And I had many gentlemen friends . But nobody ever wanted to marry me . I sometimes wish that -- that I could have had just one proposal . Not that I wanted to marry , you know , I do not mean that , but just so that it would n't have seemed that I was different from anybody else . It is very foolish of me to wish it , I know , and even wicked -- for if I had not cared for the person it would have made him very unhappy . But then , he would have forgotten and I would have remembered . It would always have been something to be a little proud of . '' `` Yes , '' said Lina absently ; her thoughts had gone back to Ralph . That evening a letter was left at the front door of the old Churchill place . It was addressed in a scholarly hand to Miss Madeline Churchill , and Amelia Kent took it in . Amelia had been Miss Madeline 's `` help '' for years and had grown grey in her service . In Amelia 's loyal eyes Miss Madeline was still young and beautiful ; she never doubted that the letter was for her mistress . Nobody else there was ever addressed as `` Miss Madeline . '' Miss Madeline was sitting by the window of her own room watching the sunset through the elms and reading her evening portion of Thomas à Kempis . She never liked to be disturbed when so employed but she read her letter after Amelia had gone out . When she came to a certain paragraph , she turned very pale and Thomas à Kempis fell to the floor unheeded . When she had finished the letter she laid it on her lap , clasped her hands , and said , `` Oh , oh , oh , '' in a faint , tremulous voice . Her cheeks were very pink and her eyes very bright . She did not even pick up Thomas à Kempis but went to the door and called Lina . `` What is it , Auntie ? ''
asked Lina curiously , noticing the signs XXXXX unusual excitement about Miss Madeline .
In after by for from of on that through to