The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-12-07

harm them; but they were terribly
frightened, nevertheless, and the younger
line two, who was q stout. f%air-lookinr
1e'iow, was the first to speak an %intcllI-
gent word--uhe sergeant had ute. cd one
or two oaths).
'EAcu c us, my good friend, I am
sory-truly sorry-for this mishan, but
assure you it was no fault of ours"
as Sergeant Connovcr then stood his
lace was turned very nearly toward me.
SO that 1 caught nearly every line and
sha Q Of expression upon his features.
he had been terribly shaken and was
exceedingly wrathfnl, but his wrath was
IN n gr, alter part made Of chagr.n ut
beng unhor.cd in so ridiculous a manner
than from Il mere attack of the bullock.
A few seconds he glarcd into the face of
the man who had spoken to him, aid
then, prcfacing his remark with an oath
of condemnation, he exclaimcd:
1 we've got a God yc'd better thank
Him that lem Connover don't owe We
much of II grudgc"
The man muttered something and
passed on to attend to his cattle, while
the Sergeant placed his foot in the stir
rups, and rs he did so he looked toward
me.
Our eyes met, and again I saw HIM
change color and start, rs though he had
done some guilty thing in thus looking
into the face of his superior officer.
EFF we've got a God. yc'd better thank
Him that lem Connover don't owe We
much of n grudge.'
Why did those words ring in nv cars.
and e:ho through my whole bcing7
Twenty times during that day I looked
upon my Sergeant when he did not know
1t, and studied his face, and each effort
seemed to bring the last connection
nearer, without quite giving it into nv
hands. He seemed to know that I 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 l would like to have tho guard dis
posed, and very modestly gave me to un-
derstand that my wishes would be held
as law by them. l took this for what it
was worth, and I knew very we'll what it
meant: There was an old association
chat he woald not have raked up.
That night found ns at the foot of
Brooks Mountain, and at the extreme
verge of civilization in that direction.
Beyond here we were to take the old
government-supply road-a mere Bride
path-with which Connovcr and his two
men were perfectly familiar. and we
would not strike another settlement until
lei Stetson.
1 went 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.
with 70 ordinary routine or
system of circumlocution, bothered with
searching for connecting links or cor
relative circumstances, they went back
e the years with a leap, and drew a
picture Tor me rs vivid aud distinct as
the original event had been just eighteen
years before.
L was at Fort Smelling a Second Lieu
!enant OF Engineers, engaged in survey
government lands, laying out roads,
IND so on, and among those detailed to
assist me was n private of the name of
james Connover. He got drunk while
work, and when I rcprimanded him
ne used language SO offensive and foul
hat could not pass it by. I fact, if
1ad oecn armed at the time I should have
mot him, for his course was such as to
entlreiy place himself beyond the reach
u 1or~beara"ce.' 1 reported him md he
vas logged severely-tlogged so severely
hat l bore him no more grudge. But he
oore grudge toward me. though. Aye
while his back was bleeding aud smart
nc Kissed into my ears: eff ye've got
God, be sure to him. Jcm Connover
wears that he don't give over this
,rudge till n of US dies"
| started out from my sleep and SIT up.
t had been n dream. and yet not all a
|ream. All the while the scene was be-
ng repeated before me. Ihad been con-
that 1 lay there in nv tent under :
he old boulder of the Brock. I had
into Il state where nv mind was
rec to follow its own course, taking the
ingie fact of James Connovcr for a point ,
+ departure, and thence running back
7ard until he was met again. .
l remembered all now. Yes. This
vas the man who, eighteen years before, .
ad cursed and swore and reviled me. ,
threatened all manner of violence: '
nd his only provocation had been that q;
ad threatened to have him punished if :
G ever got drunk again while on duty 6
nth me. To be sure he wss under the :
lt1uence of Ii ,uor at the time: but not !
D far gone but that he knew very we'll l
hat he was doing; because, after reach I
the fort, on our return, he made his !
oast that he had given the s'shonlder- !
OPP $50 he called me) a stoma"hful to L,
arry off, but he didn't believe I would l
are to report him. But did report ,
M, and | gave his speech in full, and !
nc rcsu was that the old Major ordered :.
court-mart:al, out from the sentence of :
Incl the man came with q hundred .
c
And here l was. with my old enemy l.
an escort! From that far gone time :"
, the present I had never 8, en- nor heard :
f the man, and he had long ago passed .