790 - The Man In The Black Cap

CBS Radio - Air Date - 09/05/1979

Episode Transcript

(00:02):
A journey into the round of thestrain to get a bad I hope you
will enjoy the table, that itwill train you a little and kill you
a little. So settle back,get a good grip on your nerve.
Where are we going? You'll findout when we get there. Well,

(00:28):
greetings, everybody, Welcome back toold time radio Mystery, Suspense and Harbor.
I am so glad that you arehere, your host here Dakota,
and today we get into a reallygood one, I think from the CBS
Radio Mystery Theater. I really enjoylistening to this one, and I've got

(00:49):
a few comments to say about itafter the play today, So stick around
for that if you want to.But for now, let's go ahead and
get into today's feature play from CBSRadio Mystery Theater. Setback and enjoy The
Man in the Black Cap. Andthis one aired September five of nineteen seventy

(01:11):
nine the CBS Radio Mystery Theater PresentsCome in. Welcome. I'm e.

(01:38):
G. Marshall. It has beensaid by more people than I that the
virtuous can walk the straight and narrowpath single file, but one can never
sin alone. The evildoer is pursuedto the ends of the Earth by one
voice is conscious. This tale,adapted from the pen of Edith Wharton,
reminds us with what hypnotic tongue thevoice of conscience can speak. Are you

(02:04):
saying that for the past two hundredyears the same ghost has been living in
this house? Oh no, missusMorgan. The house has changed hands many
times, many people have lived here. The ghost is always a different ghost.
Well, that's in your twist,the way I figured, mister Morgan.
It's the people who bring a ghostwith them. There's something about this

(02:24):
house that always makes a ghost feelwelcome. Our mystery drama, The Man
in the Black Cap, was adaptedfrom an Edith Horton classic especially for the
Mystery Theater by James Aggett Junior,and stars Paul hect Richard the Third,

(02:55):
a king and a murderer, asShakespeare has drawn him Russell's One Night with
his Guilt My Conscience, He sayshalf a thousand several tongues, and every
tongue brings in several tales, andevery tale condemns me as a villain.
Our story of the power of consciencetakes place today, Yet the crime it

(03:17):
discloses is as old as the firstsin in the garden of Eden. I
remember so well the day John andI went to look for a house.
It was the first day of thefall, the New England trees marching up
the road with their red gold downersof leaves, leaving us right up the

(03:39):
main coast to Eastport Harbor, adelicious little town with its bright white church
and velvety village green. We satin a tiny room of the only real
estate agent in town, where mistermissus Morgan. There ain't so many houses
at your price, rangers there usedto be. Folks are getting mighty smart

(04:00):
about barriers these days for your toppickure. I'm not so sure, mister
Higgins. Suppose we up the antitwo sixty fifty old Jim, do you
think we should? Would that giveus a greater selection? All right?
On? All that? Would she? Folks around here they ain't so much
wanting to sell, But mister Higgins, doesn't anyone die in this time out

(04:23):
in Colorado where we come from.The young people but they don't want to
hang on to all the old homesteadswhen their parents pass on. They're looking
for a new life. They can'tsell fast enough and move to the city
around here, missus Morgan. Peopledon't die off so fast, and when
they do, the young folks liketo stay where they was born, bring

(04:44):
up their children here. You meanthere's nothing for sail in Eastport Harbor,
nothing at all. Where are youfolks staying? Now? We thought we'd
try the inn. That's nice place, good food. Tell you what seeing
us? How you were a bossso determined? Give me they I'll call
you a Wednesday morning at the innand see what I couldn't come up with.

(05:13):
What's the verdict? How do youlike the house? Well? I
don't know, really, I haveto think it over now. I don't
want to pressure you, but Igot some folks coming up from Augusta tomorrow
morning, and they're particularly interested inan honest to goodness Victorian house about you
don't want to pressure us. Inmy line of business, mister Higgins,
we wouldn't exactly call that a softsell. And what would your line be,

(05:33):
mister Morgenheim, in the mining business. But I'm retired nowoo, A
young fellow like you retired already.John told his mind it was his idea
to come east to live. OhJohn, it's a darling house. It's
the kind I've always wanted. Ithink we've been through every room, and
that's fantastic, little squared deck onthe roof you can see for miles around.

(05:56):
Who ever thought to put it upthere? Well, most of these
old houses, the ocean of'em. They're called the captain's Walk, ma'am.
Hundred years ago captain's wife could goup there to watch for her husbandship
to come in. Oh, doyou hear that song? It's just the
place to write. I don't know. The kitchen needs a lot of work.
And the old ice box and theold coal stone that's going to be
my department. I want the kitchento stay old fashioned, just the way

(06:20):
you're not going to like hauling coalto cook with. I'll tell you that
it takes a little getting used tohim. And how far it is the
property extend? You said twenty fiveacres? You come here to the front
door, I assure you, I'dsay just about as far as the eye
can see in old directions. Hereright he left, straight head up the

(06:43):
hill, head in back of thehouse, clear down to the Oshaw.
I love this garden and the ramblingroses on each side of the gate.
I can't wait to spring O.It's a nice location. I'll say that
I'm going to put a lot oftime into this garden, John, while
you're writing your book. Oh andthat clock striking the hour, it's been

(07:03):
doing it for over two hundred years, missus Morgan, twelve o'clock. So
many pretty sounds. I think Iknow everything I have to know about this
place, and it all makes meabsolutely positive I want to live here.
Now. There's only one thing aboutthe house I haven't told you, folks,
But seeing as how you're a modernkind of couple, I didn't think

(07:27):
it's very important. Do you meanthe fact that every room needs painting?
The ghost is a ghost that list. You are right, mister Higgins,
not to bother us with fairy tales. It's high time people discarded such superstition.
No superstitious, I'm not. I'mnot the only real estate agent and
he sport holler. I'm also theonly sheriff. I didn't know that you're

(07:48):
the sheriff too. Well, men, and I look at happenings realistically.
Believe me. At one time I'dhave said the same as you about superstitions.
But the ghost comes around here asdifferent so I've seen it myself.
Are you a drinking man, misterHiggins, normal than I can handle?

(08:09):
I thought perhaps you'd tied one onthe night you saw this ghost. Wasn't
night. I have seen it byday, and I have there. Always
the ghosts here for two hundred years, ma'am. Always the same. Oh
no, no, always a differentghost. Well that's a new twist.
Wait, I figure it. It'sthe people who live here who bring the
ghost with them. Something about thisthat makes ghost feel welcome. Well,

(08:33):
that's the only explanation I can givethem. John, this is the house
I want to live in. Putdown my roots, and Eastport Harbor is
the town I want to live in. Wow, you arrange everything with mister
Higgins. Those two months until thecold weather set in with the happiest of

(08:56):
my life. I didn't miss Coloradoone bit. I felt as though I
belonged on this coast of Maine.John started his book on mining, but
I knew he wasn't as much athome here as I was. He was
restless. Sometimes he'd go a wholeday without saying a word, or he'd

(09:16):
take long walks or by himself onthe whole everything was peaceful, enough though,
until a telephone call. Hello,Hello, who is this Brant?
Mister Bryant? Are you calling allthe way from Colorado City? By am?

(09:39):
Can? I as a John?Hello, John Hugh Bryant. I'd
better hang up in the hall extension, mister Bryant. I guess you and
John want to talk bye by nightto talcor Year. Uh, John,
you're still on the pall? Yes? Are you after gone? You're gonna
hang up now? Why did Johncut me off like that? I stood

(10:07):
by the telephone for a few minutes, and suddenly this, this awful feeling
came over me, the sulph you'rea smell of danger. I turned around
quickly and there was a shadow ofa man on the fausted glass frame around
the front door, and then thenhe was gone. And then something compelled

(10:31):
me to pick up the whole extensionagain and miss him. When did all
this happen here? I eard itthis morning. Where did that leave the
lawsuit that still stands? I guessless unless he dies at the gunshot wound
eat in a coma. Now anasty party, I thought. I hushed
up the whole lawsuit. Now it'sgoing to be in oil. The paper

(10:54):
I had three reporters here already witha lot of insinuating quests. What did
they say? I'm very complimentary aboutyou, John, Yes, we can
be posted. Will you hear alot eplip and us all? And if
anything develops on the lawsuit, I'lllet you know. Okay, thanks for
calling. You come in Hester.You don't usually have the study door closed,

(11:22):
John, I disturb easily when I'mwriting. I don't know what persuaded
me. I could write a bookabout copper mining. Yea an engineer,
and you own the mine. Whatelse do you need? I suspect I
need to know how to write,just to put down my experiences. It
isn't coming out the way I thoughtit would. Maybe you should do something

(11:43):
else to Oh, that's just thetrouble. We have a bank full of
money from selling the Lucky Penny mine. But I don't know what I want
to do with myself. Forty yearsold and like Higgins said, a little
young to be retired. What didHugh Bryant want? Oh? Nothing,
really hanging up some loose ends fromthe sale of the mine. That's all?
Really? Is that all? Whydo you say that? If I

(12:05):
say that's all, that is allJohn, You'll never used that tone of
voice to me before. You canbust to get here for anyway? You
know I'm working questions, questions?Well, if you must know, I
came because I was frightened. Therewas someone at the door. I didn't
hear the bell ring. He juststood there and suddenly he vanished. It
scared me. Oh come on,now, he probably came to the wrong

(12:28):
house. He fought better of itand left. I don't know. I'm
still a little shook up, John, don't would you do me a favor?
Oh? Sure, sure, sureI will. Oh, hester,
I'm sorry forgive me. I'm I'msorry I barked at you. Just now.
What is it? Would you comeupstairs with me to the Captain's walk
now? Now? Oh? Sure? But why I can't explain it.

(12:52):
It's beautiful view, and maybe alittle change for you will help get rid
of your cobwebs or whatever it isthat keeping you from concentrating. It's a
little nippy up here. You reallycan see from my husband. Let's get
the spay up here until the sunsets high? Okay, and it's turning

(13:16):
chilly, John, Do you knowwhat day it is today? Oh?
It's November the first, isn't it? Is it anything else? Saturday?
But it is Saturday, isn't it? So? Are you really happy in
this house? So you're really fullof questions today, aren't you? Hey?
Look down there, you see thatbig boat cutting across the channel.

(13:37):
That's an old four master. Mustbe a chartered schooner. You can change
the subject all you want, John, but I'm going to tell you what
I'm thinking. It's this house.John. You're not the same John Morgan
I married ten years ago today.Oh, so that's it. I've forgotten

(13:58):
an anniversary. Oh Hester, Iam sorry. We're not as close as
we were. John. I knowit, and you know it. John.
It's not something to push under aroad. What is it that's truggling
here? Must be because I'm atthe crossroads in my life or something.
I'm not sure what I want todo. When I bought the Lucky Penny

(14:20):
and ran and I was sure thatthat would be my life. Then when
I sold it, I thought,well, I'll come east and right get
away from the mining business. John, don't look down there then open Luck
eight and looking up the path.Do you see him? Yes, Yes,
I see him, John. That'sthe man who came to the front

(14:41):
door. He's got the same kindof picked up on. Yeah, I'll
be right back. John, downwhere you go down and come back?
Who is this stranger who was turnedup twice at the door? Is he
real? An apparition? Surely notthe ghost, mister Higgins warned them about.

(15:03):
Let's stop guessing, shall we.I suspect we will no more when
I return shortly with that too.Let me reset the scene for you.

(15:26):
It is November in a large oldhouse right on the main coast. Who
all a husband and wife recently transplantedfrom the Midwest, where the husband has
made what in commercial circles would becalled a killing? Are we being overly
suspicious if we wonder whether the killingwas purely business done? Darling? Where

(15:48):
are you? You're fighting? What'sthe matter with you? Hester you open
the door? I happen to bestanding right behind her. What are you
doing? I just got up frommy desk to find a book. What
should I be doing? I'm tryingto write about that man? What man?
Five minutes ago you left me onthe roof. I had to climb
down that wiggoty ladder all by myself. Now, what about the man we

(16:11):
saw coming in the gate, thenun i'd seen before when you were on
the phone. Oh yeah, nothingnobody. I thought it was all Higgins,
so I ran down to ask himabout the deed. I haven't received
a certified copy yet. You thoughtthe man we saw was mister Higgins or
whoever it was. When I openedthe door, was gone. How could

(16:32):
that be? I was looking rightdown from the Captain's walk. I didn't
see anyone go away. I can'thelp what you saw or didn't see.
He'd gone. I tell you,no one was there. I can't imagine
why you thought it was mister Higgins. This was a much younger man.
Please stopped playing me hester and goaway. Sometimes you can be very exasperating.

(16:55):
When John's in one of those movedit's best to leave him alone.
Those moods are becoming more and morefrequent. This temper's getting shorter and shorter.
Something put my eye on the hallwayfloor. I've been down and picked
up an empty shotgun shell, becausedid it get here? We don't have

(17:18):
a gun and the house before Imake such a fuss about an empty shotgun
shell. Since we've moved in,I've cleaned every inch of this house,
and John, there wasn't any shotgunshell that could have escaped me. Here.
Let me have it. Oh,now will you look at it,
honey? Who knows how long it'sbeen lying around? Could have been kicked
in the door by someone walking inthere. A thousand rational explanations. My

(17:41):
dad and I used to go huntingin the lake country, and I fired
hundreds of rounds of those things.If it was fired more than two days
ago, I'll eat it. Hester. Look, why are you getting on
my nerves like this? So youtell me why I am. We'll be
hurting each other soon, Hester ifwe go on this way. I agree.
We're not used to being under eachother's feet twenty four hours a day.
In Colorado. You were always atthe mine or in town. I

(18:03):
had my work, my life here. We went too much alone. I
hope to heaven, That's all itis, So do I. That's why
I've invited old mister Higgins to stopby this afternoon for tea or a drink.
Maybe he'll be the breath of freshair we need more. Team mister

(18:23):
Higgins may have in your cup.Why in all, thanks missus walkin.
I think I had better be onmy way before the fog drifts. Father
England. It's nice of you tooto invite me over her. Whenever I
hear that fog horn, I thinkof some captain's wife up on our roof,
waiting for her husband's ship to comein. What they used to do.

(18:44):
Mom. Mister Higgins, you rememberthe day we first came to see
you last September. You said youhad another party interested in buying this house.
Hey, I do do you thinkwe could get our money back if
we put the house on the market. You heard me has to put the
house on the market. I'm sorry. It doesn't subjure. It wouldn't be

(19:04):
a little old ghost, would't it? Ghosts? One ghost? Well,
maybe a new one showed up.I thought you said the people who live
here attract their own ghosts. Ifthis is a joke you two, I'm
not laughing. Isn't that someone fromdoor? Yes, I'll go, and
if you're not here when I getback, mister hign't remember what I said.
Ask around see what kind of moneyyou can get for this place.

(19:26):
John, I'll be back when i'mback. I'm sorry. I didn't mean
to upset mister Morgan. With thattalk about a ghost. I didn't think
you'd take it so hard. Ididn't know what to make of him.
Tell the house, you've never saidthat before. You have many visitors except
for you. We don't know anybodyyet in Eastport Harbor. I know what

(19:48):
you're thinking. Who was at thedoor? You're a very perceptive The second
time today this morning, the samething happened. John just up walked out
of the house and never said athing. If you like, ma'am,
maybe I could have a talk witha man to man. Maybe I'd be
happy to talk to you. MisterHiggins. Let's take a walk right now.

(20:12):
You're not going to go out likethat, are you. It's very
cold, mister Higgins. Shall wego? Why? Sure? Now?
It's as good time as any.Missus Morgan, thanks again for the tea.
I'm sure missus Higgins will want youboth come with you, dous okay
they will. Let's be up beforeit gets a foggy. We can't see
your feet and take your egg Christmasscarf darling, and you know how easily

(20:33):
catch colls. Yes, yes,yes I will. And you won't belong,
will you? That fog going sucha lonely sound. It gives me
the wooly is knowing you're out somewherein it. It scares me. Mister
Darling, what are you talking about? We're going to stay here. You
know we both love it. Fogor no fog. It was all a

(20:57):
part of John's scream, a suddenturnboat from wanting to get rid of the
house to saying he loved it here. I went into his study and had
a long look. It got laterand later, so I went up to
the Captain's walk to wait for him. Hester. Where are you? I'm

(21:18):
coming down, John, I wasbeginning to worry him. I've heard a
still ready since six and it's aftereight. I tell mister Higgins to leave
his coat in the hall if hewants to come in. I've said another
place, mister Higgins isn't here.Didn't you come up the road with you?
If you don't mind Hester, I'llSkipton. I'm not very hungry,
not hungry after a four hour whoop? What if it's nothing? It's nothing.

(21:41):
I'm going to my study to John, what's the trouble. I've got
to know? Would you mind Hestervery much? Closing the door to my
study On the outside, I havelots to do, like writing Elliott Harmon's
name practically over every page. Whatwere you doing in here? Something go

(22:03):
wrong with a lucky penny? Wesold, Elliott, I want to know
nothing nothing. I want to knowtoo, why you didn't bring mister Higgins
back with you for dinner since youand he were out together that long Again,
it left me hours ago I walkedup the hill and he took the
right fork back to town. ButI saw you. I was on the
Captain's walk waiting a half an hourago. You were walking this way with

(22:25):
him. You're married. That wasn'tme. You saw probably two other people
in this bog. How could youtell, because one of the men was
wearing your red scarf, it wasyou, John, I know it.
You were talking to someone. Now, don't say anything, please. If
you were hiding things from you,you probably have a good reason. The

(22:52):
battle lines had been drawn, wewere no longer two people joined by one
marriage. He locked himself into astudy, and for the next few hours
I was embossed by a sense ofbread. Finally I went to bed and
tried to go to sleep. Iwas wide awake. There was something heavy

(23:22):
in the air, John, Whatis it? Is it a nightmare?
No? No. Before I couldstop him, said, John was out

(23:44):
of the bed and running out ofhis room. I switched on the light.
John, John, where are you? I ran about the house like
a crazy person. I couldn't findhim. I ran back to the bedroom,
slipped on some dungeries in a show. And then it came to me.
He'd gone up to the captain's walk. I climbed a thrickety ladder,

(24:10):
opened the little clap door. No, no, it's not true. I
told you that a thousand times.I said I'd fix everything, didn't I
give me time, That's all Iasked. Look, I never knew.
Why do you keep coming after me? It wasn't my fault. I had
nothing to do with it. You'vegot to believe me. No, you

(24:36):
wouldn't do that. You wouldn't hurther. She she knows nothing. Don't
do it. Come back here,come back, come back. He don't
climb on the larning Oh is yourhusband this morning? I can't believe you

(25:00):
need the charmed life. Nothing broken. After he fell off the room,
as I told you on the phone, I ran downstairs. He picked himself
up. He didn't say a word, He just went to bed. What
was he doing on the roof inthe middle of the night. Anyway,
I wish I could tell you,but it's so incredible. Nobody would believe
me. No one would ever believe. Oh, good morning, Higgins.

(25:22):
What brings you here? Oh,it's margin. I heard you had little
trouble last night, fell or slippedor something. You wouldn't like to have
someone look at you. I knowyou mean to be neighborly Higgins, but
you understand I've got to get tomy study and work. Bring me some
coffee, will you? Hester?I guess I had better go, Higgins.
If I told you something, couldyou could you keep it to yourself?

(25:45):
Hester I said, coffee? Please, I'll go now, missus Morgan.
And if there's some way I couldhelp, please Pollo me. I
don't know if you can. Idon't know if anyone can. Here's your
coffee, John, Oh thanks,sir. Just leave it on the table.
Hu last night when you were upthere on the Captain's walk, Who

(26:10):
are you talking to John, John? Don't shut me out. Tell me
what's troubling you. Hester Look,believe me here. Look I can't Hester,
I I want to, but Ican't. It's been months of this
waiting, And oh, I said, you've got in your hand the mail.

(26:32):
One letter. It just came,so you won't tell me. Let
me have it with him. Don'tgrab it out of my hand. It's
addressed to both of us. Thankyou for the coffee, Hester, thank
you for the mail. Aren't yougoing to open it later when I've had
my coffee? Oh it's from HughBrand in Colorado City, and I'd like
to know what it says. Now? Would you watch that? I'll get
to Would you give it back?I'm opening this letter right now and I'm

(26:56):
waiting. Oh you're not. Yeah, when you get away you've come here,
well, hits you much herder thenext time you don't do as I
say. It isn't often a manloses so much control that he attacks his
wife. I can hear you sayonce is too often? And I agree.

(27:19):
Have we here a man so plaguedby guilt, so pursued by the
echo of conscience, that he isdriven to acts he would never condone in
others? I think we shall discoverthe answers when I return shortly with Act
three. It takes love, courage, and restraint to withstand a slap in

(27:49):
the face from your own husband.Esther Morgan possesses all three. But I
think you'll agree that is more tothis than moods and acts bordering on the
irrational. Obviously, a good andquiet conscience, a piece above all earthly
dignities Shakespeare's defined. It is notJohn Morgan's frame of mind. All right,

(28:11):
all right? Opened the letter,go on, I will Oh,
there isn't a letter, just thisa newspaper clipping. Oh what is it?
How should I know? Read it? Lucky penny fraud? John?
Did you know about this? Oh? What does it mean? A lawsuit?
I don't know. It's nothing nothing. Mister brilliant sent it to us.

(28:32):
Okay, it's cut out from theColorado Sidimes. Is it true what
it says? Elliot Harmon is suingus for defrauding him in the sale of
the lucky penny. Oh, itdoesn't mean a thing. He bought the
mine as is tests made. Itwas no pig in the poke. Why
is he suing us? And whatfa? You're suing the wrong party?
The government would suddenly step in andstop all the strip mind? Is that

(28:56):
what happened? He took his chances, like all of us do who knew
such a thing would happen? Sohe sues me. Anyway, that's all
passed. Well, look at thedate on the clippings, months ago,
in fact, the day we leftColorado. It's all over. Anyway.
He lost the case. No,no, no, it never came up
in court. Who is it true? John? Did you cheat him?

(29:18):
Why is it a fraud? I'vegot to know withdrew the case. I
told you I want to know whyhe had an accident? That's why.
How do you know? Because youphoned me from Colorado and told me what
kind of an accident he shot himself? Oh no, it's poor wife.
I wish i'd known him. Ohno, why are you going on like

(29:40):
this. It's nothing to do withus. I remember his wife, Sarah.
She was such a lovely girl.Well when did he die? He's
not dead, at least not sofar as I know. I can't believe
anything you say. I'm going totelephone mister Bryant myself and find out you'll
do no such things. Yes Iwill. The lucky Penny was in both
our names. I want to knowwhat happened to that poor man. Put

(30:03):
that phone down. I'm warning youhester don't force me a never mind an
operator. I won't be making thatcall. Winter came and went. I
wrote some poetry and cried to myself. Spring poked up its crocuses, and

(30:26):
the trees their buds. John andI remained a part. I never called
Hugh Bryant. What was the pointin hammering another nail into the coffin of
our marriage? And then one morningI was on my knees in the garden,
putting in some glads and daggers.It was noon. I beg your

(30:47):
pardon. Oh, I didn't seeyour coming in the gates. I'd like
to see mister Morgan, my husband. I suppose so. Oh, I
haven't had the pleasure. I'm missusMorgan. Look, I'm afraid if you
don't mind, you will have tocome back after four o'clock. You see,
my husband has a strict schedule.He works every day at his book.
He won't see anyone until four.I think he's expected me. That

(31:11):
could be he doesn't always tell meeverything. Haven't you been to see him
before? I get the feelings somehowthat oh, pay no attention to me.
Sometimes I think I know people fromsomewhere and it's just my imagination.
So he's expecting you. I'm sureof it. You've come from pretty far,

(31:34):
haven't you? Pretty far? Noone wears a cap like that.
I'll forgive me. I didn't meanto be rude. May I see mister
Morgan, But I'm sure he won'tmind. Even though it's just twelve.
The front doors open. He's rightat the back the last room. It's
his study. I'd show you theway that I must get these bulbs in

(31:56):
now that the weather is turned.Thank you very much, Missus Morgan.
Those were the last words I everheard our visit to say that strange man
wearing a black tap which she didhis eyes so much I never saw them.
I went round the back to catchthe last of the gladiol about.

(32:16):
It was one o'clock when I wentinto the house. John wasn't there.
Hello, Hello, mister Higgins.Oh Missus Morgan. I got your message
when I got home. My wifesaid you'd called. Sorry I didn't get

(32:38):
back to you before. We've justfinished dinner. Mister Higgins. Have you
seen John? Why something the matter? I don't know. He's been gone
all day and I wondered if you'dclarly Tom or anything. Why I wasn't
in the sport harbor today. Tellyou what, if mister Morgan doesn't get
back by oh she eleven or twelvetonight, you call me. And if

(33:00):
I don't hear from here, Idon't know he's home, safe and sound.
He here, mister Higgins, it'smidnight and John is back yet.
Okay, Missus Morgan, you'll justsit tight. I'll be right over.

(33:22):
I'll first think. In the morning, Missus Morgan, I'll get a passel
of volunteers together and we'll search thewhole area. But you're sure, Mammy,
he didn't leave some message for you. I looked everywhere in his study,
on his desk. It was justlike he got up and walked out
the door. And when was thelast time you saw him, Missus Morgan?
Back breakfast time? I brought himsome coffee anywhere since going out the

(33:45):
door up there no the man whocame to see him. She must have
Oh what man? A young man? He said. John was expecting him,
So I sent him along inside andI went about putting in my flowers.
Then about one o'clock I went into make lunch and John was gone.

(34:06):
Huh and his visitor they were bothgone. Will you remember what he
looked like? The young man?I think so? Wasn't tennything funny about
him? I mean, I meanhe was real, flesh and blood as
a shame. Well, it neveroccurred to me that he was a Oh
oh that that's not possible, isit, mister Higgins? Not not real?

(34:30):
I hope not. I guess not. And then there's this telegram that
came for John yesterday from mister Bryant, a lawyer in Colorado City. Here,
I'll read it to you. Needyou personally to sign documents relating to
Lucky Penny Bryants. Lucky Penny itshould be called unlucky Penny. It's been

(34:53):
nothing but bad luck to everyone who'spicked it up. Hello, mister Bryant,
why has there? I should say, welcome back to Colorado City.
But what I am going to sayis don't you people believe in answering telegrams?

(35:14):
Now? Three weeks ago I neededto file these papers. I Telephonia.
No one's at home, and well, anyways, I'm glad to see
you. Where's John Bryant? Icame alone. Oh no, that's awkward.
Is he in town with you?No? Well, it's John art
have to sign these papers. Iguess you can. Why is he that's

(35:37):
just it. I don't know.He's disappeared. He was, yes,
yes, he's gone three weeks ago. They can't find him. Nobody knows
anything. They've gone through the woodswith dogs that they had, helicopters everywhere.
He's he's gone. Sure is distressingnews, but you mustn't give up,

(36:00):
Hope Hester. I don't know whatto think anymore. But I have
to do something well to get tobusiness. I don't know whether you know
a tester. But after Elliot Harmonbought the Lucky Penny, he brought a
lawsuit against John. Oh, yes, John told me, of course,
we take the opposite you. Harmonensued on the grounds that John had misrepresented
the mine's ability to continue to function, because that was patently nonsense. No

(36:24):
one could know the government would suddenlyclose down all strip mining at any rate.
Elliot Harmon became despondent and shot himself. The bullet lodged in him.
It took months before he finally died. When was that three weeks ago today?
As a matter of facing at whattime? That's a funny question,

(36:47):
as mister Bryant, I got toknow two o'clock A Well, what would
that be in Maine? Noon?Twelve noon? I knew it. I've
felt it all along. Lord inheaven, who after John isn't missing?

(37:07):
He's dead. They killed him.He's been murdered. Don't you see?
Elliot Harmon dies within an hour Johndisappears. Are you saying that someone actually
killed John as a revenge for ElliotHarmon? Yes? I am what har
Could there be any connection? Wehad thousands of miles apart. Couldn't someone

(37:30):
in Colorado City have telephoned to EastportHarbor to go out and get John's softly?
Far fetched? We sold the LuckyKenny for a good price. Right
now, If Elliot and Sarah Harmonfelt they were cheated, so did all
those other people who put up theirmoney. At twelve o'clock. See,
I remember hearing our church bell bringingthe time. At twelve, a young

(37:54):
man came to our gate and askedto see John. I sent him in
side. I never saw him ormy husband again. Well, now this
young man, would you describe him? Remember him? I told the police
everything I knew. The only distinguishingthing about him was he wore a black

(38:15):
cap. Usually a black cap.Yes, I never saw his eyes.
They were like deep hollows, allshaded by that cap. Well, it's
hard to believe. What is Excuseme, Hello, hello, chief faster.
I was going to call you asI have Missus Morgan with me.

(38:37):
Hester Morgan, you remember her.She came up from the East on business.
It seems that's quite a mystery aboutJohn Morgan. He disappeared three weeks
ago. Why, well, youdon't mean it. Well, that's a
terrible thing. Yes, certainly,and if she agrees, we'll be right

(39:00):
along. Thanks she Eva. Itseems that John isn't the only one who
disappeared. Sarah Harmon visited her cemeteryyesterday, first time in weeks. Her
husband's grave had been dug up.His body is gone. Oh no,

(39:21):
they think they have a clue overat the Lucky Penny. And I told
the Chief you were here. Ihave to go, but if you want
to, you can come along.Esther. It just seems strange to go
there now, but why not.When we arrived at the Lucky Penny,

(39:45):
they dug an experimental shaft to locatenew deposits. A crowd of rescue workers
stood around it. They found somethingat the bottom. Finally they brought up
two bodies. One was a John'sJohn my husband. The other, they

(40:08):
said was Elliott Harmon. He hada black cap on his head. I
recognized him as the young man whohad come to see John three weeks ago.

(40:30):
Is it beyond our comprehension to graspwhat we have just enacted that a
man on the edge of death couldhaunt the one responsible until death itself does
arrive and claims them boaths. Weknow so little of the world beyond.
Isn't it possible that our flights offancy could be on the wings of truth?

(40:52):
I shall return shortly. Consider thephrase mind over matter? Is it
a rule to live by? Canit remove one man from his writing table

(41:15):
and another from his grave? Mindover matter? We find the precept,
but not the proof in Shakespeare,the Good Book, the Qoran, and
spoken by hundreds of poets. Soit could very well be a fact.
And may I add that if ourmystery drama has told us anything today,

(41:36):
it is also that reward and revengeare not that far apart. Our cast
included Paul Hecktcarroll Titel, and IanMartin. The entire production was under the
direction of Hyman Brown, missus E. G. Marshall, inviting you to
return to our mystery theater for anotheradventure in the macabre until next time.

(42:00):
Pleasant All right, everybody, welcomeback. I hope that you enjoyed this
play as much as I did.I really did like this one. This
one had this spooky, mysterious,haunted house type vibe going on with it,

(42:23):
and you really, you really didn'tknow what was going on up until
the very end, and I tendto really gravitate towards those types of place.
This play, in a lot ofways reminded me of Stephen King's The
Shining, where you have this couplethey go to this house or this place

(42:44):
and something just really starts wearing onthe husband and he starts to act really
uncharacteristic of himself and starts to becomereally antagonistic and even violent towards his wife.
Really did remind me of The Shiningin that respect. I mean,
you can tell that something is definitelywearing on the husband in this play.

(43:10):
I really liked this play too,because you know, we did have that
sort of haunted house type thing goingon a little bit. You know,
the wife kept seeing this man witha cap at the door and so forth,
and she was wondering who he was. He was there and then he
was gone, And of course wefound out at the end that the ghost

(43:34):
that is haunting the place and mainlyhaunting the husband is the person that the
husband and wife sold the mind tooand ended up in that terrible situation where
he felt like he was defrauded andended up taking his own life, and
he comes back to haunt the husbandand eventually take his life as well.

(44:00):
It was a little bit different.It really was. Typically in a haunted
house type thriller, you have acouple or you have a people move into
a house that's already haunted. Butthis was a little bit different because they
kind of brought the ghost with them. They kind of brought the haunting with

(44:21):
them from their past. And thatmoment at the end when the wife found
out at what time that the guythat they sold the mind too had passed
away, that that was also thetime that the man in the black cap
came knocking at the door asking tospeak to her husband, and that was

(44:44):
the last that she saw of herhusband alive. So this was cool.
It was a neat little thriller here. It had a haunted house type vibe,
but it also had a little bitof a different spin on it as
well. I hope you really enjoyedit. You can send comments to OTR
M s h at gmail dot com. Thank you so much for listening,

(45:07):
and I will talk to you later