From a dozen seats dotted about the path people looked towards the disputants as they stood facing each other in the middle of the path, the bald-headed energetic little man brandishing his outlandish stick like a club, and the black, dumpy figure of the little cleric looking at him without moving a muscle, save for his blinking eyelids. For a moment it looked as if the dumpy black figure would be knocked on the head, and laid out with true Red Indian promptitude and despatch; and the large form of an Irish policeman could be seen heaving up in the distance, and bearing down on the group. But the priest only said, quite placidly, like one answering an ordinary query:
"I have formed certain conclusions about it, but I do not think I will mention them till I make my report."
Whether under the influence of the footsteps of the policeman or of the eyes of the priest, old Hickory tucked his stick under his arm and put his hat on again, grunting. The priest bade him a placid good morning, and passed in an unhurried fashion out of the park, making his way to the lounge of the hotel where he knew that young Wain was to be found. The young man sprang up with a greeting; he looked even more haggard and harassed than before, as if some worry were eating him away; and the priest had a suspicion that his young friend had recently been engaged, with only too conspicuous success, in evading the last Amendment to the
51
