Gantlet For A Scarecrow Bill

In the early 1900s the inhabitants of an isolated corner of the southern Appalachians happily celebrate the opening of a new railroad town until a young boy is carried away on the first train. Taking a frightful risk, the boy escapes the boxcar to follow the track back. His path crosses that of other travelers, a hobo running from responsibilities, and a young man and wife on their way to a new home, "Heaven bound by way of Texas." But there is another encounter with a hobo devoid of virtue. The evil hobo follows the boy home and threatens the security of family and neighbors. The boy and the community learn that evil doesn't need an excuse for mayhem. The final struggle occurs during the violence of a summer storm. In the midst of fury and in happy times there is a steadfast thread of faith in all that is good.