December 29, 2023 • 30 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.
(00:09):
The Seal Book. Once again.The Keeper of the Book has opened the
(00:33):
ponderous door to the secret vault,wherein has kept the 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 are the strange story of
(01:23):
a murder who found that justice hasan uncanny way of working itself out.
As in the tale titled Murder Mustbe paid For. Here's the tale Murder
(02:30):
Must be paid For, As itis written in the pages of the Sealed
Book. Our story begins in theoffice of Judge Wallace, Lucy Holden's legal
adviser. Judge Wallas, an anxiousexpression on his face, is pleading with
the beautiful young woman Lucy. Listento me. You mustn't do this,
(02:53):
believe me, You're making a terriblemistake. I don't think so, Judge
Wallace. I love Tom and I'mgoing to marry Lucy. I didn't want
to tell you this because no onecan prove it. But Tom Barrow murdered
your father. I know a lotof people think he murdered Dad, but
I don't believe it. I wishI didn't listen, Lucy, Tom and
your father were on a hunting trip. Your father died with a rifle bullet
(03:15):
threw his heart from his own rifle. Tom said, your father dropped the
gun accidentally and it went off.Yes, I know all that. Do
you know that Tom rubbed your ownfather on a business deal and would have
gone to jail if your father hadlived another week? I know people say
so, but have you any proof. No, your father died. There's
(03:36):
no case. Well, Judge,you've done your duty and warned me,
so the responsibility is mine, allright, Lucy. You know you've grown
very pretty since he went away toschool four years. I'm sorry we haven't
seen anything of you, and allthat time. I'm sorry too, but
Dad wanted me to stayte. Youknow, Judge Wallace, I met my
(04:00):
sister when I was in New Yorklast winter. Your sister, what sister,
Lucy Dorene. Don't you know abouther, Dorene. No, I
never knew you had a sister.I didn't either until Dad wrote me and
told me about it. But youknew Dad's first wife ran away with an
actor a year after she and Dadwere married. Yes, I knew that,
but that's all. Well, Dorenwas his first child. Her mother
(04:23):
took her along when she ran away. I I wondered if Dad had mentioned
Doren in his will. No,he didn't. Well, I'm going to
send us the money anyway, andwill that be all right? Yes,
of course it's your money now,the whole million dollars. Thank you,
Judge Wallace. Well, I haveto go now. Tom's waiting for me.
We're going to be married right away. And Lucy married Tom Battle,
(04:58):
big and blonde and narrow, selfassured. Tongues wagged over the marriage,
but ignoring the gossip. The happycouple settled down at Barrow House, on
the edge of high cliffs looking outover the Pacific. There, Lucy wrote
many letters, especially to her halfsister Dorin here, Doreen, I hope
(05:23):
that at last you're going to havea chance to visit Tom and me here
at Barrow House. I know you'dlike Tom and he'd like you. Hell
Darling. Oh more letters to Dorene. Oh, yes, Tom, I'm
trying to persuade her to come visitus. And since her show's going to
be in San Francisco all this week, I'm good. If she's half as
(05:44):
pretty as you are, I'll welcomeher with open arms. Well, people
in New York used to take usfor twins, but she's really much more
sophisticated than I am. She's anactress. Sounds more and more interesting.
But how about coming for a speedboatride? Hunh water's just right? Oh,
I can't. This is the dayI volunteered to help the sisters at
the Mission Hospital, all for Pete'ssake. That's a thirty mile drive,
(06:06):
twenty to town and ten more beyond. You won't get back till after dark.
I'm sorry, Tom, but Ipromise. And so a short time
later, Lucy drove off to hervolunteer nursing work, so she was not
(06:31):
present to see the dusty taxi thatdrove up to the house several hours later,
leaving a visitor. Hmm, Iwonder if any one's home, Oh
the house is anyone in? Nobodybut me? Who are you? Why?
Lucy. Wrong, guess mister tryagain? Holy smoke, I thought.
(06:55):
No, your hair's done differently andyou're taller. Say you can't be
Doreen? Why not? Is therea lag against it? The mystery sister?
Here at last, and on theday Lucy's away. You mean I've
missed it. Oh, she'll beback tonight and you're staying, aren't you?
Mmkay? I have to get backto town to catch the seven o'clock
(07:17):
train for Crisco. No, that'stoo bad. But oh there's uh no
reason you and I shouldn't get acquaintedbefore then, Is there none I can
think of off hand? Then comeon in. I'll show you around and
and I'll mix us a couple ofdrinks. Okay, okay, Ah,
(07:49):
that tastes good. Well, howdo you like our little place? Now
that you've seen it? I gofor it. Imagine sitting out here on
the cliffs every evening and watching thesun set into the Pacific. There's a
visit and you can do it.Hm, maybe I will. How high
are these cliffs anyway, tom eightyfeet straight down to the Pacific. It's
(08:11):
deep water at the foot of'em. I'd hate to fall off, But
as for the visit idea. Onsecond thought, I don't think I will.
Why not. We'd love to haveyou, I know I wouldn't.
That's just the trouble. I mightfind myself poaching on little Lucy's territory.
You uh mean that? M Yes, Now I can understand how little Lucy
(08:37):
came to fall for the guy whokilled her father. So you've heard that
gossiping, yes, but not fromLucy. You did kill him, didn't
you? Of course not. Itwas an accident, a very regrettable accident.
Oh of course. Now, Uh, how about driving me back to
town. I'll just have time tocatch my train, all right, But
(08:58):
they're going to come again. Iknow it. Well, maybe you know.
I think you and I can understandeach other. It's too bad I
didn't meet you first instead of Lucythat evening. When Lucy returned, she
(09:22):
was upset to learn that she hadmissed Doren, but Tom said that Dorian
had promised to come again in afew weeks, and then, because Lucy
was tired, they retired early.But during the night, Tom awoke to
find Lucy shaking him. Tom,Tom, what's the matter? What is
(09:45):
it? Tom? You were talkingin your sleep? Talking in my sleep?
Yes, I thought you might behaving a nightmare. No, no,
I'm all right. Oh I'm sorry, Tom. But when I heard
you talking in your sleep, Ithought of what was I saying? Nothing
that I could understand? Why?Uh? No reason, just curious,
that's all. I've never talked tomy sleep before that I know of.
(10:07):
Oh, yes, you have,darling several times the last few weeks.
Lucia, Are you telling me thetruth? Why? Of course? Why
should I lie about such a sillylittle thing? No course you wouldn't I
m Lucy. Yes, Tom,I suppose I sleep in the corner room
after this. In the corner room. Why Tom, you aren't serious.
(10:31):
I'm perfectly serious. And the realizationthat I might be disturbing you would make
me more and more nervous, untilI wouldn't be able to sleep at all.
Well that's really the case, huhit is? And anyway, we'll
try it for a while, shallwe. After Tom moved to the corner
(10:52):
room, there was an atmosphere ofstrain between him and Lucy. Lucy,
however, pretended not to notice itand went about as though everything was just
as it had been. She wrotemany long letters to her sister Doreen.
But Tom noticed that whenever he cameclose to her, she covered the letters
so that he could not see whatshe was writing. His suspicions aroused.
(11:15):
He waited until she left one ofthem in the mailbox for the Royal delivery
carrier to pick up. As soonas she was out of sight, he
swiftly ripped it open and read it. Now, Lucille, you'll see what
you're so carefully hiding from me.Dear Doreen, I have dreadful news for
you. Now. I know thatTom did kill my father. Night after
(11:39):
night, I've been listening outside hisdoor, becoming more and more certain.
Last night he cried out distinctly,I killed him. I killed him.
But they'll never prove it. Never, Doreen, what shall I do If
he killed father, he may killme. I go in fear of my
life. I've taken one of hishunting knives and I carry it around with
me to protect myself in case heattack me. So that's how it is.
(12:05):
That's what you've been up to,eh, Well, Lucy, I
think that you and I must havea little talk. But when Tom returned
to the house, Lucy was notthere. At last he located her standing
at her favorite spot on the cliffsnear the house, a spot that overhung
(12:28):
the sea, which beat unceasingly againstthe rocks beneath. His footsteps muffled with
the sound of the surf, Tomcame quietly up behind her. Lucy,
Tom, you frighten me, Lucy. I want to talk to you.
What about I just read the letteryou wrote your sister. You you open,
(12:52):
yes, you little fool. Youknow perfectly well such evidence means nothing
in a court. Nothing. Now, why not be sensible? Come on,
see, let's forget the whole thing. It's over and done. No,
no, stay away from me.Don't come near me, Lucy.
Put my knife down. I'm notgoing to hurt you. I'm just trying
to talk sense to you. No, don't get any girls, Lucy,
be careful you go over the cludof you. Lucy. Look, and
(15:01):
now to continue the story as itis written in the sealed book, Tom
Ballrow, a look of horror onhis face, stared over the edge of
the cliff from which Lucy had fallen. Lucy was gone, swallowed up in
the huge waves eighty feet below.Tom searched desperately for her until darkness fell
(15:24):
and forced him to return to thehouse. He strove to calm his nerves
and plan a course of action.It's now maybe I can think I'll say
I am murdered her, but theywon't be able to prove it. No
matter what they think, they'll beable to prove nothing. Then the joke
(15:48):
will beyond Lucy. I'll inherit thewhole estate her father left her, And
that is a laugh. Hello,Hello in law. Uh Dorene, where
are you? Is Lucy there?I thought i'd come out and visit you
to Uh no, uh no,she's not here just now? Oh when
(16:11):
will she be back? Or don'tyou want me to come see you?
Yes? But Dorene, listen,Yes, there's something I've got to talk
to you about privately. Where areyou now? But the restaurant across in
the railroad station. Stay there forhalf an hour. I'll meet you there.
I have a proposition for you,and I think you're going to like
it. So that's the whole story, Dorene. I just wanted to talk
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sense to her, and she backedaway from me and fell over the cliff.
So you killed or did you tellme? No? I tell you
I didn't. It was an accident. All right, it was an accident.
It's a matter of fact. I'minclined to believe you. Now,
what did you want to talk tome about? Well, Dorian, it
should have been you and me,not me and Lucy. You and I
belong together. Maybe go on,Tom, Now here's my idea. You
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look like Lucy. I want youto take Lucy's place, take Lucy's place.
Yes, we'll be married. Secretly, you'll call yourself Lucy. No
one will ever know the difference.And I'll give you half the estate that
Lucy inherited from her father, becausenow that she's dead, I'll inherit it
all from her father. Think,Dorry, a half a million dollars.
So you want me to take Lucy'splace? Tom clever, Yes, very
(17:34):
clever. No public outcry, noinvestigation, no suspicion of you. Oh
Dorran, I'm crazy about you.And we'll get along swell together. We'll
travel, have fun, you'll bewritten. Yes, I'll be rich,
Tom. Then you'll do it.No, what, I have a better
scheme than that. What what doyou mean if you are convicted of murdering
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Lucy, Tom, you can't inherither A saint that will come to me
as her next of kin. Thatway I'll have it all, Doren.
So I'm not going to fall inwith your plan. Instead, I'm going
to work one of my own.I'm going to see you convicted of murdering
Lucy. And so, despite Tom'sfrantic arguments, Doren insisted that he go
(18:22):
with her to Lucy's old friend,Judge Wallace. Judge Wallace called in the
prosecuting attorney and they heard Tom's storyin silence. It won't wash Barrow.
First, the father than the daughterdie in accidents, with you the only
witness. It's too much for anyone to believe, Judge Wallace. I
have let us from Lucy, provingthat she'd heard him admit any sleep,
(18:45):
that he killed her father, andthat she was afraid of him. How
about it, mister Rawdon, andwe hold him for murder. I'm Fred,
not, Judge Wallace. The letterswould help, but they're not enough
legally to win a conviction. NiceLucy's body can be found with some evidents
of murder about it. The logcan do nothing. Lucy's body will be
found sooner or later. I'm goingto offer reward for it, and then
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we'll see whether you can be convictedor not. But a week went by,
and a second week and Lucy's bodywas not recovered from the restless waters
of the Pacific. A third weekand Tom Barrow began to breathe easily again.
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Then one morning he received a callfrom the prosecuting attorney to view the
body of a young woman that hadbeen found on the beach by fishermen not
far from Barrow House. Well,here, I am, where's the body?
Is it Lucy? Mister Rodin,I prefer not to give an opinion
till you've both seen her. Attendantopen number seventeen. Please I lift the
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sheet so you can see the face. I'm afraid it's badly added, probably
by ross. That's not Lucy,I'm positive of it. And miss Holden,
what do you say. I'm notsure. I have everything that was
on the body here in this envelope. Two rings and a silver pin.
Here they are, mister BarreR,Do you recognize them? No? No,
(20:18):
I don't. I can't be sureabout the rings, But that pin
with Lucy's I sent it to herfor a wedding present. If you look
on the back you will see engraveto L from D. With love.
That would be to Lucy from Doreen, wouldn't it it would? I think
that settles the identification. But there'sone more point, as you'll see when
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I turned back the sheet further.A knife, A knife through her hut.
No, it can't be. You'reknife, mister Barro with your name
stamped on it, Thomas Barr.You're under arrest for murder, Thomas Barrow.
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You have been found guilty of murderas charged. The sentence of this
court, accordingly, is that atfour o'clock in the afternoon on the day
of June third, you shall sufferdeath in the lethal chamber of the State
Penitentiary. And may God have mercyon your soul dot com dot nub dot
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dum and now to continue the storyas it is written in the sealed book,
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Tom Barrow's lawyer appealed the death verdict, but his appeal was rejected.
The evidence was far too overwhelming.Tom kept protesting, but of course no
one believed him except the visitor,whom the guard brought to his death cell
one afternoon. Here you are,miss Loreen, Thank you God. You
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can talk to him for ten minutes. That's all. I'll stand back here.
I can keep an eye on him, but I won't be listening.
Hello, Tom, you devil.You did this. If it hadn't been
for you, I wouldn't be herenow. But you are here where you
belong. You ought to be amusedat the way things turned out, Tom,
hadn't been for you, and thoseletters and that knife. You know
(24:00):
how that knife came to be inLucy's body? Yes, I do know.
Lucy put it there. Lucy putit there. Yes, Tom,
you killed Lucy's father, but thelaw couldn't touch you. So Lucy married
you just so she could see youpunished. I don't believe you will.
First, Lucy made you think thatyou talked in your sleep, that you'd
admitted the truth. That way mademe think I talked in myselt Yes,
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because you didn't ever. But whenyou got frightened and insisted on having a
separate room, she knew definitely youwere guilty. Then she carried out the
plan she'd made long before to seeyou punished. You're crazy. It was
all an accident. She fell offthe gist, Tom, That's right,
she fell off the cliff, butshe's not dead. In college, Lucy
was a swimming champion. She'd diefrom that cliff many times. When she
(24:47):
fell, she simply swam under wateruntil she was out of sight behind some
rocks, and then she swam ashore. A few miles down the beach,
she had a motor boat hidden inan old boat house. She reached it,
changed her clothes, and got toa fishing village on the coast in
the boat. Then she simply tooka bus to town. No one paid
any attention to her. The bodyher ring. That wasn't Lucy's body.
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It was the body of a girlwho happened to resemble her in size and
coloring. I knew it that girlhad been killed in an automobile accident.
Lucy was able to secure her body, never mind how, and conceal it
in the water in the boat houseonly a day or two before she put
a plan into operation. After shefell off the cliff, she put her
rings and pin on the body andthrust the knife into the heart. And
(25:30):
after three weeks in the water,well you understand, So that's it.
Well, go on, what's therest of it. When the time came,
I saw to it that the bodywas taken from the boat house and
put on the beach where it couldbe found, and then I identified it.
And here you are, you devils, both of you. But you
(25:51):
won't get away with it. I'llget my lawyers to find Lucy. I'm
afraid that's impossible. No one canfind Lucy what you mean if she's alive?
Alive? But no one finder Tom? Because Tom, I'm Lucy too,
I'm both Doren and Lucy. Seeyou you can't, Oh, but
I am think Tom. Did youever see Doreen and Lucy together? Of
(26:15):
course that day you went to themissions. It was easy to stop in
town, change my clothes, fixmy hair differently, put on lots of
make up and high heel shoes,and come back as Doren, the sister.
I'd been so carefully making you believein all along, I should have
guessed. I should have guessed,should you? No one else did.
There was a real Doren once whodied as a baby. But that gave
me the idea. And I madeyou think Dorin had her own selfish motive
(26:38):
for seeing you convicted, so youwouldn't suspect we were both the same girl,
you devil. Perhaps some people wouldsay what I've done is wrong,
but I don't think so, becauseyou killed my father, and murder must
be paid for. Tom, asyou're going to pay God, God,
I did it? Are you whatthe warden? My wife isn't dead.
(27:02):
This is heard you here. It'sall a trick. I'm afraid his mind
is given away under the strain guard. Yes, you'd better leave now,
miss, We look at it.Yes, thank you. I'm afraid his
mind is gone completely. Don't lether get away. I tell you she's
my wife. She's losing my wife. I take it easy, Take it
easy. The warden will be herein a minute, and you can talk
to him all you like on yourway to the lethal chamber. No,
(27:25):
no, I'm innocent. I tellyou I've been frayded. She's not dead.
My wife's not dead. And soends the tale. Murder must be
paid for, as it is writtenin the Sealed Book. Tom Barrow paid
(27:48):
the supreme penalty, though he protestedhis innocence to the last strange indeed or
the ways of justice from which nomortal can escape. And now, keeper
(29:07):
of the book, before you closethe great volume, show us the tale
we tell next time? This one, ah, Yes, a tale of
an old woman who for forty yearslived alone in a huge old New England
mansion, a mansion in which deathwas the master. A tale titled to
(29:33):
have and to hold. Be sureto be with us again next time when
the sound of the Great Gong heraldsanother strange and exciting tale from The Seal
(30:02):
Book. The Seal Book, producedand directed by joh MacGregor, 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 the 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 are the strange story of
(01:23):
a murder who found that justice hasan uncanny way of working itself out.
As in the tale titled Murder Mustbe paid For. Here's the tale Murder
(02:30):
Must be paid For, As itis written in the pages of the Sealed
Book. Our story begins in theoffice of Judge Wallace, Lucy Holden's legal
adviser. Judge Wallas, an anxiousexpression on his face, is pleading with
the beautiful young woman Lucy. Listento me. You mustn't do this,
(02:53):
believe me, You're making a terriblemistake. I don't think so, Judge
Wallace. I love Tom and I'mgoing to marry Lucy. I didn't want
to tell you this because no onecan prove it. But Tom Barrow murdered
your father. I know a lotof people think he murdered Dad, but
I don't believe it. I wishI didn't listen, Lucy, Tom and
your father were on a hunting trip. Your father died with a rifle bullet
(03:15):
threw his heart from his own rifle. Tom said, your father dropped the
gun accidentally and it went off.Yes, I know all that. Do
you know that Tom rubbed your ownfather on a business deal and would have
gone to jail if your father hadlived another week? I know people say
so, but have you any proof. No, your father died. There's
(03:36):
no case. Well, Judge,you've done your duty and warned me,
so the responsibility is mine, allright, Lucy. You know you've grown
very pretty since he went away toschool four years. I'm sorry we haven't
seen anything of you, and allthat time. I'm sorry too, but
Dad wanted me to stayte. Youknow, Judge Wallace, I met my
(04:00):
sister when I was in New Yorklast winter. Your sister, what sister,
Lucy Dorene. Don't you know abouther, Dorene. No, I
never knew you had a sister.I didn't either until Dad wrote me and
told me about it. But youknew Dad's first wife ran away with an
actor a year after she and Dadwere married. Yes, I knew that,
but that's all. Well, Dorenwas his first child. Her mother
(04:23):
took her along when she ran away. I I wondered if Dad had mentioned
Doren in his will. No,he didn't. Well, I'm going to
send us the money anyway, andwill that be all right? Yes,
of course it's your money now,the whole million dollars. Thank you,
Judge Wallace. Well, I haveto go now. Tom's waiting for me.
We're going to be married right away. And Lucy married Tom Battle,
(04:58):
big and blonde and narrow, selfassured. Tongues wagged over the marriage,
but ignoring the gossip. The happycouple settled down at Barrow House, on
the edge of high cliffs looking outover the Pacific. There, Lucy wrote
many letters, especially to her halfsister Dorin here, Doreen, I hope
(05:23):
that at last you're going to havea chance to visit Tom and me here
at Barrow House. I know you'dlike Tom and he'd like you. Hell
Darling. Oh more letters to Dorene. Oh, yes, Tom, I'm
trying to persuade her to come visitus. And since her show's going to
be in San Francisco all this week, I'm good. If she's half as
(05:44):
pretty as you are, I'll welcomeher with open arms. Well, people
in New York used to take usfor twins, but she's really much more
sophisticated than I am. She's anactress. Sounds more and more interesting.
But how about coming for a speedboatride? Hunh water's just right? Oh,
I can't. This is the dayI volunteered to help the sisters at
the Mission Hospital, all for Pete'ssake. That's a thirty mile drive,
(06:06):
twenty to town and ten more beyond. You won't get back till after dark.
I'm sorry, Tom, but Ipromise. And so a short time
later, Lucy drove off to hervolunteer nursing work, so she was not
(06:31):
present to see the dusty taxi thatdrove up to the house several hours later,
leaving a visitor. Hmm, Iwonder if any one's home, Oh
the house is anyone in? Nobodybut me? Who are you? Why?
Lucy. Wrong, guess mister tryagain? Holy smoke, I thought.
(06:55):
No, your hair's done differently andyou're taller. Say you can't be
Doreen? Why not? Is therea lag against it? The mystery sister?
Here at last, and on theday Lucy's away. You mean I've
missed it. Oh, she'll beback tonight and you're staying, aren't you?
Mmkay? I have to get backto town to catch the seven o'clock
(07:17):
train for Crisco. No, that'stoo bad. But oh there's uh no
reason you and I shouldn't get acquaintedbefore then, Is there none I can
think of off hand? Then comeon in. I'll show you around and
and I'll mix us a couple ofdrinks. Okay, okay, Ah,
(07:49):
that tastes good. Well, howdo you like our little place? Now
that you've seen it? I gofor it. Imagine sitting out here on
the cliffs every evening and watching thesun set into the Pacific. There's a
visit and you can do it.Hm, maybe I will. How high
are these cliffs anyway, tom eightyfeet straight down to the Pacific. It's
(08:11):
deep water at the foot of'em. I'd hate to fall off, But
as for the visit idea. Onsecond thought, I don't think I will.
Why not. We'd love to haveyou, I know I wouldn't.
That's just the trouble. I mightfind myself poaching on little Lucy's territory.
You uh mean that? M Yes, Now I can understand how little Lucy
(08:37):
came to fall for the guy whokilled her father. So you've heard that
gossiping, yes, but not fromLucy. You did kill him, didn't
you? Of course not. Itwas an accident, a very regrettable accident.
Oh of course. Now, Uh, how about driving me back to
town. I'll just have time tocatch my train, all right, But
(08:58):
they're going to come again. Iknow it. Well, maybe you know.
I think you and I can understandeach other. It's too bad I
didn't meet you first instead of Lucythat evening. When Lucy returned, she
(09:22):
was upset to learn that she hadmissed Doren, but Tom said that Dorian
had promised to come again in afew weeks, and then, because Lucy
was tired, they retired early.But during the night, Tom awoke to
find Lucy shaking him. Tom,Tom, what's the matter? What is
(09:45):
it? Tom? You were talkingin your sleep? Talking in my sleep?
Yes, I thought you might behaving a nightmare. No, no,
I'm all right. Oh I'm sorry, Tom. But when I heard
you talking in your sleep, Ithought of what was I saying? Nothing
that I could understand? Why?Uh? No reason, just curious,
that's all. I've never talked tomy sleep before that I know of.
(10:07):
Oh, yes, you have,darling several times the last few weeks.
Lucia, Are you telling me thetruth? Why? Of course? Why
should I lie about such a sillylittle thing? No course you wouldn't I
m Lucy. Yes, Tom,I suppose I sleep in the corner room
after this. In the corner room. Why Tom, you aren't serious.
(10:31):
I'm perfectly serious. And the realizationthat I might be disturbing you would make
me more and more nervous, untilI wouldn't be able to sleep at all.
Well that's really the case, huhit is? And anyway, we'll
try it for a while, shallwe. After Tom moved to the corner
(10:52):
room, there was an atmosphere ofstrain between him and Lucy. Lucy,
however, pretended not to notice itand went about as though everything was just
as it had been. She wrotemany long letters to her sister Doreen.
But Tom noticed that whenever he cameclose to her, she covered the letters
so that he could not see whatshe was writing. His suspicions aroused.
(11:15):
He waited until she left one ofthem in the mailbox for the Royal delivery
carrier to pick up. As soonas she was out of sight, he
swiftly ripped it open and read it. Now, Lucille, you'll see what
you're so carefully hiding from me.Dear Doreen, I have dreadful news for
you. Now. I know thatTom did kill my father. Night after
(11:39):
night, I've been listening outside hisdoor, becoming more and more certain.
Last night he cried out distinctly,I killed him. I killed him.
But they'll never prove it. Never, Doreen, what shall I do If
he killed father, he may killme. I go in fear of my
life. I've taken one of hishunting knives and I carry it around with
me to protect myself in case heattack me. So that's how it is.
(12:05):
That's what you've been up to,eh, Well, Lucy, I
think that you and I must havea little talk. But when Tom returned
to the house, Lucy was notthere. At last he located her standing
at her favorite spot on the cliffsnear the house, a spot that overhung
(12:28):
the sea, which beat unceasingly againstthe rocks beneath. His footsteps muffled with
the sound of the surf, Tomcame quietly up behind her. Lucy,
Tom, you frighten me, Lucy. I want to talk to you.
What about I just read the letteryou wrote your sister. You you open,
(12:52):
yes, you little fool. Youknow perfectly well such evidence means nothing
in a court. Nothing. Now, why not be sensible? Come on,
see, let's forget the whole thing. It's over and done. No,
no, stay away from me.Don't come near me, Lucy.
Put my knife down. I'm notgoing to hurt you. I'm just trying
to talk sense to you. No, don't get any girls, Lucy,
be careful you go over the cludof you. Lucy. Look, and
(15:01):
now to continue the story as itis written in the sealed book, Tom
Ballrow, a look of horror onhis face, stared over the edge of
the cliff from which Lucy had fallen. Lucy was gone, swallowed up in
the huge waves eighty feet below.Tom searched desperately for her until darkness fell
(15:24):
and forced him to return to thehouse. He strove to calm his nerves
and plan a course of action.It's now maybe I can think I'll say
I am murdered her, but theywon't be able to prove it. No
matter what they think, they'll beable to prove nothing. Then the joke
(15:48):
will beyond Lucy. I'll inherit thewhole estate her father left her, And
that is a laugh. Hello,Hello in law. Uh Dorene, where
are you? Is Lucy there?I thought i'd come out and visit you
to Uh no, uh no,she's not here just now? Oh when
(16:11):
will she be back? Or don'tyou want me to come see you?
Yes? But Dorene, listen,Yes, there's something I've got to talk
to you about privately. Where areyou now? But the restaurant across in
the railroad station. Stay there forhalf an hour. I'll meet you there.
I have a proposition for you,and I think you're going to like
it. So that's the whole story, Dorene. I just wanted to talk
(16:48):
sense to her, and she backedaway from me and fell over the cliff.
So you killed or did you tellme? No? I tell you
I didn't. It was an accident. All right, it was an accident.
It's a matter of fact. I'minclined to believe you. Now,
what did you want to talk tome about? Well, Dorian, it
should have been you and me,not me and Lucy. You and I
belong together. Maybe go on,Tom, Now here's my idea. You
(17:11):
look like Lucy. I want youto take Lucy's place, take Lucy's place.
Yes, we'll be married. Secretly, you'll call yourself Lucy. No
one will ever know the difference.And I'll give you half the estate that
Lucy inherited from her father, becausenow that she's dead, I'll inherit it
all from her father. Think,Dorry, a half a million dollars.
So you want me to take Lucy'splace? Tom clever, Yes, very
(17:34):
clever. No public outcry, noinvestigation, no suspicion of you. Oh
Dorran, I'm crazy about you.And we'll get along swell together. We'll
travel, have fun, you'll bewritten. Yes, I'll be rich,
Tom. Then you'll do it.No, what, I have a better
scheme than that. What what doyou mean if you are convicted of murdering
(17:56):
Lucy, Tom, you can't inherither A saint that will come to me
as her next of kin. Thatway I'll have it all, Doren.
So I'm not going to fall inwith your plan. Instead, I'm going
to work one of my own.I'm going to see you convicted of murdering
Lucy. And so, despite Tom'sfrantic arguments, Doren insisted that he go
(18:22):
with her to Lucy's old friend,Judge Wallace. Judge Wallace called in the
prosecuting attorney and they heard Tom's storyin silence. It won't wash Barrow.
First, the father than the daughterdie in accidents, with you the only
witness. It's too much for anyone to believe, Judge Wallace. I
have let us from Lucy, provingthat she'd heard him admit any sleep,
(18:45):
that he killed her father, andthat she was afraid of him. How
about it, mister Rawdon, andwe hold him for murder. I'm Fred,
not, Judge Wallace. The letterswould help, but they're not enough
legally to win a conviction. NiceLucy's body can be found with some evidents
of murder about it. The logcan do nothing. Lucy's body will be
found sooner or later. I'm goingto offer reward for it, and then
(19:07):
we'll see whether you can be convictedor not. But a week went by,
and a second week and Lucy's bodywas not recovered from the restless waters
of the Pacific. A third weekand Tom Barrow began to breathe easily again.
(19:30):
Then one morning he received a callfrom the prosecuting attorney to view the
body of a young woman that hadbeen found on the beach by fishermen not
far from Barrow House. Well,here, I am, where's the body?
Is it Lucy? Mister Rodin,I prefer not to give an opinion
till you've both seen her. Attendantopen number seventeen. Please I lift the
(19:56):
sheet so you can see the face. I'm afraid it's badly added, probably
by ross. That's not Lucy,I'm positive of it. And miss Holden,
what do you say. I'm notsure. I have everything that was
on the body here in this envelope. Two rings and a silver pin.
Here they are, mister BarreR,Do you recognize them? No? No,
(20:18):
I don't. I can't be sureabout the rings, But that pin
with Lucy's I sent it to herfor a wedding present. If you look
on the back you will see engraveto L from D. With love.
That would be to Lucy from Doreen, wouldn't it it would? I think
that settles the identification. But there'sone more point, as you'll see when
(20:40):
I turned back the sheet further.A knife, A knife through her hut.
No, it can't be. You'reknife, mister Barro with your name
stamped on it, Thomas Barr.You're under arrest for murder, Thomas Barrow.
(21:04):
You have been found guilty of murderas charged. The sentence of this
court, accordingly, is that atfour o'clock in the afternoon on the day
of June third, you shall sufferdeath in the lethal chamber of the State
Penitentiary. And may God have mercyon your soul dot com dot nub dot
(22:45):
dum and now to continue the storyas it is written in the sealed book,
(23:14):
Tom Barrow's lawyer appealed the death verdict, but his appeal was rejected.
The evidence was far too overwhelming.Tom kept protesting, but of course no
one believed him except the visitor,whom the guard brought to his death cell
one afternoon. Here you are,miss Loreen, Thank you God. You
(23:37):
can talk to him for ten minutes. That's all. I'll stand back here.
I can keep an eye on him, but I won't be listening.
Hello, Tom, you devil.You did this. If it hadn't been
for you, I wouldn't be herenow. But you are here where you
belong. You ought to be amusedat the way things turned out, Tom,
hadn't been for you, and thoseletters and that knife. You know
(24:00):
how that knife came to be inLucy's body? Yes, I do know.
Lucy put it there. Lucy putit there. Yes, Tom,
you killed Lucy's father, but thelaw couldn't touch you. So Lucy married
you just so she could see youpunished. I don't believe you will.
First, Lucy made you think thatyou talked in your sleep, that you'd
admitted the truth. That way mademe think I talked in myselt Yes,
(24:22):
because you didn't ever. But whenyou got frightened and insisted on having a
separate room, she knew definitely youwere guilty. Then she carried out the
plan she'd made long before to seeyou punished. You're crazy. It was
all an accident. She fell offthe gist, Tom, That's right,
she fell off the cliff, butshe's not dead. In college, Lucy
was a swimming champion. She'd diefrom that cliff many times. When she
(24:47):
fell, she simply swam under wateruntil she was out of sight behind some
rocks, and then she swam ashore. A few miles down the beach,
she had a motor boat hidden inan old boat house. She reached it,
changed her clothes, and got toa fishing village on the coast in
the boat. Then she simply tooka bus to town. No one paid
any attention to her. The bodyher ring. That wasn't Lucy's body.
(25:08):
It was the body of a girlwho happened to resemble her in size and
coloring. I knew it that girlhad been killed in an automobile accident.
Lucy was able to secure her body, never mind how, and conceal it
in the water in the boat houseonly a day or two before she put
a plan into operation. After shefell off the cliff, she put her
rings and pin on the body andthrust the knife into the heart. And
(25:30):
after three weeks in the water,well you understand, So that's it.
Well, go on, what's therest of it. When the time came,
I saw to it that the bodywas taken from the boat house and
put on the beach where it couldbe found, and then I identified it.
And here you are, you devils, both of you. But you
(25:51):
won't get away with it. I'llget my lawyers to find Lucy. I'm
afraid that's impossible. No one canfind Lucy what you mean if she's alive?
Alive? But no one finder Tom? Because Tom, I'm Lucy too,
I'm both Doren and Lucy. Seeyou you can't, Oh, but
I am think Tom. Did youever see Doreen and Lucy together? Of
(26:15):
course that day you went to themissions. It was easy to stop in
town, change my clothes, fixmy hair differently, put on lots of
make up and high heel shoes,and come back as Doren, the sister.
I'd been so carefully making you believein all along, I should have
guessed. I should have guessed,should you? No one else did.
There was a real Doren once whodied as a baby. But that gave
me the idea. And I madeyou think Dorin had her own selfish motive
(26:38):
for seeing you convicted, so youwouldn't suspect we were both the same girl,
you devil. Perhaps some people wouldsay what I've done is wrong,
but I don't think so, becauseyou killed my father, and murder must
be paid for. Tom, asyou're going to pay God, God,
I did it? Are you whatthe warden? My wife isn't dead.
(27:02):
This is heard you here. It'sall a trick. I'm afraid his mind
is given away under the strain guard. Yes, you'd better leave now,
miss, We look at it.Yes, thank you. I'm afraid his
mind is gone completely. Don't lether get away. I tell you she's
my wife. She's losing my wife. I take it easy, Take it
easy. The warden will be herein a minute, and you can talk
to him all you like on yourway to the lethal chamber. No,
(27:25):
no, I'm innocent. I tellyou I've been frayded. She's not dead.
My wife's not dead. And soends the tale. Murder must be
paid for, as it is writtenin the Sealed Book. Tom Barrow paid
(27:48):
the supreme penalty, though he protestedhis innocence to the last strange indeed or
the ways of justice from which nomortal can escape. And now, keeper
(29:07):
of the book, before you closethe great volume, show us the tale
we tell next time? This one, ah, Yes, a tale of
an old woman who for forty yearslived alone in a huge old New England
mansion, a mansion in which deathwas the master. A tale titled to
(29:33):
have and to hold. Be sureto be with us again next time when
the sound of the Great Gong heraldsanother strange and exciting tale from The Seal
(30:02):
Book. The Seal Book, producedand directed by joh MacGregor, is written
by Bob Arthur and David Cogan.
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