“Before we go into that,” said Dr. O’Grady, “I’d like the committee to hear a letter which Mr. Doyle has received from his nephew. I thought it well, considering how short the time at our disposal is——”
“Ten days,” said the Major. “Ten days to make a statue——”
“The letter which we are just going to read,” said Dr. O’Grady, “will meet the Major’s difficulty. I thought it well to get into communication with Mr. Aloysius Doyle at once so as to have everything ready for the committee.”
“I wonder you haven’t the statue ready,” said the Major.
“I wrote to him, or rather I got Doyle to write to him, the day before yesterday, and the letter you are now going to hear is his reply. I may say that we laid the circumstances full before him; especially the shortness of the time. You’re not the only person who thought of that difficulty, Major. Just read the letter, will you, Doyle?”
Doyle took up the letter which lay on the table in front of him and unfolded it. He glanced at it and then put it down and began to fumble in his pocket.
“Go ahead,” said Dr. O’Grady.
“I can’t,” said Doyle. “This isn’t that letter, but another one altogether.”
He drew his packet of papers from his pocket again and began to go through them rapidly. There was a light tap at the door.
“Who on earth’s that?” said Dr. O’Grady. “I said specially that this meeting was not to be disturbed.”