Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-06-11
The Argus Daily Short Story
John Aborn's Disappearance-By Gertrude B. Walker.
Copyrighted by Assoc1a Literary

, the trail of the redskins as well as
that of their captive.
The party before their return debat-
ed what report to make to Mrs. Aborn
as to the probable fate Of her husband
and agreed that it would be best to
tell her that her husband had doubt
less been killed by the Indians. not
mentioning that he had been first tor
tured.
AS the Aborn family had Increased
the father. who at times had been
troubled with insomnia. had slept in
q room by himself Mrs. Aborn. who
did not relinquish all hope that he
would return. kept this room always
ready for him. But she kept 1t locked
and never mentioned it or to whom 1t
had belonged. After her husbands
capture by the Indians she sold her
household negroes. feeling that she
could not afford to keep them, buying
a strong woman who would serve all
domestic purposes. To this woman
the bedroom that was never opened
was a mystery. She once mentioned
the room to her mistress, asking why
It was kept locked, but received no
ed a great deal about the room. telling
the field hands that she "'spected
MISSY Aborn had a ha'ut locked up in
dat room" The settlers. or. rather,
their wives. who knew Of the closing
of this room pitied the poor woman.
whose husband had been doubtless tor
tured and burned at the stake by the
savages and would never return. They
assumed that she hoped her husband
would come back to her and she wish
ed him to find his room ready for his
occupation.
Two years passed, during which
Mrs. Aborn worked her farm as well
as she could. and her neighbors on
their return from their hunting expe-
ditions always supplied her with meat
for the coming winter and spring. But
it was a forlorn country In which to
bring up children, and she was often
tempted to remove to Indiana or Ohio,
where she would have facilities for
giving them an education. Finally she
resolved one autumn that If no tidings
came from her husband during the
winter she would sell her plantation
and her negroes. keeping her horses,
and, mounting her children and her
self on them, would so to some point
on the river bank opposite Ohio. cross
the river and make a home in one Of
the villages of that state.
The winter passed without the re-
turn of her husband or any news OF
him. Friendly Indians came and went
to and from the settlement, and the
widow never failed to inquire If any
of them had knowledge of white
man she described to them. But none
of them could give her any news OF
him. In the spring she began her
preparations for removal.
One night when she had put her
children to bed she concluded to ride
over to the house OF a neiGhbor to
whom she hoped TO sell her plantation.
1t was a stormy night, but she was
anxious to get an offer for the proper
ty and was not deferred by the wealth
err During the evening a band or
friendly Indians came into the settle
ment and were soon wandering about
in search of what they could steal.
One Of them appeared at the kitchen,
where Martha. Mrs. Aborn's maid OF
all work, was at work. and, turning,
she saw him standing in the doorway.
She was wiping a plate, which she
straightway dropped on the floor, and
it broke In pieces. The savage in gut
turai tone peculiar to the Indian said:
ME want bed. Me good Indian Me
no hurt anybody"
Martha got up enough courage to tell
the redskin that every room but one
was occupied by the children and that
was locked. The Indian Mortified her
by walking into the kitchen, taking up
a tallow dip and proceeding to exam
inc the louise. Seeing the children
sound asleep In their beds. he held the
candle over each one Of them in turn,
giving grunt of satisfaction at the
sight of their rosy faces. Martha fol-
lowed him at distance. her complex
ion wearing the sickly light yellow of
a frightened negro. She saw him go
into her mistress bedroom. and when
he came out he had key in his hand.
Going to the empty chamber. he I'M
locked the door and said to the wo-
man:
ME sleep here. You no tell"
He accompanied his words with a
savage look that tied her tongue COM
pletely. She wished to tell of the In
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