 Suspense and the producer of radio is outstanding theater of thrills the master of mystery and adventure William M. Robeson. With your permission we will on this occasion drop the editorial we and speak in the first person. 25 years ago this week I entered the infant radio industry as a writer at station KHJ in Los Angeles. My quarter century in broadcasting has been filled with excitement and some boredom failure and some success fun and quite a few heart aches. Much of the excitement success and fun I have known in radio has been shared through the years with that unexcelled mistress of the microphone the first lady of suspense Miss Agnes Moorhead. So it is Miss Moorhead I have asked to share my silver anniversary program listen listen then as Agnes Moorhead stars in the chain which begins in exactly one minute. Memo on medals time out to discuss some interesting but little known facts about decorations and awards of America's armed services. The time limit on rewarding an active bravery with a medal is 36 months. According to current regulations no award can be made more than three years after the actual performance of the act or service being honored. To date the only woman ever awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross was Amelia Earhart. By special active Congress she was voted this medal for her daring solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean on July 2nd 1932. It was President Woodrow Wilson who created the Army Distinguished Service Cross by executive order in January of 1918. This is our next highest award for valorous service after the Medal of Honor and corresponds to the British Military Cross or the Croix de Guerre of France Belgium and Italy. There is a story behind every American medal awarded to the military a proud story of devotion to country an unselfish service to keep it strong and free. And now the chain starring Agnes Morehead a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense. All I did was send a letter that's all. You can't blame me for what happened I didn't start it. Hundreds of people do it every day. I've always been a good wife. By the morning it started I was fixing George's breakfast not just toast like some women but bacon and eggs and hot biscuits. Coffee ready? Where have you been? Your bacon is burned with crisp. I said I only wanted fruit juice and coffee. I went down to the road to pick up the mail. Why do you always run for the mail? Are you expecting something you don't want me to see George? If there was anything I didn't want you to see I could have it sent to the office. Oh could you? I didn't know you were important enough to receive personal mail at the office. Leonora that's enough. Burt Reynolds was appointed district manager I should have gotten the job but I didn't now let's forget about it. Maybe you can forget about it but Abby Reynolds won't let me forget. She has a couple to do her work now. She can spend half her day in town but not Leonora Carpenter. No poor Leonora is stranded out here without a car without anything. Here's your coffee. What was in the mail? Just this letter for you. For me? Who was it from? I don't know Leonora. I don't open your mail. Well you needn't be so sarcastic. Oh dear for my cousin Emily. One of those ridiculous chain letters. This letter was started by a holy man in Tibet to end all evil. You must make two copies and mail them to others within 24 hours or the chain will be broken. Whoever breaks the chain will meet with evil. A navy pilot broke the chain and was killed in a crash two days later. That's such a ridiculous thing. Now who can I send it to? Well you can burn it and not send it to anybody. Well maybe you don't think so but I think our luck is bad enough as it is. I could send one to Abby Reynolds of course but I'd have to sign my name to it. She'd tear it up. Yeah she would. That would be just like Abby. What's the name of the couple they hired? I don't know. Kersh, something or other. Kertchevsky. Peter Kertchevsky. Peter Kertchevsky. You're not thinking of sending a copy to him. Why not George? Why not? Well it's absurd. Why you don't even know the man. Well I send one to him and he sends one to Abby. He probably won't send it to anybody. But he will George. He's a foreigner isn't he and they're all so superstitious. You'd have to send it to him and not even know anybody else. Suit yourself. Need anything from town? No. Time for me to be getting down to the office then. You never used to leave so early George. You used to eat a big breakfast. I'm just not hungry. Maybe you'll be hungry by the time you get to town. Then you'll have time for a second breakfast at the drugstore. Maybe. You might even meet Miss Holden. She probably has her breakfast there. Leonora. She's very pretty George. Not at all like your former secretary. Betty Holden is a very efficient girl. If she's pretty I've never noticed it. Well notice it George. Notice it while you're having your second breakfast. I'll see you at dinner Leonora. George didn't fool me a bit. He never did. After I cleaned up the kitchen I sat down with a letter. I made a copy and addressed it to Mr. Peter Kerchewski. Care of Mrs. Abby Reynolds. Then I made a second copy. Whoever breaks the chain will meet with evil. And I sealed it in an envelope and addressed it to Miss Betty Holden. Leonora. Here I am George in the living room. Leonora why on the devil did you send that silly letter to my secretary? Well it said send two copies and that's what I did. Well why Miss Holden? Well why not? Because it was a stupid and a childish thing to do. Is that what she said? She's too much of a lady but that's what she thought and so did I. You and Miss Holden seem to think very much alike. It's a pity you're not married to her. Yes Leonora. It is a pity. So it's true then. You two agree that I'm stupid and childish. Well what other agreements do you have George? Leonora if you don't stop so help me I'll die. Go ahead and hit me George. Because of a secretary who means nothing to you. Go ahead. Go ahead and hit me. No. That wouldn't do any good Leonora. You're not worth it. I knew they were talking about me. I could see it in their faces every time I went into town. They always blame the woman when something goes wrong. But they didn't know what George was like. I started going into town every day whether I had to or not to show them I had nothing to be ashamed of. Thursday was the day Abby Reynolds did her shopping at the Bonton and I planned to meet her there accidentally. Leonora Leonora. Oh hello Abby. I tried to phone you this morning. Oh well I've been in town all day. There's something I have to tell you. Bert and I know you meant no harm but- So George has been criticizing me to Bert. Well I know dear. I mean about the letter the chain letter you sent to Peter Kerchevsky. Oh what harm could that do Abby? None that's what Bert tried to tell him but he's a very strange man. And well you see Leonora his wife died yesterday. Oh no. No Abby. But what is that- He got the letter a few days ago. He can't read English so usually brings what little melee gets to Bert. But his wife got sick that morning and he took her to the hospital. He he didn't bring the letter to Bert until this morning and without thinking of course- Bert read it to him? He tried to reason with a poor man but Mr. Kerchevsky didn't seem to hear. He just kept staring and then he turned and walked out of the house. He blames me. He thinks it's my fault. Why did you ever send it to him Leonora? Why did you pick him? I meant no harm Abby. I swear it. I I meant no harm. In a moment we continue with the second act of suspense. Another visit with Joe and Daphne Forsythe. Joe? Do you think we can afford a vacation this year? Well I don't know. Let's see. The car could stand some work and there's that chair we've been meaning to buy and I guess we could always cash in a savings bond or two. What? I said we could cash in one of our bonds. Joseph don't you dare. Well I was just suggesting- Don't even think about it. Those bonds are our future. When they mature we'll get back four dollars for every three. Yeah I know that. They're guaranteed too. Three times over. Principal, interest and replacement have lost us Dolan. Where the whole United States stands behind them. Sure Daphne but- Well if we cash them in before they mature we'll be giving up all that lovely interest. And what happens when we really need the money? Daphne. I don't see how you who thought of buying a bond every payday in the first place could suggest such a thing. I guess maybe it was a moment of weakness. Well don't you ever bring it up again. Savings bonds are not only a good investment for us but they help our country too. Shame on you Joe. I'm ashamed. I'm covered with humiliation. I hate myself. I should think so. Okay if I go back to reading my paper now. Uh huh. But Joe I was just wondering. Yeah. Do you really think we can afford a vacation this year? And now. Starring Miss Agnes Moorhead. Act two of the chain. The country hill bus wasn't due for half an hour so I decided to walk home. I crossed the wooden bridge over the river and turned off the main road up the hill. Really wasn't far and a few minutes later I was home. Almost home. As I turned in at my gate a man stepped out of the bushes. Hello Mrs. Carpenter. Who are you? You don't know Peter Kerchevsky. You stay away from me. Stay away from me. Do you hear? You don't know man you sent letters to. You frayed Mrs. Carpenter. Why you frayed. You killed my wife. You frayed I killed you. I swung my handbag across his dirty face. And as he staggered back I dropped the bag and ran. Ran across the lawn and up the steps to the front door. But my key was in my purse. Then I remembered the spare key under the door mat. I got it and unlocked the door. As he pounded up the support steps I slammed the door in his face and locked it. Come out. Come out Mrs. Carpenter. You go away. You go with you here. You leave me alone. You can't get away from me. Nobody around to help you. You don't get away. I wait for you. I leaned against the door trying to get my breath. I could feel Kucheska on the other side of it like a big crazy ape. I I raced through the house. The kitchen door was locked and so were the storm windows on the lower floor. I I ran upstairs to the bedroom. George's service revolver was in the bureau. I got it and opened the window. Come down Mrs. Carpenter. You. He started back away across the building. I fired again. Into the trees at the edge of the property. You're going to pay for what you do Mrs. Carpenter. I gripped the gun and waited until I saw him going down the road to our town and then I unlocked the bedroom door and slept downstairs on the telephone. Number please. 3 4 1 7. One minute. Bert this is Leonora. Yes Leonora. Let me speak to George please. I'm sorry he's out for the afternoon making some calls. Is is Miss Holden there? No I think George gave her the afternoon off. Oh I see. Anything I can do for you Leonora? No no Bert. Did you tell George about Kirchewski and the letter? Yes Leonora. I told him and he told me why you sent it. Now is there anything else I can do for you? If George comes in. I'll tell him to call you. Goodbye Leonora. Bert I meant no. George knew. He knew and Betty Holden knew. She was with him in town keeping him there. This is what they wanted. They wanted something to happen to me. Well there was still a police. I can't arrest him for attempted murder. There isn't even enough evidence for simple assault. After all it was you who fired a gun at him. Well haven't I the right to protect myself in my own house? In the house yes ma'am. But you were behind locked doors firing at a man out in the open. If you'd killed him you'd have been charged with murder. Now if you're smart you'll drop. You've got to find that man and arrest him. I demand it. All right ma'am. And all I can charge him with is trespassing. Oh. We can hold him until his fine is paid and that's all. I don't care what you charge him with arrest him. Just arrest him arrest him. He began to get dark after the police left. And I sat there listening to every sound. Then it started to rain. I heard it against the roof and the windows and it frightened me. If somebody came up to the house I wouldn't be able to hear them. Seven o'clock came then eight, nine, ten. I didn't dare turn on a light. I heard the hum of a motor and the strange sound it made skidding along country hill road. It was George. It's just had to be George. The headlights flashing the windows as the car turned into the drive. And a moment later I I heard his key in the lock. Leonora. Surprised to see me George? Well all the lights were out. I thought you were in bed. Is that what you thought? Is that why you waited so long to come home? Where were you? Where I go is no longer any concern of yours. You were with her. All right Leonora. I was for the first peaceful evening in 10 years but not the last. What are you saying George? I'm going to divorce you Leonora. I'm moving into the hotel and town tonight. I'll stop you George. There isn't anything I won't do to stop you. Oh I know I can depend on you for that. What does mean anything to you George? You don't know what I've been through. You don't know what happened today. I know you tried to kill a man with my gun. How do you know that? Everybody knows it. The police are looking for Kirchewski. You have no feeling about what you've done to that poor confused man have you? I haven't done anything to him. The superstitious idiot. All I did was send a silly letter. That didn't kill his wife. Well I don't want to talk about it. All I want is my clothes. You can't have them. I won't let you. Well then I can get others. Goodbye Leonora. I forbid you to leave this house. Get out of my way. No George. No I'm your wife. Remember how things used to be with us. Let go of me. They can be that way again George. Get out of my way. George don't leave me. I tried to sleep but I couldn't. The rain got heavier. Pounded on the windows like somebody tapping on the glass. Each time the lightning flashed I could see the wet ribbon of the main highway down below and the river beginning to wash over the bridge. Shutter tore loose and started a bang. Yes. Yes. Who is it? Lieutenant Marsh, police headquarters. Have you found Kirchewski? Yes. The boys brought him in a half hour ago. I did all I could. What do you mean? Well Trespassing is a minor charge Mrs. Carpenter. Bail was set at $25 and Mr. Reynolds just came in and bailed him out. You mean he's free? You let him get away? Just send somebody up here. You can't leave me alone if he's loose. I'm sorry Mrs. Carpenter. There's a storm emergency. Besides the bridge is washed out. And I'm tying up a line talking to you. Good night. Lieutenant. Lieutenant. Operator. Operator. Get me Mr. George Carpenter at the Clearview Hotel. Sorry but the lines are open for emergency service. I must speak to him. I just must. I'm sorry. We only have three circuits left open for emergency call. But this is an emergency. I tell you it's a matter of life and death. One moment. I have a clear line now. Please make your call. Breathe. All right. All right. Hello? George. George it's Leonora. You've got to help me please. They arrested Kirchewski but Bert Reynolds bailed him out. I know what Bert told me. You know it? You let him do it. You want me to be killed. He took Kirchewski home and put him to bed. But he won't stay there. He's crazy. You've got to come out here George. I need you. The bridge is out. Well you'll find a way to get here. Oh do you want me to go mad George? I'll give you your divorce. I won't fight it. I promise you George. Only do let me die. Leonora you're hysterical. It's after midnight I... George? In just a moment we continue with the third act of suspense. We have together ample capacity in freedom to defend freedom. This is NATO the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Nations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization have given their solemn guarantee that an attack upon one is an attack upon all and such attack will be resisted with all forces available. The NATO alliance will never be used for aggression. The United States of America is a part of NATO. You should be aware of and alert to the objectives and programs of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. And now, starring Miss Agnes Moorhead, act three of the chain. The line was dead. Dead like I was going to be dead. Krochevsky would come. They didn't know it but I did so I sat there and waited. And then the rain stopped and the moon came out. I sat there listening to the ticking of the clock. It struck one, then two. Then I heard someone moving outside. I remembered what the officer had said. I couldn't shoot him until he broke into the house. He was fumbling with the door. He was forcing something into the lock and then it clicked. The door swung open. He was framed in the center of it and I fired. It was dead but I could feel him behind me, chasing me. I ran down the hill to the river. It had almost burst its backs but there was a boat coming across. I could hear the sound of the oar locks as it came closer. I was crying with relief. The boat scraped under the shadow of the willows and I ran down to it. Hello. Hello, Mrs. Carpenter. He came closer. His hands reached out for my throat. Hello, Mrs. Carpenter. No, no, you're dead. You can't hurt me. You're dead. My wife, she's dead. You're hurting me. Let me go. Let go of me. Don't move, Mrs. Carpenter. My hands are big, strong hands. I could break your neck easy. Just one thing. My husband, my husband was the one. He told me to send the letter. I didn't want to. He made me... You lie, baby. You husband is good man. Yeah, Joe gave me. Don't you like to die, Mrs. Carpenter. You like to write letters. You like other people should die. I didn't mean to shoot you a man at night. I thought you were hurt. I was coming down to get a doctor for you. You just came across the river. You couldn't have gotten down here before me. George. You killed your husband. I thought it was you. You want to kill me, but you kill him. I killed your husband, Mrs. Carpenter. You kill him. Now they make you pay. It was a accident, I tell you. It was a accident. Let me go. It's you. Let me go. Joe, Joe, I'll let you go now, Mrs. Carpenter. Go on, lady. Run, run. Only where you got to run to. In which Ms. Agnes Moorhead starred in William M. Robson's production of The Chain by Joel Mercott. Supporting Ms. Moorhead in The Chain were Ellen Morgan, John McIntyre, Jane Ovello, Herb Ellis, and Larry Dobkin. Listen. Listen again next week when we return with Everett Sloan in Game Hunt, another tale well calculated to keep you in suspense. Suspense has been brought to you through the worldwide facilities of the United States Armed Forces Radio and Television Service.