Adelia opened the door and started when she saw him ; then she turned very red and stiffly asked him in . Young Thomas went in and sat down , wondering if all men felt so horribly uncomfortable when they went courting . Adelia stooped low over the woodbox to put a stick of wood in the stove , for the May evening was chilly . Her shoulders were shaking ; the shaking grew worse ; suddenly Adelia laughed hysterically and , sitting down on the woodbox , continued to laugh . Young Thomas eyed her with a friendly grin . `` Oh , do excuse me , '' gasped poor Adelia , wiping tears from her eyes . `` This is -- dreadful -- I did n't mean to laugh -- I do n't know why I 'm laughing -- but -- I -- ca n't help it . '' She laughed helplessly again . Young Thomas laughed too . His embarrassment vanished in the mellowness of that laughter . Presently Adelia composed herself and removed from the woodbox to a chair , but there was still a suspicious twitching about the corners of her mouth . `` I suppose , '' said Young Thomas , determined to have it over with before the ice could form again , `` I suppose , Adelia , you 've heard the story that 's been going about you and me of late ? '' Adelia nodded . `` I 've been persecuted to the verge of insanity with it , '' she said . `` Every soul I 've seen has tormented me about it , and people have written me about it . I 've denied it till I was black in the face , but nobody believed me . I ca n't find out how it started . I hope you believe , Mr. Everett , that it could n't possibly have arisen from anything I said . I 've felt dreadfully worried for fear you might think it did . I heard that my cousin , Lucilla Barrett , said I told her , but Lucilla vowed to me that she never said such a thing or even dreamed of it .
I 've felt dreadful bad XXXXX the whole affair .
about but for from in of over that till to