THE AMERICAN

"Are you suffering very much?" she asked softly.

The man nodded, his eyes closed, and a queer pallor came over his face.
Lucia was suddenly terrified. She felt very helpless in this battle
with death, but her determination never left her.

She ran to the door. Poor Garibaldi was still standing hitched to the
stretcher. Lucia went to her and led her back to the door of the
cottage. She looked half-fearfully, half-angrily at the town above her.

"He shall not die!" she said between her teeth, and went back into the
house.

The transfer from the bed to the stretcher was very difficult to
manage, for the poor soldier was beyond helping himself. But Lucia
succeeded without hurting him too much, and once more the strange trio
started out on their climb.

They were in no great danger, for only an occasional shell burst near
them. The fighting was going on below the east wall. Lucia and
Garibaldi toiled up the hill, each one using every bit of their
strength.

[Illustration: "Lucia and Garibaldi toiled up the hill, each one using
every bit of their strength."]

The soldier was limp and lifeless, his head rolled with every bump. He
looked like one dead, but Lucia refused even to consider such a
possibility. She urged Garibaldi on and tugged with determined
persistence.

They were just below the wall when Lucia stopped to rest. The little
goat was staggering from the exertion, and she was out of breath. She
looked at the gate, it was only a little way off, but it seemed miles,
and she wondered if she could go on.

She looked up at the wall. A man dressed in a uniform unlike the
Italian soldiers was looking down at her. Lucia called to him just as
he jumped to the ground. She held her breath expecting to see him
hurt, but he landed on his feet and ran to her.

"For the love of Pete, what have you got there?" he asked in a language
that Lucia did not understand.

She looked up at him bewildered.

"I do not understand what you say, but the soldier is very sick.
Please help me carry him to the convent," she said hurriedly.

"Hum, well you may be right," the big man laughed, "but I guess what
you want is help."

He leaned over the wounded Italian.

"Pretty far gone, but there's hope. Steady now, I've got you." He
lifted the man gently in his arms and carried him on his back.

Lucia watched him with admiration shining in her eyes. She followed
with the goat through the gate.

O