Mattina flushed very red.
“They said I stole their money.”
“They called you a thief! My brother’s daughter! A bad year to them! But why did you run away as thieves run? You should have stayed and told them that they lied.”
“I told them. But they would not believe me though I swore it on my father’s soul; and the master was going to fetch the men to take me to prison, and I was afraid.”
“It is true, you are but a little one. But rest easy; no one shall make you afraid, now that I am here! We will go together to these people and if the master dares to say you stole, I will break his face for him!”
And Mattina saw that her uncle’s laughing eyes could look very fierce.
“Have you the money for which you served?”
“No, they had not given it to me yet.”
“We will get it. Rest easy! And how much did they agree to pay you for every month?”
“Eight drachmæ.”