Silver Screen (Nov 1936-Apr 1937)

64 Silver Screen for January 1937 The Waif From The Yangtze [continued from page 30] longed to a small, moon-faced urchin ^vho looked, in his Chinese clothes, like an overstuffed pincushion. An irate Chinese mother pursued the foreign devil, proclaiming that he was stealing her child and while they all argued with a bearded sikli policeman Tommy gave the officer an impatient push and he sat down in the mud puddle. After that jail followed as the night the day. Susan was cold ^vith fright and fury when the adventurers got back aboard Tommy tried to explain, "Now look, Susan, the whole thing was an accident! You know me. You know I wouldn't—" "Yes," she answered bitterly. "I do know vou. I know you can't be trusted. I should have known it before." She took Johnny's hand. "Please, Susan!" Tommy begged. "Don't be mad at Uncle Tommy, Susan," Johnny joined in. "He didn't mean to knock the policeman down." Richard stepped between them, taking Susan's arm. "IE you don't mind?" he said, with raised eyebrows and perfect calm. His manner put a definite end to all discussion. Tommy went away in disgrace. Richard had much to say to his mother and Susan about life in Bangkok. Of course there were natives, he admitted in the same tone as a Long Islander admits mosquitoes. There was some sort of quaint, native civilization, too, no doubt. But their little colony didn't mind things like that. They just had nothing to do with it. "Why the houses were as modern as you'd find in any good American suburb! Lots of closet space, fully equipped laundries, all that sort of thing. You played bridge every day and you got to know your opponent so well you could guess every card he'd play. And tennis was the same. Then Richard drew a floor plan of the house he had taken for them and showed Susan where her room would be and where Mother's room would be, and Susan, who hadn't counted before on a mother-in-law under her o^vn roof, definitely saw romance flying out the port hole. Richard and his mother had a great idea. The marriage must take place on shipboard— and at once. "But why?" Susan gasped, somewhat surprised. Mrs. Hope told her severely that her marriage to Richard would stop the shipboard gossip about her and Mr. Randall. Susan had been making herself unfortunately conspicuous with Mr. Randall and something must be done about it. In Susan's gentle heart the first stirrings of rebellion might be noted. First she had waited four years for Richard and ^vhen he did appear he was even more of his old, correct self than she remembered. ^Vhy, he scarcely even kissed lier. And she was pretty thoroughly sated with Mrs. Hope and her eternal managing of her romance. Now she faced a life time of marriage to Richard and life in Bangkok, where the proper people never concerned themselves with anything that wasn't exactly like life in any good American suburb! And lo cap it all her mother-inlaw meant to live willi lluin! While Susan was pondering ihis, Tommy Randall had a shock. The strange little waif who had won his heart was to be lakcn awav from him. Johnny had no people to claim her. The Captain saw nothing to do but send her to an orphanage. "But couldn't I adopt her? " Tommy argued. "■^'ou re not married, Mr. Randall. I'm afraid the authorities would never consent to adoption so long as you're not married." It was then Tommy spied Susan who had come on deck for just a few moments' respite from Richard and Mrs. Hope. He hastened to her side, made bold by his desperation. "Susan, they're taking Johnny awRy. Going to put her in an institution. Pigtails, gray dresses, all that. Look— I tried to adopt her, but they won't let me have her because I'm unmarried. But you're going to get married— you can adopt her!" Susan stared, be^vildered. Johnny going to an orphanage— that would be terrible! Her heart ached for the funny little waif. But what could she do . . . could she do anything?" "You don't ^vant to see her go to an institution!" Tommy pleaded. "No!" Susan cried with all her heart. "Then listen. I've gone completely soft about that kid. Incredible, I know, but true. I wish you'd adopt her and let me pay for her upbringing until I can take her myself— and that'll be as quick as I can get to the States and come back with a wife. Will you do it? It wouldn't be for long. You may not believe it, but there are a lot of girls back there who'd be willing to marry me— at least there used to be." Susan thought of Richard. And his mother! Then she thought of poor little Johnny and Mr. Wu. "It's not for me, it's for Johnny," the young man pleaded. "I'll do it!" Susan cried. She hurried away to explain the matter to Richard and Mrs. Hope. A few minutes later she came on deck again, a badly worried girl. At the gangplank Johnny was trAing to be brave, though she must part from her beloved Uncle Tommy. The Captain was ^vaiting to take her ashore and give her up to proper authorities. Tommy welcomed her with a shout. "Look, Captain, she can adopt Johnny. She's going to be married!" Susan averted her face. Her voice ^vas shamed and despairing, "But I'm not getting married," she said. Definitely the four-year engagement had ended. Richard and Mrs. Hope did not approve of Susan's adopting the child. "But we can't let this happen to Johnny," Tommy groaned. "We can't!" He turned on her, desperate. "Look, Susan. I've got an idea! Don't sav 'no' until you hear me out. I know exactly what you think of me, but that isn't important now. Listen— marrv me!" Had he gone absolutely mad? Susan's wUd stare seemed to say so. "Don't misimderstand me now, " Tommy raced on. "^'ou wouldn't ha^e to piu up with me. I ^vouldn't even come near you. It'd be one of those marriages in name only. As soon as we dock in San Francisco, you can go right to Reno and get a di\orce. My lawyers will handle e\er\thing." It was a mati, absurd idea. Onh Tonnny Randall would be capable of .suggesting il'. Susan couldn't e\eii bear lo look at the idiot, l)ut she mailc llu' mislake of looking at the pathetic little waif, Johnny, instead. Johnny was waiting at the gangplank. She held Mr. Wu close against her small breast and the tears ran down her cheeks. Susan had seen orphan asylums. She cotdd envision Johnny, parted from her dog, subdued to a child automaton by the discipline . . . "I'll do it!" she cried wildly. "I'll marry you. Tommy!" ***** Susan sat in a Reno court room and tried not to look at Tommy Randall. She tried not to think of him, or of that voyage in the far East now ending in this hideous commonplace of a divorce court. For a few months she had been— in name only— Mrs. Thomas Randall in order that she might assume guardianship of a little waif Fate had flung into her lovely arms. Tommy she had scarcely seen during the return voyage to San Francisco and, once there, Johnny, too, had been taken from her. She had served her purpose in this farce the fates had arranged. She had saved the child from the dreary monotony of a public institution. Now she must find consolation in that. Tommy's lawyers assured her the divorce action would take only a few minutes. Just a few minutes and she would be Susan Parker again . . . free to forget Tommy Randall . . . free to find happiness. It was then Susan realized once and for all time that she could never find her happiness apart from Tommy. And now it was too late to do anything about it! The judge -^vas on the bench. The case ■svas called. Law5ers for the defenseTommy's la'ivyers— said gravely they had no witnesses to offer in Tommy's cause. Lawyers for the plaintiff— Susan's lawyers, hired by Tommy— said gravely they rested their case with the wise and honorable judge. The wise and honorable judge— who was just that— remarked with a smile that he had a witness of his own to call. And it was Johnny who took the witness chair. Johnny held Mr. Wu in her arms when she took the oath and both little girl and little dog looked very serious . . . She spoke the speech which the judge had taught her, though not ^vithout some prompting from the judge himself because the legal ivords were long and bothersome— e\en harder to remember than the wise maxims Honorable Sun Lo taught her in China. Duly deposed and sworn, Johnny declared gravely that she knew of no lawful reason why Susan Parker and Thomas Randall should not live and love as man and Avife. Across the heads of Iaiv)ers Tommy stared at Susan and Susan stared back at Tommy. Suddenly the strain and worry and general ghastliness of those last few months went out of their bewildered hearts. There was hope in their glances— mutual questioning and a mutual ans^ver. "Di\orce denied," said the wise and honorable judge. .■\fter that there -(vas nothing for them to do, but do that ^^'hich they had wanted all the time— take each other as man and wife and share their love with Johnny . . . and Mr. ^Vu. And so. Dear Reader, in the words of Honorable Sun Lo, may the bird of prosperity continue to nest in your roof top. T HE color fans are rl/nnnriiifi [or more jiielnres In color and so "A Sinr Is Horn" is Ix'inti imiilr in Teelniicolor. unlli Jauel C.aynor and Fred Marrli. \'<ne yon will vv fancrs red hair paminn.