 Two parallel plots. (1) George Browlow sends word to Bill Gillespie that he wants to see the Chief at Parchman prison on the day of his execution. George was the driver in a bank holdup. Two bank robbers killed a guard and a customer before Bill killed them in return. As an accomplice, George was sentenced to die. (2) Bubba Skinner and a girl are fishing on the lake when Bubba spots two murder suspects, Melvin Nally and Lenny Cowes, near a camper trailer in the park. Virgil investigates, and the two men fire on him before being captured and arrested. At Parchman, Bill sees George, who persuades Gillespie to stay until he is gone. The execution is devastating to the Chief. Back in Sparta, District Attorney Hutton wants to "snuff" the two murder suspects.