So far , however , Cyrus had not molested her out of school , nor had he as yet thumped Willy Fraser -- who was reported to be very low in his spirits over the whole affair . And now Cyrus had written Cecily a letter -- a love letter , mark you . Moreover , he had sent it through the post-office , with a real stamp on it . Its arrival made a sensation among us . Dan brought it from the office and , recognizing the handwriting of Cyrus , gave Cecily no peace until she showed us the letter . It was a very sentimental and rather ill-spelled epistle in which the inflammable Cyrus reproached her in heart-rending words for her coldness , and begged her to answer his letter , saying that if she did he would keep the secret `` in violets . '' Cyrus probably meant `` inviolate '' but Cecily thought it was intended for a poetical touch . He signed himself `` your troo lover , Cyrus Brisk '' and added in a postcript that he could n't eat or sleep for thinking of her . `` Are you going to answer it ? '' asked Dan . `` Certainly not , '' said Cecily with dignity . `` Cyrus Brisk wants to be kicked , '' growled Felix , who never seemed to be any particular friend of Willy Fraser 's either . `` He 'd better learn how to spell before he takes to writing love letters . '' `` Maybe Cyrus will starve to death if you do n't , '' suggested Sara Ray . `` I hope he will , '' said Cecily cruelly . She was truly vexed over the letter ; and yet , so contradictory a thing is the feminine heart , even at twelve years old , I think she was a little flattered by it also . It was her first love letter and she confided to me that it gives you a very queer feeling to get it . At all events -- the letter , though unanswered , was not torn up . I feel sure Cecily preserved it . But she walked past Cyrus next morning at school with a frozen countenance , evincing not the slightest pity for his pangs of unrequited affection .
Cecily winced when Pat caught a mouse , visited a school chum the day the pigs were killed XXXXX she might not hear their squealing , and would not have stepped on a caterpillar for anything ; yet she did not care at all how much she made the brisk Cyrus suffer .
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