"Good evening, Evans." "Evening, sir." "Dinner is served, Mr. Kessler." "Thank you." "Good evening, my dear." "You're more beautiful than ever this evening." "Mrs. Kessler first, Evans." "Oh yes, sir." "I'm sorry, sir." "Evans, how's Dad taking it?" "Alright, Miss Virginia." "They're having dinner." "I'll answer it." "Hello, Virginia." "I told you not to come here this evening, Ralph." "Why?" "Didn't you want to see me?" "Well, it isn't that I didn't want to see you." "You're certainly acting strange, darling." "What's all the mystery about?" "Let's go into the library." "Ralph!" "After dinner we are taking a long walk." "I'd like to speak to you, Ralph." "What's come over your father, Virginia?" "Is that why you didn't want me here tonight?" "Yes." "It stopped me cold." "I'm sorry if I accidentally stumbled on something you didn't want me to know." "Well, it must seem weird to someone who's never seen it before." "It happens once a year." "He always appeared perfectly rational to me." "Well, there's something I must tell you." "It's about my mother." "I don't understand." "Well, it happened several years ago." "My father and mother were apparently as happy as two people could be." "He worshipped her." "Another man?" "The usual best friend." "They almost broke my father's heart." "He seemed reconciled, but he never forgets their wedding anniversary and celebrates it that way." "I guess he isn't the only one who resorts to make believe." "But it does give one an uncanny feeling." "Well, it doesn't frighten me anymore." "Now that you know." "I love you." "You wanted your coat, Miss Kessler?" "Oh." "Oh yes, thank you." "I was going to take a drive, it's such a beautiful night." "Come along?" "Yes, of course." "Sure you don't mind going?" "No, no, I'd love it." "We'll be back in an hour, Cecile." "Yes, miss." "Hums" "That's a nice young man of Miss Virginia's." "I guess so." "If he wasn't, Miss Virginia wouldn't bother with him." "Does she plan to marry him?" "I never discuss things that aren't my business." "If you want to stay here," "I suggest you don't be so curious." "Well, just the same, I think this is a crazy house." "And what about those murders?" "Jules here says there's been a lot of them." "And nobody's ever been able to find out who did the killing." "You talk too much, Jules." "But I only said that..." "Excuse me, Miss Cecile." "I'm going to show you where we keep our linens." "Mrs. Kessler?" "Oh Mrs. Kessler?" "I brought you a dinner." "Oh please, Mrs. Kessler, I got to go home." "Home?" "I want to go home, too." "But you are home." "And as soon as you feel better," "I'm going to take you to your husband and daughter." "But they never write to me." "Oh, but they don't know where you are, Mrs. Kessler." "Nobody knows that but me." "You see, I found you." "I'm running away." "Running away in a car." "We're going faster, faster, faster." "We're going to crash!" "I can't go home now, can I?" "Mrs. Kessler, please." "Please eat your dinner." "I've got to go home." "I'll be back in the morning." "Good night, Mrs. Kessler." "Good night." "You're late again, Jules." "I'm sorry, Mama." "But I just couldn't get away from her." "Jules, why don't you tell Mr. Kessler about his wife, that you're hiding her?" "Oh, I haven't got the heart, Mama." "It would kill him if he saw her the way she is." "Poor thing." "She'd be better off if she'd died with that man when the car was wrecked." "I guess so." "Jules, I've been thinking." "Maybe she had something to do with all these horrible murders." "Oh, ho, ho, she wouldn't hurt nobody." "She's like a child." "She's still dazed from the accident." "You know, amnesia." "She'll be better soon, then I'll take her home." "But if they found out I've been hiding her, they might think I had something to do with the murder." "Jules, you must tell Mr. Kessler." "Oh, no, no, Mama." "We must never tell anyone." "Never." "Sure you won't come in?" "No thanks, darling, I think I better run along." "Good night, Ralph." "Oh, Virginia?" "Shall I put your car away?" "No thanks." "Evans will take care of it." "Alright." "'Night." "Good evening, Miss Virginia." "Would you please put my car in the garage when you have a moment?" "Yes, miss." "Hello, Casanova." "Have you gone crazy?" "The only chance I had to see you." "You ignored my letters and my telephone calls." "Did you think that you could get rid of me as easy as all that?" "Be quiet." "They'll hear you." "You bet they will." "And you're going to listen to me, too." "I'm not giving up for that Kessler girl or anybody else." "This is different, Cecile." "I never said I loved you." "Are you in love with her?" "Yes." "Well, you're not marrying her, understand?" "Nothing's going to stand in the way of my happiness." "Not even you." "Don't threaten me." "She'll have to know about us sooner or later." "And besides, I'll make you a good wife, Ralph." "I promise I will." "Guess what?" "What?" "I'm in love." "With Ralph?" "Yes, Dad." "He's a fine boy." "I'm so happy for you, my dear." "Oh, he hasn't asked me to marry him yet, but he will." "I know he will." "Good night, my pet." "Good night too." "Good night, Evans." "Good night, Miss Virginia." "Can I do anything for you, sir, before I retire?" "What happened to your hand, Evans?" "Oh, nothing, sir." "I hurt it when I was putting" "Miss Virginia's car in the garage." "Put anything on it?" "Oh, the bandage." "Oh, you may have an infection." "How's that?" "Just like new, sir." "I guess I'll read for a while." "Good night, Evans." "Good night, sir." "Oh yes, Evans." "Thank you for the dinner." "Yes, sir." "I'm afraid to come home." "You'd kill me." "You'd kill anybody." "Why Mr. Kessler." "AAH!" "Woman screams" "Exercise number one." "Arms at the sides." "At the count of one, four times." "Cecile?" "One the chest." "At the count of two, move your arms above your head." "At the count of three, lower arms sideways." "If it's exercise you want, there's plenty of it in the kitchen." "At the count of four, lower the arms [knocks on the door]" "Cecile!" "And straight." "Arms at sides." "Ready, begin." "One, up, up, down, one, up, up, down." "One, two, three, four, one, two, three, four, one, two, three, four." "Up, up, up." "One, two." "Mr. Kessler." "Yes?" "Something terrible has happened." "I tried to wake the new maid." "I think she's dead." "Dead?" "How did it happen?" "I don't know, sir." "I thought she was taking her exercises." "Call the police." "I'll see what I can do." "Yes, sir." "Well, Mr. Kessler, we're up to our ears in another one." "The girl was killed the same way as the chauffeur six months ago." "Only thing we could find was this note, left by some fellow who wanted to give her the air." "It's terrible, Lieutenant." "She was so young." "If we could find out who killed Cecile, we have the one who committed all the other murders." "That's easier said than done." "There's never been fingerprints, to say nothing of motives." "What gets me, Mr. Kessler, is why you refuse to move out of this place." "Sentimental reasons." "There's nothing very sentimental about a house where anything could happen and usually does." "My mother lived here, Lieutenant." "I see." "You're the gardener?" "Yes, but I wasn't here." "I went home early." "See, I live with my wife." "Alright, alright, alright." "And please don't try to see me." "Signed, Ralph." "Ralph?" "Do you know him?" "Oh, I'm certain I don't." "The name startled me." "I'm practically engaged to a Ralph." "Did you notice anything unusual last night, Evans?" "Well, maybe I better not say." "Let's have it, Evans." "When I was putting the roadster in the garage," "I saw Cecile talk to Mr. Dickson." "That's Miss Virginia's Ralph." "Go on." "I didn't mean to listen, but they were talking loud." "Then I heard him say that he never loved her." "She said she wouldn't let him marry anyone else." "That made him real mad, and said nothing was going to stand between him and his happiness." "Not even her." "I knew Cecile a couple of years." "She offered me the companionship I needed." "Then I met you and fell in love for the first time." "I love you too, Ralph." "Surely you can account for your activities from the time you left our house until the next morning." "No, Mr. Kessler." "I had a lot to think about." "I took a long ride into the country, didn't stop anywhere and didn't see a soul I knew." "That's most unfortunate." "All I know is that I, I didn't kill her." "There isn't any doubt about that in our minds." "Don't worry, son." "We'll do everything we possibly can." "Order." "Order in the courtroom." "You solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?" "I do." "Yes, I manage the apartments where Ralph Dickson lived." "Miss Mannix came there often." "As a matter of fact, I thought they were married." "I went home early and helped my wife with the house cleaning." "The coroner's testimony should convince you that the defendant had sufficient reason for wanting to be rid of the victim." "It's the truth." "Said he wouldn't let nothing stand in the way of his happiness, not even her." "We're doing everything we possibly can." "Tomorrow we're going to see the governor." "Oh, and I'm sure something can be done." "But Governor, the man is innocent." "If you would only grant a stay of execution." "If you knew him, you'd realize he couldn't possibly be a murderer." "I'm sorry." "I've gone over the facts in the case, and unless you can present some new evidence, there's nothing I can do." "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures." "He leadeth me beside the still waters." "He restoreth my soul." "He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness, for his namesake." "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death," "I will fear no evil." "For thou art with me." "Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me." "Thou prepareth a table before me in the presence of mine enemy." "Thou anointest my head with oil." "My cup runneth over." "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." "Yes?" "I see." "It's all over." "My name is Dickson." "Yes." "Of course." "I'd like to see Mr. Kessler." "He's in there." "I hope I'm not intruding." "Oh Ralph!" "It can't be." "Apparently my brother never told you about me." "Come in." "I've been in South America." "I flew here at once." "However, I'm afraid it's too late to do any good." "So you're Ralph's brother." "I knew about you, but I never expected such a striking resemblance." "Sorry to have startled you." "This is my daughter, Virginia." "How do you do?" "Won't you join us?" "I've had my dinner, thanks." "But I would like to talk to you." "Do I look pale?" "No." "Huh?" "I feel pale." "The buzzer, Evans." "What's the matter, you deaf?" "Did he have a good attorney?" "Oh, one of the very best." "He's handled all of Dad's legal affairs for years." "Evans, Mr. Dickson will have coffee with us." "Oh, I'm Ralph Dickson's brother." "Well, you sure had me going for a minute." "But you do look like poor Mr. Ralph." "Coffee." "Yes, sir." "I realize how incriminating circumstantial evidence can be, but it was never brought home to me like this before." "We did everything we possibly could." "You know that Ralph and my daughter were quite serious about each other." "Yes, he told me in his last letter." "Sit down." "How long do you plan to say in this country?" "Haven't decided yet, Mr. Kessler." "But I would like to find out who killed that girl." "Mm." "It's something I would like to know, too." "Please consider this your home while you're here." "If there's anything I can do, don't hesitate." "Thank you." "I'll see that your room is put in order." "Are you sure I'm not troubling you?" "No, no, not at all." "Entertain Paul until I come back." "Paul, oh Paul?" "Yes?" "I'll show you to your room." "Oh, thank you." "Oh, I almost forgot." "I must see Evans, oh, about breakfast." "Well, good night Virginia." "Good night, Paul." "Good night, Dad." "Come in." "I hope you'll be comfortable." "I'll send for your luggage in the morning." "It's awfully nice of you, Mr. Kessler." "Really, I hope that it's a pleasure to have you." "Thank you, sir." "Well, I guess I'll turn in." "I haven't had much sleep the last couple of nights." "Good night." "Good night, sir." "Hello, operator?" "Give me the police department." "No." "The body has not been touched." "Yes." "Alright." "Good morning, Evans." "Morning, Mr. Kessler." "Now, What's the matter?" "The gardener, sir." "What?" "He's been murdered." "Murdered?" "Strangled." "Well, here we go again." "How long did he work for you?" "Oh, about three years, I guess." "Ever say anything to you about having any enemies?" "No, sir." "Were you home last night?" "Yes, Lieutenant." "To your knowledge, did anybody come in or go out of the house during the course of the evening?" "We have a house guest." "Why isn't he here?" "I'll get him." "Oh, don't trouble yourself, Mr. Kessler." "Where is he?" "He's upstairs in his bedroom." "Let's have a look at him, Ryan." "Good morning." "You're wanted in the kitchen." "In the kitchen?" "Yeah." "Am I seeing things?" "He's Ralph's brother." "Why, he's the image of him." "How did this happen?" "That's what we'd like to find out." "He was strangled, Paul." "Would you mind if we go into the library?" "No, that's alright." "Better wait here for the coroner, Ryan." "Not you, Evans." "Hey, where we you on the night of January the 13th?" "Have you had your coffee yet?" "No." "Well, I guess that's that." "No clues, no fingerprints, no motive, nothing." "But surely if a man was choked to death there would be imprints on his throat." "Hm." "There weren't any on the Mannix girl." "And they were killed the same way, is that right?" "That doesn't prove a thing, Dickson." "All the others got it and always the same way." "The coroner's here." "OK." "I'll be right back." "What does he mean by the others?" "Just that." "Others have been killed here." "Why in the world do you stay in this place?" "We can't leave." "Oh Evans?" "Your luggage, sir." "I'll put them in your room." "What about these other murders?" "I'll put your luggage in your room, sir." "Oh, Lieutenant?" "Yeah?" "I'd like to ask you a few questions." "Well, that'll be a change, anyhow." "What's bothering you?" "As a rule, I'm not a very curious person, but er.., house beginning to get you, huh?" "In a way, yes." "What about these other murders?" "Well, there's been quite a lot of them, Dickson." "Some of the best brains in the department have tried to solve them." "We always run up against a stone wall." "Were the other murders brought out in my brother's trial?" "That was different." "That was a cut and dried case." "Why haven't the police closed the house?" "Well, we tried to, but Mr. Kessler took it to court." "Carries a lot of weight around here." "He does a lot of good, too." "You'd think he'd want to leave." "Ah, I guess he's waiting for his wife to come back." "She left him several years ago." "An awful scandal at the time." "Front page stuff and all that." "Poor devil." "He didn't have a chance." "Mm." "Well, I guess I'll be running along." "Glad I met you, Dickson." "Good day, Lieutenant." "Well, this isn't a very pleasant way to entertain a guest." "You know, Mr. Kessler, I have a feeling that somehow or other these mysterious murders are going to be cleared up, and quickly, too." "Nothing will please me more." "Your wife?" "Yes." "She's beautiful." "I rarely talk about her, but I think about her constantly." "She has eyes like Virginia's." "Her hair, her skin." "They were the loveliest I've ever seen." "I hope you have the pleasure of meeting her." "She'll be back someday." "Hello there." "Paul was admiring your mother's picture." "Father's a sentimentalist." "He has every right to be." "I'll get it." "Hello?" "Yes?" "Just a moment, please." "It's for you, Dad." "Thank you." "Yes?" "Yes, I guess I can." "Yes." "Oh, in about twenty minutes, I'd say." "Surely." "Goodbye." "I'll see you children later." "Business." "Sorry." "That's the only information I can give you, Mr. Kirby." "Have you notified his wife?" "Yes, Mr. Kessler." "Poor thing, she took it quite hard." "It's terrible." "Awful" "I want to see the coroner." "Yes?" "I'm Jules' wife." "Where have they taken him?" "In there, Mrs. Mason." "If you please, sir." "May I have one moment alone with him?" "I won't ever see him again." "Well yes, I guess so." "Thank you, sir." "AAH!" "Mrs. Mason, Mrs. Mason." "You better take her out, Mr. Kirby." "He's alive." "What?" "He's alive." "I saw him move." "I'll get the hospital." "You'll be alright, Mrs. Mason." "Steady now." "Get him out of here." "He's not dead." "The doctor will be here any minute." "Jules?" "Please, Mrs. Mason." "Jules, listen to me." "Did you recognize the man who tried to kill you?" "It was ghastly." "I don't believe I was ever more startled in my life than when Mrs. Mason screamed." "It must have been a terrific shock to see him come back to life." "Yes, it was." "Just a few moments longer and they would have known who the assailant was." "I don't like to bring up the subject, Mr. Kessler, but these murders, did they ever happen in the daytime?" "No, I don't believe so." "I see." "You evidently have some reason for asking." "Not particularly." "I was just curious about that one point." "Sorry dinner is late tonight, sir." "But the new cook is having quite a time getting started." "That's alright." "Evans been with you long?" "Over some years." "Everything's gone wrong today." "Now I burned the roast." "Oh, don't get so flustered." "You'll be alright." "I was so anxious to make good, I want to stay." "Where is that mixing spoon?" "Here it is, right in front of you." "Thanks." "I like it here." "It's nice." "Everything's so quiet and peaceful like." "Ever read the newspapers?" "No, they're just full of trash and murders and stuff." "Mm." "What you don't know, well, it's alright." "Here's your pepper salt." "Thanks." "Well, Paul, I'm afraid you have me cornered." "You still have a couple of moves, Mr. Kessler." "You met your equal, Dad." "Oh, your father just got himself into a bad position." "I hear a storm." "It's your game, Paul." "Want to play another?" "Oh, thank you, not tonight." "It's getting late." "Pardon me, sir." "Yes?" "May I speak to you a moment please?" "Well yes, certainly." "The cook wants to leave." "I thought you should know." "Why, she just came." "She feels as if her work is unsatisfactory." "She had so much trouble with dinner tonight." "Why, that's ridiculous." "Oh, I understand, it's her first day." "I'll speak to her." "I'll say good night, Mr. Kessler." "Think I'll turn in." "Thanks for the game." "Good night, Paul." "Good night, Dad." "Good night, child." "I'll walk up with you, Paul." "Oh, glad to have your company." "It's a long, lonesome climb up those stairs all alone." "Where are you going, Marie?" "You can't leave us after cooking such an elegant dinner." "Did you really like it, Mr. Kessler?" "Why, I never tasted anything to equal that roast beef." "Besides, you can't go now, it's going to rain any minute." "Are you sure you want me to stay?" "Oh certainly, Marie." "Well, I like it here, but I thought, then it is settled." "Wait til you taste my apple pie, Mr. Kessler." "Apple pie!" "My, that will be a treat." "Let me take this." "You might as well unpack your things, Marie." "Yes, sure." "Thank you, sir." "Not at all, Marie." "Good night." "Good night, Mr. Kessler." "Oh, he's a wonderful man." "Now let's see." "What did I do wrong?" "Mr. Kessler?" "Mr. Kessler?" "Are you ill?" "What?" "Something wrong?" "No, Paul." "I must have walked in my sleep." "Well, you did better than I." "I couldn't sleep at all." "It's raining." "Why don't you go to bed, Paul?" "I'm alright." "Is there anything I can do?" "Nothing, Paul." "Thank you." "I think I'll read for a while." "Good night." "Good night, Mr. Kessler." "Well, you look like you had a good night's sleep, Mr. Kessler." "I was so tired when I got to bed," "I don't even remember climbing in." "Dad!" "Who would do a thing like that?" "I wonder if anyone was hurt." "Nothing could have hurt my father more." "It's unquestionably the work of a madman." "You alright, Evans?" "Yes sir, Mr. Kessler." "Good morning, sir." "Where is the new cook?" "She said she was going shopping first thing this morning." "Have you looked in her room?" "No, sir." "Something wrong, Mr. Kessler?" "There's her valise." "She didn't leave." "I'm not worried about that." "When did she tell you she's going to the market?" "Last night before she went to bed." "Do you think there's any connection between this and what has happened before?" "I don't know." "Have you been through the rest of the house yet?" "No, sir." "Good morning, Mr. Kessler." "Oh, Marie." "You have no idea how happy I am to see you." "Thank you." "I wonder why he was so glad to see me." "Mr. Kessler thought you had been murdered." "Oh, he's so sweet." "I'm going to start to make an apple pie." "Murdered?" "I can't imagine who would do a thing like that." "I'll get it." "Good morning, Miss Kessler." "Won't you come in?" "Thank you." "That happened last night." "Didn't it fall?" "No." "Find me the person who did it and you've got your murderer." "Nobody came into this house last night." "Ryan and his boys were stationed outside." "Lieutenant?" "Oh Lieutenant?" "Come out!" "Come on out, I say!" "It's Ryan!" "AAH!" "Then you didn't hear any noises during the night?" "No." "But there's funny things going on around here." "Meaning what?" "Well, it's happened three times now." "I put food on the sink, left the room, when I come back it was gone." "No." "You ought to hire a detective to watch it." "That's what you get for being such an excellent cook." "Thank you, sir." "Oh Lieutenant?" "Yeah?" "Got something?" "I don't know." "I, I found this in the picture." "Anybody else know about it?" "No, I wanted to speak to you first." "OK." "I'll see if I can match it." "Keep the others downstairs." "Why not?" "I agree." "Is, uh, this yours, Mr. Kessler?" "Yes." "Why?" "I'd thought I'd seen it on you." "Found it in Evans's room." "Well, there's nothing strange about that." "There wouldn't be, Mr. Kessler, but it so happens that a thread from this robe was found embedded in the picture." "Surely you're not trying to accuse Evans?" "Oh, it's incredible." "You're just trying to make a case." "Well, somebody's been doing these killings." "Ryan didn't die of heart failure, don't forget that." "When did you give Evans that robe, Mr. Kessler?" "I don't remember giving it to him at all." "But naturally, when my things need mending, he just picks them up." "I don't care how he got it." "He had it and he used it on that picture." "I'm going to talk to him." "Now just a minute, Lieutenant." "Yeah?" "If Evans is the man we want, it strikes me you've got to have more evidence." "Huh." "Now everybody wants to be a detective." "Now wait a minute." "Perhaps Paul has some suggestion." "Alright, go ahead." "What is it?" "Without doubt, the murderer is insane." "The picture tells us that." "I believe we should call in a psychiatrist." "A psychiatrist." "You still got the robe." "But before Evans is accused, I'm definitely in favor of giving him a sanity test." "What do you say, Lieutenant?" "OK." "Maybe I better take one myself." "All we want to know is if the fellow's crazy." "That's very easy to determine." "Shall we make the examination here?" "If you don't mind, doctor." "Please tell Evans I want to see him and then go up to your room." "Go to my room?" "Is it possible, doctor, for a man to be normal, say, for two or three months at a time, then go completely insane for an hour or two?" "Yes, quite common." "This should be most interesting." "Now what?" "A fuse must have blown." "I'll light the candles." "A fuse burned out, Miss Virginia." "Oh, thank you." "My father wants to see you, Evans." "He's in his room." "Yes, miss." "That will have to do, gentlemen, until the lights are fixed." "I'll be in my room, Evans." "Yes, miss." "I'm sorry, Mr. Kessler, but we ran out of fuses." "I sent Marie over to the store to get some more, sir." "That's alright, Evans." "Sit down." "Oh, pardon me, sir." "Go ahead, Evans." "Sit down." "We want to talk to you." "Alright, sit down." "Do you want to speak to me, sir?" "This gentleman would like to ask you a few questions," "Evans." "Yes, sir?" "You know these men?" "Yes, sir." "What's this gentleman's name?" "Mr. Kessler." "Mr. Charles Kessler, sir." "Would you say that Mr. Kessler is out of his mind?" "Uh, I don't understand you." "Would you say that he is insane?" "No, sir." "Well, young lady, what are you doing here?" "You can't take it." "It's mine, I tell you." "OK, sister, it's yours." "Leave me alone." "I'm going home." "Home to my husband and my daughter." "Of course you are." "And we know where you live, too." "You do?" "Sure." "But I'm dead, understand?" "I'm dead." "Of course you are." "I'll take you where you want to go." "Now you just come with me, young lady." "Tell me, Evans." "Do you think this man is crazy?" "Now don't ask him that, Doc." "I'm beginning to have doubts myself." "Please, Lieutenant." "Oh, alright, alright." "Am I crazy?" "I don't think so." "You don't think so?" "I know that woman." "She's wicked." "She can't go home." "Yes, yes, I know." "She's bad." "Now you come with me." "There we are." "Ever see this before?" "Yes, sir." "What were you doing with it last night?" "I don't know what you're talking about, sir." "Look what we found." "Mrs. Kessler!" "I'm dead, Charles." "You hear me?" "I'm dead." "I'm afraid to come home." "You'd kill me." "You'd kill anybody." "It's Kessler!" "Take her out, quickly!" "Aah!" "Mr. Kessler!" "Dad!" "Get back in there!" "Close that door!" "Now you sit right there and we'll see that you get home alright." "Give me a hand, George." "She's dead." "What happened here?" "We've got the murderer." "Evans." "No, Mr. Kessler, you." "I knew you'd come back." "Nothing can part us now, my darling."