Lathrop understood the word King, and as the town was talking of nothing else he guessed what she meant.
"Yes," he replied in Italian, "nice—glad—you."
Lucia laughed.
"Oh, but you are so funny. How I wish you could speak so that I could understand you!" she said.
Lathrop shook his head. "There she goes again, I didn't get even one word this time."
He put his hand in his pocket and drew out a letter.
"See," he said, pointing to it.
Lucia nodded. Lathrop scratched his head.
"You—in—letter," he said painstakingly, "Girl, American."
"Oh, you have put me in your letter? How nice!" Lucia said. "What did you say?"