Now, Auto Light and its 60,000 dealers and service stations present Suspense.
Tonight, Auto Light brings you Miss Agnes Moorhead in The Trap, a suspense play produced
and directed by Antonin Lieder.
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Yes, sir, and also remember the Auto Light suspense show is now on television every Tuesday
night in many parts of the country.
And now, Auto Light presents Agnes Moorhead in a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense.
There's the attic.
Since it's at the top of the house directly beneath the roof, what else could it be?
Yes, this is the attic.
Air seems kind of dead in here.
My father used it for a studio when he was alive.
It's soundproof.
Sometimes he slept here.
Anybody sleepy now, Miss Crane?
I told you I lived alone.
Alone, A-L-O-N-E.
I've lived alone ever since my sister...
Must you ask such stupid questions?
Anything missing or changed in this room?
If there were, I'd have mentioned it.
You've asked the same question about every room from the basement up.
One thing is certain.
Well, one thing is certain.
It ain't burglary, Miss Crane.
Oh, brilliant.
Brilliant.
And I agree.
Since nothing is missing, it ain't, as you say, burglary.
Really, now, I never knew such intelligence...
Take it easy, Miss Crane.
Just try to relax.
Don't tell me to relax.
Please.
I'm awakened in the middle of the night by someone whistling in a house I believe to
be empty except for myself.
And I call the police and what's the upshot of it all?
Two incompetents clumping about urging me to relax.
You sure you heard whistling?
You sure?
Were you trying to tell me I was dreaming?
We ain't...
We're not trying to tell you anything, but what we've got to try to discover is if there's
a possible explanation.
Now, right now, we find no sign of breaking and entering, no sign of burglary, no problem.
I tell you, I heard it.
Anything like this ever happen before?
No.
But this evening when I was preparing dinner, there was a muffin missing from the bread box.
I know I didn't eat it myself.
And the clock in the hallway when I was leaving for work yesterday, I noticed it had stopped
and I made a mental note to wind it when I returned, but when I came home, it was ticking
away as if it had been...
Why did you look at each other like that?
Do you suspect me of harboring delusions?
Do you think I'm a crank?
Well, no, of course not.
You don't think Miss Crane here is a crank, do you?
Oh, don't try to humor me.
I tell you, all these things happen.
We're not trying to humor you.
Oh, you are, you are.
But they did happen.
Someone ate my food, wound my clock, walked through the house whistling.
Just as though someone were living here with me.
When they had gone, I thought of the house, the honeycomb of rooms and connecting closets
upstairs.
No one could be found up there, not if they didn't want to be.
It would be easy to stay hidden, to slip from room to closet to room.
I hurried to my bedroom and bolted the door and clamped the windows down to the sills
and then I lay in bed and listened.
And suddenly it was morning and I'd overslept.
Careful, careful, Miss Crane, you almost knocked me right off the porch.
I'm sorry, I didn't see you.
I'm late for work.
Rush, rush, rush, rush, rush.
Everybody these days seems to be in such a...
I overslept.
Is there any mail for me?
Nope.
I'd be out of a job if everybody got as few letters as you do.
I dare say you're right.
I really must...
Not so fast, not so fast.
Something I've got to explain to you.
Hey, Eddie, got anything for me?
Yeah, quite a few.
Be right with you, Mr. Holm.
Snap it up, will you?
I've got to catch the train.
I'm very late.
This is a very important matter.
I'm very late.
This will only take a second.
Now here, let me show you.
Now you filled out this part all right.
What?
But...
What is this?
The form 22 you left in your box for me.
Order to change address.
You filled out this part all right, but right...
Order to change address?
What are you talking about?
Yeah, these lines are filled out okay.
Name, old address, new address.
But is that Thomas Cook and Son Paris, France, or Thomas Coke and Son Paris, France?
Well, it says Thomas Cook and Son, but I...
Eddie, what are you saying?
Just a second, Mr. Holm.
I'm showing Miss Crane how to fill out a change of address card.
Where is she going?
Where are you going, Miss Crane?
I don't understand.
I never filled out...
I said, where is she going?
Paris, France!
No, I didn't put this card in the mailbox.
I don't know where to put it.
Eddie, do I get my mail today or go now?
Yeah, just...
Anyway, you forgot to write your signature down here at the bottom, Miss Crane.
And unless you do that, your mail won't be forwarded.
You understand?
No, I don't understand.
I didn't fill out this card.
Oh, there's my bus.
Here, give it to me.
I have to run.
Well, if I don't see you again, Miss Crane, have a nice time.
On the bus, I examined the change of address card.
The information it required had been tight.
But not by me.
I was sure of it.
Not by me.
By Holm, then.
I looked at the card again.
The crossbar on the capital T was lopsided and all the E's were out of line, slightly
higher than the other letters.
There couldn't be two typewriters with two such defects together.
There could only be one.
It's only I felt sick to my stomach.
There was only one typewriter like that and I knew where it was.
On the desk in my living room.
I worked like an automaton all day, going through the usual routine of a physician's
secretary.
But my mind was not in the office.
It was at home, following the intruder in my house from room to room.
Now in the kitchen, now in the library, now perhaps in my bedroom, smiling a bleak, faceless
smile and planning to...
To what?
Something dangerous?
Something dangerous.
Helen.
Huh?
Oh, yes, doctor.
Yes, doctor.
Now relax, Helen.
We're alone.
It's time to close shop.
What?
Time to go home.
What is it, Helen?
Are you ill?
No.
No, I feel sick.
I'm fine.
No, I feel...
Well, it's just that I didn't get much sleep last night.
I was awakened by someone whistling in my house.
What?
Yes, around three this morning.
I phoned the police and they searched, but they weren't really looking.
They didn't believe me.
But I heard it.
I heard it distinctly.
I even recognized the tune.
Relax, kid.
Relax.
Now come on now.
You recognized the tune?
Yes, I recognized...
Aloha.
You know.
Farewell to thee.
Why do you smile?
Helen, if you came to me with this story as a patient, I'd prescribe a vacation.
You want one so badly you even dream you're about to go off on one to Hawaii, no less,
complete with musical background.
Oh, how can you be so stupid?
I'm sorry, Perry, but it's infuriating to be told it was a dream.
And I know that there are things happening in the house that frighten me.
Last night there was a muffin missing from the bread box.
You probably ate it.
Everyone has had similar experiences.
Many times I find a cigarette smoking in my hand and I have no recollection of having
lit it, you see.
And the clock?
It was run down and then it was going again and I hadn't wound it.
It may not have been run down.
Now a gear may have jammed for a few minutes or something.
And this morning the mailman told me about it.
Now Helen, now please listen to me.
It seems to me that you're in a bad state of mind.
You're finding dark almonds and bloody portents in normal everyday occurrences.
You're being neurotic about these things.
You're like Chicken Little running to tell the king the sky is falling.
You go on like that and pretty soon they'll come and wrap you in a cold wet sheet.
You think I'm losing my mind.
You do.
I tell you...
No, no, no, no.
I was only kidding.
Say, are you still living alone in that big old barn of a house?
Yes, and it's not a barn.
It's a perfect couple.
Okay, okay.
You're alone too much, Helen.
How long has it been now since...
Two years.
Jessica's been away almost two years.
Well, it was all right for you when she was there.
I mean, she was a lively kid.
She filled the house with excitement and energy.
And necking parties and drinking and great hulking boys following her around.
It was disgusting.
A lively kid.
She was wild and a cheat and a liar and everything else.
Now stop it, Helen.
I've no desire to rake over old colds.
I'm only offering you sound advice.
It's not good for you to remain in that house all by yourself.
Now why not rent out part of it?
The whole upstairs, say.
Fill the place with people and...
No.
No, I don't want people in my house.
It's my house now and I like it the way it is.
Okay.
Can I give you a lift?
No, thank you.
Right.
Helen.
If you don't like the idea of renting part of your house, why not close it entirely for
a while and take a vacation?
I recommend that as a doctor.
Even though it'll be tough getting along without you.
Now think about it, will you?
Think about it.
On my way home, I thought of what Perry had said.
It was possible I'd been morbid about the whistling and the rest of it.
It could be.
As I walked down the street toward the house, I looked at it and its familiarity was reassuring.
This was no place of fear and mystery.
This was my home and there was no intruder and really never had been.
Miss Crane?
Who is it?
It's me, Miss Crane.
Harry Penning, Penning's luggage shop.
Did I scare you?
I'm sorry.
Where's your porch light?
I'll put it on.
Oh, it's at the left of the door.
See, it's me.
I don't blame you for being scared, a voice coming out of the shadows like that.
What do you want, Mr. Penning?
I brought the two valises you ordered.
The two valises I ordered?
Uh-huh.
It was on my way home anyway and I figured, well, I'll just put them in the car and I'll
pay...
I didn't order any valises.
Sure you did.
This afternoon, don't you remember?
You said you wanted a big one and a little one.
Leather, high grade.
I ordered them.
I did?
Yes, I took the order myself this afternoon.
But I didn't.
I was nowhere near your shop.
Oh, you telephoned.
You said you were going on a vacation soon and you wanted to have...
No, no, I didn't.
One of us is crazy, Miss Crane.
Crazy?
Well, when I say crazy, I don't mean crazy, of course.
Excuse me.
I mean, well, I know you ordered them and asked me to have them delivered.
Oh, yes, yes.
Yes, that's right.
I remember now.
Two valises.
That's it.
I guess in the hustle and bustle of getting ready for a vacation, a thing like this slipped
your mind.
Yes, yes, it slipped my mind.
Yeah, well, now, you want to pay me now or should I send you a bill?
Yes, yes, send me a bill.
Yeah, well, have a nice time, Miss Crane.
Believe me, I sure envy you.
I sure do.
I'd like to change places with you.
I carried the valises into the house and set them down in the hallway and stood there staring
at them.
Perry said I had dreamed of a vacation.
Had I?
And had I put a change of address card in the mailbox and ordered these valises?
Either I was losing my mind or I'd been right all along.
Was there someone in my house?
Someone who not only wanted to live there, but who also wanted me out?
I was in an agony of confusion and indecision.
And then I...
What's that?
Oh, no.
No.
Information.
The telephone number of the Daily Times.
Hurry, please.
The editorial office or the business office?
The classified ads department.
That number is listed in your directory.
Yes.
The number is Avalon, the address card.
And the number is the number of the
daily Times classified.
May I help you?
My name is Helen Crane.
I want to put an ad in the for rent column.
Five bedrooms, shared bathrooms, low rent, inspection after 6 p.m.
The address is 1132 Duralamin.
I want it to run every day until further notice.
All right.
Shall we bill you at that address?
Yes.
Will that be in tomorrow's Times?
Yes, it will.
Oh, thank you.
There.
Did you hear that?
Do you know what that means?
It means this house will soon be filled with
people.
There'll be people living here.
Eating here, sleeping here, crowding you out.
There'll be no room for you, do you hear me?
Oh, I hear you're going to be a summer theater actor.
To be or not to be full of pep, there's no question.
Those auto light resistor spark plugs make a fine engine idle smoother.
Make it better to perform forsooth upon leaner gas mixtures I want.
Shakespeare, I hope you're an understanding man.
Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.
Each auto light resistor spark plug hath built in a mighty mite.
A 10,000 ohm resistor that permit a wider gap settings.
Actually increase the electrode life 200% yay and more.
Ah, parting is such sweet sorrow.
But not if thou partest with old narrow gaps spark plugs.
And install in thine engine those pillars paragons wide gap auto light resistor spark
plugs.
For they doth make thine engine idle smoother and giveth better performance on leaner gas
mixtures.
Actually saveth thy gas odds buttons.
Oh, shades of Shakespeare.
They have.
You know, I like this acting business.
Brings out the ham in me.
It sure does, Harlow.
Uh oh, here's suspense.
And now auto light brings back to a Hollywood sound stage Agnes Morehead as Helen in The
Trap.
A tale well calculated to keep you in suspense.
My sleep that night was deep and refreshing and I woke next morning and went to the office
feeling very pleased with myself.
By noon the times would be on the stands with my ad.
I might have tenants by tonight.
After that goodbye unwanted guest.
Good morning, Dr. Coleman's office.
I'd like to talk to Miss Crane.
Speaking.
This is the Hughes Lock and Key Company, Miss Crane.
About that padlock you ordered.
Just a minute.
What did you say it was I ordered?
Padlock, the one you ordered yesterday.
This is Miss Crane, ain't it?
Miss Helen Crane?
Yes.
Well I think we located the kind you wanted.
Believe me it was a job doing it.
The intruder wanted a padlock?
Why?
How did the padlock enter the scheme to force me out of the house?
For a moment I was frightened and I realized it didn't matter.
I'd already taken steps to insure my remaining.
My house would soon be filled with people.
Do you want me to bring it over to the house now or later?
Now if you like.
Will there be somebody there to let me in?
Yes, yes, somebody's there.
Okay Doug, thanks Miss Crane.
Goodbye.
Padlock.
Why a padlock?
It doesn't matter.
It really doesn't matter now.
At noon I left the office and went down to the lobby for a newspaper.
The Daily Times please.
Here you are.
Thanks.
Hello, Helen.
You want your lunch hour?
Yes, Perry.
Do you have my immediate attention up there or have I time for a bite?
Oh you have time.
I'll join you if I may.
Just a moment Perry, I'm trying to find something in the paper.
Where should we go?
The coffee room here all right with you?
Yeah, it'll be all right.
Or would you prefer to go up the street to the Italian place?
Perry!
Perry, it's not there, it's not in the paper.
They told me it would be but it's not.
What is it?
Have you got a nickel?
I want to make a call.
Why sure Helen.
I'll be right out.
Daily Times classified.
May I help you?
This is Helen Crane.
Why isn't my ad in the paper?
Did you place an ad with us ma'am?
Yes, I did.
Over the phone last night but it's not in there today.
Why didn't you run it?
Well just a second ma'am.
I'll check it with our phone orders.
Was it supposed to start today?
Yes, yes it was.
Well I have it here now.
I remember I took it myself.
Helen Crane, 1132 North Jerolimont?
Yes.
Well the ad did not appear ma'am because shortly after it was placed it was cancelled.
What?
Cancelled.
The notation on the slip says that shortly after it was placed it was cancelled.
Also by telephone.
Hello?
Thank you.
Are you all right Helen?
Helen, are you all right?
What is it Helen, what is it?
Do you feel ill?
Well, I'll go upstairs and...
Lie down for a few minutes.
You won't do anything of the sort.
I'm sending you home in a cab right now.
Now you get into bed as soon as you arrive and phone me if you have a temperature.
I'll try to drop in to see you first thing in the morning.
And Helen I...
Yes, yes.
Oh I wish you'd give some thought to taking that vacation.
There was no mystery about it really.
The intruder had overheard me placing the ad, that was all.
Phoning in the cancellation was a simple matter.
My head hurt.
I tried to think what to do next but my mind wouldn't work and I was...
I was sick to my stomach.
Finally.
Finally the cab pulled up in front of my house.
My house.
Want me to help you to the door miss?
No, no, no, I can make it.
Thank you, thank you.
Miss Craig, Miss Craig.
Oh yes, what is it Mrs. Holmes?
Are you busy?
May I speak to you for a minute?
What is it?
Well I wanted to have a few words with you before you went on your vacation.
My husband told me you were going to France.
I certainly envy you, I do.
And we had a talk, the mister and I.
What is it Mrs. Holmes?
Well, what is it?
We were wondering what you intended to do about the house.
It's really none of our business of course, but then again we decided no harm to ask is
there.
We'd like to know if you intend to put it up for sale, because if so we'd like to consider
buying it.
The mister sometimes dabbles in real estate.
Sell it?
Sell my house?
Well that's what we'd like to know whether you're going to or not.
I spoke to Jessica about it this morning.
Jessica?
You spoke to Jessica about it?
Jessica?
Well, she said she didn't know what your plans were beyond a long vacation and that anything
you wanted to do with the house was all right with her because after all you're the older
sister so-
You spoke to Jessica about it?
You don't mind my speaking to her first do you?
It's only because you weren't here and we wanted to know and say hasn't she blossomed
out?
Who?
Jessica.
Oh her two years up there didn't do her a bit of harm did they?
She told me it was more like a college than a reform school.
I guess she did learn a lot there.
I asked her how she felt, you know, about you for having committed her and she said
she'd always remember you for having given her a purpose in life.
Where is she?
Jessica?
Where is she?
Well I heard some hammering from upstairs in your house a few minutes ago so I guess
she must be up there.
You won't forget to tell me will you about selling the house I mean?
Hello?
Hello Jessica?
Perry?
Oh Helen how do you feel now?
You all right?
I'm-
Oh listen I've got that airline ticket for France for you.
It's a good thing I know somebody with the company.
I really had to throw my weight around.
Everything is booked right through summer.
Well anyway you've got your ticket.
You sure move fast don't you once you've made up your mind.
I almost fell out of my chair when Jessica phoned me and told me you were going.
Say it's great her being back isn't it?
Hello?
Yes?
I'm delighted you decided to take a rest.
What'll do your world of good?
But why so long?
I mean two years abroad for you means two years without the best secretary I ever had.
What am I-
Jessica!
Jessica where are you?
Why don't you come out?
There's no point hiding any longer I know now that it's you.
Jessica!
Why did you stay here without letting me know?
Why did you insist on trying to send me away?
Jessica answer me!
Jessica!
All right Jessica all right all right we'll forget the past we'll start over.
You're welcome to stay here Jessica for as long as you like.
I sent you away only for your own good.
For your own good.
Now please try to understand and believe that.
You were wild and bad and I had to do something but it's all right now isn't it?
We'll live here together you and I won't we?
And I won't hurt you and you won't hurt me either will you Jessica?
Sister?
Where are you?
Come out!
Please you're frightening me.
You wouldn't harm me Jessica.
You wouldn't harm me.
It was for your own good.
Where are you?
You upstairs?
Are you upstairs?
Don't leave.
Don't leave Jessica stay there.
I'm not going to leave you.
I'm going to go.
Jessica stay there.
I'm coming.
I want to explain things to you.
I want to explain how they were and how they are now.
Do you understand?
I don't see you.
Where are you?
Jessica please.
Please let me see you.
Say something to me.
Oh Jessica!
All right.
I did wrong to send you away.
I was wrong.
I was jealous of you all the time.
You were Papa's favorite and everyone else's too and I was jealous.
I admit it.
I admit it you see.
I admit it.
I admit it you see.
You always had all the boys you wanted and I never had any and it made me jealous.
I'm honest with you Jessica and I'm letting you see what's in my heart.
Won't you let me know what's in your heart.
Answer me.
Oh answer me.
I know.
I know why you stole money Jessica and it was my fault.
It was mine.
I wouldn't let you have any.
I wouldn't let you get a job.
It was my fault.
I know.
I know you took the money only run away from me.
I was wrong.
I was wrong Jessica.
I admit it.
I confess it.
I was wrong.
I admit it.
I confess it.
I was wrong.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry to leave.
Jessica are you up there in the attic.
Wait there Jessica don't leave.
I'm coming up.
You'll forgive me won't you.
Say you'll forgive me.
If you let me explain.
If you let me explain, I know you'll forgive me.
I'll make it up to you.
You'll you'll stay here with me.
We'll be together.
Are you here?
Are you here in the attic Jessica?
Jessica.
Oh no Jessica.
No.
Jessica.
Are you here? Are you here in the attic, Jessica?
Are you in... Jessica!
Oh no, Jessica!
No! No, you can't do this!
No, you can't lock me up in here!
It's like a prison!
It's like... It's like a prison!
Two years!
Oh, two years! Two years! Jessica!
Get out of here!
Jessica, let me out! You can't do this! You can't get me locked up in here!
Jessica, please! Oh, please!
Please let me out! Hey, Jessica!
Jessica!
Hello, Perry? Yes?
Jessica? Perry?
Helen has just had what I think is a marvelous idea.
She's busy finishing packing,
or else she'd tell you herself.
Anyway, it is a marvelous idea.
That is, if it's all right with you.
What is it, Jessica?
Well, Helen suggests that since she'll be gone
two years,
why don't I take her place with you
at the office?
Thank you, Agnes Moorhead,
for your third splendid
suspense performance this season.
Oh, Miss Moorhead? Yes, Mr. Wilcock?
Since you've been our guest star on Suspense so often,
by now you should be fairly familiar
with my remarks about Auto Light Resistor Sparkplugs.
Well, I think I am.
Let me see if I can do it like you do.
Don't you say something like this?
Auto Light Resistor Sparkplugs
make your engine idle smoother,
give better performance on leaner gas
mixtures, actually save
gas.
Is that right? It is indeed, Miss Moorhead.
Thank you. And let me add
that Auto Light Resistor Sparkplugs are ignition
engineered by Auto Light, which makes more
than 400 products for cars, trucks,
airplanes and boats in 28 plants
from coast to coast. And Auto Light
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don't accept electrical parts that are supposed
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Remember, you're always right
with Auto Light.
Music
Now here again is Agnes Moorhead. Oh,
Miss Moorhead, I might tell you
that we're asking Radio Mirror Magazine
to utilize tonight's story
as they've done with another suspense thriller
in their current issue. I think tonight's play
would be wonderful for Radio Mirror.
It was a real pleasure to work with the great cast
of actors that Tony Leader chose for tonight.
And I'll be listening next week when Radio's
Outstanding Theatre of Thrills bring you
Ralph Edwards in Ghost Hunt,
another gripping study in
Suspense
Agnes Moorhead may currently be seen in the Metro
Goldwyn-Mayer production, The Stratton Story.
Tonight's suspense play was adapted by
Walter Newman and Ralph Rose from the story
by Virginia Myers, with music composed
by Lucian Moorowack and conducted by
Lud Gluskin. The entire production was
under the direction of Anton M. Leader.
In the coming week, Suspense will present
such stars as Ralph Edwards and Joseph Cotton.
Make it a point to listen each Thursday to
Suspense, Radio's Outstanding
Theatre of Thrills. And next Thursday,
same time, hear Ralph Edwards in
Ghost Hunt.
You can buy auto light resistor spark plugs,
auto light electrical parts, auto light
staple batteries that your neighborhood auto
light dealers. Switch to auto light.
Good night.
This is CBS,
the Columbia Broadcasting System.