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Show Vr ' '. " -.- v:" ', ' V .. . r ' ' -. -e ( " ' ' it' - t't '" 4i,w"s,' ?-ov ' comfort. But they had been human beings, hia own kin. Now, ha once more teit aost. In the next few years his work went surpassingly well. His offices In London were enlarged twice over and production in his many factories fac-tories grew apace, doubling semiannually. semi-annually. Much to their own surprise, sur-prise, his brothers and sisters were drawing far larger incomes than they had ever anticipated. True to his promise, Smithy had answered Kitty's letters. He had done even more, actually showed up at her college graduation and stopped in for a dance or two at her debut. Since then, he'd squired her about London and now they were fine friends indeed, with much more in common than Smithy would have suspected. He often wondered where it was all leading but refused to pursue the disturbing disturb-ing matter any further In his thoughts. It was a sunny June day and he and Kitty sat at a luncheon table 6,-. f f--5 . ' A f r, - , a "All you can do is watt and hope," advised Dr. Benel. 1 1 RANDOM HARVEST Adapted from the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Picture by BEATRICE FABER CAST OF CHARACTERS Charles Rainier - - - - - Ronmld Colmmm Paula - - - - - Greer Garaon Dr. Jonathan Benet PMIIp Dorn Kitty ------- Susan Peters Dr. Sims ------ Henry Travtr "Bitter" ------ Recnelot Owen Harrison Bramwell Fletcher Sam ------- ftftys Williams Tobacconist - - - - - Una O'Connor Mr. Lloyd - - - - - Charles Waldnn Mrs. Lloyd ..... Clltabeth Rstfea and learned that he'd been reorted missing. Everyone had thought him dead. His return would be a great surprise. sur-prise. Smithy smiled wryly at that. He could well imagine. The bulk and control of his father's huge fortune had been left to him. His reappearance reap-pearance would give his brothers bro-thers and sisters quite a jolt. Sheldon seemed to be reading read-ing his mind. "You belong here sir," he said gravely. Smithy's smile was weary. "Do I Sheldon? I don't feel that. Ko, I feel a sort of tug from somewhere else." He drew his hand across his eyes. "I feel lost Sheldon, I feel lost." bridge, enlisted tie help of. Doctor Benit who had known him. liven after their young son had died she had continued to search. But it had been useless. Then she had taken a biness course, obtained a job and one day a miracle had come. She nao seen Smithy's picture in a ; Pfga zine with the caption, Charles Rainier, Industrial Prince of England." Eng-land." She had been ready to Uy to him but Doctor Benet had stopped stop-ped her. Smithy wouldn t know her. He would accept her out oi duty but she could never have the love he had given her as SmiUiy. Her one hope was that some day the memory door to their years together to-gether would open for him. So witr this to feed on, she had f'i manoeuvered a position with Smitn; as his trusted secretary. For sev eral years now, she had been hi? valued right hand. As Smithy looked up he had n faint inkling that before him stoo.i the woman he had loved. Briskly-he Briskly-he began to go through the files with her. Then, on impulse h spoke, "Miss Ransom, you re the first to hear my news. You see, I'm being married." A convulsive tremor went over her and she paled slightly but her, voice was even as she replied, lo Miss Kitty I suppose? She's she s a very charming girl." ! He nodded. "I fully agree. Well I'll be taking some time off. That means a lot of work In the meantime. mean-time. Suppose we get started." All afternoon they worked together to-gether but her brain was seething. He was going to be married and there was nothing she could do. Oh, she'd been through it all with Doctor Benet. He had warned her not to reveal herself. If, when she had walked into Smithy's office it hadn't restored his memory what could her mere words do? She could claim her legal rights but that wouldn't give her back the Smithy who had loved her with such warmth and emotion on thr day he had left, "Paula," Benet had said, "I believe be-lieve that you're still In that locked lock-ed chamber of his mind. But your mere live presence won't unlock it. The impetus must be from within. It can't be forced on him from the outside. All you can do is wait and hope." But now the hoping was over. He v.as going to be married and she must help make it right. The next day she quietly engaged a lawyer and within several weeks she had obtained annullment ol her marriage from one John Smith who, on a date some years back had disappeared and never been heard from since. Unaware of this drama in his "secretary's" life, Smithy permittee himself to dream and be happy with Kitty. Their wedding day drew close and one afternoon Kitty Kit-ty asked him to come to the church with her for a rehearsal of the ceremony. The organist was playing softly Suddenly, madly, the song was, "Oh Perfect Love." Smithy felt excitement ex-citement course through his veins. He stared through Kitty. That song. It seemed to be tearing him apart. Who was this girl with him? She had no place in his life. A moment later he was awan that Kitty was sitting in one oi the pews crying softly. He brought himself back to reality. "Kittv what is it?" . She shook her head. "It's no use Charles. I've known it from th-beginnlng. th-beginnlng. You belong to someon-in someon-in the past. It's no use deceiving ourselves " His voice was harsh. "I love you Kitty. You've promised to marr me. I want that. I need that." She held to his hand. "Charles just now you looked at me as if I were a stranger an intrusive stranger trying to take the plac; of someone else, someone you lovec' as you'll never love me." She trif' for a lighter tone. "It's all rigf-' Charles. I shan't go into a tragi mood. But it's over. It must be.' He stared at her. "I'm bewilder ed. I don't know what to say." Her voice was soft. "You don't have to say anything. I was nearly the one but it didn't come off. Goodbye Charles . good luck." (The past 7km broken in o Smithy's - present with dramatic import. How will his broken engagement en-gagement affect Paula f Don't miss the concluding episode.) Printed In U. B. A. j Ooprrislrt 'ii fcr loew'a los SYNOPSIS: In the autumn of 1918, in the little manutacturing town of Metoridijc, Mlngkind, bells ring and whistles blow, announcing the Armistwe. The none is heard by Smith, an amnesia patient, out at the County Asylum. Taking Tak-ing advantage of the commotion, commo-tion, he escapes to Melbridge and is taken in hand by Paula KuUjcway,a warm-hearted young actress appearing with a third rate touring company. She nurses him through the 'flu, then, when the authorities are after him, helps him escape to the country. There, he recovers his health, and starts writing for magazine publications. lie and Paula marry. mar-ry. A year later a son is born to tu . On that very day, Smithy receives an offer of a permanent staff position with the Mercury publication in Liverpool. Though happy for him Paula is filled with foreboding fore-boding as he leaves for the city. It is the first time they have been apart. Chapter Two The Great Northern was just a few streets from the Mercury. The next morning, Smithy stepped out of the hotel. It was a dark day. The streets were wet, traffic was heavy. Ho started across the street. AU at once a woman screamed. Then a man shouted. There was the horrible shriek of brakes. Smithy felt the impact of a terrible ter-rible blow on his head. He fell and lay sprawling on the ground. A while later he opened his eyes dazedly. A crowd stood around him. He had a strange feeling of coming back to a new world and dn a way he had for the blow on his head had removed all recollection re-collection of the man who had been John Smith. No trace of the Asylum, of Melbridge, of Paula remained in his consciousness. His last recollection was of that moment mo-ment on the battlefront when a shell had hit him. All he knew now was that he was Charles Rainier of Canfleld Hall, Surrey, Kngland. In all the commotion of the next few moments he was aware of his shabby clothes. Quickly he asked questions and realized that he had been suffering from amnesia. Heavens! Three years had dropped out of his life. Only one thing to do go on to his home at Surrey and let the family know he'd practically prac-tically risen from the grave. Sitting in the railway carriage, tiny shades of memory bothered him. Yet there was nothing positive, posi-tive, nothing with any meaning to it. At the door of his ancestral home he was greeted by Sheldon, the old family servitor. Sheldon's eyes filled when he saw him. Then, the emotion of the moment passed, and he gave Smithy shocking news. Just three days before his father ; had died and been buried. The old fellow's voice broke. "Tf you'd i only come back a bit earlier, ; sir " Smithy stiffened. So his father was dead. Then grief shocked him into silence. After that, he put a nun-.ber of questions to Sheldon Everyone was in the breakfast room the next morning when Smithy descended. Sheldon had informed in-formed them of the "master's" arrival ar-rival and the buzz of conversation was quite audible as Smithy entered. en-tered. Yes, they were all chattering together, his sisters Jill, Julia and Bridget, his brothers Chet, George and Julian. They all greeted him but dt was an odd get together for the undercurrent under-current of it was apprehension. Just how much income would they lose now that their brother was back? Smithy took the bull by the horns. He was going to step right into his father's business and start running it himself. Anyone who didn't believe in him, could buy out now and be paid off in cash. There were no acceptances but doubt hung over the table like cigarrette smoke. Finally everyone decided to be off and there was only one member of the family left, Kitty, step-daughter of Smithy's sister, Jill. w Smithy had noticed how Kitty had grown, been vaguely aware of her youthful, flowering beauty. Now she forced herself on his attention with shy flirtatiousness. "You know," she said, "I'll be eighteen in several years. And you'll probably be thinking of a woman in your life by that time " He was rather amused at her audacity. "I'll keep you in mind." "Will you?" she asked eagerly. "Oh, I know you're laughing at me but please don't do anything rash in the meantime because because I do like you so awfully and in a different way than when I was little." His smile was tenderly mocking. "I'll remember that Kitty but I'll have to think it over." She clasped his hand and blurted out, "Anyway don't you think I might come here in the holidays? Sort of take care of you?" "What would your mother say?" "Jill?" Kitty made a gesture. Her twice divorced mother held very little sway over her. "Oh she wouldn't mind. She love3 to get rid of me. Anyhow, you'll write, won't you?" He hesitated. Then he nodded. "All right if you want me to." He watched them in the driveway drive-way as the car drove off and Kitty called back, "Goodbye Uncle Charles. Thanks for asking me to come and visit you in the holidays." holi-days." They were gone and his face clouded over. Once more he felt alone. With the exception of Kitty they had given him no cheer, no just overlooking the Thames. I ney had been chatting gaily. Now Kitty spoke with a sudden abruptness. She seemed really grown-up in that moment. "Charles, you know you've spoilt me for other men." He was startled. "But my dear that's ridiculous." She crushed .out her cigarette. "Oh, it's all right. I'll marry some nice young man eventually and be quite happy." There was a shamefaced shame-faced tear in her eye. "But it's no secret is it? That I've always been mad about you even as a schoolgirl?" He didn't reply and she added wistfully, "It is sort of a pity that you're not in love with me Charles. We do laugh at the same things, enjoy so much together " His voice was soft. He hardly knew himself, why he was speaking. speak-ing. "Perhaps I am Kitty." She gasped. "Perhaps I am in love with you." It was a second before she could control her voice. "Charles. You're not joking? But it seems so fantastic. I can't believe it." He reached across the table and took her hand. "Not fantastic Kitty. Kit-ty. Quite understandable. You're a lovely charming girl and I I need someone like you. I'm depending de-pending on you to help me build a new life." Her eyes rounded. "Then you really mean it Charles? You want me to marry you?" "I want you to marry me Kitty." "And it isn't just something you'll forget when you go back to the office?" He smiled. "If I do I'll tell my secretary Miss Ransom to remind me." She blushed and her eyes sparkled. spark-led. "Oh Charles it's all so marvelous. mar-velous. Quick, take me out of here. Let's go some place where you can kiss me." He returned to the office a little later and rang for Miss Ransom. For a moment 1 e sat there, poring por-ing over the blueprints of the factory fac-tory his company had just bought at Melbridge. He frowned. Melbridge. Mel-bridge. He'd never been there, yet the name of the place struck some spark in his mind. Then, as the door opened, he dismissed it. His secretary stood there watching watch-ing him for a moment. How often, she, Paula Ridgeway, known to him as Miss Ransom, had watched Smithy thus. And how her heart had ached for them both. She had searched for him everywhere every-where all those long years after he had disappeared. She had returned to the County Asylum at Mel- |