IDENTITY CRISIS: Who Wants the World's First Brain Transplant to Fail?

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Latest Stations Present Escape, Oh Fantasy.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
I'm gonna thank some miss.

Speaker 3 (00:26):
A man us Seal.

Speaker 4 (00:36):
Present Suspense.

Speaker 5 (00:41):
I am the Whistler.

Speaker 6 (00:43):
Welcome Weirdos. I'm Darren Marler, and this is retro radio
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(01:05):
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(01:25):
me into tonight's retro Radio Old Time Radio in the Dark.

Speaker 7 (01:30):
The CBS Radio Mystery Theater Presents.

Speaker 8 (01:49):
Come in.

Speaker 7 (01:52):
Welcome.

Speaker 8 (01:53):
I'm E. G. Marshall, the man who delivers your daily
supply of chills and goosebumps. Our mystery Theater, where almost
nothing is impossible and the improbable is commonplace, we often
deal with things to come, and while we don't set
ourselves up as an authentic oracle, we do sometimes give

(02:14):
you something to think about and to shudder over. Listen
and see if you don't agree.

Speaker 9 (02:22):
It's easy enough when things are going well, Carl, But
when they start to turn sour, that's when.

Speaker 7 (02:28):
They have to be an earning your goodies.

Speaker 8 (02:30):
But this thing, Paul, this thing you're talking about, it's
too much. I can't get mixed up in it. I
mean I can't.

Speaker 9 (02:38):
You'll be okay. You just have to get used to
the idea. That's all. It's a business to you, just
a business to you. Don't think of it as murder.

Speaker 8 (02:58):
Our mystery drama City Crisis was written especially for the
Mystery Theater by Field and Farrington and stars Gordon Gould.
It is sponsored in part by True Value Hardware Stores
and Buick Mortar Division. I'll be back shortly with that one.

(03:25):
What do you suppose your great grandfather would have said
if you had told him that one day men would
fly to the moon land there and plant an American
flag too. That a man's heart could be taken from
his body and put in another man's body to replace.

Speaker 7 (03:43):
His ailing one, that.

Speaker 8 (03:45):
By clicking a button here on Earth you could take
a picture of a rock pile on Mars.

Speaker 7 (03:52):
He'd tell you to go and have your head examined.

Speaker 8 (03:54):
Well, what would you say if we suggested that someday
in the future, not only her transplants, but brain transplants
would be possible. Ridiculous maybe? Or are you perhaps just
being a grandfather when you say so?

Speaker 10 (04:13):
Come in, Missus Hollis, thank you doctor, and this is
missus Kempeller.

Speaker 8 (04:17):
That's right.

Speaker 10 (04:19):
I suppose you're wondering why I've asked you to stop
in at my office, both of you at the same time.

Speaker 8 (04:24):
I wander about it. Well, you two have one thing
in common.

Speaker 7 (04:29):
I suppose you.

Speaker 8 (04:29):
Know that our.

Speaker 11 (04:32):
Husbands.

Speaker 10 (04:33):
Yes, both your husbands are in critical condition, in terminal condition.

Speaker 8 (04:39):
Unfortunately you've both been told that separately.

Speaker 10 (04:43):
Yes, yes, What I want to suggest now is that
it may be, maybe I say, possible, to save one
of them. And it's just possible that the one whole
man may continue to live.

Speaker 8 (04:56):
But if they're both which man me off? Please?

Speaker 10 (05:01):
Missus Hallis, your husband is suffering from massive internal injuries
sustained in an automobile crash yesterday. Yes, he's being kept
alive from minute to minute, but I'm afraid he can't
possibly last much longer.

Speaker 8 (05:14):
I was told that yesterday.

Speaker 10 (05:15):
Yes, and your husband, Missus Camperor, has had a malignant
brain tumor removed. The operation could be called successful in
that the tumor was removed and your husband is still alive,
But brain damage has already been done, and of course
that cannot be repaired.

Speaker 8 (05:34):
I understand.

Speaker 10 (05:35):
Yes, he will not improve and he cannot be expected
to live in this condition for more than say, a
few weeks.

Speaker 11 (05:43):
Yes, so you've already told.

Speaker 10 (05:45):
Me and Missus Hollis your husband's brain was undamaged in
the accident.

Speaker 8 (05:51):
What are you suggesting?

Speaker 7 (05:54):
A brain transplant?

Speaker 11 (05:56):
A brain transplant, I've never.

Speaker 10 (05:58):
Heard of such a it's the fact that it's never
been done before, not with the human brain. I've been
experimenting with animals for many years. My last three experiments
have been completely successful, completely successful.

Speaker 8 (06:12):
And you think it can be done with our husbands.

Speaker 10 (06:16):
You must understand that I cannot promise success. It still
must be called experimental techniques will be needed.

Speaker 7 (06:23):
Would you not yet.

Speaker 8 (06:25):
However, I believe that it can be done.

Speaker 11 (06:28):
It's quite overwhelming, and.

Speaker 10 (06:31):
The thing is, to put it bluntly, we have absolutely
nothing to lose. Your husbands are both going to die.
There's no question whatever about that. Maybe this way, if
the surgery is successful, we can save one man.

Speaker 11 (06:48):
Well, what do you think, missus harmis?

Speaker 8 (06:52):
I don't know. I'd ask you both to sign releases.

Speaker 11 (06:55):
Of course, as he says, there's nothing to lose, I
suppose not.

Speaker 12 (07:02):
I wish I.

Speaker 8 (07:02):
Could ask Andy. Unfortunately that's impossible.

Speaker 11 (07:05):
At least we'd be doing something.

Speaker 12 (07:09):
I suppose you're right, Yes, yes, of course you are.

Speaker 8 (07:14):
All right, I'll find the release doctor Peters?

Speaker 7 (07:22):
All right, all right, all I keep your shirt on him?

Speaker 8 (07:25):
Coming, Paul, can I come in? Please?

Speaker 7 (07:29):
Such can come money? What's about your upset?

Speaker 8 (07:32):
Well, there's this doctor, doctor Peters. He's a brain surgeon
and according to the guy on the radio, just about
the best there is. And he's going to do a
brain transplant.

Speaker 7 (07:46):
Job, brain transplant.

Speaker 8 (07:48):
That's right. I can't be done this doctor Peters. He
thinks he can do it, and he's going to try
maybe doing it right now?

Speaker 7 (07:54):
That's interesting.

Speaker 8 (07:54):
Do you want to know whose brain is getting transplanted,
and the hollow his brain. That's who State Senator Andrew H. Hollis.

Speaker 7 (08:06):
You're kidding, No, I'm not.

Speaker 8 (08:08):
He was in this auto accident yesterday afternoon. Did you
hear about that?

Speaker 7 (08:11):
Oh?

Speaker 13 (08:12):
No?

Speaker 7 (08:12):
Was he badly hurt? I guess he must have been.

Speaker 8 (08:15):
He was busted up pretty good. And they got this
other fellow there in the hospital. I can't remember his name.
He's dying from brain cancer. And they're going to transplant
Hollis's brain into the other fellow's head.

Speaker 9 (08:29):
Wely Hollis will die before they get a chance to operate.

Speaker 8 (08:32):
I told you the radio guy said they were going
to try any minute.

Speaker 7 (08:37):
I gotta think about this.

Speaker 8 (08:39):
You think that Hollis uh, well, you know, when they
get the switch made and everything, you think he'll shoot
his mouth up.

Speaker 7 (08:48):
I don't know, and I just shut up. Let me think.

Speaker 5 (08:56):
I'm in.

Speaker 7 (08:58):
Hello John, Hello, what this message?

Speaker 8 (09:00):
The important? Doctor Rendall Peters wants to see me.

Speaker 7 (09:04):
Yeah, come on in.

Speaker 8 (09:06):
You are actually going ahead with the brain transplant.

Speaker 7 (09:10):
Yes, don't you approve?

Speaker 8 (09:12):
Well, fool you? Why wouldn't I I don't know enough
about it to disapprove anyway.

Speaker 10 (09:18):
Dr Muller, the eminent psychiatrist has just admitted there's something
he doesn't know much about that's practically Newsworthy, will give
me a half.

Speaker 7 (09:27):
Hour to bone up.

Speaker 10 (09:29):
I'm going to need your help, John. I think we're
going to overlap a little here.

Speaker 8 (09:34):
Yeah, I've been thinking about that. If that transplanted brain
works at all, it will have gone through something pretty
damn traumatic.

Speaker 10 (09:46):
It frightens me a little more than a little. Can
I depend on you to stand by You know you can, Well,
then I guess I'll go do it right.

Speaker 7 (09:58):
Now now, I think we've got a serious.

Speaker 8 (10:07):
Problem, Carl, Yeah, on a kind of holicy.

Speaker 9 (10:10):
Well, you don't have to be a doctor to know
that Hollis is going to be in pretty rough shape.
You know his brain is after his operation. My guess
is he's going to be delirious for a while. He's
going to be babbling, and if he babbles about the
wrong things, well we could be in a lot of trouble.

Speaker 8 (10:26):
I guess.

Speaker 9 (10:27):
So the turnpike repaving job, because lord, if they ever
start checking on everything we've contracted for since holl It
has been chairman of the Estate Centerate Public Works Committee
of boy, we will have had.

Speaker 8 (10:38):
It Carl at the Cedar River Bridge.

Speaker 7 (10:41):
Morrison and Dunlo could be finished, all washed up.

Speaker 8 (10:45):
Yeah, but why would he want to talk? He's no
cleaner than we are, is he?

Speaker 7 (10:50):
But they haven't been playing games with our brains.

Speaker 9 (10:52):
There's no way of knowing what his brain may spill, So.

Speaker 8 (10:56):
What can we do about it? Maybe the operation won't
be a excss.

Speaker 7 (11:00):
How and maybe it will so I don't know.

Speaker 12 (11:10):
I think a hospital waiting room is the most dismal
place in the whole world.

Speaker 11 (11:15):
I've spent most of my time here for almost a month.

Speaker 8 (11:17):
Now. Has your husband been sick that long? His operation was.

Speaker 11 (11:21):
A month ago. He's been sick a lot longer, though.

Speaker 8 (11:25):
It must have been dreadful for you, missus Kempero.

Speaker 11 (11:27):
It wasn't nice.

Speaker 13 (11:29):
You know.

Speaker 11 (11:30):
It seems we're going to be seeing a good deal
of each other. Don't you think we'd be more comfortable
on a first name basis?

Speaker 12 (11:39):
Yes, I does. I think I'm still in shock. They
called me yesterday afternoon and said Andy had been in
a bad accident, and I haven't really been able to.

Speaker 11 (11:51):
Grasp it must have been a terrible shock. I've had
almost a year to adjust to rouse situation. You you
called your husband Andy? Is he Andrew Hollis, the state senator?

Speaker 12 (12:08):
Yes, they asked him. Now they've been talking to him
about running for governor.

Speaker 11 (12:15):
It doesn't seem fair, does it? A man in his prime,
nothing but good things to look forward to?

Speaker 8 (12:21):
And no, what is it that man just coming in?

Speaker 12 (12:27):
I'm sure he's going to ask about Andy.

Speaker 9 (12:29):
I don't want this was Hollis. They told me i'd
find you here. How's how's Andy?

Speaker 12 (12:34):
Well, we don't really know. Didn't they tell you what's happening?

Speaker 7 (12:37):
I heard it on the radio brain transplant.

Speaker 12 (12:40):
They said, yes, he's a bear in the operating room.

Speaker 9 (12:44):
Now, well, I'm sure everything's going.

Speaker 7 (12:46):
To be okay.

Speaker 12 (12:47):
Everything can't be okay, not for both of us. Oh,
this is missus Kemper, mister Morrison.

Speaker 7 (12:54):
How do you do you're you're the other the other
fellow's wife?

Speaker 2 (12:58):
Yes?

Speaker 9 (13:01):
Do they say how long the operation is supposed to last?

Speaker 8 (13:05):
No, for a long time. I should think.

Speaker 9 (13:09):
Well, I guess I'll just wander around and you know,
be nosy. If there's anything I can do, Missus Hollis,
anything at all?

Speaker 8 (13:16):
Well, thank you? I think not.

Speaker 9 (13:18):
Well, then I expect I'll be seeing you later on.

Speaker 8 (13:23):
I can't stand that man.

Speaker 12 (13:25):
Is he a friend of your husband's business, acquaintance, a
contractor or something like that. In politics, you have to
be nice to all kinds of people. I've always wished,
and he didn't have anything to do with Paul Morrison.

Speaker 8 (13:39):
I think he's a thief.

Speaker 11 (13:45):
Beautiful doctor, Peters, the beautiful piece of work I've ever seen.

Speaker 7 (13:49):
Thank you, nurse.

Speaker 10 (13:51):
Let's not congratulate ours ives just yet. He has a
long way to go.

Speaker 11 (13:55):
Oh yes, I know.

Speaker 10 (13:55):
I don't want him how to go aside for a second,
I understand, I'll be in my office. Let me know
at once if there's any change of any kind. I
want readings taken every ten minutes. You understand, and keep
in touch with me.

Speaker 8 (14:10):
Hey, you were over there at the hospital a long time, Paul.
Did you get to see him?

Speaker 9 (14:14):
Oh way, I was just you know, looking things over.
There was no way they're going to let me see him.

Speaker 8 (14:21):
Does it look like he's gonna be okay?

Speaker 7 (14:23):
I couldn't tell. Couldn't tell.

Speaker 9 (14:25):
I guess. So he got a special room all raged
up just for him. I sneak to look at a
room three ninety four. I don't want to forget that.
You never saw so many gadgets in all your life.
You know, the more I think about it, Carl, the
less I like it. Yeah, he's not going to be
the same man. How could he be the same brain though?

Speaker 8 (14:48):
I mean, it's Hollis's brain, no matter who else has
got it in his head now, isn't it.

Speaker 7 (14:53):
I wish I knew. I'm afraid he's going to have
to be uh dealt with.

Speaker 8 (15:00):
You don't mean, oh hey, I don't want to be
part of anything like that.

Speaker 7 (15:05):
We need, do I, Carl?

Speaker 9 (15:06):
I suppose nobody ever really wants to kill anybody.

Speaker 7 (15:10):
Look.

Speaker 8 (15:11):
Rigging beds and kicking back to Howise that's one thing.
But this other no, No, I don't want any part
of that.

Speaker 7 (15:18):
I was all right when the money was rolling in
like for nothing, wasn't it.

Speaker 14 (15:22):
Eh?

Speaker 8 (15:22):
But this thing, Paul, this thing you're talking about, it's
too much. I can't get mixed up in it. I
mean I can.

Speaker 9 (15:31):
You'll be okay, Carl. You just have to get used
to the idea. That's all. It's a business deal, just
a business deal. Don't think of it is murder?

Speaker 11 (15:46):
Oh is doctor Peters? Yes, Jane, I think he's seen.

Speaker 12 (15:50):
This, I guess. I guess the operation's finished.

Speaker 8 (15:53):
I've been looking for you too, and you've both been
right here the whole time.

Speaker 11 (15:59):
Is he all right?

Speaker 15 (16:00):
Doctor?

Speaker 10 (16:00):
The operation appears to have been successful. He's in a
special recovery room we set up for but he isn't conscious,
of course, won't be for a good long while.

Speaker 12 (16:09):
Can I Can we see him?

Speaker 7 (16:13):
Not just yet?

Speaker 10 (16:14):
I'm afraid later on, maybe toward evening. We don't want
to complicate things.

Speaker 8 (16:20):
Doctor Peters.

Speaker 11 (16:21):
Yes, I haven't mentioned this to Jane, but I imagine
she's been wondering too. When he's better, and you know,
when he can talk about everything, which one is he
going to be?

Speaker 10 (16:36):
This is the first operation of its kind. You understand,
we're all waiting to see what will happen.

Speaker 12 (16:43):
Yes, but but who will he be?

Speaker 7 (16:48):
I can't really see.

Speaker 8 (16:57):
A good question. Who will he be? You have the
brain of Andrew H. Hollis in the body of Ralph Kemperor,
And by which name.

Speaker 7 (17:06):
Do you call him?

Speaker 4 (17:07):
More?

Speaker 8 (17:08):
Important to Jane Hollis and esther Kemperor? At least, whose
husband is he going to be? Which aspect is dominant,
the physical or the mental? By which of the two
forces is identity established, Perhaps we'll see this tangle unraveled
when I returned shortly with Act two. It is generally

(17:39):
agreed that there is a spiritual quality in the makeup
of every man and woman, quite apart from the mental
and physical. Call it soul, essence, basic element whatever. Now
should surgery, as has happened here, place the brain of
one man, with its millions of memories, its education, and
its convictions, into the body of an another man. Will

(18:01):
the essence of which we've been speaking the soul way
heavily enough to determine identity. What are we going to
do Esther?

Speaker 11 (18:10):
I don't know. I've been thinking about it, Jane. If
doctor Peters doesn't.

Speaker 12 (18:15):
Know whichever one he is, he'll be a stranger to
both of us. It's worth it might almost have been better.

Speaker 11 (18:28):
If we'll just have to wait and see, Jane. What
else can we do?

Speaker 8 (18:39):
What, Paul, this is murder you're talking about.

Speaker 9 (18:43):
He wouldn't be alive today if doctor Peters hadn't done
this nutty operation Army.

Speaker 7 (18:47):
He was slated to die anyway.

Speaker 8 (18:48):
Can't just see that not because of me?

Speaker 9 (18:50):
He was Look Carl, Carl, I've got three kids, you've
got two right right.

Speaker 8 (18:57):
And I don't want them to grow up knowing that
old man was a muryer.

Speaker 9 (19:01):
So you want them to grow up with their old
man in jail for the other stuff, bribery, conspiracy, you
name it, Carl, they'll pit it on us if howl.

Speaker 7 (19:07):
This shoots off his mouth.

Speaker 8 (19:08):
But we don't know that he's going to He may
not say one damn word. Maybe he can't talk to
Pete's say. Look, there's got to be some way so
we don't have to kill him, all right, all.

Speaker 7 (19:20):
Right, you tell me what it is.

Speaker 8 (19:22):
I haven't had a chance to think about it yet.

Speaker 9 (19:25):
Well you can think until your head drops off, Carl,
and you won't come up with anything but what I've
come up with.

Speaker 7 (19:30):
It's my way or nothing. We've got to kill him.

Speaker 8 (19:34):
I don't know if I could. You can, Oh, well,
well we got plenty of time. He won't be out
of the hospital for a good long time at least.
There's no ruck.

Speaker 9 (19:43):
We don't have any time at all. We can't afford
to wait. We'll have to go into the hospital after him.

Speaker 8 (19:57):
Hello, Hello, John, come on, congratulations. They tell me it
was absolutely beautiful. I was sure you could do it, Thanks,
said don will you look so clum Come on, Randy,
you just completed maybe the most brilliant piece of surgery

(20:18):
in medical history. I want your advice.

Speaker 7 (20:20):
John.

Speaker 10 (20:21):
What you had to do is ask I'm worried about
this brilliant piece of surgery.

Speaker 8 (20:27):
Worried isn't he doing all right?

Speaker 7 (20:31):
He's alive.

Speaker 10 (20:32):
The body has accepted the brain so far at least
that's not my problem.

Speaker 12 (20:38):
So what is?

Speaker 10 (20:39):
There are two women sitting out there, missus Hollis and
missus Kemper, which one is waiting to see her husband.
I'm beginning to think I've got a tiger by the tail.
He is unconscious, of course, will be for I don't
really know how long.

Speaker 8 (21:00):
We can do is wait and talk to him when
he can talk. How about an educated guess right now?
How educated would it be? Well, my guess would be
that identity would go along with the brain. I mean,

(21:20):
at least lean very heavily in that direction. So you
think it'll be hard, there's only a guess. You can't
discount the body. Certainly, there's a whole nervous system in
there which the brain is only a part, the most
important part, granted, but is only a part. But if
the body doesn't reject the brain physically well, and I'm guessing,

(21:46):
of course, all that does displace the brain and the
rest of the body in contention, anything could happen. The
body is long accustomed to taking commands from the brain.
How is it going to respond now? And the brain
when it doesn't get the responses it expects if you

(22:09):
gift it doesn't. But who knows? Who's to say it
won't break down completely.

Speaker 10 (22:17):
That was a chance I knew I'd have to take.
It's the identity problem that's got me worried right now.

Speaker 8 (22:22):
Yeah, I have folly one suggestion. Who wait until he
can talk to you and then ask him who.

Speaker 5 (22:32):
Is yeahs you.

Speaker 8 (22:41):
Carl?

Speaker 7 (22:42):
Done that?

Speaker 8 (22:43):
I don't know?

Speaker 7 (22:43):
Need Kyl doneap? What does he want? Oh?

Speaker 10 (22:46):
Something about the hollows kimperor thing? Well, I guess I
better see him. I don't take any help I can
get from anybody.

Speaker 8 (22:57):
Our doctor pears.

Speaker 7 (22:59):
Yes, come in.

Speaker 8 (23:00):
Oh I'm Carl Dunlap. Yes. I don't believe we have
met before.

Speaker 7 (23:06):
Have we?

Speaker 8 (23:07):
No?

Speaker 7 (23:07):
No?

Speaker 8 (23:09):
I mean I was a business associate of Andy Hollis.
Is he going to be okay?

Speaker 7 (23:15):
He's doing as well?

Speaker 8 (23:16):
Is going to be expected? Well, that is me anything
much does it.

Speaker 10 (23:20):
He's in intensive care right now. The operation was successful
as far as we know at this point. What's your interest?

Speaker 8 (23:28):
Well, you see, we had this business proposition and it
was hanging fire when he had his accident. No, I
can't go ahead with it without word from Hollis.

Speaker 10 (23:37):
You won't get any kind of word from mister Hollis
for a good long while.

Speaker 8 (23:40):
Yet, Well, this is a really big deals, over a
million dollars tied up here. It's kind of a mess.
Unless I can get to talk to Hollis.

Speaker 10 (23:48):
It tries you to find another way to streeten out
your affairs. Minster had done that and maybe several days
before mister Hollis will be allowed visitors.

Speaker 8 (24:02):
You are right, Paul.

Speaker 9 (24:04):
I couldn't get into saying, well, you agree with me
now that there's only one way we can go.

Speaker 8 (24:09):
But we don't know that he's going to talk, Paul.

Speaker 7 (24:11):
We don't know that he won't.

Speaker 8 (24:13):
Look, I don't want to gamble, Carl, I guess I
guess I don't either.

Speaker 9 (24:18):
Good, I'm settled now. Now here's where we do it.
The easiest thing in the world is to impersonate the doctor.
You put on a lab code, hang a stethoscope around
your neck, and you're a medic.

Speaker 8 (24:28):
Right, I guess so as long as nobody asks.

Speaker 9 (24:31):
You for a pill, could never walk me down the
hospital corridor. Well, we don't have lab coach ecsy enough
to get we go someplace and buy them. I'll take
care of that. You've got a garden, haven't you, Yes,
so you did? They have a silencer for him?

Speaker 8 (24:48):
No, now listen, all right, that's.

Speaker 7 (24:50):
Why I can pick up one. So once we get
inside the.

Speaker 8 (24:52):
House, I wait a minute. Well you've got a gun too,
haven't you? Why my gun?

Speaker 7 (25:00):
Because you're going to do it, colonel.

Speaker 8 (25:04):
Oh no, No, I'll go along with the idea, even
if I don't like it. But you don't get me
to shoot him myself.

Speaker 7 (25:11):
No, Paul, Sorry, that's the way it has to be.

Speaker 8 (25:15):
Well, why you're the one who wants them out of
the way so bad? Why should I do this shit?

Speaker 9 (25:19):
Because if I do it the way, you're running around
so scared, you might just get an attack of conscience
or something and start talking.

Speaker 8 (25:27):
Oh that's silly. Why would I do it?

Speaker 9 (25:29):
If you do it yourself, you're gonna think twice before
you make any stupid confessionals.

Speaker 7 (25:34):
I won't do it, Paul, Sure you will.

Speaker 8 (25:37):
You can't make me.

Speaker 7 (25:38):
That's just the point. I can. You'll do it simply.

Speaker 9 (25:41):
Because I tell you too. You always do everything I
tell you to. Haven't you noticed.

Speaker 12 (25:51):
They send a couple of containers of coffee back from
the nurses station.

Speaker 11 (25:55):
They've been so nice.

Speaker 8 (25:56):
So I hope you like milk and sugar in yours.

Speaker 11 (25:58):
I didn't know how that'll be fine, Jane, just so
there's some coffee, and then.

Speaker 8 (26:04):
Oh, it's going to be a miss, isn't it for us?
I'm afraid?

Speaker 16 (26:09):
So he is what we need.

Speaker 11 (26:11):
Here is a Solomon.

Speaker 12 (26:15):
I suppose when he wakes up, when he regains consciousness, you'll.

Speaker 8 (26:21):
Know who he is.

Speaker 11 (26:23):
It's strange. At first, I was feeling so grateful to
your husband, to you for donating his brain to Ralph.
Now I'm beginning to wonder if it isn't the other
way around.

Speaker 12 (26:36):
Your husband donating his body to any because that's what
it will amount to. Oh lord, I'm so confused.

Speaker 11 (26:47):
And another thing, I've been wondering, where are we going
to stand legally?

Speaker 12 (26:53):
Why I hadn't even thought about that.

Speaker 11 (26:56):
To tell you the truth, I'm not even sure how
I wanted to come out.

Speaker 8 (27:09):
Hey Carl, Hey, would you help me with this stuff? Well,
you've been shopping something.

Speaker 7 (27:13):
What does it look like?

Speaker 8 (27:14):
Okay?

Speaker 9 (27:15):
All right, I got the land coach and stuff.

Speaker 7 (27:19):
I didn't have a bit of trouble. I figured at
least they'd asked for identification or something. But they didn't.

Speaker 9 (27:23):
Just handle the stuff over and took my money. Yeah,
take a look here, here you charge this one. It's
the only coming through science is small, medium, and large.
I got mediums.

Speaker 8 (27:34):
It's kind of tight around the metal.

Speaker 7 (27:36):
Raw you wear them open anyway. Now put the stuffs
gover on your neck there. You'd have made a pretty
good doctor at that.

Speaker 8 (27:45):
I don't like it.

Speaker 9 (27:46):
They just stop thinking about it. When the time come
is just do it. Let me have you done? I
got a silence. I just want to see if it works.

Speaker 7 (27:53):
All right.

Speaker 8 (27:54):
I keep it in here, and I never once used it.
I just thought I want to have one around. He's
hold alone so much. I don't know what good would
do it though? She won't touch it.

Speaker 15 (28:04):
Let me.

Speaker 7 (28:07):
It's all right? Is this thing loaded?

Speaker 8 (28:10):
Yes? Well, I don't know. Listen, Paul, you couldn't do it.
I mean, I'm not the one that all. But what
if I just freeze and then I can't do it? Huh?
I never pointed a gun to anybody on my life, Paul,
I think, I mean, I think really that you are

(28:31):
to do it.

Speaker 7 (28:31):
Now, You'll do fine, just fine. I'm not the least
bit worried.

Speaker 11 (28:40):
Doctor Peters, Doctor Peters, what.

Speaker 8 (28:43):
Is it I asked to not be leave your patience?

Speaker 11 (28:45):
Look, doctor, I think he's coming to I saw you
pass by the door, and I decided it would be
quicker to come after you than.

Speaker 17 (28:51):
To have you paid.

Speaker 8 (28:51):
All right, So you say he's gone, well.

Speaker 11 (28:55):
No, not what you could call conscious.

Speaker 8 (28:57):
Yet he seems to have gone back to sleep just.

Speaker 11 (29:02):
A minute ago.

Speaker 8 (29:03):
He oh, chat, he can articulate. That's all right?

Speaker 7 (29:11):
Then some.

Speaker 8 (29:15):
He what can we do for you? Boy? Yeah?

Speaker 10 (29:28):
You were born in Indianapolis? Is that what you're trying
to say?

Speaker 7 (29:34):
Mm?

Speaker 13 (29:34):
Hmm, who.

Speaker 18 (29:40):
Too?

Speaker 7 (29:44):
H Who am I? Who am I?

Speaker 8 (29:55):
A question originating in the depths of an awesome darkness.
Loss of pure identity is the final step off the
solid substance of security. If you must ask who you are,
there is no safe place for you.

Speaker 5 (30:10):
You are a.

Speaker 8 (30:10):
Wanderer among uncertainties, lost in a maze bounded by the unknown,
inhabited only by you and fear. The mind, with no
secure haven in which to rest and restore itself, will
manufacture a haven of its own. And this is what
is commonly known as madness. I'll return shortly with X three.

(30:45):
Who can say with authority what the brain is to
the body, or the body to the brain, which is
master and which is servant? To be sure, we tend
to characterize the brain as the thinking and therefore the
guiding mechanism, But it is not the entire being it represents.

(31:06):
By any physical measurement we know how to apply only
a small percentage of the total entity.

Speaker 7 (31:13):
Is it reasonable to assume.

Speaker 8 (31:15):
Then, that it contains the entire identity, the essence of
the individual?

Speaker 10 (31:21):
Well, John, you're a psychiatrist, You've talked to the patient.

Speaker 7 (31:26):
What do you think?

Speaker 8 (31:27):
I think, as you said before, you have got a
tiger by the tail. This is completely outside my experience,
outside anybody's. But I will tell you one thing. You
have opened up a whole new, unexplored territory. If brain

(31:48):
transplants are to develop, we are going to have to
scurry about and build a new psychiatric framework to contain them.

Speaker 7 (31:57):
You're stumped.

Speaker 8 (31:58):
Were stumped?

Speaker 10 (31:59):
Yeah, I have a thousand questions, no answers at the start.
At least, the questions have to come before the answers.
What are some of them?

Speaker 8 (32:10):
Well, this Holly's brain of yours has some camperal memories.
He has demonstrated that Kemperor was born in Indianapolis and
hollis in Boston. The Holly is Kemperor, for want of
anything better to call him, now states that he was
born in Indianapolis and Boston. Incidentally, I think he's mentioning.

(32:34):
It indicates that he's trying to cope, trying to come
to terms with the discrepancy. Anyway, what this means to
me is that he is a memory, the Indianapolis memory
outside the brain, and the way I learned it, memory

(32:57):
is strictly the brain's province.

Speaker 7 (33:00):
I know, memory.

Speaker 8 (33:02):
Who knows, there's not supposed to be any such thing,
you know. The temptation is to turn metaphysical metaphysical, the soul,
the unsensed, unmeasurable, something that makes us more than mere matter.

(33:23):
It is a temptation to say that since Camperor's party
still lives, it still contains something of the temperor's soul.
That's not very scientific memory.

Speaker 10 (33:37):
And still it's an answer that satisfies in some ways,
isn't it not.

Speaker 8 (33:41):
One that satisfies the scientific purpose? So where do you
go from here?

Speaker 7 (33:49):
Randy?

Speaker 8 (33:51):
I was hoping you could advise me. I'm sorry?

Speaker 10 (33:55):
How do you let go of a tiger without getting scratched?

Speaker 7 (34:03):
Carl? When you stop looking so scared?

Speaker 9 (34:05):
Doctors never look scared, even when they are, and we're doctors.

Speaker 8 (34:10):
I can't help how I look. I am scared, don't be.

Speaker 9 (34:13):
We're just two doctors walking down a hospital car. They're
talking shop tar Well. His room number is three ninety four,
three doors down. The other side of the horse is yeah,
probably clothes.

Speaker 8 (34:22):
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I see what if they moved into
another room, they wouldn't.

Speaker 9 (34:26):
They've got to plug into so many gadgets in there.
It'd be just too much trouble to move him. Now
you know.

Speaker 8 (34:31):
What we do, right, I guess.

Speaker 9 (34:34):
So take a look in the door. If the doctor's
in there, we just walk down the hall and wait
for him to leave. If there's nobody there with the nurse,
we go in and order her to leave.

Speaker 18 (34:42):
Order her.

Speaker 9 (34:43):
We are doctors to keep forgetting nurses do what doctors
tell him to do, okay, and then when we're alone
with them, you.

Speaker 7 (34:51):
Just do it.

Speaker 2 (34:52):
And so.

Speaker 11 (34:57):
I tried to get into see him, Jane. I didn't
have any luck, but I tried.

Speaker 8 (35:02):
Doctor Peters wouldn't let you in.

Speaker 11 (35:03):
The nurse wouldn't. She stopped me at the door. She
was nice enough, but she was firm.

Speaker 8 (35:10):
He's still all right.

Speaker 11 (35:12):
Oh, the nurse city was sort of half conscious.

Speaker 8 (35:15):
For a little while.

Speaker 14 (35:16):
Esther is.

Speaker 12 (35:19):
Look those two doctors just passing down the hall. Did
you get a good look at them?

Speaker 8 (35:24):
Not very What about them?

Speaker 12 (35:26):
One of them was I'd swear one of them was
Paul Morrison. Banana was here asking about.

Speaker 8 (35:32):
Andy earlier, the one you didn't like, Yes, that one.
But he's is he adopted? No, that's just the point.
He isn't.

Speaker 12 (35:43):
So what is he doing in a white count You
think he's up to something?

Speaker 8 (35:47):
I don't know what.

Speaker 12 (35:48):
It could be up to, but I don't like it.

Speaker 8 (35:55):
I forgot about her, forgot about her.

Speaker 9 (35:57):
His wife, Jane Hollis, who was in a way room
just now as we walked past it.

Speaker 8 (36:01):
Did she see you? Does she know you?

Speaker 9 (36:03):
Because she knows me, all right. I'm not sure whether
she saw.

Speaker 7 (36:05):
Me or not.

Speaker 8 (36:06):
Here, let's get out of here, Paul. If she saw you,
wed better, just get out of here.

Speaker 7 (36:10):
You take with you.

Speaker 9 (36:11):
Stop that way, you panic. It's the least little thing
I hear. We'll just stop and leaning against the wall
and talk. We're in consultation, okay. If she doesn't do
anything about it, well she didn't see me.

Speaker 8 (36:23):
This is crazy. Here's this big hospital, busy as Grand
Central Station.

Speaker 2 (36:27):
Here.

Speaker 8 (36:28):
We're going to walk into a man's room and shoot
him dead. People all over the place. But does that
stop us? Now? We just walk in there and shoot
a man dead and.

Speaker 7 (36:35):
Walk right out again. The best way to get lost
is in a crowd of people.

Speaker 8 (36:39):
Insane because the holidoor.

Speaker 9 (36:42):
Yes with the other one and just strolling along going
the other way. I guess you didn't see me, so
you want to go ahead with it. Of course we're
going to go ahead with it.

Speaker 8 (36:50):
Come on, just to go along. So if you see this,
you think we're just stretching her legs.

Speaker 11 (36:59):
Did you get another look at him?

Speaker 14 (37:01):
No?

Speaker 8 (37:01):
I was afraid to look down that way. I know
it was him.

Speaker 18 (37:05):
I'm sure.

Speaker 8 (37:06):
So what are we going to do?

Speaker 12 (37:08):
I just want to see if I can find doctor
Peters to tell him about it.

Speaker 9 (37:13):
Okay, here it is Room three ninety four. Were white,
that scared look off your face.

Speaker 8 (37:18):
I'm doing the best I can, Paul.

Speaker 7 (37:20):
I just like to check. I don't see anybody but
the nurse in there. The doctor doesn't give me to
be around, Paul. Let me do the talking, nurse.

Speaker 11 (37:30):
Oh, how are you starting me?

Speaker 9 (37:32):
Is this doctor Peter's patient? Doctor Peters has called us
in for a consultation. We expect him any minute. Can
you please leave us alone with the patient?

Speaker 5 (37:39):
Oh?

Speaker 11 (37:40):
Doctor Peters instructed me to stay with the paper.

Speaker 7 (37:42):
Will be with him. You needn't worry.

Speaker 11 (37:44):
I don't like to go against doctor Peterson's trust, so
we will take the responsibility.

Speaker 9 (37:49):
We expect doctor Peters momentarily. Meantime, we can save time
by examining the patient while we're waiting.

Speaker 7 (37:54):
For him to you.

Speaker 11 (37:56):
I mean, if there's anything you want to know, I
asked you to leave her. Yes, doctor.

Speaker 8 (38:05):
Paul, what is it we got in the wrong room
or something?

Speaker 7 (38:09):
What are you talking about?

Speaker 8 (38:11):
That's not Hollis, look at him. Never saw that guy
was one line?

Speaker 9 (38:16):
Of course, that doesn't Hollers, you idiot. They transplanted Houise's
brain into somebody else.

Speaker 8 (38:22):
Oh yeah, yeah, I forgot. Well, well then, how can
we be sure? I mean, if we never saw a
guy before, how do we know we're in the right
place at all?

Speaker 7 (38:34):
We are all right? Do it?

Speaker 8 (38:37):
Carol Paul? Please, if you just listen to me, I
don't think.

Speaker 11 (38:45):
Wasn't that the nurse we just passed.

Speaker 8 (38:47):
Isn't she supposed to be in there with him all
the time? It certainly looked like her. Do you think
we ought to go back and make sure he's all right?

Speaker 12 (38:54):
Somebody probably came into relieve her. I just want to
see doctor Peter's okay.

Speaker 8 (38:58):
I hope he's in Doctor Peters.

Speaker 10 (39:01):
Yes, Oh, Missus Allis and Missus Camperor, what can I
do for you?

Speaker 8 (39:05):
But we just saw an odd thing.

Speaker 7 (39:08):
Odd thing.

Speaker 12 (39:09):
There's a man I know slightly that's a business associate
with my husband. I don't like him, frankly, I don't
trust him. I just saw him out in the hall
dressed like a doctor.

Speaker 8 (39:19):
And he isn't the doctor. He certainly isn't.

Speaker 12 (39:23):
Would it be possible for him, and when he had
somebody with him, would it be possible for them just
to walk into a patient's room that anyone's stopping her
if you're.

Speaker 10 (39:34):
Afraid that's what he's going to do. There's no cause
for alarm. There's a nurse in.

Speaker 11 (39:37):
There, but she isn't doctor. We just saw her out
in the hall. You're sure it's the same nurse, positive,
and maybe we have to go and.

Speaker 8 (39:43):
Check it out. There she is. See he's standing there
at the nurse's station.

Speaker 7 (39:50):
Nurse.

Speaker 10 (39:51):
Yes, doctor, I thought I asked you not to leave
the patient alone, not for any reason.

Speaker 13 (39:55):
Well, he alone.

Speaker 11 (39:56):
There's the two doctors. You asked him for consultation.

Speaker 8 (39:58):
Or with him consultation. I didn't get up any consultation,
they said, you did.

Speaker 11 (40:02):
They They practically ordered me out of the room.

Speaker 17 (40:06):
All right, let's go.

Speaker 8 (40:11):
Andy, can you hear me? It's calm down. Laugh, can
and see how you're doing?

Speaker 7 (40:17):
Oh you stop it. Can't just seize in those shape
to talk.

Speaker 8 (40:19):
Well, then if you can't talk, shoot him, Carl, you
you take the gun. Paul, I can't. I just can't.

Speaker 9 (40:29):
The little jew would no, right there in the temple. No,
I'm not quite touching there right there. That's it now
now the trigger, the trigger.

Speaker 8 (40:34):
Carl, No, No, Paul, I.

Speaker 9 (40:36):
Can't squeeze the trigger, just a little pressure and it
doesn't take much.

Speaker 7 (40:40):
That is away now wants more to make sure.

Speaker 8 (40:42):
Paul, Paul, please, I can't show you can't just squeeze.

Speaker 7 (40:44):
Wheeze me before, Carl, just squeeze.

Speaker 8 (40:48):
What are you doing? Oh my god, shoot the.

Speaker 14 (40:52):
Girl, Ralph, he's bleeding.

Speaker 18 (40:54):
Why is he bleeding?

Speaker 7 (40:55):
Get out of my way. Let me have a look
at it. Did you what I said, Charles? Shoot him?

Speaker 8 (40:59):
No more, no more, Paul, I care. He's dead, shot
twice through the head.

Speaker 7 (41:08):
Don't let me have the gun. Give me the gun.
You heard I said, give it me.

Speaker 8 (41:13):
I won't let me kill somebody.

Speaker 19 (41:15):
I won't let your pa.

Speaker 8 (41:21):
Oh, Paul, how do you mean to shoot your paw?
My doctor? Will you take the gun?

Speaker 7 (41:30):
I'll take it.

Speaker 10 (41:33):
Nurse, get some security people in here with you.

Speaker 8 (41:40):
Have they taken those two away, the two who shot
your patient, and.

Speaker 10 (41:45):
They're probably all booked and put away by now. I
just had a weird experience.

Speaker 8 (41:53):
It's the only kind you've had all the days, seems
to me.

Speaker 10 (41:56):
I just had to console two women, missus how Us
and missus Kemper.

Speaker 8 (42:02):
Because their husbands were dead. Only that wasn't what I did.

Speaker 10 (42:06):
I found myself telling them I was sorry about their husband.
Singular one husband, two wives, and nobody could say who
the man had actually belonged to.

Speaker 8 (42:20):
Yeah, said things all around us.

Speaker 13 (42:25):
In a way.

Speaker 10 (42:25):
Though they were grief stricken, of course, the two women,
each thinking of her own husband as he used to be.
But as for the man I was trying to give
them with my surgery, I'm not sure they weren't just
a little bit relieved that he was gone and the
decisions wouldn't have to be made.

Speaker 8 (42:48):
You know something, or Andy, I am not sure the
world is ready for the brain transplant.

Speaker 7 (42:57):
I'm not sure it ever will be.

Speaker 8 (43:07):
Perhaps we should be just as glad that the brain
transplant isn't ready for the world as things stand now.
One more spiritual dilemma might be just that one too many.
I'll be back in a few minutes, with the human

(43:34):
mind striving as it always must, toward the accomplishment tomorrow
of today's impossibility. It's not surprising, perhaps that among the
blessed miracles performed, some heinous and normities are also perpetrated.
It may be that the transplanting of a fine mind
from a sick body to a healthy one would be

(43:55):
a good thing. But wouldn't it present the kind of
problem our story dealt with?

Speaker 17 (44:01):
How could it not?

Speaker 8 (44:03):
Our cast included Gordon Gould, Anne Williams, Bryana Rayburn, Robert
Ryden and Joe Silver. The entire production was under the
direction of Hymon Brown. And now a preview of our
next tale. Didn't you say the banquet started at seven third?

Speaker 9 (44:22):
Yeah, I thought I'd drive over and pick Emory up.
I don't really trust him to attend a banquet, even
in his honor, unless somebody sees to it personally that
he gets there.

Speaker 20 (44:29):
Not a bad idea, Oliver, do you know a nicky Bell?

Speaker 7 (44:36):
Nicky Bell? No, never heard him.

Speaker 14 (44:38):
It's not a hymn, it's a her.

Speaker 21 (44:41):
Daisy says.

Speaker 22 (44:42):
There's something going on between her and Emory Repeterson.

Speaker 7 (44:47):
You've got to be kidding.

Speaker 9 (44:49):
Emy Peterson's a straightest husband I ever knew, well, you know,
present company, except.

Speaker 20 (44:53):
It it's not that kind of a thing, at least,
Daisy says it isn't.

Speaker 23 (44:58):
She's not sure Emory is being blackningware.

Speaker 9 (45:02):
That's almost as silly as the other. And we never
did anything he could be blackmail before. Let's take my
life on that.

Speaker 16 (45:08):
Well, something strange is going on.

Speaker 8 (45:12):
Radio Mystery Theater was sponsored in part by Contact the
twelve hour Cold Capsule Missus E. G. Marshall inviting you
to return to our Mystery Theater for another adventure in
the macabre. Until next time, pleasant.

Speaker 24 (46:12):
Calm down for blast off X minus five four three
two x minus one. Fire from the far horizons of

(46:48):
the Unknown come transcribe tales of new dimensions in time
and space.

Speaker 17 (46:54):
These are stories of the future.

Speaker 25 (46:56):
Adventures in which you'll live in a million, could be years,
on a thousand, maybe worlds. The National Broadcasting Company and
cooperation with Galaxy Science Fiction Magazine presents.

Speaker 26 (47:08):
He minus one.

Speaker 3 (47:22):
Good Night, wherever you may be by James E.

Speaker 27 (47:26):
Gunn.

Speaker 3 (47:39):
Hey, hey, you.

Speaker 18 (47:43):
Little girl.

Speaker 28 (47:45):
You on the fence? Yeah, a kid, come here.

Speaker 22 (47:49):
I'm right comfortable.

Speaker 16 (47:50):
Whereat I am?

Speaker 3 (47:54):
Uh? Listen, kid? Is there a service station on this road?

Speaker 22 (47:58):
We at a the general store.

Speaker 3 (48:01):
Uh? How far is it about?

Speaker 22 (48:03):
Eighteen miles?

Speaker 3 (48:05):
Oh that's a big help. I don't know what else
to expect in the middle of the ozarks. You want
me to help you, mister, No, just keep out of
the way, kid. Ow there's nothing funny about that. You're
just gonna sit there and watch me sweat, kid.

Speaker 22 (48:22):
Oh no, there'll be lots more to watch.

Speaker 3 (48:24):
Well, I don't know what's so amusing about watching a
man change a flat tire.

Speaker 22 (48:29):
Oh you sure you don't want me to help, mister?

Speaker 3 (48:34):
No, I'm perfectly capable of changing a tire by myself.

Speaker 22 (48:49):
Look out, mister, it's rolling away, your tired, it's rolling away?

Speaker 3 (48:53):
Hey, hey, come back here you This is the most
sadistic tire I ever. Oh stay put? Why don't you
go home?

Speaker 13 (49:04):
Can't?

Speaker 3 (49:05):
Why not I run away? Ah? Well that's tough there
I listen, kid, You know a cabin about fifteen miles
up the road?

Speaker 22 (49:16):
I reckon?

Speaker 3 (49:17):
You know where the turnoff is?

Speaker 22 (49:18):
I ain't no turnoff. You just drive till the road
Peter's out and you take the footpath. You gonna live
in that place?

Speaker 29 (49:26):
This for the summer.

Speaker 3 (49:27):
Oh well it's long kid. Oh mister, hey, mister, now
what do you want?

Speaker 13 (49:34):
Well?

Speaker 22 (49:34):
Nothing, only you forgot your jack?

Speaker 3 (49:36):
Oh that does it? Where are you going?

Speaker 22 (49:42):
No place?

Speaker 3 (49:43):
But you said you ran away?

Speaker 22 (49:44):
I surely did.

Speaker 3 (49:45):
Don't you have any relatives? No friends?

Speaker 8 (49:48):
No?

Speaker 3 (49:49):
All right, then go on home? Oh come on, now,
what are you crying for? All right?

Speaker 18 (49:57):
All right, get it.

Speaker 3 (49:58):
I'll give you a left. Listen, look out for those notes.
There's over a year's work in those, over.

Speaker 22 (50:07):
A year's work in them, piece of paper.

Speaker 3 (50:09):
Uh huh, those are notes for the thesis I'm gonna write.

Speaker 22 (50:12):
You write stories, no research paper.

Speaker 3 (50:14):
I have to do it to get my degree at
the university.

Speaker 22 (50:17):
Well, what's it called? I mean a story?

Speaker 3 (50:19):
You'll right, it's not a It's called the psychodynamics of
witchcraft with special reference to the Salem Trials of sixteen
ninety two.

Speaker 22 (50:29):
Oh witches?

Speaker 3 (50:31):
Yeah, all right, where do you live?

Speaker 5 (50:33):
Kid?

Speaker 22 (50:34):
Well, I can't go home. Pod beat me again? Will
we pretty nigh? Skin me alive? I guess you.

Speaker 3 (50:39):
Mean he hits you, little kid like you.

Speaker 22 (50:42):
Well, he don't use his fists, not often. He uses
his belt mostly. Look look here on my knee, see
that black and blue mark and this one?

Speaker 3 (50:56):
Uh, never mind, Why does he hit you?

Speaker 30 (51:00):
He's just mean?

Speaker 3 (51:02):
Well he must have some reason.

Speaker 22 (51:04):
Oh, he wants me to catch some strong young fellow
do the work around the place. A gal don't bring
in no money, he says, least, why is not a
good one.

Speaker 3 (51:12):
You're much too young to get married.

Speaker 22 (51:14):
I'm sixteen.

Speaker 3 (51:15):
You don't look more than well, I don't know.

Speaker 22 (51:19):
Most girls my age got a couple of young ones.
One anyways, humph, the way Paul carries on, you'd think
I didn't want to get married. Now it ain't my fault.
No fellow wants me.

Speaker 4 (51:30):
Uh huh.

Speaker 2 (51:31):
What seems to be the trouble?

Speaker 22 (51:32):
M Mostly, I guess I'm just unlucky. One fella I
went with pretty nearly a year he busted his leg.
Another n now well drownded when he fell in the lake.
Now it don't seem right. They should blame me, even
though we did have words. Blame you well, they say
it's caught and disaster instead of a gal fellas. Just

(51:54):
stop comin round you Um, you married, mister.

Speaker 3 (52:00):
Mister Matthew Wright.

Speaker 22 (52:03):
No, I'm not married, right, Abigail right, that's right, Bertie,
Abigail right? Oh did I say that?

Speaker 8 (52:16):
Now?

Speaker 22 (52:16):
Ain't that funny?

Speaker 28 (52:18):
My name's Jenkins, mister Jenkins.

Speaker 3 (52:38):
I met your daughter on the road. I brought her back. Look,
mister Jenkins, I got a pint bottle in my pocket.
Care for a little drink?

Speaker 7 (52:54):
Mm hm?

Speaker 5 (52:55):
There of a week?

Speaker 3 (52:56):
Oh, I'm sorry, I repeat, I brought your daughter. Why
ought she had no place to go.

Speaker 31 (53:03):
She'll run away.

Speaker 3 (53:05):
Now, look, mister Jenkins, I realize the teenage daughters can
be a nuisance. And after meeting your daughter, I can
understand how you feel still at all? She is your daughter.

Speaker 5 (53:15):
God my doubts.

Speaker 3 (53:16):
Now, mister Jenkins, your daughter may have given you good
reason to lose your temper, but beating a child is
never a sound psychology.

Speaker 31 (53:24):
Beat her, you mean wallaper whaler man. I never laid
a hand to her. I dasn't, but she said I'm
in here. On, mister Jenkins, I assure come.

Speaker 7 (53:32):
In the cabin.

Speaker 31 (53:35):
You look around this here room, mister. See them dishes
all over the floor, Those chairs all splintered like they
was kinlin at table turned over bottom side topmost like
a turtle on the road. You think I beat her
the places of shambles. I ain't saying Abby did it.
But when she gets unhappy, things happen. Dishes come flying
through the air, Funny things happen around Ab since she

(54:00):
started filling off five or six years ago.

Speaker 3 (54:03):
Well, she's only sixteen.

Speaker 31 (54:05):
Sixteen, don't let all I told you, But she's past eighteen.
There you see, we'll just fell off the shelf. Look
you're a city fellow, passable looking. Why don't you take
her with you?

Speaker 20 (54:19):
What?

Speaker 3 (54:20):
Oh? No, Now wait a minute, mister jack.

Speaker 31 (54:22):
She's right pretty when she fixes up, and she can
cook right smart, go on take her?

Speaker 3 (54:26):
Well, you must be mad. You can't give a girl
away like that, If you'll excuse me, I think i'd
better be good.

Speaker 31 (54:31):
But they asked you to bring her back gall eats
more than I do.

Speaker 3 (54:34):
Oh now look here, here's ten dollars by yourself a jug.

Speaker 31 (54:40):
Well, I'd like to, but I can't do it.

Speaker 8 (54:42):
It ain't worth it.

Speaker 31 (54:44):
You brought her back, you can take her away.

Speaker 3 (54:46):
Here here's fifteen.

Speaker 31 (54:49):
Well I should know better, all right, mister, I'll get her.

Speaker 18 (54:54):
They know you so in't taddy?

Speaker 2 (54:56):
Mister?

Speaker 3 (54:58):
All right, Abigail out of the car. You're home. But Paul, oh,
he isn't mad at you. He's welcoming you back. Now,
come on, get out, dirty.

Speaker 22 (55:06):
Nasty old man. Right a fat bottle. He's pulling buster
right over his head.

Speaker 3 (55:13):
Goodbye, Abby, and remind me never to see you again.
All alone, I'm so all alone?

Speaker 16 (55:34):
Hello?

Speaker 3 (55:36):
What are you doing here?

Speaker 22 (55:38):
Waiting for you?

Speaker 3 (55:39):
But listen, this is this is my cabin. I rented it.

Speaker 22 (55:43):
I know what kept you?

Speaker 2 (55:46):
Well?

Speaker 3 (55:46):

Speaker 14 (55:48):
How did you get here?

Speaker 12 (55:49):
Oh?

Speaker 22 (55:49):
I reckon? You're hungry? Look why don't you sit down?
Stuff is about ready?

Speaker 3 (55:52):
Wait a minute, I came here by car. How did
you get here?

Speaker 22 (55:56):
Well?

Speaker 14 (55:56):
I rode.

Speaker 22 (55:57):
It's lucky I did. This place needed a good sweet Then.

Speaker 3 (56:01):
Is that your broom?

Speaker 22 (56:04):
I know it was here in the cabin. Paul loaned
me a mule. I let her go. She'll get home
all right.

Speaker 3 (56:11):
But you can't stay here. It's impossible.

Speaker 8 (56:13):
What would people say?

Speaker 22 (56:14):
Well, who'd care? Pau don't please, mister right, Let me
cook and clean for you. I won't be no trouble, honest,
I wouldn't.

Speaker 3 (56:24):
Oh now, look Abby, you're a nice girl and I
like you. But you'll just have to go back to
your father to understand.

Speaker 22 (56:31):
All right?

Speaker 7 (56:35):
Why?

Speaker 18 (56:35):
Why?

Speaker 8 (56:36):
What was that?

Speaker 2 (56:36):
What happened?

Speaker 18 (56:37):
What?

Speaker 2 (56:39):
Oh?

Speaker 3 (56:39):
Look at that the car? I must have left the
break off?

Speaker 22 (56:43):
You reckon, it's hurt bag.

Speaker 3 (56:45):
Well, rolling down a ten foot grade into a tree
didn't help it any.

Speaker 22 (56:49):
Oh well, I'm sorry, mister right?

Speaker 3 (56:51):
Are you anyway? It looks like you'll have to stay
here tonight. Then doesn't that?

Speaker 22 (56:57):
I reckon?

Speaker 3 (56:59):
I could have sworn, and I put that brake on. Listen,
you're going back first thing in the morning.

Speaker 22 (57:05):
Oh sure, sure, mister, right, I understand, Abby?

Speaker 3 (57:21):
Uh tell me something? Who wrecked your father's house?

Speaker 17 (57:26):
Libby?

Speaker 3 (57:27):
Libby? Uh? Who's Libby?

Speaker 22 (57:29):
The other me? Mostly I keep her bottled up inside,
but when I feel sad and unhappy, I just can't
keep her in. Then she just lets loose and goes
wild skitzo.

Speaker 3 (57:42):
Abby, Where did you get an idea like that?

Speaker 5 (57:45):
Well?

Speaker 22 (57:45):
When I was born, I had a twin sister, only
she died real quick. And when I was bad, my
ma used to say Libby would never have been mean
or cross or naughty. So when I'd done something bad,
I started saying, Libby done it. I guess after a while,
I'm going to believe it myself.

Speaker 3 (58:04):
Can you control it, Abbey?

Speaker 8 (58:07):
Not much?

Speaker 13 (58:08):
You see.

Speaker 22 (58:09):
When I get feeling mad, mean things just happen.

Speaker 3 (58:11):
That's all about a rolling tire.

Speaker 13 (58:15):
You sure didn't look funny.

Speaker 5 (58:17):
Oh.

Speaker 22 (58:17):
I was just feeling mean about Paul, I guess, and
I took it out on you.

Speaker 3 (58:20):
I don't believe it. It's absolutely impossible. It's it's it's
it's it's primitive, it's straight out of Fraser's golden bough.
There's got to be some explanation, illusion or hypnosis. There's
got to be some physical explanation.

Speaker 22 (58:34):
Well, I don't see why. I mean, if a thing
just happens, you don't have to explain it. It's just there,
ain't it?

Speaker 5 (58:40):
All right?

Speaker 3 (58:41):
All right here here, I'll make that cup move?

Speaker 13 (58:46):
Why.

Speaker 3 (58:47):
I want to see you do.

Speaker 22 (58:48):
It, but I don't want to. I never wanted to
do it. It just happened. Come on, try, I know,
mister Ryder. Look, it never brung me nothing but misery.
It's bad enough when you can't help it, but it's
wrist when you do it on purpose. Nothing good will.

Speaker 3 (59:02):
Come on, try. I want you to move that cup now,
go ahead, Abby, just move it without touching it.

Speaker 22 (59:10):
I can't. I just can't.

Speaker 3 (59:12):
Why not? Why can't you?

Speaker 22 (59:14):
I don't know. Yes, it's because I'm happy.

Speaker 3 (59:20):
You can't move it now?

Speaker 22 (59:22):
No?

Speaker 3 (59:23):
All right, all right, then get your things. You're going
back to your father right now?

Speaker 22 (59:28):
No, no, no, I ain't going.

Speaker 3 (59:29):
I can't, ah listen, listen to you. You're a stupid
backwoods girl. Can't What kind of a way of talking
is that? You're going back to your father, because you're
an ignorant, dirty hillbilly. Abby. Abby, you did it, you
did it.

Speaker 14 (59:44):
It came right at my head.

Speaker 22 (59:47):
Do I have to go back?

Speaker 3 (59:48):
Oh no, no, no, sir, not if you help me, Abby,
I've got a hold of something here. That what a thesis? Abby?

(01:00:08):
What's uh courting like here in the hills?

Speaker 30 (01:00:13):
Oh?

Speaker 22 (01:00:13):
Sometimes we walk and look at things together, talk a little,
but if the night is warm, we just sit and
hold hands and whatever.

Speaker 3 (01:00:28):
Like this.

Speaker 22 (01:00:30):
Mister Wright, do you like me a little bit? Or
not marrying like but friendly life?

Speaker 3 (01:00:39):
I like you very much, Abby, very much.

Speaker 32 (01:00:45):
Oh, mister Wright, you kiss real pretty Abby.

Speaker 3 (01:00:56):
What happened to your fellas? I mean the other boys?

Speaker 22 (01:00:59):
Well for said i'd the evil eye, I mean Hack
fell off the roof and broke his leg, and Jean
will He fell in the lake and liked to drown.
It wasn't my fault. It was after we'd had words,
How was it?

Speaker 17 (01:01:11):
No?

Speaker 3 (01:01:12):
No, no, mister.

Speaker 22 (01:01:13):
Right, you're shivering. Maybe we better go get your.

Speaker 3 (01:01:16):
Jacket, Abby. Tomorrow we're going to drive to Springfield to
do some shopping.

Speaker 22 (01:01:21):
Really, mister Wright, Why I ain't never been to Springfield?

Speaker 14 (01:01:24):
Oh?

Speaker 22 (01:01:25):
Ain't that wonderful?

Speaker 3 (01:01:39):
Mister right, Are you happy?

Speaker 4 (01:01:42):
Abby?

Speaker 22 (01:01:43):
Oh, it's the happiest I've ever been in my life.
I mean eating in a fancy restaurant and even dancing
and all and oh and now it's just sitting here
together in the moonlight. I never thought anything like this
would happen to me.

Speaker 5 (01:02:00):
Abby.

Speaker 3 (01:02:01):
I'm afraid maybe you don't understand.

Speaker 22 (01:02:05):
What do you mean, mister right?

Speaker 2 (01:02:06):
Oh?

Speaker 3 (01:02:06):
You know that dress I bought you, that's a that's
for another girl. What it's for another girl? I'm I'm
gonna marry her. She's about your size, and I thought
we could pick it out that way. Oh, mister right, Abbybby,
wait a minute, where you're going? We don't want to
talk to you.

Speaker 16 (01:02:23):
You know I'm going to bed.

Speaker 3 (01:02:28):
Matthew right, you are a no good, miserable cad.

Speaker 22 (01:02:45):
You want any more coffee?

Speaker 4 (01:02:47):
You still feel bad? Abby?

Speaker 22 (01:02:49):
You want me to move that cup for you today?
I can do it real good.

Speaker 3 (01:02:52):
How do you know? Well?

Speaker 22 (01:02:53):
I just got a feeling.

Speaker 3 (01:02:55):
Look you can do it now?

Speaker 22 (01:02:58):
Sure, I guess there. It's getting easier.

Speaker 3 (01:03:01):
Look, Abby, I want to get some things out of
the car. I just happened to have them things for tests.
There may be other powers.

Speaker 22 (01:03:06):
I don't care much one way or the other. Mister right.
If it makes you happy, it's all right with me.

Speaker 3 (01:03:22):
Abby, Abby? Where are you?

Speaker 15 (01:03:25):
Abby?

Speaker 3 (01:03:25):
Where did you go? Abby?

Speaker 30 (01:03:28):
Here?

Speaker 22 (01:03:29):
I am mister right, Abby.

Speaker 3 (01:03:31):
Where were you?

Speaker 22 (01:03:32):
Springfield?

Speaker 3 (01:03:34):
That's fifty miles.

Speaker 13 (01:03:36):
I know.

Speaker 22 (01:03:37):
I just kind of wished I was there, And then
I was. I brought back a frying pan I admired
in that hardware store window. Ain't it pretty? Got a
real copper bottom.

Speaker 3 (01:03:47):
Didn't you have any trouble getting out of the store
without anyone seeing you?

Speaker 13 (01:03:51):
Well?

Speaker 22 (01:03:51):
I was outside, but I could see in the back
room somehow too. I knew his name was Albert and
he was doing a crossword pleasant How.

Speaker 3 (01:04:00):
Could you tell all that?

Speaker 8 (01:04:02):
Well?

Speaker 22 (01:04:02):
I just kind of looked inside of his thinking.

Speaker 13 (01:04:07):
Like this.

Speaker 3 (01:04:09):
Wait a minute, Wait a minute, Abbey, don't.

Speaker 22 (01:04:12):
I could look right inside your thinking now, mister rattle.

Speaker 3 (01:04:16):
Abby, Abby, Wait a minute, Abby, you what you didn't? Now?
Wait a minute, Abby, You've got to understand.

Speaker 22 (01:04:25):
I understand, I understand everything you've been thinking, you devil. Well,
there ain't nothing too bad for anyone.

Speaker 13 (01:04:30):
To do that.

Speaker 3 (01:04:31):
You've got to let me explain.

Speaker 22 (01:04:32):
With your kindness and your city manners, how could you
do it. You made me fall in love with you.
It was just a trick. You just wanted to make
me unhappy. That's so even Paul.

Speaker 13 (01:04:42):
Was never that mean.

Speaker 22 (01:04:43):
I'd as soon marry up with a.

Speaker 13 (01:04:45):
Rattlesnake, Abby.

Speaker 3 (01:04:45):
What are you gonna do?

Speaker 22 (01:04:46):
Well, I've made up my mind yet, but I'll think
of something.

Speaker 3 (01:05:01):
Well, I've got to think of some way out of it.
She's in that other room thinking what to do to me.
I've got to think of some way. No, no, no,
it's no use. As soon as I think of it,
she knows. Oh, got to keep my mind busy. Mary
had a little lamb. Its fleece was white as Maybe
if I could get her father.

Speaker 8 (01:05:21):
No.

Speaker 3 (01:05:21):
No, If there are two outs and bases loaded, or
men on first and second, and a ball is hit,
which in the opinion of the umpire can be handled
by an infield or the infield fly rule shall be invoked,
and the batter is called out, the base runners may
advance at their own peril, their peril, their peril.

Speaker 8 (01:05:39):
I got to think.

Speaker 3 (01:05:40):
No, no, I mustn't think Jerry. Oh No, she's absolutely
certain now she can do anything she wants to. I've
got to act on the spur of the moment. Keep
my mind crowded with something else. Oh that's a lovely day.

Speaker 15 (01:05:59):
Breathe.

Speaker 3 (01:06:00):
They're a man with souls so dead, twas brilliant, and
the slythy toes did gyre and gimble in the wave.
Froggy went according and he did ride sword and pistol
by his side, ring Tom Boddy Mitchell Campbell full fathom five,

(01:06:21):
My father, Lies of his bones are coral made seabirds
hourly toll his knell hark, I hear them, ding dong dell.

Speaker 22 (01:06:33):
That's pretty abby. Where are we going?

Speaker 31 (01:06:41):
Oh Abby?

Speaker 3 (01:06:44):

Speaker 22 (01:06:45):
I couldn't let you leave without me. I've got plans
for you, Oh, very interesting pans.

Speaker 3 (01:06:55):
But how could you tell I left? I was thinking
all sorts of other.

Speaker 22 (01:06:59):
Things, Matt, You were thinking some of the cutest little rhymes.
Oh but that was on top on top. Why sure,
way underneath I could hear playing what you were thinking
about running away in this old car well?

Speaker 3 (01:07:14):
And why didn't you stop me conk out the motor
or something?

Speaker 11 (01:07:18):
Oh?

Speaker 22 (01:07:18):
I didn't want to. I told you I could see
way down underneath the top of your thinking. And you
know what I found there? All the time, even when
you were making me unhappy, to test all them strange
things I learned how to do way down deep. You're
in love with.

Speaker 3 (01:07:36):
Me, I am surely true.

Speaker 22 (01:07:40):
So we're going to get married.

Speaker 28 (01:07:43):
Are we?

Speaker 22 (01:07:44):
Hm? There isn't much you can do about it now,
is there? H?

Speaker 3 (01:07:51):
No, No, I suppose not. But you know it's a
frightening thought, getting married to you, Abby, a wife who
can read your mind and all the rest.

Speaker 13 (01:08:03):
Oh.

Speaker 22 (01:08:03):
I wouldn't worry about it, darling. Why I can only
do those things when I'm downright miserable. Everything will be
perfectly all right, just as long as you keep me happy.

Speaker 25 (01:08:37):
You have just heard X minus one, presented by the
National Broadcasting Company in cooperation with Galaxy Science fiction magazine,
which this month features early modeled by Robert Checkley, the
story of a man who found that in vulnerability was
a fine asset when opening a new planet, provided you
don't overdo it. Galaxy Magazine on your news stand today

(01:09:00):
to night. By transcription. X minus one has brought you
wherever you may be, A story from the pages of Galaxy,
written by James E. Gunn and adapted for radio by
Ernest Cannoy. Featured In the cast were William Redfield, Patsy O'shay,
and Jack Orrison.

Speaker 5 (01:09:15):
You're announcer Fred Collins.

Speaker 25 (01:09:17):
X minus one was directed by Daniel Sutter and is
an NBC Radio Network production.

Speaker 33 (01:09:33):
The Hollywood Radio Theater. Every day at this time, Monday
through Friday, a J. M. Colas Enterprises production, The Hollywood

(01:09:54):
Radio Theater presents an unusual tale of mystery and suspense.
A week Monday through Friday, The Hollywood Radio Theater presents.

Speaker 34 (01:10:04):
I'm Rod Serling. You're listening to The Zero Hour. Rest
your highs, exercise your imaginism. This week Tobias Wells neogotic

(01:10:25):
tale of small town terror, A Die in the Country,
starring Peter Marshall, Susan Strosperg and Andrew Duggan. In Elliott

(01:10:52):
Lewis's production of The Zero Hour. We all know that
city living has become increasingly troublesome. Our cities are crowded,

(01:11:13):
high pitched, and in many instance is dangerous. No one
knows that better than the comp This week, a story
of a handsome young couple in search of rural peace
and quiet. Knute Seversen, detective first grade Boston Police married
one year wife Brenda seven months pregnant. They've heard so

(01:11:33):
much about the beauty of life in the quaint New
England countryside. The picturesque three story Victorian house in the placid,
little college town of Wellesley seems the answer to their dream.
Until they meet their neighbors, until they hear the town
gossip and find themselves in the middle of a nightmare.
Their story, A die in the Country begins after this word.

(01:12:00):
Picture of this a small New England town, green, rolling hills,
tidy houses along quiet tree lined streets, respectable facades covering
what manner of guilty secrets. A Cadillac glides solemnly around
the corner, pruised to a stop in front of an
empty three story Victorian house with silent shuttered windows.

Speaker 20 (01:12:34):
Well there it is, just as I described it.

Speaker 35 (01:12:37):
It's kind of odd looking, isn't it. I mean it
seems off balance. It's so tall and narrow with that
high peaked roof.

Speaker 20 (01:12:45):
Three stories Victorian architecture its most picturesque, but thoroughly modernized,
the most up to date plumbing and wiring.

Speaker 17 (01:12:54):
Throughout, and you can see freshly painted and the new
porch was just finished.

Speaker 14 (01:12:58):
To come along, I'll show you everything.

Speaker 36 (01:13:05):
Brenda was white. The house looked odd, like the kind
of house a child might draw, an oblong box set
on end with a pointed roof on top. There was
a big window in the front with small panes, and
a cement and cinder block porch around two sides with
a wrought iron railing. The shutters were dark green, and
there was a post lantern at the end of the driveway,
a pair of coach lanterns flanking the front door. A

(01:13:27):
spacious yard, and lots of trees and shrubbery. Mine hair
our cat, which finded a whole new lease on life
after his cloister days in a Boston apartment.

Speaker 14 (01:13:39):
It's a great deal of house and ground for the money.

Speaker 17 (01:13:41):
I agree. What's wrong with it?

Speaker 20 (01:13:44):
As I said, the owner had a sudden transfer out
of town and must sacrifice. The reduced price bears no
reflection on the condition of the property.

Speaker 14 (01:13:54):
It's really quite rusty.

Speaker 20 (01:13:56):
Oh yes, why you even have a little patch of
real woods on one side?

Speaker 17 (01:14:01):
This yard would be the devil a moo.

Speaker 35 (01:14:03):
It's nice in private. You can barely see the house
next door through all that shrubbery.

Speaker 17 (01:14:08):
That place looks a little neglected. What kind of neighbors.
Come with the house.

Speaker 8 (01:14:12):
Oh, that's Mercy Bird's place.

Speaker 14 (01:14:15):
Mercy Bird, she's a writer mystery stories.

Speaker 20 (01:14:18):
Really, yes, lives alone there since her mother died, and
keeps pretty much to herself. She'll not be any bother
to you. I'm sure sounds like fun living next door
to a mystery writer. And you have a very distinguished
neighbor across the street.

Speaker 14 (01:14:33):
Rudolph Wharton lives there.

Speaker 17 (01:14:35):
Sorry, but who's Rudolph?

Speaker 20 (01:14:38):
Oh, of course you wouldn't know, being from out of town.
He's one of our select men, and I imagine he
owns nearly half of Wellesley's most valuable real estate.

Speaker 17 (01:14:49):
I stand impressed.

Speaker 20 (01:14:51):
Come along, I'll show you inside the house. Truthfully, mister Simson,
there aren't too many houses in Wellesley in your price range.

Speaker 17 (01:15:02):
I was ready to say we'd try someplace else.

Speaker 36 (01:15:04):
In that case, I could feel my hackles rising, you see,
I have very sensitive hackles. But Brenda tugged at my
sleeve as Missus Maynard turned the key in the lock
and opened the door, a.

Speaker 14 (01:15:20):
Creaking door, just to write, Victorian touch.

Speaker 17 (01:15:23):
Our spring rain.

Speaker 14 (01:15:24):
A little oiel will take care of that.

Speaker 17 (01:15:27):
As Missus Maynard led us around like sheep to the slaughter.

Speaker 36 (01:15:30):
Brenda exclaimed over all the pluses, while I ticked off
all the minuses.

Speaker 14 (01:15:35):
A winding staircase. Oh, it's just what I've always wanted.

Speaker 17 (01:15:39):
The woodwork needs were painting three.

Speaker 14 (01:15:41):
Big bedrooms, imagine two.

Speaker 17 (01:15:43):
Of them are going to have to be repapered, and.

Speaker 14 (01:15:45):
A bathroom off each one.

Speaker 36 (01:15:47):
There is many john on the first floor. But as
we followed in the wake of Missus Maynard's grand tour,
treading on bright blue wool all the way, we came
together on the view from the third floor studio bedroom.

Speaker 17 (01:16:03):
It was strictly as advertised.

Speaker 14 (01:16:06):
You see, I wasn't exaggerating a bit. Well, I, oh,
it's just lovely.

Speaker 17 (01:16:12):
The views are great, I have to admit that.

Speaker 14 (01:16:15):
And the bathroom is just in rechiled, it's well heated.
I just love it, honey.

Speaker 36 (01:16:20):
What do you think, Well, it needs a lot of work.
I mean, I don't know when i'd have the time.
Maybe we'd better keep looking. One week later we signed
the purchase and sales agreement, and one month later we
moved in. When you're in love with your wife and
she's seven months pregnant, if she asks for the moon,

(01:16:40):
you'll see what you could do.

Speaker 35 (01:16:44):
Don't worry, darling, we'll take our time and it'll be
fun making it really ours mine.

Speaker 36 (01:16:50):
Hair seems to have made it his with no problem.
The second I let him out, he streak off into
the woods.

Speaker 35 (01:16:55):
Ah, this is going to be a beautiful place for
the baby. All this grass and trees, lovely, peace and quiet.

Speaker 17 (01:17:02):
It's downright bucolic.

Speaker 8 (01:17:04):
Oh noot.

Speaker 14 (01:17:04):
You do like it too, don't you, honey.

Speaker 33 (01:17:07):
It's going to be just what the doctor ordered for
a tired city detective after slaving all day over a
hot murder.

Speaker 14 (01:17:13):
Here you can leave murder to our next door neighbor.

Speaker 17 (01:17:16):
What huh, mercy bird, the mystery writer.

Speaker 14 (01:17:19):
I wonder what she's like.

Speaker 17 (01:17:22):
So far, we've yet to get a look at any
of our neighbors.

Speaker 35 (01:17:24):
They're being thoughtful, I imagine, giving us time to get settled.

Speaker 36 (01:17:28):
I still don't think it was two wise taking on
a big move like this just before the babies do.

Speaker 14 (01:17:32):
Oh, it's just the thing.

Speaker 35 (01:17:33):
It'll keep me busy, no time to mope mope about.
What about looking like an old sack of lumpy potatoes?

Speaker 14 (01:17:40):
That's what?

Speaker 36 (01:17:40):
Oh, hedy, honey, Let's let all these boxes go hang
for the rest of the night. What do you say
we try out our new fireplace, take a little of
the evening chill out of our new house. Right now
I feel like cuddling up in front of a cozy
fire with an old sack of lumpy potatoes in my laugh.

Speaker 35 (01:17:57):
Hm, you've been reading up on the ca air and
handling of lumpy pregnant wives.

Speaker 8 (01:18:06):
What was that?

Speaker 7 (01:18:07):
What was what?

Speaker 14 (01:18:09):
I heard something at the door. I think someone's out there.

Speaker 36 (01:18:14):
Oh, for Pete's sake, it's probably just a cat. I
forgot he was out, relaxed darling. I'll let him in,
I thought, so come on in mine here. Hey, wait
a minute, what have you got there? What's he got
in his mouth?

Speaker 20 (01:18:33):
Oh?

Speaker 37 (01:18:33):
Nude, it's a squirrel.

Speaker 33 (01:18:34):
You mean, what's left of a squirrel? Well, I guess
we'll have to expect things like that. I mean living
out in the country.

Speaker 14 (01:18:41):
Oh, Node, get it away. I think I'm going to
be sick.

Speaker 33 (01:18:55):
I found it took me longer to commute from Boston
to Wellesley than i'd figured.

Speaker 17 (01:19:00):
And it's smacked in the middle of out going commuter
traffic at six pm. And while the pipe moved well,
the arteries on and off it were going slow.

Speaker 36 (01:19:07):
By the time I finally got home, I was inside
and finding a strange car parked in the middle of
the driveway blocking my.

Speaker 17 (01:19:14):
Way did not improve my disposition.

Speaker 37 (01:19:17):
What the devil, No, we're in the kitchen.

Speaker 17 (01:19:29):
Who is we?

Speaker 36 (01:19:30):
I wondered At the moment, I wasn't in the mood
for anybody.

Speaker 17 (01:19:36):
I made my way.

Speaker 36 (01:19:37):
Through the boxes of books and bric a brac in
the living room into the kitchen were Brenda and a
middle aged woman with bleached blonde hair set over coffee
in the middle of boxes of pots and pans and dishes.

Speaker 14 (01:19:47):
Darling, this is Missus Parsons.

Speaker 20 (01:19:49):
You will have to forget my coming before you've had
a chance to settle mister Stevenson.

Speaker 14 (01:19:53):
But it's rather my job. I'm the official town greeder.

Speaker 35 (01:19:56):
Missus Parsons has brought us all kinds of lovely little
gifts goodies all our local shops.

Speaker 20 (01:20:01):
It's our way of welcoming you to our little community.
I'm sure you're going to find it a lovely place
to live, Thank you.

Speaker 36 (01:20:08):
I think we'll enjoy it fine if we ever get
some of this confusion cleared away.

Speaker 20 (01:20:12):
Wow, this is a beautiful old house and like most
old houses in New England.

Speaker 14 (01:20:16):
Do it has its share of history?

Speaker 7 (01:20:18):
Really?

Speaker 17 (01:20:19):
But you know, of course that Katherine Lee Bates once
lived here. Katherine Lee Bates, she wrote America the Beautiful.

Speaker 14 (01:20:25):
Oh no, it isn't that exciting.

Speaker 20 (01:20:27):
And Monseignor Davis actually died in one of the bedrooms upstairs.

Speaker 14 (01:20:31):
Died. Oh, don't worry. It was a perfectly natural causes.
He was eighty eight.

Speaker 17 (01:20:36):
Well, that explains it.

Speaker 20 (01:20:38):
But then, I imagine you're far more interested in hearing
about the living people of Wellesley, particularly your immediate neighbors.

Speaker 17 (01:20:45):
I imagine we'll be meeting them in time at the.

Speaker 20 (01:20:47):
Farleys, at least in the house caddy corner across the street.
They're quite congenial, but their children are something of a
problem teenagers boys a college dropout, shipless, long hair and
a beard, and their girl is only in high school
and already runs around with a very fast crowd, heading
for trouble, both of them.

Speaker 17 (01:21:07):
I'm afraid, Well, let's hope not.

Speaker 14 (01:21:09):
Your other two neighbors are inclined to keep their distance.

Speaker 20 (01:21:13):
Mercy Bird next door is a rider. I don't think
a soul in town has ever been inside her house,
and I'm sure you've heard of mister Wharton across the street.

Speaker 17 (01:21:21):
Yes, we have.

Speaker 14 (01:21:23):
He keeps quite to himself since his wife disappeared. Disappeared, Well,
I don't mean in that sense exactly. Still, she did
leave very suddenly, and no one seems to know where
she went.

Speaker 36 (01:21:35):
Missus Parsons. Are you implying that we have a town
mystery on our hands? Perhaps a body buried in the cellar?

Speaker 17 (01:21:41):
Oh, oh, good heavens, no, nothing like that.

Speaker 20 (01:21:45):
Why Rudolph Wharton is Wellesley's most prominent citizen.

Speaker 35 (01:21:48):
H My husband didn't mean that seriously, Missus Parsons.

Speaker 20 (01:21:52):
Of course you are a detective in the city, aren't you,
mister Servison. I suppose detectives have their little jokes like
all of us.

Speaker 17 (01:22:00):
I suppose so, missus Parson's.

Speaker 33 (01:22:01):
But right now I'm afraid I'm just a tired city detective.

Speaker 17 (01:22:04):
So if you'll excuse me, I.

Speaker 20 (01:22:06):
Yet, Oh, as a matter of fact, I must be
running along. I'm afraid I sometimes over extend these little
welcoming calls of mine.

Speaker 14 (01:22:13):
Oh not at all. It's been just lovely meeting.

Speaker 17 (01:22:16):
I'll see you to your car. Mine's in your way.

Speaker 36 (01:22:20):
I was sure missus Parsons had elected herself Wellesley's official greeter.

Speaker 17 (01:22:25):
It was the ideal job for the town gossip.

Speaker 35 (01:22:29):
Now, don't be too hard on her. It was nice
to have someone to talk to. She didn't really say
anything harmful.

Speaker 14 (01:22:35):
She wasn't caddy.

Speaker 20 (01:22:36):
Uh.

Speaker 17 (01:22:36):
Speaking of cats, have you seen ours?

Speaker 35 (01:22:39):
He made a beeline for the woods again. I just
hope he doesn't bring home any more surprises.

Speaker 36 (01:22:43):
Honey, cats are hunters, it's their nature. Now, Mine Hair
just never had a chance to do his thing before.

Speaker 35 (01:22:48):
He's always been such a gentle house cat. I never
thought of him as a predatory animal.

Speaker 17 (01:22:53):
Well he is. He just can't help it, that's all.

Speaker 13 (01:22:55):
Yes, he can.

Speaker 14 (01:22:56):
That's like saying that killers have to kill.

Speaker 17 (01:22:58):
They're two different things entirely.

Speaker 14 (01:23:02):
That's mine Hair. It sounds like he's in trouble.

Speaker 36 (01:23:04):
Maybe this time he got hold of something too big
for him. Now you close your eyes until I see.

Speaker 4 (01:23:10):
What it is.

Speaker 14 (01:23:11):
Whatever it is, don't let him bring it in.

Speaker 33 (01:23:15):
Well, hello, there, it's all right, honey, it's only a dog.

Speaker 17 (01:23:20):
I think I'm afraid my Algernon.

Speaker 8 (01:23:22):
I'm scared off your cat.

Speaker 14 (01:23:24):
He didn't mean to. Algernon loves cat. He's very affectionately
just doesn't realize how big he is.

Speaker 17 (01:23:30):
And I imagine our cat will learn to stay out
of his way.

Speaker 14 (01:23:32):
I just wanted you to know that Algernon won't hurt him.
In any event, Algie wouldn't hurt a fly. I'm afraid
that's more than can be said for our cat.

Speaker 17 (01:23:40):
I'm Mout Siversen, and this is my wife, Brenda. Oh delighted.
I'm Mercy Birger, next door neighbor.

Speaker 14 (01:23:46):
Oh, we're very happy to meet too.

Speaker 17 (01:23:49):
You're a detective. I hear you're a mystery writer. I
understand one.

Speaker 14 (01:23:54):
Thing sure about this town. It's a grapevine. I may
have some questions to ask you sometime, mister Sabath, Do
you mind questions research for my stories?

Speaker 8 (01:24:05):
Oh?

Speaker 15 (01:24:05):
Sure?

Speaker 17 (01:24:05):
If it's something I know.

Speaker 14 (01:24:06):
Well, it's going to come in handy having a detective
right next door. Look, isn't that another of our neighbors.
Mister Wharton, the Selectman?

Speaker 17 (01:24:16):
That's him? All right?

Speaker 14 (01:24:18):
The great fine slipped up this time? Distinguished? Isn't the
word handsome would be better?

Speaker 17 (01:24:24):
Here's a looker? All right, I'll give you that. You
sound as though you don't like mister Wharton very much.

Speaker 14 (01:24:29):
Miss Bird, I'll call me, Mercy, I never stand on ceremony.
And as for mister Wharton, you're all right. I don't
like the man very much, not at all in fact.
Now come on, Algernon, come on, let's finish our walk.
Let our neighbor's cat get home in peace. Come by again,
won't you?

Speaker 7 (01:24:44):
Oh?

Speaker 17 (01:24:44):
I will, Algernon insists on his walks to talk. I
go buy miss bird.

Speaker 33 (01:24:49):
I'm Mercy quite a character.

Speaker 14 (01:24:53):
Oh I like her, so do I.

Speaker 17 (01:24:56):
But I wonder why she.

Speaker 36 (01:24:57):
Doesn't like the handsome, distinguished mister Wharton. When my first
two days off came up, I had already managed to
deal with most of the boxes. Confusion was gradually changing
into order, and Brenda was busy at the sewing machine
making new curtains for the big picture window. So I
decided on a few hours busman's holiday and went downtown

(01:25:18):
to look in on Wellesley's police station. There was an
officer there named Denahey that I once worked a case with.

Speaker 7 (01:25:24):
Great to see you again, Severson. What brings you out
to Wellesley? Official business?

Speaker 18 (01:25:29):
No?

Speaker 17 (01:25:29):
No, we moved here.

Speaker 33 (01:25:30):
My wife and I ah an old remodeled house on
holl Street. Ah, yes, I think I know the one
is right across the street from Ralph Wharton, right right.

Speaker 17 (01:25:38):
He's really mister big in this town, isn't he?

Speaker 4 (01:25:40):
Oh?

Speaker 7 (01:25:40):
He owns half of it.

Speaker 33 (01:25:42):
A block of stores, a medical building, arrest home, you
name it. Say you know it may turn out to
be a handy thing for us. You're living right across
the street from Wharton.

Speaker 17 (01:25:51):
How's that?

Speaker 33 (01:25:52):
You can keep your eyes open? Somebody's got a big
haydown for that guy. He's been getting a series of
poison pen letters ever since his wife left from last
January hate meal.

Speaker 17 (01:26:03):
I heard missus Wharton just disappeared. Nobody knows where she is.

Speaker 33 (01:26:06):
The rumor factory. The truth is she went to California
to live with her sister.

Speaker 7 (01:26:10):
We have a letter from her confirming.

Speaker 17 (01:26:12):
This, confirming it. Why was that necessary?

Speaker 33 (01:26:15):
Those letters? Wharton has been getting quite a minute. I
show you a photos stat of one. See they're always
pasted up, words, cut from newspapers and postmarked from the
next town over, Nattic.

Speaker 15 (01:26:29):
Hey, I read it.

Speaker 36 (01:26:32):
You may think you can get away with your wife's murder,
Rudolph Wharton, but you can't. I won't let you. Signed
the Great Eye.

Speaker 17 (01:26:41):
The Great Eye sounds like somebody's playing a joke.

Speaker 7 (01:26:44):
You're new to Wellesley.

Speaker 33 (01:26:45):
My friend nobody, but I mean nobody plays a joke
on Rudolph Wharton.

Speaker 17 (01:26:58):
Sold Denny.

Speaker 36 (01:26:59):
He asked me to keep my trained professional eye on
the Whartonhouse for any sign of a suspicious character hanging about.
It seemed that somewhere in Wellesley a nut was running loose.

Speaker 35 (01:27:10):
Why would anyone make an accusation that could be so
easily disproved.

Speaker 14 (01:27:14):
It doesn't make any sense, Frank.

Speaker 36 (01:27:15):
Letters don't have to make sense. There are a nuisance,
to say the least than any nut who writes them
may be capable of almost anything.

Speaker 35 (01:27:21):
Well, it's probably just someone who resents Rudolph Wharton's position
and power. If you were receiving a lot of anonymous
love letters, I could understand it.

Speaker 33 (01:27:29):
What about our friend, miss Bird, She apparently doesn't think
of him as any paragon that.

Speaker 14 (01:27:33):
You don't think she'd be writing in poison pen letters,
do you?

Speaker 5 (01:27:37):
Hmm?

Speaker 36 (01:27:37):
It would seem more her style to just go over
and tell them off. But a cop learns quickly enough
not to rule out anything. Oh dear, what's that for?

Speaker 35 (01:27:48):
We move to this lovely, peaceful little town to get away.
Now you're going to be a detective, even when you
get home, going to start looking at everyone with that
suspicious cop nature of yours.

Speaker 17 (01:28:00):
Honey, that's true.

Speaker 35 (01:28:02):
There's always a reason if you start looking for one.
People aren't perfect. You can't start putting them under a
microscope without seeing things that you shouldn't see.

Speaker 17 (01:28:10):
I didn't know you felt this way about my work.

Speaker 30 (01:28:12):
Oh nude.

Speaker 14 (01:28:12):
I don't mind your being a detective.

Speaker 17 (01:28:14):
I'm proud of you.

Speaker 35 (01:28:16):
But please just try to remember that this is where
we live now. It's not a police precinct.

Speaker 17 (01:28:21):
It's our home. I know that, but I mean, oh,
these people.

Speaker 14 (01:28:23):
Are our friends and neighbors, not suspects.

Speaker 36 (01:28:25):
All right, all right, honey, I'll remember that. Go ahead,
whoever it is you can let them in. I promise
I won't turn a light in their face and demand
that they can fess.

Speaker 14 (01:28:36):
All mercy, how nice? Come on in without algernon this time.
I'd spare your cat.

Speaker 17 (01:28:46):
Brought your chocolate cake, one of the few things I
can cook. Worth a damn.

Speaker 14 (01:28:50):
It looks delicious.

Speaker 33 (01:28:51):
I could cook my favorite. Hey, the grapevine in this
town is fantastic.

Speaker 14 (01:28:55):
Oh how about some coffee or what would you like
to drink? Got my buttermilk. Sorry, nobody ever has. She's
mother and I the only buttermilk fanciers.

Speaker 17 (01:29:03):
How about having a bear with me? Oh, mother wouldn't
approve it, sounds good to me.

Speaker 16 (01:29:10):
Is your mother still living?

Speaker 14 (01:29:11):
I fo no, no, no, no, no, she's gone, but
still near enough to visit. It's a pleasant cemetery just
outside the next town over, Natick.

Speaker 17 (01:29:19):
I go and see her often, do you?

Speaker 38 (01:29:22):
You must miss her very much? Well, tell you the truth.
We get along better now than when she was up
and around. When's the baby?

Speaker 14 (01:29:33):
Two more months? Got a good doctor, I hope, a
very good Boston gyn of collegist doctor Abrams. Never heard
of him, But then I never had any use for
a gynecologist, missus.

Speaker 17 (01:29:45):
Bird, I mean, Mercy, What is it about mister Wharton
that you would that you don't like?

Speaker 12 (01:29:50):
Oh?

Speaker 14 (01:29:51):
Loot, There's nothing I do like about mister Wharton, nothing
at all.

Speaker 17 (01:29:56):
Why? Because he thinks he's God almighty.

Speaker 7 (01:30:00):
That's why.

Speaker 36 (01:30:03):
Somehow, despite the obvious evidence of her disdain for Rudolph Wharton,
and now the added fact that she visited the next
town of Natick regularly, I couldn't settle on Mercy Bird
as the perpetrator of the poison pen letters. My cop
suspicious nature. Notwithstanding, Mercy Bird was a character I thought,
but not a nut. There was a big difference. There

(01:30:24):
was something about the atmosphere in Wellesley, however, that made
me glad to get back to the routine of my
police job in Boston. At the end of my two
day holiday, Captain Granger made sure of my relief didn't
last that long.

Speaker 8 (01:30:36):
Continue patrol. Say the moment of family twenty three m. Kimbley.

Speaker 7 (01:30:42):
I was a new place, a Roseley nude.

Speaker 36 (01:30:43):
All fine, cap'n fine. We're getting slowly but surely straightened
out out there. I just had a call from Chief
Torrents out there.

Speaker 17 (01:30:50):
Hmm about that poison pen letter business.

Speaker 7 (01:30:53):
Poison pan letter. Wellesley has that going on too?

Speaker 17 (01:30:57):
Why what else is up?

Speaker 7 (01:30:59):
Obscene phone calls? A whole epidemic?

Speaker 5 (01:31:02):
What?

Speaker 33 (01:31:02):
Yeah, that's some quiet little town you picked out for
yourselfs Everson.

Speaker 34 (01:31:09):
Tomorrow, at this time, rest your eyes and listen here
to this week's continuing study and suspense a die in
the Country. I'm Rod Serling, and this is the zero hour.

Speaker 33 (01:31:34):
You've been listening to the Hollywood Radio Theatre's presentation of
the Zero Hour, heard every weekday at this time. Rod
Serling is your host. Tobias Wells A Die in the
Country was adapted for radio by Shirley Gordon. Peter Marshall
is Newt Susan Strasburg is Brenda, and Andrew Duggan is
the Chief Teachured in the cast are Foris Lewis as

(01:31:57):
the Captain, Janet Waldo as Glow, Ken Smith as Wharton,
Marvin Miller as Arland, Virginia Gregg as Dolly, and Mary
Wicks as Mercy. Zero Hour is produced and directed by
Elliot Lewis. Jack Myers is executive producer, Rochelle Sherman associate producer,
and Kim Weiscoff story editor. Music composed and conducted by

(01:32:22):
Stanley D.

Speaker 17 (01:32:22):
Hoffman.

Speaker 33 (01:32:23):
The Hollywood Radio Theater theme was played by Fronte and
tysher and is now available on United Artists records and tapes.
This has been a J. M. Colis Enterprises production. Hugh
doug the speaking tune in tomorrow and once again, brust
your eyes and listener to the Zero Hour the Hollywood

(01:33:00):
Radio Theater every day at this time, Monday through Friday,
a J. M. Colas Enterprises production. The Hollywood Radio Theater

(01:33:21):
presents an unusual tale of mystery and suspense. Every week,
Monday through Friday, The Hollywood Radio Theater presents.

Speaker 34 (01:33:30):
I'm Rod Serling. You're listening to The Zero Hour, West
your eyes exercise you remain This week Tobrius Wells neogtic

(01:33:50):
tale A small Town, A Die in the Country, starring
Peter Marshall, Susan Strossberg, and Andrew Duggan in Elliott Lewis's

(01:34:19):
production of The Zero Hour. It's never easy to pick
up and move to a new community. There's always a
necessary period of adjustment. Young Boston detective Newt Severson and

(01:34:42):
his wife Brenda I know in the process of adapting
to their new surroundings. They've just moved to the quiet
suburban town of Wellesley to await the birth of their
first child. They settled into a recently remodeled three story
Victorian house with a small punch of New England woods
on one side and Miss Mercy Bird, mystery writer in
the town, Ray Close on the other. Directly across the

(01:35:04):
street lives Wellesley's most prominent citizen, town Selectman Rudolph Wharton,
subject of current gossip concerning the recent desertion of his wife,
as Detective Severson soon learns Wharton is being harassed by
a series of anonymous poisoned pen letters accusing him of
his wife's murder. Back at his desk at the Boston

(01:35:25):
Police Station, nut Severson finds that precinct Captain Granger as
a further crime report from Wellesley. Nut Severson is beginning
to question the advisability of his move to the country,
and he is yet to meet the rest of his neighbors.
A die in the country will continue in a moment,
as if.

Speaker 36 (01:35:46):
The threatening letters sent to Rudolph Wharton would enough. Now
we had even more to worry about.

Speaker 33 (01:35:51):
Obscene phone calls a whole resh of him. Seems that
some koop got hold of a Wellesley phone book. The
calls are occurring systematically to nearly every house in your town,
every huse, and the caller seems to be working right
through the book, sometimes from the front of it, sometimes
from the back.

Speaker 17 (01:36:07):
What ploy does he use?

Speaker 33 (01:36:08):
Well, he claims he's a doctor doing a survey his research.
He says, calls for answers to a number of questions,
and he starts off nice enough. Pretty soon he's into
the interviewee's sex life. You know how it goes from there.
Some of the ladies in your town are pretty upset,
I can imagine.

Speaker 17 (01:36:26):
But why did Torrents call you? What's the busting connection?

Speaker 33 (01:36:30):
Well, they've been tracing the calls when they could, but
the callers, he's been jumping all over the place. Once
they thought they had him months ago when the calls
first started, a series of them with traced to one
Wellesley number turned out to be a family on an
extended vacation. And the nut whoever he is, had made
an entry through a cellar window. Never stole anything, He

(01:36:50):
just used the phone they stick out the plate. Yeah sure,
But of course by then the guy found himself another Michi.
After that, he used payboos mostly once even the telephone
in the high school principal's office.

Speaker 7 (01:37:02):
And you don't know how he managed that.

Speaker 4 (01:37:05):
Don't tell me.

Speaker 17 (01:37:05):
He's operating all the way out of Boston.

Speaker 33 (01:37:07):
Well the latest calls have been traced to, of all players,
a phone booth at the aquarium here.

Speaker 17 (01:37:13):
This one sounds like a real weirdow, aren't they all?

Speaker 33 (01:37:18):
Terrence wants us to stake it out, since you have
a personal interest in the town, I thought you'd be
the man to do it.

Speaker 17 (01:37:23):
Has he established any time pattern?

Speaker 33 (01:37:25):
And the colin of her phones at night or on
the weekend, only those hours when most women are home alone?
That figures any voice description? Nobody seems to agree. So
maybe there's more than one not at work anyway. Could
be young, could be old?

Speaker 17 (01:37:40):
Any chance? Do you think that he might really really
be a doctor.

Speaker 33 (01:37:44):
There can be a twisted mind in any profession, you
know as well as I do. Anything's possible.

Speaker 36 (01:37:49):
Yeah, it's what my wife calls a cop suspicious nature.
She's already accused me of looking at everybody in Wellesley
as a suspect.

Speaker 7 (01:37:57):
Cloison, fan letters, bobscene phone call sounds to me you
have reason to.

Speaker 36 (01:38:05):
So I waited out the day at the Boston Aquarium,
but Wellesley's elusive sex nut continued to be the one
that got away. At Captain Granger's suggestion, I stopped buy
all my way home to report the police Chief Torrents
as the Wellesley Force.

Speaker 33 (01:38:18):
Yeah, well, I'm sorry you got sent on a wild
goose chase. Ever, so today called from a paybooth and
debt him. You got a quick trace on him. Now
he's aware we're playing traces on him.

Speaker 7 (01:38:26):
This time.

Speaker 33 (01:38:27):
He simply announced to his victim where he was calling
from one of those the law be damned.

Speaker 7 (01:38:31):
Catch me if you can, We'll catch him, damn his
dirty hide.

Speaker 33 (01:38:35):
Yeah, I've got a pregnant wife at home alone all day,
just getting used to a new house in a new town.

Speaker 17 (01:38:41):
I would like to have her get a call from
this creep.

Speaker 33 (01:38:43):
Every town's got a chair of creeps, I guess, Danny,
he told me he alerted you to the crank letters
being received by Rudolph Wharton.

Speaker 36 (01:38:49):
Yeah, he asked me to keep an eye out, since
Wharton is right across the street from him. All right,
we'd appreciate that there's any doubt about that letter you
received from missus Wharton confirming her whereabouts?

Speaker 14 (01:38:57):
Is there?

Speaker 33 (01:38:57):
I mean, no suspicion of forgery or anything. Good Man
Wharton is one of our selectmen. Remember, Oh, all right,
I'm a cop.

Speaker 7 (01:39:04):
I know better.

Speaker 33 (01:39:04):
So I placed a person in prison, called to her
that I paid for myself. Then wanted to show up
on the department phone bills. Our selectman have to approve
all monthly vouchers.

Speaker 17 (01:39:13):
So you actually talked to her then, Now she.

Speaker 33 (01:39:15):
Talked to me is more like I told me off,
or wasting my time tracking her down when I should
be tracking down the people sending their letters.

Speaker 36 (01:39:21):
I like to have a copy of whatever record you
have of the calls, and also photostats of the Wharton letters.

Speaker 17 (01:39:26):
You can get both of those from the clerk on
your way out. Hey, now I guess i'd better be
getting home to my wife.

Speaker 33 (01:39:31):
Well, let's hope our women don't get the idea that
there's some kind of fiend loose in our streets.

Speaker 7 (01:39:36):
But in point of fact, there is.

Speaker 17 (01:39:47):
It's me, honey in the living room.

Speaker 37 (01:39:49):
News, come on in and need missus Farley.

Speaker 17 (01:39:52):
The Farley's in the house catty corner across the street.

Speaker 36 (01:39:55):
I remembered missus Parsons run down on them, congenial couple
with the two potential teenage delinquents. I walked in and
saw a faded blonde and a red pants suit sitting
across the coffee table.

Speaker 14 (01:40:05):
From Brenda Gloria Farley. My husband Newt pleased to meet you.

Speaker 20 (01:40:10):
I was just apologizing to your wife and not having
come over sooner. I keep rather busy running a house
with two children and holding down a job as.

Speaker 17 (01:40:17):
Well I can understand that.

Speaker 14 (01:40:19):
I can't imagine it, just the thought of a house
with one baby, and it scares me.

Speaker 20 (01:40:24):
In particular, I came to invite you and your wife
to a party this Saturday evening our house.

Speaker 17 (01:40:28):
You'll meet my husband and a few friends.

Speaker 14 (01:40:31):
Oh that sounds nice. It'll be our first evening out
in Wellesley.

Speaker 17 (01:40:34):
Oh then, I'm glad I thought of it late, but sincere,
that's me. Thanks for asking us. It's just what we need,
really good.

Speaker 14 (01:40:42):
It's nice to have new neighbors, especially compatible ones.

Speaker 17 (01:40:49):
After Gloria Farley.

Speaker 36 (01:40:50):
Had left, while Brenda put the finishing touches on a
meat load of dinner, I was going to get busy
on that homework. I asked Chief Torrents for what instead
of seeing mine hair was late for his, and Brenda
asked me to go make sure he wasn't out squirrel
hunting again.

Speaker 17 (01:41:05):
Here, kitty, kitty giddy, come on mine here? Hey, they
worry your cat.

Speaker 7 (01:41:10):
If you're looking for your cat, I think I may
have him. Is this one yours? He is?

Speaker 17 (01:41:20):
I didn't think it crossed the street. My name is Seversen.
You're mister Wharton.

Speaker 33 (01:41:23):
Yes, and it's my fault. I like cats and he's
a beautiful animal. I load him over. He's not used
to all this freedom. We've be an apartment as well
as in Boston. You're a detective, I understand that's right. Well,
our crime here is of the minor variety's rule, and
not much of it at that that suits me. I

(01:41:44):
get enough of it on the job here to come
in for a drink. Oh thanks, but I think my
dinner's on the table, and I'll have to take a
rain check if I may. Of course, Wharton gave mine
here one final stroke and handed them to me, And
as he did, I was struck by a curious resemblance.
There was a look about their eyes that seemed the

(01:42:05):
same his and the cats.

Speaker 36 (01:42:08):
I said good night and walked back across the street,
running my hand thoughtfully across Minehir's glossy fur. I found
myself wondering which look it had been, that of our
formerly docile house cat or the killer it had become.
Chief Torres was right about the obscene phone call list.
It was hard to find a handle. I charted the

(01:42:30):
calls on a calendar and didn't come up with anything
Beyond my own frustration. I thought I had a thread
four calls and consecutive mondays from a pay booth outside
the Wellesley Railroad station between the hours of eight thirty
and nine thirty could be a commuter. But then the
pay boo's number dropped from the list and was never
used again. Sometimes he called four or five days in
a row, and another time a week went by without

(01:42:51):
a complaint. Of course, maybe that was only a time
when those women he called hadn't bothered to report it.
That was too often our problem. On the one hand,
there were the cranks who bothered us about nothing, and
on the other there were always those who came up
against real crime and kept it a big, dark secret,
even from the police. By the time Saturday night came,

(01:43:12):
I was ready for that party at the Farleys and
curious about who was going to be there.

Speaker 14 (01:43:16):
Hello, seven, come in and name your poison.

Speaker 36 (01:43:21):
Gloria Farley beckoned us into the high seating living room
and gestured us toward the bar set up on top
of a baby Grand piano. Obviously, the Farleys were more
drinkers than music lovers, and as it turned out, drama buffs.
All of the people invited were members of the local
little theater group, a kind of unisex couple appropriately named
Chris and Christine, a second couple, the Kletz Harvey and Angel,

(01:43:45):
and Dolly Celine, a buxom redhead who instantly established her
status as a widow in a plainly seductive tone of voice.
Then we briefly met the Farley children, Delilah and Gregg.
I say briefly because they were both obviously eager to
get out of the house, perfectly normal for two teenagers
when their parents are throwing a party. However, Gloria Farley

(01:44:05):
was perturbed with them for rushing off in front of company.

Speaker 17 (01:44:08):
Delilah, I want you home at a decent hour, do
you hear?

Speaker 14 (01:44:11):
And Greg don't be in such a hurry.

Speaker 17 (01:44:14):
Please dry slowly?

Speaker 37 (01:44:17):
Do you have your house key?

Speaker 17 (01:44:25):
They never want to stay home anymore. Oh, here's Arlen,
my husband.

Speaker 36 (01:44:32):
There was a sudden whir of a motor and we
followed Gloria Farley's gaze to the top of the stairs.
At that moment, a chair device came gliding down the
staircase bearing Arlen Farley, a big chested man with a
full head of wavy white hair and a wide smile
that reveal a mouthful of sparkling white teeth.

Speaker 17 (01:44:47):
At the foot of the stairs. He rose from the
chair and walked toward us.

Speaker 26 (01:44:51):
I had a coronary last year in the dock. You
recommended this chariot. It's kind of fun and it makes
a great inference.

Speaker 17 (01:44:58):
Very impressive. These are Island, Brenda and nuts Emmerson.

Speaker 26 (01:45:02):
I'll pick to Ginger, thanks Anny to get off the
hard stuff. Cigarettes too, the penalty for a misspent youth
and glory tells me are cough protective?

Speaker 17 (01:45:13):
Boston police. What's your business?

Speaker 26 (01:45:15):
Prosthetics, false feet? If you ever need a pair of choppers,
I'm your man. In fact, I just happened to have
a sample right with me.

Speaker 33 (01:45:25):
For a moment, I thought he was referring to his
own dazzling smile, but instead he reached into his pocket
and brought out a pair of those clicking false teeth
they sell in joke stores.

Speaker 17 (01:45:34):
Brenda gave a starting back away from them. I didn't
blame her. They really looked more sensitive than funny carln
what those silly things away?

Speaker 20 (01:45:42):
And for goodness sake, I'm sure we have more interesting
things to talk about than false teeth. I do.

Speaker 17 (01:45:48):
I bet no one can guess what happened to me
the other day. All right, then, I'll tell you one
of those two phone calls. Oh, dary, Oh, maybe it.

Speaker 4 (01:45:58):
Wasn't so awful.

Speaker 5 (01:45:59):
Maybe enjoyed it.

Speaker 39 (01:46:01):
Oh, don't pretend to be so shocked, glory. I did
enjoy it for a while until well, he did go
a little too far.

Speaker 14 (01:46:10):
You mean you just hung on and let him keep
talking to At first I thought.

Speaker 39 (01:46:13):
He was legitimately, he said he was a doctor, doctor venable.
He said, oh missus selim Dolly, please, mister Servison.

Speaker 17 (01:46:20):
Did you report the call to the police? Why should
I have? Why did you say this happened exactly? I mean,
can you remember?

Speaker 39 (01:46:29):
I guess it must have been the day before yesterday,
sometime in the afternoon.

Speaker 17 (01:46:33):
I certainly don't remember the time exact. It wasn't that important.

Speaker 14 (01:46:36):
What did he say to you?

Speaker 17 (01:46:37):
I mean, why did you think it was legitimate?

Speaker 39 (01:46:40):
Well, Christy asked for Robert, my late husband, you know,
his name's still in the directory. And then he explained
he was interviewing married women or women who've been married
for survey.

Speaker 33 (01:46:50):
What kind of questions did he ask, yeah, doll, what
kind of questions did he ask?

Speaker 13 (01:46:55):
To start with?

Speaker 39 (01:46:56):
Just ordinary questions like how long I'd been married and
how long we dated befo forehand, just things like that,
and then what Then he began asking some very personal things.
I mean, he wanted to know every little detail. So
finally I asked him is this necessary? And he said, oh, yes,
it's a very important part of the survey. And you
bought that explained that all the information I was giving

(01:47:17):
and would be fed into a computer and be strictly anonymous.
And then he told me if I'd answer all the
rest of his questions, he'd put me on his paid
subject list.

Speaker 17 (01:47:25):
He said, pert particularly helpful to me.

Speaker 7 (01:47:29):
So then he answered all the rest of his questions.

Speaker 20 (01:47:31):
Yeah, some good God, Dolly, how could you a perfectly
strange man over the telephone doctor or not?

Speaker 17 (01:47:38):
But they finally got so bad.

Speaker 14 (01:47:40):
I said to him, look, what are you a dirty
old man?

Speaker 17 (01:47:44):
And what did he say to that? There was a
long silence.

Speaker 39 (01:47:47):
I thought I'd made him angry, and then suddenly he laughed,
had quite a pleasant laugh, and he said, missus Selene,
I'd like to meet you, Dolly. You didn't, well, of
course not. I told him that I wasn't going to
answer any more questions either, not even for money.

Speaker 17 (01:48:03):
Then, did you hang up on him?

Speaker 14 (01:48:04):
Finally?

Speaker 17 (01:48:05):
No, he thanked me and hung up himself.

Speaker 22 (01:48:08):
He thanked you.

Speaker 14 (01:48:09):
That was nice.

Speaker 17 (01:48:10):
He did have a pleasant laugh, he really did. Maybe
he was legitimate. What whisky voice did he have? Could
you describe it?

Speaker 39 (01:48:19):
Kind of sulky? Well, to put it plainly, he had
a sexy voice. It's the only way to describe it.

Speaker 17 (01:48:28):
Dolly, I think, miss Selene, you had better tell all
of this to the police. Mister Sevinson Knute.

Speaker 14 (01:48:35):
You're a policeman, aren't you, And I've just told it
all to you. I don't know what a dreadful.

Speaker 17 (01:48:52):
Woman you mean, Miss Selene.

Speaker 14 (01:48:54):
Just call me Dolly, you big handsome policemen.

Speaker 17 (01:48:57):
Hey, you weren't jealous, were you?

Speaker 8 (01:48:59):
Oh?

Speaker 37 (01:48:59):
Jealous of her?

Speaker 14 (01:49:01):
Imagine going on and on with that kind of telephone conversation.

Speaker 17 (01:49:04):
Money, she said, wi it without a man. She must
be very lonely.

Speaker 14 (01:49:06):
Oh, she's lonely. To not do you spend practically the
entire evening with her.

Speaker 36 (01:49:09):
I wanted to find out all I could about the
phone's conversation. I'll bet come on, Brenda, that's gotten into you.
You never ACKed like this, well, I've never had.

Speaker 14 (01:49:17):
Reason to before. Of course, I suppose I really shouldn't
blame you.

Speaker 35 (01:49:20):
It can't be very exciting going to bed every night
with an old sack of potatoes.

Speaker 36 (01:49:24):
A ha, So that's it, Oh, darling, I don't care
how pregnant you get. You'll always look better to me
than any velups. She was redhead newt And you don't
have to worry about Dolly Selene. She isn't my type
first of all, and I promise you I will ever
see or talk to her again.

Speaker 18 (01:49:47):
Hello?

Speaker 17 (01:49:48):
Oh yes, uh, what is it missus Selene?

Speaker 7 (01:49:55):
Dolly?

Speaker 36 (01:50:02):
It turned out all Dolly Selene wanted was more attention.
The woman was lonely, perfect prey for a telephone nut.
She was also more frightened about the call than she
acted at the party. She knew she had done a
foolish thing. So again, I referred her to the Wellesley
Police Department, said a polite good night, and hung up.
My attention at the moment was in full demand upstairs
in my own bedroom. The next week or so passed

(01:50:24):
more or less serenely at home, while my job provided
all the excitement I wanted, and sometimes more than I
asked for. When I got home, tonight, I was really
ready to put my feet up with a beer, but
I didn't mind at all when I found company in
the kitchen.

Speaker 17 (01:50:36):
It was Mercy Bird, and we hadn't seen much of her.

Speaker 7 (01:50:39):
Lately, busy on a book.

Speaker 14 (01:50:40):
That's why nobody sees me when I'm writing How's a Cat?
By the way, I've had to let Algernon shift for
himself lately, so I hope he hasn't been given mine
hair a problem?

Speaker 26 (01:50:48):
Mine air.

Speaker 33 (01:50:49):
Mine hair is taken to spending a lot of time
across the street. It seems that Rudolph Wharton is a
cat lover. You still don't like the man, I take it.

Speaker 14 (01:50:57):
How can you not like a man who looks like
Carry Grant on the line? Like they say, you can't
judge a book. The man's no good. My mother died
in his rest home.

Speaker 17 (01:51:07):
You know, I didn't know that. The place is okay,
isn't it. I mean good doctor's, good care.

Speaker 14 (01:51:12):
And bloody expensive. But I'm not saying anything against the doctors.
It's Rudolph Walton I blame. That doesn't seem fair.

Speaker 17 (01:51:19):
Well, you don't know the man like I do.

Speaker 14 (01:51:21):
You don't know what he did to his wife, what
do you mean what did he do to his wife? Well,
she was a Mayhew. You know, there was Ernestine and
her sister u Leiley, and their father, Clarence Mayhew owned
half this tower in his day.

Speaker 17 (01:51:33):
You mean that's how worked to quite all his property,
exactly by Marion Ernestine Mayhew.

Speaker 14 (01:51:39):
But there's nothing wrong with that. It's what happened to
Ernestine Mayhew that I'm talking about. She was a gay,
lively thing until she married that one, and then she
changed changed.

Speaker 17 (01:51:50):
Oh, she changed completely. She became quiet and the somber
quiet and somber as a grave.

Speaker 40 (01:52:00):
Uh uh.

Speaker 17 (01:52:17):
Hut.

Speaker 16 (01:52:20):
This is Dolly, Dolly Selene, Dolly boy.

Speaker 8 (01:52:23):
I'm frightened.

Speaker 39 (01:52:25):
I'm all alone here and there's something wrong when somebody's
outside the house.

Speaker 8 (01:52:28):
I just know it.

Speaker 17 (01:52:29):
Why don't you call the police?

Speaker 11 (01:52:31):
They won't believe me. I'm afraid they think I'm something
of a past.

Speaker 39 (01:52:36):
Please loot.

Speaker 11 (01:52:37):
You're only a few blocks away.

Speaker 17 (01:52:40):
I wouldn't call him the middle of.

Speaker 13 (01:52:41):
The night if I weren't scared, stiff.

Speaker 16 (01:52:44):
Will you come over.

Speaker 5 (01:52:47):
All right?

Speaker 13 (01:52:48):
Thank you?

Speaker 17 (01:52:49):
Note I feel.

Speaker 8 (01:52:50):
Safe for already.

Speaker 17 (01:52:51):
Whatever you do, if there's someone there, don't let him in.

Speaker 37 (01:52:54):
I won't unless he's you, please hurry.

Speaker 36 (01:53:06):
The house looked completely dark. I thought maybe Dolly Selene
had given up and gone to bed. But then I
spied the shades of the color TV ghosts moving in
a box through the living room window. I got out
of my car and moved slowly up the walk, keeping
a careful eye on the surrounding shrubbery. It was so

(01:53:28):
dark I couldn't see where the doorbell was, so I
not missus Selene, missus Selene, missus Selene, Dolly Dolly, I

(01:53:48):
can't see you. Something moved on the floor, a sifting
of shadows. I sat along the wall on the switch
and plicked it. The whole light came on, and I
saw her, Dolly Celine, lying on the floor. Dark splotches
on her face and arms, bruises and blood, blood rather
than her hair.

Speaker 37 (01:54:07):
He came out.

Speaker 14 (01:54:09):
The telephoner.

Speaker 33 (01:54:12):
He came, you've been listening to the Hollywood Radio Theatre's

(01:54:34):
presentation of the Zero Hour, heard every weekday at this time.

Speaker 17 (01:54:39):
Rod Serling is your host. Tobias Wells.

Speaker 33 (01:54:42):
A Guy in the Country was adapted for radio by
Shirley Gordon, Peter Marshall, is newt Susan Strasburg is Brenda
and Andrew Duggan is the Chief. Featured in the cast
are Boris Lewis as the Captain, Janet Waldo as Gloria,
Ken Smith as Wharton, Marvin Miller as Darland, Virginia Gregg
as Dolly, and Mary Wicks as Mercy. Zero Hour is

(01:55:06):
produced and directed by Elliot Lewis. Jack Myers is executive producer,
Rochelle Sherman Associate producer, and Kim Weiscoff story editor. Music
composed and conducted by Stanley D.

Speaker 7 (01:55:19):
Hoffman.

Speaker 33 (01:55:20):
The Hollywood Radio Theater theme was played by Fronti and
tysher and is now available on United Artists Records and tapes.

Speaker 17 (01:55:27):
This has been a J. M.

Speaker 33 (01:55:29):
Colis Enterprises production, Q Douga speaking Tune in tomorrow and
once again, brust your eyes and listen here to the
Zero Hour a Hollywood Radio Theater. Every day at this time,

(01:56:11):
Monday through Friday, a JM. Colas Enterprises production, The Hollywood
Radio Theater presents an unusual tale of mystery and suspense.
Every week, Monday through Friday, The Hollywood Radio Theater presents.

Speaker 34 (01:56:26):
I'm Rod Sterling. You're listening to the Zero Hour. Rest
your eyes, exercise.

Speaker 7 (01:56:39):
Your imagination.

Speaker 34 (01:56:44):
This week Tobias Well's neo Gothic tale of small town terror,
A Dye in the Country, starring Peter Marshall, Susan Strasberg

(01:57:07):
and Andrew Dugganman. In Elliott Lewis's production of The Zero Hour,

(01:57:29):
Knutz Eversen found being a big city detective a full
time job. His home life suffered, so he moved with
his expectant wife Brenda, to the serenity of the country,
the quiet suburban community of Wellesley. But since that time
the Seversons have found their new life of expecting tranquility
marred by a succession of bizarre events. A prominent townsman

(01:57:53):
has been plagued by a series of poison pen letters.
The women of the town have been methodically harassed by
a rash of obscene to telephone calls, then nut service,
and responding to a neighbor's frightened plea for help, finds
the attractive young widow Dolly Celine, lying bruised and bleeding
on the floor for neot service and life in the
Country is hardly the picnic it was made out to be.

(01:58:16):
Any in the Country continues after this message.

Speaker 36 (01:58:24):
I called police headquarters and told them to send out
a car and an ambulance. And I covered Dolly's bruised
body with a blanket the blood and nice back to
her swollen face.

Speaker 17 (01:58:32):
I asked her what happened.

Speaker 13 (01:58:34):
It was a telephoner.

Speaker 16 (01:58:36):
He came to the door.

Speaker 17 (01:58:38):
I thought it was you and you let him in.

Speaker 41 (01:58:41):
No, I was just coming down the stairs and he
pushed the door open. I thought it was locked, but
it must not have been.

Speaker 17 (01:58:49):
Did he say anything?

Speaker 13 (01:58:50):
He said? He said, don't be afraid.

Speaker 16 (01:58:55):
You remember me, doctor Vennable.

Speaker 4 (01:58:57):
Then what I screamed?

Speaker 14 (01:59:00):
And he came up the stairs after me. He grabbed me.

Speaker 13 (01:59:05):
It threw me down.

Speaker 17 (01:59:08):
I've called the police and an analyst is coming.

Speaker 13 (01:59:10):
Just like why quiet car must have scared him off.
He ran out of the back.

Speaker 28 (01:59:18):
Oh nude, I got you kidding.

Speaker 36 (01:59:26):
I didn't want to move Dolly in case there were
any broken bones, so I just comforted her the best
I could until the police came. She didn't say anymore
until the lights of the cruisers swept up to the house.
Then she mumbled something I couldn't make out. I leaned closer.
What did you say, Dolly?

Speaker 7 (01:59:45):
Dolly?

Speaker 17 (01:59:45):
I couldn't hear you.

Speaker 14 (01:59:46):
I said, I must little terrible.

Speaker 36 (01:59:53):
As I saw it. The Dolly Selene incident made the
whole thing more baffling. The man had come out in
the open making a rash attack. After this time, it
had been methodical and anonymous, the same as the writer
of Rudolph Wharton's poison pen letters.

Speaker 17 (02:00:07):
In fact, I'd even considered that they could be one
and the same person.

Speaker 36 (02:00:11):
A far fetched thought, maybe, but again, anything's possible to
a cop. The next time mine hair wandered across the street,
I decided to pick up my rain check on Wharton's
earlier offer of that drink.

Speaker 1 (02:00:26):
I'm afraid I don't quite understand your interest in this
nasty business of mine.

Speaker 33 (02:00:30):
Serversen, Oh, I know it's none of my affairs, sir.
I just guess it's a case of one's a cop,
always a cop. I mean, why would anyone accuse you
of something that could be so easily disproved.

Speaker 7 (02:00:42):
I wouldn't know, Seversen.

Speaker 17 (02:00:44):
You tell me it would be far more reasonable if
your wife had, say, gone on a triperalla world where
she couldn't.

Speaker 36 (02:00:51):
Be reached, then it would be hard for anyone to
find out if she were dead or alive.

Speaker 7 (02:00:55):
Well, what makes you look for reason and a person
of the sort.

Speaker 17 (02:00:59):
I would also think you might have some ideas to
who it might be.

Speaker 1 (02:01:03):
Well, if I have my suspicion, Seffsen, perhaps I wish
to keep.

Speaker 7 (02:01:07):
Them to myself.

Speaker 17 (02:01:08):
Then you do have who is it? Mister Wharton?

Speaker 7 (02:01:12):
You were right once a cop, all was a cop.

Speaker 1 (02:01:15):
Very well, since you're so persistent, I'll tell you a
little about the young man. Young man, he's somevene who
was very fond of my wife. She was very kind
to him. They spent a lot of time together, and
I rather imagine he misses her a great deal. In
his warped mind, he undoubtedly blames me for her departure.

Speaker 17 (02:01:35):
I don't understand why you haven't made this conjecture.

Speaker 18 (02:01:38):
To the police.

Speaker 7 (02:01:39):
Look, Severson, I don't want to get the boy in trouble.

Speaker 17 (02:01:42):
Boy someone who saw your wife regularly. It wouldn't be
the boy next door, would it.

Speaker 1 (02:01:47):
Greg Farley, Well, he's a difficult boy. I know his
parents are quite upset about him. He hardly communicates with
him at all. But he talked to you what Ernestine
had a way about her. She didn't listen to him.
I couldn't understand her taking the time with him, and
that she did, but perhaps it was only because she
didn't have any children of her own.

Speaker 17 (02:02:09):
He isn't attending school currently.

Speaker 5 (02:02:10):
I understand.

Speaker 7 (02:02:11):
No, just draws around on that motorbike of his.

Speaker 33 (02:02:14):
Mostly there's plenty of plan to buzz over to Natick,
where the letters have all been postmarked.

Speaker 1 (02:02:18):
I suppose, so if someone were trying to build a
case against him, which you may be, but I'm not.

Speaker 17 (02:02:26):
I really should be going, mister Wharton. And as you
said the start, none of this is really my affair.

Speaker 7 (02:02:31):
I appreciate your concern, however, mister s Everson.

Speaker 17 (02:02:33):
Thank you, and thanks for the drinking.

Speaker 33 (02:02:34):
Mister Warton, I didn't know what Wharton's game was, and
at the moment I didn't particularly care.

Speaker 36 (02:02:43):
I wanted to do some thinking about young Greg Farley.
Both his parents worked. He was alone during the day,
a dropout from school, with time on his hands, time
to write crank letters or to make dirty phone calls.

Speaker 17 (02:02:54):
Even one from the high school where his sister went.

Speaker 36 (02:02:58):
I found myself wondering if the police he had been
able yet to get any description of the assailant from
Dolly Selene. I dropped out the hospital just in time
to join in the interrogation. My friend Dennehy was in charge.

Speaker 7 (02:03:10):
We were told to take it easy.

Speaker 17 (02:03:12):
She's still pretty shaken up. Oh like I believe it.
Oh nude, it's you.

Speaker 13 (02:03:18):
How nice of you to come and see me.

Speaker 33 (02:03:20):
I'm afraid we're here officially, missus Selene. We want to
ask you a few questions. Oh yes, of course, lieutenant sergeant.
And now what we would like most of all is
for you to give us an accurate description of your assailant.

Speaker 14 (02:03:35):
But I didn't really see him.

Speaker 17 (02:03:37):
You didn't see him, no.

Speaker 14 (02:03:39):
Not very well.

Speaker 41 (02:03:40):
I mean it was dark out side, it was only
the light from the television in the house.

Speaker 14 (02:03:45):
He just bruist in the door and came at me.
I don't remember the vague outline of a man.

Speaker 33 (02:03:54):
It's terrible, missus Selene. Please try to think. You must
be able to tell us something. Was he tall, short, young?

Speaker 7 (02:04:07):
Or old?

Speaker 17 (02:04:09):
Young?

Speaker 13 (02:04:10):
I think.

Speaker 41 (02:04:12):
Yes, I'm sure he was young from the way he
moved rather tall. He looked very tall when he came
toward me, even though I was on stairs.

Speaker 17 (02:04:24):
And what else would you say?

Speaker 3 (02:04:26):
Fat?

Speaker 5 (02:04:27):
Or no?

Speaker 13 (02:04:28):
Not fat?

Speaker 14 (02:04:28):
No, not at all?

Speaker 13 (02:04:29):
Quite thin?

Speaker 33 (02:04:30):
Then you would describe him as a young man, tall
and thin. Is that correct, Mississily, Yes.

Speaker 14 (02:04:37):
That's correct. But I guess that isn't much to go
on as a sergeant.

Speaker 7 (02:04:44):
It's a start.

Speaker 17 (02:04:47):
I didn't say anything to the nay yet, but it
was something to go on.

Speaker 36 (02:04:52):
It wasn't much of a description, but what there was
of it to fit Greg Farley like a kid's skin glove, Denny.

Speaker 17 (02:05:12):
I was just wondering, have you ever had anything to
do with a kid named Greg Farley?

Speaker 7 (02:05:17):
Oh? You mean the Farley's across the street from you.

Speaker 33 (02:05:19):
Yeah, Well we've called on him and his parents once
or twice for one thing or another. You've got some
reason to think Greg Farley could be our man or boy.
Nothing really concrete, And to tell you the truth, his
mother's become quite a good front of my wife.

Speaker 17 (02:05:34):
So I hope the boys in the clear.

Speaker 33 (02:05:35):
But you think we should check on him, like finding
out his whereabouts the night of missus Selene's attack.

Speaker 5 (02:05:42):
Yeah, I do.

Speaker 36 (02:05:47):
It was the very next day that my partner, Parks,
and I were sent out to an auto dealer's Uncommonwealth.
A young man had brought in a nineteen seventy Elderado
for resale, giving the salesman a registration slip made out
to Harold Rooney, a Joy Street address. The dealer had
become suspicious and stored off the cellar, offering him cash
for the car if he came back in the afternoon. Meanwhile,

(02:06:08):
the dealer had the police check on Harold Rooney of Joystreet.
They talked to his wife. Rooney was at his job
at Dinah Lab data processing. The police called him with
the suggestion that he looked to see if his car
was where he left it that morning.

Speaker 17 (02:06:22):
It wasn't so.

Speaker 33 (02:06:23):
Parks and I staked out the dealership, hoping the car
thief would be lured back by that cash sailbait. Late
in the afternoon, a sleek Royal Blue El Dorado glided
to a stop in front of the office.

Speaker 36 (02:06:36):
I got up and walked out with Parks, ready to
apprehend the driver as he got out of the car.

Speaker 17 (02:06:40):
When he did, I.

Speaker 36 (02:06:41):
Found myself looking squarely into the face of Greg Farley,
a young face despite the hair and the beard. I
felt sorry sorry for him, for his family, for all
the kids who get into trouble with the cops and
their families who don't know what to do about them.

Speaker 33 (02:06:56):
He glared up at me, and with all the venom
he could muster, spit out the old that was in
his head at that.

Speaker 17 (02:07:01):
Moment, pig.

Speaker 36 (02:07:07):
I tried not to let what Greg Farley said bother me,
but it did. I heard it over and over and
over on the long bumper to bumper drive back to
Wellesley that evening, but I forgot about it as soon
as I got home.

Speaker 17 (02:07:20):
Something smells wonderful.

Speaker 14 (02:07:21):
That's a roast or it was an hour ago.

Speaker 17 (02:07:24):
I'm sorry, honey. Something happened today that you had better
know about it. This afternoon I arrested Greg Farley.

Speaker 14 (02:07:31):
Oh noot, no, I know.

Speaker 36 (02:07:33):
I hope Lauria is going to be able to understand
it's my job, even when it comes to friends and neighbors.

Speaker 17 (02:07:37):
But what did he do?

Speaker 5 (02:07:39):
Couldn't you?

Speaker 17 (02:07:39):
He was trying to sell a stolen car.

Speaker 14 (02:07:42):
Oh dear, poor Gloria. What do you think will happen
to him?

Speaker 36 (02:07:46):
I don't know what depends. He's over seventeen, no juvenile,
but he's not twenty one either. First offense like your probation.

Speaker 11 (02:07:53):
Oh, I.

Speaker 14 (02:07:56):
Think I ought to go over and talk to Gloria,
don't you know?

Speaker 17 (02:08:00):
I think I ought to? How about the latter is
your mother at home.

Speaker 30 (02:08:16):
Nope, your father he's not here either. Why don't you
ask my brother's home?

Speaker 17 (02:08:23):
And you know what happened today?

Speaker 14 (02:08:25):
Then my brother got arrested and you're the big man
who did it.

Speaker 17 (02:08:28):
Yes, I know that he was trying to sell something
that didn't belong to him. That's against the law. And
I'm a policeman.

Speaker 14 (02:08:35):
You don't have to be. You can make false teeth
like my own.

Speaker 17 (02:08:38):
I don't always like my job, but I'm not ashamed
of it either.

Speaker 14 (02:08:42):
What would they do to my brother?

Speaker 7 (02:08:43):
I really don't know.

Speaker 17 (02:08:45):
Is that where your mother and father are in Boston
seeing what they can do.

Speaker 30 (02:08:50):
I don't care what happens to Gray. The wilds that
cops are trying to pin something else on him too.
I suppose you don't know anything about that, mister detective.
You I know my brother isn't the freak that's been
making those dirty phone calls or beating up women or
writing threatening letters to anybody.

Speaker 7 (02:09:05):
How do you know?

Speaker 17 (02:09:06):
I mean, how do you know for sure?

Speaker 14 (02:09:08):
Because I know my brother.

Speaker 17 (02:09:12):
Suppose suppose you tell me about your brother, Delilah. I'd
really like to hear about him.

Speaker 14 (02:09:18):
He's a He's just a really neat God, that's all
you really like?

Speaker 17 (02:09:22):
Greg Ali?

Speaker 30 (02:09:24):
Well, I know a lot of girls don't like their brothers,
but Greg and me are really close.

Speaker 14 (02:09:29):
We always have been.

Speaker 30 (02:09:31):
I know him better than anybody, and I know he
couldn't do any of those things they're trying to say
he did.

Speaker 17 (02:09:37):
They're only questioning him about them.

Speaker 14 (02:09:39):
Because he has long hair and a beard.

Speaker 30 (02:09:41):
The cops have always been down on Greg just because
he's done a couple of little things, like once he
spray painted some street signs of the peace symbol.

Speaker 17 (02:09:49):
The facing public property is against the law.

Speaker 30 (02:09:52):
He cleaned up the signs afterwards, Well the cups made them,
But then they came right after him again for something else.

Speaker 17 (02:10:00):
Why did Greg drop out of school when he did?

Speaker 14 (02:10:03):
Because he just didn't care anymore.

Speaker 17 (02:10:05):
Was it about the same time that Missus Wharton next
door moved away.

Speaker 30 (02:10:10):
I suppose you've been listening to what they say about that,
making it into something dirty.

Speaker 17 (02:10:14):
They who's.

Speaker 14 (02:10:17):
The folks? Of course, people with dirty minds.

Speaker 30 (02:10:22):
Missus Wharton was the only person Greg could really talk
to besides me, And then my mother screams.

Speaker 14 (02:10:28):
At him about it one day, telling him it was
wrong that he was almost a man now and it
didn't look right then.

Speaker 30 (02:10:33):
She even asked him right out just what he and
missus Wharton did all the time they spent together.

Speaker 14 (02:10:41):
Greg went up in his.

Speaker 13 (02:10:42):
Room and threw up.

Speaker 17 (02:10:43):
I heard him. He actually got sick.

Speaker 30 (02:10:46):
Yeah, he does that when something really upsets him, like
the night we both found.

Speaker 17 (02:10:51):
Out father habout.

Speaker 30 (02:10:53):
What about our folks and they're sick friends? What they
do for entertainment only they call a group therapy.

Speaker 33 (02:11:03):
Do you think Greg is acting the way he is,
going out and stealing cars and getting arrested just to
get back get your folks for something?

Speaker 14 (02:11:10):
What do you think?

Speaker 30 (02:11:12):
How would you feel if you were Greg or me
and you found out your parents' idea of fun and
games were the best friends?

Speaker 14 (02:11:17):
Was wife swapping?

Speaker 17 (02:11:21):
I had plenty of food for thought.

Speaker 36 (02:11:23):
The next time Brenda and I found ourselves in the
company of the Farley's and their friends. Greg Farley remained
in jail waiting out his hearing on the cart left
charge and was still being questioned about the letters and
the phone calls. Harlan Farley had the men off on
the corner for his latest repertoire of dirty stories, and
I saw my chance to talk to Gloria Farley alone.
I didn't know whether or not she knew anything about

(02:11:43):
my conversation with her daughter, but I thought she ought to.

Speaker 20 (02:11:46):
You mean, Delilah actually carried down a conversation with you.
That's more than she does with her father and me.

Speaker 17 (02:11:51):
Well, she was very concerned about her brother.

Speaker 14 (02:11:53):
Well, they were always very close. I guess they still are.

Speaker 17 (02:11:56):
Yes, i'd say so. Well, we're all concerned about him.

Speaker 3 (02:12:00):
But what are we to do?

Speaker 14 (02:12:01):
He certainly won't listen to anything I say, doesn't even
hear me.

Speaker 17 (02:12:04):
Have you thought about some kind of counseling.

Speaker 20 (02:12:08):
I've thought about it, good deal in fact, But Arlen
won't allow it. He says he sowed some wild oats
in his time and came out all right. He insists
Greg will outgrow it.

Speaker 17 (02:12:17):
I'm afraid he's much more apt to get into deeper trouble.

Speaker 20 (02:12:21):
Nut they've told us there questioning Greg about those awful phone.

Speaker 17 (02:12:27):
Calls, Yes they are. Do you think it could be possible?

Speaker 7 (02:12:32):
I'm his mother.

Speaker 14 (02:12:32):
I can't think that.

Speaker 13 (02:12:35):
How do I know?

Speaker 14 (02:12:37):
He swears he's innocent, But how can you believe.

Speaker 20 (02:12:40):
A boy who strikes his father swears that his mother
goes out and gets himself arrested for stealing cars.

Speaker 33 (02:12:46):
Gloria, this isn't easy for me to bring up, but
I think it's only fair to tell you. Delilah feels
the reason her brother has gone off the deep end
the way he has.

Speaker 20 (02:12:55):
As well, it's because of missus Wharton leaving town. I
don't want to admit it, but I suppose that's it.

Speaker 18 (02:13:02):
No, No, not that.

Speaker 14 (02:13:05):
Well, what then, and whatever it is? Why haven't they
told their father and me about it?

Speaker 17 (02:13:12):
Gloria?

Speaker 36 (02:13:13):
It seems your children have somehow found out about the
kind of recreation that you and your husband indulge in
with your friends.

Speaker 5 (02:13:20):
Oh.

Speaker 36 (02:13:23):
She stared at me for a full moment, her face
gone ashen. Then suddenly, without another word, she turned away
and left the room. I didn't see her the rest.

Speaker 5 (02:13:30):
Of the evening.

Speaker 35 (02:13:39):
Nude, I don't understand. I went to look for Gloria
when we left, and she was in the power room,
just sitting there. I asked her what was wrong, and
she just cut me off, told.

Speaker 14 (02:13:48):
Me to leave her alone.

Speaker 17 (02:13:49):
Do you think she was all right?

Speaker 14 (02:13:51):
I don't know. I told Arlen and he went in
to her. But what happened? I saw you talking to
her just before and.

Speaker 17 (02:13:58):
Then, oh wow, we were just talking about Greg.

Speaker 5 (02:14:00):
I guess you got upset.

Speaker 14 (02:14:01):
Why did you say something to upset her?

Speaker 4 (02:14:04):
I don't know.

Speaker 17 (02:14:04):
Perhaps I did.

Speaker 14 (02:14:06):
You weren't being the policeman with her. I hope that
you don't really think Greg Farley can be the obscene telephoner?

Speaker 17 (02:14:13):
Do you, Brenda?

Speaker 33 (02:14:13):
If you want to know the truth, I'm the one
who first suggested to the police that Greg Farley might
just be their man man.

Speaker 14 (02:14:19):
He's just a boy.

Speaker 13 (02:14:20):
How could that be?

Speaker 14 (02:14:21):
Whatever made you think so?

Speaker 33 (02:14:22):
Nothing substantial, but a number of little things they could
add up.

Speaker 35 (02:14:26):
Oh you know what, you are a bulldog, the perfect
police mentality. Once you get hold of a piece of something,
no matter how small and flimsy it may be, you
never let go.

Speaker 14 (02:14:37):
You chew it to bits.

Speaker 36 (02:14:39):
I see nothing so terrible about answering questions, clearing the air.
Greg Farley will either prove he's innocent or guilty, and.

Speaker 35 (02:14:47):
Either way I'll probably lose the only friend I've made
in Wellesley.

Speaker 17 (02:14:55):
That wasn't exactly true either, but I didn't argue the point.
Mercy Bird. I thought of her as a friend, and
I knew Brenda did too. And the centric one.

Speaker 36 (02:15:04):
Perhaps but a friend we both liked, and we were
both concerned early that next morning when Mercy showed up
on our doorstep looking quite distraught.

Speaker 14 (02:15:13):
What's wrong, Mercy, algren on, he's gone, gone, wandered off
or been dog knapped.

Speaker 17 (02:15:19):
There's no knowing. All I know is he isn't anywhere
to be found. No, no, no, don't worry.

Speaker 33 (02:15:23):
You would really keep looking here. I'll take the car
and scout around. We'll find him, honeywall I hope.

Speaker 17 (02:15:27):
So he's an innocent abroad. You know, he's not used
a traffic or strangers. Poor Algae. I told her wrong,
but didn't see any sign of him.

Speaker 33 (02:15:40):
He was too big to miss. Finally, I turned onto
Route nine, where the speed limit was up to sixty.
If he had wondered this far, it would be poor
Algae all right.

Speaker 36 (02:15:50):
My eyes scanned the pavement, worried that any minute I
might see a large, shaggy shape, motionless in the middle
of the street. I was glad to get off the
highway and circle back by the shopping center. There was
a cluster of kids in front of Friendly's ice cream parlor.
I slowed down and caught sight of a big dog
in the center of a circle of children. It was
old Algernon, happily sharing somebody's strawberry ice cream.

Speaker 33 (02:16:11):
Can come on, fella, come on, come on boy, the
party's over come on now I've come to take you home, Algae,
Come on, Algernon. I parked in Mercy's driveway and Algernon

(02:16:35):
led me up to a side door that was standing ajar.
I could see by the cluttered table with a typewriter
on it that this was probably where Mercy spent most
of her time, but right now, apparently she was still
out looking for.

Speaker 17 (02:16:45):
The true at Algae, Mercy.

Speaker 33 (02:16:49):
Mercy, I think it the best thing to do would
be close the dog safely in the house and then
go find Brendan Mercy to tell them.

Speaker 17 (02:16:58):
I stepped into the room to lure.

Speaker 36 (02:16:59):
Algernon through the door, and I saw the scissors and
glue and scattered cut up newspaper.

Speaker 17 (02:17:06):
Pasted on a sheet of paper. Laying on the table
were three words. It was murder.

Speaker 34 (02:17:15):
Tomorrow at this time, rest your eyes and listen here
to this week's continuing study and suspense a die in
the country. I'm Rod Surling, and this is the zero hour.

Speaker 33 (02:17:41):
You've been listening to the Hollywood Radio Theater's presentation of
The Zero Hour, heard every weekday at this time.

Speaker 17 (02:17:49):
Rod Serling is your host.

Speaker 33 (02:17:51):
Tobias Wells A Die in the Country was adapted for
radio by Shirley Gordon. Peter Marshall is newt Susan Strasburg
is Brenda, and Andrew Duggan is the Chief. Featured in
the cast are Virginia Gregg as Dolly, Ken Smith as Wharton,
Jerry Hausner as Denehee, Katherine Burns as Delilah, Janet Waldo

(02:18:11):
as Gloria, and Mary Wicks as Mercy. Zero Hour is
produced and directed by Elliot Lewis. Jack Myers is executive producer,
rachelle Sherman associate producer, and Kim Weiscup story editor. Music
composed and conducted by Stanley D.

Speaker 7 (02:18:28):
Hoffman.

Speaker 33 (02:18:30):
The Hollywood Radio Theater theme was played by Ferranti and
tysher and is now available on United Artists records and tapes.

Speaker 17 (02:18:37):
This has been a J. M. Coolis Enterprises production.

Speaker 33 (02:18:40):
Q Douglas speaking Tune in tomorrow and once again, rest
your eyes and listen here to The Zero Hour the

(02:19:05):
Hollywood Radio Theater every day at this time, Monday through Friday,
a J. M. Colas Enterprises production. The Hollywood Radio Theater

(02:19:26):
presents an unusual tale of mystery and suspense. Every week,
Monday through Friday, The Hollywood Radio Theater presents.

Speaker 34 (02:19:34):
I'm Rod Serling. You're listening to The Zero Hour. Rest
your highs, exercise you remain This week Tobrius Wells Neogothic

(02:19:55):
tale of small town terror, A Die in the Country,
starring Peter Marshall, Susan Strasberg, and Andrew Duggan.

Speaker 8 (02:20:21):
In Elliott Lewis's production of The Zero Hour.

Speaker 34 (02:20:37):
In this urmobile society, the act of physically moving one's
family from one town to another is a relatively simple matter.
The problem is leaving old friends behind and making new ones.
Detective Knute Severuson and his wife Brenda, having recently moved
from Boston to the smaller suburban town of Wellesley, have
begun making those new friends. However, they find themselves becoming

(02:20:58):
more deeply involved in a web of intrigue and laments
among their neighbors. While on an innocent errand to return
a lost dog to their next door neighbor, Mercy Bird Newt,
has come upon startling evidence which tends to incriminate still
another of their new Wellesley friends. City living was never
quite like this. A die in the country resumes after

(02:21:20):
this word.

Speaker 14 (02:21:22):
The bazaar with pizzaz that's definitely African is called a
Shanti Ashanti at sixty fifth in Lexington, where folks with
flair shop, we.

Speaker 42 (02:21:29):
Bought a pair of bracelets. I understand that they're West Indian.
They have some very delicate work in the silver, and
I think my wife's going to enjoy them very very much.
When people come home from a trip, they almost always
regular gift, and we've decided to reverse the procedure and
have a gift.

Speaker 14 (02:21:50):
Waiting for her by someone you love, A gift from Ashanti.

Speaker 17 (02:21:57):
All I admit to do is let the dog again.

Speaker 36 (02:22:00):
But I found scissor's glue and three words cut from
old newspapers to make a bitter accusation.

Speaker 4 (02:22:05):
It was murder.

Speaker 33 (02:22:06):
So Mercy Bird was the center of the poison pen
letters being received by Rudolph Wharton.

Speaker 17 (02:22:12):
Dude, what are you doing in here? I found Algernon.
It looks as if that's not all you found. Why Mercy,
why have you been sending these letters to Rudolph Wharton?
Because it's true the man murdered his wife. What makes

(02:22:33):
you even think that? I don't think it. I know it.
Don't ask me how, I just do. Then you've no evidence,
no proof, not the kind you mean.

Speaker 14 (02:22:41):
But I know the kind of man Rudolph Wharton is,
and I know the kind of person Ernestine Mayhew was.
She wouldn't just go away like that he killed her.

Speaker 33 (02:22:49):
I tell you, Mercy, making such a terrible accusation against
the man with no proof is going to land you
in serious trouble.

Speaker 14 (02:22:54):
Why doesn't somebody look for proof of a man like
what wanted to get rid of a body, he'd find
a way. Did anybody dug up his cellar, unlock his trunks,
examine his fire bed?

Speaker 17 (02:23:04):
Mercy, you've been writing too many mystery stories.

Speaker 14 (02:23:07):
You're a detective, aren't you. You know damn well, murders
are committed and bodies are hidden all the time. The
only difference is nobody's looking for this one.

Speaker 36 (02:23:15):
Nobody is looking for Ernestine Mayhew's body because the woman
is alive and well, living with her sister in California.

Speaker 17 (02:23:21):
Chief Torts has a letter from her, and he also
talked her on the telephone.

Speaker 8 (02:23:24):
Oh then the police do suspect something?

Speaker 5 (02:23:26):
Oh?

Speaker 17 (02:23:26):
No, No, they acted on those letters, of course, to
prove they were a hope, a hoax.

Speaker 14 (02:23:30):
That's exactly what Rudolph Wharton is pulling off, don't you
see see what? Oh, of course you don't know about
Ernestine and her sister?

Speaker 2 (02:23:40):
What about them?

Speaker 14 (02:23:42):
That they look and sound so much alike? Could almost
be twin those two. How better was you lately that
the chief got the letter from and doctor on the telephone?

Speaker 17 (02:23:51):
That might work for one of your books.

Speaker 33 (02:23:52):
But how could Rudolph Wharton persuade you lately Mayhew to
masquerade as her sister?

Speaker 17 (02:23:57):
Then she had known that he had killed her. Perhaps
she does know and is just going along with it.
There's something else you don't know about the Mayhew sisters.

Speaker 8 (02:24:07):
They were both in love with Rudolph Wharton.

Speaker 14 (02:24:16):
Oh Newt. You're not going to the police about Mercy, are.

Speaker 17 (02:24:19):
You, Honey? I have to do something. This kind of
thing just can't be ignored.

Speaker 35 (02:24:23):
You don't suppose that there's a chance she's right about
Rudolph Wharton.

Speaker 17 (02:24:26):
That he's a murderer. Huh Now, who's looking at our
neighbors like a cop.

Speaker 14 (02:24:31):
But why would Mercy do this?

Speaker 36 (02:24:33):
Well, we know she's a little eccentric, and I suppose
as a mystery writer, she may be inclined to let
her him imagination run them up.

Speaker 14 (02:24:40):
Living all alone in that creepy house, you.

Speaker 17 (02:24:42):
Know, there's hardly any furniture inside.

Speaker 14 (02:24:44):
Mean, from what I could see, keeping her mother in
that rest home must have been very expensive.

Speaker 17 (02:24:49):
Yeah, and a rest home owned by the rich Rudolph Wharton.

Speaker 14 (02:24:52):
No less, But she shouldn't be put in jail just
for harboring a grudge.

Speaker 36 (02:24:56):
Sending threatening letters is more than just harboring a grudge.
It's all going to depend on Wharton. I mean, what
he wants to do about it after he finds out
it's mercy. Maybe he'll be charitable and not press charges.

Speaker 14 (02:25:07):
Are you going to talk to him or the police?

Speaker 7 (02:25:10):
I don't know.

Speaker 17 (02:25:12):
There's some snipping around I want to.

Speaker 35 (02:25:13):
Do first, Oh darling, if anybody can help mercy, you can.
I think I'm glad I'm married to a bulldog.

Speaker 14 (02:25:20):
After all.

Speaker 36 (02:25:24):
My first stop was the town Clerk's office in town Hall,
a redstone castle on top of the hill. I didn't
think it wise the chance Rudolph Wharton's finding out that
I'd been checking for information on his wife. So I
made up a story to tell the clerk that wangled
me a look at the alphabetical file under m It
took only a quick flip of the cards for me
to get what I'd come for you, Lady Mayhew's present
address in California, where ostensibly both sisters could be found.

Speaker 17 (02:25:52):
My next stop was the public library.

Speaker 36 (02:25:53):
With luck in a small town like this, i'd find
copies of the Wellesley High School annuals there.

Speaker 7 (02:25:58):
I did.

Speaker 36 (02:26:00):
Should be the forties, I figured, and I was right,
the summer class of nineteen forty one for Ernestine, forty
two for you, Leiley.

Speaker 17 (02:26:07):
I placed the pictures of the two.

Speaker 36 (02:26:08):
Sisters side by side, heart shaped faces, light eyes, identical
blonde hairdoos of the pompadoor and page boy style. At
the time, even looking closely at them as I was
doing it was hard to see the difference between them.

Speaker 17 (02:26:21):
But did they sound alike as well?

Speaker 5 (02:26:23):
I wondered.

Speaker 36 (02:26:25):
I got a telephone number for you, Leiley Mayhew from
the long distance operator Urside, California Inflammation.

Speaker 17 (02:26:53):
Hello, Hello U, Miss may You?

Speaker 18 (02:26:56):
Yes?

Speaker 17 (02:26:57):
Is this miss you Lailey Mayhew?

Speaker 2 (02:26:59):
Yes?

Speaker 21 (02:27:00):
Who's this?

Speaker 8 (02:27:00):
Hi?

Speaker 17 (02:27:01):
Lester Martin Lesley High class of forty one? Do you
remember me.

Speaker 8 (02:27:05):
I don't believe I knew you. I didn't graduate until
a year after that.

Speaker 36 (02:27:08):
Oh, I know your sister Ernestine was in my class.
I understand she's staying there with you right now.

Speaker 18 (02:27:13):
Is that Ryan, Yes she is.

Speaker 36 (02:27:18):
Well, it's Ernestine. I really called the talk to. It's
quite important the issue there.

Speaker 43 (02:27:24):
Yes, she's here, just a moment.

Speaker 8 (02:27:29):
Hello you lately.

Speaker 12 (02:27:31):
No, this is.

Speaker 17 (02:27:32):
Ernestine, Ernestine Mayhew. How are you? This is Lester Martin.
Long time they'll see.

Speaker 14 (02:27:39):
Yes, my sister told me you.

Speaker 8 (02:27:41):
We're on the phone.

Speaker 17 (02:27:42):
I'm afraid it's been longer than i'd care to admiss.
I'll bet you're wondering why I called.

Speaker 11 (02:27:47):
To be honest, I don't have the faintest notion.

Speaker 33 (02:27:50):
Well, we're planning a class reunion Thanksgiving Day, the old
football rivalry.

Speaker 17 (02:27:54):
You know, it'll be a real homecoming.

Speaker 18 (02:27:57):
Can you make it?

Speaker 8 (02:27:58):
Well? I don't know.

Speaker 14 (02:28:00):
Oh, I've been thinking of perhaps making a trip abroad soon.

Speaker 44 (02:28:04):
Oh.

Speaker 8 (02:28:05):
Who else is going to be at the reunion?

Speaker 36 (02:28:07):
Ah, Clarence Masters, Nela Mowinney. I was given only the
M's to call, so I don't know about the others.

Speaker 8 (02:28:14):
Then you wouldn't know if Patsy Oliver is coming.

Speaker 17 (02:28:17):
Patsy, No, she's not on my list. I'll have to
think about it. I'll send you a letter with all
the details just as soon as they're worked out. Of course.
Thank you, you're.

Speaker 33 (02:28:28):
Welcome, and this thin nice talking to you. And you
know something, what you and your sister sure sound exactly alike.

Speaker 8 (02:28:36):
You must have forgotten Lester.

Speaker 18 (02:28:38):
We always did.

Speaker 17 (02:28:45):
My phone called a California gave me nothing to go on.

Speaker 36 (02:28:48):
But for some reason I suddenly thought of an old
friend in Los Angeles, a private gumshoe named Jess Dyer,
who I knew would do me a favor, a little
steak out at the Mayhew House and maybe some discreet
checking with the neighbors. Meanwhile, I decided to drop in
for another little off the cuff chat with Chief Torrents
down at the Wellesley Police station. I was wondering, when
you talk to missus Wharton, what did you ask her?

(02:29:09):
Did you find out when exactly she left Wellesley and
how she got to California?

Speaker 17 (02:29:12):
Anything like that.

Speaker 33 (02:29:13):
Well, I didn't interrogate her, if that's what you mean,
no reason to. All I needed to know is that
she was alive, I suppose, so only what are you
getting as severersen Nothing.

Speaker 36 (02:29:25):
Probably, my wife says, I'm a bulldog with a police mentality.

Speaker 33 (02:29:31):
I hope you don't have the idea that I didn't
check thoroughly just because it was Wharton.

Speaker 17 (02:29:34):
No, no, no, I wasn't thinking that.

Speaker 33 (02:29:36):
There have been people in this town from time to
time who tried to buy me, but they've learned quick
enough that I'm not their boy.

Speaker 17 (02:29:41):
I can tell that.

Speaker 7 (02:29:43):
Okay.

Speaker 33 (02:29:43):
I just wanted to set things straight in case, because
I'm getting the notion that you've got an itch.

Speaker 7 (02:29:48):
An itch.

Speaker 33 (02:29:49):
That's why I call it when it happens to me,
an itch I can't scratch, keeps me up night sometimes,
feeling that something's.

Speaker 7 (02:29:55):
Out of killed her off the mark.

Speaker 17 (02:29:57):
Yeah, I guess maybe that's what I got.

Speaker 33 (02:30:01):
And I gather you're thinking maybe it's a place I
can reach that you can Maybe it is. What can
you tell me about the Mayhew sisters, for instance? I
hear they look and sound a lot alike. Well, that's
true enough, especially in their younger days, when they dressed alike,
wore their hair the same way and everything. Later on
they didn't do that anymore.

Speaker 7 (02:30:17):
Of course.

Speaker 17 (02:30:18):
I also hear that at one time, at least they
were both in love with Rudolph Wharton.

Speaker 7 (02:30:22):
Yeah, I suppose he were.

Speaker 33 (02:30:23):
I'd be back in their younger days too, before Wharton
settled on Ernestine. I remember when my wife and I
used to go to the steakhouse in those days. We'd
see the three of them, young Wharton as handsome then
as he is now, with the Mayhew girls, one on
each arm, both of them looking up at him like
he was God. Is there anybody in town, anybody you
can think of that Ernestine may you would be likely

(02:30:45):
to keep in touch with, no matter where she is. Yep,
one person, Constance GEORDI taught both the Mayhew girls. But
Ernestine apparently always felt something special for her. She's the
first person I tried to check when Wharton started getting
those letters. Man, You notice I said tried. I asked
her if she heard from Ernestine. All she said was
wherever Ernestine was was Ernestine's own business, and I should

(02:31:06):
mind my own. Where does she live over in back
Bay on Oak Street and a little house Ernestine gave
her Scott free. She's the one to talk to about Ernestine,
all right, But I don't envy you trying.

Speaker 36 (02:31:24):
I caught a faint movement of the lace curtain across
the glass panel door, and I rang again.

Speaker 14 (02:31:31):
Go away, whoever you are.

Speaker 17 (02:31:33):
I'm not going to miss GEORGI I need to see you.

Speaker 14 (02:31:37):
Who are you anyway? I never saw you before.

Speaker 36 (02:31:40):
I know I haven't lived here in Wellesley Long I'm
a detective from Boston, and I want to speak to
you about Ernestine, Ernestine Mayhew.

Speaker 14 (02:31:46):
I just want to know one thing from you, whoever
you are, is Ernestine in any kind of trouble.

Speaker 17 (02:31:51):
I don't know. That's what I want to talk to
you about.

Speaker 14 (02:31:53):
Well, then come in. Whatever it is, it isn't any
business of the neighbors.

Speaker 36 (02:32:00):
I stepped inside into a room that smelled of oriental
rugs and furniture polish constance. Geordy peered into my face
with eyes like a pair of shiny black marbles.

Speaker 14 (02:32:08):
In the first place, you haven't even told me your name.

Speaker 36 (02:32:11):
Oh, I'm sorry. At Severson Nude Seversen. My wife and
I moved here recently. Our house is directly across the
street from Rudolph Wharton.

Speaker 45 (02:32:18):
H I have nothing to say about Rudolph Wharton. My
only concern is Ernestine. Now, what do you have to
tell me of her.

Speaker 36 (02:32:25):
It's more what you have to tell me. I want
to know if you've heard from her since she left worldly.

Speaker 45 (02:32:31):
I was already asked that question once I know Chief
Torns told me, Well, then.

Speaker 14 (02:32:36):
I presume me told you my answer.

Speaker 17 (02:32:38):
It still applies, Miss Geordy. Do you have any way
of knowing that Ernestine Mayhew is all right?

Speaker 14 (02:32:45):
All right? What do you mean by that?

Speaker 17 (02:32:47):
If you could tell me that you've heard from her?

Speaker 45 (02:32:49):
But I can't tell you that, missus Everson, because I
haven't not a word.

Speaker 17 (02:32:53):
Isn't that unusual? I've told you're the ones she's most
likely to be in touch.

Speaker 14 (02:32:57):
With if she chose to. But there's no reason, and
she should.

Speaker 36 (02:33:01):
But doesn't it seem strange to you that she apparently
left town without telling anyone that.

Speaker 17 (02:33:05):
She was leaving.

Speaker 14 (02:33:06):
Oh but she didn't do that, mister Sefferson.

Speaker 17 (02:33:08):
She told me she did.

Speaker 45 (02:33:10):
Of course, she telephoned and told me she was leaving
Rudolph Forton at last. Well, I told her good riddance.
I hope she'd leave him the way she found him
without a penny.

Speaker 17 (02:33:20):
Then Ernestine knew if your dislike for her husband.

Speaker 45 (02:33:24):
Naturally I spoke against the man from the first moment
she and you Lely took.

Speaker 17 (02:33:27):
Up with him. You Leaily was in love with them too,
And I told.

Speaker 45 (02:33:30):
Ernestine she should let you Leilly have him. You Laly
would have been a better match for him. She wouldn't
have let the man walk all over the way Ernestine
allowed him to.

Speaker 33 (02:33:39):
Then, Ernestine and You Leiley were not as alike as
they appeared to be in the photographs.

Speaker 45 (02:33:43):
Oh, they only looked alike and sounded alike. Well, yes, yes,
that was strange. One might swear that their voices were identical.

Speaker 36 (02:33:52):
Then someone might talk to one of them on the
telephone and not be certain whether it was Ernestine or
her sister.

Speaker 17 (02:33:57):
Yes, that's true in that case, Miss Geordie.

Speaker 36 (02:34:00):
The only evidence we have that Ernestine Mayhew is safely
in California is this letter.

Speaker 17 (02:34:06):
Ke Chawance received it in answer to his inquiry.

Speaker 14 (02:34:10):
Miss Evison. This letter was not written by Ernestine Mayhew.

Speaker 5 (02:34:15):
It wasn't.

Speaker 17 (02:34:16):
Are you sure?

Speaker 14 (02:34:16):
I'm positive?

Speaker 17 (02:34:17):
Now?

Speaker 45 (02:34:18):
Even I couldn't always tell them about by their appearance.
Often I'd have to look to see which one of
them is speaking. But as their school teacher, I learned
to distinguish their handwriting. I am positive this letter was
written by you, Leiley Mayhew.

Speaker 46 (02:34:37):
No player professional basketball on an average at three games
a week really puts a hurting on my feet. And
when my feet are right, my game is like Hi,
this is Errol Monroe. And when I get the message
from my feet that they're about to go to Paynesville,
I reach for that little box of magic called Johnson's
with soap. I put some in warm water and proceed
to soap my little moneymakers. I mean, his foot soap

(02:35:00):
really works on it tied tender, aching, itching, burning feet.
It also softens those friendly cons and callousis too.

Speaker 8 (02:35:07):
That's right.

Speaker 47 (02:35:08):
Errow feet often ache because poor circulation actually starves them
of oxygen rich blood. Medicated Johnson's foot soap and warm
water is the foot recharger. The penetrating warmth increases circulation
and recharge is starving tissue with oxygen rich blood.

Speaker 14 (02:35:25):
So feet feel like new again no.

Speaker 46 (02:35:27):
Matter what you're walking life, listen, take it from the pearl,
Get on the good foot with Johnson's foot soap.

Speaker 36 (02:35:36):
I felt a chill when the old woman told me
with such certainty that the letter had not been written
by Ernestine, but by her sister, maybe Mercy Bird, with
all her talk of murder, wasn't so far off base
after all.

Speaker 17 (02:35:47):
But I knew about handwriting evidence in court.

Speaker 36 (02:35:49):
When expert verified a forgery, a second expert repudiated the
testimony of the first, although I wondered, who would dare
to repudiate customs Geordy. I was in the mood now
to have that chat with Rudolph Wharton regarding Mercy's imprudent,
threatening notes. I had a feeling I was going to
find Wharton inclined to be lenient. I found him in
his office in a building that housed a bank, a pharmacy,

(02:36:10):
in a department store, all belonging to Wharton. I presumed
he sounded even more tolerant than I'd expected.

Speaker 1 (02:36:16):
Poor Mercy she never quite got over her mother's death.
They were very close. Yes, I get that she blames
me for it, as perhaps she's told you. You know,
I've always thought that strange. It's natural enough to blame
some run the doctor of the fates. But just because
I happened to own the nursing home, Yes.

Speaker 36 (02:36:34):
That must be the reason for her sending you those letters.
But why do you suppose she would accuse you of
killing your wife. She's always been fond of Ernestine. I
think Ernestine tolerated her. I suppose somehow she associated my
wife's departure with the death of a mother, two people
she was fond of. Yes, I guess that's possible.

Speaker 1 (02:36:52):
She's inclined to be eccentric, as I'm sure you've noticed.
Eccentric is putting it kindly. She's something of a character,
all right, but harmless enough, I imagine.

Speaker 17 (02:37:03):
Then, are you going to press charges against her?

Speaker 7 (02:37:05):
No, I don't think that'll be necessary.

Speaker 17 (02:37:08):
That's very generous of you, considering the harassment she's caused you.

Speaker 1 (02:37:11):
Well, perhaps you might be well for her to see
a psychiatrist. There's a good man at the hospital I
could refer her to.

Speaker 17 (02:37:16):
I doubt that she has the money for that kind
of treatment.

Speaker 7 (02:37:19):
Well, something could be worked out, I'm sure.

Speaker 17 (02:37:21):
Thank you, mister Whartney, of being most considerate. I'm glad.
As a matter of fact, my wife.

Speaker 36 (02:37:25):
And I have become quite fond of Mercy Bird, and
I wouldn't want to see her in any real trouble.

Speaker 1 (02:37:29):
By the way, mister Servison, I've had a call from
my wife. You have, Yes, she was puzzling over a
phone call she received. The caller identified himself as someone
who'd been in high school with her, and he invited
her to a class reunion.

Speaker 17 (02:37:47):
What's puzzling about that? Someone's always trying to get up
a high school class reunion.

Speaker 1 (02:37:51):
Of course, But then she asked the man if Patsy
Oliver was coming, and he answered that he didn't know
because she wasn't on the list.

Speaker 17 (02:37:59):
What's wrong with that?

Speaker 1 (02:38:00):
Well, Patsy Oliver was a very popular figure at Wellesley
High in those years. I remember him well. Patsy was
a nickname for Patrick.

Speaker 17 (02:38:09):
Oh well, I'll tell you why not to worry. Memory
plays tricks on people.

Speaker 36 (02:38:14):
We all know that, hopefully, mister Wharton, I wasn't worried
about that little blunder I'd made. I was only wondering
what kind of call Rudolph Wharton had really received. A
puzzled call from Ernestine, his wife, as he said, or
a worried call from you, Leiley, his accomplice. I was
really beginning to feel that it's chief Torrents have talked

(02:38:35):
about leaving Wharton's office. I threw caution out of the
window by walking into the bank and making an inquiry
about ernestin Mayhew Wharton's account. I showed my Boston ID card,
and after a long moment's hesitation, the bank official obliged, well, yes,
missus Wharton has an account.

Speaker 17 (02:38:54):
With us, a separate account of her own, and that's right.
I need to know what withdraws Missus Wharton's made since
January of this year. Oh well, just a moment that
I'll have to check.

Speaker 36 (02:39:04):
You want to stand, of course, service inquiry must be
kept entirely confidential.

Speaker 7 (02:39:08):
N yes, yes, of course, just a moment.

Speaker 36 (02:39:15):
He picked up a telephone, and I wondered if he
was checking with a bookkeeper or with Wharton.

Speaker 7 (02:39:22):
Mister Severson.

Speaker 26 (02:39:24):
Yet, I must say it does seem rather odd, but
missus Wharton has made no withdrawals at all from her
account since January.

Speaker 33 (02:39:36):
Chief Torts wasn't gonna like it, but I figured it
was time for us to have another little talk.

Speaker 17 (02:39:41):
I was right, he didn't like it.

Speaker 33 (02:39:43):
Damn it, Severson, I don't need this kan of worms.
I don't need it at all.

Speaker 17 (02:39:47):
I can understand your pan.

Speaker 33 (02:39:48):
It seems to me everything you've dug up is still
pure speculation. Even Constance Geordi statement she told me she'd
swear on her family bible that your letter, ostensibly from
Ernestine was actually written by Lately.

Speaker 7 (02:40:03):
That's the one thing I can't ignore. I'll give you that.

Speaker 17 (02:40:06):
Then the reasonable doubt is now on the side of
mercy Bird, don't you.

Speaker 33 (02:40:09):
Think I suppose once you allow yourself to even consider
the possibility of murder, Town Selectman. Notwithstanding you very well, Severson,
let's assume that we have a case and get on it. Yes, sir,
here's something to start with. After you brought up a subject,
I checked out the passenger list and the flights out
of Boston at the time of the Ernestine Wharton's assumed departure.

(02:40:30):
Man and Eve Wharton flew out of Boston bound for
Los Angeles on January tenth. If it wasn't Ernestine, it
was somebody else, you Laily, Yeah, yeah, yeah, Well, considering
we're going along with this whole assumption, I suppose it
could have been Although you think somebody around Wellesley would
have seen her while she was here, They might have
and thought it was Ernestine if you Lately were deliberately

(02:40:51):
assuming her sister's identity, all right, And what we want
to find out is if there was a flight into
Boston from La sometime just before the tenth that shows
an E Mayh on the passenger list exactly. Yes, I'll
put it through coffee, you Severson.

Speaker 17 (02:41:07):
My wife, I told her i'd be here. You see
our babies do any time?

Speaker 7 (02:41:11):
And get on this phone.

Speaker 17 (02:41:12):
Man, for heaven's sake, Hello, Hi, Brenda? Are you all right?

Speaker 33 (02:41:18):
When I'll be right home. It wasn't our baby, it
was yours mine. You could forget Greg Farley. You're out
seeing collars still on the loose. He just called my wife.

Speaker 17 (02:41:35):
Tomorrow.

Speaker 34 (02:41:36):
At this time, rest your eyes and listen here to
this week's continuing study and suspense, A Die in the Country.
I'm Red Sertling, and this is the Zero Hour.

Speaker 33 (02:42:00):
The Zero Hour, heard every weekday at this time. Rod
Serling is your host. Tobias Wells. A Die in the
is Newt Susan Strasburg is Brenda, and Andrew Duggan is
the Chief. Featured in the cast are Mary Wicks as

(02:42:23):
Mercy ea ath at Water as you Layley, Paula Winslow
as Miss Jordie ken Smith as Wharton, and Howard Culver
as the Banker. Zero Hour is produced and directed by
Elliot Lewis. Jack Myers is executive producer, Rochelle Sherman associate producer,
and Kim Weiskoff story editor. Music composed and conducted by

(02:42:45):
Stanley D.

Speaker 7 (02:42:46):
Hoffman.

Speaker 17 (02:42:47):
The Hollywood Radio Theater.

Speaker 33 (02:42:48):
Theme was played by Ferranti and tysher and is now
available on United Artists Records and tapes.

Speaker 17 (02:42:54):
This has been a J. M. Kolis Enterprises production.

Speaker 33 (02:42:58):
Q Douglas speaking Tune in tomorrow and once again, brust
your eyes and listen here to The Zero Hour the

(02:43:23):
Hollywood Radio Theater. Every day at this time, Monday through Friday.

Speaker 17 (02:43:41):
A JM.

Speaker 33 (02:43:41):
Colas Enterprises production, The Hollywood Radio Theater presents an unusual
tale of mystery and suspense. Every week, Monday through Friday,
The Hollywood Radio Theater presents.

Speaker 34 (02:43:54):
I'm Rod Serling. You're listening to the Zero Hour. Rest
your highs, exercise your imagination. This week Tobias Well's neo

(02:44:14):
Gothic tale A small town Terror, A Die in the Country,
starring Peter Marshall, Susan Strasburg, and Andrew Duggan.

Speaker 17 (02:44:41):
In Elliott Lewis's production of The Zero Hour.

Speaker 34 (02:44:57):
All that the serversans wanted was to move away from
Boston to a quiet little house in the country, and
that's precisely what they did. However, there were a great
many unexpected bonuses thrown into the bargain, threatening letters, obscene
phone calls, wife swapping neighbors, a strange disappearance, and an
accusation of murder. As Detective Knute Severson, with a reluctant

(02:45:21):
cooperation of Wellesley Police Chief Torrents, presses for an investigation
into the affairs of towns Electman Rudolph Whitten, Wellesley's elusive
obscene telephone callers strikes again, this time with a call
to Severson's young wife, Brenda, while she's home alone awaiting
the impending birth of their first child. For Nute Severson,

(02:45:41):
life in the country is about to explode and reverberate
down to the very foundation of his existence in a moment,
the conclusion of.

Speaker 17 (02:45:50):
A die in the country.

Speaker 7 (02:45:52):
But first this word.

Speaker 36 (02:45:56):
I was furious with myself and not being home with
Brenda this crucial age of her pregnancy. I was just
caught up in this Wharton business. So when Brenda got
that crank phone call, it just set me off. Never
mind Rudolph Whartman, whether or not he did or didn't
murder his wife. Let's get this damn phone freak out
of circulation.

Speaker 33 (02:46:12):
Calm down, Severson, Just get on home to your wife.
We're working on this telephone business.

Speaker 36 (02:46:18):
There's there's one thing, Chief that's put young Farley in
the clear about everything except that cartup charge.

Speaker 33 (02:46:23):
And he can probably be released to the custody of
his parents pending his arraignment. They want it that way,
I think maybe they will.

Speaker 17 (02:46:29):
I'll get back to you on the Wharton case as
soon as I'm satisfied.

Speaker 33 (02:46:32):
My wife feels okay, and I'll get on the airlines
angle meanwhile, Oh but will you do me a favorite, Severson?

Speaker 7 (02:46:38):
Play this close until if and when we really have something.

Speaker 17 (02:46:41):
Yeah, I know, I know. Wait a minute, this called
a Brenda gives us something new on the phone.

Speaker 7 (02:46:48):
That what's that He didn't.

Speaker 17 (02:46:50):
Work from the Wellesley directory this time, we're not in it.

Speaker 7 (02:46:53):
He must have gotten it from information now, Oh no,
he couldn't have.

Speaker 17 (02:46:56):
We have an unlisted number.

Speaker 14 (02:47:03):
That's what I've been wondering too.

Speaker 17 (02:47:04):
Newt.

Speaker 14 (02:47:05):
How did he get our number?

Speaker 17 (02:47:06):
Did he address you by name?

Speaker 14 (02:47:07):
Yes, right away he said hello, missus Severson.

Speaker 17 (02:47:11):
But you didn't recognize the voice at all.

Speaker 14 (02:47:13):
No, No, it was deep and oh, sort of suave sounding.

Speaker 17 (02:47:18):
Yeah, Dolly Selene called it's sexy.

Speaker 14 (02:47:20):
Oh well, I'm not Dolly Celene.

Speaker 35 (02:47:21):
I would have hung up on him right away, but
I knew you would want me to find out everything
I could.

Speaker 17 (02:47:25):
Thanks, But I hope you didn't stick with that not
too long.

Speaker 14 (02:47:28):
I couldn't. It was just, oh, it was too much.
I had to hang up.

Speaker 17 (02:47:31):
What time was this just before you called me?

Speaker 13 (02:47:34):
Yes?

Speaker 14 (02:47:34):
Oh, about four thirty later than usual for him. I
just wish I knew how he got our number, So
why if we.

Speaker 17 (02:47:41):
Knew that, it might tell us who he is.

Speaker 36 (02:47:44):
The thing to do is make a list of everybody
who knows our number, or anybody who's been inside the
house where they could have seen it on the phone.

Speaker 35 (02:47:51):
Could have been even any of the workmen who've been
here exactly, even that sweet little old man who hung
on you wallpaper Darling.

Speaker 36 (02:47:59):
I'm a suspicious Remember that sweet little old man could
very well have a sexy telephone voice. Put a hornet's
nes we'd found ourselves in with this innocent little move
out into the country.

Speaker 17 (02:48:16):
Maybe Brenda was right.

Speaker 36 (02:48:18):
Other people seemed to live out their lives without coming
up against murder, robbery, assault, and heaven knows what I
was beginning to wonder myself. Did the crime attract the
cop or did the cop attract the crime?

Speaker 17 (02:48:31):
It didn't matter at the moment.

Speaker 36 (02:48:33):
I considered myself on a possible murder case, and I
figured by now my contact in California at that time
enough to check out that.

Speaker 17 (02:48:39):
House and its neighbors in Riverside. Hello, diary here. Yes,

(02:49:05):
it's newt find out anything for me.

Speaker 48 (02:49:08):
I don't know, But for what it's worth, here's the rundown.
The neighbors don't seem to know anything about a sister.
But then they say, ulally Mayhew isn't much of the
neighborly type.

Speaker 17 (02:49:18):
You mean her sister could be there and they wouldn't
know it.

Speaker 5 (02:49:21):
Huh.

Speaker 17 (02:49:22):
That was the impression they gave me. But none of
them could say that they'd seen both sisters together.

Speaker 48 (02:49:28):
No, I didn't get that from anybody. But for your information,
at the moment, there's nobody living in the house. What
do you mean nobody whether there was one sister or two.
They're not there now.

Speaker 36 (02:49:41):
The next morning at headquarters I passed Dire's information on
the Chief torrns.

Speaker 7 (02:49:45):
So what do you think it means?

Speaker 33 (02:49:46):
I'd like to find out from Wharton what it means,
but I don't want to flush him out at this point.

Speaker 7 (02:49:50):
Maybe Lally May who has already flown the coop.

Speaker 36 (02:49:53):
No, no, no, it wouldn't make sense. I mean, Wharton
still needs her around right. Oh, by the way, does
you lately.

Speaker 33 (02:49:59):
Have any of her father's No, Ernestine was the old
man's favorite. Uleily was left just with an annuity more
than adequate, I understand, But it was a definite slight.

Speaker 17 (02:50:08):
That gives you lay a bit of a motive too,
doesn't it.

Speaker 7 (02:50:10):
Not for murder?

Speaker 33 (02:50:11):
I shouldn't think, but I suppose it could weaken her
resistance against aiding in a bedding.

Speaker 17 (02:50:16):
An you look on that check of the airlines.

Speaker 33 (02:50:18):
Now, yet there's a chance she wouldn't have used her
own name. Of course, yes, oh, yes, of course, tell
him to come in. Wharton's on his way in, mister Wharton,
how I.

Speaker 1 (02:50:33):
Hello, Chief for Severson. They told me you were in here,
and I was hoping to talk to both of you.
What's up, mister Wharton. Well, for one thing, I've just
learned that my wife has left the country. Oh, she's
gone on an extended trip. I don't know for how long, Hawaii,
the Orient, perhaps.

Speaker 17 (02:50:46):
Around the world.

Speaker 1 (02:50:48):
I don't know, Mister Severson. My sister in law tells
me she wasn't certain. In fact, U Leiley is quite
concerned about Ernestine in what way. Well, it seems our
separation has been weighing heavily on her. She's been very,
very depressed, and now suddenly she's just packed up and gone.
You lady's quite distraught. I'm sorry to hear that, mister Wharton.

(02:51:08):
Anyway we can be.

Speaker 7 (02:51:09):
Of help, Oh no, there's nothing even I can do.
We're just hoping Ernestine will be in touch with one
of us soon.

Speaker 17 (02:51:15):
It wouldn't be too difficult to locate her. I imagine
if we get on it quickly.

Speaker 4 (02:51:19):
Off.

Speaker 1 (02:51:19):
No, I wouldn't want her to think I was keeping
tabs on her. She wanted her freedom. I think maybe
a trip is a good idea for her this time.

Speaker 5 (02:51:28):
Probably is.

Speaker 1 (02:51:29):
Frankly, at the moment, it's you lately, I'm concerned about
I didn't think she should be alone out there worrying
about her sister, So I suggested that she come here,
back to Wellesley for a while.

Speaker 33 (02:51:40):
Well, now, it'll be nice to see Leily Mayhew again.
You're going to enjoy meeting miss Evison. She's quite a woman.

Speaker 1 (02:51:47):
Yes, I'd like very much to meet her. You'll have
the opportunity. That's why I'm here. You both come with you,
come come ware to my house Saturday night. I'm throwing
a little part of you Leiy to welcome a home.

Speaker 36 (02:52:03):
Werenda's only concern when I told her about Wharton's party
was which of her maternity dresses looked the least like
a maturnity dress. My concern was that I have doctor
Abram's number in my pocket. It would be just like
our stubborn son and heir to put in his belated
appearance just as I was closing in on a murderer.

Speaker 14 (02:52:20):
I wonder if he's invited any of the other neighbors.

Speaker 17 (02:52:23):
Mercy Bird wouldn't come with the asker.

Speaker 35 (02:52:24):
Mercy's only come out of her house long enough to
give Algernon a quick walk.

Speaker 14 (02:52:28):
Lately, she must be busy writing a new book.

Speaker 17 (02:52:30):
As long as she's not writing any more letters.

Speaker 14 (02:52:32):
What about the Farleys? Do you think they'll be there?

Speaker 7 (02:52:35):
I doubt it.

Speaker 33 (02:52:35):
I guess that the only neighborliness between the Whartons and
the Farleys was Ernestine Wharton's friendship with young Greg.

Speaker 14 (02:52:41):
M It's a shame she isn't around to help him now.

Speaker 2 (02:52:43):
Maybe not.

Speaker 17 (02:52:45):
Maybe his own parents will come through from this time.

Speaker 14 (02:52:47):
Is Greg's doing jail?

Speaker 17 (02:52:48):
No, his mother brought him home this afternoon.

Speaker 14 (02:52:51):
Oh, now, doesn't it scare you? Pretty soon we're going
to be parents.

Speaker 4 (02:52:55):
I don't know.

Speaker 17 (02:52:55):
Junior is sure taking his time about getting here.

Speaker 14 (02:52:58):
I don't blame him, considering all that's been going on.

Speaker 17 (02:53:00):
Well, tell him to hold off at least a few
more hours.

Speaker 33 (02:53:03):
I don't think Rudolph Wharton's cocktail party is going to
be any place to have a baby.

Speaker 36 (02:53:10):
Saturday couldn't come fast enough for me. Call it my
suspicious cop nature, but I was certain the party would
be a showdown. I spent any free time I had
at home nursing along the ivy i'd planted around the
railing of our porch. I was hoping to catch a glimpse,
a sneak preview of you lately, Mayhew. But I never
saw a sign of her, or Wharton for that matter.

Speaker 1 (02:53:30):
Finally, Ah, hello, Serversen, you know my wife? Yes, of course,
good to you to join us. Missus Serverson, come in.
I want you to meet you lately.

Speaker 36 (02:53:50):
Before he had led us halfway across the room, I
saw her shining silver gold hair, of flawless skin, glowing
under a golden California sun, tan eyes the color of fans.
He's a young girl's body in a sleek gold cocktail dress.
So that was you, Leiley Mayhew. I found myself wondering
at Ernestine wherever she was still looked like her sister.

Speaker 17 (02:54:11):
Rudy tells me you're a detective. That's right, and.

Speaker 1 (02:54:14):
Missus Serverson is with the Boston Police, but it appears
he's intrigued by our little transgressions in Wellesley as well,
which reminds me, I believe Chief Tarrans has some news
for you, Severson.

Speaker 7 (02:54:24):
He's right over there, a detective, a police chief.

Speaker 17 (02:54:28):
Well, it appears Rudy as himself surrounded.

Speaker 7 (02:54:30):
By the law.

Speaker 17 (02:54:32):
What a lovely outfit you have on, Missus Serverson.

Speaker 2 (02:54:35):
Thank you?

Speaker 17 (02:54:36):
Will this be your first?

Speaker 36 (02:54:41):
I left Brenda gazing enviously at u Leiley Mayhew's sylph
like figure, and made my way across the room to
see what Torrents had come up with. If it were
the information we've been after from the airlines, Wharton unwittingly
may have just directed me toward his own undoing.

Speaker 33 (02:54:55):
Oar Severson, you'll want to hear this denna. He called
in a little while ago with quite a piece of.

Speaker 17 (02:55:00):
News concerning our genial host.

Speaker 7 (02:55:02):
Ah at this time, it's the telephone that.

Speaker 33 (02:55:04):
We've got him, hallelujah. Are you sure? I mean, how
did you find him? It was that list you had
your wife makeup that did it? You know, all the
workmen who had been in your house that you moved in.
Don't tell me it was the sweet little old man
along the wallpaper.

Speaker 17 (02:55:16):
Yeah, but you're close.

Speaker 33 (02:55:17):
Try the nice, clean cut all American type who installed
your telephone, A.

Speaker 17 (02:55:21):
Guy from the telephone company. Why is it we never
think of the obvious.

Speaker 33 (02:55:25):
It seems he just kind of blends into the woodwork.
Nobody pays any attention to him, and once he's done
his job, you forget he was there. But when we
went back and checked, we found him everywhere. When Dinna
he moved in on him in a cruddy little apartment
over there, and need him there. It was a little
yellow Wellesley directory and a raft of Parno junk.

Speaker 7 (02:55:42):
All over the place.

Speaker 17 (02:55:42):
Did he own up to everything but the Dalli.

Speaker 33 (02:55:45):
Selene attack, claims he never done any real harm to anyone.
Just a talker, not a doer, according to him.

Speaker 7 (02:55:50):
Do you buy that dinner?

Speaker 5 (02:55:51):
He does?

Speaker 7 (02:55:52):
He thinks the guy called her all right, but he
never went nearer.

Speaker 17 (02:55:55):
But then how do you explain?

Speaker 7 (02:55:57):
I don't know.

Speaker 17 (02:55:58):
We're going to have to have another talk, missus Celine.
Here comes Denahee. Now what's he doing here?

Speaker 33 (02:56:03):
I don't know, but he sure is in a hurry,
and I hope he doesn't knock anybody over. What is it,
Dennyhe that piece of information you've been waiting for just
came in.

Speaker 7 (02:56:09):
Chief from the airline.

Speaker 33 (02:56:11):
You really hit the nail on the head note on
January ninth, just the day before, and E.

Speaker 17 (02:56:16):
Wharton flew out of Boston and E. Mayhew flew in
from la Well, isn't that interesting?

Speaker 36 (02:56:24):
I think maybe our host will find it much more
stimulating than the usual cocktail party conversation, don't you, Chief?

Speaker 33 (02:56:32):
I didn't have to become a Chief of police. I
could have stayed just a happy flat foot on a
beat out in the boondocks.

Speaker 36 (02:56:39):
There's times like this when I wish I had I
took pitty on the chief and what to look for
Wharton myself. I found him more or less where I expected,
on the terrace and the shadows, with a glint of
gold law made beside him.

Speaker 17 (02:56:54):
So I did disturb you, mister Wharton. But something's come
up about your wife, Rudy.

Speaker 7 (02:56:59):
What about my wife?

Speaker 36 (02:57:00):
Missus Jefferson, the Chief will explain. He and dennahe are
in the study. You can come too, miss Mayhew if
you wish.

Speaker 17 (02:57:08):
Yes, of course, has anything? Has anything happened to her?
I have the feeling we'll all have an answer to
that very soon.

Speaker 33 (02:57:21):
Despite you lately Mayhew's involuntary gasp and her alarmed look
of a cornered dough, Wharton remained as unruffled as ever.

Speaker 17 (02:57:29):
I went on a hit a loan to the study.
A few moments later they followed me in.

Speaker 7 (02:57:35):
Dennah.

Speaker 36 (02:57:36):
He looked nervous in his uniform. I felt like our
cat mine hair out stalking prey. Chief Torrents was less ferocious,
so I let him begin, and.

Speaker 33 (02:57:43):
I'm sorry, mister Wharton, but several things have come up
that we need to have explained.

Speaker 1 (02:57:48):
That's all right, Chief, I can understand your position. Well
what sort of things?

Speaker 7 (02:57:52):
Well, for one, that letter we.

Speaker 33 (02:57:53):
Received from your wife confirming her whereabouts in California, Well
what about it? Well, we have it on good authority,
very good authority, that it was not written by your
wife at all. Really, that instead it was written.

Speaker 17 (02:58:06):
By you, you Leiley, by me.

Speaker 1 (02:58:08):
But never mind you Lailey. You don't have to deny it.
I'll explain, please do, mister Wharton. As a matter of fact,
you Leiley did write the letter at my request.

Speaker 4 (02:58:19):
Why was that?

Speaker 1 (02:58:20):
Because Ernestine refused to As far as I was concerned,
she didn't care if I rotted in hell.

Speaker 33 (02:58:27):
You never indicated before that there was that much animosity
between you and your wife.

Speaker 1 (02:58:32):
Wharton, because I wanted to spare you lay You see.
The truth is my wife was insanely jealous of her sister.
That's something I never knew. Ernestine didn't seem the type.
Oh well, it was only where I was concerned. She
constantly made the accusation that it was you, Leailey. I
really loved you, Laily. I should have married I see,

(02:58:55):
mister Wharton, there's something else.

Speaker 36 (02:58:58):
We know that on January someone under your wife's name
bordered a plane out of Boston for Los Angeles.

Speaker 7 (02:59:05):
That was my wife, Severson. Who else would it be?

Speaker 17 (02:59:10):
You Leiley?

Speaker 7 (02:59:11):
But U Leiley was in California at her house in Riverside.

Speaker 17 (02:59:16):
No, she wasn't. We have the evidence that U Leiy
came here to Wellesley on January ninth. Rudy, If she.

Speaker 7 (02:59:23):
Did, Detective Severson, I know nothing about it.

Speaker 17 (02:59:26):
Rudy.

Speaker 7 (02:59:27):
Were you here, Eu Leiley?

Speaker 1 (02:59:29):
You should have taken me into your confidence. I might
have been able to help you out of this, Rudy.

Speaker 17 (02:59:33):
What are you saying?

Speaker 1 (02:59:34):
I knew, of course, how much resentment toward my wife
Uleay has always felt since their father died, leaving a
will that favored Ernestine. But I never thought you Lailey
could be capable of taking any kind of cold revenge
on her sister.

Speaker 17 (02:59:47):
That's not what happened, Wharton. What are you trying to pull?

Speaker 33 (02:59:52):
You know very well you Leiley was here at the
time of your wife's disappearance. It was at your request
that she came. But that's impossible. I had nothing to
do with it.

Speaker 1 (03:00:00):
I wasn't even here in Wellesy myself at that time.

Speaker 7 (03:00:03):
You weren't.

Speaker 1 (03:00:04):
I was out of town in Virginia, attending a golf tournament.
And I can account for every moment.

Speaker 17 (03:00:11):
Of my God, she's got my gun?

Speaker 2 (03:00:12):
Really put that down?

Speaker 17 (03:00:14):
No, Oh, Rudy, Rudy, Why I saw my fault?

Speaker 7 (03:00:24):
Chief get the door, Dennahee, keep everybody out. I better
call an ambulus, nute, no reason to Wharton's dead.

Speaker 17 (03:00:37):
It was all on the Wellesley newspaper.

Speaker 36 (03:00:39):
Was on the front page for weeks, the gradual piecing
together of the facts. Ernestine Wharton had told her husband
she was divorcing him, proclaiming the titles to all of
her properties and leaving him penniless. And a rage, Wharton
had killed her killed her on the seventh of January.
Greg Farley testified that he had spent most of January
sixth in Ernestine Wharton's company, and January eighth was the

(03:01:04):
day it was proven that Rudolph Wharton left Wellesley to
attend the Gulf Tournament in Virginia.

Speaker 17 (03:01:11):
You lately.

Speaker 33 (03:01:11):
Mayhew arrived in Wellesley on the ninth, not knowing that
her sister was dead. She maintained the stance at the trial,
she swore she hadn't known and never saw the body.
Oh come now, miss Mayhew, it certainly would be your
advantage to cooperated at this point until this court where
the body of your sister, Ernestine may you Wharton lies buried?

Speaker 17 (03:01:32):
I don't know, I tell you.

Speaker 19 (03:01:34):
Remember she was the victim of a cold, calculating murderer,
Rudolph Wharton.

Speaker 17 (03:01:39):
Where is your poor sister now, Miss Mayhew.

Speaker 37 (03:01:42):
I don't know, I don't know, I don't know.

Speaker 36 (03:01:49):
The trial went on and on, and the prosecution hammered
away at u Ley Mayhew about the location of her
sister's body. The only thing in the next few weeks
that was resolved was Brenda's condition. It was a seven
pound eight ounce boy.

Speaker 14 (03:02:03):
Do you think you, lay may who's telling the truth? Nut?

Speaker 36 (03:02:05):
Well, then he does, and he's become something of an
authority on hysterical women ever since he broke down that
story of Dolly Selene.

Speaker 35 (03:02:12):
Imagine deliberately hurtling herself down the stairs to fake and
attack just for attention.

Speaker 17 (03:02:18):
Humm, looks like things have finally settled down in Wellesley.

Speaker 5 (03:02:22):
Huh Mason, peaceful.

Speaker 17 (03:02:24):
At long long life. Ah, Well, everywhere except in this house.

Speaker 33 (03:02:32):
It's two o'clock in the morning, and leaf George Severson's hungry.

Speaker 17 (03:02:37):
Whose turn is it, Honey, yours?

Speaker 14 (03:02:40):
But I'll do it.

Speaker 36 (03:02:45):
Gradually, Wellesley finally became the quiet little suburban town we
thought it would be when we first moved in. Before
mine Hair came scampering into the house that first night
with a dead squirrel in his mouth. But of course,
as Mercy Bird reminded us daily, no one had yet
discovered where Rudolph Wharton had hidden his wife's body. Then
one day, brother had just coaxed the baby into taking

(03:03:05):
his afternoon nap. I was out on the porch trimming
the ivy that was threatening to take over the house
when I got it.

Speaker 35 (03:03:13):
Honey, here comes Mercy and she shot it. Whatever it is,
I figured it out.

Speaker 17 (03:03:17):
I figured it out. I knew if I just kept
working on it, i'd come.

Speaker 22 (03:03:19):
Up with the answer.

Speaker 17 (03:03:21):
You mean, you think anywhere the body's buried? I don't think.
I know, I know, I'll listen to this. Wharton committed
the murder on January seventh. On January eighth, I had
the flu.

Speaker 14 (03:03:31):
It was a Friday, I remembered, Well, I just sat
up in bed all day looking out the wind and
watching the workmen.

Speaker 17 (03:03:36):
Workmen.

Speaker 14 (03:03:37):
Yeah, they had to delay digging earlier because the ground
was frozen. But then there was an early fall that
first weekend January, and they came and poured the cement
that day.

Speaker 17 (03:03:44):
And I was watching them January eighth.

Speaker 14 (03:03:48):
Now Rudolph Wharton carried his wife's body away during the
night of January seventh, put it in the hole, covered
it with dirt and stones, and the next morning a
workman came and supplied a handy cement.

Speaker 17 (03:04:02):
To what workmen here, Mercy? What are you talking about?
I'm talking about your house. Well, it's being remodeled before
you moved in. You could take my word for it.
I know where the body is.

Speaker 14 (03:04:14):
We're standing on it. Ernestine Mayhew is buried right here
under your front porch.

Speaker 34 (03:04:29):
That concludes this week's production of The Zero Hour. Tobias
Wells a die in the country. Next week we'll begin
another exciting dramatization of a tale of mystery and suspense.
We'll tell our story in five days at the same time,
Monday through Friday. So on Monday, rest your eyes and

(03:04:49):
listen here to the Zero Hour.

Speaker 33 (03:05:02):
The Zero Hour, heard every weekday at this time. Rod
Serling is your host. Tobias Wells A Die in the
was newt Susan Strasburg was Brenda, and Andrew Duggan was
the Chief.

Speaker 17 (03:05:23):
Featured in the cast were.

Speaker 33 (03:05:24):
Dick Quittington as Dyer, Ken Smith as Wharton, Edith at
Water as you Leiley, Jerry Hausner as dennahe and Mary
Wicks as Mercy. Zero Hour is produced and directed by
Elliot Lewis, Jack Myers is executive producer, rachelle Sherman associate producer,
and Kim Weiskopp story editor. Music composed and conducted by

(03:05:47):
Stanley D.

Speaker 17 (03:05:48):
Hoffman. The Hollywood Radio.

Speaker 33 (03:05:50):
Theater theme was played by Ferranti and tysher and is
now available on United Artists records and tapes.

Speaker 17 (03:05:56):
This has been a J. M. Coolis Enterprises production.

Speaker 33 (03:06:00):
Dougors Speaking Tune in Monday and once again, rest your
eyes and listen here to the Zero Hour.

Speaker 8 (03:06:39):
It's mystery time. Time now for the best in mystery.
The Night on Masters of Mystery, a suspenseful melodrama titled
success Story.

Speaker 16 (03:06:57):
How why is it that I'm always me people who
pretend to be friendly when.

Speaker 8 (03:07:02):
All I wanted my money money?

Speaker 49 (03:07:05):
Emilieu has a fascination for some people, a deadly fascination.

Speaker 7 (03:07:18):
Good evening. This is Don Daoud, your host for Mystery.

Speaker 19 (03:07:22):
Time back again to introduce another in ABC Radio's great
Monday through Friday lineup of mystery dramas. Every night at
this time a new and different story. Our drama tonight
on Masters of Mystery, produced by Clark Andrews and written
by Robert E. Foster, is titled success Story. The central

(03:07:44):
character of our story is a man who believes in
making plans for his future, plans that include even murder.
So here live on Masters of Mystery.

Speaker 17 (03:07:56):
Success Story.

Speaker 8 (03:08:05):
What's the use of being clever if no one knows
how clever you are? Any psychologist will pet you that
the urge, the boast is a fundamental one, and I'll
never have a better opportunity. All right, I'll start with
the moment when I sat in my room cleaning red
clay off my handmade shoes. It was twenty years since

(03:08:26):
I cleaned my own shoes, but I couldn't risk letting
anyone else do it. That red clay was a dead
give way if anyone had seen it, but no one did. Yes, y'all, yes, Amelia,
what is that?

Speaker 11 (03:08:46):
I hate to bother you, but could you come over?

Speaker 16 (03:08:48):
I'm terribly upset the pola.

Speaker 8 (03:08:52):
Well, tell me what's wrong.

Speaker 16 (03:08:53):
I don't know exactly, but someone tried to shoot me.

Speaker 8 (03:08:57):
Shoot you? Was it Henry? I don't know for sure
yet today, suspect Amelia. I know Henry was a favorite
of your father's, but I tell you the man is dangerous.

Speaker 2 (03:09:08):
You've got to get rid of it.

Speaker 20 (03:09:11):
Can you come?

Speaker 8 (03:09:12):
Of course, I'll be right over. Emilia was forty and
everyone said that she had a beautiful nature, which means,
of course that she was as plained as the board fence.

(03:09:32):
But I was vitally interested in me. And you see,
she owned the controlling interest in Rank and Enterprises, the
firm in which I had been working myself upward for
years until I was now the general manager. Amenia was
also chairman of the board of directors. She'd inherited the
business from her father along with three million dollars. She's

(03:09:54):
been on her own for six months now, and I
felt she needed a man to assist in guide her,
and I was working on it. I'd started by insisting
to her that Henry, her caretaker, was old, half seen
isle and untrustworthy. I was all tender concerned when Amelia
let me into the house. Amelia, what's hat Chiles?

Speaker 16 (03:10:18):
I'm so glad you came.

Speaker 8 (03:10:20):
Who is this Miss Rankin? My name is Carter Officer.
I'm general manager of Miss Rankin's firm. Now what has
hep charge?

Speaker 16 (03:10:27):
As I told you, somebody tried to kill met?

Speaker 8 (03:10:30):
And I what I can Just just a minute, mister Carter,
if you don't mind, I'd like to continue questioning the
caretaker here. Oh, of course, Now, Henry, two hours ago
someone stood outside on the grounds and put a bullet
through Miss Rankin's bedroom window.

Speaker 2 (03:10:48):
Don't look at me.

Speaker 8 (03:10:50):
I've been with the family ever since this place was built.
He trusted me, he did. He trusted me even more
than he did her and me. It's true, ain't it.
That's why Sheda wished to stay here, called me alone
into his room just before he died. Who did mister Terrance,
her father?

Speaker 7 (03:11:11):
I see.

Speaker 8 (03:11:14):
Miss Rankin. You say you'd been reading until about nine o'clock.

Speaker 16 (03:11:18):
Yes, I got up and I finished and walked past
the window. There was a crash of glass. That's all
I can tell you.

Speaker 8 (03:11:26):
See, Henry, what were you doing with this gun? I've
always had it, mister Terrance told me to always keep
it handy. And how do you explain the fact that
one of the shelves is discharged?

Speaker 7 (03:11:40):
Come?

Speaker 8 (03:11:40):
One must have took it while I was asleep, and
then walked out on the ground, shot at Miss Rank
and returned to your house and left? Why not, Miss Rank?
And do you know of any reason why Henry would
do a thing like this?

Speaker 16 (03:11:55):
No, I don't.

Speaker 8 (03:11:58):
This the house phone here on the desk that connects
with Henry's, that's.

Speaker 16 (03:12:02):
Right, But nonetheless it's the Henry.

Speaker 8 (03:12:04):
I have a man searching there now, is that you, Jacobs?

Speaker 7 (03:12:12):
Yeah?

Speaker 8 (03:12:13):
Search the grounds too, found where he stood, the fire
shot where I see? Did you check the footprints against
Henry's shoes? And the shoes did not match the Prince?

Speaker 18 (03:12:32):
What did I tell you after?

Speaker 8 (03:12:33):
It was somebody else?

Speaker 16 (03:12:41):
Well they're gone at last, Amelia.

Speaker 8 (03:12:43):
Will you believe me now? I tell you that man
is not say but we don't know. Charles. You must
think this over carefully. It could happen again.

Speaker 16 (03:12:53):
But I can't let Henry go. After all, father's last trick.

Speaker 8 (03:12:57):
I don't have to let him go.

Speaker 16 (03:12:58):
Well, then what do you think I should do, Charles
A million?

Speaker 8 (03:13:05):
That's what you need? Is someone here to protection?

Speaker 16 (03:13:10):
Yes, perhaps to write child.

Speaker 2 (03:13:26):
I'd worked for that.

Speaker 8 (03:13:27):
Moment for months, and that shot I fired through a
media's window earlier in the evening clinched it. Of course,
I made certain not clever enough not to move too fast.
Presently I met her, attended good night, but the next
day I returned to take her for a walk, just

(03:13:47):
the two of us.

Speaker 16 (03:13:50):
Isn't it lovely out today?

Speaker 8 (03:13:52):
Yes?

Speaker 7 (03:13:53):
It is lovely.

Speaker 8 (03:13:55):
The world is full of beautiful things. The one's in love.
But maybe I'm being presumptuous to me, not your Charles. Ever,
I'm glad of that. I want you to have faith
in me. Oh I do.

Speaker 16 (03:14:12):
But it's just that since mother and Dad died, I've
had everything, of course, but I haven't really. I've had
to be cautious. And this seem when you have money,
you're always meeting people who pretend to be friendly when
all they wanted to get their hands on the money.

Speaker 8 (03:14:31):
What makes people that way?

Speaker 16 (03:14:32):
Charles? There's money that important?

Speaker 8 (03:14:35):
It has a terrible fascination for some people.

Speaker 16 (03:14:39):
If I thought a lot of someone and I found
his motive was that it hurts me terribly, of course
it would me. And Charles, you've been so sweet and
kind to me. I've never been so happy, even though
I am so alone.

Speaker 8 (03:14:55):
And maybe you do need someone with Henry there things
away they are you ought to have someone to take
care of you and well look out for everything.

Speaker 16 (03:15:08):
What are you trying to pay Chile?

Speaker 8 (03:15:11):
I'm asking you to marry me?

Speaker 16 (03:15:14):
Do you really mean?

Speaker 8 (03:15:15):
Of course I do.

Speaker 49 (03:15:20):
I'm so happy, yes, job, Yes, we were married, a
big wedding, fashionable guests, everything, and I spent three months

(03:15:42):
making sure that Amlia had no doubts.

Speaker 8 (03:15:45):
After all, it's only good salesmanship to keep the customer happy.
Then one day I made the next move in my
little plans.

Speaker 16 (03:15:57):
Charles, Yes, come over here, and said, I.

Speaker 8 (03:16:01):
Was going into the library.

Speaker 7 (03:16:02):
O Meania, I have a.

Speaker 8 (03:16:03):
Reference to look up. I'll only be a moment, all right.
What's on your mind?

Speaker 16 (03:16:10):
These few months we've been married, have they been happy
for you?

Speaker 8 (03:16:15):
They've been the happiest months of my life. You've been
more than kind to me. You're holding back something what.

Speaker 16 (03:16:22):
Is it these past few days you've been acting a
little different. I think you had something on your mind.

Speaker 7 (03:16:30):
Why I.

Speaker 8 (03:16:32):
Don't understand.

Speaker 16 (03:16:33):
I mean, I know what it must be. Life married
to my money. What do you mean put you outside
in a way, doesn't it.

Speaker 8 (03:16:42):
You mustn't fish like that and me it's ridiculous, it's absurd.

Speaker 16 (03:16:47):
Just the same. From now on, everything I have is
yours and everything you have. In mind, that's the way
marriage should be. Don't you think. Please money, it is
just so important, les happiness needs much more. I've found
that out.

Speaker 8 (03:17:05):
I called my lawyer to that room, your lawyer.

Speaker 16 (03:17:09):
There'll be some papers to time to put everything in
your name as well as mine. Nothing is going to
come between us, child. Everything we have will be shamed
always forever.

Speaker 8 (03:17:33):
The papers were signed. Now, I shared my everything with
the media, including three million dollars. But you have no
idea how tired of a woman like a media can be,
particularly when she insists on being with you every minute
of the time because she loves you. So there was

(03:17:57):
one more steps in my plans. When I noon, I
walked into that The comes the hotel in North City,
one hundred long miles from Green acres in the medium.
My name is Charles Carter.

Speaker 15 (03:18:10):
I have a reservation.

Speaker 8 (03:18:11):
Let's see room two forty one. I asked for something
at the back of the building, and I have some
reports to write, and i'll need quiet. Your prime dit satisfactory.
I'm sure soundproofing in the rear well. I'll be typing
all afternoon and talsibly late into the night. I don't
want to be disturbed under any circumstances. Yeah, sure, I'll
tell the operator. Please tell the maids too. If they

(03:18:34):
hear me typing inside, they're not to come in, certainly,
mister Carter. God, oh, clerk, excuse me, Oh sorry, sorry
as clums you have made to bump into you fight
all right, clerk, my name is Lane. You're holding a
preservation for me. That's right, mister Dane. I'll be right
with you. The boy has your back, mister Carter. You

(03:18:56):
can go up now. Part three of my plan was
well underway, but I was a little jumping. I fell
a Lane. For a moment I thought it was more
than just co incidents. I'd seen him at the station
when i'd arrived, but that was being foolish. A lot

(03:19:18):
of people arrived in North city every day. Ten minutes later,
alone in room two forty one, I opened my bag,
took out a small portable phonograph with a repeating attachment
on it. I put on a special record and listened.

(03:19:42):
I made sure the whole thing was working perfectly. Then
I sneaked out of the room, down the backstairs and
out the trade entrance to the hotel. In a bar
on the corner, I found a telephone put in a

(03:20:02):
long distance called a Johnson, my assistant at the factory.
I told him I was in north that didn't be
there overnight. Then I phoned the hotel back the hotel
when you were in mister Charles Carter's room. Please, I'm sorry,
mister Carter isn't receiving any calls.

Speaker 2 (03:20:20):
This is important.

Speaker 8 (03:20:21):
I'm the superintendent of one of his plans.

Speaker 4 (03:20:23):
I'm sorry, sir.

Speaker 8 (03:20:25):
You care to leave a messy? He is there isn't he? Yes?

Speaker 33 (03:20:28):
Sure, but he said that he.

Speaker 8 (03:20:29):
Was not to be disturbed.

Speaker 33 (03:20:31):
You'll leave a messy?

Speaker 8 (03:20:32):
No, thank you, I'll call back later. As I hung up,
I knew that all my orders would be obeyed, nothing
would go wrong with my plans. On my way to
get my car, I stopped and bought a bottle of liliquer.
That was to make Henry the care take a sleep better,

(03:20:53):
because Henry was an important part of my plan. Two
hours later, I was driving up the road to Greenie,
but before I got to the house, I turned off
the road and left the car and I would have section.

Speaker 2 (03:21:07):
Then.

Speaker 7 (03:21:07):
I walked up to the.

Speaker 8 (03:21:08):
House, put myself in quietly, and found the medium.

Speaker 7 (03:21:12):
In the living room.

Speaker 16 (03:21:20):
Chas if you I didn't hear you come in.

Speaker 8 (03:21:24):
I didn't mean to start of you a million.

Speaker 16 (03:21:26):
Where it's the car, Charles, I didn't hear you drive up.

Speaker 8 (03:21:30):
I have a lot of trouble with it. Let's it
down the road.

Speaker 16 (03:21:34):
I'll have Henry look at it now. Not to night,
too late, all right, I thought for a while you
might not be coming home. I'm having her glass of wine.
Won't you have one with me?

Speaker 8 (03:21:47):
Thanks? I will, all right. I taste good.

Speaker 16 (03:21:55):
You've been very keyed up, Charles. Is anything worrying?

Speaker 14 (03:21:59):
No?

Speaker 8 (03:22:00):
No, nothing, just a big business deal I'm thinking about.

Speaker 16 (03:22:04):
Is it anything I should know about?

Speaker 7 (03:22:06):
No, not yet.

Speaker 8 (03:22:08):
Anyway.

Speaker 16 (03:22:09):
Johnson called this afternoon. He was looking for some report.

Speaker 8 (03:22:13):
Yes I know, I called him from city. No city, Yes,
I uh made a trip there to look over the
new assembly line. But let's not talk, says is tonight
a minion?

Speaker 7 (03:22:28):
Not up to it?

Speaker 8 (03:22:28):
I'm sorry more, thanks, that's fine. Now, why don't you
run up to bed a minya. I want to take
a bottle of bourbon over to Henry's. That's a friendly
little gesture.

Speaker 16 (03:22:47):
For Henry, who has been acting more oddly than ever.
But if he presented something, I'll try to fix things up.

Speaker 8 (03:22:54):
Get him back in a good frame of mind.

Speaker 16 (03:22:56):
Don't sit up all hours, now, will you?

Speaker 8 (03:22:58):
Oh no, minion, I'll be back soon. Don't wait up
for me. Let me for you another drink? Henray, ain't
you drinking none? Mister Carter? We've been drinking some wine.

(03:23:22):
Missus Carter and I now they don't mix. So well,
how come you're over here for me drinks this time night?

Speaker 37 (03:23:30):
Oh?

Speaker 8 (03:23:31):
I don't know. I just thought that we should get
to know each other there. Well, peity, Missus Carter don't
trust me like she used to. Well that's not us Barrow. Yeah,
I have another drink. Well, don't mind if I do.
That seems to empty the bottle. I guess I better

(03:23:56):
be getting back, But I'm glad we had this saw
Henry very glad. Yes, we'd had a very successful saw.
Henry and I, who was nodding when I left the liquor,
would put him to sleep fast. I hurried back to

(03:24:18):
the house nothing, only long enough to pick up Henry's
work clubs and his hatchet in the wood fire. I
entered the house carefully.

Speaker 7 (03:24:26):
It was dark.

Speaker 8 (03:24:28):
I felt my way toward the stairs. Just as I
reached the bottom step, I bumped against the standing laps.

Speaker 17 (03:24:37):
Job is that you job?

Speaker 8 (03:24:42):
Yes, yes, it's me.

Speaker 16 (03:24:44):
What happened?

Speaker 8 (03:24:46):
I just bumped into a lamp.

Speaker 10 (03:24:47):
Oh, not for door?

Speaker 16 (03:24:49):
Before you come out with you, dear, Yes.

Speaker 8 (03:24:52):
Yes, of course, go back to sleep now. I stood
there with a hatchet in my hand. I felt a
sweat breaking out on my forehead. At the last moment,
I was waiting. I waited, telling myself I was waiting

(03:25:14):
for a minute to go back to sleep. I was
really trying to get up my nerve again.

Speaker 49 (03:25:19):
Everything was perfect so far. Wasn't a reason in the
world for not going sword it?

Speaker 8 (03:25:25):
What's the matter?

Speaker 47 (03:25:26):
Shop?

Speaker 20 (03:25:28):
What?

Speaker 11 (03:25:29):
Why don't you come up?

Speaker 8 (03:25:32):
I think I'll read for a while. I'll be there
pretty soon.

Speaker 2 (03:25:37):
Go to sleep.

Speaker 8 (03:25:37):
There, I spent a moment, running over in my mind
what I'm assume. First to media, then back to Henry's cottage.
Leave his gloves and hatchet hidden.

Speaker 7 (03:25:53):
But not too well hidden.

Speaker 8 (03:25:54):
Henry'd be asleep, Lift him, carry him out to the garage,
drap him over the wheel of his car, start the motor,
and leave him there. Everyone knew of his temper was
continual vickering with the media over little things. The picture
would be perfectly clear. Too much whiskey, a drunken resolve
to kill the media, and attempted flight, collapse over the wheel,

(03:26:18):
death by common monoxide, and I would be one hundred
miles away in the hotels that comes up. Absolved from
any suspicion, there was no reason for hesitating. I started
up the stairs again. I was dark, sat for a

(03:26:39):
faint moonlight.

Speaker 7 (03:26:44):
There was a.

Speaker 8 (03:26:44):
Media, a dim shape, huddled for me for coverage. I
tiptoed to the bed. I hated her. I neve myself
and stopped. God buy me, it's a bit.

Speaker 16 (03:27:08):
You can stop striking that road up blanket, Charles. I'm
over here by the window. Yes, I've been standing here
looking out at the moonlight. It's beautiful, isn't it. I
can see everything so clearly, so clearly, tonight, child.

Speaker 8 (03:27:25):
Yell, no one will hear you.

Speaker 16 (03:27:26):
I'm not going yet, you see, Charles, I know everything
you did today. I hired a detective to follow you
a week ago, a detective. I thought you were in
some kind of trouble. I hired the detective to see
what it was so I could help you, so you
could help me in an end of your reservation and

(03:27:47):
not city. He was waiting for you at the hotel
when you got there.

Speaker 8 (03:27:52):
That's his name, that's.

Speaker 16 (03:27:57):
Well, go on, hell me and told me you were
in your room typing.

Speaker 8 (03:28:02):
I told him you couldn't type, so he got into
my room.

Speaker 16 (03:28:06):
It was a clever way to establish an alibi. I
knew you wouldn't go to so much trouble except for
something very very big, and I guess the only thing
it could be pretty ridiculous believing it. Out of all
the people, there was one whom I could trust, whom
I could share everything with.

Speaker 8 (03:28:29):
Were where is your detective now? Outside? I suppot, No,
he did his work.

Speaker 16 (03:28:37):
He's gone.

Speaker 8 (03:28:39):
We're alone, Yes, quite alone.

Speaker 16 (03:28:43):
Remember our agreement that we should share everything. Well, when
I became convinced you were planning to kill me. I
couldn't bear it. I don't mean about dying, but to
have my trust shadowed, so life didn't seem worth living anymore.

Speaker 8 (03:29:04):
Who are you getting it?

Speaker 16 (03:29:05):
I took sert precautions, Charles, precautions. That wine we both
drank when.

Speaker 8 (03:29:11):
You came in it was poisoned poisons. I don't believe you.
You're lying.

Speaker 11 (03:29:21):
No I'm not.

Speaker 16 (03:29:23):
It's slow acting, quite painous, and half an hour or
so we'll fall asleep and not wake up.

Speaker 8 (03:29:34):
You are lying, You're trying to trick me.

Speaker 16 (03:29:38):
Oh, Charles, I hope so I'm wrong.

Speaker 2 (03:29:41):
I hope so hard.

Speaker 17 (03:29:43):
I even prepared for that.

Speaker 16 (03:29:45):
I have a bottle of the antidote here. If you
had come upstairs and simply gone to bed, I was
prepared to give you the antidote on some give.

Speaker 2 (03:29:57):
We agreed to.

Speaker 16 (03:29:58):
Share everything, remember, and we must share this what it bottled?

Speaker 18 (03:30:06):
A million?

Speaker 16 (03:30:08):
Yeah, it's gone now, Chah, it's all gone.

Speaker 17 (03:30:28):
Strange adventure.

Speaker 43 (03:30:32):
Thousands of thrill seeking spectators jammed the gates that led
into the gaily decorated Indianapolis.

Speaker 17 (03:30:37):
Speedway for this was to be the highlight of the
racing season, and.

Speaker 43 (03:30:41):
The finest cars the most daring drivers were out to
compete in the spectacular five hundred miles Memorial Day Classic,
and now the brothers of the bank Dooval were gathered
in the dressing room, waiting their turn to go to
the pits, where their high powered racers were being gassed
and checked. All the men looked up as a tall,
middle aged man stepped into the room carrying under his

(03:31:03):
arm a large black cat. One of the veterans of
the speedway snorted, Hey, here comes Bob Roberts with his cat.
Black devil be his death some day in spite of
his reverse superstitions. Robert smiled at his friends as he
set his mascot down upon the dressing bench. Well, boys,
I just had a long talk with Midnight here and

(03:31:24):
he told me I was going to win again this year,
just like I did last May, so.

Speaker 4 (03:31:28):
You boys might as well take it easy.

Speaker 43 (03:31:30):
One of the young drivers looked at the man who
had made the statement, then at the cat. Mister Roberts,
I thought black cats were supposed to be unlucky all
not from me, son. Just before the race last year,
a black cat crossed my path and I won the
race by a good four miles. Then I went back
to California, and a friend of mine gave me this

(03:31:51):
cat for luck. Eh, Midnight's brought me luck ever since.
I'm gonna let him watch the race today. You want
to get a kick out of the race, He's going
to help me with Len Sutton. The old driver picked
up his driving helmet and turned toward the door.

Speaker 4 (03:32:06):
Lessen Roberts.

Speaker 43 (03:32:08):
If you want to believe that cat is lucky, more pothy,
but keep that black devil away from.

Speaker 5 (03:32:13):
Us, will you.

Speaker 43 (03:32:14):
Roberts followed the other drivers to the pits. Still carrying
his Lucky mascot, he pushed his powerful yellow racer out
to the starting line. The crowd cheered as the der
Deevil drivers roared away in the race that would bring
fortune and fleeting fame to one of them, failure and
possible death to others. The race was exciting and heated.
Car after car flashed into the lead, but when the

(03:32:37):
Classic was half over, Roberts was still among the front runners.
In the hundredth lap, Roberts made his bid for the
lead and sped past four cars on the straight away.
He banked his car to take the southeast turn loong
to the driver's at dead man's curve, a look of
terror crossed his face as he looked ahead. Directly in
his path, a car whizzed into a dizzy spin. Installed

(03:32:58):
Unless he could swerve out of the way, a crash
was inevitable. Robert's race told the spinning car, then swerved
to avoid a crash. He lost control and his racer
hurtled through the guardrail. Then Chuck Miller's car came crashing
into the pilot as the horrified spectators let out a
yell of terror. When the ambulance arrived at the scene
and Roberts was lifted out of the tangled massive wreckage,

(03:33:21):
life was fast ebbing from the man who was so
sure of winning, and sitting peacefully on the broken rail
was Midnight, the jinx of the speedway, whose faculty for
bringing fortune to his owner had brought death instead. This
is Pat McGee in Hollywood, California, saying goodbye for my
writer Charles Crowd, and inviting you to listen again to

(03:33:41):
another tale of.

Speaker 2 (03:33:43):
Range at the sure.

Speaker 5 (03:34:01):
Appointment with Fear.

Speaker 50 (03:34:08):
This is your storyteller, the Man in Black, here again
to bring you another placid evening in our.

Speaker 5 (03:34:15):
Far sided series. Appointment with Fear, Loss of memory.

Speaker 50 (03:34:24):
The eerie darkness which closes down on the brain, is
a subject which has often amused me, and that is
why I have brought a guest tonight, doctor Gideon Fell,
the celebrated schoolmaster turned detective, to tell you about the
Barton case. There sits doctor Fell himself, all twenty stone

(03:34:47):
of him, with his four chins, his bandits, mustache, his
eyeglasses on the broad black ribbon, his face fiery with controversy.
And when he tells you about the Barton case, as
he told it to me, we trust we shall keep

(03:35:07):
our promise to.

Speaker 4 (03:35:08):
Bring you.

Speaker 5 (03:35:11):
An appointment with fear.

Speaker 50 (03:35:15):
The clock strikes eight by John Dixon Carr, produced by
Martin C.

Speaker 5 (03:35:23):
Webster.

Speaker 15 (03:35:28):
And the Barton Case was a grim business. I saw
the last night of it. I saw what the human
soul can endure without quite going mad, and I have

(03:35:50):
no wish to see its like again. For I ask
you to imagine yourself in the position of that girl,
Helen Barton. Suppose just suppose that you wake up suddenly
in the middle of the night. You wake up as
though from a nightmare, with a feeling you've been asleep

(03:36:10):
a very long time. The room is cold and nearly dark,
with the faint glimmer of a fire almost out. Slowly,
very slowly, you begin to realize it's a room you've
never seen before. That fact above all strikes that you

(03:36:32):
through a mist fear. There's a queer atmosphere like old
stone and disinfectant, and no sound at all in that
dim room except.

Speaker 7 (03:36:54):
What is it?

Speaker 13 (03:36:56):
What was that noise?

Speaker 8 (03:36:58):
Now?

Speaker 2 (03:36:58):
Now lean back and you, my dear, it's all right.
That's good advice, Miss Barton.

Speaker 8 (03:37:03):
You take it easy.

Speaker 14 (03:37:05):
I think I must have been dreaming.

Speaker 2 (03:37:07):
You were having a nightmare. But it's all right now.

Speaker 51 (03:37:10):
Nothing's going to hurt you, not, dear, Be quiet enough,
no offense, I'm sure, But some people who occupy this
room get on my nerves.

Speaker 52 (03:37:18):
I I don't want to see stupid. I know there
must be some explanation, but I don't understand this. Understand what,
my dear, where am I?

Speaker 17 (03:37:30):
How did I get you?

Speaker 18 (03:37:31):
And who are you?

Speaker 2 (03:37:32):
Now?

Speaker 51 (03:37:32):
Please miss, whatever else you do, don't start that all
over again, start all over again telling us you've lost
your memory and don't even know what your name is?

Speaker 14 (03:37:41):
Are you insane? Of course I know what my name is.
I'm Helen Barton.

Speaker 17 (03:37:47):
Why it's a mercy.

Speaker 18 (03:37:49):
You admit that.

Speaker 52 (03:37:49):
At last, At last, I've never spoken to you before
in my life.

Speaker 2 (03:37:55):
Where am I?

Speaker 13 (03:37:57):
Why?

Speaker 14 (03:37:57):
Oh no, it is so cold, hard to be cozy
here in the middle of December.

Speaker 17 (03:38:02):
Did you say December?

Speaker 14 (03:38:03):
That's right, that's right, the eighteenth of December. You're fooling.

Speaker 18 (03:38:08):
You're playing a trick on me.

Speaker 14 (03:38:11):
My feels queer enough to crime.

Speaker 8 (03:38:14):
I won't could could?

Speaker 2 (03:38:18):
He has some lights straight away?

Speaker 14 (03:38:21):
Can't be December, I.

Speaker 17 (03:38:22):
Tell you, that's impossible. It was only yesterday and all
the flowers were right.

Speaker 2 (03:38:26):
I was going up to see Philip.

Speaker 13 (03:38:28):
That's it.

Speaker 2 (03:38:30):
I was going up to see Philip.

Speaker 8 (03:38:32):
Philip Oh, Philip Gale.

Speaker 14 (03:38:34):
The man I was going to marry.

Speaker 17 (03:38:36):
It's coming back to me now.

Speaker 2 (03:38:38):
It was yesterday and I started up to see Philip.

Speaker 51 (03:38:41):
Oh, for heaven's sake, miss he and don't tom those lights?
Y oh, she's having us on Hella. This girl's shaking
all over and she doesn't know where she is. Now,
miss now, listen to me. I'm going to sit down
on the bed beside you now. Now just take my
head hands and hold them tight.

Speaker 2 (03:39:04):
What's wrong?

Speaker 13 (03:39:06):
Why are you looking at me like that?

Speaker 16 (03:39:08):
I've got something to tell you.

Speaker 8 (03:39:11):
Is it about Philip?

Speaker 13 (03:39:13):
It is about him?

Speaker 14 (03:39:15):
Yes, in a way.

Speaker 8 (03:39:17):
I want you to keep tight hold of my hands.

Speaker 14 (03:39:21):
You see, Miss Barton, this is made her prison.

Speaker 13 (03:39:25):
Steady, steady.

Speaker 53 (03:39:26):
I'm still dream I must be. It was the end
of August nine. I started up to see Philip.

Speaker 18 (03:39:32):
You can't mean I'm in prison.

Speaker 4 (03:39:34):
Now.

Speaker 13 (03:39:34):
Listen, my dear, I'm afraid it's worse than that. Worse
than that.

Speaker 52 (03:39:41):
Look over there, you see where there's a little bit
of fart in the grate well, and paper on the wall,
and pictures and a carpet on the floor.

Speaker 51 (03:39:50):
Why can't you come out straight and tell her they're
going to hang you in the morning, Miss Barton.

Speaker 17 (03:39:56):
This is the condemned cell.

Speaker 15 (03:40:14):
With sudden shock, the prison clock smoked on the shivering air.
But I won't quote that any further. I have too
vivid a memory of sitting up that night with Colonel Andrews,
the governor of the prison. It was in a little
office with the lamp shade tilted so that I could

(03:40:34):
see his face, and he said, I hate executions.

Speaker 2 (03:40:41):
Can't sleep the night before if you hadn't offered to
come here and save my life.

Speaker 4 (03:40:45):
This is a strange time, So to talk of saving lives.

Speaker 2 (03:40:49):
It's no good being sentimental about the thing. That's the law.

Speaker 4 (03:40:52):
I didn't make it, But I gather you're not exactly
happy about this case.

Speaker 54 (03:40:56):
I'm not a match effect, mind you. There's no doubt
whatever about the girl's hmm.

Speaker 4 (03:41:01):
I am gratified to hear it.

Speaker 2 (03:41:03):
But if only she confess.

Speaker 54 (03:41:06):
Most of them, do you know, they confess to you,
to me, or to the hangman. Sometimes I wish I
had any job in the world but mine. If only
the girl would.

Speaker 2 (03:41:15):
Confess, If only she just stopped this nonsense about.

Speaker 54 (03:41:19):
Not remembering, not remembering what, not remembering how she shot
Philip Gail, not remembering anything even her own name.

Speaker 8 (03:41:27):
Total amnesia covering a crime.

Speaker 15 (03:41:29):
Do you mean to say that a woman suffering from
loss of memory can be tried and sentenced to death.

Speaker 2 (03:41:34):
No, if she really has losts of memory. But this
amnesia defense was a fake.

Speaker 4 (03:41:39):
You're quite sure of that.

Speaker 2 (03:41:42):
Judge would never have allowed it to come to trial
if he hadn't been convinced she was shanning. Even then,
she might have got off with a life sentence, or
even with manslaughter if it hadn't been for the nature
of the crime.

Speaker 15 (03:41:52):
She didn't cut anybody up, I hope no.

Speaker 2 (03:41:56):
It was almost as bad. She shot a man who
raised his hands and big for mercy that completed damned
during the eyes of the journey.

Speaker 4 (03:42:04):
And yet you have doubts?

Speaker 2 (03:42:07):
Take you, why haven't any doubts? And in any case,
none of my business.

Speaker 4 (03:42:12):
How has she acted since she's been here?

Speaker 2 (03:42:15):
Model prisoner, But I wish she'd stop this business. Was
seeming to be in a daze. It's getting on my nerves.
Nice scale too. I knew our grandfather. She lived near here, Yes,
born and bred and Mahurst. She got mixed up with
a further going swine named Philip. Gail mad about him,
wouldn't care a word against him. He throw it over

(03:42:37):
for a woman with money.

Speaker 5 (03:42:39):
I see.

Speaker 2 (03:42:41):
He had a bungalow on white Rose Hill. She went
up there one Sunday afternoon helone, yes, Herbert Gail, Philip's brother,
heard them screaming at each other. He ran in to
see what was wrong. Philip was trying to chase the
girl up. She grabbed a thirty two revolver out of
a table drawer and told Philip to put up his hands. Well,

(03:43:02):
let's scare him, he did put up his hands. Then
she shot him dead and went down on a thing.

Speaker 15 (03:43:08):
And afterwards, afterwards she couldn't remember, couldn't remember anything.

Speaker 2 (03:43:14):
Pretended she didn't even recognize her own family. She said,
who is Philip Gail? And you hang her tomorrow morning?

Speaker 15 (03:43:22):
Yes, without even hearing her side of the case. Founded, members,
there's no doubt about the evidence. Are you sure she
killed Philip Gail? Gail's brother Herbert saw her do it.
This hypocrisy about not remembering, the emotional shark could do
just that.

Speaker 2 (03:43:39):
You know, she wasn't so emotional as shocked that the
disturbed her egg. She drove him clean through the heart
at fifteen feet. The bullet entered in a dead straight line,
full coat, waistcoat, shirt, and heart got a runner pencil
through the holes. Oh, I don't sit there popping out
your cheeks and waving us a guard at me.

Speaker 15 (03:43:58):
And I'm only told me, Colonel Andrews, aren't you talking
to convince yourself? No, Suppose that the girl is telling
the truth. Suppose she has lost her memory. You all right,
you don't believe that, but suppose it, And then suppose

(03:44:20):
in some black eye just before the hangman comes that
her memory returned. Sir, I have lived long enough to
know that mental suffering is the cruelest form of suffering
on this earth. Imagine yourself in that position. You come
out of a daze into what you thought was a
safe and pleasant world. You don't know where you are,

(03:44:41):
You don't know what's happened. You only know that when
the clock strikes eight, they are going to take you
out and hang.

Speaker 2 (03:44:52):
Did you hear that?

Speaker 5 (03:44:53):
Yes?

Speaker 2 (03:44:54):
Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

Speaker 7 (03:44:56):
Yes?

Speaker 2 (03:44:57):
It isn't possible.

Speaker 15 (03:44:58):
I very much fear it is.

Speaker 2 (03:45:00):
Sometimes, you know, we we have to use drugs. We
take them to the execution shed. It's only a short
distance and we've tried to get it over in a
matter of seconds. But sometimes they they can't walk. Yes,
what is it? Beg pardon?

Speaker 5 (03:45:20):
Sir?

Speaker 2 (03:45:20):
I thought i'd better get you for the doctor or
the chaplain for both. What's the matter with you? Manure?
Why does a ghost don't that?

Speaker 55 (03:45:27):
I've been a warder in this place for a matter
of fifteen years, but I never knew anything like this.

Speaker 2 (03:45:32):
It's the upstairs role, I suppose, Yes, sir, it's terical. Yes,
she says, well, she says she remembers. Now, I see
she's carrying on something awful, sir. That ain't all she
She claims she never done it. What's that? She claims
she never killed mister Gale at all? Yes. Any other

(03:45:53):
disturbances in the building, Well, so they're a bit of
rest is in.

Speaker 15 (03:45:56):
The wing a Well, that's that's usual, yes, sir.

Speaker 2 (03:46:00):
And there's a bloke outside the prison, I mean, who
keeps hanging about in front of the main gate. You
can see him with the street lamp.

Speaker 55 (03:46:07):
First you take a few little quick steps back and forth,
and then you run and stick his pace against the
bars of the gate, and then you go back to
the pacing again.

Speaker 2 (03:46:16):
They gave me the keeps eating before.

Speaker 18 (03:46:18):
This other thing.

Speaker 15 (03:46:19):
You don't happen to know who it is. It's the
other mister Gail, Sir. I hadn't the heart to chase
in the world.

Speaker 2 (03:46:25):
I had it, all right, all right, go ahead, I'll
be along in a minute.

Speaker 15 (03:46:29):
Yes, So the girl claims to be innocent. You heard
that as I had it. What do you mean to do?

Speaker 2 (03:46:38):
Well, I'll see, of course, I won't effect the issue.

Speaker 15 (03:46:42):
Not even if she does happen to be innocent.

Speaker 2 (03:46:45):
Well, in the name of heaven. Try to understand my position.
I'm preading the interview. It's against regulations, but I I
wish you would come along with me. How where's that whiskey?
I think a little stimulant.

Speaker 15 (03:47:01):
She will need the stimulant. It's a cold night, it
will be colder yet where she's going.

Speaker 14 (03:47:23):
I didn't do it, I tell you, I didn't want
this quiet.

Speaker 56 (03:47:26):
All right, my dear, it's all right. The governor and
the other gentlemen they believe you. Don't you need to
try to fool me. Look at them over there in
the corner whispering, Well, she's lying.

Speaker 18 (03:47:36):
I heard that.

Speaker 8 (03:47:37):
You said, Well she's lying.

Speaker 14 (03:47:39):
I'm not lying this sudden.

Speaker 51 (03:47:41):
You've got to pull yourself again to me.

Speaker 14 (03:47:45):
When I first woke up, I didn't even remember Philip
was dead.

Speaker 2 (03:47:49):
Then it came back to me.

Speaker 53 (03:47:51):
I remember standing outside philips bungalow on a hot day
with the sun in my eyes.

Speaker 13 (03:47:56):
I heard a shot.

Speaker 53 (03:47:57):
Inside the bungalow, and I ran into the living room
and found lying on the floor by the couch with
his mouth opening, blood on his chest.

Speaker 18 (03:48:04):
That's all I do remember. Something hit me on the head,
or that's what it seemed like.

Speaker 2 (03:48:10):
Please doctors found no injury at your head.

Speaker 15 (03:48:12):
You know, tell you one moment, Miss Barton, can you
forgive the intrusion of an old buffer who sincerely wants.

Speaker 7 (03:48:22):
To help you.

Speaker 17 (03:48:23):
I'm I'm sorry. I'll try to be sensible.

Speaker 15 (03:48:26):
Now tell me when you arrived at the bungalow, Philip
Gail was already dead. Yes, you didn't go up there
to quarrel with him?

Speaker 37 (03:48:34):
No?

Speaker 57 (03:48:35):
And why should I have.

Speaker 17 (03:48:36):
Killed him anyway? I only went to tell him I
was through finished, fed up with him.

Speaker 2 (03:48:40):
I oh, see you.

Speaker 15 (03:48:43):
They haven't told you then that there's a witness who
came to see you shoot Gail, a witness who Herbert Gail.

Speaker 17 (03:48:51):
But that's a lie.

Speaker 15 (03:48:54):
You didn't take a thirty two revolver out of the
table drawer.

Speaker 22 (03:48:56):
That's the first time I've even heard of any revolve.

Speaker 2 (03:48:58):
Please believe me.

Speaker 15 (03:48:59):
You didn't ordered Philip to put up his hands, and
then when he did put up his hand about his hand.
You didn't shoot him from a distance of about fifteen
feet No, no, no.

Speaker 2 (03:49:08):
Oh, fingerprints were on the re other you were still
holding it in your hand when Herbert brought a policeman.

Speaker 15 (03:49:14):
It looks to say you got me I'm afraid it does.
Just who is this brother, this Herbert Gail?

Speaker 13 (03:49:23):
He's the good men, my dear.

Speaker 14 (03:49:29):
Herbert is the good boy where Philip was a bad one.

Speaker 53 (03:49:32):
Younger than Philip, horribly irrespectable pillar of the church, never
smooks or drinks, has to work hard because Philip inherited
what money they Hadn't let me laugh?

Speaker 2 (03:49:41):
You than how funny Herbert's word certainly carries Wait, it's.

Speaker 18 (03:49:46):
Carried weight against me, hasn't it. Why did he want
to get me hanged? Why should he tell such a
complete bag of life?

Speaker 4 (03:49:54):
Yes, I wonder why.

Speaker 53 (03:49:57):
Second, I imagine I'm going to wake up five min
sto living room again looking at Philip's.

Speaker 16 (03:50:04):
Body, just standing and staring at it, and feeling sick
of all things to think of the.

Speaker 2 (03:50:11):
Time, like that one thing? Why he was wearing a
waistcoat on such a hot.

Speaker 58 (03:50:16):
Day, opens of Athens, And what a turnip, what a
thundering dance. The murdered man was wearing a waistcoat. You
told me so yourself.

Speaker 2 (03:50:28):
What did I get?

Speaker 15 (03:50:29):
The murdered man was wearing a waistcoat on a hot day.

Speaker 58 (03:50:33):
Glass that beautiful fact, my friend, Keep it in splendor
before you three hours of sheer nightmare, and all because
I never thought of the waistcoat.

Speaker 59 (03:50:44):
Let me ask you just one thing. What happened to
the court exhibits of the gael case. A matter of fact,
we've still got them. The case was kind and made
her decide you still got them. But what good can
they do now?

Speaker 58 (03:50:55):
So let me shake your head, Let me stap you
on the back.

Speaker 2 (03:50:58):
Let my friend stop a bit quiet.

Speaker 7 (03:51:01):
I I beg your pardon.

Speaker 2 (03:51:04):
You have you've forgotten where we are?

Speaker 3 (03:51:07):
No?

Speaker 2 (03:51:08):
Yes, these facts. The prisoner has been told that there's well,
no hope. I'm sorry, but there it is. The curlest
thing you could do now will be the raise hopes
that I can't fulfill.

Speaker 15 (03:51:21):
Understand that I understand it only too well.

Speaker 2 (03:51:25):
This can't be present for any of us. There's nothing
in the evidence that justifies any change of.

Speaker 15 (03:51:30):
Ten, except, of course, that the girl isn't guilty. Can
you prove that to my own satisfaction? Yes, I'm afraid
that's not good enough. Suppose I proved it to you conclusively?
Mind out of evidence you gave me yourself? What would
you do?

Speaker 2 (03:51:49):
Are you bluffing?

Speaker 37 (03:51:49):
No?

Speaker 15 (03:51:50):
Speak up? Man?

Speaker 2 (03:51:50):
What would you do furne the home secrald film and
ask for a stay of execution. There's a private line
from my office to his country hearts.

Speaker 18 (03:51:59):
But I want is there any help for me?

Speaker 13 (03:52:01):
Is there any help?

Speaker 2 (03:52:02):
I warn you, fell they won't accept fancy theorist. They'll
only accept pats.

Speaker 15 (03:52:07):
Tell me, Miss Barton, how tall is the estimable mister
Herbert gave?

Speaker 13 (03:52:12):
How tall?

Speaker 7 (03:52:13):
Yes?

Speaker 15 (03:52:14):
Is he anything like the same height as his brother Philipp?

Speaker 13 (03:52:17):
They're about the same height.

Speaker 15 (03:52:19):
I don't see if I remember correctly. One of the
war has told us that Herbert Gail has been hanging
about the front gate all night. I should very much
like to speak with him. Colonel Andrews, Will you send
someone out and ask him to come into your office?
I can't do it.

Speaker 2 (03:52:33):
Why not against regulations. You've got to get a special.

Speaker 15 (03:52:36):
Pass, say and write to him.

Speaker 4 (03:52:37):
Cast it all.

Speaker 58 (03:52:38):
Can't you get it through your correct military head that
an innocent person is going to swing in less than
two hours?

Speaker 2 (03:52:43):
And then I didn't know what to try to do.

Speaker 54 (03:52:44):
But can you do it?

Speaker 7 (03:52:46):
Dear?

Speaker 15 (03:52:47):
I can't tell you. I'm going downstairs now. Maybe in
a very short time a certain gentleman will be entering
this institution without any.

Speaker 4 (03:52:56):
Need of a pass.

Speaker 15 (03:52:57):
But don't hope for anything, my yeah, don't hope for anything.

(03:53:18):
Seven o'clock seven, no block, less than an hour to go? Oh,
I doesn't that water? Come and bring the exhibit I want?
What's delaying him?

Speaker 2 (03:53:29):
Probably he can't find the stuck you said you had
it here, things like that. I have to get this
leave in a month since the trial. Must you must
you have these.

Speaker 58 (03:53:38):
Exhibits in order to prove it to you fully? Yes,
But if he doesn't come in two seconds more.

Speaker 2 (03:53:42):
I can't stay here much longer myself. Chaplains were unarmed.
I shall have to take over before the end. Yes, yes,
come in. Sorry to have been so long. I could
have sworn it was in one place and alone the
old it turns up somewhere help.

Speaker 15 (03:53:57):
Never mind that. Did you get the exhibits?

Speaker 2 (03:53:59):
It's all yes, sir, this suitcase.

Speaker 15 (03:54:02):
Put it on Colonel Andrews's desk. Now let's see move
the lever over here, will you?

Speaker 2 (03:54:08):
And about mister Herbert Gale?

Speaker 7 (03:54:09):
Where is he?

Speaker 4 (03:54:10):
And he all said?

Speaker 2 (03:54:11):
You want to see him?

Speaker 60 (03:54:12):
Now?

Speaker 15 (03:54:12):
Yes, yes, my lad, very much, so ask him to
come in.

Speaker 2 (03:54:15):
You can come in, sir, this way, Thank you morning,
habit you had to see you?

Speaker 18 (03:54:23):
Is it down?

Speaker 2 (03:54:24):
Thank you? Colonel Andrews. Have your head and cook. This
is doctor Gideon film. How do you do the water
said you wanted to see me? I came, of course,
But do you think it was quite the right thing
to do? But why not?

Speaker 18 (03:54:38):
Well?

Speaker 2 (03:54:39):
People might think I was holding a grudge against Helen
because of.

Speaker 15 (03:54:42):
Phil, you know, and you don't hold any grudge.

Speaker 5 (03:54:46):
No.

Speaker 2 (03:54:46):
I pity that poor.

Speaker 61 (03:54:48):
Girl from the bottom of my heart. I only wish
I hadn't had to testify against her.

Speaker 2 (03:54:52):
But what else did I do?

Speaker 15 (03:54:53):
You mean you'd like to help her even now?

Speaker 2 (03:54:56):
Of course I would if there's anything I can do
to soothe her last moment.

Speaker 15 (03:55:01):
There is something you can do, mister Gail. Well you
can come with us to the condemned cell.

Speaker 2 (03:55:09):
Are you joking?

Speaker 5 (03:55:10):
No?

Speaker 2 (03:55:11):
But wouldn't it be horrible for Helen?

Speaker 4 (03:55:13):
Yes?

Speaker 15 (03:55:13):
Probably, but as you point out, he has only a
very short time to live.

Speaker 2 (03:55:19):
Excuse me, but what have you got in that suitcase?

Speaker 15 (03:55:22):
In this suitcase, mister Gail, a flattened bullet, the bullet
that killed your brother, A thirty two revolver, a tweed
coat bloodstained, a tweed waistcoat also blood stage.

Speaker 2 (03:55:38):
Yeah, what do you expect of prove with that stuff?

Speaker 15 (03:55:40):
Will mister Herbert gil go with us to the condemned cell?

Speaker 2 (03:55:43):
Of course, if you think I can do any good there, then.

Speaker 15 (03:55:46):
With your permission, I propose to prove that a straight
line is the shortest distance between two points. Will you
walk into my father.

Speaker 2 (03:56:26):
Half an hour ago?

Speaker 18 (03:56:30):
My dear easy, they're not coming already to.

Speaker 13 (03:56:37):
Have it scale.

Speaker 2 (03:56:39):
I'm very sorry for you, Helen. Please believe that, Thank you.
I shouldn't have been truded at this painful time. Believe me, Helen.
But doctor Fell and the colonel here made me come.

Speaker 7 (03:56:49):
To see you.

Speaker 18 (03:56:50):
You mean you come to confess?

Speaker 2 (03:56:52):
Confess? What should I confess?

Speaker 14 (03:56:53):
You didn't see me?

Speaker 17 (03:56:54):
Should fill you know you didn't.

Speaker 61 (03:56:56):
I'm sorry, Helen. I pity you, and I bear you
no malice even now. But you did shoot poor old Hill.
You shot him in cold blood after you'd asked him
to put up his hands.

Speaker 4 (03:57:05):
Now high did he put up his hand?

Speaker 15 (03:57:07):
I beg your pardon, I said, how high did he
put up his hand?

Speaker 7 (03:57:11):
Look?

Speaker 61 (03:57:11):
Here, you're only upsetting poor Helen. Is there any purpose
in going over all this? In the last few minutes
before before the hangman.

Speaker 15 (03:57:18):
We might even illustrate what happened with a little experiment.
I have here in this suitcase a bloodstained tweed coat
and a bloodstained the waistcoat. You see them, mister Gail,
I see them.

Speaker 7 (03:57:34):
Yes.

Speaker 15 (03:57:35):
I should like you to take off your own coat
and waistcoat. I should then like you to put.

Speaker 4 (03:57:40):
On this coat and this waistcoat.

Speaker 2 (03:57:44):
Such thing? Why not haven't you tortured poor Helen enough?
Colonel Andrews, I appeal to you. I don't see what
the game is, but where's the harmony Helen's feeling?

Speaker 53 (03:57:52):
Never mind my feelings have but I've only got a
few minutes left.

Speaker 18 (03:57:56):
Put on the coat and waistcoat.

Speaker 15 (03:57:57):
You hear a condemned person's last request, mister will you
do it?

Speaker 2 (03:58:01):
Yes, if you insist. I still don't see what this
is all about. If something isn't.

Speaker 62 (03:58:05):
Done very soon, Ben Anderson as Harris, I thought i'd
better tell you, sir that the chaplain's here and the
witnesses are ready to do me the hangman.

Speaker 2 (03:58:17):
He's got to come and bind her. Answer it's five
minutes to each. Sorry if helm that this has got
to stop, and he's asked you to carry out of
here immediately while we like God's sake.

Speaker 4 (03:58:25):
Man, wait, I.

Speaker 2 (03:58:27):
Can't prove it.

Speaker 15 (03:58:28):
Now you can prove what I can't prove. Mister Herbert
Gale lied when he sentenced this girl to death.

Speaker 2 (03:58:34):
You must be out of my mind. You can't do
any such thing.

Speaker 15 (03:58:37):
Oh yes, I can do.

Speaker 58 (03:58:38):
You notice all of you that he's wearing the dead
man's coat and waistcoat. All right, suppose I am what
about it?

Speaker 15 (03:58:44):
You will imagine, mister Gale, with this powerful imagination of yours,
that I am threatening you with a revolver. Now hold
up your hands.

Speaker 2 (03:58:53):
What the devil you get?

Speaker 15 (03:58:54):
Hold up your hand, sir, high above your head.

Speaker 18 (03:58:56):
I won't do it.

Speaker 2 (03:58:57):
It is a judge of man. I'm asking you now.

Speaker 15 (03:59:01):
That mister Gale, don't let your hands tremble when you
raise them. Just lift your hands. I still, while I'm
threatening you with the revolver. Now look at his coat.
Everybody look at the coat.

Speaker 58 (03:59:21):
Don't lie your hands, mister Gle and the rest of
you look at his coat.

Speaker 18 (03:59:25):
Coat it rises when he lifts his.

Speaker 58 (03:59:27):
Head, but of course it does. And the bullet hole
in the coat you notice, rises with it. But the
waistcoat is button close to the body. The waistcoat doesn't move.

Speaker 2 (03:59:38):
I think I begin to see.

Speaker 58 (03:59:39):
The bullet hole in the coat has written at least
four inches above the corresponding hole in the waistcoat. Yet
the bullet you told me, penetrated in a dead straight
line through coat, waistcoat and shirt. Therefore, Philip Glee could
not possibly have had his hands raised when he was shot.

Speaker 15 (03:59:55):
Did the damn light It was a damned Liza. You
killed Philip Gay yourself. When Helen Barton walked into the
middle of your crime, you knuckle out with a weapon
that left no bruise and put the revolver into a hand.
Then you discovered, as a gift from Heaven that she
had lost a memory. You could tell any lying story
you liked, but it's upset the apple cart. Now. The

(04:00:18):
prosecution and the evidence, the verdict were all based on
the evidence of the shooting of a man who had
his hands raised.

Speaker 58 (04:00:26):
Destroy that single lie and you create the reasonable doubt
that destroys the whole case.

Speaker 2 (04:00:35):
He got he say something, Harris, Yes, sir, you know
the private telephone line in my office, Yes, sir, get
me the Home secretary.

Speaker 5 (04:01:22):
And so, with the end of the story, the clock
strikes eight.

Speaker 2 (04:01:27):
We come to the end of our present group of
stories in the.

Speaker 5 (04:01:30):
Series Appointment with Fear.

Speaker 50 (04:01:36):
If you have been pleased, if you have been entertained,
if you have been able to say that only the
graveyards have yawned, then we are deeply grateful. Indeed, with
the slightest encouragement, I, who am amused by such things,
should return to tell you more tales of corpses and

(04:01:57):
the midnight are but until that happy day when we
meet again by some evil crossroad of the future. This
is your storyteller, the man in black saying good night and.

Speaker 7 (04:02:16):
Goodbye.

Speaker 44 (04:03:00):
I should inquire if the Master.

Speaker 23 (04:03:03):
It is him again?

Speaker 3 (04:03:04):
Uncle?

Speaker 14 (04:03:05):
Will that man ever leave me alone?

Speaker 63 (04:03:07):
Could you have perhaps led him on inadvertently in your.

Speaker 23 (04:03:11):
You have nothing to offer him, but Lucinda, father would
have wanted me to have my share of his fortune.

Speaker 17 (04:03:16):
Father died without making a will.

Speaker 30 (04:03:19):
If you marry the man I love, I swear on
his grave.

Speaker 23 (04:03:22):
Beatrice, that I will cut you off with a pittance.
It will be over my dead body that you and
your curse set foot inside this house again.

Speaker 17 (04:03:30):
Ahinda, have you told her, Beatrice?

Speaker 14 (04:03:34):
Yes, you are not welcome in my house.

Speaker 17 (04:03:37):
Sir, please give us a chance to explain.

Speaker 57 (04:03:39):
Please, Anthony, can you make her listen to reason? She
says she will leave me homeless and without my inheritance.

Speaker 21 (04:03:45):
But you can't. Your father would never have allowed this.

Speaker 23 (04:03:48):
Get out of my house, sir, and take this scheming
young vixen with you.

Speaker 21 (04:03:53):
Please.

Speaker 44 (04:03:54):
Beatrice loves you and I've always valued our friendship. I mean,
have we never intended for this to happen?

Speaker 57 (04:03:59):
I swear I did nothing to encourage Anthony's affection and nothing.

Speaker 23 (04:04:03):
To resist them either, qued devil?

Speaker 28 (04:04:07):
Is that servant?

Speaker 18 (04:04:09):
Yes?

Speaker 37 (04:04:10):
Prepare the carriage. I'm going for my ride.

Speaker 57 (04:04:13):
Yes, no, Cinder, Please, you are the only family I have.

Speaker 21 (04:04:18):
Please give us your blessing, and I beg you.

Speaker 44 (04:04:21):
For your consent now, Lucinda, I mean, we have been
friends for so long, and your sister needs you.

Speaker 2 (04:04:26):
She's always locked up to you.

Speaker 23 (04:04:28):
The matter is plain, sir. Beatrice can choose you, or
she can choose me. If she accepts your proposal, then
she is no longer my sister.

Speaker 21 (04:04:36):
Cinda, don't do this.

Speaker 23 (04:04:38):
Anthony has made his choice, and now you can make yours.

Speaker 14 (04:04:41):
He is penniless, as you will be.

Speaker 23 (04:04:44):
You can beg food of the peasants or slave among them.
But neither of you will darken my door again. I
shall close up this house and go to Paris. Reject him,
or be gone before my carriage returns in one hour's time.

Speaker 37 (04:04:56):
Greed, greed, gread?

Speaker 28 (04:05:09):
Who's there?

Speaker 21 (04:05:11):
Who's something about in the dark at this hour night?
It's me, Father Sharon.

Speaker 20 (04:05:17):
Did you hear it too?

Speaker 7 (04:05:19):
Hear what I thought?

Speaker 5 (04:05:21):
You were?

Speaker 17 (04:05:21):
In a bed?

Speaker 21 (04:05:21):
Long ago, Charlon. I was working laid father in the library.
I was starting the books for the auction when I
heard someone. There was someone out here, just the wind.
There's nobody here? Should the doors bolted?

Speaker 48 (04:05:34):
Now?

Speaker 21 (04:05:34):
Off to bed with you? You look exhausted. I heard
footsteps someone running, Ah, probably old Father Riley pottering around upstairs. No,
he went to bed hours ago. Should whould want to
break in here? There's nothing left to steal in the
old place. The sooner that investor pulls the place down,
the better, I say. After the auction next week. All

(04:05:57):
I want is a nice wee bungalow with no draft.
Now you get yourself off to bed, my dear, there's
nothing to be frightened of. Look, father, the.

Speaker 14 (04:06:07):
Cabinet, the door, it's been opened. See, I told you
someone has been in the house.

Speaker 21 (04:06:15):
Shut that out. Things ancient. The hinges are coming off
of it. Look, probably blew open from the draft. They
didn't take anything. They must have run off when I
put the whole light on.

Speaker 8 (04:06:29):
I'd say that old riding crop is a value.

Speaker 21 (04:06:31):
Would put it somewhere safe?

Speaker 3 (04:06:33):
Ah?

Speaker 21 (04:06:33):
The riding crop, yeah, I reckon, that's what they were after.

Speaker 17 (04:06:37):
Must be quite rare.

Speaker 21 (04:06:39):
It's one of a kind, handmade by Russian jewelers.

Speaker 13 (04:06:42):
Well, then we.

Speaker 23 (04:06:43):
Should definitely put it in the library safe.

Speaker 21 (04:06:45):
Oh no, no, leave it here. This is where it's kept. Look,
I lock the cabinet, you go to bed. Everything's back
to normal. You know who opened the cabinet, don't you? Yeah, yes,
there was someone here, wasn't there?

Speaker 8 (04:07:02):
No?

Speaker 21 (04:07:03):
Oh, please, Father.

Speaker 18 (04:07:05):
Tell me.

Speaker 21 (04:07:07):
If I tell you now, Sharon, promise not to walk
out and leave us in the lurch before the auction.
Not with investors hounding me with their architectures of theirs
on the dittlenose. What could make me leave?

Speaker 7 (04:07:18):
Father?

Speaker 21 (04:07:19):
An old legend. I'm telling you about the family who
once owned this house, so that you'll know there's no
reason to lock your door. I'll tell you in case
some local tells you and gets everything wrong. In my opinion,
that antique glass cabinet has had a faulty metal class
for decades, and people are too much in love with

(04:07:41):
superstition to bother fixing it. This little riding crop came
all the way from Saint Petersburg nearly two hundred years ago.

Speaker 14 (04:07:51):
Who owned it?

Speaker 21 (04:07:53):
It was the wedding present of a Russian prince noless.
He swept the eldest daughter of this house off her feet.
He might even have made her happy had he lived.
She met him after she fled to Paris, but their
marriage only lasted a year. They turly mooned in Saint Petersburg,
where the prince presented her with this bejeweled riding crop.

(04:08:16):
Her name was Lucinda, although when she returned to Tipperary
as a widow in bad health, she called herself Princess Orloff.

Speaker 14 (04:08:24):
How did he die?

Speaker 21 (04:08:25):
The plague Saint Petersburg had been hit hard? Did she
ever remarry when she came back? She died a lonely woman.
Some Tipperary families still talk about their ancestors seeing Lucinda
being driven every day in her carriage.

Speaker 17 (04:08:41):
It was the only time she was.

Speaker 21 (04:08:42):
Ever seen, taken a full hour each day to be
driven around her estate. The woman owned every local thing,
with one exception. What was that the heart of her
childhood's sweetheart? He married her younger sister, Beatrice. Lucinda cut
the newly weds off before going to Paris. Marriage to

(04:09:05):
prints all off might have softened her heart. Had she
not returned a widow with the married couple in the
cramped gate, larger daily reminder of her happiness had passed
her by. She must have been very bitter. There are
old women in this parish just kept alive by bitterness.
Lucinda sacked every servant except her butler, Creed, who was

(04:09:27):
her sole contact with the world. She refused to see anyone.
Creed did the shopping and was rarely seen himself except
during our ritual daily drive through her estate.

Speaker 44 (04:09:44):
Here she comes again, like crocwork every afternoon at five
past three.

Speaker 57 (04:09:49):
Go out and stop her carriage. I cannot stand any
more of this endony. Ten years we've been living hand
to mouth. The peasants have more.

Speaker 28 (04:09:57):
To eat than us.

Speaker 37 (04:09:58):
If you are any sort of decent MANU confront her, for.

Speaker 44 (04:10:01):
She won't listen.

Speaker 17 (04:10:03):
She never stops.

Speaker 44 (04:10:04):
She enjoys driving pass just just to punish us.

Speaker 57 (04:10:07):
Please, Anthony, maybe today she will take pity.

Speaker 37 (04:10:11):
Every day you.

Speaker 14 (04:10:12):
Have this chance, Yet you are too cowardly.

Speaker 17 (04:10:14):
I am no coward.

Speaker 44 (04:10:16):
Even though we are penniless, I still have a little
dignity left. I am tired of hoping for her to
have a change of heart.

Speaker 21 (04:10:22):
She has no heart, Beatrice. In the sight of her,
sitting stiff.

Speaker 44 (04:10:26):
And regal in that carriage with a damn riding crop
sickens me. She has Creed drive her pass simply to
taunt us in a poverty.

Speaker 23 (04:10:35):
My father would turn in his grave if he knew
how I am treated.

Speaker 37 (04:10:38):
With my husband too cowed to confront her, how.

Speaker 18 (04:10:41):
Can you say that?

Speaker 64 (04:10:43):
I mean, how often have you seen me stand in
the dust of that road with my hand raised and
her damn servant almost running me over? And not once,
not once, has that woman even deigned to bestow upon.

Speaker 21 (04:10:55):
Me the merest nod of her head.

Speaker 64 (04:10:57):
I mean, all I ever get from Creed is a
a quick, furtive, fearful salute, like he is terrified of
losing his livelyhod.

Speaker 44 (04:11:04):
If she sees him even acknowledge that I exist, Creed,
he is.

Speaker 21 (04:11:08):
A good man.

Speaker 57 (04:11:09):
He has been with my family for years. I pity
him in that big house alone with her.

Speaker 23 (04:11:15):
She has received no visitors for almost ten years.

Speaker 21 (04:11:19):
I often wonder why he has stayed with her.

Speaker 44 (04:11:21):
He always looks so troubled, frightened almost.

Speaker 17 (04:11:24):
I mean, she must be a hard mistress.

Speaker 64 (04:11:26):
Keeping him there to wait on her every whim.

Speaker 13 (04:11:29):
Perhaps today she will relent.

Speaker 17 (04:11:31):
I will try talking to her.

Speaker 37 (04:11:33):
Creed will stop for me.

Speaker 5 (04:11:34):
I know it.

Speaker 37 (04:11:34):
He has known me since I was a child. He
knows that someday I will.

Speaker 57 (04:11:38):
Be mistress of this estate after my sister dies, unless
I starve to death first. If I go, he will
stop your character as my wife.

Speaker 21 (04:11:46):
I forbid you.

Speaker 57 (04:11:47):
If you won't face her, I will Beatrice, Beatrice.

Speaker 22 (04:11:53):
I don't care anymore.

Speaker 23 (04:11:54):
I'd sooner die and starve any longer.

Speaker 22 (04:11:57):
God me, please stop miscarriage.

Speaker 65 (04:12:00):
Move out of the way, Miss step Aside, Please, WHOA
why whoa?

Speaker 63 (04:12:08):
Forgive me, sir, I can't know us anymore.

Speaker 18 (04:12:12):
Features you could have been killed.

Speaker 8 (04:12:14):
I feared so told her, forgive me.

Speaker 3 (04:12:16):
It's a mistress.

Speaker 7 (04:12:17):
I won't forgive.

Speaker 65 (04:12:18):
If you leave her, sir, please listen, step out of
your carriage.

Speaker 7 (04:12:22):
I need to talk to you.

Speaker 13 (04:12:24):
I mean, how long can you let us suffer?

Speaker 65 (04:12:26):
I beg you stay out of this man.

Speaker 63 (04:12:29):
She will speak to me this day.

Speaker 3 (04:12:31):
She can't, sir.

Speaker 44 (04:12:32):
Won't you mean too arrogant, too bitter?

Speaker 63 (04:12:35):
Damn you listen?

Speaker 8 (04:12:37):
Do you hear me?

Speaker 65 (04:12:38):
Damn you for what you've done to us? She can't, sir,
She can't hear you, Sir, What do you mean, Cinda?
Oh miss, don't approach the carriage, Creed.

Speaker 13 (04:12:48):
I demand to know what's going on.

Speaker 66 (04:12:50):
She was a strict mistress in life, ma'am, and no
less stern and strict than her death death.

Speaker 7 (04:13:00):
Give me, sir.

Speaker 66 (04:13:01):
I know she wronged you, but she wrote down my
instructions in a letter and forced me to sign of
my own blood. I've been too scared to disobey her instructions.
It's been nine years since the men come round from
Dublin to mbem her.

Speaker 63 (04:13:19):
She died of the same plague that.

Speaker 7 (04:13:21):
Killed her husband.

Speaker 63 (04:13:23):
It's been eleven night Mercer lifting her carps up in
this carriage every afternoon and placing the riding crop in
her hand, and then placing her in her bed every night,
with the riding crop in the glass display cabinet that
she'd specially made for the hallway. I've wronged you.

Speaker 66 (04:13:44):
Miss Beatrice, kept you from your inheritance, but I was
more scared of her dead than alive.

Speaker 13 (04:13:55):
And this is the same writing crop.

Speaker 21 (04:13:59):
Neither Beatrice her husband lived long after inheriting the house.
It went to some distant relative, then was bought as
a seminary. The riding crop was included at times. Different
abbots put it in the cellar or the attic, but
all held it break loose at night, with footsteps, doors banging.

(04:14:19):
Once the riding crop was left back when she wanted it,
the house had become peaceful again. Occasionally some of the
priests over the years claimed to see a woman's figure
in the hall bending over the cabinet. Oh heard the
noise of hoofs at night. But I never believe that.
But I do believe this. Once that writing crop is

(04:14:40):
left here, you can sleep peaceful and disturbed by no one.
You won't desert. Just now, will you not laugh to
the auction. I don't believe in ghosts, father, No, I
it's just a rusty clasp on that cabinet that makes
it all open some nights. However, buys the house can
have it there's been no room in my nice new bungalow.

Speaker 17 (04:15:03):
Lave it there and.

Speaker 21 (04:15:04):
We'll say no more about it.

Speaker 8 (04:15:07):
Did Lucinda really have herself in band?

Speaker 7 (04:15:11):
Yes?

Speaker 21 (04:15:12):
It even made the London papers. You'll find the newspaper
cutting somewhere in the library. Now go to bed, Sharon,
and sleep well. Good night father, there we are. The
clasp is good and tight. Good night to Cinda.

Speaker 67 (04:16:04):
In the Riding Crop by Dermot Bulger, Jody O'Neil was
Beatrice Luke Griffin, Anthony, John Hewitt, Creed, Alison McKenna, Lucinda,
David Kelly the Priest and Dawn Bradfield Sharon. It was
produced by Jemma McMullen.

Speaker 7 (04:16:18):
Welcome, ladies and gentlemen. This is Basil Rathbone inviting you
to join me beyond the green door.

Speaker 68 (04:16:24):
Who was about Alaska during the gold Rush, at a
time when greed could drive a man beyond the green door.
Justice was a haphazard thing in Alaska in the eighteen nineties,
and this was especially true in the booming gold towns
past the Yukon. In Three Rivers, for example, shel Quinn

(04:16:45):
was also a prospector. Still he kept a rough sort
of peace in the brawling town, and the citizens were satisfied.
Hung out near the jail with a new hour, Quinn
had arrested a newcomer named Slater for the cold blooded
murder of Pete Bronco. No one argued with the sheriff's
eyewitness testimony except the murderer, and naturally, no one took
a newcomer's word in three rivers, especially the word of

(04:17:09):
a crazy man like this. A magician he called himself,
claim to find gold by magic, but he couldn't do
a single worthwhile trick. Slater was condemned to hang. In
the morning, the deputies locked him into three rivers of
new granite cell and Sheriff Quinn came around to see
if the prisoner was comfortable. I'm fine, Slatter said, except
for being sentenced to hang. Look, Quinn, I've learned some

(04:17:33):
good magic tricks in the audient. I could offer you nothing,
Quinn said. Slater was silent for a moment, and then
he said, you know, I didn't murder that man. I
shot back in self defense.

Speaker 2 (04:17:46):
You saw it.

Speaker 68 (04:17:46):
Sheriff Quinn smiled, sure, but you're gonna hang anyway, so
you can jump that claim of mine, eh, Slater said,
and saw the sheriff nod.

Speaker 5 (04:17:59):
Well, well, I might have.

Speaker 68 (04:18:00):
Expected it, but listen to it. I really do know magic.
I can conjure up a little gadget from India worths
more than can he get you out of this cell
or pass my deputies.

Speaker 7 (04:18:11):
Quinn asked.

Speaker 68 (04:18:12):
The stranger shook his head sadly, and Quinn said, no,
I didn't figure it could all right, Sato said, but
I'm not going to hang. Quinn laughed and left the cell.

Speaker 17 (04:18:26):
He told his deputies to keep careful watch.

Speaker 68 (04:18:29):
Just before dawn, a noose was strong of a hanging
tree behind the jail, and at first night everything was ready.
Quinn and his deputies went to get the prisoner, but
stopped when they heard a shot from his cell. They
ran to the door and saw that the prisoner was
slumped over dead. Slater, I had been killed with a handgun,
probably a dollinger, held so close to his head there

(04:18:52):
were pudder bones, but there was no weapon in the cell.
There was nothing except a scrap of paper the prisoner
I had written on, and well that didn't make sense.
It read, dear Sheriff, this is the only good trick
I know how to cunjure up a devenger invisible. Of course,
people have wrong ideas about magic. It works, but it

(04:19:14):
always turns against you. It can't help me now against
you and four armed deputies. But this trick will save
me from hanging. Hope it does the same for you,
because I'm leaving it to you. Quinn stopped the note
in his pocket. After the deputy is left, he set
the cell again.

Speaker 7 (04:19:32):
Nothing.

Speaker 68 (04:19:33):
It was all very strange, And then Quinn heard a sound.
It took him a moment to identify it, but then
he knew, just half a second before the end that
it was the hammer of a dellnger being pulled back
somewhere close to his head.

Speaker 18 (04:20:03):
The challenge of the Yukon ho King on your.

Speaker 27 (04:20:10):
The Wonderdog King, swiftest and strongest of Eskimo lead dogs,
blazes the trail through storm and snow for Sergeant Preston
as he meets the challenge of the Yukon. Sergeant Preston
was typical of the small band of Northwest Matat Police
who preserved law and order in the new Northwest Country,
where agreed for wealth and power led to frequent violence

(04:20:32):
and bloodshed. But in spite of the odds against them.
Sergeant Preston and his wonder dog King met that challenge,
and justice rules triumphant. The cabin of Crazy Pete on
beaver Lake had been deserted since his death, when a
rumor had started that it was haunted. It was a

(04:20:55):
sad looking place with leaky roof and sagging timbers. The
Yukon winds howled through it, and prospectors gave it a
wide berth when passing it at night. Sergeant Preston, on
his way to white Horse after dark, was startled. Therefore,
when he saw a dim light shining through its single window,
he stopped his team and, with his lead dog King at.

Speaker 4 (04:21:13):
His heels, knocked at the door that someone had set
straight on his hands. Who, Sergeant Preston, northwest? Mother? Police?

Speaker 18 (04:21:25):
Did you say the police?

Speaker 4 (04:21:27):
Yes, that's still I'd see who was here?

Speaker 18 (04:21:29):
Will queen? Queen?

Speaker 4 (04:21:31):
Mind if I bring my dog Whill?

Speaker 2 (04:21:33):
No?

Speaker 7 (04:21:33):
Not?

Speaker 18 (04:21:33):
If he's friendly. He he looks kind of fierce.

Speaker 4 (04:21:36):
He's very friendly unless I tell him not to see
hunt your boy.

Speaker 18 (04:21:40):
I'm he from Chaton issues my pardon, I'm hopey, honey.

Speaker 4 (04:21:45):
How do you do hey?

Speaker 17 (04:21:46):
Shoot down?

Speaker 18 (04:21:46):
Chargon? Here's a box we ain't Herbert's time to give shittle?

Speaker 69 (04:21:51):
Thanks this pliant here king on beside my boy the
jesh bart displayed yesterday worked for two trying to need
a cheddar bit m even me here from Kansas.

Speaker 4 (04:22:04):
Well you're a long way from home. You say you
bought this place where we short of made a trade?

Speaker 18 (04:22:10):
You might say the man who would it? Give it
to us for a watch I had.

Speaker 15 (04:22:14):
We were just about brogue.

Speaker 18 (04:22:16):
It was a mighty good watch, but we needed a
roof for our head.

Speaker 4 (04:22:19):
Why nobody owned this cabin? It's been baking for years.

Speaker 18 (04:22:22):
Nobody owned it?

Speaker 12 (04:22:24):
Then?

Speaker 18 (04:22:24):
Where was he standing here vacant with place? He's so
scared a.

Speaker 70 (04:22:27):
Lot of friends who've been cheated on of a watch.
Nobody lived in it because it had the reputation of
being haunted.

Speaker 18 (04:22:33):
Silly, of course, barged, and I have been cheated. Hey,
that dirty cheatman bugged.

Speaker 4 (04:22:38):
A strange old man used to live here.

Speaker 70 (04:22:40):
People called him crazy Pete got nothing to do with anyone,
And when he died they said his ghost came back.

Speaker 18 (04:22:46):
He didn't didn't get any gold out of the place.

Speaker 4 (04:22:49):
Oh, perhaps a little nobody knew much about him.

Speaker 18 (04:22:52):
At least we got a roof over our head. We
spent all day yesterday today patching.

Speaker 4 (04:22:57):
Up the place.

Speaker 18 (04:22:58):
He just had a feerceful most the tool. If I
can just keep warm in this Consharan country. Trouble is,
we ain't got enough money to get back home.

Speaker 71 (04:23:06):
If I ever catch that iron of skunk that told
us all we had to do up here was pick
gold nuggets off in the street.

Speaker 4 (04:23:12):
Afraid of prospecting. Isn't that easy?

Speaker 2 (04:23:14):
Rung some old jewelry of Abigail, these bees and some rings.

Speaker 15 (04:23:19):
Maybe I could sell them.

Speaker 18 (04:23:21):
I've been chilling the agen. Them ain't worth nothing. Averagil
jewelry is all glass and them I know it. I'll
give him to her.

Speaker 15 (04:23:30):
They're pretty.

Speaker 71 (04:23:32):
This lad of body wouldn't know him from me and
Pru not if a body was as near shaded as
you be.

Speaker 70 (04:23:38):
Well, maybe something will work out. There's always trapping, plenty
of game to hunt.

Speaker 18 (04:23:43):
You mean you ain't much use of our looking for
gold around here?

Speaker 70 (04:23:46):
I'm afraid not well. Yes, I about to got back
to Tom. Sorry to bring you bad news. The first
time we meet.

Speaker 4 (04:23:54):
I'll see if I can locate the man who took
your watch in our shots.

Speaker 71 (04:23:57):
And that's mighty goody man king will leave. Oh he's
ashamed to discern him. He was resting soul Puddy ulled
up in the again. Well, come as soon as you can.
We like neighbors. Who I nice?

Speaker 18 (04:24:12):
Yeah, I wish we hit money with more fur blankets.
And I froze last night.

Speaker 2 (04:24:19):
Maybe I can find an Indian who traded some for
these beads, if.

Speaker 18 (04:24:23):
You could find when dumb enough, so come on it.
The string broke there they go. Why in the name
of Jupiter your buttole that can send you?

Speaker 11 (04:24:32):
Who we have to it?

Speaker 60 (04:24:33):
Now we'll probably slip on him and make a couple
of h Well, help me pick him up with you.
I can't see him embraces we ever left.

Speaker 27 (04:24:52):
The following morning, the two old men reluctantly dragged their
creaking bones out of their bunks.

Speaker 18 (04:24:57):
Did this frame fires almost out? It's colder than the
polar bear's tail in this playing Look he was homey
and hands the sunshine. It'd be pouring in and we'd
be opening the doors.

Speaker 60 (04:25:09):
And bla about Kansas and stir your bones and get
your water in the kettle.

Speaker 18 (04:25:14):
While I'm nurse's confounded. Fire my room it.

Speaker 7 (04:25:18):
Is is starting up again.

Speaker 15 (04:25:21):
The mouthy talked about a ghost.

Speaker 18 (04:25:23):
No ghost withou any sense should ever come back to
climate life?

Speaker 37 (04:25:26):
This here matter?

Speaker 18 (04:25:30):
Look here on this table.

Speaker 11 (04:25:33):
What ain't no day?

Speaker 18 (04:25:35):
It's gold? You see anything here?

Speaker 60 (04:25:38):
Right here on this table, it's a gold nugget by
Why short hairs?

Speaker 18 (04:25:42):
Where did that come from?

Speaker 2 (04:25:43):
Did you hear anything last night?

Speaker 14 (04:25:45):
No?

Speaker 2 (04:25:46):
Well?

Speaker 18 (04:25:46):
Who could say that beat?

Speaker 2 (04:25:48):
I was looking at last night?

Speaker 15 (04:25:50):
Remember that big one I left on here?

Speaker 18 (04:25:52):
It's gold?

Speaker 14 (04:25:53):
You mean it's turned to gold.

Speaker 18 (04:25:55):
Maybe they have funny ghost into you called. Maybe they'd
like beja you plunk? But how did wear? That's the
kind of ghost I've been looking for. From now on,
they're putting Abigail's beats all with a player.

Speaker 27 (04:26:19):
It was the following week, and some men were gathered
in Jock l Rouse trading Post, listening with amazement to
a weird story.

Speaker 18 (04:26:25):
See this is one of nuggets. Your bears are bigger,
these men. They come for supply. Tell me about this
nice ghost sounds fishy to me. It ain't possible. Yes,
she is possible.

Speaker 4 (04:26:37):
I have heard anything about gorse you have.

Speaker 18 (04:26:40):
But never such nice one.

Speaker 2 (04:26:43):
These men. All you must do is eat and sleep.

Speaker 18 (04:26:47):
These ghosty mind their goal scrable. Could I just once
find myself such a spirit?

Speaker 72 (04:26:54):
Bill command, we gotta get go, Come and Jake, see
you letter Jack?

Speaker 2 (04:26:57):
Who's your.

Speaker 3 (04:27:03):
Yeah?

Speaker 4 (04:27:03):
Can you beat them?

Speaker 18 (04:27:05):
Them?

Speaker 2 (04:27:05):
Old candfish moving in the crazy Peach cabin and heaven gold.

Speaker 4 (04:27:08):
Brought to him.

Speaker 72 (04:27:08):
He explain what happened? Crazy He co have to file
a gold around there someplace when he died. That's the
way I thought, he did.

Speaker 18 (04:27:15):
You mean you don't think they'll get to the way,
they said tom So.

Speaker 72 (04:27:18):
He was digging into her. Well, they ain't fooling me.
I'm gonna show him a ghost that don't fool now.

Speaker 34 (04:27:25):
What do you mean?

Speaker 72 (04:27:26):
We're gonna visit them in the middle of the night,
And if they don't tell this ghost where the gold is,
they'll get the information choked.

Speaker 35 (04:27:33):
Out of him.

Speaker 18 (04:27:42):
Hey, don't see where you had you gone blab about
our gold? Where did you want me to lie? I
ain't never lied my life, and I ain't gonna shot
at sixty five sixty five? Way you're oldern't mean I
was sixty fast three years ago?

Speaker 2 (04:27:56):
Well forget it.

Speaker 18 (04:27:57):
Ain't no shame anyway. I didn't call him nothing about.

Speaker 4 (04:28:00):
The desion, how he likes him, hello.

Speaker 40 (04:28:08):
Well, if we did to charge and beg again, come
in and bring that hockey yours.

Speaker 4 (04:28:12):
We shaved a ball for him one game.

Speaker 18 (04:28:15):
The charge of pressing, sit down, make yourself comfortable.

Speaker 4 (04:28:19):
Thanks, Sam. I came to chuck on some rumors around town.
They say you'll strike it rich.

Speaker 18 (04:28:26):
Oh tee her shargon, it's our friendly ghost.

Speaker 4 (04:28:29):
Well is it true that nuggets have been left in
your cabin during the night?

Speaker 18 (04:28:32):
Some much left once when we was out hunting. Seems
as how this ghost walks in the day time.

Speaker 4 (04:28:37):
I can't understand it. Are you nervous about it? I mean,
do you want protection?

Speaker 40 (04:28:42):
Oh no, you're shargon. We was a little scared in
the beginning, but now we ain't. It's kind of a
nice feeling, kind of friendly life. He'be even put out
a bowler shop for him last nay.

Speaker 4 (04:28:53):
Other the heat, it didn't touch it. I thought you
might want me to invest in you.

Speaker 18 (04:28:57):
No, it might offend him.

Speaker 8 (04:28:59):
And he might.

Speaker 7 (04:29:00):
I can't a fear to your dog.

Speaker 4 (04:29:01):
Well, the ones who aren't worried, you.

Speaker 18 (04:29:03):
Just tell everybody let us bean. But he's sing, we'll
have a nurse money to get banking.

Speaker 27 (04:29:08):
Kansas Sergeant Preston determined to solve the mysteries, and that
night he camped near the cabin to watch. It was
after midnight, and inside the cabin the silence was broken

(04:29:29):
only by the snores of the two old men. Suddenly,
the door creaked open slowly and stealthy put steps across
the room. A figure bent over, rave silently, and two
hands grasped his sword.

Speaker 7 (04:29:40):
Gotta get out to get.

Speaker 37 (04:29:44):
Going on?

Speaker 7 (04:29:46):
And you shut up?

Speaker 18 (04:29:47):
I chok his partner yours?

Speaker 4 (04:29:49):
I can get too, must where is it?

Speaker 3 (04:29:52):
What do you mean?

Speaker 18 (04:29:53):
What are you talking about?

Speaker 8 (04:29:55):
I don't like that.

Speaker 15 (04:29:56):
Do you not tell me where that goal is?

Speaker 18 (04:29:58):
Hitting her?

Speaker 7 (04:29:59):
Out?

Speaker 18 (04:30:04):
Keep your things? Oh?

Speaker 8 (04:30:06):
Laugh?

Speaker 7 (04:30:07):
What you going on?

Speaker 18 (04:30:08):
Getting?

Speaker 15 (04:30:09):
Alright?

Speaker 4 (04:30:10):
I have a light, watch him things?

Speaker 18 (04:30:16):
Didn't you?

Speaker 4 (04:30:17):
Away? All right? Can't run him up a funny business,
so I'll let the dog finish it for me.

Speaker 33 (04:30:22):
Why well, he's the man who took my walk and
there's a chain of it hanging from his pockets.

Speaker 18 (04:30:27):
You give me that you did you did it?

Speaker 8 (04:30:29):
Hey?

Speaker 18 (04:30:29):
Your turn to nada?

Speaker 15 (04:30:31):
Worst bill.

Speaker 4 (04:30:31):
I can't do him in your partner. He's all their
handcuffs to a tree too, scared of the l Come
on you, we're going out to join him. Watch him game.
I'll see you in the morning. That's what's saying.

Speaker 60 (04:30:42):
Come along you thanks sharging, you've saved our lives. Nor
is she That's what she gets from grabbing the boats
of gold. Don't know why you're complaiining. It was my
nick He was squeezing anyway.

Speaker 2 (04:30:56):
He's got my watch bag.

Speaker 60 (04:30:58):
Noise scared bodies of death, ebe What don't you suppose
we scared him?

Speaker 18 (04:31:04):
Do you mean a ghost?

Speaker 14 (04:31:08):
He ain't been here.

Speaker 18 (04:31:11):
There's the bead still on the table.

Speaker 27 (04:31:25):
The following morning, when Sergeant Preston returned to the cabin,
he found two downcast old man.

Speaker 70 (04:31:31):
Well, you won't have to worry anymore. I have those
two locked up. Let's won't give you any further trouble. Yeah, well,
if you don't seem very happy about it.

Speaker 18 (04:31:41):
Oh no, it did ain't charge and he's tasted. Well,
we ain't gonna get any more nucket.

Speaker 4 (04:31:47):
What what do you mean?

Speaker 18 (04:31:51):
I guess a.

Speaker 7 (04:31:51):
Ghost didn't like all that confusion?

Speaker 4 (04:31:54):
He practically told us, so told you so, what are
you talking about?

Speaker 15 (04:32:00):
We can tell you all about it now, how we
got the.

Speaker 5 (04:32:02):
Golden all you see?

Speaker 71 (04:32:04):
Charging every night we'd leave some beads around and most
nags he'd leave us a nugget.

Speaker 4 (04:32:09):
Firm you mean he'd take a bead and leave a nugget.

Speaker 18 (04:32:12):
Yeap, But that or last night all had noise. He
took the bead, but look what he left, got the
old piece of dirty rag, ASTs like saying, he's mad,
ain't it?

Speaker 70 (04:32:24):
Wait a minute, let me see that rag. Maybe we
can find this ghost. Hecking take a sniff of this fella?

Speaker 4 (04:32:33):
Find that boy? Where is it?

Speaker 18 (04:32:40):
But he's sniffing in the corner for I'll soon find out. Wait,
he's a stretching at the floor.

Speaker 4 (04:32:51):
Have used something I can use to pry up the board?

Speaker 18 (04:32:53):
And well, he sued to pick, ask what you gonna
do that way?

Speaker 4 (04:33:02):
Well, I'm afraid he scared your ghost away. But here's
his nest. See there you're way. Look, I'll get the
sacks and the pile of nuggets.

Speaker 18 (04:33:13):
Wanted the sashes? Buck it open? Do you think they
all have nuggets in them?

Speaker 20 (04:33:18):
Like that?

Speaker 18 (04:33:18):
Only jumping crickets.

Speaker 73 (04:33:20):
Well, looks as if you have your fair back to
Kansas fair. Why we could buy half a steak with
all that? But how what your ghost is a pack rat?
I'd have thought of it before you see. They never
pick up anything without leaving something in its place. This
packrat made its nest beside crazy beats hiding place. A
rat would take a bead and leave a nugget. Piece

(04:33:41):
of cloth he left was part of.

Speaker 4 (04:33:43):
The torn Sackllo.

Speaker 18 (04:33:44):
He sweets you can't his right his comedy time. You're
gonna get me some of them critics to take back
to Kansas.

Speaker 4 (04:33:53):
Oh fellow, this is one rat. I won't let your cat.

Speaker 27 (04:34:11):
These copyright dramas originate in the studios of WXYZ Detroit
and A Directors. Names, places and incidents used are fictitious.
They are sent to you eat week at the same time.
This is Bill Morgan speaking. This is the Michigan Radio Network.

Speaker 74 (04:34:33):
Box thirteen with the star of Paramount Pictures, Alan Ladd
as Dan Holliday, Box.

Speaker 5 (04:34:46):
Thirteen, Care of the Starred Times. If you want adventure
plus a little payoff, register at the Morris Hotel as
John Johnson. As soon as you've done that, take a
seat in the lobby and wait.

Speaker 7 (04:34:58):
To be paid.

Speaker 5 (04:35:00):
Don't ask any questions, Just follow instructions and you'll find.

Speaker 17 (04:35:03):
Ask any questions.

Speaker 5 (04:35:10):
Just follow instructions and you'll find five hundred dollars waiting
for you. Don't ask any questions, Letters said, I didn't
not at first, but there were plenty that needed answering
before this was wrapped up.

Speaker 74 (04:35:34):
And now back to box thirteen and then Holiday's Newest
Adventure Round Robin.

Speaker 17 (04:35:47):
Good morning, Marit Hodel.

Speaker 22 (04:35:49):
I'd like to make a reservation, flee, certainly double a
single room. Oh just a minute, mister Holliday, But Susie,
do you want to double our single room at the
More Hotel?

Speaker 5 (04:35:59):
Make a singer?

Speaker 14 (04:36:00):
Hello?

Speaker 22 (04:36:01):
Yes, madam, that's a single room please, it's for mister
John Johnson, and he'll be in this afternoon before too.
You reservation until that time, Thank you, goodbye. Well that's that,
mister Holliday.

Speaker 5 (04:36:13):
M hmm, what a phony name? John Johnson? Why not
Smith or Brown or Jones?

Speaker 22 (04:36:20):
You know, mister Holliday, it could just be that name
is genuine.

Speaker 5 (04:36:24):
Five will get your ten? The name is a phony?

Speaker 22 (04:36:26):
Well, maybe anyway, there'll be a reservation for you. Oh uh,
do you want me to wait here untill you get back?

Speaker 4 (04:36:32):
Susie?

Speaker 5 (04:36:32):
How many times have you said that? And how many
times have you waited a long long time?

Speaker 22 (04:36:38):
Lots of times? Oh, mister Holliday. I only hope that
that someday the wait isn't forever.

Speaker 5 (04:36:45):
That makes two of us, okay, Susie, I'm off to
the Morris Hotel. Thinly disguise the name only as mister
John Johnson. I registered at the Morris Hotel, signed the
card as John Johnson, picked out a nice seat in

(04:37:05):
the lobby, and waited. Ten minutes went by, then fifteen,
and it was easily a half hour before I became
aware that a name was being called by a bellhop.
Mister John Johnson, haging, mister John Johnson, mister John Johnson. Please,
here you are, boy, mister Johnson. Yes, that's the name
I registered on her Son.

Speaker 29 (04:37:24):
Thank you, sir, A message for you.

Speaker 5 (04:37:26):
Oh, thank you. Here you are, Thank you, mister Johnson.

Speaker 29 (04:37:29):
Want me to wait for an answer.

Speaker 5 (04:37:30):
Sir, I don't know. I tell you in a minute. No,
there's no answer, Very good, sir.

Speaker 18 (04:37:39):
Thank you again, mister Johnson.

Speaker 5 (04:37:41):
I was about to ask the boy who sent the message,
but I figured that would be useless. But good would
it do me? So I did what the notes said,
went to the fifth floor and knocked on the door
of room five oh two. Yes, who is it John Johnson.
It's mister Johnson.

Speaker 13 (04:38:02):
I heard you the first time.

Speaker 2 (04:38:03):
Come in.

Speaker 13 (04:38:05):
You didn't waste any time? Did you punctual to the second?

Speaker 5 (04:38:08):
I always try to be prompt. It pays, yes, especially
in your profession, my profession.

Speaker 75 (04:38:13):
What you want is on the dresser, Take it and
get up before I change my mind on the dressing this?

Speaker 13 (04:38:19):
Yes, well, aren't you going to open it?

Speaker 7 (04:38:22):
Should I?

Speaker 13 (04:38:23):
You're very sure of yourself, aren't you.

Speaker 5 (04:38:25):
To tell you the truth? I'm not at all sure
of anything at the moment. However, since we've apparently concluded
our business, I may as well go.

Speaker 13 (04:38:33):
Yes, please do No, wait, don't go out that door.

Speaker 5 (04:38:40):
Oh the lady carries a looker. Isn't that rather large
for your handbag.

Speaker 13 (04:38:45):
I'm not going to let you get away with it,
no matter what the result.

Speaker 17 (04:38:48):
Well, look, maybe we had better get something straight.

Speaker 13 (04:38:51):
I just straightened things out in my own mind.

Speaker 8 (04:38:53):
Aha.

Speaker 5 (04:38:53):
NAIs, Now let's get around to my mind. What do
we do about it?

Speaker 13 (04:38:56):
You're so sure of yourself, but I'm not gonna let
you do it. You wouldn't stop with a net measure.
You told me up again and again. I'm not gonna
let you.

Speaker 22 (04:39:05):
I'm going to kill you.

Speaker 5 (04:39:06):
Maybe you'd better listen first. There's nothing you can say, lady,
look with a luger muzzle putting a period right between
my eyes. There's a lot I can say. I'd like
to fill ubuster a little.

Speaker 13 (04:39:18):
You're insane. How can you stand and speak like that?
It's easy and stay away.

Speaker 5 (04:39:23):
Please lower the gun just a little, don't any club,
don't go after it. Let it lie on the floor.

Speaker 13 (04:39:32):
Just killed you right away.

Speaker 5 (04:39:34):
Please sit down, get out, Sit down, I hear it.
Take this package, giving it back, Yes, I'm giving it back.
Who are you here? Take a look at this letter
while you're reading it. I'll get out a few proofs
of who I am, driver's license, auto club card, a

(04:39:57):
couple of letters. I don't understand this of your You don't. Yeah,
I take the gun, still want to use it.

Speaker 13 (04:40:05):
Who sent this letter to you?

Speaker 5 (04:40:07):
Apparently someone who wanted me to collect this package from you,
someone who didn't want to pick it up himself or herself.
But why I don't know. Maybe we'll pick up an
answer to that after you've explained a few things. For example,
what's in the package? A diamond necklace? Yours?

Speaker 13 (04:40:25):
My husband's. It was his mother's. He gave it to
me for a wedding prison.

Speaker 5 (04:40:31):
Okay, now who are you, missus?

Speaker 13 (04:40:33):
Terrase Clements? That doesn't mean anything to you, does it?

Speaker 20 (04:40:38):
No?

Speaker 5 (04:40:38):
But go on with your explanation.

Speaker 13 (04:40:41):
The necklace was blackmail payment. I have no money of
my own.

Speaker 5 (04:40:46):
Blackmail and you thought I was the black sheep in
the case.

Speaker 75 (04:40:50):
Yes, the last letter I received that I was to
come here and wait then deliver the necklace to a
mister John Johnson.

Speaker 5 (04:40:55):
And I was to wait until someone asked me for
the package.

Speaker 13 (04:40:59):
I don't underst then why there are all of these
elaborate precautions.

Speaker 5 (04:41:02):
Do you have any idea? Who's blackmailing? Of course not
and a little delicate subject. Why does that matter? No,
I suppose not. It's your business, mister Holliday.

Speaker 13 (04:41:15):
I have a sixteen year old daughter. I was willing
to pay for her sake.

Speaker 5 (04:41:19):
Oh you are also willing to kill me for her sake.

Speaker 13 (04:41:23):
I wouldn't have done it. I'm trying to frighten you
and letting me alone.

Speaker 5 (04:41:28):
Look, missus, Clements, I got an idea, an idea?

Speaker 13 (04:41:31):
What do you mean?

Speaker 5 (04:41:32):
No one knows what has happened in this room but
you and me. Now I suppose I would have walked
out of here with this package. The blackmailer would assume
I had the necklace. He'd come after me, wouldn't he
you do that? Why not? I don't like blackmailers. They
remind me of leeches and things that crawl.

Speaker 13 (04:41:52):
Why would you do this for me?

Speaker 5 (04:41:54):
Let's say it's the lugur, the Luke. I also hate
pearl handled revolver. This one is very business man.

Speaker 8 (04:42:03):
What would you do?

Speaker 5 (04:42:04):
Walk out of here and out of the hotel without
waiting for further instructions from our mysterious letter writer. Oh meanwhile,
give me your address.

Speaker 13 (04:42:12):
He is here. Here's my card.

Speaker 5 (04:42:14):
Okay, now we'll see who puts his dirty little neck
into our trap. So I walked out of the Morse
Hotel with a fake package tucked under my arm. I
hurried away, jumped into a cab, and had the driver
double back and forth through the streets while I kept

(04:42:35):
looking back. Yes, it was someone following in another cab,
and whoever it was that I was trying the old
trick of shaking a shadow. Well that was fine with
me because I was going to let him keep right
on me. So I got out of my cab ducked
into a coffee shop and sat at the table waiting.

(04:42:55):
Not for long, though, my boy got out of his
cab and walked in. I waited, indeed, till he passed
my table. And sorry, I guess I stuck my feet
out too far. Did you hurt yourself?

Speaker 2 (04:43:09):
No?

Speaker 17 (04:43:09):
No, not at all.

Speaker 5 (04:43:10):
It's so okay, forget it, but I don't want to
forget it. I'm fully covered by insurance. You might have
to be treated for shocked.

Speaker 29 (04:43:16):
Look, mister, I said it was okay. Let's forget the
whole thing.

Speaker 4 (04:43:19):
Have some coffee with it.

Speaker 5 (04:43:20):
No thanks, but Iron says coffee is a good stimulant.
You look a little pale. Maybe maybe you're hurt worse
than you think.

Speaker 29 (04:43:26):
But are you a wise guy?

Speaker 5 (04:43:28):
No, you can think of something better than that. I
cracked one out with high buttoned shoes. Let go on
my arm. Sit down, I'll call the cops. Please do
ride out the window. There's a large blue policeman. Tap
on the wind, who get his attention?

Speaker 29 (04:43:42):
Okay, you're alone to take I'll sit down.

Speaker 5 (04:43:44):
Okay, prem and sugar, what's the idea? I was going
to ask you the same thing. This what you're looking for?

Speaker 29 (04:43:53):
I don't know what you're talking about.

Speaker 5 (04:43:54):
This package for missus clements.

Speaker 29 (04:43:56):
You're nuts. I gotta go now.

Speaker 5 (04:43:58):
No, I think I call a cop. Okay, mister, call
a cop that one right outside you. You wouldn't mind,
not at all, here to take a look at these?
What are they?

Speaker 29 (04:44:12):
Credentials? I'm a license operative for a private detective agency?

Speaker 5 (04:44:17):
Are these on the level?

Speaker 29 (04:44:18):
Why don't you check and find out?

Speaker 5 (04:44:20):
I will? Okay, Now if you don't mind, I'll take
off with me. Why don't you get lost with you?
Come on, lead me to your private detective agency. I'm
a very curious man. This way, Holliday, we'll see the boss.

(04:44:43):
What's his name?

Speaker 4 (04:44:44):
Barrett?

Speaker 29 (04:44:44):
Mister Barrett? In here, mister Barrett?

Speaker 15 (04:44:48):
Yeah, Phillow.

Speaker 29 (04:44:49):
Who's that the guy you wanted me to pick up
at the Tomorrow's hotel?

Speaker 13 (04:44:52):
Well?

Speaker 5 (04:44:52):
Why bring him here? All you have to do is
pick up a package from him?

Speaker 29 (04:44:56):
Maybe you better ask him all about it.

Speaker 5 (04:44:58):
Okay, I'm taking from here.

Speaker 29 (04:45:00):
That suits me. See you later.

Speaker 5 (04:45:02):
You close the door and come in. I assume you
meant me all right. Let me have the package.

Speaker 4 (04:45:12):
First?

Speaker 5 (04:45:14):
Did you write this letter to me?

Speaker 8 (04:45:16):
Yeah?

Speaker 5 (04:45:16):
I did? Now you want your five hundred no, No,
you keep it. What I said, you keep it as
payment for giving me an answer to something like what
did you know what was going to be in this package?

Speaker 4 (04:45:30):
Going to be?

Speaker 5 (04:45:32):
This one is nice and empty? What's the double cross
for him? For blackmail? What are you yammering about? Aren't you?

Speaker 19 (04:45:39):
Then?

Speaker 7 (04:45:39):
Nice?

Speaker 5 (04:45:40):
Innocent boy?

Speaker 7 (04:45:41):
Cut it out.

Speaker 5 (04:45:41):
I was willing to pay you for a job, and
I want to know why you had me pick up
the package instead of one of your own men client's
instructions confidential? You mean your client requested you to have
the package picked up by me? Yeah? Who's your client? Sure,
I tell you just like that. Look, I didn't like
the deal in the first place, but I was getting

(04:46:03):
paid and I didn't ask questions. Can you prove what
you're saying to you? Yes, I don't have to, that's true,
but you might have to prove it to the police. Look,
I've got a license to run this agency, and I
run it straight. So far, I've had no trouble with
the force so far, so far. What's that crack for?
I don't believe you are telling the truth. No, take

(04:46:27):
a look at these and then say that again. Here
a letter telling me to get you to pick up
the package of the Morris Hotel. Your head cut out
of the start times and you won't tell me who
your client is. No, not even if I told you
that that package is worth about one hundred thousand. Not
even then. Aren't you even curious? I never get curious,

(04:46:49):
not even about blackmail? What now you're going to tell
me you didn't know your client was set up to
squeeze a blackmail payment.

Speaker 7 (04:46:56):
No, I didn't know.

Speaker 5 (04:46:59):
Well it's true. There was a diamond necklace. Was blackmail
payment or it was to be. Oh, now you get
hysterical blackmail so funny. No, no, no it's not. But brother,
it's going to be What do you mean by that?
Many a business? Look you've got in this and a

(04:47:19):
rain check. Well the rain's over, meaning I'm out exactly,
I'll take it from here on what on what my
client pays me? And something tells me the end? He's
going up.

Speaker 74 (04:47:40):
Now back to Round Robin, another Box thirteen adventure with
Alan Ladd as Damn Holliday.

Speaker 5 (04:47:52):
This was getting to be around Robin, me chasing the
Robin and getting them all the way. It's obvious that
Barrett's client didn't want to come out the bad tell
me I'd never seen the client, but work through mailed instructions. Well,
there was another way to go at this, see missus
Teresa Clements, and try to find a lead from there,
and if there was none, to bow out and let

(04:48:14):
the police take over. So later that evening I sat
with Missus Clements in the library of her home.

Speaker 13 (04:48:19):
No, no, I don't know who it is. I have
no idea who's doing it, mister Holliday.

Speaker 5 (04:48:23):
Look, why don't you go to the police.

Speaker 13 (04:48:25):
I can't. For a few moments in the hotel, I've
had a little courage.

Speaker 5 (04:48:28):
We'll have some more, don't you See Missus Clements a
blackmail and never stops once he gets his hooks and
he keeps them in.

Speaker 13 (04:48:34):
What will I do?

Speaker 5 (04:48:35):
Go to the police, I told you, and have the.

Speaker 13 (04:48:37):
Whole nasty thing come out. My daughter, my husband. I can't.

Speaker 5 (04:48:42):
It's the only way you'll have to risk it.

Speaker 75 (04:48:44):
Mister Holliday. I want to tell you something. I don't
love my husband, and I do love my daughter. It's
only for her.

Speaker 5 (04:48:55):
Sake, all right, But you're making a mistake. And I
wound up being a wait, who is that Charles? My husband?
I would explain me then.

Speaker 13 (04:49:06):
I'll take care of it now. Please don't say anything,
Please all right? The race? Why we're here? The lordry
Charles to race.

Speaker 4 (04:49:15):
I want you to.

Speaker 13 (04:49:18):
Charles. This is mister Holliday, mister Holliday, my husband, Charles.

Speaker 5 (04:49:22):
How do you doing my pleasure? Mister Clements? Am I intruding?

Speaker 13 (04:49:26):
No, mister Holliday's old friend.

Speaker 5 (04:49:29):
Of course. By the way, terrace, there's a letter for
you on the table in the hallway.

Speaker 7 (04:49:35):
I brought it for you.

Speaker 5 (04:49:38):
When you stay for dinner, mister Holiday. Oh no, thank you,
mister Clements. I dropped in for only a few minutes
just to say hello. Well, if you'll excuse me, glad
to met you Holiday. Thank you. I hope to see
you again. Missus Clements. What's the letter?

Speaker 13 (04:49:55):
Look this letter?

Speaker 5 (04:49:57):
It's from the black Man, My last chance, he says,
Mail the necklace to General Delivery Bucks eighteen your last chance.
I've got to do it, Donald Brobs postmark two thirty
this afternoon, sent special delivery.

Speaker 13 (04:50:12):
What will I do?

Speaker 5 (04:50:14):
Mail the necklace if you want to?

Speaker 13 (04:50:16):
Is there anything left for me?

Speaker 5 (04:50:18):
Okay, that's the way you feel about it. It has
to be all right, missus Clemmings goodbye. Things were beginning
to get a little clear, but there was still a
lot of muddy water in the way, and quite a
bit of it was being stirred up by mister Barrett.

(04:50:41):
I called his office, found out he was in, and
went over to see what do you want now? Holiday?
Can't you guess?

Speaker 4 (04:50:47):
Bert?

Speaker 5 (04:50:47):
Look, I was just getting set to leave here when
you called. I'm still set to leave.

Speaker 4 (04:50:53):
Get it?

Speaker 5 (04:50:54):
Yeah, I get it. You said you ran this agency straight,
didn't you. Why don't you keep running it that way?
What are you talking about? I think you know you
just think now. Look, your part in this business is
finished over. Why don't you back out and forget all
about it. I'm only trying to keep you honest, Bert,

(04:51:16):
meaning I'll give you one more chance to tell me
who your client is. That is confidential. That's good for you,
isn't it. Yeah?

Speaker 2 (04:51:23):
It is.

Speaker 5 (04:51:24):
It gives you the chance to do a little squeezing yourself.
Beat it, Holiday, Bell, Right, you guessed who your client was,
didn't you. Look I'm closing the office now, Holiday. If
you want to stick around here and twiddle your thumbs, okay,
but I am going all right? Mind if I use
your phone. Help yourself? Mind handing me your phone directly?

(04:51:46):
You want to split the rent for this place with me?

Speaker 4 (04:51:49):
Here?

Speaker 15 (04:51:52):
Is this a private call?

Speaker 5 (04:51:53):
You want me to leave my own office?

Speaker 13 (04:51:55):
Oh?

Speaker 5 (04:51:55):
Stick around.

Speaker 7 (04:51:57):
Here we are?

Speaker 5 (04:52:00):
Are you sure you don't want me to leave? After all,
a man has to add some privacy or don't you
know that? No, it's okay, Barrett, you'll enjoy this. Hello,
missus Clemens please, Hey, what are you doing?

Speaker 8 (04:52:11):
You'll find missus Clemmons speaking.

Speaker 5 (04:52:15):
Oh, missus Clements, this is Dan Holliday. Did you put
that in the mail? Yes, when just a few minutes ago. Oh? Thanks, thanks,
that's all I wanted to know.

Speaker 8 (04:52:25):
Is something wrong?

Speaker 5 (04:52:26):
Oh no, no, no, everything's all right. Goodbye. Well you've
made your phone call. Now will you get out? Yeah,
now I'll get out and Barrett, yes, here's hoping you
don't end up in the red.

Speaker 15 (04:52:46):
Well.

Speaker 22 (04:52:46):
Good morning, mister Holiday. This is the first time you've
been to the office. Early in the weeks.

Speaker 5 (04:52:52):
I had to make a trip at the post office
an early one. I could have done it for you,
I don't think so, Susane, I wanted to watch for someone,
watch for someone who nobody?

Speaker 22 (04:53:02):
Didn't you get up a little too early, Thank you, Susie.
What did you mean you watch for nobody?

Speaker 5 (04:53:08):
Just what I said, I watched a little box General
delivery box eighteen. There was nothing in it and no
one went to it.

Speaker 22 (04:53:14):
And why'd you watch it?

Speaker 7 (04:53:16):
For what?

Speaker 5 (04:53:16):
I knew I wasn't going to see.

Speaker 22 (04:53:18):
I'll go out and get some coffee.

Speaker 14 (04:53:19):
It is early.

Speaker 5 (04:53:21):
Just hand me the phone book.

Speaker 13 (04:53:22):
Oh uh?

Speaker 22 (04:53:23):
Which one?

Speaker 5 (04:53:24):
The yellow one?

Speaker 22 (04:53:25):
Does all this have to do with mister John Johnson?

Speaker 5 (04:53:30):
Here we are, Susie. I want you to do something
for me.

Speaker 22 (04:53:34):
What mister Holliday?

Speaker 5 (04:53:35):
Find out all you can about mister missus Charles Clements.
Here's their card and their address.

Speaker 22 (04:53:40):
Well, how I do it?

Speaker 5 (04:53:42):
Call that Tenet Kling at headquarters? Also these numbers?

Speaker 22 (04:53:45):
Oh, where are they?

Speaker 5 (04:53:46):
Places where you can lose money heavily?

Speaker 7 (04:53:49):
Hello?

Speaker 5 (04:53:51):
Hello, Barrett? Yeah, who's this this holiday?

Speaker 15 (04:53:54):
What do you want?

Speaker 8 (04:53:55):
Now?

Speaker 5 (04:53:56):
Look, Barrett, you can lay off now.

Speaker 7 (04:53:59):
I told you to keep you on.

Speaker 5 (04:54:00):
You'd better do as I say, or that little private
agency of yours will do the most beautiful and complete
fold in the history of mankind.

Speaker 7 (04:54:08):
What kind of a bluff do you think you're pulling?

Speaker 5 (04:54:10):
It's no bluff. Just see that you lay off goodbye.

Speaker 22 (04:54:16):
Want me to start calling these numbers, mister Holliday.

Speaker 5 (04:54:18):
Start calling them, and if they don't want to give
you any information, get cling to do it. He heres
me a couple of favors.

Speaker 22 (04:54:25):
Where are you going now?

Speaker 5 (04:54:26):
I'll be the number and address on that card, the Clements,
the Clements. I don't like what I've got to do,
but maybe it'll turn out for the best. Maybe I
was wrong, but I was almost sure I was right.
It all depended on what Susie found out. And if

(04:54:50):
she found out what I had a hunch about, she
would then I'd have the whole thing wrapped up neatly.
So I went to the Clements place and again sat
with missus Clements in the library.

Speaker 13 (04:54:59):
But I do to stand, mister Holiday. I sent the package.
It should have been there, but it wasn't.

Speaker 5 (04:55:04):
I watched that box for nearly an hour. Every other
box around it had mail in it, Number eighteen.

Speaker 13 (04:55:08):
Didn't someone got there before you did?

Speaker 5 (04:55:10):
Oh no, I got there before the post office opened.

Speaker 13 (04:55:12):
But then what happened?

Speaker 5 (04:55:14):
Where's your husband, Charles?

Speaker 13 (04:55:17):
He's upstairs? What do you want with him? You're not
going to tell him?

Speaker 5 (04:55:21):
Well, you were getting him down here? But why please
please do it? No, no, I won't and I'll go
up to him.

Speaker 13 (04:55:27):
Wait, oh, I'll get him down here.

Speaker 5 (04:55:32):
That's better. Oh, incidentally, don't worry about mister Barrett anymore.
That that's all cleaned up, Barrett. Yes, that's right. Now
you go get your husband. All of the phone rings
I'll answer because it'll be for me.

Speaker 13 (04:55:45):
All right, I'll be back in just a moment.

Speaker 5 (04:55:47):
Please do hello? Yeah, oh, Susie, okay, let's have it.

Speaker 22 (04:55:57):
How did you know i'd find out?

Speaker 8 (04:55:58):
All there?

Speaker 5 (04:55:59):
Just hunts? What do you learn?

Speaker 22 (04:56:01):
Well, there was a lot of money lost gambling.

Speaker 5 (04:56:04):
Then it was suddenly paid off.

Speaker 8 (04:56:07):
That's right.

Speaker 5 (04:56:08):
Okay, Susie. Thanks, that's all. Will be back in a
little while. Goodbye, mister Holliday. Hello, good morning mister Clements.
There said you wanted to see me. I do, and
I hope you don't mind my coming here so early
in the morning. Of course, man, what's this about?

Speaker 4 (04:56:29):
Holiday?

Speaker 5 (04:56:31):
A diamond necklace?

Speaker 3 (04:56:32):
What do.

Speaker 5 (04:56:34):
Yours?

Speaker 7 (04:56:35):
Terrace?

Speaker 13 (04:56:36):
Yes?

Speaker 7 (04:56:38):
Oh what about it?

Speaker 5 (04:56:40):
Holiday? Have you still got it? Well? Of course, why
shouldn't we have it? Because you just don't that's all.
What the devil are you talking about?

Speaker 15 (04:56:51):
Therese?

Speaker 7 (04:56:52):
Who is this man.

Speaker 5 (04:56:52):
Let him talk Charles about what mister Clements. The diamond
necklace isn't here anymore. It's in the safe on a bed.

Speaker 13 (04:57:01):
Sure you it's not there.

Speaker 5 (04:57:05):
The box is empty, empty, but you can get it
back from whom? Why is it gone? Do you want
to tell him?

Speaker 13 (04:57:14):
Missus Clemens, child, I sold it to pay gambling debts.

Speaker 5 (04:57:20):
You what.

Speaker 8 (04:57:23):
What to race?

Speaker 13 (04:57:23):
You little foods afraid to come to you for money?

Speaker 5 (04:57:26):
Yes, that's right. And what you said about your not
loving your husband, it isn't true, missus Clements. Of course,
not mind if I sit down, I seem to have
lost track of things. Missus Clements. You had a beautiful
thing worked out. Your husband is very much in love
with you, and you with him, but you were afraid
to ask him for money to pay your gambling losses.

(04:57:47):
So you were going to pretend the necklace was taken
by a blackmailer. Oh what, oh good, heavens, let's have
some sense, all right. I don't know what story missus
Clements was going to tell you about the blackmail, but
she'd written herself letters. Isn't that right, missus Clemens. Yes,
the blackmail gimmick would explain the loss of the necklace,

(04:58:08):
and in your panic and confusion, you felt that explaining
a silly, harmless and fake indiscretion would have been more
agreeable to your husband than hearing about your gambling losses.
For the love of heaven, why didn't you come to me?

Speaker 13 (04:58:21):
I was afraid.

Speaker 5 (04:58:23):
I think I'll leave you to to settle this. I
think you will, how about it. It's up to you, Charles, Yes,
yes it is. Let's talk it over.

Speaker 17 (04:58:35):
Teresa.

Speaker 5 (04:58:36):
Good Well, I'll see around.

Speaker 13 (04:58:38):
Mister Holliday. I how did you find.

Speaker 5 (04:58:41):
Out, missus Clements? I always saved the explanations for my secretary.

Speaker 22 (04:59:01):
But how'd you find out, mister Holliday?

Speaker 5 (04:59:04):
Missus Clements told me herself she didn't do anything of
the kind. Well, not in so many words, Susie. But
the business of getting me to pick up the necklace,
that was funny. Why, Well, she was afraid of one
of Barrett's men would recognize her. So she was going
to have me pick up the package, and then one
of Barrett's men pick it up for me.

Speaker 22 (04:59:19):
Oh, and the package would be returned to her.

Speaker 5 (04:59:22):
Sure, and she'd have a witness that the necklace was
picked up and taken from her.

Speaker 22 (04:59:25):
But she stopped you with a gun before you even
got out the door.

Speaker 5 (04:59:28):
Sure, but she wouldn't have used that gun. She had
to make the whole thing look real. She's a pretty
good actress. Only she didn't count on my coming back
into the room and offering to help her that much.

Speaker 22 (04:59:38):
A surprised her.

Speaker 5 (04:59:40):
Uh huh. She had to think fast.

Speaker 22 (04:59:41):
And you guessed about the gambling thing.

Speaker 5 (04:59:43):
Yes, it was just a hunch, but I was sure
of it when she got that special delivery letter. You see,
it was postmark two thirty, almost immediately after I'd seen her.

Speaker 22 (04:59:52):
Oh what about Barrett.

Speaker 5 (04:59:54):
Oh he guessed too, and he was going to hold
missus Clements up for a little deal of his own.
So that's that's, Susie. A nice round robin.

Speaker 22 (05:00:03):
Oh yeah, how to all come out?

Speaker 5 (05:00:06):
Well, unless I miss my guess, missus Clements will be
very very sorry, mister Clemens will be very very stern.
You'll get the necklace back, She'll get it back, and
I'll get back to some sleep. Good night, Susan.

Speaker 74 (05:00:25):
Listening again next week when through the courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
Alan Ladd stars as Dan Holliday in Box thirteen. Box
thirteen is directed by Richard Sandville, and this week's original
story was written by Arthur Bullen. Original music is composed
and conducted by Rudy Schrager, and the part of Susie
is played by Sylvia picker Burn.

Speaker 4 (05:00:46):
Carstonson is in charge of production.

Speaker 74 (05:00:48):
Box thirteen is a Mayfair production from Hollywood. Watch for
Alan Ladd and his latest Paramount picture.

Speaker 6 (05:01:00):
Thanks for listening. If you like what you heard, be
sure to subscribe so you don't miss future episodes. If
you like the show, please share it with someone you
know who loves old time radio or the paranormal or
strained stories, true crime, monsters, or unsolved mysteries like you do.
You can email me and follow me on social media
through the Weird Darkness website. Weirddarkness dot Com is also

(05:01:21):
where you can listen to free audiobooks I've narrated, get
the email newsletter, visit the store for creepy and cool
Weird Darkness merchandise. Plus it's where you can find the
Hope in the Darkness page. If you or someone you
know is struggling with depression, addiction, or thoughts of harming
yourself or others, you can find all of that and
more at Weird Darkness dot com. I'm Darren Marler. Thanks

(05:01:42):
for joining me for tonight's Retro Radio, Old time Radio
and the Dark

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