...for better living through chemistry, presents the Cavalcade of America, starring Ray Milan. Applause Music Applause Music Music Good evening. Tonight I play the part of James McDaniel, a light-hearted soldier of fortune who founded his lady love in saving him from the firing squad that made him a candidate for the hangman's noose. And thereby hangs our tale. Music Music Music Music Music Music Music The time, 1744. It's late afternoon in the public square of Salem, New Jersey. The place is deserted, except for a man who stands with his neck, wrists, and ankles securely clamped in the confining embrace of an apparatus known as the Starks. He's quite alone. Dog barks Well, practically alone. Dog barks Get away from me. Go on, get away. James, oh James, I came as soon as I could. Dog barks Get that confounded dog away from me. Oh yes, James. Here you, scat. Go now, go home. Did you bring a pen and writing case as I asked you to? Yes, James. Oh my poor darling, those cruel Starks, your poor neck. No, now, now, Dorothy, please, no tears. You'll smudge your writing. My writing, yes. What do you want me to write for you, James? It was a letter to an important person. It is the commander in chief of the armies of His Majesty Louis XV of France. Oh, must it be in French? Well, let him puzzle out the English. It'll instruct you. Oh yes, James. You'll be with me until I set up this writing case. There, I brought an extra quill too. I'm ready, James. Good. My dear Marshal Sacks. My dear Marshal Sacks. The following is a true and full account. True and full account. Of my mission in America. Upon receipt of my orders from you and Colonel McDonald, aid to Prince Charles Stuart of the Chateau de Tounay, I boarded the Lager Victoire at Le Havre and set sail for Philadelphia, where I arrived in due course after a long and wretched voyage. I proceeded according to orders to the Admiral's Inn, a public house near the waterfront. Good morning, friend. Will you have ale or spirit? Ah, spirit, landlord. The voyage all the way from Europe takes it out of a man, you know. All the way from Europe? All the way from France. The roses were in bloom when I sailed. Huh? Oh, well, here you are, sir. Thank you. Help yourself. Thank you. Your pardon, sir. Yes? My name is Proctor. Did I overhear you say that you had just arrived from France? Yes. Yes, McDaniel is my name. Oh? You spoke of roses blooming when you sailed. How well I remember the roses around the Chateau Tournai, especially the white one. Oh, yes. It's blooming profusely this year. Where can we talk? Unarranged. Landlord. Aye, Colonel Proctor. I'm sorry, sir. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Aye, Colonel Proctor. This gentleman is weary from a long voyage. The noise here disturbs him. Would you be so good as to serve us in the back room? On a weekday, sir? Exactly. Here is half a crown that says we will not be disturbed. Oh, yes, sir. Yes, sir. Proceed and welcome. Come along, McDaniel. Sit down, McDaniel. Well, they tell me you were paid a pretty penny for this mission and promised a large estate besides, should you succeed. News travels fast, even in this remote corner of the world. Don't deceive yourself about this remote corner of the world, as you call it. You will find the Americans as alert and well-informed as any Europeans. Then weren't you a little rash to speak up so loud about white roses? They know well enough that the white rose is a symbol of the Stuart cause, but they do not know, not yet, how far we intend to carry that cause. Nor do I, Mr. Proctor. You don't? I know that an army is being raised in France under the banner of Bonnie Prince Charlie to invade England. Throw out George II and restore the throne to the House of Stuart. Of my mission, I know nothing as yet, except that I was sent here as a steward agent to receive instructions from you. Yes, well, that's sufficient. You are to proceed down the river to Salem, New Jersey. Now, this packet contains your identification papers. You are supposed to be a Professor Lathrop, a music master. Music master? Me? I know nothing about music. I was told that you knew how to play the clavichord. Yes, but not well enough to teach. That depends upon how well you impress your pupil. Oh, I have a pupil? Yes, Miss Dorothy LaCroix, the niece of one of Salem's leading citizens, Mr. Whistler. She's engaged to marry William Warrell, the King's advocate in Salem, and one of the leading enemies of our cause. Well, couldn't you have found a pupil a little less dangerous for me to teach? That's the whole reason for our choice. You are to establish yourself in the Whistler household and through your position as Miss LaCroix's tutor, find out how much Warrell knows about the Stuart movement in America and what he intends to do about it. I see. Tell me, is there a real Professor Lathrop? There is. We are holding him prisoner here in Philadelphia. You seem to have made everything quite easy for me. The least I could do, McDaniel, since if you're caught, you will either be shot for a spy or hanged for a traitor. What an exciting story for the men of my old regiment to tell, Proctor. James McDaniel? Oh, yes, yes, I knew him well. Spent his last days teaching the scales to Miss LaCroix. Dull young lady from Salem. As I was saying, Mr. Warrell, it will be such a comfort having dear Professor Lathrop here. It will keep Dorothy occupied. Yes, indeed, Madam, but can you not prevail upon your niece not to practice her scales with him when I come to call? That's for you to do, Mr. Warrell. You're her fiance. By God, Madam, I will. Excuse me. Professor. Oh, yes, Mr. Warrell. Miss LaCroix must be fatigued with so much practice. While she's resting, perhaps you would favor us with a selection upon the clavichord. Oh, pray do, Professor. Well, you see, I've been so long at sea, I'm afraid my fingers have become stiff. I'm rather out of practice. Well, surely you could favor us with some simple melody, Professor. Oh, something spirited. Spirited, Miss LaCroix? Oh, yes. Very well. Oh, I fear the instrument wants tuning. Then we're well matched, Miss LaCroix. Ah-ha, what a pretty tune. Has it any words? Oh, it has indeed. Shall I sing them for you? Oh, do, please do. I'm not a singer, you know. I sense that somehow. And your playing seems a bit stiff too, Professor. Or is that the salt water in your joints? I'm a teacher, not a virtuoso, Mr. Warrill. Pay him no mind, Professor. Go ahead and sing your ballad for me. Then with your indulgence, sir. Charlie is my darling, my darling, my darling. Charlie is my darling, the dashing cat. That's enough, I say. But Mr. Warrill, you're insufferably rude. Go on, Professor, I want to hear it. I will not permit you to listen to this treasonable music. Nonsense. How can music be treasonable? That music, as you call it, is a ballad written in honor of the traitor and pretender Charles Stewart. And it's sung by those who would overthrow his gracious majesty King George II and restore the Stewart's to the throne. Is that true, Professor? Yes, it is. Oh, then I think it's very tactless of you to sing it in Mr. Warrill's presence. Oh, well, in that case, I humbly beg Mr. Warrill's pardon. I only meant it as a joke. A joke, sir? The Stewart cause is regarded as very much a joke in England, Mr. Warrill. In musical circles, at least. I know nothing of musical circles. I'm sworn to the service of his majesty King George II and to the destruction of his enemies in his colony. Then you're sworn to destroy me, too. I forbid you to talk such nonsense, Dorothy. By Mr. Warrill, you've called me by my given name and we've been engaged only six months. How very dashing. I think it's time we set the date for our wedding, Dorothy. I'll write to your uncle tomorrow. As you wish, William. And I will also inform him that his music master is a frivolous prankster, not to be trusted with the education of his niece. I bid you good night. Mrs. Wister, I take my leave. Yes, Mr. Warrill. I'll see you to the door. Now see what you've done, Professor. I'm sorry. I'm not. He's become entirely too serious of late, especially about the Stewart nonsense. What did you mean when you said he was sworn to destroy you, too? I'm not a Stewart partisan. Not for George II either. I'm for independence. Independence? What's that? An independent America. No kings, no foreign rule. It's a very strong movement here. What are your colors, Professor? My banner is gold, Mr. Croy. The color of money. Oh, I don't believe it. It's true. If I were not a music master, I'd imagine I'd be a soldier of fortune. You've come to the right place for that. America has need for adventurous men. But perhaps you are disappointed in America? Miss LeCroy, I... Oh, please. It has taken William Warrill six months to call me by my given name. Surely a soldier of fortune like yourself requires no more than six hours? Warrill is right, Dorothy. I am frivolous. I'm not much of a musician either. I doubt if I can teach you anything. Then I will teach you. But must I go on calling you Professor? Well, my name is James. James. James, I like it. Yes, James, I will teach you. And what will you teach me, Dorothy? About an America you never heard of. A really new world, a free world, a joyous world. Have you thought of such a world? Never. But if that's what you've been trying to tell me this evening with your wide, wonderful eyes and your warm voice... No, please. Then I want to learn more of it from your lips. You misunderstand me. From your own lips, Dorothy. Look. Oh. Yes. Yes, James. You shall. You are listening to the Cavalcade of America starring Ray Milan as James McDaniel. And now back to our story starring Ray Milan as James McDaniel. I had successfully carried out the first part of my assignment as per Colonel Proctor's orders. I was securely established in the Whistler household in Salem as Mr. Croy's music master. Then I received a message from Colonel Proctor saying that he'd arrived in Salem and urgently wished an interview with me. Our meeting place was, appropriately enough, for semaphore. Where I went in the dead of night and took up my vigil upon the tombstone of a convicted traitor and awaited the Colonel's arrival. Who's that? That you, Colonel? If you were expecting Warrell with the King's soldiers to arrest you, it's no thanks to you, it wasn't. How are you, Colonel? I've been in Salem all afternoon collecting gossip. They say that you've been making love to Warrell's fiancee and he's looking for any excuse to arrest you. Yes, so I have. What of it? What of it, indeed? If Miss McCroy breaks off her engagement with Warrell, she's of no further use to us. I'm supposed to be a music master, not an arranger of marriage. You were supposed to be a steward agent, not a lady killer. Our whole cause in America may collapse while you are flivering your time away with a pretty thing in skirts. You ordered me to find out how much Warrell knows of your plans. I found out he knows nothing. Are you certain? Absolutely. Then we will proceed within the week. Proceed? To what? To action, man. Did you think you were so handsomely paid merely to dally over a clavichord with a pretty girl? Well, I should have known there was a catch somewhere. You are to lead a force of 300 men in an armed uprising against the courthouse in Salem and seize it. If Warrell suspects nothing, it'll be but poorly defended. Well, that much is simple, but what does one do with a courthouse once one has it? You have to hold on to it until shot by the king's soldiers, hanged by the king's advocate, or relieved by a band of our partisans from Philadelphia. But whatever for? For the House of Stuart, for Bonnie Prince Charlie. What on earth does Charlie want with the Salem courthouse? This is only one of hundreds of uprisings being planned to divert troops from England. Use your head, man. The Stuarts do not have sufficient forces in France to invade England with things as they are. Supposing King George sends troops here to restore order. Won't that be rather hard on, well, these colonists? You're working for the Stuart cause, McDaniel, not for the colonists. I thought I was working for money. It seems to me you take a very light view of all this. Well, why shouldn't I? If I'm shot, if I do, and hanged, if I don't? Well, very well. What do I do next? I'll get a message to you when it's time. In the meantime, you'll go back to instructing Miss LaCroix upon the clavichord. And keep your mind on your music. One and two and three and four. Don't slump over the keyboard, Mr. Croix. When you go up to where it stays, you'll probably impale yourself on a whalebone. Indeed, Professor. And one and two and three and four. Pray moderate your pressure upon the keys. Oh, Bob of the lesson, James. Let's go for a walk. But Dorothy, we've been on this one piece for over a week. Your aunt is beginning to get suspicious. Well, I'll reflect it tomorrow, I promise. After all, I mustn't learn too fast or there'll be no reason for you to remain here. Dorothy. Yes, King? There's something I must tell you. I shall be leaving anyway before long. Oh, but you can. I must. Oh, is it because I haven't yet told William Warrell that it's you I care for and not him? Oh, no, no, Dorothy. I... Well, I wouldn't want you to do anything in haste. That answer, Friar, says I positively must wade into my uncle's returns from England. But I will disobey her if you say so. No, you mustn't do that. I mean... Well, Warrell is a solid, responsible man, and I'm sure he'd make a better husband for you than I would. Oh, you don't really believe that, James? Well, I... No, Dorothy, I don't. If all goes as I hope it will, I will return to you a rich man. At least I'll have a ground of land and a little money. But I have no right to ask you to gamble on that. It's a long, long gamble. But I'll have enough for both of us. My uncle is very well off, and I am his sole heir. You are? Of course. Well, tell me about your uncle. Oh, you'll adore him. And how is his health? James, what are you driving at? Well, I have to know what our prospects are. I can't marry you with none at all. Well, what is this long, long gamble you speak of that'll send you back to me rich? I can't tell you that. Why not? Well, just say I'm superstitious. Oh. Do you love me, James? You know I do. Then I'll trust you and wait for you. You will trust me. Is there any reason why I shouldn't? Dorothy, I'm not the person you think I am. I must tell you that... Yes, James. I've been waiting for you to tell me. Dorothy! Dorothy, where are you? In here, I'm supine in the music room. Oh, here you are, my dear. Dorothy, there's a gentleman at the door. He says his name is Professor Lathrop. Oh, that's what I wanted to tell you, Dorothy. But he can't be Professor Lathrop. You're Professor Lathrop, aren't you? Isn't he, Dorothy? Why, what? Oh, that must be your cousin that you told me so much about, James. Which cousin? The professor of violin music. Of course. Send him in on the file. I'm anxious to meet him. Very well. I'll order tea first. He seems very upset. Dorothy, I... Thank you. I... You know I... All I want to know is were you telling the truth just now when you said you loved me? As God is my witness, it was the truth. Then go quickly after the other door, and God bless you. I'll do what I can for you. I'm sorry, Dorothy. There's no time for that. Kiss me quickly and go. Goodbye, darling. Goodbye. Goodbye, my love. Yes? Miss McCroy? I'm Miss McCroy. Come in, Professor Lathrop. I'm sorry to be so long delayed, Miss McCroy, but I was abducted and held prisoner by a band of plotters in Philadelphia. They wanted my papers for a spy they were sending here to Salem. A man named James McDaniel. James... the spy? Then you've met the scoundrel? Yes. Yes, he's been here. Then there's no time to lose. I overheard the whole plot and only just escaped with my life. Plot? What plot? They plan an armed uprising here in Salem. An armed uprising? Exactly. This McDaniel, he's a fanatic. He'll stop at nothing. Don't worry, Professor. We'll have this... this James McDaniel safely in jail before nightfall. Before... before he can do anything. A visitor for you, McDaniel. Visitor? Who is it? It is I, James. You've already put a rope around my neck. Have you come to tighten the noose? James, you must believe me. I had William Morell arrest you to save your life. I couldn't let you throw it away like that on a hopeless course. Shot for a rebel or hanged for a traitor. You draw fine lines. James, please listen to me. There's still hope. Hope? What hope? I've brought these papers, James. I want you to sign them. What are these? The bans for our marriage. What? If they're published today, we can be married before you go to trial. Are you marrying me to save my neck or to ease your conscience? James, my darling, I implore you. There's wisdom in this plan of mine. William says they cannot convict you without my testimony. A wife cannot be made to bear witness against her husband. No. No, I couldn't. To be dishonest. But... you would rather be hanged than marry me? Under the circumstances, yes. Then you are a fool, James McDaniel. And I hope they do hang you. The court has heard the testimony and evidence in the case against the accused, James McDaniel. Indicted and charged with the crimes of espionage, imposture and high treason. Before the court proceeds with the charge to the jury, has the accused any testimony to offer on his own behalf? I have, Your Honor. Step forward, James McDaniel. My Lord, gentlemen of the jury, all the testimony you've heard against me is true. But I am not guilty of treason. I didn't care a hang which king sat upon the throne of England, and I still don't. I had always looked upon America as a faraway howling wilderness of little importance in the destinies of nations or of the world. I learned too late how mistaken I was. I know now that the only rebellion worth any man's life in this land is rebellion against all tyranny and all foreign rule. Rebellion not to unseat one king for another, but for America. For the freedom of the people to build a great free nation on this continent. That rebellion will come one day, and God willing, I'll live to help fight it. But I say there is no treason possible in America, except treason against America itself. And of that, I am not guilty. Oh, gentlemen of the jury, the comments of the accused notwithstanding, the court holds that advocate for the crown failed to establish treasonable intent and orders you to find a verdict only on the charge of impersonation, punishable by exposure in the public stocks for a period not to exceed 48 hours. And so, your excellency, under the circumstances, I am sure you will agree that I am of no further use as an agent for your cause, and so herewith tender my resignation. However, for services rendered, I respectfully submit an account in the amount of 300 pounds, 10 shillings, and sixpence. I will appreciate prompt payment as I'm about to be married. And though my fiancé has great expectations, her uncle appears to be in excellent health. But James. Yes, dear? You've just proposed to me. Not at all. You proposed to me the night you had me arrested, and I said yes, remember? But you refused me afterwards, besides your prospects then. We have this whole wonderful land and a prospect of freedom. What more do you want? Oh, I wanted to be mourning so we can go home. Poor James. Are you wretched in these cruel stocks? Yes, I certainly am. But there's no reason for the two of us to be wretched. Let's finish this letter so that you can go home and get some sleep. Oh, no, no, no, I couldn't sleep. With you out here alone and so miserable. I'll sit by you and keep you company. Won't you be cold? Not with this heavy cloak. I'll sit right here so you can rest your head on my shoulders. Hmm. Well, James, how will you finish your letter? Your obedient servant, James McDaniel. Tonight's play, The Greatest Risk, was written by Robert Tallman from an original story by Joseph Sickler and was based on a document in a record office in Salem, New Jersey. Charlotte Manson was featured as Dorothy. Ray Milan appears as the courtesy of Paramount Pictures, whose latest production is The Eras, starring Olivia de Havilland, Montgomery Clift, and Ralph Richardson. The program was directed by John Zoller. Music was composed by Arden Cornwell, conducted by Donald Borees. This is Ted Pearson speaking. Gavilcade of America comes to you from the stage of the Belasco Theatre in New York and is presented by the DuPont Company of Wilmington, Delaware, makers of better things for better living through chemistry. Stay tuned for the Baby Snook Show on NBC.
