"I will undertake that service. I have a good horse here," volunteered Professor Waite, who had hurried to the pavilion as soon as he saw that Adelaide was in trouble. No one had noticed him up to this time, but Adelaide now accepted his offer very gratefully.
"Anything that I can do for you, Miss Armstrong----" Professor Waite replied; but Adelaide was not listening to him, and he left his remark unfinished.
"If we can do nothing further here," said Mrs. Roseveldt, "I will ask Mr. Van Silver to take us home at once. I would like to order some preparations for the reception of my little guest."
"If you please, Mrs. Roseveldt," said Adelaide. "I would rather wait for the ambulance and ride down with Jim."
"I will take charge of Miss Armstrong and her brother until the arrival of the ambulance," said Colonel Grey. And so Adelaide was left.
Mrs. Roseveldt collected her party and Mr. Van Silver gathered up the reins; but before we started Milly noticed that Miss Noakes was fanning Rosario Ricos, who had only partially recovered from her fainting fit, and that the poor woman looked dejected and puzzled. "Oh, Mr. Van Silver," said Milly, "won't you invite Rosario to take Adelaide's place? She doesn't look able to go back in the cars."
"Anything you please, Miss Milly," Mr. Van Silver replied; and Milly was down from her seat in a moment, Miss Noakes accepting the offer most joyfully.
Stacey came up just as we were leaving. He made no attempt to speak to Milly, but asked Mrs. Roseveldt if he might call on Jim occasionally.
"My house is always open to you, Stacey," Mrs. Roseveldt replied kindly, and Stacey thanked her and assisted Rosario to climb up beside her.
"Aren't you going to compete for the high jump?" asked Mr. Van Silver. Stacey shook his head.
"That accident took all the starch out of you, didn't it?" Mr. Van Silver continued. "Well, I don't wonder; a nervous shock like that makes a fellow as weak as a rag. Never mind, Stacey, we'll hear from you next year at Harvard. I shouldn't wonder if you got on the 'Varsity crew."
On our way home, Mrs. Roseveldt condoled with Rosario. "I am sorry for your brother's disappointment," she said; "though we were all interested in Adelaide's brother. It is the great pity in these contests that every one cannot win."