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It was during my lunch hour one day. Funny, I can't even remember the name of the book. Anyway, the sentence was, the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. I couldn't seem to get past that sentence, quiet desperation. That was me, the author was talking about Homer Bigelow. And suddenly I thought, why should I go on like that? I was desperate, okay, but why should I be quiet? Why shouldn't I do something about it? Get myself out of the rut. All I needed was the right break. It came a lot sooner than I expected. One day, just before my vacation, I happened to overhear Mr. Pearson, he's president of the bank, talking to one of the bank's directors, Corbyn Vandegryf. Usually their conversation is about debentures or first mortgages or government issues. That stuff didn't interest me. Today, their talk was a horse of another color. It was a hot day, and the door of the boss's office was open. They didn't even know I was alive. I understand she's no great beauty, but it's just as well she doesn't attract too much attention going through customs at both ends. You mean to say, Corbyn, that the young girl is willing to take the risk of violating her country's currency controls? Evidently. Of course, she feels exactly as the father does. That they should be free over there to spend their own money wherever they choose. Old Vale would break every law they've written there, just for the satisfaction of knowing he's out with it. And Hester probably feels the same way about it. Well, then he'll get quite a kick out of slipping 20,000 pounds out of the country. Not pounds, John. But they might as well be. They're just about as negotiable as cold cash. By when that girl turns them over to me, I can walk into any deal in the city and get a full market value in 10 minutes. And I intend to do it for them. I'm in complete sympathy. No government on earth could tell me where and when and how to spend my own money. Once she gets the money, what's she going to do with it? Oh, I don't know. They don't care. My guess is that she's going to do some shrewd buying highly scarce products for shipments back abroad. It's even available to find a profitable deal. When is she arriving? Monday on Elizabeth. I've engaged a suite for the ambassador. Good. I wrote them that I'd meet her at the boat, take her to the hotel, get the negotiables and exchange them for her. That afternoon she can throw the dollars out the window for all that matters to me. I do if you'll be over. Well aren't you going to entertain her while she's here? See that she has a good time? Entertain her? I should say not. What? I don't even know the girl. Besides, I'm a little too old for that sort of thing. Come on, we'll keep it chilly in here. You know I like to buy. I wondered what Mr. Pearson would say if any of us employees at the banks were to play fast and loose with the law the way Corbyn van der Griff and that snooty dame has to veil we're doing. He wouldn't be quite so sympathetic and understanding. You can bet your bottom dollar on that. That kind of skullduggery was labeled strictly for the rich. I should have put the whole thing out of my mind but somehow I couldn't. Twenty thousand pounds, eighty thousand dollars in American money. I stood there outside Mr. Pearson's office. I was shaken up of my quiet desperation somehow. I just stood there dreaming about romance and adventure that you could buy with money. Well Homer, you're all set for your vacation? Oh yes, yes sir. Leaving Friday for good old Eel River. My 13th year there. Well I envy you son. I won't be going up until September. Then you'll be fishing up at Eel River again this summer. Oh yes, yes. I would miss it for anything. I wrote a meal and told him to expect me. We'll be here quite a party this year, five of us should know. Say, did I tell you about the trout I caught last year? Yes, the bank president and his lowly employee both went to the same place for their vacation but what a difference. When he went out fishing he had two guides per man with him, the pack and carrier, the paddle and cook, to set up camp, to do everything that needed doing. Whereas I had to do everything for myself and buy myself. Well have a good time Homer, I'll see you when you return. I'll say goodbye now. I won't be back anymore today. Goodbye sir and thanks. I had my lunch that day as I usually did in the boardroom. Jenny, Mr. Pearson's secretary, had left the door to his office open so that if the phone rang I could take the message while she was out the phone did ring and it was Corbin van de Grip. This is Homer Bigelow, Mr. van de Grip. Oh yes, Homer. Make sure to give this message to Mr. Pearson. I'm laid up here in the country with the cold. I won't be able to get to the city for that appointment on Monday. Mr. Pearson knows all about it. Ask him to meet Miss Vale at the boat farm in. She told that she's settled at the hotel. Tell him not to expect me back in the city until next Wednesday at the earliest. Yes sir. Tell him I'll take care of that financial matter for Miss Vale when I get in. I can wait until Wednesday. Yes sir. And tell him not to bother to call me. I'm going to spend this week in bed and I don't want to be disturbed. Yes sir. Thank you Homer. So Mr. van de Grip was indisposed. Too bad. Now the girl would have to be met by a substitute as a stranger. Well she didn't know either van de Grip or Pearson from a hole in the ground so what did it matter? And if it came to that why did the substitute have to be Mr. Pearson? Why couldn't it be me? For suspense Roma Wines are bringing you Walter Abel in Quiet Desperation. Roma Wines presentation tonight in Radio's Outstanding Theatre of Thrills. Suspense. Suspense Radio's Outstanding Theatre of Thrills is being brought to you by Roma. That's R-O-M-A. Roma Wines. America's largest selling wines. Mark Twain once said, everybody talks about the weather but nobody does anything about it. Well that may have been true in Mark Twain's time but today it's a different story. Today there's an easy way to beat the heat. Just half fill a glass with better tasting Roma wine such as rich Roma toque, fruity Roma Zinfandel or mellow Roma claret. Add ice, fill up with soda, sweeten to taste and garnish with fragrant mint or fruit slices. Then lean back and enjoy Roma wine and soda. America's smartest, coolest summer drink. I'm sure you'll agree that Roma wine and soda so delicious, so refreshing, so cool to come home to is the perfect warm weather thirst quencher. Perfect for summer entertaining. So inexpensive too. It's a hot idea to treat your family and friends to cold, refreshing Roma wine and soda made with better tasting Roma wines. America's favorite wines. And now Roma wines bring back to our Hollywood soundstage, Walter Abel as Homer Bigelow with Kathy Lewis as Hester Vail. In quiet desperation, a play well calculated to keep you in suspense. My days of quiet desperation were over. Anyone taking real close look at me that Friday wouldn't have been sure I had a fever. My face felt hot and every now and then I had a fit of trembling. But evening finally came. I go up down some food at the cafeteria, picked up my bags at home and went to the station. The next day I was saying hello to Emil on the platform of the Eel River station. Hello Emil, glad to see you. How is my brother Mr. Pearson? Fine, he sends his regards. How's the fishing? Oh, many things, the best ever. Many others on the river, Emil? Oh, not the one. The fish, they are hungry like anything and not they want to give them small flight to eat. Now you come, they will be all for you. That's fine. I'll get started right up. Is everything all set? Everything is ready, eh? Come. In half an hour I was at the camp on the shore of Eel River. I had lunch, changed my clothes, put my city clothes into my pack instead of into my suitcase which I was going to leave in camp and by three o'clock I was a good eight miles up Eel River. By four I had hidden my canoe and equipment in some bushes along the bank and dressed again in city clothes was walking slowly through the woods toward Loudoun's corners three miles away. It was a local stop on the railroad just below Eel River. The train south was due in at nine that night. I had plenty of time to catch it and make the transfer at Boston for the night train to New York. In the Boston station I bought a cheap suitcase and a couple of shirts and when the train dropped me at Grand Central early Sunday morning I went straight to the 49th Street Hotel which was just a couple of blocks from the Ambassador. I scrolled the name Henry Smith in the register and was shown to my room. I had a whole day and a night to wait and for once with all that time on my hands I didn't read a book. Excuse me where could I find a Miss Vail, one of the passengers. What? What name? Pesta Vail. Vail look over there by the V. She's probably there. Thank you. Miss Vail. Miss Vail. Over here. Good morning Miss Vail. I'm... You're Mr. Vandepri. That's right. So good of you to come. My father promised to meet me. Oh how is your father? He's very well thank you. Still growling about Europe's ruin. It's been a beastly news since this waiting. Is there anything I can do to help? Thank you. That chap's finally finished mucking about with my boxes. I think I was an adventurous smuggling something priceless into your country. I have nothing to declare you know. Came with empty trunks, suspect to fill them up while I'm here. Can't buy a thing in Europe you know. Europe's a dreadful nightmare. Yes so I understand. Father worked all about it did he? Foolish of him to ride. Mail might have been opened. Oh no after all the war's over. Is it? Well shall I take you to your hotel you probably want a rest. Rest? Not at all. I'm scooting out to the shops right off. Oh you you have enough money for shopping? Well they allowed me a hundred pounds. I still have most of it. That'll do for a starter. They don't they know about you know. Yes if if you'd care to turn over the contraband I could see about converting it into dollars for you. Contraband, spies and all that sort of thing. That describes it exactly it's very nice. But not now I'll dig them out of the hotel. All right. Is there anything you'd like me to do this evening or you'd like to do this evening? Well dear I don't want to impose on your time. Oh you're not imposing it's a pleasure. But I'd like to see you play. What are your bright American musicals impossible? Well I think that can be arranged. Suppose I call for you at seven. We can have dinner and then go to the theater. That's splendid it's brightly kind of you. I haven't seen a musical myself. Well not for a long time anyway. I took her to her suite at the ambassador. Then I went back to my room to think over my plan. It was almost too simple. As soon as she turned the securities over to me I'd take them to a broker and collect. Then I'd catch the night train back to Loudon's corner then through the woods to Eagle River. By tomorrow afternoon I'd be in my canoe again as if nothing had happened. A few days after that the canoe would come drifting down the river wrong side up. And my stuff would be found floating in a quiet backwater. Under another name I'd go out west. With $80,000 I'd never have to go back to that old life of quiet desperation. No sir I was through with that forever. As for the man who posed as Corbyn Vandegrif he'd never be found. And no one would ever connect him with the Homer Bigelow who was drowned on a fishing trip in the swift waters of Eagle River 250 miles away. Good evening Miss Vale. Hello right on time. How was the shopping? Oh I say it left me quite speechless. I can't wait until I can really go on a spree. Are we ready? If you are. Quite. There now will you hold this key for me? There's simply no room in my bag for it. Sure I'll keep it in my pocket for you. Thank you. I picked a quiet little restaurant where I was sure I wouldn't meet anyone who knew me. The theater was going to be an ordeal, all those people but that couldn't be helped. I had to play my part until she handed over those securities. I couldn't afford to look too anxious about them either but I needed to worry. While we were waiting for the dessert she opened her bag and pulled out a package of about a dozen small under ropes. Different sizes and different shapes. Here you are Mr. Vandegrif. Take good care of them. Are these? They are. I put them in my inside pocket. All the way down Broadway in the taxi I felt them. The envelopes were too small it seemed to me to hold securities. Maybe if they would fold it over but even then they would have to be bulkier than they were. I had to look into those envelopes to know if the securities were really there but I had no chance and it wasn't until the taxi dropped us in front of the theater that I was able to make one. Here we are. Miss Vail I I want a few minds seeing the show alone. Oh dear. I don't know what did it to me but I suddenly got in a terrific headache. Oh that is too bad. Or it'll be all right I just thought the music and the excitement wouldn't help much. No I should think not. Suppose you take me back to the hotel then you can go right home. But wouldn't you like to see the show by yourself? Oh. Could you know and then take a taxi back to the ambassador? Yes I suppose I could. Well I should hate to think a headache of mine spoiled your whole evening here. Take the tickets and go on in. Well thank you I will. I'm dreadfully sorry you have to miss it. Oh I'll make up for it another time Miss Vail. There are plenty of musicals you want to see. You'll be sure to take something for that headache now won't you? I will. Thanks a lot for being so considerate. Good night Miss Vail. Have a good time. Oh I'm sure too. Good night Mr. Vanderger. Back in my hotel room with shaking hands I opened the envelopes. They were nothing but letters from her friends. Sent to her from different parts of the world not a single security in any of them. Could it have been a mistake? Did she hand me the wrong package? Didn't seem possible. Maybe she suspected something was wrong and played a trick on me. I was sweating and rich from my handkerchief and that's when I felt her hotel key still in my pocket. I threw the package of letters into my suitcase and walked over to the ambassador two blocks away. Her key opened the door and I was alone in her suite. I had until at least 1132 and a half hours. I took my time about it making sure to put everything back exactly as I found it. I searched her baggage to bureau the drawers the closet every conceivable place even under the rugs and found exactly nothing. She had them on her then. I turned the light off and went into the bedroom to wait. Soon after 1130 I heard the outer door open. Terribly sorry to have caused this trouble Mr. Vanderger for suddenly taking me to headache or I'm sure he wouldn't have forgotten to return my key. Well it really doesn't matter miss. You can use this duplicate until he returns it to you. Oh it is a bother though. Oh not at all Miss Vale. Happens often. Well good night. Thank you good night. Oh dear Vanderger what are you doing here? I'm sorry to disturb you Miss Vale but I had to come back. You see you forgot to give me the securities. Securities? Yes the securities. I was to assault for you. Oh my dear but I did. Oh no there wasn't anything in the package except some letters from friends of yours. Who are you? You're not Mr. Vanderger. Miss Vale what my name is doesn't matter very much by this time it's enough for you to know that I want those securities and I need to get them hand them over. You get out of here. I warn you Miss Vale I don't want to get nasty but I'm not going to leave without them. Stay away from me. The securities Miss Vale. No no no. Where are they Miss Vale? Tell me I don't want to hurt you. The more she struggled the tighter grip her throat her arms beat weakly against my side and suddenly I got so mad at her that I where are they? Where are they? Tell me where are they? My fingers tightened and strained against her soft flesh then suddenly she quit struggling and when I loosened my grip she fell down unconscious. Where was that person who's out there? I ripped it over nothing there but a powder contact and a lipstick and some change. Where could they be? She'd have to tell me I'd make her Miss Vale. Wake up Miss Vale. She didn't move and then I saw her but she wasn't breathing anymore. I'd killed her. I never meant to kill the girl. I hadn't any idea I was choking her that hard. All I wanted was to get away. I couldn't stay there with that limp body sprawled on the rug but I had to be careful. Couldn't afford to make any mistake now. I tried to remember everything I'd read and detective stories. You had to be careful about fingerprints. I ran to the bathroom, grabbed the towel and with it wiped every surface I might have touched. Then I dragged the body to the bedroom, put it on the bed. I shut the door behind me and turned the lights off in the sitting room. I listened a couple of seconds at the out-of-door. Everything was quiet. I ducked out and went to the stairs. The lobby was empty. I crossed over and went on to Park Avenue. Five minutes later I was in my hotel. It was 12 30. I could still catch the one o'clock train for Boston. Fine mess I'd made. The best thing that could happen to me now, mind you, the best thing would be to get back home to the boarding house, to the bank, to that horrible, hopeless rut I tried to get away from. That was the best I had to look forward to. The worst. I didn't even have the courage to think of it. But then what could they pin on me? If anybody had anything to worry about it wasn't me. It was Mandegriffe. He had the date with her, not I. As far as anybody knew, I didn't know any such person as Hester Vale ever existed. Mandegriffe was the guy she told the desk clerk she'd given the key to. But the poor sap wouldn't even be able to prove an alibi for late last night midnight. Yes. Ha ha ha. I could go back to my fishing and forget the whole thing. Forget it ever happened. I was safe. Huh. Fine consolation that was after all the beautiful plans I'd made. But at least I was safe. In Boston I checked the new suitcase. I could pick it up on the way home. The local dropped me at Loudon's corner. By noon I was sitting over my campfire, having a bite just like any other fellow out on a fishing trip. Ten days later on a Saturday morning I was back at Emil's camp. Ah, go ahead, Mr. Bigelow. How was fishing, huh? Fine, Emil. Fine. Oh, you get nice sunburn, huh? Last the rest of the year anyway, no? Did I really get that round? Or like very, huh? Real nice and quiet, no? I have no party fishing before August when Mr. Pearson come with four friends. Yes, I know. He told me. Ha ha. He's some fisherman, Mr. Pearson, who always try for records. But you don't care for records. That means you're Bigelow. You lead the simple, the quiet life. I, I guess I do. You enjoy it, no? Enjoy it? I try my best. You have other hobbies, maybe, huh? No. I don't have any hobbies except reading. Mr. Pearson and me, we have the same hobby. That's why we such good friends. Oh, I didn't know that. Oh, we, we, we. We're great ones for philatelie, leitembe, the stamp, you know? Someday I show you my collections. Each feel three albums, but I have no so good collection like Mr. Pearson, but then I have no so much money. Neither have I. Ha ha, you make jokes. Mr. Pearson never worthy, I know. But still, Emil can give him some stamp once in a while. I have few duplicates. You do me big favor and give them to Mr. Pearson, with me compliment, eh? Oh, sure, I'd be glad to. Ah, yes. Now I drive you to station. Next year you come again, no? Yes, I'll come again. Well, Homer, you're back, did you enjoy your rest? Yes, it was fine, Mr. Pearson. Good, good, good. I can't say we've had any enjoyment back here. Have you heard about Mr. Vandergrip? Mr. Vandergrip? No, sir, is there something wrong? Wrong. I'll say there is. He's been arrested for murder. He insists he's innocent, but the police have a strong case against him, very strong. Oh, it looks bad, bad indeed. I'm sorry, sir. So are we all. It means I'll have to give up my fishing trip this summer for one thing. I can't desert old Vanby at such a time. I'll have to worry Emil, and I just got a letter from him telling me he had everything arranged to him. Yes, he told me he was expecting you. Oh, well, can't be helped. Oh, say, by the way, he wrote that he sent some duplicates on to me and your care. Stamps, you know? Stamps? Oh, that's right, he did. Sorry, I forgot about them, Mr. Pearson. I must have them at home. I'll bring them in tomorrow, sir. No hurry, no hurry. I have no mind for them now, anyway. Well, back to work. Come on, back to work. That night I looked for the stamps, but I couldn't find them. How I ever managed to lose them I'll never know. Now I'd have to explain to Mr. Pearson. No, I wouldn't have to explain. I still had those letters, her letters. They were from foreign countries. I'd take the stamps from those envelopes and give them to Mr. Pearson. He'd never know the difference. I knew how fussy he could get about little things like lost stamps. Rather than get him started on a lecture, I'd gut out the package of letters, cut the stamps off, and then burn the letters and the envelopes. The next day. Yes. Here are those stamps, sir. I found them at home, all right. Oh, well, just put them on the desk, Homer. Thank you very much. Oh, don't mention it, Mr. Pearson. I was having my lunch later in the boardroom when Mr. Pearson came in. He had a stranger with him. A tall man with an angry face. Here you are, Homer. Yes, sir. I want you to meet Mr. Scott. How do you do? I don't. Those stamps you gave me, Homer, are you sure you got them from Emil? Oh, yes, sir. Just before I left, he gave them to me for you. No, Homer, no. I just called Emil. He told me he gave you some recent French issues. Those weren't the stamps you gave me. Well, Mr. Pearson, I guess you found me out. You see, I lost the stamps Emil gave me, and I didn't want to disappoint you. So I went to a stamp dealer and picked up a dozen odd stamps to replace them. I didn't think it would make much difference. Is that your story, Big Low? What do you mean? It's true. They were very rare and very valuable stamps, Homer. You must have shelled out a pretty penny for them. Oh, I don't know. Mr. Pearson feels a man in your position couldn't afford to buy stamps like those unless... Unless what? Unless you didn't buy them at all, Big Low. Unless you got them from the late Miss Hester Vale. Well, what's the matter, Homer? Is the name familiar to you? No. Why, no, sir, I... I never heard of... What makes us think so is that the stamps Miss Vale smuggled into this country were the same issues and worth exactly as much, $80,000. Hey, worth $80,000? Could it be a coincidence, Mr. Big Low? Quiet desperation. I've been catching up on my reading here in prison while waiting. I found another good quote. Happiness is the absence of pain. Suspense! Quiet desperation, starring Walter Abel and presented by Roma Wines. That's R-O-M-A, Roma Wines. Those better tasting wines selected for your pleasure from the world's greatest reserves are fine wines. More Americans enjoy Roma Wines than any other wines because Roma Wines taste better. To create this better taste, Roma begins with natural juices, gently pressed from California's choicest grapes. Then, Roma master ventiners with ancient skill and unmatched wine making resources guide these luscious grape treasures unhurriedly to taste perfection. Then, these better tasting wines are placed with mellow Roma Wines of years before and from these, the world's greatest wine reserves, Roma later selects for your pleasure. Right now, a wonderful way to discover the better taste of Roma Wines is to serve Roma wine and soda iced. For cool lip smacking refreshment, enjoy delicious Roma wine and soda made with your favorite Roma wine. That's Roma, America's largest selling wine. Walter Abel will soon be seen in the Hal Roach production, Fabulous Joe. Tonight's Suspense play was by George and Gertrude Fass. Next Thursday, same time, you will hear Donald O'Connor at Star of Suspense, produced and directed by William Spear for the Roma Wine Company of Fresno, California. In the coming weeks, Suspense will present such stars as Edmund O'Brien, John Lund, Lloyd Nolan and others. Make it a point to listen each Thursday to Suspense, radio's outstanding theater of thrill. This is CBS The Columbia Broadcasting System.