"Walsh, Thomas - Nightmare In Manhattan" - читать интересную книгу автора (Walsh Thomas)

NIGHTMARE
in
MANHATTAN

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by THOMAS WALSH

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Boston

Little, Brown and Company

COPYRIGHT MCMXLIX, BY THE CURTIS PUBLISHING CO. COPYRIGHT MCML, BY THOMAS WALSH

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, INCLUDING THE RIGHT

TO REPRODUCE THIS BOOK OR PORTIONS

THEREOF IN ANY FORM

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA


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NIGHTMARE
in
MANHATTAN

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PART ONE
Tony muechison had lunch with her. He was a shy but well-behaved little boy, six years old, who studied Frances during the meal with cautious interest; and what she remembered of him afterward was a round face, an earnest manner, a blue and white checkered shirt, just like a cowboyТs, and one of those enormous Uncle Sam pencils. Later on, when he heard the typing begin again just as he was going off to school for the afternoon session, he appeared in his fatherТs study to observe soberly, but with obvious fascination, the soft clicking and flashing of the typewriter keys as Frances manipulated them.

He came no closer to her than the hall doorway, and then looked away very solemnly, without the least smile when Frances detected him in that position. He stayed there, as if altogether unconcerned with her, for several minutes, and finally he came in a step, still watching her fingers. He came in another step when Frances pretended not to see him. He came in two steps.

УI could do that,Ф he said, almost his first words to her.

She thought he could too, Frances said; it really wasnТt awfully difficult. But could he make soldiers?

УSoldiers?Ф Tony Murchison said. Again she was observed solemnly. УOn that?Ф

Then she tapped out, with what must have seemed magical quickness, a diagonal column of guardsmen, all with muskets, and all at right shoulder arms.

УOh,Ф Tony Murchison said.

He buttoned up the blue overcoat slowly and competently, inspecting the guardsmen first, and then her. He said nothing; he remained solemn as ever; but when he came back to the study several minutes later she understood that she had made a conquest for herself, because he was carrying with him a new picture book, one that had a magnificent black and yellow tiger as frontispiece.