Gallegos is in jail, ready to be hanged for killing a little girl with his wagon. Peddler Sykes sold the rope (made of five-strand hemp) to hang him, and now he’s selling magic dust, really just dirt in a bag, to Gallegos’ father, saying that by sprinkling it over everyone’s head, it will make them sympathetic to his plight and he will go free. So Gallegos’ father sprinkles the dust, but there is no sympathy – Sykes is just out to make a buck.
Unfortunately his hemp isn’t quite as strong as he would claim – it breaks on the way down. And those with a claim to Gallegos’ life – the little girl’s parents – are asked if they want to try again. They decide that they’ve seen enough and let him go free. So perhaps the dust worked its magic after all.
