"Not it I can help it, you won't," he added with decision. "You'll never do another stroke of hard work again."
"But are there no goats in your garden to milk, and no work to do?" Lucia looked bewildered.
"Yes, but there's a lot of people to do it,—so many in fact, that all you will have to do is to pick flowers and tell Beppi and me fairy stories. Will you come?"
"Oh!" Lucia stamped her foot. "If this is only a dream!" she exclaimed half angrily, "I shall surely die of misery when I wake up."
"It's no dream, little sister, it's true, and it won't be long before you realize it. This leg is going to take a long time in healing, but as soon as it is better we will go home, then when I am well enough to go back to fight, you will stay in the garden and keep it looking beautiful for me until I return."
For a full moment Lucia stared into the Captain's eyes, while the wonderful truth dawned on her, then her emotion being far beyond words, she 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.