“I guess you’ll pay for this, Captain Marvin,” said McGinty. “Whoare you, I’d like to know, to break into a house in this fashion andmolest honest, law-abiding men?”
“You’re standing out in this deal, Councillor McGinty,” saidthe police captain. “We are not out after you, but after this manMcMurdo. It is for you to help, not to hinder us in our duty.”
“He is a friend of mine, and I’ll answer for his conduct,” said theBoss.
“By all accounts, Mr. McGinty, you may have to answer for yourown conduct some of these days,” the captain answered. “Thisman McMurdo was a crook before ever he came here, and he’s acrook still. Cover him, Patrolman, while I disarm him.”
“There’s my pistol,” said McMurdo coolly. “Maybe, CaptainMarvin, if you and I were alone and face to face you would nottake me so easily.”
“Where’s your warrant?” asked McGinty. “By Gar! a man mightas well live in Russia as in Vermissa while folk like you are runningthe police. It’s a capitalist outrage, and you’ll hear more of it, Ireckon.”
“You do what you think is your duty the best way you can,Councillor. We’ll look after ours.”
“What am I accused of?” asked McMurdo.
“Of being concerned in the beating of old Editor Stanger at theHerald office. It wasn’t your fault that it isn’t a murder charge.”
“Well, if that’s all you have against him,” cried McGinty witha laugh, “you can save yourself a deal of trouble by dropping itright now. This man was with me in my saloon playing poker up tomidnight, and I can bring a dozen to prove it.”
“That’s your affair, and I guess you can settle it in court tomorrow.
Meanwhile, come on, McMurdo, and come quietly if youdon’t want a gun across your head. You stand wide, Mr. McGinty;for I warn you I will stand no resistance when I am on duty!”
So determined was the appearance of the captain that bothMcMurdo and his boss were forced to accept the situation. Thelatter managed to have a few whispered words with the prisonerbefore they parted.
“What about—” he jerked his thumb upward to signify thecoining plant.
“All right,” whispered McMurdo, who had devised a safe hidingplace under the floor.
“I’ll bid you good-bye,” said the Boss, shaking hands. “I’ll seeReilly the lawyer and take the defense upon myself. Take my wordfor it that they won’t be able to hold you.”
“I wouldn’t bet on that. Guard the prisoner, you two, and shoothim if he tries any games. I’ll search the house before I leave.”
He did so; but apparently found no trace of the concealed plant.
When he had descended he and his men escorted McMurdo toheadquarters. Darkness had fallen, and a keen blizzard was blowing sothat the streets were nearly deserted; but a few loiterers followed thegroup, and emboldened by invisibility shouted imprecations at theprisoner.
“Lynch the cursed Scowrer!” they cried. “Lynch him!” Theylaughed and jeered as he was pushed into the police station. Aftera short, formal examination from the inspector in charge he wasput into the common cell. Here he found Baldwin and three othercriminals of the night before, all arrested that afternoon andwaiting their trial next morning.
But even within this inner fortress of the law the long arm ofthe Freemen was able to extend. Late at night there came a jailerwith a straw bundle for their bedding, out of which he extractedtwo bottles of whisky, some glasses, and a pack of cards. Theyspent a hilarious night, without an anxious thought as to theordeal of the morning.
Nor had they cause, as the result was to show. The magistratecould not possibly, on the evidence, have held them for a highercourt. On the one hand the compositors and pressmen were forcedto admit that the light was uncertain, that they were themselvesmuch perturbed, and that it was difficult for them to swear to theidentity of the assailants; although they believed that the accusedwere among them. Cross examined by the clever attorney who hadbeen engaged by McGinty, they were even more nebulous in theirevidence.
The injured man had already deposed that he was so takenby surprise by the suddenness of the attack that he could statenothing beyond the fact that the first man who struck him wore amoustache. He added that he knew them to be Scowrers, since noone else in the community could possibly have any enmity to him,and he had long been threatened on account of his outspokeneditorials. On the other hand, it was clearly shown by the unitedand unfaltering evidence of six citizens, including that highmunicipal official, Councillor McGinty, that the men had been at acard party at the Union House until an hour very much later thanthe commission of the outrage.
Needless to say that they were discharged with something verynear to an apology from the bench for the inconvenience to whichthey had been put, together with an implied censure of CaptainMarvin and the police for their officious zeal.
The verdict was greeted with loud applause by a court in whichMcMurdo saw many familiar faces. Brothers of the lodge smiledand waved. But there were others who sat with compressed lipsand brooding eyes as the men filed out of the dock. One of them,a little, dark-bearded, resolute fellow, put the thoughts of himselfand comrades into words as the ex-prisoners passed him.
“You damned murderers!” he said. “We’ll fix you yet!”
The Darkest Hour
