The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-12-28
THE COUNTERPLOT
9a ....iB
BY KEITH KENYON.

ball you didn't mind bit when | took
six dances. It's all / can do now to
get one"
Bob, you're greedy! Just because
1t happened that you got more than
your share of dances once you expect
the same thing forever"
"You are begging the question. Sue.
If one must use plain English, here
goes: You know / love you. l told
you so two months ago, and you prom
ised to answer my question in week.
That was the week Bert Ewing came,
and you scarcely looked my way once
while he was here. | guess you for
get that I'm still waiting l can't stand
this suspense any longer. What is 1t
to be--yes or no, Sue!
She temporized. Suppose it's MOI"
Its just about what l expected!"
bitterly.
1t was the spark needed to send the
finder into flame.
You're jealous-thats what you
are, and I'm sure it would be anything
but bliss to spend the rest of my days
with you. So I'll say No since you're
SO anxious to hear it."
Bob made no answer. The music
had stopped and the return to the
house was made in silence.
Susy convinced herself that she had
done exactly right in refusing Bob. IF
j had said Yes to him tonight, that
would have meant slavery for the rest
of my days"
But that night after she got into
bed, somehow things looked different.
TIE despair in Bob's eyes had gone
straight to her heart and stayed there.
SO she cried herself to sleep.
Daylight lightened her remorse, how
ever. She realized now that although
She was sure she loved Bob, she was
just as certain that he was unduly
| Jealous. And so her busy brain
Matched Il plan that was calculated to
set everything right in the future.
So she wrote the following letter to
Bert Ewing and dispatched ii forth
with:
Dear Bert: You told me to count
| upon you when | needed a friend. /
| do need one now, and / want you to
! do me an unusual favor. / don't want
to be engaged to you for two reasons
first, because | don't love you, and
second, because you don't love me
but would it be convenient to let peo-
pie think we are for a little while?
You see q may as we'll tel you) it's
Bob. He's so jealous and / want TO
cure him before | take him for good
and all. l refused him last night.
Faithfully,
| SUE"
To which letter Bert replied in the
affirmative, declaring his intention of
spending the next two weeks in town
anyway and saying they could fix
things up.
So Bert arrived and, by paying Susy
constant attention and acting the part
of the devoted lover, the rumor soon
got abroad that they were engaged.
But, to Susy's CONSERVATION, the ef-
feet upon Bob was not all that could
have been desired.
His spirits had risen like barometer
on bright sunny day, the cause be-
ing apparently pretty Isabel Fleming,
whose brother happened to be Bert
Ewing's host.
Secretly Susy ragged. "Bob's making
a perfect goose of himself The idea
of pretending to be so completely an
initiated when / said No."
Bert had to leave finally, and Susy
went with him to the station. There
they met Isabel and Bob waiting for
the same train. Susy's heart sank
when she saw the travelling bags. II
looked like honeymoon! But, to her
relief, Isabel said good-by to her escort
and turned to Bert as tas 6ain came
, in.
Take good care of her, called Bob
"You bet | will !" returned Bert as
he and Isabel disappeared inside,
Bob faced Susy. MAY l drive you
: homer 1t was the first time he had
spoken since the night she had refused
him.
4 Yes" she answered. And then with
e a catch in her voice: "Oh, Bob, wher
= you can't get Isabel you want mel Dc
, you think it's fair! You've scarcely
!. looked at me lately"
1T works both ways, / think" h,
said grimly. You haven't had mucl
, time yourself
$ But | didn't mean anything, Bob
:. Really there was nothing in it ALL"
e "Al right. I'm glad of it, but
don't see why you're telling me-"
'Be-becauSe l don't love anyon
but you, Bob, and I'm sorry said No
c They were in the motor now and ha,
taken the long way home. The road
! walled in by trees on both sides, wa
d quite secluded.
You're sure you mean that, are you
t. Sue?"
"Yes, I'm surei Very surei''
He drew u long breath. Its goo
to hear you say So dear. I've alway
II loved you devotedly and l do this mir
utp dpor LITTLE Sucvp