Are you ready to give us your word to leave Paloma before daylight, and never come back ?" "No," Tom replied flatly.
"Then," sneered the gambler, fixing the gaze of his snake-like eyes on the young chief engineer, "I'll tell you what we have provided for you.
We shall take you to the edge of the town, at once, and there hang you by the neck to a tree.

After you've ceased squirming we'll fasten this card to you." From another man present Jim snatched a printed card, bearing this legend: "Gone, for the good of the community!".