Спрут: Калифорнийская история

           Horsehoofsclatteredovertheroadsatnight;bellswererung,the“Mercury”issuedextraafterextra;thebloodhoundsbayed,gunbuttsclashedontheasphaltpavementsofBonneville;accidentaldischargesofrevolversbroughtthewholetownintothestreet;farmhandscalledtoeachotheracrossthefencesofranch-divisions—inaword,thecountry-sidewasinanuproar.

           Andalltonoeffect.Thehoof-marksofDyke’shorsehadbeentracedinthemudoftheroadtowithinaquarterofamileofthefoot-hillsandthereirretrievablylost.Threedaysafterthehold-up,asheep-herderwasfoundwhohadseenthehighwaymanonaridgeinthehighermountains,tothenortheastofTaurusa.Andthatwasabsolutelyall.Rumourswerethick,promisingclewswerediscovered,newtrailstakenup,butnothingtranspiredtobringthepursuersandpursuedanyclosertogether.Then,aftertendaysofstrain,publicinterestbegantoflag.ItwasbelievedthatDykehadsucceededingettingaway.Ifthiswastrue,hehadgonetothesouthward,aftergainingthemountains,anditwouldbehisintentiontoworkoutoftherangesomewherenearthesouthernpartoftheSanJoaquin,nearBakersfield.Thus,thesheriffs,marshals,anddeputiesdecided.Theyhadhuntedtoomanycriminalsinthesemountainsbeforenottoknowtheusualcoursestaken.Intime,DykeMUSTcomeoutofthemountainstogetwaterandprovisions.Butthistimepassed,andfromnotoneofthewatchedpointscameanywordofhisappearance.Atlastthepossesbegantodisband.Littlebylittlethepursuitwasgivenup.

           OnlyS.Behrmanpersisted.