Chapter 3 Summary

Charles immediately finds his uncle and the two of them ride into to town to see Lucas. Charles notes how few black people they encounter on their way into town even though there are normally a lot of them around. They do see a white store owner who comments that the sheriff should have let the people of their little community have Lucas to spare the town the cost of housing and feeding him. Uncle Gavin explains to Charles that this is the way of the South. A black man is expected to lose his temper and kill a white man. It is also expected that the family and friends of the dead man should be allowed to take the black man and hang him. It is an unwritten code and it is their way of life.

At the jail, Charles notes how...