"I hadn't supposed that a young girl could be so thoughtful," she said at one time. "She does things for Silvio from morning until night as if it were a real pleasure to her, and she knows as much about housekeeping as a woman. I feel as if it were Sunday every day." Rico never tired of hearing Stineli praised. Any one seeing the group sitting so cozily together when Rico was there would have taken them to be a very happy family, and so they were until the hour arrived for Rico to leave them. His face darkened every night so that Stineli was worried, but Mrs. Menotti was too much absorbed in Silvio's happiness to notice it. CHAPTER XIX CLOUDS AT LAKE GARDA One evening when Rico came, he said that he could not be with them again for two days, as he must go to Riva to play for a dance. This was a disappointment to them all, and especially to Stineli. "I hope the weather will be good," she said; "then you will have such a fine sail on the lake. It will be beautiful, too, coming back in the moonlight." Everything Rico played that night was sad, and he failed, in spite of his efforts, to shake off his wretchedness. Long before it was ten o'clock he put up his violin and rose to go. Mrs. Menotti urged him to stay, but she did not notice his unhappy face. "I will go with Rico for a little way," said Stineli. "No, no; don't go away, Stineli!" cried Silvio. "Stay with him, Stineli; never mind me," said Rico, with the same finality with which he had said, "There is no use to think of it," after his interview with the teacher, when he had found out the price of a violin. Stineli whispered to Silvio, "Be a brave little boy, dearie, and don't cry for me; then I will tell you ever so many stories to-morrow." As usual he obeyed her. When Rico and Stineli came to the garden gate he said: "Go back, Stineli; you belong there and I belong to the street. I am only a poor, homeless orphan, so just let me go and don't worry." "No, no, you shall not leave me while you feel in this way. Where can we go to talk a little while?" "To the bridge," answered Rico, eagerly. They walked on in silence, and after reaching their favorite place on the bridge, stood listening to the splash of the waves below them until Rico said, "Really, Stineli, if it were not for you, I wouldn't stay here any longer. I would go ever so far away, it would make little difference where, since there is no one that cares for me and I shall always have to live in hotels, and sleep in storerooms, and play for dances where people act as if they were crazy. Since I have seen you living with these good people, I have wished that my mother had thrown me into the lake before she died, so that I need not have come to be what I am." "O Rico, how dare you think such wicked thoughts, much less express them! It must be that you have been neglecting the Lord's Prayer or you would not be so unhappy," said Stineli.