“Where are our friends, my lad?” Kenneth asked.

“I cannot describe the place, signore; but here are letters to explain all.”  The child produced a bulky package, and after a glance at each, in turn, placed it in Patsy’s hands.  “Read very secretly, signorini, and decide your course of action.  To-morrow I will come for your answer.  In the meantime, confide in no one but yourselves.  If you are indiscreet, you alone will become the murderers of Signor Merrick and the sad young Ferralti.”

“Who are you?” asked Beth, examining the child closely.

“I am called Tato, signorina mia.”

“Where do you live?”

“It is all explained in the letters, believe me.”

Beth glanced at Patricia, who was examining the package, and now all crowded around for a glimpse of Uncle John’s well-known handwriting.  The wrapper was inscribed: 

"To Miss Doyle, Miss De Graf and Miss Merrick,
Hotel Castello-a-Mare, Taormina.
By the safe hands of Tato."

Inside were two letters, one addressed to Louise personally.  She seized this and ran a little distance away, while Beth took Uncle John’s letter from Patsy’s trembling hands, and having opened it read aloud in a clear and composed voice the following: 

“My dear Nieces:  (and also my dear friends, Silas Watson and Kenneth Forbes, if they are with you) Greeting!  You have perhaps been wondering at my absence, which I will explain by saying that I am visiting a noble acquaintance in a very cozy and comfortable retreat which I am sure would look better from a distance.  My spirits and health are A No. 1 and it is my intention to return to you as soon as you have executed a little commission for me, which I want you to do exactly as I hereby instruct you.  In other words, if you don’t execute the commission you will probably execute me.

“I have decided to purchase a valuable antique ring from my host, at a price of fifty thousand dollars, which trifling sum I must have at once to complete the transaction, for until full payment is made I cannot rejoin you.  Therefore you must hasten to raise the dough.  Here’s the programme, my dear girls:  One of you must go by first train to Messina and cable Isham, Marvin & Co. to deposit with the New York correspondents of the Banca Commerciale Italiana fifty thousand dollars, and have instructions cabled to the Messina branch of that bank to pay the sum to the written order of John Merrick.  This should all be accomplished within twenty-four hours.  Present the enclosed order, together with my letter of credit and passport, which will identify my signature, and draw the money in cash.  Return with it to Taormina and give it secretly to the boy Tato, who will bring it to me.  I will rejoin you within three hours after I have paid for the ring.

“This may seem a strange proceeding to you, my dears, but you must not hesitate to