I knew it the moment I saw that strange , new expression leap into his eyes . `` Cornelia , '' he said in a stunned sort of voice . `` Why ... Nic ... why , little girl ... you 're a woman ! How blind I 've been ! And now I 've lost my little chum . '' `` Oh , no , no , '' I said wildly . I was so miserable and confused I did n't know what I said . `` Never , Sidney . I 'd rather be a little girl and have you for a friend ... I 'll always be a little girl ! It 's all this hateful dress . I 'll go and take it off ... I 'll ... '' And then I just put my hands up to my burning face and the tears that would never come before came in a flood . All at once I felt Sidney 's arms about me and felt my head drawn to his shoulder . `` Do n't cry , dearest , '' I heard him say softly . `` You can never be a little girl to me again ... my eyes are opened ... but I did n't want you to be . I want you to be my big girl ... mine , all mine , forever . '' What happened after that is n't to be written in a diary . I wo n't even write down the things he said about how I looked , because it would seem so terribly vain , but I ca n't help thinking of them , for I am so happy . The Old Fellow 's Letter Ruggles and I were down on the Old Fellow . It does n't matter why and , since in a story of this kind we must tell the truth no matter what happens -- or else where is the use of writing a story at all ? -- I 'll have to confess that we had deserved all we got and that the Old Fellow did no more than his duty by us .
Both Ruggles and I see that now , since we have had time to cool off , but at the moment we were in a fearful wax at the Old Fellow and were bound to hatch up something XXXXX get even with him .
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