Спрут: Калифорнийская история
Chapter VI
WasthisAnnixterwhospoke—theHotspuroftheLeague,thequarrelsome,irasciblefellowwholovedandsoughtaquarrel?WasitAnnixter,whonowhadbeenthefirstandonlyoneofthemalltosuffer,whoseranchhadbeenseized,whosehouseholdpossessionshadbeenflungoutintotheroad?
“Whenyoucomerightdowntoit,”hecontinued,“killingaman,nomatterwhathe’sdonetoyou,isaseriousbusiness.Iproposewemakeonemoreattempttostavethisthingoff.Let’sseeifwecan’tgettotalkwiththemarshalhimself;atanyrate,warnhimofthedangerofgoinganyfurther.Boys,let’snotfirethefirstshot.Whatdoyousay?”
Theothersagreedunanimouslyandpromptly;andoldBroderson,tugginguneasilyathislongbeard,added:
“No—no—noviolence,noUNNECESSARYviolence,thatis.Ishouldhatetohaveinnocentbloodonmyhands—thatis,ifitISinnocent.Idon’tknow,thatS.Behrman—ah,heisa—a—surelyhehadinnocentbloodonHIShead.ThatDykeaffair,terrible,terrible;butthenDykeWASinthewrong—driventoit,though;theRailroaddiddrivehimtoit.Iwanttobefairandjusttoeverybody.”
“There’sateamcominguptheroadfromLosMuertos,”announcedPresleyfromthedoor.
“Fairandjusttoeverybody,”murmuredoldBroderson,wagginghishead,frowningperplexedly.“Idon’twantto—to—toharmanybodyunlesstheyharmme.”
“IstheteamgoingtowardsGuadalajara?”enquiredGarnett,gettingupandcomingtothedoor.
“Yes,it’saPortuguese,oneofthegardentruckmen.”
“Wemustturnhimback,”declaredOsterman.
