Unknown Broadcast | Phantom Hands, Cursed Rings, and Deadly Lies: Four Old-Time Radio Horror Stories

0:09 Well, good to see you again, my dear. Oh what's that? Oh? I'm feeling much better than when we last spoke. But thank you for inquiring, and of course for your company as I made my way through such an ailment of sorts. Please please get comfortable on my favorite chair. The tea is almost done. I think it's time to drink something warm and hear something chilly, don't you. To be perfectly honest, I feel better than ever. I'm happy to know that my well being is intact, in fact act, I feel like I have a lot in common with the hand that refused to die.

1:07 The CBS Radio Mystery Theater presents. Come in. Welcome, I'm e. G. Marshall. Welcome this time to a tale of the supernatural. Not frightened, not in the least horrifying, but intriguing, mystifying, strange. We all of us know that in this world there is a power greater than ourselves.

1:52 Call it what you will, God, a force, the universal conscience. It exists. Some of us have experienced it, felt its touch in one way or another, but few have met with it in so unusual a way. As a celebrated concert pianist Anton Wahlberg. If what you say is true, it is anton. I know it is. Nothing is impossible. The only thing it I lost my. Hand, my right hand, in that accident. My hand is gone.

2:33 It no longer exists, and yet I am able to play it through. Your hand longer exists. But the spirit of your hand does. Only the body does, and to the spirit. Will never. Our mystery drama, The Hand that Refuse to Die, was written especially for the Mystery Theater by George Lother and stars Mandel Kramer. It is sponsored in part by Buick Motor Division and Anheuser Busch Incorporated, brewers of Budweiser.

3:16 I'll be back shortly with that one. Say. Do you know what happens this time of year? The swallows come back to Capistrano. Nope, the buzzards come. Back to Hinckley Ridge, Ohio. No. Bulldogs all over the world begin to shed. Not even close. This, my friend, is the time of year when you can get a super little deal on the practical but elegant Buick Apollo, And just between you and me, it may very well be the best chance you'll ever have to buy a Buick. I could have sworn this was Buzzet Day in Hinckley. It makes good, then don't overdue and get over done. Burnt a can hurt your skin.

4:00 Let the cown on in. Constant over exposure to his son could be harmful in your American Cancer Society advises moderation or protective clothing or sunscreening motions. Remember the count on it. You can paint your home in the same muted earth tone colors our colonial ancestors used to paint theirs. Hi Frank Lee, We're here to tell you about True Value Hardware stores. True Tests Supreme Latex Housepaint. It comes in twenty four Jamestown colors like Salmon Gold, Chelsea Blue, and samo Said gray. The colonials used dyes. From roots and barks and mix them with buttermilk, of all things to achieve those colors. True Tests Supreme Latex Housepaint puts those same kind of colors into a rich, easy to apply latex latex with the durability of a fine oil based paint. It covers most surfaces in one coat.

4:53 It resists stains, mildew, blistering, and smug and it dries quickly just thirty minutes. Fainting tools, clean up and sofa True Value Hardware stores have True Tests Supreme Lateax House Paint in twenty four Jamestown Colors in white, True Tests Supreme Late Tax House Paint. You'll find it exclusively at your nearby participating True Value hardware store. Psychics tell us there is a life after death. Indeed, there are those who believe there are many lives after death, and others who hold a firm faith in reincarnation. We listen and go on about our daily lives until something happens that so affects our life.

5:48 Marks it for good or ill. That we know there is unquestionably something, some invisible power, some unseen force of which we are apart. Anthony Wahlberg began to. Realize this, and the day he came home from the hospital to his luxurious penthouse apartment. In New York City, Welcome, O man, Lotty. You I thought you were in Chicago with your young prodigies. You can get along without old Lotty Stern for a few days. You arranged this, alexis no, my darling. Nothing was arranged. Lottie wanted to be here when you came home from the hospital, and here. She is well arranged her not. You're more than a pleasant surprise. Laddy, You're what I need. Ah.

6:32 You depend on your old teacher too much, but I'm glad you do. It's very heartwarming for an ancient crone like me to be wanted, needed by so handsome a man for talented. A man talented. I have only one hand now, Laddy, this left one. What good is it to be handsome? What use the talent? Latty? I need you too to cheer him up? And of course you are depressed under the press. There's no word to do describe my despair, Lotty. Why did this happen? Why to me? I was at the peak of my career. I was Anton Wahlberg, one of the most celebrated concert pianists in the world. I was seven weeks ago. I no longer am ended everything my career, in my life.

7:16 And there is never an end without a beginning, Anton. The closing of one door is nearly the opening of another. And what door might be opened to me without my. Right hand, only God knows, and you will too when you seek it. Now. Speaking of which I asked either to serve tea in the music room, come let us go and seek their chext and idea, Lotty and Tona. I I'm not sure I ever want to enter my music room, my study again. Oh my god, ever mind the sympathy, Alexis. It is the worst thing in the world. Come on into the music room, I loty tern order you.

8:00 You'll hear me, Anton, Robbie. I don't think I can bear even the sight of the piano. Anton. You must. So. Your Aida has laid out a fine tea for us, your camas, and which is your favorite chocolate's key? Open the keyboard, keyboard, a piano keyboard, Alexis, I told you it was to be closed and never opened again. No, you did? You promised me, you promise. I checked my promise. The keyboard was closed when I left to bring you home from the hospital. I checked it personally. Perhaps Aida, No, No, I gave her strict daughters. She was not even to touch the piano, even to dust it.

8:41 I do that, I said, I cannot bear the sight of the keys. Close the keyboard. I may not closing my felton. Dear your trembling. Now, some good strong tea will take care of that, Alexis, darling, will. You polly last of the day, I get an ounce of sympathy from you? That will be the day I would hold my breath. I'm more of this bread, Doctor don Josin Potter. Oh, thank you, Alexis. Yes, damn, there goes my fork. Ada another fork from mister with only one hand, I'll never eat again. I'll have to give you some lessons in surgical techniques. Anton, surgical techniques. There's a surgeon. I can assure you. You'll be a stone. That is what can be done with one hand. I know if anyone does you do, old friend, you saved my life. No doctor in Blaneyville, Butcher. You mustn't say that. Aunt John.

9:39 Remember he had to remove your hand to save your life. He had no option. What was that? It couldn't be, Boddy, did you hear it? There it is again. Someone is fooling around with the piano in my study at this wait, I'll go with you, but you. Oh you know the. Piano keyboard is open again again. And yes, before I came home from the hospital this afternoon, I asked a Lexus to make sure the little the keyboard was closed. It was when I left here. It was open when I got home. I myself closed it then and now it's open again. Must be someone and who'stuck that middle Sea twice? It's curious, it's beyond reason.

10:24 It's incredible. Close the list, leave it opened, and let's rejoin Matty in the manning room. Marty, we found the keyboard open again. Who was in there in the music's room. No one. Someone struck me the scene. No madam staring there? There was no one there. Someone was, perhaps you could not see him or her. You mean a spirit, a ghost? Yes, I'm afraid I don't believe in ghosts. I do. Come now, Lottie, don't tell us you've ever seen and no. Not seen, but I have filled them near me. Say the truth, Anton, They're always near me. You mean the ghosts of those you knew Announschwitz. Yes, Madame Stern.

11:09 Dear, don't be offended. But she prefers not to talk about it. Oh, I understand. I'm sorry. No, no, no, no, it's all right. Have some more potatoes and gravy. That will solve everything. It helps. You, all right, it's all right, Antonia. Please, everyone says the one. I get to thinking that maybe it might have been saved if if you Gordon and operated instead of their parents. Here you smashed your car into a tree. Your right hand went through the windshield. It was so cut up. So man, you could offended. I see it in your eyes. You could have, Antona.

11:50 I'm not so sure, but there is a doubt in your mind. That little doubt means I might never have lost my right hand. I'm darling, excuse me. Excuse me. I must go away. No, no, you stay here, said please, my dear. You are a wonderful wife to Anton, a beautiful and capable woman. But at times like this he needs Lottie Stan all right, all right, all right, get it out of the system. Come and let it come, all of it. I know, I know who would know better my hands. You see, you know what they did to them.

12:40 They start at Auschwitz, and I know they broke your fingers one by one, and when they hear it broke then again. In your career, Laddie, that was ended too, Yes it was, and I felt well blearn no words. How can you describe the sudden darkness and the soul, the inteness in the heart, the physical pain. It was bad. Each finger smacked it was horrible, the pain unbearable. But all this nothing compared to what went on inside me. So my darling, Anton I know what you are going through.

13:23 I know, Laddie. What am I to do? Tell me? What am I to do? What everyone does when all else fails? That turned to God, Laddie. I don't believe in God, not after what happened to me. Did you believe before? I don't know. I never thought about it much. Oh wait, let me hello, No, this is Madame Stern. Yes he is one moment, it's for you, Aton summoning Bill's Stone. Oh oh yes, yes, a friend of mine works for the United Presson Hello Bill? Oh well thanks. Oh I'm going to be all right.

14:13 Yeah. Why strangled? Gordon and I thought that on the phone something's impossible. But Bill, I know you better than to think. You plenty kind of sick joke. On. I don't care what they say at the FBI. Somebody made a mistake. Yes, Hold, thanks Bill, thanks for calling. I'm done. What is it? That was Bill Stone? You know Bill? Of course? Well he said his stories just coming over the wire from Bleanieville. So that's where you add your accident, just outside Blannieville. Yes, Doctor Berenger was found dead this afternoon in his office, strangle.

15:00 Strangled by one hand. One hand the bruises shows us that one hand strangled him to death, a right hand. This is the strangest. More than strange like this, it's impossible. Why impossible? Because Lotti, they say it was my right hand that strangled him. Strange bizarre. Words, unless, like Anton Walberg, you had experienced them, then strange bizarre, macabre change from words to something alive in your bloodstream where you're experiencing them, now you're imagining them, and there is nothing more alive than your imagination. I'll be back shortly with that too.

16:02 May I help yourself? One hair shirt please? At one bed of nails and that cat of nine tails for self gratulation? What's your rush? Why try for sainthood in one week? And it's not that. It's just that my old hair shirt is at the cleaners, my bed is getting dull, and I whip has been going soft on me. You punish yourself a great deal by at what's coming to me? What isn't it a beat over much? Oh? I deserve more than I ever get? What capabine tails coming up? And do you want the bed of nails, whip or without dissolve?

16:43 Can so your appointments for self punishment? Break the whip. You have no right to treat one of God's creatures. You in that way he forgives you, forgive yourself a nudge towards self respect from the Mennonite churches. I do. This is your host for Name the Bank, Bob Heartram. Here's tonight's first guest, mister Ralph Tishman. Welcome to name the bank, mister Tischmand. Thank you. How if you just take their place inside our. Name the bank, think tank, we will get on with the show. Can you hear me all right in there, mister Tischmand, Yes, I hear it's warming here though. Fine. Now may I have the first clue? Please, mister Tishmand. There's a bank in Dallas that offers a multi service checking account for only three dollars a month and gives you ten thousand dollars accidental death insurance.

17:25 Can you name the bank? Federal Reserve Bank. I'm sorry, mister Tischmand, but that's not quite right. You see, this bank gets local and national discounts, reduced rates on hotels and car rentals. I know they belong to fbiice. That's tried, mister Tischmand, but you see, we need the name so try again. Unlimited check writing, no minimum balance, all detection you need. I know it, I know it. Exchange Bank, Exchange Bank, you win, mister Tischmand, you name the. Bank, the tab pay Center account from Exchange Bank. Harry Hines at Pockingbird. No gimmicks, just a good deal. Hey, let me out of this tank.

18:08 Certainly, no greater tragedy could happen to a concert pianist and the loss of his right hand. And that is what happened to Anton Walburg seven weeks ago. Now, in the music room of his expensive penthouse apartment in New York, Anton Walburg has received news that shocks. Him and his guests. They've made a mistake at the FBI. That's all, darling. Where did the FBI come into this? The hand that strangled Barrenger touched things in his office left Prince. The Blaineville police wired them to the FBI. And my prints are on file. Some years ago, Gordon, I took out a two and a half million dollar insurance policy on my hands, thank god I did, and the insurance company naturally one of my fingerprints identification I see and the prints on file at the FBI matched the Prince found in Barreng's office.

18:57 A mistake. I doteed the stays. With finger prints, Lotty, what else could it be? Lotty? Would you stop looking so mysterious? You see no hand bloody? It was cut off here. It's that, is it? That's a curious thing to say, Madame. Stern, Doctor Lungstill, what would they have done with anton severed hand? Well, it would have gone to the nearest mortuary. Very likely the coroner or. Medical examiner would examine it. Then it would have been destroyed. The hand, but not the spirits of the hand. Good Lord, we're back in the psychic world now. I believe you don't you will?

19:38 I very much doubt that, Lottie. What I do believe is that my hand did not, could not have strangled doctor Barringer if it were possible, which it isn't. Why Why would my hand strangle Barranger? You knew the answer, Anton. The hand could have been saved because it was. And revenge? What else? Nonsense? That's what else, alexis. At least I asked you when going to dinner tonight to help cheer Anton up. It's turning out to be the most depressing evening one can imagine now if you don't mind, from here on in we're going to talk about cheerful things.

20:30 Come in, Alexis said, you're in the music room. You didn't want to be disturbed. Naturally, you disturbed me. I must talk to you. And you have shut yourself away for nearly a week. Now, Laia, I don't want to see anyone you. Now, Anton as your cool. Coach, one handed concert pianist, right as your business manager, you should reduce your fee by half. I'm only half a man less, all. Right, as your friends. Yes, lady, yes you are that and the best time I ever had. So then you listen to me. You cannot go on burying yourself in this room.

21:10 Why not? I'm dead? You are anything but dead, all right. So you have one hand. There is much you can do with one hand. You can teach this. I did too. At first, almost I couldn't bring myself to it. Today I am glad I did. It has been an experience as rewarding, well, almost as rewarding as claim. I find that hard to believe. Ladi. You are going to stop brooding. You are going to come back into the world, Antone, you are going to become active again. And take an interest in life, starting tonight tonight when new Productyafiakland, when I left in Chicago to come to you, he is performing tonight at Carnegie.

22:01 Now I want you to hear Raphael. You must hear him because you are going to be his teacher, his coach. You're his teacher, his coach, and I am old. I am too old to handle the younger generation. Rafe'll need many things. You can give him your fingering, yes, Anton, I said you're fingering. You can demonstrate that with one hand, your interpretation, especially a Beethoven, and above all your dedication, the need to to practice, to practice practice, which reminds me. Have you practiced? You know, I think you're going mad. Ladie, practice with just my left hand.

22:45 Keep the piano in tune at least piano. Did you hear that. Piano string los intention happens to a piano and doesn't played? So do me and the piano a favorite player? Right? But you'll come tonight any choice, No one thing more I have. Not good news? Is there any other kind? Be serious? Sent on? This has to do with money. About the insurance on your hands that the two and a half million. It maybe the company isn't going to pay it now? No, no, Come and calm yourself. There's nothing definite about this yet.

23:31 But I told this morning with the senior vice president. He asked me to come and see him. I went. He said that according to the Bladyville Police reports the accidents, well you were at. Face me at falls and. Did you fall asleep at the wheel? You You wouldn't lie to Latin, now, would you? Did you? Yes? Tell me I was taking a lot of exhausted Let's schedule you set up for me a night in Atlanta, a night at Ache and a night and notton Rouge, a night here, a night there, traveling every day. What would you expect? You could have told me that you are getting older?

24:13 All right? Now? Tonight my place for dinner and then to go onto comic. What about the turn I have many in my insurance. We'll see. May have to sue Bladdy. We will have to sue. I nearly broke Lonny. Without that money, I might as well be dead. I will be. I'll see to that. What do you mean I mean I can't take anymore, Lottie, I can't suffer anymore. I'll kill myself. What was that? Need do you ask, what's an unseen hand an invisible hand? You are a hand? Anton? Oh no, what else?

24:53 But it's impossible. And if it were possible, why. Because you said you would kill yourself and your hand. The spirit of your hand protested, but it is dead. Here we are the one of one through one or four after your alexis sancularly know you Anton, he has to sit between us. What a pity that Gordon could make it at the last minute while emergency operations. Too bad? When he will hear my Raphael another time? Or he will someday be famous. You are silent, Anton, You say nothing.

25:39 What's to say? No, if you don't always have to say something, you could be just pleasant. I will be. I can think of anything to be pleasant about. Rafiel Climb will change your mood. He will play this shop and fantasy in from two. It is one of your favorites, your favorite. I shall never be able to play again. Oh what is it? Angel? Don't look like? Enough is enough talking about my face? You did Tom He did not look at his cheek. Yes, it's red, as if someone did slap him. You as sweet Wolfe look Alexei thinking after young and handsome? Oh, yes, that too is good for the box office.

26:26 The women would go mad over him. And what do you think? I don't know yet. By his arm made your client is right on. Something's happened. He has troublesome sort of trouble. Gods, horse, Look, Maddy, this is unbelievable. Right armage hanging by his side, but he's left hand, please for both right and the left. I can't believe this is happening.

27:11 I cannot believe it one hand. But he's doing it. It's a miracle. Yes, his stressing room. Come horif why did you leave this stage after the show? Pan? I can't go on, Loddie, after performing a miracle. You can't go on. The entire audience is on its feet calling for you, and you. Can't go on after what just happened? What did happen out there, mister kleinb It was as if, oh, you're ant, Untoldbert. Yes, we'll go on and tell me what happened to you. Something some forced suddenly gripped my right arm and began to pull my hand, my right hand off the keyboard. I didn't know what was happening to me. I thought I was had some sort of seizure. I was going mad or I don't know what. And then my left hand kept playing.

28:07 You mean you kept playing with your left No. No, no, no, Loddy, no my right arms. It was forced down to my side, and I was scared. I was so scared. I couldn't have gone on playing with my left and I didn't it did. Your left hand went on playing by itself. I certainly didn't go on playing. My left hand didn't even feel to be a part of me. I couldn't have done what my hand did, play for both the right. And the lead not to be so you must have prayed, bloody. How can you practice the impossible? The fantasy cannot be played with one hand? But you did it. No, not me. I don't know what, but.

28:50 Not me. There's no understanding this, no understanding it at all. We was talking of this later after the comes Bloody. I told you I can't go on. I'm I'm sure taken up of a bunch of nerves. Better you control your nerves and we return their money, and I pull yourself together. If you and go out there, Lottie says mister kleinb There's greatness in you, but you'll never reach it. If you let nerves take the upper HANDI I'll go back on then, Blood and Tom. Should you have sent him back on stage? He's terribly shaken. Must learn control, He must learn discipline. Discipline is everything, even the performing miracles.

29:31 What do you mean, dear? No, you're not thought as foolish my thoughts, Klim. He's young, inexperience. I'm a veteran of a concert stage skill, practiced, experienced so well. If his left hand could perform like that, why not mine, Oh, my dear, in his hand. Yes, it seemed like a miracle. But was it? It moved up and down that keyboard so fast it appeared to be in two places at once. So it's true, you know what I think? What, dear? Another foolish thought perhaps. But. I think it was my hand that gripped his arm out there tonight. Not sure, I know, I know it's crazy, But could it be that the hand my hand? Why the spirit of my hand was trying to show me what can be done with one hand?

30:28 Can Anton Raahlberg possibly find enough faith in himself to well perform virtual miracles at the piano? Surely this seems to be what the spirit of his hand is trying to tell him that he can and yet really now is not. The impossible impossible? We shall see when I returned shortly with Actree. Some recent church experts say you can't. Taste the difference between beers. Well, if they're. Right, then Anheuser Bush wastes a barrel of time beechwood aging Budweiser. Only they don't think so. Brewing beer right does make a difference, and they're betting a bundle that you can taste the difference in bud. When it comes to brewing Budweiser, the Anheuser Bush choice is to go all the way because they still care about quality.

31:33 Look at it this way. If the bud people have a choice between what some experts say and what beer drinkers say. Well you'd better believe they'll go with you. Beer drinkers. Every time when you say Budweiser, you said it all. Anheyser Busch, Saint. Louis, We're going to make September twenty seconds the biggest Sunday in nineteen seventy four with Texas seventy five, a special Times Herald report on the state of our state. For months, our reporters have been busy collecting facts, and.

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33:04 What is spirit? What is it that lives in you and in me? That impels us to make supreme efforts now and then, and nags us when we fail, and yes, leaves us in peace when we succeed. All religions teach that it is a spark of God that burns deep in our souls, and we are push here on this earth to learn how to fan that spark into flames. Anton Wohlberg has touched that tiny spark, but wonders now if he can fan it into flame. I can't do it. I can't. It's impossible. I was a fool think it could be anything else.

33:47 You have been sighing for less than a week. Should have tried it, all right. If you're climber that night, there was something supernatural it had to be. But this pan. All right, all right, I'm com you have tried to enough now and Tom, I must, I must speak to you. I spend several hours at the insurance company today. They had much to tell me, much to show me. There is more than enough evidence to prove negligence on your part, and Tom, evidence that proves you are driving at approximately seventy five miles an hour at a time when you're in an exhausted state and you must have fullen asleep at the wheel.

34:30 They deny the claim. Well, they offer a compromise, a settlement. Now you will beait a minute always. You will not this and you will that. Now please listen, and then if you want to throw a tentrum, I'm listening. All right. The terms of the policy are clear. They're all too clear. They are well within their rights, the company not to honor the claim. Still, you have paid the premium for many years and They wish to be with you, so they offer you the compromise. They settle for one hundred thousand dollars. Fair they settle too, And I have a million. For one hundred thousand. How long can I live on that? That's peanuts.

35:11 So you will live on peanuts until you discipline your left hand to perform for the right one as well. Now, don't look at music. I'm crazy. It can be done. You saw it done. You saw the spirit of your hand pointing the way, showing you. You are not only old and fat, you are mad. Absolutely okay to come in, Ada said, we find you in the music room. Come in, Gordon, Come in, Madam Stern. Doctor Lunsdale. It's good to see you. I apologize again for missing your dinner the climb concert the other night, but couldn't be helped. You are forgiving me well, Aunt John. Ye wanted to see me. Yes, yes, I'd like your opinion, Gordon, the opinion of a professional man, a man who knows what he's talking about when it comes to the human body and what it's cape below. Yes, Gordon, Raphael client did a remarkable thing the other night. I know. I read the critics the next day he did the impossible.

36:10 I understand, but he did it? Laty, please Gordon what I want to know? But I want you to tell me. Can I duplicate what client did play a piano concerto that requires two hands with only one? Yes, Lottie says I can. I say, I can't. I've tried for nearly a week now, and I find it impossible. In your opinion, if I were to go on trying, could I do it? Well? I've been thinking about what Klein did and puzzling over it, and frankly, I can't explain it. I understand his right arm suddenly became paralyzed. Is that so, Madame Stearne?

36:55 You might put it that way? Oh what other way would there be? Well, that and the excitement of what happened, I'm afraid we all liked it a bit stupidly goodon. I'm ashamed to say that even I believe that my right hand, the spirit of my hand, had taken hold of Klein's right arm and forced it down to his side. You may well look at me as if I were out of my mind, Gordon, but I did think that at the time. I can see you've changed your mind, and you alexis well, Madame Stern, No. I have not. But my dear Madame Ster, you do not understand. Doctor Lonsdale. Some curious things have happened, things which cannot be explained in the normal way. The fingerprints that proved Anton's hands strangled Doctor ben.

37:42 Well, mistake in the fingerprint. You know that's not probable. It's possible that piano there it has played with no one near it, played by an unseen hand. How do you explain that? That's a tough one, man, Gordon, I apologize. I didn't ask you to come here to put you through an inquisition. All I want to know is do you think I can do with client did that night? I don't mean perform miracles? I mean with practice discipline. Could I train my left hand to move quickly enough, skillfully enough to do the work of both? Now now, of course not. You did. Go straight into the hand.

38:27 She is the hend you stop here, stop? Are you all right? I hope? So whatever gripped my throat, power strength, it was the hand, now I know. Now I believe the other night, you remember latting when I said I'd kill myself if the insurance company denied my claim? The hand bangang on the piano. It was telling me I was wrong to think such things. In Carnegie Hall, just before Climb came on stage, I said, I'd never be able to play again. And handslap my face and then the hand.

39:12 The spirit demonstrate its rule, Raphel Cline with the human body can accomplish. I'm going to do it. I'm going to try to do it, and if it's humanly possible, I will, with God's help, I will. I can't, Loddie, I can't. I can't. Look at my hand. It's swollen with practice, noumb with the effort of trying and failing. I said, I would do the impossible with God's help. But even God has given up. Yes, gets tired too. Sometimes no one there as tired as I am.

39:55 Maybe you are trying too hard? Can you try too hard? I think maybe? Perhaps? Sometimes I learned this in Auschwitz. It is better to stop trying and ask God to help you make the effort. After all, He has to make the effort too, And. What are you doing instead? You lean on him instead? No, no, no, I mean it. We are controlled by the spirit within us. It was only when I stopped thinking and so stop trying leaned on God, and Fulfilly thought could be leaned on me too, So much easier for both to lean instead of making an effort temporarily. You know that to give a little rest.

40:53 Things worked out when I stopped pushing, life stopped pushing back. And maybe who knows, maybe if we didn't understand the hand, not understand it. I don't know. Well anyhow, I have come to ask you a favor and found a big favor. Of course, I cannot coach, really feel any longer. I am too old, and he is beyond me now, but not beyond you, not yet even approaching your skill. Now. I know that you don't want to teach, all right. I don't ask you to take him on permanently, But would you he wants it, I want it. Would you coach him now?

41:42 No? No, I could, But why not a half hour? Year, a half hour? Then when it's convenced. I couldn't, barra Why not? Because he is young and I am not. He is on the way up and I am finished. He has two hands. Yes, well I'll tell him. You will be disappointed. I'm sorry, It's all right. Oh, before I go almost forgot here here's the check for ninety thousand dollars insurance. What happened to the other ten I have to live to.

42:30 No, No, he's here and you not care. So who cares? You don't care? Come in, rafe you're coming. I am telling you enough, Ulessi's there. Please some coffee, Yes, of course, lady. Now Anton, you don't have to coach him. You don't have to teach him, but you can show him. And that is what you're going to do, because I Lotty Sterns say that is what you're going to do. Alright, lady, what is it? He is having troubled with impromptu and he has a concert in Saint Louis in ten days. You can shoot him in an hour? All right, all right, go help her. Let's just make the coffee, all right, Climb, sit down, play?

43:40 No, no, no. Stop it in the name of humanity. Stop it. You call yourself a coffee pianist? Why like that? You've had a few concerts. Of you, So what big deal? Carnegie Hall? Big big deal? You want to know something? You steink the way you're playing that passage, I can say, I'm sorry, maestro. Sorry, I'm not calling me maestro. I told you that I'm tired again with less odor. You're not talking, damn it. And play.

44:25 Listen to me when you listen. Yes, Anton, Yes, and Tom, Yes and Tom, But you don't listen. If you listen, you'd hear, and if you heard, you would do a lot better than you've been doing for the last five hours. I'm tired, they're tired. Have some more coffee. It's cold. We'll get used to it. Have coffee. Backstage is always cold. How are your hands? Uh? Okay? No, no, I'm all right again again from the top. No, no, no, stop it.

45:19 You are terrible. There is no other word for the way you play terrible. I give you a no, no, I give you up. You give me up. You keep talking, talking talking? Do it this way? Do it that way? What do you think I'm made of? What that helly you think I made us? If you know so, damn well, how it. Ought to be done? You do it? I've only got one hand done, yo, use that. Show me with your left hand. If you think you're such a hot shot, Piana, show me, don't tell me. Show me ain't good. I will get off that bench. Get off it, Bans and Wolbers. Show you I'm playing of hands. My left hand playing for both. But it's impossible.

46:19 Play play God play. It was a trick, Bloody, or a trick he deliberately played badly. He could play that passage better than you ever could, and does. He was a smash in Saint. You'll be a smash in the world. He'll surpass me. That is so difficult. It makes you feel better to help me. Anton, and we have been through so much together, so much, and now a new life begins for you. You will be RAPI lines Madame Stern, his coat, his manager.

47:12 No, Laddy, I will be his Anton Wahlberg. There is only one Madame, Marty Stern. True. So I'll coach you how to coach. Here's a lessis. I'm sorry to disturb you to it. Marti. Yes, darling, thank you. You wouldn't maybe have some snaps just a little at approaching. I'm getting old to chill in my veins. Good excuses any Laddy, the piano, there not a sound out of it. Since I agreed the coach rap. Not a sound. We were wrong. The hand it was pointing the way to a new career.

47:55 No, not the hand, not the hand. God God works in mysterious ways. His miracles to perform, says so in the Bible, must be so. But how often in your life? How often in mind have we moved toward one goal only to end up at another. And then who's to say which was the right goal? I think, God, what.

48:35 Do you think? I'll be back shortly? Excuse me, sir, but do you know what happens this time of year? Right on pal I happen to know that right about now, a freak blizzard falls on Dumont, New Jersey, and they're snowed in for the rest of the summers. Everything. Nope, you see what happens this time of year is that you can get a particularly good deal on what is perhaps the most luxurious mid side car on the market, the mid size Buick Century Regal. What good's a car when you're hopelessly it's noted in Well it's a point. Sure, I've heard that phrase give to the college of your choice, good idea. And I knew all colleges need more money, with inflation and all.

49:16 It's just that since I graduated, I have been so busy, not just with my career but with the community affairs too. I haven't found the time to reevaluate take the time now and give more to the college of your choice. Now a public service message of this station. In the advertising. Council, I'm asked, these stories you tell us, are they true? I can only answer what do we mean by true?

49:58 Some actually happened in real life, as we say others. Let me confess our products of my imagination and most important yours. But how real is real life? And how real is imagination? Yours? And my. Difficult question. I try to answer it sometimes. Our cast included Mendel Kramer, Marion Zeldis, Carol Titel, and Russell Horton. The entire production was under the direction of Hyman Brown. Until next time. Pleasant dreams, My dear, you seem positively transfixed enjoying yourself, I hope so.

51:08 Or what's that? Well, I've never found them worth being afraid of, so I suppose I don't recommend you do either. No, No, let's just see what we have here. Something to enjoy, something to fear, something real, something you could put your hands on. Or well, we'll just say the ring of thought. Escape Escape tonight to ancient Egypt.

51:58 Like Columbia. Broadcasting systems of the media stations presents Escape a new series of programs, of which list The sixth is The Ring of Though by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, produced and directed by William and robeson wherever the English language is spoken. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is known for two things, his immortal character Sherlock Holmes, and his unshakable belief in life beyond the grave. So great is the stature of Sherlock Holmes that Conan Doyle's earlier stories are all but forgotten. Stories like The Ring of Thought, which so clearly anticipates the author's later fascination with spiritualism. We invite you now to escape to ancient Egypt and The Ring of Thought, an adventure told in the words of John van Sinnard Smith, British egyptologist.

53:00 I arrived in Paris on the three fourteen express from d'epp and went immediately to my hotel in the Rue de la Fitte. My actions so far had worked out according to my planned schedule. I slept for exactly two hours, got up and dressed, donned a greatcoat, walked down the Avenue de l'a parre, and entered the side door of the louver. Once inside, and amid surroundings entirely familiar to me. I made my way immediately to the Chamber of Egyptian Relics, or more specifically, to the cabinet in that chamber which contained the El Kabre collection of papyri. Drawing out the particular roll I wished, I placed it on a near by table, sat down began to study it when I noticed one of the museum attendants, who was polishing some brass work across the room. His face struck me as being curiously Egyptian. On sudden impulse, I decided to cross the room and speak to him. Approaching closer, I was impressed at once by the appearance of his skin, drawn tautly across temple and cheek. It seemed as glad and the shiniest varnished parchment, And out of narrowed slits there glowed two green and vitreous eyes, misty with a dry shininess, eyes of a kind never seen in a human head.

54:13 Before I beg your pardon, I need one of the papyrye from the Memphis collection. Could you tell me where it is? You'll find it in the last cabinet at the end of the room. Monsieur thank you, Uh your Egyptian, aren't you. No, Monsieur, I I am a Frenchman. But oh, I thought the happy if Monsieur. Will excuse me, now I have other work to do. I went back to the table and took up the papyrus I had been studying before. But my former calmness in translating the intricate hieroglyphics was gone, and out of the depths of my mind will the feeling of terrible familiarity.

55:00 I concentrated more deeply on my studies, pushing aside those thoughts conducive to mental turmoil, and at last, worn out by the inward struggle, I fell asleep. I awoke with a start, not remembering where I was. It was quite dark for a moment, then gradually my eyes focused on the glints of moonlight reflected from the glass tops of specimen tables, from the shiny vanish of the mummy cases, and I realized, with a feeling of sudden dread, that I was alone in the Egyptian room of the Museum of the Louver, locked in for the night. And I saw at that moment, approaching through the moonlit halls, a dim yellow flame nearer and nearer it came, until I could perceive above it, as though floating in the air, the eerie, glistening face of the man I had spoken too earlier. I shrank into the dark shadow of my corners, and he passed without seeing me, stopping before the mummy cases a few yards away. Scarcely daring to breathe, I watched him place the light on a table and begin feverishly to examine the tags on the specimens. In a moment, he gave up a cry of delight, and uh drawing one of the mummies from its resting place, laid it

56:31 on the table in the full glow of the lantern, and set to work. He was unwinding the wrappings from the head of the corpse. A few turns revealed a tumbled cascade of black curls, a few more the snow white brow, then the delicate nostrils, and at last the full, warm, passionate lips, the face of the most beautiful woman the world has ever seen. At some markets, so very law you must forgive me. Beloved, I could hardly believe my eyes. The man was obviously in love with this mummy. After a while, he left the body turning his attention to one of the glass cases filled with an assortment of rings. From a pocket of his garment, he'd taken a small glass bottle containing some kind of liquid, and he used this now to test the rings, rejecting them one after another. Then at last, this is it.

57:30 It's the one. At last, I've found it, the ring of thought. In his excitement, he dropped the bottle, and I gasped in surprise at the sudden sound. Who there, I I, I beg your pardons. Ah, so it is you. No, do not know I I I didn't mean to spy on you. I fell asleep. Who are you, monsieur? I am John Vansittart Smith, a student of Egyptology. No matter, you will observe this knife. Yes, had I discovered you five minutes ago, monsieur, I should have slain you without a word. What as it is now? I have found the ring, But I warn you not to interfere with me in any way.

58:14 I really haven't the slightest intention of it. After all, I'm only here by accident. Perhaps I say you shouldn't have unwrapped that money. You know, it's starting to deteriorate already. My beloved. Yes, before our eyes, the lovely face was crumbling, the hair falling away, the skin shriveling and cracking, the lips fading. The man hovered over the decaying body a moment, murmuring sorrowfully, and then he turned again. No matter, that will not make the least difference in a little while. But what importance is the dead shell, so long as her spirit waits for me at the other side of the veil.

58:56 What are you talking about? What is it your proposing to. Do tonight, monsieur? I have ended a quest and broken at last the ancient curse. Nothing now can prevent my joining her. Are you actually claiming that you you knew her? She was Adma, daughter of the governor of Abaris, and both she and I lived in the reign of Tutmosis three thousand, five hundred years ago. You're obviously mad. Perhaps, but not in the way you think. There may be designness you are coming here. It may be decreed that I should leave some account behind as a warning to other mortals as rash as myself. Very well, then so be it. I am, as you surmised, an Egyptian.

1:00:12 My name was Sassrah, and my father had been the chief priest of Osiris in the Great Temple of Abaris, which stood in those days upon the Bubastic branch of the Nile. I was brought up in the temple and was trained in all those mystic arts and sciences known to the priesthood. Of all the mysteries that I studied, none intrigued me more than the question of life and death.

1:00:56 And even to this question in time I found an answer, Sir. But for a man to live beyond his allotted span of years, Master Sostra, the gods have not so ordained. It, ha, Then perhaps they will have to revise their ordinances now that I have discovered their secret. Tis not well to jest. I tremble, for though I have labored in your service for a year, I knew not the goal of your endeavors. Mer Cyahs, forgive me, ah, what a pity you look upon it this way? For I'd thought that in return for your assistance, I should grant you too the gift of centuries of indestructible life. I would not have it, Master Sastra, and I beg that you too, forego it.

1:01:37 Forego it. I introduced the fluid into my veins one month ago. Oh no, then you are lost, indeed lost? Do you call this being lost? Let's see now my heart should be about here, about knife. No, don't must you've killed yourself, not at all. See it bleeds a little, But in a while the wound will close up, and that's all you. It's it's immortality. No, I shall not live forever, but for five thousand, perhaps six thousand years, I shall be immune from all dangers of violence, poison, disease, starvation.

1:02:24 You you cannot die now with this fluid in my veins. Nothing, nothing in this world can end my life. Rotra doltra. Are you there? Someone crossed? It's Parmes, the priest of thought in here, my friend? Enter, oh greeting sorcerer, master of sciences, and his worthy assistant. If you will excuse me, Masters, I go to make my peace with yourself. What's wrong with your helper, Sorcerer? The thought of a well nigh eternal life has frightened him into gibbering superstition. Then you still believe in the discovery, believe in it. Parme's my friend, Look the heavens, what a scar it pierces? The heart was done only a moment ago with this knife.

1:03:05 M see, I can put it back in the wound. So you you suffered no ill effects, none whatever. And if I if I turned the knife in the wound, that would do you no harm. You may try it. I feel nothing. I walked last week and the snake pits by the river was struck innumerable times. It caused no harm. By the greater Nubis. Will you have it? Then, out of all Egypt, I have chosen only you, my friend, to share the gift. But the choice is yours, not. Dear fool to refuse. Sassrah. I'll have it. And now what must I do?

1:03:46 First? We must open a vein in your wrists like this. Oh, then we dripped the elixir slowly into your blood stream steady. Now I I don't feel any. There is no sensation. It is done so simple, there is nothing more. That's all and now done. It can never be changed. It seems incredible, supernatural. It's no more than a chemical discovery. But with it, while all this about us passes away, you and I parmies will live on for fifty centuries. Think of it, my friend, five thousand years of life, five thousand years only the two of us listen that noise. Some procession must be passing in the street.

1:04:35 I have an idea what it may be. Come on over to the. Window, clear the road, land back, and make weight for. The loveliest pearl of deeps. She's being carried on the shoulders of slaves, parmies. She must be some woman of rank. Her name is Atmar. She's the daughter of the new governor. Her curtains are drawn back. Perhaps we'll have a look at her. Oh, harness, is she not beautiful? She is the most desirable, the only utterly desirable woman I've ever seen in my life. Yes, I saw her yesterday at the temple.

1:05:16 Then you are most fortunate, my friend. You've had twenty four more hours to dream about her than I have had. I must know her, parmies, I must make her love me. I'll send gifts. I'll call on her tomorrow. Oh it has to be then. I couldn't wait any longer than tomorrow. What visitor calls upon the beloved of the universe. He is Susser, priest of the Temple of Osiris. Well bid him approach Er Sastra. Almost beautiful of all Egypt. I cast myself at your feet.

1:05:59 That's a no ambition. But wouldn't it be much better to sit here beside me and watch the fish in the fountain? Much better? You will all withdraw, except you, my girl, play something for us at a distance. Well, Sasser, For so I understand your called. Am I to deem this an official visit by a master of the temple? Oh that, Mama Mila, that is no, it is not official. Oh perhaps then you wish to see my father on personal business of your own.

1:06:42 Oh no, no, I shall pay my respects to him at some other time. Then, could it be I you've come to see? Yes, yes, And since you've said the visit's not official, your reason must be a personal one. Oh it is? Well, what is it? Otmah? I have known women who are famed for their beauty throughout the valley of the Nile, but not one, not all of them, are so lovely as you. How thoughtful of you to come here and tell me Atmah. I've no wish to intrude my desires, my hopes beyond such extent as you may wish to hear. But oh, I'm finding this very difficulty.

1:07:32 Sa Sera. I've been told that you're a master of science, that you've unlocked the secrets of the universe, learned all the mysteries of nature itself. Your informants have been most generous. Yes, I'm inclined to think so, why because you've discovered nothing at all about such a simple thing as a woman's heart. What do you mean? I come from Thebes, and the women of Thebes are warm blooded, passionate, and we know what we want. Otma, I saw you first three days ago. Why do you think I told my bearers to carry me down that street beneath your window?

1:08:23 And so, miracle of all miracles, Atma loved me, worshiping the very ground her feet had trod upon. I lived through those glorious weeks, and with it all our love grew apace. But one thing bore heavily upon my mind, and I came to speak of it more often to my beloved as we sat and talked by the fountain in her garden. Look Sasser, See how the stars shine from the water. Yes, Atmah, more lovely even than their glow in the heavens. Are they very old, the. Stars, very old, beloved, as old as time, and.

1:09:04 They're gone gleaming there long years after you and I are gone and forgotten. Hatma, my dearest. We've talked of this before, and I know what distresses you to think of it. No, Sorser, to night, everything is beautiful. We shall not talk of death. Not of death, but of life. They are only counterparts of one another. Oh if we could only live together, go old together and die in the same instant. But how much better to live and love five thousand years? Will you not do it? Does so long a time seem too great for the love you feel for me, beloved? No, the time would pass in an instant, and the loss then be no easier born than now.

1:09:49 Then why draw back? Will you not take the elexir now to night? I am afraid, Saser, we'll anger. The gods will outlive the gods. They will have their revenge. Whate'er occurred. We'd be together, Yes, I've thought of that. Were it not so, I'd not even consider doing it. Then you'll do it, Otma, you'll do it. I need more time, only a little more to assure myself. How much to night, Sacer, give me to night? Every hour you live without the elixir is another hazard? All right? Then to night, and may isis herself, guard over you until the fluid courses in your veins, and so on.

1:10:38 That accursed night, I went to my chambers and slept. And while I slept, the moon of Isis shone over the delta of the Nile, shone but to light as foul a scene as was ever done on earth. Some hours it passed away. Master sorcer awakened, Master, awaken at once? You know who is it? What a terrible thing has trans. You? You're one of ATMA's slaves. Why do you come here? Oh, muster, muster, what has happened? What's the matter? Speak? It is she the light of the world. Tell me what has happened to her? Must muster Biggins came in the night. She she is dead?

1:11:20 You lie? You lie? Speaks the truth? FARMI is my friend. What foul jokes behind these words of his? It's not a joke. Atma is dead. You slave? Depart from us? Yes, Masters, why you graciously depart? Such a thing cannot be? Oh, of course the two of you planned it together. Sort to frighten me out of my wits. It's very amusing, really, but I was terrified for a moment. Atma no longer lives she was stabbed to death only a short while ago. No, oh, no, no, she can't be dead. She is dead, Sorcerer, and for all eternity, I must.

1:12:01 Go to her. Something. Surely something can be done. I killed her. What is it? What has happened? I killed her? I struck her through the hat with this very knife, you, you parmes. Why because she loved you? Why? And because I loved her, you, my friend, she would not look at. Me, and for that you would lose her to both of us, forever. To both of us. Sorcerer, I think not. By the living of Cyrus. Give me that knife. That's it. Strike again, here's the heart here, Strike again and again, Sorcera.

1:12:42 Wait, what foolishness. I cannot kill you your wrongs, Sorcerer, You have killed me. Those were griefous blows. But the fluid, that cursed elixir of life, it runs in your veins as well as mine. True, but in mine is also the antidote. You lie. There is no antidote. Yes day and night, these many weeks I've worked, Have. I found it? You couldn't have you? Is there more of it? Yes, a very little, But you'll never find it. Where is it?

1:13:22 Tell me where it is. In the Ring Sorcerer, in the Ring of Thought, and you'll. Never find I will, I will, I must go on live. Live your fifty centuries, and every hour of them. Think it was your hand that struck me down with the same knife that took her from you. M think while I go to join her. Oh no, you're not dead, Y're not no, no, no no.

1:14:13 For months, I searched the papers, testoobs, and the chemical flasks in the chambers of the dead Priest of Thought, searched and found nothing. I sifted the sands where he'd walked, questioned his slaves and servants, and learned nothing. Every moment of my life, my terrible and unwonted life, was devoted to an unceasing hunt for the Ring of Thought, and all to no avail. And in time a horde of barbarians overran the city of a Barras, and the sands of the desert buried forever the last of my hopes, And so began the deadly march of the centuries. How can you know how terrible a thing time is, you who have experienced only the narrow course between the cradle and the grave. I've floated down the whole stream of history.

1:15:26 I have traveled in all lands, and I have dwelt with all nations. Every tongue is the same to me. I need not tell you how slowly the centuries drifted by, centuries without end, years without number. And so I came to be one day a few weeks past in San Francisco, where I came across a certain item in a newspaper.

1:16:07 Long recent discoveries in Lower Egypt is an unopened mummy case containing, according to the inscription on the outside, the body of the daughter of the governor of Arbarus in the days of Tutmosis. In the same burial crypt, dropped into a crevice between the stones, was found a large platinum ring of singular design. Both specimens have been sent for examination to the Louver in Paris. So I presume you came here to Paris obtained this position of attendant in the Louver with the idea. Only yesterday, Monsieur Smith. As you may imagine, I had little difficulty in convincing the director of my knowledge of Egyptian relics.

1:16:50 The ring, then, the one I saw you removed from the case is the ring of thought. Without question, you discovered how the ring must be used. The secret is obvious. See the stone is hollow and drops of liquid move within it. Have you considered the possibility that this antidote may not perform the function which has been claimed for it? It will, monsieur, and there'll be no need of a knife to strike me down. My death was due in a time long past, and only this damnable fluid that runs through my veins supports the weight of my years.

1:17:37 I delay no longer. I go to join her where she waits for me in depth. No, don't, oh too late, I've broken the gem. I've taken the antidote. I stood and watched him with a terrible fascination, but without pity and without compassion. He turned away from me and reel toward the mummy he'd left on the table across the room. But even as he turned, the parchment skin of his face cracked and shredded. Discolored lips shriveled away from the yellow teeth, the vitreous eyes withered into nubs of formless plasm, and the full weight of his thirty five hundred years descended on him. In an instant, I left that room of death, and walked over the marble floors toward the exit, my footsteps echoing through the empty halls, even as they had echoed for so long in the corridors of time. And I wondered as I walked, if Sorcerer knew now what I knew, that the antidote in the Ring of Thoth can bring death to the body, but not to the soul. And I wondered in what cloak of flesh his spirit now dwelt, just as I Parme's priest of thought had for the last forty years of my thirty five hundred dwelt in the body of

1:19:10 John vansitat Smith. The doctor. He's so little and solid. Well now he's only two days. Old, but he doesn't look a bit like either his father or me. Give in time, my dear, all babies look pretty much alike. When the first born. I don't know it his eyes or it's silly, of course, but he looks like an Egyptian.

1:20:00 M Produced and directed by William N. Robson the Ring of Thoth by Sir Rothur Conan Doyle was adapted for radio by Less Crutchfield, with Jack Webb as oser, Thomas Free, Ben Smith as Ben saida Smith and Joan Banks as Atma. The special musical score was conceived and conducted by sy viewer. I see your eyes are getting heavy, my dear, Oh, don't be self conscious. It happens at this hour. Honestly, it can't truly be avoided. Just relax. You're in a joy safe friendly plays after all. Enjoy the fire keeping you warm, Enjoy the tea soothing all there is to soothe.

1:21:15 And of course I'll be here with a smile, ready to share an evening with you, even if it's a wet Saturday. The Columbia Network takes pleasure in bringing you Suspense. Suspense, a new series of programs with one strict purpose in view your entertainment. Each week at this time sets aside thirty minutes to excite you, to mystify you, and on occasion, to horrfy you with a catalog of the world's great thrillers, dramas from the stage and screen, from fiction.

1:22:11 And radio dramas that bring you. Suspense. This, the second offering of a new series, is a unique one. Certainly, it is one of the very few pieces of suspense literature that somehow manages to tickle your funny bone while busily engaged in tingling your spine. Make no mistake, though nobody's kidding. CBS presents its adaptation of John Collier's well known short story Wet Saturday.

1:23:01 Yes, it's a wet Saturday. Never saw it rain harder. I am Princey, Frederick Princey, just an ordinary family man. I have a son, a daughter, and a wife. Might be out golfing now if it hadn't been. I plan to drive over to the nurseries this afternoon for the harvest the board, as you. Know, a whole lot of them make me sick. Yes, I'm George, son and heir had a date to go punting puntings. Couldn't find the blasted punting as well, So i'm home too. I'm miliced.

1:23:43 I was going to play croquetes. That's how I happen to help the malty. Yes, that's the Princey family. We find them at home, Missus prency Milicent, George sprawl on a couch, mister Frenzy biting on. A dry pipe. Their living room is dull and overstuffed, rain beats at the windows. They are any middle class family at home on a wet day, except for one small light of them, as you said, with them in the living room, you can see through the door of the sun porch a pair of men's feet encased in black boots. They look like the feet of a curate. There's a tenseness in the room.

1:24:27 The air is charged with excitement, but the feet are very still. Don't keep staring at them. Listen to me, all of you. Don't you see they'd hang ho, that's what they do. They'd hang her. It's too awful, statistrophic, supposedly sweet, gentle, intelligent girl, respected out. By the whole village doing a thing like this. Disgrace. You think I'm going to resign from the bench the deestrit, sell out and live in some buggy hotel abroad. Oh no, no. No, no, I kill myself.

1:25:08 I will. I will be a fool. Anymore than you have been, the governor. Things be quiet. Wouldn't be so bad if it were you. Everybody in the village knows you're not responsible. George, Yes, get up that couch, Sit up on your spine. It might be of a little use here if you could think. Listen, Governor, this isn't my funeral, or shut. Up as long as I can remember, George, you've been a child and a tribulation to me. Oh, I can't stand it. I can't stand it. You got to stand it, my dear, and keep that hysterical note. How your was you here?

1:25:51 We? Uh? We are talking about the weather now, George, Yeah, George. If he fell down the old well, say, striking his head several times? What about it? Eh, I don't know, governor what about it? There'll be an ass I'm asking you to think he'd have had to hit the side several times in thirty or forty feet and and at all the correct angles. No, no, I'm afraid not. I'm afraid not. We'll have to go over it all again.

1:26:31 Listen. Oh no, father, No, no, I couldn't. I couldn't, melicened. We must go over it all again. Oh, Fred, you were torturing her. Oh face facts, mate with him lying there that No, he's pretending it's a picnic. He my tang, you melicened. Oh, stop shaking stop. It here, you must stop it. Just keep your voice quiet me listened, we are talking of the weather. Now. We will proceed. I can't. Start.

1:27:15 Oh, should have thought of those boots? Many I'm not moving them. Sit up, George, stop shuffling your peep and I listened, look at. Me, Answer me truthfully, you're here, Answer me. You were in the crooked cors who knew you were in love with this which you curate. The whole village. They've been stinking about it at the pub for three years past. What will they miss me? Listened? We continue. You were on the croaky car here. You were putting the crooked set into its box.

1:27:57 Yes, it. In the rain. I was carrying the balls and melts into the sun porch. The box is there. You heard someone enter the garden gate and come across the yard there? Could you see who it was? Not? At first? I was going into the sun porch. I threw down all the mariets but the red one and turned around. It was with us. Yes, so you caught loudly? Did you call him loudly? Could anyone have heard? No, Father, I'm sure not. I didn't really call him.

1:28:39 I I just spoke his name. He saw me as I went to the door. He just waved his hand and came over. How can I find out from you whether there was anyone about whether he could have been seen? I'm sure not that I'm I'm quite sure. So you both went into the sunport. Yes, it was raining hard. Then what did he say? He said, hello, Milly, and excuse it coming in the back way. But he set out to walk over to Lisbon. Yes, and he said, passing the park. He now let me thought of me, and he thought he'd just look in for a moment. He he had something to tell me.

1:29:27 Go on, he said, he was so happy he wanted me to share it. He'd heard from the bishoping that they have a vicarage, and it wasn't only bad, it meant he could marry. Then he began to get all confused. Of course, I thought, he meant me. Don't tell me what you thought. Tell me exactly what he said, nothing else. Well, well, stop crying. Luxurally, you can no longer afford tell me what happened?

1:30:07 He said, No, he said it it wasn't me. It's Ella Braggton David, and and he was sorry and all that. Then he went to go, and then I went mad. He turned his back. I had the red mallet of the croquet it in my hand. I forgot to drop it in the box when he came. Id you shout or scream? I mean as you'll hit him. No, I'm sure I didn't. Did he come on? Speak up? No? Father? And then I threw it down.

1:30:49 I came straight in here. I went to look for mother. No, no, I. Would need the child alone, Fred, that's a child later may I had no idea? You quiet, I'm thinking, m M, you'll see George. He probably told people he was going to listen. Certainly no one knows he came here for him. He didn't decide until he crossed the park. He might have been a text in the woods. We must consider every detail. Cure it with his head that I don't. Don't cure it head bettered in.

1:31:36 Now? Who would want to kill with us? Kill with us? Well? I would with pleasure. How you do me? All sit down, pray mus and get up for me? Missus. Princey, you ever mission my word? Just being neighborly on. A bad day, I wanted to ask you about those daily bouves. Princey took a short cut on account of the rain and walked right in you. You wouldn't mind, he. Heard your father, My dear, if we can all have our little jokes, don't pretend to be shocked in this way. Smollet, and then in this chair facing the fireplace, sit down, mother. Were just taking the curtains to the sand patch. Dear, it looks so gloomy there might as well shut the rain.

1:32:22 Just talking about a little theoretical cure of killing Smollet. Young people these days like thrillers, pass on his side, justifiable pass on his side? Have you heard about Ella Bragdon Davis? I shall be most properly laughed at. Why why should you be laughed at? Smollet? Oh? And the shot in that direction myself? Now I've said yes too, haven't you heard? She told most people? Now it'll look as if I got turned down for a white rat. And a dog collar. Oh too bad? Fortune of war, yeah s, fortune of war.

1:33:04 Odd how it happens, isn't it? Said down Smollett. Melsten console, Captain Smollett, with your best light conversation for you too, mother. George and I have something to look at outside as this rain lit is bad, very bad, Come George, right. Old guvernor maybe we'll need raincoats. Ah, I don't think so, did it? Just make yourself at home, Smilett, make yourself. At all a cigarette, Captain Smollett, thank you, Thank you. A nasty day to be going out. It's something about the old will just off the sun ports door. You know, this terrible sudden weather seems to have loosened some of the stones. Not too bad, dash, too bad spoils the tennis and croquet.

1:33:48 I mean a day like this, doesn't it, Milly? Doesn't it? Milly? Oh? Yes it does. She was precasing out on the croquet court earlier. But i'll do for your chair near the fire, captain. It was so damp we thought it would be cozy to. Light to thank you. I'm quite comfortable. I I hope you don't feel too bad about Alla. David can't always win. Can't see though, what you women see in these bloodless clerics. Oh. I always thoughts with this was that he is a very charming man. Quite agree. Why should anyone want to marry him? You wouldn't want to marry. Him, would you? Milly? Not? Now that is that?

1:34:29 Are you? Oh? No, Smillet, Yes, yes, printin good lord man, you you come in off fellow suddenly. Yes I did. Oh, don't mind this old double barrel shut down, been working on it, Smillett. May I have your attention for a minute, there's something on the sun part I'd like to show you why. Yes, yes, of course, Smollett, George and I went out to see if we could shoot some rats which have been driven out of the old well by the high water, afraid they might get into the house. Now you must listen to me very carefully, very carefully, or you will be shot by accident.

1:35:20 Princey, what's got into you? You heard me ask as you came in, who would kill Withers? Also hurt militance? Make a comment and unguarded comment. Well, what of it? Very little unless you were to hear that Withers had met a violent end this very afternoon, and that, my dear Smollet, is what you are going to hear. What Whithers? Yes? Who killed him? Milicened? Good lord? Yes, it's a mess. Yes, And of course you would have remembered and guessed maybe, yes, I yes.

1:36:07 I suppose I should. Therefore you constitute a problem. Why did she kill him? Oh? It's one of those disgusting things. Pitiabul too. She deluded herself that he was in love with her. Could if it's Billy? Oh yes, of course I see. He had told her about the Davis girl. I understand now, I have no wishes. You will comprehend that she should be proved either a lunatic or a murderers. I could hardly go on living here after that, I suppose not. On the other hand, you know about it. Yes, I see that makes me a problem. You're wondering if I could keep my mouth shut, if I promise.

1:36:48 I am wondering if I could believe you. But if I promise it things. Went smoothly, Yes, but not if there was any sort of suspicion, any questioning. You would be afraid of being an excess. I wife, I don't know, I do. What are we going to do? I can't see anything else. You you'll never be fool enough to do me and you. You can't get rid of two corpses. Oh, I regard it is a better risk than the other. It could be an accident, or you and withther could both disappear. There are possibilities in that. Listen you You can't, I can, but there may be a way out. There is Smollett. You gave it to me yourself. I did what you said you would kill with us. You have a motive here. I was joking, of course, you saw that you are always joking. Listen, Smollett, I can't trust you. You must trust me else I will kill you now in the next minute. I mean that you can choose between dying and living.

1:37:59 God. Now, there's the old world just outside the sun porch store. That's where I'm going to put with us. No one outside knows he has come up here this afternoon. No one will ever look there for him unless you tell them. You must give me evidence that you have murdered with us. I murdered him. Why do you want that so that I shall be dead? Sure that you will never open your lips on the subject. I see what's evidence? George hit him in the face. Sure you keep out of this, Captain. You should be more careful. Look what your teeth did than my knuckles again, George, okay.

1:38:43 And keep quiet you women, keep out of this. I'm sorry, Smillett, but there must be traces of a struggle between you and with us. Then it will not be altogether safe for you to go to the police. Can't you take my word? Man? I will when we are finished. George, get the crooking marriage. Take your handkerchief to it in there on the sun port floor. Yeah, yeah, I got it, Governor. There, Captain, there's the weapon, as I told you, smollet. Now you'll just grasp the end that mashed witherus head.

1:39:23 I shall shoot you if you don't. Good Lord, you call it. All right there, let's see how deposited it out by the side of the house, out of the rain, of course. No wait, George, Eh, first you better pull a few hairs out of his head and put them under the nails of with us right there. Prince, if you got mad, do you know what you're doing with this gun? Yes, go ahead, George. Sorry, then mess your hair up. Captain, shut up a smollet. Eh, that's all we need now for weathers. We'll fix it right up. Be right with your governor, smell it. You may turn around with us. Is just there in the sun, potch, draw back the curtain.

1:40:17 Good lord. Pretty Yes, messy, but we will get him fixed up. Now you small it. You've just got to. Drag him through the door and dump him in the old ware just beyond the door. Captain, I won't touch it. I won't try all right, stand aside out of range, George, right, Only one place I want this bullet to go. God keep questing my AIM's done to wait a minute, Yeah, I better small it much better. Go on now in here you'll have to take him outside. By the shoulders. Ought to do it, Captain, Keep quiet, George, go on, Smillet, go on. You've seen dead man before. Drag him, drag him.

1:41:08 I'll just hold the gun here to make. Sure that everything goes all. Oh, what come away from the didn't wind? Don't the captains? Your father is a very resourceful man. Listen. I'm sure what he's doing is right. The captain, I can't, I can't stand it. Mustn't question your dear. Father, I say, you too, still at it. There's enough of trouble around here without blubbering. I'm not lovely enjoyement. So you see small everything.

1:41:49 They've never looking our wet. You see how safe it is? I guess it is. Oh good, heavens man, you're grouping wet? Why why didn't you slip raincoat on? See ready, my. Dear, In just a minute here I'll ring for Bridget exactly what you need, Smollett. Top of tea best thing in the world to warn off a call. Sut, you don't mind getting the chair wet cigarette So yourself. I stick to my biken. See everything hot mane Bridget. Yes, put the train in front of me here on the table. That's it, I say, captain, you've gone and catch your lift.

1:42:31 I just knocked it too, how dreadful clear Bridget. Yes, give the captain this cap. No, no, thank you. I I rather. Think I've running along now. I shoul don't mind my. Captain Smollett without any tea, if. You don't mind missus prince, if if I could just have my raincoat or I'll get it. For your captain. This is a very distressing Smollett. Very I'll be all right presently. Sure here we are, let me help you. You you there, I better go out the front way, Smollett, walk is dry. Let me hold the door for you. Captain. Don't worry your fellow. Don't worry. It all.

1:43:16 Nothing serious. I imagine we'll rest and he'll be as right as rain. By the way, medicine, you're not looking in it too well. No, well at all. I'm sure it was that crooky court being outdoors and whether life. This is simply foolhardy. The maid is right, Millie, you saw what happened to Captain Smallow come a home, dear. I shall give you a hot foot bath and put you to bed, and a couple of days in bed. You'll be time, get plenty of rest, milicine, and don't worry about a thing. That's the best job. Well, I guess i'll have a little rest too, Governor. It's a fine afternoon for a nap. Indeed it is. Son, Well, enjoy yourself. I'll see you later.

1:44:01 I'll see you all later. M m mmmmmm. Would you get me the police station. Please, police station right away, sir, m. M m mmmm please head quarter of sergeant yet he speaking. Hello, sergeant, This is princeyve abbat roll right. I believe you know me, mister Prince Sergeant. A horrible thing has just happened, quite extraordinary murdering, in fact murder. I am afraid it looks rather bad for welfare for a close friend of ours. Unfortunately we saw him do it. I think you'd better send someone over right away.

1:44:58 A man should be there now. Mister Princey. I beg your pardon. I say our men should be there now. Constable Martin has his post right below your house there just rang in, seems Captain Smollett was with him, Captain Smollett. He reported some rather queer goings on at you please, but I certainly didn't understand it was murder. I just don't touch anything, mister Princey, and don't worry, don't worry at all. No, no, no no, I won't shut that. Thank you. Gonna don't know what I'm.

1:45:41 Stop shouting. We we have some visitors. Go yeah, yes, yes, I can see that well, Constable. Good afternoon, Good afternoon, mister Princey and Smollett. I say, what, what a remarkable fellow you are coming back like this here to all re enact the crime, only the one against me, Princey, the one against the Curate. I'll leave to you people. Extrawdinary's sense of humor. Mister prince her just had to look at what's in your well. Not a priticide cat, not pretty at all. Yes, Captain Smollett was thorough, if nothing else. You saw him when he did it, sir, out in the back. Oh quite, We were just returning from a walk. Smollett evidently had been laying for the Curate, hiding out in those bushes by the road. I imagine it was never inside this house ever, until you say Captain.

1:46:31 I say that, while I was inside this house a guest of the family, I was coerced into dragging the curate's body outside and dumping it. In the well. Well there, we are not entirely, Constable. I'll just remove my raincoat there and demonstrate how damp I got my clothes when I went outside without it. No, that's interesting, isn't. It quite He undoubtedly removed his coat at some point between here and your post. I might as well tell you that his weapon, a red crooked mallet, is out by the side of the house. I shouldn't be at all surprised, but you'll find his fingerprints all over it, all over the end of the merit, Constable, the end that mashed withers his head, and not the end I'd have had the grasp in order to do the mashing.

1:47:17 Governor. That's a decent ry smollet, but it won't work. There must be other evidence, is Constable will undoubtedly find them when you examine the body. He means my hair under withers his nails. Well, so if you look carefully, I believe you'll find a few of my precious hairs under his son's nails too. Here what are you shut up? Answerable? This is an utter waste of time. So far as the violence struggled between Smollett and with us, it's concerned. Smollett's face speaks for itself quite eloquently, I believe, but no more eloquently than your son's knuckles, as you see, confortable of fresh abrasion. He did that on my teeth? Or did he? What I say? Or did he he might have done that? Or on with his teeth? Oh, I see, I see what you mean.

1:48:07 But but I didn't. Governor, he said, I have keep still your knit to it. Let me think, Let me think. As a matter of fact, George, the more I think of it, the more I'm convinced it was your voice. I heard quite a vigorous quarrel, something about the curate jilting your sister, or don't there ridiculous smillet? Very well, Princey, If your son didn't do it. Who did? That's what I'd like to know. How about it, mister Princey? Well back, That is a sticker, all right? George, my boy, it looks like you're elected elected. What do you mean I didn't do it? Your mouth shut? Will you? I want I'm not going to take the plane for her.

1:48:48 Millie did it. She did do with that mallet. I saw you could prove that. Prove it, Yes, her fingerprints on the mallet. The handles. Why, George, don't you remember when you made me touch the marriage and you picked it up with your handkerchief. No, George, I'm sure you wipe that handle clean. Oh well, I could hardly expect you to remember that if you can't even remember killing the curate Gonor, I told you to keep still good, Governor. You're not going to turn me over you as long. As I can remember, George, you've been a trial and a tribulation to me. Governor. You shouldn't have done it. Son, You really shouldn't know. George. That was definitely wrong, say Princey. I think I'll have that cup of tea after all.

1:49:33 Nothing like it's in weather like this. Wet Saturday. From the short story by John Collier. You have just heard the second in Columbia's News Series, a series designed to bring you the best in thrill entertainment, outstanding dramas from the field of fiction and radio, stage and screen. Dramas of pure. Suspense. This Columbia feature is produced and directed by Charles Vander, with scripts by Harold Medford and score by Bernard Hermann.

1:50:20 Be with us again next week at the same time when we present Suspense. This is the Columbia Broadcasting System. My dear, how about just one more, one more for the road, so to speak. I know how late it is, I know how weary you can become, how you'll begin to feel it in your bones, in your skin, in your hair. But it is a fleeting feeling to be tired. However, fear suspense, well that is forever. And everything else, well that's in the accounting.

1:51:25 Wait a minute, have you heard the strange tales of the Whistler. I'm the whistler. I didn't steal the money. I just want to use it for a few days. I was going to put it back. Things went wrong. That is going to be a change of ownership. That means early audit. Sunday night and again CBS presents the Whistler.

1:52:13 I the Whistler, know many things, for I walk by night. I know many strange tales, many secrets hidden in the hearts of men and women who have stepped into the shadows. And so I tell you tonight the tale of the accounting. Tom Bradford is a middle aged rancher living a few miles out of town. Tom has married a widow with a grown son named Ralph, who is inclined to be shiftless and lazy. Tom resents this because times are difficult and he's short of help. He further resents the fact that the boy has married a girl from the town and brought her. To live with him.

1:52:53 They've been here. For two months now and Tom has grown crabby and unpleasant. You know the way conditions. Mary just can't get any help in this Ranch's too much for me to handle alone. I know Tom, but Ralph doesn't know anything about her ranch. Ralph was raised in this city. He can learn, but he's too lazy. On he does is sit around and read magazines. But he's a delicate sort of boy. He always has. Well. Let him go out and do a little work and he won't be so delicate. You made a baby out of him. I've done no such thing. If Ralph were able to help you, I'd be the first one to ask him to do it. Amount of twenty thing you wouldn't have to be asked. I wish the army would take him here. They deferred him because he wasn't strong enough. Well, he's not too weak to do a little something around here. That wife of his, that Vera, she's worse than he is. She could do something. All she does is dress herself up on baby Ralph. She loves, never washes a dish because it might throw in her hands.

1:53:41 She can't cook, she can't do a thing. I don't like her. I think Vera's a nice girl. All I can do without her her being here? You mean you don't want her here? That's exactly what I mean. But if she left, that would mean that why Ralph wouldn't stay here without Vera? Then they can both go. Do you know what you're saying? Ralph is my son. I don't care who he is. He can get out and shift for himself and take that steaming a little bread of a wife with him. Oh you're just upset, Tom. You feel different about things in a few days. You must try to control yourselves. Mary. Before they came here, you and I got along very nicely. Since they've come, you've had nothing but arguments and hard feelings. Ralph and Vera are constantly staring up trouble. Naturally, you take Ralph's side you can't see his faults because you're his mother, But at the same time you're his worst enemy.

1:54:26 Tom, How can you say such a thing? I don't know what I'm talking about, and I've made up my mind. They've got to go go where? What will they do? Ralph figured it out? Let him get a job, job? What can he do? A lot of things? Is not that helpless? But Tom, please, you don't understand. I understand, all right, and that's final. He and Vera can get out. In the morning. Very well. I'll tell them, and perhaps I should go too. Is that what you want? Oh, now, don't be ridiculous, Mary, I didn't say that. I thought you loved me. I never dreamed you could be like. This, not being mean, Mary, and I don't want to talk about it anymore. You're going to tell him? Shall I? Yes, Tom, I'll tell them very well. I'm very tired, but I'm Mary.

1:55:20 Yes, Ralph Darling, it's mother. May I come in? Sorry to disturb you so late, but I have to talk to. You and Vera. What's the matter? Well, I it's about Tom. What about him? Well? I I don't know how to say it. Say what what's wrong with her? I? Don't know. He just isn't himself. You know how terribly upset he's been lately. But he doesn't understand rap. He just doesn't understand, understand why. He doesn't understand you. You and Vera, what's wrong with me? Nothing, Vera, it's just Tom. He's in one of those spells. He doesn't like anything or anybody.

1:56:02 You mean, he Sarah, Yes, Ralph, he's terribly upset. Well, he thinks you're lazy. He's angry because you won't help him around the ranch. Oh, that's silly. What do I know about a ranch? Nothing? I told him that, but he said you could learn. I wouldn't last half a day doing this kind of work. I'm not the time. He's terribly unreasonable. He refuses to see it that way. Well, not a heck with him? Then I'm lazy too, Is that what he thinks? Yes, Vera, I'm terribly sorry and embarrassed. We aren't farmers. I'm not gonna let Vera tend those compound of chickens, and I'm not gonna milk any cows. Yes, what do you think I am? Please? Ralph, don't get excited. Well, if he feels that way about me, i'll get out. What you'll do? No such thing. We'll stay right here, like get ready. To leave, Ralph, Darling, Tom wants you to leave in the morning.

1:56:47 Well, of all the nerves, this is your house. Tour is not yes, But Ralph, if you stay here, you'll have to work, and I don't want you to have to do that. You couldn't stand it. It wouldn't be good for you. You mean you want us to leave. No, I don't want you to. But I've thought it all over, and I think you'd better go into town. But don't worry. I'll see that you get along all right. How wow, I'll have to get a job. Well, maybe you can find something to do, something light, What a fine man. I'm sorry, darling, but you better go in the morning. Go. I wouldn't stay around here another day. Well, I know bookkeeping. Maybe I could get a job in the bank. I didn't. It's hard work.

1:57:28 No, But don't worry, Darley, I won't. Good night. The next morning, after breakfast, Ralph and Vera leave the ranch and go into town. A few days later, Ralph obtains a job in the bank. Then, after a month or so, he is promoted from the adding machine to the teller's cage. Now two months more have passed, and the young teller in the next cage steps into Ralph's compartment. It's busy round huh. Oh. I don't know her, but I've just found things going alright her. Yeah, seemed to be having some trouble round trouble.

1:58:12 What are you mean? Oh, I don't know. You looked a little worried. I thought maybe you were having a. Bit of difficulty making things balance. What do you mean now by not having any trouble? What gave you that idea? Well, I've been off a few cents a couple of times, and believe me, I know what it means. Why I've worked all night several times trying to find what happened to you two cents? I know how it feels. Yeah, did you find it? Well, I didn't find the two cents, but I found the error in my fingers. Well, I haven't found the error in my figures, haven't you. Well, that's that's good. What would be wrong with my books? Why? I didn't say anything would be wrong? I Well, I just thought you looked a bit worried. Well, maybe I could help you.

1:58:57 I don't need any help I'm quite able to take care of my responsibilities. Good glad to hear it. By the way, have you heard the news? What news? This bank is being taken over by a system and it is to become one of its branches. You know what that means? No, what's in me? It means a complete audit before the end of this month. That isn't very far away, about fifteen days. Yeah, I just thought you would want everything in order. I know I would. Yeah, well, thanks for the information. You're welcome, ralphs.

1:59:39 For a few. Moments, Rouse stands in a stupor. Perspiration stands out in large fees on his forehead. For the next hour, he studies over his books frantically. Then, when closing time comes, he rushes home. Hello, darling, Oh, you have no idea how much I've missed you all day? Kiss me? Yeah, what's the. Matter with you? Nothing? Well, I'm certainly disappointed. What about you. Come in like this with a long face and look at the lovely dinner. I fixed for you. I'm not very hungry vera. I got a headache. Oh, poor darling, You eat something and then I'll rub your head. Well, I don't want anything. Let me alone.

2:00:20 Please, What on earth is wrong with you? Nothing's wrong with me. How dare you talk to me like that? Who do you think you are? I'm sorry, darling, I'm just upset. I'm all on edge. What about just my nerves? It's more than nerves. Why don't you tell me what's happened? Who said anything that happened? I can tell. Have you lost your job? No? Is that telling you lost fifty dollars? To do in that poker Game's rightning you? Is that it? Look you, I'm in a spot. I don't know what to do, but the bank is changing hands and I'll be ANUTI before. The end of the month. Well, what of it? What's that to do with the poker player? Oh? Nothing? I paid him off. But it wasn't fifty dollars.

2:01:03 It wasn't fifty What was it two thousand dollars? Two thousand dollars. I didn't lose it all at once, but I tried to make back what I'd lost. I only gotten deeper. Then, if you lost two thousand dollars, how did you pay him more? I borrowed it from the bank. How could you borrow two thousand dollars from the bank. I took it. What, Yes, but I was sure I could put it back before the end of the month. No, I'm worried. I don't know what to do it. If I don't put it back before the audit, I'll get caught and sent the prison. Where are we going to get two thousand dollars? I don't know, but there must be some way, someplace. To get it. How about your mother, she'd give it to you. Tom has money.

2:01:45 He doesn't like us. No, well, maybe we could make him like it, at least we could try. Let's drive over there. This is Saturday afternoon, and next Monday is a legal holiday. Let's drive over and see what we can do. All right, the least we can do is try. We'll go. Ralph and Via drive to the ranch, and as they go up to the porch, they hear Tom arguing in a loud voice with another man just around the corner of the house. They slipped to the edge of the porch and listen. All right, all right, I tell you what I'm gonna do.

2:02:28 I've given you all the time a candler that this labor for two years now, and you have to pay a dollar me on the down paper. I've tied my best to make it pay. I've worked hard, you have done a thing. You know what you are. You're just one of those lazy, subsistant farmers. Just grown up? Eat manna. Go there. That's a live wreck. Oh is it? Ron'd foreclosing tomorrow? There's a lot of money cut up in Atlanta. Nine needs I Every cent I have is there. I want you out of there by tomorrow. But look here, my wife is sick. I can't need no, I won't. Yeah, or you better be at my noon, Miller, or you'll get five. I guess it's soon. What do you do?

2:03:09 Get up? Ye, I'll go. You just remember what I say? Wow, what do you think of that? Come on, let's go on in and talk to your mother. Tom's gonna have a stroke one of these days. Even warn about those fits of temper. Might be a good thing for everybody if something did happen to him. Yeah, maybe so. Oh hello, Ralph Darling. I didn't expect you down today. He has an extra day off, so we thought we'd come down. Do you hear Tom arguing? And that's Phillo Miller? Just now, Yes, I heard them. Tom better not play around with me. He's a tough looking customer.

2:03:50 Tom gets worse every day, the ransom raised at the least little thing hasn't spoken to me civilly for weeks. I can't stand it here any longer. I'm glad you came because I'm going back. With you, going back leaving Tom. I've got to He's unbearable. But mother, you can't leave him. That is not just now? Why not? Well, you've got to put up with him for a while longer, because. Why don't you tell Ralph? Well, what is it? What's happened? Rather than trouble? He needs some money, darling, what's happened? Tell mother? Well, I borrowed some money from the bank. I have to pay it back before the end of the month. How much two thousand dollars? What good? Heavens well, if you can't pay it back now, they'll have to extend it.

2:04:33 They can't do anything else. Oh yes, they can now send him to jail. You see, they didn't know I'm borrowed it, Ralph, darling, you mean you stolen No, I didn't steal it. I was just wandered for a few days. I was going to pay it back. Things went wrong, and now there's going to be a change of ownership. That means an audit. He's got to have the money right away. But what can I do? I haven't anything, Tom, You've got your Tom needs every cent he has to hold onto this place. Well you can ask him. You've got to do something. Do you want Ralph to go to the penitentiary? Good heavens? No, And hurry up and. Talk to me. Hi, What'll I say? Oh? You'll think of something. Go on in and talk to me. But do you think this is the time I'm desperate.

2:05:13 I need that money in one way or another. I'm going to get you. Oh yes, yes, darling. Don't get excited. It isn't good for you. I'll talk to him now. He just came in the back way. We'll wait in here. Here's all right, Oh Tom, look at your face. It's flaming red. You shouldn't let yourself get so worked up over things. Melissa lazy good for nothing? For well, he knows I mean business. He'd better be gone by tomorrow. No, she'll go. Don't worry. You can threaten to kill me, please, Tom, forget about it. Come on, dear, sit down, your lunch is ready. Don't really need that land, just that I can't tolerate shiftless, irresponsible people and places worth five thousand dollars. Miller paid seven hundred and fifty down but on a two years and hasn't made a dame since.

2:06:01 Tom, dear, I I need some money. Eh, well, that's not unusual. Hav me to check book. By the way, I've got a list of things you can get from. Me in town. How much do you want, Mary, I want to borrow some money. Tom, this wonder you have to borrow money? Well, I want to borrow it. That's ridiculous to borrow it. How much do you want? Two thousand dollars? Are you crazy? No, Tom, I need two thousand dollars. You possibly need it would cost that much. You certainly have everything that Wait a minute, what are you getting it? Married? Please? Tom, please lend it to me. I'll pay it back, I promise. How just how would you pay it back? You have no earning capacity?

2:06:43 Well, I know, but Ralph has he I thought it was something like that once he got up asleep. He needs two thousand right away? Oh he does? Well? What for what she done? Why? Nothing? But he has an opportunity to Well, it's a business proposition. Do you expect me to believe that. What's he done something at the bank? She's well quit darling. Did he borrow from the bank and forget to tell them about it? Yes? Oh, Tom, please please let me have it. They might send him to jail. Say, oh no, not Ralph. He couldn't stand Please Tom. Please, he's so young, he didn't realize what he was doing. Let him go to jail. Maybe they'll teach him that the world wasn't made for him alone.

2:07:24 You. Oh, I know he was no good on the first day he came here, and that snip of Averia is worse. She probably put him up. Please help us, Tom, Please, I wouldn't give a damn to help him. He belongs in jail as far as I'm concerned, that just where You're. Good to Please to listen to me. Oh, Ralph, he refused, He won't help. I heard him, the stingial crab. Oh he doesn't like me. Eh, he should know what I think about him. I'd stick a knife between his ribs and well. Yeah, really could Yes, what do you saying?

2:08:05 What are you thinking? Nothing? Mother, nothing, I'm just thinking Tom has been very good healthy. You gotta be careful about those rages. He's likely to die in one of those spells. Yes, that would be too bad. Has Tom any living relatives? No? I hope for your sake, mother, that he he's kept up in that insurance policy that he has. That's you now? How much was that fifty thousand, wasn't he? Yes, that's a lot of money. Oh, but we mustn't talk like this. Mother would feel terrible if if Tom should. After all, he's her husband. She loves him.

2:08:46 Yes, yes, of course, you'll have to face it sooner or later. He's getting along years. On the other hand, he may live a long time yet, who knows. Yeah, yeah, I'd be afraid of that Miller after the threads we heard of me, Ralph Darling. I, yes, Mother, what are you going to say? Nothing? I wasn't going to say anything. Come on, Dora, let's get our things out of the car. Tom goes into town and arranges for the eviction papers to be served on Miller. He returns late that evening and goes straight to bed. The night passes and morning comes. Tom, being an outdoor man, is usually up before sunrise, but this morning, only Mary, Ralph, and Vera appear for breakfast. Finally, Mary, becoming worried, goes to Tom's room and knocks, does not answer.

2:09:48 She opens the door and screams in horror. They're on the bed lies Tom stabbed in the heart. Well, he's been dead since about mid bedroom window was open, but we can't find the weapon. Boy, he probably took it with him. Sheriff, Oh, that fellow Miller, he must have done it. How do you know that? Well, let me say yesterday after noon and he and Tom had a terrific argument. Tom was evicting him, and Miller threatened to kill. Tom anybody else hear him say that? Yes, I heard him, so did I? Yeah, that it looks like Miller's our man. We'll get over there right away before he has a chance to skip. Come on, bill, oh roo, No, no, you better go to your room.

2:10:36 And try to rest. Yes, certainly, hope they catch Miller. Do you think they can pin it on him without any evidence? Certainly you heard what the sheriff said, Miller's threats all in need. Do you think Miller did it? Don't you? Why? Of course I do? What a silly question. When the sheriff arrives, he finds that Miller has gone. They put out a search for him. Now Ralph is back at the bank in the cage next to a third.

2:11:19 Well, Ralph, they haven't found that fellow Miller yet. No, Well I'll find it. Do you really think it was Miller who killed your stepfather? Of course I do. He threatened to kill him. Three of us heard him. Well, sometimes people say things that they never mean. To carry out. Well, you should have heard him he murdered. Maybe he did, but that doesn't mean he did it. What are you talking about, Oh, I was just thinking. Yeah, circumstantial evidence is an awful thing sometimes. What do you mean, Well, so many people have been convicted on a mere word, a mere nothing. People hear a person. Say something, and by the time they repeated and court the enlarged a dozen times. I remember a fellow who worked here, in fact, in your cage.

2:12:06 What about Well, he used. To play poker quite a bit, and one night he made a haul one four or five hundred dollars, went flashing his. Roll around town and boasting, and so what was wrong with that? Well, he went into the drug store and started showing off, and when the old druggist asked him where he got all of that money, he kiddingly remarked that he had robbed the bank. Well, I'd got around and finally took on a serious tone. They checked up here at the bank, and sure enough there was a five hundred dollars shortage, and even though his powell swore that he'd won it in the game, they convicted him on his statement and set him up. Or maybe he did steal it. He had the opportunity I have and you have. Yeah, Well, is he still on the pance? No, he was lucky. He got out after five years. Huh how'd he get off? He was exonerated.

2:13:00 Another teller confessed to it later, and he sent him up. Let the other kid out. It was lucky. Five years. Yep, it's a long time. It'd be a shame if Miller were convicted in the same way and then they later found out that he was innocent, wouldn't it ever? Oh he did. He had the motive, the opportunity, he said. He'd do it. Well, he may not have been the only one with the motive. Sapter three. I'm going to run along see you in the morning. Herb so long. Ralph grabs his hat, his face tense with anxiety as he hurries down the street to his car. He drives quickly to the ranch and enters the house, standing in the middle of the room as the sheriff.

2:13:51 Hello, Ralph, you're just in time, in time. How long have you been here? Just drove up a second before you din Oh. What do you want? Did you find Miller? Yeah, not yet, but they will. Well he suddenly got a case against them. All right, he won't have a chance. I wanted to ask you and your mother and your wife a few more questions. Well, all right, but he won't know. We got a message him someone in town saying that Miller was seen at the gas station about seven o'clock on the night Tom Bradford was killed. Wow, so what maybe was They checked with the attendant. He said Miller had his car packed Haddy's family and headed out of town in the opposite direction.

2:14:32 Well, maybe he circled around and that came back. No, no, no, he couldn't have done that. Why not because he wouldn't have had time. He was seen in the next town an hour later, still headed east. He wouldn't have had time to get that far if he'd circle back here, see what I mean? Yeah, yeah, I see, But he must have come back, not unless he flew, and that isn't probable. But there must be some explanations. He must have gotten here some way. Maybe he killed him earlier. Maybe that's that's right. No, no, no, we can figure the time of death closer than that. It was near midnight, that's definite. I see, Well, who told you about this? Who sent you this message?

2:15:13 We we don't know. It was printed with a pencil and mailed in town. Yeah, but all it said, well, no, no, there was more to it. Huh what else? Oh, there's always cranks budding into cases like this, amateur detectors. They're always getting hunches, and yeah, they're seldom ever. Right now, I'll tell you what I'll tell you. Calm down, yes, Ralph, take it easy, you darling. Don't be so upset. It isn't good for you. Well, it said that the real murderer would probably be found in the immediate household of Tom Bradford, and since we haven't found the weapon, we might check over the house. The biggest bunch of nonsense I ever heard of. My mother loved Tom Bradford, sol did I sold. He was like a father to it.

2:15:57 Please, Ralph, don't show up my partner has. Been looking over the place while we've been talking. I imagine that he'll find just a minute. Hate the body right now, but hey, are sure take a look at this? Oh nfe mm hm, currently covered with blood. That's right. I found it in missus Bradford's room, right under the mattress. What how did you get there? Yes, yes, Missus Bradford. How did it get there? I put it there afterward? Mother, what are you saying? You're out of your mind? Did you kill your husband?

2:16:37 Yes? Yes, I killed it. Oh she did not, she could. I killed him, and I had a good reason. I hated him. He was cruel, cruel to me, and he hated Ralph. I couldn't stand it any longer. So I killed him. She didn't do at all. We don't know her didn't do it. You can't do this, mother, I know what you're trying to do. What she's doing. She's trying to protect me. She thinks I did and think you did it. Mother, Do you realize what this means? Tell him the truth, fella, I did it. I killed him. The knife is from my own kitchen. I did it, and I'm glad. It's crazy. She couldn't have been because I killed him. She's trying to protect me, Ralph, What are you saying? I did it? I tell you I ought to know. I had a better motive than she. What motive? I'll tell you that later. I don't believe you killed him, Ralph. You're trying to protect your mother now because you know she did it.

2:17:19 I did it. I tell you I did it. Yeah, that's enough for me. I believe her. But we'll soon find out. We'll check the fingerprints on the knife. That won't prove it. Why not, because I used the glove. Mother must have taken the knife from the body and hitman, thinking that I flipped off. That's just so much talk, and you're just shooting in the dark. Come on, Bille, let's go back to town and do some checking. The only fingerprints on the knife were Mary's, and try as he might, Ralph could not convince them that he wasn't trying to shield his mother. Ralph realized finally that his mother. Was sure to be convicted, and the day of the odd It grew closer, he became frantic about the money he had to have, and the day his mother was sentenced to prison, he visited the attorney.

2:18:10 I thought i'd drop in and say about that policy. Tom Bradford left from my mother quite a few things to me take care of. You know, well, I'll tell you Aunt, that policy would have been paid long ago. But there are certain technicalities in the state regarding insurance. What's that we had to wait till the finish of the trial. But why she's the beneficiary, She's entitled as insurance. Not here. If the beneficiary is convicted of killing the insured, the beneficiary cannot receive the proceeds of the policy. The same is true as to Tom's farms and other property. What about me? I'm the son, There are no other heirs. You were not the blood kid to Tom Bradford, and you were not legally adopted. Therefore all the property and the insurance reverts to Tom's estate. Nothing we can do about it.

2:19:00 Well, Ralph, there you are holding the bag. Now you've got to face the music at the bank. With all your scheming, nothing was gain. You planned to kill Tom and blame it on Miller. Instead draped your mother upset, and she killed him because she wanted to keep you from doing it. That's what you believe, Ralph. But you're wrong. I know your mother didn't do it. She found the body and removed the knife, thinking you'd slipped up. It was your dear little wife, Vera who did it, and she'll never tell but she'll pay for it later, I know.

2:20:05 CBS has presented The Whistler. Original music for this production was composed and conducted by Wilbur Hatch. The Whistler has written and directed by Jay Donald Wilson and originates from Columbia Square in Hollywood. I the Whistler were returned to tell you another interesting tale. Good night. This is the Columbia Broadcasting System.

2:20:49 Well, my dear, you've made it through another night. Not that there was anything to worry about, not really. But now it's getting late, and soon it will be early, so I suppose we should part ways, but I'll be here ready to share with you yet again, same time, same place, So please please do join me. I so enjoy our time together. But now as you make your way home, as you enter your soft, sensual bedroom, do one last favor for me. As you blink your eyes slowly on your way to the land of nod, take one moment and be thankful for what you have.

2:21:46 I'll be seeing you again. The wrong bring Doun, bring your rombling, you mumbling tim to break