 Now, Roma Wines present Black Path of Fear, starring Brian Donleve. Suspense is presented for your enjoyment by Roma Wines. That's R-O-M-A. Roma Wines. Those excellent California wines that can add so much pleasantness to the way you live. To your happiness and entertaining guests. To your enjoyment of everyday meals. Yes, right now a glassful would be very pleasant as Roma Wines bring you... Suspense. Black, here for the Roma Wine Company of Fresno, California. Who tonight from Hollywood bring you a star, Mr. Brian Donleve. And so with the performance of Mr. Donleve as Bill Scott in the Cornell Woolridge bestseller, The Black Path of Fear. We again hope to keep you in... Suspense. It was our first day in Havana. We'd taken a hack and opened horse-drawn carriage and spent the afternoon driving around to see the sights. She was always crazy about Jade. So in Chinatown we stopped in a little curiosity shop the driver steered us to. We bought a few gadgets there and started back towards the main part of the town. It was getting dark and she snuggled up close to me in the carriage. It's been a wonderful day, Scotty. Yeah. I was scared at first. A couple of times I thought I saw him in the crowds there in Chinatown. I guess it was just my imagination. Sure it was. He wouldn't try any rough stuff this far from his home base. He may be a little Caesar around the nightclubs back in Florida, but here in Cuba he's just another alien who'd better not get caught packing a rod. He said he'd get me if I ever left him. No matter where I went. Well, he sent us a radiogram wishing us luck. That's what worries me. He didn't say which kind of luck. I told you. Hey, what's this, driver? A Sloppy Joe, senior. Big attraction of Havana. Oh, of course. Sloppy Joe. Want to go in, darling? Why not? We can only die once. So I paid the coachman and we went into Sloppy Joe's. The place was jammed to the sidewalk line and so noisy you couldn't hear yourself think. It was like a football scrimmage when you moved and like sardines in a can when you stood still. Then suddenly the crowd divided in front of us like the Red Sea and a little photographer came through using an old-fashioned tripod for a battery ran. He set up his camera and pointed it in our direction. Ah, the senior and the lady would like a picture for to show their friends back in the estate. No. Oh, please, Scotty, we've never had a picture taken together. Together? With 40,000 people jammed up against us on all sides? Oh, well, it's that maybe you come to my studio. Calle Barrios. Calle Barrios is not far. No, no, go on. Shoot it here. Go ahead. Oh, make pose, please. Oh, move your lungs. You go, you know. Hold it. No. That is all. I have the picture. Well, he's taking us now, darling. Oh, come on. Honey, everybody's looking at it. Congratulations, Scotty. Give me time. What is it? Why are you so limpy? I know we wouldn't make it. What do we care? Part of the night's better than none of all. Eve? Just stay with me a minute. What take long? Darling, what happened? What happened? Scotty, that was the first picture we ever had taken together. Let me know how it turns out. Eve? Eve, darling, she's dead. She doesn't move anymore. Somebody do something. She's been knifed right here in my arms. Murder in sloppy joes. Murder that is to start a man twisting and turning down the black path of fear. Brian Donlevy is our star this evening. You have heard him in the prologue to tonight's tale of suspense. In Havana, one gathering place of fashionable people is the Charming Pan-American Club. A dinner party is in progress and a Cuban host has just risen to return a compliment which has been paid in by a guest from the United States. Lifting his glass, he says, Thank you, my friends. Thank you also for telling us about the perfect climate and soil of California, from which come these delightful Roma wines. Now we can understand how such perfection is possible, such magnificent quality as we enjoy in Roma wines. Well, such praise of Roma wines in foreign lands can only mean that they are truly magnificent in quality. But remember, you here in the United States can enjoy these distinguished wines at remarkably low cost. Only pennies a glass. Roma wines bring you a unique combination of California's perfect soil and climate, age-old winemaking skill, plus modern tests and controls which make Roma so constant in quality, so uniformly fine. Discover for yourself the delightful flavor and goodness which have made Roma wines America's largest selling wines. Ask for R-O-M-A Roma wines made in California for enjoyment throughout the world. And now it is with pleasure that we bring back to our sound stage Mr. Brian Donlevy, who in the person of Bill Scott continues his narrative of the black path of fear, tonight's tale of suspense. Havana is a fast town for anything. Love, life, and death too. A minute ago, I'd been half of a honeymoon couple getting their first pictures snapped by a little Cuban photographer and sloppy joes. Now, I was alone with a corpse in an empty saloon. But that didn't go on for long either. There were cops there in half a minute and finally a detective. This woman is dead. Yeah, I know. You were the man with her? I was the man with her. Your name? Scott, Bill Scott. Mr. Scott, how long have you been in Havana? Four hours. You quarreled with this girl here in this bar? No, no. You were traveling together? Yes, that's right. Her name on her tour's card is Mrs. Edward Espanelli. Yeah. Where is Mr. Espanelli? Not where I'd like him to be, which is roasting. You are not being very cooperative, Mr. Scott. Okay, okay, I'll tell you the whole story. She was a singer in a nightclub in Tampa, Florida. Espanelli owned the nightclub. He was a killer. He gave her the choice between getting killed and marrying him. So she married him. And how did you meet her? I worked for Espanelli, too. I drove his car. You are not a chauffeur by profession, are you, Mr. Scott? No, no. I took the job to get her away from him. Is there anything wrong in that? He murdered her wife in this knife. What do you know about it? What are you driving at? Is this your knife, Mr. Scott? No, but it's a pretty close match. I bought one just like it this afternoon at the curiosity shop. Wait a minute, I'll show you. I've got it in my pocket right there. Wait a minute. Don't get so excited. All right, it's in that pocket right there. Fish it out yourself, if you want to. There is no knife here. But there's got to be. It was a knife with a jade handle. Like this one with a monkey carved on it. But the monkey on the one I bought was holding its hands over its ears. There were three of them in the shop. You know, the types. See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. I only know that you bought a knife this afternoon. That you no longer have a knife under the knife has been used to stop this woman. But it's not the same knife I tell you, I can prove it. Give me a chance to prove it, will you? All right, Mr. Scott, I will give you a chance. So we went back to the shop where I bought the knife back to Chinatown. Inspector Acosta, that was the Cuban detective's name questioned the old duck who sold it to me. You remember these men buying something in here this afternoon vehicle? Yes, gentlemen, buy knife. Ornamental knife. Knife with jade handle. Describe the jade handle. Oh, jade handle, have monkey. We know that. Describe the monkey. Oh, pretty sure of monkey hiding eyes. So, see no evil. You're crazy. What's the matter with you? What are you trying to do to me? I bought the one holding its ears. You know what? He'll change. This man's life may depend on what you are saying. But you are absolutely sure. Come by trees. First one is sold to this gentleman. Other still got. Can show you. Can lie in your teeth. Listen, Acosta, so what if he shows you the set with that one missing? He's probably got a hundred sets in the storeroom. Or only one set imported. Can show customs invoices. How did this man and this woman hide the one day he came into the shop? Oh, lady act scare, very scare. I told you, she was afraid Spinelli was going to have her bumped off. Well, he did it. And this guy has been paid to frame me. Can't you see that? I am sorry, Mr. Scott, but I must place you under arrest for the murder of Mrs. Yves Spinelli. As we threaded our way back through Chinatown in the police car, I thought the whole thing over. I came to a decision. The car fitted in the narrow lane like a cork in a bottle. If it should come to a halt in front of the door of a building. And finally it did. Just that. I bolted. They came after me fast. The door I ducked into opened into a fixed black hallway. I broke around until I found a flight of stairs and I started climbing. Fire and shoot! I ducked back in the shadows. Turned the knob with the nearest door. I tossed my hat over at the foot of the roof ladder to make it look as if I'd lost it by climbing. I backed through the door into a room. In the dark room I stood very still and listened. They were separating the case, the roof along the block. I was safe for a few minutes anyway. I tried to figure out where I was. A room. A dark room. I strained my eyes into the blackness then. Something cold and metallic found the side of my neck. It was the business edge of a knife. Blade. A light snap down. Bueno? No hablo español. No te mueva. Oh take it easy. Take it easy. William, I can't talk your language. Put that knife down, will you? Te quiero estar aquí. Pol... let's sigh. There's Stanzy. Understand? Comprone? Look, out there on the stairs. I don't know how to say it. Polizia. They're after me. Cops. Cops. Why didn't you say so before? I hate cops. Oh, you're talking English? I ought to have been in enough of your jails to take out naturalization papers. Hey, get over here. I'll do what I can for you. They're coming back. I better get out of here. Don't be a fool. There's 20 of them down in the street now. They sure must want you bad, Chico. They say I killed my girl. They say wrong? They say very wrong. Another man took her away from you? No. I took her away from another man. Ah, then any fool of a policeman knows you did not kill her. You never killed what does not belong to you. Only what does. You tell them that. Oh, here comes Payday. Quickly. Get into the car there. Cover yourself up. What? But... Do as I tell you. Take off that shirt. Don't stop for the buttons. Tear it off. Well... Now then, face the wall. Keep perfectly still. Don't rub against the covers. Fancy, señor. ¿Ha visto usted el nombre alto macizo americano? No he visto a nadie. ¿Quién es ese? Mi hombre, mi marido. ¿Vamoslo? Está muy enfermo. Vuela. ¿Suella? Sí, veruela. Ve a la cuarentena. Es verdad. Viva rena. Vámonos. Fancy, señor. Buenas noches. Buenas noches. What about... Shh. What are... What are all these red spots on me? I put them there with lipstick. I told the cops you were my husband. You have smallpox. And they believed it? Why not? I showed them the quarantine sign on the door. Manolito. That was my man. He died of smallpox in this room. Oh, do not be alarmed. It has been disinfected. Oh, say. Thanks. Why did you go to bed for me like that anyway? Different reasons. Flowers on a grave, I guess. Flower? What do you mean? It's hard to explain. It's my way of doing something for somebody that's not around anymore, I guess. It's the only way I have. I do not know any other way. You see, I know what it is to lose someone you love too. Just like you. Manolito? He got smallpox in jail. Then he came back here to me to die. Hey, what is your name, Huapo? Bill Scott. Scott? No, no. No, Scott with an S. It's too hard to say. I call you Huapo. Huapo. That means handsome. Well, thanks. What do I call you? Around this neighborhood they call me media noche. Media... It means midnight. Try it that way. Okay, midnight. They call me that because now I always hang around late by myself since he's gone. Well, midnight I don't know what to say to you except thanks. Then other flowers on a grave. Yeah. Well, I guess I'd better get going. I don't want to throw away all my hard work for. They spot you at the next corner. Oh, I can't hang around here for the rest of the night. Was the matter with it here? You know, if I could only get hold of that photographer. Photographer? Yeah, I was a photographer in Sloppy Joe's. He was snapping a picture of us just when it happened. Oh, you think maybe in this picture is the man who killed your sweetheart? Yeah, I'm pretty sure of it. Think, Guapo, what do you remember about this photographer? Oh, he is just a typical cheap photographer of tourists. Wait a minute, wait a minute. He said something about having a studio somewhere near Sloppy's. Calle Barrios? That's it, Calle Barrios. Look, do you know this guy? The sailors go there with the girls to get their pictures taken. His name is Pepe Campos. I've got to get that picture midnight. I'll have to risk it. One momentito. I first get you some other clothes. Here, I think this fit you. What? Manolito was one big sailor. And now listen, I tell you what to get from here over to the Calle Barrios, so maybe the police don't see you. You go down to the mouth of the alley. You turn to the right, that is this hand here. Just a few steps from there. It was so dark I almost had to feel my way along the streets, suddenly out of nowhere came a voice. There were two of them there. Keeping the alley covered. I looked back the way I had come. Someone was coming toward me through the blackness. I waited there paralyzed. Get down, manolito. What? Out of your lungs. Yeah. Yeah. Hey, you want a drink, sister? Look, walk close to me like this. Huh? Now, now lean up closer. Get your face up under mine, honey. That's it. Give me a little more affection. That's the stuff. Now look, walk down this way with me. Just pass the corner. You said it, big boy. You said it. What do you want to drink, honey? You said it. That's good. Here's the turn. Goodbye, sister. Chips, chips, chips, chips. Chips, chips, chips. I was afraid of yelling. I'd attract the cops, so I took off down the street and then I ducked into the alley to catch my breath. I looked up. There was a sign on the shop. Campos retratos e fotografias. At first I didn't get it. Then all of a sudden I knew. I was there. I opened the door and walked in. Senor? Look, you took a picture this evening of me and a lady in sloppy joes. I want that picture. No me reguerdo, I do not recall. Look, there was trouble right afterwards. You know, a lot of noise, remember? Oh, see, see. I remember. I am just developing the pictures I have taken today. You come with me. This is my dark room. The very latest equipment. Hodak. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But where's that picture? Oh, right here. In the bath. Yeah. It's beginning to come through. Yeah. Yeah, that size. Oh, someone leans over the lady's shoulder, no? Yeah. Yeah, let's have some more light on the subject, could you? This is someone you know, senor? Yeah. It's someone I know, all right? His name is... Never mind the name, Scotty. I'll introduce myself. Spinelli, stand over against the wall, Scotty. You too. Well, I'm glad you found this picture, Scotty. I was kind of nervous about having a thing like this floating around. You can understand my feelings. You surprised me, Spinelli. I didn't think you even had the guts to stab a woman in the back without your gorillas around to protect you. Don't make me angry, Scotty. I'm in a bad mood. I didn't know you were smart like you are, either, Spinelli. I apologize. You know, that was a cute trick, hiring a cab driver to steer us into that shop in Chinatown. But what I still can't figure out is how you switched those knives. I didn't. I still have the knife you bought. I first got out of your pocket. Now I'm going to give it back to you. Would you like to see it first? There. It's pretty in it. You've always had a knife, Jades. This is definitely the best of the three. It's pretty to spoil such a pretty knife. But the revolver, it makes too much noise. Yeah, I think I'll use the knife on you, too. I like things symmetrical. Like Romeo and Juliet in it. What's that? Don't move, Scotty. Wapo? Wapo, are you in here? His sweetheart not did an hour and already has another. Midnight. Get out of here quick. This man is a killer. Oh, I'm not afraid of you, big boy. Get away from me and don't try any funny business. Oh, my hombre, he was just like you. He talked very mean. But he don't hurt me. Not one little bit. I don't only talk, big sister. I got a job to do here. I'll talk to you when I shut your boyfriend's trap for good. My boyfriend? Are you kidding? Go ahead, finish him off. He took a powder on me. I come after him only to collect. On the cuff, huh? Scotty, you ought to be ashamed of yourself. On the cuff. Yeah, you are rich, huh? You got big diamonds. Say, I like you, mister. Stop mooching around. Midnight, I tell you, this guy's a killer. Watch out. Ah, shut up. Say, huh? How about it, big boy? Come on. Stick around, baby. I can use talent like yours. Kiss me, big boy. Later, later. Now, for a yell, very loud. Make a big trouble. You're pretty hot stuff, ain't you? You're a rich, big boy, huh? Come here. Oh, dirty little stool pigeon. Shut up, Spinelli. I've got the gun now. Scotty, I was only throwing a scare into you. Why, I would have knocked you off out of the way. That's what I meant to do, wouldn't I? What's it worth to you to stay alive, Spinelli? Scotty, a hundred thousand dollars. In the bank right here in the van. Just let me go over that table there. Check the bearer, no strings. Spinelli, I want Eve back again. Two hundred thousand. Chicago account thrown in. Two hundred and fifty thousand. That's a quarter of a million, Scotty. I want Eve. You can't bring the dead to life, Scotty. But you can be rich. Kill me and you get nothing but a murder rap. The picture don't show me sticking the knife in it. The knife don't mean anything. Chin and the driver never talk. You're just fixing up a nice murder rap for yourself, Scotty. Shut up. Stand over under the light, Spinelli. Don't miss. Scotty, don't do it, Scotty. Scotty. I've come to give myself up for the murder of Ed Spinelli. What are you going to do about it, Inspector? About what? About what? About what I just told you, the murder. Don't speak angrily so good. I often miss hearing things that are said, especially when they are said too fast. All right, I can say it slower. I just killed a man named Ed Spinelli. My angrily stinks today. I don't understand. You don't understand? I said... You don't know what you said. If I should get word from the commissioner the older man named Scott for murder, that would be different. It would be in my language unless that should happen on the thousand pleas. Would you mind not coming in here and mumbling in this angrily of yours that I don't understand? I bought a seniorly Scott. This girl, this media nocci. Midnight? What about her? Do you know where she is? That girl, that woman. She's been raising kin in my jail all night, all day yesterday. What she charged with? My foolish over this questioner and then they didn't know any better that they put down some charge other than the book. Seniorly Scott, we have been stalking her ever since. She's like a hurricane. I'll agree with you there. Seniorly Scott, if you have not enough to bail her out I'll bail her out of my own pocket and anything to get her out. All over. Yes, Wapo. It is over. Have you any idea where we're headed for? A sloppy juice. The feet of an American in Havana walk always in the direction of the sloppy juice. No? Yeah. Yeah, I can hear it already. I'd like to ask in for a drink, Midnight? No, Wapo. You go in alone. Oh, won't you just have one with me, please? No. Why not? There's someone waiting for you in there. Oh, that's crazy, Midnight. I don't know anybody in Havana except you. Someone is waiting for you in there, Wapo. How do you say flowers on a grave? No. Flowers on a grave? And sloppy joes? Love makes any place beautiful. Even sloppy joes. Go on, Wapo. Buy her a drink at the bar and tell her how that picture you took together turned out. You promised you would, remember? How do you tell something to somebody that's dead? In your mind, Wapo. Where she will always be. I'll try and tell her, Midnight. I'll tell her about you, too. No, no, she will be jealous. Oh, no, not when I tell her. Oh, you do not know women, Wapo. Well, maybe not. Well, uh... Adios, Wapo. Goodbye, Midnight. And so closes the Black Path of Fear, starring Brian Donlevy. Tonight's study in... Suspense. Suspense is produced and directed by William Spear. Have you discovered the secret of lovers of fine food? Namely, how good wine makes even the simplest most inexpensive meals really exciting events. Well, the next time you serve any of the red meats, stews, fish or poultry, place on the table a well-chilled bottle of Roma California Table Wine. Delicious sautern, hearty burgundy or tasty claret. You will be amazed at how much Roma wine in bringing out all the appetizing goodness of even the simplest foods adds to the pleasure of the meal. How it makes even a simple meal a feast. And remember, Roma wines cost you only pennies a glass full. So any home can afford the pleasure they give to everyday living. Ask for R-O-M-A, Roma wines, America's largest selling wines, made in California for enjoyment throughout the world. This is Brian Donlevy. Our government has asked us to bring to the attention of women listeners a very important message. In spite of our wonderful victories on all the fighting fronts, we must remember that the war is by no means over or nearly over. The demands of women must get into war work this year. You are desperately needed, both because you are admirably fitted for these jobs and because you represent the only adequate source of labor to replace the men in the armed forces and in the heavy war industries. Go to the United States Employment Service Office and ask for information about the kinds of full-time or part-time jobs for which you are best suited. Brian Donlevy will soon be seen in the starring role of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Technicolor production and American romance. Next Thursday, same time, Olivia de Havilland and Reginald Gardner will be your stars of Suspense. Presented by Roma Wines, R-O-M-A, made in California for enjoyment throughout the world.