Come in. Welcome. I'm E .G. Marshall. Welcome
to the world of primeval dread. To the fear you
can hear. Do things have souls? Do natural forces
embody malicious spirits? That was the primitive
belief of mankind. Stifled, they say, by the
rise of civilization. Is it dead? Or does there
move within us still the distorted shadow of
some long -forgotten lore, dark images we dare
not face? Jeff Moore never found the answer,
but the question shattered his life. You called
me and I'm here, Cindy, I'm here. I defy you.
Jack, Jack, Jack, don't wake up. It's a dream.
You're having a nightmare. Oh, Katie. Katie,
that terrible wake again. Just a storm. The horse
again. The horse galloping toward me. The rider
wrapped in a long black shroud. He turned his
face to me. It was a mass of melting flesh. It
was the face of the man we buried out there in
the sand. Katie! Katie! Our mystery drama, The
Devil God, was written especially for the Mystery
Theater by Mary Jane Hickby. and stars Ruby Dee
and Mandel Kramer. I'll be back shortly with
Act One. The main character of our drama tonight
will never appear. I think you will feel his
presence, however. as thousands have felt it
through the long centuries that brought us out
of the prehistoric cave to the place where we
now stand. As Jeff and Katie Moore, a young couple
from New England, felt it among the stark cliffs
of the southwest. But let Katie tell you about
it. That storm last night shook this old house
like a tennis -shaking mass. I lay trembling
in my bed while it crashed its way towards us,
then burst in a roar overhead. Jeff started screaming
in his sleep, the way he does nowadays. Help
me, please help me. Jeff, Jeff, darling, wake
up, wake up. It's just a storm. It's the horse
again. The horse galloping toward me, the rider
wrapped in a long black shroud. Suddenly he turned
his face to me and it was a mass of melting flesh,
the face of the man we buried out there in the
sand. Katie. Katie, am I ever going to get over
this? Funny thing about a vicious storm. How
innocent and clean the world looks afterwards.
In the morning, the air was so shimmering clear.
The moment I thought I was back in Antelope Valley,
that day I first saw it nestling in the desert
mountains. I didn't know then the terror hidden
in those hills. I wish I had known. Dear God,
how I wish I had known. Sorry about the shape
this road's in, folks. This is a road? Are we
on our own property yet, Mr. Groody? Yeah, we'll
be as soon as we cross the little Yaki River.
It's only 20 miles or so to the house from there.
Your uncle left you a fine ranch. You're gonna
be mighty happy when you see what you've got.
I'll be mighty happy if I've still got my chance.
It's awfully nice of you to bring us all the
way out here. Well, I couldn't let you come out
alone the first time. You being strangers to
this part of the country and all. Now, when we
get to the top of this rise, you're gonna see
a grade -A job of government bungling. A few
months ago, they sent out some fancy Eastern
engineers. First thing they did was pull out
the bridge that was here and move it ten miles
downriver. Never stop to find out there was a
house 20 miles back and this bridge was the only
access What do we do? The Jeep won't make it
through the gully At least I I think it will
Hmm, I better walk down first though to make
sure you shall I come with you? No No use both
of us getting their feet wet And I can see why
he said we'd never make it in our own car Honey,
when I think of your uncle sinking all of his
money in this godforsaken country. Godforsaken?
Why, it's beautiful. Come on, darling, you've
seen too many John Wayne movies. It's valuable,
right? I know, I know. And I'm lucky. I married
a beautiful woman who turned out to be an heiress.
I'm glad we didn't know my uncle Bush was making
me his heir. I thought you were marrying me for
my vast holdings. And I just hope that among
the vast holdings he left a bottle of scotch.
Because I'm going to need it if Joe Purdy manages
to get us across these craters of the moon. Well,
okay. I just wanted to be sure that there was
no quicksand. We're really going down into that
ravine. Yep. Here we go. It's awful steeped.
No! Well, made it. It shook up. Sorry, folks.
Well, that... The little yucky river. River?
Yeah, there wasn't a quart of water in it. Oh,
not now. But don't you ever try what I just did.
Come a flash flood, and it'll be a wall of water
rushing down. You know, I've seen little jackrabbits
caught in it. Even rattlesnakes. That's why your
uncle was so mad about that bridge. You can't
get to your land from the new one without scaling
the cliff. What? Mr. Purdy, wait a minute now.
Are you saying that once you leave us, we're
completely cut off, Tramp? Oh, no. The ranch
hands can always get you out. Kenneth, he's your
foreman. He talks English real good. Well, what
do the others talk? Their own language. They're
Indians. Indians? Why didn't anybody tell us
all this? Well, now, I wouldn't worry. Your uncle
had the best ranch hands in the state. That's
why Antelope Valley's such a fine money -making
outfit. Well, now, just don't follow trouble.
Wait till we get there. See what it's like. I
know what it's like. Flash floods, quick. sand,
rattlesnakes, and six feet of snow. Katie, we
are moving into a trap. But just as giving stated,
an antelope valley lay spread before it, a long,
white, L -shaped house, half hidden in cottonwood
trees and bordered by bright flowers, and winding
in the distance, the gully that marked the upper
course of the little yakky. Some Indians were
standing around the corral. I waved, but they
only stared back. And here we are, folks. Well,
after what we've been through, this is kind of
like Shangri -La, isn't it? We'll just get the
luggage out. Oh, there's your foreman. Hi, Ken.
Hi, Joe. And Mr. and Mrs. Moore, Kenneth Yazzie.
Nice to meet you, Kenneth. I'll help with your
bags. Well, thank you. And if you'll excuse me,
I'll get back to work. We're just finishing up.
All right, if I show you around later? Oh, yes.
The freezer's well stocked, isn't it, Ken? It
sure is. Couple of sides of beef and a lot of
game. Now, don't you carry anything, Mrs. Moore.
Just get the door for us, please. I've had the
house open and airing for you all day. What a
nice room. What a great file. And look at this.
You wouldn't expect a picture window in a ranch
house, no worries. Oh, your uncle built himself
a real modern house. Oh, look, look, up on the
hill. What a beauty. Oh, you mean the horse.
Hey, that's a palomino, isn't it? What? Isn't
that a palomino out there? Oh, it's gone. I think
you must be mistaken. I think you saw a deer.
No, no, it was a horse. Oh, what a wonderful
golden name. I'm going to get some sugar and
see if I can. No. Leave it alone. Why can't?
That horse is no good, Joe. What do you mean?
There's a bad feeling about that horse, Mrs.
Moore. Believe we're alone. She doesn't belong
here. Whose horse is it? Bad feeling. Don't go
near her. Let her go. But doesn't she belong
to us? Doesn't she? Believe me, Mrs. Moore. You
staying overnight, Joe? No, no. Have to get back
to the office. The title company won't run itself,
you know. Well, you'll stay and have a drink
with us, won't you? Uh, the boys... Want to talk
to you, Joe? Yeah, sure, sure. I'll go out to
the corral and say hello and... Yes, Mr. Moore,
I reckon I better have one for that road. We'll
be right back. Well, what do you suppose that
was all about? The horse, you mean? That Indian
looked so funny. I thought he looked frightened.
A valuable animal like that shouldn't be running
around loose. Oh, come on, darling. I want to
see the rest of the house. Oh, look at this kitchen.
It's huge. You can walk right inside the closet.
Boy, hey, here Uncle Bush Hyatt was no teetotaler.
I'll say that for him. Get the ice, honey, and
I'll see if I can find some glasses. There's
enough liquor here to last the whole winter.
What are you staring at? That horse again. Look
through this window. It's heavenly, oh, Jeff.
Boy, Joe Purdy's sure deep in conversation with
those Indians. They're kind of a sullen -looking
lot, aren't they? No, I don't, uh... I don't
think I would exactly call this place heavenly,
honey. Hostel seems a better word. You don't
like it. Oh, Jeff, give it a few weeks' trial
and... Look, it's beautiful, Kate, but... Oh,
I guess I'm just tired. Oh! Hey, we're in the
kitchen here, getting it all together. What do
you have? Bourbon or scotch? Oh, bourbon. Bourbon's
fine. I haven't found the soda yet. Cap water'd
be all right. Never mind the water. I'm gonna
ask you folks to put me up for the night. Oh,
wonderful. Sure. Well, here's to a happy life
in Antelope Valley. Cheers, Joe. You don't mind
if I call you that, do you? Of course not. Everybody
does. Well, I have to ride out behind the hills
tomorrow. Oh, why? There's a job to do back there.
Nasty job, too. The ranch hands ask me if I'd
do it. Why'd they do it themselves? Well, they
can't. There's something to do with their religion.
Oh, and by the way, I want to talk to you about
that. You've got the best cowhands in the state.
Now, you'll get along just fine if, uh, if you
respect their ways, their religion. What is their
religion? Well, as near as I can figure, the
Indian lives in a different world from us. He
lives in the world of spirits Where we see a
cloud he sees a spirit where we hear the wind
well that's animatism Well, I wouldn't know about
that, but the important thing is not to rile
those spirits Okay, okay, I'll drink to that
no no I'm serious And I'd advise you to be Because
well I think some mighty strange things in my
time And now about that horse Palomino about
that Now, is it ours or isn't it? Well, I figure
it isn't. You see, anything the lightning god
has touched belongs to him. You mean the horse
was struck by lightning? It didn't hurt her.
One of those freak accidents. But now she belongs
to the lightning god. He'll strike down anybody
who tries to take what is his. So, uh... Leave
her alone. Okay, come on. That's nonsense plain
superstition. It's what they believe Well, Kenneth
doesn't go for this rubbish does he he seems
like an educated man. He was a track star at
UCLA almost made the Olympics But Ken is an Indian.
I see All right. Let's get this straight. The
horse belongs to this ranch, right? And it's
a valuable animal, isn't it? I reckon so. Now
you're saying that I can't keep her, can't even
sell her because of some whammy that somebody's
put on her? I'm saying you won't go near that
horse if you know what's good for you. But that's
crazy! Don't be so sure. Well, you don't believe
this drivel deal? I don't believe it and I don't
not believe it. Well, that horse is going back
into the barn. It's ours and I'm keeping it.
You take that attitude and you'll be in trouble.
Bad trouble. That is superstition right out of
the Dark Ages. Older than that, I reckon. But
it's their belief. And this would be one hell
of a time to try to talk them out of it. They've
got a dead man lying back in the hills to prove
it. A dead man? If you're so cop sure about these
things, ride out with me tomorrow when I go bury
him. the two men still stubbornly arguing the
pros and cons of superstition to stand at her
bedroom window watching the motionless stars
as one springs to sudden life and goes skimming
across the sky she makes a wish then smiles at
herself a meteor nothing more what power has
it to grant good fortune troubled she turns to
her bed and her first night's sleep in the eerie
stillness of Antelope Valley. I'll be back shortly
with Act Two of The Devil God. A profound stillness
has settled over the remote ranch, broken only
by the occasional howl of a coyote. In spite
of her uneasiness about the gruesome task her
city -bred husband has agreed to undertake with
Joe Purdy, Katie Moore has fallen into a deep
sleep. She awakes with a start. Someone is moving
about the room. Jeff? Oh, I didn't mean to wake
you, honey. I'm sorry. Oh, it's still dark. It
sure is. When Joe Purdy says early, he means
it. I'll get you breakfast. No, no, no. We've
had breakfast. Don't get up. Katie, do you know
where that blue cotton shirt of mine is? I think
I put it... Yes. Second drawer down. So how's
the girl at the Golden West? Did you hear anything?
No. Like what? I thought I heard hoofbeats. Talk
to me, my dressing girl, will ya? It's chilly,
isn't it? Yes, there she is again. The palomino.
Poor thing. Holy, holy. You know, Katie, this
whole setup seems fishy. You mean about the horse?
The whole situation on this ranch. After you
went to bed last night, I found out the name
of this guy that we're going to bury. Little
Gambler. And whose father do you think he is?
Kenneth Yazzie's father? That's right, our college
graduates. Now, superstition or no superstition,
you don't leave your father lying out where the
buzzards and coyotes can get at him. Oh, Jeff,
don't. I'm sorry, honey, but... Today I won't
be surprised if we find him shot through the
head or stabbed in the back if we can tell from
what's left of him There's something funny going
on. I'm not sure Joe isn't part of it. Oh, no
Well, you take this guy's name little gambler
Honey, you know that horse is worth a lot of
money You think there was a fight over the whole
I don't know I sure don't go for all this mumbo
-jumbo about lightning gods and rainbow gods
and spirits of death It's too easy and out Can
you see is that horse still there? Uh -huh. Poor
thing, it needs a good curry. As soon as I'm
dressing and going out, I'm putting it into the
barn. And Katie, you see that it stays there.
The sun was beginning to rise as I watched Wiley
Joe Purdy and my cheerful blonde husband ride
out of sight. I turned to unpacking and settling
into my new home. Just after midday, a sudden
commotion drew me out into the yard. The barn
door was open, and in the dark interior, a golden
mane flashed through the air with a palomino
-reared palomino. I could make out two shadowy
figures behind her. No, stop! Stop! Don't drive
her out! Stop that! My husband put the horse
in the barn. He said, stay there! Now don't let
her out! It doesn't either of you speak English.
I've been wrong a little more. Yes. My husband
put the palomino in the barn this morning, and
I caught these men trying to drive her out. I
don't think so, Mrs. Moore. Oh, yes, I saw them.
The horse is no good. You mean she's vicious?
That's absurd. She's as gentle as a lamb. No
good for the ranch. She was my uncle's horse,
wasn't she? Kenneth, I'm serious about this.
We're keeping her. And from now on, I want the
boys to take good care of her. They have other
work to do. Oh, come on. All this fuss was because
she was struck by lightning, isn't it? Let's
settle this once and for all. This was my uncle's
ranch. Now my husband and I occupy the place
that he did. Your uncle understood Indian ways.
I understand, too. I know how the ranch hands
feel about the lightning god, and I sympathize.
But I don't for one minute believe in it, and
I don't think you do. Mrs. Moore, let the horse
go. Otherwise, I cannot be responsible. You don't
have to be. Just do as I say. He turned on his
heel and left me standing there in the blazing
heat. Tears of fury stung my eyes. I watched
a buzzard circling in the clear sky. Then the
thought of Jeff and the grisly job he had set
out to do sent a shiver through me and I ran
back into the cool ranch house. I prowled restlessly
from room to room until in my uncle's office
I came across a photograph album. A pictorial
record of his days as a trader on the Indian
reservation. A recent snapshot. What yet pasted
in the book fell out in my lap. Armit, my uncle,
had written Scheherazade, First Prize, Santa
Fe, 1972. It was the Palomino. I was so engrossed
in the album that I didn't notice the change
in the weather. A wind had come up and a door
started banging. And I ran to fasten it. I could
see the cottonwoods outside, writhing in the
wind. A few Indians had gathered near the corral.
One of them... taller than the rest, wore a big
black hat. He was pointing to the east, where
a dark, menacing cloud hung over the hills. I
felt stifled. I sat down, gasping for breath,
and watched while the ugly things spread like
some monstrous growth across the sky. Shortly
after sunset, Jeff and Joe Purdy returned. Honey?
Oh, Jeff! Jeff, I'm so glad you're back. Not
as glad as I am. What a day. Nasty chore. I reckon
it gave your husband a bad turn. You better believe
it. You look exhausted, darling. Aren't you coming
in, Joe? No, no. I'll just return our ponies
to the corral, then I got to get on my way. I
want to keep ahead of that storm, at least till
I cross the Little Yakky. You'll excuse me, Mrs.
Moore? Oh, of course. Goodbye. Goodbye. Thanks,
Joe, for everything. So long, Joe. I'll see you
soon. Sure, sure. I'll keep in touch. Okay, and
take these ponies. I've got to get going. Okay.
You'll make it up here. Hurry, Joe. So long.
Come on in, darling. Those cow ponies are tough
little animals. I don't think anything else could
have made this trek. It was rugged, huh? You'd
never believe it, honey. I'll say this for the
lightning god when he says not to do a job. That
boat must have hit the Indian in the head and
spun him right around. His face was like melted.
Even his moccasins were split. And the funny
thing, his blouse was untouched. But the sleeves
were gone. Apparently went up in smoke. And the
flesh on his arms was peeled to the wrist. Do
you think it really was lightning? Oh, no question
about it. Freak accident. Strange how often people
use that word about lightning, huh? Freak. Yeah.
You have to see it to know why. I mean, it looks...
it looks deliberate. You know, like two guys
are in a boat and one is struck by lightning
and killed and the other one isn't touched. You
know what I mean? The Indians think it's malicious
spirits. Chindi, they call it. Well, it's nonsense,
of course, but I tell you, standing alone with
Joe out there in the desert, well, it was funny,
but it was like I could feel a presence. I kept
looking over my shoulder. I told Joe, and he
said, yeah, Chindi. That's the death devil, Chindi.
Look honey, I was darn glad to get away from
that. It's getting dark. That evil presence was...
I'd better put on some more lights. Where's the
light switch? About the front door. Oh, oh yes.
Come on in the kitchen dear. I've got a good
rich beef stew on the stove and you'll feel better
when you've eaten. What was the scenery like
back there? Sky, sand and sagebrush. A handiwork
of Chindhi. Storm. My goodness, it's black outside.
I tell you, I wouldn't want to be Joe Purdy driving
back to town now. Lightning, look! Sheet lightning,
isn't it? Scary, but beautiful. Fill up the whole
hill. The Indians say it was Little Gambler's
fault. His fault that lightning struck him? They
say he rode a horse. The fire from the sky hit
last year. For Palomino? That's right. And he
knew the lightning god gets mad if anybody takes
what's his. You know, Kitty, I'm afraid we're
going to have to give her up. Oh, no. She's a
jewel, a prize winner, you know. And she's been
so neglected. It's awful. Uncle Bush was very
proud of her. How do you know? Well, I found
a picture of him standing beside her the day
she took first at some horse show. Well... We
can't keep her. Jeff, you're not going to let
them drive her away. Honey, there are forces
around us that we don't dare contend with. Jeff,
what are you talking about? You know it's superstition.
It's easy to say that here in this cozy house.
But out there, in those bleak burning dunes,
I tell you, Katie, there was something. I could
feel it. I feel it now. That was a close one,
wasn't it? Yes. It's not sheep lightning, it's
war lightning. I'm going out and open the barn
door. Jeff, Jeff, you're not. Not in this weather.
I won't let you drive her out into this weather.
What's the matter with you? You said yourself
this is nonsense. She's bringing us trouble.
Bad trouble. I can feel it coming like a hot
wind. You've been out in the hot sun all day,
and Joe Purdy has hypnotized you with this rubbish.
Joe says the ranch hands will all leave if we
try to keep her. Let them. We'll get others.
They have good jobs here, and good jobs aren't
easy to get these days. But honey, this morning
I felt the way you do. But damn it, Owen, you
haven't seen what I've seen. That Indian looked
like he'd been scalped. I know, I saw it. I'm
not just talking. Now we've got to get rid of
the horse. Jeff, listen to me, dear. If we give
in now, we'll lose all authority. You know, I
had an unpleasant scene with Kenneth earlier.
He was very rude, but we can't start out that
way. This taboo, or whatever it is, is stupid
and barbaric, and we're not going to yield to
it. I'm gonna make some calls. Stay away from
the sink. That's not superstition. The pipes
form a perfect ground for the lightning. You
mean I can't even run water for coffee? Not until
the worst of the storm is over. It's heading
for us right now. Joe was telling me that before
lightning strikes you can sometimes feel an electric
charge run through your body. You feel your hairs
rise. It's the hand of Chen Di. Then you're probably
going to be hit and the only thing to do is drop
flat on the ground and pray. I'll hit a power
line, I guess. Well, what do we do? Just keep
calm. Lights will probably go on again. It's
awfully dark. Have we got a flashlight? Yeah,
but it's in the car, back in town. Matches? Not
since I quit smoking. Gotta be some candles around
here. I saw some this morning. I remember now.
I was putting things in the kitchen closet. I
know where they are. There must be matches there,
too. I'll get them. Let's see now. It's over
here, past the sink. Yes. In the back on the
third... Teddy! What happened? Teddy, are you
alright? Teddy, where are you? Groping his way
through the darkness, Jeff struggles against
the sudden rush of his own superstitious fear.
But... One man's superstition is another man's
firmly held faith. And perhaps the only safe
conduct through the uncertainties of this valley
of shadows is a healthy respect for the beliefs
of others. Common courtesy or common sense should
teach us that. If not, the powers that be may
find harsher ways to bring the lesson home. I'll
return shortly with Act 3. An unfamiliar house,
a wrong step, and a headlong plunge into black
emptiness. Katie Moore lies dazed and frightened
on a rough cement floor. Katie? Katie, where
are you? Are you all right? I think so. Don't
try to get me, Jeff. Wait. I'll see if I can
get up. Are you hurt? I don't know. Yes, I think
I fell down there. Don't move. Dammit, we have
a man. Yes, there are steps here. Be careful.
All right. Now, where are you, darling? Here.
Oh, okay. All right, listen, do you think you
can put your arm around my neck? I'll try. Easy.
I better not try to move you until we get some
light. I've got to find those candles. I'll be
right back, darling. Watch yourself. Watch yourself.
Tomorrow, 10. Thank God you brought a light.
I could see from the bunkhouse that the place
was still dark. I figured you didn't have a flashlight,
so I brought a couple of kerosene lamps. But
my wife fell down the cellar steps, and I'm afraid
she's badly hurt. I didn't dare try to move her.
Ken's brought us some lamps there. It just happened
a minute ago. She felt how many steps. She was
looking for candles. She felt she was going into
the kitchen closet, and she opened the wrong
door. I can't move. I can't turn over. Let's
see. Oh. Oh. Oh, boy. Looks like it's the shoulder.
Powerbone. My legs feel all right. I can move
them. Right. Slipping your arm around her waist,
I think I can hold her so it won't be too bad.
But it's going to hurt some Mrs. Moore. Ready?
Yes. You think we dare lift her? Yes. I've got
her. Tell me when you're ready. Right now. There.
Easy, darling. Does it hurt? A little. I think
I can walk. Easy. Nice and slow, don't you? Careful.
Now, one step at a time, then bring the lamp
to your eye and take it easy, darling. Easy now.
Just a few more steps. Just get me to the store.
Okay. Can we get the lights on again, Kenneth?
Not a chance. Till the worst of this is over.
I have a hunch it hit the generator. Maybe I
have to get back to the bunkhouse. All right,
here we are now. Easy now, Mrs. Moore. Careful
now. Easy. I don't want to leave the ranch crew
alone too long. They're, uh, they're rescued.
Yes, I understand. All right, go ahead. And Ken?
Yes? Go to the barn and get rid of her. My horse?
No, no, Katie, don't make waves. Not now. You're
right, you're right. Do what you think's best.
Thanks. It'll make things a whole lot easier
for me. That was a bright flash throughout the
whole room. Oh, my God. What is it? Did you see
that? Yes, I saw it. They can't do this to us.
Stop them. I'll try. What's the matter? What
happened? The ranch hands, honey, they're leaving.
In that last flash I could see a long line of
ponies. They're all just quietly riding away.
Oh, Jeff, I'm frightened. All right, now we have
to keep our heads here. Will Ken leave, too?
I don't know. The people have been in worse spots
than this. Now that we have plenty of provisions,
it can't rain forever. I never saw such a downfall.
Ken, did they take all the ponies? No. There's
one left that was badly hurt a few days ago.
Kenneth, why did they all leave us? There's bad
feeling here. You mean they're frightened? I'm
damned if I understand it. They're not afraid
of dying. It is the spirit of death they respect.
It is Chin Dee. Indians are proud before men.
They're not proud before their gods. Black Hat
is a medicine man. He says Chin Dee is very angry
now. He says tonight Chin Dee will take all Antelope
Valley for his own. By morning, I was running
a fever. It rained for four days without bed
up. But part of the time I was delirious and
my memories are confused. Try to drink this,
dear. I want some orchids. Orchids, please, please.
Honey, it's chicken broth. Try to take a little.
Mr. Moore, I'm afraid it's going to flood. A
little yucky? There are sandbags in the barn.
We've got to make a dike to protect the house.
River doesn't look that high. Remember. There's
no vegetation in these hills to hold the water.
Sudden downpour runs right off. Flash flood.
Come on. Had a hold for a while, eh? Not enough.
It's all we have. I'm so tired, I'm gonna drop.
We've done all we can do. We'll have to move
to higher ground. When that water hits, the house
may go. We can't, man. We can't move Kitty outdoors
in her condition. We'll set a tarpaulin tent
on the hill. Take blankets. Hurry. It'll come
any time now. We were lucky to get out. Look,
Great Scott, it's a wall of water. Will the house
go? I don't know. I've never seen anything like
that. It's like a damning burst. Thank God you
got us out of there. Yeah, yeah. Yes, Kate. Yeah.
Where are we? We're in a tent, honey, on the
hill, back of the house. Right here until the
worst of the storm has passed. Are you warm enough,
darling? Warm. And here's the canteen. Let me
lift you up. I'm so weak. Carefully. My darling,
Ken, I've got to get a doctor. Now if a man had
a horse, could we make it out of here now? Tonight,
he knew his way. The barn is still standing.
Yes. I'm going to see if that Palomino was there.
You could never find the pass. Even in good weather,
somebody would have to show you the first time
in a storm like this. Look, I've got to do something.
I can't stand by and let my wife die. I'll go
out to the barn. No. Don't expect you to touch
the horse can I understand these things better
now you can see that I must go first Let's see
if the horse is still there Bursting to please.
Quiet, dear, quiet now. That sounds like home.
It must be Ken. He's taken the Palomino. Ken,
no! Ken, I'll go! Ken, come back! Has he deserted
us too? No, he's going for help. Oh, the poor
guy. He must be frightened to death on that Palomino.
Mr. Moore. Ken. Couldn't you get through? There's
a truck coming. I met them a quarter of a mile
down. Joe is with them. It's search and rescue
from town. Search and rescue? It's a local organization.
They have special equipment. Mostly they go after
hunters who get lost in the San Francisco Peaks.
Well, how did they know about us? A ranch hand
sold them. They have to throw a makeshift bridge
across the Yaqui down below. The road is mostly
washed out. But they can make it slowly. Thank
God. Ken. Yeah? Ken, I want to thank you for
what you did. I know what it meant. It's all
right. Look, we were wrong, Ken. We behaved badly.
But when you've lived all your life a certain
way and believed certain things, it's just hard
to... Well, anyway, everything will be okay now.
I hope you're right. Oh, we better get back into
the top when the rain's starting again. Jim B.
surfered around. He's coming from the other side
now. Nonsense, man. We'll soon be out of here.
The men from search and rescue were carrying
me on a stretcher when it happened. When Jeff
was beside me, Ken was about 10 feet ahead. Suddenly,
I felt it. Ken! Oh my God. Ken! Don't try to
get up, Kitty. Joe. Joe, is he? Yes. He's dead.
It's my fault. We go to him and derive that waltz.
I wouldn't let her go. I killed him. I killed
him. I killed him. I'll never forgive myself.
I'm a murderer. Now, now, Mrs. Moore, it's not
your fault. We don't control these things. You
said Chin D would kill anyone who touched his
property. You said it. You know you did. It is
my fault. It is. It is. I killed him. Katie,
Katie, please. I killed him. He saved our lives.
Katie, now stop it. Stop it. You have got to
get this straight now. It was an accident. Do
you hear me? An accident. I killed him. I'll
never forgive myself. It was not an accident.
You all know what it was. Why don't you say it?
It was Chin D. Oh, God, forgive me. I killed
him. She was to blame all her life. She's hysterical.
Gen D. Gen D. Katie, listen to me. There is no
Gen D. What happened was an accident. You've
got to hold on to that fact. There's the horse.
Get rid of it. Drive her away. Take Mrs. Moore
to the truck, boys. We'll have to come back for
Kenneth later. No, no. I won't go unless you
bring Kenneth, too. You're not going to leave
him here alone. Katie, watch me. I'm going to
ride that Calamino. Cindy! I'm taking your horse,
Cindy! I defy you! If you're there... My wife
sent this over to you where she she remembered
you always did like it banana brain Well, we're
glad to have you back with us in Connecticut.
We thought we'd lost you to the West I was good
to be back. Did you see Jeff? He's working over
the edge of the wood There's a tree he says has
to come down. It looks dirty enough to me But
if he's talking about the oak near the clump
of white birch, it ain't as solid as it looks
Are you planning to stay now for good? Oh, yes.
We sold everything we owned out west. It was
beautiful. Mary and I drove out there once. It
was all too big for me, all too, well, too much.
Connecticut is more cozy. Yeah? Well, I'll be
getting along. I want to see Jeff. There's something
I should tell him about that tree. Tell Mrs.
Murchison I'll be over to see her as soon as
I get settled. Well, if we can help, just let
us know. Oh, what was that? Sounds like he felled
the tree. He wasn't going to chop it down. Jeff!
Jeff! You all right, Jeff? Jeff! Mr. Murchison,
look! Go back. Call the police. Tell them to
send an ambulance. We can't move that tree just
the two of us. Now, quick, girl, quick! They
need the Hessler boys. They're working on the
fence. I'm coming, son. Mr. Murchison, help me.
Lou Hessler will be here in a minute. We'll try
to move the tree off you. I don't know what happened.
I just tap it. I was coming to tell you, Jeff.
It's rough and all the way through. You see,
that tree was struck years ago by lightning.
Jeff Moore is in a wheelchair now. Nobody knows
just why. The doctors say he suffered no permanent
injury when that tree fell. But sometimes late
at night when she hears the wind rising the rain
beginning to fall Katie's thoughts go back to
Antelope Valley and Kenneth Yazzie and the Palomino
and She wonders I'll be back shortly lightning
strikes invoking a tribal taboo. Result, two
dead men and a house plunged into darkness. Two
months and 3 ,000 miles later, a third man is
struck down. Coincidence, of course. But what
is coincidence? A word. A word we use to explain
what we cannot explain. Our cast included Ruby
Dee, Mandel Kramer, Leon Jani, and Guy Sorrell.
The entire production was under the direction
of Hyman Brown. Now, a preview of our next tale.
Jenny, that stone ain't gold. And what is it?
It's pyrite. What's pyrite? Oh, it's just what
everybody calls... Well, it's... It's a sort
of metal. Well, anyways, whatever it is, it's
real precious to me. It's my lucky charm. Well,
that's why you better not let Pa know what you
think about it. Why? He cares about gambling
more than he cares about anything, and all gamblers
are real superstitious. Now, if he knew you had
a lucky piece, especially if he heard the crazy
story about you and that school burning down,
he'd have it off of you so fast that it set your
head to spinning. It isn't crazy. You heard me
wish on the stone for no school, and now there
is no school. That was just happenstance. You
don't think it happened just because I wished
it? Of course it didn't. Then I'm going to prove
it to you. This is E .G. Marshall inviting you
to return to our mystery theater for another
adventure in the macabre. Until next time, pleasant
dreams.