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"No one would care to molest me," she said; "for they fear those that protect me. Good afternoon, signore. Your friends will be with you in time to dine in your company. Good afternoon, signorini," turning to Patsy and Louise. "I'll walk a little way with you; may I?" asked Patsy, smiling into Tato's splendid eyes. "To be sure, signorina," was the quick response.
"By that time," declared Louise, "Tato's education will be accomplished, and she will be as refined and ladylike as any girl of her age we know. Blood will tell, they say, and the monk who taught her must have been an intelligent and careful man." "She knows more of history and languages than all the rest of us put together," added Beth.
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.
I'm sure it will be a good show, although the price is rather high." Il Duca glared, but made no reply at the moment. Instead, he sat stroking Tato's hair and glowering evilly at the American. The child whispered something in Italian, and the man nodded. "Very well, signore," he said, more quietly. "To-morrow, then, if it so pleases you."
So we come to ask that you forgive the wrong we did you, and that you will now allow us to be your friends." Uncle John was amazed. "You have decided to reform, Duke?" he asked. "Yes, signore. Not alone for Tato's sake, but because I loathe the life of brigandage. See; here is my thought. At once I will disband my men and send them away.
"You read it, Uncle John," she said. "There can't be anything private in Tato's letter, and perhaps she has explained everything." He put on his glasses and then took the missive and deliberately opened it. Tato wrote a fine, delicate hand, and although the English words were badly spelled she expressed herself quite well in the foreign tongue.
So I placed the packages of bills inside the leg of a pair of trousers, and put them in a drawer with some other clothing at top and bottom. A dozen people might rummage in that drawer without suspecting the fact that money is hidden there. I've come to believe the place is as good as a bank; but you startled me for a minute, with your question. What's wrong?" "Tato's gone." "Gone!"
Then, taking Tato's hand, he slowly arose and left the veranda. For a moment the American looked after them with a puzzled expression. Then he said to himself, with a smile: "Ah, I have solved one mystery, at any rate. Tato is a girl!" And now Uncle John, finding himself left alone, took his walkingstick and started out to explore the valley.
Indeed, he would never have dared to brave her anger except for Tato's sake. Tato was his idol, and in her defense the cowardly brigand had for the moment become bold. Tato laughed and chatted with Uncle John all through the meal, even trying at times to cheer the doleful Ferralti, who was nearly as glum and unsociable as her father.
Then Kenneth laughed, and the sound sent a nervous shiver through the group. "Tato's a brick!" announced the boy, audaciously. "Can't you see, you stupids, that the thing is a good joke on us all? Or are you too thin skinned to laugh at your own expense?" "Oh, we can laugh," responded Uncle John, gravely. "But if Tato's a brick it's because she is hard and insensible.
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