"Good my liege," said Raleigh, with a despairing gesture, "an the dame be from America, her tribe and race must needs be a distant one, placed remote from the coast. The natives of the Floridas——"
"Florida!" exclaimed Rebecca. "What you talkin' about, anyway? That's away down South. I come from New Hampshire, I tell you."
"Know you that region, Raleigh?" said the Queen, anxiously.
Raleigh shook his head with a thoughtful expression.
"Nay, your Majesty," he replied. "And if I might venture to hint my doubts—" He paused.
"Well, go on, man—go on!" said the Queen, impatiently.
"I would observe that the name is an English one, and 'tis scarce credible that in America, where our tongue is unknown, any region can be named for an English county."
"Land sakes!" exclaimed Rebecca, in growing amazement. "Don't know English! Why—don't I talk as good English as any of ye? You don't have to talk Bible talk to speak English, I sh'd hope!"
Elizabeth frowned and settled back in her chair, turning her piercing eyes once more upon her mysterious visitor.
"Your judgment is most sound, Sir Walter," she said. "In sooth, 'twere passing strange were our own tongue to be found among the savages of the New World! What have ye to say to this, mistress?"