 This is Conrad Nagel inviting you to stay tuned for the next half hour for one of radio's outstanding dramatic productions on Proudly We Hail Proudly We Hail and now another Proudly We Hail one of radio's outstanding dramatic half hours transcribed coast-to-coast in cooperation with this station and presented by your army and your Air Force From Radio City, New York. Here is your host and star on Proudly We Hail the distinguished star of the theater screen radio and television Conrad Nagel Thank You Kenneth Banghart. Hello everyone welcome again to Proudly We Hail adventures in the Middle East a Conrad. That's right, Ken Story of a strange adventure in the Syrian desert along the ancient caravan trail to Carthage an interesting story and a very strange ending Our first eye curtain will rise in a few moments after this very important message Here's a word about the vital job young women are doing in the United States Air Force Women in the Air Force work on equal terms with the men are doing interesting jobs jobs of vital importance in the support of the United States Air Force How about you young women between the ages of 18 and 34? Can you qualify in the WAF? Stop in at your nearest United States Army and United States Air Force recruiting station for full details And now with your star Conrad Nagel in the role of Wentworth your army and your Air Force present the Proudly We Hail production journey eastward The man named Wentworth sought after adventure as the greedy man seeks gold He sought it in strange schemes outlandish enterprises in the known and little known corners of the earth What he sought he found with unerring accuracy For to those with an eye and a heart for it Adventure is no will of the West Like a patient friend it awaits your call Hold that into the map Holly Yeah, they're not put those tags in the corners Good. Hmm. I might have known Syrian desert from the Mediterranean to the Iranian border. I cut the rest off. It's of no use in this. Well, all right What have you got in mind this line running from Damascus to the lake at Habaniah down the Tigris to Basra as the old Caravan route with thousands of years This was the overland link between the east and the west you see trade was carried on but you don't have to lecture me Wentworth. I've heard of the court of Kubla Khan and Marco Polo, too Would you care to join me in his footsteps? I've driven across all the deserts. Hey, who said anything about driving? You want to fly? What kind of an undertaking would that be Holly? You don't think I came to Damascus and had you come all the way up from Cairo to propose a flight to Basra Doesn't seem likely does it I'll be quiet good This is a journey of approximately 1200 miles through country as you well know mean and rugged as any you can name Once upon a time it was done on camel and on foot I'm planning to arrange a similar caravan of my own now Care to come along Hey, you don't let a man down do you went with a caravan to Basra. Hey, how many camels how many in it? Oh, say a dozen camels a dozen men. Hey gotten from where most people would think you're mad Money is an excellent cure for madness. You remember namara. Don't tell me that old cutthroat hasn't gone to paradise Several times but when they wouldn't let him any came back. He's arranging the details getting the man What kind of man? I'm not particular as long as they'll join me now. What about you? You think I'd miss this? Do we dress as the Bedwins of old we do our only difference will be that we go well armed Some of the tribes out there aren't exactly friendly. When do we start? Well, not tonight Hmm Nomura come in here Well, it was not a simple task Effendi to find nine men it took three days No man on this earth could have done it in less Especially if they spent two days in the cars but drinking rookie by a nice word is not so even gold would not tempt strong men in this venture Friends don't like the idea of walking to Basra if I may speak as an unworthy one They say any man who would make such a journey especially at this time of the year Must have snakes in his head. Hmm, but you finally found nine men willing to forget what they think with a clink of gold There are always such dogs to be found if one looks in the front. Where are they? In the courtyard Effendi And what about camels I have broke your 12 of the best each one I examined carefully You remember Effendi Holly like my palm he goes with us. He will make you a good right arm Well Let's have a look Fendi is displeased Nomura where in the name of Allah did you find these children of hell? They do not look pretty, but they will do as you say Seen some rather rare specimens in my day, but these nine beauties top everything. What jail did you get them out of? How did Effendi know that you mean you? All right Nomura, let's have it and no funny business. Why I could find no one not one brave man in all the city You would agree to go. I became desperate. I did not wish to fail you One of my cousins is a keeper at the jail. I made that an arrangement I I paid for the lease of these these men and they In turn agreed to go with us just as soon as we get out of sight of the city cut our throat Oh, I swear by the beard of the prophet they will behave Effendi We'll hardly see she's traveling companions. Do they understand Arabic or any language? You know something I think if you Nomura and myself made this trick by ourselves We'd have a much better chance of reaching Basra in one piece You mean you don't think these nice brave gentlemen are to be trusted joke all you want they out numbers three to one You think because you got them out of jail They'll do as you say once we're in the desert if we persuade them during the day, maybe The three of us armed to the teeth But what about the night it will be dark and dangerous Have a little confidence in me Holly actually what do you need them for anyway? You ought to know the answer to that protection should we be attacked give them guns and they'll turn on you Don't you enjoyed a bit of chance Holly don't want to back out. Do you well you know better than that all right then Climb aboard your rocking horse you and tomorrow will hold down the rear. I'll lead Nomura, let's get moving Well, Holly here's to a pleasant journey eastward Now Mara Holly don't let them strangle keep closed up That's infernal wind doesn't it ever stop much Effendi, but it is to be expected of sons of jackals They should be passing south of Sabah Byron another day We'll have to watch them carefully then You think my speaking to them did any good. Yes, and why the one could not be a judge Listen to your words Effendi. I think it'll be better if two of us watch while the other sleep I think we're going to have some colors Get over those bales Holly quick tomorrow over there. Keep me covered. I'll handle this Hold it hold it right there Now by Allah, what's the meaning of this well speak up you scum of the gutters Effendi To the north lies Sabah Byron We would go there and leave you in peace you speak for all it is so and naturally you want camels We are weary and would ride and if I refuse you this Unworthy one would not deem it why Listen when you were freed from prison where you all would have rotted out your miserable Misbegotten lives you agreed to make this trip the way is long The wind is cruel And we have changed our mind you would break your word we would go in peace you mean in pieces Watch the others I'll tend to this All right, this is my word Market where you off scouring to the devil Obamian what I say and what I do or die that's your choice now Pick him up and get back of your fires before my wrath runs over and I'll leave you all here to rot Country's getting more rugged sea of arid wasteland ugly desolate dangerous limbo Glad you came along well wouldn't have missed it for the world Sometimes over the wind. I think I could hear the echoes of other caravans that pass this way Tinkled camel bow Shout to the writers you're a romantic Course you're not And you have very good ears Our charges seem to quiet it down Perhaps they've become resigned to it all. Yeah, don't you believe it. I'm just waiting for the right moment Right now they won't make a move because they'd be afraid of getting lost But wait till we reach buyer Nomura Get into those rocks. Don't let them run. Biggers are up on that ridge line. Spread out spread out Polly Polly return their fire I'd say we were in a bit of a mess. I'd have to agree And they've got us nicely pinned down. Who are they? Who knows? We know they don't like us waiting for nightfall. I suppose so keep your head down man The flowers over there in those rocks were left of our traveling. I know as soon as it gets dark we try to join forces Polly look at that sky getting awfully dark. It's only three o'clock. I have a feeling our friends up there on the ridge You moved on just because they've grown quiet Maybe that's what they want you to think I said look at the sky Ever been through a sandstorm Nomura What do you make of it? Polly pull that thing up over your nose and come on We've got to try and get together before this thing hits. What about the minute? They're not there. I tell you Getting so dark they couldn't see us anyway Nomura we're coming over to you hold your fire Polly I grab hold of my belt Quite look like a big black tidal wave run man run We better get into those rocks can't stand up keep your head down I think it look out for the legs there quick. Look out you're going over Went for it in the cloudy we hail production journey eastward will return in just a moment for the second act Here's a word to young women Have you considered the opportunities? It can be yours by enlisting in the WAF the women in the air force There are numerous chances for advancement in the united states air force You're needed right now to do an important job in administration in radio in the medical service or perhaps as an interpreter There are hundreds of other interesting fields too So visit the united states army and united states air force recruiting station in your neighborhood to get all the details Do it today You are listening to proudly we hail and now with your star conrad nagle in the role of wentworth We present the second act of journey eastward You must not try to rise Lie still and rest What? How did I get here? Sleep You are tired and hurt We shall watch you well Oh, there was a storm They took us by surprise we Sleep now You will be stronger later You You must be the goddess ishtar and i must be dead Or dreaming I Just can't figure it out namara Absolutely no trace of him at all. He vanished from the earth. I was with him. I saw him fall. He went off that low ledge That means he must have landed Right about here, and if he wandered out there into the desert of hendy He wouldn't do that. How could he in that wind? Those who attacked us may have found him. It's the only answer Where could they have taken him? I know not effendi I only know we must leave this place and go to birara All these jackals will turn on us and leave our bones here namara Wentworth was my friend I just can't pick up and go because we've got a bunch of cutthroats waiting to turn on us If you want to go you go ahead I'm staying here to look for wentworth as long as my water lasts Tell the others they can go Let him take the camels Tell them if they're not on their way by sundown I'll shoot a lot of them effendi Wentworth was also my friend I shall search with you though. I know the task will be fruitless And the danger is great that those who attacked us will come again. Good Maybe if they can come back We can get them to take us to wentworth ally is compassionate ally is wise But if they return it will not be to take us anywhere But to kill us You have eaten well. Oh, yes Yes Who are you? I am thar Was it your tribe that attacked us attacked you That is strange talk for one who was taken from the jaws of death. Oh, thanks Um What happened to holly and the mara you are not of this land What are you called? My name is wentworth What do you say we stop eating around the bush wentworth That is an odd name I might say the same for you What are you planning to do hold me for ransom you are rude We are protectors of the caravans We hold no one for ransom protectors of the Kidding I don't understand your speech I admit my Persian is not so good and my arrow league is worse I'm You don't speak English. Do you I have heard at the town but I do not speak it You are from far away place America I'm an American Where is that? How would you say it? America On the moon oh that could not be Are your people worshipers of our start there no No, we play the witchy board I don't understand you. Well, look, maybe you can understand this I'm grateful to you for being rescued Last thing I remember before I woke up was falling off a ledge after the storm hit Now I want to know what happened the others in my party. I want to get out of here and join them We know nothing of the rest of your caravan They must have perished in the storm We found only you and brought you to our encampment Now I think you better rest is Is my leg broken? Yes, but our galia has joined it and it will grow strong again When the next caravan comes we shall send you on your way Well As we say on the moon in America Sweetheart you take the cake I've been here. I have not marked the days You know there's something Something dreamlike about this whole thing This place doesn't seem real And you don't either I am real went worth of the strange time. Yeah, that's another thing Your way of talking is our cake Sometimes it's difficult to understand what you're saying And another thing What's a girl like you doing out in the middle of nowhere? Don't you try to ever move move? Why should we move? When the caravans pass we see to their needs caravans What caravan sarah No caravans pass here when you fell you must have hurt your head also When my father returns your father Is he the leader of this tribe? He is Shadoo the leader of the encampment And in his absence, I have taken his place Where's he out arranging for my ransom? You should not speak so Why do you hurt me with your sharp words? They are like barbs He is in Babylonia to see why he is where I shall not speak with you if you shout at me Well now look Tara This encampment this watering hole What do you call it? Guardian Guardia Guardia I've never heard of it Wasn't marked on my map then you had a poor map Every traveler east or west knows of guardia. You don't say Now when do you expect your father from Babylonia? Soon I know not when so I know I know on the next caravan west perhaps And now I must bid you good night Sleep well Strange man from the moon Went worth old man. I think it's time you got out of here before you go start raving mad Or one of these fine people gets tired of waiting for papa and cuts your throat Easy does it now The water bags are filled His stake will have to do for a cane Not going to be a pleasant walk I'll head south of the pipeline So Farewell, Tara of Guardia Sorry, I couldn't stay around and listen to more of your beautiful double talk Now went worth Start walking No matter they found him he's alive. He's alive man. Who does the offend they speak went worth He stumbled in out of the desert one of the pumping stations on the pipeline They're sending a plane out to fly him back here to Damascus right away ally is merciful ally is good a miracle Will you stop walking up and down like an expectant father? Sorry Look, I don't care how far fetch it may sound to you. That's the story I can all say I'm out of my head, but it's true. It's fantastic. Yeah Well the way I have it figured out They were the bunch that jumped us but no one approached the authorities for your rent No, maybe something happened to them But I don't know You said she called the place Guardia, that's right And as soon as I'm able to get up and around I'm going back there and take her over my knee Holly She was a knockout And smart too I can imagine Look, you seem to doubt my story. No No, how could I that's what I want to know The x-ray showed my leg had been broken in two places You don't think I said it myself Then wandered around out there for two months while it got better, of course not. Well, then what's eating you? In your pocket There was a bracelet. Yeah, that's right I wanted something to remember her by Well What about it? You know how interested I am in things like that So when you let me take it I took it to a friend of mine who's an authority on the history of this area. Well, I don't follow you. Why it had an unusual design Never seemed unlike it before Thought it might be valuable and was it went worth He nearly had a stroke He said it was priceless Over a thousand years old. Well, she was priceless too I don't think I don't think she was quite that old And the bracelet was probably handed down or stolen or she wanted to know where I'd gotten it I told him Do you know what he told me? Sure, he'd pay anything for it He told me that guardia had been a watering hole for the caravans A thousand years ago All of them stopped there Very famous place in its day holly What are you trying to say? I'm not trying to say anything. I'm just telling you what he told me Inscription on the bracelet You couldn't translate it, could you? No No, I couldn't make it out. Well, he could Was written in ancient persian It said Thara Beloved of my heart And then there was another name he couldn't quite make out something like Ardu or uh shardu That was her father's name I I just wanted you to know Thanks Thara guardia a thousand years ago. Well, you tell me the answer holly You tell me Turning just a moment with a word about next week's show Who's the smartest woman of the year? Why the woman who puts on that new blue uniform of the united states air force? Smartly tailored neatly groomed. She's being seen more and more around the nation these days She's smart in another way too She started a great career as a WAF one of the women in the air force working side by side with the men of the air force She wears her air force blue proudly with a sense of personal accomplishment because she's doing a needed job In administration in radio as a technician or operator in the medical service as a technician are in hundreds of other interesting fields More and more young women 18 to 34 A finding out that the smart thing to do is to get the complete details at the nearest united states army and united states air force recruiting station To put on the smart blue uniform worn by the women in the air force How about you can you qualify? This has been another program on proudly we hail presented transcribed in cooperation with this station by the united states army and the united states air force recruiting service Proudly we hail stars conrad niggle. This is kenneth banghardt speaking and here again as your host and star Conrad niggle friends may we take this opportunity to wish all of you in the audience a hearty happy new year And extend to you all our best wishes for 1952 We hope you'll join us for the coming year for proudly we hail over this same station Our program next week is a strange tale of a strange adventure entitled A matter of time until then Goodbye