lagher by the arm as he spoke and led him towards the hotel.
Gallagher went at first with apparent reluctance, but as he got near
the door his steps quickened. Doyle did not leave him till he handed him
over to the care of the young man who stood behind the bar while Doyle
himself was absent.

Dr. O'Grady made his way through the crowd with gay confidence, smiling
and nodding to his acquaintances as he went. The people had been
slightly suspicious beforehand and feared that something had gone wrong
with the arrangements for the day's entertainment. They were cheered,
and their confidence was fully restored when they saw Dr. O'Grady was
not in the least depressed. He smiled at Mary Ellen as he passed her and
winked at Constable Moriarty.

Mrs. Gregg, as soon as she caught sight of him, rushed to meet him.

"Oh, Dr. O'Grady," she said, "isn't it terrible? What are we to do? I
wouldn't mind so much only that Mrs. Ford is delighted. But you'll be
able to do something, won't you?"

"The first thing to be done," said Dr. O'Grady, "is to stop those
children pulling the clothes off Mary Ellen. Would you mind, Mrs. Gregg,
just running over and setting her shawl straight? Fix it with a pin.
It's horrid the way it is."

Mrs. Gregg went over to Mary Ellen. She was deeply interested in the
girl's costume, and she still cherished a hope that Dr. O'Grady might
manage somehow, even without the Lord-Lieutenant, to arrange for a
ceremonial unveiling of the statue.

"Well, O'Grady," said Major Kent maliciously. "I suppose we may as
well take down that statue. It's no particular use where it is, and it
doesn't seem likely to help you to plunder the public funds."

"There will have to be slight alteration in our plans," said Dr.
O'Grady, "but I don't see any reason for postponing the unveiling of the
statue."

"Do you know that the Lord-Lieutenant's not coming?" said Father
McCormack.

"I had a telegram from his private secretary," said Dr. O'Grady. "I must
say I think he might have let us know a little sooner. I was out early
and I didn't get the message till an hour ago. Where's Doyle?"

"Doyle's making Thady Gallagher drunk in the hotel," said the Major.

"Good," said Dr. O'Grady. "That's much the best thing to do with Thady.
But I wish he'd be quick about it, for I want to speak to him."

"Here he is coming now," said Father McCormack.

Doyle, who had himself taken half a glass of whisky, approached Dr.
O'Grady with grea