Swamp Water Page #5

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I wouldn't have knowed

who was helping you but for that.

- Be dogged if she ain't right.

- Sure she is.

Now I guess you know

where your hog thief is.

Them hog thieves is right here on this porch,

and you know it.

- You'd better shut him up.

- Lookit here, Ben.

Is Tom Keefer in the swamp?

- Answer him, boy.

- Ask her, she knows so much about it.

- We done heard from her, we asking you.

- Is it Keefer in that swamp?

Listen to me, Keefer done a murder.

Are you sticking by him or us?

- He didn't do no murder.

- You gotta tell us where Keefer's at.

- You figured it out for yourself, go get him.

- I will, but you're gonna show us the way.

- I got something to say about that.

- I don't think so.

Don't you get in my way, you Dorsons.

Don't you get in my way.

Either you tell or you're gonna get ducked.

Wait a minute. Come on, Ben, give up. Make it

easy on yourself. Now's the time to do it.

It's only right we catch that murdering Keefer.

We need your help.

- We aim to have your word afore we leave.

- You sure won't get it.

- Ain't no use argufying with him.

- Let's put him under.

Leave him up, Dorson. Leave him up.

- You ready to talk?

- You'd better say something.

- Say something, Ben.

- Are you gonna say it?

You can't make me.

Let's drown the rat.

Bless Katy, I never see a body so stubborn.

Where's everybody?

Down at the crick.

Stop!

You Dorsons, get that boy out of there.

Get away. Get out of the way.

You hear me? Get him out.

- He knows where Keefer's hiding.

- And we're making him tell.

Get him out.

Get him out.

- Untie him.

- We wasn't aiming to harm him none.

Get away, all of you.

Ben. Ben.

You're gonna be all right, son.

If you'd have minded me and kept

out of that swamp like I told you, Ben,

you wouldn't be in no fix like you're in.

What's the matter, boy?

If you'll be giving me my clothes,

I'll be taking myself off your hands.

You be quiet now.

You're sick, Ben.

I ain't so sick I have to lay here and

listen to you giving me down-the-country.

I knowed that was all

you drug me out of that crick for.

I drug you out because you was my boy.

You're home, Ben.

You and me ain't gonna have

no more disputes.

Howdy, Matt.

Howdy, Mrs McCord. Marty here?

- Take them out of here.

- I've brung 'em to sell, same as always.

- Take 'em out.

- What's wrong with them hides?

I can smell Tom Keefer on 'em.

I figured you wouldn't hold

nothing against me.

If you aim to have truck with such as Keefer,

aim to sell his hides somewheres else.

- Where else?

- Take 'em to Savannah like I have to.

I ain't got no way to get to Savannah.

That's too far.

Well, you'll have to get them out of here.

- How am I gonna make my living?

- Well, that's up to you.

My wife says to tell you

to clear out that shack too.

I'm fixing to clear out.

- Marty?

- Yeah?

Are y'all going fox-hunting tonight?

Yeah. We're a-hunting.

I'm sure gonna miss that dog of yourn.

Goodbye, Mrs McCord.

Howdy, Sheriff.

Julie.

Oh, Julie.

You told 'em. You told on him.

You told on my father.

- I didn't aim to...

- You didn't have no right to do it.

Now they're gonna catch him.

I heard Sheriff Jeb tell it.

Them Dorsons is gonna help.

- You're worse than that Miles Tonkin.

- You don't know how it happened.

I ain't gonna speak to you again.

I won't come to the shack.

I ain't gonna cook your food

or make your bed. I ain't.

Ain't nobody gonna catch your father

because I ain't gonna leave them.

Oh, Ben.

I ain't never gonna

believe you again. Never.

You gotta trust me.

Ain't I always told you the truth?

Ain't I kept money for you?

I ain't gonna touch it. Keep the money

or throw it away. I won't never touch it.

I was only a-saving it for him.

Now you've killed him.

No, I ain't neither, I tell you.

Julie.

Down, Dorcas, down.

Listen to them, Trouble. That's

a stomp-down good race they're having.

That old grey fox is leading 'em

on a run now, ain't she?

Let's me and you slip and go, irregardless.

Best stay here tonight.

Don't reckon you need

to wait for no invitation.

Miss Hannah.

- What's wrong 'tween you and him?

- I can't tell you.

How come?

I couldn't stand it if you got down on me too.

Is it something you done?

Maybe it'll make me feel better if I tell you.

Dorcas.

Ever since then, Thursday don't go nowhere.

Just sits around here watching me,

waiting for that man to come back.

I told him it wouldn't happen no more,

but he won't listen.

I've been wishing I were dead.

I didn't ever reckon

it was nothing like that, Miss Hannah.

I wish I hadn't a-told you.

Thursday?

It's not Thursday, Jesse. It's me.

- Oh, Ben.

- Were you expecting Thursday?

Why should I?

Course, if you got anything to say to him,

Jesse, I know where you can find him.

- I ain't got nothing to say to him.

- Maybe he'd have something to say to you.

I ain't never done no harm to Thursday.

I never done nothing to him.

What do you think he'd say

if I was to tell him where I found your guitar?

Go ahead and tell him.

He won't come near me, he'd be afraid.

He'd break you into a thousand pieces.

I got friends looking out for me. You know

what they'd do. They gave you a taste of it.

The Dorsons. I was forgetting about them.

Yes, siree. The Dorsons ain't

gonna let nothing happen to me.

What are you looking at me that way for?

What are you saving that for, Jesse?

That?

I got lots of things.

Yeah, that's right.

You was quite a big man at that trial,

wasn't you, Jesse?

There was only three witnesses

agin Tom Keefer.

There was Bud and Tim Dorson, and you -

all telling the same story, word for word.

Three agin one, that right?

- We only told what we saw.

- Yeah. Maybe you did and maybe you didn't.

I know Tom Keefer,

I know he couldn't commit no murder.

But you could.

And so could Bud and Tim Dorson.

- You're crazy. I wouldn't kill a kitten.

- No, well, maybe you didn't.

But now I'm beginning to see the light.

I'm beginning to understand why

them Dorsons always stand up for you,

and why you always trail around after them.

No, Ben. There ain't nothing like that.

You're wrong, Ben.

No, I'm not wrong, Jesse. You killed him.

Or the Dorsons done it and you seen 'em.

That's it.

It's just as plain as the look on your face.

You're just as guilty as they are,

and if they hang for it, you're gonna hang too.

Don't talk like that, Ben. I ain't done nothing.

The only chance for you

to save your hide is to tell the truth, now.

I can't do that. I can't, Ben.

Bud Dorson would kill me.

Bud won't kill nobody. You speak your piece,

I'll get Keefer to back you up.

Then the Dorsons'll be

at the wrong end of a rope.

I can't do it, Ben. I can't do anything like that.

All right, Jesse. You just suit yourself.

But either you come with me right now to see

Sheriff Jeb or I'm taking you to Thursday.

You ain't got no other choice -

Sheriff Jeb or Thursday.

I'd choose Sheriff Jeb, make a clean breast

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