"long ride home" - читать интересную книгу автора (L'Amour Louis)

"I'm a hunch player," the Kid lied, "and this isn't my hand."
Twice in the next hour the Cactus Kid realized they had him set for the kill, but
he avoided it by throwing in a hand or making only an insignificant bet. Harper was
a little ahead but Starrett was in the hole for more than six hundred and Lily had
lost just as much. The Cactus Kid was over a thousand dollars a winner.
Suddenly, the Kid realized that Lily's aunt was no longer with them. Even as the
thought came to him, she returned to the room. "I was worried," he said. "I was afraid
you had taken my luck with you."
The aunt's eyes met Lily's and Lily glanced around the table. "Is anyone else thirsty?"
she asked. "I am-very!"
"Let's call a waiter and have a few drinks," Starrett suggested.
The Kid nodded agreement, gathering up the discards. There had been an ace in those
discards and Harper had held two kings. Now if- He palmed the ace and two kings and
slipped them into a bottom stock. Riffling the cards he located another ace and king,
adding them to the stock. Then with swift,
11
The Cactus Kid Pays a Debt
practiced movements he worked up two good hands for Stai and Harper. He won again.
Starrett's polish was gone now and when he looked at Kid, there was hatred in his
eyes. Harper said nothing at all, glanced thoughtfully at Lily.
The drinks were brought in and as they were placed on table the Kid fumbled a chip,
and in grabbing for it knocked < Lily's drink. The Kid sprang to his feet.
"Oh, I'm very sorry, Miss Carfather!" he exclaimed. "H( he sat down and moved his
own glass to her, "you're the thi one. Take mine."
Her eyes blazed with fury. "Keep your drink!" she flare( won't take anything from
you!"
The Cactus Kid grinned suddenly. "No," he agreed, "r of you will."
Their eyes were on him, hard and implacable. "It was easy," the Kid said cheerfully,
"Starrett with that bobbed mi< finger. It makes a bottom deal easier but it's a dead
giveaw
With his left hand he pulled the money toward him began to pocket it. Their eyes,
hot with greed, stared at the j coins.
"I'll be damned if you take that money!" Harper's v burst out low and hard.
The Cactus Kid smiled his charming, boyish smile. "I tryin' to work that derringer
out of your pocket, Harper. I've a Peacemaker in my hand under the table, an' if
you feel gamblin' on a .44 slug, start something."
Harper's gun was out, but he pointed it at Starrett. "Do, he barked. "Don't start
anything, you fool! You want to get killed?"
"He wouldn't care much, would he, Harper? They'd have one less to split with."
With a swift, catlike movement, the Cactus Kid was on feet, his gun covering them
all. "Put that derringer in y
pocket, Harper. You might get hurt."
12
10Louis L'Amour
His face red, Harper shoved the gun into his pocket. "All right, you got our money.
Why don't you get out of here?"
"One thing yet," the Cactus Kid smiled, "an' maybe I'll hate myself for this, but
I did hear her say she was thirsty. Lily, you drink my drink."
"Why-why." She sprang to her feet. "I'll do nothing of-"
"Drink it," he insisted. "You ordered it for me. Try your own medicine. "