Спрут: Калифорнийская история

           “Isay,”heaskedofthedrummernamedMax,“Isay,myfriend,whatplaceisthis?”

           Theothersroaredwithderision.

           “WewereHELDUP,sir,that’swhatwewere.Wewereheldupandyousleptthroughitall.Youmissedtheshowofyourlife.”

           Thegentlemanfixedthegroupwithaprolongedgaze.Hesaidneveraword,butlittlebylittlehewasconvincedthatthedrummerstoldthetruth.Allatoncehegrewwrathful,hisfacepurpling.Hewithdrewhisheadangrily,buttoninghiscurtainstogetherinafury.Thecauseofhisragewasinexplicable,buttheycouldhearhimresettlinghimselfuponhispillowswithexasperatedmovementsofhisheadandshoulders.Inafewmomentsthedeepbassandshrilltrebleofhissnoringoncemoresoundedthroughthecar.

           Atlastthetraingotunderwayagain,withuselesswarningblastsoftheengine’swhistle.Inafewmomentsitwastearingawaythroughthedawnatawonderfulspeed,rockingaroundcurves,roaringacrossculverts,makinguptime.

           Andalltherestofthatstrangenightthepassengers,sittingupintheirunmadebeds,intheswayingcar,lightedbyastrangeminglingofpalliddawnandtremblingPintschlights,rushingatbreak-neckspeedthroughthemistyrain,wereoppressedbyavisionoffiguresofterror,farbehindtheminthenighttheyhadleft,masked,armed,gallopingtowardthemountainspistolinhand,thebootyboundtothesaddlebow,galloping,gallopingon,sendingathrilloffearthroughallthecountryside.

           Theyoungdoctorreturned.