ERMA AND AN ASSASSIN.
The purpose of Ellen Sanders was by no means altered by the defeat of
her plans; to the contrary, she was rendered the more determined. She
saw that there was no prospect of estranging Astral from Erma; in fact,
no prospect of drawing him into a discussion of the subject. She decided
to address her attention to Erma. Her knowledge of Erma led her to the
firm conclusion that it was needless to attempt the use of argument in
her case. Yet she must be gotten out of the way, was Ellen's unalterable
determination. Aside from the fact that she desired Astral for her
husband, she possessed no love for Erma, who had been an object of
contempt ever since the moment she had entered service.
Self-interest and hatred are two powerful forces when operating in the
bosom of a woman rankling with disappointment. Ellen determined upon
Erma's murder. When Ellen was a very young child, her parents had as a
neighbor a widow whose name was Corella Ross, the mother of seven
children, the oldest of whom was called Sam. Mrs. Ross went about doing
housework for various white families and left her children at home to
take care of themselves as best they might. Sam, being the oldest,
roamed the city at will, returning in time to be on hand at night when
his mother arrived, contriving by bits of candy and direful threatening
to maintain the silence of his little brothers and sisters on the
subject of his meanderings. Thus left to himself, he became a youth of
vicious character. But he was ever fond of Ellen, and carried his
affections with him in undiminished force in his downward drift.
Ellen decided upon employing Sam Ross to put Erma out of her way. One
dark night, soon after the incidents described in our last chapter,
Ellen thickly veiled her face, threw a large shawl about herself so as
to conceal her form, and thus attired, made her way to a section of the
town known as "Hell's Half Acre." This settlement contained numerous
saloons, all conducted by white men and sustained by Negroes.
Knowing of the extraordinary value that a certain class of Negroes
attached to social contact with white men, some white saloon keepers
utilized this sentiment to foster their business. By a pat on the
shoulder, a friendly tussle, an exchange of jokes, or some such mark of
fellowship, numbers of the more ignorant Negroes were held in bondage to
these resorts. Sam Ross was one of these victims, and Ellen is on her
way to his favorite resort in the hope of finding him there. When she
reaches the place she opens the door a little to see if Sam is in there.
There he was in the middle of the floor, dancing what is known as the
clog dance, keeping time to the music of a fiddle in the hands of
another Negro perched upon an empty whiskey barrel in the corner. Sam's
dancing was eliciting much applause from the motley crowd of debauchees
who were present in great numbers.
"Sam!" called Ellen.
Sam danced around until he faced the door, and nodded to the veiled face
that showed itself therein.
"Sam, I would like to see you," said Ellen.
Much to the delectation of the spectators, Sam danced all the way to the
door, performing some of his most notable feats. Reaching the door, he
bowed profoundly, and stepped out, amid shouts of approval from his
fellows.
The appearance of a woman for Sam did not excite any unusual attention,
such occurrences in the case of others being very frequent.
"Sam," said Ellen, "come with me; I want you to do me a kindness."
"Is that you, Ellen! Whut on earth brung you here?" said Sam in great
astonishment.
"I have an enemy, Sam, that is seeking to do me great injury, and I need
your help."
"All right, Ellen; I'm your man. I'll kill any nigger that does you
harm," said Sam.
"Don't say that, Sam, unless you mean it," said Ellen.
"Try me," was Sam's laconic response.
"Well, we'll see. Sam, my enemy is a woman."
"A woman! I don't like the idea of killing a woman, but if you say so,
I'll do it. I've done many a shady thing, but I ain't come to that yet."
"I thought you would back out, Sam."
"Back out! who said I'd back out? Not this chap. Of course, I'll kill
the gal; but a fellow has got a little conscience, and has to feel bad a
little bit. Who is she?"
"Come with me. I will show you where she lives, and stand there until
you are through. There is no one in the room with her, and you are not
in the slightest danger." So saying, she led the way until at length
they arrived at Erma's house. After assuring themselves that there was
no one else near, they entered the yard, and very stealthily approached
the window to Erma's room.
Sam had had previous experience in house-breaking and soon had the
blinds removed and an opening made in the window. He noiselessly
clambered into Erma's room, having his long, keen knife in his hand. The
lamp was dimly burning on a stand near the head of the bed. By the side
of the lamp was a bouquet of beautiful flowers which Astral had given
Erma that evening, and which she had placed where she could see them in
the night if she should awake. She also desired that they should be the
first object on which her eyes should fall on awaking the next day.
Sam drew near the bed with uplifted knife.
There Erma lay in all her beauty, a lovely smile upon her face, even in
her sleep. Her hair was lying carelessly about her brow, and caused her
to present the appearance of wild loveliness.
Sam halted, so beautiful was the image before him. His arm descended to
his side, and he continued to gaze. He said to himself, "If I kill that
girl, it will have to be with my eyes shut." He closes his eyes and
creeps closer to the bedside. He lifts his hand again to strike, and
opens his eyes to note the spot where a blow delivered would reach her
heart. Again Erma's beauty charms him.
Sam mutters to himself, "Ellen told me she wanted me to kill a woman,
and, dad gum it, this is an angel." So saying, he turned around and got
back out of the window.
"Is she dead?" asked Ellen, eagerly.
"Naw, dad gum it, she ain't dead. And another thing, if ever any harm
befalls that girl, I'll tell about this night's work, and I'll kill you
besides." So saying, he walked away, carrying in his mind a picture of
the beautiful Erma.
Ellen, thoroughly dejected and full of fear as to the revelations that
Sam might make, returned to her home.
When, some weeks later, word was brought to her that Erma Wysong had
passed away, and that it was happy Erma _Herndon_ now; when word came
that Astral Herndon had declared himself in favor of building a monument
to the skies in honor of Cupid for having brought him so glorious a
prize--when these facts were brought to her ladyship, Ellen Sanders, she
remembered Sam Ross--and said nothing.