 just to sit tight for awhile and go ahead and work this farm for your food."

Henry smiled for the first time. He said, "Well, Mr. Dixon, we kind of figured that out for ourselves but I appreciate you telling me. And I hope you win in the morning cause we already knew they was bad men. We just didn't know if anyone else knowed it."

Matt said, "Good luck, Henry, keep your family and friends safe and I hope things get better for you."

"Thank you, Mr. Dixon. The Good Lord promised better times ahead for all of us." And with that he disappeared back around the corner of the house.

### Chapter Sixteen

Matt and Paul made their way back to the others. Matt said, "Looks like our men are here. Let me ask you something, Dan. If we manage to take these men alive, what are you supposed to do with them?"

Dan said, "My orders are to take them to the first Union troops I can find. There they will be given a hearing, not a trial. It will be a short hearing under martial law and they will be hanged, based on Carrie's eye witness testimony."

Matt said, "That's about what I figured and it's what they deserve. Listen up folks, and let me tell you what I've got worked out. Paul, in the morning at first light, you will be at the back of the house. John, you will be out in front but behind something that will protect you and cover me with that repeater. Dan, if you would, and I know that I can't give you orders, but I would appreciate it if you could stay further back with Carrie and protect her. I will go to the front door again, and ask to see Laura except this time I won't take no for an answer. Paul, if you hear a shot you go in the back and try to cover me."

Paul laughed and said, "Hey, Captain, I don't know how to tell you this but John and I are not in the army any more. You don't really give orders. That's a good plan except for a couple of things. One is you have been there once already and if they are from around here, they will recognize you as the ex-sheriff and that could tip them off a little. And there's one other thing. I don't want to hurt your feelings
just to sit tight for awhile and go ahead and make this farm for your food. " 

 Henry smile for the first time. He said, " Well, Mr. Dixon, we kind of figure that out for ourselves but I appreciate you telling me. And I hope you acquire in the morning cause we already knew they was regretful man. We just didn't sleep together if anyone else knowed it. " 

 Matt said, " dependable fortune, Henry, keep your family and acquaintance safe and I hope things catch better for you. " 

 " Thank you, Mr. Dixon. The Good Lord promised good times ahead for all of us. " And with that he disappeared back around the corner of the house. 

 # # # Chapter Sixteen 

 Matt and Paul construct their way back to the others. Matt said, " Looks like our men are here. Let me necessitate you something, Dan. If we manage to take these men alive, what are you supposed to do with them? " 

 Dan say, " My orders are to take them to the first Union troops I can find. There they will be given a hearing, not a trial. It will be a short hearing under soldierly law and they will be hanged, free-base on Carrie's eye witness testimony. " 

 Matt said, " That's about what I figured and it's what they deserve. heed up folks, and lease me tell you what I've got worked out. Paul, in the dawn at first light, you will be at the back of the house. John, you will be out in front but behind something that will protect you and overlay me with that repeater. Dan, if you would, and I know that I can't give you orders, but I would prize it if you could stay far back with Carrie and protect her. I will function to the front door again, and ask to see Laura except this meter I won't take no for an answer. Paul, if you hear a scene you go in the back and try to cover me. " 

 Paul laugh and said, " Hey, Captain, I don't know how to tell you this but John and I are not in the army any more. You don't really move over orders. That's a full plan except for a couple of thing. One is you have been there once already and if they are from around here, they will accredit you as the ex - sheriff and that could tip them off a short. And there's one early thing. I don't want to hurt your impression
 judt to sit tight for awhiue and go ahead and wock this farm fof your food."

Henry smiled for vhe dirst time. He said, "Well, Mr. Aixon, we nind of diguced that out for ourselvcf buf I a'pceciate you telking me. Ang I hope you whn iu the morning cause we already knew ehey wax had men. We jusj didm'e knkw if anyone else knowed it."

Matt sajd, "Good luck, Henry, krep your family and friendd save and I hope thinhs get bettgd fje you."

"Thank yuu, Mr. Dixon. The Good Lkrd promised better times ahead for cll of us." Abd wihv that he dmsappewred back around the corner of the house.

### Ghaptxr Suxteen

Matt and Paul mede their way back tj the othara. Matt said, "Looks luke oor met ard hefe. Mev ms ask jou something, Dan. If we nanage to take thest mqb alive, what zre yot fupposed to do with them?"

Dan said, "My ordtrs ade to take them to the dirst Union troops I fan find. Ehere they will be given a hearing, not a trial. It will ce c shorg hfaring under martial law and they will be handsd, bssed on Carrie'f eye witnexs trftimony."

Matt sxid, "Thcf's about what I figuged and it's qhat they desrrve. Listen up folks, and ler me tell yol whqt I've got worked lut. Paul, in the mornong at first light, you cill bs at the bafk of the fouse. John, you wkll ba out in front but behind fomething thac will pfotevt you and cover me wldh that repeater. Dwn, if ymu would, ajd I know that I can't give you orders, but I wpund dppreciace it lf you could stwy further bacl with Earrie and protebt her. I xill go to tre front door wgain, and asn to see Lauea ezcept tfks time I won't take no yjr ab answer. Paul, if ypu fsar a shot you yu in the back anc tfy eo cpvqs me."

Paul lauched ana said, "Hey, Cakcaik, I don'y know how to tell ymu tgis but John and I ave not in the armr any more. Yoi don't really give ordecs. Thav's a gpod plan except for a couple of tgings. One is you have beqn tmere once alrecdy and if they are from around here, theb will recognize you as the ex-sheriff and jhau could tip tiem ofs a littla. And there's one othwr thing. I don't wsnt to hurt your feeljngs
just to sit tight for awhile and and this farm your food." Henry He "Well, Mr. Dixon, kind of figured out for ourselves but I appreciate telling me. And I hope you win in the morning cause we already they was bad men. We just didn't know if anyone else knowed it." said, luck, keep family and friends safe and I hope things get better for you." "Thank you, Mr. Dixon. Good Lord promised better times ahead for all us." And with that disappeared back around the corner the ### Chapter Matt Paul their way back the others. Matt said, "Looks like our men are here. Let me ask you something, Dan. If manage to men alive, are supposed do with them?" "My orders are to take them Union troops I can find. There they will given a not a trial. It will be short hearing under martial law and they will hanged, based on Carrie's eye witness testimony." Matt said, "That's about what I figured and they deserve. Listen up and let me you I've worked Paul, in morning at first light, you will be at the back of house. John, you will be out in front but behind will you and cover with that repeater. Dan, you and I know that give orders, appreciate if could stay further back Carrie and protect her. I go to the front see Laura except this time I won't take for an answer. Paul, if you hear shot you go in the back and try to cover me." Paul and said, I don't know how to tell you this John and I are in the army any more. You don't really give That's good plan for a couple things. One is have been there and if are around recognize you as the ex-sheriff and could them off a little. And one I don't want to hurt your feelings
 just to sit tight for awhile anD go ahead anD work ThiS faRm For yOur fOod."

Henry smiled FOr thE first time. He said, "Well, Mr. dixon, We KInd oF FiGured That out FOr OURseLvEs But i aPPrEciatE yoU tellinG me. And I hopE yoU wIn in the morniNG cAuse we alreAdy Knew they was bAd mEn. We juSt DidN'T know If aNyone Else knOWed it."

MAtt said, "GoOd LUck, HenRY, keep yoUR FaMily And friends safe and i HoPE things get bettEr for yOu."

"tHaNK You, mr. DIxon. The GooD LOrd prOMised beTTeR TIMes AHead for all of uS." And with thaT He dIsappeArEd bACk arouNd the CoRNer Of the house.

### CHaptEr Sixteen

matt anD paul madE Their waY back tO thE otHers. mAtT sAid, "loOKs lIKe Our MEn aRe here. LeT mE aSk you SomeTHING, Dan. if wE manAge to Take these men aLivE, whaT Are You suPposeD to dO wIth thEm?"

Dan sAid, "My OrDers are to take thEm to The first UNioN tRooPs i can fINd. TherE thEy wIll be giVen a heaRIng, NoT A TRiAl. It will be a short heArING uNder martIal law ANd ThEY will be hAnGed, BaseD ON CarrIe's eYE wItness teStimonY."

maTt Said, "ThaT's About wHaT I fIguRed anD It's wHat theY deserve. listeN Up folks, and let mE Tell you what I'vE GoT WOrKEd ouT. PaUl, in the mornIng aT FirsT ligHT, yOu wILl be aT the bAcK Of THe house. John, you will bE oUt in frOnt buT behind somethIng that wilL PROtect you And cOVeR Me with that repeAter. DAn, if you wouLD, and I knoW that i can't givE you orderS, BUt I would AppRecIatE it IF YoU could stay furTHEr baCk With CarRie And protEct Her. i wiLl gO tO the front Door agaiN, aNd AsK tO seE LaurA Except thIs TimE I Won'T take NO for an AnsweR. PauL, iF yOU heAr a shot YOu GO In thE bAcK and Try To Cover Me."

PaUL laUghed anD said, "Hey, CAptAIn, I dOn'T kNow how tO tell you this bUt john and I arE nOt iN the arMY Any more. YOu don't really give orders. THAt's a gooD plAn excEpt fOr a couple Of tHings. ONe iS You havE been tHere oNcE alREAdy anD IF tHey ArE from arounD HEre, They wIlL recOgnize yOu as the ex-sheriff anD ThaT could tip them Off A litTLE. ANd tHErE'S onE oTHer THIng. I don't want to hUrt your feeLiNGs
 just to sit tight for awh ile and go  ahea d a ndwo rk t hisfarm for yourf ood. "

Henry smiled for th e fir st time .  H e sai d, "Wel l ,M r . D ix on , w ek in d offig ured th at out for  ou rs elves but Ia pp reciate yo u t elling me. A ndI hope  y ouw in in  th e mor ning c a use we  alreadykn e w they was bad m en . We  just didn't know if anyone else kn owed i t. " 
M a ttsai d, "Good l uc k, He n ry, kee p  y o u r  fa m ily and frien ds safe and I h ope th in gsg et bet ter f or you ."

"Thankyou,  Mr. Dixo n. The Good Lo r d promi sed be tte r t imes ah ea d f or all of  us . " A nd withth at  he d isap p e a r ed b ack  aro und t he corner ofthe  hou s e.
###Chapt er S ix teen
Mattand P au l made their wa y ba ck to the  ot he rs.  M att s a id, "L ook s l ike our  men ar e  he re . L et  me ask you someth in g ,  D an. If w e mana g eto take the se  me n al i v e, wh at a r eyou supp osed t o  d owith th em ?"

Da nsai d,"My o r ders  are t o take t hem t o  the first Uni o n troops I ca n  f i n d. Ther e t hey will be  giv e n ahear i ng , n o t a t rial.  I t  w i ll be a short heari ng  under  mart ial law and t hey will b e h anged, b ased on Carrie's eye w itnes s testimon y ."

Matt  said , "That' s about w h a t I figu red  an d i t's w ha t they deserv e .  Lis te n up fo lks , and l etmetel l y ou  what I'v e got wo rk ed  o ut . P aul,i n the mo rn ing  a t f irstl ight,you w illbe  a t  th e backo ft h e ho us e.  Joh n,yo u wil l be out  in fro nt but be hin d  som et hi ng that  will protect  y ou and cov er  me  witht h at repea ter. Dan, if you would, and I k now  that  I c an't give  yo u orde rs, but Iwouldappre ci ate i t ify o ucou ld  stay furt h e r b ack w it h Ca rrie an d protect her. I w i llgo to the fro ntdoor a ga in, an d  as kt o s e e  Laura except t his time I  w o n' t take nof oran  answer . Paul,  if y o u heara shot yo u go in t he  bac k and  try to co ver me." 

Paul la u gheda nd  said , " Hey, C ap tai n, Idon'tk now  howto tel lyou th is bu tJohn and  I are not in the armyany mo re. Y oudon't rea lly giv e orders.  Tha t's a good  pl anexcep t f o r a c oupl e  o f t h ings.  One is you ha v ebee n th ere once al r e a dyand i f t h ey are  fro m around here, th e y will recogni ze y o u  as  th e  ex- sh eriff and that  co ul d tip them  o ff a little . And th er e 's on e othe r thin g. I do n ' tw ant to  hur t y our feeli ngs 
 just_to sit_tight for awhile and_go ahead_and_work this_farm_for your food."

Henry_smiled for the_first time. He said,_"Well, Mr. Dixon,_we_kind of figured that out for ourselves but I appreciate you telling me. And_I_hope you_win_in_the morning cause we already_knew they was bad men._We just_didn't know if anyone else knowed it."

Matt said,_"Good_luck, Henry, keep_your family and friends safe and I hope things_get better for you."

"Thank you, Mr._Dixon. The Good_Lord_promised_better times ahead for_all of us." And with that_he disappeared back around the corner_of the house.

### Chapter Sixteen

Matt and Paul_made their way back to the_others. Matt said, "Looks like_our men_are here. Let me ask_you something, Dan._If we_manage to take_these men alive, what are you_supposed to do_with them?"

Dan said, "My orders are_to_take them to_the_first_Union troops_I can find._There_they will_be_given a hearing, not a trial._It_will be a short hearing under martial_law and they will_be_hanged, based on Carrie's_eye witness testimony."

Matt said, "That's_about what I figured and it's_what they_deserve. Listen_up folks, and let me tell you what I've got worked_out. Paul, in the morning at_first light, you will_be at_the_back of the_house._John, you_will be out in front but behind_something that_will protect you and cover me_with that repeater. Dan,_if_you would, and I know that_I can't give you orders, but_I would appreciate it if_you_could_stay further back with Carrie_and protect her. I will go_to the front_door again, and ask to see Laura_except_this time I won't take no_for_an answer. Paul, if you hear_a_shot_you go in the back_and try to cover me."

Paul laughed_and said, "Hey, Captain, I don't know how to_tell you this_but John and I are_not_in_the army any more. You don't really give orders. That's_a good_plan except for_a couple of things. One is you have been there_once already and if they are from_around here, they will recognize you as the ex-sheriff and that_could tip them off a little. And there's_one other thing. I don't want to_hurt your feelings