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- Фрэнк Норрис
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At
the
time
appointed
,
the
men
composing
the
Committee
gathered
about
the
table
in
the
dining
-
room
of
the
Los
Muertos
ranch
house
.
It
was
almost
a
reproduction
of
the
scene
of
the
famous
evening
when
Osterman
had
proposed
the
plan
of
the
Ranchers
’
Railroad
Commission
.
Magnus
Derrick
sat
at
the
head
of
the
table
,
in
his
buttoned
frock
coat
.
Whiskey
bottles
and
siphons
of
soda
-
water
were
within
easy
reach
.
Presley
,
who
by
now
was
considered
the
confidential
friend
of
every
member
of
the
Committee
,
lounged
as
before
on
the
sofa
,
smoking
cigarettes
,
the
cat
Nathalie
on
his
knee
.
Besides
Magnus
and
Annixter
,
Osterman
was
present
,
and
old
Broderson
and
Harran
;
Garnet
from
the
Ruby
Rancho
and
Gethings
of
the
San
Pablo
,
who
were
also
members
of
the
Executive
Committee
,
were
on
hand
,
preoccupied
,
bearded
men
,
smoking
black
cigars
,
and
,
last
of
all
,
Dabney
,
the
silent
old
man
,
of
whom
little
was
known
but
his
name
,
and
who
had
been
made
a
member
of
the
Committee
,
nobody
could
tell
why
.
“
My
son
Lyman
should
be
here
,
gentlemen
,
within
at
least
ten
minutes
.
I
have
sent
my
team
to
meet
him
at
Bonneville
,
”
explained
Magnus
,
as
he
called
the
meeting
to
order
.
“
The
Secretary
will
call
the
roll
.
”
Osterman
called
the
roll
,
and
,
to
fill
in
the
time
,
read
over
the
minutes
of
the
previous
meeting
.
The
treasurer
was
making
his
report
as
to
the
funds
at
the
disposal
of
the
League
when
Lyman
arrived
.
Magnus
and
Harran
went
forward
to
meet
him
,
and
the
Committee
rather
awkwardly
rose
and
remained
standing
while
the
three
exchanged
greetings
,
the
members
,
some
of
whom
had
never
seen
their
commissioner
,
eyeing
him
out
of
the
corners
of
their
eyes
.
Lyman
was
dressed
with
his
usual
correctness
.
His
cravat
was
of
the
latest
fashion
,
his
clothes
of
careful
design
and
unimpeachable
fit
.
His
shoes
,
of
patent
leather
,
reflected
the
lamplight
,
and
he
carried
a
drab
overcoat
over
his
arm
.
Before
being
introduced
to
the
Committee
,
he
excused
himself
a
moment
and
ran
to
see
his
mother
,
who
waited
for
him
in
the
adjoining
sitting
-
room
.
But
in
a
few
moments
he
returned
,
asking
pardon
for
the
delay
.
He
was
all
affability
;
his
protruding
eyes
,
that
gave
such
an
unusual
,
foreign
appearance
to
his
very
dark
face
,
radiated
geniality
.
He
was
evidently
anxious
to
please
,
to
produce
a
good
impression
upon
the
grave
,
clumsy
farmers
before
whom
he
stood
.
But
at
the
same
time
,
Presley
,
watching
him
from
his
place
on
the
sofa
,
could
imagine
that
he
was
rather
nervous
.
He
was
too
nimble
in
his
cordiality
,
and
the
little
gestures
he
made
in
bringing
his
cuffs
into
view
and
in
touching
the
ends
of
his
tight
,
black
mustache
with
the
ball
of
his
thumb
were
repeated
with
unnecessary
frequency
.
“
Mr
.
Broderson
,
my
son
,
Lyman
,
my
eldest
son
.
Mr
.
Annixter
,
my
son
,
Lyman
.
”
The
Governor
introduced
him
to
the
ranchers
,
proud
of
Lyman
’
s
good
looks
,
his
correct
dress
,
his
ease
of
manner
.
Lyman
shook
hands
all
around
,
keeping
up
a
flow
of
small
talk
,
finding
a
new
phrase
for
each
member
,
complimenting
Osterman
,
whom
he
already
knew
,
upon
his
talent
for
organisation
,
recalling
a
mutual
acquaintance
to
the
mind
of
old
Broderson
.
At
length
,
however
,
he
sat
down
at
the
end
of
the
table
,
opposite
his
brother
.
There
was
a
silence
.
