Спрут: Калифорнийская история
Chapter I
Annixter,whoworkedtheQuienSaberanch—somefourthousandacresofrichclayandheavyloams—wasaveryyoungman,youngereventhanPresley,likehimacollegegraduate.Helookedneverayearolderthanhewas.Hewassmooth-shavenandleanbuilt.Buthisyouthfulappearancewasoffsetbyacertainmalecastofcountenance,thelowerlipthrustout,thechinlargeanddeeplycleft.Hisuniversitycoursehadhardenedratherthanpolishedhim.Hestillremainedoneofthepeople,roughalmosttoinsolence,directinspeech,intolerantinhisopinions,relyinguponabsolutelynoonebuthimself;yet,withallthis,ofanastonishingdegreeofintelligence,andpossessedofanexecutiveabilitylittleshortofpositivegenius.Hewasaferociousworker,allowinghimselfnopleasures,andexactingthesamedegreeofenergyfromallhissubordinates.Hewaswidelyhated,andaswidelytrusted.Everyonespokeofhiscrustytemperandbullyingdisposition,invariablyqualifyingthestatementwithacommendationofhisresourcesandcapabilities.Thedevilofadriver,ahardmantogetalongwith,obstinate,contrary,cantankerous;butbrains!Nodoubtofthat;brainstohisboots.Onewouldliketoseethemanwhocouldgetaheadofhimonadeal.Twicehehadbeenshotat,oncefromambushonOsterman’sranch,andoncebyoneofhisownmenwhomhehadkickedfromthesackingplatformofhisharvesterforgrossnegligence.Atcollege,hehadspecialisedonfinance,politicaleconomy,andscientificagriculture.
