Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-09-23
The Forgotten Altar

were worth lighting at all, she saw Will
new vision, the torch must be carried
proudly, triumphantly. not by crushed
and embittered victims. but by victors
glorying in a chance for greatness.
She returned so uplifted with thi
viewpoint hat she could smile with un'
affected pleasure upon the doctors flag
ging attentions to Maisie; SO upliftec
that she could even meet dauntlessly
Mrs. Johnson's dreadful news devastat'
ing to her new hopes.
II wouldn't let Maisie play around thu
way she's doing with lat doctor, Ma
dame Malpin. You know. Of course, he'i
married"
Madame Malpin's look of horror was al
Mrs. Johnson had anticipated.
Married n going to stay SO, he says
His wife ran away years ago with a naval
officer n he won't give her a divorce
though she's begged and begged him fol
one, they say. She's still living with the
other man. The doctors going to pay
her back. Mrs. Reynolds-thats his
housekeeper-heard him say once, If II
takes him to the end of his life-her and
any other woman he could hurt, into
the bargain. His women patients are
always getting crazy about him. Mrs
Reynolds says, and he throws 'em down
life a ton of bricks. She's heard him say
the only way you can hurt women Is
through their vanity
Through Mary McAlpin's complex fem
mime heart flashed a spark Of irrepres-
sible pride that he had not been able to
do that to at least n m 1t was
quenched in a moment in the thought
Of what this revelation must mean to
Maisie.
Maisie. however, as usual remained
mistress of the situation when her moth
er had summoned sufficient courage to
tell her what She had learned.
Have. you Just heard .that?" Maisie
queried, continuing with steady fingers
to manipulate her curling iron. II found
1t out two days after l met him."
And have been accepting his atten-
ions Just the samea"
Nov, look here" Maisie whirled We
hemently aroun upon her. "Supposing
you let me manage this little affair,
mother. I'm going to marry him. Do you
hear me? I'm going to marry him, but
I've got to go at it In my own way, and
that won't be yours, needless to say. He's
going to want me SO bad before he gets
through with me that he'll be willing to
divorce fifty wives to get me. AS yet he
doesn't know that, but he's going TO II
I have to live with him first to make him
You Just wait. And while you're waiting,
don't talk more about 1t. / Won't hear
another word" g
Useless, indeed, to d another word,
her mother knew, when Maisie was In
that mood. Useless also to try to appeal
to a man who loved to hurt women She
dared not unburden her heart even to
Neil.
In the midst of her anguished per-
plexity she opened q box in the closet
and came unexpectedly upon the blue
waist the doctor had prescribed what
seemed a century ago.
A Jo,1n 4{~1D rl,a .tn1J %1xf,x y-xxr~1 -
1t. Then she lifted 1t from its wrappings
She was wearing 1T when DR.. Suther-
land appeard that evening. She did not
look up from her work, and sensed rath-
er than saw his start of surprise.
"WhatI' he demanded. Can it be that
the priestess has doffed the vestal gar
ments-played hockey from the altar"
Always slow of speech, Mary could find
no words for repartee. To add to the
bitterness of her humiliation, she could
feel a hot blush flaming over her face
and neck. She did not know whether ii
was generosity or guile which made him
drop suddenly his bantering tone.
AS she rose in mute acquiescence he
called back to the gay greeting Maisie
had halloed from the dining room: Tn
taking your mother out for a little spin
You children ought to see that she gets
out more. She can't go on like this for
ever"
Maisie was waiting for her mother
when she got back, nearly two hour
later. from her ride. The doctor had left
her at the door with a curt goodnight
had not even shaken hands. Maisie fol-
lowed her ominously into her room and
shut the door.
Listen here, mother" she began. "i1
you've been talking about me to DR.
sutherland"
"I haven't" Mary assured her simply
She sank into a chair, suddenly conscious
of immense fatigue.
What in heck did you go out with him
for, them" Maisie demanded blankly.
"Dr. Sutherland is very kind hel
mother evaded, amazed at this u%nexpect-
ed skill In deception. He saw I was al
the end of my rope. He used to ask me
sometimes to ride-befoTe you came back
when he saw / was tired out"
But Maisie was not yet fully satisfied
with the situation. "W1lct It'd you talk
aboutp" she catechized.
Dogs, chiefly. / think"
"Dogsl'" Maisie exploded. Gosh
Must have been a scintillating converse.
ton, I'll say, seeing you can hardly tel
a bulldog from a Pomeranian- Look here
mother, you certainly aren't going to tel
me that you went out riding to talk
about dogs with a man you've been warn.
ing me about"
III 1CS SAFE Tor you TO 60 W1tn MIN
Maisie, surely 1t should be safe for YOU
mother" Mary reminded her, with thu
quiet dignity that could check temper
arily even her stormy daughter.
Disconcertingly, dogs had really beer
the chief subject of conversation during
the ride. When they had climbed int
the doctors roadster she had laid upor
the hidden altar the pride she hat
guarded jealousy for SO many years
What else she was to be called upon tt
| offer she did not yet know. There were
limits to sacrifice, even here Maisie wa
concerned. She realized poignantly hoy
much Of cleverness and hnesse the situa
ton demanded and how lily fitted sh'
was for it-at any time-now above al
when she was SO desperately tired. II
the afternoon 1t had seemed fairly cas-,
to fence with the doctors attentions, t.
hold him successfully at bay until sh
could bring home to Maisie, through hi
attitude towards her mother, what nan
ner of man he was. Now, however, tina
she had actually started down TIL
strange, devious road, her courage wa
failing her. She CROPPED piteously TO
gaiety, lightness OF touch and could onl
sit silent, sick at heart, waiting wretch
eddy for the unwelcome attentions he
presence there was inviting. When h
leaned over and pulled an extra rob
over her shoulders her heart stood still
Until then they had driven almos |
silence. When she had recovered fror
her terror, she had been talking for sev
eral moments about Captain" 1t too
her some time to grasp Who Captain
was. Some confederate In crime, sh