"This is the Inner Sanctum." "A strange, fantastic world controlled by a mass of living, pulsating flesh," "the mind." "It destroys, distorts, creates monsters," "commits murder." "Yes." "Even you, without knowing, can commit murder." "The so-called phenomena of mysticism and sorcery are brought about through fear." "Fear, enslaving countless millions, making them believe because they are afraid not to believe." "Reason against superstition." "Superstition, casting its shadow across even our civilization," "holding up strange supernatural gods to play on man's imagination." "Yes, we still have a long way to go." "Hello." "Yes." "I was concerned about Paula." "I wanted to know if she was all right." "Of course she's all right." "Why shouldn't she be?" "Why?" "I don't know." "But I happened to be looking out, and I thought I saw her hurrying madly along the street." "And after all, Norman, at this hour." "Why, Paula's been in bed all evening." "I'm sure you must be mistaken." "Well, maybe I was." "Sorry to bother you." "Good night." "Don't do that." "It's bad luck." "Paula, haven't I told you, there's nothing to these superstitions?" "Norman, you should be in bed." "I thought I heard someone walking about." "There's no one walking." "It's the wind." "It makes things creak and slam." "Yes, I suppose so." "Why don't you go to bed?" "It's late." "In a little while." "I have some more writing to do." "I'm sorry I awakened you." "Now, go to sleep." "Good night." "Mud on her shoes." "She lied to me." "She was out." "She must have gone some distance." "Where?" "What for?" "Is she in some sort of trouble, or is she still clinging to the weird pagan ritual of the islands where I first met her?" "What are you doing?" "Well, what is that?" "He's trying to tell you it's a line you must not cross." "All who do so offer themselves as sacrifice to the god, Kahuna Ana Ana." "And they must die." "Oh, I see." "Thank you." "Did you see the star?" "Yes, I did." "It was almost as though it was an answer to the drums." "It was." "It's the music of the dance of death." "And where the star fell, someone will die." "Oh, now..." "Oh, you mustn't scoff." "You should be very grateful to have seen what you've seen." "Let me introduce myself." "I'm Norman Reed." "Reed?" "Norman Reed?" "Yes." "Didn't you come to see my father once as a student?" "He was Professor of Archeology at the university here." "Professor Clayton." "Why, of course, I remember Professor Clayton." "And you're that little pigtailed, freckle-faced girl." "Your name is..." "It's Paula." "Oh, you do have a good memory." "It was soon after that Father died and Laraua, my old nurse, brought me up." "She's a high priestess now." "It's almost unbelievable, finding someone like you in this strange setting with witchcraft and jungle gods." "It's..." "You must keep quiet." "You've offended the native gods." "Only the power of Laraua's white magic can appease them and heal your wounds." "She has placed you within a circle of immunity." "Wait." "Soon good." "Protect, protect, protect." "Paula said it was a circle of immunity that saved my life." "Strange superstitious child." "I remember when I first brought her home from the islands." "Norman." "He's here." "Oh, darling, it's wonderful to have you back." "Ilona, I..." "Hello, Norman." "Norman, glad to see you." "Hello everybody." "Paula, dear." "Folks, this is my wife." "Welcome, my dear." "Oh, she's lovely." "Norman, you sly old fox." "This is a great day, a great day for Monroe." "Norman, you've certainly done yourself proud, a brilliant book and a beautiful bride." "Come, this calls for a real celebration." "Get yourself some asbestos mittens before you light that torch, Ilona." "This is Professor and Mrs. Harrison." "How do you do, Professor?" "And here are the Sawtelles." "Millard's in the Sociology Department, and Evelyn's a shark at bridge." "Well, Norman, we received the advance copies of the book." "Why, it's a fine job." "And fine press, too." "Well, thank you." "Millard's written a book, too, since you left, and it's been accepted by World Press." "Oh, that's fine." "Congratulations to you, Millard, then." "Thank you." "Yes, yes, I've really been too busy, but Evelyn kept at me." "Not as brilliant as yours." "Oh, now." "With this admiring throng's permission, the hostess would like to introduce herself." "Well, it's about time." "This is my sister Ilona, Mrs. Reed." "I want you two to be good friends." "I hope we shall be." "Why don't we start by mixing you a drink?" "Norman, will you help me mix another round?" "He's an expert mixer." "And now, my dear, if you will..." "That will do, Septimus." "Why, you seventh son of a seventh son, give it a rest." "Come away from this aging wolf in an academic sheepskin, child." "Well, it looked like everything is practically ready to me." "A fine return, Norman." "I planned this little party for your homecoming, and look what I get." "In front of all those people." "Well, those things happen." "I met Paula, fell in love with her, and that's all there is to it." "Well, it isn't enough." "It isn't enough to keep everyone on the campus from laughing behind my back." "Oh, Ilona, quit dramatizing yourself." "It's not your style." "We had a pleasant flirtation and..." "Is that all it meant to you, flirtation?" "Of course, and that's all it meant to you." "It suits you to say that now." "Oh, Ilona, for Pete's sake, the worst I could have done is to puncture your ego." "You compliment me." "Oh, why can't you be sensible?" "We can still be friends." "There's no use being childish about this." "My humble apologies." "I won't be childish about this." "Fair Hebe, bearer of the vestal cup." "In other words, he means, "Bring on the drinks. "" "Come on, everybody, a toast to the bride." "What's the matter, Evelyn?" "Scared Millard won't be promoted to the sociology chairmanship?" "Here's to the bride." "Oh, thank you." "And the groom." "To Superstition vs. Reason and Fact." "The book, of course, and to the bride." "Oh, it's a bad omen to clink glasses." "Oh, I never heard of that one before." "We don't believe in those silly superstitions, do we, Norman?" "What an odd-looking medallion." "I always wear it." "My old nurse gave it to me." "She said it was a good luck piece." "Yes, you'll read all about it in my book." "That is, if you read my book." "But I have read it." "You've even got the medallion on the cover, haven't you?" "That was Paula's idea." "According to the islanders, it's supposed to be very powerful magic, isn't it?" "Well, in a way it is, yes, but..." "Oh, Norman!" "I suppose you know that old Henry Braggs has gone to Cornwall Tech as Dean." "I did." "I think he'll do a fine job of it, too." "That leaves the sociology chairmanship open." "Of course, Evelyn thinks that Millard's got it all sewed up." "I don't anything of the sort." "It's just according to seniority." "Oh, now, now, my dear..." "Well, she's perfectly right." "You're right in line for it, Millard." "Oh, fiddle-faddle." "Brains might be a factor, too." "Grace, you're incorrigible." "Don't you pay any attention to her." "Is it something important?" "Sure, it's important." "It's a leg up to bigger and better things." "The schoolmaster has little enough to look forward to." "If he passes up a chance at advancement, he's a fool." "I hope you're not married to a fool, Paula." "Now, my dear, here's what we'll do tomorrow." "First, I'll show you over the campus." "We have everything, from a lover's lane to a haunted house." "Then, I'll take you down..." "Take it easy, Casanova." "That's a lot of territory for a little guy who gets a Charley horse from reading the football scores." "Some of the laughter has gone out of her." "What is wrong?" "Have I failed to help her fit into her surroundings?" "I've done everything I could, and yet she lied to me." "Good morning, Professor." "Oh, hello." "This is a surprise." "What are you doing here so early?" "I came to talk over a matter of business." "You don't mind discussing business with me, do you?" "Of course not." "You said we should be friends, Norman, and you're right." "We both have to live in this little island of culture, and we might as well be civilized about it." "Oh, I'd like nothing better." "Now, about this matter of business." "Well, the student employment registry said that you'd asked for Margaret Mercer to do some work for you." "Yes, I did." "I had her do some research for me about a year ago, and she was very good." "Well, she's assisting me in the library now." "I've trained her, and..." "Oh, but this won't take very long, and she's familiar with the work." "Well, that's what I wanted to talk about." "I'm familiar with the work, too." "Let me help you." "Then Margaret's routine won't be upset." "Thank you, Ilona, but, well," "I'll need someone who can take shorthand rapidly." "Norman, you don't have to be afraid of me." "Let me work with you." "Things don't have to be any different, do they?" "But they are different." "I'm married now." "All right, so you're married." "I'll forgive you that." "If you want a little doll that grew up in the jungle, it's all right." "Can't I get it through your head that I'm in love with my wife?" "You were fond of me once." "Ilona, you're out of your mind." "Maybe I am." "I don't care." "I don't even care anymore what people are saying." "Laughing at me." "Oh, stop it." "I never asked for such devotion from you, and I don't want it." "Now stop being melodramatic." "Get your things together, Margaret." "You're going up in the world." "Oh, what do you mean, Miss Carr?" "I'm lending you to Professor Reed, by special request." "You mean, he asked for me?" "He wouldn't take no for an answer." "Oh, that's wonderful." "Right away?" "Oh, by all means, we mustn't keep the professor waiting." "You might clear the desk first, if it's not asking too much." "Oh, I'm sorry." "Oh, I'm so thrilled." "I'll take these books out to the stack." "Oh, he's so brilliant." "There are some things I cleared out of the vault for you." "He's so sweet and so considerate." "And there's something so dynamic about him." "I'd try to curb my enthusiasm if I were you." "Men of the world sometimes misunderstand a pretty girl's hero-worship." "Hey, Maggie." "Maggie, I want to see you..." "Not now, David, I'm busy." "Well, what's the big rush?" "David, I'm going to work for Professor Reed again." "Isn't it wonderful?" "Yeah, what's so wonderful about it?" "Well, he is, if you must know." "He's the most brilliant man on the campus." "Present company excepted, of course." "David, must you be a dope all your life?" ""Present company excepted, of course. "" "Why, if you lived to be a thousand you'd never be able to write a book like his." "You'll be lucky if you can pronounce the words." "But, Maggie..." "But, Maggie..." "Bye." "Well, how do you like that?" "Hello, David." "Oh, hello, Miss Carr." "Sorry, I guess I kind of barged right in." "That's all right." "After all, you'll be hanging around Professor Reed's office after today." "Say, what's she in such a lather about?" "What does she have to go to work for him for?" "Wasn't she doing all right here?" "Well, she may do even better there." "Besides, he asked for her." "Why?" "Why not?" "Sometimes a young and pretty girl can be a great inspiration to a mental giant like Professor Reed." "Well, she's my girl, and he'd better keep his hands off her." "What a thing to say." "Are you taking his course this term?" "Yeah, he'll probably flunk me." "Maybe Margaret can put in a good word for you." "You know, a woman's influence." "I'll manage for myself." "Reporting for duty, sir." "Oh, but I thought that you..." "But didn't you expect me?" "Why, Miss Carr said that she couldn't spare you." "Oh, but you did ask for me?" "Yes, I did." "Here, you go through the mail." "Oh, Professor Reed, you're really glad Miss Carr changed her mind and let me come, aren't you?" "Of course." "A little surprised, but I think you will be a great help." "Politics, that's all it is." "Politics." "Well, politics or not," "Norman Reed is certainly the fair-haired boy around here now." "Well, I don't know why." "I read his book, and I don't think it's really as good as Millard's." "Well, there's nothing like having a little doll-faced wife to spread around charm for you." "You don't think Norman's getting all this recognition because of Paula's pretty face, do you?" "It might have helped." "Look at the way my own brother, the dignified Dean of Men, trots around after her." "Well, Septimus has always fancied himself a gallant with the ladies, Ilona." "I don't like it." "Paula's got him wrapped right around her little finger." "And another thing, Evelyn, that little doll-faced wife of Norman's is really a witch wife." "No." "It's true." "I've watched her." "I have seen the little things she does." "She told me herself that the old nurse who brought her up on the islands was a high priestess of some sort." "Do you believe in that sort of stuff?" "I don't know, but she does." "And she's making it work, isn't she?" "This isn't Norman's first year at Monroe." "He hasn't had this kind of success before." "I believe she's in the back of all this." "Evelyn, you've got to do something to make her leave Monroe." "Leave Norman, if necessary." "If you don't, Millard will never get that sociology chairmanship." "She'll see to that." "She'd sacrifice everyone just for the sake of her precious Norman." "But Millard has seniority over Norman." "He's studied for years." "His whole world is wrapped up in his work, in advancement, and I can't have it crumble about him." "I can't." "David, I wish you wouldn't always be hanging around here." "Well, why not?" "You used to like my hanging around." "Suppose Professor Reed came out and saw you sprawling all over the place." "A fine opinion he'd have of you." "Yeah." "What difference does it make?" "He's probably gonna flunk me anyway." "I should think he would." "I understand you sleep through half his lectures." "Well, perhaps I don't find him quite as fascinating as you do." "Well, if you must know, being around a man like Norman makes some sophomores look pretty sophomoric." "So, it's Norman now." "Oh, I..." "Margaret, I've made the final changes." "This is the way it goes to the digest, for better or for worse." "Oh, it'll be for better." "It's the best of its kind they'll ever get." "You know, I think I'll make you my press agent." "What are you hugging your cheek for?" "Wonder Boy kiss you?" "David Jennings, how dare you." "It wouldn't surprise me in the least." "I know these educated wolves." "Miss Carr said you'd probably be falling for him before..." "I'm not interested in what that jealous old cat has to say." "And you can get out, too." "Now, go on!" "Gee, Maggie, I'm sorry." "Oh, all right, so you're sorry." "Now, scram, will you?" "I've got work to do." "I hardly know how to begin, Dr. Sawtelle." "You said, something important." "Indeed, it is." "You remember a student you had named Gregory Towne?" "The one who died in midterm?" "It's been years." "Towne, yes." "Gregory Towne." "His thesis was brilliant, wasn't it?" "Yes." "But never published." "No, never published." "Never..." "Never published." "You read..." "You know?" "It isn't what I read or know." "Norman Reed has called for the thesis." "He found out we had a copy in the library." "Reed?" "He knows that I used the thesis..." "As a basis for your book." "Now, I don't know how much he knows, but he's definitely suspicious." "I only wanted to warn you and to tell you that I'll try to keep it out of his hands if I possibly can," "but unfortunately, there may be other copies." "I didn't want to write a book." "I didn't want to." "I couldn't." "But Evelyn, she pushed me and pushed me." "She's ambitious." "And you remembered this and used it as a reference." "As a reference, yes, as a reference." "Naturally." "It's just a pity that Norman Reed had to remember it, too." "You didn't tell?" "I mean Evelyn, she doesn't know about this?" "Of course not." "I only wanted to put you on your guard." "What shall I do?" "Well, what he's after, of course, is to get you to withdraw as a candidate from the sociology chairmanship." "I'm afraid he might use this as a club." "Oh, Evelyn wouldn't let me." "If I tried to, she'd find out about this." "I'll be disgraced." "Every college will hear about it." "And Evelyn, she'll despise me." "I know." "It's enough to drive a man to desperation, to take any way out." "Norman, no!" "The turban of a high priestess." "Sticks!" "Stones!" "Jungle gods!" "You don't know what you're doing!" "I do!" "Norman, no!" "No!" "Is this everything?" "Everything." "You got that little silver hand from the car cushions." "I can't think of any others." "Do you realize that you've been turning the hands of the clock back to the Dark Ages?" "Norman, some things don't belong to any special age." "They're a part of everything and of all time." "Forces for good and forces for evil." "I did nothing to hurt anyone, only to help you and protect you." "Protect me from what?" "You were in terrible danger." "Ilona Carr is your enemy." "I know it." "I had to build a wall of safety between you and her." "Yes, I saw it." "Graveyard dirt around her and nails pointing toward her heart." "Oh, but only if she tried to hurt you." "I haven't wanted to harm anyone, Norman, only bring you the success you deserved." "And you saw how it worked." "The book, the prize, and they've practically decided on the sociology chairmanship for you." "Did it ever dawn on you that perhaps I had earned my success?" "Oh, yes, yes." "But we have enemies, and they would have kept you from what you've earned." "Paula, I'm a man of reason, or I'm nothing." "What of my life's work if I allow myself or you to be enslaved by superstition?" "It isn't superstition." "Laraua says..." "Laraua, yes, the High Priestess of Kahuna Ana Ana." "You lived with her too long." "Now you're my wife." "You must trust me." "Paula," "I'm going to burn these things." "That, too." "Come on, now." "Norman, don't despise me." "Despise you!" "Not long ago I wrote that," ""Man's struggle upward from his dark past" ""was the struggle of reason against superstition. "" "And now here in my own home, my own wife." "Poor, frightened, strange little child." "Norman!" "Evelyn, what happened?" "Murderer!" "Murderer!" "Murderer!" "Murderer!" "Murderer!" "Murderer!" "Fine funeral." "Yes, it was." "I never saw Millard look better." "First time the poor little guy didn't shrink from the public gaze." "Too bad he didn't see that snazzy little suit you bought in his honor, Ilona." "Nothing is sacred to you, is it, Grace?" "You might think of poor Evelyn." "Poor Evelyn drove him bats." "He was all right till she married him and tried to make him swim out of his depth." "She kept saying we killed him, Norman and I." "She was hysterical, I suppose." "I wonder what gave her the idea that I was responsible for his death?" "Sounds as though he'd been bewitched, doesn't it, Paula?" "Where's your medallion?" "I've never seen you without it before." "Ilona, there's something about your smile right now that makes me think of Jack the Ripper." "Honestly, Grace!" "Norman, I'm frightened." "You don't know what you did when you burned everything." "You left us at the mercy of evils." "Paula, you've got to stop it." "You must break free of these jungle superstitions." "I saw the medallion crack in the flames." "The circle of immunity was broken." "The next moment, I heard the shots." "Coincidence." "What was that?" "Oh, nothing." "I..." "I think we'd better be going." "I have to work tonight." "Hello." "Oh, hello, Miss Carr." "I..." "I kind of thought I might find Margaret here." "She wasn't at the dorm." "Well, why don't you try Professor Reed's office?" "I know he's working tonight." "Gee, you'd think that guy was afraid of sunstroke the way he works after it gets dark." "Why, David, didn't you know that the night is the special domain of great minds?" "History is made at night, they say." "Poetry is born at night." "Well, can't history and poetry be born in the daytime, too?" "Well, don't stand there shouting at me, Sir Galahad." "If you don't like it, why don't you do something about it?" "Well, I will!" "Men have created words, words to explain everything they cannot understand." "Words like "coincidence"" "to conceal their fears." "Oh, I'm sorry, Professor." "Would you repeat that last, please?" "To conceal their fears." "No, I don't want to say that." "What do I want to say?" "I told Paula that she must free herself from those jungle superstitions." "What of myself?" "Coincidence." "Why did I say that word?" "Am I afraid?" "Am I beginning to doubt my own reason and logic?" "Black magic." "Island witchcraft." "Voodoo rituals and nonsense." "Proven nonsense." "Don't try to work anymore." "I know you're upset over what happened to Professor Sawtelle." "Yes, I suppose so." "All those things they're saying about you, they're all lies." "What things?" "Well, that you had something to do with Professor Sawtelle's death." "But whatever anyone else says," "I believe in you." "Well, thank you." "I was so thrilled when you asked me to come to work tonight." "When I knew you chose to be here with me, rather than with..." "Well, with anyone else, I was..." "Well, I..." "What are you talking about?" "Haven't I got enough on my mind without listening to this romantic twaddle of yours?" "Now, go on." "Get out of here." "Go home and don't let me see you here again." "Maggie, darling, what's he done?" "If he's done anything to hurt you, I'll kill him." "I hate him." "I never want to see him again, the philanderer." "Come on now, darling, I'll take you home." "Oh, leave me alone." "I never want to see another man as long as I live." "I must be losing my mind." "These things just don't happen." "What did you do to Margaret?" "Do to Margaret?" "You know what I'm talking about." "You've got plenty of explaining to do." "Look, will you please go home?" "I've had just about all I can take." "Yeah, that's what you think." "Listen, you psychopathic young fool." "Now, come on." "Get up!" "Get out of here and stay out." "Yes?" "Norman, it's Paula." "Something terrible has happened." "Paula!" "Well, what is it?" "Paula!" "Paula!" "Paula!" "Paula." "Darling, what happened?" "No, don't do that." "Why?" "The death chant, Norman." "I heard it." "I heard it." "Death chant?" "What are you talking about?" "You know what it means." "Someone is praying us to death." "That's pure imagination." "No." "Don't answer it." "Why not?" "Because I'm afraid." "There it is, Norman." "Make it stop!" "Make it stop!" "Paula!" "Paula!" "Listen to me." "Whoever is playing that music is just trying to frighten you." "If you don't fear it, it means nothing." "If you do, it means everything evil." "But I do fear it, Norman, because it is evil." "Once I wasn't afraid because we had protection." "But now..." "Now..." "Oh, honey, you're gonna drive us both mad with these foolish superstitions of yours." "You've got to stop it." "Do you hear me, honey?" "You've got to stop it." "Oh, no." "Why is this happening to me?" "This is my home that is filled with fear and shadows." "I'm a scientist, but I'm not immune." "You can't be surrounded by fear and not be infected." "Things piling up." "Sawtelle's death." "Then that girl, that psychopathic boy." "Somebody terrifying Paula with death chants." "Why?" "Why?" "From the moment I burned the white magic." "From the moment the medallion cracked in the fire." "I said it once in a lecture," ""Man moves two steps forward and one step back. "" "Maybe I'm wrong." "Maybe it's one step forward and two steps back." "Hello, Norman." "Have you heard the news?" "No." "What news?" "The Board met yesterday and invited Hinshaw of Mid-State to replace Sawtelle." "And they offered him the sociology chairmanship as an inducement." "Well, that's fine." "Hinshaw's a good man." "Well, Grace." "Hello, Professor." "I can see by your face that you know just why I'm here." "Yes, Ilona just told me about Hinshaw." "Oh, I know about that, too." "No, this is an entirely different matter." "What now?" "There's some little snip of a student who's been working for you..." "Margaret Mercer?" "Mmm-hmm." "Seems there's an adoring swain who stands guard over her, and he spread the news around that you tried to take advantage of Little Nell." "Keep your shirt on." "The story got to Ilona and she sent for the girl, hoping, no doubt, to find her worst fears confirmed." "It seems she wasn't disappointed." "The girl is a neurotic." "I don't doubt it." "And the boyfriend is probably a half-wit." "But I'm Dean of Women, and this was dumped in my lap." "Besides, these things do happen." "Do they?" "Sure, they do." "You may not think it to look at me, but I still have memories." "That's better." "Now, just what did happen, if anything?" "I suddenly discovered this little mooncalf talking romantic nonsense." "I practically had to throw her out of the office." "Mmm-hmm." "A woman scorned again." "No wonder Ilona was sympathetic." "Well, I'll handle it." "Thanks, Grace." "Save the orchids." "Norman, what is wrong with you, anyway?" "Surely it isn't just this Margaret Mercer business?" "I don't know." "I really don't know." "It seems like I'm beginning to crack up." "Here, here, you better get a grip on yourself." "Go down to the gym." "Workout and a shower will make you feel better." "Two steps forward, one step back." "Drop that gun, Jennings." "Not this time." "Now it's my turn." "Just why do you want to kill me?" "You know why." "Margaret and I were getting along all right till you came along and broke us up." "You're a young fool." "You may think I'm a fool 'cause I can't keep up in my work." "Well, how do you expect me to keep up in my work, thinking about you and Margaret?" "You've ruined her life." "You've ruined mine." "Give it to me." "Jennings?" "Jennings!" "Jennings says Professor Reed beat him up." "Do you suppose he was really interested in Margaret?" "He was always asking her to work nights." "First Sawtelle, then Jennings." "There must be a jinx on this college." "The jinx is on Professor Reed." "If David dies, he'll be charged with murder." "How does it feel to have your husband in danger?" "Not good, is it?" "Better than having him dead." "Better than having him kill himself." "Or don't you think so?" "Only, Millard didn't kill himself." "It was murder." "No." "Your husband drove him to take his own life." "Your husband is a murderer." "No!" "No, no!" "That's what you did to him." "You and your child's face and your black heart." "That isn't true!" "How can you say such terrible things?" "It is true!" "Until you came here, Monroe was a safe and decent place." "Norman was a decent man." "And then he brought you from the jungle." "You talk as though I were some strange creature that he captured." "You're a witch." "Ilona says you are." "And she's right." "Ilona hates me." "And why not?" "She's the woman Norman should have married." "And then you bewitched him." "He killed my husband just as surely as if he'd fired the shots." "That's a lie!" "And now the boy, Jennings." "Maybe he'll die." "Do you know what that means?" "Your husband will be twice a murderer." "Stop it!" "Stop it!" "Why don't you go back?" "Why don't you go back to the jungle?" "Go back!" "Go back!" "Go back!" "Go back to the jungle where you belong." "You've got to go back, Paula." "You don't belong here." "You're a witch." "Go back!" "Go back, go back, go back." "You've brought nothing but tragedy to Monroe." "You must go back." "Answer that phone." "Answer it." "Answer it." "Hello?" "Thank you, Grace." "What for, you dope?" "Any professional bail bondsman could have done as much." "Besides, the kid's still alive, isn't he?" "Yes, but I'm very grateful." "Good night." "What are you doing here?" "Where is my wife?" "Let go of me, you murderer." "Where is Paula?" "In there." "Paula!" "That's the way I found Millard, only he was dying." "Norman." "Norman, take me away from here." "I'm afraid." "There's nothing to be afraid of, honey." "Yes, there is." "This house is full of it, something evil." "Evil, yes, it's you." "Don't!" "Why are you terrorizing my wife?" "She's got to get out of here." "Away from Monroe." "She's brought nothing but death and destruction." "Paula never hurt any living thing." "She's a witch." "She made you drive my husband to his death." "So you could get ahead faster." "You're both murderers." "I've had enough of this." "Exactly what do you mean?" "You tried to get that old thesis by Gregory Towne from the library so you could prove Millard stole it to write his book." "But Ilona warned him." "He knew you'd expose him." "And he couldn't stand it, the disgrace." "He told me so the night he died." "I never saw any thesis." "I had no idea that" "Millard hadn't written every word of his book." "Why didn't you tell me this before?" "You would have spread it all over town." "Ilona said you would." "Ilona." "Oh, so Ilona warned him." "Ilona's back of all of this." "No!" "It's Paula, with her witchcraft and her island magic." "You're wrong." "Can't you understand?" "Ilona planted the fear of disgrace with Millard, led you to believe that Paula and I were responsible for his death." "She poisoned the minds of Margaret Mercer and David Jennings." "This whole tragic scheme of things points toward no one but Ilona." "No one but Ilona!" "No." "Don't answer it." "It's the death prayer music." "What do you know about this music that comes over the telephone?" "This death chant?" "Ilona found out about it from your book." "She had some records made so she could frighten Paula into leaving." "Did you hear that?" "Now we know who our enemy is." "Now we know whom to fight." "Answer it." "You've got to overcome this horrible fear." "Won't you please try?" "Hello?" "Yes, Ilona." "Oh." "What did she say?" "David Jennings just died." "Oh, Norman, when you burned everything, you left us helpless." "The forces of evil are still at work." "Yes, but now it's evil that we can understand." "We know how to combat." "Evelyn," "I have to prove that David Jennings came to the gymnasium intending to kill me." "If I can't," "I'll be charged with manslaughter or murder." "Will you help me?" "What's happened, getting me out in the middle of the night?" "I had to talk to you." "Look out." "There it is." "Don't move." "What on Earth is it?" "Where did it come from?" "I don't know." "That's what makes it so terrifying." "I had this dream." "What dream?" "Millard came and stood over me." "He looked dreadful, black as a storm." "I never saw him look like that before." "He said, "I am dead because a woman lied. "" ""A woman lied. "" ""A woman lied. "" "Ilona, I never lied to Millard." "I drove him too hard, I know that now, but I never lied." "This thing, it's voodoo." "Ilona, he said the woman who killed him must confess." "Nobody killed him." "He killed himself." "But he kept saying he did it because a woman lied." "Ilona, he can't mean me, can he?" "Can he?" "How do I know?" "He said she must confess, or she will die." "Oh, you're crazy." "Soon, he said, soon." "In 13 days, one minute after midnight." "All this time, standing over me, he said these things." "Nightmares." "Then all of a sudden, he had this horrible little figure in his hand, just like this one." "He said, "This is the woman who lied. "" "Then he took the thread and he wrapped it around the thing's throat, and he pulled it tight." "Then he pressed one of the tacks into its head." "Then he started to move away, and he said, "Go down and you will see. "" "And I came down, and there it was." "The same thing that Millard held." "It's insane." "Imagination." "This isn't imagination." "This is the woman who lied." "This is the woman who's going to die." "It's here in front of us." "Burn this thing." "I'm afraid!" "Afraid." ""The woman who lied," he said." "I didn't lie." ""In 13 days," he said." ""The woman who lied... "" "Stop that!" "Stop that!" "The Monroe College student body will be excused from classes tomorrow to attend the funeral of David Jennings, who died yesterday morning from a gunshot wound received..." "No one knows how long this may last." "So take advantage of this new offer, and remember, only eight more days left to get your..." "Miss Carr, I'd like to ask you about the reference cards." "Don't do that!" "Five, four," "three, two..." "One." "One." "One." "One." "One." "One." "One." "Why do you want to destroy Paula?" "Why do you hate me?" "Why did you kill David?" "Why did you kill Millard?" "One." "Why did you kill Millard?" "One." "Why did you kill David?" "One." "Ilona, what's the matter?" "Septimus, I'm dying." "They're driving nails into my head, and I can't breathe." "It's getting tighter and tighter." "Hush, dear, you've just had a nightmare." "I'm dying, I tell you!" "Shall I call a doctor?" "I don't want a doctor." "Get me to Evelyn Sawtelle, quick!" "Now, now, now." "Now try and relax." "I'll get the doctor." "Who is it?" "Evelyn, you've got to help me." "I've been expecting you." "I'm dying, Evelyn." "You've got to give me that figure." "Why?" "Only the woman who lied is in danger." "The woman who killed Millard." "She will die one minute after midnight, he said." "One minute after midnight." "Where is it, Evelyn?" "It's an evil thing." "Where is it?" "Don't let it kill me." "Don't, don't." "It was I who lied." "Then it was you who killed Millard, frightened him with your lying tongue into taking his own life." "Yes." "Now give it to me." "And David Jennings." "You killed him." "No." "You filled his jealous mind with your lies, too." "You knew he'd make an attempt on Norman Reed's life." "All right, yes, I did." "With my lies." "Now give it to me." "Give it to me!" "Why, it's only ashes." "It's been ashes ever since the first time you saw it, Ilona." "You're a victim of your own fears." "We heard what you said about David and Professor Sawtelle." "You." "You tricked me." "Your guilty conscience tricked you." "You tricked me!" "Ilona." "Ilona!" "One minute past midnight." "And she's dead, strangled." "Just like the dream I told her." "Only there was no dream, just a fantastic story." "It's a bright new day, Paula." "We'll forget all our fears and start fresh." "You know, all of the magic that you or anyone else needs is a generous heart and a steady mind." "Paula, will you try to believe that?" "Yes, Norman." "Are you happy?"