ot determined what he would say to Rachel or to
Rachel's mother. He had never relaxed in his purpose of making Rachel
his wife since his first visit to the cottage. He was one who, having
a fixed resolve, feels certain of their ultimate success in achieving
it. He was now going to Bragg's End to claim that which he regarded
as his own; but he had not as yet told himself in what terms he would
put forward his claim. So he stood upon the bridge thinking.

He stood upon the bridge thinking, but his thoughts would only go
backwards, and would do nothing for him as to his future conduct.
He remembered his first walk with her, and the churchyard elms with
the setting sun, and the hot dances in Mrs. Tappitt's house; and he
remembered them without much of the triumph of a successful lover.
It had been very sweet, but very easy. In so saying to himself he by
no means threw blame upon Rachel. Things were easy, he thought, and
it was almost a pity that they should be so. As for Rachel, nothing
could have been more honest or more to his taste, than her mode of
learning to love him. A girl who, while intending to accept him,
could yet have feigned indifference, would have disgusted him at
once. Nevertheless he could not but wish that there had been some
castles for him to storm in his career. Tappitt had made but poor
pretence of fighting before he surrendered; and as to Rachel, it had
not been in Rachel's nature to make any pretence. He passed from the
bridge at last without determining what he would say when he reached
the cottage, but he did not pass on till he had been seen by the
scrutinizing eyes of Miss Pucker.

"If there ain't young Rowan going out to Bragg's End again!" she
said to herself, comforting herself, I fear, or striving to comfort
herself, with an inward assertion that he was not going there for
any good. Striving to comfort herself, but not effectually; for
though the assertion was made by herself to herself, yet it was not
believed. Though she declared, with well-pronounced mental words,
that Luke Rowan was going on that path for no good purpose, she felt
a wretched conviction at her heart's core that Rachel Ray would
be made to triumph over her and her early suspicions by a happy
marriage. Nevertheless she carried the tidings up into Baslehurst,
and as she repeated it to the grocer's daughters and the baker's wife
she shook her head with as much apparent satisfaction as though she
really believed that Rachel