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But where is it, when it comes to? What have you got, more than me or Jim Bricknell! Only a bigger choice of words, it seems to me." Lilly was motionless and inscrutable like a shadow. "Does it, Aaron!" he said, in a colorless voice. "Yes. What else is there to it?" Aaron sounded testy. "Why," said Lilly at last, "there's something. I agree, it's true what you say about me.
'Tis terrible puzzlin'. You don't know me, I dessay." "No, I don't." "I be called Abe Bricknell A-bra-ham Bricknell. I used to be Na'mi's husband, one time. There now" with an accent of genuine contrition "I felt sure 'twould put you out." The tongue grew dry in William Geake's mouth, and the sunlight died off the road before him.
One day in early spring Lilly had a telegram, "Coming to see you arrive 4:30 Bricknell." He was surprised, but he and his wife got the spare room ready. And at four o'clock Lilly went off to the station. He was a few minutes late, and saw Jim's tall, rather elegant figure stalking down the station path. Jim had been an officer in the regular army, and still spent hours with his tailor.
Even war-time efforts had not put out this refuse fire. Apart from this, Shottle House was a pleasant square house, rather old, with shrubberies and lawns. It ended the lane in a dead end. Only a field-path trekked away to the left. On this particular Christmas Eve Alfred Bricknell had only two of his children at home.
Between Jim and Tanny was a sort of growing rapprochement, which got on Lilly's nerves. "What the hell do you take that beastly personal tone for?" cried Lilly at Tanny, as the three sat under a leafless great beech-tree. "But I'm not personal at all, am I, Mr. Bricknell?" said Tanny. Jim watched Lilly, and grinned pleasedly. "Why shouldn't you be, anyhow?" he said. "Yes!" she retorted. "Why not!"
For forty years or more this region has been the scene of active logging, the work having begun under the direction of Messrs. Bricknell and Kinger, of Forest Hill. The present president of the Truckee Lumber Co. is Mr. Hazlett, who married the daughter of Kinger.
An hysterical merriment twinkled in Naomi's eyes. But the strength of Geake's passion saved the situation. He stepped up to Naomi, laid a hand on each shoulder, and shook her gently to and fro. "Listen to me! As I hold 'ee now, so I take your fate in my hands. Naomi Bricknell, you've got to be my wife, so make up your mind to that."
In this house there was no coal-rationing. The finest coal was arranged to obtain a gigantic glow such as a coal-owner may well enjoy, a great, intense mass of pure red fire. At this fire Alfred Bricknell toasted his tan, lambs-wool-lined slippers. He was a large man, wearing a loose grey suit, and sprawling in the large grey arm-chair.
His chin too was sunk on his breast, his young forehead was bald, and raised in odd wrinkles, he had a silent half-grin on his face, a little tipsy, a little satyr-like. His small moustache was reddish. Behind him a round table was covered with cigarettes, sweets, and bottles. It was evident Jim Bricknell drank beer for choice. He wanted to get fat that was his idea.
At one end of the dark tree-covered Shottle Lane stood the "Royal Oak" public house; and Mrs. Houseley was certainly an odd woman. At the other end of the lane was Shottle House, where the Bricknells lived; the Bricknells were odd, also. Alfred Bricknell, the old man, was one of the partners in the Colliery firm.
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