BANK ROBBERY AND MURDER.

 After the affair at Russellville the James Boys appeared twice in their old haunts in Missouri, but spent nearly a year in Texas and Mexico, in remote districts, where they were free from the interference of officers anxious for their capture. It was not until the latter part of 1869 that they resumed criminal operations, their plans being laid to rob the bank at Gallatin, Missouri. In this scheme they were assisted by the three Younger brothers, whose career for consummate¹ daring and recklessness is fully² equal to that of the James Boys.

 

It was on the 7th of December that a body of[Pg 42] seven thoroughly³ armed men, superbly mounted, galloped⁴ into Gallatin and commenced firing their pistols indiscriminately, shouting most terrible oaths and fearful threats. After alarming the residents of the place and preventing resistance, Jesse James and Cole Younger dashed into the bank, and at the muzzles⁵ of drawn⁶ revolvers, they compelled the cashier, Capt. John W. Sheets, to deliver the keys of the money department of the safe, the main door being open. After rifling the bank of $700, Jesse and Cole whispered a few words together, put the money in a bag, and then one of them, but which of the two it is not known, deliberately⁷ shot Capt. Sheets dead. The reason given for the commission of this crime was that Capt. Sheets had, during the war, led a party of militia⁸ against the guerrillas, in which conflict Bill Anderson was killed, and that the killing⁹ of Sheets was in revenge for Anderson's tragic¹⁰ death.

 

Capt. Sheets was a very popular man in Gallatin and the surrounding neighborhood, and when the news of the terrible tragedy and robbery spread, nearly the entire county arose in arms and demanded the blood of the assassins. Several bands were organized and started in pursuit, each taking a different route, with the hope that one of them might be able to apprehend¹¹ the bandits before they could get out of the county. One of these bands, numbering twelve citizens, overtook the robbers on the[Pg 43] edge of Clay county and a running fight ensued, in which one of the citizens was wounded slightly and the horse of another killed. These casualties ended the pursuit and the bandits reached Jackson county in safety, where they disappeared.

1 consummate   

adj.完美的；v.成婚；使完美 [反]baffle

参考例句：

• The restored jade burial suit fully reveals the consummate skill of the labouring people of ancient China.复原后的金缕玉衣充分显示出中国古代劳动人民的精湛工艺。
• The actor's acting is consummate and he is loved by the audience.这位演员技艺精湛，深受观众喜爱。

2 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

3 thoroughly   

adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地

参考例句：

• The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
• The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

4 galloped   

（使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事

参考例句：

• Jo galloped across the field towards him. 乔骑马穿过田野向他奔去。
• The children galloped home as soon as the class was over. 孩子们一下课便飞奔回家了。

5 muzzles   

枪口( muzzle的名词复数 )； （防止动物咬人的）口套； （四足动物的）鼻口部； （狗）等凸出的鼻子和口

参考例句：

• Several muzzles at once aimed at the fleeing birds in the air. 好几支猎枪的枪口，同时瞄准了这些空中猎物。 来自汉英文学 - 散文英译
• All gun-ports were open and the muzzles peeped wickedly from them. 所有的炮眼都开着，炮口不怀好意地从炮眼里向外窥探。

6 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

7 deliberately   

adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地

参考例句：

• The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。
• They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。

8 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

9 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

10 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

11 apprehend   

vt.理解，领悟，逮捕，拘捕，忧虑

参考例句：

• I apprehend no worsening of the situation.我不担心局势会恶化。
• Police have not apprehended her killer.警察还未抓获谋杀她的凶手。