Спрут: Калифорнийская история

           Atonemomenthismaniawouldbefencing;thenext,sleight-of-handtricks;thenext,archery.Forupwardsofonemonthhehaddevotedhimselftolearninghowtoplaytwobanjossimultaneously,thenabandoningthishaddevelopedasuddenpassionforstampedleatherworkandhadmadeaquantityofpurses,tennisbelts,andhatbands,whichhepresentedtoyoungladiesofhisacquaintance.Itwashispolicynevertomakeanenemy.Hewaslikedfarbetterthanhewasrespected.Peoplespokeofhimas“thatgoatOsterman,”or“thatfoolOstermankid,”andinvitedhimtodinner.Hewasofthesortwhosomehowcannotbeignored.Ifonlybecauseofhisclamourhemadehimselfimportant.Ifhehadoneabidingtrait,itwashisdesireofastonishingpeople,andinsomeway,bestknowntohimself,managedtocausethecirculationofthemostextraordinarystorieswhereinhe,himself,wasthechiefactor.Hewasglib,voluble,dexterous,ubiquitous,atelleroffunnystories,acrackerofjokes.

           Naturallyenough,hewasheavilyindebt,butcarriedtheburdenofitwithperfectnonchalance.TheyearbeforeS.Behrmanhadheldmortgagesforfullyathirdofhiscropandhadsqueezedhimviciouslyforinterest.Butforallthat,OstermanandS.Behrmanwerecontinuallyseenarm-in-armonthemainstreetofBonneville.OstermanwasaccustomedtoslapS.Behrmanonhisfatback,declaring:

           “You’reagoodfellow,oldjelly-belly,afterall,hey?”

           AsOstermanenteredfromtheporch,afterhanginghiscavalryponchoanddrippinghatontherackoutside,Mrs.