For once the country-side seemed alive with people. Down every mountain path descended donkeys, on which were seated girls or women in their best gala garments, striped skirts, bright aprons, lace on their velvet bodices, gay kerchiefs on their heads, and large gold ear-rings in their ears. The men who led the donkeys were dressed in equally picturesque fashion. Many wore black velvet jackets and scarlet Neapolitan caps, or long brown cloaks with hoods over their heads; their legs bound with rough puttees, and their feet thrust into sandals of hide with the hair left on. Everybody seemed to carry a large cotton umbrella, either of bright green or magenta. "They think it looks grand," explained Carmel. "Every peasant brings his umbrella to the fair, to show that he has one!" "Except the brigands," added Vittore. "You can always tell a brigand because he never carries an umbrella." "Are there any brigands?" asked Dulcie anxiously. "Oh, yes!" replied Vittore, winking secretly at Ernesto. "There are quite a number still in the neighborhood." "I was talking to one only the other day!" admitted Ernesto. "Not really?" "It's quite a profession still in Sicily." "Do they catch people and hold them to ransom?" Dulcie's face was a study. "Certainly they do, and chop their fingers off if their relations don't pay up. It's quite an ordinary little trick of theirs." "O-o-oh! Is it safe to go to the fair, do you think? That man in front hasn't any umbrella!" "Don't be a scared rabbit, Dulcie! You little silly, can't you see they're ragging you?" put in Everard impatiently. "There are no brigands left in Sicily now!" "Aren't there, indeed?" said Ernesto. "Ah! That shows how much you know about it! Only last week the Count Rozallo was taken prisoner on the road to Catania, and carried off into the mountains. He's there yet, till he pays a ransom of 25,000 lire." "Pooh! I expect he's done it to evade his creditors, if the story is true. I'll believe in brigands when I meet them, and not before!" scoffed Everard. "And I shall be frightened of every man who doesn't carry a big red or green umbrella!" declared Dulcie, hanging on to the arm which Douglas gallantly offered for her protection. "What do you think about it, Carmel?" "I think I'm quite safe, for the brigands are generally very chivalrous to women, and only run away with gentlemen and chop off their fingers!" laughed Carmel.