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Page 13 · column 3 of 9 · from the scan, no model involved
men, a man on either side of Ha-Ha, they fitted the noose around his neck. By this time Ha-Ha was scared speechless. He just sat on the edge of the seat while the driver revved up the engine and spun the car around, heading back toward Huntly.
“We’re gonna find a tree with a good, strong limb reachin’ out. They’s a good hanging’ tree ahead a ways.” Judd explained as they sped onward.
The car slowed down as they approached a place where a few large spreading trees reached out across the highway.
“Here”, Judd decided, “Here.” The moment and the place for the reckoning!
“Oh God!. . . Dear Jesus. . begged Ha-Ha. “Don’t kill me. . . I didn’t do nothing’. . . here’s yore money,” he pleaded with Judd.
The three executioners didn’t let a muscle of their faces twitch as they unloaded Ha-Ha and carried him to a tree, his short legs not quite, touching ground as he w as running 60 mph in the air, going no place saver closer and closer to doom.
“I swear, I’ll never do it again. I swear,” he sobbed.
“All you’re gonna get is JUSTICE,” said Judd.
“Oh my God! There ain’t no justice. . . not that, give me MERCY. . . mercy. . ‘Blessed are the merciful’ ”. He was quoting Scripture and seeing visions of that “other” place.
Suddenly, and miraculously, that is what was granted: mercy. For after the three men had dragged and carried Ha-Ha to the very trunk of the hanging tree, they were ti’ed and their passions w'ere spent. So Judd opened the noose, wound up his rope and, without another word, the three got back in the Chevy and drove away.
Ha-Ha slumped to the ground and laid his head back against the tree, spiling great floods of hot tears down over his face, while feeling great floods of mercy washing him clean from inside out.
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