Спрут: Калифорнийская история
Chapter VII
”
Shehadallbutfainted,andtheoldrancher,Garnett,half-carrying,half-leadingher,tookhertotheoneadjoiningroom—MinnaHooven’sbedchamber.Dazed,numbwithfear,shesatdownontheedgeofthebed,rockingherselfbackandforth,murmuring:
“Harrie,Harrie,oh,myson,mylittleboy.”
Intheoutsideroom,Presleycameandwent,doingwhathecouldtobeofservice,sickwithhorror,tremblingfromheadtofoot.
ThesurvivingmembersofbothLeaguersanddeputies—thewarringfactionsoftheRailroadandthePeople—mingledtogethernowwithnothoughtofhostility.PresleyhelpedthedoctortocoverChristian’sbody.S.BehrmanandRugglesheldbowlsofwaterwhileOstermanwasattendedto.Thehorrorofthatdreadfulbusinesshaddrivenallotherconsiderationsfromthemind.Theswornfoesofthelasthourhadnothoughtofanythingbuttocareforthosewhom,intheirfury,theyhadshotdown.Themarshal,abandoningforthatdaytheattempttoservethewrits,departedforSanFrancisco.
Thebodieshadbeenbroughtinfromtheroadwheretheyfell.Annixter’scorpsehadbeenlaiduponthebed;thoseofDabneyandHooven,whosewoundshadallbeeninthefaceandhead,werecoveredwithatablecloth.Uponthefloor,placesweremadefortheothers.CutterandRugglesrodeintoGuadalajaratobringoutthedoctorthere,andtotelephonetoBonnevilleforothers.
Ostermanhadnotatanytimesincetheshooting,lostconsciousness.HelayuponthefloorofHooven’shouse,baretothewaist,bandagesofadhesivetapereevedabouthisabdomenandshoulder.Hiseyeswerehalf-closed.
