 No, Dricky were somewhere else. Escape! We have a man who is to die at the hands of... as Hugh Cave tells it in his silent horror. That watch, eh? Well, why I keep it hanging up there? Do you own the bar? They're strangers, I mean. Of course, none of that. Radio station 2. Here you are. Take a look. Twenty-one jewels. A sealed case. Belong to Tom Dawson, the painter. He was a little washed-out guy, or we'd look kind of lost. Nobody knew much about him, except he painted good pictures. I didn't know much about Elizabeth either. That girl he brought up from Sydney. That was pretty easy to guess about her. She gave him the watch. Yeah. Still runs if you want it, see? Got quite a tick if you hold it close up to your ear. And a little light jungle drum, way off in the distance. I suppose that's how it sounded to Tom Dawson there at the last. Then that watch meant life or death, and they were waiting for him out there in the darkness. Oh, that's quite a story. Only it's kind of hard to know what it starts, see? With Elizabeth, perhaps. Anyhow, Tom was telling it himself in his own words. I think he'd start with Elizabeth. They didn't understand Elizabeth. How it was between us, what she meant to me. None of them did. They gossiped a lot the way they always do in traffic ports. But they didn't really know anything about Elizabeth. They didn't know how sweet and how convincing she could be. How she could wrap a man around her finger. Like the time she gave me the watch. Go on, Tom, open it. I want to see if you like. Like what, Elizabeth? Open it and see. You come home with a package and... It's a watch. It's a good one, too. It's made for the tropics. All sealed and everything. It'll run forever. Yeah, honey, but where'd you find a watch like this in Port Moresby? Well, I didn't exactly. I got it from Captain Ducar. Ducar? He has a trading schooner. I used to know him in Sydney. Yes, I... I think I've heard him mention recently around the bar at the hotel. Probably. He's been in Port for a couple of weeks. Do you really like it, Tom? The watch, I mean. Sure, baby. Who wouldn't? Now, you can always tell just how long you've been away from me. In that case, I won't need it all. It sounds like a heartbeat when you're holding it close. I guess that's what it is in a way. A heartbeat of time. Measure not your life. My life. Second by second. Oh, Tom, that's a morbid idea. Do you love me? Crazy about you. You don't have to bring me presents to keep you that way. I want it too, Tom. Yeah, I know, but this thing's too expensive, Elizabeth. I can't keep it. But you must. I gave it to you. It's worth a couple of hundred dollars. Have you thought of how you're gonna pay for it? Well, I had some savings. I didn't tell you, Bob. I thought you were flat broke when I ran into you in Sydney. Well, I wasn't though. I... Look, Tom, why don't you forget it? Let me worry about it. And anyway, I've already paid for the watch. Why prolong this story? Everybody else knew, and I didn't. That's all right. Pure self-delusion. Because I had plenty of opportunity to know. Insinuations around the hotel bar, talk along the harbor front, remarks about Pierre Ducard. But like I say, I was crazy about Elizabeth. And I ignored it all, went on painting, and didn't know. Maybe I didn't want to know. I'd been out on a two-day painting trip and made it fishing boats. We got back to port a day earlier than I'd expected. It was about midnight when I climbed onto the wharf with my canvases and headed around the harbor front. I walked about 50 yards when I heard it. Came from a schooner moored at the wharf just ahead of me. I walked closer. There was no mistaking that life. Elizabeth. You're like all the others. Pull the words you don't mean. And the schooner was Pierre Ducard. Yeah, but they are pretty words, my carry. And you like to hear them, no? Of course, I like to hear them. And maybe that only shows I'm a fool, too. No, I think it is not you and I are fools. But that does seem to be yours. Well, he's all right. But he's so boring at the time. Elizabeth. How did you like to watch, I sent him? Well, only he wondered how I was going to pay for it. Some men would have killed one or both of them. Other men would have killed themselves. I didn't either. Standing here in the darkness, I realized suddenly that my whole life up to that moment had been completely useless. Nothing. And even Elizabeth, my Elizabeth, had been an illusion of my own like a painting. And the real woman, too, was useless. Harlow, nothing. I threw my paintings into the waters of the harbor, turned away into the night, and ran. Nearly three weeks later, my crazy flight from the past had carried me deep into the black heart of New Guinea. Beyond the dank rainforests are the coast up through the foothills in the mid-slope jungles of Bamboo and Lyanna. Until I stood one morning in a narrow pass that led through steep-walled rocks to a hidden valley. And I knew that civilization lay far behind. That the Papuan natives who moved towards me were headhunters, cannibals. The chief of the tribe, a giant of a man towering a foot or more above me, raised his arms. Why you come here, why double? I'm Tom Dorset. Why you come here? I've come to live with you, if I may. May I? Where you come from? A place called Port Moresby, many days from here. You're a headman, that place? No, no, and I don't have any wish to be headman here. You could not be headman you aren't. I, Ramabu, headman here. With hands alone, Ramabu can kill any man in tribe. I don't doubt it. Can't kill you too. I don't doubt that either. I show you. I hold you over my head like this. Feel good? How you like? I think you're not be headman here. I think you're not good for much anything. No, I... I guess I'm not. I guess that's why I ran away. Why I came here. You still want to live here? Yes. All right, you stay. But you cause trouble, I kill you. Understand? Yes, I understand. But you... The weeks went by and gave me little time for thinking or remembering. I built a house at the far end of the valley, planted a garden, roamed the woods to search for berries and nuts, and lived the life the natives lived. Timing each day by the watch which I still wore on my wrist. I was fairly content. Pass seemed far away. Then Jerry came into my life. I had gone exploring in the north end of the valley and when I came back at dusk, she was waiting in the door of my house. Young, brown skin, beautiful. Hello? My name is Jerry. I've been watching you. Why? Just because. You did not notice me though. Why should I notice you? Well, are you not like other men? What are you doing here? I come to live with you. I don't want anybody living with me. It is not good to be alone. Who will sweep your floors and cook for you? I do those things myself. But it is better to have a woman. Not for me. You will not let me stay? No. All right. I come again tomorrow. Maybe you change your mind. Not a chance. We see. Good night. That was the beginning and in a way the beginning of the end. Jerry came back the next day and the next and the next. I argued, pled, cursed. But nothing I could do would change that round-eyed persistence of hers in the least. And then I made the first big mistake. It started the whole mess. It involved the watch. You're late tonight. A little while longer. All the things I cooked for you would be spoiled. What of it? I didn't ask you to come here. I can cook for myself. Bah! Look what I have cooked. A strawberry cake, jam, chestnut. Jerry, I've told you over and over again you've got to stop coming here. Why? Because I said so. Perhaps it's because you think I am ugly? You know better than me. You're lovely. That's a trouble. I do not understand you. I mean you have no business hanging around here. Look, Jerry, I already have a woman, a wife, back in Port Moresby. You love her? Yes. She is coming here again? No, no, she won't be coming. Then it does not matter. What good is she? That's not the point. Look, she gave me this. See, it says from Elizabeth. That's her name. To Tom. That's me. What is this thing? It's a watch. What does it do? Well, it counts the hours. Tells what time the sun will come up and tells when it will go down. How does it do these things? Is it magic? Well, yes, in a way you could call it magic. And that is why you will not let me stay? Because the woman has given you this thing? That's right. But she has not come in here? No, she isn't. You know what I think? No. I think you're a big fool. Jerry talked, of course, told the villagers about the magic watch. By 2003s they came to look at it, stare at it solemnly, exchange a word or so of gossip and depart. I welcomed them at first, realized how lonely I'd been, except for Jerry's daily visits. Now I'd suddenly become a popular celebrity. But there was one thing I hadn't counted on, and that one thing was Ramaboo. Much talk in village of magic thing you keep here. Ramaboo, come see this thing. I'm glad you did. Welcome to my house. House? Fine house. You build with magic? No, I just happen to know a few things about construction. Better house than Ramaboo. Thanks. Not good for one how better house than headman. Here, do you want to see the watch? So this magic thing Ramaboo hear about. Oh, it isn't really magic, it's just a watch. You and I know that. Jerry say magic, tell sun and moon. Well, you know how women talk. Yeah, magic thing. Fine house. You know what I say when you come here? Yes. What I say? You said if I caused any trouble you'd kill me. It's right. With these hands I kill you. But I didn't think I'd caused any trouble. Just one way go out of valley. And guard watch all time. I'm not planning to escape if that's what you mean. You remember now. Ramaboo headman here. And Ramaboo can kill you. I watched him stride off sneering a little swaggering. I knew of course that he had the mind and attitudes of a ten-year-old child and that he was dangerous. But I didn't realize how deadly. Not then. So I went right ahead and made my one big final mistake. We will return to escape and tonight's story the silent horror in just a moment. Lots of folks will be driving on our highways during the Labor Day weekend. It's a weekend for pleasure so let's keep it pleasant for everyone. Stay the traffic laws. Don't speed. Stay on the right side of the road and don't drink when you drive. Be careful. The life you save may be your own. And now back to escape. That's all right. It's the same watch you've figured in all of Tom Dawson's troubles. Right up to the end. Or especially at the end you might say. Of course I didn't get it from Tom himself. Now a back country trader named Will Jones has been hanging there behind the bar ever since. And once in a while I wind it up when some stranger asked me what it's there for like you did. Ticks away as good as new. It was a fellow I got the story from too but sometimes listening to that watch ticking away I can almost imagine that Tom's telling the story himself in his own words. The week after Rambo came to see the watch I started on a new project. Weeks before I'd found a spring in a waterfall halfway up the cliffs behind my house and I thought of a way to use hollow bamboo tubes to pipe the water to my kitchen. I spent nearly a month cutting the bamboo carrying it up to the cliff and fitting the lengths together. And then one day everything was ready and I turned the water into my new aqueduct. The villagers heard of course the marvel taste of water and look at me ascance. Jerry was around during all those weeks there seemed to be nothing I could do to get rid of it but perhaps I was growing less inclined to get rid of it. I suppose I should have expected trouble but I didn't when trouble finally did come it came right to my door. What is this? What's it all about? Rambo what's this all about? I come find out if man who live in better house than Rambo man who make river come to house can also fight. Fight? You want spear, club or hand. I don't want any of them. What reason have I got to fight with you? Maybe you want be a head man. Of course not. I told you that before. I got any punk out there gonna be no. Yes, people say you're a big man. Say we fight, see who is head man. I see. I don't have a choice is that it? You want spear, bear hand. What's the difference? I'm not good at any of them. It was pleasant here. I thought maybe. Well Rambo let's get on with it. I kill you bear hand. Lift your high like this. Throw you on ground. I'll kill you magic man. Stop, stop. If you kill him Rambo the magic thing that makes the sun come up will stop. He told me so. It's lie not true. There will never be a sun again. Only night and darkness. Javi, bunch of deliverers. Jocopi, Jocopi, Pango. Man, Javo. There's no use Rambo. They will not let you kill him. Rambo, put him down. Put him down. You tell them lie. You live for a while. But I think this magic thing like bamboo sway and wind. I think one day it stop. When it stop I think sun still come up. If that happen I kill you. Come on, come on. Jiri, I guess I owe you my life. Such as it is. Whatever you want of me. Love the woman, love me. Jiri, if I dared love any woman it would be you. I'm bigger fool than you. I wish I let him kill you. Rambo came the next morning to look at the watch. He saw that it was running and left without a word. And he came the next day and the next and the next. First it was amusing but gradually the terror began to creep in. As long as it ran I'd live and whenever it stopped for whatever reason I'd die. I took the wine that a half a dozen times a day and hold it to my ear and listen to it. The drums in the village seemed to be constant. The drums of watch in my own heartbeat became mixed into one crazy quilt of sound. Craziest still when I came down with malaria. When Rambo came and saw the fever in my face he smiled and left and I cursed him as I wound the watch for the third time since dawn. Two nights later Jiri slipped into my room. You are sick. I have heard you are sick. It's a fever. Where have you been all week? They would not let me come. Tonight they ran away for a while. What do you mean? I mean if my father accepts the marriage gift I am to be the wife of Rambo. He is head man. I had no choice. Do you care? What if I did? I ask you. Do you? If you were married to me you could only look forward to being a widow. There is a way. If you care enough. Wait. Just stop. What is wrong? Here. Let me have it. I got to get it started. I must have forgotten to wind it. What are you doing? What are you saying? It won't run. It won't run. Rambo will find out. What is this running? Hold it to your ear. Where is the drums? I thought it was a watch. I thought it was a watch. Listen. There is a way out of the valley. I know about it. So do I, Jiri. There are twenty guards watching. No. I mean another one. It is behind the waterfall where you made the magic thing of Rambo. What? A little path goes up the cliff. It is steep. Could I have climbed it? We can go together if you care. But I'm sick. Maybe in a day or two. If the magic thing stops a day or two, maybe too late. If I'd known about it a week ago before I caught the fever. In a few days I may be married to Rambo. All right. Marry him. Don't say that. I'm sick, Jiri. I can't do it. Go ahead and marry him if you want. Leave me alone. I tossed away the hours at night and day. Lying on my cot baton sweat. And time itself seemed to gel into one great mass of fever with no form nor dimensions. And the fever sang in my ears when I strained to hear the watch. Sometimes I mistook the drums of my own heart. I fought to stay awake, to keep my senses to live. Fought against odds it grew greater by the hour. Sometimes in my delirium I thought that Jiri had slipped into the room like a ghost had wound the watch and talked to me and left. But I could never remember anything that she'd said. And then finally one night, just before dawn, I woke and knew suddenly the name of the terror. Jiri, Jiri are you here? It's like it stopped. The watch is broken and stopped. Sometimes in a fever there comes a moment of clarity and strength and I knew suddenly what I must do. Without trying to find the watch, I leave from my cot and headed for the waterfall. By daylight I was halfway up the rock wall, drenched by the falling spray and dog tie. But the slope from here on was gentler and I kept moving on up the cliff. Now and then I stopped to look back. And that's when I saw. Jiri! But I saw something else too. Jiri was a hundred feet below me and beyond her at the base of the cliff was Ramabou in half the tribe. There was nothing I could do now, but... Mommy! I saw Ramabou raise his bow, draw back the arrow and let it go. I saw her fall and lie there on the rocks. I saw Ramabou pick her up, carry her back toward the village. I knew the greatest thing I'd ever owned was gone. My life was once again and this time truly useless. They turned and plunged into the jungle. Three months later when Tom Dawson showed up in Port Moresby again, Elizabeth had sold all his paintings and left on Ducard's schooner long before so. Tom moved into his old house and he stayed pretty clear of everybody, except for a night here in the bar now and then. He didn't tell any of us what he'd done or where he'd been. I suppose we never would have known if that hadn't been for a coincidence I was tending bar just as I am now and suddenly some fellow walks up and slaps a carder. On your feet, Joe! We'll join us this back in time! Well, what's that? I'm six months dry and rare to go. Where have you been to WB? Oh, so far back countries never even heard of beads. How can you cheat them? Oh, say, I stumbled under something. Oh, you remember that painter Tom Dawson? Yes. Well, you remember that watch, what's her name? I'll give them a... Well, there it is. Well, where'd you get that? In a forsakenest piece of country I've ever found in 20 years of trading. Believe me, Joe, if I... Where'd you get that watch? Where'd you get that watch? Well, I guess from the person you left it with. I didn't leave it with anybody. That's not what she said. What do you mean? Tell me, who? Was it Jerry? Yeah, yeah, that's her name. She's living in that house you built. Alone, if you're interested. What about him? Oh, the head man. Yes. Yeah, well, it seems he lost face when he let you get away. They figured you for their good luck or something. Anyway, they put him out a long time ago. And Jerry, she's all right. She's living in my house. Yeah, yeah, alone. She made that plenty clear in case... Thanks for everything. Yeah, I'm glad... Hey, hey, where you going? Well, what about this watch? It's yours. Well, I'll be up. Hey, Joe. Yes? This watch for a bottle. How about it? It was five or six years ago. Nobody around here has ever seen Tom Dawson since. It was all of us. They got a pretty good idea where he went though. Yeah. And I'll lay out some one thing, stranger. I'll bet you he's after it. The direction of Norman MacDonald Escape has brought you the silent horror by Hugh Cave, specially adapted for radio by Les Crutchfield, starring Harry Bartell with Georgia Ellis. Reached in the cast were Jack Krushen, Ben Wright, Ann Diamond, Stan Waxman, and Luke Rougman. The special music for Escape is composed and conducted by Leith Stevens. The light, heavyweight boxing title goes up on the chopping block later tonight when champ Joey Maxim squares off against challenger Bob Murphy. With this exciting championship go, your Wends Denight fight exclusives on CBS Radio begin another action-packed season. Don't miss it, blow-by-blow for most of these same stations later tonight. Next week, Hearthstone of the Death Squad returns to the air. Be sure to listen next week at the same time for the first of this new series. Clarence Cassell speaking. This is the CBS Radio Network.