Unit22EnvironmentalProtection【导读】伯尔斯通庄园的主人不幸惨遭杀害，死状奇惨无比，头颅几乎被枪击得粉碎，四周血肉模糊，惨不忍睹！尸体旁边留有卡片，上面潦草地写着“V.V.341”的字样。这令案子更为扑朔迷离：这张卡片难道是凶手留下来的吗？它代表什么意义？“恐怖谷”曾令道格拉斯惴惴不安。“恐怖谷”究竟是个怎样的地方？道格拉斯的死与“恐怖谷”又有什么关系？【节选】AsMcMurdohadsaid,thehouseinwhichhelivedwasalonelyoneandverywellsuitedforsuchacrimeastheyhadplanned.Itwasontheextremefringeofthetownandstoodwellbackfromtheroad.Inanyothercasetheconspiratorswouldhavesimplycalledouttheirman,astheyhadmanyatimebefore,andemptiedtheirpistolsintohisbody;butinthisinstanceitwasverynecessarytofindouthowmuchheknew,howheknewit,andwhathadbeenpassedontohisemployers.Itwaspossiblethattheywerealreadytoolateandthattheworkhadbeendone.Ifthatwasindeedso,theycouldatleasthavetheirrevengeuponthemanwhohaddoneit.Buttheywerehopefulthatnothingofgreatimportancehadyetcometothedetective'sknowledge,asotherwise,theyargued,hewouldnothavetroubledtowritedownandforwardsuchtrivialinformationasMcMurdoclaimedtohavegivenhim.However,allthistheywouldlearnfromhisownlips.Onceintheirpower,theywouldfindawaytomakehimspeak.Itwasnotthefirsttimethattheyhadhandledanunwillingwitness.McMurdowenttoHobson'sPatchasagreed.Thepoliceseemedtotakeparticularinterestinhimthatmorning,andCaptainMarvin—hewhohadclaimedtheoldacquaintancewithhimatChicago—actuallyaddressedhimashewaitedatthestation.McMurdoturnedawayandrefusedtospeakwithhim.Hewasbackfromhismissionintheafternoon,andsawMcGintyattheUnionHouse.“Heiscoming，”hesaid.“Good！”saidMcGinty.Thegiantwasinhisshirtsleeves,withchainsandsealsgleamingathwarthisamplewaistcoatandadiamondtwinklingthroughthefringeofhisbristlingbeard.DrinkandpoliticshadmadetheBossaveryrichaswellaspowerfulman.Themoreterrible,therefore,seemedthatglimpseoftheprisonorthegallowswhichhadrisenbeforehimthenightbefore.“Doyoureckonheknowsmuch？”heaskedanxiously.McMurdoshookhisheadgloomily.“He'sbeenheresometimesixweeksattheleast.Iguesshedidn'tcomeintothesepartstolookattheprospect.Ifhehasbeenworkingamongusallthattimewiththerailroadmoneyathisback,Ishouldexpectthathehasgotresults,andthathehaspassedthemon.”“There'snotaweakmaninthelodge，”criedMcGinty.“Trueassteel,everymanofthem.Andyet,bytheLord!ThereisthatskunkMorris.Whatabouthim?Ifanymangivesusaway,itwouldbehe.I'veamindtosendacoupleoftheboysroundbeforeeveningtogivehimabeatingupandseewhattheycangetfromhim.”“Well,therewouldbenoharminthat，”McMurdoanswered.“Iwon'tdenythatIhavealikingforMorrisandwouldbesorrytoseehimcometoharm.Hehasspokentomeonceortwiceoverlodgematters,andthoughhemaynotseethemthesameasyouorI,heneverseemedthesortthatsqueals.Butstillitisnotformetostandbetweenhimandyou.”“I'llfixtheolddevil！”saidMcGintywithanoath.“I'vehadmyeyeonhimthisyearpast.”“Well,youknowbestaboutthat，”McMurdoanswered.“Butwhateveryoudomustbetomorrow；forwemustlielowuntilthePinkertonaffairissettledup.Wecan'taffordtosetthepolicebuzzing,todayofalldays.”“Trueforyou，”saidMcGinty.“Andwe'lllearnfromBirdyEdwardshimselfwherehegothisnewsifwehavetocuthisheartoutfirst.Didheseemtoscentatrap？”McMurdolaughed.“IguessItookhimonhisweakpoint，”hesaid.“IfhecouldgetonagoodtrailoftheScowrers,he'sreadytofollowitintohell.Itookhismoney，”McMurdogrinnedasheproducedawadofdollarnotes,“andasmuchmorewhenhehas...
