er may arrive
at any moment, and then I shan't be able to go into the question. Now
Father McCormack, do you recognise the tune I whistled you?"

"I've heard it," said Father McCormack, "and to the best of my belief it
was at a military tournament up in Dublin last year."

"It's 'Rule, Britannia,'" said the Major. "And if it's played in this
town there'll be a row."

"There might be," said Father McCormack, "if Thady Gallagher knows what
tune it is."

"He won't," said Dr. O'Grady. "You didn't know yourself, Father
McCormack, and if you didn't I'm quite satisfied that Thady Gallagher
won't. We can count on your keeping your mouth shut, Major, I suppose.
Now, Mrs. Gregg, what has Mrs. Ford been doing?"

"She says," said Mrs. Gregg, "that Mary Ellen is to wear a plain dark
grey tweed dress, and I had it all planned out----"

"White muslin," said Dr. O'Grady, "with a silk slip. I remember."

"It'd look perfectly sweet," said Mrs. Gregg, "and I took her to the
dressmaker yesterday evening just as you told me. I had the whole thing
arranged. She was to have a blue sash."

"I was," said Mary Ellen, who was still standing beside the stuffed fox.

"And Mrs. Ford agreed at the time," said Mrs. Gregg, "and now I've just
got a note from her saying that a dark grey tweed would be much more
suitable because it would be useful afterwards."

"It seems to me," said Dr. O'Grady, "that you haven't managed this
business quite as tactfully as I expected you would."

"Mrs. Ford said she was going straight to the dress-maker to order the
grey tweed. She's there now, most likely."

Mrs. Gregg's voice had a break in it. It seemed to Dr. O'Grady that she
was on the verge of tears. He turned to Mary Ellen.

"Which would you rather have, Mary Ellen, a white muslin frock, or a
grey tweed, one that would be useful to you afterwards? Don't be in a
hurry to decide. Think it well over."

Mary Ellen seemed very well inclined to take this advice. She stood
quite silent with one of her fingers pressed against the corner of her
mouth. She was thinking deeply.

"I can't bear to have everything I settled upset by that woman," said
Mrs. Gregg. "I wish you'd never made me ask her to help. I wish I'd
never----"

"We had to keep her in a good temper," said Dr. O'Grady.

"You'll not be able to do that," said the Major, "nobody could."

"It's nothing but spite makes her do it," said Mrs. Gregg. "It's just
because I'm presenting a bouquet and