Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-09

alert to catch every word that dropped
from their lips
Heavens thought he, what consum-
mate scoundrels! Why. l am virtue itself
beside these men, and I am, under the law
thief. for l steal niggers. and, gentle
men, l will steal yours
The thought flashed over him that II
would be fine thing to rob the robbers
ana make off with their plumber.
About 100 miles below was woodward
known as Atkins Here the Aurora always
wooded up, and as there was a good land
ing, she received passengers and freight
This Wesner knew. as he had often been
up and down on the same boat. The coun-
try Tor number of miles back from the
river and beyond was very thinly inhab-
lted. and mostly with poor class of whites
They made a few bales of cotton and At
kins was their usual shipping point They
were not suspected of being too honest
and eked out precarious subsistence by
hauling wood for Atkins yard
In the conversation the strangers men,
TONED this landing. Wesner stoical as ever
continued to puff away at his cigarette and
listened. He learned there would be at
atkins yard. under the charge of "Muhl
Babbage, local desperado five negroes
Inree men and two women. all stolen from
Kentucky by these plausible scoundrels
run into the woods and secreted by Bah
bage and kept until the excitement Incl
| dent to their disappearance had subsidized
ana on thls trip OF the Aurora they were
to be taken on.
20 for one hour of Bradley" thought
George. "one little hour out Of the day.
and these chaps might have all they could
get out Of the other twenty-three But,
gentlemen, / must have your nigeers and
that means fight They are going back TO
Kentucky. If not farther; meantime. as this
wagon won't get to Atkins before s O'Clock
tomorrow morning. and not then If the fog
sets In. Will retire to my state room and
sleep little" and throwing his cigarette
overheard. he sauntered to his room and
prepared to rest.
pared for action. This was before metal
lie cartridges had come into general use.
The revolver was a plenteous and useful
article, but few except the old-fashioned
Wesner owned a pair of the latest make,
metallic cartridge, caliber rs, and could
shoot with lightning-like rapidity and a
precision perfectly wonderful.
On one of these he had filed the dog so
that hauling back the hammer revoIved
the chamber. but the dog did not catch
the trigger. With his thumb on the ham
mer he could empty every chamber in 10
circle at twenty yards. 1t was before hip
pocket days. but his gun was at his waist
band, not In a case or pocket to foul and
give his opponent the first shot, but tied
with. string that quick jerk would
break.
Examining his weapons thoroughly and
ascertaining that they were in working
order, he threw of his clothes and lay
morrow. for he wanted rest before action.
Morning came, and as the night before
gave promise, 1t was dark and foggy. Wes-
ner found the steamer with steam down.
tied alongside the east bank Of the river
Asking the pilot their whereabouts he as
certained that they were about seventy
| five miles below Memphis and twenty-five
from Atkins landing.
AT first he thought he would tell the cap
tain of the boat the story, but on further
consideration gave it up impolitic, for
the words OF the two gamblers would prob
ably have as much weight as his.
AT the breakfast table he designingly
seated himself opposite the gamblers,
whom he found by the boat register were
Looked as c. Jules and his comradc
simply as J. Somes. Somes was evidently
the leader. Although younger in appear
ance Jules was the larger. He had look
about him calculated to create mistrust
and always in conversation he kept watch
of his companion Somes, on the contrary
had a frank, honest look, was a little
nervous in his movements. but not notice.
ably so. Both were tastefully dressed and
spoke English without the French accent
They had been playing cards nearly all
night. and were considerably jaded. Or
dinarily, they would have kept their rooms
business on hand. Although they did not
expect any interruption, they We're a little
| anxious for fear Babbage might have
missed connections. in which case they
would have to return to Memphis and
await another down river boat. This
would be awkward for them, as It might
provoke questions and arouse suspicious.
Somes had informed the captain that
they expected some negroes, recently pur-