Under the best of medical care the Younger boys rapidly recovered from
their wounds, and in less than two weeks, Cole and Jim were up and about,
looking as well as ever, except that Cole had suffered a partial paralysis
of the right eye, which had a wild, rolling look, and which was forced
forward to an unpleasant prominence, caused by the buckshot that still
remained in his head, and which he refused to allow the Doctors to remove,
as he said they did not incommode him.
Jim’s wounds on the outside of his face healed finely, and he proved to be
a mild, pleasant and inoffensive fellow, appearing entirely incapable of
such bloody work as that in which he had taken part, and strengthening the
belief in the story that he had been prevailed upon contrary to his
inclination. All of his back teeth had been carried away by the shot, and
the roof of his mouth shattered, causing him much inconvenience in talking
and eating, but his appetite was good, and he managed to do full justice
to the liberal rations his hospitable host provided.
Bob enjoyed perfect general health, but the wound through the elbow of his
right arm promised to incapacitate him, as it was rigidly stiff. The
surgeons decided on a severe operation, and Bob carelessly submitted while
the joint was broken and re-set. Then a hinge-like holder was placed
around the wounded limb, and by slightly moving the joint each day, the
arm was saved, and he is now able to make himself useful at light work in
the State prison.
The bandits occupied the jail with a number of other prisoners, and were
kept inside a series of strong iron bars that divided the cells from the
corridor. Manacles were kept upon their legs, and the eye of a guard was
never off them. They occupied their time in reading and writing, and Cole
devoted himself almost constantly to reading the Bible, taking occasional
instruction from the revised statutes of the State, relating the
punishment of murderers. All were humble and patient, except that the
independent Bob, when the subject of hanging was under discussion, would
boldly claim that “they could not hang him for what he never did.”