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

Akins looked at it. HeтАЩd wondered how Houston had managed to hold it bare-handed without burning
himself. Now that the lion-bite had exposed the inside of the steak, the answer was obvious. His wife had
been in such a hurry sheтАЩd barely cooked it at all. The meat was practically raw, once you got past the
outside char.

Houston shoved it into his mouth, and sawed off another chunk. тАЬSome whiskey, if you would,тАЭ he said,
after he swallowed. Again, after chewing it twice.

Akins didnтАЩt argue the matter. There was no way to stop Houston anywayтАФand, at least judging from
his reputation and what the innkeeper had seen the night before, whiskey made him good-humored.

The innkeeper blessed good humor four times, on his way to the whiskey cabinet and back, tossing in a
short prayer for good measure.

He didnтАЩt bother offering the use of a tumbler. As soon as the whiskey bottle was on the tableтАФby then,
half the steak had vanished, and what was left was back on the plateтАФHouston grabbed it by the neck
and took a hefty slug.

He brought the bottle down with a thump. тАЬLove whiskey with a rare steak. тАЩCourseтАЭтАФone more time,
he bestowed that cheery grin on BaxterтАФтАЬI dare not take more than the one good swallow, of a
morning. Maybe two. As many enemies as I have.тАЭ

Akins almost burst into laughter, then. He was standing by a table where a lion was beaming down on a
rat. A cornered rat, at that, since there was no way for Baxter to get away from Houston, sitting where
he was.

тАЬNo,sir, тАЭ Houston stated, stabbing the steak again and bringing it back up. He reached halfway across
the table and waved the piece of meat under BaxterтАЩs nose. тАЬI got to be careful. Even though I can drink
half a bottle and still shoot straight or cut slickerтАЩn youтАЩd believe a man could do plain sober.тАЭ

The steak went back into his mouth, and the knife sawed off another chunk. By now, at least, Houston
was chewing four or five times before he swallowed.

Akins heard a noise behind him. Turning, he saw that HoustonтАЩs slave had come into the room. He was
holding a satchel in his left hand.

тАЬWeтАЩre ready to go whenever youтАЩve a mind, Mr. Sam,тАЭ he announced. тАЬThe horses are saddled,
everythingтАЩs packed, andтАФтАЭ

The same two men hissed as the slave brought a pistol out of the satchel.

тАЬтАФI got your pistol here, if youтАЩve a mind for that, too.тАЭ

Houston swallowed, turned his head, and frowned. тАЬNow why in the world would I need a pistol,
Chester?тАЭ He held up the steakтАФwhat little was left of itтАФskewered on the knife. тАЬCowтАЩs already
dead.тАЭ

The slave didnтАЩt seem in the least abashed by the apparent rebuke. Nor did anyone in the room miss the
fact that he wasnтАЩt holding the pistol by the barrel, the way a man normally does when heтАЩs readying to
pass it over to another. Instead, he had the handle cupped neatly in his palm. And if his forefinger wasnтАЩt