ONE:Albert slept in one of the attics with Jemmy and Pete. Reuben had no intention of meeting him till he had something to confront him with, for he was pretty sure that the boy would lie to him. He began turning the room topsy-turvy, and had soon found in a drawer a[Pg 186] heap of papers scrawled over with writing. It was unlucky that he could not read, for he could not even tell whether the handwriting were Albert'sthese might be some letters he had received. Suddenly, however, a word caught his eye which he had seen a hundred times on hoardings, letters, bills, and other documentsMacKinnon. He could trace it out quite clearly. What had Albert to do with MacKinnon? Reuben clenched the papers together in his fist, and went downstairs to the kitchen.
THREE:"To ask youto ask youOh, f?ather!" she burst into tears, her broad bosom heaved under her faded gown, and she pressed her hands against it as if to keep it still.
THREE:Rose did not talk much, but she ate heartilyshe must be as healthy as she looked. Once or twice during the meal Reuben caught himself staring at her lipsthey were extraordinarily red, and at the end of the meal the juice of her pudding had stained them purple.
In his alarm he made plans to separate them. He discovered that the big attic they slept in was not healthy, and moved their beds to two rooms divided by his own. He now felt that he had put an end to those bedtime conferences which must have done so much to unite the brothers and set him at a distance."I'm hungry, Naomi. Wot have you got fur me?""Yes. Blast 'em wud gunpowder. I've heard of its being done. I'd never dig all the stuff out myselfyards of it there bewiller rootses always wur hemmed spready.""Who's Rose?""Fourthly.That all lands should be rented at fourpence an acre."
