Chapter 5
The Darkest Hour
If anything had been needed to give an impetus to Jack McMurdo'spopularity among his fellows it would have been his arrest andacquittal. That a man on the very night of joining the lodge shouldhave done something which brought him before the magistrate was a newrecord in the annals of the society. Already he had earned thereputation of a good boon companion, a cheery reveller, and withal aman of high temper, who would not take an insult even from theall-powerful Boss himself. But in addition to this he impressed hiscomrades with the idea that among them all there was not one whosebrain was so ready to devise a bloodthirsty scheme, or whose hand wouldbe more capable of carrying it out. "He'll be the boy for the cleanjob," said the oldsters to one another, and waited their time untilthey could set him to his work.
McGinty had instruments enough already; but he recognized that this wasa supremely able one. He felt like a man holding a fierce bloodhound inleash. There were curs to do the smaller work; but some day he wouldslip this creature upon its prey. A few members of the lodge, TedBaldwin among them, resented the rapid rise of the stranger and hatedhim for it; but they kept clear of him, for he was as ready to fight asto laugh.
But if he gained favour with his fellows, there was another quarter,one which had become even more vital to him, in which he lost it. EttieShafter's father would have nothing more to do with him, nor would heallow him to enter the house. Ettie herself was too deeply in love togive him up altogether, and yet her own good sense warned her of whatwould come from a marriage with a man who was regarded as a criminal.
One morning after a sleepless night she determined to see him, possiblyfor the last time, and make one strong endeavour to draw him from thoseevil influences which were sucking him down. She went to his house, ashe had often begged her to do, and made her way into the room which heused as his sitting-room. He was seated at a table, with his backturned and a letter in front of him. A sudden spirit of girlishmischief came over her--she was still only nineteen. He had not heardher when she pushed open the door. Now she tiptoed forward and laid herhand lightly upon his bended shoulders.
If she had expected to startle him, she certainly succeeded; but onlyin turn to be startled herself. With a tiger spring he turned on her,and his right hand was feeling for her throat. At the same instant withthe other hand he crumpled up the paper that lay before him. For aninstant he stood glaring. Then astonishment and joy took the place ofthe ferocity which had convulsed his features--a ferocity which hadsent her shrinking back in horror as from something which had neverbefore intruded into her gentle life.
"It's you!" said he, mopping his brow. "And to think that you shouldcome to me, heart of my heart, and I should find nothing better to dothan to want to strangle you! Come then, darling," and he held out hisarms, "let me make it up to you."
But she had not recovered from that sudden glimpse of guilty fear whichshe had read in the man's face. All her woman's instinct told her thatit was not the mere fright of a man who is startled. Guilt--that wasit--guilt and fear!
"What's come over you, Jack?" she cried. "Why were you so scared of me?Oh, Jack, if your conscience was at ease, you would not have looked atme like that!"
"Sure, I was thinking of other things, and when you came tripping solightly on those fairy feet of yours--"
"No, no, it was more than that, Jack." Then a sudden suspicion seizedher. "Let me see that letter you were writing."
"Ah, Ettie, I couldn't do that."
Her suspicions became certainties. "It's to another woman," she cried."I know it! Why else should you hold it from me? Was it to your wifethat you were writing? How am I to know that you are not a marriedman--you, a stranger, that nobody knows?"
"I am not married, Ettie. See now, I swear it! You're the only onewoman on earth to me. By the cross of Christ I swear it!"
He was so white with passionate earnestness that she could not butbelieve him.
"Well, then," she cried, "why will you not show me the letter?"
"I'll tell you, acushla," said he. "I'm under oath not to show it, andjust as I wouldn't break my word to you so I would keep it to those whohold my promise. It's the business of the lodge, and even to you it'ssecret. And if I was scared when a hand fell on me, can't youunderstand it when it might have been the hand of a detective?"
She felt that he was telling the truth. He gathered her into his armsand kissed away her fears and doubts.
"Sit here by me, then. It's a queer throne for such a queen; but it'sthe best your poor lover can find. He'll do better for you some ofthese days, I'm thinking. Now your mind is easy once again, is it not?"
"How can it ever be at ease, Jack, when I know that you are a criminalamong criminals, when I never know the day that I may hear you are incourt for murder? 'McMurdo the Scowrer,' that's what one of ourboarders called you yesterday. It went through my heart like a knife."
"Sure, hard words break no bones."
"But they were true."
"Well, dear, it's not so bad as you think. We are but poor men that aretrying in our own way to get our rights."
Ettie threw her arms round her lover's neck. "Give it up, Jack! For mysake, for God's sake, give it up! It was to ask you that I came hereto-day. Oh, Jack, see--I beg it of you on my bended knees! Kneelinghere before you I implore you to give it up!"
He raised her and soothed her with her head against his breast.
"Sure, my darlin', you don't know what it is you are asking. How couldI give it up when it would be to break my oath and to desert mycomrades? If you could see how things stand with me you could never askit of me. Besides, if I wanted to, how could I do it? You don't supposethat the lodge would let a man go free with all its secrets?"
"I've thought of that, Jack. I've planned it all. Father has saved somemoney. He is weary of this place where the fear of these people darkensour lives. He is ready to go. We would fly together to Philadelphia orNew York, where we would be safe from them."
McMurdo laughed. "The lodge has a long arm. Do you think it could notstretch from here to Philadelphia or New York?"
"Well, then, to the West, or to England, or to Germany, where fathercame from--anywhere to get away from this Valley of Fear!"