Mist at the footbridge

An original fiction passage set in the nineteenth century.

Miriam first noticed the stranger when she turned from the high road towards the river. He had been standing beneath an elm, his face hidden by the brim of his hat. As she entered the narrow path, he entered it too.

She reminded herself that the path was public. Nevertheless, his pace seemed to measure itself against her own. When she hurried, the beat of his boots grew quicker; when she slowed, it softened behind her. Once, when the moon escaped the clouds, she saw one hand closed around a blackthorn staff.

Mist covered the river and left the footbridge floating before her like a row of pale stones. Miriam stepped onto the first board. The stranger was nearer now. He had not called out or offered any greeting.

A hand seized her sleeve and pulled her backwards.

Before she could cry out, the blackthorn staff struck the next board. It tilted, dropped through the mist and was carried away beneath them. For a moment, neither spoke.

"The flood has been busy," the stranger said.

He went before her across the remaining boards, testing each one with the staff. On the far bank, he stood aside and waited until the flame in her lamp was steady. Then he turned back towards the bridge.

Analyse how the writer uses language and structure to encourage the reader to suspect the stranger and then to reconsider that suspicion. Support your answer with references to the passage.