"We want to know if it's true," insisted Doc Tomlinson. "You was all over town with them fellers. Now they've let it out they're goin' to grab the town site and make a re-survey."
"We know there wasn't ever any town site here," added Uncle Jim Brothers, "but what need was there? Wasn't there plenty of room for everybody?"
"You can't try any hurrah game on us fellers here," said McKinney, facing Dan Anderson squarely.
"Nor you with me," retorted Dan Anderson. "Don't any of you undertake that."
"Hold on there," called Learned Counsel, lifting his hand for attention. "This man is my client! You're not hearing both sides."
"Tell the other side, Dan," said Uncle Jim Brothers. Dan Anderson shook his head.
"Why can't you?" asked Uncle Jim.
"I can't!" broke from Dan Andersen's dry lips. "If you knew, you wouldn't ask me to."
"That's no argument," exclaimed Doc Tomlinson. "What we do know is that you were figurin' to run the street right past here, maybe through my store and Uncle Jim's place, maybe takin' Tom's place for depot yards. That outfit's been all over the hills lookin' for claims to jump. It's a case of gobble and steal. They say you're hired to help it on, and are gettin' a share of the steal. Now, if that's so, what would you do if you was in our place?"
"I'd run the fellow out of town," said Dan Anderson. "If there was that sort of a traitor here, by God! I'd kill him."