“The Mad Maid of the Forest,” that is what the people down at the village called her. No one knew from whence she came; nor of her identity. Richard Lacey, a noted physician, and his friend, Addison Graves, on the way to their hunting lodge, encounter the mysterious maid of the forest, but, as she does from everyone else, she flees at their approach. Lacey learns that she lives the life of a hermit. The following day Lacey and Graves set out for game, and incidentally to look for the girl. They encounter her, but she flees to her cabin, barricades herself within and they are forced to go away disappointed. Repeated attempts on Lacey’s part to see her prove futile. While Lacey is out alone looking for the girl one day he mistakes her for game and wounds her. She hides herself from him and manages to reach her cabin. Here Lacey shortly after finds her and first learns of the accident. He nurses her out of danger and places her in the care of Mrs. Reynolds, a widow who resides in the village. Lacey, who has fallen in love with the girl, is hopeful that with the return of health will also come return of reason, but in this he is disappointed. He determines to remove her to the city and to operate in the hope of restoring her reason. Graves reminds him of his responsibility should the operation prove fatal, but Lacey, sure of success, prevails upon his friend to help him. During the evening the girl dresses and slips away. In the morning as Lacey and Graves arrives to carry out their intention, they learn of her disappearance. Lacey at once proceeds to her cabin, but does not let her become aware of his presence. He is determined to save her in spite of herself and with the aid of Graves carries her away by force to the city. Lacey’s skill results in an operation which completely restores her reason. With the returning reason also comes a remembrance of the events which caused her to lose her mind. She returns Lacey’s love, but feels she cannot become his wife until she has told him of her past. Despite his protests, she tells him this story: After the death of her mother, she, as the oldest, secured work, while Dorothy, her sister, kept house. A young man came to live with them as a roomer. He took a fancy to Dorothy, and she, believing him honorable, approved of the growing friendship between the two. Several months passed. One day she returned home from work to come upon him in the act of packing up his things. She confronts him and begs him to do right by her sister. He refuses. She has a revolver and in the struggle the weapon is discharged. The youth is wounded. After that everything went blank and she fled to where Lacey found her. The story fails to change Lacey. Shortly after their marriage, Lacey receives a letter from his brother, Frank, advising him that he, his wife and child are passing through the city on their way home and will stop off and get acquainted with the new Mrs. Lacey. His brother, Frank, proves to be the man she thought she had killed, and his wife, her sister, Dorothy.