Pale , Miss Sally picked it up and read it . It was from Stephen Merritt to `` dearest Sally , '' and contained a frank , manly avowal of love . Would she be his wife ? If she would , let her write and tell him so . But if she did not and could not love him , let her silence reveal the bitter fact ; he would wish to spare her the pain of putting her refusal into words , and if she did not write he would understand that she was not for him . When Willard and Joyce came back into the twilight room they found Miss Sally still sitting by the table , her head leaning pensively on her hand . She had been crying -- the cobwebby handkerchief lay beside her , wrecked and ruined forever -- but she looked very happy . `` I wonder if you know what you have done for me , '' she said to Willard . `` But no -- you ca n't know -- you ca n't realize it fully . It means everything to me . You have taken away my humiliation and restored to me my pride of womanhood . He really loved me -- he was not false -- he was what I believed him to be . Nothing else matters to me at all now . Oh , I am very happy -- but it would never have been if I had not consented to give you Joyce . '' She rose and took their hands in hers , joining them . `` God bless you , dears , '' she said softly . `` I believe you will be happy and that your love for each other will always be true and faithful and tender . Willard , I give you my dear child in perfect trust and confidence . '' With her yellowed love letter clasped to her heart , and a raptured shining in her eyes , Miss Sally went out of the room . My Lady Jane The boat got into Broughton half an hour after the train had gone .
We had been delayed by some small accident to the machinery ; hence that lost half-hour , which meant a night 's sojourn XXXXX me in Broughton .
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