MADGE MORTON'S SECRET
Mrs. Curtis had arranged that her younger guests should have
refreshments served to them in the small private dining room as soon as
their play was over. The older guests were to be served in another
larger room which she had engaged for that purpose.
In the middle of the dining room was a table decorated with a model
houseboat made of crystal candy. There were flowers, fruits and candies
on the table, which was lighted with candles.
When Madge, Lillian, Tom Curtis and Harry Sears entered the room
Eleanor and Phil were standing at one side of this table, talking to a
group of their friends. Directly after they took their places the two
Simrall boys and half a dozen other young people were ushered in, until
the room was comfortably full.
Suddenly, as though drawn by a curious force, Madge lifted her eyes.
She saw the dining room door open and Flora Harris enter. She was
followed by Alfred Thornton, whose face was a dull red and whose eyes
were lowered. Madge felt a premonition of disaster, an apprehensive
shudder passed over her. Flora continued to walk the entire length of
the room, speaking to no one. When she came to Madge she halted,
staring at her through insolent, half-closed eyes.
Tom looked at Flora Harris in angry amazement. He knew she was about to
make a disagreeable speech, but he wondered what had actuated her to do
so. He frowned over the heads of the girls at Alfred Thornton. He tried
to signal to him to steer Miss Harris in some safer direction, but
Alfred would not return his glance.
"Miss Morton," began Flora, in an unusually high voice, "I wish to
congratulate you on your success to-night. There is no doubt about your
talent as an actress." Flora laid such stress on the word "actress"
that Madge blushed hotly.
"Thank you," she answered, fighting back her temper.
Alfred Thornton leaned over to whisper to Flora, "Don't, Flora, please,
don't."
Flora Harris tossed her head angrily. For some time she had been
stealthily planning her revenge against Madge. Now that she had an
unusually good opportunity to put her plan into action, she did not
intend to allow the little captain to escape her unscathed.
"It is a matter of surprise to me, Miss Morton, that you could have the
temerity to come here to Old Point Comfort, knowing it to be a military
post," she continued.
Madge started slightly. The movement of her body was scarcely
perceptible, yet Flora saw it.
"Oh, I see you understand me," she sneered, "but as it is very bad form
to exchange confidences when others are present, let us have done with
confidences. I am sure everyone here will be deeply interested in my
story, which is this: Once upon a time there was an officer in the Navy
whose name was Robert Morton. He proved himself unworthy to be a naval
officer and was dismissed from the service in disgrace and disappeared.
Miss Morton will tell you the rest of the story. As Robert Morton was
her father, it is just possible that she can tell us something further
about him." Flora's face shone with cruel triumph.
Madge looked at her tormentor with unseeing eyes. For the instant she
was stunned by the blow. Then reason returned. White to the lips, she
fixed Flora with the stern question, "Where did you hear this story?"
The others of the party sat staring in horrified silence.
Flora shrugged her shoulders. "Anything to oblige you," she retorted,
"but don't attempt to say the story isn't true. I know it to be true
because my grandfather was your father's superior officer at the time."
Madge gave one sharp cry that brought the company to their feet in
alarm. "Your grandfather's name--tell me--I must know."
"Richard Foster Harris," replied Flora, gazing at Madge with a deep
frown. What was the matter? Her vengeful announcement was having an
entirely different effect upon the girl she disliked than that which
she had anticipated. "My grandfather is an admiral now. He was in line
for promotion when your father was dismissed in disgrace." Flora
lingered over the word "disgrace."
"Your grandfather, Richard Foster Harris," repeated Madge brokenly.
"Then he is--he is--oh, I am not so cruel as you. I can not speak
against----"
"What do you mean?" almost screamed Flora. "How dare you even insinuate
anything against my grandfather? He is an admiral, do you understand,
an _admiral_!"
Madge glanced about her, meeting the anxious, sympathetic faces of her
friends. They were for the moment completely taken aback by this sudden
turn in affairs. Alfred Thornton's eyes was the only pair which refused
to meet hers. He averted his head.
"I thought," she said, addressing Miss Harris with a gentle dignity
that went straight to the hearts of her hearers, "that I could
retaliate, that I could say to you words that would cut into your soul
as deeply as your words have cut into mine, but there are strong
reasons why I can't say them."
"And I insist that you explain your insinuation," flung back Flora. "Do
so at once, or I will send for Mrs. Curtis and force you to do as I
say."
"Send for Mrs. Curtis if you wish." Madge's face was a white mask
lighted by the defiant gleam of eyes that seemed almost to flame. "Do
not imagine, however, that I shall either explain or retract what I
have just said."
Letting her gaze wander from one to the other of her friends, she said
with finality: "I can not even discuss the charge Miss Harris has made
against my father. It is true that he was once in the Navy, and that I
once believed him to be dead. More than that I can not tell you. It is,
and must forever be, my secret."
Turning to Madeleine she said quietly, "Will you forgive me for having
been the cause of this scene and allow me to go?"
For answer Madeleine drew Madge within the circle of her arm and kissed
her tenderly.
"Good night." As one in a dream the little captain bowed to the company
and walked to the door. Tom Curtis followed her, casting a wrathful
glance at Flora Harris, who for once in her life could think of nothing
to say.
There was the sound of a closing door, then Phil's voice rang out in
tones of bitter denunciation:
"Miss Harris, you are the cruelest, most despicable girl I have ever
known. Madge reverenced the memory of her father as something too
sacred for discussion. I know that her greatest ambition in life was to
find some one who had been his friend, some one who could tell her of
him. Happily for Madge, I do not believe your accusation to be true. I
am equally sure that her motive for silence is one you could never
understand."
With a stiff little nod to the others Phil walked proudly to the door.
She was followed by Lillian and Eleanor. Three minutes later Flora
Harris and Alfred Thornton stood alone in the pretty banqueting room.
Her revenge had cost her far more dearly than she had anticipated.