WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:09.120 Suspense. 00:09.120 --> 00:13.560 Among wine stewards, the men who are responsible for the wine selections in the cellars of 00:13.560 --> 00:26.320 famous hotels and restaurants, the choice is C-R-E-S-T-A, V-L-A-N-C-A, Cresta Blanca, 00:26.320 --> 00:28.040 Cresta Blanca. 00:28.040 --> 00:33.000 Yes, with professional hosts who know how to please the palates of America's most 00:33.000 --> 00:39.160 discriminating guests, Cresta Blanca California wines richly bespeak gracious hospitality. 00:39.160 --> 00:45.120 So, compliment your guests by serving the best. For distinguished entertaining, pour 00:45.120 --> 00:50.600 magnificent Cresta Blanca sherry, port, muscatel, or any Cresta Blanca wine. 00:50.600 --> 00:54.360 From the finest of the vines, it's Cresta Blanca wine. 00:54.360 --> 00:58.560 Shenley's Cresta Blanca wine company, Livermore, California. 00:58.560 --> 01:02.560 And now, Shenley brings you Radio's outstanding theater of thrills. 01:02.560 --> 01:05.560 Suspense. 01:05.560 --> 01:12.560 Presented by Roma Wines. That's R-O-M-A. Roma Wines for your everyday enjoyment. 01:12.560 --> 01:18.560 Tonight, Roma Wines of Fresno, California bring you Mr. Walter Abel in Quiet Desperation, 01:18.560 --> 01:25.560 a suspense play produced, edited, and directed for Shenley by William Spear. 01:25.560 --> 01:32.840 It was during my lunch hour one day. Funny, I can't even remember the name of the book. 01:32.840 --> 01:39.840 Anyway the sentence was, the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. 01:39.840 --> 01:46.840 I couldn't seem to get past that sentence. Quiet desperation. 01:50.640 --> 01:54.240 That was me the author was talking about, Homer Bigelow. 01:54.240 --> 01:59.600 And suddenly I thought, why should I go on like that? I was desperate, okay, but why 01:59.600 --> 02:05.320 should I be quiet? Why shouldn't I do something about it? Get myself out of the rut? 02:05.320 --> 02:12.320 All I needed was the right break. It came a lot sooner than I expected. 02:16.800 --> 02:20.600 One day, just before my vacation, I happened to overhear Mr. Pearson, he's president of 02:20.600 --> 02:24.600 the bank, talking to one of the bank's directors, Corbin Vandergriff. 02:24.600 --> 02:28.200 Usually their conversation is about debentures or first mortgages or government issues. 02:28.200 --> 02:31.880 That stuff didn't interest me. Today their talk was a horse of another color. 02:31.880 --> 02:37.320 It was a hot day and the door of the boss's office was open. They didn't even know I was 02:37.320 --> 02:39.400 alive. I understand she's no great beauty, but it's 02:39.400 --> 02:43.080 just as well she doesn't attract too much attention going through customs at both ends. 02:43.080 --> 02:47.200 You mean to say, Corbin, that a young girl is willing to take the risk of violating her 02:47.200 --> 02:51.000 country's currency controls? Evidently. Of course she feels exactly as the 02:51.000 --> 02:54.280 father does, that they should be free over there to spend their own money wherever they 02:54.280 --> 02:57.360 choose. Old Vale would break every law they've written 02:57.360 --> 03:00.800 there just for the satisfaction of knowing he's outwitted them. And Hester probably feels 03:00.800 --> 03:03.920 the same way about it. Well, then he'll get quite a kick out of 03:03.920 --> 03:08.240 slipping 20,000 pounds out of the country. They're not pounds, John, but they might as 03:08.240 --> 03:11.440 well be. They're just about as negotiable as cold cash. 03:11.440 --> 03:14.960 By when that girl turns them over to me, I can walk into any dealer in the city and get 03:14.960 --> 03:19.720 full market value in 10 minutes. And I intend to do it for them. I'm in complete sympathy. 03:19.720 --> 03:23.680 No government on earth could tell me where and when and how to spend my own money. 03:23.680 --> 03:25.880 Once she gets the money, what's she going to do with it? 03:25.880 --> 03:29.760 Oh, I don't know. I don't care. My guess is that she's going to do some shrewd buying 03:29.760 --> 03:34.160 highly scarce products for shipments back abroad. Leave it available to find a profitable 03:34.160 --> 03:36.360 deal. When is she arriving? 03:36.360 --> 03:39.320 Monday on the Elizabeth. I've engaged a suite for her at the Ambassador. 03:39.320 --> 03:41.280 Good. I wrote them that I'd meet her at the boat, 03:41.280 --> 03:46.200 take her to the hotel, get the negotiables and exchange them for her. 03:46.200 --> 03:49.000 That afternoon she can throw the dollars out the window for all that matters to me. My 03:49.000 --> 03:51.440 duty will be over. Well, aren't you going to entertain her while 03:51.440 --> 03:55.040 she's here, see that she has a good time? Entertain her? I should say not. 03:55.040 --> 03:57.640 What? I don't even know the girl. Besides, I'm a 03:57.640 --> 04:00.040 little too old for that sort of thing. Oh, come on. 04:00.040 --> 04:07.040 You keep it chilly in here. You know, I'm in the... 04:07.040 --> 04:11.040 I wondered what Mr. Pearson would say if any of us employees at the banks were to play 04:11.040 --> 04:15.480 fast and loose with the law the way Corbyn Vandergriff and that snooty dame Hester Vale 04:15.480 --> 04:19.800 were doing. He wouldn't be quite so sympathetic and understanding. You can bet your bottom 04:19.800 --> 04:25.000 dollar on that. That kind of skullduggery was labeled strictly for the rich. 04:25.000 --> 04:29.040 I should have put the whole thing out of my mind, but somehow I couldn't. 04:29.040 --> 04:36.040 20,000 pounds, 80,000 dollars in American money. 04:37.760 --> 04:44.760 I stood there outside Mr. Pearson's office. I was shaken up of my quiet desperation. 04:44.760 --> 04:50.680 Somehow, I just stood there dreaming about romance and adventure that you could buy with 04:50.680 --> 04:55.160 money. Well, Homer, you're all set for your vacation? 04:55.160 --> 05:00.200 Oh, yes, yes, sir. Leaving Friday for good old Eel River. My 13th year there. 05:00.200 --> 05:03.840 Who the hell I envy you, son. I won't be going up until September. 05:03.840 --> 05:06.680 Then you'll be fishing up at Eel River again this summer. 05:06.680 --> 05:10.720 Oh, yes, yes. I wouldn't miss it for anything. I wrote a meal and told him to expect me. 05:10.720 --> 05:14.520 We'll be quite a party this year, five of us, you know. Say, did I tell you about the 05:14.520 --> 05:18.400 trout I caught last year? Yes. The bank president and his lowly employee 05:18.400 --> 05:22.040 both went to the same place for their vacation, but what a difference. 05:22.040 --> 05:26.000 When he went out fishing, he had two guides per man with him to pack and carry, to paddle 05:26.000 --> 05:29.480 and cook, to set up camp, to do everything that needed to. 05:29.480 --> 05:32.600 Whereas, I had to do everything for myself and by myself. 05:32.600 --> 05:37.080 Well, have a good time, Homer. I'll see you when you return. I'll say goodbye now. I won't 05:37.080 --> 05:44.080 be back anymore today. Goodbye, sir, and thanks. 05:44.080 --> 05:51.080 I had my lunch that day as I usually did in the boardroom. Jenny, Mr. Pearson's secretary, 05:52.280 --> 05:56.880 had left the door to his office open so that if the phone rang, I could take the message 05:56.880 --> 06:00.880 while she was out. The phone did ring, and it was Corbin Vandergriff. 06:00.880 --> 06:04.960 Who is this? This is Homer Biglow, Mr. Vandergriff. 06:04.960 --> 06:11.200 Oh, yes, Homer. Sorry. Make sure to give this message to Mr. Pearson. I'm laid up here in 06:11.200 --> 06:16.920 the country with a cold. I won't be able to get to the city for that appointment on Monday. 06:16.920 --> 06:21.480 Mr. Pearson knows all about it. Ask him to meet Miss Vale at the boat for me and see 06:21.480 --> 06:25.240 to it that she's settled at the hotel. Tell him not to expect me back in the city until 06:25.240 --> 06:26.880 next Wednesday at the earliest. Yes, sir. 06:26.880 --> 06:31.240 Tell him I'll take care of that financial matter for Miss Vale when I get in. It can 06:31.240 --> 06:33.320 wait until Wednesday. Yes, sir. 06:33.320 --> 06:37.200 And tell him not to bother to call me. I'm going to spend this week in bed, and I don't 06:37.200 --> 06:39.280 want to be disturbed. Yes, sir. 06:39.280 --> 06:47.960 Thank you, Homer. So Mr. Vandergriff was indisposed. Too bad. Now the girl would have to be met 06:47.960 --> 06:54.080 by a substitute, a stranger. Well, she didn't know either Vandergriff or Pearson from a 06:54.080 --> 06:58.440 hole in the ground, so what did it matter? And if it came to that, why did the substitute 06:58.440 --> 07:09.040 have to be Mr. Pearson? Why couldn't it be me? 07:09.040 --> 07:14.440 For Suspense, Roma Wines are bringing you Walter Abel in quiet desperation. Roma Wines 07:14.440 --> 07:22.480 presentation tonight in Radio's Outstanding Theatre of Thrills, Suspense. 07:22.480 --> 07:33.040 Suspense, Radio's Outstanding Theatre of Thrills is being brought to you by Roma. That's R-O-M-A. 07:33.040 --> 07:41.240 Roma Wines, America's Largest Selling Wines. Mark Twain once said, everybody talks about 07:41.240 --> 07:45.080 the weather, but nobody does anything about it. Well, that may have been true in Mark 07:45.080 --> 07:51.720 Twain's time, but today it's a different story. Today there's an easy way to beat the heat. 07:51.720 --> 07:57.080 Just half fill a glass with better tasting Roma wine, such as rich Roma Toque, fruity 07:57.080 --> 08:05.000 Roma Zinfandel or mellow Roma Claret. Add ice, fill up with soda, sweeten to taste, and garnish 08:05.000 --> 08:12.480 with fragrant mint or fruit slices. Then lean back and enjoy Roma Wine and Soda, America's 08:12.480 --> 08:19.280 smartest, coolest summer drink. I'm sure you'll agree that Roma Wine and Soda, so delicious, 08:19.280 --> 08:26.200 so refreshing, so cool to come home to, is the perfect warm weather thirst quencher, 08:26.200 --> 08:32.720 perfect for summer entertaining, so inexpensive too. It's a hot idea to treat your family 08:32.720 --> 08:41.120 and friends to cold, refreshing Roma Wine and Soda made with better tasting Roma Wines, 08:41.120 --> 08:47.120 America's favorite wines. And now Roma Wines bring back to our Hollywood Soundstage, Walter 08:47.120 --> 08:53.880 Abell as Homer Bigelow with Kathy Lewis as Hester Vale in Quiet Desperation, a play well 08:53.880 --> 09:09.080 calculated to keep you in suspense. My days of quiet desperation were over. Anyone taking 09:09.080 --> 09:13.480 a real close look at me that Friday wouldn't have been sure I had a fever. My face felt 09:13.480 --> 09:18.440 hot and every now and then I had a fit of trembling. But evening finally came. I gulped 09:18.440 --> 09:22.520 down some food at the cafeteria, picked up my bags at home and went to the station. The 09:22.520 --> 09:27.000 next day I was saying hello to Emil on the platform of the Eel River Station. 09:27.000 --> 09:30.120 Hello, Homer. Comment ça va? 09:30.120 --> 09:31.920 Hello, Emil. Glad to see you again. 09:31.920 --> 09:33.800 How is my bon ami, Mr. Pearson? 09:33.800 --> 09:36.600 Fine. Fine. He sends his regards. How's the fishing? 09:36.600 --> 09:39.120 Oh, magnifique. The best ever. 09:39.120 --> 09:40.640 Are many others on the river, Emil? 09:40.640 --> 09:45.480 Oh, not a one. The fish, they are hungry like anything and not the one to give them small 09:45.480 --> 09:49.240 flight to eat. Now you come, Homer, and they will be all for you. 09:49.240 --> 09:53.040 Ah, that's fine. I'll get started right up. Is everything all set? 09:53.040 --> 09:55.640 Oui, tout prêt. Everything is ready, eh? Come. 10:03.640 --> 10:08.000 In half an hour I was at the camp on the shore of the Eel River. I had lunch, changed my 10:08.000 --> 10:12.680 clothes, put my city clothes into my pack instead of into my suitcase which I was going 10:12.680 --> 10:18.240 to leave in camp. And by three o'clock I was a good eight miles up the Eel River. By four 10:18.240 --> 10:22.240 I had hidden my canoe and equipment in some bushes along the bank and dressed again in 10:22.240 --> 10:25.960 city clothes was walking slowly through the woods toward Loudon's Corners three miles 10:25.960 --> 10:30.040 away. It was a local stop on the railroad just below Eel River and the train south was 10:30.040 --> 10:35.400 due in at nine at night. I had plenty of time to catch it and make the transfer at Boston 10:35.400 --> 10:39.960 for the night train to New York. In the Boston station I bought a cheap suitcase and a couple 10:39.960 --> 10:44.280 of shirts and when the train dropped me at Grand Central early Sunday morning I went 10:44.280 --> 10:49.080 straight to the 49th Street Hotel which was just a couple of blocks from the Ambassador. 10:49.080 --> 10:54.080 I scrawled the name Henry Smith in the register and was shown to my room. I had a whole day 10:54.080 --> 11:15.520 and a night to wait and for once with all that time on my hands I didn't read a book. 11:15.520 --> 11:20.520 Excuse me where could I find a Miss Vale one of the passengers. What name? Hester Vale. 11:20.520 --> 11:26.000 Vale look over there by the fence. She hasn't gone through she's probably there. Thank you. 11:26.000 --> 11:33.200 Miss Vale Miss Vale. Over here. Good morning Miss Vale I'm. You're Mr. Vandegrave. That's 11:33.200 --> 11:36.920 right. So good of you to come my father promised he would meet me. How is your father? He's 11:36.920 --> 11:41.840 very well thank you. Still growling about Europe's ruin. It's been a beastly nuisance 11:41.840 --> 11:47.800 this waiting. Is there anything I can do to help? Thank you. That chap's finally finished 11:47.800 --> 11:52.000 mucking about with my boxes. Think I was an adventurer smuggling something priceless into 11:52.000 --> 11:56.280 your country. I have nothing to declare you know. Came with empty trunks. Suspect to fill 11:56.280 --> 12:00.880 them up while I'm here. Can't buy a thing in Europe you know. Europe's a dreadful nightmare. 12:00.880 --> 12:04.640 So I understand. Father walked you all about it did he? Foolish of him to write. Mail might 12:04.640 --> 12:09.200 have been opened. Oh no after all the war's over. Is it? Well shall I take you to your 12:09.200 --> 12:13.480 hotel you probably want to rest. Rest? Not at all. I'm scooting out to the shops right 12:13.480 --> 12:17.680 off. Oh you you have enough money for shopping? They allowed me a hundred pounds. I still have 12:17.680 --> 12:23.560 most of it. That'll do for a starter. They'd only known about you know. Yes if if you'd 12:23.560 --> 12:29.600 care to turn over the the contraband I could see about converting it into dollars for you. 12:29.600 --> 12:34.080 Contraband eh? Spies and all that sort of thing. That describes it exactly. It's very nice. 12:34.080 --> 12:37.440 But not now. I'll take them out of the hotel. All right. Is there anything you'd like me 12:37.440 --> 12:41.680 to do this evening or you'd like to do this evening? Oh dear I don't want to impose on 12:41.680 --> 12:46.000 your time. Oh you're not imposing. It's a pleasure. But I'd like to see a play. One 12:46.000 --> 12:50.320 of your bright American musicals is possible. Well I think that can be arranged. Suppose 12:50.320 --> 12:53.880 I call for you at seven. We can have dinner and then go to the theater. That's splendid. 12:53.880 --> 12:59.240 It's right beside. Forget it. I haven't seen a musical myself. Well not for a long time 12:59.240 --> 13:11.720 anyway. I took her to her suite of the ambassador. Then I went back to my room to think over 13:11.720 --> 13:16.720 my plan. It was almost too simple. As soon as she turned the securities over to me I'd 13:16.720 --> 13:20.840 take them to a broker and collect. Then I'd catch the night train back to Loudon's Corner 13:20.840 --> 13:24.720 then through the woods to Eagle River. By tomorrow afternoon I'd be in my canoe again 13:24.720 --> 13:28.880 as if nothing had happened. A few days after that the canoe would come drifting down the 13:28.880 --> 13:34.560 river wrong side up and my stuff would be found floating in a quiet backwater. Under 13:34.560 --> 13:39.280 another name I'd go out west. With eighty thousand dollars I'd never have to go back 13:39.280 --> 13:45.760 to that old life of quiet desperation. No sir I was through with that forever. As for 13:45.760 --> 13:51.800 the man who posed as Corbin Vandegrift he'd never be found and no one would ever connect 13:51.800 --> 13:56.120 him with the Homer Bigelow who was drowned on a fishing trip in the swift waters of the 13:56.120 --> 14:10.800 Eagle River two hundred and fifty miles away. Good evening Miss Vale. Hello right on time. 14:10.800 --> 14:14.880 How was the shopping? Oh I say it left me quite speechless. I can't wait until I can 14:14.880 --> 14:25.040 really go on a spree. Are we ready? If you are. Quite. Oh dear. There now will you hold 14:25.040 --> 14:28.720 this key for me. There's simply no room in my bag for it. Sure I'll keep it in my pocket 14:28.720 --> 14:37.320 for you. Thank you. I picked a quiet little restaurant where I was sure I wouldn't meet 14:37.320 --> 14:42.000 anyone who knew me. The theater was going to be an ordeal of all those people but that 14:42.000 --> 14:47.040 couldn't be helped. I had to play my part until she handed over those securities. I 14:47.040 --> 14:51.280 couldn't afford to look too anxious about them either but I knew that worried. While 14:51.280 --> 14:54.600 we were waiting for the dessert she opened her bag and pulled out a package of about 14:54.600 --> 15:00.800 a dozen small envelopes different sizes and different shapes. Here you are Mr. Vanderbilt. 15:00.800 --> 15:12.360 Take good care of them. Are these? They are. I put them in my inside pocket. All the way 15:12.360 --> 15:18.520 down Broadway in the taxi I felt them. The envelopes were too small it seemed to me to 15:18.520 --> 15:24.560 hold securities. Maybe if they were folded over but even then they would have to be bulked 15:24.560 --> 15:29.480 here than they were. I had to look into those envelopes to know if the securities were really 15:29.480 --> 15:33.720 there but I had no chance and it wasn't until the taxi dropped us in front of the theater 15:33.720 --> 15:39.880 that I was able to make one. Well here we are. Miss Vale I I wonder if you'd mind seeing 15:39.880 --> 15:44.440 the show alone. Oh dear. I don't know what did it to me but I've suddenly gotten a terrific 15:44.440 --> 15:48.080 headache. Oh that is too bad. Oh it'll be all right. I just thought the music and the 15:48.080 --> 15:51.480 excitement wouldn't help much. No I should think not. Suppose you take me back to the 15:51.480 --> 15:55.360 hotel and then you can go right home. But wouldn't you like to see the show by yourself. Oh. You 15:55.360 --> 15:59.800 could you know and then take a taxi back to the ambassador. Yes I suppose I could. Why 15:59.800 --> 16:03.760 should I think the headache of mine spoiled your whole evening. Here take the tickets 16:03.760 --> 16:08.280 and go on in. Well thank you I will. I'm dreadfully sorry you have to miss it. Oh I'll make up 16:08.280 --> 16:12.680 for it another time Miss Vale. There are plenty of musicals you want to see. You'll be sure 16:12.680 --> 16:18.920 to take something for that headache now won't you. I will. Thanks a lot for being so considerate. 16:18.920 --> 16:29.480 Good night Miss Vale. Have a good time. Oh I'm sure to. Good night Mr. Vandergrove. 16:29.480 --> 16:34.680 Back in my hotel room with shaking hands I opened the envelopes. They were nothing but 16:34.680 --> 16:38.760 letters from her friends. Sent to her from different parts of the world not a single 16:38.760 --> 16:47.640 security in any of them. Could it have been a mistake. Did she hand me the wrong package. 16:47.640 --> 16:53.000 Didn't seem possible. Maybe she suspected something was wrong and played a trick on 16:53.000 --> 16:58.280 me. I was sweating and reached for my handkerchief and that's when I felt her hotel key still 16:58.280 --> 17:04.720 in my pocket. I threw the package of letters into my suitcase and walked over to the ambassador 17:04.720 --> 17:11.040 two blocks away. Her key opened the door and I was alone in her suite. I had until at least 17:11.040 --> 17:15.160 eleven thirty two and a half hours. I took my time about it making sure to put everything 17:15.160 --> 17:19.680 back exactly as I found it. I searched her baggage the bureau the drawers the closet every 17:19.680 --> 17:26.280 conceivable place even under the rugs and pond. Exactly nothing. She had them on her 17:26.280 --> 17:33.720 then. I turned the light off and went into the bedroom to wait. Soon after eleven thirty 17:33.720 --> 17:39.480 I heard the outer door open. Really I'm terribly sorry to have caused this trouble Mr. Vandergrove 17:39.480 --> 17:42.800 was suddenly taking the headache or I'm sure he wouldn't have forgotten to return my key. 17:42.800 --> 17:47.120 It really doesn't matter miss. You can use this duplicate until he returns it to you. 17:47.120 --> 17:52.000 Oh it is bothering though. Oh not at all Miss Vale. Happens often. Well good night. Thank 17:52.000 --> 18:01.960 you good night. Oh dear. What are you doing here? I'm sorry to disturb you Miss Vale but 18:01.960 --> 18:08.000 I had to come back you see you forgot to give me the securities. Securities? Yes the securities 18:08.000 --> 18:12.960 I was to have sold for you. Oh my dear but I did. Oh no there wasn't anything in the 18:12.960 --> 18:18.360 package except some letters from friends of yours. Who are you? You're not Mr. Vandergrove. 18:18.360 --> 18:21.840 Miss Vale what my name is doesn't matter very much by this time it's enough for you to know 18:21.840 --> 18:25.120 that I want those securities and I need to get them hand them over. You get out of here. 18:25.120 --> 18:30.200 I warn you Miss Vale I don't want to get nasty but I'm not going to leave without them. Stay 18:30.200 --> 18:37.440 away from me. The securities Miss Vale. No no no. Where are they Miss Vale. Tell me. 18:37.440 --> 18:43.120 I don't want to hurt you. The more she struggled the tighter I gripped her throat. Her arms 18:43.120 --> 18:47.600 beat weakly against my side and suddenly I got so mad at her that I. Where are they. 18:47.600 --> 18:52.200 Where are they. Tell me where are they. My fingers tightened and strained against her 18:52.200 --> 18:56.680 soft flesh then suddenly she quit struggling and when I loosened my grip she fell down 18:56.680 --> 19:00.680 on the floor unconscious. Where was that purse of hers out there. I ripped it over nothing 19:00.680 --> 19:04.400 there but a powder compact and lipstick and some change. Where could they be. She'd have 19:04.400 --> 19:14.080 to tell me I'd make her miss fail wake up miss fail. She didn't move. And then I saw. 19:14.080 --> 19:26.560 That she wasn't breathing anymore. I'd killed her. I never meant to kill the girl I hadn't 19:26.560 --> 19:33.960 any idea I was choking her that hard all I wanted was. Now I had to get away. I couldn't 19:33.960 --> 19:38.320 stay there with that limp body of sprawled on the road but I had to be careful. Couldn't 19:38.320 --> 19:43.360 afford to make any mistake now. I remember everything I've read in detective stories 19:43.360 --> 19:47.800 you had to be careful about fingerprints. I ran to the bathroom and grabbed the towel 19:47.800 --> 19:52.520 and with it wiped every surface I might have touched. Then I dragged the body to the bedroom 19:52.520 --> 19:59.800 and put it on the bed. I shut the door behind me. Turn the lights off in the sitting room. 19:59.800 --> 20:04.600 I listened a couple of seconds at the outer door. Everything was quiet. I ducked out and 20:04.600 --> 20:10.080 went to the stairs. The lobby was empty. I crossed over and went on to Park Avenue. Five 20:10.080 --> 20:16.920 minutes later I was in my hotel. It was twelve thirty. I could still catch the one o'clock 20:16.920 --> 20:33.920 train for Boston. Fine mess I've made. The best thing that could happen to me now. Mind 20:33.920 --> 20:39.600 you the best thing would be to get back home to the boarding house to the bank to that 20:39.600 --> 20:45.640 horrible hopeless rot I tried to get away from. That was the best I had to look forward 20:45.640 --> 20:53.560 to. The worst. I didn't even have the courage to think of it but then what could they pin 20:53.560 --> 20:57.120 on me if anybody had anything to worry about it wasn't me it was Vandegrift he had the 20:57.120 --> 21:02.240 date with her and not I. As far as anybody knew I didn't know any such person as Hester 21:02.240 --> 21:07.040 Vale ever existed. Vandegrift was the guy she told the desk clerk she'd given the key 21:07.040 --> 21:13.440 to but the poor sap wouldn't even be able to prove an alibi for late last night midnight. 21:13.440 --> 21:23.520 I could go back to my fishing and forget the whole thing forget it ever happened I was 21:23.520 --> 21:31.640 safe. Fine consolation that was after all the beautiful plans I made but at least I 21:31.640 --> 21:44.800 was safe. Boston I checked the new suitcase I could pick it up on the way home the local 21:44.800 --> 21:49.000 dropped me at Loudon's corner by noon I was sitting over my campfire having a bite just 21:49.000 --> 21:53.320 like any other fellow out on a fishing trip. Ten days later on a Saturday morning I was 21:53.320 --> 22:01.440 back at a meal camp. Mr Bigelow I was fishing fine a meal. Oh you get nice sunburn. I'm 22:01.440 --> 22:09.320 not sure. Did I really get that brown. Well like Barry. Really nice and quiet. I have 22:09.320 --> 22:14.680 no party fishing before August when Mr Pearson come with four friends. Yes I know he told 22:14.680 --> 22:21.080 me. He's some fisherman Mr Pearson always try for record but you don't care for record 22:21.080 --> 22:28.240 that means the big love you leave the simply the quiet life. I guess I do. You enjoy it. 22:28.240 --> 22:35.800 I try my best. You have other hobby maybe. No I don't have any hobbies except reading. 22:35.800 --> 22:39.920 Mr Pearson and me we have same hobby. That's why we such good friends. Oh I didn't know 22:39.920 --> 22:47.080 that. Oh we we we great one for a philately the time. You know someday I'll show you my 22:47.080 --> 22:52.280 collection. It's been three albums but I have no so good collection like Mr Pearson but 22:52.280 --> 22:58.480 then I have no so much money. Neither have I. You make joke. Mr. Pearson even wealthy 22:58.480 --> 23:04.480 I know but still a meal can give him some stamp for once in a while. I have few duplicate. 23:04.480 --> 23:09.440 You do me big favor and give them to Mr. Pearson. I think me compliment. Oh sure I'd be glad 23:09.440 --> 23:23.920 to. Now I drive you to station. Next year you come again. No yes I'll come again. Well 23:23.920 --> 23:30.080 Homer you're back. Did you enjoy your rest. Yes it was fine Mr Pearson. Good good good. 23:30.080 --> 23:36.000 I can't say we've had any enjoyment back here. Have you heard about Mr Vandegrift. Mr. Vandegrift 23:36.000 --> 23:41.480 knows there's something wrong wrong. I'll say there is he's been arrested for murder. 23:41.480 --> 23:46.240 He insists he's innocent but the police have a strong case against him very strong. That 23:46.240 --> 23:52.160 looks bad bad indeed. So are we all it means I'll have to give up my fishing trip this 23:52.160 --> 23:58.240 summer for one thing I can't desert old man be at such a time. I have to worry me and 23:58.240 --> 24:02.480 I just got a letter from him telling me he had everything arranged to yes he told me 24:02.480 --> 24:08.200 he was expecting you. Oh well can't be helped. Oh say by the way he wrote that he sent some 24:08.200 --> 24:14.160 duplicates on to me and your care stamps you know. Stamps. Oh that's right he did. Sorry 24:14.160 --> 24:18.120 I forgot about them Mr. Pearson I must have them at home. I'll bring them in tomorrow. 24:18.120 --> 24:22.520 No hurry no hurry I have no mind for them now anyway. Well back to work come on back 24:22.520 --> 24:32.440 to work. That night I looked for the stamps but I couldn't find them. How I ever made 24:32.440 --> 24:37.320 them I managed to lose them I'll never know. Now I'd have to explain to Mr. Pearson. No 24:37.320 --> 24:42.600 I wouldn't have to explain. I still had those letters her letters. They were from foreign 24:42.600 --> 24:46.840 countries. I'd take the stamps from those envelopes and give them to Mr. Pearson. He'd 24:46.840 --> 24:50.400 never know the difference. I knew how fussy he could get about little things like lost 24:50.400 --> 24:56.000 stamps rather than get him started on the lecture. I got out the package of letters 24:56.000 --> 25:01.960 cut the stamps off and then burned the letters and the envelopes. The next day. Yes. Here 25:01.960 --> 25:05.800 are those stamps sir I found them at home all right. Oh well just put them on the desk 25:05.800 --> 25:14.380 Homer thank you very much. Oh don't mention it Mr. Pearson. I was having my lunch later 25:14.380 --> 25:19.240 in the boardroom when Mr. Pearson came in he had a stranger with him a tall man with 25:19.240 --> 25:25.680 an angry face. Here you are Homer. Yes sir. I want you to meet Mr. Scott. How do you do? 25:25.680 --> 25:31.800 I do. Those stamps you gave me Homer are you sure you got them from a meal. Oh yes sir 25:31.800 --> 25:37.000 just before I left he gave them to me for you. No Homer no I just called him he told 25:37.000 --> 25:42.800 me he gave you some recent French issues. Those weren't the stamps you gave me. Well 25:42.800 --> 25:46.960 Mr. Pearson I guess you found me out you see I lost the stamps Amiel gave me and I didn't 25:46.960 --> 25:50.000 want to disappoint you so I went to a stamp dealer and picked up a dozen odd stamps to 25:50.000 --> 25:56.080 replace them. I didn't think it would make much difference. Is that your story big alone. 25:56.080 --> 26:01.240 What do you mean it's true. They were very rare and very valuable stamps Homer. You must 26:01.240 --> 26:06.160 have shelled out a pretty penny for them. I don't know Mr. Pearson feels a man in your 26:06.160 --> 26:12.440 position couldn't afford to buy stamps like those unless. Unless what. Unless you didn't 26:12.440 --> 26:18.440 buy them at all big alone unless you got them from the late Miss Hester Vail. Well what's 26:18.440 --> 26:24.240 the matter Homer is the name familiar to you. No I know sir I I never heard of what makes 26:24.240 --> 26:29.760 us think so is that the stamps Miss Vail smuggled into this country were the same issues and 26:29.760 --> 26:40.000 worth exactly as much. Eighty thousand dollars. Worth eighty thousand. Could it be a coincidence 26:40.000 --> 26:58.160 Mr. Big Lone. Quiet desperation. I've been catching up on my reading here in prison while 26:58.160 --> 27:26.040 waiting. I found another good quote. Happiness is the absence of pain. Suspense. Quiet desperation 27:26.040 --> 27:32.400 starring Walter Abel and presented by Roma wine. That's our O.M.A. Roma wine. Those better 27:32.400 --> 27:40.480 tasting wines selected for your pleasure from the world's greatest reserves of fine wine. 27:40.480 --> 27:46.840 More Americans enjoy Roma wines than any other wines because Roma wines taste better to create 27:46.840 --> 27:53.040 this better taste. 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Tonight's suspense play was by George and Gertrude Fass. 28:47.440 --> 28:55.280 Last Thursday same time you will hear Donald O'Connor at Star of Suspense produced and 28:55.280 --> 29:19.200 directed by William Spear for the Roma Wine Company of Fresno California. In the coming 29:19.200 --> 29:26.080 week Suspense will present such stars as Edmund O'Brien, John Lund, Lloyd Nolan and others. 29:26.080 --> 29:42.160 Make it a point to listen each Thursday to Suspense, radio's outstanding theatre of thrill. 29:42.160 --> 29:52.600 This is CBS the Columbia broadcasting system.