"Louis L'amour - sackett13 - Treasure Mountain" - читать интересную книгу автора (L'Amour Louis)

who know the better. And nobody outside the family."
"She's right," Andre said, "but this is all so premature. This Orrin Sackett
cannot know anything. Pierre was obviously French, obviously from Louisiana. He
brought Sackett back here to outfit before we started west, but Sackett never
left the river front. I don't know what stirred this up, but all we have to do
is sit quietly and allow it to pass. If he gets close then we can act." He
shrugged, looking down at the tip of his cigar. "After all, New Orleans may take
care of him without our help. He would not be the first."
"Have you seen him?" Fanny asked.
"Yes. He's a big man, nearly as big as I am. Perhaps even as big. He's a
good-looking fellow, dresses well, seems to know his way around."
Paul looked up. "Andre, wasn't there some disturbance down on the waterfront a
few years back? Some trouble involving some Sacketts?"
"I believe you are right, Paul. I do recall something of the kind. An attempt
was made to rob one of them and there was a fightЧquite a bloody one."
"That could be the answer, Uncle Andre," Fanny suggested. "A Sackett returns ...
a revenge killing."
She was right, of course. It was a simple, logical method if it became
necessary. He would make a few inquiries. If any of the old crowd were around he
might just drop a word here and there. Anyway, this was all over nothing. This
Sackett knew nothing, could know nothing.
A thought suddenly occurred to him. He still had the map. He had kept it,
believing it held a clue to the treasure. None of them knew he had it, for he
had never mentioned it to anyone. After all, when one holds the only clue to the
location of thirty million in gold one does not talk about it. The stuff was
there. He had taken the time to look up the old reports turned into the
government those many years ago, and of course, there was mention of the gold
the French army had minedЧthirty millions!
He had been thinking of going back to look for that gold, and this was probably
the time. He was forty years old now, stronger and more able than ever. He must
think about the future, and he had little faith in what Philip might leave them.
Philip liked none of them too well, and with good reason.
What did Sackett know?

Orrin Sackett, standing before his mirror in the Saint Charles Hotel, combed his
hair carefully, set his cravat in place, and left his room. At the head of the
stairs he paused momentarily and touched his left side lightly. The Smith and
Wesson Russian he carried was resting easily. No trouble was expected, but habit
remains with a man.
So far the trip had netted him exactly nothing. He had doubted from the first
that they would uncover anything. New Orleans was a big city. Twenty years had
passed, and the clues he had were slight. Still, if it would please ma there was
no effort he would not make.
After all, what information did he have? Twenty years ago a man of strong French
accent wanted to make a trip to a certain place in the western mountains. That
implied that he had made a previous trip or that he had knowledge of someone who
had made such a trip.
Pa had been asked to guide this Frenchman, and the trip was expected to last but
a few monthsЧtime to get there and return.
What would take a man to lonely mountains at the risk of being killed by