once," said Dr. O'Grady. "Did you say you were
going straight back to the barrack?"

"I am," said Moriarty. "It'll be better for me if I do on account of the
way Mr. Ford does be talking to----"

"Are you going so straight that you won't see Mary Ellen on the way?"

"It could be," said Moriarty, "that I might see her."

"Very well, then, do. And tell her to meet me at Mrs. Gregg's house
at----" He glanced at his watch.

"Let me see, it's nearly half past two, and I'll have to spend a few
minutes pacifying the Major. Suppose you tell her to meet me at Mrs.
Gregg's at a quarter past three. Will you be sure to give her that
message?"

"I will," said Moriarty.

"And don't you keep the girl late now, Moriarty, with love making in the
pig-stye or any nonsense of that kind."

"Is it likely I would?"

"It is very likely. But don't do it."

"It is not likely then, seeing as how I ought to be back in the barrack
this minute on account of the way Mr. Gregg has the sergeant annoyed----"

"There's only one thing worse than keeping Mary Ellen late," said Dr.
O'Grady, "and that is delaying me. Be off with you at once."

Constable Moriarty marched off towards the barrack, fully determined to
call on Mary Ellen on the way. Dr. O'Grady went into the stable yard to
look for Major Kent. He found him smoking a pipe and reading the last
number of the Connacht Eagle in an empty loose box.

"I thought you'd like to know," said Dr. O'Grady, "that I've finished
with the piano, so you can go back into the house again."

"Quite sure you're finished?" said the Major.

"Quite."

"Because if there are any final touches to put to your oratorio, you'd
better do them to-day. The piano won't be there to-morrow. I've made up
my mind to sell it at once."

"Silly thing to do," said Dr. O'Grady. "You won't get half what it's
worth if you sell it in a hurry like that."

"Even if I have to pay someone to take it away," said the Major, "I
shall make a good bargain. It's better to lose a little money than to
spend the rest of my life in a lunatic asylum."

"You know your own business best, of course, and if you think you can
preserve what little intelligence you have by giving Thady Gallagher or
some other fellow a present of your piano--"

"I think I can save myself from being turned into a gibbering maniac,"
said the Major, "by making sure that you'll never have the chance of
composing music in my house again. Since eight o'clock this