Mr Morton Has No Defense As The Noose Is Tightened.

In the previous episodes we have seen Mr. Morton's plight  becoming more and more dire. He was being interrogated by men who did not know, not could not know the real facts.

The story continues:

        "What was he doing in the woods?"  The superintendent looked at Mr. Morton who met his gaze.

            "Comin' out of the woods with girls."

            "Girls?"

            "Well one girl fer certain.  My Inez."

            "And what were they doing in the woods?"

            Willy tugged at his tight collar.  His face flushed.  "Well I reckon I don't rightly think I ought to say with these young girls sittin' right here listenin' to us.  But it seems more than likely that we all know. Or at least have a pretty good notion what a hot blooded stallion would do with a pretty filly if'n he was alone with her in the woods."

            The superintendent looked out the window for what seemed a long time to Opal.  Then he looked at Willy Swicegood and asked, "Was he ever asked what he was doing?"

            Willy glanced at Woodrow and Lester.  "We didn't see no sense in that.  You ain't serious in expectin' he'd admit to anything, are you? Besides the other youngens seen it all.  You can ask them what they saw. Or if you want to you can ask him."

            "Mr. Morton, do have anything that will make this clearer to us?"

            "I have made mistakes, some might say some serious mistakes.  But they were mistakes in discipline -- nothing more."  Frank Morton met their eyes and his voice was strong and confident.

            "Were you in the woods with girls? Alone?"

            "One girl.  One time, Sir."

            Willy's voice was soft and whispery.  "Well I'll be dogged.  He ain't tryin' to deny it."

            "Now Mr. Morton, would you tell us why you were in the woods with one of your students?"

            Frank Morton looked to the ceiling for some time before bringing his eyes to rest on Opal and Jeannette. Without removing his gaze from them, he related the whole incident. "As I saw it, I had two choices-- to leave her out there or go get her."

            "Did you at any time take liberties with her or any other student?"

            "No sir, I didn't."

            Willy leaned back in his chair, balanced it on two legs.  "That is a bald faced lie." He spoke slowly, softly but deliberately.  "Opal- that's Opal on the end down there.  And Jeannette sittin' next to her.  They was in the back of the school  and seen the whole thing.  They seen when he had his arms around  my Inez."

            Willy paused while the board members looked at Jeannette and then Opal who wished she could sink into the floor. She looked sideways at Inez, whose face was alive under the stares. Her eyes danced, her cheeks flushed. Gone was the tight dress she had worn so daringly so often. The ruffles of her dress hung loosely masking the maturity and beauty of her body.

            Willy's long years of church leadership had sharpened his natural showmanship.  After an advantageous silence he said, "And my Inez was strugglin' to get away. Now I ask you, what's a youngen supposed to do? A woman might could'a handled it, but just a youngen.  Why my Inez is just a girl.  You can see for yourself she ain't more'n a little girl."

            The superintendent drew in his breath.  "Yes Mr. Swicegood.  We can see that. Now Mr. Morton, we realize there are two sides to every story.  Do you have anything you would like to add?"

            Frank Morton looked again to the ceiling and then again to Opal and Jeannette. "Inez was the victim of a school girl crush.  It's a common problem with girls at that age.  Every male teacher at one time or another has it."

            "I see," the superintendent said.  "And there was no more to it than that?"

            "No," Mr. Morton said.  "She had a particularly bad one, but no -- nothing more to it than that."

            Willy leaned forward and rested his chin in his hands.  His brown eyes were piercing Frank Morton. He looked then to the superintendent.  "Can I ask Mr. Morton some questions?"

            "Yes, Of course."

            "Mr. Morton," he paused and gazed with furrowed brow and narrowed eyes.  "Are you denyin' you forced yourself on my girl?"

            "Yes I am." 

            Willy leaned back.  He licked his lips.  "You know that Jeannette and Opal seen you with you arms around Inez."

            "If they think they saw me with my arms around her they are mistaken about what they saw."

            "You sayin you wasn't in the closet with Inez?"

            "I didn't say that.  I said I didn't put my arms around her."

            "Then Mr. Morton, how do you explain what Opal and Jeannette said they seen?"

            "What they saw was the girl trying to hug me.  She said she wasn't a little girl anymore and she wanted me to treat her like a woman. I was removing her arms from my waist when Opal and Jeannette saw us."

            Willy stood, leaned over, looked down the table and shook his fist. "That's a lie, a danged lie," he shouted. Then he lowered his fist. "If my girl as much as kissed a boy she'd git the lickin' of her life, and she knows it.  I don't reckon a man can be too careful with his girls.  These men here, will tell you I ain't one for toleratin' nonsense.  I raised six youngens.  Inez here-- she's my baby.  Four girls and two boys, and there's never been one bit of talk about them- not even the boys.  Anybody'll tell you I got good honest youngens.  Now Mr. Morton wants us to believe this girl was forcin' herself on him-- not the other way 'round.  I reckon anybody can see that's a bald faced lie."

            The superintendent raised his hand. "I think we can easily get to the bottom of this by asking these girls exactly what they saw." He pointed to Jeannette and Opal. "Is that acceptable to you, Mr. Morton?"  Frank nodded.  "To you Mr. Swicegood?"

            "It's a fine idea.  Woodrow here and Lester, I got some disagreements with them but they done as good a job as me or anybody in Rock Hill is raisin' good girls. These girls will tell you the truth."

            "Now Jeannette, which of you is Jeannette?"  Jeannette held up her hand. "Do you remember the day we're talking about?"

            "Yes sir."

            "Do you remember what you saw and heard?"

            "Yes sir."

            There was silence.  Jeannette lowered her eyes and began.  "It was recess-- a long recess.  We had a lot of long recesses. On that day me and Opal- I mean Opal and I got tired of playing dodge-ball so long and was going back in the school. When we went in we saw Inez. She had her back to us, and Mr. Morton was kind of hid by the closet wall. All we could see was his shoulder and elbow. Inez was saying she couldn't finish gittin' the blackboard ready for the next class cause there wasn't any chalk in the drawer and did he have some."  Jeannette paused and looked thoughtful. 

            Then she continued, "Then Mr. Morton kind of laughed and said he had chalk all right, but maybe it wasn't the kind she meant. Then the next thing I saw his arm was tight around her. And she was kind of struggling like she wanted to get away.  That's when he saw us and he pushed her away."

            Opal's eyes, leveled at the table, widened.  She dared not look up.  What was she supposed to say if they asked her anything?  If Inez and Jeannette said the same thing, they would think she was lying. She was not left waiting too long.  The superintendent cleared his throat.  "Well, and now Opal.  Do you have anything to add? Is  that the way you remember things.  Or is there anything you recall differently?"

            Opal gulped. Every fiber of her body was anguished. Jeannette had lied. She looked around. Willy and Woodrow and her father were staring at her.  Jeannette's eyes were narrowed.  Inez was half smiling. She shook her head, "No I can't tell you any thing different."

            The superintendent looked at Frank, "Well Mr. Morton."

            Frank Morton's sad eyes for a long time rested on Jeannette and Opal. Then he rose and looking over the heads of the community delegation he walked slowly to the door. He turned, rubbed his head as if ready to say something. He turned sharply and walked out the door.