hat her sister
almost thought she was frightened at her future prospects; but I
think that there was no such fear. She was so happy that she could
afford to be tranquil in her happiness.

On that day Rowan came out to the cottage in the evening and was
formally introduced to Mrs. Prime. Mrs. Ray, I fear, did not find the
little tea-party so agreeable on that evening as she had done on the
previous occasion. Mrs. Prime did make some effort at conversation;
she did endeavour to receive the young man as her future
brother-in-law; she was gracious to him with such graciousness as she
possessed;--but the duration of their meal was terribly long, and
even Mrs. Ray herself felt relieved when the two lovers went forth
together for their evening walk. I think there must have been some
triumph in Rachel's heart as she tied on her hat before she started.
I think she must have remembered the evening on which her sister had
been so urgent with her to go to the Dorcas meeting;--when she had so
obstinately refused that invitation, and had instead gone out to meet
the Tappitt girls, and had met with them the young man of whom her
sister had before been speaking with so much horror. Now he was there
on purpose to take her with him, and she went forth with him, leaning
lovingly on his arm, while yet close under her sister's eyes. I think
there must have been a gleam of triumph in her face as she put her
hand with such confidence well round her lover's arm.

Girls do triumph in their lovers,--in their acknowledged and
permitted lovers, as young men triumph in their loves which are not
acknowledged or perhaps permitted. A man's triumph is for the most
part over when he is once allowed to take his place at the family
table, as a right, next to his betrothed. He begins to feel himself
to be a sacrificial victim,--done up very prettily with blue
and white ribbons round his horns, but still an ox prepared for
sacrifice. But the girl feels herself to be exalted for those few
weeks as a conqueror, and to be carried along in an ovation of which
that bucolic victim, tied round with blue ribbons on to his horns,
is the chief grace and ornament. In this mood, no doubt, both Rachel
and Luke Rowan went forth, leaving the two widows together in the
cottage.

"It is pretty to see her so happy, isn't it now?" said Mrs. Ray.

The question for the moment made Mrs. Prime uncomfortable and almost
wretched, but it gave her the opportunity which in her he