“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 situation 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 door of the commercial room and was watching the party in the hall with suspicious eyes.
“Unless,” said Constable Cole, “we could hit on some kind of a stratagem.”
“You and your stratagems,” said the sergeant; “we’ve heard enough of them.”
“If you have a stratagem in your mind,” said 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?”