ndent observed, in a musing
voice, gazing down at me with relenting eyes. 'The masculine habitually
embraces the feminine.' And he brought his massive intellect to bear
upon the problem once more with prodigious concentration.

I seized my opportunity. 'Let me start, at least,' I urged, holding out
the Act. 'If I win, you can the matter more fully with the Kaiserly and
Kingly Governments hereafter argue out.'

'I guess this will be an international affair,' Mr. Hitchcock remarked,
well pleased. 'It would be a first-rate adver_tize_ment for the Great
Manitou ef England and Germany were to make the question into a _casus
belli_. The United States could look on, and pocket the chestnuts.'

'Two minutes to go,' the official starter with the watch called out.

'Fall in, then, Fraeulein Englaenderin,' the Herr Over-Superintendent
observed, without prejudice, waving me into line. He pinned a badge with
a large number, 7, on my dress. 'The Kaiserly and Kingly Governments
shall on the affair of the starting's legality hereafter on my report
more at leisure pass judgment.'

The lieutenant in undress uniform drew back a little.

'Oh, if this is to be woman's play,' he muttered, 'then can a Prussian
officer himself by competing not into contempt bring.'

I dropped a little curtsy. 'If the Herr Lieutenant is afraid even to
_enter_ against an Englishwoman----' I said, smiling.

He came up to the scratch sullenly. 'One minute to go!' called out the
starter.

We were all on the alert. There was a pause; a deep breath. I was
horribly frightened, but I tried to look calm. Then sharp and quick came
the one word 'Go!' And like arrows from a bow, off we all started.

I had ridden over the whole course the day but one before, on a mountain
pony, with an observant eye and my sedulous American--rising at five
o'clock, so as not to excite undue attention; and I therefore knew
beforehand the exact route we were to follow; but I confess when I saw
the Prussian lieutenant and one of my other competitors dash forward at
a pace that simply astonished me, that fifty pounds seemed to melt away
in the dim abyss of the Ewigkeit. I gave up all for lost. I could never
make the running against such practised cyclists.

[Illustration: DON'T SCORCH, MISS; DON'T SCORCH.]

However, we all turned out into the open road which leads across the
plain and down the Main valley, in the direction of Mayence. For the
first ten miles or so, it is a dusty le