Спрут: Каліфорнійська історія
Chapter IV
Annixterwouldnotwaittohavesupper,buttelephonedtoLosMuertosatonce.Magnusansweredthecall.TherewasaspecialmeetingoftheExecutiveCommitteeoftheLeaguesummonedforthenextday,hetoldAnnixter.ItwasforthepurposeofconsideringthenewgraintariffpreparedbytheRailroadCommissioners.Lymanhadwrittenthatthescheduleofthistariffhadjustbeenissued,thathehadnotbeenabletoconstructitpreciselyaccordingtothewheat-growers’wishes,andthathe,himself,wouldcomedowntoLosMuertosandexplainitsapparentdiscrepancies.MagnussaidLymanwouldbepresentatthesession.
Annixter,curiousfordetails,forbore,nevertheless,toquestion.TheconnectionfromLosMuertostoQuienSabewasmadethroughBonneville,andinthosetroublesometimesnoonecouldbetrusted.Itcouldnotbeknownwhowouldoverhearconversationscarriedonoverthelines.HeassuredMagnusthathewouldbeonhand.ThetimefortheCommitteemeetinghadbeensetforseveno’clockintheevening,inordertoaccommodateLyman,whowrotethathewouldbedownontheeveningtrain,butwouldbecompelled,bypressureofbusiness,toreturntothecityearlythenextmorning.
Atthetimeappointed,themencomposingtheCommitteegatheredaboutthetableinthedining-roomoftheLosMuertosranchhouse.ItwasalmostareproductionofthesceneofthefamouseveningwhenOstermanhadproposedtheplanoftheRanchers’RailroadCommission.MagnusDerricksatattheheadofthetable,inhisbuttonedfrockcoat.Whiskeybottlesandsiphonsofsoda-waterwerewithineasyreach.
