But we pass brie?y over his youth, giving merely a running sketch, his after life being of most import to the reader. Su?ice it to say that young Belt was ever skipping from trouble, first to Kentucky and then back to Illinois. A depredation would be committed in Egypt, whereupon he would ?ee to the Dark and Bloody Grounds to escape punishment by the strong arm of the law. Ere long, however, he would commit some deed in violation of the laws of Kentucky and another skip from justice would follow. In youth he depended altogether upon time to rust the wheels of justice in mature manhood he relied solely in scaring off and killing off important witnesses. Those that could not be frightened into ?eeing the country were killed, and thus the ends of justice defeated.