n out of
him if you have to use a knife to get it. Whatever happens don't let him
go again."

Doyle realised what his duty was before Dr. O'Grady had stopped
speaking. He ran across the square to the statue. Mr. Billing, heedless
of Moriarty's threats, was lifting the sheet still higher. He had read
the inscription and wanted to inspect the statue itself. Doyle seized
him by the shoulder.

"Come you along with me," he said, "and come quiet if you don't want me
to give you in charge of the police."

Dr. O'Grady, watching from a distance, saw Mr. Billing marched off
towards the hotel. Then he turned to Lord Alfred again.

"I must apologize," he said, "for running away from you like that. But
we couldn't have talked with that fellow, Doyle, pestering us. You don't
know Doyle, of course. If you did, and if you happened to owe him a
little money you'd realise how infernally persistent he can be."

Lord Alfred had also been watching the capture of Mr. Billing. He wanted
to understand, if possible; what was going on round about him.

"What is your friend doing with the other man?" he asked.

"Only capturing him," said Dr. O'Grady. "You needn't feel any anxiety
about that. The other man is an American and a thorough-paced swindler.
Nothing will happen to him that he doesn't deserve. But we mustn't waste
time. We've still got to unveil the statue. You go on with what you
were saying. You were just going to tell me what the Lord-Lieutenant's
difficulty is."

"You invited His Excellency down here," said Lord Alfred, "to unveil a
statue----"

"Quite right. And we have the statue ready. There it is." He pointed out
the statue as he spoke.

"The statue," said Lord Alfred, "purports to represent General John
Regan."

"It does represent him. There's no purporting about the matter. The
General's name is on the pedestal. You'll see it yourself as soon as you
unveil it."

"It now appears," said Lord Alfred coldly, "that there never was such a
person as General John Regan."

"Well? Try and get along a little quicker. I don't see yet where the
insult to the Lord-Lieutenant is supposed to come in."

"You asked the Lord-Lieutenant to unveil a faked-up statue, and you have
the amazing assurance to say now that you don't see that you've done
anything wrong."

"I don't."

"But there never was a General----"

"Do you mean to say," said Dr. O'Grady, "that the Lord-Lieutenant
supposed that the General really existed?"

"Of