e by
myself? I don't want to ride by myself. I want to discuss the judge's
conduct."

O'Donoghue also wanted to discuss the judge's conduct. He was even
more anxious to find out, if he could, why Meldon disliked the idea of
this particular judge paying a visit to Ballymoy. He recovered his
temper with an effort.

"I don't think," he said, "that he believed a word you said about the
drains."

"That's exactly what I'm complaining of. He ought to have believed us.
According to all the rules of evidence, no stronger testimony could
possibly have been offered than the statements of a clergyman and a
doctor, neither of whom had any personal interest in the condition of
the drains. Unless we'd brought a bottle of water out of Doyle's well,
and shown him the bacilli swimming about in it, I don't see what more
we could have done."

"I wish I knew," said O'Donoghue, "exactly why it is that you want to
keep Sir Gilbert out of Ballymoy. What harm is there for him to do if
he comes?"

"He won't do me any harm at all. In fact I shall be delighted to have
him there. He struck me as a very intelligent and highly-educated man.
You saw how he caught my point about 'Samson Agonistes' at once.
Neither you nor Doyle, nor for the matter of that the Major, would have
known in the least what I was talking about. A man like that about the
place would be a great comfort to me. I should have some one to talk
to. I wish I could get you all to understand that I'm acting in this
whole business from purely disinterested and altruistic motives. _I_
don't want to get rid of Simpkins. You and Doyle and the Major do."

"The thing I can't understand," said O'Donoghue, "is what the judge has
to do with Simpkins. If I was clear about that-- What I mean to say
is if I could make out why--"

"Thank goodness," said Meldon, "I've got that beastly pedal fixed
again. Come on, doctor. We haven't a minute to waste. I want to be
in Ballymoy a clear hour before the judge arrives there."

He mounted the bicycle as he spoke, and rode off at full speed. The
slope of the road was downwards from the place of the halt, and
O'Donoghue was able to keep close to Meldon for some time. He made a
number of breathless attempts to speak.

"If you'd only tell me," he panted, "why--"

Sometimes he got a little further than the "why."

He never succeeded in completely finishing his sentence. After a while
he began to drop behind again. On a long