The Complete Sherlock Holmes

to it. I expect you meant kindly by speaking to me
like this. Now I’ll be getting home.”
“One word before you go,” said Morris. “We
may have been seen together. They may want to
know what we have spoken about.”
“Ah! that’s well thought of.”
“I offer you a clerkship in my store.”
“And I refuse it. That’s our business. Well, so
long, Brother Morris, and may you find things go
better with you in the future.”
That same afternoon, as McMurdo sat smoking,
lost in thought beside the stove of his sittingroom,
the door swung open and its framework
was filled with the huge figure of Boss McGinty.
He passed the sign, and then seating himself opposite
to the young man he looked at him steadily
for some time, a look which was as steadily returned.
“I’m not much of a visitor, Brother McMurdo,”
he said at last. “I guess I am too busy over the folk
that visit me. But I thought I’d stretch a point and
drop down to see you in your own house.”
“I’m proud to see you here, Councillor,” Mc-
Murdo 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.
McMurdo made a wry face. “Well, I’m not forgetting
it,” 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 morning?”
The question came so suddenly that it was well
that he had his answer prepared. He burst into a
hearty laugh. “Morris didn’t know I could earn a
living here at home. He shan’t know either; for he
has got too much conscience for the likes of me.
But he’s a good-hearted old chap. It was his idea
that I was at a loose end, and that he would do
me a good turn by offering me a clerkship in a dry
goods 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 bedroom with four hours’ work?”
“That’s so. But I wouldn’t get about too much
with Morris.”
“Why not?”
The Valley Of Fear
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“Well, I guess because I tell you not. That’s
enough for most folk in these parts.”
“It may be enough for most folk; but it ain’t
enough for me, Councillor,” said McMurdo boldly.
“If you are a judge of men, you’ll know that.”
The swarthy giant glared at him, and his hairy
paw closed for an instant round the glass as
though he would hurl it at the head of his companion.
Then he laughed in his loud, boisterous,
insincere fashion.
“You’re a queer card, for sure,” said he. “Well,
if you want reasons, I’ll give them. Did Morris say
nothing to you against the lodge?”
“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 we watch him and we wait for the time to
admonish him. I’m thinking that the time is drawing
near. There’s no room for scabby sheep in our
pen. But if you keep company with a disloyal man,
we might think that you were disloyal, too. See?”
“There’s no chance of my keeping company
with him; for I dislike the man,” McMurdo answered.
“As to being disloyal, if it was any man
but you he would not use the word to me twice.”
“Well, that’s enough,” said McGinty, draining
off his glass. “I came down to give 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 my business to know
what goes on in this township,” said he. “I guess
you’d best reckon on my hearing all that passes.
Well, time’s up, and I’ll just say—”
But his leavetaking was cut short in a very unexpected
fashion. With a sudden crash the door
flew open, and three frowning, intent faces glared
in at them from under the peaks of police caps.
McMurdo sprang 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-smile
at McMurdo.
“I thought you’d be getting into trouble, Mr.
Crooked McMurdo of Chicago,” said he. “Can’t
keep out of it, can you? Take your hat and come
along with us.”