 Your family theater presents Rhonda Fleming, Margaret Lindsay, and Alan Mowbray in The Legacy. From Hollywood, the mutual network and cooperation with Family Theater Incorporated brings you The Legacy. Starring Margaret Lindsay as Marcia and Rhonda Fleming as Alan. To introduce the drama, your host, Alan Mowbray. Thank you, Gene. Tonight, friends, we are happy to have with us two of Hollywood's loveliest stars in a story that, but let Margaret Lindsay tell you, we find her writing one of those very necessary locals, not far from Kansas City, and she is alone with her thought. Somehow, that sound is the most lonesome sound in the world, but maybe that's because I feel so alone on a train late at night. Nothing to look at but green posh seats and sleepy passengers and my own soul. You see, I'm not used to solitary contemplation. I'm not used to six coach prairie trains that stop at every hip town, either. I'm the kind who travels on the super chief and spends the night playing gin rummy with names and faces out of the road of gravure. I'm Marcia Adams, and I contact big writers for a big publisher, and I'm rich and well-dressed, and I've taken an express train through life. Only, after what happened today, it seems a little foolish, for I'm not really going anywhere. It all began with a letter I had a few weeks ago. It was marked personal and postmarked in a town in Kansas I'd never heard of, but when I opened it, I heard a voice from the past. Dearest Marcia, you've come a long way since we worked together at the Osbury Publishing House. I see your name in the papers now and then, and I know that you've made a success of your career. In fact, I read that you're to be in Kansas City for a book fair on the 15th, and that's why I'm writing you. Remember the day you looked at Tommy and me and knew that we hated each other, and you said you wondered how it all would end? Well, I live only a few hours by train from Kansas City, and if you can come up on the 17th, you'll find out. Please, for old times' sake, give me just one day of your busy, exciting life. Oh, Wiley, after 12 years. Oh, I happened to be on this puddle jumper tonight, on my way back to Kansas City from a visit that I almost wish I hadn't made. Because sitting here in a daycoach with a crick in my back and soot on my gloves, I began thinking, thinking about Anna, and all those things that happened 12 years ago. She was an addict then, single, slim, and 25, with that brittle, beautiful look some women have, women who know what they want and go after it. It isn't love that makes the world go round, Marsha, it's money. When you get right down to it, that's what everybody's after. Everybody who's smart. Some are born to money, some, like you, Marsha, are going to earn it. But me, I've found a much better way to get mine. And what is that? I'm going to marry it. I think very original about that idea, but it was my private opinion that any woman who married for money earned it. I was interested to know who Anna had chosen for the honor. And then, one day in early summer, she brought him into the office. He was a well-dressed man, nice eyes, and kind-looking. Marsha, this is John Wiley. Oh, how do you do? John Wiley? Why, aren't you... I mean, you're on our spring list, non-fiction. Well, I did write a book, Early Egyptian Culture, but I don't expect the public to like it. There's absolutely no love interest. And not a single sword fight. Well, I only hope I won't wind up on the remainder counter at 39 cents a copy. I'm sure you don't have to worry about that, Mr. Wiley. You've written a very scholarly work. Well, it's more than repaid me for the time I spent on it. If I hadn't written the book, I wouldn't have met Anna. John, are you writing another book, Mr. Wiley, or is writing your business? No, no, my business is ancient history. I teach a class over at the university. And, oh, gee, golly, I'm due there right away. It's been nice meeting you, Miss Adams. Thank you, Mr. Wiley. Drop by any time. Thank you. Pick you up at eight, Anna. Yes, John. Bye. Goodbye. Well, what do you think of him? What am I supposed to think? He's nice, well-bred, and his trousers are pressed. But you can't be interested in him. Why not? Well, darling, college professors are seldom noted for their bank accounts. And it's a cinch we can't sell his book to the movies. John is donating all his royalties to a scholarship fund. He's really quite well off. Oh, well, I'm glad to see there's going to be something in it for you, dear. For a moment there, I was afraid you picked him for his own sweet self. Oh, Marsha, I know what you must think of me. After all the things I said. But it really isn't as cold-blooded as it seems. John has money, but if I didn't like him, respect him, that wouldn't make any difference. I didn't hear you mention love. Don't be old-fashioned. I won't be. But I think he is. Once in a while, he gets really serious. I think he's almost asked me to marry him, but... But what? It's the strangest thing. It's as if there's something he wants to tell me, and he gets right up to it, and he can't. Well, maybe he's already married. He was once. He told me all about her. She died four years ago. But it isn't that. Well, don't be too sure of yourself. It might not work out after all. It's got to. I've waited too long for a man like John Warley. He can give me everything I've ever wanted, and nothing's going to stand in my way. Anna was a very determined woman. Very determined. And very beautiful. Maybe that's why John decided to dismiss what had been troubling him. The afternoon he came by the office and asked her to go for a walk in the park. I could see them from my window. Two small figures on a bench by the lake. Anna, tell me something. What? What is it that you think is the most important thing in the world? Freedom, I think. Complete freedom to do the things I've always wanted to do. Go the places I've always dreamed about. With no worry about money or responsibilities. I... maybe that sounds selfish, but... Well, I've worked since I was 17. I want a chance to play. Well, it's a long road when you're traveling alone. Oh, John, I don't mean to be alone. The kind of freedom I want has to be shared. Anna, there's some things I've got to tell you. First of all, I... I'm in love with you. I have been for a long time. Oh, I'm so glad. So glad. Is that all you have to say? Well, what else is there? What I meant was, do you, by any chance, love me? Well, of course, John. Of course I love you. Oh, darling, I'm doing this wrong. I... I want to marry you, but I'm so unsure of myself. You? You want to marry me? Do you really? More than anything in the world. Then don't be unsure. You see, I want to marry you, too. You mean that? I mean it. Oh, Anna. You said there was some other things you had to tell me. What were they? Oh, nothing. Nothing. Except I... Oh, I think you'll make a lovely bride. And she was. A lovely, radiant bride. I can still see the dollar sign shining in her eyes. I thought I was too cynical to be moved, but when I stood up with Anna and John at the wedding, and saw the way he looked at her, as if she was the one thing he'd wanted all his life, I wanted to cry. I made some excuse about not seeing them off in the boat. They were going around the world, and so I missed the scene that occurred that evening before they sailed. The scene that explained the thing that had puzzled us all along about John Wiley. But who lives here? Who is it that you're being so mysterious about? Hello, John. Oh, hello, Harriet. I suppose this is Miss Dixon. Mrs. Wiley? Anna, my sister Harriet. How do you do? I'm very glad to know you. Come in. Won't you sit down? Thank you. Well, you didn't come to the wedding? You seemed to have managed without me. Oh, you're not being very gracious, Harry. I'm sure that Anna wouldn't want me to pretend something I don't feel. Please, John, let's go. No, no, not yet. I suppose I know why you've come. Do you ask me? You should have done this weeks ago. I'd like a few minutes alone with Anna first. If you'd like. I'll be in the dead. She hates me. John, why did you bring me here? I've done something very foolish, something I'm ashamed of. I don't understand. What are you trying to say? I was married before. I know you told me that. But there's something else I didn't tell you. I have a son. A son? There's only seven. Harriet has been keeping him since his mother died. You've got a son? Why didn't you tell me? Would it have made any difference? I don't know. I don't know. Oh, I've been unfair to both of you, but I'll make it up to you. And you'll love Tommy just like I do. And I know he'll love you. I've told him about you and I wanted you to meet him before we sailed. Will you? What can I say except, yes. Ah, thanks. Oh, Harriet. Come on, Tommy. You must meet your new mother. Tommy! Hello, Daddy. How's my boy? It's well. I like the new baton glove you sent over for me. Good! When I get back, we'll do a lot of pitching and catching and save. We're going to have a pretty good umpire too. Remember I told you about Anna? Yes, sir. Well, I brought her over to meet you. Anna, this is Tommy. Hello, Tommy. Hello. Aren't you going to shake hands with her? No. Well, why not? I don't like her. Oh, now, calm now. That's not a very nice thing to say. I don't care. What'd you have to go and marry her for? She doesn't love you. She's just marrying you for your money. Tommy, that's enough now. You go to your room. I hate her! I... He got that from you, Harriet. I don't know what you mean, John. No seven-year-old child can think up lies like that by himself. You've deliberately poisoned his mind against Anna. If you've sold your little judgment as to marry a woman you've known less than a month, you must expect people to draw their own conclusions. Have you anything else to say? Only this. I hope Anna will find it in her heart to... to forgive you both. I'm sorry, darling. Harriet has never wanted me to marry again, but I had no idea she did. You made an enemy of your own sister. And turned away your child because of me. I'm not worth it. Oh, you're worth the whole world. Oh, no. No. I've got to be honest, too. You see, I... Well, I did marry you because I... I knew you could give me the things I've always wanted. I know. You know. And still... Of course. A man knows when a woman loves him. And when she doesn't love him, but... I love you enough for both of us. But I'm awfully fond of you and I respect... If there can't be love on both sides, Anna, there is at least honesty. Let's just say that's good enough. And leave it that way. Shall we? We see Anna Wiley for almost two years. But I had a stack of postcards from all points of the world. And once in a while, a letter. The letters were what puzzled me. It didn't sound at all like the Anna I had known. She seemed to have changed somehow. It was the war in Europe that sent them home in the fall of 1939. We saw each other occasionally that winter, and then... One night, late in January, my phone rang. Hello? Marsha? Marsha, come over right away. I need you. Anna, Anna, what's the matter? Something terrible has happened. There's been an accident and John... John's been hurt. You're here. It's awful, awful. Oh, darling, everything's going to be all right. He just started to cross the street after a paper. A taxi came around the corner. It's giddin' on the icing. Oh, there, there, there. They'll take care of him. They didn't even take him to the hospital. The doctor from the ambulance just brought him in here. Mrs. Wiley. Yes, doctor? You can see him now. There's only a few minutes. No, no. John, John, darling? I didn't look for which way I was going. You're going to be all right. You've got to be all right. You mustn't blame the taxi driver. It wasn't his fault. You tell him. Yes, John, yes. Anna, Anna, there's something I want you to do. Anything, dear. Anything. Tommy, take care of Tommy. He needs you. But, John, you can't mean who you're going to be all right. Take, take care of him. Promise. Yes, yes, I promise. Dear Anna... John, listen to me. You've got to get all right. You've got to because I love you. You hear me, darling? I love you. It's all right, dear. You made me happy. That's all I really asked for. But I mean it really and truly. I mean it. All I ever asked for. I love you, John. You've got to believe. John? He doesn't hear you, Mrs. Wiley. Oh, John, darling, darling, you didn't believe me. He died not believing me. I'll remember that the rest of my life. I knew what it was in Anna's letters that had puzzled me. The strange new quality I had never known. She had written like a woman in love. They read John's will two weeks later. Anna asked me to come. Besides me, there was Ralph Henderson the attorney, John's sister Harriet, and Tommy, who'd been staying with her since the night John died. Harriet had a great deal to say. It's one thing I want understood, Mr. Henderson. I intend to keep Tommy. He spent most of his life with me except for this past year when he's been staying with his father and this woman. But I'm sure he didn't have a happy moment while he was there, did you, dear? No, Aunt Harriet. Personally, I don't think John asked Anna to take him. Mrs. Wiley, I was John's friend as well as his attorney. And he stated to me that he wanted his wife to have custody of his son. I don't care. I don't want to live with her. And you can't make me. I want to stay with Aunt Harriet. Of course you do, dear. And I'll tell you right now, Mr. Henderson, I'll take this thing to court. I'm going to contest John's will and see that this woman doesn't get a penny. John's estate rightfully belongs to his son. Please, Harriet, don't you think you should wait till you hear what John wished? If I may interrupt, ladies, I think you've all been under a misapprehension. Perhaps I should have explained sooner, but I thought you knew. You what? There is no estate. What? My brother was wealthy. Was, yes, but no more. There are personal belongings and a small checking account. No more. I can't believe it. It's you. You ran through it. That's what happened. Married him for his money and had him make everything over to you. Well, you won't get away with it. I'll sue you. Please, just a moment. John's fortune was entirely tied up in foreign holdings. The war in Europe has wiped them out. I knew he was worried about something. Poor John. He never shared his trouble. This is the most ridiculous thing I ever heard of. It's a conspiracy between you two. You knew John was going to leave me something. You would pay for this, Anna. For a woman who supposedly married your brother for his money, Anna seems to be the least disturbed by the news that he didn't leave any. I'd just like to know how she proposes to raise his son now. I thought you were going to fight for custody of the child, Miss Wiley. Me? You certainly can't expect me to raise the boy with no funds. Well, Tommy has nothing, so you're kicking him out. You can't expect me to kick... You wanted to get your hands on John's money yourself. Tommy was just an excuse. I don't see any reason to stay here and be insulted. Wait, Aunt Harriet. You're not going to leave me. No father wished it this way. Tommy, it's out of my hand. But Aunt Harriet... Tommy, please. I hate you. I hate you. I run away. Listen to me. Get away from me. Tommy, put down that ink bottle. Tommy. All over my dress. Why, you little... How do you like that, Marsha? No husband, no money, no job. But how do you like my son? Until this morning, that was the last time I saw Anna Wiley, standing there in her white dress with the ink dripping from the hem to the floor, and her face a mask of bitterness. I left New York on a business trip shortly after that, and when I returned, she had gone. There were never any letters, and for years, I wondered how the two of them had gotten along. Wherever he was, Tommy had seemed a likely candidate for trouble. And so, when I got off the train this morning in that little Kansas town, I didn't know what I expected. Anne met me at the station, lovely as ever, but much more mature and softer somehow. It was not until after we had lunch in Anne's Rose Garden that there was any mention of Tommy. And then I brought it up myself. I can't stand any longer. I've got to know. Know what? About Tommy, of course. Oh, forgive me, Marsha. I didn't mean to keep you in suspense. Tommy's fine. He's 21 now. I can add. What I want to know is, what is he like? Quiet. Doesn't talk much. But he's very brilliant, like his father, you know. When we came here, he didn't like it. But this was the only place where I knew I had a home and could earn enough to put him through school. You put him through school? Of course. He was graduated from college last month. Highest grades in his class, too. John would have been proud. Now that the job is done, Anna, what about you? Oh, I'll keep on working at the library, I guess. And then there's Dave Hollis. He's the postmaster. I knew him when I was a girl. In fact, there are several trees around here that bear scars from our puppy love affair. Dave always made his heart lopsided. But he's a wonderful man. And he's wanted me to marry him ever since I came back. You deserve happiness, Anna. After all you've done for Tommy. Tommy did a lot for me, too, Marsha. I feel that I've proved to John that I did love him. Besides, Tommy needed me. Oh, he'd never admitted it, of course. But it did something to me. I think everyone should have a chance to be needed, to live a while for somebody else. You feel so useful. And how does Tommy feel about this? And you? I don't know. I probably never shall. You see, he's leaving tomorrow. Leaving? For where? He hasn't said, but something has been on his mind ever since he finished school. I think he wants to get away from here. Do you want him to leave? It's his life. But I can't help wishing that he'd settle down here and marry some nice girl and raise a family. I've grown fond of him. Oh, I'm glad. I was hoping you two would change. I said I was fond of Tommy, Marsha. I can't speak for his feelings. After we came here, we settled down to a sort of truce because we had to. Since then, Tommy has been polite and dutiful. And after all, what right have I to ask more? So Tommy hadn't changed. The brat I remembered had grown into a polite, distant young man. Like a bored guest who was merely waiting for a chance to take his leave. The creek of the garden gate interrupted my thoughts. And I looked up to see a tall young man walking toward us. Hello. Mind if I interrupt? Come in, Tommy. This is Tommy, Marsha. You remember Miss Adams, don't you? Yes, I think so. How are you, Miss Adams? The last time I saw you, you had just scored a bullseye with an ink bottle. Well, then you can't have a very good opinion of me. I hope the years would mellow you. Some, I'll admit. Well, I guess I was a lot of trouble for everybody, especially Anna. But maybe I can make up for it. We expected you for lunch, Tommy. Well, I had lunch with the president of the bank, Mr. Holt. Well, you're really up in the world. What business did you have with Mr. Holt? Well, I didn't tell you this before, Anna, because I didn't want you to be disappointed. And above all, I didn't want you to think you owed me anything else. You've done enough already. I don't understand. Well, the fact is, I want to go to Chicago to medical school, Anna. I've wanted to for a long time, but I needed money. So I talked the bank into lending it to me. You didn't, Tommy. You mean just like that? They're giving you the money? Well, it wasn't that easy. I've been talking to them about it ever since last fall, but somehow I got across the idea that I'd pay the money back. And not only that, but it'd be a sort of investment for the bank. Old Doc Simmons is getting pretty old now, and this town could use another doctor. You mean you're going to come back? Back here to this whistle stop? What's wrong with this place? It's a nice town. And besides, well, I want to make sure Dave Hollis treats you right, Mother. If he doesn't make you happy, he's going to have to answer to me. Tommy. Well, if you'll excuse me, I think I'll go and pack. I'll see you at dinner, Miss Adams. Did you hear him, Marsha? He called me Mother. Yes, Anna. John was right. He left me something far greater than money. He left me a son. Well, that's the last chapter. Not the end, really. Stories like Anna's never really end. Funny. I almost envy her. I almost wish I hadn't made that little visit today because I keep thinking here, moving through the night, thinking about Anna, and the postmaster, and the roses in the garden, and someday, Tommy and his wife and his children, the ties that bind, ties of love, and need for each other. That's all right for Anna, I suppose, but me. I'm made of different stuff. Nobody needs me. I need nobody. Marsha Adams stands on her own two feet. She travels fastest who travels alone. That's what I've always believed. But right now, I wonder why I thought I was in such a hurry. Thank you, Rhonda Fleming, and Margaret Lindsay, for a beautiful story. I hope that our audience enjoyed it as much as I, and that you will not delay for a return engagement on family theater. You know, friends, a remark I heard the other day struck me rather forcefully, and I'd like to pass it along to you. The best that I can hope for, said a friend of mine, is to live to the age of 70. That will give me 840 months of life. Now, I figured that for a third of a man's life, he's not quite sure what it's all about. He spends another third just sleeping. That leaves 280 months in which to accomplish anything. 280 months in which to justify his existence. Well, no matter how you look at it, there's no time to waste if we're going to accomplish the good that God expects of us. We certainly can't try to dodge our opportunities, as Anna did in tonight's family theater play. Above all, we cannot overlook our responsibilities to our families. For that is the vocation in life to which most of us are called. If we wholeheartedly dedicate ourselves to making our homes as happy and holy as God meant them to be, then we'll surely not be wasting the life that has been given us. And God will help us do this if we have the vision and the faith to pray to him daily in the circle of the home. For I can promise you this, the family that prays together stays together. More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. Thank you, Alan Mulberry. Tonight's family theater has brought you Rhonda Fleming and Margaret Lindsay in a play written for them by Beth Barnes with music by Harry Zimmerman and was directed for family theater incorporated by Jaime Del Valle. The supporting cast included Howard McNeer, Johnny McGovern, Virginia Gregg, Herbert Rollinson and John Beale. Next week our family theater star will be John Charles Thomas in The Man with the Plough. Your hostess will be Esther Williams. This series of family theater broadcasts is made possible by the thousands of you who felt the need for this kind of program and by the mutual network which has responded to this need. Be with us next week at this same time when John Charles Thomas and Esther Williams will star on Family Theater. Gene Baker speaking, this program came from Hollywood. For drama and laughs, stay tuned for Mark Reed's hilarious Yes My Darling Daughter which will be heard on Comedy Playhouse over most of these stations immediately following station identification. Remember, it's Comedy Playhouse for pre-tested laughs. This is the Mutual Broadcasting System.