Roma wines taste better because only Roma selects from the world's greatest wine reserves for your pleasure. And now Roma wines, R-O-M-A, Roma wines present Suspense. Tonight, Roma wines bring you Miss Lily Palmer in Fillamel Cottage. A Suspense play produced, edited, and directed for Roma wines by William Spear. Suspense, radio's outstanding theater of thrills, is presented for your enjoyment by Roma wines. That R-O-M-A, Roma wines. Those better tasting California wines enjoyed by more Americans than any other wine. For friendly entertaining, for delightful dining. Tonight in our Suspense theater, we celebrate the talents of two distinguished ladies. Our play is by Agatha Christie, England's number one suspense specialist. And our heroine is the distinguished continental star, who has recently come to join our Hollywood film colony, Miss Lily Palmer. But before we ring up the curtain on tonight's play and on the performance of Miss Palmer, let me make a suggestion. 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Yes, right now a glass full would be very pleasant as Roma wines bring you Miss Lily Palmer as Alex Martin, with Raymond E. Lewis as her husband Gerald in Philomel Cottage, a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense. Philomel Cottage. What that Alex? Oh, I was just reading the sign over the gate. What does Philomel mean? Why you little foreigner, we've been here for three weeks and you still don't know. Philomel is another name for the bird that's supposed to sing only for lovers. We've been hearing it every twilight. Nightingale. Of course. That sign Philomel Cottage is the main reason I wanted this place for us. Glad you bought it. Oh Gerald, this was a 50-50 investment and you know it. 50-50, a thousand pounds from me and two from you. But we did have to have the place, didn't we? Oh, what an utterly hopeless romantic I'm at. Well, you can't get out of it now. Oh Gerald, do you know what day today is? Today it's the 13th. It's our anniversary, darling. We've known each other exactly a month. No, exactly 30 days. Oh, Gerald, really now. What is it dear? Do you have that pain again? No, no. It's just a little indigestion, I think. Oh, Gerald, let me help. Do you want me to get you? No, no. Well dear, it's 11.35. I'd better get out of the village. I want to get that camera equipment. And the human timetable walks through the garden gate. But dear, there's nothing wrong with system, even on a honeymoon. The sooner I go, the sooner I get back. Come on Gerald, forget your old photography. Why don't you stay and do some gardening? Be good for you. It's better for old George. He gets paid for it. He's not you again until Saturday. The place will go to wreck and ruin. Oh, well my dead body. Goodbye dear. Now don't walk too fast, dear. Remember last time? And be careful, darling. Be careful? Oh, it had just slipped out. Be careful. I was swinging there on the garden gate, smiling out my happiness across a part of England that was as remote and plaited as any you'd care to find. I wonder why I sense such a ridiculous thing. If this were London, say, that would have... London? And slowly my smile fell away. I knew then that the memory of that last week in London had never really been far from my mind. That and that last talk with Dick on the top deck of the bus crossing Trafalgar Square. I'd never seen him like that before. So old Marcel, I tell you Alex, the man's a perfect stranger to you. You know nothing about him. I know that I love him. How can you know in a week? You've only met him. Well, it doesn't take everyone seven years to find out they're in love. That's meant for me, isn't it, Alex? It's no use, Dick. Alex, don't you know what it's been for me not being able to tell you? I couldn't, not with the income I had. Never decided I couldn't wait any more. I was going to tell you anyway. And you know what happened. I'm afraid I don't. Yes, you do. That money you inherited. That money from your cousin or aunt or whoever it was. Well, I don't see what... You didn't think that I could ask you to marry me then, do you? You don't think I could live off your money. I'm sorry, Dick. Believe me, I am, but I... It really doesn't matter now, one way or the other. Doesn't matter, does it? You can bet it matters to that mutton chap. That's what he's after. You mark my words, he's after your money. Dick, it might interest you to know that Gerald has money of his own. Far more than I have. Than more than I have? Maybe that's the difference. I've had enough of this. I'm getting off at the next stop. Alex, please. All right, but let me tell you something. If you think I'm going to let Gerald cut me out and not do anything about it, you're very much mistaken. I'll catch up with him, do you hear? I'll catch up with him if it's the last thing I do. I'll catch up with him if it's the last thing I do. Oh, it was just a heat of the moment outburst of hurt pride. I shook my head and shook it away. And then the telephone rang inside the cottage. Now who could be calling? Couldn't be Gerald. Gerald had hardly had time to get beyond the turn of the road. Except if something had happened to him. If he'd had another attack, maybe one of the villagers was calling to say that he'd... Hello? Alex, this is Dick. What? Who did you say? Dick? Alex, what's the matter with your voice? I wouldn't have known it. It's Dick, Dick Windeford. Oh, where are you? Travelers Arms, that's the right name, isn't it? Rant you were created with your village pub. You mean you're here? Yes, I'm on holiday doing a bit of fishing. Any objection to my looking up you two good people this afternoon? Oh, no, no. No, you mustn't. My Alex? I beg your pardon. Of course I won't bother you. I'm sorry, Dick, but I only meant that we'd be away this afternoon. Won't you come this evening? Thanks very much, but I'll probably be away by then. Depends upon whether a pal of mine turns up or not. Goodbye, Alex, and best of luck. For a long moment I stood quite still. Then I walked across the living room, and by the time I reached the side porch, I'd made up my mind. I would say nothing to Gerald about it. I stepped out into the garden and... Oh, why, George, I thought you'd agreed that Saturday was your day here. Oh, well, there'll be a fair over to Squires on Saturday, and I said to myself, I said, Mr. and Mrs. Martin, they won't mind if I come for one front of Wednesday instead of a Saturday. Oh, of course not, George. And then I thought, too, I might as well see you before you go away, so as to learn your wishes about the box of redeggles. Before I go away? Ah, to London tomorrow. Me? Going to London tomorrow? Why did you hear that? I met Mr. Martin down at Village yesterday. He told me you were both going away to London tomorrow, and it was uncertain when you'd be back again. Oh, well, now, just don't tell me that you and the are disagreeing already. Hm? Oh, naturally not, no. This trip just slipped my mind, George. Mm, never could understand why anybody wanted to go up to London, though. But Mr. Ainz, what soldier, this house, he went up there, and to live, mind you. And after fixing up this place like he did, with cats all over everywhere, you're going to take a loss, I says to him, when I've seen he put the place up for sale. It's not everyone that'll have your fad for washing themselves in every room in the house like. But George, he says to me, I'll get every penny at 2,000 pounds for this house, and by gummy-dick. 3,000? 2,000? Ja! Once again reminded of Jarrod's enslavement, the time insistence. You see, on page 21 there was an entry. April 14th, Mary Alex at St. Peter's Church, 2.30. And then I looked at today's date. Wednesday, May 13th. Only one thing was written there in red pencil, it said, 6 p.m. Now what did it mean? What was to happen at 6 p.m.? And I... something just... Oh, no. But this is ridiculous. What am I afraid of? Jarrod is my husband, I love him, I trust him, I... Then I looked again at that cryptic entry. 6 p.m. Oh, Alex? Yes? Yes? There you are. Miss me, darling? Oh, why wouldn't I? It's three o'clock. You've had time to buy out the whole village. Only the camera shop. Now if I don't have the best equipped darkroom, this side of London won't be my fault. If you're not careful, that darkroom of yours is going to overfill the whole cellar. Oh, incidentally, here's something you've been watering the flowers with. Catch. Oh, my diary. Dropped it in the garden, did I? I know all your secrets. Oh, not guilty. Well, I'm not so sure. What about your assignation at 6 p.m. today? Oh, that? Well, you've caught me at last. I was rendezvoused with a very handsome young woman, quite remarkably like you, in fact. You're evading the issue. Not at all. I simply reminded that I want you to help me develop some negatives this evening. At 6 o'clock? Well, I'll be getting dinner. We'll eat a light supper tonight. We might have just a sandwich or two and some coffee out on the porch. Before we work on the negatives, you mean? Yes, that'll be pleasant, won't it? You know something, Alex? I've never found anybody yet who could touch your coffee. No, really. And that covers Australia and Canada, too. You and your mysterious past. Why do you say that? No reason, I... Jared, I do wish I knew more about you. Alex, you're serious. Well, I know it's silly. Well, darling, I've told you all about me, my boyhood in Sydney, my life in Canada. Oh, I see. You mean love affairs. You women are all alike. Well, but there must have been other women. I don't mean that you're a... you're a blue beard or something, but surely... What? Blue beard? What put you mind on such a subject, anyway? You never mentioned it before. Oh, I don't know, Jared. I... I... I've been rather upset all day. I imagine I can thank old George for that. The gardener, you mean? Yes. He had some ridiculous idea. We were going away to London. He said you told him so. Where did you see him? Well, he came to work today instead of Saturday. The old fool. Why, Jared... Well, he is an old fool. I want... Get your mouth off. Jared. Oh, Jared. Lie down. Lie down here, darling. I bring you some water. Some... your medicine. Some what? Are you all right? Oh, I'm sorry, darling, getting you all upset about... Oh, just because of the stupid old gardener. Oh, I... I... I made some weak joke to him about being off to London in the morning. He must have taken it seriously or else he didn't hear properly. You straightened him out, I suppose. Oh, Harvey, you know what a gossip he is. I didn't want the whole village to think my husband was leaving me in the dark about his plan. Are you all right, dear? Really? You told him we were going there? Naturally. You have to go. Sorry you were placed in that kind of a situation, darling. Don't suppose you're running into anybody else today? This far from the world, Jared? It isn't very likely, is it? Well, Jared... Now not another word. You aren't yourself now. That's quite plain. And I want you to have a little rest, a little nap. It'll be right as rain by six o'clock. Must you do those photographs tonight? You don't see... My dear, when one sets the time to do something, one should stick to it. That's the only way to get through one's work. All right, up with you. Upstairs to your bed now. Very well, dear. I'll be getting things arranged in the dark. I went upstairs to my room. I told myself there was no basis, no basis whatever for my state of mind. And still the turmoil, the doubt, the odd unaccountable sense of dread persisted... and grew... and grew... until... quite clearly I knew what I must do. Knew I must find some testimony to my husband's past, something to reassure me and... then strangely I remembered that single locked drawer in Gerald's bureau. I took two to the door at the head of the stairs, opened it and entered my husband's room. The key. If only I could find the key to that locked drawer, but there was none in sight. The closet and then his coat pockets and then... there at my feet. There on the floor. I saw it. I opened the drawer, looked down, a small packet of letters tied with a light blue ribbon. And when I saw the uppermost envelope, my face flushed with shame. They were my own letters, love letters written to Gerald before we were married. There was nothing else in the drawer, just a roll of ancient faded newspaper clippings. My glance to the top clipping, it was from an American paper, featured the trial of one Charles LaMaitre. Notorious, windler, and bigamist. A skeleton had been found beneath the floor of his house... and most of the women he'd married had never been heard of again. Another of the clippings described LaMaitre's behavior in court. His interest in the cameras of the news photographers, his sensational escape from prison... and another displayed his picture. Long-bearded, scholarly-looking fellow. Reminded me of someone. I glanced at the caption beneath the picture. Modern blue beard. Modern blue beard! My eyes went back to the picture. And in a flash, I saw the resemblance. I went through the other clippings. Dates had been found in the man's pocket diary. Dates, it was contended when he'd done away with his victims. He was an amateur photographer. He was from Sydney, from Canada. He was subject to heart attacks. He was...he was...Gerald! The room whirled about me. Dick had tried to warn me. Dick had been near me that morning and I turned him away. I... It was then that I noticed a sound. There was a pipe in the corner running up through the room from below near its base. Something was striking at that pipe as though someone were... As though someone were digging. Yes. I knew then that Charles Lemaître was preparing the dark room for the latest one of his victims. Six o'clock. Six o'clock. Less than an hour from now, all the jigsaw pieces shot into place. The money paid for the house. My money! My money only. The bond side entrusted to his keeping the... And then suddenly I heard the quiet. The digging had stopped. Escape from that house at once before he came out. The clippings back in the drawer. Don't look. Don't look. Don't bother. Just...just get away. I rushed to the door. Out in the hall and... Yes, my dear? Oh, you...you startled me. I...I...I was just...I was just trying to find your nail file. Were you, dear? Well, there's nothing to look so guilty about now, is there? Better come on down. I'm getting late, you know. Gerald, I... Just have time to make the coffee and sandwiches before we do the pictures, Barry. Well, I'll be right down, darling. As soon as... Oh, but we really mustn't be late, must we? Coming, Alex? Very well. Now, that's better. Never mind, Gerald. It's... Why, Alex, how cold you are. Cold? Oh, yes. Yes, I am, rather. Well, that will soon pass away, I'm sure. Hurry along, dear. Hurry along? Yes. Into the kitchen. Alex, what is the matter? Oh, nothing. Nothing. I'll be all right. The kitchen. Here. Yes, yes. I'll fix it something in a second. You just sit here in the living room and...oh, no. No. Not the porch. That'll be more comfortable, won't it? And I'll be right with you. Blended, Alex. I'll just... Why, no, of course not. What, Gerald? How rotten of me not to have suggested it. Since you're feeling a bit under par, you can probably do with some help. I'll come with you. I knew then that some way, somehow, I must get word to Dick. The possibility that he might be gone by now, I just put out of my mind. No more panic. No more panic. When I carried the coffee out on the porch, I glanced at the clock on the mantel. It was ten minutes till six. A pity you're so abstracted, my dear. Huh? Oh. Why do you say that? Because you're missing the loveliest sight you are likely to see again. Look out beyond the garden, the first soft shades of twilight. Twilight of a Philomel cottage. I say, Alex, you are below par. What do you mean? First time you've ever slipped on the coffee, you must have tossed it in the entire canister. Oh, oh, I'll be more careful after this. Oh dear! That reminds me. Alex, where are you going? Nothing to get excited about, Gerald. I forgot to order things for tomorrow. I'm just going to phone the grocer. Grocer? This time of evening? Oh, he generally stays late on Wednesdays. I'll be right back, darling. Well, don't shut the door, Alex. Oh, it keeps the insect out of the living room. You're not afraid I'm going to make love to the grocer, are you? Operator. Exchange? Operator, get me the Traveler's Arms, please, hurry. Hello. Traveler's Arms. Hello. Mr. Winterford, please. Will you? Oh, no, no. He's not here. What? You don't know if he's still there? Oh, well, see, won't you? It's most important. Don't let me disturb you. Oh, darling, you do. I hate anyone listening when I telephone. But I do, Gerald, truly. You're quite sure you're really calling the grocer. Why, as a matter of fact, I'm not sure. What? What I mean is, I'm afraid I've got the wrong person, a perfect stranger. I don't understand. Someone I know nothing about. Know nothing about? Then why don't you hang up? Here, who's at the end of that wire? Let me see. Hello. Hello. It's dead. All right, my dear, might as well get started. Oh, we're late now. Late? For the pictures? Precisely. Three minutes after six. Why, Gerald, it won't be six o'clock for eight minutes. Look at the clock there on the menu. Oh, I don't go by that relic. I go by my own wristwatch. Gerald, listen. Stop pacing and listen to me. I don't feel up to it tonight. I'm upset and I'm tired. Alex, I promise you, you won't be a bit tired after it's over. Now, I'm not going to wait one minute longer. No, I won't do it. I'm not coming with you. Come along, Alex, or I'll carry you there. No, no! You will, you will. Gerald, stop! Stop! I've got something to tell you. I've got something to confess. Confess? Yes, yes, to confess. Something I ought to have told you before. I've... I've had my secret path, too. A former lover, I suppose. Well, in a way, but something else. You'd call it... yes, I expect you'd call it a crime. A crime? You? I don't believe it. You'd better sit down now, Gerald. There, I told you, I told you, I'd never been married before. And that was not entirely true. There was a marriage when I was 22 in Vienna. He... he... he... he was an elderly man with a little property. I... I induced him to ensure his life in my favor. And at one time I was a nurse with access to a number of poisons. And there's one poison, a white powder. You know something about poisons, perhaps? No, I know very little about them. How? Well, this one is absolutely untraceable. Any doctor would give a certificate of heart failure, and... and that... and... and that... Oh, no! No, I can't. Go on, I want to hear. Well, all right, I... I always made this... this... his coffee for him, and one evening I put a pinch of this poison in his cup. I remember that evening how very much like... how very much like this it was, how... how peaceful he... he gasped a little and tried to move from his chair, but couldn't. Presently he died. How much was the insurance money? Oh, about... about 2,000 pounds. I... I... I speculated, though I lost it. And it was over two years before I married again. And... and... and he was a much younger man. Cooked quite well off. There was a will in my favor. He liked me to... to make his coffee too, just as my first husband had done. I make very good coffee. Alex. It was the same along about twilight. The coffee. It was the same as the other. He just sat there in his chair. The coffee. And died. Our village doctor pronounced it heart failure. My husband did have a weak heart, you see. And that helped. It helped a great deal. Alex, listen. That mattered me over 4,000 pounds. I didn't speculate with... The coffee. That's why I taste it that way. You devil, you poisoned me. You poisoned me. I'll kill you. Yes, I poisoned you. And already the poison is working, you see. You can't move from your chair. You're lying. I'll kill you. I'll kill... Alex. Alex Moroil. Dirk. What have they done to Alex? Constable, go see what's happening in that room. Right, sir. Darling. I had to tell him. The most horrible story. Oh, I couldn't have kept it up any longer. You came just in time, Dirk. You understood on the phone, didn't you? Darling, when I heard you say you'd got the wrong person, someone you knew nothing about. Excuse me, sir. What did you find, Constable? A man sitting in a chair, sir. Art trouble, it looks like, and, uh, yes. Well, sir, he's dead. Your husband, man? Well, you might say... A perfect stranger. He was just sitting... In his chair. And presently... He died. Suspense. Presented by Roma Wines. R-O-M-A. Roma, America's favorite wines. And now this is Ken Niles bringing back to our suspense microphone the star of tonight's play, a lovely newcomer whose great acting talent has carried her to overnight Hollywood stardom, Miss Lily Pump. Lily, your performance tonight certainly qualifies you as one of Hollywood's reigning queens of suspense. Well, thank you, Ken. But how can I accept another throne? I'm already married to the King of Siam. You're what? If you remember, it's my husband who plays the Siamese monarch on the screen. Oh, yes, of course. And for Your Majesty's entertaining pleasure this New Year's Eve, here's a little present from Roma, America's greatest vintner. A gift basket of Roma California Champagne. Did you say a little present? I call Roma Champagne a magnificent gift. Well, true, Lily. And your friends will call Roma Champagne magnificent, too. For pale gold, sprightly dry Roma Champagne adds a touch of continental smartness to New Year parties. Naturally fermented by the world-famed Charmont bulk process, brilliant bubbling Roma Champagne is sparkling wine at its finest. So make those golden moments live forever. Say it with Roma Champagne. Say it with Roma. I will, Ken. And Lily, to bring you the finest in sparkling enjoyment, Roma begins with choicest grapes, especially selected for fine champagnes. Then ancient Roma skill and the magic of necessary time guide this great treasure to rare taste luxury in America's finest champagne cellars. That's why those who know Champagne choose Roma Champagne, golden masterpiece of America's greatest vintner. So welcome the New Year smartly. Say it with Roma Champagne. Right, Ken. Good night. Next Thursday, same time, you will hear Mr. Mark Stevens as star of Suspense. Produced and directed by William Spear for the Roma Wine Company of Fresno, California. Stay tuned for the thrilling adventures of the FBI in Peace and War, following immediately over most of these days. In the coming weeks, Suspense will present such stars as Dan Duillet, Alexander Hitchcock, and others. Make it a point to listen each Thursday to Suspense, radio's outstanding theater of thrills. Suspense is broadcast from coast to coast and to our men and women overseas by shortwave and through the worldwide facilities of the Armed Forces Radio Service. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.
