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His name was not Aron really, that being only his Christian name; properly, he was Aronsen, and so he called himself, and his wife called him the same. They were a family not to be looked down upon, and kept two servant-girls and a lad. As for the land at Storborg, it remained untouched for the present. Aronsen had no time for working on the soil where was the sense of digging up a barren moor?
Got them so much cheaper. Ay, maybe, but what about cost of the journey? He had his own way of thinking, it seemed. And then, what did he want, anyway, with more cotton stuff, and coloured ribbons for christening caps, and black and white straw hats, and long tobacco pipes? No one ever bought such things up in the hills; and the village folk, they only came up to Storborg when they'd no money.
He must try and manage by himself this time, for the money that was left would have to be kept for his brother and sisters, not to leave them all without. And a pleasant journey and your loving mother. No money. Eleseus himself had not enough for his fare; he had cleaned out the cash box at Storborg, and that was not much.
What of this new Storborg, a shop and a store here in the wilds was not that prospect enough? They talked it over until Christmas came.... Axel had got a letter, a big envelope with a lion on it; it was from the State. He was to fetch supplies of wire, a telegraph apparatus, tools and implements, from Brede Olsen, and take over inspection of the line from New Year's Day.
They pass by Storborg, by Breidablik, and the sound follows them all the way from the hills here and there; 'tis no military music like in the towns, nay, but voices a proclamation: Spring has come. Then suddenly the first chirp of a bird is heard from a treetop, waking others, and a calling and answering on every side; more than a song, it is a hymn of praise.
At first, his mother had been a faithful spokesman for him every way. Eleseus was the clever head of the family; they must help him on and give him a start; then think how cheaply he had got Storborg, and saying straight out what he would give for it! When his father thought it was going wrong somehow with the business, and naught but foolery, she took him up.
"What's that you taken to wearing two pairs of shoes?" they said. "I've been suffering from chilblains lately," says Eleseus. And every one sympathized with Eleseus and his chilblains. Glorious days a grand life, with no end of leisure. No, he was not going to sell Storborg. What, go back to a little town and stand behind the counter in a little shop, and no chief clerk of his own at all?
"Heard what sort of a man it is?" asked Axel. "Nay," said Sivert. "But he's bringing up houses all ready made, to fix up in no time." "Ho! A rich man, then?" "Ay, seems like. And a wife and three children with him; and horse and cattle." "Why, then, 'twill be a rich man enough. Any more about him?" "No. He's three-and-thirty." "And what's his name?" "Aron, they say. Calls his place Storborg."
And now it was that the little chief clerk from Storborg, Andresen, came up to Sellanraa one Sunday, and Inger was not in the least affected, far from it; she did not so much as go in herself to give him a mug of milk, but sent Leopoldine in with it, by reason that Jensine the maid was out.
Maybe he was not in the best of humour just now, that same engineer, but he had tried all along to keep away the feeling of gloom that had fallen upon the village folk and the settlers round and here was his chance, with no less persons than the Margrave of Sellanraa and the great trader from Storborg on the spot. He explained the nature of the ore and the rocks in which it was found.
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