The_Roof_of_the_World

Cloak and Dagger is an NBC radio series, a foreign intrigue adventure adapted from the book Cloak and Dagger by Corey Ford and Alistair McBain. Ford also was host of the series. Cloak and Dagger was broadcast from May 7 to October 22, 1950, as part of "a mystery block with several other shows of far inferior quality". The program was sustaining for all 22 episodes

Episode Transcript

(00:02):
Are you willing to undertake a dangerousmission behind the enemy lines, knowing you
may never return alive. What youhave just heard is the question asked during
the war to agents of the OSS. Ordinary citizens to this question answered yes,

(00:25):
this is cloak and dagger, blackwarfare, espionage, international intrigue.

(00:48):
These are the weapons of the OSS. Today's story the Roof of the World,
concerning two American agents who travel intothe far off and mysterious land of
Tibet on a secret pilgrimage, suggestedby actual incidents recorded in the Washington files
of the Office of Strategic Services,a story that can now be told.

(01:19):
It came out of sudden, outof the darkness, a shaggy monster over
fifteen feet high. None of ussaid a word for a minute. We
just stared at into the tusks.Look at the length of them. The
tusks of this monster must have beenat least twelve feet long. And I
knew myself that if I hadn't seenit stood right in front of it,
I wouldn't have believed it actually existedeither. But I saw it. There

(01:40):
was definite proof it did live.Once okay, okay, lights put on
the lights. Please all right now, quiet, please quiet. What you
have just seen is the last ofour afternoon slides here in the Museum of
Natural History on prehistoric Animals. Thislast mammoth was a species of a true

(02:00):
elephant which was found in Tibet duringand before the Ice Age. Now are
there any questions? Yeah? Howdid you get out of here? And
if you all follow the guide,he'll take you into the next room where
you can actually see the skeletons ofthese monsters, which paleontologists have reconstructed from
fossils and actual bones discovered in theearth. Philip, Oh, hello,

(02:25):
Western, Are you here for thewhole lecture? No, just the last
part of it, But you weresensation flattery will get you nowhere? What
oh, telegram here just came tothe office. It's not for me,
it's for us. Who's it fromWashington? The Office of Strategic Services wants

(02:45):
to see us off. Why inthe world do they want us? There's
one way to find out. Misterand missus Maldon. We know your reputation
as geologists and explorers. We knowyou've traveled the Far East together several times.

(03:06):
That's true. Now at this stageof the war, Germany is pushing
eastward across Africa to Suez, andJapan is thrusting westward across China into India.
If the axis partners meet, theirjunction will be Central Asia and dominating
that meeting point will be Tibet.What do you want us to do?
We want volunteers to make a pilgrimageto the Dalai Lama high Priest of Tibet.

(03:31):
It'll be a good will mission toget them on our side. It
involves a great deal of danger.Yes, yes, we know esther well,
as long as you're sure that mammothelephant disappeared from their centuries ago,
I'm willing. A few weeks later, we were flown to India, where

(04:00):
we were given a car. Thenthe tour was started out across the border
to a village called Gukson at thefoot of the Himalia Mountains. Once there
we were to pick up pack animalsand a guide and start our journey to
the Holy City. These roads couldn'thave been any narrower or any rock here.
Well, they weren't designed for moderntravel. You can say that again,

(04:21):
Phil, Are you worried about something? I'm worried about a lot of
things. For instance, for instance, this is the worst possible time of
the year to be traveling up thatmountains almost spring up there, and the
thaw setting in. It's going toloosen the snow and ice all along the
way. Well, we just haveto be more careful, that's all.

(04:41):
Oh, Phil, Look round thebend of the road. That's the village,
isn't it. That's it, that'sit. Wait a minute, Phil,
slow down, Look good lord,I should have said, was the
village burned to the ground. Theold man who sat wailing and moaning cross

(05:11):
legged on the ground was the onlyone left alive that village, Brandy dribe
come from mountains, steal kere,set fire to rich. How is it
they spared you? I am pressedsent from Darai ramaturist Virich many years past.

(05:35):
If they cure a hoaryman, gretchprigg and paster and swear be upon
them, tell me where'd you learnto speak English? In Hoary city?
Was? Well, what do wedo now, Phil? We can't leave
him here alone. We'll take himwith us and drive until we find another

(05:56):
village. I n I take youit, I sing too. We'll be
guide to holy city. He alwayslost. Go back to Dalai Lama,
what about pack animals? A villageof Chunda nats far away. We'll go

(06:18):
there first. Chanda was about tenmiles away down the road. It was
small, with only a few hutsmade of sun dried bricks. Phil was
afraid of the spring thaw that wassetting in more every day, so we

(06:38):
made arrangements with the native chief tostart almost immediately. Santa Luka, what
do you say, Saint tong heesKiang's wild donkeys as good pack animals as
other white man has. What's hetalking about? What are the white men?
Ask him? Acquired ran Bango doto the Eliza a stranger sleeve here?

(07:03):
Two days ago on a way alsoto holy city of Rassa, were
batch with crooked cross hill Natsis.We're in a race, Esther. We've
got to reach Larsa before they do. That was the first we knew that

(07:25):
the Germans were ahead of us,going in the same direction on the same
mission. Philip was right. Itwas going to be a race for time.
Yes, sir, come on,this is no time to pick flowers.
Look at this. Dwarf wrote adandron phil and up head. It's
like a carpet of blue iris there, there'll be plenty of folies until we
cross the timberline. Then it'll justbe cold, and traveling on snow is

(07:46):
going to be a lot tougher.Well, I'm not looking forward to the
temperature drop in one hundred degrees intwenty miles. Oh watch it, you
heard yourself? No, I justtripped. I guess they must be getting
tired. Is this sing too?Yes? Yes? How soon will we
be able to camp? Cold Springs? Less than half mild ahead? Wheel

(08:09):
camp there for night. When wereached the springs, I started dinner out
of k rations, which kept ourpacks light, and by the time I
was through, the tent had mushroomedup and fill and sing tour inside,
straightening the pole and fixing the blanketsfor the night. Ah my food soups

(08:31):
on measable mala. I looked upfrom the fire to find an unpleasant surprise.
Six unpleasant surprises, carrying rifles andforming a ring of muddy boots on
a run. Who are you men? What do you want? La?
La lap you? Where did theycome from? I don't know. They're

(08:54):
just here, That's all you are. We are saying too. These are
some of Normald Band who ate myvertue, nigashim? What did they want?
A good dancy man, Thank you, they say, they take surprise
everything a god's too. Why atthere? Solemnly? Leader shoot off gun

(09:20):
to show you arhim mean what hesaid? Phil. Without our supplies and
guns, would have to turn back, providing they let us turn back.
Knitting my am, they hold youhostage. Send me holy man back to
get ransom. Oh, Phil,hold on, hold on, don't let
them know you're afraid of them.We stood there while they gathered our surprise

(09:50):
out of the tent and threw themin a heat by the fire, sing
too. Knew he wouldn't be hardbecause it was a holy man, But
Phil and I had no idea whatwas ahead from us. God, do
you live? Leave her alone?You understand, Thank you? Tell them
we'll come quietly. Oh, Iget your filthy heads of the machine gun

(10:13):
that riddled the bandit leader came fromthe direction of the brush, went one
left or another. Then there wassilence, and we looked up to see
our two saviors walking out of thebrush in German uniform. I'm the life
that we were able to be ofassistants Americans. I am command down quote

(10:35):
father of the German Army. Thisis life that alms castler right, thank
you for saving our lives. I'mI'm mister Malden, and this is my
husband Philip. Oh no, ourgods sing too. You do not seem
too surprised to see us here.We're not just surprised. You're not two
days ahead of us the way wethought you were. Then you knew about

(10:58):
us ow they told us in thevillage. They also told us you were
headed for the Holy city. Theytalked too much of those native idiots,
so can next to small clashed theirhands and you are you also going there?
No? Well, I mean we'regeologist. We're just on an exploring

(11:18):
expedition. Come come, is itquite nice to lie to your benefactors?
We have just saved your lives.I don't get that. Why did you
When we saw the American flags sewnon your clothing, they told us immediately
who you were, where you weregoing. We, as you already know,
we are also headed for Lasa,to the Dalai Lama. But our

(11:39):
guide was killed with snow loosened underhim as we turned. The legend here
fell. So you were going backfor a guide exactly but that is some
distance away. Time is slipping by. You have the guide, you will
lead us? Oh no, wewon't, and neither we'll sing too?
Were you sing too? Will do? On a friend? Americans? Tell

(12:01):
me the ants. You get tooexcited about nothing. I remember ham Orten
for Morten. You have the guide, We have your supplies in your weapons.
Let us pool our resources. Gotogether. If you think that,
at the point of our own guns, you're going to make us lead you

(12:22):
to Lassa, you're crazy. Lookyou are scientists. I appeal to your
logical minds. Is it not saferthat, since we are traveling the same
direction, we travel together. Oncewe reach the Dalai Lama that each of
us present the case of his countryto him. If you'll forgive me for
repeating her commandant, We're not goingto be pushed along with guns in our

(12:45):
backs mine who said you would behere? Why? Phil, he's giving
us back our pistols. You seewe trust changers, gentlemen. No,
not yet, It's all right.Go ahead open them? Yeah, opened
the gun if you like, Goahead, spin the drum. See the

(13:07):
cart which is in the chamber,Yes, as I see them. Well
return your guns ordered as they were. Now, shall we forget the war
for a while and travel on together. Okay, let's try it. We're

(13:37):
lagging behind them, Phil, shouldn'twe catch up too? We will.
I want to talk to you.I'm cold. A tempature went down so
fast once we crossed the timber lineI can almost hear it drop. What
do you think of this situation withour friends? I don't know what to
think. You trust them, ofcourse, I don't. Whether they gave

(13:58):
us back our guns are not.They're still going to look for a chance
to double cross us before we reachthe Holy city. What are we going
to do for you? Just keepan eye out, look for a way
to double cross them. First wedgeclear Brook. You hear good water you
drink? Come come up, friends. Hear what he says water It will
taste better than the whiskey in yourPlaska. As we're coming, we caught

(14:28):
up with them, and as weleaned over to fill our can cleans from
a small clear brook, there wasa sudden rumbling. The water's turned muddy
suddenly. Yeah, it's covered witha dirty form. Last thing too,
arn, what's you're talking about it? It's not raining. It is in
the high regions that's what turned thewater. But so suddenly it happens like

(14:48):
that, races along under the ground, pushing the mud with it. It's
really beginning to fall, isn't it. Yes, that's what I was afraid
of. What is said to beafraid of? Answer me. As the
snow starts to melt, it'll startto fall. So just watch your step,
alns Is it not good to havethree such good guides? We are

(15:09):
indeed fortunate a us. Come mabrook along the way, we'll walk walk.
Why do you think we have theseanimals? Kian can be turned loose
here we'll get more and more snow. It's best to climb by foot.
Yes, sink two is right.Besides, the animals won't find any place

(15:30):
to graze. It's been getting prettyspars for miles, and they are wild.
We'll find norn away. Heah heera. The packs were heavy and we
were too tired the next two daysto do much talking. We just watched
each other. The jagged paths underus were getting more and more slippery,

(15:54):
and although the cliff we could seea sheep dropper. Hundreds of feet to
the glacier. Above us were thesnow peaks and somewhere beyond the holy city
of Larsa, towards which small birdsof dull brown, gray and black seemed
to point. And then the thirdnight out of the strange pact had been

(16:14):
made between our two enemy camps.It happened. Hush, sir, where
are you going to the brook aroundthe band fill? I want to get
some water. You take care ofthe rest. If you pitch that ten
morgan, I'll fix the pile thereit is. I knew i'd seen brook.

(16:40):
Huh ain't just a little bigger holein the ice. We carry that
back for you. What are youdoing here? You can see you don't
want to be what a pity.I'll be friendly enough to give you some

(17:03):
good advice. Save that leg untilyou really need it, and stop guzzling
it if you intend to keep upon this hike. This is no boy
scout picnic. I'm touched by yourconcern for me. Don't flatter yourself.
What are you doing back here?Anyway? You really wish to know?
I followed you. I knew youwere coming to the brook, so I

(17:29):
went round all the way. Youwhat you don't like me? You like
me very much. If you've gotto know me no. Thanks. Now,
please get out of my way.Let me go back. We may
not have another chance to you togetheralone. You're very attractive, even in

(17:53):
those heavy clothes. I know,very attractive. Besides, I'm the only
woman for miles. Now get outof my way. Ah, I would
like to see you the white gun, diamond clips at your shoulders. Have
you got nice shoulders? Try topull away from stop it you're talking,

(18:18):
You're back, I'm talking nothing.You want your talk? If you do
not stop me, get away,leave her alone. And if I don't
give me back my gun, I'lluse it. You have your gun,

(18:38):
you wre not there shooting me.Go and try and use your guns.
Laugh you know from me? OKbeen talking to you. Do you want
him to use his gun on you? Think? As do you want him
to use this gun? You will? I can tell you will. No,
No, don't give this lady.Apologies audio, my apologies from Mordon.

(19:03):
You both have my word. Anincident like this will not occur again.
Shall we eat? And they camefor the nightmare Ah. All the
next day, Villa and sing tookept me between them. As we climbed.
I wondered how soon we'd see theHoly city, and when all this

(19:27):
would come to a head. Look, when sing Too yelled, we turned
around and looked in the direction fromwhich we just come. A huge ice
pill swayed for a moment, andthen it landed on the path we had
come for less than two hours before. Well, this is what we can

(19:49):
expect from now on, now thatthe thor said in Oh, I'll expect
it, but I won't look forwardto it, phil Am, I mistaken

(20:15):
or other days getting longer sleepy.You know, it was nice of them
to let you and sing Too andme have this cave to ourselves. Well,
considering that it's too small to wholemore than three of us, it
wasn't so magnanimous. Still, theycould have tried to grab it for themselves.
Farber seems to be trying to makeamends for the way his pal liked
it the other day. I wonderwhat their game is. Yes, I

(20:37):
like to know too, Sing Too, Yes, you wish to know how
soon we rich Horri city. Hemay not talk much, but he's a
pretty good mind reader. That's it, Sing Too, expect to see gets
in distance behalve tomorrow. Oh that'sone, is it? Well, isn't

(21:00):
it? It? Means time hasrun out, Esther. If they're going
to pull anything, they're going topull it now. The Germans were camped
under a ledge which protected them fromthe wind, about fifty feet from us,
across a narrow cross. In spiteof all the things that had happened
before or might be going to happenahead, it was strangely peaceful up there.

(21:25):
In the western fan of pink raysfrom the sun shot up from behind
the snow range, and overhead afew bright stars twinkled. Presently the fan
flickered and disappeared, and then,in the glow of the full moon,
I saw what looked like a longprocession of ghosts in the distance, but
were actually cascades of snow melting andfalling, hundreds of feet leaping from ledge

(21:52):
to ledge. In the morning,the air is crystal clear, and we
saw it, the Holy City,Esther. Do you see it? I

(22:15):
expected only to return again when Idie. Oh it's beautiful. How long
will it take us to reach it? You will not beat it in all
my friends. Don't start something youcan't finish. There coming on, Bill,
get back, get behind me,back in the game. You should

(22:36):
have been more friendly to me.From Ma that I would have taken you
with us. Go on, Ohyour gun should what's the big joke?
Would have been fooled enough to giveyou loaded guns. But I saw them.
I broke open the gun and sawthe cartridges. Then you take one

(22:56):
out and examine it. Why don'tyou do it? Wow? Still,
looker, I opened mine. It'sa it's a blank cartridge. Surely you
understand why. I don't care notto let your husband become too excited.
And the Elms here tried to befriendly. I did not want to take

(23:18):
a chance of your finding out toosoon. We shall give you the guard
to the Dialama. Careless with yourblank guns if you can. That's not
a bad idea yea esther Elms lookout back in the cave. Quick Phil

(23:45):
took them at their word and actuallykilled them with this blank gun. The
shots vibrated enough to loosen the heavilypile of snow, break the crust at
the rim of the ledge, andstart the slide at Avalanche down. It's
true them over the side and buriedthem somewhere on the cliffs below us,
under rock, ice and snow gone. They are gone. Holy the Thor

(24:12):
worked for us didn't it. Yes, come on, saying to you lead,
we'll follow. We could see theholy city, but it was still

(24:33):
twenty five miles away. It wastwo days travel of an almost vertical descent
into the valley, and we arrivedat dusk at the magnificent red and white
palace that overlooked the city. Itwas a week before we saw the Dalai
Lama. Our entrance into his presencewas conducted with the utmost ceremony, tall

(24:56):
grim faced monks lining the hole.There's six foot four inch frames made even
more massive by layers of stiff goldbrocade. The walls were carved with strange
images and Tibetan inscriptions. Then thegun struck again. We were ushered into
the throne room esther look quiet,must not talk, Come d light,

(25:22):
Dammar, we'll see you now am. We walked on thick rugs that were
brilliant in color and depicted the wavesof the sea, clouds and emblems of
happiness. Then we saw a throneof yellow satin at the end of the
great room, and on it robedin burgundy and gold satin, with a

(25:45):
crown on his head and a tableof jewels beside him. Sat the Dalai
Lama, a boy of six,Come closer, Come, I will for
this young Javati skye over your headsto welcome you. We thank you for

(26:07):
your welcome, your serenity. Webring you gifts from our leader. I
accept your gifts with great thanks.How is your president? He is well.
Thank you. Bring the gifts tome. Let me see. They

(26:27):
gave him the gifts, and helooked at each one carefully. After a
while, servants began to pass bowlsof rice and glasses of black tea.
I noticed that a special taster tooka sip of a Lama's tea before it
touched his sacred lips. Mister andmister smildon. Yes, your serenity,

(26:48):
through a pinch of rice over yourshoulder. It will bring good luck your
serenity. We've come to talk aboutpeace and friendliness between our two countries.
There is no need to talk.Come here, I die three knots in

(27:08):
your scaff There means only interview atgenant. But we've accomplished nothing. His
serenity has died three knots in American'slongevity scaff. He has blessed them.

(27:33):
Our countries will be friends. Thesuccess of the mission of these two OSS
geologists helped to lay the foundations offriendship between Tibet and the United States and

(27:56):
to forestall any possibility of Tibet's cooperationwith our axis enemies. Thus, once
again, the report of another agentends with the words mission accomplished. Listen
again next week for another true adventurefrom the files of the OSS on Cloak
and Dagger. Heard in Today's Cloakand Dagger Adventure as esther was Louise Barclay,

(28:30):
Philip Grant, Richards the Monk,Raymond, Edward Johnson Barber, Stephen
Schnabel, Kessler, Barry Kroger.Others were Janice Gilbert, Carl Weber,
Ralph Bell, and Jerry Jarrett.Script was written by Wonterfred Wolf and Jack
Gordon. Music was under the directionof John Guard, sound effects by Chat
Hill and Dick Gillespie. Today's TrueOSS Adventure was based on the book Cloak

(28:52):
and Dagger by Cory Ford and AlistairMcBain. This program was produced by Lois
G. Cohn and Alfred Hollander underthe direction and supervision of Sherman Marks Programs,
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(29:14):
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