 And now, Auto-Lite and its 60,000 dealers and service stations present... Suspense! Tonight, Auto-Lite co-stars Miss Ethel Barrymore and Mr. Gene Kelly in... To Find Help. A suspense play produced and directed by Anton M. Leader. Suspense! Radio's outstanding Theatre of Thrills is presented for your enjoyment by Auto-Lite and its 60,000 dealers and service stations. Friends, when you buy an Auto-Lite stay-full battery, you're not getting just another ordinary battery. No, sir, you're getting a battery that needs water only three times a year in normal car use. Yes, Auto-Lite stay-full batteries need water only three times a year in normal car use. Why, a camel could drink its weight in water and a cactus could die of thirst Before those tough, temperate, tea-totalling Auto-Lite stay-full batteries would ask for an extra drop of H2O. So friends, switch to an Auto-Lite stay-full battery tomorrow. Remember, you're right with Auto-Lite, always right with Auto-Lite. And now, Auto-Lite presents Gene Kelly and Ethel Barrymore in a tale well calculated to keep you in... Suspense! My rumour, Mr. Armstrong tried to warn me that morning he left on his business trip. I remember we were just finishing breakfast and he was rather in a hurry. I don't care what you say, Mrs. Gillis. I just plain don't like it. You're alone here in the house all day, there are no close neighbours, and after all, you know nothing about the man. Congratulations, Mr. Armstrong. You think I was a pretty young thing of twenty to hear you tell it. And another thing, it seems very strange to me that a young man should be job hunting from door to door this day and age. Why, there are plenty of jobs to be had. That's just why it's so difficult to find help these days. You're a worry-wart, Mr. Armstrong. Now that I've found someone to do my heavy work, I'm not going to let your silly notions change my mind. Well, I'll just say, though, I'm not leaving the house this morning till I get a look at the guy. I remember I kept worrying about poor Mr. Armstrong missing his train because he was getting to be nine o'clock. He dried the breakfast dishes for me and as he talked, he kept looking out of the window toward the long driveway. Hey, here he comes. I guess I didn't have worry. Mr. Armstrong was smiling, but he'd seen my young man who was coming up the driveway. And I smiled, too. Even I had forgotten what a me-calm-less-looking lad he was. Why, he would hardly be called a man at all, I thought. So that's the critter who's been causing me all this mental language. There, you see, you and your silly ideas. Well, the little guy is not strong enough to keep a regular job, I suppose. Why, I believe Sarah's getting some of your foolish notions, Mr. Armstrong. There, now, Sarah. Sarah, I'm sorry that we made you nervous about him. Why, if you could see the guy... He'll hear you. Good morning, lad. I've been expecting you. This is my rumour, Mr. Armstrong. I don't believe you told me your name. I'm Howard Wilton, ma'am. Hello, Howard. How are you? I'm glad you've come. I know you'll be a great help to Mrs. Gillis here, and you'll be company, too. Well, I'm off, Mrs. Gillis. Take care of yourself. I don't think you'll have much trouble. I don't think your dog likes me, Mrs. Gillis. Of course she does. We're just getting a little old and peabish. Oh. Come along now, Howard. I'll show you where to hang your coat. Oh, yes. I always like to hang my coat up. He followed me in the closet storeroom at the back of the house. And I handed him a clothes hanger and a rough heavy apron, which I kept for cleaning help. Is this apron clean, Mrs. Gillis? Why, of course it's clean. No one's worn it since it was laundered last. There are spots on it. See? Spots? Here. Let me look. Well, that's paint. No dirt and dried paint, son. If you don't mind, I'd rather not wear it. What will you wear then? You didn't bring other clothes. I'm a neat worker, Mrs. Gillis. You needn't worry about my clothes. I turned and the light hitting his face from the small window made him look so different. I was startled for a moment, and then I thought, you're a silly old woman, Mrs. Gillis. And then I smiled. Are you laughing at me, Mrs. Gillis? Why, no, son. I was laughing at myself. Come along. Let's get started now. He'd only been at the den for a short time when I heard him walk back to the closet's storeroom. Can I help you, son? Going after my coat, Mrs. Gillis, I don't like it being out there in the storeroom. It's a breeding place for moths, you know. No, son. It takes longer than that for moths to do any damage. Mrs. Gillis, perhaps you won't think it's quite so amusing when I tell you that it's my best and only coat. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, lad. Where would you like to put it? In the kitchen, perhaps? No, the cooking films wouldn't be good for it. I'll take it right in the den with me. That is, if you don't mind. Go right ahead, Howard. If you don't mind. Suddenly, I was thankful that there was a phone. It was such a peculiar boy. I wasn't really alarmed. Not then I wasn't. Still, it was good to know the phone was there and that old Sarah was still in the kitchen asleep. I went on about my own work that morning, but several times I went into the den to have a look at him. He wasn't doing much. I could see that. He seemed to keep polishing one small square in the corner of the room. Is there anything you need, Howard? Howard. I won't be spied upon, Mrs. Gillis. I won't put up with that. See here, lad, I think we must have gotten off on the wrong foot. I'm spying on you. Now, why do you keep popping in like that? Would you like me to go faster? Would you like me to spill out my life's blood for you here on the floor? Is that what you're after? Howard, are you well? Are you well enough to work? Of course I'm well. Only you quit bothering and pestering and questioning me. Is it too much to ask? Howard, son. I'm interested in young men. I had two boys of my own. See, that's Bill on the desk there. He was a Marine. And on the table there, that's Dennis. He was in the infantry. So, that's why you hate me. I see it all now. Hate you? Why, whatever gave you... Yes, you hate me. I could tell at the moment I walked into your house this morning. But Howard... You hate me because I'm young and I wasn't in the service like your boy. Why, it never occurred to me. You must know I was grateful when you came looking for work. You resented me. The only reason you have me here is to work my life's blood away to punish me for not being in the service. Just because your sons were in the service and I wasn't. Son, you're ill. Let's put the work away now. I'll make you a cup of tea. Oh, you don't want me to do the job. Is that it? You're like the army. There was a job to be done and they wouldn't let me in. Now, you'd like me to stop in the middle of this. I only want you to do whatever will make you feel better. Leave me alone then. Very well. Mrs. Gillis? Yes? I'll tell you why I wasn't in the army. If you insist. I don't insist at all, Howard. If you must know, I'll tell you. They said there was something wrong with my mind. I had a very embarrassing experience at New Year's Day dinner. What in the world happened, Harold? Well, the whole family was there. You see, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, outlaws. I mean, in-laws. And during a lull in the conversation, I thought I'd tell them all about that wonderful, abstemious, auto-light, stay-full battery. Oh, man. So naturally, I told them about that extra-large liquid reserve of auto-light, stay-full batteries. Even the Great Lakes said I are no great shakes compared to the reservoir in those auto-light, stay-full batteries. Why, those batteries need water only three times a year in normal car use. I'm beginning to understand. And then, of course, I told them that auto-light, stay-full batteries give longer life than batteries without the stay-full features. And then I explained... Well, wait a minute, Hunter. Did you say all this at your big family dinner? Yes, and here's the funny thing, Hap. Just as I was telling them how every smart car owner was switching to auto-light, stay-full batteries, two of my biggest cousins got up, came around to my chair and carried me chair and all into the pantry. And by Cornelius, the pantry was where I finished my New Year's dinner. Can you imagine my own relatives doing a thing like that to me? Well, that certainly was a dirty trick. Oh, but quiet. Here's suspense again. And now, auto-light brings back to a Hollywood sound stage Miss Ethel Barrymore and Mr. Gene Kelly Inn to find help. The tale well-calculated to keep you in. Suspense! I just thought maybe you'd like to know, Mrs. Gillis, they said there was something wrong with my mind. The first thing that I thought of when I reached the hallway was the phone but was in the den with Howard. I ran quickly to the back door but it was locked and the key wasn't in its usual place. The front door was locked too and I heard a crash. It came from the den. I rushed in to find Howard peacefully polishing away at the same spot he hadn't moved an inch. He didn't look up at me. Then I saw the phone which had fallen to the floor beside him but it hadn't just fallen. The wires had been torn out of the wall. The phone, Mrs. Gillis, it fell. But the wires... I suppose you think I ruined your phone. The wires... That happened when it fell to the floor. It could have... It happened when it fell to the floor. I don't suppose you'll be able to use it anymore. Not for a while anyway. No. I don't suppose I will. Sarah! Here! Sarah! Mrs. Gillis. Yes? Are you looking for your dog? Yes. I haven't seen her all morning. She was in the kitchen. She's not there any longer. I know. Where is she, Howard? Where is she? Yes. Where is she? She's gone. Gone. If you've harmed her... She didn't like me, you know. She's gone, Mrs. Gillis. I told you that. You harmed my dog. Have I? You killed the poor old Sarah. Who never had a thing. She would have hurt me. You're bad, Howard. You're wicked. You're a coward. Not a coward, Mrs. Gillis. Cowards are afraid to kill. Only a coward would kill a poor old dog. If I were a coward, I'd be afraid of you. And I'm not afraid of you. You let me out of here. I have strong hands, Mrs. Gillis. My fingers are like steel. I've never harmed you. No. And Sarah didn't need it, but she would have if I hadn't harmed her first. Let me out of here. You're getting very noisy, Mrs. Gillis. Perhaps if I locked you in here, you'd calm down a bit. Howard! Howard! And then I heard the key turn in the lock. For a moment, I had the feeling that I found out soon enough that it wasn't a dream. For the dim light from the little square window picked up a limp, lifeless object in the corner among the dusty mobs. I knew without looking further what it was. It was Sarah. Sarah, who'd never harmed a soul. I don't know how long he kept me there. I could hear him moving about the house. But he finally came. He spoke to me through the door. Have you calmed down, Mrs. Gillis? Yes, Howard. Let me out. Why? Because it's warm in here. Because I want to get out. You were looking for your dog, weren't you? Never mind about that, Howard. Let me out. Mrs. Gillis, if I kept you in there, you wouldn't be able to spy on me ever again. I won't spy on you, Howard. Let me out. You know what I've been doing, Mrs. Gillis? No. I've been doing your den floors just like you asked me to. That's fine, Howard. It was fine being able to work peacefully knowing that you were someplace where you couldn't bother me. I won't bother you, Howard. It was very peaceful. Nobody to bother me. Let me out, Howard. Will you promise to do as I tell you? I promise. Anything? Very well, then. Now, no tricks. No. Feel my hands, Mrs. Gillis. Are they nice hands? Yes, they're nice hands. You haven't felt them. Did your sons have as nice hands as these? No. No, they didn't. But they didn't have any trouble getting jobs, did they? I'm just as good as they were, you know. Of course you are, Howard. Wouldn't you like some food, lad? You haven't eaten all day, you know. Some food would be good. Yeah, let me fix you some. Mrs. Gillis, a woman I worked for once said my hands were weak. She did. She soon found out, however. Yeah, now, lad, I have some nice cold roast in the icebox. I taught her a lesson. It'll only take a minute to fix some salad. Were your sons' hands strong, Mrs. Gillis? Not as strong as yours, Howard. I set the table right away. Mrs. Gillis, feel my hands again. They're like steel, you know. I finally managed to get some lunch on the table. Howard sat beside me. He didn't say much. And he ate very little. I tried to appear casual to engage him in conversation. Anything. Do you work often, Howard? Not often. Do you have trouble finding jobs? People are anxious to find help these days. Weren't you? Yes, to find help. Mrs. Gillis, they're looking for me. Who, Howard? I don't know, exactly. People I worked for last, I guess. Was that here in this town? No. It was another town. Everyone was looking for me. So I went away. It's horrible to be spied upon, Mrs. Gillis. It's horrible to be spied upon, Mrs. Gillis. Do you know what it is to be spied upon? No, no, I don't. Would you like to know? No, I wouldn't, Howard. I think I'll spy on you the rest of the day. Then you'll know how it feels. No, no, please, Howard. Whatever it is you want, take it and go away. There's nothing I want, nothing. I only want to stay here with you. I can't stand it, Howard. I can't. I'm an old woman. Please go away and leave me alone. I'm not going away, Mrs. Gillis. There's still a job to be done. There's still a job to be done. I'll go away after I've done everything that's to be done. Howard, I have some money here in the kitchen cabinet draw. It's a great deal. I'll give it to you. I don't want your money, Mrs. Gillis. Then go away. That would be foolish. Then you'd tell on me. No, I wouldn't really. I'll never tell a soul that you've been here. I don't believe you. And I don't trust you. There's only one way of being certain that you won't tell. My heart jumped when I looked out the window. I saw it was the milkman. Tell him to go away. I can't. I've ordered some extra things. Then go into the storeroom until he goes. I can't, Howard. He knows I'm here. He'll expect me to pay him. You promised to do as I told you. Then he pulled open the cabinet draw. I still haven't taken a knife out. Now, will you tell him to go away? If I tell him to go, he'll think something's wrong. Then you'll get caught for sure. All right, Mrs. Gillis. Take whatever you've ordered, but if you pull any tricks, you'll be sorry. Just a moment. Good afternoon, Mrs. Gillis. Good afternoon. Lovely day, isn't it? Yes, it is. Mrs. Gillis, I think I have good news for you. You have? Yeah. The company's taking on some more help. And in the future, your deliveries will be made in the early morning. That's nice. I don't believe you ever did like these late deliveries, did you? I never really minded. If all of our customers were like you, Mrs. Gillis, it wouldn't be such a bad world. Here you are. One for the milk and a pint of half and half. Goodbye, Mrs. Gillis. The extra things. You forgot them. The extra things? Yes. The extra things. Now, don't tell me you've forgotten them. The butter? Okay, I'll get them out of the way. Mrs. Gillis, I'm going to give you one more chance. When he comes back here to get rid of them, do you hear? And if you give me a way, I'm going to kill you. I'll kill you before he can get inside this house and I don't care what they do to me. I won't give you a way out. I'll only pay him. I have to do that. Shut up. Remember. Here you are, Mrs. Gillis. Thank you. Anything else? No, that's all. Mrs. Gillis, I was going to say... I can't stop. I can't talk today. I'm very busy. You're very clever, aren't you, Mrs. Gillis? What do you mean? Your thoughts were going to put something over on me, didn't you? I sent him away the night. The extra things you wanted. There weren't any. Yes, there were. You saw him. You heard him. He didn't know what you were talking about. The milkman had returned. He stood outside the window. How I'd looked at me. I saw his knuckles grow white as he clutched the knife. This is your last chance. Get rid of him. I will, Howard. I will. I'm sorry to bother you again, Mrs. Gillis, but you forgot to pay me. That is, unless you want to... No, yes, yes. I'll pay you. Here you are. Sorry I had to bother you, Mrs. Gillis. But you see, this is the day I have to... Yes, yes, I'm busy. Can't you see that I'm very busy? Tell me when he's gone, Mrs. Gillis. I stood by the window and watched. He got under his truck. Then he drove off. So that was your scheme, was it? So you wanted to give me away. He's gone now, Howard. You thought he'd save you, didn't you? No, no. I sent him away like you asked me. Do you know what would have happened to me? Do you? No. They would have taken me away. Howard, leave me alone. I'm going to punish you. No, Howard. I've been punished enough. No, you haven't. Yes. He was standing very close now. I knew he still held a knife. Suddenly everything was black. I slipped to the floor. When I came to, I was on the kitchen floor. My head throbbed. There I remembered everything. But where was he? And I heard a sound. A soft, swishing sound. It seemed like hours before I could bring myself to move. Suddenly, the whole clock began to strike. Why? It was five o'clock. I'd been unconscious for longer than I'd thought. The room had already turned dark in the late afternoon light, but I could see him now. He stood in the middle of the room. He was pushing my heavy floor polisher back and forth. Back and forth. I tried to close the door quietly, but he looked up. He saw me. What time is it, Mrs. Gillis? About five. Well, I guess I'll call it a day now. I've done a nice job, haven't I? Yes, Howard. Very nice. I think I'll be going now. Doesn't it shine nicely, Mrs. Gillis? Yes. Yes, it does. Is it worth five dollars to you? Yes, Howard. I have nice hands, haven't I, Mrs. Gillis? Yes, Howard, you have. Here, take the money. Thank you. It's a pity they have to be used to polish floors. You've done such a good job, Howard. I'm going to give you a few extra dollars. Thank you. You'll be needing me tomorrow, Mrs. Gillis? No, thank you, Howard. The door's locked, Mrs. Gillis. Yes, Howard. Do you have the key? Oh, yes. Yes, I do. I just remember. I just remembered a lot of things. Mrs. Gillis, there's someone at the door. Yes, Howard. Will you open it? Should I? Yes, Howard. You have the key. I have? Was this it, Mrs. Gillis? Yes, Howard. Open the door. Open the door, Howard. Open it. All right, Mrs. Gillis. I'm Mr. Stevens from the phone company. Your phone's been reported out of order. Mrs. Gillis, is your phone out of order? No, no. There must be a mistake. That's strange. We've had several reports. Maybe I better run back and check my books. Just a moment, Mr. Stevens. Could you do me a favor? Why, why, certainly. Mrs. Gillis. This boy, he's worked here all day. He's done a good job, but I don't think he's well. I'm all right, Mrs. Gillis. But you're tired. Howard, doesn't your head ache? Yes. Yes, sir. I am tired, and my head does ache. Well, maybe Mr. Stevens will be kind enough to drive you to the car line. I'd be glad to, Mrs. Gillis, but I can't wait long. Right away. And I'll go along, too. I have some marketing to do. And Mr. Stevens, as long as you're here, would you mind checking the phone just to make sure? Well, of course. I'll show you where it is. Can I show him, Mrs. Gillis? Howard, you wait here. We'll be right back. I moved quickly toward the den. Mr. Stevens followed me. Once inside, I closed the door behind me. He spotted the torn wires at once. Say, this phone... It was that boy. That man. He's dangerous. Drive us to the police station as fast as you can. Well, I... Before he could reply, open the den door and went out into an empty room. Howard! He's gone. That sure looks that way. No, no. You've got to find him. But, Mrs. Gillis, if you were afraid of him... You don't understand. He's angry with me. He wants to kill me. And now he's hiding here somewhere. When you go, he'll come out and kill me. Oh, say that, ma'am. Take it easy. You're getting yourself all worked up. You don't believe me. Well, look, Mrs. Gillis, maybe I better run down to the corner and phone for somebody. No, no, you can't leave me. I'll go with you. Well, sure, if it'll make you feel any better. My car's right outside in the driveway. Yes. Come on. Yes, and we'll call the police. They'll come and get him. Sure, whatever you say. He looked like a nice enough young fellow, though. Are you sure that he... Were you looking for me, Mrs. Gillis? Oh, yes, Howard. I was. Are you ready to go? Yes, I'm ready. I just thought I'd wait in the car. Sure, sure. All right, Mrs. Gillis. You get in the back here. Thank you. It's very kind of you to do this for me. I'm very tired. Just relax, Howard. We'll take care of you. Already? Already, Mr. Stevens. Mr. Stevens. What? Don't you think I have nice hands? Why? Yes. I guess so. Yes. The strong hands, too. Very strong. Thank you, Gene Kelly and Ethel Barrymore for a splendid performance. Our stars will return in just a moment. Say, Hap, I've got a wonderful New Year's resolution here. Don't tell me you're resolved to give up talking, Arnold. Give up talking? Me, auto-light, pattern-packed Wilcox? I will a pistol-packing cowboy give up his gun. Will a power-packed auto-light stay full battery give up the ghost when you need it most? Not on your life, by Cornelius. No, sir Hap, the New Year's resolution I've got is for every car owner who doesn't already have an auto-light stay full battery. And the resolution reads, I have resolved with the earliest opportunity, that is, tomorrow morning, to drive down to my nearest auto-light dealer and get a brand new auto-light stay full battery. The battery that needs water only three times a year in normal car use. For remember, friends, you're right with auto-light. And remember, too, auto-light means batteries. Stay full batteries. Auto-light means spark plugs. Ignition-engineered resistor spark plugs. Auto-light means ignition systems. The lifeline of your car. And now, here again, is Mr. Gene Kelly. It's always a pleasure to appear on suspense, but it was especially wonderful playing opposite a truly great lady at the stage and screen, Miss Ethel Barrymore. My thank you, Gene. It was a great pleasure for me, too, even though in the story I had a harrowing time. Well, that's the specialty of suspense, Miss Barrymore. That's why I try never to miss a program. For instance, next week Radio's Outstanding Theatre of Thrills presents Stanny K. in a new kind of role for him. He plays a murderer in a story titled, The Two Perfect Alibi. And you can be sure it's another gripping study in... Suspense. Gene Kelly can currently be seen in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer All-Star Technicolor musical Words and Music based on the lives and music of Rogers and Hart. Ethel Barrymore may currently be seen in the David O. Selznick production Portrait of Jenny. Tonight's suspense play was by Mel Dinelli with music composed by Lucian Morawek and conducted by Lud Bluskin. The entire production was under the direction of Anton M. Lieder. Next Thursday, same time here, Danny K. in The Two Perfect Alibi. You're right with AutoLight. So switch to AutoLight. Good night. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.