 The Mutual Broadcasting System in cooperation with Family Theatre Incorporated presents Footsteps in the Night starring Lawn McAllister with Kay Christopher and Jean Reynolds. Kate Smith is your hostess. Things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. Hello everybody. This is Kate Smith. I'm glad of the opportunity to speak to you through this Family Theatre program. You know, living good, helpful, homey lives doesn't make many headlines, but let me tell you I haven't known any finer people anywhere than most folks in show business. And a whole lot of them want to try to get more families to kneel down together in daily family prayer. They know that's the answer, or at least the beginning of the answer, to what's wrong with the world in these troubled days. All of us know that there's no sure way to happiness for individuals, for families, for communities and nations, than to call on God to help us in our daily struggles. It's true indeed that the family that prays together stays together, and a world at prayer is a world at peace. Kate Smith speaks again following tonight's Family Theatre story, starring Lon McAllister with Kay Christopher and Jean Reynolds in Footsteps in the Night. And it came to pass when Cain and Abel, the sons of Adam and Eve, were in the field together that Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and slew him. But the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel, thy brother? And he answered, I know not. Am I my brother's keeper? Footsteps. Footsteps keeping time together. My brother's in mine. Listen to them. Robin's footsteps in mine. His that lead and mine that follow. His that are positive. Mine that are only an echo. You are your brother's keeper. It's strange that these words should ring in my ears, now that I know I hate him. It's close. Thanks, Robin. I want to talk to you. Sure, Johnny. What's on your mind? Now, don't act so innocent. I'm not impressed. I heard you. You heard me what? What are you talking about? Listen, Robin, you may be my brother, but if you don't cut it out, so help me, I'll kill you. Okay, that'll make you happy, but I sure would like to know what I did. This is one thing you can't take away from me. I'm warning you. Johnny, this is pretty silly. Tell me my crime, and I'll either admit it or explain it. You know darn well what I'm talking about. Hey, Rob, want a lift? Yeah, Dick. Thanks. Where you going? To take the dog for a run in the hills. That is, if it's okay with you. So long. It is phony charm. I knew what he was up to, and somehow I'd make him pay for it. What I needed now was time to think, time to plot my revenge. So I went down to the lake where the lashing waves kept time to my thoughts. Strange how much alike we are, you and I, my brother. Our features are about the same, only you are handsome, and I'm what they call attractive. You are six feet two, and I'm a bit short of six. We both have high IQs, but yours is five points higher. I'm liked by my own few friends, and you are loved by your many friends. And also by old women, and little children, and all stray dogs and cats. And so I've been forced to live my life, all 21 years of it, as a rather pale shadow of you, my brother. I remember the day I entered first grade. It was September, and the breeze from the lake was brisk, but warmed by the Indian summer sun. You took me to school that first day, Robin. You were going into the second grade, and I felt like a baby walking along beside you, holding your hand, as our mother had told me to. You have a lot more, Johnny. You getting tired? No. Let go of my hand, I'll race you. Okay. Beat you, Donny. Not by much, you didn't. It wasn't a fair race anyway, because I got the longest legs. Okay, you got the biggest ears. Wow, come on, we'll be late for school. Gonna be. Oh, Lady Tabor, but you better call her Miss Tabor. And there's something else you want to know. What? Whenever she says anything funny, you laugh real hard. That's the way to get on the good side of her. I can see this is going to be a fine, let's get to know each other. My name is Miss Tabor. We'll go around the room, and everyone tell his or her name. We'll start over here. This little girl is, that's a nice name. I hope you'll live up to your name, Mary Lee, and be a champion in all your subjects. What are you laughing at, young man? Because you made a joke about her being a champion. Yes, I did. And you're a bright boy to have noticed it. What's your name? Sean Winslow. Winslow? Winslow. Oh, that explains why you're so bright. You must be Robin's brother. I'm not his brother. He's my brother. Well, either way, you have a lot to live up to. Robin was one of my best pupils. I hope your work would be as good as his. Yes, ma'am. He had nothing but A's last year. Will you make such good grades, too? Sure, sure I will. I can do anything that he can do. Maybe better than him. Then he, John. Then he. Well, that's fine. I'm sure you'll do as well as Robin if you try as hard as he did. Now, this next little girl over here. I tried all right. I tried my best. But I entered that first grade with mostly B's. Now, a B average wasn't bad only. I was trying to be like you, Robin. I wanted you to be as proud of me as I was of you. As time passed, fear grew slowly within me. The fear that I would always fall short of the mark that you had set for me. I failed often. And each time I did, I died a little. And so it was through grade school. And then came high school. And still I tried to follow in your footsteps, Robin. Of course, the girls all went for you in a big way. And some of them, some of them even liked me a little. An early champion had grown up to be one of the prettiest girls at school. She had a face like a china doll. I spent months working up courage to ask her this. Could I see you for a minute, please? Of course, Janikens. What do you want to see me about? Well, it's the spring dance. Of course, I guess you already have a date, but just in case you don't, I thought maybe... Why, Janikens, this is an invitation. Well, yes, I guess you could call it that. Jean-Marie, will you go with me? Well, I planned on wearing a long dress, Janikens. So I couldn't go on a bus or anything like that. Of course, if you had a car. Well, my brother already asked Dan. He said we could use his. Oh, Robin's going with you? Well, if you'd rather go alone, we could take a taxi, maybe. No, no, Janikens. The car will be just fine. And thanks just oodles for asking me. Thank you, Marilee. Gee, thank you. You're an awful smooth dancer, Marilee. That's because I have such a smooth partner, Janikens. That old brother of yours hasn't asked me for one single dance. So? Well, I just thought since we came together in the same car and everything... Well, what's that got to do with it? Nothing, except... I know what you mean. You don't have to spell it out. I'd rather be dancing with him. Oh, Johnny, you could ever put such a notion into your head. I could probably fix it up for you. Johnny, stop walking all over my feet. People are looking at us. I'm sorry, but if you like him so much, why didn't you come to the dance with him? Because he didn't ask me if you really want to know. Oh, so you were just using me to get to him, is that it? Yes. It's about time you got wise to yourself. Oh, Marilee helped me to die a little bit more. Every year we had a tennis tournament. Remember, Robin? By the time you were a senior, you had been runner-up once or twice. And I decided that here I could beat you at your own game. Every morning I was up early and on my way to the courts. I practiced my serve, I perfected my strokes. And always my unseen opponent was you. And in my imaginary games, I always beat you, Robin. And the crowds were cheering for me. For me, John Winslow. Tell me, how about a soda? The guy's room at the drugstore. No, thanks, Robin. I have to work on my backhand. The tournament starts next month. You know, I've been thinking, let you and me be a doubles team, huh, Johnny? I bet we could win the cup together. Well, I've got my heart set on the singles cup. Okay. Guess I'll enter the singles too if you won't be my partner. Swell, I'd like a chance to beat you. Well, John, just two more days before the tournament. Yeah, I know. Stay down, boy. And no hard feelings no matter how the tournament comes out, okay? Why should there be any hard feelings? Oh, I don't know. I just... Oh, forget it. Come on, I'll race you across the line. Okay. Come on, boy! Robin, did you hurt yourself? I don't know. What's the matter with you? I'm sorry, Robin. It's all those jokes about slipping on a banana peel, I guess. Here, let me help you out. It's un-muddle. Are you okay? Yeah, sure. I've got my wrist a little. That's all. Oh? Well, I'm supposed to be stopping at the doctor's and let him take a look at it. No, it's just a little sprain. Forget it. As principal of Lakewood High School, I have the pleasant task of presenting the athletic awards. First, this beautiful silver-loving cup goes to the winner of the tennis tournament, John Winslow. John, stand up so we can see you. Congratulations, John. Thanks. And this plaque goes to the runner-up in the tennis tournament. You all know him, Robin Winslow. Well, Robin would have won it if it hadn't gone for that bad wrist. I hope that things would be different when we went to college. I guess I should have known better. You were always around me. You even hovered over me at the fraternity rushing party. The older brother who knew all the ropes and was determined that his kid brother should be treated right. Are you Winslow's brother, aren't you? That's right. He's a great guy, that Robin. That's supposed to be news. Well, I just meant that you ought to be proud of him. Who said I wasn't? I'm fully aware that he's the fastest man on the track team, the best-looking actor in the Shakespeare Club and the sharpest debater in the whole darn state. Hi, Dick. How's everything, Johnny? Hi, Robin. Well, um, I'll be seeing you. So long, Dick. What's the matter, Johnny? You look sort of down. Don't you like the fraternity? I'm not going to join, Robin. Of course, I mean, I'll ask me to, but even if they do, I won't join. Oh, sure they'll ask you. You're my brother, aren't you? I'd like to see them not ask you. Why, I'd quit this fraternity so fast. Thanks, Robin. Don't do me any more favors. You were right, Robin. They did ask me. But like you said, I was your brother. So what else could they do? And in spite of what I had said, I accepted. Still, I was never really one of them. I was tolerated only because of you. And then, just this spring, something happened that made me really happy for the first time. I met Kathy. You know what a wonderful girl she is, don't you, Robin? We used to take long walks together down to the lake, Kathy and I. Look at that little sliver of a moon. You want it? No. No, I just want to sit here with you and look at it. Kathy. Yes, darling, what is it? Kathy, I love you. You know that, don't you? Well, I rather suspected. And you know, it's a good arrangement because I feel the same way about you. Tell me. Tell me how you love me. Putting it into words would only make it sound foolish, Johnny. Well, then tell me why you love me. Johnny, you know I don't believe in the paralysis of analysis. Kathy, next year when we finish school, will you marry me? Yes, Johnny, I will. Oh, Kathy. Kathy. Yes, John? I was just going to ask you if... If what, darling? Well, if you had the choice between Robin and me, which would you pick? Which one of us would you rather marry? Oh, that's so silly. I'm not even going to bother answering it. Kathy, I have to know. This time I have to be sure. Johnny, I've told you that I love you and those words don't come easily or often with me. Just for the record, I'd like a direct answer. I'd rather marry you, of course, darling. So I took a few odd jobs around town after classes and finally I saved enough money to buy Kathy a ring. A week ago today I gave it to her. And then early this evening I started into the drugstore for a coke. But I stopped and stood behind a booth because you were coming toward me, Robin. Arm in arm with Kathy. Kathy, it's a wonderful idea. You don't think Johnny suspects, do you? Why should he suspect anything? We've been so, shall we say, discreet. Then I'll see you in an hour. I have a lot to arrange now. Same place? Right. So long, honey. Bye, Robin. I've stood everything else from you, Robin, but this I can't take. Kathy is a new life for me. You can't have her along with everything else. That's why you're so bright. You must be Robin's brother. He made nothing but ease. Ask me if you really want to know. Why should he? So shall I say, discreet. The end of you or of me. I'm coming after you. And up there in the hills we'll have it out. We'll settle this thing once and for all. Me? Leave me alone, Kathy. Johnny, what's the matter? You look so strange. I said leave me alone. But Johnny, we were going to study together tonight. Over at my house, remember? There's something else I have to tend to first. Where's Robin? Come on, show me where he is. And then I found you, Robin. You were lying all crumpled up in a deep crevice. The blood was spurting from an ugly gash in your head. And you were unconscious. So the scorer had been settled for me. And who was I to interfere with fate? So I left you there, my brother. All alone to die. I didn't want to be alone. I wanted to be with someone, anyone. My steps seemed to echo the protests of my conscience. How could I leave Robin, my own brother, there to die? And suddenly I found myself at Kathy's house. All the lights in the place were on and I could hear music. I walked up to the window and I looked in. Hey, what's happened to Robin? Well, he had to stop and pick up the food, Dick. He'll be along. And where the heck is Johnny? Well, he said he had something to do and then he'd be over. Well, fella can't even get to his own engagement party on time. Fine thing. He'll probably miss your wedding altogether. Well, Robin and I went to so much trouble planning it. We wanted to surprise Johnny, you know. Great as all get out. That was it. You were planning a party for me, Robin. And I thought as I ran back to the hills, I remembered a lot of other things too. It wasn't a fair race anyhow because I got the longest legs. Or says anything funny, you laugh real hard. Let you and me be a doubles team. Hi, Johnny. I bet we could win the cup together. Why, if they don't ask you, I'll quit this fraternity so fast. Captain, you was a wonderful idea. Robin. Robin. Where? Robin, you're a lot. Thanks, God. Forgive me. Oh, my head. Do you think you can walk? I don't know yet. Here. Here, I'll help you. Put your arm around my shoulder. I think my leg's broken. Lean on me, Robin. You're going to be all right. Oh, boy. You're glad you came along. Robin, you're the best brother a guy ever had. A fine time to get sentimental. This is Kate Smith again. Almost all of us can sympathize with the young fellow in the story we've just heard. Maybe it isn't always an older brother or sister who seems to be just a bit more successful than we are who makes us envious and sometimes frustrated. At times, it's the fact that the Joneses seem to do better than we do that rubs us the wrong way. Really, it's not enough just trying to excel the other fellow. Experience tells us that when we begin to be generous to the other fellow when we try to do something for him instead of to him that's when you begin to feel better inside. It's just common sense, too, to realize that the best help in keeping the proper spirit is in getting God on your side through the habit of daily family prayer. Remember, the family that prays together stays together. God bless you all and good night, folks.