 VIX presents the Matinee Theater starring Victor Jory. The makers of VIX Vaporoop, VIX Vaternal, VIX Kothdrops, and VIX Inhaler bring you the Matinee Theater starring Victor Jory and featuring Gertrude Warner. Of the plays which we mentioned last week, your overwhelming choice was for Night Bus, which we will bring you next Sunday, but today in response to your insistent and continued requests, we give a command performance, the memorable story of romance and high adventure based on Alfred Noy's famous poem, The Highwayman. You know, more and more millions of people are using VIX Vaternal nose drops to relieve distress of head colds, benefit by their experience. And now our curtain rises on the forests of the England of long ago. Today we ride these forests by the side of one of the most dashing figures of legend with Victor Jory as The Highwayman. The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees, the moon was a ghostly gallant tossed upon cloudy seas, the road was a rippin' of moonlight over the purple moor, and The Highwayman came riding, riding, riding! You're a robbery, sir. Sorry to put you out, sir, but I'll have your purse if you don't mind. I'd be hanged if I'll give it to you. You'll certainly be hanged if you don't. What is it, sir guy? See in the carriage, Biss. Good evening, Mr. Highwayman. How goes the night? Profitably? Well, you're a spirited girl, aren't you? I'm not afraid of you, if that's what you mean. You see, I'm of a poor family. There's nothing you'd steal from me. Oh, aren't you being rather foolhardy, dismounting? A Highwayman is always safer in his saddle. Yes, get in the carriage. Don't stand here banding words with his fellow. Your father will be worried to death wondering where the coach is late. Here, Highwayman, take my purse and let us go. It's a heavy purse, too. It's enough to buy your freedom. And mine? For yours? I'll take a kiss if you'll give it to me. She'll see you hanged first. You're a Highwayman. Aren't you accustomed to taking what you want? I have that reputation. I'd like to be something a little more than a Highwayman to you. How strange. Can a man make love to you with a gun in each hand and a bag of plunder on his shoulder and speak of Ascii. But since I am Ascii. Since you are Ascii. Of course you must have a kiss. Road was the ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor. The Highwayman came riding, riding, riding. The Highwayman came riding up to the old indoor. I'm the best in the house. Like you are, sir John. Hello, Tom. You're happy tonight, John. I take it the hunting was good. The hunting was very good. My saddlebags, it'll be on its way to Ireland tomorrow to fill a lot of empty Irish stomachs. Be careful, those men at the corner table are watching. Who cares? No one has ever seen the North Road Highwayman except in mask and hat. Who's got to link him with a slightly tipsy, contemporary happy courier? You'll never know who it is and that's the danger. But someday someone will. And then what? Then let's drink to it. The end. I kissed your daughter. Not only did he steal my purse, but he kissed your daughter. Well now, sir Guy, what's a kiss? Look here, I hope to make that young lady my wife someday. And I can't have her running around kissing every Tom, Dick and the Highwayman in the country. And will you please ask her to hurry and dress? We should be late for Lady Catherine's ball. And I despise being late. I'll see what I can do, sir Guy, but she's quite a costume to get into. Aren't you wearing a costume? I haven't had a taste for such folder all. I'd wear a mask and have the positive limit I'll go to. Well, hurry up a little, Tim, hurry up a little. All right, all right, all right. Guy's in a fierce mood. They all fuddy-duddy. I know. He's very angry with me because I kissed the Highwayman. He ever possessed you to do a thing like that? I don't know. Isn't that funny, Father? Except that even though he wore a mask, even though I knew he was a bandit, he was someone I recognized. When I saw him, I thought, why, of course, when I used to sit by the window watching the empty road in the moonlight, it was he I was watching for. And when I used to dream of someone's lip and someone's arms, it was his lips and his arms. I know it sounds foolish, but it's true. That's why I kissed him. And if he'd said, come with me, I think I would have gone. It's a bad business being in love with a Highwayman. The best you can get out of it is the worst you can get out of anything. They all come to the same end sooner or later, you know. Best girl. Sir Guy's will off. He can give you a fine home and a lot of beautiful things you've never had. Not many girls in your position in life have the opportunity to marry so well. I know, Father, but those aren't the things I want. Sir Guy would suffocate me. I want my life to be the way it was tonight. Exciting and beautiful and challenging. But tonight you were flirting with this. There's no man in England more dangerous to love than a Highwayman daughter. And no man in England more exciting. I hope you never see him again. I pray God you never see him again. In fact, I forbid you to see him again. In, in, where? Fussy old goat. How do I look, Father? For the first time since you were born, I wish you weren't so beautiful. For the first time, I'm glad I am. You'll never see him again if I can help it. You'll never see him again. Come on, darling. We're going to be late. You know I despise being late. Yes, Sir Guy, I know. Father. Yes? What is it this? Who is that man sitting at that corner table? Him? Sir John Lingershire. I haven't sure I've seen him before. He's close associate. He's a very promising young man. Oh. Right. Does he interest you? No, but for the moment I thought he was someone else. Well, good night, Father. I'll be home early. Good night. Have a good time. The daughter is very beautiful, and Lord. She's a beautiful amount of trouble, Sir John. That's what she is. Why? I'll tell you why. There's Sir Guy Barrington ready to marry her and give her a good home. All she can talk about is that highwayman. The highwayman? Does she know the highwayman? The rascal held up her coach tonight. He kissed her. Can you imagine that? Yes, I can. Easily. And now she fancies herself in love with him. Well, I shouldn't be standing here telling you all this. She's always saying I talk too much. I suppose I do. It's heavy on my mind tonight, so she's in love with the highwayman. Where has she gone now? She's gone to Lady Catherine's masquerade. Now, since Sir Guy's taken her up, she gets invited to all the gentry's affairs. Well, I've got to see to my guests. Can I serve you anything? No, thank you, landlord. I think I must be leaving, too. The French cock pattern is foreign. A bunch of lace, this chin, a coat of claret velvet, and britches of brown-dose skin, and they fitted with never a wrinkle. His boots rubbed to his thigh, and he rode with a jewel twinkle, his pistol-butter twinkle under a jewel sky. I have the pleasure of this waltz. Well, I have a partner. You went to get some treatment. Then for the moment you're free. Yes, for the moment. You're lighter than moonlight, my arms. Wasn't it rather foolish of you to come here, Sir John Lancashire? Oh, so you know my name. I know enough about you to hang you. Why do you say that? You surely didn't think I'd forget you so quickly, or that Sir Guy would. Sir Guy doesn't worry me too much. Then perhaps you'd better worry about me, Sir. If you think I'm going to stand by and let you rob my friends, you're vastly mistaken. I'm your prisoner. Call out, turn me over whenever you wish. Are you so sure I won't? No, but I am sure that if you do, it won't matter very much what happens to me. As a matter of fact, I advise you to call out, my dear. It would be very wise. Why? Because if you don't, you'll be my prisoner for the rest of your life. If I turn you over, they'll kill you. You do don't. There may be a day when you'll die with me, because I'll never stay away from you, not now. Well, my dear? I cannot do it. God help us both. I cannot do it. Look here, Bess. This is my dance. I was just filling in for you, Sir Guy. Excuse me. Who is that man, Bess? I don't know. You don't know? You don't know? But you were dancing with him? Yes. What's gotten you tonight, Bess? Kissing bandits, dancing with strangers? Or was he a stranger? Yes, he was. I'm not so sure. That fellow looked familiar to me. I'm sure I've seen him somewhere before. I may have seen him earlier this evening. Oh, no. The high woman was much taller. You're sure? Very sure. All right, my dear. All right. But I'm going to keep my eye on that fellow all the same. It was warm in the ballroom. All right. I wanted to breath it there. What are you doing out here? Looking for you. It's a beautiful night, isn't it? It almost touched the stars. Yeah? This is my kingdom. Now it's yours. The world about feet and heaven at your fingertips. This is the hour of the young and in love. That's our moon in the sky. And this is our world all about us. The best I have to say it. I love you. I love you this hour and will for every hour until the end of time. My darling. My darling. It's almost midnight. They'll be on masking soon and you'll be leaving. Oh, take me with you. I can't. I can't take you with me. Not yet. It's too dangerous. Tell me. Why do you steal? You don't need the money. I do. But not for myself. I've never kept anything for myself. You see there are people in this world who don't realize they have too much just as there are people who don't realize they don't have enough that they're dying too young and too poor. I steal for them. Those I take from can always spare it. Do you understand? Yes, I think I do. But it's wrong. I know it's wrong and so do you. There must be more honorable ways you can help. Are you trying to reform me? I'd like to. I'd like to keep you safe. Because you see from tonight on, my heart will be riding the highways with you. And it's pretty vulnerable. An accident to you could kill it too. You're very, very sweet. There's something between us. I knew it this evening when you kissed me. It was like coming home. Whatever comes to one of us must come to both of us now. But it's like that, isn't it? Yes, it's like that. I wish it wasn't, but it is like that. There he is. They discovered me. So for the moment, goodbye. Be careful. I'll be careful. Don't let him get away after him. He's heading for his horse. We'll never catch him. After him, you fools. After him, after him. In just a moment, act two of the highwaymen starring Victor Jory. During these February days of changeable weather, you can never tell when you will suddenly start sniffling and sneezing. And if you do, let the very first sneeze be a warning. It may be nature's advanced notice of an approaching head cold, and it will pay you to be careful. Head colds can cause so much suffering. Now, one of the simplest and surest ways to relieve the distress of head colds is with Vicks Batronol, the special double-duty nose drops. Yes, a little Batronol put in each nostril quickly brings wonderful relief, soothing the sneeze irritation and helping to clear nasal stuffiness. And the most important advantage of Batronol is that if used promptly at the first sniffle or sneeze, it helps prevent many colds from developing. So it's really a wise thing, friends, to have a bottle of Batronol handy ready to use when a head cold threatens. Just follow directions in the folder. Try it. Vicks Batronol. The special double-duty nose drops. And now act two of the highwaymen starring Victor Jory and featuring Gertrude Warnon. The highwayman came riding, riding, riding. The highwayman came riding up to the old indoor. Over the cobbles, he clattered and clashed in the dark in-yard. And he tapped with his grip on the shutters. But all was locked and barred. He whistled a tune to the window and who should be waiting there but the landlord's black eyed daughter, Bess, the landlord's daughter pleading a dark red love knot into her long black hair. We'd better walk out by the gate down the road away. We don't want to wake him further. He hasn't waken now. I don't think he will. You never can tell. Oh, John has been so long. For three weeks, I haven't had a word from you. I've been busy. Oh? I've been making plans. I've decided to become an honest man for you. John! There's a prize I'm after tonight. Just one prize and I'm taking it and I'm quitting. I've decided to buy a farm in the north. Will you like being a farmer's wife? I like being yours. Wonderful. All right, now here are my plans. I'll have to be off now because I have a long way to ride. But I'll be here about noon tomorrow. And then we'll find a clergyman and become Mr. and Mrs. Farmer. And that will be the end of the Highwomen. I can't believe it. Oh, here now. What are you crying about? Maybe dreams do come true. Maybe there is something to fairy tale endings. Maybe the Prince and Princess do live happily ever after. I've been so frightened. I've had such dreams. I kept seeing you dead by the roadside. Wasn't that foolish of me? Very. Don't you know my life is charmed? I'll invest just one more thing. If they press me sharply, I may not get here during the day. If you don't see me at noon, look for me by moonlight. You'll surely come. I'll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way. And now until tomorrow. Goodbye, my darling. And dark in the dark, old in yard, a stable wicked creep to where Tim, the Oceler, listened. His face was white and peaked. His eyes were hollows of madness. His hair like moldy hay. They loved the landlord's daughter. The landlord's red-lipped daughter. Dumb as a dog he listened. And he heard the robber say, I'll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way. Well, Father? So, Sir John Lancashire and the Highwomen are one and the same. Doesn't that sound a little ridiculous to you? Yes, but I know it's true. Tim the Oceler heard you a while ago. He told me the whole conversation. Miss, I want you to promise that you'll never see that man again. He's bad. He's a robber. Then you're a good girl and not for the likes of him. Now I'm going to see to it that he's put in prison. You must tell me where he hide. I don't know. And if I did, I wouldn't tell you. You'll have to catch him yourself. No, you'll catch him for me. He'll come to see you and then we'll have him. No! No, you can't make me do that. Or you wouldn't do that. You couldn't do that. Don't you understand how I love him? Oh, Father, listen to me. If he dies, there's nothing in the world for me anymore. My heart would always be empty. He's the blood that courses through me and all the pain and all the joy. He's what my eyes want most to look upon and my arms want most to embrace. He's the difference between life and death and heaven and hell. Oh, don't you understand if he dies, I want to die. Love isn't that important, Bess. It only seems so now when you're young. We don't really die of it. You'll have to trust me. You'll have to believe that I know what's best for you. This pain will all pass in a week or a month and be someone else's end. Please, please don't do this. Don't betray him. I love you and I must. If you do, I'll despise you. I'll despise you and hate you and love you until I die. Good night, Bess. I'm sorry, but I'll have to lock your door. Come at noon and out of the tawny sunset before the rise of the moon when there was a gypsy's labyrinth looping the purple moor. King George's men came marching, marching, marching. King George's men came marching up to the old indoor. Where's your daughter? She's locked in her room. Follow me, men. You may have been drinking. We haven't, it's none of your concern. You'll treat her kindly, won't you? She'll be all right as long as she doesn't try to escape. All right, landlord, you can wait downstairs. I'd like to stay. We'll call you if we want you. Yes, sir. Tired of the foot of the bed? Pretty wench, isn't she? A little tear stain. Well, that's what comes of having a taste for the wrong people. Have you nothing to say? No. Well, tire up for her death watch. You better gag her. I don't take a chance of her screaming and warning him. And you would if you had the chance, wouldn't you? Yes. If she bound good and tight, bound she is. All right, you and Keith take up your watch by that window. You'll shoot from there. All right. Well, my pretty, how about a kiss for a hard-working soldier? Don't you dare! All right, all right, all right. A little peppery for my taste. What about giving her a spot of rabbit? No, I fix this gag now. I'll have one myself. She really looks like she's keeping her watch all right. All she needs is a gun. That's a good idea. I'll tie a gun to her chest and she'll really be a dangerous little girl with a gun tied to her chest. Her too bad her hands won't be free to aim it. She made short work of us. There you are, lady. Now keep good watch. Now keep good watch. And I kissed her. She had to do man's say. Look for me by moonlight. I'll come to thee by moonlight. Though hell she'd bar the way, she twisted her hands behind her. But all the knots held good. She writhed her hands till her fingers were wet with sweat and blood and they stretched and sprained in the darkness. The hours crawled by like years till now on the stroke of midnight, cold on the stroke of midnight, the tip of one finger touched it. The trigger at last was hers. The tip of one finger touched it. She strove no more for the rest. Up she stood to attention with the barrel beneath her breast. She would not rest her hearing. She would not strive again for the road laid like plank and bear in the moonlight and the blood in her veins in the moonlight propped to a love's refrain. I wonder where she is. Maybe he isn't coming. Maybe someone's having a laugh at us. Well, if they are, it isn't her. We look pretty silly going back to London and saying we sat all night for nothing. Maybe he's got another love. Maybe he's not interested in this one anymore. Listen, do you hear that? That's him. He's coming. Down the ribbon of moonlight over the brow of the hill, the high woman came riding, riding, riding. Red coach foot to the priming. Best stood up straight and still. Her eyes grew wide for a moment. She drew one last deep breath. Then a finger moved in the moonlight. Her musket shattered the moonlight, shattered her breast in the moonlight and warned him with her death. He turned, he spurred him westward. He did not know who stood bowed with her head or the musket drenched with her own red blood. Not until dawn he heard it and began to hear how best the landlord's daughter, the landlord's black-eyed daughter had watched for her love in the moonlight and died in the darkness there. Back he spurred like a madman, streaking a kerf from the sky. But the white road spoke behind him. His red be a brandy tie. Blood red were his spurs of the golden moon. Wine red was his dullest coat. And they shot him down on the highway. Down like a dog on the highway. They lay in his blood on the highway with a bunch of lace in his throat. And still, of a winter's night they say, when the wind is in the trees and the moon is a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas, when the road is a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor, a highwayman comes riding, riding, riding. A highwayman comes riding up to the old indoor. He whistles a tune in the windows. And who should be waiting there with the landlord's black-eyed daughter? Bess. The landlord's daughter pleading a dark red love knot into a long black hair. Good evening, Mr. Highwayman. How goes the night, profitably? That depends. I'm asking for a kiss. Aren't you accustomed to taking what you want? But since I am asking. Since you are asking. Of course you must have the kiss. In just a moment, an important message from Victor Jory. Friends, if you've ever used Vic's Vatronol to relieve the distress of a nasty head cold, you know how wonderfully effective it can be. And if you haven't, well, there's no time like now if a stuffy head cold is making you miserable. Once you try Vatronol, once you put a few soothing drops in each nostril, you'll agree that Vatronol is really a fine medication. You'll notice how quickly it goes to work right where trouble is to relieve the sneeze irritation and how it opens up the stuffy nasal passages in a hurry to make breathing easier. In our opinion, Vic's Vatronol is a specialized medication that is all together in a class by itself as a reliever of the misery of head colds. And more than that, if you use Vatronol soon enough, if you use it at the first warning sniffle or sneeze, it actually helps prevent many colds from developing. So friends, the next time you feel a stuffy head cold come on, why not use a few drops of Vatronol? Just follow the simple directions in the folder. Vic's Vatronol nose drops. This is Victor Jory. Last week I named three plays and asked you to tell me which ones you'd like to hear. An overwhelming majority of you favored Samuel Hopkins-Adams' romantic story of two people who hitchhiked their way to happiness on a night bus from Miami bound for New York. This story originally appeared in the Cosmopolitan magazine, and one of the most delightful scenes in it was the walls of Jericho, where a blanket made two bedrooms out of one in a small tourist cabin. So our play next week is Night Bus. For the following week, will you again help me choose between that great picture, the great McGinty, which starred Brian Donlevy, Only Yesterday, another long remembered picture only yesterday, which starred Margaret Sullivan, and that great love story, Marley. Write me care of Columbia Broadcasting, New York 22, New York. Our script today was adapted by Gene Holloway from Alfred Noy's famous poem and was directed by Richard Sandville. Music for this series is under the direction of Mark Warner. Be sure to be with us next week when Vic's, the makers of Vic's Vatronol, Vic's cough drops and Vic's inhaler brings you another great matinee theater production starring Victor Jory and featuring Gertrude Warner in Night Bus. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.