For many miles the road was of macadam, and they bowled along at a rate
which consumed the distance swiftly, though not too fast for Mr.
Kendrick's comfort. Richard artfully increased his speed by fractional
degrees, so that his grandfather, accustomed to being conveyed at a very
moderate mileage about the city in his closed car, should not be
startled by the sense of flight which he might have had if the young man
had started at his usual break-neck pace.
They did not talk much, for Matthew Kendrick was habitually cautious
about using his voice in winter air, and Richard was too engaged with
the car and with his own thoughts to attempt to keep up a one-sided
conversation. More than once, however, a brief colloquy took place. One
of the last of these, before approaching their destination, was as
follows:
"Keeping warm, grandfather?"
"Perfectly, Dick, thanks to your foot-warmer."
"Tired, at all?"
"Not a particle. On the contrary, I find the air very stimulating."
"I thought you would. Wonderful day for March, isn't it?"
"Unusually fine."
"We'll be there before you know it. There's one bad stretch of a couple
of miles, beyond the turn ahead, and another just this side of Eastman,
but Old Faithful here will make light work of 'em.
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