Beware, My Lovely

Mrs. Warren, I've finished!

Mrs. Warren?

Mrs. Warren?

Children!

Where's Johnny?

Corky, you're a great help!

Come here.

Come here.

Corky?

Corky, what are you doing?

You come out of here!

Out.

Up!

- Bye, Mrs. Gordon! - Bye.

Bye!

- Bye, Mr. Armstrong! - Thanks for letting

us use your piano.

- All right. - See you at

- the party tonight. - Bye!

Oh, yes.

Just a minute, Jackie.

Now, Corky, don't get in the way.

Off you go and be careful.

Careful.

Good dog.

- Bye, Teacher. - Come on.

We'll bring our presents

- this afternoon. - Bye.

Bye, children.

Don't get into mischief.

Bye!

I'll race you to Elsie's!

Let's see.

The children have been flitting all over the place.

Place is messy enough as it is.

- Good morning, dear. - Good morning, Walter.

Everything packed?

I think so.

But I'll probably get home and find out

I've left behind me all that's really important.

And I'm going to miss you.

Thanks.

Oh, let me see.

Hardly know where to begin, the place is such a muddle.

Might as well finish this.

I never did like these rugs anyway.

I think I'll get some new ones.

Oh, uh...

What have I done?

Dear, see.

Pull it on that side.

- Let me help. - Thank you.

There must be some system to this.

Now, you can stand on 'em, and I can sweep.

And we'd both wind up on the floor.

No, thanks.

Besides, you'll be late for your train.

Are you watching the time?

Yes, I have plenty of time,

and I hate waiting rooms.

Well, you can't sit around.

Why do you suppose I waited for you

to go on your vacation before I started cleaning house?

You're the most disorganised woman I ever knew.

You think you'll ever get all this back together again?

I hope so, I have a man coming to help me.

Good.

Where'd you find him?

Came looking for work yesterday.

Oh, don't spread it, dear.

Dust!

What's the sense in dusting all of 'em?

Seems to me you make a lot of extra work for yourself.

Why don't you have each person

who wants to read a book dust it himself?

Hello, Mr. Armstrong.

Morning, Ruthie.

- Hello, Aunt Helen. - Morning, Ruth.

Well, what hit this place?

I thought you were goin' on your vacation.

She put me to work.

Why are you here so early?

I'm being punished.

Dad and Mother went over to the Ellisons for the day.

I'm supposed to help you.

On a Saturday, too.

Don't tell me you were out late again last night,

not after all you went through

with your mother last week.

I'm not a child.

Look, who's not a child!

Lots of girls my age are married and have children.

Oh, I wouldn't say lots.

Had your breakfast?

- Yes, thanks. - Good.

Then supposing you get right to work?

Don't I even get a chance to catch my breath?

No, you can do that while you dust the shades.

Oh.

I'm just a slave anyway.

Ruth, dear, exactly how long did your mother

say I was to punish you today?

Just work me to the bone, I suppose.

I see.

Well, at the rate we're going,

I don't think we'll get to the bone till next fall.

Just 'cause I was out late last night.

Parents are so insensitive.

We had such a beautiful evening planned.

I'll never be able to face Tom

when he finds out I've been ordered to stay home tonight,

just like a child.

It's Tom, now?

Oh, dear, whatever happened to Larry?

I thought he was the big love of your life.

Larry just wasn't for me.

Found that out when I met Tom.

You've been out of touch with men for so long, Aunt Helen,

you wouldn't understand.

Oh, I don't know.

My poor old memory isn't that dim.

Oh, I wonder if I've got everything.

Ruth, I really don't think you ought

to stay here and help me anymore today.

You mean I can go home?

No. Come here.

I want you to deliver these packages

to the school for the party this evening.

Nice lot of them.

See that you deliver them.

When you've finished, I want you to drop this box

of old clothes at the church for me.

I guess everybody wants me to die of exhaustion.

Don't you think that's too much

to ask a woman of her advanced age?

Guess this will fill up my whole day.

Oh, no, I want you to come back when you're through.

Perhaps by then I'll have found

a large wash for you to do or something.

That's sweet of you.

Goodbye, Mr. Armstrong.

I hope you have a nice Christmas.

Thanks, Ruthie. Goodbye.

Oh, peace at last.

'Tis nice, isn't it?

Oh, yes.

Now I can finish the rest of my Christmas packages.

- I've- - Yes?

I have something to straighten out with you.

Now, this, this should take care

of my room for two more weeks, shouldn't it?

And as I told you, Mm hm.

If Mr. Frank shows up,

you can let him have it while I'm away.

Then you won't be alone in the house.

I'll be all right, thanks.

But I don't expect any telephone calls.

You have my forwarding address,

and I'm going to miss that room.

Ned liked that room, too.

He kept writing about how much he missed it

while he was in the service.

I...

Heavens, what time is it?

Oh, plenty of time.

I've nearly an hour.

You're not that early, and you know it.

Now, hurry along or you'll really be late.

Oh, all right.

I wish I could send you a box of snow from where I'm going.

So do I.

Oh, let me help you.

Thanks.

Well, I haven't heard Corky bark in ages.

Wonder what's the matter with him.

He decided he's gonna be a watchdog.

Corky, come here!

Stop that!

Corky!

Come here! Stop that!

Corky!

That's the man I hired.

Do you know, I believe he's afraid of Corky.

He couldn't be.

Now, hurry or you're going to miss that train.

Corky, you bad dog.

Up! Come here!

That a-boy.

I'm sorry, I don't know what's come over him.

Glad you're here.

The name is?

- Howard Wilton, Ma'am. - Oh, that's right.

Howard Wilton, Mr. Armstrong.

I'm glad to meet you.

I know you're going to be a great help to Mrs. Gordon.

I hope to be.

I tried to make friends with him.

Oh, he just doesn't trust strangers.

- I'm sorry. - Well, nice meeting you.

- Goodbye, Helen. - Goodbye, dear.