ad gone home the
difficulty, whatever it was, must be capable of adjustment.

"Then what on earth do you want? Surely you and Mrs. Gregg haven't been
quarrelling with each other."

"Mrs. Gregg says----" said Mary Ellen.

Then she paused, looked at Dr. O'Grady, looked at Doyle, and finally
took courage after a glance at Father McCormack.

"She says, is there to be white stockings?"

"Certainly not," said Dr. O'Grady. "White stockings would be entirely
out of place. If we're dressing you as an Irish colleen, Mary Ellen,
we'll do it properly. Go and tell Mrs. Gregg that your stockings are
to be green, bright green. Did you ever hear such a silly question?" he
added turning to the other members of the committee. "Who ever saw an
Irish colleen in white stockings?"

"While you're at it, O'Grady," said the Major, "you'd better settle the
colour of her garters."

Mary Ellen, grinning broadly, withdrew her head and shut the door.

"What's that about green stockings for Mary Ellen?" said Father
McCormack.

"Oh, it's all right," said Dr. O'Grady. "The stockings will scarcely
show at all. Her dress will be right down to her ankles, longer by far
than the ones she usually wears. I needn't tell you, Father McCormack,
that I wouldn't consent to dressing the girl in any way that wasn't
strictly proper. You mustn't think----"

"I wasn't thinking anything of the sort," said Father McCormack.

"You very well might be," said Dr. O'Grady, "Anyone would think we
intended her to appear in a ballet skirt after that remark of the
Major's about her garters."

"All I was thinking," said Father McCormack, "was that if you dressed
the girl up in that style she'll never be contented again with ordinary
clothes."

"I'd be opposed, so I would," said Gallagher, "to anything that wouldn't
be respectable in the case of Mary Ellen. Her mother was a cousin of
my own, and I've a feeling for the girl. So if you or any other one,
Doctor, is planning contrivances----"

"Oh, don't be ridiculous, Thady," said Dr. O'Grady.

"I tell you she'll be all right. Now, Doyle, will you read us that
letter from your nephew? If we don't get on with our business we'll be
here all night."

CHAPTER XV

"I can't find the letter high or low," said Doyle.

"Maybe now," said Father McCormack, "it's not in your pocket at all."

"It should be," said Doyle, "for it was there I put it after showing it
to the doctor here yesterday."

"It doesn't matt