The Coolidge examiner., 1930-11-28
CHAPTER II.
"My Name Is O'Hara."

could not nave escaped with any
credit from a hand-to-hand scuffle
with Shep SandersOn. He had been
very fortunate, too, that Dave In
gram had come at the nick of time
Who was this Ingram? Beyond
question, he was important in the
community. Judging by what he
had heard at the hotel, the man
was the owner of the Diamond Tail,
or at least the manager of it. Also.
he seemed to be proprietor of a
store in town. He had said to meet
him there next day, early. What
hour was "early" here? He had not
condescended to give him name or
mention the location of the store.
Evidently he expected people TO
know him. or if not to find out who
he was. There was no question of
his arrogance. 1t was unconscious
rather than assumed. He had, to
back it, good looks, a fOrceful per-
sonality, probably wealth, and, no
doubt, power. One thing more,
O'Hara knew about him. Very re-
Gently he had killed man for rea-
sons unknown.
Decidedly, before keeping the ap-
pOintment with Ingram it would be
well to find out more about him.
O'Hara did not turn in at the Con
cho house but kept on down the
street to the Longhorn corral. Of
an attendant, a half-grOwn boy, he
inquired for Mr.. Stephen Worrall.
81 dunno where he's at" the
wrangler answered. "He was here
awhile ago. Might try the Gold
Nugget. He bucks the tiger there
sometimes"
O'Hara tried the Gold Nugget. A
young fellow pointed out Worra1l to
O'Hara.
Worrall was a tall, lanky man
with the look Of the West stamped
indelibly on him. He was perhaps
in his late twenties. AS he was
turning away from the wheel after
cashing in his chips. O'Hara accost-
ed him.
You don't know me, Mr.. WorralI.
My name is O'Hara I'm a stranger
here. This afternoon a young lady
made me promise to introduce my
self"
"a young lady?" the lank man
repeated.
Miss Steelman."
Worrall took him by the arm.
"We'll get outa here" he said, and
guided him toward the door. 81 was
leavin', anyhow. Picked up seventy
five bucks at the wheel. Enough
for one night"
They walked down to the Long
horn corral Worrall asked his
companion when he had arrived.
what kind of trip he had had, and
how he liked the town; but it was
not until they were seated in the
little office at the corral that be
mentioned the name of the girl.
"Are you a friend of Miss Steel
man's?" he asked, offering O'Hara
a cigar while he himself bit the end
from another.
81 can't claim that" the tender
foot said. Il met her today for the
first time. Tt was a question for
few minutes which one of US had
been shot at"
whats thatY demanded Wor-
rail-, match burning in his hand.
"Just as say" O'Hara smiled.
81 had conclusive evidence to set
tie the matter" He picked up his
hat from the table and looked at
the two holes in it.
"You mean some fellow shot at
you an hit yore hat?'
"Yes. To be definite, Shep San
derson."
"Shep shot at you! Why?"
That's what | came to have you
tell me-"
"You don't know why?"
mo"
you an him had any row."
Not then. We'd never seen each
other. This evening we had a diff
ference of opinion
"How d'yOu know it was Shep?"
He admits it. Claims he thought
! was an antelope. That won't
wash"
Worrall CROPPED in his waistcoat
pocket for another match. "Well,
you got some idea why he shot at
you, haven't you?"
Miss Steelman had an idea. She
told SandersOn he was trying to kill
Judge Warner and had mistaken me
for him."
The lank man whistled. "Great
jumpin' horn toads! Could it be
that? You do kinda favor the
judge. About his size-an' store
clothes. What did Shep say when
she told him?"
HE denied it, but the way he
denied it was confession. He had
no time to think up good lie, be-
cause she was so quick about it.
The fellow was fabbergasted. Of
course he stuck to his antelope
story"
what d'you mean about Miss
Steelman being shot atT'
Perhaps I'd better tell you the
whole story"
"All right Hop to it." Worrall
put his boots on the table and tilted
back his chair.
He did not interrupt with a sin
gle question until O'Hara had fin
ished, but there was at least one
large one in his mind What was
Barbara Steelman doing on the
edge of the flats so close to the en-
trance Of Box canyon? He thought
he knew the answer, but did not
want to believe it.