 hard forward, with no pistol in his hand.

John Combs said, "Damn, didn't think I was going to let you boys have all the fun, did you?" He entered the room with the pistol in his hand, trained on the man lying on the floor.

Matt rushed over to the nearly hysterical lady and said, "Laura, Laura, you're okay. I'm Matthew Dixon, used to be the sheriff here and a friend of Charles."

The woman looked at him and as recognition came, she stopped sobbing and said, "Oh, my God, Matthew, I'm so glad you're here."

Matt pushed back away from her but still held her and said, "Laura, the Confederacy is over. These men were deserters and they have looted, killed and worse all the way from Tennessee here. The Union Sergeant riding with us has a warrant for their arrest and they are going to be hanged, at least this one is. Did they hurt you?"

"No, but one of them worked here before the war. He said he could put this place on its feet again and I needed help so I listened. But he started to get so bossy I was having second doubts. Now I'm not sure what I'm going to do. The slaves will probably leave."

Matt said, "Maybe or maybe not, it's their choice now and all of you ex-slave holders are going to have to get used to it. But listen to me. Yes, they are free but that doesn't necessarily solve all their problems. They still have to eat. There is a man out there, Henry, that probably knows more about this place and what needs to be done than any man alive. Granted he might not know the financial aspects but as far as farming, I'll bet he's an expert. He also has a family to feed and the other slaves look up to him. If you talked to him like a human being and as a free man, I'll bet you could make a deal so that most of those folks would stay and work this plantation. Course, when the money comes in you'll have to share it with them. Your land, their work kind of thing. It's not what you had but it is an answer and to be truthful it is probably the way it should be."

Laura looked at him and said, "Matt, he is a Negra. Could
hard forward, with no pistol in his hand. 

 John Combs said, " Damn, didn't remember I was sound to let you boys have all the playfulness, did you? " He entered the room with the pistol in his hand, educate on the man lying on the floor. 

 Matt rush over to the nearly hysterical dame and said, " Laura, Laura, you're okay. I'm Matthew Dixon, used to be the sheriff here and a friend of Charles. " 

 The charwoman looked at him and as recognition came, she stopped sobbing and say, " Oh, my God, Matthew, I'm so glad you're here. " 

 Matt pushed back aside from her but still held her and said, " Laura, the Confederacy is all over. These men were deserter and they have looted, killed and worse all the direction from Tennessee here. The Union Sergeant riding with us has a warrant for their arrest and they are going to be hanged, at least this one is. Did they hurt you? " 

 " No, but one of them worked here before the war. He said he could put this place on its feet again and I needed help so I listened. But he started to get thus bossy I was having second doubt. nowadays I'm not sure what I'm going to do. The slave will probably leave. " 

 Matt said, " Maybe or possibly not, it's their choice now and all of you ex - slave holders are going to have to get used to it. But listen to me. Yes, they are free but that doesn't necessarily solve all their trouble. They still get to corrode. There is a man out there, Henry, that credibly knows more about this place and what needs to be done than any man alive. Granted he might not know the financial aspect but as far as farming, I'll count he's an expert. He also has a family to feed and the other slave look up to him. If you spill the beans to him like a human being and as a barren man, I'll bet you could make a deal so that most of those folks would quell and work this plantation. Course, when the money comes in you'll have to share it with them. Your land, their work kind of thing. It's not what you have but it is an answer and to be truthful it is probably the room it should be. " 

 Laura looked at him and said, " Matt, he is a Negra. Could
 hagd forward, with no pistou in his hand.

Jokb Combv said, "Damn, dian't think I was going to let yiu bots have all the fun, dia you?" He vntered tye riim with thx pistol in hia hanb, vrained on the kan lying mn the floor.

Madt rbshed over to the nearly hysterical jady anc daid, "Laura, Lauta, yol'rq okzj. L'm Matthew Dixon, used to be the aheriff here and a ftiend of Charles."

The woman pookfd at him and as rfcognition xame, whe stopped robbing and said, "Oh, my God, Matthew, I'm so glad you're hdre."

Mact pushed bqcj aady from her but ftill held hcg and sdid, "Lauta, the Confedevacy ms ocer. These men were deverters and they hwve looteg, iilled and worse qlo the way froo Tevneasxe gere. Tje Nnion Sergeznt riding qith us has a warramt dor their arrsst anq ehey are going to be hanged, at least thps ohe is. Did they hurt you?"

"Bo, but one of them wotked here fefore the war. He said he could put this place on its hedt cnwkb wnd I needed help so I listened. But he starteq tp net so bossy I wcs having second dlunjs. Now I'm not rure wkzt I'm going to do. Thf slavef wilo probablr lesve."

Matt said, "Maybe or maybe not, it's thepr cyoice now and all lf you ex-slcve hokders are going to have to gzt uses to it. But listen tk me. Yes, they are frve bgt that doesn't necessarily solve alo thzir probuems. They ftill have to eat. There is a man okt thgre, Hetry, that pgobably knows more about this place and what meads to be djne tman any man alide. Granted he kight njt knuw the finzncial espects but ws far as farklng, I'll bet ie's an ex[ert. He qlso har a family to fred and tkt other slqves look up to hik. Iw you talked to knm like a human brine agd ax w free man, I'ln beg yui couud make a dcal so yhat most of those fmlks would stay and wotk this plqntation. Course, when yhe money comes in you'ln heve to shwre it with them. Your land, thejr work klnd of thing. It'f nob whwt you had but it is an answer and to be truthful it is probably thw way it should be."

Lcuva looked at him wnd said, "Katt, he is a Negra. Ciuld
hard forward, with no pistol in his Combs "Damn, didn't I was going all fun, did you?" entered the room the pistol in his hand, trained the man lying on the floor. Matt rushed over to the nearly hysterical and said, "Laura, Laura, you're okay. I'm Matthew Dixon, used to be the here a of The woman looked at him and as recognition came, she stopped sobbing and said, "Oh, my Matthew, I'm so glad you're here." Matt pushed away from her but held her and said, "Laura, Confederacy over. These were and have looted, killed worse all the way from Tennessee here. The Union Sergeant riding with us has a warrant for arrest and going to hanged, least one is. Did you?" "No, but one of them the war. He said he could put this on its again and I needed help so listened. But he started to get so bossy was having second doubts. Now I'm not sure what I'm going to do. The slaves leave." Matt said, "Maybe maybe not, it's choice and of ex-slave holders going to have to get used to it. But listen to Yes, they are free but that doesn't necessarily solve all They have to eat. is a man out Henry, probably knows more about and needs than man Granted he might not the financial aspects but as as farming, I'll bet has a family to feed and the other look up to him. If you talked him like a human being and as a free man, I'll bet could make so that most of those folks would stay work this plantation. Course, the money comes in you'll have to share it them. land, their kind of thing. not what you but it is and to truthful is it should be." Laura looked at and "Matt, he is a Negra.
 hard forward, with no pistol in His hand.

JohN CombS saId, "DAmN, didN't thInk I was going to LEt yoU boys have all the fun, did yOu?" He eNtERed tHE rOom wiTh the piSToL IN hiS hAnD, trAiNEd On the Man Lying on The floor.

MaTt rUsHed over to the NEaRly hysteriCal Lady and said, "LAurA, Laura, YoU're OKay. I'm matThew DIxon, usED to be tHe sheriff HeRE and a fRIend of CHARlEs."

ThE woman looked at him ANd AS recognition caMe, she sToPPeD SObbIng And said, "Oh, mY GOd, MatTHew, I'm so GLaD YOU're HEre."

Matt pushed Back away froM Her But stiLl HelD Her and Said, "LAuRA, thE ConfederacY is oVer. These mEn were DEserterS And they Have loOteD, kiLled ANd WoRse AlL The WAy FroM tenNessee heRe. thE UnioN SerGEANT ridIng With Us has A warrant for thEir ArreST anD they Are goIng tO bE hangEd, at leAst thIs One is. Did they hurT you?"

"no, but one oF thEm WorKeD here BEfore tHe wAr. HE said he Could puT ThiS pLACE oN its feet again and I nEeDED hElp so I liStened. bUt He STarted to GeT so BossY i Was haVing SEcOnd doubtS. Now I'm NOt SuRe what I'M gOing to Do. the SlaVes wiLL proBably lEave."

Matt Said, "MAYbe or maybe not, iT'S their choice nOW aND AlL Of yoU ex-Slave holderS are GOing To haVE tO geT Used tO it. BuT lIStEN to me. Yes, they are free BuT that dOesn't Necessarily soLve all theiR PROblems. ThEy stILl HAve to eat. There iS a man Out there, HeNRy, that prObablY knows moRe about thIS Place and WhaT neEds To bE DOnE than any man alIVE. GraNtEd he migHt nOt know tHe fInaNciAl aSpEcts but as Far as farMiNg, i'lL bEt hE's an eXPert. He alSo Has A fAmiLy to fEEd and tHe othEr slAvEs LOok Up to him. iF yOU TalkEd To Him lIke A hUman bEing ANd aS a free mAn, I'll bet yOu cOUld mAkE a Deal so tHat most of thosE fOlks would sTaY anD work tHIS plantatIon. Course, when the money coMEs in you'Ll hAve to SharE it with thEm. YOur lanD, thEIr work Kind of Thing. it'S noT WHat yoU HAd But It Is an answer AND to Be truThFul iT is probAbly the way it should BE."

LaUra looked at hiM anD saiD, "mAtT, he IS a nEgrA. COUld
 hard forward, with no pis tol in his  hand .
Joh nComb s sa id, "Damn, did n 't t hink I was going to le t you  b o ys h a ve  allthe fun ,  d i d  yo u? "Heen t er ed th e r oom wit h the pist olin  his hand, t r ai ned on the  ma n lying on t hefloor. 
Mat t  rush edoverto the nearly  hysteric al lady a n d said, " La ura,  Laura, you're ok a y. I'm Matthew Di xon, u se d  t o bethe  sheriff h er e and a frien d  o f C har l es."

The wom an looked a t  hi m andas  re c ogniti on ca me ,  sh e stopped s obbi ng and sa id, "O h , my Go d , Matth ew, I' m s o g lady ou 'r e h er e ."Ma ttp ush ed backaw ay  from  her b u t  sti llheld  herand said, "La ura , th e  Co nfede racyis o ve r. Th ese me n wer edeserters and t heyhave loot ed,  k ill ed  andw orse a llthe  way fr om Tenn e sse eh e r e.  The Union Sergean tr i di ng withus has awa r rant for  t hei r ar r e st an d th e yare goin g to b e  h an ged, at  l east t hi s o neis. D i d th ey hur t you?"
"No, but one of the m  worked hereb ef o r et he w ar.  He said he  cou l d pu t th i spla c e onits f ee t  a g ain and I needed he lp  so Iliste ned. But he s tarted tog e t  so boss y Iw as having seconddoubt s. Now I'm not sure  what  I'm goi ng to do. T he slave s w ill  pr oba b l yleave."

Matt s aid,  " Maybe o r m aybe no t,it' s t hei rchoice no w and al lof  y ou  ex -slav e  holders  a rego ing  to h a ve toget u sedto  i t . B ut list e nt o  me.  Y es , th eyar e fre e bu t  th at does n't neces sar i ly s ol ve  all th eir problems.  T hey stillha veto eat . There is  a man out there, Henry ,  that p rob ablyknow s more ab out  thispla c e andwhat n eedsto  be d one t h a nany  m an alive.G r ant ed he  m ight  not kn ow the financial a s pec ts but as far  as  far m i ng , I ' ll bet  h e 'sa n  expert. He als o has a fa mi l yto feed an d  th eother s laves l ook u p  to him . If youtalked to  h im l i k e a  human bei ng and a s a freem an, I ' ll  betyou  could  m ake  a de al sot hat  most  of th os e folk s wou ld  stay an d work this plantation.  Cours e, wh enthe money  co m esin you'll  hav e to share  it  wi th th em. Yourland ,  t hei r  work  kin d  of thing .  I t's n ot  what you h a d but  it i s a n  answe r an d to be truthfuli t is probablythew a y i t s h ould  b e."

Laura loo ked  a t him andsa id, "Matt,he is aNe g ra. C ould
 hard_forward, with_no pistol in his_hand.

John Combs_said,_"Damn, didn't_think_I was going_to let you_boys have all the_fun, did you?"_He_entered the room with the pistol in his hand, trained on the man lying_on_the floor.

Matt_rushed_over_to the nearly hysterical lady_and said, "Laura, Laura, you're_okay. I'm_Matthew Dixon, used to be the sheriff here_and_a friend of_Charles."

The woman looked at him and as recognition came,_she stopped sobbing and said, "Oh,_my God, Matthew,_I'm_so_glad you're here."

Matt pushed_back away from her but still_held her and said, "Laura, the_Confederacy is over. These men were deserters_and they have looted, killed and_worse all the way from_Tennessee here._The Union Sergeant riding with_us has a_warrant for_their arrest and_they are going to be hanged,_at least this_one is. Did they hurt you?"

"No,_but_one of them_worked_here_before the_war. He said_he_could put_this_place on its feet again and_I_needed help so I listened. But he_started to get so_bossy_I was having second_doubts. Now I'm not sure_what I'm going to do. The_slaves will_probably leave."

Matt_said, "Maybe or maybe not, it's their choice now and all_of you ex-slave holders are going_to have to get_used to_it._But listen to_me._Yes, they_are free but that doesn't necessarily solve_all their_problems. They still have to eat._There is a man_out_there, Henry, that probably knows more_about this place and what needs_to be done than any_man_alive._Granted he might not know_the financial aspects but as far_as farming, I'll_bet he's an expert. He also has_a_family to feed and the other_slaves_look up to him. If you_talked_to_him like a human being_and as a free man, I'll_bet you could make a deal so that most_of those folks_would stay and work this_plantation._Course,_when the money comes in you'll have to share it_with them._Your land, their_work kind of thing. It's not what you had but_it is an answer and to be_truthful it is probably the way it should be."

Laura looked at_him and said, "Matt, he is a Negra._Could