The Jackal's Mistress

The Colt revolvers and the carbine rifle symbolize Libby’s willingness to go to great lengths to protect her household, developing the theme of Civilian Resilience Under Military Authority. After Joseph kills the Mosby’s ranger in the opening scene, Libby shows her resilience by burying the corpse and holster; she demonstrates her practicality by keeping and hiding the gun on her person. Though she initially intends to get ammunition, she keeps the gun a secret after traveling to Leveritt Covington’s. Once there, she realizes she cannot ask about Colt ammunition without revealing the suspicious fact that she has one, and she now doubts whether Covington can be trusted. When she collects more Colts and the carbine from the men she murders on the way to Harper’s Ferry, she chooses to keep the growing arsenal a secret from Sally and Jubilee. The guns represent Libby’s strong feelings of obligation to keep her household as safe as possible, even if she must hide them and cover the truth.

Libby also keeps the guns a secret from Weybridge until Morgan’s search of the property. Initially, she does not tell him about the weapons because it seems insensible to trust the “jackal” with the information.