 and I just hope my folks are okay."

Matt said, "I don't know if I told you guys but I was the sheriff of Sabine County, but now I understand that since I was a Confederate officer, not only can I not hold office but I can't even vote for two years. I am going to check on a couple of old friends and then I may head on out to Arizona. If I'm gonna start over I might as well do it in a new territory."

Paul said, "Look, there's a farm over there. Why don't we check to see if they've seen anybody."

The small dogtrot cabin and well built barn seemed to appear normal and nothing seemed out of place. The log cabin was built with two separate rooms connected by a covered overhang, called a dogtrot. The field was being prepared for planting, much as Mr. Laffere's place had looked.

As they moved closer, they stopped their horses when they saw two forms on the ground to the side of the house. Matt said, "Looks like we may be too late. Our friends have already been here."

Paul said, "Well, we have to check it out. You get the house and I'll get the barn."

They drew their guns and rode slowly forward, on alert for movement or sound.

Matt dismounted, moved to the single window at the front of the cabin, and looked inside. He could see no one in the first room, so he stood in the shadow of the dogtrot and waited a minute. He moved to the doorway to the second room and listened, still hearing no sound. He cocked his pistol and with the other hand, swung the door open. His eyes adjusted to the poor light in the room as he stepped inside. Immediately, he saw the form on the bed, and knew that he'd found another body. He could see it was a woman, and her clothes had been ripped from her body. It appeared she had been beaten brutally around the face and he saw blood on the bed. He suspected that she had also been savagely raped. He thought she was dead and moved to cover the body. As he picked up the quilt, he saw a faint pulse in her throat. He realized that she was still alive, barely.

He hollered for Paul, "I've found a girl in here. She's still alive."

Paul came into
and I just hope my folks are okay. " 

 Matt said, " I don't acknowledge if I tell you guys but I was the sheriff of Sabine County, but now I understand that since I was a Confederate officeholder, not only can I not hold agency but I can't even vote for two years. I am going to see on a couple of old friends and then I may steer on out to Arizona. If I'm gon na start over I might as well act it in a newfangled territory. " 

 Paul said, " Look, there's a farm over there. Why don't we check to attend if they've seen anybody. " 

 The small dogtrot cabin and well built barn seem to appear normal and nothing seemed out of place. The log cabin was construct with two separate rooms connected by a covered overhang, called a dogtrot. The discipline was being prepared for planting, much as Mr. Laffere's place had looked. 

 As they moved nearer, they end their horses when they saw two forms on the ground to the side of the house. Matt said, " Looks like we may be too belated. Our friends have already been here. " 

 Paul said, " Well, we receive to match it out. You get the house and I'll get the barn. " 

 They pull back their guns and rode slowly ahead, on alert for movement or sound. 

 Matt dismounted, moved to the single window at the front of the cabin, and looked inside. He could see no one in the inaugural room, so he stand in the trace of the dogtrot and waited a minute. He moved to the doorway to the second room and heed, still hearing no sound. He tittup his pistol and with the other hand, swung the door receptive. His eyes adjust to the poor luminosity in the room as he stepped inwardly. Immediately, he saw the phase on the bed, and sleep together that he'd found another body. He could see it was a woman, and her clothes had been rip from her body. It appeared she had been beaten brutally around the face and he saw blood on the bed. He suspected that she had besides been savagely raped. He think she was dead and moved to cover the body. As he picked up the quilt, he saw a faint pulsation in her throat. He realized that she was still alive, barely. 

 He hollered for Paul, " I've found a girl in here. She's still alert. " 

 Paul come into
 anf I just hope my folks ave okay."

Matt said, "I don't know jf I tola you guys but I was the sheciff of Sqbine County, but now I understajd that winct I was a Confedeczte offleer, nkb onlv ran I not hold pffice but I can't even vmtd yor two years. I am going to check on a coupke of old friendf anc theh I may head on out to Arizona. If J'm gonne start over I kight as well do it in a nfw tfrritory."

Paul said, "Pook, there's a fwem over therd. Why don't we check to see if they've seen anybody."

The rmall dogtrot cqbun wtd well buiot bagn seemed to appear nmrmal amd nothing seeked our of place. The log cauin was built with tro separade rooms connected vy a coeereg ovdehavg, daklsd a dlgtcot. The fiemd was beint prepared for planuind, much as Mr. Lzffere'f [lace had looked.

As they moved closer, thty stkpped their horses when they saw two forms oj the grotnd to the side of the house. Matt said, "Looks like we mey be tju lwte. Our friends have already been here."

Paul says, "Eekl, we have to gheck it out. You grt tng house and I'lu get cge barn."

They drew thelr guns and eode slowjy fprward, on alert for movemenr or sound.

Mant dusmounted, moved to the single wincow ay the front of the cabiu, and mooked insife. He couma see no one in ghe fhrst room, so he stood in tre shadow of che dogtfot snd wayted a minkte. Hc moved to the dooraay tl dhe second room and listened, still hearinj no sound. He cmckvd his piftol snd with the jther hand, swuug the djor ooen. His eyvs adjustxd to the pojr light in tvg room as he vtepped ynsiee. Inmediatduy, he saw the gorm on tkt bed, and jnew that he'd founv anufher body. He cobue see it was a eomxn, wnf ier cjmthes had bean rkppdc froo her body. Lt xppesred she had been bedten brutally around tne face ane he saw blood on the bed. He suspected uhat sie had also begn savagely raped. He thought shs was deaf akd moved to cjver the body. As he picked up the quilt, he saw a faint 'ulse in her throat. He eealized that she wcs still alivx, barejy.

He hollared for Paul, "I've foynd a girl in hert. She's still alive."

Paul dame itto
and I just hope my folks are said, don't know I told you sheriff Sabine County, but I understand that I was a Confederate officer, not can I not hold office but I can't even vote for two years. am going to check on a couple of old friends and then I head out Arizona. I'm gonna start over I might as well do it in a new territory." Paul said, there's a farm over there. Why don't we to see if they've anybody." The small dogtrot cabin well barn seemed appear and seemed out of The log cabin was built with two separate rooms connected by a covered overhang, called a dogtrot. field was for planting, as Laffere's had looked. As closer, they stopped their horses when forms on the ground to the side of house. Matt "Looks like we may be too Our friends have already been here." Paul said, we have to check it out. You get the house and I'll get the barn." their guns and rode forward, on alert movement sound. dismounted, to the window at the front of the cabin, and looked inside. He see no one in the first room, so he stood shadow the dogtrot and a minute. He moved the to the second room still no his and the other hand, swung door open. His eyes adjusted the poor light in inside. Immediately, he saw the form on the and knew that he'd found another body. could see it was a woman, and her clothes had been ripped her body. she had been beaten brutally around the face he saw blood on bed. He suspected that she had also been savagely He she was and moved to the body. As picked up the saw a pulse her that she was still alive, barely. hollered Paul, "I've found a girl here. alive." Paul came into
 and I just hope my folks are okaY."

Matt said, "I Don't kNow If I ToLd yoU guyS but I was the sheRIff oF Sabine County, but now I unDerstAnD That SInCe I waS a ConfeDErATE ofFiCeR, noT oNLy Can I nOt hOld offiCe but I can't EveN vOte for two yeaRS. I Am going to cHecK on a couple of Old FriendS aNd tHEn I maY heAd on oUt to ArIZona. If i'm gonna stArT Over I mIGht as weLL Do It in A new territory."

Paul SAiD, "look, there's a farM over tHeRE. WHY Don'T we Check to see If They'vE Seen anyBOdY."

tHE smALl dogtrot cabiN and well buiLT baRn seemEd To aPPear noRmal aNd NOthIng seemed ouT of pLace. The loG cabin WAs built WIth two sEparatE roOms ConnECtEd By a CoVEreD OvErhANg, cAlled a doGtRoT. The fIeld WAS BEing PrePareD for pLanting, much as mr. LAffeRE's pLace hAd looKed.

AS tHey moVed cloSer, thEy Stopped their horSes wHen they saW twO fOrmS oN the gROund to The SidE of the hOuse. MatT SaiD, "LOOKS lIke we may be too late. OUr FRIeNds have aLready BEeN hERe."

Paul saId, "welL, we hAVE to chEck iT OuT. You get tHe housE AnD I'Ll get thE bArn."

TheY dRew TheIr gunS And rOde sloWly forwaRd, on aLErt for movement OR sound.

Matt disMOuNTEd, MOved To tHe single winDow aT The fRont OF tHe cABin, anD lookEd INsIDe. He could see no one in ThE first Room, sO he stood in the Shadow of thE DOGtrot and WaitED a MInute. He moved to The doOrway to the SEcond rooM and lIstened, sTill heariNG No sound. HE coCkeD hiS piSTOl And with the othER Hand, SwUng the dOor Open. His EyeS adJusTed To The poor liGht in the RoOm As He StePped iNSide. ImmeDiAteLy, He sAw the FOrm on tHe bed, And kNeW tHAt hE'd found ANoTHEr boDy. he CoulD seE iT was a WomaN, And Her clotHes had beeN riPPed fRoM hEr body. IT appeared she hAd Been beaten BrUtaLly aroUND the face And he saw blood on the bed. He SUspecteD thAt she Had aLso been saVagEly rapEd. HE ThoughT she waS dead AnD moVED to coVER tHe bOdY. As he pickeD UP thE quilT, hE saw A faint pUlse in her throat. He rEAliZed that she was StiLl alIVE, bAreLY.

HE HolLeREd fOR paul, "I've found a giRl in here. ShE's STiLl alive."

PauL CamE iNto
 and I just hope my folksare okay." 

Mat t s aid ,"I d on't  know if I tol d  you  guys but I was the sh eriff  o f  Sab i ne  Coun ty, but no w I u nd er sta nd th at si nce  I wasa Confeder ate  o fficer, noto nl y can I no t h old office b utI can' teve n  vote  fo r two  years .  I amgoing toch e ck ona  couple o foldfriends and thenI  m a y head on outto Ari zo n a. I f I 'mgonna star toverI  mighta sw e l l d o  it in a newterritory." 
Pa ul sai d,  "L o ok, th ere's  a far m over ther e. W hy don'twe che c k to se e  if the y've s een  an ybod y ." 
The  s m all do gtr o t c abin and  w el l bui lt b a r n seem edto a ppear  normal and n oth ings eem ed ou t ofplac e.  Thelog ca bin w as  built with two  sep arate roo msco nne ct ed by a cove red  ov erhang,  called a d og t r o t.  The field was bei ng p re pared fo r plan t in g, much asMr . L affe r e 's pl aceh ad  looked. 

As t h ey  m oved cl os er, th ey  st opp ed th e ir h orseswhen the y saw two forms on t h e ground to t h es i de of t hehouse. Matt  sai d , "L ooks li kew e may  be t oo la t e. Our friends have  a lready  been  here."

Paul  said, "We l l ,  we have  toc he c k it out. Youget t he house a n d I'll g et th e barn." 

They dr e w  their g uns  an d r ode s lo wly forward,o n  ale rt  for mo vem ent orsou nd. 

M att  d ismounted , movedto  t he  s ing le wi n dow at t he  fr on t o f the cabin,  andlook ed  i n sid e. He c o ul d seeno  o ne i n t he  firs t ro o m,so he s tood in t hes hado wof  the do gtrot and wai te d a minute .Hemovedt o  the doo rway to the second room and lis ten ed, s till  hearingnosound.  He cocked  his p istol  a ndw i th th e ot her  h and, swung t hedoorop en.His eye s adjusted to thep oor  light in the  ro om a s he  st e pp e d i ns i de. I mmediately, hesaw the fo rm on  the bed,a ndkn ew that  he'd f ounda notherbody. Hecould see  i t wa s a w oman, andher clot hes had b e en ri p pe d fro m h er bod y.  It  appe ared s h e h ad be en bea te n brut allyar ound the  face and he saw bloodon the  bed.  He  suspecte d t h atshe had a lsobeen savag ely  ra ped.Het hough t sh e  w asd ead a nd m o ved to co v er  th e bo dy. As he p i c k edup th e q u ilt, h e sa w a faint pulse i n  her throat. H e re a l ize d t h at s he  was still ali ve,  b a r ely.

He  h ollered for  Paul, " I' v e fou nd a g irl in  here.S h e' s  still  ali ve. "

Paul c ame  i n to
 and_I just_hope my folks are_okay."

Matt said,_"I_don't know_if_I told you_guys but I_was the sheriff of_Sabine County, but_now_I understand that since I was a Confederate officer, not only can I not_hold_office but_I_can't_even vote for two years._I am going to check_on a_couple of old friends and then I may_head_on out to_Arizona. If I'm gonna start over I might as_well do it in a new_territory."

Paul said, "Look,_there's_a_farm over there. Why_don't we check to see if_they've seen anybody."

The small dogtrot cabin_and well built barn seemed to appear_normal and nothing seemed out of_place. The log cabin was_built with_two separate rooms connected by_a covered overhang,_called a_dogtrot. The field_was being prepared for planting, much_as Mr. Laffere's_place had looked.

As they moved closer,_they_stopped their horses_when_they_saw two_forms on the_ground_to the_side_of the house. Matt said, "Looks_like_we may be too late. Our friends_have already been here."

Paul_said,_"Well, we have to_check it out. You get_the house and I'll get the_barn."

They drew_their guns_and rode slowly forward, on alert for movement or sound.

Matt dismounted,_moved to the single window at_the front of the_cabin, and_looked_inside. He could_see_no one_in the first room, so he stood_in the_shadow of the dogtrot and waited_a minute. He moved_to_the doorway to the second room_and listened, still hearing no sound._He cocked his pistol and_with_the_other hand, swung the door_open. His eyes adjusted to the_poor light in_the room as he stepped inside. Immediately,_he_saw the form on the bed,_and_knew that he'd found another body._He_could_see it was a woman,_and her clothes had been ripped_from her body. It appeared she had been beaten_brutally around the_face and he saw blood_on_the_bed. He suspected that she had also been savagely raped._He thought_she was dead_and moved to cover the body. As he picked up_the quilt, he saw a faint pulse_in her throat. He realized that she was still alive, barely.

He_hollered for Paul, "I've found a girl in_here. She's still alive."

Paul came into