"I will go myself, and at once," he answered. "And thank you,
signorina, for the kind assurance regarding the account. It will relieve
the padrone very much."
He hurried away again, and an uneasy silence fell upon the nieces.
"Do you care for this young man. Louise?" asked Beth, pointedly, after
the pause had become awkward.
"He is very attentive and gentlemanly, and I feel you have all wronged
him by your unjust suspicions," she replied, with spirit.
"That does not answer my question, dear," persisted her cousin. "Are you
especially fond of him?"
"What right have you to question me in this way, Beth?"
"No right at all, dear. I am only trying to figure out our doubtful
position in regard to this young man--a stranger to all of us but you."
"It is really none of our business," observed Patsy, quickly. "We're
just a lot of gossips to be figuring on Count Ferralti at all. And
although this sudden disappearance looks queer, on the face of it, the
gentleman may simply have changed his boarding place."
"I do not think so," said Louise. "He liked this hotel very much."
"And he may have liked some of its guests," added Patsy, smiling. "Well,
Uncle John will soon be back, and then we will talk it over with him."
Uncle John was late. The portiere returned first. He had been to every
hotel in the little town, but none of them had received a guest since
the afternoon train of yesterday.
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