She could not help seeing how miserably pale and thin he had become . The worry had its effect on her . The neighbours said that Cynthy was sharper than ever . Even her church-going was embittered . She had always enjoyed walking up the aisle with her rich silk skirt rustling over the carpet , her cashmere shawl folded correctly over her shoulders , and her lace bonnet set precisely on her thin shining crimps . But she could take no pleasure in that or in the sermon now , when Wilbur sat right across from her pew , between hard-featured Robins and his sulky-looking wife . The boy 's eyes had grown too large for his thin face . The softening of Miss Cynthia was a very gradual process , but it reached a climax one September morning , when Mrs. John Joe came into the former 's kitchen with an important face . Miss Cynthia was preserving her plums . `` No , thank you , I 'll not sit down -- I only run in -- I suppose you 've heard it . That little Merrivale boy has took awful sick with fever , they say . He 's been worked half to death this summer -- everyone knows what Robins is with his help -- and they say he has fretted a good deal for his father and been homesick , and he 's run down , I s ` pose . Anyway , Robins took him over to the hospital at Stanford last night -- good gracious , Cynthy , are you sick ? '' Miss Cynthia had staggered to a seat by the table ; her face was pallid . `` No , it 's only your news gave me a turn -- it came so suddenly -- I did n't know . '' `` I must hurry back and see to the men 's dinners . I thought I 'd come and tell you , though I did n't know as you 'd care . '' This parting shot was unheeded by Miss Cynthia . She laid her face in her hands . `` It 's a judgement on me , '' she moaned .
`` He 's going XXXXX die , and I 'm his murderess .
as by for into on over that though to with