The Columbia Network takes pleasure in bringing you Suspense.
Columbia's play theater of outstanding thrillers produced and directed by William Spear and
scored by Bernard Herman. The notable melodramas from fiction and stage and screen from the world's
great literature of entertaining excitement presented each week to bring you to the edge
of your chair to keep you in suspense. Tonight's story by America's distinguished author playwright
Owen Johnson gathers its suspense in a very gentle way. It doesn't have a spectacular finish
garnished with revolver shots. There are no graveyard watches. There's not so much as a
single lifeless body identified or unidentified. It's a tale told in a club room the artists and
writers club in New York. A tale of high-class robbery and suspicion and of how some ladies
and gentlemen nervously counted 100 in the dark. Ah that was a fine meal. Me for the club anytime.
Here we can all sit here buddy. Yes if you'll just draw up that chair for Mr. Peters. Oh yeah.
Do you all know Peters? This is Mr. Steingal. How do you do? Mr. Gollier? Oh I agree with Matt.
Oh yes. Oh you know each other. Yes. And the one who drew up the chair Mr. Rankin. How do you do?
Well I guess we're all acquainted now. To get back to our table discussion Queenie. Oh yes.
How about a drink? Who'll join me? Oh pleasure. John. Well now Steingal as I said there are only half a
dozen stories in the world. What is more to the point? There's every reason. Yes sir. What? Oh five
with soda John. Yes sir. Now now where was I? Oh yes. What is more to the point gentlemen is the
small number of human relations that are so simple and yet so fundamental that they can be eternally
played upon, redressed and reinterpreted in every language in every age and yet remain inexhaustible
in the possibility of variation. That's true of course. It's very possible. Take the eternal triangle
to men and a woman or to women and a man. Its variations extend to thousands. That right Rankin?
Well in a way. Oh here we are. Set them down right there John. A little soda. Here you are.
Thank you. And you. A little soda Peter. Yes please. Here you are. Thanks. And here's yours. Thank you.
And now a little soda mine. Well here's to you all. Cheers. I'm afraid we can't see eye to eye
Quinny. I believe there are situations, original situations that are independent of your human
emotions that exist just because they are situations, accidental and nothing else. As for
instance. Well I'll just cite an ordinary one that happens to come to my mind. In a group of
five men such as we are here, a theft takes place. One man is the thief. Which one? Now I'd like to
know what emotion that interprets and yet it certainly is an original theme at the bottom of
the whole literature. It's not the same thing at all. Detective stories. I could answer that the
situation you give can be traced back to the commonest of human emotions, curiosity. I think
Quinny has you there Rankin. What is the peculiar fascination that the detective problem exercises
over the human mind? You will say curiosity. Yes and no. Admit it once that the whole art of a
detective story consists in the statement of the problem. Anyone can do it. I can do it.
Steingold can do it. Rankin I believe even you can do it. The solution doesn't count. It is usually
but now it should be prohibited. What interest thus is? Can we guess it? There you have it. The
problem, the detective story. Now why the fascination? I'll tell you. It appeals to our
curiosity. Yes but deeper to a sort of intellectual vanity. Five men present. The theft takes place.
Who's the thief? Who will guess it first? Whose brains will show its superior cleverness? You see
that's all. That's all there is to it. Out of all of which the interesting thing is that Rankin has
supplied the reason why the supply of detective fiction is inexhaustible. It does all come down
to the simplest terms. Five possibilities. One answer. Well the reason is that the situation
does constantly occur. It's a situation that any of us might get into anytime. Yes I know of an
incident of that kind that happened to a friend of mine last month. Of course, of course gentlemen.
You are glorifying common places. Every crime I tell you expresses itself in the terms of the
picture puzzle that you feed your six-year-old. It's only the variation that is interesting.
Take the well-known instance of the visitor at a club and the rare coin for example. You all know
that story. I don't think I have. Sure. Why it's very well known. Go ahead Quenny. A distinguished
visitor is brought into a club. A dozen men say present at dinner. Long table. Conversation finally
veers around to curiosities and relics. One of the members present then takes from his pocket what
he announces as one of the rarest coins in existence. Passes it around the table. Coin travels back and
forth. Everyone examining it. And the conversation goes to another topic. All at once the owner calls
for his coin. It is nowhere to be found. Everyone looks at everyone else. First they suspect a joke.
Then it becomes serious. The coin is immensely valuable. Who has taken it? The owner is a
gentleman. Does the gentlemanly idiotic thing of course. Laughs as he knows someone is playing a
practical joke on him and that the coin will be returned tomorrow. The others refuse to leave the
situation so. One man proposes that they all submit to a surf. Everyone gives his assent until
it comes to the stranger. He refuses curtly roughly without giving any reason. Uncomfortable silence.
The man is a guest. No one knows him particularly well but still he is a guest. One member tries to
make him understand that no offence is offered. That the suggestion was simply to clear the
atmosphere. The stranger becomes very firm, very proud and says I refuse to allow my person to be
searched and I refuse to give the reason for my action. Another silence. The visitor evidently
has the coin but he is their guest and etiquette protects him. Nice situation, eh? What's the answer?
The table is cleared. A waiter removes a dish of fruit and there under the ledge of the plate
where it's been pushed is the coin. Banal explanation, eh? Of course. Solutions always should be.
At once everyone apologizes to him. Whereupon the visitor rises and says now I can give you
the reason for my refusal to be searched. There are only two known specimens of that coin in
existence and the second happens to be here in my vest pocket. That's rather obvious. Of course
the story is well invented but the turn to it is very nice. Very nice indeed. Well I don't know.
Ending is very unsatisfactory. The visitor should have had on him not another coin but something
absolutely different, something destructive say of a woman's reputation and a great tragedy
should have been threatened by the casual misplacing of the coin. Well I've heard the same story told in
a dozen different ways. Oh it's happened a hundred times. It must continually happen. I know of one
extraordinary instance, in fact the most extraordinary instance of this sort I've ever heard. Peters you
rascal. I see you've been quietly letting us set the stage for you. Well it's not a story that will
please everyone. Why not? Because you will want to know what no one can ever know. It has no conclusion
then. Yes and no. As far as it concerns a woman, quite the most remarkable woman I've ever met,
the story is complete. Do I know the woman? Possibly, probably I should say. As a matter of
fact this should be particularly interesting to you because I believe that most of you are
acquainted with the people involved. The names of course are disguised. I think yes I have.
Just time before I catch my train to tell it to you.
Mrs. well Mrs. Rita Kildare inhabited a charming bachelor girl studio, very elegant,
with a duplex pattern and one of the buildings just off Central Park West. She knew very nearly
everyone in that indescribable society in New York that's drawn from all levels and that imposes
but one condition for membership to be amusing. In this mingled society her invitations were
eagerly sought. Her dinners were spontaneous and the discussions though gay and usually daring were
invariably under the control of wit and good taste. On the Sunday night of this adventure she had,
according to her custom, sent away her Filipino butler and invited to an informal chaffing dish
supper seven of her more unusual friends. At seven o'clock having finished dressing she put in order
her bedroom which formed a sort of free passage between the studio and a small dining room to the
kitchen beyond. Then going into the studio she struck a match and was about to light the candlesticks
which illuminated the room when the bell rang and a Mr. Flanders, a broker, compact, nervously alive,
well groomed, was waiting as she opened the door. Well you're early. On the contrary you are late.
Well in any case hello and come inside. Here let me take your things. Thank you.
Ah the first I suppose. Of course and since you are you can be a good boy and help me with the
candles. Delighted. Who's to be here tonight? The Enos Jacksons. I thought they were separated.
Not yet. How interesting. Only you dear lady would dream of serving us a couple on the verge.
It is interesting isn't it? Assuredly. Where did you know Jackson? Through the wearings.
Jackson's a rather doubtful person isn't he? Well let's call him a very sharp lawyer.
They tell me though he's been gambling pretty much in deep. How about yourself? Me? I'm a bachelor.
If I lose my shirt it makes no difference. Is that possible? Probably even. Who else is coming?
Oh uh Maude Lilly. You know her? I don't think so. You met her here some time ago. A journalist.
Oh yes yes of course I've forgotten. Mr. Harris, the clubman is coming and the Stanley Cheevers.
Stanley Cheevers? Are we going to gamble? Don't tell me you object. Certainly not.
Certainly not. Only the Cheevers. They play quite a game. Yes well united.
They have an unusual streak of good luck. Oh by the way it's uh Jackson isn't it who is so
attractive to Mrs. Cheever? Quite right. What a charming party. Where does Maude Lilly come in?
Don't joke. She's in a desperate way. And young Harris? Oh he used to make the salad and cream the
chicken. Ah see the whole party. I of course am to wear the element of respectability. Of what?
Don't play baby with me my dear Flanders. I apologize. That's better. No one of course
knows who else is coming. No one of course. The Stanley Cheevers entered. A short fat man
with a vacant fat face and slow moving eye and his wife. Valuable, nervous, overdressed, pretty.
Mr. yes Mr. Harris came in with Maude Lilly. A woman straight, dark, Indian, great masses of
somber hair. Held in a little too loosely for neatness with thick quick lips and eyes that
rolled away from the person who was talking to her. The Enos Jacksons were late and still agitated as
they entered. His forehead had not quite banished the scowl nor her eyes the scorn. He was of the
type that never lost his temper but caused others to lose theirs. Mrs. Jackson seemed
fastened to her husband by an invisible leash. You looked at her curiously and wondered what such
a nature would do in a crisis with a lurking sense of a woman who carried with her her own impending
tragedy. As soon as the company had been completed and the incongruity of the selection
had been perceived a smile of malicious anticipation ran the rounds which the hostess cut short by
saying well well now that everyone's here this is the order for the night you can quarrel all you
want you can whisper all the gossip you can think of about one another but everyone is to be amusing
also everyone is to help with dinner and nothing formal nothing serious we may all be bankrupt
we may all be bankrupt divorced to dead tomorrow but tonight we'll be gay that's the invariable rule of the house
if you'll excuse me i'll get on with the cooking uh harris i'll need you
all right with you may i be of any help thank you more dear oh mrs cheever you might come along too all right
this is an adorable bedroom oh thank you dear
uh now for my apron oh there it is uh tie me up to the back will you please mod of course
there you are fine thanks now just let me get my rings off and i'll be all ready to go to work
oh this is such a lovely apartment mrs gilder soap and water always seem to do it
ah there your rings are so beautiful they are nice aren't they but there's only one that's very
valuable the sapphire oh it's beautiful let me see oh it must be very valuable it cost 10,000
six years ago it's been my talisman ever since for the moment however i'm a cook you're not going to
leave the rings there why of course now i'm the cook mod lily you're the scullery maid harris is
the chef and we're all under his orders mrs cheever did you ever peel onions oh would heavens know
well there are no onions peel all you have to do is help set the table
under their hostess's gay guidance the seven guests began to circulate busily through the room
laying the table grouping the chairs opening bottles and preparing the material for the
shaping dishes mrs gilder in the kitchen ransacked the ice box and with her own hands shredded the
chicken and measured the cream slanders carry this in carefully cheever stop watching your wife and
put the salad bowl on the table everything ready harris all set all right everyone sit down i'll
be right in she went into her bedroom took off her apron and hung it in the closet then going
to a dressing table she drew the hat pin around which were her rings from the pin cushion and
carelessly slipped them on her fingers but all at once she frowned and looked quickly at her hand
only two rings were there the third ring the sapphire was missing stupid she said to herself
and returned to a dressing table immediately she stopped she remembered quite clearly putting the
hat pin through the three rings she made no attempt to search further but remained without
moving her fingers slowly drumming on the table who had taken the ring each of our guests had had a
dozen opportunities in the course of the time she'd been busy in the kitchen she ran over their
she ran over their characters and their situations as she knew them strangely enough at each
her mind stopped upon some reason that might explain a sudden temptation to find out nothing
this way that's not the important thing to me just now important thing is to get the ring back
and slowly deliberately she began to walk back and forth a clenched hand beating the deliberate
rhythmic measure of her journey five minutes later as harris installed the chef over the chafing
dish was giving directions spoon in the air mrs killbear came into the room like a lengthening
shadow her entrance had been made with scarcely a perceptible sound and yet each guest was aware
of it at the same moment with a little nervous start
heavens heavens dear lady you come in on us like a greek tragedy what is it you have for us a surprise
i have something to say to you
mr enos jackson yes ms killder kindly do as i ask you certainly go to the door go to the door please
go to the door please lock it and bring me the key
here you are you've locked it as you wish me to thank you now the bedroom door would you do the same
thank you mr jackson mr cheever yeah would you blow out all the candles except the candelabra
on the table blow out all the candles except the candelabra all right
for goodness sake mrs killbear what is it i am getting terribly worked up my my nerves are all
made up mrs jackson that's the last candle all right now listen my sapphire ring has just been
stolen oh you don't believe it the ring has been taken within the last 20 minutes i'm not going to
mince words the ring has been taken and the thief is among you but mrs killd is it possible yes mrs
cheever is not the slightest doubt three of you were in the bedroom and i placed my rings in the
pincushion quite true i was in the room when she took them off the sapphire ring was on top each
of you has passed through there a dozen times since my sapphire ring is gone and one of you has
taken it now now listen i'm not going to miss words i'm not going to stand on ceremony
but i'm going to have my ring back listen to me carefully i'm going to have that ring back
and until i do not a soul shall leave this room
i don't care who's taken it all i want is my ring now i'm going to make it possible for whoever took
it to restore it without possibility of detection the doors are locked and will stay locked i'm going
to blow out the remaining candles in the candelabra and we're going to count 100 slowly
there'll be an absolute darkness no one will know or see what's done but if at the end of that time
if at the end of that time the ring is not here on the table i shall telephone the police
and have everyone in this room searched am i quite clear
everyone take his place about the table and remain standing please
that's it that'll do now i'll blow out the candles and count 100 no more no less
yes remember either i get that ring or everyone in this room will be searched
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 put slept off the chair i'm sorry 47 48 49 50
51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71
72 73 the ring 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87
88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100
100
mr cheever you may hand it to me
well now that that's over we can have a very gay little supper the light someone
one and there you are gentlemen oh i say peters that's not all absolutely the story ends there
story ends there but uh who took the ring what you never found out never no clue none i'm not
sure i like the story it's no story at all permit me it is a story and it is complete in fact i
consider it unique because it has none of the banalities of a solution and leaves the problem
even more confused than at the start well i don't see of course you don't see my dear ankin you do
not see that any solution would be commonplace whereas no solution leaves an extraordinary
intellectual problem well how so well in the first place whether the situation actually happen or not
which is in itself a mirage of reality peeters has constructed it in a masterly way the proof of
which is that he has made me listen any of those present might have taken the ring there are
therefore seven solutions all possible and all logical but beyond this is left a great
intellectual problem how so was it a woman who lacked the necessary courage to continue
or was it a man who repented his first impulse is a man or is a woman the greater natural criminal
oh that's simple quinny a woman took it of course on the contrary it was a man for
the second action was more difficult than the first a man certainly the restoration of the
ring was a logical decision you see personally i inclined to a woman for the reason that a weaker
feminine nature is strangely susceptible to the domination of her own sex there you are we could
meet and debate the subject year in and year out and never agree i i recognize most of the
characters peters mrs. kilter of course is all you say of her an extraordinary woman
the story is quite characteristic of her flanders i'm not sure of but i think i know him i'm positive
i do did it really happen exactly as i told it the only one i don't recognize is harris
your humble servant what you peters you were there i was there i was harris
having a pardon gentleman oh yes what is it done mr peters sir you're trained you told me to remind
you oh thank you yes i didn't know it was so late you gentlemen pardon me nice to meet you all night
curious chap extraordinary well now i i wonder
i wonder if we're wondering the same thing gentlemen
and so with the enigmatic smile of mr peters or harris ends 100 in the dark
owen johnson's smooth story which gave us tonight's suspense suspense is produced by william spear
tonight's radio drama was written by jack anson fink directed by john deets and scored by bernard
herman eric dressler was mr peters alice frost played mrs. kilter and ted osborne quinney others
in the cast were helen lewis jones shay henry at k frank reddick paul luther stefan schnauvel ian
martin and barry croaker with this evening's performance columbia brings to a conclusion
the present series of suspense if you like these broadcasts cbs would be pleased to hear from you
suspense has been a series presented for your relaxation and enjoyment by the columbia broadcasting
system
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