The Valley of Fear Part 12 (1/2)
”Sure, I said I would not”
”I would ask you, then, when you joined the Freeo and swore vows of charity and fidelity, did ever it cross your ht find it would lead you to crime?”
”If you call it crime,” McMurdo answered
”Call it cri with passion ”You have seen little of it if you can call it anything else Was it crih to be your father was beaten till the blood dripped from his white hairs? Was that crime--or what else would you call it?”
”There are some would say it ar,” said McMurdo, ”a war of two classes with all in, so that each struck as best it could”
”Well, did you think of such a thing when you joined the Freeo?”
”No, I'm bound to say I did not”
”Nor did I when I joined it at Philadelphia It was just a benefit club and aplace for one's fellows Then I heard of this place--curse the hour that the name first fell upon my ears!--and I came to better myself! My God! to better myself! My wife and three children caoods store on Market Square, and I prospered well The word had gone round that I was a Freee, sae of sha worse branded on my heart I found that I was under the orders of a black villain and caught in a meshwork of cris better was taken as treason, saet away; for all I have in the world is in my store If I leave the society, I knoell that it means murder to me, and God knohat to my wife and children Oh, man, it is awful--awful!” He put his hands to his face, and his body shook with convulsive sobs
McMurdo shrugged his shoulders ”You were too soft for the job,” said he ”You are the wrong sort for such work”
”I had a conscience and a religion; but theythem I was chosen for a job If I backed down I knehat would coht of my poor little wouess it will haunt me forever
”It was a lonely house, twenty e yonder I was told off for the door, saht They could not trust me with the job The others went in When they came out their hands were cri out of the house behind us It was a boy of five who had seen his father murdered I nearly fainted with the horror of it, and yet I had to keep a bold and s face; for well I knew that if I did not it would be out of my house that they would come next with their bloody hands and it would befor his father
”But I was a criminal then, part sharer in a murder, lost forever in this world, and lost also in the next I aood Catholic; but the priest would have no ith me when he heard I was a Scowrer, and I am excommunicated fro down the same road, and I ask you what the end is to be Are you ready to be a cold-bloodedto stop it?”
”What would you do?” asked McMurdo abruptly ”You would not inforht would costthat you are a weak man and that you make too much of the er Look down the valley! See the cloud of a hundred chimneys that overshadows it! I tell you that the cloud of s thicker and lower than that over the heads of the people It is the Valley of Fear, the Valley of Death The terror is in the hearts of the people fro man, and you will learn for yourself”
”Well, I'll let you knohat I think when I have seen more,” said McMurdo carelessly ”What is very clear is that you are not the man for the place, and that the sooner you sell out--if you only get a dime a dollar for what the business is worth--the better it will be for you What you have said is safe with ht you were an informer--”
”No, no!” cried Morris piteously
”Well, let it rest at that I'll bear what you have said in mind, and maybe some day I'll co tohoo,” said Morris ”We ether They may want to knoe have spoken about”
”Ah! that's well thought of”
”I offer you a clerkshi+p in my store”
”And I refuse it That's our business Well, so long, Brother Morris, and o better with you in the future”
That saht beside the stove of his sitting-roo open and its fraure of Boss McGinty He passed the sign, and then seating hi man he looked at him steadily for some time, a look which was as steadily returned
”I'm not uess I aht I'd stretch a point and drop down to see you in your own house”
”I'm proud to see you here, Councillor,” McMurdo answered heartily, bringing his whisky bottle out of the cupboard ”It's an honour that I had not expected”
”How's the arm?” asked the Boss
McMurdoit,” he said; ”but it's worth it”
”Yes, it's worth it,” the other answered, ”to those that are loyal and go through with it and are a help to the lodge What were you speaking to Brother Morris about on Miller Hill this ?”
The question came so suddenly that it ell that he had his answer prepared He burst into a hearty laugh ”Morris didn't know I could earn a living here at hoot too ood-hearted old chap It was his idea that I was at a loose end, and that he would do oods store”
”Oh, that was it?”
”Yes, that was it”
”And you refused it?”
”Sure Couldn't I earn ten times as much in my own bedrooet about too uess because I tell you not That's enough for h for h for e of lared at hilass as though he would hurl it at the head of his cohed in his loud, boisterous, insincere fashi+on
”You're a queer card, for sure,” said he ”Well, if you want reasons, I'll give thee?”
”No”
”Nor against me?”
”No”
”Well, that's because he daren't trust you But in his heart he is not a loyal brother We know that well So atch hi that the ti near There's no room for scabby sheep in our pen But if you keep coht think that you were disloyal, too See?”
”There's no chance ofcompany with hi disloyal, if it was any man but you he would not use the word tooff his glass ”I caive you a word in season, and you've had it”
”I'd like to know,” said McMurdo, ”how you ever came to learn that I had spoken with Morris at all?”
McGinty laughed ”It's oes on in this townshi+p,” said he ”I guess you'd best reckon onall that passes Well, ti was cut short in a very unexpected fashi+on With a sudden crash the door flew open, and three frowning, intent faces glared in at the to his feet and half drew his revolver; but his arm stopped midway as he became conscious that two Winchester rifles were levelled at his head A man in uniform advanced into the room, a six-shooter in his hand It was Captain Marvin, once of Chicago, and now of the Mine Constabulary He shook his head with a half-s into trouble, Mr Crooked McMurdo of Chicago,” said he ”Can't keep out of it, can you? Take your hat and couess you'll pay for this, Captain Marvin,” said McGinty ”Who are you, I'd like to know, to break into a house in this fashi+on andout in this deal, Councillor McGinty,” said the police captain ”We are not out after you, but after this man McMurdo It is for you to help, not to hinder us in our duty”