The Press., 1893-09-07
ABE AND AUSTIN.

We were cattlemen-cOwboys they would call us east-living in ranch on the Pecos in Texas. Abe was lying on a buffalo robe over against the wall, where he died. He had been grunting around for several days complaining of his old wound. He was taking drink when went out in the afternoon to salt some deer; when l came back, he was dead. Austin and strengthened him out and threw saddle blanket over him. We closed his eyes, but left his head out. It seemed more natural like.
 Austin was sitting facing the corpse. had my back that way, We were play ing freezeout poker for yearling heifers. All of sudden there was 8 noise over by the corpse that made us both start. It sounded like two knocks on the floor. We dropped our cards and went over. Everything was all right. l said it must have been prairie dog or gopher-we had no cats nor rats around there. Aus tin was horribly scared. He swallowed larger drink of whisky than usual. We went back to our game, and presently we heard the rap again-this time loud CT. We up again and went over. All was quiet as quit mining camp. Aus tin was shaking all over, and he says, "D- if take any stock in spirits out side of the jug!' Then he took another drink and banged out of the ranch When he came in, he says, "We1l have mortimer tomorrow"
 We didn't play any more. We sat there talking about whether we better start Jose (our cook) out on the range to round up the boys for the planting. Pres ently Austin says, Did Abe ever say anything to you about being married?' "No. he didn't" says l. If he's mar ried, some one ought to get word to his woman" Then we kept still a spell. Then Austin says: Was Abe mafried?' T know nothing about him." says l. After little says to Austin, Was Abe married?' 'Iknow nothing about him, ; he says, and then he went off of his box onto the floor as if broncho had kicked him. jumped up to help him, and as did so saw Abe (the corpse) sitting up on that buffalo skin looking powerful mad His lip was curled up like he was trying to hiss something, and his arm was stretched out, and one long bony fin ger was pointing at Austin. who lay knocked out on the floor.
 don't want any encores to that act. was so scared couldn't smoke. bent over and shook Austin, but he seemed like dead. As went over for the jug to get something to help him, saw Abe was lying just as we had fixed him, and the blanket looked as if it had not been disturbed. took about five fingers my self, then poured some into Austin. The first thing he did when he came to was to look at his shooter. Then he walked over to the corpse and 'peared to be ex- amining the blanket. Then he says: "That's the second of those d-strokes I've had. I guess the next will fetch me-" didn't tell him what I'd seen, and didn't ask him what he'd seen. It didn't always pay to ask questions. Austin drank right along-a drink between drinks-and an hour later he fell over on the floor. threw robe over him.
 didn't feel any too good sitting there alone after what I'd seen, and 1 took more than 1 should have myself. l don t remember much about going to bed. The first thing knew was Austin shak- ing me and saying, Bill, where the devils Abe got top got up and looked around. There was the buffalo skin, but no Abe, and his Winchester was missing. We called in Jose. He'd. seen nothing out of the way. We both felt far from comfortable and decided to ride up to the next ranch and tell the boys there. When we caught up our ponies. there was Abe's sorrel as big as life. We didn't come back to the ranch for a week. Then we were so played out and sick nothing could have scared us, but both of us kept wondering where Abe had gone.
 Two years afterward Austin and rode into Cheyenne from the Crazy Woman's fork, where we were then living. We went into Talbot's saloon. The barroom was separated from the theater part by plain board partition. We sat down at table in the barroom and called for liquor. There was long haired, heavily whiskered man who looked like bullwhacker stretched out on bench. He looked as if he were sleeping. We'd taken several drinks, and got to thinking of old times and somehow of Abe. Do you ever think of Abe now?' says. Indeed do, often," says Austin. "I'll never rest till know what became of him." Just as he said this the bullwhacke1 rose up and says: 'Mr. Williams, o1 Austin, if you prefer it, you may rest from this date am Abep' Austin reached for his gun, but Abe caught his arm and said, quietlike: Hold on a minute. If you want any shooting later, | I'll give you show" Then he turned to me and said: Wears ago, back in the states, Williams here and l loved the same girl. Her parents did not approve of either of us. She made me think she loved me, and she led Austin to believe he was the favorite She finally con. sented to secret marriage with me, and we slipped away, saying nothing.
 | Somehow the report got back to her l home that 1 had taken her off under promise of marriage and had then de serted her. Austin never recognized me Up to the day of my supposed death. but knew him the first time he showed ul at our ranch on the Pesos. After yor went out that afternoon felt very sicl and really thought l was dying, so
 turned to Austin and said, Williams I'm John Walker. Quick as a cat h' was on me. Icouldn't get my gun, ant he had me by the throat, so l couldn' speak. He choked me, as he supposed to death. The next thing remembe was hearing you two talking about m as if were dead really felt not ia from it.
 "When Austin, in answer to your ques tion, said he knew nothing about me, i made me mad, and rose up to tell hin he lied. The sight of me knocked hin senseless. I knew then I was supposet to be corpse, When you both. hal turned in drunk, crawled to the jul and took enough to strengthen me. Thel slipped out, mounted the first COW pon. Y a T T. ~A E1%