rch, and she had taken herself there without scruple.
But things had now been put on a different footing. It might be that
that room would become her own peculiar property, but she could never
again regard it in a simply clerical light. It had become as it were
a bower of love, and she could not take her steps thither with the
express object of assenting to the proposition made to her,--or even
with that of dissenting from it. "Perhaps," said she, "you could call
at ten on Saturday. Miss Pucker will be out marketing." To this Mr.
Prong agreed, and then Mrs. Prime got up and took her leave. How
fearfully wicked would Rachel have been in her eyes, had Rachel made
an appointment with a young man at some hour and some place in which
she might be found alone! But then it is so easy to trust oneself,
and so easy also to distrust others.

"Good-morning," said Mrs. Prime; and as she went she gave her hand as
a matter of course to her lover.

"Good-bye," said he; "and think well of this if you can do so. If you
believe that you will be more useful as my wife than you can be in
your present position,--then--"

"You think it would be my duty to--"

"Well, I will leave that for you to decide. I merely wish to put
the matter before you. But, pray, understand this; money need be no
hindrance." Then, having said that last word, he let her go.

She walked away very slowly, and did not return by the most direct
road to Miss Pucker's rooms. There was much to be considered in
the offer that had been made to her. Her lot in life would be
very lonely if this separation from her mother and sister should
become permanent. She had already made up her mind that a continued
residence with Miss Pucker would not suit her; and although, on that
very morning, she had felt that there would be much comfort in living
by herself, now, as she looked forward to that loneliness, it had
for her very little attraction. Might it not be true, also, that she
could do more good as a clergyman's wife than could possibly come
within her reach as a single woman? She had tried that life once
already, but then she had been very young. As that memory came upon
her, she looked back to her early life, and thought of the hopes
which had been hers as she stood at the altar, now so many years ago.
How different had been everything with her then! She remembered the
sort of love she had felt in her heart, and told herself that there
could be no repetition of such love