The girls looked at one another helplessly.

“What must we do, Frascatti?” asked Patsy.

“Wait.  In a day—­two days, perhaps—­you will hear from your uncle.  He will tell you how to send money to the lawless ones.  You will follow his instructions, and he will come home with smiles and singing.  I know.  It is very regrettable, but it is so.”

“It will not be so in this case,” said Beth, indignantly.  “I will see the American consul—­”

“I am sorry, but there is none here.”

“I will telegraph to Messina for the military.  They will search the mountains, and bring your brigands to justice.”

Frascatti smiled sadly.

“Oh, yes; perhaps they will come.  But the military is Italian—­not Sicilian—­and has no experience in these parts.  The search will find nothing, except perhaps a dead body thrown upon the rocks to defy justice.  It is very regrettable, signorina; but it is so.”

Patsy was wringing her hands, frantic with terror.  Louise was white and staring.  Beth puckered her pretty brow in a frown and tried to think.

“Ferralti is also gone,” murmured Louise, in a hoarse voice.  “They will rob or murder him with Uncle John!”

“I am quite convinced,” said Beth, coldly, “that your false count is a fellow conspirator of the brigand called Il Duca.  He has been following us around to get a chance to ensnare Uncle John.”

“Oh, no, no, Beth!  It is not so!  I know better than that.”

“He would lie to you, of course,” returned the girl bitterly.  “As soon as the trap was set he disappeared, bag and baggage, and left the simple girl he had fooled to her own devices.”

“You do not know what you are saying,” retorted Louise, turning her back to Beth and walking to a window.  From where they stood they could hear her sobbing miserably.

“Whether Frascatti is right or not,” said Patsy, drying her eyes and trying to be brave, “we ought to search for Uncle John at once.”

“I think so, too,” agreed Beth.  Then, turning to the Sicilian, she said:  “Will you get together as many men as possible and search the hills, with lanterns, for my uncle?  You shall be well paid for all you do.”

“Most certainly, signorina, if it will please you,” he replied.  “How long do you wish us to search?”

“Until you find him.”

“Then must we grow old in your service. Non fa niente! It is regrettable, but—­”

“Will you go at once?” stamping her foot angrily.

“Most certainly, signorina.”

“Then lose no time.  I will go with you and see you start.”

She followed the man out, and kept at his side until he had secured several servants with lanterns for the search.  The promise of high caparra or earnest money made all eager to join the band, but the padrone could only allow a half dozen to leave their stations at the hotel.  In the town, however, whither Beth accompanied them, a score of sleepy looking fellows were speedily secured, and under the command of Frascatti, who had resolved to earn his money by energy and good will because there was no chance of success, they marched out of the Catania Gate and scattered along the mountain paths.