Спрут: Каліфорнійська історія

           Theincidentwasclosed—thatabruptswoopofterrorandimpendingdeathdroppingdowntherefromoutthedarkness,cuttingabruptlyathwartthegayetyofthemoment,comeandgonewiththeswiftnessofathunderclap.Manyofthewomenhadgonehome,takingtheirmenwiththem;butthegreatbulkofthecrowdstillremained,seeingnoreasonwhytheepisodeshouldinterferewiththeevening’senjoyment,resolvedtoholdthegroundformerebravado,iffornothingelse.Delaneywouldnotcomeback,ofthateverybodywaspersuaded,andincaseheshould,therewasnotfoundwantingfullyhalfahundredyoungmenwhowouldgivehimadressingdown,byjingo!TheyhadbeentoosurprisedtoactwhenDelaneyhadfirstappeared,andbeforetheyknewwheretheywereat,thebusterhadclearedout.Inanotherminute,justanothersecond,theywouldhaveshownhim—yes,sir,byjingo!—ah,youbet!

           Onallsidesthereminiscencesbegantocirculate.Atleastonemanineverythreehadbeeninvolvedinagunfightatsometimeofhislife.“Ah,yououghttohaveseeninYubaCountyonetime—”“Why,inButteCountyintheearlydays—”“Pshaw!thisto-nightwasn’tanything!Why,onceinasalooninArizonawhenIwasthere—”andsoon,overandoveragain.OstermansolemnlyassertedthathehadseenagreasersawnintwoinaNevadasawmill.OldBrodersonhadwitnessedaVigilantelynchingin’55onCaliforniaStreetinSanFrancisco.Dykerecalledhowonceinhisengineeringdayshehadrunoveradrunkatastreetcrossing.GethingsoftheSanPablohadtakenashotatahighwayman.