to think and plan as she sat up with her back against the rock
listening for the rat, tat, tat, which began again after she returned
to the cave, and continued at regular intervals.

Before dawn the rain stopped and the wind blew the clouds away. At the
first streak of light Lucia stole softly away from the sleeping Beppi
and Garibaldi, and crept down the tiny path to the plateau below. Once
there she was on familiar ground and even in the pale light she could
tell her way.

During the night she had decided to go to the rock where she took her
milk in the morning, surely the mysterious hand that left the pennies
for her would be there, and she was determined, to wait for him.

She reached the spot without encountering any difficulties, and sat
down to wait. The sun rose east of Cellino, and she watched it as it
climbed over the hill and lighted the windows of the church with its
yellow low rays.

All the world looked as if it had just been bathed and freshly clothed
to step out glistening and very clean to greet the day. The air was
chilly, but so fresh and sweet that Lucia took long grateful breaths of
it. She was just wondering how long she would have to wait, when a
stone rolled down beside her and hit her foot. She jumped and turned
around. A soldier with a broad smile that showed all his fine white
teeth was climbing down towards her.

Lucia put her fingers to her lip to caution silence, and his smile
changed to a look of sudden anxiety.