CH AINED

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 20, 30 November 1934, Page 48

CH

AINED

0& ADAPTED FRoM THE METRO-GOLDWYN

MAYER PICTURE |

by

BEATRICE

FABER

CHAPTER ONE. Daughter of the Rich. Ah Love! could you and T with Tim conspire To grasp this sorry Scheme of Things Entire, Would not we shatter it to bite -and then Re-mold it nearer to the Heart's Desire! -Omar Khayyam. Dazzling sunlight spread its widening rays over Hudson River. The water sparkled to the warm caress with a shimmering of jewel-like ripples that mirrored the brilliant blue of the sky. Its calm placidity was suddenly dis: turbed however, as a speedboat, splitting the wide ribbon of river shot down from under the George Washington bridge and headed south like a bat out of hell. At the wheel, riveting the eye, was a creature-not just a girl, but a glorious goddess-a cocktail of Youth and. Beauty. Her reddish-brown hair whipped back in the wind. Lyes ag bine as sapphires glowed with excitement as the boat sped along. The 'Tshirt and white slacks she wore revealed, rather than concealed the claesical perfection of broad slim shoulders, swelling breast and long, slender legs, . Nearing 125th Street, the girl with a strong lift of her arms, cut the wheel and swerved across the bow of an oncoming ferry with a great are, then continued the mad course onward. Laughing at the near-encounter, she turned to look back at the grizzled old Scot boatman sitting in the stern. "T'll get one at Forty-second Street," she shouted over her shoulder, gleefully. "They’re much bigger." On the boat went, weaving its wild-bullet course down through the 42nd Street area, in and around the harbour shipping, until, rounding the island’s tip, it slowed up, and, at a much reduced Speed was seen to head for one of the dock-sheds bearing -the huge signField Line, Inter-Americas Navigatiou Company. There, with almost a siwagger, it proceeded to dock next a huge yacht, The girl jumped gracefully out of the boat. "Thank you, Mac." She turned to the old Scot. "If we go again we'll play leap-frog with the ‘Leviathan.’ " His answer was a chuckle of delight as he touched his forelock. An elderiy maid, holding a polo coat .and sili

muffler, fluttered over to her. "TI thought you’d drowned -" she began querulously. , "Amy — you're an old sissy." A few moments later she was at the private elevator of the Field building. Arriving. at the 20th floor she could see, through the opaque glass of the outer door, the large office staff at work. An elderly efficient-lookinz secretary looked up at her in slow surprise. "Why-hello, Diane." Diane offered her hand with a pleasant, engaging grin. "I haven’t seen you for ages, Miss Robbins." "N-no." "Is he busy?" Diane nodded toward: the door. "I think it’s all right to go in." Miss Robbins said a little hesitantly. Diane smiled, then turned to the door marked Private — Richard Fieid. The familiar elegance of the rooimn greeted her. It was always a source

of quiet pleasure to renew acquaintance with the pictures on the wall, most of them of Field Line vesselsto run her hand caressingly over tbe small ship model on the English antique cabinet. Richard Wield was talking into av ediphone, his back slightly to Diane as she approached his desk. Though nearing forty-eight-his hair almost entirely gray-he yet had the lean, wellknit body of a younger man. His face was finely cut and, powerful and decisive as he was by repute, his mouth betrayed his innate sensitiveness. "Yes," he was saying, ‘""We’ve decided to start the Carribean on coastal out of Savannah. That will put the Soutbern Cross on the Rio-Buenos Aires run till next December. Then she’ll join with the Amer-central for the West Indies cruise." (Continued on page 52.)

Chapter One

"Chained " The Story of Joan Crawford’s New Film (Continued from page 48.)

A smile crossed his face as he looked up to see Diane. With a sound of endearment, soft as a dove’s murmur, she put her cheek to his hair and kissed each graying temple in turn. Field patted her hand as it lay on his arm. He was brought out of the distraction of the moment as the voice on the ediphone barked through: "What about the Lloyd affair?’ "Wh-what’s that?" "T said-what about the Lloyd affair?’ "I’m taking that up at the next Atlantic Conference. ‘That’s all." Field flicked the switch and stood up, taking Diane’s two hands in his. Then he held her away, flooding her from head to foot with an adoring smile. ‘Well, well. How’s my little giri to-day?" Diane tapped her chest proudly. "I went way beyond West Point-up and back in under two hours." "Do you like the boat?" Field’s voice was fondly indulgent. "It’s too slow-’ ‘She laughed as Field raised an eyebrow. ‘"‘No sillyit’s Man of War scared of somethingthat’s what it is"It’s yours." His generosity .brought her up short and sobered her for a moment. Almost wistfully she put her forehead on his shoulder. His unfailing thoughtfulness, his unflagging interest in her slightest doings touched her and flooded her with warmth. He smiled down at her. for he knew she was, in her inarticulate way, saying "Thanks." In another moment, though she was her own gay self. She touched him lightly on the chin, then grasped his shoulders and shook them a little. "Look here, Mister-you mustn't. Before you know it I'll be a spoiled daughter of the rich, I warn you-" Field touched her hair, his fingers lingering on it. "Not this leyel head-" His voice dropped. ‘There was a husky mole init. "This beautiful head." He

stroked her forehead with gentle fingers and drank in every feature of her. face-the broad smooth brow, the impudent, delicately-cut: nose, the fine modelling of high cheekbones that fell . intc shadowed exotic hollows, and the: : firm seductive mouth. And he loved: her so. Every gesture she made, every slightest word she uttered was dear to him. Diane raised her head, smiled at him, then kissed him full on the lips. "Diane!" TWField’s voice was suddenly vibrant with ardour. His arms tightened around her, while she clung closely to him. Their. lips met again for: a long moment. ‘These were the kisses ‘of lovers, for so their relationship was) to each other. Then Diane gently disengaged herself, though her hand still clung to his. "Durling," she said tenderly, "I keep asking myself-am I worthy of Richard Field-of all the love and bigness that’s in his heart-"’ she frowned with the effort of conveying her innermost feelings-"and then you kiss me like that-" she shrugged her-shoulders -"so I guess I must be," she finished with almost childish candour. Richard laughed in the manner of a man richly content with what he has heard. He gathered her into his arms. again with a great hug. "And I keep asking myself-how can an old man like-"’ "Careful." Diane, with mock severity, held up a warning pink-tipped finger. "‘I’ll be furious." Richard chuckled. ‘Sorry.’ He pretended to cower in alarm. It was a little game they played-their standing joke-that at the first mention of his age, Diane would fly into a viragolike rage. And Richard would, perforee, tremble: with fright. Both of them stood together in silence for a moment, almost one in thought, hearkening back to those days, five years before, when Diane had obtained employment in these very offices. It

was during an extensive expansion programme. Field had been in the office twenty hours a day and Diane was assigned to him for dictation. The expansion had gone on to success and she had been present through the building of it-through the hard, gruelling days und nights-week after week-from eight in the morning until three the next. ‘Then, on top of success had come failure-the bottom had dropped out of everything-and there were more days and. nights-fighting together to hold what Field had built up-fighting harder to hold than they had to build. Other girls had cracked-but Diane had gone on-until everything was all over. Then one day Field rang for her and was told she was in the hospital. And with her absence, came realisation of his overwhelming love for her. He visited her at the hospital twiceand the third time was informed she was gone, leaving no word. When he had traced her to another office, su} had tried to lie-to say that the gir were worked too hard at the Field offices, but Richard, hardly able. to believe what he saw.in.her eyes-had forced the truth from . her-that she loved him! . Diane stirred ‘comfortably in his arms. ‘She knew he was retracing their love-story. and was happy in the thought. | "Darling," he murmured, his lips close to her hair. But both their heads turned quickly as the door was flung Open with unaccustomed violence. Miss Robbins stood there, embarrassed and agitated. "T’m-lI’m sorry to intrude, Mr. Field." she stammered, "but Mrs. Field is'ecoming in the outer Office." (To be continued.)