Tato looked even smaller in girls'clothing than in boys'，and she improved so rapidly in her manners by constantly watching the nieces that it was hard to imagine she had until now been all unused to polite society.Already they began todread the day when her father would come to claim her，and the girls and Uncle John had conceived a clever plan to induce the Duke to let his daughter travel with them on the continent and then go for a brief visit to them in America.
"By that time，"declared Louise，"Tato's education will beaccomplished，and she will be as re？ned and ladylike as any girl of her age we know.Blood will tell，they say，and the monk who taught her must have been an intelligent and careful man.""She knows more of history and languages than all the rest of us put together，"added Beth.
"And，having adopted her，we mustn't do the thing by halves，"concluded Patsy；"so our darling little brigandess must tease her papa to let her stay with us as long as possible."Tato smiled and blushed with pleasure.It was very delightful to know she had such enthusiastic friends.But she was afraid the Duke would not like to spare her for so long a time as a visit to America would require.
"You leave him to me，"said Uncle John."I'll argue thecase clearly and logically，and after that he will have to cave ina gracefully."Meantime the dainty gowns and pretty costumes were one by one ？nished and sent to the hotel，and the girls ransackedb the rather inadequate shops of Syracuse for the smartest thingsin lingerie that could be procureda.As they were determined to "try everything on"and see how their protégélooked in her ？neryb，Tato was now obliged to dress for dinner and on every other possible occasion，and she not only astonished her friends by her loveliness but drew the eye of every stranger as surely as the magnet attracts the needle.
Even in Sicily，where the Greek type of beauty to—day exists more perfectly than in Helene，there were few to compare with Tato，and it was only natural that the Americans should be very proud of her.
Kenneth was sketching a bit of the quarry and the old monastery beyond it，with the blue sea glimmering in the distance.Sometimes he would join the others in their morning trips to the catacombs，the cathedrals or the museum；but the afternoons he devoted to his picture，and the others came to the gardens with him and sat themselves down to sew or read beside his easel.
Arthur Weldon was behaving very well indeed；andalthough a good deal of the credit belonged to Louise，who managed him with rare diplomatic ability，Uncle John grew to like the young man better each day，and had no fault whatever to ？nd with him.
He was still rather silent and reserved；but that seemed a part of his nature，inherited doubtless from his father，and when he chose to talk his conversation was interesting andagreeable.
Kenneth claimed that Arthur had a bad habit of "making goo—gooa eyes"at Louise；but the young man's manner was always courteous and judiciousb when addressing her，and he managed to conceal his love with admirable discretion—at least when others were present.
Uncle John's private opinion，confided in secret to his friend Mr.Watson，was that Louise "really might do worse；that is，if they were both of the same mind when they grew up."And so the days passed pleasantly away，and the time for their departure from Syracuse drew near.
On the last morning all of them—with the exception ofTato，who pleaded a headache—drove to the Latomia del Paradiso to see the celebrated "Ear of Dionysius"—that vast cavern through which the tyrant is said to have overheard every whisper uttered by the prisoners who were confined in that quarry.There is a little room at the top of the cliff，also built from the rock，where it is claimed Dionysius sat and played eavesdropper；and it is true that one in that place can hear the slightest sound uttered in the chamber below.
Afterward the amphitheatre and the ancient street of the tombs were paid a ？nal visit，with a stop at San Giovanni，where St.Paul once preached.And at noon the tourists returned to the hotel hungry but enthusiastic，in time for the table—d'—hote luncheon.