Muttering that he would rather die in an open fight than be choked to death, he struck it a blow with his pistol butt, sending it clattering to the stairs.
Realizing that the racket would attract attention, he snapped:
"Be ready to shoot our way out," and crawled from the ham chamber.
As quickly as possible Cole followed. When all three were on the stairs, Jesse raised his six-shooters and dashed down them.
Only a couple of women, who had been unable to force their way into the parlour, were in the kitchen and as they beheld the three wild-eyed, pistol-waving men leap into the room, they screamed and promptly fainted.
Two windows were behind them.
"You-all take the left hand one," commanded the world-famous desperado.
The commotion inside had been heard by the detectives on guard out of doors and they rushed toward the kitchen.
In the parlour, men and women were struggling to get into the hallway, effectually blocking off Higgins and his fellows.