An Excerpt

“Hoo-Boy! Jackson just got gunned down in the street!”

“What? How do you mean gunned down? Was he killed in a hail of bullets or was he called out?”

“Oh he got called out alright, by that mean som-bitch china-man. Funny thing is, Jackson got shot in the back.”

“Now that’s just down right cowardly. If yer gonna call a man out, you’d best have the grapes to stand there and take what you git, ‘stead of havin’ yer man hidin’ in the shadows.”

“See, now, that’s what I thought. An I went an’ checked the alley where the shot came out of. And you know what I found there?”

“Huh?

“Nothin’ but Jackson’s old six gun. The barrel was still smoking. How’s that for weird?”

“Well, it’s plenty weird, but weird don’t surprise me none in this town no more. Not since that storm with the green lightnin came through here some years ago.”

“What, you mean that St. Elmo’s fire storm?”

“ Yeah, I reckon. Didn’t know there was a special name fer it. Figured the green lightning storm was good enough. How long ago was that now?”

“Shoooot, must be on six, seven, years by now. When was it that Old Farmer Brown and his creepy wife moved on into the Old Hanson Farm? It was bout a season before they got here I reckon.”

“Yep, it was bout that long ago, bout six, seven, years passed now. Them folks may be a tad odd but the make some damn fine cheeses and sausages. Reminds me, the missus asked me to stop by their place and get some milk and butter. Hope they aint sold out yet. Looked busy in the market today.”

“Aw they had plenty when I went through there bout an hours time past. You should be fine. What do you reckon theys gonna do with Jackson’s body now? Last time there was a gunfight they just left that body in the road fer three whole days ‘fer somebody came an got it.”

“Well I imagine his widow’s gonna wanna have him interred at the church. Prolly burry em tommorrah. Poor Molly. Shes’s gonna be mighty broke up bout this. Anyone see where the china-man went to after the shooting?”

“I heared some folk say that them chinamens took of towards the woods out side a town. They prolly still there. Why d’ya ask?”

“Meh, I dunno, sure has been a long time since we had us selves a good ol’ fashioned lynchin’. I think I might go see what old Jedadiah’s up to. See if he still makes that real good rope.”