 It's the mysterious traveler, inviting you to join me on another journey into the realm of the strange and the terrifying. I hope you will enjoy the trip, that it will thrill you a little and chill you a little. So settle back and get a good grip on your nerves. If you can, where are we going? Why today we're going to accompany Mr. Harvey Benson through a fateful twenty-four hours of his life. In a story I call, No One on the Line. Our visit with Harvey Benson begins on a Wednesday evening in summer. Harvey, a self-made businessman, is smoking a cigar and reading the paper while his wife Linda reads a book. It's really quite a picture of peaceful domesticity. Well, that's it. Nothing much in the paper tonight, do you? Too bad your poker game tonight fell through, darling. I know how you look forward to Wednesday evening. Oh, well, it doesn't matter. Good book you're reading? Oh, yes. Yes, it's very exciting. It's a new murder mystery everybody's talking about. I would have guessed it was rather dull from the way you've been looking at the same page for ten minutes now. Oh, was I? I must have been wool-gathering. Well, I guess I'll go... Oh, phone. I'll get it, Linda. No, sit still, Harvey. You're tired. I'll answer. No, I insist, my dear. Hello. Hello. Hello. That's funny. No one on the line. Well, maybe the phone's out of order. No, I heard the click as someone hung up when I answered. Oh, but it's not worth wondering about. It's getting late. What do you say we turn in? Well, now we join Harvey again at breakfast the following morning. It's getting late, but Harvey lingers over his coffee as if he had the whole day ahead of him. Good coffee, this. You pour me some more, will you, darling? Of course, Harvey. But shouldn't you be leaving for your office, dear? Well, there's plenty of time. But it's almost 9.30. You seem very anxious to get me to the office, Linda. You're not trying to get rid of me by any chance. Well, of course not. But you said you had an important appointment this morning. Oh, yes, but the fellow will wait. My good coffee, this. Harvey, is there anything wrong? Anything wrong? Yes. You seemed a little odd the last day or two in this morning. And what's the matter with me this morning? Oh, I don't know that anything is, but you do seem a little strange. Strange? In what way, Linda, my dear? Oh, I'm sorry if I've said anything to annoy you, but... Oh, I'll answer it. Still, Linda, I'll answer it. But Harvey, it's probably... I said I'll answer it. Maybe a call I've been expecting. All right, Harvey. Hello? Hello? Hello? There's no one on the line. Same thing that happened last night. Wow, peculiar. Oh, but that phone must be out of order. Yes, I suppose so. Yet I could swear I heard someone hang up when I answered. Oh, you must have been mistaken, darling. I suppose so. You better give the company a ring, Linda. Yes, I will, Harvey, right away. Good, and now I do have to be going. See you tonight, darling. So now we accompany Harvey Benson to his office. Because we're spending one complete day with him, remember? His office is large and luxurious, reflecting the success Harvey Benson has achieved in the world by hard work and constant vigilance. Once arrived there, Harvey plunges into his work. Until shortly before noon the sound of the interoffice phone or houses him. Excuse me, Mr. Benson. Oh, here's Mr. Johnson. Mr. Munger was here to see you. Shall I send him in? No, ask him to wait. I'd like to see you for a moment first, Mr. Johnson. Certainly, Mr. Benson. I'll be right in. Yes, Mr. Benson. Sit down, please, Mr. Johnson. Yes, I brought my book. You won't need it. I just want to chat with you for a moment. I don't understand, Mr. Benson. I just want to talk to you, that's all. I don't believe you and I have ever talked before as person to person, have we? No, sir, we haven't. And you've been with me seven years, hasn't it? Seven years next month. Seven years, and we've never talked as equals. But then I've never needed advice before. You've noticed that I never ask advice, I suppose. Well, yes, I have, Mr. Benson. Make your own decision and act upon it, is my motto. And yet now I'm going to ask you advice as a woman, not as a secretary. Well, I'll try to be helpful if I can. Good. Now then, picture for yourself a woman who has always been very practical and, well, let's say rather cold. Suddenly this woman becomes dreamy and absent-minded. She stands for minutes at the window looking at nothing. You speak to her, she doesn't hear you. What would you deduce from that? Why, I'd say she was in love. Excellent. Now suppose this woman is married. Suppose on several occasions when her husband is in the room, you're following me, aren't you? Oh, yes, sir. Suppose on these occasions the phone rings and this married woman answers. And each time she tells the party calling, he has a wrong number. Or ten. Why, I suppose that could happen. But now, Miss Johnson, suppose on several occasions the husband answers and the party at the other end hangs up without speaking. Why, it sounds like someone trying to call the wife without her husband knowing about it. Exactly. I felt sure I couldn't be wrong. But it's helpful to have your opinion back me up. Thank you very much, Miss Johnson. Why, why not at all, Mr. Benson? And now please send in Mr. Mungo. Yes, sir, right away. Mr. Benson will see you now. Okay, sister. Good morning, Mr. Benson. Come in, Mungo, and close the door. Sure, Mr. Benson. Uh, sit down. Yeah, sure. You have the information for me? Everything's right here in my report. Good, let's have it. I checked thoroughly on the four names you suggested. And which one was she meeting? I only witnessed one meeting, Mr. Benson. The other time she gave me the slip. Then you don't know your business. Well, what she did was go to Duke and Baker's department store, take a dress into one of the fitting rooms, and then leave by another door. I couldn't very well follow her there. You should have managed it somehow. I never mind that. What did you learn? I'll give you the general report first before I mention a name. All right, do so, but don't dawdle about it. Yes, Mr. Benson. As you'll see, I've called the four individuals you suggested, parties A, B, C, and T. Yes. Now, party B. She knew before her marriage, but I found no evidence they have ever communicated since. Yes, go on. Parties C and D, she also knew before she became Mrs. Benson. And from time to time, she's seen both of them since. But those meetings appear to have been accidental. Maybe so. Get on with it. But party A, the architect one, I traced him back to Atlanta. That's his hometown. She comes from Atlanta, too. Yes, they went to high school together. We're sweet on each other for a year or two. He used to keep her picture in his room. Oh, he did, did he? Yeah. And since he reached New York three months ago, he's phoned her four or five times according to the switchboard operator at his apartment house. Yes, of course. I remember how excited she was when they met at the Jennings' dance two months ago. And three days ago, get this, when Mrs. Benson was downtown shopping, she dropped into RAS for lunch and she ran into him there. No doubt it was a planned meeting. It was very cleverly done. Then they sat for two hours talking and, well, that meeting was no accident. No, of course it wasn't. Donald Ockright, yes, I was sure of it. Yes, sir. But if you want me to keep on following you... No, no, no, it's time for more decisive steps. I don't understand. You're not supposed to. But if you knew me better, you'd know that the moment my mind is made up, I act. I see, Mr. Benson. And I propose to act now. So send me your bill and forget the whole affair. Very good, Mr. Benson. Goodbye. Hello, Ockright. This is Harvey Benson. Do you remember me, Linda's husband? Yes, yes, of course, Mr. Benson. How are you? Fine, thanks. I'm calling because I need an architect. Oh, and you wanted me to... Yes, I'm going to put up a summer place out on Long Island, and I wanted you to draw the plan. Well, that's great, Mr. Benson. Now, what kind of sight have you? I'll do better than tell you. I'll show it to you. That is, if you're free to drive a car, say about 45 minutes. All right, that'll be fine. I'll be looking for you. Good, I'll see you shortly, then. We'll have lunch on the way. Mr. Johnson. Yes, Mr. Benson? I'm leaving for the day. Cancel any appointments I may have. Now, Harvey Benson leaves his office, and we follow him to the garage where he keeps his car. I'll see you in a bit. All right, Mr. Benson. Good. Then I'll pick you up in my car. Say about 45 minutes. All right, that'll be fine. I'll be looking for you. Good, I'll see you shortly, then. We'll have lunch on the way. Mr. Johnson. Yes, Mr. Benson? I'm leaving for the day. The garage where he keeps his car. Joe, do you have my car ready? I got it right here, Mr. Benson. But look, don't you want to take the new coupe? No, I said I wanted the sedan. Yeah, sure, but since that little accident, Mrs. Benson had the sedan ain't in too good a shape. It'll do for today. Yeah, but what I'm getting at is that it ain't safe. I'm not worried. You put in plenty of gas? Yep. Five gallons, Mr. Benson. Well, look now, don't take no chances with them brakes. They don't hold what they're sent. I'm aware of that. And that right-hand door, it sticks something terrible. What of it? What do you care? Oh, I just thought I saw you. Well, don't. Golly, he's certainly in a hurry. With them brakes the way they are, he'll kill somebody if he ain't careful. At 87th Street, Harvey Benson picks up his passenger, Donald Larkwright. And several hours later, they are far out in a lonely section of Long Island. Just a quarter of a mile more out, right? Up ahead on top of those cliffs. That's where my locks are. I surely appreciate you asking me to prepare the plans, Mr. Benson. Linda suggested you for the job. Said you were a first-rate architect. Well, that's well over. I wasn't even sure she'd remember me. Oh, she remembers you very well. I could see how happy she was to meet you at the Jennings Party. Yeah, I was tickled that she recognized me. After all, it's six years since we last met. Well, why shouldn't she recognize you? After all, you were a sweetheart, were you? Well, I suppose you could have called us that. We did have some good times together. Riding, hiking, and dancing. Well, it explains she still thinks a lot of you. There's the site. Right up ahead. Oh, yeah. Smack on the edge of the cliff, huh? Well, you'll have a nice view all the way across the sound. 80 feet sheer to the water and not another house in miles. Look, you can see all the way down to the rocks and the bend in the road here. Well, those waves sure are kicking up a fuss. Man wouldn't last long down there. Nope. No, not long. But you don't have to worry. I'll build you a house that will never slide over the edge. I'm sure you will never give me any cause to worry. Well, here we are. Have to pull the car a bit off the road, though, to park. Yeah, pretty steep here. Yeah. I'll have to put in a retaining wall. Terrace the ground, I guess. There. I got her off the road. We'll leave her here where we'll have room turn around when we're ready to start back. Sure hope you have good breaks. I'd hate to slide over under those rocks down there. I'd hate to myself. Oh, want to get out and block wheels for me? Oh, yes, of course. Yeah. The door won't open. Seems to be stuck. That's right. That door does open hard. Never mind. I'll get out on this side and block them. Well, say, aren't you forgetting to set the brakes? Not necessary. But this slope is steep here. I know what I'm doing. But look, the car's moving already. It's starting to roll forward. Yes, it is, isn't it? And it'll keep on rolling. Watching the car roll toward the edge while his passenger struggles frantically to get out. It only has 10 feet to go, 5 feet, and then on a very edge the wheels twist against a rock and the car stops. Harvey runs down the slope and reaches the spot just as Donald Arkwright manages at life's cram block. Mr. Benton, you did that on purpose. Yes, Arkwright. I did. You tried to kill me. Exactly. I tried to kill you. But why? You must be crazy. No, Arkwright, only myself. If you knew me better, you'd know that no one tries to take anything away from me without suffering for it. What are you talking about? You know what I'm talking about. What's mine is mine. And everything that's mine I keep. You are crazy. I can see it. Get away from me. Take your hands off of me. No, Arkwright, you haven't a chance. Yes, let me go, I say. I'll... I'll... You'll do nothing. In this world, a man has to be strong and ruthless to stay on top. And I'm... Oh, no! No, you're pushing me toward the edge. Let me go! You're going over, do you hear? You're going... Harvey stands, blaring down at the white-capped waters that have received his victim. Then he turns to the car, a quick twist of the steering wheel, a push, and the car is gone. Then Harvey turns away, back to the road. He walks a mile, two miles, three, until he gets a lift from a driver who takes him to the nearest state police barracks where state police Sergeant Thomas hears his story. Mr. Benson, you say you got out of the car to block the wheel, and the car started rolling forward? Yes, Sergeant. Arkwright tried to open the door, but it stuck. The car was at the edge, but the time he got it open, he... he jumped. But he was too late. I see. All right, I have the details straight. It was horrible, Sergeant. He was my friend. There was nothing I could do to help. Nothing. Yes, I understand, Mr. Benson. You were quite alone at the time, no witnesses? No, we were miles from the nearest house. Why do you ask? Well, because there's a boy scout camp about a mile from there, Mr. Benson. I thought some of the boys might have been within sight. Oh, no, no. There wasn't anyone in sight. I see. Well, I guess that's all, Mr. Benson. It's just about dark now, so we probably won't recover the body before tomorrow. I'll notify you the minute we do so you can identify your friend. And so, late in the evening, Harvey returns home. To find Linda waiting for him anxiously. Is that you, Harvey? Yes, my dear, it is. Well, I waited in as long as I could, and then I went ahead and ate. Shall I fix you something now? No, thank you. I've eaten. Let's sit down, Linda. I'd like to talk to you. Why... Well, of course, Harvey. Do you have the phone fixed? The phone? Oh, no, I called the company, but they said there was nothing wrong with it. I see. Well, they were quite right. I discovered that the trouble was from another source. I don't think I understand you, Harvey. Linda, my dear, do you consider me a fool? What? Well, of course not. Don't you suppose that I've known what was going on for some days now? Just what do you mean, Harvey? When a woman suddenly takes the mooning around the house, staring out the window, not answering when she's spoken to, the signs are unmistakable. Are you speaking about me, Harvey? And when that same woman gets several phone calls while her husband is in the room and each time tells the caller, I'm afraid you have the wrong number. There's no one here by that name. It would be a very stupid husband, indeed, who failed to notice. Yes, I suppose it would. But the crowning touch was those calls when there was no one on the line. One several days ago, one last night, and now one this morning. But, Harvey... I answer and there's no one on the line. But who's there when you answer? That's what I want to know, Linda. Well, what have you to say? There isn't much I can say, Harvey. Oh, then you would make it. Those calls were from someone I wasn't supposed to know about. Someone you're in love with. Yes. Someone I'm in love with. Someone I've been trying to bring myself to tell you about. Someone you've been meeting at Padre Rondevue. Nothing of the kind. We've met, yes. But they've been perfectly innocent. Meetings, lunch, and a walk in the park. Nothing worse than that. You're a fool to expect me to believe that. Yes, I suppose I am. And yet it's the truth. Well, it doesn't matter. But may I inquire what your plans are? I want a divorce, Harvey. So that you can marry this unknown who telephones you and then hangs up when I answer. Yes. And I'm sorry that ever happened. It was my fault I suggested it. You see, I was afraid of you, Harvey. Afraid? Of me? Of your loving husband. I was. But I'm not any more. I only want to be free of you. Free to marry the man I really love. Very interesting, my dear. But slightly impractical. Do you really think I'd let anyone take you away from me? I'm afraid you have no choice. Well, you're wrong. It's you who have no choice. You're a penniless, Linda. You have no family, no money, no training. You have only me. What are you trying to say? I'm just leading up to a story I have to tell you, Linda. A very tragic story which occurred only this afternoon. And so Harvey tells Linda the story of the afternoon's events. Well, not the true story, of course. But she guesses the truth as he speaks and recoils in horror when he is finished. Oh, you've killed him. You deliberately murdered him. Nonsense. It was a tragic accident. The police have already exonerated him. You killed him? Oh, no. No, I don't believe you. You're just trying to torture me. Know me better than that. You know that what I have, I keep it any cost. Then you did kill him. You're a murderer. Don't be hysterical, my dear. I should be forced to discipline you. I'm going to the police. I'm going to tell them the truth. Linda, come back here. No, no, you can't stop me. Linda, come back. Come back, I say. Linda is gone before Harvey can get to the door. Harvey pauses. He resolutes. Then he shrugs, turns back, sits down, lights a cigar. Good cigar. I must remember to order another box. And so, Linda, you rushed off to the police. In your heart of hearts, you hope that I'm lying. Your first move will be to rush to telephone. You put a nickel and dial with trembling fingers. You'll hear the phone at the other end ring. And with beating heart, you'll wait. Hoping against hope that Donald are correct. But he won't. And then you know I've told the truth. Then, hmm, will you come back first? Or will you go on to the police? I'd rather think you'll go to the police. For you are excited just now. And you'll return with a detective or two. I shall have to explain to them. Tell them of your hysterical spells. Then you and I will be left alone. And in a day or two, I think we'll leave on a little trip. Yes. Up to my hunting lodge. Where we can be alone there. And we'll get to know each other well again. Very well. And in the future... Oh, the bell. So you're back already, Linda. I guess draw. Just a moment, my dear. I'm coming. Harvey crosses to the door, opens it, and recoils in surprise. Good evening, Mr. Manson. Well, if it isn't Sergeant Tummer. And I see my wife is with you. Yes, we met in the lobby. She came back up with me. I'd like to come in. Why, of course. After you, Mr. Manson. These other men will wait out here. Thank you, Sergeant. And now do sit down, Linda. And you too, Sergeant. Oh, uh, cigar. No, thanks. We might as well waste no time, Mr. Manson. We've recovered your friend's body. Already? But surely you didn't come here to tell me that. They know you killed him, Harvey. They know. Please, Linda, you must forgive my wife, Sergeant. I suppose she's been babbling some nonsense, rather, to you. She told me a story. I don't think it's nonsense. Of course it is. She's just terrible. But there were witnesses, Harvey. There were witnesses. What? That's absurd. There was no one within miles. Except a camp of boys' scouts. Four of them with a scout master were lying in the grass half a mile away when you drove up. They were watching for birds with field glasses. You're lying. And with natural curiosity, they turned their glasses on you. They saw your struggle on the cliff. No, no. You're lying. They went to another police barrack to report or I'd have been here sooner. Here are copies of the affidavits they signed. Affidavits? Yeah. Look, I'm over. Affidavits. Five of them. Yes, they seem to be in order. So there were witnesses. I daresay their evidence is unshakable. You haven't a chance, Benson. Well, those men outside of city detectives, are you going to come quietly? Yes. Why not? What else is there to do? You're caught, Harvey. And I'm glad. Glad. Yes, I'm caught. But precious little good that'll do you, Linda, because he's dead. Do you hear? Donald Arkwright is dead. Donald Arkwright? Yes. You wonder how I knew it with he, don't you? Well, I hired a private detective. Oh. And he discovered that Arkwright had been phoning you. That he'd been slipping away to meet him. He managed to follow you to one of those innocent luncheons. Oh, that luncheon? But that meeting was an accident. A very clever accident. But not clever enough to save Arkwright, because he's dead, do you hear? And no matter what happens to me, I've beaten you. You're insane. You always have been with your lust for power, and I never guessed it till now. Fine words. But there won't change the fact that your beloved is dead and that I've taken him from you. You killed Donald Arkwright because you thought I was in love with him. It was Arkwright, I know it. Oh, no. Donald Arkwright was just an old friend. The man I love is someone you've never met, whose name I see now you don't even know. I don't believe you. You've committed murder and you're nothing. No. And that knowledge is worse to you than any punishment to law can inflict. You're lying. It was Arkwright who phoned and hung up when I answered. I tell you what it was. It couldn't have been anybody else. No. No. Well, that was rather a hectic 24 hours for Harvey Benson, wasn't it? He shouldn't have been quite so sure of himself. It never pays. Those phone calls now. If you get any calls and find there's no one on the line, don't be quite as hasty as he was. You might get into a bad jam. I know someone else who didn't wait to make sure of his facts, and he... Oh, you're getting off here. I'm sorry, but I'm sure we'll meet again. I take this same train every week at this time. You've just heard The Mysterious Traveler, a series of dramas of the strange and terrifying. In today's cast were Maurice Tarplin, Ted Osburn, Mary Jane Higbee, Jack Manning and James Van Dyke. Original music was played by Doc Whipple. The Mysterious Traveler is written and directed by Bob Arthur and David Cogan. Listen next week over most of these mutual stations to a tale titled Death Whispers Softly. Another tale of The Mysterious Traveler. The Mysterious Traveler is presented by the Mutual Network from our New York studios. Ruston Barr speaking. What could have been in the little black box that led intelligence men, Nazi agents and Mike wearing the falcon on a chase of mystery and intrigue over two continents? You'll learn the answer when you hear death comes in boxes. This Tuesday nights mystery on the adventures of the falcon. Tune in Tuesday for The Falcon. This is the Mutual Broadcasting System.