 Good evening friends. This is your host again to welcome you through the creaking door into the inner sanctum. Come in. Come on in. I want you to meet Ambrose, our man shy ghost. The other night in a graveyard, he bumped into a human and was so frightened he turned flesh color. Yes, poor Ambrose. He's got a bad case of ants in his fantasies. He's so upset he's just a ghost of his former ghost. It was a time when we held high hope for Ambrose. Oh yes, at abnormal you, he was cited by his crass mates as the personality most likely to split. And now let's visit Murder Mansion. For over a hundred years the old house has stood on the cliff, weathering the relentless ocean winds that have batted at its grey shingles. Now in the living room, the real estate agent and the new buyer are completing the arrangements of sale. Only one thing bothers me, Mr. Griffin, that graveyard just outside the window there. Are you sure nothing can be done about it? I'm sorry, Mr. Burley. You know the condition set down in the deed. The Crandall family burial ground must remain on the property untampered with. Those Crandalls must have been a morbid family. Having themselves buried right next to the house they lived in. Yes, they were peculiar. I guess they figured it was a way of keeping the family together. You shouldn't laugh, Mr. Griffin. What are you doing here? I hope I'm not too late. This is the gentleman who's planning to buy the house. Mr. Burley's already bought it. Oh, I'm sorry. Hey look, what is this Griffin? Who is this woman? I'm Emily Robbins. Mr. Burley, please, you must sell this house immediately to me. Sell it? That's ridiculous. I just bought it. Mr. Griffin never should have allowed you to. Now see here, Mrs. Robbins. Just a minute, Griffin. I want to hear what she has to say. Well, all right, but you can see she isn't exactly accountable. You're bad, Mr. Griffin. You promised to sell the house to me. But you couldn't wait until I had the money, could you? I'm in the real estate business, not charity. Mrs. Robbins, I still want to hear why Griffin shouldn't have sold me this house. Because, Mr. Burley, a house isn't just a thing made of wood and stone and mortar. It's almost a living, breathing creature. It accepts and rejects people just the way we do. I was born a Crandall, and only a Crandall may live here. Anybody but a Crandall would be an enemy within its walls. You'd never spend a happy moment here. Oh, you see, Mr. Burley, I told you, she doesn't make sense. Please, Mr. Burley, for your own sake, sell it. Ah, you can't frighten me into a quick sale. I know I'll buy when I see it. My wife and I will be living here within a few days. I'm sorry, Mr. Burley, but I don't think you will. I don't think you will ever live here. Helen! Oh, Helen! Mr. Burley? Yes, Ada. Where's Mrs. Burley? I want to tell her I got that house at my price. Oh, sir, you'd better go upstairs. The doctor's still there. Doctor? What's the matter? Oh, Mr. Burley... What is it, Ada? What is it? Your wife is... is dead. What? She seems so well after lunch. She was upstairs napping, and when she didn't come down at a usual time, I went up. I tried to wake up. Oh, no. No, it can't be. It just can't be. I tried to get you everywhere. But she hadn't been sick. There's no reason she should die. Dr. Hirschman said the same thing. He said... Hello? Please. Well, Mr. Burley can't come to the phone right now. Oh, it's... it's all right, Ada. I'll take it. Yes, dear. Hello? Mr. Burley, it's about selling me the house. Can I bring you something, Mr. Burley? No, Ada. Thank you. Sir, I know it's none of my business, but maybe you shouldn't have come to live in this house. Maybe you should have sold it to Mrs. Robin. I had to come here. I have to prove to myself that a house can have no evil influence over life and death. Of course it can't. And yet, according to the doctor, my wife passed away almost at the very moment I... I bought this house. I... I'm so confused. I don't know what to think. I'm not one to butt in, but you are letting the house have an effect on you. Or you haven't moved from that window all evening. I'm just trying to find some things out. You've been standing there staring out at that graveyard. I'm all right. Now, let me along. Yes, sir. Good night, Mr. Burley. Good night. What is it, sir? That graveyard out there. When the lightning flashed just then, I saw it. So what? There was a new headstone among the old ones. A brand new headstone. Mr. Griffin, how long ago was the last candle buried in the graveyard out there? The last one? Let's see. Oh, yes, it was, uh, Vincent Crandall. He died 20 years ago. 20 years. Then his headstone would have been ever worn by this time. Well, sure it would, but what are you... Then what is the meaning of the new headstone? New? Come to the window. I'll show you. Oh, now, Mr. Burley... There's a brand new headstone out there. Over a fresh grave. Oh, but that's impossible. I saw it first when the lightning flashed. Oh, you must be imagining things. Then sip yourself. There, take this flashlight. Shine it out there on the graves and sip yourself. All right. Mr. Burley, maybe you'd better see a doctor. Doctor? There are all old headstones out there. The new one is only in your mind. Give me that flashlight. Mr. Griffin, I hope... You've been under terrible strain, your wife's sudden death and all. I don't know. What made me think I saw a new headstone out there? I... I want to sell this house. By the way... Well, you know, it takes a little time to arrange a sale. What about that Robin's woman? She'll buy it. She's been borrowing me all along to sell it to her. But Mrs. Robbins can't pay you a decent price. I don't care. I'll take anything she offers. I want you to get in touch with her. All right, Mr. Burley. I'll call her in the morning. No, no. I can't wait until then. I want this house sold tonight. Mr. Griffin, why Mr. Burley had to bring me out here this time of the night? Well, he's made up his mind to sell. He wants to close the deal tonight. You don't want me to have this house, do you? Look, Mrs. Robbins, I don't care who gets it just as long as it's at a decent price. So you can get a higher commission. You're a very selfish man, Mr. Griffin. Not at all, Mr. Burley. Your wife did well to leave you. She was as crazy as you are. Why doesn't he answer the door? What's taking him so long? Oh, mercy. What was that? Oh, it's screaming. It came from, say, the garage. There's a light in there. Come on. Well, whoever screamed must be in that garage. Well, we'll soon find out. But maybe it isn't safe for us to go in there. Well, that's a chance. I'm going in there. Mr. Griffin. Well, that was you who screamed, huh? Yes. Why? What happened? Mr. Burley. What is it, Ada? What about Mr. Burley? He's dead. What? He left the house an hour ago. I looked out of the window and noticed that the garage here was lit. I came out and I found him slumped over in the car. How dreadful. Well, this place is filled with carbon monoxide films. It wouldn't have happened. None of it. If he hadn't bought the house. Now, look, Mrs. Robbins, this is no time for that superstitious nonsense of yours. She's right, Mr. Griffin. It is nonsense. What do you mean, Ada? Here. Look. On the back seat of the car. Good Lord. A new headstone. Hey. Anybody want to buy a house? The Crandall Place is a real buy. All you have to give for it is your life. Too bad about our friend Mr. Burley, huh? Thought he was getting a bargain basement, but instead he's ended up in a basement he didn't bargain for. Yes, he should have taken old Lady Robbins' advice, which, in a phrase, was, one man's menage is another man's mourn. Well, now, let's get back to our mystical manner. A week has passed since Burley's death, and the real estate agent, Mr. Griffin, has come to his senses. And he's gone. Mr. Burley's death. And the real estate agent, Mr. Griffin, has found a new buyer. Here's your check, Mr. Griffin. Oh, thank you, Mr. Wagner. I consider this house a real buy. You're the only person who's had any interest in it since Mr. Burley died. Place has gotten a bad name. Most people who are superstitious, I guess, wouldn't live here if you paid him. Well, superstition never bothered me. Uh, Mr. Griffin. Yeah? What are you looking at that way? There's a graveyard out there. I... I don't understand. Understand? What are you trying to say? There were always ten graves out there, I'm sure. But now there's eleven. I'm sorry, Mrs. Robbins, but nothing you say can persuade me to sell. Please, Mr. Wagner, for your own sake, don't be stubborn. It may cost you your life. You know what happened to Mr. Burley and his wife? Well, I've always prided myself on being a jink worker. Oh, be sensible. That's a very silly reason to... to live here. Maybe I have another reason too. What do you mean? Charles Burley was a very close friend of mine. Oh, I... I didn't know that. I told it to Mr. Griffin. Now I'm telling you. I knew Burley like a brother. Everything about him. Mrs. Robbins, he wasn't the type to commit suicide. Oh, but he didn't commit suicide. Oh, you seem to know a lot about it. I do. Then maybe you can tell me who killed him. I can. Who? This house is the killer. Oh, look. Oh, it is Mr. Wagner. I know. You don't believe me, do you? Of course not. Soon you'll find out that I'm telling the truth. That sounds like a threat. No, no, Mr. Wagner. I'm not threatening you. I'm just trying to help. I'm just giving you a... a chance to live. One more chance to sell me this house at my price. And if I refuse? Well, if you don't sell it to me now, but then I'll buy it after your death. I see. Well, Mrs. Robbins, there's nothing more we can talk about. I'm sure you know your way out. Good afternoon. Good day, Mr. Wagner. Hello, Mrs. Robbins. Oh, what are you doing here? Oh, didn't you know? Mr. Wagner's new maid. Hello? Mr. Griffin? Yes? Come over here to the grand old house right away. Mr. Wagner wants to see you. Well, who is this? It's very important. Yes, but who is this? Hello? Hello? Hello? Please. Operator, get me Main 6539 and hurry. Yes, connected. Disconnected? Well, that's impossible. I just spoke to someone at that number. Try them again. I'm sorry. There's no way I can get you the number. Mr. Griffin? Mrs. Robbins, what are you doing here at the grand old house? I was waiting for you, Mr. Griffin. I don't understand. Come in, please. I was the one who called you on the phone to come out here. I didn't say who I was because I didn't want to mention names. But I tried to get the phone here right after you hung up. The operator said the line was disconnected. It is. The wire has been cut. I walked down the road to the mobile gas station to call you to come out here. This is Robbins. Just what is this all about anyway? Why are you here and where is Ada and Mr. Wagner? Ada's left. Wait. For good. What? On the hall table over there. A note from Ada to Mr. Wagner, explaining why she left. And what about Mr. Wagner himself? Where is he? In the dining room. Wait, wait. Please don't go in there yet. He's dead. Mr. Wagner dead? When I came in, he was slumped over the table. When you came in, huh? Well, the way you say that, Mr. Wagner, you make it sound like you think I killed poor Mr. Wagner. Well, what should I think? Oh, I wouldn't do a thing like that. Then suppose you tell me exactly what you're doing out here tonight. Well, it's like this, Mr. Griffin. I was home in bed but I couldn't sleep. A strange feeling kept running through me that I should come out here and try to convince Mr. Wagner that he should sell the house before another day passes. Oh, a feeling. You can believe me. Oh, sure. When I arrived out here, the door was open and everything is just as you see it. What about the police? I didn't call them. Why not? Because I wanted to speak to you first. Speak to me with a murdered man in the next room? It wasn't murder. It was just the will of this house. And I want this house. You'd do anything to get it, wouldn't you? Yes, anything. Even murder? Yes. Mrs. Robbins, I'm driving down the road to make a phone call to the police. Mr. Griffin, Mr. Griffin, wait! Well, Ada, what are you doing here? I was watching you and Mrs. Robbins through the window. Mr. Wagner is dead. I know. But how could you? You left the house this morning. I saw his body slumped over the table. You think the same as I do, don't you? What do you mean by that? You suspect Mrs. Robbins, too. In a way. But I also suspect you, Ada. Me? But I can't exactly figure out what your game is. Game? I have no game. And why did you leave a note saying you were going away? What note? There's no use lying. I saw it myself on the whole table. But you must be mistaken. Today is my day off. I left the house early this morning. I didn't write a note. Well, if you are telling the truth... I am. I am. Then I know who did write that note. You wait right here for me. I'll be back in ten minutes. Keep your eye on the house. Where are you going? The phone inside is disconnected. I'm going down the road to call the police. I'll go with you. Why? I'd rather not stay here alone. Mrs. Robbins doesn't know you're out here. You're safe. Just the same. I'd feel better if I went with you. I'm not taking you with me. You act as if you're afraid of me. Maybe I am. But why? Why? Because when Mrs. Burley died, you were in the house. The same with Mr. Burley. And now Mr. Wagner. You were there when every victim died, Ada. I won't let you in this car with me. You called the police, Mr. Griffin? Yes, they're on their way out now. By the way, what are you doing here in this kitchen? Oh, I was just walking through the rooms, recalling the happy moments I spent here when I was young. Are you sure that's the only reason? Oh, yes. You thought maybe Ada had something to do with it. Ada? You know very well she's left. You saw her note. Ada didn't write that note. What? I talked to her outside this house 15 minutes ago. She was to wait out there for me until I got back. She wasn't there. What's happened to her? I didn't see Ada, but wait. What is it? About five minutes ago, I thought I heard something move down the cellar. The cellar? Yes, but then I thought it was just my imagination. Hold on a minute. What's the matter? Just now, I heard it too. Something or someone is down there. Come on, we're going down into the cellar to look around. Mr. Griffin, look. Look, it's lit down there in the cellar. Yes. Go on. You're going first so I can keep my eye on you. Mr. Griffin. What is it? The hole in the floor here. Huh? One of the stone flooring slabs has been removed. There's an old well down there. I remember it was sealed up when I was a little girl. Yes. And I can see the slab was freshly removed. I wonder why. Mr. Griffin. What now? Behind you in the shadows. Look, there's a woman's body. It's Ada. Just say it. Yes, I know. Why, you say it as if you were sure we would find her this way. I was sure. You see, Mrs. Robbins, I killed her. I didn't have quite enough time to dispose of her body in the old well here. I heard you moving about upstairs in the kitchen. But why did you kill her, Mr. Griffin? Because she insisted on living in this house like the others. Then it wasn't this house. It wasn't because they weren't grand. Of course not, but your idiotic superstition about this place helped my plan. Mrs. Burley's sudden peculiar death was a lucky coincidence for me. It gave me the idea for the others. I needed a series of deaths to completely destroy the value of this place. So no one would ever live in it. But why? On several occasions you mentioned my wife, Mrs. Robbins. You see you were wrong about her, as everybody else was wrong. She didn't run away from me. She would have, but I killed her. And her body is down at the bottom of that well. Just as Ada's will be, and just as yours will be. But the police are coming. They'll find you out. Well, foolish old woman, do you think I really called them? Now, Mrs. Robbins? No, no, please don't come near me. You wanted to stay in this house? Now you will, forever. No, no, no. You're going to get the thing you wanted. Move! You're not going to kill her, too. Ada! Yes, Ada. No, it can't be. You're dead. Not yet. Not completely. I've just enough life. No, my leg! Let me go! Let me go! The will! I'm falling there! Don't sense. Didn't you, Mr. Griffin? But it was this house that kept her alive long enough to protect me. My house. As they say, in a well. Say, folks, what about that Griffin character? Just goes to show how a property agent can sink to such an unreal a save. Yes, sure, that's what I call tripping over your own plot. Now, Mrs. Robbins will never be lonely. Now, when things get dull, she can always step outside the house and dig up a relative or two.