While the audience was slowly dispersing, the papers for the commitment of the prisoners to the county jail were filled out by the presiding Justice, and then, under a strong guard, they were taken out to the waiting carriages and driven rapidly off toward the county-seat. Before sunset this had been reached, and the criminals placed in separate cells within the strong walls of the jail.
Mr. Johnson and Budd had both agreed that it would be wiser to postpone their interview with Bagsley until he had been committed to jail and knew the full consequences of the criminal acts with which he and his confederates had been charged. They hoped, too, that his solitary confinement might subdue his resentful spirit to such an extent that he would be willing to listen to the proposition they had to make. They therefore arranged to go up to Kingston together early in the coming week for the interview, on which their hopes so largely centered. But unknown to them a series of circumstances were already beginning to work in their behalf.
The first step in the series began right in the court-room. While the audience was dispersing and the Justice was filling out the commitment-papers the prisoners were huddled close together within the court-room railing. The officers allowed them to converse together, thinking, doubtless, it would be the last time they could do so for a number of weeks, if not for a number of years. Brill, the leader of the gang, changed his position a little so as to bring him beside Bagsley, and then he said, in a low tone:
"It is a hard outlook for us, Tom."
"Yes," his companion replied, gloomily.
"It can't be less than twenty years on all the charges," continued Brill, cautiously, lest his words should be overheard by the attending officers.
"Do you think so?" asked Bagsley.
"Yes, unless you can work on the sympathies of old Johnson and that boy to let us off on some of the charges," remarked the leader, significantly.
"What do you mean? They are more bitter against me than all the rest of you," responded Bagsley, with some irritation in his tones.
"Yes, and for cause; but suppose you remove that cause?" said Brill, pointedly.