New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1878-11-13

ance was not for long. BY the time the cabin
was burned, and he was shelterless, he fore
saw that every ranchman within radius of a
mile would be in the field against him, each
friends. Not waiting to form defnate plan,
he hurried his wife over to the neighboring
ranch of his father in-l law, who had been al
ready awakened by the firing, but had not
dared to Interfere. A hasty farewell TO those
he loved, and with his home now almost in
ashes behind him, Mr.. Gibbs mounting his
horse, and placing single rifle on his should
miles distant. For the only refuge to him
was behind the walls of the same Jail to which
he had been carried after the murder of Drum
mond.
He had not ridden more than an hour, when
lar away in the night behind him he heard
the hoofs of hurrying horses. His quick ear
told him that his pursuers were nearly a
mile distant yet, but that they were
gaining. There were nearly score
OF them, as he coulC also tell, and they,
mindful OF his defence Of his home, kept well
together, so as not to be cut off III detail
MIR. Gibbs dug his spurs in deeply and the
beast responded nobly. Ten miles further
and there was 9 ranch where he could get a
change of horse. The ten miles were oyer.
and the sound ofpursuit were lost in dis
tance. when he drew rain at the barndoor of a
wealthy Englishman, and at the muzzle of his
rifle demanded from the groom TIE choice Of
his masters stud. He was mounted and
away before the rest of the ranch was aroused,
and with hurrah rushed his fresh horse into
the prairie, but eighty miles between him and
Denver: On the road with the paling stars
his guide, while the hours passed away
and the day began to dawn.
1t was now six o'clock, and Mr.. Gibbs had
been in the saddle four hours, with but bread
to eat-a happy, thought of his WITHSTAND
nothing to drink. He looked on every side
for water, but the few irrigating bitches
no natural springs. His horse, thoroughbred
though he was, was becoming distressed, and
MI. Gibbs knew that water for man ard beast
must be had. But to get it meant to turn out
OF TIE straight road to Denver. His course
all along had been within easy reach Of the
foothills of the Rocky mountains, towards
which he now turned the horses head The
faithful beasts instinct taught him the way,
and presently horse and man were laying in a
cold mountain brook, whose slvery thread
wound amid boulders in the bottom of mar
row canon. Mr.. Gibbs took no thought of
time, but soaked his heated bread in wa
ter, and nlunched with solitary satisfaction,
till shout There he isl" in the rear, start
led him. Without stopping to look, he was
was the report of a gun, and g ball plowed
the ground at his horses heels. Keeping the
trees that lined the ecge of the foothills as
we'll Us he could between him and his pur-
suers, MIR Gibbs dashed along, while rifle after
rifle was emptied after him by a hundred
horsemen. He could see them swarming in
an irregular body along the prairie, which
whereabouts fortunately was near as rough as
the inclined plane along which his own horse
was scrambling. The heat was a short one
Mr.. Gibbs stop had not been thrown away.
IN a few minutes the formost Of his pursuers,
their beasts tired and jaded, were far in the
rear, and when Mr.. Gibbs reined in at a little
station on the narrow-guage railway, fifty
miles from Denver not an enemy was in
sight.
From The moment he had had time to think.
Mr.. G IBIS, every minute Of his solitary ride,
had been computing the chances ofhis chang
ing horse for steam. He knew that a train on
the Denver and Rio Grande railway left Pueblo
IN the early morning, and his only aim was to
reach a station at the moment when the train
would be due, and before the vigiantcs would
be near enough to denounce him. And good
luck still kept with him. 4 line Of
smoke to the Southwark, and o rumbling-
steadily growing louder, testified the coming
train. 1t stopped, and the foremost pursuer
was still half Il mile behind. The whistle
sounded and the train moved off, and only Mr..
Gibbs saw tired horse, whose rider wildly
gcsticulated, gallop wcarily into the station
as 1t Ieceded i'll the distance. He was saved.
Saved only for the time, though. Mr.. Gibbs
considered it. He was afraid the vicilantes
would telegraph to have him cut off at Den
yer. Just before reaching the Queen City OF
the Plains, and when the train was about OBJ
posite the jail, a few hundred yards distant
from the track, he courted death and broken
bones by jumping Off. The soft sand saved
him from harm, and about two o'clock in the
afternoon, SO worn and weary that he could
hardly stand, the man from Colorado rang the
bell at the private entrance to the iail
what, MI. Gibbs, back again 2" exclaimed
the surprised jailer, who answered the sum
mons. whats the matter now:"
'Vigalantes,"' was Mr. GibDs only answer,
as he staggered past into an inner room, and
fell unconscious on the floor.
1t was that same night that called on him
and heard his story. Mr.. Gibbs told the terri
bic tale modestly, as if he were speaking of
some other person than himself. His blue
eye did not change its kindly look. nor was
there sternness in his voice as he recounted
the success of his seven shots.
"And now, Gibbs, did you kill Drummond q,
asked the writer when he had finished
MI. Gibbs, if you please" was the answer.
No, did not. I'd just as lief tell you if l
had"
'You hadn't oughter forgot about the mis-
ter" said the jailer as he led the way to the
door.
lucy w say Inc reason why ne ShOt Drum
mond was because he wouldn't mister HIM. I"
They gave Mr.. Gibbs three of the squarest
OF meals and nights lodging at the expense
'of the city of Denver, and then put nothing in
his way to prevent his leaving town the next
morning.
His family followed him soon after, hind
rance being made to their departure by the
vigilantes, who formally announced that they
did not make war on women and children-a
fact Of which Mr.. Gibbs was aware when he
left them behind him. A rumor came to US
afterward that he had been seen in Cheyenne,
but of this do not know
Angells Wanderings.