 Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and is intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised. Welcome, Weirdos. I'm Darren Marlar and this is Retro Radio Sunday on Weird Darkness. Each week I bring you a show from the golden age of radio but still in the genre of Weird Darkness. I'll have stories of the macabre and horror, mysteries and crime and even some dark science fiction. If you're new here, welcome to the show and if you're already a member of this Weirdo family, please take a moment and invite someone else to listen in with you. And please leave a rating and review in the podcast app you're listening from. Doing these things helps the show to keep growing and while you're listening, be sure to check out WeirdDarkness.com for merchandise, my newsletter, to connect with me on social media, and more. Coming up, it's an episode from The Sealed Book, a program of all the secrets and mysteries of mankind, tales of murder, of madness, of dark deeds beyond belief. The series sadly only lasted one season, from March 18 to September 9, 1945. The episode we're about to hear is the fourth episode of the program which aired April 8, 1945 on WGN in Chicago as part of the mutual network. The episode Devil Island was written by Robert A. Arthur and David Cogan, produced and directed by Jock McGregor with host Philip Clark as the keeper of the book. Now, bolt your doors, lock your windows, turn off your lights, and come with me into the Weird Darkness. Tales of Murder, of Madness, of Dark Deeds, and Event Strange Beyond All Belief. Let me see. Yes, yes, here's a tale for you. A story of a small and desolate island off the coast of New England, and the people who lived on it. The title of the tale is Devil Island. Here is the tale, as it was told by Andrake, and is written in the Sealed Book. It all began on that bleak autumn day when I hired a motorboat to take me out to the island, Devil Island. The bleak looking island which lay ahead and belonged to the Drake family for 200 years was to be my new home. I kept staring at it, wondering what it would be like to live on this island with my father, whom I'd never seen. 20 minutes later the boatman had landed me at the dark and left. Towering above me was a high cliff, and on top of it was the house, a huge stone mansion that looked as old and weather-beaten as a medieval castle. I climbed the steep rocky path that led from the dock to the house. Hello, I'm... Don't tell me, and I've recognized you any place. You look exactly like your mother. Are you my father? Yes. Are you disappointed? Oh no, no, of course not. Come into the drawing room. Your stepmother and uncle are waiting to meet you. Hester, Henry, I want you to meet my daughter Anne. And this is a great pleasure. Thank you, Uncle Henry. And I'm your stepmother, and I can't tell you how happy I am to have you here. Won't you call me, Hester? Thank you, I'd like to. Oh, and let me introduce you to the remaining member of the household, Anne. This is Abel. He served the family for 30 years. He can't talk, but he understands what you're saying. Abel, this is my daughter. Hello, Abel. And it's going to be wonderful having you here. You're just what Drake Manor needs to make it live again. I do hope we'll be able to make you happy here. The week slipped by, and I was happy. I spent the days reading with Father and taking long walks with Uncle Henry, and being taught cooking by Hester. And at night, Uncle Henry and I would play chess. Well, that's another game for you, Anne. The trouble is, I taught you how to play the game too well. Oh, it looks as though another northeaster is on its way. Yes, it does. Would you like me to draw the curtains, Uncle Henry? If you will, Anne. That window over there seems to be... He's there, looking in at me. Who, Uncle Henry? There's no one at the window. Can't you see him? He's beckoning to me. But there's no one there. Here, I'll draw the curtains. Is that better? He can't see me now. But he's still out there, waiting for me. Who is? Your uncle, Richard. Uncle Richard? But he's been dead for 15 years. Yes, I know. And now he's come for me. No, Uncle Henry, you only imagined you saw him. Perhaps the same thing is happening to me that happened to the others. What happened to the others? Your grandfather, Daniel, Aunt Harry, and Uncle Richard. They all died insane. Oh, no. No, it can't be. They did, Anne. There's a strain of insanity in the Drake family. Aunt Harriet, for weeks before she died, kept screaming that grandfather Daniel was trying to pull her into the grave. And Uncle Richard, he died crying out that Aunt Harriet was at the window, calling him. Oh, no, no. They all died during a storm like this one. And now my time has come. Richard is waiting for me. I'll be the next of the Drake's to die. Please, Uncle Henry, you mustn't say things like that. Oh, Anne, I'm so afraid of insanity. I'm dying. Uncle Henry, I'll spend all of my time with you now. We'll end this nightmare you're living in. If you only end to it, we'll be dead. Uncle Henry never spoke of his terrible fear again. But in the weeks that Farrowdy grew haggard, became frightened at the sound of a door opening, then one day another northeast to set in. By nightfall it whipped itself into a gale. And at night I woke suddenly to hear Uncle Henry speaking to someone in his room. Richard, Richard, stop tapping on my window. Go ahead, you hear? Why can't you leave me alone? I don't want to go with you. No, not you. I quickly opened my door. I stepped into the hall. Uncle Henry's voice grew wilder and wilder as I approached his room. Why don't you go away? You're dead. Are you raising my window? And what is it? What's wrong? Oh, Father, do something. It's Uncle Henry. He was screaming and now I hear it. Come here, dear Hush, Hush. No, the door's locked. I'll have to break it down. Yes, Anne. He's dead. Burying grounds of six generations of Drake's. We place the remains of our beloved brother and Uncle Henry Drake. Secure in the knowledge that in thy arms he shall find nevertheless. Life in this house won't be the same without Henry. Father, Uncle Henry was terribly frightened for weeks before he died. Anne, whatever are you talking about? It all began during that northeaster we had last month. Uncle Henry and I were playing chess. Why didn't Henry tell me about those hallucinations he was having? He didn't want to worry. Father, did Aunt Harriet, Uncle Richard and your father die the same? Oh, Anne, Henry should never have told you about them. Promise me you won't worry about our hereditary trouble. I'll try not to, Father. We've lost Henry, but the three of us will go on as before. The three of us tried to go on as before, but an unspoken fear had crept into our lives. Often I tend to find Father and Hester watching me anxiously. Then a month after Uncle Henry's death, another storm lashed the island. I'll be glad when this storm blows over. It's getting on my nerves. Father, why don't we close up Drake Manor for a few weeks and take a vacation on the mainland? You mean deed the island? No, that's impossible, Anne. We have enough money to get along on the island, but not elsewhere. But I have all that money. My mother left me. We could use that. You won't receive that money until you're 21. That's six months from now. Besides... Anne, what are you staring at? Look, look at the window. It's Uncle Henry. He's beckoning to me. Anne, there's no one at the window. He's there, I tell you, he's there. No, he's gone away. Oh, you saw him, didn't you? You must have... Darling, you only imagined you saw him. Oh, no, no, I did see him. He was beckoning to me. The way Uncle Richard beckoned to him. Meant I'm going to be the next Drake to die. Anne, what are you saying? Oh, you mustn't talk like that. You just imagined you saw Uncle Henry. It was just a... An hallucination. And I'm going insane, as he did. Oh, no, no, don't say that. Anne, you must rid your mind of all these fears. Of everything Henry told you. Promise me you won't think about it anymore. That was a promise I couldn't keep. That night I'd lie in the darkness in my room, thinking of everything that had happened, listening to the night noises. Then one night I heard footsteps above me in the tower. That limp... That unmistakable limp. It was Uncle Henry in the tower. There was an icy coldness about the houses I climbed those steps to the tower. I opened the door. The tower was in complete darkness. But by a window, his face goes like in the moonlight. It's the Uncle Henry. Come to take you with me, Anne. Your time has come. The grave will wait no longer. No, no. Do not be afraid. Your death is not a thing to be feared. But to be welcomed. No. I cannot return to the grave without you. Give me your hand. No. You'll want to visit our friends at ClassicRadioStore.com who provide all the shows for me to wear. At ClassicRadioStore.com, you'll find thousands of episodes available in pristine, digitally remastered sound. Every episode they offer at ClassicRadioStore.com has been transferred from the master recordings and digitally remastered for superior sound quality. That's why the episodes that you hear on Weird Darkness sound so clean. And the shows at ClassicRadioStore.com are all uncut, unedited and are delivered to you as they were originally broadcast, including the classic commercials. You can download great shows that'll chill you and thrill you, such as Suspense, The Whistler, Inner Sanctum, Lights Out, and more. There are mystery and crime shows like Sherlock Holmes, Philip Marlowe, Dragnet, and Sam Spade. They've got a great collection of old-time science fiction radio shows like X-minus 1 or Dimension X. Plus, there is a ton of comedy and westerns there, too, if you want to relive the shows of yesteryear. All the shows are available to instantly digitally download, and the links never expire, so you can order them now and listen to them any time you'd like. And because you're a listener of Weird Darkness, you can save 20% on any and all radio shows on the website by using the promo code WEIRD at checkout. If you want to visit ClassicRadioStore.com, select all the radio show packages you want. Then, at checkout, use the promo code WEIRD and save 20% on your whole purchase. That's ClassicRadioStore.com, promo code WEIRD at checkout. to find her lying unconscious on the floor. After Martin and Hester had taken the girl back to her bed, Martin went to the mainland. At dawn, he returned with a doctor and waited impatiently for him to finish examining Anne. I've just given her a sedative, Mr. Drake. She's asleep now. Will she be all right, doctor? I'm afraid she's on the borderline of insanity. Oh, no. And I'm afraid in a case of this type where there is inherited insanity, there's very little that can be done. Well, sleepyhead. It's about time you were waking up. Oh, hello, Father. How long have I been asleep? A little over 10 hours. Is the doctor still here? No, Anne. He left hours ago. And, darling, he says you're going to get well. Why, of course you are. Now you'd better get some more rest. Good night, darling. A moment later, they were gone. I was alone again. Alone in the dark. And all I could think of was, I was going insane. Perhaps I was already mad. They always passed. The very stillness of the house made my heart pound in my ears. And then the stillness was broken. That lint began. It was Uncle Henry in the tower, looking forth from one end of the tower to the other. I lay in the darkness, waiting. Waiting. My room was opened. I wanted to scream, but I couldn't. Oh, hey, but what are you doing in my room? What are you trying to tell me? I don't understand. Oh, he's walking again. Hey, will you hear him, don't you? Uncle Henry had come back from the grave, but they said I was just imagining it. Hey, will you don't? True, you've buried him yourself. I saw you. Can you tell me something about Father? Why should he say he is my father if he isn't? What does he gain by it? State. Oh, no, no, you must be wrong. Even if I were to die, he wouldn't get it. This state would then go to charity. He could have himself appointed my guardian. Take over the estate. Is that it? It is. You will say they're my father and stepmother and uncle. I don't understand, but no matter who they are, they'll kill me, they'll kill both of us if they learn we've discovered their secret. Or even we've got to escape. But how are the only boat is locked in and he has the key? Why are you hanging with that flashlight? You mean the window? Signal the mainland for help? Yes, of course. Able, you better go. We've got to let them find you because I suspect I'll keep signalling as long as the batteries last. Signalling much longer. What are you doing out of bed? And with that flashlight? Nothing, nothing at all. You weren't signalling someone on the mainland, were you? Oh, no. No, I just had the flashlight. In case someone came in the wrong. Why, you're trembling as though you were frightened. You're not afraid of your own father, are you, dear? No, no, of course not. Now, now, no more walking around. I want you to get some sleep. Good night, dear. It was gone. Taking the flashlight with him. Did he suspect that I knew? Oh, the hour seemed endless until the first rays of dawn came. Would rescue come with it or had my signals gone unnoticed? After I'd dressed I went to the window and then I saw it. A strange launch tied up at the dock. Suddenly frightened as the car was leaving before I could speak to them, I rushed out of the room. They ran down the stairs. I could hear voices in the drawing room. Well, Sheriff, if Dr. Arnold has spoken to you about my daughter's mental condition, I'm quite sure you'll understand. Sheriff called in to him. He isn't my father. What was that, miss? I tell you, he's not my father. He's an imposter, and so is she. Oh, Martin, she's having another one of her spells. Please, Hester. When they set foot on the island, they began their plan to drive me insane. First they gained my love and trust, then they had Uncle Henry confide to me his fears. Then when Uncle Henry was found dead, they told me... Who says I'm dead? I've never felt better. Oh, Sheriff, allow me to introduce my brother, Henry. Oh. Well, Miss Drake, your Uncle Henry doesn't look very dead. He wasn't. They just pretended he was. They even buried an empty coffin to make me think I was attending his funeral. I think you should take Anne up to her room, Hester. She needs rest. Oh, Sheriff, they're lying, the three of them. Any proof, Miss Drake? Yes. Yes, Abel will tell you. He knows. I'm afraid that Abel can't tell you anything there. The poor chap fell off Devil's Cliff into the sea early this morning. Oh, you pushed him off the cliff so that he couldn't talk, Martin. Excitement's due. She's getting worse. Sorry to trouble you, Mr. Drake, but it was my duty to investigate those signals. Oh, Sheriff, you can't leave me here. Oh, Sheriff, she'll be given the very best of care. We have a specialist coming to see her next day. Oh, no, Sheriff, wait. Wait, please. Now, Miss Drake, I think you'd better stop. No, no, wait. I just want to show you this gold locket. Look. Look, I'll open it. Do you see what's inscribed in it? Or my daughter in commemoration of her fifth birthday. What are you driving at, Miss Drake? If that man's my father, he claims he is. Ask him what my middle name is. It's inscribed in the locket. Well, just a humor, Mr. Drake. What is her middle name? Her, um, her middle name? Well, frankly, Sheriff, I seem to have forgotten her. Oh, he hasn't forgotten it, Sheriff. He never knew it. Well, it's just that, well, I have an awful memory for names. So have I, but I know my kid's middle name. So have I, but I know my kid's middle name. So peculiar about... I think you three and the girl better come with me to the mainland. So I can do a little checking. If you're Martin Drake, as you say you are, there must be someone on the mainland who can identify you. I said you're going to the mainland with me. Well, I... I always said you were the weak link in the chain, Gerald. Shut up, you fool. It's no use, Gerald. The game is up. The trip to the mainland is more than we can stand. You just have to look at Hester's face to see that she agrees. Who are you, folks? We're actors. Things having become difficult a few years ago, we accepted employment on this island from Mr. Drake. When he died, I thought of this little scheme. It really was a perfect plan until this fool slipped up on the girl's middle name. By the way, what is her middle name? Well, according to this locket, he hasn't one. It's just inscribed to Anne. It is the story of Devil Island as it is written in the sealed book. Because an imposter slipped up on a middle name that didn't exist, an almost perfect crime was prevented by Sheriff Williams and an innocent girl was rescued from imprisonment and probable death. It was a small slip, but a fatal one. But the sound of the great gong tells me I must close the sealed book once again. One moment, Keeper of the Book. What story will you tell us next time? Next time? Are you sure you want to know? Perhaps my next story may be about you. For I have here all the stories that ever happened and many that have yet to come to pass. But I'll find one for you in just a moment. Keeper of the Book, have you found the story that you'll tell next week? Yes, yes, I have found one. It's the story of two helpless old ladies in fear of their lives and the desperate measures to which they were driven in order to save themselves. The title of the tale is Escape by Death. Thanks for listening to this week's Retro Radio episode of Weird Darkness. If you like the show, please share it with someone you know who loves old-time radio and leave a rating and review in the podcast app you listen from to help spread the word about Weird Darkness and Retro Radio Sunday. And a huge thanks to our friends at ClassicRadioStore.com for generously providing the old-time radio shows you hear on Weird Darkness Retro Radio Sunday. Remember, you can save 20% on all of the ClassicRadioStore.com shows by using the promo code Weird at checkout. For the rest of the week, I narrate new stories of the paranormal or strange stories true crime, monsters and mysteries. So be sure to subscribe to the podcast if you haven't already done so. I upload episodes 7 days a week. You can email me anytime and find all of my social media links on the contact page at WeirdDarkness.com. Also on the website you can listen to free audio books that I've narrated, shop the Weird Darkness store, sign up for the newsletter to win monthly prizes and more. Weird Darkness is a production and trademark of Marlar House Productions. Copyright Weird Darkness. I'm Darren Marlar. Thanks for joining me in the Weird Darkness.