 AutoLite and its 96,000 dealers bring you Miss Linda Darnell in tonight's presentation of... South Spence. Tonight, AutoLite presents the story of a woman who knew her husband was trying to kill her and was powerless to stop it. A dramatic report we call, A Killing in Las Vegas, starring Miss Linda Darnell. Hello, Harlow. Oh, hello, Harlow. Boy, you really gave me a powerful start. Just like the powerful starts you can be sure of getting from your AutoLite StayFull battery, Harp. And an AutoLite StayFull needs water only three times a year in normal car use. I know, Harlow. And, Harp, do you also know that the AutoLite StayFull gives longer life as proved by tests conducted according to accepted life cycle standards? I do, Harlow. Well, OK, then, visit your nearest AutoLite Battery Dealer. He services all makes of batteries, and he has an AutoLite StayFull for your car in case a replacement is needed. To quickly learn his location, just phone Western Union by number... And ask for me, Operator 25. I'll gladly tell you the name of your nearest AutoLite Battery Dealer. Where you can get an AutoLite StayFull, the battery that needs water only three times a year in normal car use. And remember, from bumper to tail light, you're always right with AutoLite. And now, with a killing in Las Vegas, and the performance of Miss Linda Darnell, AutoLite hopes once again to keep you in... I'd like to see the policeman in charge, please. Maybe I can help you, ma'am. What is it? My husband is trying to kill me. I see. You'd better come with me. Oh, Hank, I think you'd better talk with this lady. Oh, yes, ma'am. Come in. Have a seat. Thank you. Now, what is it you want to see me about, Miss... Mrs. Evans. Dixie Evans. I'm a dancer over at the Oasis Club. Oh, yeah, the Oasis. You must be one of the new acts. I don't believe I've seen you. Well, I just started my run this week. Well, what's your trouble, Mrs. Evans? My husband is trying to kill me. Your husband? Yes, twice in the last 24 hours. Well, maybe you better start at the beginning. Well, my husband Charlie and I arrived here in Las Vegas about a week ago. Frankie Parris, a booking agent in Los Angeles, had gotten me a six-week run at the Oasis Club over on the main highway. Yeah, I know the place. Well, Charlie doesn't usually bother to travel with me when I go out on road bookings. But this time he did. Charlie likes to gamble. I guess that's why he came with me. Well, last night, Charlie didn't show up at the club at 1.30 to pick me up like he usually does. So I waited for him. And by 2 o'clock, the club had been emptied and everybody had gone home. I was still in the back waiting for him. It's you, Dixie. Hi, Barney. What are you doing out here all alone? Well, I'm waiting for my husband. He's late. Sure is. It's almost 2.30. You know where he is? No. Getting lucky, I hope. That's what I call wishful thinking. Did the house get much play tonight? About usual. Hey, would you like me to give you a lift downtown to your hotel? Oh, no, thanks, Barney. I better wait for him. He'd have called me if he wasn't coming. He'll be along any minute. Yeah, if nothing happened to him. Well, I know him like a book. After living with him for seven years, I should know. He'd have called. You've been married that long, huh? Yep. Well, look, Dixie, I don't like to leave you out here all alone like this. Oh, don't be silly. Well, if I can't offer you a lift, apparently... Oh, thanks just the same, Barney. Tell you what I'll do. I'll wait around until he gets there. I don't want you to get alone. Oh, no, you go on home and get some sleep. I won't be lonesome. I've got all those wide-open spaces of Nevada just to keep me company. Okay, Dixie. And besides that, I've got a strong pair of lungs. I can always scream for help. Sure. But who'd hear you? Like you said, those are wide-open spaces out there. Are you trying to scare me? No. I'm just tired. I'll see you tomorrow night. Good night, Dixie. Good night, Barney. Charlie? Charlie? Is that you? Who is it? Charlie, before I could move on, I thought someone grabbed me from behind. It was a man. He twisted my arms and yanked me back in the shadows. I kicked and spit and tried to fight myself loose. There was no use. His hands were like steel. I tried to scream, but his hands closed around my throat. It came to I was lying on the gravel back of the club. It was still dark. I took a deep breath and my lungs felt as if they were going to burst. And my throat ached. I staggered to my feet and ran around in front of the club on to the main highway. It wasn't long before a passing cab picked me up and took me back downtown to the hotel. When I let myself into the room, Charlie was in bed. I sat down and started to cry. He got up, came over and put his arms around me. That's when I should have known when he put his arms around me. All right, Dixie baby, come on and get hold of yourself now. Come on, take hold, honey. He's shaking like a leaf. What is it? Charlie, Charlie, it was terrible. Someone, someone tried to kill me. Oh, baby. Charlie. Look, will you stop crying long enough to tell me what you're talking about? Someone tried to kill you? Yes, yes. Where? In the back of the club, the oasis. I was waiting for you and... Didn't she get my telephone message? Message? I left a message for you. No. What happened? Well, I was back there waiting for you. I heard a noise and first I thought it was you. I called your name and then this man rushed up behind me, grabbed me around the throat and I... Did you see what he looked like? No, I couldn't see his face. It was too dark, but he tried to choke me, Charlie. Look, Dixie. Oh, it was terrible. His hands were on my throat. Well, what happened after that? I don't know. I passed out. I guess he thought I was dead, but why did he want to kill me? Just wait a minute, Dixie. How do you know he wanted to kill you? I don't know. Was anyone from the club around here? No, everybody had gone home. I see. Oh, it could have been someone trying to rob the club. Huh? Yeah, I'm sure that might have been someone trying to break in and rob the club. He thought everybody had gone home. When he got around and back, he found you. Got scared and he attacked you. Well, maybe... maybe a rider. Of course I'm right. You say you called me? Yeah, I sure did. I was having a run of luck at the club crack wheel. I still want about 500 bucks, baby. I didn't want to leave. So I called the club and told them to tell you to take a cab on home. But I didn't get the message. I had to give it to you. Charlie. Maybe I ought to call the police. What for? To tell them what happened. It's late now, honey. I only got up in the morning. All right, Charlie. You won 500 dollars, Charlie? Yeah. Isn't that great? Can I see it? Oh, didn't want to carry a lot of money with me. I told them to make it out to me in a check. Pick it up tomorrow. Now, you get to sleep, Dixie. Get a good night's rest. You need it. OK, Charlie, I will. I am tired. I had a very restless night. I didn't get much sleep. But the next morning, the more I thought about what Charlie had said, the more I began to believe that maybe he was right. Maybe it had been somebody just wanting to rob the club. We got up late and had lunch at one of the restaurants along Fifth Street, then played some bingo at the palace. Then we walked around town for a while and went back to our hotel about 2.30. Hey, Dixie, why don't you go upstairs and take a nap? I ought to get some rest. You have a very restless night there. Yeah, I know. Oh, Charlie, you're not going to... Oh, no, honey. I'm going over and pick up the check at the club cart. It should be ready for me. Get yourself half an hour of sleep. It'll do you good. Maybe I will. I've got your key. It's been about half an hour. Sorry. Charlie. Hey, Dixie. Lay off the dice table, huh? Sure. Yes, ma'am? Three, please. Yes, ma'am. Brother, this feels good. I didn't even bother to take my clothes off. I was too tired. All I could think about was getting some sleep. And the bed felt soft and good. I started to drift off into a dream. It was a terrible dream. I saw the man in the back of the club in my dream. He was chasing me now. I tried to run away. But he caught me and tied me up. Then he picked me up in his arms and carried me over to where a train engine stood and laid me down in front of it. The train in my dream hadn't started to move yet, but I could hear the hissing of the engine. And it seemed that the louder the hissing got, the harder it was for me to breathe. I tried to wake up, but it was hard. And then finally I did. But the hissing of the train didn't disappear with the rest of my dream. The hissing became the gas jet in the corner of the room. Break it. He's bringing you Miss Linda Darnell in a killing in Las Vegas. Tonight's production in Radio's Outstanding Theatre of Thrill's South Spence. Hello, I've told you before that I have an auto-light-stay-full battery. What do you think of it, Hap? It's great. It's grand. It's magnificent. And it's protected too. Protected? Yep. Every positive plate in the auto-light-stay-full is protected by fiberglass retaining mats to reduce shedding and flaking and give the auto-light-stay-full longer life. As proved by tests conducted according to accepted life cycle standards and the auto-light-stay-full needs water only three times a year in normal car use. So, friends, visit your auto-light-battery dealer, the man who services all makes of batteries. To quickly learn his location, just call Western Union by number. And as for me, Operator 25, I'll gladly tell you the name and address of your nearest auto-light-battery dealer where you can get an auto-light-stay-full, the battery that needs water only three times a year in normal car use. And remember, from bumper to taillight, you're always right with auto-light. And now, auto-light brings back to our Hollywood soundstage Miss Linda Darnell in Elliott Lewis' production of A Killing in Las Vegas, a dramatic report well-calculated to keep you in south spend. All right, Mrs. Evans, just try to finish your story if you can. You say you tried to break the window with your shoe. Yes, it finally broke, and I got some fresh air. And this was how long ago? About an hour. Then what happened after you were able to revive yourself? I was scared. I asked myself, what have I done so bad that someone wants to kill me for it? Because now I believe that someone was trying to kill me. I tried to get hold of Charlie, my husband, to tell him to come back to the hotel right away. Would you ring the club cartwheel for me, please? My name is Evans. Mrs. Dixie Evans. My husband was coming in to pick up a check. Can you tell me if he's still there? No, he came in there last night. He had a run of luck, and he said he told you to make out a check for him. Evans? Yes, Charles Evans. You mean he hasn't picked it up yet? A record of a check waiting for him. Tell me. I'm sorry I bothered you. Would you get me the oasis club, please? The number is 4062. One moment. This is Dixie Evans. I was wondering if there were any messages left there for me last night. Oh, wait a minute, I'll look. Thank you. Just like that. I find out that my husband, Charlie, is the person who's been trying to kill me. My own sweet, loving husband. He didn't win a pile at the club cartwheel, and he didn't leave a message for me at the oasis club. I guess I must have surprised him when I walked into the hotel room last night. He'd left me for dead. So he'd had to try again. Sleep, Dixie. Get some rest. So he could turn on the gas jet in the room and try again. What does a woman do when she finds out that her husband is trying to murder her? What does she do? What would any other woman do? She'd go to the police. So I came to talk to you. Is that all of it, Mrs. Evans? Yes. Isn't it enough? Mrs. Evans, tell me something. A man who tried to choke you back at the club. Did you see his face? Well, I didn't see his face. Well, you didn't see his face? No, but... Well, how do you know it was your husband, Mrs. Evans? Because I told you he tried it again. Only a little while ago, up in our hotel room, I found the gas jet in the room turned on. You don't believe me, do you? Is your husband on a gun? Yes. Has he ever threatened you with it? Well, no. Has he ever threatened you at all? No. No, but don't you understand... Why are you so certain that the man who tried to choke you in back of the Oasis Club was your husband? No, you didn't see his face. I know, but... Well, then you can't be sure. But up in the hotel room... I'm quite surprised at the number of people who die every year by accidentally bumping against the gas jet and turning it on and never knew they did that. I tell you, my husband is trying to kill me. Why? Why? Can you tell me why your husband wants to kill you? Well, I... I don't know why. I don't know. I haven't the slightest idea. Yeah, you see, you can't tell me why. Now, look, Mrs. Evans, why don't you go back to your hotel and get some rest? We'll look into it for you. Look into it? Well, aren't you going to arrest him or something? I don't see how we can. You haven't given us any kind of substantial evidence that it proved your husband is trying to kill you. In fact, you can't even tell me why he wants to kill you. I can't tell you why. I don't know myself. Well, you'd better get back to your hotel, Mrs. Evans. Get some rest. We'll get on this right away. Yes. Maybe you're right. I'll go back to my hotel. Thank you, Lieutenant. Not at all. You get taken care of, lady? Huh? Oh, yes. Yes, thank you. Dixie. Charles. Hello, Dixie. Am I getting the car? Am I dancing white? I've come to take you home. I thought we were going back to the hotel. This isn't the way. What are we doing on the highway? Charlie, what's the matter? What's wrong? Don't turn the radio louder, Charlie. I want to talk to you. Charlie, you're mad at me, aren't you? What have I done that's made you mad? Charlie, take me back to our hotel. Let's get home. I want to go home. I don't want to go for a ride. I'm tired now. I'm awfully tired, Charlie. Please don't turn it louder. It makes my head hurt. Please, Charlie. What is it? What are you mad at me about? Is it the divorce, Charlie? I don't want to hear you talk. That's it, isn't it? That's what you're mad at me about, the divorce. But I can't give it to you, Charlie. I can't. It doesn't matter anymore. She's married now. She wouldn't wait any longer. Yesterday she got married. Charlie, I didn't know what meant so much to you. I only tried to do what I thought was best for the both of us. We're not getting any younger. And when two people were married for as long as we were mad, I thought maybe we should try to make something of it. You thought that. What about me? You? What about what I thought? You're right, Charlie. But you can't kill me now. Why can't I? I told the police. You told them what? That you were trying to kill me. But it was you and back at the club. That you turned on the gas chain. Oh, no. You can't kill me, Charlie. They'll pick you up in a minute. Okay, Dixie. Shall we go back to the hotel now? Okay, Dixie. There's nothing to do, Charlie. We just go on, I guess, like we have. You do that. You stay with me, married to me, knowing I want you dead? I have to, Charlie, because I won't give you a divorce. Well, like chess, Dixie, we'll stay all mated, won't we? Looks that way. You know how much I hate you. Now I know. Up to now it's been a game of cat and mouse. You were the mouse and I was the cat ready for the kill. But you tricked me, my pretty wife. You must feel pretty proud. But look, the game's going to change, Dixie. Work hard. You make lots of money because I'm going to spend it all. Have I been a good husband to you, Dixie? And think back. Remember all the soft, sweet things that we ever held between us? Think about them, because those soft, sweet things will become just a memory. From now on I'm going to make life hard for you, Dixie, and I'm going to make it so hard for you you'll wish that I had killed you. I'm... I'm tired, Charlie. I'm going to try to get some rest. Get some rest. A lot of rest, Dixie. You're going to need it. Tell the police why I wanted to kill you, Dixie. Did you tell them how I asked you in a civilized manner for a divorce? Tell them that. Dixie! Dixie, what did you do? Dixie, don't die. Dear police, Dixie, they'll think I did it. Please, Dixie, don't die. Dixie, don't die. Presented by AutoLite, tonight's star, Miss Linda Darnell. This is Harlow Wilcox speaking for AutoLite, world's largest independent manufacturer of automotive electrical equipment. AutoLite is proud to serve the greatest names in the industry. And during these early months of 52, the AutoLite family joins in saluting the leading car manufacturers who install AutoLite products as original equipment. Our AutoLite family is made up of the nearly 30,000 men and women in 28 great AutoLite plants from coast to coast and in still other AutoLite plants in many foreign countries. It also includes more than 18,000 people who have invested a portion of their savings in AutoLite, as well as 96,000 AutoLite distributors and dealers in the United States and thousands more in Canada and throughout the world. The AutoLite family will salute the DeSoto Division of Chrysler Corporation on the next AutoLite Suspense television program. If you live in a television area, check the day and time of suspense on television so that you'll be sure to see this program. And remember, be with us next week for another thrilling AutoLite Suspense program on radio. Next week on Suspense, our star will be Mr. Herbert Marshall in a radio dramatization of the true story of the 39 Steps. In weeks to come, we shall also present Ray Milland and Frank Lovejoy. All on... Suspense is produced and directed by Elliot Lewis, with music composed by Lucian Morrowick and conducted by Lut Bluskin. A Killing in Las Vegas was written for suspense by Richard George Padaccini. In tonight's story, Lamont Johnson was heard as Charlie and Joseph Kearns as the Lieutenant. Featured in the cast were Jerry Hausner, Charles Calvert, Eve McVeigh and Jim Nussar. Linda Darnell will soon be seen in David E. Rose's production of Saturday Island. And remember, next week on Suspense, Mr. Herbert Marshall in the 39 Steps. Did you know that more than 7 million American men, women and children are victims of crippling arthritis? Help prevent this waste of human happiness and power. Give today to the Arthritis and Rheumatism Foundation, care of your local postmaster. This is the CBS Radio Network.