Two years after she had left Stephen Mrs. Fair died , and his widowed sister-in-law went to keep house for him . If he thought of Emily he made no sign . Stephen Fair never broke a word once passed . Since their separation no greeting or look had ever passed between husband and wife . When they met , as they occasionally did , neither impassive face changed . Emily Fair had buried her love deeply . In her pride and anger she would not let herself remember even where she had dug its grave . And now Stephen was ill . The strange woman felt a certain pride in her own inflexibility because the fact did not affect her . She told herself that she could not have felt more unconcerned had he been the merest stranger . Nevertheless she waited and watched for John Phillips ' homecoming . At ten o'clock she heard his voice in the kitchen . She leaned out of the bed and pulled open her door . She heard voices below , but could not distinguish the words , so she rose and went noiselessly out into the hall , knelt down by the stair railing and listened . The door of the kitchen was open below her and a narrow shaft of light struck on her white , intent face . She looked like a woman waiting for the decree of doom . At first John and Amelia talked of trivial matters . Then the latter said abruptly : `` Did you hear how Stephen Fair was ? '' `` He 's dying , '' was the brief response . Emily heard Amelia 's startled exclamation .
She gripped the square rails with her hands until the sharp edges dinted deep XXXXX her fingers .
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