Mr. Pinckney regarded her thoughtfully. "I could do that. I should like to learn more. Do you know her mother's maiden name?"
"Mendez, I believe, wasn't it, Mary Lee?"
"Yes, it is her other name. She is Dolores Elvira Inez Mendez de Garcia. Inez is her saint's name, St. Agnes, you know."
"Isn't it an awfully long name?" said Nan as Mr. Pinckney carefully wrote it down.
"The thing to do," he said, "is to find her baptismal record. If she was the child of Elvira Mendez and an unknown American it may not be difficult. I suppose you have no idea whether she was born in California or in Mexico."
"I might find out," said Mary Lee. "I think it was in Mexico. I will try to get her to tell me just where it was. That would be a help, wouldn't it?"
"Surely it would. Well, young ladies, I will try to prove myself an elderly fat knight errant and do service for your beautiful princess."
"Oh, thank you," they both cried. "She is such a dear," sighed Mary Lee. "Don't you think she is lovely, Mr. St. Nick?"
"She is a very sweet young lady, but rather quiet, isn't she?"
"She can laugh real heartily," said Nan, "and she laughs just like Mrs. Roberts."