ff his bicycle.

"I'm damned," he said, "if I'm going to stand this."

Meldon also dismounted.

"Get up at once, Simpkins," he said. "We are late enough as it is."

"I'm going straight home," said Simpkins.

"From the look of Doyle and O'Donoghue and the crowd there was in the
street," said Meldon, "I should say that they'll probably mob you if
you go back now. You're not over and above popular in the place as
things stand; and, if the people think that you're behaving badly to
Miss King, they'll very likely kill you. From what I've heard since
I've been here I don't expect the police will interfere to save you."

"I'm not going to be made a public laughing stock."

"You'll be that and worse if you turn back. There isn't a woman or a
girl about the place but will be making jokes about you if you funk it
now. Come on."

Simpkins looked back at the street he had just left. The people were
standing together gazing after him curiously. He mounted his bicycle
and rode on, followed by Meldon.

"I shall explain to Miss King," he said, "that the unpleasant situation
in which we find ourselves placed is in no way my fault."

"You can try that if you like," said Meldon. "But I don't expect
she'll be at all satisfied."

CHAPTER XXIII.

In spite of the fact that his trousers were white instead of black, and
that he wore a shirt with a soft collar attached to it, Simpkins looked
hotter and more dishevelled than Meldon when they arrived together at
the gate of Ballymoy House. They had ridden fast, and it was only a
little after five o'clock when they turned off the highroad into the
shady avenue.

"Now," said Meldon, "you can dismount if you like, and walk up under
the trees to cool yourself. I quite admit that an appearance of
breathless eagerness is suitable enough under the circumstances. Every
woman likes to feel that a man would come to her at the top of his
speed. Still, it's quite possible to overdo it, and I think you'd be
better this minute of being a little less purple in the face. Are you
very thirsty?"

"I am," said Simpkins. "Anybody would be."

He spoke rather sulkily. He resented the way in which Meldon had
forced him to ride, and he did not like paying a visit to a lady, even
though he did not intend to propose to marry her, when he was covered
from head to foot with dust.

"You're not too thirsty to speak, anyhow," said Meldon. "I was afraid
you might be. It wouldn't have d