They gathered behind Jim Lonturn's feed store. Someone passed a bottle around. Another someone furnished several plugs of chewing tobacco.
"Well," said Gramps Willshaw, "let's get this thing on the road, boys!"
Someone brought a frightened looking teenager from a nearby shed and led him by the rope around his neck to the edge of Killgoren Swamp.
"You done slept with the Norton girl before either of you even thought about marrying, right?"
The boy nodded, his eyes full of fear.
"Then stake him out, boys. He's guilty as sin, and Old Long Tooth 'gator is due by here anytime!"
"Well," said Gramps Willshaw, "let's get this thing on the road, boys!"
Someone brought a frightened looking teenager from a nearby shed and led him by the rope around his neck to the edge of Killgoren Swamp.
"You done slept with the Norton girl before either of you even thought about marrying, right?"
The boy nodded, his eyes full of fear.
"Then stake him out, boys. He's guilty as sin, and Old Long Tooth 'gator is due by here anytime!"
Bobby felt the above story sent out the wrong moral message (!), so the next day he added this:
Swamp Justice Revisited
Jill Norton watched the men tie her lover to a pole and leave him for Old Long Tooth 'Gator. She dashed from the willow grove and cut the leather strips securing Jimmy Vestel.
All the men came back an hour later, expecting to see the ruts in the wet ground where Long Tooth had dragged the boy into the lake. Instead they were confronted by the Norton girl and the Vestel boy. Jill pointed her daddy's .44 at them and told Jimmy to tie them up.
They left the men screaming and begging and made their way back to town.
All the men came back an hour later, expecting to see the ruts in the wet ground where Long Tooth had dragged the boy into the lake. Instead they were confronted by the Norton girl and the Vestel boy. Jill pointed her daddy's .44 at them and told Jimmy to tie them up.
They left the men screaming and begging and made their way back to town.
