became aware that the other girl had opened her eyes and was looking
with the deepest interest at her.

"I am so glad to have the chance to know American girls," she began. "It
may strike you as odd but I have wanted to know them all my life and now
through my accident I am to have the opportunity. But you look very
young and fragile to have undertaken Red Cross work during the war. I
believe it is the courage, the way in which you go ahead and do what you
wish and face the consequences afterwards, that I so much admire."

Bianca shook her head.

"It is odd your saying this to me of all persons, because I used to feel
a good deal as you do. You see I am not altogether an American girl; my
mother was an Italian and my father an American, but I have been living
in the United States and I confess I have tried to make myself as like
one as possible. But do you think you ought to talk? I'll talk to you if
you like, although I am not very interesting; I'm afraid you must be
suffering a great deal."

Bianca made this final remark because her companion was evidently
struggling to keep back the tears which had suddenly filled her eyes.

"Yes, do please talk to me, I am suffering, but I think it is more
because I am worried and unhappy than because I am in such pain that I
lose my self-control. I have always prided myself on being able to
endure physical pain. What are you thinking about?"

Bianca's large dark eyes which were her only southern inheritance had
unexpectedly assumed a questioning expression, although her lips had
framed no question.

"Why, I was merely thinking of how odd life is and how few persons, even
young girls are particularly happy. A moment ago I was sitting here
envying you because your life seemed so wonderful to me. You have been
brought up amid wealth and have a title of your own and live a part of
the time in a palace with real duchesses. I suppose my speech does not
sound very democratic, yet I think you might find a good many American
girls who would envy you for these same reasons."

"Then they would be extremely stupid," the other girl answered, "because
freedom is sometimes the most important thing in the world to an
individual as it may be to a state.

"Suppose, oh, leaving me out of the question altogether, but just
suppose that any girl's mother had died when the girl was a baby only
one year old. Then suppose the child had been brought up by her father
and aunt both of whom were twic