sausage. The profits wore not great, but they wore enough.

"Is that the milk I brought in this morning?" Lucia asked incredulously
as she approached the stall.

"No, no, my dear," her aunt replied, shaking her head. "You brought
scarcely two full pails, and they were gone before you had reached the
gate. We have had a great day, so many soldiers, it is a shame that
you cannot bring in more, for we could sell it. Just see, we had to
send to old Paolo's for this, and it is not as rich as yours of course,
for his poor beasts have only the weeds between the cobblestones to
eat."

"That is because he is a lazy old man and won't take the trouble to
lead his herd out on the slopes to graze," Lucia replied. She put her
hands on her hips and swayed back and forth as she talked. It was a
little trait she had inherited from her mother, and one of her most
characteristic poses.

"How well you look to-day!" Maria said, smiling. "I have been wishing
you would come, we are so busy--see, here come a group of soldiers all
together. Will you help me?" She held out a dipper with a long
handle, which Lucia accepted critically.

"I don't like charging full price for this milk which is more like
water," she said.

"Nonsense, child, it is business, the soldiers know no difference; it
is only your silly pride," her aunt scolded. She was a little in awe
of her determined niece, and very often she was provoked at her.