The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-05-09

MN. Then, BlxtOn, your part of the task
will commence. AS soon as darkness sets
in to night you will have to conceal YOUR
self in the woooshed adjoining Brother
tons house. A few minutes before nine
you will approach Brotherton's bedroom
window close enough to see what takes
place there. As soon as l have brought
down the old fellow you must climb into
the window, enter the adjoining room
where Brotherton' desk stands, break the
desk stand open and take from it all the
papers and money it contains. No one
will hear you, for no one but Brotherton
lieves in the house. Then you come quick
iy over to me. hand me the pap rs, and
will let YOU have one of my horses to ride
off toward Florida. Do you understand
me we'll. Bixton?"
"P.rteStlv, Doctor"
g. Well, then, here is a dark lantren and
an ex client steel jimmy. Have you a
watch"
NO. Doctor"
"Well. you may have this silver watch,
Blxton; aud here is $40 bill to get you
some refreshments. But beware of get
ting drunk
Il won't drink any thing but claret,
DR.. Melville. But tell me one thing
please-how much money will be likely
| 10 find in old Broihertons deskl''
''Oh, at least 5000, Blxton. l saw
him put nearly that sum into it this very
morning"
"All righ', Dr. Melville, all right.
shall he on hand tonight"
So saying. Walter Bixton, a Young man
of twenty five, left the Office of Dr. Mel
vile, middIe-aged physician, with
whom he had held the foregoing startling
conversation at Mobile. Alabama, shorty
after noon OF very sultry June day, in
the year 1881.
When DR.. Melville was alone in his
office he drew himself into an easy chair,
and was soon absorbed in deep thought
cOhere MT sentences.
All, Jim Brotherton," he murmured,
you are going to torectose that mortgage
on my house to-morrow!I guess not--l
guess not mott You are a childless
widOWer, worth over hundred thousand
dollars, and you want to deprive me Of
what little property have. told you
to day that you would regret your hard
hea'tt dness. and you laughed at me.
He chuckled diabolically. ~ guess
nct-I guess not!' he repeated.
| Then he sprang TO his feet, and took
from wardrobe an sir-gun, whose lock
he examined carefully.
From here to BOtherton's house is
about twenty eight yards. Now, this air
gun carries its small iron bolt twice as
far. Let us try it. There is crow on
Wonder church-roof I will kill it."
| He took aim and fired. The crow fell
dead.
lila ha hal" he laughed, almost aloud,
at will BIZ bad for you, jim Botherton !"
Evening came round, and, as Dr. Mel
vile had predicted, minute or two after
nine O'Clock. James Botherton. wealthy
retired merchant, who lived all alone in
his cosy frame house OH Ochiltree street,
entered his bedroom with lighted wax
candle in his hand. No sooner had he
crossed the threshold of the bedroom
than bullet Kissed through the open
window, and entered his lett breast. He
sank to the flor with low groan.
A few seconds later, young Bixton
climoed into the window and threw the
glare OF his dark lantern into BOtherten's
face
1t wa deadly pale. The eyes looked
CLASSY and riged.
He is dead." whispered the william
| who rushed into the sjoining room, broke
open the desk, al d took from it bundle
OF papers tied together with red tape, and
large package of bank-bills.
by George he mutfered. gleefully
there is at least four thousand dollars
, here!"
He returned to the bedroom where
BothertOn was lying, and threw the light
of the lantern once more upon the vic
Tins face. Suddenly he uttered loud
cry of terror and dropped the dark Ian
tern.
B,therton was not dead. He had open
ed his eyes very wide and whispered:
All, is it you, Walter Bixion,"
/ The young man tried to escape, but
Botherton had grasped his left leg. and
held 1t in grip Of iron. A horrible strug
gle ensued. In order to free himself from
the old mans grasp, Bixton stamped him
repeatedly in the fac, disiguring him
horribly. At last he made his escape
through the open window, while the old
man cried loudly for help.
| A night constable heard him, and was
soon by the victims side
81 am shot," gasped Boiherton.
"Who did i'll" asked the constable.
"Walter hxton," rejoined the wound
ed man, feebly.
A convulsive shudder passed through
his frame. and he expired.
Meanwhile, Bixton. terribly frigben-
ed, had run over to DR.. NelviIIe's house.
"Welll- asked the doctor.
"You did not kill him-he recognized
me-" gasped the william.
The Doctor uttered q b!asphemous oath
Some one Is DOW with him. contin-
ued Bixtou, pantingly- .Oh, hide me,
hide mer'
! No, nor cried the baffled physician.
Get out of my house this very moment,
or shall shout for the police,'
/ Bixton imploEed him not to give him
up. but DR.. Melville, who Vas perfectly
beside himself with rage, began to shout /:
watch Police, Poiicef
| The csinstabie across the street heard
the shouts, hurried over to the hose q
the physician, and took the dapairin9
Bixton into custody.
Ar the sfaf.nn nnuue he irs-sas~H>a~