The Valley of Fear (Sherlock Holmes 7)

"Too much! Wait till you have lived here longer. Look down the valley!See the cloud of a hundred chimneys that overshadows it! I tell youthat the cloud of murder hangs thicker and lower than that over theheads of the people. It is the Valley of Fear, the Valley of Death. Theterror is in the hearts of the people from the dusk to the dawn. Wait,young man, and you will learn for yourself."

"Well, I'll let you know what I think when I have seen more," saidMcMurdo carelessly. "What is very clear is that you are not the man forthe place, and that the sooner you sell out--if you only get a dime adollar for what the business is worth--the better it will be for you.What you have said is safe with me; but, by Gar! if I thought you werean informer--"

"No, no!" cried Morris piteously.

"Well, let it rest at that. I'll bear what you have said in mind, andmaybe some day I'll come back to it. I expect you meant kindly byspeaking to me like this. Now I'll be getting home."

"One word before you go," said Morris. "We may have been seen together.They may want to know what we have spoken about."

"Ah! that's well thought of."

"I offer you a clerkship in my store."

"And I refuse it. That's our business. Well, so long, Brother Morris,and may you find things go better with you in the future."

That same afternoon, as McMurdo sat smoking, lost in thought beside thestove of his sitting-room, the door swung open and its framework wasfilled with the huge figure of Boss McGinty. He passed the sign, andthen seating himself opposite to the young man he looked at himsteadily for some time, a look which was as steadily returned.

"I'm not much of a visitor, Brother McMurdo," he said at last. "I guessI am too busy over the folk that visit me. But I thought I'd stretch apoint and drop down to see you in your own house."

"I'm proud to see you here, Councillor," McMurdo answered heartily,bringing his whisky bottle out of the cupboard. "It's an honour that Ihad not expected."

"How's the arm?" asked the Boss.

McMurdo made a wry face. "Well, I'm not forgetting it," he said; "butit's worth it."

"Yes, it's worth it," the other answered, "to those that are loyal andgo through with it and are a help to the lodge. What were you speakingto Brother Morris about on Miller Hill this morning?"

The question came so suddenly that it was well that he had his answerprepared. He burst into a hearty laugh. "Morris didn't know I couldearn a living here at home. He shan't know either; for he has got toomuch conscience for the likes of me. But he's a good-hearted old chap.It was his idea that I was at a loose end, and that he would do me agood turn by offering me a clerkship in a dry goods store."

"Oh, that was it?"

"Yes, that was it."

"And you refused it?"

"Sure. Couldn't I earn ten times as much in my own bedroom with fourhours' work?"

"That's so. But I wouldn't get about too much with Morris."

"Why not?"

"Well, I guess because I tell you not. That's enough for most folk inthese parts."

"It may be enough for most folk; but it ain't enough for me,Councillor," said McMurdo boldly. "If you are a judge of men, you'llknow that."

The swarthy giant glared at him, and his hairy paw closed for aninstant round the glass as though he would hurl it at the head of hiscompanion. Then he laughed in his loud, boisterous, insincere fashion.

"You're a queer card, for sure," said he. "Well, if you want reasons,I'll give them. Did Morris say nothing to you against the lodge?"

"No."

"Nor against me?"

"No."

"Well, that's because he daren't trust you. But in his heart he is nota loyal brother. We know that well. So we watch him and we wait for thetime to admonish him. I'm thinking that the time is drawing near.There's no room for scabby sheep in our pen. But if you keep companywith a disloyal man, we might think that you were disloyal, too. See?"

"There's no chance of my keeping company with him; for I dislike theman," McMurdo answered. "As to being disloyal, if it was any man butyou he would not use the word to me twice."