hould judge him yet; and as to
what he has said to me, I'm sure no one has a right to judge him
unkindly. Dolly has been very angry with me because she saw me
speaking to him in the churchyard, and has said that I was--hiding."

"I meant that he was hiding."

"Neither of us were hiding, and it was an unkind word, not like a
sister. I have never had to hide from anybody. And as for--for--for
liking Mr. Rowan after such words as that, I will not say anything
about it to anybody, except to mamma. If he were to ask me to be--his
wife, I don't know what answer I should make,--not yet. But I shall
never listen to any one while mamma lives, if she wishes me not."
Then she turned to her mother, and Mrs. Ray, who had before been
driven to doubt by Mrs. Prime's words, now again became strong in her
resolution to cherish Rachel's lover.

"I don't believe she'll ever do anything to make me think that I
oughtn't to have trusted her," said Mrs. Ray, embracing Rachel and
speaking with her own eyes full of tears.

It now seemed to Mrs. Prime that there was nothing left for her but
to go. In her eagerness about her sister's affairs, she had for a
while forgotten her own; and now, as she again remembered the cause
that had brought her on the present occasion to Bragg's End, she felt
that she must return without accomplishing her object. After having
said so much in reprobation of her sister's love-affair, it was
hardly possible that she should tell the tale of her own. And yet
her need was urgent. She had pledged herself to give Mr. Prong an
answer on Friday, and she could hardly bring herself to accept that
gentleman's offer without first communicating with her mother on the
subject. Any such communication at the present moment was quite out
of the question.

"Perhaps it would be better that I should go and leave you," she
said. "If I can do no good, I certainly don't want to do any harm. I
wish that Rachel would have taken to what I think a better course of
life."

"Why, what have I done?" said Rachel, turning round sharply.

"I mean about the Dorcas meetings."

"I don't like the women there;--that's why I haven't gone."

"I believe them to be good, praiseworthy, godly women. But it is
useless to talk about that now. Good-night, Rachel," and she gave her
hand coldly to her sister. "Good-night, mother; I wish I could see
you alone to-morrow."

"Come here for your dinner," said Mrs. Ray.

"No;--but if you would come to me