“He’s bent on ruining him, always has been ever since he got a hold on him. I can’t tell you how I know it, but I’m sure—— And now he’s more set on it than ever.”
Curly thought he could guess why, but he wanted to make sure. “Because you are Sam’s friend?”
The pink flooded her cheeks. “Yes.”
“And because you won’t be Soapy Stone’s friend?”
She flashed a startled look at him. “How do you know?”
“Jealous, is he?”
Her face, buried in the blooms she had been cutting, was of the same tint as the roses.
“And so he wants to hurt you through him?” Flandrau added.
“Yes. If he can drag Sam down and get him into trouble he’ll pay off two grudges at once. And he will too. You’ll see. He’s wily as an Indian. For that matter there is Apache blood in him, folks say.”
“What about young Cullison? Can’t he make a fight for himself?”