Спрут: Калифорнийская история
Chapter V.
HeplungedintothewheatonQuienSabe,makingnorthwardforadivisionhousethatrosewithitssurroundingtreesoutofthewheatlikeanisland.Hereachedit,thebloodsquelchinginhisshoes.Butthesightoftwomen,Portuguesefarm-hands,staringathimfromanangleofthebarn,abruptlyrousedhimtoaction.Hesprangforwardwithperemptorycommands,demandingahorse.
AtGuadalajara,Delaneyandthesheriffdescendedfromthefreightengine.
“Horsesnow,”declaredthesheriff.“Hewon’tgointoBonneville,that’scertain.He’llleavetheenginebetweenhereandthere,andstrikeoffintothecountry.We’llfollowafterhimnowinthesaddle.Soonasheleaveshisengine,HE’Sonfoot.We’veasgoodasgothimnow.”
Theirhorses,includingeventhebuckskinmarethatDykehadridden,werestillatthestation.Thepartyswungthemselvesup,Delaneyexclaiming,“Here’sMYmount,”ashebestrodethebuckskin.
AtGuadalajara,thetwobloodhoundswerepickedupagain.Urgingthejadedhorsestoagallop,thepartysetoffalongtheUpperRoad,keepingasharplookouttorightandleftfortracesofDyke’sabandonmentoftheengine.
ThreemilesbeyondtheLongTrestle,theyfoundS.Behrmanholdinghissaddlehorsebythebridle,andlookingattentivelyatatrailthathadbeenbrokenthroughthestandingwheatonQuienSabe.Thepartydrewrein.
“Theenginepassedmeonthetracksfurtherup,andempty,”saidS.Behrman.“Boys,Ithinkheleftherhere.”
Butbeforeanyonecouldanswer,thebloodhoundsgavetongueagain,astheypickedupthescent.
“That’shim,”criedS.
