Show TELEGRAM FICTION Substitute Sweetheart By BV Priscilla Wayne I CHAPTER 28 Im going to be sorry when you OU leave here Mrs Bond told Ruth jokingly You scrub like a protes- protes siona Ruth smiled Her face was smudged with grime her eyes weary it seemed to her that her herback herback herback back would break from rom aching Ive heard beard she said that the best recipe for tor getting ones one's mind I off ones one's troubles is hard work Mopping about 70 miles of ot cement corridors ought to do It for me Mrs Bond was vas philosophical I think youre you're right dearie deane I never did know any mental a anguish myself myself my my- self that wasn't made better just by hard work Keep Keep- your our hands bus busy get yourself good and tired and you'll be too weary to stay awake and worry But that recipe didn't quite work for Ruth Her body may have been wear weary but her mind was fresh and andal al alert rt Her mind kept going over and over her trouble and there seemed scant light ahead Her Past Fast To be sure she w was s not greatly worried over her sla stay at the jail She had done no no real wrong committed committed com corn no actual crime Her past could be checked easU easily For 17 years of her life Ruth had lived Jived in an average middle- middle class home with loving parents who shielded her p pat pathway a t h w way a y Death snatched them away Then there had been the small life insurance and planning with Jerry as t t to how the two of them all alone now could go on best No there wasn't anything very suspicious suspicious sus sus- about her early life She She- would be released from jail soon enough Ruth knew that But what to do next How could she go back ck to the old job How could she turn away forever from the sweet awakening Interest of new newlove newlove love The papers still filled with the story of the Bradleys and of the tragic murder of young Dr McGuire McGuire McGuire Mc- Mc Guire were optimistic about aboul the returning health of Jim Bradley One of the evening papers had said Meanwhile e J James anes Bra Bradley l y seems to be winning his fight against death Although physicians physicians have not allowed him to be questioned as yet pol police ce expect that within another 2 24 hours he will be strong enough to submit to some questioning To Jim Ruth decided that she would go goto goto goto to Jim as soon as he grew strong enough to listen to her story that she would make a complete confession confession confession confes confes- sion to him of her innocent but foolish entrance into his life and of how that innocent pretense had grown Almost as swiftly as she made I it she rejected that plan Jim had every reason t to despise her Even though she might explain pl in convincingly convincIngly convincingly how she had come to his home it would be hard to explain how she had stayed how she had gone on and on with the Bradleys Bradle's even to the pretense at a wedding No Jim could never forgive her herfor herfor herfor for that Nor did she dare face him She thought of June Junc June was wasa a loving fun girl wistful indiscreet If Ruth could go to her her- hertell tell her herthe herthe the whole story story but but Ruth put that I thought awa away too almost as quickly quick quick- ly as it was formed Are you awake dearie deane the night matron said the next mornIn morn- morn In Ing I 1 heard you tossing around all night I thought Id I'd d just bring you this cup of coffee coHee Ruth opened her eyes Mrs Neeley the night matron stood at ather ather ather her door looking in Im going oft off duty in just a few minutes I thought wed we'd have a cup of coffee together Youre awfully good Ruth said sitting up quickly Mrs Neeley set down her tra tray Its nothing Youre You're awfully good to us Mrs Bond said last night she never did see a R. girl so responsible responsible responsible sible as you Were We're going to miss you when you go Work Vork keeps me living Jiving Ruth laughed ruefully Im to mop all the corridors today and Im I'm going to scrub the kitchen on m my hands and knees Im I'm going to make it shine like a bread board Out on ott Bonds Ill bet you wont won't be here when I come back toni tonight ht good natured Mrs Neeley laughed Youve been In here a day and two nights That's about the average Your have you out on bonds to to- to day Mrs Neeley was a good etess Robert Reagan came at 11 He seemed quietly pleased absolutely sure of ot himself He smiled at Ruth Ruthin in her scrub woman attire I tried to get her not to Mrs Bond explained volubly but she just would She said working helped get her mind off oft her troubles roubles But come along now Ruth Mr Reagon tells me inc hes he's got Kot It all arranged Youre You're going out today Going out today Ruths Ruth's happy mind simply chanted the joyous words over and over again in an ecstatic refrain retrain Her hands trembled trembled trem- trem bled so that she could scarcely Unhook unhook un- un hook look her clothing Tell him I wont won't be long Mrs Bond please do Fix It ItI I II 1 will Mrs Bond promised Now fix yourself up nicely honey And forget all about this unhappy experience Now Ill I'll go and ana get get your Mrs Murphy ready and you OU come ome and help me as soon as you can an can She's a sight I honestly think she's he's cried ever every minute since he's hes been In here Abigail was a sight Her face was vas swollen her hair uncombed her clothing rumpled Together Mrs Bond and Ruth made her as I presentable as they could But Abigail was In no mood to tobe tobe toe be e happy Cheer up she grum grum- bled Cheer up You tell me to cheer up when I haven't any job any more and I dont don't know where Im I'm going or what Im I'm going to do I do say cheer up Ruth Insisted insist Insist- ed I think youre you're going right back backo to o the Bradleys to work But even that did not comfort Abigail Once outside the jail doors she proceeded just as quickly a she could to board a street car she refused absolutely to step into Mr Reagans Reagan's car and she treated hIm ilm with as much distaste and distrust distrust dis- dis trust rust as she treated RuthI Ruth I cant can't understand the poor old girl Mr Reagan said once Abigail Abigail Abi- Abi gail jail had boarded her car She was waso wasso so o willing to leave you toda today and I yesterday she told about how she had md taken care of or yo you when you OU were ere a little thing No Scar She changed her mind Ruth explained It seems that the real June has a scar on her shoulder I haven't lavent a scar I proved my identity to o Abigail She's just She's just as as' sure sure now that hat Im I'm not her Miss June as she was vas sure yesterday that I was Im sure youre you're not June Bradey Bradley Brad- Brad icy ley ey too Mr Reagan said with conviction You looked me up Yes My son the Junior Mr Reagan leagan drove to Des Moines yes- yes erday Ive I've just had a long distance distance distance dis dis- dis- dis tance telephone call from him He checks hecks your story in every lar ar So do Des Moines police who have lave looked you up there I think you haven't very much to worry about now Is Ills Mr Bradley going to get well veil I 1 think the physicians believe that hat there is every chance for him Then Im I'm free tree to go back to Des bes DesMoines DesMoines Moines Im afraid not exactly that Mr Reagan appraised the girl with his shrewd calculating eyes Im afraid you must stay in Chicago for a awhile awhile while yet Theres There's the legal side of oft it it t you see If Mr Bradle Bradley gets well veil and if it the man who shot Dr McGuire is apprehended the legal charges against you amount to very ery little And Pasco Pascoe Do they have any idea where Pascoe is 1 The police authorities are at work right now on the story you told old them of Dr McGuire and his argument with the man Pascoe but so far none of them have been overtaken overtaken over over- taken and although they've searched almost continuously they haven't found the gun yet In fact they've only one clue One of Jim Bradleys Bradley's cars the roadster Is missing They must have gotten away in that And m my ray brother Ruth was almost afraid to ask Not a trace or a n sign Where do you ou want sant me to go Ruth ventured at last I 1 haven't any friends in Chicago I haven't the he least Idea where I can go Mr Reagan had an idea He watched Ruths Ruth's face shrewdly as ashe ashe asic he ic told it to her Jim is asking for you Asking for or me It seemed to Ruth uth that she would stop breathing breathing breath breath- ing ng from rom sheer excitement AskIng Asking Ask ing ng for tor me mel Yes You were the first person ho he 10 asked for when he regained consciousness He wanted to see his wife wite His wife Ruth wondered if Mr VIr Reagan could hear how her heart icart pounded Shock I r think you ou must go the dignified dignified dig dig- attorney was saying Hes very ill You wont won't be permitted to o spend much time with him But if f you do not go Im I'm afraid the shock of an explanation explanation- Ill go Ruth promised and of ofa a sudden the gra gray gloomy day was as gay ay with the sunshine in her heart icart To Be Continued Copyright 1936 for the Telegram I |