 The mutual broadcasting system presents The Mysterious Travel, written, produced and directed by Robert A. Arter and David Colton, starring two of Radio's foremost personalities, Lyle Sugro and Robert Daimler, in Behind the Locked Door. Inviting you to join me on another journey into the realm of the strange, I hope you will enjoy the trip, and it feels pretty well little and chilly well little. So settle back, get a good grip on your nerves and be comfortable, if you can, as I bring you the strange and chilling story so many of you will pass to here again. I call it, Behind the Locked Door. The story begins in the beautiful mountain region of Lake Mead, Arizona. A convertible car is speeding along a deserted road, which winds through the mountain. The car slows down, turns into a dirt road. A few minutes later, it comes to a stop before a small mountain lodge. Kathy Evans, an attractive girl in her early 20s, gets out of the car, runs up the steps of the lodge to the front door. She knocks impatiently, looking above anxiously. Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock. Yes? Martin. Kathy. I thought I'd find you here. Aren't you going to ask me? No way, Kathy. Martin, what's wrong with you? No way. No way. Not until I find out what this is all about. Well, let me in. Are you alone? Alone? Yes. I want you, girl. You haven't shaved in days. Martin, those deep gashes on your naked face. How did you get them? It doesn't matter. Darling, you must have lost a great deal of blood. It's in your feverish. Yes, I know. Is it true about Professor Stephen? Yes. Why did you leave town so suddenly last night? The authorities are looking for you. Do they know I'm here? No. How could they? It was intuition that brought me here. They mustn't find me. Martin, nothing makes sense. You returned from an expedition last night alone, unexpected. You stay in town one hour and then vanish, not even phoning you. It's best that way. Believe me, Kathy. You've got to tell me everything that's happened. I can't, Kathy. I can't. I'm your fiance. I've got a right to know. Kathy, go away, please. I won't go away until you tell me what's happened. If I do, then will you go? Yes. I don't know where to begin. I suppose if you can say it had to be beginning it. It was that day a little over two weeks ago in Professor Stephen's office. Come in, Martin. Come in. Have a seat. Thank you, Professor. Martin, how would you like to go exploring with me for, say, 10 days and two weeks at the outside? Exploring where? There were a million cliffs along the Colorado River. I found some wonderful Aztec pieces there last summer. One large cave I stumbled on proved to be a venerable treasure trove. Yes, yes, I've seen those Aztec pieces in the University Museum. Now, the familiar cliffs still remain largely unexplored. I'm sure that we could turn up many more objects of interest. It certainly sounds intriguing. Only reason I hesitate, Professor, is because of Kathy. I'm sure she'd give you a two-week leave of absence. Yes, I suppose so. How many of us would go? Well, it would just be you, myself, and an Indian guide, and three burrows. I find that the fewer there are on an expedition, the better. When would we leave? Well, what about the day after tomorrow? All right, Professor, I'm with you. So these are the familiar cliffs, Professor. Yes, an awe-inspiring sight, I'd say. There's breathtaking as the Grand Canyon itself. I have no idea they towered so high. Yes, they make you realize just how insignificant man really is. Now, this region is so desolate, Martin, that it's all but unexplored. That's why I'm drawn to a time and time again. Yes, I can understand that. It represents the challenge of the unknown. Careful, Martin, you'll get the exploring bug. Oh, I've already been bitten, Professor. Well, you're going to be an explorer and an archaeologist. I'll have to start teaching you the fundamentals of the profession. Diane, it seems like a good spot. We'll camp here for the night. Well, it certainly is hot, Professor. The exploring isn't as easy as I thought. Ah. All right, Professor, what is it? For 20 minutes now, you've been sitting on that rock staring at that cliff. Not the boulders strung over the face of that cliff. What about it? And that's a very peculiar landslide. If you carefully study the formation of it, what's peculiar about it? Many of the rocks look as though they'd been placed there by human hands. But why and by whom? Well, one of the ancient Aztec forms of punishment was to seal a person in a cave by means of a landslide or just piling heavy rocks in front of the mouth of a cave. That landslide, there must be hundreds of tons of rock there. And unfortunately, we're prepared for it. Is that why you brought the dynamite along? Yes. Probably all we'll find will be a skeleton. In that case, it'll have been a waste of dynamite. However, we'll chance it. Oh, Sam. What do you want? Get the case of dynamite, Sam. We're going to blast that landslide. Professor, better leave it the same way it be. Why? Evil spirit, sleep in cave. Better not wake him up. You really believe that, Martin? I wouldn't laugh. Sam may be uneducated, but he senses things that you and I can't even begin to comprehend. Now, wait a minute. You mean you believe what he said about evil being asleep in that cave? I wouldn't say that I believe it. But nevertheless, I respect Sam's opinion. But, Sam, I still want to blast that landslide. Hey, get the dynamite. Keep your head down, Martin. When I set that dynamite off, there are going to be a great many rocks flying around. Don't worry, Professor. I've got cover. Sam, you ready? Yes, Professor. All right. Here goes. Just safe now. Professor, I think you did it. I can see a small opening. It looks like a mouth of a cave. Yes, it is. Sam, let me have one of the flashlights. Martin, you take the other. I'll lead the way in. Just as you say, Professor. You seem too bad in here. What's that noise? Just rats scurrying around. Look at me, a huge cavern. Look at that ceiling. Must be 200 feet high. Look at the backs up there. Yes, huge ones. I have a feeling that this cavern and others have been sent for miles underground. Yes, Professor, look. Skeletons. Yes. There's another one over there. Yes. Let's see what else there is. Wagon frames. What? Good Lord. Sam's right, it's a wagon frame. A wagon frame? Yes. Good Lord. Look, there's at least 30 or 40 wagons in this cavern. Look, skeletons of horses. Here's a skeleton with an arrow beside it. Let me see it. It has to be a Navajo arrow. What do you think, Sam? Navajo? Professor, this wagon frame. What's it all mean? Many years ago, this wagon frame was attacked by Indians. Wagon frame retreated into this cavern, hoping to save themselves that way. Then the Indians caused the landslides to live. Yes. Good, devils. What's that old gun lying there? It's a slingslock. It seems to suggest that this wagon frame must be at least 100 years old. Probably headed for the California Gold Rush of 1848. Yes. Well, we'll come back tomorrow to fix this wagon frame, apparently. I'm sure we'll find many things of great interest. The next morning, after an early breakfast, Sam and I followed Professor Stevens back into the cavern. We spent the morning investigating the trunks and boxes we found on the wagons and among the moldy clothing and 101 household articles we found faded letters and newspapers which showed the wagon train that crossed the Mississippi in the summer of 1849. Headed west for California and gold. We finished rummaging among the effects of the wagons and the Professor suggested we explore the cavern. We followed him from one cavern to another each varying in size. Now, and then the Professor would stop to mark our trail for the caverns where honeycombs would come with passageways. A party you think we've come, Professor? I should say we're about a mile from the wagon train. We'll go back a few more minutes. We'll go back now in this place, evil. Sam, if there are ghosts here, there's only the ghosts of the people in the wagon train. I tell you, evil, feel it. All right, we'll go back. We'll go just a little further and turn back. Professor, wait a minute. What is it, Martin? I think I hear running water. Yes, you're right. Come along. We seem to be getting closer. Well, I'm not... Well, there it is. Yes, it's a small river. Look how swiftly it's flowing. Yeah. This probably flows for miles underground and empties into the Colorado River. Hey, Professor, here on the bank, is a tremendous pile of fish bones. Yes, though there is. What? There are even more on the other side of the river. What are these huge piles of fish bones being? It's very same. How do you account for it? I'm afraid that at the moment I can't. Sam, you any ideas about it? He is going to throw around us to feel him strong. Professor, he's similar. Sam, there's nothing to be afraid of. Look, I'll sign a flashlight around, please. We've been watched. Watched. What are you talking about? I won't stay here. Sam, come back. You haven't even got a flashlight. Sam! Come on, Mark, we've got the catch. Wait for us. I can still hear a footsteps. We've got the catch here. It seems we're running in the dark like that. Sam! Wait for us. This way. It's probably broken his leg. Sam, where are you? Keep shining the flashlight around. Can't be much further. Just sitting against that boulder. Just have a dance. Sam, give me a hand with your heart. God bless. There must be an explanation. There has to be. I have a fear. Incredible. I can't bring myself to voices. Tell me what you think I'm insane. Tell me! What if the people of the Wagon Train are rather the descendants of alive here in these huge caverns? That's impossible. Why? Picture what happened today. The 150 people are so sealed into this mountain with the Indians. What would have been the first thing they'd have done to try to dig their way out? Exactly. They start digging and find that 100 ton boulders blocking the entrance and they have no dynamite. They're forced to give up, yes. The day is looking for another way out. Fail to find one. The day comes when all their food is gone. Starvation sets in. That would mean they would all die. Not necessarily. The strongest of them stumble along in the darkness who find the underground river. They catch an abundant of fish and are able to survive. The huge fishbone fires along the riverfront. The river was an everlasting supply of food. They continue to live by the river in the dark. Probably went insane. Dark. Others adjusted themselves to their new environment. Professor, do you think those handful of survivors had descendants who were alive today inside this mountain? Yes, Martin. And it was one of them who clawed sand to death. What can those descendants be like? Being born and living in darkness? I can only guess. I should imagine they'd be blind or near to it. But there are other senses that be remarkably developed. The physical appearance. I don't know. It's all like a nightmare. A nightmare you can't awaken from. What's to prevent them from attacking us? And are flashlights for one thing? I'm sure light frightens them. This is fire frightens animals. Fortunately, I have a revolver. Well, we better move on. Wait a minute, what about sand? Nothing we can do for him now. Come along, Martin. We must find the trail I marked so that we can get out of here. It seems we've been searching days for the markings you left. Yes. Actually, it's been ten hours. Bless you, boy. Come along. Once we reach the river, we'll be able to pick up the trail I marked. We're getting closer. Yes. There it is. Here we are. Look, Martin, there's my marking on the passage. We found the trail. Yes. Martin, to A.M. We'd better rest for a few hours. We're both too exhausted to go on right now. It's one of the same guide. I'll have to sleep. All right. I'll set up the first hour. Thank you, Martin. Keep the flashlight on. Don't worry. I will. In a matter of minutes, the professor fell asleep. I sat on guard, flashing my light slowly around the huge cabin. I looked at my watch in the second seat like minutes and minutes like hours. My eyes grew heavy and I finally dozed off. Suddenly, I awakened in the darkness to hear the professor scream. I was in the darkness, but I couldn't find it. And suddenly, there was a shot. I could see the professor struggling with a huge, dark figure. Suddenly, it all was quiet, except for the professor's movement. As I crawled toward it, in the darkness, my hand struck the flashlight. I turned it on and there was the photo. Martin, I think I'm wounded. You're bleeding badly. Let me touch you. Please. Come on. Come on. What about you? Professor? Professor! I felt his heart, but there was no beat. I staggered to my feet, shined my flashlight around until I found the professor's mark. I stumbled weirdly along the marked passageway, trying not to remember my last glimpse of the professor's face. I hadn't gone on the hundred yards when suddenly my flashlight flickered and went out. I stood alone in the darkness. In that scampering past, I fought to keep from screaming. The darkness seemed to become heavier and more oppressive with each passing moment, and I had the feeling something was silently approaching. I backed up against the passage wall, waited my eyes straining in the darkness, and then suddenly I was leaped upon by a wild fury. I threw my arms up and braided on across my face and neck. Again and again, I started to feel the blood streaming down my face and neck. Then suddenly, the deathly clawing ceased as my attacker turned to ward off something in the dark. As I sank to my knees, I was dimly aware of a fierce fight taking place between men and women. Later, how much later I had no way of knowing, I became aware of a heavy, calloused hand washing my face and neck with water. I winched in pain as the water flowed into the deep cut milk. Suddenly I remembered all. And remembered all. I became aware of the calloused hand washing my face in the presence of someone beside me in the darkness. Who are you? For a moment I am hesitated, then resume washing my neck. Well, can't you speak? Say something! Ah... I know you. It's true that there's more than that of an animal than a human being. If I can only see you. Do you have a name? I've been to repeat the word name, though I couldn't be sure. And faint from the loss of blood I closed my eyes and fell asleep. When I awoke, my face and neck felt stiff and painful. It seemed a sense I was awake for as I opened my eyes and stared into the darkness that came to my side. Can't you understand anything at all? Don't my words make any sense to you? Why did you save my life? Brushed against its hand and I could feel sharp claw-like fingers on it. I reached out from the darkness as I touched its face and bit my hand. I tried to get to my feet but it placed a strong hand on my shoulder and held me down. At that moment I realized that not only was it my savior but my jailer's weapon. I lost all track of time. Now and then it would leave me. I would cautiously get to my feet to steal off but no sooner had I taken more than a few steps and it would be there at my side forcing me to return to the bank of the river. I spent my every waking moment trying to think of a way to escape and then when my despair was greatest an idea came to me. The professor had said that the underground river I laid beside emptied into the Colorado River though the odds were a hundred to one to get my surviving I knew it was the only possible way of escape. Slowly I crawled a few remaining feet to the edge of the river and leaning over started to wash my face. I could sense that it was watching me. I leaned forward a few inches more and fell into the river. As I came up there in the swift flowing water I heard a flash beside me. A moment later I felt it flying around me. The current swept us along with breathtaking speed and as we clung to each other I discovered that it couldn't swim. For what seemed ours the river swept us along in the darkness and I felt myself losing consciousness as I attempted to keep the two of us above water. When I regained consciousness Kathy was lying on a sandbar in the Colorado River and the sun was beating down on it. Calling your delirious view you need a doctor. I wish I wish it were simple as all that. Your favorite you need kids. Go away Kathy go away. How can I leave you alone like this? Don't you understand I'm not alone. Yes. Didn't I tell you it turned out to be a she. Out of your mind you don't know what you're saying. First time lying unconscious on that sandbar my first instinct was to leave her there but how could I? She saved my life in the cavern and then jumped into the river when she thought I was drowning even though she couldn't swim herself. Martin I want you to get a grip on yourself. As I was dependent on her in the dark she's dependent on me in the light. She's blind she can't speak yet she. You can't believe it's true can you Kathy? Neither could I at first. What are you staring at? Is there anyone in that bedroom? Well I'll soon find out. Why is the door locked? She's in there. Martin you're sick you don't know what you're saying. I'll prove to you there's no one in that room. It's just your imagination. Give me the key to the door. Kathy go away. Thank you. That's when you see the room is empty you'll be willing to return to town for medical treatment. There. I told you. What's that madam? You want a description of what Kathy saw when she opened that bedroom door? Well you might ask Kathy. The trouble is the poor girl gets hysterical when you question her about the occupant of that bedroom. I suggest you write a letter to the Museum of Horrors for a full description. They consider the woman of the mountain as their star exhibit. Because when she... Oh you'll 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 have just heard the Mysterious Traveler. You may now enjoy other exciting adventures of the Mysterious Traveler and the current issues of the Mysterious Traveler magazine. Our cast Lyle Sudrow and Shepherd and Robert Donnelly. With Maurice Trappler in the title role Phil Tarkin speaking this program came to you from New York. Mutual's ace commentator Cecil Brown currently on a three month fact-finding tour of the world heads for the Orient on the last lap of his history making trip. In these last weeks Mr. Brown will bring you on the on the scene reports from such tinderbox areas as India, Hong Kong, Hawaii, Japan and Honolulu. You won't want to miss any of the eyewitness accounts by this able commentator of the latest happenings in these headline-making spots of the world. Be sure to listen to the news reports of Cecil Brown over most of these stations. This is the Mutual Broadcasting System.