White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1859-06-02


oners, and l must admit that, even then
with all the zeal of my cause to fire my
soul, | could not help shuddering at tn,
glance which Job Gilbtand gave me. I
was not look of hate, nor of anger bu
it was an expression of malevolent, de-
moniac triumph, which seemed to imply
that he was perfectly satisfed-I wa,
having my own way now-he would have
his in good time.
The result of the trial was Just what
everybody had known it would be. The
prisoners were fully committed to await
the action Of the grand jury. AS 1 arose
to my feet | saw Gilbrand beckon to me
with his finger. went to him, and he
whispered in my ear:
"Ill have your life as sure as there is
God in heaven There amt prison
on earth strong enough to keep me from
you p
The manner of his speaking startled
me some, but | looked upon it as an idle
threat-not that he might not have the
will to do the deed, but l did not believe
he wOnld have the power. Still l saw
the jailer, and limited to him that he had
better look rather more carefully after
these prisoners than was usual with him,
for they were old Jail birds, and up to all
the tricks of evading bolts and bars and
stone walls. He told me l need be under
no apprehension of their escape. He
would put them in place from which no
mortal man could run away.
went about my usual business, and
two weeks had passed from the time of
the trial before our Justices court. The
excitement consequent upon the arrest Of
the horse-thieves had mostly died out,
and the people let their horses run with
out fear of having them stolen. One even
ing. Just as | was leaving my office,
man came up and informed me that the
horse thieves had made their escape They
had left the jail sometime during the pre-
vious night, and all LAY various parties
hal been in search of them, but without
effect. The villains had contrived to re-
move the heavy stone sill into which the
iron bars of the window were fixed, the
cement having been displaced by some
iron instrument which they had adroitly
concealed about them. l asked if any
traces had been found of them, and my
informant told me that two men, answer
ing to their description, had been seen
about ten miles of, that morning, making
towards the sea coast.
/ had been away all day on business,
and had just returned, when this informa
ton was given me, or l should have
heard of it before. However, knew
that every possible means were being en-
ployed to recapture the rascalS, and | re-
mained at home with strong hopes that
they might yet make the acquaintance Of
our superior court At first the thought
occurred to me that Gilbrand might make
an effort to carry out the bloody purpose
he had sworn against me but | was not
under much apprehension. for did not
think he would risk his own neck. i
believed he had placed as great a distance
as possible between me and himself, and
that he would not AGAIN visit town except
upon compulsion.
My wife had heard OF the escape of the
two prisoners. but she knew nothing of
the threat which had been made against
me. | did not tell her of it at the time,
for | feared she might worry over it, and
of course | meant that it should be kept
from her now. My house was near the
centre of the village, but some way back
from the main street, upon gentle emf
nence, and surrounded by trees, my gar
den and park separating it entirely from
other buildings.
During the evening thought over the
matter, and finally made up my mind that
the idea of Job Gilbrand's coming to put
his threat into execution was simply RI
diculous. / knew-I knew very we'll
that he had Just the will and disposition
to do it, and l believe that it would have
afforded him a sincere satisfaction to put
a knife to my heart; but | did not be-
lieve he would risk his own life, under
present circumstances, for any such pur-
pose. Yet when 1 went up to my chamber,
I examined the pistol which lay IN my
bureau drawer. My business as collect
ing agent for several heavy houses
in distant parts of the country, required
that should at times have large sums OF
money by me, and as many people were
aware of this fact, knew that my prem
ises might hold out golden inducements
to daring burglars so l had, some two
years before, purchased good revolver,
which I had kept loaded in my chamber.
never supposed 1 should shoot anybody;
but, in case should hear the footsteps OF
intruders at night upon my premises, l
should feel safer with such a weapon; and
the possession of ''six shooter" gives a
man a wonderful advantage in an argu-
ment under such circumstances. He can
persuade an interloper to leave when mere
words might be Intellectual.
On the present occasion l thought l
would Just examine my pistol, to see II 1t
was ali right, for there was no knowing
what might happen. If any one should
enter tho house, / felt sure that my wife
or myself must be awakened, and then
the weapon might DO an agreeable com
panion, if nothing more. saw that the
barrels were all loaded, and the caps al
sound, and then put the pistol back into
the drawer, and went to bed. My wife
asked me What / meant to do, and told
her had considerable money in the house.
and that the circumstance had merely re-
minded ma Of my weapon. We laughed