Il Duce stayed in Palermo overnight and left the next morning. Those apprehended during the previous day were set free late in the morning.

"Ugo," Harry said, "I need to get to the American Consulate."

"Rosalina, my girlfriend, is coming for me. We'll give you a ride into town."

Harry went to the anteroom for his suitcase. He noticed the Gramacis sitting on a bench. He bowed to them and said, "Good morning. May God go with you."

Mr. Gramaci tipped his head. Mrs Gramaci, her face bruised and her dress tattered sobbed and held her husband's arm. Harry heard her say, "Please forgive me, I had to do it."
***
Rosalina perched on the seat of a farm wagon waited outside the jail gate.

Ugo said as he approached the wagon, "This is my friend, Harry. I told him we'd give him a ride into town."

Harry guessed she could not be more than sixteen. A yellow kerchief set off her raven-black hair. When she bent to give Ugo a hand up, her blouse fell to reveal well-formed breasts crowned by rose-petal tips. A trickle of perspiration ventured between her breasts. Harry could not help but stare, then snapping back into focus, he threw his suitcase into the back of the wagon and climbed on to the seat. Rosalina's smile revealed a gap between her front teeth, but still she was attractive in a country way.

The three talked of the future of Italy. Rosalina sided with the Communists. Her father was a union member and looked forward to the day when the workers of the world would be united.

"My father said the communists want to help the workers, not make them machines like Mussolini."

Ugo said, "Rosalina, be careful what you say. How do you know that Harry isn't a spy for the Black Shirts?"

Rosalina smiled sheepishly, "You're right. I need to be more careful."

Harry reached across Ugo's lap and touched her arm, then looking into her eyes he said, "Don't worry I'm no spy. I just want to get home to Chicago."

In spite of being arrested, Ugo said, "Mussolini is making us proud to be Italians again. He wants the children to go to school and he has made the Pope his friend. He's a good man for us."

"Okay, okay, you know I don't like politics, Ugo," Rosalina said.

She reached up, pulled Ugo's head down, and kissed him. The three laughed and began to sing. Rosalina sang an Italian folk song called, "Santa Lucia". The boys joined in. Then Harry began to sing his favorite Italian song. He crooned, "We` Marie, we` Marie Quanto sonno agiu perso per te Famme` durmi, una notte abbraciata cu te..."

Ugo and Rosalina joined in and the three applauded when they finished. Ugo's and Rosalina's eyes grew large as Harry talked about the Chicago loop, his sight-seeing in New York and his time on the S.S. Roma. Harry asked Ugo what he had in mind for his future. Ugo said he was working toward being an architect.

"I got really interested when I read about Leonardo Da Vinci and his work as an artist, a builder and an inventor."

"Yes," Harry interjected, "I know about Da Vinci from my art teacher. She said he was a Renaissance man.

"I'm working as a builder's assistant," Ugo said, "so I can learn the trade."

Before the group realized, Rosalina pulled the reins and called for the horses to halt.

"This is where we drop you," Ugo said.

Ugo and Harry shook hands and Rosalina stretched over Ugo and kissed Harry on the cheek.

"May God go with you to Chicago," she said.

"Walk on this road," Ugo said. "About two kilometer you'll come to Avenida Liberator Street. Keep going and you'll see a building with a black, iron fence, American soldiers stand by the gate."

Harry thanked Ugo and Rosalina. The three shook hands. Harry climbed down; Ugo handed him his suitcase. Rosalina gave the reins a snap and the horses and wagon headed down the road. Harry waved and headed into Palermo.

While on the road Harry murmured to himself, "Sam, I hope you're safe and with your family. Please don't forget to tell my papa."

Then angered flared, as the crop wielding Schullo marched into his thoughts. He squeezed his hands into fists and shouted, "I'm not a peasant, you damn bastard. I'll show you."
***