The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1877-08-09
"Whu is he?" asked Tennis, turning
a shade paler.
at is Loudetdale."

|
"What! the rich cotton broker?"
"Ihe same"
"But what in heavens name makes
him want to have Sarah Johnstone
murdered and old Bagley's house
burned down?'
II don't know, Tennis, and don't
care to know, Ii is enough for me that
he will pay us such large sum of
fmopey Here is your share"
So saying he handed hls confederate
asr2n of bills, which Tennis slowly
codsted. Then he asked:
when is this to be done?
"about midnight"
But what shall we do till them"
let us go to Wentworth s."
Tae two entered Augusta, which was
then o very small town, aud walked
dowa Main street. In front of a small
framelbplding, upon the sign of which
was painted, -. r. Loudendale, Got
tom Factor" stood an elderly man,
who exchanged significant glance
with Myers. The latter nodded his
head, whereupon Mr.. Loudendale for
it was he) went into his office.
| While the two scoundrels were on
their way to Wentworth's place, which
was low groggery frequented by the
poor whites of the town and neighbor
hood, Mr.. Loudendale paced his Office
in nervous manner. Every now and
then he muttered few incoherent SEN
tences.
"No one will think was at the bots
tom of it., he said to himself. 81 shall
give the two young fellows away. No
one will believe what they say. | will
see to it that they will swing before
they can say much. The bills / gave
them were marked. / will declare that
7 paid them to day to Miss Johnstone.
What good idea it was for me to tell
old Joe Bagley to take those papers
with him to his house. as if [ would
settle with him early tomorrow morris
ing. know that he put them into his
bureau in his parlor, aud Myers will
there set fire to the house. 1t will be
Blgley should perish in the flames, 50
much the better, but the destruction of
the papers will save me.
Meanwhile Myers and Tennis were
playing euchre with very dirty pack
of cards. Tennis lost, and tn handed
the saloon keeper ten dollar bill in
payment for the drinks.
"You are mighty flush to- day, Ten
mis-, exclaimed the saloon keeper, Civ
ing him his change. made raise
ehp''
Tennis replied
81 won this yesterday at Aiken.
Deal the cards, Myers"
Tue latter was the best player of the
two, and won all the time. At 8 o'clock
they left the saloon, the sky was over
They sat down at the porch of desert
ed cottage, and took Il rest of several
hours
At half~pasr eleven they hurried
through alleys and narrow lanes to r
beautiful cottage almost at the end of
the eastern part of the town. Myers
whispered to Tennis:
when | knock at the door nigger
girl Will open it. You seize her and
push this rag into her mouth.
Then pummel her until she is un>
conscious, while rush into the bed
room of Miss Johnstone and settle
her"
Then Myers knocked at the front
door of the cottage After time foot
steps were heard in the hall-way, and
voice asked from within.
"Who is there?'
Myers answered in disguised voice:
"Mr Loudendale has sent me with
highly important message for Miss
Johnstone. Open quick. I'm in a
hurry"
A handsome young mulatto girl.
holding lighted candle in her hand
opened the door, The next moment
Tennis clutcned her throat, while Ny
ers passed her, rushing into the interior
of the house. Tennis put the rag into
the mouth Of the unfortunate colored
girl, and then struck her many heavy
blows en- the temples until she sank
perfectly senseless to the ground.
In the meantime Myers had rushed
into the back room on the ground floor.
A night lamp was burning by the
bedside of a young lady of about twen-
ty seven, tall, beautiful blonde who
raised herself up with scream of ter
ror Myers had drawn his bowie knife,s
and he plunged it repeatedly into the
left breast of the lady. She sank back
upon her pillow and expired.
Then Myers hurried into the hall
way where Tennis, whenever the pros>
trate mulatto girl showed the slightest
sign of life, struck her more blows un-
on the temples.
"Let us 60" whispered Myers.
A minute later and they were walk
ing toward the west side of the town.
They stopped in front of an old fashion
ed frame building.
"This is Joe Bagley's place." said
Myers. "Break that window pane,
while 1 am getting ready. Then raise
the SASH"
Tennis did his bidding. and few
minutes later the sash was raised. N.Y.
ers had meanwhile drawn from his
pocket flint and steel, and rather
large ball, smelling strongly of turpen>
tine
"Help me to get in" he said.
Tennis raised him up, and the villain
climbed in. Once in the room he
placed the large ball on the floor, and
set fire to it by means of his flint and
steel. The ball blazed up with mar
velous rapidity. In few minutes the
room was in flames. Then Myers
jumped out of the window again and
leisurely walked off with Tennis.
"Let us remain little while here
behind this fence" he said. Let us
watch the fire."
The flames made rapid progress
Speedy the whole building was in a
blaze. Two old women and an old man
rushed in their night-clothes from the
burning house.
THAT is old Joe Bagley and his two