 And now another tale well-calculated to keep you in In a moment end game written for suspense by David Karp Wherever you go this summer go first by long distance room clerk speaking a double-overlooking the water Well, let's see now Well, yes, sir. We do may I have your name, please? When you're traveling this summer it makes good sense to use long distance to make your plans a Call ahead is the quick easy way to get the reservations you want when you want them and A call to friends you hope to visit will make sure they're at home when you stop by Wherever you go this summer go first by long distance rates are low Why not call now? Have you ever been lost at night? Even if you are like myself a man who isn't easily upset There is a nightmarish quality in driving down a narrow two-lane country road at night in a wild pouring rainstorm I've been traveling on a turnpike until an hour ago, but I left that too soon. I fear But there at least I had the sense of reason and order of being in touch with civilization Civilization which engineered roads for high-speed travel which provided sensible road stops But now for all I knew of where I was going I could have been traveling on the moon My name is Charles Ross Victor age 42 occupation teacher Where was I going that night? I Was on my way to a small midwestern college to indulge myself in a lifelong passion It was a sign I Slowed the car and stopped You are now entering Alan burry where all laws are strictly enforced Population 872 Sheriff G van Allen Well, that was plain enough. I Switched on the overhead light in the car and searched the map And there was only one thing which wasn't plain Alan burry simply wasn't on the map. I began to drive more slowly Hoping for the sign of a light at home or gas station any place where I might be able to find another human being And then quite suddenly I saw another human being directly in front of me Two tons of car were too much to stop in time. I cut the engine Get out of the car and rush to that pit if they small sodden heap in the road It was a man his arm thrown protectively across the space. I knelt in the storm sick to my stomach And then I looked up there almost as though it had been mysteriously and luminously painted in glowing colors I saw a window and a man staring out of a lighted window at me I rose and hurry to the window and the cold Procretion face which had been watching me disappeared. I Went up the porch steps and the door opened suddenly and the man wearing a yellow slicker came to the doorway I've hit a man with my car Said nothing He walked past me into the road. I followed him He knelt down then beside the body and looked at the face of the man I'd stuck down In the rain with sightless eyes with those of a man in his early fifties a ruined looking face But not the face of a brutal or stupid man Give me a hand. We shouldn't move him until a doctor can see him. Doctor's not gonna help him. No, he's not Said give me a hand You don't have to be so gentle hang up your things over there. Give me a driver's lesson Come on come on never mind him talking to you I'm sure Van Allen that sign your past says what it means. I never had a chance to avoid him He just walked directly into my path. Sit down. I'll make out the report. Did you see it? I saw it Where are you going? Was on my way to Lewiston College was on my way to the college for a tournament Just don't yes. I supposed to play and speak Victor Charles Ross Victor. That's right This is an honor Charles Ross Victor I was going to come down to the college to see you play but you're coming here to my home. Why? It's indeed an honor. Thank you But I'd rather the honor had not happened this way Cusburger forget it mr. Victor. It means nothing. I saw the whole thing Shouldn't cause you a moment's embarrassment here. Move it to the fire. It must be chilled at the bone I'm sorry. I didn't realize who you were There sit down here. I Have something that will warm you up a fine Napoleon brandy. I Don't generally bring this out except for my most distinguished visitors There's much of it left in the world And there isn't much of anything fine left in this world Drink this. I Feel awful about the accident sheriff. Oh forget that wasn't your fault. It's unavoidable Cheers Here's to chess and all who love it You are interested in chess interested. I worship it We can play later on this evening You don't mind sheriff. I I don't feel like playing this evening tomorrow morning I don't like to play before a tournament sheriff. It does take a lot out of me and I want to keep myself fresh I must say that's an ungrateful attitude to take mr. Victor Ungrateful You killed a man and I'm proposing to let you get away with it The least you can do is to play chess with just a moment. I it was an accident. You saw it You told me you did you're not letting me get away with anything I haven't had anyone to play chess within this town in nearly 10 years. Sorry about that. Sure. Don't be a hypocrite You're not sorry at all. You could be made sorry what you know Pharmacide with a vehicle is a very serious crime in this state You could be sent to prison for life An unavoidable accident you said so yourself Did I what do you mean? Of course you did or perhaps I spoke hastily After all the rain is heavy the visibility poor and I was looking from a lighted window out into the darkness. I Couldn't really swear that the accident was unavoidable. What is this? You can't really conceive what it's like living out your life among swine among clouds and animals You can't understand what it means to man like me to have no living soul to talk to no human being with whom I can communicate against whom I can pit my skill and brain and I can't understand what you're talking about cost you do Letting your mind wander to that mongrel you struck down You and I were men of intelligence. I Could be a chess master you are I Could leave this place what's stopping you then There are certain matters of family pride involved It's a mean little kingdom, but the king doesn't go elsewhere Under my grandfather's will of an Allen must always live in Allenbury must always hold a position in the town's government Oh, I see a remittance man the money. I need money The necessary condition of my existence you could go to work. No, thank you mr. Victor I'm happy with what I do now What do you want? Play chess with me If it means that much to you, let's play. Yes, of course Yeah, I'll just go and get my best board. Oh I can just picture the evenings ahead for us evenings. Yes, of course You ought to be able to play five or six times a week or more Those lovely chessmen I had them sent from Czechoslovakia Good liquor. What do you mean? Well After all I Will be saving you from a life sentence in prison in exchange for which you walk you live here in Allenbury and play chess With me. You're not serious. You can't be I've never wanted anything more in my whole life You'd lie to get that I'd kill to get that Doesn't have to be unpleasant. I assure you that you'll be completely comfortable here We could find you a suitable house servant If I don't choose to do that You will spend your life in prison mr. Victor. You're insane not noticeably so Shall we play I'll take why how long would I have to stay here? I don't know six months year Possibly longer possibly the rest of my natural life. I Can always hope that you live to a ripe old age In a moment we will return for the third act of Now here are Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy say Charlie Isn't that your French girlfriend coming into the service department? Yeah, Bergen. Isn't she a doll? Pardon me. My monsieur. I don't wish to bother you. I'll think nothing of it beautiful women always bother me This is my automobile. She has a squeak. Oh poor thing. It probably needs one of our quality guardian maintenance lubrications Fantastic. How did you know that? Specialized training ma'am specialized training. We the servicemen at all Chevrolet Pontiac Olds will be a Buick Cadillac Chevy and GMC truck dealers get special training That's what makes them guardian maintenance servicemen. They're trained to know your GM product best Oh, I must kiss you Did you learn to kiss like that specialized training ma'am? Van Allen's smile was awful. It was a smile of a madman who knew we had won. I Looked away and capable of returning his stare glance towards the poor dead man who had unwittingly thrown me into this hideous trap Suddenly my heart leapt Parker's eyes were opened He's alive Van Allen. He's alive We've got to get a doctor for him. He'll die without help That's what I'm counting on. I'm going for help By the time you're back, he'll be dead I'll see to it the moment you're out the door It's my move Go ahead, Mr. Victor. What sort of a man are you Van Allen? It takes a special breed of man to sit by while a human being bleeds to death Shall I tell you something about Gus? Used to be a doctor here surprised It was quite the leading town intellectual the scientist Gus had a fatal weakness. He was soft. He was sympathetic. He was kind Weren't you Gus as Van Allen spoke I watched burgers eyes Gus was all right when it came to treating broken legs and running noses Worse things than that happened to men Was a young farmhand who was mangled by one of those big reaper thresher machines Peterson wasn't a Gus That was his name Peterson Burgers eyes closed whether through weakness or remembered pain. I could not tell Very bad sight So that in fact that Gus couldn't stand it Took a few drinks to steady his nerves Tricky job for an objective man of science Trouble was Gus wasn't an objective scientist It was a quivering mass of nerves It's your mood mr. Victor Bishop to Queen three And you made me lose a tempo mr. Victor my congratulations and what happened to Peterson I Don't think Gus would want me to tell you Take a look at him mr. Victor There was a big fat tears rolling out of his eyes He's in pain Van Allen have pity for God's sake. He isn't in pain. He's remembering Peterson. I Suppose he still feels sorry for that big dumb farmer Well feeling sorry for him as what turned Peterson into a total cripple Feeling sorry for others is what took the spine out of dr. August Burger. I Hate you Van Allen Nothing wrong with hate Jamu queen to rock five Very good very good indeed I See you come by a claim to being a master honestly I'll play you for his life right now You're in a powerful position Reverse the board then I'll take the white and no Chest should never be played for stakes It corrupts the purity of the game and if there's anything I detest it's corruption and what should be pure That thing lying there to a side is corruption Corruption of a man who should have been pure Untouched by the stickier sloppier emotion like compassion your move mr. Victor Queen to Rook six Moving rather quickly aren't you I intend to finish you off quickly You can try your move Van Allen Well, I think I'll just take that night Jamu Could you continue playing me for the rest of your life knowing I hated you that I detested you? Hate is a purifying agent cleanses. Would you know that? No Van Allen. You're wrong hate never purified anything But you've taught me hate good We'll make our games all the quina if you let burger die. I'll kill you for the first chance. I have I'd like to believe that But I don't You're incapable of killing anyone because you care about Gus you love him Hear that Gus. He loves you. He loves your immortal soul. I promise you dr. Berger I will I'll kill him for what he's done to you. That's very generous of him Gus isn't it? Willing to throw his life away in mind to just to avenge you As if you were worth avenging That ought to make you die happily Gus. Shouldn't it? To an I know differently You aren't worth the dirt. They'll cover you with Your move mr. Victor I'll take the bishop take it and welcome to it. I didn't think you'd fall into that trap mr. Victor Surprised you did not I'll concede. No, you won't you play it out to the end of the bitter end Gus you've given me a lifetime partner You've never done anything in your life worth anything But you have done this much for me Thank you Gus Thank you for getting yourself killed You'll move mr. Victor. I wait a minute. I Believe Gus is actually trying to talk Now what dying words of wisdom can we get from this corpse? What is it girls? Tell me I'll tell him Beat me You want him to beat me He can cause he's losing now He's lost now Just as you are Mr. Victor, I believe it was your move. I'll beat him dr. Berger. I swear to you. I will I'll beat him I concentrated in driving out hatred driving out any thought of the position in which I had found myself I made up my mind to win And Alan's game was good Good enough to get him into a first-rank tournament play But like all pathological players he was too anxious for the kill And once he had sent it victory he pressed his attack without any thought to defensive positions check King to Rook Square Check It's the end Victor Another move or two and it's the end Alan was totally absorbed in the play and so didn't notice what I did the dr. Berger Painfully with terrible slowness had risen to his knees and into his feet He moved very slowly towards us now. He was close enough for me to hear his breathing And then he threw his arms up. Oh, it's been Alan. You swang Always were a bad chess player and a good shot. I was winning He ruined it. No van Allen. You ruined it. I didn't Remember the board as it was before Berger upset it. Do you remember it? Yes, I remember it. It was my move and my move is Bishop to Queen 2. Do you see it? Bishop to Queen 2 Yes, I see it check and mate You lost Van Allen Hey, sure, you know what happened to the driver that car outside. We've been looking for him for the last half hour He went past the tow booth without paying Hey, what's going on? I'm right in office The sheriff has just murdered a man who would have died anyway But he couldn't wait the sheriff I lost you better give me that gun van lost In more ways than one van Allen and for a terrible reason you didn't know how to wait Berger knew that you didn't know how to wait So he picked himself up with his last dying will to make you kill him, which is exactly what you did and The player who does what his opponent wants him to do can never win He was right You're a good shot But a bad chess player Suspense you've been listening to end game Written for suspense by David Karp in a moment the names of our players and a word about next week's story of suspense Hi, maybe you'll recall this tuneful reminder of times past Seems with something else worth remembering it's this You're so right to stay regular with Kellogg's all-bran. See, it's the normal natural way to youthful regularity The whole brand content of Kellogg's all-bran supplies your system with all the bulk-forming food that you need every day There's only one all-bran. It's Kellogg's all-bran So relieve a regularity from lack of bulk as millions do with a bowl full of Kellogg's all-bran each morning a double L hyphen Br a n it's Kellogg's all-bran Heard in tonight's story where Michael Cain as Victor Santa Sortega as Van Allen Jack Arthur as Berger and Alan Manson as the trooper Listen again next week when we return with big dive by John West another tale Well calculated to keep you in The Kingston trio next followed by latest CBS news and have gun will travel on CBS radio