The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1866-02-22

nate, nor anger puI II was du eA ApIesslon
of malevolent, demoniac triumph, which
seemed to imply that he was perfectly
satisfied was having my own way now
after a while, in his own good time, he
would have his way
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. rose from
my seat, when saw Gilbrand beckon to
me with his finger. went to him, and
he whispered in my ear
"I'll have your life as sure as there is
God IN heaven There amt prison
on earth strong enough to keep me In
from you p'
The manners of his speaking at first
startled me some, but [ looked upon what
| he had said as only threat-not that he
might not have the will to do the deed,
but did not believe that he would have
the power However, | saw the jailor,
and limited to him that he had better look
rather sharper after these prisoners than
was usual with him, for they were old
jail-birds, and up to all the tricks of eva
| ding bolts and bars and stone walls. He
told me that [ need be under no appre-
hension of their escape; he would put
| them IN a place from (which no mortal
man could escape.
I went away about my usual business,
and two weeks had passed from the time
| of the trial before the Justices court
| The excitement consequent upon the ar
rest of the horse-thieves had mostly died
out, and people began to let their horses
run without fear of having them swooped
up. One evening, just as [ was leaving
my Office, man came to me and informed
me .hat the horse-thieves had made their
escape. They had left the Jail some time
during the previous night, and all day
various parties had benin search of them,
but unavailingly. The villains had con-
| trived to remove the heavy stone sill into
which the iron bars of tho window were
fixed, the cement having been displaced
by some iron instrument which they had
adroitly concealed about them. [ asked
if any traces had been found of them, and
my informant told me that two men an
swering their description had been seen,
abont ten miles off, that morning, making
towards the sea-coast.
1 had been all day on business and had
just returned, when this information was
| given me, or l would have heard of it before.
However [ knew that every possible
means were being employed to recapture
the rascals, and | went home with strong
hopes that they might yet make the ac-
quaintance 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 I did not think he would risk his own
neck. I believed he had placed as great a
distance as possible between me and him
self, and that he would not again visit our
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 that time,
for | feared she might worry over 1t, aid
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 a gentle emf
nence, and surrounded by trees, my gar
den and park separating it entirely from
} other buildings.
During the evening | Thought the mat
, ter over, and finally made up my mind
that the idea Of Job Gilbrands coming to
, put his threat into execution was simply
) ridiculous | knew-I knew very we'll
that be had just the will and the dispo
} sition to do it, and | believed that it would
have afforded him sincere satisfaction te
put knife to my heart; but | dad mo-
believe that he would risk his own life
under any circumstances, for any suct
E purpose. Yet when l went up to my
chamber, examined the pistol which lay
in the bureau drawer. My business, az
} collecting agent for several houses in dis
tart parts of the country, required that
should at times have large sums OF money
by me, and as many people are aware o
: this fact, 1 knew that my premises Nigh
hold out golden inducements to daring
burglars so | had, some two years before
l purchased a good revolver which l hat
5 kept loaded in my chamber never sup
posed | should shoot anybody; but, il
! case should hear the footsteps Of intru
ders, at night, upon my premises, L woul'
: not only feel safe with such weapon, bu
/ the possession of I" six-shooter give
a man wonderful advantage III an argu
' ment under such circumstances. He cal
E persuade an interloper to leave when mer
r words might be Intellectual.
f On the present occasion | thought
= would just examine my pistol, to see II
s was all right, for there was no KNOWN
[ what might happen. IF any one shoul.
n enter my house, felt sure that my wit
Y or SELF must be awakened, and then tn
Q. weapon might be an agreeable companio
e if nothing more. | saw that the barre