Спрут: Калифорнийская история

           Theaisleswerepackedsolid,evenontheedgeofthestageitselfmenweresitting,ablackfringeoneithersideofthefootlights.

           Thecurtainwasup,disclosingahalf-setscene,—theflats,leaningatperilousangles,—thatrepresentedsomesortofterrace,thepavement,alternatesquaresofblackandwhitemarble,whilered,white,andyellowflowerswererepresentedasgrowingfromurnsandvases.Along,doublerowofchairsstretchedacrossthescenefromwingtowing,flankingatablecoveredwitharedcloth,onwhichwassetapitcherofwaterandaspeaker’sgavel.

           PromptlythesechairswerefilledupwithmembersoftheLeague,theaudiencecheeringascertainwell-knownfiguresmadetheirappearance—GarnettoftheRubyranch,GethingsoftheSanPablo,Keastoftheranchofthesamename,ChatternoftheBonanza,elderlymen,bearded,slowofspeech,deliberate.

           Garnettopenedthemeeting;hisspeechwasplain,straightforward,matter-of-fact.Hesimplytoldwhathadhappened.Heannouncedthatcertainresolutionsweretobedrawnup.Heintroducedthenextspeaker.

           Thisonepleadedformoderation.Hewasconservative.Allalonghehadopposedtheideaofarmedresistanceexceptastheverylastresort.He“deplored”theterribleaffairofyesterday.Hebeggedthepeopletowaitinpatience,toattemptnomoreviolence.HeinformedthemthatarmedguardsoftheLeaguewere,atthatmoment,patrollingLosMuertos,Broderson’s,andOsterman’s.ItwaswellknownthattheUnitedStatesmarshalconfessedhimselfpowerlesstoservethewrits.Therewouldbenomorebloodshed.