Are you willing to undertake a dangerous mission behind the enemy lines, knowing you may never return alive? What you have just heard is the question asked during the war to agents of the OSS, ordinary citizens who to this question answered, yes. This is Cloak and Dagger. Black warfare, espionage international intrigue, these are the weapons of the OSS. Today's story, the roof of the world, concerning two American agents who travel into the far off and mysterious land of Tibet on a secret pilgrimage, is suggested by actual incidents recorded in the Washington files of the Office of Strategic Services. A story that can now be told. It came out of the darkness, a monster over 15 feet high. None of us had a word for a minute, we just stared at it. The tusks, look at the length of them. The tusks of this monster must have been at least 12 feet long, and I knew myself that if I hadn't seen it, stood right in front of it, I wouldn't have believed it actually existed either. But I saw it, there was definite proof. It did live, once. Okay, okay lights, put on the lights please. All right now, quiet please, quiet. What you have just seen is the last of our afternoon slides here in the Museum of Natural History on prehistoric animals. This last mammoth was a species of a true elephant, which was found in Tibet during and before the Ice Age. Now, are there any questions? Yeah, how do you get out of here? If you'll all follow the guide, he'll take you into the next room where you can actually see the skeletons of these monsters, which paleontologists have reconstructed from fossils and actual bones discovered in the earth. Philip, oh Phil. Oh, hello Esther, you here for the whole lecture? No, just the last part of it, but you were sensational. Flattery will get you nowhere. What's that? Oh, telegram, here, just came to the office. Thanks. It's not for me, it's for us. Oh, who's it from? Washington, the Office of Strategic Services wants to see us. Office of Strate... Now why in the world do they want us? There's one way to find out. Mr. and Mrs. Malden, we know your reputation as geologists and explorers. We know you've traveled the Far East together several times. That's true, Colonel. Now, at this stage of the war, Germany is pushing eastward across Africa to Suez, and Japan is thrusting westward across China into India. If the Axis partners meet, their junction will be Central Asia, and dominating that meeting point will be Tibet. What do you want us to do, Colonel? We want volunteers to make a pilgrimage to the Dalai Lama, High Priest of Tibet. It'll be a goodwill mission to get them on our side. It involves a great deal of danger. Yes, yes, we know. Esther? Well, as long as you're sure that mammoth elephant disappeared from there centuries ago, I'm willing. A few weeks later, we were flown to India where we were given a car. Then the tour was started out across the border to a village called Gyuktsam at the foot of the Himalaya Mountains. Once there, we were to pick up pack animals and a guide and start our journey to the holy city. These roads couldn't have been any narrower or any rockier. Well, they weren't designed for modern travel. You can say that again. Phil, are you worried about something? I'm worried about a lot of things. For instance? For instance, this is the worst possible time of the year to be traveling up that mountain. It's almost spring up there, and the thaw is setting in. It's going to loosen the snow and ice all along the way. Well, we'll just have to be more careful, that's all. Oh, Phil, look, round the bend of the road. That's the village, isn't it? That's it. That's it. Wait a minute, Phil. Slow down. Look. Good Lord. I should have said, it was a village. Burn to the ground. The old man who sat wailing and moaning, cross-legged on the ground, was the only one left alive in that village. Bandy tribe come from mountains, steal, kill, set fire to village. How is it they spared you? I am praised sent from Dalai Rama to this village many years past. If they kill Hoary man, great plague and pestilence will be upon them. Well, tell me, where did you learn to speak English? In Hoary city, was taught. Well, what do we do now, Phil? We can't leave him here alone. We'll take him with us and drive until we find another village. Oh, no, no. I take you. What's that? Sing to we'll be guide to Hoary city. Here, all is lost. Go back to Dalai Rama. What about pack animals? A village of Chanda not far away. We'll go there first. Chanda was about 10 miles away down the road. It was small with only a few huts made of sun-dried bricks. Phil was afraid of the spring thaw that was setting in more every day. So we made arrangements with the native chief to start almost immediately. What do you say, Sing to? He's killing wild donkeys as good pack animals as other white men has. What's he talking about? What other white men? Ask him. A stranger live here two days ago on the way also to Hoary city of Rasa. Wear batch with crooked cross. Nazis. We're in a race, Esther. We've got to reach Lhasa before they do. That was the first we knew that the Germans were ahead of us, going in the same direction on the same mission. Philip was right. It was going to be a race for time. Esther, come on. This is no time to pick flowers. Look at this dwarf rodent, Danron, Phil. And up ahead it's like a carpet of blue irises. There'll be plenty of foliage until we cross the timber line. Then it'll just be cold. And traveling on snow is going to be a lot tougher. Well, I'm not looking forward to the temperature dropping a hundred degrees in 20 miles. Uh-oh. Watch it. Did you hurt yourself? No, I just tripped. I guess I must be getting tired. Is it Sing to? Yes, Miss Harris. Yes. How soon will we be able to camp? Cold Springs, less than half mired ahead. We'll camp there for night. When we reached the Springs, I started dinner out of K-rations, which kept our packs light. And by the time I was through, the tent had mushroomed up, and Phil and Sing too were inside, straightening the pole and fixing the blankets for the night. How about food, Esther? Soup's on. Very ze bo. Mala. I looked up from the fire to find an unpleasant surprise. Six unpleasant surprises, cowering rifles and forming a ring of muddy boots all around me. Who are you men? What do you want? Lala. Lala. Phil! Sing to! Where'd they come from? I don't know. They're just here, that's all. We are. We are, Sing to. These are some of nomad bandits who raid my village. What do they want? They say they take surprise, everything, guns to... Lead a shoot-off gun to show you here mean what he say. Phil, without our supplies and guns, we'll have to turn back. Providing they let us turn back. Why am I? They hold you hostage. Send me holy man back to get ransom. Oh, Phil. Hold on, hold on. Don't let them know you're afraid of them. We stood there while they gathered our supplies out of the tent and threw them in the heat by the fire. Sing to knew he wouldn't be harmed because he was a holy man. But Phil and I had no idea what was ahead for us. Get your hands off me, you baboon. Oh, Phil. Leave her alone, you understand? Sing to. Tell them we'll come quietly. To up. Body. I said get your filthy hands off me. The machine gun that riddled the bandit leader came from the direction of the brush. And the six of them went down one after another. Then there was silence. And we looked up to see our two saviors walking out of the brush in German uniform. I'm delighted we were able to be of assistance, Americans. I am Commandant Courtfarb of the German Army. This is Lieutenant Ernst Kessler. Right me. Thank you for saving our lives. I'm, I'm Esther Malden. And this is my husband, Philip. Oh, and our guards sing too. You do not seem too surprised to see us here. We're not. Just surprised you're not two days ahead of us the way we thought you were. Then you knew about us? Well. They told us in the village. They also told us you were headed for the Holy City. They talk too much, those native idiots. They can't make us mouth-water. Trash their hands. And you, are you also going there? No. Oh, I mean, we're, we're geologists. We're just on an exploring expedition. Come, come. Is it quite nice to lie to you, then, in fact, this we have just saved your lives? I don't get that. Why did you? Well, we saw the American flag sewn on your clothing. That told us immediately who you were, where you were going. We, as you already know, we are also headed for Lhasa to the Dalai Lama. But our guide was killed. The snow loosened under him as we turned the ledge and he fell. So you are going back for a guide? Exactly. But that is some distance away. Time is slipping by. You have the guide. You will lead us. Oh, no, we won't. And neither will sing, too. Will you sing, too? Where do only us friend Americans tell me? Beflug der Hunde! Ah, Ants, you get too excited over nothing. Now, remember, Herr Morden, Frau Morden, you have the guide. We have your supplies and your weapons. Let us pool our resources. Go together. If you think that at the point of our own guns you're going to make us lead you to Lhasa, you're crazy. Look, you are scientists. I appeal to your logical minds. Is it not safer that since we are traveling the same direction, we travel together? Once we reach the Dalai Lama, that each of us present the case of his country to him. If you'll forgive me for repeating, Herr Commandant, we're not going to be pushed along with guns in our backs. Nine, nine. Who said you would be? Here. Why, Phil, he's giving us back our pistols. You see? We trust strangers, gentlemen? No, not yet. It's all right. Go ahead, open them. Yeah, open the gun if you like. Go ahead, spin the drum. See the cartridges in the chamber. Yes, as I see them. Return your guns, loaded as they were. Now shall we forget the war for a while and travel on together. Okay, let's try it. Oh, we're lagging behind them, Phil. Shouldn't we catch up to them? We will. I want to talk to you. I'm cold. Our temperature went down so fast, once we crossed the timber line, I could almost hear it drop. What do you think of this situation? With our friends? I don't know what to think. Do you trust them? Of course I don't. Whether they gave us back our guns or not, they're still going to look for a chance to double-cross us before we reach the Holy City. What are we going to do, Phil? Just keep an eye out. There's no way to double-cross them first. French, French, Clear Brook, you hear? Good water to drink. Come. Come, my friends. You hear what he says? Wobe. That would taste better than the whiskey in your flask, eh, Ernst? We're coming. We caught up with them, and as we leaned over to fill our canteens from the small Clear Brook, there was a sudden rumbling. The water's turned muddy suddenly. Yeah, it's covered with a dirty foam. Lassing, too. It's raining. What's he talking about? It is not raining. It is in the high regions. That's what turned the water. But so suddenly. It happens like that. Races along under the ground, pushing the mud with it. It's really beginning to fall, isn't it? Yes. That's what I was afraid of. What is there to be afraid of? Answer me. As the snow starts to melt, it'll start to fall. So just watch your step. Ernst, is it not good to have three such good guides? We are indeed fortunate, Wuss. Come, Morebrook. A long way we walk. Walk? Why do you think we have these animals? Keung can be turned loose here. We'll get more and more snow. It's best to climb by foot. Yes. Singto's right. Besides, the animals won't find any place to graze. It's been getting pretty sparse for miles. Where will they go? They are wild. We'll find our own way. Heda! Heda! The packs were heavy, and we were too tired the next two days to do much talking. We just watched each other. The jagged paths under us were getting more and more slippery. And below the cliff we could see a sheer drop of hundreds of feet to the glacier. Above us were the snow peaks, and somewhere beyond the holy city of Lhasa, towards which small birds of dull brown, gray, and black seemed to point. And then, the third night after the strange pact had been made between our two enemy camps, it happened. Esther, where are you going? Oh, to the brook around the bend, Phil. I want to get some water. You take care of the rest. If you pitch the tent, Hermorden, I'll fix the fire. Oh, by the way, man, help. There it is. I knew I'd seen a brook. It ain't just a little, big hole in the ice. Hermorden, let me carry that back for you. Lieutenant Kessler, what are you doing here? You can see you don't want to be friendly. What a pity. I'll be friendly enough to give you some good advice. Save that liquor until you really need it. And stop guzzling it if you intend to keep up on this hike. This is no Boy Scout picnic. I'm touched by your concern for me. Don't flatter yourself. What are you doing back here anyway? You really wish to know. I followed you. I knew you were coming to the brook, so I went around the other way. You what? You don't like me. You'd like me very much if you got to know me. No, thanks. Now please, get out of my way and never go back. But, Kleiner, we may not have another chance to be together alone. You're very attractive, even in those heavy clothes. I know, very attractive. Besides, I'm the only woman for miles. Now get out of my way. I would like to see you in a white gown, with diamond clips at your shoulders. Have you got nice shoulders, Frau Morden? Don't try to pull away from me. Stop it, you stupid fool. You big, dumb, dorky Nazi pig. You watch your tongue, you old cashing fool. Hussmann, cut it out if you do not. Stop yelling, I say. Stop it. Bill! Bill! Get away, Tesla. Get away. Leave her alone. And if I don't, give me back my gun, I'll use it. You have your gun? You would not dare shoot me. Go on, try it. Use your gun. Ernst, that is enough. You know, strong enough. You're a bit too stupid. Do you want him to use his gun on you? Think, Ernst, do you want him to use this gun? He will. I can tell he will. No, no. I give this lady your apologies. I order you. My apologies, Frau Morden. You both have my word an incident like this will not occur again. Shall we eat and make camp for the night now? All the next day, Bill and Sink Two kept me between them as we climbed. I wondered how soon we'd see the Holy City, and when all this would come to a head. Look! When Sink Two yelled, we turned around and looked in the direction from which we'd just come. A huge ice pillar swayed for a moment, and then... It landed on the path we had come from less than two hours before. Well, this is what we can expect from now on, now that the Thor's set in. Oh, well, I'll expect it, but I won't look forward to it. Oh, Bill, am I mistaken, or are the days getting longer? Sleeping? You know, it was nice of them to let you and Sink Two and me have this cave to ourselves. Well, considering that it's too small to hold more than three of us, it wasn't so magnanimous. Still, they could have tried to grab it for themselves. Farber seems to be trying to make amends for the way his pal acted the other day. I wonder what their game is. Yes, I'd like to know too. Sink Two! Yes? You wish to know how soon we reach Holy City? He may not talk much, but he's a pretty good mind reader. That's Sink Two. How long? Expect to see gates in distance perhaps tomorrow. Tomorrow? Oh, that's wonderful! Is it? Well, isn't it? It means time's run out, Esther. If they're going to pull anything, they're going to pull it now. The Germans were camped under a ledge which protected them from the wind about 50 feet from us across a narrow crevasse. In spite of all the things that had happened before or might be going to happen ahead, it was strangely peaceful up there. In the west, a fan of pink rays from the sun shot up from behind the snow range, and overhead a few bright stars twinkled. Presently, the fan flickered and disappeared. And then, in the glow of the full moon, I saw what looked like a long procession of ghosts in the distance, but were actually cascades of snow melting and falling hundreds of feet, leaping from ledge to ledge. In the morning, the air was crystal clear, and we saw it. The Holy City. Esther, do you see it? I expect it only to return again when I die. Oh, it's beautiful. How long will it take us to reach it? You will not reach it at all, my friends. Don't start something you can't finish, Herr Commandant. Phil. Get back, get behind me, back in the cave. You should have been more friendly to me, Frau Morlach. Perhaps I would have taken you with us. Well, go on, draw your gun, shoot us. What's the big joke? Do you think we would have been fools enough to give you loaded guns? But I saw them. I broke open the gun and saw the cartridges. Did you take one out and examine it? Why don't you do it now? Phil, look, I opened mine. It's a... it's a blank cartridge. Now surely, Frau Morden, you understand why I took care not to let your husband become too excited, and I am still trying to be friendly. I didn't want to take a chance of your finding out too soon. We shall give your regards to the Dalai Lama. Go on, shoot us, go on. Kill us with your blank guns, if you can. That's not a bad idea. Esther. Elf, look out. Back in the cave, quick. Phil took them at their word and actually killed them with his blank gun. The shots vibrated enough to loosen the heavily piled snow, break the crust at the rim of the ledge and start the slide that avalched down the churros. It threw them over the side and buried them somewhere on the cliffs below us, under rock, ice and snow. Gone. They are gone. The Thor worked for us, didn't it? Yes. Come on, Sinkto. You lead. We'll follow. We could see the holy city, but it was still 25 miles away. It was two days' travel of an almost vertical descent into the valley, and we arrived at dusk at the magnificent red and white palace that overlooked the city. It was a week before we saw the Dalai Lama. Our entrance into his presence was conducted with the utmost ceremony. Tall, grim-faced monks lined the hole, their six-foot-four-inch frames made even more massive by layers of stiff gold brocade. The walls were carved with strange images and Tibetan inscriptions. Then the gong struck again. We were ushered into the throne room. Esther, look. Quiet. Must not talk. Come, Dalai Lama. We'll see you now. We walked on thick rugs that were brilliant in color and depicted the waves of the sea, clouds and emblems of happiness. Then we saw a throne of yellow satin at the end of the great room, and on it, robed in burgundy and gold satin, with a crown on his head and a table of jewels beside him, sat the Dalai Lama, a boy of six. Come closer. Come. I will throw this silk longevity scarf over your heads to welcome you. We thank you for your welcome, Your Serenity. We bring you gifts from our leader. I accept your gifts with great thanks. How is your president? He is well, thank you. Bring the gifts to me. Let me see. They gave him the gifts, and he looked at each one carefully. After a while, servants began to pass bowls of rice and glasses of black tea. I noticed that a special taster took a sip of the lama's tea before it touched his sacred lips. Mr. and Mrs. Malden? Yes, Your Serenity. Throw a pinch of rice over your shoulder. It will bring good luck. Your Serenity, we've come to talk about peace and friendliness between our two countries. There is no need to talk. Come here. I tie three knots in your scarf. There. What's that? St. John? Miss only interview attendant. But we've accomplished nothing. His Serenity has tied three knots in Americans' longevity scarf. He has blessed them. Our countries will be friends. The success of the mission of these two OSS geologists helped to lay the foundations of friendship between Tibet and the United States and to forestall any possibility of Tibet's cooperation with our Axis enemies. Thus, once again, the report of another agent ends with the words... Mission accomplished. Listen again next week for another true adventure from the files of the OSS on... Cloak and Dagger. Heard in today's Cloak and Dagger adventure as Esther was Louise Barclay, Philip, Grant Richards, the Monk, Raymond Edward Johnson, Farber, Stefan Schnabel, Kessler Barry Kroeger. Others were Janice Gilbert, Carl Weber, Ralph Bell, and Jerry Jarrett. The script was written by Winifred Wolf and Jack Gordon. The music was under the direction of John Garth. Sound effects by Chet Hill and Dick Gillespie. Today's true OSS adventure was based on the book Cloak and Dagger by Corey Ford and Alistair McBain. This program was produced by Louis G. Cowan and Alfred Hollander under the direction and supervision of Sherman Marks. Programs. Get your programs here. Mystery in action tonight on NBC. Hear how you may win a cash prize as an armchair detective on $1,000 reward. Listen to the adventures of the suave crime fighter, The Saint, played by screen favorite Vincent Price, and follow another exciting caper with the greatest private eye of them all, hard-boiled Sam Spade. Now stay tuned for high adventure and the big guy on NBC.
