Part 8 (1/2)

”If you've any sense,” said Doyle, ”you'll take a good long drive now you have the chance. He doesn't know the way. What's to hinder you from taking him round every road within ten miles of the town?”

But the prospect did not cheer Gallagher. He tried to grasp Dr.

O'Grady's arm as he pa.s.sed him. But the doctor shook him off impatiently. He even attempted an appeal to Major Kent, quite vainly.

The Major was still smarting under the rhetorical denunciation of landlords. He would not at that moment have gone a step out of his way to rescue Gallagher from drowning.

The moment the motor-car was out of sight Major Kent and Doyle turned hotly on Dr. O'Grady.

”What the devil do you mean, O'Grady,” said the Major, ”by talking in this absurd way? You know perfectly well??”

Doyle spoke at the same time.

”It's a curious thing, so it is, doctor,” he said. ”It's a curious thing that you'd be letting me in for 5 when you know the loss I'm in on account of you already. I'd have thought??”

Dr. O'Grady interrupted them both.

”Suppose you agree to split the difference,” he said, ”and say 32 10s.

for the filly. It's a pity to see two men like you losing your tempers over a bargain.”

”It's not the bargain,” said Doyle, ”that has my temper riz. It's??”

”Doyle can have the filly if he likes,” said the Major, ”at 32 10s. I don't want to go on wrangling about that. What I want to know??”

”I'll take her,” said Doyle.

Major Kent smiled faintly. He was getting out of what threatened to be a very bad bargain with an actual gain of 2 10s. He began to recover command of his temper. Doyle also smiled. He believed that he was buying for 32 10s. an animal for which Major Kent had paid 40 three days before. He felt kindly disposed towards Dr. O'Grady, who had put the chance of such a bargain in his way.

”Now, Major,” said the doctor, ”you trot along to my house while I speak a word or two to Doyle. I'll be round with you in about ten minutes, and give you some tea.”

”But about that General?” said the Major, ”I'd rather like to know??”

He still wanted to know about General John Regan. But the tone in which he asked for information had changed. He no longer seemed to threaten.

”I'll explain all that to you if you'll only do as I tell you,” said Dr.

O'Grady. ”At present I can't because I'm going to explain it to Doyle.”

”Why can't you explain it to both of us at once?” said the Major. ”That is to say if there is any explanation of the way you've been going on.”

”There are two explanations,” said Dr. O'Grady, ”one for you and one for Doyle. I can't give them both at once, because they're different. I should have thought you'd have seen that for yourself.”

”I don't see how there can be two explanations,” said the Major, ”not two true ones. But of course they're neither of them that.”

”They're both quite true,” said Dr. O'Grady, ”but they're different, of course, because you and Doyle look at everything from such different points of view. Now do trot along, Major, and don't interrupt me any more. That American may be back at any moment. I don't believe Gallagher will be able to keep him in play for very long.”

He took Major Kent by the shoulders as he spoke and pushed him some little way along the street. Then he returned to Doyle.

”Now then, Doyle,” he said, ”you've done pretty well over that filly.

Strictly speaking, you owe me 7 10s. But I'm not going to say a word about that.”

”Seeing that you owe me 60,” said Doyle, ”it'll maybe be as well for you not.”