Unknown Broadcast | Train Mysteries: Orient Express & The Signalman

Ah, my dear, so good to see you again. I've been patiently but excitedly waiting for this moment. I do so enjoy our visits together, and as much as I appreciate your willingness to spend time in my very humble abode of sorts. Now, let's get comfortable, have a hot cup of tea as the fire roars, and consider that your ticket. What's that, my dear? Well, I suppose the journey will be as exciting as the destination. Don't worry, you'll know exactly when the train stops. Come in. Welcome. I'm E. G. Marshall. There was a day when this country was criss crossed by railroads.

Things have changed. We have gained something, but we have lost much. And one of the close intimate things that have disappeared from. Our lives is our dependence on the train. The great embracing days of the great embracing railroads have come to an end. Our mystery drama, The Train Stops, was written especially for the Mystery theater by else But Eric and stars Norman Rose, sured in part by Buick Motor Division and Contact the twelve Hour Cold Capsule. I'll be back shortly with that woman. The twentieth century limited the chief, the commodore. These were some of the great trains, trains on which it was an experience to travel.

It was not just a question of speed. It was the amenities they offered, the grave and solicitous porters and waiters that carefully prepared food, carefully served, the panel drawing rooms in compartments, and the berths upper and lower behind dark green curtains. Today the trains are only pathetic victims of indifference and neglect and decay. The trains used to stop at Dandridge, not the express trains. Of course, Dandridge is quite a small town. We don't even have a library. Still, the local trains stopped at Danbridge until the railroad started to decline, and then little by little they started taking us off their schedule, till finally we weren't listed at all.

Old Ben Harper, who'd been station master since lord knows when, was out of a job. What are you going to do now, Ben? Oh, got a little tension, So what'll you do? I got myself room up over the. Ice cream parlor across from where the railroad station used to be. Never thought i'd live to see the station house torn. Down, and we've already grown up where it used to be. But Ben, what are you going to do with yourself? Well, there's always a chance somebody might want me to flag down a train. Not likely trains man.

Two in the morning, three in the afternoon. Nothing after nine o'clock. And that's when I go to bed. That's all you do, watch the trains go past. Oh. I read the papers, try to keep up, and I. Spend time with the old railway guide that has all the schedules all over the country, arrival departures and makes good reading. I wore out my old copy. My son sent me an airplane guide. You can imagine what I. Did with that. Well, maybe someday the train will come back. Oh we really need them, doctor Barn. Yeah, but pick areas I fed off to your Oh, doctor Barn, how's Mary?

Oh Mary's all right. Your girl Shall loves the old trains. See you down there every day, stands and watches the. Five sixteen go through. She really loves training. Only one train, then the five sixteen. A man shouldn't bring up a little girl by himself. No matter how hard he tries, he just isn't up to it. Still fail in little ways, ways he knows nothing about because he's a man. My wife died getting breath to our daughter. I never wanted to marry again. I'm a doctor and my office is in my house, and I thought, heck, I'll always be around.

She can always come to me. And I was always around, and she did come to me, but I didn't always understand. I'll try and and tell you how. It was. Good dinner, Mary, Just a lot of leftovers thrown together. Sometimes lets the breast kind of dinners. He wants some coffee. Well, I shouldn't, but I do. There's lots of things we shouldn't do, but we do. Sometimes they're the best things. On me. How is everything going? Huh? Everything is all right? You know how everything is? No, I don't. I'm busy all day sometimes nights too. What do you want to know?

Well about boys? For instance? Which boys? Oh, Ralph Jones, Charlie Radway of the Herb Nightsman. You know all those boys you. Went to high school with, They used to be around a lot. That was before when I was a child. And now you're a big grown up Rady. Well, I'm not a child. You're eight. Time to be thinking about boys, you know, thinking seriously. I can't think seriously about herb and Ted. Well, you meet somebody one of these days. I already have Papa. You have who it came to the store yesterday? Oh who is he?

He came to town on the five sixteen. He's are out of town? We're out of town something? Well I know that. Well, what did he do for a living? He sells housewhare That's how I happened to meet him. He came to my counter and asked me where to find a buyer. And that's all that happened. After he saw the buyer, he came back. He hadn't sold anything, and he said it didn't matter. Didn't matter. That's a fine kind of salesman. It didn't matter because he'd found me. Oh Mary, he said, I was what he was looking for all his life.

Sweetheart. That's the oldest line in the world. It wasn't a line, it was true, honey, because he's what I've been waiting for all my life. I mean, a woman would have known what to do, what to say, a woman would have known how to deal with. Something like that. But my daughter was so sick. I'm so dignified, so removed from me. My father loves his daughter, loves her dearly to him, she's a little princess. Well, now my little princess had become a queen, and she was scarcely in mine anymore. She was in. Command whatever she wanted to do.

She had a sovereign right to do, and I didn't feel I had to righte to it. I here, for lack of. Anything better to do. I went to see Ben Harper, the station master, my old friend. Ben. There's something that I want to ask you. Sure anything at all like about it? Then I need your help. Many people need my health anymore they keep taking off the trains, nobody will need it. We'll be retired for good. I want to ask you about the five sixteen good train now what she used to be when she had a come down, and all the good train, good commuter's train.

Ben, who rides it? Oh, just the regulars that work in the city. Engineer's a friend of mine. I don't know. For thirty years you watched it come in yesterday? Curse it did always go out and exchange a few words on my. Friend who got off? Oh, for regulars, Bob Bradway Son, Shary you. Know nobody else. Nobody knew. No. Then my daughter Mary says a man came to the store yesterday. She met him. She says he got off five sixteen, And if. He did, he must have been pretty spry about it. Must have lopped off while I was.

Conversing with the engineer. And she is now coming around the bend. I've got to get out and say a lot on a friend. Oh, five sixteen is long for this world. They're taking ours off a schedule anything now. I couldn't think what to say to Mary. I didn't know if there was anything to say. A father knows how to love a daughter, or he knows that very well, but when it comes to her life, her happiness, taking the right man, he doesn't know a thing. I suppose, maybe because in his heart he thinks he's the.

Really right man, and of course that's not possible, so he'd like mister second best to be. The best of all those others. It's good dinner, Mary. It's a new recipe. It's fine. It's the sour queen that does it. I think has everything going. I'm fine. Have you seen you know what's his name from Overton? Oh? Yeah? Have you seen him often? Once a week at least. You never told me his name. Do you really care what his name is? Cause I care. Any man my daughter is interested in. I want to know his name and a lot of other things.

Besides, you do well, don't you not? Particularly? Oh? No, Mary, that's not right. Is it wrong? I didn't say it was wrong. But if you're going to go on seeing him, you, well you should know all about him. You should bring him home so I could meet him and see what kind of a man he is, even if you're not serious about him. Oh, I'm serious about him, all right. You mean you want to marry him and you don't even know his name or where he comes from or anything. I know his name and I know where he comes from.

Well tell me. Not yet, Papa. No, look, Mary, I've got a right to know. It's my writer, and it's my duty. I'm your father. I'll tell you someday. I want to know now, Oh. Papa, Kevin's you ever had something that was that was your very own, very private, very personal something nobody else would understand because you can't understand it yourself, And if you tried to tell anybody about it, well, it might slip away from here. Right while you were telling about it. You might lose it. Oh can't you understand that, Papa. I can try, That's all I can do, just try.

I know young. People like to keep secrets from their parents. I guess from the age of three or four they start hiding things. Maybe before that, For all I know, I think they're scared those big giants, the parents, those giants who have a last word about everything, who say yes or no to each last little thing. I've been poking and prying into my daughter's life sense the day she was born. Now she was eighteen, and she'd met up with something that was none of my business. So she thought she wasn't going to permit me a yes or a no, or.

I phone me. Your mother had lived with no use going into that. I had to deal with this the best I could buy myself, if I could just figure out how well. One late afternoon, there was a knock at the door to my office. Doors open, Come on in, come in. The door is not locked, but the look I'm coming, didn't you, doctor Bonds, didn't you see besides locking ed her it says, well, come on in, I have a seat. I won't be staying. Well, you can't just rush off. Now what seems to be the trouble?

Oh you think I knew? Well, that's generally why people turn up at a doctor's office. It's not about myself. I wanted to see you. It's about your daughter. What do you know about my daughter? She's in love, isn't she? Do you know my daughter? Please answer my question. Well, the there's a man, and she seems interested. I don't know that anything's going to come of it. Nothing will come of it. You must tell her nothing will come of it. Well, I don't know why you say. That, because the man is mine. I don't much care for people who drop in unexpectedly, do you.

I think people should get in touch before times and ask if it's convenient, and. Set an hour. No matter how intimate, how attractive, even how welcome a visitor might be, it's always better to be expected. There are many happy surprises in life, but uninvited, unanticipated visitors, as far as I'm concerned, is not one of them. I'll come back in a short while with X two. Doctor Barnes' daughter Mary is in love with, or enthralled. By a man. Her father has never met. A man who comes to the small town of Dandridge each week on the five to sixteen train.

The doctor's wife has been dead for eighteen years since the birth of their only child, and the father is acutely conscious of his own inadequacy to deal with the romantic problem of his only child, if indeed she will permit him to have any part in them at all. His perplexity is not eased in the least by the visit of a strange woman with a strange prescience. Of his daughter's future. Your daughter is in love, isn't she. Well, tis a man. I don't know that anything will come of it. Nothing will come of it. The man is mine, madam.

I think you would best tell me who you are. You don't drink me, do you, not necessarily? But believe me. I only want to help you, help you help your daughter. I think we can manage by ourselves. Are you managing by yourself? So far? You don't know what lies ahead. It's not possible for anyone to know the future. No, we can only guess. But some guesses are more accurate than others. Mine, for instance, I think you had better tell me who you are. Not yet, not now, but I'll be back. Doctor bondes till then watch out for your daughter.

Take care of her. There's danger ahead. And with facts, she was gone, simply slipped out the door before I could stop her. I was left standing in the middle of my office, open mouthed and staring. Is this some demented woman from off the streets of Dandridge? But in a town like. Ours, everybody knew everybody else. Was she a newcomer? Well? Then where'd she come from? And how was she another traveler on our dying railroad? Had she too arrived on the five sixteen? Sit down, Papa, everything's on the table. Marry child. There's something that I have to tell you.

Help yourself to potato. A woman came to see me today, new patient. No. She wanted to talk to me about you. What is she? Some snoop? Really, Papa, Well she seems to know that you're interested in some men. That's nobody's business but my own. I hope you. Told her, honey. She said to tell you that you can never have this man, Papa. I hope she says that the man is hers. Maybe he was once not now. Mary, it doesn't bother you that some other woman has a claim on him. She thinks she has, or even thinks she has.

That doesn't bother you. Well, I imagine there are a lot of women who've been in love with him. He's a beautiful man, very wise, very knowing. I look in his eyes and I can see everything. Clearly, the end of the world. I know it all. Oh honey, honey, you've got to let me meet him. You've got to tell me his name. I've got to get to know him. I want to protect you, to take care of you. I'm your father. I'm grown up now, Papa. I still love you, but I'm not your little girl anymore.

I'm a grown up woman. Is there any feeling more helpless than loving? That is futile when you offer your heart to someone who get back to you, when you're given to understand that you are superfluous, extraneous, and really unwanted, that your love is really a nuisance. That's how I felt that night, and before office hours, I hurried down. To see Ben Harper in his room across from the railroad tracks. Come on in, doctor Bynes. Brings you here? Huh? I shit, hell no, I have to get back some coffee, Ben, Ben, did you see the five sixteen pull in yesterday.

Oh, I sure did a woman get off just the usual communities regular five? No woman didn't say any. Then a woman came to my office, nobody from around here. Well I suppose she could have come on an earlier train. And why the no woman come in yesterday? On any train I have noticed, I'd have remembered. Not many trains left, and soon there won't be any. Five or sixteen. Oh, they're taking Dandridge half the schedule. Why does it mean so much to me that the railroad was canceling out for five sixteen? If this unknown man had designed on my little girl for father like, I could.

Not believe he met her any good. He could come to town by some other train. We still had one that went to the city in the morning and one that came back in the early evening, sufficient for our five commuters, But that mattered. He might have an automobile, a motorcycle. There were other ways he could come to Dandridge than by the rick of the old five sixteen. They're taking off for five sixteen. Oh, have some butter, I didn't put any on the beans. That's the train your young man comes to town on, isn't it. He's not so young.

Oh no, how old is he? I really don't know. Ask him. I never cared anyway. Isn't that the tray? And he comes in on the five sixteen? That's the one. I suppose he could take the six twenty two. I suppose he could when they cancel the five sixteen. I mean, it. Really doesn't make any difference, Papa. Mary, How can it not make any difference? If you love him the way you say you do, the way you seem. To I do love him. I'm going to go away with him, Mary. You cannot do that. But I'm going to a man.

I don't know a man. I'd ever met a man. I know nothing about what kind of a father am I? If I let you? Papa, can't you understand that you have nothing to do with this. This is just between him and me. That is not right. Things are not done that way. Some things are. This thing is Oh, Mary, you make me feel like I don't count for anything. Oh you doo you do? You would let me help me be a part of this thing. It's just not possible, Papa. One day soon. He's going to give me a ring.

He's promised you a ring. And then I'll go away with him. Everything was slipping away from me. All the certainties I had ever enjoyed, all the faiths I'd ever had, all the feelings that I put my trust in, all were quaking in the wind of gigantic fear. Something was happening that I could not comprehend, could not influence in the least way. My brain is even incapable, even useless. How I managed to care for my patience I cannot tell. Instinct and long experience told me what to do. For the rest, I was left to struggle with failing powers against something I could not in the least comprehend.

It was with no surprise that I looked up one day to see the woman. How did you get in? The sign says knock and hinter? Did you knock? Forget me? What do you want? To remind you of what I told. You before you think I could forget? The man is mine? I told her what she said, Oh, it didn't disturb her in the least it should have. She says that he's going to give her a ring. What kind of ring? I don't know. She makes me feel as though I shouldn't ask that, though it's none of my concern.

That must be very hard for you. Yes, it's very hard. Can't you stop her? Can't you stop him? You must have some rights, No, I haven't any Well, I cannot. Tell her not to take a ring from a man who wants to give it to her. No, you can't. The days are long past when the father could lock his daughter in her room. Locking her in her room wouldn't make any difference and. Might postpone everything so I could figure out what to do. There's nothing you can do. Once he gives her the ring, it's all over.

I didn't really understand anything the woman was saying. For that matter, I hardly recognized my own words. They came from my mouth with no plan or volitions of my own. I didn't even know who the woman was. Why I was standing there talking. To her, talking as though we were old friends, as though we shared a common problem, a mutual concern, as though as though we were joined by a feeling of helplessness and the sense of intending doom. I wanted to be. Angry with her, indignated her interference. I wanted to demand explanations, excuses, but I couldn't.

I simply accepted her presence, answered her questions the best way I could, and I felt grateful, but she pitied me. Oh that it's doctor Barnes. Then well, come in, doctor barr Thank you. Something I can do for you, Doctor ben I don't know if anybody can can do anything. Well, sit down, let me get you something I drink. No, no, take. Then that woman came to see me again, the one I told you about. I thought you might have seen her get off the five sixteen. Oh I didn't see any woman get off four. Perhaps she came some other time, some other way.

I don't know. She simply showed up in my office the way she did before. She wouldn't come by the five or sixteen anymore. They took her up today. If they took it off, then maybe I'll miss that old train. Just maybe. Now the old five sixteen will just race on passed. I'll go out and salute the engineer. No more talking with him. He'sn't not the chainlessule. Yeah, and said, come on with me. Let's get man. I can see it coming around the bend. Let's go. Then then there's Mary. I can see her. That's her red coat.

Come on, let's get down there. But she's standing in the middle of the chap let's go, ott Kane's not going to stop because she thinks she's doing They can kinds little down a little round on the bend. When I see her bend, Red Coato helps him. Oh, there she is. She's just standing there and she trying to get herself killed. Mary. Mary, the girl doesn't even hear it. Shut her, get off, Get a man, Mary, I've got you. Oh, I've got you. Oh my dear, my dear, work on earth, Why on earth, why would you do such a thing?

Oh my little girl here all right? Dot you. Yeah, she's she's she's a she's awfully paying. Yeah, but she's safe, she's all right. Well, I'm going to speak to the engineer and tell him she's out old been listen. Will you thank him for me? Yeah? He did a good job breaking like that. Mary, Mary, my little girl, Mary, you're you're all right. I'm gonna take your home, Honey. I'm gonna put you to bed, and you're gonna have a good rest, and then when you're feeling all right, we'll just have a. Good, a good long talk.

You know, I haven't been the right kind of a father to you, my little one, But it's it's gonna change. I'm going to do better. I'm going to be better Mary, Mary, Do you hear what I'm saying you? Mary? Oh? Yeah, Yeah, what is it? Papa? Did the train stop? That's all she wanted to do now, did the train stop? Nothing of herself, nothing about me, nothing about the two of us and everything I've been trying to tell her about how things will be different now and better Now. All she wanted to know was did the train stop.

The father can never be a mother to his child, no matter how hard he tries. He can love her, spoil her, he can be proud of her, he can educate her, give her presents, and buy her pretty things, but he can never understand her, no more than he has ever understood, or can ever understand, any other. Woman on the face of the earth. I shall be back shortly with Act three. Our last act ended when Mary Barnes tried to stop the five sixteen train by standing in the middle of the tracks. She was saved by her father.

And the now retired station master Ben Harper. As her father held her in his arms and attempted to reassure her that the future would be brighter, better. Her only response was did the train stop? The five sixteen never stopped at Bandridge again, but every day as it rounded the bend, my daughter Mary and her little red coat stood where the old stationed house had been and watched it approach, watched it come on with undiminished speed, and watched it disappear. As Mary watched the train, old Ben Harper, retired now and living across the street over the ice cream parlor, watched her.

Here girls, she'll love ze old trains. Dr Barnes only one train then, the five or sixteen. It had been going on that way for almost a year. People in town thought that Mary just dropped off at the tracks on her way home from the store. But I knew better, so did Ben. Though neither one of us knew for a certainty or any detail why she did it. But one day Ben called me doctor Barnes, Ben Harper. Not that. Did Mary say? I shouldn't think, But. What is it? Ben? Last a few days he's been coming over to my place asking me if it's possible stop any of the train?

Uh? And what'd you tell her? Well? I had said yes, I could, I'd call her hand a quest to stop? Why he get out the old. Signal flag and flag one. Down if the wasn't trying to call Uh Ben, she didn't want her to do anything like that for her, now, did she? Oh? I R? I told her I couldn't do it for anything except an emergency. It wasn't emergency like somebody's sick and dying. Seeing the STANDARDG hasn't got a hospital like the one, man, I could do it. Uh well, when did you tell her that?

A couple of. Days ago and they was morning, doctor Bartles. She came to my place, told me she was sick what and he had to go to hospital. I said, you. Don't what'p sick? She's not sick? And I said, what's moring? Father can take care of you. If you think you need to be in the hospital. She can take your car. That's right, Well go with that. I don't think she looked like he was sers by. Doctor, so I thought, I yeah, Well, Ben, was it any particular trains he wanted you to flag down? Yes, doctor Barns to the hospital.

I have to work. I'm five or sixteen, that's what I saw. Well, thanks for calling me Ben. That girl doctor, I know that Ben, and I'm fond of her too. Mary, Mary, Yes, Mary, will you come here please? Yes, I'm in my office. I know, h Come on over here. Now, let me have a look at you. What's the matter. That's what I'm trying to find out. Do you feel all right? Yes? I'd not just put this under your tongue at don't argue with me, I said, now, Mary, Ben Harper just called me. He says that you've been pestering him about flagging down a train for you.

He said you told him that you needed to go to a hospital, that you were sick. Now you know perfectly well that if you're sick and you come to me, but just just nod your head. Okay. Now, it's not getting to the hospital. It's on your mind. Mary, That's not why you want a train stopped. People don't check into a hospital in the evening, and you'll know that there's no reason. To take a train at five sixteen, is there? Now? Mary, I have tried to understand. I have been patient. I think I think maybe I've been too patient.

All right, now let me have it for mama. No fever is what I thought. The pols rate is okay, Mary, you are not sick? Well, well, what have you got to save yourself. Papa. Yes, dearie, I'd like to go upstairs and lie down. My dear, you're not sick. I'm very tired. All right, I'll to get into bed and I'll pull the blinds down. Don't worry about dinner, yes, Papa, all right, I run along. Now, Papa. She promised me a ring. He promised me a ring. Somehow the day passed. I checked on the food in the ice box.

I saw some patience. Oh, I ate a sandwich for lunch, I answered, before I tried to keep busy. I guess I succeeded. But no matter where I was or what I was doing, my mind was centered on the young figure lying in her bed upstairs, so troubled, so haunted, so in love as only a young girl can be. In love with a man I did not know, had not even met, but he could be anyone, anyone at all. They were tortured hours. I heard myself talk, I felt myself moved. I saw my hands taking hold and letting go.

I looked into eyes and down throats. I wrote prescriptions I think now, and then I even smiled and gave encouragement. But all of it was unreal. All done by herself, I no longer recognized. So it was natural, the only natural thing of the whole unnatural bay. When I turned and saw the. Woman, Doctor Barnes, you had to see you. You're not looking well. I have something to tell you about the man. Yes. Do you know that that man is ruining my daughter's life? Do you know that after they took the train off, she started haunting the tracks, That she is obsessed.

With the thought of stopping it. That she has gone to our old station master to get him to flag it down. Gone to him with lies about be ill having to get to a hospital. I know all that he is killing my daughter, and I don't even. Know who he is. Buns. The man is dying, hot. Dying. You say that he's dying. He won't last out the night. Well, if you love him, if you love him, I'd like to say that I'm sorry, but I can't. All I can do is wonder if I should tell my daughter.

I wonder how to tell her. You won't need to tell her, doctor. You know, I don't remember her leaving, but when I looked up, she'd gone. And after a while I roused myself. I climbed the stairs to my daughter's room. I opened the door. She was sleeping so peacefully, her young breast rising and falling, even a little smile on her lips. When whatever I had to tell her good way. I closed the door, went back downstairs and my office sat. Then Harper, Oh, Ben, what in the world. I'm glad you hear, doctor Barnes. I wouldn't have known where to look for you.

What's the matter, Ben, it's Mary. She's down at the tracks. I just saw her. Now. Then Mary's upstairs in her bed. She's sleeps. Oh, she's not well. I just looked in on her, and I said, at the. Barns, I saw from my window a minute ago, caught the past five on the God no, that's impossible, man. From my window I saw she had on a red coach. She stood there with her hands in her pocket, stood there and waited. And then the train came in. She looked up. I think she smiled and knew doctor Burns.

The train stopped. It stopped. I hadn't called in, I hadn't asked for it. The certainly didn't flag it down. But something must have happened, something between Mary and the engineer. I Mary and somebody, some kind of connection. So all she had to do was stand there and wait, and the train stopped. All bed osra and then doctor Barnes. Mary gathered herself together and. She got on the train and the train pulled out. Hadn't been able to move to it. When I saw that train, part Mary Aunt, I knew I had to come straight to you and tell you that.

Ben, an old railroad man like you, sitting up there in your room watching the trains go by, you're almost bound to start seeing things I saw Mary. Now look you come with me up to Mary's room. That is where she is. I know, I saw. I know that you're very fond of my daughter. Oh eh, and you now look here Ben, hanging on a new post. Harry is a red coat, so you see she was swearing this when she got on that train. Look, let's go on upstairs. You'll see she's asleep. In her bed. But I saw her, doctor, and I had a visitor today.

Someone came to see me and told me that the man Mary has been in love with hasn't long to live. She's at certain for all I know, he's dead right this very minute. Oh, here's Mary's room. Now look there, Ben, dog what did I tell you. She's sleeping here? She's been sleeping all day. Uh, I'm sorry, doctor, I just I'm an old man. You're right, Oh, now, don't feel bad about Look he why don't you? Why don't you stay and at dinner with this? If you can stand my cooking? I don't know. It's Alma's time.

I'll wake Mary up? And what is it? Doctor? But may. Mary? Dear Mary? Doctor? She was sleeping? What is it? Then? Then she was sleeping, and now she's been Uh, doctor, I don't understand. Doctor, doctor. That was something in her hand that I don't know. Looks like a ring, a ring. Let me see it is a ring. Yeah, it's a ring. It's a ring. It's like the one I gave her mother, the ring that was on her finger when he laid her in her grave. It wasn't the same ring, of course, that it was very like.

Lately, I've been thinking where did it come from? Ben said? Perhaps she bought it for herself in town. But our stories don't carry anything like that. Even so, how would she know the design of her mother's ring when she has never seen it? Did the man she loved actually give it to her? And if he did, I mean, if he did, when did it pass from his hand to hers? My mind grows weary. Mary, She's lost to me forever, now buried like her mother with a ring on the third finger of her left hand. Time for speculation has past, and yet and yet one last thought knocks at my brain.

Who was the woman who came three times to see me, who tried to save my daughter from a man who rode the train, who cared enough about the tour us to do that? Only one? Only one, my Mary's mother, my own wife. Oh it's all fanciful imagining, I know, But somehow the thought consoles. Me, and I'm able to go on. I'm a very old man, no older than my years. Every day I close my office at five o'clock and go down to the tracks and watch the five sixteen go by. It never stops. There really are people who die of love.

Let nobody tell you there are not. It is not a subject for jest or flippancy. Sometimes they die because they beloved is untrue or fails them in little or large ways. Sometimes they die because the loved one dies, And sometimes they die because they. Are in love with death. More often than not, I suspect, I'll be back shortly. Don't weep for our young heroine, don't cry for her father. Both struggled with feelings. They did not comprehend, neither their own nor those of the other. But they struggled, They tried, They loved, They gave what they had to give each to the other.

No more should be asked of anyone. Our cast included Norman Rose, Jadder Rowland, Ann Shepherd and Jean Francis. The entire production was under the direction of Hymon Brown Radio. Mystery Theater were sponsored in part by True Value hardware stores. Missus e g. Marshall inviting you to return to our Mystery Theater for another adventure in the macabre until next time, Pleasant dream. Tonight's Mystery Fitter was also brought to you in part by a shop right Supermarkets where you get a lot more or a little less. My dear, have you enjoyed your trip across the tracks? Well, it's better to be on them than literally on them.

I'm sure you agree. What's that? Well, of course I have another ticket right here. It's waiting to be torn, much like spirit is waiting to be torn apart. Yes, it says, right here in big bold letters, mid Orient Express. Met up with the everyday grind. Tied out by the dull routine. You want to get away from it all. We offer you Escape. Escape Transcribe to free you from the four walls of today for a half hour of high adventure. You're aboard the Orient Express, rushing through the European night, bound for Istanbul, and in your compartment with you a gun pointed at your head.

A small, mysterious stranger is about to take your life. Today we escape from reality to the tense world of Balkan intrigue, as Graham Green pictured it in his famous novel Orient Express. Express. Oh Yeah, my name is Gregory Myatt. In nineteen thirty two, I had to go to Istanbul on business and I decided to take the Orient Express. After an uneventful trip across the Channel, I found myself at the station in Austin, Belgium, where the Orient Express began. The porter took my bags and overcoat to my first class compartment while I lingered on the platform, and inevitably somebody bumped into me.

Oh I'm sorry, Oh that's quite all right. Which way of the second class coaches pas? That way? I think your suitcase looks. Heavy, may I oh, no, thanks, I can manage right. She had a very nice figure, trim and erect. I wondered whether she was going as far as Istanbul. Oh yeah, express, what do you? I made my way down the platform to my coach, but there was a stranger in my compartment going through my overcoat. Young man, you have their wrong compartment, and you have the wrong overcoat. This quote is mine. Also this compartment number.

Seven, it happens to be number eights eight. I have made a mistake. A thousand apologies, sir. That's all right, thank you. You are going to Belgrade. No, no, I'm arrestable, so allow me. My name is Richard John Are you doing? My name's myatt Greg remied. I am grateful you are a fellow countryman. These little mistakes can be so difficult to. Explain fellow countrymen. But I'm American. I also I am a naturalized American all these many years. But the accent remains. Yes, I suppose it does. Man, we are under way. I will go to my compartment.

A most pleasant journey, sir, and again a thousand apologies. I looked at the landscape for a while and then got out a book and settled on to read. And at that moment, of course, we run into a string of tunnels, all of them pitch black. I'm just about to ring for the guard who asked to have the lights switched on, but the train was crashing towards stop. We were on a tonnel. I got up and groped for the door and went into the corridor just as the lights went on. Lying on the floor was the girl who had bumped into me.

Excuse me, please, one side, please excuse me, please. Madame, conductor to inform you it is not allowed for a passenger to stop the orient, explains. Mister myad if you will allow me please. Oh, mister John, hadn't we got to get a doctor. I am a doctor, mister Mayott allow me. So. There is nothing wrong with this young lady. She has only fainted. Oh good, good, give me a hand, mister John. Let's get her into my compartment. I'm all right now, really. I am as a kosha. Yeah yeah, drink this, it's brandy. Drink it, young lady, it will help you.

Good. Hello, what I fainted? I never did before. When did you last have a decent meal? Yesterday? The day before I suppose it was the day before. That's my affair. You have no money? No, how would you like to have dinner with me? Well? Please say yes? I won't say no. Fine, fine, Will you join this, mister John No, I prefer to remain in my compartment. As we dined, I learned her name was Carol Musker. She was a chorus girl and she had a job waiting for her in estable. I felt a bit sorry for her, but well, more than that, I I remembered how she felt in my arms when I carried her into my compartment, and I wanted to hold her again.

I hate a lot, mister May. I hope you can afford the check. I think I can. Now, how about breakfast tomorrow and all the rest of your meals? So we rich estant book. Mister myatt, I hope you don't have any ideas about me? Of course I have. You're very attractive. Well, I don't know anything about you. For all, I know you're married and have six children. I am not, and I haven't. How about you, I have no one. Well, then there's no reason why we shouldn't have ideas about each other, is there? And by the way, my first name is Gregory more coffee?

What does it? Wow? Then as soon as I paid them myat Oh, mister. John, excuse me? Is this yours? Right? That's my pocket book. I found it in the corridor outside my compartment. You must have dropped it when you lifted this young lady. He gave me my pocket book and left the dining car. All my money was there. But one thing I knew, I had not dropped my pocket book. Mister John had taken it. Carol and I started through the train. It was about nine o'clock and the lights were already dimmed, and the second class coaches people were asleep, sitting up in the crowded compartments.

Mister myatt, here's my compartment. Thank you for dinner. It's very early. You have to go in. Oh I'm tired. Oh it's too crowded in there for comfortable sleeping. And besides, you never know who's next to you. But I do have little fat mancy. His name's Joseph Grumley. He introduced himself. Oh he did, did he? You're not jealous? No? But what do you know about him? He might be a thief or a bigger miss ridiculous? We good night, mister Knight, Carol, Yes, you might kiss me good night. No one will notice, all right. Well, oh, mister Grumley.

If you're going somewhere, sir, why don't you go ahead? Do not be angry, please, I was not spying. Mister Mayer, how do you know my name? We all heard of. The gentleman gallant enough to take miss mouscar to dinner at the good doctor's suggestion. Doctor or doctor mister John. He's a doctor, is he not? Now, if you'll please excuse me. I must get some water. I'm quite thirsty. I don't think I like that guy, Carol. How about taking my compartment your compartment? All right, I'll get you another one. We'll speak to the conductor right now.

The first classic compartment for young lady. Monsieur, you must wait until I arrived at Cologne. No tickets are sole po the Orient Express. We arrived in Cologne in let me see precisely fifteen minutes. Are express living terminate. As we walked up to the first class ticket when a woman elbowed us out of the way. Please excuse me. You don't mind if I go first, or you might train for Paris leaves any. Minute in that case. Go ahead, Thank you, Hans. My editor has got me. She was a reporter. Apparently, while waiting for her change, her eyes went past me to the Orient Express.

Suddenly they widened. I followed a glance. Mister John was just stepping back into his compartment. One moment, Haunts, change this ticket for us sleeper on the Orient Express. Make it bell grab. You are lucky, Miss Warren. There is only one accommodation on the Orient Express. Look. Just a moment there, we were here. First I thought you were going to Paris. Not when I see doctor Zinner on the Orient Express. Doctor Zinner. The man you were looking at was Richard John. That the name is using. Now okay, thank you Hans. Just a moment there. I'm taking that ticket, Min Hell.

I regret, but the lady asked for it before you did, and she is an old Yeah, here's the ticket, Miss Warren. Who is it, Gregory? Remind mister John, I'd like to talk to you for a moment. May we come in? Yes, yes, of course you are feeling better, Miss Musker. You are getting an appress. Yes, that's why we're here. Miss Musker is taking my compartment and I'm staying in here with you. I wish I could oblige, but I prefer my privacy. Why is that, doctor Sinner? My name is Richard John. Where did you hear otherwise?

I'm a newspaper reporter who saw you in the station at Cologne. Oh. I don't know what it's all about, and I don't much care, but miss Musker is going to have my compartment. I'm going to move into this one with you any objections. In fact, both of you shall stay here with me. What's the double gently, mister Meyer, yes a gun. I am an excellent and shot. Believe me, we shall all stay. I insist lock the door, mister Mayatt. That's fine. Now, Just who are you, mister Myatt? Who am I police spy here to keep me from getting to Belgrade?

You surely don't expect me to believe your story about some. Time, mister John, it sounds like a reporter from Cologne. Tell her she has made a mistake. Tell her Mayatt. Go away. You've got the wrong compartment. My name is Myatt. I'm a reporter. Mabel Warren Clarian Myatt. Put your arm around this, Musca open the door pathway just to knock for her to see both of you. I shall be behind the door, and remember I have a gun. I. Oh, you're not the man I'm after all you. My name is Myatt. I haven't the slightest idea where you can find your mister John.

Well, I'll find him. He's on the Orient Express. Some excuse me for interrupting your Rah, excuse me for interrupting you. Good night, mister. Miat both the door, please, ah. Perhaps you really are only an American businessman, mister Mayott. In that case, I owe you an explanation. Sitan. He told us a fantastic story. He was a political exile from his own country. He'd been forced to leave five years ago, and now he was going back to lead a rebellion to overthrow the government by a Kudatar. And to me it made very little sense. Had it not been for the gun in his hand, I might have laughed in his face.

If I am captured before this train gets to Belgrade, I will be executed once in Belgrad. However, I am safe, am very popular. I know the city. There are thousands ready to hide me. And that's very interesting, eh. Now that you believe we're who we say were, you could put that gun away I'll bump here with you and miss Musket and go to my compartment. I cannot allow that. Among the passengers understrain many of my countrymen. Some would be loyal if they knew about me, but others would not. Doctors will tell no one. I am sure you would not intentionally, but it might slip out.

No, I cannot permit you to leave this compartment. I'm warning you. If I can, I'm going to take that gun away from you. Don't try, my friend. You're older than I am, Doctor's Inner. You're tired. Just how long can you stay awake? I sat with Carol on one seat. He was across frommis, the revolver in his hand, and it got later and later later. I'm tired, Greek. I disclose your eyes with Carrol. Are you sleepy, Doctor's Inner? Not yet, mister Mayer. Carol was asleep on my shoulder. I thought to keep my eyes open, but I dozed off, and then somehow I came awake.

I lifted my head. Doctor Zenner was asleep. I reached across and grabbed the gun. It's all right, Carol, I've got it well, Doctor Zenner, you're right, sir. I tried to stay awake. But stay here, Carol. I'm going to locate the conductor. I'm going to tell him what's been going on. No, you must not. I shall never get the bell druve. No, we're still outside his country. He won't be hurt. But if you report me to the conductor, I shall be put off. Portray allan shot, No harm done. I'll be back soon, Carol. I left the compartment and started on the corridor.

I heard a noise behind me, and as I turned, I caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure. One arm raised high above my head, and then the arm swung down, and something hard and heavy crashed against my skull, and I fell into a pool of blackness, and I knew nothing more. In just a moment, we will return to escape, but first. The blazing billboard for CBS's ten Great Sunday Night Shows has an especially big blaze of lights near the top of the list. That's where the names of Spike Jones, Jack Benny and Amos and Andy are found in succession.

Spike Jones, Jack Benny, Amos and Andy, the most unusual sequence of top rating comedy in radio. Don't miss a single second of their ninety NonStop minutes of mirth Tomorrow night on CBS's Great Sunday Night. Ten amos Andy and Spike Jones come to you over most of these same CBS stations, and Jack Benny is heard over them all. And now with our star Bill Conrad, we returned to the second act of escape and the Orient Express. How much later it was when I opened my eyes. I don't know whoever had hit me had done an expert job.

Might have been Zenner or or even Carol had no way of knowing the gun was gone. I dragged myself to my feet and stumbled down the corridor back to a compartment number seven. But it was empty. Perhaps they moved to my compartment, I hurried to it. No, no, there was nothing in my compartment. My bags were gone, even my overcoat. Inside I began to feel a strange, unreasoning fear. Why was it so quiet? What were all the other passengers coming along the entire corridor? I opened every door in the coach them was completely empty. It felt as as if I were going crazy, that lost consciousness again.

Here here you, mister wake got we got. Who are you? I sha? I am the rakeman? No tell me what happened to everyone? This coach was full. I got on at Austin. Dozens of people got on at Austin. Oh no, sir, this coach is empty and it comes only from wagenspot Reagans. No, it's it's from Austin. I tell you. Look, Compartment eight. This was mine, my bag's my overcoat. They were here and now they've disappeared. What was that? That is only the switch engine beyond the yards outside Vienna. This coach is a deadhead. It was put on at the Orient Express at Reagan's broken.

Now we take it off. Dead head, you mean no, it's not my all the regular coaches are Orient Expresses in front of us. If you do not wanted to leave without you, you had better Horiza. Don't worry, I'll make it. The Orient Express was just getting underway when I dropped off the front of the dead Head. I had plenty of time to run up alongside and swing aboard, and made my way through the train to my coach and knocked on the door of Center's compartment. Open up in there. Gregory Meyer opened the door, lying on the berth bound and Gaggler's reporter, Miss Warren and standing beside her gun in hand was not doctor Zinner but Joseph Grundlish.

We have a very tough skull, mister Mayer, I should have hit you a little harder. No, whereas Carol, where's doctor Sinner? Why have you tied up this reporter? Pase not so fast? First, as to Miss Warren, I have tied her to prevent her from interfering with doctor Sinner, and I allowed her to file a newspaper story doctor Zinner would never get to Belograd. I happened to be a nard and follower of doctor Zinner. I was standing watch last night when you dashed into the corridor. Mister Maya, you had this very gun in your hand. You had obviously broken away from doctor Zinner.

Fortunately I had a black chain. Whereas Carol and doctor Zenner, do. You promise to do nothing to interfere with doctor Sinna's plan? I promise nothing, no b reason of the Orient Express will soon cross the border into my own country. It makes only one stub at the border for passport identification. After that you are involved. No longer Y be starborn. All right, runleichh. I wanted to. Say, mister Mayett, I think you may go now. Doctor Zinner and Miss Mosca are next door in your compartment. Doctor Zenna was seated on one birth dozing, and Carol La on the opposite berth, fast asleep.

Of tears on her cheeks. She shivered. I covered it with my overcoat and she woke up. Gregory, Gregory, I didn't know where you wash. Go back to sleep. Oh. I searched every wheel. I didn't know what to do when I came back here. Oh, I was so tired. Doctors dinner made me go to sleep. Everything's all right. In a few hours, everything will be fine. Now close your eyes and go back to sleep. I left the compartment and went to the second class coach. With both Carol and Grundlichgon. There was space for me. I slept until I was awakened by a Hungarian passport inspector.

The train had stopped in a town named Schubotica, just inside the border. I showed him my passport and I went to the dining car. The breakfast rush was just starting, so I gave away to a pound note and had him get my breakfast for two. By the time the Orient Express was ten minutes out of Shubotica, we were going down the corridor, the loaded tray tinkling as the waiter followed me. We arrived at my compartments, but it was empty. No sign of Senna, no sign of Carol. A torn piece of paper was tucked under the cuff of my overcoat.

There was a note I have left the doctor Zenna. I'm afraid this is good bye. Sign Carol musket sir the breakfast. Where shall I put the tray? But the breakfast. Take it back? I no wonders. I sat near the window and watched the landscape drift past. My suspicions had been right all along. Doctor Zenna had played me for a fool, and so had Carol. After a while, I became conscious of a tapping sound on the wall of my compartment. It kept on, and suddenly I realized that it was coming from the compartment next to mine, Someone's heel banging against the wall.

It took only a minute get next door. It was Miss Warren, the reporter, all tied and gagged. Oh thank goodness, I thought you'd never hear me. Wes Grundlick, where are the others? You mean you don't know what's happened. Senna's going to be executed, executed? Why they took him off the train at Supportica? Goodic arrange the whole thing. He's a government spy. It can't be bully is. They're probably holding a drumhead court martial on doctor Zenna back in Suportica this minute. I see and Carol Musker's the government spy too. The girl, no, she must be. They took her off the train.

They had to. They couldn't have any witnesses. What will they do with it? Probably kill her? But hey, here, what are you doing? You can't jump out the trains going sixty at least. I'm going back there to Supportico. You're insane. Look there's a small ton up ahead. I saw it. When I leaned out. Some cars aparked at the station. I saw them. I'm going to pull the emergency cord. Take one of those cars. Can you possibly do in supporta car? I don't know, but I'll do something. Go ahead, mister Meyer, I'm going with you. I pulled the emergency cord and in the matter of seconds, the Orient Express was screeching to a halt.

Right at the station. I flung open the door, and with Miss Warren close behind me, I ran toward the park. Cars here you you come here, you speak English, card gentleman's and car very cheap. I want to go, I'll give you twenty pounds yet gentleman's. Get ye. Were at Stubotica inside of an hour. I had the driver stop just before we got into the center of town and told him to wait. Miss Warren and I started down the main street. Mister Meyer look in the doorway of a small restaurant. His back to us, talking to a chef, was Joseph Grundlich.

Just keep walking. Try to hear what he's saying. Two people have it sent to him? Did you hear what he said? Something about a last meal for two people to be taken to the railroad station. Don't turn your head, just keep walking. The railroad station platform was empty, so was the ticket office, but through the window we could see the waiting room, and beyond it was a closed door to a baggage room. There was a large, old fashioned key in the lock, and standing beside the door was a soldier with a rifle. That's why they must be in the baggage room.

You don't have a gun, I suppose no, neither do I. The keys in the lock if I can get to it without the soldiers noticing. We've got to get the soldier away from the door, Miss Warren. Uh, Look do you see that telephone over there in the fire corner. If we could somehow get the soldier over to the telephone, his view of the baggage room door would be cut off. Look, that'll be your job, Miss Warren. Go into the waiting room and up to the telephone booth. Smile at the soldier as you go by. Then pretend you're having some trouble with the phone.

Appeal to him for help when he joins you with the phone booth. Keep him occupied while I go in and let him out. But he might go wrong. Just talk to him Center and Carroll and I will try to make the car. You'll have to hurry green Looking that last meal may be here any minute. We'll hurry all right through the grimy wonder. I watched as Miss Warren cross the waiting room to the telephone, smiling at the soldier. She left the booth and walked over to him. Couldn't hear what they were saying? She smiled at him again, putting her hand on his arm.

They went over the booth. He took a deep breath and entered the waiting room. I could hear them talking as I started toward the baggage room. Carol, no noise, doctor's inner, Carol, go to the station platform. No noise. Come on. We started back toward the open door that led to the station platform and went out slowly, not making a sound. Miss Warren was still talking to the soldier, and then suddenly their voices stopped. I glanced back. The soldier's gun had fallen to the floor. He was kissing Miss Warren. We got out to the platform and I shut the door quietly.

All right, follow me. The car is two blocks away. She's a reporter. They won't dare touch you. Now, come on. In a few moments, the station was behind us. The car was only a block away. Now we turned the corner, and walking toward us, not ten feet away was Joseph Grundley. Can have waited from the restaurant before he could collect his wits. I ran at him. He crumpled to the ground. Then I hit the wait, all right, run for it. Bronck d a few shots at us, but hit no. Then we were in the car and he fired at us.

No longer. What you. Goodbye, doctor Xenna. You sure you won't come along? I stay here in Teldrad. I shall be all right now, thanks to you. Goodbye, mister Mayer. Goodbye, Hello, Hello, you. Mind if I sit down? Not at all? Well, we'll be in Istanbul tomorrow a day late. You know I probably lost that chorus? Job, have any idea what you'll do? Then? I think so? I have an idea. Yeah, so why. A very good idea? Come in. Escape is produced and directed by Norman McDonald. Today we have presented transcribed Orient Express by Graham Green, adapted for radio by Sheldon Stark and Walter Newman, with editorial supervision by John Duncle starred as Gregory.

Myatt was Bill Conrad. Featured players were Edgar Barrier, Hans Conrad, Gloria Grant, Harry Bartel, Anne Morrison, Jack Krusian, and John Dayner. The special music was arranged and played by Ivan at Mars. Next week, you are alone in the steaming jungle with three men. You know that one of them is a desperate criminal, the man you've come here to arrest, but you don't know which one. You'll have to find him before he can save himself by killing you. My dear, my dear, When you sit on a comfy locomotive like the one we've manifested tonight, do you ever consider those who keep it all moving along?

Of course, you have the conductor, you have the staff in the dining car, bringing you tasty treats as the nation speeds by in your window. But have you ever considered the dark loneliness of the job that keeps you on track to speak and alive? The sad and lonely plight of the signalman. Auto light and it's ninety eight thousand dealers bring you, Miss Agnes Moorehead. In tonight's presentation. Of suspense, Tonight Autolite presents a story in the classic tradition of suspense, a new version of Charles dickens terrifying short story The Signalman Our Star, the first lady of Suspense, Miss Agnes Moorehead.

Why it's Oscar, the super smooth and scintillating sedan. Super smooth right with an auto light electrical system. Ah, there's none better Oscar. And it's because your auto. By electrical system is designed to operate as a team, with all units and component parts related by auto light engineering, design and manufacturing skill to give you the smoothest performance money can buy. I know how important the electrical system is, Harlow. Sure you do ask her, And you know too how important it is to have only auto Light original service parts used when replacements are needed, because only these parts are designed by Auto Light engineers who design complete electrical systems used as original equipment on many leading makes of our finest cars, trucks and tractors.

So friends, always insist on Autolite original service parts for your auto Light equipped car. It pays in performance. Remember from bumper to tail light, you're always right with Autolite. And now auto. Light presents transcribed the signal man starring Miss Agnes moorehead hoping once again to keep you in suspense. It smashed by like a wounded monster, screaming in pain, and disappeared into the dark tunnel. In those brief seconds, I had relived the emotions of my childhood. I still trembled with the child's terror and fascination that had surged through me the many times I stood here twenty years before.

Nothing had changed. The steep, dripping way, walls of jagged stone that led down to the tracks, the gloomy mouth of the tunnel. The small signal man's shack huddled against the side of the cutting. Even the job was held by the same man they told me in the village. He stood there, in the glow of an angry sunset, firling a signal flag around a short pole. I called to him, Hello, Hello. Instead of looking up at me, he turned tensely to stare toward a red signal light that glowed at the mouth of the tunnel. Hello. Hello, there.

He finally turned slowly, it seemed to me, even fearfully, and looked up. He stared at me, unanswering. I was afraid the suddenness of my call had unnerved him. I tried to compensate by being overly casual. Hello, I would like to spink to you. Is that a path I can use to come down? He stared silently a while longer, then finally pointed his flag to a spot in the cutting embankment. It was a zigzag path with small footholds cut through the clammy stone. The track seemed a mile below, but I was determined to get down. Midway, I sensed a vague vibration of earth and air, like a sound that could be felt but not heard.

I tried to fight down a fear that suddenly gripped me. The air was filled with a violent pulsation. It seemed to have a force that could draw me down. I threw my hands up to my eyes, as though to shut out some terrible sight. I flattened myself against the jagged rock and clutched. Hard A. Then I was angry with myself, ashamed of this uncontrolled, childish reaction. I could see the signal man still staring at me. I climbed down the rest of the way quickly, carelessly, and I walked toward him with a casual smile. He watched me expectantly.

Hello, I Amy says, I used to live in the village. I was anxious to speak to you. I am sorry I startled you when I called down. Why did you use those words? Those words I hardly remember. I I think I shouted hello below there, or something to that effect. Not to that effect, Miss, those were the very words. I know them. Well, admit those were the word all right, I admit, Why did you use them? You were below I wanted to attract your attention, so I called hello below there. It seems logical, doesn't it.

I, Miss if you had no other reason. What other reason could I possibly have? I thought you would tell. Me I'm sorry. Maybe I shouldn't have come down. I think I frightened you. Why would you think that, Miss Well? You stare at me as though you had a dread of me. I miss, I was doubtful whether I had seen you before. But if you have it it was when I was eight years old, standing on that bridge over the tunnel up there. I used to love watching the trains, and my family moved to the city.

This is my first visit back in twenty years. You don't believe me, I'm not certainly. But where could you have seen me? Don't do you know? Since I've been away for twenty years now? There by the red signal light at the mouth of the tunnel. Oh, that's why you turned and stared there when I first called I, miss What would I be doing up at the signal light? Hi? I don't no, I wish I it is a mistake. Miss, I haven't been well. What is it you wish to speak to me about? Well, I'm a writer.

I wanted to interview you me Why me, Miss Well? My magazine does a weekly biographical piece on interesting people and unusual occupations. It's called close up. I miss, I've read you have what you seem? Surprised? Oh, pleased? Perhaps that one so unsophisticated as I I really didn't mean it that way. There's a bit of a fire in my shack would be more comfortable for you there. Yes, thank you, Hi. This is a lonely post. Visitors must be rare. I miss. The brand superintendent makes an annual inspection. That's all except. Yes, come come in please. Oh how snug and comfortable.

Most of my waking life is spent here. I've tried to make it pleasant, and you've succeeded. You were speaking of visitors just as we came. Yeah, I'll put this chair there on the fireplace. One chills out there. I say, you have a fine collection of books. They've given me much companionship in the long night. Shitty waited, companions given to decline and fall good anatomy of the melancholy Darwin. Do they surprise you again? Miss? May I be frank? I'll have to be if I'm to succeed with the article. My editor is only interested, you know, in the odd, the unusual.

And the level of my reading seems above the level of my station. Not many people in any station these days. Come, misters. You called for frankness. Thank you, sir. Why would a man with a mind capable of absorbing these subjects stay on a desolate job? Liked it? Goodness, And I take no offense. You see, I had, when young, been very interested in the natural philosophies. Oh, I set my course, I studied hard, planned the future. Then I ran wild, misused. My opportunities went down. I've never risen again. I I've no complaint. I've made my bed.

It's too late to make another. Maybe you gave up too soon. No, miss, there are forces beyond us that shape us. One must know when not to resist. I might have blooded myself a while longer, but I knew I took this position thirty four years ago, and. You never regretted, no er, not until won't you please tell me? You first tell me what brought you here? But I have you said nothing of what made you think of this place specifically? There are many places and people. Well, I told you I used to come here as a child.

The train's frightened and fast. I always remembered it vividly through the years. I promised myself that one day I would come back and do a story on it. Good subjects aren't easy to find. You know, why did you choose just now to come? All these ideas germinate in the writer's mind for a while, and then an. Impulse and you were drawn here. You say that as though mystic forces were involved. It was much simpler. I assure you. I've been working hard. I decided that a few days in the country would do me good. I planned to use them profitably by doing a story on you.

You might have come to that decision last month or last year. Well, that's true, but I can't see why you attached such special significance in the fact. That I wh Why do they frighten you so. Now? Wouldn't you think I might outrow that silly childish If I was drawn here, as you say, I guess it was to see whether I had The modern psychiatrist would say it was a desire to relive a childhood experience I miss. There are many answers. Why are you staring at me? So? Oh? Would I staring at you? Please? Please? You promised something is preying on your mind?

Can't you tell me? It's very difficult to impartners very difficult to speak of. If you ever make another trip, I will try to tell. You yes, yes, of course, and I will have to make several trips before the story takes shape. When may I come again tomorrow, I miss? If you wish, I'll come. At eleven, you won't have difficulty getting up. No, no, it was only that first trip down. I'll show my white light till you reach the top. Thank you. I'll say good night now, Miss. Good night, sir. I wish you a pleasant one.

I regret. Oh, yes, I understand, I Miss. I think you do. May I ask, then, when you get to the top, don't call out to me? I beg you don't call out. I won't. And when you come tomorrow night, please don't call out. Of course, not good night? And may I ask one part in question? It certainly when you came down the path earlier tonight, midway, you suddenly threw your hands up to your eyes like this, as though to shut out some dreadful sight. Why right with that uncontrollable, childish reaction, I felt as though the train would draw me down.

I covered my eyes like a child not to see it. You had no feeling that the action was conveyed to you for some rey. No, why should it see otherwise? Because there has been someone at the red light the mouth of the tunnel each night for a week now, holding its hands up to its eyes like that so to shut out. Some terrible sight. And you have actually seen it every night. Was it there tonight when you went to the door. Yes, I saw it quite clearly. Who was it? You? Auto light is bringing you Miss Agnes moorehead with Joseph Kerns in the Signal Man Tonight's presentation in Radio Outstanding Theater of Thrills.

Suspense, Hey, Oscar, sound your horn, play your radio, I'll start your engine. Hey, what's all that for, Hallow? Why all those operations depend on the sure smooth performance of your auto light electrical system, Oscar. And so do the lights, heater and electric windshield wiper. They all depend on my auto light electrical system, Hollow. They sure do, Oscar. And what's more, your auto light electrical system works every second your engine runs. That's why auto light electrical systems, designed to give the smoothest performance money can buy, are used as original equipment on many leading makes of our finest cars, trucks, and tractors.

They're the best. Hurrow right to our oscar friends. Treat the electrical system of your car to a periodic checkup at your car dealer's or authorized auto light service station. To quickly locate him, look in the classified section of your phone book, or call Western Union by number and ask for operator twenty five. And remember, from bumper to tail light, you're always right with auto light. And now auto Light brings back to our Hollywood soundstage, Miss Agnes moorehead in Elliot Lewis's production of Charles Dickens. The Signal Man a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense.

I returned the next night as the distant clocks were striking eleven. The signal Man waited for me at the bottom of the cutting. With his white light shining. He walked silently to his shack, entered it, and sat down by the fire. I didn't wish to press in, so I said nothing. He stared at the burning embers for a moment. Then he turned to me. I I'm going to tell you, missus best I can, of what troubles me. I'm glad. I mistook you for some one else last night. That troubles me the mistake of the some one else?

Who is it? Then? I don't know what does it do? This time? It stands with its left arm across its face. The right arm is waved violently this way, as though to say, for CAD's sake, clear the way, clear the way. You've heard those words? Not certain, not about these specific words, But I. I've heard it called before. When one moonlight night, about a year ago, I was sitting here when I heard a voice. Cry, hallo below there. Oh, that's why you were so startled when I used the same words I miss. I ran to the door and looked out, and I saw this someone else standing up there by the red light near the tunnel, waving its arm as I just showed you.

The voice was hoarse, was shouting, and it cried, hello, below there, look out, look out. I caught up my lamp and ran toward the figure, calling, what's wrong? What's happened? Where? And when I got to. The light, first gone, did you see where? The tunnel was the only place it could go without passing me. I ran into the tunnel for five hundred yards and searched around with my light. Then I ran back here and telegraphed both ways. An alarm has been given, is anything wrong? And the answer came back both ways. All well, yes, of course.

Now I'm going to take advantage of last night's permission to be frank. You've been here more than thirty years, haven't you. It isn't the most cheerful place in the world, with that moaning wind through the tunnel and the wild harp it makes of the telegraph wires. It's understandable that you could have the allue usion that you heard a call and anyone staring at the dark long enough as you did from the dog, and imagine seeing something you've let it prey on your mind so long it seems real. I was not finished, miss Oh, I'm sorry.

Within six hours after it first appeared, the mainline flyer crashed and derailed at the far end of the tunnel. Within ten hours, the dead and the wounded were being brought through the tunnel over the spot where the figure stood. Was coincidence, a tragic, remarkable coincidence. But there is more, Oh, Oh, please forgive me. Six or seven months past, I had recovered from the surprise and shark. One one morning, just as daylight was breaking, I looked toward the red light and saw it again. Did it cry out? It was silent. It didn't wave its arm. No, miss.

Now it leaned against the post with both hands covering the eyes like this, as though it brought out some terrible sight. And that's why you asked me why I had put my hands to my eyes, I miss. As I came down the. Path, you called out the words it used the first time. You covered your eyes as it did the next time. Go on, please. That very day, as the train came out of the tunnel, I noticed a confusion of hands and heads at one of the coached platforms, and something waved. I saw it in time to flag down the engineer.

He applied his. Brake, but the train drifted past here about one hundred yards. As I ran up to it, I heard terrible screams and cries. A beautiful young woman had fallen between the cars. Oh she was brought in here. She died on this very spot between us. Oh it's horrible. But I still don't wan. Final word, miss, And you were judge how my mind is troubled. It came back a week ago. Ever since it has been here at the light. It covers its eyes, it waves its arm. It shouts, for God's sake, clear away, clear away.

I have no rest of peace for it. It calls to me many minutes together in an agonized manner. Below there, look out, look out. It stands waving at me. It sounds the telegraph ticker. Did it sound the ticker last night while I was here? Twice? Oh? I assure you it did not sound. It was your imagination. I have never made a mistake as to that miss. I don't wonder that you fail to hear it. But I heard it. Do you hear it now? I What does it say? It isn't clear. Hey, it only warns. It doesn't say against What if I only knew what it meant?

What is the danger? Where is the danger? There is danger overhanging somewhere on the line. Some terrible calamity will happen. Now you must that reason. If I telegraph danger on either side of me, or on both, I can give no reason for it. I would get into trouble and do no good. They would think I was mad. This is the way it would work. Message danger, take care? Answer what danger? Where? Message? Don't know? But for God's sake, take care. They would displace me. What else could they do. I can help you, but you must face realistically what I have to say.

Now, will you try? Yes, Yes, I'll try. Miss. These accidents have shaken you deeply. You feel guilt about them, even though there was nothing you could do. You've let it prey on your mind until you imagine someone try to warn me on her that someone, even the senses, can deceive when the mind is under stress. Men dying of thirst on a desert, imagine lakes and hearing running. Streets, the bodies of the dead. Of what you imagined after the accidents. If you let me out, prove to you, step by step that the specter existed only in your fantasy?

How can you prove that in the face. Of what I've told me by appealing to the intelligent, reasoning portion of your mind. Listen, you were positive when you first saw me that I was the specter you saw up the light, Now, weren't you? You used the same words. Well, I listen carefully, I appeal to the intelligent, well read, reasonable man. Three words hello below there I was five hundred yards away at the top of the embankment, and you were here below with darkness falling, and three words made you positive you had seen me before. Can't you see you?

We're trying to fit something to what you already believed. But then you put your hands to your eyes. Lof Oh their proof. You've allowed yourself to believe some disaster is about to befall when I covered my eyes because of a childish fear, you fitted that to what you already believed. The telegraph ticker. Washington, You not tear me out? Would you at any other time, or would anyone at any believe that a telegraph ticker could sound in a room this small and be heard by one person or not another? And now the most important proof. You said that when you went to the door last night it was there by the red danger light it was.

Will you come to the door with me now and tell me if it is still air shat? Do you see it? No? No, miss, it is not there. Agreed? And now I'm going to prove that it never was there. I studied the light from the top of the hill before I came down the night. The post is at least seven feet high. The light is shielded with a hood. Even if a person stood directly under it or in front of it, they would be in complete shadow. In darkness. You couldn't see that person from this door, and you couldn't see that person if you walked to within a foot of her or him or it.

I'm going to walk up the incline to the light and prove that to you now. I walked up the inclining tracks toward the red light at the mouth of the tunnel. The tune dank wind had an edge like a cold knife. When I got to the light post, I stood directly under it. No portion of the red glow reached me. I was lost completely in the dark. I saw the signal man silhouetted in the yellow light of the doorway. Hello, can you see me? Hello below there? Can you see me? Oh? Good? Now, stop walking toward me and tell me when you can see me.

He stepped between the rails of the northbound track on a line with the red signal light, and walked toward me. Then the icy hand of my childhood dread gripped me. There was a vague vibration of the earth and air far behind him, coming up the grade fast, I could begin to see the glow of the local It is light. Look out you girls for goats They tral away. Tear away. She walked as though in a spell. He didn't hear me, or wouldn't hear me. I threw my left arm up to my eyes and waved my right arm frantically, you know, the look out.

The dout tray the world for God's. Say, trail away. Long after it was over, they found me still standing there, both of my hands up to my eyes to shut out the terrible. Sight suspense presented by Autolite to Light Star Miss Agnes Moorehead. This is Harlow Wilcox again speaking for Autolite, world's largest independent manufacturer of automotive electrical equipment. Auto Light is proud to serve the greatest names in the industry. That's why during these early months of nineteen fifty three, the auto Light Family joins again in saluting the leading manufacturers who install products as original equipment.

Just two weeks from tonight, as a climax to this year's Autolite Family Salute program, we will present the exciting story of the first and only Round the World Auto Race. Our star will be Van Johnson, and the program will be broadcast direct from the Grand ballroom of New York's Waldorf Astoria Hotel, where the Great Eastern Parade of Stars Auto Show will be in progress. That's Monday, April sixth for the auto race that stirred the world. And of course be sure to join us next week for another story of suspense. Next week an American legend, as we recreate the cruel murder of Laura Foster by the bitter Tom Dooley, our star, mister Joseph Cotton.

That's next week on Suspense. Suspense is produced and directed by Elliott Lewis, with music composed by Lucian Morrowick and conducted by Lud Bluskin. Portions of the program were transcribed. The Signalman was adapted for Suspense by Irving Reese from the short story by Charles Dickens. In Tonight's story, Joseph Kerns played the Signalman. Agnes Moorehead has been on the road in Don Juan in Hell and can currently be seen in Metro Goldwyn Mayer's picture The Story of Three Loves And remember next week mister Joseph Cotton in Tom Dooley. This is the CBS Radio Network. My dear, the evening is drawing deeper, and I fear soon the sun will rise as it is wont to do.

But perhaps I have just one more ticket, oh right here in my pocket, one more journey for you to enjoy. Oh what's that? Well, I could tell you the destination, but I feel like that might be spoiling it for you. Well, my dear, if you insist, let me just get my glasses on a ticket to nowhere. The Whistler is entered by the United States Air Forces in Europe. I am the Whistler, and I know many things. For I walk by night. I know many strange tales hidden in the hearts of men and women who. Have stepped into the shadows.

Yes, I know the nameless terrors of which they dare not speak. The Whistler will continue in just a moment, But first this message from the United States Air Forces in Europe. And now the Whistler's strange story ticket to nowhere. The passenger and the privately owned car for hire. I was talking and to the driver, Lee Korby. The things his passenger was saying were more than interesting. Lee didn't exactly hate his work, because owning his own car and operating its individual he was in a position to take advantage of certain situations. That's why the rambling chatter of this particular passenger hit him so strangely.

Yes, you just listen closely, don't you lee without a thought of interrupting as he prattles on. When you tilight. Talking and there's no one else around, you've got to talk to a stranger hand driver, Yes, sir, I've got the key to a new life. A fortune, yes, driver, a fortune, something I've waited for for nearly fifteen years. Oh it isn't just that I've had a few drinks. Driver, I've just got a howl tonight. That's all. That's my night. Oh hey, we hadn't the right way? You said Cyprus Lodge then you? Yeah, yeah, I did. I thought the lodge was closed.

It is, but I arranged to keep my bungalow for an extra week. That briefcase have anything to do with it? Briefcase? I look here, This briefcase doesn't call you. I are down. You've been yacking like I'm your long lost buddy, and you've been hugging that briefcase like it was a baby. Forget it. Don't make any difference to me. Do you know something? You talk too much? I'm sorry, Skip. It just makes a long day. That's all I said, I'm. Sorry, and I'll make it a shorter day for you. Make when this runs over, Joshu, No, no, I mean it.

And we get to the depot right now at Cypress Lodge. Oh you want me to swing in? Yeah, yeah, and wait for me. I've just got to pick up a couple of things and then we'll go to Union Station. I'll park right over there. Yeah fine, fine. You wait for me now, I'll be right back. I can't miss that tree today. You watch him walk away toward the lodge in its row of bungalows, disappear into one. He's only gone a few minutes when you're suddenly startled at the. Sound of a shot. You freeze listening. When you get out of the car, run to the bungalow your passenger entered, and you look through the window.

You can't see very well that the lone court light enables you to desern a man's. Body on the floor. It looks like your late passenger, doesn't it leave lying in earth and still apparently dead. You'll hurry back to your car, begin the youth turn to take you back to town. As you finish, a woman emerges from the shadows of the bungalows a woman carrying a breakcase you're certain is the same breakcase your late passenger carried. Can I drive you somewhere? Lady? The cars for hire? That's right? See your sign? Yes I do. Bye, I'm lucky.

Yeah, sure, lady, you're lucky. Get in? Where to lady? Union station? Please? Uh? Union station? Right? Are we almost there? Sure? Almost there? It's these traffic lights and to hold us up? Nah, there's another lady. Yes, I guess this is what I've been waiting for. What are you talking about? Right next to us at the curb squad? Two policemen? So so do I yell for help? Or do you toss your purse with a gun in it up here on the front seat? What do you try to make up your mind? Lady? You last be here.

You're as dead as I am with those two cops sitting there. If you cooperate, well, all right here? Thanks? Not a briefcase, no, lady, I guess you don't hear so good? I said, take it a ticket to nowhere or anywhere? You know. I'm burning up with curiosity about that briefcase, lady, So what are you. Going to do about it? I'm going to find a nice, quiet, little cocktail bar, and you and me we're gonna talk talk maybe, but I won't miss mine. Relax, sweetheart, I may even pay for the drinks. So this diary is what it's all about.

I think I read about him. I seen diary in the newspapers. I read the papers a lot. How educated you must be, No. Just curious, like I said, Oh, hold enock. Picking a privately operated car when there's a legitimate cab stand a quarter of a mile from the lodge. I should have walked. You didn't pick me, sweetheart. I picked you when I saw you carrying your late boyfriend's briefcase. I didn't kill him, no, No, took a cab out there, then waited for him. I only wanted to talk to. Him, yeah, talking out of running out on you.

And when he argued that I didn't shoot him, somebody shot him through the window. There wasn't anybody else around, sweetheart. But let's forget who killed him and talk about this diary belonged to Paul Winslow, the newspaper whose body was found in the bay. I guess you think. Frank figured out turning this diary over to the police. Collect a reward. Maybe, well he didn't. The reward would be peanuts. Thousand dollars Maybe that's. A lot of passengers. But you know what's having sweetheart, I've been reading this diary while you were enjoying your drink. This stuff could put some big racketeers behind bars.

That was reporter Winslow's idea. He was going to stop a whole crime syndicate all by himself. Yeah, only he got stopped and ended up floating in San Pedro Bay. You do read the papers. Look, I'll give you two thousand dollars cash right now, just forget me and let me take this diary. Well, what's so funny? What's your real name? Honey? Elaine? Elaine Brad I'm Lee Corby. All right, what do you want half of what it's worth? Sweetheart? Not calling me sweetheart? My name is Elaine. Okay. What's the next move, Elaine? I mean our next move?

Our next move? Yeah, I'm the driver, remember, and with this diary in my hands and your gun, I'm in the driver's seat too. Now what's our next move? San Diego chair car stuff? Well, I guess the luxury travel can wait. Remember I told you I didn't kill Fresh Sure, sure I remember, well, whoever did kill him? Maybe following us. That's a chance I'll take. Also, when we get to to the people we have to do business with, well they expected Frank, they might take a dim view of what happened to blame us. Another chance we'll have to take.

Filey. Like you said, you're in the driver's seat. It's something you've thought of many times, isn't it, Lee, But you didn't expect it the way it happened last night. The man in your car talk about the key to a fortune is unexpected death. Then Elaine Brandt unwittingly stepping into your car. Carrying his briefcase. She has to deal with you, doesn't she leave? She doesn't like it. But you have the diary prepared by the dead news reporter, and you don't intend to give it up until Elaine contacts the underworld people who will pay off for its return in destruction.

The next day in San Diego, Elaine is even more annoyed at what you tell her in the cocktail lounge of the carlm Hotel where she is staying. Put that diary in the mail, Lee, you're a bigger foolman. I thought, but what if it gets lost? Don't you realize its value? Why did you do such a stupid thing? Because I'm not stupid. I got thinking about what you said. Maybe we're being followed, So what nobody's gonna hurt us. If we haven't got the diary. Really, they're gonna treat us real nice? Do we tell them where it is?

I see, good? Finish your drinks, wee heart, Relax. The first mail tomorrow will bring us exactly what we need to collect. Lee. I talked with our man over the phone half hour ago. You'll accept delivery of the diary tonight. We're at a bar called Starboard in what's the payoff? They won't go over five thousand dollars five thousand? I figured out more too. He didn't Frank tell you how much he was gonna get. Well, but from the way talk, I think it was gonna be one hundred thousand. Well, I'm not gonna let this book go for any five grand.

We've got to Lee, why, because they know I was Frank's girlfriends. We've got to play ball with them, or the same thing will happen to us that happened to that reporter. Us. They don't know a thing about me. Well, do'll be too sure. Like I told you, we're probably being followed. I doubt it, look a la if I was the hand. Oh no, you already have the book. If I was to give you the. Name of the contact, well, trade, i'd skip out on here exactly. Besides, half of five thousand is much better than nothing at all.

Ever, think of this, Elaine, Maybe I don't need you. What do you mean, Maybe I can locate the contact myself. Oh, running out of the newspaper murdered. Report his notebook for sale a pie Lee Korby boxxx. Okay, five grand isn't what we expected, but I suppose we can't do anything about it. What time you meet the boy with the money? Eight o'clock you'll be there starboard in bar, you said. Yes, he's said to come alone. Okay, but I'll be in the bar too. As long as you don'tate a. Fear, I'll just sit close by and watch.

I'll have to have the diary. You get it when when you reach the starboard in Bar this evening, I'll be waiting at the entrance. I'll give it to you then, I just like I was telling. You, mister, I done dodger, should have won. You know that. He's like, you know what I've done? If I have been dressing? Oh oh, excuse me, by tender, I wasn't listening. Uh see a friend of yours who had door back there in the boot the went with the red hat. Oh yeah, yeah, slight acquaintance. You had been looking over that way ever since that fat boys had done next to her.

Maybe I'm jealous? You know him? Oh, he usually drops in for beer for going to work. He's a nightclerk over at the Carlon Hotel, nightclerk. Not gun sure something wrong with that? No, No, I just figured he was a big shot. How about another drink? Yeah, scutching water? All right, and you'd better bring a martini for the lady too. Huh. Her fat friend is just leaving. I'm going to join it. Sure thing, mister, sure. Lee. Hi, everything went okay perfectly. You saw it satisfied? What about your fat friends? He's satisfying. He has the diary. We have the money here.

I've already taken my share twenty five hundred. Jo I have is neon b Yeah, yeah. Thanks, aren't you going to con it? No? I trust your sweetheart. What's more, I've ordered you a drink. Thanks. No, oh, why don't you de ice a little? Honey? What's it going to be in sore? We've made a few bucks and I'm looking for some laughs and maybe see the town. And you've better by yourself a comic book and a ticket on a sight seeing bus. You'll have a ball so longly you don't think it hasn't been charming. Why, my dear miss brand, do you mean to say that this is good bye?

Exactly? And when I get back to La, I'll make it a point never to ride in any car but my own. Oh hooked o colin. Yes, well, I'm on. I'll connect you. I started, I kept you waiting, sir. No, that's all right, clik. I just wanted to leave a message. Very well, sir. The messages for I'll leave that up to you, up to me. I'm afraid I don't understand. It's about that envelope you picked up at the Starboard bar twenty minutes ago. I picked up number yeah, and you can relax. I'm not the law about that envelope.

You handed the lady another envelope containing five thousand dollars. That's a lot of money to pay for a blank diary. What the diary was? A blank buster? But I know where the real McCoy is and I'll make a deal. I see, you can relay that information to your boss. I'm going back to my hotel now, the autumnom six twelve. I'll expect to call in an hour or so. And remember, no rough. Stuff, or the diary goes straight to the cops. It's all arranged. Hollowly. Oh Jeweliane, mind if I come in. Surprised to see me only disappointed you were expecting someone else?

Yes, I was. I'm surprised you try and pull a stunt like you did, set up a phony contact to get that diary away from it? And what about that trick you pulled on me, having me a blank diary and a sealed downvelope. Okay, we're right back where we started, except that I've racked up a profit of twenty five hundred bucks your money. Thanks you, an that's all right. You see, you still don't know who the real contact is and I do, And you. Don't have the diary and I do. How much is it really worth it?

Ling fifty fifty thousand? I wonder you were so willing to shell out twenty five hundred bucks to get your hand on it. Luckly, let's play this straight from now on. Okay, we go on double crossing each other, we'll die of old age before we collect any money. Now, the head of the syndicate that wants his diary is waiting just across the border Tijuana. He called me twenty minutes ago. I told him I would have to call him back. Go ahead, now, I'll get it for you. Well, he called me at my hotel. I told him i'd call him from there.

What difference does that make? You won't know where you're calling from. What's the number? Uh, Tijuana three seven four one? Yes, mister Corby, get me Tijuana three seven four one. Will you please? You wanna three seven one? Very well, sir, call you back in a moment. Thank you. Uh. Who is this guy? His name is Sanchez. He's top man in the syndicate as far as I know. Huh, that must be your friend? Answered Hello, Oh. That's all right, I'll talk to him. Hello, Sanchez, this is elame brand. Just a moment, Sancho. What is it? Lee?

Hold the receiver it at one side so I can listen. Sanchez, Susan, I have been waiting for your car quiet anxiously. Everything's arranged. I can be at the Cafe Ruiz with everything you want by ten o'clock. That agreeable. Very ten o'clock. I would be waiting. So you read the brand? Yes, well, ye you heard? Yeah, yeah, I heard. Satisfy this time, really satisfy. Well, I'll go back to my hotel. You check out, read a car, and pick me up out front in about a half hour. We're dure to meet Sanchez until. You want a ten I'll be there and remember, Lee, no more tricks, neither of us can afford them.

You know just what you're going to do. Don't you leave the moment Elane leaves, you go downstairs, check out rent a car. Then you hurry over to her hotel, take the stairs up to a room, Lee, what's the idea, anxiety, Elaine? You said you pick me up downstairs? What's the idea of the gun ley? You've been picked up for the last time, Elaine, But why have I don't trust you. Double cross your other partner and kill them, and you'll do the same thing to me the first chance you get. You're wrong. I'm not taking chances.

You'll never get away with it. Somebody will here, they will. That won't make any difference, you See. The first thing I'm gonna do is lock your door, and I'm gonna leave by that fire escape outside your window. By the time they forced that door, I'll be in the car on the way to Juanna. No, it's pretty dark. Besides, they won't be thinking of that so long. Elaine will Elaine Brant dead in her hotel room and nothing to connect her with you. You're certain you're in the clear as you drive across the Mexican border and the car you've went now you're certain you only have to meet the man named Sanchez, deliver the diary you're carrying in your overcoat pocket, and receive fifty thousand dollars.

You arrive at the cafe right on time, and a waiter points out Sancha sitting at one of the rear tables. What is it, senor? Mind if I sit down? Sanchez? Should I? I don't think so. You're expecting a brand See, yeah, she won't be here, but I have the diary your syndicate once that's all you're interested in. That was part of the bargain. See part part of her What do you mean when the Senorita Brand arranged this transaction a week ago. A week she promised to deliver. Two things to me as representative of the syndicate the diary.

Second, she was to point. Out a killer to the police, the killer of the newspaper reporter Paul Winslow. He would of course be unaware of the fact he was walking into a track. Wait a minute, this doesn't make sense. You're trying to tell me your syndicate. Would allow a Lane to put the finger on I'm one of the long killers. A moment's in your I am afraid you are confused. I should explain that I represent a newspaper syndicate, the syndicate that Paul Winslow was working for when he was murdered. I would advise you to remain city SENIORA and to keep both hands on the table.

The police are sitting all around us. They are planning to question Senorita Brand very closely. They are anxious to know how she got possession of the diary. She's the one you want, not me. She killed Frank too. Who is this Frank? He's the one that kills your reporter Winslow Elaine Brand doublecross him and kill him. Frank was the killer. She was going to turn in. Perhaps and then again, perhaps the killer has delivered himself. You sen me, Well, wait a minute, I didn't kill that reporter. That remains to be seen. The Senorita Brand should be able to tell us.

We shall go with the police and call on her together at her hotel. If you are not the killer, I am certain she will clear you. Listen next week when once again the United States Air Forces in Europe present the Whistler. The Whistler has come to you through the worldwide facilities of the United States Armed Forces Radio and Television Service. Well, my dear, we've arrived back at the station. And isn't that just how life is? You go round and round and round on the tracks, but the train always winds up just where it started. I do so enjoy your visits and hope that you'll come back very soon.

I'll be here, same time, same place, happy to entertain and frighten you in the most comfy way possible. But if I could ask just one more favor of you, my dear, as you wander home, as the daylight sun is breaking, as you cross the railroad tracks, by the bridge that seems to always be weeping, and as you lay your head down to blink. The day away. Just take one moment and be thankful for what you have, and I'll be seeing you soon