"THE TRAIL TO SEVEN PINES" - читать интересную книгу автора (L'Amour Louis)

And a man supremely cold-blooded, for it was probable the same man had murdered Jesse
Lock.
As they approached the ranch headquarters the others rode on ahead. Cassidy drew
up on a rise and rolled a smoke, considering the whole situation. There were too
many angles. The Gores and their 3 G outfit, the rustlers of Corn Patch, Clarry Jacks
and whatever he was, and the holdup and killing of Jesse Lock.
Did they tie up anywhere at all? That was a question, but it was doubtful. Many western
towns had hangers-on like Jacks. Men who lived on little, put up a big front, and
lazed around, playing poker and keeping out of work. Sometimes they were on the rustle.
And Jacks was supposed to be a gunfighter. He was cold-blooded. Had it been Jacks
who killed Thacker and Lock?
"It must be serious to have you thinking so much."
Hopalong turned to face a tall, stately-looking girl who was beautiful, with quiet
dignity and charm.
"It is, I reckon," Cassidy said frankly. "You must be Irene Ronson."
"Yes. You were thinking about the ranch? I often come up here to look at it, and
I know I'll miss it when I go."
"You're leaving?"
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"Only for town. I'm to marry Dr. Marsh in Seven Pines."
"He's a lucky man."
"I sometimes feel like a traitor." She looked off at the surrounding hills. "With
all this trouble I'm afraid of what may happen to the ranch."
"We'll save it," Hopalong said quietly. 'Tour brother's a good man."
Then he told her about the happenings of the afternoon, leaving out only what Kid
Newton had told him about Lenny and Clarry Jacks. She listened attentively and nodded
from time to time.
"We've all known there would be< trouble with the Gores," she said. "Lenny wanted
to send Clarry over there, and he volunteered to go. But Bob wouldn't stand for it.
And he wouldn't hire Clarry."
Hopalong secretly thought him wise but said nothing. Irene turned on him suddenly.
"You've one enemy now," she said quietly. "I hate to say this, but you've an enemy
in my sister. Lenny was furious at Bob for hiring you. She's a wonderful girl and
I love her very much, but she's headstrong and she has always believed the man to
run the ranch was Clarry Jacks."
"But I'm not running it," he objected. "I'm only segundo- in charge of trouble,"
he added.
"I know, but Leonora doesn't like it one bit. She feels left out so much, anyway.
Bob and I usually see things much alike, but Lenny . . . well, she has her own viewpoint."
There were hoofbeats behind them, and they turned. Her hair flaming in the late sunlight,
Lenny Ronson sat her horse, looking at them. Her face was cold and her eyes level.
"That's right, Irene, I have. And my viewpoint is that Hopalong Cassidy should never
have been hired!"
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Her glance chilled as she turned to meet his eyes. "You know what they are saying,
don't you? That you killed Jesse Lock! That you held up the stage! That you killed