CHAINED

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 22, 7 December 1934, Page 48

CHAINED

ADAPTED FROM THE

METRO-GOLDWYN MAYER PICTURE

by

BEATRICE

FABER

WHAT HAS GONE BHYORE. Diane Lovering, whose lover for the past five years has been Richard Ficid -forty-eight and wealthy-has just stopped in his office for a few moments. She is in his arms when his ewcited secretary amvounces that Mrs. Field is just entering the outer office, NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY CHAPTER TWO. . Stranger, Ahoy! Diane stood rigid. Miss Robbins’s, words had exploded in her ear with a loud, sickening thud. After all this time, to meet Richard’s wife like this-. Her first frightened impulse was to run-run anywhere. But what was Richard saying? . "I’m expecting her Miss Robbins. Ask her to come in." Miss Robbins gasped and left hurriedly. "Diane-it’s happened." "You -mean-she’s found out? But then I’d better-" "No." Richard took her hand and pressed it reassuringly. "She consented to come, knowing that you’d be here too." Diane looked her bewilderment. "She came into’my room last night. She was’ very fine-no scene or anything like that-but Simply said that she knew: about us-had known for some time, in fact-and she wanted to know what I was going té do." Diane’s chin quivered, but .she tried to hold it firm. "There’s only one thing to do, Richard-" "I told her I couldn’t say just then and there-had to think it over. I got up and took a walk around the parkthen I went to the club for the night." "Diane-dear Diane-I have decided that-" There was a knock on the door. Richard opened it to a woman of about forty-five-a woman of well-preserved maturity, with an air of poised elegance about her. "Louise-this is Diane-Diane Lovering." "How do you do," Mrs. Field said simply. "How do you do Mrs. Field." Diane raised her chin a little, unashamed. "Take this chair my dear." Richard indicated: another for Diane. "Louise.

-I wanted you to meet Diane for only one reason-and that is for you to know I hadn’t insulted you by becoming entangled with some-well, I guess the word is-creature." Swiftly and concisely he sketched the simple truth of the story, their meeting and all the subsequent happenings. "So you see, Louise, that’s how it happened. She hasn’t your protection in the community, but she’s kept on loving me-seeing only me-waiting onon "Back Streets," don’t they call it?Only for me." Impulsively, Diane jnterrupted. Tears glistened in her eyes. "I do love him, Mrs. Field-at least that’s honest." Mrs. Field looked at her with a level gaze. "I believe you do," she observed evenly. She turned to Field. "What have you decided?". "Tm asking you for a_ divorce, Louise." Mrs. Field started. For a second she was shaken: out of her Superb poise. "Oh, I can arrange it quietly and there's nothing you can’t have. Naturally, the children would stay with you." A little wistfully, he added: "But perhaps you’d let me see them now and then---" "No, Dick." Mrs, Field rose decisively. "I say no to everything. I

don’t believe in divorce. I don’t want our children to believe in divorce." She moved to the door. "The ‘children are. arriving for the Waster ‘holidays this afternoon. Are you coming home for dinner?" "Do you wish me to?" Richard’s tones were wooden. "I know the children would." She opened the door and was gone. With one swift movement, Richard . had Diane in his arms. "You love me don’t you?" Her muffled reply was answer, "Well, do you think I’m going to give that up? Diane dear, the Amercentral’s sailing to-morrow. You’re going aboard her. Going away on a little trip-going to forget this-this thing that had to be. It’s a little too near us for the moment. But it’s just temporary Diane-and when you come back-everything will be just as before-" That night was an unreal haze to Diane, Feverishly she packed. She must not think. She must not give herself a moment. It was only as she boarded the boat, and entered the living-room of her suite, banked with flowers. that realisation came to her. (Continued on page 52.)

"Chained "

(Continued from page 48.)

She gazed around the room. "It’s beautiful," she said. Richard took her shoulders and turned her about. "And still not enough." "Richard-I wish you were coming with * She put her hand to her mouth as if to force the words back. "No. I don’t." "There are those thoughts again." He lifted her face gently. "Don’t, Diane. When you say we can’t go on -tI’ve a sudden panic that perhaps you won’t come back." He was beset by a feeling of odd anxiousness. ‘You will come back, won’t you?" "I promise, Richard," Diane replied — earnestly. "T need you always, Diane. I think T’d crack up without you-now--" Her kiss stopped him. Greedily snatching their last few seconds together, his arms refused to let her go, when suddenly the ship’s whistle startled them both. Diane looked up. "Richard, my dear-we won’t have time for our cocktail." Richard spoke to her hurriedly. "The minute the ship leaves you go to the bar and order one-and only ad sherry flip, remember." . "Always a sherry flip-every day at six o’clock." "And I'll have one ashore." "T’ll think of you, Richard." Tears clung to her eyes wetly as Diane left the rail and made her way to the bar. Slipping on to a vacant stool next a youngish round-faced fel-low-passenger, already quite tight, she ordered her sherry flip, her thoughts on Richard. A half-smile curved her lips, as the dear memory of his face rose before her. His kindness, his wholé-souled love, comforted her in spite of the prospect of dreary weeks without him.

"A sherry flip-twice." She started. It was the young man beside her who had ordered. He was beaming at her broadly. "The name’s John Smith-honest-John L. Smith-not much in the social register-but it’s kicked around in the hotels. Just call me Johnnie. How are you and who are you?" Diane shook her head. "No-really." "Yes-please." "Please-no." Diane was pleasant, but firm. "Pretty, please, with sugar on it." Diane turned to him, a little exasperated. "Didn’t you ever want to be left alone and not bothered by anyone?" "But don’t you ever get hot and bothered and can’t help it?’ For answer, Diane slowly moved until just her ‘back was rvisible. Johnnie drew up his collar and drank the cocktail with a gulp. "It looks like I’ll have to go tell the master," he informed the bartender owlishly, as he lurched off the stool and out the door. Diane turned back and continued to sip her cocktail. Her momentary annoyance at the encounter wag gone. She glanced around casually at the roomful of peopie. Strange, she thought, how remote she felt from all of them, although they were almost touching elbows. Then, involuntarily, in response to a relentless gaze, she glanced at the bar entrance. Her friend of the moment before stood there in earnest confabulation with another man; the latter was tall and broad-shouldered, with an even tanned skin and black hair that threatened to curl at a moment’s notice. He had an easy bearing of manner that could almost have been taken for insolence’ if it were not for the friendly grin. Johnny poked him. ‘"Mike-over there."

Mike stared at Diane. Unmindful of them, she was twirling her glass on the table. Mike looked again, then took a deep breath. His temples throbbed and life pulsated for him with a new meaning. Awestruck, he touched Johnny on the shoulder. ‘Sometimes I actually have faith in you again." Johnny sighed. "There’s a look in your eyes that careful mothers fear." "Not at all." There was a curious note of suppressed excitement in his voice. "I’m going- to proye I’m a friend with some good advice. You should go over and apologise," he said in prodding tones. "You think so? It'd make me look awfully weak-’ Johnny’s face clouded with doubt, but he put one foot forward uncertainly. ‘Why, you’re not a tactician," Mike‘ declared. "It clears the deck for fu-d ture action. Go ahead,’ he urged with a friendly little push. "Maybe you're right." Johnny nodded gravely. "Bow from the hips, huh?" "Sure. But don’t look as though you had a gas pain-" They had moved forward until now Johnny stood just before Diane, Mike a little behind him. Diane looked up. Exactly as he had rehearsed it, Johnnie bowed low "Charming ladyafter contemplating my rudeness-l’ve come to-"’ He faltered as ‘he raised his eyes to meet Diane’s cold, uncompromising stare. Then he wiggled a little with embarrassment, shifting from one foot to the other. And Mike was offering no assistance. But as Diane watched him with a scornful curl to her lips, a sudden astounding Dr. Jekyll--Mr. Hyde change came over Johnnie. His face twisted into a savage snarl as if her icy disdain had been the last straw, and with a sound like the cry of a wolf he lunged forward to force her into his violent embrace. , (To be continued.)