“Because the first thing you’d do when you got out would be to bring the police down on us here, and that’s exactly what we don’t want.” CHAPTER XV Miss Blow stood at the window of her bedroom in Jimmy O’Loughlin’s hotel, and saw Mr. Dick and Mr. Sanders ride by on their bicycles. She did not for a moment suppose that they were the Members of Parliament who had arrived by the train. They looked like hilarious but shabby tourists. It is not with such faces or in such clothes that candidates for election woo their constituents in Merrie England. She afterwards saw the three ladies drive by, followed by the car which carried their luggage. She did not see Mr. Goddard. She supposed, very naturally, that he and the Members of Parliament were consulting together somewhere, perhaps in the waiting-room at the railway station, devising plans for the rescue of what still might remain of Dr. O’Grady’s body. She waited patiently, sustained by the hope of heroic measures to be taken in the near future. At half-past one Bridgy knocked at the door, and told her that her dinner was ready for her. “Will Mr. Goddard be in for dinner?” asked Miss Blow. Bridgy did not feel that it was her duty to disclose the fact that Mr. Goddard had driven away in the direction of Ballymoy. She answered cautiously. “He might,” she said. This was unquestionably true. It was possible that Mr. Goddard would repent as he went on his way, and come back to dine with Miss Blow. It was not, in Bridgy’s opinion, at all likely that he would; but she did not say this to Miss Blow. “Will the other gentlemen be with him?” “Well, I don’t know, miss.” She did know, but she held charity to be a higher virtue than truth. If Miss Blow hoped for the company of other gentlemen, Bridgy would not subject her to a disappointment sooner than was absolutely necessary. Miss Blow dined alone. After dinner she waited another half-hour. Then she rang the bell for Bridgy. “Has Mr. Goddard come back yet?” “Well, I don’t know, miss.” “Are the other gentlemen in the hotel?” “Well, I don’t know.” “Go and find out, then,” said Miss Blow. Bridgy went downstairs and summoned Jimmy O’Loughlin from behind the bar. “The young lady above,” she said, “is asking me this two hours if Mr. Goddard is come back.” “You know as well as I do,” said Jimmy, “that he hasn’t, and, what’s more, won’t.” “Sure, I do know that. Didn’t I see him making off out of the yard by the back gate the way she wouldn’t see him go?” “Well, then, go and tell her so.” “Is it me? I dursn’t.” “Do it at once,” said Jimmy. “It was you she asked, and it’s you that ought to answer her. Off with you now, and not another word out of your head.”