Спрут: Калифорнийская история

           But,nodoubt,themostsignificantobjectintheofficewastheticker.ThiswasaninnovationintheSanJoaquin,anideaofshrewd,quick-wittedyoungAnnixter,whichHarranandMagnusDerrickhadbeenquicktoadopt,andafterthemBrodersonandOsterman,andmanyothersofthewheatgrowersofthecounty.TheofficesoftherancheswerethusconnectedbywirewithSanFrancisco,andthroughthatcitywithMinneapolis,Duluth,Chicago,NewYork,andatlast,andmostimportantofall,withLiverpool.Fluctuationsinthepriceoftheworld’scropduringandaftertheharvestthrilledstraighttotheofficeofLosMuertos,tothatoftheQuienSabe,toOsterman’s,andtoBroderson’s.DuringaflurryintheChicagowheatpitsintheAugustofthatyear,whichhadaffectedeventheSanFranciscomarket,HarranandMagnushadsatupnearlyhalfofonenightwatchingthestripofwhitetapejerkingunsteadilyfromthereel.Atsuchmomentstheynolongerfelttheirindividuality.Theranchbecamemerelythepartofanenormouswhole,aunitinthevastagglomerationofwheatlandthewholeworldround,feelingtheeffectsofcausesthousandsofmilesdistant—adroughtontheprairiesofDakota,arainontheplainsofIndia,afrostontheRussiansteppes,ahotwindonthellanosoftheArgentine.

           Harrancrossedovertothetelephoneandrangsixbells,thecallforthedivisionhouseonFour.Itwasthemostdistant,themostisolatedpointonalltheranch,situatedatitsfarsoutheasternextremity,wherefewpeopleeverwent,closetothelinefence,adot,aspeck,lostintheimmensityoftheopencountry.