塔托突然不见了，每个人对此都有自己的想法。露易丝说她没有完全信任过塔托，而帕齐认为是塔托的父亲强行把她带走了。他们想到了去问服务员。塔托给帕齐留了一封信，信中揭晓了真相……
"This is funny！"cried Patsy，appearing before Uncle John with a white and startled face."I can't ？nd Tato anywhere.""And her new trunk is gone from her room，as well asher gowns and everything she owns，"continued Beth's clear voice，over her cousin's shoulder.
Uncle John stared at them bewildered.Then an expression of anxiety crept over his kindly face.
"Are you sure？"he asked.
"There can't be a mistake，Uncle.She's just gone.""None of you has offended，or annoyed the child，I suppose？""Oh，no，Uncle.She kissed us all very sweetly when we left her this morning.""I can't understand it.""Nor can we.""Could her father have come for her，do you think？"suggested Mr.Merrick，after a moment's thought.
"I can't imagine her so ungrateful as to leave us without a word，"said Patsy."I know Tato well，Uncle，and the dear child would not hurt our feelings for the world.She loves us dearly.""But she's a queer thing，"added Louise，"and I don't trusther altogether.Sometimes I've surprised a look in her eyes that wasn't as innocent and demure as she would have us imagine her.""Oh，Louise！""And there's another reason.""What is it？""She reformed too suddenly."Uncle John slapped his forehead a mighty blow as a suspicious and dreadful thought flashed across his mind.But next instant he drew a long breath and smiled again.
"It was lucky I lost that key to the trunk，"he observed，stilla little ashamed of his temporary lack of confidence in Tato."It's been locked ever since we left Taormina，so the child couldn't be tempted by that.""She wouldn't touch your money for the world！"saidPatsy，indignantly."Tato is no thief！""She comes of a race of thieves，though，"Beth remindedher.
"I wonder if Arthur's money is still safe，"remarkedLouise，following the line of thought suggested.
As if with one accord they moved down the hall to the door of the young man's room.
"Are you in，Arthur ？"asked Uncle John，knockingbriskly.
"Yes，sir."
He opened his door at once，and saw with surprise the little group of anxious faces outside.
"Is your money safe？"asked Uncle John.
Weldon gave them a startled glance and then ran to his dresser and pulled open a drawer.After a moment's fumblinga heturned with a smile."All safe，sir."Uncle John and his nieces were visibly relieved.
"You see，"continued Arthur，"I've invented a clever hiding—place，because the satchel could not be left alone and I didn't wish to lug it with me every step I took.So I placed the packages of bills inside the leg of a pair of trousers，and put them in a drawer with some other clothing at top and bottom.A dozen people might rummagea in that drawer without suspecting the fact that money is hidden there.I've come to believe the place is as good as a bank；but you startled me for a minute，with your question.What's wrong？""Tato's gone.""Gone！""Departed bag and baggage.""But your ？fty thousand，sir.Is it safe？""It has to be，"answered Uncle John."It is in a steel—bound，double—locked trunk，to which I've lost the key.No bank can beat that，my boy.""Then why did the child run away？"They could not answer that.
"It's a mystery，"said Patsy，almost ready to weep."ButI'll bet it's that cruel，wicked father of hers.Perhaps he came while we were out and wouldn't wait a minute.""What does the hall porter say ？"asked Kenneth，whohad joined the group in time to overhear the last speech and guess what had happened.
"Stupid ！"cried Uncle John."We never thought of thehall—porter.Come back to our sitting room，and we'll have him up in a jiffya."The portiere answered his bell with a l a c r i t yb.The Americans were liberal guests.
The young lady？Ah，she had driven away soon after theyhad themselves gone.A thin—faced，dark—eyed man had called for her and taken her away，placing her baggage on the box of the carriage.Yes，she had paid her bill and tipped the servants liberally.
"Just as I suspected！"cried Patsy."That horrid duke has forced her to leave us.Perhaps he was jealous，and feared we would want to keep her always.Was she weeping and miserable，porter？""No，signorina.She laughed and was very merry.And—but I had forgotten！There is a letter which she left for the Signorina D'Oyle.""Where？""In the of？ce.I will bring it at once."He ran away and quickly returned，placing a rather bulky parcel in the girl's hands.
