The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-12-22
BLACK BET1rs DOING
BY ELSA cRuMRINE.

spread over two generations. The
third generation recognized and re-
spected the feud, although it never
while to make a lifelong fuss over
twelve inches Of running brook.
On the Kenworth side there was
only Rod left-Rod who had taken
the mortgaged homestead as his in
heritance. Rod had to give up his
stables
And Black Betty had to go, too, for
five hundred dollars was not to be re-
fused at this critical time. Perhaps
Rod experienced an additional bitter
ness that his mare went into the
hands of his traditional enemy, but
he was courtesy itself to the colonel
Around at the I4ineses' stable Alice
was caressing Black Bettys pretty |
head
1T was dear of you, Uncle Daniel,
to buy her for me-" cried the girl.
You and Aunt Martha have been
lovely in every way since l came to
live with you"
The colonel laughed grimly
When a lonely old couple have a
| chance to entertain a niece whom they
| have never seen before-why, there's
| a mighty likely prospect that she's
| going to have a good time"
The next morning Alice went for
her first ride on the mare. The girl
was skillful horsewoman and Black
Betty responded perfectly to her light
4
was turning toward Kenworth farm,
1 Alice took a narrow bride path in the
beech woods and gave Black Betty
loose rein.
Suddenly the mare stopped short
and whinnied. Then, with a shrill cry,
she sprang forward and tore along the
bride path toward her old home.
Vainly Alice tried to restrain the ex-
cited animal. Black Betty put her
head down and shot like an arrow to
its mark At the end of the bride
path was a barred gate. At the gate
Black Betty rose like bird and sailed
over the barrier, almost riding down a
broad-shouldered young man in the
garb of a farm hand.
Whoa, Betty! Whoa, girl" he
shouted.
Alice, pale but composed, with her
fair hair flying in the breeze, regard
ed the scene with amazement
Il am sorry" said the man cour-
teously.
4 hope that Black Betty hasn't
frightened you"
Not at ALL" protested Alice. Then
she added: You have seen her be-
fore?"
Il raised her." he said briefly. His
arm slipped around Black Betty s
neck and the animal playfully nibbled
his ear.
"Oh! How you must have hated to
part with her!" Alice flashed look
of sympathy at the young man.
''She mustn't play this trick upon
you again, said Rod severely. Per
a haps you were riding in the bride
r path?"
Il "Yes-and she bolted at once"
8 Rod led the mare to an inner gate,
q stroked her glossy flank and with a
E grave inclination of his head watched
% the girl riding down the avenue.
lpl w uCA allCG lCdShCO AOAIlO SiAO W Cit
" at once to Aunt Martha's room. Aunt
4 Martha told her the story of the
a, Lines-kenworth feud.
a "AlI that fuss over twelve inches oil
% wornout meadow land?'' echoed Alice
u Why, how absurd"
"a Aunt Martha flushed My dear
il. you do not understand" she protest
ed 1T is the principle of the thing
Is that counts"
What are you going to do with the
k brooke" asked Alice, feeling strange
n ly sorry for Rod Kenworth.
Of "Why-nothing. Rod Kenwortf
II. wanted it to irrigate his meadow land
Is which is arid enough, goodness know.
r, but right is right, my dear" sh,
a ended weakly.
a, And so he had to sell his horse,
III unused Alice, as she went to her room
Of One day Colonel Lines and his wifi
ID were driving toward PendIeton TIL
is way led through the tall beech wood
s. and the horse idled along the pleas
ant road. Suddenly, along sid
D. bride patch, came Alice on Blac
of Betty and beside her Rod Kenwort
n. on his bony sorrel. Rods hand wa
Of on Black Betty's fluffy name and hi
IS handsome face was turned towar
a. Alice's downcast eyes
w. Colonel Lines coughed in an en-
barrassed manner and turned hi
" head away. AS a matter of fact, h
Id was rather weary of the quarrt
Id which he had inherited from hi
lie father.
Is And the young people-they love
ul each other-that was plain enough
ed and Martha was whispering in his ca
s. the story of how Black Betty had ca
81 ried Alice to Kenworth farm.
81 hope you won't blame Alice" Re