Come in. Welcome. I'm E .G. Marshall. Welcome
to the terrifying world of the imagination. I
am a man normally filled with the milk of human
kindness, but prepared, I'm afraid, to curdle
your blood with a tale not of life and death,
but rather death and life. I offer you one small
comfort. It could hardly happen today. But in
the last century, on the old Montgomery estate
in Maryland, in the great dark rambling house
called Westerly, it was easier to be marked for
death than in this one. Yes, Mother. You look
at home in your coffin. Sleep fast. It's taken
many years. But you've made your son a very happy
man. It's all mine at last. Westerly, the money,
the jewels. I'm my own man. How I've hated you
the way you kept me on the leash like some old
hound dog. Well, now the money's mine. You'll
hardly need those rings. They've let you wear
to your grave I'll take them so I can buy me
You would hang on to them even if I Should have
known you'd come back to haunt me even before
we got you to the grave Our mystery drama, Cold
Storage, was written especially for the Mystery
Theatre by Ian Martin and stars Ruby Dee and
John Barragay. I'll be back shortly with Act
One. Some ghouls robbing a grave. Many years
before, Buford Montgomery found himself engaged
in essentially the same activity, where every
bit is shocked when the corpse whose rings they
were tearing off suddenly sat up, alive. An epileptic
seizure in other times could counterfeit death.
The ghouls, of course, had a recourse. They ran
away. Buford Montgomery has to stay and face
his problem. Buford, will you put me down? When
I'm ready. I am quite able to walk. I want to
make sure you don't run. What are you talking
about? What are you doing locking me in? No,
no, no, keep away from me. It's all right, mother.
I'm not going to harm you. I heard you standing
over me in that coffin. I want... I need Dr.
Wayne. That doddering old numbskull. He almost
had you buried alive. You know he signed your
death certificate. But how could he? I am alive.
Oh, yes. I'm quite satisfied you are no ghost.
But what happened? Another of your epileptic
seizures. We were all convinced this one was
fatal. At last. Only it wasn't. Quite a... disappointment
to my beloved son well at least I know now where
we stand now you open that door and send Hannah
up to me not yet mother why because you see we
don't really know just quite how we stand do
we you foot don't don't you look at me like that
how was I looking mama dear You want me dead
back in that coffin. I want all the things I
thought were finally mine The house the estate
the money and most almost of all the freedom
to be a man Look at me mama Listen to me call
you that mama a grown man 38 years old Tied to
his mother's apron strings like like some sniveling
little boy I never meant to keep you tied down.
Oh, yes, you did. You even did it with the judge.
Father's life wasn't his own, either. You killed
him. You... You are mad. Keep away. Keep away.
You want to kill me? I'm not going to kill you,
Mama. You know I haven't got the strength of
will for that. Of course you won't, son, but...
You can have anything you want. Now we've had
this little talk. Now, now please get Hannah
like a good boy. Oh, no, Mama. I don't need you
anymore. You left me everything in your will.
But I'm not dead. To all the world except me,
you are. And you're going to stay that way. If
you come one step closer, I'll scream. No one
will hear you. Not in this big old house. Westerly's
thick walls have no ears. What are you going
to do to me? You'll see mother You'll see You're
going to put me back in that coffin and bury
me alive Yes, I haven't any choice now Please,
please, please Don't worry You'll be quite comfortable
I'm going to bury you alive But not in the coffin
Anna yes, mr. Buford. I want you here in the
hall. What is it sir? Where's William? He's in
the stable master grooming the horses for the
funeral tomorrow You want I should fetch him?
No, not yet sit down I want to talk to you. Yes,
sir. Now, where to begin? Hannah, you were mighty
beholden to my father, weren't you? Judge Montgomery
was a fine man. Was very kind to you and your
son. The judge was powerful good to me and William.
And my mother? Mrs. Montgomery is a fine lady.
It's been a privilege to have served her as housekeeper.
And will you consider it a privilege to serve
me in the same capacity? If you want me, sir.
And William? Where I go, William goes. You know,
he's just a great big overgrown baby. Has to
be cared for like one. Or they'd shut him away
somewhere, isn't it? I wouldn't ever let them
do that to my boy. He couldn't stand being shut
in. He'd... Why, he'd... You wouldn't let them
do that to him, would you, Master Buford? Not
if I can count on you to help me. You can, sir.
You can. Well, what about William? He does what
I tell him. He's old as you are, but he has the
mind of a child. I'd want to be absolutely sure
of both of you. I don't understand you, Master
Buford. Then I'll make myself plainer. I think
you must have always hated my mother. Why did
you stay on after father died? I stayed because
I... Where else could I go? You're sure it wasn't
because you were afraid? Afraid of what? Not
of, Hannah. For. For William. Right? Oh, don't
look so terrified and trapped. I know it all,
Hannah. I know it all. Master Buford, I... How
you must really hate us all. Even father at the
end. Not the judge. Never the judge. Even after
what he made you sign? What would the judge ever
have wanted me to sign? A confession that you
saw your son William commit a murder ten years
ago. How did you know? It's one of the advantages
of my dear mother's unexpected death. It was
among the papers the lawyer turned over to me.
So she did know. All these years. How could Randolph
had done that to me? You know why. You were an
eyewitness. And you know that William wasn't
alone. It was an accident. And you were only
boys. Pretty old for boys, Hannah. We were both
going on 19, and the Copley kid was only 15.
It was only my father being a judge that saved
us all. Any jury in horse country like this could
have told that boy's neck wasn't broken by any
fall from a horse. The finger marks were gouged
into the flesh. The rope burns were raw on his
wrists. Why did you do it, Master Beaufort? Not
I, Hannah. Remember? William was the culprit.
William didn't know what he was doing. You egged
him on. If I did, I didn't mean it to go so far.
William didn't... doesn't know his own strengths.
What does it matter? It's nearly 20 years ago.
Why do you rake up old ashes? There are certain
things I have to be sure of. What? In spite of
everything, your complete loyalty to me. I have
little choice if you have any confession. I have
it in your own handwriting and William's squall,
too I'm going to ask you to stretch your conscience
further Come with me. No, no master Beaufort
Don't bring me to the coffin. I don't want to
look at us. I don't want to stop Look open your
eyes. Oh It's empty she's gone What have you
done with her she's in her bedroom upstairs,
but she I'm afraid that blind old boggler. Dr.
Wayne slightly exaggerated my mother's untimely
end Mean she's alive and unfortunately quite
well I See the news is it disappointing to you
as it was to me. Oh don't try to hide it Hannah
You know you hated her quite as much as I. I
won't deny it. The humiliation, the day -by -day
degradations your mother has put me through all
these years since your father died. I can never
forgive her for them. I'm glad to hear it. When
she was dead, I was glad. God forgive me. It
was one of the happiest days of my life. And
mine. That's why she's going to stay dead, Hannah.
You're mad. You can't murder your own mother.
Nothing is further from my mind. No. Dear mama
will come to no physical harm. You and William
will see to it that her bodily needs are well
taken care of. And I, as complete master of Westerly
at last, will see to it in turn that you and
William are taken care of. What are you going
to do with her? First of all, Hannah, you're
going to explain to William. Then bring him here
so we can nail up this coffin and the very old
services can be completed tomorrow. Master Buford,
no, you can't. Better tell William to bring a
sack of meal or corn. Won't do to have the coffin
too light. How, how on earth can you hide your
mother from, from everyone? On earth. That's
very apt. I'll tell you what we're going to do
with her, Hannah. Just what we do with the roots
and the preserves. We're going to put Mama in
cold storage. Make sure to drive them home, William.
Do see machine burying a whole good sack of good
feed. I picked up the worthiest one I could find.
That's enough now. Finish up. Finish now. Got
the ladder in, Hannah? Yes, sir. All right. Did
you strip the bed in the spare room, Hannah?
Yes, sir, I did. William, you go on up there
and bring that bed and all the furniture downstairs
to the old hidey hole, right? Sure will. Where
is this hidey hole? William could tell you as
good as me, or better. He's the one who found
it. Must be 15 years ago. 16, Master Buford.
That was the year Miss Prudence dropped her first
foe. That's when old Mr. Todd Hunter, the vet
man, told me all about his daddy and your grandfather
and how they dug out the hidey hole and made
it out of a big room like a station on the Underground
Railroad. William, go see to the furniture. Yes,
sir. Take me a while to get the bed apart. Take
your time. The Underground Railroad? You mean
this was a slave station? To hide out escaped
slaves being passed to the north? What it was.
But you can't put your mother in a place like
that. Why not? She spent her lifetime trying
to turn the clock back, make a slave of everyone
else. Why shouldn't it be her turn for a change?
How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have
a thankless child as King Lear had occasion to
remark Still on the record Mama is not much of
a prize either Let's leave her in cold storage
until we return shortly with act two In the weeks
that pass, Mrs. Randolph Price Montgomery is
finding her quarters somewhat less elegant than
she liked. But at least they are less confining
than a coffin. Buford, her son and now heir,
has been living as high as he promised himself,
and cutting a swath as the county's most sought
-after bachelor. I declare, Buford, I thought
I'd never be able to coax you away from all the
other ladies. Nancy Lee, they may have had my
arms, but my heart was with you. Well, I'd have
felt a lot sure of that if I'd had your name
a little more often in my car. I just don't want
us to get talked about too much. Why ever not?
Would you be ashamed to have your name linked
with mine? Why, Nancy Lee, you know better than
that. Aren't you gonna sit with me, sugar? Oh,
why, why, sure, honey. Hold my hand. Just lies
in mine like a little bird. Now that's more like
my Beaufort. Kiss me. Angel. Still the same old
thrill. Gives me goosebumps all over. Oh, that's
nice. I wouldn't want to think I'd lost the power
to get you going. Why would you think that? Well,
I'll tell you, Beaufort. I thought when your
mother died, it would give us a chance to be
closer than ever. I mean, since we could come
right out in the open. I didn't think it would
start you chasing after every pretty girl inside.
I wouldn't take a one of them or exchange any
of them for you. Now, I'm right glad to hear
you say that, sugar, because I'm afraid you're
not going to be a bachelor anymore. Huh? I got
something to tell you. You're going to have to
go back to being a family man again, I'm afraid.
What? What are you saying? That you're going
to be a daddy. Aren't you proud? Good Lord! Are
you sure? That I'm in a family way? Well, it's
very easy for a girl to be sure of that. What
are we going to do? Well, with Mama gone, there's
no problem at all. You're just going to have
to make an honest woman of me. My parents surely
won't object. And you wouldn't want the Colonel
to come after you with a gun, knowing that my
daddy is the best shot in South Carolina. Now,
wait a minute, Nancy Lee. Oh, Sugar, you know
I'm only funnin'. And I know you're going to
be every bit as happy as I am once you get used
to it. Oh, honey, aren't you just thrilled to
death? We're going to get married Come in Excuse
me master. What is it Hannah? It's about mrs.
Montgomery She isn't that yet. I meant your mother
sir. Oh What about her? She keeps asking for
you. Well tell her I'm Just don't tell her anything.
You haven't said anything about the wedding tomorrow.
No, sir, but... But what? About your mother.
She... She wants to talk to you. And it does
seem so inhumane to keep her locked up alone.
She sees you or William every day, doesn't she?
Yes. Her quarters are comfortable and clean,
aren't they? Yes. She's in perfectly good health?
Oh, yes. Never better. More's the pity. Well,
then? She's... She's lonely. So was I all those
years. She had me under her thumb, and I'm not
going back to that By tomorrow. I'm going to
have my own woman and a beauty at that Mother's
not going to spoil that for me. Yes, sir I'm
sorry sir good now get out of here and take the
whiskey carafe with you and fill it up. It's
almost empty again Yes, sir master Buford sir
William Yes, mama. Take this carafe and fill
it with Master Buford's bourbon and bring it
back to him in his study. Yes, sir. I reckon
old Master Buford's getting himself licked up
for the bachelor party. I reckon he's trying
to build himself some Dutch courage. What do
you mean, ma? I mean... I don't think he exactly
figured on getting tied up again when he cut
his mama's apron strings. Beautiful. Oh, look
at that. It started into rain. Such a pretty
night, too. Let's go on up to bed. My husband.
All he ever seems to think of, now he's made
me his little goods and chattel. Nancy Lee, all
I mean was I'm tired. Tired of me after two short
weeks? You know I didn't mean that. Well, come
here then. Lay your head on Mama's breast. Don't
say that. What happened? Don't be so sensitive.
Your Mama's dead and gone. Yes. Although sometimes,
I swear to goodness, I get the feeling in this
rickety old house she's still sort of around.
Huh? What makes you think that? Well, don't jump
so, darling. It's just a... just a spooky feeling.
Maybe you and me should have gotten rid of Westerling,
gone back on to South Carolina with Mom and Papa.
No! We can't leave here. Well, all right sugar
don't take on so I didn't mean to jump at you
Of course you didn't you're just so kind a little
old me and you were so generous to lend the Colonel
all that money To go back south with mama to
build up our old lovely old plantation again
It must be the size of half the state what it's
costing to restore it Well, it had gotten run
down sort of but you've nothing to worry about
Buford You'll get the money back. Of course,
of course Nancy Lee What is it? Oh, this old
porch. It's starting to leak like a sieve. I'll
have William look at it in the morning. That
big old lame brain. Buford, if we're gonna stay
here at Westerly, I want some changes made. I'd
like to do some rebuilding. We can discuss that
in the morning. And I want some new servants.
I don't want that silly old William and Hannah
around. They've got to go. No. But, Buford...
Whatever happens, William and Hannah stay. And
we stay. That's final. My Beaufort, you are so
masterful when you get mad, I could just swoon.
Come on, let's go on up to bed, and I'll show
you just how wonderful it is to be married. I
came out with your mother's tray, Master Beaufort,
and she nearly caught me. What the Sam Hill was
Nancy Lee doing in the cellar? I don't know.
She didn't see anything? I'm sure not. Does she
suspect anything? I don't think I... Damn that
woman. That's her now. Get out, Hannah. I'll
handle this. Yes, sir. Nancy Lee. What the devil
were you doing down in the cellar? No need to
take on, so I was... I was just making up my
mind where to put the wine cellar. What wine
cellar? The one we're going to build in the back
there. What for? Well, I intend to start entertaining,
having guests to stay... Well, bring this house
alive. No. No wine cellar and no guests. And
you stay out of that downstairs. Don't you order
me around. I'll do what I want in my own house.
What did you mean by locking me out of our bedroom
last night? I don't allow anyone who can't behave
like a gentleman in my room. If you think just
by withholding your favors from me, you can get
your own way. You listen to me, Buford. One way
or another, I always get my own way, and don't
you forget it. Master Buford, Master Buford,
you can't sleep here on the floor, sir. Why?
Oh, yes. I've got to, Hannah. Oh, my wife won't
let me in the bedroom. Come on, sir. You've been
drinking. I've made you up a bed in one of the
guest rooms. I wanna sleep on the bedroom. Not
guest room. Ironic, isn't it, Anna? Don't have
much luck with the ladies. All of the frying
pan into the fire. She's got to go. Except can't.
Because of baby. Got the child to think of. Can't
figure that one out. William, is my horse ready?
Morning, Nancy Lee. My, ain't you the prettiest
thing? I asked about my horse. Oh, yes, Miss
Nancy. I combed and curried and shined that old
horse. Would you bring him around to the front?
Yes, sir, Miss Nancy. And the name is Mrs. Montgomery.
Yes. Mrs.. Montgomery. Oh get out of my sight
when you bring them around. Let me know. I'll
be in the parlor Buford here Hannah said you
want to see me. I want to talk to you. I'm afraid
I don't have time I'm going riding. That's what
I want to talk to you about Do you think it's
wise? All this riding in your condition in my
condition I'd near forgotten Forgotten? How could
you forget the baby you're carrying? I'm sure
I wouldn't if I were. Only I'm not. I never had
one. What? Oh, Buford, don't splutter so. If
you'd have a brain in your head, you'd have realized
that long ago. It was all a trick to get me to
marry you. At the time, you seemed such a catch,
and the competition was a little heavy, so I
thought I'd just make sure of you. And it worked.
I'm really sorry to have disappointed you about
the child. Disappointed? You don't know how relieved
I am. Now there's no problem. What do you mean,
no problem? To end this marriage, to get a divorce.
You think that's no problem? It shouldn't be.
I'm prepared to make a reasonable settlement.
And just what would you consider reasonable,
Mr. Montgomery? We can waive the money I loaned
your father and call it a day. The money you
loaned my father That wasn't alone that was a
little payoff for a nice background of southern
gentility to trap me a man The Colonel and his
wife are just as phony as I am dear heart and
they are long gone I'm where I want to be with
a name I like and I'm not giving it up for anyone
You are never going to get rid of little Nancy
Lee know how no way at all Now if you'll excuse
me dear husband Hannah, hello. Did you get a
nice earful? The door was open, Mrs. Montgomery,
and William asked me to come in here and tell
you that he's waiting outside with your horse.
He could have told me himself! And I hope that
damn beast throws her and breaks her neck. All
right, Hannah, what are you waiting for? It's
your mother, sir. She's in a state. She insists
on seeing you. No! I've had enough of Montgomery
women for one day. Tell her I... No. Forget that,
Hannah. I've changed my mind. I think I will
pay Mama a visit. I have a little surprise for
her. But you can't be so cruel, Buford. Keeping
me here locked up like an animal. You've got
to let me go. You know I can't do that, Mother.
I've explained again and again why you can't
suddenly turn up alive. But I can't stand it
anymore. It's like being buried alive. Oh, Buford,
it's so lonely. I know that, Mama. And I know
it just plain isn't fair. So I thought of a solution.
What, dear? How would you like to have a nice
permanent companion? Did I make an unguarded
statement that Buford was no match for the ladies?
Perhaps in one sense that's true, but in another
Well, it seems that Nancy Lee is going to have
cause to regret her match with Buford We'll find
that out shortly when we return with act 3 Now
it's one thing to get away with disposing of
someone already legally certified as dead and
supposedly suitably interred. Nancy Lee is another
problem. She can't have a convenient epileptic
seizure. Can Buford get away with it? Nancy Lee,
I've been thinking about us. Don't waste your
time. Nothing's going to change. I've got nobody
but you and nowhere's in the whole wide world
to go. I'm a permanent fixture, Beaufort. Oh,
I know that, honey. And I was wrong to think
anything else. Don't you know I really want you
here with all my heart? On my terms. Don't you
try to fancy talk me. Won't you please let me
tell you what I was thinking about? If you make
it sure. And sweet. What I was going to suggest...
Just to clear the air, sort of, and give us both
the chance to get a new perspective was a trip.
I don't want to go anywhere as with you. Oh,
I didn't mean together. I meant just you alone,
sugar. Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia. You
could buy yourself a whole new wardrobe, like
it was the trousseau you never really had. Oh,
Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia. Even...
Paris, France, if you want. Paris, France? Oh,
Beaufort, do you mean it? Anything's worth trying
just to work things out for us. And to prove
I mean it, you just go tell all your friends
and everyone around that you're on your way.
Oh, won't I make them squirm with envy? Washington,
Philadelphia, Paris, France. There you'll go?
What woman would pass up the chance? Well, I'll
ride everywhere this week and let everyone know.
Just one thing, Beaufort, you ought to understand.
Well, what's that sugar? This doesn't change
anything. I'm still going to spend the rest of
my life right here in this house. Oh, I know
that, Nancy Lee. I know that for sure. Master
Buford, you just can't get away with it. Now
you hush up, Hannah. I'm going to. But what will
other people say? There's nothing for them to
say. Nancy Lee went off on a little trip and
she never came back. Master Buford, you're flying
in the face of God. Hannah, to the devil with
it. Now you do as I say here. Yes, sir. Now you
and William have already got the extra bed set
up downstairs and the chest of drawers and so
on. Yes, sir. Fine. Then get busy and take all
Miss Montgomery's clothes downstairs. Shouldn't
take you too long. Most of her wardrobe is already
packed. What am I going to tell your mother?
Ever since we moved the extra furniture in, she's
been like to drive me out of my mind asking questions.
You haven't told her who to expect. You said
not to. That's quite right, Hannah. We have to
preserve the proprieties. I think it's my place
to introduce my mother to my bride. Oh, Miss
Montgomery? What is it, Hannah? Master Buford
asked me to have you go right downstairs soon
as you got back from ride, but I want a bath
and change He said right away the moment you
got here. Why? He said he had a little surprise
for you. Oh very well Buford yes, what do you
want me for come on down? I'll show you oh for
Goodness sake hold that lantern a little higher.
I can't see how's that better? Right over here
by the back wall. Hannah said you had a surprise
Why Buford you're going to do it Do what? Put
in my wine cellar while I'm gone Something like
that. Of course. We'll have to build regular
bins instead of these old rickety shelves You
know what? I thought when I was looking about
down here before what was that? If we tore down
these shelves, well, what I mean is, I was sort
of stepping off the house upstairs, and it's
some longer than this cellar. Is it? Yes. I walked
off the cellar, too. You suppose there might
be any room behind there we could sort of scoop
out to make it bigger? Now, why don't you and
me just try and find out? Why don't we? Of course,
I reckon we'll need help. Oh, I don't think so.
It might be quite easy. Like, um, like this,
for example. It's a secret door. And a room.
There's someone in there. A room you're going
to be sharing for a long time. No. No. No, I
won't go in there. Oh, yes you will. I'll scream.
You'll do as you're told. You bit my hat. Get
in there. You can't keep me in here. I'll scratch
your arse out of... Oh, no, you won't. You'll
keep your mouth shut for once and do as you're
told. Oh, no, I won't. You wouldn't dare shoot
me. Don't tempt me. Your foot. Put that pistol
down. No. It can't be. Who are you? Don't you
remember the first Mrs. Montgomery? But she...
Your mother. Your mother's dead. A popular misconception.
Let's just keep this private, shall we? You...
You really judge Montgomery's wife? Certainly.
Buford, what is this slut doing here? Now, Mama,
that's not nice. Isn't this that Nancy Lee person
I warned you to stay away from? Yes, sir. Maybe
about the one time you were right, Mama. Get
her out of here. I don't want her. And I demand
you release me too. You know I can't do that.
The best I can do is provide you with Nancy Lee.
You're not going to lock me up with this horrid
old woman. Now, that's no way to talk to your
mother -in -law. Her what? Oh, I'm sorry, mama.
In all the excitement I forgot to tell you, Nancy
Lee's my bride. We got married. That makes you
both mrs. Montgomery's That's how come I thought
it would work out real nice to have you roommates
sort of Keep it all in the family Ma Ma six alive
William you startled me so I almost burnt my
hand on the stove ma What are we going to do?
What is it son? Here, sit down. It's shaking
all over. You know that big old stone you wanted
down in the preserve cellar to make a table of
for making cornmeal and such? Yes. Well, a while
ago I took it to bring it on down for you. You
lifted that heavy stone by yourself? It's what
happened when I was down there. What? Well, I
didn't have no light. And I didn't hear Master
Buford come on down there. But all of a sudden,
I see him light a -lattin'. And of course, I
can say anything. Mrs. Montgomery come on down
there to join him. I know. I sent her down there.
You? You knew what he was gonna do to her? Son,
you gotta understand. I can't help myself. You
knew he was gonna throw her in that... hide a
hole with old Mrs. Montgomery? I knew. But she's
so pretty. And he hurt her, Ma. Master Buford
hurt her. He took that little girl that's like
a... like a little chickadee bird. And he's gonna
shut her up in there. Don't think about it now,
son. I gotta think on it. I couldn't be shut
up, Ma. I couldn't be shut up nowhere else. I
know that, son. I just take my own throat with
my hands like I've done with... with someone
a long time ago. Don't, William. Don't do that
to yourself. No. Not to me. To Master Buford.
To Master Buford, unless he lets her go. That's
who I got to. No, William, no. Listen to me.
Let me explain. Let me go, Ma. Let go. Wayne,
you've got to understand that I... Ma? Ma, you
all right? I hope I didn't hurt you. Ma? No.
You all right. Just sleeping. I'll wake you,
Ma. I'll wake you just as soon as I set that
poor little bird free. I spent my life trying
to get free of you, Mama. And I did. Then I got
myself trapped again. Now I've got to get free
of Nancy Lee, too. Goodbye. You'll never see
me again. You can't leave me here with this old
woman. I can't be shut up anymore. You've been
drinking again. You look drunk. I feel drunk.
Drunk with relief. Hannah and William are all
you'll ever see from now on. As far as I care,
you can both rot. What's that funny smell? My
head. I need a drink. What? Who's that? It's
me, Master Buford. I'm sorry for what I got to
do. Master Buford. Master Buford. I didn't mean
to do nothing, Master. I didn't mean to do nothing.
It was just a bird has to fly free. You can't
keep it locked up. William. William? Are you
down there? I'm here, Ma. What are you doing?
What's happened? Where's Master Buford? I'm glad
you woke up, Ma. Something's happened to Master
Buford. Oh, my God. Move aside. Let me see. I
didn't mean him no harm. It was just Miss Nancy.
I didn't want to hurt him, Ma. Ma? He's dead.
Oh, William. William, you killed him. I never
even touched him, Ma. How would you know? Poor,
twisted mind. How would you know? Heaven help
me. What are we gonna do now? I've got to think.
Well, I'm all packed. And William is taking my
things down to the carriage now. What about you,
Mother? I suppose you have to call me that. We
might as well get used to it. Just as you have
to try to sound a little fonder when you talk
to your daughter, Nancy Lee. Very well, Nancy
Lee. And I not only am all packed... But my trunks
have already been taken to the railroad station.
All ready for our new life. Yes. Oh, come on
now. This was all worked out before the funeral.
And you've had a lovely time of it, haven't you?
Playing the bereaved widow, being whined and
dined in sad farewell. Well, I had to stay hidden
at home. Well, you could scarcely come poppin'
out of the grave without creating a legal snob.
I know, I know. It's better this way. Hope we
can smuggle me out successfully at night in Hannah's
Cape. There'll be no question Nothing left to
be done. I don't think so Hannah and William
will stay with the house until the estate is
sold and the lawyer will forward us the money
wherever we settle Wherever we settle you and
I Not much of a life to look forward to. It's
the best your son left us. Your husband. Buford.
Buford. I wonder about his death. Why? The doctor
certified it is a heart attack. You don't think,
William... Oh, no. William is so simple -minded
that if he says he never touched him, he never
did. No, it was something else. What? That was
the same doctor who wrote out my death certificate
You don't suppose Buford by any chance could
have had epilepsy It's a disease that does run
in the family, you know If Sarah Montgomery should
have been right Then poor Buford went to far
more than his just reward After all the coffin
was already in the ground for over a week But
that's really too horrible a prospect to dwell
on Isn't it? I'll return shortly Before I go,
I really do owe you an apology for that quite
dreadful picture of poor Buford Montgomery, awaking
to far more confined quarters than he condemned
his mother to. But as a storyteller, you have
to agree, the irony is perfect. And then, of
course also, I did promise to curdle your blood.
Our cast included John Barragray, Ruby Dee, Bryna
Rayburn, Roxy Roker, and Todd Davis. The entire
production was under the direction of Hyman Brown.
Inviting you to return to our mystery theater
for another adventure in the macabre. Until next
time, pleasant dreams.