He already
hated the Taggarts, not particularly because they were his father's
enemies, but rather because Tom Taggart had been a traitor. He felt a
contempt for him. He himself was mean and vicious--he knew that. But
he had never betrayed a friend. It was better to have no friend than
to have one and betray him. He looked around to see that Betty was
still apparently absorbed in her book.
"Do you know what is in this letter?" he said.
She laid the book in her lap and nodded affirmatively.
"You opened it, I suppose?" he sneered.
"No," she returned, unmoved. "Your father read it to me."
"Kind of him, wasn't it? What do you think of it?"
"What I think isn't important. What do you think of it?"
"Nosey, eh?" he jeered. "If it won't inconvenience you any, I'll keep
what I think of it to myself. But it's plain to me now that when you
caught me tryin' to guzzle your granddad you thought I belonged to the
Taggart bunch. You told me I'd have to try again--or somethin' like
that. I reckon you thought I was after the idol?"
"Yes."
"Then the Taggarts have tried to get it since you've been here?"
"Many times."
"But you left the front door open the night I came," insinuated
Calumet, his eyes glowing subtly. "That looks like you was invitin'
someone to come in an' get the idol.
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