"Never mind, Dick," he said cheerfully, "you rode a fine race and
the best horse won. Better luck next time."
Several people approached Trent, but he turned away at once to
Ernestine.
"You will let me take you to Lady Tresham now," he said.
"If you please," she answered quietly.
They left the paddock by the underground way. When they emerged
upon the lawn the band was playing and crowds of people were
strolling about under the trees.
"The boxes," Trent suggested, "must be very hot now!"
He turned down a side-walk away from the stand towards an empty seat
under an elm-tree, and, after a moment's scarcely perceptible
hesitation, she followed his lead. He laughed softly to himself.
If this was defeat, what in the world was better?
"This is your first Ascot, is it not?" she asked.
"My first!"
"And your first defeat?"
"I suppose it is," he admitted cheerfully. "I rather expected to
win, too."
"You must be very disappointed, I am afraid."
"I have lost," he said thoughtfully, "a gold cup. I have
gained - "
She half rose and shook out her skirts as though about to leave him.
He stopped short and found another conclusion to his sentence.
"Experience!"
A faint smile parted her lips. She resumed her seat.
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