Tales and Novels — Volume 02 eBook

Whilst farmer Gray was thus pronouncing a panegyric on Counsellor Molyneux, for the comfort of John and Robin, Stafford was trying to console Rose and her mother, who were struck with sorrow and dismay, at the news of the mill’s being stopped.  Stafford had himself almost as much need of consolation as they; for he foresaw it was impossible he should at present be united to his dear Rose.  All that her generous brothers had to offer was a share in the mill.  The father had his farm, but this must serve for the support of the whole family; and how could Stafford become a burden to them, now that they would be poor, when he could not bring himself to be dependent upon them, even when they were, comparatively speaking, rich?

CHAPTER V.

With anxious hearts the little party at the cottage expected the return of the father and his sons.  Rose sat at the window watching for them:  her mother laid down her knitting, and sighed:  and Stafford was silent, for he had exhausted all his consolatory eloquence, and saw and felt it had no effect.

“Here they come!  But they ride so slow, that I am sure they bring us no good news.”

No:  there was not any good news.  Counsellor Molyneux had indeed behaved as well as man could do:  he had declared that he would undertake to manage and plead their cause in any court of justice on earth; and had expressed the strongest indignation against the villany of Hopkins; but, at the same time, he had fairly told the Grays that this litigious man, if they commenced a suit, might ruin them, by law, before they could recover their rights.

“So we may go to bed this night melancholy enough,” said Robin; “with the certainty that our mill is stopped, and that we have a long lawsuit to go through, before we can see it going again—­if ever we do.”

Rose and Stafford looked at one another, and sighed.

“We had better not go to law, to lose the little we have left, at any rate,” said Mrs. Gray.

“Wife, I am determined my boys shall have justice,” said the father, firmly. “I am not fond of law, God knows!  I never had a lawsuit in my life; nobody dreads such things more than I do; but I dread nothing in defence of my sons and justice.  Whilst I have a penny left in the world, I’ll spend it to obtain them justice.  The labour of their lives shall not be in vain; they shall not be robbed of all they have:  they shall not be trampled upon by any one living, let him be ever so rich, or ever so litigious.  I fear neither his money nor his quirks of law.  Plain sense is the same for him and for me; and justice my boys shall have.  Mr. Molyneux will plead our cause himself—­desire no more.  If we fail and are ruined, our ruin be upon the head of him who works it!  I shall die content, when I have done all I can to obtain justice for my children.”