Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1886-11-06

!
The man muttered something and passed OF
to attend to his cattle, while tie sergeant
placed his foot in his sti-rup ard IS lie did
50 he looked toward me.
Our eyes met, and again saw him change
color and start, as though he had done some
guilty thing in thus looking into the face Of
his superior officer. 1 smiled and nodded
and in pleasant way remarked:
+Alls well that ends well, sergeant"
He looked at me ss though tie proposition
might be disputed, but presently with q
forced smile, he returned:
"Aye, aye-that' S SOP And the reply was
emphatic, as though his decision were mat
ter Of moment
rode on, the picture Of Connover's passage
with the drover occupying my mind. Before
this had fancied that there was something
familiar in the sergeant's face and in his gen.
eral tone and bearing. He might be the man
who swore, four years ago. at Smelling, that
be had been underpaid; or he might be the
man who had been accidentally overpaid ct
Columbus two years before, and who had
come forward OF his own accord end made
restitution.
IF we've got God, yed better thank Him
that Jcm C6nnover don't owe we much Of a
grudge."
Why did those words ring in my ears and
| echo through my whole being3
Twenty times during that day l looked upon
my sergeant when he did not know it, and
studied his face; and each effort seemed to
bring tho last connection nearer, without
quite giving it into my hands. He seemed to
know that | had begun to feel an interest in
bis Gntecedents, and therefore toward the lat
ter part CT the day ha behaved HIM
self more as the officer OF an escort
ought. He asked me how l would Ike
to have tho guard disposed, and very
nodestiy gave lie 10 understand that
my wishes would be held as laws by them.
tool, this for what it was worth, and l knew
very well what it meant: There was an old
association which IL would not have raked
up.
That night found Us lit the foot of Brooks
mountain, and at the extreme verge Of civil
Zation in that direction. Beyond here we
were to take the cd government supply road
% mere blazed path-with which Connover
and two Of his men were perfectly familiar
and we Uculd not strike another settlement
until nea. - Stetson.
1t was ny plan, when travelling thus, TO
make my panrier saddle the substratum OF
my pillow, with q pair of good reTolyers IL
such position that they could be grasped upon
the instant. And may here remark that
though / an naturally 4 sound sleeper, yet
the presence Of money under my care and
loaded pistols 1T my hand will render me SO
sensitive to any disturbing cause that the
movement of n mouse would arouse me. Or |
course tho thought OF being robbed occurred |
to Inc, but not with anything like fear, or
even seriousness, for had not yet dreamed |
that a man of my escort could have enter
tanned such plan, and L had no faith that !
any other power ] was likely to meet could |
lay hold of it. On this night / lay down Is
usual, having spread my tent to the leewcrd |
Of q huge boulder, where l was completely
while the three tents in which NV
escort slept were set up directly before me-
l went to sleep thinking Of Sergt. James
Connover, and it must have been immedi-
1tely after my waking senses left me thatmy
iream senses took up the thread, and they
,oof it up to some purpose. Hampered with
10 ordinary routine, or system, of circumlo.
,ution, bothered with no searching for con-
lecting links or correlative circumstances
hey went back over the years with a leap,
md drew picture for me as vivid and dis
met as tho original event had been Just
,igbtecu years ago.
was at Fort Smelling, second lieutenant
# engineers, engaged in surveying govern
merit lands. laying out roads and SO on, and
suong those detailed to assist me was a pri-
alto Of the maine Of James Connover. He
,ot drunk willie at work, and when I repri-
handed him lie used language so offensive
nd foul that could not pass it by. In fact,
| had been armed at the time should have
Far, t,io b
rely place himself beyond the reach Of for
earance. reported him and lie was flogged
everely-fogged so severely that bore him
o more drudge. But he bore grudge
0ward me, though. Aye-while his back
YES bleeding and s,narting lie Kissed into my
ars, "if you've cot God, be sure to Him,
EN- Connoycr sweaIs that no don't give
yer this grUdge till one of us dies!' 4
[ started cut from my sleep and sat up. 1t
I'D been dream, and yet not all dream. All
he while the scene was being repeated before
&c, had been conscious that / lay there in
~ tent under the old bowlder of the Brock
had SAM, into 4 state where nv mind was
rec to follow its own course, taking the
nglc fact Of James Connover for point of
eparture, and thence running backward I'M
j he was met again.
/
lar, who Ell ,hteen years before. had cursed
nd swcre end rcviled lie, and threatened all
lcnneT Of violence; and his only provoca-
on had been that | had threatened to have
i'm punished if he ever got drunk again
lille on duty with ne. To be sure, he was
ndeT the influence of liquor at the time; but
81 so far gore but that he know very well
hat he was doing; because, after reaching
re fort, on or return, he had made his boast
at he had given tho "Shoulder-popn $50 he
alled mel q stomach full to carry Off, and he
idn't believe [ would dare to report him.
ut did report him, and gave his speech in
Ill, and The result was that the old major :
rdcrei 4 court martial, out from the SEN ,
2nce Of which the man came with 100 lashes.
And there was another result: James Con- ,
over never was guilty Of a like olfense
3aln. but, on the contrary, lie saw very ,
laialy that tho service would very quickly ,
o to rack and ruin if such conduct Us he had ,
cen guilty OF could be permitted, or even ,
Sbtiy treated; and thenoeforward he be- ;
:ine better man, ard soon reaped the
anciit thereof. But he could Tot forgive me.
vice he swore 10 me that he would carry
lat gIudEe against me while we both lived,
nj he ted me that il was Il deadly grudre. ,
Il never 1OI -Ct IL. i-S S3li, ltle last TIME. 7
shall carry them marks on my back to my !
rave. and - You! hope you may die be- ,
,re | dor Those were his words. spoken
lille was stepping on board steamer at
I. Louis; and | knew that they plainly
leant that he would help me 10 die if he ever ,
OF tie chance
And here l was, with my obi enemy for IN
sccrt, From that far-gone time to the pres
h. I
nj he had long ego passed entirely from MY