December 29, 2023 • 29 mins
The Sealed Book was a radio series of mystery and terror tales, produced and directed by Jock MacGregor for the Mutual network. Between March 18 and September 9, 1945, the melodramatic anthology series was broadcast on Sundays from 10:30 pm to 11:00 pm.Each week, after "the sound of the great gong," host Philip Clarke observed that the mysteriously silent "keeper of the book has opened the ponderous door to the secret vault wherein is kept the great sealed book, in which is recorded all the secrets and mysteries of mankind through the ages.
Here are tales of every kind, tales of murder, of madness, of dark deeds strange and terrible beyond all belief." After this introduction, the dramas began, with three organ solo breaks for inserting the commercials of local stations carrying the program. Although this anthology series did not have recurring characters (other than the Narrator and the Keeper of the Book), the writers often used the same names for different characters from week to week, including "Hester", "Drake", and most especially "Roger".
Here are tales of every kind, tales of murder, of madness, of dark deeds strange and terrible beyond all belief." After this introduction, the dramas began, with three organ solo breaks for inserting the commercials of local stations carrying the program. Although this anthology series did not have recurring characters (other than the Narrator and the Keeper of the Book), the writers often used the same names for different characters from week to week, including "Hester", "Drake", and most especially "Roger".
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:08):
The seal Book. Once again.The Keeper of the Book has opened the
(00:33):
ponderous door to the secret vault,wherein has kept a great sealed book,
in which has recorded all the secretsand mysteries of mankind through the ages.
Here are tales of every kind,tales of murder, of madness, of
dark deeds, strange and terrible,beyond all belief. Keeper of the Book,
(00:59):
I would know what tale we tellthis time. Open the great book
and let us read. Slowly.The great book opens one by one.
The Keeper of the book turns thepages and stops ah the strange story of
(01:26):
a man who committed the perfect murder, only to discover that every murder must
be paid for, a tale titledDeath Laughs Last. Here is the tale
(02:31):
Death Laughs Last, as it iswritten in the pages of the Sealed Book.
Our story begins in the office ofdoctor Robert Smith. There was a
worried look on the doctor's face ashe speaks to Edward Harrison. Sit down,
won't you? Mister Harrison? Allright? Thanks? Now? What
is it? Doc? I cansee by your face you want to tell
(02:53):
me something about Mary, don't you, mister Harrison? Your wife is dangerously
ill? Does that means she's she'sgonna die. I must be frank with
you. It does unless unless whatdoctor tell me, if there's a chance
in the world she's got a habit. See, her only hope is a
brain operation, a very difficult anddelicate operation. Without it, well I
(03:20):
could only give her six months ayear at most. No, No,
it mustn't be. She's got tohave the operation you're hear. I must
tell you, mister Harrison, thatonly one man in this country has the
necessary skill for the operation your wifeneeds. He is doctor Howard Richards.
I don't care who he is.Get him. I was going to say,
naturally, he's in great demand.His average fee for an operation is
(03:44):
about fifteen hundred dollars. Fifteen hundred. Of course, if you can't afford
that, he might consider the circumstances. No, I can't afford it.
I can afford anything Mary needs.Then I get in touch with him at
once. Yes, yes, sure, you make the arrangements right away.
I'll get a hold of the money. I'll get it. Tell you by
tomorrow. Sure, mister Danvers,I met Harrison. Oh yes, mister
(04:14):
Harrison, please sit down. Thanks. Hey told me you have to pass
on all the real estate loans hereat the bank. Have you looked over
my application yet? I have ithere. I see that you want to
borrow fifteen hundred dollars from us.That's right, and it's urgent. I
got to have the money right away. Unfortunately, the security you offer your
(04:34):
home, what's wrong with it?To swell? Little house, good section,
all in good repair, that's true, but you already have a first
and second mortgage on it, totalingfour thousand dollars. And well, I'm
afraid we can't make any further loanson it. But I've got to have
the money, mister Danvers, I'vejust got I'm sorry to hear that,
because there's nothing we can do tohelp you. Nothing we can do.
(05:00):
You say you're not employed, misterHarrison, Now I own a shop.
I'm a locksmith. That means you'renever certain of your income. If you
had a job now, a regularincome, you could depend on what are
you getting at it? You meanyou're not gonna let me have the money.
I certainly wish I could, butunder the circumstances, I'm sorry,
(05:21):
very sorry that there's nothing I cando to I think I'm afraid the callaqual
you suggest isn't satisfactory, mister Harrison. We'd lend you the money if we
could, but we just can't.Sorry. Sorry, sorry, sorry,
(05:44):
sorry sorry sorry. Hi y Edward, you want eating and you're so quiet?
Is anything? Oh no, no, of course not. You're worrying
about me, aren't you. No, Mary, I just thinking about making
(06:09):
some changes at the shop and Darling, Please, you don't have to lie
to me. I know that thatI'm not well, but I'm going to
get better, really I am.I promise it. Of course you are,
doctor Smith said, So You're goingto be well in no time.
Of course I am. Dear.No, I gotta go out. I
(06:29):
I have an appointment over the otherside of the city with Horace Latimer.
We grow up together. He wantsto see me about something, something important.
Edward had no appointment with Horrace Latimer, but he went to see Horrace
anyway, for he and Horace hadbeen boyhood friends. Then their paths had
(06:53):
separated. Horrace had grown wealthy,but in his desperation, Edward Harrison hoped
that Horace would remember the past andwould lend him the money he'd been trying
to raise all day. Horace couldspare it easily, but would he fifteen
hundred that's rather a lot of money. I know it is, Horrace,
(07:15):
but it's for Mary, for anoperation. I gotta have it. Oh
why did you try the bank?You have a house or a business.
I tried the bank and all thepersonal loan companies in town, and you'll
turn me down, said the securitywasn't good enough. See, well that's
too bad. You can bet I'dlend it to your head if I had
(07:36):
it. Well, that's the trouble. I haven't any ready cash. No
the income tax, you know,and a couple of shaky investments that I
had to bolster up late. Allright, Horace, never mind, explaining
I'd get the idea. You're notgonna lend me the money, really,
ed I would if I could,but I can't. I'm sorry. Say
yes sorrow for somebody else. Idon't need your money. You're here.
(07:59):
I'll get it some place else.Yes, I'll get it somehow. After
he had slammed out of Horace Latimer'sexpensive home, Edward stood for a moment
on the dark street corner, staringback with bitterness in his face. Sorry,
(08:20):
yeah, you're sorry. And thepigs are you sorry? Oh what
a sap I was to think youwere a pill of mine? What's that,
buddy? That was just speaking tome? Oh no, sorry,
I guess I was singing out loudand that's okay. We all do it
sometimes. Hey you got a match? Match? Well yeah sure, yeah,
(08:43):
yeah, thanks, okay, justhold it like that, make them
move and I plug you. God. Yeah, this is a stick up.
Hand over your dough and make itfast. See my dough. Uh,
that's a hot one. I'm outtrying to raise money myself. Were
both out of luck and got adollar on me. Take it if you
want it anyway, It's more thanI could raise. And don't try to
(09:05):
kid me. Anybody who lives inthis ritzy suburb has dough on him.
And stand still while I see whatyou got in your pockets. A wallet
and a leather case of some kind. You'll find just one dollar in that
wallet. And I don't live inthis neighborhood. I came here to try
to borrow some money from a friend. A buck, one Measley buck with
(09:26):
a lousy break. But I betyou got a roll hidden in this leather
case. It's heavy in that youlose your bet nothing in there but my
emergency kit. Yeah, well Ijust see for myself. Hey, hey,
this kit's full of skeleton keys andpicklocks and stuff. Why now you
anyway a second story waker. I'ma locksmith and safe repair man. If
(09:50):
it's anything to you, were youon the level just now when you said
you was trying to raise dough,what's it to you? Eh, you'd
be surprised. Pa. Okay,I'm putting the gun away, but you
ain't leaving yet. Me and youwe're gonna talk business because I got a
plan that'll get us boat all thethough we need two more beers. Wait
(10:22):
on, Well, it's the dealon my proposition. I Oh, I
don't know, Mike, Sure youdo. There's nothing to it. You
can open locks and safes. Iknow where there's a house with plenty of
dough in it, but won'der likeI've never stolen anything in my life.
(10:43):
Listen, you said you need adough bad, didn't you? And so
do I plenty bad. But allyou gotta do is get the back door
open and then the safe. Inhalf an hour you'll have your fifteen hundred
and more. How else are youever gonna get it? Answer? Me
that I don't know. You showthe money's there, Mike positive. I
(11:03):
was casing the giant and looked inthe window in time to see the old
geezer put a whole roll of bellsin a safe that's no stronger than the
bread box. You can open itwith your teeth. Gotta get the money
somehow, all right, I'll doit fifty three six six, And now
(13:03):
to continue the story, death laughslast, as it is written in the
sealed book. A few minutes later, Edward, Harrison and Mike arrived at
the large mansion and quietly made theirway toward the back door. Okay,
this is it. Everybody's hit thehay long ago. It'll be a cinch
(13:26):
and lock looks easy. But Ishouldn't be doing this. There must be
some other way to get the money, and there'll be a sucker all your
life. You're gonna take what youwant in this world. If you don't,
you never get it. Well,goin, get that door open.
We gotta get inside before we spotted. All right, let me take a
second. I think yeah, it'sunlocked. Okay, get inside the safe.
(13:54):
Send the library down this way.Don't make any noise. Sure there's
only two of them in the house. Yeah, the old gang is Butler.
Probably both of'em deaf as posts. Here's the library command the safe
behind the picture on the wall.This picture. Yeah, that's it.
I lift it down. Dare youare that's safe. It's just a kid's
(14:16):
toy. Go ahead and get itopen. It won't be that easy.
I'll have it open inside of halfan hour. Yeah, we hear that.
(14:45):
You have been forty minutes on thatthing. It's coming now. Yeah,
safe open about time too, andlet's see what's in it. Yeah,
here's the cash box. Really openit there, Look dog cash mazona,
what day didn't you? It mustbe thousands there, easy, come
(15:07):
on, we'll count it and divyof that. No, no, never,
mndy. Just give me fifteen hundred. That's all I want. You
can keep the rest, hey,you kid me. No, that's all
I want, Just the fifteen hundredthat I needed. No kids, your
funeral, here y go ten eleven, twelve, nineteen fourteen, fifteen hundred
dollar bills, fifteen hundred dollars.Yeah for just a dollar's work. Easy
(15:31):
money? Huh what do you saywe crack a couple of more cribs?
Tonight now, No, no,I just wanna get out of here,
Nord. Someone's coming. Someone's callingme. Yeah, he'll get behind this
door. I'll take care of this. Who's there, Jenkins? Is that
your Oh? Where's that light switch? Ah? Wrigglers? H Jenkins?
Jenkins, call the police quick.Nobody's calling any cops tonight, chum,
(15:54):
help police, help, and maybethat'll convince you. You hit him,
and what you expect me to do? Shake his hands? You kill him?
That's murder. You're in just asdeep as me. Don't forget that.
Yeah, I'm an accessory to murder. That gout from Let's get out
of here. Or do you wannaget caught? No, no, of
course not. Then let's get going. That's that light and I don't hear
(16:18):
nothing. Come on, we getout the way we come in. But
suppose suppose we called it murder.They're hangers. We ain't gonna get caught.
We haven't left the clothes, noteven a fingerprints. Year both of
you. I have a gun andI have you covered the butler. If
you move by a shoot, Ican see you perfectly standing on my stairs.
And you got a gun. Wecaught if we caught, not if
(16:38):
we ain't not ying an old scarecrowwith a rusty horspitstol. Put up your
hands. I'm going to call thepolice. You've done something to the master.
I heard him call. Okay,okay, we'll put up our hands
like this. You shot him.Come on, we gotta get out of
here and hurry. Damn shots willbring the cops. But fast, Okay,
(17:07):
here we are. Come on in? But why did you make me
come here? Why can't I gohome? You will hide me? Come
on in? Oh that's better,Well, take off your hat and stay
awhile? Why did you make mecome here to your room? Two reasons?
The fast is I want to makesure you know what it'll mean if
you let anything slip. It'll meana rope around your neck. Get me,
(17:32):
Yeah, I know you don't haveto tell me I won't let anything
slip. I thought you might.I'd slitch your gallop right now. I
won't. I I have to livefor my wife's sake, okay. And
the second reason you're here is soyou and me can have a little talk
talk. What kind of a talk? Well, chum, I like the
(17:52):
way you got that door, andthat's safe open tonight. You and me
got the future together. What unlessthe heats off, we're gonna do another
little job together. No, Iwon't do it. I won't. Sure
you will. I won't do it. You can't make me? Oh,
yes, I can't. If youdon't, I can always send a little
note to the cops telling them it'syou they want for them killings tonight.
(18:15):
He wouldn't they get you too.I'd be a long ways away by then.
But you can't get away. You'vegot a business here and a sick
wife. You couldn't leave them.Well, you're gonna do what I say?
You devil you? You won't sayit. You don't think you can
just dip into crime and then backout again without getting your hands dirty,
(18:37):
do you? You don't think youcan pull a job and then go on
as if nothing had happened. Youare mixed up in mida, and somebody's
always got to pay for mida,one way or another. I only did
it for Mary's sake. It doesn'tmatter why you did it. You're in
it now and you can't get out, not without paying in some way.
I've got a good mind to goto the police to confirst. Get it
(19:00):
off my chair now, you don'tyou see this gun? I'd plug in
a second if I thought. No, get away from me, go my
hand. Go. You got meinto this. You're not gonna make me
go any further with it. I'lltake that gun away from you, and
you, Cora, I'll plug youout. Mike, Mike, Okay?
(19:25):
Did I killed him? In adaze of horror, Edward Harrison found his
hat and made his way to thestreet, his mind in a whirl.
He stumbled into a tiny bar afew blocks away, Struggling to control the
(19:45):
shaking hands and to keep his voicenormal. He ordered a double whiskey and
gulped it down. Then, ashis sensus cleared a little, he heard
the radio at the end of thebar broadcasting a warning to the city.
Attention all residents of the city.Attention all residents, the police Department is
(20:07):
asking you to be on the lookoutfor the following man wanted for a brutal
double murder committed in the Buxton Parksection less than an hour ago. Please
make a note of the following description. No, the man was, Hey,
buddy, what's the idea we justshut the radio off for because I
was sick of listening to it.That's why. Oh is that so when
I'm not see, I got anidea. Maybe there was some other reason
(20:30):
you didn't want to hear it.So I'm gonna turn it back on.
See. No, no, youmustn't. I'm gonna if you try to
make a break for it. Igot a gun right here under the bar.
See. So now let's hear whatthat dirty killer looked like. I
repeat, be on the lookout fora man of medium height, lean and
wiry with reddish brown hair. Wantit for the double murder in Buxton Park
earlier this evening. If you seesuch a man reported once the headquarters,
(20:53):
We now turn you back to ourregular nine all program. A popular dance
to lean and whitey with ready brownhair. Eh and that ain't you?
You're heavy set in black hair.For a minuteary, you had me going.
I was positive you was the killerthe way you didn't want me to
hear the description, just jumpy Ehly, Here have another drink on the house.
(21:18):
Thanks. I got to get home. I need some sleep. Yeah,
that's what I need some sleep.And now to continue the story,
(23:12):
death laughs last, as it iswritten in the Sealed Book, as Edward
Harrison left the bar and hurried home. He was aghast at how close he'd
come to giving himself away. Itwas Mike the police were looking for,
not Edward Harrison. It was Mike, who's description they hadn't. Edward Harrison
(23:33):
was safe, safe, hardly ableto believe in his own good luck.
Edward reached his home and let himselfin. Mary was asleep. Quietly,
he got into bed and at longlast fell asleep. What he awoke?
It was morning and Mary was alreadypreparing breakast. Good morning, darling.
(23:56):
What time did you get home?Anyway? I waited up for you until
almost two. I I was prettylater, stopped at the shop and did
a little work. I got towatch the time, I guess, and
this morning you look terrible. Iknow you're you're worrying about me, but
you mustn't, darling. I'm goingto be all right, really I am.
(24:18):
Of course you are. I'm goingto see to that. What do
you think Doctor Smith called up lastnight. He wanted to talk to you.
He said he had some good newsfor you. Good news, yes,
but he wouldn't tell me what itwas. I don't know why.
He asked for you to stop inat his office. This morning. I
think I know what it is.Yeah, sure, I'll go right over
(24:38):
and see him. But Darling,you're going to eat breakfast first time.
I'll eat when I get back.I want to see the doctor first.
Anyway, I'm not very hungry.Well, all right, Edward, but
please hurry back. I want toknow too what the doctor said. Yeah,
sure, Mary, I'll be rightback. But everything's okay, Now,
everything's okay. After he left thehouse, Edward bought a morning paper.
(25:03):
Big headlines told of the murders thenight before, but he scarcely saw
them. His eyes hurried through thestory until he found what he was looking
for the news that Mike's body hadbeen found. The butler Mike had shot
had given the police Mike's description andthen died before he could tell them there
was anyone with Mike, so thepolice enlisted Mike's death as a suicide or
(25:27):
as an accident and closed the case. Edward Harrison was safe, perfectly safe.
Safe. I'm safe. I gotthe money. Mary's going to be
all right, and the cops aren'tlooking for me. Mike was wrong.
Sometimes you can get away with murderand not have to pay anything. If
(25:48):
you're lucky. And I've been lucky. I've been lucky. Good morning,
doctor Mary said you'd palled and hadsome good news. Oh yes, mister
Harrison. I I called you lastnight after I got in touch with doctor
Richards. I wanted to tell youthat he had agreed to operate on your
(26:11):
wife. Well that's well, doctor, I got the money right here in
my pocket. The money. Yes, yes, I was also going to
tell you that doctor Richards had saidnot to worry about it. You could
take as long as you wanted topay it, as long as I wanted.
Then it wasn't necessary. I didn'thave to do it. I I
(26:32):
didn't have to do it. I'mafraid I don't understand. I I never
mind, Doc, I mean,I got the money. I want to
pay it. He's got to takeit right away. Well what's the matter?
What are you looking at me likethat? For? The operation is
going to save Mary's life, isn'tit? You said it would. You
can't go back on your word.You can't be here. It's not that,
(26:56):
mister Harrison. Yes, the operatorwould save your wife's life. But
unfortunately, and doctor Richards was theonly man in this country able to perform
it. Well, so what hesaid he'd do it, didn't he?
And I've raised the door of Paet. So what's a hedge, mister Harrison.
Doctor Richards can't perform the operation now, but you seventy yes, I
(27:21):
know. But he was tragically murderedlast night by a burglar who broke into
his home in Buxton Park, andso ends the tale. Death Laughs Last,
as it is written in the SealedBook, in an effort to save
(27:44):
his wife's life, Edward Harrison hadhelped kill the one man who might have
saved her. Twisted, indeed arethe strands of fate in which destiny entangles
mere mortals. And now, keeperof the Book, before you close the
(29:07):
great volume, show us the talewe tell next time? This one,
ah, yes, the tale ofa man who was murdered by his wife
and her brother, and the strangeway he rose from a watery grave to
accuse them of his death. Thetale is titled You Only Die Once.
(29:34):
Be sure to be with us againnext time. When the sound of the
Great Gong heralds another strange and excitingtale from the Seal Book. The Sealed
Book, produced and directed by JackMcGregor, is written by Bob Arthur,
and David Cogan
The seal Book. Once again.The Keeper of the Book has opened the
(00:33):
ponderous door to the secret vault,wherein has kept a great sealed book,
in which has recorded all the secretsand mysteries of mankind through the ages.
Here are tales of every kind,tales of murder, of madness, of
dark deeds, strange and terrible,beyond all belief. Keeper of the Book,
(00:59):
I would know what tale we tellthis time. Open the great book
and let us read. Slowly.The great book opens one by one.
The Keeper of the book turns thepages and stops ah the strange story of
(01:26):
a man who committed the perfect murder, only to discover that every murder must
be paid for, a tale titledDeath Laughs Last. Here is the tale
(02:31):
Death Laughs Last, as it iswritten in the pages of the Sealed Book.
Our story begins in the office ofdoctor Robert Smith. There was a
worried look on the doctor's face ashe speaks to Edward Harrison. Sit down,
won't you? Mister Harrison? Allright? Thanks? Now? What
is it? Doc? I cansee by your face you want to tell
(02:53):
me something about Mary, don't you, mister Harrison? Your wife is dangerously
ill? Does that means she's she'sgonna die. I must be frank with
you. It does unless unless whatdoctor tell me, if there's a chance
in the world she's got a habit. See, her only hope is a
brain operation, a very difficult anddelicate operation. Without it, well I
(03:20):
could only give her six months ayear at most. No, No,
it mustn't be. She's got tohave the operation you're hear. I must
tell you, mister Harrison, thatonly one man in this country has the
necessary skill for the operation your wifeneeds. He is doctor Howard Richards.
I don't care who he is.Get him. I was going to say,
naturally, he's in great demand.His average fee for an operation is
(03:44):
about fifteen hundred dollars. Fifteen hundred. Of course, if you can't afford
that, he might consider the circumstances. No, I can't afford it.
I can afford anything Mary needs.Then I get in touch with him at
once. Yes, yes, sure, you make the arrangements right away.
I'll get a hold of the money. I'll get it. Tell you by
tomorrow. Sure, mister Danvers,I met Harrison. Oh yes, mister
(04:14):
Harrison, please sit down. Thanks. Hey told me you have to pass
on all the real estate loans hereat the bank. Have you looked over
my application yet? I have ithere. I see that you want to
borrow fifteen hundred dollars from us.That's right, and it's urgent. I
got to have the money right away. Unfortunately, the security you offer your
(04:34):
home, what's wrong with it?To swell? Little house, good section,
all in good repair, that's true, but you already have a first
and second mortgage on it, totalingfour thousand dollars. And well, I'm
afraid we can't make any further loanson it. But I've got to have
the money, mister Danvers, I'vejust got I'm sorry to hear that,
because there's nothing we can do tohelp you. Nothing we can do.
(05:00):
You say you're not employed, misterHarrison, Now I own a shop.
I'm a locksmith. That means you'renever certain of your income. If you
had a job now, a regularincome, you could depend on what are
you getting at it? You meanyou're not gonna let me have the money.
I certainly wish I could, butunder the circumstances, I'm sorry,
(05:21):
very sorry that there's nothing I cando to I think I'm afraid the callaqual
you suggest isn't satisfactory, mister Harrison. We'd lend you the money if we
could, but we just can't.Sorry. Sorry, sorry, sorry,
(05:44):
sorry sorry sorry. Hi y Edward, you want eating and you're so quiet?
Is anything? Oh no, no, of course not. You're worrying
about me, aren't you. No, Mary, I just thinking about making
(06:09):
some changes at the shop and Darling, Please, you don't have to lie
to me. I know that thatI'm not well, but I'm going to
get better, really I am.I promise it. Of course you are,
doctor Smith said, So You're goingto be well in no time.
Of course I am. Dear.No, I gotta go out. I
(06:29):
I have an appointment over the otherside of the city with Horace Latimer.
We grow up together. He wantsto see me about something, something important.
Edward had no appointment with Horrace Latimer, but he went to see Horrace
anyway, for he and Horace hadbeen boyhood friends. Then their paths had
(06:53):
separated. Horrace had grown wealthy,but in his desperation, Edward Harrison hoped
that Horace would remember the past andwould lend him the money he'd been trying
to raise all day. Horace couldspare it easily, but would he fifteen
hundred that's rather a lot of money. I know it is, Horrace,
(07:15):
but it's for Mary, for anoperation. I gotta have it. Oh
why did you try the bank?You have a house or a business.
I tried the bank and all thepersonal loan companies in town, and you'll
turn me down, said the securitywasn't good enough. See, well that's
too bad. You can bet I'dlend it to your head if I had
(07:36):
it. Well, that's the trouble. I haven't any ready cash. No
the income tax, you know,and a couple of shaky investments that I
had to bolster up late. Allright, Horace, never mind, explaining
I'd get the idea. You're notgonna lend me the money, really,
ed I would if I could,but I can't. I'm sorry. Say
yes sorrow for somebody else. Idon't need your money. You're here.
(07:59):
I'll get it some place else.Yes, I'll get it somehow. After
he had slammed out of Horace Latimer'sexpensive home, Edward stood for a moment
on the dark street corner, staringback with bitterness in his face. Sorry,
(08:20):
yeah, you're sorry. And thepigs are you sorry? Oh what
a sap I was to think youwere a pill of mine? What's that,
buddy? That was just speaking tome? Oh no, sorry,
I guess I was singing out loudand that's okay. We all do it
sometimes. Hey you got a match? Match? Well yeah sure, yeah,
(08:43):
yeah, thanks, okay, justhold it like that, make them
move and I plug you. God. Yeah, this is a stick up.
Hand over your dough and make itfast. See my dough. Uh,
that's a hot one. I'm outtrying to raise money myself. Were
both out of luck and got adollar on me. Take it if you
want it anyway, It's more thanI could raise. And don't try to
(09:05):
kid me. Anybody who lives inthis ritzy suburb has dough on him.
And stand still while I see whatyou got in your pockets. A wallet
and a leather case of some kind. You'll find just one dollar in that
wallet. And I don't live inthis neighborhood. I came here to try
to borrow some money from a friend. A buck, one Measley buck with
(09:26):
a lousy break. But I betyou got a roll hidden in this leather
case. It's heavy in that youlose your bet nothing in there but my
emergency kit. Yeah, well Ijust see for myself. Hey, hey,
this kit's full of skeleton keys andpicklocks and stuff. Why now you
anyway a second story waker. I'ma locksmith and safe repair man. If
(09:50):
it's anything to you, were youon the level just now when you said
you was trying to raise dough,what's it to you? Eh, you'd
be surprised. Pa. Okay,I'm putting the gun away, but you
ain't leaving yet. Me and youwe're gonna talk business because I got a
plan that'll get us boat all thethough we need two more beers. Wait
(10:22):
on, Well, it's the dealon my proposition. I Oh, I
don't know, Mike, Sure youdo. There's nothing to it. You
can open locks and safes. Iknow where there's a house with plenty of
dough in it, but won'der likeI've never stolen anything in my life.
(10:43):
Listen, you said you need adough bad, didn't you? And so
do I plenty bad. But allyou gotta do is get the back door
open and then the safe. Inhalf an hour you'll have your fifteen hundred
and more. How else are youever gonna get it? Answer? Me
that I don't know. You showthe money's there, Mike positive. I
(11:03):
was casing the giant and looked inthe window in time to see the old
geezer put a whole roll of bellsin a safe that's no stronger than the
bread box. You can open itwith your teeth. Gotta get the money
somehow, all right, I'll doit fifty three six six, And now
(13:03):
to continue the story, death laughslast, as it is written in the
sealed book. A few minutes later, Edward, Harrison and Mike arrived at
the large mansion and quietly made theirway toward the back door. Okay,
this is it. Everybody's hit thehay long ago. It'll be a cinch
(13:26):
and lock looks easy. But Ishouldn't be doing this. There must be
some other way to get the money, and there'll be a sucker all your
life. You're gonna take what youwant in this world. If you don't,
you never get it. Well,goin, get that door open.
We gotta get inside before we spotted. All right, let me take a
second. I think yeah, it'sunlocked. Okay, get inside the safe.
(13:54):
Send the library down this way.Don't make any noise. Sure there's
only two of them in the house. Yeah, the old gang is Butler.
Probably both of'em deaf as posts. Here's the library command the safe
behind the picture on the wall.This picture. Yeah, that's it.
I lift it down. Dare youare that's safe. It's just a kid's
(14:16):
toy. Go ahead and get itopen. It won't be that easy.
I'll have it open inside of halfan hour. Yeah, we hear that.
(14:45):
You have been forty minutes on thatthing. It's coming now. Yeah,
safe open about time too, andlet's see what's in it. Yeah,
here's the cash box. Really openit there, Look dog cash mazona,
what day didn't you? It mustbe thousands there, easy, come
(15:07):
on, we'll count it and divyof that. No, no, never,
mndy. Just give me fifteen hundred. That's all I want. You
can keep the rest, hey,you kid me. No, that's all
I want, Just the fifteen hundredthat I needed. No kids, your
funeral, here y go ten eleven, twelve, nineteen fourteen, fifteen hundred
dollar bills, fifteen hundred dollars.Yeah for just a dollar's work. Easy
(15:31):
money? Huh what do you saywe crack a couple of more cribs?
Tonight now, No, no,I just wanna get out of here,
Nord. Someone's coming. Someone's callingme. Yeah, he'll get behind this
door. I'll take care of this. Who's there, Jenkins? Is that
your Oh? Where's that light switch? Ah? Wrigglers? H Jenkins?
Jenkins, call the police quick.Nobody's calling any cops tonight, chum,
(15:54):
help police, help, and maybethat'll convince you. You hit him,
and what you expect me to do? Shake his hands? You kill him?
That's murder. You're in just asdeep as me. Don't forget that.
Yeah, I'm an accessory to murder. That gout from Let's get out
of here. Or do you wannaget caught? No, no, of
course not. Then let's get going. That's that light and I don't hear
(16:18):
nothing. Come on, we getout the way we come in. But
suppose suppose we called it murder.They're hangers. We ain't gonna get caught.
We haven't left the clothes, noteven a fingerprints. Year both of
you. I have a gun andI have you covered the butler. If
you move by a shoot, Ican see you perfectly standing on my stairs.
And you got a gun. Wecaught if we caught, not if
(16:38):
we ain't not ying an old scarecrowwith a rusty horspitstol. Put up your
hands. I'm going to call thepolice. You've done something to the master.
I heard him call. Okay,okay, we'll put up our hands
like this. You shot him.Come on, we gotta get out of
here and hurry. Damn shots willbring the cops. But fast, Okay,
(17:07):
here we are. Come on in? But why did you make me
come here? Why can't I gohome? You will hide me? Come
on in? Oh that's better,Well, take off your hat and stay
awhile? Why did you make mecome here to your room? Two reasons?
The fast is I want to makesure you know what it'll mean if
you let anything slip. It'll meana rope around your neck. Get me,
(17:32):
Yeah, I know you don't haveto tell me I won't let anything
slip. I thought you might.I'd slitch your gallop right now. I
won't. I I have to livefor my wife's sake, okay. And
the second reason you're here is soyou and me can have a little talk
talk. What kind of a talk? Well, chum, I like the
(17:52):
way you got that door, andthat's safe open tonight. You and me
got the future together. What unlessthe heats off, we're gonna do another
little job together. No, Iwon't do it. I won't. Sure
you will. I won't do it. You can't make me? Oh,
yes, I can't. If youdon't, I can always send a little
note to the cops telling them it'syou they want for them killings tonight.
(18:15):
He wouldn't they get you too.I'd be a long ways away by then.
But you can't get away. You'vegot a business here and a sick
wife. You couldn't leave them.Well, you're gonna do what I say?
You devil you? You won't sayit. You don't think you can
just dip into crime and then backout again without getting your hands dirty,
(18:37):
do you? You don't think youcan pull a job and then go on
as if nothing had happened. Youare mixed up in mida, and somebody's
always got to pay for mida,one way or another. I only did
it for Mary's sake. It doesn'tmatter why you did it. You're in
it now and you can't get out, not without paying in some way.
I've got a good mind to goto the police to confirst. Get it
(19:00):
off my chair now, you don'tyou see this gun? I'd plug in
a second if I thought. No, get away from me, go my
hand. Go. You got meinto this. You're not gonna make me
go any further with it. I'lltake that gun away from you, and
you, Cora, I'll plug youout. Mike, Mike, Okay?
(19:25):
Did I killed him? In adaze of horror, Edward Harrison found his
hat and made his way to thestreet, his mind in a whirl.
He stumbled into a tiny bar afew blocks away, Struggling to control the
(19:45):
shaking hands and to keep his voicenormal. He ordered a double whiskey and
gulped it down. Then, ashis sensus cleared a little, he heard
the radio at the end of thebar broadcasting a warning to the city.
Attention all residents of the city.Attention all residents, the police Department is
(20:07):
asking you to be on the lookoutfor the following man wanted for a brutal
double murder committed in the Buxton Parksection less than an hour ago. Please
make a note of the following description. No, the man was, Hey,
buddy, what's the idea we justshut the radio off for because I
was sick of listening to it.That's why. Oh is that so when
I'm not see, I got anidea. Maybe there was some other reason
(20:30):
you didn't want to hear it.So I'm gonna turn it back on.
See. No, no, youmustn't. I'm gonna if you try to
make a break for it. Igot a gun right here under the bar.
See. So now let's hear whatthat dirty killer looked like. I
repeat, be on the lookout fora man of medium height, lean and
wiry with reddish brown hair. Wantit for the double murder in Buxton Park
earlier this evening. If you seesuch a man reported once the headquarters,
(20:53):
We now turn you back to ourregular nine all program. A popular dance
to lean and whitey with ready brownhair. Eh and that ain't you?
You're heavy set in black hair.For a minuteary, you had me going.
I was positive you was the killerthe way you didn't want me to
hear the description, just jumpy Ehly, Here have another drink on the house.
(21:18):
Thanks. I got to get home. I need some sleep. Yeah,
that's what I need some sleep.And now to continue the story,
(23:12):
death laughs last, as it iswritten in the Sealed Book, as Edward
Harrison left the bar and hurried home. He was aghast at how close he'd
come to giving himself away. Itwas Mike the police were looking for,
not Edward Harrison. It was Mike, who's description they hadn't. Edward Harrison
(23:33):
was safe, safe, hardly ableto believe in his own good luck.
Edward reached his home and let himselfin. Mary was asleep. Quietly,
he got into bed and at longlast fell asleep. What he awoke?
It was morning and Mary was alreadypreparing breakast. Good morning, darling.
(23:56):
What time did you get home?Anyway? I waited up for you until
almost two. I I was prettylater, stopped at the shop and did
a little work. I got towatch the time, I guess, and
this morning you look terrible. Iknow you're you're worrying about me, but
you mustn't, darling. I'm goingto be all right, really I am.
(24:18):
Of course you are. I'm goingto see to that. What do
you think Doctor Smith called up lastnight. He wanted to talk to you.
He said he had some good newsfor you. Good news, yes,
but he wouldn't tell me what itwas. I don't know why.
He asked for you to stop inat his office. This morning. I
think I know what it is.Yeah, sure, I'll go right over
(24:38):
and see him. But Darling,you're going to eat breakfast first time.
I'll eat when I get back.I want to see the doctor first.
Anyway, I'm not very hungry.Well, all right, Edward, but
please hurry back. I want toknow too what the doctor said. Yeah,
sure, Mary, I'll be rightback. But everything's okay, Now,
everything's okay. After he left thehouse, Edward bought a morning paper.
(25:03):
Big headlines told of the murders thenight before, but he scarcely saw
them. His eyes hurried through thestory until he found what he was looking
for the news that Mike's body hadbeen found. The butler Mike had shot
had given the police Mike's description andthen died before he could tell them there
was anyone with Mike, so thepolice enlisted Mike's death as a suicide or
(25:27):
as an accident and closed the case. Edward Harrison was safe, perfectly safe.
Safe. I'm safe. I gotthe money. Mary's going to be
all right, and the cops aren'tlooking for me. Mike was wrong.
Sometimes you can get away with murderand not have to pay anything. If
(25:48):
you're lucky. And I've been lucky. I've been lucky. Good morning,
doctor Mary said you'd palled and hadsome good news. Oh yes, mister
Harrison. I I called you lastnight after I got in touch with doctor
Richards. I wanted to tell youthat he had agreed to operate on your
(26:11):
wife. Well that's well, doctor, I got the money right here in
my pocket. The money. Yes, yes, I was also going to
tell you that doctor Richards had saidnot to worry about it. You could
take as long as you wanted topay it, as long as I wanted.
Then it wasn't necessary. I didn'thave to do it. I I
(26:32):
didn't have to do it. I'mafraid I don't understand. I I never
mind, Doc, I mean,I got the money. I want to
pay it. He's got to takeit right away. Well what's the matter?
What are you looking at me likethat? For? The operation is
going to save Mary's life, isn'tit? You said it would. You
can't go back on your word.You can't be here. It's not that,
(26:56):
mister Harrison. Yes, the operatorwould save your wife's life. But
unfortunately, and doctor Richards was theonly man in this country able to perform
it. Well, so what hesaid he'd do it, didn't he?
And I've raised the door of Paet. So what's a hedge, mister Harrison.
Doctor Richards can't perform the operation now, but you seventy yes, I
(27:21):
know. But he was tragically murderedlast night by a burglar who broke into
his home in Buxton Park, andso ends the tale. Death Laughs Last,
as it is written in the SealedBook, in an effort to save
(27:44):
his wife's life, Edward Harrison hadhelped kill the one man who might have
saved her. Twisted, indeed arethe strands of fate in which destiny entangles
mere mortals. And now, keeperof the Book, before you close the
(29:07):
great volume, show us the talewe tell next time? This one,
ah, yes, the tale ofa man who was murdered by his wife
and her brother, and the strangeway he rose from a watery grave to
accuse them of his death. Thetale is titled You Only Die Once.
(29:34):
Be sure to be with us againnext time. When the sound of the
Great Gong heralds another strange and excitingtale from the Seal Book. The Sealed
Book, produced and directed by JackMcGregor, is written by Bob Arthur,
and David Cogan
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