“What the sergeant said to me,” said Moriarty, “as soon as ever he seen the gentleman with the camera——” “It wasn’t me passed the remark,” said the sergeant, “but yourself. I’ll not have it put out that I was the one——” Mr. Billing, standing bare-headed beside his camera, squeezed a yellow bulb and clicked the shutter of his lens. He turned smiling. “A successful photograph, I hope, gentlemen,” he said. “The people of Bolivia will be interested to see it. It will adorn the first volume of the General’s life.” “There!” said Dr. O’Grady to Sergeant Colgan. “That comes of not speaking out promptly. The photograph is taken now and whatever remark it was that you or Moriarty made will be entirely wasted.” “It’s a pity, so it is,” said the sergeant, “for what Constable Moriarty was after saying——” “What the sergeant said,” said Moriarty, “is that he’d be glad if the gentleman would take him along with the barrack.” “It’s not often,” said the sergeant, “that we have anyone taking photographs round in these parts, and Constable Moriarty would have been pleased to be took on account of being able to send the photo after to a young lady that he is acquainted with up in Dublin.” “There’s no young lady up in Dublin,” said Moriarty sulkily. Dr. O’Grady was a man of quick sympathy and a kind heart. He realised at once that both Sergeant Colgan and Constable Moriarty wanted to have their photographs taken. “Go over to the door of the barrack,” he said, “and arrange yourselves in such a way as to look as ornamental as possible. I’ll try to get the gentleman to take another photograph.” Mr. Billing had slipped his dark slide into his pocket, and was unscrewing his camera from its stand. Dr. O’Grady called to him. “I’m afraid,” he said, “that you got your photograph wrong.” “Mistake about the house,” said Mr. Billing. “Well, it can’t be helped. Which is the right one?” “Not exactly that,” said Dr. O’Grady. “You’ve got the proper house, but the Major has just reminded me——” “I did not,” said Major Kent. “Well, if it wasn’t you it was Thady. Thady Gallagher has just reminded me that the top storey wasn’t built when the General lived there. The Government added it afterwards when the place was bought for a police barrack. What you ought to do if you want to get the thing absolutely right is to take another photograph and make sure that the top storey doesn’t come into it.” “I’m greatly obliged to you,” said Mr. Billing. “I’ll expose a second plate.” He arranged his camera again. Sergeant Colgan and Moriarty settled themselves in stiff attitudes, one on each side of the barrack door. “Am I to take the two policemen as well?” said Mr. Billing, looking out from beneath his black cloth. “You may as well,” said Dr. O’Grady. “It will interest the Bolivians to see how this country is overrun with what Thady Gallagher calls the armed forces of an alien power.”