 And now, a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense. In a moment, act one of the death of Alexander Jordan, featuring Connie Lemke, William Mason, Edgar Staley, and Paul McGrath, and written especially for suspense by Hector Cheveny. This portion of suspense is brought to you by the makers of Marlboro cigarettes. If you're thinking of changing to a filter cigarette, why don't you settle back and have a full-favored smoke? Settle back with a Marlboro. Make yourself comfortable whenever you smoke. Have a Marlboro cigarette. Why don't you switch to Marlboro, the filter cigarette with the unfiltered taste? Oh, come on. You're expecting somebody? Who is it? Well, it's Mr. Rutledge. Rutledge? Uncle Alex had me phone him last night and asked him to be here this morning. What for? You have to ask Uncle Alex. Yeah, and he'll tell me, I suppose. Ha, fine thing. Here I am, his own nephew. And I'm the last to know he sent for his lawyer at a time like this. It's a buddy's will. What else? What's he going to do about it? Ramsay, I have to finish straightening up here before Mr. Rutledge gets here. Now go take care of the chicken. I want him to know what he's going to do. Who says I know? But he told you. Now come on, give. Break my wrist again, and this time I'll tell how it happened, Ramsay Jordan. I said, give. We aren't to worry about not getting the farm. He said all he told you. Isn't that the main thing? He just told me that from the start. Oh, there he is. Now go take care of the chickens, will you? Oh, yeah, yeah. Good morning, Martha. Good morning, Mr. Rutledge. Oh, come in, come in. Thank you. I'm sorry about the looks of the house. Well, it looks all right to me. Anyway, I imagine you had your hands full. How is he today? About the same. I do hope he pulls out of it. Well, Martha, you know his age. Just the same, I can hope. It's been so wonderful to me. Well, if I may say so, you might think of yourself too, Martha. You look pretty done in. No, I'll be all right. Has Ramsay been of any help to you? Oh, oh, yeah. Yeah, excuse me. Sure. Mr. Rutledge is here, Uncle Alex. Step in. Thanks. Well, what are you doing in bed, Mr. Jordan? There's work to be done on this farm. Oh, don't talk hearty, Rutledge. Sit down. Martha? Yes, Uncle Alex. I think I'll have something to eat after all. Oh, wonderful. What would you like? Oh, I'll leave it to you. I know you'll fix me something nice. Rutledge and I won't be more than half an hour. All right, Uncle Alex. You know, Grudge says it was my heart, Rutledge. Yes, yes, I know. Well, I hope he knows what he's talking about. Anyway, I'm 82. I can't live forever. I want to change my way of Rutledge. I want everything left to Martha. Martha? For it all in her name. The cash, the farm, everything. I didn't fully appreciate Martha when she and Ramsay first came to work from here and have done it this way then. Ramsay just sell out and lose the money. You won't care one bit that these hundred beautiful acres have belonged to the Jordans for a hundred years. I want Martha to go on having a roof over her head. She's promised me she won't sell, and I know she won't. Well, what did Ramsay say to this? I haven't told him. And I told Martha not to. She shouldn't be put in that position. You tell them when the time comes and you say it was my doing and that she knew nothing about it. Okay, Mr. Jordan. Now, one more thing. And don't argue with me, Rutledge. I don't want to be told I'm silly. I know I probably am. As you know, the cemetery is just the other side of my birchwood acreage and our family crypt is right there at the edge. Now, the quarter mile from this house. Yes. Well, when they put me in the crypt, I want you to see to it that between my fingers is a button. An electric button hooked to wires leading to this house and to a bell. A great big bell that nobody can miss hearing. Why? Why? When I was a boy, Rutledge, I used to hear talk about people being thought dead when they weren't. Well, well, that sort of... But it wasn't an hour day, Mr. Jordan. I don't care about nowadays what I heard as a boy has always haunted me. I used to have nightmares about waking up in a coffin and yelling for help until the air gave out and... Well, for the past couple of days the thought has been unbearable. And I easy if you do like I say. All right, Mr. Jordan, I'll do it. Don't you worry about it. Yeah, thanks. And I want a full week to pass before it's decided I'll never ring that bell. Seven days. The will's not to be probated until then. Martha understands. She's promised for that week she won't get out of here a shot of the bell. Which is good enough for me. Wendy, you want Ramsay to know that he won't be the one to inherit? No, I'm glad you brought that up. When the seven days are up and not before, you'll be crazy mad and I don't want him giving Martha more than she has to think about it until... you know, until it's absolutely certain that she won't be back. Driver, driver, you're supposed to be taking us home now. The funeral's over. Step it up. Oh, Martha, cut it out. Did you do enough of that in the church afterwards? There are some people sorry that your uncle had to go, Ramsay. Now look, Rutledge, I wasn't talking to you. Well, all I said was... I heard what you said and it's an insult. I was as fond of my uncle as anybody. Why do you suppose I've been working like a dog for him the past five years? You think it was just in hopes of inheriting everything? You're mistaken. After working like a dog, the way I did to find out, I have to wait a week for the final word. Well, a great lawyer you are to allow my uncle to make a will like that. And that silly business of the bell. Well, that bill isn't going into the house till I say so. Now, you understand. That's probably already in. I told the electricians to install it and string the wires during the funeral. Now, you... Don't stop it, Ramsay. Mr. Rutledge has only done what Uncle Alex wanted, and he's been very kind. Thank you for everything, Mr. Rutledge. Well, that's all right. I've been happy to do what I could. Well, I still say that bell business is silly. And any lawyer that will... Well, it's silly and expensive. Stringing those wires and everything will... Well, it'll cost at least 50 bucks. 50 bucks a my dough. As if anybody could get that uncle of mine to spend an extra dime when he was alive. You know, I nearly laughed out loud when the preacher told how generous he was. Oh, generous. Well, he was just like all the Jordans. I'm the only one who was any different. Now, you take my Aunt Bessie. Her coffin's on the right when you walk into the family crypt. That's something else. The crypt. Well, I mean it must cost something to keep it up. You know how much, Rutledge. It was paid in advance years ago, Ramsay. I was. Well, and in that case, all those coffins on the rack. What a place. It gives me the creeps. I just couldn't wait for that preacher to finish so I could get out of there. Oh, well, we're home. Now, look, Ramsay, if I were you, I'd see to it that Martha gets a chance to rest awhile. Now, Rutledge, will you quit telling me what to do? Well, come on, Martha. Don't just sit there, change your clothes. In a minute, Ramsay. I'm going to want lunch pretty quick. I'm going to tell those electricians to make it snappy, too. Trampin' back and forth, making a big thing out of puttin' up a few wires. What? Oh, for the love of Mike. What's the matter? Well, now look up there. They put that bell right here in our bedroom. This is where I promised Uncle Alex we'd put it. It's supposed to be where we can hear it night and day, isn't it? Well, we'll hear that one. I wonder if maybe there's a chance you'll come to push that button. Martha, what do you think? Oh, you know as well as I do what they think. Well, he's just mean enough to. Are you right? I'm talking like a fool, eh? Oh, he's coming back for us. Martha, you don't think that... Oh, Ramsay, no, it's those electricians testing us something. Uncle Alexander's bell, yeah. Of course, yeah, I must. I'm just jumpy, I guess. Well, what I'd like to know is how... I'm gonna get in and sleep for the next seven nights. Waitin' for that bell to go off. Here's your coffee. All right, put it down. You know, Ramsay, you might say thank you once in a while. Listen, you don't know what kind of a night I put in. You slept. Why didn't you? Oh, shut up and make me some toast. You will ask for it politely, Ramsay. Oh, what? I said you... Say what's gotten into you? There'll be no more of this telling me to shut up. That's all. Oh, for the love of Mike. Can't you see that I'm in no shape for an argument? Well, who was he? Who is who? Man, you were showing around the place today? You just wanted to see it. Pretty obliging. Took the whole afternoon and you did absolutely nothing about irrigating the vegetables. They need it. All right. If you must know, he is willing to pay 40,000 bucks for this farm. Oh, he is, huh? Yes, he is. And he's got it, too. He represents one of the biggest firms of its kind, and this part of the country approved it. What kind of firm? Well, they're in the business of buying up farm properties. Mm-hmm. Where'd you meet him? Well, he just drove up. They're on their toes at firm. They watch death notices all over the country. Well, I'm not selling. Why? I'm not selling for 40,000 or 50,000 or any other... Oh, you're a fool and always were. Say what you like. This roof is staying over my head. You never had 40,000 anything like it because you never worked that hard and because you always thought yourself such an operator. You thought you'd be so smart the time you had as much as $500 and look what happened. Oh, huh. So, at last, you admit you have no faith in me? No, I do not. Not one bit. Yes, and you never had. And that's been the trouble. Yeah, how can a guy amount to anything when his wife has no faith in him? I had it once. Oh, no, you didn't. You never had. I did, too. I had it until I learned better. Now, now, wait a minute. Now, just hold everything. You said a minute ago. What do you mean you aren't selling? Well, well, I meant... Yeah? I meant I'm not going to let you if I can help it. Yeah? Well, that'd better be all you meant. Darling, listen. Don't you see? We got a wonderful thing in the Jordan place. A wonderful thing. Your man himself said it's worth all of 40,000. And when will I get time off? When will I be able to dress up again for a change, get out of a pair of dirty overalls, and feel like something besides a few hands? Now, I'm getting back to the city. That's all there is to it. How about the city, the city? Where'd we ever live except in a five-floor cold water walk-up without even a part within walking distance, huh? Well, with a new start I'll have with 40,000 dollars. I'll be on Easy Street and living in there permanently, too. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, I want to know what's gotten into you, Martha. Something has. What did my Uncle Alex or that guy Rutledge tell you that I wasn't told? Look, look, you might wait till the week is out to count your unhatched chickens. Remember, Ramsay, there's still a bell. Huh, the bell, yeah. You hit the bell. Then in your mind it's possible. I mean that it might ring. Ah, give me some more stew. And who was it told me? She didn't think it was ever gonna ring. Please, turn over again. Is there anything like it? With you talking in your sleep in that room out there, I can't get any shut-out at all. Martha! Oh, what is it, Ramsay? You talk all day. You might lay off at least her in the night. Well, he's hoping I can doze off again. I can't get any shut-out. I can sleep off, right? I'll never mind. What did you do? Pull out the wires. What else could I do? Get right down to that crib. What? Never mind. I'll put something on and go. Oh, for the lover, Mike. It's the wind. There was a short in the wire. That's the same. I'm gonna make sure. Look, who was it said he wouldn't come to? I just want to make sure, Ramsay. Listen, you leave well enough alone. What? You're staying in this house. I'll do no such thing. Always and so. Totally well enough alone. Martha, her own fault made me here too hard. It's as well. Well, she's out. I'll get myself to that crib. He has come alive. I know what to do about that. I'll reflect it off myself. Well, I'm glad it's not the battery. You know, there's Uncle Horace. It says he's Aunt Bessie. I know. Yeah, over there. Oh, the door. The door. I left the key on the outside. Oh, my God. Oh, my... Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Take it easy. Just don't get rattled. Thank. The button. Yeah, yeah. The button between Uncle Alex's fingers. And all I gotta do is over the coffin in the... I broke the wires and knocked Martha out. Don't just shut up. You're waking all of us. Uncle Alex. Of course. Uncle Alex, how come you're sitting up? Well, I got tired of lying down. I think it would right me to you to come here with the intention of finishing me off, Ramsay. How do you know? Well, we dead, Ramsay. We know many things. Many things. You long too now, won't you, Ramsay? You locked yourself in. Well, wish we had a coffin for you, but we don't, do we? No, we don't. You just have to lie on the floor, won't you? The cold floor. Unless, of course, somebody thinks to look in here for you. Do you really think that anybody will care that much for you, Ramsay? Do you? Martha, wake up. Martha, it's me. It's me, Paul Rutledge. Oh, Mr. Rutledge. Yes, sir. All right, Martha. Where am I? You're in the hospital. Hospital? Yeah. Oh, yeah. I remember. Ramsay, Ramsay knocked me down. But that's all I remember. Now, you'll be all right, Martha. Dr. Rogers told me I could say so when you woke up. Oh, the ballot. It rings. Now, now, lie back, Martha. I know all about it. You do? But Thompson's heard it over at their place, and Joe got up. He found you. Oh. And he phoned me. I told him to drive you into town to the hospital, and I drove out to the farm to see what could have happened. It didn't take me long to figure it out. What made it ring? It was a big wind that night, Martha. There's a place on the wires where the insulation had rubbed off. Oh, that's what happened. Ramsay, he... Well, when you say you figured out what happened. Now, Martha, the only thing for you to think about now is that you're going to be all right, and that the Jordan Place will be yours for as long as you want to live there. Where... where is Ramsay? Uh, why don't you try to get some sleep now, Martha? Oh, Mr. Rutledge, they haven't got him in jail or anything. No, no, they haven't got him in jail. Are they after him? No. You're not fitting to me, are you, Mr. Rutledge? No, Martha. I wish you'd tell me what's happening. I can't say I love Ramsay anymore, but I don't want him in trouble over this. All right, Martha. I'll tell you. He's dead. Dead? Yes. Dead? How did I...? Well, according to the medical examiner, apparently a fright. A fright? In the crypt, is that where...? Yes, in the crypt. And that's all I'm going to say now. When you're yourself, I'll tell you the rest, Martha. His greed took him there, and he's dead. You're free of him. You're young enough to make your life over. Well, I'm sure you'll be a lot happier next time. Yes, Mr. Rutledge. Okay. Oh, thanks so much. It's all right. Just one more question. You looked at Uncle Alex? He was there in his coffin. He had moved, not in the slightest. But listening to the death of Alexander Jordan, written especially for suspense by Hector Cheveny. Suspense is produced and directed by Fred Hendrickson. Heard in tonight's story were Connie Lemke, William Mason, Edgar Staley, Paul McGrath, music supervision by Ethel Huber, sound patterns by Walter Otto, technical direction by Fred Turner. This is Stuart Metz speaking. Listen again next week, when we return with A Strange Day in May, written by Michael Healy, another tale well calculated to keep you in... suspense. Stars shed their inhibitions on Arthur Gottfriedtime, weekdays on the CBS Radio Network.