e what a sergeant of police is bound to keep out of."

"But hang it all," said Dr. Farelly, "fairies aren't politics."

"They may or they may not be," said the sergeant. "But believe me,
doctor, the men that talks about them things, fairies and all that, is
the same men that's at the bottom of all the leagues in the country, and
it wouldn't do for me to be countenancing them. But I'll tell you what
I'll do for you now, doctor. If I can't get fairies for him I'll see
that anything that's to be had in the district in the way of a fee for a
lunatic or the like goes to the young fellow you're bringing here. I'll
do that, and if there's more I can do you can reckon on me--barring
fairies and politics of all kinds."

Mr. Flanagan and Sergeant Rahilly were trustworthy men. In a good cause
they were prompt and energetic. Flanagan warned the other publicans in
the town that they must not supply the new doctor with any whisky. He
spoke seriously to John Conerney the butcher.

"Good meat, now, Johnny. The best you have, next to what joints you
might be supplying to the priest or myself. He has a delicate stomach,
the man that's coming, and a bit of braxy mutton might be the death of
him."

He spoke to Paddy Doolan and told him that his old mother would be
wanted to attend on the new doctor and must be ready whenever she was
called for.

"Any old ancient story she might know," he said, "about the rath beyond
on the hill, or the way they shot the bailiff on the bog in the bad
times, or about it's not being lucky to meet a red-haired woman in the
morning, anything at all that would be suitable she'll be expected to
tell. And if she does what she's bid there'll be a drop of porter for
her in my house whenever she likes to call for it."

Sergeant Rahilly talked in a serious but vague way to everyone he met
about the importance of treating Dr. Lovaway well, and the trouble which
would follow any attempt to rob or ill-use him.

Before Dr. Lovaway arrived his reputation was established in Dunailin.
It was generally believed that he was a dipsomaniac, sent to the west of
Ireland to be cured. It was said that he was very rich and had already
ordered huge quantities of meat from Johnny Conerney. He was certainly
of unsound mind: Mr. Flanagan's hints about fairies settled that point.
He was also a man of immense influence in Government circles, perhaps a
near relation of the Lord-Lieutenant: Sergeant Rahilly's way of
speaking convinc