The Root of All Evil

by J. S. Fletcher

  CHAPTER V

  _The Yorkshire Way_

  During the course of the next morning Jeckie received a large oblongenvelope delivered to her by the stable-boy of the "Coach-and-Four." Itwas handed to her over the counter of the shop, and she opened it thereand then, in the presence of her assistants and of several customers,all of whom were surprised to see the usually hard, unmoved face flushas its owner glared hastily at the two enclosures which she drew out.Within an instant Jeckie had hurried them into the envelope again, andhad turned angrily on the stable-boy.

  "What're you waiting for?" she demanded sharply.

  "Mestur Mortimer, he said I wor to wait for an answer," replied the lad."That's what he telled me."

  "Then you can tell him t'answer'll come on," retorted Jeckie. "I can'tbother with it now. Off you go!"

  The stable-boy stared at the angry face and made a retreat; Jeckieretreated, too, into her private parlour, where she once more drew outthe two sheets of excellent, unruled, professional-looking paper whereonthe two mining engineers had set down their charges for servicesrendered.

  "Did ever anybody see the like o' that!" she muttered. "They might thinka body was made o' money! All that brass for just standin' about whilethese other fellers did the work, and then tellin' me what theiropinions were! It's worse nor lawyers!"

  She had no experience, nor knowledge, even by hearsay, of whatprofessional charges of this sort should be, for the two experts and theprofessor of geology whom she had engaged, in order to get independentopinion, had not yet rendered any account to her. But she rememberedthat they would certainly come in, and that she would just as certainlyhave to pay them, whatever they might amount to, for she had definitelyengaged the three men, from whom they would come, writing to requesttheir attendance with her own hand.

  "And if them three charge as these two has," she growled, looking blackat what Mortimer demanded on one sheet of paper, and Farebrother on theother, "it'll come to a nice lot!--a deal more nor ever I expected. Andas if they'd ever done aught for it! I'm sure that there Mortimer neverdid naught but stand about them sheds, wi' his hands in his pockets,smokin' cigars without end--why it's as if he were chargin' me so manyguineas for every cigar he smoked! And if these is what minin'engineers' professional charges is, it's going to cost me a pretty pennybefore even we've got that coal up and make aught out of it!"

  No answer, verbal or otherwise, went back from Miss Farnish to theLondon gentlemen at the "Coach-and-Four" that day. But, early nextmorning, Jeckie, who had spent much time in thinking hard since theprevious noon, got into her pony-tray (an eminently useful if notremarkably stylish equipage) and drove away from the village. Anyone whohad observed her closely might have seen that she was in a preoccupiedand designing mood. She drove through Sicaster, and away into the miningdistrict beyond, and after journeying for several miles, came toHeronshawe Main, an exceedingly flourishing and prosperous collierywhich was the sole property of Mr. Matthew Revis, and was situated onand beneath a piece of land of unusually black and desolate aspect.Revis, a self-made man, bluff, downright, rough of speech, had hadbusiness dealings with Jeckie Farnish in the past in respect of someproperty in which each was interested, and of late she had consulted himonce or twice as to the prospects of her new venture; she had alsoinduced him to drive over to Savilestowe during the progress of theexperimental boring. She wanted his advice now, and she went straight tohis offices at the colliery. She had been there before, and on eachoccasion had come away building castles in the air as regards herprojected development of Savilestowe. For to sit in Revis's handsome,almost luxurious private room, looking out on the evidences of industryand wealth, to see from its windows the hundreds of grimy-facedcolliers, going away from their last shift, was an encouragement initself to go on with her own schemes. Already she saw at Savilestowewhat she actually looked on at Heronshawe Main, and herself and LucillaGrice mistresses of an army of men whose arms would bear treasure out ofthe earth--for them.

  Revis came into his room as she sat staring out on all the unlovelinessof the colliery, a big, bearded man, keen-eyed and resolute of mouth,and nodded smilingly at her. He already knew Jeckie for a woman who wasof a certain resemblance to himself--a grubber after money. But he hadlong since made his fortune--an enormous one; she was at a stage atwhich he had once been, a stage of anxious adventure, and therefore shewas interesting.

  "Well, my lass!" he said. "How's things getting on? Made a start yetwith that little business o' yours? You'll never lift that coal up ifyou don't get busy with it, you know!"

  He dropped into an easy chair beside the hearth, pulled out hiscigar-case, and began to smoke, and Jeckie, noting his careless andcomfortable attitude, wished that she had got over the initial stages ofher adventure, and had seen her colliery in full and prosperous workingorder for thirty years.

  "Mr. Revis," she answered, "I wish I'd got as far as you have! You'vegot all the worst of it over long since. I've got to begin. Now, you'vebeen very good to me in giving me bits of advice. I came to see if you'dgive me some more. What's the best and cheapest way to get this collieryo' mine started?"

  Revis laughed, evidently enjoying the directness of her question. Heknew well enough that it did not spring from simplicity.

  "Why!" he answered. "You've got them two London chaps at Savilestoweyet, haven't you? I saw 'em in Sicaster t'other day. They're miningengineers, both of 'em. Why not go to them--I thought you were going toemploy them."

  "I don't want to have naught more to do with 'em, Mr. Revis," saidJeckie earnestly. "They're Londoners! I can't abide 'em. They seem to meto do naught but stand about and watch--and then charge you forwatching, as if they'd been working like niggers. I don't understandsuch ways. Aren't there mining engineers in Yorkshire that 'ud see thejob through. Our own folk, you know?"

  "I see--I see!" said Revis, with a smile. "Want to keep work and moneyamongst our own people, what? All right, my lass!--I'm a good deal thatway myself. Now, then, pull your chair up to my desk there, and get apen in your hand, and make a few notes--I'll tell you what to do aboutall that. And," he added, with a laugh that was almost jovial, "I shan'tcharge you nowt, either!"

  An hour later Jeckie went away from Heronshawe Main filled to the brimwith practical advice and valuable information. It mattered nothing toMatthew Revis if a hundred new collieries were opened within his ownimmediate district; he had made his money out of his own already, and tosuch an extent that no competition could touch him. Therefore, he waswilling to help a new beginner, especially seeing that that beginner wasa clever and interesting woman, still extremely handsome, who certainlyseemed to have a genius for money-making.

  "Come to me when you want to know aught more," he said, as he shookhands with his visitor. "Get hold of this firm I've told you about, andmake your own arrangements with 'em, and let 'em get on with thesinking. With your capital, and the results o' that boring, you ought todo well--so long as naught happens."

  Jeckie started, and gave Revis a sharp, inquiring look.

  "What--what could happen?" she asked.

  "Well, my lass, there's always the chance of two things," answeredRevis, becoming more serious than he had been at any time during theinterview. "Water for one; sand for the other. In these north-countrycoal-fields of ours, water-logged sand has always been a danger.But--you'll have to take your chance: I had to take mine! None of us 'udever do aught i' this world if we didn't face a bit o' risk, you know."

  But Jeckie lingered, looking at him with some doubt in her keen eyes.

  "Did you have any trouble yourself in that way?" she asked.

  "Aye!" answered Revis, with a grim smile. "We came to a bed ofquicksand--a thinnish one, to be sure, but it was there. Two thousandgallons o' water a minute came out o' that, my lass!"

  "What did you have to do?" inquired Jeckie. "All that water!"

  "Had to tub it with heavy cast-iron plates," replied Revis. "But you'llnot understand all these details. Leave things to this firm I've toldyou abou
t; you can depend on them."

  All the way from Heronshawe Main to Sicaster, Jeckie Farnish revolvedRevis's last words. Water!--sand! Supposing all her money--she gave nothought to Lucilla Grice's money--were swept away once for all by water,or swallowed up for ever in sand? That would indeed be a fine end to herventures! But still, Revis had met with and surmounted thesedifficulties; no, she meant to go on. And she had saved a lot of moneythat morning by getting valuable advice and information from Revis fornothing--nothing at all--and she meant to get out of paying somethingelse, too, before night came, and with that interesting design in hermind, she drove up to Palethorpe and Overthwaite's office, and went in,and laid before Palethorpe, whom she found alone, the charges sent in toher the day before by Mortimer and his friend Farebrother. Palethorpe,whose keenness had not grown less as he had grown older, elevated hiseyebrows, and pursed his lips, when he glanced at the amounts to whichJeckie pointed.

  "Whew!" he said. "These are pretty stiff charges, Miss Farnish!"

  "Worse nor what yours are!" said Jeckie, showing a little sarcastichumour. "And they're bad enough sometimes."

  "Strictly according to etiquette, ma'am!" replied Palethorpe, with asly smile. "Strictly regular. But there----"

  "Aye, there!" exclaimed Jeckie. "All that brass for just hearing themtwo talk a bit, and for seeing 'em stand about watching other fellerswork! And I want to know how I can get out o' paying it?"

  Palethorpe put his fingers together and got into the attitude ofconsultation.

  "Just give me a brief history of your transactions with thesegentlemen," he said. "Just the plain facts."

  He listened carefully while Jeckie detailed her knowledge and experienceof Mr. Mallerbie Mortimer and his friend, and, when she had finished,asked her two or three questions arising out of what she had told him.

  "Now, you attend closely to what I say, Miss Farnish," he said, afterconsidering matters for awhile. "First of all, would you like me to seethese two, or would you rather see them yourself? You'll see themyourself? Very well; now, then, when you go, just do and say exactlywhat I'm going to tell you."

  There was no apter pupil in all Yorkshire than Jeckie Farnish when itcame to learning lessons in the fine art of doing anybody out ofanything, and by the time she walked out of Palethorpe and Overthwaite'soffice she had mastered all the suggestions offered to her. And it waswith an air in which cleverly assumed surprise, expostulation, andinjured innocence were curiously mingled that she walked into theparlour of the "Coach-and-Four" that evening, just as Mortimer andFarebrother finished dinner, and laid down on an unoccupied corner ofthe table the two folded sheets of foolscap which they had sent her theprevious day.

  Farebrother gave Mortimer a secret kick, and spoke before his tooeasygoing friend could get in a word.

  "Good evening, Miss Farnish," he said, politely. "Won't you take achair, and let me give you a glass of wine; it's very good. I hope youfound these accounts correct?"

  "Thank you," replied Jeckie. "I'll take a chair, but I won't take nowine. Much obliged to you. And as to these accounts, all I can say 'at Inever was so surprised in my life as when I received 'em! It'spositively shameful to send such things to me, and I can't think how youcould do it, reckoning to be gentlemen!"

  Farebrother gave Mortimer another kick and looked steadily at theirvisitor.

  "Oh!" he said, very quietly. "Now--why?"

  "Why?" exclaimed Jeckie. "What! amounts like them? You know as well as Ido 'at I never employed either of you! You haven't a single letter, norpaper, nor nothing to show 'at I ever told you or engaged you to doaught for me; you know you haven't. It's all the fault o' Mr. Mortimerthere if there's been any misunderstanding on your part, Mr.Farebrother, but I'd naught to do with it. I know quite well what partMr. Mortimer's played!"

  Mortimer received a third kick before he could speak, and Farebrother,who was gradually becoming more and more icy in manner, asked anotherquestion.

  "Perhaps you'll give me an account of Mr. Mortimer's doing?" hesuggested. "I shall like to hear what you have to say."

  Jeckie favoured both men with an injured and sullen stare.

  "Well!" she said. "Mr. Mortimer came to me, unasked, mind you, and saidhe was having a holiday down here, and who he was, and that he'd asuspicion there might be coal under this village. He talked a lot aboutit in my parlour, though I'm sure I never invited him to do so. I didn'tknow him from Adam when he came to my house! It's quite true 'at Ibought land from Ben Scholes on the strength of what he said, but he'dnaught to do with that. I paid for it with my own money. And then hegoes and sends me in a bill like that there?--a bill three or four timesas much as yours, though, from what I've seen of both of you, I reckonyou're a more dependable man than what he is, and----"

  "Mr. Mortimer has been employed by you four times as long as I had,"interposed Farebrother. "Therefore----"

  "He was never employed by me at all!" exclaimed Jeckie, emphatically."Where's his papers to show it? I always reckoned that he was just aLondoner down here for a holiday--that's what he told t'landlord and hiswife when he came to this house--and that, being interested in coal, hewas telling me what he knew or thought he knew. And I never gave himany reason to think that I was employin' his services, nor yours either,for that matter. It's naught but imposition to send me in bills likethem!"

  "Here, I can't stand this any longer!" said Mortimer, suddenly risingfrom his chair. He turned on Jeckie and confronted her angrily. "Youknow as well as I do that you constantly consulted me, and that you toldme to get Mr. Farebrother down from London----"

  "Have you aught to prove it?" interrupted Jeckie, with a knowing look inwhich she contrived to include both men. "You know you haven't! No! butI can prove, 'cause you're a great talker and over-ready with yourtongue, mister, that you gave it out all over t'village 'at your friendMr. Farebrother was coming down to have a holiday, too. And he came;and, of course, I'd no objection if you both gave me advice, and Ishould ha' been a fool if I hadn't taken it, but I never employedneither of you. Didn't I get my own advisers when the time came? Iemployed them, right enough, but not you. You know quite well, if you'rebusiness men, 'at you haven't a scrap of writing nor a shred of evidenceto show that I ever gave you any commission to do aught for me. I justthought you were amusing and interesting yourselves, and giving me a bitof advice and information, friendly-like. But, of course, I'm willing tomake you a payment, in reason, and if ten pound apiece 'ud be----"

  Jeckie got no further. Before Mortimer could speak Farebrother suddenlypicked up the obnoxious accounts, tore them in two, flung the fragmentsinto the fire, and, opening the parlour door, made Jeckie a ceremoniousbow.

  "We'll make you a present of all we've done for you, my good lady," hesaid. "Now, go!"

  Jeckie went, grumbling. She had honestly meant to part with twentypounds. It vexed her, temperamentally, to think of anybody doingsomething for nothing. She would have liked to pay these two ten poundseach. And she went home feeling deeply injured that they had scornedher.