Спрут: Калифорнийская история

           Itwasasthoughtheearth,afteritsperiodofreproduction,itspainsoflabour,hadbeendeliveredofthefruitofitsloins,andnowsleptthesleepofexhaustion.

           Itwastheperiodbetweenseasons,whennothingwasbeingdone,whenthenaturalforcesseemedtohangsuspended.Therewasnorain,therewasnowind,therewasnogrowth,nolife;theverystubblehadnoforceeventorot.Thesunalonemoved.

           Towardtwoo’clock,PresleyreachedHooven’splace,twoorthreegrimyframebuildings,infestedwithaswarmofdogs.Ahogortwowanderedaimlesslyabout.Underashedbythebarn,abroken-downseederlayrustingtoitsruin.Butoverhead,amammothlive-oak,thelargesttreeinallthecountry-side,toweredsuperbandmagnificent.Greybunchesofmistletoeandfestoonsoftrailingmosshungfromitsbark.FromitslowestbranchhungHooven’smeat-safe,asquarebox,facedwithwirescreens.

           WhatgaveaspecialinteresttoHooven’swasthefactthatherewastheintersectionoftheLowerRoadandDerrick’smainirrigatingditch,avasttrenchnotyetcompleted,whichheandAnnixter,whoworkedtheQuienSaberanch,werejointlyconstructing.Itrandirectlyacrosstheroadandatrightanglestoit,andlayadeepgrooveinthefieldbetweenHooven’sandthetownofGuadalajara,somethreemilesfartheron.Besidesthis,theditchwasanaturalboundarybetweentwodivisionsoftheLosMuertosranch,thefirstandfourth.

           Presleynowhadthechoiceoftworoutes.HisobjectivepointwasthespringattheheadwatersofBrodersonCreek,inthehillsontheeasternsideoftheQuienSaberanch.