Aunt Jane's Nieces Abroad
"We are in sore straits, indeed, Mr. Watson," said Louise.
"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. 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. If they succeed in their vile
plot, Mr. Watson, we shall be humiliated and disgraced forever."
"Tut-tut," said he; "don't think of that. Let us consider John Merrick,
and nothing else."
Louise protested that Beth had not been fair in her conclusions. The
Count was an honorable man; she would vouch for his character herself.
But Mr. Watson did not heed this defense. The matter was very
serious--how serious he alone realized--and his face was grave indeed as
he listened to the descriptions of that terrible Il Duca whom the
natives all shrank from and refused to discuss.
When he had learned all the nieces had to tell he hastened into the town
and telegraphed the American consul at Messina. Then he found the
questura, or police office, and was assured by the officer in attendance
that the disappearance of Mr. Merrick was already known to the
authorities and every effort was being made to find him.
"Do you think he has been abducted by brigands?" asked the lawyer.
"Brigands, signore?" was the astonished reply. "There are no brigands in
this district at all. We drove them out many years ago."
"How about Il Duca?"
"And who is that, signore?"
"Don't you know?
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There was once a king who was very powerful. He had great influence over the wild beasts and animals. Now the tortoise was looked upon as the wisest of all beasts and men. This king had a son named Ekpenyon, to whom he gave fifty young girls as wives, but the prince did not like any of them. The king was very angry at this, and made a law that if any man had a daughter who was finer than the prince's wives, and who found favour in his son's eyes, the girl herself and her father and mother should be killed.
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