White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1859-04-21

better, stranger, but make yourself al
home, Wen do the best by you we kin. y
A significant glance passed among the
men as the host concluded his hospitabls
Invitation, which did not escape my no.
tiee.
Atlength supper was served, consisting
of corn bread and bacon. For this mea.
gre fare, abundant apologies were offered
After listening short time to their
disgusting conversation. informed nv
host / would like to retire.
will you leave your saddle bags %
said he, with bland smile, as he extern
ded his monstrous hand to take them.
"No, sir" l replied, while a heavy
frown gathered on my brow.
81 have very safe place to keep
Them" he rejoined, while his blood shot
eyes stabbed me to the heart.
mo doubt" said /, with a meaning
nod, "but I would prefer taking them
with me-"
This conclusion was received rather cool
ly, and as prepared to leave the room,
one of the men espied the handle of my
revolver protruding from beneath my
coat.
"Hallo, stranger !" he exclaimed in a
quick tone, ''let's see that ere pistol, will
you %
So sudden had been the demand, and
in snch seeming curiosity, that put my
hand back to give it to him. But a Sec
ond thought decided me. and l replied,
that it was no great curiosity, and l
would show it to him in the morning.
By this time the men had gathered
around me, and seeing things looked
rather peculiar. backed myself through
door followed by the host. When the
door was closed, | could hear loud muir
muring, and an oath or two uttered in
vehement tones.
The llndlord hurried me up feeble
pair of stairs. and few yards from the
landing pushed open door and babe me
enter. | glanced around the apartment,
and showed by my action, that l was
dissatisfied with its appearance.
at is the best that can do for you,
stranger" said he, "and you needn't be
afraid of them fellers down stairs, they
won't hurt anybody"
al shall not be alarmed" replied, as
he closed the door and descended the steps.
| was somewhat annoyed at the appear
aHce Of things, and determined to place
myself in the best possible position of
defence. examined my quarters closely.
and found the door had no fastening.
whatever. nor was there anything conve
nient with which it could be secured.
Determines! not to be baffled, tore a
strip Of board from the wall. aud with
my knife cut piece sufficiently long to
make a brace from the lower cIete of the
door to the floor Then with my pocket
knife l bored holes in the casing at the
upper end. and drawing several nails from
the wall, drove them in with the handle
of my large knife. Having examined the
walls and apprehending no treachery from
them, l secured the window, and then
turned my attention to the floor. Beneath
the bed / discovered a trap door, and
its discovery made my hair stand on
end. / found it opened downward. and
the possibility of securing it strongly
seemed hopeless.
Once l thought of removing the bed,
and then watching, as a trapper does
hole in the ice. for game. But that would
not do; for should 1 successfully repulse
the first intruder-for l had no longer
doubt of being in Robbers Roost-it
would leave a hole open which would ex-
pose me to their fire. At length plan
came to my relief. moved the bed from
over the door. and taking the clothes Oh,
l threw the chat bed upon the floor, and
directly over the suspected trap. "But,
oh, horrorl" what discovery i made.
The bed was saturated with blood, and in
many places. hard from the gore which
had dried in it.
Having thus fortified myself l took a
seat on one end of the bed, with my sad
dle-bags close to me, my knife in one
hand, and my revolver in the other. and
my ammunition convenient, in case
should need it. blew out my light, and
in the darkness awaited the denouement
of the plot. How long waited I could
not tell, but in spite of my perilous stu
alton, my eyes grew heavy, and was
almost overcome with sleep. But an
easy moving of the bed aroused all my
perceptive faculties, and in an instant
was wide awake. It moved several times,
quite easy, and then all became quiet. !
listened few moments, but could hear
nothing. Presently there came faint whis-
pers from an adjoining room; my eyes
followed the direction, and / saw small
stream of light pouring through an open
ing in the partition. stole softly to the
spot, and listened moment ] then put
my eye to the opening, and had fair
view of the operations inside.
So horrible was the sight then beheld,
that Its recollection will never be erased
from my memory. Hanging from the
bed, and with bis bead nearly severed
from his body, was an old gray-headed
man. while the purple current of life was
steadily streaming from the cash. Ireel-
ed moment with dizziness, and was
about to withdraw from the scene, when
the door softly opened, and q person en-
tered. / looked again, and three of the
men l had seen in the bar-room, were
standing near the dead man.
"Why. Hans, said one, 81 thought
you had Fixed him by this time" 1