 Autolite and its 98,000 dealers bring you Mr. Herbert Marshall in tonight's presentation of Suspense Tonight Autolite presents a story based on fact and written by a master of suspense an adaptation of the 19th century born murder case called the dead alive the author Wilkie Collins our Star mr. Herbert Marshall Hey Wilcox, how you hitting them kiddo? Hello Stan how's our bouncing Bantam and Brainy Baseball manager feeling like a home run hollow perl along like a set of those auto light spark plugs of yours Yeah, I couldn't understand you better Stan those ignition engineered auto light spark plugs are designed for the smoothest and most economical performance money can buy wouldn't use any other hollow. They're real major league Thank you Stan friends if your car isn't giving you the performance it should why not have your spark plugs checked by your nearest Autolite spark plug dealer. He's equipped to give you expert cleaning and adjustment and Those spark plugs are worn or need replacing. He'll install a set of famous Signition engineered auto light spark plugs either standard or resistor type To quickly locate your auto light spark plug dealer phone Western Union by number and ask for operator 25 and remember from bumper to tail light. You're always right with auto light And now auto light presents the dead alive Starring mr. Herbert Marshall hoping once again to keep you in suspense How did the doctor put it to be back there in London? Your disease mr. LeFranc is overwork your cure is rest your alternative is death Nice choice of words there but not to be ignored For any excitement stirred sudden unbearable pains in my head The trip was restful though the prospect of visiting a country just five years beyond a civil war was a little disturbing The long-standing invitation my mother's distant relative appeared to hold a promise of friendship and hospitality The very thing for a nerve-ridden English barrister I bought in a railroad car at Boston, which deposited me at Morbick station The countryside viewed from the station was as flat as monotonous as any that the earth can show If to be cured bent in my case to be dull And I picked the very place for the purpose Mr. Philip the Frank. Well. Oh, yes, of course. You must be cousin Silas. That's right. I didn't mean to startle you know I was fascinated by this Very interesting countryside of yours Let's start off on an honest footing this view is uninspired Philip But it's good farmland. That's most important. Is this your luggage? No, just these bags here. I'll take the big one. That's all right You carry the two small bags. Oh, but your your hand that bandage. It must be painful. It's just a scratch He couldn't hurt me And they carried is this way our ride to middlecroft farm passed for the most part in silence and Silence seemed most appropriate as we drove through a grove of stunted twisted trees On the road ahead a short wire a little man walked towards the house He grasped over his shoulder then casually angled let us pass But something went wrong with our horse, but he swirled towards the man watch out You nearly killed that man next time he'll move out of the way faster, but you let the horse directly at him no matter That man was John J. Goh my overseer Not a very nice man Philip Not nice at all. Then why do you keep him? Unfortunately father left the controlling interest in this estate to my sister and Let he feels that J. Goh can run things better than I can that's still no reason you might have killed the man in which Case I would have given in the sort of burial. I'd give my dog Not my favorite dog mind you a gray house like a huge toad squatted massively at the end of the road Three barking hounds chased our carriage up to the front porch My cousin sent them scampering as we dismounted a Melancholy a middle-aged woman without visible attraction of any sort Waited for us in the hallway Cousin Philip, I trust the Lord sent you an easy voyage Delightful voyage cousin Letty. It's very good of you to have me. Thank my father rest his soul We shall do our best to honor the invitation he extended to your branch of the family Silas Did you pass mr. J. Goh on your way up? Yes, I passed him You might have been good enough to offer him a lift I did After a fashion This way Philip. I showed you to your room supper is at eight cousin Philip. We start exactly on the hour Silas left me in a clean almost terrible room To pass the time I made a game of searching for some dust It was depressing what to finally I Paced I worried red Generally tried to keep the groom of the house from sinking to my bones was useless By eight o'clock, I was morosely trying to decide whether to go down to dinner or to repack and leave My stomach made the decision for me. I Bought out of my room and into the loveliest creature. I've never seen I'm sorry Well, no my fault. I shouldn't run down hallways Course you're Philip course, but they told me nothing about you But I don't think they're quite sure of how to classify me. I'm Naomi Colbrook We'd better go downstairs. We'll miss dinner Are you visiting to miss Colbrook? Oh, no, I've been here over six months now. I'm a vague sort of relative Letty and Silas took me in after my parents passed away. Oh, that was very good of them. Yes, it was But I I am glad to have someone else here now. Is anything wrong? well There are tensions in this house. You may feel them. I already have Something most unpleasant about it. Well, please don't let it drive you away. I I have to talk to somebody you see We're coming Silas We'll talk later Dinner started off as a quiet affair Naomi Silas Letty and myself were there of course the fifth person was John J. Go the fellow. We'd almost run down He acknowledged the introduction to me then lapsed into silence The only time I saw any animation on his face was when he glanced at Naomi Silas noticed it too you find miss Naomi's face Interesting mr. Jego. I I beg your pardon Silas, please don't start in again It's offensive for the help to be staring at you like that your imagination is being overworked again Silas Dear Letty so fond of mr. Jego isn't there one small pang of jealousy at his interest in Naomi Silas I'm sorry miss Letty when your brother is in one of these moods. It's best that I retire Good riddance. There was no need for that Silas you are too even-tempered Naomi Let's put it to our guest here Philip. What did you think of that surly fellow's behavior well? I don't know as to looking at miss Naomi's face. I Constantly attracts my own gaze oh Does it yes Does that make it necessary for me to leave the table? Let's both go for a walk Philip. I've had enough of this for one evening, but Naomi let her be Go cousin Philip. I wish to talk to my brother alone The dangerous signal in my head those flashes of pain Did not slacken until we Naomi and I were deep within the grove of trees that surrounded the house The moon was full is raised filtering through the dense overhead growth of twisted branches We walked slowly towards a pale green glow that diffused the gray night ahead of us What's wrong Philip your face? I spent its party pain The doctor warned me to avoid excitement Silas starts up with everyone and he turns his angle upon poor mr. Jego Yes, they had a terrible fight the other day mr. Jego had to use a knife to defend himself He won't bother me. I'm not too sure. He was furious with your dinner I refused to our antibody to interfere with the pleasure I take from your company but What's causing that green mr. Head? Oh, that's a natural line kill. They say it's been burning for centuries There's a hypnotic quality about this green pit. I Can't take my eyes from it terrifies me. I keep imagining what would happen if Someone were to fall in there. Oh, they should put a fence about it What? There for the trees someone's watching us Who's that? I hope I'm not intruding What do you want mr. Jego? I don't wish to disturb you all this gentleman But I must speak to you miss Naomi in private. This is hardly the manner to approach eavesdropping from behind a tree Oh, no, sir. I've just been walking through this grove and came upon you But I must talk to this lady who want it hold until tomorrow be a great kindness on your part A very great kindness if you let me speak before I rest tonight Very well, we'll go back to the house not the house miss why not there are eyes and ears in the house and footsteps so soft that no person can hear them Then we'll speak here where we can see all about us sir if you don't mind I don't want to leave you here near me. Oh, I'll be quite all right Philip. Mr. Jego will see me back to the house You know best Good night. Good night and thank you. I slept what little that night. I wanted to leave Get away from that wretched house But the idea of leaving near me there all alone was unthinkable With the dawn I dressed and went down to the front porch an angry sight met my eyes silence Holding his walking stick like a bludgeon and waving to Jego By the little overseer crouched before him like a snarling game cock The wicked blade of his knife flashing in the light Stay back. I want you you want me. I told you to stay away from her. She's not my style. Mr. Silas You impudent bring it back. I've set my mark on you once. I may do it a second time I'll crush your skull stop that here Silas give me that game Because I said give it to me You Meddling fool. He's gotten away just as well He handled that knife with some knowledge You wouldn't have failed well in that fight. You think not your cousin Philip I have my stick now if you must have it here. Thank you. And I'd like to walk through the grove Unless you have some objection so we insist on following him. We will finish this now Jego and I And this is a warning to you cousin Philip Leave Naomi alone or you may have some of the same Neither of them had returned to the house by late afternoon Naomi stayed in her room all day cousin let his sat in her rocking chair and knitted Her eyes never leaving the front door as she waited fearfully The ugly premonition of violent death hung about the rooms And finally approaching footsteps and we watched to see who would enter Silas Where is mr. Jego? I? Believe we've seen the last of that one did you you haven't brought your walking stick now Don't fear cousin Philip. I have another Should you want to take a stroll through the grove? Much later that night I sat in my room Fully dressed trying to read The wildest thoughts were skipping frantic through my mind Was my cousin Silas a murderer? He had all but admitted it and yet Someone was walking through the hall a light on the stealthy footsteps. I Opened my door as a wide-robed Ghostlike figure descended the stairway It was Letty her body rigid staring blindly before her It is dangerous to row as a sleepwalker. So I followed out of the house Through the global trees to the mouth of the lime kill She stood there trembling in the green light as she took one further step towards the kill I reached out and grabbed her shoulders It's me. It's Philip that did you understand? Yeah He's there Mr. J. Who is there in the kill? How'd you know? He called me his voice. He came from there. That was a dream. Let it you walked in your sleep Oh dream He's in there. I tell you there's nothing we can do Nobody could climb down into that pit to see over there by the tree Along pole with a mesh iron net You'll see Mr. Jago is in there He told me so And in the black of that night, I set about the macabre task of fishing the kill Within the hour I had brought up a partially burned walking stick Jago's knife and The small heap of charred bones Mr. Herbert Marshall in Wilkie Collins the dead alive tonight's presentation in radio's outstanding theater of thrills Suspense well, you know, I signed a whole new team. Yeah Stan. Who are they? Why a set of those auto light resisted time spark plugs, of course Then you're set for a winning season Stan Those auto light resistors spark plugs are the greatest advance in spark plugs for automotive use in the past two and a half decades Is that all I thought they was the best in 25 years You're right Stan and that built-in auto light resistor makes possible such advantages as double spark plug life smoother engine performance and quick starts and The resistor spark plug is only one of a complete line of world famous auto light spark plugs Ignition engineered for every automotive use That's a straight pitch folks. So see your nearest auto light spark plug dealer for a spark plug check soon He services all makes of cars and he has ignition engineered auto light spark plugs either standard or resistor type To quickly learn his location phone Western Union by number and ask for operator 25 And remember from bumper to tail light. You're always right with auto light And now auto light brings back to our Hollywood soundstage mr. Herbert Marshall in Elliot Lewis's production of the dead alive a tail well calculated to keep you in suspense On the power table behind the walking stick the knife and the charred bones of John J. Goh I'd roused near me and Silas and now the four of us sat around the room our eyes curiously avoiding the grizzly pile before us The light from the oil lamps failed to clear shadows from the dark corners of the parlor so be set and Waited for the silence to accuse. I didn't kill him. You have murder on your soul Mr. J. Goh told me that too. Oh in your dream. I suppose he never cared for you Let it why do you carry on so about him? He was too shy to tell me And now he never will For you killed him That is your stick Silas. I stumbled near they kill it fell in and the knife and the bone Silas You killed him Silas And make the most of it I'm going to bed There's nothing more to be done tonight. We may as well all get some sleep. I don't think I'll ever sleep again At least try near me tomorrow. We'll have to call in the magistrate Aren't you coming ready? Oh, I'll stay here With mr. J. Goh Let me please No Leave her near me come Philip why did it happen? You probably know best of all. I know nothing. No What did J. Goh say to their night in the garden? The police will want to know we've been talking. I don't recall about what Suddenly he seemed to go mad Man in what way? He fell on his knees. He kissed my guard my hand Cried that he was in love with me poor fellow. I Imagine you told me it was impossible. He wanted me to marry him. Of course. It was impossible Silas must have found it out That could explain the why of this murder Well, I can't stay here anymore nor can I tomorrow. We'll move into town until the police clear us and then what then Good law, what's that? Oh don't leave this too late to catch whoever that was someone overheard us Yes, someone here get into your room vote your door and don't open it for anyone. You hear I'm so afraid truthfully darling So am I If ever a house were the first this was it with madness or worse mocking from every crevice and corner in My room. I locked the door and went to bed Sleep did not come easily, but it came I Must have just dropped off when some innocence warned me of presence in the room Something was gliding quietly towards the bed. I Half-open my eyes and caught the dark shadow of movement and the momentary flash of metal I roll out of bed as a knife smashed into the mattress. I've been lying My assailant follow me Hacking at the pillow the chair that I held before me. I tried to go to the door You still bought it. I set the boat and the shuttle rush driving me back in terror I threw a lamp and hit someone suddenly over The knife wielder had gone I fired a lamp Then stood staring at the butcher knife that lay on the floor My being revolted in fear and anger. I was sick sick of this house of my cousins Sick of waiting to be struck down in the dark Get up Silas. Hmm. Who's there? Stop pretending you're asleep. Philip Devil's the matter with you. Naomi wouldn't have had you under any circumstances What did you hope to gain by killing me killing you? I wanted to kill you cousin. I would face up to you like a man not striking the duck who else in this house would do a thing like that What of letty letty It couldn't have been a woman Don't underestimate our new England women Philip. They're strong as oxen You better come along with me while I question her. You don't trust me exactly Let he was still in the parlour staring at the bones of her dead lover Sitting stoically in her chair Something had changed her though There was an ecstatic look about her and for the moment her face was almost pretty Letty Someone just tried to kill me. I know How do you know? Mr. Jacob told me you were going to die. She won't grasp the fact that John is dead. Oh, yes I know he's dead But now he's closer to me than ever He comes to see me and Talk to me Did you go upstairs letty to my room with a knife? Mr. Jacob told me I was pretty I Asked him if I was and he told me He's dead now But he's with me all the time Well, Philip, are you still quite positive it was I run up the stairs silas at my heels and nagging insane folk kept tugging at my brain Letty Silas and myself been together in the powder. Then who was it? What was it? What horror was attacking me? I'm in her room Open the door. It's me Naomi are you all right? Stand back. I'm going to break it open. She's not here Windows been smashed There's nobody in the yard look over to the Grove the branches sway Something moving through there that one again, but who or what? Can your dogs track of course they're hunting dogs bring them around and put them on the scent Whatever that thing is it has Naomi The dogs picked up the scent and ran bay into the tree grove Silas and I lanterns praying yellow light through the darkness followed Somewhere ahead there was something man or monster without a mind Suddenly at the lime kiln the dogs stopped howling We saw Naomi lying by the edge of the pit. I knelt beside her Feeding the life beat feebly through her pulse And then another feeling the air Partied behind me as something kept towards my back Something toys to push me into the kiln. I turned sharply and a shadow flow backwards Crossed into the opposite side of the pit The green glow stippled around the form of a man John J. Goh Don't would have been nice to have mr. Silas hang for my murder your plans to me were very much more direct I would kill for miss Naomi not just talk like mr. Silas. You think she'd ever look to you Someday mr. Silas with you and your cousin dead. Oh my yes, I would return Painting loss of memory can't work out now John You best come along with us or take me sirs come over here. I'll be glad to wait Silas He's too close to the pit a slip and we'd all be in try please. I'm a match for you both mr. J Goh, I hear you. I'm coming mr. J. Goh stay back. Let it. I have no use for you anymore You said I was pretty mr. J. Goh You said that to me let he don't go near him No, you didn't say things like that in the lime kill They're both gone poor devils it was the next day in the carriage Riding back to town near me beside me The sight of her lovely face driving away ugly thoughts of the night before Is it all behind us now Philip all that hatred? It's finished my darling There's just you and I And our future together a peaceful future We'll have to watch your nerves nerves. Oh my lord Indicitement I forgot all about it, but the excitement might have killed you killed it cured me That doctor was wrong. My life was too dull Then excitement is what you need. Yes, I've been thinking about our honeymoon There's a wonderful old castle on the Rhine They say it's haunted suspense Presented by auto light tonight star mr. Herbert Marshall This is Harlow Wilcox again speaking for auto light world's largest independent manufacturer of automotive electrical equipment Auto light is proud to serve the greatest names in the industry That's why during these early months of 1953 the auto light family is again saluting the leading manufacturers who install auto light products as original equipment as a climax to this salute series Auto light will present on both radio and television the Easter Parade of Stars auto show from New York's Waldorf Astoria hotel Just four weeks from tonight We will bring you the exciting dramatization of the only round-the-world automobile race ever run The program will starve and Johnson and will originate from the grand ballroom of the Waldorf where the auto show Will be in progress. That's Monday April 6th And of course you're invited to join us next week for our regular suspense program Next week a story about heroism as we document the attempt of three brave men to conquer The mountain our star mr. John Hodiak. That's next week on suspense Suspense is produced and directed by Elliot Lewis with music composed by Lucian Morrowick and conducted by Ludglustin The dead alive was adapted for suspense by Sam Raul from the story by Wilkie Collins In tonight's story Mary Jane Croft is heard as Naomi Lamont Johnson is Silas Jeanette Nolan as Letty and Joseph Kearns as mr. Jago Herbert Marshall can currently be seen in the RKO production angel face This is the CBS radio network