"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 gushing 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'

peeace, for mi' ees hez seen Thy salvation.' Prayse the Lord! T'

moontain was varry greeat an' varry high, bud afoore oor Zerubbabel it's bec.u.m a playn! O Maister Houston! O Nathan Blyth! Nivver doot Him nae mair!"

"Well," said Nathan, "it is the Lord's doing, and it _is_ marvellous."

Bringing forth the letter which the old squire had written to Lucy on the same subject, he said, "Now, then, what do you think to this?"

"MY DEAR MISS BLYTH,--Your request, offered in response to my sincere desire to show my grat.i.tude and esteem, at first surprised me; but the more I thought of it, the more clearly I saw in it another ill.u.s.tration of your own self-forgetting and self-sacrificing character. I should cordially have given the plot of land for your sake; I believe, however, that it will be more pleasing to you to know that I make this gift to the Methodist people in genuine admiration of the high and holy work they have done in this village, as well as in other places, and as a personal thank-offering for mercies, providential and spiritual, lately received at the hands of a forgiving and gracious G.o.d. As far as you are concerned, I would fain hope that I may have other and _constant_ opportunities of showing the affectionate regard in which you are held by

"Yours very sincerely,

"AINSLEY FULLER."

"G.o.d bless 'im," said Adam Olliver, "'is 'art's i' t' right spot noo, hooivver, whativver it was fower munths since. An' as for what he says aboot Lucy, it's true, ivvery wod on't. She's t' sweetest, goodest la.s.s i' Waverdale, an' t' squire hez t' feynest lad. Lucy Blyth an'

Philip Fuller! Mah wod, Natty, what a pair they wad mak'! Ah ain't mitch fayth i' rich fooaks marryin' poor fooaks. I offens finnds 'at they beeath on 'em marry mair then they reckon on. But Lucy's a laydy, if ivver there was yan, if Philip's a gentleman; they beeath luv the Lord, an' they beeath luv tee-an t' other, an' if they wer' joined tegither, all Waverdale wad be the better fo't. Natty Blyth!" said Adam, noticing Nathan's troubled countenance, and suddenly alive to probabilities, "Natty Blyth, aud friend! deean't you gan an' fight ageean G.o.d. Maister Houston, we've been an' prayed te G.o.d for a twelve-munth 'at He wad tonn'd 'art o' t' aud squire an' owerrule things seea as te get a chapil for uz. Noo, the Lord's gi'en us what we wanted, an' He's getten things mixed up i' deein' it. Are we te leeav Him, an' say, 'There, Lord, Thoo mun brayk t' threeads off noo; we've getten all we care aboot, an' t' rest may drop?' Ah weean't be sae meean an' sae wicked; we mun still be co-workers wiv Him accordin'

tiv His will. If t' web ov His providence hez a Methodist chapil i' t'

pattern, it's gotten Lucy Blyth an' Philip Fuller in it as weel. Then, G.o.d helpin' uz, we moan't hinder t' shuttle, but gan on till t'

weeavin's deean. Sud we hae gotten this land if Philip Fuller hadn't been sick? Sud we hae gotten this land if Lucy Blyth hadn't gone te t'

Hall? Isn't t' aud squire ower heead an' ears i' luv wi' beeath Philip an' Lucy? Deean't the two young fooaks luv t' grund t' eean t' uther walks on? Aren't they meead for yan anuther like two hoaves ov a pair o' sithers? An' isn't t' Methodist chapil gannin' te be built te wed 'em in? Oppen thi' een, Natty, an' see what the Lord's deein'. Ah fancy there's a good bit o' pride i' yo'; for it may be just as strang under a blacksmith's leather app.r.o.n as under a squire's white weeastcooat. You want te be independent, an' it's all varry weel up tiv a sartain point, bud you can't be independent o' G.o.d, an' you'd better nut try. Natty, aud friend, ha'e you ivver axed Him what He hez te say aboot it?"

This last inquiry struck Nathan Blyth very forcibly, and he was compelled to own that to Philip Fuller's appeal, he had given a final answer on the strength of previous convictions. The marvellous change in the squire's att.i.tude to Lucy and Methodism had not presented itself to him as the result of Divine interposition, and as requiring new guidance from the Throne of Grace. He made no answer. Adam Olliver rose to his feet, and with great solemnity said, "Natty, you an' me'll mak' this a matter o' prayer."

Bidding Farmer Houston good-night, Adam and his companion wended their way homeward, and on arriving at his cottage the old hedger pressed Nathan Blyth to go in with him. Judy was over at the Forge, chatting with Lucy, and the two men drew up to the fire and resumed the conversation on the subject of Philip Fuller's request.

"Ah feel 'at there's nowt for it this tahme bud te ax the Lord te mak'

yer duty plain, Natty. You mun deea right, an' if you're bent o' that an' ax Him, He'll mak' t' way as playn as dayleet. Ah's fair bothered aboot it. Ah's sartain that G.o.d hez His 'and iv it. Let's ax Him!"

With wondrous power and unction did Adam plead at the Throne of Grace: "If it's for their good an' Thah glory, an' t' good o' t' Chotch, bring 'em tegither, Lord, an' let nut man payt 'em asunder. Guide beeath Natty an' 'is lahtle la.s.s i' t' right way. Show all consarned what's best. Guide 'em all wi' Thah c.o.o.nsel, an' efterwards bring 'em te glory. We ax it all for Christ's seeak. Amen."

"_Amen_," said another voice, and rising from their knees they saw within the door the white and bended head of Squire Fuller.

"Forgive my intrusion," said he; "I tapped twice at the door, but could not make you hear. When I opened it and heard your pet.i.tions, I could not help joining in them with all my heart, for I felt their need as much as you."

"c.u.m in, sir, an' sit yo' doon," said Adam, freshening up the cushion of his old arm-chair for his unusual guest.

"I did not expect to find you here, Mr. Blyth, but my errand has to do with you and yours. The prayer I heard just now shows that you have trusted our aged friend, and as I have come on purpose to do the same, I hope you will give me a few minutes in his presence."

Nathan bowed, blushed, felt very uncomfortable, stood half a second irresolute, and then resumed his seat.

"That's right, Natty," said Adam; "the Lord's showin' yo' t' way. Gan on, sir!"

"I came to you, Adam Olliver, because I know that you are a good man, that your influence with G.o.d and with good men is great, that you are Mr. Blyth's trusted friend, and because I want you to be a trusted friend of mine."

"G.o.d bless yo', sir. I isn't mitch use, but ah'll deea t' best ah can fo' yo', wi' all mi' 'art."