It
was known locally as The Hanging Tree. No history to corroborate the
name that Sutton knew of, but he allowed there was enough
circumstantial evidence. At least one if not others of its massive
reach of sturdy horizontal branches might well have held a rope or
more back in the day. And it was old enough. Sutton knew that. At
least two centuries under its ragged bark. And huge. Hips big as an
Asian elephant's. In fact, damned thing looked like the child of a
wild night 'tween a mastodon
and a giant squid. Frozen, though, were that the case, save for the
trillions of leaflets waving like royal fingers in a parade.
