TRANSCRIPT 🔗
WEBVTT
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And now, a tale well calculated to keep you in.
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Suspense.
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In a moment, Act One of Blackbeard's Ace, starring Elaine
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Rost and John Thomas, and written especially for suspense by
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Jack Buttram. This first portion of suspense is brought to
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you by the makers of Marlboro Cigarettes.
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Suspense Why don't you settle back and have a full-flavored smoke?
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Have a Marlboro.
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You get a lot to like with a Marlboro, the
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filter cigarette with the unfiltered taste.
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Try Marlboro.
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I had never believed in ESP, extrasensory perception. Oh, I
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had heard of universities conducting tests of this mental phenomenon,
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but their studies covered only those messages transmitted from one
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living subject to another. The messages that came to me
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were transmitted by the dead. Charles, my husband, was worried
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about my dreams. And after he finished his last book,
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he suggested a rest for the two of us on
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the Carolina coast.
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Margo, you remember Aunt Ida? She lives down on the
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coast near Charleston.
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What about her?
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Well, she's invited us to vacation in a seacoast cabin
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she has in her hands.
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Sound good?
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Oh, well, I don't know, Charles. You think we should?
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With your writing and all, I... I just have the feeling.
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Oh, come on, Margo.
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She says she can't get a buyer and the place
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is just standing idle, so let's go. I.
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Well, all right, honey. You remember the last time we
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went away. I had that awful dream.
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Now, dearest, the doctor said those dreams were all cured.
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You're as good as new.
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Charles, they weren't dreams. They were real. They happened. I
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know they did.
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All right.
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Whatever they were, they're all gone now. And you do
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need a change.
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All right, dear. I'll go if you really want me to.
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That's my girl. Well, we can start packing right away.
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I'll get my typewriter. Did you get those books from
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the library?
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Yes, I put them on your desk.
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Oh, yes, I see them. What about these?
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The Lore of Piracy and Rascals of the Spanish Main.
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Where'd you get these?
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I don't really know, Charles. I just saw them on
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the shelf and picked them up. They just seemed interesting.
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I just sort of felt I wanted to read them.
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Uh-huh.
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Well, they might come in handy at that.
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That section of the coast is full of pirate stories.
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We'll probably need a handbook to know one pirate from another.
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I won't need a book. No, Charles. I'll know them.
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I'm sure I'll know them.
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Now, how'd you folks happen to buy this place?
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Well, we're not buying it, Judge. You see, my aunt
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acquired this place.
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What do they call it?
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Teach's Cove?
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Yes, Teach's Cove.
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Well, she bought it along with some other property about
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a year ago.
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That'd be right after old Hurd died.
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Old Hurd?
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Yeah, Hurd Simpson. These fellas used to own the cove.
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Right queer old gent. And lived out here all alone. Yeah,
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I reckon this land went up for taxes right after
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the accident.
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He died in an accident?
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Well, the official report said accident. Most folks around here
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got their own ideas.
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Like what?
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Well, I saw it myself, and I don't think it
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was no accident. I usually brought out Herd's weekly groceries,
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and when I come out one Saturday morning, he wasn't
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nowhere about. I sat and waited a spell, but after
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a while, I got suspected, and so I... Gets to
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looking around and I finds this little trickle coming out
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from under the door. Looked like somebody dropped a jar
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of
Load full transcript
preserves, but it was blood.
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Oh, no.
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Well, I busted in the door and found old Hurd
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dead as a hammer. Terrible cut. That's right, ma'am. Wasn't
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no sight for a lady. The sheriff, he come out
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and marked it down as an accident because the doors
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and windows were locked from the inside. But how a
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fella could cut himself from the shoulder clear down to
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here by falling on something, especially when we couldn't find
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nothing that big for him to fall on.
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Oh, Charles.
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There now, honey, there now.
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I'm afraid your little gory tail has frightened my wife.
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Oh, no, there's no need to be frightened now, ma'am.
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That was most a year ago. At least it was
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about this same time last year, time of the full
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moon and the highest tide.
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Pirate's moon. Margo.
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That's right, ma'am. Pirate's moon. I reckon they called it
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that because of the high tide. They could slip over
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sandbars and get farther up the inlets to bury their
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treasure or whatever.
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Margo, how did you know about a pirate's moon?
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I don't know, Charles. Read it in one of those books,
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I guess.
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Well, there's a cove right up our head.
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It's a nice-looking place.
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The way you were talking, I expected to see a
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tumble-down shack.
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Oh, it is. Pretty good fella keeping the place up. Well,
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here we are.
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Certainly is deserted country. We didn't see a single soul
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on the way out here.
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Well, I guess I better help you get set up, huh?
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I'll unlock the door if you can start bringing in
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the bags.
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Yes, hurry.
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Get in before dark. I don't know why, but I
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just knew we must be inside the cabin with the
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door locked before dark. There was something that would not
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be quiet, something inside my brain that was trying to
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speak to me. I had to shut it out of
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my mind.
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Well, that ought to do it. Hope you folks are comfortable.
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Thank you, Jed, for all your help.
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That's all right, ma'am. Here, I'll pay you and see
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you off.
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Goodbye, ma'am.
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Goodbye, Jed.
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Thank you. I, uh, I didn't want to say anything
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in there, but my wife's been ill.
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Oh?
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Well, not physically, but, well, she has periods of, well,
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hearing people who aren't there.
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Hearing people?
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Do you get what I mean?
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Yes, sir.
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I think so. She's, uh, she's might, uh, edgy. Exactly.
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Exactly.
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I know we originally arranged for you to come out
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at the end of the week to pick us up.
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But I think you'd better come back sooner. You know,
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if she should have a relapse. Well, I wouldn't want
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to keep her out here any longer than absolutely necessary.
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Uh-huh. Well, I reckon I could make it out the
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day after tomorrow.
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That'd be fine, Jed. Here's your money for this trip.
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Oh, thank you, sir.
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Oh, uh, Mr.
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Reed.
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Yes?
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If I was you.
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I wouldn't go taking any moonlight strolls around Teacher's Cove.
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It's best to be in after dark.
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I determined that my husband should see no abnormal sign
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in me. I laughed. I acted gay. I ignored the
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feeling and the thoughts that kept trying to force their
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way into my brain.
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Darling, look. Look through the window.
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How beautiful that sunset. The tops of those clouds are
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still in the sunlight, the base in the dark.
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It's the way I feel sometimes.
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What?
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Nothing.
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Margo, do you know where I put those books?
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What books,
dear?
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You know, the ones you checked out on pirates.
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I didn't pack them, Charles.
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No, you didn't, but I put them in myself. Oh, yes.
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Here they are.
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But, Charles, I.
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Well, I thought I'd look up your friend Teach, since
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this cover's supposedly named for him.
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Might even do some treasure hunting myself. Oh.
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Look.
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Look at this map.
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It was drawn a long time ago. Not labeled, of course,
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but the general shape seems to correspond with our.
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Little inlet out there. I'll bet that's it. Yes.
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It is our inlet.
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And listen to this, honey.
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Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard, was a giant of
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a man standing well over six feet and weighing nearly
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300 pounds. He was killed in a furious fight in
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an inlet on the Carolina coast. The secret of his
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supposed hidden treasure went with him into oblivion.
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Doesn't that sound exciting?
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What was that?
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What was what?
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I thought I heard a squeaking.
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Rhythmic.
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Like an oar lock. As if someone were rowing.
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I didn't hear anything.
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But I'll look.
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Can't see anything now. Must have been your imagination. Let's see,
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where was I? Oh, yes, right here.
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His favorite weapon was a cutlass, which could inflict a
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horrible wound at one blow. There are probably many shallow
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graves along the coast that attest to Blackbeard's double insurance
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when concealing treasure.
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Hmm. Interesting, don't you think, dear?
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I think it's horrible.
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Can't you just see it? The treasure's buried.
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The men start to fill up the Before they can,
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the giant cutlass flashes twice in the moonlight.
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Charles rushed out to investigate that scream. I knew he
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would find nothing. But at least it was a relief
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to know I'd not just imagined it. Charles had heard
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it too. Next morning, there was no indication of the
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mysterious sounds of the night before. Only a lingering dread
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in my mind. For I knew that night would fall again.
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Oh, it's just what we need. Sun, sky.
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What about the scream last night?
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It's probably a swamp cat or something. We were reading
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about pirates and such.
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Our imaginations coincided with a perfectly natural sound.
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Charles, imagination? Coincidence?
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Well, I don't believe it was Blackbeard's ghost guarding his treasure,
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if that's what you're leading up to.
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I hadn't mentioned it at all.
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I just know it's on your mind. Say, what's that
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over there?
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What?
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That piece of iron sticking up out of the sand.
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Looks like part of a small boat's anchor.
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Looks pretty ancient. Let's dig it out.
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Charles, I don't think we should.
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For Pete's sake, why? It's broad daylight.
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Come on.
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What's this? Looks like a piece of ivory. Heart-shaped. Black
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diamond shape and laid in the middle. You ever see
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anything like it?
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No, Charles.
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I wonder if it's valuable. It's a funny little thing.
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Just one hole in it down near the point of
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the heart.
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It's evil, Charles.
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It's evil. Throw it away.
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Now, Margo, don't get excited over a little bit of ivory.
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It might be valuable, that's all.
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Evil, Charles. It's evil. Evil. Evil. A planchette. A planchette.
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What?
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It's an ivory planchette. Used to communicate with the dead.
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Take it easy, honey.
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The small hole is for the insertion of a writing instrument.
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There are two small casters attached to it. You place
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it on a piece of paper. Let the hands rest
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lightly on top. And it
writes messages. Evil messages. Evil messages. Evil.
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Here, darling. Lie down on the bed. Here's something to drink.
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It'll help you rest. Make you feel better.
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There, now.
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Now, what kind of evil messages are you worried about?
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What?
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You were just telling me about messages from the dead.
256
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What were they?
257
00:13:05.169 --> 00:13:05.809
I don't remember.
258
00:13:05.909 --> 00:13:07.809
Well, you just said something about this planchette, right.
259
00:13:11.330 --> 00:13:12.259
Don't remember, do you?
260
00:13:13.090 --> 00:13:13.370
No.
261
00:13:14.990 --> 00:13:18.990
I really don't know what you're talking about. It's like
262
00:13:19.049 --> 00:13:20.250
I blacked out for a moment.
263
00:13:20.470 --> 00:13:23.149
Well, let's see if you were right about that thing.
264
00:13:24.289 --> 00:13:26.110
I'll look it up in that pirate book of yours.
265
00:13:26.129 --> 00:13:28.129
It's a glossary.
266
00:13:29.610 --> 00:13:30.950
Pirate like plane.
267
00:13:31.409 --> 00:13:31.789
Oh, yes, here.
268
00:13:32.250 --> 00:13:34.960
Planchette used in a form of automatism.
269
00:13:36.200 --> 00:13:39.100
Especially believed to be used in communication with the dead.
270
00:13:40.360 --> 00:13:45.529
You're right, Margo. Absolutely right. Well, by golly, we're going
271
00:13:45.570 --> 00:13:45.990
to try.
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00:13:46.009 --> 00:13:52.690
No, Charles. It's evil. I know that, too. It's evil.
273
00:13:52.730 --> 00:13:54.840
There, there, baby. Now you just go to sleep. You
274
00:13:54.860 --> 00:13:55.659
get some rest now.
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00:13:55.720 --> 00:13:56.039
Charles.
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00:13:56.779 --> 00:14:02.240
That's my girl. You'll sleep for a few hours. Well, now.
277
00:14:03.000 --> 00:14:05.919
Maybe the planchette will tell me where Blackbeard's treasure lies.
278
00:14:06.990 --> 00:14:08.769
That is, unless his ghost is still guarding it.
279
00:14:18.460 --> 00:14:20.980
Charles? Charles, where are you?
280
00:14:21.039 --> 00:14:21.720
Right here, darling.
281
00:14:22.860 --> 00:14:26.139
Charles, the planchette, did you.
282
00:14:26.519 --> 00:14:27.240
No dice, baby.
283
00:14:27.700 --> 00:14:30.139
Old Blackbeard just won't tell me where his treasure is.
284
00:14:30.990 --> 00:14:32.490
I fixed up the little plaything there. I put a
285
00:14:32.549 --> 00:14:34.990
pencil in, sat for over an hour with my hands
286
00:14:35.090 --> 00:14:37.149
resting on it, waiting for it to write on the paper.
287
00:14:38.629 --> 00:14:39.250
Still blank.
288
00:14:39.590 --> 00:14:40.370
I'm glad. I'm glad.
289
00:14:41.320 --> 00:14:44.039
I guess the way those things really work is your
290
00:14:44.159 --> 00:14:47.379
muscles finally get tired and you write out the messages
291
00:14:47.419 --> 00:14:49.080
that are already in your brain.
292
00:14:50.379 --> 00:14:54.700
Maybe so, Charles. But how do the messages get in
293
00:14:54.740 --> 00:14:56.210
your brain in the first place?
294
00:14:56.379 --> 00:14:58.779
Don't ask me. Ask old Blackbeard.
295
00:15:00.330 --> 00:15:00.610
Hungry?
296
00:15:01.659 --> 00:15:02.470
No, not very.
297
00:15:03.169 --> 00:15:06.590
You've been sleeping all afternoon. It's already dark.
298
00:15:08.090 --> 00:15:11.009
Is the moon up yet? It should be full tonight.
299
00:15:12.769 --> 00:15:13.409
I hadn't noticed.
300
00:15:13.769 --> 00:15:19.230
Why? You said it wasn't quite full last night. Tonight
301
00:15:19.289 --> 00:15:24.500
must be the pirate's moon with the highest tide. Good
302
00:15:24.559 --> 00:15:26.500
night for reclaiming buried treasure.
303
00:15:27.000 --> 00:15:29.120
Yes, I... I guess so.
304
00:15:31.899 --> 00:15:34.779
I guess I will fix a little something. You had
305
00:15:34.799 --> 00:15:35.179
dinner yet?
306
00:15:35.399 --> 00:15:35.960
Just a snack.
307
00:15:36.860 --> 00:15:39.679
Let's see. Where did I put that?
308
00:15:45.710 --> 00:15:46.269
Cutlass.
309
00:15:48.629 --> 00:15:53.629
Did Charles put this here to scare me? Does he
310
00:15:53.690 --> 00:15:59.340
want to drive me out of my mind? I won't
311
00:15:59.389 --> 00:16:03.620
make a scene. I'll just ignore it like it wasn't
312
00:16:03.659 --> 00:16:06.210
even there. I won't even mention it.
313
00:16:08.639 --> 00:16:09.059
Charles?
314
00:16:10.299 --> 00:16:10.830
Did you hear it?
315
00:16:10.840 --> 00:16:11.519
What, dear?
316
00:16:12.840 --> 00:16:16.259
That sound again. Like the rowing we heard last night,
317
00:16:16.679 --> 00:16:18.279
just before the scream.
318
00:16:18.340 --> 00:16:21.580
No, Margo. You're really letting this thing get too big
319
00:16:21.600 --> 00:16:22.240
a hold on you.
320
00:16:22.899 --> 00:16:23.620
You didn't hear it.
321
00:16:23.980 --> 00:16:25.080
I didn't hear a thing.
322
00:16:27.240 --> 00:16:32.000
I won't then either. I won't imagine I heard anything.
323
00:16:33.919 --> 00:16:39.809
He's trying again. Trying to make me think thoughts that
324
00:16:39.929 --> 00:16:47.419
don't belong to me. telling me I'm hearing things. Oh, Charles.
325
00:16:48.500 --> 00:16:55.159
Charles. Well, I think I'll turn in early tonight. Oh, boy.
326
00:16:55.179 --> 00:16:58.000
City boys like me get tired pretty quick in the outdoors.
327
00:16:58.259 --> 00:17:03.669
Yes, it's a good idea, Charles. You need some rest? Yes.
328
00:17:05.170 --> 00:17:10.170
You need a rest. After tramping around this afternoon while
329
00:17:10.869 --> 00:17:15.430
I was asleep, Finding that cutlass, putting it in here
330
00:17:15.509 --> 00:17:19.210
to make me think I'm going crazy.
331
00:17:20.710 --> 00:17:21.130
Yes.
332
00:17:22.730 --> 00:17:31.980
Yes, you sleep. Where is that planchette? Oh, yes, here.
333
00:17:33.000 --> 00:17:36.240
Put in the pencil. Now, on the
paper.
334
00:17:37.509 --> 00:17:37.829
Write.
335
00:17:39.269 --> 00:17:39.569
Write.
336
00:17:40.069 --> 00:17:40.349
Write.
337
00:17:42.309 --> 00:17:47.220
Write out the message that is in my brain. Reveal
338
00:17:47.259 --> 00:17:47.799
it to me.
339
00:17:49.559 --> 00:17:50.240
Write.
340
00:17:51.799 --> 00:17:54.519
Write. There, it's moving.
341
00:17:56.079 --> 00:18:04.809
It's writing. K-I-L. Kill? Kill whom?
342
00:18:05.390 --> 00:18:05.789
Why?
343
00:18:07.009 --> 00:18:08.970
C-H-A-R-L. No!
344
00:18:10.009 --> 00:18:10.210
No!
345
00:18:11.730 --> 00:18:15.349
No, why should I kill Charles? He's my husband. He
346
00:18:15.390 --> 00:18:16.970
takes care of me. He keeps me.
347
00:18:18.839 --> 00:18:26.299
Wait a minute. Does Charles think I'm crazy?
348
00:18:26.539 --> 00:18:27.880
Y-E-S.
349
00:18:30.039 --> 00:18:30.660
What was that?
350
00:18:33.160 --> 00:18:34.460
Did you hear something, Charles?
351
00:18:34.529 --> 00:18:38.269
Yes, I thought I did. Something like we heard last night.
352
00:18:38.289 --> 00:18:41.849
What? Don't you think it's your imagination, Charles?
353
00:18:42.529 --> 00:18:46.170
There. There you are. You must have heard it that time, Margo.
354
00:18:46.970 --> 00:18:47.460
Didn't you?
355
00:18:48.259 --> 00:18:51.920
Really, Charles, you've been awfully jumpy lately.
356
00:18:52.259 --> 00:18:53.599
Margo, what's the matter with you?
357
00:18:54.119 --> 00:19:01.220
Nothing, Charles. Absolutely nothing. I've just been using the planchette.
358
00:19:01.500 --> 00:19:06.880
You have? Here, let me see this paper. Is this
359
00:19:06.960 --> 00:19:07.829
what the planchette wrote?
360
00:19:09.109 --> 00:19:09.430
Yes?
361
00:19:10.009 --> 00:19:13.460
It says, kill Charles.
362
00:19:15.079 --> 00:19:15.380
Yes.
363
00:19:17.480 --> 00:19:20.299
Margo. Margo, what does this mean?
364
00:19:20.339 --> 00:19:20.529
Are you.
365
00:19:20.539 --> 00:19:20.660
Are.
366
00:19:22.220 --> 00:19:22.970
You crazy?
367
00:19:24.049 --> 00:19:28.130
I don't know, Charles. Is that what you want me
368
00:19:28.190 --> 00:19:36.079
to be? Did you put... this in the kitchen, so
369
00:19:36.119 --> 00:19:38.000
I would think Blackbeard had been here.
370
00:19:38.200 --> 00:19:40.680
Margo, what are you doing with that thing? Put it down.
371
00:19:40.720 --> 00:19:41.730
You could hurt yourself.
372
00:19:42.769 --> 00:19:46.589
Do you want me to say I'm crazy, Charles? Do
373
00:19:46.630 --> 00:19:50.509
you want me to say that I've been talking to Blackbeard...
374
00:19:49.940 --> 00:19:53.359
and he wants me to keep you from disturbing his treasure?
375
00:19:54.559 --> 00:19:56.839
Is that what you want me to say, Charles?
376
00:19:57.079 --> 00:20:00.829
I don't... Margo. Margo, stay back.
377
00:20:01.509 --> 00:20:02.130
Put that down.
378
00:20:03.349 --> 00:20:04.910
Margo. Margo!
379
00:20:04.930 --> 00:20:06.849
Margo!
380
00:20:14.730 --> 00:20:15.569
Hello, the house.
381
00:20:18.190 --> 00:20:23.319
Ah, that's funny. Nobody seems to be around. Mr. Reed
382
00:20:23.359 --> 00:20:25.380
said I should come out and check on things today.
383
00:20:25.460 --> 00:20:36.930
I guess I'll just take a look. Oh. Oh, Lord,
384
00:20:36.970 --> 00:20:42.349
look at that. Now, now, that Miss Reed there now,
385
00:20:42.690 --> 00:20:45.170
I'm here to help you. No use to cry no
386
00:20:45.190 --> 00:20:45.990
more right now.
387
00:20:46.369 --> 00:20:46.769
Oh, Jed.
388
00:20:47.970 --> 00:20:49.450
Oh, Jed, it's horrible.
389
00:20:49.730 --> 00:20:54.900
Yes, ma'am. It sure is. Now, come on, let's go outside,
390
00:20:54.940 --> 00:21:01.140
away from all this, huh? Now, why don't you tell
391
00:21:01.180 --> 00:21:03.759
me all about it, huh? How it happened?
392
00:21:05.089 --> 00:21:05.650
I don't know.
393
00:21:05.670 --> 00:21:12.220
The last thing I remember, yesterday... Charles gave me a
394
00:21:12.319 --> 00:21:15.880
sedative to make me sleep. That horrible nightmare is all
395
00:21:15.920 --> 00:21:17.359
about blood.
396
00:21:18.920 --> 00:21:22.930
And this morning I... I woke and found this.
397
00:21:23.470 --> 00:21:25.930
Now, now, ma'am, it won't do no good to cry
398
00:21:25.990 --> 00:21:29.809
no more. Sure is terrible. Terrible cut.
399
00:21:31.210 --> 00:21:31.509
What?
400
00:21:31.789 --> 00:21:35.490
Terrible cut your husband had there. Terrible, just like one
401
00:21:35.539 --> 00:21:36.019
herd had.
402
00:21:37.400 --> 00:21:37.740
It seems.
403
00:21:37.920 --> 00:21:40.339
Yes, ma'am. Of course, you wouldn't know it unless you've
404
00:21:40.359 --> 00:21:42.900
seen them both like I have, but them cuts are
405
00:21:43.400 --> 00:21:52.509
almost identical. Exactly alike. What's that you're hanging on to? This? Yeah.
406
00:21:53.609 --> 00:21:55.710
I don't know. We found it on the beach yesterday.
407
00:21:56.309 --> 00:21:56.569
Yeah.
408
00:21:57.369 --> 00:22:01.190
That's mighty hard to explain. Old Hurd had one of
409
00:22:01.230 --> 00:22:02.150
them things, too.
410
00:22:03.710 --> 00:22:04.049
He did?
411
00:22:04.609 --> 00:22:08.490
Yeah. Practically had to pry his fingers off of you.
412
00:22:09.809 --> 00:22:11.170
Funny little things, ain't they?
413
00:22:12.549 --> 00:22:14.549
Well, I thought this... I mean.
414
00:22:16.339 --> 00:22:18.279
I thought mine was the only one.
415
00:22:18.740 --> 00:22:22.279
Oh, no, ma'am. Some kind of gambling ship, I reckon.
416
00:22:22.319 --> 00:22:24.980
Sunk out there a couple of years ago. And ever
417
00:22:25.000 --> 00:22:28.099
since then, them things been washed in the sewer. Then.
418
00:22:29.440 --> 00:22:33.680
Then they're not valuable as antiques or anything.
419
00:22:33.799 --> 00:22:37.490
Oh, shucks, no, ma'am. They got so plentiful around here,
420
00:22:37.630 --> 00:22:42.680
folks got to calling them Blackbeard's ace. Not much use
421
00:22:42.720 --> 00:22:43.599
to them, I reckon.
422
00:22:45.200 --> 00:22:50.680
No, Jed. Not much use. Not much use to them
423
00:22:50.720 --> 00:22:55.069
at all. Except to Blackbeard. Blackbeard.
424
00:23:01.470 --> 00:23:02.309
Suspense.
425
00:23:03.490 --> 00:23:06.400
You've been listening to Blackbeard's Ace, starring Elaine Rost and
426
00:23:06.440 --> 00:23:09.500
John Thomas, with Bob Dryden as Jed, and written especially
427
00:23:09.539 --> 00:23:13.500
for Suspense by Jack Buttram. Suspense is produced and directed
428
00:23:13.519 --> 00:23:16.559
by Bruno Zerato Jr., music supervision by Ethel Huber, sound
429
00:23:16.579 --> 00:23:19.720
patterns by Joe Cabibo. Listen again next week when we
430
00:23:19.789 --> 00:23:23.009
return with The Second Door, written by Robert Reddick, another
431
00:23:23.029 --> 00:23:27.910
tale well calculated to keep you in... Suspense. Betty Furness
432
00:23:27.950 --> 00:23:30.529
talks about the Seattle World's Fair tomorrow on the CBS
433
00:23:30.589 --> 00:23:31.109
radio network.