"I thought it was an island."
"Oh, no; it's a fortress. They have a castle there--a castle,
something like--well, like the old Schloss at Heidelberg. Did you
ever hear about or read about Heidelberg University?"
But K. D. B. was all abroad now. Gibraltar and Heidelberg were
unknown subjects to her, as were also inoculation, Japan, and
Kosciusko. Above the G's she was sound; below that point her
ignorance was benighted.
"But what is it, Condy?" demanded Blix, as soon as they were
alone.
"I've the idea," he answered, chuckling. "Wait till after Sunday
to see if I'm right; then I'll tell you. It's a dollar to a paper
dime, K. D. B. will have something for us by Sunday, beginning
with an I."
And she had. It was Internal Revenue.
"Right! right!" Condy shouted gleefully, as he and Blix were on
their way home. "I knew it. She's done with Ash--Bol, Bol--Car,
and all those, and has worked through Cod--Dem, and Dem--Eve.
She's down to Hor--Kin now, and she'll go through the whole lot
before she's done--Kin--Mag, Mag--Mot, Mot--Pal, and all the
rest."
"The Encyclopaedia?"
"Don't you see it? No wonder she didn't know beans about
Gibraltar! She hadn't come to the G's by then."
"She's reading the Encyclopaedia."
"And she gets the volumes on the instahnent plan, don't you see?
Reads the leading articles, and then springs 'em on us. To know
things and talk about em, that's her idea of being cultured.
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