He was taken full into the grounds of the Whipple Old Place, because Sharon had suddenly conceived that he could not start the car again if he stopped it to let down his guest.

The car entered the wide gateway, which again seemed dangerously narrow to its driver, and purred on up the gravelled drive.

When half the distance to the haven of the stable had been covered it betrayed symptoms of some obscure distress, coughing poignantly.

Sharon pretended not to notice this.

A dozen yards beyond it coughed again, feebly, plaintively, then it expired.