Epilogue
Two soldiers returned from the neighboring farm with a stolen mule, the farmer’s last item of any value and now the damned northern invaders had taken that also.
The mule was the last requirement needed by the newly promoted young captain to complete the orders issued by his general to provide payment to some Indians for services rendered during the war.
He already had the gold, issued from the army’s bursar. It was in canvas sacks and only about half of what had been promised. The captain had substituted worthless confederate metal in some of the sacks and placed them in the bottom of the trunk that was to be delivered to the Indians. He placed sacks of gold on top of the fakes, and kept one for himself, storing it secretly in a satchel in his tent.
When he was ready, his sol
