birth," retorted Francesca, "but that will only be to your
advantage--away from home!"

Francesca is inflexibly, almost aggressively American, but Salemina
is a citizen of the world. If the United States should be involved
in a war, I am confident that Salemina would be in front with the
other Gatling guns, for in that case a principle would be at stake;
but in all lesser matters she is extremely unprejudiced. She
prefers German music, Italian climate, French dressmakers, English
tailors, Japanese manners, and American--American something--I have
forgotten just what; it is either the ice-cream soda or the form of
government,--I can't remember which.

"I wonder why they named it `Fotheringay' Crescent," mused
Francesca. "Some association with Mary Stuart, of course. Poor,
poor, pretty lady! A free queen only six years, and think of the
number of beds she slept in, and the number of trees she planted; we
have already seen, I am afraid to say how many. When did she
govern, when did she scheme, above all when did she flirt, with all
this racing and chasing over the country? Mrs. M'Collop calls Anne
of Denmark a `sad scattercash' and Mary an `awfu' gadabout,' and I
am inclined to agree with her. By the way, when she was making my
bed this morning, she told me that her mother claimed descent from
the Stewarts of Appin, whoever they may be. She apologised for
Queen Mary's defects as if she were a distant family connection. If
so, then the famous Stuart charm has been lost somewhere, for Mrs
M'Collop certainly possesses no alluring curves of temperament."

"I am going to select some distinguished ancestors this very minute,
before I go to my first Edinburgh dinner," said I decidedly. "It