udge Shannon himself, who
tells us also that the outrage took place on the North Section Line,
bounding Bray's farm.

"After this speech the highway robber Williams rode towards the township
of Osawotamie, while Judge Shannon, after drawing the buckboard to the
edge of the track, was compelled to proceed homewards on foot.

"The outrage, as we have said, took place late last evening, and Judge
Shannon, we understand, did not trouble to inform the County authorities
of the circumstance till to-day at noon, after leaving our office.
What the motive of the crime may have been we do not worry ourselves to
inquire; a crime, an outrage upon justice and order, has been committed;
that is all we care to know. If anything fresh happens in this
connection we propose to issue a second edition of this paper. Our
fellow-citizens may rely upon our energy and watchfulness to keep them
posted.

"Just before going to press we learn that Sheriff Johnson was out of
town attending to business when Judge Shannon called; but Sub-Sheriff
Jarvis informs us that he expects the Sheriff back shortly. It is
necessary to add, by way of explanation, that Mr. Jarvis cannot leave
the jail unguarded, even for a few hours."

As may be imagined this item of news awakened my keenest interest. It
fitted in with some things that I knew already, and I was curious to
learn more. I felt that this was the first act in a drama. Vaguely I
remembered some one telling in disconnected phrases why the Sheriff had
left Missouri, and come to Kansas:

"'Twas after a quor'll with a pardner of his, named Williams, who kicked
out."

Bit by bit the story, to which I had not given much attention when I
heard it, so casually, carelessly was it told, recurred to my memory.

"They say as how Williams cut up rough with Johnson, and drawed a
knife on him, which Johnson gripped with his left while he pulled
trigger.--Williams, I heerd, was in the wrong; I hain't perhaps got the
right end of it; anyhow, you might hev noticed the Sheriff hes lost the
little finger off his left hand.--Johnson, they say, got right up and
lit out from Pleasant Hill. Perhaps the folk in Mizzoori kinder liked
Williams the best of the two; I don't know. Anyway, Sheriff Johnson's
a square man; his record here proves it. An' real grit, you bet your
life."

The narrative had made but a slight impression on me at the time; I
didn't know the persons concerned, and had no reason to interest myself
in