"Eric Flint - TOG 02 - 1824, The Arkansas War" - читать интересную книгу автора (Flint Eric)

It wasnтАЩt a very big table, either.

тАЬAnd I just put in a new window,тАЭ Akins muttered to himself. Fortunately, the window was a good ten
feet from where Houston and Baxter were sitting. Maybe it wouldnтАЩt get smashed up along with
everything else.

The room had fallen silent. Even packed as it was with men having their breakfast, you could have heard
the proverbial pin drop. Most of the diners were travelers passing through on business, not locals. But it
didnтАЩt matter. Every one of them had heard BaxterтАЩs loudly stated threats, should the nefarious
nigger-loving traitor Sam Houston dare to show his face. And the fact that Jack Baxter was the meanest
man in town could have been surmised by a half-wit, upon fifteen secondsтАЩ acquaintance.

Houston turned his head part way around, ignoring BaxterтАЩs glare. тАЬOh, Mr. AkinsтАФI forgot. Be so
kind as to tell your wife that I prefer my steak cooked rare. No blasted leather for me, thank you. When
I stick my knife into meat, I want to see itbleed. тАЭ

He turned back to Baxter. тАЬIтАЩve got quite the knife, too. Here, let me show you.тАЭ

From somewhere under the blanket, Houston drew out a knife that looked more like a short sword than
what any reasonable manтАФcertainly any reasonable innkeeperтАФwould have called a knife. It was all
Akins could do not to hiss.

Two of the customers in the roomdid hiss.

тАЬHad it made for me in Arkansas,тАЭ Houston continued, his tone as cheerful as ever. тАЬAt the knife shop
James Black set up in Fort of 98. I think Rezin Bowie designed it, though. He or his brother Jim, anyway.
CanтАЩt say either one is exactly a friend of mine, so IтАЩm not sure.тАЭ

All the while heтАЩd been prattling gaily, Houston held up the knife and twisted it back and forth, letting
BaxterтАФevery man in the room, for that matterтАФget a good view of it. The thing looked as lethal as a
rattlesnake.

тАЬYou know Jim Bowie?тАЭ Houston asked Baxter, not looking at him.

He didnтАЩt wait for an answer, which he wouldnтАЩt have gotten anyway because by now BaxterтАЩs glare
was enough to melt brimstone.

тАЬHot-tempered man.тАЭ Houston shook his head, still looking at the knife. тАЬ тАЩCourse, I admit, sometimes a
manтАЩs got to have a temper.тАЭ

Finally, he lowered the knife and looked across the table at Baxter. Still, for all the world, seeming to be
completely oblivious to BaxterтАЩs fury.
 тАЬI shouldтАЩve asked your pardon for just sitting here. But IтАЩm afraid IтАЩve got no choice. NowadaysтАФsad
to say, but there it isтАФI pretty much have to take a corner table anywhere I go. It seems IтАЩve got
enemies. Got to watch my back.тАЭ

In point of fact, it was BaxterтАЩs seat that gave a view of the entire room. HoustonтАЩs back was turned to
everybody except Baxter.