Спрут: Каліфорнійська історія

           Theexpressionofinnocenceandinquirywhichtheysoeasilyassumed,wasdisturbedbyafaintsuggestionofaversion,almostofterror.Shesettledherselfinherplace,inthecornerofthehall,intherearrankofchairs,alittlefrightenedbytheglareoflights,thehumoftalkandtheshiftingcrowd,gladtobeoutoftheway,toattractnoattention,willingtoobliterateherself.

           AllatonceAnnixter,whohadjustshakenhandswithDyke,hismotherandthelittletad,movedabruptlyinhisplace,drawinginhisbreathsharply.Thecrowdaroundthegreat,wide-openmaindoorofthebarnhadsomewhatthinnedoutandinthefewgroupsthatstillremainedtherehehadsuddenlyrecognisedMr.andMrs.TreeandHilma,makingtheirwaytowardssomeemptyseatsneartheentranceofthefeedroom.

           Intheduskylightofthebarnearlierintheevening,AnnixterhadnotbeenabletoseeHilmaplainly.Now,however,asshepassedbeforehiseyesintheglitteringradianceofthelampsandlanterns,hecaughthisbreathinastonishment.Neverhadsheappearedmorebeautifulinhiseyes.Itdidnotseempossiblethatthiswasthesamegirlwhomhesaweverydayinandaroundtheranchhouseanddairy,thegirlofsimplecalicofrocksandplainshirtwaists,whobroughthimhisdinner,whomadeuphisbed.Nowhecouldnottakehiseyesfromher.Hilma,forthefirsttime,waswearingherhairdonehighuponherhead.Thethick,sweet-smellingmasses,bitumenbrownintheshadows,corruscatedlikegoldenfilamentsinthelight.Herorgandiefrockwaslong,longerthananyshehadyetworn.