re over. They were turning the corner coming
into the straight. Somerfield was leaning forward now, using his whip
freely, but it was clear that his big chestnut was beaten. The Prince,
with merely a touch of the whip and riding absolutely upright, passed
him with ease, and rode in a winner by a dozen lengths. As he cantered
by the stand, they all saw the cause of his momentary stagger. One
stirrup had gone, and he was riding with his leg quite stiff.

"You've won your money, Grace," the Duke declared, shutting up his
glass. "A finely ridden race, too. Did you see he'd lost his stirrup? He
must have taken the last jump without it. I'll go and fetch him up."

The Duke hurried down. The Prince was already in the weighing room
smoking a cigarette.

"It is all right," he said smiling. "They have passed me. I have won. I
hope that Lady Grace will be pleased."

"She is delighted!" the Duke exclaimed, shaking him by the hand. "We all
are. What happened to your stirrup?"

"You must ask your groom," the Prince answered. "The leather snapped
right in the flat, but it made no difference. We have to ride like that
half the time. It is quite pleasant exercise," he continued, "but I am
very dirty and very thirsty. I am sorry for Sir Charles, but his horse
was not nearly so good as your daughter's mare."

They made their way toward the stand, but met the rest of the party in
the paddock. Lady Grace went up to the Prince with outstretched hands.

"Prince," she declared, "you rode superbly. It was a wonderful race. I
have never felt so grateful to any one in my life."

The Prince smiled in a puzzled way.

"My dear young lady," he said, "it was a great pleasure and a very
pleasant ride. You have nothing to thank me for because your horse is a
little better than those others."

"It was not my mare alone," she answered,--"it was your riding."

The Prince laughed as one who does not understand.

"You make me ashamed, Lady Grace," he declared. "Why, there is only one
way to ride. You did not think that because I was not English I should
fall off a horse?"

"I am afraid," the Duke remarked smiling, "that several Englishmen have
fallen off!"

"It is a matter of the horse," the Prince said. "Some are not trained
for jumping. What would you have, then? In my battalion we have nine
hundred horsemen. If I found one who did not ride so well as I do, he
would go back to the ranks. We would make an infantryman of him. Miss
Morse," he