"I do, of course. Sure, everybody does."

"Very well. In order to secure the death of Simpkins it was necessary
to hunt away that judge. I can't explain the whole ins-and-outs of the
business to you. It's rather complicated, and I doubt if you'd
understand it. In any case, I can't go into it without betraying a
lady's confidence, and that's a thing I never do. But you may take my
word for it that it's absolutely necessary to remove the judge if you
are to have the pleasure of burying Simpkins. If you don't believe
what I say ask the Major. He knows all about it."

"No; I don't," said Major Kent.

"You do," said Meldon. "What's the use of denying it when I told you
the whole plan myself?"

"Any way," said the Major, "I won't be dragged into it. I've nothing
whatever to do with it, and I've always disapproved of it from the
start. You and Doyle must settle it between you without appealing to
me."

"You can see from the way he speaks," said Meldon to Doyle, "that he
knows just as well as I do that we must get the judge out of Ballymoy."

"Out of Ballymoy?" said Doyle.

"Yes," said Meldon, "clear away from the place altogether. Back to
England if possible."

"Well, then, he's not gone," said Doyle. "So if it's that you want
you're as badly off this minute as I am myself. He's not gone, and
what's more he won't go."

"You told me this minute that he was gone. What on earth do you mean
by coming up here and pouring out lamentations in gallons about the
loss of your three pounds a week if he hasn't gone? What do you mean
by representing to me that the judge used bad language about his food
if he didn't? I don't see what you're at, Doyle; and, to be quite
candid, I don't think you know yourself. Go home and think the whole
business over, and I'll see you about it in the afternoon."

"Every word I told you is the truth."

"Either the judge is gone," said Meldon, "or he isn't gone. What do
you mean?"

"What I said was, that he isn't gone yet but he's going, without
something's done to stop him."

"That's the same thing," said Meldon, "for nothing will be done."

"But he'll not go from Ballymoy? Why would he when he has the fishing
took?"

"He'll have to go out of Ballymoy if he leaves your hotel. He may
think he'll get lodgings somewhere else, but he won't. Or he may
expect to find some other hotel, but there isn't one. If he has left
you it's the same thing as leaving Ballymoy."

"It