Page:The Valley of Fear.pdf/298

Rh the form with stuff that might have been Chinese, for all we could make of it. ‘He fires a sheet of this off every day,’ said the clerk. ‘Yes,’ said I; ‘it’s special news for his paper, and he’s scared that the others should tap it.’ That was what the operator thought and what I thought at the time; but I think differently now.”

“By Gar! I believe you are right,” said McGinty. “But what do you allow that we should do about it?”

“Why not go right down now and fix him?” someone suggested.

“Aye, the sooner the better.”

“I’d start this next minute if I knew where we could find him,” said McMurdo. “He’s in Hobsons Patch; but I don’t know the house. I’ve got a plan, though, if you’ll only take my advice.”

“Well, what is it?”

“I’ll go to the Patch tomorrow morning. I’ll find him through the operator. He can locate him, I guess. Well, then I’ll tell him that I’m a Freeman myself. I’ll offer him all the secrets of the lodge for a price. You bet he’ll tumble to it. I’ll tell him the papers are at my house, [296]