CHAINED ADAPTED FROM THE

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 28, 18 January 1935, Page 50

CHAINED ADAPTED FROM THE

ADAPTED FROM THE

METRO-GOLDWYN. MAYER PICTURE

by

BEATRICE

FABER

WHAT HAS GONE BEFORR, Diane Lovering had been sent on a trip. to Buenos Aires by her lover, Richard Field, forty-eight and wealthy, 80 that she might forget the scene that had occurred when his wife had found out about their love-affair, Striking up an adventuresome shipboard acquaintance with Mike Bradley. 1 rancher in Buenos Aires, her friendship with him had rapidly ripened into love. Arriving home, intending to tell Richard of her coming marriage to ‘Mike, he confronts her first with a newspaper which tells her he is getting his divorce. . CHAPTER BIGHT. "Your being away showed me I love you more than I ever knew. Byvery hourempty. Couldn’t doa thing downtown. Bungled a couple of deals, just wondering about you and what you were doing---waiting for you to come back--" his arms went around her. "Am I really that much of your world?" she asked helplessly. "You’re all of my world. If I ever lost you now I’d-----well, we won’t think about that," ; Tears’ welled up in her eyes, Mike-Wike-was all she could think. Mike. how irretrievably gone. Yet her hand patted Richard’s shoulder almost maternally as he clasped her to his breast, She closed her eyes. "No-we musn’t think about that--ever again--_" Her upper teeth came down sharply on her lip to stop the sob that would have escaped. The next few days brought resignation and a humble resolution to make Richard happy. There were. many tortured hours before she could bring herself to face the future without Mike, but once decided, she rose heroically to the situation; for she knew she was bound to Richard forever by the. strong invisible chains of his love and need for her. She had wanted him to love »her and now she must accept what that love had brought. And in Buenos Aires, all unknowing, Mike went ahead with the new wing on the house, Workmen were putting the

finishing touches to it, and a truckload of new furniture was being moved in. Mike looked around the room, "Honestly, though, don’t you think she’ll like it, Johnnie?" "It’s perfect Mike, except for the fact that the gal deserves better." "Tl say!" "The post, Senor Bradley," It was one of the peon boys. Mike snatched the bundle, thumbing through it rapidly. The letter he was looking for was there. But his eagerness died slowly as he Started reading. He scanned the rest of the letter, then his jaw set a trifle as he re-read it, "Dear Mike, it’s no use. I realize now that I am back home I never could go through with it. Your life dowr there just isn’t made for me. And by the time you read this I will be married to the man I told you about. He can give me the security which I have come to need. Let’s just put it down to what it probably really was-a shipboard romance, and nothing more, because I’m apparently being able to forget you rather easily and I’m sure you can do the same about me. Best to Johnnie and Chili Beans. Diane Lovering. He slowly lowered the letter. "What’s the matter?" Johnnie asked in alarm. Mike tossed it to him. "It seems there is a chump and his name is Bradiey." He eyed the furniture and the curtains, and then gave vent to a short sardonic laugh. Johnnie read the letter and snorted disgustedly. "Hmph! ‘They’re all alike!" "Most of ’em aren’t so frank about the class of business they’re in," Mike ‘served bitterly. "T’d never have dreamed it about her, ‘t's brutal--" "And I thought it was the works," Mike mocked himself cruelly. ‘"Wurniture! A new addition! A little dovecote!" "’m sorry, laddic. " "Why? Only thing I’m sorry for is that I didn’t."

"Didn’t what?" Mike broke out vehemently. : "Didn’t find out what little girls were made of! It would have beeu doing her a great, big long, lasting favour, too, but what the--" His voice broke.. Then he Spoke between set teeth. "Get mea drink, will you Johnnie?" "Sure fella." -Johnnie slapped him on the arm and ieft, for a faint suggestion of moisture in Mike’s eyes had told him that he wanted to be alone. * That winter was the most brilliant social season New York was seeing in some time for the dlepression had lifted and with it spirit soared. And there was no more royally entertained young matron in the city than the young and beautiful Mrs. Richard Field. Choliy Knickerbocker put into print what everyone was saying ."Among the coupies noted at-all the smartest and gayest functions of the season are Richard I. Field and his beautiful "new" wife, Diane. She has been accepted compietely by Richard’s circle of friends and those who should know speak of her strange but lovely reserve on all occasions." All but one occasicn that Mr. Knickerbocker had evidently not witnessed. Diane, resembling a satin-clad Galatea sat in the box with Richard and some elderly friends at the Madisou Square Garden Horse Show. There was a pure. white hunter in the ring. Prancing restlessly, he managed to keep his rider busy. Diane sat forward, her lips parted a little. Another white horse and auother figure was what she was seeing in her mind’s eye. The horse suddenly wheeled and turned. Then right below them it missed its footing and stumbled. ILpvoluntarily, Diane’s hand went to.her mouth, stifling a scream. It was over in a second. The horse regained his balance and his rider took him gracefully. over the hurdles. The rest of the party was amused, however, at what they thouzht was Diane’s (Continued on page 52.) .

Chained | The Story of Joan Crawtord’s New Film (Continued from page 50.)

"childish fright." Even Richard ehuckled at her. 1t was thelast straw Diane looked about wildly, then tears flooded her eyes and dropped down her cheeks. Richard leaned over in quick concern and under his watchful gaze she pulled herself together, finally managing an artificialiy animated interest for ithe rest of the cvening. But the incident had so unstrung her that it was almost a week before she was quite herself again.. On a clear, crisp day in February, Diane stepped out of her car at the entrance of ‘Stillwell'’s sporting goods store on Fifth Avenue. She and Richard were leaving the next evening for their lodge in the Adirondacks, and there were some iasl-minute purchases to be made. | : "You come in, Roy," she said to her chauffeur. At the gun counter on the third floor, the clerk greeted her. "Ah, Mrs. Field. You came for the gun? It’s ready." He turned to a back rack and picked out a deer rifle with a repair tag on it, then placed it in the gun case, and handed it to Roy. Diane took out ner shopping list and perused it intently. Then she looked up with a bright smile. "Now where do they keep a little thing like a toboggan?’ "On the mezzanine, Mrs. Field." "Thank you." She pointed to the guncase. "Roy, put this in-" Her last words hung in mid-air as her hand half went to her throat. So she stood, frozen, for a long minute. Mike-it was Mike-was leaning over the gun counter, at the far end of the section.

Slowly, almost stealthily Diane started to edge away, making for the elevators "Let’s see your over-and-unders," Mike had told the clerk. It was as he raised the shotgun he held and sighted along it again that Diane came into his line of vision. For a split second he was still, then he lifted his head as if to clear it. _ "Hello, Mike," she said in a small voice. Mike summoned a brittle gaiety; "Well, hello! Fancy meeting you in your own home town." He extended: his hand. "How are you, Diane? This is a surprise." "Y-yes. How long have you been up here?" "I don’t know-two-three weeks." "Is-is Johnnie with you?" Mike laughed. "Nope. Tle said he hadn’t recovered from New York since the last time." "Oh." Her silence asked, "Have you recovered, Mike?" Aloud she said, "Where-where are you stopping?" "St. Regis," Mike broke the shotgun a-few times as Diane searched his face yearningly. "T’ve-I’ve the car outside. Can I drop you anywhere?" "Mmm." He was pleasant enough. "No, thanks-I’ll walk." "All right." Making her decision quickly, she turned and was out of the door, while Mike looked after her grimly. , Continuing on down to the car Diane hurriedly reached into the floor of the tonneau for her galoshes and pulled them on. Waving aside the doorman’s

offer of assistance with an _ excited laugh, she re-entered the store, and in another minute was standing besideMike. ‘"Have-have you decided on a gun?’ she asked with a curiously calm, poised brazenness about her. Mike stared at her galoshes. ‘‘What’s the idea?’ "[Vd-lI’d like to walk too." Oh, so that’s it, Mike thought. Wants to have her cake and eat it too, perhaps, Hm-why not oblige the lady? After all"No sale. Maybe to-morrow," he said to the clerk. ‘‘Come on, then." He took Diane’s arm. They walked up Fifth Avenue in silence for a while. Every now and then Diane stole a look at him. Once he caught her and the veiled plea in her eyes. She looked quickly away. "Has-has Johnnie been well-and happy?" she finally asked, not meaning Johnnie at all. "Sure." "You look-pretty well." "T can’t complain." , "I-I’m glad, Mike." "So am I." Silence again, as she trudged’ along beside him. "Where are you heading?" Mike asked abruptly. "Why-I’m supposed to be at the Colony for luncheon-" : "Oh!" At the corner Mike indicated the sign on the lamp post. "This is my station. Going West.’? As he raised his hat Diane touched his sleeve impulsively. toy tt "Mike-how long will you be in town?" "Oh, three-four days, maybe. Well, Diane, keep up the good luck and I’ll tell Johnnie I saw you and-" "Can’t-couldn’t we go some place and talk." Mike shot a glance at her. "Sure," he replied easily, "providing you can break that date and lunch with me." She nodded eagerly. "That's all right, Mike." (To be Continued.)