had found a mother and seven children helpless and deserted on that
dock, he would have brought them all to this hotel, and then tried
to find the father and grandfather."

"And it's not Salemina's fault," argued Francesca. "She couldn't
help the girl being born in Salem; not that I believe that she ever
heard of the place before she saw it printed on Salemina's trunk. I
told you it was too big and red, dear, but you wouldn't listen! I
am the strongest American of the party, but I confess that U.S.A. in
letters five inches long is too much for my patriotism."

"It would not be if you ever had charge of the luggage," retorted
Salemina.

"And whatever you do, Francesca," I added beseechingly, "don't
impugn the veracity of our Derelict. While we think of ourselves as
ministering angels I can endure anything, but if we are the dupes of
an adventuress, there is nothing pretty about it. By the way, I
have consulted the English manageress of this hotel, who was not
particularly sympathetic. 'Perhaps you shouldn't have assumed
charge of her, madam,' she said, 'but having done so, hadn't you
better see if you can get her into a hospital?' It isn't a bad
suggestion, and after a day or two we will consider it, or I will
get a trained nurse to take full charge of her. I would be at any
reasonable expense rather than have our pleasure interfered with any
further."

It still seems odd to make a proposition of this kind. In former
times, Francesca was the Croesus of the party, Salemina came second,
and I last, with a most precarious income. Now I am the wealthy