Facing Death; Or, The Hero of the Vaughan Pit: A Tale of the Coal Mines

by G. A. Henty

  CHAPTER XXII.

  THE SOLUTION.

  Among others who talked over Nelly Hardy's future were Mr. and Mrs.Dodgson. They were very fond of her, for from the first she had been thesteadiest and most industrious of the young girls of the place, and bydiligent study had raised herself far in advance of the rest. She hadtoo been always so willing and ready to oblige and help that she was agreat favourite with both.

  "I have been thinking," Mrs. Dodgson said to her husband on the eveningof the day of John Hardy's death, "whether, as Miss Bolton, theassistant mistress, is going to leave at the end of the month, to bemarried, Nelly Hardy would not make an excellent successor for her.There is no doubt she is fully capable of filling the situation; hermanners are all that could be wished, and she has great influence withthe younger children. The only drawback was her disreputable old father.It would hardly have done for my assistant to appear in school in themorning with a black eye, and for all the children to know that herdrunken father had been beating her. Now he is gone that objection is atan end. She and her mother, who has been as bad as the father, but isnow, I believe, almost imbecile, could live in the little cottage MissBolton occupies."

  "I think it would be an excellent plan, my dear, excellent; we couldhave no one we should like better, or who could be a more trustworthyand helpful assistant to you. By all means let it be Nelly Hardy. I willgo up and speak to Mr. Brook to-morrow. As he is our patron I mustconsult him, but he will agree to anything we propose. Let us saynothing about it until you tell her yourself after the funeral."

  Mrs. Dodgson saw Nelly Hardy several times in the next few days, andwent in and sat with her as she worked at her mourning; but it was notuntil John Hardy was laid in the churchyard that she opened the subject.

  "Come up in the morning, my dear," she had said that day; "I want tohave a talk with you."

  On the following morning Nelly, in her neatly-fitting black mourningdress, made her appearance at the school-house, after breakfast, aquarter of an hour before school began.

  "Sit down, my dear," Mrs. Dodgson said, "I have some news to give youwhich will, I think, please you. Of course you have been thinking whatto do?"

  "Yes, 'm; I have made up my mind to try and get work in a factory."

  "Indeed! Nelly," Mrs. Dodgson said, surprised; "I should have thoughtthat was the last thing that you would like."

  "It is not what I like," Nelly said quietly, "but what is best. I wouldrather go into service, and as I am fond of children and used to them, Imight, with your kind recommendation, get a comfortable situation; butin that case mother must go to the house, and I could not bear to thinkof her there. She is very helpless, and of late she has come to look tome, and would be miserable among strangers. I could earn enough at afactory to keep us both, living very closely."

  "Well, Nelly, your decision does you honour, but I think my plan isbetter. Have you heard that Miss Bolton is going to leave us?"

  "I have heard she was engaged to be married some day, 'm, but I did notknow the time was fixed."

  "She leaves at the end of this month, that is in a fortnight, and herplace has already been filled up. Upon the recommendation of myself andMr. Dodgson, Mr. Brook has appointed Miss Nelly Hardy as her successor."

  "Me!" exclaimed Nelly, rising with a bewildered air. "Oh, Mrs. Dodgson,you cannot mean it?"

  "I do, indeed, Nelly. Your conduct here has been most satisfactory inevery way, you have a great influence with the children, and yourattainments and knowledge are amply sufficient for the post of myassistant. You will, of course, have Miss Bolton's cottage, and canwatch over your mother. You will have opportunities for studying to fityourself to take another step upwards, and become a head-mistress someday."

  Mrs. Dodgson had continued talking, for she saw that Nelly was too muchagitated and overcome to speak.

  "Oh, Mrs. Dodgson," she sobbed, "how can I thank you enough?"

  "There are no thanks due, my dear. Of course I want the best assistant Ican get, and I know of no one upon whom I can rely more thoroughly thanyourself. You have no one but yourself to thank, for it is your goodconduct and industry alone which have made you what you are, and thatunder circumstances of the most unfavourable kind. But there is the bellringing for school. I suppose I may tell Mr. Brook that you accept thesituation; the pay, thirty pounds a year and the cottage, is not larger,perhaps, than you might earn at a factory, but I think--"

  "Oh, Mrs. Dodgson," Nelly said, smiling through her tears, "I accept, Iaccept. I would rather live on a crust of bread here than work in afactory, and if I had had the choice of everything I should preferthis."

  Mr. Dodgson here came in, shook Nelly's hand and congratulated her, andwith a happy heart the girl took her way home.

  Jack, upon his return from the pit, found Nelly awaiting him at thecorner where for years she had stood. He had seen her once since herfather's death, and had pressed her hand warmly to express his sympathy,but he was too honest to condole with her on a loss which was, he knew,a relief. He and Harry had in the intervening time talked much ofNelly's prospects. Jack was averse in the extreme to her going intoservice, still more averse to her going into a factory, but couldsuggest no alternative plan.

  "If she were a boy," he said, "it would be easy enough. I am gettingeighteen shillings a week now, and could let her have five easily, andshe might take in dressmaking. There are plenty of people in thevillages round would be glad to get their dresses made; but she wouldhave to live till she got known a bit, and you know she wouldn't take myfive shillings. I wouldn't dare offer it to her. Now if it was you therewould be no trouble at all; you would take it, of course, just as Ishould take it of you, but she wouldn't, because she's a lass--it beatsme altogether. I might get mother to offer her the money, but Nellywould know it was me sharp enough, and it would be all the same."

  "I really think that Nelly might do well wi' dressmaking," Harry saidafter a pause. "Here all the lasses ha' learnt to work, but, as you say,in the other villages they know no more than we did here three yearsback; if we got some bills printed and sent 'em round, I should say shemight do. There are other things you don't seem to ha' thought on,Jack," he said hesitatingly. "You're only eighteen yet, but you areearning near a pound a week, and in another two or three years will begetting man's pay, and you are sure to rise. Have you never thought ofmarrying Nelly?"

  Jack jumped as if he had trodden on a snake.

  "I marry Nelly!" he said in astonishment. "What! I marry Nelly! are youmad, Harry? You know I have made up my mind not to marry for years, nottill I'm thirty and have made my way; and as to Nelly, why I neverthought of her, nor of any other lass in that way; her least of all;why, she is like my sister. What ever put such a ridiculous idea in yourhead? Why, at eighteen boys haven't left school and are looking forwardto going to college; those boy and girl marriages among our class arethe cause of half our troubles. Thirty is quite time enough to marry.How Nelly would laugh if she knew what you'd said!"

  "I should advise you not to tell her," Harry said dryly; "I greatlymistake if she would regard it as a laughing matter at all."

  "No, lasses are strange things," Jack meditated again. "But, Harry, youare as old as I am, and are earning the same wage; why don't you marryher?"

  "I would," Harry said earnestly, "to-morrow if she'd have me."

  "You would!" Jack exclaimed, as much astonished as by his friend's firstproposition. "To think of that now! Why, you have always been with herjust as I have. You have never shown that you cared for her, nevergiven her presents, nor walked with her, nor anything. And do you reallycare for her, Harry?"

  "Aye," Harry said shortly, "I have cared for her for years."

  "And to think that I have never seen that!" Jack said. "Why didn't youtell me? Why, you are as difficult to understand as she is, and Ithought I knew you so well!"

  "What would have been the use?" Harry said. "Nelly likes me as a friend,that's all."

  "That's it," Jack said. "Of course when people are
friends they don'tthink of each other in any other way. Still, Harry, she may get to intime. Nelly's pretty well a woman, she's seventeen now, but she has noone else after her that I know of."

  "Well, Jack, I fancy she could have plenty after her, for she's theprettiest and best girl o' the place; but you see, you are always aboutwi' her, and I think that most people think it will be a match someday."

  "People are fools," Jack burst out wrathfully. "Who says so? just tellme who says so?"

  "People say so, Jack. When a young chap and a lass walk together peoplesuppose there is something in it, and you and Nelly ha' been walkingtogether for the last five years."

  "Walking together!" Jack repeated angrily; "we have been going abouttogether of course, and you have generally been with us, and oftenenough half-a-dozen others; that is not like walking together. Nellyknew, and every one knew, that we agreed to be friends from the day westood on the edge of the old shaft when you were in the water below, andwe have never changed since."

  "I know you have never changed, Jack, never thought of Nelly but as atrue friend. I did not know whether now you might think differently. Iwanted to hear from your own lips. Now I know you don't, that you haveno thought of ever being more than a true friend to her, I shall try ifI cannot win her."

  "Do," Jack said, shaking his friend's hand. "I am sure I wish yousuccess. Nothing in the world would please me so much as to see my twofriends marry, and though I do think, yes, I really do, Harry, thatyoung marriages are bad, yet I am quite sure that you and Nelly would behappy together anyhow. And when do you mean to ask her?"

  "What an impatient fellow you are, Jack!" Harry said smiling. "Nelly hasno more idea that I care for her than you had, and I am not going totell her so all at once. I don't think," he said gravely, "mark me,Jack, I don't think Nelly will ever have me, but if patience and lovecan win her I shall succeed in the end."

  Jack looked greatly surprised again.

  "Don't say any more about it, Jack," Harry went on. "It 'ull be a longjob o' work, but I can bide my time; but above all, if you wish me well,do not even breathe a word to Nelly of what I have said."

  From this interview Jack departed much mystified.

  "It seems to me," he muttered to himself, "lads when they're in loveget to be like lasses, there's no understanding them. I know nowt oflove myself, and what I've read in books didn't seem natural, but Isuppose it must be true, for even Harry, who I thought I knew as well asmyself, turned as mysterious as--well as a ghost. What does he mean byhe's got to be patient, and to wait, and it will be a long job. If helikes Nelly and Nelly likes him--and why shouldn't she?--I don't knowwhy they shouldn't marry in a year or two, though I do hate youngmarriages. Anyhow I'll talk to her about the dressmaking idea. IfHarry's got to make love to her, it will be far better for him to do ithere than to have to go walking her out o' Sundays at Birmingham. If shewould but let me help her a bit till she's got into business it would beas easy as possible."

  Jack, however, soon had the opportunity of laying his scheme fullybefore Nelly Hardy, and when she had turned off from the road with himshe broke out:

  "Oh, Jack, I have such a piece of news; but perhaps you know it, doyou?" she asked jealously.

  "No, I don't know any particular piece of news."

  "Not anything likely to interest me, Jack?"

  "No," Jack said puzzled.

  "Honour, you haven't the least idea what it is?"

  "Honour, I haven't," Jack said.

  "I'm going to be a schoolmistress in place of Miss Bolton."

  THE NEW SCHOOLMISTRESS.]

  "No!" Jack shouted delightedly; "I am glad, Nelly, I am glad. Why, it isjust the thing for you; Harry and I have been puzzling our heads all theweek as to what you should do!"

  "And what did your united wisdom arrive at?" Nelly laughed.

  "We thought you might do here at dressmaking," Jack said, "after a bit,you know."

  "The thought was not a bad one," she said; "it never occurred to me, andhad this great good fortune not have come to me I might perhaps havetried. It was good of you to think of it. And so you never heard awhisper about the schoolmistress? I thought you might perhaps havesuggested it somehow, you know you always do suggest things here."

  "No, indeed, Nelly, I did not hear Miss Bolton was going."

  "I am glad," the girl said.

  "Are you?" Jack replied in surprise. "Why, Nelly, wouldn't you haveliked me to have helped you?"

  "Yes and no, Jack; but no more than yes. I do owe everything to you. Itwas you who made me your friend, you who taught me, you who urged me on,you who have made me what I am. No, Jack, dear," she said, seeing thatJack looked pained at her thanks; "I have never thanked you before, andI must do it now. I owe everything to you, and in one way I should havebeen pleased to owe this to you also, but in another way I am pleasednot to do so because my gaining it by, if I may say so, my own merits,show that I have done my best to prove worthy of your kindness andfriendship."

  Tears of earnestness stood in her eyes, and Jack felt that disclaimerwould be ungracious.

  "I am glad," he said again after a pause. "And now, Miss Hardy," and hetouched his hat laughing, "that you have risen in the world, I hope youare not going to take airs upon yourself."

  Nelly laughed. "It is strange," she said, "that I should be the first totake a step upwards, for Mrs. Dodgson is going to help me to go in andqualify for a head-schoolmistress-ship some day; but, Jack, it is onlyfor a little time. You laugh and call me Miss Hardy to-day, but the timewill come when I shall say 'sir' to you; you are longer beginning, butyou will rise far higher; but we shall always be friends; shall we not,Jack?"

  "Always, Nelly," Jack said earnestly. "Wherever or whatever Jack Simpsonmay be, he will ever be your true and faithful friend, and nothing whichmay ever happen to me, no rise I may ever make, will give me thepleasure which this good fortune which has befallen you has done. If Iever rise it will make me happy to help Harry, but I know you wouldnever have let me help you, and this thought would have marred my life.Now that I see you in a position in which I am sure you will besuccessful, and which is an honourable and pleasant one, I shall themore enjoy my rise when it comes.--Does any one else know of it?" heasked as they went on their way.

  "No one," she said. "Who should know it before you?"

  "Harry will be as glad as I am," he said, remembering his friend's lateassertion.

  "Yes, Harry will be very glad too," Nelly said; but Jack felt thatHarry's opinion was of comparatively little importance in her eyes. "Heis a good honest fellow is Harry, and I am sure he will be pleased, andso I hope will everyone."

  Jack felt that the present moment was not a propitious one for puttingin a word for his friend.

  * * * * *

  Harry Shepherd carried out his purpose. For two years he waited, andthen told his love to Nelly Hardy, one bright Sunday afternoon when theywere walking in the lane.

  "No, Harry, no," she said humbly and sadly; "it can never be, do not askme, I am so, so sorry."

  "Can it never be?" Harry asked.

  "Never," the girl said; "you know yourself, Harry, it can never be. Ihave seen this coming on for two years now, and it has grieved me so;but you know, I am sure you know, why it cannot be."

  "I know," the young fellow said. "I have always known that you cared forJack a thousand times more than for me, and it's quite natural, for heis worth a thousand of me; but then, then--" and he hesitated.

  "But then," she went on. "Jack does not love me, and you do. That isso, Harry; but since I was a child I have loved him. I know, nonebetter, that he never thought of me except as a friend, that he scarcelyconsidered me as a girl. I have never thought that it would beotherwise. I could hardly wish that it were. Jack will rise to be agreat man, and must marry a lady, but," she said steadfastly, "I can goon loving him till I die."

  "I have not hoped much, Nelly, but remember always, that I have alwayscared for you. Since you first became Jack's
friend I have cared foryou. If he had loved you I could even stand aside and be glad to see youboth happy, but I have known always that this could never be. Jack'smind was ever so much given up to study, he is not like us, and does notdream of a house and love till he has made his mark in the world.Remember only that I love you as you love Jack, and shall love asfaithfully. Some day, perhaps, long hence," he added as Nelly shook herhead, "you may not think differently, but may come to see that it isbetter to make one man's life happy than to cling for ever to theremembrance of another. At any rate you will always think of me as yourtrue friend, Nelly, always trust me?"

  "Always, Harry, in the future more than lately, for I have seen thiscoming. Now that we understand each other we can be quite friendsagain."