Спрут: Калифорнийская история
Chapter V
“Oh,what’sthegoodoflying,Ruggles?Youknowbetterthantotalkthatwaytome.”
Ruggles’sfaceflushedontheinstant,buthecheckedhisanswerandlaughedinstead.
“Oh,ifyouknowsomuchaboutit—”heobserved.
“Well,whenareyougoingtoselltome?”
“I’monlyactingfortheGeneralOffice,Mr.Annixter,”returnedRuggles.“WhenevertheDirectorsarereadytotakethatmatterup,I’llbeonlytoogladtoputitthroughforyou.”
“Asifyoudidn’tknow.Lookhere,you’renottalkingtooldBroderson.Wakeup,Ruggles.What’sallthistalkinGenslinger’sragaboutthegradingofthevalueofourlandsthiswinterandanadvanceintheprice?”
Rugglesspreadouthishandswithadeprecatorygesture.
“Idon’townthe’Mercury,’”hesaid.
“Well,yourcompanydoes.”
“Ifitdoes,Idon’tknowanythingaboutit.”
“Oh,rot!AsifyouandGenslingerandS.Behrmandidn’trunthewholeshowdownhere.Comeon,let’shaveit,Ruggles.WhatdoesS.BehrmanpayGenslingerforinsertingthatthree-inchad.oftheP.andS.W.inhispaper?Tenthousandayear,hey?”
“Oh,whynotahundredthousandandbedonewithit?”returnedtheother,willingtotakeitasajoke.
Insteadofreplying,Annixterdrewhischeck-bookfromhisinsidepocket.
“Letmetakethatfountainpenofyours,”hesaid.Holdingthebookonhiskneehewroteoutacheck,toreitcarefullyfromthestub,andlaiditonthedeskinfrontofRuggles.
“What’sthis?”askedRuggles.
