Show TELEGRAM FI FICTION FICTION- TION Substitute Sweetheart By Priscilla Wayne Begin here today Forced to pose as June Bradley whom she greatly resembles Ruth Dayton Dayton ayton finds herself involved in a alot plot lot to murder tho the man she loves Jim im Bradley Jim stepbrother of June has been seriously injured and blinded in a mysterious ned ned- acci acci- dent lent Ruth is brought Into the Bradley home by Joseph and Clara Bradley un uncle le and aunt of ot Jim and June une who have been been caring for tor June une They explain to Ruth that June is ill III and arid cannot come come arid and that hat Jim is dying and will never never know enow Ruth falls in love with Jim and andle h he le with her Fearing that he may maydie maydie mayie die ie he plans their marriage for the next day The Bradleys and Pascoe Pascoe Pas- Pas coe oe ma man nurse who is in the plot and nd who wan wants Ruth himself apcar appear appear ap- ap pear car to agree with Jims Jim's plans but privately plan a fake marriage Only Bette Clara Bradleys Bradley's maid aids Ids Ruth Late that night before the he wedding Bette unlocks Ruths Ruth's bedroom door Outside the door to Jims Jim's im's ims suite Ruth hears a conversation conver- conver conver- conver cation between Pascoe and Dr McGuire Mc- Mc Guire who also o seems to be in th the plot lot though unwillingly No Now go on with the story J J. J i j CHAPTER PTER SEVENTEEN i all frazle frazzie fraz- fraz Youre wearing us to a zie le JI Pascoe protested SIts Its been hine Ine da days now Dr McGuire was impatient What if it h has hs s been Better have haveit it 90 days and nd g get t by with it safe I tell toll you we cant can't escape an au autopsy autopsy au- au topsy as it is Weve We've got to be careful Nonsense who would there be beto beto beto to ask for an autopsy I 1 certainly wouldn't The Bradleys wouldn't And the girl wouldn't know enough to Dont Idd yours yourself lt that she wouldn't know enough to Were We're going to have trouble with that tha girl gIr yet Fallen for Girl Ruth hated Pascoe's sarcastic laugh And don't dont you kid yourself Ive I've fallen tallen for that girl so IO hard it isn't funny W Well Vell ll that doesn't mean she's ahe's fallen tallen for you no Oh I dont don't know about that thal Pascoe's Pas egotism would have been funny under any other circum circum- stanc stances s. s Most dam dames dame's s do fall for lor forme lormes me mes sooner oner or later My fy you hate bate yourself dont don't you Pascoe jerked the conversation out out of oC f the personal rut ruL Enough k kidding Doc Answer Answer what I asked you in in the first place Once the thing is over jou you sign tho the death c certificate Youre You're an honest to God M. M MD M.D. D. D The rel relatives tives dont don't seem worried I 1 take care of oC the girl And that's that Nobody's w wise wise wise-to e tos to anything you forgotten Benson I What Benson 1 The doctor who was WB on the case when I r came came Well what about him Joe merely t told ld him he wasn satisfied with the handling of the tho case Dismissed Dismissed Dis Dis- I Dis-I missed him What's wrong with that Doctors are be being being be- be j be-j ing dismissed from cases every day and they dont don't go go around demanding demanding demanding demand demand- ing autopsies and Inq inquests ests to see which ones one's mistakes really bumped off oft the victim do they Well It wont won't help that I 1 office in the same building He knows my name He distrusts me He h has s reason reMon to I guess Doc Doe Pascoe laughed Dr McGuire was Wa not satisfied with the jocular attitude of Pascoe My God Pascoe you youre you're Ire a bloodthirsty bloodthirsty bloodthirsty blood blood- thirsty individual Cant get used to my cracking jokes about a job Huh No I 1 cant Doc Doe I 1 dont don't believe you'd make a good crook Go Good ci thing I had the goods on you in that dope smuggling c case e or wed we'd be high and dry without any M. M D. D at all to put the finishing tou touches s hO on our little scheme I wish to heaven lid Id d never ever seen any of ot you I hate this job I 1 tell you I I. hate It it McGuires McGuire's voice was raised high in emotion Shut up Want Vant to wake up the howe house 1 Cant Go On OnNo OnNo No uNo I 1 just want out of ot it all Im I'm Im I'm not going on with it Ive I've got gota a wife wile and child If It I l' l went on on with this Id I'd never dare see them again Id I'd never never- Pascoe made a swift move Ruth decided he be must h have ve caught McGuire's McGuires McGuires McGuire's McGuires McGuire's Mc- Mc Guires Guire's arm She heard McGuire utter a sharp exclamation of ot pain Youre going through with this right awa away Hear Youve You've stalled long enough This is the queerest case of or its kind Ive I've ever been up against One day you think its it's all 11 over The next youre you're afraid your I patients patient's going to o get up and go I downtown It Its It's your fault You Youve You've ve stalled I tell you It had to be done slowly I 1 had to make sure Bure that even if it came caine to an autopsy we might get by by- by Piffle Ill I'll take care of ot that Now let me tell you you you- He turned toward the door Ruth forced herself her hir- self to leave th the door She had her chance to escape She must not muff it One glan glance e in Jims Jim's open door He was sleeping lightly He moved ever so slightly the tho Instant she watched moaned just a little I Ruth Leaves Ruths Ruth's Impulse was to cross swiftly swift swift- t ly to his side aide With all her strength she ahe resisted the Impulse That would not be helping him To help Jim she ahe must get away immedi immedi- Stealthily without waiting to snatch a wrap o of any kind Ruth moved down the wide stair stair- vc t f 3 3 I J Il way and to the entrance It was the work worle of a minute or two to push pushback pushback pushback back the huge bolts in their handsome handsome hand hand- some carved fastenings The door swung open easily letting in a rush of cold air Ruth did not hear the quick steps behind her believed herself henel free fre for on one one maddening instant then a n. hand with a grip like iron seized her arm arm and even though she fought furiously dragged her back into the great hall and flung her to the floor Lying there sobbing with rage and the exertion of ot that one minute when she had struggled against t. t that arm Ruth found herself peering up at Pascoe He closed the door Slipped the bolts in the lock Gotta watch you every minute of the time eh eh kid Let Le Me le Go Ruth got to her feet slowly Please let me go please she pl pleaded Pascoe laughed I If you weren't stark crazy Id I'd say you were ask were ask asking ing that he said Bald shortly now now get getto getto getto to your room Youre You're so darned pretty pr-etty t tonight night that I may forget torget Ive I've got other duties than to make love loveto loveto loveto to you Get up to your room right away and take my advice Be quiet If It you'll be good Ill I'll not tell the Bradleys about this Clara Chira Bradley has stood just about au all aU she can stand If It you dont don't watch out shell she'll you off oft How she ever f forgot to lock you in inIs inis inis is more than I can understand laid off oft you because I told them right off that you were my share of the job Why aee see hone honey you'll forget all this once were we're away way from rein here Im I'm gomia gonna take talie you to Europe You and me will have the best trip you ever ImagIned imagined imagined im Im- im- im in your wildest days Im due for a trip trip- anyway Gotto Gotto Got Gotto to lie ie low for fora a while Now go to tobed tobed tobed bed honey please do Dont Don't stand around there torturing me by lookIng looking look look- ing Inz pretty Ruth went slowly up the stairway to her own room followed by Pas Pas- coe Now INow go goto to bed honey please do he reiterated whispering Ill lock Jock you In myself now and take the trouble to take the key along Listening standing In her room in the tho dark k Ruth heard again the sound of the key turning stealthily in the lock Someone else be heard the key turn Ruth heard quick steps across s tho the floor of the room next door Joes Joe's en R. R Pus M I Substitute Sweetheart rt I I I I Continued d from Page Six door opened His voice was an excited excited ex cx- cited whisper Pascoe Yes Pascoe was annoyed the matter Nothing What you up here for for you like to know That girl Pascoe laughed I told you shed she'd fall for me Oh J JOG Joo 00 W was a 3 undoubtedly pleased Well Ve II good enough Pas Pas- coe Dont Don't know as I blame you Everything else O. O K Ye Yes Yea McGuire here yet ct 1 Yes Pascoe started down the corn corn- corri- corri dar dare Ruth listening heard Joe Brad Bradle Bradleys Bradley's ley's leys s quick bare feet padding after him Pascoe stopped The two held a long conversation Not Nota a word of ot it was loud enough for tor Ruth to hear She was blushing hot and shamed at the interpretation Bradley had put on Pascoe's visit to her room But she was thankful too that Pascoe Pas Pas- coo coc had not suspected Bette Walt Wait for Dawn There was nothing to do but waltor wait walt for or another dawn Ruth hated her her- self She had had her opportunity to help Jim and she had failed miser miser- ably If It instead of waiting to hear the conversation of Pascoe and the doctor she had gotten away quickly quick quick- h ly Jy the tho story might have been dif dil- dif dif- ferent lerent After a time she forced herself to tolie tolie tolie lie down to dream at last fitfully waking waIting in terror every few minutes Morning brought Bette Did you you you- s she e checked her sentence unfinished Clara Bradley in negligee negligee negligee gee lounged into the room Dont mind if I have bre breakfast fast in your room do you June This house gives me mc the creeps Betto left the room presumably for tor the breakfast things Clara Clam sat down in an easy chair curled her feet under her like any girl I J couldn't sleep very well last night Heard you couldn't eIther cither She leered at the tho girl Ruth loathed the woman Wished she sho could go I l slept she said at least part of ot the time Did you Juno June Well Vell I How is Jim this morning Angry Clara was plainly angry at the turn of events event I dont don't seem to know McGuire stayed all night He says Jim is worse Myself I cant can't cantsee cantsee cantsee see it I think hes he's better And hes he's as excited as as a boy This is his wedding day Clara suddenly laughed long Jong and loud I forget Your wedding day too isn't it Well Vell you'll ha have vc tobe to tobe tobe be a 0 good sport and go through with It It Bette reentering bringing the breakfast tray Clara poured the coffee took eager quick sips of ol tho the hot liquid Take I some she advised do you good Coffee certainly perks s me up up After Arter breakfast Joseph Bradley knocked at tho the door Come in in i Clara called What now at sight of him I Ive got arrangements made I So soon oon 1 Clara was excited I Yes if It we have to go through with It then the sooner I tho the better bettor Got a minister Yes The Tho minister Joseph Bradley dley laughed Well SWell come on and decide for yourself Everybody's ready but the bride To bo be Continued Copyright 1036 1936 for tor the Telegram ram |