White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1859-06-02
WHITE CLOUD, KANSAS, THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 1853

was noiseless. .Gilbrand clutched hi
knife in his right hand, and it was hal
raised as he crept forward. Not a muscle
in my body moved-not even my heart
and my nerves were likessteel. 1 waited
until / could see the cat-like cleaning Of
the villains eyes--lntil conld hear his
quick, deep breathing-until his murder
Gus knife was lifted for the death stroke
and then 1 freed my right arm and
raised my pistol. The movement was in
Simultaneous, and my aim sure, for the
muzzle of my weapon was within two
feet of his bosom. / fired, and he started
back with sharp groan. In a moment
was upright in my bed, and, more
quickly than can tell it, l fired two
shots at McCarugan, who had stopped as
his companion reeled back, but who aed
towards the door, as l fred at him.
My wife was awake, but l paid no at
tention to her cries. Quickly as possible
| leaped out of bed, and rushed towards
the hall where McCaragan had disappear
ed. for Gilbrand had fallen to the floor.
and | considered him safe. And so was
the other safe. l found him upon the
floor, almost lifeless. He could not speak,
and. believing that his weakness was real,
| hurried back to my room and struck
light. In as few words as possible, in
formed my wife of what ha9 happened,
and when l told her that one of the vii
lains lay upon the hall floor, SO that she
could not leave the room without passing
over him. she had the good sense to hide
herself under the bed clothes.
AT this point my man-servant, a stout
Irishman who did the duties of groom
and gardener, came stumbling over the
body in the passage. waning to know what
was the matter. l called him in and told
him, and together we held an examina-
ton. Gilbrand must have died almost
Instantly, for the ball had gone directly
through his heart When we found Nc
Caragan he was Just breathing his last.
One of the bullets l had fired at him had
entered his bosom, Immediately below
the sternum, and the other. had passed
through his neck, severing the right car
otid artery.
By this time the household was all
aroused. and for few minutes we had
strange time of it. But managed to get
my wife calm, and when / made them
understand that the danger was all over,
the others became quiet. Michael and
moved the bodies down into the lower |
porch. where we found, upon examine
ton. that the villains had gained their
entrance by prying off the hasp of the
back door with crow-bar. As soon as it
was daylight | sent for the jailor, bidding
him bring a man along with him. 1t so
that the jailor had also the Of
flee of deputy sheriff and coroner, so that
he was Just the man for the business. He
came, and in due time the bodies were
removed from my premises, and he as
sured me as he took them away, that he
would rather act as coroner than as TAILOR,
upon such customers.
There was wonder and excitement for
awhile, and was lion but finally the
town became qniet once more, and my
adventure with the horse-thieves was only
a thing to tell to travellers. My wife
soon regained her wonted composure of
nerve, bnt she said l must never allow
another such thing to happen without
telling her all my fears and suspicious
beforehand and as she said must, of
course / had to give her the promise,
though gave it with the hope that such
a thing would never happen beneath my
roof again.