The upshot of my meditations was that I asked Stephen down to dinner with us from church one day . I had heard a rumour that he was going to see Lizzie Pye over at Avonlea , and I knew it was time to be stirring , if anything were to be done . If it had been Jane Miranda I do n't know that I 'd have bothered ; but Lizzie Pye would n't have done for a stepmother for Althea 's boys at all . She was too bad-tempered , and as mean as second skimmings besides . Stephen came . He seemed dull and moody , and not much inclined to talk . After dinner I gave Thomas a hint . I said , `` You go to bed and have your nap . I want to talk to Stephen . '' Thomas shrugged his shoulders and went . He probably thought I was brewing up lots of trouble for myself , but he did n't say anything . 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 XXXXX see Lizzie Pye !
After If about as at for in of that to