f subscribers. In the first place such an advertisement cost
money and could only be paid for out of Mr. Billing's subscription, thus
further diminishing the small balance on which he was calculating as
some compensation for the irrecoverable debt owed to him by Dr. O'Grady.
In the second place his name appeared on the list as a donor, not of L5,
but of L10. He knew perfectly well that he would not be expected to pay
any subscription, but he was vaguely annoyed at the threat of such a
liability.

On Sunday afternoon he called on Dr. O'Grady.

"Wasn't it agreed," he said, "that I was to be the treasurer of the fund
for putting up the statue?"

"It was," said Dr. O'Grady, "and you are the treasurer. Didn't you see
your name printed in the Connacht Eagle, 'Secretary, Dr. Lucius O'Grady.
Treasurer, J. Doyle'?"

"If I'm the treasurer it's no more than right that I should have some
say in the way the money's being spent, for let me tell you, doctor--and
I may as well speak plain when I'm at it--I'm not satisfied. I've had
some correspondence with a nephew of mine who's in that line of business
himself up in Dublin, and he tells me that L100 is little enough for a
statue of any size. Now I'm not saying that I want to close the account
with a balance in hand----"

"It's what you do want, Doyle, whether you say it or not."

"But," said Doyle ignoring this interruption, "it wouldn't suit me if
there was any debt at the latter end. For it's myself would have to
pay it if there was, and that's what I'd not be inclined to do. The way
you're spending money on posters and advertisements there'll be very
little of the American gentleman's L100 left when it comes to buying the
statue."

"I see your point all right, Doyle, but----"

"If you see it," said Doyle, "I'm surprised at you going on the way you
are; but, sure, I might have known that you wouldn't care how much you'd
spend or how much you'd owe at the latter end. There's that L60----"

"Don't harp on about that miserable L60," said Dr. O'Grady, "for I won't
stand it. Here I am doing the very best I can to make money for you,
taking no end of trouble, and all you do is to come grumbling to me day
after day about some beggarly account that I happen to owe you."

"It's what I don't see is how I'm going to make a penny out of it at
all, the way you're going on."

"Listen to me now, Doyle. Supposing--I just say supposing--the Government
was to build a pier, a new pier, in