He and his sister Jean lived together until her late marriage . I was not very fond of my grandmother . She was a selfish , domineering woman -- very unlike the grandmother of tradition . When she died everything she possessed came to me , as my father , her only child , was then dead . In looking over a box of old papers I found a letter -- an old love letter . I read it with some interest , wondering whose it could be and how it came among Grandmother 's private letters . It was signed ` Stephen , ' so that I guessed my great-uncle had been the writer , but I had no idea who the Sally was to whom it was written , until the other day . Then I knew it was you -- and I went home to bring you your letter -- the letter you should have received long ago . Why you did not receive it I can not explain . I fear that my grandmother must have been to blame for that -- she must have intercepted and kept the letter in order to part her brother and you . In so far as I can I wish to repair the wrong she has done you . I know it can never be repaired -- but at least I think this letter will take the bitterness out of the memory of your lover . '' He dropped the letter in Miss Sally 's lap and went away . 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 XXXXX you know what you have done for me , '' she said to Willard .
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