Final answer:
The correct answer is D) Ray wanted to confess. He intended to warn Hal about marriage but ended up only telling him to 'Go on to town,' without sharing his advice.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer is option D) Ray wanted to confess. In 'The Untold Lie,' a short story by Sherwood Anderson that is a part of his collection 'Winesburg, Ohio,' Ray Pearson is a farmhand who learns that his fellow worker, Hal Winters, has gotten Nell Gunther pregnant. Ray initially wants to warn Hal against entering into a loveless marriage solely because of the pregnancy, reflecting on his own regrets and unhappy experiences in life. He hopes to spare Hal the same fate by confessing his feelings about commitment and cautioning him. However, Ray's resolve crumbles, and ultimately he doesn't share his intended advice. Instead, the only thing Ray tells Hal is 'Go on, boy. Go on to town,' indicating his eventual decision not to burden the younger man with his doubts and to allow him to make his own choices about marriage.
In 'The Untold Lie,' Ray is in love with Nell and discovers that she is pregnant. He wants to confess to Hal about the affair and take responsibility. However, instead of confessing, Ray ends up telling Hal about the idea of marriage and how it changes people, leading Hal to believe that Ray wants to marry Nell.
Ray's intention to propose or elope is not explicitly mentioned in the story. The central conflict revolves around Ray's struggle to confess and take responsibility for his actions.