 Now, Roma Wines, R-O-M-A, made in California for enjoyment throughout the world. Roma Wines presents... Suspense! Tonight, Roma Wines bring you Ms. Faye Bainter, a star of the Lucky Lady, a suspense play produced, edited and directed for Roma Wines by William Spear. Suspense, Radio's Outstanding Theatre of Thrills, is presented for your enjoyment by Roma Wines. That's R-O-M-A, Roma Wines. Those excellent California Wines that can add so much pleasantness to the way you live, to your happiness and entertaining guests, to your enjoyment of everyday meals. Yes, right now a glassful would be very pleasant, as Roma Wines bring you Faye Bainter in a remarkable tale of... Suspense! When the police accused George with the murder of those young actresses, I took up for him till the very last. Of course, I should have known better because Lady Susie didn't like him, and Lady Susie is a smart cat. She has a way of picking winners among humans. On the surface, George didn't look like a criminal, big and gruff. There was nothing unusual looking about him, except his hands. Still, that peculiar antagonism between George and Susie, from the very first day he came to work for me at rehearsal house. It was a dismal afternoon. The rain had been pouring steadily for hours, and in the unreal half-light of the old brownstone parlor, those blunt, twisting fingers seemed grotesquely alive, with evil. I was frantic, or I probably never would have hired him. What's your name? George. George? George Smith. Married? My wife's dead. Oh, any children? One, girl. Where is she? Dead? Oh. I don't talk about her mom, ever. I see. Any references? No, but I'm a good worker. Goodness knows that's what I need. Would you want me to stay on the place? Yes, indeed. There's a small room and a cellar that our last handyman used before he went to the munitions factory. It's quite comfortable. Come along, I'll show it to you. You're showing me the room? This means I'm hired? Well, for a while, at least. Of course, I don't like you're not having references, but with the men, surely... You won't regret hiring me, mom. In a girl's boarding house, we just do need a man for the heavy work. There's always the furnace to tend... Only girls live here? Young actresses. I was one myself years ago. Actresses? Yes, poor dear. They don't have a very easy time. That's why I opened this boarding house, just to help them out as much as I can. Actresses? Hmm, pretty ones. Here's the door to the cellar. Now, watch your step. Anybody home with you? Just me and Susie. No, you don't have to take my arm. Just hold on to the railing. It's a cat! A cat! Get away! Stop keeping my cat! Stop it, I say! Susie, come here! Mr. Smith, what do you mean? I'm sorry. I never like cats. They bring me trouble. Then, obviously, you're not the one for the job. But I'm gonna have this job! Not if you're going to treat my cat that way. Why, this whole house revolves around Lady Susie. Lady what? Lady Susie, my cat. The girls here at the house call her Lucky, Lady Susie. A cat? Lucky? She's brought luck to many an actress right here in this house. Why, the girls regard her as some people do, a rabbit's foot or a luck charm. She's a tradition. If she's that important, we'll get along. Won't we, Kitty? Nice, Kitty. No, I wouldn't have hired George, but I had to have a handyman. But I think I realized right then that he was no good for the house. Even if you have startled, there was no excuse for a great man to kick a harmless little pet. My mother always said any man who isn't kind to animals is not to be trusted. But with the war, well, George was a good worker. However, he and Lady Susie never did get along. Odd too, because she was friendly with everybody. By strange coincidence, girls that she'd scratched in a playful mood had achieved fame in the theater soon afterwards. So Lucky, Lady Susie was pampered and coaxed by the young hopefuls at rehearsal house. The girls usually stop by my parlor for tea every afternoon before going up to their rooms to change. Of course, Lady Susie was always there. More tea, Alice? No thanks, Miss Plym. You, Jane? Half a cup, please. May get me out of this blue mood. Here you are, Jane. And your usual cream. Oh, come here, Susie, and sit on my lap. I'll never get anywhere in the theater. Just keep plugging, dear. You'll make it. Anybody here how Diane came up with a reading? She should be home any minute. Poor dear, she's worked so long for a break. Haven't we all? Oh, but Diane'll get along. I'm sure of it. She got the good luck token from Lady Susie, Alice. Girls, oh, Diane! I made it, I made it. I got the part. No, tell us about it. Oh, because of Miss Plym, she feeds us three meals a day and never submits a bill. And has the most wonderful cat in the world. Susie, you know, don't you, that you're making a famous actress out of me. Now, Diane, Susie just gives you confidence in yourself. There's nothing to the superstition that... No, yes, there is. One tiny scratch from Lucky Lady and success is inevitable. Why, only last week she scratched Diane, and now look, she'll be a star overnight. Oh, wonderful. I'm very happy for you, Diane. Thanks, thanks. Why don't you scratch me? Just a tiny scratch here on my hand. Here's your tea, Diane. Oh, thanks. Oh, that fire feels good on a day like today. Come here, Lady Susie. Let me tell you about my party. So wonderful. Lady Susie. What's wrong with Lady Susie? Just keep talking, girls, until I get over to the door. What? Oh, I wanted to tell you about it. I thought so? George, what are you doing up here? I came up to see if you wanted more wood on the fire. Why didn't you knock? I was going to, then I heard Miss Diane talking there. Hello, Miss Diane. Hello, George. So you've got the part you wanted, that's fine. Yes, George. Isn't it thrilling? It will be a great act, Miss Diane. Nice kitty. That'll be all for now, George. What if you'd like me to fix the fire? When we need more wood, I'll call you. This much. He knows everything about us, doesn't he? I don't like it. The idea is he's listening at the door. Oh, come now, Plimmy. He's harmless. He's just lonely. Poor man does everything he can for us. You trust everybody, Diane. Too much. Well, it does seem safer with a man in the house. There's something sinister about him. And Susie doesn't trust him. The way she claws the rug and that strange yowl of hers whenever he's around. I wonder why she does that. Could be a warning of some kind. I don't want anything to happen. Oh, Miss Plim. Thanks to Lucky Lady Susie. Nothing but good can happen to me from now on. Diane did become a success. The play was a hit and overnight, her fame had spread from Broadway to Hollywood. There were radio contracts, movie offers, magazine spreads. Diane was the toast of the hour. Lady Susie was enjoying her share of fame, too. For Diane's press age, it knew the value of a good story. He played up the superstition of Susie's ability to take a winner. Diane and Lucky Lady had pictures taken together. Soon, my shabby rehearsal house had become the residence for aspiring young actresses. I was turning girls away. Do you know, even with her fame, Diane refused to move to a better house? She stayed on in her little single room with the one overhead bulb as though nothing had changed. At first she was so happy that she didn't know what to do. But then it began. She'd stare into space for minutes of time. There were worry lines between her eyes. Being an old actress, I knew too well what her trouble was. One night, Lady Susie and I stayed up later than usual just to cheer her up when she came home from her field. Hello, Pimmy. Oh, I'm tired. You haven't been your job. I'm tired. I'm tired. You haven't been your job yourself lately, Diane. Pimmy, you were a famous actress once, weren't you? Yes, dear. How long did it last? Your fame, I mean. Oh, until a new toast of Broadway came along? Then I faded into obscurity again. Wasn't that terribly hard to take? It's so cruel. One never gets used to it, Diane. Pimmy, I couldn't bear it. I couldn't bear it to be unknown again to go on living with only dreams of the past. Every actress has that fear, Diane. But don't you worry about it. Perhaps. I won't. Well, I... I guess I'll go upstairs now. Why don't you take Susie upstairs with you? She's good company. Oh, Pimmy, you think of everything. Susie's just what I need. Now don't you worry about it, don't you, dear? It'll take care of itself. Good night, Miss Diane. Miss Diane. George. I didn't mean to scare you. It's so dark out here in the hall, I didn't see you. You like that cat, Miss Diane. Why, Susie's a good luck cat. Cats bring nothing but evil. You're up late, George. I stay up lots of nights till you come in. Oh. You're so pretty, Miss Diane. You walk nice. George, you shouldn't talk. Susie. George, I was that way. She don't like me, Miss Diane. Just like the cat my daughter had. Your daughter? You make me think of my daughter, Miss Diane. She was pretty, too. She was... killed. Oh, George, I'm sorry. My daughter and my wife, too. She was killed, sudden, both at once. Oh, how horrible. I keep trying to forget, and then I see you and I remember all over again. I heard what you were saying to Miss Plim. You're worrying about your fame lasting. Miss Diane, you'll be famous as long as you live. I know your will. Thank you, George. Now, good night. Good night, Miss Diane. Oh, Susie, baby, be quiet. Why are you so afraid of George? Susie, hush. Oh, Susie, the light bulbs burned out. Oh, dear. Miss Plim. Oh, Miss Plim. Oh, Miss Plim. It's awfully dark up here. What'll I do? Joe, fix it. What's the matter with you, Susie, baby? I thought cats could see in the dark. Let's go over by the window. Some light from the street lamp over there. This is better. Hey, Susie? Wish George would hurry with that light. Susie, Susie, what's the trouble, kitty? What's the matter? Who's there? George? Oh, still, Susie. You're scratching me. George? George, I... I know you're in this room. George, you... Of course, we all heard the screams coming from Diane's room and I rushed upstairs at once. I walked into the room. There lay Diane. I think all the girls knew instinctively just as I did that she was. George. That awful George was staring down into her face. As though he was in a trance. She's fainted. Pretty Miss Diane. She's fainted. Fainted? She's dead. For Suspense, Roma Wines are bringing you a star, Faye Bainter, in The Lucky Lady by Ruth Bartlett-Vemmick. Roma Wines' presentation tonight in Radio's Outstanding Theatre of Thrill's Suspense. Between the acts of suspense, this is Truman Bradley for Roma Wines. 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Discover for yourself why more Americans enjoy Roma than any other wine. And now Roma Wines bring back to our Hollywood soundstage, Faye Bainter, who as Miss Leonora Calculated continues a narrative well calculated to keep you in suspense. It was certainly a sad and dramatic scene as we all stood there in Diane's room looking down at her. Even more beautiful in death than she'd been in life. George had that awful, vacant look on his face. Dead? She's dead. George, what happened? I sent you up here to fix a light bulb screen. What happened? When I came up it was dark she'd left the door open and I stood in the room. I could see Miss Diane from the street lamp but she couldn't see me. She was talking to the cat. I didn't mean to hurt her. The light was shining on her pretty hair and I just tried to touch it. Now she's dead. Pretty Miss Diane. There was no signs of violence. No unusual marks on her body. Diane lay as if she was asleep. When you police came you were sure at first that poor George was guilty but you could find no evidence to back up your suspicion besides even though we didn't like him everybody in the house took up the George. The girls just couldn't believe that he was guilty. Then to the next day a suicide note was discovered. The inspector found it between the pages of recent success story about the lovely young actress. It said I don't know how much longer this success is going to last but I do know I couldn't stand being a nobody again. Just any day now I'll be taking my final curtain call voluntarily for only through death can an actress achieve lasting fame. The note was signed Diane. It was announced in the papers that Diane Carville's death appeared to be suicide. However before this announcement was made public the inspector had paid me a visit. It's about George. Yes, inspector. The state's attorney is satisfied with the suicide verdict but I'm not. But the inspector. The screams George found in the room it doesn't make sense that Diane Carville killed herself. Yes. But I can't prove anything. There's no evidence. Just this uncanny hunch. Well what do you want me to do, inspector? I... look. Look, I want you to let him go on working here so nothing had happened. Fuck inspector! Let him know you think he's innocent. That the case is closed. I can't see how that... In front of your rope. If he's guilty he'll hang himself. Inspector, the safety of my girl. Yeah, it's dangerous, possibly. On the other hand he may be innocent. There's no evidence. There was no evidence either. On the very day that George came back to work, Jane, the young actress I told you about before, came running into the parlor all out of breath. By Jane. I got it. I got it. I'm set with a guilt. Jane, sit down, dear. Have a cup of tea then tell me all about it. Well, it's THE part in the play. And Elliot Nugent said that... Oh, ladies Susie, you wonderful creature. Lady Susie. Yes. Last night, look, here are my arms. But you didn't say anything. I didn't tell anybody. I've been trying so long that I couldn't be sure even lucky lady could change my luck. But she did. Of course the cat had nothing to do with it, dear. You believe she'd charmed you, and you probably read better than you'd ever read before. Yes, George. I was passing in the hall and I heard what Miss Jane said. Glad for you, Miss Jane. Thank you, George. Now you'll be a famous actress like Miss Diane... George! Well, it happened to Jane, too. Just as Diane had done, Jane became the toast of the town. Then right at the peak of her career she died mysteriously and at rehearsal hunger. There was the burned out light bulb, the horrible yowling of Lady Susie. At this time George disappeared before the police arrived. A city-wide manhunt began for George. And in the meantime, just as I'd done for Diane, I wrote a letter of condolence to Jane's parents, sending all the newspaper clippings, telling them what a blessing the poor child had succeeded in a life ambition before such a dreadful thing had happened. Jane's mother sent me along and pasted the two letters side by side in my scrapbook. It was about the sixth day after Jane's death that the inspector called me on the phone. Now listen carefully, Miss Flim. Are you alone? All right, listen. Lock yourself in your room and stay there until the police car arrives. A man who looks like George Smith has been seen in your neighborhood a few minutes ago. There's no time to talk. Lock yourself in. Maybe your life next, this man is dangerous. But I've never handled a dangerous manhunt. Don't under any condition leave your room. Through your house right now. Oh, dear, I... That's all, Miss Flim. Oh, Inspector, I... Oh, dear. Oh, dear. All alone. Well, naturally, I was frightened, realizing that even at that moment a criminal or worse, a maniac might be under my own roof. When the inspector hung up, my mind was confused. My heart thumped like a washing machine. It was then that I heard that the lady says it. She was howling the way she always did but it was even worse than usual. For now, she sounded as though she were fighting in pain. The sound was coming from the direction of the cellar where George's room had been. The warnings of the inspector forgotten I ran down the hall toward the cellar door. All I could think of was that my poor little cat was probably being tortured. Susie! Lady Susie! Susie! I opened the cellar door and I stood there weak and chilly all over. For there was George angry as I'd never seen him before. His big hands he was trying to push poor lady Susie into the furnace. She was writhing and scratching with all her might. I was surprised. I hated this since the first minute I'd come to this house. You brought nothing but bad luck. You made everybody mistrust me. George! George! But that cat is instant. George, I'm ashamed of you. Poor little lady Susie. Poor poor little fetish. Come here kitty. George, I'm terribly angry with you. Any grown man who would try to push a poor little helpless kitten into a burning furnace. That cat's brought nothing but trouble. Oh, God. You don't look well. That cat would be better off dead. It's brought nothing but evil. George, why don't you come upstairs? I was just making some tea. Tea? Yes, come along George. We'll talk it all over in the parlour. Of course George. But they'd never think of looking in my collar for you. They blame me with Miss Jane's murder. All right, let's get the tea over with. We'll just let it steep for a second. George, I can't forgive you for trying to kill my cat. Why would you do such a cruel thing? I hate cats. They're evil. I understand you're a dangerous criminal George. Which do you prefer? Cream or lemon? Cream, I mean. It was my daughter's pet cat that turned over the kerosene lamp and set the house on fire. My wife and my daughter were burned. I got to blame. Here's your tea. Just the same, George. You shouldn't have mistreated Lady Soothey. I'm going to turn you over to the police you know. How's your tea? It's bitter, Mom. I don't like tea. No, don't turn me in, Mom. I tell you, I had to get that cat. She got me in all this trouble. Drink your tea, George. Yes, Mom. Is that the police? Yes, George. I'll have to let them in. Well, I got to get out of here. My head. Ow. My goodness. George is dead. Why, yeah? You said he was a dangerous criminal. How, Miss Brim? A little potassium by chloride in his tea. He thought it was sugar. Potassium? That's what I use for the girls, you know. Diane and Jane. You mean you murdered them? I gave them lasting pain. What? Their names will remain in the history forever because they died at the peak of their success. That's what they both wanted. What? The suicide notes. Oh, I wrote those of course. You see, all these years I've suffered the tortures of being a husband, an actress who's no longer wanted. I didn't want those lovely girls to suffer. But how? The poison. When the time was right, I put my chloride into Susie's claws and sent her up to their rooms with me. That was perfectly natural as the girls loved her so much anyway. The burnt-out bulb was my idea too. You see, when George went in to fix them up, right, he'd frighten Susie, then she'd scratch the girl. The poison would take effect almost immediately. I kept telling you George was innocent. What, Miss Brim? But after all, you were right about George. I should never have trusted him. Wasn't it dreadful what that horrible man tried to do to my cat? Suspense. Presented by Roma Wines. R-O-M-A. Made in California for an enjoyment throughout the world. Before we hear again from Faye Bainter, the star of the lucky lady tonight's suspense play, this is Truman Bradley for Roma Wines. Here's an interesting comment on gracious dining from famous Elsa Maxwell who says, among smart American hostesses who know how much wine adds to mealtime pleasure, I notice more and more now serve Roma California Burgundy regularly. Dining with Roma Burgundy is a gracious, inexpensive custom I share and enjoy with my friends. Roma Burgundy adds new zest. Brings out all the flavor fullness of food and lends charm and friendliness to the dinner table. Enjoy your next dinner with the appetizing fragrance and tempting taste of good red Roma Burgundy. You'll agree it's true taste luxury at low cost. For Roma Burgundy costs just pennies a glass. So much for so little because Roma is America's first choice wine. And you make substantial extra savings when you buy Roma Burgundy in the half gallon or gallon economy sizes. So, insist on Roma R-O-M-A Roma wine made in California for enjoyment throughout the world. This is favoring. It's been a pleasant and stimulating experience as usual to make an appearance on suspense where an actress never knows until she's read the very last paragraph whether she's a deep-dyed villainess or a lady in jeopardy. Mr. Spears just been telling me that a painter who is an incomparable favorite with all of us will be your star. That'll be Colonel James Stewart late of Uncle Sam's fighting forces. Jimmy Stewart will appear in a role that I think will surprise you one unlike any he's ever done before. I certainly won't miss next Thursday's suspense show and I know you'll make a point to listen to. Bay painter will soon be seen in the Paramount production, The Virginian. Next Thursday, same time the minds will bring you Mr. James Stewart as star of Suspense, Radio's Outstanding Theater of Thrills Produced by Williams Spear for the Roma Wine Company of Fresno, California. Suspense is broadcast from coast to coast and to our men and women of the armed forces overseas by short wave and through the worldwide facilities of the armed forces radio service. This is CBS The Columbia Broadcasting System.