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β€œBy Gar!” McGinty flushed an angry red and then burst into a roar of laughter. β€œSay, we've had no such holy terror come to hand this many a year. I reckon the lodge will learn to be proud of you.... Well, what the hell do you want? And can't I speak alone with a gentleman for five minutes but you must butt in on us?”

The bartender stood abashed. β€œI'm sorry, Councillor, but it's Ted Baldwin. He says he must see you this very minute.”

The message was unnecessary; for the set, cruel face of the man himself was looking over the servant's shoulder. He pushed the bartender out and closed the door on him.

β€œSo,” said he with a furious glance at McMurdo, β€œyou got here first, did you? I've a word to say to you, Councillor, about this man.”

β€œThen say it here and now before my face,” cried McMurdo.

β€œI'll say it at my own time, in my own way.”

β€œTut! Tut!” said McGinty, getting off his barrel. β€œThis will never do. We have a new brother here, Baldwin, and it's not for us to greet him in such fashion. Hold out your hand, man, and make it up!”

β€œNever!” cried Baldwin in a fury.

β€œI've offered to fight him if he thinks I have wronged him,” said McMurdo. β€œI'll fight him with fists, or, if that won't satisfy him, I'll fight him any other way he chooses. Now, I'll leave it to you, Councillor, to judge between us as a Bodymaster should.”

β€œWhat is it, then?”

β€œA young lady. She's free to choose for herself.”

β€œIs she?” cried Baldwin.

β€œAs between two brothers of the lodge I should say that she was,” said the Boss.

β€œOh, that's your ruling, is it?”

β€œYes, it is, Ted Baldwin,” said McGinty, with a wicked stare. β€œIs it you that would dispute it?”

β€œYou would throw over one that has stood by you this five years in favour of a man that you never saw before in your life? You're not Bodymaster for life, Jack McGinty, and by God! when next it comes to a vote—”

The Councillor sprang at him like a tiger. His hand closed round the other's neck, and he hurled him back across one of the barrels. In his mad fury he would have squeezed the life out of him if McMurdo had not interfered.

β€œEasy, Councillor! For heaven's sake, go easy!” he cried, as he dragged him back.

McGinty released his hold, and Baldwin, cowed and shaken gasping for breath, and shivering in every limb, as one who has looked over the very edge of death, sat up on the barrel over which he had been hurled.

β€œYou've been asking for it this many a day, Ted Baldwinβ€”now you've got it!” cried McGinty, his huge chest rising and falling. β€œMaybe you think if I was voted down from Bodymaster you would find yourself in my shoes. It's for the lodge to say that. But so long as I am the chief I'll have no man lift his voice against me or my rulings.”

β€œI have nothing against you,” mumbled Baldwin, feeling his throat.

β€œWell, then,” cried the other, relapsing in a moment into a bluff joviality, β€œwe are all good friends again and there's an end of the matter.”

He took a bottle of champagne down from the shelf and twisted out the cork.

β€œSee now,” he continued, as he filled three high glasses. β€œLet us drink the quarrelling toast of the lodge. After that, as you know, there can be no bad blood between us. Now, then the left hand on the apple of my throat. I say to you, Ted Baldwin, what is the offense, sir?”

β€œThe clouds are heavy,” answered Baldwin

β€œBut they will forever brighten.”

β€œAnd this I swear!”

The men drank their glasses, and the same ceremony was performed between Baldwin and McMurdo

β€œThere!” cried McGinty, rubbing his hands. β€œThat's the end of the black blood. You come under lodge discipline if it goes further, and that's a heavy hand in these parts, as Brother Baldwin knowsβ€”and as you will damn soon find out, Brother McMurdo, if you ask for trouble!”

β€œFaith, I'd be slow to do that,” said McMurdo. He held out his hand to Baldwin. β€œI'm quick to quarrel and quick to forgive. It's my hot Irish blood, they tell me. But it's over for me, and I bear no grudge.”

Baldwin had to take the proffered hand; for the baleful eye of the terrible Boss was upon him. But his sullen face showed how little the words of the other had moved him.

McGinty clapped them both on the shoulders. β€œTut! These girls! These girls!” he cried. β€œTo think that the same petticoats should come between two of my boys! It's the devil's own luck! Well, it's the colleen inside of them that must settle the question; for it's outside the jurisdiction of a Bodymasterβ€”and the Lord be praised for that! We have enough on us, without the women as well. You'll have to be affiliated to Lodge 341, Brother McMurdo. We have our own ways and methods, different from Chicago. Saturday night is our meeting, and if you come then, we'll make you free forever of the Vermissa Valley.”





Chapter 3β€”Lodge 341, Vermissa

On the day following the evening which had contained so many exciting events, McMurdo moved his lodgings from old Jacob Shafter's and took up his quarters at the Widow MacNamara's on the extreme outskirts of the town. Scanlan, his original acquaintance aboard the train, had occasion shortly afterwards to move into Vermissa, and the two lodged together. There was no other boarder, and the hostess was an easy-going old Irishwoman who left them to themselves; so that they had a freedom for speech and action welcome to men who had secrets in common.

Shafter had relented to the extent of letting McMurdo come to his meals there when he liked; so that his intercourse with Ettie was by no means broken. On the contrary, it drew closer and more intimate as the weeks went by.

In his bedroom at his new abode McMurdo felt it safe to take out the coining moulds, and under many a pledge of secrecy a number of brothers from the lodge were allowed to come in and see them, each carrying away in his pocket some examples of the false money, so cunningly struck that there was never the slightest difficulty or danger in passing it. Why, with such a wonderful art at his command, McMurdo should condescend to work at all was a perpetual mystery to his companions; though he made it clear to anyone who asked him that if he lived without any visible means it would very quickly bring the police upon his track.

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