Show p s SLANDERED 1 TELEGRAM FICTION FICTION- iR E D By VID HURST CHAPTER TWENTY TWENTY SEVEN I It was Chan i Beatrice Calling Alice again I She thought saying pleasantly isn't here She's just left JelL His voice sounded puzzled Did Alice tell you I 1 telephoned telephoned tele- tele phoned Yes uYe Then why didn't you call me Why should 1 I 11 Beatrice asked puzzled In turn I asked her to have you yoa call caU me meas meas mes as s soon as you came home hom he cx- cx v vIm Im sorry sorry Bea replied Alice Allee must not have have understood I wanted to talk to you about that hat new feature youre you're starting 1 I Itras Iwas was tras working tonight and an idea occurred to me What ar are you doIng doIng dong do- do Ing ng Nothing I just got home Chan Drops In Would it t be an imposition f if I I drop rop in a few ew m moments ments on my way home Im I'm going to be out of oC town I tomorrow Beatrice agreed outwardly calm but ut her heart was beating a frenzied fren fren- tattoo in her breast Alice must bo be c- c insanely jealous to lo refuse to give her er Chans Chan's message But when Chan ban asked her about It she would say ay say Oh darling Im I'm sorry som I Ifor for for- got ot all about it or she would lie as ashe I she he had about the letter and Insist that hat she did tell her adding I cant can't understand wh why Bea Ben would try tomake to tomake tomake make you think I In any case she would try to put Bea in the wong Alice would do anything say anything until they were ere safely m married Chan was not th the ic kind of man to desert a wife VUe after fter he h had d married her Even if iI he c were bitterly disappointed he would stick to his bargain Listening for Cor the buzzer Beatrice thought I If he doesn't see her as asic she ic is before then it will be bo toolate too late late ate She She opened opened the door for Cor him pretending pre pre- tending a cheerful indifference she was s far from feeling Im I'm sorry he apologized to bother other you about this now but since pu ou admitted d that you often otten w work rk at t night I know you wont won't mind Of course not Sit down and andave have ave a He did so sighing Gosh but Im I'm m tired This is the most restful spot pot Ive I've found oun for tor a along long time It It was always like that The moment moment moment mo mo- ment they were together an atmosphere atmosphere at at- of peace enveloped them shutting hutting out everything els Chan Warns Tarns Bea out a letter saying I Iame came ame across this and thought it might give you a different slant on your our new feature Heres Here's a a woman who ho hois is typical of tho the readers of that particular magazine By changing your our angle you can not only supply what she wants but thousands of oC others As usual he had put his finger linger directly directly di- di on an idea which had evaded her er Youre right she said Thanks a lot Jot for lor the tip Id I'd never have thought nought of oC it Of course you would later but butwill it will wUl be a lot Jot easier to change hange it now no ow Admiration shone in her dark yes eyes How do you jou do it ll What do you mean 1 Keep your mind on so many different dif dif- ferent things at once Conscious of f so many different points of view lew my job he reminded her Fitzgerald would fire me if IC I didn't By the wa way he hasn't been pursuing you has he Her candid faco face expressed her surprise Of I course Why Chandler looked uncomfortable I wondered that's all He is aswell a awell well swell person You know how much I think of oC him but someone implied implied im- im plied he hc floundered and of course ourse it is true that Harry has a fondness for Cor pretty faces Beatrice said nothing so he ho continued continued con- con I realize It is none of oC my business but I thought it might not be c a n. bad idea to warn you not to take ake his attentions seriously There haven't been any Chan He has treated me with the utmost respect and courtesy Im glad to hear it the editor said aid heartily what I hoped you jOU ou would say sa say sayDo Do you believe me she asked as s if IC she had expected him to doubt her er Chandler smiled Of Ot course Ive I've learned that your jour honesty is unimpeachable v L Beatrice was so delighted that her eyes sparkled But did he realize re re- alize that his confession of faith aith in her ler was an indirect repudiation of Alice Allee lice Forgetting the customary reserve which both had cultivated since that solitary lapse when he had kissed her she leaned closer to him to say a Thank you Chan For what A Kiss IUs For your jour confidence she answered an an- lifting lilting her eyes which had never been able to conceal her emotions emo- emo ions Her love lo flashed In them now plainly enough h for anyone to read cad and overcome by that attraction attraction tion ion which had once again become resistless he took her in his armand arms arm and lifted lined her mouth to his A At that moment he was hers all hers as he had been in her dreams I I love you she whispered recklessly recklessly reck reck- lessly but he had closed her lips lip with kisses which left her speech speech- less What did It matter atter that he did not speak so long Jong as he held hel her in his arms 7 He loved Jo her He must love lovo her Not until h ho hs had gone did she remember that he ha hanot had hadnot hadnot not said so That this kiss had been just like the other one Swift am and sweet and unpremeditated And like the other one he be would no doubt apologize for it Admitting Admitting Admit Admit- ting that he had been unfair ti to Alice Allee whom he was going to marry But how could he marry Alice when every nerve in his body cried ou out for Cor Bea M Bea-as as thc they must must must-as as hers her cried out for him It was useless to tell herself that thaI this time it had been different Thai Tha now at last he might come to hi hit hk senses and realize that it was not a temporary attraction but a love Jove greater than Alice e was capable or of feeling eeling for lor anyone A union of mind and spirit as well as flesh Milton Rhodes had said sald a man was vas vas capable of loving two women at t once In different ways Alice was young and beautiful and chasteAU chaste All AU the things she ISha had once laugh laugh- laughingly declared that men such as asChan asChan asChan Chan and Milton MUton wanted in a wife n It t was not strange that Chan might have lave been deceived into thinking himself in hi love lave with her but now when he knew she had tr tricked and lied ed to him would he go on with their heir plans just because they were engaged If he does hes he's not the tho man I told herself herselt but buthe think hink he is is Bea she he was trembling with reaction Too oo many times before J she had thought ho he would see sec the tho light to take ake any stock now in what unquestionably unquestionably un- un questionably he ho would regard merely merely mere- mere ly f as a a. temporary aberration She went to bed thinking Hes probably regretting it by y now He may nay even bo be blaming me me for tor makIng mak- mak Ing ng him break down To Be Continued I Copyright for lor The Telegram |