Спрут: Каліфорнійська історія

           Upontheheavyplateofthewindowofitsmainfloor,ingoldandredletters,onereadthewords:“LoanandSavingsBankofTulareCounty.”ItwasofthisbankthatS.Behrmanwaspresident.Atthestreetentranceofthebuildingwasacurvedsignofpolishedbrass,fixedupontheangleofthemasonry;thissignborethename,“S.Behrman,”andunderitinsmallerletterswerethewords,“RealEstate,Mortgages.”

           AsAnnixter’sglancefelluponthisbuilding,hewassurprisedtoseeDykestandinguponthecurbinfrontofit,apparentlyreadingfromanewspaperthatheheldinhishand.ButAnnixterpromptlydiscoveredthathewasnotreadingatall.Fromtimetotimetheformerengineershotaswiftglanceoutofthecornerofhiseyeupanddownthestreet.Annixterjumpedataconclusion.Anideasuddenlyoccurredtohim.Dykewaswatchingtoseeifhewasobserved—waswaitinganopportunitywhennoonewhoknewhimshouldbeinsight.Annixtersteppedbackalittle,gettingatelegraphpolesomewhatbetweenhimandtheother.Veryinterested,hewatchedwhatwasgoingon.PrettysoonDykethrustthepaperintohispocketandsaunteredslowlytothewindowsofastationerystore,nextthestreetentranceofS.Behrman’soffices.Forafewsecondshestoodthere,hisbackturned,seeminglyabsorbedinthedisplay,buteyeingthestreetnarrowlynevertheless;thenheturnedaround,gavealastlookaboutandsteppedswiftlyintothedoorwaybythegreatbrasssign.Hedisappeared.Annixtercamefrombehindthetelegraphpolewithaflushofactualshameuponhisface.