 tired of the everyday routine? Ever dream of a life of romantic adventure? Want to get away from it all? We offer you escape. Escape. Designed to free you from the four walls of today for a half hour of high adventure. Escape. Brought to you by the Richfield Oil Corporation of New York and the independent marketers of Richfield Gasolines, Motor oils and other petroleum products. Look for the Richfield Eagle on the cream and blue pumps. Tonight we escape to New Orleans during Mardi Gras behind the gaiety of which lies a nightmare world of terror and death as John and Gwen Bagny tell it in the man who stole the Bible. I didn't mean to steal the Bible. That wasn't my intention. Why I'd never taken as much as a towel or an ashtray out of a hotel and if I'd known the night of terror it would lead me into I'd never have taken it at all. Mardi Gras, New Orleans, a gay time, a lot of laughs if you're in on it but me I was stuck in a stuffy hotel room waiting for a call from the boss and the sound of all those people out on the street having fun got on my nerves. This is Mr. Cummings room 302. Whatever happened to that bellhop I sent for? Would you speak louder? I can't hear you sir. I said... Just a minute. Operator. Operator. What was it you wanted? Look, I want a bellhop. I want him to bring me something to read, anything. You said half an hour ago he was on his way up. Doesn't he answer your call yet Mr. Cummings? He has not. Well I'm dead. Oh look operator. Operator. Oh nuts. I paced back and forth wishing the boss would call me so I could get out of the room. I didn't dare leave even to go down and get a paper. He's that kind of a guy. Expects you to be on tap all the time. There was no radio in the room and nothing to read. I went through all the drawers hoping somebody left behind a magazine or a seed catalog, anything. And then I found it. The Bible. The Gideon Bible. For years I've seen them in hotel rooms but I never paid any attention to them. And now I open the book. First Samuel chapter 19. I lay down on the bed and I started to read. The knock surprised me. I'd forgotten about the bellhop. I got up to go to the door and I realized I had the Bible in my hand. It's a fine thing when a man feels embarrassed caught reading the Bible but that's how I felt. Embarrassed. I stuffed that under the pillow and I went to the door. You sure took your time. I'm a house detective. I'm sorry to disturb you. Well that's alright. What's the matter? Well it seems that the woman had this room before you lost her pocketbook. She thinks she left it here. I haven't seen it but you can come in and look. Why thanks. It doesn't seem likely that the maids would have overlooked it but once in a while something gets left in the drawer. Yeah I know. It's amazing the things you find left behind in hotels. Yeah it sure is. No it's not here. Sorry to have intruded on you. That's alright. Good night. Good night. I laid down again and went back to reading the Bible. Once I got used to the old fashioned language I found it pretty interesting. The story of David anyway. A guy being chased by everybody not knowing who his enemies were every minute expecting to get killed. I was down to the part where David's wife puts a dummy in his bed as a decoy to save his life when I was interrupted again. At this time I automatically stuck the Bible under the pillow and went to the door. Hello. Oh hello. I'm having the most awful time. I've tried and tried but it just won't work and the room's so stuffy. How's that? The window in my room it won't open. Oh. Would you open it for me? No I should. Just show me. Which room is it? Right next to yours. Just around this corner room 300. I have the same trouble on buses. The windows never open. It drives me mad. You can see how stuffy the room is. This window? It opened for you. Yeah it did. And easy too. And so does this one. I can't understand it. You sure you tried. You don't think I'd come to your door and ask you to come over here if I didn't need something, do you? Well it's been done. I won't argue with that. But now that you're here wouldn't you like to have a drink for your trouble I mean? No I don't think I can. You can watch the parade much better here than on your side of the building. Oh no I can't. What's the matter? Oh sorry I have to go that's my phone. Wait don't go. Hello. Cummings. Oh yes sir. I've been waiting for your call. Now listen I've covered the whole territory down here and things look pretty healthy. You see the main difficulty has been that... I stared at my briefcase. I had left it on the dresser. Now it was on the bed. And everything had been pulled out of it. The closet door was ajar, the drawers in the bureau were open. My gladstone apparently hadn't been touched but everything else had. I talked with the boss about trends, business conditions. But my mind was on a girl who wanted a window open. A window that wasn't stuck. While somebody searched my room. Calmly I finished my conversation and hung up. There was no reason now for me to stay in the room. I gathered up my stuff and I took the Bible from under the pillow. Huh, funny. I had gotten interested in it. I wanted to go on reading it. So I stuck it in my top coat pocket and walked out of the room. On my way to the elevator I got a sudden impulse. I stopped in front of room 300 and knocked. Oh where's the... We're here now mister. The lady had checked out. Oh but that's impossible. I was just here. I don't know anything about that but she checked out a couple minutes ago. And I got to clean up after her right now. I'm gonna be glad when Marty draws over. Everybody goes crazy. Hotel goes crazy. People check in, check out. They steal everything that ain't tied down. Steal? Yeah I said steal. Ashtrays, bath towels, soap. I wouldn't be surprised if they take the bed's name. The Bible in my pocket suddenly felt like a pound of uranium. I wondered if the cleaning woman could read the guilt on my face but she put her wastebasket down in the hall and went back in to clean the room. For a second I considered taking the Bible back to room 302 and maybe I would have if it hadn't been for the discarded book jacket and the wastebasket. It was gaudy. It red and yellow. I grabbed it up, put it around the Bible. The title read, You Will Die Tonight. Trot boy, where are those bell boys? I swear I'll go out of my mind. Oh checking out Mr. Comets. Now let me see, you were in room... 302. 302? Yeah. Oh. Well what's the matter? I've had so much trouble over that room I was supposed to hold it for a lady but you can't keep rooms vacant during Mardi Gras. I gave her the room next to yours but she kicked like crazy to the manager. Next to me? Yeah, it's room 300. She checked out just a few minutes ago. I don't know what this is all about but there's something peculiar going on in room 302. Peculiar? I didn't mind the house detective coming in to look for the purse but I didn't like having my stuff searched while I was out of the room. Searched? Yeah, I said searched. You say the house detective did that? He said the woman who had the room before me left a purse and he came... But that's impossible. Well, what do you mean? A man had the room ahead of you. Oh yes, I'm positive of it. Just a minute, I got the register right here. I'll take it. Yes, yes, yes. A man, Mr. Gregory. The house detective isn't on duty today. But when he comes in tomorrow, I'll tell him that... Not on duty? Well then, what was he doing in my room? Today? Of course, today, tonight. A tall guy with black hair. He came in... Oh, there's some mistake, Mr. Cummins. Our house detective, Mr. St. Clairs, his name, is short and bald and he hadn't been in the hotel all day. He's home sick. It had the makings of an interesting little intrigue but I left the mystery of room 302 with the room clerk and went to the cigar stand. It was 8 o'clock. My train wouldn't leave until midnight. Yes, and where did it be? Cigarettes or cigars? Cigars. Three coronas. No, no. Make it six. Oh, he's like to sell cigars. Men don't smoke cigars like they used to. Cigarettes, that's the fashion today. But give me a good cigar every day. Sounds like somebody's having a good time. Oh, they all have a good time during the carnival. Say, I wonder where I could check my bag in briefcase for a little while. Oh, gonna see the parade? Yeah, I thought I would. Mill around a little bit. I've got a couple hours to kill. Well, I'd be glad to keep it for you. I'm on duty till midnight. Oh, would you? Well, that's money nice of you. Oh, don't mind at all. Money grow is something to see. You shouldn't miss it. But you'll have more fun if you rent a costume. The hotel's got them for rent, you know. No, no, no, thanks. I'll go as I am. He stuck my stuff under the counter, and I elbowed my way across the crowded lobby to the street door. Through the glass, my eyes met the eyes of another man, a tall man with black hair, the man who said he was the house detective. I swung the hotel door open. I had a few questions I wanted to ask that boy, but he was swallowed up in the crowd. And then a big hand clapped me on the shoulder and a voice boomed in my ear. Ah, there you are, sinner. I whirled around and looked into the mask of a laughing red-faced devil. Ah, no, no, no, no. Don't try to evade me, sinner. I've come to collect you, my nice, shiny pitchfork. And when the devil comes for you, your time is up. All I could see in the mask were a pair of eyes. They were gray eyes and they were laughing. And the devil threw his arm around my shoulder and urged me along the street. I walked a little. I hadn't had anything to drink. The whole thing seemed kind of silly. But before I knew what happened, a clown grabbed my other arm. Let's take the sinner to the fiery furnace. And the two of them, the devil and the clown, were propelling me down the street into a car. Come along, sinner. Fiery furnace. Hey, wait a minute, fellas. Oh, the sinner is reluctant. Push him in, clown. Hey, now, now, look. Get in, sinner. Hey, you guys. Hey. Hey, let me out. Look, where are we going? Let's have it. Have what? The Bible. The Bible you took out of room 302. The Bible? You're not drunk. Ah, don't waste time on him. Frisk him. Look, I don't know who you are, but you can't... Ah, he hasn't got it on him. What'd you do with it? Where is it? I told you. I haven't got it. Oh! That's to let you know we're not playing. Now, let's take it again. Where's the Bible? I tell you, I haven't got it. I had it, but I... I guess I lost it. You lost it? Where'd you lose it? I don't know. Why you... Don't do that, sinner. It's just as easy for me to pull this trigger as to look at you. But I'm telling you the truth. I haven't got it anymore. All right. You haven't got it. But you tell me where it is you understand if I have the key here to find out. Hey, what are you stopping for? Can't you see? I'm a crowd. I can't get through. Oh, come on. Let's get moving. Get on out of here. What do you want me to do? Drive over them? Look, fellas, a shark cat! A bunch of revelers drunken out for bear opened the back door of the car and started climbing over. Nothing would stop them from weaving through. They thought it was fun pushing and shoving each other. One of them fell, sprawled across the devil's lap, and they began to pile up, and suddenly I knew this was escape. I climbed out of the car. I ran blindly away from them. I saw a cab at an intersection. I ran out. I opened the door and... There he was, in the back seat. The phony house detective. I slammed the cab door and bolted across the street. There was a policeman on the corner directing traffic. I ran up to him. Hey, where do you think you're going? Hey, look, they're trying to kill me. You've got to help me. Kill you? Who's trying to kill you? The devil. He's after me. The devil, you say? Yeah, yeah. And the clown, too. You're not making a mess? No, no. I mean it. I'm serious. You're drunken, you look. I haven't had a drink. I tell you, they're trying to kill me. Why would they be doing that? Because they want the Bible. The Bible? Yeah, look. You see, I stole the Bible. Here they come now. Who? The devil and the clown across the street. You've got to get me out of this. You've got to stop them. They'll kill me. Yeah, sure, sure. Now take it easy, young fella. I've seen it. Come on. What are you trying to get us in trouble? Trouble? Sure. He's going to miss the party. It's all a trick. Don't listen to him. This young fella claims you're trying to kill him. Me? Oh, no. Not me. What if he doesn't get to that party pretty soon? His wife will kill him. I haven't got a wife. There isn't any party. They're lying. I tell you, they're lying. Oh, now be good, boys. Go someplace else and settle your squabble. I've got to keep this traffic moving. Please, officer. Now you heard what the policeman said. Come on, son. Let go of me, officer. Go ahead at now. Go on now, here. I demand to be arrested. I demand it. Go on now, I said. Now go on. Officer, you're a fool. You're a fool. Wait, if it wasn't for this Mardi Gras running in right now. And you won't arrest me? Okay. But remember, I didn't want to do it. That does it. Striking an officer. All right, fella. You're under arrest. Xylene. That's a word to remember for Xylene as one of the highest octane gasoline components known to science. And Xylene benefits you when you buy Richfield gasoline. Why? Because today, every gallon of Richfield gasoline contains Xylene. That's right. Xylene and Richfield gasoline helps give you a car that high-antinoct performance. That swift surge of power when you step on the accelerator. That smooth-as-silk action along the highway. Furthermore, your Richfield dealer offers you a choice of two great Richfield gasoline with Xylene. Richfield Ethel for best results in the highest compression motors. Or Richfield High Octane at regular price for the average motor. Each Richfield gasoline is tops in its class. Each contains Xylene. For the finest performance at lowest cost per mile, let your Richfield dealer help you select the right Richfield gasoline to fit your motor's power requirements. Stop where you see the Richfield Eagle on the cream and blue pumps. And now we return you to... Escape! I sat in the drunk tank in the New Orleans jail and tried to figure it out. Who were the devil and the clown and the phony house detective? Why was the Bible so important that they would even kill me to get it? My bags were back at the cigar counter in the hotel. My train was scheduled to leave at midnight. But how was I going to get out of New Orleans? Already it was ten o'clock. And as long as I stayed in jail, I would be safe. But even that didn't last long. I hadn't been there half an hour when a cop came for me and took me to the desk, Sergeant. Here's your personal belongings coming. As you're released, you can go. But try to behave yourself. We're pretty busy tonight. Released? You know, you're a lucky guy. Culpepper decided not to press charges against you. You know what you could get for striking an officer. But aren't you going to hold me? Well, your fine's been paid now. And keep out of trouble, will you? But I am in trouble. That's what I tried to tell the cop, but he wouldn't listen to me. I had to hit him. My fine? You said somebody paid my fine? That's right. It's been paid. But who? Who paid it? I don't know who it was. He didn't give a name. He just paid it. Was it a man in a devil's costume? Or a clown? Now, look. What did he look like? I don't know what he looked like. A house detective? They'll kill me, I tell you. I hadn't heard her coming to the station. She moved so quietly. She was a nun. And she was talking excitedly in French. I wasn't paying much attention to her. I was thinking instead of my own problem. The house detective had paid my fine. He wanted me out of jail. He wanted me loose on the street. Why? And the devil and the clown. Were they with him? Were all of them waiting outside that door for me? Well, please, sister. I could help you, but I can't understand a word you're saying. Monsieur, les gens dans la route m'empêchent de trouver mon chemin. Ils me prennent pour un des célébrants. English. Can you speak English, sister? Oh, pardon, monsieur. Un masquerade. Costume. The people think masquerade. Non masquerade. I think she's trying to say the people on the streets think she's wearing a masquerade costume. Merci, merci bien, monsieur. I am loose. You mean lost. Oui, monsieur, lost. I am expect at Convent, the Vieux Caries. The Vieux Caries? Oh, that's in the French Quarter. Exactement, oui. I try for taxi cab. The crowd, how you say, push me around. Pouvez-vous envoyer de vos gendarmes? What, gendarmes? She wants you to send a policeman to help her to get to Convent. Oui, monsieur. I'm sorry, sister. I'd be glad to, but I don't have anybody in right now. If you don't mind sticking around for a while, I'll be very... Digging around? The sergeant, the perfect... He says he's sorry. If you will wait, there is no one available right now to help you. Wait a minute. The nuns stood there frightened and bewildered out of place in the police station. But for me it was a miraculous break. Sure, I could walk out of that police station with her. And if they were waiting outside waiting to get me, I could walk right by them. They wouldn't dare touch me as long as I was with a nun. I could take her to the convent. And once there, I'd be safe. I'll take the sister to the convent, sergeant. It's okay with me if it's okay with her. Merci, monsieur. Merci mille fois. As we walked out of the police station, I took her arm to help her. Yes, but also to study my own fear. Any minute I expected to see one or all of them, the devil, the clown, the house detective. But they weren't in sight. There were people milling about on the street, but not the three I feared. And strangely, not finding them there frightened me more than ever. I found a cab and gave the driver the address of the convent. The nun and I didn't try to talk. I realized this whole thing was difficult for her, and I didn't feel like talking. Too much had happened to me for one night. The cab pulled up in front of an ancient building in the French Quarter, crumbling cement and wrought ironwork. We got out and I walked with her to the big front door. The nun raised the knocker, and I knew I'd been had. What is wrong? Fingernails, red polished finger. You're not a nun. Hurry boys, get him in, he's wise. Come on, old sinner. It was the devil and the clown. They yanked me into the house. And the girl, I stared at her. Back in the police station, I hadn't really looked at her face. Her black robes had spelled freedom to me. That's as far as I had thought, but now I knew I'd seen her before. Only before she had worn a green dress and a scarlet mouth to match her fingernails, and her hair had been blonde and long, and she wanted a window open. A window that wasn't stuck. Hmm, you giving us a lot of trouble? Look, I'm sorry. We've been very patient. Now we want the Bible. I told you before, I don't have it. You had it? Yeah, yeah, I had it. I took it. I don't know why I took it, but I lost it. All right, who sent you to get it? I'll handle him. All right, who are you working for, Poloni? Look, there's some mistake. Look, I'm a salesman. I sell washing machines. Look, I tell you... Where's the stuff, has Poloni got it? What stuff? I don't know any, Poloni. What are you slapping me around for? I won't get you any... Let me talk to you. Look, if you're lying for Poloni... Who's Poloni? I don't know any Poloni. Poloni wouldn't take a beating for you. Oh, look, I tell you... Whatever he's paying you, we'll pay you more. We'll pay him nothing. You hand over that Bible, or tell us where the dope was stashed, or so help me, I'll kill him. Dope. So, that's what it is. Dope. Yeah, Mr. Innocent. That's what it is. Dope. Stop it. You kill him, we'll never find it. Listen to me. What's your name? Cummings. You work for Poloni Cummings. Nobody but Poloni knows about that Bible. No. You came to hijack the stuff. No, I tell you, I don't know Poloni. Stop lying. Poloni knew our carrier was hot, that he had to drop the stuff somewhere in New Orleans. Oh, you're wasting time, baby. I'll make him talk. You're going to talk? I don't... You want to butter this gun right across your face? Look, you've got to believe me. I... He hit me with the gun. I tried to keep my eyes open to hang on to consciousness. Across the room, I saw the door open, and then it stood a man with another gun. That big man with black hair, the phony house detective, was his name Poloni? That was the only story I had as I passed out. I don't know how long I was out. When I came to, I was lying on a bed. My head was throbbing, my cheeks, my nose every bone in my body she'd ache. There was a cold cloth on my eyes. I tried to think, why did I hurt so? Oh, yeah. The Bible. All right, let's not waste me more time. What did you do with the Bible? Where are the others? They've been taken care of. Look, you took the Bible that belongs in this room. Now, what did you do with it? This room? Oh, yeah. Room 302. What am I doing back in the hotel? You had no right to touch that Bible. I'll think what you did with it. Where is it? Look, I... I told him. I must have lost it. I don't know. I'll get it. The gentleman who left his suitcases with me, Mr. Cummings. Suitcases? Come in. Who are you? I run the cigar stand in the lobby. I saw you bring Mr. Cummings in this way. If you don't mind my saying so, quite tight. Yeah. I'm going off duty in a little while, and I thought he'd need his things. You see, he checked them with me. Thanks. Oh, I almost forgot it. Here's his book, too. Oh, no. Don't leave the book. But you forgot it on the counter. No, I don't want the book. You can have it. I'll take the book. No, no. Don't give it to him. Don't mention it. Hope he feels better tomorrow. Well, at last. The Bible. You will die tonight. Look, Poloni, I didn't know. I swear, I just took it. Poloni? Look, I'm not Poloni. That's a pretty clever stunt covering the Bible with a whodunit jacket. Well, I only took it because I... Let's see. Third book, second chapter. What? Genesis, Exodus, Movedicus. Chapter one, two. But... Yes, here's the address of the warehouse where the stuff is. I don't understand. If you're not Poloni, who are you? Oh, John Stan, United States Treasury Department, Narcotics Division. Team, man. But I thought... Look, you made my job very difficult tonight, Mr. Cummings. We traced the narcotics carrier all the way around the world to New Orleans, to Room 302. But when we arrested him, he was clean. He didn't have the evidence. Room 302 was the link. That girl, Frenchie, was to take this room and I would have followed her here to where the evidence was stashed. I was as simple as that. But you stepped in and threw us all off. Oh, why didn't you tell me you were a government man when you came in tonight to look for the pocketbook? How did I know that you were the new member of the gang? Look, take my advice, Mr. Cummings. Quit stealing things out of hotels. Oh, look, I never stole a thing in my life. This is the first time. You know, there's one thing that I can't figure out. Why did you steal a Bible? You're not going to believe this, but honest. I just wanted to finish the story. Attention baseball fans. Here's a new book you won't want to miss. The new Richfield baseball book hot off the press. Its 32 pages are jam packed with facts on America's favorite sport. You'll find major league schedules, many minor league schedules, world series box scores. You'll find a special baseball quiz you can try on your friends. You'll find seating diagrams of leading stadiums, plus dozens of other fascinating facts on the country's number one sport. And this Richfield baseball book doesn't cost you a single red cent. It's free. Ask the Richfield gasoline dealer for your free baseball book tomorrow. Ask him too about Richfield All Point Safety Service, a special service that will save your car trouble this spring. Stop where you see the Richfield Eagle on the cream and blue pumps. Escape is produced and directed by William N. Robson and has tonight presented the man who stole the Bible by John and Gwen Bagney. Featured in the cast where Rick Valen is coming, Nanette Boardman as the girl, Ben Wright as the house detective, Will Gehr as the devil, Lou Merrill as the clown. Also heard were Mary Ship, Harry Bartell, Peter Leeds and Paul Freese. Special music was arranged by Ivan Dittmarz. Next week. You are tearing across the Nevada desert in a 200 horsepower Bentley Maximus, pursued by the implacable Avenger of the Left Arm. Beside you is the man they are seeking to destroy. Your companion in an adventure from which there is no escape. Next week at this time, the Richfield Oil Corporation of New York invites you to escape with the story of a foreign spy who sought to renounce the Left Arm and become once again an American citizen. As Hildegard Tyler tells it in her exciting new novel, The Rim of Terror. Be listening. Goodbye then until the same time next week when once again we offer you Escape. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.