The Complete Works of Sherlock Holmes

Chapter 153
"Perhaps that's enough for most people, but it's not enough for me, Senator," McMurdo said boldly. .”

The big black man stared at McMurdo, his hairy hand suddenly grabbed the wine glass, as if about to throw it on the other's head, and then he laughed falsely.

"You're an oddball, no doubt about it," said McGinty. "Well, if you must know, I'll tell you. Didn't Maurice say something against the Council?"

"No."

"And didn't you say anything against me?"

"No."

"Ah, that's because he doesn't quite trust you yet. But he's not a loyal member. We know it all too well, so we're watching him, waiting for an opportunity to punish him, I think, The moment is not far away. For in our sheepfolds no lowly sheep are allowed. But if you befriend a rebel, we shall consider you a rebel too. Do you understand? "

"Because I don't like him, and I won't be with him again." McMurdo replied, "As for saying that I am a rebel, if it didn't come from you, then I will definitely not let him talk to him again." I said that!"

"Very good." McGinty picked up his glass and drank it down. "I came here to warn you in advance, and you already know it."

"I still don't understand. How on earth did you know that I talked to Maurice?"

McGinty laughed. "There's nothing that's going on in this town that I don't know. I think you'd better understand that nothing that happens here escapes my attention. Well, it's getting late." Yes, I want to..."

Before he could finish his sentence, the door was suddenly knocked open.Three determined faces glared at them from under the brims of police caps.McMurdo sprang to his feet, and was about to draw his pistol, when his arm stopped suddenly, for he was aware of the two Winchesters pointed at his head.A man in police uniform came in, holding a six-shot revolver in his hand.This man was Sergeant Malvern, who had been in Chicago and was now captain of the Coal and Iron Mine Police Force.He looked at McMurdo with a half-smile, shook his head, and said, "We meet again, Mr. McMurdo of Chicago. You're a bad habit, can't you? Put on your hat and talk to me." let's go!"

"I think you'll pay for it, Captain Malvern," said McGinty, "but I would like to ask who you are to be so reckless as to break into someone's house and harass an honest and law-abiding citizen." ?”

"Please keep your hands out of this matter, Mr. Senator," said the captain of the police. "We have not come to arrest you, but to arrest McMurdo. You should assist us and not hinder us in the execution of our duties."

"He's a friend of mine, and I can vouch for him," McGinty said.

"In any case, Mr. McGinty, you can only vouch for yourself these days," replied the police captain. "McComurdo was a scoundrel in Chicago, and he is still unrepentant. Guard, aim the gun at him, and I'll disarm."

"This is my gun," said McMurdo icily. "Captain Malvern, if you and I were alone, you wouldn't have caught me so easily."

"Where's your arrest warrant?" McGinty said. "God, people might as well go to Russia if they live in Vermissa! You're an illegal means of the capitalists, and I reckon we'll hear more of it in the future. "

"You can think about it all you want, Senator. We'll do things our way."

"Why did you arrest me?" McMurdo asked.

"You have been charged with involvement in the beating of Stanger, the old Herald writer. You have not been charged with murder, not because you didn't want to kill."

"Ah, if you're arresting him just for that," said McGinty, smiling, "you'll save yourself a lot of trouble by stopping now. This man played cards with me in my tavern last night until midnight, and there were a dozen of us It can be proved."

"You can say these things in court tomorrow. But now, come on, McMurdo, if you don't want to get shot through the chest, you'd better not play any tricks. Mr. McGinty, please get out of the way. I warn Thank you, when I perform official duties, I will never allow any resistance!"

Captain Malvern's stern words forced McMurdo and his master to accept the facts before them.Before leaving, McGinty took the opportunity to whisper to McMurdo, "What about that thing?" He suddenly gave a thumbs up, hinting at the minting machine.

"It's arranged," McMurdo whispered.He hid the minting machine in a pre-set concealment.

"May you come back safely." The body owner said and shook hands with McMurdo. "I will see Lawyer Riley, and I will appear in court to defend you. Please believe me, they will not detain you."

"I don't want to bet on such a thing. You keep a good eye on the criminal, and if he plays tricks, you shoot him. I'll search the house."

After Captain Malvern checked the room, he did not find the hidden minting machine.After he went downstairs, he and the guards escorted McMurdo back to the headquarters.It was late at this time, and a strong snowstorm was blowing on the street. There were almost no pedestrians, only a few wanderers followed them, boldly cursing the arrested under the cover of night.

"Execute him, the bloody coolie!" they yelled, "Execute him!" The men shouted and laughed until McMurdo was escorted back to the police station.After a brief interrogation by the officer in charge, McMurdo was placed in a regular cell.Here he saw Baldwin and three other criminals, all arrested that afternoon, awaiting trial the next day.

Here, however, the power of the Freedmen's Association has penetrated the barriers of the law and penetrated into the prison.During the night a jailer brought a sheaf of straw for their bedding, and from the straw he drew two bottles of whiskey, some glasses, and a box of cards.They just drank and gambled all night without thinking about the next day's interrogation.

They don't need to think about anything at all, as the outcome of this case is a clear proof.The magistrate was unable to find conclusive evidence to convict them.In fact, the compositors and printers had to admit that the light was dim and they were in a state of confusion, and although they were sure that the defendant was among the detainees, it was difficult to identify the face of the assailant.Under clever cross-examination by McGinty's heavily paid lawyers, the witness's testimony became more ambiguous.

The victim's testimony showed that he was so shocked by the sudden attack that he couldn't explain anything except remembering that the first person who attacked him had a mustache.He added that the people who attacked him were diehards because no one else in town harbored a hatred for him, and because he had written many times publicly against diehards, he had long received criticism from the group. party threat.

On the other hand, the testimony of six citizens, including Senator McGinty, the mayor, testified unanimously, firmly, and definitively that these accused were playing cards in the tavern that night, until the serious case occurred more than one hour later. After an hour the show ended.

Needless to say, the judge offered an almost apologetic consolation for what had happened to the arrested man, while implicitly expressing his displeasure with the fanatical professionalism of Malvern and his guards.The defendants were eventually acquitted and released.

At this time, people in the hearing stand stood up and applauded. McMurdo saw many familiar faces among them, and the brothers from the branch smiled and waved to them.And others, who sat with their lips tightly shut, watched sullenly as the gang of criminals descended from the dock.One of them, a small man with a black beard and a resolute countenance, uttered the thoughts of himself and his companions as the freed criminals passed by: "You damned murderers, one day We have to settle this account!"

Five Darkest Hours

The arrest and acquittal of Jack McMurdo made him famous among the gang.It is unique among them that a new member participated in the execution of the affairs of the association on the night of his admission and alarmed the local administrator and judge.People thought highly of him, seeing him as an excellent drinking buddy and spirited reveler.His fiery temperament makes him never willing to be insulted, even in the face of the supreme authority of the body, he will never give in.In addition, he made a deep impression on the group: among them, there was no one with such a quick mind that he could conceive a bloody plot in a second, and no one could compare with him. He's better at putting it into practice. "He's going to be a quick guy," the old guys talked, waiting for the moment when McMurder would show his skills.

McGinty had no shortage of effective executors, but he thought McMurdo was the most talented and a rare expert.He felt as if he was holding a bloodthirsty and ferocious hound in his hands. Those trivial things could be done by a bad dog, but one day he would let go of the rope and let this beast pounce on its prey.A few in the chapter, including Ted Baldwin, resented the outlander's meteoric rise and turned bitter, but they shunned him because McMurdo was as easy to laugh at as he could get on with anyone. duel.

If McMurdo gained favor among his peers, he lost even more in another important way.Etty Sheffert's father cut him off and never allowed him to set foot in his home again.Edie loves McMurdo deeply, but falls into a vortex of distress. How can her kind heart allow herself to accept a thug's marriage proposal with peace of mind?

Another night, Edie tossed and turned, unable to sleep.Next morning she resolved to speak to MacMurdo, thinking that this might be the last time they would see each other, and she would do her best to save him from the abyss of evil.McMurdo had repeatedly begged her to come to his house, and now she went straight to his bedroom.McMurdo was sitting at a table with his back to the door, a letter in front of him.McMurdo didn't hear the knock on the door, and Edie, who was nineteen years old, looked at him and suddenly had a naughty thought that girls often have.So she tiptoed forward and put her hand lightly on his shoulder.

If she meant to frighten him, she did, but she didn't expect to be frightened herself.McMurdo sprang back like a beast and put his right hand around Itdie's throat.At the same time, he crumpled the letter in front of him with his left hand.He stood there glaring, but when he took a closer look, he couldn't help being surprised, and immediately retracted his ferocious face.Edie staggered back a few steps in fright, because she had never encountered such a thing in her quiet and elegant life.

"It was you!" said McMurdo, mopping his brow. "I didn't expect you to come here for me, darling. I almost strangled you. Come on, darling, let me apologize to you. With that said, McMurdo opened his arms.

But at this moment, Yi Di, who was still in shock, suddenly saw from McMurdo's face that his behavior just now came from a criminal mentality.Her feminine instinct told herself that ordinary fright would never frighten him like this.He must have committed a crime and was terrified of it!
"What happened, Jack?" cried Itdie. "Why should I frighten you like this? Oh, Jack, you would never look at me like that if you had a good conscience!"

"No, Edie, I was thinking of something else, so when you walked in so lightly..."

"No, no, it's not like that, Jack," Edith suddenly became suspicious. "Give me that letter you just wrote."

"Ah, Edie. I can't let you see."

This made her even more suspicious. "It must have been addressed to another woman!" she cried. "I know why you won't let me read it. Is it addressed to your wife? How do I know if you were ever married? You are a stranger." , nobody understands you."

"I'm never married, Etty. Look, I swear now, you're the only one I love in this world. I swear it to the cross of Jesus!"

McMurdo was pale, excited and earnest, and Etty had to believe him.

"Well, then," said Itdie, "why don't you show me that letter?"

"Listen, my dear," said McMurdo, "I have sworn to keep this letter secret, and just as I will not break my oath to you, I must keep my word. This is the business of the club, and even to You have to keep it a secret too. I was frightened because when you put a hand on my shoulder it was probably a detective's hand, you understand?"

Itdie thought he was telling the truth.McMurdo took her in his arms, dispelling her fears and doubts with kisses.

"Sit down, then, beside me. A throne too rare for a queen, but that's all your poor lover can give you. Someday I will make you happy. Now do you feel better?"

"Jack, when I learned that you were one of the criminals, I thought, how can I have a moment of peace if one day I learn that you are in court for murder? When people talk about you Saying 'McComurdo is a scumbag' makes me feel like someone has put a knife in my heart!"

"It's nothing, let them talk about it."

"But they're telling the truth."

"Well, my dear, things are not as bad as you think. We are just some poor people trying to fight for our rights in our own way."

Edie put her arms around her lover's neck. "Give it up, Jack! Give it up for me, for God's sake! That's what I'm here for today. Oh, Jack, I kneel before you, I kneel and beg you to give it up!"

McMurdo hugged Itdie, put her head on his chest and comforted: "Of course, my dear, you don't know what your pleading means. If it means breaking my oath and betraying my accomplices , how can I give it up? If you can understand what I do, you won't ask me to give it up. Besides, even if I want to do it, how can I do it immediately? You feel so cool Can the Party allow a man who knows all its secrets to go away?"

"I've thought about it, Jack. I've planned it. Father has some savings. He's tired of this place. The threats and threats from those people have made our lives dark. Father is ready to leave. We will flee together to Philadelphia, or to New York, where we shall have no fear of them."

McMurdo smiled and said, "Their hand is so far out, you don't think it can go from here to Philadelphia or New York?"

"Okay, then we go to the West, to England, or to Germany, where my father is German. As long as we get out of this 'uncanny valley', we can go anywhere."

McMurdo thought of old Morris. "Yeah, this is the second time I've heard someone call this valley that way. It seems that the haze really makes people breathless."

"It casts a shadow over our lives all the time. Do you think Ted Baldwin would have let us go? What would have been our fate if he hadn't been afraid of you? You could see the way he looked at me Hungry eyes!"

"God! If I see him like this again, I must teach him a lesson. But, girl, I can't leave here. I can't. Please believe me, if you give me a little time to figure it out, I will Find a way to get out of here with dignity."

"It's disrespectful to do such a thing."

"Okay, okay, it's just your opinion. But if you give me six months, I can get out of here with a clear conscience."

A smile appeared on the girl's face.

"Six months!" she exclaimed. "Is that a promise?"

"Yes, maybe seven or eight months. But no more than a year at the most, and we'll be out of this valley."

That was all Itdie could get, but it meant a lot to her.This ray of dawn dispelled all the haze in her heart.She returned home with a cheerfulness such as had not been since Jack McMurdo came into her life.

Some people may think that all the actions of the Death Cool Party will be known to its party members, but in fact, the scope of this organization and the complexity of the relationship are far beyond people's imagination.Even McGinty himself was ignorant of some things.For there was also an official, called the County Representative, who lived in the Hobson area, far from the center of town, and who controlled his party with imperious and unexpected means, and held a part of the chapter power.McMurdo had only met him once.This person is treacherous and cunning, with gray hair, like a sneaky mouse, always glaring at people maliciously.His name was Evans Potter, a name that terrified even the great chieftains of Vermissa, as the great Danton felt powerless before the menacing Robespierre.

One day, McMurdo's roommate, Scanlon, received a letter from McGinty, which contained a letter from Evans Potter, saying that he would send two capable brothers, Lauren and Andrews went to work in the neighborhood. As for who their target was, he didn't elaborate.He asked the owner to arrange suitable accommodation for the two men.McGinty wrote that keeping them in the union building would not keep the secrets secret, so he charged McMurdo and Scanlon to house the two men for a few days.

(End of this chapter)