 Auto-Lite and its 60,000 dealers and service stations present Suspense Auto-Lite brings you James Stewart in consequence a suspense play produced and directed by Anton M. Leader. Friends while the wife is spring cleaning the house how about spring cleaning your car give your motor new spring pep by replacing those worn out narrow gap spark plugs with a set of revolutionary new wide gap Auto-Lite resistor spark plugs your motor will idle smoother yep and give better performance on leaner gas mixtures yes siri actually save gas what's more Auto-Lite resistor spark plugs with the exclusive Auto-Lite resistor cut down on radio and television interference so folks see your Auto-Lite dealer and have him replace old worn out narrow gap spark plugs with a set of the sensational new Auto-Lite resistor spark plugs remember you're always right with Auto-Lite and now Auto-Lite presents James Stewart in a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense maybe the costume was the decisive factor or maybe it would have happened anyway in any event the occasion was the 10th reunion and the class of 29 as such occasions to man they were all dressed identically in cowboy suits and there was Ted Wolf whom I hadn't seen in 10 years although in college he'd been by far my closest friend and so of course I brought him home to dinner and Gwen managed to be quite charming even though it was the maid's night out she didn't even kick about the oven and that's that's how it started out just like that just like any pleasant casual little evening oh Gwen that was a wonderful meal last one I'll get like that for a while thank you sir have you really got to go tonight Ted can't you take a day or so not very well I got my plane reservations and everything anyway I told him I'd be back this week and tonight's just about the deadline if I'm gonna make it what times you're playing 3 a.m. say that reminds me I can't go aboard in this thing oh you probably will I think you both kind of stuck on yourselves in those cowboy outfits a couple of kids I'm gonna wear mine at the hospital a more oh fine no kidding though people think I'm not alright alright spoil sport now we'll call the hotel later have him bring your bags over and you can change here although I would think a cowboy suit would be a sensation an Ecuador Ted are you really going to first I thought it must be a joke no you've heard me talk about the work Ted's doing there I know but Ecuador they've got to have medical care I don't know his plantation some way and I like it I don't see how you stand it living like a hermit cut off from civilization not making well I mean they can't possibly pay you what no no no Gwen what time oh my goodness I've got to run are you leaving us Gwen I promise mother I'd come out to the country tonight anyway I know you too would much rather talk over old times by yourself I'm sorry well I don't see you again thanks for everything it's been swell well you're coming back some time aren't you maybe five years maybe ten maybe never you come back next year and plan to stay for a while thank you I am sorry I have to go but you to have a nice evening there eggs in the icebox fill okay did he always have to have fried eggs at night when he was in college that's that's Phil all right good night darling don't bother coming to the door now I'll phone you tomorrow night bye Gwen have a good trip Ted goodbye you're a lucky man Phil am I well I suppose you know that the main reason I came to this shouldn't dig it always to see you so why me it's been a long time since you and I had the same dreams Ted you haven't lost him though you're still in their pitching oh sure yes yes private practice two cars in the garage two chickens in the pot that's the kind of ball I've been pitching for the last ten years and it's the kind I'll keep on pitching until some other doc says coronary thrombosis and they carry me out when you can't kid me Phil you're happy I just about giving up the idea that there was such a thing as a happy man and now you think you found one I know I have I knew what the minute I came into this room I knew what the minute I saw her Gwen yeah go ahead I hate Gwen Phil and what's more she hates me oh it's nothing that shows on the surface we get along because we have to because my reputation would suffer we didn't fill you you can't be serious no why do you think I've given up every dream I've ever had why do you think I spend my life treating the imaginary ills of a lot of wealthy hypochondriacs so Gwen can have this and Gwen can do that so Gwen can satisfy every greedy instinct and every petty rotten ambition that any woman ever had I never realized how that's it you gotta do something about it Phil you you gotta get out and go to another city go to another country yeah yeah she'd be after me like a hawk she'd have me up before the medical association all there are a thousand things you could do and would do I've thought of it every way there is it's no use so it's off my chest now you know and I'm sorry I disillusioned you know what I'm still a doctor even Gwen can't stop that and I'll be back before you leave though if you want to stick around I'd so like to ride out the airport was the call really important Phil yeah and I'll make yourself at home fix yourself anything you want in the kitchen only look out for the oven it leaks when you turn it off just right and I won't be long okay I'll wait doctor thanks doctor I kind of hope you would then that was the second thing Ted is deciding to stay but I didn't know it then all I knew was that Joe had called me from the office and she was upset still I decided to walk I was upset too when I got there she was going over the accounts hello darling hello it was nice well isn't it always always terribly well what are you doing now there isn't all that rush to get the bills out there is though for me for you well what what is it Joe what's the matter Phil I had a talk with father this evening well something about us all about us well he doesn't know anything he couldn't nobody unless unless you told him you know I wouldn't do that I'm sorry darling I know anyway it isn't what he knows it's what he thinks we had an awful row he said he'd go to the trustees of the hospital he said he'd go to Gwen he said that that's why I'm getting the bills out for you now because I'm going away but you're going to where well how long no darling it's not going to be like that it's for good Joe it's for good Phil well Joe I can't let you go I know it hasn't been perfect but I know it's been infinitely worse for you than for me but at least we've had something at least I've always known where you where you are that you're here on the other side of the door and I could see you and talk to you I can't live with the door between us anymore maybe you just don't love me enough to know darling I don't mean I'm not playing noble this had to happen someday and it has and that's all I could go with you you couldn't do that well why not I could I could change my name I we could go to another city even another country I I could get back to research I could darling it's no go Phil I I asked her for a divorce again this morning you don't have to tell me the answer there is no answer for us Phil not one that we can take and and there we are yeah yeah there we are you'd better go now I've got all this to do well let me help you know why not I could weaken and then where would we be oh Joe no Phil please go Joe please please please alright I'll go I don't know how long I walk that night or where perhaps most men are weak and never know it but when you're losing the woman you think you love and when you find out that's when you'll see yourself at last in the pitiless glare of all your poor frightened childish helplessness and I walked along and I was sick to the depths of my soul and I walked some more somewhere in the distance I heard a siren there was a glow against the sky of fire and then I realized I was near my home and and then it wasn't just a glow against the sky of any fire it was my own house it burned almost to the ground this is terrible how did happen somebody said they think it was the gas stove stunned and confused I began edging through the crowd and then there was a sudden stillness and a few men took off their hats and then I saw it a stretcher the black had thrown over the shapeless form and the blackened shriveled cowboy boot and I remembered Ted Ted they just got him out now yeah what's left of him they say you wouldn't hardly know it was a man frantically I started forward and then I stopped because I thought somebody had spoken to me but they hadn't they weren't looking at me they were looking at the ground and the stretcher and that thing that lay there on it Dr. Philip Martin yeah I knew him he was a good man poor Dr. Martin what an awful way to die I was shaking with excitement I pulled my head down over my eyes I turned up my collar and I moved carefully back through the crowd out into the street and I turned the quarter and then I ran Joe Joe Joe I'm going with you it's all right it's all right Joe I'll tell you later but we're free Joe we're free I'm dead I'm Dr. Philip Martin he's dead Benz auto light is bringing you James Stewart in radio's outstanding theater of thrills suspense sure did have there was this man sneaking around my garage I said look here mister you want to replace your old narrow gap spark plugs with the sensational new wide gap auto light resistor spark plugs why those white gap auto light resistor spark plugs will make your engine idle smoother give you better performance on leaner gas mixtures actually save gas what did he say well holding him firmly with my thumb between his teeth I said the newly developed exclusive 10,000 dome auto light resistor found in no other automotive type spark plug increases electrode life 200% and more you said all that to a burglar and then throwing him heavily to the ground on top of me I said try it yourself see your auto light dealer and replace those old narrow gap spark plugs with wide gap auto light resistor spark plugs your motor will idle smoother give you better performance on leaner gas mixtures actually save you gas anyone oh he said he stood all he could and he started yelling for the cops and I think I'll start yelling for suspense and now auto light brings back to our Hollywood soundstage James Stewart as Phil in consequence a tale well-calculated to keep you in suspense there must be something of the criminal and every man because it seemed that I knew automatically everything I would have to do and how I was going to do dr. Wolf please dr. Theodore Wolf oh well say what's the number of his room again I want to drop my note 502 thank you very much new in a big hotel like that the chance of anyone remembering exactly what Ted it looked like we're pretty slim and I figured they'd give me the key all right as long as I didn't have to stumble around asking for the number I let myself into 502 snapped on the light I found the plane tickets on the bureau and a pride open his luggage and change into one of his suits put on his hat and overcoat just in case pack my own things away it was a pair of dark glasses on the bureau too I put them on and I went downstairs checked out paying cash I knew he'd bought the plane tickets the airport and that the travel clerk in the hotel wouldn't know Ted Wolf from Adam yes sir I'm dr. Wolf I've been staying here at the hotel oh yes doctor I have a through plane ticket here to Ecuador Pan American for tonight I want to turn it in one moment sir that's dr. Theodore Wolf an American Wilson hotel got a through ticket to Ecuador dr. Wolf would you take it thank you all right that will be quite all right dr. Wolf and while we're at it you might as well give me a couple of train tickets yes sir well too huh I said where to sir wait oh Los Angeles we've taken care of everything a note to my bank supposedly from Ted and closing Philip Martin's check for $5,000 and a letter in my own handwriting explaining that I'd agreed to lend him that amount and asking the bank for the money to my account Los Angeles my account as Ted Wolf and we drafted a letter to the people in Ecuador and we and in Los Angeles Joe became Mrs. Ted Wolf and at first everything clicked I got the kind of a job a doctor dreams about where I could write my own ticket and spend at least half my time entirely on research and Joe Joe started taking courses for a medical degree after all she was only 24 and and then and then right there right in broad daylight in the hospital it happened Joe Joe pack a bag as quick as you can just enough for two or three days in the mountains now just as fast as you can feel it's Gwen I saw her just now upstairs in the reception room when are you sure absolutely sure couldn't it be just a coincidence Phil I mean couldn't brand maybe just have happened maybe maybe listen Joe I've been thinking she must know where we go that's what I was thinking maybe it would be better if she did know where we were going I don't know I don't know it may just be a coincidence but if it is a showdown the mountains is a better place than most all right I'll phone the landlady is that that's safe when we'll talk until she's sure Mrs. Burton hello Mrs. Burton this is Dr. Wolf I wonder if you do me a favor we're going out of town for a couple of days and I just remembered some friends said they might stop by and I thought they might like to join us so I wanted them to know where we were now maybe you could just stick a note in our door where where they'll see it we're going to caribou lake and we'll be on the cottage at the very top of the mountain it's right straight up a dirt road from the lake as they they can't mess it caribou lake the cottage at the top of the mountain up the dirt road from the lake is that all yes thank you miss Burton that's all thank you caribou lake is nothing more than a general store where you can buy bait and hire boats and cottages that time of year there's hardly anybody there except the people who own the store the cottage we had was a good three miles away up a twisting dirt road running above the lake you could see it very plain even at night when the lights are on we stopped in the store we both went in to buy what we needed food kerosene matches things like that then we went on up the mountain but that time it was almost dark and Joe fixed something to eat but neither of us could touch it we were watching the road for lights of a car it was about half past eight when we saw them and they went on past the store without stopping and came on up the mountain it couldn't have been anyone else but Gwen well now she didn't waste any time what if the car is rented now she'd bring her own she loves the drive Phil you're not afraid are you no no not anymore I'll go well this is a surprise hello Gwen dr. Martin always poised nothing surprises you doesn't I suppose it was the check partly then I happen to notice that a doctor Theodore Wolf had married him is Josephine Reynolds in Los Angeles did occur to me that your idealistic friend must have been an awfully fast worker well aren't you and your bride going to ask me in come in Mrs. Martin thank you quite cozy aren't you we have been well I'm sorry to break up you all right cut it out Gwen what do you want dear man what do you think I want the way things are now you've got two hundred thousand dollars worth of life insurance coming to you why don't you let us alone Philip I don't know whether you realize how much worry and anguish you've caused sure I know I know I know just exactly how much and perhaps you also know exactly how you stand with the law in this matter I don't know about all this impersonation business except it would permanently ruin your career but I do know that the laws covering bigger me quite drastic yeah I used to think that money meant everything to you Gwen but I guess it doesn't I certainly don't feel called upon to accept rebukes from you Philip for anything not after what you've done I feel that I'm being most generous to both of you all right now just what exactly do you want when either you come back and we'll explain the whole thing is amnesia something or you both go to jail how could you shut up listen listen listen Gwen does anybody else know about this course not nobody knows you came out here or why after all Philip I do have some pride left just that I was taking a little trip to New York to forget New York huh all right Gwen let's give us a couple of minutes talk this thing alone very well although I don't see there's very much to talk about well will you go outside or shall we I'll go I'll wait in the car oh Phil all right Joe I don't mind now neither do I do you think you can do it me I'll have to have an alibi have you thought I thought about it I thought about it all day and it's all right it's good she'll disappear the same way I did yeah only I'll have to be done at the store when it happens this place will go up like kindling and when they pull her out they'll think it's you nobody knows she's up here and I'll be there to say it is you how are you going I've got it all fixed in the seller all you have to do is is here use this hatchet can you yes I will then go out to the car and get on the floor of the backseat under the blanket lock it from the inside I'll probably get away right after it all right I'll see you in the car and the whole thing shouldn't take more than a couple of hours Phil you're not afraid are you no I'm glad decided yes yes well you might as well eat with us I'll be quite a few details talk over I'm not sure I feel much like eating in this house Philip as well I don't know about you but I'm not gonna start back hungry and I give me the keys to your car will you it's blocking mine and I'll go down the hill and get a few things for dinner really please stop griping are you've won now give me the keys very well but I wouldn't try any mad dashes if I were you don't be a fool when no I don't suppose you would alone she went in I took the keys but first I went around back down the cellar I put a lot of old newspapers around the wood pile and doused the whole thing with kerosene and then I cut a stub of plumbers candle and set it on the papers and lit it I knew just about how long it'd take the candle to burn down about 45 minutes then I went out and I got in Gwen's car and I started on the mountain without lights at the drop above the lake I put it in low and I cramped the wheels and I jumped out about 40 feet of water unless somebody told them where to look they'd never find the car now all that hadn't taken more than 15 minutes I walked down to the store took about 20 more you get something dr. Wolf yeah yeah like a fool I forgot my tobacco I can't get through the night without a pipe no just how it is walk down yeah I working up an appetite you know there you are you folks have callers tonight no no why a lot of saw a car go up your way a while back oh oh I saw the lights but they didn't come up if somebody mustn't make the wrong turn oh didn't they come back I don't know I was out for spout you see that car come back by Daisy well you must have seen it all right it was about an hour ago sure sure that was that Mrs. Dooley don't always see so good but she hears plenty Emma look it up there looks like a fire say it is it is a fire golly doc that looks like your place it couldn't be but it must be big too we better get up there too do you have your do you have your car we'll go in the truck it's right outside the boys can bring my along in the car you hear that mom cottage was all wood dry and it was completely gone by the time we got there it was the boys who dragged her out of the embers I wouldn't look if I was you doctor oh must have been quick anyway she's burnt almost to nothing you better go on doc we'll take charge of everything all right you want one of the boys to go with you no no no I'll I'll get in touch with you from town I'll make the arrangements down there now I'll send down sure sure sure you go on we'll see to everything all right I'm awful sorry dr. wolf I climbed into the car and I started down the mountain when I was around the first bend I pulled up and stopped I reached over with one hand and touched the blanket on the floor behind me are you all right Joe yes I'm quite all right Gwen has never told me how it happened but of course she killed Joe we both killed her and now I know that I'm trapped I'm hopelessly irrevocably trapped by the terrible burden of guilt we share between us as she is I know now that two people held together by such a frightful bond cannot both go on living for that bond can be broken in only one way one of the two must die and so I write this and place it in the hands of my attorney for safekeeping in order that the true facts be brought to light in the event of such a death or no matter how innocent it may appear no matter how natural the cause how plausible the accident it will be no accident it will be murder cold-blooded calculated deliberate amnesia died today in his home from an overdose of sleeping sedative he is survived by his widow Mrs. Gwen Martin James Stewart for a splendid performance what a performance oh no yes happens like the performance you get when you replace old narrow gap spark plugs with white gap auto light resistor spark plugs they make an engine idle smoother give better performance on leaner gas mixtures actually save on gas because auto light resistor spark plugs are ignition engineered that's right by auto light the makers of over 400 products for cars trucks airplanes boats in 28 auto light plants from coast to coast yes siri and auto light also makes complete electrical systems for many makes of America's finest cars batteries spark plugs generators starting motors coils distributors all engineered to fit together perfectly work together perfectly because they're a perfect team the lifeline of your car so folks don't accept electrical parts that are supposed to be as good as for an insist on auto light original factory parts at your neighborhood service station car dealer garage or repair shop remember you're always right with auto light and I'll hear again is mr. James Stewart well I want to thank Tony Litter and his great cast of actors for making my suspense visit so pleasant I'm a great suspense fan and like all of you I'm looking forward to the next week show when Frederick March appears in Cornell wall rich story the night reveals another gripping study in suspense James Stewart can currently be seen starred in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer production the Stratton story tonight suspense play was adapted for radio by Robert Richards from an original story by Vladimir Posner and George Sklar with music composed by Lucian Morrowek and conducted by Leith Stevens the entire production was under the direction of Anton M. Litter next Thursday same time here Frederick March in the night reveals you can buy auto light resistor spark plugs auto light staple batteries auto light electrical parts at your neighborhood auto light dealers switch to auto light good night this is CBS the Columbia Broadcasting System