THE SEARCH PARTY
By
GEORGE A. BIRMINGHAM, pseud.
AUTHOR OF "SPANISH GOLD!"
Tawee & weive *****)
***
FOURTH EDITION
METHUEN & CO.
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THE SEARCH PARTY
CHAPTER I
DR. O'GRADY, Dr. Lucius O'Grady, was the
medical officer of the Poor Law Union of
Clonmore, which is in Western Connacht. The
office is not like that of resident magistrate or
bank manager. It does not necessarily confer on
its holder the right of entry to the highest society.
Therefore, Dr. O'Grady was not invited to dinner,
luncheon, or even afternoon tea by Lord Manton
at that season of the year when Clonmore Castle
was full of visitors. Lady Flavia Canning, Lord
Manton's daughter, who was married to a London
barrister of some distinction, and moved in smart
society, did not appreciate Dr. O'Grady. Nor did
those nephews and nieces of the deceased Lady
Manton who found it convenient to spend a part
of each summer at Clonmore Castle. They were
not the sort of people who would associate with a
dispensary doctor, unless, indeed, he had possessed
a motor car. And Dr. O'Grady, for reasons which
became obvious later on, did not keep a motor car.
––– a –––––-a – a


2 THE SEARCH PARTY
twice, or even three times a week at Clonmore
Castle. The old earl liked him because he found
him amusing; and Dr. O'Grady had a feeling for
his host as nearly approaching respect as it was in
his nature to entertain for any man. This respect
was not of the kind which every elderly earl would
have appreciated. The doctor was constitutionally
incapable of understanding the innate majesty of a
peerage, and had not the smallest veneration for
grey hairs in man or woman. Nor was he in-
clined to bow before any moral superiority in Lord
Manton. In fact, Lord Manton, though grown too
old for the lavish wildness of his earlier years,
made no pretence at morality or dignity of any
kind. What Dr. O'Grady respected and liked in
him was a certain cynical frankness, a hinted con-
tempt for all ordinary standards of respectability.
This suited well enough the doctor's own volatile
indifference to anything which threatened to bore
him.
When Lord Manton returned to Clonmore in
May, 1905, after his usual visit to his daughter
in Grosvenor Street, he at once asked Dr. O'Grady
to dinner. There was on this occasion a special
reason for the invitation, though doubtless it
would have been given and accepted without any
reason. Lord Manton wanted to know all that


THE SEARCH PARTY 3
lit by small ineffective windows. There was no
shooting connected with it nor any fishing of the
kind appreciated by a sportsman. There were, it
was believed, small flat fish to be caught in the
bay, but no one thought it worth while to pursue
these creatures earnestly. Occasionally an ad-
venturous Englishman, cherishing some romantic
idea of the west of Ireland, rented the house for
August and September. Occasionally a wealthy
Dublin doctor brought his family there for six
weeks. None of these tenants ever came a second
time. The place was too solitary for the social,
too ugly for the amateurs of the picturesque,
utterly dull for the sportsman, and had not even
the saving grace of an appeal to the romantic.
The mother and grandmother of Lord Manton had
died there, but in the odour of moderate sanctity.
Their ghosts wandered down no corridors. Indeed,
no ghosts could have haunted, no tradition attached
itself to a house with the shape and appearance of
Rosivera.
There was, therefore, something interesting and
curious in the fact that a tenant had taken the
place for six months and had settled down there
early in March, a time of year at which even a
hermit, vowed to a life entirely devoid of incident,
might have hesitated to fix his cell at Rosivera.
“The first thing that struck me as queer about
the man,” said Lord Manton, after dinner, “was his


THE SEARCH PARTY 5
“He has, foreigners, both of them. Jimmy
O'Loughlin says they can't either of them speak
English. It was Jimmy who carted their things
down to Rosivera from the station, so of course
he'd know.”
“Byrne told me that,” said Lord Manton, chuck-
ling as he spoke. “There seems to have been some
queer things to be carted."
The conversation turned on Mr. Red's belong-
ings, the personal luggage which the English
servant had brought in the train, the packing-cases
which had followed the next day and on many
subsequent days. Byrne, it appeared, had also
met Mr. Red and his party on their arrival; but,
then, Byrne had a legitimate excuse wherewith
to cover his curiosity. He was Lord Manton's
steward, and it was his business to put the new
tenant in possession of Rosivera. He had given
a full report of Mr. Red, the foreign friends and
the English servant, to Lord Manton. He had
described the packing-cases which, day after day,
were carted from the railway station by Jimmy
O'Loughlin. They were, according to Byrne, of
unusual size and great weight. There were alto-
gether twenty-five of them. It was Byrne's opinion
that they contained pianos. The station-master,
who had to drag them out of the train, agreed with
him. Jimmy O'Loughlin and his man, who had
ample opportunities of examining them on the way
to Rosivera, thought they were full of machinery,
possiblv steam engines. or as thev expressed it,


THE SEARCH PARTY 7
of Rosivera since, and, as I said before, I haven't
been sent for to attend him for anything."
“The queerest thing about him was the message
he sent me,” said Lord Manton. “By way of
doing the civil thing, I told Byrne to say that I
should make a point of calling on him as soon as
I got home."
“And he sent you word that he'd be thankful if
you'd stay away and not bother him. I heard all
about that. Byrne was furious. That is just one
of the things which makes me feel sure he's a
genius. Nobody except a genius or a socialist
would have sent a message of that kind to you;
and he clearly isn't a socialist. If he was, he
couldn't afford to pay six months' rent in advance
for Rosivera.”
Dr. O'Grady spoke confidently. He was not
personally acquainted with any of the numerous
men of genius in Ireland, but he had read about
them in newspapers and was aware that they
differed in many respects from other men. No
ordinary man, that is to say, no one who is perfectly
sane, would refuse to receive a visit from an earl.
Mr. Red had refused, and so, since he was not a
socialist, he must be a genius. The reasoning was
perfectly convincing.
“I expect,” said Lord Manton, “that his statue,
in spite of its immense size, will be a melancholy
object to look at. Rosivera is the most depressing
nlara T lyn A... I+ x-rae H-31 + +o ea---a as a dower


8 THE SEARCH PARTY
try to die at once so that she should have as long
a time as possible to live at Rosivera."
“I wouldn't care to spend a winter alone there,"
said Dr. O'Grady, “and I'm a man of fairly cheerful
disposition.”
“I suppose there's a lot of talk about Red in
the village?"
“There was at first; but the people are getting
a bit sick of him now. It's a long time since he's
done anything the least exciting. About a fort-
night after he came he sent a telegram which had
the whole place fizzing for awhile."
Telegrams in the west of Ireland, are, of
course, public property. So are postcards and the
contents of the parcels carried by his Majesty's
mails. Lord Manton, whose taste for the details
of local gossip was strongly developed, asked what
Mr. Red's telegram was about.
“That's what nobody could tell,” said Dr.
O'Grady. “It began with four letters, A.M.B.A.,
and then came a lot of figures. Father Moroney
worked at it for the best part of two hours, with
the help of a Latin dictionary, but he could make
no more out of it than I could myself."
“Cipher," said Lord Manton; “probably quite
a simple cipher if you'd known how to go about
reading it."
“At the end of the week, another packing-case
arrived, carriage paid from London. It was as
hio as anv of the first lot. Rvrne and I went


THE SEARCH PARTY 9
have pretty well given over talking about the
man."
Lord Manton yawned. Like the other inhabi-
tants of Clonmore he was beginning to get tired
of Mr. Red and his affairs. A stranger is only
interesting when there are things about him which
can be found out. If his affairs are public property
he becomes commonplace and dull. If, on the other
hand, it is manifestly impossible to discover any-
thing about him, if he sends his telegrams in cipher,
employs a remarkably taciturn servant to do his
marketing, and never appears in public himself, he
becomes in time quite as tiresome as the man who
has no secrets at all.
“Any other news about the place?" asked Lord
Manton. “You needn't mention Jimmy O'Loughlin's
wife's baby. Byrne told me about it."
“It's the tenth,” said Dr. O'Grady, “the tenth
boy."
“So I believe.”
“Well, there's nothing else, except the election
of the inspector of sheep dipping. I needn't tell
you that there's been plenty of talk about that."
“So I gathered,” said Lord Manton, “from the
number of candidates for the post who wrote to me
asking me to back them up. I think there were
eleven of them.”
“I hear that you supported Patsy Devlin, the
smith. He's a drunken blackguard."
“That's whv I wrote him the letter of recom-


10 THE SEARCH PARTY
knew how to use it. All I have to do if I want a
particular man not to be appointed to anything is
to write a strong letter in his favour to the Board
of Guardians or the County Council, or whatever
body is doing the particular job that happens to be
on hand at the time. The League comes down on
my man at once and he hasn't the ghost of a chance.
That's the beauty of being thoroughly unpopular.
Three years ago you were made dispensary doctor
here chiefly because I used all my influence on
behalf of the other two candidates. They were
both men with bad records. It was just the same
in this sheep-dipping business. I didn't care who
was appointed so long as it wasn't Patsy Devlin.
I managed the labourers' cottages on the same
principle. There were two different pieces of land
where I particularly objected to their building
cottages. I offered them those two without wait-
ing to be asked. Of course, they wouldn't have
them, insisted in fact on getting another bit of land
altogether, thinking they were annoying me. I
was delighted. That's the way to manage things
nowadays."
“Do you suppose," said Dr. O'Grady, “that if
I wrote to Mr. Red saying I sincerely hoped he
wouldn't get typhoid for a fortnight, because I
wanted to go away for a holiday—do you suppose
he'd get it to spite me?”
“That's the worst of men in your profession.
You're always wanting everybody to be ill. It's
most unchristian.”


CHAPTER II
DR. O'GRADY spoke the simple truth when he
said that the people of Clonmore had ceased
to take any interest in Mr. Red and his household.
The election of an inspector of sheep dipping, a
man from their own midst to a post with a salary
attached to it, was a far more exciting thing than
the eccentricity of a chance stranger. When the
election was over a new and more thrilling matter
engaged their attention. Mr. Red was entirely for-
gotten. The monotonous regularity of the visits of
the silent English servant to Jimmy O'Loughlin's
shop no longer attracted attention. The equally
monotonous regularity of his cash payments for
the goods he took away with him was extremely
satisfactory to Jimmy O'Loughlin, but gave abso-
lutely no occasion for gossip. The man who makes
debts and does not pay them is vastly more inter-
esting to his neighbours than the morbidly honest
individual who will not owe a penny.
Dr. O'Gradu nwed a ornaa Aeal and inst at the


10 THE SEARCH PARTY
knew how to use it. All I have to do if I want a
particular man not to be appointed to anything is
to write a strong letter in his favour to the Board
of Guardians or the County Council, or whatever
body is doing the particular job that happens to be
on hand at the time. The League comes down on
my man at once and he hasn't the ghost of a chance.
That's the beauty of being thoroughly unpopular.
Three years ago you were made dispensary doctor
here chiefly because I used all my influence on
behalf of the other two candidates. They were
both men with bad records. It was just the same
in this sheep-dipping business. I didn't care who
was appointed so long as it wasn't Patsy Devlin.
I managed the labourers' cottages on the same
principle. There were two different pieces of land
where I particularly objected to their building
cottages. I offered them those two without wait-
ing to be asked. Of course, they wouldn't have
them, insisted in fact on getting another bit of land
altogether, thinking they were annoying me. I
was delighted. That's the way to manage things
nowadays."
“Do you suppose," said Dr. O'Grady, “that if
I wrote to Mr. Red saying I sincerely hoped he
wouldn't get typhoid for a fortnight, because I
wanted to go away for a holiday—do you suppose
he'd get it to spite me?”
“That's the worst of men in your profession.
You're always wanting everybody to be ill. It's
most unchristian."


CHAPTER II
R. O'GRADY spoke the simple truth when he
said that the people of Clonmore had ceased
to take any interest in Mr. Red and his household.
The election of an inspector of sheep dipping, a
man from their own midst to a post with a salary
attached to it, was a far more exciting thing than
the eccentricity of a chance stranger. When the
election was over a new and more thrilling matter
engaged their attention. Mr. Red was entirely for-
gotten. The monotonous regularity of the visits of
the silent English servant to Jimmy O'Loughlin's
shop no longer attracted attention. The equally
monotonous regularity of his cash payments for
the goods he took away with him was extremely
satisfactory to Jimmy O'Loughlin, but gave abso-
lutely no occasion for gossip. The man who makes
debts and does not pay them is vastly more inter-
esting to his neighbours than the morbidly honest
individual who will not owe a penny.
Dr. O'Grady owed a good deal, and just at the
time of Lord Manton's return to Clonmore, his
money difficulties reached the point at which they


12 THE SEARCH PARTY
a salary of £120 a year. He received from Lord
Manton an additional £30 for looking after the
health of the gardeners, grooms, indoor servants
and others employed about Clonmore Castle. He
would have been paid extra guineas for attending
Lord Manton himself if the old gentleman had ever
been ill. He could count with tolerable certainty
on two pounds a year for ushering into the world
young O'Loughlins. Nobody else in his district
ever paid him anything.
It is unquestionably possible to live on £152 a
year. Many men, curates for instance, live on less;
face the world in tolerably clean collars and succeed
in looking as if they generally had enough to eat.
But Dr. O'Grady was not the kind of man who
enjoys small economies, and he had certain expensive
tastes. He liked to have a good horse between the
shafts of a smart trap when he went his rounds.
He liked to see the animal's coat glossy and the
harness shining. He preferred good whisky to
bad, and smoked tobacco at Ios. 6d. a pound. He was
particular about the cut of his clothes and had a
fine taste in striped and spotted waistcoats. He
also—quite privately, for in the west of Ireland no
one would admit that he threw away his money
wantonly—bought a few books every year. The
consequence was inevitable. Dr. O'Grady got into
debt. At first, indeed for more than two years,
his debts, though they increased rapidly, did not
cause any uneasiness to his creditors. Then a


THE SEARCH PARTY 13
Dublingentleman of large fortune and philanthropic
tastes, a Mr. Lorraine Vavasour, having somehow
heard of these embarrassments, offered to lend Dr.
O'Grady any sum from £10 to £1000 privately,
without security, and on the understanding that
repayment should be made quite at the borrower's
convenience.
There was an agreeable settlement with the
tailor who lost Dr. O'Grady's custom for ever, and
with several others. Life for a time was pleasant
and untroubled. Then Mr. Lorraine Vavasour
began to act unreasonably. His ideas of the pay-
ment of instalments turned out to be anything but
suitable to Dr. O'Grady's convenience. The good
horse was sold at a loss. The competent groom
was replaced by an inferior and cheaper man. Mr.
Lorraine Vavasour showed no signs of being
propitiated by these sacrifices. He continued to
harass his victim with a persistency which would
have made most men miserable and driven some
men to excessive drinking. Dr. O'Grady remained
perfectly cheerful. He had the temperament of an
unconquerable optimist. He used even to show
Mr. Vavasour's worst letters to Jimmy O'Loughlin,
and make jokes about them. This, as it turned out
afterwards, was an unwise thing to do. Jimmy
himself had a long account against the doctor
standing in his books.
After awhile the miserable screw which suc-
ceeded the good horse in Dr. O'Grady's stable was
_ _ _T 1 — — — — —--------1-1 *T*u- ~


14 THE SEARCH PARTY
bicycle. It was generally known that his affairs.
had reached a crisis. His housekeeper left him
and engaged a solicitor to write letters in the hope
of obtaining the wages due to her. It seemed very
unlikely that she would get them. Mr. Lorraine
Vavasour was before her with a claim which the
furniture of Dr. O'Grady's house would certainly
not satisfy. Jimmy O'Loughlin was before her
too. He would have been willing enough to wait
for years, and if left to himself would not have
driven a friend to extremities for the sake of a few
pounds. But when he saw that Mr. Vavasour
meant to use all the resources of the law against
Dr. O'Grady he thought it a pity to let a complete
stranger get the little there was to get. He
apologized to Dr. O'Grady and summoned him
before the County Court judge. The usual things
happened. The end appeared to be at hand, and
the Board of Guardians began to discuss the
appointment of a new dispensary doctor.
It is very much to the credit of Dr. O'Grady
that, under these circumstances, he slept soundly
at night in his solitary house; rose cheerful in the
morning and met his fellow-men with a smile on
his face. He continued to dine frequently at
Clonmore Castle, and Lord Manton noticed that his
appetite improved instead of failing as his troubles
increased. In fact, Dr. O'Grady frequently went
hungry at this time, and Lord Manton's dinners
were almost the onlv solid meals he crof. Then


THE SEARCH PARTY 15
pan-genesis, determinates, and other interesting
things connected with the study of heredity. He
was obliged to go to bed early because his lamp
went out at ten o'clock and he had no oil with
which to refill it. Once in bed he went comfortably
to sleep. At two o'clock in the morning he was
roused by a ponderous, measured knocking at his
door. He used the sort of language commonly
employed by doctors who are roused at unseemly
hours. The knocking continued, a series of heavy
detached blows, struck slowly at regular intervals.
Dr. O'Grady got up, put his head out of the
window, and made the usual inquiry—
“Who the devil's that ? And what do you
want?”
“It is I. Guy Theodore Red.”
Even then, freshly roused from sleep, Dr.
O'Grady was struck by the answer he received.
Very few men, in search of a doctor at two o'clock in
the morning, are so particular about grammar as
to say, “It is Il" And the words were spoken in
a solemn tone which seemed quite congruous with
the measured and stately manner in which the door
had been hammered. Dr. O'Grady put on a pair
of trousers and a shirt, ran downstairs and opened
the door. Mr. Red stood rigid like a soldier at
attention on the doorstep. In the middle of the
road was the motor car in which the English
servant used to drive into Clonmore to do his
narl, a 4: … re


16 THE SEARCH PARTY
“No.”
“You're very uncommunicative,” said Dr.
O'Grady. “What is it?"
“A gun accident.”
“Very well. Why couldn't you have said so
before ? Wait a minute.”
Dr. O'Grady hurried into his surgery, collected
a few instruments likely to be useful, some lint,
iodoform, and other things. He stuffed these into
a bag, slipped on a few more clothes and an over-
coat. Then he left the house. He found Mr. Red
sitting bolt upright in the motor car with his hands
on the steering wheel. Dr. O'Grady got in beside
him. During the drive Mr. Red did not speak a
single word. He did not even answer questions.
Dr. O'Grady was left entirely to his own thoughts.
The fresh air had thoroughly awakened him, and,
being naturally a man of active mind, he thought
a good deal. It occurred to him at once that though
gun accidents are common enough in the daytime
they very rarely occur in the middle of the night.
Good men go to bed before twelve o'clock, and no
men, either good or bad, habitually clean guns or
go out shooting between midnight and two a.m.
Dr. O'Grady began to wonder how the accident had
happened. It also struck him that Mr. Red's
manners were peculiar. The man showed no sign
of excitement. He was not exactly rude. He was
not, so far as Dr. O'Grady could judge, in a bad
temper. He was simply pompous, more pompous


THE SEARCH PARTY 17
drew up at Rosivera. Mr. Red blew three slow
blasts on the horn, stepped out of the car, stalked
up to the door, and then stood, as he had stood in
front of Dr. O'Grady's house, upright, rigid, his
arms stretched stiffly along his sides. The door
was opened by the foreigner with the long black
beard. No word was spoken. Mr. Red raised his
left hand and made some passes in the air. His
bearded friend raised his left hand and imitated the
passes with perfect solemnity. Mr. Red crossed
the threshold, turned, and solemnly beckoned to
Dr. O'Grady to follow him.
“I see,” said the doctor, in a cheerful, conver-
sational tone, “that you are all Freemasons here.
It's an interesting profession. Or should I call
it a religion ? I'm not one myself. I always
heard it involved a man in a lot of subscriptions
to charities."
Mr. Red made no reply. He crossed the hall,
flung open a door with a magnificent gesture, and
motioned Dr. O'Grady to enter the dining-room.
The doctor hesitated for a moment. He was not
a nervous man, but he was startled by what he
saw. The room was brightly lit with four large
lamps. The walls were hung with crimson cloth
on which were embroidered curious beasts, some-
thing like crocodiles, but with much longer legs
than crocodiles have, and with forked tongues.
They were all bright yellow, and stood out vividly
from their crimson background.
** Tº . -- ?? -- * 1 M ºf -- Th -


18 THE SEARCH PARTY
been haunted by them unpleasantly; but his own
conscience was clear. He was strictly temperate,
and he knew that the pictures on the walls in front
of him could not be a symptom of delirium. Mr.
Red followed him into the room and shut the door.
It was painted crimson on the inside, and a large
yellow crocodile crawled across it.
“I suppose,” said Dr. O'Grady, “that you got
leave from Lord Manton to paper and paint the
house. I dare say this sort of thing"—he waved
his hand towards the crocodile on the door, which
was surrounded with a litter of repulsive young
ones—“is the latest thing in art; but you'll excuse
my saying that it's not precisely comfortable or
soothing. I hope you don't intend to include one
of those beasts in your new statue."
Mr. Red made no reply. He crossed the room,
opened a cupboard, and took out of it a bottle and
some glasses. He set them on the table and
poured out some wine. Dr. O'Grady, watching his
movements, was inclined to revise the opinion that
he had formed during the drive. Mr. Red was not
merely pompous. He was majestic.
“Drink,” said Mr. Red.
Dr. O'Grady looked at the wine dubiously. It
was bright green. He was accustomed to purple,
yellow, and even white beverages. He did not
like the look of the stuff in the glass in front of him.
“If," he said, “that is the liqueur which the
French drink, absinthe, or whatever they call it, I
-1–2–1- T -----'----------- - - - -----1- -1----, -ī- - - - r > a.


THE SEARCH PARTY 19
“Drink,” said Mr. Red again.
Dr. O'Grady felt that it was time to assert him-
self. He was a friendly and good-tempered man,
but he did not like being ordered about in
monosyllables.
“Look here," he said, “I’m not a Freemason, or
a Rosicrucian, or an Esoteric Buddhist, or the
Grand Llama of Thibet, or anything of that kind.
I don't deny that your manner may be all right with
other sculptors, or with those who are initiated
into your secrets, and I dare say you have to live
up to this thing in order to produce really first-rate
statues. But I'm only an ordinary doctor and I'm
not accustomed to it. If you have whisky or any
other civilized drink, I don't mind taking a drop
before I see the patient; but I'm not going to run
the risk of intoxicating myself with some strange
spirit. And what's more, I'm not going to be talked
to as if you were a newly invented kind of automa-
tic machine that can only utter one word at a time
and won't say that unless a penny has been dropped
into the slot."
“Your fee,” said Mr. Red, laying an envelope on
the table.
Dr. O'Grady took it up and opened it. It con-
tained a ten pound Bank of England note. His
slight irritation passed away at once. Never before
in the course of his career as a doctor had he
received so large a fee. Then a sharp suspicion
rrnseed his mind. A fee of such extravagrant


20 THE SEARCH PARTY
house decoration, do not pay ten pounds to a
country doctor for dressing a wound. Dr. O'Grady
began to wonder whether he might not be called
upon to deal with the victim of some kind of foul
play, whether he were being paid to keep his mouth
shut.
“Follow me," said Mr. Red.
Dr. O'Grady followed him out of the dining-
room and up two flights of stairs. He made up his
mind that his silence, supposing silence to be
possible, was worth more than ten pounds. He
determined to keep Mr. Red's secret if it did not
turn out to be a very gruesome one, but to make
Mr. Red pay handsomely. One hundred pounds
was the amount he fixed on. That sum, divided
between Mr. Lorraine Vavasour and Jimmy
O'Loughlin, would pacify them both for a time.
Mr. Red stopped outside a bedroom door, and
Dr. O'Grady saw on it four large white letters,
A.M.B.A. Mr. Red opened the door. On a bed
at the far end of the room lay the servant who used
to drive into Clonmore and buy things at Jimmy
O'Loughlin's shop. He was lying face downwards
and groaning.
“Exert your skill as a physician," said Mr. Red,
waving his hand in the direction of the bed.
“Don't you be a damneder ass than you can
- - 4---- - _ _ _ _ _ r" – 11


THE SEARCH PARTY 21
backs of both his own legs with a gun. The thing
simply couldn't be done.”
“Exert your skill as a physician, and be silent,”
said Mr. Red.
“You may fancy yourself to be the Cham of Tar-
tary,” said Dr. O'Grady, “ or Augustus Caesar, or
Napoleon Bonaparte, or a Field Marshal in the
army of the Emperor of Abyssinia, but you've got
to give some account of how that man flayed the
backs of his legs or else I'll have the police in here
to-morrow."
Mr. Red smiled, waved his hand loftily, and left
the room.
Dr. O'Grady, his professional instinct aroused,
proceeded to dress the man's wounds. They were
not dangerous, but they were extremely painful,
and at first the doctor asked no questions. At
length his curiosity became too strong for him.
“How did you get yourself into such a devil of
a state 7" he asked.
The man groaned.
“It looks to me,” said Dr. O'Grady, “as if you'd
sat down in a bath of paraffin oil and then struck a
match on the seat of your breeches. Was that how
it happened?"
The man groaned again.
“If it wasn't that,” said Dr. O'Grady, “you must
have tied a string round your ankles, stuffed the
legs of vour trousers with hoxes of matches. and


22 THE SEARCH PARTY
“In the what P”
“It's what 'e calls it," said the man. “I don't
know no other name for it.”
“Perhaps the floor of the Chamber of Research
was covered with gunpowder behind where you
were standing, and you dropped a lighted match
into it.”
“'Ow was I to know the stuff would go off?"
“If you knew it was gunpowder,” said Dr.
O'Grady, “you might have guessed it would go off
if you dropped a match into it.”
“It weren't gunpowder, not likely. It were
some bloomin' stuff'e made. 'E's always messing
about making stuff, and none of it ever went off
before.”
“If you mean Mr. Red," said Dr. O'Grady, “I
can quite imagine that the stuff he made wouldn't
go off. Unless, of course, it was intended not to.
From what I've seen of him so far, I should say
that his notion of manufacturing dynamite would
be to take a hundredweight or so of toothpowder,
and say to it, “Powder, explode." Still, you ought
to have been more careful."
“'E's a damned ass,” said the man.
“He is,” said Dr. O'Grady. “Still, even an ass,
if he goes on experimenting for four months in a
chamber specially set apart for research, is sure to
hit upon something that will explode by the end of
the time. By the way, do you happen to know
where he got that dining-room wall-paper with the





CHAPTER III
R. O'GRADY left the room and closed the door
behind him. His spirits, owing to the ten-
pound note which lay in his breast pocket, were
cheerful. He whistled “The Minstrel Boy" as he
walked along the passage. Just as he reached that
part of the tune which goes with the discovery of
the boy in the ranks of death he stopped abruptly
and swore. He was seized from behind by two
men, flung to the ground with some violence, and
held there flat on his back. A few useless struggles
convinced him that he could not make good his
escape. He lay still and looked at his captors.
The foreign gentleman with the long black beard
was one of them. The other was the man whom
Dr. O'Grady had declared to be a Norwegian. He
was a powerful man, adorned with a mass of fair
hair which fell down over his forehead and gave
him a look of unkempt ferocity. Behind these two
who knelt beside and on Dr. O'Grady stood
Mr. Red.
ºr- a ty - - - - *r- . . .


26 THE SEARCH PARTY
it isn't an insanitary, underground dungeon, I shall
step into it with the greatest pleasure, and stay
there without making the least attempt at escape
as long as you choose to go on paying me my
fees.”
“Give your parole," said Mr. Red.
“Parole? Oh yes, of course; I know the thing
you mean now. I'll give it, certainly—swear it if
you like. And now, like a good man, tell your
fair-haired pirate to get off my legs. He's hurting
my left ankle abominably.”
Mr. Red gave an order, and Dr. O'Grady was
allowed to stand up.
“Now for the cell,” he said. “I know this house
pretty well, and I should suggest that you give me
the two rooms on the top floor which open into
each other. And look here, Emperor, I'm a first-
class political prisoner, of course. I'm not going
to do any hard labour, or get out of bed before I
want to in the morning. I must be decently fed,
and supplied with tobacco. You agree to all that
I suppose 7"
“Lead the prisoner upstairs," said Mr. Red.
“One minute,” said Dr. O'Grady. “We haven't
settled yet about my fee. Let me see, what would
you say—my time is valuable, you know. I have
a very extensive practice, including the nobility
and rvant rvy aſ the naïork has rh and • I ord Manton


THE SEARCH PARTY 27
“I’m going all right," said Dr. O'Grady. “But,
like a good man, put down that pistol. I dare say
it's not loaded, and I'm sure you don't mean to pull
the trigger; but it makes me feel nervous. If you
injure me you will be in a frightful fix. There isn't
another doctor nearer than Ballymoy, and he's no
good of a surgeon. Do be careful."
Mr. Red took no notice of this remonstrance.
He held the revolver at arm's length, pointed
straight at Dr. O'Grady's head. The doctor turned
quickly and walked upstairs. He was ushered into
a large empty room, and bidden to stand in a
corner of it. Still covered by the threatening
revolver he watched various preparations made,
first for his security, then for his comfort. There
were two windows in the room. The black-bearded
foreigner nailed barbed wire across them in such a
way as to make an entanglement through which it
was impossible to thrust even a hand.
“That's quite unnecessary,” said Dr. O'Grady.
“I’m familiar with this house, have been over it
half a dozen times with Lord Manton, and I know
that there's a sheer drop of thirty feet out of those
windows on to the paved yard at the back of the
house. I shouldn't dream of trying to jump out."
Mr. Red stood with the revolver in his hand
glaring at Dr. O'Grady. His two assistants left
the room.
“I do wish,” said the doctor plaintively, “that
you'd put that gun down.”
. . 1 - 1 1. " -- - - 1 r * -- - --


THE SEARCH PARTY 29
consideration that I shall be missed? Before four
weeks are out they'll be certain to start out looking
for me. Search parties will go out with lanterns
and bloodhounds. You know the kind of thing I
mean. They won't come straight here, of course;
nobody has any reason to suppose that I'm in this
house; but sooner or later they certainly will come.
I don't mind telling you that there are a couple of
men—Jimmy O'Loughlin for one, and Lorraine
Vavasour for another—who will be particularly
keen on finding me. What will you do when they
turn up?"
“The waters of the bay are deep,” said Mr. Red
grimly. “Your body will not be found."
“I catch your meaning all right,” said Dr.
O'Grady, “but I think you'll make a mistake if you
push things to extremes in that way. You've got
the usual idea into your head that Ireland is a
country in which every one kills any one they don't
like, and no questions are ever asked. I don't
in the least blame you for thinking so. Any
intelligent man, reading the newspapers, would
be forced to that conclusion; but, as a matter of
fact, Ireland isn't that sort of country at all. We
have our little differences with each other, of course;
all high-spirited people quarrel now and then, but
we really hardly ever drown anybody. We don't
want to hut even if we were ever sn keen wre


30 THE SEARCH PARTY
Mr. Red snarled again.
“If you object to my mentioning them by name,”
said Dr. O'Grady, “I won't do it. All I wanted to
say was that in Ireland they live extremely dull
lives, and any little excitement—a cattle drive, or
an escaped lunatic—is a positive godsend to them.
A murder—perhaps I ought to say an informal
execution, such as you contemplate—would bring
them down to this neighbourhood in thousands.
There'd be so many of them that they simply
wouldn't be able to help tripping over my body
wherever you hid it. Don't imagine that I'm saying
all this with a view to preventing your cutting my
throat. What I'm really thinking about, what you
ought to be thinking about, is the Brotherhood.
How will its plans ever be matured if you get
yourself hanged? And they will hang you, you
know."
“I am prepared to die,” said Mr. Red majesti-
cally, “in the cause of the Anti-Militarist Brother-
hood of Anarchists.”
“Of course you are. Anybody who knows
anything about military anarchists knows that.
My point is that your life is too valuable to be
thrown away. How would poor Long Beard get
on 2 And the other fair-haired highwayman?
Neither of them knows a word of English."
“If the accursed minions of an effete tyranny
seize me—!"
“Quite so. I see your point. Death before
dishonour, and ºll that kind of thing. But why let


THE SEARCH PARTY 31
anxious as you are to keep the accursed minions
of the what-do-you-call-it away from Rosivera. I
don't mind telling you in confidence that I have
reasons of my own for avoiding any contact with
the law at present. In my particular case it isn't
nearly so effete as you appear to think it ought to
be. But I needn't go into all that. It wouldn't
interest you, and it's no pleasure to me to talk
about that beast Lorraine Vavasour. What I want
to suggest is a simple and practicable way of
avoiding all fuss, and keeping the accursed minions
quiet in their barracks.”
“Speak,” said Mr. Red.
“I am speaking. For a man who hasn't had
any breakfast this morning, I flatter myself that
I'm speaking pretty fluently. Don't be captious,
Field Marshal. I don't mind your manner a bit,
now that I'm getting used to it. I know that it's
quite the right kind of manner for a military
anarchist, but there's no use over-doing it.”
“Your plan f" said Mr. Red, fingering the
revolver.
“I wish you'd lay that weapon down, Emperor.
I’ve told you half a dozen times that I haven't the
least intention of trying to escape, and it will be a
horrid nuisance if the thing goes off and injures
me. My suggestion is simply this. I'll write a
letter blotted all over with tears, saying that driven
to des neration Havr I nrraine Vavasnii r and I in navy


32 THE SEARCH PARTY
will be taken in the matter. All you will have to
do is to drop the letter into the pillar-box which
is only half a mile from your gate. I happen to
know that that box is cleared at eight p.m., so any
time to-day will do. I'll address it to the police
sergeant.”
Mr. Red gave an order to one of the two
foreigners. The man left the room and returned
in a few minutes with a supply of note-paper, a
pen, and a bottle of ink. He laid them beside the
food on the table in the middle of the room.
“Write,” said Mr. Red.
“I forgot to mention,” said Dr. O'Grady, “that
I'm engaged to be married to a young lady in Leeds.
Miss Blow is her name—Adeline Maud Blow. I
dare say you've heard of her father in connection
with cigars. He's a tobacconist and advertises a
good deal. ‘Blow's beauties, twopence each.' You
must have heard of them. They're beastly things
as a matter of fact, and I don't recommend them
to friends, but they're amazingly popular."
“Write,” said Mr. Red.
“I am going to write. Don't hustle me, like a
good man. What I want to say to you is this,
that I must send a line to Adeline Maud as well as
to the police sergeant. I want to tell her that
I'm not really dead, only bluffing."
“That," said Mr. Red, “is impossible."
“Nonsense. There's nothing impossible about
it. It's just as easy to write two letters as one.


THE SEARCH PARTY 33
“I trust no woman.”
“That,” said Dr. O'Grady, “is a most illiberal
sentiment, and I'm surprised to hear you utter it.
If you'd been an old-fashioned Tory now, or an
Irish landlord, or a Liberal Cabinet Minister, I
could have understood your position; but in a
military—”
“Anti-militarist,” said Mr. Red.
“That's what I meant. In an anti-militarist,
that sort of prejudice against women is most
inconsistent. Who was it that hammered a nail
into Sisera's head? A woman, and an anti-military
woman. Who was it that stuck a knife into that
horrid beast Marat, when he was sitting in his
bath P A woman again. Who was it that shot
that Russian governor the other day? I've for-
gotten his name for the minute, but you know who
I mean. It was a woman. She did for him on a
railway platform. And yet you stand up there
calling yourself an advanced kind of anarchist,
and say that you can't trust a woman. Emperor,
you ought to be ashamed of yourself. Just think
the matter out and you'll see that when it comes
to thorough-going, out-and-out revolutions women
are quite the most trustworthy kind of people
there are.”
Mr. Red gave another brief order in his foreign
language. The fair-haired anarchist stepped forward
and took away the note-paper, pen and ink.
“What are you at now?" said Dr. O'Grady.
“Surely to goodness you're not going back on the


34 THE SEARCH PARTY
“I have spoken,” said Mr. Red.
“You have not. You've growled occasionally,
but nobody could call your remarks speaking.”
“I leave you," said Mr. Red. “Remember.”
“Remember what? Oh, you're going, are you ?
Just wait one instant. You refuse to let me write
to Adeline Maud. Very well. You don't know
Adeline Maud, but I do. Even supposing the
police can't find me, or my body after you've cut
my throat, and supposing that Jimmy O'Loughlin
and Lorraine Vavasour give up the pursuit—from
what I know of Lorraine I think it most unlikely
that he will—you'll still have to reckon with Adeline
Maud. She's a most determined young woman. All
the perseverance which has gone to making “Blow's
beauties' the popular smokes they are at twopence
each has descended from her father to her. When
she finds out that I've disappeared she'll go on
searching till she finds me. The ordinary sleuth-
hound is absolutely nothing to her for persistence
in the chase. It will be far wiser for you—in the
interests of the Brotherhood I mean—to let me
head her off, by telling her that I'll turn up again
all right.”
“Farewell," said Mr. Red.
“I ought to mention before you go," said Dr.
O'Grady, “that Adeline Maud may be in Clonmore
to-morrow. I'm expecting a visit— Damn it !





CHAPTER IV
ATSY DEVLIN strolled into the Imperial Hotel
at noon. . He found Jimmy O'Loughlin, the
proprietor, behind the bar, and was served at once
with a pint of porter.
“It's fine weather for the hay, thanks be to
God,” he observed.
In Connacht the hay harvest is gathered during
the month of August, and Patsy's comment on the
weather was seasonable.
“I've seen worse," said Jimmy O'Loughlin.
“But what's on you at all, Patsy, that you haven't
been next or nigh the place this two months or
more?”
“Be damn! but after the way you behaved over
the election of the inspector of sheep dipping, the
wonder is that I'd ever enter your door again.
What would hinder you giving me the job as soon
as another?"
Jimmy O'Loughlin did not wish to discuss the
subject. He was, as a trader ought to be, a peace-
able individual, anxious to live on good terms with


THE SEARCH PARTY 37
“I’ll not take it from you," said Jimmy O'Loughlin
heartily. “It would be a queer thing if I wouldn't
give you a sup at my own expense now that you are
here after all this length of time. How's herself?"
Patsy Devlin took a pull at the second pint of
porter.
“She's only middling. She was complaining
these two days of an impression on the chest and
a sort of rumbling within in herself that wouldn't
let her rest easy in her bed.”
“Do you tell me that ? And did you fetch the
doctor to her P”
“I did not then.”
“And why not ?"
Patsy Devlin finished the porter and winked
across the bar at Jimmy O'Loughlin. Jimmy failed
to catch the meaning of the wink.
“If it was a red ticket you wanted,” he said,
“you know very well that you've nothing to do
but ask me for it. But Dr. O'Grady, the poor man,
would go to you without that.”
“If I did be wanting a red ticket,” said Patsy,
“it wouldn't be you I'd ask for it. There's them
would give it to me and maybe something along
with it, and what's more, did give it to me no later
than this morning.” -
“Well,” said Jimmy, who guessed at the identity
of the ºn named henefactor “ and if so he that his


38 THE SEARCH PARTY
“He wasn't within when I went for him.”
The explanation was perfectly simple and
natural ; but Jimmy O'Loughlin, noting the manner
in which it was given, realized there was something
behind it.
“What do you mean?" he asked.
Patsy Devlin winked again. Jimmy, vaguely
anxious, but not knowing what to fear, handed his
visitor a third pint of porter.
“I'm thinking,” said Patsy, “that it's about time
for us to be making a move in the matter of collect-
ing funds for the horse races and athletic sports.
The season's going on and if we don't have them
before the end of the month the days will be getting
short on us. I suppose now I may put you down
for a pound the same as last year?"
“You may," said Jimmy. “But what was it you
were after telling me about Dr. O'Grady?"
“Does he owe you any money?"
“He does, a power.”
“Then you'll not see it. Devil the penny of it
ever you'll handle, no matter how you try."
Patsy chuckled. He had nourished a grudge
against Jimmy O'Loughlin ever since the election
of the inspector of sheep dipping.
“And why will I not ?"
“Because the doctor's gone, that's why. He's
off to America, and every stick of furniture he owns
is gone along with him.”
“He is not," said Jimmy. “He couldn't. It was
only last night he passed this door, looking the


40 THE SEARCH PARTY
trifle of money he owes.' It's the truth I'm telling
you."
It was not the truth, but it could scarcely be
called a lie, for the essence of a lie is the desire to
deceive, and Patsy Devlin invented the speech he
put into the priest's mouth without the least hope
of its being believed. The best he expected was to
exasperate Jimmy O'Loughlin. Even in this he
failed.
“If so be he's gone," said Jimmy, “and I wouldn't
say but he might, I'd as soon he got clear off out
of this as not. I'll lose upwards of thirty pounds
by him, but I'd sooner lose it than see the doctor
tormented by that bloodsucker of a fellow from
Dublin that has a bill of his. I've a great liking for
the doctor, and always had. He was an innocent
poor man that wouldn't harm a child, besides being
pleasant and agreeable as e'er a one you'd meet."
Patsy Devlin felt aggrieved. He had sprung
his mine on Jimmy O'Loughlin, and the wretched
thing had somehow failed to explode. He had
looked forward to enjoying a torrent of oaths and
bitter speeches directed against the absconding
debtor. He had hoped to see Jimmy writhe in
impotent rage at the loss of his money.
“Be damn!" he said helplessly.
“And anyway,” said Jimmy O'Loughlin, “there's
the furniture of the house left, and it'll be a queer
thing if I don't get a hold of the best of it before
ever the Dublin man—Vavasour or some such they
call him—hears that the doctor's gone.”


THE SEARCH PARTY 41
furniture away with him in the middle of the
night.
“The train's in," he said, changing the subject
abruptly, “for I hear the cars coming down from
the station. If so be now that there should be a
traveller in belonging to one of them drapery
firms, or Campbell's traveller with the flour, you
might give me the word so as I can get a sub-
scription out of him for the sports. The most use
those fellows are is to subscribe to one thing or
another where subscriptions is needed.”
Jimmy O'Loughlin nodded. He realized the
importance of the commercial traveller as a contri-
butor to local funds of every kind. He left the
door and reached the bar of the hotel just as his
bus, a ramshackle, dilapidated vehicle drawn by a
sickly horse, drew up. It contained a lady. Jimmy
O'Loughlin appraised her at a glance as she stepped
out of the bus. She was dressed in a grey tweed
coat and skirt of good cut and expensive appear-
ance. She wore gloves which looked almost new,
and she had an umbrella with a silver handle. She
was tall and carried herself with the air of one who
was accustomed to command service from those
around her. Her way of walking reminded Jimmy
O'Loughlin of Lady Flavia Canning, Lord Manton's
daughter; but this lady was a great deal younger.
and better looking than Lady Flavia. Jimmy
O'Loughlin allowed his eyes to leave her for an
instant and seek the roof of the bus. On it was a
large travelling trunk, a handsome bag, and a


42 THE SEARCH PARTY
She made no protest against the title.
“Can I get a room in this hotel ?” she asked.
“Certainly, my lady. Why not ? Thomas, will
you bring the lady's luggage in at once and take it
up to number two, that's the front room on the first
floor. Your ladyship will be wanting a private
sitting-room ?"
“If I do,” she said, “I shall ask for it.”
Jimmy O'Loughlin was snubbed, but he bore no
malice. A lady of title has a right to snub hotel-
keepers. He stole a glance at the label on her
luggage as Thomas, the driver of the bus, passed
him with the trunk on his shoulders. He dis-
covered that she was not a lady of title. “Miss A.
M. Blow," he read. “Passenger to Clonmore."
The name struck him as being familiar, but for a
moment he could not recollect where he had heard
it. Then he remembered. Miss Blow passed up-
stairs guided by Bridgy, the maid. Patsy Devlin
emerged from the bar.
“It's the doctor's young lady," whispered Jimmy
O'Loughlin.
“Is it, be damn? How do you know that?"
“Didn't he often tell me," said Jimmy, “that he
was to be married to a young lady out of Leeds or
one of them towns beyond in England, and that her
name was Miss Blowf And didn't I see it on her
trunk, “Miss A. M. Blow'? Would there be two
in the world of the name P"
“And what would bring her down to Clon-
more ?”


THE SEARCH PARTY 43
paper when the judgment was gave against
him.”
“She might; but if she did wouldn't she keep
away from him as far as ever she could 7"
“She would not," said Jimmy O'Loughlin.
“That's not the sort she is. I seen her and you
didn't.”
“I did.”
“Well, and if you did you might have known
that she'd be the sort that would come down after
him the minute she got word of the trouble that
was on him. Believe you me, Patsy Devlin, that's
a fine girl.”
“She's a good-looking one anyway," said Patsy,
“but mighty proud, I'd say.”
“You may say that. I'd sooner she married
the doctor than me, and that's the truth.”
“What'll she do now," said Patsy, “when she
finds that the doctor's gone and left her?"
“It'll be best,” said Jimmy, “if we keep it from
her.”
“How can you keep it from her when the man's
gone? Won't she be asking to see him f"
“There's ways of doing things. What would
you say now if I was to tell her that the doctor had
gone off on a holiday for six weeks with the per-
mission of the Board of Guardians and that there'd
have to be a substitute appointed in his place 7
Would she be contented with that, do you


44 THE SEARCH PARTY
“You haven't got it to give, and so you can't
give it,” said Patsy.
Miss Blow came downstairs as he spoke and
walked up to Jimmy O'Loughlin.
“Will you kindly have some luncheon ready for
me," she said, “at two o'clock?"
“Certainly, miss, why not? Is there any par-
ticular thing that your ladyship would fancy, such
as a chop or the like f"
He reverted to the “ladyship "again, although
he knew her name and degree. The girl's manner
seemed to force him to. She deserved something
better than a mere “miss."
“In the meanwhile will you be so good as to tell
me where Dr. O'Grady lives?"
“Is it Dr. O'Grady? Well now, never a nicer
gentleman there is about the place, nor one that's
more thought of, or better liked than Dr. O'Grady.
It's him that does be taking his dinner up at the
Castle with the old lord and attending to his duties
to the poor the same as if he was one of them-
selves. Many's the time I've said to him : “Dr.
O'Grady,' says I, “if anything was to take you
away out of Clonmore, and I don't deny but what
you ought to be in a less backward place, but
if ever—'"
“Will you be so good as to tell me where he
lives 7" said Miss Blow.
Patsy Devlin interposed at this point of the
conversation with an air of contempt for Jimmy
* - T - - - - -1 tº —


THE SEARCH PARTY 45
“I will tell your ladyship to be sure. Why not ?
But it will be of no use for you to go to call on him
to-day. Patsy Devlin here is after telling me this
minute that he's not at home.”
Miss Blow turned to Patsy.
“Do you know," she asked, “when he's likely to
be back?”
“I do not, my lady. But I'd say it wouldn't be
for a couple of days anyway.”
“A couple of days! Where has he gone
to P "
“It's what Mr. O'Loughlin there was just after
telling me, your ladyship, and he's the Chairman of
the Board of Guardians, that the doctor did ask for
leave to go on a holiday. But I wouldn't say that
he'd be away for very long."
“When did he ask for a holiday?" said Miss
Blow to Jimmy O'Loughlin.
“It was Patsy Devlin told me," said Jimmy;
“and six weeks was the time that he mentioned.”
Miss Blow turned again to Patsy Devlin; but
he had vanished. Having committed Jimmy
O'Loughlin, as Chairman of the Board of Guardians,
to the fact of the doctor's holiday, he slipped quietly
into the bar.
“I don't believe,” said Miss Blow, “that you're
telling me the truth."
“Pie was not " said Iimmv sacrificing his friend





* CHAPTER V
MIs. BLOW came back for her luncheon, and
then, asking no more help or advice from
Jimmy O'Loughlin, went out and made her way to
Dr. O'Grady's house. It stood a few hundred yards
from the village in the middle of a small field.
Miss Blow knocked and rang at the door, though
she had no real expectation of its being opened to
her. She walked round the house and peered in
at the windows. The rooms on the ground floor
showed every sign of having been recently occupied
by a person of untidy habits. She reached the yard,
surveyed the coach house and the stable which had
once sheltered a good horse. She tried the kitchen
door and found it bolted against her. The kitchen
had a disused and neglected appearance which
puzzled her. She returned to the front of the
house and sat down on a stone to think out the
position in which she found herself.
Patsy Devlin, who had followed her from the
hotel, watched her proceedings from a distance
with great interest. He afterwards made a report
to Jimmy O'Loughlin, a masterly report which
interpreted her actions, and added a picturesque


48 THE SEARCH PARTY
“You'd have been sorry for the creature,” he
said, “if you'd seen her sitting there on a lump of a
stone with the tears running down the two cheeks of
her the same as if you were after beating her with
a stick."
“I am sorry for her,” said Jimmy. “It's herself
has her own share of trouble before her when she
finds out that the doctor's off to America without
so much as leaving word for her to go after him."
It did not seem likely that Miss Blow would
easily arrive at a knowledge of the full extent of her
misery. Biddy Halloran, the rheumatic old lady
who had waited long on the roadside for the doctor
in the morning, was still lurking near the house
when Miss Blow reached it. She, like Patsy
Devlin, watched the examination of the premises
with deep interest. When Miss Blow sat down on
the stone, Biddy Halloran hobbled up to her.
“Is it the doctor you're looking for 7" she said.
“For if it is, it's hardly ever you'll see him again.”
Miss Blow was startled, and demanded an
explanation of the words. Biddy, who was slightly
deaf, pretended to be very deaf indeed. Miss Blow's
clear voice and determination of manner subdued
her in the end. She professed to be the only
person in Clonmore who really knew what had
happened to the doctor.
“Holidays, is it?” she said, recollecting what


THE SEARCH PARTY 49
“There was a lump in the inside of him,” said
Biddy, “a gathering like; and many's the time he
told me of that same. It was the size of a young
pullet's egg, and you'd feel it lepping when you put
your hand on it, the same as it might be a trout.
‘Biddy, agra,’ he says, speaking to me, as it might
be to yourself or to some other young lady that
would be in it, instead of an old woman like myself,
‘medicine's no good,' says he, “but the knife is
what's wanted.’ ‘Would you not be afeared,' I
said, ‘to be trusting yourself to them murdering
doctors up in Dublin, and maybe a young lady
somewhere that would be crying her eyes out after
you, and you dead?’ ‘I would not be afeared,’ says
he—och, but he was a fine man — only I wouldn't
like the girl that's to be married to me to know,'
says he; ‘I’d be obliged to you if you'd keep it from
her,’ says he ; “and what's more, I'll go to-morrow.'"
Miss Blow did not believe a word of it, but
old Biddy Halloran reaped her reward. Jimmy
O'Loughlin, when the conversation was reported
to him, sent her a present of a bottle of patent
medicine which had been a long time in the shop
and appeared to be unsaleable. It professed to cure
indigestion, and to free the system from uric acid if
taken in teaspoonfuls after meals. Biddy Halloran
rubbed it into her knees and felt her rheumatic
pains greatly relieved.
Miss Blow sought and, after many inquiries,
found the woman who had acted as Dr. O'Gradv's


50 THE SEARCH PARTY
and lodging when her solicitor succeeded in
recovering the wages due to her. The news of the
doctor's flight had depressed her. She felt that she
was greatly wronged; but even when smarting
from her loss, she was not so heartless as to revenge
herself by telling the terrible truth to an innocent
and beautiful creature like Miss Blow. She gave
it as her opinion that the doctor, driven to despera-
tion, perhaps almost starved, had poisoned himself.
He had, she asserted, bottles enough in his surgery
to poison the whole county. His body, she
believed, was lying in the house behind the locked
doors. e
“If so be,” she added, “that the rats haven't
him ate; for the like of that house with rats, I
never seen. Many's the time, when the doctor
would be out, I've sat the whole evening on the
kitchen table, with my legs tucked up under me,
and them running across the floor the same as hens
would come to you when you'd be calling them.
You couldn't put down a dish out of your hand,
but they'd whip the bit off of it before your eyes,
without you'd have some sort of a cover to put
over it.”
No one who was even slightly acquainted with
Dr. O'Grady could suppose him capable of suicide
under any conceivable circumstances. Miss Blow,
who of course knew him well. was quite unim-


THE SEARCH PARTY 51
the people of Clonmore for the concealment of
the truth. Miss Blow had a logical mind. It
seeméd plain to her that if everybody agreed to tell
lies the truth must be something of a dangerous
or uncomfortable kind. She had some knowledge
of Ireland, gleaned from the leading articles of
English newspapers. She knew, for instance,
that it was a country of secret societies, of mid-
night murders, of defeated justice, of lawlessness
which scorned the cloak of hypocrisy. She had
heard of reigns of terror, emphasized by the
epithet “veritable." She was firmly convinced
that the lives of respectable people were not safe
on the west side of the Shannon. Her father, Mr.
Blow of the cigars, was an earnest politician, and
at election times his house was full of literature
about Ireland which his daughter read. Her
experience of the people of Clonmore went fan
beyond her worst expectations. She made up her
mind that Dr. O'Grady had been murdered; that
everybody in the place knew the fact; and that,
either through fear or an innate fondness for
crime, no one would help to bring the murderers
to justice.
It is very much to her credit that she did not
take the next train home; for she must have
thought that her own life was in great danger.
But she was a voung woman of determination and


52 THE SEARCH PARTY
to the hotel after her interview with the house-
keeper, “kindly tell me who is the nearest
magistrate."
“You haven't far to go to look for a magistrate,
miss, if that's all you want. I'm one myself."
“I don't believe you," said Miss Blow, rudely.
“Maybe not," said Jimmy; “but I'm telling
you the truth for all that. Let you go into the
Petty Sessions Court to-morrow, and see if I'm
not sitting there on the bench ; with the police and
Mr. Goddard himself, that's the officer, if he
happens to be over from Ballymoy, doing what I
bid them, be that same agreeable to them or not;
and oftener it's not, for them police think a lot of
themselves. When you see me there administer-
ing the law you'll be sorry for what you're after
saying. It's the Chairman of the Urban District
Council I am, and an ex-officio magistrate, thanks
be to God."
“Is there any other magistrate in the neigh-
bourhood P” -
“There is not; for the R. M. lives away off at
Ballymoy, and that's better than twelve miles from
this. There's ne'er another, only myself and Lord
Manton up at the Castle, and he never sits on the
bench from one year's end to another, unless
maybe there's a job on that he'd like to have his
finger in."
The title produced its effect on Miss Blow.
Earls are much less common in the industrial
districts of England than they are in Ireland. The


THE SEARCH PARTY 53
than in any other part of the three kingdoms. This
is not because governments are more generous to
the Irish in the matter of titles. The explanation is
to be found in the fact that untitled people in Ireland
tend to disappear, thinned out by famine, emigra-
tion, and various diseases, while the earls survive.
In England it is the noblemen who die away,
being, as every reader of popular English novels
knows, a degraded set of men, addicted to frightful
vices, whereas the working men and the great
middle class increase rapidly, their morality
being of a very superior kind. Curiously enough,
the English, though perfectly aware of the facts,
respect their debauched earls greatly, on account,
it may be supposed, of their rarity. The Irish, on
the other hand, think very little of an earl, regard
him as in many respects similar to an ordinary
man; earls being, as has been said, comparatively
common in Ireland. Miss Blow, who had never to
her knowledge seen an earl, brightened up at the
mention of Lord Manton.
“I’ll go up to the Castle," she said, “and see him
to-morrow morning.”
Jimmy O'Loughlin sent a message to Patsy
Devlin, asking him to call at the hotel that evening.
The fact that he had not been elected inspector of
sheep dipping still rankled in Patsy's mind. He
blamed Jimmy O'Loughlin more than any one else
for his rejection. He made up his mind to obey
the summons, but not to be seduced from the path
of righteous wrath bv porter or whiskv. He would


54 THE SEARCH PARTY
office, a small room at the back of the hotel, which
looked out on the yard. The walls were adorned
with two pictures, enlarged photographs of eminent
ecclesiastics with small eyes and puffy cheeks.
The table was mahogany and was covered with
circular stains of various sizes. There was a side-
board with a very dilapidated cruet-stand and two
teapots on it. The chairs were all rickety. A
writing-desk, which stood under the window, was
littered with a number of exceedingly dirty papers.
On the table in the middle of the room, by way of
preparation for Patsy's visit, were arranged a jug
of porter, a bottle of whisky, a water croft, and
several tumblers.
“Fill your glass,” said Jimmy hospitably, “and
light your pipe. You can start on the porter, and
finish up with the spirits.”
Patsy poured out the porter suspiciously, and
drank a tumbler full without any sign of appreci-
ation.
“There isn't one about the place," said Jimmy,
“that's better acquainted with the old earl up at
the Castle than yourself. He thinks a deal of you,
and well he may.”
“He gave me a letter," said Patsy, “at the time
of the election. But it's little heed you or the rest
of them paid to it."


THE SEARCH PARTY 55
he had of me by the letter he wrote. And why
wouldn't he when either my father or myself put
the shoes on every horse that's come and gone
from the Castle this fifty years.”
“I could tell what he thought of you," said
Jimmy. “Sure anybody could.”
“You could tell it, if so be you read the letter.”
“The doctor's young lady," said Jimmy, “is
going up to see the earl to-morrow. The Lord
save her! but she's half distracted with grief this
minute."
“And what good will going to the Castle do
her? Sure he doesn't know where the doctor is
no more than another."
“He might tell her the truth," said Jimmy.
“Be damn! but he might, not knowing.”
“And if he did, the girl's heart would be
broke.”
“It would surely."
“We've kept it from her," said Jimmy, “and
may the Lord forgive us for the lies we're after
telling, fresh ones every hour of the day. And if
so be that now, at the latter end, she hears how
the doctor has gone and left her it'll go through
her terrible, worse than the influenza.”
“And what would you consider would be best
to be done?" asked Patsy.
“I vºrac *k, ºr, l-in or +hat nº avr he if trail was tr. Gee


56 THE SEARCH PARTY
“And will you do it, Patsy Devlin 7 Will you
do it for the sake of the fine young girl that's
upstairs, this minute, heart scalded with the
sorrow that's on her?"
“It's little you deserve the like from me,” said
Patsy, “you nor the rest of the Guardians. But
I'll do it for the sake of the girl.”
“I knew you would,” said Jimmy. “It's a
good heart you have in you, Patsy Devlin, and a
feeling for them that's in distress. But the porter's
finished. Will I draw you another jug of the same,
or will you try the whisky for a change?”
Patsy indicated the whisky bottle with his
thumb. He remained lost in deep thought while
the cork was drawn and a considerable quantity
of the spirit poured into the tumbler before him.
Indeed, so complete was his abstraction that the
glass might have been absolutely filled with un-
diluted whisky if Jimmy had not, of his own accord,
stayed the flow of it.
“I’m collecting the town and the neighbour-
hood," said Patsy, “for the sports, and there's no
reason that I can see why I shouldn't call on his
lordship to-morrow and ask for a subscription."
“You might."
“And in the course of conversation I could
draw down about the doctor and the young lady


58 THE SEARCH PARTY
wasn't much in it, beyond the sweepings of the
street."
“It's for her own good you're doing it,” said Patsy.
There was some consolation in the thought.
But Patsy, even while making the suggestion, felt
that a good conscience is not always a sufficient
support in well-doing.
“You might,” he added, “be out about the
place and let herself talk to her till the worst of
it was over.”
This plan, which perhaps would not have suited
Mrs. O'Loughlin, commended itself to Jimmy; but
it did not make him altogether comfortable about
the future.
“I might,” he said, “and I will, but she'll get me
for sure at the latter end.”
If he had done as his conscience suggested,
Patsy Devlin would have gone home at once after
settling Miss Blow's business for her. But the
whisky bottle was still more than half full, and it
seemed to him a pity to break up a pleasant party
at an early hour. He started a fresh subject of
conversation, one that he hoped would be interest-
ing to his host.
“Tell me this now," he said. “Do you think that
fellow down at Rosivera, the same that brought the
pianos along with him, would give a subscription
to the sports?"
“I don't know," said Jimmy. “He’s queer. I


THE SEARCH PARTY 59
“I wouldn't say he left so much at all,” said
Jimmy cautiously. “And anyway it's a servant
that did be coming every day till to-day, and then
it was some sort of a foreigner with a written
order, him not being able to speak English."
“Would you see your way to asking him for a
subscription?"
“How would I do it, when he can't know a word
I say to him, nor him to me? Why won't you talk
sense 2"
“And where's the man himself, and the fellow
that did speak English?"
“How would I know? If it's a subscription
you want from him, you'd better go over to
Rosivera and ask for it."
“They say," said Patsy thoughtfully, “that he
has plenty to give. A man like that with a motor
car running on the road every day, and two foreign
gentlemen, let alone an Englishman, to wait on
him, must have a power of money. I wouldn't
wonder now, if I took him the right way, but he'd
give five pounds. I might drop him a hint that five
pounds is the least that any of the gentry would
give to the sports."
“Let you see what you can get out of him,” said
Jimmy, “and the more the better."
Jimmy had got all he wanted out of Patsy
Devlin. He did not care very much whether Mr.
Red subscribed to the sports or not. He took the
whisky bottle and drove the cork home into its
neck with a blow of his fist. Patsy looked regret-
fullv at it. but he was a man of self-respect. He





CHAPTER VI
"Is there any news of the doctor?" asked Lord
Manton. -
He was standing on the steps outside the door
of Clonmore Castle. He had just given Patsy
Devlin a sovereign for the Horse Races and
Athletic Sports, and was endeavouring to cut
short the thanks with which the subscription was
received.
“There is not, your lordship, devil the word;
and why would there? It could be that he's on the
sea by this time, and, anyway, why would he be
wanting to tell us where he is? Isn't it enough of
their persecuting he had without going out of his
way to ask for more?"
Lord Manton, like everybody else, regarded Dr.
O'Grady's flight to America as the natural result
of his financial embarrassment. He was sorry;
but he recognized that the doctor had taken the
wisest course.
“Might I be speaking a word to your lordship
about the doctor?"
“Certainly, Patsy."


62 THE SEARCH PARTY
word. She has trouble enough, the creature, with-
out that."
“What young lady ?"
“Be damn!" said Patsy hurriedly, “if there isn't
herself coming up the avenue. It wouldn't do for
her to see me talking to your lordship. I'd better
be going before she's on top of us."
Patsy Devlin slipped round the corner of the
Castle, and dodging through a plantation of laurels,
made his way to the stable-yard. Lord Manton
was left to watch the approach of Miss Blow, with-
out any very clear idea of what she was likely to
want of him; or how Jimmy O'Loughlin and Patsy
Devlin expected to keep the doctor's flight a secret
from her. He observed with pleasure that she was
more than commonly good-looking, that she carried
herself well, and wore clothes which set off a fine
figure. He had heard from Dr. O'Grady of the
daughter of the Leeds tobacconist, and had formed
a mental picture of her which in no way corre-
sponded to the young lady who approached him.
He reflected that she was probably in deep distress,
and he looked forward with some pleasure to an
interview in the course of which she was almost
certain to cry. He had no objection to playing the
part of comforter to a charming girl. His face
expressed fatherly benignity when Miss Blow
reached him.
“Am I addressing Lord Manton 7" she asked.
“Certainly. Is there anything I can do for
__ _ _ _ - ºn


THE SEARCH PARTY 63
come in more appropriately after she began to
cry.
“I am Miss Blow," she said.
“Come in," said Lord Manton, “come in. You
must be tired after your walk. Let me lead the way
into the library. I have often heard of you from
my friend Dr. O'Grady, and if there is anything I
can do to help you I shall be most happy to do it."
He set Miss Blow in a deep chair near the
window, pulled over another chair for himself, and
sat down beside her.
“I am entirely at your service,” he said. “It
will be a pleasure to me to give any help in my
power to a charming young lady. I—”
Miss Blow's eyes warned him again. There
was a hard glitter in them very little suggestive
of tears. He stopped abruptly.
“I understand that you are a magistrate," she
said.
Lord Manton bowed. Then he sat up straight
in his chair and tried to express in his attitude a
proper judicial solemnity.
“I want," said Miss Blow, “to have Dr. O'Grady
found at once."
“A very natural and a very proper wish," said
Lord Manton. “I am in entire sympathy with you.
ºuld like very much to find Dr. O'Grady.
ut— yz -
“Dead or alive,” said Miss Blow firmly.
"My dear Miss Blow !" The “my dear" came


64 THE SEARCH PARTY
“Dead or alive,” said Miss Blow again.
“Don't make such horrible suggestions, Miss
Blow. I assure you there's not the slightest reason
for supposing that Dr. O'Grady is anything but
alive and well."
“Then where is he 7" Miss Blow spoke sharply,
incisively. Lord Manton began to think that she
must be some new kind of girl, quite outside of his
experience, one who felt more indignation than
sorrow at the loss of her lover.
“I understand," he said, “that he is absent
from home, temporarily absent. I have no
doubt—"
Miss Blow rose from her chair and took up her
umbrella. -
“You're like all the rest," she said. “You are
as bad as the hotel-keeper and his friend. You are
simply trying to put me off with lies. Good
morning.”
“Wait a moment. Please do not hurry away.
I am not like all the rest, really. I assure you I'm,
—compared to Patsy Devlin, for instance,—I'm a
miserably inefficient liar. Please sit down again."
Miss Blow allowed herself to be persuaded.
“Tell me the truth," she said; “and then find
his body."
“The truth,” said Lord Manton, “is painful—
very painful. But it's not so bad as that. Dr.
O'Grady has been for some time past in a position


THE SEARCH PARTY 65
she spoke the last words. Lord Manton thought
that tears were at last imminent. He felt more at
his ease, and ventured to take her hand in his and
to stroke it gently. She snatched it from him.
“You're worse than the others,” she said. “How
dare you?”
For a moment Lord Manton thought that she
was going to box his ears. He drew away from
her hurriedly and attempted an apology.
“I am sincerely sorry," he said. “For the
moment I forgot that you were not my daughter.
She always came to me with her troubles ever since
she was quite a child. I got into the way of taking
her hand—"
“Never mind about my hand. Tell me the
truth about Dr. O'Grady."
Lord Manton saw that she was mollified. To
be mistaken for the daughter of an earl is a soothing
thing under any circumstances. He thought for an
instant of trying to repossess himself of her hand;
but Miss Blow's eyes, though no longer passionate,
were steely. He felt himself aggrieved, and spoke
with brutal directness.
“To put the matter plainly," he said, “Dr.
O'Grady has run away from his creditors."
“I don't believe a word of it,” said Miss
Blow.
“I have no doubt that he intended to let you
know where he was going. I expect he wants you
to go after him and join him there—make º fresh
----- -- r


66 THE SEARCH PARTY
the middle of the night. But don't be despondent,
Miss Blow; you'll get a letter from him soon."
“That's all nonsense,” said Miss Blow. “He’s
done nothing of the sort.”
“But, my dear young lady, how can you possibly
speak so confidently 2 He's not the first man who
has run away under such circumstances. Plenty
of people do it, I assure you. It's not even con-
sidered disgraceful.”
“I know he didn't.”
“But how do you know?"
“Because I wrote to him a week ago, when I
first heard he was in trouble, and told him I was
coming over here to see him. I said that father
would help him out of his difficulties, whatever
they were. Do you think that, after that, he'd run
away and not so much as tell me he was going?"
Lord Manton did not know what to think. Dr.
O'Grady had disappeared. There was no getting
out of that. It was a patent fact. On the other
hand, if Mr. Blow had really offered to pay the
doctor's debts, there seemed to be no reason why he
should disappear. No doubt the wealthy proprietor
of the well-known twopenny Beauties could afford to
pay Mr. Lorraine Vavasour's bill twenty times over
if necessary. Still, Dr. O'Grady had disappeared.
“You are all,” said Miss Blow passionately, “a
lot of slanderous busy-bodies, telling lies and
meddling with everybody's business because you
have no business of your own to attend to. My


THE SEARCH PARTY 67
handsome; handsomer than ever now that she was
- in a rage. It occurred to him suddenly that Dr.
O'Grady might have a reason for disappearing,
quite unconnected with the money he owed. He
was engaged to be married to Miss Blow. It was
possible that the idea of home life with this master-
ful and passionate young woman for a partner might
be rather terrifying. Besides, the wife who pays
her husband's debts for him has a hold over him
ever afterwards; and Miss Blow seemed exactly
the kind of lady who would take advantage of such
a position. She would certainly make him aware
of the fact. Lord Manton thought he understood at
last why Dr. O'Grady had run away. Miss Blow's
face was buried in her handkerchief. She was not
crying, but she was flushed after her outburst, and
preferred to keep her face covered. Lord Manton
ventured on a smile and a gentle chuckle.
“I assure you," he said soothingly, “that he
hasn't been murdered. Who would murder him?
Everybody in the neighbourhood was fond of him.
I don't think there was a man, woman, or child but
loved him. I did myself."
“If you loved him,” said Miss Blow, “show it
now.”
“I will, with pleasure; but how?"
“Give me a search warrant.”
“A search warrant! But—"
“Yes, a search warrant; and I shall insist upon
the police executing it."
“I haven't the least doubt you will; but—but


68 THE SEARCH PARTY
“But he isn't in a house. Do try to be reason-
able, Miss Blow. Even if he's murdered—and I'm
quite sure he's not—he wouldn't be in a house.
His body would be hidden in a wood or a bog-
hole or a river, or wherever it is that murderers
usually do hide bodies.”
“You admit then that he has been murdered."
“No, I don't. You mustn't catch up my words
like that. All I said was that, if he had been
murdered, he wouldn't be living in a house, and
so a search warrant wouldn't be any use to you.
You don't really want a warrant at all. You don't
even want the police. All you have to do is to go
prowling round the country, poking into any
shadowy-looking hole you see with the point of
your umbrella until you come across his body."
The interview was beginning to tire Lord
Manton. He was not accustomed to being bullied
by handsome girls, and he did not like it.
“Perhaps you'd like to start at once,” he said
politely.
“It's impossible,” she said, “for me to search
the country by myself."
“Not at all. Nothing is impossible for a young
lady of your energy. Start with the wood behind
this house; it's very thick in parts, quite a likely
spot for a corpse; and come in here for lunch
when you've finished.”
“Give me a written order to the police," said
Miss Blow, “commanding them to aid me in my
search."
-


THE SEARCH PARTY 69
their backs up and make them determined not to
help you."
“Give me the order, and I'll see that they
execute it." -
“My dear Miss Blow, I can't, I really can't.
Try the Chief Secretary. You'll find him in his
office at Dublin Castle. He's a most agreeable
man. You needn't be the least bit afraid of him.
Not that it's likely you would be. He's much
more likely to be afraid of you. It won't take you
long. You can run up by the night mail and—"
“Give me the order.”
Lord Manton surrendered. He crossed the
room, sat down at his desk, and wrote—
“Sergeant Farrelly, R.I.C. Kindly give all the
assistance in your power to Miss Blow, the bearer
of this note, who wishes to search the country for
a dead body.—MANToN.”
“If that is any use to you,” he said, “you're
welcome to it. Let me know how you get on.
Any time you happen to find yourself near this
house, drop in for luncheon or tea. Good-bye."
Miss Blow rose, bowed, and left the room.
Lord Manton rang the bell.
“Wilkins,” he said to his butler.
“Yes, my lord."
“You saw that young lady who left the house
just now? Very well, if she calls again and I
hannen to he nut van are to orive her breakfast


70 THE SEARCH PARTY
“She doesn't require a chaperone, but I do.
I don't feel safe when I'm alone with her. And
Wilkins, if she brings a corpse along with her,
either Dr. O'Grady's corpse or any other, you will
provide proper accommodation for it. Put it on the
table in the servants' hall with a sheet over it, and
send out to the garden for flowers—white flowers."
“Yes, my lord."
“One thing more, Wilkins; if Sergeant Farrelly
or any policeman comes up here from the barracks
either to-day or to-morrow and asks to see me, tell
him I'm out, and that it won't be the least use his
waiting because I won't be in before midnight and
probably not then."
“Yes, my lord.”
Wilkins left the room, and Lord Manton, taking
the chair in which Miss Blow had been sitting, lit a
cigarette. There was a stealthy step on the gravel
outside. He looked up and saw Patsy Devlin's
face pressed against the window. He rose, opened
the window, and asked Patsy what he wanted.
“Might I be so bold as to put a question to
your lordship?"
“Is it about Miss Blow or Dr. O'Grady?"
“It is,” said Patsy. “It's about the both of
them."
** *--a ---> 11- ? - 11---- T1- - - --------- --------- - - -1


THE SEARCH PARTY 71
“It's what Jimmy O'Loughlin was saying to me
last night,” he said, “that if so be she heard that
the doctor had left her, the creature's heart would
be broke, and her as handsome a young girl as any
you'd see.”
“At the present moment,” said Lord Manton,
“she believes that you and Jimmy O'Loughlin
have murdered the doctor and concealed his body
in a bog hole."
“The Lord save us and deliver us! Was there
ne'er another story you could tell her only that?
Sure the police will be out after us."
“She went straight from this house to the
barracks,” said Lord Manton, “and I shouldn't
wonder if you were arrested before night."
“Be damn!" said Patsy, “saving your lo dship's
presence; but they couldn't take me for the like of
that. There isn't one in the country but knows
that I wouldn't lay a hand on the doctor, drunk or
sober, not if it was to save my soul.”
“Don't you be too sure,” said Lord Manton.
“My own belief is that if Miss Blow doesn't come
across the doctor in the course of the next twenty-
four hours, she'll have you hanged for murdering
him.”
“It's joking you are. She couldn't do it.”
“I am not joking. I defy any man to joke after
spending half an hour with Miss Blow. She is the
most determined young woman I ever met. She
could do anything, absolutely anything. There
isn't a judge or a jury could stand out against her





CHAPTER VII
AP. writing, as some of them will, a parody
on the work of another poet, has these words—
“To every Irishman on earth
Arrest comes soon or late.”
Patsy Devlin did not read much poetry, and had
never come across the lines. If he had met them,
he would have recognized at once that they express
a great truth. His experience of life convinced
him that the law in Ireland, though erratic in its
methods, may be relied on in the end to get the
upper hand of either daring or innocence. The
proceedings of the police, depending as they do
on the view which some complete stranger has
promised his constituents in England to take of
Irish affairs, are quite incalculable. Patsy himself
had been praised by political orators, had been
favourably mentioned by eminent statesmen in the
House of Commons itself, for actions which he
wnuld have lzent concealed if he could. What


74 THE SEARCH PARTY
the Government, that remote deity from which
there is no appeal, had decreed his arrest, trial, and
execution for the murder of Dr. O'Grady. Patsy
reasoned the matter out with himself. If, he
thought, a man is not punished for the crimes he
does commit, it is probable that he will be punished
for those he has avoided committing. This con-
sideration, coming on top of Lord Manton's friendly
warning, made him uneasy. He determined to
keep clear of the police barrack when he left
Clonmore Castle.
Rosivera is a remote and lonely spot. It was
extremely improbable that there would be any
police lurking near it. It was not the sort of place
to which a police sergeant would think of going if
he were bent on the arrest of a murderous black-
Smith. Patsy felt that he might, without running
any undue risk, venture on a visit to Mr. Red.
He was not willing to forego the chance of getting
an additional subscription to the sports fund. He
had in his pocket money enough to take him to
America, but another pound, two pounds, perhaps
even five pounds, would be very welcome to him.
He was a good man, with a tender heart and a
strong sense of his duty to those dependent on
him. He wanted to be in a position to make some
provision for the support of his wife and family
when he left them. Mr. Red's subscription, if
Mr. Red turned out to be a generous man, would


THE SEARCH PARTY 75
When he came in sight of the house, he recon-
noitred it carefully, and approached it very much
as a skilful scout might advance on an enemy's
camp, availing himself of all the cover which the
country afforded. Satisfied at last that there was
no police patrol in the neighbourhood, he made a
circuit of the house, and finally reached the yard
gate by way of the kitchen garden. He entered
the yard and made sure that there was no one in it.
He peeped into the stable and the cow-house and
found that they were both empty. He opened the
door of the coach-house and took a long look at the
motor car which stood there. It was well cleaned;
its lamps and other metalwork shone brilliantly;
it was a very handsome vehicle. Patsy felt re-
assured. Mr. Red might be eccentric, as Jimmy
O'Loughlin hinted, might even be vicious, but he
was unquestionably opulent. No one but a rich
man could keep such a motor car. Patsy closed
the coach-house door quietly and took a long look
at the back windows of the house. They were all
shut and veiled with drawn blinds; all of them,
except one small window in the top storey. It
was wide open. Patsy stared at it.
Suddenly, something flew from the window and
dropped at Patsy's feet. It was a pellet of paper.
Patsy looked round him cautiously and then
stranea Anurn and nirlred it 11n. He 11n wranned


76 THE SEARCH PARTY
“Come back into the yard in twenty minutes.
Don't wait now.—O'GRADY.”
“Be damn,” said Patsy softly, “it’s the doctor
himself!"
Being a man of high intelligence, with a natural
taste for conspiracy, he acted in the wisest possible
way. Without the smallest display of emotion, or
a single glance at the window from which the com-
munication had come, he turned and slouched care-
lessly towards the yard gate. It was flung open
before he reached it, and Mr. Red, a revolver in
his hand, strode forward. Patsy displayed great
presence of mind and resource.
“I’m just after knocking at the back door,
your honour," he said, “thinking that it might
be more agreeable if I didn't go round to the
front, where maybe you'd be entertaining company.
It was that I was collecting a trifle from the gentry
round about for the grand annual horseraces and
athletic sports that does be held every year up
beyond in Jimmy O'Loughlin's big field. And
the committee would feel pleased, your honour,
if you'd act as a vice-president or a starter,
or the like, along with Lord Manton from the
Castle."
Mr. Red raised the revolver and pointed it at
Patsy's head.
“Hand me that note,” he said.
“Sure your honour's joking. What would a


THE SEARCH PARTY 77
that Patsy had every opportunity of looking into
the barrel of the revolver.
“Right about turn,” he said; “march 1”
“I was in the militia one time,” said Patsy,
“and I know well what you're saying. If it's into
the house you want me to go through the back
door, I'm willing. But there's no need for you to
be looking at me that way or to be reaching out at
me with your pistol. If you think I'm here trying
to steal a motor car on you, you're making a big
mistake. Anybody can tell you that I wouldn't do
the like. If I wanted to itself I wouldn't be able.
I couldn't drive one of them things no more than
fly.”
“March 1” said Mr. Red.
He held the revolver within a couple of inches
of Patsy's head.
“A gentleman like yourself," said Patsy, “likes
his bit of a joke. I know well it's only funning
you are and that it's not loaded; but I'd be obliged
to you if you'd point it the other way. Them
things goes off sometimes when you're not
expecting them.”
By way of demonstrating that it was loaded,
and that he was not “funning,” Mr. Red fired a
shot. The bullet went quite close to Patsy's head
and buried itself in the kitchen door. Patsy, con-
vinced that he had to do with a dangerous lunatic,
turned quicklv and wallred into the kitchen. From


78 THE SEARCH PARTY
“Enter," he said.
“Be damn! but I will, and I'll be all the better
pleased if you'll stay outside yourself."
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 2 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 7"
“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


THE SEARCH PARTY 79
“Tell me the truth now, Patsy. Is Miss Blow
in Clonmore ?"
“She is.”
“You’re sure of that P” .
“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


80 THE SEARCH PARTY
difficulty about escaping. The Field Marshal
think's he's a tremendous swell at conspiracies of
all sorts; but as a matter of fact he's a perfect
fool, and I have the lock loosened on the door
this minute. You can walk out any time you
like; and the best time in my opinion will be to-
night.”
“And why wouldn't you go yourself, doctor, if
it's as easy as all that?"
“I don't want to go,” said the doctor. “I’m
very well contented where I am. It's much better
for you to go.”
“How would it do if the both of us went P”
“It wouldn't do at all. I tell you I want to
stay. I don't want to escape. But you must. I
don't want the police here searching for me.”
“Be damn, then, but I won't go either As sure
as ever I went they'd have me hanged for murder-
ing you, and that wouldn't suit me at all.”
“Don't be a fool, Patsy. How can they hang
you for murdering me when I'm alive?”
“But—but—without I'd bring them here to see
you they'd never believe that you weren't dead.
What with the young lady going round the country
cursing like mad at them that killed you, and the
old lord telling the police it was me and Jimmy
O'Loughlin done it. what chance would a poor man


82 THE SEARCH PARTY
mark on your ugly face with my fist to prove to
you that I'm not in America?”
“It was all the truth we had for her, anyway.
But we wouldn't tell her. And why not? Because
she was a fine girl, and we didn't want to see her
going off into a decline before our eyes and maybe
dying on us. And because we had a respect for
your memory; and that's more than you had for
yourself, hiding away here from a girl that any
man might be proud to own. And it's more than
you have for us, putting the hard word on us, and
we doing the best we could from the start."
Dr. O'Grady was a reasonable man. His anger
cooled. He came to see that his friends had acted
with the best intentions. He apologized hand-
somely to Patsy Devlin.
“All the same,” he added, “you will have to go.
I tell you what it is, if the police do come here, the
Field Marshal will shoot the two of us. He told
me himself that that's what he'd do. And, whatever
else he may be, he's a man of his word.”
“He dursn't, not with the police in the house.
He'd be hanged.”
“He doesn't care a pin whether he's hanged or
not. As a matter of fact, I expect he'd rather like
to be hanged. He's an anti-militarist.”
“I was just thinking," said Patsy, “when he
gave the word of command to me there in the yard,


THE SEARCH PARTY 83
“Be damn, and is he that?"
“He is. And I can tell you an anarchist isn't
what you'd call a playboy. Anarchism isn't a bit
like your futile old League. It doesn't go about the
country making speeches and pretending it's going
to boycott people that it hasn't the least notion of
doing any harm to. A genuine anarchist, a man
like the Field Marshal, for instance, doesn't say a
word to anybody, but just goes quietly and blows
up a town.”
“I’ll not have you speaking against the League,
doctor. I've been a member of it since ever there
was a branch started in Clonmore. I'd be a
member of it still, if it wasn't that they went
against me the time of the election of the inspector
of sheep dipping. I can tell you there's them in
it would think very little of making the country
hot for the man that went against the will of the
people in the matter of grazing ranches or the like.”
“I don't want to argue about the League either
on one side or another. What I'm trying to get
you to understand is simply this. You've got to
go, and to go to-night, as soon as ever the Field
Marshal is tucked up in his little bed and the house
quiet. Listen to me now, and I'll make the position
plain to you. As long as I was here by myself I
was more or less safe. The disappearance of one
man doesn't make much difference in a neighbour-
hood like ours; but when it comes to two men
vanishing in the inside of one week there's bound


84 THE SEARCH PARTY
He looked at Patsy as he spoke, and noticed
with regret that he was producing little or no
impression.
“And what's more, I'll lose well over a hundred
pounds; a hundred pounds that I want badly."
“Why didn't you tell me that before?” said
Patsy. “Is it likely now that I'd want to stand
between you and a lump of money like that ? I
wouldn't do it to any man, much less one like
yourself, that I have a respect for. Give me the
writings now that we were speaking of, and I'll
start at once.”
“You can't start till night; but I'll write the
notes at once if you like."
“And the one to the young lady along with the
other two."
“I told you before," said Dr. O'Grady, “that I
won't give you a note to her.”
“Then I'll stay where I am. It's more than I
dare to go back without a line of some sort to quiet
her. Don't I tell you she'd have me hanged 2
And when that's done she'll be down here after you
with the police, and you'll be as badly off as you
were before."
“She'll not be able to do that. Lord Manton
would stop the police."
“She'll come without them, then. That sort of
a young lady would do anything."


THE SEARCH PARTY 85
you know that she and I are engaged to be
married ?"
“Well, aren't you the queer man 7 Anybody'd
think you were trying to hide yourself from her
for fear she'd marry you against your will.”
“Is that one of the lies you and Jimmy
O'Loughlin have been telling Miss Blow?"
“It is not, of course."
“Well, don't let me catch you saying anything
of the sort, or it'll be the worse for you. Now,
leave me in peace till I write the notes."
“I'm not going with them,” said Patsy; “so you
needn't trouble yourself to be writing.”
“All right. If you prefer to stay here and be
shot, you can. You'll be sorry afterwards, that's
all. I tell you the Emperor is not a man to be
trifled with. There's a fellow downstairs here
that's sick, and I go twice every day to attend him.
I give you my word, Patsy, all the time I'm dressing
his wounds I have the muzzle of that revolver
stuck up against the back of my neck. I'd be un-
commonly nervous if I didn't know that the poor
old Emperor is a good sort and reliable, in spite of
his fondness for yellow crocodiles.”
“Is there crocodiles in this house 7"
“There are; large yellow ones. The dining-
room is crawling with them.”
“That settles it, then,” said Patsy. “If I was
ever so keen to get out of this, I wouldn't do it
- ſº. -- 4-1-- 4. I'... 1-2 :- 4--- 4 - £ 4-1- a-- lºan ests • * ~ * I





CHAPTER VIII
Miss BLOW went straight from Clonmore
Castle to the police barrack. She was re-
ceived at the door by Constable Moriarty, who
happened to be on duty at the time. He was a
young man who had only recently joined the force.
Miss Blow, after a glance at his smooth boyish
face, asked to see the sergeant. She was shown
into a small room, known as the office, and kept
waiting while Sergeant Farrelly, who was digging
potatoes in the garden, “cleaned himself.” Her
manner, when he joined her, was peremptory. She
demanded that a search party should start at once
and scour the country for Dr. O'Grady's body.
Sergeant Farrelly was puzzled, and scratched his
head. Miss Blow handed him Lord Manton's note.
He read it, was very perplexed, and scratched his
head again. Miss Blow pressed her demand.
“It will be better," said the sergeant at last, “if
I go up to the Castle, and speak to his lordship
mvrself If unu'll have the kindness miss. to leave


88 THE SEARCH PARTY
Sergeant Farrelly looked at her.helplessly. He
did not want a handsome young lady in the barrack;
he thought his office an unsuitable place for Miss
Blow ; but he saw no way of altering her de-
termination. He left her and summoned Constable
Moriarty.
“The young lady within,” he said, “will wait in
the office until such time as I come back from the
Castle, where I'll be speaking on business to his
lordship. I leave it to you, Constable Moriarty, to
see that she's treated with proper respect.”
“Is it me?” said Moriarty.
“It is you. You can take her in yesterday's
paper, and if it happens that she's read it already,
you can talk to her, making yourself as pleasant
and agreeable as you know how."
Wilkins, Lord Manton's butler, was a good
servant. He opened the door to Sergeant Farrelly
at about twelve o'clock, and blandly gave the
message with which he had been charged.
“His lordship is out, and it is uncertain at what
hour he will return."
Sergeant Farrelly was baffled. He went back to
the barrack. He found that Miss Blow had moved
from the office, which was small and incommodious,
and had settled herself in the men's day room.
Constable Moriarty, embarrassed and very pink


THE SEARCH PARTY 89
and over six feet in height. On patrol duty, on
guard over a public-house on Sunday, or giving
evidence in court as to the amount of drink taken
by a prisoner, he was an impressive man. He did
not impress Miss Blow. Being an English woman,
she held the curious theory that the police exist
for the protection of the public, and that they ought
to engage willingly in the investigation of crime.
Sergeant Farrelly knew, of course, that this was not
true; but he was unable to explain his position to
Miss Blow, because she would not listen to what
he said.
At two o'clock, Miss Blow being still immovable
in the day room of the barrack, Sergeant Farrelly
started again for Clonmore Castle. This time he
was accompanied by Constable Moriarty, who,
reckless of the consequences of not obeying orders,
refused to be left to entertain Miss Blow. Con-
stable Cole slipped quietly out into the garden and
took a turn at the potatoes which the sergeant had
been obliged to leave undug.
Wilkins said politely what he had said before.
Sergeant Farrelly and Moriarty sat down in the
hall to wait. They waited till four o'clock. Then
they returned to the barrack, hoping that Miss
Blow would have gone home. They found that
she had not gone and showed no signs of going.
She was sitting in the men's room, eating biscuits
out of a paper bag. It appeared afterwards that
Constable Cole had gone out and bought the
biscuits for her, fearing that she might be hungry.


90 THE SEARCH PARTY
opinion of the Royal Irish Constabulary. She
used plain and forcible language, repeating such
words as incapacity, inefficiency, and cowardice at
frequent intervals. She spoke for nearly half an
hour, and then demanded again that the whole force
should set out at once and search for Dr. O'Grady's
body. Constable Cole grinned, and was caught
in the act. The sergeant snubbed him promptly.
Miss Blow took off her hat and jacket, and said she
intended to stay where she was until a search
party went out.
Sergeant Farrelly and his men withdrew and
held a counsel in the kitchen. Constable Moriarty
suggested that Miss Blow should be arrested on a
charge of drunkenness, and locked up for the night.
“If she isn't drunk,” he argued, “she wouldn't
be behaving the way she is."
His advice was not taken. In the first place,
she was a well-dressed and good-looking young
woman; and Sergeant Farrelly, being unmarried,
was a courteous man. In the second place, she
had come to the barrack bearing a note from Lord
Manton, and however unintelligible the note might
be, it had unquestionably been written by a peer
of the realm. In the third place, as Constable
Cole pointed out, their object was not to keep Miss
Blow in the barrack, but to get her out. Pressed
bv Moriarty and the sergeant for an alternative


THE SEARCH PARTY 91
would be spoiled if she kept it waiting. The plan
received no support. Sergeant Farrelly pointed
out that it would be most unwise to confess their
difficulty to Jimmy O'Loughlin. -
“That fellow,” he said, “would take a delight
in turning the police into ridicule, and setting the
whole country laughing at us. And besides,” he
said, with a look of withering contempt at Constable
Cole, “it’s not likely she'd be caring about her
dinner after you giving her sixpennyworth of
biscuits and more. Believe you me, she wouldn't
mind this minute if she never saw dinner again.”
Half an hour later Sergeant Farrelly himself
offered Miss Blow a cup of tea. He was a kindly
man, as most police sergeants are, and it grieved
him to think that the young lady who had
established herself in his barrack was spending a
whole day with nothing to eat except dry biscuits.
She took the tea without thanks, and again
demanded that the search for Dr. O'Grady should
begin. Sergeant Farrelly became desperate. He
set out once again for Clonmore Castle. This
time he was accompanied by both constables, and
Miss Blow was left in sole possession of the
barrack. He learned that Lord Manton was still
out. After a short consultation, he and the two
constables sat down in the hall to wait. They
waited till ten o'clock, and would have waited
longer still had not Wilkins informed them that it
was his dutv at that hour to lock up the house for


92 THE SEARCH PARTY
At nine o'clock next morning she walked into
the barrack again and took her seat in the men's
day room. This time she had with her a brown
paper parcel. Constable Cole gave it as his
opinion that it contained provisions for the day.
“I shall stay here," she said firmly, “until you
choose to do your duty.”
Sergeant Farrelly, who was refreshed and
invigorated by his night's sleep, began to argue
with her. The two constables stood near the
door of the room and admired him. Miss Blow,
adopting a particularly irritating kind of tactics,
refused to pay any attention to his remarks.
Whenever he paused to give her an opportunity
of stating her case, she said—
“I shall sit here until you choose to do your
duty."
She had just repeated her formula for the ninth
time when a groom rode up to the door of the
barrack. He brought a note from Lord Manton.
“Sergeant Farrelly, R.I.C. Lord Manton is
seriously annoyed to hear that the police spent
the greater part of yesterday afternoon and
evening in the hall of Clonmore Castle. Lord
Manton has not asked for police protection, and
knows no reason why it should be forced on him.
Lord Manton will not be at home to-day, and
he requests that any communication by way
of apology or explanation be made to him in
writing.”


THE SEARCH PARTY 93
dejected. Then the sergeant, assuming an air of
confident authority, gave his order.
“Constable Moriarty," he said, “you will take
that note over to Ballymoy and hand it to the
District Inspector. You will kindly explain at the
same time the way we find ourselves fixed here.”
“Maybe," said Moriarty, “it would be as well if
I was to take the other note along with it—the one
his lordship was after sending with the young lady
about the corpse of Dr. O'Grady.”
“It would be as well," said the sergeant; “I'd be
glad he'd see that note too. But it's the young
lady has it and not me. Did you happen to think
now of e'er a way that it could be got from her?"
“Would you ask her for it 7” said Constable
Moriarty.
“I might ask her for it, and I might ask the
King if he'd lend me the loan of his crown to go
courting in. I'd be as likely to get the one as the
other by asking. If you can think of no better
way of getting it than that, Constable Moriarty,
you may go and ask for it yourself; and you can
come back here and let us have a look at you, when
she smacks your face.”
“We might try a stratagem with her,” said
Constable Cole, who had made a similar suggestion
the day before. “I was reading a book one time
about a man that was great on stratagems. There
wasn't a thing would happen but he'd— I'm
sorry now I haven't the book by me.”
“Stratagems be damned,” said Sergeant


94 THE SEARCH PARTY
that his wife was wanting the note the way she
could use it for lighting the kitchen fire to boil the
kettle for tea. Is that your stratagem 7 Tell me
now.”
“It is not,” said Constable Cole, with dignity,
“nor it isn't like it. If I was the sergeant here, I'd
go to the young lady and I'd tell her, speaking
civil and pleasant, that the District Inspector
beyond in Ballymoy had sent a man over for the
note, so as he could set the police all over the
country looking for Dr. O'Grady, and that he
wouldn't be able to do that same without he got
the note, on account of the way the law does be
at the present time.”
“Is that what you call a stratagem P’’ said the
sergeant. “It's a lie I'd call it myself, a whole pack
of lies, and it's just what they might take the
stripes off me for saying, if so be I was fool enough
to say it. Is it looking to be sergeant yourself in
the place of me you are, that you'd suggest the like
of that?"
“All stratagems is lies,” said Constable Cole
soothingly. “The one I'm suggesting is no worse
than another."
“Go and try her with it yourself, then,” said the
sergeant, “and see what you'll get out of it."
Constable Cole, pursued by the sniggering laugh
of Moriarty, left the kitchen and went into the day
room. Miss Blow had made herself quite at home.


THE SEARCH PARTY 97
is a backward place, and it's the most thing of the
kind there was in Jimmy O'Loughlin's shop."
Constable Cole rushed from the barrack bare-
headed, just as the car was starting. He had Miss
Blow's brown paper parcel in his hand.
“You've forgotten your lunch, miss," he shouted.
“You'll be wanting it before you're back.”
He stowed the parcel in the well of the car,
and was able as he did so to still further em-
barrass the unfortunate Constable Moriarty.
“By rights,” he whispered, “you ought to be
sitting on the same side with her. It's what she'd
expect of you; and if you don't do it when you get
off to walk up Ballyglunin Hill, she'll be in a mighty
bad temper against you have her safe with the D. I.
If you're half a man, Moriarty, you'll do it."
There was a good deal of excitement in the town
when Miss Blow drove off under the escort of Con-
stable Moriarty. The news that Jimmy O'Loughlin's
carhad been ordered for herand the constable spread
so rapidly that by the time the start was actually
made a small crowd had gathered in the street to
see it. Afterwards, for more than an hour, men
stopped casually at the barrack door, chatted on
indifferent subjects with Sergeant Farrelly or Con-
stable Cole, and then asked one or two leading
questions about Miss Blow and her business. The
police were very reticent. Sergeant Farrelly was
an irrºr-assive man with a creat deal nf nersonal


98 THE SEARCH PARTY
a part of the next. He dreaded the remarks of
irreverent small boys if they heard how nearly he
and his men had been forced to go in search of
Dr. O'Grady's body. He was haunted by a terrible
fear that the story might get into the newspapers.
“There's them,” he said to Constable Cole, “who'd
be only too glad to get a handle against the police—
fellows up in Dublin writing for low papers. Believe
you me, it'll be mighty unpleasant for us if you aren't
able to keep your mouth shut."
Cole was no more willing than the sergeant to
give information. The inquirers, baffled at the
barrack, moved on to the bar of the hotel, and asked
their questions there. Jimmy O'Loughlin had no
information to give them. He did not know, any
better than his customers, thereason for Miss Blow's
expedition; but he liked to pose as being well up
in the whole business. He shook his head gravely,
made cryptic remarks, parried questions with other
questions, and at last, without in the least meaning
to, conveyed the impression that Miss Blow, by
some mysterious process of law, had been arrested
for Dr. O'Grady's debts. The opinion gained ground
in the town as one after another of the inquirers
emerged from the bar. Strong sympathy was felt
with Miss Blow, and there was some talk of sum-
moning a special meeting of the League to consider
her case. It was generally agreed that a unanimous
resolution would be appropriate, and that a series


CHAPTER IX
Bº: any definite action was taken, the public
interest was diverted from Miss Blow and her
affairs by a new sensation. At about half-past one
o'clock Mrs. Patsy Devlin was seen advancing along
the street towards the barrack with a crowd of
women and children after her. Her appearance
suggested that she was suffering from an extremity
of grief. Her hair hung loose over her shoulders
in picturesque grey wisps. Her bodice had only
one fastening, a white pin, driven through it near
the neck. Below the pin the garment gaped, down
to the point at which, still gaping, it was tucked
into a crimson petticoat. Her boots, a pair so large
that they might have been, and probably were,
her husband's, were unlaced, and clattered on the
ground every time she lifted her feet.
“Himself is gone from me," she wailed, when
she reached the door of the barrack, “gone and left
me, and me sick in my bed with an impression on my
chest and a rumbling within in the inside of me as
it might be a cart, or two carts, and they with turf


100 THE SEARCH PARTY
will I find a home when himself is gone from
me?"
“Go to your bed,” said the sergeant; “and if so
be that you're sick the way you're after telling us,
get the doctor to attend you."
Then he recollected that there was no doctor in
Clonmore, and suggested as an alternative that she
should send one of the children up to Jimmy
O'Loughlin's shop to buy “some sort of a bottle
that would do her good.”
“And what good would a bottle be to me, if I
had the money to pay for it itself, and where would
I get the money, with himself gone from me? It
was a bad head he was to me, and many's the time
I've been sorry that ever I married him, but sure
it's worse I'll do without him now he's gone."
“And that's true for her, the creature,” said old
Biddy Halloran from the outskirts of the crowd.
“Where is he gone to ?" asked the sergeant.
“Is it where has he gone 2 If I knew that, would
I come to you to find him for me? Where has he
gone? Och! but I'd be the thankful woman this
day if I could lay my eyes on him.”
Mrs. Devlin wept wildly.
“Stop your crying, woman dear," said a sympa-
thizer; “sure the police will have him found for you
in two twos. Isn't that what they're here for?"
“When did you miss him f" asked the sergeant.
“Miss him 1 Amn't I missing him every minute
since he warent frann me and the rhildren alan or vari + k,


102 THE SEARCH PARTY
twenty-four hours and more, and it's only now you
find it out."
“I was expecting him to step into the house
every minute,” said Mrs. Devlin, “and I wasn't
willing to lay my mind down to it that he was gone,
till there was no help for it."
“The Lord save us!" said old Biddy Halloran.
“It's an afflicted creature you are this day, Mary
Devlin.”
Sergeant Farrelly buttoned his tunic and took
his cap. He summoned Constable Cole and they
marched together down the street towards Jimmy
O'Loughlin's hotel. The crowd, Mrs. Devlin at
the head of it, followed them. Constable Cole
turned.
“Go home out of that the lot of you," he said,
“and take Mrs. Devlin along with you. The
matter is in the hands of the police now, and that
ought to content you."
Jimmy O'Loughlin's customers deserted him as
soon as the noise of Mrs. Devlin's wailing was
heard in the street. He stood alone behind his
bar when the police entered the hotel. He greeted
the sergeant heartily, for he was a man of good
conscience and unaware of any reason why he
should dread a visit from the police. He was
struck by the solemn severity with which Sergeant
Farrelly replied to his greeting, and became vaguely
uneasy. The business of a publican is beset with
legal snares which only the most fortunate men
------- * - - ---~ :-1:- - - 14-----1---- I:-------- ~~~~ :- ea


THE SEARCH PARTY 103
of convivial friends who absorbed a few dozen
bottles of porter on the previous Sunday had
entered his house unseen. They had certainly
entered it cautiously—by the back door, after climb-
ing over a wall into his yard. His mental attitude
was that of the people of the town of Bethlehem when
the prophet Samuel came unexpectedly among them.
They were not conscious of deserving any kind of
denunciation, but they were anxious, and said to
the great man : “Comest thou peaceably?"
Jimmy O'Loughlin might have repeated their exact
words, but he had never heard the story, and was
therefore unable to quote from it. His face wore
an expression of anxious interrogation.
“Did you hear,” said Sergeant Farrelly, “what
they're after telling me about Patsy Devlin 7"
“What about him 7” said Jimmy cautiously.
“He's left the town, and deserted his wife and
family.”
“Do you say that now?"
“It's not me that says it," said the sergeant;
“but it's being said."
“I wouldn't wonder," said Jimmy, “but there
might be some truth in it.”
Neither he nor his public-house could be held
in any way responsible for the disappearance of
Patsy Devlin. He felt free to discuss the event in
a friendlu urav with the nolice and to give them


104 THE SEARCH PARTY
He did not quite see the point of the sergeant's
remark, and felt that he must be cautious.
“Could you give me any information about what
he intended doing with himself the next day?"
“He told me,” said Jimmy, after thinking the
matter over, “and it could be that he was telling
me the truth—he told me he was going up to the
Castle to try if he could get a pound, or maybe two
pounds, out of Lord Manton for the sports. He
was collecting the town and the district; and he
said to me himself that he'd done well. The money
was coming in better than ever it did.”
“Ah!" said the sergeant with deep meaning.
“Just so,” said Jimmy.
“And was that what you meant this minute
when you said that you wouldn't wonder if there
might be some truth in what they're saying about
him being gone?"
“He’s not the first,” said Jimmy, “nor he won't
be the last. There was Cooney that was treasurer
of the League, and nobody ever heard of him after.
It was upwards of twenty pounds he had. There
was—"
“It's larceny,” said Constable Cole.
“You're wrong there," said the sergeant. “It's
misappropriation of public funds under trust,
besides the charge that might be brought by the
subscribers of obtaining money under false
pretences."
“You'll never get him,” said Jimmy.
* I + i en't H. : * I'… +1 ºr, l, ºr r aſ ” ca: A +!, a carora ant


THE SEARCH PARTY 105
“It's a pity of the creature," said Constable
Cole. “It's badly she'll be able to do without
him.”
“If so be,” said Jimmy, “that Patsy's gone the
way you say, he'll have left a trifle behind him for
the widow, be the same more or less. He always
had a good heart, and it wouldn't be like a thing
he'd do to leave his children to starve."
“Devil the penny she owned up to anyway,"
said the sergeant.
“Then he'll send it," said Jimmy; “he'll send it
from America.”
“He might,” said the sergeant.
“The world,” said Constable Cole, “is full of
trouble, any way you look at it."
“Does Father Moroney know he's gone?"
asked Jimmy.
“I’m thinking he must,” said the sergeant; “he
could hardly miss hearing the way the creature
was going on in the street, crying all sorts."
“He'll be apt to be raising a subscription for
her," said Jimmy, “to put her over until such time
as Patsy sends home the trifle he has for her."
“I’ll give something towards it myself,” said the
sergeant, “and I'll see that the men in the barrack
contributes."
Jimmy O'Loughlin was not to be outdone in
generosity by the members of the constabulary.
* I ka--- al... --~...~.4 1--- ~~" 1-2. -->4 “*!--- I'4


106 THE SEARCH PARTY
have had it if he'd thought of taking it, and I'll add
another five shillings to it from myself.”
He handed the whole sum over to Sergeant
Farrelly, who put it in his pocket.
“He was always a bit of a lad, that Patsy
Devlin,” said Constable Cole.
“He might be a bit foolish at times,” said Jimmy;
“but there was no harm in him.”
“It's as good for you," said the sergeant, “that
you didn't make him the inspector of sheep dipping
that time.”
“It was that preyed on his mind,” said Jimmy.
“He never rightly got over it. I don't say he'd
have been elected—there was better men up for the
job than him—but he destroyed himself altogether
when he went getting a testimonial to his character
from Lord Manton. The League wouldn't stand
the like of that, and small blame to them. It
couldn't be expected that they would."
“We'll go up to the Castle," said the sergeant
to Constable Cole, “and find out whether Patsy
went there before he left, if so be that his lordship
has come home."
“I didn't hear any talk of his being away," said
Jimmy.
“Well, he was away. Yesterday and to-day."
“That's queer now,” said Jimmy, “for it was
onlv this morning I was talking to Bvrne the


THE SEARCH PARTY 107
the roads is kept by the County Council, and the
rates being so high and such-like.”
“It couldn't be,” said the sergeant, “for I was
up there three times yesterday, and I wasn't able
to see him.”
“Take care but he didn't want to see you."
“And I had a letter from him this morning tell-
ing me that he'd be away from home all the day."
“Take care,” said Jimmy again, “but he mightn't
have wanted to see you.”
“And why wouldn't he?"
“I’m not saying it is, mind you,” said Jimmy;
“but it might be that he knows more about Patsy
Devlin than he'd care to tell. Him and Patsy was
mighty thick."
“Talk sense, can't you?" said the sergeant. “Is
it likely now that a man like his lordship would be
conniving at the escape of a criminal from justice?”
“I said no such thing,” said Jimmy; “and I'll
thank you, Sergeant Farrelly, not to be putting it
out that I did. What I said was that he might
know more than he'd care to tell. Would you think
now that a gentleman like him—and I'll say this for
him, that he always was a gentleman—do you think
now that, if so be he did know where Patsy was
gone, he'd be wanting to tell you and maybe get a
poor man into trouble that he had a liking for 7
Didn't you tell me this minute that he had himself
hid away from you when you were up at the Castle
looking for him P Why would he do the like P





CHAPTER X
R. GODDARD, the District Inspector of
Police, was a young man and stood on the
lowest rung of his professional ladder. It was
recognized by his superiors, it was even feared by
the man himself, that he was never likely to rise
very high in the service. He was, in fact, an
inefficient officer. He had a natural sense of
humour, which was a great misfortune, because it
led him to see situations like those of comic operas
in the course of the duties which he was called
upon to perform. He was wise enough not to
laugh loudly at the things which happened; but the
fact that a great deal of what he had to do struck
him as ludicrous prevented his doing his duty
heartily and thoroughly. An Irish police officer
ought to have a good opinion of himself and his
position. He ought to recognize his official kin-
ship with the potentates who draw large salaries
for administering the affairs of the Indians, the
Egyptians, and other barbarous peoples. He is
humbler, of course, and is paid less; but he is
engaged in the same kind of work. He is securing
to a conquered people the blessings of law and
rº-AA- I 1-c--4----4A1* M - CAAA-A ramild never


110 THE SEARCH PARTY
did not strike him as comic bored him intolerably;
but like many lazy men, he was subject to spasms of
vigour when irritated. It was his custom to avoid
doing anything for as long as possible, and at last,
if goaded beyond endurance, to act with a violence
which surprised his subordinates. He had a taste
for literature, even when it took the form of poetry,
and used to read a good deal in the evenings.
He was reading a novel when Miss Blow and
Constable Moriarty drove up to his house. He
received them in his dining-room, and was chiefly
anxious at first to get rid of them as soon as
possible. He did not realize for some time that
Miss Blow was the kind of woman who ought to be
offered a chair and invited to sit down on it. She
came, apparently, in the custody of a policeman, and
Mr. Goddard did not look closely at her. She saved
him from any embarrassment he might afterwards
have felt by walking over to an armchair and
settling herself comfortably in it.
Constable Moriarty produced Lord Manton's
note of complaint and handed it over to his officer.
He explained that Sergeant Farrelly had called
three times at Clonmore Castle and had waited in
the hall for some hours in the hope of seeing Lord
Manton. Mr. Goddard read the note and asked a
number of questions. He succeeded in greatly
embarrassing Constable Moriarty. That young
man had the feelings of agentleman. He would not


THE SEARCH PARTY 111
Miss Blow cut into the conversation sharply.
“I demand,” she said, “that the police should
investigate a case of murder, and they refuse to
do so.”
Mr. Goddard, for the first time, took a good look
at her. He realized at once that she was an
extremely handsome girl. Even so it seemed
improbable that any one would murder a dis-
pensary doctor well known to be very popular.
“Murder," he said tentatively, “is perhaps too
strong a word.”
“Lord Manton agrees with me," said Miss Blow,
“that he has been murdered.”
She took Lord Manton's note from her pocket
and handed it to Mr. Goddard. He read it, reread
it, and then turned inquiringly to the constable.
Moriarty reluctantly admitted that Lord Manton's
words might bear the interpretation which Miss
Blow put on them.
“Then why on earth did you not investigate the
matter?" said Mr. Goddard.
Constable Moriarty became very confused. With
Miss Blow's fine eyes fixed on him he could not
bring himself to blurt out the naked truth. He was
as unwilling as everybody else had been to break
the heart of a beautiful girl by saying that her lover
had basely deserted her.
“It could be,” he said feebly, “that the doctor's
alive and well yet."
This was very much Mr. Goddard's own opinion.
He read Lord Manton's note again, and then turned
#r. Miss R1a*,


112 THE SEARCH PARTY
hope I am not tiring you too much, but would you
mind telling me what reasons you have for suppos-
ing that Dr. O'Grady has been murdered?"
Miss Blow's eyes suddenly filled with tears.
She caught at her skirt with both hands, clenching
the folds of it tightly.
“We were to have been married this year," she
said, “and oh-"
Then, fumbling hurriedly for her pocket-handker-
chief, she burst into a flood of tears. There was
every excuse for her. She had been driven to the
belief that her lover was murdered. She had gone
through three trying days, the last two of them very
trying. She was a stranger among people who
seemed heartless and cruel to an extraordinary
degree. She had every right to an outbreak of
hysterical weeping. Yet it should be noted to her
credit that she chose as the witness of her break-
down the man, of all those whom she had met, most
likely to be influenced by tears. Lord Manton, if she
had wept in his study, would have comforted her;
but he would also have enjoyed his task and would
have appreciated the appearance of her slobbered
cheeks. Sergeant Farrelly would have sympathized
with her if she had wept in the police barrack, but
he would not have gone out to search for Dr.
O'Grady's body merely because she made a sponge
of her pocket-handkerchief. Mr. Goddard was
different. He was young, and though he had a
sense of humour, the sight of a beautiful girl shaken
––– a 1- – - 1–– –––1. _ _ _ _1 * *__


THE SEARCH PARTY 113
from the room. Mr. Goddard made a hasty and
impassioned vow that he would give Constable
Moriarty a severe lesson in the respect due to his
superior officer. Then he looked at Miss Blow
again. She was sobbing convulsively. He watched
her helplessly for several minutes, and then asked
her if she would like a cup of tea. He had to
repeat the question twice, because, owing to nervous-
ness, he was inaudible the first time he asked it.
Miss Blow, when she heard what he said, shook her
head vigorously. Mr. Goddard felt that there must
have been something insulting about the suggestion,
and was sorry he had made it. He wished very
much that he knew how to behave under the circum-
stances. By way of relieving the tension of the
situation he got up and stood behind Miss Blow.
Then he walked round her chair and stood in front
of her. Neither position availed to check her weep-
ing. Her head was bowed almost to her lap and
her face was covered with her hands. It occurred
to him that it might soothe her if he patted her back
and shoulders gently. He stretched out his hand.
Then he paused. He was a man of chivalrous feel-
ing towards women, the result perhaps of reading
Tennyson's poetry, and it struck him that it would
be unfair to pat a girl who was obviously incapable
of resisting. He stood irresolute, his hand still
stretched out. His attitude was not unlike that of
a priest who bestows a benediction upon a deeply
ran trite nenitent


114 THE SEARCH PARTY
“How can I help crying," she said, though her
utterance was broken with sobs, “when he's dead,
and no one will help me even to find his body?"
Mr. Goddard's resolution was taken in an
instant. He did not believe that Dr. O'Grady was
dead. He knew that he was laying up trouble
for himself in the future; but it was absolutely
necessary to stop Miss Blow crying and, if
possible, to get her out of the house.
“I’ll help you,” he said. “I’ll do all that can be
done to find him. I shall put all the men in my
district to work. I shall leave no place unsearched
until I find him, alive or dead."
Miss Blow looked up at him and smiled through
her tears. Even an ordinary girl, with no particular
pretensions to beauty, looks very charming when
she succeeds in smiling and crying at the same
time. Miss Blow seemed radiantly lovely. Mr.
Goddard felt that he was losing command of him-
self. He felt strongly inclined to quote some
poetry. He knew that there must be poetry suit-
able to the situation, but for the moment he could
think of nothing except four lines out of Maud.
“Oh, that 'twere possible
After long grief and pain,
To feel the arms of my true love
Around me once again.”
There was a certain appropriateness about the
varcac anal wrat k, a has; +a+a+ +a r. 11 r. He thern Ha


THE SEARCH PARTY 115
rapid dabs with her wet pocket-handkerchief, and
said—
“When shall we start 2"
“Some day next week,” said Mr. Goddard.
“Suppose we say—"
Miss Blow collapsed again, and showed every
sign of more tears.
“Sooner, if you like,” said Mr. Goddard hurriedly.
“At once, then," said Miss Blow, rallying; “at
once; this very moment.”
Mr. Goddard looked at his watch. It was three
o'clock. It would take him at least two hours to
drive to Clonmore. He could do very little there
that evening.
“At once," repeated Miss Blow; “this very
instant.”
Mr. Goddard gave in. He believed that he was
going to make a fool of himself, but he saw no way
of escape. Miss Blow's vigorous manner of crying
convinced him that she was quite capable of sitting
in his dining-room and continuing to cry until he
set out in search of Dr. O'Grady's body.
“Will you excuse me," he said, “while I go
upstairs and put on my uniform 7”
Miss Blow nodded and smiled again. The
thought of a uniform comforted her. A man can
hardly fail in his duty when he puts on a uniform
for the express purpose of performing it. Mr.
Goddard took courage from her smile.


116 THE SEARCH PARTY
This time Miss Blow did not refuse the tea.
She drank two cups of it when it was brought to
her, and finished a plate of bread-and-butter. It
took Mr. Goddard some time to array himself,
because he paused frequently to try and hit upon
some way of getting rid of Miss Blow without
driving her into Clonmore. He tried in vain.
Miss Blow, after drinking her tea, was able to
devote a few minutes to her hair and the position
of her hat. There was a mirror over the chimney-
piece in Mr. Goddard's dining-room.
Mr. Goddard's horse was a good one, and could
undoubtedly have done the journey to Clonmore
in less than two hours, but Mr. Goddard did not
press him. He found the drive agreeable. Miss
Blow had quite stopped crying before she got into
the trap, and she talked with the utmost frank-
ness about her affairs. There is something very
delightful in the confidences of a beautiful girl.
Miss Blow had a way of looking up with her eyes
wide open, which sent a curious thrill of pleasure
through Mr. Goddard. There was only one thing
which marred the enjoyment of the drive. Her
confidences were of the most puzzling and em-
barrassing kind. She told how everybody in
Clonmore had lied. And so far, Mr. Goddard
sympathized with her. But he could not help
asking himself whv they lied. Even Jimmy


THE SEARCH PARTY 117
attempt to argue with her, for he had no wish to
reduce her to tears again; but he knew very well
that nobody in the neighbourhood would murder
Dr. O'Grady. He was inclined at first to think, as
every one else did, that the doctor had run away
from his creditors; but Miss Blow demonstrated
the absurdity of this theory. She had come to
Clonmore with a blank cheque signed by her father,
and full authority to pay every penny the doctor
owed. She had told him beforehand in a letter that
he might expect some relief. Mr. Goddard was
forced to admit that under the circumstances it was
very unlikely that Dr. O'Grady had allowed him-
self to be chased away to America by his creditors.
At the same time, the doctor had undoubtedly
disappeared. That seemed the one solid fact there
was. Miss Blow referred frequently to Lord
Manton's note. It puzzled Mr. Goddard quite as
much as anything else did. He knew Lord
Manton, and he could not understand how he came
to believe, as apparently he did believe, in the
murder of Dr. O'Grady. Mr. Goddard made up
his mind that he would go up to Clonmore Castle
and talk the whole matter over with Lord Manton.
This was the solitary decision he was able to come
to ; though he was obliged to pledge himself over
and over again to institute a strict search for the
doctor's body. He arrived at last in Clonmore
and drove straight up to the hotel.
“Ynyr rallet he trerº tired " he e-3,4 to Miss R1 nw


118 THE SEARCH PARTY
He spoke quite sincerely. He did hope that
Miss Blow would go into the hotel and stay there.
He feared that she might feel it necessary to follow
him about and watch what he did.
“I shall inform you at once,” he went on, “of
everything which transpires. I must spend this
evening in making some preliminary inquiries; but
there is no necessity for you to fatigue yourself
further.”
Miss Blow looked at him long and searchingly.
Mr. Goddard felt that she was judging of his
strength and determination, was deciding whether
she could fully trust him or not. He endeavoured
to assume the expression of face which he believed
to be common to those strong, silent Englishmen,
whom the heroines of novels learn, after other
people have turned out to be frauds, to trust to the
uttermost. He was, apparently, quite successful
in his effort. He deserved to be; for he really
felt for the moment, with Miss Blow's eyes on him,
that he was exactly the kind of man he wished to .
appear. Miss Blow, without a word, stretched out
her hand to him. He took it and ventured to
press it slightly. He would have carried it to his
lips and pressed a reverent kiss upon it, if Jimmy
O'Loughlin had not been standing at the door of
the hotel. Afterwards he was sorry that he had
-- - - -1 - C -- I --------- TA’ſ -----1–12 – A ----------a 1-> --


THE SEARCH PARTY 119
drawn up before the door. They had seen their
inspector drive into the town and were ready for
him. Mr. Goddard at once ordered the sergeant
to follow him into the barrack. Constable Cole
mounted guard over the horse and trap.
“Now, sergeant,” said Mr. Goddard, “what
have you to tell me about the disappearance of
Dr. O'Grady?"
“There's another man gone since then, sir,"
said the sergeant gloomily.
“What do you mean? Who's gone?”
“I thought it right to let you know, sir—I was
within writing a report on the matter when I seen
you drive into the town—that Patsy Devlin the
smith is gone. His wife was up at the barrack
shortly after Constable Moriarty left with the
young lady, and she says he's missing.”
“It's a queer thing,” said Mr. Goddard, “that
two men should disappear in this sort of way
within a couple of days of each other. It looks
bad. Let's take them one at a time and see what
we can make out of them. What have you to say
about the doctor P”
“Everybody knows the reason he's made off,”
said the sergeant, “only nobody'd like to be telling
the young lady, and that's what has us all put
about the way we are.”
“T)n vali mean deht P. "


120 THE SEARCH PARTY
“No more do I; but I'm going to see Lord
Manton and talk to him about it.”
“It could be,” said Sergeant Farrelly, “that
he'd know. Did you take notice of the note that
he gave to the young lady ?"
“Yes; I saw it.”
“Well now, his lordship couldn't be believing
that the doctor's murdered, and whatever made
him write that note it's my opinion that there was
something behind it. And what's more, Jimmy
O'Loughlin says—”
“Damn Jimmy O'Loughlin'"
“Jimmy O'Loughlin says,” went on the
sergeant, “that his lordship knows something, be
the same more or less, about Patsy Devlin. I
wouldn't wonder now if he'd be able to tell you
where the both of the two of them is gone and
why.”
“What about Patsy Devlin 7" asked Mr.
Goddard. “What sort of a man is he?"
“He's no great things any way you take him.
He's a bit foolish at times, and takes more than is
good for him. I hear them say that he fretted
a deal when they didn't make him the inspector of
sheep dipping. It might be that the disappoint-
ment preyed on him, that and the drink, so as he
wouldn't be rightly responsible for what he did."
“Was he mixed up with the League?”
“He was one time, but there was a falling out
between him and them over the sheep dipping.
Potex, ºrner.' …!, a 4 ºr as "A rall rerant ºrith the I en rºle


THE SEARCH PARTY 121
“It seems to me," said Mr. Goddard, “that
Jimmy O'Loughlin knows more about these disap-
pearances than anybody else about the place.”
“Unless it would be Lord Manton,” said the
Sergeant.
“I’ll see Lord Manton anyhow," said Mr.
Goddard. “You can tell the constable to take my
horse and trap round to the hotel. I'll walk up to
the Castle.”
“It'll be well,” said the sergeant, “if you get
seeing his lordship.”
He spoke meaningly. Mr. Goddard, who was
half way to the barrack door, turned back.
“What's that you say?"
“It'll be well,” said the sergeant, “if you're not
told that his lordship's away from home.”
“What do you mean by that ?"
“I was up there yesterday,” said the sergeant;
“off and on I was there for the most of the day;
and I was up there again to-day, and all I got by it
was word that his lordship was away from home.
Jimmy O'Loughlin was saying—"
“Go on,” said Mr. Goddard ; “Jimmy
O'Loughlin's remarks are always valuable.”
“He was saying that his lordship was within
all the time. It was his opinion—I'm not saying
was he right or wrong—but it was his opinion that
his lordship didn't want the police next or nigh
him.”
“Jimmy O'Loughlin," said Mr. Goddard,


CHAPTER XI
Wilſº was a little puzzled when he opened
the door to Mr. Goddard. His orders were
definite. Lord Manton was not at home when the
police called. Mr. Goddard in his uniform, com-
plete to the sword, the whistle and the spurs, was
undeniably a policeman. But Wilkins was a good
servant, a very good servant. He was accustomed
to interpreting his orders as well as obeying them.
He knew that Mr. Goddard was a superior kind of
policeman. He dined occasionally at Clonmore
Castle, and Wilkins waited on him. . After a
moment's hesitation, Wilkins offered to go and find
out whether Lord Manton was at home or not,
Mr. Goddard was shown into a large, desolate
drawing-room, and left there. Wilkins was glad
afterwards that he had appreciated the difference
in standing between a district inspector and a
sergeant. It appeared that Lord Manton was
quite willing to see this visitor. Mr. Goddard was
shown into the library.
“Sit down," said Lord Manton. “I'm very


THE SEARCH PARTY 193
“There's no use coming to me about that. I'm
a magistrate, I know; but I very seldom act. Why
not go to Jimmy O'Loughlin P He loves signing
papers.”
“I’m rather puzzled over the case. The fact
1S– wn
“My advice to you is to leave it alone. Don't
do anything. Masterly inactivity is plainly the
policy for you."
“That's all well enough. I'd be very glad to
leave it alone. There's nothing I'd like better.
But the fact is, I can't. I'm more or less pledged
to— My hand has been, so to speak, forced.”
“Had a visit from Miss Blow P”
“Yes.”
“She's a wonderful woman. She was here
yesterday; spent half an hour with me in this
very room.”
“She's a very good-looking girl," said Mr.
Goddard.
“She is. I admit that. Her eyes, for instance.
Grey, I thought them; but they looked quite blue
in certain lights; and a very good figure, a remark-
able figure. All the same I couldn't have her
settling herself down for good and all in my house.
I had to get her out of it somehow. I gave her
a note for Sergeant Farrelly.”
“Oh! That's the meaning of your note. It


124 THE SEARCH PARTY
dealing with her on to the sergeant. After all,
he's paid for looking into things of the kind. I'm
not.”
“The sergeant sent her on to me. It was
extremely awkward. She cried like anything."
“I thought she'd have cried here," said Lord
Manton; “but she didn't. Did you comfort her?"
“No, I didn't. At least I suppose I did in the
end. I didn't know what to do. I'm not a married
man, and I'm not accustomed—"
“How did you comfort her in the end? It
would interest me very much to hear, if the details
are of the sort that will bear repeating without
giving Miss Blow away. Did you hold a pocket-
handkerchief to her eyes?"
“No, nothing of that kind. I—” Mr.
Goddard hesitated.
“Go on,” said Lord Manton. “I’ll treat what-
ever you say as strictly confidential."
“Well, I promised to do what she asked.”
“Do you mean to say that you've pledged
yourself to go searching the country for Dr.
O'Grady's body?"
“I couldn't help it. What on earth else could
I do?”
“And when do you start?"
“I don't mean to start at all."
Lord Manton pretended not to hear this remark.
“Do the thing in style if you do it at all,” he
said. “Get bloodhounds. I'll give you the


THE SEARCH PARTY 125
“I don't mean to do any such fool thing."
“We'll have glorious paragraphs in all the
papers,” said Lord Manton. “MystERIous Dis-
APPEARANCE OF A Doctor. VIGoRous Action of THE
Royal IRISH CoNSTABULARY. DISTRICT INSPECTOR
GoDDARD THINKS HE HAS A CLUE. BlooDHounds
USED. FIANcÉE IN TEARs.’ Your portrait will
appear along with Miss Blow's."
“It's all very fine to laugh," said Mr. Goddard;
“but of course I'm not going—”
“You'll have to. You've promised. You can't
go back on a promise made to a lady. Her portrait
will be published in the papers and everybody
will see how charming she is. You'll be an object
of universal hatred and contempt if you go back
on your word.”
“If ever it gets into the papers at all, you'll
look quite as great a fool as I shall. Your note
will be published. And, after all, you know, the
girl has something to say for herself. The doctor's
gone. Now, why the devil did he go, and where
has he gone to ?"
“Can't you give a guess at his motives 2"
“No, I can't. It wasn't debt. Miss Blow told
me herself that she was ready to pay every penny
that he owed.”
“No ; it's not debt. I thought it was at first,
but it appears I was wrong.”
** 1 – 7 a -1--" -- 1 ºn – º –1 A. Af * - I -1 - - - - ** 11--a-


126 THE SEARCH PARTY
whisky"—you know the old saying. If it isn't
either of the last two, it must be the first.”
“Love!" said Mr. Goddard.
“Precisely."
“But, hang it all! Miss Blow's quite ready to
marry him."
“Too ready," said Lord Manton; “that's my
point."
Mr. Goddard thought hard for a couple of
minutes.
“Do you mean to suggest,” he said at last,
“that he's run away from her?"
“In the absence of any other conceivable reason
for his bolting,” said Lord Manton, “I am unwilk-
ingly driven to the conclusion that he wants to
escape from Miss Blow."
“But, hang it all! why should he 7 The girl's
uncommonly good-looking."
“Good looks aren't everything," said Lord
Manton; “when you come to my time of life, you'll
understand that. Just put yourself in the doctor's
place for a minute. You've had some little
experience of Miss Blow. So have I. But the
poor doctor knew her a great deal better than
we do. Just think of what his feelings must have
been when he heard that she was coming over
here to pay his debts. He'd be bound to marry


THE SEARCH PARTY 127
give her the whip hand of him at once; and she's
just the sort of girl who would make the most of
her opportunities."
“I don't know—it's possible, of course.”
“It's certain, man. Be reasonable. Here's a
fact, a perfectly undeniable fact. The doctor's
gone. Unless you're going to adopt Miss Blow's
hypothesis—"
“Oh, he's not murdered, of course. I know
that.”
“Very well, then, my explanation of his disap-
pearance is the only one that's left. And it's quite
a probable one in itself. Nine men out of ten in
the doctor's position would do exactly what he's
done.”
“Then what the devil am I to do?”
“You're in a deuced awkward position. I don't
know what the end of it will be. The authorities
certainly won't stand your taking the police away
from their ordinary duties, and setting them to
scour the country for the body of a man who isn't
dead. There'd be questions asked in Parliament
about it, and all sorts of fuss. Besides, you'd look
such an ass.”
“I know I should.”
“All the same, you're in for it now. Unless you
choose to go and tell Miss Blow the truth. She
might believe you, though I very much doubt it.”
“I ra. 14 n't naesihl ºr An that No man could


128 THE SEARCH PARTY
“Do you think he has run away through fear of
his wife P”
“No, I don't. There are plenty of other ways
of accounting for his disappearance. Besides, in
the case of Mrs. Devlin—you know her, perhaps?”
“No ; I never set eyes on the woman in my
life.”
“Well, she's not equal to Miss Blow in personal
appearance; but she has a certain charm of her
own. You wouldn't meet a quieter, less obtrusive
sort of woman anywhere. Nobody would run
away from her unless he was forced to. You
take my word for it, Patsy will send for her to
follow him wherever he's gone to. I knew both
Patsy and his wife well, and they always got
on splendidly together. The poor fellow was
something of a protégé of mine. I think he re-
garded me as a friend, and was inclined to confide
in me. I gave him a letter of recommendation to
the Board of Guardians, at the time of the election
of the inspector of sheep dipping."
“I understood from Sergeant Farrelly," said
Mr. Goddard, “that the man was rather a black-
guard." -
“A horrid blackguard," said Lord Manton.
“That's why I didn't want them to elect him."
“But I thought you said—"
“So I did; but there's no use discussing that
now. It's all over and done with. Poor Patsy will


THE SEARCH PARTY 129
the choice lay between the two—would almost
certainly give him a bad one. Inclination
struggled with conscience. In the end conscience
prevailed.
“I can't," he said. “I must see Miss Blow
this evening.”
“Oh, of course, if you have an appointment
with Miss Blow—I suppose the poor doctor won't
mind now.”
“You're quite wrong. I haven't that sort of an
appointment at all. The simple fact is that I'm
afraid of her. If I don't see her and manage to
keep her quiet somehow, she'll be over at the
barrack again making a nuisance of herself. You
couldn't tell what she'd do.”
“She might take it into her head that you were
murdered, and set everybody searching for your
body.”
“She might do anything. That's the reason I
won't stay to dine with you, though I'd like to.”
“Good night," said Lord Manton. “Let me
know how things go on; and if you are driven to
bloodhounds, remember that I can put you on to
the best in England.”
When Mr. Goddard got back to the hotel, he
found that his self-sacrifice was wasted. Miss
Blow had retired to her room for the night.
“It could be,” said Jimmy O'Loughlin, “that
the young lady was tired. ‘Bridgy,' says she,
when she came in, ‘I'm off up to my bed; and I'd
be thankful to you if you'd bring me up a cup of


130 THE SEARCH PARTY
have said. Mr. Goddard felt that Jimmy O'Lough-
lin was adding a varnish of politeness to the original
remark. The next words reassured him. There
was at least a foundation of fact beneath the version
of the story which he had heard.
“‘And take care,' says she, “that the kettle's
boiling, for the last cup you made for me was
poison, and smoked at that.'"
The words were not yet the words of Miss
Blow, but the meaning might very well have been
hers.
“She's mighty particular about her tea,” said
Jimmy. “She has the life fair plagued out of
Bridgy; not but what Bridgy deserves it. And
what would you be wishing for yourself, Mr.
Goddard P."
Mr. Goddard wished that he had accepted Lord
Manton's invitation. Since it appeared that Miss
Blow was safely in her room, perhaps actually in
bed, he might just as well have dined in comfort at
Clonmore Castle. But he did not make this reply
to Jimmy O'Loughlin. He said that what he was
wishing for himself was a chop and a bottle of
porter. He might have said whisky instead of
porter, but he knew that there was no hope
of getting anything else in the way of food except
the chop. Jimmy O'Loughlin accepted the order
and ushered his guest into the commercial room,
which happened to be empty.
In due time Bridgv entered with the chop. It


THE SEARCH PARTY 131
and then, lest it too should freeze, plunged his
knife and fork into the chop. Bridgy uncorked his
bottle of porter, and set it on the table beside a dish
of potatoes. Yellow froth oozed rapidly from the
mouth of the bottle and ran down on to the table-
cloth. It added one more brown stain to those
which the last four commercial travellers, eating
in haste, had made with Worcester sauce, mustard,
or gravy. Mr. Goddard, who had a fastidious
dislike of dirty table linen, seized the bottle, and
then discovered that he had no tumbler. He set
the bottle in the fender, and rang the bell furiously.
Bridgy half opened the door, and put her head
into the room. The rest of her body remained
outside. This was her ordinary way of presenting
herself to people who rang bells. She looked as if
she expected to have plates thrown at her, and
meant to be ready for a swift retreat.
“A tumbler,” said Mr. Goddard.
Bridgy smiled pleasantly. “It's hardly ever,”
she said, “I lay the table but I do be forgetting
something. It might be the salt, or—have you the
salt P. Glory be to God! you have, and the spoon
along with it.”
There was a pool of considerable size in the
fender round the porter bottle, and the froth was
still oozing out persistently.
“A tumbler," said Mr. Goddard again.


132 THE SEARCH PARTY
you that Mr. Moriarty from the barrack below is at
the door, and he says he wants to see you. I'm
thinking it's a telegram that he has in his hand.”
Mr. Goddard rose. “Get a cloth,” he said, “if
there is a cloth in the house—"
“Sure there is," murmured Bridgy, “there's
dozens."
“And mop up that abominable mess. Take the
chop down to the kitchen and heat it up again.
Get another bottle of porter; and for heaven's sake
let me have a meal I can eat when I come back."
He went out and discovered Constable Moriarty,
who had, as Bridgy observed, a telegram in his
hand.
“It came, sir," said the constable, “and you
just after leaving Ballymoy with the young lady.
The sergeant beyond said I'd better bring it with
me the way you'd get it at once, in case it might be
important.”
Mr. Goddard opened it. “From Inspector-
General, Dublin Castle,” he read. “Party of
Members of Parliament arrive Clonmore to-
morrow, noon, from Dublin. On tour. Provide
vehicles to meet train. Show every attention.
Five in party."
“Damn it!" said Mr. Goddard.
Every one in Ireland had heard of the tour of
the Members of Parliament. It was well advertised
-_ -- -- - -


THE SEARCH PARTY 133
influential politicians, and that more than the usual
number of journalists would be in attendance. It
was felt that the tour offered a unique opportunity
for producing a lasting effect on English public
opinion. There was, consequently, a severe
struggle in Dublin among the numerous people
who wanted to conduct the strangers round Ireland.
Not only all the heads of all the Boards and De-
partments, but all the Presidents and Secretaries
of the Leagues and Associations unconnected with
the Government were anxious to secure the honour.
In the end it fell to a high official, who, in order to
obtain it, made what was felt to be an unfair use of
the influence he possessed in England. When he
found at the last moment that the party consisted
after all of only two Members of Parliament, and
they men of inferior calibre and no real standing,
he was disgusted and withdrew his offer of a motor
car. When he found, further, that there were to be
no journalists, and that the Members of Parliament
were to be accompanied only by three women, two
wives and one aunt, he lost his temper and offered
the party to any League which liked to apply for
it. In the end he made over his whole responsi-
bility to the police. The party went from place to
place in the usual way. It was met at railway
stations by polite inspectors of police, allowed to
ask questions of the people who could be relied
+,-- * 1
-------- -------- +1-- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ and rivan avraº-tz


134 THE SEARCH PARTY
Then the Inspector-General of Police, who was
getting tired of making arrangements for them,
sent them to Clonmore. It was a very distant
place, the terminus of the line of railway on which
it stood, and it was supposed that no harm could
possibly come of their visiting it. They were told
to drive from Clonmore round a particularly
desolate coast, to stop at hotels which were quite
abominable, and to pick up another railway fifty
miles off. The Inspector-General reckoned that
the trip would take at least four days, and that at
the end of it the party would have had enough of
Ireland. In any case he would not be bothered
with them again until they reached the fifty miles
distant railway station.
When Mr. Goddard read the telegram he was
greatly irritated. He did not want to conduct a
party of Members of Parliament round Clonmore,
and their coming would certainly not help him to
deal with Miss Blow. He foresaw frightful compli-
cations. It was possible that the Members of
Parliament, rejoicing in the unexpected discovery
of a side of Irish life hitherto unknown to them,
might insist on joining in the search for the body
of Dr. O'Grady. He determined, if he possibly
could, to prevent their arrival. He went back into
the hotel and wrote a telegram.





CHAPTER XII
R. GODDARD met Miss Blow at breakfast next
morning, and nerved himself to the task of
telling her that the search for Dr. O'Grady's body
must be put off for twenty-four hours on account
of the visit of the Members of Parliament to the
district. He did not know exactly how she would
take the news. He half hoped that she might get
angry and say something which would give him an
excuse for washing his hands of her affairs. He
feared that she might cry again as she had cried in
his dining-room the day before. He did not want
to comfort her under Jimmy O'Loughlin's roof.
Either Bridgy or Mrs. O'Loughlin might enter the
room at any moment. Even Jimmy himself, under
some pretext, might interrupt the affecting scene.
Mr. Goddard was conscious that an account of his
dealings with a tearful Miss Blow given by Jimmy
O'Loughlin would add to the gaiety of the neigh-
bourhood. His hope, as it turned out, was quite
vain and his fear unfounded. Miss Blow took the
news in a most unexpected way.
“I'm glad to hear it," she said.
MM - ſº --1-1--> ----- ---------~~1 MM -- D1 ---- ---


THE SEARCH PARTY 137
which did not apply in Dr. O'Grady's case because
no one knew who had the body, and trial by jury,
a notoriously uncertain thing in Ireland, she looked
to Parliament as the great safeguard of individual
rights and liberties.
It became obvious to Mr. Goddard that Miss
Blow expected the touring Members to take up her
case at once and vigorously, perhaps to make a
special law about it on the spot. He tried to
explain that these particular Members were travel-
ling unofficially. Miss Blow did not seem to think
that fact made any difference. A Member of Parlia-
ment, according to her view, is a Member of Parlia-
ment, whether he is actually delivering a vote at
Westminster or not. Mr. Goddard then gave it as
his opinion that there were too few Members of
Parliament in the party to do anything effective.
“It isn't,” he said, “as if we had enough of them
to constitute a majority of the House.”
Miss Blow, by way of reply, stated her inten-
tion of meeting the party at the railway station.
She said she was sure that as soon as they heard
her story they would bestir themselves just as
Lord Manton and Mr. Goddard had, but rather
more vigorously. She even suggested that a
telegram might be sent to the Prime Minister. Mr.
Goddard discouraged her. He felt that he was
being rapidly edged into a very awkward position.
It was utterly impossible to calculate the effect
that a story like Miss Blow's might produce on an


138 THE SEARCH PARTY
show the approaching party every civility. It
would certainly not be civil to plunge them into a
vortex of mysterious crime. The Inspector-General
would naturally be vexed if such a thing happened,
and Mr. Goddard's prospects of promotion, never
very brilliant, would be injured.
“I don't think it would do,” he said, “for you to
meet them at the railway station.”
“Why not?"
The Miss Blow at the other side of the breakfast
table with a teapot in front of her and a decisive
way of handling it seemed quite different from the
Miss Blow who had wept so pleasingly in his
dining-room the day before.
“I rather think," he said feebly, “that they have
ladies with them."
“All the better," said Miss Blow.
“And their tour is quite unofficial. We're not
supposed to know that they are Members of Parlia-
ment.”
“But we do know," said Miss Blow.
The argument ended by Mr. Goddard promising
to lay the case before the Members. It was only
by making the promise that he was able to induce
Miss Blow to refrain from going to the railway
station. Having made it, he slipped out of the
room. It was after ten o'clock. and he still had to


THE SEARCH PARTY 139
“Is it the Lord Lieutenant 7" said Jimmy
O'Loughlin.
“No, it's not. It's a private party."
“I asked the question,” said Jimmy, “because, if
it was the Lord Lieutenant itself, he couldn't get
the brake."
“Oh well, that's all right. It's not the Lord
Lieutenant.”
“And if the Lord Lieutenant wouldn't get it,"
said Jimmy, “you may take your oath that another
won't.”
“And why not?"
“Because the two front wheels is off the only
brake there is in the town, and Patsy Devlin has
them up at the forge fixing them, and he's gone
from us. That's why.”
“And there isn't another brake 7"
“There is not.”
“There are five in the party,” said Mr. Goddard.
“We'll have to get two cars."
“It's a good eight miles to Rosivera,” said
Jimmy, “and better than ten on from that to Pool-
a-donagh. I wouldn't say that there was a horse
in the town fit to do the journey with four on the
car, and there'll have to be four on one of the cars,
if there's five in the party, that'll be counting the
drivers. My own mare was over at Ballymoy
yesterday with Constable Moriarty and the doctor's
- – ------ * – 1-----


140 THE SEARCH PARTY
country," said Jimmy, “that I'd do it for only
yourself; but seeing that the party is friends of
your own, I'll let my mare go, and I'll get Patsy
Devlin's grey pony that was promised to Mr.
Byrne for the day to be carting home the turf, the
same pony that the priest was thinking of buying.
It's little use Patsy's widow will have for a pony
now her husband's gone from her, the creature. I
don't know another that you could put under a
side car for a gentleman to sit behind, and it's
badly able for the road the grey pony will be this
minute."
“Give her a feed of oats between this and the
time the train comes in," said Mr. Goddard.
“I will; and I'll see if I can't get the loan of the
priest's cushions for the old car. The ones that
are on it are terrible bad."
Jimmy O'Loughlin was certainly not guilty of
raising any false hopes about the quality of his
cattle or his vehicles; but Mr. Goddard had a
feeling of cold disgust when he saw the two cars
standing together outside the railway station.
Jimmy O'Loughlin's mare was the better of the
two animals, and she looked extraordinary feeble
and depressed. The grey pony, which should have
been drawing home Mr. Byrne's turf, was clearly
unfit for the journey before him. He may have been
fretting for the loss of Patsv Devlin. He mav have


THE SEARCH PARTY 141
handsome tips from the strangers at the end of their
day's work, and were quite prepared to earn them
by saying all the things which tourists expect from
Irish car drivers. They were primed with stories
of the most popular kind about every point of
interest along the road. They had a store of bulls
and humorous repartees ready to their lips. They
touched their hats jauntily to Mr. Goddard as he
passed them. He was a benefactor, and they owed
him respect and thanks.
The train drew up at the platform. The door
of a first-class compartment was flung open, and a
gentleman bounded from it. His face expressed a
feeling of irresponsible holiday happiness. His
movements and the pose of his body suggested
abundant vitality and energy. He turned and
assisted three ladies to alight. One, the youngest
of them, he lifted out in his arms and deposited
three or four paces from the carriage door. He
laughed merrily as he did so. She also laughed.
The other two ladies, who had not been embraced,
laughed. The holiday spirit was strong in all of
them. Then, still laughing, he turned to the
carriage again, and received from some one inside
a number of bags, boxes, coats and parcels. He
took them two by two and laid them in a long row
at the feet of the ladies. Then a second gentleman
got out of the train, a long, lean man, of sallow
complexion and serious expression.
Mr. Goddard felt that it was time to introduce
himself. He approached the party cautiously,


142 THE SEARCH PARTY
“You are Mr. Goddard,” he said joyously. “I’m
sure you must be. I'm delighted to meet you.
My name is Dick, surname, you know. Christian
name similar—Richard. Richard Dick, M.P., not
yet in the Cabinet."
He had to the highest possible degree that air
of breezy joviality assumed by many Englishmen
when they cross St. George's Channel. It was as
if, having at last reached the land of frolicsome
recklessness, he was determined to show himself
capable of wild excess and a very extremity of
Celtic fervour.
Mr. Goddard bowed, and murmured that he felt
it a pleasure and an honour to make Mr. Dick's
acquaintance.
“This,” said Mr. Dick, “is Mr. Sanders.
Sorrowful Sanders we call him, on account of the
expression of his face. He's not in the Cabinet
either; but he soon will be.” He caught Mr.
Goddard by the arm and whispered a clearly
audible aside. “He’s a Scot, and that's nearly the
same thing, you know.”
“Shut up, Dick 1" said Mr. Sanders.
“How can you talk such nonsense?” said the
eldest of the three ladies, whose appearance sug-
gested some strength of character, and suddenly
brought back Miss Blow to Mr. Goddard's mind.
“This,” said Mr. Dick, indicating the lady, “is
Miss Farquharson, Sanders' aunt. This” — he


THE SEARCH PARTY 143
Mr. Goddard bowed three times, and then
glanced doubtfully at the bags which lay on the
platform.
“I’ve only been able to get two cars for you,”
he said. “Have you much more luggage in the
van P”
“Oh, but an Irish car can carry any quantity of
luggage,” said Miss Farquharson. “I’ve seen them
absolutely packed, and still there was room for
more."
Mr. Goddard admitted that this was true; but
he thought of Patsy Devlin's grey pony and the
long miles between Clonmore and Pool-a-donagh.
“And if there isn't room,” said Mrs. Dick, “I’d
like to sit in the middle—on the well—isn't that
what they call it?—with my back against the driver.
I saw a boy sitting like that the other day, and it
looked lovely.”
“It's all right,” said Mr. Dick. “We have two
bikes with us. Sanders and I will ride. You
shall have my machine, Sanders, and I'll take my
wife's. Come along. The spin will do you all the
good in the world. We'll pedal along and let the
ladies have the cars."
Mr. Sanders protested strongly against this
plan. He had, he said, a weak heart, and cycling
did not agree with him. He was overborne by a
command from his aunt, and towed down the plat-
£--~ +oura-Ae the 111 o'era ore van hur Mr Tirlz Miss


144 THE SEARCH PARTY
“He's so full of energy,” said Mrs. Dick, watch-
ing her husband's progress admiringly. “I say
the air of Ireland has got into his head.”
“Is he not so energetic at home 2" asked Mr.
Goddard.
“Indeed he isn't. Just fancy if he was 1."
She giggled convulsively at the thought. It
was evident that Mr. Dick, though not a Scot,
belonged to some part of the country where
decorum of demeanour and a certain gravity are
expected from Members of Parliament.
“‘Fare thee well,’” shouted Mr. Dick from the
end of the platform, “‘and if for ever, still for ever
fare thee well.'"
He was wheeling the two bicycles out of the
station, and was followed by the obviously reluctant
Mr. Sanders.
“Richard, Richard | " said his wife.
Mr. Dick paused and looked round.
“Have you got your sandwiches P Don't go
without your sandwiches. I'm sure they're in my
hold-all."
But Mr. Dick patted his coat pocket trium-
phantly. He had the sandwiches. He was not
the kind of man, so his attitude suggested, the
feeble and inefficient kind of man, who goes off
without his sandwiches. A moment later, having


THE SEARCH PARTY 145
been here before. He'll get lost. Whatever are
we to do P”
Mr. Goddard consoled her. He pointed out
that Mr. Dick had started in the right direction;
that it was generally possible to make inquiries
when in doubt; that, as a matter of fact, once clear
of Clonmore, there was only one road on which
anybody could ride a bicycle, and that it led
straight to Pool-a-donagh. Miss Farquharson
helped to reassure her.
“Where there's a will there's a way,” she said
sententiously.
“Do stop him,” said Mrs. Dick. “You must
stop him. He's got my pocket-handkerchief in his
pocket. I gave it to him to keep for me in the
train."
“I can't,” said Mr. Goddard. “He’s gone.
He's out of sight. Even if he wasn't, I don't think
that I could stop him. But I can lend you a pocket-
handkerchief. I have two. This one is quite
clean.”
Then came the business of packing the ladies
and their belongings on the cars. Mr. Goddard,
after consultation with the station master and a
porter, gave all the luggage to the driver of Patsy
Devlin's grey pony. Jimmy O'Loughlin's mare
was the more likely of the two animals to reach
Pool-a-donagh, and the station master pointed Out


146 THE SEARCH PARTY
small crowd outside the railway station, which
watched with reverent wonder her climbing and
wriggling. She waved both hands to Mr. Goddard
as soon as she had settled herself comfortably, and
was very nearly thrown off the car when the mare
started with a jerk. Afterwards she clung to Miss
Farquharson and Mrs. Sanders, who sat one on
each side of her.
It was not until the two cars were well on their
way down the road that Mr. Goddard recollected
the promise he had made to Miss Blow. He had
really intended to fulfil it. He had it in his mind
to say something of a light and jocular kind about
the disappearance of the doctor, something which
would redeem the letter of his promise without
exciting the Members of Parliament. It was not,
he reflected, in any way his fault that he had
failed. He had no opportunity of speaking. Mr.
Dick's impetuous energy had made it quite impos-
sible to approach the subject of Dr. O'Grady. But,
while his own conscience absolved him, he was
quite sure that he would not be able to explain
himself satisfactorily to Miss Blow. She would
not believe that Members of Parliament could
possibly behave as Mr. Dick had behaved. She
would not understand the effect of the Irish air
upon naturally staid men. There was some com-
fort for him in the thought that the cars, with Mrs.
Dick's legs swinging off the foremost one, must
have nassed the hotel. and that Miss Blow might


THE SEARCH PARTY 147
very probably sang some song of the open road as
he sped through Clonmore. Miss Blow might
have heard it, might have seen for herself the sort
of people these tourists were. If she did, Mr.
Goddard's reputation as a man of honour would be
safe. She could not possibly expect him to redeem
his promise.
Then a fresh and most depressing thought
attacked him. The Members of Parliament had
come and were gone; but there was another
promise of his unfulfilled. Miss Blow would
certainly expect him to start at once and search for
Dr. O'Grady. He knew that he could not postpone
the matter any longer. She would pin him to his
word, insist upon immediate action, refuse to rest
satisfied with excuses. He walked very slowly
down the hill from the station.
A cowardly way of escape presented itself to
him at the last moment. His horse and trap were
in the hotel yard. If he could get them without
being seen by Miss Blow he might drive back
to Ballymoy. Miss Blow, since the Members of
Parliament had got the only available cars, could
not follow him. Forgetful of honour and chivalry,
of Miss Blow's tear-stained face, of the pressure of
her hand, of the kiss which he had nearly given
to her glove, he made up his mind to fly. He
approached the hotel very cautiously.
Like a thirstvº man on a Sundav who has not


148 THE SEARCH PARTY
the hotel along the road. He caught sight of Bridgy
staring out of the scullery window. She had
watched him climb the wall and was most anxious
to discover what he intended to do next. It seemed
to her unnatural that an officer of police should
enter an hotel in such a way. Mr. Goddard,
taking shelter in the stable, beckoned to her through
the door. Filled with curiosity, she crossed the
yard and joined him in the stable.
“Bridgy,” he said, “here's a shilling for you. Is
Mr. O'Loughlin inside P”
“He is, sir,” said Bridgy.
“Then tell him to come out here. I want to
speak to him."
“Is it out to the stable 7"
Mr. Goddard had sacrificed his own self-respect
when he yielded to temptation and made up his
mind to escape. He now flung away all hope of
ever being respected by Bridgy.
“Yes; here in the stable. And if you meet Miss
Blow, don't tell her where I am."
“I will not. Why would I? But sure—”
“Go on now, like a good girl, and don't waste
your time talking to me."
Jimmy O'Loughlin was a man of tact and good
manners. He greeted Mr. Goddard cheerfully as
if there were nothing surprising in the choice of a
stable for the scene of an important interview.
He had been warned by Bridgv that Mr. Goddard.


THE SEARCH PARTY 149
“I want my horse and trap," said Mr. Goddard,
“and I want to pay my bill. I am going back to
Ballymoy at once.”
“I wouldn't say but you're right,” said Jimmy,
“if them ones is likely to be back here in the
course of the day.”
“It's not that. I don't mind about them. It's
business that's taking me home—important
business.”
This was too much for Jimmy O'Loughlin.
His tact and manners were good, but he was not
going to allow Mr. Goddard to escape without an
allusion to Miss Blow.
“The doctor's young lady is within, waiting for
you,” he said.
“I know that; but I haven't time to talk to her
now. In fact, it is most important that I should get
away without her seeing me—on account of my
business."
“I wouldn't say but you might be right there
too,” said Jimmy.
They set to work together and harnessed Mr.
Goddard's horse. They led him into the yard and
put him between the shafts of the trap as silently
as possible.
“I’m thinking,” said Jimmy, “that maybe it would
be better for you not to be paying me the trifle
that's due for your bed and your dinner until the
next time you're over.”
“Very well. Then I'll be able to start at once.”
ra. * * -





CHAPTER XIII
M* DICK, who was a man of energy, rode
fast. Mr. Sanders toiled behind him, but
was able to keep him in sight because Mr.
Dick dismounted and waited for him at the top of
every hill. The day was hot, and there was very
little breeze. Neither of the men was in good
training. Both of them became thirsty. Five
miles outside of Clonmore the road crosses a
small river. Mr. Dick stopped on the bridge,
and, when Mr. Sanders overtook him, proposed
that they should take a drink. They made their
way down to the stream, lay on their stomachs,
and sucked up large quantities of luke-warm water.
Then they rode on again, and, as might have been
expected, became much hotter and thirstier than
they were before. Mr. Dick stopped again, this
time at a pool. Mr. Sanders, though very thirsty,
expressed doubts about the wholesomeness of the
water. Mr. Dick explained briefly that, as there
was no human habitation in sight, the pool could
not possibly be polluted by drains. Then he lay
<!---------1 -1----1- - - ------1-- - - - -----~1 ~ + -- ~~~~


152 THE SEARCH PARTY
from his draught, chose the cleanest corner of the
pool and drank a great deal more than was good
for him. The water of the pool was even warmer
than that of the river.
Then it was discovered that one of the tyres of
the bicycle ridden by Mr. Dick had burst. He
had pumped it too vehemently, and the heat of the
sun had swelled the air inside until the strain
was too great for the cover. Both tool-bags were
examined, but no materials for repair were found
in them. Even under these circumstances Mr.
Dick remained cheerful.
“We'll walk on," he said, “until we come to a
police barrack. We're bound to come to one
soon.”
“What good will that be 7"
Mr. Sanders did not want to walk on if he
could help it.
“In Ireland,” said Mr. Dick, “the police are
experts at repairing bicycles. One of the people
we met last week told me that. He was an
inspector of something, and was always going
about the country, so he'd be sure to know."
“In any case,” said Mr. Sanders, “there isn't
likely to be a police barrack about here. There
are no houses. We haven't passed a single human
habitation for the last twenty minutes.”
Mr. Dick overruled this obiection at once.


THE SEARCH PARTY 153
of the country are those from which the people
have been evicted. They naturally want to get
back again, and so police barracks are built to
prevent them doing so. You will always find a
barrack where there are no people. A man who
was greatly interested in the land question told me
that the day before yesterday."
“I think," said Mr. Sanders, “that I'll sit down
here and wait till the cars overtake me. You can
take your own bicycle and go on if you like.”
“You’d better not, because the cars may never
overtake you. We may be on the wrong road
altogether. I didn't ask the way. I simply steered
a course by the sun like an explorer in central
Africa.”
“What an ass you are, Dick!"
“Not an ass, Sanders, not an ass, an adventurer.
I love risk for its own sake. The blood of the
ancient Bersekers is in my veins. I feel like the
man in the song “Fiddle and I," that is to say, in
this case,
‘Biky and I
Wandering by
Over the world together.’
If you don't come on with me, Sanders, you will
get lost like a babe in the wood, and then
“When you are dead
The robins so red
Will take strawberry leaves and over you spread.' xx


154 THE SEARCH PARTY
climbed a long hill and found walking even hotter
work than bicycling. But they had their reward.
From the top of the hill the entrance gate and the
trees of Rosivera were visible.
“A sail, a sail!" cried Mr. Dick. “We are
saved 1
‘We shall hear the sweet music of speech,
Nor finish our journey alone.”
“It looks like a gentleman's place,” said Mr.
Sanders, “a dilapidated gentleman's place. I
mean to say, of course, the dilapidated place of a
gentleman."
Mr. Dick was not a stickler for the nice arrange-
ment of adjectives.
“Of course,” he said, “it’s a dilapidated gentle-
man's place. All gentlemen's places in Ireland are
dilapidated. That is one of the consequences of
the recent land legislation."
“Rents,” said Mr. Sanders, who took a special
delight in all kinds of figures, “were reduced twenty
per cent. all round on an average at the first fixing.
Then they were reduced again by—”
“Come on,” said Mr. Dick. “The proprietor,
whoever he is, must have enough left to buy a
repair outfit. Let's go and borrow it."
He had heard quite as much as he wanted to
hear about rent fixing and land purchase during the
fortnight he had spent in Ireland. He did not
want to orn into the matter aorain It required


THE SEARCH PARTY 155
went down the avenue, Mr. Dick leading the way
with the two bicycles. Turning a corner, they
came suddenly upon a view of the house. Beyond
it, at the bottom of the lawn, lay the bay.
“Dilapidated 1" said Mr. Sanders, in disgust.
“I knew it would be dilapidated, but I didn't expect
it to be as bad as this. It looks to me as if it were
uninhabited.”
Mr. Dick paid no attention to the appearance of
the house. The sight of the sea seemed to intoxi-
cate him. He was very hot and very dusty. The
idea of bathing in cold water was delightful.
“We'll have a swim,” he said. “First we'll
knock up the proprietor, borrow the repair outfit,
and mend the tyre. Then we'll go round the
corner, out of sight of the house, and wallow in
the briny wave.”
But Mr. Sanders was cautious, more cautious
than he had been about drinking the water out of
the pool.
“You've no towel,” he said.
“What do we care for towels? We are primi-
tive men, savages on our native wild, cave dwellers
of the paleolithic age. I should spurn a towel if it
was offered me.”
“That's all very well for you, Dick; but I have
a weak heart, and I have to be careful. In the
heated state in which I am at present, I daren't
risk bathing, especially without a towel."


156 THE SEARCH PARTY
Mr. Sanders sighed at this fresh evidence of dilapi-
dation. There was no knocker either. Mr. Dick
hammered on the door with his fist until he thought
he had made noise enough to attract attention.
Then he walked on towards the shore, leaving his
friend alone to enjoy the hospitality or face the
wrath of the inmates of the house. Mr. Sanders
waited for some time and then knocked again.
After another pause he tried kicking the door.
Then he rang both the bicycle bells. At last he
began to despair of attracting attention. Some men,
under the circumstances, would have gone away.
Mr. Sanders was persevering and little troubled
with delicacy of feeling. He pushed open the door
and walked in.
Mr. Dick, yearning for a swim, soon found a
spot which seemed sufficiently secluded. It was
not particularly attractive as a bathing-place. The
beach was covered with small rough stones; and,
the tide being out, there was a considerable stretch
of beach. The water near the shore was full of
jellyfish and brown seaweed. But Mr. Dick was
too hot and too eager to care much about these
inconveniences. His desire was to get as quickly
as possible into the sea. He undressed beside a
large stone which lay just above high-water mark.
Then his troubles began. He had never before


58 THE SEARCH PARTY
“This,” he said breathlessly, when he had
finished the song for the third time, “is better than
mending bicycles. I wonder how poor Sanders is
getting on ?"
He wallowed round and faced the shore. He
saw a man approaching from the direction in which
the house lay.
“ Hullo—lo — ol" he shouted. “Coo — ee,
Sanders!"
Then he saw that it was not Mr. Sanders. He
came to the conclusion that it must be one of the
inhabitants of the house. He was perfectly right.
It was Mr. Red.
“Funny-looking old cock he is,” said Mr. Dick.
Mr. Red stalked majestically along the shore.
Mr. Dick swam to meet him. His heart was light.
He broke into a song of greeting—
“Come o'er the sea,
Stranger to me,
Mine through sunshine, storm and cloud l’”
Mr. Red walked straight to the place where Mr.
Dick's clothes lay. It seemed possible that he was
bringing down a towel. Mr. Dick swam on towards
the shore, intending to express his gratitude for the
civility. Mr. Red reached the clothes, picked them
up one by one and walked away with them. Mr.
Dick shouted after him, but without effect. He
swam for the shore as quicklv as he could. If the


THE SEARCH PARTY 159
deposited the clothes on the grass at some distance
from the beach, turned round, and walked towards
the sea again. Mr. Dick felt bottom with his feet,
and plunged forward until he stood in water which
only reached his knees. Mr. Red, standing on the
very brink of the sea, took a revolver out of his
pocket and pointed it at Mr. Dick.
“Come on shore,” he said.
By way of reply Mr. Dick sat down suddenly,
rolled over on his side, and lay with no part of him
above water except his head. He did not like
standing naked in front of a revolver which might
be loaded.
“Come !” said Mr. Red.
Mr. Dick put his head under water, and kept it
there as long as he could. When he came up,
gasping, he saw the revolver still levelled at
him.
“Come at once,” said Mr. Red, “ or I shall
fire 1"
Mr. Dick struggled to his feet and stumbled
forward a few steps. Then his self-respect, the
self-respect which is the birthright of every free-
born Briton, asserted itself within him.
“I presume,” he said, speaking with a certain
cold dignity, “that this beach is private property,
and that I have trespassed by bathing here. If so,
I offer my apologies; but I cannot refrain from
- - - -
~~~~ : * ~ -4. 4-1-- ~~~~~~ +**** ~ +1+...+ +!-- ~~~~~~c civya ºr -1.-- ~~


160 THE SEARCH PARTY
the shore. He pushed his way through the sea-
weed and jellyfish and stood at last, a pitiful
dripping figure, on dry land.
“Go on," said Mr. Red, fingering the revolver.
The fear of instant death impelled Mr. Dick over
the sharp stones. He travelled rapidly for five or
six yards, and then collapsed suddenly on to all-
fours.
“Go on quickly," said Mr. Red.
Mr. Dick went on as quickly as he could on his
hands and feet. He looked like a large hairless ape
of some bleached kind. Then, overcome by the
pain of both hands and feet, he sat down and faced
Mr. Red.
“This is an outrage," he said. “I protest
against it in the strongest possible manner. You
have absolutely no right—"
“Get up," said Mr. Red, “and precede me to
the house.”
Mr. Dick got up with a groan. He was really
suffering considerably. The Berseker spirit, active
in him during an earlier part of the day, was
almost dead. He staggered on a few steps. Then
a new notion seized him, a fear which was actually
stronger than the fear of death. He understood
suddenly that he was not, as he had boasted, a
primitive man; that he was, on the contrary, highly
civilized. He turned on Mr. Red and faced the
revolver without a tremor.
“I won't go to the house without my clothes,”
he said. “There may be ladies. There may be


THE SEARCH PARTY 161
unmistakable. Mr. Red tried to bully him, but
failed. No threat was of any avail.
“I won't go," said Mr. Dick, “unless I can have
my shirt at least."
“You can have your shirt,” said Mr. Red. “Go
and get it.”
Mr. Dick made his way slowly across the beach.
He looked over his shoulder from time to time, and
saw that Mr. Red was following closely with the
revolver. He reached the grass, felt it soft under
his feet, and moved more easily. It occurred to him
that he might make a dash for liberty. Mr. Red
would shoot, no doubt; but he might miss. He
might hit, and still only wound—wound in some
trifling way which would not prevent further flight.
There was a grove of trees not fifty yards distant.
They were small, scrubby trees, but they would
afford some shelter. He made up his mind to risk
it. Then the awful prospect before him made him
pause. How could he—even supposing that he was
not shot dead at once—wander stark naked through
a strange country?
He reached the pile of clothes, stooped down
and picked up his shirt. Then he took up his
trousers.
“Drop that,” said Mr. Red.
Dean Swift noted the fact that an unarmed man
in his shirt is likely to get the worst of a struggle
with eight armed men who are fully dressed. The
chances are more equal, if there is only one armed
~~~~ * r - " - -------~~! ------ ~~~~ 1-3 - *-*** =e--- ~- Mr


162 THE SEARCH PARTY
shirt, which was flannel, restored Mr. Dick's self-
respect and courage. He turned on Mr. Red once
In Ore.
“If this is the way that Irish landlords habitually
behave,” he said, “I don't wonder that there has
been an agrarian revolution in the country. I
always had a certain sympathy with your class
before, but now that I know what you really are I
shall vote for the next Land Bill that is brought in,
whatever it is."
“Precede me to the house,” said Mr. Red.
Mr. Dick walked on. He crossed the grass
rapidly and came to the gravel sweep in front of
the house. Here his feet began to give him great
pain again. The gravel was in some ways worse
than the stones on the beach had been. Mr. Dick
felt it severely.
“I’ve heard stories,” said Mr. Dick, “of the
way you Irish landlords treated your tenants in
the past. I know now that I didn't hear half the
truth. Anything more abominable, more outrageous,
more utterly illegal—"
He reached the door of the house as he spoke,
and stepped with a sigh of relief on to the smooth
step.
“Look here," he said, “where's Sanders? Have
you murdered Sanders?"
He went forward again, passed through the door,
and stood in the hall.


164 THE SEARCH PARTY
he became bored and refused to read any more. He
used to walk about the room whistling loudly.
There were only two tunes which he cared to
whistle—“The wearing of the Green" and “God
save Ireland." Theconstant repetition of them began
to irritate Dr. O'Grady at the end of the second day
of Patsy's captivity. He expostulated, and Patsy
agreed to stop whistling. He was a man of kindly
heart and had a real affection for the doctor.
“I wouldn't," he said, “be doing what might
annoy you ; and if so be that the tunes is disagree-
able, there won't be another note of them heard from
this out.”
He meant what he said, but he promised more
than he was able to perform. It soon appeared that
he could not help whistling. He did not, in fact,
know when he was whistling. The tunes came
bubbling from his pursed lips against his will.
Dr. O'Grady recognized that Patsy could not
accomplish the impossible. He gave up reading
about anarchists, and asked Mr. Red for a pack
of cards. The request, a reasonable one, was
refused, and Dr. O'Grady snubbed for making it.
Mr. Red disapproved of card-playing on principle.
He said that games of chance were demoralizing
to the human race. As a consistent anarchist he
could not and would not allow them to be played
- *---


THE SEARCH PARTY 165
of the table. Patsy displayed a great aptitude for
the game. After an hour's play he was fairly expert.
Before the end of the afternoon he had won nine-
pence from Dr. O'Grady. He practised assiduously
next morning while the doctor read anarchist books.
During the afternoon and evening he won, to his
great delight, sums which amounted altogether to
one-and-sevenpence. He did not whistle while he
practised or played. In order to concentrate his
whole energy on the game he was obliged to keep
his mouth wide open.
A game was in full swing on the third afternoon
of Patsy's captivity when the key turned in the lock
and the door of the room was flung open.
“Now what,” said Dr. O'Grady, “can the
Emperor possibly want with us at this hour of
the day? It's not tea-time.”
Mr. Dick, clad only in his grey flannel shirt,
walked in.
“Hallo!” said Dr. O'Grady, “are you an anti-
military anarchist getting into training for the
simple life? Or are you a new recruit undergoing
the ceremony of initiation into the brotherhood 7
Or is it nothing but the heat of the day ?"
Mr. Red and the bearded anarchist dragged
Mr. Sanders into the room and deposited him,
still bound, on the floor.
“Oh,” said the doctor, “another captivel Good.
Riit don't overdo the thin or Frn neror Vol.1 can't


166 THE SEARCH PARTY
and if he happens to belong to any English firm,
a search will sooner or later be made for him.”
“We are Members of Parliament,” said Mr. Dick.
“You don't look as if you were," said the
doctor. “Does he, Patsy?"
“Be damn, but he does not l I've seen some
queer fellows made members of Parliament in my
day. There was one time I was very near going in
for it myself; but I never heard tell of e'er a one
yet but owned a pair of breeches—to start with,
anyway."
“You hear what Patsy Devlin says,” said the
doctor. “He quite agrees with me that you don't
look like a Member of Parliament."
Mr. Red, with his assistant anarchist, left the
room and locked the door behind him. Dr.
O'Grady shouted after him.
“Hullo! Emperor I say, are you there 7
Wait a minute before you go away. Are you
listening to me?”
“I hear.”
Mr. Red's voice, coming through the shut door,
sounded more solemn than usual.
“I'm glad you do," said Dr. O'Grady. “Don't
go away now till I've finished speaking. I want
you to understand that we can't possibly have
these two fellows billeted here on us. It's all very
fine for you to go about picking up all sorts of
people off the public roads and dumping them
down here; but Patsy Devlin and I don't like it.
It's not fair. I told vou hefore that we don't in


THE SEARCH PARTY 167
in here into a room which we have come to regard
as our private apartment.”
“We are Members of Parliament,” said Mr.
Dick. “We demand to be taken at once before the
British Consul.”
He appeared to think, not at all unnaturally,
that he had strayed beyond the bounds of His
Majesty's dominions.
“Do shut up,” said Dr. O'Grady, in a whisper.
“We don't believe you're Members of Parliament.
Nor does the Emperor. As a matter of fact, you're
not up to the level of the average county
councillor in the way of respectability. Saying
absurd things like that will simply enrage the
Emperor. He's frightfully touchy, and the moment
he loses his temper he shoots off his pistol. I
say,” he went on in a loud tone, “are you there
still ? Hang it, I believe he's gone. That's your
fault." He addressed Mr. Dick. “Why didn't you
keep your mouth shut and let me talk to him P
Now the Emperor won't be back till tea-time, and
we'll have to put up with you till then. Perhaps,
as you are here, you'll kindly explain what you
mean by bursting in on us unannounced in this
way. You might at least have knocked at the
door.”
“I was bathing—” began Mr. Dick.
“Where?”
“I don't know. Just outside the house. He
came and took away my clothes."
“Serves vou inllv well right.” said the doctor.


168 THE SEARCH PARTY
picking out the exact spot in which the Anti-
Military Anarchists are maturing their plans. Why
did you do it?”
“Anarchists 7" said Mr. Dick.
“Yes, Anti-Military Anarchists—the very worst
sort there is.”
“I thought he was a landlord."
“Well, he isn't. He's as nearly as possible the
exact reverse."
“Are you an anarchist too f"
“No, I'm not,” said Dr. O'Grady, “nor is Patsy
Devlin. So far we haven't been asked to join the
organization. We're simply prisoners. We've
been captured by the brotherhood. But we had
sense enough to wear our ordinary clothes. You
may think it's the proper thing to go about in
nothing but your shirt because you happen to be
in the house of an anarchist, but I can tell you—"
Mr. Sanders, who still lay on the floor, groaned
dismally.
“Loose that fellow, Patsy," said the doctor.
“He appears to be in pain of some sort."
“Anarchists 1" said Mr. Dick. “Good heavens !
How frightful! My wife' My poor wife l"
“She'll be all right,” said the doctor. “The
Emperor won't do her any harm. He's a thorough
gentleman in every way, a chivalrous gentleman,
and I'm perfectly certain he wouldn't ill-treat a
** +1-- * ~1--"11 - - - - - -
------ V’ --- ------ --1-- ~-


THE SEARCH PARTY 169
mixed bathing would simply horrify him. There's
no greater mistake than to think that just because
a man's an anarchist you can do what you like
without shocking him. You can't. The Emperor
has his prejudices just like the rest of us."
Patsy Devlin set Mr. Sanders on his feet and
rubbed him down carefully. The poor man seemed
dazed and bewildered.
“Do you belong to the bathing party too?"
asked Dr. O'Grady. “Or are you a separate and
distinct capture, unconnected with the gentleman
in the flannel shirt?”
“I don't bathe,” said Mr. Sanders, “because I
have a weak heart and it doesn't agree with me.”
“Then what were you doing? You must have
been doing something which annoyed the Emperor.
He may be a bit touched in the head. Most of us
are, more or less; but he's not so mad as to saddle
himself with the expense of boarding and lodging
a fellow like you unless you have been doing some-
thing he dislikes. What were you at P”
“I was mending a bicycle, Mrs. Dick's bicycle;
at least—”
“Who is Mrs. Dick?" said Dr. O'Grady. “The
lady who was bathing?”
“She wasn't bathing," said Mr. Dick.
“All right. Don't get angry. I thought your
name might be Dick and that the lady might be
your wife."


170 THE SEARCH PARTY
“No, it hasn't; and I've not got two wives."
“You must have two wives,” said Dr. O'Grady.
“You told me this instant that your wife was
bathing with you on the shore. And now you say
Mrs. Dick wasn't bathing. Those two statements
can't possibly both be true about the same woman.
But I won't go into that yet. Later on you shall
have an opportunity of clearing yourself if you
can. First of all, I want to get to the bottom of
this bicycle business, which seems to be less
complicated."
He turned to Mr. Sanders. “You say that you
were engaged in mending Mrs. Dick's bicycle when
the Emperor came on you."
“Yes,” said Mr. Sanders. “At least I wanted
to mend it."
“That's not exactly the same thing. I wish
you'd try to be accurate. There's no use my
attempting to unravel this tangle and get at the
truth for you if you won't be careful what you say.
Go on.”
“I knocked for some time at the door, but
nobody came to me. Then I–"
“I expect,” said the doctor, “that the Emperor
was in the Chamber of Research at the time,
concocting some new kind of dynamite. That's his
favourite occupation."
“Good God!" said Mr. Sanders.
a 4 + . . -- --


172 THE SEARCH PARTY
Parliament; but I've no proof of that. And even
if you are it doesn't seem to me to follow that
you'd return the trousers.”
“What am I to do P” said Mr. Dick. “I can't
go about in this state all day.”
“You won't go about much in any case,” said
the doctor. “But for the immediate present I
think you'd better get into Patsy Devlin's bed. It's
no pleasure to us to see you standing about in your
shirt. When you're in bed I shall ask you a few
questions, and if it turns out that the Emperor
really has got your clothes, I'll do my best to per-
suade him to give them back to you when he comes
up here at tea-time. I suppose you don't mind his
getting into your bed, Patsy, just for the present?”
“I do not,” said Patsy, “so long as he's out of
it before I'm wanting it myself."
Mr. Dick crept in between the blankets.
“Now," said the doctor, “we'll take up your
story. You have, as I understand, two wives, one
of whom bathes, and the other owns a bicycle.”
Mr. Dick sat up and protested strongly. He
appealed to Mr. Sanders to clear him of the charge
of bigamy.
“All right,” said Dr. O'Grady; “I’ll accept the
statement that you've only one. Was she, or was
she not, bathing with you when the Emperor came
on you? Be careful how you answer.”
“Certainly not. She's—I trust she's miles


THE SEARCH PARTY 173
What did you mean by that, if you didn't mean that
the Emperor had captured her ?"
“I meant that she'd be anxious about me.”
“She can't be as fond of you as all that,” said
the doctor. “Nobody could.”
“She's very fond of me. We're only quite
lately married."
“Have you a wife too?" said the doctor to Mr.
Sanders.
“Yes. I have a wife and an aunt. They're both
with me in Ireland.”
“Do you suppose that your wife is as fond of
you as Mrs. Dick is of her husband 7"
“I don't know. How could I know that P”
“The reason I ask the question,” said Dr.
O'Grady, “is this. There's a girl I'm engaged
to be married to, a Miss Adeline Maud Blow, who
is probably scouring the country in pursuit of me
this minute. Patsy Devlin has a wife who may be
out looking for him.”
“The minute she'd find out I was gone,” said
Patsy, “she'd be up at the barrack telling the police,
the way she'd have me brought back to her.”
“And now," said the doctor, “it turns out that
Mr. Dick has a wife, or perhaps two, of an
unusually affectionate kind. And you have a wife
and an aunt who have some regard for you. That
makes five women altogether, all of them more or
less energetic, and all of them bent on finding us.
The question is, how long will it be before they
think of coming to Rosivera?"
ºf MT-4 - – - ?? - - - -1 m Ar-- C - - -1 ---- iſ -- ~ + 1 – -- r


174 THE SEARCH PARTY
who had covered himself with the bed-clothes
again, “I trust it will not be long."
“Be damn,” said Patsy Devlin, “but to listen to
the way you're talking, a man would think nobody
in the world but yourself ever had a wife. I have
one myself, as the doctor was saying this minute,
and I wouldn't wonder but she might be a better
one than yours. But you don't hear me lamenting
over her every time I open my mouth.”
“Tell me this," said the doctor: “did you ever
escape from your wife before?"
“Escape from her l "
“I mean, did you ever temporarily desert her,
either through being taken prisoner or otherwise P”
“Never,” said Mr. Dick. “We’ve only been a
year married, and we've never been parted, even
for a single day.”
“That's all right,” said the doctor. “Then she
won't have had any practice in looking for you.
Patsy Devlin's wife, as you heard, is likely to go
straight to the police barrack when she misses
him. But then she's more or less accustomed to
his not turning up regularly.”
“I wouldn't say," said Patsy, “that the police
would be paying too much attention to what she
might tell them."
“What about vour wife. and vour aunt?" said


THE SEARCH PARTY 175
“Good God!" said Mr. Sanders. “In the hands
of a bloodthirsty anarchist!"
“Don't abuse the Emperor,” said the doctor,
“for I won't stand it. He may be an anarchist, but
he's a thoroughly good sort.”
“I'm thankful to say,” said Mr. Sanders, “that
my aunt is a woman of great vigour and determina-
tion. She will do everything that can be done to
discover where we are and to rescue us. I place
implicit confidence in her. Nothing will daunt
her.”
“If, as I gather from your description of her,
she is any kind of Suffragette,” said the doctor, “I
hope, for her own sake, that she'll keep clear of the
Emperor. He has the strongest possible prejudice
against advanced women. I happened one day to
mention the name of Jael to him in the course of
conversation. You know the woman I mean, the
one who hammered the nail into the man's head.
I naturally thought he'd admire her immensely, but
he didn't in the least. He flew into the most
frightful rage. Didn't he, Patsy?"
“I heard you saying so,” said Patsy, “and of
course I believed you. But I wasn't here myself
at the time. You know that, doctor.”
Mr. Sanders brightened up suddenly.
“Are you a doctor?” he said.
“I am, or I was, the dispensary doctor of
rian more Poor Law II ninn Bw the wav. Patsv.





178 THE SEARCH PARTY
“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


THE SEARCH PARTY 179
with you now, and not another word out of your
head.”
Bridgy, who saw no reason why she should face
the wrath of Miss Blow, retired to a small room
which opened off the scullery, and spent an hour
cleaning her own boots. Miss Blow waited, and
after a while got tired of waiting. She rang the
bell again. Bridgy heard it, and, for greater
security, went into the yard and concealed her-
self in the cow byre. Miss Blow came downstairs
and found Jimmy O'Loughlin. He had not thought
of hiding, and was caught unawares.
“Is Mr. Goddard in the hotel?" she asked.
“He is not,” said Jimmy. “It's himself was
sorry to go; but there came a messenger over from
Ballymoy, a police sergeant, to say he was wanting,
and wanting badly. It might be cattle driving
that's in it, or it might be a meeting about the land
or maybe an eviction. They're a queer lot down
in them parts. Anyway, he was wanting, and he
went.”
“It's a curious thing,” said Miss Blow, “that he
went off without saying a word to me."
“Well, now," said Jimmy, “if I amn't the fool
this day; but I thought Bridgy would be sure to
tell you.”
“Tell me What P "
“The last words he said to me as he was getting


180 THE SEARCH PARTY
will,’ says I. “There isn't a young lady ever I met
with a better heart.” “Will you tell her,’ says he,
‘that it was forced on me or I wouldn't do it, not
if you was to give me the full of my hat of golden
sovereigns?’ ‘I'll tell her,’ says I; ‘I'll break it to
her quiet and easy the way she won't be feeling it.'
And, glory be to God, I have.”
“You might have done it a little sooner,” said
Miss Blow.
“I might, and that's a fact,” said Jimmy
apologetically.
“Where are the other gentlemen?” said Miss
Blow.
“The other gentlemen! Is it them ones that
come in on the train P Did you not see them
going by on their bicycles? They're the most of
the way to Pool-a-donagh by this time."
It occurred to Miss Blow that she had been
deceived, tricked, abominably insulted by Mr.
Goddard. She distinctly remembered the bicyclists.
They had passed down the street almost immedi-
ately after the arrival of the train. It was quite
impossible for Mr. Goddard to have had any serious
conversation with them. She hesitated, on the
verge of tears. Then the utter futility of weeping
in the presence of Jimmy O'Loughlin struck her.
She pulled herself together and, with prompt
decision, settled her course of action.
“Get the car,” she said, “at once. I shall drive
over to Ballymoy and see Mr. Goddard.”


182 THE SEARCH PARTY
held in his hand, and fled without a word into the
pavilion.
Captain Fielding gaped with astonishment,
looked up and down the road, saw nothing very
alarming, and followed Mr. Goddard into the
pavilion.
“What the devil—" he began.
Mr. Goddard took no notice of the remark. He
was staring out of a small widow which commanded
a view of the road.
“What the—” said Captain Fielding again.
Mr. Goddard turned suddenly.
“Fielding,” he said, “jump on your bicycle and
ride like hell to my house. Don't lose a moment.
Get a hold of my housekeeper, and tell her that if
any lady calls she's to say I’ve gone away on leave
and won't be back for six weeks. Don't stop to
ask questions. I'll explain it all to you when you
get back."
He pushed Captain Fielding out of the pavilion.
“You'll be in time," he said, “if only you'll go.
Thank goodness my house is at the far end of the
town."
Captain Fielding did as he was told. He rode
fast, because he was most anxious to hear Mr.
Goddard's explanation as soon as possible. He
delivered his message to the housekeeper, and then
rode back.
“Did you pass a girl walking along the road?"
said Mr. Goddard.
“I did; a pretty girl in a grey dress, a


THE SEARCH PARTY 183
sick and tired of talking to her. If she catches me
now I'm done."
“If she's mad," said the R. M., “why don't you
have her locked up? I'll sign the papers for you
if you get a medical certificate.”
“She's not mad in that sort of way,” said
Goddard, “although she is mad.”
“I see," said the R. M.; “temper. It's not a
breach of promise case, is it, Goddard P.”
“Nothing of the sort. I never set eyes on her
in my life till yesterday. In fact, she's engaged to
quite another man.”
“I see,” said the R. M. doubtfully.
“The fact is,” said Goddard, “she has a theory
that there has been a murder over at Clonmore.
There hasn't, of course; but she thinks there has—
and—well, the fact is, I promised to investigate it.
She cried, you know, and that sort of thing. The
whole business is utterly absurd from start to
finish.”
“And what do you propose to do now?"
“I don't know. Perhaps she'll go away when
she gets the message about my being on leave. I
shall stay here till after dark, anyhow, and then
sneak down to the house and find out what's
happened.”
“I think,” said Captain Fielding, “that I'll stay
with you. I'd rather like to see this business
through. Besides, when she finds she can't get you
she'll probably go up to my house for me."


184 THE SEARCH PARTY
The servant was in a difficult position. She
recognized Miss Blow as the lady to whom she
had given tea the day before, who had driven off,
apparently on the most friendly terms, with Mr.
Goddard. It was plainly impossible to slam the
door as doors are slammed in the faces of drunken
tramps. She was a woman of kindly disposition.
She saw that Miss Blow was dusty, tired, in need of
rest and refreshment. Her natural impulse was to
be hospitable. At the same time she had no doubt
as to what Mr. Goddard's wishes were with regard
to this particular visitor. She was a woman of
intelligence, and she realized that the message
delivered by Captain Fielding was urgent and im-
portant. She hesitated, standing in the middle of
the doorway. Miss Blow put an end to all un-
certainty by walking past her into the house,
opening the dining-room door, entering the room,
and sitting down.
Mr. Goddard's housekeeper retired to the
kitchen and meditated on the situation. It was
plainly impossible to remove Miss Blow without
the use of actual force. At seven o'clock pity
triumphed over her sense of duty to her master.
She made some tea and took it in to Miss Blow on
a tray. At eight o'clock a police constable came to
the door and asked to see Mr. Goddard. He
ſº. - -
------ -1 4 ~ 1.2.1; --~~ +1 − 4 +1-2. Th;-4-3-4. I- --~~~~~~ l- > *


THE SEARCH PARTY 185
putting a wrong meaning into the fact of Miss
Blow's presence in the house.
At nine o'clock Mr. Goddard, still in tennis
flannels, and accompanied by Captain Fielding,
climbed over the wall of his own back garden, and
slipped through the yard into the kitchen.
“Mary,” he said to the housekeeper, “is that
young lady gone P”
“She is not; and, what's more, it's my opinion
that she won't go."
“There,” said Mr. Goddard to Captain Fielding,
“what did I tell you? She's an amazingly per-
sistent woman."
“Go and turn her out,” said Captain Fielding.
“Tell her it's highly improper for her to be sitting
here in your house in the middle of the night.”
Mr. Goddard sighed. The advice was well
meant, but it was useless. He knew Miss Blow,
and Captain Fielding did not.
“Mary,” he said, “slip upstairs as quietly as
you can, and get me my pyjamas and tooth brush.
I'll have to go to the barrack for the night. They'll
give me some sort of a shake-down."
“And will the young lady be sleeping here?"
asked Mary.
“I expect so,” said Mr. Goddard. “If she does,
she'll tell you so beforehand quite plainly. Make
her as comfortable as you can.”


186 THE SEARCH PARTY
“What have you got there?” said Miss Blow,
eyeing the pyjamas suspiciously.
“It's clothes from the wash,” said Mary. “Now
that the master's away, I thought I might as well
be doing that as nothing.”
“You can tell him,” said Miss Blow, “that I'm
going to the hotel now, and that I'll be round to
see him the first thing in the morning.”
She left the house, slamming the door behind
her. Mary carried the pyjamas and the tooth
brush upstairs again. Then she went into the
kitchen and broke the happy news to her master
and Captain Fielding.
“Thank God!" said Mr. Goddard. “I'm safe
for to-night, anyway.”
“She'll be back with you in the morning," said
Captain Fielding, grinning. “I don't see that
you've much to congratulate yourself about."
“Something may happen before then," said Mr.
Goddard.
It is very seldom that things happen just when
they are wanted to. The prisoner on the verge of
execution hopes, but as a rule hopes in vain, for an
earthquake at early dawn. The debtor whose bill
is due the next day prays for, but scarcely expects,
a fire in the bank premises during the night, an
effective fire destructive of iron safes. Mr. God-
dard's feeling that something might happen before
Miss Blow caught him again was hardly a hope.
Nothing short of some wholly unprecedented event


THE SEARCH PARTY 187
his window and saw Constable Moriarty standing
in the street with a bicycle.
“What on earth do you want at this hour?”
said Mr. Goddard.
He had slept badly during the early part of the
night, and was greatly annoyed at being roused
from a doze at six o'clock.
“If it's Miss Blow you're after,” he went on, “I
haven't got her here. She's at the hotel. Go there
and get her. Take her with you, if you want her.
She's no use to me.”
Constable Moriarty grinned. He did not want
Miss Blow any more than his officer did. Then, in
the very middle of his grin, he grew grave again.
“It's what Sergeant Farrelly is after sending me
over to tell you, sir, that the two English gentle-
men that went off to Pool-a-donagh on their bicycles
is after getting lost."
“Lost! What do you mean by lost?"
“According to the word that came to the
barrack at Clonmore, sir, the ladies arrived at
Pool-a-donagh at four o'clock or thereabouts and
didn't find the gentlemen. It was thought that
maybe they'd taken a wrong turn, though it's hard
to know how they could, seeing there isn't a wrong
turn to take, and that they might have come back
to Clonmore. So the sergeant at Pool-a-donagh
sent a wire to Sergeant Farrelly; but he didn't
know where they were, and no more did Jimmy
O'Loughlin, for we asked him. We sent a few
more wires to the barracks round about, but we


188 THE SEARCH PARTY
round when they were on patrol. They do say
the ladies was in a terrible state. There was a
mounted man came into Clonmore between three
and four this morning, and Sergeant Farrelly sent
me over to you on a bicycle the way you'd be able
to tell him what he'd better do."
“I never heard of such a thing in my life," said
Mr. Goddard. “How can they be lost? The thing
is impossible. Hang it all ! they must be some-
where.”
“So you'd say, sir. But there isn't a police
station anywhere round but it's been wired to, and
not one has seen the gentlemen, dead or alive.”
“Don't talk about their being dead,” said Mr.
Goddard. “Good heavens, man! They're Members
of Parliament. If they've gone and committed
suicide there'll be a most frightful row, and every-
body will say it's the fault of the police. They
must be found at once."
Mr. Goddard was in his pyjamas and dressing-
gown. He told Constable Moriarty to go into the
yard and harness the horse while he shaved and
dressed. He was inclined at first to be angry with
the Members of Parliament. It is a stupid thing
to get lost, and men have no right to be stupid.
He did not want to spend the day searching bohi-
reens and bog-holes. He wanted to play in the


THE SEARCH PARTY 189
escape her for a time at all events. He reflected
that if she sought him out with her usual relent-
lessness he would, in any case, have been unable to
play in the tournament. A man cannot with any
decency appear on a tennis court while a beautiful
and angry girl hurls reproaches at him from the
side lines. Even if he succeeded in evading her,
his nerve would be shattered by the consciousness
that she might appear beside him at any moment.
It seemed to him that the loss of the Members of
Parliament was, after all, a blessing in disguise;
that, in fact, his wish had been fulfilled beyond his
hope—something had happened.
He sat down and scribbled a note of apology
for his absence.
“Dear Fielding,” he wrote, “will you ask your
wife to be so kind as to excuse me. I am exceed-
ingly sorry to disappoint her, and I assure you I
would not do it if I could possibly help it. Two
Members of Parliament have disappeared during
the night, and I have to go out and look for them.
Perhaps the rector would play with Mrs. Fielding
if you asked him. He's no earthly good, but he's
on the handicapping committee, and would let
himself in soft. In any case she would get a game
of some sort. If you happen to come across that
good-looking girl in the grey dress, you might tell
her that I promised to play to-day with Mrs.
Fielding, and that you expect me up at the club
between twelve o'clock and four. That will keep
her in Ballymoy for most of the day, anyhow. The


190 THE SEARCH PARTY
went out into the yard. Constable Moriarty
promised to deliver the note to Captain Fielding.
Mr. Goddard got into his trap and drove off. He
had to pass the hotel on his way, and was half
afraid that Miss Blow might sally out and seize
the horse's head. She did not. It was not yet
seven o'clock, and the blinds of all the upstairs
rooms were drawn down. Miss Blow was,
apparently, sleeping off the fatigue of the day
before.
Mr. Goddard reached Clonmore at half-past
eight. He found Sergeant Farrelly and Constable
Cole at breakfast. They had been up all night, and
were looking fagged, nervous, and harassed.
“There's two more wires, sir, that's come in
since eight this morning. The one of them says
that there's no further news of the missing gentle-
men in Pool-a-donagh, and the other says that the
ladies started back to Clonmore at seven this morn-
ing, and is in hopes that you'll be here to meet them
when they arrive."
“If I'm not,” said Mr. Goddard—“and it's quite
possible that I won't—if I'm not, you'll have to
see them, sergeant. They're very nice ladies,” he
added, noticing a gloom on Sergeant Farrelly's face,
“not the least like Miss Blow.”
“It's a queer thing,” said Sergeant Farrelly,
“that a man could get lost between this and Pool-
a-donagh. It's a straight road, and they got started
right on it. Jimmy O'Loughlin was telling me


THE SEARCH PARTY 191
I don't know where they'd get a boat along that
road—it's a queer thing.”
“It is a queer thing,” said Mr. Goddard. “But
what's the use of spending the morning saying so P
Show me all the telegrams that came last night.”
He worked his way through a sheaf of pink
forms. The messages were, for the most part,
very monotonous. In language which hardly
varied and with a strict attention to the number of
words which can be sent for sixpence, the sergeants
of all the police barracks within a wide circle dis-
claimed any knowledge of the missing gentlemen.
No one had seen them. The most careful inquiries
brought no information. Here and there, among
these cold, official statements, Mr. Goddard came
upon a message which breathed anxiety, heart-
break, and despair, a despatch from a wife or an
aunt. These were verbose, reckless of expense,
and always ended by urging the necessity of
immediate action on the part of the police.
“I can't do anything," said Mr. Goddard; “at
all events, I won't do anything till I've had some
breakfast. It's after nine now. I'll go down to
the hotel and see what I can get out of Jimmy
O'Loughlin.”
He found, when he reached the hotel, that the
table in the commercial room was laid for break-
fast. A pleasant scent of frying bacon reached
him from the kitchen. He became aware that he
vºrac extrann elv h 11n re--.
º


CHAPTER XVI
"His lordship is still at breakfast, sir," said
Wilkins.
“Will you ask him if I can speak to him for a
few minutes as soon as he has finished 7" said Mr.
Goddard.
He was shown into the library, where Lord
Manton's letters and newspapers were arranged on
a table near the window. He was an old gentle-
man who declined to do business of any kind, even
open a letter, before breakfast. He attributed his
good health to his habit of facing the kind of
worries which the post brings only when he was
fortified by a solid meal. Mr. Goddard glanced at
the columns of a Dublin evening paper of the day
before, half fearful of a scare headline announcing
the loss of two Members of Parliament in Conne-
mara. He was delighted to find that the editor
had been able to discover nothing more exciting
------


THE SEARCH PARTY 195
Manton seated by himself at the end of a large
table. The dining-room in Clonmore Castle is a
spacious and well-proportioned apartment. A
tradition exists that in the time of Lord Manton's
father, on the occasion of a county election, fifty
gentlemen once sat down in it together at dinner.
In those days, no doubt, people did not object to
being crowded. But even to-day thirty people
could very comfortably have dined in the room, and
there would still have been space for the servants
to make their way about. It was the largest room
in the Castle, and its present proprietor looked
singularly small, even insignificant, seated alone in
the middle of it. Lord Manton greeted his guest
cheerfully.
“Good morning, Mr. Goddard. This is an early
visit. Have you by any chance come across the
body of Dr. O'Grady ? Won't you help yourself
to something to eat? You'll find whatever there is
on the side table.” -
Mr. Goddard secured a kidney and some bacon.
“No," he said; “there's no news of Dr. O'Grady.”
“Have you got engaged to be married to Miss
Blow 7" said Lord Manton. “That's the way this
business will end, I expect. That young woman
came over here for a husband, and now that the
doctor has bolted there is only you or me for her
to choose. So far as I can see at present, she
seems to nrefer uni, I'm verv o'lad she does In


196 THE SEARCH PARTY
escaped her after that. How did you manage it?
I should have thought you could hardly have
refused to marry her without being actually rude.
But perhaps that story is only gossip."
“It's quite true,” said Mr. Goddard. “But,
Lord Manton, I came up here this morning to
speak to you about—the fact is, I am in a serious
difficulty.”
“You are. I can scarcely imagine anything
more serious."
“I wanted," said Mr. Goddard, “to ask your
advice about——"
“You shall have it. Give in and marry her at
once with a good grace. That's my advice. After
all, you might do a great deal worse. She's a very
good-looking girl, and by her own account she'll
have some money. It's far better for you to
pretend you like it. It's no earthly use your try-
ing to escape if her mind is made up. Your plan
of dodging up and down between Clonmore and
Ballymoy can't be kept up for ever. Sooner or
later she'll overtake you in one place or the other;
or else she'll meet you on the road between the
two, where you'll be quite at her mercy.”
“I dare say you're right,” said Mr. Goddard.
“But it's not about Miss Blow that I want to con-
sult you this morning. Did you hear about the
Members of Parliament?"


198 THE SEARCH PARTY
of this district, and no less than four men dis-
appear completely in the inside of a single week.
First there was Dr. O'Grady. Then poor Patsy
Devlin vanished, leaving a wife and family behind
him."
“We know all about them,” said Mr. Goddard.
“And now no less than two Members of Parlia-
ment. It doesn't look at all well. I'm greatly
afraid there'll be a fuss when it gets into the news-
papers. The public will take the keenest interest
in it. We shall have columns and columns every
day. Do you happen to know whether these men
were Liberals or Conservatives?"
“No, I don't. I don't see that it makes any
difference. I've got to find them whichever they
are.”
“It makes the greatest difference," said Lord
Manton. “If they're supporters of the Govern-
ment, there'll be a much bigger fuss than if they're
on the Opposition side. The Prime Minister isn't
likely to sit down quietly under the loss of two
votes, especially with the way bye-elections are
going at present. You'll simply have to find
them."
“I wish I could,” said Mr. Goddard. “I'd do it
quick enough, whatever their politics are, if I knew
how to go about it."


THE SEARCH PARTY 199
where to look. But I haven't. That's what I want
your advice about."
“You say," said Lord Manton, “that there are
three ladies belonging to them. If I were you, I
should begin by introducing them to Miss Blow.
Then get a hold of Mrs. Patsy Devlin and let her
talk to the whole party. You could put them
all together into a room in Jimmy O'Loughlin's
hotel. They'll interest each other. They have so
much in common." -
“I might do that, of course. But I don't see
what good it would be. I shouldn't be any nearer
finding the men.”
“No, you wouldn't; but you'd have time to turn
round and think things out a bit. They'd be sure
to talk for a good while once you got them started,
and it's quite possible that by the time they'd
finished, the two men might have turned up some-
where or other." -
“I don't see what can possibly have happened
to them,” said Mr. Goddard. “After you pass
Rosivera the road runs the whole way between the
bog and the sea. They couldn't get off it if they
tried. And they must have got as far as Rosivera
when they started right, for there isn't a cross road
between this and there. Even if they were fools
enough to go up some bohireen or other, they'd
only have to turn round and come down again.”
“That seems to me," said Lord Manton, “to


202 THE SEARCH PARTY
has one at home, and it's quite possible that they
both have sisters."
“I dare say they have. I didn't ask."
“Well now, think. They were English Mem-
bers of Parliament, and therefore presumably
pretty well to do. They probably had businesses
somewhere, and residences in a suburban district.
What does all that mean? Respectability.
Imagine to yourself the appalling weight of
respectability involved in the possession of a wife,
an aunt, a sister, a business, investments, and a
seat in Parliament. Can't you fancy the poor
fellows coming to find it all perfectly intolerable;
saying to each other: ‘Hang it, let's get off and
run loose for a while'? I don't say I'm right. I
can't be sure, because I don't know the men, and
I didn't see the women; but what I'm offering you
is an intelligible explanation of the facts. I can't
see any other explanation. What sort of women
were they 7 What were they like?"
“I don't know. I didn't notice anything par-
ticular about them. They were just ordinary
women."
“There you are,” said Lord Manton. “It's
your ordinary, well-behaved woman who drives a
man perfectly frantic if he has any spirit in him.
I couldn't live with an ordinary woman for three
+


THE SEARCH PARTY 203
her hair. I haven't got to listen to the noise
she makes when she's washing her teeth. You
don't understand these things because you're
not married. Very likely you never will under-
stand them, because Miss Blow's not an ordinary
woman—"
“She is not,” said Mr. Goddard.
“But these two poor fellows," said Lord Man-
ton, “had got to do with ordinary women. They
had to give their opinions on new hats, had to
listen to stories about the things which the
servants did or didn't do. Of course they bolted.”
“I wish to goodness they'd have bolted out
of some other district, then, if they had to bolt.
Why should they come here? You'd think it
would be much more convenient to run away from
a place like London than from Clonmore. But I
don't believe they have bolted.”
“They can't have got lost. The thing's absurd
on the face of it. Take a single point in addition
to all those that you've made already. Take their
bicycles. A man might accidentally lose himself,
but his bicycle couldn't possibly get lost. He
must leave it on the side of the road somewhere,
and wherever he leaves it you're sure to find it.
You can get rid of a bicycle on purpose, though
even that's not so easy. Sinking it in the sea is
about the only way I can imagine of effectually
disnosino of it. But vou can't lose it and vourself


204 THE SEARCH PARTY
seen the Members of Parliament. He felt that
he knew them. He found it impossible to imagine
their breaking out into wild Bohemianism, sicken-
ing of respectability, rebelling against the mono-
tony of any woman, however ordinary. There was
Mr. Dick, who had bounded out of the railway
carriage, volatile, debonnair, gay with familiar
quotations. There was Mr. Sanders, rigid, mathe-
matical, a little morose on account of his weak
heart. Lord Manton might conceivably find an
ordinary woman maddening; but Mr. Dick, once he
began, would go on kissing her contentedly for
years and years. He would appreciate the way in
which his dinner was cooked for him. Mr. Sanders
would appreciate that too. He might be a little
exacting, would, no doubt, expect his weak heart
to be taken seriously, would put a woman in
her proper place in the settled order of things,
and keep her there. But both Mr. Dick and Mr.
Sanders would recognize that a woman must be
allowed to wash her teeth. They would not resent
the noise of the water gurgling in her mouth.
They would both know that women must comb
their hair, and that a red dressing-gown is a suit-
able and convenient garment under certain circum-
stances. They would not be angry when they were
told about the misdeeds of maid-servants, a trying
-- A --!> --- ~4:- - -1. -- 4 - 21--1 -----1- --_ __


THE SEARCH PARTY 205
and waited. Mr. Goddard sought for words in
which to express his feelings. He might have found
them in time, but time was not given him. Wilkins
entered the room.
“There is a lady to see you, sir,” he said to
Mr. Goddard. “I showed her into the small
drawing-room. She said she wished to see you
particular.”
“Good God | " said Mr. Goddard. “It's Miss
Blow !”
“Is it Miss Blow 7" said Lord Manton to
Wilkins. “Don't attempt to break the news to him
if it is. Tell him straight out. It's kinder in the
end.”
“It's the same young lady," said Wilkins, “that
called on your lordship two days ago.”
“The young lady that was talking about bring-
ing a corpse here 2 I told you, I remember, to get
white flowers from the gardener. Is it that young
lady?"
“Yes, my lord.”
“And has she brought it this time?”
“Not that I saw, my lord.”
“If you didn't see it, Wilkins, I think we may
take it for granted that it isn't there.”
“Damn that girl!” said Mr. Goddard. “You'd
think I had enough on my hands without her."
“From the way you're speaking of her,” said
Lord Manton, “I suppose you don't feel inclined
* - - - - - - - -i- - --------- 1 – Dr--- a - ------- l----


206 THE SEARCH PARTY
“What's the good? She'd be after me again at
once.”
“Not at once,” said Lord Manton. “I think I
can arrange to give you a good long start. Wilkins
will go back and ask her to be good enough to
remain where she is for a few minutes. You could
tell her, Wilkins, that Mr. Goddard is engaged with
me at present, discussing very important business,
but that he'll be with her in less than a quarter of
an hour. You could do that, Wilkins, couldn't
you?”
“Yes, my lord.”
“Then Mr. Goddard could get out of the house
and walk across the deer park. You could run if
you like, Goddard, keeping carefully out of sight
of the drawing-room windows. After a time, say at
the end of half an hour, Miss Blow will begin to
get impatient. What do you suppose she'll do
when she gets impatient, Wilkins f"
“I'd say, my lord, that's she's likely to ring the
bell.”
“Exactly. That's what I thought myself. I
suppose, Wilkins, that you could arrange for the
under housemaid to go to her when she rings.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“And the under housemaid would, of course,
know nothing about Mr. Goddard. What would
the under housemaid do. Wilkins, when she was


THE SEARCH PARTY 207
resume her interrupted duties. She could start off
under-housemaiding again at the place she left off
when Miss Blow rang the bell. I presume that,
after a decent interval, say a quarter of an hour,
Miss Blow would ring the bell again; this time the
upper housemaid could go to her. That could be
arranged, I suppose, Wilkins 7"
“Certainly, my lord.”
“She, of course, would know nothing about Mr.
Goddard; but she would promise to go and make
inquiries. She would then get back to her upper-
housemaiding and completely forget about Miss
Blow. After another interval, this time probably
a shorter one, say ten minutes, Miss Blow would
ring the bell again. Then the cook could go to her,
and, of course——”
“Beg pardon, my lord, but the cook wouldn't
“Couldn't you arrange it, Wilkins f"
“No, my lord; it's not the cook's place to answer
bells.”
“I forgot that,” said Lord Manton. “It was
stupid of me. I should have remembered. I'm
afraid, Wilkins, that you'd have to go yourself the
third time. You would tell her that Mr. Goddard
had left the house an hour before. It would be
about an hour, wouldn't it, Wilkins?”
“As near as I can go to it, it would be about
that, my lord.”
“After that I should recommend you to leave
4-1-2. --~~~ – A – -- - - MT r * * * * - ** - - - - - - ----- ** -----
go


CHAPTER XVII
ºt ULLO!” said Lord Manton. “Back again.
What have you forgotten? It's rather rash
of you to venture, I think. If it's only your cigar-
case or something of that sort that you've left
behind, I should have had it posted after you as
soon as you sent me your address. I can't keep
Miss Blow here permanently, you know. In
dealing with a lady like her you ought not to take
these risks.”
“The others are coming,” said Mr. Goddard
breathlessly.
“Oh, indeed! What others?"
“I met them in the deer park. They are coming
up here. They had Jimmy O'Loughlin's boy with
them to show them the way.”
“What others P”
“I turned at once and ran back,” said Mr.
Goddard. “I don't think they saw me; in fact, I'm
sure they didn't. But what are we to do now?"
“I’d stand a hetter chance of answerino that


210 THE SEARCH PARTY
“Yes. What shall we do?”
“Don't say, what shall we do,” said Lord Manton.
“I'm not going to do anything except sit here
and watch the progress of events. I think that's
as much as can be expected of me. Many men
wouldn't do even that. I know lots of people
who'd object to your way of filling up their houses
with strange women; but I'm giving you every
latitude. If you choose to interview your lady
friends in my drawing-room, I make no objection.
But I won't be dragged into any complications
myself. That's the reason I don't like your saying
‘we.’ The question is not what shall we do, but
what will you do.”
“What shall I do, then 7" said Mr. Goddard.
“If you'd taken my advice,” said Lord Manton,
“and married Miss Blow half an hour ago, you
wouldn't be in this difficulty now. Your course
would have been perfectly plain. You'd simply
have referred the other ladies to Miss Blow. She
would have dealt with them, and not allowed them
to do you any harm. However, I don't want to
rub in your past mistakes. The only course open
to you now is to introduce these three to Miss
Blow and let them talk the matter over quietly
together while you get Mrs. Patsy Devlin to join
them.”
Wilkins entered the room while Lord Manton


THE SEARCH PARTY 211
Manton. “Go to them again, Wilkins, and say
that Mr. Goddard is here and will be delighted to
see them.”
“I don't see what good that will be,” said Mr.
Goddard. “Wait a minute.”
But Wilkins was gone. Mr. Goddard made a
protest.
“Why did you give me away like that?" he
asked. “If you hadn't told them I was here, they
would never have thought of asking for me.”
“I gave you away to save myself,” said Lord
Manton. “I always give other people away when
there's any kind of unpleasantness going on. That
has been a fixed rule of mine through life, and I've
always found it work well."
“Beg pardon, my lord,” said Wilkins, who
returned, “but the ladies say it's your lordship they
want to see; but they'll be very glad to meet Mr.
Goddard too."
“Did you ask their business, Wilkins?”
“I did, my lord. They said they heard that you
were a magistrate, and—”
“That,” said Lord Manton, “sounds about as
bad as anything could be. How many ladies were
there, Wilkins?”
“Three, my lord.”
“The whole three,” said Mr. Goddard. “I told
you so.”
“Where have you put them, Wilkins P”
“I showed them into the big drawing-room, my
lord. The other lady was in—"
zº W.T. r. * * - - - -- 1 -1------- - - - - - -- * ~ * *-i- - - - - - -- a


212 THE SEARCH PARTY
the big drawing-room along with the other three.
Then shut the door and leave them. Do you think
you can manage that, Wilkins P”
“I could try, my lord."
“Very well. Go and try. And if you succeed,
don't go to them again until they've rung the bell at
least a dozen times.”
“Certainly not, my lord."
“Its rather hard on a man of my age," said
Lord Manton, “to be hunted out of my own house
in this way by a lot of strange women. I'm not
blaming you, Goddard. All the same, if you had
been reasonable about Miss Blow we wouldn't be
in the position we are. Now, of course, there's
nothing for it but to fly. It's very undignified for
me, being a peer and that sort of thing. It will
also, I'm afraid, be most uncomfortable. I mind
that much more than the humiliation. But there's
nothing else for it. If I stay here they'll catch me
sooner or later."
“What will you do?”
“I shall get out a horse and trap if I can
without being noticed. I shall drive down to the
station, and lie hid in the ticket office until the next
train is due. Then I shall go to London. You'd
better come with me."
Lord Manton's idea was to reach the stable-
vard hv wav of the servants' quarters. so as to


THE SEARCH PARTY 213
Unless Wilkins actually locked the ladies in, a door
might be opened at any moment.
Lord Manton and Mr. Goddard went on tiptoe
along the corridor. A voice reached them from the
hall. It was Wilkins' voice.
“This way, miss, if you please.”
“One of them has escaped,” said Mr. Goddard.
“No,” whispered Lord Manton; “it’s only
Wilkins moving Miss Blow into the big drawing-
room. Wait a minute.”
They heard Wilkins' voice again. This time it
was nearer than it had been.
“I beg your pardon, miss, but if you'll allow me
to show you the way. You're going in quite the
wrong direction, miss.”
Mr. Goddard clutched Lord Manton's arm.
“She's coming down here," he said. “We'd
better—"
“It's all right,” whispered Lord Manton.
“Wilkins will head her off.”
“I’m going in the direction in which I mean to
go."
This voice was unmistakably Miss Blow's. It
was clear, resonant, determined, and sounded very
near at hand.
“Good heavens !” said Mr. Goddard.
“She's quite right,” said Lord Manton. “She
is going in the direction in which she means to go.
I rather respect her for it.”
Wilkins, walking sideways, and expostulating


THE SEARCH PARTY 215
things we've done, and we'll confess at once and
apologize. But don't be unjust. We never called
ourselves gentlemen.”
“You ran away from me yesterday,” said Miss
Blow, addressing Mr. Goddard, “after promising
faithfully that you'd help me. You ran away again
to-day. You would be running away now if I
hadn't caught you in the act.”
“He did and he would,” said Lord Manton.
“I’ve just been speaking to him about it. I told
him his conduct was disgraceful. I'm glad now
that he'll hear what you think of it from your own
lips. It'll do him good."
Mr. Goddard frowned and shuffled uneasily.
Even though he had been fairly warned of the
principle on which Lord Manton treated his friends
in emergencies, he did not expect to be sacrificed
so completely and remorselessly.
“You're as bad yourself,” said Miss Blow.
“No," said Lord Manton; “I'm not. Try to
be just, Miss Blow. I didn't run away from
ou.”
you. You're just as bad as he is,” said Miss Blow.
Her voice was clear and loud. Lord Manton
glanced anxiously towards the hall. It was quite
possible that the noise of the denunciation might
reach the big drawing-room.
“Wilkins,” he said, “did you shut the door of


216 THE SEARCH PARTY
“Who are you shutting up?" said Miss Blow.
“Who is your lackey going to imprison 7"
“Some ladies,” said Lord Manton. “There are,
I believe, three of them. But I'm not imprisoning
them. I'm only trying to keep them where they
are for a few minutes. I'm doing it entirely on
your account. They wouldn't be at all cheering
company for you. They have, unfortunately, just
lost their husbands under the most mysterious and
trying circumstances. Members of Parliament, you
know. Excellent fellows every one of them. The
whole thing is unspeakably sad."
“Are those the ladies—?" said Miss Blow.
“But of course they are. I heard about that. Do
you mean to say that you're going to sit here and
do nothing, nothing whatever, while men are being
murdered in this wholesale manner every day ?
Will you make no effort to bring the criminals to
justice and prevent the loss of more human life 2
You, sir,” she addressed Mr. Goddard, “you wear
his Majesty's uniform; you are an officer in what is
supposed to be a police force—"
“It is a police force,” said Mr. Goddard feebly.
“It really is, although I am an officer in it."
“And you," she went on, turning to Lord
Manton, “you are a magistrate besides being a
peer."
“Miss Blow," said Lord Manton, “won't you
come into the library and sit down? We could talk


THE SEARCH PARTY 217
Miss Blow turn her head. She saw, gathered in a
knot in the hall, the cook, the kitchen-maid, the upper
and under housemaid, and Wilkins. All of them,
except Wilkins, were grinning. They had forgotten
all decency and the respect due to their master.
They were eagerly listening to every word Miss
Blow said. She allowed herself to be led into the
library.
“Now sit down,” said Lord Manton. “You
must be thoroughly tired out after your long walk
yesterday and all this excitement to-day. Will you
allow me to offer you a glass of wine and a biscuit 2
Goddard, ring the bell, like a good man.”
“No,” said Miss Blow.
“A cup of tea, then? No? Or an egg flip 2 The
cook would have it ready in a moment. I often
have an egg flip myself when I'm feeling over-done.
It's an excellent thing, I assure you.”
“No," said Miss Blow; “I’ll take nothing—
nothing from you. I—"
“Well, just allow me to say one word,” said.
Lord Manton, “before you begin again.”
“If you've any excuse to make for your
behaviour," said Miss Blow, “make it. I shall
listen to you.”
“I haven't," said Lord Manton. “Not a shred.
Nor has Mr. Goddard. Don't interrupt me,
Goddard. You haven't any real excuse, and you
know it. But you mustn't be too hard upon us,
Miss Blow. Try to put yourself in our position,
in Mr. Goddard's position, for I really haven't any-
a 1–1 - - ––– a 1 -- - - - - – a 1---


218 THE SEARCH PARTY
else. If he'd known that they intended to run
away from their wives he'd have stopped them;
but how could he know?"
“Oh!" said Miss Blow. “That is the latest
theory, is it? Their husbands ran away from
them P Do you expect to get any one to believe
that? I suppose the husband of that poor woman
down in the village ran away from her. I suppose
you mean to try and prove that she ill-treated him,
that she, a half-starved, delicate woman, bullied a
great hulking blacksmith. I suppose you'll say
that Dr. O'Grady ran away from me. Last time I
was here you said he ran away from his creditors.
When I proved that to be a lie, you have the
assurance to say that he ran away from me.”
“I hadn't mentioned you or Dr. O'Grady,”
said Lord Manton. “But come now, Miss Blow,
be reasonable. If he has run away from you, he
wouldn't be the only man that has. You can't deny
that Mr. Goddard ran away from you. He did it
twice. You said so yourself. In fact, you more
than hinted that he was in the act of a third flight
when you caught him. There's nothing inherently
absurd in supposing that one man would do what
another man has done several times. I needn't say
I wouldn't do it myself. But that's another matter.
It's far better for you to look facts straight in the
face, however unpleasant they are.”
Whether Miss Blow looked at the facts or not,
the facts as Lord Manton represented them, she
certainlv looked at Mr. Goddard. It seemed for a


THE SEARCH PARTY 219
with Lord Manton for calling fresh attention to
these performances. There ought, he was con-
vinced, to be some limit to the extent to which a
man may give away his friends. But Miss Blow
recognized that these hurried flittings of his and
the causes of them were side issues. She got back,
with an evident effort, to the main point immediately
under discussion.
“And why should you suppose that the
husbands of the ladies you have shut up in your
drawing-room have run away from them 7"
It was of Lord Manton that she asked the
question; but Mr. Goddard answered her. He saw
his opportunity and seized it. Having been sacri-
ficed more than once as a burnt-offering to Miss
Blow's wrath, he was perfectly ready, now he got
the chance, to show up Lord Manton, as a man who
also deserved strong denunciation.
“Lord Manton says," said Mr. Goddard, “that
their husbands couldn't bear to live with them any
more, because they were ordinary women and—”
“As well as I recollect,” said Lord Manton, “it
was you who used the word ‘ordinary.' I hadn't
seen the ladies at the time. For that matter, I haven't
seen them yet.”
“And," said Mr. Goddard, speaking slowly and
with emphasis, “because they wear red dressing-
ornwns on A wash thair teeth "


THE SEARCH PARTY 221
of the kind of spirit which takes a delight in
doing these things and doing them continuously
year after year—considered in this way, the wearing
of a red dressing-gown does justify a man, a certain
sort of man, in deserting his wife. You catch my
meaning, I am sure, Miss Blow."
Once more Miss Blow was silent from sheer
astonishment. Then, after a pause, she spoke, and
Mr. Goddard, like the governor Felix before the
Apostle Paul, trembled. Lord Manton, although
it was to him that her remark was specially
addressed, bore himself more bravely.
“You think it very fine,” she said, “to bully
and badger a helpless girl, and to allow innocent
men to be murdered under your very eyes. But
you'll have to answer for it. You'll be held
responsible, both of you. It's—it's intolerable."
“My dear Miss Blow," said Lord Manton.
“Don’t dare to say ‘my dear' to me.”
“I didn't mean it,” said Lord Manton, quite
truthfully. “Nothing was further from my mind
than any idea of expressing affection, although of
course I have a great regard and esteem for you.
But do try to be reasonable. We're quite ready,
both of us—I'm sure I may speak for Mr. Goddard
as well as myself—to do anything in our power.
But what can we do? What do you suggest our
doing? What do you want us to do?"
“Arrest the murderers,” said Miss Blow.


222 THE SEARCH PARTY
don't know any murderers. I don't so much as
know the name of a single murderer. If I did, I'd
be off after him at once.”
“Who is he to arrest, Miss Blow P” said Lord
Manton. “You'll have to give him the name and
address of your murderer. I suppose you know
who he is and where he lives."
“Yes, I do,” said Miss Blow. “I didn't at first,
but now I do."
Wilkins entered the room as she spoke. “I beg
your pardon, my lord,” he said.
“Yes, Wilkins, what is it? Be as quick as you
can, Wilkins. We are at a most interesting point of
our conversation. Miss Blow is just going to reveal
to us the name of a murderer, and then Mr. Goddard
is going out to arrest him."
“I beg pardon, my lord, but the ladies in the big
drawing-room have been ringing the bell.”
“Much, Wilkins? I mean to say, have they been
ringing it an excessive number of times, or very
hard P. There is no harm in their ringing moderately.
I should wish them to ring when they want any-
thing.”
“They've been ringing a good deal, my lord."
“Are they still ringing?"
“Yes, my lord. That's the reason I mentioned
it. I thought there might be something you would
wish me to say to them.”
“Quite right,” said Lord Manton. “I’m very glad
you told me. My idea would be for you to offer





CHAPTER XVIII
AF. a delay of about five minutes Wilkins
opened the door of the library again.
“Miss Farquharson, Mrs. Sanders, and Mrs.
Dick,” he announced, giving the names in the
order in which he had received them from Miss
Farquharson, who had taken command of the party.
She entered the room first. Her face was pale
with anxiety. Her manner and expression were
those of a woman who was very much in earnest.
Her hat, a severe garment of grey felt adorned
with a single bow of black ribbon, was pushed to
one side of her head. Her hair, hurriedly pinned
into place early in the morning, was untidy. She
looked as if she had been working so hard as to
have had scant leisure for attention to the details
of her toilet. Mrs. Dick followed her. She was
tremulous and showed signs of having wept fre-
quently and bitterly during the earlier part of the
day. Mrs. Sanders, a sallow, lean woman of about


226 THE SEARCH PARTY
Rosivera,” she said, “especially the man Red. I
denounce them as the murderers of Dr. O'Grady,
Patrick Devlin, and of the husbands of these ladies.”
“Go,” said Lord Manton to Mr. Goddard, “and
arrest the man Red at once."
He liked the phrase “the man Red.” It
sounded as if it came out of a newspaper report of
a criminal trial. It was evident that Miss Blow
had a feeling for appropriate expression.
“Arrest the man Red," repeated Lord Manton,
seeing that Mr. Goddard had not moved.
He was perfectly willing that Mr. Red should
be arrested, tried, imprisoned, hanged; or arrested,
imprisoned, and hanged without a trial, on a
charge of murder or any other charge. The really
important thing was not to obtain justice for Mr.
Red or anybody else, but to get Miss Blow out of
his house.
“Do go and arrest the man Red, Goddard,” he
said again.
“I can't,” said Mr. Goddard. “How can I
possibly go and arrest a man without a single
scrap of evidence against him f"
“You hear what he says," said Lord Manton
to Miss Blow. “He won't act without evidence.
Why don't you produce your evidence? You have
evidence, of course."
-- - - - - - --


THE SEARCH PARTY 227
It was Mrs. Dick. Miss Blow's last words had
been too much for her. She was uttering a series
of wild shrieks. Mrs. Sanders was sobbing
convulsively on the sofa.
“We'll have to go into another room,” said Lord
Manton, “to hear the evidence.”
“No,” said Miss Farquharson. “Now we are
here we'll stay here. I am anxious to hear what
this lady has to say.”
“But,” said Lord Manton, “we can't possibly
hear anything while—”
Miss Farquharson approached Mrs. Dick,
grasped her two hands, and spoke sternly to her.
She repeated the treatment with her niece. It was
most efficacious. Both the younger ladies seemed
to be afraid of Miss Farquharson. They had a
cowed, terrified look when she left them; but they
had stopped making a noise.
“Thank you,” said Lord Manton. “Now, Miss
Blow.”
“I begin,” said Miss Blow, “with the two latest
cases. These gentlemen, Members of Parliament,
as I understand, set out on their bicycles, to ride
to Pool-a-donagh. They did not arrive there.
They were seen in safety three miles out of
Clonmore by a man who was carting turf."
“How do you know that?” said Mr. God-
dard.
“The hotel-keeper told me,” said Miss Blow.
“Oh, Jimmy O'Loughlin I see. I wouldn't
take every word he says for gospel if I were you


228 THE SEARCH PARTY
I haven't heard six consecutive words of truth
since I came to Clonmore.”
“There you are now, Goddard," said Lord
Manton. “That's what you get by interrupting.
Don't mind him, Miss Blow. Please go on. What
you say is most interesting."
“There is just one house between the spot at
which they were seen and Pool-a-donagh," said
Miss Blow. “The hotel-keeper told me that too."
“I think that's true," said Miss Farquharson.
“I noticed that there were very few houses while
we drove along yesterday."
“Therefore," said Miss Blow, “they were
murdered in that house."
Mr. Goddard started violently. The sequence
of Miss Blow's reasoning had the effect of a strong
electric shock on him. He would have protested
if Mrs. Dick had not begun to wail again. When
she was pacified by Miss Farquharson's scowls,
Lord Manton began to speak.
“Perhaps—" he said.
“I know what you're going to say," said Miss
Blow. “You are going to suggest that they are
not murdered, but that they have deserted their
wives." She glanced at Miss Farquharson as she
spoke.
“I wish you wouldn't talk of us as if we were
all their wives," said Miss Farquharson. “I am
not a married woman. I am Mr. Sanders' aunt.
T1:... + i = 1, is variſe ’’


THE SEARCH PARTY 229
Miss Blow, accepting the correction, “because they
wear red dressing-gowns, and—”
“But I don't,” wailed Mrs. Dick; “I’ve never
had a red dressing-gown. Richard always liked
me in blue. He couldn't bear red. He used to
say— Oh, poor Richardl"
“There !” said Lord Manton, with an air of
triumph; “what did I tell you, Miss Blow P You
see for yourself now that the man had the strongest
possible objection to a red dressing-gown.”
“And,” said Miss Blow firmly, ignoring the
interruptions, “because they washed their teeth."
“I never in my life," said Miss Farquharson,
“heard such a pack of nonsense. Are you all mad,
or am I? What on earth have red dressing-gowns
or that unfortunate little Mrs. Dick's teeth got to do
with the disappearance of my nephew and Mr.
Dick P”
“Shall I ring for some tea 7" said Lord Manton.
“I think we'd all be the better of a cup of tea.
Then we could go on. We'd be much better able
to understand each other afterwards.”
“I pass on to the next case,” said Miss Blow
calmly; “that of Patrick Devlin. He is, I am
informed—"
“Jimmy O'Loughlin again,” said Mr. Goddard.
“By others as well as the hotel-keeper," said
Miss Blow, showing that she placed no implicit
trust in Jimmy O'Loughlin's statements. “I am


230 THE SEARCH PARTY
Miss Blow, but in a case like this it's as well to be
perfectly accurate.”
“He informed the hotel-keeper in Clonmore—
said Miss Blow.
“I propose," said Mr. Goddard, “that we send
down for Jimmy O'Loughlin, and let him give his
evidence himself."
“That he intended to call on Lord Manton for a
subscription and then go on to Rosivera to see what
he could get from the man Red. Did he call here?"
“Certainly,” said Lord Manton. “I gave him a
sovereign."
“After that,” said Miss Blow, “he was seen no
more. It seems to me perfectly obvious that he
went on to Rosivera and was there murdered."
Poor Mrs. Dick wailed again, and was again
suppressed, this time very rapidly, by Miss Farqu-
harson.
“There remains,” said Miss Blow, “the case of
Dr. O'Grady; but before I go into that I have to
inform you that there is another man missing."
“My goodness!” said Lord Manton. “The
thing is becoming a perfect epidemic. Who is it
now P”
“Jimmy O'Loughlin, I hope and trust,” said Mr.
Goddard. “He’s been dragged into this business
by everybody that has said anything. It's always
Jimmy O'Loughlin told me this or Jimmy
O'Loughlin told me that. If he's gone off himself
now it cerves him inll v well riorht "
1-


THE SEARCH PARTY 231
“At Jimmy O'Loughlin's shop, of course,” said
Mr. Goddard.
“He did so for the last time the day before Dr.
O'Grady's disappearance. The inference is perfectly
plain. The man was mortally wounded. Dr.
O'Grady was decoyed to Rosivera because his
services as a medical man were required. Then
he too, to secure his silence, was foully mur-
dered.”
Mr. Goddard gasped. For the second time
Miss Blow's logic took away his breath. He tried
to speak, but failed. Three times he got as far as
uttering the word “but" and then stuck fast. Lord
Manton, who remained comparatively calm, offered
a mild criticism.
“There is just one point,” he said, “in the course
of your extremely able and lucid statement, on
which I should like to have a word of explanation.
I have no doubt that you have thought the
matter out carefully, and will be able to meet my
difficulty at once. You say—and of course I don't
contradict you—that Mr. Red, I mean the man Red,
of course, first tried to murder his own servant and
then sent for Dr. O'Grady to cure him. Now, why
should a man get a doctor for the person he's trying
to kill? Wouldn't it have been simpler—I mean
to say, do murderers generally summon medical
assistance for their victims?”
“I am not concerned with his reasons for acting


232 THE SEARCH PARTY
any evidence at all. You've spun out a lot of wild
hypotheses, supported by information given you
by Jimmy O'Loughlin, who is the biggest liar in
Connacht. It's perfectly absurd to suppose——"
“I join with this lady,” said Miss Farquharson,
“with this lady whose name, as I understand, is
Miss Blow, in demanding the arrest of the suspected
persons.”
“Oh no, no,” wailed Mrs. Dick. “Don’t arrest
them. Let us forgive them ; but bring Richard
back to me. It's cruel, cruel. I can't live—oh, I
can't—"
Her voice died away to a whisper. Miss Farqu-
harson was gazing at her with a very stern ex-
pression.
“I can't,” said Mr. Goddard, “and won't allow
myself to be hustled into a perfectly illegal act.
The thing's—”
“You'll have to do it sooner or later,” said Lord
Manton. “Why not do it at once? After all, what
does it matter about the man Red P. It won't do
him any harm to be arrested. If he doesn't deserve
it for murdering Dr. O'Grady and the rest of them,
he's sure to deserve it for something else that we
know nothing about.”
“I'm not thinking about Mr. Red's feelings in
the matter. I don't care if he's hanged, drawn, and


234 THE SEARCH PARTY
“I know these gentlemen,” said Miss Blow,
“and you don't. I've had some experience of the
way they keep their promises.”
“I dissociate myself entirely—
Farquharson.
“I appreciate Miss Blow's feeling,” said Lord
Manton. “I quite understand it. I even sym-
pathize with it. There has been a good deal in
Mr. Goddard's conduct during the last few days
which justifies her suspicions. I—"
“And in your own conduct,” said Miss Blow.
“And in my own conduct, of course,” said Lord
Manton. “Didn't I say that? I meant to. We
have acted for the best. You, at least, will believe
that, Miss Farquharson. If Miss Blow has not
fully realized our difficulties, that is not her fault.
I don't in the least blame her for the attitude she
has taken up. Nor does Mr. Goddard."
Mr. Goddard looked as if he did blame her, but
he said nothing. The swift glances of appeal
which Lord Manton shot at him were sufficient to
keep him silent.
“What I propose now,” said Lord Manton, “is
that Mr. Goddard and I should accompany you to
the village, so that Miss Blow shall have the oppor-
tunity of seeing with her own eyes that her wish
with regard to the man Red is carried out.”
“That will be giving you far too much trouble,
said Miss Farquharson.
“ Nrit at all ” said I ord Manton “I’m Aaliorhtaa
said Miss


THE SEARCH PARTY 235
drink it while the horses are being harnessed, and
so waste no time."
“It's very kind of you," said Miss Farquharson,
“most kind; we shall be very glad——”
“I shall neither eat nor drink in this house,”
said Miss Blow.
“I quite understand your feeling,” said Lord
Manton. “There was a prophet once who said
the same thing. As well as I recollect, a lion ate
him afterwards; but of course that won't happen in
your case, Miss Blow. There aren't any lions in
Connacht."
“1,” said Miss Farquharson, with strong
emphasis on the pronoun, “shall be very pleased
to accept Lord Manton's hospitality in the spirit in
which it is offered.”
“Thank you,” said Lord Manton. “And I'm
sure Miss Blow won't have the least objection to
your doing so. She holds her own opinions, as
we all do; but from what I know of her I'm con-
vinced that she doesn't want to force them upon
other people.”
“It is understood," said Miss Blow, “that I
accompany Mr. Goddard when he goes to arrest
the murderers.”
“He may not go himself,” said Lord Manton.
“You will understand, Miss Blow, that it is not
usual for a man in Mr. Goddard's position, for an


CHAPTER XIX
LORP MANTON'S waggonette was a roomy
vehicle, used chiefly for picnic parties in the
summer, when Lady Flavia and her children were
at Clonmore Castle. The four ladies, Lord Manton,
and Mr. Goddard packed themselves into it quite
comfortably. Lord Manton gave his order to the
coachman.
“Down to the village, Thomas, and stop at the
hotel.”
Miss Blow was alert and suspicious. “Why
the hotel?" she asked.
“I’ll go to the police barrack if you like,” said
Lord Manton. “I only suggested the hotel because
it is a convenient central sort of place with a room
in it large enough to hold the whole party.”
“The hotel is decidedly the most suitable place,"
said Miss Farquharson.
She was beginning to dislike Miss Blow, whose
manner struck her as aggressive to a degree quite


THE SEARCH PARTY 237
“I don't see why Mr. O'Loughlin should be
mixed up in our business,” said Miss Blow.
“Nor do I,” said Mr. Goddard. “I’ve always
protested against the way he's dragged in. But
everybody does it. Sergeant Farrelly can't say a
simple sentence without quoting Jimmy as his
authority; and you did the same thing yourself
repeatedly when you were elaborating your theory
of murder.”
“Besides," said Lord Manton, “Jimmy O'Lough-
lin is a magistrate. He's really far more of a
magistrate than I am."
“If he's a magistrate,” said Miss Farquharson,
“we ought to consult him.”
“He’s a liar,” said Miss Blow definitely.
“Really 1” said Miss Farquharson.
Then she turned her back on Miss Blow, who
sat next her, and looked with great interest at the
horses. Mr. Goddard leaned across the waggonette
and whispered to Lord Manton.
“What do you mean to do when we get to the
hotel?"
“ Hush !" said Lord Manton.
Miss Blow's eyes were fixed on him, and he felt
that confidences were dangerous.
Jimmy O'Loughlin greeted the party at the *
of his hotel. He was surprised to see theº; e
was still more surprised when \lorë Mantom
demanded the use of a private sitting-room:
º Th y - ** h sai y
ere's the commercial room, e
there's he drawi-- ~~~ - * > :----, wave the W9


238 THE SEARCH PARTY
commercial room by reason of there being a key to
the door, so as you'll be able to lock it if you heard
Bridgy coming along the passage."
“What are you going to do now?" said Mr.
Goddard, catching Lord Manton by the arm, as
the ladies entered the commercial room.
“I’m going to persuade Jimmy O'Loughlin to
sign the warrant, if I possibly can," said Lord
Manton.
“He'll not do it. Jimmy O'Loughlin's not a
born fool.”
“Then I'm afraid,” said Lord Manton, “that
you'll have to arrest the man Red without a
warrant.”
“I won't,” said Mr. Goddard.
“Send the sergeant, then.”
“I Won't.”
“Couldn't you send the sergeant and a con-
stable and tell them to inquire civilly of Mr. Red
whether he'd seen anything of the Members of
Parliament? It's quite a natural thing to ask.
They passed his gate yesterday, and he might
have seen them. We could give the sergeant
some sort of a blue paper in the presence of Miss
Blow and pretend that he was going to make the
arrest.”
“That's no good,” said Mr. Goddard. “She


240 THE SEARCH PARTY
“It wouldn't be to please me," said Jimmy; “it
would be his lordship that would ask her at the
latter end."
“I'm afraid,” said Lord Manton, “she wouldn't
do it for me. She doesn't like me. You'd think
she would, but as a matter of fact she doesn't."
“How would it be,” said Jimmy, “if I was to
have a telegram for her? The young lady that
minds the post-office is a niece of my own. It
might be in it that it was from the doctor himself
and came from New York. That would turn her
mind away from the police.”
“She wouldn't believe it,” said Mr. Goddard.
“Not if you were to go in and swear to it on a
Bible. She says you're an awful liar."
“Begad, then, I don't know what it would be
best to do."
Sergeant Farrelly, Constable Cole, and Constable
Moriarty arrived at the door. They had been
summoned by Lord Manton's coachman after he
had deposited the party at the hotel. The situa-
tion was explained to them by Mr. Goddard.
Sergeant Farrelly expressed perfect readiness to
go to Rosivera and make any inquiries that were
considered necessary. When asked whether he
could escape without Miss Blow, he looked blank.
As a matter of fact, Miss Blow had opened the


THE SEARCH PARTY 241
Mr. Goddard, “trot it out. But there's no use
your suggesting taking her boots, or sending her
a bogus telegram. We've discussed those two
plans already."
“Don't you give heed to him,” said the sergeant.
“Stratagems is never out of his mouth, and there's
no sense at all in what he says.”
“How would it be,” said Constable Cole, “if
the sergeant and myself was to go off to Rosivera
on our bikes?”
“That's been suggested before," said Mr.
Goddard, “and it's no good. She has a bicycle
herself, and she'd go with you."
“Sure he knows she has a bicycle," said Jimmy
O'Loughlin. “Didn't he see her riding in on it
this morning, the time you were off up at the
Castle? And didn't he remark on its being mighty
like the machine that the sergeant's wife beyond
in Ballymoy is after buying?”
“I did," said Constable Cole.
“If you knew all that,” said Mr. Goddard,
“what on earth was the good of your suggesting
that you and the sergeant should go on bicycles?
Don't you know she'd be after you?”
“Stratagems" said Sergeant Farrelly scorn-
fully. “Do you call them stratagems?"
“How would it be,” said Constable Cole, “if
you was to go in to her and tell her that it was
Constable Moriarty that was to go with the
sergeant to Rosivera P”


242 THE SEARCH PARTY
a great wish for Moriarty since the day he took
her for a drive on Jimmy O'Loughlin's car. If
Moriarty was to go in as soon as ever you were
done telling her, and was to say he'd be glad if she'd
go along with him——"
“I couldn't say the like to a young lady," said
Moriarty. “I'd be ashamed.”
“Be quiet, Moriarty,” said Mr. Goddard. “And
let's hear the rest of the stratagem.”
“And if he was to say at the same time—'
said Cole.
“If who was to say?" asked Lord Manton.
“I'm getting mixed." -
“Constable Moriarty,” said Cole; “if he was
to say that it would be a pleasure to him to go
round to the yard and get her bicycle for her
the way she'd be ready to go with him and the
sergeant—"
“I see,” said Lord Manton.
“She'd go with him to the yard,” said Mr.
Goddard. “Don't forget that.”
“She would,” said Cole, “and on the way there
she'd see Moriarty's bicycle and another, as it
might be the sergeant's."
“But of course it wouldn't be the sergeant's,”
said Lord Manton.
“It would not. The sergeant and myself might
he off by that time a good bit along the road to


THE SEARCH PARTY 243
in Moriarty she'll be taken in for five minutes;
but at the end of that time she'll be off after you.”
“I wouldn't wonder,” said Cole, “but the back
tyre of her own bicycle might be flat."
He looked at Jimmy O'Loughlin as he spoke.
His face was entirely devoid of any expression,
but Jimmy was a man of quick wit.
“Bridgy 2" he said.
“Bridgy'd do,” he said.
“Do what?” said Lord Manton. “I’m getting
mixed again."
“With the blade of a knife?" said Jimmy
O'Loughlin.
“That, or a three-pronged fork," said Cole,
“unbeknown to any but herself.”
“It could be done,” said Jimmy O'Loughlin,
“and Bridgy's the girl for the job."
“Constable Moriarty,” said Cole, “would offer
to mend it for her, while they'd be waiting for the
sergeant, who'd be down at the barrack getting
the handcuffs.”
“Oiling them,” said Lord Manton.
“Oiling or such," said Cole.
“Where's the use of oiling handcuffs 7" said
the sergeant.
“Shut up, sergeant,” said Mr. Goddard. “That's
part of the stratagem."
“Constable Moriarty," said Cole, “would be


244 THE SEARCH PARTY
one thing you may feel quite sure about. What-
ever else she does, she'll not laugh.”
“I'm not fit to talk to her,” said Moriarty.
“You're not fit to mend a tyre either,” said Cole;
“mind that now. When you have the hole there
is in it with a patch on it, and you're putting back
the cover on the wheel you'd nip the inner tube so
as there be a bit took out of it.”
“Do you take me for a fool?" said Moriarty.
“Haven't I mended—"
“I’ll take you for a fool," said Mr. Goddard, “if
you don't do exactly what you're told.”
“After that,” said Cole, “you'll have to mend
the tyre again; and I'd say, if you're any kind of
good at all, that by the time you've done with it it'll
be beyond the help of man in the way of holding
the air.”
“It's a great stratagem,” said Lord Manton; “I
never heard a better."
“It's what I was reading in a book one time,”
said Cole. “You know the book, sergeant—”
“I’ve heard you speaking about it,” said the
sergeant, “many a time."
“Well,” said Cole, “that stratagem was in it.
It was a young fellow that was off with a girl that
he was wishing to marry and her father was after
them. It was bicycles they had. And the young
fellow gave half a crown to the man in the hotel to
do the like to the old chap's bicycle the way he'd
get off with the girl.”


246 THE SEARCH PARTY
prefer to have it signed in your presence. Kindly
ring the bell, Mr. Goddard.”
“What for P” said Miss Blow.
“I want a pen and ink, for one thing," said Lord
Manton. “And I want Jimmy O'Loughlin. He's
going to sign it too.”
Miss Blow sniffed, but she made no objection to
the second signature.
“Now," said Lord Manton, when he and Jimmy
O'Loughlin had signed their names, “call in the
sergeant and the constable.”
Mr. Goddard opened the door and summoned
the police. They marched into the room and stood
upright, rigid and impressive, near the door. They
made a great impression on Miss Farquharson.
Sergeant Farrelly, in particular, struck her as a
kind of embodiment of the spirit of law and order.
Mr. Goddard held the warrant in his hand and
addressed the men.
“Sergeant Farrelly," he said, “will take this
warrant, proceed at once to Rosivera, and effect the
arrest of Theodore Guy Red, the person named
in it.”
He looked round as he finished his sentence, and
noticed with pleasure that Miss Blow was listening
intently to what he said.
“Constable Moriarty," he went on, “will ac-


THE SEARCH PARTY 247
“the police will proceed to Rosivera on bicycles,
starting as soon as possible. Sergeant Farrelly, is
your bicycle ready ?”
“It is, sir,” said the sergeant. “It's at the door
of the hotel this minute, and my cape is strapped
on to the handle bars."
“Is Constable Moriarty's bicycle ready ?" asked
Mr. Goddard.
“It is, sir," said the sergeant.
“The police,” said Mr. Goddard, “will be ac-
companied on this expedition by Miss Blow.
Every effort, consistent with the effecting of the
arrest, will be made by the police to protect Miss
Blow in the event of riot."
“It will, sir."
“By the way, Miss Blow,” said Mr. Goddard,
“ have you got a bicycle 7"
“Yes,” said Miss Blow. “I borrowed one
this morning in Ballymoy. It's in the hotel yard
now."
“It's in the stable," said Jimmy O'Loughlin.
“I'm after telling Bridgy to give it a bit of a rub
over with a soft cloth the way it'll be decent like,
when the young lady wants it.”
“Sergeant Farrelly,” said Mr. Goddard, “will
now proceed to the barrack and provide himself
with handcuffs.”
“Carefully oiled," said Lord Manton.
“He will be accompanied by Constable Cole,
who will remain on guard at the barrack. Having


248 THE SEARCH PARTY
front door, so that everything will be in readiness
for an immediate start when Sergeant Farrelly
returns with the handcuffs."
“I can get my bicycle for myself," said Miss
Blow.
“It would be too much trouble for you, miss,”
said Jimmy O'Loughlin. “But of course, if the
young lady's doubtful about the way Moriarty
might handle it, she's right to go. It's a good
bicycle,” he added, “though I'd say that maybe the
back tyre of it was a bit worn.”
Miss Blow, accompanied by Moriarty, who
looked extremely uncomfortable, left the room.
Sergeant Farrelly and Constable Cole marched
rapidly down the street towards the barrack.
“I think, ladies,” said Lord Manton, “that Mr.
Goddard and I will leave you for the present. We
shall see you this evening again, so we need not
say good-bye."
“That," said Lord Manton to Mr. Goddard as
they walked together across the deer park, “was a
good stratagem. I don't altogether envy Moriarty
when it comes to its climax; but Cole certainly
deserves promotion.”
“I don't see that it's much use in reality,” said
Mr. Goddard. “It's only putting off the evil day,
l
----- ----- WM71-a- +!-- ~~~~~~~ + …~~~~~ 1--~l. ſ.---





CHAPTER XX
HERE are, as Patsy Devlin reminded Jimmy
O'Loughlin on the occasion of Miss Blow's
first visit to Lord Manton, two ways of getting to
the Castle from the village of Clonmore. There is
the longer way by the great avenue which leads
through the demesne and is remarkable for its fine
rows of beech trees. By it all visitors who drive
must go. They leave the public road a mile to the
east of the village, having passed, supposing them
to start from Jimmy O'Loughlin's hotel, both the
police barrack and the railway station. There is
also the shorter way through the deer park, avail-
able only for foot passengers, because it is necessary
in the first place to climb a boundary wall. The
visitor who goes by this route, supposing once
more that he starts from the hotel, leaves the
village, and walks in a westerly direction until he
comes to the spot where the wall is partially broken
down and therefore easy to climb. He passes no
building of any importance on his way, because the
hotel is almost the last house at the west end of
the village street.
VM/1. -- 1.-- ~l- > -- ~~~~~ ----- MM - ſº - -, -1----i –— — — — — r


THE SEARCH PARTY 251
“You’d much better let me," said Lord Manton.
“It will save you a lot of time and do the cob
good. He hasn't been out for two days. I've been
afraid to put my nose outside the place for fear of
meeting the police.”
“I'd like to drive well enough,” said Mr.
Goddard, “but I daren't. The fact is, I want to
get into the telegraph office without being seen, if
possible. Miss Blow is sure to be at the barrack,
and I'm a little nervous about passing the door.”
The post-office in Clonmore is a sort of bye-
product of Jimmy O'Loughlin's commercial activity.
The business is carried on in a corner of his shop,
and the shop itself is an adjunct of the hotel.
Approaching the village from the west you come
upon the shop door first, then that of the hotel.
“I dare say you're right,” said Lord Manton.
“Unless Moriarty is a young man with quite
remarkable powers of persuasion, Miss Blow's
temper is likely to be very bad indeed.”
“She'll find out, of course," said Mr. Goddard,
“that the sergeant really has gone off in the direc-
tion of Rosivera, and taken Cole with him. That
ought to pacify her to some extent. Still, I think
I'll avoid an interview as long as I can.”
By walking through the deer park and approach-
ing the village cautiously, Mr. Goddard succeeded
in getting into the post-office unseen. After a
short search he discovered Jimmy O'Loughlin's
niece, a red-haired girl, who sold stamps and sent
off and received telegrams. She was indulging in


THE SEARCH PARTY 255
likely, the fugitives had made a rush for England
or Scotland, he would get news of them at one of
the other places. It was possible, of course, that
they were still loitering about Ireland. In that
case he would hear of them from one of his railway
stations. Even the most energetic member of
Parliament would not be likely to do more than
fifty miles on his bicycle over west of Ireland
roads, and Mr. Sanders was afflicted with a weak
heart.
“Isn't there some way of getting from the hotel
to the shop,” said Mr. Goddard, “without going
out into the street? I want to speak to your
uncle.”
“There is surely,” said Susy Lizzie. “If you
step across to the grocery counter, the young
gentleman that's there will show you the door.”
The door, as Mr. Goddard found when the
young gentleman opened it for him, led directly to
the hotel bar. Jimmy O'Loughlin was serving out
bottles of porter to about a dozen customers.
There was a babble of talk, which ceased abruptly
as Mr. Goddard entered.
“Jimmy," he said, “I want to speak to you for
a minute."
“Affy Ginnetty,” said Jimmy, “come here and
attend the bar.”
The young gentleman who had opened the door
for Mr. Goddard left the care of the bacon, flour,
and tobacco which strewed his counter. and took


256 THE SEARCH PARTY
indicated an assortment of lamps, pots, and rat-
traps—“unless it would be of a fair day.”
“Jimmy," said Mr. Goddard, “where are the
ladies?"
“There's two of them," said Jimmy “that's in
their beds.”
“In their beds P”
“I suppose it's in them they are. Anyway,
they said they were going to lie down, and Bridgy
brought up a can of hot water apiece for them, and
I didn't see them since. There was talk,” he added,
“of their being up and dressed again to be down
ready at the barrack at four o'clock, that being the
hour at which they were expecting Sergeant
Farrelly to be back.”
“Those," said Mr. Goddard, “are probably Mrs.
Dick and Mrs. Sanders."
“They might be.”
“And what about the other two P”
“There's one of them that's writing letters
above in the drawing-room. She sent Bridgy for
twopenny-worth of paper and envelopes, and I
gave her the loan of a bottle of ink and a writing
pen. I heard her say she'd be down along with
the other two at the barrack at four o'clock to see
the sergeant.”
“That's most likely to be Miss Farquharson.”
“I wouldn't say,” said Jimmy, “whether the
sergeant would be back at four."
“He will not, nor yet at five."
“I was thinking as much."
tº VX71-2-a's Miec R1-xx, P "


THE SEARCH PARTY 257
“I'm glad to hear that.”
“She wasn't as much put out as you'd expect,"
said Jimmy, “when she found she couldn't go on
the bicycle. I was thinking she might be in a bad
way and that maybe she'd be too much for Moriarty,
so I sent Bridgy into the yard to her, not caring to
go myself—"
“You were right there,” said Mr. Goddard.
“Bridgy told me after, that she never saw in all
her born days anything to equal the state that
Moriarty had the tyre in. “You could have run
the wisps of it,' she said, ‘through the teeth of a
fine comb.'"
“Get Bridgy," said Mr. Goddard. “I'd like to
hear the story from herself.”
“I'm not sure could I get her, for she's busy
with the pig's food and would be wanting to clean
herself before she'd come. But there's no need
anyway, for I can tell you the way she quietened
the doctor's young lady as well as she'd tell it
herself, and maybe better, for she might be back-
ward in speaking out before a gentleman. ‘The
sergeant bid me say,' says Bridgy, ‘that he's off
this quarter of an hour, and has took Constable
Cole along with him.' Only for Moriarty being
there and listening to her Bridgy says the young
lady would have cursed awful at hearing that.
‘Wild horses,’ says Bridgy, “wouldn't have held
the seroeant hack frnm ornino, he was that set on


260 THE SEARCH PARTY
Goddard, “and I never heard greater nonsense
in my life.”
He was scattering more pink papers on the
floor as he spoke. Every railway station about
which he inquired had been drawn blank.
“Do you suppose,” he went on, “that a lady
like Mrs. Dick, who has been crying the whole day
because she's lost her husband, would take up
straight off with any strange man the police
happened to send her over from Glasgow? Have
some sense, Jimmy.”
“It's them ones that cries the most,” said Jimmy,
“that is the quickest to get married again if so be
there's anybody willing to take them.”
“I don't deny that,” said Mr. Goddard; “but,
hang it all ! you must give her time to make sure
that the first one's really dead. I don't believe he
is myself. Damn it all! look at this."
He held out a telegram, the last of his batch, to
Jimmy O'Loughlin.
“From Inspector-General of Police. Matter of
disappearance of Members of Parliament serious.
Keep news out of papers if possible. Am leaving
Belfast to-night. Shall reach Clonmore to-morrow
noon. Meet train and report."
“I don't know," said Jimmy, “will he be ex-
pecting to stay the night at the hotel, for if he is


CHAPTER XXI
A* four o'clock Miss Farquharson, Mrs. Dick and
Mrs. Sanders went down to the police barrack.
They found Miss Blow seated by herself in the
men's day room. Constable Moriarty was digging
potatoes in the garden at the back of the house.
He had been questioned and cross-questioned by
Miss Blow for more than an hour after he had
completed the destruction of the bicycle tyre. He
felt jaded and nervous. He stood on the brink of
a frightful exposure. A trifling accident, an in-
cautious word, might at any moment betray the
part he had played in Constable Cole's stratagem.
Some men under the circumstances would have
steadied themselves with whisky, but Moriarty was
a strict teetotaller. Others would have smoked
pipe after pipe of strong tobacco. Moriarty, much
wiser, went out and dug potatoes. There is
nothing more soothing to racked nerves than
digging in the ground, and there is a mild excite-
ment about driving a spade into potato ridges
which distracts the mind from painful thoughts
and terrifvino anticinatinne The #11 run in or ºn of the


THE SEARCH PARTY 265
“Sergeant Farrelly left this at a quarter past
twelve,” said Miss Blow ; “and he's not back
yet.”
“It's a long road,” said Jimmy, “longer maybe
than you'd think.”
“It's eight miles.”
“And eight back along with that."
“That only makes sixteen,” said Miss Farquhar-
son, who shared her nephew's fondness for intricate
calculations.
“So they ought to be here by this time,” said
Miss Blow.
“It could be," said Jimmy, “that they might be
a long time looking for the gentleman they're after
before they'd find him. A fellow like that would
be as cunning as an old fox, hiding himself when
he saw the police after him.”
“Oh,” said Mrs. Dick, “I do hope nothing has
happened to them. It would be too terrible.”
“The sergeant,” said Jimmy, “is a heavy man
He wouldn't be as quick as another at doing a run
on a bicycle.”
“Still,” said Miss Blow, “he's had four hours
and it's only sixteen miles.” -
“He'll have to walk back,” said Jimmy, “and if
so be the prisoner wasn't willing to come with him
it might be a long time before he got him along the
road, for he wouldn't like to be beating him. He
has a kind heart, the sergeant; it's hardly ever
you'd see him as much as laying a stick across a
child."
* M:- — rººt ---- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * - - - -- 1: – º – a *T*l. A


266 THE SEARCH PARTY
Jimmy O'Loughlin made his escape from the
barrack.
He found Mr. Goddard scribbling a fresh tele-
gram in the post-office.
“Look at that,” he said, handing a form to
Jimmy.
“From Chief Secretary, Dublin Castle. Why
have you not reported recovery of Members of
Parliament?”
“That's not what I'd call a civil message," said
Jimmy. “What did you say to him 2"
“Susy Lizzie," said Mr. Goddard, “give your
uncle the answer I sent to the last telegram but
two."
Susy Lizzie fumbled among a pile of papers
and finally handed one over to Jimmy.
“To Chief Secretary, Dublin Castle. Impossible
to report recovery of Members of Parliament with
any truth because still at large. Goddard, District
Inspector."
“Be damn,” said Jimmy, “but you had him there
as neat as ever I seen."
“He’s not satisfied, though. Look at this."
He handed another form to Jimmy.
“From Chief Secretary, Dublin Castle. Lord
Lieutenant requests explanation of disappearance
of Members of Parliament.”
“Here's the answer to that," said Mr. Goddard.


THE SEARCH PARTY 267
“Theory current locally,” read Susy Lizzie,
“that Members of Parliament have deserted their
wives and aunt.”
“That'll give him his 'nough of telegraphing for
this day anyhow," said Jimmy. “I'd like to see the
way he'll be rampaging up and down the stairs
of the Castle when he gets that. It'll show them
fellows that you think mighty little of them any-
way, Mr. Goddard.
“How are the ladies getting on?"
“I've quietened them for a bit. They were
annoyed on account of Sergeant Farrelly not coming
back; but I told them it would take him a long time
to be dragging Mr. Red along the road by the hair
of his head, and I didn't think he'd come without.
They'll be all right for another hour, anyway.
Will I be going into the hotel and telling Bridgy
to fetch you over a cup of tea? It's after five
o'clock."
It was nearly six o'clock before Bridgy came to
the shop with a tray in her hands. She was
followed by Affy, the young gentleman from the
grocery department, who carried a loaf of bread
and a pot of jam. Mr. Goddard and Susy Lizzie
began a comfortable meal together. They were
interrupted twice by telegrams from Dublin, but
they did not allow these to trouble them much. A
very much more serious interruption was caused
bv a breathless whisper from Affy to the effect that


268 THE SEARCH PARTY
“Susy Lizzie," he whispered, “run like a good
girl and get your uncle. Tell him that the ladies
are here, and that he'll have to come at once and
pacify them.”
Susy Lizzie ran. She was enjoying her after-
noon immensely. The monotony of her life was
seldom broken in any way half so agreeable.
“If the thing is to be done, I'll do it,” said
Jimmy, when he received the message.
He left his bar and went into the shop. He
faced Miss Farquharson, who was asking Affy
where Mr. Goddard was likely to be found.
“I was thinking, my lady," said Jimmy, “that
maybe you'd be wanting a bit of supper. What
would you say now to a chop, or a couple of rashers
and some eggs? I could have them got for you in
a minute."
“I want Mr. Goddard, the police officer,” said
Miss Blow, who stood beside the post-office
Counter.
“Wouldn't it be better for you now," said Jimmy,
turning to her, “to be eating your supper quietly
instead of rampaging about the town frightening
the wits out of a poor man that's doing his best for
you? Come now, sure I'm old enough to be your
father, and I know what's good for you. It's
moidered you are with the trouble that's on you, and
there isn't one in the place but is sorry for you
and for all the rest of the ladies this night. But
what's the good of making yourselves sick over it,





CHAPTER XXII
A* eight o'clock Mr. Goddard, who had enjoyed
some fried bacon and a bottle of porter in the
telegraph office, began to feel surprise at the pro-
longed absence of Sergeant Farrelly. It was all
very well to go slowly to Rosivera and to return
without undue hurry, but it was hard to imagine
how eight hours could possibly be occupied in
travelling sixteen miles. He sent Susy Lizzie,
who remained in attendance on him, to call her
uncle.
“I’m doing the best I can," said Jimmy, “to keep
them quiet; but they'll be out after you in spite of
me soon. I left herself and Bridgy talking to them;
but what use are they against the four P And the
doctor's young lady is the worst of them.”
“It's not the ladies I'm bothered about now,”
said Mr. Goddard. “Why the devil isn't Sergeant
Farrelly back? What's keeping him?"
“Faith, I don't know, unless maybe he'd be in
dread | "
“Nonsense. I told him not to hurry, but I didn't
tell him to stay out all night.”
“It's ---eer so it i.- " -->4 1:----, “Wł.... --~~ 11,4


THE SEARCH PARTY 273
not the least hysterical; but you can never tell. I
hope you won't vanish to-morrow, Goddard. If
you feel it coming on you, you'd better put yourself
under arrest at once. Was the sergeant a married
man P”
“No, he wasn't.”
“Then there'll be no widow to make lamenta-
tion in his case. That's a good job for you, Goddard.
I don't see how you could have got on with another .
woman running round after you. What about the
constable?"
“He's not married either. He's not long enough
in the service.”
“Poor fellow !" said Lord Manton. “I suppose
now that this will ruin his prospects, even if he
comes back."
“Lord Manton,” said Mr. Goddard, “what do
you know about that tenant of yours at Rosivera?"
“Surely you're not coming round to Miss Blow's
murder theory, are you?”
“I don't know. It's a very queer business
Is Red—that's the man's name, isn't it—respect-
able?”
“I don't know. I never saw the man in my life.
I know nothing about him except that he paid his
rent and came here in a motor-car. That looks as
if he had money, doesn't it?”
“I don't understand it,” said Mr. Goddard. “The
sergeant and Cole certainly went to Rosivera to-day.


274 THE SEARCH PARTY
“Jimmy thinks,” said Mr. Goddard, “that the
sergeant's afraid to come back on account of Miss
Blow. But that's all rot, of course.”
“I'm not at all sure that Jimmy's not right. He's
avery shrewd man, Jimmy O'Loughlin. I shouldn't
wonder a bit—"
“But what the deuce am I to do?”
“I’ll tell you what it is,” said Lord Manton.
“We'll make a descent in force on Rosivera to-
morrow. You shall collect all the police you
possibly can, fifty of them, if there are fifty available,
We'll take all the ladies interested in the matter in
my waggonette. Jimmy O'Loughlin and I will
accompany the army in the capacity of civil magis-
trates, each of us armed with a Riot Act and a writ
of Habeas Corpus. We'll make that fellow Red sit
up if he's been at any games.”
“I really think we'll have to. It seems very
absurd, but what else are we to do? I've been
harried with telegrams from everybody in Dublin
Castle all day. The Inspector-General is coming
down here to-morrow, though I don't see what on
earth he thinks he'll be able to do."
“We'll forestall him,” said Lord Manton. “He
can't possibly get here before noon. We'll start at
eleven A.M. sharp. We'll have the mystery, what-
ever it is, probed to its inmost recesses before he
gets at it. The whole credit will be yours,
Arº- - - - - ºn


THE SEARCH PARTY 275
“Thanks,” said Mr. Goddard. “The fact is, I
don't particularly care about going back to the
village to-night.”
“Will they be waiting up for you?”
“They will.”
“Miss Blow,” said Lord Manton, “is a wonder-
ful woman."
“She's not bad looking,” said Mr. Goddard
magnanimously, “but she's rather—”
“I know what you're going to say—vehement,
wasn't that it? A good deal of life force about her?
I quite agree with you. Now, what do you think?
Supposing it turns out that the man Red has really
been up to any kind of tricks; supposing he's
engaged in a business of kidnapping dispensary
doctors, blacksmiths, Members of Parliament and
policemen, for the purpose of shipping them off as
slaves to the Sultan of Zanzibar. I don't say for
certain that that's exactly what he's doing. I don't
know yet. But if he's at anything of the sort it
would serve him jolly well right if we made him
marry Miss Blow.”
“He wouldn't do it.”
“He might. He seems to be a man of adven-
turous disposition. If he doesn't like her, we could
offer him Miss Farquharson.”
“I should think he'd refuse them both. He'd
see Miss Farquharson, and he'd be absolutely
certain to hear Miss Blow.”
“I thinly wºre ros., 14 ns.t. --eee, ºre on him " said





CHAPTER XXIII
Miss BLOW was very angry when she dis-
covered that Mr. Goddard was not in the
telegraph office. Nothing Jimmy O'Loughlin said
soothed her in the least. He pointed out that the
officer's absence was caused by his excessive zeal
for the cause they all had at heart; that he had in
fact gone in person to investigate the mystery of
Rosivera. Miss Blow refused to believe him, and
expressed her contempt for habitual liars in plain
language.
“If you don't believe me, miss, ask Constable
Moriarty, and he'll tell you the same.”
“I shouldn't believe him either,” said Miss Blow;
“and in any case Constable Moriarty is a fool.”
“He was standing by," said Jimmy, pursuing the
subject without regarding the interruption, “the
same as it might be yourself, and he heard every
word that passed between us. “Mr. Goddard,' I
says, “them ladies is in a terrible state, and getting
worse. It's hardly ever they were able to take the
r11n nf taa I had uretted for thern ' ' I lznnur it linn navy'


CHAPTER XXIV
IT was three o'clock in the afternoon of the day
which followed their capture, and the two
Members of Parliament showed no signs of be-
coming reconciled to their situation. Mr. Sanders
grumbled and occasionally swore. Mr. Dick passed
from bursts of violent rage to fits of lamentation
over the desolate condition of Mrs. Dick. Dr.
O'Grady and Patsy Devlin bore with them patiently
for a long time. But there are limits to human
endurance. After a consultation with Patsy, the
doctor undertook to speak seriously to the un-
reasonably afflicted men. The bearded anarchist
who usually attended to the wants of the prisoners,
carried off the dinner things. Dr. O'Grady pulled
Mr. Dick's bed out to the middle of the floor.
“Now," he said, “sit down on that, the two of
you in a row, till I try if I can't talk sense into
you.”
“Why," said Mr. Sanders sulkily, “why


282 THE SEARCH PARTY
that satisfy you, or must I give you the second
reason P"
“I won't be talked to by you," said Mr. Dick.
“You're in league with the infernal scoundrels who
have locked us up here."
“My good man—” said Mr. Sanders.
This pacific form of address produced no more
effect on Dr. O'Grady than Mr. Dick's blunt
denunciation did. Mr. Sanders was given no time
to finish his remark.
“The second reason why you should is because
it will be the worse for you if you don't."
“Do you mean to threaten us with violence?”
said Mr. Dick.
“Patsy," said Dr. O'Grady, “take off your coat,
roll up your sleeve and show your arm. I may
mention, gentlemen, that Patsy Devlin was a black-
smith by trade before he took to being a captive.
He's used to hammering.”
Mr. Dick and Mr. Saunders watched Patsy
Devlin bare his arm, but they made no move
towards the bed.
“Patsy," said Dr. O'Grady, “roll up your other
sleeve. If you want to fight, gentlemen, I'd re-
commend you to take off your coats."
“I can't fight,” said Mr. Sanders, “on account
of my heart. It's weak, and the doctor expressly


284 THE SEARCH PARTY
for you, and allowed you to get into them, although
it was barely five o'clock, and the habit of going
to bed at that hour is most unsociable. Patsy
brought your tea over to you later on before he
drank a drop himself, to save you the trouble of
getting out of bed. That was pure kindness of
heart on Patsy's part, and you didn't so much as
say “thank you.'"
“They did not,” said Patsy, who stood behind
the bed with sleeves still rolled up; “and it will be
long enough before I do the like again.”
“After tea,” said Dr. O'Grady, “I sent for the
Emperor and persuaded him to let Mr. Dick have
his clothes back. I needn't have done that. It
didn't matter to me if he had to go about stark
naked for the rest of his natural life. Did you
show any gratitude this morning? Not a bit. You
sulked and whimpered again in the most unbear-
able manner. We put up with it. We tried to
cheer you. There was an egg short at breakfast.
Who did without? Patsy again; although he
deserved an egg a great deal more than either of
you. When breakfast was over, I suggested that
we should all join in the game of flipping pennies
across the table. I didn't do that because I wanted
to play. As a matter of fact, I don't usually play


THE SEARCH PARTY 285
which you ought to be ashamed to make. No
man could be brought up to think it wrong to flip
pennies. Besides, what is it that's wrong about
gambling? It's the excitement created by the
element of risk associated with all gambling. Now,
in this case, as you know perfectly well, there
would have been no excitement, because there was
no element of risk. The thing was a dead cer-
tainty. Patsy would have given you ten points in
every game and beaten the head off you. If you
had to make an excuse, why didn't you trot out
your weak heart again f That would have been
more reasonable. When you wouldn't play that,
I proposed another game, called Moggy, at which
you wouldn't have had a chance of winning either.
You refused it too. Then I said that if you liked
we'd have a debate on Home Rule or Tariff
Reform. I said that you two could choose your
own side and that Patsy and I would take the
other, whatever it was. I thought that would
interest you. It would have bored both Patsy and
me frightfully; but we were prepared to put up
with that for your sakes."
“How could you expect us to take an interest
in Tariff Reform,” said Mr. Dick, “when our
minds were full of −"
“Patsy," said Dr. O'Grady, “if that man men-
tions his wife again, hit him with the flat of your
hand on the side of the head. Now go on, Mr.


288 THE SEARCH PARTY
and drew lines from it with his forefinger. The
rest of the party watched with great interest. Sud-
denly he stopped and knelt bolt upright.
“What's that noise P” he said.
“I didn't hear any noise,” said Dr. O'Grady
“There wasn't any noise. Go on Hop Scotching.”
“There was a noise. I heard it. A noise like a
fall. I have very sharp hearing."
“That always goes with a weak heart," said Dr.
O'Grady. “But——”
He stopped abruptly. This time there was an
unmistakable noise, a shout uttered somewhere in
the lower part of the house, which reached even the
remote room where the captives were. They drew
together and waited, breathless. Mr. Sanders grew
very white.
“They're fighting downstairs," he said.
“Perhaps the police have come," said Mr. Dick.
“Perhaps we shall be rescued. I knew that my
wife would do everything to find me. I knew she
would find me.”
“You didn't seem to think so yesterday,” said
Dr. O'Grady. “And I wouldn't make too sure now,
if I were you. If they are fighting downstairs, and
I can't hear plainly enough to be certain—"
“I can,” said Mr. Sanders.
“I expect,” said Dr. O'Grady, “that the Emperor
will get the best of it. He'll probably be in on us
here in a minute or two as proud as Punch at having


THE SEARCH PARTY 289
“They are," said Dr. O'Grady; “a whole lot of
people. I wonder who he has got this time.”
The door of the room was unlocked. There
was a short scuffle outside, and then Sergeant
Farrelly and Constable Cole were thrust in. They
both looked as if they had been roughly handled.
The sergeant's tunic was torn, his right eye was
beginning to swell, and there was blood on his
lower lip. Mr. Red, looking very grim and deter-
mined, stalked into the room behind them.
“Emperor,” said Dr. O'Grady, “this is too
much. I complained to you yesterday about the
habit you have got into of thrusting strange people
in on top of me and Patsy. I put up with the last
two, but this is more than I am going to stand."
“They remain here,” said Mr. Red, “as
captives.”
“Not at all,” said Dr. O'Grady. “Think it over,
Emperor, and you'll come to see that you can't
possibly leave them here. You are an anarchist,
an anti-military anarchist. You've often told me
so yourself. Now, an anarchist, as I understand
his position, is absolutely pledged to every kind of
social reform. Whatever anybody else may do,
an anarchist can't consistently go in for the over-
crowding of tenement houses, or tolerate insanitary
prisons. You see that, don't you? If ever it got
out that you'd shut up six men in one room and
kept them there, your reputation would be gone.
There wouldn't be a decent anarchist anywhere in
the world who'd recognize vou as belonging to his


290 THE SEARCH PARTY
turn. You simply must give these two men—
Oh, you're going, are you? Very well. But think
over what I've said. You'll realize that I'm right.”
Mr. Red shut the door and locked it. Sergeant
Farrelly turned fiercely on Constable Cole.
“You born fool," he said, “why didn't you strike
him when I had him down?"
“I'd have—"
“I suppose it was planning a stratagem you
were," said the sergeant, “instead of striking when
you got the chance.”
“I'd have broke his head,” said Constable Cole,
“if so be I'd struck him and me in the rage I was
in at the time. How would I know but that it might
be murder?"
“Serve you right if he broke yours,” said the
Sergeant.
“Come now,” said Dr. O'Grady, “there's no use
making a fuss. You put up a middling good fight
to judge by the look of you, and you ought to be
content. None of the rest of us did as much.”
“Is that yourself, doctor?" said the sergeant.
“It is.”
“And, by the holy,” said Constable Cole, “he
has Patsy Devlin along with him 1"
“And us thinking that the two of yez was off to
America,” said the sergeant.
“I heard that you thought I'd gone," said Dr.
O'Grady; “but what made you suspect poor
Patsy?”
“Hadn't he the funds collected for the sports P "
— — — — — — — —------
– i.


CHAPTER XXV
A* ten o'clock next morning Jimmy O'Loughlin
entered the commercial room of his hotel.
Miss Blow was breakfasting by herself. Miss
Farquharson, who had finished her breakfast an
hour earlier, was writing letters at one end of the
long table, having folded back the white cloth.
Mrs. Dick and Mrs. Sanders were still in their bed-
rooms, mourning for their husbands.
“There's five police after coming into the town
from Ballymoy,” said Jimmy excitedly; “and it's
what I'm after hearing from Moriarty that there's
more expected."
Miss Blow looked up from her breakfast. Her
face expressed irritation and incredulity.
“It's the truth I'm telling you," said Jimmy.
“Begad, but Mr. Goddard's the fine man.”
“You told us last night,” said Miss Farquharson,
“that Mr. Goddard had vanished like every one
else. Has he appeared again?"
“He never was lost, thanks be to God! He was
— — — — — — a 1 T – – 1 AM - - - - - 1 - - - -- 1 a a 1 *


298 THE SEARCH PARTY
said Miss Blow, “before I give an opinion about
them. I've been—"
“Here's Mr. Goddard himself,” said Jimmy
O'Loughlin, who was standing near the window,
“and his lordship along with him. And they have
the big waggonette from the Castle and the dog-
cart with the yellow cob in it. Be damn, but it's
great!"
Miss Farquharson stood up and looked out of
the window. Miss Blow, obstinately sceptical,
continued to eat her breakfast. Mr. Goddard and
Lord Manton entered the room.
“Ladies," said Mr. Goddard. “In a quarter of
an hour we start for Rosivera.”
“At the head of a small army," said Lord
Manton. “Twelve men armed with carbines, not
counting Mr. Goddard, who wears a sword.”
“Fifteen men," said Mr. Goddard. “I’m expect-
ing three more. They may arrive at any minute."
“I suppose,” said Miss Blow, “that this is some
new kind of trick."
“Come and see,” said Mr. Goddard. “Lord
Manton has placed his waggonette at your
disposal. We invite your presence. We insist
upon it."
“My niece and Mrs. Dick," said Miss Farquhar-
son, “are still in their bedrooms.”
“Get them out,” said Lord Manton, “as quicklv


THE SEARCH PARTY 299
“We don't absolutely require you," said Lord
Manton; “but we'll be glad to have you with us."
“It'll be better, then,” said Jimmy, “if I go
upstairs and put on a decent coat and shave
myself. Bridgy, will you run like a good girl and
get me a sup of hot water?”
“You may change your coat,” said Mr. God-
dard, “but you can't shave. There isn't time.”
Miss Blow and Miss Farquharson left the room
together.
“Would you have any objection to telling me,”
said Jimmy O'Loughlin, “what is it that you're
thinking of doing?"
“It's Lord Manton's plan,” said Mr. Goddard,
“not mine. The fact is, we're going to Rosivera
to marry Mr. Red either to Miss Blow or Miss
Farquharson.”
“And is that the reason you have the police
gathered from the four corners of the county?"
“It is,” said Mr. Goddard.
“I wouldn't wonder but you're right. It's ten
to one he won't care for the notion; not but what
Miss Blow is a fine-looking young lady, and that's
what I've always said since the first time ever I set
eyes on her."
The street of Clonmore, the single street which
runs from end to end of the village, presented a
----------exial annearance when Miss Blow.


THE SEARCH PARTY 301
the waggonette which you see at your disposal.
When you are seated in it we start at once. God
save the King !”
“Hear, hear!" said Lord Manton again.
The four ladies, a little bewildered by this
oration, took their seats in the waggonette. Mr.
Goddard got up on his car and gave the order to
march. The expedition started.
An hour's steady driving brought the party to
the top of the hill from which the gate of Rosivera
is visible. Mr. Goddard gave the order to halt.
It was passed forward to the leading car, and the
expedition came to a standstill on the summit of
the hill. Mr. Goddard got down from his car and
walked up to Lord Manton.
“It's a damned awkward thing,” he said, “to
march up to a man's house at the head of a body of
men like this.”
“Don't say you're thinking of going back," said
Lord Manton. “It would be a shame to disappoint
Miss Blow.”
“I'm not going back; but all the same it's
awkward. What excuse shall I make P”
“If he's been kidnapping people," said Lord
Manton, “he won't expect you to make any
excuse.”
“Oh, of course, if he really has. But has he 7"
“The only way of finding out for certain is to
go and see. Miss Blow won't be satisfied with
anything less.”
“Damn Miss Blow. Anyhow, we needn't drive


302 THE SEARCH PARTY
them down the hill. Lord Manton and Jimmy
O'Loughlin followed. The ladies, led by Miss
Blow, also followed. At the gate of Rosivera, Mr.
Goddard halted his party. He ordered the police
to remain outside the gate. He invited Lord
Manton to accompany him to the house. Then
with a glance at the ladies he told one of the
sergeants not to allow any one else to pass the
gate.
Miss Blow reached the bottom of the hill and
prepared to follow Mr. Goddard along the avenue.
She was stopped by the sergeant. Suspecting
some trick to be played on her at this last and
critical moment, she suggested to Miss Farquharson
that they should force their way through the
cordon of police, by making, all four of them, a
simultaneous rush. Miss Farquharson refused to
do anything of the sort, and gave it as her opinion
that Mrs. Sanders and Mrs. Dick would be quite
useless in a hand-to-hand conflict. Miss Blow left
her, walked a little way along the road, crossed a
ditch, and began to climb the wall which enclosed
the Rosivera grounds. The police eyed her doubt-
fully. They did not want to lay violent hands on
Miss Blow. They excused themselves to their
own consciences. Their orders were to prevent
her passing through the gate. Mr. Goddard had
said nothing about what was to be done if she
climbed the wall.
Mr. Goddard and Lord Manton surveved the


THE SEARCH PARTY 305
bench, stood in the middle of the floor, and on it
were a number of curiously shaped metal flasks.
There was a pile of long brass tubes in one corner
of the room, which looked like empty cartridge
cases, intended to contain ammunition for some
very large gun. There were wooden shelves all
round the walls stocked with thick glass bottles,
such as are seen in chemists' shops, bottles with
glass stoppers. In one corner the floor was
charred, as if a fire had been lighted on it.
“Nobody here,” said Mr. Goddard looking
round.
Lord Manton was staring curiously at the
things about him. He picked up one of the brass
tubes.
“A.M.B.A.," he read. “What do you suppose
that means, Miss Blow P Hullo 1 She's gone again.
After her, Goddard l We can't allow her to escape.
There may be an explosion at any moment. This
place looks uncommonly explosive, and if she is
shattered into little bits her father will hold us
responsible.”
Miss Blow stood at the bottom of the stairs,
listening intently.
“I hear a noise in the upper story,” she said.
“The house isn't empty.”
Mr. Goddard and Lord Manton listened.
“There is a noise,” said Lord Manton.
“Goddard, unsheathe your sword and proceed
cautiously up the first flight of stairs. We will
protect your rear."





310 THE SEARCH PARTY
two homes, I hope you won't tell them. Mrs.
Dick and Mrs. Sanders are outside, as well as
Miss Farquharson, who is an aunt.”
“I don't want to tell them,” said Dr. O'Grady.
“I’d much rather keep them to myself. But I
won't have the Emperor pursued.”
“Sergeant," said Mr. Goddard, “proceed with
your evidence, leaving out all the part about my
orders.” -
“Why?” said Miss Blow. “Are you ashamed
of your orders? What were they?"
“If you've anything to be ashamed of in the
orders you gave, Goddard,” said Dr. O'Grady,
“you'd better not have that story told either. I
warn you fairly that if any attempt is made to
molest the Emperor, I shall have those orders of
yours, whatever they are, produced in court.”
“We might get on a little,” said Lord Manton,
“if some one would tell us who the Emperor is."
“He’s an anarchist,” said Mr. Sanders.
“An anti-military anarchist, a most dangerous
man,” added Mr. Dick.
“I’ve warned you once already,” said Dr.
O'Grady, “what will happen if you persist in
talking that way. Even supposing the poor old
Emperor is all you say, isn't it a great deal better
to blow up a few armies, than to go about the
country deceiving innocent women when each of
you has a wife at home? Patsy Devlin will bear
- - – -- *- : – ––––F–––– a 1--


THE SEARCH PARTY 313
O'Grady. “The Emperor, out of sheer kindness
of heart, saved them from what might have been a
very ugly scandal. I don't want to drag the whole
thing into the light of day; but if they insist upon
the pursuit of the Emperor, I shall tell the truth so
far as I.know it, and the Emperor, when you catch
him, will fill in the details.”
“There's nothing,” said Mr. Dick, “absolutely
nothing—”
“There may be nothing,” said Lord Manton;
“but from the little I've heard I should say that
Mrs. Dick will have a distinct grievance; and as for
your aunt, Mr. Sanders—you know her better
than I do, of course, but she doesn't strike me as
the kind of lady who will treat the doctor's story
as a mere trifle.”
“As to the police,” said Dr. O'Grady, “I don't
profess to explain exactly how they came here.
Goddard seems to have given them some very
peculiar orders, orders that won't bear repeating.
I don't want to probe into the secrets of the force.
I have a respect for Sergeant Farrelly; I used to
have a respect for Goddard—"
“You won't have any respect for him when you
hear how he has treated me," said Miss Blow.
“You hear that, Goddard?" said Dr. O'Grady.
“Adeline Maud says you've been ill-treating her.
That's a thing I can't and won't stand from any man


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THE VALLEy. OF THE SHADow.


FICTION 29
The Novels of Alexandre Dumas.
Medium 8vo.
Act3.
The Adventures of CAPTAIN PAM ph'LE.
AMAURY.
The Bird of FATE.
The Black Tulip.
The Castle of Eppstein.
CATHERINE BLUM.
Cécile.
The CHATELET.
The CHEvalier D'HARMENTAL.
volume.)
Chicor the Jester.
The CoMTE DE MoxtcomeRY.
CoNscience.
The Convict's SoN.
The CorsicaN Brothers; and OTHO THE
Archer.
Crop-FAREd Jacquor.
Dom GoRENFLot.
THE FATAL Combar.
The FENciNG MAstER.
FERNANDE.
GABRIEL LAMBERT.
GEorces.
THE GREAT MAssacre.
HENRI DE NAVARRE.
HélèNE DE CHAversy.
(Doulle
Price 6d. Double Volumes, If.
The HoRoscope.
Louise DE LA Wallière.
The MAN IN THE IRon Mask.
volume.)
(Double volume.)
(Double
MAttre ADAM.
The Mouth of Hell.
NANoN. (Double volume.)
OLYMPIA.
PAULINE.; PascAl Bruno; and Bontekoe.
Płre la Rui NE.
The Prince of Thieves.
The REM.INIscExces of ANTONY.
Robin Hoop.
SAMUEL Gelb.
The Snowball AND THE SULTANETTA.
Sylvanpike.
The TAking of CALAis.
TALEs of THE SuperNATURAL.
TALEs of Strange Adventure.
TALEs of TERRoR.
The TiireE MuskETEERs. (Double volume.)
The Tragedy of NANTEs.
Twenty YEARs AFTER. (Double volume.)
The Wild-Duck Shooter.
The Wolf-LEADER.
Methuen's Sixpenny Books.
Medium 8vo.
nesi (E. Maria). I, OW E AND
Alº, ( )
I KNOW A MAIDEN.
Anstey (F.). A BAYARD OF BENGAL.
Baring-Gould (S.).
CHEA Ağ ZIT
KITTY ALONE.
URITH.
THE BRQQM SQUIRE
-- ------> --------r- tº---
Jurze BLOOM.