several days. The prospect was gratifying to Doyle.
A guest who travelled in a very large motor-car might be made to pay
heavily for his rooms and his meals.

Five small boys came out of different houses up and down the street.
When Mr. Billing, Doyle and Mary Ellen entered the hotel the boys
drifted together towards the motor-car. They walked all round it. They
peered cautiously into it. The boldest of them prodded the tyres with
his fingers. The window of the office of the Connacht Eagle was opened,
and Mr. Thaddeus Gallagher looked out Young Kerrigan emerged from the
shelter of the body of the dead sheep and stood outside the shop.
His father joined him. Both of them stared at the motor-car. Sergeant
Colgan, followed by Constable Moriarty, stepped out of the police
barrack and stalked majestically across the street. The sergeant frowned
heavily at the small boys.

"Be off out of that, every one of yez," he said.

The small boys retreated at once. The law, in spite of all that is said
to the contrary, is greatly respected in the west of Ireland. Sergeant
Colgan would have made it respected anywhere. His appearance was far
more impressive than that of any judge in his robes of office. Constable
Moriarty, who was more than six feet high, was impressive too.

"That's a fine car," said the sergeant.

"It is," said Moriarty, "as fine a one as ever I seen."

"The man that owns it will be a high up man," said the sergeant.

"He will," said Moriarty.

The sergeant looked into the car. He gazed at the steering-wheel with
interest. He glanced intelligently at the levers. His eyes rested
finally on a speedometer.

"The like of that," he said, pointing it out to Moriarty, "is what I
never seen before."

"I've heard of them," said Moriarty.

"There's a clock along with it," said the sergeant.

"The man that owns it," said Moriarty, "must have a power of money."

CHAPTER II

Doyle came out of the hotel. He joined the sergeant and Moriarty at the
motor-car.

"Good-morning, sergeant," he said. "It's a fine day, thanks be to God.
The people will only have themselves to thank if they don't get their
hay saved this weather."

"What I'm after saying to Constable Moriarty," said the sergeant, "is
that that's a fine car."

"You may say that," said Doyle.

"It'll be some high up gentleman that owns it," said the sergeant.

He paused. It was plainly the duty of Doyle to give some information
about his guest.