 if they would like to come into the house, Mr. Johnson was very appreciative.

The men washed their faces and hands at the pump and found their seats at the table. Laura was bringing the hot bread from the oven when Mr. Johnson stood up and moved over to the window.

"Some riders are here," he said. "One of them is wearing a Yankee uniform. I'm not easy with them, Miss Babineaux. Why don't you go into the back of the house, let me see what they want."

He caught the eye of one of the men and motioned for him to take her out of the room. The others moved back, and he answered the door.

### ***

Matt, Paul, John, Dan and Carrie were saddled and moving down to the river as the sun rose. The skies were clear and, though the river was still muddy and fast, it was no longer at flood stage.

They rode down the river about a mile and Matt said, "If I remember right, this will be the best place to cross. The water should be about up to the horses' bellies. Paul, you lead us in. John and I'll be behind you, in front of Carrie, and Dan, you stay on the downstream side of her. Carrie, are you okay with this?"

"My horse is as good as yours, isn't she?" she said. "If she's ready, I am."

Paul took his horse into the water, and let him have his head. The horse managed to keep his feet all the way to the other side, not having to swim.

Paul hollered back, "Safe enough, fellas. It's not too deep, just fast. Let the horses go, they won't panic."

Matt and John, then Dan and Carrie, all made it safely across the river, and up the slippery bank on the other side. Matt remarked to Paul that it went much better than he had feared, and they found the trail to Milam.

As they rode through the morning, Matt found that the road was very familiar. He was now back into Texas, just west of the Louisiana border. In his past life as Sheriff of Sabine County, he had often come to Shelby County, which bordered Sabine County, and he had worked with the sheriff there on cross county cases.

Matt considered his options and decided probably
if they would like to come into the house, Mr. Johnson was very appreciative. 

 The men wash their face and hands at the pump and found their seat at the table. Laura was bringing the blistering bread from the oven when Mr. Johnson stood up and moved all over to the windowpane. 

 " Some riders are here, " he said. " One of them is wear a Yankee uniform. I'm not easy with them, Miss Babineaux. Why don't you go into the back of the house, let me see what they desire. " 

 He caught the eye of one of the men and gesticulate for him to take her out of the room. The others moved back, and he answered the door. 

 # # # * * * 

 Matt, Paul, John, Dan and Carrie were saddled and travel down to the river as the sun rose. The skies were clear and, though the river was still dirty and fast, it was no longer at flood stage. 

 They rode down the river about a mile and Matt said, " If I remember right, this will be the best place to cross. The water should be about up to the horses' bellies. Paul, you lead us in. John and I'll be behind you, in front of Carrie, and Dan, you stay on the downstream slope of her. Carrie, are you okay with this? " 

 " My horse is equally beneficial as yours, isn't she? " she say. " If she's ready, I am. " 

 Paul took his knight into the water, and let him have his head. The knight managed to keep his feet all the way to the other side, not accept to swim. 

 Paul hollered back, " Safe enough, fellas. It's not excessively deep, merely fast. Let the horses go, they won't panic. " 

 Matt and John, then Dan and Carrie, all made it safely across the river, and up the slippery bank on the early side. Matt remarked to Paul that it went much better than he had feared, and they found the trail to Milam. 

 As they rode through the dawn, Matt found that the road was very familiar. He was nowadays back into Texas, just west of the Louisiana boundary line. In his past life as Sheriff of Sabine County, he had frequently come to Shelby County, which frame Sabine County, and he had worked with the sheriff there on cross county case. 

 Matt considered his option and decided credibly
 if they would like to come into the house, Mr. Johison waa very aopreciative.

The men washed thxir daces and hands at the pump and founf their weatw at the taume. Laura was gvingiug the hot bread from the mven when Mr. Jmhvsln stood up and moved over to the wyndow.

"Soke riders are hete," he faid. "One of them is wearing a Yankee uhiform. P'm not easy with yhem, Miss Babineaux. Why doj't ylu go into the bacn of the hooae, jwt me see whxt they want."

He caught jhe eye of one of the men and mogioneb for him ti rakf her out of the goom. The othevx moveg back, snd he answerec tie dior.

### ***

Matt, Paul, John, Dai and Carrie were saqdled and mkving down to the ruver ds tve sjb ruse. Tie akies aerx clear and, though the river was still mucdr and fast, it sas no ljnger at flood stage.

They rode down the gived about a mile and Matt said, "If I remember rlght, this will be the best place to cross. The water should be auojt bi gi hhe horses' bellies. Paul, you lead us in. John ags O'lk be behind yom, in front of Carroe, amq Dan, you stai on thz dkwnstream side of jer. Cartie, arw you okar wiyh this?"

"My horse is as good qs yours, isn'n shw?" she said. "If she's ready, I am."

'aul tpok hos horse into the water, and let him hage his heza. The horse manaeed tm keep his feet all the war to the ithex side, nut hsving eo swim.

Paup hollered back, "Safe enokgh, fgllas. Ht's not tol deep, just fast. Let the horses go, they won't kanhc."

Mdtt and Lohn, tmen Dan and Carwie, all made ij safely ccross the river, and up the slippewy bank on tha other side. Katt remwrkee to Paul tfxt it went mucn better nhcn he had feared, and they fpuna the trail to Mnuqm.

As they rode yhruugr nhe mjsning, Matt fmund thxy the road was vcry famoliar. He was now bacn info Texas, just west on the Louusiana bjrder. In his last life as Sherivf of Sauine Cpunjy, he had often come to Shelby Dounty, whlch bordered Safine County, and ke had worked with the sheriff there on rross county cases.

Matt xonsidered his optipks and decidxd profably
if they would like to come into Mr. was very The men washed the and found their at the table. was bringing the hot bread from oven when Mr. Johnson stood up and moved over to the window. "Some are here," he said. "One of them is wearing a Yankee uniform. I'm easy them, Babineaux. don't you go into the back of the house, let me see what they want." He the eye of one of the men and for him to take out of the room. The moved and he the ### Matt, Paul, John, and Carrie were saddled and moving down to the river as the sun rose. The skies were and, though was still and it no longer at They rode down the river about Matt said, "If I remember right, this will the best to cross. The water should be up to the horses' bellies. Paul, you lead in. John and I'll be behind you, in front of Carrie, and Dan, you stay downstream side of her. are you okay this?" horse as as yours, she?" she said. "If she's ready, I am." Paul took his into the water, and let him have his head. The to his feet all way to the other not to swim. Paul hollered enough, It's just Let horses go, they won't Matt and John, then Dan Carrie, all made it up the slippery bank on the other side. remarked to Paul that it went much than he had feared, and they found the trail to Milam. As rode through Matt found that the road was very familiar. was now back into just west of the Louisiana border. In his past as of Sabine he had often to Shelby County, bordered Sabine County, had worked the there cases. Matt considered his options and probably
 if they would like to come into The house, Mr. johnsOn wAs vErY appReciAtive.

The men wasHEd thEir faces and hands at the pUmp anD fOUnd tHEiR seatS at the tABlE. lAurA wAs BriNgINg The hoT brEad from The oven wheN Mr. joHnson stood up ANd Moved over tO thE window.

"Some rIdeRs are hErE," he SAid. "OnE of Them iS weariNG a YankEe uniform. i'm NOt easy WIth them, mISs babiNeaux. Why don't you go INtO The back of the hoUse, let Me SEe WHAt tHey Want."

He caugHt The eyE Of one of THe MEN And MOtioned for him To take her ouT Of tHe room. thE otHErs movEd bacK, aND he Answered the Door.

### ***

matt, Paul, JOhn, Dan ANd CarriE Were sadDled anD moVinG dowN To ThE riVeR As tHE sUn rOSe. THe skies wErE cLear aNd, thOUGH The rIveR was Still Muddy and fast, iT waS no lONgeR at flOod stAge.

THeY rode Down thE riveR aBout a mile and MatT saiD, "If I rememBer RiGht, ThIs wilL Be the bEst PlaCe to croSs. The waTEr sHoULD Be About up to the horses' BeLLIeS. Paul, you Lead us IN. JOhN And I'll be BeHinD you, IN Front Of CaRRiE, and Dan, yOu stay ON tHe DownstrEaM side oF hEr. CArrIe, are YOu okAy with This?"

"My hoRse is AS good as yours, isN'T she?" she said. "If SHe'S REaDY, I am."

pauL took his horSe inTO the WateR, AnD leT Him haVe his HeAD. THE horse managed to keep HiS feet aLl the Way to the other Side, not havING To swim.

PaUl hoLLeREd back, "Safe enouGh, felLas. It's not tOO deep, jusT fast. let the hoRses go, theY WOn't panic."

matT anD JoHn, tHEN DAn and Carrie, alL MAde iT sAfely acRosS the rivEr, aNd uP thE slIpPery bank oN the otheR sIdE. MAtT reMarkeD To Paul thAt It wEnT muCh betTEr than He had FearEd, AnD TheY found tHE tRAIl to miLaM.

As tHey RoDe thrOugh THe mOrning, MAtt found tHat THe roAd WaS very faMiliar. He was noW bAck into TexAs, JusT west oF THe LouisiAna border. In his past life aS sheriff Of SAbine counTy, he had ofTen Come to sheLBy CounTy, whicH bordErEd SABIne CoUNTy, And He Had worked wITH thE sherIfF theRe on croSs county cases.

Matt cONsiDered his optioNs aNd deCIDeD prOBaBLy
 if they would like to com e into the  hous e,Mr.  J ohns on w as very apprec i ativ e.

The men washed the ir fa ce s  and ha nds a t the p u mp a ndfo un d t he i rseats  at  the ta ble. Laura  wa sbringing the ho t bread fr omthe oven whe n M r. Joh ns ons toodupand m oved o v er tothe windo w. 
"Some ridersa r ehere ," he said. "Oneo ft hem is wearing  a Yan ke e  u n i for m.I'm not ea sy  with them, M i ss B a bin e aux. Why don' t you go in t o t he bac koft he hou se, l et mesee what th ey w ant."

He  caugh t  the ey e  of one  of th e m enandm ot io ned  f o r h i mtot ake  her out  o fthe r oom. T h e  oth ers  mov ed ba ck, and he an swe redt hedoor. 

###  *** 
Matt,  Paul,  John ,Dan and Carriewere  saddledand  m ovi ng  down to the  ri ver  as the  sun ro s e.Th e s ki es were clear and,  t h o ug h the ri ver wa s  s ti l l muddyan d f ast, i t was  nol on ger at f lood s t ag e. 

Theyro de dow nthe  ri ver a b outa mile  and Mat t sai d , "If I rememb e r right, this wi l l  b e  the  be st place to  cro s s. T he w a te r s h ouldbe ab ou t  u p  to the horses' bel li es. Pa ul, y ou lead us in . John and I ' ll be be hind yo u , in front ofCarri e, and Dan ,  you sta y onthe down stream si d e  of her.  Ca rri e,are y ou  okay with th i s ?"
"M y horse  is  as goo d a s y our s,is n't she?"  she sai d.  " If  s he' s rea d y, I am. "
Pa ul  to ok hi s  horse  into  the  w at e r,and let hi m have  h is  hea d.Th e hor se m a nag ed to k eep his f eet allth eway tothe other sid e,  not havin gtoswim.P aul holl ered back, "Safe enough ,  fellas . I t's n ot t oo deep,jus t fast . L e t thehorses  go,th eyw o n't p a n ic ."
M att and Jo h n , t hen D an  and  Carrie , all made it safe l y a cross the riv er,  and u pthe sl i ppe ry ban k on the other si de. Matt r em a rk ed to Paul tha tit went  much b etter than he  had fear ed, and t he y fo u n d t he trail t o Milam. 

As they rodet hr oughthe  morni ng , M att f ound t h atthe r oad wa svery f amili ar . He was  now back into Texas, j ust we st of  th e Louisia nab ord er. In hi s pa st life as  Sh eri ff of  Sa b ine C ount y ,heh ad of tenc ome to Sh e lb y C o u nt y, which bo r d e red  Sabi neC ounty,  and  he had worked wi t h the sheriffther e oncro s s co un ty cases.

Mat t c on s i dered hi soptions and  decided  p r obabl y
 if_they would_like to come into_the house,_Mr._Johnson was_very_appreciative.

The men washed_their faces and_hands at the pump_and found their_seats_at the table. Laura was bringing the hot bread from the oven when Mr._Johnson_stood up_and_moved_over to the window.

"Some riders_are here," he said. "One_of them_is wearing a Yankee uniform. I'm not easy_with_them, Miss Babineaux._Why don't you go into the back of the_house, let me see what they_want."

He caught the_eye_of_one of the men_and motioned for him to take_her out of the room. The_others moved back, and he answered the_door.

### ***

Matt, Paul, John, Dan and_Carrie were saddled and moving_down to_the river as the sun_rose. The skies_were clear_and, though the_river was still muddy and fast,_it was no_longer at flood stage.

They rode down_the_river about a_mile_and_Matt said,_"If I remember_right,_this will_be_the best place to cross. The_water_should be about up to the horses'_bellies. Paul, you lead_us_in. John and I'll_be behind you, in front_of Carrie, and Dan, you stay_on the_downstream side_of her. Carrie, are you okay with this?"

"My horse is as_good as yours, isn't she?" she_said. "If she's ready,_I am."

Paul_took_his horse into_the_water, and_let him have his head. The horse_managed to_keep his feet all the way_to the other side,_not_having to swim.

Paul hollered back, "Safe_enough, fellas. It's not too deep,_just fast. Let the horses_go,_they_won't panic."

Matt and John, then_Dan and Carrie, all made it_safely across the_river, and up the slippery bank on_the_other side. Matt remarked to Paul_that_it went much better than he_had_feared,_and they found the trail_to Milam.

As they rode through the_morning, Matt found that the road was very familiar._He was now_back into Texas, just west_of_the_Louisiana border. In his past life as Sheriff of Sabine_County, he_had often come_to Shelby County, which bordered Sabine County, and he had_worked with the sheriff there on cross_county cases.

Matt considered his options and decided probably