amazement. "Don't know
English! Why--don't I talk as good English as any of ye? You don't have
to talk Bible talk to speak English, I sh'd hope!"

Elizabeth frowned and settled back in her chair, turning her piercing
eyes once more upon her mysterious visitor.

"Your judgment is most sound, Sir Walter," she said. "In sooth, 'twere
passing strange were our own tongue to be found among the savages of the
New World! What have ye to say to this, mistress?"

Rebecca turned her eyes from one to the other of the bystanders,
doubtful at first whether or not they were all in a conspiracy to mock
her. Her good sense told her that this was wellnigh impossible, and she
finally came to the conclusion that sheer ignorance was the only
explanation.

"Well, well!" she exclaimed at last. "I've heerd tell about how simple
Britishers was, but this beats all! Do you reely mean to tell me," she
continued, vehemently nodding her head at the Queen, "that you think
the's nothin' but Indians in America?"

A murmur of indignation spread through the assembly caused by language
and manners so little suited to the address of royalty.

"The woman hath lost her wits!" said the Queen, dryly.

"There 'tis again!" said Rebecca, testily. "Why, ef it comes to talk of
simpletons and the like, I guess the pot can't call the kettle black!"

Elizabeth gripped the arm of her chair and leaned forward angrily, while
two or three gentlemen advanced, watching their mistress for the first
sign of a command. At the same moment, a triumphant thought occurred to
Rebecca, and, dropping her umbrella, she opened her satchel with both
hands.

"Ye needn't to get mad, Mrs. Tudor," she said. "I didn't mean any
offence, but I guess you wouldn't like to be called a lunatic yerself.
See here," she continued, dragging forth a section of the newspaper
which she had brought with her, "ef you folks won't believe my word,
jest look at this! It's all here in the newspaper--right in print.
There!"

She held the paper high where all might see, and with one accord Queen
and courtiers craned forward eagerly, burning with curiosity at sight of
the printed columns interspersed with nineteenth-century illustrations.

Rebecca stepped forward and handed the paper to the Queen, and then,
drawing forth another section from her bag, she carried it to the
bewildered Raleigh, who took it like one in a trance.

For some time no one spoke. Elizabeth turned the paper this way and
that