What are you talking about?" said Gallagher. "The doctor's shaving
himself."

"Are you sure of that?"

"I am sure. Didn't I go through the house till I found him? Didn't I
open the door of the room he was in? Didn't I see him standing there
with a razor in his hand?"

"And what did he say to you, Thady? Did he tell you----"

"He told me to get along out of that," said Gallagher.

"It's likely he'd heard the news. He'd never have said the like of that
to you, Thady, if he hadn't been upset about something."

"What'll we do at all?" said Doyle. "There's the statue to be paid for
and the dress for Mary Ellen and the luncheon. It's ruined we'll be, for
where will we get the money?"

"I had my mind made up," said Gallagher, "to speak out plain to the
doctor about the tune the band's to play. I had my mind made up to tell
him straight what I thought of him. And to tell him what I thought of
the whole of you."

"Be quiet, Thady," said Father McCormack. "Don't you know----"

"There's more than you will want to speak plain to the doctor," said
Doyle in sudden anger. "It's him that's got us into the trouble we're
in. It's him that ought to be made to pay up what'll have to be paid;
only he can't do it, for he owes more this minute than ever he'll pay.
Tell me now, Thady, what you said to him. Tell me the language you
used. It'll be some satisfaction to me to hear the words you said to the
doctor."

"I said nothing," said Gallagher. "Is it likely I'd speak the way I
meant to a man with an open razor in his hand? I'd have had my throat
cut if I'd said a word."

Mrs. Gregg rode hurriedly into the market square on her bicycle, while
Gallagher was making his confession. She wore a delicate and flimsy pink
silk skirt, entirely unsuited for cycling. A very large hat, adorned
with a wreath of pink roses, had been forced to the back of her head by
the speed at which she rode, and was held there with much strain by two
large pins. She had only one glove, and several hooks at the back of the
upper part of her dress were unfastened. No one could doubt that Mrs.
Gregg had left home before she was quite ready. No one could doubt that
she had come into Ballymoy as fast as she could. She dismounted in front
of Father McCormack and panted. She said "Oh" three times, and each time
was prevented saying anything else by lack of breath. Then she caught
sight of Major Kent, who was coming out of the hotel yard after stabling
his pony. Sh