So, as there was none else to hope for as might come forward and save the
situation for Jane Pedlar, Jack resolved that he was called upon for the
task.
He larned the market value of the cottage and then, three days afore the
thunderbolt was timed to fall, he went up over to Nicholas Bewes and had a
tell with the man.
For two mortal hours did they sit together smoking their pipes, and
turning over the situation, and Bewes was bound to grant, when Jack was
gone, that the chap possessed a lot of sound sense, though mouth-speech
weren't his strong point, and it took him a deal of time to make his
meaning clear. But none the less he could do so, when a listener was
content not to hurry him, and Nicholas Bewes listened very patient, the
more willingly because what Jack had to say interested him a lot.
He was a thought put about first, however, because Cobley didn't mince
words.
"'Tis like this, if I may say so," he began. "Your son's wishful to marry
Milly Boon--a good bit against her will, by all accounts; but you be on
his side, naturally, and want to see him happy, so you've put a loaded
pistol to old Mrs. Pedlar's head and told her if her niece don't take your
boy, she's got to quit her home."
Bewes stared.
"What business might that be of yours, Jack Cobley?" he asked, and the
visitor explained.
"On the face of it, none," he said; "but I wouldn't have come afore you
only to say I disapproved, because you'd say my opinion didn't matter a
damn.
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