Спрут: Каліфорнійська історія
Chapter V.
”“Oh,Idon’tknowasIwanttopublishthisstory,”remarkedtheeditor,indifferently,puttingawaythegalley.“I’mjustlikethat.Thefunformeisrunningagoodstorytoearth,butonceI’vegotit,Iloseinterest.And,then,Iwouldn’tliketoseeyou—holdingthepositionyoudo,PresidentoftheLeagueandaleadingmanofthecounty—Iwouldn’tliketoseeastorylikethissmashyouover.It’sworthmoretoyoutokeepitoutofprintthanformetoputitin.I’vegotnothingmuchtogainbutafewextraeditions,butyou—Lord,youwouldloseeverything.Yourcommitteewasinthedealrightenough.ButyourLeague,alltheSanJoaquinValley,everybodyintheStatebelievesthecommissionerswerefairlyelected.”
“Yourstory,”suddenlyexclaimedMagnus,struckwithanidea,“willbethoroughlydiscreditedjustsosoonasthenewgraintariffispublished.IhavemeansofknowingthattheSanJoaquinrate—theissueuponwhichtheboardwaselected—isnottobetouched.Isitlikelytherancherswouldsecuretheelectionofaboardthatplaysthemfalse?”
“Oh,weknowallaboutthat,”answeredGenslinger,smiling.“YouthoughtyouwereelectingLymaneasily.YouthoughtyouhadgottheRailroadtowalkrightintoyourtrap.Youdidn’tunderstandhowyoucouldpulloffyourdealsoeasily.Why,Governor,LYMANWASPLEDGEDTOTHERAILROADTWOYEARSAGO.HewasTHEONEPARTICULARmanthecorporationwantedforcommissioner.Andyourpeopleelectedhim—savedtheRailroadallthetroubleofcampaigningforhim.
