Part 29 (1/2)

”Because my word is given to your father, and because that promise coincides fully with my own judgment. I will never encourage any special attention of yours to Lucy, nor favour any such tendency in Lucy herself.”

”But, Nathan Blyth,” said Philip, ”my father's views are changed, as, thank G.o.d, he himself is changed, and it is with his permission and by his wish that I am here this morning, and that I ask you, beseech you, to give me Lucy for my wife.”

It is not too much to say that Nathan Blyth was surprised almost out of his senses. He had never in any remote degree expected this. His own manly sense and st.u.r.dy independence were fully opposed to the idea of such a thing. Lucy's confession of her love for Philip was an unmixed source of sorrow to him, and all his wise and gentle policy had been directed towards weaning his darling from a love so hopeless and unwise. Her brief stay at the Hall had been a trouble of no ordinary kind. But when Lucy returned promptly and at her own request, and had shown in unmeasured terms her joy at being once more under her father's roof; when he heard her merry voice singing by his hearth stone, as though she had left no hopeless love behind, he had gladly argued that the spell was broken, and that Lucy, heart-whole and happy, had cast aside the dangerous dream for ever. Though he was wrong in thinking that Lucy's love for Philip was any the less, he was also wrong in thinking that union with him had ever been any dream of her's. With Lucy duty was paramount, and the grace of G.o.d was omnipotent, and so she had been able to accept the inevitable, and not to pine or sigh for what was as utterly unreachable, to her thinking, as the moon. Nathan saw in Squire Fuller's consent the result of a grateful impulse, or an unwilling consent for his son's sake, certain to be followed by an ultimate though distant repentance. The idea of such an event ever dawning to distress his darling, stirred his soul to the depths.

”No, Mr. Philip; it cannot be. My mind was one with your father's on this point, and though his may change, mine has not changed, and I say, now and ever, Keep away from Lucy. Your path and her's lie wide apart.”

Thrusting a bar of iron into the smithy fire, Blithe Natty laid hold of the bellows-handle, and worked it as one who has uttered a fiat against which there is no appeal. In vain did Philip urge his suit; in vain he sought permission to come again.

”Mr. Philip, I love and esteem you as much as any living man,” said he at last, ”and I cannot bear your entreaties. I know I'm right, and I shall stand to it. Yes; though your father himself should come, my answer will still be 'No,' and if nothing else will do, I'll sell my business, and go away with my girl to some distant place.”

Philip was roused and somewhat angry. ”Nathan Blyth,” said he, ”I'll follow her to the world's end,” and like a man at his wits' end, he turned round and left the Forge.

CHAPTER x.x.xV.

OLD ADAM OLLIVER TO THE RESCUE.

”Who is it that will doubt The care of Heaven, or think immortal Powers are slow, 'cause they take privilege To choose their own time, when they will send Their blessings down?”

_Davenant._

Not one word did Nathan Blyth breathe to Lucy of his unsatisfactory interview with Philip Fuller. He was more affected than he cared to own, and went about his work with an absent and a heavy heart. Quick to read all the changes in her father's moods, Lucy soon missed his cheery anvil song, and wondered what dark cloud had come to cast its shadow over him. In vain she sought his confidence. Seeing her anxiety, Nathan sought to deceive her by a constrained pleasantry and a heartless song. But Nathan was a poor hand at playing the hypocrite, and Lucy's loving eyes were not to be deceived.

When Philip returned home, his father's first glance at the sad and excited face told him that his errand, as he feared, had been in vain.

This, instead of giving him pleasure, as it would once have done, increased alike his admiration of the character of the village blacksmith, and his desire to secure his peerless daughter as a life-mate for his son.

”I'll go myself,” said the old man, when Philip had described his unsatisfactory and disheartening interview.

”That will be of no use,” said Philip; ”he told me that even if you came, his mind would not alter, and Nathan Blyth always means what he says.”

The next morning the squire wrote a note to Lucy, to inform her that a piece of land, admirably situated in the centre of the village, was at the disposal of the Methodists, and that he had given orders for its transfer to Farmer Houston, free of cost. Great was Lucy's rejoicing at this glorious victory, and Nathan Blyth was compelled to admire the tone of the letter which announced the grateful and timely gift. It breathed such love and esteem for Lucy, and what struck the blacksmith still more forcibly, it displayed such a spirit of Christian piety, and was marked by such a genuine religious feeling, that Natty wondered more and more.

That evening Farmer Houston, Nathan Blyth, and Adam Olliver were seated in the dining-room of the former, when Mr. Houston read the note which he had himself received, and which ran as follows:--

”MY DEAR HOUSTON,--When you last made a request to me for a piece of land on which to build a Methodist chapel, I imagined that I had sufficient reasons for refusing, and I did refuse accordingly. Subsequent events and a careful study of the whole matter have convinced me that I was in the wrong. I have now given orders for the transfer to you of a plot of ground on Nestleton Green, believing as I do, that the erection of the desired sanctuary will be of great moral and spiritual advantage to the village, and will be to the praise and glory of G.o.d. I shall be glad when your scheme is ripe to render further aid to your G.o.dly undertaking.

”Yours faithfully,

”AINSLEY FULLER.”

”Wonderful!” said Mr. Houston. ”Isn't it?”

”Marvellous!” said Nathan Blyth.

”Joost as ah expected!” said Adam Olliver. ”The Lord's nut only answered 'wer prayers, bud He's gannin' te giv uz t' squire inte t'

bargain. G.o.d be thenk'd! Maister, let uz pray!”

The three good men and true knelt to offer heartfelt grat.i.tude to G.o.d, and Adam Olliver, with tearful eyes and a heart gus.h.i.+ng with love and praise, poured out his soul in prayer and thanksgiving, pleading for the old squire, for Philip, for G.o.d's cause in Nestleton, until the very atmosphere seemed to be charged with the presence and power of a loving and gracious G.o.d. As soon as they had risen from their knees, Adam said,--

”Halleluia! Mah poor aud een 'll see a Methodist chapil i' Nestleton, an' then ah'll say, 'Noo, Lord, lettest thoo thi' sarvant depayt i'