General John Regan

to himself. Unfortunately it is not nearly sufficient for his needs. He is not married and so cannot plead a wife and family as excuses for getting into debt. But he is a man of i

m hurrying Dr. O'Grady over much. He grumbled a great deal, but he allowed the account in the shop attached to the hotel to run on. He even advanced sums of hard cash when some distant creditor, a Dublin tailor, for instance, who did not appreciate the doctor's personal charm, became importunate. Between what was due in the shop for tea, sugar, whisky, tobacco, and other necessaries, and the money actually lent, Dr. O'Grady owed Doyle rather more than ￡60. He owed Gallagher more than ￡1, being five years' subscription to the Connacht Eagle. He owed a substantial sum to Kerrigan, the butcher. He owed something to every other shopkeeper in Ballymoy. The only people to whom he did not owe money were Major Kent, Mr. Gregg, the District Inspector of Police, and Mr. Ford, the stipendiary magistrate. No one c

d at Portsmouth Lodge, the Major's house. Dr. O'Grady had given his opinion of a new filly which the Major had bought a few days bef

the doctor, "I'd sell that

" said the Major gloomily,

e for her in the fa

bout her she's not worth the h

I pulled him through his last attack of d. t.'s so I know all there is to know about him. He'd stick an archangel.

said the Major, "yo

y," said the doctor, "he spent th

wo

urned him out in the end he was saying that he had your cheque for ￡60 in his pocket. I do

I don't see that it mat

r her to him for ￡35 he'd think he was getting a bargain and he'd jump at it. Doyle's just the kind of foo

he archdeacon had a high opinion of the bishop beforehand, regarding him as a saintly man of childlike simplicity. He had a much higher opinion of him after he understood the failings of the animal he had bought. He then respected the bishop for his shrewdness. H

Mr. Billing's large motor-car standing outside the hotel. Doyle

otor," said the Major, "h

it's queer. I don't know what it's doing there. Nobody with money enough to own a car like

he square and greeted

big motor?" sa

tel. We're waiting for him this minute. He's getting his camera, and when

or Kent by the arm

n you tell me who was

jor, "but if he owns that car he

O'Grady, "you know that filly

d of her,"

for what he wants. His idea was to get something to do a bit of carting, and

t out of earshot of th

trifle, don

ooks," said Doyle, "you owe me ￡60, and I'd be tha

ll be found money to you, Doyle, if you get her at the price the Major's going to name, and you may be able to knock a pound or two off that. Under these circumstances and seeing that I'm putt

as I am," said Doyle, "and I do

. "You want anything that you can m

his camera, appeared a

otorcar," said Doyle. "Tell me this now, doc

he sort of man to be touring the country in a big motor. Go you off now and

hisper. "The General's dead this twenty years and it's a statue ther

It's just the same thing. I'll manag

ed Mr. Bill

elcome you to Ballymoy. You'll find it a most interest

, laid down his camera, and

e P. Billing. I come from America.

. "We thought you'd be sure to come sooner or later

He dropped Dr. O'Grady's hand abruptly and stared

tionship with that

ity," said

d in writing the first complete life of the founder

sibly have come t

t quiet places in which they are not likely to be over excited while engaged in their tryi

to find that you've no statue erected to th

cil is alive to its duty in the matter. At the last meeting-let me see now,

rangle between Doyle and Major Kent, shambled across to the doo

id Dr. O'Grady, "or was it the last but one, that you were

e question, but Gallagher was quite quick

last meeti

ch the memorial was to take. Some of them wanted a life-size statue in white marble. Mr. Gallagher

" said G

said Dr. O'Grady, "so as to spa

ght," said

"the question of expense ought not to be allowed t

dsome subscription or merely to say that he would help in collecting the necessary mon

il at the next meeting. Mr. Billing will hand over his subscription to the treasurer as

s interpretation of his unfinished sent

" he said, "on behalf of the people

ctor. "After all he did more fo

Mr. Billing, "and that's

n article in his paper next week saying how much we

ourse," sai

igh debate as to whether the price of the filly was to be ￡30 or ￡34. The Major had abated one pound of the price he asked at first. Doyle had, so far, r

about him," he said, "

e, "and I know as much abo

an guest, and was thinking only of the ani

tor says there's to be an article on the paper about him next week. But if there is the

of us," said Doyle. "Didn't he say a mi

t's more he says that the Urban District Council

atue to who?"

Regan, of course,

ch talk," said Doyle, "no

will be now; and there might have been. Th

er on. I'm nervous, I'm confoundedly nervous about what the doctor may be doing. You n

. "Don't I tell you he's arrangi

r other. You never know what the doctor wi

ing together in the middle of the square almost opposite the police barrack

that I'd agree to no statue? Isn't the rates high enough already without

American gentleman that'll pay for the statue. He's just after saying he will, and the Urban District Co

the cost of it there'll be no objection to the statue.

r-car he came in,

y in the town deserved to be treated with every kind of politeness and respect. A statue still struck Doyle as an exceedingly useless thing; but

oduced Major Ken

f course, is a Home Ruler. But these little political differences of opinion don't really

e Major. "What General

Regan," said

t?" said

e General. You ought to have heard of him. The Major," he said aloud, "isn't as well up in the General's history as he might be. He

g, "that the centre of this square is the site that

later the list of subscribers will have to be published. Doyle," he looked round as he spoke and saw Doyle and Gallagher standing near him. "Doyle has promised another ￡5. He ought to be giving more, and I daresay he will in the end. He's a much richer man than the Major, though he doesn't look it. Gallagher is good for ano

ing, "you may put me down

dly, Doyle on the back of an old envelope, Gallagher on a sheet of paper already covered wi

" he said. "A gene

ed," said Doyle. "What

he dollar," said Galla

ong with that," said Do

gher, "it won't be l

ht in passing that vote of thanks to Mr. Billing at its next

about the landlords," said Gallagher, "on

you mean by saying that I'm going to subscribe ￡

uiet. As you've got a camera with you, Mr. Billing," he went on, "you might like to

aid Gallagher, "it's

eat General?" said Mr. Bi

you his birthplace this afternoon. This is the house in wh

amera. A view of that house will be most interesti

. He carried it to the middle of the square and set up th

ake a public exposure of you before a total stranger, b

ing a fool of anyone. I'm helping to persuade Mr. Billing to erect a statue in

said the Maj

ady, "haven't you grasped tha

crewing the lens of his camera backwards and forwards

the matter-- Mind you, I'm not saying a word against what you'

General," said Gallagher, "I'll need to know where it is. W

lectures on modern history; and I certainly haven't the temper

said th

f that American gentleman's ￡100? You do, of course. Very well then. Leave the matter in my hands and don't annoy me by asking frivolous questions. Thady, the birthplace of the General is one of those ruined cottages-it doesn't in the least matt

table Moriarty were appr

"but is that a camera that the gentleman has, and

e's doing it in an entirely different spirit. So there's no necessity for you t

me what notion he has in his head. But what Constable Moriarty was saying

id Moriarty, "as soon as ever he s

the sergeant, "but yourself. I'll not

s camera, squeezed a yellow bulb and clicke

"The people of Bolivia will be interested to see it.

speaking out promptly. The photograph is taken now and whatever

the sergeant, "for what Consta

, "is that he'd be glad if the gentlema

hese parts, and Constable Moriarty would have been pleased to be took on account of bei

dy up in Dublin," sa

t. He realised at once that both Sergeant Colgan and Co

yourselves in such a way as to look as ornamental as possibl

o his pocket, and was unscrewing his camer

d, "that you got you

Mr. Billing. "Well, it can't be

y. "You've got the proper house, bu

t," said

lived there. The Government added it afterwards when the place was bought for a police barrack. What you ought to do if you

ou," said Mr. Billing. "I

and Moriarty settled themselves in stiff att

s well?" said Mr. Billing, lookin

e Bolivians to see how this country is overrun with what

portunity, "so long as the people of this country is kept in s

ajor Kent, angrily, "I can't

y. "It's only poor old Thady. You know j

said Gallagher, "and the virtues of our families corr

recollect that the Major's a Unionist. He can't be expected to listen to you peaceably; and if we do

id Doyle soothingly; "sure the

nt Colgan and Constable Moriarty relapsed fro

ady Gallagher and see the General's birthplace. I'm sorry I can't go with you myself, but I happen to be rat

era," said Mr. Billin

, "what'll I do when he starts ask

f course," sai

General till to-day. For the love of God,

nying it. Don't you spend your whole life either talking or writing on subjects that you know nothing about? You do. And what on earth's the use of your pretend