Speaker 1: The CBS Radio Mystery Theater presents.
Speaker 2: Come in.
Speaker 3: Welcome. I'm e. G. Marshall. What is terror?
Speaker 1: It's really only a word unless you've experienced it, And
once you've experienced it, there's no word for it. It
defies description. There are all forms of terror, extreme fear
of physical.
Speaker 3: Injury for one.
Speaker 1: Paralyzing fear of insupportable pain physical.
Speaker 3: Or mental, mental.
Speaker 1: This, I'm told, can be the most horrifying form of
terror of them all.
Speaker 4: You're trying to terrify me, mister Staves.
Speaker 5: Terrify Miss Meade. You've got me all wrong. We here
at the Bureau of Human Affairs don't terrify people.
Speaker 4: Then why don't you tell me what it is you
want to know?
Speaker 3: Why don't you tell me? After all, you are the
one who knows, But.
Speaker 4: I know nothing. That's what's terrifying. You want me to
tell you something, but I don't know what it is,
but you do.
Speaker 3: You simply haven't thought about it enough.
Speaker 4: I have thought and food.
Speaker 5: No, no, you only think you thought. Go home, Now,
go home, Missmead, and think some more.
Speaker 1: Our mystery drama, A Small Question of Terror was written
especially for the Mystery Theater by George Loather and Stars
Terry Keane. It is sponsored in part by Buick Motor
Division and Uncle Ben's Long Grain and Wild Rice. I'll
be back shortly with at one And as I said
at the outset, terror can take many forms disguises. Consider
the case of Alexis Mead, a young woman, intelligent, attractive,
occupation sales clerk, engaged to be married, lives with her
widowed mother Emily, whom she supports. The place an apartment
in well a city, a city in well a country.
Time could be today, could be tomorrow, not important. What's important?
Is it happened and it could happen again.
Speaker 4: But mother, what does the Bureau of Human Affairs want
with me? What could this? What's his name? Where's the letter? Here?
It is Gilbert? What could he possibly want with me? Now?
If you ask me, Alexis, If you ask me, it's
probably nothing at all, some little unimportant matter about Oh,
I don't know nothing to get upset about, Dear Ala.
This is from the Bureau of Human Affairs, which is
just a cover for the secret police. And this man
Stainer is titles here under the signature the Director of
Interrogation in Heaven's name. What could he want to interrogate
me about well, I can't imagine. I really can't unless
you did something you shouldn't have done, did you, Alexis like, oh,
I don't know. Complain to someone maybe at the office,
that we haven't enough to eat, that the protector of
glorious Protector has called for austerity measure of at least
stop running on. I'm sorry, dear, I do talk too much.
I know, Mother, you didn't complain about something anything. Did
you me complain say anything that somebody might might have reported?
Not really, Alexis, Oh, I do talk too much. I do,
I know, But my dear, you know better than to
ask me that. Oh you know better than to even
think I be foolish not to say anything critical of
our protecture or the government or anything. Mother. I'm sorry, dear.
The letter gives no reason why this mister Sturmer was
to see you, sier No, it just says I'm to
appear at his office Monday at three pm. Well, you'll
find out then what it is he was when you
get there. That's four days from now, mother, I've got
to wait and worry for four solid days to say
nothing of night worry. Oh my dear, I certainly wouldn't worry. Mother.
Some people who have gone into the Human Affairs building.
In fact, a good many people have never been seen
or heard of again. Oh, I've heard that. Well, you
can believe it. H I'll get it. Hello Eric, Honey, Oh, Eric,
how are you darling? Well, I'm not sure.
Speaker 1: I just got home and found a letter waiting for
me from the Bureau of Human Affairs.
Speaker 4: You too, you Yes, I'm ordered to appear at three
o'clock next Monday. I've been told to be there too.
Speaker 1: Who signed your letter was somebody named Stainer? Gilbert Stainer.
Speaker 3: What do you suppose this is all about?
Speaker 4: I wish I knew. I wish I knew now instead
of having to wait until Monday.
Speaker 1: Yeah, me too.
Speaker 4: It kind of worries me, Alexis it scares me, Eric,
It scares me half to death. Yes, my name is
Alexis Mead and I. Oh, yes, you're here to see
mister Stayner at three o'clock. Yes, you're early. Oh I
was afraid of being late. Afraid What would you be
afraid of, Miss Mead? Well, I didn't mean afraid, except
that's what you said. There's nothing to be afraid of
Miss Need. If you have nothing to fear. I haven't
well then Eric Alexis what did he want? Stainer? What
did he ask you? You're next, Miss Mead? Uh, I'll
see you later, Alexis come to dinner tonight. Okay, Miss
Need is here, mister Stainer, thank you.
Speaker 5: Miss Peters do come in, Miss Mead, thank you and
sit down please that chair in front of my desk. Well, now,
Miss Mead, first, let me say I'm sorry if you've
been put to any inconvenience.
Speaker 4: Oh no, no, but you did.
Speaker 5: Have to take off from your job early. I'm told
you lose two hours pay.
Speaker 4: Who told you it's so, isn't it? Yes?
Speaker 5: But bureau will see that you're reimbursed for any loss
of pay.
Speaker 3: You incurred today or may incur in the future.
Speaker 4: The future, I'll be coming her again.
Speaker 3: That will depend entirely on you. How is your mother?
Speaker 4: My mother is fine? Thank you fine.
Speaker 5: That arthrit is flare up she suffered last week. That's
over with, Yes, delighted.
Speaker 3: To hear it. A cup of coffee.
Speaker 4: No, thank you, mister Stanner. I'd like to know whygarette?
Thank you.
Speaker 5: I'm oh, that's right. You gave up cigarette several months ago.
Too expensive, what with the tax, the SYURRT tax and all.
Speaker 3: I believe you said.
Speaker 4: I don't recall saying anything like that.
Speaker 3: No, no, but that is why you quit.
Speaker 4: Yes, mister Stanner, you certainly didn't ask me here to
discuss my reasons for giving up smoking.
Speaker 3: No goodness me, No.
Speaker 4: Then why am I here?
Speaker 5: It could be that I just like to talk and
look at pretty women.
Speaker 4: I beg your pardon a.
Speaker 5: Joke, because it's a joke, although you are extremely attractive,
you know.
Speaker 4: Thank you?
Speaker 3: Well. Now, I asked you to come here today because.
Speaker 4: Because I thought there might be something you cared to
tell me, something I cared to tell.
Speaker 5: You, something you might care to tell.
Speaker 4: Me, such as I don't know. Well, if you don't know,
I'm sure I don't. I mean, what could I know?
If you could give me some idea, some idea of
what it is you're after, not after.
Speaker 5: Anything, mismade the way you put it, what is it
you're after? You make it sound as if I'm pursuing you.
Speaker 4: Trying to No, I didn't mean it that way.
Speaker 3: No, No, of course you didn't.
Speaker 5: Well, well, is there something you might care to tell
the bureau?
Speaker 3: Tell me.
Speaker 4: I can't think of anything, mister Stana.
Speaker 3: Are you sure?
Speaker 4: I'm positive?
Speaker 5: Perhaps if you gave us some thought?
Speaker 4: What thought? How can I think about something when I
don't know what to think about?
Speaker 3: It will come to you.
Speaker 5: Think about it long enough, and it'll come. It might
be in the morning when you're at work, or or
during meal time, or in the.
Speaker 3: Middle of the night in bed.
Speaker 5: You'll suddenly say to yourself, that's it.
Speaker 3: That's what I have to tell the bureau.
Speaker 4: Mister Stana. I'm sorry, but I can't imagine.
Speaker 3: You'll see.
Speaker 5: You'll see now you just go away and think about
it a while and you'll see.
Speaker 3: And let me escort you to the door.
Speaker 4: Mister Tanner, please, I assure you believe me. There is
nothing I know of can think of your hand, mister.
Speaker 5: Stanner, Sorry your coat. I was only admiring the cloth.
I like the h feel of cloth like this, so soft,
so pleasurable to the touch. Soft is a woman's skin.
Good day, mister Stanna, good dame, is mead? Do some
thinking now, see what you can come up with before.
Speaker 3: Our next meeting.
Speaker 4: Before our next meeting. Last thing, he said, just as
I laught, Oh, stop worrying and eat your dinner, Alexis,
what there is of it, and you Eric.
Speaker 1: Those were his last words to me too. That means
he's going to call us in again.
Speaker 4: Obviously have my meat to let mother. No, No, you
finished the meat. I don't want anymore. You don't want
it anymore because you think I haven't had enough. Well
you haven't, none of us has, none of us ever does.
Speaker 1: Everything's in short supply.
Speaker 4: Oh and the prices. I was saying to Maggie Norton
known it the other day. I'd never been the supermarket,
you know. We hadn't seen each other in Mom. You
didn't say anything to Maggie anything that might be misconstrued,
what anything she could have reported to the Bureau of
Human Affairs. No, what do you take me for, Alexis,
I'm only trying to find out, searching for whatever it is.
Stainer knows, didn't he say he doesn't? No, Mother, he knows.
Eric and I wouldn't have been order to appear if
he didn't know. He's just playing cat and mouse, That's
what he's doing. He's trying to get me, get us
to confess to something. We confessed of.
Speaker 1: What I'm telling you, I'm so on edge, even now,
even after just one meeting with him, I tell him
what he wants to know if I knew what it is?
Speaker 4: Eric, are you sure you don't don't know?
Speaker 1: Yes, I don't get your alexis is there?
Speaker 4: Could it be that you may be said something sometime
to someone that might have been better left unset?
Speaker 1: Sometimes I'm gonna not, of course not, but but what.
Speaker 4: Don't be so touchy?
Speaker 6: Eric?
Speaker 4: You could have said something? I could, mother cry, not a.
Speaker 1: Word, not an full alexis not me. You just don't
know who you can trust anymore. I guess there wouldn't
be any more coffee, missus need would.
Speaker 4: Maybe a few drops? Eric, give me your cup. Well,
something has been said, and if we're smart you are,
we'll find out what it was. Because one thing is sure.
What happened with mister Gilbert Stainer today is only the beginning.
Speaker 1: I think I know what you mean?
Speaker 4: You know what I mean? What do you mean? Nothing?
Speaker 3: Mother?
Speaker 4: Oh? Mother?
Speaker 3: Mother? Please?
Speaker 4: Please what you don't start crying? What you mean even me?
Be dad? Oh? Why so you're afraid to say have
a good day to someone, or keep well or anything well?
I said to Maggie Norton. We hadn't seen each other
in months, and we were talking about the scarcities and
the high prices, and she said not to worry because
the Protector would take care of things eventually. And I said,
I could have bit my tongue. I said, you know,
Joe Kith, I said some day he would protect us
to dance. Eric, I dropped your cup. I'm sorry, mother,
you didn't say that to Maggie Norton. Oh. I could
have bit my tongue. But I told you. You said
it to me once, and I told you then to
never say it again. Eric, what is it?
Speaker 3: It's nothing?
Speaker 4: Why did you drop the cap? Was it what mother
just said? No?
Speaker 1: No, honestly, is that.
Speaker 4: What Stainer is after?
Speaker 3: Is it?
Speaker 4: Wow? How do I know it's is after? You do
know what mother said about the Protector protecting us to death?
Is that it? Eric, for Heaven's sake, tell me. I
can't stand not knowing. I can't stand it.
Speaker 1: So terror, like a stain, is already spreading through Alexis
mead to know the truth will be.
Speaker 3: Bad, but not knowing is even worse.
Speaker 1: As Gilbert Stainer is well aware, a human being can
face what he knows, but fear of the unknown is
the most corrosive destroyer of the.
Speaker 3: Human spirit yet discovered.
Speaker 5: I'll return shortly with that too.
Speaker 1: A small question, A simple, seemingly innocent question. Is there
anything you'd care to tell me? A small, simple question, yes,
but one fraught with terror for those who were asked
by Gilbert Stainer of the Bureau of Human Affairs. For
Alexis mead of whom he has asked it. In the
apartment she shares with her mother, Alexis faces her fiance
Eric and.
Speaker 4: Cries, Eric, you know you do know, For Heaven's sake,
tell me. I can't stand not knowing.
Speaker 3: All right, I'll tell you. I didn't want to.
Speaker 1: I was afraid it would make things worse for you, Eric,
tell me. This afternoon, Stayner asked me if I had
ever heard anyone make that remark about the Protector. Of
course I lied. I said no, you had heard it?
Speaker 4: Where? Who said it?
Speaker 1: Honey?
Speaker 3: You did?
Speaker 1: I don't you remember? We were sitting in the park
and you said, well, I don't remember the exact words,
but something like mother said, the funniest thing today could
be a dangerous thing if she ever repeated it. And
I warned her not to but you just had to
tell me you said, and you told me you don't remember.
Speaker 4: Yes, sir, I'd forgotten about it. It didn't seem important.
Then there was no one around. No one could have overheard,
was there.
Speaker 3: I don't remember.
Speaker 4: You know.
Speaker 1: We had a little laugh over it, and then I
guess we both forgot it.
Speaker 4: And he did ask you, stayner, if.
Speaker 1: I'd ever heard that remark made by someone, And like
I said, I said, no.
Speaker 4: Well is it? Is it such a terrible thing to say.
I said it as a joke. You said it as
a joke.
Speaker 1: Mother.
Speaker 4: The trouble is, the world we live in is no joke.
I meant nothing. You meant nothing when you said what
you said about protecting us to death, that they can
take a thing like that and build it and build
it Alexis I'm sorry. So that's what he's after. He
wanted me, wants me to say, perhaps you mean a
remark my mother once made about the protector protecting us
to death? Would they torture me then kill me? They'll
never torture you, mother, because they're never going to find out.
Eric didn't tell Staner where he'd heard it, and I'll
certainly never tell him under torture. Not under the worst
torture they can think of.
Speaker 1: Eric, don't worry, missus Mead. They'll get nothing out of me.
I promise you that.
Speaker 4: Oh, thank you.
Speaker 3: Eric, thank you.
Speaker 4: Make a little more coffee, not much, we can have
a little well, Eric, yes, keep that promise. My mother.
She's old and she's sick and I love her. Keep
your promise. Eric. Well, don't stand there staring at me
as if you'd seen a ghost, Miss Mead, sit down.
There is something wrong. I uh. I was asked to
come and see mister Stainer again. I didn't expect to
find you behind his desk, miss or is it Miss Peters?
Miss Peters, and mister Stayner was called away unexpectedly. I'm
taking over for him temporarily. I am his assistant. You know,
I didn't know he is. And perhaps it's just as
well his being needed elsewhere. At the moment he himself thought,
he mentioned that you might speak more openly to me,
you know, woman to woman, Miss Peters. Let's get something straight.
I didn't know then and I don't know now what
it is he wanted me to tell him, But of
course you do. I do not Who was that? What
was what that scream? Dream? You heard a scream? You
know I heard a scream. It came from the torture
chambers in the cellar. How don't tell me you believe
the stories you've heard in his need you know about
the hideous tortures that go on in this place if
we are not in the habit of torturing people here now,
don't look so frightened, my dear. My goodness, the color
has drained out of your face here let me Oh,
what are you doing, my dear? I'm sorry? Did I
hurt you? I only pinched your cheeks just a little
to bring the color back. Oh, I am sorry if
I hurt you, I didn't really did I. No, Well,
I'm glad to hear that. My good heavens. I wouldn't
hurt you for the world, my dear, none of us would.
Gilbert Stainer, there isn't a gently more sympathetic man on
this earth. Any woman will tell you that, any woman
who gets to know him that is. Yes, yes, I'm
sure you'll see when you get to know him better.
But he is a man, you know. By that, I
mean he can be well brutal too. He has that
other side to him. A side that shows when he, well,
you might say, loses patience. Take a tip from me, Alexis,
don't make Gilbert lose his patience. Thank you for the advice.
But is it now, Alexis, you know what it is
that scream letting your imagination run away with you? Don't
you start imagining things like frightful tortures and slow deaths.
All you have to do, my dear, is tell us
if there's anything you would care to tell us, if
you would tell me what it is you want to know?
But how could we know what it is you'd care
to tell us? Oh, this is impossible. It's just playing
simply and Parnana. You're tired, my dear, and those screams
you thought you heard are still bothering you. I tell
you what, you go home and think things over. I
don't have, but you do. Gilbert and I have been
through this many times before, Alexis, Believe me, we have.
And always people come back and say, is this what
you wanted to know? And it always is. You'll remember,
I know you will. You'll remember Eric, Eric, are you hung? Eric?
What took you so long? I was a ah for
three days in night? I tell them for you again
and again you haven't come to I've been very busy
while you're limping. Or I hurt my back? You did?
Or they did? They? You know who I mean? He
had your torture, didn't he? Stainer? What gave you that idea?
The way you're limping and your jaw still swollen? Eric,
they tortured me? Oh yes, oh my darling, my.
Speaker 7: Poor don't don't what, don't touch me, don't even come
near me. I, oh, my.
Speaker 4: God, darling.
Speaker 6: What I told them?
Speaker 7: I told them I couldn't help myself, the pain impossible,
not to tell, not to dream at all as long
as I could.
Speaker 4: What? What did you tell them?
Speaker 1: You know?
Speaker 4: Tell me anyhow? I'm not sure.
Speaker 1: I told them, yes, I'd heard someone make that remark,
our protector will protect us to death.
Speaker 3: And then I told him.
Speaker 7: I told them, Alexis forgive me, forgive me.
Speaker 3: I told them it was you.
Speaker 4: It's all right, It's going to be all right. The
first thing we must do is keep her head's not panised.
Speaker 1: But she don't understand.
Speaker 4: I'm in no danger.
Speaker 3: You are.
Speaker 1: I saved my own neck by sacrificing you.
Speaker 4: Don't you realize you're in as much danger as I
you are involved. Now you're an accessory to the clime crime.
Speaker 3: What crime?
Speaker 4: A harmless remarked Eric, don't you understand it's what the
stainers of this world feed on, turning the innocent into
the guilty. It's their business, it's what they live for.
What can we do? The first thing I must do
is protect mother? Or did you tell them that too?
That mother was the first time? No? All right, then
then at least she's safe. But they'll question me again
now and torture is more than likely. I could kill
my So none of that. Now, we've got to keep
our heads. Think. Let me see, uh, Luke, Luke Stephens.
Speaker 3: Luke Stephens. What about him?
Speaker 4: That place of his in the mountains. It's not too
far from the border.
Speaker 1: What are you talking about?
Speaker 3: The border.
Speaker 4: It's got to escape, leave the country. There's no other way.
Speaker 3: Now.
Speaker 4: If we could get to Luke's place, we could hide
there for a few days, then slip over the border.
Speaker 3: It's impossible.
Speaker 1: I'm being watched now, you're being watched.
Speaker 4: We must be, I'm sure of that. But we've got
to try. We can't be any worse off than we
are now, So listen to me. Yes, I'm going to
go home. I will get mother in an hour. Let's
say an hour. You go down, get in your car
and drive to that favorite spot of oars in the park.
Mother and I will meet you there, and then we'll
get in your car and head for Luke's place in
the mountains.
Speaker 3: But if we're being watched.
Speaker 4: We'll have to take the only chance we've got got
to give them a slip.
Speaker 1: Not much chance of that, no, but.
Speaker 4: It is the only chance we've got. I don't understand, Alexis.
Why suddenly do you want to go for a walk
in the park. I don't feel like going for a walk, Mother,
Please don't argue. I want to go for a walk,
and I want you to come with me. Will you're
acting very strangely, Alexis. And here, what are you stuffing
in your handbag? They please have qushus have a candy bar,
the candy we've been saving for a special treat, Alexis,
what is this? I will tell you later. Will tell
me now, or I will not step one foot out
of this apartment. Mother, Please trust me. Oh my goodness
of teens, we have visitors. I'm afraid we do. Yes,
are you, Alexis?
Speaker 5: Maid, Yes, set your mother there, Yes, Bolsavia to come
and may please?
Speaker 4: Where and why are we to come with you?
Speaker 3: I can't answer that.
Speaker 4: You don't have to. I know where and why.
Speaker 1: Alexis Mead fights the terror that tries to surge through
her as she and her mother go with the agent
from the Secret.
Speaker 3: Police to what torture death?
Speaker 1: We'll find out when I returned shortly with Act three,
an innocent remark has brought Alexis Mead, her mother, and
her fiance Eric to the brink of torture and possible death. Eric,
breaking under the torture's exquisite pain, revealed he'd heard the
remark from Alexis, but Alexis has not yet divulged that
her mother, Emily, first made the remark to her.
Speaker 3: Not yet.
Speaker 1: Now, as all three sit and wait in a small
room at the Bureau of Human Affairs, a fourth presence
waits with them, an invisible but palpable presence whose name
is terror.
Speaker 4: Two hours they've kept us waiting two hours? Why? Why?
For the same reason they picked you up and brought
you here with mother and me so we could break
each other down with our personal fears and tension. Alexis
I want you to be honest with me. All this
it's because of that remark. That's silly, joking remark. I
may know, I'm sure it is. What else? I don't
know what remark you're talking about. Mother. You never made
any remark. I know I'm the one about the problem.
To me, I am trying to silence you, mother, But
I might have known that's impossible.
Speaker 3: Room could be bugged, bugs.
Speaker 4: Bugs, hidden microphones. Mother. Now, please, please don't say another word.
Speaker 1: You come with me me.
Speaker 4: Where are you taking her?
Speaker 3: Come along?
Speaker 4: But I wait a minute. Please? My mother is old,
she's old, and she's sick. Wait, please wait, Eric, what
to do to work?
Speaker 1: I don't like to think.
Speaker 4: I can't stand it not to know what they're going
to do to work. They're doing this to break me down.
They know what my mother means to me. They're using fear,
my fear of what they may do to her to
break me.
Speaker 1: You can't be sure of that, yo, that's why what for?
Speaker 3: Yes?
Speaker 5: Come along, please, they're.
Speaker 1: Going to tort to me again.
Speaker 3: I won't be able to stand it.
Speaker 4: I let's come along now, Alexis.
Speaker 6: Oh my god, oh god, yes god, Oh, I go
on my knees, and I beg you to help me.
I've never had help of you in the past, but
I need you now me with me. I beg you,
if there's a way out of way to escape, show
it to me. Not for my sake, but there's mothers
and Eric. I'm not begging for myself, but remember because
I love them with.
Speaker 4: Fine, Miss need What on earth are you doing on
your knees praying? Miss Peters? Oh?
Speaker 3: Come now?
Speaker 4: You don't really believe in God, do you? I don't know.
Come along, Gilbert. Mister Stainer is ready to see you.
Speaker 3: Now.
Speaker 4: I've told him all I know, which was that you
knew nothing a lie, of course, But never mind. He
has something to tell you. What Come along, my dear,
find out for yourself.
Speaker 5: Sit down, Miss Mead Alexis, if I may sit down? No, no,
don't leave us, Miss Peters. Alexis won't mind if you stay.
I'm sure you're all friends by this time, though you
certainly don't look very friendly, Alexis, mister Stainer, Hilbert, Please,
I do want to be your friend, Alexis. I've wanted
to be from the first, and I must say that
I'm puzzled by your attitude. You have nothing to gain
by being unfriendly toward me, and much to gain by
being otherwise.
Speaker 3: And Miss Peters will tell you.
Speaker 4: That it's true, Alexis.
Speaker 5: I know that once Alexis realizes I want to be
her friend, she'll be amenable to my wishes. You will
now want you, Alexis.
Speaker 4: That depends mister Stainer, the Gilbert, Mister Stainer. That depends
on your wishes.
Speaker 5: My only wish at the moment is for you to
tell me the truth about what. When I first asked
you here, I made clear to you that I simply
wanted you to tell me anything you thought the Bureau
ought to know.
Speaker 4: And I made it clear to you that I knew
of nothing, could think of nothing.
Speaker 3: But of course you know now that you were wrong.
Speaker 5: I know nothing of the soil very well, Alexis, Sir,
Miss Meade, I'll be plain with you. I first asked
ordered you to come and see me because I learned
of a remark that had been made, a treasonous remark.
When I asked you to tell me about it, you
denied all knowledge.
Speaker 4: Of You never asked me about a treasonous remark. You
asked me if there was anything I cared to tell you.
Speaker 5: Certainly, a treasonous remark or remark punishable by death, my
dear slow death says you know, would be something you
cared to tell.
Speaker 4: If I'd known about the remark, I didn't, and I
don't curious.
Speaker 3: After all, you made it.
Speaker 4: I I made it.
Speaker 5: Your fiance Eric didn't tell you when you visited him
late this afternoon. I can have him brought here to
this office in minutes. He didn't tell you.
Speaker 4: He said something about my having said something about our
protector's hand.
Speaker 3: What did you say about our protector?
Speaker 4: If we said jokingly, I meant nothing by it, perhaps,
But what did you say I said, if Steve kept on,
our protector would protect us to death.
Speaker 5: Well, at last, at last, Peter's she has admitted, well,
of course.
Speaker 4: We knew she would. Gilbert, you never fail. You always
have a way with women.
Speaker 3: Thank you.
Speaker 5: So, then, miss Mead, you admit you said this to
your fiancee yes, knowing that treason is punishable by death.
Speaker 4: I've told you we said it's a joke, a joke.
Speaker 5: Unfortunately I failed to see the joke. If there is
something funny in the thought that our protector will protect
us to death, no, I simply don't see it.
Speaker 3: Perhaps you would explain it, miss.
Speaker 4: Meave, if it has to be explained. Yeah, just can't
be explained. I've admitted I said it. What more do
you want? What more? If I'm guilty of treason? I'm
guilty of treason, then torture me, kill me, But let
my mother and Eric go happily.
Speaker 5: If it's possible, if it's at all possible, After you
tell me who first made the remark to you?
Speaker 3: Who?
Speaker 4: No one?
Speaker 3: There was someone?
Speaker 4: There was no one?
Speaker 3: We know there was someone? Who was it?
Speaker 4: If you know? Why do you ask me?
Speaker 5: Oh? First, we're unfriendly. Now we're arrogant and not being hurt.
Speaker 3: You are what I say you are.
Speaker 5: Now let me tell you something, my independent, arrogant little wendset,
and you will be my witch before runs through you.
Now you can make it easy on yourself for a
hard which shall it be? The easy way is to
admit to me here and now who made the remark
to you? Hard way? I shall simply hand you over
to Miss Peters Well the easy way, the hard way?
Speaker 4: Which the easy way?
Speaker 3: You're being wise? Who said to you?
Speaker 5: Our protector will protect us to death?
Speaker 3: Oh?
Speaker 4: You want me to tell you in front of miss Peters.
Well you don't, do you? Why shouldn't you? Oh? I
guess I said the wrong what wrong thing? Oh?
Speaker 3: What are you saying?
Speaker 4: Oh, Gilbert, Gilbert Darling, I can't tell you with her here?
Speaker 3: Well is she saying?
Speaker 4: What the devil is she saying? Gilbert?
Speaker 3: I don't know. I don't know what Smith.
Speaker 4: Meade, I I can't tell you that, Gilbert, Please ask
her to lease.
Speaker 3: Ask her to Let's see, I see a little game.
Speaker 5: You're trying, some little game you're trying to suggest in
front of Miss Peters, trying to suggest that somehow, in
some way, there's there's something between us, between you and me.
Speaker 4: No, no, there's nothing between you and me. Nothing one moment.
If there is something, there's nothing.
Speaker 3: There is nothing.
Speaker 5: Now don't look at me like that. Peters, there is nothing. Now,
you'll little you'll you answer me in front of Peter's
answer me?
Speaker 3: Who said it to you first? Who?
Speaker 4: All right? Gilbert? I see you trust miss Peters, though
I certainly wouldn't that if she was my assistant. I
mean not with all the suspicion, the mistrust, the doubt
we all live with these days. Why she could have
your job ten minutes after you were executed. She'd snap
it up too. You know that for the last time.
Speaker 3: Who told you?
Speaker 4: Well, if you insist you did, of course I I, Gilbert,
have you forgotten that night, oh, that first night together,
that gloriously rapturous.
Speaker 3: Night in the name.
Speaker 4: But I know you were well, you weren't drunk, but
you know you talked a little too much, maybe said
some things you'd not have said.
Speaker 5: If no, no, she's lying, Peters, I swear she's.
Speaker 4: Lying, you say so. I suppose she is. But it's
well known, Gilbert, mister Stana that you have a way
with women.
Speaker 5: Not this woman, not this little conniving rob. Believe me, Peters,
now believe me.
Speaker 4: I believe you, mister Stainer, And I'm sure our protector
will too. What do you mean, our protector will? He'll
believe that everything I say in my letter is a lie,
nothing but a lie.
Speaker 3: Say what in your letter?
Speaker 4: What letter? Gilbert Darling? I'm sorry, I'm really sorry, but
we do live in an age of terrible mistrust and suspicion,
and well, a girl has to protect yourself. And so
I wrote a letter to our protector telling him all
about us.
Speaker 5: There is nothing to tell about us. If you said
there was, you lied, You lied.
Speaker 4: No darling, But let's hope he thinks. So?
Speaker 5: Oh, and when did you.
Speaker 3: Send this letter?
Speaker 4: Oh? I didn't you? You didn't send it, Gilbert? Of
course not. Would I want any harm to come to you,
after what we've been to each other, weeks of torture,
flow death? Would I want that for you?
Speaker 3: Where is this letter?
Speaker 4: I have it? Or I mean a friend of mine
has it? My friend, Gilbert, if I told you that,
of course I can't. But you needn't worry about it.
My friend won't send it unless well unless something happens to.
Speaker 5: Me, unless a shrewd little wench feeders a very shrewd
little wench. There was, there is nothing between us, and
there is no letter.
Speaker 3: I'm sure of that, are.
Speaker 4: You, mister Stayner?
Speaker 3: Of course, of course yes.
Speaker 5: Still well there, Well, this has all been a it's
crossed my mind more than once, the tempest in the
Teapot Mountains, out of Mole Hills, the remark that was made.
Speaker 3: We've we've taken it too seriously. We well you will lie?
Speaker 4: Then?
Speaker 3: Oh, no, handan none, you may go.
Speaker 4: Mismead and my mother and my fiance.
Speaker 3: They can go too, Thank you.
Speaker 4: Thank you very much. But I want a safe conduct
out of.
Speaker 3: The country, for safe conduct for.
Speaker 4: All three of us, my mother, my fiance, and myself.
Speaker 3: I er, I'll see it's arranged.
Speaker 4: Good day, goodbye, goodbye. Oh And to you, Miss Peters.
I think I said to you a little earlier. I
think I said I didn't know whether I believed in
God or not. Yes, I believe in him now, Miss Peters,
I believe in him now.
Speaker 1: I don't recall Alexis writing a letter.
Speaker 3: Deal could have though not important. I mean, whether there
was a letter or wasn't.
Speaker 1: What strikes me as important is that she called on
God for help only in extremity. Seems to me we
all of us make that same mistake. Sure, call on
him when you need help, but call on him when
you don't need anything.
Speaker 3: Just call.
Speaker 1: Doors always open twenty four hours a day.
Speaker 3: I'll be back shortly. All is well.
Speaker 1: Alexis and Eric are married now, living contented lives in
this country. Alexis mother's well too. Talking of Blue Streak.
As always, there's a difference, though, in this country. She
can say what she wants to say and does without
worrying about it. Our cast included Terry Keene, Gordon Gould,
Joan Shay and Leon Jenny. The entire production was under
the direction of Hyman Brown. And now a preview of
our next tale.
Speaker 8: I stepped out just before sunset, choosing my footing carefully,
watching the sitting sun and thinking of Anne. And suddenly, yes,
standing in front of me, beyond the battlements in midair
was the figure of Alfred Monked, faintly luminous as he
stands behind you.
Speaker 1: Now was this before the news of the duel reached
Wincott two weeks.
Speaker 8: I didn't know the date of it then as I
do now. It was March fourteenth, the same day as
I stood on the battlement a very moment the bullet
entered his side and killed him.
Speaker 1: Radio Mystery Theater were sponsored in part by Uncle Ben's
Long Grain and Wild Rice and Berwick Motor Division. This
is Aj Marshall inviting you to return to our Mystery
Theater for another adventure in the macabre.