 This is the Mysterious Traveler, inviting you to join me on another journey into the realm of the strange and the terrifying. I hope you will enjoy the trip, that it will bring you a little and chill you a little. So settle back, get a good grip on your nerves and be comfortable if you can as we prepare to meet the Queen of the Cats. Our story begins like one night in a large New England town. Jane Elliott, an attractive girl in her early twenties, hurries down a quiet and dark and residential street. Finally, she stops before a large colonial house with a name plate on the door, Dr. George Richards. She hesitates a moment, then rushes up a few steps to the door. Dr. Richards, my name is Jane Elliott. I'm sorry to wake you up at such a late hour, but I'm desperate. That's quite all right, Miss Elliott. Please come in. Thank you. It seems to be the problem, Miss Elliott. You're pale and trembling. No, I'm not in, Doctor. It's Chris. Chris Arnold, my fiancee. Doctor, you've got to help him. You've got to or something terrible will happen. I know it will. I'll do everything I can, Miss Elliott. Please tell me what's wrong. I don't know what's wrong. Well, I know is that Chris is frightened. He's in deadly fear of something. I see. Where is your fiancee now? At his home, Brookfield matter. Doctor, I know it's late, but won't you come with me and see Chris? He needs help desperately. Please, Miss Elliott, you mustn't cry. Of course I'll come with you, and I'll do what I can. If you will follow me, Doctor, Chris's room is this way. All right. Oh, tell me, Miss Elliott, aren't there any servants in this huge house? No, Doctor. Chris dismissed them all two months ago, except for a croc who's here during the day. He lives alone. Here we are, Doctor. Who is it? Chris, it's Jane. Just a minute. Jane, I've asked you before not to... Who's he? Darling, this is Doctor Richard. Doctor, this is my fiancee, Chris Arnold. How do you do, Mr. Arnold? Why the devil did you bring him? I don't need a doctor. Please, darling, I couldn't stand to see you. Forgive me, Mr. Arnold, but it's obvious to the most untrained eye, you do need a doctor. Chris, please tell the Doctor what you're afraid of. I'm not afraid of anything. I'm afraid that's not true. Your eyes are twitching, and you keep glancing around the room nervously. Mind your own business. People who are material are my business. I want to help you, but I can't unless you tell me what you're afraid of. Darling, please tell him, please, you can't go on this way. I can't go on this way. Believe me, Mr. Arnold, you'll feel much better once you've talked your fears out. Now, suppose you start from the beginning and tell me everything. All right, Doctor. I suppose it all began two years ago at a party, Jane and I. Isn't this a wonderful party? The only thing I'm afraid of is you. Chris, don't. People are watching. A fine thing when a man can't get his best girl in public. At Ms. Tindell's school, we were taught a young lady never kisses a man in public. Ms. Tindell is setting romance back 15. Who are you looking for? A runner perook. My roommate at Ms. Tindell. Oh, she's the Egyptian girl you were telling me about. Yes, I want you to meet her. Only, you better not fall in love with her, as every other man does. Sounds as though she's a second to your petra. Oh, there she is, Chris. Come on. Hmm. So that's Rana. No wonder men can't resist her. Chris, your mouth is open. Rana. Hello, Jane. I've missed you. Rana, this is Chris Arnold. Chris, Rana Perook. Hello, Chris. I would have recognized you any place from the picture Jane had of you on her dresser, Ms. Tindell. Hello, Rana. Oh, look, there's Ms. Tindell waiting at me. Excuse me, won't you? Of course, Jane. I'll be back in a minute. You know, Chris, at Ms. Tindell, the first thing I would see in the morning when I got up, and the last thing before I went to bed was your picture. And I always knew that someday we should meet. And now we have. Why are you staring at me like that? Aren't you going to say anything? I prefer just to look. Even now, Doctor, two years after our first meeting, I find it difficult to describe how beautiful Rana was. She had lustrous black hair that came down to her shoulders, green eyes that bewitched her. And she walked so live and graceful with every eye in the room followed her. I was captivated the moment I saw her. I see. What happened after that first meeting? Rana also seemed attracted to me. After that night, we saw each other constantly. Nothing seemed to matter to me when I wasn't with her. It made me indescribably happy to learn she felt the same way. So, just a month after we'd met, we were married. Please go on, Mr. Arnold. In the months that followed, I began to see Rana, not as the image I had been infatuated with, but as she really was, vain, selfish, and intensely possessive. She couldn't bear to have me out of her sight. And if I was, when I returned, there would be questions, countless questions. I began to dread seeing her. And then... Then there were the cats. The cat? Yes, yes, she had an insane passion for them. When Rana and I were at school together, Darcy, she always had a few cats in the room. She said she couldn't live without them. She was full of cats. She'd sit for hours stroking them, whispering to them, until I thought I'd go mad. Life became a nightmare for me. Nightmare full of cats. And Rana, asking questions, endless questions, as to where I'd been and who might seem. Finally, one day I realized I couldn't go on living with her any longer, that our marriage had been a mistake. I decided to tell her so that very evening. May I come in, Rana? Of course, dear. Good evening, Crane. Darling, why didn't you tell me that you'd had lunch with Mary Walker when I called you at the office this afternoon? How did you know I had lunch with her? A friend told me. A friend? Who was it? Oh, poor, innocent beauty. What are you trying to say? Rana, put that cat down and answer me. Who was the friend that told you I had lunch with Mary Walker? You've never met her, darling. Who is it that you always seem to know what I've been doing, who I've been seeing? It is though you have people spying on you. Crane! What a thing to say. Now, please hurry and change. Or it will be late for the Hopkins party. Don't be strange about the way you always know what I've been doing. Sometimes I just say... Crane! Look out! You steps on Sabina's tail. I'm sorry, but I didn't see her. I've asked you before to be more careful. Poor Sabina. Are you all right now, my beauty? If there weren't so many cats on the foot, I wouldn't have stepped on her. Why must you keep them along? Because I love cats. They're beautiful, sacred. Thousands of years ago, my ancestors worshiped the cats. You speak like that. Almost look like it. I'm fine now. Is there anything in the world more intrusive? You see? They agree. Rana, I can't go on like this anymore. My darling, what do you mean? Oh, marriage is a mistake. I want a divorce. Crane, you can't be curious. Oh, I am, Rana. Dead serious. I love you, Crane. And I won't give you up. You're mine. You're all mine. Nothing shall ever happen. Be careful of cocktails, sir. No, thank you. Well, even if you won't have one, Mr. Arnold, I will. Jane, Jane, it's good to see you again. Just let me look at you. It's good to see you too, Chris. You're as lovely as ever, Jane. Chris, you're not looking well at all. Is you all right? I am now. Jane, can't we go someplace and talk? What about the terrace? All right, Chris. Here, this door opens, aren't we? How is Rana? Oh, she's fine. Jane, I've made such a mess out of everything. I was a fool who must take infatuation for love. Jane, can you ever forgive me for the way I behave towards you? There is nothing to do. I guess I must be going now. Well, Jane, this is a surprise. Rana. Really, Jane, the way you avoid a calling on us, I have to suspect you're still in love with Chris. Rana, you have no right. Please, Chris. I'm afraid I'll have to be leaving it getting quite late. Good night. Good night, Jane. I hope I didn't interrupt anything by coming out here so unexpectedly, Chris. Yes, Rana, you did. I was about to tell Jane that I love her and that I always will. I suppose that's why you asked me for a divorce. You've been secretly seeing her. Secretly seeing her? Is it possible for me to see anyone or do anything secretly without you knowing about it? No, you're right. It isn't possible. I know everything. So I would forget, Jane, if I were you. But how could you possibly want me knowing how I feel about Jane? You've got to give me a divorce. I'll never give you a divorce. Never. You hear your mind and you always will be. I can still see her, Doctor. She stood there, pissing at me. Chris, you're mine and you always will be. Suddenly I realized that she looked like a cat. An angry cat. Her green eyes, cold and murderous. Her long nails digging into my arms. Her body fit. For a moment I thought she was going to scratch my eyes out. After that night I hardly spoke to Rana. I treated her as a stranger. She has been very tired of you receiving the coffee. It's been a month now. Why are you slowing down? I want to talk to you, Chris. And I can't talk to you while I'm driving. There's no point in your stopping. We have nothing to say to each other. Oh, but we do, Dad. We could be so happy together if you want. You know how much I love you. I do anything to make you happy. Anything? Then you can give me a divorce. For your still thinking of her. Hoping I'll give you a divorce so you can marry her. But I won't. You hear? I won't. I think we'd better be moving along. Chris, you haven't any right to treat me like this. I'm your wife. Only in the eyes of the law, not in my eyes. I hate you. I hate you. Good. You cat. You almost took out my eyes with those claws of yours. I'll scratch your eyes out before I let any other woman have you. This will bring you to your senses. Slide over. I'll drive. Very well, Chris. You think you've beaten me, Chris, but you haven't. Don't think it was weakness on my part because I tried to make up with you this evening. I know better than that. In the end, you'll come crawling to me. It may take a year, two years, five years. But I'll... I'll never come crawling to you. But you will, Chris. Jane knows I'll never give you your freedom. In time, she'll marry. And when she does, all the hearts will be gone out of you. Then you'll be mine. You have everything planned perfectly, Rana, don't you? But I have one escape from you. You've never thought of it. Really? And what is that, Chris? I can escape through death. Through death? Yes, Rana. If I should fail to take that curve ahead, I'll jump off the side of the mountain. Chris, you wouldn't. Why not, Rana? You've shown me there's nothing to live for. This, at least, is a clean way out. Chris, you don't mean it. But I do, Rana. Just watch. No, Chris. I thought Rana and I were going to our death basically the other way. When I recovered consciousness 48 hours later at the hospital, I learned it was only Rana. Yes, I recall reading about it in papers. It was a miracle that you survived. Yes, for weeks they despaired of saving me. But at the end of eight months, I walked out of that hospital. It was just a week after I was discharged as I ran into James. Chris, it is you. James. Chris, I heard about your accident just a few days ago when I got back from California. You change. You always seem to pop up just when I need you. You look so much older. These past months must have been so difficult. I don't want to look back in class, James. But only to the future. I'm sure I have once hopefully shared. Dr. Jane and I became engaged. It was just about that time that I first began to notice that everywhere I went, there always seemed to be a cat following me. So that's why you were always looking around so nervously all the time. Tell me, Miss Elliott, did you ever notice that the two of you were being followed by a cat? Well, I have seen a few cats around, but they didn't mean anything to me. Oh, but they did to me, Dr. Always the same cat that followed you? Oh, no, no. One day it would be one cat and another day a different one. Dr. I know you must have insane. The time I felt I was going there, that is, what night, Mr. Arnold? The night I saw her. It happened in this very room six weeks ago. I had great difficulty in falling asleep. And when I did, I had a nightmare. A nightmare in which I was being followed by hundreds of silent cats. Then the silence was broken by the faint crying of one cat. The crying grew louder and louder. Suddenly, I awoke. With my awakening, the cry didn't cease. I lay in the darkness listening, realizing that the cat I'd heard wasn't the heart of my nightmare. But it was real. Yes, real living, and in my room. I could feel my heart pounding as I sat up in bed. I looked about my darkened room. Then I saw her. Two burning green eyes in the darkness. There was no mistaking those eyes. Rama! I'd recognize those green eyes anywhere. So, so you've come back. Just as I've always thought of you. I know why you've come back. Because of Jane. You always said that you couldn't have me, no one else would. That I was yours and always would be. Well, you're wronged, you hear. Jane and I are going to be married. Mind a scratch, my eyes out. You always said you would before you let any other woman have me. Well, we'll see about that. But I'd rather hold you. Nothing you can do will stop me from marrying her. I know that the cats that were following me spying on me were doing so under your orders. You... You're the queen of the cats. Yes, I should have known. Even when you were in human form, you looked and acted like a cat. You think well clever. But even if you are the queen of cats, you can't prevent me from marrying Jane. So, you think you can. Well, perhaps a bullet between those green eyes of yours is what's needed. Mr. Arnold, isn't it possible that you only dreamed all that? That actually you fired your gun in your sleep and the shots themselves awakened you. I tried to tell myself that during the nights that followed I knew there was not a dream. But by that night she appeared. I'd lie awake, waiting to hear her voice. Waiting. I knew she'd never leave me alone as long as I intended to marry Jane. Finally, I couldn't stand it at all. But I went to see Jane. I asked her to postpone our wedding without asking any questions. She agreed that the night I grew up, I married her to Jane. But the first night that Grana didn't appear. And the first night in the week that I was able to sleep. Why didn't you tell me that night? I was afraid you wouldn't understand, Jane. You might think I was mad. Do you think, Miss Grana, that she didn't appear again because you had postponed your marriage to Jane? I know it. Weeks went by. Weeks in which I was able to sleep soundly without being awakened by her. Perhaps it had all been part of a horrible nightmare that I was over at last. Jane had to set the date for our wedding. She did so. That same day we took out a marriage license. You doubted Chris looked so much better that I thought he'd gotten over what was troubling you. So did I. The night after we'd applied for a license she appeared again in this very room. And you've seen her every night ever since? Yes. She just keeps staring at me with those green eyes. Waiting. Waiting. And Doctor, Doctor, I have a feeling something horrible will happen if I attempt a marriage, Jane. You still have the marriage license? Why, Mr. Arnold, if you've reached a crisis in your life you're faced with fears that are threatening to overwhelm your sanity. If you want Jane and happiness you must be prepared to fight. Fight. But how, Doctor? Often when we challenge our fears we find that they exist only in our imagination. The only way for you to challenge your fears is to go through with your marriage with Jane. Now, tonight. I know it's quite late but a friend of mine was a judge. I'm sure he'll marry you. Yes. In the middle of the night, Judge, but for reasons I can't explain it's important that these two be married tonight. That's quite all right, Doctor. I'm always glad to applaud your friend. Hey, have you got the license and the ring, young man? Oh, yes, yes, sir. Here's the license. And here's the... What was that? It's only my cat, Lucifer. I never saw it, fellas, I know. Scat, Lucifer, scat. There, he won't bother us anymore. It's all right. He's gone. Mr. Madison, don't you like cats? No, he doesn't, Judge. What do you mind getting on with the ceremony? All right, Doc. I never saw so many nervous people. Young man, if you take her right hand, that's it. Now, shall I give the long ceremony or the short one? Oh, the short one, please. All right. You, Christopher Arnold, take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife for love, honor, and cherish, as long as you both shall live. All right. It's, see, it's Ronna. Who places that cat come from? Stat! It's, please, it's only a black cat. You mustn't pay any attention to it. No, of course not. Now, it's Ronna. I tell you, look, look at her eyes. Why so afraid of cats? I told you she's trying to prevent me from marrying Jane. Well, I'll get rid of her for once and for all. Chris, what are you doing with that gun? Put it down. This time I won't miss... She's escaped. She won't get away. No, no, whatever. She's gone. I'll, I'll find her. I'll find her at that killer. Chris! Doc, you sure he isn't crazy? He's just... Well, he sure acted like he was. Pulling out that gun. That must be Chris firing that gun. Yes. Come on. Those shots came from close by. Look, Doc, there's no one inside. I think, I think those shots came from that driveway. Just a head. Hurry! You've got to take it easy now, Doc. This driveway is in complete darkness. Yes, you're right. I can't see a thing. It's so dark. Have you got any matches, Doc? Oh, yes. I'll strike one. I'm afraid it isn't much of a help. Doc, look. A dead cat. What? Yes. It was shot to death. Look. There's another one that's been shot to death. Oh, but neither of them. He's a black cat. No. The match is out. Wait a minute. I'll light another one. Come on. Doc! Isn't that somebody lying over there? Chris! No, Miss Elliott. You stay with the judge while I look. All right, Doc. This would never have happened if I hadn't agreed to marry. He was afraid. Doc, is it Arnold? The dead isn't. The dead in your face. Yes, it is. He's dead. Doc, I don't understand. What happened to him? He's been clawed to bits as if by hundreds of cats. His face has been torn to shreds. And his eyes... His eyes... Chris Arnold, wasn't it? It seems there just isn't any escape from a jealous woman. Particularly when she's the queen of the cats. You know, strangely enough, at Chris Arnold's funeral, just at the coffin was being lowered into the grave. The mourners suddenly noticed a black cat with green eyes sitting on the edge of the grave, quietly licking its paws. That cat simply couldn't be driven off. Now, I recall another case in which two ghosts got together and decided you have to get off here. I'm sorry. I'm sure we'll meet again. I take this same train every week at the same time. You just heard the mysterious traveler, a series of dramas of the strange and terrified. All characters in that story were fictitious, with many resemblance to the names of actual persons was purely coincidental. In tonight's cast were Maurice Toplin, Carl Weber, Inga Adams, Mitsy Gould, John Seymour, and Brad Barker. Original music was played by Paul Taubman. The mysterious traveler is written, produced and directed by Robert Andrew Arthur and David Cogan. Listen next week to a tale titled Zero Hours. The strange and suspenseful tale of the mysterious traveler. This program came to you from New York. Another program of tense and dramatic action will follow in just a minute. Stay tuned to the station for official detective. Carl Crusoe speaking, this is the Mutual Broadcasting System.