"How are ya, Doctor?" "Hello, Harry." "Hey, Charlie." "Hello, Dr. Brewster, Mr. Stanley." "How are ya?" "Say, are those all the passengers you had?" "Just the four." "You didn't put anybody off at the wrong station, did you?" "We're here to meet a friend of the Caldwells, a Count Alucard." "There was no Count on this train." "All customers." "Say, there was a lot of stuff in the baggage car that might belong to your Count." "Thanks." "We'll take a look at it." "All aboard!" "Well, does this look as though he's come to stay for just a couple of weeks?" "No, it doesn't." "I wonder what's become of him." "He's probably coming by car." "Don't worry." "He'll show up." ""D-R-A-C..."" "What are you mumbling about?" "Nothing, nothing." "Just a silly idea hit me." "Well, if there's no Alucard, there's no need of our waiting around here." "I've got to get back to the office." "Is that you, Matthew?" "Yes, ma'am, Miss Kay." "This is Matthew." "I brought the trunks and the boxes, but Mr. Frank said the Count didn't come on the train." "Oh." "Well, put them in the guesthouse as I told you." "Oh, yes, ma'am, but I have to have some help." "They're amazingly heavy." "Then get some of the other boys to help you." "Oh, yes, ma'am." "Thank you, ma'am." "Come on, Sam." "Come on." "Matthew's back from town." "Oh, did the Count come?" "No, not yet." "If you only had a phone," "Frank would have called after the train arrived." "Believe me, if I still lived here, I'd have one, even if I had to string the wires myself." "There are other means of communication." "Oh." "Please, Kay." "No lectures on metaphysics tonight, huh?" "You should allow your mind to explore the unknown, Claire, then you wouldn't laugh at telepathy." "I know Count Alucard will be here tonight, without benefit of telephone." "Oh." "He probably missed the train and will come down tomorrow." "I must run in and see Dad a minute before I dress for the party." "See you later." "You do not know why you came here tonight." "It was because I wished you here." "Well, why?" "Isn't Count Alucard..." "I wished you here to warn you." "The Angel of Death hovers over a great house." "I see it in ruins." "Weeds, vines growing over it, bats flying in and out the broken windows." "But I want to know of Count Alucard." "Is he coming?" "Do you hear me?" "Do you hear me, Queen Zimba?" ""Alucard" is not his name." "You must stop him before it is too late." "Stop him before death comes to Dark Oaks." "Tell me if he is coming tonight." "I see you marrying a corpse, living in a grave." "I see..." "Queen Zimba!" "Uh, Stephen!" "This excitement over Kay's Count has worn me out." "If you'll all excuse me, I'll let Stephen take me upstairs." "Good night, Colonel." "Good night." "He's holding up very well." "Good night." "Good night, Colonel." "Well, Father, I'm afraid we'll have to do this all over again when Count Alucard does come." "I'm afraid so." "I hope you're not too tired, Father." "No, I feel fine." "Now, you run along and dance." "Stephen will help me upstairs." "Good night, children." "Good night, then." "Good night, Father." "Good night, Colonel." "Good night." "I'll smoke a cigar before going to bed." "That'll be all for now, Stephen." "Yes, sir." "Kay, you're worried about something." "I wish you'd tell me what it is." "Wouldn't you be upset if you gave a reception, and your guest of honor didn't appear?" "Is that all?" "Isn't that enough?" "Yes, I suppose it is, but I rather thought you might be worrying about that old Hungarian gypsy you brought back with you." "I understand she died tonight." "Queen Zimba?" ""Queen"?" "That old swamp cat with a cabin full of dried lizards and stuffed toads?" "It's good riddance, if you ask me." "How did you know she was dead?" "That sort of news travels fast." "One of the farmhands told me." "He also said you were there when she died." "I'd hoped no one knew that." "Why?" "She died of a heart attack." "Certainly, your being there could have no bearing on it." "Oh, they'll ask questions." "What was I doing there, and what brought on the attack?" "And if I told them, no one around here would believe it." "What do they know of these occult matters?" "Blind fools." "Kay, I think it's about time I talked to you frankly." "We're not blind, and we're not fools." "We're just plain, sensible people that refuse to be fooled by a lot of supernatural nonsense." ""Nonsense"?" "Exactly." "There's no magic in dried lizards and dead chickens." "Ever since you met this Count Alucard in Budapest, you've changed." "I hardly know you." "Kay, let me take you away from all this morbid business." "A six-months' honeymoon, a year, if you like." "We won't come back here until you've overcome some of these strange ideas." "I'm sorry." ""Sorry"?" "Does that mean you're breaking our engagement?" "Oh, no." "You mustn't even think that." "Then what is it, Kay?" "There must be some reason." "Of course there's a reason, Frank." "Since we were kids, there's never been anyone in my heart but you." "You know that." "But, well..." "Don't ever doubt me, Frank." "No matter what happens, believe in me." "Believe that what I'm doing is best for us both." "Has it anything to do with Alucard?" "I see." "I'm afraid there's something I must tell you, Kay." "Alucard is an impostor, a fake." "How can you say such a thing?" "I wrote to Senator Manfield." "His reply informed me that Count Alucard is not known at the Hungarian embassy." "You must be very proud of that bit of snooping." "I only did what any man would do to protect the girl he intends to marry." "Miss Kay!" "Dr. Brewster, is there anything I can do?" "No, no." "You stay here." "Keep the party moving." "Father!" "Get some water!" "Looks like the Colonel fell asleep and dropped his cigar." "That's what started the fire." "Yeah, that's probably what happened." "There's no evidence of asphyxiation." "His heart might have stopped beating before the fire." "He might even have died in his sleep." "He looks as though he were literally frightened to death." "It's purely a reflex of the facial muscles." "Doctor, what are those two marks on the throat?" "They don't look like burns." "Come, Claire." "I think you'd better go." "Announce Count Alucard." "Explain that I came by motor and was delayed." "I'm sorry, sir, but Colonel Caldwell died tonight, and the family isn't receiving." "Announce me!" "Yes, sir." "Central," "I called Professor Lazlo at Muirfield University about a half an hour ago." "Will you please check the call for me?" "This is Dr. Harry Brewster, 228." "Thank you." "Hello?" "Yes, this is Harry Brewster speaking." "Fine, thank you." "Why, I called to find out if you know anything about a titled Hungarian family named Alucard." "A-L-U-C-A-R-D." "Alucard?" "No." "I'm sure there is no such family." "The name is not Hungarian." "Well, can you tell me, is it possible there's a Count Dracula still living?" "Dracula?" "I'm sure there is not." "History says the last Count Dracula died in the Middle Ages." "Why do you ask?" "A certain Count Alucard is visiting a friend of mine." "I happened to notice that the name spelled backward is "Dracula". (CHUCKLES)" "It made me curious." "That is strange." "According to the legends of my people, the last Count Dracula became one of the undead, a vampire, and was finally destroyed in the 19th century." "I am considered somewhat of an authority on the subject." "I know, Professor." "That's why I called you." "If this man is an impostor, why should he assume that name over all others?" "Oh." "He wouldn't." "Not if he were sane." "In Transylvania, the name is associated only with evil." "I advise you to be very careful of that man." "Well, from your tone, I gather you don't entirely disbelieve the legends of the former Dracula." "In my research," "I have uncovered data which I cannot entirely disprove." "I do not say I believe, but in honesty, I cannot say I disbelieve." "I repeat, be very, very careful of that man." "I will, Professor." "Thank you very much." "Goodbye, sir." "You will find this will a comparatively simple document, owing chiefly to the fact that you two girls are the only living kin of Colonel Caldwell." "It divides the entire estate, cash, securities and all evenly between..." "Pardon me, Judge Simmons." "May I ask the date of that will?" "August 24th." "It was made on the occasion of Miss Claire's attaining legal age and responsibility." "Then there's a will of a later date." "There's no important difference between them, Claire." "There's a mighty important difference for you, Kay." "According to this, you get nothing but the plantation." "Claire gets all cash and securities." "It's properly witnessed and can't be disputed, but I can't imagine what your father was thinking of." "It's the way I wanted it." "To divide the estate otherwise would have meant selling the plantation." "I love Dark Oaks, and hope to live here always." "But, my dear child, it takes real capital to operate a plantation of this size." "I wouldn't worry about that, Judge." "I think Colonel Caldwell knew what he was doing." "Oh." "Oh, I see." "Well, I'd offer my congratulations, but this hardly seems the proper time." "That seems to end the matter." "I'll start the legal machinery in motion at once." "In fact, I'll start it today, if the clerk's office is still open." "Goodbye." "Oh, don't bother, Claire." "I'll find my way out, thank you." "Goodbye, Judge." "I can't understand how you've been able to get along without servants." "I take it that none of them have returned since that night." "No, but I'll arrange for others if I find I need them." "Well, of course, you'll know what you want to do." "Come along, Claire." "Let's leave these two alone for a while." "I'll see you again before I leave." "I'm so terribly sorry for Frank." "I'm afraid he's living in a fool's paradise." ""A fool's paradise"?" "Yes." "I'm certain Kay doesn't intend to marry him." "Well, what's the trouble?" "Count Alucard?" "She couldn't marry him." "There's something, well, repulsive about him." "The way he came in the night Father died..." "Oh, I don't know." "I understand he left almost immediately." "At least that was decent of him." "Yes, but..." "I'm positive Kay's been seeing him more or less secretly." "Why do you say that?" "A couple of nights ago, after I had gone to bed," "I heard them talking in the hall downstairs." "Somehow, I didn't like the idea, and I went to the head of the stairs to make sure." "And?" "Kay was alone in the lower hall, but she was looking up at me as if..." "Well, as if she'd been caught at something she wasn't very proud of." "I see." "Did you mention it to her?" "Yes, but she pooh-poohed the idea, said I probably was dreaming." "I let it go at that, but I wasn't dreaming." "I hadn't been asleep." "Hmm." "That does sound strange." "Have you been in the guesthouse since the night your father died?" "No, but surely, you don't think Count Alucard..." "I don't know what to think." "He couldn't be living in town without my knowing it." "I'd like to take a look at his belongings, if he hasn't taken them away." "He couldn't have done that alone, they were too heavy." "This might be a very good time." "Two large chests, as well as the trunks came on the train." "I don't know what's become of them." "They were put in here." "That's strange." "They're not in there, either." "Well, it may not be ethical, but there are reasons why we ought to find out more about the Count." "Well, he didn't have any handbags." "I don't like it, Claire." "He can't be traveling around with only the clothes he's wearing." "See what I meant about Frank and Kay?" "I don't like it, Claire." "I don't like it one bit!" "You've got to leave here and go back to town, and the sooner, the better." "You sound as if I was in some kind of danger." "I'd rather not go into that, but I insist upon your leaving." "You can go in with me and send for your things later." "Well, I can't leave Kay alone." "If I'm in danger, she must be, too." "I'm going to make one last attempt to persuade her to leave." "If she won't..." "Well, if she won't, I want you to join me in swearing out an insanity complaint against her." "An insanity complaint?" "Are you serious?" "Kay's my sister." "Claire, everybody's in danger here, Kay more than anyone else." "If she won't leave voluntarily, then we've just got to force her." "Yes, but she'd be arrested, put in an asylum." "I'd never do that to her." "Claire, don't you see?" "We've got to protect Kay from herself." "Yes, what is it?" "You remember me, don't you, Mr. Kirby?" "Yes, of course." "You're Colonel Caldwell's daughter." "Sorry to hear about your father." "Thank you." "Uh, may we come in?" "We want to be married." "Married?" "Yes, of course." "Come right in." "Ma!" "Cecilia!" "In a few moments, my dear, you will become Countess Alucard." "Everything has worked out as we planned." "This house is ours." "No one else has any claim on it." "I like old houses, and I like your countryside and the swampland." "It's very different from your homeland." "That is why I like it." "My land is dry and desolate." "The soil is red with the blood of 100 races." "There is no life left there." "Here, you have a young and vital race." "You've spoken of your people, but I want to know more." "Their legends, their mystery, their gifts." "Perhaps someday, we may return there." "As I have told you, my dear, ours will be a different life, without material needs." "A life that will last through eternity." "I'll see who it is." "I told you not to come here again, Frank." "I'm sorry." "Please, Kay." "I've got to talk to you." "Kay, I must know what this is all about." "I know that you and Alucard are meeting secretly." "I followed you tonight" "I don't know where you went, because I lost you, but..." "We went to Mr. Kirby's." "We were married." ""Married"?" "No." "No, you couldn't have!" "I told you before, we were married tonight." "You'll save us all a lot of unpleasantness by going back to town with me tonight, and taking the first train out in the morning." "I'm afraid I do not understand." "Then I'll make it clear." "You're going back to town with me tonight." "In the morning, you'll take the first train out." "Kay will have the marriage annulled and if you try to stop her, or show up in this part of the country again, you'll be jailed!" "Kay!" "Frank!" "My boy!" "Harry." "Harry, how did I get here?" "Did you bring me here from Dark Oaks?" "No, you came alone, about a couple of minutes ago." "What's happened, Frank?" "Harry." "Harry." "Harry, I've killed Kay!" "It's all mixed up, but I know I shot her twice." "Harry, am I insane?" "Could I have shot through Alucard and killed her without hurting him?" "Tell me what happened." "Well, I shot right through him." "I shot right through him!" "Kay screamed and fell, and he just stood there." "Just stood there, staring at me." "Just staring at me." "You don't believe that, do you?" "Nobody will." "Yes, I believe you." "Have you got your revolver?" "I dropped it in the drive." "But you haven't told me, just what happened?" "Kay and Alucard were married tonight." "I know." "I followed them." "Well, didn't you try to stop the wedding?" "A tree smashed my car, and I lost them." "Then I went back to Dark Oaks, and I found them there and got in a fight with him." "He got me by the throat." "It was like one of those crazy nightmares where you can't move, or struggle or..." "I had no more strength against him than a baby." "He just threw me aside." "Then I fired." "The bullets went through him without even hurting him, and..." "And killed Kay." "What did you do then?" "I don't know!" "I just seemed to be running and falling and..." "Oh, I don't know." "I don't know anything except I found myself here." "I don't even know if it's real!" "Maybe it's a nightmare, or something." "Just rest yourself for a while, Frank." "We'll find out just how much of it happened." "Here." "Drink this." "Lie down, Frank." "May I inquire what you are doing here?" "I was about to ask you the same question." "Tonight, Miss Caldwell and I were married." "I am now master of this house." "You see, you owe me an explanation." "Well, I came here to see Katherine." "The door was open, she didn't answer my call, and I thought I heard somebody here in the cellar." "I, too, thought that I heard someone in the cellar." "Come." "Dr. Brewster, what on Earth brings you here this time of night?" "I hope nothing's happened to Claire." "No." "No, she was worried that something had happened to you." "I'm sorry." "Count Alucard and I were married tonight." "Yes, so the Count told me." "It was the way we wanted it, quiet and alone." "That's the way we're going to live, Doctor." "You see, I'm engaged in some scientific research." "It will take up all of our daylight hours." "And we'll have no time for social life." "We want you to explain this to Claire." "And to Frank." "I'm fond of Frank." "But, of course, he must never come here again." "I'd like you to tell all our friends not to come." "If Judge Simmons has papers for us to sign, tell him to bring them in the evening." "Katherine is going to assist me in my research." "I see." "Well, there doesn't seem to be any more for me to say, so, if you'll pardon me, Katherine, I'll be leaving." "Good night." "Goodbye, Doctor." "And say goodbye to Frank." "Perhaps I should emphasize some of Katherine's wishes." "When I came to Dark Oaks, I was not graciously welcomed." "Now, the position has changed." "I am master." "Anyone who enters here without my permission, will be considered a trespasser." "Good morning, Sarah." "Will you set another place, please?" "For Mr. Stanley, he slept on the couch in the office last night." "There's nobody in there now, sir." "There's a blanket on the couch, but no sign of Mr. Frank." "Why didn't you put him in the spare bedroom?" "No wonder he never stayed for breakfast." "I'll just take coffee this morning, Sarah." " Good morning, Sarah." " Good morning, Judge." "It's Judge Simmons, Doctor." "Give Sarah your hat and coat, Judge, and come in and have some breakfast with me." "I'll keep my coat on." "I can only stay a minute." "Quite a rain we had." "Yes, started about 4:00." "Claire isn't here yet?" "No." "No, I expect her any minute, though." "I was up most of the night studying that insanity complaint you got out against Katherine." "What did you decide?" "Well, if I didn't know you, I'd be suspicious of your motives." "You have no evidence of insanity, Harry." "The fact that she wants to live alone at Dark Oaks may be eccentric, but that's all." "And her infatuation for this Count, even if he's an impostor..." "Well, that may be bad judgment, but it certainly couldn't be construed as insanity." "They were married last night by Kirby." "Oh." "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." "Katherine's like a niece to me." "You're wanted on the phone, Judge Simmons." "It's Mrs. Simmons, sir." "She says it's important." "You better take it in my office, Judge." "Oh, yes, thank you." "Thank you." "Yes?" "Yes, dear." "What?" "Yes." "Well, I'll go right over to the courthouse." "Goodbye." "Frank Stanley surrendered to the sheriff a while ago." "Told some sort of a story about killing Katherine." "That's not so, Judge." "I know." "He came here in the middle of the night in a delirious condition and told me the same story." "I gave him a sedative and I drove out to Dark Oaks." "I talked to Katherine, and that was long after Frank said he'd killed her." "Oh!" "Well, you'd better come over to the courthouse and tell them that." "Sarah?" "Professor Lazlo is arriving here from Memphis on the morning train." "He's spending a few days here." "You make him comfortable, will you, please?" "Yes, sir." "Morning, Bob." "Good morning, Richard." "Come in." "Good morning, gentlemen." "Morning, Coroner." "Where's Frank, Sheriff?" "The deputy's fetching him." "We're all going out to Dark Oaks." "I don't think that'll be necessary." "Dr. Brewster says that Frank is insane." "I talked to Katherine and her husband after Frank was supposed to have shot her." "What?" "Well, I'm going to Dark Oaks, anyway, and talk to them myself." "No need to go until evening." "Katherine and her husband will be away all day." "Yeah?" "Where will they be?" "Well, I don't know, but they told me to tell Claire they wouldn't be at home." "I'm going to take Frank out there, anyway." "Maybe he'll come to his senses if we make him go over the ground like he covered it in his confession." "I wish you wouldn't do that, Sheriff." "Frank has had a shock." "What he needs is complete relaxation." "Frank Stanley has confessed to murder." "I have to act on it." "It won't hurt him to ride out there with us." "I give you my word that it will." "That's too bad!" "But money and position don't rate him any better treatment than anyone else from me." "Did he act crazy to you, Dr. Peters?" "No, can't say that he did." "A little irrational, maybe, same as anyone after committing murder." "Hmm." "You can come along if you like, Doc." "If everything's all right, I'll turn him over to you, forget all about the confession." "Now, that ought to be all right." "Funny that they'd leave the door open." "Anyone here?" "Suppose you tell us where you were when you shot Katherine, and where she and her husband were?" "There's nothing to worry about, Frank." "Go on." "Enact the scene just as you think it happened." "It was in the library." "I seem to remember running out there and dropping the gun in the driveway." "Are you sure you didn't drive off in your car, Frank?" "Oh, no, no, I couldn't have." "Because I remember a tree fell on it earlier in the evening while I was following Kay and Alucard." "About what time was that, you remember?" "It's all so mixed up." "I just don't know, but I'm sure I went out that way." "Well, come on, Frank." "Suppose you'd show us just where." "I was here, but I don't remember anything after that." "Remember this, Frank?" "I think we'd better go back to the office, Doctor, while you do some explaining." "Kay!" "Kay, my darling!" "Good evening, Doctor." "Has Professor Lazlo arrived?" "Yes, sir." "He's been here all day, in and out." "Can I fix you something to eat, Doctor?" "The professor's had his dinner." "No, thanks." "Professor, I'm glad to see you." "I heard about the tragic events of last night." "And I called at the courthouse several times this afternoon, but they wouldn't let me see you." "Step inside." "Thank you." "The sheriff believes that I'm an accessory after the fact in the murder of Katherine." "And I can't say that I blame him." "Why?" "He can't believe that I spoke to Katherine after Frank shot her." "And because I urged him to keep away from Dark Oaks until tonight, he thinks I intended to hide her body during the day." "But he didn't arrest you?" "No." "No, he questioned me most of the day, but he's not quite ready to hold me." "Then, you didn't tell him what we believe?" "Well, the chances of convincing a hardheaded sheriff that we were dealing with a vampire seemed pretty slim." "Very." "And yet, I am satisfied that such is the case." "Alucard is undoubtedly a vampire." "Probably a descendant of Count Dracula." "Are you sure we're not allowing our imagination to run away with our common sense, Professor?" "Can you suggest any other explanation for the events of the past few days?" "No." "Neither can I give a lucid explanation of a vampire." "Mmm-hmm." "Broadly speaking, a vampire is an earthbound spirit whose body comes to life at night and scours the countryside, satisfying a ravenous appetite for the blood of the living." "This it does by drawing it from the throat of its victim." "That's a nauseating thought!" "They're supposed to be immortals, no doubt?" "Uh, practically." "So long as they return to their graves before sunrise." "Between then and sunset, they remain in a, sort of, uh, cataleptic state, during which they can be destroyed by two different means." "At night, however, they are invulnerable." "You mean you actually believe that Frank shot through Alucard without hurting him?" "Bullets would have had no effect on him." "Well, it's strange to hear a man of science like yourself calmly admit that he believes in a superstition so fantastic." "I could spend days citing proof that it is not mere superstition." "My own homeland in the Carpathian Hills, where Count Dracula lived, is sad testimony to its truth." "What was once a happy, productive region, is today, barren waste." "Villages depopulated, the land abandoned." "Maybe that's why he left there and came here to a younger country, stronger and more virile." "Of course." "And he will fasten on it and drain it dry, just as he did his homeland." "Unless..." "We can find his grave and destroy him in it." "His grave?" "He was buried in Hungary, wasn't he?" "Yes, but you will find that one of the chests he brought contains a layer of soil from his birthplace." "That constitutes a grave." "Are you serious?" "Rest assured he has it hidden in some safe place and returns to it just before sunrise every morning." "And our job seems to be to find that chest with him in it, and destroy him." "That won't be as simple as it sounds." "The vampire can assume very many different forms at will." "Sometimes, it appears as a bat, sometimes, as a werewolf, and sometimes, as a small cloud of swirling vapor." "In this way, it can move unseen among its enemies, learn their plans and be in a position to outwit them." "You are very brilliant, aren't you, Professor Lazlo?" "Perhaps too brilliant for your own good, and that of Dr. Brewster." "You're right." "I am here because this is a young and virile race, not dry and decadent like ours." "They have what I want, what I need, what I must have." "Do you suppose that I would allow any mortal to stand in my way?" "Here, drink this." "Thanks." "This doesn't leave me much room to go on disputing your theories, Professor." "How in the world did you drive him away?" "I showed him this." "A simple cross!" "It would take too long to explain why they fear it, but they do." "Keep this and wear it at all times, especially in your sleep." "Dracula has you marked for death." "Not only me, but unsuspecting people in this district, who'd never believe us if we tried to warn them." "We must find some way to destroy him before it's too..." "Excuse me, Doctor Harry, but it's Mrs. Land to see you." "Something's happened to Tommy, Doctor." "Put him here." "I sent him to my sister's on an errand tonight." "He was gone so long, I finally went after him." "Will you get my bag, Professor?" "Certainly." "I found him lying beside the road, just like this." "He talked a little, but he didn't make sense." "He acted like he was scared foolish." "And then he said something about a foreign man in a fog, but there wasn't any fog tonight, Doctor." "I noticed those wounds on his neck, too." "What are they?" "Small animal bites?" "No, I don't think so." "We can fix that very easily." "Sarah?" "Yes, Dr. Harry?" "Why don't you make Mrs. Land a cup of tea?" "You go along with Sarah, Mrs. Land." "Yes, sir." "Tommy's going to be all right." "He's had a bit of a shock." "I want him to stay here until he regains consciousness." "I'll call you." "Thank you, Doctor." "Dracula's first victim." "It's starting fast." "Tell me, does that mean that Tommy's in danger of becoming a vampire himself?" "No, unless Alucard drained so much blood from him, that he died." "Well, what about Kay?" "She died from bullet wounds, and yet, you implied that she would become a vampire." "Yes, but her case was different." "Her background was..." "I know, morbid." "She'd gone overboard on the subject of the supernatural, black magic and the like." "Exactly." "And I rather believe that Miss Caldwell may have made the transition from choice." "No one could choose a thing so loathsome!" "Don't forget, the girl was morbid." "That often means thanatophobia, fear of death." "And Alucard could promise her eternal life." "Eternal life at such a price?" "Why do you think she is a vampire?" "The dirt which I understand had been thrown into her grave..." "Who else would have done that except Alucard, Dracula?" "But then that means we have to destroy her as well?" "That should be relatively simple." "Her sister could order her cremation while the body is still in the morgue." "Perhaps you're right." "Hello." "Oh, hello, Claire." "I was just about to call you." "No, I think that'll be perfectly safe." "Professor Lazlo and I will stop by and pick you up." "Oh, it's no trouble." "Besides, there's something we want to talk to you about." "All right." "See you in a few minutes then." "The sheriff's office just called her." "They say that Frank is still a bit irrational, and insists upon seeing her." "While she's there, she can leave orders for Katherine's cremation." "Oh, Sarah?" "Mrs. Land?" "Unfortunately, I have to run along." "I think in a few minutes, it'll be perfectly safe to take Tommy home." "Don't you worry about him." "He's going to be all right." "Thank you, Doctor." "Frank?" "Frank." "Frank?" "Kay." "No, it can't be." "Yes, Frank, it's Katherine." "No." "No, you can't be Kay." "Kay's dead!" "I know, I killed her." "I saw her fall." "I was with the sheriff when he found her body, and she was dead." "She was dead!" "I saw her!" "You see me now, too." "Yes, but..." "Do you doubt your own eyes?" "It is you." "It is you, Kay, and you're alive!" "But what is it, Kay?" "You seem to be cold, like death." "You seem to be Kay, but there's a strange difference." "It's almost as if I didn't know you." "Does that mean you no longer love me?" "I'll always love you." "Enough to spend the rest of your life with me?" "But..." "But you're married, Kay, you're married to Alucard." "I don't love him, Frank." "I never did." "But you're married to him!" "I had to, Frank." "It was part of the plan I told you about in the garden." "I asked you to have faith in me then." "I beg you to have faith in me now." "I don't understand." "Count Alucard is immortal." "Through him, I attained immortality." "Through me, you will do the same, and we will spend eternity together." "Are you serious?" "Do you expect me to believe anything so unreal?" "How else can you explain the fact you shot through him without hurting him?" "How else could I be here?" "Why, I can't explain it." "It's so incredible!" "Perhaps you'll understand when I tell you" "Count Alucard's real name is Count Dracula." "Count Dracula?" "You mean the Hungarian who's supposed to have become..." "Don't use that word, Frank." "We don't like it." "Say, rather, that we are "undead."" ""Immortal."" "Do you mean you deliberately planned this?" "You married him so you could become a..." "So you and I could attain immortality, yes." "But even if it would work, do you expect me to agree to anything so fantastic?" "You have no choice." "I've taken the first step while you were sleeping." "No." "No, I can't do it." "I've already told you, you have no choice." "Frank, isn't eternity together better than a few years of ordinary life?" "Yes." "Yes, I suppose it is." "There's one thing you must do while you're still in your present form." "What is that?" "Destroy Dracula." "Destroy Dracula?" "But how?" "There is one advantage all humans have over us." "You can move about in the daytime." "We can't." "We must return to our graves before sunrise, or we're destroyed." "But how can I keep him from his grave?" "You don't have to." "You can destroy him in one of two ways." "Either drive a stake through his heart, or burn his grave before he reaches it." "You must do this, Frank, for us." "Well, Miss Caldwell!" "It got so late, I didn't think you were coming in tonight." "Oh, I thought you might have told Frank, and I didn't want to disappoint him." "I don't suppose we're allowed to see him, too?" "Sheriff says no." "Find out if he knows where Count Alucard keeps himself during the day." "I'll try." "Third one on your left." "Hello, Frank." "Hello, Claire." "It's nice of you to come after everything." "I can only stay a few minutes." "I..." "I just wanted to tell you that I know it was an accident." "That makes me feel better." "Kay understands, too." "I'm sure she does." "Oh, I know it, I know it, because she..." "Would you think I was losing my mind if I told you that Kay has been here to talk to me?" "Oh, I'd be more likely to say you'd been dreaming." "Yes, yes, I guess you're right." "I was dreaming." "You know, they'll never convict Stanley of that killing." "No?" "No." "He's as nutty as a filbert." "He's been back there for a long time, talking to some dame who wasn't there." "First, he talks in his voice, then he answers in the woman's voice." "Did you..." "Did you hear anything that was said?" "That'd be a swell way to spend a rainy evening." "Eavesdropping on some goof talking to himself in two voices." "Some fun!" "Dr. Brewster's doing all he can for you, Frank." "All he can do is get me out of here on an insanity plea." "That shouldn't be hard." "You mustn't even think such things." "Why not?" "I can't be sane." "I really believe Kay came here to talk to me." "If that's not crazy, then I..." "When are they going to hold the funeral?" "We haven't been able to contact Count Alucard so far." "Do you happen to know where he stays during the day?" "Why during the day?" "It's an unpleasant trip out there at night, and there's no phone." "Why should anyone think I know?" "Well, you said you saw him meet Kay on the road once, and I wondered if you saw where he came from." "I'm sorry." "I don't know anything." "I suppose you'll be burying her at Dark Oaks?" "Yes, I think so." "At least her ashes will be taken there." "Her ashes?" "Yes." "I'm going to leave an order for her cremation." "But you can't do that." "You can't do that, I tell you!" "She isn't dead, I know!" "She came here and talked to me!" "You can't cremate her, she isn't dead!" "It would kill her!" "I won't let you burn her now that she's immortal!" "You mustn't excite yourself this way." "You've got to reconcile yourself to the fact that Kay is dead." "But she isn't!" "I know..." "I know she isn't dead!" "Stanley, let her go!" "But she isn't dead, I tell you!" "All right, Frank." "I think you'd better leave, Miss Caldwell." "But you must listen to me." "Frank, try and get some sleep." "Good night, Frank." "Kay?" "Kay!" "Did you hear what she said?" "They're going to cremate you." "Yes, I heard." "That means Dr. Brewster has guessed the truth." "We may have to eliminate him and Claire." "Oh, no." "No, not your own sister." "She's no longer my sister when she interferes with me." "But if they cremate you..." "They won't find me." "I'll go to Dark Oaks tonight." "But we'll never be safe as long as Dr. Brewster's alive." "Our first worry's Alucard." "If I could get out of here, I'd start hunting for him." "I'll get you out, but you won't have to hunt for Alucard." "I know where he can be found in the daytime." "Where?" "Remember the old drainage flume near the edge of the swamp?" "Yes." "That's the place." "But be sure you don't get there until after the sun is up." "Didn't I tell you to get some sleep?" "I couldn't go to sleep." "I was talking to someone." "Yeah." "Well, she's gone now, so, I'll just douse the lights." "I'll wait for you at Dark Oaks, in the playroom Claire and I used to have in the attic." "I'll unlock the cell and bring you a gun." "There is very little doubt in my mind that Kay has visited Frank in his cell, and I'm afraid for one very definite purpose." "What purpose?" "Didn't you tell me that she and Frank have always been in love?" "Ever since they were children." "Why?" "Well, it's an unpleasant thought, but there are cases on record where the living have voluntarily joined the ranks of the undead in order to consummate what might be called an "unholy alliance."" "You can't be serious, Professor." "Why, such a pact between Kay and Frank is unthinkable!" "Perhaps." "But so long as there is even the remotest possibility, and I insist there is, we must arrange for immediate cremation." "Otherwise, she will destroy her own soul and Frank's." "Frank!" "Get back!" "Stay away from me." "Stay away from me!" "Frank!" "Frank Stanley!" "What happened?" "Frank Stanley just escaped!" "Look out for him, he's armed." "Get after him!" "But if you have to shoot, do it!" "What happened, Mack?" "How'd he get out?" "I don't know, Sheriff." "The keys were on the desk as usual." "And now they're gone, and so is Stanley." "I tried to stop him, but..." "Did you have anything to do with this break, Dr. Brewster?" "Certainly not!" "We are as anxious as you are to keep him locked up." "More so." "Did you hear him do any more talking to that girl?" "What girl?" "Katherine Caldwell." "Katherine Cald..." "Oh, it's some kind of a crazy trick Stanley pulls." "He pretends to be talking to some girl." "First in his voice, then in hers." "What is this, some trick you put him up to so he'd sound crazy?" "Did you listen in as we asked you to?" "Yeah." "But it was too crazy to bother about." "For instance?" "Well, the girl's voice said something about getting him out of jail." "That wasn't so crazy, was it?" "He's out." "That's right." "Hey, I never thought of that." "Do you really think there was someone in there with him?" "Never mind that." "What else did he say, however crazy it was?" "Well, she said something about meeting him at Dark Oaks, in some kid playroom." "I know where it is." "What else?" "Oh, some crazy stuff about killing Count Alucard." "Did he say "kill him," or "destroy him"?" "Come to think of it, I believe he did say "destroy"." "Uh..." ""Shove a stake through him," or something." ""Shove a stake through him"?" "Yeah." "We're dealing with a madman." "Obviously." "Did he say anything that would give us an idea of where he expected to find Count Alucard?" "Yeah, but that really was crazy." "She said something about a swamp with a drainage tunnel..." "I know where that is, too." "Good." "We'll get right out there, and warn Alucard before Frank gets there." "You'll not warn him if we have to lock you up in your own jail." "What's that?" "There's a lot to this you don't understand, Sheriff." "If you doubt it, just let's go over and take a look in that morgue." "What's the morgue got to do with it?" "Oh, never mind." "It's all becoming as plain as day, Professor." "It has been to me for some time." "Well, then let's go take a look at that morgue." "Okay." "The coffin is gone, corpse and all!" "Of course." "You sound as if you expected it." "We did." "What's your part in all this?" "How do you know in advance what's happening?" "We'd better get out to where Alucard is hiding." "We'll try to explain it to you on the way." "I thought you weren't going to warn Alucard about Frank." "We're not." "But we may have to save Frank from the Count, and from his own madness." "Gentlemen, the farther we go, the crazier you sound." "Well." "It is seldom that my enemies are so accommodating." "How did you learn where to find me?" "I know all about you." "You're not Count Alucard, but Count Dracula, one of the undead, a loathsome thing, surviving on the blood of the living." "Well, there'll be no more blood of the living for you, because I'm going to destroy you." "If you had learned more about me, you wouldn't have come here until after sunrise." "Now, it is not I that is going to be destroyed." "Put it out!" "Put it out, do you hear me?" "Put it out!" "Put it out!" "Put it out!" "You stay here, Jack." "This is one thing we didn't foresee, Doctor." "How could we?" "I don't get it." "What's happened?" "To maintain his existence among the undead," "Dracula had to be back in his coffin before sunrise." "Frank prevented it, as you can see." "You mean, that's all that's left of Alucard?" "Look at the ring on his hand." "It bears the Alucard seal, just as on his luggage." "Well, assuming it is Alucard, or Dracula, or whoever he calls himself, where is Frank Stanley?" "He's still wanted for murder." "Do you still think that Frank killed Kay deliberately?" "Look, Doctor, I'm only the sheriff." "I'm not the judge." "It's my job to bring him in, and the court to decide he's guilty." "Of course, but I think our testimony will have some bearing on their decision." "Undoubtedly." "But the main thing to do now is to find Frank, and I think I know where he is."