Page:Vorse--The ninth man.djvu/56

 "Nannetta has one also," piped one of the little children.

"And who will Nannetta kill?"

And here, walking with importance, came another child and three smaller children following her at a distance, and those about the knees of Brother Agnello called out, "And who will you kill, Nannetta?"

Then she says, with the manners of an heiress: "That is not yet decided. My aunts and mother talk about it all the long day, as do my father and his brothers, and no two of them agree." Her pockets were full of sweet cakes, and these she distributed.

But a big, quiet boy, who had borne himself like a man among his inferiors, spoke up and said, "Nannetta gives herself airs; but there are other children who have the ballot." And he pressed his lips together as one who would say no more.

"He himself has it," cried a child, and he pointed a chubby finger at his brother. Julio himself has it. I saw him, as he thought I slept, bring it from between his mattresses and look at it." At this they crowded about Julio.