Later, when every thing had become quite silent in the house, the
landlord sat at the little table where Rico had eaten his supper, and
before him stood his wife, for she was still busy in clearing away the
tables; and she said with great earnestness, "You must not send him back
again to Mrs. Menotti. Such a boy as that will be most useful to me in
every possible way; and did not you notice how beautifully he fiddled?
They were all crazy about it. Look out! he is a far better player than
any of our three; and he will learn to play for dancing in no time; and
you will have a musician to whom you need pay nothing, and who will play
every evening when they dance; and you can let him out also to go to the
other places. Don't you let him slip through your fingers. He is a
pretty little fellow, and I like him. We must keep him ourselves."

"Well, I am satisfied," said the landlord, and understood that his wife
had made a hit this time that was sure to turn out well.




CHAPTER XIV.

NEW FRIENDSHIPS FORMED, WHILE THE OLD ONES ARE NOT FORGOTTEN.


The next morning, the landlady of the "Golden Sun" stood on the doorstep
of her inn, and looked at the heavens to read the signs of the probable
weather, and to think over the experiences of the night before.
Presently the gardener's boy from Mrs. Menotti's came along. He was both
master and servant over the lovely, fruitful property of Mrs. Menotti;