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Bluemud returned to Granite Gorge by way of Hodges' establishment on the coast. He
remained there no longer than it took him to inspect the small dock Hodges had
constructed from which the ships that were coming could be loaded. As at Granite Gorge
a railway, long since abandoned by the State and now maintained to some degree by
Hodges' workers, connected the dock with main eastern rail line. After leaving Hodges,
Bluemud followed this rail line, flying low all the way. It seemed to be in good condition
and Hodges was right: the Army was gone from the coastal plain. Only in the piedmont did
a few trains still run on the main line. The land was nearly drained. Bluemud reached Granite Gorge on November 6th, exhausted but a little more encouraged and, after parking his craft, entered the house as usual through the back door, calling, 'Elizabeth, I'm back!' Elizabeth emerged from the kitchen. 'Hello, father.' She kissed him warmly but appeared somewhat nervous. 'Did everything go well.' 'No it didn't! They're putting Phase Three into operation even before they've got Phase Two going. Can you believe it? They say there's no time left. Because Passareil brought the Dissolution forward they think they've got to bring everything forward.' Bluemud spoke loudly and impatiently. The kitchen door by his shoulder was open though he could not see inside. 'And so we've got to produce eight hundred tons a week for the next seventeen weeks and ship it all to the coast. There'll be no coal left for anything else. I doubt there'll be enough left to keep the boilers going in this house and the barracks.' 'But where will it all go?' Afterwards, as he reflected angrily, Bluemud thought it was as if she had been deliberately trying to give him away! 'They're sending two ships from the south. I went down to look over their arrangements. There's a lot to be improved before I send a train down THERE.' He shuddered with tiredness. 'What am I standing here for? I need a bath.' 'Come into the kitchen first. I'll make you a drink.' 'No I'll be down in a little while. Cook me up some bacon and eggs. There should be some bacon left if you haven't eaten it all.' Twenty minutes later the smell of frying bacon wafted up to Bluemud as he lay soaking. Ravenous, he jumped from the bath, drying himself perfunctorily, threw on his bathrobe and rushed downstairs. 'What a wonderful smell, I sometimes wonder why I go awa..' Elizabeth was not in the kitchen but someone else was there, cooking his bacon: Angel Passareil. 'Hello Mr. Bluemud,' she smiled gaily at him. 'Elizabeth went out. She'll be back in a few minutes. She asked me to finish cooking this for you. We didn't expect you so soon.' 'You didn't?' Bluemud was bewildered. He could do nothing but stare at Angel as she put the plate down before him. 'Is there something else? Oh, yes!' Angel laughed her engaging laugh. 'Knife and fork. I forgot where they were. It takes a while to get used to a new place, doesn't it?' Bluemud began to eat mechanically while Angel stood by the counter watching him, something he could not stand normally though now it made little difference: he would have been acutely aware of Angel's presence whether she were watching him or not. What a fool his daughter was, he thought angrily, clutching his utensils tightly. But there was nothing he could say. He looked up at Angel with hard eyes. 'Is there any coffee?' 'Oh, yes,' said Angel brightly. 'Sorry, I forgot about that, too.' 'How long have you been here?' 'About ten days now.' 'And how do you like my little place?' 'It's lovely, Mr. Bluemud. So interesting. All the people are so nice...' 'And how long are you staying?' Elizabeth stood in the doorway. 'Angel's staying with me until about a week before we go back to Shining River at the end of the month.' Bluemud regarded Elizabeth bitterly. 'And did you hear everything Elizabeth and I were discussing outside a few minutes ago, Miss Passareil? Do you know all our secrets now?' 'You can trust me, Mr. Bluemud. Really you can.' Angel's eyes were shining. 'Young lady,' he said, standing to leave. 'I doubt that you realize the seriousness of all our positions. Your presence here doesn't make things any easier.' Later Bluemud called for O'Grady. Big, hard Mike O'Grady. It was more like big, fat Mike O'Grady these days. 'Morning, Mr. Bluemud, sir,' said O'Grady. 'Glad to see you back, sir. It's a fine day.' He soon wiped the smile off that one's face! 'Listen to me, Mike and listen good. I've found a market for our coal. It's our big chance and we're going to take it. It means we have to get up to eight hundred tons a week right away. There's not a moment to be lost!' With pleasure Bluemud thought that he had never seen such a transformation as he saw then on O'Grady's face. 'I want the first train loaded and ready to go by December 10th and once a week thereafter. And Mike, there'll be no excuses. If you don't make it, I'll want to know the reasons why.' O'Grady left a frightened man but Bluemud felt no easier. He doubted that O'Grady knew any longer how to drive the men. But it could be done, no question of it! This ridiculous enterprise would not fail because of him. He would give O'Grady time to hang himself and then lean on him hard. Then those laggards would all learn the meaning of real work! The way they used to work in the good old days at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution: sixteen, eighteen, twenty hours a day! |
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