Sherlock Holmes.

Chapter 130 Uncanny Valley (8)
The other party was very surprised after hearing this, and he looked hesitantly at the other people in the car. The miners were still chatting, and the two policemen were already drowsy.He moved over, leaned close to the young man, and said, "Give me your hand."

So the two shook hands, which was a sign.

"I know you're telling the truth, but you'd better find out."

The miner put his right hand on his right forehead, and the young man put his left hand on his left forehead.

"The night is very unpleasant," said the miner.

Said the young man, "For a stranger on a journey, the night is indeed very unpleasant."

"Great, I'm Scanlon from Mount Vermissa [-] Chapter. Nice to meet you on the train. We are so destined."

The young man said: "What a surprise, I am John McMurdo of the 29th branch in Chicago, and our president is Scott. I never expected to meet a brother on the train. I am so lucky."

"We're going to be stronger in Vermissa than anywhere else in America. Still, we need guys like you. I don't understand why a smart member like you is here There's no work to do in Chicago."

"I've had a lot of work," said McMurdo.

"Then why did you leave?"

McMurdo cast a subconscious glance at the policeman, and then said with a smile: "They will be delighted to know about me."

Scanlon asked sympathetically, "What's the trouble?"

"big trouble!"

"Trouble with going to jail?"

"More than that."

"You killed someone?"

"I don't want to mention this just yet, and there's no need for you to ask. Since I've come here from Chicago, there must be a reason, so don't worry about it," said McMurdo, with a look of chagrin at having said too much. look.

"Who are you? Why are you asking these questions?" McMurdo's gray eyes suddenly flashed fiercely through the glasses.

"Don't worry, brother, I mean no harm. No matter what you do, no one will see you as a bad person. Where are you going?"

"Vermissa."

"That's three stops. Where are you going to live?"

McMurdo produced an envelope, and approached the dim oil lamp.

"Here's the address - Sheridan Street, Jacob Schefter's apartment. A friend in Chicago introduced me to it.

"Well, I don't know this place. I don't know Vermissa very well. I live in Hopson Territory and I'll be here soon. But before we part, I'll give you some advice: If you have any trouble in Vermissa , just go straight to the union chief, McGinty, who is the president of the Vermissa chapter. No one dares to do anything here without his permission. Goodbye, brother, who knows what night we We'll meet at the club. But take my word for it, and go to McGinty when you're in trouble."

The train pulled in and Scanlon got off.McMurdo fell into thought again.At this time, the night had completely fallen, and in the darkness, the flames spouting from the furnace in the distance kept swaying and shaking, emitting a strange light.Under the red light, many black figures kept bending over, twisting, and turning around. Accompanied by the endless roar of locomotives and equipment, it was a gloomy scene.

"I think hell might be like this." A voice came.

Turning his head, McMurdo saw one of the policemen seated on a bench, looking out the car window at the fire-lit moor.

"Just for that," interjected another policeman, "I agree with you. But I don't think there's any worse devils out there than some of the ones we know now. I guess you're new here, young man." from here?"

"So what if you're new here?" McMurdo replied rather unkindly.

"I mean, sir, if I were you, I wouldn't make friends with Mike Scanlon and his gang. I advise you to be cautious about making friends."

"Whom I make friends is none of your business!" cried McMurdo.His voice startled everyone in the carriage, and everyone turned their heads to look around. "Did I ask you to advise me? Or do you think I'm an idiot who can't live without your advice? You'd better speak up when you are asked to. If I were you, I would have been sidelined!"

He threw his face at the policeman, as furious as a vicious dog.

These two well-meaning and kind-hearted policemen were surprised that their good intentions would be rewarded in such a way.

"Don't be angry, young man," said one of the policemen. "It seems that you are a newcomer. Our warning is for your own good."

"Although I'm new here, I'm no stranger to people like you," McMurdo continued to yell. "You're as black as crows, put away your hypocrisy, no one cares about it!"

"We'll see each other again soon," said one of the policemen coldly. "If I were a judge, I've found the most worthy man."

"I suppose so," echoed another policeman, "later."

"I'm not afraid of you, don't try to scare me," McMurdo shouted back. "My name is Jack McMurdo, do you understand? If you want me, you can go to the Yale on Sheridan Street in Vermissa." I'm not hiding from Cob Shaft's apartment. I'm with you at any time of the day or night—don't get me wrong about that!"

Someone dared to challenge the police so boldly, which aroused great sympathy and admiration among the miners, and they all murmured in low voices.The two policemen were helpless, so they had to shrug their shoulders and continue their own topic.

A few minutes later, the train arrived at a dimly lit platform, and the carriages were quickly more than half empty, since Vermissa was the largest town along the line.McMurdo picked up his leather duffel bag and was about to step out into the darkness when a miner approached him and accosted him.

"Well, my friend, you still know how to deal with these cops," he said admiringly. "Your words are sweet. I'll help you get your bag and show you the way. I'll be passing Shafter's apartment on my way home."

As the other miners passed by, they all offered to say goodnight to McMurdo.Thus, although he had just stepped off the train, the name of McMurdo was already in Vermissa.

The night in the country was terrifying, but the town of Vermissa was even more dreary.Rolling hills and mine heaps surround scattered villages.Piles of unearthed loot piled up in small hills.The mountain road is tortuous and bumpy, and you will fall if you are not careful.Only the flickering lights in the distance can bring some hope and encouragement to passers-by, which is the comfort zone of tired miners.The passing vehicles made many muddy ruts on the street, the sidewalks were narrow and uneven, and many gas lamps coldly illuminated the rows of wooden houses beside the road, making them even more messy and dilapidated.

McMurdo and the miner walked towards the city center, where there were some casinos and hotels for the miners to find excitement.They greedily opened their mouths to the miners, absorbing their hard-earned money unceremoniously.

"That's the trade union," said the guide, pointing to a tall and imposing building ahead. "McGinty's the boss here."

"What is he like?"

"Haven't you heard of him?"

"I'm new here, of course I haven't heard of it."

The miner murmured, "Oh, I thought everybody in the union knew about him. His name was in the papers."

"why?"

"Uh," said the guide in a low voice, "something happened."

"What's the matter?"

"God, sir, tell me something that doesn't please you, you're so strange, you only hear about one thing here, and that's about vampires."

"I see. I seem to have heard about them in Chicago. They are a group of murderers, right?"

"Shh, stop! Don't say it!" The guide reminded him anxiously, and said loudly: "Boy, if you say such things on the street again, you are really close to death. You know how many people have died because of Anything smaller than this will kill you!"

"That's right, I really don't know anything about them, I just heard about them."

"Of course, I'm not saying those things aren't true." The guide looked around cautiously as he said that, staring closely at the dark place, lest there be any danger hidden there. "God knows how many murders have been forgiven if murder is murder. But you mustn't be so bold, sir, and don't connect it with Jack McGinty. Together. Because any comment, even the most careful, will get to him, and he's not the type to let anyone off the hook. Well, that's the apartment you're looking for, the one at the back of the street. You The landlord, Jacob Shaft, will be found to be very kind and honest.

"Thank you," said McMurdo, shaking the hand of his new friend.Then, carrying his travel bag, he walked slowly and heavily up the path leading to the apartment, came to the door, and knocked hard on the door.

The door opened quickly, and unexpectedly, it was a girl who opened the door.She has a slim figure, white skin, blond hair, beautiful appearance, and two big black eyes, looking at this unexpected visitor in surprise and shyness.McMurdo had never seen such a beautiful girl, and he stood there dumbfounded, looking straight at her.In the end, it was the girl who spoke first: "I thought it was my father," she said in a charming voice with a slight German accent, "are you here to see him? He's gone to town and will be back soon."

McMurdo said hastily: "I'm looking for the Shafters. I've been introduced to live here, and I think it'll suit me—it will."

"You're so quick to decide," the girl said with a smile.

"Anybody would decide that unless they were blind," replied McMurdo.

The girl smiled slightly when she heard the compliment. "Come in, sir," she said. "My name is Edie Shafter, and I am Mr. Shafter's daughter. My mother has passed away, and I am the housekeeper. You can sit by the curb in the front parlor for a while, and wait." My father is back—oh, he's back! You can talk to him directly."

I saw a slightly obese old man walking slowly from the path.McMurdo explained his purpose to the old man, saying that a man named Murphy in Chicago introduced him, but Murphy also got the address from another friend.The loyal and honest Shaft immediately agreed.McMurdo also didn't care about the price of the room at all, and agreed to all the conditions without hesitation.Apparently he was rich, having prepaid seven dollars a week for meals.

Since then, this self-proclaimed fugitive McMurdo has lived comfortably here, and it is also the beginning of a series of unfortunate events, and these terrible events finally ended in a distant foreign country.join the vampire party

McMurdo was the sort of man who was easily famous.No matter where he goes, people around can quickly know him.In just one week, he had become the most popular tenant in Shafter's apartment.There were a dozen or so boarders here, most of them working foremen or shop clerks, quite different from the young Irishman.Every evening, when everyone got together, McMurdo always talked and laughed, spoke amazingly, and even sang very charmingly.He was almost a natural neighbor, with a strange charm that made one feel better.

However, he also showed a sudden violent temper time and time again like the last time he was on the train, which made people respect and fear.He never puts law enforcement officers such as the police in his eyes, always doing his own way and being cynical.Some of the people living with him admired him, while others were afraid of him.

From the very beginning, he had no qualms about publicly admiring the landlady's daughter.He fell in love with her beautiful face and charming temperament at first sight.He was not the kind of suitor who looked forward and backward. On the second day of acquaintance, he told the girl bluntly that he loved her, and he always expressed this love over and over again, completely ignoring the girl's repeated rejection.

"Is there anyone else?" he said aloud. "Well, to hell with him. How can I give someone else the chance of my life and the love of my heart? You can keep saying 'no', but one day you will Promise me. I'm still young and I can afford to wait."

This is really a stubborn suitor, and his typically glib Irish little mouth is almost unstoppable, combined with clever courtship and a seasoned, slightly mysterious background, it is easy to win the hearts of women.In the end, he got her love.He told her about the beautiful valleys where he came from in Monagan County, about the fascinating remote islands, the low rolling hills, and the verdant green meadows by the lake.All this is wonderful for someone who lives in a place full of dust and snow.

He also spoke of his life in the North, in Detroit, on a Michigan ranch, and finally in a Chicago factory.Next, he seemed to hint vaguely at some love affair and adventure in that metropolis.Things seemed quaint, cryptic, and unmentionable.He had talked wistfully of some of the reasons for leaving Chicago so suddenly, cutting off all ties to the past, and coming to this strange place and stopping in the desolate valley.Itti always listened to him quietly.There was often a look of pity and sympathy in those large, dark eyes--feelings which quickly and naturally turn into love.

Because of his good education, McMurdo soon found a temporary job as a bookkeeper.Work took up most of his day, so he didn't have time to report to the leader of the Freemen's Chapter.It was only when the Scanlon he had met on the train visited him one evening that he was reminded of the matter.Scanlon was short, thin, dark-eyed, and somewhat timid.He seemed glad to see McMurdo again, and after a whiskey or two he explained why he had come.

"I say, McMurdo," he said, "that I took the liberty of coming to you after I had your address, and I really wonder why you haven't reported to President McGinty yet?"

"Ah, I have to look for a job first, I'm too busy."

"You have to go too busy! God, my buddy, after you get here, you should report to the union early the next morning. If you offend him, well, you absolutely can't... just stop talking."

McMurdo looked surprised. "I've been a member of the Society for two years, Scanlon, and I've never heard of such a thing."

"Maybe not in Chicago."

"Is it the same organization here?"

"Really?" Scanlon stared at him fixedly, a fierce light suddenly flashed in his eyes.

"Isn't it?"

"I think you should wait a month before you tell me, right? It is said that after I got out of the car that day, you bumped into two policemen?"

"how do you know?"

"Hehe, in this kind of place, good and bad things will spread quickly."

"Yes, I just told the two dogs what I think."

"God, you really have thought of Chairman McGinty!"

"What? He hates the police too?"

Scanlon sneered and said, "Go see him, man, or he'll hate you, not the police. Be sure to take my advice and go to him right away!"

However, on the very night after Scanlon left, McMurdo encountered difficulties that forced him to go to McGinty.His growing relationship with Itdie makes Shaft very disturbed.So he called McMurdo to his room and said to him bluntly: "It seems to me, sir, that you are in love with my Etie. I am not mistaken? I hope I am mistaken."

"Yes, you are right," replied the young man.

"Poor McMurdo, then let me just say that there's someone else who's taken a liking to Etty, and that's the one we can't get rid of anyway."

"Edie said so too."

"Then you should believe the fact. Did she tell you who it was?"

"No, I asked, but she refused to say."

"She won't tell you, this child, maybe she's afraid to scare you away."

"Scare away!?" McMurdo burst into flames.

"Yes, boy. But there's no shame in being afraid of him. This man's name is Baldwin, and he's a leader of the Vampire Party."

"Vampires? I've heard of them." McMurdo was outraged. "There are Vampires everywhere. People are afraid of them. What kind of people are they?"

Shaft, like everyone else, hastily lowered his voice and said, "The Vampire Party is the Society of Freemen."

McMurdo was startled. "No way? I'm a member of the Freedmen too."

"My God! If I had known, I would never have let you live here, not even if I had paid me a hundred dollars a week!"

"What happened to the free people? The purpose of the constitution has always been fraternity and friendship."

"Maybe it's like that elsewhere, but it's different here."

"what's the difference?"

"Because here they are an assassination organization."

McMurdo laughed suspiciously. "Is there any proof?"

"Evidence! No fewer than fifty assassinations are evidence! The Nicholsons, Millman and Van Shorst, Old Higham, Billy James Jr., etc., etc. There are too many to count, and more What evidence! Who else here doesn't know about the Vampire Party!"

"I wish you would take it back, sir, or apologize to me," said McMurdo earnestly, "and I will move if you do. I am a stranger, you know, and a member of the Freedmen's Association." , always regarded the organization as pure - there are chapters of it all over the country, it is really pure. Now I am planning to join the organization here, but you say it is a murder organization! I think you really need to apologize, otherwise you should explain Clear, Mr. Shaft."

"The whole world knows, what's there to explain? Boy, the leader of the Freedmen's Association is actually the leader of the Vampire Party. As long as you offend them, you will definitely be retaliated against. There are too many evidences."

"It's just some gossip."

"Anyway, you'll believe it if you live long enough. By the way, I forgot that you're one of them. Maybe you'll join them soon. Please live somewhere else. I can't keep you. A vampire It's enough for us to pester Itdie, I can't allow other gangsters to pester her too! Please move out tomorrow."

As a result, McMurdo not only lost his habitat, but more importantly, he would be forced to leave his beloved girl.He found Itdie and told her all about his troubles.

"Despite your father's eviction," said McMurdo, "if it were only a question of lodging, I would not care. But, Etty, although I have only known you for a week, you have been a part of my life." Indispensable part. I can't live without you!"

"Oh, hush, don't say that, Mr. McMurdo!" said the girl. "Didn't I tell you already? You're too late, and someone else is already there. Even if I don't promise to marry him at once, It’s impossible to promise anyone else.”

(End of this chapter)