Спрут: Калифорнийская история
Chapter VII
”
Therewasalongpause,astheotherbentdownandlaidhishandonthecow-puncher’sbreast.
“Well?”
“Ican’ttell.SometimesIthinkIfeelitbeatandsometimesIdon’t.Ineversawadeadmanbefore.”
“Well,youcan’ttellbytheheart.”
“What’sthegoodoftalkingsoblamemuch.Deadornot,let’scarryhimbacktothehouse.”
Twoorthreeranbacktotheroadforplanksfromthebrokenbridge.Whentheyreturnedwiththesealitterwasimprovised,andthrowingtheircoatsoverthebody,thepartycarrieditbacktotheroad.Thedoctorwassummonedanddeclaredthecow-punchertohavebeendeadoverhalfanhour.
“WhatdidItellyou?”exclaimedoneofthegroup.
“Well,Ineversaidhewasn’tdead,”protestedtheother.“Ionlysaidyoucouldn’talwaystellbywhetherhisheartbeatornot.”
Butallatoncetherewasacommotion.ThewagoncontainingMrs.Hooven,Minna,andlittleHildadroveup.
“Eh,den,mymen,”criedMrs.Hooven,wildlyinterrogatingthefacesofthecrowd.“Whadthashappun?Sey,den,dosevellers,hevdeyhurdtmymen,eh,whadt?”
Shesprangfromthewagon,followedbyMinnawithHildainherarms.Thecrowdborebackastheyadvanced,staringattheminsilence.
“Eh,whadthashappun,whadthashappun?”wailedMrs.Hooven,asshehurriedon,hertwohandsoutbeforeher,thefingersspreadwide.“Eh,Hooven,eh,mymen,areyouallerighdt?”
Sheburstintothehouse.Hooven’sbodyhadbeenremovedtoanadjoiningroom,thebedroomofthehouse,andtothisroomMrs.
