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Suspense - "Will You Make a Bet with Death" (1942) · Old Time Mystery Radio | Old Time Radio

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: At Coney Island, a frightened young man has only hours
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: left to survive a wager that offers $ 25, 000 if he
• 0:08
  Speaker 1: can outlast attempts on his life. On November 10, 1942,
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: CBS presented Suspense, Episode 17, Will You Make a Bet
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: with Death? written by John Dixon Carr. Betty, played by
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: Leslie Woods, encounters Bob Penderel, played by Michael Fitzmaurice, aboard
• 0:30
  Speaker 1: the haunted mill ride. Bob's wealthy older relative has agreed
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: to try to have him killed, directly or indirectly, before
• 0:39
  Speaker 1: the deadline. Nicholas Joy appears as John Destry, with William
• 0:43
  Speaker 1: Spear producing.
• 0:45
  Speaker 2: And now, our story begins.
• 1:25
  Speaker 3: The thrill of the nighttime, the hushed voice and the
• 1:28
  Speaker 3: prowling steps The stir of nerves at the ticking of
• 1:32
  Speaker 3: the clock. The rescue that might be too late. The
• 1:36
  Speaker 3: crime that is almost committed. Mystery and intrigue and dangerous adventures.
• 1:43
  Speaker 3: We invite you to enjoy stories.
• 1:45
  Speaker 2: That keep you in... suspense.
• 1:53
  Speaker 3: Can a man stake his life against $ 25, 000... Can another
• 1:59
  Speaker 3: and cleverer man track him down like a hunter, stalking
• 2:02
  Speaker 3: his prey and kill him within five hours? Can you
• 2:06
  Speaker 3: make a bet with death and win?
• 2:09
  Speaker 4: For suspense, tonight we present, Will You Make a Bet?
• 2:25
  Speaker 3: Pony Island on a summer day. There's the beach, bright
• 2:30
  Speaker 3: colored with bathing suits. There's the boardwalk, all straw hats
• 2:34
  Speaker 3: and summer dresses.
• 2:36
  Speaker 4: There's the Ferris.
• 2:37
  Speaker 3: Wheel and the roller coasters. There is all humanity eating
• 2:44
  Speaker 3: hot dogs and having a good time. And over there
• 2:47
  Speaker 3: beyond that souvenir shop is the haunted mill.
• 2:51
  Speaker 5: Get into a little boat.
• 2:53
  Speaker 3: You float through a narrow tunnel into the dark while
• 2:56
  Speaker 3: witches scream. But that fools nobody, does it? There couldn't
• 3:03
  Speaker 3: be any real terror, could there? While the bands are
• 3:08
  Speaker 3: playing and the crowd goes by and.
• 3:10
  Speaker 2: Ladies and gentlemen, a unique attraction.
• 3:13
  Speaker 6: It hurts me to see you stand there and miss this.
• 3:17
  Speaker 6: Only ten cents, one dime, the tenth part of a
• 3:20
  Speaker 6: dollar to go through the old haunted mill and get
• 3:23
  Speaker 6: the thrill of your life.
• 3:25
  Speaker 7: An overstatement if you ask me. One ticket, please.
• 3:28
  Speaker 2: Did you say one ticket, lady?
• 3:29
  Speaker 7: That's right, one ticket.
• 3:30
  Speaker 8: Thank you.
• 3:31
  Speaker 7: What's the thrill?
• 3:31
  Speaker 4: A big pardon, lady?
• 3:32
  Speaker 7: I said, what's the thrill?
• 3:34
  Speaker 6: Lady, the gals who come here with their boyfriends don't
• 3:37
  Speaker 6: have to ask that.
• 3:38
  Speaker 2: Attention, please.
• 3:39
  Speaker 4: This way and mind the gate.
• 3:40
  Speaker 3: Thank you.
• 3:41
  Speaker 2: Step right up, ladies and gentlemen.
• 3:43
  Speaker 6: Get your ticket for the old haunted meal where ghosts
• 3:46
  Speaker 6: will walk.
• 3:47
  Speaker 7: And call up to.
• 3:47
  Speaker 5: Give me some tickets.
• 3:48
  Speaker 2: Hurry. Just a minute, young fella.
• 3:49
  Speaker 4: I know you want to get into the old haunted meal,
• 3:51
  Speaker 4: but there's plenty of time.
• 3:52
  Speaker 1: How many tickets?
• 3:53
  Speaker 5: I don't know. You'd better give me ten. Ten tickets.
• 3:56
  Speaker 2: Do you hear that, ladies and gentlemen?
• 3:59
  Speaker 6: Here's a young fella who likes the old haunted mill
• 4:01
  Speaker 6: so much. He buys ten tickets.
• 4:04
  Speaker 5: Don't call everybody's attention. Listen, I've got a better idea.
• 4:08
  Speaker 5: Whatever boat comes after mine.
• 4:09
  Speaker 2: Yeah?
• 4:10
  Speaker 5: I'll give you an extra dollar to send that boat
• 4:11
  Speaker 5: through empty.
• 4:12
  Speaker 7: Now, what's the matter, son?
• 4:13
  Speaker 2: The cops ain't after you, are they? No, no, no, no.
• 4:15
  Speaker 5: It's nothing like that.
• 4:16
  Speaker 2: Will you do it? Well, money talks, young fella. Okay,
• 4:19
  Speaker 2: go ahead.
• 4:24
  Speaker 5: Isn't there an empty boat here?
• 4:25
  Speaker 2: Well, really?
• 4:27
  Speaker 7: You've got such a great objection to riding in the
• 4:28
  Speaker 7: same boat with me?
• 4:29
  Speaker 9: Oh, I.
• 4:30
  Speaker 5: I'm sorry.
• 4:30
  Speaker 2: I didn't mean that at all. Don't misunderstand.
• 4:33
  Speaker 7: Then you'd better get in if you want to go.
• 4:35
  Speaker 7: This boat's starting to move.
• 4:37
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I... I'd better sit down.
• 4:40
  Speaker 7: You certainly had.
• 4:42
  Speaker 2: Look here, I... I want to apologize.
• 4:45
  Speaker 7: That's quite unnecessary. This place is rather childish anyway, isn't it?
• 4:49
  Speaker 2: Yes. Isn't it?
• 4:50
  Speaker 7: But I've seen everything else, so I may as well
• 4:52
  Speaker 7: see this. Here we go in the dark. What was that?
• 4:59
  Speaker 7: One of the ghosts, I imagine. From a machine.
• 5:02
  Speaker 5: It sounded like him laughing. There isn't anybody in the
• 5:05
  Speaker 5: boat behind.
• 5:06
  Speaker 9: Us, is there?
• 5:06
  Speaker 7: I can't see. It's pitch dark.
• 5:09
  Speaker 2: Listen, Miss... Miss.
• 5:11
  Speaker 10: My name is Andrews, Betty Andrews, if it's customary to
• 5:14
  Speaker 10: exchange names in.
• 5:15
  Speaker 7: A place like this.
• 5:17
  Speaker 2: Mine's Penderel. Bob Penderel.
• 5:19
  Speaker 7: Did you say Penderel?
• 5:21
  Speaker 2: Yes. Do you know it?
• 5:23
  Speaker 7: Oh, no, no, not exactly. It's an unusual name, that's all.
• 5:28
  Speaker 5: I don't want you to think I'm out of my mind,
• 5:29
  Speaker 5: though I very nearly am. But I've got five hours
• 5:33
  Speaker 5: to go.
• 5:34
  Speaker 2: Just five hours.
• 5:35
  Speaker 5: At the end of that time, either I'll have won $ 25, 000
• 5:38
  Speaker 5: or else... Or else? Or else I'll be dead.
• 5:43
  Speaker 10: You know, I wish I'd kept you away from this boat.
• 5:48
  Speaker 2: There's nothing to get alarmed about.
• 5:50
  Speaker 5: For you... I can't tell you much, but I had
• 5:54
  Speaker 5: to tell somebody that or I'd have started yelling. There's
• 5:57
  Speaker 5: just one other thing.
• 5:58
  Speaker 7: Is there?
• 5:59
  Speaker 5: In these places, they've usually got little dim-lighted.
• 6:01
  Speaker 2: Rooms along the way. Yes. Exhibits. Yes.
• 6:05
  Speaker 5: Well, when we come to one, I'm going to get
• 6:07
  Speaker 5: out of this boat and hide there.
• 6:09
  Speaker 2: Just don't get.
• 6:09
  Speaker 5: Alarmed and don't tell anybody when you go out.
• 6:12
  Speaker 7: Why should you do that?
• 6:13
  Speaker 5: I think I see a light ahead.
• 6:15
  Speaker 7: There is a light, but.
• 6:16
  Speaker 5: Dim, too.
• 6:17
  Speaker 2: That's all for the good. It's... Yes? Yes.
• 6:21
  Speaker 5: We're coming around the corner. Look, I'm going to have
• 6:24
  Speaker 5: company when I get off. A waxed dead man on
• 6:27
  Speaker 5: a pile of straw. I hope I can stand these noises. Goodbye,
• 6:33
  Speaker 5: Betty Andrews. I wish we'd met at a different time.
• 6:36
  Speaker 2: Mind the boat.
• 6:37
  Speaker 3: Here.
• 6:38
  Speaker 5: What are you doing? Getting off, too. Don't be an idiot.
• 6:41
  Speaker 5: What's the idea?
• 6:41
  Speaker 7: You need looking after, Mr. Penderel. And if we must hide,
• 6:45
  Speaker 7: I suppose this is as good a place as any.
• 6:47
  Speaker 5: I won't have it.
• 6:47
  Speaker 7: Quick, quick. There'll be more boats along. Over behind that
• 6:50
  Speaker 7: dead man on the straw. He'll hide us.
• 6:51
  Speaker 3: Hurry.
• 6:56
  Speaker 7: Now, Mr. Penderel, in the queerest place I ever get into,
• 6:58
  Speaker 7: please tell me what this is all about.
• 7:01
  Speaker 2: I can't tell you.
• 7:01
  Speaker 7: You said it yourself. If you don't tell somebody, you'll
• 7:03
  Speaker 7: go crazy.
• 7:05
  Speaker 5: Maybe you're right. It's against the strict terms of the bet.
• 7:09
  Speaker 5: But this is the last day, and I tell you
• 7:11
  Speaker 5: I can't hold out any longer.
• 7:13
  Speaker 7: Lower your voice.
• 7:13
  Speaker 5: Lower your voice.
• 7:13
  Speaker 7: There's a boat coming.
• 7:19
  Speaker 2: I wonder.
• 7:21
  Speaker 5: I wonder if you ever heard of my stepfather, John Destry. Yes.
• 7:25
  Speaker 5: I imagine everybody has. He's a millionaire, and I'm not.
• 7:31
  Speaker 5: I'm just a chemist. An analytical chemist. Not very successful.
• 7:37
  Speaker 5: So if I'd had time, if I'd had money, I
• 7:40
  Speaker 5: might have worked out a process that would have.
• 7:42
  Speaker 2: Well, I think it would have helped him a war.
• 7:44
  Speaker 7: But he's got money.
• 7:45
  Speaker 5: Yes, he's got money. Well, my mother died years ago.
• 7:51
  Speaker 5: This Destry's a big, white-haired, fine-looking fellow. You'd think butter
• 7:55
  Speaker 5: wouldn't melt in his mouth. He's got an apartment in
• 7:57
  Speaker 5: the East Sixties.
• 7:58
  Speaker 2: Secretary. I never met her.
• 8:01
  Speaker 5: Ballot, cook, that kind of thing. Well, he used to
• 8:04
  Speaker 5: invite me there.
• 8:05
  Speaker 2: I wouldn't go.
• 8:07
  Speaker 5: Then he got hold of a book I had to have.
• 8:10
  Speaker 2: A German work on chemicals. So I went.
• 8:14
  Speaker 5: After dinner and that study of his, over the brandy.
• 8:17
  Speaker 4: Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
• 8:18
  Speaker 1: Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
• 8:35
  Speaker 11: Oh, my dear Robert, you're quite welcome to the book.
• 8:38
  Speaker 2: Don't mention it. Oh, what do you think of this brandy,
• 8:41
  Speaker 2: by the way? It's excellent, thanks. Yes, yes, I thought
• 8:45
  Speaker 2: you'd like it. And now that we're all relaxed, comfortable
• 8:49
  Speaker 2: after dinner, tell me something. Yes, Mr. Destry? You hate me,
• 8:55
  Speaker 2: don't you? Frankly, I do. Always have. Good, good.
• 9:01
  Speaker 11: Then you'll be relieved to hear I've always felt the
• 9:04
  Speaker 11: same about you. But tell me something else. Did you
• 9:07
  Speaker 11: ever know me to break my word? No, I never did.
• 9:12
  Speaker 11: I'll give you that. I asked you, Robert, because I
• 9:15
  Speaker 11: want to make a little bet with you. That is,
• 9:19
  Speaker 11: if you have the nerve, which I doubt.
• 9:22
  Speaker 5: I'm afraid I can't afford to make bets.
• 9:25
  Speaker 11: You are always careless with money, Robert. Well, I've been thrifty.
• 9:29
  Speaker 11: I saw that when your mother was alive. But you
• 9:32
  Speaker 11: can afford to make this bet. Look here, in my desk.
• 9:37
  Speaker 5: Well?
• 9:37
  Speaker 7: $ 25, 000, Robert.
• 9:37
  Speaker 8: $ 25, 000 in five $ 100 bills.
• 9:38
  Speaker 2: And what would I have to bet against that? Your life.
• 9:41
  Speaker 9: My life?
• 9:42
  Speaker 2: There's the money in the drawer. Look at it. What
• 9:57
  Speaker 2: wouldn't you give for that money?
• 9:59
  Speaker 11: What wouldn't you give to have it for this precious
• 10:02
  Speaker 11: work of yours that you're so fond of and that
• 10:05
  Speaker 11: you've failed in miserably?
• 10:08
  Speaker 2: So far I've failed, yes.
• 10:09
  Speaker 11: Oh, I've had a fairly good life as lives go.
• 10:13
  Speaker 11: My heart isn't as good as it might be, but
• 10:16
  Speaker 11: doctors say I last a little while yet. But before
• 10:20
  Speaker 11: I go, there's one pleasure. One little exquisite thrill for
• 10:26
  Speaker 11: me to experience. I want to commit a murder. Yes,
• 10:33
  Speaker 11: I said a murder. My bet is that I can
• 10:37
  Speaker 11: kill you within six months. And that you can't stop me.
• 10:43
  Speaker 11: And that I'll never be punished for it.
• 10:46
  Speaker 2: What do you say? Yes?
• 10:48
  Speaker 9: Yes?
• 10:49
  Speaker 11: Or no?
• 10:52
  Speaker 2: I believe you mean that. Of course I mean it.
• 10:55
  Speaker 2: And just how would you propose to kill me? Ah,
• 11:00
  Speaker 2: that would be telling. You know, if I had time
• 11:03
  Speaker 2: to think this thing over... There's no thinking it over.
• 11:06
  Speaker 11: Now.
• 11:07
  Speaker 2: Yes or no? Yes. You must need the money badly, Robert.
• 11:16
  Speaker 2: I do need it. But oddly enough, Mr. Destry... That
• 11:19
  Speaker 2: isn't why I'm doing this.
• 11:20
  Speaker 9: No?
• 11:21
  Speaker 4: No.
• 11:22
  Speaker 5: I want to show you you can't play the Lord
• 11:24
  Speaker 5: Almighty and get away with it.
• 11:25
  Speaker 2: Are you challenging me?
• 11:26
  Speaker 4: Yes.
• 11:26
  Speaker 2: You don't think I can do it?
• 11:27
  Speaker 5: I know you can't.
• 11:30
  Speaker 11: We mustn't get excited, Robert. There will be conditions to
• 11:35
  Speaker 11: the bet, you understand.
• 11:36
  Speaker 2: What conditions? First of all, you'll never mention this matter
• 11:41
  Speaker 2: to anyone. All right. That seems fair enough.
• 11:45
  Speaker 11: You'll remain within the city limits of New York for
• 11:48
  Speaker 11: six months... You'll spend at least one hour of every
• 11:51
  Speaker 11: day walking the open streets alone.
• 11:55
  Speaker 2: All right.
• 11:56
  Speaker 11: You'll spend at least one hour every evening in your
• 11:59
  Speaker 11: own room alone. I may come to see you, or
• 12:06
  Speaker 11: I may not. Trying to scare me already, are you? Finally,
• 12:10
  Speaker 11: you'll write out a little note and give it to me.
• 12:13
  Speaker 11: There's pen and paper on the desk in front of you.
• 12:16
  Speaker 2: Write it now.
• 12:17
  Speaker 5: Let's hear what I have to write before I do
• 12:19
  Speaker 5: anything like that.
• 12:20
  Speaker 2: You will write, I am a failure.
• 12:23
  Speaker 5: You can't stop harping on that, can you?
• 12:25
  Speaker 2: I am a failure.
• 12:26
  Speaker 11: And this was the only way out. I wouldn't have
• 12:29
  Speaker 11: done it otherwise. A suicide note?
• 12:33
  Speaker 2: Yes.
• 12:34
  Speaker 11: I intend to use it when I, uh, operate.
• 12:39
  Speaker 2: And if I won't write it? Then there's no bet.
• 12:44
  Speaker 2: All right, I'll do it. Hmm.
• 12:46
  Speaker 11: It's now, uh, let's see, nine o'clock on the night
• 12:50
  Speaker 11: of January the 10th. If you're alive and not in
• 12:54
  Speaker 11: a madhouse... Does that go into the bargain, too?
• 12:56
  Speaker 2: Yes.
• 12:57
  Speaker 11: At nine o'clock on the night of June 10th, given
• 13:00
  Speaker 11: those conditions, you will receive $ 25, 000. Can't you hear the
• 13:06
  Speaker 11: dice rattle, Robert? You're playing with death now.
• 13:12
  Speaker 2: I know it. Uh, aren't you going to finish your brandy? No,
• 13:18
  Speaker 2: thank you. Oh, then, uh, pour it back into the decanter.
• 13:23
  Speaker 2: You heard me.
• 13:25
  Speaker 11: Pour it back into the decanter. If you were as
• 13:29
  Speaker 11: careful as I am, you, uh, you wouldn't be where
• 13:32
  Speaker 11: you are now.
• 13:37
  Speaker 2: That's right. Always be thrifty.
• 13:40
  Speaker 11: I can promise you, by the way, that you'll always
• 13:42
  Speaker 11: be perfectly safe as long as you're in this apartment.
• 13:46
  Speaker 11: But that's the only concession I make. I notice your
• 13:50
  Speaker 11: hands are steady at the moment. I wonder what they'll
• 13:55
  Speaker 11: be like a month from now.
• 13:58
  Speaker 2: Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
• 14:20
  Speaker 7: So you were fool enough to make a bet with
• 14:21
  Speaker 7: John Destry.
• 14:22
  Speaker 2: Listen, Betty, I want to tell you what else happened
• 14:25
  Speaker 2: the same night.
• 14:27
  Speaker 5: I got on a Fifth Avenue bus and started to
• 14:29
  Speaker 5: look through that book that Destry gave me. It was
• 14:31
  Speaker 5: a book that I wanted about poisons. Well, just as
• 14:35
  Speaker 5: I opened it, I felt something sharp prick my fingers.
• 14:38
  Speaker 5: I looked down and my hands were covered with blood.
• 14:42
  Speaker 5: He had sewn safety razor blades in a line down
• 14:46
  Speaker 5: the inside edge of the cover.
• 14:47
  Speaker 4: Oh, no.
• 14:48
  Speaker 5: A little white card fell out of the book, and
• 14:51
  Speaker 5: I read it. It said, See how easy it is
• 14:54
  Speaker 5: to take you off guard? Those razor blades aren't poisoned,
• 14:59
  Speaker 5: but they might have been.
• 15:01
  Speaker 2: Take warning.
• 15:03
  Speaker 5: Betty, that was six months ago. Six months less five
• 15:07
  Speaker 5: hours of careful, refined torture.
• 15:11
  Speaker 2: And now.
• 15:12
  Speaker 5: I've got only five hours to go.
• 15:13
  Speaker 7: What's he done in the meantime?
• 15:15
  Speaker 8: Nothing.
• 15:16
  Speaker 2: Nothing?
• 15:17
  Speaker 7: I don't understand.
• 15:18
  Speaker 2: Nothing at all.
• 15:19
  Speaker 5: That's the cleverness of it. He's left me waiting, waiting, waiting.
• 15:22
  Speaker 7: Expecting something.
• 15:24
  Speaker 5: Expecting it every hour of the day or night. Once
• 15:27
  Speaker 5: at the laboratory where I work, I opened a box
• 15:30
  Speaker 5: that I thought was from a chemical supply house. And
• 15:33
  Speaker 5: a Mexican tarantula, one of those furry spiders about as
• 15:36
  Speaker 5: big as your fist, ran out across my hand. It
• 15:40
  Speaker 5: was a toy tarantula. He enclosed a card, asking whether
• 15:45
  Speaker 5: I didn't admire it.
• 15:46
  Speaker 7: Bob, this can't go on.
• 15:47
  Speaker 5: I used to think I didn't have a nerve in
• 15:48
  Speaker 5: my body. I could hold a test tube at arm's
• 15:51
  Speaker 5: length absolutely steady for minutes at a time. Now look
• 15:54
  Speaker 5: at me.
• 15:54
  Speaker 7: Don't, please, don't.
• 15:56
  Speaker 5: But the waiting's almost over now. Walking the streets, wondering
• 16:00
  Speaker 5: who's behind you. Sitting alone at night, listening for every
• 16:04
  Speaker 5: step on the stair. He's got very little time left now,
• 16:08
  Speaker 5: and he's got to do something. The question is, What's
• 16:12
  Speaker 5: he going to do?
• 16:13
  Speaker 7: Well, maybe he doesn't mean it. Maybe he's only doing
• 16:16
  Speaker 7: it to scare you.
• 16:17
  Speaker 2: And lose all that money? Oh, you don't know my stepfather. Listen.
• 16:26
  Speaker 2: I don't hear anything.
• 16:27
  Speaker 7: That's just it. There's no sound of running water. The
• 16:32
  Speaker 7: boats have stopped.
• 16:33
  Speaker 5: Then we're all by ourselves in here.
• 16:37
  Speaker 2: All with him.
• 16:38
  Speaker 5: Yes.
• 16:38
  Speaker 3: Yes.
• 16:40
  Speaker 5: Oh, Lord, how I wish I hadn't gotten you into this.
• 16:42
  Speaker 7: Oh, I'm all right. Or at least I think I am.
• 16:48
  Speaker 5: I thought I saw him in the crowd outside, but
• 16:51
  Speaker 5: I couldn't be sure. I'm seeing him everywhere.
• 16:54
  Speaker 7: Now, Bob, just a minute. Just tell me one more thing.
• 16:57
  Speaker 7: Did you ever see Mr. Destry, I mean face to face,
• 17:00
  Speaker 7: after that first night?
• 17:01
  Speaker 5: Many times.
• 17:02
  Speaker 7: He came to see you?
• 17:03
  Speaker 5: He came to my laboratory once, yes, but mostly I
• 17:06
  Speaker 5: went to see him. And why... Because it was the
• 17:09
  Speaker 5: only place in the world I.
• 17:10
  Speaker 2: Could feel safe.
• 17:11
  Speaker 7: He's promised that nothing should happen to you while you
• 17:13
  Speaker 7: were in his apartment.
• 17:14
  Speaker 5: Don't you see it was part of a torture? Night
• 17:17
  Speaker 5: after night he'd invite me. And I'd go right up
• 17:21
  Speaker 5: until last night.
• 17:23
  Speaker 2: Last night.
• 17:25
  Speaker 5: We were in that study of his with the devil
• 17:27
  Speaker 5: masks on the walls. And he was sitting behind the
• 17:31
  Speaker 5: big mahogany desk.
• 17:48
  Speaker 2: Oh, my dear Robert.
• 17:50
  Speaker 11: I'm pleased and even touched to have you here on
• 17:55
  Speaker 11: the last night before you....
• 17:58
  Speaker 2: Before you.
• 17:59
  Speaker 5: Why don't you say die and get it over with?
• 18:01
  Speaker 2: Oh, well, let's not say die.
• 18:03
  Speaker 7: No?
• 18:04
  Speaker 11: The clergy contend that we never die.
• 18:07
  Speaker 2: We only change. Now let that be a consolation for you.
• 18:12
  Speaker 2: Must you be going so early?
• 18:13
  Speaker 9: Yes.
• 18:14
  Speaker 2: There's that one-hour-at-home rule to our bet, if you remember.
• 18:18
  Speaker 2: I remember. You're keeping to the rule.
• 18:20
  Speaker 5: Yes, and I mean to beat you at this if
• 18:22
  Speaker 5: it's the last thing I ever do.
• 18:23
  Speaker 11: The last thing I ever do. That's an unfortunate choice
• 18:28
  Speaker 11: of phrase, Robert. My boy, you haven't a chance. Something's
• 18:34
  Speaker 11: going to happen to you within the next 24 hours
• 18:37
  Speaker 11: when you least expect it.
• 18:40
  Speaker 2: Will you answer me one question? If I choose.
• 18:46
  Speaker 5: Have you decided how you mean to kill me?
• 18:49
  Speaker 2: I decided that six months ago.
• 18:51
  Speaker 5: And you still think you can get away with it?
• 18:53
  Speaker 11: It's a method which has never been known to fail.
• 18:57
  Speaker 11: I give you my word of honor on that.
• 19:00
  Speaker 2: Is it... Is it... Sudden? Yes. And no. Wouldn't you
• 19:09
  Speaker 2: like to know what it is? Good night, Mr. Destry. I...
• 19:13
  Speaker 2: I think I'd better be leaving. No, no, my dear boy,
• 19:16
  Speaker 2: you mustn't go yet. Sit down. Pour yourself a glass
• 19:19
  Speaker 2: of brandy. No, thanks.
• 19:21
  Speaker 11: Then perhaps you wouldn't mind pouring me a little. My
• 19:25
  Speaker 11: doctor allows brandy, though I'm forbidden spirits. I notice your
• 19:32
  Speaker 11: hands are shaking quite a good deal. They weren't like
• 19:36
  Speaker 11: that six months ago, were they?
• 19:38
  Speaker 2: No, no. You were full of confidence then.
• 19:41
  Speaker 3: Oh.
• 19:42
  Speaker 11: And it grieves me to see you waste tobacco by
• 19:45
  Speaker 11: lighting a cigarette and putting it out immediately.
• 19:48
  Speaker 5: Oh, it's no use lying to you. But I'm going
• 19:50
  Speaker 5: to beat you just the same.
• 19:51
  Speaker 2: You wouldn't like to back out now? After what I've
• 19:55
  Speaker 2: been through?
• 19:56
  Speaker 11: You'd still have your life. I'll keep it, thanks. That's
• 20:00
  Speaker 11: very unwise of you, Robert. Still, you must decide. I
• 20:06
  Speaker 11: was expecting my secretary a little later to dictate some letters.
• 20:11
  Speaker 11: But now I think I'll leave her a message that
• 20:14
  Speaker 11: I've gone to bed and turn in myself. Tomorrow is
• 20:19
  Speaker 11: likely to prove an interesting day for both of us.
• 20:22
  Speaker 2: Here's your hat. Here's your briefcase.
• 20:25
  Speaker 11: And let me wish you a fond, peaceful, and happy
• 20:29
  Speaker 11: good night.
• 20:56
  Speaker 5: That was last night, Betty. I saw I had five
• 20:58
  Speaker 5: hours to go.
• 20:58
  Speaker 7: It's less than four hours now.
• 21:00
  Speaker 5: If I can keep away from the old devil until
• 21:01
  Speaker 5: nine o'clock... I.
• 21:03
  Speaker 7: Wish those boats would start running again.
• 21:05
  Speaker 2: Why?
• 21:06
  Speaker 7: Because it's almost as spooky in here as a real
• 21:08
  Speaker 7: old mill.
• 21:09
  Speaker 2: I know.
• 21:09
  Speaker 7: Even that wax dummy on the straw. Any minute now, I.
• 21:12
  Speaker 5: You're expecting to see him move?
• 21:14
  Speaker 2: So am I.
• 21:15
  Speaker 7: Now, don't stand up.
• 21:16
  Speaker 2: It doesn't matter.
• 21:17
  Speaker 5: If the boats aren't running, we can hear anybody who
• 21:19
  Speaker 5: comes along.
• 21:19
  Speaker 2: I hope so.
• 21:21
  Speaker 5: Do you think Destry's got in?
• 21:22
  Speaker 7: Bobby can't have got in. He can't even be here.
• 21:25
  Speaker 5: Why not?
• 21:25
  Speaker 7: Because Mr. Destry told me... Mr.
• 21:27
  Speaker 5: Destry told you?
• 21:29
  Speaker 7: I'm his secretary.
• 21:34
  Speaker 5: You know, Betty Andrews, I'm sorry it was you who
• 21:38
  Speaker 5: did this.
• 21:39
  Speaker 7: Did what?
• 21:39
  Speaker 5: You can't guess, can you?
• 21:41
  Speaker 7: Oh, Bob, I didn't come here to trap you or
• 21:42
  Speaker 7: spy on you. If that's what you're thinking, I swear
• 21:44
  Speaker 7: I didn't.
• 21:44
  Speaker 6: No.
• 21:45
  Speaker 5: You only got me to tell you the whole story
• 21:47
  Speaker 5: and lose my bet.
• 21:48
  Speaker 7: I haven't heard a single word you said. Bob, please
• 21:51
  Speaker 7: believe that.
• 21:51
  Speaker 2: He didn't send you here, of course.
• 21:53
  Speaker 11: No, no.
• 21:53
  Speaker 5: And of course you never saw me at his apartment
• 21:55
  Speaker 5: last night.
• 21:55
  Speaker 7: No, I swear I didn't. I got there late. He'd
• 21:57
  Speaker 7: gone to bed. I didn't even take off my hat
• 22:00
  Speaker 7: or gloves before I left again. Don't you understand, Bob?
• 22:02
  Speaker 7: I hate him, too. I want to see you beat him.
• 22:04
  Speaker 5: You've got to beat him.
• 22:06
  Speaker 2: You mean that?
• 22:07
  Speaker 7: Look at me and see if I mean it.
• 22:10
  Speaker 5: Betty, I almost believe you.
• 22:15
  Speaker 7: You must believe me.
• 22:17
  Speaker 3: And.
• 22:18
  Speaker 2: Anything else?
• 22:20
  Speaker 7: We'd better hide behind that dead man, Harry. Those boats
• 22:24
  Speaker 7: have started up again.
• 22:25
  Speaker 5: I wish I could tell you, Betty, what that means
• 22:27
  Speaker 5: to me.
• 22:27
  Speaker 7: Come on, come on, hurry.
• 22:29
  Speaker 1: Wait a minute, you two.
• 22:31
  Speaker 2: Stay just where you are.
• 22:33
  Speaker 5: Where's that voice coming from?
• 22:34
  Speaker 7: Along the tunnel, I think.
• 22:35
  Speaker 5: But it's not Destry's voice.
• 22:36
  Speaker 7: No, it's a man standing up at a boat. He's
• 22:38
  Speaker 7: coming around the corner. I can see him now.
• 22:40
  Speaker 8: Hurry.
• 22:40
  Speaker 9: The old haunted mill, eh?
• 22:43
  Speaker 1: My golly, if this ain't some place to make a pinch,
• 22:46
  Speaker 1: I never heard of one.
• 22:47
  Speaker 5: What do you mean, make a pinch?
• 22:49
  Speaker 1: Just what I said. Your name Robert Penderel?
• 22:52
  Speaker 2: Yes.
• 22:53
  Speaker 5: Who are you and what do you want?
• 22:55
  Speaker 1: Police headquarters. You're here to come along with me. I
• 22:58
  Speaker 1: want to see you over in New York.
• 23:00
  Speaker 4: About what?
• 23:01
  Speaker 1: I wouldn't know, lady, but it might be about the
• 23:03
  Speaker 1: murder of John Destry.
• 23:05
  Speaker 2: Oh, no! Did you say... The murder of John Destry?
• 23:10
  Speaker 1: That's right. Somebody poisoned him last night with mercury cyanide.
• 23:15
  Speaker 1: I wouldn't have got you at all, maybe, if the
• 23:16
  Speaker 1: barker outside there hadn't thought the cops were after you
• 23:19
  Speaker 1: to start with.
• 23:21
  Speaker 2: Betty.
• 23:22
  Speaker 7: Yes, Bob?
• 23:23
  Speaker 2: He's beaten me.
• 23:24
  Speaker 7: He hasn't beaten you.
• 23:26
  Speaker 2: Oh, yes, he has.
• 23:27
  Speaker 5: And I know now the weapon Destry was going to
• 23:29
  Speaker 5: use in killing me.
• 23:30
  Speaker 7: What weapon?
• 23:32
  Speaker 2: It never fails. The electric chair. Oh.
• 23:39
  Speaker 7: You mustn't talk like that.
• 23:40
  Speaker 2: Don't you see?
• 23:42
  Speaker 5: He never once intended to kill me in the way
• 23:43
  Speaker 5: I thought.
• 23:44
  Speaker 1: Are you coming quietly, Mr.
• 23:46
  Speaker 9: Pendle?
• 23:46
  Speaker 2: Just a minute.
• 23:47
  Speaker 5: He's poisoned himself. But he's left evidence to show I
• 23:50
  Speaker 5: did it. He's killing me the worst way possible. He's
• 23:55
  Speaker 5: won the bet. The money doesn't matter now. If I'm
• 23:58
  Speaker 5: in the death house for murder, what use have I
• 24:01
  Speaker 5: got for all the money in the world?
• 24:02
  Speaker 9: Mr.
• 24:23
  Speaker 4: Pandor, let me introduce myself. My name's Mullen, Inspector Mullen.
• 24:27
  Speaker 4: It's a pleasure to meet you, Inspector. It's a pleasure
• 24:30
  Speaker 4: to be safe again. I've had you brought here to
• 24:33
  Speaker 4: my office for a little quiet talk. You're in a jam, son.
• 24:36
  Speaker 4: And I want you to realize how bad it is.
• 24:39
  Speaker 4: You think I don't realize it? John Destry was poisoned
• 24:42
  Speaker 4: with mercury cyanide administered in a glass of brandy.
• 24:45
  Speaker 5: And only my fingerprints were on the glass besides his own.
• 24:49
  Speaker 2: I can guess. Mr.
• 24:50
  Speaker 4: Destry's body was found this morning lying behind the desk
• 24:53
  Speaker 4: in the study. There was an empty glass with traces
• 24:55
  Speaker 4: of brandy and cyanide. We haven't had the full autopsy report,
• 24:59
  Speaker 4: but the smell of that stuff is pretty distinctive.
• 25:02
  Speaker 2: They tell me you're a chemist, Mr. Pender. That's right.
• 25:07
  Speaker 4: The boys find that eight grains of mercury cyanide are
• 25:10
  Speaker 4: missing from your laboratory.
• 25:12
  Speaker 2: Where he visited me a month ago.
• 25:13
  Speaker 4: And in your briefcase, which you took away from his
• 25:15
  Speaker 4: apartment last night.
• 25:16
  Speaker 2: He handed it to me.
• 25:17
  Speaker 9: I remember.
• 25:18
  Speaker 4: We found over a thousand dollars in cash. Now take
• 25:22
  Speaker 4: a look at this note. You ever see it before?
• 25:25
  Speaker 8: Look.
• 25:27
  Speaker 3: Yes.
• 25:28
  Speaker 2: I wrote it.
• 25:29
  Speaker 4: You admit that?
• 25:30
  Speaker 2: Yes, yes, yes.
• 25:31
  Speaker 4: It says, I was a failure and this was the
• 25:34
  Speaker 4: only way out. I wouldn't have done it otherwise.
• 25:37
  Speaker 2: Where did you find it?
• 25:39
  Speaker 4: Torn up in little bits. You started to write a
• 25:42
  Speaker 4: confession and then you couldn't face the consequences.
• 25:45
  Speaker 2: But you shouldn't have left the pieces behind. You're intimate,
• 25:48
  Speaker 2: my boy. Unless... Unless what?
• 25:52
  Speaker 4: Now, if you'd like to confess here and now, and
• 25:55
  Speaker 4: maybe we did a little deal about second-degree murder, why.
• 25:58
  Speaker 5: Oh, Inspector, why bother to string me along?
• 26:00
  Speaker 4: What do you mean, string me along?
• 26:02
  Speaker 5: There's no second-degree murder on a poison charge. It's the
• 26:05
  Speaker 5: death house or nothing. He saw to that.
• 26:07
  Speaker 4: It's too bad you had to go and kill him, son.
• 26:10
  Speaker 2: Didn't you know he had an aneurysm?
• 26:13
  Speaker 9: A what?
• 26:14
  Speaker 2: Fatal heart disease.
• 26:16
  Speaker 4: He said that he had heart trouble, but... Heart trouble.
• 26:19
  Speaker 4: His doctor says he couldn't have lived eight or ten
• 26:21
  Speaker 4: months anyway. And you might have got something in the will.
• 26:25
  Speaker 4: So that's why he did it.
• 26:26
  Speaker 2: Did what? Killed himself.
• 26:28
  Speaker 4: You still stick to that crazy story you told the boy?
• 26:31
  Speaker 5: He's going to kill me, isn't he? With 3,000 volts
• 26:34
  Speaker 5: of electricity.
• 26:37
  Speaker 1: Inspector Mullen.
• 26:38
  Speaker 4: What are you doing here, Sergeant? Didn't I say I
• 26:40
  Speaker 4: wasn't to be disturbed? All the same, Inspector, I thought
• 26:43
  Speaker 4: I'd better do it. There's a young lady here, a
• 26:45
  Speaker 4: Miss Betty Andrews. I think you'd better see her. I'll
• 26:48
  Speaker 4: see her when I'm good and ready. And I think
• 26:49
  Speaker 4: you'd better see her, Inspector. We've just heard from Mr.
• 26:52
  Speaker 4: Destry's lawyer.
• 26:53
  Speaker 2: Well?
• 26:54
  Speaker 1: He said that that young fellow there, Mr. Penderel, inherits 25,000
• 26:58
  Speaker 1: bucks in Mr. Destry's new will.
• 27:00
  Speaker 4: Did you hear that, son? Do you see what you'd
• 27:02
  Speaker 4: have gotten if you hadn't gone and killed him?
• 27:04
  Speaker 5: He was keeping his promise, that's all. The fine lot
• 27:08
  Speaker 5: of good it'll do me now.
• 27:09
  Speaker 1: But look, Inspector, I've just talked to the medical examiner
• 27:12
  Speaker 1: and he says there's no poison in Mr. Destry's body.
• 27:19
  Speaker 2: Say that again?
• 27:21
  Speaker 1: There's no poison in the old man's body.
• 27:24
  Speaker 4: Somebody's kidding you. An empty glass with the smell of
• 27:28
  Speaker 4: mercury cyanide and a dead man with a congested face
• 27:31
  Speaker 4: behind the mask?
• 27:32
  Speaker 2: What did kill him then?
• 27:33
  Speaker 1: Well, if you'd like to listen to Miss Andrews, Inspector,
• 27:36
  Speaker 1: she's right here now.
• 27:37
  Speaker 7: I think you'd better listen, Inspector. I've been trying to
• 27:39
  Speaker 7: tell you all afternoon.
• 27:40
  Speaker 2: Go ahead, Miss Andrews.
• 27:41
  Speaker 7: I've been over and over it. And until I got
• 27:44
  Speaker 7: the medical report, nobody would listen.
• 27:45
  Speaker 4: Can you tell us what killed John Destry?
• 27:48
  Speaker 2: Yes.
• 27:49
  Speaker 7: Poison killed him.
• 27:49
  Speaker 4: But the sergeant's just been saying there was no poison
• 27:52
  Speaker 4: in the body.
• 27:52
  Speaker 7: Inspector, will you listen? I was at Mr. Destry's apartment
• 27:56
  Speaker 7: late last night.
• 27:57
  Speaker 4: Well, so what? You didn't kill him.
• 27:59
  Speaker 2: Did you?
• 27:59
  Speaker 10: The servant said he'd gone to bed. So I looked
• 28:02
  Speaker 10: into the study to see if there were any instructions.
• 28:04
  Speaker 4: Was Mr. Destry dead then?
• 28:06
  Speaker 7: I don't know. I couldn't see his body because it
• 28:09
  Speaker 7: was hidden behind the desk.
• 28:12
  Speaker 10: I didn't even learn he was dead until late this afternoon.
• 28:15
  Speaker 7: But I did see a full glass of brandy.
• 28:18
  Speaker 2: A full glass, did you say?
• 28:19
  Speaker 3: Yes.
• 28:20
  Speaker 7: So I picked up the glass and poured the brandy
• 28:22
  Speaker 7: back into the decanter. That's what he always made us do.
• 28:26
  Speaker 7: And I didn't leave any fingerprints because I was still
• 28:28
  Speaker 7: wearing my gloves.
• 28:30
  Speaker 4: And.
• 28:30
  Speaker 7: That was the same glass you later found empty.
• 28:32
  Speaker 4: But you still are not telling us what was the
• 28:35
  Speaker 4: poison that killed John Destry.
• 28:38
  Speaker 10: It was the poison in his own system. He worked
• 28:40
  Speaker 10: out this plot to convict Bob Penderel. Only just as
• 28:43
  Speaker 10: he stretched out his hand to drink the cyanide.
• 28:45
  Speaker 5: Inspector, I think I see it. It was his last
• 28:48
  Speaker 5: great hour. He couldn't resist such gloating as he'd never
• 28:51
  Speaker 5: known before. That's it.
• 28:53
  Speaker 7: His heart wouldn't stand it. And he fell dead behind
• 28:55
  Speaker 7: the desk.
• 28:56
  Speaker 10: And I think if you study the expression on his face.
• 29:00
  Speaker 7: You'll find he died laughing.
• 29:15
  Speaker 3: And so ends Will You Make a Bet with Death.
• 29:20
  Speaker 3: Tonight's story of.
• 29:22
  Speaker 2: Suspense.
• 29:25
  Speaker 3: The part of Bob Penderel was played by Michael Fitzmaurice.
• 29:29
  Speaker 3: Betty was played by Leslie Woods. John Destry was played
• 29:32
  Speaker 3: by Nicholas Joy. And in supporting roles were Ted DiCorsia
• 29:35
  Speaker 3: and Charles Slattery. Again next Tuesday at 9.30 p.m. Eastern Wartime.
• 29:43
  Speaker 3: A story dedicated to the thrill of the nighttime. The
• 29:46
  Speaker 3: hushed voice and the prowling step. Another adventure in suspense.
• 29:53
  Speaker 3: William Spear, the producer. Mark Slobe, the director in the
• 29:57
  Speaker 3: absence of John Deacon. And John Dixon Carr, the author.
• 30:01
  Speaker 3: Our collaborators on.
• 30:06
  Speaker 8: Suspense.
• 30:18
  Speaker 2: This is the Columbia Broadcasting System.
• 30:34
  Speaker 1: Suspense has concluded with Will You Make a Bet with Death?
• 30:38
  Speaker 1: Thank you for joining us for this 1942 broadcast. Follow
• 30:43
  Speaker 1: Old Time Mystery Radio for more classic mystery and detective broadcasts.