"Down there," she said gravely, pointing toward the top of the
great hiII on whose side the villa stood.

"Certainly," answered Giacomo with a bow, too much pleased by
understanding when there was no reason for it to be captious in
regard to the girl's speech. "The Signorina non ha paura, not
'fraid?"

"I'm not afraid of anything," was the answer in English. The
Italian version of it was a shaking of the head. Then both
dictionary and phrase-book were consulted.

"To return," she stated finally, "to return to eat at six hours."
Then she looked expectantly about.

"Assunta?" she said inquiringly, with a slight shrug of her
shoulders, for other means of expression had failed.

"Capisco, capisco," shouted Giacomo in his excitement, trailing
on the marble floor the chamois skin with which he had been
polishing the silver, and speaking in what seemed to his listener
one word of a thousand
syllables.

"The-Signorina-goes-to-walk-upon-the-hills-above-the-villa-becaus
e-it-is-a-most-beautiful-day.-She-returns-to-dine-at-six-and-wish
es-Assunta-to-have-dinner-prepared.-Perhaps-the-Signorina-would-
tell-what-she-would-like-for-her-dinner?-A-roast-chicken,-yes?-
A-salad,-yes?"