ing their speed with
every stride.

Suddenly Robin, the great Robin Adair, falters ever so slightly. The
seething mass of men and women hold their breath. Then, quick as a
flash, as if shot from a bow, gallant little Queen Bess passes him. A
great cry breaks from the vast multitude of spectators. One instant
later, and the cry has deepened into a mighty yell. Little Queen Bess,
with every muscle strained, passes under the wire--a winner!

The next instant she is hidden from sight by the eager thousands who are
crowding and pushing one another to catch a glimpse of the winner. Jay
Gardiner stands for a moment as if dumbfounded. He is hardly able to
credit the evidence of his own senses.

"Queen Bess had won!" cried the golden-haired girl by his side, and he
answers a hoarse--"Yes."

The girl laughs, and the sound of that laugh lingers in his memory all
the long years of his after-life.

"And I have won!" she adds, shrilly.

Again he answers, in that same hoarse monotone--"Yes!"

Before he has time even to think, Sally Pendleton turns around to her
father and mother, crying triumphantly:

"Mamma--papa, Mr. Gardiner wants me to marry him. My hand is pledged to
him; that is, if you are willing!"

The young man's face turned as white as it would ever be in death.

The effect of her words can better be imagined than described. Mr.
Pendleton stared at his daughter as though he had not heard aright.

Mrs. Pendleton was dumbfounded. And Louise--poor Louise!--to her it
seemed as if life had ended for her.

Mr. Pendleton recovered himself in an instant. He had been quite sure
that Mr. Gardiner preferred his elder daughter Louise to his younger
daughter, merry, rollicking Sally.

"I am sure, I am very well pleased," he said, heartily extending his
hand to Mr. Gardiner. "Certainly I give my consent, in which my wife
joins me."

Jay Gardiner's face flushed. He could not make a scene by refusing to
accept the situation. He took the proffered hand. Mrs. Pendleton rose to
the occasion.

"If he prefers Sally, that is the end of it as far as Louise is
concerned. Sally had better have him than for the family to lose him and
all his millions," she thought, philosophically.

Jay Gardiner's friends congratulated the supposedly happy lovers. Louise
spoke no word; it seemed to her as though the whole world had suddenly
changed; her golden day-dreams had suddenly and without warning been
dispelled.

During that homeward ri