The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-12-08

| the stranger remarked that the country
looked very different from Mexico.
"Are YOU a Mexican, Mr.. Gringo?"
inquired Carver:
years. / have come back to this country
intending to stay, if l can find some
place to suit me-"
Hooking tor a farm, l s'pose."
"Ye-es, possibly"
The one you're on'is in the market
| It's reckoned one of the finest in these
parts. There's four hundred and nine
| acres in it. Thirty acres woodland and
| %iorty-fve pagter; an as to the soil, it's
| q light, rich loom an in good heart.
There's plenty Of runnin' water Tor stock,
too.
II think 1 should like to live on this
place; and I'll 60 over it after dinner, if
you will"
Certain, certain"
Here was a satisfactory buyer in pros
pect. and Phineas vas congratulating
himself, when the boy, who had WAN
dered into the hall, burst into the room
With the tishing-rod Of the dead Abner
in his hand.
See here; father" he cried. "What
a funny rodw
Boy! bcy!' cried Phineas. "G!vc
me THAT. No stranger ever laid Lands on
that afore." And in great excitement
he snatched the rod away.
Gringo apologiZed for and reproved
the boy, and Phineas, Il little ashamed
of his burst of feeling, explained:
1t belonged to my only son. Mr..
Gringo, who went away an died In a
far-away place; an it has been hangin'
there est 80 he left it,"
And then he told the story of his sons
departure and of his death.
When he had finished, Mrs. Carver came
into the loom again, and the stranger,
after g momentary pause, 80 though
for reelection, said: do you know,
now, | think it Just possible that your
son may not have been killed ut all?"
Mrs. Carver lokeG up inquiringly and
anxious!y.
Now, mother" observed Phineas,
"you needn't build on that. The man
who was there at the time an tod US
about it. he said that when they gave
way an left the place, as they had to, to
save their scalps, Abner was lyins
bleedin' on the perrayrie. He said they
were boun' to kill him if he didn't die OF
his wound.''.
NJ poor .Joy!" cried the mother, her
grief taking on the viVidness Of tn past.
Besides, he'd have write afore this
See here. Have you any reason tor
raisin' these notionsp"
"Only this, and that is why I speak
of it. There was an Abner Carver in
Durango, and he had originally come
from this neighborhood."
why, father" said the boy, "that
is"
"Punto en- hoca. Fineo!" said Gringo,
sharply, and the boy shrank back
abashed.
"Abner Carver! From this neighbor-
hood" cried the old couple simultane-
ously.
Yes, and he had been prisoner
among the Comanches at one time. l
knew all his history-at least while he
was in Mexico"
Hope, DOUBT and anxiety were plainly
written on the Aaces of the farmer and
his wife. They looked at the stranger
earnestly. He evidently was in earnest,
and they asked for the adventures OF
this Abner Carver, which the stranger
gave readily enough.
It appeared that Abner had been taken
while wounded, by the Comanches. He
recovered FROM his hurts, and the chief
adopted him, in lieu OF a son who had
been killed lshort time previously. He
became a favorite and rose to be the
second chief OF that band Of the tribe
About two years after his capture he
accompanied it on n raid in full force
into Northern Mexico. They %plundered
the ranch OF q wealthy proprietor and
ran off the horses. Among their cap
tives was a little girl, about fourteen
years of age. She was very pretty, and
Abner made up his mind to preserve her
from the fate that otherwise awaited her.
She understood no word of English,
but he made his intent known to her by
signs, and she was on the alert. When
night fell on their first encampment, he
kept watch, loosened her bonds, led her
quietly out, and, after they had mounted
the Two feetest horses, stampeded the
rest suddenly, sc as to render pursuit
impossible, and the two RODE Oft. The
suddenly awakened Indians made q
futile attempt to regain them, some
attempting to catch the fleeing horses
and others sending arrows or bullets,
according to which weapons they had,
after the lugitives. Nothing struck them,
and they drew lein until they
arrived at a small town fifteen mics
beyond the plundered ranch, and where
they brought the first news Of the
disaster.
1t appeared that the young girl was
not the daughter OF the unfortunate
owner Of the ranch, who with his wife
had been killed during the attack. She
was = niece, on 8 visit, they having no
children of their own. Her fatter was
one of the richest mine owners in Du-
range, and had come with her to Co.
hula, leaving her 1T the ranch with
her uncle and aunt, while he went to
look after some real estate of his in that
quarter. lie was extremely grateiul to
Aoner, ard, when the latter expressed Il
desire to get back to Texas, pressed him
to accompanying him to Durango, offer
ing to assist him to fortune. H. was as
good as his word. Don Luis Navay
Cevada that was his name-gave
Abner a position in the mine Office, from
which he ros to be his private secre-
tary and then manager. The little
Plaua, who grew to be Il handsome girl,
never forgot her danger and her oblig"-
tions to Abner; and he naturally thought
more of her from that night-ride, while
his after acquaintance strengthened his
feelings. Her father had other views;
but he loved his daughter and he liked
Abner, and was won by the tears of one
and the pleading of the other. So
A5ller and P.n:i @ married, to the
chagrin Of numerous lovers; and when
Don Luis died, which he did seven wears
after, Abner and Paula were his heirs.
When Gringo TIA! ,n&cd his story
there was q silence, broken at length by
Mrs. Carver.
is he alive?" she asked.
He was When | left Mexico"
Phineas was not yet conviced. "What
kind of q looking young M is hep" h
inquired.
"When he came to Durango" rcplied
Gringo, he was about an inch shorter
than | I'm now and of more slender build
than l am"
ANY mark on him that you noticed?'
"No. except a scar on the lett cheek"
Its Abner, then. It's Abner" ex.
ciaimed the mother.
II think it's likely" admitted
Phineas, but why did he never write
to his mother, at ~least?"
HE said that he hal, but getting no
answer supposed he was disowned. He
caused inquiries to be made, and found
his parents were alive and we'll"
"Wp Oovpr ant tho tIor nh1sfT