Page:The Valley of Fear.pdf/195

Rh use, you must fly! Tonight—Jack—tonight! It’s your only hope. He will have your life. I read it in his horrible eyes. What chance have you against a dozen of them, with Boss McGinty and all the power of the lodge behind them?”

McMurdo disengaged her hands, kissed her, and gently pushed her back into a chair. “There, acushla, there! Don’t be disturbed or fear for me. I’m a Freeman myself. I’m after telling your father about it. Maybe I am no better than the others; so don’t make a saint of me. Perhaps you hate me too, now that I’ve told you as much?”

“Hate you, Jack? While life lasts I could never do that! I’ve heard that there is no harm in being a Freeman anywhere but here; so why should I think the worse of you for that? But if you are a Freeman, Jack, why should you not go down and make a friend of Boss McGinty? Oh, hurry, Jack, hurry! Get your word in first, or the hounds will be on your trail.”

“I was thinking the same thing,” said McMurdo. “I’ll go right now and fix it. You can tell your father that I’ll sleep here tonight and find some other quarters in the morning.”

The bar of McGinty’s saloon was crowded [193]