As the days slipped by, however, he tightened the reins.

Christmas was approaching.

An easy mathematical computation reduced the question of completing his contract with Morrison & Daly to a certain weekly quota.
In fact he was surprised at the size of it.

He would have to work diligently and steadily during the rest of the winter.
Having thus a definite task to accomplish in a definite number of days, Radway grew to be more of a taskmaster.

His anxiety as to the completion of the work overlaid his morbidly sympathetic human interest.