Спрут: Калифорнийская история
Chapter VI
”
“ShallIgoforwardandreconnoitre,Governor?”askedHarran.
ButDabney,whostoodnexttoAnnixter,touchedhimontheshoulderand,withoutspeaking,pointeddowntheroad.Annixterlooked,thensuddenlycriedout:
“HerecomesHooven.”
TheGermangallopedintosight,aroundtheturnoftheroad,hisriflelaidacrosshissaddle.Hecameonrapidly,pulledup,anddismountedattheditch.
“Dey’recommen,”hecried,tremblingwithexcitement.“Iwatchumlongdimebeidersideoafderroadtinderbusches.Deyshtopbeidergateodersidederrelroadttrecksandtalklongdimemitonen’udder.Dendeygomeon.Dey’regowunsuredozummonkey-doodlepizeness.Me,IseeGritschunputderkertridgesinhisguhn.ItinkdeygowuntogomeMYblacefirst.Deygowuntotryputmeoff,tekmyhome,beiGott.”
“Allright,getdowninhereandkeepquiet,Hooven.Don’tfireunless——”
“Heretheyare.”
Ahalf-dozenvoicesutteredthecryatonce.
Therecouldbenomistakethistime.Abuggy,drawnbytwohorses,cameintoviewaroundthecurveoftheroad.Threeridersaccompaniedit,andbehindthese,seenatintervalsinacloudofdustweretwo—three—five—sixothers.
This,then,wasS.BehrmanwiththeUnitedStatesmarshalandhisposse.Theeventthathadbeensolonginpreparation,theeventwhichithadbeensaidwouldnevercometopass,thelasttrialofstrength,thelastfightbetweentheTrustandthePeople,thedirect,brutalgrappleofarmedmen,thelawdefied,theGovernmentignored,behold,hereitwascloseathand.
