Спрут: Каліфорнійська історія

           ButLymanverypolitelyprotested,addressinghisfatherpunctiliouslyas“Mr.Chairman,”andtheotherranchersas“GentlemenoftheExecutiveCommitteeoftheLeague.”Hehadnowish,hesaid,todisarrangetheregularproceedingsoftheCommittee.Woulditnotbepreferabletodeferthereadingofhisreporttill“newbusiness”wascalledfor?Inthemeanwhile,lettheCommitteeproceedwithitsusualwork.Heunderstoodthenecessarilydelicatenatureofthiswork,andwouldbepleasedtowithdrawtillthepropertimearrivedforhimtospeak.

           “Gooddealofbackingandfillingaboutthereadingofacolumnoffigures,”mutteredAnnixtertothemanathiselbow.

           Lyman“awaitedtheCommittee’sdecision.”Hesatdown,touchingtheendsofhismustache.

           “Oh,playball,”growledAnnixter.

           Gethingsrosetosaythatasthemeetinghadbeencalledsolelyforthepurposeofhearingandconsideringthenewgraintariff,hewasoftheopinionthatroutinebusinesscouldbedispensedwithandtheschedulereadatonce.Itwassoordered.

           Lymanroseandmadealongspeech.VolubleasOstermanhimself,he,nevertheless,hadathiscommandavastnumberofready-madephrases,thestaplesofapoliticalspeaker,thestockintradeofthecommerciallawyer,whichrolledoffhistonguewiththemostpersuasivefluency.