Lucia thought of the telephone.
"I know now, of course, for I saw him climb up it and talk over the wire to the soldiers miles away," she exclaimed. "But how could I think to look in a tree for a soldier?" she laughed.
A bell tinkled, and Maria sprang up.
"I must go, it is my time to be on duty," she said, smoothing her apron and settling her cap importantly, "I will come back when I can."
Lucia looked envious. "Do not be long," she called after her.
She settled back with a sigh, and the little goat came over to have her neck patted. Lucia stroked it lovingly.
"Garibaldi," she said aloud, "we are in a dream, you and I, and soon we will both wake up and find ourselves back in the white cottage with Nana scolding because we are late for supper. And we'll be sorry too, won't we? For that will mean that the beautiful sheets and the soft pillow will vanish the way they do in the fairy tales, and this lovely garden will go too."
"But what if there were another one to take its place?" a voice inquired from the doorway.