Under these conditions it was a pleasure and relief to Mrs. Menotti to see the pastor walking up the garden path. He came frequently to inquire after the health of the little one. As usual he was dressed in his long black coat. "Silvio, the pastor is coming; isn't that nice?" said Mrs. Menotti, as she went to the door to meet him. "I don't want to see him. I wish it were Stineli," said Silvio, pouting. Then seeing that the pastor had heard him, he covered his head with the bedclothes. "My little boy is out of humor to-day, and I am sure he didn't mean what he said," apologized the mother. They heard the boy under the covers say, "I did mean it." The pastor must have suspected where the voice came from, for he walked straight over to the bed, although there was not a bit of Silvio in sight. He said: "God bless you, my son, how are you feeling, and why do you hide yourself like a little fox? Creep out of there and tell me what you mean by Stineli." Instantly Silvio's head was out and he said, "Rico's Stineli." "You must be seated, pastor," said Mrs. Menotti. "I will tell you what Silvio means, for I want your advice very much." Mrs. Menotti recited in detail all that she knew about Stineli, the reason why they wished for her, and the obstacles in the way of getting her. "I have thought," she said, "that it might be a good thing for the girl to get away from those wicked people, and I wonder if you can think of a safe way to bring her here." "I think," said the pastor, "that you have been misinformed about those people in the mountains. I am sure that there are kind-hearted men and women living there as well as here. People travel so much in these days that I am sure that it cannot be much of a task to get up there. One thing I am positive about is that the journey can be taken in absolute safety. I know some live-stock dealers who regularly make the trip from Bergamo to the mountains, and who will be able to tell me all about it. Since you are interested, I will see one of the men as soon as I go to Bergamo and I will let you know when I return." Silvio's eyes had grown larger as the pastor spoke, and he began to feel a great respect for the man who could so ably take his part. When the pastor extended his hand to Silvio in parting, the boy fairly plunged his little palm into the larger one, as much as to say, "You deserve it now." Weeks passed by as Mrs. Menotti waited to hear further news from the minister, but Silvio's patience did not again fail him. He felt sure that the good man would help him to get what he wished.