chosen headsman. He swung his big savage figure before
Wilkinson and his cutlass flashed in the starlight.

The woman inside the darkened house heard the crash of the blade against
the skull and the dying groan from the lips of the father of her babies.

When the body crumpled, Weiner knelt, plunged his knife into the throat,
turned it and severed the jugular vein.

Standing over the body John Brown spoke to one of his men.

"The horses, saddles and bridles from the stable--quick!"

The huntsman hurried to the stable and took Wilkinson's horse.

It was two o'clock before they reached the home of James Harris on the
other side of the Pottawattomie. Harris lived on the highway and kept a
rude frontier boarding place where travelers stopped for the night.

With him lived Dutch Henry Sherman and his brother, William.

Brown had no difficulty in entering this humble one-room house. It was
never locked. The latch string was outside.

Without knocking Brown lifted the latch and sprang into the room with
his son, Owen, and another armed huntsman.

He surveyed the room. In one bed lay Harris, his wife and child. In two
other beds were three men, William Sherman, John Whitman and a stranger
who had stopped for the night and had given no name.

"You are our prisoners," Brown announced. "It is useless for you to
resist."

The old man stood by one bed with drawn saber and Owen stood by the
other while Weiner searched the room. He found two rifles and a bowie
knife which he passed through the door to the guard outside.

Brown ordered the stranger out first. He kept him but a few minutes and
brought him back. He next ordered Harris to follow him.

Brown confronted his prisoner in the yard. A swordsman stood close by
his side to catch his nod.

"Where is Dutch Henry Sherman?"

"On the plains hunting for lost cattle."

"You are telling me the truth?" Brown asked, boring him through with his
terrible eyes.

"The truth, sir!"

He studied Harris by the light of his lantern.

"Have you ever helped a Southern settler to enter the Territory of
Kansas?"

"No."

"Did you take any hand in the troubles at Lawrence?"

"I've never been to Lawrence."

"Have you ever done the Free State Party any harm?"

"No. I don't take no part in politics."

"Have you ever intended to do that party any harm?"

"I don't know nothin' about politics or parties."

"What are you doing living here among these Southern settlers?"

"B