"Well!" said Lapham, sympathetically recognising the
bond that this fact created between them. "Well, now,
I tell you what you do. You let me come for you 'most
any afternoon, now, and take you out over the Milldam,
and speed this mare a little. I'd like to show you what
this mare can do. Yes, I would."

"All right," answered Bartley; "I'll let you know
my first day off."

"Good," cried Lapham.

"Kentucky?" queried Bartley.

"No, sir. I don't ride behind anything but Vermont; never did.
Touch of Morgan, of course; but you can't have much Morgan
in a horse if you want speed. Hambletonian mostly.
Where'd you say you wanted to get out?"

"I guess you may put me down at the Events Office,
just round the corner here. I've got to write up this
interview while it's fresh."

"All right," said Lapham, impersonally assenting
to Bartley's use of him as material.

He had not much to complain of in Bartley's treatment,
unless it was the strain of extravagant compliment which
it involved. But the flattery was mainly for the paint,