Спрут: Калифорнийская история

           Butifthevagabondinstinctnowrouseditselfinthestrangefellow’snature,acounterinfluencehadalsosetin.MoreandmoreVanameefrequentedtheMissiongardenafternightfall,sometimesremainingtheretillthedawnbegantowhiten,lyingproneontheground,hischinonhisfoldedarms,hiseyessearchingthedarknessoverthelittlevalleyoftheSeedranch,watching,watching.Asthedayswentby,hebecamemorereticentthanever.Presleyoftencametofindhimonthestockrange,alonelyfigureinthegreatwildernessofbare,greenhillsides,butVanameenolongertookhimintohisconfidence.FatherSarriaaloneheardhisstrangestories.

           DykedroveontowardBonneville,thinkingoverthewholematter.Heknew,aseveryonedidinthatpartofthecountry,thelegendofVanameeandAngele,theromanceoftheMissiongarden,themysteryoftheOther,Vanamee’sflighttothedesertsofthesouthwest,hisperiodicreturns,hisstrange,reticent,solitarycharacter,but,likemanyanotherofthecountrypeople,heaccountedforVanameebyashortandeasymethod.Nodoubt,thefellow’switswereturned.Thatwasthelongandshortofit.

           Theex-engineerreachedthePostOfficeinBonnevilletowardseleveno’clock,buthedidnotatoncepresenthisnoticeofthearrivalofhisconsignmentatRuggles’soffice.Itentertainedhimtoindulgeinanhour’sloungingaboutthestreets.Itwasseldomhegotintotown,andwhenhedidhepermittedhimselftheluxuryofenjoyinghisevidentpopularity.