The Octopus : A Story of California

an event in which all the country-side should take part. The drive was to begin on the most western division of the Osterman ranch, whence it would proceed towards the southeast

an and Presley were saddling their horses before the

after Ruggles early and late to have him put him in possession h

e main actors in the drama of Dyke's capture, who had come forward as a purchaser of L

ought Los Muertos of the Railroad he was guaranteed pos

yes, even fifteen, and I don't believe Delaney is worth the price of a good horse. Why, those people don't even try to preserve appearances. Where would Christian find the money to buy Los Muertos? There's no one man in all Bonn

e out of the stable yard, "how is it the Railroad gang can

t their cases by default. It's the rottenest kind of sharp practice, but it won't do any good. The League is too strong. They won't dare move on us yet awhile. Why, Pres, the moment they'd try to jump any of these ranches arou

n hats, the men with linen dusters over their black clothes; the older women in prints and dotted calicoes. Many of these latter had already taken off their bonnets-the day was very hot-and pinning them in newspapers, stowed them under the seats. They tucked their handkerchiefs into the collars of their dresses, or knotted them about their fat necks, to keep out the dust. From the axle trees of the vehicl

nd yellow, snapped like glass filaments under foot. The roads, the bordering fences, even the lower leaves and branches of the trees, were thick and grey

ley went along the county road, the number of vehicles and riders increased. They overtook and passed Hooven and his family in the former's farm wagon, a saddled horse tied to the back board. The little Dutchman, wearing the old frock coat of Magnus Derrick, and a new broad-brimmed straw hat, sat on the front seat with Mrs. Hooven. The little girl Hilda, and the ol

u to shoot, Bismarck," obser

led up with

ee. To his notion, the joke was irresistible. All day long, he could be heard repeating it. "Und Mist'r Praicelie, he s

p straw sailor hat from a Bonneville store on her blue black hair. He remembered her very pale face, very red lips and eyes of gre

l won't go to the bad,"

s nothing vicious about Minna, and I guess she'll

e's too pretty for a poor girl, and too sure of her prettiness besides. That's the ki

the shed or hitched to the railings in front of the watering trough. Three of Broderson's Portuguese ten

, wiping their lips with sidelong gestures of the hand. The whole p

Guadalajara came fresh auxiliaries, Spanish-Mexicans from the town itself,-swarthy young men on capering horses, dark-eyed girls and

e, in top laced boots and campaign hat, a cigar in his teeth, followed along beside the carry-all. Hilma a

waving a hand, "Great day! What a mob, hey? Say when this thing is over and everybody starts to walk into the

s the crowd carried him further away from Annix

my of the guests hurrying forward-for it began to be late-to where around a flag pole, flying a red flag, a vast crowd of buggies and horses was already forming. The marshals began to appear. Hooven, descending from the farm wagon, pinned his white badge

ls perspiring, shouting, fretting, galloping about, urging this one forward, ordering this one back, ranged the thousands of conveyances and cavaliers in a long line, shaped like a wide open crescent. Its wings

ohn," exclaimed Mrs. Hooven, who had taken her h

terminable lines of horses and vehicles. At a guess, nearly five thousand people were present. The drive was one of the largest ever held. But no start

get a move o

abo

ke root here

s pleasure in star

HERE

at l

re o

p the reins and started off, only to be hustled and ordered back into the line by the nearest marshal. This manoeuvre never fa

ome bac

he's

in a hurry

o drive all the

roup of these fellows

we're waiting fo

do-fu

rive rabbits witho

the do

o-funny is. We can't start without

ing me, there's

't we WAITI

in a covered rig. "See, they are

ar extremity of the line was in mo

rting. Why do

e stopped.

either. Why

o move off, the nearest m

here, get b

've started

ck, I t

the 'do

iss it all. They've al

loping along in front

matter here? Why

Everybody simultaneously

re o

o for sure

gnment," roared the lieut

bulged forward, shouted, waving their arms: "Not too fast, not too fast....Keep back here..

of iron tires over the dry clods, the click of brittle stubble under the h

air. Everyone was in the best of humor, calling from team to team, laughing, skylarking, joshing. Garnett, of the Ruby Rancho, and Gethings, of the San Pablo, both on horseback, found themselves side by side. Ignoring the drive

ightened at the idea of the killing of so many rabbits, drew back in her place, her young-girl eyes troubled and filled with a vague distress. Hilma, very

o the consciousness of sex, passed away from her. The confusion, the troublous complexity of the woman, a mystery even to herself, disappeared. Motherhood dawned, the old simplicity of her maiden days came back to her. It was no longer a simplicity of ignorance, but of supreme knowledge, the simplicity of th

Love. Love was in her wide-opened brown eyes, Love-the dim reflection of that descending crown poised over her head-radiated in a faint lustre from her dark, thick hair. Around her beautiful neck, sloping to her shoulders with full, graceful curves, Love lay encircled like a neckla

the man was fast breaking up. One night, returning late to the Ranch house, after a compulsory visit to the city, he had come upon Hilma asleep. He had never forgotten that night. A realization of his boundless happiness in this love he gave and received, the thought that Hilma TRUSTED him, a knowledge of his own unworthiness, a vast and hu

nclude the unborn child-already, as in the case of Mrs. Dyke, it had broadened to enfold another child and another mother bound to him by no ties other than those of humanity and pity. In time, starting from this po

ne more, the last, the fiercest, the attack of the enemy who menaced his very home and hea

scanning the open plain in front

she asked of Annixter.

us yet," he said. "He

field glasses, and

see. I can see five or

run 'way ahea

specks. Every now and then they sit u

lma, there goes

ang into view, bounding away with tremendous leaps, his black-tipped ears erec

big f

nder's

went forward. At first, they appeared singly and at long intervals; then in twos and threes, as the drive continued to advance. They leaped across the plain, and stopped in the distance, sitting up with straight ears, then ran on agai

clods, till the horses' hoofs were all but upon them, then sprang out from their hiding-place at the last second. Others ran forward but a few yards at a time, refusing to take flight, scenting a greater danger before them than be

through; don t le

or him, the

e, darted back again, fleeing away as if his life depended on the issue of the instant. Once even, a bewild

n her knees the sensation of the four little paws quivering with excitement, and the fe

hrough the glasses, into a maze of small, moving bodies, leaping, ducking, doubling, running back and forth-a wilderness of agitated ears, white tails and twink

ad a few feet at a time, and crouching down, their ears close upon their backs. Thus it was, that by degrees the teams began to close up on t

ntract. Far off the corral came into sight. The disintegrated mass of rabbits commenced, as it were, to solidify, to coagulate. At first, each jack was some three

of the rabbits all at once vanished. Throughout certain portions of the herd eddies of terror abruptly burst forth. A panic spread; then there would ensue a blind, wild rushing together of thousands of crowded bodies, an

ime, for the rabbits were by now too crowded to run. However, like an opened sluice-gate, the extending flanks of the entrance of the corral slowly engulfed the herd. Th

a lock in here,

d joined by Presley and Harran, approac

ee anything like th

eneath struggling to the top, those on top sinking and disappearing below their fellows. All wildness, all fear of man, seemed to have entirely disappeared. Men and boys reaching over the sides of the corral, picked up a jack in each hand, holding them by the ears, while two

f expected, to do the work. They snuffed curiously at the pile, then backed off, disturbed, perplexed. But the men and boys-Portu

al. They walked unsteadily upon the myriad of crowding bodies underfoot, or, as space was cleared, sank almost waist deep into the mass that leaped and squirmed about them. Blindly, furiously, they stru

ared to look on. All the guests betook themselves

ed, and men, women, and children, a great throng, spread out under the shade of the live oaks. A vast confused clamour rose in the air, a babel of talk, a clatter of tin plate

out between the groups, keeping up an endless flow of talk, cracking jokes, winking, nudging

, but a good fellow for all that; brainy too. Nothi

man, coming up to where Annixter, Hilma and

ing right. But we'

ife with a cork-screw attachment. Harran and Presley came up, bearing between them a great smoki

broad, but as he turned about, the words almost on his lips, his glance

evated and the supporting roots on either side of her were like the arms of a great chair-a chair of state. She sat thus, as on a throne, raised abo

ing, however, that imposed reverence and profound respect. For the first time in his life, embarrassment seized upon him, upon this joker, this wearer of clothes, this teller

haunches were consumed, loaves of bread by the thousands disappeared, whole barrels of wine went down the dry and dusty throats of the multitude. Conversation lagged while the People ate,

o strive. There was to be a footrace of young girls under seventeen, a fat men's race, the younger fellows were to put

and innocence, commended it. Crude it was; coarse it was, but no taint of viciousness was here. These people were good people, kindly, benignant even, always readier to give than to receive, always more willing

the very place where once Presley had loved to lounge entire afternoons, reading his books of poems, smoking and dozing. From this high point one

d panting up the hill after

ell, wha

Vanamee, that cow-boy over at Derrick's, has just come f

?" muttered Annixter,

by the bridle an animal that was one lather of sweat. A few of the picnickers were turnin

nixter, as he and Harran, fo

Osterman under his breath. "Rea

note paper, and turned again

," he cried. "They've

Harran and Presley loo

, is it," excl

already, Mr. Annixter," said Vanamee. "I passed by it on my way up. They hav

s white. Already Presley and H

, QUICK. Osterman, get as many of the League as are here together at TH

red. His little eyes were blazing,

e, hey? Me, I'm alrett

r, putting one arm around Hilma. "They're in our hous

arms aroun

oing?" sh

d. It will be all right. Go

oked once long into his eyes,

ess, or broke forth into inarticulate exclamations. A strange, unfamiliar murmur took the place of the tumultuous gaiety of

Hooven was there and Harran, and besides these, Garnett of the Ruby ranch and Gethings of the San Pablo, Phelps

of this, Pres,"

dy?" exclai

ady, we're

er. "Where are the six hundred men who

for? No, sir; the Railroad had stolen a march on them. After all his big talk Derrick had allowed them to be taken by surprise. The only thing to do was to call a meeting of the Executive Committee. That was the only thing. As for going down there with no

purred, stretched out to their utmost. Their passage through the wheat sounded like the rip and tear of a gigantic web of cloth. The landscape on either hand resolved itself into a long blur. Tears came to the eyes, flying pebbles, clods of earth, grains of wheat flung up in the flight, stung the face like shot. Osterman's thoroughbred took the second crossing of Broderson's Creek in a single leap.

e in sight. Across the Lower Road, breaking through fences and into the y

, hardly less exhaust

the men?" Annixter

ed the Governor, "no one else. I thou

e only ni

were going to rise when this happe

ter. "It's gone to pot-went t

fter all," said Magnus. "Totally off our guar

Has the marshal come? Ho

hour ago. They telephoned me and Mr. Broderson. S. Behrman met him and provided about a dozen deputies. Delaney, Ruggles, and Christian joined them at Guadalajara. They left Guadalaja

are the

e Long Trestle. They returned to

two places. Either they will take the Upper Road and go on to Ost

why I wanted you to come here. From Hooven's,

the lookout on

is on the Lo

put some picket way oudt bei der Lower Roadt alzoh, und he tek dose glassus Mist'r Ennixt'r got bei um. Say, look at dose irregatio

e purpose, crossing both roads as Hooven pointed out and barring approach from

g Annixter's field glasses with them, and mounting their horses, went out towards Gu

g since, every member of the League had been in the habit of carrying his revolver with him.

cked vociferously on a shelf. In one corner was a bed, with a patched, faded quilt. In the centre of the room, straddling over the bare floor

hot need be fired. The Railroad will not force the issue, will not bring about actual fighting. When the mar

e murmurs

can by any means be settled peaceably, I sa

llow who loved and sought a quarrel? Was it Annixter, who now had been the first and only one of them a

s. I propose we make one more attempt to stave this thing off. Let's see if we can't get to talk with the marshal him

romptly; and old Broderson, tugging

nt. I don't know, that S. Behrman-ah, he is a-a-surely he had innocent blood on HIS head. That Dyke affair, terrible, terrible;

e road from Los Muertos," an

on, wagging his head, frowning perplexedly. "I don

alajara?" enquired Garnett, get

guese, one of the

e can't go through here. We don't want him to

him back,"

in front of Hooven's, saw him halt it. An excited interview followed. They c

served Osterman. "Steady all," he exclaime

a gallop. The othe

two-horse buggy. All the others are on horseback. There are eleven of them. Chris

Cutter right away," said Anni

teered at once. "Can I have the bu

from their elevated position, had observed the marshal's party leaving Guadalajara by the

o a gun-fight, that means it's all up with at

been torn up. Magnus, two long revolvers lying on the embankment in front of him, was in the middle, Harran at his side. On either side, some

n," said Magnus, as the three men rode up. "Presley," h

o back to Hooven's house, Pres, and look after the horses," he added. "This is no business of

tter had ridden. He fastened them under the great live oak and then came o

watchful, waited in silence, their eyes fixed on t

oven?" enqu

watching the Lower Road with Harran Derrick. O

He thought maybe the marshal's party might make a feint in this direction, then go around by th

a shot at them o

e wouldn't

y took him

s to be thou

of the road in front of them came a clou

lo, there's

e are not to

can't see. Is it? There on

dust for o

field glasses from Harran,

ven either. That's a cart." Then after another mome

e men drew long breaths, se

him go on

t let him go back. We shall have to detain him and

roached at a

Magnus. "Look carefully. It may be a ruse. It i

elves again. Osterman lai

another instant, "no, th

s, clambering from the ditch, stopped

the young butcher, pulling

ested at top voice, badly frightened, bewil

r. Say, you let me go. Say, I ai

he cart about. Cutter, with his jack-kni

going to hurt you. But you are not going back to town til

them he had passed a two-horse buggy and a lot of men on horseback

uttered Annixter. "They're

e horse tied to the fence with one of the severed lines. The butcher,

" demanded Osterman, "

ng of Hooven. The minutes were pass

e up to,

that crazy Dutchman to get excited and go too near.

road towards Guadalajara lay empt

. Behrman don't seem to

and reconnoitre, Gov

on the shoulder and, without speaking, pointed dow

comes

the road, his rifle laid across his saddle. He came

te oder side der relroadt trecks and talk long dime mit one n'udder. Den dey gome on. Dey're gowun sure do zum monkey-doodle pizeness. Me,

here and keep quiet, Hoo

they

oices uttered

o view around the curve of the road. Three riders accompanied it, and behin

event which it had been said would never come to pass, the last trial of strength, the last fight between the Trust and the

silence that had fallen upon the scene, the clic

nus, in a warning voice. "Mr. Osterman, I must

ding motionless in their places, the Lea

gy wheels in the grit and dust of the road, and the prolonged clatter of the horses' fee

he left of the buggy; Delaney, carrying a Winchester, at the right. Christian, the real estate broker, S. Behrman's cousin, also with a rifle, could b

between the Leaguers a

too close, Governo

he road, leaving his revolvers behind him. He beckoned Garnett and Gethings to follow, and the three ranchers,

cried

here yo

n, Hooven, Broderson, Cutter, and Phelps, their hands laid upon t

out. They heard the marshal reply quietly enough and the two shook hands. Delaney came around from the side of the buggy, his horse standing before the team across the road. He leaned from the saddle, listening to what was being said, but made no remark. From time to time, S. Behrman and Ruggles,

w my duty,

things. He made a gesture, pointing back to the ditch, showing the intrenched Leaguers to the posse. Delaney appeared to communicate the news that the Leaguers w

y to Magnus, and between the two an angry discussion was

e and no one knows it

him in the ditch, "those fellows are getting too cl

together, looking and pointing towards the ditch. Whether acting upon signal or not, the Leaguers in the ditch could not tell, but it was certain that one or two of the posse had moved considerably forward. Besides t

e the looks of this thing. They all seem to be edging up, and befor

come back," dec

ll them that those fe

uggles had become more heated than ever. Their voices

an. "We couldn't shoot now if anything

ugh something were goin

d Delaney wrangling furious

ddenly clambering out of the ditch. "No, no," cried Osterman,

esitated at Osterman's words and the three halted irresolutel

rran, "come on back. Y

ne of the deputies, advancing a li

ere! Keep bac

houted Harran on the inst

," called Osterman. "That a

imed Harran. "The Governor is

d came forward, catching Harran

ited. You'll ruin everything.

the ditch, had followed his example. All the Leaguers were now out of the ditch, and a little way down th

ou," cried th

Delaney were yet quarrelling, and the angry debate be

little room for him to pass, and, as he rode by the buggy, his horse scraped his flank against the hub of the wheel. The animal recoiled sharply, and, striking against Garnett, thr

risen when Hooven

ISER! HOCH, D

and sighting his rifle carefully, fire

first, it was nothing but a confused roar of explosions; then the roar lapsed to an irregular, quick succession of reports, shot le

he throat, and rolled forward upon his face. Old Broderson, crying out, "Oh, they've shot me, boys," staggered sideways, his head bent, his hands rigid at his sides, and fell into the ditch. Osterman, blood running from his mouth and nose, turned about and walked back. Presley helped him across the irrigating ditch and Osterman laid himself down, his head on his folded arms. Harran Derrick dropped