Unknown Broadcast | Cursed Rings, Vanishing Brides, Greed: Four Vintage Radio Horror Stories from the Dark

0:09 Ah, my dear, so glad to see you here. Yet again, nothing has quite scared you off as of yet. But of course it is early, not in the sense of the day, but perhaps in the sense of well, you'll find out soon enough. Please get comfortable. I have your chair right up by the fire, because even as the days grow warmer, the night always seems to grow colder and darker. Oh, what's that. Well, I'm not sure I would say you should worry, at least not yet. In fact, I would say it's all just a ring of roses.

1:24 Come in. Welcome, I am E. G. Marshall. Welcome to the sound of suspense, to the fear you can hear. Our tale is a blood freezing story inspired by a nursery rhyme, A sweet simple song. Ring a ring of rose is a pocket full of poses. At you, at you, we all fall down. It sounds young and innocent, doesn't it. But it is very old and very sinis for the ring a ring of roses with the splotches that first appeared on the faces of those afflicted during the Black Plague.

2:09 The pocket full of poses were the herbs that were carried hopefully to ward off the fatal disease. The sneezing sounds hachu hachu, were the sounds of the final spasms, and we all fall down was well, you can guess. Our mystery drama, A Ring of Roses, was written especially for the radio mystery theater by S. J. Wilson and stars Glynnis O'Connor. I'll be back shortly with that one.

3:01 Science has brought most plagues under control, but not so those other epidemics of the past, those that plague us with their unseen, unknown and unexpected terrors. And such is the tale of terror you're about to hear. Draw close to the guttering candle, for you will receive no warmth from her Ring of Roses. You know, George, I've heard about this place so often from Helena. I'm just dying to see her home. And I'm anxious to meet your friend Helena. Oh, I'm sure you like her.

3:42 What will she like me taking her best friend away from her? Come on, George, you know you're irresistible. Ca Why do you think I'm going to marry you? Well, for one thing, my beautiful, exquisite, enormous pots of money. Oh George, wait, looks. Lay, I'll get your hands off the wheel. What do you think you're trying to do? But we've passed it. It's a sign to the house. Back there, Laurie, Laurie, I never want you to do that again. I'm not gonna let missing a sign risk you are getting hurt. You understand, I'm sorry.

4:23 Shouldn't have grabbed the wheel that way? All right, forget it, but please never again ever. And that is supposed to be the sign. Helena warned that we might miss it. Why would anyone use a rose colored stone in a brass oval with no name or any identification on it for a house sign. Well, their name is Rawston, and Helena said the generations. Back when their family first moved to America, it was rose stone, so they put up a rose stone. Well, if they want people to get that meaning from it, they either enjoy guessing games, or more likely just want to keep themselves very very private.

5:08 Yes, guess what, as you said, they are very private. Well, I got that impression before we got here, and I also have the feeling that they're not very friendly either. Oh, how can you say that? When Helena's mother especially invited us over because she personally wanted to give us our engagement gift. Yes, and that's pretty peculiar too. Oh how many parties, I mean showers? Did your girlfriends give you four? Right? No? Three? Last one was at dinner, all right. And Helena was invited to everyone. But I know, George, she didn't turn up for any of them.

5:50 You know, Laurie, I've never seen you so wound up. What's spinning around on that pretty head of yours. No, but. I am on edge what. I guess about meeting Helena's mother. You see, she's so strange. She seems so powerful and so terribly uncompromising. I was trying to change things for Helena, and then I let her down by becoming engaged to you. But I don't tell me you weren't gonna marry for for Helen's sake. Well, at least not until she married first. We were going to share an apartment together in the city.

6:37 You know what I'm gonna do, Laurie. I Am going to turn this car right around and head back to the city. This whole trip is more foolish than funny. Oh no, George, please don't talk. You's we all you hear. Something like like saying, let me open the window. It's a woman singing that old nursery. Rhyme, we all fall down. But what's that snapping sound? It sounds it's like a piece of leather. It sounds like a whip. George, what are you doing. I'm getting out something's happening here that I don't.

7:18 Don't open the door. Please don't. We'll go back if you want. I'll be right back to keep the window shut and the doors locked. Don't leave me, George, I'm coming with you. Wait, okay, but stay close to me. Which seems to be coming from behind those hedges. You know, it could be just playing game. If that voice is coming from a kid, he's using a bull's horn. Let's stop here. You might see through the head. Please be careful, holy to look at that. Let me see that man, the old man with a beard.

8:00 He's trying to catch the girl with his whip. Oh, she's chasing him. She's making fun of him. If he layings that wagon whip on her, he'll split her face open. Look at their. Clothes, George, they're just like settlers in the early eighteen hundred. Yeah, you know, they could be rehearsing a play. If they are, he's lost his mind in his part that man's going wild with that whip. But she's provoking him. Why does she stop? Hey, hey, you there, What are you two doing? George? You shouldn't have done that? And who is who is ordering me and questioning me? I am over here. That's a terrible thing you're doing.

8:42 Oh George, please don't go in there. They know we're here. We must meet them. That's a dangerous wep you're using. That young woman can be killed by it. I see by your clothes you are a stranger, and I can also see that you are a kind human who wishes no harm to come to another. But this, this wench is my daughter. And what I am doing is the true way to gain the obedience of a child who will stray. But what in heaven could she have done to deserve being whipped? I did no harm to no personal to him. I have broken no law of God or Master. Jump it o your witch's tongue. Believe me, young woman, when I tell you that she has the demon in her, playing and wencing with the young master who owns this land.

9:35 While I'm out here working at clearing their forest lands, she's up there in the Great House with her enticements and tricks and enchantments. And if it has already come to this, that he has given her a gift for favors promised or already bestowed, the gift of a ring and already cursed ring. He gave it to me fair and with the holy vow that he will marry me in the month of the next full moon. Marry you Willie, you can have fair to read and write. You who are lower than his mother's kitchen skugging, you give me that right?

10:16 I won't. I swear by the name and the soul of my sainted mother that you will never get this ring. I do, though it mean your own death, you get the whip of it. God, why can't you be a little more reasonable? She may be telling you the truth. I am. I swear it on my dead mother's bible. I am than if you are, Why don't you give him the ring and let your young man personally tell your father. Of his plan. No, No, he'll do no thing like that. He'll bury the ring in some secret spot and drag me. Away before the fall of night. For he doesn't want me to marry to no one, but to stay with him and clean and cook and wash for the rest of his devil life.

11:01 As you can see, she's beyond talking of matters with sense and decency. She's been taken up with her planning and scheming to get away from me for the purpose of Harlot's game. And she hardly a. Marrying I'll kill you, George, for God's sake. Stop, Oh, I can't look. Instead, she killed her own father. But where is she? What happened to her? There she is, she's running away. Hey, they come back, come back. You can't get away.

11:45 It's you will never get away. The ring will circle you. George, George, don't try to catch her. She's like wind. I'll never get my hands on her. She's almost in the forest. Come back, come back. We're not gonna hurt you. She disappeared. Even before she got to the forest. But George, look what I found. It's the ring. She dropped the ring. Let me see it. You know what it's like. It's just like the road sign.

12:27 Well, it's the same shape, the same color stone. It's smaller, but it is just like the road sign, rose colors. George, George, we've got to get help the police. Where, of course, the house. We've got to get to Helena's house. This ring so rosy, this ring so rare? Does it belong to the living or the dead? We will return shortly with that too.

13:13 You alone. I don't want to disturb your mother, My. Dear, you're not disturbing me in the slightest. This room has no secrets. Its acoustics are incredible. I'm Helena's mother. Hello, missus Rawston. We've just had a very a very unusual experience. Laurie's pretty badly shaken by it. Yes, so I see, Helen. Why don't you take Laurie to your room, let her refresh yourself. Perhaps mister Williamson will tell me something more about what's happened. I think the police should be notified at once. The police here. Did you have an accident? Well, not exactly, but we happen to see something that can only be described as gruesome, I guess, and the police should be notified.

14:02 Mother, do you think, Helen, dearest? This is not the time for speculation. I shall be. Glad to have the deputy's office call, but can you give me some indication of what they'd be told. We don't like bothering our offices unnecessarily. They have enough to do as it is. But someone's just been murdered. Oh no, not again, Helena, restrain yourself. Dearest Laura. You say someone's been. Murdered who we don't know who he is. But it was trying to whip the young woman and mister Williamson. She took an axe and killed him. No, how could you was.

14:44 Paining that it wouldn't happen to you? Oh poor Laurie. Now why don't you young people make yourselves comfortable? A glass of sherry might calm you. But mother, you told me that it would never happen again, that thing, Helena. I said, I had taken every precaution not to have it happen. But who am I to promise I will control the uncontrollable? Are you saying that this has happened. Before, Mauri? Maybe missus Ralston wants to explain. Well, not really, but I feel I'm obliged to. However, it is difficult. How does one explain the inexplicable way I think they're ghosts?

15:24 There are no ghosts, Helena. Doctor Mednick, the last scientist I consulted, said it was undoubtedly an instance of photoly sensory projection. Helena pooh poose it. But has either of you ever heard of that discipline? Oh? Vaguely. It once came up in a course on parapsychology that I had at school. No one has ever proved PSP. Mothers, Well, they've never proved esp either, But a lot of serious scientists work with it. But George, what does that photo whatever mean? I complicated? Photolysis is the means by which light can affect the arrangement of chlorophyll grains in leaves.

16:09 Chlorophyll grains leaves. There's a man not more than a mile from here who's been murdered. Calm yourself, my child. There is no such man, and no such daughter. This has happened before I've seen it. Helena has a very few close friends have Unfortunately you have too. Mister Williamson, do you think you'd still like to try an explanation of PSP? Well, it's spooky in a way, but that I mean the scientific explanation of it. You see, we're all supposed to give off certain light and heat waves. And what is it happens in the case of individuals who are emotionally stimulated, let us say people in love.

16:55 The theory has it that people in a very intense emotional state give off more highly conraded waves. Well, I just don't understand what chlorophyll and leaves and light waves have to do with a man being murdered. He it's tied up with photosynthesis, and scientists aren't sure how that process really works. But with the unusual intensity of light, the cells of chlorophyll rearrange themselves and are forced to give off some of the excess carbohydrates in which there is an unusual amount of stored energy. I'm not following this at all. My dear Helena speaks of you as having the patients of a saint. So if you'd like me to telephone the deputies, I suggest you give your feelings, say, a chance to finish.

17:40 There is much more, Laurie. Just at the openings and the leaves. They're called stoemates tend to react like projectors, and through the magnification of additional oxygen, are supposed to be able to relay an episode they once absorbed when they were in the receptive state, like like film. Are you talking. About something something like motion picture film? Yes, Laurie, but he means something like a projector with a memory, A memory of blood in this case, Well. It happens that chloraville is very much like hemoglobia, except that it contains magnesium instead of the iron found in blood. Are you saying that what we saw was a motion picture nothing more.

18:24 Well, essentially that's it. But when and where the original was recorded we have no idea. But there's a building, there's a cabin out there, and there's a. Man's body bleeding. Why don't you go and see for yourself if. You don't believe us, No, Laurie, there's nothing there, Helena, you too, Yes, as mother said, I've seen it. Others have too. Around here, they call it the enchanted forest. But if you go out there again, you won't find a cabin or a man. Nothing. The police know all about it. They'll come and you'll just feel foolish.

19:07 I don't know what to think. It all seems so real. Well, now, why don't we come back to the present and the truly real? Because I have the real pleasure of giving you our gift to celebrate your engagement. It's a complete surprise. Even I don't know what it is. Laurie, dear, It isn't that what we're giving you is expensive or valuable, but it is, dear to us. We hope it will be your first family heirloom. Here. It is no pretty rapping, but it seems too lovely a box to cover with silly paper. Mother, I've never seen that box before. Well, now, isn't it nice that I can still have some surprises for you.

19:56 That's a great looking box, Missus Rawston. Those the roses painted on ivory, aren't they? Oh, it's so beautiful. I feel as if I'm depriving you of something very special if if I accepted it. No, please take it. It's it's little enough. And you know what, I think that box would be perfect for It already has its purpose, Dear. What I was going to say was that it would be the perfect place to keep a lock of your first baby's hair, wouldn't it. And I'm afraid it's going to stay empty for some time. Oh George, we don't know that, not yet.

20:37 We will have to find you another container for that when the time comes. This box already has its occupant. I mean there's something inside. We'll look and see. Go ahead, Laurie. My heart's beating so loudly. She's been like that all day, so excited, darling. Do you want me to open it? No? No, I'm all right. Just let me take a deep breath. Oh no, hey, that's that's the same. Sorry, that's wrongs. Give me the box, Laurie. And inside inside.

21:25 Put her on the couches. Or sorry, mother, do something, don't just stand there and control yourself and get some water. Laurie, My poor Laurie. Wake up, Dorry, come out of it, honey, Darling. She's trying to open. Her eyes slowly, Laurie, it's me, George. What happened? Just passed out for a moment. Here, Give her this water. Sip this. I don't need it. But did I really see it?

22:05 See what the ring? Yes, yes, I've got it. What ring? This ring? The same one with a rose colored stone? Mother? How dare you? That's mine? You know what that ring means to me? Oh? Please take anything away. I don't want to look at it. Don't worry. You won't have to here, missus Rawston. Take it back, and I hope it isn't a sample of your sense of humor. Just one moment. Mister Williamson. I don't particularly appreciate your tone or your attitude. What do you mean by my sense of humor. If you and your daughter know all about that axe murdering scene that we saw earlier, then you must have known about the ring.

22:49 What about it? It's mine, that ring. It's just like that road sign you have on the highway. Yes, the sign was copied from the design of the ring. It's been our family hallmark, so to speak, for generations. Is that why the girl who killed her father did it because of that ring? What do you mean she had it? She teased him with it while she sang that song, that same nursery rhyme in the box. Oh, oh no, what that couldn't be. That's my ring. She couldn't have had it. Are you too sure you saw this ring? Well, the girl in the field, she dropped it when she ran away.

23:32 Then where is it now? Well, George, you had it? What are you sure? I thought you put it into your purse? Oh? Look, isn't in any of my pockets? No, and it's not here in my purse. How could it be? There is only one ring, this ring. It's been in the Roston family for generations. It was brought here by a Roston early in the eighteenth century. It has always belonged to the oldest child in each. Family, in which case it would be your daughters, since you are a Rostin by marriage. Yes, that would be so if it were true. You're not going to tell them?

24:14 Well why not? It's time that silly cloud you've been hiding behind was blown away. But don't, mother, please, I beg you nonsense. I am a Rostin. That ring belongs to me, Helen. His father died in the Southeast Asian War shut down, even before he knew I was going to have a child. Mother, I hate you for this. I hate you, Helena. Don't say that to your own mother. Why not? She hated me ever since she learned that her father and I had never married. Imagine that, in this day, a girl making such a fuss about legitimacy. Please we don't have to hear any more, missus. Oh yes, yes you do, George.

24:55 Can't we get out of here quickly? You can go whenever you like, Miss Thornton, but out of your friendship for Helena. You must take that ring with you. No, I couldn't. I won't let her give it to me. Elena, won't you do it? The ring? She tore it out of my hand. I've got it and no one will ever get it from me. Let her go. She'll be back and with the ring. She knows it's wrong for her to have taken it. Eventually, the ring must come to you, Laurie. We don't want it, but it will come to you. It can do you no harm. It's a silly superstition, but only Rawston's is supposed to be vulnerable to the ring, and Laurie, if you are Helena's friend, as you say you are, you will take it. But she wants it.

25:46 She insists that it stay her. Only as an excuse. What sort of an excuse could the ring give her the excuse not to marry? And why not? She considers herself feted ill starred. If you will, you see, at one time the superstition arose that if the firstborn was female, the ring would prevent her from marrying. It's high time that ring is out of rost and hands. Why don't you just throw it away with Helena carrying all as if possessed. We just do not want it. I'm sorry, but we must get back to the city. Yes, it's a long drive and we'd like to make it before dark.

26:27 I regret this has turned out to be so unpleasant, But then perhaps it couldn't have been avoided. Perhaps, But it's over now, George, let's go. Oh I can't get away fast enough. I don't know what the speed limit is here, but whatever it is, will break it. Helena, I order you to come out of your room at once. At once, Mother, don't hurt her.

27:08 She is my only friend, the only friend I have in the whole world. Run from the ring, run for your life. But without a ring, what's a husband or wife? We'll return shortly with act three. She let us try and penetrate the shrouding darkness of the final act of a Ring of Roses.

27:52 Laurie and George have been plunged into a strange, unwil experience as the twilight lowers over the countryside. They are fleeing from the rostins, the malevolent nursery rhyme, the flashing acts, the avenging curse, the fatal ring. What can flight outrace those forces of evil? That woman at missus Rosston, she's monstrous. Oh, I'm so sorry for Helena. Yeah, well I didn't see any halos around her head either. Yeah, but just imagine having to live with that mother. Why does she have to tell Helena that she and her father never married.

28:35 Do you believe it? Why would she lie about something that important? Maybe out of just plain malice or. Or what? It just occurred to me. Couldn't she have invented that story about the curse the ring puts on firstborn Roston girls to what end? Simple, it'd be a guarantee that she'd never be alone, that she could hold on to her daughter for life, like the woodcutter. Oh, don't remind me of him anyway. I can't see how the ring and whatever it's supposed to. Do fits well. If she made up the business about fate keeping her from marrying Helena's father, and wouldn't that be a kind of evidence proof for Helena that the curse was real?

29:20 Well, then why would she give us the ring? I'm only guessing, but couldn't it have been missus Rawson's way of telling her daughter that she wouldn't marry even if the ring was off the premises, so to speak. But George, whatever we think of missus Rawson, she's still a mother. And what mother would sentence her daughter to a lifetime of misery? Huh? Look, I'm sorry I got you into this mess. I didn't dream it would be that horrible. Well you had no way of knowing. Well, looking back, I should have Helena always so strange, so withdrawn, so mysterious about herself or home and her mother. It should have been a.

30:01 Warning, honey, let's find a happier subject such ass Well, let's see. Okay, it's not original, but it'll do. For instance, if and when we have our first baby, would you want a boy or a girl? Oh, don't be corn, Why not? Corn is fine as long as it's George George. Isn't there someone in the road, Well, look straight ahead. Oh yeah, that's a woman. Well we're not stopping for man or beast or any mixture of the two. Here. Lets you get her off the road, because if it doesn't, then she may be another bit of PSP and we can drive right through. Darling. Slow down, she's waving at us, George, slow down.

30:41 Way. If that's a living body and it wants to stay that way, she'll get off the road. Oh please, She isn't moving from the middle of the road. Have her teeth wherever she. Is, George, George, you're going to hit her. All right? All right? I think so? That stupid woman. It's Helena. Yeah, well, just wave goodbye and we'll get going. Lourie, please, I must speak to you. Tell her your phone around Halloween. Hey, wait, Laurie, don't lower the window. She's in trouble, better hr than you. There can't be any danger in finding out what she want. How much you've been through enough, Helena. We're in a hurry.

31:21 Telephone Laurie tomorrow. Don't go. Please let me explain, George, I don't have the heart. Are you sure that's Helene? Of course, her face it looks so strange. What's strange about her face? Her eyes, they're washed out, they're sunken, as if he said she's taken some kind of drug. That's probably because she's been crying. I'm lowering the window. And you're also raising my temper. What do you want me to do? So wave goodbye and we'll get going. Oh she's gone to the front of the car now, George. Oh she does look dreadful. Why not, she is dreadful. I've got to find out what she wants.

32:01 Just one minute, let me talk to her for just only one minute. Okay, sixty seconds, But don't lower the window more than an inch. Helena Helena over here. Now, what is it? Oh? Thank you, Laurie. If you only knew how miserable I am about what happened today. It was all my fault. You don't have to apologize. It wasn't anybody's fault. Mother had only the best intentions in giving. You the ring. Sure, she did nothing like unloading something on a couple of strangers. That isn't yours to give away. But the ring does belong to her mother. Only to be given to her child, which excludes you.

32:43 That's true. But you see, after me, there won't be any Rostins. But you will marry Helena. Just wait, Untie. I doubt it, and even if I did, my children won't. Be Rostin's Helena. This has been the weirdest day in my life. Oh, frankly, the sooner we get away from here, the better off will feel. Just one more thing. Prove to me that you are still my friend, and please take the ring. No, Helena, thank you, but I couldn't. Absolutely not, Helena. Why don't you just throw that ring away somewhere? I can't. I'm not allowed to. It has to be given to a Rostaer or to the person closest and dearest to me.

33:28 But how could you expect me to take it? Every time I look at it, I remember that terrible scene. In the wood. I swear the ring has nothing to do with what happened out there. It never has before. This is the first time, and it'll be the last for us. Okay, Helen, I stand away from the car. I'm backing out. Why if you don't take the ring, I'll die. I know I'll die. You won't die, Helena. Why should be? Because it will mean that I've lost my only friend, that I have no one. To turn to. All I'm stuck here in this present with my mother, and she'll never let me go. Never Holong, Helena. If I returned to the house with the ring, my mother will do something terrible. If you don't take the ring, I'll throw myself in front of the car. I don't care anymore. I don't care.

34:13 Helena. Give me the ring. Oh you mean you will take it? Oh, Laurie, You've made me so happy. I've in ded it to you forever forever. You're angry with me, George, aren't you. No. I'll probably never see her again, and if it meant that much. To her, probably meant even more to her was that she could twist and bend you in anyway she wanted. Well, in a way. It was her last hope of getting out of that house. That's why I finally took the ring. Actually, what harm could it do?

34:55 I don't know, Laurie, except that anything connected with the ruston seems dangerous. That's because the Rawstins are difficult to understand or explain. That may be. But why we might never get to the bottom of that axe job in the woods. There must be a key somewhere to the rastins. After all, they're not ghosts or optical illusions. They are people, living, breathing humans. Still, for all we know about them, they're just as haunted as that phantom woodcutter and his crazy daughter. Let's stop talking about them. I will if you do me an important favor. If I can. You can't throw that ring away? You mean, now, ripe the second, open the window and throw it out. But why, honey, I consider it a special favor to me. If you got rid of that ring.

35:48 Well, I have no intention of keeping it, but I don't want to just throw it away. What do you want to do with it? Give it away to whom I haven't thought yet. Try thinking about it right now. You sound as if you're ordering me to do it. Actually, I'm begging you, Laurie, begging you to get rid of the damn ring. I said I would, but when when I find someone to give it to someone who would appreciate it. It just doesn't make sense to just throw away something that's probably valuable for just anyone to find, or to have it crushed under a car.

36:33 Say I know what I could do with it. Robed, Laurie. It's only going to get us into an argument. No, I'm serious. Honestly, I just thought of where this ring could do the most good. Fine, you do what you want with it, but let's not talk about it. Oh you'll agree, I bet you will. Oh honey, do you realize that since we've known each other, we've never had so many disagreements. But I'm not disagreeing with you. Good, then let's change the subject. Or better still, let's let's let everything take a rest. If that's what you want. Fine, Ari, what are you doing?

37:21 Nothing? Ari, what are you doing with that ring? Nothing? I said? Besides, you don't want to talk about it? Why are you wearing it? I was playing with it. I just wanted to see if it fit. Will you please take it off? What are you getting so excited about that ring? If you can't throw it away, at least put it away. You're getting awfully bossy. You're doing it on need to get a rise out of me. You can forget about it because I'm going to give it to that thrip shop around the corner from where I live. Great idea, and I'll please take it. Off, right, wait, anything for some peace? That's funny?

38:08 What is. The ring stuck? I'll get it off. You shouldn't have put it on if it was too small, but it wasn't. In fact, it felt too big. Isn't that strange? I can't even twist it. Get the flashlight out of the glove compartment. I'll turn it on and hold your finger under the light. There, can you see it? Your finger doesn't look swollen. No, it hasn't swollen, but the ring won't budge. George, George, do you hear something?

38:50 Hear what? That voice? The singing? Don't you hear it? I don't wait, yes, I do said song. Where's it coming from? I don't know. It seems to be surrounding us. I've turned the bright lights on. You keep trying to get that ring off. I am trying, but it's as if it's cemented to my finger, and that's singing. It's the same as the girls in the forest. Get rid of the flash and give me your hand. Maybe I can't get it off. Well you can't. There's no traffic, Laurie. I can manage the wheel with one hand.

39:30 Why don't we wait till we get to a gas station. Then I can get it off with a little sop. Come on, give me your hand. All right? No? Wait, I can't. Why not? Oh? I just can't. George Glory, you were about to drive me out of my head. Why can't you give me your hand? Because because I remembered something? What if I Heaven's sake, what, Laurie, What. Helena said back there when you wanted me to take the ring? She said a lot of hysterical things that if she couldn't give the ring to a ross, it would have to be to a person nearest and dearest to her. The Helen is all whacked up. Now give me your hand, Laurie. But what if it's true? Oh? That voice, a terrible voice.

40:11 Why is this? Slorry? Please give me your hand. No, because if you can get it off, then you'll be stuck with it. Who cares. I don't want anything to happen to. You, Not for anything, George. George looks straight ahead to them, the old man. Of the girl. He's got a hat the car. Don't don't go around them, threw them down, kill them, do anything working. George, were perfectly on top. For the last time. Give me your hand. The rink? Can Laurie, are you all right? It was a tree? Weird?

41:04 Oh, only a tree, Laurie, you heard me. It's only a tree, Laurie. The ring, the ring? What did you do? Not on your finger? Your finger? Good Lord, she's dead.

41:44 So you gave Laurie the ring? Elena, Yes, mother, as you told me to. Now give me the box and you'll see if the ring has worked. Wonders once more. Here's the box, the one with the rose open it. Yes, mother, but the music. Why isn't the music playing. It's a good sign that it's not playing. It's the sign that the ring has done its work. Your friend, Laurie will not marry ever. Not ever. But the ring?

42:25 Mother, Where is the ring? You'll find it in the woods. In the clearing, in the same place where I killed your great grandfather one hundred and forty three years ago. Go and bring back the ring. It will keep us alive forever. Forever, forever you ghosts, forever, you say, But your death is as forever as your grim rosy ring.

43:07 I'll be back shortly and let us end our tale of ring a ring of roses, for as we also know, roses are red, roses are blue, But the rose of death is meant for who. Our cast included Glennis O'Connor, George Petrie, Sidney Walker, El Speth, Eric Holland Taylor, and Carol Hillard. The entire production was under the direction of Hyman Brown. Until next time, pleasant dreams.

44:08 Well, my dear, how do you feel now? Is the chill growing within you? Or has it been called back by the fire and a good hot cup of tea? What's that? Well? Of course I have more to share, I always do. I so enjoy these evenings we spend together, so I'm prepared for anything, although no one is prepared when the bride vanishes.

45:01 Suspense. Suspense is compounded of mystery and intrigue and dangerous adventures. Story is calculated to intrigue you to stir your nerves tonight. For instance, as we begin, you may want to ask yourself how could a young lady a bride walk out on a balcony alone and vanish completely vanish? We trusted while you are wondering how and why it.

45:51 Was done, we shall keep you in suspense or suspense. Tonight, CBS presents The Bride Vanishes by John Dixon Carr, Italy in springtime, Italy as we used to know it before the jackal struck and the Island of Capri twenty miles out across the Bay of Naples, blue water, a dazzle under the sun behind for the bone white beaches and vesuvius, dull purple, and a heat haze ahead. As the little steamer from Naples chugs out across the bay, rises cupri olive trees and white roads and vineyards above the cliffs. Could young Americans find a better place to spend their honeymoon while the guitars and the warm winds blow, and the little steamer carries them? Well, missus Courtney, Well, mister Courtney, I can't keep it up. I'm going to break down and ask if you're happy.

47:19 Oh, I'll break down to I want to walk up everybody I'm eating, say. WEU just like that. What I want to do is turn somersaults myself all along this decade. I want to say, I've been married to Tom Courtney for practically two weeks and now we're. Going to have a Villa Cattrie for a month. Oh Tom, I ought to be the happiest woman in. The world, only you shivered. What's wrong? Well, ever since we got aboard this ship, people have been staring at me. I can't blame them for that, Dear, no, no. I mean in a funny way and mut rooms. Even your American friend what's his name, Uhranger? Mister Granger.

47:59 When you're introduced him to me at Naples, I thought his eyes were gonna pop off. Be careful. He's standing over by the rear now. Oh he lives at Capri. I like to see him wearing that white ten gallon hat and lay. Before Granger made money in oil wells, he was a real old fashioned cow punching and he's prop with it. Good fella doo. He's too polite to say anything, but he keeps looking around at me, just the same as the rest of them do will Well, Tommy, they look scared. You know, we see. This isn't the time to start imagining things. I know. Maybe I'm just so happy I'm afraid it can't last. Oh, don't say that. But wouldn't it be pretty awful if something did happen and we weren't together any longer?

48:43 Wait a minute, hasn't this ship stopped? Yes? Well, I di Capri ahead of us, isn't it. I can't be. Anything else, but it seems a funny place to stop. No sign of a harbor, only rocks and little gray cliffs. Oh, mister Granger, mister John, Yes, you happen to know why we're stopping here. Yes, that's amazing, one son. We're stopping so that you and your good lady and anybody else who's curious can get a look at the blue grotto. Blue grottle cord shaved your eyes? Good hemn man? You see that that tiny little arch under the cliff. Yeah, and all the little white rowboats are coming out towards us.

49:27 Now. When the first boat comes alongside, you climb down that iron ladder. And get in. The boat will row you out and through the arch into the grotto. It's a great big dark cavern. The water in there. Looks as though it's lit up underneath with blue fire. Like to go out and see it. Let me give you a little tiptoe. The current's pretty fast out there. You'll go shooting under that arch like sixty. Are we lucky to upt? Oh? No, no, but the arch is this highs your head when you see it coming. Lie back flat in the boat, that is, unless you want your block. Thanks mister Granger. We remember. Come along with.

50:12 Easy on the ladder, Lucie Brown. I'm all right, darling, and just as good a swimmer as you are. The boat now I think one more step, steady, I'll turn around facing the boatman and sit down here, easy man, you want upset us? Sit down? Who come back? Yes, come back. I've never been here before in my life. Push off, man, stop rowing. The other boats are piling up behind you. You come back, start. Rowing, can't you? And that is Soberto basta huh. You can't take his eyes off us. I wish he'd watch out where he's rowing. You'll come to live at the philoport, says yes, Tom, did you know that he's the lady?

50:58 She is a mustad. Dead of course, she's not dead. What are you talking about? She never come to Capri before. Never. Then I tell. You she will disappear, just like the other one disappear. I arrest my orders and I tell. You, are we moving rather fast? Yes, that's the entrance to the grotto ahead. I tell you there was a lady so much like your competing back. It's scared. Look a man, I don't want to teach you your business, but you've got your back to that grotto to take it. This lady back? Where's she coming from? Do not take you to the veloport? Sounds he put on your back down?

51:53 I am sorry. I almost make you get hurt. You know, any got your own head, not all excuse me, nor I to it. Hell, I will rode you around the blue ghattle. I don't think I like it much, Tom, neither do I. Dark set for that blue light under. The water, transtand you can see the fishes swimming. The gentleman about this lady who disappeared in the Bulghese two three years ago? She disappeared, you say, she looked exactly like my wife, Si senor. She was going to be married. She was trying on what do you call her?

52:40 Wedding dress, her mother and sisters. They were in the room with her. She walk out on a balcony over the sea. You know what I mean? On a balcony over the sea. Everybody ever hear of her again? You mean she jumped over into the sea, a young girl. Going to be married gee herself. No, no, no, no, did happen? I do not know, but sometimes they say you can beat her ghost in the Here she flows just under the water where you can see her and turn over hand all he and the wading veil is still around her face.

53:20 Tom, let's get out of here. Do you want to go? Yes, let's see if this fellow strings not sting a long and somebody ought to know what this means. If we've inherited a haunted balcony where people disappear like soap bubbles. I say it's too much. Let's get back to our ship and talk to Granger. Yes, Boman, take us back. Lord, ma'am. You two young women. See I start. He was like, can't give me a. Hand a seat? Oh didn't anybody else go to the blue grotto? Well, man, no, not after I saw you go. It's all right. We've just heard the story in, Miss Spranger.

54:05 Oh, I ought to have told you about it myself. All the way out here. I've been cussing myself and thinking. What an ornery old badger I am for not telling you when I first met you in Naples. The girl did vanish by a first rate miracle, Yes, broad daylight, and within twenty feet of her mother and sisters. You don't look like a man who believe in miracles, Miss Svenger, Oh, I'm not soun I'm just telling you what happened. But why is everybody so excited? Somebody must have thrown her off the balcony. Josephine Adams was all alone on a balcony forty feet up the cliff, smooth as glass. She didn't fall, she wasn't thrown because there was no sound of a splash, and she didn't come back from the balcony because her mother and sisters were in front of the only door. Yet within fifteen seconds fifteen seconds, mind you, she just vanished.

54:50 You believe that, sure? I believe it. Son, It's a fact. Did you know the girl's tamray? Oh? Very well. We've got a reelinginglish speaking columny here. Oh, by the way, in about half a minute. Now, I'm going to show you your new home. Can we see it here? Oh? Sure you can, ma'am. It's on the edge of the cliff, doctor Davis. His house is on one side of it. My shack's on the other. Uh. That's why I want to ask you a question. Of course, ask anything in life. Well, I'm an old stager, ma'am, but not exactly up to the high toned society around here. But do you do you trust me? Said? I think so? Well, then promise me something unley sure with somebody you do trust.

55:33 Keep away from that balcony. Do you honestly think there's danger? I don't know, sir. If I did, I wouldn't have to talk this way. Sounds like a dog barking. I thought I heard it before. What is a big police dog and led by a very handsome woman. If you asked me, Oh Lord, here she is again, Oh the Countess. She lives in our colony. She looks like an American. You take your eyes off for Tom Carton. She is an American. Marry the coach for cheesy or something like that. Just call her Nelly, my dear mister Granger. It's true. Everybody told me so, but I couldn't believe it until I saw her. She does look exactly like poor Josephine Adams, just as small, just as dainty.

56:19 Jesus is everybody trying to give me the jitters. Oh yeah, I want you to meet some friends of mine. Oh you don't need to introduce me. I know who they are. You have a nice young couple who've taken that villa I'm Nelli located. This is my dog, Tiberius, named after the wicked Roman emperor you know, who used to live at Cafri. I most confessed. I'm terribly fascinated by wicked things. And you, mister. Colley Lucy, stopped to do me in the ribs. I haven't done anything. No, and you're not going to Tiberia seems to have taken quite badly to hum it is. I've never known him to go to a changer. I only wish I could borrow him. He might be a charm against I don't know. We'll be at the Harburn a few minutes.

57:02 Then you must let me drive you up to the Vinna. You won't be able to get any servants, I'm afraid, because they won't stay there, but you can camp out. Luke there, we're passing it now where on the case where I'm pointing. Wait a minute, there must be some mistake. That's not the villable gasey. It sure is. And that's a palace like all the other houses there. And I rendered it furnished for about twenty five dollars a month. Can't you guess why you got it so cheap? Son? You take my advice, you'll turn around and go back to Naples by the next steamer. Harry Granger, don't be an idiot.

57:43 Let's have some excitement. Let's have some excitement. Tom is beautiful, too, infernally beautiful, if you ask me. There there's the balcony. It's all right by daylight, sun marble them tapestries and whatnot. But at night, when you've gotta put out the lights, you start thinking what happened?

58:24 The moon over Capri makes a deathly daylight. You could see to read on that balcony if anyone went out there. Frosted glass doors open out on it. From a big room on the ground floor, two determinedly calm persons and a dog sit looking at each other. Lucy, stop it, stop what stop looking over at that balcony. I'm sorry, darling. Why are we sitting here anyway? There's an outer room that's much more comfortable. It's like having a toothache, a very little toothache. I may be dense, angel, but I don't follow you. You put your tongue against the tooth to see if it will hurt. You know it will hurt, but you go on doing it just the same.

59:08 That's us. Maybe you're right, Oh, Tommy, did you ever think we'd have a lovely house like this? The house is all right? Yes, then they have to go and spoil everything our honeymoon with this blasted Tommy rot about tom Here is Jerry. Now as I was this afternoon. Even Tiberius is Jitry. Yes, I guess I am, easy boy, easy easy. Well, it's whiskey on the table. They call it ky here, which yourself a drink in. A minute, not just now. We see there's nothing wrong with that balcony. Suppose you walked out there this minute.

59:49 I've had a horrible longing to try it, just because I know I. Shouldn't do nothing to attack you. All you'd have to do would be yellow. That'll bring mister Granger out on his balcony like a shot. And the neighbor on the other side of what who is on the other. Side, by the way, A loney doctor what? A specialist in brain diseases, Doctor David. He's English. It's somebody in the other room. Easy, Tiberius is he? I'm afraid it's all right. You hold Tiberius as color while I open the door. We don't want him to fly at anybody. We're going into the other room and stay there. Ready. Yes, Uh, good evening, mister Courtney. Uh, good evening, Missus Courtney.

1:00:41 I'm no ghost, though you appear to regard me as one. I'm Milly, your neighbor. Dr Rutherford Davis. Oh, yes, of course, mister Granger mentioned you. I trust you will pardon this intrusion. No one answered my knock, so I ventured to come in. It's no intrusion now to Davis. We're a little disorganized here, that's all naturally, mister Courtney. I wish I could say welcome to Capri, but I have a very different message. Well, if you value Missus Courtney's life, you'll go back to Naples immediately, sir, Not you too. I do not say that as a ghost hunter, Sir, I say it is a medical man. May I sit down?

1:01:30 Oh of course, please do. Thank you. We seem to be forgetting our manners, doctor Davis. Will you will have a drink? Oh? Thank you, perhaps a small whiskey. I'll get it done. You sit down and talk to doctor Davis. You're not going back into that room alone. I'm only going to get the drinks done. Promise to be good, and Tiberius can come with me, can't you, Tiberian? Oh? I see you've borrowed Tiberius from the count Ucation. Yes, she was kind enough to offer him. Use me. I'll be back in a minute. Come on, hi, I hope this is all right. Doctor. No, sir, it is not all right. Your wife is in very great danger. But why because of that balcony? No, because she looks exactly like the late Josephine Adams. I don't get it, mister Courtney. Did you ever hear of paranoia?

1:02:31 That's some kind of mental disease. And the paranoia begins by imagining that he or she is being persecuted by someone. First he hears things, a voice in his brain whispers, you will be killed. You will be killed. You will be killed. He hears it in the tick of a clock, in the rattle of a train, in the footsteps on the street. There are holes in the walls through which his. Enemy is always watching, invisible speaking tubers, bring me message. J There are pains, there's joints, and nightmares of attempts to poison him. His brain bursts and he chills, he chills, he chills. Excuse me first, speaking so strongly, But how does this affect us? And mister Courtney, will you will you examine this sheet of paper? What is it? The fragment of a typewritten dowry. I found it on the cliffs months ago. Don't ask me who wrote it, but I know that a criminal, lunatic on this island. He imagined the poor, inoffensive Josephine Adams was his enemy, so he killed her, killed her. Oh, I don't know. And what happened to the girl's body. I'm not a detective, sir.

1:03:50 The body was carried out to sea, perhaps or washed along the cliffs and into the Blue Grotto to be lost. But don't you understand the danger to your wife. I'm not suggesting that somebody's cracked brain. Your wife is Josephine Adams created all over again. Kill Lucy. It couldn't be done. It was done, my friend. Listen, it sounded like a dog howling. Missus Courtney is rather a long time in getting that whiskey. She wouldn't know they the balcony. She promised not to go out on the balcony. People do very perverse things, my friend, when they know they shouldn't. Lucy, Lucy, that seems to be tiberious out on the balcony.

1:04:40 I can't see anything else from here. She's gone, She's gone. She's an empty balcony, a howling dog, and a sea turned clear silver under the moon. Then, after the two Moultons shouting, there are other pictures.

1:05:25 Don't you hear the noise of that motor launch with. A half demented young man at the wheel. Three other familiar figures are gathered around him. Don't you recognize the brunette prettiness of Nellie Lucas, the white ten gallon hat of Harry Grainger, and the neat pointed beard of doctor Davis. But what on earth is he going to do out here in this motor boat? I'd like to lower that roselle. Listen, please take it easy, said, we're with you. What time is it time? Yes? What time is it that?

1:06:06 Two in the morning? Going on for three twelve dollars? Send the tide out to be just where it was this afternoon. Where's the tag got to do with it? A whole lot. Somebody's set a trap and made Lucy fall off that doctoring, I know it. Oh, that's absurd. If Lucy's been carried out to sea, there's nothing we can do about. But if she's been carried along with the current and into the blue grotto at one moment, sir, you're not proposing to run this big launch under that arch after dark? Yes, doctor, that's just exactly it. Go on, do it. I'll back you up. Let's have some excitement. Be exciting enough, I assure you, mister courtey. Have you got some wild hope of recovering your wife's body. I've even got a wild hope she may be alive. Lucy's a very strong swimmer. You're acting like a Nut's get set, everybody, I'm going to swing around.

1:07:00 We're in m Canada. Been a whole time. I got to duck my own head when we go through. Everybody else squat down. I still protest against this, don't you understand, mister Carton? Ready, here we go. Why don't know the rooms? There's no blue grotto. It's the blackest pitch. My dear Nelly. I kept trying to tell all of you the blue grotto effect is caused by the sun's rays.

1:07:41 There never is one except when the sun is out. Just how does our friend propose to find anything in here? Listen? Something just ruled. At the side of the boat. I felt it move. Not the dead girl, I trust. There's a hand here, a wet hand. Lucy. She's not alive, mister er, help me lift her up over the side, you know, don't hit the boat, Lucy, Lucy, you're all right? Are you all right? Lucy? Can you hear me?

1:08:23 All right? Day? I got in here, I couldn't swim out again. I don't try to talk, got. To talk. Faith, Tom. Who's with you? Only? Who's with you? It's a murderer with you. I was just wondering the same thing, to be shut up in the dark at three o'clock in the morning with a criminal, lunatic. Lucy, don't hold me so tired, Let don't here. I'll get the boat started, and have you out of here in a second only, doctor Davis. I got the ten. I know how they've that girl Josephine Adam died almost kill me.

1:09:09 Has anybody he got some brandy or a flashlight? I have a flash like my friend. Will you allow me, as a medical man to examine missus Corney, you better keep back with us a second actor. She's a stable. Give me the flash tip please. I walked into the other room. Nobody with me, all alone, that typeerias. Yes, somebody call my name from the balcony, I thought, very softly. This is Courtney, said Miss Courtney. Did you recognize the boys. Yes, that's why I went hadn't you better. Start up this person out of Don't pay any attention to the lucy. Nobody can hurt you now.

1:09:56 I went out on the balcony, bright moonlight, brightest day, but there was nobody there. Nobody on the balcony. No. I looked out over. The sea, and then something came at me. Something blew out. Of the errant k Mercy. One moment before missus Cottney goes on, is anybody in this boat carrying or revolver? Not that I know of, excuse my mentioning heat. But I felt something metal like a revolver brush past my hand. Oh, it was only the flashlight with me. It was not a flashlight. Mister Courtney's got the flash light. You please let Lucy go on and finish. Lucy, you were on the balcony and something came at you.

1:10:38 Yes, like a snake, sideways out of the air. It went over my head fast upon my neck. It was a rope with a running noose in it. That's a rope. It was thrown from another balcony. I'm small and light like Josephine Adams. Pull me sideways and over the rail I felt. I think I begin to understand what I couldn't see. What happened to Josephine Adams frosted Glaister's falcony so. They couldn't see'd take it easy, now, you're perfectly safe. An issue, perfectly say. The murderer that have fallen the rope, But the rope was jerked long before she struck the water that broke her neck.

1:11:27 Then the murderer lowerder softly so there wasn't any splash, and the current took her away rope and all that's it. It would have happened to me, only the rope must have slept. Through the murderer's fingers. What did I tell you? Somebody in this boat has got to revolved. Who's overboard? Somebody went switched on that like my friend, and shine it on the water. Then there's you like look at it turning up over and over. The water on the grotto is red. What's all right, Lucy? I swear you're safe for nothing? Did he shoot himself?

1:12:07 Yes? Did shoot himself? Who had a balcony exactly like ours on the house next door, who began life as a cowpuncher and would have known how to user lesso? Yes, and knew Josephine Adams well and got it into his maniac's head. But missus Courtney was Josephine Adams all over again, Harry Grainger. Look there's his ten gallon half floating away.

1:12:49 And so ends The bride vanishes. A story of mysterious doings in the Isle of Capri and the night's story of suspense. Columbia presents these tales of mystery and intrigue and dangerous adventure for your relaxation and enjoyment. Next Tuesday, there'll be another in this series, Same hour, nine thirty Eastern wartime. William Spear, the producer, John Deets the director, Alexander Semler the composer conductor, and John Dixon Carr, the author, are collaborators on suspense.

1:13:55 My dear, you seem a bit peaked now. Perhaps the weather, the temperature, is getting to you. After all, there's no shame in it. It's simply the elements. The force of nature is a force to be reckoned with, I suppose, But as I think about it more, nature can be a bit cocky, thinking there's nothing beyond it, nothing that can betray it. Frankly, there's only punishment for avarice.

1:14:43 Wait a minute, have you heard the strange tales of the Whistler. I'm the whistler. You promised me that you wouldn't gamble again. You've broken that promise, and I won't give you another cent this time, John, you can work it out for. Yourself another Sunday night, and again CBS presents the Whistler.

1:15:31 Either Whistler know many things or I walk by night. I know many strange tales, many secrets hidden in the hearts of men and women who have shipped into the shadows and so I tell you tonight the amazing story on avarice. John Abbott lives in a vast house on the outskirts of town. But it isn't John's house. It belongs to his wife. John has never had a penny he could honestly call his own. Then John's own. He's been lucky. John add is somewhat of a gambler who was fortunate enough to marry a wealthy young widow, Marsha Howard, wife of the late motor magnate Burton Howard. But John has pulled a few tricks bordering on the shady side of late, and Marsha has come to distrust him. She has paid off a number of his gambling deaths, but this time he's really in a spot. John got into a poker game with Mike Flynn's loss and paid off with a worthless check.

1:16:28 Hello, Mike, how are you? I haven't seen you since that big night last week. Who have you been keeping yourself well? Have you been keeping you two? Well? My wife's been rather ill. You know. I have intended to get in to see you in the boys for some time. Did you try real hard? John? Kay? What do you mean? I can to get an idea. You were trying to avoid me. Why should I would you are dropped in the day if Muggsy hadn't tipped shocked and I wanted to see you. Of course I would. You the prigs. I resent that Mike you do when I resent this? What this rubber check? You've got a lot of nerve want? And then on a game when you can't pay off? Why was it return insufficient funds?

1:17:10 According to the slip. I can't understand that. There must be some mistake. There's no mistake, John. You didn't have four thousand and the bank and you know you didn't. I checked on it. Well, I'll take care of it. You've got nothing to worry in four covern. I don't carry that much money on me. Then you'd better dig it up, John. I can't walk out and take it off the tree. You know where they get it in a minute. Do I sure your wife is rolling in money? That's not as easy as you think. See Masher doesn't approve of gambling. Neither do I. When you can't back your bid, well. I can get it. You've got to give me a little time.

1:17:53 Take a few days, John, I'll give you those Saturday and none to give me that money Saturday. That's almost impossible. This is Wednesday time you need and I don't know, but I get it as soon as possible. Do you have to have cash? Not necessarily? I see what do you have in mind? John? Why? Nothing? Nothing at the moment? Better think of something. Yes, I will, I'll get it. Any good security. Or do I quite understand? But whatever it is, I'll expect if I know Saturday. Otherwise, will I could turn it over to the district attorney. I could have a pal of mine take you for a little drive in the country some afternoon.

1:18:36 Oh, I'll get it, Mike, I'll get it. I'll have something for you Saturday at noon. I don't know what it will be, but i'll have it. It's fine, John, it's fine. I'll be expecting you. Thanks Mike, Thanks for the extension. Always glad to help out a friend. Yes, well, so long, So long? John. Oh. John Abbott walks out of Mike's office and home deep farm, goes to his wife's room on the floor above, slips easily to the side of her bed. Marsia, humhm, Marusia. Oh is that you Nidia? Or are you asleep? Marsha, John, I'm sorry if I awakened you.

1:19:21 What time is it a little afternoon? I haven't seen your sister this morning. He's around some place. I imagine. What did you want? John? I wanted to ask you something that is well. I have a favor to ask. What's troublem? You know? John? I hate to bother you when you don't feel well, but I need a little money. Money? What is it this time? Your brother again? No, no, it doesn't concern Ellen. That's a wonder. How much longer is he going to stay here? I don't know? Is he so obnoxious? I can't understand why a young fellow like Allan should be content to do nothing. Oh he'll get into something soon, dear. I hope. So what do you need money for?

1:20:04 John? A note? I had came do? What kind of a note? Just a note? I gave it some time ago? How much? Four thousand dollars? Four thousand? Yes? You mean to say that you owe someone four thousand dollars? I'm sorry, Marsha, but I do. When did this happen? Just a week or sorgo? You've been gambling again? Do you realize how many thousands of dollars? I've given you to pay off such ridiculous debts. Yes, Marsha, but you don't have to shout. Out twenty a month ago you promised you'd never gamble again, and now four thousand dollars. I didn't mean to get in so deeply, Marsha. I will. I just dropped in to say hello to a few of the boys, and I had a few drinks and before I realized that I was in the hole.

1:20:45 Don't blame it on a few drinks. All you need is a deck of cards. Oh, don't rub it in, Marsha. I feel badly enough about it. You do. You sit in on any game you like, regardless of the stakes, and expect me to always pay off. What do you think I am the mint? Well, you're not broke, musch. It's no fault of yours. I let you handle my money. I wouldn't have a dime. What did you give an I owe you. No, dear, I wrote a check a check. Why did you do that? You have no account of that size and never did. Oh, they wouldn't take my iow you who wouldn't take it? Were you playing with Mike Flinn again? Yes, they're a fool. John an impossible fool. But that isn't the point, my dear, Will you help me?

1:21:26 No, John, you promised me that you wouldn't gamble again. You broke that promise, and I won't give you a dime. You can work it out for yourself. Where would I get four thousand dollars? Why don't you try working for a change? Well, I don't expect you to give it to me. I'll pay it back. You'll pay it back. Do you think I believe that? You act as though you were down to your last penny? What good does all that money do you? Anyway? What good will it ever do you? No good? Whatever do you? I might be able to get into some kind of business if I had enough capital. You well, what's wrong with that? You talk as though I were a good for nothing more? You are you and your brother. I'm sorry I didn't know that before I married you. And now your brother's hanging around here, and what for.

1:22:07 Pretending to be in love with my sister. I don't like him and you can tell him to leave, that's right. Get yourself excited over. Have a good reason to be excited. You're not half as sick as you think you have. All the symptoms of a hypochondriac. Out of here. I'm going, I'm going, Marsha. What's going on in here? What was Marsha yelling about? I don't know, she stated, she certainly can get worked up easily. You better called out the man very well. I'll call him from downstairs, not the manning. Yes, this is John Ebbatt. I wonder if you could come over here.

1:22:48 Marcia has had another spell. Yes, very well, good man. What happened? John? I don't know, Ellen, she gets excited over the least little thing. What was she yelling about? No? I went in to ask her about something and she blew up. What did you say to her? Why was it something about me? No? I needed a little money to cover a note. I happened to ask her at the wrong moment. He means a check, didn't you check? What do you mean at four thousand dollars check he gave Mike Flynn? What do you know about that? You heard about it? Do you think she'll let you have the money? I don't know, Ellen, I rather think.

1:23:30 She will eventually. What do you mean eventually? You've got to have it by Saturday? Yes, that's that's right. Sure. In a tough spot. John, I need to be in your shoes. Why Mike Flynn is a bad egg to fool around with. I know how to take care of Mike, I hope. So I am going out for a few moments. I'll be back by the time doctor Manning gets here. Okay. John goes out and walks around for a while, pondering over his predicaments. Alan sprawls on the sofa and studies his own personal problem. In a few moments, meet her.

1:24:13 Marcia's young sister comes down the stairs. I wish you, Needa, she's a little better. I gave her some of the medicine and she pulled out of it. What upset her? Oh, it doesn't take much to upset Marcia. She's such an unreasonable woman. I wonder what John said to her. Probably some trivial little thing. Maybe Sometimes I feel I can't stay here another day? Why her? Well, I I feel it's my beauty to stay. It wouldn't be right to leave Marsia in this condition. Is that the only reason for sting? No? Suppose she's angry because of my being here. I don't know. I don't think she likes me very much. I don't know why she should feel that way. I've tried to be nice to her. She doesn't seem to like anyone very well. She makes herself miserable. No one seems to be able to do anything for her.

1:24:58 I suppose she resents your being here, Nita. Why should she? I don't know. She might convent some crazy idea, and well, I wouldn't want to see her get angry with you, Anita. What reason would she have to do that? Oh? I don't know. I was just talking, thinking out loud. What are you trying to say? Do you think that Marcia loves John? I know she doesn't. Do you believe that John loves Marcia? I don't know. I don't see how he could, considering the way she treats him. Poor John is miserable. My heart aches for him. Peter. You know that I love you very much, don't you, Darling? Yeah? Please please marry me. Na. I just can't Heleana. I know you love me, but I know.

1:25:39 I know that I have nothing, but that'll change. I get a swell job coming up, and I'll make you very happy. Need I believe you, I know you love me, but I I just can't say yes because. Because of John John is a slow Follownita, but he's not longer than you. Besides, he's married to Marsha, So what good does it do to you? I can't help, Allan, I just can't help. Do you think that John cares for you? I think he does. Because he told yourself. No, no, it doesn't matter. I worship you. Never divorced Marsha. You can't afford to I know. And what do you expect to happen to? You're waiting for Marsha to die? Is that it? How can we stay such a thing? Oh? Why not? Be Frank Marshall may live for years. No longer you stay around here, the worse it will be for you. If you married me and got away from here for a while, you forget all about John.

1:26:20 I don't think so. The longer you stay, the more miserable you'll become. Perhaps, but I can't leave. I care. I've tried very well, leada O. Thank You're foolishall you your mind? Please Alan, let me alone. Don't say another word about it? Please, okay? I won't say another word. Not another word. Doctor Manning visits Marsha. John returns to the house, and now the doctor has come downstairs and asks John, Allan and Mita to join him in the library. I well, I have a little talk with the three of you. Yes, about Marcia.

1:27:01 That's right. I wish she doctor. She's much worse than when I saw her last worse. Yes, she's suffered some emotional upset. She can't afford to do that. Her condition is very, very serious. I've warned you before about the result of the slightest argument. I don't know what occurred this morning, but I warn you that another such occurrence will cost her life. Is she that bad? I am going to be frank with you John. For her own good, I have to tell her the truth. I think I should tell you the truth. I doubt that Marsha will live more than a year. But yes, the other hand, if she suffers no further emotional stress, she may live two or three years.

1:27:43 I didn't realize it was that serious. I'm sorry to have to. Tell you this, but I feel that you should. Know all the truth. It is quite a shock, doctor, but I appreciate you letting me know. Yes, we all do, of course. Well, I must run along now. I will have a few words of your housekeep for missus. Simmons about Marsha's. Dire gooday, doctor, and thanks for coming over. It's really serious. I thought Marsha was more or less of a hypochondriac. I really did. Yes, so today, well this puts a new light on the situation. What situation? Hm, Well, I'm. Sorry I caused Marsha to become upset.

1:28:24 Yes, we must be very careful from now on about what we say to her. Yeah, that's right, very careful all of us. Early next morning, John goes into town to have a talk with Mike Flynn, a gambler. Mike isn't in his office, so John drops over to the drug store to purchase. A few articles. Well, h hi, Jolen, I haven't seen you for a week or show you've been keeping yourself. I've been rather busy the past few days. Do for you? Well, I have a list of things here, quite a few items. I'll let you fix them up and I call for them later.

1:29:05 Very well, that's a nice special going today. No, no, just what you see there on the list? Yes, yes, of course, let me see yes, yeah, yes, I have everything here. I'll be by it. Oh. Well, hello, Mike, I was just up to your office, so I am here. Got some good news for me. John. Why, yes, that is well. I think things are going to be all right. M glad to hear it. For your sake, I wanted to ask a little favor of you, Mike. Yes, well, don't things and what it is once you get in your mind? John, Well, I suppose we go over to your office.

1:29:46 Okay, what are you saying? Just wrap those things up, mister Smith. I'll call for them in half hour, So come on, Mike. Then John returns home at noon. Now it is after one, Lunch is over, and John sits at the desk in the library, lost in deep meditation. The library door opens beneath his lips quietly to John's side. John, Oh, yes, Nita, I didn't. Hear you come in. I opened the door very quietly. I thought you might be taking a nap. No, no, no, I was just thinking things over.

1:30:27 I know how you much feel, John. I've developed a bit of a headache. Hey, didn't sleep a week less night. I'm so sorry for you. John. May I rub your head? It might help a little. Oh, thanks, Nita, I'm all tied up in nuts. Does that help? Oh? Yes, yes, helps a lot. Sweet of you, Nita, You're an awfully nice girl. Thanks. If the man who gets you for a wife is certainly going to be lucky, think so, I know, So are you really in love me. To Yes, John, I'm sure I am, and I.

1:31:08 Hope it lasts. But with a girl like you, sweet and kind, gentle, bound to last. Yes, you know. Ellen is a very good boy, but he's got to be handled carefully, quite a bit like me. I know my shortcomings and Ellen has the same. We were both raised with a silver spoon in our mouths. Then we were suddenly thrown out into the world on our own. And we just couldn't take it. I had nothing to offer anyone, so I just followed the line of least resistance. Ellen is just like me, but fortunately he's young enough to be changed. He can learn new tricks. The right girl could help, and you are the right girl, thinks sir. Yes, here it is different from your sister as night from day.

1:31:59 But I don't. But you just said you didn't know, John, I didn't. I did say I was in love but not with Alan. But he's mad about you, Nita. I know he's nice, but I don't love him and. I never will. Oh, then if you're in love and it isn't Ellen, then who is he? Don't you know? No? Oh, John, Sure, Nita, Nita. John, forgive me, but I can't help it. What do you mean, don't you know? John? Look at me, Nita, Yes. John, I know it's despicable, but I can't help it.

1:32:40 I love you. Well of all things, Anita. I've loved you from the day we first met. But Nita, Darling, this what's ridiculous. You can't mean I do. I do. I've tried to find it, but I can't. I'm married to your sister. Marcia doesn't love you, not the way I do. And you don't love Marcia. How do you know that? I can tell? I know? Oh, you're miserable, John, Yes, Marsha has treated you terribly. How you've got on this long? I'll never understand that I love you. I'll always love you. Don't you care for me at all? Yes, Nita, I'll have to confess I do, Oh John, John doe.

1:33:22 It won't work. In the first place, I married to Marsha. The second place, I'm older than you. The third place. Yes, I'm in a spot, very tickling spot. I can't afford to well break off with Marsha, What do you mean I owe a certain man four thousand dollars. I must pay him by this coming saturd deal. I might go to jail. Oh he couldn't do that. Yes he could, and he might even take me for a ride. Kill you Yes, Oh, John, did you tell Marcia. That was the cause of her relapse? Refuse absolutely, That only proves he doesn't love you and hateful. Sometimes I think she's in, Say. Do you.

1:34:04 Maybe she is. You mustn't give up, hope, John, you will get the money. Oh, there'll be away, John, there must be a way we'll make away. Make away? What do you mean? I'm not sure that we'll find it. Then a short while later, the house keepers singing comes to Marshall's room. Take away the lunch and train. Did you enjoy your lunch, missus Eavis? I thought i'd pick up the tray and dishes were ice cream? Where did you get the ice cream? I didn't serve you any ice cream? Missus Abbs Are you asleep? If you wanted ice cream? You could have told me.

1:34:54 Missus Abbith Lucy, she's cold, Missus she's dead. The police an ambulance. The police arrived, the ambulance arrived, but Marsha was dead, quite dead. Why the police were called over? The housekeeper? You but once the police arrived they followed it through to an office. Now the officers have returned to the Abbot residence. Captain Barnes are speaking you. You're a Missus Simmons housekeeper. Yes that I am mm hmmm. And you're Needa, Missus Abbott's sister. And you I'm Ellen Abbott, John Abbott's brother.

1:35:47 You are here, I'm visiting her. See the Simmons. You served lunch to Missus evantt. I did what did you serve? I served chicken soup, queen carrot toast. And teeth and uh ice cream? No, you didn't say ice cream. I did not. Are you part of of Missus Emmons? I'm positive you don't have to shout. I thought you didn't hear I argue. You two step out of the room for a moment. I want to talk to the housekeeper alone. Certainly, Missus Seumans. How long have you been with Missus Abbott? You mean how long have I worked here? That's right? Too long? Didn't you drag it here? I don't want to talk about it. Didn't you like, Missus Abbott, I certainly did.

1:36:27 She was so good to me. I worshiped her. You you came the other day she married her first husband, didn't Jim? Yes, and they were so happy. It was very pleasant here. Then you mean there came a time when things ceased to be pleasant? Yes, that's what I mean. When did things take on a change after she married John Abbott? How long after she married Abbott did her health began to fail? It was about a year. Did they quarrel off him? Yes, quite a bit? What about Well about money? Mister Abbott didn't have a cent when they were married, and he's never earned a cent and done a day's worth since it was always gambling, always losing money, her money. When she got disgusted and clamped.

1:37:09 Out, and shortly after that she began the prayer and she changed completely. She became morose and cranky. She just can't realize what the change there was in unless you knew her. Long has Alan Abod been visiting here? Is the way he passed the visiting stage? A lazy lover been living here? Over six months? How long has native been here? She came to live here every year ago, Missus Abbad astaid to stay with her when she first took ill, and that was a big mistake. Take I have her sister here. What do you mean? I'm talking too much. I don't want to get mixed up in this. I'm leaving you. I'm afraid you're going to stay right here, missus Simmons, until I. Tart you to go. You you mean I'm arrested. We call it detained until this is cleared up. What are you doing here anyway? Why are you snooping around asking from any questions?

1:37:51 Why did you call the police when you found the body? I don't know. You didn't call the doctor. You'll call the police. It was in your mind. It cause you to call a police instantly. I don't know what. I really don't know. He's had bad attacks before and you always called doctor Manning. But this time you called us why. I don't know. Then I'll tell you. Because you knew she had been murdered. I didn't. I didn't thenk you much. I suspected it. Who just inspect her hus? I don't know what you're talking about. Then it must have been you who served the ice cream was served and I was asking in it. Rat poison. Was murdered. I knew it. I knew her husband did it. No, she did it? Did it? Why? Because she was madly in love with John. She wanted mush out of the way. I knew she was the devil.

1:38:35 Bring them all in murdy, Nina, your sister was served ice cream at lunch in this day, Missus Simmons says she didn't serve it. Well, what about it? I'll ask you that. What do you know about it? Why? Wait a minute, what's the ice cream got. To do with it? And I'll tell you in a moment. Did you say that ice cream? You don't have to answer that, did you? Yes? Yes, I did serve it. What did I tell you? Where did he get the arseny? What awesome? Missus Abbott died of our cenical poisoning. This dish contains arseny? Where did he get it? Why should I do? Second, you had a motive. You were in love with John and wanted your sister out of the way. You bought the ice cream, and you spa.

1:39:16 I did not wanted to get it. I don't know. You'd better tell you're in a tough sprung. Wait a minute, Nita did not do it. She couldn't have done such a thing. I bought the ice cream. I gave it to Nita to serve Tomasha, and you put the. Ausenic in it. Nita would never do that. She's in the kind. John did it, and he had a motive. I monive. He gave Mike Flanner rubber check for four thousand dollars. Mike gave him till. Saturday or he turned it over to the DA. Marshall refused to help John out, so he killed it. Is that true about the check? Yes, but I didn't kill Marsha. That's ridiculous. Of course it is. And if anybody had a money to kill it with al. What Yes, Alan was in love with me, asked me to marry. Him, but I knew what was back of it. Nita. He wanted to marry the money. He knew Marsha would lead to me. I had not.

1:39:57 I told him I loved John and turned him down. He was jealous of John. If Alan Poyt and Marsha, he figured John would be played and that would put John out. Of the way. He put the artic in the ice cream. You must have crazy, absolutely crazy. He's not the only one. The house keeper accuses Nita. Needa accuses Alan, Alan accuses John and both men trying to protect Nita. But I've got a piece of evidence that definitely pins it on one of it. I'm out a charge. What do you find? I checked the boxer rat poison we found in the pantry purchase yesterday known and the poison register was signed by John Abbotts. The rugg is confirmed it all right, John, Yes, yes, I bought it, but I swear I am innocent. The evidence is all against you, John, and it's Tanita's part in it. Well, it'll all come out in the trial. But waste. It isn't over yet.

1:40:43 The door first open. And Doctor Manning rushes in waiting a special delivery letter just received in his office. Need it doctor? Listen to this. John doesn't love me. He cares for nothing but my money. He's in the spot over a bad check, a spot on. Which he deserves to be. Alan is no good and pretends to be in love with Nita, but he really wants to marry her for the money. He thinks I'll leave her. My sister is in love with my husband, which disgusts me. If I leave my property to her, John will marry her at the first opportunity. This house is filled with nothing but avarice and greed. I can bear it no longer. The thought of hanging on to life under these conditions for another year is intolerable. A few minutes ago, I slipped down the back way and found some rat poison.

1:41:30 It means the portion of it slipped back to my room and mixed it with the ice cream and closed his short will witnessed by Missus Simmons, I leave all my property, personal and real to the children's home at Montebello. This will end the disgusting situation created by my late husband's fortune. I'm Marsha Howard. All where there you are. None of them kills Marsha that they certainly had the motive. Now all of them are left to face the world pennyless, and there's still a four thousand dollars check standing between John and Nita. Too bad.

1:42:33 CBS has presented The Whistler. Original music for this production was composed and conducted by wilbra Hatch. The Whistler has written and directed by Jay Donald Wilson and originates from Columbia Square in Hollywood. Next week, same time, I the whistler will return to tell you another unusual This is their Columbia Broadcasting System.

1:43:28 My dear, things are getting a bit heavier now, But I hope you're still enjoying yourself as much as I find myself enjoying myself. Well, I suppose it is getting late. But you seem to want one more trip through the dark, one more journey before you journey home. Who knows what you may find, perhaps happiness, sadness, or the Diamond as Big as the Ritz.

1:44:13 Escape Escape tonight to a fabulous world where there is a Diamond as Big as the Ritz. A Columbia Broadcasting System and it's affiliated stations resents Escape a new series of programs, of which this the third is The Diamond As Big as the Rints by F. Scott Fitzgerald, produced and directed by William N. Robeson. In a country as large as ours, there are many odd and wonderful corners hidden away, but none more fabulous and wonderful than the one conceived in the imagination of F.

1:44:57 Scott Fitzgerald and located in the ages of his famous short story The Diamond As Big as the Ricks. It is described in the words of John Unger twenty years old, impressionable, and quite willing to swear to the truth of this whole strange affair. I'd been going to the Saint Midas Prep school for a couple of years, and this was my second summer vacation. I'd met this fellow, Percy Washington during the winter and got to be pretty good friends with him. Only I didn't know about his family, or where he came from, or anything like that. Of course, I knew he must be rich, because halla fellas a Saint Midas come from wealthy families. So when he invited me to spend the summer at his home out west someplace, that was okay by me. Well, we've been on the train overnight when he first mentioned it. I don't even remember now what led up to it. We've been talking about, first one thing and then another. Exactly where is your home, Percy?

1:45:54 I mean you bought the train tickets and office. It's in Montana, sort of Montana. Oh. Yes, it's pretty wild country, isn't it. Mmm? Some of it is. You take Hades, Missouri, where I come from. It's been settled for one hundred and fifty years. One of the first towns on the Mississippi river indeed. Oh sure, that's very interesting. Well, I sure do appreciate you not making jokes about it, you know the way some of the fellas do when I say I come from Hades. Why my father's plantations. Got Just do you know that my father is the richest man in the world. Huh by far the richest. Well I read about a man that paid taxes on a five million dollar income.

1:46:35 Small fry. If my father paid tax on his real income, he disrupt the whole economy of the United States, no kidding. I like rich people, and the richer fella is the better. I like him. My father could buy out all the millionaires in the country and not even know he had done it. Is that a thing? Life? Visit that the Schlitzer Murphy's once they're plenty of rich. Why their daughter Vivian's got rubies as big as hen's eggs and sapphires that glue like headlamps. I like jewels, always have. I used to collect them instead of stams and diamonds or the. Slitser Murphy's had diamonds as big as walnuts. Oh that's nothing, huh, nothing at all. My father has a diamond as big as the Ritz. Ah, please, I'm not joking, but you mean as big as the Ritz Carlton Hotel exactly. My father has a diamond as big as the Ritz. Well, from there on it was something like a dream.

1:47:40 We got off the train about dusk at a little whistle stopped called fish Montana. There wasn't anything there, not even a station, just a broken down old buggy and four or five sheep herders lounging beside the track. And I suppose, wondering who we were anyway, Percy and I climbed into the buggy, and without saying a word, the drivers whip and off we went. I don't know how far we travel. We didn't seem to be following any road. After an hour or so, it got dark, but the driver kept right on, never saying a word.

1:48:22 I hope you'll pardon this inconvenience, John, but we have to take certain precautions, you know. Oh, that's all right. Anyway, we're almost there your home, you mean, oh, no, to the place where we consider it safe to transfer. Transfer What do you mean? There's the signal now, headlights well up, the horse absom here. We are an automobile, but there's no road. Oh, this car is specially built, doesn't need roads. Welcome home, must. Good evening, Gigsum. Oh, come on, John, let's get in. That door opened by it? So sonically controlled. You know. Gosh, Hey, what's this car? Made out of silver?

1:49:05 No platinum? And those are emeralds in the hubcaps and me upholstering it's per mink. You're already must. Anytime, Gigson. You've probably noticed the exceptional brightness of the headlights. The lenses are cut from diamonds. Boy, what a car in this old junkie we use it for a station wagon. What are we stopping for? This is just a deserted canyon. Oh, we're not there yet, John, it's a little further.

1:49:46 Wait you'll see hell. Oh, Percy, what's that but noise? They're sending the hooks down hooks, Yes, to attach to the wheel. You know that's what Dixon is doing now. But oh yes, I forgot to mention. Gigson will look after you during the visit, look after me your personal valet. Of course. There'll be other slaves available too, whenever you need them. You have a lot of slaves, Oh. Three or four hundred, I suppose already gigsum. Yes, must have hello a store. Look, look we're leaving the ground.

1:50:34 Yes, there's a hoy step there on top of the cliff, has cables about a quarter of a mile long. But what four Oh, it's the only way in imagine. Hoisting an automobile a quarter of a mile off the side of a cliff. It's nothing really, as you may have guessed, John, this is not going to be like anything you ever saw before in your life. Well, John, there it is. That's your home. Oh, it's magnificent, glacial it's not a bad little place.

1:51:17 How big is it? I suppose you mean the number of rooms. I think it's around one hundred and forty, but Father may remember exactly. Then. Of course there are other buildings, slaves, quarters and things. Why has anybody ever found out about it? This place? I mean, well, for one thing, it's the only five square miles in the United States that have never been surveyed. Huh why not? Oh? Things were arranged. I don't see how that's possible. Believe me, it hasn't been easy. I understand. Grandfather had to bribe three government bureaus, a vice president, and half of Congress ones to keep this place off of the maps. But surely somebody stumbled on to it. Prospect people like that.

1:52:01 Oh, yes, that happens occasionally. Then, of course we have to arrange things, I mean, not always. Usually we just take them prisoner and keep them same as the aviators. Oh, planes come here, well, once in a while they fly over. Of course they never get away. We have nine anti aircraft batteries around the hill here. You shoot them down. Oh yes, great sport. It does upset mother a bit, though, and there's always a chance that one might get away. That's father's greatest worry. This place, this whole thing, it's it's fantastic. Oh come now, John, I picked you of a fellow with his feet on the ground, and you haven't seen anything yet. You know, this is only the beginning, And it was.

1:52:58 Only the beginning. For we crossed the acres of lawn and entered the great Chateau, and from that moment on, vision upon vision tumbled together in a gigantic kaleidoscope of color symmetry and exquisite harmony. But there were corridors lined with gleaming crystals, lit by lamps cut from emerald, and there were great halls carpeted with chinchilla fur and ermine, and some with floors of clear transparency flaming in the shifting glow of a myriad colored fire beneath them. And there was a white haired man, pink faced and pleasant, who was Percy's father, and a lovely lady with dark hair piled high on her head like a fragile queen, who was Percy's mother.

1:53:46 Soft music came from hidden places, perfumes filled the air, exotic foods and wines more rare than pearls. And finally, sitting in my chair in the Great Banquet Hall, I quietly fell asleep. I thought there could be no more, no greater wonders. I was wrong. There were many more, and greater ones, and one of them I discovered the next morning in the garden. Hello there, huh oh.

1:54:29 Oh, you're lovely. My name is Kidsman. You're John Hunger and you're a friend of my brother. Are you from the East, No, well, at least not exactly. I'm from Hades, Oh, Missouri. Would you like to sit down here on the grass? Well, yeah, sure I would. I'm going to use to school this fall. Do you suppose I like it? I think so. Of course it'll be different from all this. That's what Jasmine says. And she's in the east. Now I've never been outside. Who's Jasmine my sister. She's older than I am. I hope you won't be offended. But you're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen.

1:55:12 Yes, I know what. I surprised you didn't I a year ago I would have said thank you. But father says it's very necessary to learn to take things for granted. So now I just take it for granted that I'm beautiful. You see, you're pretty sophisticated, aren't you. Oh I'm not at all. I think sophisticated young people are terribly common. I'm not a bit like that. I didn't really mean it. I only said it to tease you. Well, I'm glad. I wouldn't want you to think anything like that. Why. I don't smoke or drink even And I never read a thing he said poetry. I was only kidened. I believe girls should enjoy their youth in a wholesome sort of way. Oh so do I I like you? John.

1:55:53 I wish you'd spend some of your time with me this summer, not all with Percy. Oh I will kiss mine. I will. You may be in love with me if you'd like to. I'm absolutely fresh ground. You know I am in love with you. But of course we'll have to meet secretly. My parents wouldn't permit. It if they knew all, and that's what we'll do. Well, I have to go now. I'm supposed to be with mother at eleven? Aren't you going to ask me for a kiss? Jasmine says, boys always do nowadays. Well, some of them do, but not me. We don't expect nice girls to do that sort of thing. In hades. Yeah, it was a funny thing. Percy's family were polite, friendly, always smiling, and yet all the time I had a feeling that some terrible and golden mystery lay hidden just around the corner. A few days after I'd met kids mind, Percy remarked casually that an unusual event had occurred. A man had escaped from the cage. I didn't know what it meant then, but the next morning I was walking with Percy's father on the grounds of the estate.

1:57:05 The slaves quarters are there, Miss danghn. Oh, yes, they're very nice, very adequate. During one period of my youth, I became absurdly idealistic allowed them to live in luxury. I even equipped their rooms with tiled bars. I suppose they used the bathtubs to keep coal in, mister Schlitzer murphatized. Imagine the opinions of mister Schlitzer Murphy are of little importance. They did not use the tubs for coal. They bathed in them. Unfortunately, several caught cold and died, So of course I had the bars removed. Shall we move on? Mister Washington Percy said something about a man escaping from the cage.

1:57:46 I didn't quite get it. The cage. Eh, well, perhaps you'd like to see it might prove interesting, just as novel day. It's over here these trees. They're sixty feet tall, and they have roses blooming all over them. Rather're interesting development by a Swiss botanist. They are the only ones in the world. I'll be time, though. I suppose you'll see them all over the country in a few years. No, no, these are the only ones that was arranged. Here. We are a cage. It's a pit dug in the ground, the grating on top. Oh, yes, it's not really a cage except in a certain scenes. Well, boys, how are you getting along, had sirry?

1:58:36 Yeah? How many men are down there? About fifty years? I recall, No, are they no aviators? We've shut down wandering prospectors middle of that sort. Yes, but why are they kept there? They've all had the common misfortune of having discovered El Dorado. Gentlemen, I'm sure you'd like to know that your companion who departed without my permission has been taken care of. He was shot. He was shot by some of my agents in fourteen different places, golf, mister hunger.

1:59:19 They found them, then the man who got away. Those places were towns. My agents were over eager. None of them could offer a positive identification. I am afraid the man may still be at large. So you see, it's not all utopia, hair. We do have our difficulties. Isn't it a little unnecessary holding them like that? We're not at all. It's the only way to keep this place hidden. Yes, I guess that must be important. Percy was telling me something on the train. I thought he was just kidding, but he said, you had a diamond as big as the rich Carlton Hotel. Oh yes, yes, indeed, as a matter of fact, it's much bigger than the Rits, much bigger.

2:00:09 Well, summer went on, and I was more and more in love with kiss Mine. Oh she was priceless, exquisite, like no other girl in the world. After a couple of weeks I'd kissed her, of course, and I was really in love for the first time. I should have known. I should have put two and two together when Percy's father showed me the cage, but I didn't until one morning late in the summer I'd slipped off of his mind to the rose garden. Kiss Mine, I think we ought to Ellope. I don't know. She would be much nicer to be married here, but then it would be more romantic to her loawe. Yeah, all the Sunday supplements would write stories about fabulous errorspes with.

2:00:55 You are fabulous. You know I knew an heiress from Omaha once. I don't think you like her. She visited my sister here. Oh you've had other guests thennah, Well, yes, we've had a few. Wasn't your father ever afraid they might talk outside. To some extent? Well, let's talk about something pleasanter but so unpleasant about it. Well, I grew quite fond. Of some of them. You mean they told and your father. Oh, they didn't get a chance to Father had to be sure. That's murder. What else could we do in the cage? Well, they'd have been a constant reproach to us, And father does it so nicely. They're always drugged in their sleep, and then we tell their families they died of scarlet fever.

2:01:41 And butte, I'm not sure how that affects the statistics there of all the horrible it is not, after all, be terribly boring you without ever having anybody? Why father and mother would sacrificed some of their best friends. Well, you're no better than the that's what they plan to do with me. Oh couldn't you forget it and be nice to me until you've put away? It's only for two or three weeks. You'd go on this way, kissing, talking about love when you know I'm not much better than a corpse. You're not a corpse, You're not. I won't have you saying I kissed a corpse. Oh that wasn't what I said, Did I did? Not? You said it? Who kissed a corpse?

2:02:22 Well nobody, we were joking. You two having any business here anyway? Kiss mine? Go read go play golf. Don't let me find you here when I come back. Yes, father, good day children. You see now he knows you've spoiled everything. You don't really love me? Kiss mind you. Tell me what's the reason for all this secrecy? What if you are rich and have this place? Why would it be so terrible if anybody found out about it? Why it's on account of the diamond? Of course, diamond. What is this diamond all of you talk about. Well, it's the Oh you'd better ask Chrissy. I'm always getting things mixed up. Well I will ask him. And another thing. I'm getting out of here tonight. If I have to dig through the mountains, I'm going back east.

2:03:05 Take me with you. No, why not? Be? Is my dear? Your father wouldn't permit it. If you won't take me, I'll go tell him I want to marry you. No, you can't do that, he bumped me office afternoon. Oh please take me, darling. We'll be terribly poor and very happy, and I'll cook things for you, all herbs and berries and things. Won't that be fun? You will, won't you? John? Well, my head was really in a whirl. This whole thing was fantastic, So was the family, even kids mine. I couldn't think of anything to do, but well, I rushed to see Percy.

2:03:46 But John, why didn't you ask me before? Because I thought you were kidding all the time. I know you wouldn't have believed me. If I tell you now, I'm ready to believe anything. No. Well, it was grandfather who started the whole thing purely by accident. He came out here from Virginia after the war between the States and stumbled onto it. On what the diamond? That's what made this all possible. Of course, grandfather spent two years going around to different cities of the world selling bits of it. Then he started building this place. He put his money in jewels, but father found that radium took much less space. But why the secrecy, Oh, we just wouldn't do if anyone found out, ruined the economy of the world.

2:04:27 The thing's too big, and this has been going on for three generations. Then the cage and this thing of inviting friends. Oh, yes, you see, there wasn't really any danger before airplanes They are what worrious. You knew and you invited me here? What would happen? Please? John? I thought you'd be more sensible about it. After all, you can see my position. Oh yeah, well where is it? Where do you keep this diamond? It's cause so cock eyed much trouble. Oh, I thought you'd guessed you've noticed the hill the chateau stands on. It contains a cubic mile, and except for a thin covering of dirt, it's one big, solid diamond.

2:05:19 It was nearly midnight. I don't know what woke me, but all. Of a sudden I was staring across the patches of moonlight, spotting the ermine carpet of my bedroom, staring at three slaves I'd never seen before. They just slipped inside the door and stood there, each with a vicious length of shiny copper wire, the official executioners. I lay there on the bed watching them, counting heartbeats, not daring to move, not daring not to move. They didn't know I'd wakened, and they began edging across the room. Come on, all three of you, there's no time off of this old hell's broken loose.

2:06:01 Hurry. I took one long, deep breath, the first one in several moments, and then I was out of the bed in an instant throwing on my clothes and dashing through the long crystal corador to kiss mine's um, kiss mine? Are you awake the window? So they woke you up too, if. You mean three of your father's slay No airplane? Airplane, So that's what it is. At least a dozen. I saw them crossing against the moon. Oh. Look they're circling way over there. You think they're here on purpose? Oh? Yes, they dropped warnings to father. It's that man who got away from the cage. You now, Oh, good for him. Yes, wasn't he clever? Well? I think we'll open up on the many second now, yes, already aircraft. Oh, this is going to be thrilling, thrilling.

2:06:43 Look they're arranged now, bravo. Get away from that window. What good heavens did you see that? Yes, and we've got to get out of here. Can't you understand? Up on the chateau next, I know, there's a little grove across on the side of the mountains. We always keep one of the cars there. Oh, we have a nice view of everything. Nice few kids. Mind. You don't seem to understand they mean business. They're out to finish off you and your whole family. But it all seems so silly, or when you come right down to it, they've never even met us. What time is it, John, isn't morning yet?

2:07:24 I don't know. I've lost my watch. Seems to be getting lighter. All right. It's quieter too. Now they've knocked out your father's guns. Every last one of them will belong now. Oh, it seems such a shame. The family puts so much work on the place. Everything's always been so pleasant. Well, you better get some sleep, kids. Mine, I'm gonna walk down the path a little ways. Oh, you'll come back this kiss mine. I'll come back. At the edge of the wood. I stopped and looked out across the valley toward direct chateau, standing on its diamond in the center. The bombing had stopped. The planes droned over the far rim of the plateau, seeking some sort of formation. Then, on a little knoll just below me, three men appeared suddenly from the underbrush.

2:08:13 The first one strode imperiously ahead. The other two bore a heavy burden between them. There was mister Washington and two of the slaves. I stepped behind a rock and stood motionless, watching them. All right, missus foreigner, We'll stop here now hoisted up, Hold it there, Hold together easy. Now there. The burden they held up to the heavens was an immense diamond, cut and polished, catching the first faint rays of the dawn, and gleaming like a fragment of the morning star. Ah, you out there, you there. I could see no one else anywhere in view you above there.

2:08:58 I want you to understand, this is only a sample. I'll give you a thousand cut as fine, set in pedestals of platinum, and I'll build you a temple a thousand feet high, cast of solid gold, and on the top of it, I'll put one diamond a hundred feet across, set there forever to catch the rays of your son. The thought began to dawn on me. I couldn't believe it. I'll let your name on the temple in emeralds, and I'll see that the whole world worships at its base.

2:09:44 All you have to do is make everything the way it was before. Mister Washington was offering a bribe to God. He stopped talking, and the three of them stood there, looking up at the heavens, waiting for an answer, and then at the far end of the valley. Out of those same silent heavens blossomed the white puffs of parachutes. A man who tried to bribe God looked up and saw them. They came old in an instant, and, turning with lord head, walked down the path toward the chateau. With sudden premonition, I whirled and headed for the spot where I'd left his mine, his mine and the car that needed no roads.

2:10:41 Haven't we gone far enough? John? I suppose we're ten miles from the chateau. It's also hectic, is rushing about and losing sleep and everything. And made those field glasses here they are? Or can you see anything? No? Wait, what is it to your father and mother? And Percy guessing the two slaves still carrying a big diamond. Wait, they're going in a tunnel down below the chateau. So that's it. They've got an underground escape. No, I remember, now, the mountain's wired some kind of Adam bomb, adam atomic bomb. Oh, that's it. Father's had it for years. He always said it would disintegrate the whole works, diamond and all. Of course he I regarded it as the last resort.

2:11:24 So I'd rather have it like that. They're all inside the tunnel now the troopers are moving in. I don't suppose there's really anything to be done about it now, and there wasn't. I keep thinking about things the way they were. It was all so pleasant. I don't suppose it will be ever exactly like that. Again, not ever, kids mine, and maybe it never was. Time for dreaming, and dreams died too. I'll probably have to take in washing, but of course will be very happy. What will we do, John do?

2:12:09 Oh? We can love a while underneath the stars. That's a form of divine drunkenness. We can all try. And then there may be other diamonds in the world. Who knows. And even though it's a shabby gift, as always disillusion turn if you call a kids mind before you catch pneumonia. Let's go to sleep. The Diamond As Big as the Rets by F. Scott Fitzgerald was adapted for radio by Less Crutchfield and produced and directed by William N. Robeson, with Jack Edwards Junior as John, Danny Merrill Les Percy, and Linda Mason as his mind. The special musical score was conceived and conducted by cyfuer and so good night until next week at this time, but it will again be time to escape.

2:13:04 This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System. Well, my dear, it appears the evening has reached its culmination, and now soon the sun will come up and reclaim what's theirs. But I do hope you'll join me again. Soon. I'll be right here, same time, same place, ready to share something joyful and dark with you. But now, as you make your way home through the dark woods, through the quiet city streets, as you make your way to your humble home, to lay your head on that soft, delicate pillow and rest that mind of yours, if you could do me one favor before you slip away to the land of nod, take one moment and be thankful for what you have, and I'll be seeing you soon.

2:14:36 Numb