 The Colombian network takes pleasure in bringing you Suspense Stories from the world great literature of pure excitement the new series frankly dedicated to your horrifying and entertainment Week by week from the pick of new materials from the pages of that selling novel From the theater of Broadway in London the sound stages of Hollywood will parade the most remarkable figures ever known DBS gives you Tonight's presentation is one of the finest of the contemporary stories of mystery and terror John Vixen Carr's famous novel the burning course A glass of cherry by the fire side of a beautiful suburban home. What could be more comforting? You're an admirable host. Mr. Vipar and it's really a shame our first meeting is under such a clout It's also a shame. I have so little time to tell you which one of your guests here Murdered your uncle last week. Now. Let's see now. I believe we're all here your wife your friend. Mr. Stevens captain Brennan Yes, and it's a deadly yourself Just who did you think you were with him? No wonder you've had so much difficulty with the case captain My name is cross go down cross the writer As a matter of fact, it's because of my just completed book poisoning throughout the ages that I happen to be here now And Ted Stevens there happens to be a member of the firm which publishes my work I've never seen him until tonight, but I've been told what happened this afternoon He began reading my manuscript for the first time on the train the commuters train Which every afternoon deposit him safely and soundly here in criticism I imagine he was halfway home by the time he finished the first chapter Then he turned the page Attached to the following leaf was a picture and looking at it the young man's different suddenly An orbit cried out his shock It was a picture of a young woman and under it had been printed famous Poisoner Marie Dobre 1676 Ted Stevens was looking at a picture of his own wife Imagine imagine his 25 year old wife in 17th century costume the face the features even a whistle this of expression were identical Even the name Dobre was his wife's maiden name, but no no no that was ridiculous This woman in the picture was well one of his wife's ancestors. Yes, that was it. That was it simply an amazing family resemblance Marie would be waiting for him at the station you have to tell her about He wondered why however, she'd never told him about But you don't discuss such an ancestor do you? Ted Stevens glance down at the chapter to which the picture had been attached. It was entitled the affair of the non-dead woman Evens was almost jolted from his seat. It was dr. Weldon professor of English at the college an old friend of his Quickly he thought the picture beneath the manuscript and move over. I I didn't see you doc Oh here have a seat. Oh, I thought maybe you were giving me the what do they call it the brush off? Oh, no, I Say as a matter of fact doc, you're the one man. I do want to see yeah, very flattering Remember those discussions we used to have about murders Better than bridge any time. Well, I got the idea that you made sort of a hobby out of the old cases a historical one Well, I've studied quite a number them. Yes ever hear of a woman named Marie No, great read the brain Read the brain. Oh, yes, that was her maiden name, of course One of the finest specialists in arsenic poisoning you could ever hope to find We're almost there. I think then let's get to the door Yes, a real charm of Marie was most of this fold of half a hundred husbands lovers suitors and just plain friends before she was Called what happened to a doc here if they had it and burned Laughable Ted Stevens kept saying this to himself and get what he knew was a foolish threat followed him straight through the small Suburban station and clung to him as he reached the street and There in the roadster was Marie leaning toward him a little to hold the door open and smiling at it One of you staring at that streetlight shining on your hair. I like that. Oh, you're tight. Come on get in the car Like a whispered smoke it was gone the old ridiculous fear the delusion When at home Marie brought the cocktails into the living room the logs were burning brightly in the fireplace Throwing a soft dancing glow upon a room that was darkening with dusk To you Marie As Stevens placed his glass down he noticed the manuscript of my book It was there on the table right where he placed it when he first came Deliberately he turned from it and then turned back the manuscript had been moved Only it in your soul, but it had been moved Keeping his back to his wife. He comes through that early chapter and discovered just as he knew he would That the photographs was gone For a long moment. He thought of what to do Then slowly he turned around this Book by cross I brought home There was a story of poison in it rather funny her name happens to be the same as yours Your maiden name is Darling well see your relatives of yours. Why can't you're serious in a way? Yeah, oh, I don't mean it really important it's just that well when you run across the person who's a dead ringer for your own Wife and who lived 300 years ago and was a top-flight poisoner. Well, you'd like to hear about it That's all what I'm ready to use talking about darling be honest with me Didn't you look at this manuscript when I was out of the room? No You didn't take out a picture of a poisoner named Marita. They almost certainly did not What is this all about are you getting it just this somebody took that picture out of that manuscript since I've been home Who's that? Well, I'll take a look. I don't feel like Why it's Mark's guitar Mark Ted wait a second. Yes Ted Whatever he wants promise you won't do it Promise I won't do it Promise you won't get yourself involved Don't go out tonight. Hey, what in the world is? Well, anyway, we can't let him stay outside Thinking about giving you a call later Thanks, I Maria I hope you'll excuse me for popping in like this, but well, I wanted to talk to Ted It's rather important. Oh, I don't mind this all come on mark. We'll step into the library. So you mind dear Of course not Ted, I'll be making sandwiches for her. I'll grab that chair in the corner mark Well, let's hear it What's the problem Ted? My uncle Miles was murdered murdered. Oh the talk hasn't reached you yet, but it's already started nothing definite Of course, just that there was something wrong about Uncle Miles death, but I don't Mark, are you sure of this? You know he was murdered? I don't know of course I don't I just don't see how it could be any other way Uncle Miles, you know had been sick for quite a while, but last Saturday He seemed so much better that Miss Corbett that that was his nurse decided to take the day off them Oh, well, you know all this you and Marie were over that afternoon Anyway, Lucy and I went to the club that night to that masquerade party and we left the old boy completely alone I've cursed myself a thousand times since but what about your housekeeper? Mrs. Uh, what's her name? Henderson wasn't he around? Sure in that little house out in back We told you to look in now men, but well, that wasn't good enough It was after midnight from Lucy and I got back Uncle Miles was dying Ted, it looked exactly like one of his regular attacks, but then later After he was gone I happened to glance under the chest of drawers in his room. There was a small silver cup under there almost drained and Uncle Miles kept The cat was still warm But quite dead. Oh, I managed to get the cat out of the house and buried without anyone seeing me Next day. I had the contents of the cup analyzed. It was poison. Yes Arseneck, well What do you want me to help me open the crib? I want to have a private autopsy performed Help me get Uncle Miles body out of that vault. Oh, I know it's a tough job The thing is sealed solid, but we can do it you mean without the police knowing about it without anybody knowing about it Mrs. Handerson visiting her sister, and I managed to send Lucy over to the club. You must be crazy The plane was dynamite mark. There's something you've got to tell the police now I can't take that chance, but they'll have to know some time. You're only gonna make me know first. I tell you You don't understand it There was somebody in Uncle Miles room that night handing in something in the silver cup Mrs. Henderson was on the porch by the window. She saw her She saw her head She thinks it was my wife. Oh Lucy it doesn't mean anything to Mrs. Henderson yet because she doesn't suspect anything, but well Ted you've got to see why I've got to be sure why I've got to know how Uncle Miles died Because it wasn't Lucy Ted. I know it wasn't of course not Mar she had an alibi. What she was with you with a club wasn't it? Yes Except for half an hour. I see You will help me won't you Ted? When we start soon as you can make it. Okay. Come on now. I'll get your hat You turn on the head now come over soon as I can see Marie. You're not going to tell her about them Of course not. I think there's something don't you worry about. No, thanks, sir. Thanks a lot Mary Darling Mark asked me to work. I'm okay here. You better take your sandwiches with him. He'd be hungry. Oh, but You knew I was going off. Yes. I knew You listen to us. I couldn't help it kid. I had no idea what Mark said it was about the talk about his uncle's death There's a lot of talk about it in the village. That's why I tried to tell you I didn't want you to get mixed up in it, but it's too late now, isn't it? I mean you're going I can tell by the way you look Ted, wait a second There's just one thing I want to tell you before you leave And that is it no matter what happens. No matter what you find or think or believe I love you You remember that won't you I remember you said so Marie By the light of a dim kerosene lantern Mark and Ted Stevens Hounded their way through the thick shelf of rock that covered the departs ancestral tomb Tried open the great slab of stone which lay across the subterranean door And then at last descended to the dank ink black chamber They found the coffin They dragged it from its grip and placed it on the whole stone floor They unclamped the lid And opened it That's the problem. It can't be but it is Mark You know what that means? That body wasn't in this coffin when it was placed here. I'll swear it was Ted From the time that coffin was closed on Uncle Miles somebody the undertaker or Lucy or me Somebody was with it until it was buried and the crypt was sealed right after saying somebody beat us to it Somebody's broken in here ahead of us broken in listen Ted Lucy and I have hardly left the house since the funeral Do you think anybody could break in here smash through that stone and cement without our seeing them or without our hearing them? Well Well Fun Well, you might as well come on up and But who is that? Me, Mr. Dick Barnard. I'm here. My name's Captain Brandon. I'm from the office of the commissioner of police Founder Like to talk to you if you don't mind Mr. Dick Barnard. Here, follow my flight flight up But I don't understand that. How did you How did you know about this? I'm listening mainly. Do you mind if we go up to your house, Mr. Dick Barnard? Why, no Not to talk Oh, thank you Oh, Freddie Look here, Captain. I Uh, Freddie, this is Mr. Dick Barnard. It's not great. I'll let you know, Mr. Dick Barnard. And Mr. Ted Stevens, is it? Well, how did you How did you know my name? Very simple. I got the names of everybody who was here at the Dick Barnard the day the old man died You and your wife were included Oh, here we are. But I don't Captain, who gave you those names? Why, your housekeeper, of course Mrs. Henderson You didn't think Mrs. Henderson saw the dead cat, did you, Mr. Dick Barnard? But she did He also saw you bury it And, uh, we've been interested in the case ever since I claim she'll have here, Mr. Dick Barnard Now, let's see According to Mrs. Henderson, your wife was wearing some kind of a mystery costume that night What kind of a thing was it? Well, it was it Oh, there, you can see it It was copied from the dress in that old painting over there Oh, yes But where's the woman's face? It's always been that way Long as I can remember Somebody must have thrown acid on it or something Can't blame them much She was a poisoner A poisoner? Yes The story goes that one of my ancestors was responsible for her execution Marie de Bray, her name was Oh, yes, I've read about her Learned all the poison tricks from one of her lovers Guy with the name of Godet Necroix Godet Necroix Oh, yes, Mr. Stevens We cop three now and then Did you say Godet Necroix? That's French We call it Croix Absolutely no limit to a cop's education, is there? But to, uh, get back to your wife, Mr. Dick Barnard She was just like the famous Marie Now when Mrs. Henderson looks through that window Just a minute, Captain Mrs. Henderson can't prove she saw a thing and you know it Now what do you mean? I mean, you haven't any right to insinuate that my wife was in that room Well, who's insinuating? I'm trying to stay with Mrs. Henderson After thinking it over, realized that she was kicked by the customs The woman she saw in the funny clothes Handing a cup of poison to your uncle wasn't your wife at all, huh? Because your wife is an unusually tall young woman And the one Mrs. Henderson saw was fully half a head shorter More on the order, let's say, of, uh, Mr. Stevens' wife My wife? Yes, yes, this is absolutely ridiculous I don't know Hi, what's the matter, Mr. Stevens? You're sounding like a leaf And tell me now, uh, just for fun Where was Mrs. Stevens that night? She was home with me The whole evening? Certainly You retired early? Yes, we both did You, I suppose, were sound asleep by midnight Yes, I was And how do you know where your wife was? What are you talking about, Mr. Stevens? She had to have a custom that was best with this big prize How did she manage that? Where did she get it? Well, she, she never had one She never had a dress like that And what about our motive? Why did she point to him? I don't know Well, money certainly doesn't work Why does it hate? Did she hate my estate? Well, yes, yes, she did Yes, no! Oh, I, I, I don't know I don't know, I can't use Well, Brown? Yes, honey? I've phoned and got hold of Mrs. Stevens It's all right That Mrs. Stevens Couldn't reach it The phone won't answer They were coming here I don't know what you're doing My name is Cross Go down, Cross Where's my wife? What have you done to her? You've seen what have you done to my wife? Why nothing at all, young man Here, here, here, sit down You're lying! Something's happened to her The police just phoned It wasn't an accident Why are you here? Why am I here? Because your wife, reading my chapter on the debris, realized I knew more about the family than even she did Because she found my phone number on the front cover of the manuscript And because I know an exceptional case when I hear one Does that answer your question? No, you know it doesn't Can't you see I've got to I've got to know whether Yeah, I see Whether your wife is that Marie Dobre Who was burnt Burned by order of the high tribunal for all poison cases The burning court of France Witchcraft, black magic The world across the threshold You're quite sure, no doubt also that I'm Godin Sainte-Croix Who first moved her Oh, no, no, my boy No, my real name happens to be of all things, Tom Simpson Most unsuitable for a distinguished writing career And Marie Dobre is no more your wife's real name than mine is Rodin Cross What? Your esteemed wife was an adopted child, Mr. Stevens Adopted by people in Canada named Dobre Remote members of the real family of poisoners I can't believe it Oh, why? Why didn't she tell me? Why? Because until I told her half an hour ago she didn't know it herself You see, in the course of my research on the family I found out about it And in the course of talking with your wife I found out something else How for years she was haunted by the fear that she might be a poisoner by inheritance by blood And you can see, can't you? Why, she never talked about it Her path to you Yes, yes And yet, Mr. Stevens, you had all but made her forget that path You And that's why she was willing to lie To steal a picture Do anything in order to hold you to her Yes, yes, I see that now You know, young man, I I rather think she loves you But as you will see though she comes only when I call her Mrs. Stevens You mean she's Maria, it's you You're all right Ah, yes, you're both all right now and nothing can change it ever Marie, listen Don't say my name, dear Hey, Maggie Maggie Well, that's my name, my real name Maggie McCavitt And it's a lovely name, dear You're my beautiful, gorgeous, lovely... Darling, darling, please You don't understand The police say think you had something to do with my old debt They think I did True Now, Mr. Stevens Before we go back to the departs don't you think you'd better tell me everything that's been said and done up to date? Having just saved your wife's soul from the burning court now I'll rest her body from the electric chair Yes, Mr. DePar Truly excellent sharing Don't you think so, Miss Corbett? Yes, it is very nice Well, that, ladies and gentlemen is how I happen to be here So let us consider first that supernatural ochre's focus in the crypt That body that walked out of the field Tomb That body that never was in the tomb Never was in the tomb? No, Mr. DePar The murderer knew that very soon Mrs. Henderson's story would bring about an investigation He had to get rid of the well-known Corbett deletor Yes, but who could have kept the body out of the tomb? Oh, Mr. DePar Why you, sir I don't understand Well, it's very simple You had the opportunity I believe you said yourself you were alone with the body before the burial and you had the strength I dare say you carried it down to the furnace where it's now probably nothing but ashes Ridiculous Why would he spend an hour smashing into a crypt for a body he knew wasn't there? Why, Captain? Hmm To impress Mr. Stevens, his witness and also, apparently, you Oh, that's pretty decent, sir Fantastic No, Lucy Just comic And I suppose Mr. Cross but I also put on a woman's masculine costume went into my uncle's room and handed him a nice cup of ice No, no, no That had to be done by a woman Your accomplice, as a matter of fact Oh, now, come, come, come You mustn't all look at Mrs. DePauro because Mark DePauro's one noble act was his frantic effort to prevent his wife from being charged with the crime A crime which he and nurse Myra Corbett committed Myra Corbett? Yes, sir Yes, Mr. Stevens this quiet little lady beside me Well, why would I do such a thing? Money, Miss Corbett a cut out of Mark DePauro's inheritance payments for services rendered That's an absolute lie, Cross You see, ladies and gentlemen Captain Brennan never bothered to check Ms. Corbett's whereabouts on the night of the murder Why even seek of the nurse? She was the custodian of the old man's health Oh, you're crazy, you're crazy And yet, who but a nurse could so naturally offer the old man a cup A cup, he was sure, contained medicine You're messing with us No, no, you just And who but Mrs. Corbett living right here in this house would know what kind of masquerade dress she must copy? Would know when Mrs. Henderson would pass the window that night pass and see her and accept her she hoped for Luce DePauro No, that was not true Oh, yes, Mrs. Corbett Yes, Mrs. Corbett that dress was the touch that wrecked you That was your own idea, wasn't it? Not Mark You weren't content with the mere murder a share of the profit You wanted a white share half of the whole estate You wanted Luce DePauro convicted and out of the way for good I give you a toast, Mrs. Corbett With Mr. DePauro's excellent sharing To a particularly ruthless poisoner And yet, you know, on the whole I'm rather partial to female poisoners Why, only tonight I, I Wait, wait, Mr. Corbett What's the matter, Bernard? This man's dead Dead? And from Friday night, if I know anything Friday night from that glass of sherry Friday night that a nurse could get quite easily That glass was right beside you, Mrs. Corbett and nobody else was there Too bad he didn't drink it as soon as you hoped A second ago we had nobody to use against you But we have now, Mrs. Corbett We have now And I arrest you for the murder of God damn cross Well, yes Yes, I'm in here, dear Oh, all right I thought you might Why did you cut it off, Luce? Huh? What do you mean? The radio? Oh, oh yeah Well, I thought you wanted to talk Poor kid Don't you think I know you're better than that? What was on the radio? Well, there wasn't a... Okay It was about my little Corbett She goes to the terrace, mate Oh I didn't think you wanted to be reminded I don't, really But making such an effort to hide it only keeps it alive, doesn't it? All right, darling You know what I came in to ask If you wanted a cocktail before dinner? The largest one you've got All right, I'll get off the ice, too I know If I'll pick up the fire Okay, Maria A deal Where are some papers to start it? Right there by the book, then And the name's not mine It's Maddie Because, darling, mine's dead And gone forever It was your hand that touched that glass I know that now And I could return the favor But instead I shall ask that you dispatch your husband This one Like all the other So little It's a poison in the drink Marie Annie What kind, you said? What kind of a cocktail shall we have? Oh Any kind, darling Any kind at all You've just heard the burning court From John Vixen Carr's famous novel The first in Columbia's new series About spanning classics and chills By world-famous authors Tonight's play, ladies and gentlemen Has one rather special significance We think you'd like to know about As you perhaps have heard Every fine comedian Is said to cherish a secret desire To do an abrupt about face He pines for the part of a black art Well, tonight you witness the fulfillment Of one such desire The role of that literary and quite infamous Die Hard Gordon Cross What's portrayed by none other Than Hollywood's expert provoker of glass Charlie Ruggles Here in New York for the world premiere Of his latest Queen's success, Friendly Enemies The role of Marie Well, that was enacted by a young lady Who long ago won national acclaim As one of Broadway's most accomplished Traumatic actresses Miss Julie Hayden Thank you, Charlie Ruggles And Miss Julie Hayden For your splendid performances The play tonight, as all plays in this series Was produced and directed by Charles Vander Written by Harold Medford And scored by Bernard Herman Next week we bring you an Intensely exciting and moving drama The Life of Nellie Jane This is the Columbia Broadcasting System The Columbia Network takes pleasure In bringing you Suspense Suspense A new series of programs with one Strict purpose in view Your entertainment Each week at this time CBS sets aside 30 minutes to excite you Denisify you And on occasion to horrify you With a catalog of the world's great thrillers Dramas from the stage and screen From fiction and radio Dramas that bring you The second offering of a new series Is a unique one Certainly it is one of the very few pieces Of suspense literature that somehow manages To tickle your funny bones While busily engaged in tingling your spine Make no mistake though Nobody's kidding CBS presents this adaptation Of John Collier's well-known short story Wet Saturday It's a wet Saturday Never thought you were in harder I'm Princey, Frederick Princey Just an ordinary family man I have a son, a daughter, and a wife I might be out gulfing now if it hadn't been for the... I'm Mrs. Princey I plan to drive over to the Netherlands This afternoon to the privateer The board, as you know But... Oh, the whole lot of them make me sick Yes, I'm George Sonamere I had a day to go pumping Pumping Couldn't find the blasted something as well as those I'm home too Are they going to pay crookage? That's how I... Fantastic That's the first he found way We find them at home Mrs. Princey, Millison George sprawled on a couch Mr. Princey biting on a dry pipe Their living room is dull and overstuffed Rain beats at the window They are any middle-class family at home on a wet day Except for one small item As you sit with them in the living room You can see through the door to the sun porch A pair of men's feet In case in black boots They look like the feet of a... Curet There's a tempest in the room The air is charged with excitement But the feet are very still Don't keep staring at them Listen to me, all of you Don't you see? They hang her That's what they do, they hang her Oh, sweet It's too rough That was awful That's a topic But suppose it is sweet Gentle, intelligent girl Prospected Loved by the whole village Going a thing like this Think of the publicity that's great Do you think I'm going to resign from the bench The best way? Tell out and live in some soggy hotel abroad? Oh, no, no No, no, I kill myself I will I will Don't be a fool Any more than you have been The governor of England won't... Be quiet Wouldn't be so bad if it were you Everybody in the village knows You are not responsible George Get up that couch Sit up on your spine You might be of a little use here If you could think Listen, governor, this isn't my funeral Oh, shut up As long as I can remember, George You've been a trial and a tribulation to me Oh, I can't stand it I can't stand it You've got to stand it, my dear I keep that hysterical look up in your body You see how? We are... We are talking about the weather Now, George Yeah? George, if he fell down On the old well They... I think he's hit several times What about it, eh? I really don't know, governor What about it? Don't be an ass I'm asking you to think He'd have had to hit the side several times In 30 or 40 feet and... And at all the correct angles Now... No, I'm afraid not I'm afraid not He'll have to go over it all again Oh, no, father Oh, no, I couldn't I couldn't Militant We must go over it all again Oh, Fred, you're torturing her Oh, face fact, mate It was him lying there that... No, he's pretending it's a picnic They might hang, no, militant Oh, stop that shaking Stop it here You must stop it Keep your voice quiet Militant We are talking about the weather Now, we will push you Shoot at both of those boats, Militant I'm not moving them Well, sit up, George Stop shuffling your pinks Now, Militant, look at me Answer me the truth, Militant Answer me You were in the croquet court Who knew you were in love with this wretched tourist Oh, the whole village They've been slinging it about it at the pub for three years Ah, well Militant, we continue You were on the croquet court Yes You were putting the croquet set into its stock Yes It was starting to rain I was carrying the ball of the militant It was one port The box was there You heard someone enter the garden gate and come across the yard Yes Could you see who it was? Not at first I would go into the front porch I threw down all the melons at the red one and turned around It was with us Yes So you called, loudly Did you call him loudly? Could anyone have heard? No, Father, I'm sure not I didn't really call him I just spoke his name He'd thought me as I went to the door He'd just wait his hand How can I find out from you whether there was anyone about or that he could have been seen? I'm sure not, Father I'm quite sure So, you both went into the front porch Yes It was raining hard then What did he say? He said, hello, Militant Excuse us coming in the back way but he set out to walk over to listen Yes He said, passing the party How? How did he thought of me? He thought he'd just look in for a moment He... He had something to tell me Go on He said he was so happy he wanted me to share it He'd heard from the bishop that he was the Heir of Icarus and it wasn't only that it meant he could marry but when he began to stuff I thought he meant me Don't tell me what you thought tell me exactly what he said Nothing else Well, actually, you can no longer afford Tell me what happened He said, so he said it wasn't really It's Ella Brackton David and and he was sorry and all that then you went to go and then he turned his back I had the red man at the croquet hit in my hand I forgot to drop it in the box Did you shout or scream? I mean, as you hit him No Oh, sure, I didn't Did he? Come on, speak up Your father I grew a dog I came straight in here I went to look for mother That was a child, mate I had no idea you Keep quiet, I'm thinking You see, George He probably told people he was going to Lister Suddenly no one knows he came here for he didn't decide until he caught the park He might have been attacked in the woods We must consider every detail a cure-up with his head bettered A cure-up with his head bettered Now, who would want to kill with him? Well, kill with him? Well, I would with Zeta How do you do, Mrs. Princes? Oh, sit down Pray mustn't get up for me, Mrs. Princes You either listen to my word Just being neighborly on a bad day I wanted to ask you about those daily abouts, Princes Took a short cut on the count of the rain and walked right in knew you wouldn't mind Oh, he's heard your father We could all have our little jokes Don't pretend to be shocked This way, Smollett This chair facing the fireplace Sit down, Mother He's just staking the curtain for the sand porch He looks so gloomy out there Might as well shut the rain out Just talking about the little theoretical cure-up killing Smollett Young people these days night thrillers pass on his eyes Justifiable pass on his eyes Have you heard about Ella Bragg in Davis? I shall be most properly laughed at Why? Why should you be laughed at, Smollett? No, I'm a sharp in that direction myself They aren't said yet, too Don't you heard? She told most people Now it'll look as if I got turned down for a white rat in a dog collar Oh, too bad No, fortune of war Yeah, fortune of war Art how it happens, isn't it? Sit down, Smollett Minneson, control Captain Smollett with your best light conversations You two, Mother George and I have something to look at Outside this rain, you know, but it is bad Very bad. Come, George Right, old Governor Maybe we'll need rain coats Oh, I don't think so Then just make yourself a room, Smollett Make yourself at home Is he going to hit Captain Smollett? Thank you, thank you A nice day to be going out Something about the old will Just off the sand porch door, you know The terrible fog and weather Seems to have loosened some of the stone Oh, too bad, dash too bad Spoils the tennis and croquet, I mean a day like this Doesn't it, Milly? Oh, yes it does She was peppering out on the croquet court earlier But I'll do for your chair near the fire, Captain So dense, we thought it would be cozy to light it Thank you, I'm quite comfortable I, uh, I hope You don't feel too bad about her, David Can't always win You can't say, though, what you women see In these bloodless clerics Oh, I always thought this would be the first time He is of any town he is I'd agree, but why should anyone want to marry him? You wouldn't want to marry him? Would you, Milly? Not now Ready, uh, are you? Oh, no, of course not Smollett Yes, yes, Captain Of course, don't man you To come in all of a sudden, eh? Yes, I did Oh, don't mind this old double-barrelled shop down Been working on it Smollett, may I have your attention for a minute? There's something on the front porch I'd like to show you Why, yes, yes, of course Smollett George and I went out to see if we could shoot some rats Which have been driven out of the old well by the high water I'm afraid they might get into the house Now you must listen to me very carefully Very carefully, or you will be shot by accident Prince, what got into you? You heard me ask as you came in Who would kill withers? You also heard Milly to make a comment An unguarded comment Well, what of it? Very little Unless you were to hear that withers had met a violent end this very afternoon And that, my dear Smollett Is what you are going to hear What? Withers? Yes Who killed him? Milly, yes, Thames And of course, you would have remembered and guessed Maybe yes Yes, I suppose I should Therefore, you constitute a problem Why did you kill him? Oh, it's one of those disgusting things Pityable too, she deluded herself to see he was in love with her Yes, Milly Oh yes, of course I see He had told her about the baby's girl I understand I have no wish that she would comprehend That she should be proved either a lunatic or a murderer I could hardly go on living here after that I suppose not On the other hand, you know about it Yes, I see that Makes me a problem You're wondering if I could keep my mouth shut If I promise If things went smoothly, yes But not if there was any sort of suspicion Any questioning You would be afraid of being an accessory I don't know I do What are we going to do? I can't see anything else You'd never be fool enough to do me You can't get rid of two corpses Oh, I regard it as a better risk than the other It could be an accident Or you and Wither could both Disappear There are possibilities in that Listen, you can't I can, but there may be a way out There is Smollett, you gave it to me yourself I did what? You said you would kill Wither You have a motive I was joking, of course you saw that You are always joking Listen, Smollett I can't trust you You must trust me Else I will kill you now In the next minute I mean that You can choose between dying and living Go on Now there's the old world just outside the Sunport Store That's where I'm going to put Wither No one outside knows he has come up here this afternoon No one will ever look there for him Unless you tell them You must give me evidence that you have murdered Wither I murdered him? Why do you want that? So that I should be dead sure That you will never open your lips on the subject What evidence? George Hit him in the face Sure Captain, you should be more careful Look what your teeth did to my muscles Again, George Okay Keep quiet You women keep out of it I'm sorry Smollett But there must be traces of a struggle between you and Wither Then it will not be all together Safe for you to go to the police But Can't you take my word, man? I will when we're finished George, get the Cochimere Right, Captain Take your handkerchief to it In there on the Sunport's floor I got it, Captain There's the weapon As I told you, Smollett Now you'll just grasp the end That mashed Wither's face I shall shoot you if you don't Good Lord, you're kind All right There I'll deposit it out by the side of the house Out of the way, of course No, wait, George First you better Pull a few hairs out of his hand And put them under the nails Of Wither's right hand Prince, have you gone mad? Do you know what you're doing? With this gun? Yes Go ahead, George Sorry, there must be a hair up, Captain Yes, that's all we need Now for Wither's and we'll fix it right up Be right with you, Captain Smollett You may turn around Wither's is just there In the Sunport's Go back to the curtain Yes, messy But we'll get him fixed up Now you saw it You just got to drag him through the door And dump him in the old well Just beyond the door, Captain I won't try Stand aside, out of range, George Only one place I want this bullet to go My aim's not too good Wait a minute Better, Smollett Much better Go on out In here, you'll have to take him outside By the shoulders What to do with, Captain? Quiet, George Go on, Smollett You've seen dead men before For a second I'll just hold the gun here To make sure that everything goes Oh, look, Captain Come away from the deal, although, dear, don't look Forget him, Smollett Father's is a thoughtful man, Milletwood I'm sure what he's doing is right But the captain... I'm asking a question, your dear father I'd say you two still at it There's enough trouble around here without blubbering I'm not Smollett, everything is fine What? They'll never look from our way You see how sensitive I guess it is all good, Captain You're dripping wet Why don't I think the slippery rain goes on Are you ready, my dear? Just a minute, dear That's what you need, Smollett A cup of tea, this thing in the world The war of the cold I want you, though my getting the chair wet Smollett Help yourself I stick to my pipe, you little funny ho Everything's hot, ma'am Put the trains out of me here On the table I say, Captain, you've got to catch a lift I just knocked it Oh, how dreadful Here, Bridget, hit the captain this cup No, no, thank you I... I rather think how They're running along now, if you don't mind Oh, Captain Smollett, would I have any tea? If you don't mind, this is Princess If I could just have my rink I'll get it for you, Captain This is very distressing, Smollett I'll be all right, Presently I'm sure Here we are, now, let me help you Thank you Better go out the front way, Smollett The walk is dry Let me hold the door for you, Captain Don't worry, old fellow, don't worry Nothing serious, I imagine They'll be as bright as rain By the way, medicine, you're not looking any too well No, not well at all I'm sure it was that croaky coat Being outdoors in weather like this is pretty foolhardy The maid is right, Millie So what happened to Captain Smollett? Come on, dear, I shall give you a hot foot bath And put you to bed And a couple of days in bed And you'll get fine again Let's send you rest, Millieson And don't worry about the things That's the best you're up And a little rest, too, Governor It's a fine afternoon for a nap Indeed it is, son Well, enjoy yourself I'll see you later I'll see you all Later Hello, Sergeant Is this Prince here? Have a thrill, Guy I believe you know me Sergeant, a horrible thing has just happened Something has happened I'm sorry, I'm sorry I'm sorry, I'm sorry I'm sorry, I'm sorry I'm sorry, I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry, I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry Sergeant, a horrible thing has just happened. Why, it's extraordinarily murdering, in fact. I am afraid it looks rather bad for a close friend of ours, unfortunately. We saw him do it. I think you'd better send someone over right away. I beg your pardon? No, no, no. I won't, Sergeant. Thank you. We have some visitors, sir. Oh, yes. Yes, yes, I can see that. Well, comes to a good afternoon. Good afternoon, Mr. Trintier. And Smollett, I see what a remarkable fellow you are, coming back right this year to re-enact the crime. Oh, and the one against me, Princess, the one against the curate, I'll leave to you, people. Extraordinary sense of humor. Good to see you, sir. Just had a look at what's in your well. Not a pretty sight, that. Not pretty at all. Yes, Captain Smollett will cut us if nothing else. You saw him when he did it, sir, out in the back. No, quite. We were just returning from a walk. Smollett evidently had been laying for the curate, hiding out in those bushes by the road, I imagine. He was never inside this house. Never. And you say, Captain. I say that while I was inside this house, a guest of the family, I was coerced into dragging the curate's body outside and dotting it in the well. Well, there we are. And not entirely comfortable. I just removed my raincoat. There, and demonstrate how damp I got my clothes when I went outside without it. No, that's interesting, isn't it? Quite. He undoubtedly removed his coat at some point between here and your post. I might as well tell you that his weapon, a red crookymallet, is out by the side of the house. I shouldn't be a tall surprise, but that you'll find his fingerprints all over it. All over the end of the marriage, Constable, the end that mashed with his hands was not the end I'd have had to grasp in order to do the mashing. Got it. That's a decent cry, Smollett, but it won't work. There must be other evidences, Constable. You'll undoubtedly find them when you examine the body. Well, he means my hair under Wither's nails. Well, sir, if you look carefully, I believe you'll find a few of my precious hair under his son's nails, too. Here, what are you trying at? Constable, this is an utter waste of time. So far as a violence struggle between Smollett and Wither's is concerned, Smollett speaks for itself, quite eloquently, I believe. Oh, but no more eloquently than your son's knuckle. As you see, Constable, a fresh abrasion. He did that on my teeth. Oh, did he? What? I say, oh, did he? He might have done that on Wither's teeth. Oh, I see. I see what you mean, but I didn't. Governor, he said I will keep still your nitwit. Let me think. Let me think. But as a matter of fact, George, the more I think of it, the more I'm convinced it was your voice I heard. Quite a vigorous quarrel, something about the cure it guilty in your favor. Oh, don't tell a ridiculous Smollett. Very well, Princey, if your son didn't do it, who did? That's what I'd like to know. How about it, Mr. Princey? Well, that is a sticker, all right. George, my boy, it looks like you're elected. Elected? What do you mean? I didn't do it. Why, I don't have nothing to do with it. Keep your mouth shut, will you? I won't. I'm not going to take the blame for her. Millie did it. She did it with that malice, I suppose. You could prove that? Prove it? I... I... Yes, her fingerprints on the malice. The handle is quite... George, don't you remember when you made me touch the malice? Some of you picked it up with your handkerchief. George, I'm sure you wiped that handle clean. Oh, well, I could hardly expect you to remember that, if you can't even remember killing the curie. Governor, I told you to keep still. Governor, you're not going to tell me all you... As long as I can remember, George, you've been a trial and a tribulation to me. Governor, you shouldn't have done it, son. You really shouldn't? No, George, that was definitely wrong. I say, Princey, I think I'll have that cup of tea, or troll, nothing like it in weather like this. Wet Saturdays, from the short story by John Collier. You have just heard the second in Columbia's new series, a series designed to bring you the best in thrill entertainment. Outstanding dramas from the field of fiction and radio, stage and screen, dramas of pure... This Columbia feature is produced and directed by Charles Vander, with scripts by Harold Bedford and score by Bernard Herman. Be with us again next week at the same time when we present The Spence. This is the Columbia Broadcasting District. My name is Mary Ann Spitz, and I'm 14 years old. My mother has a defense job, so I do the marketing for our family. Every morning, Mother says to me, Mary Ann, be sure you buy the most for the least money. So lately, I've been buying all the Victory Food specials. These are marked with a red, white, and blue basket sign with a big red V. The reason I always look for this sign is, well, you've heard the old saying, an army travels on its stomach. I know Uncle Sam needs lots of food to feed our fighting men. An army that's going places has to have good things to eat. Now steak fried rare with French fried potatoes is my favorite meal. But I'd rather have a soldier eat this dinner than eat it myself if it will get this war over sooner. So, if you have friends or relatives in the armed forces, think twice before you buy the food they need. Look for the Victory Specials and help win the war faster. The Columbia Network takes pleasure in bringing you suspense, suspense. Columbia's play theater of outstanding thrillers, produced and directed by William Spear and scored by Bernard Verman. The notable melodramas from fiction and stage and screen, from the world's great literature of entertaining excitement, presented each week to bring you to the edge of your chair to keep you in suspense. Tonight's adventure in suspense is from the pen of Dorothy Sayers. She called it the Cave of Alibaba. Like the tale told by Scheherazadeh, a distinguished ancestress in the storytelling art, Miss Sayers' thriller deals with 40 thieves and with two magic words. For your uneasy listening, then, suspense presents the Cave of Alibaba. On a Saturday afternoon in January, in the grim and narrow house in Lamberth, a man sat eating kippers and reading the daily paper. He was smallish in spare with brown hair, rather too regularly waved and a strong brown pointed beard. His double-breasted navy blue suit, his socks, tie and handkerchief were all scrupulously matched and his brown boots just a trifle too highly polished. He did not look a gentleman, not even a gentleman's gentleman, yet there was something about his appearance which suggested that he was accustomed to the manner of life in good families. A superior butler, perhaps, yet not old enough to be retired. A footman who had come into a legacy, yes. He had just finished eating and he was sipping his coffee when a slight noise at the front door caught his ear. Swiftly, too swiftly for a quiet little man sitting eating kippers and reading his paper on a Saturday afternoon. He sprang up, he dashed through the small hallway and he fung the door open. Of course, no one in sight. The society is at least dramatic in its delivery of its correspondences. And as if he knew what he could find, he shut the door and turned to the headstand in the hall. An envelope had been placed there. It was addressed to Joseph Rogers. So, Mr. Rogers opened the note. Number 21. An extraordinary general meeting will be held tonight at the house of number one at 1130. You will be absent at your peril. The word is finality. Finality. Yes, I think so. The man called Joseph Rogers stood for a moment studying the note. Then he strode to the rear of the house to a tall sea built in the wall. Carefully, he manipulated a dial. He swung the safe door open. He stepped inside into a small, strong room. He opened a drawer, marked correspondence, placed the note inside, and then came out again. A moment to reset the lock for a new combination. And then he went back into the living room. He reached for the telephone. He lifted it from the cradle and then reconsidered. Too dangerous. He hurried upstairs and clambered into an attic. In the furthest corner, he searched for and found a knuckle in the woodwork. He pressed it. A concealed trapdoor swung open then. He was on the loft of the adjoining house. He paused before three cages in each of them a carrier pigeon. Carefully, he wrote a note, slipped it under a pigeon's wing. There you are, my pretty. There, take it easy now. There you go. Lie straight for 30. I'll send another pigeon at five and the third at six. I should have my answer by 9.30 at the late. Oh, I forgot one thing most important. Mr. Rogers moved through the trapdoor back into the attic of his own house. And once again he stood before the tall safe built in the wall. He opened the door, stepped into the strong room, moved for a moment quietly in the dark, and then spoke gently. Now be good, my sweetheart. I'm depending on you. Open sesame. Come on now, old thing. Open sesame. Open sesame. That's better. That's very much better. By 9.30 his answer was back. All the little piece of paper said was a hasty okay. That a quarter before 11 he took his revolver from a locked drawer, inspected it carefully, yes, loaded it with cartridges from an unbroken packet, and left the house. He walked quickly, keeping well away from the wall, and when he climbed on a bus he sat next to the conductor, where he could watch all who got on and off. By 25 minutes after 11 he was out on Lonely Hampstead Heath, pausing in the shadow of a large tree to adjust a black velvet mask on which in white thread was stitched the number 21. Then he stepped briskly to the door of the villa that lay before him and... What is it? Finality. Come in. Go right on through. Number one will check you in. Right. 21, sir. Lift your mask. Very well, 21. You may go on to the meeting room. Thank you, sir. The room of the villa in which Mr. Rogers now stood was a large one, a brilliantly lighted room. There's a gramophone in one corner blaring out a jazz tune. To its rhythm, couples, masked men and women were dancing. Some were in evening dress, some in tweeds and jumpers. In another corner of the room was the bar. Mr. Rogers went up to it and asked the masked man in charge for a double whisky. He consumed it slowly, leaning on the bar. The room filled. Doesn't say someone moved across to the gramophone and stopped it. Mr. Rogers looked around. Number one, the massive gentleman in evening dress who had checked him in appeared on the threshold. A tall woman in black stood beside him. Her mask and brooded with her white number two covered her hair and her face completely. Only her fine bearing, her white arms and her dark eyes shining through the ice flits proclaimed there as a woman of power, of physical attraction. The masked dancers were silent now as number one spoke. Ladies and gentlemen, we are short two members tonight. I need not inform you of the disastrous failure of our plan for obtaining the plans of the court Wendell Sam Helicopter. Our courageous and devoted friends, number 15 and number 38, were betrayed and taken by the police. Some of you might fear that under examination these two would break down and give away our society. There is no need for such a fear. I gave the usual orders and their tongues have been silenced. Their defense will be discreetly compensated in the usual manner. I call upon number 12 and 34 to undertake this aggrable task. They retent me at my office for the instructions after the meeting. With the numbers I have named kindly signify by raising their hands that our able and willing to perform this duty. Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen please take your partners for the next dance. The gramophone struck up again. Mr. Rogers turned to a girl near him in a red dress. She nodded and they slipped into the movement of a fox truck. The couples gyrated solemnly and in silence their shadows were flung against the blinds as they turned and stepped to and fro. The girl in red spoke to Mr. Rogers. What's happened? I'm frightened aren't you? I feel as if something awful was about to happen. It does take one of its short number one's way of doing things but it's safer like that. Oh those poor men. No talk in phase you know the rules sorry. In silence the dance continued and then it came to an end. And then when it had finished the dancers came again to a number one sat and waited with a tense eagerness for him to speak. Ladies and gentlemen you may wonder why this extraordinary meeting has been called. The reason is a serious one. The failure of our recent attempt was no accident. The police were not on the premises that night by accident. We have a traitor amongst us. This last failure was not the first. You'll remember the unfortunate way in which the affair of the Dinglewood birds turned out and they're where others. However I am happy to say that our minds can now be easy. All these troubles have been traced to their origin. The offender has been discovered and will be removed. The misguided member who introduced the traitor to our ranks will be placed in a position where his lack of caution will have no further ill effects. There's no chorus for alarm. Ladies and gentlemen please take your partners for the next dance. Again the gramophone took up its bizarre monotony. The masked dancers glided and turned and their movements were sharper more staccato. The girl in red was claimed by a tall mask and evening verse. A hand laid on Mr. Roger's arm made him start. A small plump woman in a green jumper slipped a cold hand into his. The dance went on. When it stopped everyone stood detached stiffened in expectation. The endless interval was over. Number one raised his voice. Ladies and gentlemen you will not outwish to be relieved of the questions on your mind. I will name the persons involved. Number thirty seven. No, no, I don't. I swear I don't. You are faved in discretion you will redoubt with. If you have anything to say in defense of your folly I hear it later. Sit down. Number thirty seven sank down upon a chair. He pushed his handkerchief under the mask to wipe his face. Two tall men closed in upon him. The rest fell back. Ladies and gentlemen I will now name the traitor. Stand forward. Number twenty one. Take off your mask. Number thirty seven. This man was introduced to our society by you under the name of Joseph Brothers formerly second footman in the service of the Duke of Denver. Dismissed for petty thievery. Did you take steps to verify the statement? I did. I did. I got my witness. It was all straight. I hid him identified by two of the sevens. I asked all over about him. The story was through. I swear it was. Number twenty one. Your name has been given as Joseph Brothers. Is that your real name? Answer me. Is that your real name? No. What is your name? Peter Death Redden Whimsey. Silence. I compliment your lordship. We thought Lord Whimsey was dead. He was killed so the paper said two wenters ago by shooting big game in Africa. He even left the will proved to 500,000 pounds. To his mother I believe a dowager that is of Denver. Lord Peter Whimsey indeed. Well known book collector. Man about town distinguished criminologist. Took an active part in the solution of several famous mysteries. Taking an active part if you don't mind. So you deliberately let us to think you were dead and became Joseph Rogers to gain entrance to our society. What has become of the real Joseph Rogers? He died abroad. I took his place. And the end of your impersonation to uncover our society. Precisely. I see. The robbery of your own set upon which we congratulated ourselves and which you had to execute was arranged. Obviously. The robbery of the Duchess your mother was arranged by you. It was. It was a very ugly tiara. No real loss to anybody with decent taste. The burglary of the winds up mansion. The fact of the necklace at Covent Garden. The others as well as you arranged them all. All. By the way. You may not. Numbers 15. Twenty two. Thirty nine. You have watched the prisoner. Has he made any attempt to communicate with anybody. And none. He's dead and partners have been opened. His telephone checked and his movements followed. Even the water pipes in his house have been under observation for Morse code signals. You're certain. Absolutely. And we may be sure that he has been alone in this adventure. Well ladies and gentlemen please. Take the prisoner away. And be sure you explain carefully to him first the manner of his death. I'm sure he'll enjoy it. Wait. At least you can let me dive. Decently. I have something to say something to sell. We make no bargain with Triter. No but listen. Do you think I haven't thought of this. I'm not a fool. I've left a letter to the police. If I don't return tomorrow it'll be open. The president. He's been strictly watched. I left the letter before I came to Lambeth. Then it can't contain no information of any. But it does. The combination of my safe. It did. As a man safe in search. Yes. What did it contain. No information of importance sir. An outlaw of our organization. The name of the house. Nothing that can't be ordered and covered before morning. And did you investigate the inner compartment of the safe. Hear what he says. Did you. He's trying to blow. There is no inner compartment. I hate to contradict you but I'm really afraid you must have overlooked it. And what did you say was in the compartment if it does exist. The names of every member of the society with their addresses photographs and fingerprints. By doing a little detective work on my own. I've just been watched through the fingerprints of my watch as a dawn the first page of the collection that statement can be pulled certainly the name of number 40 for example. If you mention names here you will certainly have no hope of mercy bring the present to my office. Ladies and gentlemen take your partners for the next. That I know your gang from number one from number 25 you want you to prove that I know the others as well. My Lord your story first we will regret that you are not in fact a member of our society what courage and industry are valuable in an association like ours. I fear I cannot persuade you. No I suppose not. Ask the members kindly to proceed to the sub room. Ladies and gentlemen I will not conceal from you the seriousness of the situation the prisoner has resided to me 25 names and addresses which were thought to be unknown except to their owners and to me there has been great carelessness fingerprints have been obtained he showed me some photographs of them he tells me that the book of names and addresses is to be found in the inner compartment of his safe together with certain letters and papers stolen from the houses of members and several objects with fingerprints. I believe he tells the truth he offers the combination of the safe in exchange for a quick death I think he is of us should be accepted what is your opinion ladies and gentlemen the combination is known already truly this man is Lord Peter Whimsey a scientist of crime do you think he will have forgotten to change the combination oh I see give him the promise I'm getting sure you are great it's about Wednesday what is the combination the word of the combination is unreliability and the inner door the inner compartment in anticipation of the visit of the police the inner door is open but number 12 and 36 you will go to the president's house and why don't you anymore. That's right I agree nobody ought to be trusted and what ladies and gentlemen do you suggest you go yourself you're the only one that knows all the names you go yourself. I seven that motion is the wish of the meeting then that I should go no I say no no don't go number one is our president the hidden soul of our society if anything should happen to him where should we be you've all blundered we have your carelessness to thank for all this do you think we should be safe for five minutes if he were not here to repair your father there's something in that if you will pardon my suggesting it the lady appears to be in a position peculiarly favorable for the reception of the president's confidences the contents of my modest volume will be no news to her why should she not go herself because I say she must not if it is the will of the meeting I'll go give me the key of the house here is yours watched no if I have not returned in two hours act for the best to save yourselves and do what you like with the president the president has been going two hours traitor what's happened to him how should I know perhaps he's uh looked after himself and gone while the going was good liar I'd never do that what have you done with him speak or I'll make you speak I can I can only form a gasman I'm afraid that your president may quite inadvertently have left the door of the inner compartment closed behind him in which case yes let me explain the mechanism of my safe the inner compartment has two doors the outermost most opens outward with an ordinary key who do you think that the president is so stupid as to be caught in an obvious trap doubtedly he will have wedged open that inner door undoubtedly madam but the sole purpose of that in a door is to appear to be the only one hidden behind the hinge of that door is another sliding panel also left open inside the compartment is the big heavy ledger containing all the information about this society this ledger lies on a steel shelf uh do I make myself clear yes yes yes go on the steel shelf is balanced on a concealed spring when the weight of the book the ledger is lifted the shelf rises almost imperceptibly and advising it makes an electrical contact now let me draw a picture your president steps into the inner compartment sees the book takes it up anxiously to examine to see if it's the right one the shelf rises the electrical contact is made and the steel panel behind him slides into place he stepped you devil what is the word that opens the inner door quick the word do you remember the story of Ali Baba and the 40 feet well when when I had this safe constructed my mind went back well call me sentimental if you will to my childhood the words that open the door are open how long can a man live in this devil's trap of yours I should think you might hold out for a few hours if he didn't use up all the oxygen by hammering and yelling I imagine if we go there at once we'd be able to get him out all right I'll go myself I think you better take me with you why well I'm the only person who can open the door but you've given me the word yes you have the word but this door of mine I'm rather proud of it you know it's my own invention it's the latest thing it will open to the words open sesame all right but to my voice only your voice I'll chop your voice in my hands what do you mean your voice only don't touch my foot like that you'll wreck my voice and then the door might not recognize the door got stuck for a week once and then I had a cold is what he says true is it possible perfectly possible madam if you'll have a microphone arrangement could be done also with light by we must let him go take the ropes off him let him go nothing he doesn't go to black to the police the president's done in that's all and we'd all better make traps while we can it's all up boys right chuck his fella down the cellar and firstly mean I'll go destroy the ledgers 32 you know where the switch is give us a quarter of an hour of clear then you can blow the place to glory no you can't leave one to die he's your president your leader I won't let it happen I won't free this man myself here none of you get out of me it's been like an hour or two the police may be here at any moment please yes you're right no we mustn't imperil the safety of all for just one man he himself would not wish it throw this man in the cellar and let's get out of here while that's done here this is good enough leave him here right now let's go yes I say it's long from down here in the cellar you might at least leave a light on don't worry about the dark that's taking you here is the time choose for the bomb that's going to blow out this place it's always said you won't have long to wait a lot along who is it who's there where is it it isn't to my compliments madam on your loyalty to the president quick quick they've set the time shoes the house is mined follow me as fast as you can number one must be saved and only you can do it how did you manage to get there there's no time for questions get up and follow me you will release him you promise I promise but I warn you madam that this house is surrounded when my safe third door closed it gave a signal to Scotland yard all the members of the side yet take never mind them here that you inspector get your fellows away quick the house is going up in a minute inspector parker oh man are you all right I'm a bit winded watch out inspector all about half a dozen of them got blown up the rest we beg hurry we miss hurry who's this for one of the gang she's called number two we must save him we must die I can't forget the gentleman of the safe walker where's your car it's down the lane sent for one of your men down to get his right Johnson bring that car here I've got the number one of the whole company quietly affixing it home I promise we get back and save him he's the bloke that we've been wanting the man at the back of the Morrison case and the hope Wilmington case and hundreds of others is this it hmm quite a contraption yes I only hope he hasn't upset the adjustment by something like this I hope you haven't heard my voice you sound all right I can only be conversational come on oh thing show us your faces open sesame open sesame open sesame open sesame to be seen no he's not he lives to stand his file and so all's right with the world as it always is when Lord Peter whimsy is involved the cave of alibaba by Dorothy Sayers is the story which gave us tonight's suspense suspense is produced by william spear our guest director for this evening is Robert Louis Shea tonight's radio drama was written by Peter Lyon and scored by Bernard Herman Romney Brent was Peter whimsy William Molten played number one and Ira Gerald the lady in the case others in the cast were Kathleen Cordell Victor Beacroft Roland Bartonley J. W. Austin William Podmore Ian Martin and William Molten next Wednesday suspense will not be heard because of a special all-star Hollywood broadcast which paramount pictures were present two weeks from tonight at this time Columbia will bring you another selected story from the world's great literature of thrills another study in suspense and this is the Columbia broadcasting system the Columbia network takes pleasure in bringing you suspense Columbia's parade of outstanding thrillers produced and directed by William Spear and scored by Bernard Herman the notable melodramas from stage and screen fiction and radio presented each week to bring you to the edge of your chair to keep you in suspense good evening this is Orson Welles I'm very happy I am to be back in the United States and back on the Columbia network even for so short a visit is this one back with old friends like Johnny Deets who's tonight's director and Bernard Herman the mercury theater presented tonight's radio play for the first time last year they came right out there and inhaled it as a classic of the medium nobody argued the point a lot of people asked us to do it again so it's gratifying to get the chance now and to find a favorite of ours in this distinguished anthology of spook shows personally I've never met anybody who didn't like a good ghost story but I know a lot of people who think there are a lot of people who don't like a good ghost story for the benefit of these at least I go on record at the outset of this evening's entertainment with a sober assurance that although blood may be curdled on this program none will be spilled there's no shooting nighting throttling axing or poisoning here no clanking chains no cobwebs no bony and or hairy hands appearing from secret panels or better yet bedroom curtains if it's any part of that dear old phosphorescent foolishness that people who don't like ghost stories don't like then again I promise you we haven't got it not tonight what we do have as a thriller Sam as good as we think it is you can call it a shocker it's already been called a real Orson Welles story now frankly I don't know what this means I've been on the air directing and acting in my own shows for quite a while now and I don't suppose I've done more than half a dozen thrillers in all that time honestly I don't think even that many but it seems I do have a reputation for the uncanny quite possibly a little escapade of mine involving a couple of planets which shall be nameless is responsible doesn't really matter don't think I disapprove of thrillers I don't a story doesn't have to appeal to the heart it can also appeal to the spine sometimes you want your heart to be warmed sometimes you want your spine to tingle the tingling it's to be hoped will be quite audible as you listen tonight to the hitchhiker that's the name of our story the hitchhiker I'm on route 66 just west of Gallup New Mexico I tell it perhaps it'll help me keep me from going going crazy I gotta tell this quickly I'm not crazy now I feel perfectly well except that I'm running a slight temperature my name is Ronald Adams I'm 36 years of age unmarried tall dark with a black moustache I drive a 1940 Buick license number 6Y175189 I was born in Brooklyn all this I know I know that I'm at this moment perfectly sane but it's not me it was gone man something else something not only beyond my control I'd like to speak quickly at any minute the link may break this may be the last thing I ever tell a nurse the last night I ever see the stars six days ago I left Brooklyn to drive to California goodbye son good luck to you my boy goodbye mother give me a kiss and I'll go I'll come out with you at the car oh no it's raining stay here at the door what's this dear I thought you'd promise me you wouldn't cry I know dear I I'm sorry but I I don't hate to see you I'll be back it'll only be the on the course three months isn't that as it's just the trip Ronald I wish you weren't drunk oh mother there you go again people do it every day I know but you'll be careful won't you promise me will be extra careful don't fall asleep or drive fast or pick up any strangers on the road crash I think I was still 17 years old and why I mean soon as you get to Hollywood gorgeous of course I won't you worry man is going to happen it's eight days of perfectly simple driving on smooth decent civilized roads with a hot dog or a hamburger stand every ten miles fine spirits drive ahead of me even the loneliness seemed like a lot I reckoned without hit crossing Brooklyn bridge that morning in the rain I saw a man leaning against the cables he seemed to be waiting for a lift there were spots of fresh rain on his shoulders he was carrying a cheap overnight bag in one hand he was thin nondescript with a cap fall down over his eyes I would have forgotten him completely except for just an hour later while crossing the Pulaski Skyway over the Jersey flats I saw him again at least he looked like the same person he was standing now with one thumb pointing west I couldn't figure out how he got there but I thought probably one of those fast trucks that picked him up beat me to the skyway and let him off I didn't stop for him from late that night I saw him again so on the new Pennsylvania turnpike between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh it's 265 miles long with a very high speed limit I was just slowing down for one of the tunnels when I saw him standing under an arc light by the side of the road I've seen quite distinctly the bag of capital even the spots of fresh rain on his shoulders he hollowed his hand and stepped on the gas like a shot as lonely countries play out the game he's not had no intention of stopping besides the coincidence of whatever it was named the willies stopped at the next gas station certainly sir check your answer no thanks has been raining here recently has it not a drop of rain all the way oh I suppose that doesn't down your business any harm all people drive through here all kinds of weather mostly business you know there aren't many playground cars out on the turnpike this season of the year I suppose not what about hitchhikers hitchhikers here what's the matter don't you ever see any not much if we did it it'd be a sightless alright why oh gotta be a fool who started out to hitch rides on this road look at it then you've never seen anybody no maybe they get the lift before the turnpike starts I mean you know just before the toll house but then it'd be a mighty long ride most cars wouldn't want to pick up a guy with that long a ride and you know this is pretty on some country here mountains and woods you ain't seen anybody like that haven't I know oh no not at all I just uh a technical question well that'll be just a dollar 49 with a tax and gradually passed through my mind a sheer coincidence I had a good night's sleep in Pittsburgh I didn't think about the man all next day until just outside of Zanesville Ohio I saw him again it's a bright sunshiny afternoon the peaceful Ohio fields brown with the autumn stubble a greeting in that golden light I was driving slowly drinking it in the road suddenly ended in a detour in front of the barrier he was standing let me explain about his appearance before I go on I repeat there was nothing sinister about him he was as grab as a mud fence there was his attitude menacing he merely stood there waiting almost drooping a little the cheap overnight bag in his hand he looked as though he'd been waiting there for hours and he looked up he hailed me he started to walk forward not just now sorry slowly California no not today the other way going to New York sorry he has a thought of picking him up with having him sit beside me with some unbearable same time I thought more than ever unspeakably alone feels the town's ticked off one by one the light changed and you know that I was going to see him again and though I dreaded the site I caught myself searching the side of the road waiting for him to appear so sandwich isn't far here don't you yeah we go to the daytime I know what I was one of you to possibly have a cup of coffee black coffee just no I don't have the door please listen just a minute ago just a minute ago there was a man standing here right beside the stand a suspicious looking man I don't mean to disturb it and you see I was driving along when I just happened to look and there he was how's he doing or nothing you've been taken in this that's what you've been doing now I'm here before I go I care about I got into the car again and drove on slowly it's getting to hate the car if I could find a place to stop to rest a little I was in the Ozark mountains of Missouri now fewer resort places ever closed only an occasional log cabin seemingly deserted that's all that broke the knocking of the wild wooded landscape I had seen him at that roadside stand I knew I'd see him again maybe the next train of the world I knew that when I saw him next I would run him down I didn't see him until late next afternoon stopped the car to sleep at a little junction just across the border and Oklahoma to let a train pass by when he appeared across the tracks gleaming against a telephone pole perfectly airless dry day the red clay of Oklahoma was baking under the southwestern sun yet there were spots of fresh rain on his shoulders I couldn't stand that without thinking blindly I started the car across the tracks I couldn't even look up at me it was staring at the ground I stepped on the ground during the field sharply toward him I could hear the train in the distance now I didn't care then I went along the car train was coming closer I could hear the bell ringing a cry of twizzle still he stood there and now I know that he was beckoning beckoning me to my death I'm frustrated and left I started work at last I managed to back up and the train passed he was gone I was all alone in the hot dry afternoon after that I knew I had to do something I didn't know who this man was but what he wanted of me I only knew that from now on I mustn't let myself alone on the road for one minute like a ride well what do you think how far you're going I'll just where do you want to go I'll drive you there gee and mind if I take off my shoes my dogs are killing me oh gee you want a break they're here trying much sure honey it's tough sometimes and these great open spaces to get the break I just think it would be though I bet you get a good pick up in a fast car if you did you could get places faster than say another person in another car wouldn't you I don't get you well take me for instance suppose I'm I'm driving across the country say at a nice steady clip about 45 miles an hour I couldn't couldn't go like you just standing beside the road waiting for let's beat me to town or any town why did she got picked up every time in a car doing from 65 to 70 miles an hour I don't know what difference does it make oh no difference it's just a crazy idea sitting here in the car imagine spending your time in a swell car thinking of things like that what would you do instead but what I do if I was a good-looking fellow like you said why I just enjoy myself every minute of the time I sit back and and relax if I saw a good-looking girl along the side of the road look at you see a man standing beside the barbed wire fence I didn't see anybody I was nothing but a bunch of cars and and a wire fence no what you think he was doing trying to run into the barbed wire I tell you a thin gray man over my bag in his hand and I was trying to run him down run him down kill him say you didn't see him back you sure I didn't see a soul as far as action for him the next time I keep watching you guys peel on the roll you'll turn up again how did this door work I got nothing in that time no I didn't see him that time and personally Mr I don't expect never to see him all I want to do is go on living I don't see how I will very long driving with you I'm sorry I didn't I I don't know what came over me please don't go so if you'll excuse me you can't go listen how would you like to go to California I'll grab you to California see a pink elephant's all the way no thanks uh take just the same listen please just just one minute please you know what I think you need big boy not a girlfriend just a good dose of there I got it now you can't go please I were a monster two minutes later I saw a passing truck picker up I knew then that I was utterly alone it's in the heart of the great Texas prairies there wasn't a car on the road after the truck went by I tried to figure out what to do I could find a place to rest or even if I could sleep right here in the car for a few hours along the side of the road he's getting my winter overcoat out of the back seat to use as a blanket one I saw him coming toward me emerging from the herd of moving steer maybe I should have spoken to him then thought it out then and there for now he began to be everywhere wherever I stopped even for a moment for gas for oil for a drink of pop a cup of coffee sandwich he was there I saw him standing outside the auto camp in Amarillo that night when I dared to slow down sitting near the drinking fountain a little camping spot just inside the border of New Mexico he was waiting for me outside the Navajo reservation where I stopped to check my tires I saw him in Albuquerque when I bought 20 gallons of gas I was I was afraid to stop I began to drive faster and faster I was in the lunar landscape a great varied mess a country of New Mexico I drove through it with the indifference of a fly crawling over the face of the moon now he didn't even wait for me to stop unless I drove at 85 miles an hour over those endless roads he waited for me at every other mile I'd see his figure candleless flitting before me still in the same attitude over the cold lifeless ground flitting over dried up rivers over broken stones cast up by old glacial upheavals flitting in that pure and cloudless air I was beside myself and I finally reached Gallup, New Mexico there's an auto camp here the cold was almost deserted this time of year I went inside and asked if there was a telephone I had the feeling that if only I could speak to someone familiar someone I thought I could pull myself together your call please long distance long distance Italy this is long distance I'd like to put it in a call to my home in Brooklyn, New York I'm Ronald Adams the number is Beechwood 2 0 8 2 8 there's an A I'll try to get it for you Albuquerque New York for Gallup Gallup, New Mexico calling Beechwood 2 0 8 2 8 I read somewhere that love could vanish demons to the middle of the morning I knew mother be home I pictured her tall and white haired in a crisp house dress going about her tasks being left I thought just to hear the even calmness of her voice will you please deposit three dollars and eighty five cents for the first three minutes when you have deposited a dollar and a half will you wait until I have collected the money I deposit another dollar and a half will you please deposit the remaining eighty five cents ready with Brooklyn go ahead please hello hello mother who's this mrs. Winnie I don't know any mrs. Winnie is this Beechwood 2 0 8 8 2 8 yeah oh where's my mother where's mrs. Adams mrs. Adams is not at home she's still in the hospital the hospital yes what's this calling please is it a member of the family well what's she in the hospital for she's been prostrated for five days nervous breakdown but who is nervous breakdown oh my mother never was nervous it's all the son Ronald death of her death of her oldest son Ronald hey what's this what number is this it's all been very sudden he was killed just six days ago in an automobile accident on the Brooklyn bridge your three minutes are up sir your three minutes are up sir your three minutes are up sir and so so I'm sitting here in this deserted auto camp in Gallup New Mexico I'm trying to think trying to get hold of myself otherwise I I'm going to go crazy outside it's night the vast soulless night of New Mexico a million stars are in the sky ahead of me stretch a thousand miles of empty mrs mountains prairies desert somewhere among them he's waiting for me somewhere I shall know who he is and who I am no ends the hitchhiker and to Austin Wells our considerable thanks for his playing of the title role mr wells help wanted men women and children nature of work hard monotonous backbreaking labor hour 75 a week minimum a few cents an hour added inducement two meals a day including several ounces of bad bread and a cup of thin soup don't delay apply at once how'd you respond to a one dad like that mr and this is American working man and woman you'd laugh wouldn't you throw the paper in the trash basket dismiss the whole advertisement of some kind of a joke but believe me it's no joke it's a simple statement of the working conditions that exist today in Nazi Germany then the conquered countries under Nazi rule it's also an exact statement of the working conditions that'll be imposed on you and every member of your family if the Nazis win this war you yourself personally can stop them from winning as you know you don't have to give up your well-paid job to do it you didn't have to be a soldier or sailor an airman or a nurse or a war worker to ensure American victory Uncle Sam doesn't ask plain ordinary hard-working citizens like you to give him anything all he asks all this he does ask very seriously very urgently is that you loan him 10 cents out of every dollar you make that's all there is to it lend Uncle Sam a dime to win this war and he'll pay you back with interest when he's won it the easiest most convenient way to lend him these dimes is to enroll in the payroll savings plan just tell your boss to deduct 10 cents from every dollar he pays you and lend it to Uncle Sam in your name sign up for this simple savings plan today and when victory comes you'll have war bonds in your pockets instead of axis bonds on your wrists suspense will be heard again two weeks from tonight next wednesday night september nine the columbia broadcasting system will present over many of these stations at 9 30 p.m. eastern wartime an address by w. abrol harrowman united states land lease administrator in london mr harrowman as the personal representative of the president of the united states attended the mosco conferences between winston church hall and joseph stallion next wednesday's broadcast will be mr harrowman's first public address since his return to this country suspense is produced and directed by william spear john deets was our guest director this evening tonight's radio drama was written by lucille fletcher the original score was by bernard herman will you give a few seconds of your time to help win this war then listen at spelling rod the other day a nazi tank unit attacked the core of russian soldiers the russians tried to start the tanks and fought until their guns were silenced then did they surrender did they retreat no 18 of them rushed forward with bombs in their hands got under the tanks and blew them up they gave their lives for their country you and i are not asked to give our lives for ours all we're asked to do is buy war bonds and stamps our american soldiers are giving their lives for us each day more and more of them every day can we do less than loan our money to them it's such a simple easy thing to do out of every dollar you earn lend one dime to your country do it regularly by joining the 10 percent club where you work and do it now our soldiers need your help columbia network takes pleasure in bringing you sustain outstanding thrillers produced by william spear and scored by bernard herman with notable melodramas from stage and screen fiction and radio presented each week to bring you to the edge of your chair to keep you in the story deals with the remote and dangerous house and the terrifying thing that happened there because the rain went on for days and days it deals with a surgeon and a girl a giant and a young man who took a long chance and over them all the moon of the night wind and the ceaseless roar of the storm for your sustenance for listening we invite you to learn about the days of rain have been ceaseless teams pouring with a steady relentless rhythm four solid days the fields around colston had been turned into huge puddles that reflected the heavy swollen sky and dr moracy was stirred by a deep anxiety he stood beside a window in a sanitarium which rose high on a lonely hill a few miles from the little town of colston and stared into the jagged spraying screen of rain it was just three o'clock three o'clock but in afternoon you would long remember he was on the point of sending for cathory the ward attendant from the door opened and cathory came in pale dr moracy is there anything wrong cathory i don't know there's a feeling down in the ward feeling this rain's going on too long the patient's getting uneasy they're bound to wait there the guy with good nerves he gets jumpy can imagine what it does to theirs seem to be affecting anyone in particular number five has been carrying on kettler yeah i brought him up nurse card is waiting with him out in the hall that is that he's upsetting the others he's asking for some guy named benham that's the man he killed i didn't know he was overciled oh it was an accident he was performing a brain surgery on benham and uh him oh kettler was a very important surgeon cathory didn't you know that he keeps saying so but it's perfectly true very successful dr kettler was until he perfected an operative procedure but he called the kettler method a new process of brain operation spent most of his life on it and well when he tried it for the first time on this young lad benham and then him died on the table it unbalanced his mind i've got to go back down there now i think you better wait while i talk with kettler okay i'll bring him in but don't make it long i don't like the feel of things around here nurse miss carter yes we're coming you can bring him in now come along dr marcy wants to see you just see now just come in kettler i'd like to ask dr marcy a question i'd like to ask him a question yes doctor kettler i should like to ask him where lad benham is i know he will never tell me but i will kettler lad benham is buried somewhere out there under the rain he has a piece kettler and she'll forget about him just forget you'll all like to forget about him wouldn't you and you could keep him hidden away forever couldn't you benham is dead kettler you know that benham died he did not he's alive he was alive with you and the rest of the envious medical profession stolen the operating table kidnapped him with my bandages still round his head you were determined to make the kettler method seem a failure weren't you weren't you easy easy now believe me kettler i think i know benham died he is now dr marcy he's in the cellar under the wall downstairs isn't he isn't he kettler let me see him fail then oh you better take him down kettler all right i'm along now sir i'll take him this you won't show him to me even though it would make me welcome my seller to empty kettler believe me benham isn't there you should get a power and order me away i'm mine kettler there's something i have to say i've always been above violence dr marcy but the time comes when there's no other course this is a warning doctor a warning and a joke is that you won't hear i'm on with you you won't hear it now but you'll remember it and soon you'll remember it tables turn dr marcy tables turn poor thing i'm afraid i'm trailing with him failing completely but you're not it takes time to put a man back together it's taking me too long with kettler i'm beginning to be afraid if you'll pardon me doctor yes i do think you're making a mistake with him no for yourself you haven't had a real vacation in three years dr marcy oh you think i'm wearing a bit things as now don't you and you're right but i really can't leave my patience in anyone else's hands not now at any rate no i don't have to make for this but you need relaxation i know i know well i hope to soothe my ragged nose so much over this weekend oh i've some friends coming down from the city friday night let's link there with me young married couple really with and i'm just going to relax with them and forget everything until monday morning you must doctor you do need it so badly oh by the way doctor yes i put some of those new sample bandages into your pocket thanks thanks i'll have a look at them i think they're quite good the salesman says it yes no what is it did you hear something oh no wasn't it something else besides on that i thought i didn't hear it my nerd must be getting the best on this perhaps it's a case of nurse heal myself right i'm not the only one who needs a rest you know it might be a very good idea if we both doctor marcy i heard that what is it coming from the wards down there that was a sharpness you get on the phone call the police at coast and keep at it keep at it someone's trying to get into the hall doctor marcy doctor marcy kathry just a moment kathry kathry what is it this game's up with me one of them coming up the stairs give her to you out of here she knows it's dead isn't it yes doctor marcy get her remember my warning remember it doctor table turned doctor marcy table turned for three more days friday night came black wet glistening the 815 express groaned intercultured station meaning leslie and flair went out from the city with their weekend lucky this is doctor marcy sending his car for us leslie yes glad the chauffeur was supposed to drive us over to the sanitarium to pick up the dock and then we're all going to his house there i don't see any car to you i don't see anything but water maybe we're rolling over in a skiff i hate that sound like somebody's in agony i think you're a little depressed dear i shouldn't be surprised i head still aching gently poor lover how long that's been going on now almost a week it frightens me i don't think it's anything serious waiting in the rain like this doesn't do it any good i'm sure i don't understand docks usually so punctual right on the dock you don't suppose we ought to call the sanitarium you people or doctor marcy well uh yes yes we're the windings docks sent you to pick us up hi kato doctor marcy chauffeur you got luggage um yes here it is i take you follow me to car from where coming leslie yes he's tremendous isn't he he must be six and a half feet tall i'm over six myself darling he's nearer eight that's a giant get those shoulders he could snap me in two like a mastic i hope he likes it so do i light up my life are waiting you come please but i really don't think he does coming the car lurched and whittled over the rain so close carrying wildly through the dock including up the hillside toward the start walls of the sanitarium get it to a standstill in front of the main entrance and cold black kato led them inside the brightly lit corridors were deserted silent like always in a nightmare claire was aware of her headache growing steadily worse this kato opened the double doors and i should then into the waiting room you'll tell dr marcy we're here huh dr be with you soon you do not go away yes thanks i hope we're not staying in here very long it isn't very cheery isn't i don't like places like this i suppose it's very foolish of me but i always feel as if i'm in some sort of danger that's the headache again everything seems worse than it really is when you're not feeling well don't you always yeah somebody's knocking just a moment who asked you sorry who is it leslie i i don't know much you do not know me i am arturo alvarez he's south american pianist do you have heard of me well sure i've heard of arturo alvarez but i'd hardly expect to find him i think you're marine oh of course for a moment i forgot when i was i've heard of you mr alvarez is there anything i can do for you will you help me i must get out of this place oh sure i've killed you several days ago to be cheated for a mile no this trouble now now they won't let me go i am being held a prisoner and tonight i am scheduled to give a concert at Carnegie Hall and i must get out of here please will you help me ah number 10 out of the world again i see how many times must i tell you that is strictly against the rules i was doing nothing wrong i was only telling this gentleman that i must be at Carnegie Hall for my country yes yes yes i'm sure the gentleman was very interested hey kato yes kato you will escort number 10 back to the ward and see to it that he doesn't wander back into the waiting room no no i would not be taken back to the ward help me help me no no no no strongly believes in his delusion strange fantasy of a diseased mind seriously believes that he's arturo alvarez he was telling me why i'm very sorry i'm afraid i haven't been very cordial won't you sit down is there anything i can do for you well you see dr morris he invited us up for the weekend oh yes of course he told me he was expecting you does he know we're here i'm afraid not dr morris he was unexpectedly called away on an emergency case and i'm in charge of the sanitarium until he returns do you have any idea about when that'll be it's very hard to say however he asked me to ask you to wait and see to it that you're made comfortable and you see now your name is winnan leslie winnan and this is my wife's plan oh yes me people introduce myself i'm dr ketler dr morris his assistant what can i do for you a bite of food or a drink perhaps i don't think so there's nothing in the world i want so much as an aspirin aspirin yes dr she's had a headache that's been troubling her for days it's terribly annoying i can well imagine annoying and interesting that is to a man of my profession of course but if you step into the inner office i think i could offer you something a good deal more effective oh i hate to trouble you don't trouble at all i find these things most intriguing should i let me i think you might as well morris he won't be back for a long time by the looks of things you're quite like mr winton dr morris he won't be back for a long long time well then uh which way do i go right this way the large door and you'll let you won't mind waiting alone no dear dolly oh mr winton should make himself comfortable there are cigarettes in the box whiskey in the liquor cabinet and no radio behind the firms there i'm sure you'll be quite happy after you this is when dr morris he comes in let me know i hope you'll find everything you want sir thanks oh by the way doctor yes you said you had something better than aspirin i didn't know there was anything better than aspirin for a headache i have something mr winton really there's a process which i invented myself one that never fails a little treatment very effective and highly complicated called the kettler method please make yourself at home mr winton as they sat there alone in the big waiting room for a while then creeps began setting in and he thought to himself maybe i'll have that drink after all he rose he went over to the liquor cabinet that kept her and pointed out to him and opened it oh there's nothing in here that books yes books books that were so thick with dust that it was clear they'd be there for a month no drink for Leslie maybe a cigarette kettler said the box was full he picked it up and started opening oh it isn't even a cigarette box that's storing things at bookend yes that's just 24 as we began to think it was a tough job making himself at home in that waiting room then the idea occurred to him maybe the radio works he went over to the radio then turned it on and we are sorry to announce that the program schedule for this time from conagie hall has been cancelled due to the mysterious disappearance of arturo alvarez the noted south american pianist mr alvarez was known to be suffering from a minor nervous disorder and was last seen departing on a short trip to coast and in upstate new alvarez that kind is alvarez what's going on here prayer prayer one doctor says i open this door open it you hear me it's prayer window you tell him to open up tell him tell him doctor send me tell you young lady headache bad very bad what do you mean he operate operate he says take long time he says you will not wait you come back tomorrow operate no no can you hear me can you hear me of course he can hear you mr winter the operating table is just inside the door bring her out here let it go i tell you can i find that an operation is indicated mr winter i forbid you to touch you forbid you i'm in charge here no one forbids me you understand you're insane you're if you lay your hands on her i'll kill you so help me i'll kill you very well mr winter you do not wish me to operate that's all there is to it i would scarcely force my surf spot however the girls condition is quite serious and i do my good work good work my boy i'm master stroke do you still forbid me mr winter do your do your oh you don't ask her good it's good take it to the sun i keep watching there with his friend dr morrigan they should have a good deal to talk over in the still hours of the night while i cure the young lady's headache unrested you've got to pull yourself together leslie i'll try try to think kato brought you down a few months ago you've been hitting the head can you remember yes i was talking to kettler clean the making let clear go clear oh good lord morissi where is she he's got her kettler she's on that operating table up there we've got to do something we've got to do something but i'm afraid there's not much we can do i've been here for three days at night what happened uh because the night may come to life i've had kettler in my office to treat my care he was often a wild tangent insisting that i had a man whom he has killed hidden down here in the south that i am the rest of the medical profession had kidnapped him off the operating table with his head still swayed he thinks i've been keeping this phenomenon for him all along even though i've known that just one side of him would cure his mental disorders he hates me with that big fiber of his twisted brain he's a dangerous case leslie he'll he'll kill clare he may there's no chance he won't put that all the surgical instruments are locked away it's possible they may not be able to find isn't there any way we can get out of here what did i do sit where does that corridor lead to to the staircase that builds to the first look well now the chance comes out of the operating room and they keep their doors locked as tight as a drone besides kettler still has the pistol he took from i just got to think i've got to my head hurts so i can't make good sense let's see that i think they gave you a nasty cut oh it doesn't matter say doc yes what was his name who the guy kettler thought you were keeping from him the one he killed been him they'd been quiet was he a young fellow yes uh another tall slender chance say doc do you have any bandages down here what bandages why is i think so they're they're stored down here enough to bandage my whole head face and everything why i might have a chance of getting through that door up there let me go now oh let me go leslie leslie you will be better so much better i will take the pain away this is winston kato have you found the surgical game i've found yet i look kato look find it we must not keep mrs. winton in an agony why did i say i have to create some order in this place i want my instrument at hand on a moment's notice please let me go let me go you shall be well again my dear i promise you you shall observe here fall right in front of it behind curtain that's it open it open it stay home lock lock doctor nice and open it i do you'll find scalp those on the top tray bring them to me yes doctor this here doctor see knives good far knives kato find he find them excellent how they glitter uh it's good to feel the knife in my hand again put the others right beside my pistol here on the table please oh please there there my girl i shall extend all my genius on you you should be well again how to work what was that who's there doctor set off who is it i have found my way back to you open the door doctor set that i've come back again who are you you remember you remember led denim hey don't hey don't yes doctor the door the door let him in he's come back let him in i say doctor oh let me out of here he's come back he's come back hey don't then i knew it i knew it all along you're alive you're living yes doctor kappa you just need to give him a tip yes they took me away before the operation was complete finish it now hurry i can't live much longer i'm about to go no no get them out of the table girl girl on table take her off take her out of here put her in the cellar that doesn't take her place i want you here yes doctor pito no no i want people in the cellar it might be well as you went down into the cellar you know it's nice down they have you'll see old friends perhaps old friends who need help hurry hurry i think yes doctor come i'm coming are you all right better we better hey don't hey don't close door no stop wasting time leave the door alone help me have to get better on the table yes doctor pito do that right looking carefully good uh good now lie back lie back gently gently all right careful now here we are pito give me the last yes doctor take off the bandages from the top data doctor that's correct that's proper procedure yeah yeah now let's hmm i thought his head was blonde not black well perhaps i forgot i've forgotten so many things that there was a scar on his forehead i clearly remember a scar or a little maybe maybe i mentioned that too that's what someone else is brown eyes tenon tenon didn't you have blue eyes i know they were blue and your nose your nose is thinner and longer yes yes your lips you have thick lips and i know bandages off doctor dr catlock there's a trick here you you're not them you're not them you're that young mr winters dr catlock listen to me cheat cheat so you wanted me to finish you did you yes mr winters and i will i will hold him kato hold him see the knife mr winters watch it listen as it comes down down down and you don't doubt that he's out too long for us when you hear him play the piano do that's a marvelous old incident with your hand doctor because my mother this old house has been an offender for generations who'd ever thought we'd be alive to sit in your house and listen to somebody play a concerto we wouldn't have been at least i wouldn't have been if you hadn't snatched that revolver off the table right out from under Kepler's nose before they threw you into the cellar that was the lifesaver hey the weekend perfect i'm afraid it wasn't very restful thereafter i'm spending all weekend doing a cozy little corner on the l all right but well for today other than anybody she had a dreadful past it was exactly all right horrible if you know something what my head is it's completely gone the kepler method the tale of a memorable weekend and a long-awaited dead man who didn't return after all this was tonight's story of suspense suspense is produced by william spear john deets was our director this evening tonight's radio drama was written by peter barry and scored by bernard perlman roger de colvin was dr kepler john gibson leslie winton and gloria steward played fairwinton others in the cast for a guy we have markam balkner winfield pony and ross manny next week at this time columbia will bring you another selected story from the world's great never sure if through another study in suspense this is very kroger and this is the columbia broadcasting system the columbia network takes pleasure in bringing you suspense columbia's parade of outstanding thrillers produced by william spear and scored by bernard herman notable melodramas from stage and screen fiction and radio presented each week to bring you to the edge of your chair to keep you in suspense tonight's story by the noted american author t.s. dribbling deals with a crime of murder on an exotic and atmospheric island with ragged beggars who slept in a hindu temple and walked with gold in their pockets and a dead girl lying near them and with a strange and mystical entrance into the life of hereafter which was the experience of an american psychologist for your suspense for listening we invite you to join us a passage to bernard in port of spain in trinidad at half past five in the morning mr. henry patchouli an american psychologist stirred uneasily became conscious of a splitting headache opened his eyes and bewilderment and then the shock so very was got up arranged his clothing he tried with his neat psychological mind to recapture his dream to bottle up again the little smoking wisps that still floated about within his aching head by seven o'clock he found his way back to the house of mr. low his host in port of spain low was already about his coffee with an interested spoon poised above the morning paper ah there you are good morning buddy early i say you are quiet didn't hear you get up at all have some breakfast all right i am an absolute breath of air what's the news today well the new governor will arrive in trinidad on the 12th and uh hello another native killed his wife tell me partially as a psychologist why do coolies kill their wives all for various reasons i imagine but there's some of the facts oh and this is a coincidence really putting on a show for you partially on your first visit to trinidad how so well you remember that wedding procession you and i watched last evening down down at the hindu temple the temple well of course the cream colored little bride with the breath plate from the link gold coins and the anchors and all the finer and the bridegroom but you see his name was woodman lyle yes well you know what's happened woodman lyle is in jail this morning and his cream colored little bride is dead with her throat cut no do they think he did it no doubt of it that's why he's in jail now he always seemed like a sensible fellow too one of our best patrons which only proves my contention for jolly a bride room of only six or eight hours killing his wife without any reason at all oh there's usually some reasons for murder maybe but i say oh boy you're you're missing the point completely how well as opposed you actually have gone and slept in the temple there last night wanted to you know remember and i said no white man ever stays all night in a cruelly temple remember yes i remember you said it simply isn't done well if if you had by jolly i say uh i would have been a pretty kettle and yes yes well i'm afraid i'll be mixed up in it both Mr. lyle and his uncle the hierodas are trying to mine old hierodas is upwards of five million dollars in my bank hierodas didn't you tell me he built that temple where the murder took place yes it's what the hindu's call a temple and rest house hierodas gives rice and tea to any crab roe comes in for the night an indian custom to help mannequin children a rich indian will build a temple and rest house just just as your americans direct libraries ah what does it say there about the murder though um budman lyle nephew of the famous mr. hierodas was arrested early this morning at his home for the alleged murder of his wife whom he married yesterday the body was found at six o'clock this morning in the temple where the wedding ceremony took place the temple tendons gave the alarm the victim's head was severed completely from her body and all the jewelry was gone five cruelly beggars who were asleep in the temple when the body was discovered were arrested they all claimed ignorance of the crime but a search of their persons revealed that each beggar had a piece of the bride's jewelry and a point on the necklace budman lyle and his wife were seen to enter the temple at about 11 last night for the hindu right of purification mr. lyle who is a prominent curio dealer declined to say anything further i'll be very much of it how much will you make up those beggars all that simple enough those devils laid in wait inside the temple and till the husband went out and left his wife then they murdered her and divided the spoils but she had enough bangles and jijas to give a dozen to each man yes yes you're quite right for jerry that's a fact why should they continue sleeping in the temple after they killed her if they did murder her well why shouldn't they they knew they'd be suspected that they couldn't get off the island without captains or they thought might as well lie down again and go back to sleep hmm maybe right low but that doesn't look like the solution to me well i'm satisfied that's how it is you mean the beggars killed it well i don't think so i rather fancy that the actual murderer sits the girl's jewelry and went about the temple blasting a banger in the corner the pockets of each of the sleeping beggars who lay a false saint oh no that that's laying it on a bit too thick but you know the idea well that's the only possible explanation for the coins in the beggar's pocket i don't like the you've had lots of experience in racing come along with me and we'll go up and see mr highland does and see if we can't help his nephew i'll be glad to but we'll go to the temple first then we'll call on mr highland us well here we are fire the police guard at the door the temple doesn't look innocent in the daylight yeah just looks dirty and let's go in in question a beggar excuse me and did any of you follow us here noises in this temple outside oh much sleep side no noise police demand punches wake this morning makes it still here what's your name should i charm site when did you go to sleep last night when i ate rice and tea site mm-hmm you remember seeing budman lal and his wife into this building last night yes remember site did you see them go out no site no one remember go up you were all asleep then all asleep site did you have any dreams during your sleep do you hear any noises i dream about dream site well when police demand punch me awake this morning i think dream is come true i'm sorry please please did you all have bad dreams yes all have bad dreams i don't care about early i i i don't see where this is getting us i do think we ought to be getting on to old hide-and-seek house no i think we can now entirely discard the theory that the beggars love the girls oh what's wrong they told you nothing except that they all had bad dreams that's the reason they all had wild fantastic dreams that suggests that they were given some sort of opiates in their rice or tea last night it's quite improbable that five ignorant coolies would have good enough to concoct such a piece of evidence as that the fact that i don't believe the printed out court would admit that they did we're not looking for legal evidence we're after some indication of the real criminals now i suggest that we get on to the house as high as us he's coming gentlemen i've been sickening you need to be seated thank you thank you most mysterious murder in the life of my poor nephew will depend upon your exertions gentlemen tell me what do you think of the beggars that were found in the temple with the bangers and coins well i'm afraid my judgment of the beggars will disappoint you mr harvard us my theory is that they're innocent of the crime so i just say that because they told me of dreams they had all their dreams were very never identical you are not english sir no english man would have thought of that no i'm american with a backlash sprinkling of our battalion my name is padrioli what is your profession mr padrioli you are a detective no it's a dust i'm a psychologist your soul is at least groping after knowledge however it gropes is a blind one mr padrioli and we must find the criminal who committed this crime and thus restore my nephew budman down to liberty you can imagine what a blow this has been to me after i arranged this marriage for my nephew you did arranged a marriage for a nephew who was in his thirties yes mr padrioli i wanted him to avoid the pitfalls into which i felt he was unmarried and he'd already begun to add dollars to dollars i did the same thing and now look at me an empty old man in a foreign land what good is this house where men of my own time can't come and sit with me when i have no grandchildren to romp no i've piled up dollars and pounds i've eaten the world mr padrioli and found it bigger now here i am an outcast and why don't you go back to india mr harvard us why mr padrioli my mind is half english if i should return to binari i'd walk about thinking what the temples cost how much was the value of the stone set in the eye of christian's image if i would ever be one with my own people again mr padrioli i must leave this western mind and body here in tunidad that's um very interesting and moving but uh we were discussing your nephew budman now wait in searching for the criminal i would suggest you look for a moneyed man let me tell you my suspicion you can work out the details what are they i went out of the temple this morning to help the body of my poor and murdered me brought here to my beloved burial i talked to the five beggars and they told me there was a fixed sleeper in the temple last week whether indeed yes mr lowe a white man a white man yes mr lowe all five of the coolies and my man guca told me it was true but mr hyra does the capitation is not an american motive murder america i i was speaking generally i mean a white man's method of murder that is indicative in itself i meant to call your attention to that point it shows the white man was a highly educated man who's definitely the mental habit of other people than his own so he was a neighbor took is a crime an extraordinary resemblance to a hindu crime but what motive could a white man have possibly robbery mr pudgerly or if he were a very intellectual man he might have murdered the poor child by a way of experiment a murder for example yes mr lowe record the psychological reaction why i can't have the things are just serious that mr hyra the horn it is too far bit however it is worth investigating is it not yes yes but i'll begin my investigations with the man guca by all means mr pudgerly and in your investigations gentlemen hire any assistance you may need draw on me for any amount i want my nephew accelerated and above all things i want the real criminal apprehension brought to the channel or what do you think of them for sure white man in that temple ah sounds like pure fiction to measure the shield of manlal you know these fellas hang together like thieves say it's a jolly good thing we didn't decide to sleep in the temple last night isn't it you know in my opinion lowe the actual criminal was budman lowe same here i've also ever since i first saw the accounts on the somehow these fellows will chop their wives to pieces for no reason at all now what do you know about what we love well he he was born here and zora has been a figure because of his rich uncle is it the wrong way uh step and he was an officer for six years oh he's an officer man yes yes there they are that's the trouble i don't understand what do you mean by the way i know that he fell in love with some english girl but when lord hyra dash chose a hindu child for his wife woodman couldn't refuse marriage no man was going to quarrel with a five million dollar legacy then he chose this ghastly method of getting rid of the child bride uh i didn't say all right i feel sure about manlal killed the girl i don't i'm getting tired of walking there's a cab let's hop it's my the rest of it hi cabby cab well aren't you coming you know i don't feel that i can conscientiously continue this investigation trying to clear a person whom i have every reason to police guilty but man don't leave me like this at least come as far as police headquarters with me and explain your theory about guca the temple people in the right well i i thought i'd go back to your college and pack my things pack your things or your clothes doesn't fail and we'll find it yes i know but there's a very service to cure us so it's tough for me to go there oh no come you can't run off like that just when i stirred up an interesting murder mystery to unravel all right well jolly you ought to appreciate my effort to the host more than that to the police station yes i got that hang on chief vicar as it is my friend mr grozoli grozoli mr vicar's is chief of current as police force how do you know how do you do a chief vicar's i've um i've asked mr grozoli's counsel in the budman lau murder case he's already developed a theory as to who is the actual murderer of mrs budman lau well have i now in this matter chief vicar i want to be perfectly frank with you i'll admit we're in this case and the employer of mr ira does and i'm making an effort to clear his nephew budman lau we felt confident you'd use the skill of the police department of port of spain to work out a theory clearing budman lau just as readily as you would convict him uh department usually the vote time to conviction and not to clearing criminals yes yes i i know that but if our theory will point out the actual murderer what is your theory mr pozzoli's deduction is based on the dreams of the men who were found in the temple so mr pozzoli's deduction is based on dreams it would be a remarkable coincidence mr vicar if the five men had lurid dreams simultaneously without some physical cause it suggests strongly that their tea or rice was soaked now if you find out what proper if it was used then have your men search for sales records at the drug stores and the city to see why they'd bought such a drug you will find the murderer uh-huh how do you like trinidad mr pozzoli i like it very much indeed you've just arrived haven't you yes in uh what university do you teach back in the state Ohio state a chair of criminal psychology at an ordinary state university i'm not a professor i'm simply a docent and i haven't specialized on criminal psychology i acquit ungeneral psychology you're not teaching now no this is my sabbatical year you look young to assault in the university six years then you're an american star young in your land of specialist now are you uh mr pozzoli i suppose you're wrapped up half and full in your psychology i am you'd uh do anything in the world to advance yourself from the side i rather think so especially keen on original research work haha that's what he is he figures you know what he asked me to do yet the afternoons no what mr low oh i don't think we ought to burden mr vicar with our household anecdotes oh but i'm really curious just what did mr pozzoli asked you to do yesterday afternoons below oh well really nothing nothing at all it's just a little psychological experiment he wants to do and did he do it oh no no no i wouldn't hear it oh as uh unconventional as that or just really nothing nothing at all i think i could guess your anecdote if i tried gentlemen about a half an hour ago i received the telephone message from my man stationed at the temple to keep a lookout for you and mr pozzoli and look out for us yes because one of the coolies under arrest told him that mr pozzoli slept in the temple last night oh but that's not true that's exactly what he didn't do he suggested it to me but i said no you'll remember pozzoli you you didn't do it did you pardon me did you you see he did gentlemen i i had a perfectly valid important reason for sleeping in the temple last night and so i i can only ask your sympathetic attention to what i'm about to say go on you remember though you and i were down there watching a wedding procession well just as the music stopped in the procession under the building suddenly it seemed to me as if as if they vanished naturally they'd gone to the building oh no i don't mean that i'm afraid you won't understand what i do mean that the whole procession exceeds to exist melted into nothing you see that's really the idea in which the indians based their notion of heaven oblivion nothing yes that's how that's before well our medieval Gothic architecture as a conception of our western heaven and i thought perhaps the indian architecture had somehow caught the motif of the indian religion you know suggested no nirvana that's what amazed him and freed me that's why i wanted to sleep in the place i wanted to see if i could further my shred of impressions does that make any sense to you mr we're not interested why you went mr pozzoli we know a murder at the place in the temple you don't can't think that i committed a horrible murder as an experiment you intellectual shafts do some pretty weird things mr pozzoli well only the other day i was reading about two young intellectuals yes these fellows i read about also tried to turn an honest penny by their murder i don't suppose you happen to notice yesterday that the little blind maila run was almost covered with gold bangles and coins of course i noticed i had nothing what i had to do with her i i i did sleep in the temple by the way you say you slept on the rug just as the coolies did yes i did and you didn't wake up either mr pozzoli then did the child's murder i happened to put a coin and a bangle in your pocket just as he did the other sleepers in the temple i don't know why i looked in my pocket and please do so now mr pozzoli very honest you don't happen to have any more do you know i've already been through all my pockets and i haven't anymore well that's something of course you might have expected just such a questioning as this and provided yourself with these two pieces of gold but i doubt it somehow i don't believe that you're an experienced enough man to think of such a thing however we shall see i suppose you have no objection mr pozzoli to my accompanying you over to have a little search of your baggage in this little old cottage now then mr pozzoli it is so kind as to open your trunk just to wipe off a full tray full of bangles and coins i'll say one thing for you though mr pozzoli your nerve almost got you by but you can't believe that i did it you don't believe i did this to you i i i thought in your trunk i did it i was sleepwalking god i think that it's possible but right here in my own well we might as well start back i suppose this is all i i'll go back with you but pozzoli i'll see you through somehow i can't i i won't believe you did it you know pozzoli you stand out to clear budman lal and well dash it all this is if you have no he didn't goodman lal was out of jail at least an hour before you fellows came in the police headquarters to see me how you mean that you turned him loose yes how's that she figured because mr lal he didn't go to the temple at all with his wife last night he went down to queen's park hotel and played billiard till one o'clock he called up a few plans and pulled that easily enough word that that leaves nobody but yes a jolly i don't know anything about it i did commit the murder i was asleep i don't know anything about it that's all i can say i don't know anything about it perhaps the lesson jail will help restore your memory well we'll see come now pozzoli old man don't be too downhearted i promise you i'll do everything i can the coast against Henry pozzoli having been jeweler tried by jeweler of your parents who've been funded by the powers invested in this a hell of settings are to be hanged by the next continual date to recall the lost dream is the most tantalizing task ever a human brain was gripped but if i lie still long enough on this book perhaps i can recapture the theme i had in the temple last night yes yes it seems to me that the image on the auto moved and suddenly the dome overhead was opened in less than a month into a vast abyss where i was alone in endless space with all creatures and all matter that had ever been or ever would be for a rest of a knee partially that's another thing six men dreaming the same dream in different terms that must be a physical cause that's such a phenomenon of course i've got it because oh i have it i've sold it get me out of here i know who killed the girls what is this my friend i know who murdered the bride hold her adapt it listen listen go tell decker to take the gold he found in my trunk and develop all the fingerprints on it you'll find the higher a dozen sprints also tell him to follow up that obvious clue i gave you'll find the higher a dozen demanded for the gold in my trunk see if they don't find brass or steel filings in my room where the scousers have to file a new key that they've already done that long ago but certainly and old higher dust can test everything though why a rich old man like him should have murdered a pretty child is more than i can see why did he pick on me as a scapegoat oh he explained back to the police he said he picked out a white man so the police would make a thorough investigation and be sure to catch him did i but what i can't see is why the old boy wanted to be caught and hanged well why didn't he convince suicide why i know why because according to his religion in that case his soul would have returned in the form of some beast he wanted to be slain because he expected sex to be reborn instantly in the nurse his little myeloran as is right instead of his nephews he hopes to be a great man with wife and children all the things he was not here in truth as yes you must be right why didn't you come and tell me about her about his confession the moment it occurred do you mean keeping me here when you know i'm an innocent man why didn't you tell me before this because i couldn't old high red house didn't confess until a month and ten days after you were hanged oh and the passage to the knowledge to your scribbling tale of mysterious death and death mysterious this was tonight's story of suspense suspense is produced by william spier john deets was our guest director this evening tonight's radio drama was written by carol case and scored by bernard herman Paul steward was paugiole very quagovan is the high red house his horse grandpain mr lowe i was in the cast for alan stewart and guy rex next week at this time columbia will bring you another selected story from the world's great literature of thrills another study in suspense this is very quagovan this is the columbia broadcasting system the columbia network takes pleasure in bringing you suspense suspense columbia's play theater of outstanding thrillers produced and directed by william spier and scored by bernard herman the notable melodramas from fiction and stage and screen from the world's great literature of entertaining excitement presented each week to bring you to the edge of your chair to keep you in suspense tonight's story by america's distinguished author playwright oren johnson gathers its suspense in a very gentle way it doesn't have a spectacular finish garnished with revolver shots there are no graveyard watches there's not so much as a single lifeless body identified or unidentified it's a tale told in a club room the artist's and writer's club in new york a tale of high-class robbery and suspicion and of how some ladies and gentlemen nervously counted 100 in the dark that was a fine meal me for the club anytime here we can all sit here buddy yes if you just draw up that chair for mr peter oh yeah thank you do you all know peter's uh this isn't the time girl or how do you do mr girl yeah oh i agree with matt oh yes yes how i oh you know each other yes and the one who drew up the chair mr renkin how do you do well i guess i guess we're all acquainted now um to get back to our table discussion clinic oh yes yes uh how about a drink who joined pleasure a job well now stand out as i said there are only half a dozen stories in the world what is more to the point there's every reason but oh five uh with soda john yes now now there was i oh yes what is more to the point gentlemen is a small number of human relations that are so simple and yet so fundamental that they can be eternally paid upon redressed and reinterpreted in every language in every age and yet remain inexhaustible in the possibility of variation well that's true of course very possible take the eternal triangle to men and women or to women and a man its variations extend the thousands that right ranken well in a way oh here we are sat them down right there john very well so soda here you are thank you and you uh so to peter yes please here you are thanks and here's your thank you and now a little soda in line well here's to you all i'm afraid we can't see eye to eye quinney i believe there are situations original situations that are independent of your human emotions that exist just because they are situations accidental and nothing else as for instance well i'll just cite an ordinary one that happens come to my mind in a group of five men such as we are here a theft takes place one man is the thief oh which one now i'd like to know what emotion that interprets and yet it certainly is an original theme at the bottom of the whole literature it's not the same thing at all detective stories i could answer that the situation you give can be traced back to the commonest of human emotions curiosity i think uh play has you there ranken what is the peculiar fascination that the detective problem exercises over the human mind you will say curiosity yes and no admit it once that the whole art of a detective story consists in the statement of the problem anyone can do it i can do it steingall can do it uh ranken i believe even you can do it the solution doesn't count it is usually banal it should be prohibited what interest us is can we get it there you have it the problem the detective story now why the fascination i'll tell you it appeals to our curiosity yes but deeper to a sort of intellectual vanity five men present the theft takes place who's a thief who will get it first whose brains will show its superior cleverness you see that's all that's all there is to it out of all of which the interesting thing is that ranken supplied the reason why the supply of detective fiction is inexhaustible it does all come down to the simplest terms five possibilities one answer well the reason is that the situation does constantly occur it's a situation that any of us might get into any time yes i know of an incident of that kind that happened to a friend of mine last night of course of course gentlemen you are glorifying common places every time i tell you expresses itself in the terms of the picture puzzle that you feed your six-year-olds it's only the variation that is interesting i'll take the well-known instance of the visitor at the club and the rare coin for example you all know that story you don't think i'm sure why it's it's very well known oh go ahead coin tell me a distinguished visitors brought into a club a dozen men say present at dinner long table conversation finally veers around two curiosities and relics one of the member's present then takes from his pocket what he announces as one of the rarest coins in existence passes it around the table coin travels back and forth everyone examining it and the conversation goes to another topic all at once the owner calls for his coin it is nowhere to be found everyone looks at everyone else first they suspect a joke then it becomes serious the coin is immensely valuable who has taken it the owner is a gentleman does the gentlemanly idiotic thing of course laughs as he knows someone is playing a practical joke on him and that the coin will be returned tomorrow the others refuse to leave the situation so one man proposes that they all submit to a search everyone gives his assent until it comes to the stranger he refuses hurtly roughly without giving any reason uncomfortable silence the man is a guest no one knows him particularly well but still he is a guest one member tries to make him understand that no offense is offered that the suggestion was simply to clear the atmosphere the stranger becomes very firm very proud and says i refuse to allow my person to be searched and i refuse to give the reason for my action another silence the visitor evidently has the coin but he is their guest and etiquette protects him nice situation as well as the answer the table is cleared a waiter removes a dish of fruit and there under the ledge of the plate where it's been pushed is the coin but our explanation of course solutions always should be at once everyone apologizes to him whereupon the visitor rises and says now i can give you the reason for my refusal to be searched there are only two known specimens of that coin in existence and the second happens to be here in my best pocket that's rather obvious of course the story is well invented but the turn to it is very nice very nice indeed well i don't know ending is very unsatisfactory visit this they've had on another coin but something absolutely different something destructive say of a woman's reputation and a great tragedy should have been threatened by the casual misplacing of the coin well i've heard the same story told in a dozen different ways oh it's happened a hundred times it must continually happen i know of one extraordinary instance in fact the most extraordinary instance of this sort of ever heard peter's you rascal i see you've been quietly letting us set the stage for you well it's not a story that will please everyone why not because you will want to know what no one can ever know it has no conclusion then yes and no as far as it concerns a woman quite the most remarkable woman i've ever met the story is complete all right do i know the woman possibly probably i should say as a matter of fact there should be particularly interesting to you because i believe that most of you are acquainted with the people involved uh the names of course are disguised i think yes i have just time before i catch my train to tell it to you this is well mrs rita killed there inhabited a charming bachelor girl studio very elegant with the duplex pattern and one of the buildings just off central park west she knew very nearly everyone in that indescribable society in new york has drawn from all levels and that imposes but one condition for membership to be amusing in this mingle society her invitations were eagerly sought her dinners were spontaneous and the discussions though gay and usually daring were invariably under the control of wit and good taste on sunday night of this adventure she had according to our custom sent away her filipino brother and invited to an informal chafing dish supper seven of her more unusual friends at seven o'clock having finished dressing she put in order her bedroom which formed a sort of free passage between the studio in a small dining room to the kitchen beyond then going into the studio she struck a match and was about to light the candlesticks which illuminated the room and the bell ring and a mr flanner zebroker compact nervously alive well groomed was waiting as she opened the door well you're early on the contrary you are late well in any case hello and come inside here let me take your things thank you and the first I suppose of course and since you are you can be a good boy and help me with the candles delighted who's to be here tonight the enus jackson I thought they were separated not yet how interesting only you dear lady would dream of serving us a couple on the verge it is interesting isn't it surely where did you know jackson through the wearings at jackson's a rather doubtful person isn't he well let's call him a very sharp lawyer and they tell me though he's been gambling pretty much in deep how about yourself me I'm a bachelor if I lose my shirt it makes no difference is that possible probably even who else is coming oh maud lily you know what I don't think so you might hear some time ago a journal oh yes yes of course I've forgotten mr harris the clubman is coming in the Stanley family cheevers are we going to gamble don't tell me you object certainly not only the cheevers they play quite a game yes well united they have an unusual streak of good luck oh by the way it's uh jackson isn't it who is so attractive to mrs cheeba right right what a charming party hey where does maud lily come in don't joke she's in a desperate way and young harris oh he's to make the salad and cream the chicken see the whole party I of course I'm to add the element of respectability of what don't play baby with me my dear flanders I apologize that's better no one of course knows who else is coming no one of course the Stanley cheevers enter a short fat man with a vacant fat face and slow moving high and his wife valuable nervous overdressed pretty mr yes mr harris came in with maud lily a woman straight dark indian great masses of somber hair held in a little too loosely for neatness with thick quick lips and eyes that rolled away from the person who was talking to her the enos jacksons were late and still agitated as they entered his forehead had not quite banished the scowl nor her eyes the scorn he was of the type that never lost his temper but caused others to lose theirs mrs jackson seemed fastened to her husband by an invisible leash he looked at her curiously and wondered what such a nature would do in a crisis with a lurking sense of a woman who carried with her her own impending tragedy as soon as the company had been completed and the incongruity of the selection had been perceived a smile of malicious anticipation round the rounds which the hostess cut short by saying well well now that everyone's here this is the order for the night you can quarrel all you want you can whisper all the gossip you can think about one another but everyone has to be amusing also everyone has to help with dinner and nothing for more nothing serious we may all be bankrupt divorce to dead tomorrow but tonight we'll be gay that's the invariable rule of the house may i be of any help thank you my dear so this is chamber you might come along too all right adorable bedroom oh thank you dear now if my apron oh there it is uh turn me up to the back here please mark of course there you are fine thanks now just let me get my rings off and i'll be all ready to go to work oh this is such a lovely apartment it's still there a thing soap and water always seem to do it your rings are so beautiful they are nice aren't they but there's only one that's very valuable the sapphire oh it's beautiful let me see oh it must be very valuable it cost 10,000 six years ago it's been my talisman ever since for the moment however i'm a cook you're not going to leave the rings there why of course now i'm a cook more really here the story made parents is a chef and we're all under his orders mr cheever did you ever feel onions or would heavens know oh well there are no onions peeled all you have to do is help set the table under their hostess's gay guidance the seven guests began to circulate busily through the rooms laying the table grouping the chairs opening bottles and preparing the material for the chafing dishes mrs kildare in the kitchen ransacked the icebox and with her own hands shredded the chicken and measured the krillin carefully forking your wife and put the salad bowl on the table oh everything ready harris all set all right everyone sit down i'll be right here she went into a bedroom took off her apron and hung it in the closet then going to a dressing table she drew the hat pin around which were her rings from the pincushion and carelessly slipped them on her fingers but all at once she frowned and looked quickly at her hand only two rings were there the third ring the sapphire was missing stupid she said to herself and returned to a dressing table immediately she stopped she remembered quite clearly putting the hat pin through the three rings she made no attempt to search further but remained without moving her fingers slowly drumming on the table who had taken the ring each of our guests had had a dozen opportunities in the course of the time she'd been busy in the kitchen she ran over their characters and their situations as she knew them strangely enough at each a mind stopped upon some reason that might explain a sudden temptation find out nothing this way that's not the important thing to me just now important thing is to get the ring back and slowly deliberately she began to walk back and forth a clenched hand beating the deliberate rhythmic measure of her journey five minutes later as harris installed the chef over the chafing dish was giving direction school in the air mrs. kildare came into the room by lengthening shadow her entrance had been made with scarcely a perceptible sound and yet each guest was aware of it at the same moment with a little nervous start evils evils dear lady you come in on us like a greek tragedy what is it you have for us a surprise i have something to say to you mr enos jackson yes miss kildare kindly do as i ask you i'm certainly go to the door go to the door please lock it and bring me the key you've locked it as you wish me to thank you now the bedroom door would you do the same thank you mr jackson mr cheever and would you blow out all the candles except the candle on the table blow out all the candles except the candelabra for goodness sake mrs kildare what is it i am getting terribly worked up by my nose are all there that's the first candle all right now listen my sapphire ring has just been stolen the ring's been taken within the last 20 minutes i'm not going to mince words the ring has been taken and the thief is among you and mrs kildare is it possible yes mrs cheever is not the slightest doubt three of you are in the bedroom and i place my rings in the thin cushion quite true i was in the room when she took them off the sapphire ring was on top each of you has passed through there a dozen times since my sapphire ring is gone and one of you is taking it i'm not going to mince words i'm not going to stand on ceremony but i'm going to have my ring back listen to me carefully i'm going to have that ring back and until i do not a soul shall leave this room i don't care who's taking it all i want is my ring now i'm going to make it possible for whoever took it to restore it without possibility of detection the doors are locked and will stay locked i'm going to blow out the remaining candles in the candleabra i'm going to count 100 slowly there'll be an absolute darkness no one will know or see what's done but if at the end of that time the ring is not here on the table i shall telephone the police and have everyone in this room searched and i'm quite clear everyone take his place about the table and remain standing please that's it now do now i'll blow out the candles and count 100 no more no less remember either i get that ring or everyone in this room will be searched 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 it's not out the chair i'm sorry 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 the ring 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 where is that mr cheever you may hand it to me now that that's over we can have a very gay little supper in the light someone and there you are gentlemen oh i say peter's that's not all absolutely the story ends there story ends there but the who took the ring what you never found out never no clue none i'm not sure i like the story that's no story at all permit me it is a story and it is complete in fact i consider it unique because it has none of the banalities of a solution and leaves the problem even more confused than at the start well i don't see you don't see my dear anken you do not see that any solution would be common place whereas no solution leaves an extraordinary intellectual problem well in the first place whether the situation actually happened or not which is in itself a mere triviality peter has constructed it in a mastery way the proof of which is that he has made me listen any of those present might have taken the ring there are therefore seven solutions all possible and all logical but beyond this is left a great intellectual problem so was it a woman who lacked the necessary courage to continue or was it a man who repented his first impulse is a man or is a woman the greater natural criminal well that's simple 20 woman took it of course on the contrary was a man for the second action was more difficult than the first man certainly the restoration of the ring was a logical decision you see personally i inclined to a woman for the reason that a weaker feminine nature is strangely susceptible to the domination of her own sex there you are we could meet and debate the subject here in a near out and never agree i recognize most of the characters peter's uh mrs kildare of course is all you say of her an extraordinary woman the story is quite characteristic of her flambas i'm not sure of but i think i know i i'm positive i did it really happen exactly as i told it the only one i don't recognize is harris your humble servant what you peter's you were there i was there i was harris having a partner oh yes what is it done mr peter sir you're trained you told me to remind you oh thank you yes i didn't notice so late you gentlemen pardon me uh nice to meet you all nice curious champ extraordinary well now i i wonder i wonder if we're wondering the same thing gentlemen and so with the enigmatic smile of mr peter's or harris ends 100 in the dark oh and johnson's smooth story which gave us tonight's suspense suspense is produced by william spear tonight's radio drama was written by jack ensign think directed by john deets and scored by bernard herman eric dressler was mr peter's alice frost played mrs kildare and ted osborne quinney others in the cast were helen lewis joneshae henry at k frank reddick paul luther stefan schnaubel ian martin and barry kroger with this evening's performance columbia brings to a conclusion the present series of suspense if you like these broadcasts cbs would be pleased to hear from you suspense has been a series presented for your relaxation and enjoyment by the columbia broadcasting system the thrill of the night time the hushed voice and the prowling step the crime that is almost committed the finger of suspicion pointing perhaps at the wrong man the stir of nerves the dicking of the clock the rescue that might be too late or the murderer who might get away mystery and intrigue and dangerous adventure we invite you to enjoy stories that keep you in suspense or suspense tonight we present the lord of the witch doctors by john dixon car the drums were beating that night the lord of the witch doctors was on his way 20 miles off the east african coast fanned by the blistering heat of the indian ocean lies the island of zanzibar here many years ago the exact in the year 1889 three nations were rivals for trade in imperial german eagle at mogadishu for the italians a mixed population boiled along that coast portuguese heralds swahili of the island itself seyed khalif sutana zanzibar ruled the rims of a once mighty empire mohammedan bunters of the tribe of zengan look over there in the moonlight that white building patched and rotted was the palace where seyed khalif lived with his fat wives at his captive lion not far away on the hill overlooking the harbor stood the british residency the british resident or crown official held an easy sway against german and italian influence and that's the residency on that hot night mother come away from the windows please but father there's thunder on the mainland never mind 30 miles from here i'd rather you stood back it's the fires i don't like sir you can see the red light all this distance having a bino of some kind if you better stand back to mr harris look here sir yes mr harris i've been your diplomatic attache in this place for three years couldn't you call me by my first name in private just as you please law the sun blinds and turn down the wick of that lamp you don't think there's any danger there's no danger whatever but i don't think it's terribly restless tonight only natural my dear with the drums going everybody seems restless this has been going on for days you begin to get in your nerves so you feel it too and i do wish their color wouldn't ease an arrow shab at him with the meat fork and that kind of thing if that line ever got through the nerves my dear nothing nerves let's face it sir there's something very queer going on over on that mainland well suppose there is all we know is what nioca knows this great witch doctor whoever he is been making a triumphal progress to the coast the whole bush is afraid of him you alarm me nioca says he's got horns he can make himself seven feet tall like stretching an accordion really they'll have i don't say i believe it i say it might be dangerous now for instance could this be one of dr schmitt's tricks dr smith is a friend of ours yes he's also head of the german east africa company dr smith is a gentleman look at that coast over there he's got every native chief in his pocket dr smith assured me that the german emperor has no more territorial claims in east africa we get our trade concessions and say caliph say our only friend but we can't even be sure of him germans give him trade gin and a grand piano the italians give him three new wives for his harem what do we give him i have no instructions from london about the situation in this island no somebody in whitehall probably forgot to post for the last time mr harris i will not hear his majesty's government criticized like that sorry sorry these things take time if there's any danger we'll be notified in two course just so they're only our own ladies they beat their own drums you know somebody went past that window that's probably only nioca my dear surely you're not afraid of our own server no but i nioca listen to me don't hang on to that big curtain you'll pull it out i'll stand up straight and tell me what is it he here for now he here yes please who's here big way doctor here yes please he'd come up past the moonlight he walks slow boom boom he's got big teeth eat with the outside front door now yoke is right sir we have got a visitor there's somebody coming down the hall better turn down that lamp Martha seem to find the lamp my fingers are all plumb there's a revolver in the table to draw behind you sir i don't need it stand perfectly still all of you well don't be alarmed are you english that's right miss born and bred in stradden in which of you is the British consulate i am the British resident sir my name is Richardson may i ask the meaning of this tomfool well that's just what i'm here to tell you or maybe i'd better show you now observe me right and i hold it up so and as i live a lighted cigar that perhaps the lady doesn't like smoking in the drawing room now lucky there's nothing up his sleeves i wouldn't deceive you for the world i turn over me and then would you believe it a glass of water is this man insane father i think he's trying to tell you he's a magician that's right miss direct from the egyptian or piccadilly animal tame in a magic that's my line then you're the famous witch doctor that's got all the natives in an uproar nobody else young fellas will you tell us what you mean by this nonsense scaring everybody when there's no danger no danger i suppose you haven't heard about say is caliph and his gatling guns gatling guns kindly presented by dr otto schmitt and believe me all you've got is an appointment of gatling unless my nonsense steps in here take a look at this what you can't be from the british foreign office that's just what i am governor and going up in the world don't you think by the way i'd better give you your instructions the envelope pretty dirty and a little bit smelly from being under my furs and devil pink but that read it sir go on and read it foreign office white hall british consul zanzibar bearer of this letter the great mafist that's me real name bonny they must be out of their mind are they listen oh man i've been three weeks in that jungle with a swahili interpreter i've been bitten and stung them fried to death but schmitt ono schmitt i've got those native chiefs just what i want them you see what happens when i announce i'm a friend of the great white queen why you'll have a meeting out of your hands well that's true and all we've got to do is get around say it kelly if you're on this island but do we need to get around him the young lady be good enough not to speak until you're spoken to her sorry father say it may be lazy and as bad as a hippopotamus he's rather a fine old boy is he you said something about getling done now listen here's the game father i don't like this i've never heard me at all never mind the arrow go on well i came over here tonight in the steam launch tomorrow i'm paying my state visit to the great sultan say it kelly now you present me as your friend and a friend of the great white queen and i do me best tricks at home is anything wrong with your native boy nile garby stew you're not afraid of our witch doctor friend are you no i could christian yeah what are you doing come out from under that sofa but why now i see something i look out through windows that's deep one of all head coming apart one of all head that dr schmitt dr schmitt well he mustn't find me in this i quite agree this is most irregular get it back way out of here yes through that arch stay in the back room nile go show you me go with witch doctor honey please i don't like never mind what you like you go all night about time too good evening dr schmitt pleasure to see you always a pleasure to see you my friends i wish i could say it was such a pleasure to see you isn't it doctor this is any time but now i do not mistake my big of you know it is such a confounded line nile always i say it will happen and now it has happened what about my friends i regret yes me this kid just tasted blood what's that you permitted i sit down and take off my son helmet i am not young and i'm tired it's not saying kelly yeah yeah it is so yes he's at line one store oh poor old boy he was our friend he's not dead yeah yeah i regret yeah he is dead certain of sense of our state oh god but how did the lion ever get at him he drank too much that was his trouble he got drunk and think he can do too much so you open the door and get into the lion's cage into the cage yeah would you believe it not easily but it is true over the palace there's what you call gnashing of teeth the sun no peace in tears did you see this happen doctor no no no i i go there later and they tell me it it's all over us because of some foolish toy tomb head story that he has been struck over the head and thrown into the cage by someone who did not like him well that's more likely if you ask me my friend it is foolishness everybody liked old man it was a father to his people in a kind friend doctor are you telling us that say my it may have been put into that cage unconscious it is what one african the soldier says yeah well then he may still be alive life it is impossible what's more than possible a lion may maul an unconscious man but it doesn't often kill him this is vital vital to say it himself and others as well you're a doctor don't you go and make sure my friend i regret i am not that kind of a doctor there is you may be right i think i'd better go myself this is a good idea sir i'll stay here and uh entertain dr schmitt unless of course he wants to go to no no no i i think i do not like sights of that sort i i have a tender heart and i have illnesses besides you can do nothing i tell you he is dead we'll see a mother you better come with me your nurse is training maybe of some use at last um how do we better go the back way and speak to nioca yes nioca mustn't be troubled in that back room very good evening to you dr schmitt uh mr harris they have good hearts they're so foolish i would give my own right arm day that poor man but well they must have philosophy you must cheer bad yes now dr we're all alone so we are so we are we must sit down and have a nice comfortable chat yes definitely yes i wanted to have a word with you anyway ah so about that mr harris various things i am happy to give you all the time in a world i i like talking to young people it makes me feel young again myself like uh nobie nobie say khalif's eldest son the new seldom ah one fine young man or savage yes but uh weak easy to manage and very fond of his father too it's a wonder he didn't have a lion shot after they got the body away shot with but my friend i beg your pardon even i i do not consider the matters funny no no no i but uh the shot with lot these boots they have nothing but muzzle-loading muskets can deal with those no suppose they had gatling guns pardon just suppose that of course of course well ah my friend gatlings would be of no better use you only wound get a line you must reach the eye or heart with a high power bullet what is the matter with us why are we talking of these things talking of death you mean of say it khalif who gave all the trade concessions on zanzibar to the british my friend i was talking about express rifles okay don't you find it warm in here yeah yeah a little yes it smells of animals fur doesn't it i'll just raise the sunlight no no no you must not trouble you said to do that it's no trouble i i i i beg of you not to trouble it is not necessary doctor you've been mopping your father since you've been here a little fresh air never hurt anybody yeah yeah not better much much why not sit down my boy and we have a nice chat fine enough night no smell of the animals cage here my friend you talk like a hunter yes or a victim yes a fine night at least for this part of the world fire is still burning on the mainland i wonder if that's a good sign of what i wish i knew when the sea is like skin milk under the moon and good lord what is it let me do jump look there in the harbor my friend i see nothing perhaps if i take off my stectacles invite my man you must see it in the harbor out at the left there but the other shadow of those big palm trees don't you see our riding lights it looks like by georgia days it's a warship just soon your chairman gunboat my friend only very little chairman gunboat german gunboat my friend you must not be so distrustful that is not kind let me get a telescope but i tell you who she is it is nothing she's not what you call a goodwill to her you're not angry angry my friend i did not know i i could not guess that is the england the heart understand we know that ourselves i i tell you something in confidence the chairman's are sensitive the british objective the native sphere too strong i tell the gunboat to go away i buy an express rifle it has a sound boom you cannot mistake one another that is why i think of an express rifle but you nobody will object why not the least bit tell me doctor you like it here on this island just not barely don't you ever want to get away from a forsaken mud heap like this my friend i am a chairman my duty is here it's iced tea here yes i know between ourselves that's exactly my position but you are young that's not the point it's the importance of the job the british don't rules and the bar we hold the trade concessions from saeed khalif and our residency has to protect them but even you doctor would be surprised at the amount of trade that we have to protect and the revenue that comes out of this island so now you don't say so i do say so it's so much more than you'll think of course i'm not allowed to give no no no of course not i i would not you'd mean my fasting you how much would you say it comes to doctor as one gentleman to another you're not asking me to give away secrets oh no no no no that's only a joke i understand that please do not try to uptrip me i i would try to pull your leg and it was only a joke believe me it's all in the game yes so put in the game as gentlemen uh doctor you're quite a humorist uh you're not dependent not at all no as i was saying i uh hold a rather important job of course mr richardson holds an even more important one he's been very friendly with old saeed khalifa and this job um of course you know what that job is of course is the british cancer but it's the matter that you're not smiling at it are you looking at me like that so that's it that's the game you made exactly the same mistake that he did i shoot it dr schmidt have you met the great lord of the witch doctors the maker of spells and the tamer of lions i am a good christian i pay no attention to what need to say i i do not believe in big stuff no neither do i not in this one at any rate but when the witch doctor who came here tonight and said that he was on a mission for the british foreign office he's an imposter from the word go and you're working with him oh don't upset your chair like that dr schmidt because if you fall on it you may hurt yourself i have not got myself young man oh yes you have the fellow who came here tonight addressed mr richardson as the british council that might have been a step of the tongue but then you see the letter on the table there i have my sight i thank you that letter is supposed to come from the foreign office and it calls him the british council too i heard it read aloud the foreign office may make mistakes but they don't make mistakes like that that letter doctor was a forgery it was forged by a german and probably by the german who calls himself barney hicks or the great mafisto he's in the back room now no he's not governor he's standing in the doorway behind you now yes i thought i heard you don't turn around to look at me i'm just warning you have you got anything to enforce that yes i've got a five oh express rifle that could smear all over the opposite wall car faster i'll give it to us now with the cannon on foot one ball a few fellas are going to shoot me i wish you'd speak english about it carl i beg of you no no no don't fire that rifle exactly you see carl i'm turning around this is all day now carl you see what the doctor means carl if you fire that rifle you'll send your gunboat out of that harbor just when you need it isn't that the signal doctor to send the gunboat away carl i beg of yes it is very simple economical german signal so you two kill side culley at the slender that cannot be proved had to do it i imagine side was the one chief that you couldn't buy or frighten with your witch doctor so you got rid of him tomorrow morning the witch doctor would have appeared he'd have scared the daylights out of a weak and superstitious son nobie i told you i was fairly good at me work governor and i am yes and then the witch doctor would have taken over everything the british resident had to be bamboozled for 24 hours to keep him out of the way with a ghost story about a british agent and there was a gunboat in the harbor in case of trouble slight mistake there governor there is a gunboat in the harbor yes it's really worked out beautifully the emperor should be pleased i don't think your white queen will be very happy though i'm the great witch doctor to that frightened mob over there say it is dead and there's a german gunboat in the other listen i think i hear something whoever's out there stay back whoever's out there stay back he's alive he's alive this is impossible we can see him breathe we don't even think he's badly hurt but he's still in the cage unconscious still in the cage you mean they can't get him out of there if he wakes up or they attempt anything nearer we'll tear him to pieces the whole crowd over there's nearly crazy but they don't dare go into the cage well gentlemen you should have been more careful if they do get side out of there alive you're done for be quiet nobby and the rest of the natives are coming up here now see you miss are you talking about the old boy son nobby yes he wants to see the witch doctor the witch doctor let's put you with some slight trouble carl listen to me miss i couldn't get that old buzzard from i'm away from a mountain lion even if i i've got to get out of here too late now my dear witch doctor the natives are surrounded the house who says no but he's coming down the hall i know be speak wide language carry salt and swan witch doctor much respect fallen floor go ahead play your part carl play your ready part get up again great medicine man father heard in cage with the lion you'll come say something carl you can't be a dumb wizard you'll come my dear noby my friend the witch doctor can't understand you which doctor let's speak everything but which doctor no it is not that it does not hear you it's in another world see see see how size close see how he say i know this he saved my father or maybe all of you we will kill all white people here which doctor saved my father from lion you'll come noby listen to me you needn't worry the great witch doctor can save your father go in cage no not go in cage strike with fire yes that's it strike with wizard fire open heaven flash great light narrow scream and die father save carl you must not save them we remain alive people talk and the natives will know you'll not want to say father the witch doctor does want to save your father noby you see that gun under his arm gun gun no good not use gun or they won't lie in lying in pain till father no that's not like your muskets noby it's an express gun it's it's a magic gun magic gun listen noby magic gun save your father with one shot just like that lion fall over dead your father well again and our friend then we use gun give me gun no you could not use it no be which doctor can use it best tell him to use it tell him to be sure that he hits the lion okay harris i don't enough of this yes no be if he wants to hit narrow with that white fire he can strike the lion dead before you could wink your eyes then do you better try it carl you better not miss him or you know what'll happen to every white person in this room i have a shaky like magician with shaky hands that won't do i take your shoulder you follow y'all are gone by balastore all four to the river right estate thousand torches all make life now do now do don't do it better i told you that they're out of hand now if you miss you're no witch doctor and if you had any thought of hitting syed instead just imagine what they do to you i can't see these torches you do i think the old man's moving if he stirs the lion will kill him you know what that means it's right up with the right both i'm shaking them right it's a point blank shot all right no be the lion is dead they can go in and carry your father out now the lion dead term and magic it's great magic yes nobody it is but english magic is greater english magic better than german magic yes nobody now prove it turn around look out towards the harbor i stand here i wave my hand like this nothing up my sleeves i wouldn't deceive you for the world i wave my hand towards the gunboat in the bay the gunboat sails away english magic no be english magic the lord of the witch doctors tonight's story of next Tuesday when cbs again brings you suspense our story will be the devil in the summer house the broadcast for next week only is scheduled for 10 p.m. eastern wartime a half hour later than usual william spear the producer john deets the director bernard herman the composer conductor and john dixon car the author are all collaborators on suspense this is the columbia broadcasting system suspect suspect our hero suspense the condition of mental uncertainty usually accompanied by apprehension or anxiety fear of something which is about to occur as do not keep me any longer in for our story of suspense tonight we invite you to enjoy the devil in the summer house by john dexon car somewhere along the Hudson perhaps not far from terry town there is a modest house in its own grounds behind it in the spacious garden stands a summer house of evil memory more than 25 years ago a man shot himself or at least died in that summer house they found major kenyon with a scorched bullet hole in his head and a weapon beside him but we are in the present now the latest summer house has grown heavy with vines and only the other evening two men came into that garden at twilight over the shaggy grass as a storm was brewing along the Hudson two men the lawyer from new york who's there and captain berth of the homicide is my friend easy i was just going to ask you the same thing my name is parker i'm an attorney you're not captain berth yeah the very same and all of them i thought i recognized you mr parker must be something important to bring you so far from york at this time and i was in terry town anyway i thought they'd be a housekeeper here but i don't see any light have you got business in yes in a way have you i don't know i'll tell you better after you tell me what brought you to a place that no one has lived in for 10 years tell me captain did you ever get an anonymous letter from a dead man did you know i can't say i did the letters anonymous how do you know the man's dead because they're all dead every last one of them dead and under the ground where they can't be hurt me longer look there's the summer house where jerry kenyon used to work there are the windows of the library and the dining room looking for it can't find this light makes the windows blaze don't it jerry kenyon hadn't a care in the world yet he shot himself i'll show you the letter now look mr parker i couldn't read anything in this light but if we can get inside the house certainly we can get into the house i was the family attorney i've got the keys why should a dead person send me a letter but you got a flashlight i see came here prepared for anything are you this is the library there were always candles on the mantle uh yes have you a match captain oh yes i like them same old heavy furniture same old thick carpet same old globe map oh i mr parker this letter that you were talking about yeah read it hey wait a minute this thing is dated november 2nd 1918 that's right and be careful of that paper you see how old it is that it was mailed yesterday from where i don't remember i didn't keep the envelope read it they're joe case you didn't know it's high and joe they're joe if you want to know how major kenyon really died but we know how he died it was suicide are you sure it was whoever wrote this letter doesn't seem to think so if you want to know how major kenyon really died looking the third draw the desk in the library press harder the back of the drawer yours way truly that's not sign that's right now you're sure you don't know who wrote that letter this is the first time i've been back in this room captain it was almost a home to me once there's the tale where isabel sat on the afternoon it happened isabel was jerry kenyon's wife beautiful woman there's the door that the maid let me in by that afternoon you know captain seems to me they're all here tonight oh we stand and the walls around us appear as they echo our peals of laughter it seems that the dead are there yet we stand to our glasses steady you know it was a my school reader how does the rest of it go yet we stand to our glasses steady and drink to our comrade lies here's a glass to the dead already a rob for the mix but excuse me captain i don't know what's come over me talking that way i was very fond of these people are you going to look in the desktop this is a lot of nonsense then why are you here mr parker jerry kenyon was always a happy man at least that's what i always thought big boisterous fellow him he had a good position with white a term you know the phonograph company sure i know but he'd just been made a major in the army 1917 there was a war on then too if you remember i remember to make the world safe but democracy old days old hard days old memories i remember that blazing hot day in august and all the windows were up i remember this room and isabel and his jay's wife sitting in that chair knitting i remember yes kitty what is it there's a man to see you miss kenyon he says his name's parker yes i'm expecting him join us please all right ma'am so i take your knitting in your knitting bag why should you take my knitting i don't know miss kenyon i just wondered you didn't come in now thank you hello joe hello isabel you sent for me joe i must apologize for kitty servants are getting to be a problem nowadays she looks pretty enough to get along oh kitty's got large ideas she wants to go on the stage if you please and do imitations like miss draper she only knew how hard it was acting all your life isabel you've been crying i have not at least is that why you sent for me i've missed you you haven't been here in over a week joe i had an idea jerry was getting a little tired of having the air on this house oh no joe why jerry yes what about jerry i wish i knew joe that's why i wanted you here where is he by the way i want to say goodbye to him before he leaves he's probably out in the summer house where he works with all those papers he's got a lot of work to catch up with he's going overseas tomorrow yes i know he's out there he's been out there all day his last day here i've been alone that sounded like a shot yes it was a shot jerry doesn't seem to worry you it's only paul jerry's brother paul oh but you've gotten him off your hands for good jerry asked him out he got here two nights ago that doesn't make it any easier for you does it no i don't mind jerry's fixed him up with a pistol range in the cellar paul's a terribly bad shot not like the rest of us you don't seem to like it joe shall i have kitty go down tell him no no no it's terrible as long as he keeps away put joe but uh about jerry who was it this time joe jerry's been home five days on leave from camp oh never mind what camp but he spent four evenings of those five with with that fisk woman dian fist the redhead with all the money oh she got money well she must have some attraction then please understand me joe it's not that i'm jealous any longer it's just of course jerry goes his way and i go mine i may not be without admirers myself if it comes to that you no idea how true that is is about no uh i was thinking about jerry it may not always be lucky they meet some girl who's not as broad-minded as i am and then when he gives her the go-by we'll be getting really curious down in that cell it's not getting anything must be using a lot of ammunition now your trouble joe is that you're too much of a gentleman and if you really want to see jerry there he is now well just standing in the door of the summer house look out the window and finally right out there doesn't he look noble in his new uniform sam brown belt and revolver and everything well look how he turns around and waves his cap at us like a real soldier real soldiers don't exactly wave their caps to them he does jerry jerry jerry joe park is here joe parker he wants to see you into the summer house again not a care in the world now listen isabel you've got to slow down you'll be crying again in a minute come on over here and sit down the light hurts my eyes that's all well and we'll just pull these blinds we'll be able to hear there how's that it's better thank you now can i get you any oh no you heard the great fight chief sorters i'm to get you something what do you have joe hi ball no bother with that oh it's no bother everything's out in the dining room here and didn't deliver the day of all days so i'm afraid i can't give you any ice i uh read in the paper yesterday that we're likely to have automatic ice boxes any day now you know things that freeze ice by electricity or something do you believe that i doubt it listen isabel here you are not cold at all it's the best i could do thanks for what i wanted to say was couldn't you get that brother of yours to give up practicing now hasn't he done his good deed for the day yes maybe he has i'll ring for kitty you don't have to call me miss canion i'm here oh yes kitty what is it it's only to tell you there's another visitor this time it's a woman lady kitty call her a lady please um maybe she says her name's diane diane fest that's a kitty tell the lady i'm not in lady she's a fine lady i don't know my dear i don't know anyway it's too late miss kenyon she's coming down the hall now my dear miss kenyon how do you do diane this is a friend of ours miss this uh miss parker now i don't want to be i don't i wouldn't have been treated for worlds especially on a day like this isn't it awful but you'll have been simply insisted my dear miss kenyon you simply wouldn't take no for an answer i'm sure he wouldn't do you know what he's brought from his office as a surprise no a photograph recording machine and he's going to let us use it so that we can all hear ourselves talk twice all right his name can't somebody stop that following don't fly off the handle take it easy kitty yes ma'am would you please go down the cellar and tell mr kenyon's brother he's driving us all crazy tell him to stop yes ma'am my dear miss kenyon i do hope i haven't offended you in any way i know i'm a silly little chatterbox they say people who have red hair often are because at your age you you must find a heat very child uh don't you think we do all better sit down i was very much interested in what miss frisk said about our photograph recording machine mrs kenyon was just talking about machine to make ice yes isn't science wonderful but i do think it was me to make you kenyon to invite me out here and then go and fall asleep in the summer house did you say fall asleep yes of course how did you know well i came up the back way and i saw him in the summer house with his head forward on the table taking a nice little snooze very quick of course you couldn't see much except in the bright light of the door but i think i saw him there i didn't disturb him naturally but i think i better disturb him oh now please don't trouble on my car the fact is my dear i don't all together trust myself in this room a woman of my age has to conserve his strength you know so if you'll just excuse me well of course if you dear i just can't think what i'm always saying because i have the best intentions in the world mr barker parker yes parker but i do somehow manage to offend people being so dependent and everything except the man of course i couldn't defend you mr barker parker now could i madam i'm not sure of course the person i really came to see was paul mr kenyon's brother he's a little young of course but he's joining up next month and i think we should all do out there don't you he has such a pleasant personality i think he likes me why have you walked in the back door this minute oh how am i ever going to get any place someone's always interrupting my revolver practice just when i'm getting to the point where i good lord are you here again you're a very untidy object paul that's pretty untidy in the cellar and dirty i've got cockroaches on me so keep away do you have a good day's shooting so well one of the best hit the target on the only shot that mattered i hit the target dead center that sounded like isabel i think it was isabel why have you got those blinds down get them up what is it what's wrong with you what are you looking at through that window 25 years ago captain berck we found jerry kenyon lying across the table in the summer house he'd shot himself through the head with his own revolver and the hoster it was lying on the floor beside him i say when isabel found him he'd been dead about half an hour the doctors prove that today yes that shot had been fired against his head the front of his uniform cap was powder burned where the bullet entered there's no doubt about that now i'm not told we never noticed the real shot because that young lad was shooting off guns like a maniac on a cellar precisely now they're all dead by accident illness they're all gone isabel kenyon died less than a year afterwards i think she died just because she was so fond of jerry i suppose you've guessed my little secret oh i think i can sort of read between the lines you weren't in love with his about kenyon weren't you yes well these things happen i never let us see it you understand women know pretty generally so they're gone the youngest of them and i'm left alone with old tunes old ghosts wondering why the fellow ever killed himself why why and this morning out of a clear sky i get a letter saying if you want to know how major kenyon really died look in the third drawer of the desk in the library but i tell you we know how he died aren't you going to do it naturally i've got a key somewhere here that fits the draw now listen mr parker and my father's country in ireland they got a saying that when a man's going to commit suicide i thought of doing that too and the devil comes in and takes him by the hand and talks to him they say you can see the devil as plain as i see you just before you pull the trigger the devil must have been in the summer house that afternoon oh no i wasn't what do you mean major kenyon didn't kill himself he was murdered my dear captain berke the police covered all that at the time everybody had an alibi they did they well think of what i've told you isabel and i were together all the time poor her brother was shooting off guns in the cellar diane fisk yeah what about her her chauffeur who drove her there so why he saw her walk straight up to the place she passed the summer house but didn't stop there that's it even kitty the maid could prove she'd never stirred out of the house until just a minute or so before isabel went herself oh and why did the maid have to leave the house at all she was taking dairy the black coffee he drank every afternoon he'd already been dead half an hour then and that my dear captain disposes of everybody well now listen mr parker you're a good guy and i'm not going to hold out on you any longer you see i say major kenyon was murdered because i know he was murdered by an outsider by one of the people in the house that's impossible is it why don't you open that desk for on c what time is it uh it's quarter to eight or eight and i haven't got a time for what holy saint patrick will you open that bra it's waited 25 years my friend it can wait a minute more i've got the keys somewhere miss but everything's same for never altered willy inherited same old desk same old photograph same old i think this is the key yeah it opens there's nothing here except one or two old newspapers everything very dirty the letter says the first heart at the back now have you tried that doesn't seem to yes by george it doesn't work well there seems to be a movable back on a him well what's inside uh some sort of flat brown paper parcel sealed with wax and the body's dirty as it can get open it man open it i'm going to there's a plain white label something on it written in pencil i don't see too well nowadays without my glasses here give it to me i'll read it to you on a record of how i killed jerry kenyon say don't you get it mr parker this is the real goods the murderer is going to tell us his own story 25 years later be careful whatever you do don't drop it you seem to be interested enough now i don't say i'm not interested i say i can't believe it you know when you were talking about the dead coming back and that kind of thing you sure started giving me goose pimples but that's just what it is a dead person now there's the phonograph put that record on let's hear what the ghost says any of them could have made the record of course the apparatus was all here so just stand there by the phonograph want to work yes it works is it wound up yes it's wound up here it goes now look mr parker whose voice do you think it's going to be i don't know now i want to warn you the voice you're going to hear from there is be quiet listen i've started it well speaker who killed jerry kenyon i killed him joe dear i'm sorry about it joe but i had to have you for an alibi and you were so terribly easy to solve the phonograph like a man don't look at it as if it was alive you said you and i were always together joe but that wasn't quite true i let you to go into the dining room and mix a highball remember yes and i was carrying my big knitting bag remember that too and there was something else in it besides living i'm an awfully good revolver shot joe i told you we were all good except paul and the back windows of the dining room faced the same way as the back windows of the library jerry was in the summer house i made a sign to him from the window and he came to the door there in bright sunlight 50 feet away joe don't you know what august heat is in a wooden summer house didn't use didn't anybody see that no man would be wearing a cap inside on a day like that jerry had taken his cap off before he went into the summer house we saw him do it he was bareheaded when he came to the door so i lifted the revolver and shot him through the head then i dropped the gun back in my knitting bag and went back into the library with your drink please don't talk back to the thing that you'll drive me through it in my knitting bag too i had to use it it was a duplicate of jerry's army camp with a powder burned whole already fired through it in the place i wanted to make some of you was about so i've been the goat for 25 years i waited for some time and then slipped out to find the body i fit as a new cap over jerry's head in place where it ought to go i put the old cap in my knitting bag i took his revolver out of the holster and kept it the gun that i used i dropped on the floor beside him so i proved it was suicide you see it proves it to me joe the joe listener i'm very sick they tell me i'm going to die you are dead joe i'm afraid i'm going out in the dark and i don't know what's there don't go away is about joe this room okay i've had just about enough of this joe i want you to tell everybody about it i want you to tell him how a poor crazy woman couldn't stand that man any longer and how that's cut off and it's going to stay cut off thank you i've heard about enough too but you can't arrest her now my friend you can't arrest her now happy hearing that i'm not going to arrest anybody tell me captain did you know what was on the record no that's why i had to hear it i knew about it but i wasn't sure what it had to say but so helped me i never guessed how hard it would hit you man don't you get it even yet yes i get it oh no you don't you don't see anything that was how the fake suicide was managed yes that's just how it was all done bar one or two little things only only if i only it wasn't isabel kenyon who committed the murder did i hear you correctly you did this is another one of your little jokes i imagined can't you let me alone have you some kind of personal spite against me what did i do you're going to hear the real truth now if i have to hold you down in that chair i know mrs kenyon didn't kill her husband because i've just come from talking to the real murderer up the river but they're all dead oh no they're not and i haven't got much time either that clock's just going to strike eight what's the time to do a deal if you will follow me mrs kenyon died less than a year after her husband didn't change yes but it wasn't mrs kenyon's voice you just heard in that record what i'm telling you the real madra hated her hated her like poison and wanted her playing for the crime when mrs kenyon died the real murderer wrote a letter but she never mailed that letter she made a lying record of is about kenyon's voice is evidence now you figure it out for yourself who was pretty enough to take major kenyon's eye and strike back like fury when she got thrown over who wanted to go on the stage and do impersonations she shot jerry from the dining room window and she couldn't borrow mrs kenyon's knitting bag she went out to the summer house with a gun and the fake cap wrapped in napkin and a coffee tray he did go out i remember actually she got there before mrs kenyon did but the summer house was dark inside and mrs kenyon never noticed her the next day kitty wrote that letter but she couldn't bring herself to senate so she kept that letter till the day before yesterday day before yesterday then one of the boys that sings it thinking he was doing her kind action put a stamp on it and mailed it did you say sing sing yes they're electrocuting her tonight for the murder of an italian down at codger's hook i found out about the record all right but the one thing i wasn't sure of was that that she had done the job alone now frankly the way you whacked it i thought that you might have been in on it too well that's why i had to hear it through and it was anything but a joke and now here it goes to blazes forever eight o'clock she's dead and so ends the devil in the summer house tonight's story of suspense the part of mr parker was played by martin gable again next tuesday at 9 30 p.m eastern wartime a story dedicated to the thrill of the night time the hushed voice and the prowling step another adventure in suspense william spear the producer john deets the director and john dixon cardy author our collaborators on suspense this is the columbia broadcasting system of the night time the hushed voice and the prowling step the stern nerves of the ticking of the clock the rescue that might be too late the crime that is almost committed mystery and intrigue and dangerous adventures we invite you to enjoy stories that keep you in suspense can a man stake his life against 25 000 can another and clever man tracking down like a hunter stalking his prey and kill him within five hours can you make a bet with death and win for suspense tonight we present will you make a bet with death by john vixen car right colored with bathing shoes there's the boardwalk all straw hats and some addressing there's a fetish wheel and the roller coaster for humanity eating hot dogs and having a good time and over there beyond that souvenir shop there's a haunted mill get into a little boat you blow through a narrow tunnel into the dark while witches scream that pulls nobody does it there couldn't be any real terror could there while the bands are playing and the crowd goes by and make that traction it takes me to see a stand there and miss this only ten cents one time the ten part of a dollar to go through the statement if you ask me one ticket please did you say one ticket lady that's right one ticket what's the thrill a big part lady i said what's the thrill lady the girls will come here with that time please that's why you mind the gate it's i don't know you better give me ten ten tickets to hear that lover who likes the old whore doesn't need so much he buys ten tickets i'll call everybody for change and listen i've got a better idea whatever boat comes after mine yeah i'll give you an extra dollar to send that boat through empty no it's a matter of the cost i ain't no no no it's nothing like that when you do it i'm okay go ahead isn't there an empty boat here well really you've got such a great objection to riding in the same boat with me oh i i'm sorry i didn't mean that at all don't misunderstand then you better get in if you want to go this boat starting to move yeah i i better sit down you certainly had look here i i want to apologize that's quite unnecessary this place is rather childish anyway isn't it yes isn't it but i've seen everything else so i may as well see this here we go in the dark one of the ghost i imagine from a machine it sounded like him laughing there isn't anybody in the boat behind this is that i can't see it's pitch dark listen miss uh uh miss my name is andrew's betty andrew's if it's customary to exchange names in a place like this mine's penderl bob penderl did you say penderl yes do you know it oh no no not exactly it's an unusual man that's all i i don't want you to think i'm out of my mind though i very nearly am but i've got five hours to go just five hours at the end of that time either i'll have won twenty five thousand dollars or or else or else or else i'll be dead i wish i kept you away from this boat so there's nothing to get alarmed about for you i can't tell you much but i had to tell somebody that i was starting yelling there's just one other thing is there in these places they've usually got little dim lighted rooms along the way yes exhibits and things yes well when we come to one i'm going to get out of this boat and hide there just don't get alarmed and don't tell anybody when you go out why should you do that i think i see a light i did there is a light but give them two that's all but the good yes yes we're coming around the corner look i'm going to have company when i get off a wax dead man on a pile of straw i hope i can stand these noises goodbye betty andrews i wish we'd met at a different time mind the boat here what are you doing getting out too don't be an idiot what's the idea you need looking after mr pendrell and if we must hide i suppose this is as good a place as any i won't have it quick quick there'll be more boats along over behind that dead man on the straw he'll hide us hurry so now mr pendrell in the clearest place i ever get into please tell me what this is all about i can't tell you is that it's yourself if you don't tell somebody you'll go crazy maybe you're right it's against the strict terms of the bet but this is the last day and i tell you i can't hold on longer i wonder i wonder if you ever heard of my stepfather john destry yes i imagine everybody has he's a millionaire and and i'm not i'm just a chemist an analytical chemist not very successful so if i'd had time if i'd had money i might have worked out a process that would have well i think it would have helped him a war but he's got money yes he's got money well my mother died years ago this this nestry is a big white haired fine looking fella you think butter wouldn't melt in his mouth he's got an apartment of the 60s secretary never met her ballot court that kind of thing well he used to invite me there i wouldn't go then he got hold of a book i had to have a german work on chemicals so i went after dinner in that study of his over the brandy oh my dear robert you're quite welcome to the book don't mention it oh uh what do you think of this brandy by the way it's excellent thanks yes yes i thought you'd like it and now that we're all relaxed comfortable after dinner tell me something yes mr destry you hate me don't you frankly i do always have good good then you'll be relieved to hear i've always felt the same about you but tell me something else did you ever know me to break my word no i never did i'll give you that i asked you robert because i want to make a little bet with you that is uh if you have the nerve which i doubt i'm afraid i can't afford to make that spell you were always careless with money robert well i've been thrifty i saw that when your mother was alive but you can afford to make this bet look here in my desk well 25 000 dollars robert 25 000 dollars in five 100 dollar bill and what would i have to bet against that your life my life there's the money in the draw look at it what wouldn't you give for that money what wouldn't you give to have it for this precious work of yours that you're so fond of and that you've failed in miserably so far i've failed yes oh i've had a fairly good life as lives go my heart isn't as good as it might be but doctor say i've i'll last a little while yet but before i go there's one pleasure one little exquisite thrill for me to experience i want to commit a murder yes i said a murder my bet is that i can kill you within six months and that you can't stop me that i'll never be punished for it what do you say yes or no no i believe you mean that of course i mean and just how would you propose to kill me ah that would be telling you know if i had time to think this thing over there's no thinking it over now yes or no yes you must need the money badly robert i do need it but oddly enough mr destry that isn't why i'm doing this no no i want to show you you can't play the lord almighty and get away with it are you challenging me yes you don't think i can do it i know you can't i we we mustn't get excited robert there there will be conditions to the bet you understand what conditions first of all you'll never mention this matter to anyone all right that seems fair enough you'll remain within the city limits of new york for six months you'll spend at least one hour of every day walking the open streets alone all right you'll spend at least one hour every evening in your own room alone i may come to see you or uh i may not try to scare me already are you finally you'll write out a little note and give it to me there's pen and paper on the desk in front of them write it now let's hear what i have to write before i do anything like that you will write i am a failure you can't stop hopping on that can you i am a failure and this was the only way out i wouldn't have done it otherwise a suicide note yes i intend to use it when i uh operate and if i won't write it then there's no bet all right i'll do it it's now uh let's see nine o'clock on the night of january the tenth if you're alive and not in a madhouse does that go into the bargain too yes at nine o'clock on the night of june 10th given those conditions you will receive twenty five thousand dollars can't you hear the dice raffle of it you're playing with death now i know it uh aren't you going to finish your brandy no thank you oh then pour it back into the decanter you heard me pour it back into the decanter if you were as careful as i am you were you wouldn't be where you are now that's right always be thrifty i can promise you by the way that you'll always be perfectly safe as long as you're in this apartment but that's the only concession i make i notice your hands are steady at the moment i wonder what they'll be like a month from now so you were foreign enough to make a bad with john destry listen betty i want to tell you what else happened the same night i got on a fifth avenue bus and started to look through that book that destry gave me it was a book that i wanted about poisons well just as i opened it i felt something sharp prick my fingers i looked down and my hands were covered with blood even some safety razor blades in a line down the inside into the cover oh no a little white card fell out of the book and i read it it said see how easy it is to take you off guard those razor blades aren't poisoned but they might have been take warning betty that was six months ago six months less five hours of careful refined torture and now i've got only five hours to go what's he done in the meantime nothing nothing i don't understand nothing at all that's the cleverness of it he's left me waiting waiting waiting expecting something expecting it every hour of the day or night once at the laboratory where i work i opened a box that i thought was the mechanical supply house and a mexican tarantula one of those furry spiders about as big as your fist right on across my hand it was a toy tarantula he enclosed a card asking whether i didn't admire it i used to think i didn't have a nerve in my body i could hold the test tube at arm's length absolutely steady for minutes at a time now look at me don't but the waiting's almost over now walking the streets wondering who's behind you sitting alone at night listening for every step on the stair he's got very little time left now and he's got to do something the question is what's he going to do well maybe he doesn't mean it maybe maybe he's only doing it to scare you and lose all that money oh you don't know my stepfather listen but that's just it there's no sound of running water the boats have stopped then we're all by ourselves in here all with him yes oh lord how i wish i hadn't gotten you into this oh i'm all right or at least i think i am i thought i saw him in the crowd outside but i couldn't be sure i i'm seeing him everywhere no bob just a minute just tell me one more thing did you ever see mr destry i mean face to face after that first night many times he came to see you he came to my laboratory once yes but mostly i went to see him and why because it was the only place in the world i could feel safe he's promised that nothing should happen to you why you're in his apartment don't you see it was part of a torture night after night he'd invite me and i'd go right up until last night last night we were in that study of his with the devil masks on the walls he was sitting behind the big mahogany desk my dear robert i'm pleased and even touched to have you here on the last night before you uh uh before you why don't you say die and get it over with oh well let's not say die no the clergy contend that we never die we only change now let that be a consolation for you must you be going so early there's that one hour at home rule to our bed if you remember i remember you're keeping to the rule yes and i mean to beat you with this is the last thing i ever do the last thing i ever do that's an unfortunate choice of phrase robert my boy you haven't a chance something's going to happen to you within the next 24 hours when you least expect it will you answer me one question if i choose have you decided how you mean to kill me i decided that six months ago and you still think you can get away with it it's a method which has never been known to fail i give you my word of honor on that is it is it sudden yes uh and no wouldn't you like to know how to do it good night mr deathrea i think i've got to be leaving no no my dear boy you mustn't go yet sit down pour yourself a glass of brandy no thanks uh then perhaps you wouldn't mind pouring me a little uh my doctor allows brandy though i'm forbidden spirits i uh i noticed your hands are shaking it quite a good deal they weren't like that six months ago were they no no you were full of confidence there and it grieves me to see you waste tobacco by lighting a cigarette and putting it out immediately it's no use lying to you well i'm going to beat you just the same you wouldn't like to back out now after what i've been through you'd still have your life i'll keep it thanks that's very unwise of you robert still you must decide oh i was expecting my secretary a little later to dictate some letters but now um i think i'll leave her a message that i've gone to bed and uh turn in myself tomorrow is likely to prove an interesting day for both of us here's your hat here's your briefcase and let me wish you a fun peaceful and happy good night that was last night betty i saw i had five hours to go it's less than four hours now if i can keep away from the old devil until nine o'clock i wish those boats would start running again why because it's almost just spooky and here's a real old male i know even that wax tell me on the straw any minute now you're expecting to see him move so am i that'll stand up it doesn't matter if the boats aren't running we can hear anybody who comes along i hope so do you think destry's guardian robby can't have got in he can't even be here why not because mr destry told me mr destry told you i'm his secretary you know betty andrew's i'm sorry it was you who did this did what you can't guess can you oh bob i didn't come here to trap you or spy on you if that's what you're thinking i swear i didn't know you only got me to tell you the whole story and lose my bet i haven't heard a single word you said bob please believe that he didn't send you here of course no and of course you never saw me at his apartment last night i swear i didn't i got there late he'd gone to bed i didn't even take off my hat or gloves before i left again don't you understand bob i hate him too i want to see you beat him you've got to be him you mean that look at me and see if i mean it betty i almost believe you you must believe me anything else you better hide behind that dead man hurry those boats have started up again i wish i could tell you betty what that means to me come on come on hurry wait a minute you too but stay just where you are where's that boy's coming from along the tunnel i think but it's not destry's point you know it's a man standing up in a boat he's coming down to corner i can see him now hurry hold on it mel eh my golly if this ain't someplace to make a pinch i never had a one what do you mean make a pinch that's what i said your name robert fenderel yes who are you and what do you want well they said quarters you know you're to come along with me i'm gonna see you over in new york about what i wouldn't know ready but it might be about the murder of john destry did you say the murder of john destry that's right somebody poisoned him last night with mercury cyanide i wouldn't have got you at all maybe if the barker outside there hadn't thought the cops were after you to stop with you betty yes pa he's beaten me he hasn't beaten you oh yes he has and i know now the weapon destry was going to use in killing me what weapon it never fails the electric chair you mustn't talk like that don't you see he never once intended to kill me in the way i thought are you gunning grandly mr benham he's poisoned himself but he's left evidence to show i did it he's killing me the worst way possible he's won the bet the money doesn't matter now if i'm in the death house for murder what use have i got for all the money in the world mr fenderel let me introduce myself my name is mullen inspector mullen it's a pleasure to meet you inspector it's a pleasure to be safe again i've had you brought here to my office for a little quiet talk you're in a jam son i want you to realize how bad it is you think i don't realize it john destry was poisoned with mercury cyanide administered in the glass of brandy and only my fingerprints were on the glass besides his own i can guess mr destry's body was found this morning lying behind the desk in the study there was an empty glass with traces of brandy and cyanide we haven't had the full autopsy report but the smell of that stuff is pretty distinctive tell me uh you're a chemist mr fenderel that's right the boys find that eight greens of mercury cyanide are missing from your laboratory where he visited me a month ago and in your briefcase which you took away from his apartment last night he handed it to me i remember we found over a thousand dollars in cash i'll take a look at this note never see it before look yes i wrote it you admit that yes yes yes it says i was a failure and this was the only way out i wouldn't have done it otherwise where did you find it far up in little bits you started to write a confession and then you couldn't face the consequences but you shouldn't have left the pieces behind you're intimate my boy unless unless what now if you'd like to confess here and now and maybe we did a little deal about second degree murder oh inspector why bother to string me along what do you mean string you along there's no second degree murder on a poison charge it's the death house and nothing he saw of that it's too bad you had to go and kill him son didn't you know he had an aneurysm or what fatal heart disease he said that he had hard trouble but hard trouble as doctor says he couldn't have lived eight or ten months anyway and you might have got something in the will so that's why he did it did what killed himself you still stick to that crazy story you told the boy he's gonna kill me isn't he with three thousand bolts of electricity inspector mullin what are you doing here sergeant didn't i say i wasn't to be disturbed all the same inspector i thought i'd better do it as a young lady here i miss betty andrews i think you'd better see it i'll see what i'm good at ready i think you'd better see her inspector we've just heard from mr destry's lawyer well he said that that young fellow there mr pennrell in her at twenty five thousand bucks and mr destry is no well did you hear that son do you see what you'd have gotten if you hadn't gone and killed him he was keeping his promise that's all the final of good it'll do me now but look inspector i've just took to the medical examiner and he says there's no poison in mr destry's body say that again there's no poison in the old man's body somebody's kidding you an empty glass with the smell of mercury cyanide and a dead man with a congested face behind the mask what did kill him then well if you'd like to listen to miss andrews inspector she's right here now i think you'd better listen inspector i've been trying to tell you all afternoon go ahead miss andrew i've been over and over it until i got the medical report nobody would listen can you tell us what killed john destry yes poison kill but the sergeant's just been saying there was no poison in the body inspector will you listen i was at mr destry's apartment late last night well so what uh you didn't kill him did you the servant said he'd gone to bed so i looked into the study to see if there were any instructions was mr destry dead then i don't know i couldn't see his body because it was hidden behind the desk i didn't even know he was dead until late this afternoon but i did see a full glass of brandy a full glass did you say yes so i picked up the glass and poured the brandy back into the decanter that's what he always made us do and i didn't leave any fingerprints because i was still wearing my gloves and that was the same glass you later found empty but you still are not telling us what was the poison that killed john destry it was the poison in his own system he worked out this plot to convict bob pendrell only just as he stretched out his hand to drink the cyanide inspector i think i see it it was his last great hour he couldn't resist such gloating as he'd never known before that's it his heart wouldn't stand and he fell dead behind the desk and i think if you study the expression on his face you'll find he died laughing and so ends will you make a bet with death tonight's story of suspense the part of bar pendrell was played by michael pitts morris bethy was played by leslie woods john destry was played by nicholas joy and in supporting roles were ted decorsia and charles saturday again next tuesday at 9 30 p.m eastern wartime a story dedicated to the thrill of the night time the hushed voice and the prowling step another adventure in suspense william spear the producer marx lobe the director in the absence of john deets and john dexon car the author our collaborators on suspense this is the columbia broadcasting system for suspense tonight we present menace in wax by john dexon car during the french revolution of 1793 a swiss girl copied in wax the severed heads of those who had just been guillotine she married a frenchman named tussaud and came to london and she founded madame tussaud's waxworks there it is still in mally bone road near baker street station not the original building that was destroyed by fire but it remained untouched when a darker shadow than revolution came to england and they plastered high explosives all along that road and hit the cinema next door we are going to london under the bomber late one night in march of 1941 a young man hurried up to the great glass doors of madame tussaud open up there isn't there a night watchman around this place there is governor and i'm him now what do you want to this hour of the night my name is rogers i'm from the daily record oh let me get inside i'll show you my press card didn't you get any orders about me well maybe i have a dad's oh you're the bloke's wants to see the china of ours that's right all right you may as well come in my paper got a tip there's something funny going on around here something funny going on here that's a good one the raid's not very heavy tonight is it now they're going over you ain't heard where governor we got a teletype flashed there was a midlands lord lumpy and i've got a sister in bromingham oh why can't she come and stop in a nice safe place like london there's the region's pop gun don't open up again my teeth rattle and shakes the abs of the dummies heads you know this chairman of ours is getting to be popular tonight you mean there's been somebody here before me yes a woman that's right governor about five feet two inches tall very pretty if you like him brunette and big eyed and a phony french accent now governor now this was only an old lady that lost her handbag oh thank the lord for that anyway now then what is going on around here i don't know governor you'll have to ask piercing about that who's piercing oh he's the bloke that's a watchman down there he's old any imagined things he phoned your piper have you got an electric torch yes then go straight on through the marble all and down the stairs on your left and don't speak to the policemen because he's wax yes that's the way governor that's the way to the chamber of ours thank you yes sir you're looking for me oh i didn't see you there must have thought you were one of these wax dummies ugly dim light isn't it yes a rogers is my name i'm from the daily record yes i'm glad you came over i phoned your paper myself maybe i'm just imagining things but i don't blame you this place would make anybody nervous especially during an air raid well said it's all right as long as you don't get to imagine they're watching you oh and do you oh yes sometimes that's the gambling group in the center there what's that thing over there that's the famous guillotine oh wait a minute oh boy you're not trying to tell me that's the original guillotine no that was burnt in the fire madam to start bought it from sants and the executioner let me tell you something mr rogers all right years ago this is straight a young french woman came in here there was nobody else in the place she thought it would be great fun to say she'd put her neck in the same guillotine as Marie Antoinette so she climbed up on that platform she snapped the little wooden collar down around her neck shutting herself in all of a sudden she realized she didn't know which spring control the collar and which spring control the knife good lord she didn't know but they say she went crazy they say she screamed her scream what's that i didn't mean to scare you but sweet my mind so scared of myself i cannot help it susie oh no no no no not susie susie you make it so it rhymed with flusie that is not not why you little devil i ought to turn you across my knee what are you doing here and will you forget that french accent you're driving me crazy you know this young lady sir do i she works for my paper she's haunting me but that's not nice i like the way i talk i only try to give you ideas just what i mean i'll take your arms from around my neck she's french sir her mother came from new york like i did she's got some funny ideas accents and disguises so i dress up as an old lady and i come along too that is clever no definitely no but i go into what i think is the lady's room and there is jack the ripper i'm so scared i almost kick the ghost whatever else you do miss for the love of heaven put out that spirit it is not permitted it is what they are most afraid of in this place fire if you vouch for this young lady mr roger i don't vouch for anybody but go on now what's all the mystery here at madam to sods you see the group over there it's called the gamblers that three men and a woman in eighteen century costumes sitting around a table playing cards yes and about once a week when the lights are out yes those dummies do play cards is this a publicity trick of some kind oh no sir and what's the game i'm not crazy i know they don't actually do it sir what i want to know is who changes the cards around in their hands and why well could anybody anybody from the outside i mean get in to change the cards oh yes there's a back door but why would anyone want to break in here just to change those cars around listen if you're going to talk speak english or better yet just keep still but i have made a discovery this card what about it it is crooked here is a man which has two deuces of hearts in the same listen susie i don't give a wait a minute wait a minute let's have a look at those cards i give you ideas yes susie for once you're right and look here two of these players have all the clubs and hearts the other two have all the diamonds and spades susie how many letters in the alphabet 26 no and twice 26 is two the number of cards in a pack give me a pencil susie quick the war office white hall mi-5 headquarters of military intelligence there next morning in the map room used as an office by a colonel warrander mr. rogers and a busy man i appreciate that colonel wander anyhow sit down thank you sir now what's all this these cards you claim former code is that it yes sir now look sir let each letter of the alphabet represent a card in clubs and hearts that's 26 and then and then when you get to the middle of the message switch the alphabet over to diamonds and spades then you won't keep on repeating now will you read what i've got written on this piece of paper jack of diamonds q three of clubs f well that doesn't seem to mean much i'll never mind the cards colonel just read the letters q f a c t o r y yes sir q factory oh just a moment what is that infernal noise johnson buttles don't bother with that sir just read the message please oh q factory 10 p.m 15th today's the 15th of march colonel well all preparations made use dive ballers i see this message was left openly so openly that nobody ever noticed it yes the tricks been tried before no contacts no gatherings no letters that might be intercepted a whole spy ring could walk through that wax museum and read the message without being seen you know this better man trying to teach me my job i'm sorry sir i only no no go on well don't you see three or four little boats with portable wireless sets go down to tem's estuary when they're beyond pursuit they send that message by radio somebody listens and it's no secret in plate street sir that q factory is out in the wilds of blibbershire there's no secret anywhere and that we're making the shaftsbury bomber out there so tonight unless we do something about it they're coming over and bomb q factory to places that's impossible why or can't you tell me i can tell you this much yes sir q factory is sir well hidden that even our own pallets can't fight it from the air that's one objection to this message any other objection yes this talk about dive bombers dive bombers in a night of tech what's the good of a dive bomber if he can't see his objective well suppose somebody showed a light he'd be shot dead as soon as he showed it every inch of country for a quarter of a mile around the factory a quarter of a mile mr rogers is patrolled day and night well just the same they're going to have a try at it sir how i don't know how then if you'll excuse me mr roger listen final wonder will you give me a pass to go down there to the factory certainly not no one's permitted to go there except the workers how is the place defended there's a night fighter station nearby and several batches of four three point seven guns then give me a pass to the fighter station or to the gun post that's all a gentleman newspaper request well i might manage a passport of the gun first and you'll do it well frozen earth is that internal row it sounds like somebody locked up in a coat cupboard yes as a matter of fact colonel it is somebody locked up in a coat cover young lady so-called a young lady who locked her up i did and just what the devil do you mean sir locking up the people in coat covers in the war office well she's a bit excitable colonel i thought that uh she'd better not see you no thanks for the consideration and there's just one other favor i'd like to ask as well if she asked you for a pass don't give it to her don't give it to her under any circumstances no what's the name susie de bois you're rather too late for that young man that the public relations office granted her a pass two hours ago what oh a woman to an anti aircraft battery this is what we call a mixed battery women on the guns as well as men she said it would make a good human interest story for the place i must say i agree with her one moment mr roger's before you go yes sir that gun post is fully two miles from the factory you can go there but if you take one step further you'll be shot on sight by our guards i warn you'll i'll be careful colonel i'll be careful somewhere in the west country the yellow moon shines over bare trees a white mist moving clings to the ground susie are you sure we're on the right road uh no share they have taken away all the signed posts in case there is an invasion i know that but i followed the math the math cannot be wrong we've been driving for hours must be yes it is no we have passed nine half an hour to go trees trees and still more trees look there's a break in the trees ahead there will be open country in the yeah that's funny look how deep the leaves are here on the road but one thing i tell you just between you and me and the bedpost gatepost susie the term is between you and me and the gatepost and speak english i am speaking english very well thank you i do not need your help to be pure all right all now this map well what about it it's say we should go through a lot of villages mitford archideen and saffron we built i have not seen any villages did you say mitford susie let me have a look at that map come on come on hand it over but what is wrong it is a perfectly good map yes susie it's a fine map it's an excellent map only it's a map of the wrong county i have made a mistake no i don't even believe you can read this is a map of barcature we should be somewhere in blebshire now we're in the devil are we with the entrance to some kind of clearing with leaves what was that somebody calling us if we're in forbidden area i see him now where behind us he came out of a white cottage back there he's a big heavy man with a moustache never mind the moustache he's wearing some kind of a uniform and he's got a rifle you think he plug us no i think it is not unlikely get out those worse passes of ours good evening my friends good evening can you tell me we don't mean any harm hello can you tell me what time it is what time it is yes oh uh yeah it's uh 28 and a half minutes past nine thank you i will keep you covered while i said my watch there my next question is would you like me to shoot you both no listen mr mr macalester captain captain mcallister all right captain uh this girl uh she's been reading the wrong map you see we don't even know where we are you're in holy wood forest my friend holy wood forest is that good or bad and you don't know what's just beyond the edge of this clearing no there's a big open space of a quarter of a mile in the middle of that open space two factory we're right on top of it then you have heard of q factory my friend captain mcallister we're from the war office and we've got passes to prove it let's see the passes we were trying to find gun sight number uh i've forgotten the number but it's here on that card you passed the gun set two miles back up the road all right here your passes what are you going to do to us i'm not in a regular army you can thank your stars i'm not i'm forestry preservation you are not going to chuck us in the cooler isn't no i'll turn the car around get back along this road as fast as you can if they fire at you as they probably will oh i wish i am home normal i wish i am home well i hope for the best my watch had stopped and you did me a good turn hurry along hurry gun sight of heavy attack battery four three point seven guns against a moon growing clear white white is the concrete emplacements sealed against light where the crews men and women sitting waiting waiting dare to have you both here but this idea of yours about dive bombers attacking a blacked out factory in the middle of a forest is uh rather fantastic don't you think well i admit it doesn't make much sense captain brunson but i have a hunch that i'm right well glad you and miss susie drove out don't see many seniors try to be boring nice country of course would air everything but dull dull as ditch water what's that only some of the lads and lasses inside like to walk along the emplacement here oh is that a lot oh certainly oh boy why not bright moon tonight isn't yes bombers moon we uh we nearly get shot on our way here quiet susie we're not supposed if i nearly get shot i am going to say i nearly get shot it was a man which is called uh uh miss callister oh mag very decent sort mac he's uh a tree doctor of what tree doctor got to have wood you know but trees start to die mac goes around the edge of the clearing and smears him with stuff to keep a well uh how did you come to meet him well the fact is uh we nearly got as far as the factory tonight oh then you were lucky to get back alive there weren't any barrage balloons over the factory i noticed hardly old boy they wouldn't advertise would they with balloons in open country and if the Germans did use that bummer oh they're not coming oh boy just make up your mind to that i wonder if you'll say so at ten o'clock but it is ten o'clock it's uh it's just ten now it can't be we drove here like blazes it was only half past nine then then your watch must be very slow boy no i'm afraid you're wrong i've never seen it quieter cold tonight very dry for march look all around you moonlight open country not a sign of life quiet peaceful and silent as the grip what was that right your guidance is doctor visitors i think we're going to see your son enemy plane approaching south southwest action stations enemy plane approaching south southwest now do you believe me get to stand back old boy operation crews coming on i said now do you believe me i want you to watch these girls work they do everything you know except actually fire the guns now now they'll keep your hair on old boy so they still can't see it oh they'll only be going over if you think so who is we sometimes get a crack at them when they're making for bristol i have heard that noise a thousand times but every time i hear it i get sick and they're flying ruddy low you know just what i was thinking spotter spotter any identification young girls 88 dive bombers height five thousand two hundred now look here are you two newspaper people yes sir there might be things popping you know can't tell they like to get below oh no thanks i don't like this bird that i'll stay too range find out range find out on target look here you two those war office passes you gave me a i'm not supposed to keep them now i'd better give them back just in case predictor predictor on target here we go ladies and gents what is the matter with them but though those harsh planes they're still a good way off but they don't come any closer let's be going over after all they're circling i think they're waiting for a signal anyhow here are your war office passes you well you seem to have got them all smeared with oil oil that is all right musher when we get them back from captain mcallister they have oil on them i think maybe you drop them on the lease because there's oil on the tires of the car too then i think how always in this we meet things that have madame two souls last night they would not let me smoke a cigarette in case of fire fire that's it fire what's the matter with you oh boy why did that fella way out at the end of nowhere want to know what time it was are you scattered mcallister you told me so yourself he goes around the edges of the clearing and smears the trees with stuff to keep them well oh what about it suppose it was crude oil supposed between each tree he laid an invisible fuse of dead leaves soaked in oil i uh i don't understand in 30 seconds a complete square of fire runs around the limits of the factory grounds that draws the bombers in and as the flames blaze higher they've got enough light to dive on their target firefighters are letting loose brunson i see it all now come on we've got to get to that tree dr mcallister it's a matter of minutes susie is brunson following in the car behind us yes he's following and men was right we've got to get to mcallister's cottage that's mcallister i'll bet you ten to one the real mcallister is either dead or tied up in that cottage the fella we saw was an imposter look out susie keep your head down oh those fighters they will chew a very younger in the place they have not got the chance of a snowshoe in heaven no susie not a snowshoe in heaven you mean it i know you are english at a time like this but i cannot understand i don't see why he hasn't set his signal off what is delaying him why don't we strike a match when the bombers come over because he's a good nazi a good nazi my watch was slow don't you remember i gave him the wrong time he had orders to strike his match at 10 o'clock and he'll not do it until 10 o'clock if there are 500 planes instead of 20 i see him where far up the road he's running yeah yeah that's him i think we can reach him before he gets to the clearing nothing chance of a snowshoe in heaven signal brunson to pass us the long shot with a rifle might hurt one of the anchors is hit right over it that's not all he's unloading his bombs the whole sticks coming straight down in our direction i don't feel her this is a dirt road the bombs sank too deeply before it exploded we didn't catch the blast come on susie mcallister was just ahead of us come on let's get out you can't drive any further this road is full of bomb craters wait a minute susie there's mcallister he he is dead yes susie killed by a nazi bomb look on the ground what are those two fight cards oh they're all smeared with oil must have fallen out of mcallister's pocket just before he got hit let's see what do you know what are the cards for it two tickets for madam to sod's wax works i'm afraid our friends never going to get to use them not the chance of a snowshoe in heaven and so ends menace in wax tonight's story of suspense columbia presents these stories of mystery and intrigue and dangerous adventure for your relaxation and enjoyment next tuesday there'll be another in this series same hour 9 30 eastern wartime william spear the producer john deets the director bernard herman the composer conductor john dixon car the author our collaborators on suspense here is a message of vital importance to every person who drives an automobile in america there is wide misunderstanding about gasoline and rubber and the government wants the following facts brought to everyone's attention actually there is no scarcity of gasoline except in some parts of the east but nowhere in the country is there enough rubber for military and civilian use starting two weeks from today december 1st mileage rationing goes into effect this means that no car owner anywhere in the united states will be able to buy gasoline without a mileage rationing book the purpose is to conserve the rubber we have by eliminating all unnecessary driving when we think of the tremendous distances our mechanized army is traveling in north africa and the long road to victory that still lies ahead this extra effort on our part is slight indeed remember everybody is going to have mileage rationing so why not be prepared the best way each of us can save rubbers by sharing our car with others let one car do the work for two or three so why not arrange with the neighbors tonight and start sharing the car tomorrow it's the one real important contribution that every automobile driver can make don't be a lone rider share your car and do your share for victory this is the columbia broadcasting system the hushed voice the prowling steps in the dead of night the crime that is almost committed the stern nerves of the ticking of the clock a rescue that might be too late or the murderer who might get away history and intrigue and dangerous adventure we invite you to enjoy stories that keep you in for a suspense tonight we present the body's matches by john vixen car beware of the body's nature who's howl but a dog beware of the grace you want beware of the murders he commits to provide new corpses for the doctor up to the year 1832 the body snatches terrorized england according to the law only four bodies a year could legally be supplied to the surgeons for anatomical study and even these were a monocular granted to the barbers and surgeons companies london but the study of surgery had to go on in hundreds of medical schools all over england perfectly reputable doctors are compelled to buy bodies and ask no questions in 1828 burst the scandal of burkin here who found grave robbing too slow and murdered 16 persons in order to supply doctor nox of embera and so out of basic good purpose sprain the evil of the body's smatcher turn back the plot now to a cold night up to 110 years ago look into the brick kitchen of a house on one's west common not far from london they're in the light of a tallow dip this old mother slave in her dragon's body what's that keeping them two hours two more flowers at a dutch clock and they're not here yet mother slave the graveyard not after my loss and i thought i heard church bells ring and one mother slave did you call no more girl i did not call but i thought i and what do you do enough at this hour my girl i was only locking up mother slave i ain't it enough to have taken me over from a good for nothing mother not worth a gunpowder to blow her up please mother slave i'm giving you a good home and brought you up practically like a lady would only be elsewhere to do i'm sorry mother slave only i wish you wouldn't talk like that about me old mother and what do you do peggy let her just pop up until this hour you miss slay miss snapbox 20 times a day i was only going to say i thought i heard a horse and cart in the lane in our lane yes mother slave yes it is now yeah easy in the years drive easy with the merchandise the doctors don't like it if you bump the merchandise merchandise mother slave what's that i'll tell you what it is middle i didn't mean anything mother slave it's your uncle matt and your cousin robert coming home from their business that's what it is you hear that piggy let's uh i didn't miss lay your snapbox sit on the table and if you don't want me to take my fingernails to you instead of a strap you get on up to bed this minute here yes mother slave i'm not coming my dear don't be impatient i'm not coming now sit in like this candle gives oh mother slave of the aromatics of course you cannot remove just pull back the bar open the door we'll met did you get it did we get it tight my blind but that's so good and ain't it long still again cause you get didn't find shows the girls they ain't after you hey baby can't you you don't think i'm tired yet still you'll like to finish a funeral better if you ask me take it easy log take it easy we've shaken them off i'd wait i wish i would have served us some people the spades the fact is still in the car let them stay who's are coming to find them and that didn't get it after all that oh no don't you start a blame in that yeah you set your potatoes up by the side or that'll make you shut it what happened i'd tell you what happened he was too quick that's what the girl was only buried this afternoon the sooner the better my dear what's the good of a merchandise if it ain't fresh hey you hold your noise and listen we left the awesome car outside like we always do he creeps up to the lit state to the church walk softly maps walk softly around in your oily diva hats and necklaces under the star lights and the white frosted elves take care of the graves too spring guns may be set in some of them to protect the dead from rotters and if the coffin is one of those new iron ones all your labor will be in vain open the gate how is my such a bloody rather than shovels i can't help it i'm not a dam with all this stuff oh and i'll do all the work when we do get there i will that i listen i can't hear nothing except your teeth are chattering that these are not people these are just in this year's yard i two or three hundred didis but they won't bother us i mean live in people don't talk so so he's got a dark lantern i still need to flash past the gravestones oh hey can't you see it there is it coming straight toward us hey i see him come on can you see that's not easy that's what's landing on the gravestones crash down they can't shoot through stone that he says he's sacred to the memory of the girl's relatives they've been watching her grave oh this is only i had my barkers first time in two years i've gone without a break of this rules and this happens to say got your barkers net paterson i got what's just as good give me a shovel what are you going to do sergeant this year's shovels got a nice ease like your dad they have to take time out to reload won't they somebody's talking to bill that'll bring down every deal within a mile if you want a tiband ticket and then making your own a rope stop we are but if you don't want to get scratched before your time with columns that's all there is to it mother slade he went out by the gate and blow me a ticket scoppers is a perishing lamb scowl did he recognize you no red on the kitchy's red eyes and eat you do it i don't know there's blood on the shovels no there ain't mother slade i watch it off anyway we're here well i want now is a christian fire to sit bar and a proper spirits to warm my stomach there's no spirits in the house net paterson don't you lie to me you ugly man me and come on warning you but it isn't so much yeah there's no spirit only after a loaf of bread don't i know it i haven't taken a drop of gin all day black dogs on the deck well i'll get what i say the doctor was promised a cork tonight all right dearie he gets a cork tonight yeah there's that fume the better game what the fuck all had come on speed up a nice young cork without any trouble or bother all right what about young piggy up ten what a bad thing you'd have to be mighty careful all right you'd have to smother her with a pillow while i sit on my legs that's what gherkin air done up in ebris then you don't leave any marks on him he got off at his waist what if the doctor see they've been polished off just plain murdered he won't have nothing to do with it these ways they don't like it like it or not dearie they all do who's buying the beast tonight dr george arnold in the young killer out full and wait that's a man dearie but i thought he was too pious and only to play that's what dr arnold thought too so that's why i put him a cruise on him at burks college no court they said to him no lecture no lecture no students they all come to it dearie sooner or later what beats me is why they got to have these bodies you'd think the doctor's killed enough people as it is without her buying them after they were steamed don't you question the weight of providence matt peddison you can't do it you can't do it not a slave you stole that knife while painting she's a lot of weight the poor girl upstairs but you can't do it he's so violent he knows that arnold knows it he knows teddie teddie fair worships the fair he walks on oh he said that arnold's the mother's slave belt is accidentally like and she can't forget him well so i was going to think when he opens up the second part what can arnold do he's water ain't he he can't go to the police and say he's bought it don't you remember a slave don't do it and now do you two sick kids know what's mother's lady they're going to do they're going to kill her ain't you you beat mr milk and water she's on the stairs now rob you're the least to be the pendison go out and fetch him a sex don't do it he'll bring us all bad luck matt you're a lead after me oh no you stop where you are and just as i tell you send the candle let's let it all nice and snug what does she bring you think this 15 guineas maybe 20 maybe more 20 guineas right my prime but this is a way of doing business that i buy did you call me mother's slave that's right my ducky that's right my little pet put your rat around you and just slippers to keep your feet warm and come right down here to mother's slave those times would be a surgeon and still be an honest man at that drugged hour of the night look into the fitting room of a spacious house many candles are still alive there though they have burned down nearly to their silver socket there is chinese people on the walls at a 30 carpet underfoot in front of the fire now almost out sits dr. george annes with his bottle green coat heavy hair dr. annes sir i i beg your pardon mr. tankard dr. annes sir he's gone to a clock yes yes yes so it has you've got a lecture to deliver tomorrow and you'll be all worn out why don't you go on up to bed mr. tankard yes sir you're a jewel of a housekeeper i admire you i can't do without you but would you please go away and let me alone sure i'm very sorry sir no thank you thank you uh scott i i shouldn't have said that i'm i'm thinking too much perhaps i'm smoking too many cigars if you're excuse me why must they keep pulling that bellardy still stretch why don't they keep it up all night well sir else he says the person told him to do it else wait who who who is stancy dr. annes sir i know you're always up in the clouds and only know the books and whatnot but i did think you'd recognize the name of your own pile and wait oh that else is i see well else he says it's because of the murder in the church what murder two resurrection men body snatchers there or you wouldn't know anything about such people no no no of course not they were caught trying to rob the grave but they got away one of them was a horrible big fella spit well he can't fix it open with the edge of a shunt is anything wrong sir no no not exactly thought for a second see how you look see they did they get the body yes sir it was well it's injured his head was split open with a shunt no no i i mean did these resurrection men get what they were after no sir thank god all you may well say that doctor wasn't exactly speaking in the religious sense but never mind what else he says there are what she calls females all over the place pealers he's seen in policemen after Sir Robert Peel and somebody from the new detective police that they use in instead of the first three months well there's a tanker i'm gonna smoke one more cigar and then i'm going to pay it very good you see sometimes you give orders then it's too late to recall them whatever the medical practice is you you can't look your conscience in the face afterwards then i can't tell you how or why a miracle comes along and saves you and you're free your what was that sounds like a horse and cart in the grass this is tankard yes doctor will you please go upstairs now make haste if it's visited sir or even the patient this is tankard you have my instruction to pay them sir this is the fact all day i heard it for the last time go away i will admit whatever visitors we have yes sir good evening dearly oh come into the sitting room here miss uh mrs faye ah sir just call me mother slave you don't hardly see natural or friendly to hear anything else it's a pleasure to kiss you to your doctor too what a lovely room i i suppose your candle is going out though one by one then you'll be in the dark i suppose you've come to report failure failure dearly i i understand you didn't get what you went after bless you dearly we got something just as good minus piece of merchandise you never saw somebody here bless you dearly mother slave always keeps her word bring the merchandise in with you so the doctor can see it please oh of course dearly i forgot the big seller with the black eyebrows is uncle neck the little seller with the watery eyes his cousin robs and between them in that sack they're carrying with it in the sack 19 year old girl dearly finest anatomical spitting in you ever saw why did you bring it here as we get told us to bring it here i mean why did you bring to the front door why not to the surgery only place in the house where there was lights avenue hurry up now where do you want to take it yes dearly take it over and put in the cupboard there where i'm pointing this cupboard here yes and then close the cupboard door shame on you too tracking a muddy booth over the doctor's lovely turkey carpet easy man dear easy don't prove the merchandise what have you do don't prove the merchandise right me blind what's the odd she can't feel it there is your body mr. sorbonne now let's see your money for just one moment before i give it to you right now wait see this is it better not be no i i made a bargain with you and i'll speak to it thank you that's uncommon genteel of you kind of stand back so you're too sort of fat heavy on iron when you don't impress me easy in that i i want to ask only one question where did you get that body that's a question dearly what people in your profession don't ask why not because they don't dare as far with the police be interested in where you got the body no dearly not also interested in as where we brought it to your house it's your responsibility now yes i know it is the victim wouldn't be by any chance that pretty little girl you used to treat so unmerceless you also know about how i treated her i was rather fond of Peggy oh stroke me blind i think there's more to get out of this house or you're going get out not without that money dearly it's 20 years now there's money on the table under that newspaper take what you want and you get out of here before i oh what was that ah what was it make this is her i imagine was you expecting anybody no good heart dearly remember you've got the body now now yes i've got the body now poor poor little devil in heaven's name mrs tankard haven't you gone to bed yet i have to get up 30 one for the real yes i've caught i i'm sorry i've got to go what's the matter with you madder watch the ghosts you're almost crying am i a fool well it was remedy that's so dark in here i could barely see the city there what candle is going out one after another nothing but smoking and they smell a grease in that cupboard door what about that cupboard door why all of the tear sir it won't keep shut without any lateral boat if you're extreme belittle is a temporary keep away from that cupboard look around sir why are you here why no but keep away from that cupboard who who rang the bell i was almost forgetting is that man else he was talking to a black man the officer of the detective police we want to see well i'll see him but in some other room not here it's as you say there's not enough light not a bit of it doctor not a bit of it never too dark if you might say word of peace i come to learn i could be happy sir you must follow me down here uh are you that's right doctor i'm stalker at your service inspector stalker oh how do you do inspector this is time for you may go buy a lease sir i'll just get some more candles and put them in that breath it's not a cover it's nothing so you'll need trouble no trouble sir excuse me first of all doctor i must apologize for including as late as this oh not at all inspector will you be seated thank you sir thank you kind now i don't say you're wondering why i'm here so yes i am rather it's a bad business doctor a very bad business you mean the murder in the church hall oh you've heard about it well my housekeeper said something about her a man being killed with a shovel it's right doctor not much doubt about who did that no no the little fella dropped his dark lantern with the initials on it they're professional body snatchers we've had our eye on them for a long time speaking of body snatchers doctor well i expect this anatomy law is pretty hard in you surgeons it's an infamous lawyer sir oh the same doctor it is the law yes yes well if any surgeon happened to be caught with our body especially a murder for it body why are you hinting at nothing doctor nothing by your leave i only want to ask a question well what time did your friends leave no come doctor as one man of the world to another you see any green in my eyes you are not going to say you had no guests when our awesome car is still at your front door they didn't get away no doctor they didn't so they made a little reception committee as they left by the back door darb is on the wrist snap just as i might reach out and touch your wrist like this what do you mean by darb is handcuffed i've got a pair in my pocket gabs into their mouths that's the keeps them from my head do we have to go on with this you who already seem to know everything i could tell you not exactly everything i don't know for instance where you've hidden the girl's body you're a very diligent man inspector stalker thank you sir i tried to do my duty you said a girl these gin muddled degenerates have been watched every second since they left the still church yard they hadn't a body then but they got one here and there's only one other person who lives in the same house with them mrs pancreas listen to me yes but you always break in with the most completely old-time entrances at all the best period of my life is only trying to be helpful sir that's right ma'am i've always been helpful yeah that's right he's the candlestick part of it in a big candle rod we can hang them in the bracket ma'am hold up that light hold it high really sir oh not in the habit of being so conservative hold it high i tell you who is the inspector tells you mrs pancreas this is a very fine carpet you've got here doctor yes others have admired it tonight but it often they have footprints on it muddy footprints footprints leading from the door past the sofa past the half over to that cupboard right for it i think that's done it doctor arnold i think it has inspector stalker you couldn't approach anything against you over that churchyard business but visit let me open blue beard covered inspector let me be the first to show you what's inside who wanted a certain body it appears you've come to the right place now look lord almighty kind of body mr police standing up on very much alive and wearing a nice new dress the doctor gave me i didn't tell you anything please don't say anything stop a bit miss aren't you peggie lester yes it's not because the doctor has to be so terrible respectable and a girl who's fond of him has to come here in secret wait a minute everybody peggie lester you're lying i am not lying so that's it why didn't i guess it it's the oldest body snatchers trick in the world is it of course we pinch penny like mother's slave who do sacrifice a good household rush of course they brought the body here instead of taking it to the surgery where it might get locked up could you be persuaded inspector to tell us just what you're talking about a body snatcher so what about them they take a living accomplice and put him into a sack and sell him to a green doctor as a dead man yes but see here they get the best price they can then in the middle of the night there the compass gets up and robs the doctor's house and the doctor can't tell us that seems body legal goods i never intended to go through with it no young woman i tell you i wasn't going to rob the house they made me do this i was going to tell dr armwood when i found a breadie what takes me i pretended to go through with it so i could warn the doctor they can hurt so much you'll agree to almost anything that sounds like the truth but it puts me in a funny position of no mistake oh you're your three murderers inspector seem to be seem to be leaving you're leaving right in our prospect lights follows an underdog does anybody go with them how can anybody go with them i'm willing to believe this girl acted under threat she's committed no crime and i don't for the light of me see how we can touch you can't touch me no sir i can found you for making me lose a night sleep there's no body we didn't you didn't even buy a body will you tell me doctor just what crime you committed and so when the body snatched the story of london at midnight a hundred years ago and tonight's story out just ten columbia presents these tales of mystery and intrigue in dangerous adventure for your relaxation and enjoyment next tuesday there will be another in this series same hour 9 30 eastern wartime we'll inspire the producer john deets the director lexander semler the composer conductor and john bixon for the author our collaborators on the spence this is the formula broadcasting system the spence is compounded of mystery and intrigue in dangerous adventure stories calculated to intrigue you to stir your nerves tonight for instance as we begin you may want to ask yourself how could a young lady a bride walk out on a balcony alone and vanish completely vanish we trust that while you are wondering how and why it was done we shall keep you in suspense italy in springtime italy as we used to know it before the jackal struck and the island of copy 20 miles out across the bay of naples blue water or dazzle under the sun behind through the bone white beaches and the suvious dull purple and a heat haze ahead as the little steamer from naples chugs out across the bay rises coppery olive trees and white roads and vineyards above the cliffs could young americans find a better place to spend their honeymoon while the guitars sing and the warm winds blow and the little steamer carries them well mrs. Courtney well mr. Courtney I can't keep it up Lucy I'm going to break down and ask if you're happy oh I'll break down too I want to walk up to everybody I need to say we just like that what I want to do is turn some salt to myself all along this deck here I want to say I've been married to Tom Courtney for practically two weeks and now we're going to have a villa at Capri for a month oh Tom I ought to be the happiest woman in the world only you should what's wrong well ever since we got aboard this ship people have been staring at me I can't blame him for that dear no no I mean in a funny way and and muttering even your american friend what's his name Granger mr. Granger when you're introduced into me at Naples I thought his eyes were good at pop I'll be careful standing over by the rail now oh he lives at Capri I like to see him wearing that white 10 gallon hat and in the lake before Granger made money in oil wells he was a real old-fashioned cow puncher and he's proper that good fella too he's super light to say anything but he keeps looking around at me just the same as the rest of them do well well Tom they they look scared you know Lucy this isn't the time to start imagining things I know maybe I'm just so happy I'm afraid it can't last oh don't say that but wouldn't it be pretty awful if something did happen and we weren't together any longer wait a minute hasn't this ship stopped yes well I just can't pray ahead of us isn't it it can't be anything else but it seems a funny place to stop no sign of a harbor only rocks and little great cliffs oh mr. Granger uh mr. Granger yes you happen to know why we're stopping here that's amazing what son we're stopping so that you and your good lady and anybody else who's curious can get a look at the blue grotto you see that that tiny little arch under the cliff yes and all the little white row boats are coming out towards us yeah now when the first boat comes alongside you climb down that iron ladder and get in the boat will row you out and shoo the arch into the grotto it's a great big dark carry the water in there looks as though it's lit up underneath with blue fire like to go out and see it let's let me give you a little tip though the current pretty face out there you'll go shooting under that arch like 60 are we likely to upset oh no but the arch is in this hide your head when you see it come and lie back flat in the boat that is unless you want your block not sure oh thanks mr. Granger we'll remember come on let's see easy on the ladder Lucy don't look round yet oh I'm all right darling and just as good a swimmer as you are now turn around facing the boatman and sit down here easy man you want to set us down to come back yes come back well I've never been here before in my life push off man start rowing the other boats are piling up behind you you'll come back start rowing catch it and I saw the tall buster you can't take his eyes off I wish he'd watch out where he's going you'll come to live at the velibur case sir yes Tom how does he know that he's the lady she is not dead dead of course she's not dead what are you talking about she never come to capri before never then I tell you she will disappear just like the other one disappear by the rest of my orders and I tell you Tom but we're moving right as fast yes that's the entrance to the grotto ahead I tell you there was a lady so much like your own corporate thing back or it's scary now look old man I don't want to teach you your business but you've got your back to that grotto but take a piece of lady back where she comes from you will not take her to the velibur case how does he fly on your back down I am sorry I almost make you get hurt you know you've got your own head not the skills you know I am used to it how I will roll you around the blue grotto think I like it much Tom neither do I dark except for that blue light under the water transparent you can see the fish is swimming it doesn't have opened this lady you disappeared in the middle of a gaze two three years ago she disappeared you say she looked exactly like my wife see senior a she was a going to be married she was trying on a what do you call her wedding dress her mother and sisters they were in the room with her she walked out on a balcony over the sea you know what I mean on a balcony over the sea and nobody ever healed of horror game you mean she jumped over into the sea a young girl going to be married heal herself no no no and what did happen oh but the back of I do not know but sometimes they say you can meet her ghost in the year she float just under the water where you can see her and turn over and over and the wedding veil is still around for face Tom let's get out of here you want to go yes let's see if this fella's stringing us along not stringing us along and somebody ought to know what this means if we'd inherited a haunted balcony where people disappear like soap bubbles I say it's too much let's get back to our ship and talk to Granger yes open take us back didn't anybody else go to the blue grotto well man no that after they saw you go it's all right we've just heard the story Mr. Granger oh I ought to have told you about it myself all the way out here I've been cussing myself and thinking what a nornery old badger I am or not tell you when I first met your Naples the girl did banished by a first rate miracle yes in broad daylight and within 20 feet of her mother and sisters you don't look like a man who'd believe in miracles Mr. Granger oh I'm not son I'm just telling you what happened but why is everybody so excited somebody must have thrown her off the balcony Josephine Adams was all alone on a balcony 40 feet up a cliff smooth as glass she didn't fall she wasn't thrown because there was no sound of a splash and she didn't come back from the balcony because her mother and sisters were in front of the only door yet within 15 seconds 15 seconds mind you she just banished you believe that sure I believe it son but it's a fact did you know the girls family oh very well we've got a real English speaking colony here oh by the way in about a half a minute now I'm going to show you your new home can we sit here on a ship oh sure you can man it's on the edge of the cliff Dr. Davis's house is on one side of it and my shacks on the other uh that's why I want to ask you a question of course ask anything you like well I'm an old stager man we're not exactly up to the high tone society around here but do you do you trust me yes I think so well then promise me something unless you're with somebody you do trust keep away from that balcony do you honestly think there's danger I don't know son if I did they wouldn't have to talk to me sound like a dog barking I thought I heard it before what is a big police dog and led by a very handsome woman if you ask me oh lord here she is again oh the countess she lives in our colony she looks like an American you take your eyes off for Tom Courtney she isn't American married a count part cheesy or something like that just call her Nelly my dear Mr. Granger hello Nelly it's true everybody told me so but I couldn't believe it until I saw her she does look exactly like poor Josephine Adams just as small just as dainty as clean as is everybody trying to give me the jitters Nelly I want you to meet some friends of mine oh you don't need to introduce me I know who they are you're the nice young couple who've taken that bit off I'm Nelly McCabe oh yes this is my dog Tiberius named after the wicked Roman emperor you know who used to live at Capri I must confess I'm terribly fascinated by wicked things aren't you Mr. Courtney Lucy stop digging me in my ribs I haven't done anything no and you're not going to Tiberius seems to have taken quite a fancy to you Mrs. Courtney I've never known him to go to a stranger before I only wish I could borrow him he might be at charm against no I don't know we'll be at the harbour in a few minutes then you must let me drive you up to the villa you won't be able to get any servants I'm afraid because they won't stay there but you can camp out look there's the villa we're passing it now we're on the cliff where I'm pointing wait a minute I don't know if there's something to say that's not the villa for Gacy it sure is son that's a palace like all the other houses there and I rented it furnished for about twenty five dollars a month can't you guess why you got it so cheap son if you take my advice you'll turn around and go back to Nathan's by the next steamer Harry Granger don't be an idiot let's have some excitement let's have some excitement Tom is beautiful too infinitely beautiful as you asked me there's the balcony it's all right by daylight son marble and tapestries and whatnot but at night when you gotta put out the lights you start thinking what happened the moon over country makes a definitely daylight you can see to read on that balcony if anyone went out there frosted glass doors open out on it from a big room on the ground floor two determinedly calm persons and a dog sit looking at each other Lucy stop it stop what stop looking over at that balcony I'm sorry darling why are we sitting here anyway there's an outer room that's much more comfortable it's like having a toothache a very little toothache I may be dense Daniel but I don't follow you you put your tongue against the tooth to see if it'll hurt you know it will hurt but you go on doing it just the same that's not maybe all right oh Tom did you ever think we'd have a lovely house like this and the house is all right yes then they have to go and spoil everything our honeymoon this blasted Tommy rock about your jittery now as I was this afternoon even Tiberius is jittery yes I guess I am easy boy easy easy well there's whiskey on the table in a minute not just now there's nothing wrong with that balcony suppose you walked out there this minute I've had a horrible longing to try it just because I know I shouldn't nothing could attack you all you have to do would be yeah or better bring Mr. Granger out on his balcony like a shot and the neighbor on the other side of this who is on the other side by the way a specialist in brain diseases dr. David the evening is easy Tiberius Tom I'm afraid it's all right darling you hold Tiberius as collar while I open the door evening Mr. Courtney good evening Mrs. Courtney I'm no ghost I'm mainly your neighbor Dr. Rutherford Davis oh yes of course I trust you will harden this intrusion no one answered my knock so I I ventured to come in it's no intrusion Dr. Davis Mr. Courtney I wish I could say you work at Capri but I have a very different message well if you value Mrs. Courtney's life you'll go back to Naples immediately sir not you too I do not say that as a ghost hunter sir I say it as a medical man may I sit down oh of course please do thank you we seem to be forgetting our manners Dr. Davis will you will you have a drink oh thank you perhaps a small whiskey I'll get it darling you sit down and talk to Dr. Davis you're not going back into that room alone I'm only going to get the drinks Tom I promise to be good and Tiberius can come with me can't you Tiberius oh I see your father Tiberius my count is too easy yes she was kind enough to offer him excuse me I'll be back in a minute come on Tiberius hi I hope this is all right doctor no sir it is not all right your wife is in very great danger but why because of that balcony and no because she looks exactly like the late Josephine Adams I don't get it and Mr. Courtney did you ever hear of paranoia it's some kind of mental disease isn't it the paranoic begins by imagining that he or she is being persecuted by someone first she shares things a voice in his brain whispers you'll be killed you will be killed you will be killed he hears it in the thick of a clock in the rattle of a train in the footsteps on the street there are holes in the walls the riches anyway is always watching invisible speaking tubes bringing messages there are paintings in his joints and nightmares of attempts to poison him his brain bursts and he kills he kills he kills excuse me for speaking so strongly but how does this affect us and Mr. Courtney will you uh will you examine this sheet of paper what is it the fragment of a type written dowry I found it on the cliffs months ago don't ask me who wrote it but I know there's a criminality on this island you imagine the poor inoffensive Josephine Adams was his enemy so he killed her killed her oh I don't know and what happened to the girl's body I'm not a detective sir the body was carried out to sea perhaps or washed along the cliffs into the blue grotto to be lost but don't you understand the danger to your wife you're not suggesting that if somebody's cracked brain your wife is Josephine Adams create it all over again too you see but it couldn't be done it was done my friend sounded like a dog how mrs. Courtney is rather a long time in getting that whiskey she would do another balcony she promised not to go out on the balcony people do very perverse things my friend when they know they shouldn't lose it that seems to be tight barriers out on the balcony I I can't see anything else from here she's gone she's gone she's gone a howling dog at a sea turn clear silver under the moon in after the tumult and the shouting there are other pictures don't you hear the noise of that motor launch with a half demented young man at the wheel three other familiar figures are gathered around it don't you recognize the brunette prettiness of Nellie the case of the fight 10 gallon hat of harry granger and the neat pointy beard of doctor but what on earth is he going to do out here in this motorboat I'd like to know that myself listen please all of you now take it easy so we're with you what time is it time yes what time is it about two in the morning going on for three twelve hours then the tide ought to be just where it was this afternoon where's the time got to do the whole lot somebody set a trap and make lucy fall off that balcony I know it oh that's absurd if Lucy's been carried out to see there's nothing we can do about it but if she's been carried along with the current and into the blue grotto of one moment sir you're not proposing to run this big launch under that arch after dark yes doctor that's just exactly it go on do it I'll back you up let's have some excitement to be exciting enough I'll show you mr. Coatee have you got some wild hope of recovering your wife's body I've even got a wild hope she may be alive Lucy's a very strong swim directing like a nurse and get set everybody I'm going to swing around we're in the killer hour better hold tight I've got to block my own head when we go through everybody else walk down my stroke test against this don't you understand mr. Coatee get ready here we go oh blue grotto it's a blackish pitch my dear nanny I kept trying to tell all of you the blue grotto effect is caused by the sun's rays there never is one except when the sun is out uh just how does our friend propose to find anything in the earth listen something got pulled to the side of the boat I I felt it move not the dead girl I trust there's a hand here a wet hand Lucy she's not alive mr. Ranger help me lift her up over the side easy easy now don't hit the boat Lucy Lucy are you all right are you all right Lucy can you hear me all right just exhausted I thought in here I couldn't swim out against the current I don't try to talk I've got to talk going to fame who's with you only our friends who's with you it's the matter with you I was just wondering the same thing to be shut up in the dark at three o'clock in the morning with a criminal lunatic now Lucy got home so tight let don't you I'll get the boat started and have you out of here in a second only Dr. Davis oh I got to tell you I know how back that girl Josephine Adam is anybody here for some brandy or a flashlight I have a flashlight my friend will you allow me as a medical man to reach out my mrs. Courtney you better keep back which is the second not this she's a cover give me the flashlight please I walked into the other room nobody with me all alone except my period yes Lucy somebody call my name from the balcony I thought I saw this is could you recognize the boys and you better start up this boat and try to pay any attention to Lucy nobody can hurt you now I went out in the balcony the bright moonlight bright as day but there was nobody there nobody on the balcony no I looked out over the sea and then something came at me something flew out of the air and came at me just one moment before mrs. Courtney goes on is anybody in this boat carrying a revolver not that I know of excuse my mentioning it but I felt something metal like a revolver brush past my hand we took only the flashlight excuse me it was not a flashlight mr. Courtney's got the flashlight would you please let Lucy go on and finish Lucy you're on the balcony and something came at you yes like a snake sideways off the air it went over my head fast and run my neck it was a rope with a running loose in it a rope it was thrown from another balcony I'm small and light like Josephine Adams but pull me sideways and over the rail I fell I think I begin to understand you couldn't see what happened to Josephine Adams frosted glass door balcony so they couldn't see I think it easy now you're perfectly safe but you should perfectly safe the murderer let her fall in the rope but the rope was jerk tight long before she struck the water that broke her neck then the murderer lowered her softly so there wasn't any splash and the current took her away rope no that's it what happened to me only the rope must have sent to the murderers fingers through whose fingers what did I tell you somebody in this boat has got a revolver who's on the board somebody went to the switch on my plate my friend and ran it on the water all I doubted they should like look at it turning over and over the water in the blue grotto is red now what's all like you see I swear you're safe enough now did it shoot himself yes did who shoot himself who had a balcony exactly like ours on the house next door who began life as a cow puncher and would have known how to use a lasso yes a new Josephine Adams well and got it into his maniacs head that mrs. Courtney was Josephine Adams all over again harry granger look there's his 10 gallon hat floating away and so ends the bride vanishes a story of mysterious doing tonight columbia brings you as a guest star peter lorry one of the screen's past masters of the art of suspense suspense is compounded of mystery and intrigue and dangerous adventure in this series of stories calculated to intrigue you to stir your nerves to offer you a precarious situation and then withhold the solution until the last possible moment tonight for instance mr. lorry plays for us a doctor a husband with something dark and terrible on his mind was it murder and if so can this at last be the really perfect crime we trust that while you are wondering we shall keep you in or suspense tonight cbs presents till death do us part by john bixon car starring peter lorry late one night in december of 1941 a man and his wife sat beside the fire in their country cottage this man look at him a professor of mathematics stout middle-aged guileless as a child in the remote corner of england where he lives with his pretty english wife they say of him jolly beef and fellow you know for a farmer isn't he always a smile for everybody and so polite that's why it's such a shame about his wife and that young americans there hasn't been anything between them yet i'm almost sure but if the american stays here much longer hey man this professor craft his cottage in the country is rather isolated three miles from the nearest house no electricity or central heating or telephone and on december nights like this a great wind comes rushing off the suffix down rattles at the window growls in the chimney and makes unsteady the oil lamp on the table professor Owen craft sits before the fire in a snug bookline room and across from him sewing sits his young wife Cynthia the domestic scene a very domestic scene oh my pet this is wonderful isn't it oh so nice and cozy how i enjoy our little home it's a pleasure to be indoors on a night like this isn't it my darling have a good day just about as usual no adventures huh not exactly i walked into the village walked oh i really blame myself for burying you out here how to get your car but that's not necessary thanks come now come did something happen to upset my little pet today no no no you know darling i look at you and i marvel you marvel at what at a wife who can actually blush yes with a skin so fair in a conscience so transparent that she can actually blush i wasn't blushing about about what but anything you might be thinking it's your horrible habit of putting everybody else in the wrong oh but the neighbors don't think that about proper craft neighbors don't have to live with you i do and you mustn't scratch either not when we are so snubby so cozy in a kettle on a fire is nearly boiling and the rum is ready and the lemon juice and the sugar for her medicine oh and must i drink that stuff i don't like rum but you have a cold darling i haven't got a cold really i haven't now darling twice today i heard your cough uh you are going to take your medicine Cynthia and take it here and now and not offend your clumsy old husband by refusing why do you keep on treating me like a girl of 16 i love to treat you like that Cynthia because uh because i cannot fathom your thoughts you'll lock up your thoughts and that is a dangerous english habit you see thoughts accumulate and won't be stifled and sooner or later when you leave excuse me but i can't get it boiling over so it is oh and please lift it down from there of course of i apologize i apologize my darling there for a second you know you almost frightened me i frightened you i suppose it's foolish well here we are my dear here we are now see i put two tumblers on the coffee table and now a spoon in each so that the heat doesn't crack them i see a master give me so much rum i thought i had a small one but we have to cure that cold of your Cynthia now comes the lemon juice yes and now comes hot water to the top here we are now and two lamps of sugar for each of us there you are darling now let's drink up i didn't hear anything i did it it came from that cupboard over there it sounded like you're recording oh that's nonsense darling that's nonsense there it is again well that's only the wind or or perhaps a rat that's got into the cupboard oh and i'm terrified of rats go and kill it would you mind oh you really sick very heavy labors my sweet for one of my ways well well if you insist all right i'll take a good heavy focus from the fireplace and of course it means a little twist through the cover oh and never mind you haven't changed your mind have you it'd probably run out across the floor come back wouldn't run very far i'm sure well again if you insist i can't think what's the matter with me tonight no no there's sure nothing upsetting the village today huh excuse me not how about uh the young american that uh fledgling doctor what's his name you mean dr craig that's it dr craig dr craig didn't someone say he was leaving today for london and and i'm back to the state i believe so that's what lady randall told me and you didn't see goodbye to him sit me not wow that wasn't kind of you darling that wasn't friendly but you matter don't you like my nice hot one drink no but you've given me no peace till i do drink that's right darling that's right now take it down like a good girl i'm keeping you company see oh how pretty she looks with her yellow hair in the firelight in her red mouth and the light little hands very pretty oh uh there's just one other thing since you i i gave you a letter to post this afternoon did you post it yes registered yes and uh did you notice when the letter was addressed everybody notices the address on an envelope it was to say mr hadaby at market ship it that's right but i don't know who he is if that's what you mean oh mr hadaby is uh the coroner of this district the coroner that's right that's right but is there any reason why you should be writing letters to the coroner well there will be tomorrow morning we have to be just drinking poison i know why do you drop your gas on me i don't believe you no this was interesting to you you were a train nurse and weren't you uh you see the poison was ackonite among you no yes home grown in our own little garden you know one sixteenth of a grain has been a fatal dose this is terrible yeah no car not even a neighbor exactly my angel take your hands off me let me get up you know my pet in about five minutes you see the the first symptoms will come on symptoms yes our throat will grow dry our eyes have returned in no and presently we'll lose the use of our limbs well there are convulsions before the end i believe that he won't see them let me help if if you try to hit it to me angel you'll upset that lamp and well if you upset the lamp this cottage would go up like tinder we don't want to burn to death do we and why are you doing this why are you doing it why do you think all proper craft is blind my pet huh if i can't have you think there nobody else is going to have you you mean jim craig so this jim craig that was nothing my concept a cynic would say my dear that your foot slipped do you think i don't know what happened the other night at the schoolhouse yes the market shepherd schoolhouse at lady randall slow concert in aid of the war relief nothing happened i swear it didn't snow oh then it was coincidence i suppose that you and that dr craig didn't arrive until the concert was nearly over yes it was we didn't go there together no we met in the little hall outside the auditorium it was just as you were finishing your number on the accord i break your pardon it seems so dodger i almost bumped into you who's met mrs craig yes he didn't dr craig we we seem to be late very late i'm afraid i i was detained on a case i didn't see like coming here at all but that's the moment before i open that door for you won't it look a little funny our arriving here together funny why should it be no reason at all only send me a listen to you you know dr craig it's the first time you ever called me by my first name i did want to have a word with you somehow of course you've heard the news what news i'm already over the past couple of days we're too far out to get much new reason my husband isn't interested he isn't interested he isn't interested in anything but himself i probably didn't talk that day about my husband i'm sorry would you push the door open maybe lady Randolph is saying something i'm sure we've all enjoyed our friend professor claus musical numbers on the accordion and the victors conjuring trick it only remains only to tell you that the collection for this little entertainment will amount to this we get to the thompson what is it to the thompson's going across the platform rather hurry the flag is not in the sunshine just receives some late news by the nine o'clock bulletin i think i can guess for you following yesterday's declaration against japan the congress of the united states today declared war against germany and italy no policies i think i can say that these things go too deep for applause we entered a war lightly and we have learned but before the victor ends this meeting i shall ask the officer to play us the strong numbered 83 in the book a song we know is dear to the hearts of all americans jim this doesn't affect you naturally of course you won't be leaving england probably in a very short time i'll be needing doctors but does it form a declaration of war make any difference what does it mean to you what does it mean i can't explain it since it's all in that song if they're going to meet me i'll go back but can't you do just as much good here in england i don't know that depends on what the army says and doesn't anything depend on what i see we haven't got much time since the other that probably i'll commit yes and we won't admit it will we admit what admit how we feel about each other i haven't said nor i i was only talking about what we were thinking no we won't admit it you say you can't explain about the war i can't explain about this don't try it's better this way oh and being very good to me he's such a childlike person yes everybody likes him oh he has this temper not easy to live with sometimes in spite of what they think like can't do anything to hurt him because he'd never do anything to hurt me never never never in the world a very fair estimate of my character few that's exactly what i said about you so you are in love with that fellow i admit it now yes tell me darling do you feel anything yet feel anything i mean uh blindness muscular contraction of the throat yes all right so too i won't die i won't and how do you propose to stop yourself your only chance would be to reach the village infirmary and i'll see to it that you don't get there but what if the poison takes you before it takes me then you can't stop me but it won't darling you seem terribly sure of that you see the amount i gave you as you perhaps noticed was more than i gave myself i'm going to follow you my little pet into the dark where there are no dr jim craigs but not too quickly i shall still have most of my faculty sent you when your convulsions already begin oh i wonder if you will why do you say that your legs don't seem any too steady uh but i know this must be the heat of uh the fire perhaps so it's very hot in this room since you seen your darling listen to me yes i went there there is a copy of of Taylor's medical jurisprudence on the there over on the shelf there please please get it for me i'm afraid you'll have to get it for yourself my dear that is if you can i'll get it uh mind the lamp urban we don't want the house fire just as you said yourself i'll mind the lamp uh listen to me you know some people's systems aren't tolerant to poison the the experience in minutes would ought to take hours does it hurt urban does it hurt but you'll find out soon enough my pet because because you'll never make three months to the village never you think not i know it then and just remember in a dark and cold where there is neither marriage nor giving in in marriage i'll be waiting for my little pig i love you i'm afraid of you but i don't want you to die because of me you are too erwin i'm not going to join you i've never prayed much erwin but i'm praying now whatever comes over my wits and makes my senses weak give me strength enough to get to the village strength enough to get to the village an empty room now except for the motionless figure of the fire the great wind enters through an open front door makes the lamp shape dangerously on the tables the whole house creaks otherwise it is very quiet suddenly the corpse sits up as a craft looks pleased doesn't he very pleased very alert as he moves over to a certain cupboard door well and now i think the real fun can begin patience patience patience my friend while i open the cupboard door well there we are i hope you haven't been too uncomfortable doctor james craig i'm all right thanks so you managed to get the gag out of your mouth huh i managed it yes just now i'm too late well you are still securely tied up i'm glad to say you know you gave me several very very unpleasant moments young man when you when you got your foot on it accordion did i well think you thought you were a rat and wanted me to kill you you know she shows very defense sometimes i could hear both of you talking thanks very much of course you could of course excuse me please i i forgot that just so i could see you too for a crack in the door well you were intended to see it but now come on first of all i'll drag you out yes now let me take you now we can sit down and have a nice cozy little chat how much i can i did you give sent here how much oh about uh two brains too too great well then she can't follow no she can't possibly live until morning but she can live long enough to testify that she saw me die and how much poison did you take yourself i none none at all no none at all but you mix those things out of the same materials that's all you do well but there was many poisoning around young men you see two lumps of sugar steaming acrylite were dropped into sinker's gas i marked them and i didn't make a mistake can you see the beginnings of poppercrafts plan why you you see uh sent here left the door open my friends and there is a very strong wind blowing tonight well just observe i'd lift the table covers flutter the magazines make the lamp tremble i shouldn't be surprised you know if uh if one of those lamps blew over a fine crash in a sheet of flame and when they come here tomorrow morning after sinker's testimony in my letter to the coroner they'll expect to find at least uh at least a few charred bones among the ruins and of course they must find some remains whose remains yours yes you've got me piled up for the well haven't you and now you see now comes the best you were last seen going through a railway station to london and then to america nobody nobody will inquire after you except simpher that's right except sinker who will be dead that i weighed you and brought you here while sinker was in a village will not be known to our good coroner and i shall disappear what do you think of it young man i think it's rather good huh you're going to let me burn to death yes and i shall enjoy the necessity by the way too bad you missed my performance at lady randall's concert it was very nice but uh and i think you were otherwise occupied you could call it that occupied i think you're making love to my wife you hurt my vanity young man and you're going to suffer for it i'd never make love to your wife no no but i don't suppose you could possibly believe that are you already begging for mercy now come on now come on are you begging for mercy no i think not dr craig i don't like the way you're taking this i really don't don't you know you want to be afraid all decent men should be afraid and no man is heroic when he sees death coming but you are as white as a plate can't take your eyes off me and seem to be expecting something maybe i am expecting something you know well i think i can persuade you to tell me what's on your mind my friends if i use the poker out of the fire you see see i'm a mathematician i leave nothing to chance do you hear that professor crafts a car has stopped out in front well they won't come in here but of course they will it's probably the home guard look you fool you've left the front door standing wide open in a blackout don't be childish do you think you've set me with that something's upset you take a look at yourself in a mirror nothing nothing can upset my plans now everything is already my clothes and my money are in a stable this place this pretty little college will be a furnace all i have to do is all i have to do is pick up that lamp you see like this and nothing is wrong with me you're not acting this time are you you're not pretending now you you swine what have you done to me i have done that you you have done something to me i i can feel it yeah there is sweat all over me but my throat's choking but it's only black not my wife's voice it was Cynthia's voice what is wrong with finding there was nothing wrong with it all right it can be it isn't possible but it is you see your plans didn't include the fact that Cynthia doesn't like wrong remember you point a very large drink for her and a small one for yourself and you fill both glasses with hot water but remember when she got that you believe her come over to this cupboard she changed the glasses you're the one who followed the poison two grains of akina no help me please nothing on earth can save you help me please in the name of please please please help me nothing on earth can save you no you won't then and then i'll show you i'll take you with me everybody with me where you go oh i'll get that lamp i'll take you with me i look at you you can't even see you're blind you're staggering straight into that cupboard i'll take you i'll take you with me you doing here come in Cynthia come in and take a look at the man who died twice so and till death to us part starring Peter Laurie tonight's story i'll suspect columbia presents these tales of mystery and intrigue and dangerous adventure for your relaxation and enjoyment next Tuesday there'll be another in this series same hour 9 30 eastern wartime mr lorry was starred as professor craft he was supported by alice frost as Cynthia david gathers is dr craig and mercedes mccaimbridge is lady randolph william spear the producer john beats the director but not firm in the composer conductor and john dixon carly author are collaborated on suspense this is the columbia broadcasting system tonight columbia brings you his guest star hollywood's genial character stewart urwin the story is by the author of the thin man and the malty's falcon dashel hammett one of america's acknowledged masters of the art of suspense suspense is compounded of mystery and intrigue and dangerous adventure in this series our stories calculated to intrigue you to stir your nerves to offer you a precarious situation and then withhold the solution until the last possible moment tonight for instance stewart urwin plays for us a pleasant easygoing assistant chief of police in a small town who to everyone's surprise was instrumental in solving a murder we trust that with this tale we shall keep you in suspense for suspense tonight cbs presents stewart urwin in two sharp knives by dashel hammett shortly after two a.m a poker game had just broken up at ben candeliz the doctor coroner of dearwood city scott anderson dearwood's chief of police and walley shane his assistant was standing where are we heading for scott smoke cross street walley railroad station she aren't you afraid of the excitement chief don't you think that watching the two eleven come in as they have to be too much for your blood pressure well it is walley you can always carry on you've been a pretty good imitation of an assistant to me for some time now yeah yeah if anything happens to me you'd be the chief don't worry you'll be any harder for you to fool the public as chief hi hammer howdy scott hello walley can't leave you boys to be around in it no i don't know we sort of figured we'd put the town to bed tonight how's the two eleven on time right on the nose you ought to be blowing for the bend in just about three seconds now yep what'd i tell you it's her now expecting anyone on her scott no i'm not expecting anyone or and i just thought we'd come over and watch a commandment so you know you never can tell who might get off though dick turpin and henley morgan jesse james dick jack the ripper or six officers of mortem murder incorporated or even your end just in this year right walley well there she been pardon me i gotta be rolling the wagon out to the baggage car i can't complain i can't complain cat well maybe you can tell me but i sure can if you hold us up with that phrase there i got much more nope this is the last piece now see you tomorrow man what do you see what i see i mean do i see the man who just got off that plane the answers yes well he's a ringer for the guy we got a picture of that is the guy well then what do we do now we take him walley my car is at the corner of the alley but scott tell him up the street okay scott there he goes now we're toward the taxi stand come on let's follow him hello farman oh all right i don't know that's a farman aren't you yes i am can it help you yes i'm scott anderson chief please what chief of what's happened to her happened to who oh oh no you don't let me go you think you can pull that sort of stuff we'll see you very much you think no oh no no no no wait a minute wait a minute hold it honey well farman all right i am sorry for a moment there i thought you weren't really a policeman thanks nice to know i look almost human yes it it was silly of me i'm sorry well let's get going now before anything else happens okay for him and getting the car i'll drive scott here you go how are you taking me to police headquarters right what for philadelphia i uh i don't think i understand you understand that you want it in philadelphia for murder don't you murder why that's ridiculous let's who told you that well it's a sin she didn't make it up but wait there there must be no we will get down to headquarters and i'll show you what i mean here's the circular on lester firman it was sent out by the trans america detective agency in philadelphia take a look at it oh yeah 1500 reward for the arrest and conviction of lester firman alias loyd fields alias j.d carpenter for the for the murder of paul frank dunlap in philadelphia on december 8th 1942 yeah it's a lie it's a farman aren't you oh yes but that's your picture on the circular isn't it oh yes yes but i got out you see you and while he got farman huh no i don't judge you're lucky stiffs now you too split a grand and a half reward i've never seen nothing like it you know but ain't vacations in new york at the city's expense it's reward though judge someday if you don't remember you're the jailer around here not the da you're going to be wearing your teeth on the outside of your lips and i'll be the guys who arrange in that way savvy just cause you're caught a guy who's hot in philadelphia it's a lie it's a frame up you can't prove anything there's nothing to prove i never killed anybody i won't be free i won't be farman take it easy you're wasting your breath on us save it for the philadelphia police we're just holding you for them but it's not the police it's the trans-american detective turn you over to the philadelphia police mr anderson i well then then there's nothing i can do now nothing any of us can do it all morning you have to set you now then we won't bother any more till they come for you bother why are you through his bag i'll see what he's got in his pockets okay scott well he's got on i'm on some business cards few letters a hundred and hundred and sixty dollars a book of checks in the philadelphia bank and a few odds and ends watch with the bag welly not much a couple of changes of clothes and toilet articles and oh here's a 38 loaded pretty little thing isn't it okay put those things what i got in the vault all right george you can take for him and i'll unlock him up this is the most ridiculous come on darling come on we ain't had nobody in our little who's girl for three days run hey uh they'll have it all to yourself just like a sweet of the rich come on in you go i tell you you you're making a mistake i demand to be allowed to get in touch with my lawyer hey how about you boys cutting me in on a little of that blood money huh no sure george sure i'll forget all about that two and a half you've been on me for three months make for him as comfortable as you can george they could carry him he's valuable huh and i was some bomb that didn't mean a nickel to you george any day now i'm gonna forget that your uncle is county chairman and throw you back in a gutter just to see how high he'll bounce i'm out of that oh scott i i didn't mean that that's all george i'm on the rest i'm going home now if anything's urgent i can reach there but get this i don't want to be disturbed unless it is urgent well what what time is it it's five after six in the morning and you'd better come on down scott that fellow ferrman's hung himself what women hung himself yep i'd be right in molly phone doc camsley and tell him i'll pick him up i'm a way down no doctor and i won't hurt to have him look that you'd better phone the chronic court at dogginsville too and file a routine report already did this da i would have before you hang up while he see hot under the collar what's he planning about oh he's just mad running up quite a phone bill on his tube in calling philadelphia every couple of minutes since he got here what kept you so long i couldn't get the car started well let's go in and see the old buzzard no ted listen scott what is all this oh what there's some funny business going on here what's funny about it man hangs himself just another case of sure it was suicide but i just telephoned trans america dug a guy out of bed there and he said they'd never send out circulars on ferrman didn't know about any murder he was wanted for all they could tell me about him was he used to be a client of theirs i don't know what to say ted i don't either oh a fine chief of police you are what on earth kept you so long cost or game as quick as it could i think she's so crabby to nothing i guess it's just a district attorney you know now come come gentlemen nobody'd know you two are staunch admirers of each other okay warley tell me what do you make of it well there's plenty wrong scott first that trans america team they never sent out circulars about ferrman and now get this i talked to the philly police just before you came in there wasn't even any paul frank dunlap murdered it wasn't no what did you get out of ferrman before you let him hang himself and he was innocent didn't you grill him didn't you find out what he was doing in town walley didn't you what floor he admitted he was ferrman the description fitted him the photograph was him the trans america detective agency is supposed to be on the level ain't it philadelphia wanted ferrman we didn't put sky sure ted if i don't know he was going to hang himself yeah but then if your aunt wore pants you'd be your uncle he said ferrman had been that client of trans america they tell you what the job they did for him was his wife left him a couple of years ago and he had them hunting for her for five or six months but they never found her they're sending a man up here tonight to look things over yeah yes well i'm going out and grab a quick bite but i might as well tell you scott there's going to be trouble over this i know that ted usually is when somebody dies in the jail so what's become of that 5800 fish now scott what happened there last night george nothing ferrman hung himself did you find him uh-huh walley took a look in here to see how things was before he went off duty and he found him he was asleep i suppose well i was catching a nap i guess but everybody does that sometimes scott even walley sometimes when he comes in off his beat between rounds yeah but i always wake up when the phone rings or anything oh sure well suppose i had been awake can't hear a guy hanging himself can you and i can't really say how long ferrman had been dead he'd done it about five o'clock he said he guessed oh you want to look at the remain scott they're over at fritz has undertaken paula not now hey and speaking of ferrman why are you going to tell the guys from trans america when they show up here tonight come in come in they they told me i find you here you're a chief anderson aren't you nice that's right i'm karl riesing assistant manager of the trans america detective agency in philadelphia this is mr wheelock who was less deferment's personal attorney very nice mr riesing how do you do mr wheelock how do you do i know you gentlemen are already in possession of most of the details concerning mr felon from the time he arrived in dearwood until the time of his death but perhaps you don't know that the police of most towns in our corner of the state have also received copies of this same reward circular take a look at it oh i must say this circular is an excellent forgery you're sure it's a forgery mr riesing oh yes there's no doubt about it but it's an excellent forgery tell me mr wheelock was mr felon a native philadelphia no my yes he was a well known respectable and prosperous citizen of philadelphia married i believe in 1934 he married a 22 year old girl named ethyl bryan daughter of a philadelphia family and if i'm said a child isn't that right mr wheelock yes born in 1936 but the child lived only a few months mr felon's wife disappeared after the child's death and what year was it that she disappeared mr riesing should remember that his agency worked on the matter oh i remember it well mrs ferman disappeared in 1937 we never heard anything of her again although ferman spent a lot of money trying to locate her what you look like mr riesing just a moment i have a picture of her right here in my briefcase here it is quite pretty isn't she if you care for that time let me see what you mean mr wheelock i think she's attracted with that judging by this photo i'd say that she was a small featured pretty brown with a weak mouth and large so much staring eyes that's an accurate enough description all right if you don't mind i'd like to have a copy made of that photograph mr riesing oh you can keep that one if you like it's one that we had made up the trans america her description's on the back thanks did ferman have a divorce her no sir he was a lot in love with her and he seemed to think that the child's dying made her a little screwy so that she didn't know what she was doing that's right isn't it mr wheelock that is my belief mr riesing he said ferman had money mr wheelock but how much did he have and who gets it i should say his estate will amount to perhaps a half a million dollars left in its entirety to his wife it's quite a handy song for anyone i have i'd say mr wheelock everything shows that somebody framed for him into the day would jail that frame up drove him to suicide but there has to be something else a lot else well then what are you going to do i'm going across the street to the undertaking parlor never look at farman i'll see you later oh doc thanks god i figured you'd come over here to the undertaker pretty soon send your mind out let's get out of this crowd i want to tell you something i just got rid of two guys in my office let's go back there suits me two of those bruises showed scott what bruises ferman we're up under the hair there were there were two bruises why don't you tell me i'm telling you now scott we weren't here when i made my examination this is the first time i've seen you since then why don't you spill this stuff about ferman's bruises when you were testifying at the inquest then i'm a friend of yours do i want to put you in a spot where people can say you drove this chapter suicide by third degree and too rough ah you're nuts how bad this woman's it well scott uh that didn't kill him that's what you mean there's nothing to matter with his skull just a couple of bruises nobody had noticed and unless they parted the hair i thought you ought to know though yeah thanks ben yes who is it this is threads the undertaker listen scott there's a couple of ladies over here that wanted to take a look at ferman is it all right who are they i don't know i'm strangers what do they want to see him for i don't know why do you want to see him well i ferman's wife yes oh oh oh certain i'll be right over so long ben i've got to go back to the undertaker so long scott hey scott what do you want wally i want to talk to you a minute over here where we won't be seen okay what is it a couple of dames came into fritz's undertaking place just as i was leaving one of them's hot char randall a babe with a record as long as your arm she's one of that mob you had me working on a new york last summer she know you sure but not by my right name she thinks i'm a detroit room runner i mean did you recognize you just now i don't think she saw me anyway she didn't give me a tumble you don't know the other one no she's a blonde kind of pretty okay wally stick around a while but stay out of sight maybe i'll be bringing these dolls back with me whatever you say chief all day last scott i wondered for you when you were coming uh this is mrs ferman and this is mrs crawler how do you do hi chief they just saw the body mrs crawler i thought your name was randall what do you care chief i'm not hurting your cowl any don't call me chief you silly slickies i'm the town witler thank you for letting me see him it's all right mrs ferman but i have to ask you and your friends some questions so if you'll just come across the street the headquarters we'll get on with the routine i ask any questions i want to tell you something mrs ferman your husband didn't commit suicide he was murdered murdered ah chief we got alibis we were in new york and we can prove it and you're likely to get a chance to what brought you down here anyway murdered well ho's got a better right to come down here she was still his wife wasn't she she's got a right to look out for her own interests hasn't she uh it reminds me of something excuse me second uh i've got to make a phone call in the next room this is scott yes is walley around how to keep out of sight tell walley i want him to go to new york tonight send mason home to get some sleep he'd have to take over walley's night trick no mr randerson mr randerson do you think i had had anything to do with lester's with his death i don't know mrs ferman i know he was killed i also know i'd have you something like half a million wow dollars dollars all right chief let's stop clown the kid here didn't have a thing to do with whatever you think happened no no we read about lester ferman committing suicide and yesterday morning's paper and about there being something funny about it and i persuaded her she ought to come down to deal with him i wouldn't have done anything to hurt lester i left him because i wanted to leave him i wouldn't have done anything to hurt him for for money or anything else had i wanted money from him i would only have had to ask him for it that's a truth chief for years i've been telling apple she was a chump not to tap him but she never would i wouldn't have hurt him why'd you leave him i don't know how to say it the way we live wasn't the way i wanted to live i wanted oh i don't know what anyway after the baby died i i couldn't stand it anymore excuse me hello oh yeah i'm a you gave one of the message yes yes i wanted to go to new york tonight okay where is he oh he is home huh okay thanks thanks this is a foreman at this circular got your husband in a jail have you ever seen that picture before no well that's i can't be it's a snapshot i had have it's an enlargement of it who else has one nobody that i know of i don't think anyone else could have one you've still got yours yes don't remember whether i've seen it recently it's with some old papers and things i must have it promise us for a minute stuff like that that's got to be checked up near of us can dodge it there's two ways we can play it yes this pardon i can hold you here on suspicion until i've had time to investigate things or i can send one of our men with you to check up in new york yes i'm willing to do that if you'll speed things up by helping them all you can you'll be a promise you won't try any tricks i promise i'm as anxious all right all right how'd you come down we drove down we got a great big car that's my car see that big green job across the street yeah and my man can ride back with you but no funny business oh i don't worry chief come on they're going to see what he's saying the man is going to drive to new york with you yeah scott molly ladies first careful now you're not now you're not only just reaching without gun molly already got you covered i guess you win scott yeah i guess i do come along back to headquarters with me like good little boy molly you're under arrest for murder the minute i saw those two dames going into fritz's then when i was dug in on a site i ran into you and i was afraid you take me over there with you so i had to tell you one of them knew me figured you'd want to keep me undercover for a little while anyhow long enough for me to get out of town why didn't you get out molly well i dropped in home to pick up a couple of things before i scram and that phone call of hammels catches me and when i fall for it you see scott i figured you're not on to me yet and they're gonna send me back to new york to see what dope i can get out of the dames well you're pulling me brother and i thought you'd fall for that then you didn't just stumble into all this accidentally did you know i didn't want it i figured permanent had to be murdered by a copper no reward circuit was well enough to make a good job of forging one incidentally we printed that permanent circular for you molly now i'm not dragging anyone in with me there's only a poor mug that needed dough okay why you see i knew only a copper would be sure enough of the routine to know how things would be handled only one of my coppers would be able to walk in a firm and sell bang him across the head and string him up on the those bruises showed you know they did i guess i should have wrapped two towels around that blackjack well jeez scott i seem to have slipped up on a lot of things so that narrows you down to my coppers and um well you told me you knew the randler one there it was and i figured you were working with him i thought you liked this wally same thing that gets most saps into jams again for easy dough and i was in new york see scott working that dutton job for you palling around with big shot racketeers passing for one of them and yes well i got to figuring that my work takes more brains than theirs and they're taking in big money and i'm working for coffee and cakes that kind of stuff gets you scott anyway it got me then i ran into this ethyl firman and she goes for me like a house afar i liked her too see so that's dandy but one night she tells me about how much dough her husband's got and how he feels about her and i get to thinking thinking why i think she's nuts enough about me to marry me so i get to thinking suppose he died and left her his role i see so i run down to philly a couple of afternoons and look firman up and everything looks fine i took my time working out the details meanwhile right into her through a fella in detroit gone finish one well i decided to do it i sent those circulars out to a lot of places not wanting to point too much to this one and then when i was ready i phoned firman telling him to come to dearwood hotel that night and sometime before the next night he'd hear from his wife ethyl i knew he'd fall for any trap that was baited with her only i guess i'm not as sharp as i thought i was scott maybe oh well maybe uh that doesn't always help old man camsley ben's father used to have a saying to a sharp knife comes a tough steak well sorry you did it why i always liked you i know you did scott i was counting on that so ends natural hammots two sharp knives starings to a heroine tonight's story of suspense columbia presents these tales of mystery and intrigue and dangerous adventure for your relaxation and enjoyment next week suspense will not be heard because of a special holiday broadcast columbia's review of the events of the year 12 crowded months which has been scheduled on the following tuesday january fifth there'll be another in this city's same hour 9 30 eastern wartime william spear the producer john deets the director and bernard herman the composer conductor our collaborators on suspense this is the columbia broadcasting system