Спрут: Калифорнийская история

           HehadnosightofHilmaagainthatevening,andthenextmorninghewasupearlyanddidnotbreakfastattheranchhouse.BusinessoftheLeaguecalledhimtoBonnevilletoconferwithMagnusandthefirmoflawyersretainedbytheLeaguetofighttheland-grabbingcases.AnappealwastobetakentotheSupremeCourtatWashington,anditwastobesettledthatdaywhichofthecasesinvolvedshouldbeconsideredastestcases.

           InsteadofdrivingorridingintoBonneville,asheusuallydid,Annixtertookanearlymorningtrain,theBakersfield-FresnolocalatGuadalajara,andwenttoBonnevillebyrail,arrivingthereattwentyminutesaftersevenandbreakfastingbyappointmentwithMagnusDerrickandOstermanattheYosemiteHouse,onMainStreet.

           TheconferenceofthecommitteewiththelawyerstookplaceinafrontroomoftheYosemite,oneofthelatterbringingwithhimhisclerk,whomadeastenographicreportoftheproceedingsandtookcarboncopiesofallletterswritten.Theconferencewaslongandcomplicated,thebusinesstransactedoftheutmostmoment,anditwasnotuntiltwoo’clockthatAnnixterfoundhimselfatliberty.

           However,asheandMagnusdescendedintothelobbyofthehotel,theywereawareofanexcitedandinterestedgroupcollectedabouttheswingdoorsthatopenedfromthelobbyoftheYosemiteintothebarofthesamename.Dykewasthere—evenatadistancetheycouldhearthereverberationofhisdeep-tonedvoice,upliftedinwrathandfuriousexpostulation.MagnusandAnnixterjoinedthegroupwondering,andallatoncefellfulluponthefirstsceneofadrama.