Describe Tom Chaney.

• A. Tom Chaney was a tenant; rode a gray horse with a filthy saddle blanket and rope halter; was from Louisiana; was short; had cruel features; carried a Henry rifle; was a bachelor; was about twenty-five years old; carried his rifle on a piece of cotton plow-line.
• B. Tom Chaney was tall, rode a white horse, and carried a revolver; from Texas.
• C. Tom Chaney was a farmer from Arkansas who was cheerful and tall, carried a long rifle.
• D. Tom Chaney was the town blacksmith known for his kindness.

Answer: (A)

Tom Chaney’s description in the story is a convincing, lived-in portrait of a frontier outlaw. He’s a tenant from Louisiana, not tall, with cruel features that mark him as dangerous and untrustworthy. He rides a gray horse whose gear shows grime and sloppiness—a filthy saddle blanket and rope halter—emphasizing a rough, on-the-hoof lifestyle rather than any notion of polish or status. He’s about twenty-five and a bachelor, underscoring his impulsive, unmarried, roguish character. The rifle he carries is a Henry rifle, carried on a bit of cotton plow-line, a detail that ties him to the era and to a practical, improvised way of carrying a weapon. All these details together create a coherent, text-faithful image of Chaney as a petty, dangerous outlaw rather than a tall, cheerful farmer or a kindly tradesman. The other descriptions mix up his height, origin, occupation, or weapon, which don’t fit the established portrayal.