One week from tonight, October 5th, You Bet Your Life, starring Groucho Marx, will be heard at this time over most of these same CBS stations. We offer you Escape, starring Van Heflin. Escape, designed to free you from the four walls of today for a half hour of high adventure. You are trapped in the dank darkness of a ruined plantation house. Somewhere in the pitch black room is a homicidal maniac armed with a knife, groping for you, trying to prevent your escape. Tonight, with Van Heflin as John Wolfock, we escape to a deserted sand pit off the coast of Georgia, where terror stalks under the Spanish moss, as Joseph Hergesheimer tells it in Wild Oranges. What could have appeared more innocent of danger than that barren low-lying shore of southern Georgia? What could have seemed less laden with terror than that lovely little cove, so tranquil and well sheltered, so warmly bathed in late afternoon sun as we dropped the anchor of our catch and prepared our mooring? And yet there was something. First it was an aroma, a grove of wild orange trees in late bloom grew defiantly amid the tangled undergrowth of the shore. The scent was strong and exotic and heady. And as I smelled it I felt a vague uneasiness. Then as I watched the shore and halved my sailor and furl the sails, the mirror of the cove was shattered by a movement. At first I thought it was a fish leaping and playing in the water, came round a spit of land from an inner bay, and then halved was beside me. That's queer, sir. I would have bet there was nobody within miles of here, but that's someone swimming. Yes, that's a girl. Aye, sir, she'll be surprised when she discovers us, no doubt. And embarrassed. She swims well, doesn't she? Yes, sir. She had been born in the water. Ah, she's seen us. Yes, yes, now she's running away. That's Brentwood winning an Olympic race, huh? Yes, sir. I wonder what she's doing here, where she comes from. Perhaps there, sir. Where? Through the trees, there's a house there, you can hardly see it, I spotted it a moment ago. Yes, yes, there is. But it's a ruin, it's rotting away, no one could have lived in that since the Civil War. There may be others back there, sir. I know, but this is a deserted coast, it's marked as a swamp on the chart. I don't know, sir. This is strange. It's very strange. Yes, it was strange, and stranger still was this vague uneasiness that I felt. As twilight fell, the aroma of the wild oranges was overwhelming. And suddenly, without knowing why, I slipped on my jacket and went to the side and dropped into the tender. Halbert stood by to cast off. He asked no questions and I said nothing. What could I say? I didn't know myself why I was going. I pulled the tender up on the soft sand of the beach and walked up a dim path through the orange grove. Around the side of the house, where a smaller portico held off the weeds, a single doorway was framed in the pale light of the inner lamp. As I approached, I saw a shadow flit across it so swiftly, so furtively, that it was gone before I realized it had been a man. And then I saw her sitting on the portico, rocking softly in her chair. What do you want? Oh, nothing. I came ashore. I thought no one was living here. You're from the white boat that sailed in its sunset? Yes, and I'm returning immediately. It was like magic. Suddenly, without a sound, you were anchored in the bay. I've robbed you too. I picked a couple of your oranges. You won't like them. They've run wild. We can't sell them. They have a distinct flavor. I should be very glad to have some of them on the boat. All you want. Well, my man will get them and pay you. Please don't. Nicholas attends to that. Won't you sit down? My father was here when you came up, but he went in. Strangers disturbing. I should be getting back. I'm sorry to have disturbed you and your father. No, it's nothing. Well, good night then. Good night. That was all a fragment of commonplace conversation, but it was enough. Now the uneasiness I felt, the strangeness of this place took shape for me. I saw it in her lovely, fragile face. I heard it in her voice. There had been a hidden terror, a terrible controlled fright that approached hysteria. When I got back to the boat, Halvard made it even worse. Find anything, sir? There are people living there. Well, there'll be water then. Maybe we can stay here for a couple of days. What do you mean? This is good anchorage. I'd like to un-ship the propeller and there's some scraping to do. Yes, I suppose you're right. We need a couple of days of work before we head into the open sea. Yes, sir. And so we stayed. In the light of morning, the strange dread I'd felt seemed foolish, and especially when I went ashore and found the girl looking young and fresh and fragile. She was fishing off a little pier in the inner bay. She had a pathetic little rod and reel, and so I got our tackle from the boat and landed a big rockfish for, enough for several dinners. We were carrying the fish to the house and we came on a pale, thin ghost of a man. He's sitting on the portico. He started a swift retreat, but it was too late. Father, wait. This is my father, Lichfield Stoke. Oh, how do you do, sir? Mary, you know I... My strangers. Father, you know I wouldn't bring anyone to the house who would hurt us. And see, we're fetching you a splendid rockfish. Yes, just so we are alone here, the man is away. My daughter and I, the fish, is acceptable. If you'll carry it in for me, Nicholas would do it, but he's away and father isn't strong. This way. We have no ice. I must put it in water. In here, right there. Thank you. You've been very nice. Now, I suppose, you'll go on across the world? Not tonight. We're staying here making repairs. Where do you come from? Where are you going? From Cape Cod. I'm going to South America. South America. I travel on maps. I was born here in this house. I've never been 50 miles away. You seem like a girl who's been everywhere, everywhere in the world. You had the best education, everything. My father has many books in there, that's all. Your eyes are remarkable, magnetic. There's something else in your eyes and in your voice. What is it? Fear? Fear? Why, no, of course not. What should I be afraid of? I don't know, but I saw it in your father's face, too. It's only your imagination. Yes, no doubt. Well, goodbye then, and thank you for the fishing. Strange how this girl would upset me so. I tried to resist, but that evening I found myself going back to her, tying the tender to the little pier. I watched her as she came to meet me. I'm glad you came. Let's stay here by the sea. It's so lovely in the moonlight. Oh, it is nice here, isn't it? Nicholas is back. Nicholas? He's our man. I lied to you today about fear. I suppose I am afraid. I suppose my father's passed some of his fear on to me. And why is he afraid? Well, it's a long story, going back to the first war. He was a young man then, and he didn't go to war. It wasn't that he was a coward exactly. He just couldn't adjust to it mentally. People laughed at him and threatened him. That's when sort of perpetual fear started. He ran away, met my mother and married, and they came here. None of us has ever left this lonely place. Never will, perhaps. And your mother? She's dead. Loneliness killed her. Perhaps it's no wonder that I sound timid and afraid. Perhaps I am. Aren't you lonely, too? I don't know anything else. But what about you? Who are you that you go sailing about the world with only a sailor for company? No, I'm nobody. My name is John Wilfook. And you do nothing but sail about the world? Nothing, nothing. Why? Oh, well, let's say that I don't like modern society. Let's say that I don't like entanglements. I see. Oh, no, no, I didn't mean that... Oh, you mean apologize. I envy you your freedom. I sit here a great deal and watch the ships far out there on their water roads. You are enviable, sailing where you like, safe and free. Safe, free. There's something more than you've told me. There's more behind this fear in your voice. No. Look, look, perhaps I can help if you... No, no, please. What's that? It's Nicholas blowing on the conch. I've got to go in. Wait a minute. I'll come with you. No, no, please, no, no, don't come. You... You'll be going soon? Tomorrow, perhaps. Then... Goodbye. Goodbye. Now I knew the terror that I had only sensed was real. This girl was possessed by fear. This house held some terrible secret. What... what could it be? Next morning, Halford went in to fill a casket for water. He came back without the casket and he was livid with rage. There's an idiot in that house, sir. Next time I'll take the pistol. What do you mean? Where's the casket? It's broken, sir. How? How did you... I was filling it at the cistern and this idiot, a huge, hulking brute, came out of the house. He told me to get away. Well, I tried to explain we had permission, but he came at me with a knife, gibbering. He put his foot on the cask and crushed it. Well, I'll see about this. Be careful, sir. The man's not quite right. He's dangerous. Plenty dangerous. I went ashore and around to the back door of the house, Millie was in sight. When I knocked, a lumbering giant with pig-like eyes came to the door. Are you Nicholas? What do you want? Well, I'd take it you're the man who broke my water cask. It was full of our water. I'm not going to argue with you. I came ashore to instruct you to keep your hands off of my property and my sailor. And let our water be. I told you that I wouldn't discuss the water. I don't have to justify myself to you. Just remember, keep your hands off. Don't get me started. What do you mean, started? I don't care what you... Don't get me started. Mine now, I want it. Don't get me started. Put down that knife. Go away. Don't get me started now. Go away. Stand back. Don't get me started. Nicholas. Nicholas, stop. What is this? What's the matter? Well, nothing. Nicholas and I had a little misunderstanding, that's all. You tell this man. Tell him to go and don't get me started. Nicholas, put down that knife. Mr. Wolfe, please. Please go. I have never seen such terror in a woman's eyes. I felt completely helpless as I turned. I went on back to the boat. But mingled with her terror, I had seen something else in Millie's eyes. There was a plea. And I knew there'd be another meeting between me and Nicholas. That night a storm broke, a raging wind and rain to match my tortured mood. I hardly slept. Millie's face was always before my eyes. And by morning I knew that I must do something. I rode the Tentry and through a drizzling rain. I went up through the Orange Grove and stopped in some bushes by the house. Someone was coming out of the house. And so I crouched down out of sight. It was Millie. I rose and I called to her. Millie. Oh, it's you. I was just coming out to look. I was afraid you'd gone out to seize like a pack of wolves. I won't go alone. Now you've, not without you I won't. What are you saying? That's madness. No, no, I've got to talk to you. There's a lot, there's a lot that needs explaining. Things that I have a right to know. No, no, not here. Come. She led me into one of the smaller ruined buildings we crouched far back in the dripping shadows of a corner. No. Millie, for the first time in 12 years I'm living again. Darling, I'm in love with you. I know nothing of love. It's quickly learned. Millie, don't you feel anything, anything for me at all? I don't know. Perhaps if things were different someplace else I might care very much. But I'm going to take you away someplace else. I'm going to make things different. I'm going to give you a chance. Oh no, it's too late. Why? You came too late. Why? Millie, what, what is this? What is this fear? Nicholas. Oh, that's foolish. He's nothing to be afraid of. Has he been bothering you? He, he says he's crazy about me. He says I must marry him. Where is he now? Oh no, John, you mustn't. Something frightful would happen, John. Not frightful, just unfortunate for Nicholas. But you don't understand. He's not human. There's something about him. What about him? He, he came here in April. We, we were glad to get him. It's impossible to get back here in the wilderness. He'd worked for the smallest wages. Only, only a few days ago I found out why he was glad to be here. I was cleaning his room and I found this. Let me see that. Wanted for murder, Isaac Nicholas. A homicidal maniac. He knows I found it. He knows and he's been furious. And then you came and he ran and hid in the pines. But he told me if I spoke about him, it would happen to me. And if I left with you, it would happen to father. Now he thinks I'm in love with you. He told me to send you away. He said you must leave today. Millie, Millie, I should have realized this. I'm not to stay away for longer than now. I must go, John. Look, Millie. It'll take us a couple of hours to get our boat ready. I'm going to come for you tonight at eight. Now you tell him that you saw me and I promised to go. Act quietly. Uh, uh, say that you were upset. That you'll give him his answer tomorrow. Then at eight, you bring your father and walk out to the wharf. Now that's all. But do it. Do it without hesitation or preparation. Don't let him hurt us. Please don't. Not now. He's finished. But do just as I say. It won't be long, hardly three hours. And then you're going to be free. Now that I knew. Now that there was to be action, I felt better. Not that I minimized the risk. Halvard and I got the catch ready for sailing. At eight o'clock, Halvard and I tied up to the little pier. The storm had let up a little, but it was still raining. I got up on the dock and I waited for Millie. Ten minutes passed. And then twenty. Something was wrong. I told Halvard to wait there with a tender. Then I walked slowly up to the house. It was dark. I went up to the side port to go to the heavy door. There was a tiny crack of light showing under it. I pushed it open. The light came from a parlor to the right. I looked in. On the floor lay a body, her father. He was dead. He was crushed. His arm twisted grotesquely under him. There was, there wasn't a sound in the house. Slowly I walked through the downstairs rooms. Nothing. Then back in the hall, I heard a slight creak. Upstairs, someone had moved. Was it Millie alive? Or was it Nicholas Lang and Wade? I groped slowly up the stairs. I didn't dare to use my flashlight. It would have made me a target for his knife. The upstairs hall was pitch black. Still there was no sound. I inched my way along the wall slowly. And then I stumbled on a loose board. The pistol flew out of my hand. But the stumble saved my life. At the same instant I felt Nicholas lunge. Heard the knife sing past my ear and thud into the wall. I felt his great bolt smashing on my shoulder. My gun was somewhere on the dark floor. His knife was embedded in the wall. Now we were grappling hand in hand. Rolling on the floor, kicking, tearing, gouging, crushing. My strength had went against the massive bulk of a maniacal killer. How many minutes did that unusual and unequal struggle last? I don't know. It seemed an hour. Several times as if by common consent we rested for a minute at a time. Once we rolled apart and they panicked. Breasts aching in my throat. And then I heard him groping along the wall, searching for the knife or gun. I threw myself at him again. He was too big. He was too furious. I felt my strength ebbing away. His fingers were closing over my throat with one last effort. I tried to throw him off to roll him over. I staggered to my feet. I was dazed. I looked up. We had fallen through the banister down the stairwell. Nicholas had landed on the bottom. He lay there on the stairs, sprawled his head at a grotesque angle. He wasn't dead. He was only stunned. I leaned against the wall, looking at him stupidly. It was something that I must remember. Was it? Then she came down the steps and I remembered. Millie. I had to walk right past him. There was no other way. Right past his head and my skirt was... I think we better go away. Oh, yes. Yes, we'll leave at once. I must tell you about my father. You know, in Virginia, the women tied an apron on the door because he wouldn't go to war. And that preyed on his mind. He was afraid of the slightest thing. Yes, yes, I know, but we must go. Things upset him so he had no strength. To hear a talk like this, like a sick child, was almost more than I could bear. Then I heard something. Nicholas had got up. He stood up and stared at us for a moment and then he started slowly up the stairs. He was going after that knife. The least little thing upset him... Millie, Millie, look, we've got to go. I was to meet a man. We were going away someplace where it would be peaceful. But Nicholas suspected, you see. He asked why father had put on his heavy winter clothes. And then when I tried to go out, he pushed me. And do you know what father did then? He came up and said, don't do that. Take your hands off my daughter. His lips shook a little. But he said it. That's the important thing. Of course, your father was a brave man after all. But please, now come. You were supposed to meet a man. That man's waiting for you. There's no time to lose. Father said, take your hands off my daughter. Nicholas killed him, of course. But it was a brave thing to do. Yes, yes. Now come. I couldn't wait any longer. I could hear Nicholas coming back. I picked her up and carried her out into the night down the path to the pier. Behind me, I could hear Nicholas crashing through the brush like a giant animal in her suit. Are you all right, sir? Yes. I'm about done in, but I'm all right. Here, help me. Help me get her into the boat. Yes, sir. There. Uh-oh, there's someone coming, sir. It's Nicholas. He's got a knife. Good. I wanted to get back at him. You get in, sir. I'll get him. All right, Albert. I wouldn't be much help anyway. Albert went to intercept Nicholas on the path. I heard them meet and struggle for a moment. And then a figure came walking slowly, stooped onto the pier. I got ready to shove the boat out into the water and then... It's all right, sir. It's me. Albert, where's Nicholas? I stopped him. He was all pumped out. Are you hurt? It was just a scratch, sir. I missed his hand at first in the dark. It's nothing. Good. Well, let's get away from here, then. I held Millie in my arms as Albert rowed to the catch. Erratically, I suppose because of the storm, we're ready to cast off in two minutes. The last obstacle would be the narrow passage out of the cove. In this storm, it would be very dangerous. I started to take Millie into the cabin. No! There's Nicholas in the doorway. No nonsense. Nicholas is dead. You're on my boat. You're safe, Millie. Safe? With John Wolford? I am John Wolford. But he... he... you didn't come. Yes, I came, Millie. You're safe. Please come. I'd rather stay up here. All right, all right. You sit here beside Halferd. I'm going up front to take soundings. In this wind, you won't be able to hear me if I call, sir. No, but you can hear me. Remember, we only have three quick clearance. Now, you will have to hold it steady through that passage. Yes, sir. Halferd, now, this is no time to be brave. How do you feel? I feel all right, sir. I've taken nines before. All right. Just a scratch. All right, fine. Now, we'll fix it just as soon as we get outside. Right now, let's go. Pull up your anchor and turn over the engine. Yes, sir. The boat headed into the tearing wind of the storm, straight toward the narrow inlet. A foot too far on either side and we'd hit. In this sea, that would mean death for all of us. I stood far up on the bow, taking soundings, feeling out the passage. Howling wind carried the call back to Halferd. Pull up. Now the boat veered again. I realized that he must have lost an awful lot of blood. Halferd. Halferd. Steady air. Slowly, holding me, it came around. Three and a half. Steady now. There was anything but steady. The boat wavered and swung as if an inexperienced hand was at the wheel. In a moment, we might hit. Three and a quarter. We were in the passage. Hold steady, Halferd. Steady. Three and a half. We're through. We're through. Good boy, Halferd. Good boy. Good boy, Halferd, I called. But when I went back, it wasn't Halferd at the wheel. It was Millie. Millie, her hands steady, her eyes washed clear of any madness. Millie with a little tight smile on her face, but no fear. And Halferd lay, rolling with his swells in the bottom of the cockpit. I'm afraid, John, he was wounded worse than you thought. Oh, Howard, good heavens. He told me to take the wheel. Said it was life or death, and then he slipped down like that. When? When was this? Back there in the passage. Just when you said three and a half. I'm afraid I wasn't very good, but I held on. Oh, Millie, you were wonderful. No, not yet. But I learned, John. I learned. Music Escape was produced and directed by Gordon T. Hughes. With Van Heflin starring as John Wilfolk, tonight we have presented Wild Oranges by Joseph Hergesheimer, adapted for radio by John Dunkle. Featured in the cast were Betty Lou Gerson, Bill Conrad, Edmund McDonald, Wilms Herbert. Special music was conceived and conducted by Del Castillo. Next week. You are following a man whom you must kill to the bleak wastes of the tiny island at the bottom of the world. And you know that one of you can never escape. Music Next week we escape with John Russell's grim story of revenge, the Primitive. Good night then, until next week, when once again we offer you Escape. Music Van Heflin is currently starring with Jennifer Jones, James Mason, and Louis Jourdan in Metro Golden Mayor's Madame Bovary. Starting one week from next Saturday, October 8th, Escape will take a regular place in the CBS Saturday Night schedule. That's one week from next Saturday, October 8th, Escape. Next week at this time, you will hear CBS's latest addition to its fine Wednesday night shows. You Bet Your Life starring Groucho Marx. This outstanding comedy quiz, highlighted by Groucho's fast ad-libs, has won a Peabody Award and a High Place in America's Comedy Favorites. Next Wednesday, it joins the parade on CBS, where it will be heard along with the Bing Crosby Show, and Burns and Allen on most of these same CBS stations. Stay tuned now for the Bing Crosby Show, which follows immediately over most of these same stations. Music Paul Masterson speaking. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System. Music
