Спрут: Каліфорнійська історія

           Helookedaboutandsawbehindhim,atalittledistance,twogentlemen,strangerstohim.Theyhadwithdrawnfromthecrowdintoalittlerecess.Evidentlyhavingnowomentolookafter,theyhadlostinterestintheafternoon’saffair.Magnusrealisedthattheyhadnotseenhim.Oneofthemwasreadingaloudtohiscompanionfromaneveningeditionofthatday’snewspaper.ItwasinthecourseofthisreadingthatMagnuscaughtthesoundofhisname.Hepaused,listening,andPresley,HarranandCedarquistfollowedhisexample.Soontheyallunderstood.Theywerelisteningtothereportofthejudge’sdecision,forwhichMagnuswaswaiting—thedecisioninthecaseoftheLeaguevs.theRailroad.Forthemoment,thepoliteclamouroftherafflehusheditself—thewinningnumberwasbeingdrawn.Theguestsheldtheirbreath,andintheensuingsilenceMagnusandtheothersheardthesewordsdistinctly:

           “....Itfollowsthatthetitletothelandsinquestionisintheplaintiff—thePacificandSouthwesternRailroad,andthedefendantshavenotitle,andtheirpossessioniswrongful.Theremustbefindingsandjudgmentfortheplaintiff,anditissoordered.”

           Inspiteofhimself,Magnuspaled.Harranshuthisteethwithanoath.Theirexaltationofthepreviousmomentcollapsedlikeapyramidofcards.Thevisionofthenewmovementofthewheat,theconquestoftheEast,theinvasionoftheOrient,seemedonlytheflimsiestmockery.Withabrusquewrench,theyweresnatchedbacktoreality