Boss a very rich as well as powerful man. The more terrible,
therefore, seemed that glimpse of the prison or the gallows which had
risen before him the night before.

"Do you reckon he knows much?" he asked anxiously.

McMurdo shook his head gloomily. "He's been here some time--six weeks
at the least. I guess he didn't come into these parts to look at
the prospect. If he has been working among us all that time with the
railroad money at his back, I should expect that he has got results, and
that he has passed them on."

"There's not a weak man in the lodge," cried McGinty. "True as steel,
every man of them. And yet, by the Lord! there is that skunk Morris.
What about him? If any man gives us away, it would be he. I've a mind to
send a couple of the boys round before evening to give him a beating up
and see what they can get from him."

"Well, there would be no harm in that," McMurdo answered. "I won't deny
that I have a liking for Morris and would be sorry to see him come to
harm. He has spoken to me once or twice over lodge matters, and though
he may not see them the same as you or I, he never seemed the sort that
squeals. But still it is not for me to stand between him and you."

"I'll fix the old devil!" said McGinty with an oath. "I've had my eye on
him this year past."

"Well, you know best about that," McMurdo answered. "But whatever you
do must be to-morrow; for we must lie low until the Pinkerton affair
is settled up. We can't afford to set the police buzzing, to-day of all
days."

"True for you," said McGinty. "And we'll learn from Birdy Edwards
himself where he got his news if we have to cut his heart out first. Did
he seem to scent a trap?"

McMurdo laughed. "I guess I took him on his weak point," he said. "If he
could get on a good trail of the Scowrers, he's ready to follow it into
hell. I took his money," McMurdo grinned as he produced a wad of dollar
notes, "and as much more when he has seen all my papers."

"What papers?"

"Well, there are no papers. But I filled him up about constitutions and
books of rules and forms of membership. He expects to get right down to
the end of everything before he leaves."

"Faith, he's right there," said McGinty grimly. "Didn't he ask you why
you didn't bring him the papers?"

"As if I would carry such things, and me a suspected man, and Captain
Marvin after speaking to me this very day at the depot!"

"Ay, I heard of that," said McGinty. "I guess the heav