The Valley of Fear

lley o

had been branded, was hot and swollen. Having his own peculiar source of income, he was irregular in his attendance at his work; so he had a late breakfast, an

THE HERALD

SLY IN

h he was himself more familiar than the write

tion may be obtained. The source of the outrage was, it need hardly be said, that infamous society which has held this community in bondage for so long a period, and against which the Herald has taken so uncompromis

rmed with Winchester rifles, had been req

m the excesses of the previous evening, when there was a knock outside, and his landlady b

will find me beside the flagstaff upon Miller Hill. If you will come there

feminine hand, he might have imagined that it was the beginning of one of those adventures which had been familiar enough in his past life.

it is desolate enough. From the top of it one has a view not only of the whole straggling, grimy town, but of the winding valley beneat

ide it was a bare flagstaff, and underneath it a man, his hat drawn down and the collar of his overcoat turned up. When he turned his face McMurdo s

e older man, speaking with a hesitation which showed tha

ot put your na

imes like these how a thing may come back to one. One

trust brothers

hemence. "Whatever we say, even what we th

ight, as you know well, that I swore good faith to our

am sorry I gave you the trouble to come and meet me. Things have come to a

poke for myself only," said he. "I am a newcomer, as you know, and I am strange to it all. It is not f

to Boss McGinty!" s

ll you straight; but I would be a poor creature if I were to repeat to any other what you might say to me

y what I say; but, bad as you are-and it seemed to me last night that you were shaping to be as bad as the worst-still

at have y

away, may a cu

said I wo

n Chicago and swore vows of charity and fidelity, did ever it c

it crime," Mc

u can call it anything else. Was it crime last night when a man old enough to be your father was b

d McMurdo, "a war of two classes with all

a thing when you joined the F

und to say

I prospered well. The word had gone round that I was a Freeman, and I was forced to join the local lodge, same as you did last night. I've the badge of shame on my forearm and something worse branded on my heart. I found that I was under the orders of a black villain and caught in a meshwork of crime. What could I do? Every word I said

were too soft for the job," said he.

f I backed down I knew well what would come to me. Maybe I'm a coward. Maybe it's the thought of my p

hands were crimson to the wrists. As we turned away a child was screaming out of the house behind us. It was a boy of five who had seen his father murdered. I nearly fainted with the horror of it, and yet I had t

would have no word with me when he heard I was a Scowrer, and I am excommunicated from my faith. That's how it stands with me. And I see you go

sked McMurdo abruptly.

s. "Sure, the very though

inking that you are a weak man and t

ell you that the cloud of murder hangs thicker and lower than that over the heads of the people. It is the Valley of Fear, the Vall

re not the man for the place, and that the sooner you sell out-if you only get a dime a dollar for what the business is

ried Morris

nd, and maybe some day I'll come back to it. I expect you mean

We may have been seen together. They may

's well t

a clerkship

l, so long, Brother Morris, and may you fi

g open and its framework was filled with the huge figure of Boss McGinty. He passed the sign, and then seating h

I guess I am too busy over the folk that visit me. But I thought

wered heartily, bringing his whisky bottle out of th

arm?" ask

ll, I'm not forgetting it,"

l and go through with it and are a help to the lodge. What were y

ld 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 o

hat wa

that w

u refus

times as much in my own bed

ouldn't get about t

y n

ll you not. That's enough f

nough for me, Councillor," said McMurdo boldly.

tant round the glass as though he would hurl it at the head of his c

ll, if you want reasons, I'll give them. Did

N

again

N

ch him and we wait for the time to admonish him. I'm thinking that the time is drawing near. There's no room for sca

like the man," McMurdo answered. "As to being disloyal, if i

ning off his glass. "I came down to give

"how you ever came to learn that

this township," said he. "I guess you'd best reckon on my h

olice 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

ed McMurdo of Chicago," said he. "Can't keep out of

inty. "Who are you, I'd like to know, to break into a h

e police captain. "We are not out after you, but after this man

and I'll answer for his

of these days," the captain answered. "This man McMurdo was a crook before ever

be, Captain Marvin, if you and I were alone an

ive in Russia as in Vermissa while folk like you are running the poli

duty the best way you can, Coun

ccused of?"

ditor Stanger at the Herald office. It wasn

save yourself a deal of trouble by dropping it right now. This man was with me

ome on, McMurdo, and come quietly if you don't want a gun across your head. You sta

nd his boss were forced to accept the situation. The latter managed

his thumb upward to si

do, who had devised a safe h

ll see Reilly the lawyer and take the defense upon myself.

, you two, and shoot him if he tries any ga

Murdo to headquarters. Darkness had fallen, and a keen blizzard was blowing so that the streets were nearly deser

n. After a short, formal examination from the inspector in charge he was put into the common cell. Here he found Bal

e came a jailer with a straw bundle for their bedding, out of which he extracted two bottles of whisky, some glas

men were forced to admit that the light was uncertain, that they were themselves much perturbed, and that it was difficult for them to swear to the identity of the assailants;

em to be Scowrers, since no one else in the community could possibly have any enmity to him, and he had long been threatened on account of his outspoken editorials. On the other hand, it was clearly shown by the united an

y from the bench for the inconvenience to which they had been put, together wit

and waved. But there were others who sat with compressed lips and brooding eyes as the men filed out of the dock. One of them

rers!" he said. "