The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1930-10-17
CHAPTER iii
eff Not For Us, Against Us"

were only TWO large stores III Tic
town. The one at this end had long
sign along the front which read:
g "INGRAM & HARVEY"
Into the big adobe building OHara
walked.
Five or six men were lounging near
the front of the store. All of them
were openly armed. Some wore
holster swung low on the front thigh.
One had his harnessed to the breast.
Two carried pair of revolvers. More
than one had rifle also.
Two men were in the little office
shut off from the rest of the store.
One of them was Ingram. He called
s to O'Hara.
Come in. Meet my partner, Mr..
Harvey" To Harvey he said: TON,
this is the man I was tellin' you
about"
Harvey was a short, thickset man
with hard, protruding eyes. His face
was pallid, his mouth slit narrowed
by thin lips tightly pressed together.
A ruthless man, one might guess, but
without the character that gave his
partner individuality.
"Glameechou," he unlocked his lips
to say, all in one gulped word.
If he was glad he did not look it.
There was no expression whatever in
his chalky eyes.
Where you from, Mr.. O'Hara?'
asked Ingram.
The Fastener told him. He an
swered other questions, put sharply
and incisively. Where had he studied
law? Who did he know in Concho?
Why had he come here?
O'Hara had taken an instant dislike
to Harvey, but he did not feel the
same toward his partner. 1t was odd.
too. he reflected later. Evidently it
was matter of personality. This
hronzed handsome man, who carried
himself with such 1.-THE ease. came
none too we'll recommended. He could
snuff out human life with no regret.
Undoubtedly he was Inscriptions.
probably COW thief But he had the
force that goes with strong char
acter. either good or bad. Masterful
he was and always would be.
"How come you to start trouble with
Shsp Sanderson?" asked Harvey,
speaking for the first time since his
word of gulped greeting at intro
ductiOn.
did I start trouble with him. Mr..
& Harvey?" O'Hara replied, stee.y
note In his voice. HE shot at me
from ambush while was on the pub
lie road. Later he assaulted me in a .
dance hail. Afraid we differ in our
points of view."
I'm not chewin' words but talkin'
turkey. Shops ugly as galvanized sin
when he's sore at anyone. Well, he's
sore at you"
Ingram flung this aside with ges-
+ ture. "Forget about Shep. He'll lay
: off this young fellow. I'll see to that"
He turned abruptly to the lawyer.
"How about you, O'Hara? Can you
live under yore own hat? Will you
stand by yore boss long as there's
button on Jabe's coat? Have you got
sand in yore craw?"
O'Hara answered, in the low, gentle
voice that was sometimes SO decep-
tive, since it led men to believe that
he was meek, ITO take your questions
in order, Mr.. Ingram: I do not talk
about my clients affairs, if that's
what you mean. Nor do / sell out TO
the opposition when I engage to carry
on legal business. Only time will tell
whether I am too timid to live in
Concho."
Listen, O'Hara," said Ingram, look
ing straight at him. "Wait till 1 tell
you the lineup. We're startin' finish
fight against Yves Steelman. He's run
the San Marcos country long enough.
He sure can't come up here into the
hills and dictate what's what. It's a
showdown. We're CALM his hand.
Our friends are his enemies. His
friends are our enemies. Everybody
that amounts to tinker's dam will
have to choose which side he'll be on"
"Why? Why not be neutral?"
IF you're not for us you're
against u.s."
O'Hara rose from the chair where
he was sitting. II don't accept that
conclusion, Mr. Ingram. But let me
first reply to your offer. / decline it.
won't be anybody's man and wear
collar round my neck. I'll not engage
to support cause beyond the point
where it seems to me just. You want
me to be your lawyer and yet tie me
hand and foot. can't do it. No man
of spirit could"
"Then you'd better get right out of
Concho. You're not wanted here"
Ingram said bluntly.
"Why? I'm not in this fight. I've
nothing to do with it. / don't intend
to have"
'sYou chuckle-headed fool, you'll be
IN 1t an out Of it inside of three days