fascinated eye, "what Walter Raleigh
hath learned of any special knowledge his sovereign hath taught him, and
all that he is is hers of right."

"'Tis well, my good knight," said Elizabeth, beckoning with her slender
finger that he might rise. "We know your true devotion and require now
this service, that you question this stranger in her own tongue
concerning her errand here and her quality and estate at home."

As Raleigh rose and advanced toward Rebecca, without turning away from
the Queen, the half-bewildered American brought the end of her umbrella
sharply down upon the floor with a gesture of impatience.

"What everlastin' play-actin' ways!" she snapped. Then, addressing Sir
Walter: "Say, Mr. Walter," she continued, "ef you can't walk only
sideways, you needn't trouble to travel clear over here to me. I'll come
to you."

Suiting the action to the word, Rebecca stepped briskly forward until
she stood in front of the rather crestfallen courtier.

He rallied promptly, however, and marshalling by an effort all he could
remember of the language of the red man, he addressed the astonished
Rebecca in that tongue.

"What's that?" she said.

Again Sir Walter poured forth an unintelligible torrent of syllables
which completed Rebecca's disgust.

With a pitying smile, she folded her hands across her stomach.

"Who's loony now?" she said, quietly.

Raleigh gazed helplessly from Rebecca to the Queen and back again from
the Queen to Rebecca.

Elizabeth, who had but imperfectly heard what had passed between the
two, leaned forward impatiently.

"What says she, Raleigh?" she demanded. "Doth she give a good account?"

"Good my liege," said Raleigh, with a despairing gesture, "an the dame
be from America, her tribe and race must needs be a distant one, placed
remote from the coast. The natives of the Floridas----"

"Florida!" exclaimed Rebecca. "What you talkin' about, anyway? That's
away down South. I come from New Hampshire, I tell you."

"Know you that region, Raleigh?" said the Queen, anxiously.

Raleigh shook his head with a thoughtful expression.

"Nay, your Majesty," he replied. "And if I might venture to hint my
doubts--" He paused.

"Well, go on, man--go on!" said the Queen, impatiently.

"I would observe that the name is an English one, and 'tis scarce
credible that in America, where our tongue is unknown, any region can be
named for an English county."

"Land sakes!" exclaimed Rebecca, in growing