Спрут: Калифорнийская история
Chapter VI
Afterthefirstscrambleforsafety,thecrowdfellquietforthefractionofaninstant,gluedtothewalls,afraidtostir,struckdumbandmotionlesswithsurpriseandterror,andintheinstant’ssilencethatfollowedAnnixter,hiseyesonDelaney,mutteredrapidlytoHilma:
“Getback,getawaytooneside.ThefoolMIGHTshoot.”
Therewasasecond’srespiteaffordedwhileDelaneyoccupiedhimselfinquietingthebuckskin,andinthatsecondoftime,atthismomentofcrisis,thewonderfulthingoccurred.Hilma,turningfromDelaney,herhandsclaspedonAnnixter’sarm,hereyesmeetinghis,exclaimed:
“You,too!”
Andthatwasall;buttoAnnixteritwasarevelation.Nevermorealivetohissurroundings,nevermoreobservant,hesuddenlyunderstood.ForthebriefestlapseoftimeheandHilmalookeddeepintoeachother’seyes,andfromthatmomenton,AnnixterknewthatHilmacared.
Thewholematterwasbriefasthesnappingofafinger.Twowordsandaglanceandallwasdone.Butasthoughnothinghadoccurred,AnnixterpushedHilmafromhim,repeatingharshly:
“Getback,Itellyou.Don’tyouseehe’sgotagun?Haven’tIenoughonmyhandswithoutyou?”
HeloosedherclaspandhiseyesoncemoreonDelaney,moveddiagonallybackwardstowardthesideofthebarn,pushingHilmafromhim.Intheendhethrustherawaysosharplythatshegavebackwithalongstagger;somebodycaughtherarmanddrewherin,leavingAnnixteraloneoncemoreinthemiddleofthefloor,hishandsinhiscoatpockets,watchful,alert,facinghisenemy.
