 Suspense presented by Roma wines made in California for enjoyment throughout the world Sado your health in your Roma toast the world the wine for your table is Roma made in California for enjoyment throughout the world This is the man in black here for the Roma wine company of Fresno, California to introduce this weekly half-hour of suspense Tonight in Hollywood Roma brings you the MGM star mr. Charles Lawton Suspense play which stars Charles Lawton and which is produced and directed by William Spear is called wet Saturday This remarkable and sardonic story is Rather difficult to describe it Well, it most certainly isn't a who-done-it. Is it mr. Lawton? No, no, it definitely isn't the question involved is not a total matter of who done it It's a matter of whether or not the who who done it is going to get it in the neck And if if not then who is regardless of who actually done it. It's very complicated very well put sir And before the curtain rises on suspense will you eavesdrop with me a moment dinner is over a delightful dinner And one of the great homes of a land far to the south and one of the guests is Complementing his host who will your reputation as a host grows with each of your magnificent dinners? That's superb wine tonight. Where did you find such perfection? I will tell you a great secret when I visited our good neighbor in LA the United States I tasted the wines of that California and you instantly it was a great wine country And I learned that some of the very choices minutes producing wine. We enjoyed tonight Roma wine our good neighbor to the south is right our own sunny, California provides perfect conditions of climate And soil to produce some of the world's finest wines and note this What your wine connoisseur of another land prized as an expensive import with import duties and high shipping costs included in his Purchase price comes to you from the great Roma wineries in California as an inexpensive American product Roma's wide varieties of types and Roma's modest cost means that you can enjoy these fine wines often When entertaining guests as a pre-meal appetizer to serve with meals or for after-dinner enjoyment You will be amazed at how little your dealer will ask for an assortment of several types of these fine Roma wines Visit your dealer tomorrow and ask him for Roma R. O. M. A. America's largest selling wine Made in California for enjoyment throughout the world And now with wet Saturday and with the performance of Charles Lawton. We again hope to keep you in Suspense on this rainy afternoon. We should like you to meet the Prince's family and their visitor They are of course at home Mrs. Prince's daughter Millicent George the son and air sprawled on a couch and finally Mr. Prince fighting on a dry pipe their living room is dull and overstuffed Rain beats at the windows. They are any middle-class family at home on a wet day Except for one small item as you sit with them in the living room You can see through the door to the Sun porch a pair of men's feet encased in high black shoes They look like the feet of a cure There is a tenseness in the room the air is charged with excitement But the feet are very still don't keep staring at and listen to me all of you Don't you see they'd hang out. That's what they do. They'd hang out. Oh friend. It's too awful. It's catastrophic The supposedly sweet gentle intelligent girl respected and loved by the whole village doing a thing like this Think of the publicity and the disgrace Do you think I'm going to resign from the bench the vestry and sell out and live in some foggy hotel abroad? Oh, no I'll kill myself. I will I will dub your fool any more than you have been the governor me Oh, you'll be quiet wouldn't miss a benefit for you George everybody in the village knows you're not responsible Get off that couch and sit up in your spine. You might be of a little use here if you could think Oh, but I say governor this this isn't my funeral As long as I can remember George, you've been a trial and tribulation to me. Oh, I can't stand it I can't stand it. You've got to stand it my dear and keep that hysterical note out of your voice dear. Yes We are we're talking about the weather Now George. Yeah George if he fell down the old well say striking his head several times. What about that? Hmm. I really don't know what about it. Don't be an ass George. I'm asking you to think He'd have had to hit the side several times in 30 or 40 feet with all the correct angles. No Oh, we'll have to go over it all again Millicent. Oh, no No, I couldn't I couldn't Millicent We must go over it all again. Yeah, you're torturing her Face facts mate it with him lying there. No use pretending. It's a picnic. You might hang you Millicent. Oh, do stop that shaking Stop it Millicent. Stop it. You must stop it. You must keep your voice quiet Millicent We are talking about the weather Now we will proceed. I can't. I can't not with those feet there You should have thought of that Millie. I'm not moving her. Shut up George and stop shuffling your feet Now Millicent look at me and answer me truthfully. Do you hear answer me? You're in the croaky court. Yes, you know who knew you were in love with this wretched cure The whole village knows they've been snigering about it in the pub for the three years. Shut up George Millicent we continue you're on the croaky court. Yes, you're putting the croaky set into its box Yes, it it was starting to rain. I was carrying the balls and mallets into the Sun porch The box was there. You heard someone enter the garden gate and come across the yard. Yes Could you see who it was not at first? I was going into the Sun porch I threw down all the mallets, but the red one and turned around and it was withers. Yes, so you called him. Yes loudly Did you call him loudly could anyone have heard? No father. I'm sure not. I didn't really call him. I just spoke his name He saw me as I went to the dawn. He just waved his hand and came over. Can I find out from you whether there was anyone about? Whether he could have been seen. I'm sure not father. I'm quite sure. So you both went into the Sun porch. Yes It was raining hard there. What did he say? He said Hello Millie and excuses coming in the back way, but he set out to walk over to listen Yes, and he said passing the park. He'd seen the house and suddenly thought of me He thought he'd just look in for a minute He had something to tell me go on. He said he was so happy. He wanted me to share it He'd heard from the bishop. He was to have vicarage and it wasn't only that It meant he could marry and he began to stutter and get all confused and Because I thought it meant me. Don't tell me what you thought tell me exactly what he said nothing else It's a luxury you can no longer afford tell me what happened No, he said it wasn't me It's Ella bragged in Davis and he was sorry and all that Then he went to go and then I Got mad He turned his back. I had the red mallet of the croak. He said in my hand I'd forgot to drop it in the box when I came and I was just did you shout or scream I mean as you hit him No, I'm sure I didn't did he Come on speak up. You got a tongue in your head. No father and then I Threw it down. I came straight in here. I Went to look for mother And you're sure no one else was about no no one no way the child alone Fred Not such a child mate No, really. I had no idea George. Will you keep quiet? I'm thinking You see George He probably told people who was going to listen certainly no no one knows he came here for he didn't decide until he crossed the park He might have been attacked in the woods. We must consider every detail Curit with his head better than oh, don't bother now. Oh shut up a cure with his head better than Curit with his head better than Well, who wouldn't want to kill with it? Who'd want to kill with those? Well, I would with pleasure. How do you do miss? Well, well, well, well sit down sit down pray you mustn't get up for me miss. Princess. You are the militant my work I'm just being naively on a bad day. I wanted to ask you about those dahlia bulbs, Princess I took a short cut on the count of the rain and walked right in I knew you wouldn't mind He heard you father. Oh dear We can all have our little jokes, can't we? Don't you pretend to be shocked? This way small it the this chair facing the fireplace old man sit down Just straighten the curtain to the sun porch here. It looks so gloomy out there might as well shut the rain out well We were just talking about a little theoretical cure at killing small it young people these days like Sunnyside Justifiable for sonnyside you heard about Ella bragged and Davis. I should be a proper laughing stock Why should you be a proper laughing stock? Oh, I had a shot in that direction myself She half said yes, too. Haven't you heard told most people? Now I'll look as if I were jilted too bad Fortune of war. Yes fortune of war I'll have that happens isn't it? Yeah, sit down small as old man Mother Millicent would you console Captain Smollett with your best light conversation? George and I have something to look at outside the rain, you know very bad very bad come along George I don't know give it perhaps we'll need raincoat. I don't think so George. Just make yourself at home Cigarette to Captain Smollett. Oh, thank you. Thank you Nasty day to be going out. Oh, it's something about the old well Just off the Sun porch door, you know this terrible sudden weather seems to have loosened some of the stones too bad Too dash bad spoils the tennis in the croquet. I mean a day like this Doesn't it Millie? Yes, it does. She was practicing out on the croquet court earlier But do pull your chair near of the fire captain. It was so damp. We thought it would be cozy to light it Thank you. I'm quite comfortable. I I hope you don't feel too bad about Ella bragged and Davis Can't always win, you know Can't understand that what you women see in these bloodless clerics. Oh, I always thought mr. Withers was a Is a very charming man. I quite agree. But why should anyone want to marry him? You wouldn't want to marry him. Would you millie? Not now? That is I I used to Yes, good lord, man, you will come on Mind this old double barrel shotgun. Do you smart? I've been working on it, sir May might I have your attention for a minute? There's something on the Sun porch. I'd like to show you. Oh, uh, yes, yes, of course Smell it George and I went out to see if we could shoot some rats Which have been driven out of the old well by the high water. We're afraid they might get into the house But you must listen to me very carefully very carefully. We'll be shot By accident Prince you what's the matter with you? You heard me ask as you came in who would kill withers You also heard Millicent make a comment an unguarded comment Well, what are they very little unless you were to hear that withers had met with a violent end this afternoon And that my dear small it is what you are going to hear what? withers dead yes Who killed him Millicent? Good lord. Oh shut up sniveling Millie Yes, it's a mess And of course you would have remembered and guessed maybe yes. I I suppose I should therefore you constitute a problem Why did she kill him? It's one of those disgusting things Pityable too. I think She deluded herself that he was in love with her good heavens Miller yes, yes, of course. I see he told her about the Davis Ella Braggton Davis. I understand I have no wish as you will comprehend that she should be proved either a lunatic or a murderous I could hardly go on living here after that could I miss I had done rather fond of millie quite On the other hand you know about it. Yes. I see that makes me a problem You were wondering if I could keep my mouth shut If I promise I'm wondering if I could believe you but if I promised if things went smoothly Yes, but not if there was any sort of suspicion or any questioning You would be afraid of being an accessory. I don't know I do What are we going to do? I can't see anything else. I mean Never be full enough to do me in Can't get rid of two corpses. Well, I regard it as a better risk than the other It could be an accident Or you and withers could both disappear. There are possibilities in that Listen, you you can't you I uh, I can But there may be a way out. There is small it's you gave it to me yourself. I I did what? Well, you said you would kill Withers you have a motive. Oh look here now. I was Small it. I can't trust you You must trust me Or else I would kill you now in the next minute I mean that You can choose between living and dying no one There's the old well just outside the sun porch door. That's what I'm going to put with us No one outside knows he's come up here this afternoon. No one will ever look there for him unless you tell them now You must give me evidence that you have murdered withers I I murdered him Why do you want that so that I should be dead sure that you'll never open your lips on the subject? I I see What evidence George? Hit him in the face You keep out of this You should be more careful. Look what your teeth did to my knuckle. Do it again, George How can you keep quietly stop sniveling? I'm sorry small it But there must be traces of a struggle between you and withers Then it will be not altogether safe for you to go to the police Now George, uh, would you get the croaky mallet? And uh, George take a handkerchief to it. You'll find it there on the sun porch floor Oh, yeah, yeah, I got the camera. That's right boy. There Kevin, there's the weapon She's I told you smile it there it was now you if you please just grasp the end that mashed withers head I shall shoot you if you don't Good lord, you you you can't uh, yeah All right, that's it. Oh boy. That's right Now deposit it by the side of the house Out of the rain, of course now wait, uh, George First you'd better pull a few hairs out of his head and put them under the nail of withers right hand I'm sorry to mess your hair up captain Don't be a baby That's all we need and now for withers and we'll fix it right up. I'll be right with you governor Uh smullet You may turn round now Withers is just there in the sun porch draw back the curtain old man Good lord Yes messy Now you smullet now you've just got to drag him through the door and dump him in the old well Just beyond the door captain. I Won't touch him. I won't all right all right stand aside george out of range george just over there There's only one place I want this charge of shot to go to Now milley you keep quiet and stop sniveling my aim is That's better that's better smullet much better I go along now In here You've got to take him outside. Oh boy. The shoulders ought to do it You keep quiet george now go on smullet go on Under the arms. You've seen dead men before and don't go green drag him out Drag him out boy. You're a little pulling. I'll just hold the gun here to make sure everything goes all right steady now Come away from the window dear. Don't look but captain smaller your father is a very resourceful man Millicent. I'm sure what he's doing is a I can't stand you wasn't questioning your dear father Hey, you two still had it. There's enough trouble around here without blabbering. Don't you call me blabbering george frenzy Well You see smollet everything is perfectly safe You remember you see that no one knows that withers came yet everyone thinks he walked off to listen And he's that five miles of country to search. They'll never look in our well Don't you see how safe it is? I guess so good heavens. Oh boy. You're dripping wet. Why don't you slip your rain coat on Is the uh tea ready dear in just a minute dear. I'll ring for bridget It's exactly what you need smollet a nice hot cup of tea. It's the best thing in the world to ward off a cold Sit down. Aren't you old man? Oh, don't you mind getting the chair where that's all right? Uh, would you have a cigarette? Oh, no, I hope so for a boy See I stick to my pipe funny how you get attached to my wife always says to me everything's hot, ma'am Oh bridget. Yes, put the tray in front of me here on the table Uh say captain Oh, you cut shall let Oh, well, I just knocked it. Why how dreadful here bridget give the captain this cup. No, no, no, thank you. I I'd rather think I'll be running along if you don't mind my captain smollet without any tea If you don't mind mrs. Princy. I if I could uh Just have my raincoat. Oh, I'll get it for you camp. This is very distressing smollet very I'll be all right presently. I'm sure. Oh, here we are. Let me help you sir. Thank you A young man There you better go out the front way smollet. The walk is dry. Oh, let me hold the door for you camp And don't worry old fella. Don't worry at all. No, no, no, I I'm It's uh, nothing serious. I imagine dear a little rest of course. He'll be as right as rain. Oh, by the way Millison you're not you're not looking any too well, dear not well at all I'm sure it was that croaky court being outdoors in weather like this is simply foolhardy Mate is right mary. You saw what happened to captain smollet. Come along dear I shall give you a hot foot bath and put you to bed a couple of days in bed and you'll be fine again You'll get plenty of rest Millison and don't you worry about a thing. That's the best cure for you, dear I'll get all of a little nap too. Do you have nap? Fine off now for a nap. Yes, it is nice Indeed it is, Sam. Well, enjoy yourself boy. I'll see you later. I'll see you all later Would you get me the police station? Police station? Police headquarters. Oh, hello sergeant. This is princy of abbot's road. I believe you know me Oh, indeed I do mr. Princy sergeant a rather horrible thing has just occurred quite extraordinary. It's murder in fact Murder? I'm afraid it looks rather bad. Well For a close friend of ours. Unfortunately, we saw him do it. I think you'd better send someone over right away Man should be there right about now mr. Princy I beg your pardon. I say our man should be there now Constable Martin has his post right below your house. They're just wrang in seems captain smollet was with him Captain smollet. He reported some rather queer goings on at your place But I certainly didn't understand it was murder But just don't touch anything mr. Princy and don't worry. Don't worry at all No, oh no, no, no sergeant Don't worry, thank you I'm right here and stop shouting We we have some visitors governor. I can see that Well, constable Good afternoon Hello smollet See what a remarkable fellow you are coming back like this Here to reenact the crime only the one against me princy the one against the curate. I'll leave to you people Extraordinary sense of humor you have mr. Princy. I just had a look at what's in your well Not a pretty sight that not pretty at all. Yes captain smollet was thorough if nothing else You saw him when he did it sir out in the back. Oh, yes. Yes. Oh quite We were just returning from a walk and smollet has evidently been laying for the curate hiding out in those bushes by the road I imagine he was never inside this house Never And you say captain. I say that while I was inside this house a guest of the family I was coerced into dragging the curate's body outside and Dumping it in the world. Well, there we are. Well, not entirely constable I'll just remove my wrinkled here and demonstrate how damp I got my clothes when I went outside without it Now that's interesting, isn't it? Yes. Yes He undoubtedly removed his coat at some point between here and your post I might as well tell you that his weapon a red croaky mallet is out by the side of this house I shouldn't be at all surprised that you'd find his fingerprints all over it all over the end of the mallet constable The end that mashed with his head Not the end I'd have to grasp in order to do the mashing That's a decent try smollet, but it won't work There must be other evidence constable you undoubtedly find it when you examine the body He means the hair and the withers nails Well, sir, I happen to notice something when your young george there opened the door for me If you'll carefully look I believe you'll find a few of my precious hairs under his nails too What are you trying to say George will you? Constable, this is a complete waste of time so far as a violent struggle between small it and withers is concerned Small it's face speaks for itself quite eloquently But no more eloquently than your son's knuckles as you see constable a fresh abrasion He did that on my teeth Or uh, did he What I said, uh, or did he he might have done that on withers teeth Oh Oh, I see I see what you mean. Oh, but I didn't got me said that I did You keep still you knit. Let me think let me think as a matter of fact George the more I think of it The more I'm convinced it was your voice. I heard quite a vigorous quarrel something about the uh, curate Filting your sister some ridiculous Very well, pincy if he didn't do it Who did yes, that's what I like to know. How about it, mr. Princy? Yes, that is a sticker. All right George my boy It looks to me as if you're elected elected. Oh, what do you mean? I didn't do Keep your mouth shut. Well, I won't sir. I'm not going to take the blame for her Millie did it. She did it with the manners. I saw me. What are you? Millie You could prove that Prove it Well, yes, yes Fingerprints on the matter Don't you remember when you made me touch the mallet when you picked it up with your handkerchief? George, I'm sure you wipe that handle clean Oh, well, I can hardly expect you to remember that if you can't even remember killing the curate I told you to keep still George. I am thinking. Oh god. You're not gonna let him say that As long as I can remember George You have been a trial and tribulation to me. What? You shouldn't have done it George You shouldn't have done it Now it's all over nice hot cappuccino. Worms are cockles. They are very good for you another And so closes wet saturday starring mr. Charles Lawton tonight's tale of Suspense in just a moment. We shall hear again from mr. Lawton But first let me ask you a question Isn't it true that things we most enjoy are so often the little extra things and more often than not Something that pleases the taste That suggests a bottle of really good wine roma wine It's so easy for you to make certain of high quality in your wine Because all you have to do is to go to your dealer and ask for roma america's largest selling wines They are made in california one of the world's greatest wine producing sections You'll have your choice of roma's great variety of types from a delicious tangy sherry a brilliant claret Or a hearty burgundy to a sweeter heavier port And you will be so impressed by the modest cost of roma wines You will want to enjoy them regularly at home as well as when you entertain For this traditional form of hospitality is smart yet inexpensive A full measure of enjoyment yet moderation in its best sense For wines with greatness of character always ask for roma wines r Oma made in california for enjoyment throughout the world But remember before you buy wine by war bonds and stamps Hello, this is charles lawton I hope you enjoyed our play this evening and next week I'm told that suspense will bring you another of john collier's stories It's one of my very particular favorites. It's called back for christmas and your star will be peter lorry charles lawton appeared by courtesy of metro golden mayor producers of the technicolor musical thousands cheer Don't forget then next thursday same time for peter lorry in suspense By roma wines r o m a Made in california for enjoyment throughout the world This is the columbia broadcasting