WEBVTT

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And now, tonight's presentation of Radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense.

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Tonight, we bring you a story of a woman who holds death over her husband's head.

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We call it, When the Bough Breaks.

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So now, starring Virginia Gregg with Stacey Harris, here is tonight's Suspense play, When the Bough Breaks.

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I remember when I was little. I remember how you used to swing me in the garden.

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The big maple tree and the rusty squeak as I went up and down, up and down.

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Grandfather, don't let me fall. I want you to hold me like you used to when I was hurt.

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I'm afraid because I'm dying. Just the way you died, Grandfather.

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Why should I die? How did it all happen?

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This is it, baby.

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It looks very nice.

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Gary, please be careful of my coat. You're dragging it.

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Sorry. Here, you hold it while I get the key out, will you? I'll get the suitcases later.

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Oh, no, wait a minute. Come on, let's do this right.

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Harry, Harry, put me down.

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Let him watch. We're married. This is the way it's done. You've got a lot to learn.

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All right, now put me down, Harry. Please, Harry. I asked you to put me.

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All right, baby. I'm sorry.

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You're sweet. I'm tired. I didn't mean to be angry. I'm tired, that's all.

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Sure, sure, yeah. Well, you like it?

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It's a very nice house, dear. I'm sure we'll be comfortable.

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Oh, it's not bad for a short-order deal.

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Take a look around. Come here. Open this door.

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It's a closet.

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Not bad. They're all like that. Nice and roomy.

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Living room, dining room through there, kitchen.

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Harry, please. Can I sit down for a minute? My head's splitting.

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Oh, sure, baby. Sure, come here.

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It's not bad, huh? Come on. Off with the shoes. Here, put your feet up.

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Thank you, dear.

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It all looks very nice. You must have spent a lot of money, though.

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Money? Nothing.

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As soon as the probate judge turns the real money loose, we'll get something that'll knock your eye out.

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I don't want to talk about that, Harry. I don't even want to think about it. Never again.

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Of course not, baby. I don't know what's the matter with me. Of course you don't.

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I don't want to think about it, Grandfather. But I have to talk about it. To you.

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There'll be lawyers to pay in the inheritance tax.

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I never realized how very much you were worth.

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But you never spoke much about money. It was always there. Ever since I can remember.

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Funny, I never thought about it until after you'd gone.

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Harry did, though.

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I lied to you about Harry. I'm sorry.

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I didn't meet him the way I said I did.

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I picked him up, Grandfather, on the beach.

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I went looking for a man, and I found him.

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The man you chose for me was so weak. I wanted someone like you.

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Like Harry.

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It wasn't respectable for a woman in her late 30s to do that, was it?

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I'm sorry.

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Honey, I guess you didn't know I had a feel for interior decorating, did you?

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No, I didn't.

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Well, maybe when we get the dough we'll...

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I'm sorry, Evie. I was just thinking maybe I'd go in the business.

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Harry, how did you know they'd let me go?

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How did you know all this wouldn't be wasted?

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Or maybe you'd be here with another girl.

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Now, you're the girl, Marcy. Only you.

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Besides, they couldn't have pinned it on you.

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I watched that jury. You're high class.

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They believed you.

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Yesterday. I didn't think I'd be married now and in a new house.

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Why don't you forget it? You've been acquitted and that's it.

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From here on in...

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Oh, Harry!

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Baby, you're jumping.

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Yes, I'm jumping.

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Relax, honey. Married couples have callers.

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It's probably the next door neighbors. You stay right there. I'll get rid of them.

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Hi, Harry Striker. Fancy meeting you here.

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What do you want, Corker?

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He doesn't say glad to see you. He doesn't say come in and have a drink.

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All he says is, what do you want, Corker?

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We're busy. No statements.

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No statements? You just got married, didn't you? You moved into a new house.

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Your wife beat a murder rap yesterday. No statement. You're new.

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Harry, make him go away. Harry, please.

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Mrs. Striker, well, well, congratulations on all counts. Marriage, murder and money.

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All right, Corker, get out.

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Are you kidding? You and Evie are good for five or six more front pages.

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You're my babies, my story of the year.

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Look, I'm going to bounce you or you can beat me to it by walking out, but fast.

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Why didn't you leave us alone? The trial's over. The state is finished with us. Why can't you...

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Finished, Evie, you're acquitted, if that's what you mean.

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You can never be tried again for the same murder.

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Then please...

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Not even if you said to me it might amuse your readers to know, Mr. Corker,

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that I really did murder my grandfather. They can't touch you.

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Now, look, boy, I'm going to work you over so you'll never chew a steak again.

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Oh, I wouldn't.

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Well, then get out of here.

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Okay. But first, I came here to tell you something.

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Evie, go on in the next room.

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No.

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What do you want, Mr. Corker?

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Nothing much, Mrs. Stracker. I just wanted to tell you I'm going to do a Sunday feature on you.

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I'm going to call it she hands him in the palm of her hand.

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No. No, forget about us. Please.

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Harry, give him some money. Tell him to stop.

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Oh, you couldn't pay me enough, Evie.

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The story of why you hold this guy's life in your hands is too good.

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Now, what do you mean by that crack?

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I knew your wife had beat the case a minute I laid eyes on her, Harry.

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That holier than thou look grandfather known by one and all to be a wretched old man, Myerson as a lawyer.

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You've already written about those things, Mr. Corkman.

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Now, wait a minute. I'm leading up to it.

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The autopsy showed your grandfather had a disease that had killed him anyway in a few months.

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Anyway, so verdict suicide, huh?

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Why can't you understand that? He knew. He knew he was going to die.

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I don't buy it, but I buy this.

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You were never brought to trial, Harry, because they couldn't tie you into it.

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You had an alibi for the night the old man drank that poison.

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That's right. I wasn't there.

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And the DA knew that you're a photographer, among other things, and had access to cyanide,

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but he couldn't hang anything on you. So you weren't tried for murder.

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She was. She can't be again.

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Uh, not for that one.

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Harry, I'm tired of this. Mr. Corkman's trying to frighten us, that's all.

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Will you ask him to leave?

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Oh, hollabilly.

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Go on, Corkman, get to the point.

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Like I say, you weren't indicted, but, um,

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you could be if your wife talked.

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Talked? But there's nothing for me to talk about.

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What? What could I say?

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Oh, you could say that Harry got the cyanide for you,

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and you worked it out together to get the old man's money.

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Then they'd try Harry, but not you, Evie, because you've been acquitted.

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I won't listen. I won't.

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All right, Evie. Come on, Corkman. Come on.

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Sure, sure, don't get sore.

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If you didn't do it, you haven't got a thing to worry about, Harry.

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But if you did, then you'd better be nice to Mrs. Stryker,

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because maybe someday she'll get mad,

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and if she talks, it's bye-bye Harry.

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Come on, Corkman. So long.

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You got him in the palm of your hand, Evie.

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Remember, they can't touch you for it.

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When Harry came back from the door, I knew what he was thinking.

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What that horrible newspaper reporter had said. He wouldn't look at me.

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He just went to the bar and poured a drink.

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I was afraid of him.

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I wanted him to hold me and tell me it was all right,

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like you used to, but he didn't.

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And then I wanted to run away, anywhere.

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Get on a boat, fly, never see Harry Stryker again.

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Run, run, run.

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Where are you going, Vivian?

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I need some air. I thought I'd...

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Don't be silly. You don't want to go out there.

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Corkman's probably still hanging around.

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Harry, Harry.

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What?

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What is it, Nancy?

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Harry, it's all right, isn't it?

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I mean, you don't believe what he said.

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Of course not. Of course not.

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He's just a snooper. That's all.

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It wasn't the money, was it, Harry?

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You didn't want me just because of the money.

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Oh, baby, you...

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I'm not pretty. I'm not clever.

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You don't love me, do you?

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Why should I attract a man like you?

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It was the money, wasn't it?

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Wasn't it?

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Look, baby, you're upset.

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Now, why don't you go lie down?

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It's okay. Everything's okay.

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Say it!

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Say you love me! You never have!

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Please, Harry, look at me.

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Tell me you think I'm pretty.

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Harry, say nice things to me.

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Tell me you love me, Harry!

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Keep your voice down, Evie.

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Listen, Corkman's still outside. He's listening.

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Keep my voice...

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That was it, then.

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All the time.

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That's all you cared about, the money.

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It's never been me.

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All I wanted was to love you and have you.

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Evie, Evie, you're all upset. I'll get you a drink.

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No! No!

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I wish I were dead.

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I wish I'd told them the truth.

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I should have said I'm guilty.

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We both are.

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Harry and I did it.

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We murdered him.

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We murdered my grandfather!

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Don't you ever say that again.

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Don't you even think, if not to yourself.

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You are listening to When the Bough Breaks,

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tonight's presentation in radio's outstanding theater of thrills,

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Suspense.

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Have you some friends who are hard to please at Christmas?

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How would you like to give that musician friend a couple of tickets

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for the New York Philharmonic Symphony,

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that sports fan, too, for the Orange Bowl game,

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and that teenager all the records she wants?

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How would you like to do all this on your budget?

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It's as easy as buying a radio set and giving it for Christmas.

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And now, we bring back to our Hollywood soundstage

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Virginia Gregg, starring with Stacey Harris,

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in tonight's production, When the Bough Breaks,

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a tale well calculated to keep you in...

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Suspense.

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I remember the scent of our garden.

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I remember when you used to swing me in the evening

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before supper in the honeysuckle.

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Sweet, drifting about us.

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We were happy, weren't we?

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Not like the sadness that came afterwards

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and the bitter taste that isn't the taste of honeysuckle.

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Why am I dying?

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Grandfather, where are you?

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Hold my hand and I shan't be afraid.

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Afraid of Harry standing there so close.

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This dark, angry face looking down at me.

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Evie, you've got to get a hold of yourself.

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Do you hear me?

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Yes, yes, all right.

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Now, this is no good.

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Evie, don't you see what Corkeran wants?

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If he can get us at each other's throats, he'll have us.

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And then his lousy story.

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But I wouldn't do anything to hurt you.

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How can you think such a thing?

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Well, then you've got to get straightened out.

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The way you are now, you'll spill over the first time

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that anyone puts any pressure on you.

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I won't, Harry, honestly. I'll never say a word.

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I won't.

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I just want to be happy with you.

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I want you to love me.

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Sure, baby, sure.

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But you've got to understand, like...

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It's like Corkeran says, it's my neck now, not yours.

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You've got to be careful.

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Harry, maybe if I went away somewhere, alone,

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maybe I could rest and forget the trial

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and just go somewhere and rest.

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I'd come back. You wouldn't have to worry

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about me saying anything.

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Everything would be all right when I came back.

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You'll let me go, won't you, Harry?

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You wouldn't do anything to me, Harry.

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Harry, will you shut up?

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Honey...

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Honey, I didn't mean to do that.

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You've got to believe me, I didn't.

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But you see what you like, I've got to watch.

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I'll even take care of you.

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You hit me.

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Nobody ever hit me.

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Ever.

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It's all right.

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It's all right, Mousie.

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Don't! Don't!

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There.

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There.

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Now do you see?

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Look, look, all of a sudden you're afraid of me

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and just because of that Corkeran guy.

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Mousie, you mustn't be afraid of me.

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We're in the clear, don't you see that?

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It's all downhill now, Effie.

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Your grandfather was already dying, only we didn't know it.

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So when we...

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when we did what we did, luck was with us.

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We're in the clear that they couldn't prove anything against you.

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Then they can't now.

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I've always been afraid of you.

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I've always done what you wanted me to do.

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Part of it was because I loved you,

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but most of it because I'm afraid.

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You never let anything get in your way.

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Grandfather was in your way.

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Now maybe it's me.

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What are you saying? It was all my idea?

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Are you saying you never asked me to help you get rid of the old man?

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I don't know what I'm saying anymore.

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I'm tired.

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You're tired?

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Sure.

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Sure, Effie, that's it.

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You're tired.

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I'll get the bag.

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I'll get the bags out of the car, and then we'll fix something to eat, huh?

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Come on.

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You gotta start getting domestic, Mousy.

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You're an old married woman now.

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He went out to get the suitcases,

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but he left the front door open.

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It was too cold to leave the door open.

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He wanted it that way, so that he could see me

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or hear me if I picked up the telephone.

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You mustn't laugh when I tell you that in the middle of the living room,

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standing there, I felt the same way that I did when you punished me.

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When you used to put me in the hall closet

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and make me stand in the dark with the door closed.

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I must have been a very naughty little girl sometimes.

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Is that why I killed your grandfather?

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That night I had a dream.

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It was a funny dream.

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There was an enormous alarm clock in the middle of the field.

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The sun was shining, and you and I were dancing in time to the clicking of the clock.

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Then Harry came along, and he tried to dance too,

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but he was clumsy and tripped and fell down.

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He waved his arms and his mouth went open and shut,

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but we couldn't hear him because of the ticking.

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We laughed so hard.

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What are you laughing at?

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What's so funny?

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Harry.

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Nothing. It was just a dream.

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Yeah? Well, tell me about it.

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I can't. I don't remember. It was just funny.

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You didn't sound like you were asleep.

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I was. Really I was.

17:58.000 --> 18:00.000
Maybe you figured out a way to tip off Corcoran about me.

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Maybe that's what's so funny.

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No. No, Harry. It was a dream.

18:04.000 --> 18:06.000
No, now look, you haven't been kidding me.

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Why do you think I've watched every minute? I know what's on your mind.

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You're wrong. I thought we were happy.

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With what you're holding over my head, with what you can do to me, are you kidding?

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Listen to me. I haven't slept since the trial, and do you know why?

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Because I'm afraid of you.

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Every time we go to the store, every time we go out anywhere,

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I'm waiting, waiting for you to run calling the cops.

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But I wouldn't. I've never even thought of it. Not since...

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Not since yesterday, huh? You thought of it plenty then, didn't you?

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Didn't you? Yes. No.

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Yes, yes. And that's why you were laughing, because you figure you can get rid of me now.

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No. No. No. Well, you... you know no.

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And look, don't... don't... don't kid yourself. I figured out the whole thing.

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I'm the one that got us in the clear, and now you want to mess it up.

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Evie, I'm not going to let you.

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What? What are you going to do to me?

18:54.000 --> 19:00.000
That depends. That depends on whether or not you can keep your mouth shut.

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Why did we do it? Why did we kill him?

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Because you wanted the money. No!

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You don't understand. I wanted you, and I wanted to get away from him.

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But I'm not away.

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Mousy, look, it's all right.

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We've done it, and now we've got to follow it through.

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You didn't want me without the money. You didn't want me at all.

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Just the money. You don't love me.

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It happens. I do. That's something you can't understand.

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I've tried to make you believe me, and now something like this comes up, and I'm afraid.

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I keep remembering that if you want to, you can send me to the chair.

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Jerry, I wouldn't. I couldn't hurt you.

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Well, don't worry. You won't. I'm going to watch and see that you don't.

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Now go on back to sleep.

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The next day he didn't talk to me at all. He didn't say a word.

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We just sat around the house, and I felt ugly.

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I prayed that I would suddenly be beautiful, because then he'd trust me,

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and he'd know that I wouldn't hurt him.

20:23.000 --> 20:27.000
It was after lunch that he went into the kitchen.

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I wanted to watch him now, just as he was watching me.

20:31.000 --> 20:34.000
I couldn't bear to have him out of my sight.

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Supposing he went out the back door, came around to the front, and quietly crept up behind me.

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I got up and stood behind the dining room door, looking through the crack.

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He was taking down a vial from the closet where he kept his photographic things.

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I couldn't see a label, but I knew what it was.

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He put the vial in his jacket pocket and closed the closet.

20:58.000 --> 21:04.000
I was going to be murdered with cyanide the way you were, Grandfather.

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You stay in here, Evie, and keep quiet.

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I'll enter the door, and I don't want to hear a sound out of you.

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Good afternoon, sir. I'm your Daily Times delivery boy,

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and I've come to welcome you into our community.

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Sure, sure. Okay, son, some other time.

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As a service to you, so that you may keep abreast of world events, your newspaper...

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Now, look, buddy, we don't need a paper. You go peddle them someplace else.

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Please, call someone. I'm sorry, kid, we're not interested.

21:30.000 --> 21:32.000
You shut up.

21:34.000 --> 21:37.000
I should have known. I get back in the living room, you're crazy.

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Evie, I ought to kill you for trying that. I ought to kill you.

21:49.000 --> 21:53.000
Kill? Kill me?

21:53.000 --> 22:00.000
That's what he was going to do. I had to get away, or use the phone, call the police.

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I needed you, Grandfather. I needed you to help me.

22:06.000 --> 22:11.000
He walked slowly back into the living room and took off his jacket.

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I thought how funny it was, just like a man before a fight.

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Perhaps he thought I'd fight with him to save my life.

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What is it like to die, Grandfather?

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I used to ask you when I was little, when Daddy died.

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It's hot in here. I'm going to have a drink.

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Oh, I fixed the phone so you can forget that.

22:36.000 --> 22:39.000
I'll only be in the kitchen so I can hear you. Don't try anything.

22:39.000 --> 22:43.000
How was he going to use it, the cyanide?

22:43.000 --> 22:48.000
He hadn't taken it out of his jacket pocket. It was still there. I knew it was.

22:48.000 --> 22:53.000
I heard him open the refrigerator and get out some ice.

22:53.000 --> 22:59.000
I didn't even have to get up. I could reach his jacket from where I sat.

22:59.000 --> 23:05.000
I was very careful. I used my handkerchief to get the vial out.

23:05.000 --> 23:09.000
I'd learned about fingerprints during the trial.

23:09.000 --> 23:15.000
I knew just how much to put in a drink so that it wouldn't taste. Harry had taught me that.

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I was reaching for the cork in the whiskey bottle when I heard him coming back.

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Evie, why don't you keep some glasses in here?

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He hadn't seen me. He hadn't.

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I took the cork out of the whiskey bottle and emptied the vial of cyanide into it.

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That was all. It was done.

23:49.000 --> 23:54.000
I was sitting in my chair when Harry came back with the glasses.

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What's the matter with you?

23:57.000 --> 23:59.000
Nothing.

23:59.000 --> 24:00.000
Are you sick?

24:00.000 --> 24:02.000
No. No, I'm all right.

24:02.000 --> 24:04.000
Well, you don't look all right. You'd better have a drink.

24:04.000 --> 24:06.000
I don't want any.

24:06.000 --> 24:09.000
Well, you're better. We've got to talk.

24:09.000 --> 24:12.000
Don't bother to pour it. I won't drink it.

24:12.000 --> 24:14.000
Oh, yes, you will.

24:14.000 --> 24:17.000
I'm not going to.

24:18.000 --> 24:24.000
It'll fix you up. Here. Drink it straight. Come on, here.

24:24.000 --> 24:27.000
No, Harry, I don't want it. I can't stand the taste of it. Please.

24:27.000 --> 24:31.000
Oh, now, look, don't go getting hysterical again. Please. Now, come on. It'll settle you down.

24:31.000 --> 24:33.000
No, I won't. I won't.

24:33.000 --> 24:34.000
Come here. Will you drink it?

24:34.000 --> 24:39.000
Oh, me. It'll make me sick. Oh, please, Harry, don't make me.

24:39.000 --> 24:41.000
You know I never drink. I don't want it.

24:41.000 --> 24:45.000
Every look, it won't kill you. Now, would you rather me slap you around?

24:45.000 --> 24:48.000
Now, come out, will you? Here. Drink it.

24:48.000 --> 24:50.000
Go on. Drink it.

24:50.000 --> 24:52.000
Harry, no.

24:52.000 --> 25:05.000
Harry. Harry, no.

25:05.000 --> 25:08.000
There was a terrible burning, Grandfather.

25:08.000 --> 25:11.000
I tried to fight, but I couldn't.

25:11.000 --> 25:15.000
And I saw Harry fade away. Further and further.

25:15.000 --> 25:20.000
Until he was miles above me, leaning down and calling to me.

25:20.000 --> 25:26.000
I can see his face, so frightened.

25:26.000 --> 25:35.000
Then there was nothing.

25:35.000 --> 25:38.000
It was very quiet.

25:38.000 --> 25:41.000
Except for this swing.

25:41.000 --> 25:44.000
Quiet.

25:44.000 --> 25:47.000
Quiet.

25:47.000 --> 25:52.000
You won't let me fall, will you?

25:52.000 --> 25:55.000
I can't see you.

25:55.000 --> 25:58.000
But you're there.

25:58.000 --> 26:02.000
Hold my hand, Grandfather.

26:02.000 --> 26:13.000
I don't want to be alone.

26:13.000 --> 26:15.000
She's gone.

26:15.000 --> 26:20.000
Surprised she held on so long? Cyanide cases are usually faster.

26:20.000 --> 26:22.000
Cyanide? Now, wait a minute.

26:22.000 --> 26:23.000
No telling.

26:23.000 --> 26:25.000
Okay. Come on, Stryker. We're going downtown.

26:25.000 --> 26:28.000
What are you talking about? What's this about cyanide?

26:28.000 --> 26:29.000
What do you mean?

26:29.000 --> 26:34.000
Didn't you know? There was an empty bottle in your jacket pocket. Your prints all over it.

26:34.000 --> 26:35.000
On the glass she drank from.

26:35.000 --> 26:40.000
Well, sure there are. She was having hysterics. I made her drink from it.

26:40.000 --> 26:42.000
Cyanide never cured hysterics, Harry.

26:42.000 --> 26:46.000
I didn't do it. Listen, I didn't kill her.

26:46.000 --> 26:50.000
Like you didn't have anything to do with her grandfather's murder. I know.

26:50.000 --> 26:52.000
What's the matter? She threatened to talk?

26:52.000 --> 26:55.000
I didn't do it, I tell you. I didn't.

26:55.000 --> 26:56.000
Okay, so you didn't do it. Come on.

26:56.000 --> 27:02.000
No, don't you understand? I put that cyanide in my pocket because I was afraid she'd use it on me.

27:02.000 --> 27:06.000
I wasn't going to kill her. I was trying to quiet her down.

27:06.000 --> 27:10.000
Brother, when you quiet them down, they stay quiet.

27:10.000 --> 27:12.000
Let's go.

27:12.000 --> 27:17.000
Suspense

27:17.000 --> 27:24.000
Suspense

27:35.000 --> 27:37.000
Suspense

27:37.000 --> 27:44.000
In which Virginia Gregg starred with Stacey Harris in tonight's presentation of When the Bow Breaks.

27:44.000 --> 27:49.000
Next week, the story of Christmas shopping and a present that went astray.

27:49.000 --> 27:57.000
We call it A Present for Benny. That's next week on Suspense.

27:57.000 --> 28:02.000
Suspense

28:11.000 --> 28:17.000
Suspense is produced and directed by Anthony Ellis. Tonight's script was written by Sheldon Leonard.

28:17.000 --> 28:21.000
The music was composed by Rene Garragang and conducted by Wilbur Hatch.

28:21.000 --> 28:27.000
Featured in the cast were Joseph Kearns, Richard Beals, and Barney Phillips.

28:27.000 --> 28:36.000
On CBS Radio, it's authentic, literate, and dramatic. It's Gunsmoke every Saturday and Sunday.

28:36.000 --> 28:43.000
Stay tuned for five minutes of CBS News to be followed on most of these stations by The Jack Carson Show.

28:43.000 --> 28:58.000
Friday nights, join us in the 21st precinct on the CBS Radio Network.

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The Jack Carson Show

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The Jack Carson Show