As soon as he was out of the way I casually remarked to Stephen that I understood that he was going to take one of my neighbours away and that I could n't be sorry , though she was an excellent neighbour and I would miss her a great deal . `` You wo n't have to miss her much , I reckon , '' said Stephen grimly . `` I 've been told I 'm not wanted there . '' I was surprised to hear Stephen come out so plump and plain about it , for I had n't expected to get at the root of the matter so easily . Stephen was n't the confidential kind . But it really seemed to be a relief to him to talk about it ; I never saw a man feeling so sore about anything . He told me the whole story . Prissy had written him a letter -- he fished it out of his pocket and gave it to me to read . It was in Prissy 's prim , pretty little writing , sure enough , and it just said that his attentions were `` unwelcome , '' and would he be `` kind enough to refrain from offering them . '' Not much wonder the poor man went to see Lizzie Pye ! `` Stephen , I 'm surprised at you for thinking that Prissy Strong wrote that letter , '' I said . `` It 's in her handwriting , '' he said stubbornly . `` Of course it is . ` The hand is the hand of Esau , but the voice is the voice of Jacob , ' '' I said , though I was n't sure whether the quotation was exactly appropriate . `` Emmeline composed that letter and made Prissy copy it out . I know that as well as if I 'd seen her do it , and you ought to have known it , too . '' `` If I thought that I 'd show Emmeline I could get Prissy in spite of her , '' said Stephen savagely . `` But if Prissy does n't want me I 'm not going to force my attentions on her . '' Well , we talked it over a bit , and in the end I agreed to sound Prissy , and find out what she really thought about it . I did n't think it would be hard to do ; and it was n't .
I went XXXXX the very next day because I saw Emmeline driving off to the store .
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