Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-11-15
By BRIGGS

is mothering Alex. It's a good thing
for me that the world is full Of crea-
lures that need motherins-I know 1
can't keep my hands Oft that baby of
yours, Margaret. You'll have to give
me a half interest in him or Ill be
adopting a baby of my own" She
Strangely enough, the two women.
though so unlike, had become fast
friepds. They took genuine pleasure
in each other.
1--WE often told you that my baby
was half yours Mrs. Mendall had
answered earnestly. Where would
we either of us be but for you2 Carl
doesn't really want us-tllere isn't a
bit of the patcrnal> in him-and
eyer anything happens to me ! want
MY baby left to your Gare. I have
often told you that
Very WELL" Freda said, well rea
him together. I guess that's a good
enough future for me. . I'll be-
lievc that. in time. Marie will justify
my faith in her, but l confess hat at
present it looks rather hopeless. She
is showing herself more ambitious and
more determined that / thought she
could be. And she has real talent for
what She is doing. She has more
Spanish and more Scotch blood in her
than + thought she had" Freda had
been impressed by Marie's acting. The
girl was certain to win her way, and
Freda knew how tremendous a hold
success may have upon a woman,
How often she herself had longed for
talent enough to walk out into the
world and shccced! 3
MacAl1ister was. hopeless enough
over the situation. He wanted Marie,
and she appeared to be moving. stead-
lily and VIGOROUSLY away from him.
She answered his letters, wrote Of her
almost overwhelming difficulties and
her growing triumphs and her settled
determination to, succeed, hut of love
not a word. Her letters were at times
facile, at others briefILatin some-
times in their ~volubilitt, sometimes
Indian in their %taciturnity, just the
thinking. not the feeling woman
And he. was, giving her everything,
every thought and desire, every atom
of herself 1t was cruel.
L That night MacAllister had seen
Marie brought SO close to- him by the
science of photo-play that he had
looked directly into those strange ami
NAL eyes Of hers. Then he had
watched her in the arms of another,
playing superbly the loved and then
the forsaken girl. Seen her then be-
come an adventures who coolly used
the passions of men, and had watched
the star" the good woman" Of the
play. triumph over her. III
It's just a play" he told himself.
while burning over it. tits naught
but a play"
But the thing had hurt savagely.
And he was so helpless. He>had come
away despairing to the point OF des-
peration. Freda's wisdom had
counseled him to wait, but that was
beyond him. In the morning he
meant to go to Marie for a last APP
peal. He had no hope; it would be
time wasted; but sit still and wait he
could not.
That was the resolve over which
MacAllister was brooding, Will, lips
tight set and eyes on the fire, oblivious
OF the Chinaman's light movements
and side-long glances. conscious only
of the gusty weeping without which
had now settled into a steady deluge
1t was the opening Of the front
door, the -ehinaman's last move. that
reminded MacAllister OF the mans
presence and that It was growing late,
lie looked up with the photo-pisy vi
sion Of Marie still In his eyes looked
through dimly lighted space into the
hall-at the queer ducking figure Of
the Chinarnan and beyond It at a
form that was gradually emerging
from Inc shadow like a flm-vision, a
figure darkly cloaked and, with q
vague blot slowly lnoldingl into fea-
lures: cheeks white. lips full. eyes
wide apart and fixed upon hik
Marie!
MacArlister rose stifrly. xrAsped az
the table, and bending forward stared
at the vision. She came forwahi~ 4
little, emerged somewhat more. eAin-
ing reality, but not until her voice,
SOFT Int thick, cut across his benused
senses did MacAllister grasp the ac-
<"Monsieur-?"
Man times in the last mohths Mac
AS Nnte nad, watched Marie's slips
a.ame volceless words and seen ges-
lures and movements that were
wrapped IN the weird stiffness that
emphasized unbrtdgable spAce, Hut
tina soft warm cadence!
The hands hs took 8 and
wet 2 trembling, as on that irstj
night, ana perhaps because Of the odd
rsverslon to O scene once, enacted to-
Mnicn u intense excitement the brain
Y subject Marie's answer was the
saane g on that frst sntkhf:s pMon-e
s.eSr. come to you through the
Ana y In the height Il 1oy j. III.
anently proEaic, 3MAcAiiiefNr ala
yell just come In 70 the firH. Maries"
IVY. AFTER all. It'll infection that
w. meaning to words, ana ouch
ithat .viyiiies &loyA,raad rsvSrSsce III
1continusd on ,Pass