 You, finding life, Robert Dow, dreaming again of exotic places, wishing you were somewhere else, we offer you escape. Escape with us now to New Orleans during Mardi Gras behind the gary of which lies a nightmare world of terror and death, as John and Gwen Bagney tell it in The Man Who Stole the Bible. I didn't mean to steal the Bible, that wasn't my intention. Well, I've never taken as much as a towel or an ashtray out of a hotel. And if I'd known the night of terror would lead me into, I'd never have taken it at all. Mardi Gras in New Orleans, a gay time, a lot of laughs if you're in on it. But me, I was stuck in a stuffy hotel room waiting for a call from the boss. And the sound of all those people out in the street having fun got on my nerves. Operator. Operator. Operator. Come on, operator. This is Mr. Cummings, room 302. What have I happened to that bellhop I sent for? Would you speak louder? I can't hear you, sir. I said this is... Just a minute. Operator. Operator. What was it you wanted? A bellhop. I wanted him to bring me something to read, anything. You said half an hour ago, he was on his way up. Has he answered your call yet, Mr. Cummings? No, he has not. Well, I'm sorry, sir. The hotel's so crowded. The Mardi Gras, you know. It's almost impa... Operator. Oh, nuts. I paced back and forth wishing the boss had called me so I could get out of the room. I didn't dare leave even to go down and get a paper. He's that kind of a guy who expects you to be on tap all the time. There was no radio in the room and nothing to read. I went through all the drawers hoping somebody had left behind a magazine or a seed catalog, anything. And then I found it. The Bible. The Gideon Bible. For years I've seen them in hotel rooms, but I've never paid any attention to them. Now I opened the book. First Samuel chapter 19. I lay down in the bed and started to read. A knock surprised me. I'd forgotten about the bellhop. I got up to go to the door and I realized I had the Bible in my hand. It's a fine thing when a man feels embarrassed, caught reading the Bible, but that's how I felt embarrassed. I stuffed it under the pillow and went to the door. When you sure took your time... Oh, I thought it was a bellhop. Who are you? I was detective. Sorry to disturb you. Well, it's all right. What's the matter? Seems that the woman I had this room before you lost her pocketbook. She thinks she left it here. I'm sorry. There's no pocketbook here. Well, I'd better take a look. Well, I'd have seen it if it was here, but come on in if you want. Thanks. See, there's no pocketbook in here. Yeah, but she's sure she left it here. I'll have to go through everything. Look, there's nothing in there but my stuff. You have to... Well, it's a matter, don't you want me to look for it? No, it isn't that. I just don't like people going through my things, that's all. Look, she had some money in it. Now you wouldn't want me to say you refused to let me look around for it, would you? No, I'm sorry. Go ahead. But I've been through all those drawers already. Well, I just take another look. It doesn't seem likely that the maids would have overlooked it, but once in a while something gets left in a drawer. Yeah, yeah, I know, I know, but there's nothing in there. No, I guess you're right. That's amazing that things people leave behind in hotels. Yeah, I guess it is. Yeah, nobody else been in here, have they? No, nobody. Can't even get a bellhop in here. You've been out of the room? And look, I'm not responsible for anything that was left here. No, of course not. Well, I'm sorry to have bothered you. No, I'm sorry. Oh, say, tell that bellhop to get up here, will you? Yeah, I'll tell him. Good night. Who is that strange guy? That I suppose all house-dicks are. I don't know why I've never had anything to do with one before this. I laid down again and went back to reading the Bible. Once I got used to the old-fashioned language, I found it pretty interesting. The story of David, anyway. A guy being chased by everybody, not knowing who his enemies were, every minute expecting to get killed. I was down to the part where David's wife puts a dummy in his bed as a decoy to save his life when I was interrupted again. This time I automatically stuck the Bible into the pillow and went to the door. Hello? Well, hello. I'm having the most awful time. I've tried and tried, but it just won't work. And the room's so stuffy. How's that? The window in my room, it won't open. Would you open it for me? Oh, sure, sure. Just show me which room is it. Right next to yours, just around this corner. Room 300. I have the same trouble on bus as the windows never open. It drives me mad. You can see how stuffy the room is. This window? Mm-hmm. Yeah, it did. Yeah, so does this one. I can't understand it. You're sure you're trying? You don't think I'd come to your door and ask you to come over here if I didn't need something, do you? It's been done. I won't argue with that. But now that you're here, do you like to have a drink? For your trouble, I mean. No, no, I don't think so. You can watch the parade much better here than on your side of the building. No, no, I can't. Listen. What's the matter? I'm sorry, I gotta go. That's my phone. Wait, don't go. You can have the call transferred here. But it's silly to go all the way back. Oh, Cummings. Oh, yes, sir. Yeah, I've been waiting for your call. Now, look, I covered the whole territory down here. Things looked pretty healthy. You see, the main difficulty has been... I stared at my briefcase. I'd left it on the dresser. Now it was on the bed. And everything had been pulled out of it. The closet door was ajar. The drawers and the bureau were open. My Gladstone apparently hadn't been touched, but everything else had. I heard the boss talking trends and business conditions. My mind was on a girl who wanted a window open. A window that wasn't stuck while somebody searched my room. Finally, he finished talking and I hung up. There's no reason now for me to stay in the room. I gathered up my stuff and I took the Bible from under the pillow. Funny, I'd gotten interested in it. I wanted to go on reading it. So I stuck it in my top coat and walked out of the room. On my way to the elevator, I got a sudden impulse. I stopped in front of room 300 and knocked. Oh, excuse me, where? Nobody here now, mister. The lady checked out. Well, that's impossible. I was just here. I didn't know anything about that, but she checked out a couple of minutes ago. I gotta clean it up after her right now. I'm gonna be glad when Marty draws over. Everybody goes crazy. Hotel goes crazy. People check in, check out. And steal everything that ain't tied down. Steal? I said steal. Ashtrays. Wouldn't be surprised if they take the beds next. The pocket suddenly felt like a pound of uranium. I wondered if the cleaning woman could read the guild on my face. Thought she put her wastebasket down in the hall and went back in to clean the room. For a second, I considered taking the Bible back, the room 302. Maybe I would have if it hadn't been for the discarded book jacket in the wastebasket. It was gaudy, red, and yellow. I grabbed it up, put it around the Bible. The title read, you will die tonight. Show this gentleman to 506. Oh, checking out, mister Cummings? Try it. Let me see. You were in room 302. 302. Oh. What's the matter? Oh, mister Cummings, I've had so much trouble over that room. I was supposed to hold it for a lady, but you can't keep rooms vacant during Mardi Gras. I gave her the room next to you, but she kicked my crazy to the manager. Next to me? Mm-hmm, yeah. Room 300, she checked out just a few minutes ago. Well, I don't know what this is all about, but there's something peculiar going on in room 302. Peculiar? Yeah, I didn't mind the house detective coming in to look for the person. I didn't like having my stuff searched while I was out of the room. Search? That's right. I said searched. Mister Cummings, you say the house detective did this? Yeah, he said the woman who had the room before me left the person. Oh, but that's impossible. Now, what do you mean? Well, a man had the room ahead of you. Yes, I'm positive of it. Just the moment I had the bed just the right here. Mm-hmm. Yes. Mm-hmm. And Mr. Gregory. Mm-hmm. Now, the house detective isn't on duty today, but when he comes in tomorrow... On duty? Well, then what was he doing in my room? Today, mister Cummings? Of course, the day tonight. A tall guy with black hair. Oh, there's some mistake. Our house detective is sure fat and bald, and he hasn't been in the hotel all day. He's home sick. It had the makings of an interesting little intrigue. But I left the mystery of room 302 with the room clerk and went to the cigar stand. It was eight o'clock. My train wouldn't leave until midnight. Hey, yes, sure what'll it be? Cigarettes or cigars? Cigars. Three coronas. No, no, no. Make it sick. Always like to sell cigars. Men don't smoke cigars like they used to. Cigarettes, that's the fashion today. But give me a good cigar every time. Somebody's having a good time. Oh, they all have a good time during the carnival? Say, I wonder where I could check my bag and briefcase for a little while. You're going to see the parade? Well, I thought I would and mill around a little bit. I've got a couple hours to kill. Well, I'll be glad to keep it for you. I'm on duty till midnight. Would you? Well, that's mighty nice of you. Oh, don't mind at all. Mardi Gras, something to see. You shouldn't miss it. If you'll have more fun if you're in a costume, the hotel's got it for rent. No, no, no. Thanks. I'll go as I am. He stuck my stuff under his counter and I elbowed my way across the crowded lobby to the street door. Through the glass, my eyes met the eyes of another man, the tall man with black hair, the man who had said he was the house detective. I swung the hotel door open. I had a few questions on it. I asked that boy, and Mardi was swallowed up in the crowd. A big hand clapped me on the shoulder and a voice boomed in my ear. There you are, sinner. I whirled around and looked into the mask of a laughing, red-faced devil. Don't try to evade me, sinner. I've come to collect you with my nice, shiny pitchfork. But when the devil comes for you, your time is up. All I could see in the mask was a pair of eyes. They were green eyes, and they were laughing. And the devil threw his arm around my shoulder and urged me along the street. I balked a little. I hadn't had any to drink, and it wasn't kind of silly, but before I knew what happened, the clown grabbed my other arm. Let's take the sinner to the fiery burden. And the two of them, the devil and the clown, were propelling me down the street toward a parked car. Come along, sinner. Fire him for the burden. Wait a minute. Push him in, clown. Get it, sinner. Hey, you guys, let me out. Where are you going? All right, let's have it. Bye, boy. Hey, you're not drunk. Don't waste time on him. Look, I don't know who you are. He hasn't got it on. What did you do with it? Where is it? I told you I haven't got it. That's just to let you know we're not playing. Come on, let's take it again. Where's the Bible? Look, I tell you I haven't got it. I had it, but I guess I lost it. Lost it? Where did you lose it? I don't know. Don't do that, sinner. Look, I'm telling you the truth. I haven't got it anymore. All right, you haven't got it. But you'll tell me where it is you understand if I have to kill you to find out. What are you stopping here for? Well, a crowd. I can't get through. Come on, let's get moving. Get out of here. Well, what do you want me to do? Drive over? Look, fellas, a shot. Drunk and outside bear opened the back door of the car and started climbing over us. Nothing would stop them from weaving through. They thought it was fun, pushing and shoving each other. And they began to pile up. And suddenly I knew this was escape. I climbed out of the car. I ran blindly away from them. I saw a cab at an intersection. I ran out, opened the door. And there he was, in the back seat, the phony house detective. I slammed the cab door and bolted across the street. I was a policeman on the corner directing traffic. I ran up to him. Hey, hey, where do you think you're going? He's trying to kill me. You gotta help me. Kill you? Who's trying to kill you? The devil. He's after me. The devil you say? Yeah, and the clown, too. Not Mickey Mouse. I mean it. I'm serious. You're drunker than you look, son. I haven't had a drink. I tell you, they're trying to kill me. And why would they be doing that? Because they want the Bible. The Bible? Yeah. Look, you see, I stole the Bible and here they come down. Who? The devil and the clown across the street. You gotta get me out of it. You gotta stop and they'll kill me. Oh, now, sure. Now, take it easy. Oh, there you are, sinner. Come on. What are you trying to do? Get us in trouble? Trouble? Sure. He's going to miss the party. Don't listen to them. This young fella claims you're trying to kill him. Me? Oh, no, not me. But if he doesn't get to that party pretty soon, his wife will kill him. He'll come and got a wife. There isn't any party. They're lying, I tell you. Now, you'll be all the good boys. Now, move on. Go someplace else and settle your squabble. I gotta keep this traffic move. Please, officer, please. The policeman said, come on. Officer. Now, beat it. Now, go on with it. I demand to be arrested. I demand it. Go on, I said. Now, go on. Officer, you're a no-good white trash fool. What? If he wasn't Mardi Gras, I'd run you in. And you want to arrest me? Okay. But remember, I didn't want to do it. But that's a dirty Yankee trick, striking an officer. All right, young fella, that does it. You're under arrest. We'll return to Escape and today's story, The Man Who Stole the Bible in Just a Moment. For Friday Night Entertainment, packed with something or other, we heartily recommend Rayburn and Finch, those two unpredictable record rascals who make merry Friday nights on most of these same CBS radio stations. Right now, the melody-minded monkey-shiners are up to their elbows in a contest. They're determined to give away discs by the thousands. Also, a few automobiles and some trips to New York. Enjoy the music and get in on the contest details tomorrow night. You'll have fun trying, more fun winning. It's Rayburn and Finch on CBS Radio Friday Nights. And now, we return you to The Man Who Stole the Bible, tonight's story of Escape. I sat in the drunk tank in the New Orleans jail and tried to figure it out. Who were the devil in the clown and the phony house detective? Why was the Bible so important that they'd even kill me to get it? My bags were back at the cigar counter in the hotel. My train was scheduled to leave at midnight. How was I going to get out of New Orleans? Already, it was 10 o'clock and as long as I stayed in jail, I'd be safe. But that didn't last long. I was there a half hour when a cop came for me and took me to the death sergeant. Yeah. Here's your person belonging to Cummins. You're released. You can go now. Try to behave yourself. We're pretty busy tonight. Released? Yeah. You knew you were a looking guy? Cold pepper decided not to press charges against you. You knew what you could get for striking an officer? But aren't you going to hold me? Your fine's been paid. Now go on. Get on out of here. And keep out of trouble, will you? But I am in trouble. That's what I tried to tell the cop, but he wouldn't listen to me. I had to hit him. My fine. Somebody paid my fine. Yeah. Yeah, that's been paid. But who? Who paid it? I don't know who it was. He didn't give me no name. He just paid it. Was it a man in a devil's costume? Huh? Or a clown? Oh, now look. What did he look like? How do I know what he looked like? He was an ordinary looking guy, tall, big, and he had black hair. He was a detective. The who? They'll kill me. I tell you, they'll kill me. I had my leader come into the station and she moved so quietly. She was a nun, and she was talking excitedly in French. I wasn't paying much attention to her. I was thinking instead of my own problem. The house detective had paid my fine. He wanted me out of jail. He wanted me loose on the street. Why? And the devil and the clown. Are they with him? Were all of them waiting outside that door for me? When I please, I wish I could help you. But I can't understand the word you're saying. Oh, English Kate. She speaks a little English, sister. Oh, pardon, monsieur. Un masquerade. Costume. The people think masquerade. No masquerade. Huh? Look, I think she's trying to say that people on the streets think she's wearing a masquerade costume. Merci, merci bien, monsieur. I am loose. You mean lost? Oui, monsieur, lost. I am expect at convent au Vieux Carré. Oh, the Vieux Carré? That's the French Quarter, eh? Exactement, oui. I try for taxicab. The crowd, how you say, push me around. Pouvez-vous envoyer un de vos gendarmes? What? Gendarmes. Oh, she wants you to send a policeman to help her get to the convent. Oui, monsieur. Oh. Well, I'm sorry, sister. I'd be glad to. But I ain't got anybody in right now. If you don't mind sticking around for a while, I'll be... Sticking around. The sergeant, the prefect, says he's sorry and if you'll wait, there's no one available right now to help you. Wait a minute. The nuns stood there, frightened and bewildered, out of place in the police station. But for me, it was a miraculous break. Sure, I could walk out of that police station with her. And if they were waiting outside, waiting to get me, I could walk right by them. They wouldn't dare touch me as long as I was with the nun. I could take her to the convent. Once there, I'd be safe. Je suis désolé, que puis-je faire? I'll take the sister to the convent, sergeant. Well, it's OK with me if it's OK with her. Merci, monsieur. Merci mille fois. As she walked out of the police station, I was wrong to help her, yes, but also to steady my own fear. Any minute, I expected to see one or all of them, the devil, the clown, the house detective. But they weren't in sight. There were people milling about on the street, but not the three I feared. And strangely, not finding them there frightened me more than ever. I found a cab and gave the driver the address of the convent. The nun and I didn't try to talk. I realized this whole thing was difficult for her, and I didn't feel like talking. Too much had happened to me for one night. The cab pulled up in front of an ancient building in the French Quarter, crumbling cement and wrought iron work. We got out and I walked with her to the big front door. The nun raised the knocker, and I knew I'd been had. You! What is wrong? Fingernails! Red polished fingernails! You're not a nun! Where've you been? Harry, boys, he's wise. It was the devil and the clown. They yanked me into the house. And the girl stared at her. Back in the police station, I hadn't really looked at her face. Her black robes had spelled freedom to me. That's as far as I thought. But now I knew I'd seen her before. Only before she'd worn a green dress and a scarlet mouth to match her fingernails. And her hair had been blonde and long. And she wanted a window open, a window that wasn't stuck. You've given us a lot of trouble. I'm sorry, but I don't... Get very patient. Now we want the Bible. I told you before I don't have it. You had it? I had it. Yes, I had it. I took it. I don't know why I took it, but I lost it. Who sent you to get it? Oh, man, Lim. All right. Who you working for? Poloni? Look, look, look. There's some mistake. I'm a salesman. I sell washing machines. You're lying! Look, I tell you... Where's the stuff? Has Poloni got it? What stuff? I don't know any Poloni. Ouch! You're slapping me around for it. That won't get you any place. Oh, won't it? Let me talk to him. Look, if you're covering up for Poloni... Who's Poloni? I don't know any Poloni. Poloni wouldn't take a beating for you. I tell you... Whatever he's paying you, we'll pay you more. We'll pay him nothing. You'll hand over that Bible or tell us where the junk's stashed or so. Help me. I'll kill him. Dope. So that's what it is. Dope. Yeah, Mr. Innocent. That's what it is. Dope. Harrowing and cocaine, a hundred grand worse. Stop it. You kill him, we'll never find it. Listen to me. What's your name? Konings. You work for Poloni Cummins. Nobody but Poloni knows about that Bible. You came to hijack the stuff. Tell you... Don't know Poloni. Stop lying. Poloni knew our carrier was hot. But he had to drop the stuff somewhere in New Orleans. You're wasting your time, baby. I'll make him talk. Are you gonna talk? I do. You want the butt of this gun right across your face? You've got to believe me. He hit me with the gun. I tried to keep my eyes open. I hang onto consciousness. Across the room, I saw the door open and in it stood a man with another gun. A big man with black hair. The phony house detective. Was his name Poloni? I didn't know how long I was out. When I came to, I was lying on a bed. My head was throbbing. My cheeks, my nose, every bone in my face seemed on fire. It was a cold cloth on my eyes. I tried to think. Why did I hurt so? Oh, yeah. The Bible. They wanted the Bible. But I didn't have it. That was a good thing. If I had it, they'd kill me. And then I smelled something. A strong cigar. It burned the inside of my nose. I rolled over to get away from it and opened my eyes. The devil and the clown were gone. So was the girl. I was alone with the phony house detective. All right. Let's not waste any more time. What did you do with the Bible? Where are the others? They've been taken care of. Look, you took the Bible that belongs in this room. Now what did you do with it? Yeah, room 302. What am I doing back in the hotel? You have no right to touch that Bible. Now think, what did you do with it? Where is it? Oh, look, I told them. I must have lost it. I don't know. I got it. The gentleman who left his suitcases with me. Mr. Cummings. Come on in. Who are you? I run the cigar stand in the lobby. I saw you bring Mr. Cummings in. If you don't mind my saying, so quite tight. I'm going off duty in a little while and I thought he needed his things. You see, he checked them with me. Thanks. I almost forgot. Here's his book. No, don't leave the book. I don't want the book. You can have it. I'll take the book. Don't give it to him. All right. Thanks for your trouble. Don't mention it. Hope he feels better tomorrow. At last, the Bible. You will die tonight. You know, that's a pretty clever stunt, covering the Bible with a whodunit jacket. Oh, look, Poloni, I don't know. I swear I just took it. Poloni? No, not Poloni. Let's see. Third book, second chapter. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, chapter one, two. Yes, here's the address of the warehouse where the stuff is. I don't understand. If you're not Poloni, who are you? John Stang, United States Treasury Department, narcotics division. Tea man? Well, I thought you... Look, you made my job very difficult tonight, Mr. Cummings. We traced the narcotics carrier all the way around the world of New Orleans to Room 302. But when we arrested him, he was clean. He didn't have the evidence. Room 302 was the link. The girl, Frenchie, was to take this room, and I would have followed her to where the evidence was stashed. It was as simple as that. But you stepped in and threw us all off. Oh, why didn't you tell me you were a government man when you came in tonight to look for the pocketbook? How did I know that you weren't a new member of the mob? Look, take my advice, Mr. Cummings. Quit stealing things out of hotels. Oh, look, I never stole a thing in my life before. This is the first time... But there's one thing that I can't figure out. Why did you steal a Bible? You're not going to believe this. Well, honest, I just wanted to finish the story. You have just heard Escape, produced and directed by William N. Robeson. Tonight's original radio play, The Man Who Stole the Bible, was written by John and Gwen Bagney. Sam Pierce was heard as Cummings, Nan Bordman as the girl, Ben Wright as the house detective, Joseph Kearns as the devil, Jeff Corey as the clown, Mary Ship as the telephone operator and the maid, Wally Mer as the desk clerk and police sergeant, Peter Leeds as the traffic policeman and the cigar stand clerk, and Lou Krugman as the voice. The special musical score was composed and conducted by Leith Stevens. Arthur Godfrey is still soaking up relaxation, and while the Redhead Vacations, Robert Q. Lewis is in full charge of the fun and informality that dominates Arthur Godfrey time all the time. Enjoy this sparkling variety show with its familiar fund makers every weekday on most of these same CBS radio stations. The address again? Why, sure. C. C.B.S. B. For the best. S. Yes, yes, yes. The stars that dress is C.B.S. And remember, Steve Allen is here with Songs for Sale every Saturday evening. This is the CBS Radio Network.