But if he expected any sympathy, he was disappointed, for when Mr.
Sherwood's eyes rested on the figure and read the lines beneath, shout
after shout of laughter rang through the room, and when Gussie stepped over
to see what the paper contained her shrill laughter joined the chorus.
"Well, it serves you just right, Mr. Plaisted," said she. "I told you she
would make you repent it if you used her name so freely. But I wonder how
she found out your name? Could she have been in the back parlor while we
were talking?"
"I believe she was!" Plaisted replied. "But the shad for dinner? Need you
have added that? The valentine was punishment enough!"
Another shout of laughter from Mr. Sherwood, and Gussie's perplexed looks
gave place to an amused smile.
"Dexie planned it herself! Ha! ha! ha! I see it all!" and Mr. Sherwood
roared again. "She marked this out as a day of punishment for you,
Plaisted, and she has carried it out pretty well! Ha! ha! It was she
herself who told me to ask you to dinner, saying she had everything ready
for you, and was going to 'heap coals of fire' on your head because you had
been treating her badly.
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