Mary Louise Solves a Mystery

r stopped his horses and explained to his passengers in a jumble of mixed Italian and English that he could go no farther. The passengers, an old gentleman of distinguished ap

the hillside was masked by a trellis thick with grapevines. T

ed the girl, with an amused laugh. "Where

others called Colonel Hathaway. "I imagine, however, that we are about three miles from Positano and five or six from Sorrento, and it's a

ver int

re carriage-wheel-some other. My Cousin L'uigi, he leeve in Positano, an' L'uig

the old gentleman. "Make haste

hicle and after strapping a blanket on one

lained, "for one to ride-a me, a

down the road and Mary Louis

a Jim, and in two hours the sun will have set and it wi

o accept any happening in a spirit of resignation. A moment ago we were

t vehicle critically; "so it's a wonder something didn't break sooner. Now, if we could get to the other side of

he answered, eyeing the vine-clad barrier

entleman lifted the wooden latch and found the gate unlocked. Followed by Mary Louise, h

ear by," said the girl. "Sh

pitable folk and we may get a cake and a

as very deliberately but methodically cultivating the vines with a V-shaped hoe. Seeing the

leman in Italian-one of the few phr

man, doffing his hat. "I am Silvio Allegheri,

ed Mary Louise, winning the fellow instantly with

ndusky?-most excellent! In a few years I save much money, then I return here an' purchase an estate. My estate is three miles across the hill, yonder, and there is a ro

n your estate yoursel

ive, and while I am still so young I shall work for others, and save the money my estate brings me

d the old gentleman. "And

ardener, and at times his chef. I grease his automobile, which is a very small chug- chug, but respectable, and I cle

estate?" aske

rina. It compris

re is th

he hill, yon

t Americano live

er, who is the S

ter, then? And you sa

s nothing back-a few oranges; some grapes, when they are cared for; a handful of almonds and olives.

grandfather. "Suppose we go up to the house? Are the peo

ected, leani

d to the mansion is beyond the hill, on the other side of the estate, so I am not sure the Signore Student has returned. But you

ame?" asked Co

ister Jason Jones, but here he is only

sked Mar

hinking of the things he reads. He does not often speak, even to his daughter; he does not have friends who vis

Student" led them to suspect he was a recluse who might not welcome them cordially, but Mary Louise reflected that there was a daughter and deci

sible that Americans will have something bet

century or so. It was not very big, but there were numerous outbuildings which rendered the size of the house proper unimportant. As Mary Louise and her