Photoplay (Jan - Jun 1922)

The oth e other woman her beauty and sweetness. Courtney Webster had loved Margaret for many years and had hoped to win her before she gave her heart to Bob. They had seen each other very seldom in the seven years since Margaret's marriage — they trad scarcely talked together until the day when the lonely wife took her mother to consult with him at his office over the legal matters that were so troublesome to her. Seeing Margaret again brought to life a smouldering flame that had never died in Webster's heart. Perhaps little Doris, who was with her mother and grandmother, sensed the fact, for she expressed dislike for the man, although she could not give any reason for her feeling. Flattery is the sort of bad money to which vanity gives currency. And Bob Harvey, spending evening after evening with Lola Forbes, was even more susceptible to flattery than most men. She said to him, one night: "It's so wonderful to be a doctor — everyone is happier when you come. A doctor always — " she smiled bewitchingly, "always understands!"' And he believed her! ****** "It's almost like old times, having you home for a whole evening, Bob!" she said softly. Bob nodded. And then, sobering suddenly, he glanced at his watch. It surprised him to see the time — he had not thought it so late. When his little daughter had finished her "piece" he started up abruptly. With hardly a word of approval or applause, he turned away. "I'm sorry to break up this party," he said, "but I've just remembered that I have something important to do at the hospital. I'll try to get home early!" And then, with an ill-controlled eagerness, he left the room. For a moment after he had left neither his wife nor her mother said anything. It was little Doris who spoke, at last. "Daddy didn't clap!" she sobbed. Of course Bob had gone to Lola's apartment. Absolutely fascinated, he found it impossible to keep away from her — even on his birthday night. She had her surprise for him, too, a gorgeous platinum wrist watch. And swept off his feet by her thoughtfulness and her nearness, he crushed her in his arms and kissed her. And that was the beginning of the end. The evening wore on, Bob becoming more and more enthralled — Margaret waiting patiently at home, trying to read. It was while she sat with a book in her hands that an emergency call came for the doctor. Telephoning in great haste to the hospital where her husband was supposed to be, she was told that he had not been there all evening. She was quite naturally perplexed, then bewildered, and finally suspicious. And her suspicions were confirmed by her husband's attitude when he at last arrived home. "There was an accident," she told him. "And I tried to get you at the hospital — " she paused, significantly, waiting. There was an ugly expression on Bob's face, as she waited. It was at that moment that they both knew the same • thing. Then, with scarcely more than a word, he turned and left the room, throwing his coat over a chair as he went. There was a rose in the buttonhole of it and, from one pocket, dangled the strap of the wrist watch that Lola had given him. Scarcely meaning to, Margaret pulled it out of the pocket and looked at it, as a thousand mad thoughts raced through her mind. IT was the next day, while she was out shopping, that Margaret happened to meet Courtney Webster. He was driving his own car and suggested to Margaret that he give her a lift. As her arms were full of bundles she gladly accepted. And when he suggested that she should take a little ride "to blow away the cobwebs'' she gladly assented. Poor woman — she had more than her share of cobwebs to be blown away ! It was quite by accident — for Webster was seldom underhand in his methods — that they happened to pass Lola's apartment just as she and Bob came down the walk and got into his neat little physician's car. But it might well have been IT was on Bob's birthday family, never doubting and a series of surprises. rate ones — a new fountain chiefs, and a birthday cake crowning surprise of all — real piece upon the piano. Margaret almost shyly laid 28 that the crisis came. For his little him, prepared a birthday dinner The surprises were not very elabo pen, a neck-tie, some silk handker But little Doris had prepared the she had learned to play her first It was while she was playing that her hand upon her husband's arm. There are many roc\s upon which the good the most subtly dangerous of all are