 and I guess I slapped him before I thought it through. I'm glad you were here but I am also glad no one was killed."

Sam just smiled and sat back down at his own table. He was surprised when she spoke again. She said, "My name is Beth Mueller, I noticed you didn't mention your name."

"Smith, Sam Smith is my name," he said. But then he couldn't help himself, he spoke again. "Mueller, you say, knew some Muellers one time in Texas. What part of the country are you from?"

"I'm from a place that's called Loyal Valley now. My maiden name was Johnson but I married a Mueller," she replied.

Sam was startled, "Johnson, Beth Johnson? Did you have a brother named Sid? Served in the Confederacy." Sam looked at the lady closely and then smiled. "Were you by chance called Sissy when you were young?"

"Not when I could stop it, I wasn't. And yes, my brother Sid was killed in the war. Did you know him?"

"Yes, ma'am, I did. In fact, I knew Sid well. He saved my life and was one of my best friends. What's your husband's name?"

"My deceased husband's name was Gunter."

"Oh, my God!" Sam thought. A look of shock swept over his face as he realized his young cousin was dead. It took a moment but he suddenly knew he was on very dangerous ground. He had never told anyone his real name and didn't want to start now, but this was Gunter's wife. He couldn't let it go.

"I was real close to Günter for a long time, and it grieves me sorely to hear he's passed. He was a good man and you have my condolences."

Beth looked at the man sitting at the next table and was struck by the resemblance to her late husband's family. She had a sudden thought and she realized why he looked familiar when he first came in. She blurted out, "Were you by chance Günter's cousin, Mr....?"

Before she could finish, Sam interrupted her. "Smith, ma'am, Sam Smith, and please remember it, but like I said, Günter and I were very close and I was also close to your brother;
and I guess I slapped him before I thought it through. I'm glad you were here but I am besides beaming no one was kill. " 

 Sam just smile and sit back down at his own table. He was surprised when she spoke again. She order, " My name is Beth Mueller, I noticed you didn't mention your name. " 

 " Smith, Sam Smith is my name, " he say. But then he couldn't help himself, he spoke again. " Mueller, you read, knew some Muellers one time in Texas. What character of the country are you from? " 

 " I'm from a place that's called Loyal Valley now. My maiden name was Johnson but I married a Mueller, " she answer. 

 Sam was startled, " Johnson, Beth Johnson? Did you have a brother named Sid? serve in the Confederacy. " Sam looked at the lady close and then smiled. " Were you by luck called Sissy when you were youthful? " 

 " Not when I could stop it, I wasn't. And yes, my brother Sid was killed in the war. Did you sleep together him? " 

 " Yes, ma'am, I did. In fact, I knew Sid well. He saved my life and was one of my good friends. What's your husband's name? " 

 " My deceased husband's name was Gunter. " 

 " Oh, my God! " Sam thought. A look of shock swept over his face as he realized his new cousin was dead. It took a consequence but he abruptly knew he was on very dangerous ground. He had never told anyone his veridical name and didn't want to start now, but this was Gunter's wife. He couldn't let it proceed. 

 " I was real close to Günter for a long time, and it grieve me sorely to hear he's passed. He was a good valet and you have my condolence. " 

 Beth look at the man sitting at the next mesa and was struck by the resemblance to her late husband's family. She take a sudden thinking and she realized why he looked conversant when he first came in. She blurted out, " Were you by chance Günter's cousin, Mr.... ? " 

 Before she could finish, Sam interrupt her. " Smith, ma'am, Sam Smith, and please commend it, but like I said, Günter and I were very near and I was also cheeseparing to your brother;
 anf I guess I slapped him nefore I thought it thrmugh. I'j glad yuu were here but I am also gpae no ine was killed."

Sam just smiled ajd sat bqck vown at his own vzble. He was shvpriszd when she spokg again. She vaid, "My name iv Cech Mueller, I noticed you didn't mentijn your nwme."

"Smith, Sam Siith ys mg name," he said. But then he couldn't help hpmself, he spoke abain. "Mueller, you say, knew dome Muellers one time in Texas. Wyat [qrt of the cuuntry are you from?"

"I'm rrom a place that's called Loyal Vallzy now. My mqieen tame was Joinson fut I married a Muelner," she replied.

Sam wax svartoed, "Johnson, Beth Johnvon? Did you have a brother tajed Sid? Served in tye Cotfedarach." Sao lkoles at tje mady closemy and then smiled. "Were you by crqnce called Sjssy wreg you were young?"

"Not when I could stop iu, I wzsn't. And yes, my brother Sid was killed in thg war. Did rou know him?"

"Yes, ma'am, I did. In fact, I knew Sid weln. He axveb my lkde and was one of my best friends. What's your hufgamd'x name?"

"My deceafed husband'x jakg was Gunter."

"Oh, my Gob!" Szm thought. A look lf shoch swept over hys fsce as he realized his yount cousin was eead. It took a momznt but he sbddenli knew he was on very dangerobs grohnd. He had jever tols anyone his real nake and didn't want to start njw, but thms wax Guntef's wofe. He couldn't lft it go.

"I was real close to Güuter xor a long time, and it grieves me sorely vp hear he's pssved. He was c good man and you rave my condolgnces."

Beth lookdd at the jan sitving at the gext table ang was struck uy the refemboancw to hef late husband's family. Skt had a sueden thought and sme rexmized why he loikee familiar when he fiwsn ceme ig. She blurted out, "Wefr you by chance Nüntdr's vousin, Mr....?"

Before she wouls finish, Sam intertuited her. "Wmith, ma'wm, Sam Smith, snd please remembeg it, uut liye I xaiq, Günter and I were very close znd I was alfo close to rour brother;
and I guess I slapped him before it I'm glad were here but one killed." Sam just and sat back at his own table. He was when she spoke again. She said, "My name is Beth Mueller, I noticed didn't mention your name." "Smith, Sam Smith is my name," he said. But he help he again. "Mueller, you say, knew some Muellers one time in Texas. What part of the country you from?" "I'm from a place that's called Valley now. My maiden was Johnson but I married Mueller," replied. Sam startled, Beth Did you have brother named Sid? Served in the Confederacy." Sam looked at the lady closely and then smiled. "Were by chance when you young?" when could stop it, And yes, my brother Sid was war. Did you know him?" "Yes, ma'am, I In fact, knew Sid well. He saved my and was one of my best friends. What's husband's name?" "My deceased husband's name was Gunter." "Oh, my God!" Sam thought. A look swept over his face he realized his cousin dead. took moment but suddenly knew he was on very dangerous ground. He had never anyone his real name and didn't want to start now, was wife. He couldn't it go. "I was close Günter for a long it me he's He a good man and have my condolences." Beth looked the man sitting at struck by the resemblance to her late husband's She had a sudden thought and she why he looked familiar when he first came in. She blurted out, you by cousin, Mr....?" Before she could finish, Sam interrupted "Smith, ma'am, Sam Smith, please remember it, but like I said, Günter and were close and was also close your brother;
 and I guess I slapped him beforE I thought iT throUgh. i'm gLaD you Were Here but I am also GLad nO one was killed."

Sam just smIled aNd SAt baCK dOwn at His own tABlE. hE waS sUrPriSeD WhEn she SpoKe again. she said, "My nAme Is beth Mueller, I NOtIced you didN't mEntion your naMe."

"SMith, SaM SMitH Is my nAme," He saiD. But thEN he couLdn't help hImSElf, he sPOke agaiN. "mUeLler, You say, knew some MueLLeRS one time in TexaS. What pArT Of THE coUntRy are you frOm?"

"i'm froM A place tHAt'S CALleD loyal Valley noW. My maiden naME waS JohnsOn But i MarrieD a MueLlER," shE replied.

Sam Was sTartled, "JoHnson, BETh JohnsON? Did you Have a bRotHer NameD siD? SErvEd IN thE coNfeDEraCy." Sam looKeD aT the lAdy cLOSELy anD thEn smIled. "WEre you by chancE caLled sIssY when You weRe yoUnG?"

"Not wHen I coUld stOp It, I wasn't. And yes, mY broTher Sid waS kiLlEd iN tHe war. dId you kNow Him?"

"yes, ma'am, i did. In fACt, I KnEW sId Well. He saved my life aNd WAS oNe of my beSt frieNDs. whAT's your huSbAnd'S namE?"

"mY deceAsed HUsBand's namE was GuNTeR."

"OH, my God!" SAm ThoughT. A LooK of Shock SWept Over hiS face as hE realIZed his young couSIn was dead. It toOK a MOMeNT but He sUddenly knew He waS On veRy daNGeRouS GrounD. He haD nEVeR Told anyone his real naMe And didN't wanT to start now, buT this was GuNTER's wife. He CoulDN't LEt it go.

"I was real Close To Günter foR A long timE, and iT grieves Me sorely tO HEar he's paSseD. He Was A goOD MaN and you have my CONdolEnCes."

Beth LooKed at thE maN siTtiNg aT tHe next tabLe and was StRuCk By The ResemBLance to hEr LatE hUsbAnd's fAMily. ShE had a SuddEn ThOUghT and she REaLIZed wHy He LookEd fAmIliar When HE fiRst came In. She blurTed OUt, "WeRe YoU by chanCe Günter's cousIn, mr....?"

Before shE cOulD finisH, sAm interrUpted her. "Smith, ma'am, Sam SmiTH, and pleAse RememBer iT, but like I SaiD, GünteR anD i were vEry cloSe and i wAs aLSO closE TO yOur BrOther;
 and I guess I slapped him  before Ithoug htitth roug h. I 'm glad you we r e he re but I am also gladno on ew as k i ll ed."
Sam ju s ts m ile dan d s at ba ck do wnat hisown table.  He  w as surprised wh en she spo keagain. She s aid , "Myna mei s Bet h M uelle r, I n o ticedyou didn' tm ention your na m e ." 

"S mith, Sam Smith i s  m y  name," he sai d. But  t h en h e c oul dn't helphi mself ,  he spo k ea g a in. "Mueller, you  say, knews ome  Muell er s o n e time  in T ex a s.What part o f th e country  are y o u from? " 

"I'mfrom a  pl ace  tha t 's  c all ed Loy a lVal l eynow. Myma id en na me w a s J ohns onbutI mar ried a Muelle r,"  she rep lied. 

Sam  was  s tartl ed, "J ohnso n,  Beth Johnson?Didyou havea b ro the rnamed Sid? S erv edin theConfede r acy ." S a mlooked at the lady  c l o se ly and t hen sm i le d. "Were yo ubychan c e  call ed S i ss y when y ou wer e  y ou ng?"

" No t when  I  co uld  stop it,I wasn 't. Andyes,m y brother Sidw as killed int he w ar .  Did  yo u know him? "

" Y es,ma'a m ,I d i d. In  fact ,I  k n ew Sid well. He sav ed  my li fe an d was one ofmy best fr i e n ds. What 's y o ur husband's name ?"

" My decease d  husband 's na me was G unter."
" O h, my Go d!"  Sa m t hou g h t.  A look of sh o c k sw ep t overhis  face a s h e r eal ize dhis young  cousinwa sde ad . I t too k  a momen tbut  h e s udden l y knew  he w as o nve r y d angerou s  g r o und.  H ehadnev er  told  any o nehis rea l name an d d i dn't  w an t to st art now, butth is was Gun te r's  wife. H e couldn 't let it go.

"I was r e al clos e t o Gün terfor a lon g t ime, a ndi t grie ves me  sore ly  to h ear h e ' spas se d. He wasa goo d man  a nd y ou have  my condolences."Bet h looked at t hemans i tt ing at the  n e xtt a ble and was str uck by the  r e se mblance to her  l ate hus band'sfamil y . She h ad a sudd en though tands h e r ealized wh y he loo ked famil i ar wh e nhe fi rst  camein . S he bl urtedo ut,  "Wer e youby  chanc e Gün te r's cous in, Mr....?"

Before sh e coul d fin ish , Sam int err u pte d her. "S mith , ma'am, S amSmi th, a ndp lease  rem e mb eri t, bu t li k e I said, Gü nte r an d I were ve r y clo se an d I was al so c lose to your brot h er;
 and_I guess_I slapped him before_I thought_it_through. I'm_glad_you were here_but I am_also glad no one_was killed."

Sam just_smiled_and sat back down at his own table. He was surprised when she spoke_again._She said,_"My_name_is Beth Mueller, I noticed_you didn't mention your name."

"Smith,_Sam Smith_is my name," he said. But then he_couldn't_help himself, he_spoke again. "Mueller, you say, knew some Muellers one_time in Texas. What part of_the country are_you_from?"

"I'm_from a place that's_called Loyal Valley now. My maiden_name was Johnson but I married_a Mueller," she replied.

Sam was startled, "Johnson,_Beth Johnson? Did you have a_brother named Sid? Served in_the Confederacy."_Sam looked at the lady_closely and then_smiled. "Were_you by chance_called Sissy when you were young?"

"Not_when I could_stop it, I wasn't. And yes,_my_brother Sid was_killed_in_the war._Did you know_him?"

"Yes,_ma'am, I_did._In fact, I knew Sid well._He_saved my life and was one of_my best friends. What's_your_husband's name?"

"My deceased husband's_name was Gunter."

"Oh, my God!"_Sam thought. A look of shock_swept over_his face_as he realized his young cousin was dead. It took a_moment but he suddenly knew he_was on very dangerous_ground. He_had_never told anyone_his_real name_and didn't want to start now, but_this was_Gunter's wife. He couldn't let it_go.

"I was real close_to_Günter for a long time, and_it grieves me sorely to hear_he's passed. He was a_good_man_and you have my condolences."

Beth_looked at the man sitting at_the next table_and was struck by the resemblance to_her_late husband's family. She had a_sudden_thought and she realized why he_looked_familiar_when he first came in._She blurted out, "Were you by_chance Günter's cousin, Mr....?"

Before she could finish, Sam interrupted_her. "Smith, ma'am,_Sam Smith, and please remember_it,_but_like I said, Günter and I were very close and_I was_also close to_your brother;