He rejoiced that they should all be there to take counsel
over his news.
"Indeed, it's glad we are to see you, Brother!" cried the
chairman. "There's business here that wants a Solomon in
judgment to set it right."
"It's Lander and Egan," explained his neighbour as he took his
seat. "They both claim the head money given by the lodge for the
shooting of old man Crabbe over at Stylestown, and who's to say
which fired the bullet?"
McMurdo rose in his place and raised his hand. The expression of
his face froze the attention of the audience. There was a dead
hush of expectation.
"Eminent Bodymaster," he said, in a solemn voice, "I claim
urgency!"
"Brother McMurdo claims urgency," said McGinty. "It's a claim
that by the rules of this lodge takes precedence. Now Brother,
we attend you."
McMurdo took the letter from his pocket.
"Eminent Bodymaster and Brethren," he said, "I am the bearer of
ill news this day; but it is better that it should be known and
discussed, than that a blow should fall upon us without warning
which would destroy us all. I have information that the most
powerful and richest organizations in this state have bound
themselves together for our destruction, and that at this very
moment there is a Pinkerton detective, one Birdy Edwards, at work
in the valley collecting the evidence which may put a rope round
the necks of many of us, and send every man in this room into a
felon's cell.
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