Спрут: Калифорнийская история
Chapter VI
Hehurriedbetweenthebarnandtheranchhouse,carryingnowawickereddemijohn,nowacaseofwine,nowabasketoflemonsandpineapples.Besidesgeneralsupervision,hehadelectedtoassumetheresponsibilityofcomposingthepunch—somethingstiff,byjingo,apunchthatwouldraiseyourightoutofyourboots;aregularhairlifter.
Theharnessroomofthebarnhehadsetapartfor:himselfandintimates.Hehadbroughtalongtabledownfromthehouseanduponithadsetoutboxesofcigars,bottlesofwhiskeyandofbeerandthegreatchinabowlsforthepunch.Itwouldbenofaultofhis,hedeclared,ifhalfthenumberofhismenfriendswerenotuproariousbeforetheyleft.HisbarndancewouldbethetalkofallTulareCountyforyearstocome.Forthisonedayhehadresolvedtoputallthoughtsofbusinessoutofhishead.Forthematterofthat,thingsweregoingwellenough.OstermanwasbackfromLosAngeleswithafavourablereportastohisaffairwithDisbrowandDarrell.Therehadbeenanothermeetingofthecommittee.HarranDerrickhadattended.Thoughhehadtakennopartinthediscussion,Annixterwassatisfied.TheGovernorhadconsentedtoallowHarranto“comein,”ifhesodesired,andHarranhadpledgedhimselftoshareone-sixthofthecampaignexpenses,providingthesedidnotexceedacertainfigure.
AsAnnixtercametothedoorofthebarntoshoutabuseatthedistraughtChinesecookwhowascuttinguplemonsinthekitchen,hecaughtsightofPresleyandVanameeandhailedthem.
“Hello,Pres,”hecalled.
