threw her arms around him and kissed him heartily.

CHAPTER XV

EXCITING NEWS

"Lucia, Lucia, such exciting news, come here at once!" Maria ran up
the stairs excitedly.

Lucia, who was busy helping Sister Francesca put away the clean sheets,
dropped what she was doing and ran down the corridor.

"What is it!" she demanded. "Have the Austrians surrendered?"

"No," Maria stopped, breathless from her haste, "that is, not yet,
though Roderigo says--"

"Oh, oh, oh!" Lucia protested. "Don't start on what Roderigo says, or
we will never learn the news."

Maria pouted. "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?" Lucia's eyes flashed excitedly. Her loyal little
Italian heart beat with eager anticipation.

"Do you suppose I can see him?" she demanded, "but of course, I must,
even if I have to hide under the Captain's bed. He is sure to stop and
speak to my Captain," she added with pride.

"Oh, Roderigo says that he always stops and speaks to all the wounded
and shakes their hands, and is very kind and so sorry always when they
are badly hurt. Roderigo says he has talked to soldiers who have won
decorations, and the King himself pins them on--just think of it!"

Lucia gave a profound sigh.

"If he ever spoke to me," she said solemnly, "I would die of joy."

It was several days after Lucia and the Captain had talked in the
garden, and Lucia was beginning to grow accustomed to the wonderful
idea. Her dreams were coming true at last, and she had to admit to
herself that she always believed that they would. Captain Riccardi was
truly a fairy godfather in her eyes, and she proved her gratitude for
his kindness in a hundred little ways a day. It never seemed to enter
her mind that all he was offering, wonderful as it was, could not pay
her for her courage in saving his life.

She insisted upon laying all the credit on his shoulders, and with a
smile and a shrug the Captain accepted the double share, and determined
in his big heart to be worthy of it.

When Lucia and Maria went down to the ward a little later, the patients
were indeed humming with