A Fictional Story By Junior Johnson

Dylan woke to the sounds of hammering at the break of day. He was cold and wet having spent the night under an old tarp on a hill overlooking the little town.

A cold mist was falling as he peered at the activity below him. A gallows was being built to hang his older brother Aiden later that day. Dylan felt for the papers that he was carrying to the Circuit Judge in the town below him.

Aiden had been convicted of murdering a man and was to be hung that evening for the deed. The papers that Dylan clutched was the statement of a dying man who was actually the killer, and a decree by the Circuit Judge in another County to clear his brother Aiden from all charges and spare his life.

The only problem was that the real murderer was a wealthy landowner who wanted the farm that belonged to Dylan and Aiden’s mother. Their father died during the Civil War fighting for Southern Independence. This evil Carpetbagger would stop at nothing to get their mother’s farm.

In the confession by the real killer this evil Carpetbagger was named as an accomplice and he knew of the existence of the papers and had his men searching for Dylan to stop him from delivering them to the local Circuit Judge. Dylan knew he had to be very cautious. He’d been careful on his way back to town riding his black mare Dolly. He was now only a short distance from safety and the ability to save his brother’s life.

After carefully surveying the area he saddled Dolly and slowly made his way into town. Dylan was scared but determined. Aiden’s life was on the line.

Riding down back streets Dylan made it to the Court House safely. He hurried to the office of the Circuit Judge where he presented him with the papers and anxiously awaited a response.

After carefully reading the documents the Judge called for the Sheriff. When he arrived instructions were given to halt construction of the gallows. The Sheriff was also ordered to gather a group of Deputies and arrest the evil Carpetbagger.

The Circuit Judge then looked at Dylan and told him what a brave young man he was, and to accompany the Sheriff to the Jail where he was instructed to release Aiden. All charges were dropped.

After he was released from his cell Aiden and Dylan embraced and shed tears of joy.

Aiden climbed on the back of Dolly with Dylan and they began their journey home to deliver the good news to their mother.

As they departed town they were greeted with cheers from people on the street who had heard the good news.

Construction of the gallows was completed not long after and it was the evil Carpetbagger who dropped through the trap door instead of Aiden.