The Complete Works of Sherlock Holmes

Chapter 150
Everything else about him—proportioned figure, good looks, warm frankness—consistent with the sincerity and accessibility of his mask.People would say that he was an open and kind man, despite his rough tongue.Only when his sinister black eyes are aimed at a person, will one feel a sudden fear that he is facing a potentially irresistible disaster, and behind it lies a powerful force And the courage and cunning to do whatever they want are enough to bring fatal harm to people.

McMurdo took the man over, and, fearlessly as usual, elbowed past the small crowd of sycophants and walked toward him.Those men were speaking flattery to their chiefs, and would make them laugh out loud at even the most banal jokes.Now the piercing gray eyes of the new face met fearlessly with the stern gaze from the black eyes.

"Hello, young man. I don't think I've seen you before."

"I'm new here, Mr. McGinty."

"Then you should also know how to address a gentleman's noble title."

"He's Mr. Senator McGinty, young man," said a voice from the crowd.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Senator, but I don't know the rules here, but someone asked me to visit you."

"Oh, so you're here to see me? I'm here. What do you think I am?"

"Ah, it's early days, but if your heart is as big as your body and your soul is as beautiful as your face, then I'll be content," said McMurdo.

"Oh, you have such an Irish mouth," exclaimed the owner of the tavern.He wondered whether to accommodate this bold visitor or to preserve his dignity.

"Then do you think my appearance is in line with your wishes?"

"Of course," McMurdo said.

"Someone asked you to come see me?"

"Yes."

"Then who is he?"

"It's Brother Scanlon from Chapter 340 of Vermissa [-]. Mr. Senator, toast to your health and our friendly acquaintance." McMurdo picked up the glass of wine, raised his little finger to his mouth, and drank it down .

McGinty looked at McMurdo carefully and raised his thick black eyebrows.

"Oh, that's sort of the thing, isn't it?" said McGinty, "but I've got to check it out a little more. Your name is--"

"McMurdo."

"Examine it well, Mr. McMurdo, because here we don't trust people easily, and we don't fully believe what people say. Come with me."

The two walked into the small room in the bar room, surrounded by barrels.McGinty closed the door carefully, sat on a wine barrel, smoked a cigar thoughtfully, looked each other up and down, and sat for several minutes without saying a word.

McMurdo accepted his scrutiny with a smile on his face, one hand in his coat pocket, the other twirling his brown mustache.Suddenly McGinty bowed and drew a formidable pistol.

"Look here, man," said McGinty, "if I think you're playing tricks on me, it's the end of you."

McMurdo replied calmly, "It's quite a novelty that the head of the Freemen's Section welcomes a foreign brother in this way."

"Well, I want you to identify yourself," said McGinty. "If you can't answer it, you can't blame me. Where did you join?"

"Chicago No.20 Nine Branches."

"When?"

"June 24, [-]."

"Who is the body master?"

"JH Scott."

"Who is the leader of your place?"

"Bartholomew Wilson."

"Well, you seem to have a good answer. What are you doing there?"

"Work, like you, but just to make ends meet."

"Quick answer."

"Yes, I've always been quick-talking."

"Is it working so fast?"

"That's what everyone who knows me says."

"Well, we'll give you your chance soon. Have you heard anything about the local chapter?"

"I heard it takes good men as brothers."

"You are right, Mr. McMurdo. Why did you leave Chicago?"

"I can't say that."

McGinty's eyes widened. It amused him that he had never received such a rude answer.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Thou shalt not lie to a brother."

"Is this something unspeakable?"

"If you think so, so be it."

"Look, sir, do you think I, as the body owner, can accept a person of unknown origin to join the club?"

McMurdo looked a bit embarrassed, and then he took out a newspaper clipping from the inner pocket of his jacket and said, "You won't reveal it to others, will you?"

"If you say such things to me again, be careful that I will slap your mouth."

"I apologize, Mr. Senator," said McMurdo meekly. "I was out of my wits just now. Well, I know I'll be safe with you. Take a look at this clipping."

McGinty glanced over the content: In early January, [-], a man named Jonathan Pinto was murdered at the Lake Hotel on Market Street in Chicago.

"You did it?" McGinty asked, handing him the clipping.

McMurdo nodded.

"Why did you kill him?"

"I was minting coins for Uncle Sam. Maybe my coins didn't have as much gold as his, but they were hard to tell from the outside, and they were cheap. This guy helped me sell... ..."

"How to do it?"

"Ah, it was to let the counterfeit money enter the circulation. Later, he wanted to report on me. Maybe he really sold me out. I killed him without hesitation, and then came here."

"Why are you here?"

"Because things like murders in the papers don't get much attention here."

McGinty laughed and said, "You minted money and then murdered, and you came here because you thought you'd be welcome here?"

"Roughly so," McMurdo replied.

"Well, I see you have a bright future. Hey, can you counterfeit coins?"

McMurdo took six gold pieces from his pocket and said, "These are from the Philadelphia Mint."

"Really?" McGinty stretched out his hairy hand, and peered into the light. "I don't see a difference! Well, I'm sure you'll do a lot. Brother McMurdo, we've got one or two more The black sheep, we have to protect ourselves. If we don't catch people who don't belong to us, then we will suffer soon."

"Okay, I think I'll do it with everyone."

"I think you are very brave. When I pointed the pistol at you, you didn't even blink your eyes."

"It wasn't me who was in danger then."

"So, who is it?"

"It's you, Senator," said McMurdo, drawing a loaded pistol from the pocket of his duffel coat. Your slow."

"Damn it!" McGinty flushed with anger, and then burst out laughing. "Hey, haven't seen a guy as scary as you in years. I think the club will be proud of you... Hey, what are you doing? Can't I have a 5 minute private chat with a gentleman? You have to call Cut us off?"

The tavern waiter stood there apprehensively. "I'm sorry, Mr. Senator. But Mr. Ted Baldwin said he must see you at once."

In fact, there was no need for the waiter to report, the man had already poked a ferocious face from behind the waiter.He pushed the waiter away and closed the door behind him.

"It seems that someone has taken the lead!" He said with an angry look at McMurdo, "Mr. Senator, I have something to tell you about this man."

"Then say it to my face," McMurdo said loudly.

"What I want to say and when I say it is up to you to decide."

"Tut, tut!" said McGinty, jumping down from the barrel. "That's not right. Baldwin, we can't do that to a new brother. Put your hand out and make peace with him!"

"Don't even think about it!" Baldwin roared.

"If he thinks I've charged him, I'd suggest a duel with him," said McMurdo. "We can fight with our hands, or whatever he chooses. Senator, please give us the right now." A verdict."

"What the hell is going on here?"

"For a young girl. She has the right to choose who she marries."

"Can she do that?" Baldwin exclaimed.

"Since you're all brothers in the branch, I said she could do it," McGinty said.

"Ah, this is your rule, isn't it?"

"Yes, Ted Baldwin," said McGinty, glaring at him hard. "You wish to object?"

"Would you ditch a friend you've been with for five years in favor of someone you've never met? You're not going to be the boss, Jack McGinty. God, at the next election . . . "

McGinty pounced on Baldwin like a tiger, grabbed Baldwin's neck tightly, and pushed him onto the wine barrel. If McGinty hadn't stopped him, the angry McGinty would have killed Baldwin .

"Calm down, Mr. Senator! For God's sake, calm down!" McMurdo pulled him back.

Only then did McGinty let go of his hand, and Baldwin, trembling with fright, sat down on the barrel he had just hit.

"Ted Baldwin, you've been asking yourself for this all this time, and now you're satisfied!" McGinty exclaimed, panting heavily. I can replace it. But as long as I remain the leader for a day, I will never allow anyone to oppose me and go against my will."

"I have nothing against you." Baldwin muttered softly, rubbing his neck with his hands.

"Well, then," said McGinty, immediately resuming his usual self, cheerfully, "we're good friends again, and the matter is over."

McGinty took the champagne from the rack and uncorked the bottle.

"And now," continued McGinty, pouring wine into three goblets, "to our reconciliation. From now on, you must know that no brother shall hate one another. Now I say, Ted Baldwin , my friend, are you still angry?"

"The cloud has not dissipated."

"But the clouds will clear."

"I promise, I hope so."

McGinty drank it down, and Baldwin and McMurdo did the same.

McGinty rubbed his hands triumphantly and said loudly, "Now, all hatred is gone. You must obey the club rules from now on. Brother Baldwin, you know the rules of the club are strict. Brother McMurdo, don't try it yourself. "

"I swear, I won't do this." McMurdo stretched out his hand to Baldwin, and said, "I have a bit of a temper, but I never hold grudges. I heard that Irish people are easy to be emotional. Let this matter pass, I will won't hate you."

Because McGinty was staring at him, Baldwin shook McMurdo's hand perfunctorily.But his sullen look showed that McMurdo's words hadn't moved him in the slightest.

McGinty patted them both on the shoulder. "Tch, these girls, these girls!" exclaimed McGinty, "it's a wicked thing for the same girl to be caught between two of our brothers. Well, not even the body master can adjudicate such a thing." Leave it to that girl, even God. Alas, we've had enough without them. Brother McMurdo, you've been admitted to Chapter 340. We It has its own routines and rules, not the same as the Chicago chapter. We have a meeting on Saturday night, and if you come, then you will also be given all the rights in the Vermissa Valley."

Threeville Missa Chapter 340 One
So many exciting things happened that night.The next day McMurdo moved from old Jacob Sheffert's to widow McNamara's at the end of town.Not long after, Scanlon, his first friend on the train, also came to Vermissa, where they lived together.There were no other tenants here, and the landlady, an old Irish woman of good nature, never interfered in their affairs.So they have freedom of speech and action, which is very good for these two people who share the same secret.

Old Schiffer's attitude towards McMurdo was also relaxed. When he was happy, he would invite McMurdo to have dinner with them. Therefore, the communication between McMurdo and Itdie not only did not stop, but became It's getting closer.

Believing that his new abode was safe, McMurdo took his counterfeit molds into his own home.Brothers in some branches were also allowed to come and watch after taking an oath not to tell the truth.When they leave, they always have some counterfeit money in their pockets.These counterfeit coins were minted so finely that they were spent without difficulty and without trouble.It seemed incomprehensible to his congregation that McMurdo, with such skill, should stoop to go out to work.When asked about it, McMurdo always explained that if he didn't have a legitimate source of income, he would be targeted by the police soon.

As a matter of fact, some policemen had already been eyeing McMurdo. Coincidentally, this incident not only did not bring him trouble, but made him famous.From the first day he knew the brothers, McMurdo had been going to McGinty's tavern almost every night in order to mingle with more "brothers".And the word "brother" is how those who haunt the place call each other.McMurdo's strong, forthright character was popular among the group.Once, he took part in a "freestyle" boxing match held in a tavern, and defeated his opponent with a swift and skillful punch, which gave him a high prestige among the mob.However, there was another little thing that made this group of people admire him even more.

One night, when the business in the tavern was booming and people were in high spirits, suddenly the door opened, and a mine policeman in a blue uniform and a pointed hat came in.Due to the recent chaos in the mining area and the occurrence of organized violence, the local police were helpless, and the entire mining area was plunged into a terrifying atmosphere.Therefore, the railway bureau and the mine owners jointly formed a mine police team, trying to make up for the lack of ordinary police force.As soon as the mine policeman entered, the tavern fell silent, and many people looked at him curiously.But in many parts of the United States, there is a delicate relationship between police and criminals, and McGinty, who was standing behind the counter, was not surprised to see the policeman among his customers.

"It's cold tonight, let's have a glass of whiskey," said the sergeant. "We've never met before, Mr. Senator, have we?"

"You're the new captain?" McGinty asked.

"Yes, my name is Marvin, and I am the captain of the Coal and Iron Mine District Police. I have come here to pay a special visit to you, and I sincerely hope to have the assistance of you and the famous people in this town so that we can better maintain the town's security. law and order."

"Captain Malvern, our town has its own police force, and you outsiders don't need to worry about it." McGinty said coldly, "You are just tools hired by capitalists, except for using sticks or guns to suppress What else can I do besides my poor fellow countrymen?"

"Well, well, I'm not going to argue with you about that," said the sergeant calmly. "I hope we can all serve our respective posts faithfully. But we can't ask everyone else to see us exactly as we do." He added He took a gulp from his wine glass, turned around and was about to leave, when his eyes suddenly fell on Jack McMurdo's face, and McMurdo was standing there glaring at him.

"Look! Look!" Captain Malvern looked McMurdo up and down, and shouted, "Here is an old acquaintance!"

McMurdo walked away from him, saying, "I've never made friends with a damn cop."

"Old acquaintances are not necessarily friends," said the police captain, grinning. "You're Jack McMurdo from Chicago, I'm sure you can't deny it."

McMurdo shrugged.

"I didn't think to deny it," McMurdo said. "You think I'd be ashamed of my name?"

"Anyway, you should be ashamed!"

"What on earth do you mean?" McMurdo clenched his fists and roared.

"No, no, Jack, I know all about you. I was a police officer in Chicago before I came to this goddamn coal mine, and I knew every rogue out there."

McMurdo lowered his face and shouted, "Don't tell me you're Malvin from the Chicago Police Department!"

"That's right here, Ted Malvin is at your service. I remember the shooting of Jonathan Pinto in Chicago."

"I didn't do it."

"Isn't it? The testimony is flawless, isn't it? Well, that man's death would be of great benefit to you, otherwise, you would have been arrested and imprisoned for private coining. All right, let this matter pass." Go ahead. Because, as long as you and I know about this—maybe it’s unprofessional for me to say this—they can’t find evidence against you, and the gates of Chicago will be open to you again tomorrow.”

"I've had a great time here."

"Hey, I broke the news to you, but you are as ungrateful as a mad dog."

"Okay, for the time being, I believe that you are out of good intentions, and I thank you." McMurdo said not very respectfully.

"As long as you don't make trouble again, I will keep silent," said the captain of the police, "but, God knows, if you don't learn your lesson, it's another matter! Good night, then. Good night to you, Mr. Senator .”

Malvin leaves the tavern, making McMurdo a local hero.Prior to this, people had only heard of McMurdo's deeds in Chicago.Although it was brought up many times, McMurdo always laughed it off, as if worried that someone would impose such a reputation on him.But now, this matter has been officially confirmed.The vagrants in the tavern crowded around McMurdo and shook his hand heartily.Since then, McMurdo has had no problem passing through here.He drank a lot and rarely lost his temper after drinking, but if Scanlon hadn't helped him back that night, the hero of the public had to spend the night in the tavern.

(End of this chapter)