1

II. THE FIRST DAY'S RUN 23

III. SOME EMOTIONS--WITHOUT A MORAL 47

IV. SHADOWS--WITH OCCASIONAL GLEAMS 72

V. A FLURRY ON THE MENDIPS 94

VI. A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S VAGARIES 119

VII. WHEREIN CYNTHIA TAKES HER OWN LINE 143

VIII. BREAKERS AHEAD 167

IX. ON THE WYE 191

X. THE HIDDEN FOUNTS OF EVIL 216

XI. THE PARTING OF THE WAYS 239

XII. MASQUES, ANCIENT AND MODERN 260

XIII. WHEREIN WRATH BEGUILES GOOD JUDGMENT 283

XIV. --AND GOOD JUDGMENT YIELDS TO FOLLY 307

XV. THE OUTCOME 324

XVI. THE END OF ONE TOUR: THE BEGINNING
OF ANOTHER 344

CYNTHIA'S CHAUFFEUR

CHAPTER I

THE HIRED CAR

Derby Day fell that year on the first Wednesday in June. By a whim of
the British climate, the weather was fine; in fact, no rain had fallen
on southern England since the previous Sunday. Wise after the event,
the newspapers published cheerful "forecasts," and certain daring
"experts" discussed the probabilities of a heat wave. So London, on
that bright Wednesday morning, was agog with excitement over its
annual holiday; and at such a time London is the gayest and liveliest
city in the world.

And then, wholly independent of the weather, there was the Great
Question.

From the hour when the first 'bus rumbled Citywards until some few
seconds before three o'clock in the afternoon the mass of the people
seemed to find delight in asking and answering it. The Question was
ever the same; but the answer varied. In its way, the Question formed
a tribute to the advance of democracy. It caused strangers to
exchange opinions and pleasantries in crowded trains and omnibuses. It
placed peers and commoners on an equality. During some part of the day
it completely eclipsed all other topics of conversation.

Thus, young Lord Medenham made no pretense of shirking it while he
stood on the steps of his father's mansion in Cavendish Square and
watched his chauffeur stowing a luncheon basket beneath the front seat
of the Mercury 38.

"You know a bit about racing, Tomkinson," he said, smiling at the
elderly butler who had brought the basket out of the house. "What's
going to win