Спрут: Калифорнийская история

           ItwasamessengerfromBonneville,theuniformedboythatthetelephonecompanyemployedtocarrymessages.Hehadjustarrivedfromtownonhisbicycle,outofbreathandpanting.

           “Messageforyou,sir.Willyousign?”

           HeheldthebooktoAnnixter,whosignedthereceipt,wondering.

           Theboydeparted,leavingathickenvelopeofyellowpaperinAnnixter’shands,theaddresstypewritten,theword“Urgent”writteninbluepencilinonecorner.

           Annixtertoreitopen.Theenvelopecontainedothersealedenvelopes,someeightortenofthem,addressedtoMagnusDerrick,Osterman,Broderson,Garnett,Keast,Gethings,Chattern,Dabney,andtoAnnixterhimself.

           Stillpuzzled,Annixterdistributedtheenvelopes,mutteringtohimself:

           “What’supnow?”

           Theincidenthadattractedattention.Acomparativequietfollowed,theguestsfollowingtheletterswiththeireyesastheywerepassedaroundthetable.TheyfanciedthatAnnixterhadarrangedasurprise.

           MagnusDerrick,whosatnexttoAnnixter,wasthefirsttoreceivehisletter.Withawordofexcuseheopenedit.

           “Readit,readit,Governor,”shoutedahalf-dozenvoices.“Nosecrets,youknow.Everythingaboveboardhereto-night.”

           Magnuscastaglanceatthecontentsoftheletter,thenrosetohisfeetandread:

           MagnusDerrick,

           Bonneville,TulareCo.,Cal.

           DearSir:

           ByregradeofOctober1st,thevalueoftherailroadlandyou

           occupy,includedinyourranchofLosMuertos,hasbeenfixedat

           $27.00peracre.Thelandisnowforsaleatthatpricetoany

           one.

           Yours,etc.