 Autolite and its 98,000 dealers bring you Mr. George Murphy in tonight's presentation of Suspense Tonight Autolite presents a story about fear and a man's decision Find yourself or die The story is called the death of me our star mr. George Murphy Well, Oscar Otto the loquacious limousine and in top form sure I'm equipped with an auto light electrical system Ah, then you must have an auto light starting motor generator battery coil distributor and a set of auto light spark plugs Plus all the other important parts that go to make up the complete auto light electrical system Used as original equipment on many leading makes of our finest cars trucks and tractors That means every unit and component part of your auto light electrical system is related by auto light engineering design and Manufacturing skill to give the smoothest performance money can buy that's why my owner always insists on auto light original factory part and friends you'll find it pays to insist on Autolite original factory parts for your auto light equipped car because from bumper to tail light You're always right with auto light George Murphy is appearing by arrangement with Metro Golden mayor producers of the Technic color picture Scaramouche starring Stuart Granger Eleanor Parker, John at Lee and Melfare air and now Auto light presents The death of me starring mr. George Murphy hoping once again to keep you in suspense I Should have told Sal when it began Even after we were married all I'd said about what happened to me in the war was that I'd been wounded I guess I put it that way because well Maybe I was ashamed Battle fatigue the docks called it like a nervous breakdown At the bottom of it was fear. I'd learned that but not ordinary fear. It was like some powerful misty thing Well, they call it imaginary fear. That's why I wanted the job away from everything fresh air exercise I had to get a grip on it before it got worse The place was upstate way back upstate and it took most of the day to drive there But even then when I could still realize what was happening to me. I just couldn't tell Sal. Why Harry? I still don't get it. Why'd you have to quit your job? I bet you really got fired. No, I'm not fired Sal Like I told you it's a leaf of absence. It's crazy Going off to this jerk water town on the hills are working a two-bit lumber camp Was dull enough right where we were. Well, it won't be for long, honey I know it just long enough for me to The chains will be good for both of us. We must have passed the place that you made a wrong turn or something The map says only one road can't be much farther. What's the name of this dump? Anyway, McCabe Bixby and Laus is the name of the outfit. I bet they don't even wear shoes as far back in the hills hillbillies There it is up ahead. See yeah, I'm thrilled The town was old maybe 200 people in a place that once held 2,000 I couldn't blame Sal for not wanting to come She was pretty the kind of a woman that men looked at. She liked excitement There hadn't been very much in our life and Well, it made me feel better knowing that I wouldn't be alone Bixby and Laus was a worn-looking building on the main street Sam Bixby was a big man with cold hard little eyes Yeah, they told me he was coming. The name's Harry Sawyer, huh? Can't a puny for a lager, ain't you Harry? Oh, I can pull my weight, Mr. Bixby. I'd done it before maybe This ain't one of them big fancy logging outfits. We're small and we work hard. I expect to That's your wife out there in the car. Yeah You can't take her out to the camps. You'll have to stay here in town Except on Saturday nights. Yeah, I understand Well, I guess you'll do jobs only good for a month. Then I'm hired. Yeah, you're hired Come on. I'll buy you and your wife a drink. Well, thanks, Mr. Bixby, but uh, we're not settled all right another time I'll see you in the morning and the truck leaves at six. I'll be ready and and thanks Well, I'm hired It's uh, it's out of town. You you'll have to stay here for how long oh month a month in this dump That's really something to look forward to Well, what do we do sleeping the car? I'm hungry. Well, there's a sign down the street rooms Rooms But there isn't even a private bath in the whole town It wasn't too bad. At least the room was clean Sal took a long time getting her hair just so and the lipstick just dried like she always did before we went to eat The guy downstairs said the best place was Myra's a bar up the street Everybody ate there More coffee. No, just a check. No, what do you mean? No check. It's been paid Even the tip. Well, give it back sweetheart. I I don't go for stuff. Oh, don't be silly harry Someone wants to pay the check let him doesn't mean anything sure mister. He don't mean anything. It was a good tip Who is this he miss? That's him coming this way big sam bixby. I hope you folks don't mind me button in Yeah, that's your wife That ain't often we have a looker like you and McCabe, ma'am Thanks for the dinner mr. Bixby. We appreciate it Don't mention it. I'll see you in the morning, sir. Yeah Thanks Good night I knew I shouldn't have let it get me but but it was the way he looked at sal Not at me once It was ridiculous to think anything. He was just being friendly But even back in the room. It still bothered me the way he looked at sal What's the matter with you harry? You look funny. Huh? Oh nothing Nothing everything's fine You ready to go to sleep since I finished my hair So that uh Bixby's boss, huh? Yeah A nice guy Don't you like him? I don't know yet Harry you think my hair looks better up or down Oh, you look good with it either way. I just wondered Okay, you can turn off the light Sal Everything's going to be all right, isn't it? I mean the town sure I guess it won't be so bad I love you sal. You know that don't you? Let's get some sleep. You got to get up early You saw here. Yes. McCaw's my name ludi mccall. Hello We uh riding out to the camp together. Don't rightly know Myra wants to see you myra myra loush the other half of bixby and loush Was there something wrong? Don't rightly know in the office there. She'll tell you Miss loush shut the door You wanted to see me. That's right I wanted to see you. You're a fired. Saw you fired. Why you're fired. That's all there is to it Now get out get clear out of town, but I thought mr. Bixby said I don't care what mr. Bixby said you get out of a cave before My name is going on in here Myra honey, I swear I can hear you clear to coltville. Well, I don't like it That's all sam you're hiring every tom dick and harry that comes down the pike. I just don't like honey You may be a partner in this company, but I run it I hired saw you when the time comes. I'll say when he goes. All right, but there's gonna be trouble sam You know it. I know it. There's gonna be trouble Getting the truck saw you were wasting time It's kind of cold riding a truck bed this morning Think sam would let us ride in the cab with him. Huh? Oh, yeah I see you still got your scalp Myra can really boil over can't she yeah Here's the camp There's anything else you want to know just ask me They say I'm the biggest busybody in these parts. All right boys Find a bunk saw you then you and ludi meet me at the office and snap it up. There's empty bunk next to me. Okay, sure Say, uh, what's that smell in the air? Swamp, huh? Oh, yeah down over yonder good timber growing there, too Don't know what sam's saving it for I was worried at first. I might be put off somewhere alone But sam teamed me up with ludi After that there wasn't time to think about anything but work It was just what I needed and ludi made good company That night it was a dreamless sleep the first I'd had by the third day I was used to everything except that heavy decay filled smell of swamp Then on the fourth day That's the only part I like watching them fall You're getting pretty good. Thanks. Yeah, he's doing all right. Huh? Oh sam didn't know you was back out from tom Looks like he got saw you broken right? Oh, it ain't me sam. He's a good worker. Looks like he'd be good on cypress Come on. So I got a special job for you. Me too sam. Just saw you he can do this alone Special job mr. Bixby. Yeah that act sharp sure. What is it? You'll see You said cypress doesn't cypress grow on the swamp. Yeah, what cypress Watch your footing There's your job through the mist sick cypress Well, uh, that's a big job mr. Bixby And and footing like this wouldn't it be better can't spare anybody you'll do it alone Yes, but I told you we work hard around here Just watch your footing. Don't slip at the wrong time I was alone Maybe another day working with someone And being there alone wouldn't have seemed so What could I say That it was a sickness this thing this fear that I didn't want to be alone not yet because I was sick What do you've understood would sal would anyone have understood what it was like It was all around me this thing in the mist I had to fight it I couldn't let it win I had to fight it for sal That's why I'd come here To work Work for sal Work for sal Huh? Oh ludi Working like a crazy man. It's after quitting time almost too dark to see Well, I I gotta finish this one. Oh go on rest yourself. Go get some water. I'll finish it I guess I I guess I could use a drink I was tired aching tired But I had stayed there. That was all that mattered For the first time I began to feel good really good There was water near the bunkhouse and I went there and drank and started back It was gonna be easy now. I was on my way up. I was almost there when I stopped I guess it was seeing ludi there at the tree Just like I had been There was something about it like I was watching myself Then I realized there was something Someone else there in the darkness behind him Then he came out of the gloom Holding an axe. It was big sam I froze. I couldn't move I knew what was gonna happen. I couldn't move The axe came flashing down. I watched myself die The light is bringing you mr. George Murphy in The death of me tonight's production in radio's outstanding theater of thrills Suspense Are you sure do oscar because auto light electrical systems are used as original equipment on many leading makes of our finest cars Trucks and tractors. Well, that's because leading automotive engineers know that the Auto light electrical system and works as a team to give the smoothest performance Money can buy it sure does oscar that auto light electrical system goes to work The second you turn the ignition key and keeps right on working every second your engine runs As well as when you blow the horn turn on your lights electric windshield wiper radio or heater And friends take a tip from me treat your car to a periodic checkup at your car dealers or your authorized Auto light service station You can quickly locate the authorized auto light service station nearest you in the classified section of the phone book under automobile electrical service Here you will find men trained under auto light supervision Who specialize in the electrical system of your car and remember from bumper to tail light You're always right with auto light And now auto light brings back to our hollywood soundstage mr. George murphy In elliot lewis's production of the death of me a tale well calculated to keep you in So spend It looked like an accident Ludi's body lay facedown in the slime under the fallen tree But i couldn't get it out of my mind The feeling that i should have been lying there with sam and the sheriff looking down at me Just don't look right sam Just don't look right the tree fell on him floyd in a plane That wound in the back of the head how'd that happen that heavy branch right there must have done it maybe You couldn't see any footprints if there was any in this swamp Do you think somebody done it on purpose that's just plain stupid floyd who'd want to kill ludi? I don't know but it uh just don't seem likely he'd be dumb enough to stand there and let a tree fall on him Well, maybe he slipped maybe we gotta have an inquest He had guts to stand there over ludi's body, but why why kill ludi? Then he looked at me just a glance, but i saw it as if he knew i had seen him kill Okay, fine When i got to town i'd go straight to the room Then at the inquest i'd hang him apps on this dress Wasn't expecting you so soon up harry What's the matter Why nothing i sent out for coffee and i thought What what did you think i don't know What are you doing in town you didn't get fired I'm here for the inquest inquest Oh, so that's what all the buzzing is about. I thought it was some kind of accident. It wasn't an accident Was murder i saw it sal I saw sam bixby kill a man You saw sam bixby killed Oh, it looks like an accident. It looks real good like an accident, but it isn't was it That's awful Is it sal? Of course it is What's got into you anyway Well for a minute i thought that It's just that i saw it happen and i i don't know you're just upset. That's all Now what about that inquest they said at the bar as soon as the coroner gets here are you gonna go? Yeah, i guess we better Could you kindly close the bar till we're through? Back up boys. That's all This is mr. John cahill the county coroner. He's gonna run this thing Cut that now. This is serious. Saw you I told the other boys not to waste any time up there I ain't had a chance to talk with you. You were supposed to be working that cypress alone Yes, just tell him where you was at the time We'll talk about that later All right I think there's a couple of seats down front. Well, this is fine right here I watched him slip back into the crowd It was like some bad dream I had been so sure but but now I wasn't sure of anything Maybe I hadn't seen it at all But I had Loody was dead. I had to tell Saw you Harry saw you harry. That's you You'll do the right thing Yes, I'll I'll do the right thing Harry Sawyer. Oh, mr. Sawyer. If you've been watching the proceedings, you know what we're trying to get at We've got to try to determine the fact I looked up and saw bixby our eyes met and locked All I remember was the mist It was everywhere I was back in the mist and I I couldn't tell I was making a terrible terrible mistake, but I couldn't say anything but yes and no and It was over the verdict is that the deceased one loody mccall met his death through accidental causes You were right, honey. You did right Sal, we've got to leave We've got to get out of here. How about you and your wife having a drink with me? I owe you one remember Why yeah, mr. Bixby Of course, that'll be nice. Yeah, this booth here. Sal. Listen, we've got to harry. Yeah, this is fine All right, good. And after we have a drinks, let's say we're right out to the camp This is saturday, you know, we have a big time at the camp on saturday. Well, I don't think sal would why sure she would You want your wife to see where you work, don't you sure honey? I'll be fun Yeah, there's whiskey and gambling. Myra runs the table, but you can never tell you might win something We'll have a fine time He knew I had seen him kill And he was cold cold as ice Sal didn't realize she didn't understand that I'd made a terrible terrible mistake We couldn't go back there. It was just what he wanted We shouldn't have come sal you you don't understand we got to leave listen harry everything's all right now We'll go with the dice game play a few bucks act natural Four is the point little joe. All right, better dollar the pass line doesn't matter Anything. Oh, here you are. I brought you some drinks. I almost spilled them. Well, thanks So I saw you you ain't showed your wife around yet harry wanted to shoot some dice Well, I'll suppose I show you around if harry don't mind. Well, yeah You don't mind do you honey? Well, no, no, I don't mind fine We got a mighty interesting place here of sal sal way Seven next shooter Saw your it's your dice I wanted to run run after sal run away from everything but I I had to act natural natural seven The shooter wins and that was the beginning. I threw seven after seven. I couldn't lose I'd never been lucky before but now I couldn't lose 11 natural Don't you think you just about run the luck out of those dice, sir? Your luck's bound to change Yeah, I guess you're right You know I'm right I picked up the money, but I I couldn't leave without sal She didn't realize And then it hit me It wasn't luck That's why he'd taken her away That's why the dice had kept me. He wanted me to come looking out there It was dark. I thought it was but I didn't tell you to kill anybody It was your idea You're in this too. Don't be crazy All I said was if something just happened to harry naturally, I'd have to stay longer. You can't leave me. It's all over sam He's not saying anything. We're leaving get it through your head It's me sal. It's only me I'm here Isn't that what you wanted? What what are you gonna do? Do you gotta do nothing? I'm gonna kill it Tell him Sam stop it sam Let go of him. I'll shoot Listen to me sam. It's not worth it. She isn't worth it You're awful nosy mara too nosy Now I want that gun stay there sam Don't don't make me shoot. You wouldn't shoot. We're partners. You wouldn't shoot me We're partners. You Dead mara. I'll take the gun Dad I have to hold you. I'm sorry. I loved him. It was her How about getting your wife out of here? Sawyer. Leave mackay. Don't come back harry. Don't just sit there Say something. I know what you're thinking, but you're wrong harry keep away sam It's a matter you afraid of me No, no, I'm all over being afraid I would just set and fix me up. That's all We could have made him pay a fortune to keep quiet Don't you see I was only doing it for you. What are we stopping for? This is where you get out get out You're gonna leave me here What'll I do it? There's nothing where'll I go? The roads are many the world is wide Get out harry. You can't leave me here. I'm your wife Take me with you. You've got to it's a matter of self-preservation, honey Sooner or later, you'd be the death of me harry. Don't leave me harry Suspense presented by auto light tonight star mr. George murphy This is harlow wilcox speaking for auto light and bringing back our star george murphy. Good show george Thank you very much harlow. You know, I considered a special privilege to have appeared on suspense tonight I enjoyed playing harry soya very much and all of my fellow players were wonderful And it's always a pleasure to work for auto light But more than that I have the opportunity to tell you ladies and gentlemen of an unusual treat Auto light has planned for you next week when jack benney stars on suspense in an exciting story called a good and faithful servant I guarantee you'll love him and harlow. Believe me. I'll be listening. Thanks george murphy and friends remember suspense is presented for your entertainment By the auto light family the 98 000 auto light distributors and dealers the nearly 30 000 men and women in 28 great auto light plants from coast to coast And the 18 000 people who have invested a portion of their savings in auto light Every auto light product is backed by constant research and precision built to the highest standards of quality and performance So remember from bumper to tail light. You're always right with auto light Next week the story of a unique retirement plan and the man who spent 30 years working it out The story is called a good and faithful servant And we are privileged to have as our star mr. jack benney The story will be heard on suspense Suspense is produced and directed by elliot lewis with music composed by lucian morrowick and conducted by ludd bluskin The death of me was written for suspense by richard chandley In tonight's cast charlotte lorence was heard as sal and william conrad as san Featured in the cast were iran tedrow herb butterfield and joseph currens And remember next week on suspense Mr. jack benney in a good and faithful servant You can buy auto light electrical parts auto light stay full batteries Auto light standard or resistor type spark plugs at your neighborhood auto light dealers switch to auto light. Good night This is the cbs radio network