arms；　he　was　surely　a　fatalist。　The　question　as　to　whether　or　not　he　should　ever　reach　it；　should　ever　find　himself　really　bound　for　home；　was　one　which　seemed　to　trouble　him　slightly　enough。　He　thought　with　a　faint；　wistful　interest　of　the　various　ports　of　call；　of　the　days　which　might　pass；　each　one　bringing　him　nearer　the　end。　He　suffered　himself；　even；　to　think　of　that　faint　blur　upon　the　horizon；　the　breath　of　the　spicy　winds；　the　strange　home　perfumes　of　the　bay；　as　he　drew　nearer　and　nearer　to　the　outstretched　arms　of　his　country。　Well；　if　not　he；　another！　It　was　something　to　have　done　one's　best。
  The　rustle　of　a　woman's　garment　disturbed　him；　and　he　turned　his　head。　Penelope　stood　there　in　her　trim　riding　habit；a　garb　in　which　he　had　never　seen　her。　She　held　her　skirts　in　her　hand　and　looked　at　him　with　a　curious　little　smile。
  〃It　is　too　early　in　the　morning；　Prince；〃　she　said；　〃for　you　to　sit　there　dreaming　so　long　and　so　earnestly。　Come　in　to　breakfast。　Every　one　is　down；　for　a　wonder。〃
  〃Breakfast；　by　all　means；〃　he　answered；　coming　blithely　up　the　broad　steps。　〃You　are　going　to　ride　this　morning？〃
  〃I　suppose　we　all　are；　more　or　less；〃　she　answered。　〃It　is　our　hunt　steeplechases；　you　know。　Poor　Grace　is　in　there　nearly　sobbing　her　eyes　out。　Captain　Chalmers　has　thrown　her　over。　Lady　Barbaritythat's　Grace's　favorite　mare；　and　her　entry　for　the　cupturned　awkward　with　him　yesterday；　and　he　won't　have　anything　more　to　do　with　her。〃
  〃From　your　tone；〃　he　remarked；　pushing　open　the　French　windows；　〃I　gather　that　this　is　a　tragedy。　I；　unfortunately；　do　not　understand。〃
  〃You　should　ask　Grace　herself；〃　Penelope　said。　〃There　she　is。〃
  Lady　Grace　looked　round　from　her　place　at　the　head　of　the　breakfast　table。
  〃Come　and　sympathize　with　me；　Prince；〃　she　cried。　〃For　weeks　I　have　been　fancying　myself　the　proud　possessor　of　the　hunt　cup。　Now　that　horrid　man；　Captain　Chalmers；　has　thrown　me　over　at　the　last　moment。　He　refuses　to　ride　my　mare　because　she　was　a　little　fractious　yesterday。〃
  〃It　is　a　great　misfortune；〃　the　Prince　said　in　a　tone　of　polite　regret；　〃but　surely　it　is　not　irreparable？　There　must　be　otherswhy　not　your　own　groom？〃
  A　smile　went　round　the　table。　The　Duke　hastened　to　explain。
  〃The　race　is　for　gentlemen　riders　only；〃　he　said。　〃The　horses　have　to　be　the　property　of　members　of　the　hunt。　There　would　be　no　difficulty；　of　course；　in　finding　a　substitute　for　Captain　Chalmers；　but　the　race　takes　place　this　morning；　and　I　am　afraid；　with　all　due　respect　to　my　daughter；　that　her　mare　hasn't　the　best　of　reputations。〃
  〃I　won't　have　a　word　said　against　Lady　Barbarity；〃　Lady　Grace　declared。　〃Captain　Chalmers　is　a　good　horseman；　of　course　but　for　a　lightweight　he　has　the　worst　hands　I　ever　knew。〃
  〃But　surely　amongst　your　immediate　friends　there　must　be　many　others；〃　the　Prince　said。　〃Sir　Charles；　for　instance？〃
  〃Charlie　is　riding　his　own　horse；〃　Lady　Grace　answered。　〃He　hasn't　the　ghost　of　a　chance；　but；　of　course；　he　won't　give　it　up。〃
  〃Not　I！〃　Somerfield　answered；　gorgeous　in　pink　coat　and　riding　breeches。　〃My　old　horse　may　not　be　fast；　but　he　can　go　the　course；　and　I'm　none　too　certain　of　the　others。　Some　of　those　hurdles'll　take　a　bit　of　doing。〃
  〃It　is　a　shame；〃　the　Prince　remarked；　〃that　you　should　be　disappointed；　Lady　Grace。　Would　they　let　me　ride　for　you？〃
  Nothing　the　Prince　could　have　said　would　have　astonished　the　little　company　more。　Somerfield　came　to　a　standstill　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　with　a　cup　of　tea　in　one　hand　and　a　plate　of　ham　in　the　other。
  〃You！〃　Lady　Grace　exclaimed。
  〃Do　you　really　mean　it；　Prince？〃　Penelope　cried。
  〃Well；　why　not？〃　he　asked；　himself；　in　turn；　somewhat　surprised。　〃If　I　am　eligible；　and　Lady　Grace　chooses；　it　seems　to　me　very　simple。〃
  〃But；〃　the　Duke　intervened；　〃I　did　not　knowwe　did　not　know　that　you　were　a　sportsman；　Prince。〃
  〃A　sportsman？〃　the　Prince　repeated　a　little　doubtfully。　〃Perhaps　I　am　not　that　according　to　your　point　of　view；　but　when　it　comes　to　a　question　or　riding；　why；　that　is　easy　enough。〃
  〃Have　you　ever　ridden　in　a　steeplechase？〃　Somerfield　asked　him。
  〃Never　in　my　life；〃　the　Prince　declared。　〃Frankly；　I　do　not　know　what　it　is。〃
  〃There　are　jumps；　for　one　thing；〃　Somerfield　continued；〃pretty　stiff　affairs；　too。〃
  〃If　Lady　Grace's　mare　is　a　hunter；〃　the　Prince　remarked；　〃she　can　probably　jump　them。〃
  〃The　question　is　whether〃　Somerfield　began；　and　stopped　short。
  The　Prince　looked　up。
  〃Yes？〃　he　asked。
  Somerfield　hesitated　to　complete　his　sentence；　and　the　Duke　once　more　intervened。
  〃What　Somerfield　was　thinking；　my　dear　Prince；〃　he　said；　〃was　that　a　steeplechase　course；　as　they　ride　in　this　country；　needs　some　knowing。　You　have　never　been　on　my　daughter's　mare　before。〃
  The　Prince　smiled。
  〃So　far　as　I　am　concerned；〃　he　said；　〃that　is　of　no　account。　There　was　a　day　at　MukdenI　do　not　like　to　talk　of　it；　but　it　comes　back　to　mewhen　I　rode　twelve　different　horses　in　twenty…four　hours；　but　perhaps；〃　he　added；　turning　to　Lady　Grace；　〃you　would　not　care　to　trust　your　horse　with　one　who　is　a　stranger　to　yourwhat　is　it　you　call　them？steeplechases。〃
  〃On　the　contrary；　Prince；〃　Lady　Grace　exclaimed；　〃you　shall　ride　her；　and　I　am　going　to　back　you　for　all　I　am　worth。〃
  Bransome；　who　was　also　in　riding　clothes；　although　he　was　not　taking　part　in　the　steeplechases　himself；　glanced　at　the　clock。
  〃You　are　running　it　rather　fine；〃　he　said。　〃You'll　scarcely　have　time　to　hack　round　the　course。〃
  〃Some　one　must　explain　it　to　me；〃　the　Prince　said。　〃I　need　only　to　be　told　where　to　go。　If　there　is　no　time　for　that；　I　must　stay　with　the　other　horses　until　the　finish。　There　is　a　flat　finish　perhaps？〃
  〃About　three　hundred　yards；〃　the　Duke　answered。
  〃Have　you　any　riding　clothes？〃　Penelope　whispered　to　him。
  〃Without　a　doubt；〃　he　answered。　〃I　will　go　and　change　in　a　few　minutes。〃
  〃We　start　in　half　an　hour；〃　Somerfield　remarked。　〃Even　that　allows　us　none　too　much　time。〃
  〃Perhaps；〃　the　Duke　suggested　diffidently；　〃you　would　like　to　ride　over；　Prince？　It　is　a　good　eleven　miles；　and　you　would　have　a　chance　of　getting　into　your　stride。〃
  The　Prince　shook　his　head。
  〃No；〃　he　said；　〃I　should　like　to　motor　with　you　others；　if　I　may。〃
  〃Just　as　you　like；　of　course；〃　the　Duke　agreed。　〃Grace's　mare　is　over　there　now。　We　shall　be　able　to　have　a　look　at　her　before　the　race；　at　any　rate。〃
  The　opinions；　after　the　Prince　had　left　the　table；　were　a　little　divided　as　to　what　was　likely　to　happen。
  〃For　a　man　who　has　never　even　hunted　and　knows　nothing　whatever　about　the　country；〃　Somerfield　declared；　〃to　attempt　to　ride　in　a　steeplechase　of　this　sort　is　sheer　folly。　If　you　take　my　advice；　Lady　Grace；　you　will　get　out　of　it。　Lady　Barbarity　is　far　too　good　a　mare　to　have　her　knees　broken。〃
  〃I　am　perfectly　content　to　take　my　risks；〃　Lady　Grace　answered　confidently。　〃If　the　Prince　had　never　ridden　before　in　his　life；　I　would　trust　him。〃
  Somerfield　turned　away；　frowning。
  〃What　do　you　think　about　it；　Penelope？〃　he　asked。
  〃I　am　afraid；〃　she　answered；　〃that　I　agree　with　Grace。〃
  Two　punctures　and　a　leaking　valve　delayed　them　over　an　hour　on　the　road。　When　they　reached　their　destination；　the　first　race　was　already　over。
  〃It's　shocking　bad　luck；〃　the　Duke　declared；　〃but　there's　no　earthly　chance　of　your　seeing　the　course；　Prince。　Come　on　the　top　of　the　stand　with　me；　and　bring　your　glasses。　I　think　I　can　point　out　the　way　for　you。〃
  〃That　will　do　excellently；〃　the　Prince　answered。　〃There　is　no　need　to　go　and　look　at　every　jump。　Show　me　where　we　start　and　as　near　as　possible　the　way　we　have　to　go；　and　tell　me　where　we　finish。〃
  The　course　was　a　natural　one；　and　the　stand　itself　on　a　hill。　The　greater　part　of　it　was　clearly　visible　from　where　they　stood。　The　Duke　pointed　out　the　water　jump　with　some　trepidation；　but　the　Prince's　glasses　rested　on　it　only　for　a　moment。　He　pointed　to　a　clump　of　trees。
  〃Which　side　there？〃　he　asked。
  〃To　the　left；〃　the　Duke　answered。　Remember　to　keep　inside　the　red　flags。〃
  The　Prince　nodded。
  〃Where　do　we　finish？〃　he　asked。
  The　Duke　showed　him。
  〃That　is　all　right；〃　he　said。　〃I　need　not　look　any　more。〃
  In　the　paddock　some　of　the　horses　were　being　led　around。　The　Prince　noted　them　approvingly。
  〃Very　nice　horses；〃　he　said；〃light；　but　very　nice。　That　one　I　like　best；〃　he　added；　pointing　to　a　dark　bay　mare；　who　was　already　giving　her　boy　some　trouble。
  〃That's　lucky；〃　the　Duke　answered；　〃for　she's　your　mount。　I　must　go　and　talk　to　the　clerk　about　your　entry。　It　is　a　little　late；　but　I　think　that　it　will　be　all　right。〃
  The　Prince　glanced　over　Lady　Grace's　mare　and　turned　aside　to　join　Penelope　and　Somerfield。
  〃I　like　the　look　of　my　horse；　Sir　Charles；〃　he　said。　〃I　think　that　I　shall　beat　you　today。〃
  〃We　both　start　at　five　to　one；〃　Somerfield　answered。　〃Shall　we　have　a　bet？〃
  〃With　pleasure；〃　the　Prince　agreed。　〃Will　you　name　the　amount？　I　do　not　know　what　is　usual。〃
  〃Anything　you　like；〃　Somerfield　answered；　〃from　ten　pounds　to　a　hundred。〃
  〃One　hundred；we　will　say　one　hundred；　then；〃　the　Prince　declared。　〃My　mount　against　yours。　So！〃
  He　threw　off　his　overcoat；　and　they　saw　for　the　first　time　that　he　was　dressed　in　English　riding　cl