“The which? Who is it? Faith, an’ I can think of no one exceptin’ Jesse and James Major, an’ Bully Bill! If the toes of these three were turned up, ther’d be peaceable times in Mahanoy!” “That’ll do,” said Kehoe. “You may retire.” Dougherty cast a searching glance around the board, seemed satisfied, put on his coat, and left the chamber. For a moment after the closing of the door, silence reigned in the inquisition-room, and the inquisitors said not a word. Chris Donnelly was the first to speak: “These things are getting altogether too bad! Last night the train coming from Pottsville, by way of Tamaqua, was searched by Jesse and Wm. Major, and a number of others, all armed, and the company allowed it without a word! I suppose it is because the Majors hire a big vein. I think we must put a stop to such goings on!” Kehoe resumed his seat, placed his elbows on the table, rested his hatchet-face on his two hands, and awaited developments. “For one,” resumed Donnelly, who had not left his chair while speaking, “I’ll get two good men, an’ go myself, and have the Majors’ business at once attended to!” Here Jack Donahue—“Yellow Jack”—stood on his feet, and remarked: “We, of this side the mountain, are thankful to ye of the part beyant the mountain; but we can attend to the affair, at present. You, Donnelly, nade not move just yet! Afther Sunday, if we need you, I’ll send word by a man to Pottsville, an’ tell you what’s to be done.” Kehoe, after some more talk, appointed Mike O’Brien and James McKenna a committee to see what should be done with Wm. M. Thomas. The detective brazened it out, and expressed a willingness to attend to his duty, at the same time suggesting that counsel from older heads would be in order. O’Brien tacitly deferred management of this portion of the business to McKenna, which was satisfactory to the agent, as it ran through his mind that, if permitted to hold the helm all through, Bill Thomas would not be in any especial danger of losing his life. “I’m in favor of shootin’ Bully Bill, bowldly right on the strate, in open daylight!” exclaimed Kehoe. O’Brien hinted that such a course would be sure to get the boys in a scrape, and added: “Bill can best be taken on the road home to Shoemaker’s Patch. Then he can be dropped, an’ the men make sure their escape!” “Yes, that is the best plan,” here put in Dennis Canning, the Northumberland delegate, who had previously said little. He was a gentlemanly-appearing person, showing nothing in his face to indicate a sanguinary disposition. Yet he took part in the cold-blooded proceedings of the convention, without a chill passing over him, and seemed as much concerned regarding the murder of Thomas as the others. “Let it be so, then,” resumed the King of all the Mollies, in Schuylkill, and he lifted his bearded chin from his thin hands, and looked sharply over at McKenna.