sentences.

"The second day he felt a warm tongue licking his face, and there
were paws on his breast as he waked from sleep. It was a white
dog. He opened his eyes, and there before him was a Signorino,
young, beautiful as a god, in a suit of brown. Since then Antoli
has wanted nothing, food, nor warm covering, nor medicine, nor
kind words. The Signorino wears his sheepskin coat and tends his
sheep!"

Giacomo's voice was triumphant with delight as he pointed toward
the distant flock with the motionless attendant. The girl's face
shone, half in pleasure, half in fear. "Beautiful as a god" was
more like the Italian she had read in her father's study in New
York than were the phrases Giacomo and Assunta employed for every
day. She had comprehended all of her companion's excitement, and
many of his words, for much of the story was already hers.

"Giacomo," she said, speaking slowly, "are the gods here yet?"

The old peasant looked at her with cunning eyes, and made with
his fingers the sign of the horn that wards off evil.

"Chi lo sa? Who knows, Signorina?" he said, half whispering.
"There are stories--I have heard--the Signorina sees these ilex
trees? Over yonder was a great one in my father's day, and the
old Count Accolanti would have it cut. He came to watch it as it
fell, and the tree tumbled the wrong way and struck him so that
he half lost his wits. There are who say that the tree god was
angry. And I have heard about the streams, too, Signorina; when