ve himself a great deal of trouble in the matter of General
John Regan's statue without gaining something by it. But he admired the
way in which the doctor, even when apparently cornered, succeeded in
keeping up appearances.

"If Gallagher gets tangled up in any difficulty," said Dr. O'Grady, as
he said good-bye to Doyle, "send him straight round to me. Don't you
attempt to extricate him or you'll make matters worse. I shall be at
home for the next two hours. It will take me that time at least to talk
sense into the Major."

When he got back to his own house Dr. O'Grady found his friend in a
state of badly repressed impatience.

"That seems to have been a pretty long explanation which you gave to
Doyle," said the Major. "I hope mine will turn out to be a bit shorter."

"That," said Dr. O'Grady, "will entirely depend on yourself, Major.
If you were a really intelligent man no explanation whatever would be
necessary. You'd grasp the situation for yourself. If you were even
fairly intelligent a short explanation would be quite sufficient. If,
as I fear, you are downright stupid I may have to spend an hour or two
talking to you."

"I don't see the slightest necessity for that," said the Major. "You've
only got to give a simple answer to a perfectly plain question. Who was
General John Regan? You answer that, and no further explanation will be
necessary."

"I'm afraid it will," said Dr. O'Grady. "Even if I tell you all I know
about the General you'll still want to heckle me and generally upset my
plans."

"No, I won't, O'Grady. I promise you I won't. Just tell me all you know
about this General and I won't say another word."

"Very well," said Dr. O'Grady. "I don't know anything at all about the
General. I never heard of him in my life until to-day."

Major Kent gasped. Then he grew suddenly red in the face. Then he
spluttered explosively. Then he burst into violent speech.

"And what the devil do you mean, O'Grady, by ----? I'm hanged if I ever
heard of such----"

"There you are," said Dr. O'Grady. "I knew you wouldn't be satisfied.
I've told you all I know about the General, and so far from saying
nothing more, you begin to curse in the most frightful way."

"That's all very well," said the Major, "but if there's no such person
as that General----"

"I didn't say that. I said I knew nothing about him. I'm a well educated
man, Major, far better educated than you are. But there are thousands
and thousands of