far as the Doctor was concerned, was of quite minor importance, but it
had been useful in promoting the feeling of intimacy between the
houses of Mangan and Talbot-Lowry. That omniscient composite
authority, "The people on the roads," whose views had been quoted by
Mrs. Twomey, had not been wrong in hinting that the Doctor had
permitted the Major to have the best of the bargain about the big
brown horse. Old Tom Aherne had made it well worth his while to do so,
so everyone had come comfortably out of the transaction. Nor had Dr.
Mangan, in diagnosing Major Talbot-Lowry, been wrong in his assumption
that Dick, generous, and elated by his success in bargaining, would
wish to indemnify his opponent for having had the worst of it, and
would consider the support of Danny Aherne as a suitable expression of
the wish.

The Big Doctor's intimacy with Dick had progressed of late with
remarkable rapidity. During one of those friendly talks over the Mount
Music library fire, that had latterly been recurring with increasing
frequency, an opportunity had risen for the Doctor--"a warm man," as
has been said--to offer to the Major a tangible proof of his
friendship.

"After all, there's the money lying idle at my bank," the Doctor had
said, breezily.

Dick, in a moment of irritation and perplexity, had expatiated on the
expenses consequent on launching sons into professions, and also on
the pig-headed determination of annuitants to "hang on," regardless of
the inconveniences occasioned to a heavily burdened property by this
want of consideration.