1043 - Moonlight Sail (Suspense)

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Another journey into the realm of the strange. To tell
a bank, I hope you will enjoy the chamber, that
it will thrill you a little and kill you a little.
So settle back, get a good grip on your nerves.
Where are we going? You'll find out when we get there.

(00:32):
And now another tale, well calculated to keep you in
suspense in a moment. Moonlight Sail by William N. Robson.

(00:57):
The ancient Romans called the Mediterranean marry not from our sea.
For the past several years, I've made it my sea
up to a point. At least there isn't a port
between Gibraltar and the Suez Canal. I haven't been in
an auto without the knowledge of the harbor master. I
was once a god in the US Navy. The draft
eyed Skipper was once a pet boat in the US Navy.

(01:20):
Now we can both be at for a price, if
the price is right. That's Marius, my first mate and crew.
I signed him on one night and a diet in Marseilles,
after I'd come between him and a crazy Moroccan and
wanted to give him a facelift. With the booken end
of a wine bottle. Marius may have a rather carefree

(01:40):
code of ethics. But I know I can count on
his loyalty so long as I pay him regularly. There
are bells up on the souquet, the old section of Conrad.
The sun is dipping to the mountains of the Estrella,
and another day is drawing to a close on the
blam us and extensive French riviera, where the pickings are

(02:04):
then precariously leaning for the cruiser marking bird. And it's man, Oh,
don't here, but who knows? Maybe this is our person
may come about? Sure, what can I do for you?
If you say that you're both soci that's right? And

(02:25):
are you faithful this season? Yes? Yes, I am good.
Then I should engage you for what? Just the boat
eyed the moonlight saal where out from bank? Why sem
engaging you? Or are you engaging me? I'd like to
know what I'm getting into. That's how unfortunate heel is.
I see what you moon life seeing a young lady

(02:48):
who's capture tradition is a ship to notes. Oh, I see, well,
I'm not sure that marking bird is very well rigged
for your purpose. She looks that equip Okay, good time.
See eight o'clock you know the Villa buet Onte, the
big place o by Aiden Roth, the rich American name

(03:09):
list for the summer. Who sees her, I'll be there,
a winking mobasure. Yes, I'll How long is it's going
to take you? Who knows? Two hours? Three hours? One
cannot put it fably? Be for these manthels. Yeah, I know,
say ten thousand francs for the evening aglea monsieur at
eight o'clock. At eight o'clock. It's steep. I do not

(03:32):
like you, but my friend, the buck is a buck,
or as we say in France, four hundred francs is
four hundred francs. Make five fat bowl? Marius a name,
where's going to get a dead?

Speaker 2 (03:51):
You know?

Speaker 1 (03:51):
I don't die? Part of our service, monsieur, say you
never told me your name? Forgive me? It is a
quite is that ka kway? And this is been. I
was glad to have you abroad, Miss Adelle. Any special
place you wanted to go, monsieur, yes, hit her state

(04:12):
south south is lactly good. I was beginning to dislike
this puny little frenchman with a shifty eyes, but I
didn't give m any arguments. He was paying for the evening,
and if he wanted to ride to an Africa, I'd
add south for a little while. The girl sat huddled

(04:33):
on one side of the fore deck, Her back turned
to the Frenchman and he leaned against the way to
watching tense like a black cat. I did a pounce.
Then for a moment he verted his gaze as he
turned into the window light. A cigarette adele inked a fee,
ran a start and climbered into the wheelhouse. He went, shuck, shut, shut, Sorry,

(04:58):
I don't know what you're talking about. You must not
make you said this website. I have to know, and
you won't tell me anything, know everything in good time
and anyway that he can he tell you know it's nothing. Now.
I'm a love I think it would be with me.
Alco to me, But the yank could tell. He pulled

(05:19):
her arm from its socket. He hauled the fell out
of a wheelhouse and back forward. Marius looked at me
in the shrug. This fella ee is the fellow? You
know what I think? Steve? Not tell you tell me
this fellow is not in love with this girl? No, yes,
well what are you gonna do? Yes? But who is
this chuck? Who is so badly hard and what is

(05:41):
this destination? This fella said, we were approaching who knows
it's his boat ride? He paid for it. It was Steve.
I'd like to try. He's pushing her over. I'm anything,
just in time to grab the struggling girl before she

(06:02):
went over the side. She was too shaken to speak
what the frenchman wasn't some time. I'll think you're getting good.
Thank you. She got to photo board. He struggled to
prevent her, but she was too stone for me. Looking
for you say that I saw how it happened. Oh,
get out to the wheelhouse. I want you where I
can keep my eye on you. Both of you. Thank you,

(06:29):
I know Marius were pretty nice. Swing her around. We're
going into everything. All I had to thank I had
sooner I dropped this cargo. That happy, or I'll be
Nobody said everything. For the next few minutes. The girl

(06:50):
was too shaken to talk and the Frenchman was figuring
his next move. Marius held the wheel, driving the mocking
Bird across the moon drenched water at top speed, and
I stood by to a foot. Then he you would exclude,
you don't owe me anything about ten thousand francs for
the evenings? Are me all that? Yeah? He heal? You
are thank you? And this he must extreme you see

(07:14):
my wife? So why what kind of a story is
that I did?

Speaker 3 (07:18):
My dear?

Speaker 1 (07:18):
And I am not your dear. I hardly know this man.
He's a friend of Missus Johnson, like fiancee's mother. Missus
Johnson's receis.

Speaker 2 (07:28):
Word that he came a Chuck had been hurts him.
I remember on Saint Margaret Island, he's asking for me. Well,
this man was against for dinner. He opened to get
a boat and take me to Chuck, but he tried
to drown me. He tried to push me over for it.
You still at yourself, Captain.

Speaker 1 (07:43):
Look, I don't want to get mixed up in this.
You've had your ride and all the party's over. I'll
take a will Barrins Wemo every ten stand by, and
I passed the bar pandermoke every ten, everydn very well.
You first, I was beginning to ready my fiancee's mother.

(08:10):
Did everything go off? Let's here? What are you doing here?
Didn't you be expected to me come back? Two years?
I mean no, I thought you'd be with Chuck and
we never went near the island. Your friend Monsieur f
Ye tried to drown me much all.

Speaker 3 (08:28):
I'm sure you must be a mistaken idea.

Speaker 1 (08:31):
Well, anyway, I have good news. They showed me from
the island, so I could perfectly all right. And they're
bringing him home. Oh thank god. When will we get
him a later? And maybe not until morning. So come along,
my dear. You look terribly tired, and then you go
straight away a bit. I'll call with the moment Chap
gets home. You see, it is necessary to humor her fantasies,

(08:55):
otherwise she becomes quite violent. Yeah, cats up, Marius, let's
get out of this journey. We headed back to Khan,
taking a bearing on the white frosted walls of the

(09:16):
Palm Beach Casino, and I couldn't get that girl out
of my mind. She didn't sound crazy, she didn't act crazy,
and there was no doubt about it. The frenchman had
been pushing over the side, and the woman, missus Dawson,
whoever she was, seemed not only surprised but curious to
see the girl. I know it was none of my business,
but that's the way I am. Like the Katoki crept

(09:47):
into a quiet coat a quarter a mile east of
the villa, and I left Marius at Anchor Watch and
made my way back to the house from the Silent
Room and Apple Road. It was a big villa, surrounded
by formal gardens, a rambling terranean house dominated by a
round watchtower which looked out to sea. There were no
lights on the landlord's side, so I made my way

(10:07):
through the shadows towards the water and soon heard the
low buzz of voices. There they were missus Dawson and
Jack standing on the terrace which faced the sea. I
was I'll away from behind. Or if you say you told, Madam,
then perhaps you can explain your failure. All would have

(10:30):
gone well. Had it not been for that American book
kept time. Excuse what could I do? He held her stream?
You shouldn't have permitted as a screened Madame Dawson.

Speaker 3 (10:40):
Have you ever feeled any one? Of course not, then
you have no position to criticize me. That girl must
not marry my understand that tonight you said you do
it to night.

Speaker 1 (10:51):
Time, but there is still time. Knocks over in Monte
Carlo at the Casino Way. That boy loves lett.

Speaker 4 (10:58):
He won't be home until three or four o'clock in
the month, you will still have time.

Speaker 1 (11:02):
But here is the vela. This is a di masle
of the crowning of sea.

Speaker 4 (11:06):
If you're a most uninventive assassin. Look her bedroom in
the tower. You see that fell from me up there? Yes,
that's her room, the only one in.

Speaker 1 (11:18):
The tower that occupied.

Speaker 4 (11:19):
And look beneath the balcony, a sheer drop of nearly
one hundred feet to.

Speaker 1 (11:24):
The box toll. And the morning her body will be
fun on the rocks. An unfortunate ex I see for them,
and there seould be. Yes, you shall view my line
of work. You would do well letting. I sneeped away

(11:54):
on a skin, not confident, and returned silently into the Romans.
As I lam back to marketing turn and I worked
out a rough plan for the rescue of the fair
maiden from her dungeon tower. The light and the towel
almost still on. Arius eased the mucking wood on the
base of the towel until its cow crunched into the
sand between a couple of rocks. You are good the

(12:15):
flame that Steve Man, It doesn't look too bad. Marius.
Stop that bank of the terrace and up those vines
if they're strong enough. Man under the roof. After all,
that tower was never designed to repel invaders, was built
to look old and quaint. And you see those stones
sticking out of the stucco every now and again. Yes,
you know it's close enough to be useful as up

(12:35):
by there. All right, give me to call a rope.
There you are, and you know what you have to
do down here. The light just went out. I got
to get moving. Yeah, no thanks. The best part of

(12:56):
the flame was a cinch, and the vines were old
and sturdy. But the whimsical architect who invented those picturesque
stones in the tower and never intended them to serve
as a ladder. A couple of times I was sure
that they would find my body along with Adell's on
the rocks in the morning. But I'm finally made the balcony, scratched,
leading and scared, but not half as scared as a bell. Steve,

(13:25):
don't talk, Just listen. We haven't got much time. Listen
to me. Chuck is all right, Oh, thank he isn't hurt.
He's a casino at Money Common right now. You were
right about the frenchman. He tried to drown me. Look
in just a minute, he will try to push you
off the balcony. Mamma doesn't want me little girls playing
around her. A little boy, We've got to get you

(13:47):
out of here, and there's only one way over the balcony.
Come on, there's no time to get pretty dark. Just
come as you are. Come on. She got out of
bed and came out to the balcony with me. I
dumped the light line that I'd carried up with me.

(14:09):
Marius fastened into a coil of three quarter inch manila,
which I pulled up and looped over the railing of
the balcony. Then I had a French bowlin on the
end and they can improvise bows's seat, and Adele stepped
into it. I helped him over the edge of the railing,
waved to Marius and began to lower the terrified girl
to the rocks. As she disappeared from sight, I heard

(14:29):
the door of the room opened, sunking behind me. I
turned as the frenchman quietly entered, and Tip told him
to go bad. Then your pigeons found the coup. What's
you w You want to thank me? This is the
second time the night out kept you from committing murder.

(14:51):
With this expression of disapproval, he went for me. I
crouched ready to flit him across the room with my
best judo, but this Frenchman fought with his feet. It
was I flipped in just a moment we were returned

(15:18):
for the concluding act of suspense. I was out, not long,

(15:40):
but long enough for him to get out on the
balcony and taking Adelle's improvised elevator, I shook my head
rightly to scene, hacking away at the rope from the
pocket knife, I jumped him. He asked him away from
the rope. He headed his speak and came at me
with a knife, pushing me back against the railing. I
fought off the knife hand, but I came closer and
closer to my thoat, and then he lost these dollars.
Justify it's just enough for me to use judo. And

(16:03):
he clipped over the balcony and down under the rocks below.
I climbed over the railing and down the rope hand
over hand, and el stood trembling, staring at the solid
feat that was the French on his body. Come on, all,

(16:24):
we've got to get out here. It could have been me.
That's right, give me a hand, get me a reward.
Married come along easy now where we are? And he
just laid back and rest down there. What's going on

(16:45):
down there? Oh? I was afraid she'd hear that scream
fire up. Marius shot ahead, Frank, Marius head blank, and
I wonder, see, I had an iceland that we are
going for. She can't shoot for sour apples. We got

(17:12):
out beyond the three mile limit as fast as the
mocking bird would go, which is plenty. Then we headed
east toward Monte Carlo. The lights of the boulevard design
lay twinkled like a jeweled nights along the water front
of Bes. But we were safe out here in case
Missus Dawson, I had alert of a Nis Suiz harbor
control winterceptus deill. Frank slipped astern in the dark bulk

(17:35):
of Cape Ferrat, and then the little town of Bullion.
At last, rounded Kick died. There Ahead rose the white
facade of Montecrato, glittering with lights. We spent into the
territorial waters of montac Safe. When the fight shall go,
she'll adopt thee acustie. We haven't got time tie up

(17:56):
the customs. Fear because sure we're not carrying Kondra mat
this time. You don't have to smuggle as pretty a
girl as Adele and the monaco. We tied up with
the customs dock under the astonished days of the guard,
who had emerged from his red and white striped sentry box.

(18:17):
Fo monsieur, you have a landing, Flammy, not chat. We're
in a hurrying us. Your fine, I know, I know,
I'll be back. Meanwhile, you guard my boat. Huh misure,
I see we're refugees from France and a fair dam.
Oh well in that case, pussy, monsieur Bossy made our

(18:47):
way to the terraces the casino, who stood outside, looking
through the windows of the sun offry day, these crowded,
as usual, beautifully gown women and men in evening dress,
content upon the leat and back around. I'm just a
un affair, and the all cared anxiously trying to find
her a boy in the crowd, so many people, I can't.

(19:11):
I put your pea coat over my night jets and
the start a new fashion. But my hand is such
a mess. Oh well, that makes thank you. Where over
there by the big roulette table, Yeah, I'll go get him,

(19:32):
keep an eye on her marries. Instead, we did not
bring out this stop to let our get away after Wow, Wow,
why the fear they given?

Speaker 2 (19:48):
The fear?

Speaker 1 (19:49):
And dumb he sent? Where they about? You? Did you did?
While on the if you're do to get it down?
I am u your name checked Russ and yeah, but
someone wants to see you outside on the terrace although surprise,

(20:09):
what is it? Come along? Hey? Wait a minute, I
get a lot riding on seventeen red and a lot
more riding out on the terrace adel. What come on?
You did work it? He's killed up? Down? Would wait?
Gave it?

Speaker 2 (20:29):
I hate it? Down?

Speaker 1 (20:31):
Chuck, chuck. I never thought i'd get you with him?

Speaker 2 (20:35):
What is this?

Speaker 1 (20:36):
What's this all about? Well, there'll be plenty of time
for explanations later. The important thing is do you want
to marry this girl? Of course I do? Well, then
I suggest you do it right away. And in Monte Carlo,
where the authorities take a dim view of murdering mothers
in law and kidnapping skippers suspense, you've been listening to

(21:12):
Moonlight Sail, written for suspense by William N. Robson. In
a moment, the names of our players and a word
about next week's story of suspense. Heard into Night story

(21:42):
where Frank Thomas Junior at See Zoe, Evan Rutten as Jacques,
John Laser as Adele, and ethel Owen as Missus Dawson.
Others included Jack Manning, Jim Bowles, Sam Raskin, and Guy Wept.
A sober word about this holiday season, keep in mind
all through the holiday season, highways are dangers. Slow, steady

(22:06):
and sober will see you safely through and listen again
next week when we return with zero Our Ray Bradberry's
chilling story of the Day the Children take over the World,
another tale well calculated to keep you in suspense on

(22:28):
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