Спрут: Калифорнийская история
Chapter V
Stillshivering,hehurriedintohisclothes,and,havingpushedthebuttonoftheelectricbelltoannouncethathewasreadyforbreakfast,immediatelyplungedintothebusinessoftheday.Whilehewasthusoccupied,thebutcher’scartfromBonnevilledroveintotheyardwiththeday’ssupplyofmeat.ThiscartalsobroughttheBonnevillepaperandthemailofthepreviousnight.InthebundleofcorrespondencethatthebutcherhandedtoAnnixterthatmorning,wasatelegramfromOsterman,atthattimeonhissecondtriptoLosAngeles.Itread:
“Flotationofcompanyinthisdistrictassured.Havesecuredservicesofdesirableparty.Amnowinpositiontosellyouyoursharestock,asperoriginalplan.”
Annixtergruntedashetorethedespatchintostrips.“Well,”hemuttered,“thatpartissettled,then.”
Hemadealittlepileofthetornstripsonthetopoftheunlightedstove,andburnedthemcarefully,scowlingdownintotheflickeroffire,thoughtfulandpreoccupied.
HeknewverywellwhatOstermanreferredtoby“Flotationofcompany,”andalsowhowasthe“desirableparty”hespokeof.
Underprotest,ashewasparticulartodeclare,andafterinterminableargument,AnnixterhadallowedhimselftobereconciledwithOsterman,andtobepersuadedtoreentertheproposedpolitical“deal.”Acommitteehadbeenformedtofinancetheaffair—Osterman,oldBroderson,Annixterhimself,and,withreservations,hardlymorethanalooker-on,HarranDerrick.Ofthiscommittee,Ostermanwasconsideredchairman.MagnusDerrickhadformallyanddefinitelyrefusedhisadherencetothescheme.
