 I Was worn out dead tired But I kept on walking through the mist and suddenly I started hearing footsteps behind me Turned around and then I saw him He was walking along slow dragging his feet walking as if he couldn't see space was all covered with blood But I know who it was. It was Miller killed Midnight the witching hour when the night is darkest our fear is the strongest And our strength at its lowest em Midnight when the graves gave open and death strikes Oh, you learn the answer in just a minute then the dead come back of Mystery and terror by radios masters of the macabre Our story by William Moorwood will threaten your sanity its title The dead come back one o'clock in the morning on a dark deserted street Standing in the doorway of a gloomy brownstone house a man with a wild expression on his face rings the bell desperately There is no answer and he rings again Dr. Padgett why yes the brain doc knows what goes on inside a guy's head. Well. Yes. I'm a secar. I gotta talk to you It's very late. If you come back tomorrow during office hour now doc Something's been happening to me something that's driving me nuts. I'm sorry, but get inside Be careful with that. It won't go off till I pull a trigger Better sit down doc very well just to make sure we understand each other I'll put this gun here on the desk and my watch We got just half an hour to get everything cleared up and then and then I Got a guy to kill Suppose we start at the beginning your name left to your car. Oh Connor So you heard of me, huh? I'm not sure, but the tilson murder case. That's right But as I remember that's right. He decided I was nuts put me away But get this straight doc. Yes, I wasn't ever out of my head and I ain't now I've seen in Saturday was something that I cooked up to keep from burning I've played it up. All right good enough to make monkeys out of the doctors and a jury When I got to the nut house, it was different. I didn't have to pretend no more You know doc seven and wax act just as sane as you and me Yeah, I was getting along fine Till two nights ago And I was called in to see the superintendent He was a white-haired old guy named a miller Sit down lefty Cigarette. Thanks, mr. Miller. Here you are What's that this just a music box? Plays when you open the lid. That ain't just a What are you trying to do to me? Oh, what do you mean lefty? I just offered you that's the box I kept talking about at the trial the one old mrs. Tilson kept the jewels in I'm afraid you're mistaken lefty In a pig's eye, I know what you're trying to do, but I don't remember nothing Nothing you hear and why does this tune seem to disturb you sir never mind why turn it off Take it easy lefty. I called you in here because I want to help you You're trying to trick me into admitting I know what I was doing when I hit old lady nothing of the kind next you'll be asked me where I hid the jewels I don't think I know that routine. There's no routine here lefty. You're a liar mr. Miller You got me in here to give me the third degree to try to break me down all over again Well, you won't do it I didn't have no idea of escaping when I hit him duck. I was just scared I'm scared of what would happen if he kept after me When I found a gun in his desk drawer, I began making plants fast. I Brought him around. I told him exactly what he had to do He went out got into his car Started for the gate Okay, Miller. It's up to you now. I understand remember I'll be lying back here with this gun against your spine Mr. Miller, hello George going out kind of late. Aren't you sir? Yes Something unexpected came up. You wouldn't be smuggling out anyone under that rug and back sir, huh? I might Yeah, look suspicious Just the right shape for a man, but I'll take a chance on you, sir Okay, Charlie open up for the super Turn the left walk here now the Ganville Road I was afraid of this lefty the tilson the states of this way isn't it? You're too smart for your own good, mr. Miller You can turn off here. There's no road in under the trees All right, what happens now? Do we walk the rest of the way? One of us does get out and I'll use to me anymore. Let you know put that gun away you can You won't get rid of me this way you left him there beside his car and started walking I Don't know how long I was at it maybe an hour when I hit the outskirts of town Like it's kind of funny It was different from anything I'd ever seen. It was kind of yellow And a yellow mixed with a mist that was curving up Maybe I was tired. I don't know Suddenly I began to hear footsteps behind me. I Looked around And then I saw him He was walking on the other side of the road blind. He couldn't see what he was going His feet were kind of dragging along His face was covered with blood Through the blood I could see that it was him Miller Happen then doc I Must have passed out Because the next thing I knew somebody People face is bending over Yeah, how are you feeling chum? Hey He's as white as if he'd seen a ghost Who are you? I'm Ruth Mason. This is my brother Tom. We live right by we heard you yelling came running out Did did you see anyone else on the road? No You were lying right in the middle of the road till we pulled you off What happened the car hit you? Don't remember take his arm. Help him up Tom. Okay. Sure. Here we go Mo The name is Sims Johnny Sims I'm all right. You look kind of bushed. I I've been walking all night out of a job See you and broke well our house is right over there. You come on in and we'll thanks I gotta keep moving. What's the rush if you're just looking for John? Well, I Cops coming this way probably looking for that man that escaped from the state hospital. That's right. They said that You look as if you're going to faint again. I guess I must be worse than I thought look does that invite still hold Of course right this way Something more Johnny. No, thanks Ruth Couldn't manage another thing Full up. Oh, then you lie right down on that sofa. That is if Tom will get off with his paper. Oh Sure, sure. I was just reading some more about that guy lefty O'Connor that broke out of the asylum Seems he forced a superintendent to drive them out in a car. Please Tom Let's not talk about it gives me the creeps to think of anyone like that being loose Maybe he ain't so bad. He's a murderer Johnny a homicidal maniac. How do you know maybe the super deserve killing the super? Yeah But the paper doesn't say anything about the super being killed Ruth said I meant the old lady. Mrs. Tillson. Oh Yeah, I guess I must have heard Maybe I just thought I'll try the radio Maybe there's some late news on it Well, you're probably right Johnny the super wouldn't stand a chance sure way. I figured Turn that off what I said turn it off. Why Johnny? Hey, what gives? No, I'm sorry. Hey, I don't like radios. It's alright Johnny. We understand Not supposed to be sure you to your room and you take a good long sleep. I must have slept like a dead man It was dark when I woke up There's nobody in the house. I switched on the lamp and looked at my watch a few minutes before midnight And then what's time if I wanted to get the jewels and blow town before morning? I started for the door before I reached it it opened and stand in there Smiling kind of sad like What's Miller? You did it can't be you You're dead. I told you you wouldn't get rid of me so easily. What do you want with me nothing left? Just what I wanted before to help you. You're a lion You still think you can break me get me to confess, but I'll show you I must have hit the lights back or maybe they were never on because Suddenly the room was all dark. I struck a match. I bent down to look at Miller make sure that he was really dead this time And Ain't crazy doggie gotta believe me, but the man lying face up on the floor was Tom Mason A dead man who came back And now the second victim is the hands of the clock move inexorably to the witching hour and yet another Sitting in a psychiatrist's office with a gun in front of him trying to convince the doctor and himself that he is safe My hand was shaking so much that the match went out It was Tom. All right Tom Mason dead It was better that way than what I thought because meant that Miller hadn't come back from the grave I'd probably just imagined I heard him talking to me My first Mason I got the keys to his car and went out It was a little coupé parked in the driveway. I opened the door. I was just getting in one. Hello Johnny Ruth You look a little better than you did before. How do you feel? Oh, I find fine. Oh, that's good You were sleeping so soundly when I left it Are you going somewhere? Well, yeah. Yeah, there was something I had to do and Tom told me I could borrow his car. All right. I'll go inside. No, you can't go in there. What do you mean? Well, I mean Such a swell night how about a little drive Ruth what about your errand a little just take a minute I'll be swell having you along. Well, I don't know. I I don't suppose Tom won't mind. I'm sure he won't Well, then all right, I Guess that's one of the wonderful things about life. You just never know when something completely unexpected will happen. That's right, baby Just never know Quiet Johnny Huh you asked me to come driving with you and I do you don't say a thing to me What should I be saying? Well, you might start by telling me something about yourself Like I said, I'm just the guy looking for work. What kind of a job did you have before show her that sounds interesting? Did you work around here? Why I just wondered you seem to know the road so well Listen, baby, let's not talk about me I'd rather hear about you. There's not much to tell I'm 21 fancy free and I work for a living I'm a nurse in a psychiatrist's office. Oh what? psychiatrist a doctor who Well helps people who are disturbed mentally like people who see things that ain't there Oh, yes, he gets a lot of those kind of cases. What does he do talks to the patients explains away the hallucination His name is dr. Padgett and he's really wonderful Johnny yeah Where are we going? Why baby? We've turned off the main road This leads past the old Tillson mansion What's that the house with that terrible murder took place about a year ago? It's all boarded up now. Yeah. Yeah, that's the job left to your corner. Yes. Yeah, he was on Mrs. Tillson show What Quite a coincidence, ain't it Johnny You're turning in the driveway. Yeah See a couple of nights ago. I broke into this place to sleep. It was just an empty house to me I didn't know anything about no murder. I left the puzzle behind. I want to pick it up. Oh Oh, I see You think I had any other reason for coming here Sit tight, baby, I'll be back in a minute. All right. All right, Johnny Well, why are you taking the keys just to make sure the car stays here and you with it, but of course I'll stay you better, baby What'd be just too bad? What loose from one of the windows climbed into the old house His bike is pitch inside that musty shut in smell Helped my way along the wall of the stairs climbed to the second floor The ladies room was at the head of the stairs Wasn't so dark in there Windows hadn't been boarded and the moonlight was coming in Nice or that marble fireplace with a dark oil in the middle grinning at me. I picked up the poke and smashed into it And they're Behind where I pushed it past the loose brick was a paper bag containing the jewels. I Looked inside to make sure that everything was safe Moonlight sparkle on him shiners and then and doc suddenly Out of nowhere it started that music started Mrs. Tilton that tone You mean you don't hear nothing What do you must it's gone now Johnny you're shaking all over your Johnny That's what they're all over the floor. They look like diamonds jewel. Didn't I tell you to stand the car? What are you doing up here? I heard noises and you were spying on me. No, I wasn't left What did you call me nothing I so you guessed it huh left to your corner and I came back for the jewels But that information ain't traveling fire Not with you anyway I was rattled back the music that it and everything else I left the lion there and I picked up the jewels and Peter started the car fast Just about hit the lane highway when the wheels started acting funny Stop got out the look It's a flat my luck had played out I took the time to change it someone might come along and just then I did hear a car coming I I froze waiting for it to pass instead. It stopped and Don't miss ever since I could which is the flat what? How did you know how did I know why you just called me you told me you couldn't find the tools I call you Well, yeah, don't you remember? No, no, I don't Couldn't I Course it's none of my business Johnny, but but you've been acting awful funny I'm beginning to think maybe you ought to go see a doctor Someone like doc Patrick that Ruth works for and there's nothing wrong with me nothing Okay Okay, let's start it with this jack the rest of the tools are under the front seat. I'll get them. Oh, no, wait Couple of collecting a couple yeah, look at them What's happening? Oh, I don't know But I told you you don't look well Where you go, hey wait a minute. I told you that was And what he said Tom Over and over again. I'm not some crazy I couldn't stand it anymore. So I looked you up in the phone book and I come over What do you expect me to do left do? You're a brain doc I'm not nuts. I know I'm not Why am I seeing these things? What's happening to me? Well, it's rather difficult to make a diagnosis this quickly But I'd say that you were suffering from hallucinations because of a sense of guilt Guilt about what? Well, it probably started with that first murder Mrs. Tilson and it's been weighing praying on your mind ever since Now if you could extrovert that get it out of your system, but I did That's true, but not as a confession with all the details. That's the only way you can achieve a complete catharsis That's crazy. All right You wanted my advice, but you don't have to take it And you think Okay Okay, I did kill her I Knew all the time what I was doing I waited for a night when there was only the two of us in the house, and then I beat her brains out with a tire I am There there. I said it. I told you yes lefty and I think that now I can promise you You'll never be troubled by hallucinations again. It's sure duck quite sure that's good Remember I said that in a half an hour. I was gonna kill someone. Yes Well a half hour is up And you're the man. Am I lefty? Yeah I'm sorry doc, but you know too much now You're the only one who does so I wouldn't lefty Why are you? Why are you sitting there like that? I? Shot you yes lefty with blanks in your gun. All right, boy And Mason did you get it every word your cops no kitten and the whole thing Letting me escape and everything that happened afterwards was just a trick. That's right You wanted to show I wasn't nuts get me to confess smart boy You made just one mistake lefty or rather Ruth did Following you into the Tilson mansion She paid for that with her life, but now now you're gonna pay now now Yes lefty for that and for the Tilson murder and my only regret is that rats like you can only burn once The two grim faced men take hold of lefty O'Connor Lefty knows that he's come to the end of the road Road began when he first heard the clock in the old Tilson mansion strike 12 for Be with us again when deaths face peers out of the darkened windows of deserted houses the clocks strike 12 for Honor was played by Joseph Julian With music by Charles Paul murder at midnight was directed by Anton M. Leader