The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1917-05-03
With a single guide, where there

With a single guide, where there
was something curious to see, and
he had returned to report that they
had been set upon by thugs, the
lady murdered and her money, in
cluding travellers checks, taken
He said that he had buried the
body at the place of the murder.
Baxter cabled and wrote to the
United States consuls nearest the
scene of the tragedy asking for in:
formation. Nothing was adduced
except the statement of Miss Eyer
toms guide, which was taken down
in writing and sworn to. After
waiting six months for the girl to
turn up, nothing having been heard
from her, the will was admitted to
probate.
The evidence of the testator's
death being deficient, the case drag.
ged. Certain relatives who had
hoped to benefit by the will opposed
a settlement of the estate under
the plea that there was not suffi'
cient evidence that Miss Egerton
was dead. 1t was six months after
the reported death that the chan
Gerry court agreed to pay over to
benefciaries the three parts into
which the estate was divided by the
will.
About this time the announce
ment was made Of the engagement
of Cecil Baxter and Agnes Hart. A
statement went forth that Marcia
Egerton had had presentiment
that she would be summarily cut of
and had requested that in the event
of her being 30 that the lover was to
marry her friend With angelic un:
selfshness she had provided in hel
will for their comfort.
Baxter and Miss Hart were finally
able to count on a date when theil
inheritance would be paid over tc
them, and they arranged to be mar
ried the day after receiving it. They
agreed that they would place 9
stained glass window in the church
they attended to the memory of the
noble girl who had left each Of
them a comfortable fortune. The
plan was laid, but the order for the
work was not to be given until theil
property had been turned over tc
them. For wedding trip they were
to 60 to the Holy Land to gather
information of the woman they low
ed and, if possible, bring the body
home for burial.
One day they received a notice
from their attorney that the papers
in the case of their inheritance
would be executed the next morn
ing at II o'clock. They were all
packed to 60 away as soon as the
marriage ceremony had been per
formed the day after coming into
possession of their property. AL
other matters, including the order
for the memorial window, had re-
ceived attention.
On the appointed morning they
called on their lawyer and were tax
en- by him to the Office where the
transfer was to be made. While
they were sitting there two persons
entered, one Of whom especially they
had not expected to see. They wert
Edwin Bond and Marcia Egerton
now Mrs. Bond.
There is no record of what wal
said between the testator, who had
returned to life, and her expected
heirs. All that is known about thu
sequel to the meeting is that Mr.
Baxter and Miss Hart were never
married. As to the memorial win
dow, it was not required.
Many blamed Mrs. Bond for hel
action in deceiving her two friends
especially for going abroad and hir
ing a native to report her murder
ed. How she made it up with Bono
she never told, but it was know1
that he went abroad while she was
there and they were married there
1t has been said at the beginning
of this story that Miss Egerton wal
a peculiar girl. What she meant
by her performance, at what point
she discovered the truth about Bax
ter and Agnes, she never told any
one. She certainly went far out Of
her way to punish them, and pun
ished them very severely. Whether
they received more than they de-
served is question.