him either," said Dr. O'Grady; "but I don't see what
he could do. He wouldn't venture to meddle with the statue, would he?
Tangle up the strings we have tied to the sheet or anything of that
sort?"

"He would not; for he knows well it would be the worse for him if
he did. It's not likely Mr. Gregg would overlook it if Moriarty did
anything that put a stop to Mrs. Gregg presenting the bouquet."

"We'll have to chance it anyway, and I don't see that he can do much
except sulk, and that won't hurt us. I think I'll be getting home now,
Doyle. I have to shave and generally clean up a bit before the Viceregal
party arrives. You don't own a silk hat, I suppose?"

"I do not. What would I have the like for?"

"You might have worn it if you had," said Dr. O'Grady. "My own is so old
that I'm ashamed to put it on. However, it doesn't really matter.
Both the Major and Father McCormack are sure to have them, so the
Lord-Lieutenant won't notice that you and I haven't and nobody would
expect much from Thady Gallagher. After all, our hats will be in our
hands most of the time, and we can keep them behind our backs."

At half-past eleven Mary Ellen and Mrs. Gregg came out of the hotel
together. Mary Ellen's costume was beautifully complete. An English
tourist accustomed to buy the coloured picture postcards with which the
Germans obligingly supply our shops, would have recognised her at once
as an Irish colleen. Her stockings were of the brightest shade of green.
Her shoes, which were highly polished, had aggressively square toes and
enormous steel buckles which flashed in the sunlight as she walked. Her
skirt reached half way down the calves of her legs. It was of crimson
flannel, made very wide. A green and black tartan shawl was fastened
round her with a large Tara brooch which also held in its place a trail
of shamrock. Underneath the shawl she had a green silk blouse. It showed
very little but it exactly matched her stockings. Her hair was
brushed smoothly back from her forehead, and covered with a black and
white-checked kerchief tied beneath her chin and falling in a neat
triangle at the nape of her neck. Mrs. Gregg, who was naturally very
pleased, led Mary Ellen over to the statue, placed her beside it, and
told her not to move or in any way disorder her dress. Then she herself
hurried away.

Constable Moriarty, who was on guard beside the statue, scowled at Mary
Ellen. He approached her slowly, walked round her, surveyed h