Now the landlady was a clever woman, and knew how to put two and two
together; and it had not escaped her that Rico was quite another person
within a short time, and looked very differently too. Mrs. Menotti had
always dressed him very nicely since she had undertaken that office; but
when she observed how well his clothes became him, and what an air of
real gentility he had, she used finer materials than at first; and the
lad always took good care of his person and his dress, for he detested
uncleanliness and disorder, both on his own appearance and in his
surroundings. All of this was not unnoticed, nor did she ever forget
that even as Rico had poured out his pocketful of gold upon the table
before her after his first "dance evening," so had he continued to do
faithfully, and not so much as looked as if he would like to keep one
bit for himself.

He brought more and more each time; for it was not only for his dance
music that he was called so often, but because of his songs, that were
very popular.

And the landlady recognized that it was her best policy to treat him
always kindly and well; and she did not trouble him about the hens nor
the shoes, and required such little services from him no more.

It was now three years since Rico made his first entry into Peschiera.
He was now a tall, fourteen-year old stripling, and whoever laid eyes
upon him found him pleasing to look upon.

Once again the golden sun of autumn burnished the surface of the Lake of
Garda, and the heavens lay blue above the tranquil waves. In the garden
the great bunches of grapes hung gold against the trellises, and the red