“How would a snow-storm strike you? We’re likely to catch one before the day’s over.”
They were climbing a hill and as the heavy machine gained the windy top and a long, clear stretch of highway spread before them he looked at her and asked:
“This road leads round the world—why should we ever go back?”
“Because we are not utterly silly, and we are not going to lose our minds, I hope.” But she laughed, as much as to say that nothing really mattered. “I’m hungry. It seems to me you promised sandwiches. If you did, I’m dying for food; if you didn’t bring them, then I’m not hungry!”
“I like your philosophy. You’d be a good girl to seek the happy isles with—you wouldn’t cry if you got your feet wet, or were lost on a desert island, or anything like that.”
“I hope not—but you never can tell. I mustn’t get the crying habit—nothing ages one so fast.”
“I think we’d better turn round unless we really expect to be gone forever—I’m willing if you are. As to the sandwiches, I have a little surprise in store for you. It’s too cold to picnic out-of-doors—how would a fire and something hot strike you?”
“Tea—most delightful of thoughts! But these farmhouses don’t look inviting.”
“That’s where the surprise comes in. We’ll run into the Rosedale Country Club and maybe we can get a fire to take the chill off before we go home. You’ve never seen Rosedale; it’s the best thing we do in country clubs.”
They were soon speeding over a private road that led through a heavy woodland, skirting a ravine. The woodland yielded at once to a golf course at their left, stretching across a gray upland. Its targets suggested the lost banners of a deserted battlefield, and a long bunker midway of the slope the desolate grave of defeated battalions. They climbed a hill with the vale deepening at their right hand and an abrupt turn brought the club-house into view, its white-pillared façade greeting the eye with suggestions of domestic taste and comfort. A man appeared instantly as though he were expecting them, and flung open the door of a large lounging room where a great log fire crackled cheerily. A table had been set for two directly before the hearth, and while they were throwing off their wraps the man brought a tea tray with sandwiches and cakes.