Sacketts 03 - The Warrior's Path by L'Amour Louis

Author:L'Amour, Louis [L'Amour, Louis]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Louis L'Amour
Published: 2010-12-10T00:00:00+00:00

Back in the front shop there were two men now, seated cross-legged on a table, sewing. Augustus Jayne was nowhere about, and at the door my eyes swept the street.

It was crowded with sailors from the ships, pirates, and with an occasional planter from the back country or a soldier in uniform and a liberal assortment of blacks, some of them showing signs of Carib blood.

A drunken sailor, reeking of rum, staggered past, leaning for a moment against a post. In his ear was a ring, sparkling with diamonds. On the fingers of the hand nearest me he wore three others, gold and gems. He caught my glance and bared his broken teeth in what passed for a smile. "Got more where them come from! I got a-plenty!" With that he staggered on.

Looking up, I caught the eyes of a sour-looking man with a black forelock and a scar on his cheekbone. The same blow must have taken the tip of his ear, too, for it was missing. As our eyes met, he looked quickly away. Why? His expression had been almost guilty.

A heavy cart drawn by two oxen was coming along the street, piled high with barrels. Suddenly I ducked across in front of it, so close the oxen almost broke stride, and their driver cursed me roundly. For an instant the cart and its load barred any view of me, and I ducked instantly into a small shop and made my way toward the rear.

A glance back showed not one but two men dart across the street. The man with the scar started up the street; the other one turned down.

Only a moment and they would be back, looking in here. I went to the back of the shop, and a man stepped before me. "You would be wanting something?"

"To see the owner," I said, "at once!"

He hesitated, not liking me but obviously impressed by my appearance. "Well ... wait, then."

He turned and went through a curtain at the back. Again I looked back. Nothing ... yet.

After what seemed a long time, the clerk reappeared. "This way, Captain," he said.

Time, I needed time, if only a few minutes. I went through the curtain and saw a man in square-cut glasses looking up at me. He was a short, fat man with a round, almost completely bald head. He had a small, tight little mouth that I instantly distrusted, but that was of no importance now.

"What is it?" he demanded irritably. "I've no time for—"

"I was told," I suggested, "that you were a man who might have something to sell." I paused just a moment. "Something other than that claptrap out there," I jerked my head toward the front of the store.

He sat back in his chair and stared at me. His eyes were cold and cruel. He was not a man with whom I should have liked to deal. "Now who could have told you that?" He stared at me. "I know naught of you. If you have business to do with me, there's the store out front.

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