This was exactly what Mr. Red did. The door was locked again, and Patsy found himself face to face with Dr. O’Grady. “I’m sorry,” said the doctor; “I’m infernally sorry. I was an ass to throw you out that note. I might have known that the Field Marshal would be spying round somewhere. It’s just the kind of absolutely idiotic thing he does rather well.” “You needn’t be sorry at all. Now that I know I’m not shot, I’d as soon be here as anywhere else.” “Would you? I’m glad you’re satisfied. All the same I wish you were out of it. Now that there are two of us here, the police are bound to come after us and find us.” “They’re out after me, anyway,” said Patsy. “That’s why I say I’d as soon be here as anywhere else.” “And what do they want you for? Is it any of your League work?” “It is not. It’s nothing to do with the League, good or bad. It’s for murdering you and concealing your body after.” “Can’t you talk sense, Patsy Devlin?” “It’s the truth I’m telling you, and I couldn’t say different if I was put on my oath this minute.” “But, damn it all, I’m not murdered; I’m alive.” “That may be,” said Patsy. “All I know is that Lord Manton’s after telling the young lady that you are murdered; and what’s more, he said it was Jimmy O’Loughlin and myself that done it.” “Tell me the truth now, Patsy. Is Miss Blow in Clonmore?” “She is.” “You’re sure of that?” “I am sure. She came the day after you went to America. Why wouldn’t I be sure when she has the whole of us riz ever since with the questions she did be asking about you; and not one in the place but told her lies, be the same more or less, for fear the creature would break her heart if she heard what you were after doing. And at the latter end his lordship told her we had murdered you, to quiet her like, for fear she might hear that you had gone to America, leaving her behind you, without ever a word to her, good nor bad.” “Good God, man! But I haven’t gone to America.” “I see that well enough now. But tell me this, doctor, why didn’t you send us word, so as we’d know what to say to her?” “I couldn’t. The first chance I got was when I dropped that note out of the window to you. If you’d come back to the yard the way I told you, I’d have had a letter written to Jimmy O’Loughlin that you could have taken back with you. I’d have explained the whole situation.” “I was meaning to come back just as you bid me. Wasn’t I walking out of the yard quiet and easy, so as I’d be able to come back at the end of half an hour or thereabouts, when that murdering villain came at me with a pistol and went very near shooting me dead?”