McMurdo had a fine
tenor voice, and if he had failed to gain the good will of the
lodge before, it could no longer have been withheld after he had
thrilled them with "I'm Sitting on the Stile, Mary," and "On the
Banks of Allan Water."
In his very first night the new recruit had made himself one of
the most popular of the brethren, marked already for advancement
and high office. There were other qualities needed, however,
besides those of good fellowship, to make a worthy Freeman, and
of these he was given an example before the evening was over.
The whisky bottle had passed round many times, and the men were
flushed and ripe for mischief when their Bodymaster rose once
more to address them.
"Boys," said he, "there's one man in this town that wants
trimming up, and it's for you to see that he gets it. I'm
speaking of James Stanger of the Herald. You've seen how he's
been opening his mouth against us again?"
There was a murmur of assent, with many a muttered oath. McGinty
took a slip of paper from his waistcoat pocket.
"LAW AND ORDER!
That's how he heads it.
"REIGN OF TERROR IN THE COAL AND IRON DISTRICT
"Twelve years have now elapsed since the first assassinations
which proved the existence of a criminal organization in our
midst.
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