Спрут: Калифорнийская история

           Hecouldstillpreserveaboldfront;couldstillholdhisheadhigh.Astimewentontheaffairwouldloseitspoint.

           Butthiswasnotso.Somesubtleelementofhischaracterhadforsakenhim.Hefeltit.Heknewit.Somecertainstiffnessthathadgivenhimallhisrigidity,thathadlentforcetohisauthority,weighttohisdominance,tempertohisfine,inflexiblehardness,wasdiminishingdaybyday.Inthedecisionswhichhe,asPresidentoftheLeague,wascalledupontomakesooften,henowhesitated.Hecouldnolongerbearrogant,masterful,actinguponhisownjudgment,independentofopinion.Hebegantoconsulthislieutenants,askingtheiradvice,distrustinghisownopinions.Hemademistakes,blunders,andwhenthosewerebroughttohisnotice,tookrefugeinbluster.Heknewittobebluster—knewthatsoonerorlaterhissubordinateswouldrecogniseitassuch.Howlongcouldhemaintainhisposition?Soonlyhecouldkeephisgripupontheleverofcontroltillthebattlewasover,allwouldbewell.Ifnot,hewouldfall,and,oncefallen,heknewthatnow,briberthathewas,hewouldneverriseagain.

           HewasonhiswayatthismomenttothecitytoconsultwithLymanastoacertainissueofthecontestbetweentheRailroadandtheranchers,which,oflate,hadbeenbroughttohisnotice.

           WhenappealhadbeentakentotheSupremeCourtbytheLeague’sExecutiveCommittee,certaintestcaseshadbeenchosen,whichshouldrepresentallthelandsinquestion.NeitherMagnusnorAnnixterhadsoappealed,believing,ofcourse,thattheircaseswerecoveredbythetestcasesontrialatWashington.