"It's good to see you, Dick." "It's good to be back." "Everything's been arranged." "She's up there waiting for you." "Thank you." "Poor dear man." "I..." "I guess I'll be going now." "Good luck to you, Dick." "Been through hell, hasn't he?" "To a man like that, two years in prison is worse than hell." "Isn't that Dick Harland, the chap who used to live in Back of the Moon?" "Yes, I believe it is." "Well, of all the seven deadly sins, jealousy is the most deadly." "Oh, will you bring us some coffee, please?" " You were his lawyer, weren't you?" " Yes, I defended him." "Some might say I lost the case for him." "I read the newspapers, but somehow I never could make head nor tail of it." "Well, there were some things that couldn't be told in the courtroom." "Yet, of all the people involved," "I suppose I'm the only one who knew the whole story." "You see, it was through me they first met." "He'd been working very hard on a new book." "I invited him up to my place in New Mexico for a rest." "They met on the train." " Thank you." " You're quite welcome." "Oh, I'm sorry." "I was staring at you, wasn't I?" "I didn't mean to, really." "It's only because... because you look so much like my father." "When he was younger, of course... your age." "A most remarkable resemblance." "For a moment, I thought..." "Do forgive me." "Well, to tell you the truth, I was doing quite a bit of staring myself." "And I assure you it's not because you look like my mother." "As a matter of fact, I can't say you look like anyone I've ever met before." " Then why did you stare?" " Do you really want to know?" "If it's not too unflattering." "Now, you know perfectly well that nothing" "I could say about you..." "the way you look, I mean... could be anything but flattering." " Of course, if you don't like flattery..." " Oh, but I do." "On second thought, it won't be flattery." "It'll be the truth and nothing but the truth." "Any resemblance to flattery will be sheer coincidence." " Shall I proceed?" " Proceed." "While I was watching you, exotic words drifted across the mirror of my mind," " as summer clouds drift across the sky." " Mmm." " Couldn't you be a bit more specific?" " I'll try." "Watching you, I thought of tales in The Arabian Nights, of myrrh and frankincense and..." " And patchouli?" " Patchouli, that's it." "Wait a minute." "I knew it." "Here it is." "I quote: "As he watched her, exotic words drifted across the mirror of his mind." "He thought of tales in The Arabian Nights, of myrrh and frankincense and patchouli."" "Unquote." " So that's where it came from." " Well, I guess so." "But really I wasn't..." "I give you my word." "It's weeks since I read the thing." "It must have impressed you enormously." "The book?" "Not particularly." "Rather a sloppy job, I thought." " I agree with you." " You do?" "Next stop, Jacinto." "Next stop, Jacinto!" "Oh, that's me." "Jacinto!" "That's me." "Oh!" "There you are!" "Hello there!" "Oh, it's nice to see you." " Hello, Mrs. Berent." " Hello." " Hello!" " Hello, baby." "How are you?" " Hello, Glen." "How are you?" " And how's Louise?" " Oh, fine." " And the children?" "Fine." "Wonderful." "Charlie, get those bags, will you, please?" " Oh, we're looking forward to seeing the ranch." " Can you stay long?" "Here!" "Here we are!" "Hello there!" " Hello, Glen." "How are you?" "Nice to see you." " Glad to see you, Dick." "Oh, you look fine." " How's your brother?" " Oh, Danny's still flat on his back." "He wanted very much to come, but the doctor thought the trip might be too much for him." "Oh, I'm sorry." "Ladies, may I present Mr. Harland." "Mrs. Berent." " How do you do?" " How do you do, Mrs. Berent?" " Ruth Berent." " How do you do?" " Hello." " Ellen Berent." " How do you do?" " How do you do?" "We met on the train, rather briefly." "Too briefly." "Well, I've got the car right here, folks." "You all ready?" "Come on." " Did you say "Harland"?" " Richard Harland." "Oh, Mr. Harland, I'm terribly sorry." "I doubt if I'll ever forgive you." " Ruth, wait till you get a look at the new colts." " Oh, I bet they're darling." " Ellen, we've got plenty of wild turkey this year." " Wonderful!" "Big as ostriches, twice as ornery." " Hope you people are all good and hungry." " Mmm!" " Here we are." " Mom, they're here!" "They're here!" " Welcome to Rancho Jacinto." " Thank you, Glen." " Oh, Mother, isn't this wonderful?" " Oh, it's beautiful!" "Ruth!" "Ruth!" "Oh, my dear." "Margaret!" "Oh, I did want to come to the train to meet you, but I thought it best to stay here to supervise dinner." " Hello, children." "How are you?" " Ellen." "Dick, it's so good seeing you, but where's Danny?" " He couldn't quite make it this time, Louise." " Oh, I'm terribly sorry." " Is he still at Warm Springs?" " Yes." "He's getting along just fine." "Oh, good!" "You'll probably want to change." "Come." "I'll show you your room." "Those trout were in the stream a couple of hours ago." " That's something you couldn't get in Boston." " Perhaps not." " But on the other hand, our codfish..." " I was born and raised in Boston myself," " and I yield to no one in my passion for codfish." " I hate codfish." " So do I." " Children, that's rank disloyalty." " It's treason." " Mr. Harland, what do you think?" "Well, Mrs. Robie, I'm what you call a salmon man." "The fact of the matter is, Mother just doesn't like New Mexico." "Since this is my first visit to New Mexico, I don't see how you can say such a thing." "It's true just the same." "Father and I used to come here every spring, year after year." "And occasionally Ruth came along, but never Mother." "It's too bad Mr. Berent didn't come along this time." "I've been told I resemble him." " Who told you that, Mr. Harland?" " I did." "Louise, don't you think so?" " Well, yes, now that you mention it." " Glen?" " Well, in a way." " In every way." "I noticed it the minute I saw him in the club car... his face, his voice, his manner." "It's uncanny." "Well, I must admit you've aroused my curiosity." "If I should get an opportunity to meet your father..." "That's hardly likely, Mr. Harland." " My husband..." " We've come here for my father's funeral." "My goodness." "There is a resemblance." "Why, a most decided resemblance." "Tell me, what do they mean about coming here for the funeral?" "Oh, that was rather a figure of speech." "As a matter of fact, Professor Berent died some time ago in the East, and his body was cremated." "They brought the ashes here." "They're having the ceremony in the morning." " Where?" " High up in the mountains, sort of a plateau." "A favorite spot of his." "He used to go there a lot with Ellen." "Well, now, if you'll excuse me, I'll see if the children have gone to bed." " Hello." " Hello." " Ellen's gone for a walk." " Well, how did you know that I..." "Oh, I'm quite psychic." "Oh." "And is your sister psychic too?" "Oh, yes." "Much more than I am." " Only I'm not her sister." " You're not?" "No, I'm her cousin." "I've lived with the family ever since I was a child." "Mrs. Berent adopted me." "Good evening, Mr. Harland." "Oh." "Good evening." "In all fairness, I must confess... the nights here seem more beautiful than they do at Beacon Hill." "Infinitely." "I think everything's more beautiful here." "Ellen has gone for a stroll." "Thank you." "Hello." "Hello." " Am I intruding?" " Not at all." "I..." "Well, I'm afraid I owe you an apology." "It was rather clumsy of me at the table to speak of your father." "That's all right." "You couldn't have known." "You were very close to your father, weren't you?" "Yes, we were inseparable." "From the time I was able to walk, we were both happiest when we were together." "Engagement ring?" "Yes." "Now, I believe I'd better be going in now." "We're getting up at 5:00 in the morning." " Good night." " Good night." " Don't you think somebody ought to go look for Ellen?" " What for?" "Well, it's pretty wild country up there." "Perhaps she's lost." "Oh, Ellen knows her way home." "Why, I know, but it's been over 12 hours." "Suppose something happened to her." "Nothing ever happens to Ellen." "Well, I..." "I think I'll take a ride before I turn in." " Are you all right?" " Oh, yes." "Perfectly." "I just wanted to be alone for a while." "Thank you for coming to the funeral this morning." " You knew I was there?" " Yes, I saw you as I rode by." "I..." "I hope you don't think it was just curiosity." "No, I understand." "I'm glad you were there." "So am I. I'll never forget it." "Father used to say it was like riding across the front lawn of heaven." "We made a pact to bring our ashes here when we died." ""If you die first," I told him, "I'll bring yours here." "And if I die first, you'll bring mine."" "Yet I know now, people you love don't really die." "Can we go now?" " I'm not a bit sleepy." "Are you?" " Not in the least." "Have you forgiven me yet?" " What I said about your book." " Oh, that." "I have an altogether different opinion now." "I finished reading your book last night, and I found it quite absorbing." "Well, what made you change your mind?" "I got interested in one of the characters." " Which one?" " The author." "Well, I assure you the book is not supposed to be about me." "Oh, but it is, whether you like it or not." ""Every book's a confession," my father always said." "Course you have to read between the lines." " And did you?" " Mm-hmm." "Well, what sort of man am I?" "You're a bachelor, 30 years old." "You were born and raised in Boston, and you went to Harvard where you edited The Lampoon." "When you graduated, you went to Paris and you studied painting for a while." "You have a lodge in Maine called Back of the Moon." "Before you went in for writing novels, you were a newspaperman." "Your favorite sport is fishing, and you speak French and Spanish quite well." "Well, shades of Sherlock." "Do you mean to say you got all that just from reading my book?" "Just from reading the dust jacket." "It was all there under your picture, you know." "You know, if you'd lived in Salem a hundred years ago, they'd have burned you." " Why did you give up painting?" " Well, it was like this." "I..." "In the first place, I discovered I was color-blind." "But since I was interested in Postimpressionism, that didn't matter much, did it?" "No." "However, when I made the acquaintance of the boys on the Left Bank," "I found that they lived in squalid garrets, and most of them were miserably undernourished." "Have you ever known what it was to be really hungry?" " I'm hungry right now." " Good heavens, you must be." " You haven't had dinner, have you?" " Nor lunch." "Why, you poor thing, you must be famished." " Mrs. Robie told Emily to leave you a tray." " Good." "Oh, there it is!" "I'll get it." "Let me." "Tell me about your place in Maine." "Oh, it's just a cabin, a shack, that's all." "But it's set down in just about the most beautiful country I've ever seen." "Why do you call it "Back of the Moon"?" "Well, there's a lake up there, shaped like a crescent." "Danny and I used to spend all our summers there." " You love Danny a lot, don't you?" " Well, naturally, I..." "Is that why you've never married..." " because you've had to take care of him?" " No, not exactly." "The way I feel about marriage..." "Well, it's like..." "Thank you." "It's like that trip I made to Europe after I was graduated." "I hadn't the least idea of going abroad." "It just happened." "I was taking a walk with a girl, and we went down to Boston wharf... and watched a freighter being loaded, and I liked the looks of her." " The girl?" " No, the freighter." "She looked good to me, and she smelled good to me." "I didn't even know where she was going, but I knew I was going with her." "And I did." "Mmm." "Hey, this is about the tastiest sandwich I've ever eaten." " What is it?" " Turkey." " Mmm." " Wild turkey." " Ever hunted them?" " No, I haven't." "It's tricky shooting." "They're sort of scary, but they're so big and clumsy, they hate to take wing." " It's a lot of fun." " I'd like to try it sometime." " How about tomorrow?" " Well, if Glen has no other plans." " I meant just the two of us." " I'd love to." "Why did you come for me tonight?" "Well, I..." "I don't know exactly." "Everybody assured me you'd be perfectly all right." "I guess it was just an impulse." "Like the time you took the freighter?" "Yes." "You knew I was coming up there tonight." "You were waiting for me, weren't you?" "Yes." "And you came, didn't you?" "Well." "Good night." "Come on." "Hello!" " What's going on up there?" " I'm just pruning and tying up the roses." "I hope I wasn't interfering with your work." "Oh, not at all." "I'm glad you're here." "I was thinking about you, something you said the other night." " What did I say?" " Something rather strange." "You said you'd been adopted by Mrs. Berent." "Well, what's so strange about that?" "Well, you didn't say "Mr. and Mrs. Berent."" " Weren't you adopted by both of them?" " Well, yes, of course." " Then why did you say "Mrs. Berent"?" " I don't know." "I suppose it was because she suggested that..." "She was alone so much of the time, and I..." "I mustn't keep you from your work." " Be careful." " Oh, I'm all right." "How's that for an entrance?" "Perfect." "I'm delighted to see you." " All of you." " Thank you." "I do hope I've interrupted you in your work." "You have." "Constantly, all morning." "But how could I?" "I haven't been with you until just now." "Oh, yes, you have." "I've been thinking about you and about Quinton." " Who told you his name?" " Glen Robie." " How did he happen to tell you?" " I asked him." " Why?" " Because I hated Quinton." " Do you know him?" " No." " Then why do you hate him?" " Because you knew him." "That's nice." "You going to hate everybody I know?" "You've lost your ring." "No." "I took it off an hour ago." "Forever." "Come on!" "Hurry up!" "I'll race you across." "One, two, three, go!" "Attaboy, Lin!" "Come on, Lin!" "Keep it up!" "Come on!" " Lin's going to win." " No." "Ellen." "Ellen always wins." "The winner!" "Don't forget we have a date after lunch." "Quiet, Chris!" "Lie down!" "What's the matter with you?" " Oh, come in." " Hello, Robie." "Quiet, Chris." "Quiet." " Let me take your things." " Thank you." "Here, let me fix that for you." "Well, hello." "What in the world brought you here?" "An airplane." "I grabbed the first one I could catch after getting your telegram yesterday." "Why all the rush?" "I wanted to be among the first to congratulate you... on your forthcoming marriage." "Well, we hadn't planned to announce it for a while, but since you've let the cat out of the bag..." "Darling, this is Russell Quinton." "My fiancé, Richard Harland." " How do you do?" " Might I have a moment with you alone?" "Certainly." "We can go in the library." "Will you excuse us?" "Mrs. Berent." "Ruth." "Dick." "Dick, is it true?" " I'm so happy for Ellen, for both of you." " Oh, thank you, Ruth." " That's all very well, but what I want to know is when and how." " Well..." "I'm sorry, Russ." "Really I am." "I never expected you to come here in the midst of a political campaign." " When do you plan to be married?" " As soon as possible." "Would it be convenient for you to postpone it until the fall?" "Until after election, you mean." "Well, it wouldn't do me much good for the news to get out that I'd been... jilted and thrown aside like an old shoe." "Oh, come now, Russ." "Surely there's no political significance in the fact that a lady has changed her mind." "I don't understand it, Ellen." "I always knew you'd never marry me while your father was alive." "But after he died, I thought..." "Well, I thought there might be a chance." "What happened?" "I'm in love." "We intend to get married at once." "Tomorrow." "Don't look so downcast." "I'll still be able to vote for you." "Perhaps you don't think I'm good enough for you... or romantic enough." "I know people thought I was marrying into the Berent family for reasons, but that's not true." "I want you to know that I had only one reason." "I want you to know that I was in love with you." "I'm not a man who loves often, Ellen." "I love once." "Thank you, Russ." "That's quite a concession." "I loved you." "And I'm still in love with you." "That's a tribute." "And I always will be." "Remember that." "Russ, is that a threat?" "Now, look here, Ellen." "Darling, will you marry me?" "Why, you unpredictable little..." "And I'll never let you go." "Never, never, never." "Ellen!" "There he is." "Danny." "Dick." "Dick." "Easy, boy." "Easy." "Oh, Dick." "Hey, you've put on weight." " Say, I believe you've actually grown." " You look sort of different yourself." " You get my telegram?" " Yeah, but I didn't sleep much that night." "I just kept thinking, "Now he's left the ranch, and now he's in Chicago."" "I kept seeing that train coming nearer and nearer." " I counted every turn of the wheels." " May I come in?" " Hi, Danny." " Hi, Ellen." "I hope you like her, Danny, because if you don't, we'll send her right back." "Oh, please don't let him fire me, Danny." "I like this job." "Don't you worry." "If he fires you, I'll hire you." "Thank you." " Were you surprised to get my letter?" " Not a bit." "I knew what was in that letter even before I opened it." "I just kept reading it over and over again." " Just to sort of..." " Get used to the idea?" "Yeah." "I was trying to picture what kind of a place Taos was, how long the honeymoon is." "Ellen didn't like Taos." "I thought Warm Springs would be a much better place for a honeymoon." "Gosh, I hope you can stay a while." "We're gonna take a cottage right here in Warm Springs." " And live here, you mean?" " That's right." "That's Ellen's idea." "That's the way she wants it." "Gosh." "Well, Mrs. Harland," "I think I can feel safe in saying the job is permanent." "Thank you, sir." "I always does my best." "I trust you'll find the soup to your taste." "Mmm." "It's sheer understatement to call this ambrosia soup." "I call it consommé a la patchouli." "When you get around to hiring a cook, be sure and teach her the recipe." "I have no intention of hiring a cook or a housekeeper or any other servants." " You mean, for the present." " I mean ever." " Idiot." " I don't want anybody else but me to do anything for you." "I want to keep your house and wash your clothes and cook your food." "A born slavey." "Besides, I don't want anybody else in the house but us." " Ever?" " Ever." "Well, but suppose in the natural course of events..." "Well, that's different." "And what about Danny?" "Well, that's different too." "And only three people have ever been to Back of the Moon." " That's me and Dick and Thorne." " Who's Thorne?" "Leick Thorne." "He's a woodsman." "He helped build the house and the dam and the boathouse and all." "He takes care of the place." "I'd like to get hold of some of Richard's baby pictures." " Could I, do you suppose?" " Oh, yeah." "There's a whole album full." "Lot of college yearbooks with loads of pictures of him." "Only there's one he doesn't like to show to anybody." "Why not?" "Well, it's got a picture of Enid Southern in it." "Who's she?" "She's the one they voted the best-looking girl." " Was she really beautiful?" " Not as beautiful as you are." "Thank you, Danny." "Won't it be wonderful when you can go back to school again?" "Gosh, yes." " What sort of school did you go to?" " Same one as Dick." " Boarding school?" " Yeah." " Oh, that must be fun." " Sure is." "Uh, has Dick been busy lately?" "Yes, he's been working awfully hard on his book, and we mustn't interrupt him." "Besides, have you forgotten our secret?" "Danny!" "Dick!" "Dick!" "Danny." "Danny." "Now we can all three of us go to Back of the Moon." "Can't we, Dick?" "Can't we?" "You bet we can." "You bet we can." "It's way up north, miles from nowhere." "I know all about that place." "I've heard about it plenty from Danny." "He can't wait to get up there again." "I know." "That's my problem." "You see, Dr. Mason, my husband is planning... to leave for Back of the Moon as soon as possible." "And he wants to take Danny with us." "So do I, of course." "What's the problem?" "Well, it's so remote up there, wild and rugged and miles from the nearest town." "The facilities are rather primitive." "There isn't even a telephone... just in case we need to reach a doctor for Danny." "I'm quite sure he won't need a doctor up there." " Or medicine or something?" " Or medicine or anything." " But what about school?" " That can wait." "I must say, Danny's progress has been rather remarkable." "I don't know how you did it." "You must've practically willed that boy to walk." "But don't you see, Doctor?" "My husband will be busy a good deal of the time writing." "And with nobody else around..." "Isn't there somebody there, somebody with the name of Thorne?" "Yes, but he's leaving, and so it'll be..." "I assure you, I don't want to shirk any responsibility." "I'm thinking only of Danny, and I..." "No, that isn't true." "I'm thinking a little about myself too." "I know you'll understand, Dr. Mason." "I gave up my honeymoon to come here so that my husband could be with his brother." "But he's been working, and the burden's been on me." "I've spent hours here, every day." "I was glad to do it." "It was no sacrifice at all." "I love Danny as much as he does, and I'm just as happy as he is that Danny's doing so well." "But, after all, he's a cripple." "I'm sorry." "I didn't mean to say that." "I'm sure you didn't." "I didn't mean it." "Of course not." "I'm afraid I haven't been too well myself lately." "Mrs. Harland, what do you want me to do?" "I want you to tell my husband that it would be better for Danny to stay here at Warm Springs." "That isn't true." "It would be much better for him to go to Back of the Moon." "But surely it could do no harm for him to stay here or perhaps go back to school." " And if you'll only tell my husband..." " Why don't you tell him?" "Because coming from you..." " Richard." " Hello, Doctor." "Oh, Richard, I've got such wonderful news." "Dr. Mason has just consented to let Danny come with us to Back of the Moon." "Oh, no, darling, please." "Let me." "I want to be the first to tell him." "And this is Leick Thorne." "Hello?" "Yes." "It's for you." "Hello?" "Oh, golly, Ellen." "We're going to Back of the Moon." "Yes, Ellen?" "When?" "Tomorrow?" "Oh, gosh." "Yeah?" "Gee, thanks, Ellen." "Gosh." "# Treat my daughter kindly and say you'll do no harm #" "# And when I die, I'll leave to you my little house and farm #" "# My horse, my plow, my sheep, my cow #" "# And everything I own #" "# And all the little chickens in my garden #" "# My horse, my plow, my sheep, my cow #" "# And everything I own #" "# And all the little chickens #" "# In my garden ##" "Mmm." "Good morning." "Good morning." "Oh, darling, I dreamed you were..." "What gives?" "Another day with you." "Twenty-four hours with you." "Mmm." " Good morning, Dick." " Hey." "Good morning, Danny." " Morning, Ellen." " Hi, Danny." "Hey!" " How about a dip in the lake before breakfast?" " Okay." "# And all the little chickens in my garden #" "# Di-dum, di-di di-lum, di-di... ##" " Mornin', Miss Harland." " Thorne!" " Who gets up first, you or the sun?" " Mostly, it's neck and neck." "Tell me if you'd like to have me fix breakfast for you this morning." "Oh, no!" "That's my job." "Shucks, I'm gonna feel sort of like a fifth wheel around here." "You mustn't feel like that." "Richard considers you a part of the place." "You must've been especially nice to him when he was a boy." "Oh, that wasn't hard." "He was a nice kid." "You must've had wonderful times together." "Yep." "Ton of 'em." "Did he change much when he got to be a young man?" "Mmm, not especially." " Did he used to confide in you a lot?" " Yeah." "Sometimes." "Did he ever tell you about Enid Southern?" " Who?" " Enid Southern." "I don't especially recall he did." "Who was she?" "Oh, nobody in particular, I guess." "Just school stuff." "I'll take those." " Thorne, do you dream a lot?" " Never." "I had the most awful nightmare last night." "We were out in the skiff, my husband and I, and he jumped in for a swim." "But I was too lazy, so I just rowed after him." "Somehow, I was afraid, and when we got to the middle of the lake," "I thought it was time for him to get back into the boat." "So I decided to call out to him, but I had no voice." "Suddenly, Richard went under, not diving, but the way seals do, just sort of settling in the water." "Then he came up again, and one of his arms flung out to me... as if he were trying to call to me." "I tried to row to him, but the lake was like glue." "The boat wouldn't move." "My arms were paralyzed." "Then he went down again." "And this time he stayed down." "Well, I reckon there's only one way left for you to save his life." " How?" " For you to wake up." "That's just what I did." "Hey!" " Come and get it!" " Aw, come on in, Ellen!" " The water's swell!" " Guess we'd better go in." "Okay, last one in's a sissy." " Oh, no!" " "No" what?" "Good grief." ""'Will you marry me?" "' He said."" " What's wrong with that?" " In the first place, men never propose." " They may think they do, but it's really the woman..." " Who told you that, Ripley?" "And if men do propose, they never say, "Will you marry me?"" "Get away." "Get away, gadfly." " Did you ever propose to a woman?" " Hundreds of 'em." "When you proposed to Enid Southern..." "Who told you about Enid Southern?" " Did you say, "Will you marry me?"" " I didn't propose to her." " Did she propose to you?" " Beat it, will you?" "How did you propose to me?" " Uh, I..." " You didn't." "I proposed to you." "Like this." " Remember?" " Okay, I'll marry you." "Right after I finish my chapter." "I hate your chapter." "I hate all your chapters." "They take up too much of your time." " Funny thing, that's what my publisher says." " No, I'm serious." "After all, it isn't as if you had to write for a living." "I've got more than enough for both of us." " And, darling, it's the dearest wish of my heart to support you." " It's that bad?" "Oh, darling, I didn't know it could be so wonderful here..." " Back of the Moon." " You like it here, do you?" "Every minute." "If only it weren't so crowded." "Crowded?" "Why, this is the most remote, uninhabited place east of the Mojave." "I mean the cabin." "Not that I mind chaperones, not in the least." "But there's Danny's room on one side of us and Thorne's room on the other side, and the wall's as thin as paper and the acoustics disgustingly perfect." "Well, at least nobody snores." "Do you know, ever since we've been married, we've never been alone, not for a single day?" " And do you know..." " And do you know that Thorne moved his cot and his things..." " to the boathouse this morning?" " He did?" " Mm-hmm." " Oh, Richard, I hope you didn't tell him I..." "Oh, not at all." "It was his own idea." "As far as Danny's concerned..." " Where is Danny?" " He went with Thorne." " Where's Thorne?" " He went to town." " You don't mean they're gonna stay in town?" " Oh, certainly not." "Then why did they go?" " Do you have to know everything?" " Tell me." " No." " Tell me!" " Cut it out!" " Tell me!" " Stop it." "It's a secret." " You can't have any secrets from me." "We wanted to surprise you, honey." "# Diddle-diddle-dum-dum diddle-diddle-di #" "# Diddle-diddle-dum-dum diddle-diddle-di #" "# Diddle-diddle-dum-dum diddly-i-di #" "# Diddle-diddle-dum-dum diddle-diddle-di #" "# Boh-boh-boh boh-boh #" "# Ohh, we've got a mule down on our place #" "# We put this mule in the derby race #" "# At the crack of the gun he took to the rail #" "# He flew with his ears and he steered with his tail #" "# A very funny wedding happened down our street #" "# A man named Oats met a gal named Wheat #" "# And as they marched down the aisle, you see #" "# The organ played "What Shall the Harvest Be?" #" "# Oh, a possum and a tomcat had a fight #" "# They fought all day and they fought all night #" "# They fit and they fought until their tails drug the ground #" "# Then they hoisted up their tails and they fit another round #" "# Oh, diddle-diddle-dum-dum diddle-diddle-di #" "# Diddle-diddle-dum-dum diddly-i-di #" "# Diddle-diddle-dum-dum diddly-diddly-di #" "# Di-di-di-di-di # Danny, you sing one." "Come on." "# Oh, I've got a gal named Caroline #" "# Some of these days she's gonna be mine #" "# She's the gal that I admire #" "# She's the gal sets my heart on fire ##" " What was that?" " Oh, that was a loon." " There's a couple of 'em across the lake." " They sound horrible." "Oh, you'll get used to it." "But wait till you see the deer." "You'll love them." "They come right up to the cabin to be fed." " What do you give them?" " Potato peelings and salt." " And then, of course, there's our porcupine." " Oh, yeah." "He used to come up every morning and nibble on the doorstep." "The Robies paid us a visit at Bar Harbor just before we left." "Are they well?" " The children had the mumps." " Oh." "Of course you've heard about Russ Quinton being elected district attorney." "Really?" "They say he's got his mind set on the governorship." "It wouldn't surprise me if he made it." "Do you suppose we could find some wild wisteria..." " and transplant it around the cabin?" " I know where there's some." "Oh, fine." "Then tomorrow we..." "I'm afraid Thorne won't have time for that." "He has his work to do." "Look what I can do." "Thorne showed me." "Oh!" "After all, Mother, you must remember Ellen didn't expect us." "We shouldn't have come, Ruth." "We shouldn't have come." "There must be a few loose bricks in the chimney." "I noticed it wasn't drawing very well." "Did you hear me, darling?" "What happened tonight?" "Ever since Ruth and your mother arrived, you've been acting like a shrew." "At the landing, you were cold, at dinner, aloof and sullen, and after dinner, you were beastly." " I wasn't expecting guests." " They're your own people." "I thought you'd be pleased." " Don't let's quarrel, Richard." " And Danny adores you." "You hurt him." "Why?" "I was upset." "You were insulting to your mother and mean to Thorne." " Treated him like a servant." " Well, isn't he?" "Certainly not!" "He's a friend, one of my dearest friends." "Is Ruth one of your dearest friends too?" "What's eating you?" "Ruth is your own sister." "Ruth is not my sister." "All night long, you devoted yourself exclusively to her!" "Well, somebody had to make her welcome." "Maybe you're in love with her." "You're in a rotten mood, Ellen." "Maybe that's why you invited her up here." "Shh!" "Do you want her to hear you?" "I keep forgetting you can't draw a deep breath in this room without being heard all over the house." "Let's change the name of the place from Back of the Moon to Goldfish Manor." "What's happened to you?" "You're deliberately whipping yourself into a fit of hysterics." "Oh, no, I mustn't do that." "It might disturb Mother and Ruth or wake up Danny!" "Ellen, what's got into you?" "I don't know." "I don't know." "Oh, darling, forgive me." "I'm sorry." "I can't help it." "It's only because I love you so." "I love you so, I can't bear to share you with anybody." "Well, the gal with the hoe." "Oh." "Say, you're doing a swell job." "Oh, it's easy here." "You just put things in the ground, and they grow." "It's much harder by the sea where we live." "Dick, when are you going to visit us at Bar Harbor?" "When I finish the book maybe." "I think you'll like it there." "We were talking about it this morning..." "Mother and I." "We thought it might be a good idea for Danny to go back with us when we leave." "The beach is lovely, and we have a sailboat." "He'd have a wonderful time." "I'm sure he would." "There's a school too, an excellent school." "Yes, I know." "Ellen told me all about it." "I'll have a talk with Danny." "Dick, as far as I've read, it's splendid." "Oh, well, just for that, I'll dedicate the book to you." "And what shall I say? "To my sweet, to my beautiful, my discerning mother-in-law"..." "Who advised me to dedicate this book to my wife." "I'll dedicate the next one to her." "You must dedicate them all to her." "I hope you'll send me the rest of the manuscript when it's finished." "Oh, there are only a few more chapters to write." "I'll probably wind it up before you leave here." "That's hardly likely." "We're planning to leave on Saturday." "On Saturday?" "But that's preposterous." "You've only been here a few days." "Yes, and they've been wonderful days." "Ruth and I shall never forget them." "But, really, there are reasons why I must be getting home." " Does Ellen know you're leaving?" " I told her this morning." "Now, don't look so downcast, Dick." "You know, in a way, mothers-in-law are like children." "They should be seen and not heard." "And not seen too much." "What's wrong with Ellen?" "There's nothing wrong with Ellen." "It's just that she loves too much." "Perhaps that isn't good." "It makes outsiders of everyone else." "But she can't help it." "You must be patient with her." "She loved her father too much." "Please, Danny, sit still." "How do you expect me..." "I can't help it." "It tickles." "You'll just love our house by the sea." "There are a lot of rocks on one side of the beach, and when it's low tide, you can go there and watch the anemones and the ink squids." "And there are the most wonderful shells and pebbles... all sizes and colors." "Sounds swell." "Hold still." "How would you like to go to Bar Harbor for a while?" "I had a letter from Ruth, and she'd love to have you." "I'd love to go." " With Dick, you mean." " Well, no." "He doesn't want to leave here until the new book's finished, and then we can join you." "No, I'd..." "I'd rather wait then... until we can all go together..." "the three of us." "We wouldn't be separated for long." "Just a few weeks." "No." "I'd..." "I'd rather wait." "Can I swim all the way across today?" " Think you can make it?" " Why, sure." "I made it three-quarters yesterday, and I wasn't a bit tired." "All right." " If I make it today, can we show Dick tomorrow?" " Yes." "Tomorrow." "And we don't have to tell him how long I've been practicing, do we?" "No." "We can just pretend that you decided to do it on the spur of the moment." "Yeah." "That's what we'll do." "You know, I can just see him watching now." "After a while, he'll say, "That's enough, Danny." "Better get back in the boat now."" "And I'll just pretend like I didn't hear him and keep right on going." " Are you ready?" " Ready." "Think you can make it, Danny?" "Aw, it's a cinch." "Don't worry about your direction." "I'll keep you on your course." "Okay." "Are we halfway to the point yet?" "Not yet." "You're not making very much progress, Danny." "Are you all right?" "I'm a little winded." "I had a kink in my side, but it's gone now." "You'd better float for a while." "Yeah." "I..." "I think I'm getting tired." "Take it easy." "You don't want to give up when you've come so far." "Okay." "I'll get my second wind in a minute." "The wa... water's cold... colder than I thought." "I ate too much lunch." "I got a stomachache." "Ellen!" "It's..." "It's a cramp." "Ellen!" "It's..." "It's a cramp!" "Ellen!" "Ellen!" "Help me!" "Danny!" "Danny!" "Danny!" "I've been cleaning Father's laboratory." "I thought it might be a good place for Dick to work." "He's dropped his work." "He's dropped everything." "I'm losing him, Ruth." "I'll die if I lose him." "Perhaps..." "Perhaps if you went back to the lodge, just the two of you." "No." "He hates it now..." "everything about it." "He never wants to set foot there again." "And he doesn't want to go back to Boston." "If I only knew what he was thinking." "You've always helped me, Ruth." "Help me now." "A little time, Ellen." "You'll see." "He's had a great loss." "There's a great emptiness in his life." "If he only..." "If he only had a child of his own." "Oh, it's wonderful." "When Ellen was a little girl, her father fixed this room up as a playroom for her." "Then when she grew up, he used it as a laboratory." "Now it's going to be a playroom again, just as it was before." "Not exactly, Mother." "Your baby was a girl." "Ours is going to be a boy." "Oh, you've decided that, have you?" "Oh, definitely." "Ellen gave me her word of honor." " Stand still, will you?" " I've got a kink in my neck." "Dotted Swiss would be nice for the curtains." " What about the rug?" " You don't put rugs in children's playrooms." " You use linoleum." " Why?" "Linoleum washes easily, just in case." "Say, you women think of everything, don't you?" " All right." "You can rest." " Oh." "Hmm." "Ellen, you shouldn't have walked up those stairs." "You know what the doctor told you." "Darling, come here and sit down." "What have you done with Father's lab?" "We didn't want you to see it till it was finished." " What have you done with his things?" " We stored them in the basement." "Why didn't you consult me?" "We wanted to surprise you." "It's an ideal place for a playroom." "But I didn't want the room changed ever." "I wanted it left just as it was." "I know you don't like being surprised, but we were only trying to please you." "Come on, darling." "Everything's so wonderful now." "Patchouli." "Hmm." "You'll have to behave yourself." "Imagine eating shrimps at a time like this." " Where's Richard?" " He went to town." "They always upset you." "I've been telling you that for years." " Did Ruth go with him?" " Yes, I think so." "And especially now, in your condition." " When did they leave?" " Right after lunch." "And another thing..." "Don't try to be so blamed athletic." "What time is it, Mother?" "Almost 5:00." " You've gotta stop gadding about." " "Gadding"?" "What are you talking about?" "This baby's making a prisoner out of me." "What are you having it for then?" "I can't do anything." "I can't go anyplace." "I don't even see my husband." "Why don't you have him come in here?" "Because I don't want him to see me this way." "That doesn't make sense." "Those are orders now..." "no shrimps, no stairs." "And don't you budge off that couch." " Hey!" " Oh!" "Oh, my goodness!" " Get those, Ruth!" " Oh!" "Oh, heavens!" " Hey!" " Oh!" " There." " What are you doing?" "You look so funny." "You should always wear your hat like that." "I missed you this afternoon." "What did you do when you went to town?" "Oh, we just shopped around for the baby things." "You were gone about four hours." "Well, we walked to town and back." "Rather a long walk, isn't it?" "Tell me, what did you talk about?" "Oh, a lot of things." "About Danny?" "No." "About me." "Not especially." "You're looking very well, Ruth." "I've never seen you so happy." "Tell me, do you think Richard loves me?" "Well, now, that's a silly thing to say." "Oh, I know, in the beginning, he loved me." "But I'll tell you something funny." "He never liked me." "He loved you, but he never liked you?" "That's right." "We've never really been friends, like you and he." "He likes you." "Tell me, has he found a nickname for you yet?" "Well, not exactly." "Sometimes he calls me the gal with the hoe... to kid me about my gardening." "He used to call me Patchouli." "Look at me." "I hate the little beast." "I wish it would die." "Ellen!" "Shocked, aren't you?" "If you were having the baby, you'd love it." "Well, I never wanted it." "Richard and I never needed anything else." "And now this." "How can you say such wicked things?" "Sometimes the truth is wicked." "You're afraid of the truth, aren't you, Ruth?" "No." "You're the one who's afraid." "Ellen!" "Call the doctor." " What happened?" " She must have tripped." "Hello." "Dr. Saunders." "This is Ruth Berent." "Yes, please come over at once." "Something terrible has happened." "Well, we couldn't save the child." "It was a boy." "I..." "I hadn't really hoped that..." "As long as she's out of danger." "Oh, yes, you may rest assured of that." "When she came to, she remembered nothing about leaving her room." "She thought she must have been walking in her sleep." "She couldn't have been asleep." "I was with her only 20 minutes before it happened." "You can go in and see her now for a moment if you like." "First his brother, and now his son." "Yes?" "No, she's not here at the moment." "I'd be glad to take a message." "Yes, I will." "Don't mention it." "Ruthie, my lass, the surf was wonderful." "You should've come in for a dip." "Too cold for me." "You're a softy." "You always were." "Mmm!" "Richard's new book." "Nice." "Where is everybody?" "Dick's gone for a walk." "Mother's in her room." "I'm worried about Mother these days, the way she keeps to her room." " Isn't she well?" " Perfectly well." "Then why do you suppose she insists on acting like a hermit?" " Why don't you ask her?" " She won't talk to me." "I can't imagine what's come over her." "Oh, by the way, that phone call was for you." "Somebody from the travel bureau in town." "Said it was all right about the transportation and hotel reservation." "Who's going places, and where?" "I am." "Mexico." "Well, why the wanderlust all of a sudden?" "I just thought I'd like to get away for a while." "From what?" "Is there anything so strange about my wanting to take a trip?" "No, I suppose not." "But why Mexico?" "I've always wanted to see Mexico." "I've never heard you say anything about it before." "What part of Mexico?" "Taxco." " When are you going?" " Next week." " With Mother?" " No." " By yourself?" " By myself." "What are you running away from?" "Is it me?" "Ellen, when we were kids, you used to torment me every way you could think of." " You can't do that anymore." " Is it Richard?" "If you must know, I'm going away because I can't stand living in this house any longer." "The whole place is filled with hate... your hate." "Not hate." "Love, Ruth." "Richard's love for me." "All these weeks I was in the hospital, helpless, you had him here in the house to yourself." "But it didn't do you any good, did it?" "He still loves me." "He loves me more than ever." "That's what you can't abide." " That's why you envy me, isn't it?" " I don't envy you, Ellen." "All my life, I've tried to love you, done everything to please you." "All of us have..." "Mother, Father and now Richard." "And what have you done?" "With your love, you wrecked Mother's life." "With your love, you pressed Father to death." "With your love, you've made a shadow of Richard." "No, Ellen, I don't envy you." "I'm sorry for you." "You're the most pitiful creature I've ever known." "Hello, Richard." "Have a nice walk?" "You haven't shaved, darling, but I'll forgive you." "Your new book just came." "I've been glancing through it." "I noticed the dedication..." ""To the Gal with the Hoe."" "I'd hoped it would be "To Patchouli."" "But I suppose she did help you with it a lot." "Oh, well." "There'll be other books." "Darling, I had no idea the setting of your book was Mexico." "I didn't even know you'd been there." "Why didn't you tell me?" "Is anything wrong, Richard?" "You look so strange." "You've been avoiding me, going off by yourself." "Where do you go?" "What do you think about?" "Whatever it is, can't you share it with me?" "We haven't done that for a long time... share things." "Ever since Danny..." "You've never forgiven me for that, have you?" "You've always blamed me." "You did tell me not to let him swim the lake unless you were with us, but... but we wanted to surprise you." "Danny was so happy planning to surprise you." "He'd been doing so well." "He swam three-quarters the day before, and he was sure he could make it." "The water was so warm." "I thought there was no danger." "I must have looked away for a moment, and then, when I looked back, Danny was sinking." "I pulled at the oars and then lost one." "And then I grew panicky." "It was like a nightmare!" "Like... walking in your sleep?" "Yes." "Yes." "I began to paddle, and the boat didn't seem to move." "So you let him drown, didn't you?" " Didn't you?" " Richard, you're hurting me." "What happened that day at Back of the Moon?" "You got rid of everybody else... your mother, Ruth, Thorne." "There was only Danny left." "What were you thinking of?" "You never really cared for him." "You only pretended to." "What happened?" "Did he refuse to leave?" "Don't, Richard." "Don't." "Was that why you killed him?" " I didn't mean to let him drown." " But you did, didn't you?" "You're a perfect swimmer, and the boat was so far away, and he was going down for the third time." "You killed him." "You let Danny drown, didn't you?" " Didn't you?" " Yes." "Yes, I did." "I let him drown, and I'd do it again." "I didn't want him around." "I didn't want anyone but you." "I knew it." "I must have known it all along." "I kept pushing it out of my mind." "I couldn't believe it." "I didn't want to believe it." "How could I?" "You loved me, you said." "Wanted only to make me happy." "Yes." "Yes, that was all I ever wanted, Richard... your happiness, only that." "I didn't mean to let Danny drown." "I didn't plan it." "I swear I didn't." "But when the cramp caught him and he went under, I thought, if he never came up again," "I'd have you all to myself." "I thought, if he was gone, you'd have only me." "Then suddenly, while I was thinking that, he was gone." "I was sorry then and frightened, and I tried to find him." "Tried, honestly... tried hard." "But it was too late." "Why don't you kill me, Richard?" "You could so easily, you know." "And the baby." "You never wanted it, did you?" "No." "Oh, don't you see, Richard?" "I didn't want anyone around." "Only you." "I wanted to be just with you." "I couldn't stand having anyone between us." "Oh, I love you so, Richard." "I love you so." "I'm leaving you, Ellen." "Mr. Russell..." "Quinton," "District..." "Attorney," "Sussex..." "Flight 17, the Sunset Special, now loading at Gate 7." "Mr. Richard Harland wanted at the telephone." "Inquire at information." " I'm Richard Harland." " Use the phone number one." "Thank you." "Hello." "Yes, this is..." "Oh, hello." "What?" "Well, how..." "how did it happen?" "Oh, yes, of course." "I'll take the first train back." "Dr. Saunders, I'm sorry to get you out of bed, but she's much worse." "Would you hold on for just a minute, please?" " Oh, Dick." " Thanks." " Where is she?" " In her room." "It happened very suddenly." "We were having a picnic lunch at the beach." "Doctor, it seems to be more serious than you thought." "Could you come at once, please?" "Richard." "I'm going to die." "Don't talk like that, Ellen." "You're going to be all right." "No." "And you mustn't feel sorry for me." "I'm not afraid." "Only..." "Only promise me one thing." "I..." "I want to be cremated... like my father... and my ashes scattered in the same place." " Remember?" " I remember." " Promise?" " Of course, Ellen." "I'll promise anything you like, only..." "Richard!" "I'll never let you go, Richard." "Never." "Never." "Never." "Murder." "Cold, brutal, premeditated murder." "The State will prove that, on the afternoon of September 5, at a picnic attended by Ellen Harland, her mother and her adopted sister, that Ellen met death as a result of poisoning." "The State will prove that the sugar with which Ellen that day sweetened her coffee... was mixed with poison... and that she met death by reason of that poison." "The State will prove that the defendant had both motive and opportunity... to commit this dreadful crime." "And the State will prove that the defendant, Ruth Berent, deliberately and maliciously plotted... and carried through the murder." "It'll be all right." "I refer now to the envelope found in the defendant's leather jacket." "When you analyzed the contents of this envelope, what did you find?" "The apparent sugar tested 60% arsenic." "Shortly after you made this test, I came to you with a sealed parcel." "Yes, sir." "The contents was a bottle half full of white powder." "I show you the bottle." "That's it." " You analyzed the contents?" " I did." " What was it?" " Pure arsenic." " Your witness, Mr. Robie." " Uh, no questions." "Mr. Medcraft, you are the manager of the Bay State Mortuary." "I am." "Were the remains of the late Mrs. Ellen Harland cremated at your establishment?" "Yes, sir." " Who made the arrangements?" " Miss Ruth Berent." " Your witness." " Uh, no questions, Mr. Quinton." "Mr. Carlson, what is your occupation?" "Vice president of the Seaboard Trust Company." "Your bank is trustee for the estate of the late Ellen Berent Harland?" "Yes, sir." "When was the last time that you saw Mrs. Harland?" "Just after she got out of the hospital." "Did she make any provision in her will about being cremated after her death?" "No, she did not." "Would you tell the jury what provision she did make?" "She requested that she be buried in the family vault at Mount Auburn Cemetery." " Hello, Dick." " Hello." " Good evening." " Good evening, dear." "Thank you." "Tomorrow, Dick, you'll go on the witness stand." "Just remember that Quinton isn't just the prosecutor." "You may rest assured he'll have his brass knuckles on." "He'll throw the whole book at you." "He'll ask you some questions that won't be easy to answer... one in particular." "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth," " so help you God?" " I do." " Your name?" " Richard Harland." " Your profession?" " Writer." "If you don't mind, Mr. Harland, I shall ask you, for a moment, to be a reader." "I have been asked how I happened to investigate the death of Mrs. Harland." "This letter is my answer." "I ask you to read it." " Aloud?" " Please." ""Dear Russ," "I'm writing this letter to you... because we once meant a great deal to each other... and there's no one else to whom I can go for help." "Richard is leaving me."" "Proceed, please, Mr. Harland." ""It was after I left the hospital I first began to sense a change in my husband." "At first, I thought it might be due to the loss of our child, and then the truth, the awful truth, began to dawn on me." "The reason for the change was Ruth." "Russ, they love each other and want to get rid of me." "When Richard suggested a divorce," "I went to Ruth and begged her to give him up." "She said she intended to have him and would stop at nothing." "I told Ruth I would never give Richard a divorce, and it was then that she threatened to kill me."" "Go on, Mr. Harland." ""Russ, I know she means it and is capable of it." "She will kill me the first chance she gets."" "If you don't mind, Mr. Harland, will you read that last paragraph a little louder?" ""She will kill me the first chance she gets."" "Go on, Mr. Harland." ""I'm afraid to stay in the house, but I can't leave without Richard." "I'd rather die than give him up." "I don't know what to do or where to turn except to you, Russ." "Please help me." "Ellen."" " Mr. Harland, do you identify the handwriting in this letter?" " Yes." "Ellen's." "I call your attention to the first sentence." ""I am writing this letter to you because we once meant a great deal to each other."" "Do you know the significance of this?" "I suppose it refers to the fact that you once were engaged to her." "Yes." "We were once engaged." "Did you know that when you first met her?" "She was wearing an engagement ring." " You knew when you met her that she was engaged to another man." " Yes." " And in spite of that, you made love to her." " I suppose so." "Would you tell the jury about this courtship?" "I didn't exactly court her." " You mean that she courted you?" " No, not that either." "Then what do you mean?" "I knew that she'd marry me if I asked her to." " And so you decided to ask her." " No." "I decided not to." " Did she ask you?" " Not exactly." "Well, then how did you happen to get married?" "Well, I found one day that she had removed her engagement ring." "She gave me to understand..." "I realized then that I was in love with her." " Did you tell her so?" " Yes." "What did she say?" "She said she would never let me go." "How soon after this were you married?" "A couple of days later." "She wanted it that way." "Were you reluctant?" "I was doubtful." "Now, Mr. Harland, I don't say this critically, nor in mockery, nor to suggest that you are conceited, but simply to be sure that I understand you correctly." "You suggest that a beautiful young woman engaged to another man... falls in love with you, wins you and persuades you into a quick marriage... against your better judgment." "Is that a fair statement of the facts?" " Yes." " I see." "Now, how soon after this did you begin to regret your surrender?" " Were you happy with your wife for the first month?" " Completely." " The second, the third, the fourth?" " Yes." "Was Ruth at the ranch in New Mexico during the time Ellen met and courted you?" " Yes." " Did you see much of Ruth at this time?" " No." " Where did you go after you left New Mexico?" "To Warm Springs, Georgia, to visit my brother, Danny." "During your residence in Warm Springs, did you have any servants?" "No." " Who did the housework?" " Ellen." " And the cooking?" " Ellen." " You couldn't afford any servants." " It wasn't a question of afford." "She preferred it that way." " Ellen liked doing things for you." " Yes." " Did Ruth come to visit you during this time?" " No." "Where did you go after you left Warm Springs?" "To a fishing lodge I have at a place called Back of the Moon." " Did anyone come with you?" " My brother, Danny." " When was that?" " In June." " In June, were you still happy with your wife?" " Yes." " How about July?" " Yes." "You loved her in July." "How about August?" " Did anyone come to visit you in August?" " Mrs. Berent." " Anybody else?" " Ruth." "You loved Ellen in August." "Well, how about August?" "My brother was drowned in August." "Yes, I..." "I know how that must have saddened you, but did it affect your love for Ellen?" " Danny meant a lot to me." " So did Ellen." "Yes." "Danny was drowned in August." "Come to September." "Did your love for Ellen continue in September?" " In a different way." " In what different way?" "We were to have a baby." "You mean that your love for Ellen increased because she was going to have a baby." "No, not exactly." "Did it grow less?" " I don't know." " Then what do you mean by "in a different way"?" "I don't know." " During this time, you were living in Bar Harbor at the Berent home?" " Yes." " And Ruth was there all the time." " Yes." " Your wife was confined to her room." " A good part of the time." " Did you see a great deal of Ruth during this time?" " Yes." " Practically every day." " Yes." "When did you stop loving Ellen?" "I-I don't know." "Isn't it true that shortly before your wife died, you quarreled with her?" " Yes." " What about?" " I can't say." " Wasn't it because Ellen was jealous of Ruth?" " She had no reason to be." " Wasn't she?" " Ellen was jealous of everybody." " But was she jealous of Ruth?" " I refuse to answer that." " Then perhaps you'll answer this." " Are you in love with Ruth?" " We're very good friends." " Are you in love with her?" " I'm very fond of her." "I want you to answer yes or no." "I'm asking you a very simple question." "Perhaps you didn't understand me." "I shall repeat it for you." "Are you in love with Ruth?" "Are you in love with Ruth?" "Are you in love with Ruth?" "I hand you a copy of Richard Harland's new book." "Kindly turn to the dedication page." "Would you please read the dedication?" ""To the Gal with the Hoe."" " To whom does that refer?" " To me." "Isn't it rather strange that Mr. Harland didn't dedicate his new book to his wife?" "I don't think Ellen was very much interested in the book." " But you were." " Yes, very much." " You worked with him on it." " On the final draft, yes." " That was written while Ellen was in the hospital, wasn't it?" " Yes." "You were together a great deal during the time Ellen was in the hospital." " Well, we were..." " Working on the book." "Yes." "Will you tell the jury where most of the action in this book takes place?" "Taxco, Mexico." " Had you ever been to Mexico before?" " No." "During all the time that you lived with the Berent family," " had you ever gone away on a trip before alone?" " No." " Why did you decide to go to Taxco?" " I wanted to get away." " Did you expect to meet anybody there that you knew?" " No." " Did you expect to be joined there by anybody you knew?" " No." " Did Mr. Harland suggest that you go to Taxco?" " No." "No." "Let's get back to the dedication." "Why did Mr. Harland refer to you as "the gal with the hoe"?" "Well, I'm rather fond of gardening." " You did all of the gardening." " Yes." " Did you ever use any chemical sprays or insecticides?" " Yes." " Any containing arsenic, for example?" " I don't know." "I show you a bottle here in evidence." "Do you recognize it?" "Yes." "It was mine." "It held bath salts." " Are you aware of what it contains now?" " Yes." "By what chemical process do you suppose..." " that bath salts turned into poison?" " I don't know." "I show you a leather jacket here in evidence." "Do you recognize it?" " Yes, it's mine." " I show you an envelope here in evidence." " Do you recognize it?" " Yes." "It's the envelope containing the sugar." " Which the state chemist testified was 60% arsenic..." " Yes." "and which the sheriff testified was found in the pocket of this leather jacket." " Yes." " Did you wear this jacket on the day of the picnic?" "For a while, yes." "Then I gave it to Ellen to wear." " Why did you do that?" " She complained of feeling chilly." " And so you loaned her the jacket." " Yes." "Will you tell the jury who prepared the food in the picnic hamper?" " Ellen and I." " Who prepared the sugar?" "I don't know." "It must have been Ellen." "Why do you think it was Ellen?" "She was the only one who took sugar with her coffee." " Who served the coffee on the day of the picnic?" " I did." " And you gave her the sugar?" " Yes." " And that night, she was dead." " Yes." " And the very next day, her body was cremated." " Yes." "And the following day, Harland left with the ashes for the ranch in New Mexico..." " to dispose of them there..." " Yes." "so that no autopsy could be possible." "No, no." "That wasn't the reason." "Ellen always wanted to be cremated and to have her ashes scattered with those of her father." "Then why did she take the trouble to have a clause inserted in her will... requesting that she be buried in Mount Auburn?" " I can't explain it." " There are a great many things you can't explain." "You can't explain how the poison got in the bottle of bath salts." "You can't explain how it got in the sugar." "You can't explain why Ellen's body was cremated so as to make an autopsy impossible." "You can't explain why you made plans to leave this country... shortly before your sister was poisoned." "Well, perhaps you can explain this!" "When did you first fall in love with Richard Harland?" " Did you ever tell him that you loved him?" " No." "When did you fall in love with him?" "You've dodged long enough." "You can answer a simple question, and I demand that you do so!" "Just when did you fall in love with Richard Harland?" "Did you love him after his brother, Danny, was drowned?" "Did you love him after the death of his stillborn child, after his wife died?" "Did you love him last week, a month before, a year before?" "Are you in love with him today?" "Yes." "Yes, I am in love with him." "I think I've always loved him." "The State recalls Richard Harland to the stand." "That's all." "Get some water, please!" "Order in the court!" "Richard Harland, you heard that woman finally tell the truth, and now I want the truth out of you." "You heard Ruth Berent confess her love for you." "And now I ask you, as I have asked you over and over, time and again... are you in love with her?" "Are you in love with the woman who murdered your wife?" "My wife was not murdered." "She killed herself." " Do you honestly believe Ellen committed suicide?" " Yes." "Knowing her as you did and I did, you think her capable not only of committing suicide... but falsely accusing her own sister of her death?" "Ellen was capable of anything." "You actually want the jury to believe that she was that sort of monster?" "Yes, she was that sort of monster... a woman who sought to possess everything she loved, who loved only for what it could bring her, whose love estranged her own father and mother, whose love possessed her father until he couldn't call his soul his own," "who, by her own confession to me, killed my brother, killed her own unborn child... and who is now reaching from the grave to destroy her innocent sister." "Yes, she was that sort of monster." "Order in the court!" "I can't believe it." "Suicide?" "It took the jury only 10 minutes to bring in a verdict of not guilty for Ruth." "But Harland had sacrificed himself." "In withholding knowledge of Ellen's crime, he'd become an accessory." "He got two years." "But Ellen had lost." "I guess it's the only time she didn't come out first." "I guess Dick's about home now."