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To gain a better vantage point, Stanley and Roy worked their way through the crowd, toward the front Thepeople returned to their hushed chatter in anticipation of the upco event When Sheriff Dawson and the two deputies escorted the prisoner froain Two-gun Smitty had his hands shackled behind his back Both feet were bound in steel cuffs with just enough chain for hiun S for Moses, the people stepped back uards

"He doesn't look that old Roy He's younger than Papa," whispered Stanley

The two boys were close enough that the stench froun Smitty caused their noses to wrinkle Roy nodded to Stanley's comment, but his eyes followed the procession up the wooden steps Deputies on either side of Two-gun Sallows Unshaven and dirty, the conde his death Pastor Jae from the Bible When he had finished, he closed his book and bowed his head,a soft prayer When Pastor Jas

"Y'ALL CAN GO STRAIGHT TO HELL YOU BASTA-"

Sheriff Dawson cut Sut S his breath, the prisoner looked up at the sheriff "How 'bout you take these shackles off Sheriff so I can fight you like a man"

In a flash, Sheriff Dawson swiped a bandana fro mouth Instantly, Se

When one of the deputies showed up with a hood for the prisoner's head, Sheriff Daaved hiht Smitty; you want to kill like athe noose over Sht Iled to eject Sheriff Dawson's bandana

"May God have mercy on your soul," said Pastor James

Everyone stepped backward away froallows

"For yourtill you are dead May your soul burn in hell," said Sheriff Dawson "Pull!"

The deputy grasped the handle with both hands and yanked hard Just as the trap door slaed to spit the bandana out of his round beneath the gallows Everyone in the crowd gasped when the condemned man dropped His eyes were open in terror, but a primordial screaht doith the rope yanking S sound reverberated through the conderound, the chains of the prisoner's shackles clanged together, as his body twisted and violently jerked A raspy hissing sound emitted from Smitty's open mouth