Спрут: Калифорнийская история
Chapter VIII
Butdownthere,atBonneville,atLosMuertos—oh,youcanhavenoideaofit,ofthemiserycausedbythedefeatoftheranchersandbythisdecisionoftheSupremeCourtthatdispossessesthemall.Wehadgoneonhopingtothelastthatwewouldwinthere.WehadthoughtthatintheSupremeCourtoftheUnitedStates,atleast,wecouldfindjustice.Andthenewsofitsdecisionwastheworst,lastblowofall.ForMagnusitwasthelast—positivelytheverylast.”
“Poor,poorDerrick,”murmuredCedarquist.“Tellmeabouthim,Pres.Howdoeshetakeit?Whatishegoingtodo?”
“Itbeggarshim,sir.Hesunkagreatdealmorethananyofusbelievedinhisranch,whenheresolvedtoturnoffmostofthetenantsandfarmtheranchhimself.ThenthefighthemadeagainsttheRailroadintheCourtsandthepoliticalcampaignhewentinto,togetLymanontheRailroadCommission,tookmoreofit.ThemoneythatGenslingerblackmailedhimof,itseems,wasaboutallhehadleft.Hehadbeengambling—youknowtheGovernor—onanotherbonanzacropthisyeartorecouphim.Well,thebonanzacamerightenough—justintimeforS.BehrmanandtheRailroadtograbit.Magnusisruined.”
“Whatatragedy!whatatragedy!”murmuredtheother.“Lymanturningrascal,Harrankilled,andnowthis;andallwithinsoshortatime—allattheSAMEtime,youmightalmostsay.”
“Ifithadonlykilledhim,”continuedPresley;“butthatistheworstofit.”
“Howtheworst?”
“I’mafraid,honestly,I’mafraiditisgoingtoturnhiswits,sir.
