In a general way there isn't two men in Ireland that hates the police worse than the doctor and myself; but the sergeant was a decent, poor man, with a long family dependent on him, and I never heard tell of his doing any harm to any one." "Perhaps," said Meldon, "that was the reason Mr.Simpkins complained of him.

After all, Doyle, we must be reasonable.

What are the police for, if it isn't to do harm to people--objectionable people?
A policeman who never injures anybody isn't worth his keep.

If what you say about the sergeant is true, or anything like true, Simpkins was evidently perfectly justified in acting as he did." "You won't say that," said Doyle, "when you hear the way it happened.
There's two apple trees in the garden at the back of the house Simpkins lives in." "I remember them," said Meldon; "but there never were any apples on them in my time." "There were apples on them last year," said Doyle, "however they came there.

Simpkins did be saying it was on account of the way he pruned the trees; but he'd be talking a long time before I'd believe the like of that.