our
or five men well armed, they mounted and started in pursuit of
vengeance. It was agreed that Leeper should attack 'Big Harpe,'
leaving 'Little Harpe' to be disposed of by Stagall. The others
were to hold themselves in readiness to assist Leeper and Stagall,
as circumstances might require.

"This party found the women belonging to the Harpes, attending to
their little camp by the roadside; the men having gone aside into
the woods to shoot an unfortunate traveler, of the name of Smith,
who had fallen into their hands, and whom the women had begged
might not be dispatched before their eyes. It was this halt that
enabled the pursuers to overtake them. The women immediately gave
the alarm, and the miscreants mounting their horses, which were
large, fleet and powerful, fled in separate directions. Leeper
singled out the 'Big Harpe,' and being better mounted than his
companions, soon left them far behind. 'Little Harpe' succeeded in
escaping from Stagall, and he, with the rest of his companions,
turned and followed on the track of Leeper and the 'Big Harpe.'
After a chase of about nine miles, Leeper came within gun-shot of
the latter and fired. The ball entering his thigh, passed through
it and penetrated his horse and both fell. Harpe's gun escaped from
his hand and rolled some eight or ten feet down the bank. Reloading
his rifle, Leeper ran to where the wounded outlaw lay weltering in
his blood, and found him with one thigh broken, and the other
crushed beneath his horse. Leeper rolled the horse away, and set
Harpe in an easier position. The robber begged that he might not be
killed. Leeper told him that he had nothing to fear from him, but
that Stagall was coming up, and could not probably be restrained.
Harpe appeared very much frightened at hearing this, and implored
Leeper to protect him. In a few moments, Stagall appeared, and
without uttering a word, raised his rifle and shot Harpe through
the head. They then severed the head from the body, and stuck it
upon a pole where the road crosses the creek, from which the place
was then named and is yet called Harpe's Head. Thus perished one of
the boldest and most noted freebooters that has ever appeared in
America. Save courage, he was without one redeeming quality, and
his death freed the count