Спрут: Каліфорнійська історія
Chapter V.
Morethanonce,heloosenedalmosteverygrip,andforaninstantstoodnearlyfree,panting,rollinghiseyes,hisclothestornfromhisbody,bleeding,drippingwithsweat,aterriblefigure,nearlyfree.Thesheriff,underhisbreath,utteredanexclamation:
“ByGod,he’llgetawayyet.”
S.Behrmanwatchedthefightcomplacently.
“Thatallmayshowobstinacy,”hecommented,“butitdon’tshowcommonsense.”
Yet,howeverDykemightthrowofftheclutchesandfetteringembracesthatencircledhim,howeverhemightdisintegrateandscatterthebandoffoesthatheapedthemselvesuponhim,howeverhemightgainoneinstantofcomparativeliberty,someoneofhisassailantsalwayshung,doggedly,blindlytoanarm,aleg,orafoot,andtheothers,drawingasecond’sbreath,closedinagain,implacable,unconquerable,ferocious,likehoundsuponawolf.
Atlength,twoofthemenmanagedtobringDyke’swristscloseenoughtogethertoallowthesherifftosnapthehandcuffson.Eventhen,Dyke,claspinghishands,andusingthehandcuffsthemselvesasaweapon,knockeddownDelaneybythecrushingimpactofthesteelbraceletsuponthecow-puncher’sforehead.Buthecouldnolongerprotecthimselffromattacksfrombehind,andtheriatawasfinallypassedaroundhisbody,pinioninghisarmstohissides.Afterthisitwasuselesstoresist.
Thewoundeddeputysatwithhisbacktoarock,holdinghisbrokenjawinbothhands.Thesheriff’shorse,withitssplinteredforeleg,wouldhavetobeshot.Delaney’sheadwascutfromtempletocheekbone.Therightwristofthesheriffwasallbutdislocated
