"Yes, she comes from Canada, and she has quite a romantic history.
Perhaps she will tell you about that herself some day. She has only been
with us a week, but already we are very fond of her, she is such a
winning little creature, and her French Canadian songs are charming."

"Oh! Noël will be delighted," said Lady Margaret; "he waxes enthusiastic
on the subject of French Canadian boat-songs. Do you think Mademoiselle
Laurentia would spend a week with us at the Glen?"

"No, I'm afraid not; she is engaged to sing at Her Majesty's next week,
and goes from here to London. You may have better luck in the autumn,
though, when her London engagement is over."

"I'm sorry she can't come now, for we should have been delighted to have
her at the Glen."

"Elsie dear," said Lady Severn to her daughter, a tall, fair girl of
nineteen, who was endeavoring to amuse The McAllister, a difficult
task--"Elsie dear, what part of Canada does Mademoiselle Laurentia come
from?"

"Oh! somewhere on the banks of the St. Lawrence--some unpronounceable
name."

"Delightfully vague," said Noël McAllister. "The ideas you English people
have about our country are refreshing. One young lady, whom I supposed to
have been fairly well educated, asked me, in the most matter-of-fact
tone, whether we went down the rapids in toboggans. I can assure you it
required a strong effort of will on my part to refrain from laughing