Спрут: Калифорнийская история

           HilmafollowedthefarmwagonintheDerricks’carry-all,withMagnusandhiswife.Duringallthatridenoneofthemspokeaword.Ithadbeenarrangedthat,sinceQuienSabewasinthehandsoftheRailroad,HilmashouldcometoLosMuertos.TothatplacealsoAnnixter’sbodywascarried.

           Lateronintheday,whenitwasalmostevening,theundertaker’sblackwagonpassedtheDerricks’HomeranchonitswayfromHooven’sandturnedintothecountyroadtowardsBonneville.Theinitialexcitementoftheaffairoftheirrigatingditchhaddieddown;thecrowdlongsincehaddispersed.BythetimethewagonpassedCaraher’ssaloon,thesunhadset.Nightwascomingon.

           Andtheblackwagonwentonthroughthedarkness,unattended,ignored,solitary,carryingthedeadbodyofDabney,thesilentoldmanofwhomnothingwasknownbuthisname,whomadenofriends,whomnobodykneworspoketo,whohadcomefromnooneknewwhenceandwhowentnooneknewwhither.

           Towardsmidnightofthatsameday,Mrs.Dykewasawakenedbythesoundsofgroaningintheroomnexttohers.MagnusDerrickwasnotsooccupiedbyHarran’sdeaththathecouldnotthinkofotherswhowereindistress,andwhenhehadheardthatMrs.DykeandSidney,likeHilma,hadbeenturnedoutofQuienSabe,hehadthrownopenLosMuertostothem.

           “Though,”hewarnedthem,“itisprecarioushospitalityatthebest.”

           Untillate,Mrs.