 Listen to Herbert Marshall as the man called X. Wherever there is mystery, adventure, intrigue, in all the strange and dangerous places of the world, there you will find the man called X. It's the largest island in the Mediterranean. It guards the gateway to Turkey, Greece, Suez, the Middle East. We saved it from one enemy during World War II. We may be losing it to another in the Cold War of today. The name of the island? Sicily. In the small village of Eriksi, Sicily. A country pale as being held. A lad of sixteen stands in the throng surrounding one of the prize attractions. Then, steps forward toward the proud beaming exhibit. Buongiorno, senor. Buongiorno, my young friend. Is there something I can do for you today? There is, senor. You have something for sale that I wish to buy. Ah, Sisi. Undoubtedly, you are a wealthy landowner for somewhere about. Who wishes to purchase farming equipment for your large estate, eh? No, senor. But I am interested in something here. I wish to purchase that tractor. Ah, the farm tractor. It is no wonder you are interested in that, my lad. It is the only one of its kind ever to be brought here. It cannot be duplicated this side of Palermo. Look at it, my friend. A rocket giant of a machine that will do the work of fifty horses on your farm. Senor, we are wasting time. Please, be quiet, young one. See, my friends, this marvelous machine was constructed in the United States of America. And I guarantee that it's not only... Senor, I said that we are wasting time. I have already told you I wish to purchase the tractor. So, you wish to purchase it, do you? And what of the lyrite will require to make such a purchase? That is unimportant, senor. That tractor would mean salvation for hundreds of people. Salvation? What nonsense is this? The tractor is priced at twenty-five hundred American dollars. Now, either you let me see your money or get out of here. I have here, senor, enough lira for two hundred and seventy-three American dollars. I ask that you accept them and partial payment for the tractor. Partial payment? The next four, when our harvest is in, we shall pay the remainder. Why, you... You cannot refuse, not when the very life of our village... Get out! Get out, you, you! Waste of my time, will you? Talk nonsense about salvation, will you? Well, I shall give you a less-new long remand. All right, let's go, the boy. Do not interfere in something that does not concern you. I shall let go of him. See, senor, I will let go, so I can take care of you. Not that way, my friend. Thank you, senor. It was a great favor. Someday, Alberto will repay you. Well, why not do it now, Alberto? I'll, senor. Satisfy my curiosity. I'd like to know the connection between a twenty-five hundred dollar tractor and salvation. You see, senor, I was sent here to the fair by the people of my village, the village of Chento. Chento? A small farm community, isn't it? Some seventy-five kilometers north of here? Yes. And without that tractor, Chento would be a dead village within a year. How does that figure? Our land is rough and balance, senor. Our farming equipment is crude and old, and most of our young men have gone to the cities for work. But you only have two hundred and seventy-three dollars. It was all the money my people could raise. The women even sold their wedding rings. Well, didn't you know it wouldn't be enough? All I know is that my village cannot be allowed to die. Yes. I think you're right. You have a return to Chento, Alberto. And you bring a no tractor with you. That is true, Mianona. But I have brought this gentleman to visit. He is senor Ken Thurston, senor Thurston, my grandmother, senora Asunta. I'm honored, senora Asunta. I'm glad you're welcome, senors. Alberto, go into the house and have some wine. And perhaps some biscuits may be found for our guests. You must be very proud of your grandson, senora. Ah, I see. He is a wonderful lad, Alberto. A dreamer. Thinker. Even a prophet in his way. Prophet? See, senor? That is why the villager sent him to Arachel when he had his dream. Oh? What dream was there? Of a resurrection, senor. A new life at the Canto Chento. To be brought here by the presence of a tractor. I see. What about the troubles of the village, senora? Ah, they are not difficult to understand, senora. First, if I cheese thee, then hither war. Afterwards, poverty, hunger. Yes. Is it any wonder that our young people's minds are filled with thoughts of revolution and violence, that they no longer look toward Rome for help, but toward Moscow? And the same is true in much of Sicily, senor. That is why we must have the tractor to prove that we can help ourselves, bring back prosperity to our lands and people. I can't argue with that, Alberto. It's all, senora Sonda. I say that our child prodigy has returned and without the promised tractor, eh? And if he has, senor Saveli? Maybe perhaps your villagers will listen to me now rather than this infant prophet of yours. Are you willing to sell your lands to me now, eh? Sell them. At the price that you wish to pay, we would be giving them away. Call it what you will, senora. At least I offer you something. But you will have to decide quickly. The ones the planting says nays over, I will no longer be interested. Do you have my offer? It will remain open until he is the sunbathe. Sounds like he's trying to buy a bombing land around here for practically nothing. Yes, senora. So far, most of the villagers will not sell to him because of Alberto's dream about the tractor. But if we cannot give them the means to to make something of the land... I don't think you have to worry about that any more, senora. I've a hunch that Alberto's prophecy is going to come true. That's right, chief. We've got ECA funds earmarked for farm machinery. Our chief, it's not red tape we have to worry about in Sicily. Pagong Zellschmidt was hanging around the ECA offices in Palermo. Have him pick up a requisition order and bring it to me at the village fair in Aritzi. Chief, all I know is that hungry people get desperate. And desperate people are capable of anything. Even of taking swords that have been beaten into plowshares and beating them back into swords again. And for me, senor Saveli... Say, Juliana, say. I have work for you. He will pay me for it in silver. In silver, Juliana. Ah, boy, what is it you wish me to do? Listen carefully. An Americano by the name of Senor Thurston has just left Chento. Senor Thurston? I think that he intends to purchase a tractor for the village. And the two of us, my friend. We are going to take any measure that might be necessary to say that he does not succeed. In just a moment, we will return to the man called X. The United Negro College Fund by aiding 32 private colleges and universities helps deserving young Americans to become teachers, doctors, social workers who help to bring about interracial harmony wherever they serve. Now, you can share in this constructive work by contributing generously to the 1952 campaign of the United Negro College Fund. The address is 22 East 54th Street, New York City. The man called X, starring Herbert Marshall, with Leon Balasco as Pagans L. Schmidt. It was at a village fair in Sicily that Ken Thurston met the strange and somber lad, Alberto. Alberto, who had a vision of a giant American tractor that would be the symbol of Sicily's future, a tractor that would restore the farmlands to fertility and prove to his people that they could find salvation within themselves and not in the promises of Moscow. Believe me, Mr. X, for a couple of minutes or two, I was thinking that you forgot all about your oldest and dearest friend. Where are you paying that? Oh, sure, giving me the brush out in Palermo. But what did chief call me? And now you're here to render your unvaluable services. Of course, that consideration, of course. So what are we going to do in this crumb-bomb-arichi joint anyway? Buy a tractor. Huh? Buongiorno, signores. And what can I do for you this fine? And what visit you wish this time, senor? That tractor's still for sale. See? Or $2,500 American. I'll take it. Here. The ECA purchase order. The bank here will honor it. You... you are a senior, senor. Grazie, senor, grazie. Have it serviced and ready to run by the night. We'll come back to figure it out. See, senor, I will have it in my shed over there already for you. Okay, peg on. Let's go. $2,500 American. Wait until I tell Maria. Wait. The bank. I must get to the bank before it closes. You are very honest. But you are the one who has the tractor for sale. No, no, not any longer, senor. I have just sold it to the Americano. One more question, please. That tractor, there are no others like it anywhere around. Indeed. Not, senor. Not any closer than Palermo. But you will excuse me. I have a business at the bank. See, I will excuse you, senor. You have been most kind. Most kind indeed. Chiddles you out for $2,500 for a hunk of machinery and you don't even come out of that shed to deliver it. There's a light inside. I wonder... Yeah. Come on. Are they like that? No tractor, no. The joint's empty. Is it? Look up there. There's that rafter. Oh, Mr. Rex. Hanging from that rope. Yeah. But who did it to him, Mr. Rex? Somebody who didn't want that tractor to reach Tiento, who didn't want a miracle to happen at Easter. I don't get it, Mr. Rex. Why did we come down here to the railway station for? Because the tractor was driven here. But it's not here now. Maybe it was loaded on the board that train that's pulling out. No, look here. The lug marks need right over there. Up that ramp to the box car on the siding. Hey, then maybe it's inside there. Come on, let's see. Boy, no ramp, no box car, no tractor. No dream coming true in Tiento. Well, you see, I... We shall be in church Easter Sunday. But it will be no day of blessedness with this village. No day of resurrection for Tiento. If you despair too quickly, Mianona, this is only good Friday. So your person still has two days in which to arrive. He has had more than enough time to buy the tractor at a reach and drive it here. No Alberto, like the Pacheisti and the others. He but crucifies us on a cross of empty promises. Good as it do for us to go to Palermo, Mr. Rex. We buy another tractor there. We couldn't drive it to Tiento in time. That's right, Pagan, so maybe we'll put wings on it and fly it there. I have some information I think you want to hear about Sr. Thurston. What are you talking about, Giuliano? What would you think if the Sr. Thurston drove a tractor into Tiento on this beautiful Easter morning? Are you crazy, Giuliano? We blew up with that tractor. See, see, but we did not blow up the ones in Palermo, Senora. Palermo? See, I saw a cargo plane land about an hour ago, some 20 kilometers from here. A tractor was aboard. And what are you doing here, you fool? We've got to stop it. Senora, to get there, you must drive the tractor over the bridge at Devil's Gorge, see? See? That's right, Senora. And what about that bridge? It has been prepared. Neither Sr. Thurston nor that tractor will ever reach the end of... Chialberto, you still believe the Americano will keep his word to us? He will keep his word, Miunona, if the angel of death does not interfere. The angel of death? See, in church it came to me, division. I saw rushing waters, a dark, brooding sky. There were falling timbers, and overall, the angel of death. A strange vision indeed, Alberto. What is its meaning? I... I do not know as yet, but the vision... the vision... Alberto, what is it? The bridge. That is it. The bridge at Devil's Gorge. I must get there, Miunona. I must get there in time. Some beautiful day, eh, Mr. X? Birds and bees and flowers and stuff. And I bet those people in Chianta will be plenty glad to see us all, eh? I know they will. Oh, sure. This tractor will fix them up all hunk of duty. They'll all be able to go to work again and have food again. They'll be singing and dancing in the streets all done on the whole today. And speak all I had hunk of duty. Oh, no, no. Hold it, Peygon. Huh? Look there, at the road up ahead. Hey, what's that? Don't look. It's just a bridge crossing in a big hole in the ground. Hey, hey, there's somebody in a bug on the other side. Yeah. Alberto. He's waving to us, and calling him stuff. Must be pretty heavy. We're getting there with the tractor all right, eh? As soon as we find out, Peygon. Let's get across that bridge. Oh, they cannot hear me. They're just about to... up there! Up now! Up! Eh, senor, Easter has come. The church services are over, and no wonderful Americano has brought a tractor to resurrect Chianta, eh? Come into the house, senor Saveli. There's nothing I can do now, but sell out our land. You should be thankful that I'm willing to give you anything for your worthless soil. And what about Alberto, and the tractorman, Garizzi? First of all... I asked you a question, Saveli. Should Alberto and the tractorman be thankful to you, too? What do you mean, senor? What about Alberto? Our friend Saveli here doesn't think much of human lives. Lines? You are most free with your accusations, senor. Unfortunately, you cannot have any proof to back them up. Alberto gave us all the proof we need. Tulano? We found him hanging around the bridge, waiting to inspect the job you sent him on. I've heard enough. Do not move. He's the one of you. You're a fool, Thurston. I've already taken it two lives. I would not hesitate to take it two more. Oh, I knew that, Saveli. All right, Pagon, come in. What? Pagon? Here I am, Mr. Thurston. Jiminy, the... He's got a gun. Not for long? Oh, they're like that. You tell me to go on the porch and wait until you call me. Then I walk right into guns and stuff. So, Javeli has killed my grandson, my Alberto. I will take his gun and kill him in time. I will... That's no answer, senora. But I... You'll get justice in the courts. But who was there to save him? Chanto received the justice. And what justice for Alberto? Who has had his life taken from him? I think you're forgetting this is Easter, senora Sumta. Forgetting the meaning of the words, miracle, resurrection. What? What are you saying? Let's go to the door. Look there, down the road. Tractor and driving it, waving towards us and smiling. Hey, it's Alberto. My Alberto. That's right, senora. But I thought, Javeli... Oh, sure, he tried all right. I still don't know how the boy ever lived back there at the bridge. Why not, Pego? It isn't the first time that a miracle's happened around Easter. Here is our star, Mr. Herbert Marshall. Thanks for being with us. And my thanks to Lurine Tuttle, Will Wright, Aaron Reed Jr., Tony Barrett, and Lou Merrill. Next week, a Maverick Steer, a bottle of germ culture and a salty brunette. Plunge Ken Thurston is for a situation that can only mean one thing. Death. That might mean death for you. And for once, there'll be help from Pagon Zelschmidt, otherwise known as Leon Balasco. So join us, won't you, where next I return as the man called X. Good night. X starring Herbert Marshall is a J. Richard Kennedy production with music by Milton Charles. Tonight's story was written by Sidney Marshall. This program is directed by Jack Johnstone. All characters and incidents on this program are fictitious. And any resemblance to actual characters or incidents is purely coincidental. And now until next week, same time and station, this is Hal Gibney saying good night for the man called X. This is NBC, the national broadcasting company.