She looked almost girlish , and Cromwell Biron gazed at her with sidelong admiration , while Cecily watched them both fiercely from her pew . She knew that Cromwell Biron had come home , wooing his old love . `` But he sha 'n' t get her , '' Cecily whispered into her hymnbook . Somehow it was a comfort to articulate the words , `` She promised . '' On the church steps Cromwell offered his arm to Lucy Ellen with a flourish . She took it shyly , and they started down the road in the crisp Autumn moonlight . For the first time in ten years Cecily walked home from prayer-meeting alone . She went up-stairs and flung herself on her bed , reckless for once , of her second best hat and gown . Lucy Ellen did not venture to ask Cromwell in . She was too much in awe of Cecily for that . But she loitered with him at the gate until the grandfather 's clock in the hall struck eleven . Then Cromwell went away , whistling gaily , with Lucy Ellen 's chrysanthemum in his buttonhole , and Lucy Ellen went in and cried half the night . But Cecily did not cry . She lay savagely awake until morning . `` Cromwell Biron is courting you again , '' she said bluntly to Lucy Ellen at the breakfast table . Lucy Ellen blushed nervously . `` Oh , nonsense , Cecily , '' she protested with a simper . `` It is n't nonsense , '' said Cecily calmly . `` He is . There is no fool like an old fool , and Cromwell Biron never had much sense .
The presumption XXXXX him ! ''
On for from in into of that to while with