Free the Daybreakers (1960) by Louis - Sackett's 06 L'amour

looked at him ... it was enough to make a man gag. Only Orrin wasn't gagging. He was looking like somebody had hit him with a fence post.
    Cap was uncommon sour but Sunday--always a hand with the ladies--gave her a wide smile. Sometimes I thought it irritated him that Laura had chosen to fall for Orrin and not him. Her eyes looked past Orrin at me and our minds were hitched to the same idea. We simply did not like each other.
    Jonathan Pritts entered wearing a preacher's coat and a collar that made you wonder whether he was going to offer prayer or sell you a gold brick.
    He passed around a box of cigars and I was glad I didn't smoke. Orrin accepted a cigar, and after the slightest hesitation, Tom did too.
    "I don't smoke," I said.
    "Will you have a drink?"
    "I don't drink," I said.
    Orrin looked at me, because while I don't care for the stuff I sometimes drink with friends.
    "You boys have done well with your cattle," Pritts said, "and I like men with business minds. However, I am wondering what you plan to do with the proceeds of your success. I can use men who want to invest business brains and capital, men who can start something and carry it through."
    Nobody said anything and he brushed the ash from his cigar and studied the glowing end for a minute.
    "There may be a little trouble at first. The people on the land are not Americans and may resent our moving in."
    Orrin spoke slowly. "Tyrel and me came west hunting land. We're looking for a home."
    "Good! New Mexico is now a part of the United States, and it's time that we American citizens had the benfits."
    He drew deep on his cigar. "The first comers will be first served."
    "The way it sounds," I said, "you plan to shove out the first comers and move in yourself."
    Pritts was mad. He was not accustomed to straight talk--least of all from men like us. He said nothing for a moment and Laura sat down near Orrin and I got a whiff of her perfume.
    "The Mexicans have no rights," Pritts replied. "The land belongs to us freeborn Americans, and if you come in with us now you will have shares in the company we are forming."
    "We need a home for Ma," Orrin said, "we do need land."
    "If we get it this way, there'll be blood on it," I said, "but first we should get Mr. Pritts' proposition in writing, just what he has in mind, and how he aims to settle up." That was Pa talking. Pa always said, "Get it in writing, boy."
    "A gentleman's word," Pritts replied stiffly, "should be enough."
    I got up. I'd no idea what the others figured to do and didn't much care. This sanctimonious old goat was figuring to steal land from folks who'd lived on it for years.
    "A man who is talking of stealing land with guns," I said, "is in no position to talk about himself as being a gentleman. Those people are American citizens now as much as you or me."
    Turning around, I started for the door, and Cap Rountree was only a step behind me. Tom Sunday hesitated, being a polite man, but the four of us were four who worked and travelled together, so he followed us. Orrin lagged a little, but he came.
    Pritts yelled after us, his voice trembling he was so mad. "Remember this! Those who aren't with me are against me! Ride out of town and don't come back!"
    None of us were greenhorns and we knew those men on the porch weren't knitting so when we stopped, the four of us faced out in four directions. "Mr. Pritts," I said, "you've got mighty big ideas for such a small head. Don't you make trouble for us or we'll run you back to the country they run you out of."
    He was coming after us and he stopped in midstride, stopped as though I'd hit him with my fist. Right then I knew what I'd said was true ... somebody had run him out of somewhere.
    He was an arrogant man who fancied himself important, and mostly he carried it off, but now he was mad. "We'll see about that!" he shouted. "Wilson, take them!"
    Rountree was facing the first man who started to get out of a chair, which was Wilson, and there was no mercy in old