s we heard just now are Austrian, and I have
been trying to tell her that they are Italian. Which of us is right?
You are a soldier and ought to know."

"Our guns, of course. They have a different sound," Roderigo explained
impressively.

He had never been any nearer to the front than he was at this moment,
but he spoke with the assurance of an old soldier, partly to quiet
Maria's fears, but mostly to still his own nervous forebodings. It
would never do to let the little black-eyed Lucia see that he was even
a little afraid.

"There, what did I tell you!" Lucia was triumphant. "I knew, but of
course you would not believe me. Now perhaps you will tell her that we
will not have to run away at a minute's notice, too?"

She turned to Roderigo, but eager as he was to display his importance
he could not give the assurance she asked. The little knowledge that
he had, made him think that the evacuation was very likely to occur at
any day.

He covered his fears, however, by replying vaguely: "One can never be
sure. War is war, and perhaps it may be necessary, as well as safer,
for you to leave for the time being."

Lucia looked at him narrowly.

"What makes you say that?" she demanded. "Have you heard any of the
officers talking?"

"No, but this morning's news is very bad. We have our orders to be
ready to start at any moment."

"Oh!" Maria caught her breath sharply, and her eyes filled with tears
as she looked at Roderigo shyly.

He saw the tears in surprise, and a contented warmth settled around his
heart. He looked half expectantly at Lucia. Surely, if this calm, shy
girl of the north would shed a tear for him, she with the warm blood of
the south in her veins would weep. But Lucia's eyes were dry, and the
only expression he could find in them was envy. He turned away in
disgust. He did not admire too much courage in girls, for he was very
young and very sentimental, and he enjoyed being cried over.

A bugle sounded from the other end of the street, and in an instant
everything was in confusion. The soldiers hurried to answer, and the
people crowded about to see what was going to happen.

Lucia, eager and excited, snatched Maria's hand and pulled her into the
very center of the crowd. An officer, with the bugler beside him, read
an order from the steps of the town hall, an old gray stone building
that had stood in silent dignity at the end of the square for many
centuries.

The girls were no