Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:11):
Suspense Auto Light and It's ninety six thousand Dealers present
Miss Betty Davis in Goodnight, Missus Russell, a suspense play
produced and edited by William Spear. Say, Harlow, what's the idea?
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Why do you stand there so stiffly and keep banging
your hand on your forehead?
Speaker 3 (00:37):
I'm saluting half saluting, yeah, oh.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
I get it, saluting auto light resistor, spark plug. No, no,
not that those wonder working white gap whizzes don't warrant
a whale of a whack on the welkin.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
They do, they do.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
But tonight I'm saluting the truckers of America, the niftyen
non paral purveyors of conveyors who are holding their annual
get together and gab fest in Boston, Mass Jesus, starting tomorrow. Oh,
you mean the American Trucking Association, the same. Why they've
got millions of accident three miles to their credit, seldom,
if ever, make a mistake on the road.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
How do they do it?
Speaker 2 (01:10):
I'm not sure, but I think auto light resistors, fire
floods must be behind it, because well, because you're always
right with auto light.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
And now with good night, Missus Russell, starring Miss Betty
Davis with Elliott Red Auto Light hopes once again to
keep you in suspense.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
There's no escaping now.
Speaker 5 (01:38):
He hasn't said a word for ten minutes. I know
he's turning over in his mind. How he's going to
kill me. Argument and reasoning are useless.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
It's almost dawn now.
Speaker 5 (01:52):
In a little while the milkman and the paper boys
will be.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Making their rounds. I'll be dead.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
Cafe was just half a block away from where I worked.
Speaker 5 (02:09):
It was a small, pleasant little place, flotlessly clean, large
plate glass window on the sidewalk, and there was always
a beautiful looking roast turkey and juicy baked ham in
the window.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
And could watch Henry kaboff succulent pieces of.
Speaker 5 (02:24):
Meat and arrange them into meat sandwiches with an olive
and a dab of potato salad on the plate. Every noon,
all of us who worked in the Hillmar building would
go there for lunch. We crowded in on the high
stools and jammed as women do, while Henry patiently served us.
Speaker 4 (02:42):
And put up with our female chatter. He was always
the only one there.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
How are you today, ma'am?
Speaker 4 (02:48):
Fine? Thank you, Henry. How about some of your nice baked.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
Tam, Yes, ma'am coming up.
Speaker 4 (02:55):
He was always especially nice to me. I suppose that
was because I'm well, a little older than the others.
Speaker 5 (03:03):
Other girls are all very young, very cute. Henry always
seemed uncomfortable a little with them. Yes, ma'am, coffee please,
and I believe I'll have some of your cherry pie.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
You're an excellent cook, Henry.
Speaker 6 (03:19):
Thank you, ma'am. I'm glad you think so. Twenty and
fifteen's thirty five and.
Speaker 5 (03:30):
Henry had been right in the middle of heading up
my check when he stopped and stood very still and
looked out of the corner of his eye, with his
head cocked on one side, as.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
Though he were listening something.
Speaker 5 (03:39):
His expression was a little horrified. Althought maybe he'd heard
a sound that meant something to him, you know, like
the refrigerator out of water or something. And then all
of a sudden he shook his head and rushed away.
Speaker 4 (03:51):
Whatever it was he'd hurt.
Speaker 6 (03:54):
Twenty and fifteen thirty five and forty five. You should
try one of my dinner sometime, ma'am.
Speaker 4 (04:03):
Henry. Henry, how about some service, ma'am. That was Henry.
Speaker 5 (04:09):
Oh, one other thing funny, but Henry never smiled. Perhaps
I should have realized about him because of that, but
I didn't.
Speaker 4 (04:26):
He was so nice and clean and polite. I rather
liked him. As a rule, I make my own dinner
in the apartment.
Speaker 5 (04:32):
But one night I had to work quite late at
the office, and I decided to stop by Henry's and
get a little bite before catching the.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
Street car home. Ever since my husband's death, I felt.
Speaker 5 (04:43):
Just a little uneasy on the streets alone at night.
I was glad to see the bright light in Henry's
little cafe down the block. Henry's alone inside, and I
could see him fussing around, cleaning up the place.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
He didn't hear me approaching.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
What's her?
Speaker 3 (04:58):
Oh you were you'll frighten me, ma'am. I didn't hear
you coming.
Speaker 4 (05:03):
I just thought i'd try one of your dinners tonight, Henry.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
You mentioned it, Yes, I know, sit down, won't you, ma'am.
Speaker 4 (05:13):
You weren't closing or anything.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
Oh no, not at all. What would you like?
Speaker 5 (05:19):
Oh, I'll try your number four dinner, number four.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Yes, ma'am.
Speaker 4 (05:26):
You seemed frightened about something or suspicious. Yes, that was
that he seemed suspicious about something. I thought. I wanted
to help him somehow, but I didn't want to butt in.
Speaker 6 (05:39):
This is the first time you've ever been by here
at night, ma'am.
Speaker 4 (05:43):
Yes, I had to work late tonight. Henry didn't want
to go home without dinner. You know, I see it
is something wrong, Henry.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
No, no, I'll get the rest of your dinner delicious,
Thank you, ma'am. You don't often work late, do.
Speaker 4 (06:07):
You, No, I don't. This is the first time.
Speaker 5 (06:11):
In fact, my boss asked me to stay late to
type some letters.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
I know you work in the Hillmar building.
Speaker 4 (06:17):
Why, yes, I do.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
I know lots of things, ma'am.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
This is a good dinner, Henry.
Speaker 5 (06:32):
I guess I'm not as hungry as I thought I was.
I'm afraid I'm going to have to leave some of it.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
I thought you liked my cooking, you said so just
the other day.
Speaker 4 (06:43):
Oh I do.
Speaker 5 (06:44):
I think you're a fine cook, Henry. I'm just not
hungry tonight. I waited too long to eat.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
I guess you.
Speaker 6 (06:48):
Don't have to make excuses, ma'am. If you didn't like it,
just say so.
Speaker 4 (06:53):
No, I mean it.
Speaker 5 (06:55):
Your food is wonderful, Henry, it weren't I wouldn't have
come here, wouldn't you?
Speaker 4 (06:58):
No? Now, could I have my check please?
Speaker 3 (07:04):
Eighty five cents, ma'am.
Speaker 4 (07:06):
All right, there you are, Henry, we keep the chain.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
I'd rather not, ma'am here very well.
Speaker 4 (07:16):
Good night, Henry, good night, and ma'am.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
Yes, next time you come, I'll have something you like.
Speaker 4 (07:26):
But I did like. Oh, good night, Henry.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
Good night missus Russell.
Speaker 5 (07:35):
It was good fool But I oh, I felt all
easy there for some reason.
Speaker 4 (07:40):
That's why I couldn't eat. I decided not to go
back there alone, rather hard to talk to Henry. And
I didn't go back alone, that is not for three weeks,
had to work late and again, and for the last
time I went to Henry's.
Speaker 6 (08:07):
Hello, Henry, Ah, you decided to try me again.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
I see why, Henry.
Speaker 4 (08:12):
I've been eating here every day at night.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
What's the difference in the daytime. You're always with your friends.
Speaker 5 (08:18):
I like to eat with my friends. Now, come on,
let's have no more of this silly talk. How about
one of your wonderful dinners, Henry.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
I promise to eat.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
All of it tonight, all right, ma'am. Which one?
Speaker 4 (08:31):
I'll try the number four again? Please? I think that
way I can convince you I really like it.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
Why?
Speaker 4 (08:38):
Why? Because I think four is lucky? Don't you all right?
Speaker 3 (08:44):
Man? It's already.
Speaker 4 (08:49):
Don't have many customers.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
At night, do you, Henry, ma'am not many.
Speaker 4 (08:53):
I'm surprised you stay open?
Speaker 3 (08:54):
Are you there? You are? I hope you? I hope Henry.
Speaker 4 (09:04):
What is it you seem to be listening for? Something?
Speaker 3 (09:07):
Is there? Are you enjoying your dinner?
Speaker 4 (09:11):
I hate to sound like I'm prying.
Speaker 5 (09:12):
I know it isn't my business at all, but I
do think something's bothering you. Yes, yes, isn't the some
way I can help you?
Speaker 3 (09:21):
Nothing's bothering me?
Speaker 6 (09:23):
Man?
Speaker 5 (09:24):
Yes, you know I had a son like you, did you.
He was in the army, killed in the war. He
was very much like you.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
I see.
Speaker 5 (09:38):
That left me all alone in the world. My husband,
Leonard died four years ago. Yes, he was a wonderful man.
Speaker 4 (09:44):
Everyone admired him. A contractor.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
You know. I see, I've.
Speaker 5 (09:51):
Noticed that as I talked away about my family and everything,
he became very quiet. He sat down on the cooler
back of the counter and just watched me.
Speaker 4 (09:59):
He's face absolutely blank, couldn't tell what he was thinking.
Speaker 5 (10:04):
When I ask him a question he'd just answered with
I see, oh, yes or no.
Speaker 4 (10:11):
Sometimes you wouldn't answer at all.
Speaker 3 (10:12):
Just stare at me.
Speaker 5 (10:15):
I was getting uneasy again, just about decided to make
up an excuse to pay my bill and leave.
Speaker 4 (10:21):
It was getting quite late when.
Speaker 5 (10:25):
When my head began to feel heavy and I.
Speaker 4 (10:30):
Began to feel sick.
Speaker 7 (10:35):
Henry, Henry, I feel ill, Henry. I'm awfully dizzy.
Speaker 4 (10:42):
I don't think I can Henry. Can't you hear me?
I believe I'm going to faint? Perhaps you'd better help?
Did you do something?
Speaker 3 (11:05):
Good night? Missus Russell.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Auto Light is bringing you, Miss Betty Davis in good
night Missus Russell. Tonight's production and Radio's outstanding theater of
thrills suspense.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
Say harlow, how'd you stain your tie?
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (11:38):
That's from the alphabet soup we had at dinner?
Speaker 3 (11:40):
Boy? Do I love that soup? Crazy about it?
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Yeah? We have a special alphabet too, only the letters
A l r SP. A l RSP stand for Auto
light Resist sparkplugs.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
Oh buh say when you eat it? Do you make
noises that sound like a l r SP noise?
Speaker 2 (11:58):
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(12:18):
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Speaker 1 (12:38):
Auto light brings back to a Hollywood sound stage, a
star Betty Davis with Elliott Reed in Goodnight Missus Russell,
A tale well calculated to keep you in suspend.
Speaker 4 (12:58):
I don't know how long I was in.
Speaker 5 (13:00):
It seemed just for a moment, a moment crowded with
horrible nightmares and dreadful sounds.
Speaker 4 (13:06):
I remember hearing a woman screaming, screaming.
Speaker 5 (13:09):
And crying horribly. It was ghastly. I must have been
unconscious several hours And when I opened my.
Speaker 4 (13:18):
Eyes it was dark, pitch dark.
Speaker 5 (13:22):
A clock was ticking somewhere, and I realized that.
Speaker 4 (13:26):
The screaming woman had been me. Is anyone here? Where at?
I'm tied up? Who's there? Can anyone hear me? Hell?
Speaker 5 (13:51):
Hell?
Speaker 4 (13:53):
Hell? Where am I?
Speaker 3 (13:58):
You're in my room? Missus Russell?
Speaker 4 (14:04):
Just Henry? Where was he? The room was black as night?
I could see nothing. What was I doing here? Why
was I tied up? How did I get here?
Speaker 7 (14:14):
I remember nothing after after feeling?
Speaker 4 (14:19):
Is it.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
So?
Speaker 4 (14:21):
That wasn't you? You put something in my food? Didn't you? Henry?
Speaker 3 (14:29):
Yes? I did, Missus Russell. I didn't want to kill
you at the cafe?
Speaker 6 (14:34):
You see, Yes, Missus Russell, kill you?
Speaker 3 (14:39):
Hm did?
Speaker 4 (14:43):
Why? Henry? Why?
Speaker 3 (14:45):
Because you're my enemy? You and all the others your enemy.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
I like you, Henry, I've always liked you.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
I don't lie, Missus Russell.
Speaker 6 (14:53):
You thought I didn't know, didn't you? You thought I
didn't know what you were up?
Speaker 4 (14:57):
What I was up to?
Speaker 3 (14:58):
I need to kill me.
Speaker 6 (15:00):
After night, I've heard you, all of you are outside
my window, whispering, whispering, talking about how you were going
to kill me.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
Didn't you know I could hear you.
Speaker 4 (15:09):
Oh no, I'm smart, Missus Russell, and you know it.
Speaker 6 (15:15):
That's why all of you planned to kill me, get
rid of me. It's just lucky I found out you
were one of them. You'll be the first to die,
Missus Russell, and you're going to die slowly in the dark.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
How do you like that, Missus Russell.
Speaker 6 (15:34):
Be quiet, Missus Russell, or I'll have to beat you
up before I kill you.
Speaker 4 (15:43):
I tried to make myself.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
I remember you're supposed.
Speaker 5 (15:47):
To humor people that like Henry, I tried to control myself.
Speaker 3 (15:54):
No one can hear you. No one even knows you're hearing.
And I'm not going to untie you in it, not
until you're.
Speaker 4 (16:02):
Dead, Henry, Henry, I'm just I'm.
Speaker 6 (16:12):
Only in you lie here in the dark and listen
to the clock for half an hour, just half an hour,
Missus Russell, and.
Speaker 3 (16:20):
Then I'll kill you. You see. I want you to
suffer like you've made me.
Speaker 4 (16:24):
Suffer, Henry. And I'm just an ordinary woman.
Speaker 6 (16:28):
I'm smart enough to see through those remarks you made,
always talking about what a good cook I was, as
if you felt I wasn't a man.
Speaker 5 (16:37):
I know what you were thinking of Henry, I didn't
mean anything of the sort.
Speaker 6 (16:40):
I rubbing it in about your precious son in the army,
rubbing it in, torturing.
Speaker 4 (16:45):
You, Henry, that's wrong.
Speaker 6 (16:46):
I'm always ordering number four dinner. Oh I'm smart to see,
Missus Russell. I can figure things out. Number four is lucky.
Speaker 4 (16:55):
You said four for four f you men, Henry, Henry.
Speaker 5 (16:59):
All those things they were your imagination. I didn't mean
them that way.
Speaker 4 (17:03):
Tall. I didn't know about the.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
Army weak excuses, Missus Russell. You're like all the rest.
I am too smart for you, and you know it,
so you want to kill me. I am a dangerous enemy,
Missus Russell.
Speaker 5 (17:20):
How long have I got to live?
Speaker 4 (17:24):
Henry?
Speaker 3 (17:25):
A half hour? I don't know. The alarm will ring
and then I'll kill you.
Speaker 4 (17:36):
I was resigned to it. Then seemed so hopeless.
Speaker 5 (17:41):
Then I thought if I could just get him to
turn on the light, I might see a way out.
It was a forlorn hope, and I tried it, Henry, Henry,
how do you know you set the clock right?
Speaker 4 (18:00):
Henry?
Speaker 3 (18:02):
I heard you.
Speaker 4 (18:04):
No, you didn't answer.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
I thought you thought you could get me to turn
on the light.
Speaker 5 (18:10):
Sorry, Missus Russell, Henry, you're torturing yourself more than you
are me.
Speaker 4 (18:18):
Henry, do you know that?
Speaker 3 (18:20):
What do you mean?
Speaker 4 (18:22):
Well, you don't know when the alarm is going to
ring either.
Speaker 5 (18:25):
You must be sitting on the edge of your seat
waiting to hear it, aren't you.
Speaker 4 (18:30):
You see what it rings.
Speaker 7 (18:31):
I know that I'll have to die, but you know
that you'll have to commit a terrible crime, murder, Henry.
Speaker 4 (18:38):
It is true, then, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
You can't trick me and turning on the light. I'm
too smart for that. You're going to suffer in the
dark as I have. I decided to turn on the light,
(19:10):
Missus Russell.
Speaker 4 (19:12):
At first I was blind, everything been in the dock
so long.
Speaker 3 (19:15):
And I saw his hands.
Speaker 5 (19:16):
They were long and slimming, brown blue veins stood out
on the backs of her.
Speaker 4 (19:22):
I looked up at him. He was garing at me
from belief, this bouging for it. Then he picked up
the alarm and looked at it. Henry, I see it's
ten minutes to three.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
Yes, Missus Russell, you have ten minutes to live, can
you wait?
Speaker 5 (19:42):
It's a tiny, neat living room. I was on a couch,
the shades were down, there was no foam.
Speaker 4 (19:47):
Or the front door might be unlocked.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
It night.
Speaker 7 (19:52):
I can wait, Henry, eight minutes now.
Speaker 5 (20:00):
Somehow with the lights, how I felt more optimistic, though
the hands were raising each other around the face.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
Of the clock.
Speaker 4 (20:06):
If I just get untied now, to be a chance,
I'd have to be.
Speaker 6 (20:09):
Careful, but quick, quick, five minutes, Missus Russell.
Speaker 5 (20:16):
Henry, what are those things strapped to that board over
there on the wall.
Speaker 3 (20:21):
Huh?
Speaker 6 (20:23):
Oh, that's my collection, a collection match folders.
Speaker 4 (20:28):
Oh do you collect match folders?
Speaker 3 (20:31):
Oh? Yes, I'll show them to you.
Speaker 5 (20:34):
Well my breath as he took them down to the wall.
If that clock would only stand still the five minutes.
Speaker 6 (20:40):
Here, see, I have folders from all the famous night
spots here are Ciro's and the Stark Club and twenty one.
Speaker 3 (20:54):
I bet you didn't think I'd been to all those places,
did you?
Speaker 4 (20:57):
I know? Have you hand me?
Speaker 3 (20:59):
Oh? Sure? Lots of people would never believe me. That's
why I have these.
Speaker 4 (21:05):
They're lovely, Henry, Henry.
Speaker 5 (21:08):
My arms and legs a numb from being tied up
like this.
Speaker 3 (21:12):
Could you know I warned you not to get tricky,
Missus Russell.
Speaker 5 (21:17):
I just wanted you to loosen my hands so I
could look at your collection.
Speaker 6 (21:24):
Well, just your hands forgot them about everything?
Speaker 5 (21:30):
This collection come allent, But that alarm would go any second,
and I'll remind him her is he untied my hands.
My eyes fell on a large jade bookend beside the couch.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
There no be careful, missus Russell. You just wanted to
see my collection, remember.
Speaker 4 (21:47):
Yes, Henry, show it to me.
Speaker 6 (21:50):
No, oh, I see this one that's from the Coconut grow.
Speaker 4 (21:55):
Yes, yes, Henry.
Speaker 5 (21:57):
I let my hands steal along the couch the bookkends.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
Isn't that beautiful?
Speaker 4 (22:03):
Yes, yes it is, Henry, I had it in my hand.
Speaker 3 (22:07):
You're not paying attention.
Speaker 5 (22:08):
Oh, yes, I am Henry. I don't remember the Willia
for somehow I'd gotten the bindings off my feet and
I was outside of the night.
Speaker 4 (22:22):
He'd been telling the truth. His house was completely isolated
on one block.
Speaker 5 (22:25):
I ran down the block as hard as I could.
I didn't even think about direction, just ran. I knew
he'd come to in a minute, and I had to
get out of sight. I'm not used to such exercise.
In my heart was pounding so hard an ache. In
the middle of the next block, I stopped for a
moment and leaned against the tree to breathe. And I
look back and I saw him. I could see him
(22:48):
beneath the street lamp. He'd stop, not knowing which way
I got it.
Speaker 4 (22:52):
He was wild. His mouth was hanging open loosely.
Speaker 5 (22:55):
I shrank back further in the shadows and prayed he'd
go the other way. He didn't. He started walking rapidly
again in my direction.
Speaker 4 (23:06):
Then there was a house in this block, a big
rambling place.
Speaker 5 (23:10):
It was after three am and the people would be asleep.
Speaker 4 (23:12):
But I knew I could run no further. Help help
let me in, please please open the.
Speaker 5 (23:19):
Door open and and then I saw the note pinned
to the door.
Speaker 4 (23:28):
It said no milk for ten days. I could hear
Henry's foot turf down the street, and I knew he
must have heard me. My heart felt hisself it would burst.
The street was deserted. And then I heard a car approaching.
(23:49):
Here was a block away. I ran out of the
street and wave my arms.
Speaker 3 (23:53):
Help help me stop, please please stop.
Speaker 4 (24:02):
Oh oh.
Speaker 3 (24:10):
Oh, hello, Missus Russell. Hyway, come on, Missus Russell. Come
on now we're going home again, Missus Russell.
Speaker 5 (24:35):
There's no escaping now. He hasn't said a word for
ten minutes. I know he's turning over in his mind.
How he's going to kill me. It's almost dawn now.
In a little while the milkman and paper boys will
be making their rounds.
Speaker 4 (24:55):
I'll be dead.
Speaker 6 (25:00):
You shouldn't have tried to get away, Missus Russell. You
made me very mad. I know you shouldn't have hit
me either. You were even smarter than I thought.
Speaker 3 (25:14):
Missus Russell. You almost made it, but you weren't smart enough.
Speaker 5 (25:22):
If you're going to kill me, Henry, please do it.
Haven't you tortured me enough?
Speaker 3 (25:26):
You see? It just didn't do you any good to
be my enemy, did it.
Speaker 6 (25:30):
I don't like to kill you, but I have to.
It's the only way I can protect.
Speaker 4 (25:34):
Don't you see you're not well, Henry. Please try to
listen to me.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
You have to kill all the others too. If I don't,
they'll kill me the others.
Speaker 6 (25:44):
Oh, I don't pretend you don't know, Missus Russell. I've
heard them whispering about me.
Speaker 3 (25:49):
You must have heard them too.
Speaker 6 (25:51):
The voices all the time, Just like I told you.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
When I'm at work and even hear at home, I
hear them plotting. They don't know.
Speaker 4 (26:02):
I know, Henry, there's no one. It's all illusion, don't
you see.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
Just like you are.
Speaker 6 (26:07):
They're afraid of me because they know I can outsmart them.
I'm too clever for them, and they know it. That's
why they want to kill me. That's why you want
to kill me, isn't it, Missus Russell.
Speaker 4 (26:17):
I don't want to kill you, Henry.
Speaker 6 (26:20):
Oh, I've sort of got to like you, Missus Russell.
Speaker 3 (26:24):
If you weren't dangerous to me, I might let you live.
Speaker 4 (26:27):
I'm not dangerous to you, Henry, Oh.
Speaker 3 (26:30):
Yes you are.
Speaker 6 (26:33):
I've decided to choke you. If you close your eyes,
it will happen very quickly. You'll hardly know it. Are
you ready, Missus Russell? Please don't struggle. It'll be much
easier for both of us.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
Aren't you going to close your eyes?
Speaker 4 (26:54):
No? What's happened? What?
Speaker 3 (27:01):
Listen? You can hear them, don't you hear them? The voices?
Speaker 4 (27:06):
The voices, the voices.
Speaker 3 (27:10):
Don't you hear them?
Speaker 4 (27:12):
Yes? I hear them, Henry. See Now you believe me.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
Don't you you hear what they're saying?
Speaker 4 (27:19):
Yes, Yes, it's just as you said, Henry. They must
be right near, yes, right near.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
Lot of them.
Speaker 4 (27:28):
Too many. You'd better hide, Henry, yes.
Speaker 3 (27:32):
Yes, but where they sound louder all the time.
Speaker 4 (27:35):
You're getting closer. Have you a closet, Yes, that's it,
the closet over here. Shall I help you, Henry?
Speaker 3 (27:42):
Yes, yes, let me quick this closet.
Speaker 5 (27:47):
All right, Henry, I'll protect you. They're a good place
to hide.
Speaker 4 (27:54):
What if they find me here? I'll lock the door, Henry.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
No, I don't want to be luctant.
Speaker 4 (28:00):
They're getting closer, Henry.
Speaker 5 (28:04):
You'll unlock the door when they're gone.
Speaker 4 (28:06):
Yes, Henry, lock the door. This is Russell.
Speaker 5 (28:14):
You'll be safe now, good night, Henry.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
Suspense presented by auto Light Tonight starm As Betty Davis
with Elliott Reed.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
You know, Harlow, it's really marvelous how safely and courteously
American truckman drive.
Speaker 3 (28:38):
You said it happened.
Speaker 2 (28:39):
Auto Light cooperates regularly with the American Trucking Associations in
their excellent highway safety programs.
Speaker 3 (28:45):
Say that's hollow, swell, Say.
Speaker 2 (28:47):
That reminds me. We haven't said anything about the more
than four hundred products auto Light makes for cars, trucks,
planes and boats. In twenty eight plans coast to coast.
They're swell too, and auto Light makes complete electrical systems
for many of America's finest cars. Batteries, spark plugs, generators,
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work together perfectly because they're a perfect team. So folks
(29:09):
don't accept electrical parts that are supposed to be as good,
Ask for and insist on Auto Light original factory parts
at your neighborhood service station, car dealer, garage, or repair shop.
Remember you're always right with Auto Light. Next Thursday, for Suspense,
Victor Mature will be our star. The play is called Momentum,
(29:31):
and it is, as we say.
Speaker 1 (29:33):
A tale well calculated to keep you in suspend.
Speaker 2 (29:38):
Tonight's suspense play was produced and edited by William Spear
and directed by Norman MacDonald. Music for Suspense is composed
by Lucian Morowake and conducted by lud Gluskin. Goodnight, Missus
Russell was an original radio play written by Ben S.
Speaker 3 (29:50):
Hunter. Betty Davis.
Speaker 2 (29:51):
Will soon be seen in the Warner Brothers production Beyond
the Forest.
Speaker 5 (29:56):
You can buy Auto Light Resistance spark plugs, Auto Light
stateful batteries, autol had electrical parts at your neighborhood auto
light dealers switch to auto light.
Speaker 4 (30:03):
Goodnight.
Speaker 2 (30:04):
This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.
Speaker 4 (30:09):
Mm hmmmmmmmm
Suspense Auto Light and It's ninety six thousand Dealers present
Miss Betty Davis in Goodnight, Missus Russell, a suspense play
produced and edited by William Spear. Say, Harlow, what's the idea?
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Why do you stand there so stiffly and keep banging
your hand on your forehead?
Speaker 3 (00:37):
I'm saluting half saluting, yeah, oh.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
I get it, saluting auto light resistor, spark plug. No, no,
not that those wonder working white gap whizzes don't warrant
a whale of a whack on the welkin.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
They do, they do.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
But tonight I'm saluting the truckers of America, the niftyen
non paral purveyors of conveyors who are holding their annual
get together and gab fest in Boston, Mass Jesus, starting tomorrow. Oh,
you mean the American Trucking Association, the same. Why they've
got millions of accident three miles to their credit, seldom,
if ever, make a mistake on the road.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
How do they do it?
Speaker 2 (01:10):
I'm not sure, but I think auto light resistors, fire
floods must be behind it, because well, because you're always
right with auto light.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
And now with good night, Missus Russell, starring Miss Betty
Davis with Elliott Red Auto Light hopes once again to
keep you in suspense.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
There's no escaping now.
Speaker 5 (01:38):
He hasn't said a word for ten minutes. I know
he's turning over in his mind. How he's going to
kill me. Argument and reasoning are useless.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
It's almost dawn now.
Speaker 5 (01:52):
In a little while the milkman and the paper boys
will be.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Making their rounds. I'll be dead.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
Cafe was just half a block away from where I worked.
Speaker 5 (02:09):
It was a small, pleasant little place, flotlessly clean, large
plate glass window on the sidewalk, and there was always
a beautiful looking roast turkey and juicy baked ham in
the window.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
And could watch Henry kaboff succulent pieces of.
Speaker 5 (02:24):
Meat and arrange them into meat sandwiches with an olive
and a dab of potato salad on the plate. Every noon,
all of us who worked in the Hillmar building would
go there for lunch. We crowded in on the high
stools and jammed as women do, while Henry patiently served us.
Speaker 4 (02:42):
And put up with our female chatter. He was always
the only one there.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
How are you today, ma'am?
Speaker 4 (02:48):
Fine? Thank you, Henry. How about some of your nice baked.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
Tam, Yes, ma'am coming up.
Speaker 4 (02:55):
He was always especially nice to me. I suppose that
was because I'm well, a little older than the others.
Speaker 5 (03:03):
Other girls are all very young, very cute. Henry always
seemed uncomfortable a little with them. Yes, ma'am, coffee please,
and I believe I'll have some of your cherry pie.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
You're an excellent cook, Henry.
Speaker 6 (03:19):
Thank you, ma'am. I'm glad you think so. Twenty and
fifteen's thirty five and.
Speaker 5 (03:30):
Henry had been right in the middle of heading up
my check when he stopped and stood very still and
looked out of the corner of his eye, with his
head cocked on one side, as.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
Though he were listening something.
Speaker 5 (03:39):
His expression was a little horrified. Althought maybe he'd heard
a sound that meant something to him, you know, like
the refrigerator out of water or something. And then all
of a sudden he shook his head and rushed away.
Speaker 4 (03:51):
Whatever it was he'd hurt.
Speaker 6 (03:54):
Twenty and fifteen thirty five and forty five. You should
try one of my dinner sometime, ma'am.
Speaker 4 (04:03):
Henry. Henry, how about some service, ma'am. That was Henry.
Speaker 5 (04:09):
Oh, one other thing funny, but Henry never smiled. Perhaps
I should have realized about him because of that, but
I didn't.
Speaker 4 (04:26):
He was so nice and clean and polite. I rather
liked him. As a rule, I make my own dinner
in the apartment.
Speaker 5 (04:32):
But one night I had to work quite late at
the office, and I decided to stop by Henry's and
get a little bite before catching the.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
Street car home. Ever since my husband's death, I felt.
Speaker 5 (04:43):
Just a little uneasy on the streets alone at night.
I was glad to see the bright light in Henry's
little cafe down the block. Henry's alone inside, and I
could see him fussing around, cleaning up the place.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
He didn't hear me approaching.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
What's her?
Speaker 3 (04:58):
Oh you were you'll frighten me, ma'am. I didn't hear
you coming.
Speaker 4 (05:03):
I just thought i'd try one of your dinners tonight, Henry.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
You mentioned it, Yes, I know, sit down, won't you, ma'am.
Speaker 4 (05:13):
You weren't closing or anything.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
Oh no, not at all. What would you like?
Speaker 5 (05:19):
Oh, I'll try your number four dinner, number four.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Yes, ma'am.
Speaker 4 (05:26):
You seemed frightened about something or suspicious. Yes, that was
that he seemed suspicious about something. I thought. I wanted
to help him somehow, but I didn't want to butt in.
Speaker 6 (05:39):
This is the first time you've ever been by here
at night, ma'am.
Speaker 4 (05:43):
Yes, I had to work late tonight. Henry didn't want
to go home without dinner. You know, I see it
is something wrong, Henry.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
No, no, I'll get the rest of your dinner delicious,
Thank you, ma'am. You don't often work late, do.
Speaker 4 (06:07):
You, No, I don't. This is the first time.
Speaker 5 (06:11):
In fact, my boss asked me to stay late to
type some letters.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
I know you work in the Hillmar building.
Speaker 4 (06:17):
Why, yes, I do.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
I know lots of things, ma'am.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
This is a good dinner, Henry.
Speaker 5 (06:32):
I guess I'm not as hungry as I thought I was.
I'm afraid I'm going to have to leave some of it.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
I thought you liked my cooking, you said so just
the other day.
Speaker 4 (06:43):
Oh I do.
Speaker 5 (06:44):
I think you're a fine cook, Henry. I'm just not
hungry tonight. I waited too long to eat.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
I guess you.
Speaker 6 (06:48):
Don't have to make excuses, ma'am. If you didn't like it,
just say so.
Speaker 4 (06:53):
No, I mean it.
Speaker 5 (06:55):
Your food is wonderful, Henry, it weren't I wouldn't have
come here, wouldn't you?
Speaker 4 (06:58):
No? Now, could I have my check please?
Speaker 3 (07:04):
Eighty five cents, ma'am.
Speaker 4 (07:06):
All right, there you are, Henry, we keep the chain.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
I'd rather not, ma'am here very well.
Speaker 4 (07:16):
Good night, Henry, good night, and ma'am.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
Yes, next time you come, I'll have something you like.
Speaker 4 (07:26):
But I did like. Oh, good night, Henry.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
Good night missus Russell.
Speaker 5 (07:35):
It was good fool But I oh, I felt all
easy there for some reason.
Speaker 4 (07:40):
That's why I couldn't eat. I decided not to go
back there alone, rather hard to talk to Henry. And
I didn't go back alone, that is not for three weeks,
had to work late and again, and for the last
time I went to Henry's.
Speaker 6 (08:07):
Hello, Henry, Ah, you decided to try me again.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
I see why, Henry.
Speaker 4 (08:12):
I've been eating here every day at night.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
What's the difference in the daytime. You're always with your friends.
Speaker 5 (08:18):
I like to eat with my friends. Now, come on,
let's have no more of this silly talk. How about
one of your wonderful dinners, Henry.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
I promise to eat.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
All of it tonight, all right, ma'am. Which one?
Speaker 4 (08:31):
I'll try the number four again? Please? I think that
way I can convince you I really like it.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
Why?
Speaker 4 (08:38):
Why? Because I think four is lucky? Don't you all right?
Speaker 3 (08:44):
Man? It's already.
Speaker 4 (08:49):
Don't have many customers.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
At night, do you, Henry, ma'am not many.
Speaker 4 (08:53):
I'm surprised you stay open?
Speaker 3 (08:54):
Are you there? You are? I hope you? I hope Henry.
Speaker 4 (09:04):
What is it you seem to be listening for? Something?
Speaker 3 (09:07):
Is there? Are you enjoying your dinner?
Speaker 4 (09:11):
I hate to sound like I'm prying.
Speaker 5 (09:12):
I know it isn't my business at all, but I
do think something's bothering you. Yes, yes, isn't the some
way I can help you?
Speaker 3 (09:21):
Nothing's bothering me?
Speaker 6 (09:23):
Man?
Speaker 5 (09:24):
Yes, you know I had a son like you, did you.
He was in the army, killed in the war. He
was very much like you.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
I see.
Speaker 5 (09:38):
That left me all alone in the world. My husband,
Leonard died four years ago. Yes, he was a wonderful man.
Speaker 4 (09:44):
Everyone admired him. A contractor.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
You know. I see, I've.
Speaker 5 (09:51):
Noticed that as I talked away about my family and everything,
he became very quiet. He sat down on the cooler
back of the counter and just watched me.
Speaker 4 (09:59):
He's face absolutely blank, couldn't tell what he was thinking.
Speaker 5 (10:04):
When I ask him a question he'd just answered with
I see, oh, yes or no.
Speaker 4 (10:11):
Sometimes you wouldn't answer at all.
Speaker 3 (10:12):
Just stare at me.
Speaker 5 (10:15):
I was getting uneasy again, just about decided to make
up an excuse to pay my bill and leave.
Speaker 4 (10:21):
It was getting quite late when.
Speaker 5 (10:25):
When my head began to feel heavy and I.
Speaker 4 (10:30):
Began to feel sick.
Speaker 7 (10:35):
Henry, Henry, I feel ill, Henry. I'm awfully dizzy.
Speaker 4 (10:42):
I don't think I can Henry. Can't you hear me?
I believe I'm going to faint? Perhaps you'd better help?
Did you do something?
Speaker 3 (11:05):
Good night? Missus Russell.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Auto Light is bringing you, Miss Betty Davis in good
night Missus Russell. Tonight's production and Radio's outstanding theater of
thrills suspense.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
Say harlow, how'd you stain your tie?
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (11:38):
That's from the alphabet soup we had at dinner?
Speaker 3 (11:40):
Boy? Do I love that soup? Crazy about it?
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Yeah? We have a special alphabet too, only the letters
A l r SP. A l RSP stand for Auto
light Resist sparkplugs.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
Oh buh say when you eat it? Do you make
noises that sound like a l r SP noise?
Speaker 2 (11:58):
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because only auto light resistor spark plugs have the built
in ten thousand dollar resistor that makes practical their wider
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(12:18):
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Speaker 1 (12:38):
Auto light brings back to a Hollywood sound stage, a
star Betty Davis with Elliott Reed in Goodnight Missus Russell,
A tale well calculated to keep you in suspend.
Speaker 4 (12:58):
I don't know how long I was in.
Speaker 5 (13:00):
It seemed just for a moment, a moment crowded with
horrible nightmares and dreadful sounds.
Speaker 4 (13:06):
I remember hearing a woman screaming, screaming.
Speaker 5 (13:09):
And crying horribly. It was ghastly. I must have been
unconscious several hours And when I opened my.
Speaker 4 (13:18):
Eyes it was dark, pitch dark.
Speaker 5 (13:22):
A clock was ticking somewhere, and I realized that.
Speaker 4 (13:26):
The screaming woman had been me. Is anyone here? Where at?
I'm tied up? Who's there? Can anyone hear me? Hell?
Speaker 5 (13:51):
Hell?
Speaker 4 (13:53):
Hell? Where am I?
Speaker 3 (13:58):
You're in my room? Missus Russell?
Speaker 4 (14:04):
Just Henry? Where was he? The room was black as night?
I could see nothing. What was I doing here? Why
was I tied up? How did I get here?
Speaker 7 (14:14):
I remember nothing after after feeling?
Speaker 4 (14:19):
Is it.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
So?
Speaker 4 (14:21):
That wasn't you? You put something in my food? Didn't you? Henry?
Speaker 3 (14:29):
Yes? I did, Missus Russell. I didn't want to kill
you at the cafe?
Speaker 6 (14:34):
You see, Yes, Missus Russell, kill you?
Speaker 3 (14:39):
Hm did?
Speaker 4 (14:43):
Why? Henry? Why?
Speaker 3 (14:45):
Because you're my enemy? You and all the others your enemy.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
I like you, Henry, I've always liked you.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
I don't lie, Missus Russell.
Speaker 6 (14:53):
You thought I didn't know, didn't you? You thought I
didn't know what you were up?
Speaker 4 (14:57):
What I was up to?
Speaker 3 (14:58):
I need to kill me.
Speaker 6 (15:00):
After night, I've heard you, all of you are outside
my window, whispering, whispering, talking about how you were going
to kill me.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
Didn't you know I could hear you.
Speaker 4 (15:09):
Oh no, I'm smart, Missus Russell, and you know it.
Speaker 6 (15:15):
That's why all of you planned to kill me, get
rid of me. It's just lucky I found out you
were one of them. You'll be the first to die,
Missus Russell, and you're going to die slowly in the dark.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
How do you like that, Missus Russell.
Speaker 6 (15:34):
Be quiet, Missus Russell, or I'll have to beat you
up before I kill you.
Speaker 4 (15:43):
I tried to make myself.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
I remember you're supposed.
Speaker 5 (15:47):
To humor people that like Henry, I tried to control myself.
Speaker 3 (15:54):
No one can hear you. No one even knows you're hearing.
And I'm not going to untie you in it, not
until you're.
Speaker 4 (16:02):
Dead, Henry, Henry, I'm just I'm.
Speaker 6 (16:12):
Only in you lie here in the dark and listen
to the clock for half an hour, just half an hour,
Missus Russell, and.
Speaker 3 (16:20):
Then I'll kill you. You see. I want you to
suffer like you've made me.
Speaker 4 (16:24):
Suffer, Henry. And I'm just an ordinary woman.
Speaker 6 (16:28):
I'm smart enough to see through those remarks you made,
always talking about what a good cook I was, as
if you felt I wasn't a man.
Speaker 5 (16:37):
I know what you were thinking of Henry, I didn't
mean anything of the sort.
Speaker 6 (16:40):
I rubbing it in about your precious son in the army,
rubbing it in, torturing.
Speaker 4 (16:45):
You, Henry, that's wrong.
Speaker 6 (16:46):
I'm always ordering number four dinner. Oh I'm smart to see,
Missus Russell. I can figure things out. Number four is lucky.
Speaker 4 (16:55):
You said four for four f you men, Henry, Henry.
Speaker 5 (16:59):
All those things they were your imagination. I didn't mean
them that way.
Speaker 4 (17:03):
Tall. I didn't know about the.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
Army weak excuses, Missus Russell. You're like all the rest.
I am too smart for you, and you know it,
so you want to kill me. I am a dangerous enemy,
Missus Russell.
Speaker 5 (17:20):
How long have I got to live?
Speaker 4 (17:24):
Henry?
Speaker 3 (17:25):
A half hour? I don't know. The alarm will ring
and then I'll kill you.
Speaker 4 (17:36):
I was resigned to it. Then seemed so hopeless.
Speaker 5 (17:41):
Then I thought if I could just get him to
turn on the light, I might see a way out.
It was a forlorn hope, and I tried it, Henry, Henry,
how do you know you set the clock right?
Speaker 4 (18:00):
Henry?
Speaker 3 (18:02):
I heard you.
Speaker 4 (18:04):
No, you didn't answer.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
I thought you thought you could get me to turn
on the light.
Speaker 5 (18:10):
Sorry, Missus Russell, Henry, you're torturing yourself more than you
are me.
Speaker 4 (18:18):
Henry, do you know that?
Speaker 3 (18:20):
What do you mean?
Speaker 4 (18:22):
Well, you don't know when the alarm is going to
ring either.
Speaker 5 (18:25):
You must be sitting on the edge of your seat
waiting to hear it, aren't you.
Speaker 4 (18:30):
You see what it rings.
Speaker 7 (18:31):
I know that I'll have to die, but you know
that you'll have to commit a terrible crime, murder, Henry.
Speaker 4 (18:38):
It is true, then, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
You can't trick me and turning on the light. I'm
too smart for that. You're going to suffer in the
dark as I have. I decided to turn on the light,
(19:10):
Missus Russell.
Speaker 4 (19:12):
At first I was blind, everything been in the dock
so long.
Speaker 3 (19:15):
And I saw his hands.
Speaker 5 (19:16):
They were long and slimming, brown blue veins stood out
on the backs of her.
Speaker 4 (19:22):
I looked up at him. He was garing at me
from belief, this bouging for it. Then he picked up
the alarm and looked at it. Henry, I see it's
ten minutes to three.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
Yes, Missus Russell, you have ten minutes to live, can
you wait?
Speaker 5 (19:42):
It's a tiny, neat living room. I was on a couch,
the shades were down, there was no foam.
Speaker 4 (19:47):
Or the front door might be unlocked.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
It night.
Speaker 7 (19:52):
I can wait, Henry, eight minutes now.
Speaker 5 (20:00):
Somehow with the lights, how I felt more optimistic, though
the hands were raising each other around the face.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
Of the clock.
Speaker 4 (20:06):
If I just get untied now, to be a chance,
I'd have to be.
Speaker 6 (20:09):
Careful, but quick, quick, five minutes, Missus Russell.
Speaker 5 (20:16):
Henry, what are those things strapped to that board over
there on the wall.
Speaker 3 (20:21):
Huh?
Speaker 6 (20:23):
Oh, that's my collection, a collection match folders.
Speaker 4 (20:28):
Oh do you collect match folders?
Speaker 3 (20:31):
Oh? Yes, I'll show them to you.
Speaker 5 (20:34):
Well my breath as he took them down to the wall.
If that clock would only stand still the five minutes.
Speaker 6 (20:40):
Here, see, I have folders from all the famous night
spots here are Ciro's and the Stark Club and twenty one.
Speaker 3 (20:54):
I bet you didn't think I'd been to all those places,
did you?
Speaker 4 (20:57):
I know? Have you hand me?
Speaker 3 (20:59):
Oh? Sure? Lots of people would never believe me. That's
why I have these.
Speaker 4 (21:05):
They're lovely, Henry, Henry.
Speaker 5 (21:08):
My arms and legs a numb from being tied up
like this.
Speaker 3 (21:12):
Could you know I warned you not to get tricky,
Missus Russell.
Speaker 5 (21:17):
I just wanted you to loosen my hands so I
could look at your collection.
Speaker 6 (21:24):
Well, just your hands forgot them about everything?
Speaker 5 (21:30):
This collection come allent, But that alarm would go any second,
and I'll remind him her is he untied my hands.
My eyes fell on a large jade bookend beside the couch.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
There no be careful, missus Russell. You just wanted to
see my collection, remember.
Speaker 4 (21:47):
Yes, Henry, show it to me.
Speaker 6 (21:50):
No, oh, I see this one that's from the Coconut grow.
Speaker 4 (21:55):
Yes, yes, Henry.
Speaker 5 (21:57):
I let my hands steal along the couch the bookkends.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
Isn't that beautiful?
Speaker 4 (22:03):
Yes, yes it is, Henry, I had it in my hand.
Speaker 3 (22:07):
You're not paying attention.
Speaker 5 (22:08):
Oh, yes, I am Henry. I don't remember the Willia
for somehow I'd gotten the bindings off my feet and
I was outside of the night.
Speaker 4 (22:22):
He'd been telling the truth. His house was completely isolated
on one block.
Speaker 5 (22:25):
I ran down the block as hard as I could.
I didn't even think about direction, just ran. I knew
he'd come to in a minute, and I had to
get out of sight. I'm not used to such exercise.
In my heart was pounding so hard an ache. In
the middle of the next block, I stopped for a
moment and leaned against the tree to breathe. And I
look back and I saw him. I could see him
(22:48):
beneath the street lamp. He'd stop, not knowing which way
I got it.
Speaker 4 (22:52):
He was wild. His mouth was hanging open loosely.
Speaker 5 (22:55):
I shrank back further in the shadows and prayed he'd
go the other way. He didn't. He started walking rapidly
again in my direction.
Speaker 4 (23:06):
Then there was a house in this block, a big
rambling place.
Speaker 5 (23:10):
It was after three am and the people would be asleep.
Speaker 4 (23:12):
But I knew I could run no further. Help help
let me in, please please open the.
Speaker 5 (23:19):
Door open and and then I saw the note pinned
to the door.
Speaker 4 (23:28):
It said no milk for ten days. I could hear
Henry's foot turf down the street, and I knew he
must have heard me. My heart felt hisself it would burst.
The street was deserted. And then I heard a car approaching.
(23:49):
Here was a block away. I ran out of the
street and wave my arms.
Speaker 3 (23:53):
Help help me stop, please please stop.
Speaker 4 (24:02):
Oh oh.
Speaker 3 (24:10):
Oh, hello, Missus Russell. Hyway, come on, Missus Russell. Come
on now we're going home again, Missus Russell.
Speaker 5 (24:35):
There's no escaping now. He hasn't said a word for
ten minutes. I know he's turning over in his mind.
How he's going to kill me. It's almost dawn now.
In a little while the milkman and paper boys will
be making their rounds.
Speaker 4 (24:55):
I'll be dead.
Speaker 6 (25:00):
You shouldn't have tried to get away, Missus Russell. You
made me very mad. I know you shouldn't have hit
me either. You were even smarter than I thought.
Speaker 3 (25:14):
Missus Russell. You almost made it, but you weren't smart enough.
Speaker 5 (25:22):
If you're going to kill me, Henry, please do it.
Haven't you tortured me enough?
Speaker 3 (25:26):
You see? It just didn't do you any good to
be my enemy, did it.
Speaker 6 (25:30):
I don't like to kill you, but I have to.
It's the only way I can protect.
Speaker 4 (25:34):
Don't you see you're not well, Henry. Please try to
listen to me.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
You have to kill all the others too. If I don't,
they'll kill me the others.
Speaker 6 (25:44):
Oh, I don't pretend you don't know, Missus Russell. I've
heard them whispering about me.
Speaker 3 (25:49):
You must have heard them too.
Speaker 6 (25:51):
The voices all the time, Just like I told you.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
When I'm at work and even hear at home, I
hear them plotting. They don't know.
Speaker 4 (26:02):
I know, Henry, there's no one. It's all illusion, don't
you see.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
Just like you are.
Speaker 6 (26:07):
They're afraid of me because they know I can outsmart them.
I'm too clever for them, and they know it. That's
why they want to kill me. That's why you want
to kill me, isn't it, Missus Russell.
Speaker 4 (26:17):
I don't want to kill you, Henry.
Speaker 6 (26:20):
Oh, I've sort of got to like you, Missus Russell.
Speaker 3 (26:24):
If you weren't dangerous to me, I might let you live.
Speaker 4 (26:27):
I'm not dangerous to you, Henry, Oh.
Speaker 3 (26:30):
Yes you are.
Speaker 6 (26:33):
I've decided to choke you. If you close your eyes,
it will happen very quickly. You'll hardly know it. Are
you ready, Missus Russell? Please don't struggle. It'll be much
easier for both of us.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
Aren't you going to close your eyes?
Speaker 4 (26:54):
No? What's happened? What?
Speaker 3 (27:01):
Listen? You can hear them, don't you hear them? The voices?
Speaker 4 (27:06):
The voices, the voices.
Speaker 3 (27:10):
Don't you hear them?
Speaker 4 (27:12):
Yes? I hear them, Henry. See Now you believe me.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
Don't you you hear what they're saying?
Speaker 4 (27:19):
Yes, Yes, it's just as you said, Henry. They must
be right near, yes, right near.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
Lot of them.
Speaker 4 (27:28):
Too many. You'd better hide, Henry, yes.
Speaker 3 (27:32):
Yes, but where they sound louder all the time.
Speaker 4 (27:35):
You're getting closer. Have you a closet, Yes, that's it,
the closet over here. Shall I help you, Henry?
Speaker 3 (27:42):
Yes, yes, let me quick this closet.
Speaker 5 (27:47):
All right, Henry, I'll protect you. They're a good place
to hide.
Speaker 4 (27:54):
What if they find me here? I'll lock the door, Henry.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
No, I don't want to be luctant.
Speaker 4 (28:00):
They're getting closer, Henry.
Speaker 5 (28:04):
You'll unlock the door when they're gone.
Speaker 4 (28:06):
Yes, Henry, lock the door. This is Russell.
Speaker 5 (28:14):
You'll be safe now, good night, Henry.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
Suspense presented by auto Light Tonight starm As Betty Davis
with Elliott Reed.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
You know, Harlow, it's really marvelous how safely and courteously
American truckman drive.
Speaker 3 (28:38):
You said it happened.
Speaker 2 (28:39):
Auto Light cooperates regularly with the American Trucking Associations in
their excellent highway safety programs.
Speaker 3 (28:45):
Say that's hollow, swell, Say.
Speaker 2 (28:47):
That reminds me. We haven't said anything about the more
than four hundred products auto Light makes for cars, trucks,
planes and boats. In twenty eight plans coast to coast.
They're swell too, and auto Light makes complete electrical systems
for many of America's finest cars. Batteries, spark plugs, generators,
starting motors, coils, distributors, all engineered to fit together perfectly,
work together perfectly because they're a perfect team. So folks
(29:09):
don't accept electrical parts that are supposed to be as good,
Ask for and insist on Auto Light original factory parts
at your neighborhood service station, car dealer, garage, or repair shop.
Remember you're always right with Auto Light. Next Thursday, for Suspense,
Victor Mature will be our star. The play is called Momentum,
(29:31):
and it is, as we say.
Speaker 1 (29:33):
A tale well calculated to keep you in suspend.
Speaker 2 (29:38):
Tonight's suspense play was produced and edited by William Spear
and directed by Norman MacDonald. Music for Suspense is composed
by Lucian Morowake and conducted by lud Gluskin. Goodnight, Missus
Russell was an original radio play written by Ben S.
Speaker 3 (29:50):
Hunter. Betty Davis.
Speaker 2 (29:51):
Will soon be seen in the Warner Brothers production Beyond
the Forest.
Speaker 5 (29:56):
You can buy Auto Light Resistance spark plugs, Auto Light
stateful batteries, autol had electrical parts at your neighborhood auto
light dealers switch to auto light.
Speaker 4 (30:03):
Goodnight.
Speaker 2 (30:04):
This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.
Speaker 4 (30:09):
Mm hmmmmmmmm
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