THE STORM.
"More things are wrought by prayer
Than the world dreams of."
After Mrs. Willoughby's interview with Dr. Heinz of which we have
written, her thoughts turned more than ever to the daughter she loved so
well.
It seemed certain from what Dr. Heinz had said that there had been a
child; and if so, even although, as she feared, her loved daughter were
dead, the child might still be alive, and probably the father also. The
difficulty now was to obtain the knowledge of their place of residence.
Mrs. Willoughby quite believed that if any news could be obtained of
either mother or child, Mr. Willoughby's heart was so much softened that
he would forgive and receive them thankfully. Once more advertisements
were inserted in various papers, and letters written to friends abroad,
imploring them to make every inquiry in their power.
More than once Dr. Heinz called to see his new-made friend; but as Mr.
Willoughby had returned to Harcourt Manor, whither his wife was soon to
follow him, he never met him; and as Dr. Heinz was leaving town to take
a much-needed holiday in the west Highlands of Scotland, nothing more
could be done for the present to obtain information regarding the lost
ones. It thus happened that although Dr. Heinz was a frequent visitor at
Miss Warden's, he never met Miss Drechsler; but he heard from Gertie
that she had not been able to bring the young girl violinist with her.
It was to Mrs. Willoughby that Mrs. Gower went for sympathy and
consolation at the time of her son's departure. Mrs. Willoughby heard of
his sudden departure with surprise and deep sorrow for her friend's
sake.
"Reginald gone off again so soon!" she said. "Oh, I am sorry for you,
dear friend! And does he speak of remaining long away? Making his own
living, you say? Has he not enough to live comfortably on in the
meantime? And then, you know," and her eyes filled with tears as she
spoke, "his future prospects are very good, unless--"
But here Mrs. Gower interrupted her. "Dear friend, from my heart I can
say, if only dear Hilda or any child of hers could be restored to you,
there is no one would more truly rejoice than I would; and I believe
Reginald would do so also." But even as she said these words a pang of
fear crossed her mind as to Reginald's feeling on the subject; but the
mother's belief in her child refused to see any evil in him, and she
added, "I am sure he would. But in any case the day of his succession as
heir-at-law to Harcourt Manor is, we trust, far off, and so perhaps it
is best for him that he should make his way in life for himself. I have
been able now to trust him in God's hands, who doeth all things well."
From that visit Mrs. Gower returned to her home comforted and
strengthened. Alone she might be, yet, like her Saviour, "not alone, for
the Father was with her." And ere many days had elapsed she was able to
busy herself in making preparations for her return to her pleasant
country home, which she had only left at Reginald's special request that
for once they might spend the season together in London.
One thing only she regretted--that she would be for some weeks separated
from her friend Mrs. Willoughby, who was not to return to Harcourt Manor
for some weeks.
Ah! truly has it been said, "Man proposes, but God disposes." The very
day that Mrs. Gower started for her home, Mrs. Willoughby received a
telegram telling her that Mr. Willoughby was very ill at the Manor, and
that the doctor begged she would come at once; and so it turned out
that, unknown to each other, the friends were again near neighbours, and
Mrs. Willoughby in her turn was to receive help and comfort from her
friend Mrs. Gower.
Long hours of suspense and anxiety followed the gentle lady's arrival at
her country home. It soon became evident that Mr. Willoughby's hours
were numbered, but his intellect remained clear. His eyes often rested
with great sadness on his wife, and as he thought of leaving her alone
and desolate, his prayer was that he might hear something definite
regarding the child ere he died. Could he but have obtained that boon,
he would have felt that that knowledge had been granted to him as a
pledge of God's forgiveness.
Not always does our all-wise God grant us signs even as an answer to our
prayers. Still, He is a God who not only forgives as a king, royally,
but also blesses us richly and fully to show the greatness of His
forgiving power. And such a God He was to prove Himself in the case of
Mr. Willoughby.
* * * * *
Whilst he lay on that bed of death, watched over and tended by loving
friends, Reginald Gower was tossing on a stormy sea, a fair emblem of
the conflict between good and evil, right and wrong, that was still
raging within his breast. But that night, when the waves of the Atlantic
were wellnigh overwhelming the vessel in which he sailed, when fear
dwelt in every heart, when the captain trod the deck with an anxious
gravity on his face, light broke on Reginald's heart. So his mother's
prayers were answered at last. The Holy Spirit worked on his heart, and
showed him as it were in a moment of time his selfishness and his sin;
and from the lips of the self-indulgent young man arose the cry never
uttered in vain, "God be merciful to me a sinner." And when the morning
light dawned, and it was seen they were nearing in safety the harbour
whither they were bound, Reginald Gower looked out on the sea, which was
fast quieting down, and gave thanks that the conflict in his soul was
ended, and that clear above the noise of the waters he heard the voice
of Him who, while He tarried here below, had said, "Peace, be still,"
to the raging billows, say these same words to his soul.
"Safe in port," rang out the captain's voice; and "Safe in port, through
the merits of my Saviour," echoed through the soul of the young man.
"Now," he said to himself, "let house, lands, and fortune go. I will do
the just, right thing, which long ago I should have done--write to Mrs.
Willoughby, and tell all I know about the child found in the Black
Forest."
At that resolution methinks a song of rejoicing was heard in heaven,
sung by angel voices as they proclaimed the glad news that once more
good had overcome evil--that the power of Christ had again conquered the
power of darkness--that in another heart the Saviour of the world had
seen of the travail of His soul and was satisfied.
* * * * *
In the meantime, the events we have written of were transpiring in
Harcourt Manor. Mr. Willoughby still lay on a bed of sickness, from
which the doctor said he would never rise, although a slight rally made
it possible that life might yet be spared for a few days or even weeks.
He was wonderfully patient, grieving only for the sorrow experienced by
his wife, and the sad thought that his own unforgiving spirit was in
great part the reason why now she would be left desolate without a child
to comfort her.
Daily Mrs. Gower visited her friend, and often watched with her by the
bed of death.
Dr. Heinz, at Mrs. Willoughby's request, came to see Mr. Willoughby, and
obtained from his lips a message of full forgiveness if either his
daughter, her husband, or any child should be found after his death; and
together they prayed that if it were God's will something might be heard
of the lost ones ere Mr. Willoughby entered into rest. "'Nevertheless,'"
added the dying man, "'not my will but thine be done.'"