Having secured the Comique, for the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars, he left Omaha, and in company with Sweeney proceeded to St. Louis. The two put up at the Southern Hotel, and Ben began to make preparations for his proposed exhibition.
Although he had not hesitated a moment to return to the city, he still did not under-estimate the danger to which he was exposed. He knew that he had aroused the hatred of a desperate gang of men, who would not hesitate to take his life at the first convenient opportunity. He knew, moreover, that he must rely largely upon his own coolness and courage to carry him through the danger. For these reasons he kept in his room the greater part of his time, and was on the constant lookout for unpleasant surprises.
On the Sunday afternoon following his arrival in the city, he accepted an invitation from two high-toned residents to take a carriage drive. Behind as fast a team of horses as there were in St. Louis, Hogan and his friends set out for their trip, which was destined to be one of exciting adventure.
At Ben's own suggestion, the party drove toward Wash Home, our hero little suspecting that his enemies were lying in wait there to kill him. As they neared the hotel, the gentleman who owned the team exclaimed suddenly,
"I mean," answered his friend, "that there are Tom Allen, Jack Looney, Schmidt, and the rest of the gang. If they see you here, you'll be shot without mercy."
"Oh, well," answered Ben, "I guess they will give me some sort of show for my life. I'm willing to meet them all in a bunch, if I have a pistol."
The driveway leading to the hotel steps was in the shape of a semicircle, thus affording approach from either direction. Allen and the others were waiting on the steps at the point where they expected Ben to dismount. The carriage drove up as though intending to stop, but instead of doing so, the gentleman who was driving whipped up his spirited horses, dashed by the steps, and around the curve to the road again.
Perceiving that they had been foiled, Allen and the others started in hot pursuit. Some were in carriages, some on horseback, and some on foot. Eagan, the stake-holder, succeeded in closing up the gap between him and the carriage in which Ben was seated, and drawing his revolver, cried out: