"I was so excited and amused when I got uncle's letter," said Betty,
"that I didn't know what to do. Mamma puzzled over it, but she
couldn't make any more out of it than I could. So I decided to come
over here."

"I'm glad you did," spoke Grace, holding up her long habit in one hand
and delicately eating a chocolate from the other "There comes James
with Prince. Oh, he's run him too hard!" she exclaimed as she noted
the hard-breathing animal.

"Oh, no, Miss," said the groom, who heard her. "That was only a romp
for him. He'll be much easier to handle now."

He gave Grace a hand to help her mount to the saddle, and adjusted the
stirrups for her.

"Good-bye!" she called, as she cantered off. "Save some of the
chocolates for me," and the others laughingly promised, as they went
back to the shade, to rest in the hammock or lawn chairs.

CHAPTER III

THE RUNAWAY

Grace cantered along the pleasant country road on the back of Prince.
The noble animal had lost some of his fiery eagerness to cover the
whole earth in one jump, and now was mindful of snaffle and curb, the
latter of which Grace always applied with gentle hand. Prince seemed
to know this, for he behaved in such style as not to need the cruel