George A. Birmingham

“ No man could tell a girl that her—— But, look here, Lord Manton, your theory may be all very well so far as O'Grady is concerned; but there's another man gone now."
"Patsy Devlin," said Lord Manton. "I heard about that."
"Do you think he has run away through fear of his wife?"
"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. ”

“ Goddard.
"The mistress is giving it a bit of a rinse the way it'll be clean for you; and I came back to tell 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 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." ”

“ It's all over and done with. Poor Patsy will never inspect the dipping of a single sheep now. Besides, it's almost dinner-time. You'll stay, of course. Never mind about dressing."
Mr. Goddard was tempted. Lord Manton would give him a good dinner; Jimmy O'Loughlin—and 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." ”

“ 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 her straight off after that. And then—just think of sitting down to breakfast every morning opposite a young woman of her character. ”

“ 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 by means of paragraphs in all the daily papers, so well advertised that an exaggerated opinion was formed in Ireland of the importance of the party. ”

“ 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 complications. ”

“ The authorities certainly won't stand your taking the police away from their ordinary duties, and setting them to sc_our 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." ”