“Don’t be a blithering idiot, Doyle,” said Dr. O’Grady. “How can you go round and ask people to subscribe to——” “Gentlemen, gentlemen,” said Father McCormack. “We must fall back upon the subscription list that was published in the Connacht Eagle,” said the Major, “as well as I recollect we all promised——” “Nobody promised anything,” said Doyle. “It was Dr. O’Grady that promised for us and before I pay a penny for a man that owes me more this minute than he can pay——” “Oh, do shut up, Doyle,” said Dr. O’Grady. “What’s the good of raking up the past? What we’ve got to do now is to find a way out of the confounded hole we’ve been let into through your incompetence and carelessness.” “I’m down for £5,” said the Major, “and I’ll consider that I’m very well out of this business if I have to pay no more. I’d rather give five pounds any day than stand by watching Mary Ellen and the Lord-Lieutenant making faces at a second-hand statue.” “It’s a handsome offer, so it is,” said Father McCormack, “and the thanks of the meeting——” “I’ll not pay a penny,” said Doyle, “and what’s more, if the doctor doesn’t pay me what he owes me I’ll put him into the County Court.” “It’s you that’ll have to pay,” said Gallagher, “whether you like it or not.” “I’m damned if I do,” said Doyle. “Gentlemen, gentlemen,” said Father McCormack, “will you mind what you’re saying? That’s no language to be using, Mr. Doyle; and I don’t think the doctor has any right—not that I mind myself what you say for I’m not particular; but if it was to get out to the ears of the general public that this meeting had been conducting itself in ways that’s very far from being reputable——” “There’s no general public here,” said Dr. O’Grady, “and that’s just as well.” “What I’m trying to tell you,” said Father McCormack, “and what I would tell you if you’d listen to me, is that there’s somebody knocking at the door of the room we’re in and whoever it is must have heard every word that’s been said this last five minutes.” Doyle and Gallagher stopped growling at each other when the priest spoke. Dr. O’Grady sat upright in his chair and bent his head towards the door. There was a moment’s silence in the room and a very faint, as it were an apologetic, knock was heard at the door. “Come in,” said Dr. O’Grady. Mary Ellen opened the door and looked in. She appeared to be rather frightened. If, as Father McCormack supposed she heard every word spoken during the previous five minutes, she had very good reason for feeling nervous. She had a still better reason a moment later when Doyle caught sight of her. Doyle had completely lost command of his temper. “Get away out of that, Mary Ellen,” he said, “and if I catch sight of you here again before I call for you I’ll have the two ears cut off you and yourself sent home to your mother with them in a paper parcel in the well of the car.” Curiously enough this appalling threat seemed to cheer Mary Ellen a little. She smiled.