t was a
frisky little thing! Jest you step up on it, miss, and have a go at that
there mountain.'

I stepped up and had a 'go.' The machine bounded forward like an agile
greyhound. You had but to touch it, and it ran of itself. Never had I
ridden so vivacious, so animated a cycle. I returned to him, sailing,
with the gradient reversed. The Manitou glided smoothly, as on a gentle
slope, without the need for back-pedalling.

'It soars!' he remarked with enthusiasm.

'Balloons are at discount beside it,' I answered.

'Now you want to know about this business, I guess,' he went on. 'You
want to know jest where the reciprocity comes in, anyhow?'

'I am ready to hear you expound,' I admitted, smiling.

'Oh, it ain't all on one side,' he continued, eyeing his machine at an
angle with parental affection. 'I'm a-going to make your fortune right
here. You shall ride her for me on the last day; and ef you pull this
thing off, don't you be scared that I won't treat you handsome.'

'If you were a little more succinct,' I said, gravely, 'we should get
forrader faster.'

'Perhaps you wonder,' he put in, 'that with money on it like this, I
should intrust the job _into_ the hands of a female.' I winced, but was
silent. 'Well, it's like this, don't you see; ef a female wins, it makes
success all the more striking and con-spicuous. The world to-day _is_
ruled _by_ adver_tize_ment.'

I could stand it no longer. 'Mr. Hitchcock,' I said, with dignity, 'I
haven't the remotest idea what on earth you are talking about.'

He gazed at me with surprise. 'What?' he exclaimed, at last. 'And you
kin cycle like that! Not know what all the cycling world is mad about!
Why, you don't mean to tell me you're not a pro-fessional?'

I enlightened him at once as to my position in society, which was
respectable, if not lucrative. His face fell somewhat. 'High-toned, eh?
Still, you'd run all the same, wouldn't you?' he inquired.

'Run for what?' I asked, innocently. 'Parliament? The Presidency? The
Frankfort Town Council?'

He had difficulty in fathoming the depths of my ignorance. But by
degrees I understood him. It seemed that the German Imperial and
Prussian Royal Governments had offered a Kaiserly and Kingly prize for
the best military bicycle; the course to be run over the Taunus, from
Frankfort to Limburg; the winning machine to get the equivalent of a
thousand pounds; each firm to supply its own make and rider. The 'last
day' was Saturday