 96,000 dealers present Ms. Ida Lupino in The Bullet, a suspense play produced and edited by William Spear. Hey, Sonny, what are you doing out so late? And holy smoke with nothing on but a ribbon. I'm not late, I'm early. Oh, let's see that ribbon. Well, 1950. Just call me happy. I see, happy new year. That's me. By the way, what do you do? Oh, I sell auto light resistor spark plugs. Auto light resistor spark plugs? You mean you haven't heard of auto light resistor spark plugs? Those perfectly perky, persistent performers that let your engine idle smoother, run better on leaner gas mixtures, save gas? Where I come from, we ride around on stars, not cars. Oh, well, anyway, auto light resistor spark plugs with that exclusive built-in 10,000 ohm auto light resistor have 200% greater electrode life. Cut down spark plug interference with radio and television. Say, young fella, now that you've come down to earth, you'll be using a car, so take a tip. See your friendly auto light spark plug dealer. And get a set of auto light resistor spark plugs long recognized for their dependability. You're always right with auto light. And now, with the bullet and the performance of our star, Miss Ida Lupino is Ruth Martin. With Elliot Lewis as her husband, Harry, auto light hopes once again to keep you in suspense. Ruth, turn around, Ruth. No. Turn around, Ruth. I've got the gun in my hand. Please, Harry. Please. I'm pressing the trigger. Will it be this time? Harry, don't. Don't do this to me. Will it be this time, Ruth? Will it be this time? Yes, Harry. Yes, this time. This time I'd die, and it was like drowning. Going down for the last time, everything flooding through my mind. A step by step, we'd come to this point, neither one of us wanting to. From the day Harry came back from prison, meeting me in the station, pale, haggard, in a suit two sizes too big, nothing left but a stupid pride. And me, well, I suppose I was quite a shock to Harry. He looked at me so strangely all the way as we walked back to the parking lot for the car. What'd you do to yourself? You're so chained. For the better, I hope. I just changed. Now, is that being glant? Glant? When I came out of the kitchen to take over the business, Harry, while you were away, I had to change from my apron. Had to dye your hair too. Had to become a real glamour girl, huh? That dress, that one of ours? How's the business going? You hardly mentioned it in your letters, holding its own. Better than that. Just about tripled our volume since you went away. Well, here we are. What? The car. Here's the car. This chromium wonder? Sure, it's yours. Here's the key. Go on. We can afford it. Little lady really took over. Where's the starter? Right there. Harry, somebody had to take over when you went away. After all, dress styles are changing all the time. Don't have a chip on your shoulder. Another thing, what's this when you went away routine? Like, maybe I went to China. I took a chance at my business and I lost, so they dumped me into the Houskow for three years. I'm not ashamed of it, so don't you? You're going the wrong way, Harry. Well, I guess I know the way to my own house. But we live in a new house. Something really special. What goes on here? What's wrong with you? I did the best I could to keep things going. There's nothing to be jealous of. Jealous? Oh, Harry, why are we fighting? Oh, yeah, that's right. We got nothing to fight about. I'm back in the business and you can go back to taking care of the house, cooking. No, I... Keeping things looking nice? No, Harry, I... Letting your hair get back to the color it used to be. I can't do it. Well, we'll see, baby. Look, I don't want to be the boss. Thanks. But I can be of help to you. Sure, have a nice hot dinner waiting for me when I come home from work. You can afford a cook for that now. Cook? You're all the cook we need. Harry, I'm not the same anymore. I just can't sit home and wait for you to come and tell me what the world's all about. Then you're going to have to learn, baby. You're just going to have to learn. But nothing worked out the way Harry planned it. He found he couldn't keep me home. He put me in a corner in the office. Set out to prove he didn't need me at all. Only three years is a long time to be away from anything. When you buyers, the buyers didn't know him. They knew me. No, this is not what I wanted, Mr. Martin. Well, I'll show you something else. Got plenty of time. Can't really say that I have. Didn't I see Mrs. Martin in your office when I came in today? Well, she's just getting things in order before she retires back to the kitchen. She always knows exactly what I want. Could you send for her, please? But I'm sure I can show you... Would you mind? No. No, I wouldn't mind. One blow after another at his stupid pride. Most of the workers had never known Harry. They were used to taking their orders from me. But he had to show them he was still the big shot. Stop that machine. Oh, yes, sir. I want these coats cut with a flare three inches longer. Oh, but Mrs. Martin worked it all up. Don't tell me what Mrs. Martin worked out. That sign out on the front windows is Harry Martin. Oh, yes, sir, but... But nothing. Cut it the way I told you. But these new machines Mrs. Martin installed, they don't operate like that. What? That's why we changed over. I see. So shall I do it like Mrs. Martin said, sir? Yeah, just like Mrs. Martin said. It got so we were like two strangers. Harry wouldn't even look at me anymore. I think he actually began to hate me. And then the final thing. He began finding out about George. Oh, listen, I'm no angel, but three years. I'm not trying to defend myself. It's just that it's terrible to be lonely. And George came along and treated me like... like I was somebody to respect, somebody with dignity. Well, then I began to realize that when I took the car some place, Harry's car would bob up behind me, follow for a few blocks, then disappear. I'd be shopping in a store. Suddenly Harry's face would begin to weave in and out of the crowd. Then disappear. Or coming into the office one day and finding Harry had put an extension on my phone. I was being stifled. I couldn't breathe anymore. I didn't dare see George anymore. I hardly dared phone him. So it's like prohibition of any kind. It began to be important. George had never really meant very much to me. But now I started thinking he was the only thing I had to hang on to. And Harry always playing little jokes, setting his little traps. Like the morning he left for the office early. Some business to take care of. And hearing his car back out of the garage, moved down the street, thinking I was free for a few minutes. Free to call George after all these days. George? What have you been? Why haven't I heard from you? Oh, George, I wanted a car. George who? George who? What's the full name, baby? I heard you leave. Let the gardener take the car to the gas station. Dial George again, baby. Finish the conversation. Listen. You're driving me crazy with these tricks. What's wrong with you? Here's the phone. Dial him again. Dial who? Who are you talking to? The Beaver Knitting Mill. George Baker, he's one of their sales. Why did you hang up so quick? You startled me. What are you doing? Of course, three years is a long time. But three years ago, the Beaver Knitting Mill never opened before nine. Harry. You must have dialed wrong, baby. There's no answer. Sneaking around behind my back. Spying on me, checking on my phone calls. Harry, I'm not going on this way. I'm not going to let you drive me crazy. What do you think you're going to do about it? I want a divorce. You mean that? Yes. He must be quite a guy. Listen to me. No. You listen, lady. OK, it's a deal. You'll get your divorce, but on my terms, lady. All the way down the line. What kind of terms? I know all about the laws in the state, 50-50 on everything. But it's not going to be that way with us. You give me a release, giving me the whole business. And you're free as the air. Give you the business. But I built the business. There was nothing left when you went to prison. That's my deal, kiddo. My whole life is tied up with that business. I work. That's the deal. Why are you doing it, Harry? Because whoever this bum is, there's no one. Whoever he is. I got a hunch when he hears you're not bringing half the business as a dowry. His great love is just going to shrivel up and die. That's what you believe, is it? Exactly. All right, Harry. You draw up the papers. Ruth, I just don't know what to say. But to be free. Free to be with you, darling. What kind of freedom is it when you have to grub for a buck? That kind of freedom you can feed to the pitchers. George, don't talk like that. We're not a couple of 19-year-old kids running off on a motorcycle. If you give up your business, how are we supposed to live? That's the only way he'll let me go. Then don't go. He was right. What he said about you was right. If he said I didn't care for you very, very much, then he was wrong. But if he said I like it nice with enough money coming in to make it comfy, and how he was right. Shut up. What was that for? Because I'm honest with you? Aren't you even going to say goodbye? You know, I can't say goodbye. No, I can't be alone. I've got to have somebody. Well, it isn't me, baby. Never was. Oh, baby. Well, I see you tonight. No, I. Will you call me? I feel I don't know lost. I'll be at the office tonight. I'll be there alone waiting for your call. George, will you call me? All right, Ruth. Be there at 10. I'll call you. He wasn't that important to me. I wanted affection and love from somebody so much. George would be calling at the office at 10 o'clock. It seemed that's all there was for me. I walked. I sat in the park. I waited. The telephone call from George. When I got to the building, I looked up at our windows, dark, not a light on the whole floor. When I got to the outer door of the office, I stopped and listened, not a sound. I went inside on the light switch. Oh, I've been waiting for you, Ruth. Where have you been? Harry, why were you waiting here in the dark? I tried to take a snooze, just stretched out here for a minute. I haven't been sleeping much lately. Yes, I know. You neither have been. No, not much. I have the paper. I left it here on your desk. Paper? That's all very legal. You relinquish all claims to the business, then I bow out of your life. No. These lawyers, they can find word. What'd you say? I've changed my mind. I'm not going to sign it. It's the only way I'll give you a divorce. Then we'll just have to forget about the divorce. I want you to sign this paper, Ruth. I won't, Harry. And I don't want to argue about it. Wait. Yes? I know who he is, baby. What are you talking about? I'm talking about George Groves. Groves? George Groves? You've been giving him money. That's a lie. I found this deposit slip weeks ago in your writing made out to his bank account $300. Lies! And this deposit slip, $200. And this one, $250. Who is he? You're not getting out of here until you tell me who he is. Harriet, I wanted to tell you, but I just couldn't. Who is he? He's a gambler. Gambler? Who are you kidding? You asked me? I told you, now I'm going. Wait, that doesn't make sense. You never gambled? Well, I was like a lost dog. Nothing to do, no one to turn to. I lost that money and quite a bit more. Ruth, if that were true. It is true. There isn't any other man. There never was. 10 o'clock. George Groves, a gambler. Here, you shouldn't keep these things lying around, baby. I've got to go, Harry. I'm going to Ruth. Since I got off that train a month ago, I've been acting like I don't know what. You think we've got any chance to start all over again, right from the beginning, baby? I don't know, Harriet. Can't think straight. Let's go someplace. Let's not talk about it here. Now, you're right. Here's where all the trouble started. Let's get out in the air. Yes, come on. Sure. A gambler. I bet he really took you to the cleaners. Well, you know something, I'm not sore at him. Not a bit. Oh, wait, let me turn out the light. Well, hurry. OK, now let's get... Now, your phone. I don't understand. We'll be calling at this hour. Well, nobody must be a wrong number. Come on. What do you mean, come on? At least answer it. Oh, never mind, I'll take it. No, I... What? Well, it's on my line. Then you answer it. Why are you going to your extension? Answer the phone, Ruth. You're starting it all over again. I said answer the phone. Answer the phone. Ruth, answer the phone. You almost had me believing you fairy tale. You almost made it. Harry, listen to me. All I want you to do is sign this release and clear out. No. You heard what I said, Ruth. I'll never sign it. OK. One last trick, baby. Look what I got in this drawer. I asked you to look. Harry, put away that gun. I want you to get a good look at it. It's called a war, souvenir. Only if you don't sign this release, you know what, baby? Someday I'm going to kill you with this gun. No. Someday I'm going to say to you, Ruthie, I'll give you three seconds to sign this release. One. Harry. Two. Don't, Harry. Three. No. What's the matter, Ruth? You tried to kill me. Don't be silly. I told you it was a trick. The gun is harmless. It's unloaded, see? Why did you do that to me? Why? Put it away. Isn't it strange? You know it's not loaded and you're still afraid. Put it away. That's the beauty of the trick, Ruth. That's why someday you're going to break down and sign that release. You see, you'll never know just when it will be loaded. You'll never know, Ruth. Auto-Light is bringing you the bullet, starring Ida Lupino with Elliot Lewis in Radio's Outstanding Theater of Thrills, Suspended. Happy. Happy New Year. Yes, sir. How about showing me what's in store for 1950? Sort of a sneak preview. Uh-uh. Wouldn't be fair. Oh, look. I only want to see how Auto-Light Resistor Spark plugs will make out. You know, millions and millions have been sold to date. Well, I guess I can go that far. Now, let's see. My crystal ball says you'll do OK with Auto-Light Resistor Spark plugs. You'll sell millions more. Wonderful, wonderful. Why, the roads will be rippling with motorists made merry by the bountiful benefits of these mighty marvels. The smoother engine idle, the better performance on leaner gas mixtures, the gas savings. Then too, they'll get 200% longer electrode life from Auto-Light Resistor Spark plugs and reduce spark plug interference with radio and television reception built right into every Auto-Light Resistor Spark plug. But say, young fella, tell me about Auto-Light Bullseye headlights. Will they be finding the way for more and more cars next year? Hey, you really want a happy and prosperous new year, don't you? You bet. And it will be a year of happier driving for motorists who make it an Auto-Light year, because you're always right with Auto-Light. And now, Auto-Light brings back to our Hollywood soundstage our star idle epino with Elliot Lewis in The Bullet, a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense. That night, I made up my bed on the couch in the den. Just hearing him walk, knowing he was in the house, kept me awake. I locked the door, and I lay there. And I must have dozed off in spite of myself, because I came awake with a sudden violence. Fresh air was fanning my face. That couldn't be. The window had been shut. And now the window was open. Harry. If you don't sign the release, someday I'm going to give you three seconds. One. Harry. Two. Don't shoot me, Harry. Shoot you? You must have had a bad dream. I don't even have the gun. Oh, no. Yes, he has a gun. George, I'm coming to you. You've got to. He follows you here and kills the both of us. Does that make everything just dandy? Luck-Roof, do me a favor, will you? Kind of forget this address from now on. But George, don't say that. I'm sorry. But you've got to help me. What can I do? You can go to the police. Police? You know, threatening somebody's life is slightly illegal. Yes. Yes, the police. Yes, of course, they'll help me. Oh, yes, George, that's very smart of you. They'll help me. I went to the police, told them what Harry was trying to do. They instructed one of their men to go with me and investigate. When we reached the lobby of the office building, I couldn't go on. I was afraid to face Harry when the policeman would find the gun. What's the matter, Mrs. Martin? Well, I think I better wait down here. You don't need to be afraid. Come on. Please. It's on the third floor, officer. You'll see the name on the reception door the minute you get off the elevator. Please, do you mind? You're really scared, aren't you? All right, all right. I'll be down soon enough. I began to feel a sense of relief. Harry wouldn't terrorize me any longer. Soon, the officer would bring him down. He'd be off to police headquarters. And then I'd swear out a complaint. The time he got out of jail, I would have started proceedings of my own to divorce him. And then I started to cry at that. I don't know why, just standing there and waiting. And then I began to wonder what they were doing up there so long, more than a half hour had gone by. When the elevator door opened, I expected to see Harry being pushed along, handcuffed. The officer was all by himself. He was smiling. Well, now I just had a nice chat with your husband. You've been worrying for nothing, Mrs. Martin. But the gun? Oh, sure, I saw the gun. Just a war's over there. It's not even loaded. He doesn't have ammunition for it. But someday it will be loaded. Someday he's going to kill me. He said that. Tell you why. He's in love with you. Crazy about you. Now, he feels pretty bad about this. He did it just as a, you know, just as a funny little joke. No, no, I tell you. He says, if you're going to go and get scared, he'll never do it again. But listen to me. Now look, why don't you go on upstairs? He wants to apologize for scaring you like this. He's a very nice guy. I tell you he's going to kill me. I'm not. You're just upset. Like he said, you've been working too hard. You ought to rest up. I don't care what you think. I want him arrested. But threatening me with a deadly weapon. An empty gun. That's not a deadly weapon. Now listen to me. No, you listen to me. Even if I wanted to, there's nothing I could do. As long as that gun is empty, it's not a deadly weapon. And we can't touch him. In this state, that's the law, Mrs. Martin. Go ask a lawyer about it. Anybody who knows the law knows that. That's that, I'm afraid. If we could actually prove, Mrs. Martin, that your husband wanted to kill you, then, you could put him away for years. For years? That's right. He can't hurt you with an empty gun. And as long as that gun is empty, we can't touch him. In this state, that's the law. So there was nothing I could do. Nothing. Until there was a bullet in the gun, I could do nothing to him. Then the answer came to me. It was so simple, so obvious all the time. What would happen if I put the bullet in the gun? It was late Saturday afternoon. The offices were closed. I went to the desk where he kept the gun. I found the caliber marked alongside the barrel, 31.6. I put the gun back, closed the drawer. My heart was pounding. I kept seeing it all the way to the gun shop. 31.6, 31.6, 31.6. That must be a foreign mate. Don't have any bullets of that caliber. Well, do you know any place that does carry them? No, not unless you wrote to maybe one of the big outfits back east. That would take so long. Of course, a 32 shell would work just as well, if you weren't so fussy. No, that'll be fine. I'm not at all fussy. I went back to the office. I took out his gun, broke it open. And I opened my purse, took the bullets out. Years in prison, that's what the lawyer said. Well, it had served him right after what he'd made me go through. They forced the bullets inside the gun, then closed it. Now it was a deadly weapon. I put the gun back in the drawer. I went to my desk to call the police. Now they'd see the gun for themselves. Now they'd see Harry planned to kill me. Years in prison, yes, that's what I wanted him to get. All these headquarters. This is Mrs. Martin. My husband has just threatened me with a loaded gun. Yeah, just a moment. You were such a force. Harry, you think you're so clever, don't you? No, I'm not. Thought I'd take a ride in the country. Thought it would relax me. Nothing seems to relax me. We're going to pot around here. I'll be going. Still not interested in this release, huh? I've told you a million times. Well, I'll see you later. What's your rush? You're not interested in the release? Then maybe you might be interested in this souvenir. Harry. Turn around and look at it, Ruth. It's part of the little trick, you know. No. I said turn around. Isn't it remarkable, even after all this time, it still fills you with terror? Put the gun down, Harry. Someday it's going to be like I always said. Don't start that again. Someday I'm going to say, Ruth, I'll give you three seconds to sign that release. One. No. Two. No. No, don't shoot. I'll sign it. I'll sign it. All right, go on. Put the gun down on the desk. First sign it, Ruth. Here's the pen. Sign it. All right, all right. There. Now please put down the gun. Yeah, all right. So I finally wore you down. No, I've got the gun. What do you think you're going to do with it? There's something you don't know, Harry, that should interest you very much. This gun isn't empty anymore. Oh, it's loaded. But that's what you were doing in the sporting goods shop. You followed me everywhere, haven't you? Yeah. I was in love. The gun is loaded, Harry. So give me back the paper. Sorry, Ruth. Not this. Harry, if you don't give me back the release, I'm going to constrain. Just like you, remember? And then I'm going to pull the trigger. Only this time, it won't just click. So give me back the paper. All right. One. I tell you, there are bullets in this gun. I may have it, Ruth. Give me the paper. Give me the gun, Ruth. I'm in it, Harry. I'll kill you. Ruth. Ruth. I can't. I can't hurt you anymore. I can't. Here, stop the crying. Ruth, you baby. If you want the guy, you can have him. And you'll share the business, too. The whole works if you want it. I never wanted anyone but you, Harry. I must have been crazy. The things I've been doing, like a crazy dream, like it wasn't really me. Could you ever understand what went on inside me? Could you try to understand? Do you think you could, Ruth? Yes, I could try. Baby, baby. Hey, hey, J.O., I said don't cry. Please, don't cry. Oh, let me, Harry. Please, let me. Suspense presented by Autolite, tonight's star, Ida Lupino with Elliot Lewis. So long, Mr. Wilcox. See you in two days, officially. Bye, young fella. And happy. Oh, no point in my wishing him happy new year. But to you folks listening, let me and Autolite's 96,000 dealers extend hearty wishes for a very prosperous 1950. From Autolite, makers of Autolite resisted spark plugs and over 400 other products for cars, trucks, planes, and boats in 28 plants coast to coast. These include complete electrical systems used as original equipment on many makes of America's cars. Batteries, spark plugs, generators, coils, distributors, starting motors, and bullseye-sealed beam headlights. All engineered to fit together perfectly, work together perfectly, because they're a perfect team. So don't accept electrical parts supposed to be as good. Ask for and insist on Autolite, original factory parts, at your neighborhood service station, car dealer, garage, or repair shop. Remember, you're always right with Autolite. Next Thursday for suspense, Danny K. will be our star. The play is called I Never Met the Dead Man. And it is, as we say, a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense. Tonight's suspense play was produced and edited by William Spear and directed by Norman McDonnell. Music for suspense is composed by Lucian Morrowake and conducted by Lud Blusken. The bullet is an original radio play by Larry Marcus. Ida Lupino appeared through the courtesy of filmmakers incorporated, producers of Never Fear soon to be released. In the coming weeks, you will hear such stars as Robert Taylor, William Powell, and Ozzie and Harriet Nelson. Don't forget, next Thursday, same time, Autolite will present suspense starring Danny K. You can buy Autolite resistor or regular spark plugs, Autolite staple batteries, Autolite electrical parts, at your neighborhood Autolite dealers. Switch to Autolite. Good night. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.