 Good evening, creed. The awful hut of gallery opening the door with a left-leaf light. And speaking of door, the night we're visiting the Inner Sancton. So, open that door, Mr. Hose. Good evening, friends of the Inner Sancton. This is your host opening the squeaking door for another session of the A-G-G-M-S. The Association of Ghouls, Ghosts, and Midnight Spirit. Oh, may I see your membership card if you enter, please? But, oh no, no, it's not a printed card. All you have to do is show me your wrist. If there's any blood pulsing in your arteries, then you don't belong here tonight. Better come back and try some other time. After you've passed your mortuary test. Good evening. And now for tonight's Inner Sancton mystery. It's an original radio play by Emil Teppelman, called Make Ready My Grave. And stars two radio favourites, John Banks and Richard Woodmark. It's about a boy and a girl, just a man. A piece of colored string, an open grave, and a hangman. That train is a southeast limited. Fifth, long, sleek and powerful, taking off for miles on a humming ray. A masterpiece, 20th century mechanical perfection. Nothing about it suggests lurking hate, fear, or superstition, or death. But let's take a look into compartment A, car 17. John and Betty Loomis, just married, are going for honeymoon to John's ancestral estate. Here I am so happy. How soon do we get Loomis to? In about an hour, baby. Just think, I'm married into one of the oldest families in the state. I hope you'll be very happy, darling. Oh, I will, I will. You do love me, don't you, John? Of course I do, baby. I always love you. Always. No matter what happens. What do you mean, no matter what happens? What could happen? Say, I'm talking to you. No, no, it's nothing at all. You're hiding something. It's something we haven't told you. It's nothing, baby. It's nothing to worry about. You don't want to tell me? No, not now. Maybe later. Why are you carrying that piece of Loomis string? Huh? It went along the valley since it came under the tree. Hmm. Finish it. Another notice. I watched you. You've been telling me nothing. Enough. Good Lord. I must have tied it without knowing what I was doing. You've tattered into Loomis. Loomis, Loomis. I don't know how it came to make it, as well. Just forget it. It's only a piece of string. Yes, it's only a piece of string. Ready? How did you know? Take this. Again? What do you have? If I should ever try to... If I should ever try to strangle you... Yeah. ...you'd listen to me. If I should ever try to strangle you, promise me to use that gun on me. What are you talking about? Loomis, Loomis, stop. Loomis, Loomis, Loomis. This is where we get it. I must have thought about that piece of yellow string and now this gun. Put it away, Daddy. Remember what I said. Don't ever forget. Why is it so dark here? This is just a waste station. The train only stops here to let us off, otherwise it goes right through. I thought Loomis thought it was a big town. Oh, it used to be a hundred years ago, but now there's only the Loomis' state. Are we far from the state? About two miles. Oh, one of God should be here to pick a second station wagon. Here we go. He's a handyman. There's been a galt working for the Loomis' terminal for the last hundred and fifty years. John, I don't like it here. Dark. Who can God be? I wrote the more train we were taking. I'm right here, Mr. John. Well, Greg, you frightened my wife. I'm sorry, man, but I scared you. That's all right. It was just the way you spoke so suddenly out of the darkness. If you'll follow me, I've got the station wagon back here. John, what does he like me? No, that's just his way. He's very devoted to the family. Where do you get to know him? I...don't think I care too. Johnny, you've gotten too fast. It's so dark. Don't worry, Betty. God knows this road might be back with his hand. We'll be there with you in a minute. I'm frightened. Don't, please. Tell me where we get here to go. No, I can't tell you now, Betty. Maybe after you meet Uncle at night. John. What? What's that in your hand? What? Another piece of string. I read one this time. What? I never picked anything here off the seat. He's not even going to another Hangman's niece. Greg? Yes, Mr. John. This piece of red string, did you put it here? No, sir. Then how did it get here? You ought to know. Yes. Yes, I ought to know. Greg, why are you stopping here? We're home, ma'am. This is the entrance to the Loomis estate. I've got to get out and open the gate. I'll be right about it. Betty, I've got to get out, too. I've got to see for myself. See what you're doing. You stay here, Betty. Stay right where you are. Wait a minute. I'm coming, too. Get back in the car. John is right, ma'am. You shouldn't go with him. Where's he going? That is Loomis Family Cemetery. Cemetery? What does he want to see in there in the middle of the night? You tell you himself, ma'am. In Utah. No, I'm going to find out right now. Better not, ma'am. Better come back. John! John, wait for me! Betty, I told you to shut up! I'm going with you. I want to know what there is in that cemetery. Calm your voice now. I have a right to know what this is all about. I'm going with you. All right. I guess we'll be all right. Let's hold on to that gun, I gave you. Keep it in your hand all the time. You found out soon enough. This is the gate of the family cemetery. All the Loomis' and their wives have been here. It's a shadow, ma'am. Oh, Tombstone's a great ghost. I want a hand to help. Just hold on to that gun. John, who's greater than this would be? Hi, Tombstone. My great-grandfather's. Spirit Loomis. He found out the Loomis' estate. This is my grandfather's grave. His wife. This is my father. My mother. That's all. I should be all right. Come over here. This is what I came to see. This is what I've been afraid of. It's an open grave. Especially Doug. It was just Doug tonight. Oh, darling. Doug, it's for you. Hurry back to our date in the grave. Poor Betty, whose husband is just told that he's afraid of a freshly dug grave, is for her. John, what do you mean? Who dug this grave for me? If I thought that you'd think I was crazy... No, you've got to tell me if I'm in danger, I have a right to know. Was it God, your uncle, or... No, at least I don't think so. It's my wife, Christine. Betty, do you believe that a ghost could dig a grave? Well, getting you from a ghost... Oh, I told you, you think I was crazy. John, what... why are you looking at me like that? I don't know. I got that gun with you. Oh, I left it in the car. What would a gun be, I think? A ghost. The station wagon's still waiting at the gate, but I didn't see God. Maybe you want to pick a house. God, where are you? Hello, there you go. What's that, Uncle Everard? What happened to God? He came up to the house. He's gone into the cemetery. I thought I'd better come down. Oh, is it there? Yes, it's there. A freshly dug grave. Uncle Everard, this is my wife, Betty. Hello, you baby. Hello. You saw the grave too, baby? Yes, and John says he thinks it's me. I'm afraid I don't understand what he's... You haven't told her anything yet, John? Well, just a little. I couldn't bring myself to it. I think it's time you did. Want to hear better? Thank you, Uncle Everard. I will have a little more. Good, John? No thanks. Too bad Kristina's here. She's upstairs in our room. But I hope she'll be better by tomorrow. You can see her then. Maybe. What do you mean? That grave, aren't they? Maybe it'll be filled tomorrow. John, don't you think it's time you kept your promise to tell me what this is all about? You tell it, Uncle Everard. Well, Betty, there's a ghost in the middle of this family. That's it, in a nutshell. Oh, I see. And it was a ghost who dug that grave. I know what sounds man. But after 150 years, we long as it's come to the conviction that it can't be anything but a ghost. A hundred and fifty years? John's great-grandfather, Stuart Lomus, settled a slip of sea coast under a pattern from the colonial governor. There's his picture over the fireplace. Doesn't it look nice like you, John? Stuart Lomus was a hard rail. Each private tear in these waters made a lot of trouble in those days. Gaston Le Roux, who sailed the seas with his wife Antoinette. But what does a French pilot and his wife do with that grave? Stuart Lomus captured Le Roux and his wife, and under the authority conferred upon by the governor, had the power to hang them. You mean, women too? Yes, material in our stance. Before he died, Gaston Le Roux laid a curse on the Lomus family. He swore that just as his wife was hanged, so would all the Lomus women die. He swore that he would come back and dig a grave for the wife of a Lomus in every generation and punish the noose by which a Lomus had strangled his own wife. That's incredible. A short while afterward, a fresh grave was found beside the jibbitway Le Roux had been hung. That night, Stuart Lomus's wife, John's great-grandmother, was found hanging by the neck from the eaves of this very house. And this? I told you, Stuart Lomus was a hard man and had made many enemies. There were many who hated him deeply in visiting. He was arrested and tried for the murder of his wife. He'll know the secret of the Lomus family. But John, that still doesn't prove as a goose. No, that one incident doesn't prove it. But it happened again when the next Lomus married, John's grandfather, and to the next Lomus, John's father. Sometimes a year after he married, sometimes five years. The curse never failed. It's happened in a good generation? Yes. And now, John Lomus has brought a new wife home. There's a freshly dug grave waiting in the family cemetery. And I'm next. I don't know, Betty. Maybe that grave isn't for you. Maybe it's for Christine. This is all ridiculous. A ghost couldn't think of grave. Make John strangle me to death. You can't believe such a legend. It can't be true. Maybe not, my dear. But the graves of the strangled Lomus women are out there to prove it. It's a room, Betty. I'd have God call you at eight tomorrow morning. Good night. Good night, John. Good night, John. Good night. This is such a big room. It's so gloomy. The whole house is like the blind gloomy and sullen under the Lomus chris. Betty, I love you so much. We'll beat the curse together. Let me go, darling. I want to change my clothes and wash. All right. There's that bathroom over there. I'll only be a minute. All right, darling. Oh, it's a lovely bath. Betty, what is it? John, quick. Look, hanging from the shower bar. It's a real one this time. It's red. Red-eated. Handsome. I'll put it there. It's the Lomus curse. We can't get away from it. No ghost could have hung that rope there. Wait, wait, let's call Uncle. Can you get the gun with you? No, it's in my handbag. What did I say? All right, John. Here. All right, now keep it with you all the time. And don't be afraid to use it on me if necessary. All right, let's get your uncle. What if I have to wake him? It might upset Aunt Christine. We've got to wake him. Better knock harder. Look, it wasn't locked. Call him. Uncle Everard. Uncle Everard doesn't answer. There's a light in your room. Push the door further open. All right. Well, there's no better humor than the bed's empty. Uncle Everard. Aunt Christine. He's maybe in the bathroom. The door is open. Betty! The same kind of a nuisance in my bed. Uncle Emperor, I'd hang her. It's the Loomis curse catching up with this. Oh, God, any trace of Uncle Everard? I searched the whole house basement duetic. Not a sign of him. But it's raining. We've got to find him, Betty. Come on. The door's out here. How will we ever find him? I have a flashlight, ma'am. You look. Fresh footprints in the slush. They must be Uncle Everard's. They lead down toward the cemetery. Come along, Colt. Here, Mr. John, you can see for yourself the footprints lead right to this new grave. Why do we come here? There's the answer, Betty. A cross at the head of the empty grave. Throw the flashlight on it, Colt. There's something written on it. It says Christine Loomis. What is it? Look. Over there. I know this place. He's stuck in another one. There's a cross on this one. To the same? Yes. Yes, it does. It says Betty Loomis. John, sit close to me. That portrait of Stuart Loomis over the fireplace looks so real. It's like something. Remember, Betty, whatever happens, hold on to that gun and don't be afraid to use it tonight. Where is Colt? He ought to be here soon. He won't look for some weapons. Here I am, Mr. Colt, John. Colt, you always frighten me coming in so quietly. I'm sorry, ma'am. Dear Mr. John, these ought to be pretty good weapons. If I had them sharpened only the other day, they could slice a man's head off in one stroke. Take one, Mr. John. Thanks. But I'd hate to use it on Uncle Everard. If he shows up tonight, you'd better use it. Maybe he'll come back into the house through the back way. I'll go through the house again if you'd like. This time, I'll start with the attic. Be careful, Colt. I will. John, I don't like him. And I don't think he likes me either. Is that your problem? No, it's there. It must be Colt, isn't it? Help, Mr. Colt! Not the man Uncle Everard hiding up there. Stay right here, Betty, and hold on to that gun. John, be careful. John, come back! It's nothing to be afraid of. Have this gun. And if anybody comes... Well, I... I swear to God, let's see you, but I'll shoot at the sound. I took the bullets out when you left it in the car. Colt. Yes, ma'am, it's Colt. Mr. John is busy up there in the attic with the body of Mr. Everard. I killed him, too. But when Mr. John comes downstairs, he'll find you. And I'll cut him down in the dark with my scythe. There were others besides the pirate LaRue who hated Stuart Loomis. Like my own great-grandfather, he was in the service of Stuart Loomis and he hated him. When LaRue laid the curse on Loomis, his my great-grandfather decided to make it come true. It was he who strangled the wife of Stuart Loomis. Through the years, the gods from father to son have handed down there. You're mad. Maybe. I'll tighten that loose. Who are you? Why is it dark in here? You're apathetic! Look out, it's dark in here! I'm hurt. We've finished forever with the Loomis crush. This was a pretty rough honeymoon for Betty. But you know, there's a lesson in her story for forgetful wives. Yet if you keep tying little colored strings to your fingers to remind you of things and you still can't remember them. Why not try a rope neatly tied around your neck? It's sure to help you forget. Thank you, Mr. Loomis. We're very happy to have you performing for Mr. Loomis. This is how to get away and remind him of his good times. This is how to get away and remind him of his good times.