The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-11-03

exceedingly wrathfnl, but his wrath was
in gr, ater part made of chagrin at
being unhorsed in so ridiculous manner
than from mere attack of the bullock.
A few seconds he glared into the face of
the man who had spoken to him, and
then, prefacing his remark with an oath
of condemnation, he exclaimed:
''If ye've got God yc'd better thank
Him that lem Connover don't owe yc
much OF a grudgc"
The man muttcrel something and
passed on to attend to his cattle, while
the Sc 'geant pl,ced his foot in the stir
rups, and as he did so he looked toward
me.
Our eyes nat, and again 1 saw him
change color and start, as though he had
done s;mc guilty thing in thus looking
into the face of his superior officer.
IF yc've got God. ye'd better thank
Hin that lem Connover don't owe ye
much of a Srudge.'
Why did those words ring in my ears,
and echo through my whole beingl
Twenty times during that day looked
upon my Sergeant when he did not know
it, and stndicd his face, ard each effort
seemed to bring the last connection
nearer, without quite giving it into my
hands. lie seemed to knew that had
begun to feel an interest in his ante
ceients, and toward the latter part of
the day behaved himself more as the
officer of my escort ought. He asked me
how would like to have the guard dis
posed, and very modcstly gave me to un
derstand that my wishes would be held
as law by them. | took this for what it
was worth, aud knew very wei! what it
meant: There was an old association
that he would not have raked up.
That night found us at the foot of
Brooks Mountain, and at the extreme
verge OF civilization in that direction.
Beyond here we were to take the old
govcrnment-supply road-a mere bridle-
p1th-with which Connover and his two
men were perfectly familiar. and we
would not strike another settlement until
near Stetson.
Invent to sleep in my tent thinking of
Sergt. James Connover, and it must have
been Immediately after my waking senses
that my dream senses took up the thread.
and they took it up to some purpose.
Elampercd with 70 ordinary routine or
system of circumlocution, bothered with
no searching for connecting links or cor
relative circumstances, they went back
over the years with leap, and drew q
picture for me as vivid and distinct as
the original event had been just eighteen
years before.
I was at Fort Smelling Second Lieu
tenant of Engineers, engaged in survey
ing government lands, laying cut roads,
and so on. and among those detailed to
assist me was private of the name of
James Cornover. He got drunk while
at work, and when I rcprimandcd him
he used language so offensive and foul
that ! could not pass il by. / fact, if l
had been armed at the time I should have
shot him, for his course was such as to
entirely place himself beyond the reach
of forbcararce. reported him and he
was tlogged scverely-togged so severely
that I bore him no more grudge. But he
bore grudGe toward me. though. Aye
while his back was bleeding and smart
ing he Kissed into my ears: "If ye've got
a God, be sure to him. Jem Connover
swcars that he don't give over this
grudge till one of US dies"
started out from my sleep and s?tup.
1t had been a dream. and yet not all a
dream. All the while the scene was be-
ing repeated before me. Ihad been con-
scious that lay there in my tent under
the old boulder of the Brock. I had
sunk into state where my mind was !
free to follow its own course, taking the |
single fact of James Connover for point
of departure, and thence running back
ward until he was met again.
I remembered all now. Yes. This
was the man who, eighteen years before,
had cursed and swore and reviled me,
and threatened all manner of violence;
and his on,y provocatioa had been that I !
had threatened to have him punished if !
he ever got drunk again while on duty |
with me. To be sure he wss under the |
influence of Ii ,uor at the time; but not |
so far gone but that he knew very we'll
what he was doing; because, after reach
ing the fort, on our return, he made his !
boast that he had given the ';shoHldcr- !
pop" $50 he called mc) stoma"hful to
carry off, but he didn't believe would !
dare to report him. But did report !
h m, and gave his speech in full, and
the result was that the old Ma jor ordered
4 court martial out from the sentence of
which the man came with hundred
lashcS.
And here 1 was. with my old enemy
for an escort! From that far gone time
to the present had never S EN- nor heard !
of the man, and he had long ago passed |
entirely from my mind. Connover is a
common name in the army; or, at least,
l hal happened to hit quite number of
enlisted men of that name; so had not
connected the stout, rk.browed,
stocky Sergeant with the fair-faced,
1.-the and youthful soldier who had
crossed my path at Smelling.
A hasty review of the whole thing
brought ne to rather an unpleasant un- !
derstaudiug of the present situation.
That Connover still bore a grudge was
very evident; and it wa; equally evil !
dent that he meant to settle the account
between us on this t ip. l could not
think there in the tent. 1t was too mar
row space. had arisen, and was upon |!
the point OF passing out, with my pistol !;
in nv hand, when 1 heard stealthy |
footstep at the entrance. Without noise
I sprang into front corn'r, and there
crouchcd down upon my saddle.
had scarcely gained the position
when the flap was thrown aside and a
man looked in. All! just beyond the
ia of the interloper was an opening at