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“What happened to him?”

“He worked over at the gin for Mr Purneau,” Abrahaot drunk like he always does after he gets his pay He alkin’ ho it with hiun Anyway he popped it off right there a couple of times on Commerce Street, down at the end there by the depot He didn’t hit anybody, but a couple of ht him here”

“We can’t leave him up there,” I said

“Well sir, we have to,” said Abraham

“Why is that?”

“Because they told the people ca for the others?

??

“You afraid to cut him down, Abraham? This man needs to be buried”

“We got no way to carry him”

“Across the mule’s back,” I said “I can walk it, or I can ride with you”

“I’m an old man, Mr Corbett I can’t climb that tree”

“Well, I can, but I don’t have a knife,” I said

Abraham produced an excellent bowie knife with a bone handle

It was only when I was directly under Jiers and toes Where his digits should have been there were bloody stumps

Ithe cherry tree