e of unravelling such a
mystery as that. If the Tappitts in their jealousy were striving to
rob Rachel Ray of her husband by spreading false reports, she would
encourage Rachel Ray in her love by spreading the truth;--if, as she
believed, the truth should speak in Rowan's favour. She would have
considerable pleasure in countermining Mr. and Mrs. Tappitt.

As to Mr. Tappitt's vote for the election;--that was gone!

CHAPTER III.

DR. HARFORD.

The current of events forced upon Rachel a delay of three or four
days in answering her letter, or rather forced upon her that delay in
learning whether or no she might answer it; and this was felt by her
to be a grievous evil. It had been arranged that she should not write
until such writing should have received what might almost be called
a parochial sanction, and no idea of acting in opposition to that
arrangement ever occurred to her; but the more she thought of it
the more she was vexed; and the more she thought of it the more she
learned to doubt whether or no her mother was placing her in safe
tutelage. During these few weeks a great change came upon the girl's
character. When first Mrs. Prime had brought home tidings that Miss
Pucker had seen her walking and talking with the young man from the
brewery, angry as she had been with her sister, and disgusted as she
had been with Miss Pucker, she had acknowledged to herself that such
talking and walking were very dangerous, if not very improper, and
she had half resolved that there should be no more of them. And when
Mrs. Prime had seen her standing at the stile, and had brought home
that second report, Rachel, knowing what had occurred at that stile,
had then felt sure that she was in danger. At that time, though she
had thought much of Luke Rowan, she had not thought of him as a man
who could possibly be her husband. She had thought of him as having
no right to call her Rachel, because he could not possibly become
so. There had been great danger;--there had been conduct which she
believed to be improper though she could not tell herself that she
had been guilty. In her outlook into the world nothing so beautiful
had promised itself to her as having such a man to love her as Luke
Rowan. Though her mother was not herself ascetic,--liking tea and
buttered toast dearly, and liking also little soft laughter with
her child,--she had preached ascetisms till Rachel had learned to
think that the world was all either ascetic