eyes.

'What are you talking about--a Signor Americano here in Valedolmo?'

'_Sicuramente_, in zat rose-colour villa wif ze cypress trees and ze
_terrazzo_ on ze lake. His daughter, la Signorina Costantina, she live
wif him--ver' young, ver' beautiful'--Gustavo rolled his eyes and clasped
his hands--'beautiful like ze angels in Paradise--and she spik Italia
like I spik Angleesh.'

Jerymn Hilliard, Jr., unfolded his arms and sat up alertly.

'You mean to tell me that you had an American family up your sleeve all
this time and never said a word about it?' His tone was stern.

'_Scusi_, signore, I have not known zat you have ze plaisir of zer
acquaintance.'

'The pleasure of their acquaintance! Good heavens, Gustavo, when one
shipwrecked man meets another shipwrecked man on a desert island must
they be introduced before they can speak?'

'_Si_, signore.'

'And why, may I ask, should an intelligent American family be living in
Valedolmo?'

'I do not know, signore. I have heard ze Signor Papa's healf was no good,
and ze doctors in Americk' zay say to heem, "You need change, to breave
ze beautiful climate of Italia." And he say, "All right, I go to
Valedolmo." It is small, signore, but ver' _famosa_. Oh, yes, _molto
famosa_. In ze autumn and ze spring foreigners come from all ze
world--Angleesh, French, German--_tutti_! Ze Hotel du Lac is full. Every
day we turn peoples away.'

'So! I seem to have struck the wrong season.--But about this American
family, what's their name?'

'La familia Veeldair from Nuovo York.'

'Veeldair.' He shook his head. 'That's not American, Gustavo, at least
when you say it. But never mind, if they come from New York it's all
right. How many are there--just two?'

'But no! Ze papa and ze signorina and ze--ze--' he rolled his eyes in
search of the word--'ze aunt!'

'Another aunt! The sky appears to be raining aunts to-day. What does she
do for amusement--the signorina who is beautiful as the angels?'

Gustavo spread out his hands.

'Valedolmo, signore, is on ze frontier. It is--what you say--garrison
_citta_. Many soldiers, many officers--captains, lieutenants, wif
uniforms and swords. Zay take tea on ze _terrazzo_ wif ze Signor Papa and
ze Signora Aunt, and most _specialmente_ wif ze Signorina Costantina. Ze
Signor Papa say he come for his healf, but if you ask me, I sink maybe he
come to marry his daughter.'

'I see! And yet, Gustavo, American papas are generally not so keen a