The Way of a Woman

• 1914
• Other, Drama

Dorothy is a city girl who has chosen to teach school in the backwoods. Pierre is a product of the backwoods, a man who will allow no one to cross him in the most trivial matter, a man in whom the baser elements of character are predominant. The girl flirts with him. He proposes to her. She rejects his suit. All his fighting qualities are aroused. She is to leave for the railway station the following week and meet her mother. She consents to Pierre accompanying her. On their way to the station he takes her by main force and carries her into the mountains to a hut. While he is going for water a tree in his path falls and breaks his leg. He drags himself to the hut. The girl has fled to an adjoining room. Now that the girl is in his power he is ashamed of himself. He begins to think of decency. He goes into the adjoining room, and finding her asleep, covers her and retires. In the meantime her mother has missed her at the station. A search is instigated. With the coming of dawn the girl awakens and goes into the next room. She finds Pierre chilled and in agony on the floor. She drags him to the bed and administers to him. They hear the searching party approaching. Pierre tells her that she is saved and that he will be lynched. She goes to the door and waves the men back. "We were on our way to be married," she tells them, "and Pierre broke his leg."