The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1923-11-16
Ranson's Plans
MisIaid
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BY MORRIS SCHULTZ


PANSOH had quite determined I
XIII himself, and he was not ac
Ing under the pressure Of impulse. II
was simply tired Of living Quit
calmly and deliberately he made hi
arrangements.
The only thing he had had to hol,
him to life for years past had beer
his infatnation for Claire Richmond
the beautiful actress. Claire was a.
cold as she was prudent. She posed
as one whose mission 1t was to ele
vate the tone OF the stage. No breath
OF scandal had ever furnished her
name.
She certainly had treated Ransom
badly. For two years he had wooed
her, and she had hung fire. deliber-
ating. Ransom had plenty of money :;
but In the end she decided that he
would not do. When Claire married
she meant to get man who could
give her professional and social ad-
vancement.
The cold. deliberate way In which
she finally discarded him filed him
with bitter hatred against the beau
tiful actress. True, she still repre-
scented the unattainable In his eyes.
Without her he still felt life to be
valueless. But his great longing was
mingled with a great hate and q re-
solve to drag her down with him, to
be avenged in death.
He knew that he could strike her
only through her reputation, that she
had so carefully built up as a bust
ness asset-her reputation for moral
integrity. Once that was gone, Claire
Richmond was finished. And that was
what he meant to destroy.
He planned to commit suicide In
her apartment.
He had not been there, had not
seen her for months, but he had once
had key made-secretly, with the
feeling that 1t gave him more init
mate relationship with her. OF course
claire had not known when he DUR
oinsd her key for q few hours. It
lad been 4 foolish act, but he still
lad the key. He could turn Il to good
lccount Easy to slip In one evening
When Claire was Mt the theater. He
you'd telephone night after night
nat would arouse no suspicion, for
eople were always ringing up Claire
light after night-until the maid II
allied to answer. Then he would
now that the apartment was empty.
laire would come back and find him II
cad. Ransom chuckled over the scam Il
al that would fellow. II
He telephoned only twice before the Y
ght arrived on which he obtained
D answer. He went up TO the spart-
emit house, avoided the negro boy In
10 hallway, and walked UP the stairs.
aires apartment was on the sew
I'm moor. He opened the door.
How strange 1t was to find himself I'll
one In her apartment For few G
Dments the old, desperate longing 80
her overcame him again. There -
~ the old sense Of personal in VI
macy IN the sight of her belongings CO
books, the little articles of adorn. ST
mt, the photographs of celebrities. 90
sat down In the large, roomy chair -
the ilvlng-room. He remained all, NC
bed In thought for long time. but Ch
never repented Of his decision. He VIC
Ickled as he thought of Claire's Al
preaching downfall.
'ut the sound Of key in the lock =
an carly hour startled him. II was ~,
mald returning. Hastily he CON l
led himself in large closet =
'0ugl the crack Of this he saw tb.
enter the room, look about her.
ch few things, and go out again.
he had gone to bed. Good Ran
drew the little phial from his
Set. Q That meant death I'm three
utes But he must swallow II as
re came along the passage-there
I Just be time to let her know
ne had done. He must have the
ihcation OF seeing his revenge
re he died
I'd mentally he pictured CIaira,s -
nisliment, her terror; then he saw
eif lying dead on the floor the No.
e oal'ed IN. And he pictured all No NO.
'cahdal OF the next day, the large -
paper headlines. the public. snig-
g over the downfall of their No. !,
No.
was coming. Hastily he IN NO.
"a the phial. raised 1t to his lips,
swallowed the contents. The
.lyI bitter taste was not unpleax
He rose to his feet. a..
poison was very strong, for al UIII(
q mist was swimming before his
Now she was in the room. He
'er unsteadlly; and in few BIT
ords he bIurted out the tale NJ 6.
venge. SOut