Produced by Al Haines THE RIDER IN KHAKI _A NOVEL_ BY NAT GOULD NEW YORK FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY PUBLISHERS Copyright, 1918, by FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _All rights reserved_ CONTENTS CHAPTER I. "WILL HE MARRY HER?" II. TRENT PARK III. "HE'S A SPY" IV. THE AUSTRALIAN GIRL V. ROBIN HOOD'S SPEED VI. A FLYING FILLY VII. A WALK AND A TALK VIII. FRASER'S INFORMATION IX. THE MAN UNDER THE LAMP X. CARL MAKES LOVE XI. THE BARON'S TIP XII. A FINE FINISH XIII. ALAN IS BLIND XIV. INSIDE THE KEEP XV. A SUDDEN PROPOSAL XVI. JANE'S LOVE AFFAIR XVII. THE LAY OF THE LAND XVIII. TOM'S WEAKNESS XIX. HALF A HEAD XX. TWO STAYERS XXI. THE RAID XXII. JANE SUSPECTS XXIII. ALAN'S DANGER XXIV. TAKEN PRISONER XXV. ALIVE AND WELL XXVI. THE RIDER IN KHAKI XXVII. THE STEEPLECHASE XXVIII. JANE'S DISCLOSURES XXIX. A SPLASH IN THE DARK XXX. NEWS FROM HOME THE RIDER IN KHAKI CHAPTER I "WILL HE MARRY HER?" "Do you think he will marry her?" asked Harry Morby. "Does anybody know what he will do," replied Vincent Newport, discussing their host Alan Chesney, of Trent Park, a beautiful estate in Nottinghamshire, close to the Dukeries, Sherwood Forest, and the picturesque village of Ollerton. In the billiard room they had just finished a game of a hundred up, it was an even battle but Morby won by a few points; they were Chesney's friends, captains in the same regiment--the Guards--from which Alan Chesney resigned his commission some twelve months ago. Why he resigned was best known to himself; they had not heard the reason; nobody in the regiment appeared to have any idea. "She's a splendid woman," said Harry, with a sigh. "Granted, perhaps one of the most conspicuous of the reigning beauties. It may not be a question of will he marry her but whether she will have him if he asks her," answered Vincent. Harry Morby shook his head. "She'll marry him right enough. Why not? By Jove, Vin, what a handsome couple they'd make!" he said. "Yes, but I doubt if it would be a happy union," said Vincent. "Good Lord, man, why shouldn't it be? They'd have everything they wanted: money on both sides, estates close together, many things in common, love of racing, sport in general, hunting in particular; they're made for each other." "What about temperaments?" "All right in that way. No doubt there'd be some friction at times, but very few married people go through life without jars." "Evelyn Berkeley has had one or two affairs." "Nothing to her discredit. She's always been allowed to have her head; her father was proud of her in his way, but he was a selfish man, thought more of his pleasures than anything, a bit of an old rip too, if all one hears be correct. As for her mother--you know the story--possibly Berkeley drove her to it."