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"Sir, I could not bear the infamy of letting this scoundrel triumph over me." "Well, Ferralti, you are attempting a delicate and dangerous task, but so far as I can, I will help you." He took the revolver from his pocket and handed it to his companion. "It's loaded in every chamber," he whispered. "Perhaps it will serve your purpose better than a knife." Ferralti's eyes sparkled.
Signor Ferralti is American, and Americans seldom treat us wrongfully." "Signor Ferralti is Italian," answered Louise, stiffly. "The name is Italian, perhaps; but he speaks only the English," declared the portiere. "He is not a rogue, however. Assure your master of that fact. When Mr. Merrick returns he will settle Count Ferralti's bill." "Oh, Louise!" gasped Patsy.
"But for this difficulty I should have left your charming society before, as my father has been secretly waiting for me for three days. Having located Ferralti's money I waited until this morning and when you had all left me I signalled to my father from my window and prepared to disappear. It took but a few minutes to get the money from Uncle John's trunk and Arthur's trouser-leg.
She did not fail to mention Ferralti's timely assistance on the Amalfi drive, or his subsequent devoted attentions to Louise; but the latter Beth considered merely as an excuse for following them around. "In my opinion," said she, "we have been watched ever since we left America, by these two spies, who had resolved to get Uncle John into some unfrequented place and then rob him.
"Uncle John is lost," explained Beth, "and we're afraid he is in the hands of brigands." Then she related as calmly as she could all that had happened. The relation was clear and concise. She told of their meeting with Valdi on the ship, of Count Ferralti's persistence in attaching himself to their party, and of Uncle John's discovery that the young man was posing under an assumed name.
It was now Ferralti's turn. He had just seated himself at the table and taken the pen when they were startled by a shrill scream from the rear of the house. It was followed by another, and another, in quick succession. It was Tato's voice, and the duke gave an answering cry and sprang from the veranda to dart quickly around the corner of the house.
"She is mad!" cried Ferralti. "Quick, Tommaso; let us follow her." The brigand bounded forward, with the young man scarce a pace behind him. The woman, running with wonderful speed in spite of her burden, began to ascend a narrow path leading up the face of a rugged cliff. A yell of anguish from behind for a moment arrested Ferralti's rapid pursuit.
To be your friend, and Signor Ferralti's friend, makes me very proud." The rock he leaned against fell inward, noiselessly, and disclosed a passage. It was short, for there was light at the other end. The strange child darted in at once. "This way, signore. He is here!" Uncle John drew back. He had forgotten until now that these mountains are dangerous.
I stole the key to Uncle John's trunk on the train, while we were going from Taormina to Syracuse; but I did not take the money from it because I had no better place to keep it, and the only danger was that he would force the lock some day. But Ferralti's money I call him Ferralti because it is a prettier name than Weldon bothered me for a long time.
Watson sent the cables to John Merrick's bankers and Count Ferralti's attorney, and the next morning went with Louise to Messina. Frascatti drove all the party down the road to the station at Giardini, and as the train pulled out, Beth, who had remained seated in the victoria with Patricia and Kenneth, suddenly stood up to pull the vetturino's sleeve.
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