He remembered that the region lying on Flat Creek and Clifty Creek had the reputation of being infested with thieves, who practiced horse-stealing and house-breaking.

For ever since the day when Murrell's confederate bands were paralyzed by the death of their leader, there have still existed gangs of desperadoes in parts of Southern Indiana and Illinois, and in Iowa, Missouri, Kentucky, and the Southwest.

It is out of these materials that border ruffianism has grown, and the nine members of the Reno band who were hanged two or three years ago by lynch law[17], were remains of the bad blood that came into the West in the days of Daniel Boone.

Shall I not say that these bands of desperadoes still found among the "poor whitey, dirt-eater" class are the outcroppings of the bad blood sent from England in convict-ships?
Ought an old country to sow the fertile soil of a colony with such noxious seed?
Before Ralph was able to move, he heard the hoofs of another horse striking upon the hard ground in an easy pace.

The rider was Dr.Small.
He checked his horse in a cool way, and stood still a few seconds while he scrutinized Ralph.