“Well, if he is, I’ll clear him out of the way. You’ll be going into the town in a few minutes with Mrs. Ford and Mrs. Gregg. It wouldn’t do at all to have him making eyes at you from the side of the road when you’re walking with those two ladies. Mrs. Gregg mightn’t mind; but Mrs. Ford would be certain to object. She’s not the kind of lady who likes to see other people enjoying themselves.”
“He wouldn’t do the like,” said Mary Ellen.
“I wouldn’t trust him,” said Dr. O’Grady.
Moriarty was, in fact, waiting for Mary Ellen about a hundred yards from the gate of the Greggs’ house. Dr. O’Grady rebuked him sharply. Moriarty asserted that he was engaged in patrolling that particular road in simple obedience to the call of duty.
“That may possibly be true,” said Dr. O’Grady, “though it doesn’t sound likely.”
“It was the sergeant gave me my orders,” said Moriarty.
“Patrol some other road, then,” said Dr. O’Grady. “You’re not wanted here.”
“What the sergeant said was that it would be better for me to patrol along between Mr. Gregg’s house and Mr. Ford’s, so that if either the one or the other of them was to see me he’d know that I was patrolling. I wouldn’t say a word against Mr. Gregg, who’s a nice gentleman enough, and easy pleased. But it’s hard to pacify Mr. Ford, and the sergeant thought——”
“I can tell you this,” said Dr. O’Grady, “that if Mrs. Ford catches you lying in wait for Mary Ellen on the road outside her house, it will be a jolly sight harder to pacify Mr. Ford than it was before. Surely you can understand that.”
Moriarty understood it thoroughly. He was not very well pleased, but he was a young man of considerable prudence, and was filled with a sincere desire to rise in his profession. He spent the rest of the afternoon in patrolling a road at the other end of Ballymoy.