The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1845-03-21

IN the eye. and the ball passed out at the
back Of his head.
When Hinch heard This, he turned per.
fectly livid, his knees smoie together, and
with horrible oath, he exclaimed, II is
Jack Long or his ghost, by c.! come
back for vengeance 1t was now per-
ceived, for the first time, that all the men
had been shot through the eye, Instead Of
in The back of the head, where the ball
had only passed on, after entering at the
socket. The other heads had been to un-
pleasantly mutulated for examination,
and this fact had not been before obscr-
we'd. Ofcourse, everybody was satisfied
now, that this terrible being was in one
way or another identified with Jack
Long, for the notoriety of his favorite
mark and his matchless skill Instantly &C.
CURED TO all, as accounting for much that
was unaccountable in these occurrences.
This produced great change of public
feeling. The better sort began to con-
ceivc that they understood the whole mat
ter. The lynching Jack had received
was fresh in their memories, and they
supposed that lis severity had shaken his
mental balance and made him a monoma-
MAC, and that the disease had endowed
him with the marvellous cunning-lhe
staunch, murderous hatc-and the unna-
lural appearance, which had created such
sensation. They could not understand
how being so simple hearted and slug
gish as he was repuied 10 have been,
could have been reused or stung to such
deeds by the mere depth and power of his
natural passions. But monomaniac or
not, such vengeance, and the daring
conduct Of The whole affair, was very i'm
posing TO their associations. and they
symPathized heartily with him. 1t was
only while the general uncertainty left
every man in doubt whether his own
person might no, be the next objec, of
this murderous aim, that the public were
disposed TO back the Rangers in whatever
violent measures they might choose 10 re-
sort to, to drag the secret, TO light, and the
actor to punishment: butnow that it was
apparent his whole hate was leyeled
against the Rangers, and all that unccr.
,ainty was coulined to them, be devil,
ghost, mailman, or Jack Long, the public
had no intention of interfering again. II
was personal issue between themselves
Indeed, men felt in their inmost hearts
that every man Of the ten engaged in the
lynchng of Jack Long deserved dozen
times over TO be shot, and now they
looked on coolly, rather enjoying the
thing, and earnestly hoping that Jack
might have the best Of it.
And Of this there seemed TO be strong
probably, for the Regulators made only
one more attempt TO get together, but a
mother of their number being killed on his
way to the rendezvous, his body bearing
that well known and fearful signature Of
skill, the remaining five, perfectly INNER
we'd and overwhelmed with terror, re-
treated to their houses and scarcely dared
for several weeks TO put their heads out
side their own doors for fear Of death.
The class to which Jack belonged, at
least those Of them who had managed TO
Keep footing during the relentless pro-
scriplion Of the Regulators, now began to
look up, and limited that they had known
Of Jacks return from the time Of Stoner's
and had aided and abeucd his
purposes in every way in their power;
him with fresh horses when
the noble animal he rode back from the
States became fa,igued, assisting his
flights and concealmenls, and furnishing
him with information, as well as spread
ing the exaggerated stories about him.
One bluff old fellow remarked:
You are fools who talk about Jacks
being crazy He's as calm and cold as
a frosty morning in old Kentuck and his
head is as clear as bell He's jus. got
his Indian-fghiin' and Toryhalin' blood
walked up, in him by them stripes !
That's blood you know that's dangersome
than catamount when it once gets rIz y
Jack was now frequently seen, bu, it
was know that his work was only half
done, and that he meant 10 finish it and
he was regarded with great curiosity and
awe. The five wre,ched men were enii-
rely unstrung and panic stricken. They
made no attempt at retaliation, but all
their hopes seemed to lie in the eAor, to
get out of his reach, That long heavy
rifle haunted them day and night. They
saw its dark muzzle bearing on them from
every bush, and through the chinks of
their own cabin.
One Of them, named White, who was
an inyeierate toner with all his terror