The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-04-07

really so sorry to go, don't you know.
I've had such very good time in Amer
Tea, and this has seemed to me to be the
fairest place Of all. Truly, I think that
! shall come back some day
And when you COME back, said Ry-
der, warmly. "Yonn find the old place
just the same, only I won't be riding
Point-to-POints. That must be for the
younger generation
Lady Alice laughed. "Why. you're good
for twenty more years. she said. I ex-
pect to see twenty silver cups upon your
mantelDiece when I return. and on them
the inscription, Richard Ryder-Gentle-
man Steeplechaser.
mot a very high ambition to strive for.
cups in steeplechases. said Ryder. sigh
ing. I'd rather do bigger things. BE
President. for instance, OF Secretary OF
War"
You'd look extremely well as Chief
Executive. Your riding clothes are Just
the color of the leather In the White
House. But really, now, seriously. Mr.
Ryder you're an awfully good sort. What
are you going TO try to do here in Vir-
ginia2 You have undoubted talent for
big things"
Hello, said Ryder, arehing his eve
broWs. 4 didn't know that you cared for
anything but hunting?''
When I'm with the Romans, / do as
the Romans do"
The question had, indeed. nettled him.
It was true that he was drifting along.
just spending the quiet peaceful days in
Virginia as they came; with nothing
more thrilling than horse race: with
nothing more intellectual 20 work for but
horse trade. He felt uncomfortable, for
he knew her eyes We're closely scrutiniz-
ing him.
DO you know" she went on. I'VE Eng
iish are fine. virile race? Wherever I
meet them in the course of my travels.
find them leading simple, manly, virile
lives; but then, y know, somehow or other
] can't help remembering those lines of
Kiplings at the time of the B0er war;
Ryder laughed. 'Flanneled fools at tbs
wicket, and muddied OATS at the goal?F
he asked
Precisely
But, you don't think that 4"
I'm not so sure.
Ryder relapsed into somber thought.
Yes, perhaps she was right, perhaps he
was too easy-going; TOO lackadaisical; too
moving.
Lady Grevine." he said. DO YOU
think that I would make woman
happy He turned and looked at her in
tently.
1t was a crucial moment lie had de
termined 10 ind out how matters stood
between them. and he went az il IN his
usual blunt, English way. He had not
noticed where they were; they were go
ing down "a side road, and were iust turn
ing bend in it. he rode more closely
to her. DO you think that he began.
H.sHe 4.
around the corner of the road was au-
hat and sainted them II was sam Scar
let
by Jove" said Ryder, curbing his an
ger as well as he could, sam you're far
away from town. aren't your
Yes. I've been down 10 buy a horse
at Culpeper. and I succeeded in buying
a good one, a steepiechaser." He grin
ned sarcastically.
Ryders anger burst forth "Confound
il. Sam. l had the better horse. She
should have won. but
She didn't put in Lady Hope Gre
Vile
Yes, but she slipped, she"
Come, gentlemen. don't let US quarrel
over such a small affair again inter-
rupted Lady Hope Greyille.
scarlet was gloWerlng rather angrily at
the young Englishman. and the look
which the latter bestowed upon him was
likewise most unftiendly
Hello, there goes a fox" sang out
Lady Hope Greville. Putting spurs TO
her horse, she had jumped the fence, and
was canteTing rapidly across the open
field. There was only one thing TO do,
il was 10 follow. And Ryder-strange as
IL NAV seem-rpaIIV believed that she had
seen fox, until many years afterward