Спрут: Калифорнийская история

           ButbeforeleavingGuadalajaraMagnusdroppedintothetown’ssmallgrocerystoretopurchaseaboxofcigarsofacertainMexicanbrand,unprocurableelsewhere.Harranremainedinthebuggy.

           Whilehewaited,Dykeappearedattheendofthestreet,and,seeingDerrick’syoungerson,cameovertoshakehandswithhim.HeexplainedhisaffairwiththeP.andS.W.,andaskedtheyoungmanwhathethoughtoftheexpectedriseinthepriceofhops.

           “Hopsoughttobeagoodthing,”Harrantoldhim.“ThecropinGermanyandinNewYorkhasbeenadeadfailureforthelastthreeyears,andsomanypeoplehavegoneoutofthebusinessthatthere’slikelytobeashortageandastiffadvanceintheprice.Theyoughttogotoadollarnextyear.Sure,hopsoughttobeagoodthing.How’stheoldladyandSidney,Dyke?”

           “Why,fairlywell,thankyou,Harran.They’reuptoSacramentojustnowtoseemybrother.Iwasthinkingofgoinginwithmybrotherintothishopbusiness.ButIhadaletterfromhimthismorning.Hemaynotbeabletomeetmeonthisproposition.He’sgototherbusinessonhand.Ifhepullsout—andheprobablywill—I’llhavetogoitalone,butI’llhavetoborrow.Ihadthoughtwithhismoneyandminewewouldhaveenoughtopullofftheaffairwithoutmortgaginganything.Asitis,IguessI’llhavetoseeS.Behrman.”

           “I’llbecursedifIwould!”exclaimedHarran.

           “Well,S.