First
of all, he met me at the station at Donard, having travelled twenty
miles for the express purpose of trying to prevent my coming on here.
Now why did he do that?"
"Perhaps he really thought you'd be uncomfortable at the hotel."
"He seems to have done his best to make me uncomfortable, anyhow."
"And succeeded," said Miss King with a smile.
"And succeeded brilliantly. I don't in the least wish to deny that. I
never was more uncomfortable in my life. But what I want to know is,
what possible motive he had for doing it. Unless he's an absolute
lunatic, and you say he's not that--"
"No. He's sane, though I think he's decidedly eccentric."
"Then he must have had a motive of some sort. He plainly doesn't want
to have me here in Ballymoy. Now why not? That's what's puzzling me.
Why not? I never saw the man in my life till yesterday. I never heard
of him. What on earth can it matter to him whether I spend a fortnight
here or not?"
"There was some dispute about the fishing before you came," said Miss
King. "I heard about it from Callaghan the gardener. Mr. Meldon's
friend, Major Kent, thought he had a right to fish in some part of the
river--"
"But what difference would my being here make? I'm not the owner of
the fishing.
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