The Cavalcade of America, sponsored by DuPont, maker of better things for better living through chemistry, presents Everett Sloan in The Enemy is Listening by Mignon G. Eberhardt. Before we tell you about our play, here's a timely tip on making things due for the duration. Peter Hunt, Provincetown artist, started it with the idea of helping people make over ugly, outdated furniture into attractive, practical pieces by the use of paint, a brush, and a saw. At the close of our program, we will tell you more about it and how you can get a booklet that will enable you to transform some of your cast-off furniture. And now DuPont presents Everett Sloan as narrator in The Enemy is Listening, a tensely dramatic spy story by the celebrated mystery writer Mignon G. Eberhardt on The Cavalcade of America. No real American intends to give information to the enemy, and yet sometimes, sometimes, sometimes someone forgets. A word overheard and repeated, a small fact passed on to someone else may mean little to you. It may mean nothing to the person to whom you repeated. But the third or the fourth person or the tenth or the twentieth may be your enemy, your enemy. I am waiting for such words. I am listening. Perhaps I can weld a chain of death. A phrase may give me the first link. A word may give me a clue. I may hear it anywhere, on a bus or on the street or on a train, any train, anywhere. This one happens to be the New York, New Haven and Hartford approaching New York. Well, that was the 125th Street Station. Won't be long now. You know what I'm going to do with my leave bill? I'm going to... Yeah, I know, Finkie. I know, I know. First you're going home to see your father and mother and Janey, and then you're going to get a girl and go to the ass, the roof, and then I'll have to pull you out to keep you from being AWL. Right. Jive in Harry James is what I need. I'll get in the groove and stay there till my leave is up. It's not very long either, 12 hours. First I'm going to phone home and tell my mom I'm here. Well, you've been saying that you were going to surprise them. I didn't know we'd get here in time for lunch. Hey, we're almost in. We better get our stuff together. Yeah. Here's your barracks bag. Thanks. No, it's mine. Here's your gas mask. You know, the minute I saw the equipment they were giving us, I knew where we were headed for. You don't know anything about it. Well, if we handed out gas masks, I figured we were going to embark it. Shut up, Finkie. Huh? Well, you know what you've been told? Walls have ears. Oh, I didn't say anything. There's nobody but you to hear it anyway. Did, uh, did I tell you what I'm going to do with my leave? You don't have to tell me. You'll go see your uncle for 10 minutes and then you'll turn up at our place to see Janey. Gosh, Bill, we're almost in. In about a minute now, I'll talk to mom and Janey. Hey, if you're going to talk to Janey, I'll go with you to the home. Grand Central Station. No, Pinky didn't say anything. Neither did Bill. Not really. Besides, I was not there. But other people were. There was a woman sitting behind them. You didn't see her. She's a nice woman, patriotic and sincere. She wouldn't give me information or would she? Oh, there you are, Margaret. Did you get a seat? Oh, yes, I did. In the next car. Oh, the trains are certainly crowded now. I sat behind a couple of boys, soldiers. They go up the ramp ahead. See the one with the red hair is called Pinky. What nice looking boy. Oh, they're being sent overseas tonight from their talker very soon. Oh, maybe we'd better not talk about it. There's nothing to talk about. Come on, dear, if we hurry, we can lunch before the matinee. So there was nothing to talk about. Yet a man hurrying along beside these two women did hear something. He's hurrying to use the telephone booth too. But the two soldiers reach the empty booth first. It's a busy day. Two other men want to use the telephone and fall into line behind him. One of these men, a man in a brown suit, is impatient. Are you waiting for that phone? What do you think? Well, I'm in a hurry. Oh, my. There are a couple of soldiers in there. Nice they let the kids talk as long as they want to. They're going overseas tonight. Overseas? Oh, of course. Let them talk as long as they want to by all means. Overseas, huh? Yeah, at least that's what some woman who sat next to him on the train said. Heard her talking about it as they came up the ramp. Women, always talking. So these boys are going overseas tonight, huh? Well, let them finish their talk. I'll try a phone on the next level. Come on, Mark. Did you hear that, Mark? Yes. You know your instructions. Watch those two soldiers. If they separate, follow one of them. Oh, you mean... Certainly. We've been hoping for something like this. Nothing is too small to pass by, Mark. Nothing too little. Keep after them and keep in touch with me. You know where. Yeah, but we don't know their names. We don't know anything about them. Find out. This may be unexpected luck. Remember, what we want to know is where, when, how many. Where is the port of embarkation? When does the transport leave? How many men? And anything else you can pick up? Yes, Mr. Smith. It's a good name. You ought to have changed your name too. The boys have finished telephoning. They pick up their equipment and walk through the station. Only two boys in a city where there are so many boys. Only two soldiers in a great railway terminus through which hundreds of sailors and soldiers just like them pass during the day. Why should anyone follow these soldiers? But I follow them. There's something I want to know. I wonder how I'm going to find out the thing that I want to know. How can I find out where they're going? Well, here's where I go for the subway. See you later. So long, Bill. I'll take a taxi. Taxi. Oh, sorry. I guess you called the cab first. Oh, no. That's all right, soldier. You take it. Well, thanks. Where to? 218 East Wilsey Avenue. It's right off Lexington. Taxi. Taxi. Yes, sir. Where to? 218 East. No, no. Take me to the corner of Lexington and... Well, that wasn't very hard. I know this boy's address and his nickname. Pinky. Not much, of course, but perhaps it will help me. Have some more pie, Pinky. Gosh, it's swell, Mom. I was never so surprised in all my life. You said that a hundred times, Mother. Why, Janey, are you listening? I thought all you had ears for was the doorbell. Bill won't be here for an hour or so. Bill's like another son to me. I wish his mother could have lived to see him now. We used to take all three of you children out in the park and everybody said... Everybody said what? Dreadful children. Why, they did not. I'm glad you and Bill are in the same company. Division. Bill's in artillery. Well, anyway, you are together, aren't you? So far. I didn't want to ask you, son, but when do you... How long will you be home, son? I've got, well, 12 hours. I didn't think it would be so soon. I wish Bill would come. Now, what can I do here? This is an American home. I can't pass these walls. There's no chance for me to get information here or is there? Hello? Can I speak to Pinky, please? Pinky? Oh, he's not here now. Is this Pinky's mother? Why, yes. Who is this, please? Well, I don't know whether he mentioned me. I'm George Smith. Well, now, I don't believe... He leaves tonight, doesn't he? About midnight. Oh, I'm afraid that won't... I was going to see him just to say goodbye. I suppose I could go to the pier. Well, I don't know. I don't... Or maybe I could meet him at the train if you'll just tell me where he leaves from. Why, really, I don't know. Perhaps you'd better call later. Hello? Hello? Hello? That's funny. Must have been cut off. Who was it? Somebody asking for Pinky. Hmm. Did he say who he was? He said his name was George Smith. I didn't like his voice, but he called him Pinky. Pinky? Oh, it's just some boy he knows. We'll tell him when he gets back. They ought to be coming pretty soon. He called him Pinky, so it must have been a friend of Pinky's. Perhaps. But Pinky wasn't there to say. Pinky was out dancing. Boy, is this solid. Having a good time, Sally? Oh, it's wonderful. Wish we could listen to that band forever. Yeah, Janie, let's dance. All right, Bill. Let's dance over toward that balcony. Oh, it's grand to dance with you again, Bill. We've always danced together. Ever since we were kids. Only, I didn't know then... Know what, Bill? I think I... Oh, here's the balcony. Let's go out, huh? All right. Cold? No. It's funny to see New York like this. So few lights. Hmm. Sometime it'll be bright and gay again. Sometime maybe soon. Sometime I'll be back home and then we'll... I, uh, I never managed to say it before, but... You know, don't you, Janie? Yes, Bill. Oh, Janie. Gee, I love you so. I've always loved you, I guess. Oh, Janie. I'm gonna kiss you so hard. Yes, Bill. And I'm gonna come back to you. You've got to come back to me, Bill. I couldn't bear it if... You've got to come back to me. Charming, wasn't it? A boy and a girl on a balcony above a city of 10 million people. Are they important? Yes. To each other. They think they should have life together and love and happiness. But there's a wall. There's an enemy listening. I am here. And a dozen stories below, a man is waiting. Hello? Smith? I was waiting. Have you got anything? No, not yet. Where are you? Watching the elevators. They're still dancing. They'll be coming down soon. The boy's mother expects them to return about midnight. Remember? I remember. When, where, how many? Here they are. My goodness, where have you two been all this time? We were about to send out the bloodhound. I didn't realize it was so late. We better get going. Where's the way? I got the check. Pop gave me some money. Oh, good. Here's your cape, Janie. Thanks, Bill. Ready, everybody? Better get going. My goodness, it's dark and rainy. Well, we'll get a taxi. Try and do. Oh, there's the doorman. Taxi? They're pretty scarce on a rainy night. I'll whistle though. Oh, here's one right here. I didn't see it. No, Sally, that's a private car. No, it isn't. It's a taxi. The driver's opening the door and see there's a taxi sign. Yeah, I guess you're right. We better take it quick. Come on, Sally. Come on. If it's raining in, I'll put up the window. That's okay. Where to, sir? This is the Cavalcade of America sponsored by DuPont. Our play is an original spy story, The Enemy is Listening by Mignon G. Eberhardt. As the play continues, Mr. X, the enemy agent played by Everett Sloan, is linking bits of information together. Information that may mean sudden death to American soldiers. The enemy is listening, eavesdropping on a nation. That's why I'm here, to listen, to piece one small fact with another and then another until I know the thing I want to know. Let me see. I know two boys, soldiers, are going overseas. I know their leave is up at midnight, but that's not enough. It's almost midnight now. The two soldiers and two girls are in a taxi cab, but my agent is the driver. My goodness, I had a nice time. I wish you boys didn't have to leave so soon. But I do think it's terribly exciting going off to war like that in a big convoy. What do you mean a big convoy? Well, that's what Pinky said. And he said he thinks it leads... Oh, no, Sally, I was only guessing. Forget it, will you? Well, I won't tell anybody. Oh, here's your street, Sally. What's the number? I told him. Hey, driver, it's that apartment in the middle of the block. There's a green awning. It's so dark, I guess you can't see it. It's on the right. Yes, sir. Is this it, miss? It's a green awning. This is it. Stop here. Gosh, it's later than I thought. I'll just take Sally to the door, Bill. Wait for me, huh? And then we'll get going. Yeah, OK, but hurry up. Don't linger too long in that doorway. Time is going faster now, minute by minute. Not much time before Bill and Pinky must be wherever they're supposed to be. And not much time for me. What can I do now? I must find out. Oh, wait, the taxi has stopped. Golly, it is late. Hey, look, driver, you want to make a buck? Drop your flag and wait for us. We've got to get back to Penn Station. How long do you want me to wait? Five minutes. All right. I'll be in the coffee pot there on the corner. Hello? Smith? Yes? Can you get down to the Penn Station and watch for them? I'm taking them there in the taxi. Where are you now? I'm near the boys' home and a lunch home. Good. I'll load them at the main line end of the station. I'll be there ahead of you. OK. Hi. I beg your pardon. I'm afraid I missed my train. That was the express to Washington, wasn't it? No, not that one, buddy. That was a troop train. Oh, but it was on the Washington track. That doesn't mean it went to Washington, friend. Yeah, but the gate... That train went to Garron Bay. I heard somebody say so. Oh, but then where do I get the Washington train? I'm sorry, but I've got to catch my own train. Ask that fellow over there. He'll put you right. Oh, thank you, sir. Thank you very much. Oh, dear. Do try to sleep, Mother. Are you awake, too? I wonder where the boys are now. You know, it's clear, but I keep thinking there was something I meant to tell Pinky. Well, there wasn't much time to tell them anything. I can't think what. Oh, yes, I know. It was about his friend, the one that telephoned. Oh. You know, I never thought of it again. Neither did I. Oh, well, it probably wasn't important. Wasn't that important, Mr. March? You could have broken my chain so easily if you'd stopped to think, but you didn't. Thank you, Mr. March. Thanks to you and the others who didn't stop to think, I know where the boys are. Golly, ship looks high when you're standing on the pier looking up. Yeah. Hope we get the same ship. So do I. Hey, soldiers, fall in. Oh, well, here we go. Maybe we'll get on the same transport. Oh, sure. But just in case. I guess we've never been separated before. No, I guess not. So long, Pinky. See you over there. Yeah. Long lines of soldiers marching along the pier. So long, Pinky. So long, Bill. Oh, I couldn't see you. They wouldn't have let me. I couldn't get within miles of you, but I know you were there. A lot of careless people were in between. See how it all adds up? Remember how it started? A boy on a train. All he said was, I'll stay there till my leave is up. That's not very long, either. Twelve hours. Well, gosh, if we're handed out gas masks, I figure we're to embark out and figure where to embark at. And a woman who sat behind them. All she said was, I sat behind two soldiers. They're being sent overseas tonight by their talk. Then there was a man waiting at a telephone booth. He didn't say much, just there are a couple of soldiers in there and I say, let's talk as long as they want to. They're going overseas tonight. Oh, yes. One link at a time. His friends call him Pinky. 218 Woolsey Avenue. He leaves about midnight. It's a big convoy. There's a troop train. It goes to Garren's Bay. Think of you two men getting on a ship tonight. On a ship tonight. On a ship tonight. Only one more link now. Only one more link. Mother, you're going to wear out that V letter from Pinky if you read it many more times. Oh, it's so good to know that he's safe and well. Sure is. He says he hopes to see Bill in a few days. Oh, I expect they've got together by now. Seems to have been a quiet trip. Well, except for the storm. Yeah. I wonder what this line was that the sensor blacked out. Please, ma'am. Yes, Annie, what is it? Mr. Stevenson's here. Stevenson? Bill's uncle. Why, he must have heard from Bill. Ask him to come right in, Annie. Yes, ma'am. Stevenson. I have not seen him for months. Hello. Hello. How are you, Stevenson? How do you do, Mr. Stevenson? How do you do? How are you, Mrs. March? Nothing wrong, I hope. Something is wrong. You've heard something. I just heard, you see, well, it seems there was a storm and the convoy got separated and before they could get together again, one of the transports was hit by a torpedo. It wasn't sunk, only just slightly damaged. And they got the submarine to fire the torpedo, too. They got another submarine later. The torpedo, there was some lives lost. Bill. I wanted to come here. We've got to tell Jane. May I come in? Annie said Bill's uncle was here. I was just writing to Bill and what is it? What's happened? Janey. Janey, dear, you must be my brave little girl. See how simple it all was? How easy? Yet these people could have stopped it. How lucky for me that they didn't. They were all nice people, too. Ordinary, everyday people. Not one of them would have told me anything if they'd known I was listening. Well, that chain is finished. But I wonder, let me see, can I find another chain beginning anywhere? I must listen to the man on the bus, the woman going shopping. I must listen to you. And you. And you. And you. And you. Thank you, Everett Sloan. Before Mr. Sloan returns to the microphone, we want to tell you a story of practical wartime thrift. Thrift with fun. The story begins at the very tip of Cape Cod in the quaint old village of Provincetown. For years, actors, writers, and artists have made it their summer playground. One of those artists is named Peter Hunt. Well, Peter Hunt owns a shop called the Peasant Village. There for years, he has taken old, outdated furniture, much of a just plain junk, and with a screwdriver and saw and a little paint, and his own keen sense of design and good humor, turned it into new furniture. Furniture that style-conscious homeowners are proud to have in their homes. A picture frame may become a coffee table. A battered bureau may become a charming chest for bedroom or hall. Doesn't matter if the piece is marred or ugly, some of the worst atrocities in your attic, that horrible hat rack, for instance, that looks like a charging water buffalo and used to scare little Johnny half out of his wits, some of the very ugliest pieces, painted according to Peter Hunt's suggestions, come out best of all. They find new charm in clean, brilliant full color or subtle pastels, decorated with leaves and flowers, carrying mottos and old-fashioned script or in your own handwriting. Decorators have found in Peter Hunt's gay, amusing furniture, a style reminiscent of the peasant furniture of Switzerland and Sweden. DuPont finds something truly American in it. Yankee thrift in the New England tradition, brought down to 1943. War year, when thrift means more war bonds, more tanks, more planes and guns. So a new 30-page DuPont booklet in color, largely by Peter Hunt, tells you how to transform outdated, cast-off furniture into sparkling, charming, colorful pieces that are in tune with modern times. How to bring the attic down into your living room and have fun doing it. When you read this booklet, you'll understand why people are calling this new hobby, Transformania. You'll get a real thrill out of creating new things from old. DuCo enamel is so easy to use that it's actually fun to paint. You may secure a copy of how to transform outdated furniture from your local DuCo dealer, or a copy will be sent for 10 cents in stamps. Address radio section, DuPont Company, Wilmington, Delaware. This is practical wartime thrift, thrift with fun, suggested by DuPont. DuPont, maker of better things for better living through chemistry. Now here is Everett Sloan, star of tonight's cavalcade, with an urgent request from our government. The government has asked us to call your attention to a serious situation. We are short nine million pounds a month of the kitchen fats and greases needed to keep fat reserves at a safe level. These reserves must be brought to the safety level at once, and there's only one person who can do the job, the American housewife. Remember, one pound of waste cooking fat makes enough glycerin to fire four 37 millimeter anti-aircraft shells, or to make three cellophane gas mask bags. Please start saving waste fat now. Just pour it into a clean can, store it in a cool place, and turn it into your meat dealer the minute the can is full. Start saving fats now. Turn them in promptly. Next week, the cavalcade of America will present Madeleine Carroll in Make Way for the Lady, a play based on the life of Mary Putnam Jacoby. Mary Putnam was born into a democracy and an age which denied women any hope of a career, any participation in the affairs of an exclusively masculine world. She did not live to see women active in the profession, speaking in the halls of congress, taking a vital part in the world of business and science, but she did much to bring this about. Be with us again next week when Cavalcade presents Madeleine Carroll in Make Way for the Lady. The orchestra and musical score tonight were under the direction of Don Burry's. This is Clayton Collier sending best wishes from Cavalcade sponsor, the DuPont Company of Wilmington, Delaware. Oh, Molly, am I frantic. Georgia's mother's arriving tomorrow and I did want to repaper the guest room before she came. That terrible dingy wallpaper. That's easy. Paint over it with speed easy. Oh, of course. That's the new DuPont paint. You thin with water and put right over wallpaper. Was there time? Loads. One coat of speed easy covers and dries in an hour and speed easy colors are lovely. This program came to you from New York. This is the National Broadcasting Company.
