The Valley of Fear Part 13 (1/2)
”Well, dear, it's not so bad as you think We are but poor hts”
Ettie threw her arms round her lover's neck ”Give it up, Jack! For ive it up! It was to ask you that I ca it of you on ive it up!”
He raised her and soothed her with her head against his breast
”Sure,How could I give it up when it would be to break s stand with me you could never ask it of me Besides, if I wanted to, how could I do it? You don't suppose that the lodge would let a ht of that, Jack I've planned it all Father has saved some money He is weary of this place where the fear of these people darkens our lives He is ready to go We would fly together to Philadelphia or New York, where ould be safe fro arm Do you think it could not stretch from here to Philadelphia or New York?”
”Well, then, to the West, or to England, or to Geret away froht of old Brother Morris ”Sure, it is the second time I have heard the valley so named,” said he ”The shadow does indeed seem to lie heavy on some of you”
”It darkens every moment of our lives Do you suppose that Ted Baldwin has ever forgiven us? If it were not that he fears you, what do you suppose our chances would be? If you saw the look in those dark, hungry eyes of his when they fall on ht hiirl I can't leave here I can't--take that from me once and for all But if you will leavehonourably out of it”
”There is no honour in such a matter”
”Well, well, it's just how you look at it But if you'll giveashahed with joy ”Six months!” she cried ”Is it a proht But within a year at the furthest ill leave the valley behind us”
It was theThere was this distant light to illuloom of the iht-hearted than she had ever been since Jack McMurdo had coht that as a s of the society would be told to hianization ider and norant as to ate, living at Hobson's Patch farther down the line, who had power over several different lodges which he wielded in a sudden and arbitrary way Only once did McMurdo see hiait and a sidelong glance which was charged with reat Boss of Ver of the repulsion and fear which the huge Danton erous Robespierre
One day Scanlan, as McMurdo's fellow boarder, received a note fro one fro over two good men, Lawler and Andreho had instructions to act in the neighbourhood; though it was best for the cause that no particulars as to their objects should be given Would the Bodyes and comfort until the time for action should arrive? McGinty added that it was impossible for anyone to remain secret at the Union House, and that, therefore, he would be obliged if McMurdo and Scanlan would put the strangers up for a few days in their boarding house
The saripsack Laas an elderly man, shrewd, silent, and self-contained, clad in an old black frock coat, which with his soft felt hat and ragged, grizzled beard gave hieneral resemblance to an itinerant preacher His companion Andreas little more than a boy, frank-faced and cheerful, with the breezy manner of one who is out for a holiday and means to enjoy every minute of it Both men were total abstainers, and behaved in all ways as exemplary members of the society, with the one simple exception that they were assassins who had often proved themselves to be most capable instruments for this association of murder Lawler had already carried out fourteen commissions of the kind, and Andrews three
They were, as McMurdo found, quite ready to converse about their deeds in the past, which they recounted with the half-bashful pride of ood and unselfish service for the community They were reticent, however, as to the immediate job in hand
”They chose us because neither I nor the boy here drink,” Lawler explained ”They can count on us saying no more than we should You must not take it aate that we obey”
”Sure, we are all in it together,” said Scanlan, McMurdo's ether at supper
”That's true enough, and we'll talk till the cows co of Charlie Williams or of Simon Bird, or any other job in the past But till the work is done we say nothing”
”There are half a dozen about here that I have a word to say to,” said McMurdo, with an oath ”I suppose it isn't Jack Knox of Ironhill that you are after I'd go soet his deserts”
”No, it's not him yet”
”Or Herman Strauss?”
”No, nor him either”
”Well, if you won't tell us we can't lad to know”
Lawler smiled and shook his head He was not to be drawn
In spite of the reticence of their guests, Scanlan and McMurdo were quite determined to be present at what they called ”the fun” When, therefore, at an early hour onedown the stairs he awakened Scanlan, and the two hurried on their clothes When they were dressed they found that the others had stolen out, leaving the door open behind theht of the lamps they could see the two men some distance down the street They followed the noiselessly in the deep snow
The boarding house was near the edge of the town, and soon they were at the crossroads which is beyond its boundary Here three , hoer conversation Then they all ether It was clearly some notable job which needed numbers At this point there are several trails which lead to various ers took that which led to the Crow Hill, a huge business which was in strong hands which had been able, thanks to their energetic and fearless New England er, Josiah H Dunn, to keep son of terror
Day was breaking now, and a line of work the blackened path
McMurdo and Scanlan strolled on with the others, keeping in sight of the men whom they followed A thick mist lay over them, and from the heart of it there came the sudden screanal before the cages descended and the day's labour began
When they reached the open space round thetheir feet and blowing on their fingers; for it was bitterly cold The strangers stood in a little group under the shadow of the engine house Scanlan and McMurdo cli froineer, a great bearded Scotchine house and blow his whistle for the cages to be lowered
At the sa erly towards the pit head As he caroup, silent and ine house The men had dran their hats and turned up their collars to screen their faces For a moment the presentier's heart At the next he had shaken it off and saw only his duty towards intrusive strangers
”Who are you?” he asked as he advanced ”What are you loitering there for?”
There was no answer; but the lad Andrews stepped forward and shot hi miners stood as er clapped his two hands to the wound and doubled hiered away; but another of the assassins fired, and he went down sidewise, kicking and clawing aave a roar of rage at the sight and rushed with an iron spanner at the murderers; but was met by two balls in the face which dropped hie forward of soer; but a couple of the strangers emptied their six-shooters over the heads of the crowd, and they broke and scattered, so wildly back to their homes in Vermissa
When a few of the bravest had rallied, and there was a return to the , without a single witness being able to swear to the identity of these ht this double crime
Scanlan and McMurdo made their way back; Scanlan somewhat subdued, for it was the first murder job that he had seen with his own eyes, and it appeared less funny than he had been led to believe The horrible screaer's wife pursued them as they hurried to the town McMurdo was absorbed and silent; but he showed no sy of his companion
”Sure, it is like a war,” he repeated ”What is it but a war between us and theh revel in the lodge roo of thethis organization into line with the other blackmailed and terror-stricken companies of the district, but also over a distant triue itself
It would appear that when the County Delegate had sent over five good men to strike a blow in Vermissa, he had demanded that in return three Vermissa men should be secretly selected and sent across to kill William Hales of Stake Royal, one of the best known and most popular mine owners in the Gilmerton district, a man as believed not to have an enemy in the world; for he was in all ways a model employer He had insisted, however, upon efficiency in the work, and had, therefore, paid off certain drunken and idle employees ereoutside his door had not weakened his resolution, and so in a free, civilized country he found himself condemned to death
The execution had now been duly carried out Ted Baldho sprawled now in the seat of honour beside the Bodylazed, bloodshot eyes told of sleeplessness and drink He and his two co the mountains They were unke from a forlorn hope, could have had a warmer welcome from their comrades
The story was told and retold ahter They had waited for theirtheir station at the top of a steep hill, where his horse must be at a walk He was so furred to keep out the cold that he could not lay his hand on his pistol They had pulled hiain He had screamed for mercy The screae
”Let's hear again how he squealed,” they cried
None of the, and they had shown the Scowrers of Gilmerton that the Vermissa men were to be relied upon
There had been one contretemps; for atheir revolvers into the silent body It had been suggested that they should shoot them both; but they were harmless folk ere not connected with the mines, so they were sternly bidden to drive on and keep silent, lest a worse thing befall the to all such hard-hearted eers had hurried off into the e of the furnaces and the slag heaps Here they were, safe and sound, their ell done, and the plaudits of their coreat day for the Scowrers The shadow had fallen even darker over the valley But as the wise general chooses the moment of victory in which to redouble his efforts, so that his foes may have no time to steady the out upon the scene of his operations with his brooding and malicious eyes, had devised a new attack upon those who opposed hiht, as the half-drunken company broke up, he touched McMurdo on the arm and led him aside into that inner room where they had their first interview
”See here, ot a job that's worthy of you at last You'll have the doing of it in your own hands”
”Proud I am to hear it,” McMurdo answered