! I am so glad! It is yours! It is yours!"

Before the rejoicing had subsided, the grandmother entered. Rico went up to her and said, "Grandmother, will it be right for me to go over to thank the teacher if he is sick?"

She considered a moment, because the old man had looked so ill that morning; then she said, "Yes; I will go with you."

She led the way to the sick man's room, Rico following closely with the precious violin, which had not been out of his arms since it had been given to him.

The teacher had become very weak since morning. Rico stepped to the bed with such a happy, grateful face that he did not need to say a word. The sick man gave the boy a loving caress and then asked for the grandmother. Rico stepped aside and she took his place. "Grandmother," said the teacher faintly, "I have been feeling so troubled that I shall be glad if you will pray for me."

Just then the vesper bell rang. Rico bowed his head as the grandmother prayed by the bed. After an interval of silence she gently closed the eyes of her old friend, for he had died during prayer. Then taking Rico by the hand, she led him softly from the room.

Rico understood what had happened. He and the grandmother walked in silence until they reached her home.

"Do not be unhappy, Rico," she said; "your teacher has been suffering for some time, and we should rather rejoice that he is now at rest with the Heavenly Father. I know you will always remember him for his useful life and for his loving gift to you."