The Little Girl That He Forgot

Summary

In the sylvan yet unforgiving lumber districts of Missouri, June Holly, an orphan of compelling beauty and guileless affection, navigates a precarious existence under the care of her Uncle Jim and grandmother. Her innocent world is soon fractured by the competing affections of two lumbermen: David Stone, a stalwart and honorable suitor, and Uptergraft, a man utterly devoid of moral compass whose crude advances ignite June's fierce defiance and transform him into a vengeful adversary. A pivotal shift occurs with the arrival of Alan Powell, scion of a St. Louis lumber magnate, whose sophisticated charm quickly ensnares June's heart. Their nascent romance, born of youthful impetuosity and June's naiveté, is violently interrupted by David, leading Alan to cruelly disavow any serious intent, ostensibly to protect June's reputation. Recalled to St. Louis, Alan attempts to mend the rift with a heartfelt letter professing enduring love and a promise of swift return, a missive intercepted and destroyed by the jealous David. Plunged into despair by Alan's perceived silence, June embarks on a desperate, solitary quest to find him, only to discover his prolonged absence. Disheartened and adrift, she collapses, finding temporary solace and succor with a compassionate farmer's wife, where she later bears Alan's child. Her subsequent journey home with her infant son culminates in an unspeakable tragedy when the baby dies from a fall. Overwhelmed by grief and terror, June abandons the child, a harrowing act witnessed by two men whose report to the sheriff leads to her arrest for infanticide, despite David Stone's valiant but futile efforts to intercede. Imprisoned and facing the gallows, June's plight reaches the ears of Martha Green, a Salvation Army worker, who alerts Alan. His dramatic courtroom plea, while revealing his culpability, fails to sway the jury, and June is condemned to hang. A desperate appeal to the governor initially proves fruitless, but Alan's unyielding passion and a last-minute, fervent second entreaty ultimately secure a stay of execution, snatching June from the precipice of an unjust demise.

Synopsis

June Holly, an orphan, lives in the lumber district of Missouri with her Uncle Jim and her grandmother. She is possessed of a beautiful face and affectionate nature. David Stone, a manly young lumberman, is in love with June, but Uptergraft, another lumberman, devoid of character or principle, also admires June, but she resents his rough embraces by slapping his face, and he becomes her bitter enemy. A new and romantic interest comes into June's life, when she meets Alan Powell, the only son of a wealthy St. Louis lumber merchant, who has sent him to the lumber region to buy lumber. Alan and June fall in love with each other. He is young and thoughtless and she ignorant of life. David surprises the lovers in the woods and attacks Alan, who, thinking to save the girl's reputation, tells David that he was not in love with June, but that there was only a harmless flirtation between them. Shortly after, Alan is called back to St. Louis. In a letter which Alan sends to June, he assures her of his true and devoted love and that he is coming to take her to their own home as soon as he returns from an extended business trip. This letter gets into the hands of David, who destroys it. June is greatly worried by the failure to hear from her lover and decides to leave home during the night to seek Alan. At his office, she learns that he has left on a business trip and is not expected back for several months. Disheartened, she starts for her home. On the way the starving girl sinks exhausted on the doorstep of a farmhouse and the kindhearted farmer's wife takes the destitute girl in and gives her a home. Later June's baby is born, and as soon as able the young mother determines to return to her people. Tramping wearily along the road, carrying her child, she falls and the baby striking its head on a rock, is instantly killed. Shocked with grief and horror, June leaves her dead baby in some bushes on the roadside. She has, however, been seen by two men who had been following her; they find the dead child and inform the sheriff. The distracted mother is arrested, despite the heroic attempt of David Stone to save her. She is accused of child murder and thrown into prison. Martha Green, a friend of June's, a member of the Salvation Army, dispensing comfort amongst the poor, learns of June's terrible plight and writes Alan to hurry to June's rescue. Alan reaches Lumberville as June is being examined in court. He rushes into the court room and explains to the judge and jury that he is the cause of the girl's misfortune and begs their mercy. The jury, however, finds June guilty of murder and she is sentenced to be hanged. Alan goes to the governor of the state to plead for her life, but the governor refuses to interfere with the sentence of the court. On the day set for the execution, June, overwhelmed by the thought of the awful death that awaits her, breaks down utterly and in her agony shrieks and pleads for mercy. When the warden and sheriff come to conduct her to the scaffold and all hope appears to be gone, a telephone message comes from the governor staying the execution. Alan's impassioned second pleading before the governor for his sweetheart's life having won a pardon for her.