orth
hearing than anything you're likely to say to him."

Doyle looked round with an air of some satisfaction when Gallagher
left him. He had no doubt that Dr. O'Grady would be able to deal
satisfactorily with the difficulty about the tune. Everything else
seemed to be going well. A considerable number of people had already
gathered in the square. The band stood ready to play. Father McCormack
was apparently very much pleased with the appearance of Mary Ellen.
Constable Moriarty was on guard over the statue, looking unusually
stern. Sergeant Colgan had come out of the barrack and was exerting
all his authority to keep back a number of small children who wanted to
investigate Mary Ellen's costume. Every time any of them approached her
with the intention of pulling her shawl or testing by actual touch the
material of her skirt, Sergeant Colgan spoke majestically.

"Get away out of that," he said. "Get along home out of that, the whole
of yez."

The children did not, of course, obey him literally; but they always
drew back from Mary Ellen when he spoke, and it was generally at least a
minute before the boldest of them ventured to touch her again.

CHAPTER XVIII

Doyle's satisfaction did not last long. Major Kent drove into the town
in his pony trap and pulled up opposite the statue. He called to Father
McCormack, who had satisfied himself about Mary Ellen's appearance,
and was prowling round the statue, making mild jokes about its ghostly
appearance. Doyle detected a note of urgency in the Major's voice,
and hurried across the square, reaching the pony trap just as Father
McCormack did.

"So I hear," said the Major, "that the Lord-Lieutenant's not coming
after all."

For a moment neither Father McCormack nor Doyle spoke at all. The
rumour--it could be no more than a rumour--to which the Major referred was
too terrible for immediate digestion.

"I shan't be sorry myself," said the Major, "if he doesn't come. I've
always thought we were making fools of ourselves."

Then Doyle regained his power of speech.

"It's a lie," he said, "and whoever told it to you is a liar. The
Lord-Lieutenant can't not come."

"It'll be a curious thing, so it will," said Father McCormack, "if he
doesn't, but I can't believe it. Who was it told you, Major, if you
don't mind my asking?"

"It was Mr. Ford," said the Major. "He was standing at his door as I
drove past and he stopped me to say that he'd just had a telegram from