WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:11.000 Yes, Roma wines taste better because only Roma selects from the world's greatest wine reserves for your pleasure. 00:11.000 --> 00:17.000 And now, Roma wines, R-O-M-A, Roma wines present... 00:17.000 --> 00:19.000 Suspense! 00:23.000 --> 00:27.000 Tonight, Roma wines bring you Mr. Eddie Bracken in Elwood, 00:27.000 --> 00:32.000 a suspense play produced and edited for Roma wines by William Spear. 00:36.000 --> 00:43.000 Suspense! Radio's outstanding theater of thrills is presented for your enjoyment by Roma Wines. 00:43.000 --> 00:49.000 That's R-O-M-A. Roma wines, those better tasting California wines, 00:49.000 --> 00:52.000 enjoyed by more Americans than any other wine. 00:52.000 --> 00:56.000 For friendly entertaining, for delightful dining. 00:56.000 --> 00:59.000 Yes, right now, a glass full would be very pleasant, 00:59.000 --> 01:03.000 as Roma wines bring you Eddie Bracken in a remarkable tale of... 01:03.000 --> 01:05.000 Suspense! 01:14.000 --> 01:19.000 Mr. Obermeyer wasn't around, so I closed the gas station early that day and started home. 01:19.000 --> 01:22.000 I wasn't feeling very well. 01:22.000 --> 01:27.000 I walked along thinking of different things, past the high school where I'd gone last year 01:27.000 --> 01:29.000 and where Miss Wilson was still teaching, 01:29.000 --> 01:34.000 past the movie theaters where they were still showing the Humphrey Bogart picture I'd seen last night. 01:34.000 --> 01:37.000 I thought maybe I'd go again tonight. 01:37.000 --> 01:44.000 Then I cut through the alley to the rickety old frame building where we lived on the second floor over the store. 01:44.000 --> 01:46.000 I hated that place. 01:46.000 --> 01:50.000 Every time I got near it, I hated it worse. 01:50.000 --> 01:53.000 It was no kind of a place for us to be living. 01:55.000 --> 01:57.000 I went up the back stairs. 01:57.000 --> 01:59.000 I could hear Mom and Sis in the kitchen, 01:59.000 --> 02:02.000 so I went straight to my own room and locked the door. 02:02.000 --> 02:07.000 I pulled up the old floorboard and got out my things and spread them on the bed. 02:07.000 --> 02:14.000 I pinned on the flyer's watch, that is, his wings, and strapped on the chronograph-type watch. 02:14.000 --> 02:17.000 It said to Jimmy from Jane on it. 02:17.000 --> 02:19.000 I looked at myself in the mirror. 02:19.000 --> 02:22.000 I could have been a famous flyer. 02:22.000 --> 02:26.000 I took off the watch and wings and looked over the other things. 02:26.000 --> 02:28.000 There was the gold fountain pen that I had only a week. 02:28.000 --> 02:30.000 It said, L.I.B. on it. 02:30.000 --> 02:34.000 It was the kind that big executives use to sign important papers. 02:34.000 --> 02:37.000 I tried it out a few times in front of a mirror. 02:37.000 --> 02:38.000 Elwood? 02:38.000 --> 02:39.000 Yes? 02:39.000 --> 02:40.000 Elwood! 02:40.000 --> 02:49.000 All right, Mother. All right. 02:49.000 --> 02:52.000 What are you doing home so early? Did you get fired? 02:52.000 --> 02:54.000 No, I just closed up a little early. 02:54.000 --> 02:57.000 Well, you will get fired. Mr. Obermauer catches you closing up early. 02:57.000 --> 02:58.000 Oh, no, I won't. 02:58.000 --> 03:00.000 And don't think you're going to lie around this house when you do. 03:00.000 --> 03:03.000 Your sister and I have a hard enough time as it is without having you on our necks. 03:03.000 --> 03:06.000 Well, I don't feel very well today, Mom. 03:06.000 --> 03:07.000 Don't feel very well? 03:07.000 --> 03:08.000 It's up already. 03:08.000 --> 03:12.000 No. Is that all you can think about when you come home? Food? 03:12.000 --> 03:14.000 There isn't much else, is there? 03:14.000 --> 03:18.000 Is that so? Well, any time you get tired of using this place as a boarding house... 03:18.000 --> 03:21.000 Ah, forget it, Mom. What's this? 03:21.000 --> 03:23.000 Leave it alone. Do you have to look at everything? 03:23.000 --> 03:24.000 What is it? 03:24.000 --> 03:27.000 An old album of snapshots I found in the trunk today. 03:27.000 --> 03:29.000 Didn't know I still had it. 03:29.000 --> 03:31.000 Gee, is this me? 03:31.000 --> 03:33.000 Let me see. Mm-hmm. That's you. 03:33.000 --> 03:35.000 How old was I then? 03:35.000 --> 03:39.000 Well, let me see about six. You were real cute then. 03:39.000 --> 03:41.000 Are there any pictures of Dad? 03:41.000 --> 03:42.000 No. 03:42.000 --> 03:44.000 Say, I remember this place. 03:44.000 --> 03:46.000 This is where we lived just before we came to Fairfield, wasn't it? 03:46.000 --> 03:49.000 Quite a while before. We were about eight then. 03:49.000 --> 03:52.000 Who's this? Who's this man? 03:52.000 --> 03:56.000 You ought to remember him. You were almost nine when he went away. 03:56.000 --> 03:59.000 I don't. Who was he? 03:59.000 --> 04:02.000 He was your stepfather. What's the idea of tearing that up? 04:02.000 --> 04:03.000 Unless I want to. 04:03.000 --> 04:05.000 Cut it out. You got no right to tear up that picture. 04:05.000 --> 04:08.000 The Lord knows I got no use for that, ma'am, but you got no right to tear it up. 04:08.000 --> 04:10.000 You had no right to marry him either. 04:10.000 --> 04:11.000 Shut up! 04:11.000 --> 04:14.000 Get out of here before I hit you again. 04:14.000 --> 04:16.000 Get out of here! Get out! 04:24.000 --> 04:26.000 I went back to my room. 04:26.000 --> 04:29.000 I got my things out from under the floorboard again, 04:29.000 --> 04:33.000 but somehow they didn't make me feel very good the way they usually did. 04:33.000 --> 04:36.000 I had an awful headache. 04:36.000 --> 04:39.000 Pretty soon I put on my hat and went out. 04:54.000 --> 04:56.000 Is the oil and water all right, Miss Wilson? 04:56.000 --> 04:58.000 I think it is, Elwood, yes. 04:58.000 --> 05:00.000 Well, that'll be a dollar eighty, then. 05:00.000 --> 05:02.000 All right. Here. 05:02.000 --> 05:04.000 Thanks. How's the new term going, Miss Wilson? 05:04.000 --> 05:06.000 Oh, fine so far. 05:06.000 --> 05:08.000 I am sorry you're not with us, though, Elwood. 05:08.000 --> 05:10.000 I was so looking forward to having you in my class this year. 05:10.000 --> 05:13.000 Well, some things just can't be helped this year, I guess. 05:13.000 --> 05:16.000 Do the students like your course, Miss Wilson? 05:16.000 --> 05:18.000 They seem to like it fine. 05:18.000 --> 05:20.000 I wish I could be there. 05:20.000 --> 05:23.000 Is there anything about abnormal psychology, Miss Wilson? 05:23.000 --> 05:26.000 We touch on it towards the end of the course. 05:26.000 --> 05:28.000 I read something about it. 05:28.000 --> 05:30.000 I read some of the Freud and Adler stuff, too. 05:30.000 --> 05:32.000 Have you, Elwood? 05:32.000 --> 05:35.000 You know, sometimes I think you get more real education staying out of school, 05:35.000 --> 05:37.000 and the rest of them do staying here. 05:37.000 --> 05:39.000 Well, I try to keep up with what's going on in the world. 05:39.000 --> 05:41.000 You're way ahead of most people, Elwood. 05:41.000 --> 05:43.000 I hope someday you can get away from this town, 05:43.000 --> 05:46.000 someplace where you can really use your ability. 05:46.000 --> 05:48.000 You can go a long way, Elwood. 05:48.000 --> 05:51.000 Oh, I'm going to. I'm going to do something about it someday, all right. 05:51.000 --> 05:54.000 I know you are. Maybe between us we can figure out something, huh? 05:54.000 --> 05:56.000 Maybe we can. 05:56.000 --> 05:59.000 Can I come over and listen to your records again sometime, Miss Wilson? 05:59.000 --> 06:01.000 Of course you can, Elwood. Anytime you feel... 06:01.000 --> 06:03.000 Elwood! Oh, hey, hey, Elwood! 06:03.000 --> 06:04.000 What's the matter? 06:04.000 --> 06:07.000 Elwood, we got a phone for Dr. Park and the police. 06:07.000 --> 06:08.000 What's up? Why? 06:08.000 --> 06:11.000 It's Mr. Granby. They just found him over there in the lot. 06:11.000 --> 06:12.000 Henry Granby? 06:12.000 --> 06:15.000 Yes. Our phone. You go on over, Elwood. 06:15.000 --> 06:17.000 Maybe you can do something. 06:17.000 --> 06:19.000 All right. You want to come, Miss Wilson? 06:19.000 --> 06:21.000 Yes, I will. 06:21.000 --> 06:23.000 I guess it must be over there on the corner where the people are. 06:23.000 --> 06:26.000 Yeah. People crowd around awful quick at something like this, don't they? 06:26.000 --> 06:28.000 Oh, they certainly do. 06:28.000 --> 06:29.000 Maybe you don't want to look. 06:29.000 --> 06:30.000 Well, I... No. 06:30.000 --> 06:32.000 Oh, that's Mr. Granby, all right. 06:32.000 --> 06:34.000 Elwood, what happened to him? 06:34.000 --> 06:36.000 There's not much use in calling a doctor. 06:36.000 --> 06:37.000 Oh, dear. Is he... 06:37.000 --> 06:40.000 Well, you can see he's been strangled, Miss Wilson. 06:40.000 --> 06:55.000 He's dead. 06:55.000 --> 07:00.000 For Suspense, Roma Wines are bringing you Eddie Bracken in Elwood. 07:00.000 --> 07:15.000 Roma Wines presentation tonight in radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense. 07:15.000 --> 07:20.000 Between the acts of Suspense, this is Ken Niles for Roma Wines. 07:20.000 --> 07:23.000 Whenever you entertain and for everyday pleasure, 07:23.000 --> 07:28.000 your best buy in good taste is better tasting Roma Wine. 07:28.000 --> 07:32.000 Yes, more Americans enjoy Roma than any other wine, 07:32.000 --> 07:34.000 because Roma gives you an important difference, 07:34.000 --> 07:40.000 an extra goodness you enjoy in fuller bouquet, richer body, and better taste. 07:40.000 --> 07:45.000 For to bring you wines that are superior, that taste better, 07:45.000 --> 07:48.000 Roma starts with California's choicest grapes. 07:48.000 --> 07:52.000 Then Roma master vintners with America's finest wine making resources 07:52.000 --> 07:58.000 guide this great treasure unhurriedly to tempting taste perfection. 07:58.000 --> 08:02.000 This wine is placed with mellow Roma wines of years before, 08:02.000 --> 08:07.000 and from these reserves, the world's greatest reserves of fine wines, 08:07.000 --> 08:10.000 Roma later selects for your pleasure. 08:10.000 --> 08:17.000 That's what makes the difference, the better taste you enjoy in Roma California wines. 08:17.000 --> 08:21.000 So whether you prefer Sherry or Port, Muscatel or Toquet, 08:21.000 --> 08:24.000 insist on Roma Wine. 08:24.000 --> 08:30.000 R-O-M-A, Roma, the greatest name in wine. 08:30.000 --> 08:33.000 And now Roma wines bring back to our Hollywood sound stage, 08:33.000 --> 08:51.000 Eddie Bracken in Elwood, a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense. 08:51.000 --> 08:55.000 Finding Mr. Gramby murdered created a terrific emotion. 08:55.000 --> 08:57.000 At first they thought some tramp did it, 08:57.000 --> 09:01.000 but they couldn't find anything missing except a Phi Beta Kappa key. 09:01.000 --> 09:04.000 So they figured someone in town must have done it, 09:04.000 --> 09:08.000 because there were quite a lot of people who didn't like Mr. Gramby at all. 09:08.000 --> 09:10.000 You can imagine how that made them feel, 09:10.000 --> 09:14.000 a little town like ours where everybody knew everybody else, 09:14.000 --> 09:20.000 and someone you might say hello to a dozen times a day was a murderer. 09:20.000 --> 09:24.000 Friday was my afternoon off, and I was walking around town, 09:24.000 --> 09:26.000 and I ran into Miss Wilson and Winnie Hawks. 09:26.000 --> 09:27.000 Why, hello, Elwood. 09:27.000 --> 09:29.000 Oh, hello, Miss Wilson. Hi, Winnie. 09:29.000 --> 09:32.000 Elwood Parsons, I do wish you'd stop calling me Winnie. 09:32.000 --> 09:34.000 My name is Winifred. 09:34.000 --> 09:36.000 In fact, it's Miss Hawks, to mirror acquaintances. 09:36.000 --> 09:38.000 I always used to call you Winnie. 09:38.000 --> 09:41.000 That was years ago when I was just a child. 09:41.000 --> 09:44.000 Winifred's 17 now, Elwood. She's a young lady. 09:44.000 --> 09:46.000 Well, at least I'm old enough to be addressed by my right name. 09:46.000 --> 09:47.000 Okay, Winnie. 09:47.000 --> 09:49.000 All right, then, Ellie. 09:49.000 --> 09:52.000 Say, Winnie, what's that? 09:52.000 --> 09:53.000 What? 09:53.000 --> 09:55.000 That hanging on your bracelet. 09:55.000 --> 09:58.000 Oh, that. That's just a little gold football. 09:58.000 --> 10:00.000 Andy Sawyer gave it to me. 10:00.000 --> 10:02.000 Gee, that's nice. 10:02.000 --> 10:05.000 Oh, it's all right. The whole varsity got them. 10:05.000 --> 10:06.000 Anybody might have one. 10:06.000 --> 10:07.000 Anybody? 10:07.000 --> 10:10.000 Yes, even you, if you'd ever taken the trouble to go out for the team. 10:10.000 --> 10:12.000 The football equipment costs too much. 10:12.000 --> 10:15.000 Say, hear anything new about the murder? 10:15.000 --> 10:18.000 New? My father says that if the police can't do anything, 10:18.000 --> 10:21.000 it's high time the citizens took things into their own hands. 10:21.000 --> 10:23.000 He's forming a vigilante committee. 10:23.000 --> 10:24.000 Oh, Winifred. 10:24.000 --> 10:26.000 Well, we have to do something, don't we? 10:26.000 --> 10:28.000 After all, there's a murderer running around loose. 10:28.000 --> 10:30.000 How do we know? It might be anybody. 10:30.000 --> 10:31.000 Sure, it might be anybody. 10:31.000 --> 10:33.000 Well, of course, I suppose it might, but... 10:33.000 --> 10:36.000 Listen, will both of you swear not to tell this to a living soul? 10:36.000 --> 10:37.000 What, Winifred? 10:37.000 --> 10:40.000 My father thinks he knows who did it, the murder. 10:40.000 --> 10:41.000 Does he? 10:41.000 --> 10:43.000 He thinks it's old man Kranz. 10:43.000 --> 10:45.000 In the first place, there's something wrong with him 10:45.000 --> 10:47.000 living up there in that old shack all alone. 10:47.000 --> 10:50.000 And in the second place, he's a foreigner. 10:50.000 --> 10:52.000 Winifred, what's that got to do with it? 10:52.000 --> 10:53.000 Well, he could have done it. 10:53.000 --> 10:55.000 My father thinks he's somebody who's crazy, 10:55.000 --> 10:56.000 a fiend. 10:56.000 --> 10:58.000 That's the craziest thing I ever heard. 10:58.000 --> 11:00.000 Old man Kranz, a fiend. 11:00.000 --> 11:02.000 Well, just because you're such bulls and pals... 11:02.000 --> 11:04.000 Tell your father to guess again, Winnie. 11:04.000 --> 11:05.000 Old man Kranz wouldn't hurt anybody. 11:05.000 --> 11:06.000 How do you know? 11:06.000 --> 11:09.000 Old man Kranz, he wouldn't hurt a fly. 11:09.000 --> 11:11.000 He wouldn't dare. 11:18.000 --> 11:21.000 Old man Kranz was a little funny, all right, 11:21.000 --> 11:24.000 but it was funnier still him thinking that he'd done it. 11:24.000 --> 11:27.000 That gave me the idea to go up and see him. 11:27.000 --> 11:30.000 His big dog Bismarck started making an awful fuss 11:30.000 --> 11:33.000 the way he always did, but I just banged on the door anyway. 11:33.000 --> 11:34.000 Who is it? 11:34.000 --> 11:37.000 It's me, Mr. Kranz. Elwood. 11:37.000 --> 11:39.000 Oh, I didn't just say so. 11:39.000 --> 11:41.000 Quiet, Bismarck. 11:41.000 --> 11:43.000 Wait a minute, I'll unbar the door. 11:43.000 --> 11:45.000 Hello, Bismarck, old fella. 11:47.000 --> 11:51.000 So, you finally come up to see old man Kranz again, huh? 11:51.000 --> 11:54.000 Yeah, and I brought you some old horseshoes. 11:54.000 --> 11:56.000 I'll just put them down here. 11:56.000 --> 11:58.000 Say, I thought I ought to tell you, 11:58.000 --> 12:01.000 I heard the screwiest thing in town today. 12:01.000 --> 12:03.000 Oh, sure? What was that? 12:03.000 --> 12:05.000 You know about the murder? 12:05.000 --> 12:06.000 Yes, I know. 12:06.000 --> 12:08.000 Somebody said you did it. 12:08.000 --> 12:10.000 Oh, they did, huh? 12:10.000 --> 12:12.000 Uh-huh. They're getting up a vigilante committee. 12:12.000 --> 12:15.000 Well, let them come with their vigilante committee. 12:15.000 --> 12:18.000 I got my shotgun. I take care of myself. 12:18.000 --> 12:20.000 Oh, they won't bother you, Mr. Kranz. 12:20.000 --> 12:22.000 I told them they were crazy. 12:22.000 --> 12:24.000 They better not bother me. 12:24.000 --> 12:26.000 As far as that goes, I don't think they'll ever find out who did it. 12:26.000 --> 12:27.000 No? 12:27.000 --> 12:29.000 I don't think so. Do you? 12:29.000 --> 12:31.000 Well, somebody did do it. 12:31.000 --> 12:33.000 Oh, sure, somebody did. 12:33.000 --> 12:35.000 He was strangled, I hear. 12:35.000 --> 12:37.000 He was. I saw him. 12:37.000 --> 12:40.000 Take a strong pair of hands to do that. 12:40.000 --> 12:42.000 Yeah, I guess it would. 12:42.000 --> 12:44.000 Well, what have you been doing lately, Mr. Kranz? 12:44.000 --> 12:46.000 Oh, nothing. Reading. 12:46.000 --> 12:48.000 Little philosophy these last few days. 12:48.000 --> 12:49.000 No more psychology? 12:49.000 --> 12:52.000 Sure, but now I read a little philosophy just for a change. 12:52.000 --> 12:54.000 Been reading Schopenhauer. 12:54.000 --> 12:58.000 You know how he says it's the only way to escape the world? 12:58.000 --> 13:00.000 Suicide. 13:00.000 --> 13:01.000 Suicide? 13:01.000 --> 13:03.000 But he's crazy. 13:03.000 --> 13:05.000 My way of living is better than his way of dying. 13:05.000 --> 13:07.000 Well, why do you want to escape from the world, Mr. Kranz? 13:07.000 --> 13:09.000 Why? Look at it. Just look at it. 13:09.000 --> 13:11.000 And tell me why I shouldn't want to escape from it. 13:11.000 --> 13:12.000 Well, I don't know, Mr. Kranz. 13:12.000 --> 13:13.000 There are a lot of things wrong with the world. 13:13.000 --> 13:15.000 Wrong? You just show me one thing that's right. 13:15.000 --> 13:17.000 Just one thing, and I'll go back. 13:17.000 --> 13:19.000 That's right, I'll go back. 13:19.000 --> 13:22.000 But in the meantime, while you've got nothing else to do, 13:22.000 --> 13:24.000 we play a game of horseshoes. 13:24.000 --> 13:26.000 Come on, I've got the stakes all laid out. 13:26.000 --> 13:28.000 Okay. 13:28.000 --> 13:32.000 What kind of horseshoes are these? They're all bent. 13:32.000 --> 13:35.000 Well, I didn't want to ask Charlie Vander for new ones. 13:35.000 --> 13:38.000 They're old ones that he takes off the horses. 13:38.000 --> 13:40.000 They just have to be straightened out a little. 13:40.000 --> 13:42.000 Yeah, yeah, that's right. 13:42.000 --> 13:44.000 You got a hammer or a knack somewhere? 13:44.000 --> 13:46.000 Hammer. You think I'm an old man and I'm weak, huh? 13:46.000 --> 13:48.000 You don't know how much strength I got. 13:50.000 --> 13:52.000 There, look. 13:52.000 --> 13:54.000 I straighten it with my bare hands. 13:54.000 --> 13:56.000 Shucks, I bet I can do it. 13:56.000 --> 13:58.000 Go ahead, try. 13:58.000 --> 14:00.000 All right. 14:00.000 --> 14:02.000 There. See? 14:02.000 --> 14:04.000 Yes, yes. 14:04.000 --> 14:06.000 It's just as straight as yours. 14:06.000 --> 14:08.000 Yes, Elwood. 14:08.000 --> 14:16.000 It takes a strong pair of hands to do that. 14:20.000 --> 14:22.000 I didn't feel very well that night. 14:22.000 --> 14:26.000 I tried on my 5-Beta Kappa Key that I had in front of a mirror, 14:26.000 --> 14:29.000 and then I put it back in the place under the floor, 14:29.000 --> 14:32.000 and then I put on my hat and went out. 14:32.000 --> 14:34.000 You know what? 14:34.000 --> 14:36.000 The next day they found Winnie Hawks. 14:36.000 --> 14:38.000 She was dead. 14:38.000 --> 14:40.000 Somebody had strangled her. 14:48.000 --> 14:50.000 Hello, Elwood. 14:50.000 --> 14:52.000 Come in. 14:52.000 --> 14:54.000 I haven't seen you for quite a while and I thought... 14:54.000 --> 14:56.000 I know. Everyone's been so upset. It was such an awful thing. 14:56.000 --> 14:58.000 What? 14:58.000 --> 15:00.000 About Winifred. 15:00.000 --> 15:02.000 Oh, yes. It's strange what fate does. 15:02.000 --> 15:04.000 It's something a little more horrible than fate, I'm afraid. 15:04.000 --> 15:06.000 I thought you might like to listen to some music tonight, Miss Wilson. 15:06.000 --> 15:08.000 Why, yes, I'd love to. 15:08.000 --> 15:10.000 As a matter of fact, I've just got a new album of Stravinsky. 15:10.000 --> 15:12.000 They say it's very good. 15:12.000 --> 15:14.000 Oh, Stravinsky's wonderful. 15:14.000 --> 15:16.000 I think it's terribly exciting and emotional. 15:16.000 --> 15:18.000 Don't you? 15:18.000 --> 15:20.000 Well, yes. 15:20.000 --> 15:22.000 And so imaginative. 15:22.000 --> 15:24.000 I'll get out the records. If you will start... 15:24.000 --> 15:26.000 What's that you've got there, Elwood? 15:26.000 --> 15:28.000 What? 15:28.000 --> 15:30.000 That thing you're tossing up and down your hand. 15:30.000 --> 15:32.000 Oh, that's just a little watch. 15:32.000 --> 15:34.000 Oh, that's just a little watch charm I found. 15:34.000 --> 15:36.000 I carried it in my pocket. 15:36.000 --> 15:38.000 Sort of for luck. 15:38.000 --> 15:40.000 It was a gold football, wasn't it? 15:40.000 --> 15:42.000 Yeah, I found it. I guess some fella lost it. 15:42.000 --> 15:44.000 Oh. 15:44.000 --> 15:46.000 Okay, sis, I'm leaving. 15:46.000 --> 15:48.000 Oh, hello, Dick. 15:48.000 --> 15:50.000 Oh, hi, Elwood. All right, Dick. 15:50.000 --> 15:52.000 Uh, Dad's here, so don't worry. 15:52.000 --> 15:54.000 Going hunting? 15:54.000 --> 15:56.000 Oh, the rifle. Hunting. You bet I am. 15:56.000 --> 15:58.000 Half the town is tonight. 15:58.000 --> 16:00.000 Didn't you know, Elwood? The committee's patrolling the streets because of the murderer. 16:00.000 --> 16:02.000 Oh, yes. I heard something about it. 16:02.000 --> 16:04.000 You ought to join up. 16:04.000 --> 16:06.000 It's every man's duty with a fiend like that on the loose. 16:06.000 --> 16:08.000 Well, maybe I will. 16:08.000 --> 16:10.000 Well, so long. Good night. 16:10.000 --> 16:12.000 Good night, Dick. 16:12.000 --> 16:14.000 Shall I put on the first record, Miss Wilson? 16:14.000 --> 16:16.000 Shall I put on the first record, Miss Wilson? 16:16.000 --> 16:18.000 Yes, all right. 16:22.000 --> 16:24.000 Elwood. Yes? 16:24.000 --> 16:26.000 Where did you find that gold football? 16:26.000 --> 16:28.000 Down by the railroad tracks. 16:28.000 --> 16:30.000 I guess some fellow lost it who was passing through. 16:30.000 --> 16:32.000 I sort of collect things like that, you know. 16:32.000 --> 16:34.000 Oh. 16:42.000 --> 16:44.000 Oh, that music is wonderful. 16:44.000 --> 16:46.000 It makes me want to do things. 16:46.000 --> 16:48.000 Big things. 16:48.000 --> 16:50.000 You've been a wonderful help to me, Miss Wilson. 16:50.000 --> 16:52.000 I like to help people that I think will benefit by it. 16:52.000 --> 16:54.000 I like to help people that I think will benefit by it. 16:54.000 --> 16:56.000 I like to help people that I think will benefit by it. 16:56.000 --> 16:58.000 I like to help people that I think will benefit by it. 16:58.000 --> 17:00.000 So perhaps someday they can accomplish something. 17:00.000 --> 17:02.000 I'm going to accomplish something someday, Miss Wilson. 17:02.000 --> 17:04.000 I'm going to accomplish something someday, Miss Wilson. 17:04.000 --> 17:06.000 In a way I already have. 17:06.000 --> 17:08.000 Sometimes I thought, 17:08.000 --> 17:10.000 if I were only a little bit older 17:10.000 --> 17:12.000 or you were a little younger, 17:12.000 --> 17:14.000 we... 17:14.000 --> 17:16.000 That's one thing we know we can't accomplish, isn't it? 17:16.000 --> 17:18.000 That's one thing we know we can't accomplish, isn't it? 17:18.000 --> 17:20.000 We can't change our ages. 17:20.000 --> 17:22.000 No, we can't accomplish that. 17:22.000 --> 17:24.000 That's a lovely water. 17:24.000 --> 17:26.000 That's a lovely water. 17:26.000 --> 17:28.000 That's a lovely watch you have on, Miss Wilson. 17:28.000 --> 17:30.000 Oh, this. 17:30.000 --> 17:32.000 I've never seen you wear that one before. 17:32.000 --> 17:34.000 A friend of mine brought it back from Europe for me. 17:34.000 --> 17:36.000 May I see it? Of course. 17:36.000 --> 17:38.000 It's kind of complicated, isn't it? 17:38.000 --> 17:40.000 Yes, it's one of those Swiss ones. 17:40.000 --> 17:42.000 It tells the day of the month, too. 17:42.000 --> 17:44.000 Oh, it's really lovely. 17:44.000 --> 17:46.000 I'm glad you like it. 17:46.000 --> 17:48.000 I'd like to have a watch like that. 17:48.000 --> 17:50.000 Elwood, 17:50.000 --> 17:52.000 I can't listen anymore. 17:52.000 --> 17:54.000 What's the matter, Miss Wilson? 17:54.000 --> 17:56.000 I'm very sorry, but suddenly I have a very bad headache. 17:56.000 --> 17:58.000 Oh, of course. 17:58.000 --> 18:00.000 I understand, Miss Wilson. Thank you, Elwood. 18:00.000 --> 18:02.000 You have nothing to thank me for, Miss Wilson. 18:02.000 --> 18:04.000 I'll go now. All right. Good night, Elwood. 18:04.000 --> 18:06.000 Good night, Miss Wilson. 18:14.000 --> 18:16.000 I went home and put the gold football 18:16.000 --> 18:18.000 in the place under the floor. 18:18.000 --> 18:20.000 I thought I'd go to sleep, but I... 18:20.000 --> 18:22.000 I felt worse that night than I ever had. 18:22.000 --> 18:24.000 So after a while, 18:24.000 --> 18:26.000 I put on my hat and went out. 18:26.000 --> 18:28.000 I walked around for quite a while. 18:28.000 --> 18:30.000 Once I saw some of the fellows 18:30.000 --> 18:32.000 driving around in a hopped-up Ford, 18:32.000 --> 18:34.000 all with rifles and shotguns. 18:34.000 --> 18:36.000 Are you going to the station, Elwood? 18:36.000 --> 18:38.000 I just waved to them and kept on walking. 18:40.000 --> 18:42.000 I was down around the station 18:42.000 --> 18:44.000 just as the 1140 was pulling out. 18:44.000 --> 18:46.000 A man had gotten off 18:46.000 --> 18:48.000 and was crossing the tracks to take the shortcut. 18:48.000 --> 18:50.000 It was dark. 18:50.000 --> 18:52.000 I couldn't see who he was, 18:52.000 --> 18:54.000 but he had a brand-new briefcase, 18:54.000 --> 18:56.000 a lovely one, 18:56.000 --> 18:58.000 the kind they call a dispatch case. 18:58.000 --> 19:00.000 I followed him. 19:00.000 --> 19:02.000 The shortcut is a path up over the ridge 19:02.000 --> 19:04.000 below Mr. Krantz's shack. 19:04.000 --> 19:06.000 It whines quite a lot, so 19:06.000 --> 19:08.000 at first he didn't notice I was following him. 19:08.000 --> 19:10.000 I got pretty close before he did, 19:10.000 --> 19:12.000 and he turned his head. He began walking faster, 19:12.000 --> 19:14.000 and so did I. 19:14.000 --> 19:16.000 In a minute, he looked back again, and 19:16.000 --> 19:18.000 I knew who I was because he started to run. 19:18.000 --> 19:20.000 Then I ran, too. 19:20.000 --> 19:22.000 When he saw I couldn't get away, all at once 19:22.000 --> 19:24.000 he made a quick turn up the hill towards the lights 19:24.000 --> 19:26.000 and old man Krantz's shack. 19:26.000 --> 19:28.000 He didn't yell or anything, but he dropped his briefcase 19:28.000 --> 19:30.000 now and he was running as hard as he could. 19:30.000 --> 19:32.000 So was I, and I didn't stop. 19:32.000 --> 19:34.000 For a second, I was afraid he might 19:34.000 --> 19:36.000 wake up old man Krantz's dog before I caught up with him. 19:38.000 --> 19:40.000 He tripped over something and fell, 19:40.000 --> 19:42.000 and I was there before he could get up. 19:42.000 --> 19:44.000 He turned his face. 19:44.000 --> 19:46.000 Then suddenly it happened again. 19:46.000 --> 19:48.000 The same thing that happened with 19:48.000 --> 19:50.000 Winnie Hawks and Mr. Gramby. 19:50.000 --> 19:52.000 It wasn't his face that I saw, 19:52.000 --> 19:54.000 it was the face in that picture. 19:54.000 --> 19:56.000 The face of my stepfather. 19:56.000 --> 19:58.000 My hands were 19:58.000 --> 20:27.000 closing around his throat. 20:27.000 --> 20:29.000 The next day the sun was shining 20:29.000 --> 20:31.000 and I was pleased because 20:31.000 --> 20:33.000 it was my day off again. 20:33.000 --> 20:35.000 I'd slept late. 20:35.000 --> 20:37.000 But when I started over into town 20:37.000 --> 20:39.000 I saw a lot of kids running up towards the ridge 20:39.000 --> 20:41.000 so I guess they'd found them. 20:41.000 --> 20:43.000 I followed along, but when I got there 20:43.000 --> 20:45.000 I saw they were going up further to old man Krantz's shack. 20:45.000 --> 20:47.000 There was a big crowd there. 20:47.000 --> 20:49.000 The sheriff and three or four cops, 20:49.000 --> 20:51.000 they didn't seem to be doing much. 20:51.000 --> 20:53.000 It was some other men like Mr. Wilson's brother 20:53.000 --> 20:55.000 that seemed to be in charge. One of them had a rope 20:55.000 --> 20:57.000 and he was slinging it over a tree. 20:57.000 --> 20:59.000 And then I saw the dog. 20:59.000 --> 21:01.000 Somebody had shot Bismarck and he was 21:01.000 --> 21:03.000 lying there in the grass all covered with blood. 21:03.000 --> 21:05.000 And then they were dragging 21:05.000 --> 21:07.000 old man Krantz out of his shack. 21:07.000 --> 21:09.000 I'm an old man boy, say. 21:09.000 --> 21:11.000 I don't do it. What would an old man like me 21:11.000 --> 21:13.000 want to do a thing like that for? 21:13.000 --> 21:15.000 Shut up! Now, quiet! Listen here, men, quiet! 21:15.000 --> 21:17.000 I gotta warn you, 21:17.000 --> 21:19.000 what you're doing is illegal and contrary to the law. 21:19.000 --> 21:21.000 We're in charge now, sheriff! 21:21.000 --> 21:23.000 And let me warn you, don't try to interfere! 21:23.000 --> 21:25.000 Bismarck, old Bismarck, 21:25.000 --> 21:27.000 what have you done that for? 21:27.000 --> 21:29.000 Oh, poor dumb animal. He didn't do nothing. 21:29.000 --> 21:31.000 Come on, get the rope. 21:31.000 --> 21:33.000 Wait, wait, he didn't do it! 21:33.000 --> 21:35.000 How do you know? 21:35.000 --> 21:37.000 Well, he couldn't have... 21:37.000 --> 21:39.000 He... 21:39.000 --> 21:41.000 Why? 21:41.000 --> 21:43.000 There's the one who did it. 21:43.000 --> 21:45.000 Right there! 21:47.000 --> 21:49.000 I was down the hill 21:49.000 --> 21:51.000 before they even had time to fire a shot. 21:51.000 --> 21:53.000 That's all it had taken. 21:53.000 --> 21:55.000 Just those few words and they knew. 21:55.000 --> 21:57.000 But it was too late now. 21:57.000 --> 21:59.000 There was a freight train coming through 21:59.000 --> 22:01.000 just as I got to the tracks. 22:01.000 --> 22:03.000 I got across ahead of it. That cut them off for a minute 22:03.000 --> 22:05.000 and gave me time to think. 22:05.000 --> 22:07.000 But I knew I'd never get very far in the open daylight. 22:09.000 --> 22:11.000 Then I saw an oil tank car standing on the siding 22:11.000 --> 22:13.000 with the top up. 22:13.000 --> 22:15.000 I scrambled up onto it 22:15.000 --> 22:17.000 and down the little ladder inside. 22:17.000 --> 22:19.000 It was empty. 22:19.000 --> 22:21.000 But I was barely inside 22:21.000 --> 22:23.000 when they were across the tracks after me. 22:25.000 --> 22:27.000 I hardly dared breathe. 22:27.000 --> 22:29.000 Standing there in the darkness 22:29.000 --> 22:31.000 with the oil on the bottom of the car 22:31.000 --> 22:33.000 seeping into my shoes, 22:33.000 --> 22:35.000 I almost fainted thinking of what would happen 22:35.000 --> 22:37.000 if somebody got the idea 22:37.000 --> 22:39.000 of looking into that tank car. 22:43.000 --> 22:45.000 It was good and dark. 22:45.000 --> 22:47.000 About eight o'clock, I guess, before I 22:47.000 --> 22:49.000 dared to climb out. 22:51.000 --> 22:53.000 I was still frightened, but I was excited too. 22:53.000 --> 22:55.000 They were looking for me. 22:55.000 --> 22:57.000 Everybody. 22:57.000 --> 22:59.000 In a couple of days, the whole country would be 22:59.000 --> 23:01.000 looking for me. But they wouldn't find me. 23:01.000 --> 23:03.000 They'd never find me. 23:03.000 --> 23:05.000 For years, they'd wonder how I got away. 23:05.000 --> 23:07.000 And then I saw two men 23:07.000 --> 23:09.000 walking up the track to the freight agents office. 23:09.000 --> 23:11.000 I... 23:11.000 --> 23:13.000 I was frightened all over again. 23:13.000 --> 23:15.000 I haven't seen any sign of them, have you? 23:15.000 --> 23:17.000 No, I just wish I had. I've got old bits 23:17.000 --> 23:19.000 to hear all the time. 23:19.000 --> 23:21.000 They were all over everywhere. 23:21.000 --> 23:23.000 But just the same, I had to get to see Miss Wilson. 23:23.000 --> 23:25.000 Somehow I just had to get to see her. 23:25.000 --> 23:27.000 I started back over the ridge. 23:27.000 --> 23:29.000 I figured that would be 23:29.000 --> 23:31.000 the last place they'd be looking. 23:31.000 --> 23:33.000 But at every little sound 23:33.000 --> 23:35.000 in the brush, I'd go 23:35.000 --> 23:37.000 weak all over from fear. 23:39.000 --> 23:41.000 I got there, though, through the backyard. 23:41.000 --> 23:43.000 And I was just hiding 23:43.000 --> 23:45.000 in the bushes alongside the house, and I saw 23:45.000 --> 23:47.000 come out the front door with Dick. 23:47.000 --> 23:49.000 I'll walk you down there, sis. 23:49.000 --> 23:51.000 We're patrolling the streets by the school anyway, 23:51.000 --> 23:53.000 so you'll be all right. Keep plenty of lights on, though. 23:53.000 --> 23:55.000 Oh, it's so brutal. 23:55.000 --> 23:57.000 Brutal? Yes, and you enjoy it, all of you, 23:57.000 --> 23:59.000 hunting him down like an animal. 23:59.000 --> 24:01.000 Good Lord, sis. He is an animal. 24:07.000 --> 24:09.000 So I was an animal. 24:09.000 --> 24:11.000 Well, all right, then, I was 24:11.000 --> 24:13.000 an animal, but I was a lot smarter 24:13.000 --> 24:15.000 animal than any of them. 24:15.000 --> 24:17.000 I knew she was going to the school, 24:17.000 --> 24:19.000 and I knew how to get into the basement. 24:19.000 --> 24:21.000 It was awful easy, 24:21.000 --> 24:23.000 really. 24:23.000 --> 24:25.000 And I was already inside 24:25.000 --> 24:27.000 when I heard her arrive. 24:27.000 --> 24:29.000 She had the place blazing with lights, 24:29.000 --> 24:31.000 but her room was right next to the 24:31.000 --> 24:33.000 basement stairway, and there was a fuse 24:33.000 --> 24:35.000 box just at the head of the stairs. 24:35.000 --> 24:37.000 It was almost too easy. 24:37.000 --> 24:39.000 Of course, I couldn't see her in there 24:39.000 --> 24:41.000 when I opened the door. 24:41.000 --> 24:43.000 Who...who's there? 24:43.000 --> 24:45.000 Miss Wilson? 24:45.000 --> 24:47.000 Don't be afraid, Miss Wilson. 24:47.000 --> 24:49.000 Elwood? 24:49.000 --> 24:51.000 I just want to talk to you, Miss Wilson. 24:51.000 --> 24:53.000 Elwood, no. I just wanted to tell you why 24:53.000 --> 24:55.000 I did those things. 24:55.000 --> 24:57.000 You're a psychologist. You'll understand. 24:57.000 --> 24:59.000 Please, go away. 24:59.000 --> 25:01.000 It was those things like the gold football, 25:01.000 --> 25:03.000 like your watch. 25:03.000 --> 25:05.000 Do you have your watch with you tonight, Miss Wilson? 25:05.000 --> 25:07.000 I know you have it. 25:07.000 --> 25:09.000 Nobody ever gave me a watch. 25:09.000 --> 25:11.000 They wouldn't even if I asked them for it. 25:11.000 --> 25:13.000 They tried to keep it from me. 25:13.000 --> 25:15.000 So I just have to take it. 25:15.000 --> 25:17.000 I just take it. 25:23.000 --> 25:25.000 They were coming down the hall. 25:25.000 --> 25:27.000 The lights were on all of a sudden. 25:27.000 --> 25:29.000 There was only one way out. 25:29.000 --> 25:31.000 The window. 25:31.000 --> 25:33.000 I was cut some when I hit the ground, 25:33.000 --> 25:35.000 but I was all right. 25:35.000 --> 25:37.000 I started to run, and then I saw someone 25:37.000 --> 25:39.000 in front of me. 25:39.000 --> 25:41.000 He was aiming right at me. 25:41.000 --> 25:43.000 I turned and I ran the other way. 25:43.000 --> 25:45.000 I fell. 25:45.000 --> 25:47.000 Something hit me. 25:47.000 --> 25:49.000 I tried to get up. 25:49.000 --> 25:51.000 Something hit me again. 25:51.000 --> 26:01.000 Something hit me again. That's all I can remember. 26:07.000 --> 26:11.000 They say I'm what's called a criminal psychopath. 26:11.000 --> 26:17.000 They say I took those things because they were symbols of love that I never had. 26:17.000 --> 26:23.000 They say I killed those people because they represented my stepfather, 26:23.000 --> 26:27.000 and I thought he'd kept me from being loved. 26:27.000 --> 26:31.000 They say they don't know whether I should be sent to an asylum 26:31.000 --> 26:33.000 or go to a trial. 26:33.000 --> 26:37.000 But I don't see why they go to all this trouble, 26:37.000 --> 26:39.000 because they say anyway, 26:39.000 --> 26:47.000 I'm going to die. 27:09.000 --> 27:12.000 This is Ken Niles bringing back to our suspense microphone 27:12.000 --> 27:15.000 the brilliant star of tonight's play, Eddie Bracken. 27:15.000 --> 27:18.000 Eddie, even though murder is a bit out of your line, 27:18.000 --> 27:20.000 you were superbly convincing as a villain tonight. 27:20.000 --> 27:23.000 Ken, I really enjoyed playing Elwood. 27:23.000 --> 27:27.000 Say, that's a handsome watch you're wearing. 27:27.000 --> 27:28.000 You mind if I... 27:28.000 --> 27:30.000 Elwood, I mean, Eddie, don't. 27:30.000 --> 27:32.000 Don't let go of my wrist. The play's over. 27:32.000 --> 27:34.000 Oh, but I like nice things. 27:34.000 --> 27:36.000 Valuable things. 27:36.000 --> 27:40.000 Well, then, you'll like this gift basket of Roma California wines. 27:40.000 --> 27:43.000 It's a present from Roma, your host tonight, 27:43.000 --> 27:47.000 with compliments on a most realistic performance. 27:47.000 --> 27:49.000 Oh, gee, thanks, Ken. 27:49.000 --> 27:51.000 I'll have to remember that routine. It pays dividends. 27:51.000 --> 27:53.000 And remember this, Eddie. 27:53.000 --> 27:56.000 When friends drop in, it pays dividends in hospitality 27:56.000 --> 27:58.000 to add warmth to their welcome 27:58.000 --> 28:02.000 with glasses of that delicious Roma port in your gift basket. 28:02.000 --> 28:05.000 For Ruby Red, rich-tasting Roma port 28:05.000 --> 28:07.000 is a warm, congenial wine, 28:07.000 --> 28:11.000 the first choice of millions for smart entertaining. 28:11.000 --> 28:15.000 And at dinnertime, fragrant Roma port is so good, 28:15.000 --> 28:17.000 so gracious with dessert. 28:17.000 --> 28:21.000 Yes, real hospitality calls for Roma port on hand, always. 28:21.000 --> 28:23.000 Well, I know how popular Roma port is, Ken. 28:23.000 --> 28:25.000 Well, Eddie, here's the reason. 28:25.000 --> 28:29.000 You see, in all Roma wines, you enjoy an important difference, 28:29.000 --> 28:32.000 an extra goodness born of fuller bouquet, 28:32.000 --> 28:34.000 richer body, and better taste. 28:34.000 --> 28:38.000 And because only Roma wines give you this extra goodness, 28:38.000 --> 28:42.000 more Americans enjoy Roma than any other was. 28:42.000 --> 28:45.000 Solid, Ken, solid. Thank you and good night. 28:45.000 --> 28:49.000 Eddie Bracken may be heard on his own program for Texaco 28:49.000 --> 28:52.000 and is currently being seen in the Paramount production, 28:52.000 --> 28:54.000 Ladies Man. 28:54.000 --> 28:57.000 Tonight's suspense play was written by Robert Richards. 28:57.000 --> 29:01.000 Next Thursday, same time, you will hear Mr. Howard De Silva 29:01.000 --> 29:05.000 as star of Suspense. 29:05.000 --> 29:08.000 Produced by Williamsphere for the Roma Wine Company 29:08.000 --> 29:11.000 of Fresno, California. 29:14.000 --> 29:17.000 In the coming weeks, Suspense will present such stars 29:17.000 --> 29:21.000 as James Stewart, Nancy Kelly, and others. 29:21.000 --> 29:24.000 Make it a point to listen each Thursday to Suspense, 29:24.000 --> 29:26.000 radio's outstanding theater of thrills. 29:26.000 --> 29:31.000 This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.