“I’m after hearing,” said Moriarty, “that it was the doctor taught it to him. But I don’t know is that true. You can’t believe the half of what you hear in this town.” “What tune is it?” “I don’t know that I could put a name to it this minute; but there’s no need for you to be uneasy, Mr. Gallagher. It’s not what you think it is.” “I’m not thinking about it at all,” said Gallagher, very untruthfully. “I’m glad of that,” said Moriarty. “I was afraid from the look of you as you came out of the office that you might be thinking it was ‘God Save the King.’ But it’s not.” “I was thinking no such thing, for young Kerrigan knows and the doctor knows, and you know yourself, Constable Moriarty, that the people of this town is all good Nationalists, and that if the tune you’re after naming was to be played in the streets——” “It’s not it, anyway,” said Moriarty, “so you may make your mind easy.” Gallagher’s mind was very far from being easy, but he saw that he was not likely to get any more information out of Constable Moriarty. He crossed the road and entered the hotel. Doyle was in the commercial room trying to induce Mary Ellen to sweep the floor. It was in the commercial room that the meeting of the Committee was to be held that afternoon. Doyle wanted some, if not all, of the dirt removed from the floor beforehand. “What tune’s that young Kerrigan’s playing?” said Gallagher. “I don’t know,” said Doyle. “I’ve more to do than to be listening to tunes. Mary Ellen, can you not see that there’s three corks out of porter bottles underneath the table? Will you take them out of it now, like a good girl?” “I’m not satisfied in my mind about that tune,” said Gallagher. “What harm is there in it?” “I don’t know yet is there any harm, but I don’t like it, and I’d be glad if I knew what tune it is. I have it in my mind that it’s a tune that ought not to be played.” “Mary Ellen,” said Doyle, “what tune is it that young Kerrigan’s playing?” “How would I know?” said Mary Ellen. “Well, put down that sweeping brush,” said Doyle. “For all the good you’re doing with it you might as well never have taken it up. I never seen such a girl. Put it down now and run across to Constable Moriarty, who’s standing at the door of the barrack——” “I’d be ashamed,” said Mary Ellen, “so I would.” “If you’re not ashamed of the state this room’s in,” said Doyle, “it would take more than Moriarty to shame you. Run along now, when you’re bid, and ask him what tune it is that Kerrigan’s playing.” Mary Ellen, who hoped that the interruption might put an end to the sweeping once for all, left the room. “If there’s one in the town that knows the tune,” said Doyle, “it’ll be Moriarty. I’d say myself that he must know pretty near every tune there is in the world.” “He might tell her,” said Gallagher, “or he might not. I was talking to him this minute and he wouldn’t tell me.”