Breath and Death

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In the concluding book of the quadrilogy, Sampson, Sam's son sees a beautiful woman at the slave auction and Sam buys her, along with an additional abused slave. Both slaves receive manumission papers, declaring them to be free, and Sampson soon marries the woman. Sam visits his home in Poland, becomes ill, is cared for by a sharp-tongued widow, marries her and they return to the plantation. A Misouri cattle raiser comes to buy some of Sam's prize cattle and Sam decides to go back with him. After a pleasant visit, Sam decides to see parts of the West, and leaves on a fascinating journey that ends in San Framcisco, where he gets involved with a former prostitute, a Chinese-American Tong leader, and the construction of a gambling, prostitution, and opium palace. Disgusted with the immoral aspect of the enterprise, he returns home. He and his family at the plantation have been brutally treated by a Union Army officer at different times and the story culminates in a confrontation between Sam and the officer.