a step. Her blue eyes clouded and she
pouted like a big baby.

"Why--why, how _can_ you be?" she demanded, fretfully, "when that is
who I am, myself!"

For a moment Caroline scowled; such flexibility was almost
disconcerting. Then her natural good-humor and the training
resulting from many summers with Miss Honey, who claimed all the
best roles at once and shifted often, prompted her generous reply:

"All right. I'll be Mary Queen of Scots, then--I like it about as
well."

The little lady beamed again.

"That will be very pleasant," she said, "I trust your majesty is
quite well?"

"Yes, indeed," Caroline assured her, adding airily; "How well the
castle is looking this morning! I think I'll have the flag out every
day, now that I'm back."

Marie Antoinette flushed angrily and pouted once more.

"You! _You!_" she mimicked. "What have you to do with my flag? That
goes up by my orders, let me inform you! Here, gardener--" and she
waved her little parasol at the man in gray, who was already walking
rapidly towards them--"is that flag in my honor or not?"

"Yes, Miss," he said promptly. "Sure it is, Miss," and he nodded
politely at them both. For a moment the rival queens confronted each
other fiercely, then her Majesty of France smiled at Scottish Mary.

"You see," she said, in her high, bright voice; "you see, I was
right. But then, I always am. I shall have to leave your Royal
Highness now, for I see one of my subjects coming whom I don't care
for at all--she is not very pleasant."

Sweeping a low courtesy, the little lady glided away with a
graceful, dipping motion; the white hand that lifted her trailing
skirts was covered with turquoises.

Caroline looked where her royal sister had pointed, and saw a tall,
handsome young woman hurrying toward her. She was dressed plainly
in black, but with a rich plainness that could not have escaped the
youngest of womankind. Opposite Caroline she paused, her hand on her
heart.

"John! Oh, John! This--this is a child!"

"Yes, Miss; sure it is," said the gardener politely.

"But how did she get here? Surely no children come here?" Her hands
were trembling.

"Yes, Miss, many of 'em--sure they do," he said pleasantly, with a
good Irish smile.

But it was plain that his good-nature did not please the handsome
lady. She bit her lip angrily.

"You know very well, John, that you are not to talk to me in that
idiotic way," she said decidedly. "You know that there is n