The Valley of Fear by Arthur Conan Doyle (ereader manga TXT) ๐
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- Author: Arthur Conan Doyle
Read book online ยซThe Valley of Fear by Arthur Conan Doyle (ereader manga TXT) ๐ยป. Author - Arthur Conan Doyle
โWell, you see me. This is all there is. What d'you think of me?โ
โWell, it's early days. If your heart is as big as your body, and your soul as fine as your face, then I'd ask for nothing better,โ said McMurdo.
โBy Gar! you've got an Irish tongue in your head anyhow,โ cried the saloon-keeper, not quite certain whether to humour this audacious visitor or to stand upon his dignity.
โSo you are good enough to pass my appearance?โ
โSure,โ said McMurdo.
โAnd you were told to see me?โ
โI was.โ
โAnd who told you?โ
โBrother Scanlan of Lodge 341, Vermissa. I drink your health Councillor, and to our better acquaintance.โ He raised a glass with which he had been served to his lips and elevated his little finger as he drank it.
McGinty, who had been watching him narrowly, raised his thick black eyebrows. โOh, it's like that, is it?โ said he. โI'll have to look a bit closer into this, Misterโโ
โMcMurdo.โ
โA bit closer, Mr. McMurdo; for we don't take folk on trust in these parts, nor believe all we're told neither. Come in here for a moment, behind the bar.โ
There was a small room there, lined with barrels. McGinty carefully closed the door, and then seated himself on one of them, biting thoughtfully on his cigar and surveying his companion with those disquieting eyes. For a couple of minutes he sat in complete silence. McMurdo bore the inspection cheerfully, one hand in his coat pocket, the other twisting his brown moustache. Suddenly McGinty stooped and produced a wicked-looking revolver.
โSee here, my joker,โ said he, โif I thought you were playing any game on us, it would be short work for you.โ
โThis is a strange welcome,โ McMurdo answered with some dignity, โfor the Bodymaster of a lodge of Freemen to give to a stranger brother.โ
โAy, but it's just that same that you have to prove,โ said McGinty, โand God help you if you fail! Where were you made?โ
โLodge 29, Chicago.โ
โWhen?โ
โJune 24, 1872.โ
โWhat Bodymaster?โ
โJames H. Scott.โ
โWho is your district ruler?โ
โBartholomew Wilson.โ
โHum! You seem glib enough in your tests. What are you doing here?โ
โWorking, the same as youโbut a poorer job.โ
โYou have your back answer quick enough.โ
โYes, I was always quick of speech.โ
โAre you quick of action?โ
โI have had that name among those that knew me best.โ
โWell, we may try you sooner than you think. Have you heard anything of the lodge in these parts?โ
โI've heard that it takes a man to be a brother.โ
โTrue for you, Mr. McMurdo. Why did you leave Chicago?โ
โI'm damned if I tell you that!โ
McGinty opened his eyes. He was not used to being answered in such fashion, and it amused him. โWhy won't you tell me?โ
โBecause no brother may tell another a lie.โ
โThen the truth is too bad to tell?โ
โYou can put it that way if you like.โ
โSee here, mister, you can't expect me, as Bodymaster, to pass into the lodge a man for whose past he can't answer.โ
McMurdo looked puzzled. Then he took a worn newspaper cutting from an inner pocket.
โYou wouldn't squeal on a fellow?โ said he.
โI'll wipe my hand across your face if you say such words to me!โ cried McGinty hotly.
โYou are right, Councillor,โ said McMurdo meekly. โI should apologize. I spoke without thought. Well, I know that I am safe in your hands. Look at that clipping.โ
McGinty glanced his eyes over the account of the shooting of one Jonas Pinto, in the Lake Saloon, Market Street, Chicago, in the New Year week of 1874.
โYour work?โ he asked, as he handed back the paper.
McMurdo nodded.
โWhy did you shoot him?โ
โI was helping Uncle Sam to make dollars. Maybe mine were not as good gold as his, but they looked as well and were cheaper to make. This man Pinto helped me to shove the queerโโ
โTo do what?โ
โWell, it means to pass the dollars out into circulation. Then he said he would split. Maybe he did split. I didn't wait to see. I just killed him and lighted out for the coal country.โ
โWhy the coal country?โ
โ'Cause I'd read in the papers that they weren't too particular in those parts.โ
McGinty laughed. โYou were first a coiner and then a murderer, and you came to these parts because you thought you'd be welcome.โ
โThat's about the size of it,โ McMurdo answered.
โWell, I guess you'll go far. Say, can you make those dollars yet?โ
McMurdo took half a dozen from his pocket. โThose never passed the Philadelphia mint,โ said he.
โYou don't say!โ McGinty held them to the light in his enormous hand, which was hairy as a gorilla's. โI can see no difference. Gar! you'll be a mighty useful brother, I'm thinking! We can do with a bad man or two among us, Friend McMurdo: for there are times when we have to take our own part. We'd soon be against the wall if we didn't shove back at those that were pushing us.โ
โWell, I guess I'll do my share of shoving with the rest of the boys.โ
โYou seem to have a good nerve. You didn't squirm when I shoved this gun at you.โ
โIt was not me that was in danger.โ
โWho then?โ
โIt was you, Councillor.โ McMurdo drew a cocked pistol from the side pocket of his peajacket. โI was covering you all the time. I guess my shot would have been as quick as yours.โ
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