General John Regan Part 8

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

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

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

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

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

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

Doyle spoke at the same time.

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

Dr. O'Grady interrupted them both.

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

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

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

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

"I'll take her," said Doyle.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"What I do want to talk about," said Dr. O'Grady, "is General John Regan."

"If you tell me who he was," said Doyle, "I'll be content."

"I don't see that it matters in the least to you who he was. Look here now, Doyle. You're a business man, and among other things you sell whisky. Now suppose someone was to walk into your hotel and tell you to forward ten dozen bottles of whisky?the best you had?to his aunt, and supposing that he told his aunt's name was Regan, would you go questioning and cross-questioning every man you met as to whether there really was an old lady called Miss Regan at the address he gave you?"

"I would not," said Doyle. "So long as I got my money I wouldn't care whether the fellow ever had an aunt, or what sort of a name there might be to her if he had."

"Well, this is exactly the same sort of case. Here's a man who wants a statue for a dead General, and is perfectly willing to pay for it.

Why should you bother your head about who the statue is supposed to represent? 100 is 100, I suppose, even if there never was a Regan in the world; and there have been, plenty of them."

"I see that," said Doyle. "I see that, now you put it to me. And I don't deny but there's a lot in what you say. But what I don't see is this: I'd make something out of the whisky for the gentleman's aunt, but I don't understand how I'm to make a penny out of the statue."

"You'll be treasurer of the fund," said Dr. O'Grady, "and I needn't tell you that in all these cases the treasurer?well, there might be a little balance in hand at the end. There often is. n.o.body ever inquires about those balances. If the treasurers are fools they lie in the banks and n.o.body ever gets any good of them. But you're not a fool, Doyle."

"I am not; and of course, there has been balances of the kind you speak of before now. I wouldn't say but?looking at the matter in that way?and besides there'd be a commission from the fellow that got the contract for the statue. And with regard to the 5 that my name's down for??"

"Come now, Doyle. Don't pretend to be stupider than you are. You know perfectly well that every public fund has to be started by somebody with a respectable looking subscription. I put it to you now as a business man, did you ever hear of a case in which a subscription of that kind was actually paid? It appears in the published list and it encourages other people, but??"

"Say no more, doctor," said Doyle. "Say no more."

"I shall count on you then, Doyle, to help me in every way you possibly can. It's all for your own good. And you won't be doing anybody any harm."

"There's just one thing more," said Doyle.

"Out with it. And be as quick as you can. I've still got to soothe the Major's scruples."

"If you don't mind my asking the question," said Doyle, "what are you going to make out of it yourself?"

"That's a delicate point. I might tell you I'm going into the business for the fun of the thing; but you wouldn't believe that."

"I would not," said Doyle, winking slowly.

"I was afraid you wouldn't. It's true, as it happens. That's just exactly why I am running this statue. It offers me a little excitement and variety. But as you won't believe it I'll have to make up some sort of a lie that you will believe. I owe you about 60, don't I?"

"You do, doctor, but I'd be the last man in Ireland to press you for the money if??"

"Very well. If I put 20 into your pocket over this statue, in addition to the 7 10s. you're making on the filly, I'll expect you to stop talking about what I owe you for the next six months. You see some sense in that, don't you?"

"I do."

"And it satisfies you as a reason for my taking all the trouble that I'm going to take."

"It does, of course. Why wouldn't it?"

"Very well. Believe it. But if the matter ever comes up again you'll remember, Doyle, that I offered you the truth and you wouldn't have it.

I didn't attempt to impose on you with that lie until you insisted that I should."

Doyle grinned. He did not for a moment believe that Dr. O'Grady was going to give himself a great deal of trouble in the matter of General John Regan's statue without gaining something by it. But he admired the way in which the doctor, even when apparently cornered, succeeded in keeping up appearances.