 Remember a Hallmark card when you carry enough to send the very best. Night from Hollywood, the makers of Hallmark cards bring you Van Heflin in the Pathfinder on the Hallmark Playhouse. Big Hallmark brings you Hollywood's greatest stars in outstanding stories and presents as your host one of the most distinguished actors of the American Theater, Mr. Lionel Barrymore. This is Lionel Barrymore. Well, tomorrow is the birthday of America's great novelist James Venomore Cooper. So tonight on Hallmark Playhouse we thought it would be a good idea to dramatize one of his most famous stories, The Pathfinder. You may be surprised to know that Mr. Cooper, who wrote so excitingly about the life of the scout on the ever-broadening frontiers of America, was himself a gentleman, a position, polish, and some means. But it's a fact. And it's even more surprising how he came to be a writer in the first place. Maybe he just had a streak of honor in this, isn't it? Like a lot of youngsters have it one time or another. But anyway, one day after reading a novel he arose in anger and announced that he could write a book just as good as that himself. Well, he wrote one, all right, but it was just about as bad. Well, he was smart enough to know it, though, and went to work on another immediately. Well, sir, right then and there he began molding a new literature that had its roots in our own American soil. The Leather Stalking Tales. Our story tonight is the third in this famous series, The Pathfinder. And our story is that fine Hollywood actor, Van Heflin. And now here is Frank Goss from The Makers of Hallmark Cog. When you're looking for a way to say something to someone you care for, look for a Hallmark card and you'll find the card you want to send. Because Hallmark cards are designed to say what you want to say, just the way you want to say it. With the good taste you demand of anything that bears your personal signature. That's why Hallmark on the back of a greeting card has come to mean you cared enough to send the very best. Lionel Barrymore appears by arrangement with Metro Golden Mayor, the producers of the technical picture, Ivan Ho, starring Robert Taylor, Elizabeth Taylor and Joan Fontaine. And now here is the first act of James Fenimore Cooper's The Pathfinder, starring Van Heflin. The greatest scout in the forest. One never saw his little blight in the Lake Country for hunting, trapping, fishing, and shooting the rabbits for penetrating the forest, proud-witting the wildest Indian for enduring all the hardships that nature could pit against him. No one who saw him would ever forget it. But of them all, there were two whose memories of The Pathfinder were like no one else's. Jasper Weston, who won. All that I knew of the lore of the forest, I had learned from him. To me, he had been both teacher and friend, and I owed him allegiance above all others. Yes, there were two whose memories of The Pathfinder were like no one else's. Jasper Weston for one, and Mabel Dunham for the other. The Pathfinder was like a father, kind, wise, ready with his strength when strength was needed, ready with sympathy when that was needed. I honored him above all men, except my own father. There were two who had special memories of The Pathfinder, and The Pathfinder would always carry in his heart special memories of them. Jasper Weston was like my son, and Mabel Dunham? Mabel Dunham was a woman made of dreams. At any rate, she was the woman made for mine. I loved them both. We'll love them as long as life is mine. I'd heard Mabel's father talk of his daughter in England for years, but I had no idea that she could ever enter our lives, until one day when Sergeant Dunham sent for me. Pathfinder, I have a favor to ask of you. Oh, you know it's yours if it's in my power. My daughter is on her way here in Carver, Uncle. Your daughter? Yes. They should be arriving at the Oswega River sometime early next week. I plan to meet them and guide them here, but with this latest Indian uprising, the lieutenant says I'm needed here. Well, it's an unfortunate time for your daughter to be traveling. Aye, but she would come, and there was little I could do to stop her all these miles away. Could you take Jasper Weston and your Indian friend? How do they call him? The Mohicans call him Chingaguk. That means the serpent. Could you take the serpent and Jasper and give her safe conduct here to the port? These are dangerous times, Sergeant, but I can try. I can try. Late of an afternoon, late summer in the forest. But when Mabel Dunham smiled and held out her hands to me, I thought for a moment we stood alone in a spring morning. So you're the Pathfinder. I've heard of you. All the way back to Albany, I've heard of you. You're almost a legend to me. Well, you to me. I've heard your father speak of you so often. How is my father? Well, well, and anxious to have you with him. I'm anxious to be with him, too. Will we start in the morning for the fort? No, no, we must go straight on now. There are Indian war parties all through the forest. The quicker we get to the fort, the better. We have the supplies in the canoes, Pathfinder. Oh, good. The serpent will lead us down the river. You'll follow in your canoe, Jasper. I'll take Miss Dunham in mind. Roofle River. Hard to believe there could be danger anywhere along it. Well, beauty and death are usually very close together in this land. Tell me, does everyone call you Pathfinder? But surely you have another name. Well, none I like as well. Listen, what's that? The rapids. We'll land up ahead and then go below and foot and continue. Look, the serpent's holding his paddle aloft. That means danger. Get as far down in the canoe as you can make it. Yes, I can see that. I never thought it would be. There, you're safe now. In a few short hours, you'll be in your father's arms. Pathfinder for bringing my daughter safely here? Well, the poor child. I'm afraid I scared the life out of her more than once. She didn't seem too disturbed by any of her adventures. I think she's going to take to this country. How long is her visit to us? I hope it's going to be more than a visit. I hope she'll stay here. Marry her. Make her home. She's grown up in different surroundings than this. She's used to a different life. Do you think she could be happy? I think she could. With a man like you? A man like me? You're joking. No, I'm not. I set my heart on Mabel marrying you a long time ago. That's one reason I asked her to come here. Why ask you to meet her? Sergeant, I'm old enough to be Mabel's father. You're young enough to be acknowledged the bravest scout in the country? I'm a back woodsman. She's a city girl. Her father's a back woodsman? Then you saved her father's life. Do you think I've forgotten that? No, she must marry someone of her own choosing, Sergeant. Perhaps she's not to your fancy. Is that it? Is that why you're making all these excuses? More likely she is too much to my fancy. I've lived alone a long time. But I didn't know how lonely it had been until I saw your daughter. If she... if she would love me... Dear God, if she would love me, she shall love you, Pathfinder. The dearest wish of my heart will be fulfilled. You must tell Mabel how you feel, and I will tell her of my wishes in this night. No, don't say anything until I've had a chance to talk to her. You won't wait for long. How can I wait? Mabel Dunham made her home at the Fort. She was young, beautiful, free of heart, and soon, though she was the daughter of a sergeant, even the officers were vying for her smiles. I watched and waited, pondering her father's words as the days went by. My young friend Jasper seemed to be the only man in the place who was not in open competition for her. I envied him his absorption and other matters. We were getting a party ready to relieve a besieged garrison. And Jasper was fully occupied with that. He was to captain the boat. I don't know why the sergeant insists on taking his daughter. It's inconvenient, and it's dangerous. Well, he doesn't want to leave her here without his protection. You don't want to leave her here either, do you? No. No, Jasper, I don't. The Indians are attacking every garrison now. I want Mabel close by, close enough that I can fight for her whenever that's necessary. I see. Does she know how you feel? Well, no, I've not told her. I've cried, but... somehow it's taken more courage than I could muster. More courage than you could muster? Why? Well, you're the bravest man in the forest. No, not since I've met her, Jasper. Well, enough of that. Let's round up the party and start the island. Appearances aren't deceiving. Well, there's a blackout. Yes. Now, if there's trouble, we'll have to go to the garrison. Yes. Now, if there's trouble at any time, I want you to run for that building just as fast as you can and lock yourself in. You sound as though you expected something to happen. Well, we're deep in Indian country. This garrison has been besieged for months off and on. You must know what to do in any emergency. You're very kind to me, Pathfinder. We're putting into show and all, Pathfinder. Doesn't Jasper handle the book well? She's a splendid sailor, isn't he? I stood there, watching her. Watching her look up the Jasper. I should have realized then. But my heart was too full of my own longing. Now, I mean, she turned and smiled at me. She was beautiful. More beautiful than any woman had ever been before. More beautiful than any woman would ever be again. I wanted to tell her then how I felt, but... Well, we were landing and the moment was gone. We arrived at the Fort Sargent Dunham, ordered half a dozen of the soldiers to stay with the naval and the rest of us went out to scout around the island. There was an uneasiness in the air. I felt it and the serpent felt it too. We circled the island in the canoe, feeling that unseen eyes were watching us. And I felt an increasing urgency to get back to the camp. When we finally returned, it looked normal in us. As we approached, soldier was fishing by the stream. Two others stood outside of the blockhouse. It was peaceful. Almost disturbingly peaceful. And then suddenly, the serpent spoke the chilling thoughts that I'd been pushing from me. I'd find those men dead, the man who fishes, soldiers outside blockhouse. See, they're not move. They put like dead to trap us. Mabel. I'm not a seeker. Maybe she's dead or prisoner. I'll have to find that out for myself. You go to Fort. Now you walk in trap. It's set for you. You go, you do what they want you do. Maybe I can get inside without their knowing. She'll be fooled to try. I've got to try. It's almost dark. That's in my favor. Slip over the side and try to get in the Fort the back way. I'll come with you. No, no. You stay here and try to warn the others. You fail. You die. If I fail, she's lost. It doesn't matter whether I die or not. Jingle, go for you. You stay here. You're one of those. No, thank you, my friend. But I must go myself. You not find way to her. You not know where she is. If I can't find my way to her, then my name is a mockery and all my knowledge has failed me when I needed it the most. Farewell, my friend. Farewell, my friend. We will return to the second act of the Pathfinder, starring Van Heflin. In Holland, there's a superstition that a stork brings good luck to a household when it nests on the rooftop. And here in America, a stork means good luck too, for it symbolizes the arrival of a brand new baby. Whether you're a parent or relative or a close friend, your part in the welcoming ceremony is always a happy one. You may give a shower for the mother to be or send flowers to the hospital, or you may be the wife who is bolstering up the courage of your anxious husband. At any rate, when the time comes to send out special greetings, you'll find hallmarked baby cards or ideal messengers. Today, hallmarked baby congratulation cards, clever hallmark birth announcements, and thank-you notes, and even cards to tell an expectant mother or father to be that you share the joy of their good news. So if a blessed event is on the way, why not let hallmarked baby cards help you celebrate it? Remember that hallmark on the back of every greeting you choose will tell your friends you cared enough to send the very best. Now back to Lionel Barrymore on the second act of the Pathfinder starring Van Heflin. In the instructions of the Pathfinder, Mabel had locked herself in the blockhouse at the first sound of alarm. Then powerless to help, she'd watched the massacre of the soldiers and had seen the macabre trap the Indian set for her father and his men. Her own situation seemed hopeless, but she didn't realize the power and cunning of the Pathfinder. Pathfinder, unbolt the door quickly, quickly! I thought I'd never see you alive again. How did you get here? It was easier than it might have been earlier. The Indians had discovered our supplies of food and rum. They're not exactly vigilant at the moment. My father? I left this serpent to warn everyone he could. Can we get away from this place now? There's no safer place than we are right now. The Indians can't scale these walls or penetrate them with arrows. The wood is green. They won't be able to set fire to it. But how can my father and a handful of men retake the fort even if the serpent does warn them? Don't forget the ship. There are guns on that ship and their men demand them. If the serpent reaches Jasper, you'll put an end to all this. And I'll be there in the meantime. I want you to try to relax and rest. How much I owe you? No. No, you owe me nothing. I owe you my life. You're the braveest couple. Abel! Abel, move in now! Father! Stand away from the door. I'm going to try to open it. Tell me, Sergeant. That's it. Breathe to the floor. Easy. For his maneuvering the boat in, I'll hear the guns. You'll be safe now. Father! Maybe the Pathfinder is the finest man I've ever known. I want to know that I am leaving you in his hands. You're leaving me in his hands, Father. Maybe. Cherisher. Make her happy, Pathfinder. As long as I live. How can I bear to leave my father here in this enemy's soil to betray him? My dear, your father was a soldier. He sleeps as a soldier would. In a battlefield, he's honored with his blood. Those are a man's words, Pathfinder. I'm afraid they can be a little comfort to a woman. Well, I've known few women. I have much to learn about them, I'm afraid. Pathfinder, I'm going to take one last look about the port. I'll wait on board. Why did she run off so suddenly? Who can tell why a woman does anything? Jasper, have you and Mabel quarreled about something? We've never spoken enough to quarrel about anything. Well, it seems to me there's something wrong between you. Whenever you're together, I feel a tenseness. I don't quite know how to put it. Don't waste your time with thoughts like that. Mabel is going to be your wife. I'd like her to be your friend as well. You and I have always been so close, boy. I'm afraid that's impossible. Possible? Why? If I'm going to take a last look around the port, I'd better be at it. You haven't answered me, Jasper. I haven't any answer to make. Now, we've been friends too long for that, Jasper. I want the truth. What do you hold against Mabel? What can I hold against her? I hold against her the thoughts that turn my blood to fire. The words that crowd my tongue and can't be spoken. The longing, the loneliness, the torment I've known since I first saw her. Yes, as I feared, as I feared. Why did you make me tell you? Now the words are said. They'll be between us forever. Mabel, you must tell her. No, she has a right to know how you feel. She shall make her own choice between us. I'll not tell her. Then I will. Other to cherish you and to make you happy. If your happiness is with Jasper, then you must go to him. And what if your happiness path find her? Do you think I could find happiness with you knowing that your heart is with Jasper? And it is with him. Find him and tell him. I didn't want to hurt you like this. I never meant for you to know. Jasper and I have never once spoken the law. You go to him. You're free to speak now. That's best for all of us. I'd be a hard man to keep in a cabin. I've lived on the trails too much of my life. A woman belongs in a house, but I... I belong to the paths of the forest. I stood leaning on my gun. Mabel and Jasper walked away from me out of my world. And into their own. I loved them both. Would love them both as long as life was mine. And when they were out of sight, I turned toward the forest. And there was this serpent waiting silently. I followed him into the wilderness. I had come to the end of one path. It was time for the path finder to start on another. Wappings were simply a length of colored ribbon and plain white tissue paper. Years ago, there was little you could do to give a gift package that extra just-for-you touch of glamour, which means so much. Now, of course, all that has changed. Today, gift wrapping has become an art, like flower arranging or interior decorating. And that's why the makers of hallmark cards bring you such a complete selection of new gift wrappings every single season. You see, all year long, talented artists design the patterns and create the color combinations that distinguish hallmark gift wrappings from all others. These experts actually scale their designs with specific box sizes in mind. You'll find tiny patterns for little boxes, big bold prints for the largest gifts of all, and a host of festive styles. And here's an important plus. You can choose seals and tags in exactly the same patterns as your gift paper with bright ribbons to match. Next time you want to make a nice gift even nicer, select the wrappings with the hallmark and crown, the symbol that means you'll carry enough to send the very best. Here again is Lionel Barrymore. Van Heflin, it's good to have you with us on Hallmark Playhouse, and thanks for an excellent performance. The Pathfinder you gave us tonight was perfect. Well, I surely enjoyed being here, Mr. Barrymore. Good stories about our early frontiersmen are always stimulating. You know, those early settlers certainly had to have a lot of courage to explore and develop this country. Oh, you bet they did. But you know, van courage is one thing Americans have never lacked, even though every generation has a different problem to face. Nowadays, our lives are so dependent on other people that it gets pretty complicated. Trouble is, we get so busy, we forget the other fellow. Often one word from us, you would do a lot of good and help to renew his courage. Yes, that's right, Mr. Barrymore. And it's particularly true when you're away. You know, in the service, it wasn't how long, but how often we heard from home that really counted. As a matter of fact, that's a pretty good reason for sending hallmark cards, isn't it? It's certainly, it's been certainly. Those cards represent true thoughtfulness from one person to another, and thoughtfulness always helps to renew courage. Something all of us need at one time or another. Yes, well, goodbye. And thanks again, Mr. Barrymore. I've got to get home now and start packing. Oh, that's right. I'll show you, you're leaving tomorrow or on tour, aren't you? Yes, we're traveling the poet's surprise play of The Shrike through the eastern part of the country, and I'm really looking forward to it. But I'll certainly be listening to you next Sunday night. Who's going to be with you on the hallmark playhouse, Mr. Barrymore? Next Sunday night? Why, Jane Weinman is going to be with us next week as our guest talks, and our story will be about a woman who has a birthday. Just like a woman, she gets worried about being a year older. It's Mary Bard's latest novel, Forty Odd. I know you like it. Hallmark playhouse is every Sunday. Our producer-director is William Gehry. Our music is composed and conducted by David Rose, and our script tonight was adapted by Gene Holloway. Until next Sunday, this is Lionel Barrymore saying, Good night. There are sold only in stores that have been carefully selected to give you expert and friendly service. Remember a hallmark card when you carry it up to send the very best. Van Heflin may soon be seen in Shane, a George Stevens production for Paramount. The role of Mabel tonight was played by Barbara Eiler. Dick Nelson was Jasper. Tom Tully was Dunham, and the Indian was Ted D'Corsia. Every Sunday, hallmark cards present two great programs for the whole family's enjoyment. On radio, the hallmark playhouse with host Lionel Barrymore. And on television, outstanding dramatic entertainment on the hallmark television theater. Consult your paper for time and station. If you live in areas where registrations have not yet closed and you have not registered to vote in the November elections, be sure to do so at once. Remember, your vote is the important one. This is Frank Goss saying, Good night to you all until next week at the same time. When hallmark playhouse returns to present Jane Wyman and Mary Barb Sporty-Odd, and the week following Clyde Brion Davis' Nebraska Coast starring Fred McMurray, and the week after that, Jane Austen's Mansfield Park on the hallmark playhouse. This is the CBS Radio Network. KMBC, Kansas City, Missouri.