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Updated: June 28, 2025
The old woman received the news without comment, but a look of despair came into her usually bright eyes, and for the moment made them tragic. Long years before, when Austria had crossed the mountains and entered Cellino, she had been a young girl.
Lucia watched the walls of Cellino grow dim against their background of bare mountains. It was her first departure, and it marked a new period in her life. "How does my little sister like her new home?" Captain Riccardi was sitting in a comfortable chair in the warmth and sunshine of his garden. He looked very much stronger than on his departure from Cellino.
After more orders from him, they started off down the hill just back of the shed. Lucia guessed that they were going to the river, with a cold feeling around her heart, she realized that they could go straight to the wall of Cellino.
The path led up the other side of the valley. It was a steep climb, and Lucia was tired when she reached the top. She sat down for a while to rest before going on the remainder of the way. The next path that she took turned abruptly to the right, and led up an even steeper hill to a tiny plateau above. From it one could look down on Cellino across the valley.
"I wonder if it will disappear when my fairy godfather goes away, or if it will stay and be ours to keep for him until he comes back, for he must come back, he must, he must, he must," she finished almost angrily. A big gray car, very like the one that had come to Cellino, drove up before the door of the Riccardi villa two days later.
A great cloud of fire followed a terrific report, and from the distance of the hill it looked as if the whole town of Cellino was in flames. The Italian snatched a field glass that lay on the ground beside the wounded man, and put it to his eyes. Then without a word he dashed off. Lucia followed him.
She jumped from one rock to the next, always keeping the two men in sight, but keeping under cover herself. The men kept to the bank of the river and moved forward cautiously. Lucia kept abreast of them, but stayed high up above their heads. It was a long walk, for the river twisted and turned many times before it reached the walls of Cellino. But it did not tire Lucia, as it did the two men.
Lucia's tired little body rested, but her eyes never relaxed their watch in the darkness. The fire kept up steadily, and at irregular intervals a star-shell would illuminate the high mountains. Towards midnight there was an extra loud explosion, and once more the terrifying flames seemed to encircle Cellino. Lucia wondered dully what had been struck.
"But no matter, we can get more from old Paolo. Have you heard the news?" she asked abruptly. "No," Lucia replied indifferently. "What is it?" "A big gain by the enemy. They have taken thousands of our men, and they say we may be ordered to leave Cellino at any minute." "Think of it! They are as near as that!" Maria said excitedly. "Oh if we must move, where can we go to? I am so frightened."
"For that I have a good mind not to tell you," she threatened. "Then I shall go downstairs myself and find out," Lucia replied, not one whit disturbed. "Then I may as well tell you," Maria laughed, "for the ward hums with it. The King is coming think of it he is coming to Cellino to-morrow, and he is to go through the hospital and see all the wounded. Only fancy, our King!" "Who told you?"
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