She is sweet and lovely enough to be loved for her own sake . ' `` I went back to the parlour full of dismay . Willis Starr remained gloomy and taciturn all the rest of the evening , but nobody seemed to notice it but myself . `` The next day we were all so busy that I almost forgot the incident of the previous evening . We girls were up in the sewing room putting the last touches to the wedding gown . Eliza tried it and her veil on and was standing so , in all her silken splendour , when a letter was brought in . I guessed by her blush who was the writer . I laughed and ran downstairs , leaving her to read it . `` When I returned she was still standing just where I had left her in the middle of the room , holding the letter in her hand . Her face was as white as her veil , and her wide-open eyes had a dazed , agonized look as of someone who had been stricken a mortal blow . All the soft happiness and sweetness had gone out of them . They were the eyes of an old woman , Amy . '' ` Eliza , what is the matter ? ' I said . ` Has anything happened to Willis ? ' `` She made no answer , but walked to the fireplace , dropped the letter in a bed of writhing blue flame and watched it burn to white ashes . Then she turned to me . '' ` Help me take off this gown , Winnie , ' she said dully . ' I shall never wear it again . There will be no wedding .
Willis is XXXXX . ' ''
Help agonized blush dropped forgot gone putting standing wear went