ssons. But I don't know. You see, it would get about, and--well,
people would think it rather ridiculous."

"I should have thought--" began Daphne; "no, I mustn't say any more."

"Oh, go on, Lady Daphne, don't mind _me_! What would you have thought?"

"Well," said Daphne boldly, "that nothing could be so ridiculous as a
Crown Prince who can't sit a horse."

"I daresay I could as well as any other fellow, if I tried."

"No doubt, sir, but if you never _do_ try."

"I would, if I thought you cared."

"Of course I care, Prince Clarence," said Daphne. "Naturally, I should
like to see you doing everything that other Princes do. You really
aren't, so far, you know. I suppose I oughtn't to have said that--I
couldn't help it."

"That's all right," he said. "There's one thing," he added, thinking
aloud, "if I _did_ learn to ride decently, you and I might go out riding
together, what?"

"It's rather early to talk about that," said Daphne, "when you haven't
even begun to learn."

"I know, but I _will_ begin. For _your_ sake."

"No, Prince Clarence, for your own," she replied, "though I shall be
glad, too. And now, I mustn't stay here any longer."

Why, he asked himself, after she had gone, was she so keen on his
cutting a figure at Court? The answer was obvious--he had interested and
impressed her more than he could have hoped. But that, he shrewdly
perceived, only made it more necessary for him to be wary. She was
certainly a most fascinating girl, but if she had any ambitious designs
on him, she would find that he was quite capable of taking care of
himself. Still, she was right about his riding. Every Prince ought to be
able to ride. It would not take him long to learn. And when he could
ride he would go out hunting. She would think a lot more of him when
she saw him returning in triumph with a few boars and bears as trophies
of the chase.

Accordingly he took the earliest opportunity of mentioning to his family
that he intended to take lessons in horsemanship, which both the King
and Queen considered an admirable idea. The Marshal was consulted, and
though he opposed it at first, on the ground that anything which might
affect the succession to the throne was to be avoided, he gave way in
the end, and undertook to act himself as Clarence's riding master.
Clarence was prudent enough to stipulate that none of his family should
be present while he was undergoing instruction, and the Court were not
to be informed tha