Unknown Broadcast | Classic Old Time Radio Horror: Leiningen vs the Ants, CBS Radio Mystery Theater & Suspense

My dear, so good to see you yet again. Oh what's that? Well, thank you for saying so. I've been trying my best. Please come in, relax, make yourself at home. I know the days are so hot, or at least that's what I hear, But in here the chill is real. Have a seat in my favorite chair, and I'll make you a little pot of tea, something warm and nourishing to keep the chill out of your bones. The fire it's bright, We have the whole night, and of course we have a choice of witnesses. The CBS Radio Mystery Theater Presents.

Come in and welcome. I meet you, marshall. Welcome to the sound of suspense, Welcome to the fear you can hear, but mostly welcome to the world of terrifying imagination. In this story, you're going to meet what some people call a shutter bug. You know what a shutter bug is the kind of person who never goes anywhere without a camera swinging from a strap around his neck, who is never content unless they're aiming a lens in your direction, whether you want to be photographed or not. But unfortunately, this particular bug is the kind that many people want to crush under their feet.

We all want to get rid of Kellerman. We want to kill him, and so do you. That's a lie. You hate his guts as much as we do, mister Bailey. Why don't you admit it? Of course I hate him, but that doesn't mean I'm ready to commit murder. Well we're ready, mister Bailey, and you'd better be too. Our Mystery drama Our Choice of Witnesses, was written especially for the Mystery Theater by Henry Slesser and stars Paul Hecht. It is sponsored in part by the Kellogg Company, makers of Kellogg's special k Cereal. I'll be back shortly with that one.

After the ball and change. I cannot special case the good, the bad and the heavy. Why is that cowboy wearing a ball and chang? Cause tying around ex few pounds to be just like tying around a fallen chain popped in block. What it is you are? Give me a special cave breakfast here you won't special cage remains juice and coffee. Un Hey, do I know you come some playing? You probably don't recognize me with my ball and chaine. I used to be ten pounds ladder, but I'm getting back that way I exercised with anything smarter ever me or starting with this year a special cave rick.

What's how special? It's less than two hundred four of the calories. It's not a nund percent fat, free and delicious. It's going to help me get rid of this year fall and change. I bet your horse will be backing at off and the chain by that desk you're happy ending could begin with the Killogg's special cave breakfast. Cannot okay that rhyme. Everybody needs under wall floors and musing doors with its own mastress outside, and so your art tree cann't bet on the breeze that you want such the. In your home that you. Filled with love and probing.

Everybody need say no, because Centennial wants to be number one with you. They're offering the lowest interest rates seven and three quarter percent on Holmes purchased s A H. A or B A checks Ally's newspaper, or call Centennial at four three four sixteen sixty one. It begins on a warm day in early spring, the kind of day which tempts office workers to leave their desks and stroll through the nearest park on the noon hour. Among the strollers is an amiable young man named Gordon Bailey who is enjoying the sunshine so much that he's taken a sandwich lunch to a park bench.

He knows it's not going to be a very good sandwich. His wife, Pam prepared it with her own loving hands, and even after two years of marriage, Pam seems unable to cope with even a hard boiled egg. Oh surely, mister, Okay if I sit down here? Oh yeah, sure, plenty of room, thanks. Oh, nice day in it. Yeah, it's about time we had some good weather. That's a good idea. I mean, not bringing you a lunch of the part. Well, that's my wife's idea. We're on an economy drive. Yeah, money's tank these days, very tight.

And one line of work did you say you were in? Oh? I think I said I was in the insurance business. No kidding, Well now that's what I call a good business. Oh excuse me, Hey, that ought of the acute picture? Eh? That little squirrel up the acute as a buck? Eh? You like to take pictures of squirrels? Oh? Man, I like to take pictures of everything. In fact, I do this for a living. Or you're a professional photographer, the. Kind of I make a buck out of it. Sometimes. I suppose you sell pictures of the newspapers.

Oh no, no, I never saw no pictures of papers. I saw the people. Well, well, I guess I'll be heading back for work. Wait just a minute, mister. Bailey, I don't remember telling you my name. Well, I guess I know your name on a kind. Of the badge. What are you talking about the bags you wore at the convention at the hotel in Atlantic City. Oh wait a minute. You were at the insurance convention last month? Yeah, I was there. I did a lot of good pictures at conventions, some of my best. You see, maybe I don't.

Play you or not. How there's a bunch of guys get away from home, away from the wife. They do a lot of crazy things. Oh would you like to see the picture of the insurance convention. I'll tell you the truth. Mister. My name is Calliman Frankly. I just don't understand why you're be carrying around pictures of a bunch of drunken insurance men. Hey, you were gassed though, all right? I never seen anybody what gas than you were. Mister Bailey, You don't mean you have pictures of me. Yeah, that's how I was trying to tell it.

You like to see them? They're real beaut I think I have a better mister Bailey, all right, let me see this. Oh yeah, sir head, Yeah, I'm not tired here. Yeah, look at that's what. Oh no, she was really stacked her. How did you get this? Well? I told you were my trusty little can what how? Hey, come, what do you think? I'm not giving away no professional secret. You were in that hotel room. She let you into that room, didn't she. You must have been hiding someplace. Hey, hey, hey, hey, don't go. I don't care that.

I think I'm going to go with a flock. Come, mister barely. You know I got negatives. I can pen up two thousand of them if I want. What is this blackmail or something? Nah? Nah, No, it's like a business deal, that's all. I figured. I got some pictures that you want to buy, and I got to miss out. How much did you pay her for the privilege of being in that room? The question is how much are you wanting to pay? I mean, say, your wife don't get a complete set. Are you willing to sell me the negatives?

I didn't say that. I got a different kind of deal of mine. You know what would happen if I told the police. About this, Well, A guy did that to me once. It was a meat Factors convention. He called the cops, they brought me in. I said, I was just a photographer, like in a convention. That's all. I was selling pictures of the guys there. He couldn't pull nothing against me, and a county in a wife. It was true. I am a photographer. I do wait conventions. I saw regular type pictures too, but they're not as profitable as these are they.

You know, God became one of my study as customers only done his wife divorced them many way. He wouldn't make no more payment savings. Are you saying this is a regular thing? How much you ay in at that insurance company? I forget a young guy like you to pay about fifteen eighteen. Thousand a year. And my wife listened to me. Calvin, the woman at that convention, I didn't want to get mixed up with her. I was just so tight. I didn't know what I was doing. A Hey, you don't have to tell me about up my b Mister Balley have been around funny.

I know how guys, I don't know. You don't understand. Look, I'm only married two years. I loved my wife very much and the only reason I got into that stupid mess was it was because of my boss. I didn't want to insult him. He was drunker than I was. Oh, come mom, mister Bailey, you don't have to explain nothing to me. I know you don't want that nice little wife and yours to see these daiy pinches, and I don't want to show him to believe. She'd never understand. Pam would never listen. Listen, I'll tell you what.

I'll give you a flat price for the negatives, and that would be an understand I got a nice bonus recently. I'll give you a three hundred cash tomorrow afternoon. How does that sound. Listen to me, mister Bailey. People are real funny about this kind of business. They never believe it. Guy like me can well might be honest. You know, honest that's some word. But what I mean is they always. Think that if they pay me a flat fee, I'll be coming back at them again. Do you see what I mean? Even if I. Did give you the negatives, you'd figure if I had copy someplace that I can hit you again anytime, right, Look, I'm willing to take your word for nah, mister Bailly, Nah, you just spend the rest of your life worrying about me coming back am I life?

Put this way, you just make one small timent to me every month, like you pay the electric bullet a let? You know how much how much to have to pay? I figure, if about forty bucks a month? Now, that's not so terrible. Is it? Just forty bucks a month? Do you collect the money? Oh? In person, mister Bailey, I just go around or my customers once a month and I collect them patients. It's better that way. Blame me forty dollars smaller any a year. You never miss it. Another thing will just be fine between you and the missus.

Cat you honey, Hey, hey, shut. Up, you much Hidalli, I'll be quiet. Lockjaw r Lloyd Master, I'm sorry. I I decided to do a little Christmas shopping after work. I forgot how long it takes to fight those clowns. Oh a gorgeous package that that ain't for me? Never mind? Just in case today he's a big kissing van. Oh you smell good is that any of you for a few to say? Old stuff? The one I'm practically out of. Pop cut out that hinting, and I've already spent more money than I should. Oh well, speaking of money, that man was here, man, you know, the one that comes around every month, that mister Kellerman Kellerman.

What the heck was he doing here? It's only the nineteenth, no Gordon, but he was here just to say looking for you? What did he say? Nothing? Did? He'd be back later later today, you know, going. I just can't bear that awful little man. Did you ever get a look at his eyes? And that camera he wears around his neck? Listen? Is he going to be coming around every single month? I told you, honey, he's collecting payments on the car. Well, why can't you make the payments? Yet? That's the way he likes it. Maybe he moves around a lot.

Well, he gives me the creep. You want to get the honey after a job? Okay, I got it. Oh it's you. I heard you came earlier today. Yeah, but you're on home yet. I hope I didn't decide your wife so much. But we'll talk in the hallway. Oh yeah, course, all right, what's this early visit all about? You're know any way for the holidays? Oh no, I never go anywhere. There's time a year. That's one of my busiest times a year. You know. I can imagine I get some of my best pictures around. Now you'd be surprised, you know, there's people you're all filled up with a Christmas spurrow at all?

Right, guess at the point you want your payment now? Well, I wouldn't mind, of course, But that's not the reason I came around, mister Bailey. You see, I want to tell you that the payments are going to go out. What I really hate to do it, but it's the inflation. You know, everything costs more, full clothing, film, gasoline. I just got to have an increase, mister Bailly, I'm sorry. How much of an increase? Wow? Just another fifteen dollars a month? Fifteen terrific? Now it's fifty five. What's it going to be a couple of months from now?

Shut up a lot? Excuse me, mister Bailey. Yeah, but what can I do for you? May I talk to you from? What do I know you? No? I don't think you do. My name is Bliz and Dave Blitz. You know, look, can we sit down and talk about it when it's kind of chilly? When we talked. Standing up trying to walk my dog, and so far he's think has been a non performer. Well, I want to talk to you about Ed Kellerman. I don't know any Ed Kellerman. I know you do, mister Bailly. I made it my business to find out.

Now I'm not asking what he's got on you. Mister Bailey, I'm sorry you're making a mistake. It doesn't matter. I won't ask you why Kellerman is blackmailing you know, I expect you to do as much for me. Only would you mind telling me how much you pay him? He hits me for sixty a month history forty first one of last month fifty five? You mind paying it? Of course? I mind? So do I I'd mind if it was ten bucks a month, and not just because of the money. I hate that slimy man, and I'm sure you hate him as much as I do.

That's why I wanted to talk to you about putting a stop to him, A prominent stop. You mean going to the police. No, that's not good enough. I'm talking about killing him. Every problem has a solution, they say, and mister Dave Bliss seems to have arrived at his. The obvious question here is do two wrongs make a right. We'll find out what mister Gordon Bailey thinks about that dilemma when we return shortly with that too. In nineteen nineteen, someone had a big idea, let's help youth understand big business by starting them in small businesses of their own, and Junior Achievement was born.

Each group elected a board of directors, chose a product, set up a production line, sold, stopped, and went into business. That year three hundred and fourteen students made and sold products and learned the business of business. Today, Junior Achievement has grown to nearly two hundred thousand members. Junior Achievers are designing and marketing their own products and services, from cutting boards to printing. They're organizing sales efforts, writing marketing plans, calculating profit and loss. Running these small businesses helps junior achievers understand how big business works. Support Junior Achievement where youth learns the business of business, and all your local Junior Achievement office the Dallas Times Herald, You're doing more.

We're doing more with one hundred thousand people in Dallas playing tennis. You can imagine there's a lot of interest in the kind of coverage tennis gets in the newspaper, and how much attention is What is the Dallas Times Harold doing to satisfy the growing number of tennis fans and players and Dallas listen to sportswriter Tim Tinnors, So we don't treat tennis as at three times a year sports to be covered only when there's a major professional tournament in town. We try to emphasize what's happening in Dallas at the grassroots level, with stories that range from developing junior players to high schools and colleges to the average players who may not belong to the tennis clever or league.

And what this does, of course, is you're doing more to learn what's going on. We're doing more to tell you. And there's a simple way to prove it. If you're not a Times Herold subscriber, call this number seven four four sixty one oh one, the Dallas Times Herald. You're doing more, We're doing more. Blackmail is an interesting, if dishonorable crime. It has the unusual facility of making the criminal feel virtuous himself. After all, he's only punishing wrongdoers by making them pay for their sins. But the profession has some serious drawbacks. For one thing, it inspires one's victims to think in drastic terms.

And when there are more than one victim and they meet, well, mister Bliss, I know how you must feel about Calluman, And you're right. He is one of the slimiest characters who ever crawled out from under a rock. Those eyes. Never a look at his eyes, mister Bailey, My wife can't stand the side of him. Well, I'm not married. It's my job is threatening marriage. He's after Never mind, I don't want to know any details. None of us know each other's problems, none of us. You mean you know others beside me? I know others. Oh, come well, I made it my business to find others.

One day, when I got fed to the teeth with mister Kellaman and his payments and his wet eyes, I decided to find out more about our friend. So when he left one day, I followed him. I followed him on his Wow, And that's how you found me. Yeah, that's right. You're in the root book, mister Bailey, just like all the rest of us, how many order and there's no way of telling for sure. All I managed to find was a dozen, an even dozen. Man really gets shot out. He keeps raising his price. Do you know that he's only had me in his bag for about six months?

This is my fifth But others I've spoken to they say he raises the ante every few months. Three of the people I talked to are paying well over one hundred. Mister Kellerman does very well, that's obvious. Yeah too, Well, you know something that's funny, but well, it's kind of a relief to know that I'm not alone. Yeah, that's what I felt at first. Misery loves company. But the satisfaction doesn't last. Mister Bailey, you still live every day of your life with that sort over here. I know, I know, but it's still not a reason for using words like killing.

Don't you know that's the only possible way to deal with a blackmail? I wouldn't know. Kellerman's my first I'll think about it now. No, you must have thought about it already. It wouldn't be human if you hadn't thought about it. Crossed my mind. Not that I should kill Kellerman, just the wish that he were dead, and that someone else would kill him. Yeah, I guess I wouldn't shed too many tears. You just didn't want to dirty your own hands. I didn't want to take care of one problem and have another one even worse. And don't tell me that doesn't make sense.

The only thing that makes sense is making Killerman a curt I'm sorry, I'm just not interested in anything like that. The other is writ either, not at first, but now now they all are. Oh but what are you talking about? We all want to get rid of Kellerman. We want to kill him, and so do you. That's a lie. You hate his guts as much as we do, mister Bailey, Why don't you admit it? Of course I hate him, but that doesn't mean it doesn't mean I'm ready to commit murder. Well we're ready, mister Bailey, and you better be two ready for what to commit murder if you don't mind my saying.

And a perfect murder, perfect fool proof. I'm sorry. Look, that's a stupid dreaming, you know it. You won't say that after you've heard the idea. Everybody who sets out to commit a crime thinks it's fool proof. They wouldn't commit it otherwise. Right now, all I want to know is if you'll cooperate. That's easy. No, why not? Because murder is worse than blackmail. That's why. Well, this isn't murder. We're going to erase the human mistake, forget it. But I'll make believe I never heard you say, come on, come on without you, come on your let's go our business over world.

There wasn't one person on the list. I didn't have to convince. But when I told them that there was no chance of any of us being caught, that's when they dropped their objections. All right, what fool proof scheme for murder do you have? It's fool proof because it won't be murder. It'll be an accident. If anyone gets into trouble, it'll be me, just me. I'm going to kill Kellerman with my car when he's making the rounds one night. I have the time and place all figured out, just before midnight on Carroll Street. An accident. Right, So now you know the favor I'm doing you.

I'm taking the rich all by myself getting the police. So that's stupid. Murderers get caught even when they frame accident. Oh, this is different. Why because of the witnesses. What I'm going to have witnesses, a lot of them, all disinterested parties, nothing to connect them with each other, and they all tell exactly the same story what they saw, how it was all Kellerman's fault getting hit by my card. All right, all right, stopped, don't tell me anymore. You've already told me too much. Oh You've got to hear the rest of it. You're a part of this like everyone else.

Don't you see the beauty of it? Safety in numbers, you ask me, you'll all get caught now. Now, don't you understand when a group of citizens all testify exactly the same way? I mean, reliable citizens from every walk of life. You ought to meet some of Kellerman's victims. One is a college professor, to a doctors and four housewives, a bartender who owns his own joint, one working staff, one person in city government. I see, you might as well know. That's me Bliss. Wait a minute, I've seen your name, something about the transportation authority. One of them is in the insurance business.

They're all with me, mister Bailey. Every one of them has agreed. So many witnesses to one accident well, we won't meet everyone. Some of them won't be asked any questions a boy the police, but they'll all be there just the same. We'd like you there too. You're nuts, do you know that? You and the rest of it. I won't have any part of this, don't you see it can't mean, it doesn't matter. I don't want to have any part in killing a man. I'll come, mister Bailey, you've got religious scruples or something. Maybe you've got scruples, but you did something rotten enough to make you a blackmail as victim.

I didn't commit murder. Look, you got a good idea about getting everyone together. Maybe if we all went to the police. Oh, no way, whatever it is you don't want about yourself, my friend, it'll come out the minute Kellerman gets arrested. Now, no, my way is better. I can't buy it. Like I'm sorry. My dog is getting tired, and so my come on, come on launch them now wait a minute, and now I want my advice, bliss, don't go through with this. Find some other way. There has to be one. Goodbye, Bailey. Yeah, what if we do it, you'll be sorry, that's what.

Sorry? Why? Because you'll tell the police the truth. I didn't say that. Goodbye, mister Bliss. Hello, I'm all right, Bliss. What do you want? You're going to be busy tomorrow night? What do you mean busy? Getting together tomorrow night at the corner of Carroll Street and Ninth Avenue about nine thirty. How about coming down? You might see something interesting. You can't go through with this. We're all in it together. Remember, YO might not have to do a thing. Just stand there and see it happen. That'll be satisfying all myself. I won't be there. Well, we'd sure like to have you.

You won't get away with this, nobody ever does? You're on about that? But I won't get in an argument. Can we count on you? No, you can't. I won't be there and I won't help you in any way. Oh, shut up, Lockjow? What's the now? You tonight? Good? Yeah? Do you think Lockjaw's all right? She keeps staring at the door and growlings. Hear the neighbors or something. Maybe she's waiting to back at that man, the collector, you know, isn't he coming to night? He usually comes on the last Sunday of the month. Doesn't it? Yeah?

Yeah, usually, I daught if. You'll be here tonight. It's almost eleven. Now, I didn't realize it was that late. You hadn't done much to see me, did you feel Yeah? Sure, sure, I'm all right. Well you you just seemed to be waiting. Was it for that name? Because if it was, well, I'm sure he's not coming home. We think we had to go to bed, listen to the news or something. Oh the news. Yeah, I guess it's on right. Now, isn't it. It's about you want me to turn it on here? Yeah? Sure would okay.

The conference, now postponed until February, will include. Top officials from both nations. I'm the local fire. A man who has been identified as Edward Kellerman of eighteen tonight on the corner of Caroll Street and Ninth Avenue, the driver of a car. City of Administration official David Bliss, was released after questioning. I witnessed on the. Scene of the accident, testified but Kellerman had stepped into the automobile's path in sports the Golden War shut it out? Good? Do you suppose it's that man the collector? You think that's the reason he didn't come around tonight. It would be a good enough reason, wouldn't it?

He was dead, lying in the middle of the street dead. He looks so strange? Goodn't did you like that? Man? Do you want to know the truth? Pam? I hated him. He did just on general principles. I really don't understand you sometimes, Gordon Handy the film book. Okay, here the call somebody? Honey, why don't you go to bed. I'll be in in a few minutes. But who are you calling? Someone? I know, someone who knew Caleman. Oh, I see to find out if they know. About what happened to the Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's right. Okay, honey, I'll go in there.

Are you feeling okay? Yeah? Some right, I'll be right. Good night, good night, Hello, every bliss? Yes? Who's this? Gordon Bailey? What do you want? I had the news tonight about Kellerman. Oh, you don't have to thank me. I did it for myself and you did go through with it. Eh. You're can all luck style friend. You've just saved yourself fifty. Five bucks a month, maybe a lot more. You're Remitstessman won't be coming around again. You want to go out and celebrate. I know what I ought to do. What's that along with I just wanted to make sure ally.

Obviously, there's one thing you can say for David Bliss. He's a man of his word. And because mister Bliss kept his word, two indifferent interns are now lifting the mortal remains of mister Edward Kellerman and depositing them in the efficient, cold filing cabinet of the city morgue a waiting for someone to claim the body. But who cares about a dead blackmailer? Possibly mister Gordon Bailey. We'll find out shortly when I return with Act three. Ever had a tall, frosty glass of amplitude, Well, if you're beer is Budweiser, you've had it often. Amplitude is a fancy word for the tired taste phenomenon, the total experience of flavor.

Next time you take a healthy swallow of bud. That's what happened. You Think about the sensations, your experience. Notice how the flavor of bud comes on nice and easy, not too strong, not too quick, just right. Notice the clean, crisp togetherness of blood's taste. Everything in perfect balance, with no single element jumping out at you. And there'll be no aftertaste either no hanging on and you'll be refreshed and ready for another glass bow. And actually, butt drinkers have been experiencing amplitude for years, but they never phrase it that way. They just say Budweiser, and that says it all.

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It fits eleven bit sizes from one eighth to three eighths of an inch, and it's double insulated for electrical safety. Right now, true value hardware stores at the Black and Ducker drill Bit Shoppener at a new low price. It was nineteen ninety nine. Now it's four dollars less, just fifteen ninety nine. Get the block Andducker Electric drill bit Shoppener for just fifteen dollars and ninety nine cents at the true value hardware store nearest your home, as David Bliz and Company managed to commit the perfect crime, so it seems. Since the death certificate for Edward Kellerman simply states the cause of death as accidental, at least a dozen people know otherwise, but they remain silent, feeling not grief but relief.

The only one who finds it difficult to maintain that silence is the one victim of ed Kellerman who was knocked on the corner of Carroll Street and Ninth Avenue that fateful night. Toney, do you know it's almost two o'clock in the morning. Oh is it really? Yeah? You know, I honestly think you're a coming down with something. Will you please stop fussing? Your beginning to sound like my mother? Then you wouldn't want to do that. I'm just trying to get you to go to sleep. You've got to jack to go to tomorrow. It's funny about my mother when I was growing up.

She made me feel that there was something I don't know, something so profound about religion, And if you ask me, she just likes the bingo game. My father was that way too, But neither one of them really seemed to live their religion, do you know what I mean? They talked about loving their neighbors and so forth, but they didn't love them at all. They were always saying the nastiest things about them. We tell people are. When I was in my teens, I used to call them hypocrites. Now I just wonder how many different than they were?

Really, don't think I am different? How about things like the Ten Commandments, for instance, I wonder if there's one I haven't broken. You hope you haven't covered a your neighbor's wife. It's about the only one I can remember. I remember them all you do. I want a prize in Bible class when I was only eight for reciting all of them. Our shalt not our shalt not that they're only eight, shalt not. I shalt have no other gods beside me. Thou shalt not worship any grave of an image. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord I God in vain, I'll shout not to kill.

Yeah. Sure, I'll have that full completed in time for the meeting. Right, I'll fall bye. Oh Sylvia, did you read that number yet? Now? Okay, well buzz me if you do. Right now, let's see about that actuarial table. Hello, all right, Bailey, Hello, mister bless. I've been having a lot of trouble reaching here this morning. I was wondering if you might be free for lunch. I'd really like a chance to talk to you. How about some mutual friends of ours. If we're talking about the same thing, Bailey, they're not mutual friends. All strangers, complete strangers, just like.

You and me. Well, that's something i'd like to rectify. Would you have lunch with me? All right? All right? Where I suppose we meet somewhere halfway? I know you're in the City Hall area. I'm on Wall Street about Mercury's, do you know it? That's fine, all right, day, let's you don't want a social lunch. You have something on your mind, You're right, something I can't get off my mind about our old friend Kellerman. I suppose you remember what you said about him? He was a sword hanging over your head. So he's still let for me, mister Bliss, he is exactly that Kellerman is dead.

He won't be ringing your doorbell anymore. I'll come. You're not grateful for that. If Keleman had really been hit by a car, if he had a heart attack or something, I admit, I would be glad about it. I would have gone out and celebrated. I would have slept very well at night. But the way things are, I'm not sleeping at all. Try pills. I'm just sorry you ever came up to me in that part. If I didn't, if I didn't know it was going to happen the way it happened, it never would have bothered me.

But I do know, and it bothers me too much. So the thing is, I don't know if I can live with it. You want to be more specific, I don't know if I can spend the rest of my life with this thing on my conscious. You are conscious. Look, you have nothing to do with Callerman's death. I don't know what you think Caleman had on me, Bliss, but it wasn't anything illegal. Just immore right. It was something stupid I did. Wow, there's nothing stupid about what we did. Wasn't it. Are you really so sure you've committed the perfect murder?

Shop? Don't you ever use that word in front of me. They're still afraid, aren't you afraid of being found out? It can't happen, not as long as we all stick together, safety in numbers. Right. When the police came, they only questioned four of them. Every single one told the same story. There was no reason to doubt their word. Why should there be, because there was no connection between them, right, They were all stranging, nothing to tie them to each other except Kellerman. What about the records he might have kept his little black nookbook for instance.

We thought of that too. The first thing we did when we went to his body was lift that book right out of his pocket. What about the apartment? What about all the stuff he had there? The second thing we lifted was the key to his apartment. One of our guys, Joe the Bartender, went straight there. He cleaned out every scrap of paper in the place. Every single one of them is rocking photographs. You were very thorough, weren't you. Yeah, we're thorough, Bailey, and you ought to be grateful, not worried. I am worried. I'm worrying about whether or not I should god, whether or not you should want Bailey, are you thinking about going to the police that occurred to me?

You mean you'd turn me in? I don't know. I just don't know. Did it ever occur to you to turn Klemin in? Yes? Often? But did you know why not? Wasn't he committing a crime? Wasn't he disturbing your precious sleep too? Yes? Yes, but you didn't turn him in because you were afraid for yourself. Isn't that the truth? I suppose? So, so all this morality of yours, this conscience you talk about, you didn't discover your had any So Kellerman was gone until he was no longer a threat to you. Isn't that true? I still say blackmail isn't murdered, Bailey.

I've got news for you. I wasn't going to tell you this unless it was absolutely necessary. Told me what. Kellerman may be gone, but his photographs are still around. What you heard me, We have all of Kellerman's negatives, all the dirty pictures he ever took. Most of them have been returned to his victims, everyone who cooperated with us. I see that means we have your pictures too, my friend. Do you understand? And if I don't cooperate, I get a new blackmailer. No, no, no, that isn't the way it is at all. Callerman bled you, Bailey.

Every month he came whistling up to your front door, asking for money, more and more money all the time. But that's over now, don and finished. So what you're saying is if I go to the police, the photographs go where I don't want them to go. I'm sorry to use Kellerman's own tactics, but forcing my hand, Bailey, Please use your head. You've got nothing to gain and everything to lose. Somebody's done you a favor. The only way to show your gratitude is to forget it. Well, you say, well, I'll think about it. That's all I can tell you.

Weren't any more coffee, Henny, No, thanks. For taint. Correct. Yeah. I guess I have been acting pretty jumpy tonight. He said to work to me since you came home. The thing is, I've been thinking a lot, Pam, about when I had the nerve to tell you something, something that happened about well seven months ago. What do you mean? And you remember that insurance convention I went to back in July in Atlantic City. I couldn't go with you because your mother being in a hospital. I wish you had been with me. Then nothing would have happened.

What did happen? Did you get into some kind of trouble? Yeah? Yeah, I got myself into trouble by by being stupid, by drinking too much and letting how Emmons drink too much? You mean you're supervised. I was still new on the job, you remember, Pam. I wanted to make good. Yeah. I was afraid of Emmons taking a dislike to me, afraid of crossing him. We both got drunk that second night. Emmans insisted that we pick up these girls. Honey. I swear I didn't want anything to do with it. I wasn't at least a bit interested.

But you know, Emmons is the kind of guy who uses conventions to swing a little. You know, it's home. I was crazy about my wife at home. Cooking was good enough for me, but he just pressured me. Pam, Pam can make you understand. Go on what happened. We brought the girls upstairs. They had joining rooms. They were professionals, Honey, I have to tell me, I wouldn't have known of you to me on my conscience, Pami, Oh sure, I could have kept my mouth shovel. I needed to tell you, I guess I wanted you to know so that you can forgive me.

I've been tortured about it for months and you have no idea what torture it's been for me. Say I would have been given you oda. It will never happen again, honey. I swear, yeah, yeah, we're just getting cozy. I'm getting. Hello, mister Bailey, Dave was here. What do you want? I have something for you? A present? What is it about? Half a dozen. Photographs and the original negatives. I decided they really belonged to you, that if you knew you were really out of danger, you'd sleep a great deal better. Do you want them? All right?

Put them in my mail to my office and have some. Secretary open them. My mistake, Now, I don't think you'd care for. That good market personal. Suppose I hand them over in person tonight? Whereabouts? Well, right now, I'm in a body called Adam and Eves on twelfth and the lawn. I'll be here for another hour if you can make it. Otherwise, well, it will. Have to be some other time that's all. Oh well, all right, all right, I'll be there in half an hour. You're not going out just for a little while, honey, I got some client business.

Besides, I can use a little fresh air. You're not feel feeling that? I am no, No, I feel just fine. I never felt better. Maybe I'm crazy to do this daily. Maybe I'm putting my neck into a noose giving you back these photographs? And why are you doing it? Because of what you said to me. You said I was just becoming another blackmail or another calemer, And I guess you're right. If I held on to these, I have become the very thing I despise. Well, I'll give you credit for honesty, Bliss. I hope that having these will change your mind about going to the police.

I hope you'll realize that I did the right thing, that we all did. The right thing. I can't answer that then you're still thinking about it. You want to know. Something I told my wife tonight about these. What I know all about the girl in Atlantic City. She knows exactly what happened. Oh that doesn't mean to say she wouldn't be horrified to see it in black and white. That's why I'm glad to have these pictures. What else can I say that? Thanks? You could say that you won't go to the police ever. Sorry, I can't make any promises.

Ah yeah, I was afraid you felt that way. Well, let's have another drink. Okay, no, no, not for me, Just one more. Hey, Joey, really I have to be going. My wife's waiting at home for me. Well, i'll be mister blush. It's trouble, Joey. All the trouble we can handle. Damn, I freed it had to be. Hey, hey, what is this set right there? Mystery? Put that gun away? Oh my god? What are you doing on? Joey? All all right, let's get the story straight now we'll help me at Joey. A look, sergeant, you know you know I don't like trouble my joint.

Well, what a guy do? Try to hold you up? Let's try to come in. He sat down on the bike, pulled out a forty five and struck into my gun. Well it's a transmit, all right, I mean the guy with some kind of insurance executive, that's. All I had. Well, he lost the guard off his nut signe. Look, you're gonna ask anybody? Oh my customers. This gentleman right here was at the bar. Yes, iic heer. My name is David Bliss. I'm with the city off there and the market is right. The guy just sat down and pulled out the gun.

Too, and then the bartender tried to grab it away from him. He went on. He did. It was a pure case of self defense. Side. I'm just glare nobody else got hurt, you know. Yeah, Look, be enjoy. You're all lucky, okay, honor second fowl from some of your other witnesses, and so for for Gordon Bailey, there was no safety in numbers, only extinction. We admit that this is a grim demonstration of the old saying that in union there is strength, but we sincerely trust that justice finally prevailed. I'll be back shortly. When she asked, can you help me to do this outla, I'm busy, you know about most of the time.

If all they hear is your business signals, some very important people might stop calling you, and there are messages you can't afford to miss. Lane above from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints, the Mormons. If there's a morrow to this story, it might be that eye witnesses can't always be trusted, even when they're being honest. Of course, we don't worry about your eyes on this program. We're interested in your ears, and we have good news for you. Many thousands of years are now listening to these exercises in imagination. We hope you continued to be an ear witness.

Our cast included Paul hect E, v Chester, Ralph Bell and Robert Dryden. The entire production was under the direction of Hyman Brown and now a preview of our next tale. Even if all you say is true that this man was Richardson's murderer, you can't help John Lendale any longer. He's beyond that. But his name? Don't you what his name? Have you any proof any living witness this myself? But you'd be willing to involve yourself, not a whole new investigation, open up the whole dreadful miss again, missus cambrid You know that John Lyndale. Had a daughter, you.

Me all the more reason to do something. His daughter's married, living in Minneapolis, a husband and three children. People have forgotten about her father by now. Would you want that poor woman to see his name drag through the newspapers. A second time. I never thought it was infant. Forget it, missus Canby. That's my advice to you. The old wound is. Healed, don't reopen it. Radio Mystery Theater were sponsored in part by Anheuser Busch Incorporated brewers of Budweiser. This is E. G. Marshall inviting you to return to our Mystery Theater for another adventure in the macabre.

Until next time. Pleasant read. My dear, seems we've gotten the night half on the right foot. Wouldn't you say? How's your tea? I hope it tastes soothing and familiar, but also a little on the hot side for that joyful challenge we all so crave in our lives. For me, being put to battle makes me feel like well, like lim Engen versus the ants. You are isolated on a remote plantation in the crawling Amazon jungle, and an immense army of ravenous ants is closing in on you, swarming into each you alive, a deadly black army from which there is no escape.

Escape produced and directed by William N. Robson, and carefully contrived to free you from the four walls of today. For a half power of high adventure. Tonight we escaped to the Amazon jungle and to a creeping, crawling terror. As Carl Stevenson told her that his gripping story liningen Versus the Ants. I first met Liningen while performing my duty as district Commissioner. As my boat near his plantation landing, I saw him upon the river bank, regarding me with mild interest. A great hulk of a man with bristling gray hair, bulky nose, and pale eyes. His entire appearance somehow suggested an aging and shabby eagle.

He escorted me to the terrace and had a drink brought. I came quickly to the point of my visit and issued my warning, Lining and puffed placidly at a huge cigar, and listened as I told him. Unless they alter their course, and there's no reason why they should, they'll reach your plantation in two days at the latest. Well, it was decent of you paddling all this way just to give me the tip tip, Commissioner. Even a herd of crocodiles couldn't. Drive me from this plantation of mine. But these aren't creatures you can fight. They're an elemental force, a gigantic catastrophe, ten miles long, two miles wide.

Ants nothing but ants, and each one as big as your thumb, and each of them have fiend from hell. Unless you clear out at once, there'll be nothing left of you but a skeleton picked as clean as your own plantation will be. I'm not getting out. But you can't fight? Yes I can. I've got the best weapon there is, Commissioner intelligence. But can't I make you understand the hitting I think it is you who do not understand. In the three years I've been here, I've met and defeated more than one catastrophe, flood, drought, the plague, events which caused many of my neighbors to flee for the lives now, Commissioner, all my life I have lived with one creed.

The human brain needs only to become fully aware of its powers to conquer even the elements. Leningen, your obstinacy is endangering not only your own life, but the lives of your workers and their families. You don't know these ants. I tell you, you don't know these ants. But Leningen merely sat there, puffing at his cigar and regarding me with a smug grin and I knew it was hopeless. As I boarded my launch and cast off, I realized I'd never met a man like that, and I could not help wondering. About the strange look and the Commissioner's eyes as he bought it his launch and cast off, undoubtedly thought me insane.

Ah, well, he would not have been the first to think so. But I lennge and knew my own powers. I was sure of myself. I knew that intelligence directed a right always makes man the master of his fate. That night, I called my Indian workers together in front of the plantation house. I saw their faces go ashen with terror as I told them that the ants were coming. Watched them as they mowed around, muttering. I said nothing more to them. Finally one of the men stepped forward, blast the foemans Et patron. We have worked hard here for these three years, all of us.

We have built the finest plantation in this district, we all sharing it. It has been a home for all of us and our families. Now the ants come. So those ditches we dug last year, the pipe we put in the ground, that was for the nts. Yes, that was for the ends. If we moved our families across the river. The ens could not reach them. That's right, and you h the answer, mighty, we. Know what they can do. All of us think that you are mighty. But Ron, we will stay with you and fight against the ants.

I knew that the men would give me that answered. I counted on it. I thought of the commissioner and wondered what he would say at such unquestioning confidence. Would he still think I was in sane? Had he dismissed out of my mind? One man who calmly evaluated his chances against the deadly menace coolly decided he could win and was willing to stake his life on it, to risk a horrible death for it. It was terrifying, and yet it was fascinating. The next morning I sent for my assistant. Together we went to the huge map of the district which hung from a wall of my office, and checked the last reported position of the ants.

Last night. They had reached Tea, about seventy miles above this fork in the river, traveling southeast yes directly toward lining toward the Holmsht. That plantation at the band in the river belongs to a man named Bleningen. When would you say the ants will reach there. Oh yeah, I don't know. I mentioned about tomorrow noon. Tomorrow noon, still time, there's still the time. What do you mean to hi? Why? Nothing? But what did I mean? Still time for? What for Liningen to flee? Or still time for me to. Even as I rejected the thought with horror, I knew that the fascination of that man was more than I could resist.

But Liningen's fight was drawing me back toward that plantation and death. I knew now, past all doubt, that I was going back. I had to. It was ten o'clock in the morning when I rounded the bend and saw lan Engine's plantation before me. I put in at the dock and tied up the lunch. Then I saw him standing on the bank above me, arms folded, stubby cigar in his mouth and that same smug grin on his face. I made my way up to him, back with another warning, Commissioner, no back to stay a wild Yes, you don't seem surprised.

I have not. You expected me. I thought you'll be back. He come along, We'll get some horses. I want to ride around the plantation, take a look at the defenses. I rigged up yes, I'll want to see the defense and the ants will be getting a glimpse of them before long, I should think. Yes, the ant. The defence's lin Engene had devised were quite impressive. Surrounding three sides of the plantation like a huge horseshoe, was a ditch twelve feet wide. The ends of this horseshoe shaped ditch ran into the river, which formed the fore side of the plantation.

That the up river entrance to the ditch. Line Engine had constructed the dam by which the river water could be diverted into the ditch. A large handwheel controlled the floodgate of the dam, and apparently land Engine had ordered it open immediately after my arrival. Whereas we now approached the ditch and rode along it, I could see. That it was nearly full. Ah, how do you like my first line of defense, Commissioner. It's reassuring, like a motor around a castle. Unless the ads know how to build rafts, they won't reach the plantation. But this is only the automotive.

There's a better one than this. Now, come along, we'll go up to the high ground where the buildings are. I can get a view from there. Leningen h I didn't see any women or children around the plantation, or any animals. Yes, that's right. Moved them across the river. And even you think there is danger. Not because of danger, Commissioner, outter of efficiency. Efficiency, Yes, cuts down on the efficiency of the men if they're worried about their families. Critical situations only become crises when oxen and women get excited. I see, ah, here we are. Ye see the ditch.

It's much smaller than the others. As you've noticed, how all the buildings are on this piece of high ground in the ditch surrounds them, and it's lined with concrete. But even filled with water, this is no barrier. It's not big enough. Why if they get this farther there don't get no farther. This ditch wasn't built for water, Commissioner. You see the pipes leading into it. See storage tanks on the hill petrol. They can throw up a wall of flame, GoTab, They won't like that. I hope you're right. Landing to look over at the edge of the jungle.

All those animals. Running like the wind, everything from jaguars and monkeys. Remember they don't have any ditches, But can they escape they'll be all right as long as they don't get caught between the river and the ants. They can outrun the crawlers. But if they get trapped, it's either the ants or the crocodiles. Huh. Look, look up there over the horizon, there are your ants. Look at them. It was a sight I will never forget. Over the range of hills, as far as I could see, crept a darkening hem ever longer and broader, until the shadows across the entire slope, then downward, downward, uncannily swift, and all the green herbage on the entire slope was being mowed as by a giant sickle, leaving only the vast moving shadow extending, deepening.

And or was moving nearer. There are lots line engine We can't last against that. Look at them, but they will figure. Ditches with their corpses and still have enough to destroy. Every one of us. We've got to run. Well. Hey, No, they haven't gotten towards yet, and they never will. The hostile army was approaching in perfect formation. No human battalions, however well drilled, could ever hope to rival the precision of that advance along a front that moved forward as uniformly as a straight line. The ants drew nearer and nearer to the water ditch. As they approached to outlining, the wings of the army detached themselves from the main body and started marching along the sides of the ditch, no doubt expecting at some point to find a crossing.

And during this hour long flanking movement, the main army remained still. Across the scant twelve feet of ditch. I stared at them, and they stared back at me, solid mass, everyone as big as my thumb, with reddish black body and long legs. Suddenly, a sound so. Unearthly as to freeze our blood jerked my heads from the direction of the jungle. On the far side of the ditch, coming toward the ditch at a stumbling gallop, was a singular being, a writhing animal like blackened statue with a shapeless head and four quivering feet. It was a stag covered over and over with ants.

Lin engine threw up his rifle and the stag fell lifeless to the ground, its agonies at an end. Horrified as I was, my curiosity impelled me to glance at my watch. I had to know how long the ants would tape. After six long minutes, only the white, polished bones of the stag remained. Now I could see a change in landing, and gone was the sporting zest of the novel contest. In its place was a cold, violent purpose. He had to beat the ants because he now knew how long it would take them. Once they got to us.

Around four in the afternoon, the ant scouts having found no crossing, there was a stirring among the main army, and then an immense flood of ants about one hundred yards in width, commenced touring and a glimmering black cataract down the fla slope of the ditch. Thousands drowned into and play, but the rest began using the bodies as bridges landings, and immediately swung into action. Up in the plot a little more. We've got to get the water in the ditch moving passer. Look at them drowned, but they. Keep coming, even though the current carries many from the way they're And fancy.

We'll pick them. How about those shovels and petrol stricklers. You pass them out to the men. It has been done, and get all hands here in a hurry. That looked like the spot reaction. Commissioner, Yes, you're getting to see what I was talking about. What do you mean about intelligence being more than a match for anything in tackles? Deke leants, they've got no intelligence. If they had, they have attacked along the whole length of the ditch instead of a narrow cront like this they have been across by now. No feel bad, I'm not running their campaign for them.

You can joke about it like that with hands halfway across, all right. Then listen for the shovels now up some sand and plods on them. See how they like that here with the petrol stricklers not popping, ha ha ha. They don't like it, Commissioner, they don't like it a bit. Look at them, yes, but look at the ones on the fast side of the ditch, whole clumps of them rolling into the water. The rest are using them for bridgers, smarter than I thought. Now widening the front. Some of them are getting across. Uh, grab a shovel, the commissioner, come regret, lit out my eyes and handful hands to the petroom.

Don't stop now the rest of it. Have them, have them. We cannot hold it. Baked it on, stomp down. The water, and y'all got the cloud beach open hairs. They can't hold her on against the curl. Now look at them, Commissioner, the waters carrying them away. We've feed them, We've won out. It was true Liningen had won at least the opening round. The floodgates were left open the four stall any night crossing, But when dawn came, the dark blanket was still there, motionless across the ditch. Then we noticed a feverish activity on the other side of the plantation.

Here a grove of Cameron trees lined the far end of the ditch, and every tree swarmed with the crawling insects. But instead of eating the leaves, they were merely gnawing through the stems, so that a thick green shower fell steadily to the ground. Well, it looks as if it's feeding time for our friends, eh blass. Have all the petrol prompts brought here. Get everyone over here except the lookouts on the other side, and pass out the shoulders. Going to deprive them of a meal? A meal? Aren't they cutting down the leaves for food? No? I wish they were.

Looks like I underestimated them. When I said they didn't have intelligence, what do you mean? I said, if they wanted to get across, they'd have to have rats. And that's just what they've got, those leaves, the rats. Even as he spoke, the leaves went tumbling down the far bank by the thousands. The current threw them away from the bank, and each leaf carried several ends. I don't worry. As long as you can keep spraying them and showing God on the raft, they can't land. It will be too many, it's true. Look more leaves in the ditch all the time.

Why they'll have a solid carpet to walk across in a minute, and. Not so vast, Commissioner, I've still got to trigg up my slave for them. The water the ditch is drying up. Of course it's drying up. That's the plan. Those are the orders I said to the dam. Are you mad? This is the empty what's to prevent the end? Look, the water's way down, it's almost dry. They'll be able to come across the bottom. They'll not make it. The man at the dam will have opened the gates by now to. Flood the ends. Right, what a chance to take?

If anything should happen. Here comes the water as we'll give the crawlers that rider right up the river a look at them. Go. Line Engine's tactics were successful. At first, the violent floor of water at the original depth raced through the ditch, overwhelming leaves and ants and sweeping them along. Three times the ditch was emptied, three times the ants. Raced across its bottom, and three times the rushing water, arriving just in time, carried them away. But the fourth times the water lord nearly to the bottom of the ditch. We waited in vain for the rushing waters, and then.

What's the matter? What's going wrong to them? Just as it did, then them lord the water almost to the bottom the astec Before he could open the flood it. He was almost surrounded. Here run the unskipped coming. They are across the ditch. Line Engine stood motionless, absorbing the news of his defeat without a word. Then he raised his pistol and fired three shots. In the air, the pre arranged signal for all the men to retreat instantly to the second line of defence, the concrete ditches more than a mile from the point of the invasion. Soon after we arrived there, the natives commenced, straggling in silently.

Lanningsen waited until all of them had gathered. Then he spoke to them, Oh, lads. I won the first round. What's the second. But we'll smash the crawls yet. Anyone who thinks otherwise can draw us pain and push off. There are wraps en up on the river and plenty of time still to region. You'll stay that good age, lads, and you, Commissioner. I can't persuade you to give up the fight. You cannot. Then I stayed too, eh, I knew you would. They are trying to get across. I didn't think they would. There's plenty of food out there for them.

I fields and orchards, the work of three years, not to last of them until morning. Anyway, Yes, we were safe for that night. But the next morning the black swarm was solid around us, and their shock troops were hard at work. They were dropping shreds of bark and twigs and leaves into the petrol filled ditches, forming a floating bridge across the surface of the liquid. Liningen stood silently watching this operation, and I could see a grudging admiration in his face. Then, after several hours the attack came down the ditch. They poured millions of them and across the bridge of twigs, rapidly approaching the inner side.

Liningen sat motionless, watching watching them. Linagen, for the love of God, don't sit there like a statue. There'll be on us in a moment. Let him pull the ditch first. Ah ah, all right, everyone back, add the torch. Oh, we'll see how our friends like A little. Heat lames from the ditch, hot into the air, devouring ants by the millions. It was some time before the petrol burned down to the bed of the ditch, but when it did, the devils came back for more. Again. Lioneton fired the ditch to destroy them, and still again they came on.

But in each success of firing, the task of the ants grew easier because of the film of ash which now covered the petrol. And as they returned to the assault time after time, a slow, sickening horror crept into my mind, and a quickly a fan engine then at the petrol tanks. He read my gaze and nodded slowly. That's right, Commissioner. They could hold him off forever if our supply of petrel was unlimited. But it isn't We've got enough to fill the ditch once more. Liningen, isn't there any way anyway at all? We've got to do something.

We know. I know there must be a way. There must be. Yes, yes, we'll plood the whole plantation. But the river's higher than any point except this high ground we're on now. If the river was damned all the way and to overflow that stone breakwater and flood the whole plantation, we've got to close the flood gate of the damn. That'll do it, Oh, mad damn is more than a mile away, more than a mile of heads. Listen to me, listens, I'm proud of you. How there's still a chance. By shutting the. Flood gates from the dam and plotting the whole plantation from the river the moment I'm over the dead, set fire to it.

That'll allow time for the flood to wash away the ants. Then all you'll have. To do is wait for me. It's impossible. You can't get to the damn, let alone back. That's why you're wrong, Commissioner. I'll get them, I'll get back, take care of things while I'm gone. I watched him as He calmly pulled on high level boots, drew gauntlets over his hand, and stuff the spaces between breeches and boots, gauntlets and arms with petrol soaked rags. He sealed his eyes with close fitting mosquito goggles and plugged his nostrils and ears with cotton. Then the natives drenched his clothes with petrol.

Blass, who acted as doctor to the men's smear the salve over him, and finally Linington was ready. As he stood calmly saying ready for the run, I. Realized that this as it should be. A Linagen would meet the ants and up beat them or be defeated by them. Hu Liningchen versus the ants. Yes, it was right that it should be like this. But now there was no more time for thought, only action. I took a deep breath and then bounded across the ditch and among the ants. I ran. I ran in long, equal strides with one thought, one sensation of my being.

I must get through. I dodged the trees and shrubs except for the split seconds my souls touched the ground. Ants would have no opportunity to alide on me. I ran on. I was half way to the dam before I felt ants under my clothes and a few on my face. I struck under the mechanically, scarcely, conscious of their bites, and the dam drew toward me slowly, and the distance grew less less badly, only one hundred yards away fifty. Then I was there. I gripped the aunt covered wheel, but oddly had I seized it when a hoard of ants flowed over my hands and arms.

I strained, and slowly the wheel turned and turned more. The bloodgate was swinging slowly shut. Then it was shut, and the water was rising, rising behind the breakwater, closer to the top, closer, and then it was filling over, flooding of the plantation of the garden. I let go of the wheel and started back through the ants. I was coated from head to foot with the fiends. Tongues of fire stabbed at me as they bit into my flesh. I almost lost my head with a pain as I ran, knocking ants from my body, brushing them from my bloody face, and then one hit me just below the.

Rim of my goggles. I managed to tear him away, but the agony of the bite and its venom drilled into the I nerds I saw now through circles of fire into a milky mist. I was almost blinded, but I knew that if I tripped and fell, I ran on my heart pounding as if it would burst, blood roaring in my ears, a giant's fist battering my lungs. And then I could see dimly in a wall of flame at the ditch, but it was too far away. I could not last half ad distance. I stumbled and fell, felt myself being swarmed over them.

Old tried to rise a great weight, but then suddenly the vision of the half the vowed stag in my brain. Six minutes then nothing bones. I couldn't let that. Happen to me. I couldn't die like that. To my feet, time feet dragged myself forward to the plane, the ditch, the ring of flight. Curse enough, only little, it seemed we had waited for hours, when all at once for the blazing ring around us, an apparition hurtled and fell full length on the ground. It was lininghen, alive with ants, unconscious, with glazing eyes and lacerated face. We rushed to him, stripped off his clothes, and tore at the ants that covered him.

His body seemed almost one open wound. In one place, I could see a white bone. Later, as the curtain of flame lord, I looked out where the blanket of ants had been, and sawnly a vast expanse of water, covering the entire plantation and working its way to within a few feet of the concrete ditch. The ants were gone, drowned, and line engine had won. He lay on his bed, his body swathed from head to foot with bandages, but alive and still in command. Everything in order, Everything's in order. Told you I'd come back even if I am it.

Streamlined Escape is produced and directed by William N. Robson and Tonight brought you Liningen Versus the Ants by Carl Stephenson, adapted for radio by Robert Rife, with William Conrad as Liningen and lou Merrill as the commissioner. Music was conceived and conducted by Cy Fure. Next week, you are groping through a dark alleyway in the French quarter of New Orleans, with terror driving you on, and always before your eyes is the malevolent stare of a voodoo man. Striking you with a deadly curse from which you must escape. Next week we escape with William Irish's eerie story of a voodoo haunted bandleader Papa Benjamin.

Good Night, then until this same time next week, when we again offer you escape. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System. My dear, my dear, the night is still young, and we're making the most of it right here. I do so enjoy your visits. I'm so glad you could be here tonight. Hm. The fire is dampening a bit. I'll get another long right there. Ah, the heat is really pouring out now. Hot cup of tea comfortable chair, a darkness to share, and I start to feel like like I'm having a a King's birthday. Suspense. This is the Man in Black here again to introduce Columbia's program Suspense.

Tonight, in one of her rare radio appearances, we bring you one of Hollywood's most idolized personalities, mister Laura's Costello, with such noteworthy and distinguished players as mister Martin Coslick, mister George Zuko, and mister Ian Wooldon. Miss Costello appears in a story of Today played against the background of the New Order in Europe. The story of an oppressed people who use strange and defective methods in dealing with their oppressors and with traitors. The story tonight is called The King's Birthday and was written by Corporal Lewis Pelletier a us. And with the performances of Dolaura's. Costello as the Danish Countess, Elsa of Martin as the Nazi go Lighter right Man of George Soko as doctor Erickson of a Young Wolf as Old Peter of Cronwall Castle.

We again hope to keep you in suspense. They come to the castle almost every day now, the Gestapo trying to question me. But it seems I'm very stupid. Somehow I don't give the right answer. Perhaps it's my advanced age. When they questioned me about the night of the King's Birthday, I get confused. I ramble on in the fashion of old people. Gentlemen, Cronwall Castle is three hundred years old. For all those years, Cronwaald has been a symbol of Danish liberty. Gentlemen, the sea waves beat against the rocks of Cronwall. The sea is deep, the sea knows everything.

Ask her, stop bubbling nonsense, your fool answer my question. Did you know about those notes? But of course Heir Lieutenant. Everybody in the district knows about them. The notes said Count Victor would kill himself on the night of the King's birthday. Did you see the notes? Oh no, heir lieutenant. But the notes said that Count Victor would kill himself because of his great shame. That I do know. And the note said the exact time twelve midnight. So so you know the exact time is is I'm fond of clocks, you see. My father had a clock that told the time with the bird jumping out.

The bird whistled like this, stop that in Saint shopping. Yes, Heir Lieutenant, I'll take care of you later. Perhaps I'll have something that will improve your memory. Stay there till I call you. Yes, Heir Lieutenant, there's nothing the matter with my memory. I could tell them a thing or two if I wanted. I could tell them how it all happened. It began two days before the King's birthday. That was the day the new Nazi gariightter her Reikman came to the castle to see the Countess Elsa. I was told to show him to the library. It was cold and gray, and the sea was pounding on the rocks.

Very angry like it always is in November. The new gariter sat by the fireplace and warmed his hands and called for a glass of brandy. And bring some sola too, please. Yes, hair rykmanw soon? Did your mister say she would see. Me in a few minutes? Hair Rykman, you told her it was most urgent? Yes, yes, I told her she'll be with you soon. I doubt it most women's idea of soon as the best part of an hour. In my country we train our women to the brandy, hair Rekman, Oh, thank you. Yes. In Germany we hm curvasier ready to get brandy like this.

Cant Victor can get many things as if forbidden to his countryman, hair Reckman cont Victor's. Seller is well stopped, is it really? Yes? Yes, we have meet at the castle. Nobody in Denmark has meet only Kronwell Castle. You're lucky, so they say, Shall I leave the brandy? Sir? Yes, but you stay here a minute. Tell me what's your name? Peter? Sir? Ah, Yes, Peter. You have been at Cronvat since you were a child sixty three years? Am I correct? Why? Why? Yes? How did you miss my business to know a lot of things? Peter. You don't approve of Convictor, do you.

It's not my place, sir. To three days ago in the marketplace, you were to make an indiscreet remark concerning Convictor's collaboration with Berlin. I think a word very close to traitor was yours? Was it? Sir? What do you think? I think? Air Rackman, the fire is in need of some more would if you'll excuse me, I'll get some. Too, by all means. And Peter, yes, sir, tell your mistress, and I do not intend to spend all afternoon here. My business is urgent, and yourself, sir, excuse me. I was just saying, yes, sit down, please, thank you.

Peter told me your business was urgent. I hope I haven't kept you. No, not at all. My business is urgent. But as a new Garl of this district, I might combine social pleasure with business. And I had very kind of you. I had hoped that my wife Rechman. Of course you must ask her to call sometimes. Yes, I will. Although I never had the pleasure of meeting Convictor, it would be a great honor if we may call as soon as he returns from Berlin. In certainly here, Rakman, thank you, and this urgent business. Yes, we come to that.

Do your mind if I smoke a good cigar? All this makes unpleasant things easier to tell. It sounds almost as if you had rehearsed that line on the way to the castle here Reichmann. I did, and since it was ineffective, I'll be blunt, Countess, I'd prefer it three days ago, Countess, to be exact. On the day I ride at Kronwald to begin my duties as Garlt of this district, I found this note on my desk. Read it, Please. Count Victor of grand Bold will kill himself on the night of the King's birthday. That note was on my desk in the morning when I found this one, Read it.

Please Count Victory of grand World will repudiate his Nazi collaborators. He will choose the night of the King's birthday for his death. I thought that first it was some crank, but the notes kept coming, and I heard that everybody in the district believed what the note said. In every house and shop and farm, they are saying that Convictor is going to kill himself. We'll see why I said my business was urgent yes, yes, I see. It's not that I had the slag. It's fear for the Count's safety. But the writer of these notes must be found and treated with severest penalties.

You have no fear for my husband's safety. Of course, Certainly no anonymous letter writer could force the Count to take his own life. I wonder, what do you mean? You wish me to be frank with you? Naturally, you know that my husband is hated by the whole countryside. What of it? People? He are too stupid to know what's good. For them, perhaps, But the writer of these notes seems to be a little less than stupid, you think, sir, if you knew Danish history, here Reichman, you might agree. For hundreds of years, the night of the King's Birthday has been a special occasion at grandvald On that night the Castle Ring used its pledge of loyalty to the King into Denmark's.

Freedom, a very theatrical gestion. Quite, But if anyone wished to remind Count Victor. If someone wished to remind the Count that he had chosen our glorious fur for his leader, yes, the. Knight of the King's Birthday would be shall we say the psychologically correct time to do it? You reason well, Countess. I know my countrymen. Evidently I can. See how these notes would inflame their imagination if Count Victor were to take his own life as a public repudiation of his present political bonds, and the whole country would be stirred to its death. I see you seem to view the possibility of your husband's death rather.

Calmly, Countess, like you here Raikman, I have no fear for his safety. I am only presenting the political possibilities quite, sir. And since you grasp the full significance of the notes, you understand that I must take certain liberties. In order to track down the writer. Liberties. Yes, I shall ask your permission to talk with doctor Erickson. Oh, doctor Erickson, I'm told he lives here at the castle. Yes, but I should like to talk with doctor Ellison. As you wish. Peter will show you to the doctor's study. However, I assure you that I'm a. Short countess, and the standard doctor Alexen is one of your countries able psychiatris, and the standard of the Alexon is an authority on mass suggestion.

His health should be invaluable. Docter Erickson. Yes, Peter, show the gentleman in. I'll sit down here, Rakman. Don't be alarmed about these mice. I'll remove them just as soon as hermon here gets through the maze. Watch him. He's really quite clever. I've been trying him on liver extract and ah he made it. Good night, Herman, now after bed. I've been expecting you, her Rakman, please sit down. Thank you. You come to see me about the notes? Am I right? Yes, you're right doctor. When I first heard about him, I said to myself, then you go.

Light will want my theory concerning the type of mind which would be prompted to write such notes. I'll tell you my theory, hair Rachman. I don't want your theory, doctor, I want you to answer some questions. Oh so it's like that, and perhaps you want to sample of my handwriting too. I'm not a fool, doctor. That's very possible. How long have you been treating Convictor for certain nervous disorder? Five years? What would you say is his condition? Now? You've never met Convictor, have your hair Rakman? No, when you talk with him, you've see now outfit sign of his maladate manifest itself only during periods of despondency.

In the last few years, I am happy to say that these periods have been infrequent. Convictor depends a good deal on you, doesn't he, Doctor. Perhaps I've almost cured him in return, he's given me this laboratory and money for my experiments. But you do have a dated of influence on his mental processes. Yes, he rightman, I do. In fact, if I decided to, shall we say, liquidate Count Victor, I would have written the notes exactly as the people say they are written. Like all nervous people, the Count would be highly susceptible to such mental attack.

That's what you wanted me to say, isn't it? Yes, you know them where we stand. Almost one thing more, I'll ask your doctor. Convictor had a brother who left Kronbach and Denmark was occupied for our troops. That brother, Christian, is now known to be working with a Danish underground. Formerly, he was one of your students at the university. Is that right? Christian was one of my most brilliant students. Do you know where he is now? No? I don't, and neither does your guest Starper. That's the only thing we share in common. You are a very outspoken man, Doctor, I find it the best form of deception.

Do you think it wise to try to deceive the lawful government of your country? Lawful government? You have a quaint sense of humor, hair right, man, you. May not find it so quaint. If Convictor ever removes this protection from. You, he won't when you informed him of his impending suicide, as I presume you will, you'll see he needs me more than ever. You do intend to show the notes of the count, don't you? Yes, I will present myself to his excellency tonight, and it's a turn from Berlin. Is His reactions to the notes will be most interesting?

Would it inconvenience you? If I would be present on the occasion or not. At all, Doctor, I'd be delighted. Your own reactions should be most interesting, too. Dead that's what the people think. Hey, they think they can kill me with words. They can't do that to me, can they? Doctor? Easy? It's easy, childish note Contvictor will kill himself on the night of the King's birthday because of his great shame here. I'll great shame them, all right, they'll see that, doctor, little the brandy please, yes, of course, convictor, now you mustn't upset yourself. Who's upset? The whole thing is completely nonsensible, completely, of course it is ask.

Her a rchman. His police acted to becall the rifle of the notes. Help them bear her right practically, doctor, you have nothing to worry about. Contact there, you see doctor? Tonight if I need acidative, certainly conflict, I'll show them. I'll give them a dinner here on the night of the King's birthday. Everyone will hear about it, and they'll see who's afraid. I'll give a dinner, he rockman, will you be my guest to dinner? A pleasure of contact there? And I'll light up this whole castle like a like a Christmas tree. And also you'll wear that gown you are at the palace and your jewels.

You understand, you'll wear all your jewels. Kill me with words, eh, it's words. There after I'll give them words Herrekman, I'll make a statement here newspapers the night of the King's birthday. I'll stuff words down the people's throat. Yes, and there's someone in particular who'll read what I have to say, My brother Christian. I want him especially to read it. Have you ever seen my brother love contactor? His picture wasn't that empty frame up there next to mine? I destroyed his picture. Doctor, you're getting excited, Doctor Rickson. You're right, Elsa. Sometimes the strain of my work is too much.

Doctor Erickson, you'll you'll talk to me for a while before I go to bed, won't, of course talk to you. Convictor, Yesley, doctor has a way of calming my nerves. It's slightly hypnotic, isn't that any doctor? You might call it that, convict convict, Oh no, it's the only thing that helps me. I just go quietly to sleep. I'll the doctor talk. That's Convictor. Good night, hair Rachman, and I'll expect you here for dinner on the night of the King's birthday, of course, Convictor, Elsa, Yes, Victor. They can't hurt me with words, Canny, No, Victor, they can't hurt me if I don't listen.

Can If I shut my ears, I'll be all right. That's it. Shut my ears. I won't listen. I won't listen. I won't listen. I won't listen. Listen her dow writer, Yes, Latin, while you were out to lunch. You needn't tell me it's another note, yes, her go writer, Where did you find it? This time? I hesitate to speak up? Speak up? I found it, her go Writer, in the pocket of my own tunic, when I was about to go on duty. Never man the details. I found one of them under my pillow. This morning. Coron Victor called me and said there was one delivered with this morning paper.

The farmer came in here at eight o'clock. He found one nail to his door. Pr and it has got to stop, yes, he go writer. Just as our Feara says, if you tell a lie often enough, everybody believes it. That's true, her go writer, is it? Well as the go writer says, you believe Convictor will kill himself? Who know her go writer? Rather do I? The Countess was right about one thing. If he did kill himself after all these notes sect on the people would be electrifying. But you just said that. I'm talking about effects like non From what I have seen of the count he is too much of a coward to take its own life.

But if someone else killed him and made it look like suicide, yes, yes it could be done. But how I don't know before I've got a dinner, I have ordered fifty guards to but throw the grounds. Four guards will be stationed in the dining room while we eat. No one can get near the Count. It's impossible to kill him. But in this strange country you can't even trust the impossible. They say. The castle is guarded the night fifty soldiers. They say. The Count locked himself in his room all day writing a message to the people, they say.

They say the gall lighter has five kistapp women at the castle. Besides the soldiers. One mistappleman is watching the food for poison. Wait a minute, two, taste that wine before you break it into the What did you say, sir, I said, taste that wine? Oh? Taste it? Why? Of course? Ah, it's very good, sir. Did you doubt it's quality? All right, let me take it in, Thank you, sir, And if there's any left after that through I take care of you. Sir. Ah more wine, Good boy, Peter, right here, we'll drink another toast of the King.

Victor. I think we've drunk called nonsense. This is the King's birthday dinner. We've got to drink of the King. Oh, Peter, Yes, sir, did they make you taste that wine before you brought it in. Yes, doctor, they did. That's just about tasting wine. Simple precaution of man contactor. I hope you don't mind mine. No, no, I don't mind. But you don't think that now, Victor, don't get upset. Haven't stopped repeating that in name phrase and saying that all through dinner. I'm not upset, not upset. I just want to know what's going on. But if I got to be upset about I, you become more nervous than I am.

I can understand the Countess is feeling. If this is the first thing I've ever had with four soldiers observing my digestive processes, don't you think? Hell right? I must insist doctor that the sow just remain well. The police ask them to sit down the flatter. Yes here, god righter, you know a man may be seated, Thank you hair, god righter because that. Yes, sir, and Peter, Peter, go get some wine for the soldier. Yes, yes, everyone will have more wine. Peter. Where we're going to toast the king? They? What time is it that? Five minutes to twelve?

Cons victim, I'm still alive, Peter, it's it's five minutes to twelve and I'm still alive. Go get the wine. Peter, Yes, sir, you know, you know Peter. Peter tells me everything they say down at the village. The people say I have five minutes to live. So Peter teared to the village gossip. Oh yes, he knows everything. Was Peter who discovered most of the notes and brought them to me. He brought you the note, Oh yes, and the last one said that the. Now what did it say? Can't we talk about something else? Why, asked the doctor.

He and I discussed it for hours. But the doctor told me about some sect over in the West Indies. It disposes of an enemy by simply writing the victim's name on a piece of paper and sending it to her. Same sort of nonsense being tried on me. Isn't that your theory? Not well? I, doctor Arison, And you have to count nervous condition, don't you? God? And my private life is my own affair, And you walk the. Rise convict or you have no private life, I repeat, Doctor Axon, if you have to CONT's nervous disorder. Has the CONT's personal position.

I prescribe my own remedies. Know the truth about occull practices are the best way to guard against them. Surely you don't think that. In Hirety, right, I saw a man die after receiving a note with his name on it. I don't explain it. I tell you a fact. You see, it's possible. It's a fact. Well, I could be murdered with penany It could be done in exactly three minutes of my watch, is right? Yes? Three minutes to live? Where's Peter with that one? Victor? If you will excuse me, I have a headache. You stay here, Elsa, No one leaves this room till midnight.

Fighter, Yes, heir gard Lighter, locked the door, Hold all the window, yes, shair Goard lighter two season. Yes, yes, that's right. Hold everything. They won't come in here after me. They won't touch me. Victor, you're being absurd, I. As I think it best to comply with convictors wishes. Humor me, my dear, humor me. You never forgive yourself if you treated me unkindly during the last two minutes of my life, especially since you wish me dead so many times. It's the truth, isn't it. Con Victor? Two minutes to live, doctor, this is a good time to hear else's confession.

I may say, well you may Elsea. It's the truth, isn't it? Isn't it? H Yes, Victor, that's the truth. I wish you were did. I hate every minute I live under your roof. I hate the thing you've become. I'm Nazi puppet. I hate your sniveling, goose stepping mind, just as I loath this fat decimen of a super race you've invited to dinner. Go on, Elsa. I despise you as a man. Your countrymen despise you. Even before the Nazis came, you were planning to sell us out all that Cronwaald has fought for down through the years.

The Dane should be a proud and free people. You sold all that for a cast iron Nazi cross. I wish you were dead, Victor. I wish your soul were rotting in the grave that's waiting for all these mad men of Europe. Doctor listen, five o'clock. May God grant wisdom to our king and freedom to our people. May Cronbold always keep the faith. Who tell out the lights, who tell out the lights the fighter. I hear the door opening, No heck lighter behind to send the door. It is not moving. Mumm, yes the fighter. I hear you.

Who is speaking? Victor? This is your time? Are you ready? I am ready? Now you die like what's auld Victor? What's your name? Will live on? Victor? Don't do it or buy us. If they found the body, they say the body was washed out to see for yesterday on the rocks they found the counter ristwatch and a handkerchief with the. Initial D on it. They'll never find the body. Say what you will, Count Victor was a brave man to take his own life. Yes, he showed those Nazis the Dane could die for honor. You know what the Nazis say?

They say someone forced the Count to kill himself. How could you force? What the Nazi say? And listen, they've arrested Old Peter. They're trying to make Old Peter talk. Peter won't talk. But if he did, I bet he could tell them a thing or two. Yes, I could tell them a thing or two. I could tell them why they'll never find Count Victor's body. You know why? Because Count Victor didn't jump out of the window. How could he. Count Victor was dead six days before the King's birthday. No, I didn't kill him. He was shot through the head by his own brother, Christian the night he came home unexpectedly from Berlin, six days before the King's birthday.

Yes, I worked with the underground, and so did the Countess and doctor Ericson. That's why Christian came here to see us. When the Count returned unexpectedly, Christian decided to try to. Reason with him. They quarreled, and well, Christian eliminated the slimiest traitor then Mark has ever known. It was then that doctor Erickson got the idea for the notes. Christian, we've got to try it. Christ Newcoleetter has never seen Count Victor. You oppose as the Count and we'll stay to your suicide. The moral effects on the people will be tremendous. Christian agreed, and we started sending the notes.

The rest was easy. We all played our parts, and doctor Ericson coached us on the exact thing to do. At twelve midnight at. The last book of twelve, Peter will t on up the lights from downstairs. You've got that beetle. Yes, Doctor, then what do you do? I go through the passageway that leads to the hidden door in the dining room fireplace. I open the door and call out, Count Victor, this is your time. Hire you ready, and you Christim, I say I am ready. I call out, don't do it, Victor, don't do it. Then I break one of the windows, and you Christim, I go through the fireplace door and disappear.

Yes, and Count Victor of Cronvald has died for his country. Well that's how it was done. We planned it well, even to putting Count Victor's wristwatch and handkerchief on the rock where the knazes would find them. Presently, the girl will question me some more, But soon soon there will be a note on his desk, and I can hear him. Saying that London, how did this note get him a desk? A note? I don't know how? A letter? What does it say? It says says remember the night of the King's Birthday. Your turn is next? About that, your turn is next?

And so closes The King's Birthday, starring Delaura's Castello with Martin cars like George Zuko and I and Wolf Tonight's Tale of Suspense. The producer of these broadcasters William Spear, who with Ted Bliss, director lud Gluskin and Lucian Marrowick conductor and composed corporal Lewis Paletteer radio author, collaborated on tonight's suspense. This is your narrator, the Man in Black, who conveys to you Columbia's invitation to spend this half hour in suspense with us again. Next week, suspense will be heard at a new time, Thursday's at ten thirty Eastern wartime and seven thirty Pacific wartime. Perhaps you will want to note this down.

The new time for suspense will be Thursdays beginning next Thursday at ten thirty Eastern wartime and seven thirty Pacific wartime. Our play next Thursday will be The Singing Walls, based on a story by Cornell Wooldrich. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System. My dear, you've seen a little I'm not sure how to describe it, but maybe a little. Hmmm. I suppose it's just the night. It is. Past the depths of darkness. Now the sun will come soon and take back all its territory using its iron fist of gas and rays, and we well, we'll just be patience for the doctor.

Have you heard the strange tales of the whistler. I'm the whistler, but all. It's a pitch dark. I was feeling my way along the wall. Then it seemed to me that something fast and funner crossed from one wall to the other. I don't think I really heard anything, but almost more though I felt it. Another Sunday night, and again see the ass present the whittler. I the whistler know many things, for I walk by night. I know many strange tales, many secrets hidden in the hearts of men and women who have stepped into the shadows.

And so to night I tell you the strange story of patience for the doctor. Have you any idea what a burning desire to practice one's profession may lead to? A man whom I know can tell you of such a desire. He is doctor James Harris, and he lives with his wife Mary in an isolated cabin at the end of a lonely road high up in. The snow Qualmie Martains. The snow Qualmi is a treacherous especially in winter. Many people find themselves in need of a doctor throughout the year in these martins. But winter snows falling with the spring rains can also prove treacherous, treacherous enough to keep a doctor rather busy.

James, Yes, my dear, what are you doing? Er? I was just what have you there? Just my medical kid. Where do you think you're going? My patient is very badly hurt. I I must go to him. You will not set one foot out of his house to night, not in a storm like this. But, my dear, a man's life may depend upon me. A doctor's places with his patient storm or shine. James, did you understand me? I said, you're not going. Out to night. Look, Mary, my patient may die. You are not going out very well married.

But some day you will be sorry. It isn't right to keep a doctor from doing his duty. It's James, very well, my dear. That's a strange thing. Mary seems bent on keeping the doctor from doing his duty. And that's too bad. For there are people who needed up to the night, People such as the three riding along the snow quality past highway. Riding there in that car under the jutting buttresses of that glacier which hang dangerously out over the highway hang. They are ready to come roaring down at the slightest provocation. Such provocations, for example, as rain, rain, the import of which is not immediately apparent to Paul Errands, his wife Jane, and his mother in law, Missus Whitcombe.

Anything is awesome as the giant glacier would be dangerous to Missus Whitcomb, even though quiet, for she is suffering from an extremely weak heart, a heart which must not be subjected to shock. Look up their heads. There's a sign. Maybe you'll give them miles to the next sound. Can't say much, father, Can you read it? Paul? Oh, wait till I get the spotlight on it. Oh, it just marks that little side road. Doctor James Harris. What do you suppose the doctor's doing way up there? He couldn't possibly have any patience, hardly that there's not another house five miles in any direction.

Well, perhaps he's retired. Yes, that's probably. Oh that's slidell stop the car ship. Oh Oh, thank goodness, faith. Oh hit wasn't too close, mother, mother, what's the matter with that? This is Wickham, Miss Wickham, she's painted. Oh, but missus wickhamb is more hardy than her daughter imagined. Five minutes later, Paul has hurriedly turned the car down and drives back up the road to the turn off mark. Doctor James Harris. Oh, oh. What is but fly? Mother? It's all right, we're face We're all right. Oh I'm not a spainted Do you feel all right? Now? I don't know what.

Don't try to talk missus Wickham. We're taking you to the doctor. Oh, Paul, try to drive more carefully. I'm being as careful as I can. Jane, this is much of a road. Does the bumping bother your mother? No? No, hmm. Bridge up ahead. We're on the right track. I see the sign. Doctor James Harris, welcome, Paul, be careful. Going up onto the bridge. He made jar mother all right? Oh, oh, Paul, for Heaven's take on stuff? So sure, what's the matter. Take a look at that bridge? Oh but it doesn't look very safe. I'll say it doesn't.

Two planks out rail gone. If he asked me the way that the car would have been enough to bring the whole thing down. That ought to be mart. That's just what I was thinking. Perhaps it happened so recently though, those aren't new breaks. Now, this bridge has been out a long time, maybe all winter and no sign. But doctor James Harris welcome hmm, well, welcome starts on your head and the crick. But if the bridge is be not all winter, Well, how's the people in the house gotten in and out? That's a good question. Well suppose we back up a little.

Look, Paul, stay on the right hand side. Uh huh. I thought it might be something like this a way a driver. We missed it coming up. So it has been a while and they didn't. Oh, they haven't even put up the slide of barricade. No, and they speak to us. Do you notice, almost as if it were intentionally concealed. Well, let's go on. Oh, I don't know. Maybe we better not go on. What else can we do? We can't risk going back to the highway. Might be another slide. Anyway, it'll be tomorrow afternoon before they can get the road cleared, even if the storm lets up.

But maybe strangers are on board. Is here in spite of. That sign o? That's the chance we take. But strangers I wanted, wanted very much, indeed, in spite of any appearance to the contrary, Even though it may see a long time to wait for someone to answer the door as you three stand there, Hm. Funny they'd have a fancy door knocker like this way up here. Nobody answers. Perhaps there's no one here. That's possible. But I've got an idea there is. I'll give it another try. Yes, it sounds like someone's coming. Yes it does. I wonder if, oh hello, your sign said welcome.

So we thought that this sign is wrong. You aren't welcome here. We don't mean you in true, but the highways closed off. There was a slide. I heard it. Well, then you know we wouldn't insist. But my mother in law isn't well. We'd like to see the doctor if we could. He's asleep. I wouldn't disturb him. I see, well, but he wouldn't see you anyway. I'm his wife. I can speak for him. It's mother's heart. Missus Harris. It's really serious, so much. More of the reason not to come. Much. He's not wanted. Oh all right, just as you say, Missus Harris, Come on, Jane, mother, Harry.

Now you see you see what happens? Harry? Yes, Jane, is there someone down there? No? No one. But if that's the doctor, No, there's no one here is a patient. There's no one here. Jane. Now will you go? You see you're not daughter. I'm not so sure. Hello, doctor, Yes, there is a patient here. There's a patient here. Will you come down and fear your fool? All right, I'll go get the doctor just a minute, Jane. You mind if we step inside, please yourself. Well you'd better take the chair. Mother, Thank you, Hoddyfielder. A little beats all good in the living room, Jane, did they come?

Which one of you? Is the paper by my mother in law? Missus while? Oh yeah, now what's your complaintness? Oh doctor, it's my heart. Please don't be alarmed my appearance. Oh no, of course not. Doctor Harris was burned several years ago when our house in Seattle was destroyed. Yes, it was a serious fire. We lost everything. Fortunately we had insurance. But insurance can't bring back old keepsakes, mementos accumulated through a lifetime. No, no, that's true, but I saved very Heavy's our daughter? Never mind that, James. No, Well, now, missus wickam uh about the heart condition?

Do you I think you could sketch the case before me? Half an hour later, doctor Herbers gives Missus Whitcombe a senitive and sends her off in the care of his wife to be shown the room where she will be able to enjoy a long and peaceful sleep. Later, when Paul and Jane are in their room, Jane goes out and down the hall. A few moments past then. But Jane, Jane, what is it? What's the matter? Oh, Jane darling, you're trembling? Is so frightened? Frightened? What happened? I hardly know? It was so dark in the hall, but there was a light on a few minutes ago.

I know that there was of an out. Did someone turn it off? Yes, well, maybe they were just closing things up for the night. It wasn't they turned it off on purpose? Are you sure? Yes? When I came out into the hall again, it was pitch dark. I couldn't see a thing, right, I thought I heard a sort of creaking sound. I don't know how to describe. It was like like forwards being tried up. So I don't suppose I thought of it that way at the time, But it was very slight, and I stopped, and then I thought my mind was playing a trick on me, that there wasn't a sound, just the rain dashing against the window down at the far end.

Of the hall, So so I tarted forward again. I was feeling my way along the wall. And then it seemed to me that something passed in fun of me, crossed from. One wall to the other. I don't think I really heard anything. It was almost more as though I felt it. Help the person. No, it's not really sense, then I should say it. Oh, Jane, Oh no, no, Paul. There was someone and and just then, just after they passed in front of me, I stumbled. I fell forward him and one hand Paul, part of the floor was missing.

I felt the hole with my hands. Good, Heavens. I was on my hands and knees and I fell across the gap. It was only a foot of sewing. Then I heard someone move behind me. I didn't stop to think. I was too frightened. I scrambled to my feet and I ran And did the person follow you? I don't think so. I don't know. I will soon find out. Oh, Paul, don't go up to your fleet. I'm going out there. Get my jacket on. Its lucky. I brought the place light from the car. Paul, I'm going with you.

I don't think you'd better come. I don't want to be left alone. Maybe you're right, all right? Come on? He keep back while I opened the door. Yes, ye, all right, step past me. This way, yeah, comb all. Mm oh here much right about here? Well, there's no gap there that I can see. No, wait, this section right here. Watch this, so that's what it. Just get it in here, lift it right out. If someone did lift it out. No, no, I'm sure enough, missus Harry. Don't shine that light on my face. Thank you. That's better.

No, I'm sure no one would careless an to leave the section of floor out. Oh, but it was, go on, missus Harris. This is an old house. Once the board fitted so perfectly it was impossible. To see the jumpsture. There was a little place to cash valuables beneath it was an earlier owner's idea. I see. Not exactly the place anyone would look for things to be hidden, was that it? I suppose? So the man was very rich and this is a lonely neighborhood. Yes it is. You don't have many visitors, do you. No? I gathered that from the condition of the bridge.

Oh yes, the bridge. Well, good night, good night. Hum. How do you like that, Paul, something's awfully funny. Yeah, I think so too. She walks along in. The dark like a cat. Do you suppose Mother's all right? I was just wondering about that myself. But someone else also seems concerned about Missus Wickam's safety. Missus Wickham, Missus Wickhamba, who is it's missus Harris? Oh? All that? Come with me? But what for? Hurry hurry, I'm going to take you to a room down the hall. Down the hall? Why I don't understand, never mind, just come with them.

So when Jane and Paul arrive at Missus Whitcomb's door. Missus Wickham missus who oh, why doesn't she answer? Missus Wickham. That's not mother? Who is it? It must be the daughter? Open the door? Abby? No, I don't want you. I'm afraid of you. No, no, We're not going to hurt you. You promise, yes, yes, of course we promise you. Uh you are heavy, aren't you? Yes? Sir? Oh what a terrible scar on your arm? Did that happen when your house burned down? Yes? Sir? And what happened after that? Daddy and mother brought me here? Does any company ever come heavy?

Well? Sometimes hurt people do hurt people? I see? And then what happened? Fairy? Fix you? Then he does? And did he fix you. Yes, sir, Everie, how did you get in this room? It isn't your room, is it? No? No, mother brought me here. She said I was to sleep here. Did she say why? He said? The sick lady was to use my room? Which is your room? Heavy, it's down the hall. Well, Levy, you get back into bed and go to sleep. We'll see you in the morning, Yes, sir, Good night, Evie. Come on, James, this must be the door.

Why do you suppose Missus Harris moves mother in here? I don't know, but we'll soon find out. Missus Wickham, Oh, try the door? Is something wrong? Yeah? Maybe you're right. I come on, don't come any father? You your mother isn't here, Missus Evans isn't here? What do you mean? I will here? Missus Harris, say where you are? I have a gun, please don't force me to use it. All right, But suppose you tell us just what's going on? Where is Missus Wickham? I don't know. I just came in here. If she was all right, she was gone.

You expect us to believe that Heavy told us you brought her in here? Yes? I brought her? Well? Where is she? He's gone? Gone, yes, And now you mustn't delay me any longer. I must whim stand back, don't try to follow me. Now, wait a minute, say where you are? She does look like a cat? Well, come on, where Paul? Downstairs? Downstairs to that room doctor Harris has rigged up like an examining room. I've got a hunch, a hunch, or have you, Paul? Well, the door of the examining room stands a few inches open. There's a light on the inside, and a thin golden shaft shines out through the clack of the door into the dark downstairs of.

The old house. So listen, Paul, listen to the. Sound coming through that open door, the sound of someone happily at work. Come on, we'll have a look before yours. We're here. Oh, I don't know. What are you doing? Looks to me like he's fixing a hyper. Oh, mother, sketch down on the table is come on? Oh hello? What's going on down here? What's the matter with missus Wickham? Why not? The hearts and mother? Mother? No, please, you really mustn't. It might be seeing So maybe he's right, Jane, you mustn't be disturbed to be aroused. Roughly, the right shock.

All right. Oh she'll be a right Jane, Yes she will. If you'll just permit me to go ahead. We'll permit you to do nothing. What I want to know is how did Missus Wickham get down here? Right? I carried her? Carried her? Yes, I found her unconscious on the floor in the upstairs hall. And how do you suppose she happened to be out in the hall. My wife may have disturbed her. Yeah, your wife is a little art or. You mustn't mind her. She's just a nervous paper. He's that all right? Perhaps she frightened missus wistms.

She'd have meant nothing dire that with Missus Wickton's heart so bad, And then you found her and carry her down here? Is that it? That's right, mister irvis. I see I wanted to care for her properly. You like caring for people, don't you? Oh? Yes, Oh, look at mother. She's stirring. Oh, she's regaining consciousness. You seem disappointed? Doctor? Oh oh. Where am I mother? Oh? Oh, Jane? If I were to administer the hyperdulity out of it? How did I get down here? Who are not quite sure? Doctor Herrick says he carried you doctor Harris. Yes, try to think.

How can you remember what happened before you fainted? Yes, yes, that. Doctor Harris came to the room. Oh never mind, mother, never mind, don't. Try to tell us anymore. Now, if you just permit me, I could quiet get you. You've treated your last patient? No, no, you mustn't say that. You wouldn't interfere with my work, would you? A doctor's work must not be interfered with. No, wait till I get down to Seattle tomorrow and look up authorities. Well, someone's planned and not working out quite right. It seems just what those plans are. Paul isn't certain, but he does know that something is wrong, so wrong that he feels he must sit up and keep guard outside one of the upstairs rooms where Jane and her mother are preparing for bed.

Now just ride their quietly, Mother. Jane, I'm frightened. You must be quiet. Mother. Here, I'll put another cover over you. Fair now feel better? Yes, I I'll tell you what happened Jane. All right, mother, I'd like to know what happened, but please try to be calm, but I feel you must know. All right, all right, that's what did happen. Well, I was here in my room preparing for bed. I heard a noise and I turned around and follow myself face to face with doctor Harrison. Possibly just came into checking your condition. No, no, I don't think so.

He started walking slowly toward me, and he had the most strange look on his face. Yes, he came closer, and then he raised his arms though he was reaching out fly and and I guess I must have fainted. I don't remember anything more of lice became consciousness down here. Oh, it was a very shocking experience. Yes, mother, I know. Now, I try not to think of it anymore. I'll stay here with you for the rest of the night. Now you try to go to sleep. Yes, a very shocking experience. But missus Whitcomb does go to sleep, sleep from sheer exhaustion, and the venture of the Jane leaps too outside the door of Paul doses then awaken.

The storm is seized, and it's quiet, quiet, that is, until that's a familiar sound, isn't it fall? It's coming from that window there. Now you can see better that half moon cast a dim light from behind those scudding clouds, but enough for you to see what's happening on the roof of the wind to the left and below? The doctor seems very busy up. There, busy driving bundles of faggot against the upper wall of the house. And what's that He's boiling something over the faggot. It's kerosene. Do you hear anything? Fall? No, your wife and the mother are still asleep.

It's all right to leave them now fall Leave them and climb out of the window, and if you're careful, you can edge along the eaves to a to that each point you'll soon find out. Hey, put that there, you see, I would too freak for you now that I have to, like it talks in my hands. You be more patient, won't you, because if. You don't, I'll part to the tag like, hey, don't be trying. If you try to jump down, that's what I'll do, and everything will be. Tiny and including you car. And you're responsible because you're going to interfere with.

My active So that's it. You know what it means to me to care for beginnin. I've got an idea it means enough to you to keep you from putting up a barricade at the bridge, maybe even weaken the bridge on purpose. It means enough so that you tried to see to it that my wife woud step in that hole in the floor and fall and break awag, and that my mother in law. It's true. All those things and more you don't know about. But there's a reason. Sure. The reason is you're crazy as alone. No, no, that's a mistake.

Although I can understand. Why you make it no sense. The world is at all not I. I'm not a madman saying that everyone is fazy, but myself, I'm saying the world is center metals and metals. I was a great curtain one that's great curtains. Why it's my very life. I have sacrificed everything to attain myselfagancy. You will laugh when I tell you that I was an artist, that you're artist, But that's the truth. Nothing mattered to me but by work, the art of surgery. The house burned in and I was distiguous. If you see me now, and you know what happened.

They didn't want me anymore. My skill was unimpaired, but they didn't want my skills because they couldn't tolerate my appearance. So that's it. And now that you've set away My. Last refuse came back to no swagon, No, you've blessed me, not hy stay back her, I'll jump I'll jump down there, Danane. No, get back from the window. Missus Harris, put on it done, put it down. You know what you're doing? Yes, I know, I know very well? Are you you? Yes? I show him? What else could I do? Missus Harris was right? What else could she do?

Her husband had finally driven her to the last extreme. She had seen his inept care disfigure the little daughter from a burn scar that would mark her the rest. Of her life. She had seen him so happy in doing it that he'd begun to think he was a real doctor. In support of this belief, he'd made up a story about being a great surgeon before having been scarred by fire, and then he'd begun to invent ways of getting people injured, so if he might have patience to care for. She'd stood all these things. But when she saw him lean toward the kerosene soaked faggot's torch in hand, she realized that he had lit the fire, which had burned and disfigured both himself and the child, and so she shot him, bringing to an end eighteen terrible years of life as the wife of a hopelessly crazy pyromania.

Maybe as has presented the Whistler. Original music for this production was composed and conducted by Wilbur Hatch. The night Story was written by William Pifield, directed by Ted Bliss, and came to you from Columbia Square in Hollywood. Next week, same. Time, I the Whistler will return to tell you another unus you will tell you good night. This is BBS, the Columbia Broadcasting. That's my dear. The evening has run its course, unfortunately, and soon the sun will return and take over again. It's about time you head home and I go to where it is I go, But please do come back and soon.

I do always enjoy our time together so much. I'll be right here, say time, same place, happy to have your time and company. But if I could ask just one more thing of you, if I may be so bold, when you make your way home and march through the dark, head through the front door of your home and lay your head on that cool pillow to nod away, take just one moment and be thankful for what you have, and I'll be seeing you soon.