My game is
to pacify and soothe him in such a way that he will become our active
ally."
"You'll find that difficult after the paraffin oil."
"If necessary," said Meldon, "I shall apologise for the paraffin, but I
scarcely expect it will be necessary. The judge is a sensible man. He
knows that we have to take the rough with the smooth in life. He'll
regard that as a mere incident, a more or less humorous incident."
"He'll be a queer sort of man if he does."
"And now," said Meldon, "I must be off. It's nearly ten o'clock,
thanks to your lazy habit of not breakfasting till after nine.
Fortunately, I've still got Doyle's bicycle. Not that it's at all a
dependable machine. The pedal will probably come off once at least on
my way in. However, at worst, I'll be there by eleven."
The pedal on this occasion held to its place, and Meldon reached
Ballymoy House at a quarter to eleven. The door was opened to him by
Miss King, who had seen him coming up the avenue. She greeted him with
a smile, and, in reply to his enquiry, told him that the judge had gone
up the river.
"I promised," said Miss King, "to send him word if you called.
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