 fed up with the everyday grind Tired out by the dull routine You want to get away from it all we offer you escape Escape transcribe to free you from the four walls of today for a half hour of high adventure You're aboard the Orient Express rushing through the European night bound for Istanbul And in your compartment with you a gun pointed at your head a small mysterious stranger is about to take your life Today we escape from reality to the tense world of Balkan intrigue as Graham Greene pictured it in his famous novel Orient Express My name is Gregory Myatt in 1932 I had to go to Istanbul on business and I decided to take the Orient Express After an uneventful trip across the channel I found myself at the station in Austin, Belgium where the Orient Express began The porter took my bags and overcooked to my first-class compartment while I lingered on the platform and inevitably somebody bumped into me. Oh, oh, I'm sorry. Oh, that's quite all right Which way are the second-class coaches that way? I think Your suitcase looks heavy. May I? Oh, no, thanks. I can manage. All right Yeah, she had a very nice figure trim and erect I wondered whether she was going as far as Istanbul I made my way down the platform to my coach But there was a stranger in my compartment going through my overcoat young man You have the wrong compartment and you have the wrong overcoat. This coat is mine. Also this compartment number seven It happens to be number eight eight. I have made a mistake a thousand apologies, sir. Oh, that's all right Thank you. You are going to Belgrade perhaps. No, no, I'm for Istanbul. So allow me. My name is Richard John Are you do my name's my it Gregory might I am grateful You are a fellow countryman. These little mistakes can be so difficult to explain fellow countryman But I'm American. I also I am a naturalized American all these many years, but the accent remains Yes, I suppose it does Yeah We are under way I will go to my compartment a most pleasant journey sir and he gained a thousand apologies I Looked at the landscape for a while and then got out a book and settled on to read and at that moment Of course, we ran into a string of tunnels all of them pitch black I was just about to ring for the guard who asked to have the light switched on The train was crashing to a stop. We were in a tunnel. I got up and broke for the door Went into the corridor just as the lights went on Lying on the floor was the girl who had bumped into me Excuse me, please one side, please excuse me, please Madame has conducted it is my duty to inform you it is not allowed for a passenger to stop the variant explain Mr. Mayer if you will allow me, please. Oh, Mr. John hadn't we better get a doctor. I am a doctor. Mr. Mayer allow me So there is nothing wrong with this young lady. She has only fainted. Oh good. Good Give me a hand. Mr. John. Let's get her into my compartment Yes, of course. Yeah, yeah drinkers. It's brandy drink it young lady. It will help you Good. I don't know why I fainted. I never did before when did you last have a decent meal yesterday the day before Suppose it was the day before that's my affair. You have no money No um How would you like to have dinner with me? Well, please say yes, I won't say no fine fine Will you join us mr. John? No, I prefer to remain in my compartment as we dined I learned her name was Carol Musker She was a chorus girl and she had a job waiting for her in Istanbul. I Felt a bit sorry for her but well more than that. I I remembered how she felt in my arms when I carried her into my Compartment, and I wanted to hold her again I hate a lot. Mr. Maya. I hope you can afford the check. I think I can Now how about breakfast tomorrow and all the rest of your meals till we reach Istanbul, mr. Maya, I hope you don't have any ideas about me Of course, I have you're Very attractive Well, I don't know anything about you for all I know you're married and have six children I am not and I haven't About you. I have no one well, then there's no reason why we shouldn't have Ideas about each other is that and by the way my first name is Gregory More coffee or dessert. No, thanks. Well, then as soon as I paid that my it. Oh, mr. John Excuse me. Is this yours? That's my pocketbook. I found it in the corridor outside my compartment. You must have dropped it when you lifted this young lady He gave me my pocketbook and left the dining car all my money was there But one thing I knew I had not dropped my pocketbook. Mr. John had taken it No, Carol and I started through the train It was about nine o'clock and the lights were already dimmed and the second-class coaches people were asleep sitting up in the crowded compartments Mr. Maya, here's my compartment. Thank you for dinner. It's a very early You have to go in. Oh, I'm tired. Oh, it's too crowded in there for comfortable sleeping And besides you never know who's next to you. Oh, but I do a little fat man See his name is Joseph Grunlich. He introduced himself. Oh, he did today. You're not jealous No, but what do you know about him? He might be a thief for a bigger man. Now you're being ridiculous Well, good night, mr. Mike Gregory Carol yes You might Kiss me good night No one will notice All right Mr. Grunlich if you are going somewhere, sir, why don't you go ahead? Do not be angry, please. I was not spying mr. Maya How do you know my name? We all heard of the gentleman gallant enough to take Miss Musker to dinner at the good doctor's suggestion Doctor who doctor mr. John He's a doctor is him now now if you'll please excuse me. I must get some water. I'm quite thirsty. I don't think I like that guy Carol how about taking my compartment your compartment? All right. I'll get you another one We'll speak to the conductor right now, huh first-class compartment for the young lady, monsieur You must wait until we arrive at Cologne. No tickets are sold aboard the orient express We arrived in Cologne in let me see Precisely 15 minutes as we walked up to the first-class ticket window a woman elbowed us out of the way Please excuse me. You don't mind if I go first. Do you my train for Paris leaves any minute? Well in that case go right ahead Thank you She was a reporter apparently while waiting for her change her eyes went past me to the orient express Suddenly they widened I followed a glance mr. John was just stepping back into his compartment One moment hunts change this ticket for a sleeper on the orient express make it Bell grab you are lucky miss Well, and there is only one accommodation on the orient expressly Just a moment there. We were here first. I thought you were going to Paris not when I see dr. Zinner on the orient express dr. Zinner The man you were looking at was Richard John that the name is using now. Oh, thank you, hon. Just a moment there. I'm taking that ticket My hair I regret but the lady asked for it before you did and she is an old customer here Here's the ticket miss Warren Gregory might mr. John I'd like to talk to you for a moment. May we come in way? Yes. Yes, of course You are feeling better miss musker you are getting enough rest. Yes, thanks. That's why we're here miss muskers taking my Compartment and I'm staying in here with you. I wish I could oblige, but I prefer my privacy Why is that dr. Zinner? My name is Richard John. Where did you hear otherwise from a newspaper reporter who saw you in the station at Cologne? Oh, I don't know what it's all about and I don't much care But miss musker is going to have my compartment. I'm going to move into this one with you any objections Oh, in fact, both of you shall stay here with me. What's the devil gently mr. Maya? Yes, I'm done. I am an excellent shot believe me. We shall all stay I insist Lock the door mr. Maya That's fine Now just who are you mr. Maya? Who am I a police spy here to keep me from getting to Belgrade? Oh, that's ridiculous. You surely don't expect me to believe your story about some It sounds like the reporter from Cologne. Tell her she has made a mistake Tell her my it Go away. You've got the wrong compartment. My name is my it My it put your arm around this musker open the door part way just enough for her to see both of you I should be behind the door and remember I have a gun. I oh You're not the man. I'm after all you my name is my it I haven't the slightest idea where you can find your mr. John. Well, I'll find him He's on the aureate express somewhere excuse me for interrupting your Excuse me for interrupting your good night mr. Maya Bolt the door, please No, perhaps you really are only an American businessman mr. Mayer in that case. I owe you an explanation Sit down. He told us a fantastic story He was a political exile from his own country He'd been forced to leave five years ago, and I was going back to lead a rebellion to overthrow the government by a coup d'etat And to me it made very little sense. It had not been for the gun in his hand I might have laughed in his face if I am captured before this train gets to Belgrade I will be executed once in Belgrade. However, I am safe and very popular. I know the city There are thousands ready to hide me and that's very interesting And now that you believe where who we say we are you could put that gun away I'll bunk here with you and miss muska can go to my compartment I cannot allow that among the passengers on this train are many of my countrymen Some would be loyal if they knew about me, but others would not Dr. Zinner will tell no one I am sure you would not Intentionally, but it might slip out. No, I cannot permit you to leave this compartment I'm warning you if I can I'm going to take that gun away from you Don't try it my friend. You're older than I am Dr. Zinner You're tired Just how long can you stay awake? I sat with Carol on one seat. He was across from us the revolver in his hand And it got later and later Later I'm tired Greg. I'll just close your eyes then Carol Are you sleepy, Dr. Zinner? Not yet. It's not mine Carol was asleep on my shoulder. I Fought to keep my eyes open, but I dozed off and then somehow I came awake I lifted my head dr. Zinner was asleep. I reached across and grabbed the gun It's all right Carol. I've got it Well dr. Zinner You are right, sir. I tried to stay awake but stay here Carol. I'm going to locate the conductor I'm going to tell him what's been going on. Oh, no, you must not I shall never get to bell grab No, we're still outside his country. He won't be hurt But if you report me to the conductor, I shall be put off the train. I'll ensure no harm done. I'll be back soon Carol I left the compartment and started on the corridor. I heard a noise behind me And as I turned I caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure one arm raised high above my head Then the arm swung down and something hard and heavy crashed against my skull And I fell into a pool of blackness and I knew nothing more In just a moment we will return to escape but first The blazing billboard for CBS's 10 great Sunday night shows has an especially big blaze of lights near the top of the list That's where the names of Spike Jonze, Jack Benny and Amos and Andy are found in succession Spike Jonze, Jack Benny, Amos and Andy the most unusual sequence of top-rating comedy and radio Don't miss a single second of their 90 non-stop minutes of mirth Tomorrow night on CBS's great Sunday night 10 Amos and Andy and Spike Jonze come to you over most of these same CBS stations and Jack Benny is heard over them all And now with our star Bill Conrad we returned to the second act of escape and The Orient Express How much later it was when I opened my eyes. I don't know whoever had hit me had done an expert job might have been Center or Even Carol had no way of knowing the gun was gone I dragged myself to my feet and stumbled on the corridor back to a compartment number seven, but it was empty Perhaps they moved to my compartment. I hurried to it No, no, there was nothing in my compartment. My bags were gone even my overcoat Inside I began to feel a strange un-reasoning fear Why was it so quiet? What were all the other passengers? Coming along the entire corridor. I Opened every door in the coach The cum was completely empty it felt as If I were going crazy I lost consciousness again Hey you mister wake up wake up Who are you? I said I am the breakman. No Tell me what happened to everyone this coach was full. I got on at Austin dozens of people got on at Austin Oh, no, sir This coach is empty and it comes only from Wigginsburg Wigginsburg No, it's it's from Austin. I tell you Look compartment eight. This was mine my bags my overcoat. They were here and now they've disappeared What was that? That is only the switch engine we're on the yards outside Vienna This coach is a deadhead. It was put on at the Orient Express at Wigginsburg. And now we take it off deadhead. You mean No, it's not my coach at all the regular coaches are orient express is in front of us If you do not wanted to leave without you you had better hurry, sir. Don't worry. I'll make it The Orient Express was just getting underway when I dropped off the front of the deadhead I had plenty of time to run up alongside and swing aboard I made my way through the train to my coach and knocked on the door of sinners of compartment Open up in there. Who is it Gregory? My it opened the door Lying on the birthbound and gagged was the reporter miss Warren and standing beside her gun in hand was Not dr. Zinner, but Joseph Grundlisch Very tough skull, mr. Maya. I should have hit you a little harder, no Where is Carol? Where is dr. Zinner? Why have you tied up this reporter? First as to miss Warren, I have tied her to prevent her from interfering with dr. Zinner Had I allowed her to file her newspaper story dr. Zinner would never get to Belgrade I happen to be a Nardin follower of dr. Zinner. I was standing watch last night when you dashed into the corridor mr. You had this very gun in your hand. You had obviously broken away from dr. Zinner Fortunately, I had a blackjack. Where is Carol and dr. Zinner? Do you promise to do nothing to interfere with dr. Zinner's plan? I promise nothing no Be reason of all the Orient Express will soon cross the border into my own country It makes only one stop at the border for passport identification After that you are involved no longer. Why be stubborn? All right grundlish I wanted to see you mr. Maya. I thank you you may go now dr. Zinner and miss Moscow Our next door in your compartment Dr. Zinner was seated on one birth dosing and Carol lay on the opposite birth fast asleep traces of tears on her cheeks She shivered I covered it with my overcoat and she woke up Gregory I didn't know where you were Go back to sleep. I searched everywhere. I didn't know what to do and I came back here Oh, we're so tired Dr. Zinner made me go to sleep. Everything's all right in a few hours. Everything will be fine Now close your eyes and go back to sleep I left the compartment and went to the second class coach with both Carol and grundlich gone there was space for me I slept until I was awakened by a Hungarian passport inspector The train had stopped in a town named Shibotica just inside the border I showed him my passport and I went to the dining car The breakfast rush was just starting so I gave a waiter a pound note and had him get me breakfast for two By the time the Orient Express was ten minutes out of Shibotica We were going down the corridor the loaded tray tinkling as the waiter followed me We arrived at my compartment But it was empty. No sign of Zinner. No sign of Carol Torn piece of paper was tucked under the cuff of my overcoat was a note. I Have left with dr. Zinner. I'm afraid this is goodbye signed Carol musker said the breakfast. Where shall I put the tray? What the breakfast? Oh? Take it back. I don't want it. I sat near the window and watch the landscape drift past My suspicions had been right all along dr. Zinner had played me for a fool And so had Carol After a while I became conscious of a tapping sound on the wall of my compartment It kept on and suddenly I realized that it was coming from the compartment next to mine Someone's heel banging against the wall. It took only a minute to get next door It was Miss Warren the reporter while tied and gagged. Oh Thank goodness. I thought you'd never hear me. Where's grundlich? Where are the others? You don't know what's happened. Zinner is going to be executed executed where they took him off the train It's a botica grundlich arranged the whole thing. He's a government spy. Can't be well He is they're probably holding a drumhead court martial on dr. Zinner back in support of this minute. I see And Carol muskers the government spy to the girl. No, she must be they took her off the train Well, they had to they couldn't have any witnesses. What will they do with it? Probably killer But hey here. What are you doing? You can't jump out the train's going 60 at least I'm going back there Look, there's a small town up ahead. I saw it when I leaned out some cars a park to the station I saw them. I'm going to pull the emergency cord take one of those cars How can you possibly doing support account? I don't know, but I'll do something Go ahead mr. My I'm going with you I pulled the emergency cord and in the matter of seconds the Orient Express was screeching to a halt right at the station I flung open the door and this miss Warren close behind me. I ran toward the park cars Yeah, yo Yo, come here. You speak English I want to go to Stibotica I'll give you 20 pounds We're at Stibotica inside of an hour I had the driver stop just before we got into the center of town and told him to wait Miss Warren and I started on the main street Mr. Myer look in the doorway of a small restaurant his back to us talking to a chef was Joseph grundlisch Just keep walking. All right, try to hear what he's saying Did you hear what he said something about a last meal for two people to be taken to the railroad station don't turn your head just keep walking The railroad station platform was empty so was the ticket office But through the window we could see the waiting room and beyond it was a closed door to a baggage room There was a large old-fashioned key in the lock and standing beside the door was a soldier with a rifle That's why they must be in the baggage room. You don't have a gun I suppose. No, I don't either do I The keys in the lock if I can get to it without the soldier's noticing We've got to get the soldier away from the door miss Warren Look do you see that telephone over there in the far corner If we could somehow get the soldier over the telephone his view of the baggage room door would be cut off Look, that'll be your job miss Warren Go into the waiting room and up to the telephone booth smile at the soldier as you go by Then pretend you're having some trouble with the phone appeal to him for help When he joins you with the phone booth keep him occupied while I go in and let him out But he might look around just talk to him Senator and carol and I will try to make the car you'll have to hurry Green look in that last meal may be here any minute. We'll hurry all right Through the grimy window I watched as miss Warren crossed the waiting room to the telephone smiling at the soldier She left the booth and walked over to him couldn't hear what they were saying She smiled at him again putting her hand on his arm. They went over the booth He took a deep breath and into the waiting room I could hear them talking as I started toward the baggage room Carol Carol No noise about the dinner carol go to the station platform. No noise. Come on We started back toward the open door that led to the station platform We went out slowly not making a sound. Miss Warren was still talking to the soldier and then suddenly Their voices stopped I glanced back The soldier's gun had fallen to the floor He was kissing miss Warren We got out to the platform and I shut the door quietly All right, follow me the car is two blocks away. Well, she's a reporter. They won't dare touch her now. Come on In a few moments the station was behind us. The car was only a block away now We turned the corner and Walking taught us not 10 feet away was Joseph Grundlick and a waiter from the restaurant before he could collect his wits I ran at him He crumpled to the ground then I hit the waiter All right run for it Grundlick fired a few shots at us but hit no And then we were in the car and he fired at us no longer Goodbye dr. Zinner You sure you won't come along? Oh, I stay here in Peltrack. I shall be all right now. Thanks to you. Goodbye mr. Meyer. Goodbye You uh Mind if I sit down? No, not at all. We'll be in Istanbul tomorrow. Mm-hmm a day late You know, I've probably lost that chorus job Have any idea what you'll do then? Oh, I think so. I have an idea Yeah So if I a Very good idea Come in Escape is produced and directed by Norman McDonald We have presented transcribed Orient Express by Graham Greene Adapted for radio by Sheldon Stark and Walter Newman with editorial supervision by John Dunkel Starred as Gregory Myatt was Bill Conrad Featured players were Edgar Barrier, Hans Conrad, Gloria Grant, Harry Bartel and Morrison, Jack Prussian and John Boehner The special music was arranged and played by Ivan Dittmarz Next week you are alone in the steaming jungle with three men You know that one of them is a desperate criminal a man. You've come here to arrest But you don't know which one You'll have to find him before he can save himself by Killing you Next week we escape with LG Blockman's exciting tale of a manhunt red wine Goodbye then until this same time next week when once again CBS offers you escape for more escape drama There'll be more coming along on CBS tonight When most of these same CBS stations will bring you the adventures of Philip Marlowe and gangbusters They're both regular saturday night features on CBS Now stay tuned for five minutes of the latest news to be followed immediately by the let's pretend program Over most of these same CBS network stations. This is Roy Rowan speaking for CBS the columbia broadcasting system