LAND OF THE LIVING DEAD: Sacred Cities, Tomb-based Booby Traps, and Terror at Every Turn!
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My dad worked in the mines of Kentucky in the steel mill in Gary. Through him I learned what hard, dangerous work was and saw that workers like him need a voice when tragic things happen. That's why I focus my law practice on helping hardworking people get justice. Like Mike, whose hand was mangled at work because of a dangerously defective machine. We fight every day to protect the rights of accidentally injured people. In fact, it's all we do. I guess you can say it's in our DNA.

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Welcome, Weirdos! I'm Darren Marlar and this is Retro Radio – old time radio in the dark, brought to you by WeirdDarkness.com. Here I have the privilege of bringing you some of the best dark, creepy and macabre old time radio shows ever created.

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Now, bolt your doors, lock your windows, turn off your lights, and come with me into tonight's retro radio, old-time radio in the dark. The CBS Radio Mystery Theater presents... ♪♪

Come in. Welcome. I'm E.G. Marshall. Richard III is the last of Shakespeare's cycle of historical plays that take England into, through, and out of bloody civil war and back to peace. But because this play focuses on one man, the malformed evil genius Richard of York,

there is less of history and more of blood in the drama as it storms and drives relentlessly to its violent conclusion. Oh, boy! Oh, boy! Oh, boy! Oh, boy! Oh, boy!

I have set my life upon a throw of a dice, and I will chance my fortune on the roll. I think there must be six of my enemy rich men in the field, for already I have slain five, I thought, were he. A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse! A horse!

♪♪ Our mystery drama, The Prince of Evil, was adapted from William Shakespeare's classic tragedy, Richard III, especially for the Mystery Theater by Ian Martin and stars Howard Da Silva. It is sponsored in part by Allied Van Lines and Time Magazine. I'll be back shortly with Act One. ♪♪

The bloodiest civil war in England's history gave Shakespeare the chance to produce the bloodiest villain in all its history, but a fascinating villain, for in spite of all his physical drawbacks, he was a man of such magical and magnetic charm that few men or women could credit the depths of depravity he admitted only to himself.

a man of sardonic wit and humor. Hear him as he comments on what seems to be the arrival of peace at last with Edward, his brother, of the House of York, seated safely on the throne. ♪♪

Now is the winter of our discontent, made glorious summer by this son of York. My brother, how different to me. My arms shrunk like a withered shrub, a mountain on my back, legs of an equal size, deformity marks my body.

When I came from the womb, women cried, Oh, Jesus, he is born with teeth. And so I was, that I could snarl and bite. Then, since my body has been shaped so, I'll shape my mind to fit it. I have no brothers. I am like no brother. And the word love is full unknown to me.

Since I have no joy upon this earth, I'll make my heaven to dream upon the crown which stands some steps from me. But King Henry and the prince's son are gone by my hand. My brother, the present king, is sickly and his mind well poisoned against my other brother. So, Clarence, I have my cue. Your turn is next. Hold you guard!

Clarence, what is this armed guard that ring you? King Edward has graciously decided to house me in the tower. For what reason? Because my given name is George. He might better commit our godfathers, since they named all of us. What's the matter, Clarence? Why, when I know for sure, it may be too late to tell you, Richard. It seems our elder brother, in his failing health...

He is guided by prophecies and dreams. Guided to put his own brother in that dread fortress? Why? Some wizard told him his issue would be disinherited by someone whose name begins with G. And since my name is George... What nonsense is this? It could not happen except where men are ruled by women, as is Edward by his queen. I'll go to the king immediately and have you delivered.

My name, too, if you reckon my title begins with G. Duke of Gloucester. So let me stand proxy for you. Oh, if all could only know your inward grace as I do. Think not of me, but of yourself. And knowing my love and sword is sworn to you, have patience. Why, as you see, what choice have I? Brother, farewell. Farewell.

brother tread the path on which you never will return simple plain Clarence I do love you so that I shall shortly send your soul to heaven if heaven will take the present at my hands my brother the king cannot live I hope so God may take King Edward to his mercy and leave the throne to me

But soft, what comes here? The funeral cortege of our last and lost King Henry. Then I must woo and win this widowed Anne who follows it. For she must be my ally and bring me her family's support.

Stay! You that bear the coffin and set it down. What black magician conjured you up, Butcher? To one side, hedgehog! Villains! Set down the corpse. Or by the living God, I'll make a corpse of him who disobeys. What? You tremble. Are you all afraid?

Alas, I cannot blame you. For what mortal eye can look upon the devil? Continue all of you to the grave. I will follow after I have faced down this scum of hell. Well, devil, you had your way with his flesh. His soul you cannot have. Sweet saint, for charity curse me not. What else could you hope from me?

Did you not murder my Richard and King Henry? I did not kill your husband. Why then? Richard must be alive. No, he is dead, but slain by my brother Edward's hand. You lie in your foul throat. Queen Margaret saw your murderous short sword smoking with his blood.

The same point you might have killed her with... if your brothers Edward and Clarence had not struck it aside. I was provoked because her slanderous tongue laid their guilt on my shoulders. You were provoked by your bloody mind.

You deny you killed King Henry, that I was even now following to the grave? No, that I grant you. Oh, how could you? Such a gentle, mild man. The fitter then for the King of Heaven, who has him now. He is in Heaven, but you will never know, for there you will never go. Then let him thank me, for he was more fit for there than earth. As you are tailored for hell. Yes, I am.

And one place else, if you will hear me name it. Some dungeon. Your bedchamber. Who is most to blame for these two deaths?

The causer or the executioner? You were both cause and effect. Not so, lady. Your beauty was the cause that haunted me to undertake the death of all the world. So I might live one hour in your sweet bosom. If I thought that, I would take my nails and rip my face to shreds. I took your husband only to help you to a better one. Who? Myself. You? You?

Out of my sight. You infect my eyes. No, no. I beg you. Your lips were made for kissing, not for such contempt. If you cannot find it in your heart to forgive, here is my sword. And here my breast, naked as I kneel, plunged in my heart. I humbly beg my death. No, do not pause. For I did kill King Henry. But it was your beauty that provoked me. Come, strike. Strike.

I stabbed your husband, Edward, but it was your beauty that drove me to it. Take up the sword again, or take me up. Rise, liar. For all I wish your death, I cannot be your executioner. Then bid me kill myself, and I will do it. I wish I could read your heart. The answer you heard from my lips. I am afraid that both are false. Then never was there a true man. Enough. Put up your sword.

So then, I've made my peace? We shall see. But I may live in hope? As all men do, I trust. Was any woman ever wooed in such a fashion? In such a fashion, was any woman ever won? I'll have her. But first, my brothers must be disposed of. The king? By God, I hope.

And Clarence by me. Have you seen the king, Lord Hastings? Yes, your majesty. I have just left him. How is he then today? My queen, he... His grace speaks cheerfully. But you make effort to...

If he should die, what is to become of me? You have two sons to be your comforters should he be gone. Oh, but they are young. And their guardianship now lies in the hands of Richard of Gloucester, who has little reason to love me. It is concluded Gloucester is to be protector? Determined. Not yet concluded.

But if the king should die without recovering, that loathsome Gloucester... Hush, hush. He and Lord Buckingham are approaching. They do me wrong, Buckingham. Who are they to complain to the king that I have no regard for him? My own brother? My lord of Gloucester, I believe the king seeks only to bring peace between two factions. Ah, your majesty's pardon. I did not know we were observed. Nor I, my queen.

Who are they and those of whom you speak, gentlemen? Why, your brother Rivers and your sons, Dorset and Gray. You envy my advancement and my friends. God grant we never may have need of you. Meantime, God grants that I have need of you. By your means, I have a dear beloved brother imprisoned and myself in disgrace. I never turned his majesty against the Duke of Clarence. If anything, I was his advocate.

I shall not endure such words. I am still, so I hope, the queen. An honor and state more properly due to me. Queen Margaret. Or would be so... if this bunchbacked toad had not murdered my dear King Henry in the tower...

And Edward, my poor son of Tewksbury. No way, old hag. Your cause is in the grave. Mine still lives. And I must fight for my poor brother, poor Clarence. His head should roll, and so should yours. In God's name, enough. In God's name, my prophecy...

As my husband is dead, so will be yours. And you will die neither wife nor mother nor England's queen. Oh, how insufferable. I warn you. Take heed of the dog you have by your side. Sin, death and hell have all set their marks on him. I warn you all. Let him not set his mark on you. She sets my hair on end with her curses. My Lord Hastings, will you attend me? Yes, my queen.

Have you need of me? Can I count on you, Buckingham? I do not give my support lightly, yes. Good. I do have need of you. But later, Buckingham. Later. I do the wrong, then let others shoulder the blame. I bleed for Clarence.

Whilst I prepare to make him bleed for me. I trick the simple gulls like Hastings and Buckingham... To believe it is the queen and hers who stir the king against me. And they believe it. Even Anne is fooled by a piece of scripture. God bids us do good for evil. And thus I cloak my naked villainy... With odds and ends stolen from the holy writ. But no more play...

It is time to take the first step on the road to the crown. The murder of my dear brother Clarence. The villain supreme. A man who can surmount the impossible odds of his own misshapen body and soul. And yet by the magic of his charm and guile, blind everyone. Including his prospective victims.

I shall return shortly with Act Two. Suddenly, a stroke of ill fate to everyone but Richard of Gloucester sends events racing towards an early climax.

With the Duke of Clarence in the tower, the king's illness has left the third brother, Richard, in temporary possession of great power. But how to use it best to shape events to his will? Richard is lucky as well as evil. Events do the shaping for him. He is called to the dying king's bedside. So that my soul may go in peace, I am repenting all my sins.

I have called all near and dear... and those whom strife has put apart... to meet here by my bed... so that the last act of York... shall be to bring peace. Who is bid to this council? My Queen Elizabeth... her brother and sons... Hastings, Buckingham...

And most of all, you, dear Richard, and poor George. The Duke of Clarence? He will be hard put to it to attend. I know, I know, since I in anger sent him to the tower. But here, here, take this. What is this paper? My full pardon.

And the order for his release. The pity is that you did not... No, no, no, no. Do not chide me, Richard. I repent my anger and only hope it is the will of God that you can bring him here in time. I will make such haste as is necessary if I am not too late. Too late for what? Why, Edward, these are sad days for you. Your mind does wander...

Do you not remember the order for his execution? No, no, I never went so far. But he is not yet dead. There may be time to stop it. Trust me to make sure our brother's life is taken care of. By the king's hand, my lord. Can't you read, Tyrell? Can't you see his seal, man? Aye, but... But what?

Well, out with it! I would wish I had time to check, my lord of Gloucester. Here, you see where it reads, to require the immediate release of... Decease is the word. Decease! Do you think this concerns my brother? I would not give my own life if it were the other? Yes, but the king's brother, who would protect me... I will protect you, Tyrell. I promise you I shall be a very good protector, since very soon I will sit upon the throne. Ha!

Aye, very like, my lord. Since the king is sick and... And you hold a certain order in your hand, I should not like to see your name on one of the same. It shall be done, my lord. And with dispatch? It will. I know it will, for I shall... My orders are that I shall wait to know it is done. Why, who is...

Oh, it is you, Sir John. I am sorry to bring you from your sleep. Not asleep. I would not spend another night like this for a lifetime of happy days. Come, sit by me a moment. I cannot. The time has come. What is... I'm... Who are these men? I'm sorry, my lord. I only obey orders. No, no.

If you love my brother, you cannot hate me. If the king has hired you for gold, go back again... and I will send you to my brother Richard of Gloucester... who will reward you better for the tidings of my life... than the king will for those of my death. Do what must be done, lads. My lord, look behind you. Where? In the strike. Lord, I should be sent thus...

With no peace yet won from God. Out of here, lads. The deed is done. I am sorry. Poor Lord Clarence.

But I have a career to guard. And my neck. Fool. If you value that neck, finish the job. I cannot stab him again. I will not. What is that bat outside the door? A tub of Madeira white. Is it full? Near to. Then help me. Help me.

Dear God. If he must dream of a crowning, let that be his quietus. Now he'll be lifted. And head first. Drown, Clarence. Edward choke on death. I'll be the only brother left with breath. Now I can feel I've done a good day's work. And in peace my soul can part to heaven. Rivers...

And Hastings' friends. Oh, dear Edward, it is time to rest. No, no, Elizabeth, my queen. You are not exempt from all. You, Dorset, Buckingham, wife, let Lord Hastings kiss your hand. There, Hastings. I shall forget our former hatred.

as long as me and mine are safe. Never fear me for that, madam. Now, Buckingham, you must seal this league between all. I have no enemies. I am all men's friends. And as to you, madam queen, God punish me by hate from those I love if I am ever called in love to you and yours. There speaks my princely Buckingham.

Oh, I could die now in peace if only my brothers Gloucester and Clarence were here. In good time. Here comes the noble Duke of Gloucester. Good morrow to my sovereign king and queen. Why, brother, you must be gaining from the smiles I see around you. Oh, the king smiles. For such general goodwill and promises of buried enmity have been made that tomorrow should be kept as a holiday on this day forever after. If you shall join us...

And, gentlemen, Lord King, I beseech you to forgive Lord Clarence. Why, madam, you ask for love from me? Flout me in the royal presence, knowing that our brother the Duke is dead? No, not Clarence's head. Do I look as pale, Lord Hastings, as the rest? The blood is fled from all men's faces, as though afraid. As well all may be who look not pale.

Look not to their skins, for blood will flow from this. Richard, Richard, I asked you. Clarence dead, but the order was reversed. Your first order, it seems, carried faster than the countermand that arrived too late. Too late? No. No.

Master, stand aside. Let me to him. Buckingham, Hastings, attend me. I wait upon your grace, and so do I. Did you mark the guilt upon the faces of the queen and all her kinsmen and allies? Mark me. They urged my brother's death upon the king, but by God, with your help, I will revenge it.

And will you stand by me? When the time comes, the king is not yet dead. But when it comes, long live the king, sire. Oh, I cannot believe. So quickly gone. Sister, have comfort.

All of us mourn the star that has been dimmed. None can set the torch to light his fire again or cool the hurt by soothing tears. He is gone, but England still remains. We must take thought to her. What thought would you have in mind? Why, my Lord Buckingham and I have talked between ourselves and... But no, you tell our Queen, Buckingham. Tell me what?

The succession, ma'am, must be secured. It seems to us that some small escort should be sent to Ludlow to fetch the young prince, your son, Edward, dear, as soon as possible to be crowned king.

Why some small escort, my Lord Buckingham? We have just bound up old wounds. There's danger in any show of force. Let us keep the peace orderly as your husband desired and make the transition smooth. I do believe Lord Buckingham is right. He shall have my support. Lord Hastings, if you so believe, then you relieve me very much. The king made peace with all of us.

The compact is firm with me. So be it. Madam, my thanks. Now, leave it to me who shall go to bring the boy here. I thank you for your help. For the rest, I go to the chapel to pray for my husband. Let those who will join me. My lord, whoever journeys to the prince, one of us must stay at home.

I think it should be me. For while you are gone, I will have opportunity to set in motion all we have discussed.

Better to leave it to me to part the queen's kindred by whatever means... from any support to the prince. Oh, my other self. My oracle, prophet, and comrade in the aims of villainy. Like a child, I will go by your direction for the child. By my return, shall we be ready? By your return...

all will be ready to call you king, or they will have joined the king already dead. My Lord Hastings, have you heard any news of the Duke of Gloucester and my son? Why, yes, Your Majesty. Last night I heard they stopped at Northampton, and tonight will sleep at Stratford. You are sure my boy is well? Madam, as long as Hastings lives, you need not fear.

I will be party to no coronation... save it be Prince Edward of Wales... the true heir to the crown. Oh, you ease my heart, good Hastings. These are such bloody times... as I thought left behind. I have to fear for both my babes... if there is a pretender to the throne. You mean... the Duke of Gloucester? He is in the line. That is why I see the ruin of my house... a tiger about to savage the helpless deer... tyranny hanging over the empty throne...

I see, as in a map, destruction, blood and massacre on a road that soon must end us all. Good day, my Lord Buckingham. Good day. Greetings. What news do you bring? The Prince and the Duke of Gloucester are in London and will soon be here. So, well enough. And what about Lord Hastings? Have you sounded him out? Ah, he loved the Father too well.

I fear we cannot win him to any move against the prince's son. And Stanley? He will follow Hastings' lead. Then sound out Hastings again and be bold. You know our purpose and neither Gloucester nor I shall sway from it till it's accomplished. But how can Richard claim the throne while the little prince of Wales and his tiny brother, the Duke of York, are still alive? Claim it he will and mount it. But hold it.

There's another question, as long as the children live. That we must leave to Richard. Oh, my lord, I am afraid. And so am I. The storm sweeps us before it, each a cork. For Richard needs must head the house of York.

The intelligent, perceptive, but venal Buckingham has made his usual careful assessment. To secure the throne he covets, Richard of Gloucester will bloody his hands even more, and heads will roll like tenpins. Even his wife, Anne, and one of the most sickening murders in history, the two young princes.

I'll return shortly with Act Three. Success has attended Richard in all his glory escapades so far. There are more bloody triumphs still to come. His one failure has been with Prince Edward of Wales, son of the Queen, and the true heir apparent to the throne.

With a diamond-bright honesty and the unerring eye of a child, he knows instinctively that his uncle is not to be trusted and someone to be feared. Welcome, sweet prince, to London. Welcome, my sovereign lord, you should be saying, Buckingham. Why, so I should. Christ welcome your majesty. I'm not a king yet.

Why haven't my mother and my brother come to meet me? In time, sweet nephew. In time. It's been a long journey. You must be tired. No, uncle. Then what? Just... just sad. Come. This is a homecoming when a boy should be all smiles. Uncle Gloucester? Yes, my boy. When my brother comes, where shall we stay until the coronation? Why, wherever it would seem best to your royal highness...

But if I may counsel you, for your protection, spend a day or two at the tower. Oh, no. I do not like the tower. I shall not sleep quiet there. What's to disturb you? My Uncle Clarence's ghost. My Grandam says he was murdered there. What nonsense, lad. Murdered? Never. But he died there. Why, so it's true. But you must not fear your uncle. I fear no uncle dead, dear.

Or none that live, I hope. And if they live, I hope I need not fear. But you are my protector, so I must obey. So with a heavy heart to the tower, I wend my way. Well, Catesby, what news this morning in our tottering state? It is a reeling world indeed, Lord Hastings.

And I believe we'll never stand up straight till Richard wears the crown. Gloucester, I'd have my own crown cut off by the neck than see the real crown so misplaced. Does he aspire to it? Oh, it is men of goodwill who aspire to see him accept it.

Men who would welcome your support and bar my poor dead master's heirs from their rightful descent, I'd fight that to the death. I would hope it will not come to that, my lord. You would excuse me. I must return to duty at the tower. Woe, woe to England. I might have prevented this.

My life safe in their hands? Oh, bloody Richard. I prophesy the fearful time to come. My head is on the block, but you will be torn from the heights and just as dead as me. My lords and gentlemen of the council.

You're sometime Chamberlain, Lord Hastings. He does seem to be short of body. God, you may take away the traitor's head. So dearly I love the man that I must weep. I took him for the most harmless creature that breathed upon the earth. I cannot be so Christian, my good Lord of Gloucester...

not to a subtle traitor who this day planned in this same council room to murder or have murdered both yourself and me. What? Then he deserved his death. Well done, Your Greatness. Now, all my lords, this barely thwarted plot gives warning that we and my lord Gloucester cannot resign our state of fortune and our sceptered isle to the corruption of a blemished stock.

We must waken to our country's good, bind up our wounds. So heartily we solicit Gloucester's gracious self to take on himself the charge of king. My fellow peers, a moment. I do not know whether to depart in silence or bitterly reprove you, Buckingham. And yet, your love deserves my thanks.

But I must shun your high request. No, no, no, no. So many and mighty are my defects. No, please. Please hear me out. So many my defects that I would rather hide from greatness. But God be thanked, there is no need of me. My brother's son, who bears my brother's name. Ah, but not by Edward's wife. What?

He was first betrothed by substitute to the sister of the King of France. And by that substitute, your brother begot this Edward, whom we now call Prince. I tell you, your grace, if you refuse us, your brother's son will never reign as king. Sweet prince, let me entreat you. Accept their suit. If you deny it, all England will rue it. Friend Catesby, will you entreat me to a life of cares? Yes.

Ah, good Buckingham, and all the rest. If you must buckle fortune on my back to bear the burden, whether I wish it or not, I must have patience to endure the load. God bless you, Chris. And long live Richard the Third! So now you are a queen, Anne. How sits the crown upon your head?

Queen Mother. As uneasy as my bed. How could you have married him? I do not know. He has a charm, a beguilement, a devil's way of torturing everything as out of shape as he is, till his shape and soul become the everyday, and all the rest strange and unnatural. I should say had, for now I am wide awake and

and wonder how I ever lost my head. You're like to lose it in earnest, as we two other queens, Elizabeth and I. As for me, I can flee to France, but Elizabeth will never leave her babes imprisoned in the tower. And you, where can you go? To join my first beloved, and hope it will be soon.

I would rather die than have any man say of me as Richard's wife, God save the Queen. Well, Buckingham, by your assistance, King Richard is seated. But do I wear these glories only for a day, or will they last so we can rejoice in them? May they live forever, Your Majesty. Nay. Now, Buckingham, shall I test if you are only current gold?

Young Edward's still alive. That's true. Yet I would still be king. Why, so you are, and thrice renowned. And yet, young Edward's still alive. Shall I be plain? I wish him dead, and his brother with him. What do you say to that? Your grace may do your pleasure. Suddenly you are all ice. Your kind love freezes. Tell me,

Have I your consent they shall die? Allow me a moment to consider your grace. Why, let that be. There are more pressing things. Richmond has gathered an army against me and marches towards London. Young Henry of Judah. Do not say the name. Stand aside, please. But...

Of our other urgent business. I remember that Henry prophesied Richmond would be king. My lord, you promised me the earldom of Hereford. And if... What o'clock is it? Oh, why, twelve. But about Hereford and his land... Step aside, sirrah. I'm not in the giving mood today. Sure, he repays all my service with such contempt.

I made him king for this. Now what will he make me? Oh, let me think of Hastings and fly to join Richmond whilst my head is still upon my shoulders. Well, gentle Tyrell, am I happy in your news? If to have done the thing you wanted will make you happy, be happy then, for it is done. You saw both young princes dead?

I did. And buried? By the chaplain of the tower. I know not where. Well done, gentle Tyrell. Now think what you would ask of me... and come to supper to see it fulfilled. I thank your gracious majesty. Before then... I'll see you safe beyond this world... like my brother Clarence. His son is locked in a dungeon...

The sons of Edward are locked in Abraham's bosom. And Anne, my wife, has bid the world good night. So I may marry Edward's daughter. My throne is safe. Except for Richmond. That pretender from the House of Tudor. On now to Salisbury and to bring him low. What hour is it, Catesby? Dear midnight, sire.

I have not that alacrity of spirit or cheer of mind I used to have. Bid my guard watch and leave me. Come to me before the sun is up and help me gird my armor on. You shall not sleep, Richard. We will haunt you. Clarence. Despair and doubt. Now hear me, Ophelia.

Richard. Edward. Richard of Gloucester. And... And... Who's that? Who's there? Keatsby. Your Majesty bid me wake you. Ah, well then it's time to arm and give direction. Oh, but Keatsby...

I have had such a dream that has struck more terror to the soul of Richard than can the substance of ten thousand men at arms. Oh, coward conscience, how it does afflict me. There is no creature loves me, and if I die, no soul shall pity me, nor should they, since I find in me no pity for myself.

Oh, shadows. You have done your work. Very good, my liege. You must not start it, shadows. True enough. So gird my armor on. Sound trumpets boldly and cheerfully. God and St. George. Richmond and victory. All right. Rescue me now. Winner and rescue. And come to his aid. The king is on horseback.

And fight, John, for a horse! A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse! Take cover, my lord! I'll find one to bring you home! I have set my life upon a throw of the dice! I will chance my fortune on that roll! Richmond!

Richmond, my lord! Here is Richard upon the ground! Come, let us take him! Richmond, I think there must be six of you in the field. For five I have slain already, I thought for you. A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!

Take him as we would a snake and trample him under. Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh!

Too many. I cannot fight the world. Richmond! Now our civil fever's bled. The day is ours. The bloody dog is dead. Hey! Hey!

So, pierced by a hundred wounds and trampled ignominiously in the dirt under the horse's hooves, died Richard III, Prince of Evil. A man less hideous in his person than in his immortal soul. Small wonder he will never rest in peace.

Young Richmond became Henry VII of England, first of the Tudor line of kings, and the beginning of true peace at home and the spread of England's glory abroad.

The real King Richard III might have been little noted in his history, save for William Shakespeare. In actual fact, he was a man of his times and a reasonably good monarch. But in any conflict between history and high drama, drama has a way of persevering. So down through the ages, our picture of this king has become that of the Prince of Evil.

Our cast included Howard Da Silva, E.V. Juster, Court Benson, Hetty Galen, Earl Hammond, and Ian Martin. The entire production was under the direction of Hyman Brown. And now, a preview of our next tale. When Antony first met her upon the river, no man in all the universe could not have desired her. The barge she sat in, like a burnished throne, burned on the water.

The stern was beaten gold, the sails purple, and so perfumed they turned the very winds that filled them sick for love. The oars were silver, but her own person beggared all description.

She lay in her pavilion half clothed in cloth of gold. And pretty dimpled boys with different colored fans caressed her cheeks to a rosy glow. Oh, rare Egyptian. Rare indeed.

Age cannot wither her, nor customs stale her infinite variety. Radio Mystery Theater was sponsored in part by Buick Motor Division. This is E.G. Marshall inviting you to return to our mystery theater for another adventure in the macabre.

Until next time, pleasant dreams. I get asked all the time why we only represent people who've been accidentally injured or had loved ones die tragically.

and I tell them about my father who worked in the mines of Kentucky, then came to Gary to work in the steel mill. Through him, I learned what hard work was, what dangerous work was, and saw that workers like him needed a voice when bad things happen. I know what I do every day would make my dad proud. My dad worked in the mines of Kentucky in the steel mill in Gary, and the parents of my partners worked in the mills too, or in the building trades or driving trucks.

So at Allen Law Group, we understand the struggle working people face when they lose their livelihood because of an accident. That's why we work so hard to help injured people win justice. Unlike the other firms, that's all we do. And because we know what you're facing, we won't quit until we win. I guess you can say it's in our DNA. I get asked all the time why we only represent people who've been accidentally injured or had loved ones die tragically.

Strange Adventures

The two gendarmes crouched in their hiding place on the mountainside, their rifles ready as they scanned the cave mouth that faced them across the narrow canyon. Inside the cave, Pierre Magnon, the most notorious outlaw in Corsica, was making his last stand for freedom. Captain Massoni spoke softly to the other policemen. « Arrégis, I'm going in after Magnon. Keep me covered until I reach the cave. »

Origi looked across the rugged canyon and shook his head. It is suicide, mon capitaine. I know you want to see Magnon dead, but there is no use to take this risk.

Jean d'Amourigi knew well the reason for his companion's eagerness. This was Corsica, the land of Vendetta, a feud that went on for generations simply for the sake of family honor. One of Massoni's brothers had been killed by Pierre Magnon, and the officer, aside from his duty of apprehending a murderer, felt honor-bound to avenge his kin.

Massani rose and began to climb down the wall of the canyon. He had hardly started when a shot came from the cave and the gendarme fell back, a bullet grazing his right shoulder. He climbed back to the side of his friend. Arigi, he can't hold out long without food and water. Get back into town and get reinforcements. We'll wait him out.

The next day, a large party of gendarmes and the local magistrates took up a silent vigil across from the cave. Captain Massoni, taking the risk of being sniped at, cautiously approached the entrance of the hideout and shouted, "'Lay down your arms and surrender, Mignon. The magistrates promise you a fair trial. We'll not shoot if you make no trouble.' No voice came from the darkness of the cave."

Very well. My men have enough dynamite here to seal the mouth of this cave. How would you like that? There was a minute of silence. Then the bandit called out. I surrender.

I'm coming out without my gun. A moment later, Mignon appeared, his head held high and his arms folded over his breast as he advanced toward his captors. Little did the bandit and his captors suspect what would happen next. A shot rang out and Mignon crumpled and fell over dead.

One of the policemen dragged a ragged youth from the crowd of villagers and shoved him before Captain Massoni. The gendarme officer looked at him with surprise and anger. What is the meaning of this? I had promised Mignon a trail. The youth looked with scorn at the assembled officials. Before you handcuff me and condemn me for the murder of this man, will you please remove his coat?

One of the police pulled off the dead man's jacket. From the right sleeve fell a long, slender dagger. The youth smiled sardonically. Oui, mon capitaine. You promised Manon a fair trial, but I didn't. He murdered my uncle, and I swore revenge. With that knife, he was going to kill you. By taking my revenge, I have saved your life.

The group of magistrates nodded their heads sagely. A moment later, the young man was free, his honor avenged by the age-old custom of vendetta. This is Pat McGeehan in Hollywood, California, saying goodbye from my writer, Charles Crowder, and inviting you to tune in again to another tale of Strange Adventures.

I get asked all the time why we only represent people who've been accidentally injured or had loved ones die tragically. And I tell them about my father, who worked in the mines of Kentucky, then came to Gary to work in the steel mill. Through him, I learned what hard work was, what dangerous work was, and saw that workers like him needed a voice when bad things happen. I know what I do every day would make my dad proud.

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A mysterious cigar box purchased at a farmer's market releases an ancient djinn who demands a replacement prisoner. An elderly woman possesses the terrifying power to inflict pain through handmade dolls. An exclusive restaurant's sinister secret menu includes murder-for-hire and harvested organs.

With each turn through these 20 tales, Reddit NoSleep favorite AP Royal reshapes reality, creating dazzling patterns of horror that entrance as they terrify. The Kaleidoscope, 20 Terrifying Tales of Horror and the Supernatural by AP Royal, narrated by Darren Marlar. Hear a free sample on the audiobooks page at WeirdDarkness.com.

Adventures by Morse. Carlton E. Morse presents The Land of the Living Dead, featuring Captain Friday. If you like high adventure, come with me. If you like the stealth of intrigue, come with me. If you like blood and thunder, come with me. This is the tale of ancient Chakotah mysticism, the drama of strange terrors and weird deaths.

Involved in this adventure of the land of the living dead are Dr. Julian English, renowned archaeologist and paleontologist, and his daughter Judith. On the far side of Russian Hill in San Francisco sits the English home, standing alone in a garden of neglected shrubbery and vine-entangled trees. About the whole place is a tall, dilapidated head that cuts off the house from the rest of the world. But let Captain Friday go on with the story.

We pick up this business on a certain dreary night with a fog hanging in a sinister wet blanket over the city. In the distance, the foghorns bellow mournfully, but all other noises are muffled to a weird, indistinct muttering. Skip Turner and I, moving stealthily along a residential street, now and again caught glimpses of other beings, but only as vague, indistinct phantoms. In this fog, walking with us was the essence of sudden death.

Danger breathed on the backs of our necks, and every step we came near to Dr. English's home, the more pronounced it became. Creepy, huh, Captain? We're almost there. Don't get separated from me in this fog. Yeah.

Hey, Cappy, why didn't we take a taxi? Why sneak up on Dr. English's place like a couple of footpads? Like I told you, Skip, Dr. English's son, Robert, just got back from Chile. Apparently with some information that scared the doctor silly. He says it's dynamite. Well, I still don't see what that's got to do with us sneaking in at midnight. For one thing, he wanted to be sure we weren't trailed. Hey, you think somebody's tailing us? Man, we've doubled back in a track twice. That should stop him. Yeah, and this fog's thick as pea soup.

Hey, what do you think this dangerous information is that Robert brought back? Maybe he found a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? You may not be far off, Skip. Why, what do you mean? I got an idea that Dr. English and Robert have been playing a pretty dangerous game. Before Robert left, the doctor told me he was going on a mission into the jungle country of Chile to look for a tremendous fortune, supposedly buried in some lost city. Well, he's an archaeologist, ain't he? What's so dangerous about looking for a lost city? There's something in the wind. Something apparently pretty big. Oh, I know, but...

Hey, what's that? Well, it may be a dog howl. And again, it may not. Well, then somebody is tailing us. There's no telling. The English house is behind this hedge. The gate's just ahead. Should we double back again? No use. Too close now. Come on. Okay. Okay.

I still don't see what danger there is in looking for a town that nobody can't find. It seems this lost city is guarded by an ancient Indian tribe, the Chakotas. Oh, I get it. They don't want nobody fooling with their buried treasure. And they're ready to knock off the first fellow that tries, huh? In capsule form, that's about right. Well, say, did his sister Judith go along with Robert? No, Dr. English wouldn't let her. Said the trip was too dangerous. You know, I could go for that little lady, boss.

The way she makes a dress important is a sight to see. You said that before. Here's the gate. It's open. Come on. I can't get that phony dog call out of my mind. Hey, there it is again. Come on, it's Judah's voice. Yeah. Now get the door. Ah, it's locked. Hello, Dr. English. Hello. Skip, there's a window just to the left of the door. See if it's unlocked. I just tried it. No go. Then smash it in. Look out for glass. Shh.

I'll go first. Stay close behind. Yeah, I'm in. Come on, Skip. Yeah, right behind you, Captain. There. Hey, Doc Skip. Somebody's shooting us from the hall. Can you see who it is? No, just a shadow. There, he's moving into the light. It's Dr. English. Hi there, Dr. English. Don't shoot. It's Captain Friday and Skip Turner. Step out in the hall where I can see you. If you make one false move, I'll shoot. It's really us, Doctor. What's going on here? Captain Friday. Captain Friday.

Thank heaven it's you. We heard a shot and then we crashed in the window. Was that you shooting, Dr. English? No, no, I don't know who it was. Robert's been murdered. What's that? Murdered? Here, I better take a look. No, no, it's no use, Captain. He's dead. Shot through the heart. Judith was with him. Where is she now? She fainted. She's with the housekeeper. Skip, see if Judith's all right. Okay. And skip. Yeah? When she feels up to it, bring her in here. Okay.

Now, Doctor, I'll call the police. No, Captain Fratty. We can't call the police. Why not? I'm involved with forces that go beyond the help of the police. Let's see here, Doctor. It's no use, Captain. I've lost Robert. I'm not going to take a chance on losing Judith. Oh, come now, Doctor. You're wrought up. You can't let someone walk into your home and commit murder without going to the police. We've got to take some action. I haven't the heart for it, Captain.

that my rapping at the door of the unknown should have brought this tragedy on us. What do you mean, rapping at the door of the unknown? Oh, it's a long and bald story, Captain. And as it turns out, a tragic one. Huh? Well, perhaps you better begin by telling me just what happened here tonight. Well, it isn't all clear to me yet. That is, Judith and Robert and I finished dinner about half an hour ago. After dinner, I left Judith and Robert in the library talking...

Suddenly I heard a shot. Judith screamed. Yes, we heard that from the street. I rushed down to find both my children on the floor. Robert shot through the heart, Judith unconscious. I left Judith with the housekeeper, grabbed my revolver, and rushed out into the hall just as the window crashed in. Did you hear anything just before Judith screamed? No, I don't believe I did. Why? Just as we reached your house, we heard a blood-curdling howl of a dog. Now listen, there it is again. Captain, what sort of a dog would howl like that?

Sounds like a war wolf's cry. I don't think it was a dog, Doctor. The moment the howler died out, there came the shot and Judas' scream. A signal. A signal of the cry of the pack. You mean that a gang is responsible for Robert's death? Gang? Roll all the gangs in the underworld of San Francisco, Chicago, and New York together, and you wouldn't have an organization one-tenth so vicious, so dangerous as the Brothers to the Living Dead. Brothers to the Living Dead? Yes.

It's an odd name. It's an ancient Chakotah priest clan which still exists in Sacred City. A sacred city hidden somewhere in the jungles of Chile. So that was Robert's mission. Yes. If the mission had been satisfactory, Robert and I had planned to invite you and Skip to join us with Judith and search for the sacred city. I think our job right now is to run down a murderer. Here's Judith now. They murdered Robert. Here I am, dear. They murdered Robert. Now, now, Judith. Now, now.

But Bob is gone. Yes, Judith, Bob's gone. But I'm afraid it isn't going to end there. You mean we may be next? There is danger. Especially when the brothers to the living dead discover they didn't accomplish their purpose when they murdered Robert. Did you go to Brace? Father! Judith, I thought you understood. Understand? Yes, I understand. Look what I found inside the neck of my blouse when I came to...

Judith! What in heaven's name is that? A sacred jade, Captain Friday. A small Gila monster carved in green jade. The Gila monster. Symbol of the ancient brotherhood. Don't you see what it means? They've got every member of this household marked for death. That howl! Father, I heard it just before the girl stepped into the library and leveled her gun at Robert. Hey, a girl? Did you say the killer was a girl? I saw her as plainly as I see you three men. A beautiful girl. A beautiful girl.

Beautiful except for her hateful, blazing green eyes. You want me to go, Captain? No, no, it might be... Nonsense, nonsense. We're making ourselves hysterical. I'll answer the door. Here, Doctor. Better let me go. Skip, duck out through the broken window and keep an eye peeled. Yeah. Coming, coming. Good evening. Why do you keep me waiting outside your door like this? And who are you? I will tell you nothing. I'm Mr. Robert English. I think you'd better come in. I wondered when you were going to find your manners.

I think you should explain your mission to Robert's father, Dr. English. Body. Is not Robert English here? Doctor, this woman came to see Robert. I am from La Jolla. La Jolla, Chile, if you please. La Jolla? Why, that's where... Did you know Robert? Did I know him? What do you mean, Miss English? Did I know him? My son was murdered half an hour ago. Murdered? Robert murdered? They got him, too.

Oh, Dr. English, I am sorry. What do you mean, they got him too, Mrs... Santos. Mrs. Roberto Santos. Mrs. Santos, what did you mean? Dr. English, how much do you know of your son's activities in Chile? Enough to recognize the significance of this jade. Look. The symbol.

Did Jade heal a monster? Exactly. The girl who shot Robert to death left this little token. Girl? Tell me, was she light and dark? And did she have wild green eyes? Did she? Yes, yes, savage green eyes. Tula again.

It is too late. Look here, Mrs. Santos. Before we exchange any more confidences, supposing we exchange credentials. Yes, Mrs. Santos. Just where do you fit into the picture? I do not like your attitude, gentlemen. I have come here as Robert's friend. All the way from La Jolla I came to protect him from the brothers to the living dead. Don't misunderstand, Mrs. Santos. But my son was murdered tonight. I have reason to be on my guard. I do understand, doctor. I too have lost much.

My own husband, as did your son, walked too near the terrible secret of the La Jolla jungle. Your husband? Mrs. Santos, how did he know what lay in the jungle of La Jolla? Like you, he was an archaeologist. Not Roberto Santos, the archaeologist. Not the Santos. Si, of course. Mrs. Santos...

You are indeed a friend. I understand. Captain Friday, Dr. Roberto Santos actually saw the hidden storehouse where the vanished treasure is laying hidden since the white man first invaded Chile. But the sight cost him his life. I can very well see why you want to drop the whole matter, Doctor. No use putting more lives in jeopardy. And that's exactly what would happen if we went to Chile. If you go to Chile, of course you are going to Chile. No. I'm finished. Robert's death has been too much.

I'm going to drop the whole matter. Well, that will not do, Doctor. The priests know exactly how much you know. You will all die one by one. I know. I have been fighting them all these years since my husband's death.

You think they intend to murder us all? I know it. Doctor, under the circumstances, we've got to call in the police. Yes, the police. We'll have to have them for Robert. You poor innocent Americans. Do you think the police can help you now? The police have quite a reputation, Mrs. Santos. Reputation, Mrs. Captain Friday. What do your police know about the mystic rites of this sacred little monster? How will they cope with this age-old nest of sinister wisdom? Then what are we to do? Act, Miss English, act.

Act promptly. Fight them with their own weapons. If you're suggesting we all turn into a rival gang of gunmen, Mrs. Santus, I don't think so. He did not murder Captain Friday. What I say you must do is your future existence. Their lives or yours. What in heaven's name have I brought down on this household? Judith. Judith, my daughter. There, there, Dad. How could you know? I think we should see it through. Oh.

If we've got to die, at least we can die fighting. It is tragic that you should be caught in this net, Miss English. But your fate from now on is with mine. But why go to La Jolla if that's where the danger lies? Why not stay with civilization where there is some organized force for protection? You do not understand, Capitain Friday. In La Jolla, there is a very strong group of people who are beginning to understand a little of the mystery of the La Jolla jungle.

We are learning to fight the Brotherhood with its own weapon. We battle mysticism with mysticism. In La Jolla, you will find protection such as you will not find anywhere else in the world. I think I'd be satisfied to live and die in La Jolla. What a wealth of archaeological material. Why, La Jolla holds a solution to the ancient mysteries of the world.

I'd gladly spend the last years of my life there. Father, Mrs. Santos, we can't simply ignore Robert's murder. The police must be informed. I understand that, Miss English. But need we mention the true cause of his death? Well, then what will we say? We've got to call the police, of course.

But, Dr. English, if you feel we will endanger the lives of others by reporting it as murder, we can say Robert was shot by a burglar who escaped. You think it necessary to hide the truth, Mrs. Santos? The only course. Otherwise, it would prevent us from moving secretly. Moving secretly? Just that.

When we leave San Francisco for La Jolla, we do not want all our enemies aboard the ship that carries us south. And, Doctor, if you leave the disposal of Robert's body to me, I think I can give the police an acceptable story. Thank you, Captain Priddy. And if you don't mind, I'd like you and Skip to stay the rest of the night with us. That is very wise, Dr. English. The Brotherhood does not rest. It may strike again, even tonight. Ah!

The Brotherhood of the Living Dead, whose tentacles reach out from the sacred city somewhere in the vastness of the jungles of Chile, has spoken. Their language was the language of violence, sudden death, and young Robert English, just home from an archaeological mission in the South American jungle, was the victim.

Because of this hovering menace, Captain Friday and Skip Turner have taken up residence to protect the father, Dr. English, expert in the ways of ancient mysticism, and his daughter, Judah. It's three o'clock in the dead of morning. Three o'clock. Chimes at night remind me of dead things. Getting edgy, Skip? Well, ain't you? Sitting here in the dark, screaming women, werewolf howls in the fog, the Gila monsters and sudden death. Forget it.

I'm glad Dr. English asked us to stay here tonight. The closer we stick together, the better it pleases me. Hey, we're going to see this through, ain't we? What do you think? Hold it. What's the matter? I heard someone bump a chair down the hall. Footsteps. Hide behind these curtains. Here, take this cane. I'll slip down the hall and try to scare him up, whoever he is. If he comes in here, let him have it. Ask questions afterward. Maybe I'd better go in. Don't argue. Stay here. Captain! Captain Friday, they got me! Kill him, mate! Skip! Skip! Skip!

Skip, did you call? Skip, where are you? Dr. Inglis, everyone, turn on the light. Skip's disappeared. Here I am, Captain. What is it? They've got Skip, too. He's gone. Oh, no, Captain Friday, no. Captain Friday, Father, what is it? I heard someone shouting. Father, you're white as a ghost. What is it? Skip, they've got Skip Turner. But where could they take him? Well, let's look. Let's help Captain Friday search. Stand still. Listen. Someone in the hall. It is I, Mrs. Santos. I heard the cry. I understand. Who is it this time? Skip. Skip.

They've carried him away. My poor friends. But what happened, Captain? What happened? We heard noises in the hall. I posted Skip behind the curtains there by the door. I slipped down the hall expecting to see who it was. My son, you are courageous. No, I did exactly what they wanted. Left Skip alone. There was a struggle. There is the cane. The carpet is dragged and rumpled. There's someone else in this room. I heard a noise. Yes. Yes, listen. There it is again. There is someone behind the davenport. Yeah.

Doc. Yeah. It's Skip. Here, give me a hand. Yeah. All right. There, that's it. Now, lower him on the lounge. Skip. Skip, speak to me. He can't speak. He's bleeding internally. Cannot speak, eh? Here, let me look at him. Oh, I have seen this work before. Come, Captain Friday. Hold his shoulders perfectly still. You, Dr. English, lift his head a trifle. Hold it firm.

Yes, that way. Now, Judith, help me pry open his jaws. You know what you're doing. I assure you I do. There we are. Oh, how terrible. A stick of polished bamboo thrust down his throat. My friends, our foes are old in wickedness. He would have been dead in another half hour. We must have a doctor. There is no longer any danger. He will be all right in a few moments.

See? He's already beginning to rally. Mrs. Santos, we can't go on like this. We can't spend the rest of the night without protection. Quite right, Doctor. I'm going to try to reach Captain O'Leary. We'll have a guard thrown about this place and a couple of good old Irish cops parked right here in this room. Please, please, you must listen to me. My friends, I am going to show you why we must not bring outsiders into this affair.

This great globe on the pedestal in the corner. It is crystal, eh, Doctor? Why, yes. A crystal ball from the Kang Home Monastery. Good. Captain Friday, please turn off the lights. Right. Now, gather around the crystal. Now watch. Watch closely. Why, it's dark and yet...

The crystal is aglow with light. For one moment now we will peer behind the curtain. The curtain that separates the now from that which has been and that which is to be. You will not believe me. See for yourself. Figures in the glass. It's Robert. Robert. And he stands over a bearded man lying in a pool of blood. Look. He points to us and to the figure on the ground. His lips are moving. Robert.

He's alive. Robert's alive. Robert is not alive. From another world, he sends this message. Father, you must carry on for us. The power which led the world in ancient days is being desecrated in the hands of the high priest of the Temple of the Sun. The fate of mankind is in the balance. He bids me say the monster is seen to ride again with the Sun. Move with utmost caution.

That is all. The crystal's dark. Now, my friends, do you understand why we must carry on? Mrs. Santos, I don't get it. How did you do that? Do not ask how, my son. Be content that you have seen. We understand only a very little of such things. And that little is infinitely more dangerous than you may suppose. But tell me, what did he mean, the monster is to ride with the sun?

Robert said that to me once when he was alive. There's an old Chakotah legend, Captain, which declares that preceding every great world catastrophe, a figure in the shape of a giant Gila monster is seen riding across the heavens on the face of the sun. And my friendly monster is forecast to ride again. Then a great catastrophe is near at hand? That is so. We know not what.

All we know is what we have told. Is there no appeasing the wrath of these people? Never, Doctor. So long as the secret of their ancient city is endangered, men shall die. Already thousands have died to preserve the sinister secret. Who can say how many are yet to lay down their lives? Here, I got an idea. Oh, we forgot about you, Skip. How do you feel? Throat's a little raw. Otherwise, okay. But I've been thinking. Look, if Miss Santos can use that crystal to show us people who are...

Well, who are no longer with us. Why can't we use it to unveil the activities of the enemy? You don't understand, Skip. Our knowledge of this phenomenon is imperfect. We've not yet sufficient mastery of it to command its use. We believe we understand a few fundamental laws of mysticism, but so very few it's pitiful. Dr. English, do you...

Do you not agree with me that it is time to take Captain Friday and Senor Turner into our confidence? Tell them all that we know. They have thrown their lot with us. It is only fair... I don't wish to draw my friends into this net. We're already in. That right, Skip? After what I've been through? And what an initiation. Si, doctor. They are in as much danger as we. Even more danger. For they are handicapped by complete mystification as to what it is all leading to.

Well, what do you think, Judith? Father, we need Captain Friday and Skip. Need them badly. It's all settled, Judith. Skip and I sail with you. Now, Mrs. Sanders, tell us, what's your next move? Our next move, and the next, and the next were ever so carefully planned. Long, long ago. I don't get it. You say that whatever move we make has long ago been decided upon? Understanding will come, my son. To each of us there has been given a part to play.

Dr. English, you tell the story. Something more than a year ago, we came upon our first clue to the mysterious city. We were returning from Mongolia. On an inspiration from Robert, we detoured to the monastery of Kang Ho in Tibet. Our audience with the lama was brief. We were led to a cell near the roof of the massive monastery, and the lama was seated on the floor in a patch of sunlight spinning a prayer wheel. He thrust into Robert's hands a package secured with many seals...

and sighed as if with relief. Then he said, My children, you have come in time. Carry this package to your own country. Guard it with your lives. It holds your destinies, perhaps the destiny of all mankind. Go at once. The dread menace of the sacred city of the living dead reaches even here. Beware.

The monster rides with the sun again. Later, we learn that the very day that we received the package, the Dalai Lama was murdered. Well, for jumping up and down, what was in the package, anyway? A piece of tanned human skin on which had been painted a crude map. Likewise, there were seven pieces of ancient parchment, utterly blank, but which brought forth ancient Sanskrit characters when applied to heat. Robert knew Sanskrit? What did he make of them? No man will ever know, Captain.

We read the documents twice, then Robert burned them and destroyed the ashes with acid. After that, we both said prayers to erase from our minds the memory of what we'd read. Man, it must have told some story. And the map? Is the one and only way to the sacred city in the Chilean jungle. The City of the Sun.

the dwelling place of the ancient Chakotah Brotherhood. There is little more to tell that he's not legendary, and these legends are dangerous, for they deny all the accepted theories of the rise of mankind. You really have got hold of something. Oh, I'm way over my head already. Today, man vaguely realizes that there are forces and powers in the world just outside his grasp. Mysticism is the general name given these powers. That's where the ancient Chakotah priests come in. See?

In the beginning, man had the use of these powers without reservation. But man, with his pig-headedness, used them to his own advantage and the detriment of civilization. Chaos and Red Death. The legend says that the gods, to restore peace and happiness, wiped out men's memories of these great gifts. But they did not steal our heritage of mysticism. No.

They put these powers in the hands of a faithful line of priests, the descendants of who are now to be found in the lost sacred city. And these priests we're fighting are in possession of all these powers? Yes.

To cherish and preserve against the day when man is perfect enough to be allowed the use of them for the good of the world. No fooling, Miss Santos. Is this legend or truth? What is legend but a truth beautified by the coloring of time? But the wickedness of these priests. Haven't they cold-bloodedly killed Roberto Santos, Robert English, and hundreds of others? Those who have studied the problem have wondered, Captain. After all...

Is it wickedness? These priests have exercised a powerful influence upon men. They have functioned as a sort of stabilizing force controlling events and destinies at will. They have controlled, checked, or encouraged the ambitions of man. They have prevented wars and caused wars. Hey, miseros. And now you understand something of the power of these men of the sacred city. Look, the window. Eyes are watching us. Keep still, everyone.

Kick over the lamp. Everyone on the floor. Madre de Dios. Tiene compasión. Stick with me, Skip. We'll crawl to the window and try to grab this guy. Funny he doesn't beat it. Did you ever see eyes like that? Man. All right. You throw up the window and I'll try to grab him. Ready. Yeah. Get him. What in blazes? Hey, give me some light. Yes, light. Light. There you are.

Captain Friday, how funny. It's only an owl. Well, I scare for nothing. Just a harmless owl. Harmless owl. My son, among the Chikotas, the owl is the symbol of death. For each one of us. Death. The Brotherhood of the Living Dead have placed the brand of death on five people. The further adventures of Captain Friday and Skip Turner in their fight against the ancient mysticism of Chikota comes to you next week.

You are listening to Adventures by Morse. Now there's a new way to share weird darkness with the weirdos in your life. It's a skill on your Amazon Echo device. Just say, play Weird Darkness, and you'll immediately start hearing the newest episode. With your Amazon Echo or smart device, you can let me keep you company all day and all night. And it's easy to tell your friends how to tune in, too. Just tell your Amazon device, play Weird Darkness, to start listening.

They've been here for thousands of years, making their presence known in the shadows. They might be seen by a lonely motorist on a deserted road late at night, or by a frightened and confused husband in the bedroom he's sharing with his wife. Perhaps the most disconcerting part of this phenomenon boils down to this question. Has the government been aware of their presence all along and is covertly working with them towards some secret end?

In the audiobook, Runs of Disclosure, what once was fringe is now reality. While listening, you'll meet regular people just like you who have encountered something beyond their ability to explain. You'll also hear from people of great faith and deep religious belief who continue to have these strange and deeply unsettling encounters. Author L.A. Marzulli explores these ongoing incidents to discover the answers to these questions.

Who are they? What do they want? And why are they here? Can you handle the truth? Listen to this audiobook, if you dare. Rungs of Disclosure Following the Trail of Extraterrestrials and the End Times by L.A. Marzulli Narrated by Darren Marlar Hear a free sample on the audiobooks page at WeirdDarkness.com

Do you like my horror-able humor episodes called Mind of Marler? If so, and you'd like more, it now has its very own podcast. Comedic creeps, sarcastic scares, frivolous frights, macabre madness. Every week I dive into strange history, twisted true crime, and paranormal weirdness. All the stuff you'd expect from me on Weird Darkness, but delivered with dark comedy, satire, and just the right amount of absurdity.

Monsters, myths, mysteries, mirth, and more every Monday with Mind of Marler. I like alliteration, can you tell? You can find a list of where you can subscribe to the podcast at weirddarkness.com under the menu tab for podcasts. Adventures by Morse. Courtney Morse presents The Land of the Living Dead featuring Captain Friday. If you like high adventure, come with me. If you like the stealth of intrigue, come with me.

If you like blood and thunder, come with me. A net of death has been thrown about a little group of San Franciscans by the ancient Chakotah priests of a far-off jungle temple in South America. Robert English, young archaeologist, was killed.

On the advice of Mrs. Roberto Santos, Spanish-American woman familiar with Chakotah mysticism, the condemned group is secretly fleeing to the protection of an old monastery hidden in the jungles of Chile. The party includes Dr. Julian English, noted archaeologist, his daughter Judith, and Captain Friday and Skip Turner. The monastery in the Chilean jungles is kept by monks who are fighting the tremendous power of the deadly priests of the living dead.

Tonight, the group, including Mrs. Santos, is aboard ship, seven days out from San Francisco. The craft is in a heavy fog that has clung to the ship during the whole passage. The vessel, headed for La Jolla, Chile, moves cautiously through the murky atmosphere, continually sounding its deep-throated whistle. What are you trying to do, Skip? Go over the side? Miss Fogg, we'd never pick you up. Oh, hi, Captain Friday. Yeah, I reckon I was leaning too far.

Man, this fog's sure thick. No worse than it has been. Seven days out of San Francisco and we haven't been able to see ten feet in any direction. This fog hangs on like a leech. That's kind of uncanny. Regular ghost ship. Whole week of this doggone clammy fog. Seven days of just drip, drip, drip.

Hey, Cappy. Well? You think there's anything in this here gorilla business? You know, anybody could make a mistake in a fog like this. I don't think three people at all make the same mistake. Yeah, but a gorilla running loose on a ship. I can't think of nothing sillier. Where'd it come from? Where does it go to?

Why ain't it attacked somebody? Well, there's that menagerie down in the hold. There are two gorillas with it. Yeah, I was asking the skipper about that. Seems that it belonged to a circus that went broke in Arizona. Animals was bought for a zoo in Peru. But if one of those gorillas were loose on the ship, the keeper'd know about it, wouldn't he? Maybe so. But I don't think anybody's seen a gorilla. Everybody's got nerves on account of this here fog. Hey, look. You see that, Captain? Where, Skipper? I don't see anything. I swear I saw a shadow like a big ape. Where? Not ten feet away. Right over yonder.

Hey, Tappy, wait for me. We'll soon prove that you're just seeing things. Got a gun? You bet you. Then come on and look out who you shoot. Yeah, just as I thought. Not a signee or a gorilla or anything else. Well, I saw some. Just the movement of the fog. Here's a couple of deck chairs. Let's finish our cigarettes before we turn in. Yeah.

Captain, do you realize it's just 11 days ago tonight that we walked through the fog in San Francisco to Dr. English's house? The night Robert was killed? 11 days. Seems like years. We've been in the fog ever since. Man, them last four days in San Francisco was a little rugged. The day of Robert's funeral, that blanket of fog was so blame-thick you could cut holes in it. We didn't do nothing but sit around and wait. Ha, ha, ha.

wondering if an agent of the Chakotah priest was sharpening a knife for us. Is that what you were going to say? Yeah, kind of gives me the willies. Now that same fog's following us to sea. You, uh, suppose them Chakotah priests has followed us to sea, too? I've wondered that myself. Hey, how do you explain that brotherhood of the living dead stuff? Quiet, Skip. A deck of a steamer's no place for that kind of talk. This fog may have ears as big as cartwheels. Yeah, but we checked the passenger list. Just the same. Let's not stick our necks out. Okay, boss.

Hey, if you're finished with your cigarette, let's go down to the doctor's cabin. We stick out here on deck with this fog rolling around. I'll be seeing worse things than gorillas. Footsteps. Don't move. Can you see who it is? No. They sound human. Oh, well, hello, Dr. English. Didn't expect to see you up on deck. Oh, Captain Friday, I've been looking all over for you. Anything gone wrong, Doctor? Not so loud, Captain. The thing I've been most afraid of has happened. Come to my stateroom and walk slowly. Talk.

Talk of anything. Appear unconcerned. Hey, what's wrong, Doc? Is Judith all right? Don't ask questions, Skip. When I came along the deck just now, I was within three feet of you boys before I saw you. This fog may conceal anything. Come on, let's be moving. What do you boys say to a rubber bridge? Oh, we were just coming by for you, Doctor. Perhaps. Yeah, we was just coming by. You know, Doctor, Skip thought he saw that phantom gorilla a few minutes ago. My heavens, Captain, not that. Talk of anything but that.

Listen, off there to port, do you hear it? Whistle of another ship. Dangerous waters, he's captain. Very dangerous. Where should we be by now, doctor? Somewhere off the coast of Ecuador. We pass the SS Virginia going up the coast just before dinner. Here's my stateroom, boys. All right, now, watch your step. Close the door, captain. I'll get the light.

Hey. What a mess. Well, the place is wrecked. Did you lose a collar button, Doc? I found the stateroom just like this when I came along from the smoking room not ten minutes ago. Whoever my visitor was, he was very thorough. He didn't miss a drawing or a bag. Searched everything. Got any ideas, Doctor? Yes. The brothers to the living dead.

No doubt of it. Then we haven't thrown those priests off the trail. They followed us to sea. Exactly. It's a little puzzling. Check the passenger list. Hey, what about Judith and Mrs. Santos? They ought to be warned. They're safe enough for the present. I left them with the ship's captain for the evening. You think they're after that map? The map the llama of the Keang Home Ministry of Tibet gave to Robert?

There's no doubt about it. I can't imagine anyone being so stupid as to believe we'd carry it around with us. What the heck does it all mean? This means, Skip, that the fight is on. In spite of the fact that we checked the passenger list in the steamship company's report and the members of the crew, someone vitally interested in our movements is succeeding in boarding this ship. It also means that from now on, we're on our own. We've got to keep our eyes open, and more important, our mouths shut. You want me to get a doll? Yes, Skip, please. Yeah? Oh, hello, Judah. Judah?

Yeah, Skip talking. Oh, just a minute, Judith. Hey, Judith and Mrs. Santos have left the Skipper's cabin and are coming here, Doc. Hadn't we better meet them and bring them over? They'll have to know about our visitors. It's probably best that we tell them here. Skip, tell Judith we'll call for them. Okay. All right, Judith, I'll be along for you in a jiffy. No, no, no, there's no trouble at all. Listen, wait for me in your cabin, you hear? Be sure now. All right. Bye.

I'll go along with you, Skip. From now on, we travel in pairs. Oh, looky, boss, it's only a step. Captain, Friday's right, Skip. We mustn't take any more chances. I'll try to have the room in some semblance of order by the time you're back.

Are you both harmed? Yes, of course. Hey, what's that? Listen. A call of a pack, doctor. That's the sound Skip and I heard outside your place in San Francisco just before Robert was killed. Yeah, and I heard it the same night, just before they tried to get me. You see, there's no escaping them. They're drawing the net even more tightly around us. Do you think we should phone Judith to stay put? No. We've got to bring the women here.

Doctor, there's plenty of room in your suite. Don't you think it'd be safer to give Mrs. Sandus and Judith your extra bedroom for the rest of the trip? They've got to have protection from now on. Good idea, Captain. But you'd better be getting along. They might get impatient and start out alone. We won't be but a moment, Doctor. Come on, Skip. And, Doctor, lock the cabin door. Right. Hello? Hello, radio room, please. This is Julian English speaking, suite 3-2. Take this message for Lambert, British Museum, London. Yes, British Museum.

Ready? Eleventh day. Apprehensive. If no word from me in 12 hours, radio Donovan to proceed from Vista Del Mar as instructed. That's right. Sign that English. Yes. Yes, thank you. Now to put the cabinet...

The gorilla? No! No! Captain! Help! Captain Franny! Scoop! Doctor! Doctor English!

The door's unlocked, Hafford. Dr. English must have gone out for a minute. I told him to stay here. What's happened? Look at this room. The work of the ancient priesthood. We're afraid so, Mrs. Santos. Dr. English found the cabinet had been searched just a few moments ago. Well, where is Dr. English? Yes, I know that he wouldn't have gone out and left his cabinet unlocked. Well, he can't be far off, Judith. Maybe he'd just gone to report this to the person. He will not make a report.

Dr. English knows too well the necessity for silence. Hey, look, here's his hat. Just where he dropped it when we come in. I don't like it. I'm going out on deck and never look around. How about me going too, boss? Remember, the doctor English said it ain't safe to go around alone. Please let me telephone for help. No, Judith. If your father wanted this kept quiet, it's up to us to follow instructions. Captain Friday, I do not think Dr. English left this room alone.

Oh, Mrs. Santos, don't say that. Here, let me get that, Judith. Please, Captain. 32, Captain Friday speaking. No, Dr. English is not here. Yes? Now, just a moment, please. The radio room reports receiving telephone instructions from Dr. English that a radiogram he placed with Embry stopped. It is his report to the British Museum. Say to the operator, Captain Friday, that Dr. English's message must go through. Now, at once. It must go through.

Hello, radio room? Now, there's some mistake. I'm sure Dr. English doesn't want the message canceled. Please see that it's sent immediately. I'll be responsible. Yes. Thank you. Brothers to the living dead. We must move quickly now, Captain Friday. Captain Friday, look. Here, on this piece of paper. Hey, that's blood. And here is another drop on the table. Oh, Father. Father. Captain Friday, we've got to do something. Get hold of yourself, Judith. Hush, Senorita English.

Keep your wits about you. There are secret agents of the Mayan Nahib aboard these ship. Your father has fallen in their hands. You must help us fight them. Oh, Mrs. Altos, must we all die one by one? My child, we are fighting the most evil thing our civilization has ever known. It is inevitable that one or more of us must die, but the price is small.

Remember, we are five against the destiny of mankind. The price is small. Your father knew... Why do you use the word knew, Mrs. Santos? There, behind you, Captain Friday, is something I noticed when we first came into the room. See on the wall there, beside the door...

Oh, the imprint of a hand. A bloody hand. What's the meaning of that, Mrs. Sanders? It is the blood-red hand of the Chicotas. A sign employed since the beginning of their civilization to indicate the accomplishment of a task.

It means this work is finished. Oh, no, Mrs. Santos. I am sorry, senorita, but... Quiet, everyone. Skip. Yeah? There's someone at the door. Yeah, the knob's turning. Judith, Mrs. Santos, get in the other room, quickly. Come, senorita English. Watch it now, Skip. The door's opening. What, what, what? What, what, what? It's the laugh of a madman. The laugh of a madman. The laugh of a madman.

The ship carrying Captain Friday, Skip, and the party of Dr. English to chilly South America has become a death ship, fog-bound and the stealth of death. First, Dr. English vanished from his suite, and then someone in the passage outside softly opened the door. Without waiting, Skip shot through the door. Bang!

Skip, stop that. Stop shooting, do you hear me? Give me that gun. It'll have the whole ship done on us. Yeah, but Captain, do you want him to get away? What was it? What was it, Captain? I couldn't tell. Whatever it was partly opened the door, then suddenly slammed it shut and ran as Skip opened fire. I reckon I made a fool of myself. But that terrible laugh... It sounded to me like the laugh of one of the Chicota neophytes. I have heard that laugh before in the La Jolla jungles. Well, I'm going out after him. Skip, you stay here with Judith and Mrs. Stanton. Hey, Captain, wait. Don't go out there alone. You...

Oh, he shouldn't have gone alone. My son, take heart. At such moments, we are not ourselves. You are being trained for the great crisis in your life. Your senses are being ground to a finer edge. Look here, Mrs. Sanders, we're fighting in the dark now. I'm going to call the ship's captain. Wait. Well, we ain't done nothing but wait. They killed Robert. We sat around and waited. Then they almost got me. We waited again and Dr. English disappeared. Now Captain Friday's out there on deck in that fog. I'm all through with waiting. Wait.

What do you say, Judith? Well, I don't know, Skip. I don't know. What? You don't know? Have you then so soon forgotten your father's words, senorita? Yes, Skip. Of course I know. If it's Dad's wish that we work undercover and alone, even if it costs the lives of all of us. Yeah, but Judith, can't you see we're fighting in the dark against big odds? We can't just sit and wait for the end. It's Captain Friday. Let me in.

Did you find Dad, Captain Friday? Not a trace of him. Did anybody hear my shots, Captain? Apparently not, Skip. The deck's deserted. Mrs. Santos? Yes? Would you and Judith feel safe locked in here if I should take Skip with me for another look around the deck? Captain Friday, then you have found something. No, Judith. But I do want to push the search a little further. If you'd rather, we'll take you to the salon first. We will remain here, Captain Friday. Good. Now, Skip, we need a couple of flashlights. Dr. English had several of them. Do you see any in this mess? Here's one. Oh, and here's another one. Right.

Now, Mrs. Sanders, above all things, don't open this door to anyone. If either Skip or I rap, we'll call out. Identify ourselves. Understand? Oh, do be careful, won't you? We'll watch it, Judith. Come on, Skip. Hey, what's up, Captain? You have found something. I could tell it the minute you come back. Yes, I have, Skip. I didn't want to upset Judith until we had a chance to investigate. I discovered it by accident when I returned to the stateroom. Look...

See how the light of that deck lamp falls on the wet deck there by the door? That dark spot? Hey, that's a blood stain. Fresh, too. Yes, blood. And I think we'll find others. I get you, Captain. The enemy, whoever he or it is, left a trail for us to follow. Yes, that's why I wanted the flashlight. Ah, it's nice work, boss. I want to hope the trail don't lead us over the rail. I don't think so, Skip. Dr. English is more valuable alive than dead. Hey, look. Look, here's another spot. And another. Quiet, Skip. What's allowed?

Let's go slow. We don't want to rush it. There's that thing again. Hey, what's the matter, Captain? Turn out the light, Skip. Listen. Looks like somebody's setting a stage for another murder. If it hasn't already happened. Keep still. Listen. I don't hear nothing. All right. Let's go on. Yeah, see? Here's another spot. Careful now. We don't want to run into any trap. Hey, what do you make out of that howl, Captain? You really think there's any such thing as a werewolf? Uh-huh.

I could introduce you to a half a dozen reputable men who would swear to it. Besides that, I... Hello. Our trail's come to an end. Right in front of a state room. Hey, you want me to... No, wait a minute, Skip. Scout around. I don't want to go making any mistakes. Hey, listen, Captain, you hear that? Someone groaning. Did it come from the state room? Well, I ain't sure, but... Hold it. It's Dr. English. They've got him in this state room. The door's locked. I tried it. That won't stop us. Are you going to break in? Of course. Come on. Now, together. Yeah.

Once more, Skip. Hey, Captain. Captain, look out. It's a gorilla. Shoot, Skip. Shoot. Duck, Captain. Duck down. You're in my line of fire. Let him have it. Quick, Skip.

You got him, Skip. He's down. Hey, look out, Captain. He's up again. Hey, look. He's tearing at his head. Look at those hands, Skip. They're human. That's no gorilla. It's a man. He's torn the skin away. There's his head. Look out. He's getting out the other door. He's heading for the rail. Stop him. Stop him, Skip. Look out for him. He's got a knife. Hey, listen. He's saying something. Hear me. Thy servant is thy servant no more. Look. There he goes over the side. Well, good for him. Good riddance. Hey, did you hear what he said, Captain? Well, I heard him mention brothers to the living dead.

He was an agent of the Brotherhood, all right. Come on. Let's go have a look at Dr. English. Yeah. I got just one glimpse into that gorilla fellow's stateroom before he made a jump at me. Yeah. The doctor was tied to the bed. Hey, if he's dead, what are we going to tell Judas? He's not dead. Now, right in here. Doctor. Dr. English, you all right? No. Oh, he's not dead. He's... Captain. Captain, look at his arm. Yeah, it's horrible.

We're fighting a gang of fiends. Here, help me carry him back to his own suite. Now, you take his knees. I'll take his shoulders. Yeah, I got it. Let's get him out of this before he comes to. No wonder he fainted. Oh, no wonder he screamed. Are you set? Yeah. All right, then let's go. I... Oh, Mrs. Sandhut. Do you think they've killed Dad? Tell me really. Do you? You've got to tell me. I can't... I can't stand it. Anything better than the suspense. Yes.

Senorita English, stop and think. Isn't there something these agents of the priesthood want more than they desire the life of your father? The map, Mrs. Santos. The map from the Kiang Ho monastery. Of course, senorita. The map. They may succeed in killing each one of us. But if they do not recover the map of the secret passage to the sacred city... Yes. Yes, I see it now. I thought you would.

They know that your father is custodian of the map. If they kill him before they lay hands on the map, then they may never find it. Then Dad isn't dead. I know now that he isn't. But he might better be. He might better be. What do you mean, Mrs. Santos? The torture they will put him to, to make him tell where the map is hidden, will be excruciating beyond belief.

The brothers to the living dead are very devils when it comes to torturing. They wouldn't. They couldn't. Wait. I hear footsteps. Mrs. Sanders, Judith, it's Captain Friday and Skip. We've got Dr. English. Oh, they've got Father. Here, I'll open it. There, come in. Oh, what's happened to Father? Is he dead? No, he's just fainted. Clear off the bed, will you, Judith? Some cold water is what you want.

Judith, lock the door again. Yes. Here are smelling salts, Capitan Friday. Thanks. Skip, help me rip off his shirt so we can get to that arm. Yeah. There. Oh, what have they done to his arm? I told you they were masters of torture. He's coming too. Here, quick. I want to get his arm bound up before he awakens. Skip, self in the medicine chest. Bandages, please, Judith. He will be around now any moment. I will bathe his head with his cold water. I'll be finished here in a moment.

Another piece of adhesive tape, Skip. Here. There. He's opening his eyes. There. What did I tell you? Oh, Father. We've got you back. You've come back to us. Oh, my heart. Stop. Stop. Don't torture me this way. Where am I?

It's you, Judith. Oh, you poor dear. Here, Doctor. Drink this and you'll be all right. There, now. Careful of that arm. Oh, you found me just in time, Captain. I'm grateful. Never mind that. How do you feel? Better, I think. What happened, Dad? What did they do to you? It began when the Captain and Skip went out to get you and Mrs. Santos. I was at the phone.

When I turned around, there was a huge gorilla right in front of me, grinning in my face. At least I thought it was a gorilla at the moment. Yeah, we ran into him ourselves. Go on, Doctor. He knocked me unconscious. When I awakened, I was tied to a berth in a strange stateroom. This horrible gorilla thing was standing over me at the foot of the berth of...

It was the most grotesque, most ghastly being I've ever laid eyes on. Dad, what was it? It was a thing... I suppose he was human. The thing that followed the captain and skipped the night Robert was killed. Little, hunchbacked, beady-eyed, ears back flat against his head like a... like a mad dog. Has a long face like a dog, too. He's the one who's been doing the howling.

I never believed in werewolves before. The La Jolla jungles breathe many such human monstrosities, Dr. English. This is only the beginning of what you will see. Then the gorilla spoke, and I know it to be a man in an ape skin. He asked me for the map, and I kept my mouth shut. After ten minutes, he and this werewolf thing went into a corner and whispered together. Finally, the wolf monstrosity slipped out of the stateroom, and the gorilla man came back to me.

He had a dagger in his hand, a long, slender dagger. An old, old torture method. He made a fire and held the dagger over the flame until it was red hot. Oh, Dad. Then he bent over me and gave me one more chance to tell where the map was hidden. I clenched my teeth and waited. Oh, how awful.

Then I'm afraid I screamed and fainted. That scream saved your life, Dr. English. Yeah, Skip and I heard it and broke down the door. What became of the gorilla man? Skip shot and wounded him. Before we could stop him, he leaped over the rail of the ship and plunged into the ocean. What a desperate crew we're up against. My dear people, this is but the beginning. Think, if they hold their own lives so cheaply, how little our lives must mean to them. Yeah, but this werewolf fellow... Get him out.

You will have one of the most desperate of the Brotherhood's agents outside the sacred city. It is known that his terrible cruelties can make even death seem a pleasant possibility. The Desperate Deeds of a Desperate Brotherhood continues next week when you will hear Chapter 3 of The Land of the Living Dead, entitled The Green-Eyed Murderess Again.

There will be violence and mystery and breathtaking action in the jungle village of La Jolla on the secret passage of the living dead. You are listening to Adventures by Morse. Adventures by Morse. Courtney Morse presents The Land of the Living Dead, featuring Captain Friday. If you like high adventure, come with me. If you like the stealth of entry, come with me.

If you like blood and thunder, come with me. Death comes to La Jolla. Tonight's episode opens with the Dr. Julian English expedition at the seaport of La Jolla on the coast of Chile, following the deadly adventure on shipboard with the gorilla man and the werewolf. Two barriers placed by the ancient priests of the hidden sacred city have now been overcome by Captain Friday and Skip Turner.

Agents of the ancient priesthood of the living dead had attempted to prevent the English party ever leaving San Francisco and then had attempted to annihilate the whole party at sea. But the little group has won through to this abject little Chilean seaport of La Jolla on the edge of the fever jungle. But here's Captain Friday. Yes, the seaport itself has perhaps 500 inhabitants, not counting the superstitious half-savage Indians of the surrounding jungles who enter and leave the seaport at will.

Shacks make up the town's edifices, with the exception of the single two-story hotel. At the moment, Dr. English, who heads our expedition, and we four, who are his companions, stand gazing with interest on the Indians who pass us by with ill-natured stares. Dr. English's injured left arm is still in a sling, but Judith, his daughter, and Skip Turner are in high spirits and eager to push on toward the peaks of Zambala, behind which the sacred city is said to lie.

Even the pessimism of our Spanish guide, Mrs. Santos, has somewhat fallen away as a result of again setting foot on her native soil.

How about that arm, Dr. English? Think you can travel? Without the least discomfort, Captain Craddy. In any event, we start for the ancient monastery immediately. Hey, you say you got the man who can guide us through this secret passage, Miss Santos? Si. I have found Juan Mendoza. Well, then we can get going today, huh? Patience, Senor Turner. The path we take is a long one. A path of many traps and creeping horrors. A path encompassed about grotesque tortures and pitiless death.

Do not be too impatient to thrust yourself into it. Oh, must we always harp on the gruesome Mrs. Santos? We... Father. Father, quick. Huh? Did you see her? Did you see that girl? What do you mean, Judith? What girl? It's the girl who shot Robert. The girl with the green eyes. Too loud.

Tula here? Are you certain, senorita? Do you think I'll ever forget that face? I tell you, it was she. Which way did she go? Quickly, Judith, which way? She plunged into that crowd of Indians down at the end of the street. A girl with green eyes. You can't miss her. Come on, Skip, let's find her. Yeah, man. I always did want to get my hands on a green-eyed gal. Save the jokes. This may not be a laughing matter. We'll catch up with you later, doctor.

So Tula is back in La Jolla. But how could she get here before us? We took the first boat out of San Francisco. Most certainly by aeroplane. She is cosmopolitan, that senorita.

That seems a little out of character, Mrs. Santos. The ancient jungle priests resorting to airplanes. Nothing is out of character for the priests of the La Jolla jungle, Senorita English. Why, some of the most cultured diplomats of Europe are their ancients. Just as surely as are such obscene monstrosities as this vicious werewolf being. Oh, I hope Captain Friday will skip catch that girl.

I'd like to see her suffer as she's made us suffer. They will not overtake her, senorita. Why do you say that, Mrs. Sandoz? Yes, she's had but a moment's talk. Senorita English, Tula is the mystery woman of three continents. Always it is the same with Tula.

One moment she's here, the next she is not. Do you mean you believe the woman has the powers of black magic, Mrs. Santos? Who am I to say? All that we know is that she's the darling of the ancient priests. The priests at work again, eh? Building another formidable barrier between us and their precious secrets. Be very sure of it, Doctor. Tula's presence in this place means something...

Something ominous. Something very bad for us. And the quicker we get out of here and enter the protection of the secret passage, the better. Come. We'll wait for Captain Friday and Skip at the hotel. Hello? Who is it? Señora. Señora. It is Juan Mendoza. One moment, Juan. There. There. Come in. Señora, I have come to report that all is in readiness. The back train stands at the beginning of the secret passage. Behind the Church of Santa Maria? Oh, I beg of you, Señora, be discreet.

The walls have ears. You have heard something, Juan? Only that a misplaced word may bring death to us all. La Jolla is filled with the spice of the priesthood. And when do we start, Juan? At the hour before dawn. That is well. Then, with your leave, Senora, I go now to Santa Maria to say a prayer for our safe journey. The hour before sunrise. Tomorrow. But if we should need you before then... I shall be in readiness, Senora.

Religious, chap? All South America is religious in one form or another. Intensely religious. Fanatically religious. Dangerously religious, perhaps. You will learn just how true these words are, Dr. English, before you have been in La Jolla many days. Hello in there. Oh, it's Captain Friday. They're back. The door is unlocked, Captain. Hello. I hasn't skipped back yet, but you were together. Lock it. Will you, Captain Friday? Oh, yes, of course.

Skip didn't return to the hotel then. I know. How did you happen to separate? Is anything wrong, Captain? Not that I know of. He went down one side street, I took another. We agreed to meet back here. It's funny, he's had plenty of time to get back. Did you find the girl, Julo? No luck at all.

Hey, wait a minute. Maybe Skip found her. That's why he's not here. I will not be too certain of that, Captain Friday. What do you mean? Senor Turner will never find Tula until she wants to be found. By the way, Mrs. Sanders, what's wrong with the Indians? The Indians? Yes, they're in ugly humor. Grouted me off the sidewalk and snarled at me like animals. Acted as though they wanted to stick a knife in my back. I wondered what form it was going to take this time. What do you mean, Father? The priest's newest effort to stop us.

Don't you see? If what the captain says is true, then the priests have roused the Indians against us. Si. And we have a lot of Indian country to go through before we reach the monastery. The new barrier between us and the sacred city. Is that it, Mr. Santos? Si. Capitan, what you have just told me makes me anxious about Senor Turner. That must be Skip now. I'll get it. Who are you, my friend? I am myself and myself alone.

May I enter? A priest of the Chicotas. What do you want? A little courtesy, my friend. And a word with your estimable companion, the Dr. English. Well, come in. This is Dr. English. Ah, yes. The illustrious Dr. Julian English. Archaeologist, anthropologist, and anthologist. And Senora Roberto Santos, widow of the learned Dr. Santos, who was beloved by all the people of La Joya.

I'm the Senorita Judith English. Who are you? What's your business with me? Does it matter who I am? I am an Indian. I am a descendant of the Chacotas. An Indian who has struggled valiantly with the intricacies of your civilization. Your robe proclaims you a priest of high office. A matter of no importance. I serve at times indifferently well. If you'll excuse me, Doctor, I'm going to have a look for Skipper. But my young friend...

I am going to ask you to stay. Thanks for the invitation, but I'm leaving. Now. No. You are to remain. Perhaps this dagger will convince you that I am serious. Oh, no. I don't like people pulling knives on me. You'll regret this violence. Not regret, my friend. Pay, perhaps. Yes. I shall pay dearly for holding you here, but not regret. You bet you'll pay.

You're just making silly conversation, Captain Friday. I know. What are you driving at, priest? I say, I know I shall pay for my act. You see, we Indians are sometimes gifted with clairvoyance, inner knowledge. Rubbish. So? Just the same, Captain. I know you are going to stay with us. Get away from that door. Just a moment, Captain.

Look here now. Just why did you come here? What do you want? I am here to reason with you. Perhaps to bargain with you. Are you an agent of the Brothers to the Living Dead? Doctor English! How indiscreet of you, Doctor. Señor, let your mind go back to high noon of the day of last year. To high noon of the 28th of January.

Picture a cell near the roof of a monastery in Tibet. Oh, no. A patch of sunlight on the cell floor. A Dalai Lama seated in that patch of sunlight spinning a prayer wheel. So that's it. That is it. A package. A package that was given into the hands of Robert English, your son. Doctor, I want that package. An agent of the Brotherhood of the Living Dead. The contents of that package was destroyed before ever we set foot on American soil. Doctor...

I am pained to remind you that your statement is not entirely true. There was a map, a map drawn on a parchment of human skin, a map indicating the secret passage from the monastery of your friends to the sacred city of the living dead, a secret passage that even Maya Nagib does not know of. Dr. English, I must have that map. In all the world, I alone know where that map is, in Ixcan.

There's no power anywhere that could make me reveal my secret. Be fair with yourself, Doctor. You are a man of science. You have no chance of reaching the mountains of Zambala alive. Come. The map. And in exchange, I promise safe conduct back to the United States. Judith, I... No. No, Father. Don't give in to him. You realize what you're saying? Don't you dare give it to him. The answer is no, Priest.

Such determination. Such self-sacrifice. You are going to fly in the face of fate. But none of you will ever live to see the sacred city. Except perhaps the charming Senorita English. If she were inclined to look upon my master... Why, you good-for-nothing... Just a minute, Doctor. Doctor?

Exconn, don't say that again. The matter rests entirely with the senorita. Get out of this room before I kill you. Of course, Capitán. Oh, one thing more. There is a little matter of hostage. Hostage? One more inducement. Should you have a change of heart, should you decide to part with the map...

Your personal aide, Senor Skip Turner, quaint name, will be delivered safely into your hands. You've got Skip? Adieu, ladies, gentlemen. Move a step and I'll drop you in your tracks. Get away from that door. Really now? You leave this room to lead me to Skip Turner, or you don't leave at all. If I die, do you suppose Skip Turner will live to hear about it?

The priest of the living dead, Ixcan, stands in the hotel room of Dr. English with drawn knife. Captain Friday has him covered with his gun. As Judith and Senora Santos watch in white lip suspense, Captain Friday has issued an ultimatum. Ixcan, unless you agree to take me to where Skip Turner's held captive, you'll never leave this room alive. There are certain people whose one object in life is to prevent you reaching your destination. I am expected to join them in five minutes.

Should I not appear, it is understood that I have failed to accomplish my purpose. Undoubtedly, others will come with more persuasive arguments than I have put forth. A bluff. It won't get you anyplace. You are going to be annoying, aren't you? My young friend, I am ready to go, and I will wager one gold piece. Here, Dr. English. I'll wager that one gold piece that I leave this room unmolested.

unmolested and though it is unkind I shall laugh as I go it's gone when your word as a priest tell me what is Tula doing here Tula Tula the blazing one the torch that has lighted 10,000 hearts because of Maya naive throughout the world it's gone what brings Tula here

Ah, Senor Santos, the forces of Maya Nahib are gathering. From all over the world they are gathering. Have you forgotten that the Gila monster is soon again to ride with the sun? Then Maya Nahib is preparing for some great catastrophe? The whole world is preparing for the catastrophe, but it knows it not. Only Maya Nahib knows. Fatula! Enough. Now I go. Take one step and I'll drop you.

So, my young friend, you give me a choice. Either a bullet in the back or jail. Or lead us to skip. That is not possible. You force me then to leave as I said I would. A thousand pardons, Senorita English. Senora Santos. The knife! No, don't! Look out, he stabbed himself. Madre de Dios, ex-con. Was this necessary? The...

The only way I have failed my Anaheim continent is no failure. A nuisance, my friends. Senora Santos, for you here alone. Si, si. Strike quickly, Mrs. Santos. Ortula is forever lost. No, no, don't say that. Someone will hear.

Dr. English, it is useless to examine me. I know where to strike to make a wound fatal. I am slowly bleeding to death. A gold piece. I staked a piece of gold that I would leave this room unmolested. I am going now. Going. Do not cry, senorita. Life is not worth it.

Life is very cheap in La Jolla. The monster rides with the sun again. Your pardon, please. X-Can is gone. A strange, perverted spirit.

Do not weep, Senorita English. He did not want it. Another pawn removed from my naive side of the chessboard. Now we've got to call in the constabulary and hope to heaven they'll believe we didn't kill this fellow. No, no, Capitán. That we cannot do. You do not know La Jolla as I do. We would be arrested, held in the horrible jail for months, perhaps even convicted and shot. But...

But we haven't done anything. We would have a hard time proving it to unfriendly officials. No, we cannot bring in the police. We certainly got to take some action. Leave the body here. Get into the secret passage to the monastery as fast as possible. Quiet. Listen. The werewolf man is outside in the hall. The cry of the pack. The promise of death. I'll get that thing this time. Don't go out there, Captain. He won't follow anyone again. There's nothing here.

The devils, why don't they fight me open? This black magic stuff's getting on my nerves. We've been fighting in the dark for years. This is just the beginning for you. But Skip, Father, we've got to help Skip. And this body, do we have to stay in here with this body? That howl again. Look out, I'm going to shoot through the door. No, no. Open that door, Doctor, and stand out of the way. Juan Mendoza, you...

They got you, too. Stabbed in the back. Murdered. Come out here, doctor, quick. Take care of this man. The hall's empty. I'll bring him in our room. I'm going out and get Skip. No, don't go. Please don't go, Captain. Come, Captain. You are needed here. Juan is not dead. Help me. Give me a hand, Captain. All right. Easy. Easy with him. I came almost...

Too late, Senora. With word. Easy through the door. Yeah. There. That's it. Judith, close the door. Now then, gently, turn him over. Father, murder, murder. Every way we turn, we find death. Senora? Si, Juan. Senora, I have heard that the Senora Skip Turner has been killed. Yes, tell us by whom. By whom, Juan? Ah.

by the Indians from down the river of, river of broken waters. They are carrying him, carrying him toward Zambala. The work of the brotherhood. Señor Juan, be for me. Si, Juan, I will pray. He's dead, Mrs. Santos. Juan is dead. Take me away, father. Take me to my room. I

Catch her. Got me done for. I've got her. Just a faint. Here, we'll take her across the hall. You stay with her, Mrs. Santos, until she's recovered. You say Mrs. Santos is still with Judith? Yes, I locked them in the room. I want to talk to you, Dr. English. Now what, Captain? Did you hear what the priest Ixcan said to Mrs. Santos just before he died? We weren't meant to hear. You heard? Yes, I did.

He said, strike quickly, Mrs. Santos, or Tula is lost forever. He said what, Captain? Strike quickly, Mrs. Santos, or Tula is lost forever. But what does it mean? Only one thing that I can see. Mrs. Santos has some connection with the Brotherhood to the living dead. You mean that... Looks to me like she's working with them hand in glove. Impossible. She's our friend. She's helped us. All the better for the priesthood. If they've got a friend in the enemy's camp...

All the better for their cause. I don't believe it, Captain. She knows altogether too much. She explained that. How do you know she's Roberto Santos' wife? We just took her word for it. I believe her.

Robert would never have trusted her unless she was one of us. I'm sorry, Doctor, but Robert could have been mistaken. Captain, you believe this and yet you leave her alone with Judith? That was the only way at the moment. Don't let her know we're suspicious. She can't get out of the room. But if my daughter's in danger... Judith's not in danger. Mrs. Sanders will want to stay with us. She'll do everything possible to avoid our suspicions. She'll do everything possible to keep in our good graces until... Yes, Captain, go on. Until what? Until...

Until the moment comes to strike the blow. The blow that'll sweep us all into eternity. But to have such a traitor right with us... The danger will be small now that we have her spotted. Leave it to me. I'll take care of our Mrs. Santus. But what's our next move? Obviously, it's to get out of here before these two bodies are found with us. To get on the trail of Skip's kidnappers as quickly as possible. But with one dead, we haven't a guide. If we could only just get word to the monastery for aid. That's impossible, of course. I suppose so.

Look here, Doctor. We've got to take a desperate course. Our pack animals are waiting at the beginning of the secret passage. Yes. Well, we'll lead the animals and get away. You have maps. We'll just have to chance getting through. If we fall in with the proper people from village to village, all will be well. If not, then we're lost. Yes. There's no turning back now. Doctor, what is this secret passage? There are two passages. Oh? One, from La Jolla to the monastery. The second, the secret passage from the monastery to the sacred city of the sun.

The passage which our friends at the monastery have sought for centuries, but have never found. And our arrival at the monastery will mean much to our friends who are fighting the priests of the living dead? It means everything. That's the reason we can't turn back. Yeah, long chance, doctor. Please, senores, please open the door. Open up, doctor. I've got the door covered. If it's a trap, I'll get him. Wait, captain. Hello? Who's there? It is I, Carlos. The door. Open the door. It will be too late. Open it, doctor. Open it.

What's the matter? Step back, doctor. I've got him covered. Shut up. Here, get hold of yourself. Now, what's the matter? Who are you? I...

I am Carlos. I place myself on your mercy. The constabulary are coming here. Hide me, hide me, senor. Coming here? Keep your hands up. Look here, Carlos. What have you done? Why did they want you? Senores, I am not bad.

Like you, I have killed a man. Like us? Si, senor. He had to die. You see, I had to kill him. That's enough. You say the constabulary is coming here? Any moment. Save me, senores. And I will never breathe a word that you two have killed. Take me with you. Don't say that again. We haven't killed anyone. But the bodies, senor. Two bodies. Great.

Well, luck is running true to form, Doctor. Come, Senors. We can save each other. Now see here, Carlos. You're mistaken. You have nothing to fear from Carlos, Senor. He will never tell. Who are they? The priest who calls himself Ixcal. Good work, Senors. A wolf, a jackal. You're talking of the dead. And Juan Mendoza.

Juan knew the jungle as few others. But, senors, I too know the jungle. You knew Juan Mendoza? He was a friend, senor. A good friend of Carlos. What Juan knew, I knew. You save me now, and I will save you in the jungle. Listen, what's that? It is the gathering of the mob, senor. They have come with the constabulary for me. We must do something, captain. Come, we'll go for Mrs. Santos and Judith. Come on.

Are you going to trust this fellow, Doctor? We've got to. Perhaps he can be our guide. Oh, gracias, senor. But make haste. I'll get back way. I'll get Judith and Mrs. Santus. Carlos, you see that the passage in the back is open. Si. Come on, Doctor. Here, I have the key. Captain, the door's unlocked. No, they're gone. Judith and Mrs. Santus are gone. What have we done? What have we done? Look, they've taken all Judith's baggage. Everything's gone. Quick, let's check Mrs. Santus' room. It's just next door. Yeah, this door's unlocked, too. Look, nothing here at all. Gone.

all gone. My son gone, my friend is gone, and now my daughter's gone. That cursed woman, that

The traitors? They carried Judith off right under our eyes. They'll take her to that evil Chakotas high priest, Mayanai. Doctor, we mustn't waste a minute. I'd rather know she was dead than in their hands. We've got to get through to the sacred city now. We've got to get through. Por Dios, senors, they are upon us. The constabulary is upon us. Run for it, senors, or we will never leave this hotel alive. Yeah, the mob's breaking in. Come on, doctor, we've got to save ourselves. That's the only way we can help Skip and Judith.

Skip Turner in the hands of the enemy. Judith betrayed by Mrs. Santos. The Indian mob of La Jolla at the heels of Captain Friday and Dr. English. Listen next week to chapter four of The Land of the Living Dead, which is entitled The Tree That Eats Flesh. You are listening to Adventures by Morse. Adventures by Morse. Carlton E. Morse presents

The Land of the Living Dead, featuring Captain Friday. If you like high adventure, come with me. If you like the stealth of intrigue, come with me. If you like blood and thunder, come with me. The original party of Dr. Julian English has dwindled suddenly and appallingly to two people, Dr. English and Captain Friday.

Skip Turner has been kidnapped by the Chakotah Indians and has been dragged off into the jungles toward the Zambala Mountains and the sacred city of the Brotherhood of the Living Dead. Then suddenly, the secret side of Mrs. Santos' character came to view. Captain Friday overheard a dying agent of the living dead whisper to the woman, you must strike at once if you would save Tula.

and Tula is the girl who held the smoking gun at the death of Dr. English's son, Robert. Tula was the green-eyed emissary of the deadly Maya Nahim, high priest of the living dead. But go on, Captain Friday. Yes, it suddenly dawned on me that Mrs. Santus was not a friend, but rather a very clever agent of our enemies, and closely linked with the girl Tula, their agent.

© BF-WATCH TV 2021

And now we're deep in the jungles at the mercy of our guide, Carlos. Carlos, you fool, we're lost. You're taking us away from the secret passage. No, no, senor. The trail is just ahead beyond the river. Carlos does not lie. Carlos knows. Si, senor. Either you don't know the secret passage or you're deliberately misleading us. Now, which is it? Oh, Captain Friday, that could not be. The honor of Carlos is a byword in the marketplace of... Five days now you've led us on deeper into the jungles. Now you've run us up against a blank wall.

Fever-infested jungles on our right hand, on our left a wide rushing river that we can't possibly cross.

and our path has dwindled to nothing. But, but, senor... Haven't I told you that the lives of my daughter and Skip Turner are at stake? But, senor, across the river we shall again pick up the train. Across the river? Across that vicious stream foaming and frothing like a mad beast? Ah, but, senor, beneath the river there is a passage. A passage under the river? Look here, is this another of your lies? But did I not promise you to bring you to the river of broken water? Is that not where they were carrying your friend, senor Turner? River of broken wa... Is this the river of bro...

Look here. Aren't we near the sacrificial stone of the Chakotah Indians? I know not. I have not heard, senor. Strange you haven't heard if you're familiar with the jungle.

Mrs. Santos told me that somewhere on this river, there's a great ancient stone upon which young men and girls were stretched in sacrifice to the Chacota gods. Oh, si, si, senor. These jungles know the horror of human sacrifice. I have heard it often in the marketplace in La Jolla. I think you picked up most of your jungle experience in the marketplace. Oh, senor, you are not just... It's high time you learned about justice, Carlos. Do you see this gun? Oh, oh.

Are you going to kill me? Two hours after dawn tomorrow morning. If you haven't led us to this passage under the river, I'll kill you. It's only my generosity that lets you live through the night. No, no, no, no, senor. Tomorrow you will see. Tomorrow I will show you. The passage is about an hour's journey along the bank. One hour after dawn, senor. I ask for one hour. And I give you two. Now go to your tent. Stay there until I call you tomorrow.

It's getting dark, Captain Friday, and I'll share the watch alone tonight. Gracias, senor. Muchas gracias. Until tomorrow, senor. Muchas gracias. Hasta mañana. Captain. Captain Friday. Where are you? Over here, Dr. English. There's something out there in the jungle watching us. Watching us? Yes.

I stepped off the path to look at a curious flower, a vicious-looking flower. It looked like a bloated orchid. It had a deep throat, deep and red, red as blood. There are a good many curious flowers in these jungles, Captain. But that isn't all. As I stood there, something touched the back of my neck. What's that? It was like nothing I've ever felt. My body turned icy cold. For a moment, I was frozen on my feet. Then I whirled. Was it...

Human? I saw a face, Doctor. A human face hanging in a tree, staring at me. A horrible human face. Are you sure? Your nerves are... My nerves are all right. I saw it. Staring eyes. The eyes of a hanged man. Eyes of death. But with life still burning in them. Hopeless, terrified life. I stood there, my skin burning with fever and my flesh creeping. Jungle fever, Captain. I was afraid of this. No, no, I'm not ill. I saw it, I tell you. And then it vanished. Vanished as though it had been suddenly swallowed.

Swallowed? Yes, swallowed. As though the tree had swallowed it. Good heavens, man. I tell you, there's something devilish out there in that jungle. Something inhuman. Maybe Carlos can explain it. Carlos? Yes. Once the lips of the face moved, and I'll swear they said Carlos. Besides, I felt there was something wrong, something very wrong, ever since Carlos joined us. I had a showdown with him just now. I gave him until two hours after dawn tomorrow morning to find the passage under the river. That or death. What did he say to that? Seemed entirely too satisfied.

He'll never lead us to the jungle, through the jungle, and to Skip and Judith. Something's wrong. You say he's in his tent? Yes, of course. You know, Doctor, I was by the fire smoking last night after you turned in. I looked up and caught Carla's face in the firelight. He was alert, staring into the jungle. Then he saw me watching him, and he grabbed up some wood and began fixing the fire. Hmm. Look here, Doctor. We're doing the best we can. Now, don't worry too much about Judith. Don't worry? How can I help but worry? I know, I know. But look here. Look here.

We've got to know Mrs. Stantos pretty well. She wouldn't let him hurt Judith. She wasn't a vicious woman. Anyone in the employ of the Brotherhood of the Living Dead is vicious.

Well, come on. Let's turn in and catch some sleep. Listen. What was that? Come on. It came from down the trail. Captain, keep your gun ready. I have it. And the flash. It may be a trap. That agony was real enough. Here, let me lead. I think I know where it came from. You're thinking of that face in the tree. Yes, I am. Here, it's right ahead. There. Right ahead. There's the tree. Look. Use your flashlight. Captain Friday, stand back. Don't go near. It's the tree of death. Tree of death? Look. Look.

Look at Azcalos and its grasp. Its limbs are clutching at his body. Look at them ride like snakes. Doctor, what on earth are we seeing? One of the little pleasantries of the La Jolla jungle, Captain. The tree that eats flesh. What are you saying? They threw me to the tree of death, Señor. I have done my work and they no longer me. They? They? Carlos, can you speak quickly? Who are they? My masters.

the brothers to the living. But why kill you? Why, Carlos? No! He is killing me! I can't stand this, Doctor. I'm going into that tree. Keep away, Captain. That's suicide. Look how the branches are writhing and reaching for you. Is that tree alive? It's sensitive to the presence of flesh. The limbs reach for flesh to eat exactly as the ordinary tree lifts its limbs skyward to feed on sunshine and fresh air.

Carlos, can you still talk? It is squeezing my brain. Carlos, answer me. Why were you thrown to the tree of death? Because I revealed the secret of the passage under the river. And it's all over. He's gone. Disappeared, just as though he'd been swallowed by that tree. I know, Captain.

You're thinking of the other face you saw on that tree. Yes, I wonder who it was. Why do you say it like that? I was thinking of Skip. Skip? Skip? Wouldn't you have known if it had been Skip? How could I? It wasn't a human face when I saw it. Captain, this is terrible. You don't think it might have been... No, no, not Judith. I know it wasn't. It was a man. Come on, back to camp, Captain. We're alone now. Alone in the Hoya jungle. Oh, no, you are not, gentlemen.

If either of you move a step, you will be run through with a poison spear. Who said that? I don't see anyone. Of course you see no one. But I am here. Here in the jungle. Your hands over your heads, both of you. Do as you're told, Captain. We're trapped. Good advice, Dr. English. Remember, you die the instant you move.

Mon, you and Econ, take their weapons. Yeah, looks like the end of the trail, Doctor. The end, Captain Friday. The end, unless... Unless what? Why don't you come out of those shadows and show yourself? It does not suit my purpose to come out.

As to the other, you may still save yourselves and Senor Skip Turner if a certain piece of dry human skin is turned over to me. Is that true? Give me the map, and I promise you safe escort aboard the ship at La Jolla. And my daughter, too? Your daughter? Yes, yes, my daughter. I refuse to agree to anything unless you return my daughter. Egan, take them to the Jakarta sacrificial stone.

There are ways of making men tell their innermost secrets, Dr. English. And, Econ, when they are stretched upon the ancient sacrificial stone, many things may be done to the anatomy. Many unpleasant things. Just a minute. Throw them into the dungeon at the foot of the sacrificial stone.

Boss! Captain Friday! Skip! Is it really you? You and Dr. English? They've got you in the dungeon too, Skip. Are you all right? Oh, sure, I'm okay. But, man, I never expected to see you two again. Hey, grab Dr. English. He's going to pass out. No, I'm all right, but all hope of saving Judith is gone. Judith! Captain, what's happened to Judith? Kidnapped by Mrs. Santos the day you were captured. Kidnapped by Mrs. Santos? Well, then she's... Yeah, she's a traitor in our camp.

And you ain't heard a word? Not a word. She's gone. Skip, have you been in this little stone cell ever since they captured you? Yeah. But where are we? We were pushed in here with you without any chance to look around. What is this place? Look through that chink in the wall. You mean here? Yeah. It doesn't look like much. Just another stone chamber. We'll deal bigger than this.

Looks pretty gloomy. Well, use your eyes, boss. What are you driving at, Skip? You see that big rock at the end of the chamber? Oh, you mean the one covered with red paint? Red paint. Paint is good. Look here, Skip. What's the mystery? You're looking at the Chakotah sacrificial rock. Eh? What's that? Here, Captain, let me have a look. You mean that red is the blood of the poor critter sacrificed to the Chakotah gods during the last thousand years? Then we must be in the death chamber. I reckon so. Looks like we're going to be next.

Skip, is this a gag? Do you know what you're talking about? Listen, if you think civilized people know anything about torture, just wait till you see these Chakotah Indian priests at work. So that's what we're in for, huh?

What's that, Dr. English? What do you see through the chink in the wall? It's the drum ceremony. The Chakotah invocation to the sun god. Hey, look through the crack, Captain. Into the amphitheater. You see? The sun's coming over the eastern wall. Sun shows over there every morning. It ain't got no roof on it. It's a beautiful sight. You're right, Captain. Beauty and viciousness are very close relatives in the Chakotah soul.

Civilized man's incapable of understanding these ancient people. Skip, how are we locked in here? This room we're in must be thousands of years old. Is there a modern lock on the door? No, they're fastening. It's as old as the building itself. Some sort of a system of bars that enter lock. It holds the stone door closed all right, though.

Eh, might as well be a dozen year locks as far as we're concerned. But supposing we had a friend on the outside? But we ain't. But supposing we did have? Well, if we did have a friend outside, I don't suppose they'd have much trouble getting us free. But what the heck you getting at? We ain't got a friend. I was just supposing. Supposing we've got a friend. Listen, Skipper. That werewolf follow. Looks like death approaches the English expedition. Why do you say that? Every time we've heard that howl, hasn't someone either died or come very near to death?

Yeah, that's right. Gives me kind of a... Hey, listen. Somebody stopped just outside our door. So death is going to pay us another visit. They're coming for us. There's no two ways about that. They're coming for us. Captain Friday, Skip, and Dr. English are in the death dungeon of the Chakotah Sacrificial Temple. Through a chink in the wall, they can look in upon the execution chamber and the sacrificial stones.

And just outside the dungeon, the werewolf and the Chakotah priests are standing. One of the three, or perhaps all, are to go to the execution room.

They're taking down the bars. One of us is going to pay a little visit to that red rack out yonder, sure as shoot. Before that happens, we'll introduce them to a good old-fashioned knock-down, drag-out street brawl. It isn't you boys they want, Captain. It's me. They want the map. The map of the secret passage between the La Jolla Monastery and the Sacred City. That is true. Hey, I didn't see the door open. You have a high sense of intuition, Dr. English. Good morning, senores. No, it ain't a good morning. Easy, Skip. Doctor...

Once again, I make you a proposition. You give me the map and I promise you and your two friends safe conduct back to the United States. But, Judith, my daughter. What of my daughter? Oh, yes, the senorita. Look, fella, I'm going to take you apart. Be quiet, you fool. I'll tend to you later. Come, Dr. English. Which do you choose?

To give up the map or a trip to the sacrificial stall. Ah, great guy when you're in the driver's seat, ain't you? Skip, there's no use antagonizing him. The sacrificial stall is not a comfortable bed.

Come, which do you choose? You can't bargain with me so long as my daughter's in danger. He can. Remove the doctor to the sacrificial chamber. Wait a minute, doctor. Let's have this thing out right now. Do not move, Captain Friday. Each of my men is armed with a poisoned spear, a mere scratch from which would cause you instant death. Stand where you are. Take the doctor out. It's no use, Captain. Look at the tips of those spears, covered with deadly venom. Yeah, but, doctor, we can... No, Skip, no. But this isn't the end yet.

Some of us are bound to reach the sacred city. What wonderful faith. Are you going to walk or do you prefer to be dragged? I'll walk. I ain't gonna stand here and see... Close the door!

Stood by and let him carry Dr. English off to be executed. That's what we did. Yeah, great. Well, why didn't we pitch into him? If we'd moved, we'd been dead now. And the doctor'd still be in the same fix. Dead, we're a total loss. Alive, we might still work an angle. Yeah. You know what we are? We're just a pair of lambs waiting our turn at the slaughter. Snap out of it. I'll be thinking some way to fight our way out of here.

Okay, what do you want me to do? One of us is going to watch the sacrificial chamber through this chink in the wall. The other's going to try to find a way of opening that door. Which job do you want? I never want to see that sacrificial chamber again. Not after what I seen yesterday. Then see what you can do with the door. I'll watch. You'll be sorry if you do. It'll haunt you the rest of your days. I wouldn't do it if it wasn't necessary. But it may give us a clue as to our own future actions. The only clue it'll give you will be how you're going to die. Nevertheless, I... Uh-oh.

They stripped Dr. English to the waist. Yeah, nobody ever dies on a sacrificial stone with his clothes on. They've grabbed him. Three. No, no, four men have thrown him on the rock. On his back, huh? Yeah. Yeah, that's the way the girl died, too. Skip! Skip, what are they doing? Well, you wanted to watch. Well, there ain't nothing I can do with this door, and you know it. They've got him on his back. One man holding each foot, a man hanging on each arm. Do you have to tell me? Haven't I seen it?

Don't I know that each priest will brace his foot against a stone and pull in four directions until his body's as taut as the head of a drum? Now, that's exactly what they're doing. Yeah, and then that werewolf beast will step forward with his knife and run his hand over the body until he finds the tautest spot of all. Don't I know? Didn't I see it with my own eyes? Animals. Animals. All of them. Yeah, find a place where the tension is greatest. And that's where he'll plunge the knife. The werewolf's stepping forward. He's bending over.

There's Tula. There's Tula. Who? Tula. The green-eyed girl who killed Robert. She's standing right behind the werewolf. Right behind him. Sure. She's part of the ceremony. Look how beautiful she is. How can anything so beautiful be so ungodly? Like a snake. So Tula's companion of the werewolf. Skip, he's running his hand over the doctor's body. Look, he's found the spot. I know. It's always the same. On the left side, right under the heart. Mrs. Santos. Mrs. Santos is there, too. She just crept inside the doorway. Hey, is she a prisoner? No. No.

No, she's standing in a shadow. They haven't seen her yet. Then she's one of the sacred priests. Made suckers out of us. She fooled me, all right. Skip, Werewolf's raised his knife. He's asking Dr. English a question. Yeah, must be about to map. The doctor won't give in. He shook his head. Then it's all over. No, no, no! Hey, what happened? Is Dr. English dead? Quiet. Listen. Look at the sun. The healing monster is riding with the sun. Skip, come here and look.

There's the shadow of a Gila monster on the face of the sun. The prophecy's fulfilled. The Gila monster is riding with the sun. That means some awful catastrophe for the world. The Chakotas are struck dumb. They're scared stiff. Hey, they've let Dr. English go. He's off the stone. Yeah, they've forgotten all about him. He's got away. He's free. The priests are just standing there staring at the sun. Oh, I hope he makes it. I hope he makes it. He's out of the chamber. Mrs. Sandus has disappeared. Oh, if we were only out of here, Cappy. Dr. English won't have a chance alone, but the three of us might put up a fight. We...

Hey, someone's opening the door. Who is it? Who's out there? It's Dr. English. It's Dr. English. He didn't run away. He's freeing us, Captain. Yeah, yeah, I heard you. Hurry, Doctor. The Chakotas have come to their senses. They've discovered you've gone. Hurry, Doctor, hurry. Hurry. Come, come quickly. Into the jungle. It's our only chance. Into the jungle. How much further to the river do you think, Doctor?

Phew, I'm about all in. Well, if Carlos didn't lie to us, and men don't lie when they're dying, then the passage under the river should be very near this place. Now, let's get a breath for a moment. Well, they'll never find us in this tangled jungle. Good thing you grabbed up your clothes as you left, Doctor, because there's no place for a man in a loincloth. I wonder if you realize how true your words are. Look, Captain...

See that plant? The one with the leaves splashed with red? Yes. Only those red splashes happen to be vicious red ants. Red ants? A few hundred of them could eat a man alive in 24 hours. You mean these ants eat flesh? That's right. Everything seems to eat human flesh down here, even the trees. Skip, look out! What? A snake? That was a close one for you, Skip. Man, look at the size of it. A poisonous brute, called a swamp snake.

Thanks, Cappy. But where in heck did he come from? Dropped down from that limb above your head, unrolled like a tape measure. Must be 12 feet if he's an inch. Come on, let's get out of this jungle. This is the awfulest hole I ever was in. Here, let me go ahead. I'm familiar with the jungle. Follow close on my heels. Whatever you do, don't touch so much as a leaf without first knocking it with your club. Never can tell where a poisonous bug or reptile may be hidden. Pleasant thought. Remember this.

Every step you take is as much as your life is worth. Hey, what sort of an entrance do you think this passage under the river will have, Doctor? I haven't the slightest idea, Skip. Maybe a dark tunnel mouth overgrown by vines. Oh, that's going to make it hard to find. Doesn't sound very encouraging. Maybe weak's finding it. Remember, we've got no food or weapons. Listen, there's the roar of the river. Come on. We're about an hour's travel up the river from our camp. The passage under the river can't be far off.

Look! Look! Well, burn my britches, a building. A concrete building in the middle of the jungle. Nothing of the kind, Skip. Ancient ruins. Look at the jagged, broken walls. The caved-in roof. Chakotah ruins.

Hey, Dr. English, we're discoverers. A lot of good Chakotah ruins are to us. What I want to find is that secret passage under the river. Hey, Doctor, you suppose we could explore that building? Oh, that's great. With Chakotah savages on our trail and the death of the La Jolla jungle all around us, you want to explore. Captain Friday's right, Skip. We can't stop now. But what a wealth of archaeological material that old place must hold. Yeah, but it's right on the edge of the river. What's that got to do with it? Well, but don't you suppose...

Look here. Maybe the entrance to the river passage is in that building. Yeah, what do you say, Doctor? Is that reasonable? Why not, Doctor? Don't you remember? Carla said the tunnel was right around here. That's a wise thought, my boy. Well, let's get at it. It's going to be dark pretty soon. We've got to search through old ruins. I want daylight. Come on, let's go. Look at that magnificent structure, Doctor.

Thousands and thousands of years ago, perhaps this building was the place of worship for a great race of people whose civilizations lost to the world. Nothing but a heap of decaying rock and vegetation now. Except for the walls. Look. Look at the mosaic floors. Did you ever see more beautiful carving? The pattern almost wiped off that solid stone by time and the elements. Think how many centuries the wind and rain must have swept floors in... Dr. English. Dr. English. Listen.

Dr. English, the passage on your right leads to the cavern beneath the river. Who said that? Where is she? Keep still. The passage to the right. The passage to the right. Mrs. Sandow's voice. I don't see nobody. Just a voice. Quickly. Quickly. You must not hesitate if you would be saved.

Take the passage to the right. Here, this is the way. Come on. Doctor, you're not going to follow those instructions. Remember, it was she who took Judith. Then what'll we do, Captain? Anything but fall into another of her traps? You have little time left. Act quickly. I am your friend. Then where's Judith? The path to the right.

I'm going. I'm going to take a chance. Skip, don't be a fool. I'm going, Captain. Maybe at least I can see Judith once again before I get stretched on that sacrificial rock. Doctor, stop him. He's walking into certain death. I'm going with him, Captain. No, you fools. You unadulterated fools. You're walking into a trap. Don't come if you feel that way, Captain Friday. Of course I'm going with you. To the left now, Senor Turner. To the left. Now down the three steps. Trust me, Senor. Down the three steps.

Again to the left. Now around the big boulder. We're all a pack of lunatics to do this. You are now at the mouth of the cavern, Senor Turner. There are torches set up along the route for you. Hey, lookie. Ain't that a sight? Torches along the walls of the cave. I'm going in. Wait, Skip. At least let's go in together. Keep close, Doctor. All right, let's go. Hey, them torches throw funny shadows on the wall. Look. Hieroglyphics on the wall. Watch your step.

I still think this is a trap. Hey. And you were right, Captain Friday. The werewolf. It is a trap. The werewolf says it's a trap. Mrs. Santos says she is still to be trusted. In the tunnel beneath the river of broken waters, Captain Friday, Skip Turner, and Dr. English face the new menace of the Brotherhood of the Living Dead. And what of Judith?

Further developments of The Land of the Living Dead will be unfolded next week at this same time. You are listening to Adventures by Morse. Adventures by Morse. Courtney Morse presents The Land of the Living Dead, featuring Captain Friday. If you like high adventure, come with me. If you like the stealth of intrigue, come with me. If you like blood and thunder...

Come with me. Deep in the Chilean jungle, Captain Friday has escaped from the Chakota sacrificial chamber with Skip Turner and Dr. English, only to be led into a second trap in the passage under the river by the voice of Mrs. Santos. Hardly had they entered the underground passageway, which was lighted by weird flickering torches, when they came face to face with members of the living dead priesthood, headed by the werewolves.

face to face with a half-man, half-animal whose eyes glittered and whose ears lay flat against his head like a mad dog. And by his side... But this is your story, Captain Friday. Yes, by his side stood the beautiful green-eyed Tula, a Chakotah priestess, with her lovely lips curled in a snarl as vicious as the werewolves. Then suddenly from some side passage stepped Mrs. Santus. She stepped between the werewolves' pack and skipped Dr. English and me.

To our surprise, the werewolf fell to the ground, groveling, and his pack dissolved into the darkness with yelps of terror, Tula escaping with them. And now we're in the ancient La Jolla Monastery, the refuge of all persons like ourselves who are fighting the priesthood of the living dead, and who seek the downfall of their sinister Maya Nahib. Maya Nahib, dissolute high priest of the sacred city of Chakotah, who in his jungle sanctuary plans the downfall of all nations and the end of all civilization.

The monastery of La Jolla raises its gaunt walls on one side of the Zambala Mountains. On the other side of the mountains lies Maya Nahid's lair, also known as the land of the living dead. And now, senores, that the monks have received you and have appointed you each a cell, I want you to come with me. Yes, someplace, any place where we can talk. I've got to know what's become of Judith. You've put me off and put me off.

Mrs. Santos, if my daughter's fallen into the hands of the Mayanib... Patience, Dr. English. The walls are listening. The whole world will know it if you... Senores, come into this chamber. The monks gave you candles, Captain Friday. Light them. Hey, did we just get ourselves locked in? Light your candles, Skip. There.

Kitten Friday! Oh, Father, you're safe! Judith, my daughter! Doggone, Judith, I ain't never been so glad to see anybody! Hold it, everybody, hold it, hold it. We're not getting anywhere this way. One at a time, please.

Now, let's hear what Judith and Mrs. Santos have to say first. Yeah, Judith, how'd you get here? And what was Mrs. Santos doing in the Chakotah Sacrificial Temple? Man, now, she scared the pants off that werewolf fella and that green-eyed babe, too. Hold it, Scaff. Let Judith talk. Well, I came by way of the secret passage between La Jolla and the monastery here. But, Mrs. Santos, you tell them. The secret passage? But how did you... Dr. English, did you not get my message? Yes.

What message? A verbal message from an old Indian. We didn't get any message. The moment we discovered you and Judith gone from the hotel, we fled into the jungle. That explains it. The message I left said, wait at the hotel until tomorrow. Then you will follow Judith and me through the secret passage. You'd better explain that, Mrs. Santos. There were friends from the monastery who knew the secret passage waiting in La Jolla. When Juan, our guide, was slain, they came to our aid.

Because of the danger from the agents of the living dead, they could not take us all at once. So they sleep Judith and me away and were to have come for you to make a second caravan on the following day. Your sudden dash into the jungle upset everything. Then we are to trust you after all, Mrs. Santos. I hope so, Dr. English. Then what did that dying Indian mean when he said, if you would save Tula, you must strike at once? Oh!

You heard? And what were you doing with the priestess Tula in the chamber when they were about to sacrifice Dr. English? You saw me there? Yes. I was not with Tula, Captain Friday. But you stood there watching them put the doctor through the agony of the sacrifice. Why were you allowed the run of the temple if you're not a friend of the living dead? Did you know, Captain Friday, that it was I who saved Dr. English? Yes.

That it was I who called attention to the shadow of the Gila monster on the face of the sun? That was coincidence, Mrs. Sandus. You were as much appalled by it as the werewolf and Tula were. Coincidence, you think? I wonder. You have answered none of Captain Friday's questions, Mrs. Sandus. None of them. And they all implicate you, connect you with mankind's deadliest enemies, the brothers of the living dead. You refuse to trust me, Dr. English? Trust you? No.

How can I trust a woman who can turn back a mob of half-mad savages led by a creature as vicious as the werewolf merely by the simple signal of a hand? Signal? Signal? Yes, you signaled the werewolf. Mrs. Santos, what is your relationship with Mayanayib and his living dead? My... my relationship? Yes. In what capacity do you serve them? Dr. English, you do not know what you are saying. But I saw you signaling. You saw? You saw my hand? Yes.

What movement did you see it make? Tell me, what movement did you see me make? Why, to be frank with you, I couldn't see your hand. It was your general attitude, the gesture of your arm. Your back was to me... Then you did not see. You did not see the signal. Then you admit you did signal. But that does not matter as long as you did not see the... But what the heck's so important about that? I will tell you. You must believe me. Yes? For the first time in my life...

I found it necessary to have recourse to certain discoveries... which my husband made in his investigations of the ancient priesthood. You mean some form of mysticism? Si. The gesture of my hand represented a single word... the most powerful, most potent word that the mind of man has ever conceived. Its origin dates back to the dawn of life. And in all these hundreds of thousands of years...

Not once has it ever been spoken by the lips of man, for it is the word which cannot be spoken. You expect us to believe that? I have told you, Captain Friday, that in the La Jolla Monastery we battle mysticism with mysticism. That gesture of my hand saved our lives and brought us safely to the monastery. But how did you know that the werewolf would understand and obey? I did not know, but he is a power in my Anahib sacred city.

In the temple of the living dead, the sign is known. And it seemed only right that he would know it for his own protection. Well, I don't get it. What for the love of Mike does this sign mean? That I cannot reveal, Senor Skip. Oh, it sounds like a lot of cheap hokum to me. Oh, no, Skip. What do you say, Doctor? It's quite possible that Mrs. Santos is telling the truth, Captain. Quite possible? Quite possible? Quite possible?

Do you suppose the monks of this monastery would allow me here? It would be well for the Brotherhood of the Living Dead to have a spy in the enemy's stronghold, Mrs. Santos. Especially an agent with your credentials. And is this the thanks I get, Captain Friday? For rescuing you and your friends? You insisted on us coming down here. You exposed us to danger. You remember that, don't you, Mrs. Santos? Captain Friday, not too harsh. And another thing.

Dr. English, doesn't it seem strange that your son Robert didn't once mention either yourself or Judith, the name of Mrs. Roberto Santos, after his return and before he was murdered? Yes, I've thought of that. In fact, doesn't it seem strange that if they were such intimate friends, as Mrs. Santos declares, that he didn't bring her directly home with him? Yes, Captain, it does. Such a friend would have been more than welcome in our home. You, Senores, are worn out with fatigue and excitement. You are overly suspicious at the moment.

Your minds are not fit to judge any situation clearly tonight. I will leave you now. I would advise you to go to the cells the monks have provided and sleep. Perhaps understanding will come to you in your dreams.

Well, here we've spent two weeks in this blooming monastery, and what have we accomplished? Answer? Nothing. We're the capital inn. Ah, but how wonderfully peaceful and quiet it is now. Yeah, it's been tough sledding for you, Judith. For all of us, Skip. Where's Dr. English? With Mrs. Santos. There was a horrible fall she had down those rough stone steps yesterday. Captain Friday, she would have been killed if you hadn't saved her. She'll be in bed a week with those bruises. Those monks are wizards when it comes to human ills.

They're so quiet and efficient and sure of themselves. I had a headache, and one of them simply passed his hand over my forehead and down the back of my neck, and the pain was gone instantly. Funny ducks, ain't they? With their prayer wheels and their rough sackcloth robes down to their feet. Their leader reminds me of the Dalai Lama of Tibet. There is a close connection, I suspect.

Father thinks so, too. Well, what I wish is that Dr. English would bring out that secret map of his, the one drawn on human skin. Why don't he? No, Skipper, don't mention that map again. Not here, nor anyplace else.

You'll never see that map here. Well, then how the heck are we going to find the... Father and I know every line of that map by heart. Yeah, but how the heck are me and the captain going to help hunt out the key that'll lead to the secret passage? The one between the monastery and the sacred city, if we don't know what was on the map. Skip, keep your voice down. One of us will have to tell you. Well, don't you think it's about time you did it, then?

As I understand it, the passage begins somewhere right here in this monastery. Skip and I have searched the place as thoroughly as possible, but not a clue. That's not surprising. The monks here have been hunting for years. Then they've known all along there's an entrance into the sacred city. Yes. That's why we're so welcome here, given the run of the monastery.

They are as anxious as we to solve the riddle of the secret passage. Well, listen, Cap, you and I are going down into the underground part of the monastery again this afternoon. Now, how about giving us a lead, huh? Well, but I want to go along, Skip. Why, sure. Of course you can come along, honey. Uh, Judith? Wait a minute, wait a minute. Look here, Skip, are you calling Judith honey in private?

That's the second slip for you today. Why, uh... Do you mind, Captain Friday? If I don't? Oh, haven't any objection in the world. But I'm warning you, watch out for him. You go to blazes. But as you were saying about the map, darling... Hey. Judith. Hey. Oh, aren't you ashamed to needle skip like that? Yeah, don't worry. I'll fix him. No, but seriously, about that map...

At the beginning of the secret passage, it shows a building representing this monastery, standing on the edge of a mountain in a terrible storm. Storm, huh? Has that some significance? Yes. The rain is falling in great torrents, and there is a long, jagged streak of lightning just over the building. I see. That's all. That's all? Well, it isn't very much, but, well, somewhere in this monastery is a door.

And what I have just told you is the key to it. Well, then we'll find it. And the monks have been hunting years. Aren't you the optimistic lad? And we've got to work fast. Remember, two weeks have passed since the Gila monster rode with the sun.

The catastrophe which it predicts may crash down on the world at any moment. Yeah, but how will our entering the secret city prevent this world tragedy? Sayin' it's true. It's feared by those who know that Maya Nahid and his living dead will be at the bottom of the catastrophe. But the monster is already ridden with the sun. Doesn't that mean we're too late? You mustn't say that, Captain. You mustn't even think it. The Black Death is too terrible.

Captain Friday, Skip Turner, and their companions, Dr. English and his daughter Judith, are in the dank slime of the underground room in the La Jolla Monastery, searching. Down here in the darkness, with only reed torches and flashlights, they are looking for the entrance to the secret passage. The passage which will lead them into the very heart of the enemy. The stronghold of the Brotherhood of the Living Dead. Careful, Judith.

It's a slimy, dark, wet place down here. Yes. Dank as a rain barrel. And we'd sure be in a fix without these torches the monks have stuck up all around. Hey, what do you suppose these big, bare chambers are used for, Dr. English? This looks very much like a chapel of some kind. Notice the paintings on the walls and the altar. The altar down at the lower end of the room. Who do you suppose did them, Doctor? Spanish? Oh, no, no. These are the work of the Indians. Some truly marvelous pieces of work. Now, look at this one. I...

By Jove! Judith! Father, what is it? Look, Judith, this picture here. Holy mackerel. Look, a picture of a storm. A premonition.

Our precious map. Exactly. You think this is the key to the secret passage? Symbolical, see? At the top of the room, it's rain. By the time it's reached the center of the wall, it's a veritable waterfall. Yes, yes. Look how the big rock divides the waterfall. On the one side, the water runs in a boiling, frothy disorder. And on the other side of the rock, the water falls smoothly, gently, almost placidly. Never mind that, Dr. English. But the symbolism, man, the symbolism, don't you see? The rock...

painted on the wall represents the dividing line between turmoil and ascension on the one side and order and harmony on the other. Yeah, sure, I suppose so. You mean we're to look for a rock and that's the key to the secret passage? But where are we supposed to look? Why look any farther? Rain and lightning was the clue given on the map. There's your rain and lightning. Hold your flash directly on that painting of the rock, Captain. Hey, wait a minute. I've got it.

Look here, the painting of the rock exactly outlines the actual stone in the wall. Do you suppose we're actually looking at the rock that hides the opening to the secret passage? I'd swear it. Well, what do you know? Here, Doctor, we can move this altar up against the wall. By standing on it, we'll have easy access to the rock. Good. Give us a hand with it. Yeah, let's go. Come on. Solid stone, but we can do it. All right, come on. Everybody now. All right, easy. Easy. There you are. Ah.

Hey, it's strange the monks haven't run onto this. Would you? Remember, we had the original clue, the storm scene. Not in a million years. Clever, these Indians. Better let me climb up and try the stone first, Doctor. Go ahead, Captain. Judith, you and Skip hold your flashes on the picture. Yes. Even if it is the gateway to the secret passage, these past 300 years will have sealed it pretty tight. Yeah, sure. Hey, you up, Cappy? Yeah. Here, here. Take this chisel. It'll help you to loosen the dirt and mortar around the edges. And here's a wooden mallet to pound with. Sort of everything, huh?

I've got him. Now we'll try it. How does she look? Hello. There isn't any mortar in the cracks. Look out! Look! Look, it's swinging open. The rock swung open. It's on a pivot. That's strange. That opened entirely too easily. Been used lately, all right. Swung open the moment I touched it. Are we going in? Well, anyway, there's your passageway, Doctor.

It couldn't be anything but the secret passageway, could it? No, no, it's got to be. Of course we're going in. Okay. Skip, help Judith up on the altar. Yeah. Give me your hand. Come into the passage. There. Oh, it's dark in here. No noise, please. You're next, Doctor. I'm coming. Here, give me your hand. There, thanks. Okay, come on, Skip. You bet. And here we are. Yeah.

Now, Doctor, you and I will lead. Judith, follow us. And Skip, you bring up the rear. Yeah. Everyone keep his flash in one hand and his gun in the other. Come on. There's a fine sand on the floor. Our feet don't make a sound. Hey, Doctor, look at these walls. All these carvings. Ancient Chakotah work, Skip. A magnificent find for us. I don't doubt but much of the unknown history of the world is told in these pictures. Look. Clear to the ceiling. At least 15 feet high. And as far down the passage as our light carries. Beautiful. Beautiful.

Stupendous. Look, a stairway ahead. We're going down into another room. Hey, we should have closed that entrance. I tended to it, Captain. Oh, good. All right, down the steps now. Careful. Amazing. Look, Captain. The room we're descending into is hewn from solid rock. A man. A man screamed. Hey, I thought we had this place to ourselves. Hold it. Listen.

Hello, are we going on? What do you say, Doctor? We're going on. Judith, if you want to go back, there's still time. I'm still going with you. Any idea what that was, Doctor? Sounded like a man in mortal agony. Diabolical. Hey, there it is again. Listen. Doctor, do you need me? Someone's calling your name, Doctor. Come on, come on. Keep your gun handy, Skip. You bet you. Listen.

Hey, there he is. There on the floor. Oh, no. Horrible. Judith, get hold of yourself. Yes. Stand up on your feet or I'll shake you. Yes, yes. I'll be all right. Give me a hand, Skip. Dr. English, this man's chained to the wall. Too late, Dr. English. I'm finished. The end of the passage. Stay away to the sun. Chained to the wall.

Poor emaciated body. We came too late. Hey, look, he's white. American. You know him, doctor? He called your name. Hold the light on his face. Judith, look. It's Arthur Henderson. It's Henderson. Of course I know him. Henderson. But his hair is white. Henderson was a big man. There's nothing but skin and bones. Agony can do that to a man. Agony and terror. But who is he? Fellow archaeologist. Saw him less than two years ago at the International Convention in Bogota.

Only two years ago. But how did he get here? The brothers to the living dead have taken another pawn from our side of the board, Captain. Roberts, Henderson, who's to be next? Looks like we are. I'm for getting out of here. Quiet. Put out those lights. The werewolf. Talk about your black magic. That thing's everywhere. Looks as though we've tracked him to his lair this time. Listen. Gone. Just a wolf cry fading out into thin air.

Look, Doctor, why not get the monks back at the monastery to help us? We can come back with a crew of those monks. Turn back now after what Henderson said? You don't know what you're saying. What Henderson said? Yes, at the end of the passage, the stairway to the sun. Well, what about it? I think now I know what that zigzag streak of lightning in the storm symbolizes.

Come, we've got to go ahead. Yeah, you're the scientist, if you say so. Can't you stand there and see the way this is affecting Judith and still say go on? No, no, no, Skip, of course we're going on. Remember, Judith, if you'd keep your head, use it. I'm all right, Father. Look, there must be hundreds of rooms down here. Little passageways leading off in every direction. Hello, something ahead. Steady with your light, Doctor. Stairway. Henderson's stairway to the sun. Well, what do you know?

Broad as a road, leading up and up and up. There doesn't seem to be any ending. Hewn out of solid rock. And look, there on the first step, a great yellow disc planted in the rock. And golden rays shooting out in all directions. See, there's one on every step. Looks like gold. Why, it is gold. The Stairway to the Sun. Stairway is a series of terraces. Seven steps, and then a terrace. Then seven more steps. And then a terrace.

It's the same all the way up. Wonderful. Wonderful. Look. Look there on the first terrace. Hello. A skeleton. Skeleton. Chained to the wall. And there's another on the next terrace. And on the next. And the next. And the next. Stairway to the sun, my eye. More like we was coming up out of the pit of Hades. Oh, it's hideous. It's... Catch her, Skip. Yeah. I've got her. Oh, poor little kid. She couldn't take it. Here, let me see her. Hmm. Heart's all right. She'll be all right in a moment.

We'll have to carry her. We can't stop now. Yeah, she's light as a pigeon. I'll take her when you give out. Are you kidding? Okay, Doctor, you and I lead off. Skip, sing out if we go too fast for you. Poor luckless chaps. There must be thousands of those skeletons on this stairway. Up and up we go, right into the heart of some vast mountain. And on every seventh step is a grinning skull and a heap of bones, chained to the wall. Wait. Wait.

There's a light. It's coming from a doorway leading off the terrace just above us. It's coming through a drape over the doorway. Now, you folks wait here. I'll go ahead and investigate. If I flash my light once, that means for Dr. English to come on alone. If twice, it's all right for all of you to come. Watch yourself, boss. There's one flash. I'm to go. You wait here, Skip. Okay, but I don't like it.

What is it, Captain? Keep your voice down. Great stone chamber with torches stuck in the wall. Four persons seated at a table. Know any of them? No, they're three in long cloaks and have hoods over their faces. The fourth is a werewolf monster. A werewolf, eh? Listen, the werewolf's talking. Pull the curtain back just a bit. Maybe we can hear. Easy now. And as I have said, I have just come from the great master...

For three days now, the people have seen the shadow of the monster upon the face of the sun. The hour is at hand. Centuries of waiting are at hand. The world is ours. The world and all its millions and millions of helpless people to crush, to crush. These are the words of Maya Naib, the Almighty One. The agents are awaiting the command to strike.

This present civilization, we will wipe it from the face of the earth. We will breed a greater civilization. The brothers of the living dead will rule the earth. Maya Naib has spoken. Five days hence you will have war from the master. Then strike New York, San Francisco, Paris, Berlin, London, around the world the black death shall raise. But strike London first.

Crush London first. Wipe them from the earth. Crush London. Remember, five days. Then the dance of death begins. But come, I must return to the city of our fathers. Maya Naib, the great high priest, awaits. Return to your posts. Quick, doctor. They're coming out. Get back into the recess. Hurry. Hurry.

Back in the shadow. Return to your posts. But in five days, word will come. Yes. And then the dance of death will be here. Did you hear that, Captain? Only five days. Hold it. Only three people passed us. There's still one in the room. Be quiet. Here he comes. Let's get him. Got him, Doctor. Got him.

Not much of a fighter. I've got my hand over his mouth. Oh, blast this, Doc. Give me your handkerchief. Here. Got a gag in his mouth. Captain, you're crazy. You'll have the whole crew down on us with your noise. I'm sitting on him. He can't move. I haven't made much noise. Listen. Not a sound. We're safe enough for the moment. Here, turn on your flash. Let's see what we've got. You fool. There. Turn it on his face. Heaven's name. Mrs. Santos. You. It's Mrs. Santos again.

Mrs. Santos, who is in the confidence of the monks of the monastery. Mrs. Santos, who says she is fighting the living dead with body and soul. And here Captain Friday and Dr. English have caught her conniving with the highest agents of Maya Nahib the evil. Next week, you will hear the sixth episode of The Land of the Living Dead. You are listening to Adventures by Morse. Adventures by Morse.

Courtney Morse presents The Land of the Living Dead, featuring Captain Friday. If you like high adventure, come with me. If you like the stealth of intrigue, come with me. If you like blood and thunder, come with me.

This is what has happened to date. Robert English, son of Dr. Julian English, archaeologist, was killed the night he returned to San Francisco from Chile, South America, with information concerning the land of the living dead hidden in the La Jolla jungle. His killer was believed to be Tula, beautiful and deadly priestess of the Brotherhood of the Living Dead. Then, Mrs. Robert Santos arrived in San Francisco, also from La Jolla.

She persuaded Dr. English and his daughter Judith, with Captain Friday and Skip Turner, that their own lives were threatened by the ancient brotherhood. But here's Captain Friday. Yes, she urged us to go with her to La Jolla, Chile, where we would have the protection of a monastery whose friendly monks are fighting the forces known as the Living Dead.

The monastery is pitched on the steeps of the Zambala Mountains. On the opposite side of the mountains lies the sacred city or stronghold of the enemy, ruled over by that high priest, Maya Nahib. No sooner had we arrived in La Jolla than we became aware that Mrs. Santus had some strange attachment with the Brotherhood of the Living Dead.

Finally, however, we reach the safety of the monastery and discover an underground passageway which led to the enemy's sacred city from the monastery. Boy, did we find it. Go ahead and tell them, Skip. Well, more than that, we discover Miss Santos in conference with priests of the living dead. We found him in the secret underground passage and we took Miss Santos prisoner. In the meantime, the prophecy that the Gila monster was to ride on the face of the sun had been fulfilled.

The Brotherhood believed that each time there was to be a world catastrophe, there appeared on the face of the sun the shadow of a Gila monster. The monster had appeared, and thus a new world catastrophe seemed imminent. Dr. English and Judith believed that the tragedy was to come through the agency of Maya Nahib, High Priest of the Enemy. This belief was strengthened when he and I heard the werewolf, agent of Maya Nahib, declare that the civilization of the world was to be destroyed in five days.

But now they have captured Mrs. Santos. Oh, you fools, you miserable, meddling fools. Fools, are we? Fools to catch you double-crossing us, huh? Don't you know by entering this passage that you will precipitate immediate attack upon the monastery by the priests of the living dead?

Do you think that Maya Nahib will wait an instant to strike when he realizes that those in the monastery know of this passage under the mountain? But why should he know, Mr. Santos? We've avoided his agent so far. Believe me, Dr. English, if he does not know, he will know very soon. You will not be the one to tell him, Mr. Santos. What do you mean, Captain Friday? That you are our prisoner and you're going to accompany us back to the monastery. Prisoner?

Don't you understand that... All we understand is that you've played traitor ever since we reached La Jolla. That we caught you in conference with a werewolf and his fellow agents. That you and they are planning in some way to destroy the civilization of the world in exactly five days. You...

You heard that? Yes. What is it you're planning to use? The atomic bomb? Listen to me, Captain Friday. These next five days are important beyond words. We have terrible work ahead of us. If by us you mean you and the Mayanahib and the werewolf, I think I understand. No, no, no. What work we, you and Dr. English, and Senor Skip and Judith and I have ahead of us? I don't know what you're talking about. You are no longer one of us. Stupid fool. Because the game I am playing is too deep for you.

Are you going to hang back and let London and New York and San Francisco and Paris, the whole world, be crushed by the mad high priest, Maya Nahib? Doctor, let's get back to the monastery with her. I think she's stalling here for a purpose. Stalling? Yes, stalling. That's what I said. Keep us waiting here on the stairway to the sun...

Maybe the priests are warned. Let's get out of here before it's too late. Very well. Judith and Skip are waiting for us down on the lower level. You truly mean that I am your prisoner? Your hands are tied behind you. What would you say? Now come along with us. If you will but listen. Now that we've discovered the secret passage leading to the enemy's stronghold, knowledge which you seem to have had all along... Secret passage? Yes, that's what I said. Captain Friday, you are under some delusion. This is not the secret passage indicated on Dr. English's map. This...

Not the secret passage? What are you giving us? Oh, they certainly not. This passage has always been known to the priests of Maya Nahib. Is this the truth? And to the monks of the monastery? Do they know of it, too? No. No, senor, they do not. I think you're lying. But I am not, Capitan Friday. The priests of Maya Nahib have entered and left the monastery at will. No, this is not the secret passage. I don't believe you. You're stalling again. Come on. But, Mr. Sano's...

What is this secret passage, then? No one knows. I do not know. The monks of the monastery do not know. My Anahid does not know. That is why he is so determined to get your map. Skip and Judith are just below. I caught them with my flash. See? There they are.

Dr. English, are you going to allow me to be tied up and humiliated in this manner? I heard the werewolf give you secret orders from the high priest Mayanahi, Mrs. Andrews. That can mean only one thing. What if I am not free to act? If you are not free to act, we may yet save the world.

And what are you going to do with me? Lock you up in a stone chamber in the monastery. Hey, who is that? No, Skip. It's the doctor and me. Hey, what kept you? I thought you was never coming. Fewer so keen, then. What took you so long? We caught one of Maya Nahib's agents. Father, who is it? Is it the werewolf? More deadly than the werewolf. Turn on your flash. Look. Oh!

Oh, Mrs. Santos, you. It is I, Senorita English. You, napped all the trust we put in you. Come on, let's get out of this place. It's dangerous here. More dangerous than you know, Captain Friday. Judith, are you able to walk now? Oh, yes, Father. Well, take these steps easily. Here, give me your hand. Yes. Oh, it was easier to climb the stairway to the sun than to descend. Oh, this awful dark. Look, look.

What's the matter with you? Did you not see her? Did you not see the priestess Tula in the shadow ahead of us? Tula? I never saw. The green-eyed girl who killed Robert. Here. Here's another chamber off the stairway. Maybe she hid in there. I'm going in. No. Not in there, Captain Friday. Why shouldn't I go in? Look, there's no door. Listen. Do you hear that? That steady drip, drip, drip of water? Yeah, I hear it. It ain't surprising to hear water dripping in an underground cavern. Ah, senor, but this is different.

That is one of my and Nahib's many torture chambers. They kill men in there? You're just inventing excuses to keep us from going in. Trying to let Tula get away. I'm going in. Go in if you like, but do not ask me to go. I'm sorry, but you go wherever I go, Mrs. Santus. Please, do not ask. Muy bien. I will go. I refuse to ask mercy of you, Capitán Friday, while our relations are so strained. Come on. Lead the way. It was here, Capitán Friday. It was here.

At Roberto Santos, my husband was tortured before he was killed on the edge of the jungle. Oh, Mrs. Santos, I'm sorry. Yeah, I don't see no instruments of torture in this room. No instrument of torture? But what do you want? My flashlight's the whole room. There's nothing here but a stone seat. A stone seat with water dripping on it. I understand, Captain. That is the instrument of torture. Si, Capitan. They shaved my husband's head. They tied him to that stone so that he could not move.

and let the water drip on his head, drop at a time, drip, drip, for hours and hours. Well, is that all? All, all if you but knew. I know. It's the oriental way of torture. It drives men mad after a little. Insane. They tie you to the seat and leave you here in the dark for hours. Those tiny drops of water grow and grow until it seems as though sledgehammers were beating out your brains.

Each drop becomes a great explosion that makes your ears ring and flashes of fire appear before your eyes. And then, and then... Oh, don't say any more. At first you pray for death. Then you beg for it. Finally you are screaming for it at the top of your voice. When you have screamed one whole night, you are past saving. You are turned loose to wander in these maze of passageways until you have starved to death.

Well, it's fallen down the stairway and broken yourself on the floor below. Oh, let's... let's go. Let's get away from here. Oh, Mrs. Santos. Are you now satisfied, Capitan Friday? But why did they do this to your husband, Mrs. Santos? Because he discovered the secret passage that Dr. English Mupp tells of.

And he preferred to die rather than give his secret to the Brotherhood. And was it in this other secret passage that Dr. Santos saw the storehouse full of the gold and jewels of the ancient Chakotas? It was. This is enough. We're going back to the safety of the monastery. I am still your prisoner? That's right. We let the monks in the monastery take care of you. Oh, look, Skip. From this balcony we get a full view of the entire valley below us.

I didn't realize how high on the mountainside the monastery stood. Yeah, and sniff this fresh air. Man, ain't it pure and sweet after all them hours in that underground passage? Oh, boy. Oh, isn't it wonderful to be safe again and... And what, Judith? And together, Skip. Hey, Judith. Judith.

You mean you and me? Shh, here comes Father and Captain Friday. Oh, well, Judith, I see you've recovered. Your eyes are bright, your cheeks... Yes, I'm making love to her again, Doctor. Oh, well, Captain, I'm needing a son now that Robert... But, Father, what about the monks? Have they changed their mind about Mrs. Santos? They're adamant.

Refused to be moved, despite everything we could tell them concerning Mrs. Santos. They declare that under no circumstances will they believe her an agent of Maya Nahib, and they refuse point-blank to keep her a prisoner or allow us to. Oh, I'm glad. Glad? I can't help it, Captain. In spite of everything, Mrs. Santos has been so good to me, so gentle, so understanding. I won't believe her a traitor. But after catching her with a werewolf in the passageway... I don't care.

I won't believe it. I won't. I confess I'm amazed at the attitude of the monks. They treat us as though we were children, pay no attention to our advice, but hang on each word Mrs. Santos utters as though she were, well, their high priestess. You know what one of their monks told me? Something for the good of your soul? He said that we were countenanced here in the monastery only as refugees from the wrath of the Brotherhood and not as their saviors. Yes, I was told the same thing. They look upon our visit here not in the light of a rescue party, but as a party of refugees.

I was told that all they required of us was my map of the secret passage. Did you give it to them? Hardly. I'm beginning to suspect that this place is just another stronghold of Mayanahim. Looks to me that we're being treated kindly for just one purpose.

to obtain the map. Well, in that case, Doctor, we're in pretty deep. But didn't Mrs. Santos predict an attack on the monastery by the brothers of the living dead, now that the monks know of the passageway leading to the stairway to the sun? Yes, she's warned the monks. They're taking precautions. What sort of precautions? I don't know. Hey, look, an airplane. Oh, look, Father. Oh, it's beautiful. Gosh, it's all black. Look at her shine in the sun. What do you suppose it is, Doctor? We're far off the Chilean mail routes. Besides,

Besides, the plane's headed for the densest part of the jungle. One of Maya Nahib's messengers on his way to the sacred city of the sun. Oh, no. Remember, Maya Nahib has given the civilized world but five days to live. One of them has already passed. That plane symbolizes to me the beginning of the end. I say, Captain. Yes? Our only chance... Here comes Mrs. Santos.

Ah, senorita, are you feeling yourself again? Yes, Mrs. Santos, thank you. There's another of those black planes. Mrs. Santos, what does it mean? The second these morning. Look, there is another, and another. They are coming from all directions. What do you suppose that means, Dr. English? It can mean but one thing. The forces of Mayanahib are gathering in the sacred city for some desperate move. These planes come from every civilized center in the world.

Moscow, London, Rome, New York, Paris, and Dr. English. There are only four more days until the Brotherhood strikes. Why do you say that to me? Why do you look accusingly at me, Mrs. Santos? Don't you know? I don't know what you're talking about. The map, Dr. English. The map to the secret passage. If we can't find the secret passage, then we have an unguarded entrance to the sacred city.

Then we can strike at the heart of this dread menace. We can strike at Maya Nahib himself. Or else you can tip Maya Nahib off so that the passage will no longer be a danger. Listen, Dr. English. Supposing the priests of the Brotherhood should make a successful attack on the monastery and you should be carried off or killed, then all hope of ever finding the passage would be gone. Give us the map, Doctor. Please, please do it. It is our only hope. It is what your son Robert intended to do. It was the reason I brought you down here.

Everything depends on the mop. Everything. If I could only believe. Father, I do believe in her. I do. I know she's right. What do you say, Captain? You know what I think. Skip, what's your opinion? What the boss says goes for me. Oh, Skip. You see, Mrs. Santos, you've broken faith with us so often.

In heaven's name, look, look. The plane's falling. Where at? See? See right over the tallest peak. Yes, yes. Look how he bounces about in the air like a toy balloon. Oh. That was the strangest exhibition I ever saw. There must be some terrible wind currents up there. Do you see the way that plane was sucked earthward and then tossed high in the air, rolling over and over like a leaf in the wind? That peak is called the Finger of God by the Chicota Indians. It is so tall that never a day passes by that there is not a terrific rainstorm about its peak.

When the sun is shining in the monastery, I have seen thorns descending on that peak, and the lightning playing about it and snapping and cracking like a thousand machine guns. Finger of God. Mrs. Santos, Mrs. Santos, did you say a storm every day? Judith, Judith, what are you saying? Si, senorita. That is what I said. Why? Oh, nothing. Listen. The werewolf is in the monastery. The enemies come for us.

Captain Friday, Skip, Dr. English and Judith came safely back to the La Jolla Monastery from the underground passage with Mrs. Santos. They brought her back a prisoner, but the gentle monks refused to hold her. And now the monastery has been invaded. The Brotherhood of the Living Dead have rushed through the secret passage and have taken over the last safe stronghold of Captain Friday and his friends.

They've broken into the monastery. That's the werewolf. For God's sakes, now what? The window. The window just above our heads. The werewolf. Yes. You are covered from a window of the monastery. Do not move. Now come in on that balcony. One at a time. You first, senorita. Don't move, Judith. Do as he says, senorita. He means what he says. We cannot defy them here. But what are they going to do? I will not speak again.

You first, senorita. Go. Go. Thank you, Mrs. Santos. Now you, next. But how did you get in here? I thought the monks were on guard. The agents of Maya Nahib always find means, Captain Friday. Dr. English, you come next. Don't go, doctor. Don't go in there to be trussed up like a chicken. Let's stand and fight it out here. We're armed. The moment you reach for a weapon, you will be shot down. Captain Friday, do as you are told.

This is nor the time to strike. Nor yet. Nor yet. Thank you again, Mrs. Santos. Now you, Senor Skip. I'll stick by you both. Shall we fight it out? No, it's useless now, Skip. Better do as Judith and Dr. English have done. Give yourself up. Maybe they'll only lock us up for the present if we don't resist. Okay, let's go then, Captain. Well, here we are. What do we do now? Die their hands behind them.

The monastery has a very serviceable dungeon, Captain. It will do very nicely for you three men. But my daughter. What of my daughter? Your daughter, Dr. English. Your daughter.

The high priest awaits the beautiful American girl impatiently. It's a good thing for you you tied my hands. Because if you don't kill me, I promise you I'll strangle you with my two hands if it's the last thing I ever do. Oh, you will die, senor. Do not make a mistake about that. Put them away. Lock them up. And what is to become of me, werewolf? Mayor Nahid himself would attend to you.

The high one has his own method attending to your kind of people. Take her into one of the cells and tie her up until our work in the monastery is finished. Un momento. What are you going to do with Senorita English? Is it for you to ask? Remember this, werewolf. There is a curse as ancient as the world itself.

which is kept for the special use of priests who come too near to young girls. Take her away. And I here and now pronounce that curse upon you. Stop her! Stop her! Take her out of my sight! Our knowledge of mysticism is small, but it is potent, priest of the brotherhood. Because if a woman cannot touch a priest of the sacred city... Go away. Go away. Don't come near me.

So this is a dungeon. Black as the ace of spades. Hey. I'm sorry, Doctor. Didn't mean to step on you. Now look here, Doctor. You've got to brace up. My daughter. My daughter. Well, get out of here. You see if I don't.

Come on, let's start looking around. No, that's useless, Skip. I examined this dungeon with my flash the other day when we were searching for the passage. It's about the tightest hole you could imagine. They've taken Judith to the sacred city. No, they haven't. At least not yet. They've got to pass right by here on their way to the stairway to the sun. Yeah, but I don't get all this. What's become of all the monks in the monastery? They seem to have vanished. Huh.

Probably all agents of Maya Nahi. Well, they certainly didn't put up any scrap when the invasion began. I don't understand. Simple enough to me. Mrs. Sanders lures us down here with a map, pretending the monastery was a place of safety. Actually, it's a stronghold of the Brotherhood. They've got us where they want us now, so they've thrown us all into here and thrown all pretense aside. I suppose we'll all be... Yeah? You suppose what, boss? Captain, won't you answer me? Captain? Captain Friday! Captain!

Hey, Doctor, something's happened to Camp Friday. We're locked in here. I don't care. He's gone. One moment he's seated here beside me in the dark, and the next minute he's gone. That's nonsense. He must be somewhere here in the cell. But he's not. He's not. Well, come along. Feel along the wall here. You go that way, and I'll go this. There. There, you see? He's not here. He's gone. He just vanished in thin air. Strange. Strange. If this is the mysticism of the ancient Chakotas... Hey, listen. Someone's coming down the corridor. The werewolf said he would come for us when he was ready. Shh, listen.

Now listen, Doctor. When they open that door, let's rush them. It's our only chance. Take them by surprise and dash right through. It's desperate. I am desperate. Stop. Doc's hide herself. Get ready to rush them. It's me. Boss! Boss! How did you get out there? Keep your voice down. I've got here a jiffy. These old cells are easily opened from the outside.

There. Now come with me, quickly. Out of this place. Where to? Down the corridor. We'll hide in one of the cells until we can get our breath and plan something. They haven't taken Judith out of the monastery yet. And they'll do it over my dead body. Now here. Here, this cell will do. We can talk in here. Now leave the door open. No one could possibly see us in this black hole. You with us, Doctor? Yes, yes, but...

Captain, how did you get out of the dungeon? I don't know. Don't know? No. All I can say is I was seated with my back against the dungeon wall alongside a skip. Suddenly the wall gave way and I was rolling down a short incline. The next thing I knew, a woman was leaning over me. A woman? You could tell in the dark? Her hair swept my face as she bent over to whisper in my ear, and I caught a whiff of an oriental perfume. A woman? A woman?

Hey, was it Mrs. Santos? No. No, it wasn't Mrs. Santos' voice. And it wasn't Judith. You say she spoke to you? Yes, she said, your only safety lies in the River of Souls, the clue of which is in Dr. English's map. River of Souls? Yeah, that's what she said. And she arose and was gone. And you're certain it wasn't Mrs. Santos? No, Dr. English. It was not I. Who said that? I. Mrs. Santos said it. Where are you? In this room with you. I am tied to the bed in this cell. Tied?

Tied? Then that proves... Proves what, Dr. Lee? Proves that you are not one of the agents of Mayanahib. If you believe that, then perhaps you will free me of my bonds. I'm against it. Still you think I am full of lies, do you not, Captain Friday? Perhaps you think I have been thrust up here just to quiet your suspicions. I assure you it is not so. I'm a prisoner just as were you until your so fortunate release. Do you know who released me? I think I know.

And I pray I'm right. Look here, Captain. I'm going to release Mrs. Santos. As you think best, but it's against my judgment. Nevertheless, I'm going to do it. Here, skip. Will you help me? Santa Maria, at last you are beginning to have faith. It isn't that, Mrs. Santos. But I'll not see even an enemy fall into the hands of my Anaheim. They're torturers. They're devil trees. Dr. English, but that is true. And as I'm showing you mercy now, I pray God you'll show me mercy by using your influence to save Judith, if you have any.

Dr. English, you had better leave me time. What do you mean? I have no influence in the sacred city, none whatever. If you are freeing me with the idea of saving your daughter, then... I do not ask the impossible, Mrs. Santos. There, you're free. Go where you please. Do what you choose. Then for the present, I choose to remain here with you. No, no, no! Hey, listen! No! Let's do this! Skip, don't move. Put me down, please! Please!

They are coming with your daughter. They are carrying her to Mayanahi. They're on their way to the stairway to the sun. Well, they've got to come this way, and they'll never get by this door with her so long as there's a breath in my body. Is there nothing you can do, Mrs. Santos? Is there nothing you can do? What do you expect of me, Dr. English? I told you I had no influence. If we had our revolvers, we'd have some chance. But you turned the werewolf from us once. By a mere sign, you drove him and his pack flying in the cavern beneath the river. If you could do it once, you must be able to do it again. I beg of you. Hold it. They're coming around the corner.

I can see those in the lead. They're carrying torches. Yeah. Yeah, there's Judith being carried between two huge Jakuta Indians. Will you just let me get my hands on them? Just a moment, senor. There's Tula. There's Tula. She's leading with a torch above her head. Look. Look, she's laughing. She...

Look, did you ever see anything so beautiful? So devilishly beautiful? Please, Mrs. Santos, please, please. You can stop them. You can. I know you can. Be still, Dr. English. If I save your daughter, Dr. English, then will you believe in me? Will you give me the map? Yes. I promise it. And will you have faith in me, Captain Friday? Will you try to help me or at least stop hindering me? I give you my word. If you can save Judith... And you, Senor Skeeter... Yes, anything you ask. Anything. Then keep quiet.

I will go out alone and face them. If I do not come back, then this is the end. Now Mrs. Santos will demonstrate once and for all whether she is friend or enemy. If she saves Judith, she regains the confidence of Captain Friday's party. If she does not, then there is no hope. Listen next week to Chapter 7 of The Land of the Living Dead, which is entitled The Terror of the Sacred City.

You are listening to Adventures by Morse. Adventures by Morse. Carlton E. Morse presents The Land of the Living Dead, featuring Captain Friday. If you like high adventure, come with me. If you like the stealth of intrigue, come with me. If you like blood and thunder, come with me. The Land of the Living Dead

Judith English, daughter of the archaeologist Dr. Julian English, is in the hands of the werewolf and the other priests of the Brotherhood of the Living Dead. Led by Tula, enemy priestess, who carried a flaming torch above her head, the procession of enemy agents and Indians swept down the underground passage beneath the La Jolla Monastery toward the stairway to the sun. Judith was a captive in their midst, held by two gigantic Chakotah Indians, their bronze skin shining in the light of the flares.

And in a tiny cell, just ahead of the jubilant, victorious procession, were Captain Friday, Skip Turner, Dr. English, and Mrs. Santos. We had so far escaped the werewolf and his agents. We were on the point of leaping out and defying the whole procession in hopes of saving Judith, but Mrs. Santos urged us to wait. Alone, she stepped into the passageway, hoping to save Judith through the aid of a strange mysticism known only to those familiar with ancient ways and rites of the Chakotahs.

But as she stepped out, a door suddenly opened where there had been only the smooth wall of the underground passage. And the procession swept in and Mrs. Santus disappeared with them. And with them too went Judith. All this before our very eyes as we crouched appalled in the darkness of the little cell.

We've let him get away. Quick before the door swings shut. Too late. Did you see him? Two big Indians was carrying Judith. That Santa's woman has tricked us again. And I believed in her. She made me believe in her. She must be the devil incarnate. We're not finished yet, Doctor. How could I have trusted her to save Judith? Where's my judgment gone? I don't seem to have any reason of my own. It brands her once and for all as an agent of the living dead. But we can't stand here talking. We've got to do something. We've got to save Judith. All right, come on.

How many flashlights have we among us? They got mine when they put us in the dungeon. And mine. Well, I managed to save one. I'll lead the way. But we'll have to travel in darkness most of the way. They didn't even look for us in the dungeon. I wonder why. Probably too anxious to get to the sacred city with Judith. I wish I knew who released you, Captain. Hey, you suppose we got a secret ally working for us? Maybe some woman hiding in the monastery? Yeah, been wondering about that myself. Keep close to me, Skip. Say, Doc, have you stopped to figure out our position? No.

With the monastery in the hands of the Brotherhood, our retreat is cut off. Ahead lies the sacred city, running over with our enemies. We're completely surrounded. Unless... Unless what, Dr. English? Unless we can find the secret passage indicated on the map that Maya Naib is so anxious to get hold of. You mean the secret passage way into that room full of gold and jewels? That's supposing Mrs. Santos didn't lie to us. Yeah, that's right. That is her story, ain't it?

But you do believe in a secret passage, don't you? Yes, I think the doctor's map proves that. Hey, I just thought of something. Do you suppose that secret door that the werewolf and his gang disappeared through... leads to the passage Miss Santos was talking about? She called it the River of Souls. By Joke. Hey, that's right. Yeah. You remember she said she thought the priest would carry Judith to the sacred city... by way of the River of Souls. Come on, let's turn back and work on that door. Don't be a sap, Skip. That door's two feet of solid stone. We'd all have long beards before we could force that door...

No, I'm in favor of pushing ahead, climbing the stairway and heading them off in the sacred city itself. Well, if you think that... Hold it. There's something just ahead. Quiet. Hey, what? Who tripped me up? Was that you, Skip? Me? Of course not. What happened? I went down like a ton of bricks. I broke my flashlight. Now we are in the dark. Hey, who done that? Where'd that laugh come from? Don't move, anyone. It's one of the Chakotah vampire bats. We're trapped, Captain. Trapped.

But I ask you, master, have I not done well? Have I not more than fulfilled your orders? The monastery has fallen to us. I have taken a traitor. And into your hands I can now deliver the widow of Roberto Santos. You are dirt under the feet of his highness. But enough of this. Kill the traitor. Keep Mrs. Santos safe until it is my and Ives' desire to interview her.

Get back to your post. She insists that you see her immediately. Since when has a prisoner... It would be wise to see her. So? Why? Because... Bend your ear closer, master. Because she has knowledge of the map or the secret passage. Oh, then of course. Bring her to me. She is just outside the door.

Master, this is Roberto Santos. Tell him to loosen my hands. Are they tied? You call yourself a master, and yet you allow me to be dragged before you, bound like a common thief. Release her.

Now what do you want? That which I have sought without a moment's rest these past three years. That which you have sought, Pa, is that all you have to say to me? It is everything to me. But the map, the map of the secret passage, the map now in the possession of that imbecile Dr. English. The map? This werewolf dog said you had information concerning the map. I know nothing of the map. She's lying. I heard Dr. English telling her. Silence. Silence.

Mrs. Santos, you are lying. You deny me what I ask. Do you think I will tell you anything? Take her to the torture chamber. Shave her head. Tie her to the stone bench. Perhaps when tiny drops of water have beaten down upon her skull for a dozen hours in the darkness, you will talk. My husband died with his lips sealed, master. Take her away. Un momento. Tell me.

What is in store for Senorita English? Senorita English? Where is she? You did not know that she too is prisoner of your fellow agent here? There seems to be a lack of cooperation. Is this true, dog? Have you taken the girl? Si, I have her. Why have you not said so? Tell me. Or by the gods of my naive, I will have you chained on the stairway to the sun. Since when has a master concerned himself with the fate of a woman?

I found her. I captured her. She is mine. Miserable fool. Do you not know this girl? Do you not know that out of all the world of women, she has been selected by Maya Naheb to sit beside him upon the golden throne? No, no. It cannot be. Maya Naheb has selected this girl? It is so. This very day she shall enter the sacred city by the river of soul. Ah.

I will not give her up. You have lived like a cur. Now you shall die like a cur. Oh, bring me a whip. No, no. It is not much to ask, master, for all the service I have rendered. I ask for but one girl. It is not much.

Hand me the whip. No, no, no. I will tell. I will tell. Do not whip my poor body. I will give her up. Where is she? In the chamber beneath the stairway to the sun at the head of the passage to the sacred city. For this rebellion, Mayan Ahab himself will name a suitable torture. Now go. Take the woman to the torture.

Come, down the stairway. Go ahead and beware a false step. There is a poison spear against your back. Do not make one false move, Mrs. Santos. Mishapen dog, am I? A werewolf. I shall have my revenge. The mad dog will turn on his masters. There is a way. There is a way. You may be revenged. What?

What are you saying? There is a way you may be revenged on your masters. Come, I will show you. But who are you? Who are you and what do you want with me? I am one of the masters from the sacred city of the living dead. I am your friend. But you've kidnapped me. Wait until the monks in the monastery discover that. The monks have been wiped out, Senorita English.

The monastery is in the hands of the Brotherhood of the Living Dead. My father and his friends will hunt you down. Your father and his two friends were taken prisoner the same as you. You saw them. They'll find a way. They won't let anything happen to me. Do not be foolish, child. And Mrs. Santos. Mrs. Santos will help me. Mrs. Santos is this moment in the torture chamber. She's in the hands of the werewolf. The werewolf?

Oh, no. But, Senorita Inglis, you should not be unhappy. I have news for you, splendid news. News? What news? What do you mean? Agents from all over the world have been seeking out for the high priest, Maya Nahib, a suitable empress, a woman worthy to sit upon the golden throne in the sacred city beside him.

You have been chosen. What are you saying? It is true. Maya Naib has looked upon you and finds you pleasing.

You are to be empress of the world. No, but there must be some mistake. I never... I've never seen my Anahi, but never. But the high priest has seen you. There is no mistake. You're mad. Insane. You're a murderer. A murderer? All the brothers of the living dead are murderers. You kill, kill. You know nothing else. In three days, you plan to murder the civilization of the world. You're all mad, mad. Mad? Who knows? Mad?

And who can be certain that after all, madness may not be superior intelligence? Please, please let me go. What are you going to do with me? You must be calm, Senorita. Hysteria is not for an empress. What are you doing? Don't look at me like that. Don't. Calm now, Senorita English. One would think I had come to do you a harm.

Instead, I bring you the greatest honor that may befall a woman. I don't want to be an empress. I just want to be a girl. You make it very difficult. However, I cannot leave you until you understand certain matters in connection with your marriage with Mayanahe. No. Your preparation for becoming bride of the sun is going to be very tedious business, I fear. What preparations?

Mentally, you are not prepared to enter the sacred city. All this will have to be corrected, changed. I won't change. I don't want to go to your sacred city. I'll kill myself before I marry Mayanahib. All this has been anticipated. Mayanahib himself foresaw the impossibility of your ever becoming reconciled to his way of life until... until certain changes have been made in your person. What do you mean?

However desirable the physical, Mayanayev knows that until your mind and soul become the mind and soul of a Chikota girl, you cannot afford him the happiness which is his august right. My mind? Are you going to make me mad, too? Is that what you're going to do to me? Now, now, you will be no more mad than you are at this moment.

You will just be taught the Dakota way. Oh, go away. Go away. Don't come near me. You must overcome this hysteria, Senorita. You are making my work very difficult. It can be made so simple. What are you going to do? What is it you want of me? I am going to remove your soul, your mind, if you prefer, from your body for a time. You mean my brain? You're going to take my brain away from me?

Judith has been told her destiny. She has fallen into the hands of one of the masters of the city of the living dead. He has told her she has been selected as the girl who will sit on the golden throne at the right hand of the evil high priest, Maya Nahim.

Because she rebels, the master has just said... I am going to remove your soul, your mind if you prefer, from your body for a time. You...

You mean my brain? No, senorita. Your physical being will not be harmed. No mar, no blemish shall ever come to it. It is the inner person, the soul of which I speak. Oh, no. Then there will be no discomfort to you. In the sacred city, there is waiting the body of a young and lovely Chakotah girl. Into that body, your soul, your mind, all that gives you individual comprehension will be placed. What?

Why don't you kill me? Let me die. That is very foolish. It will only be a temporary exchange. The Chakotah girl will become you and live here in this cell beneath the stairway to the sun, while you will become the Chakotah girl. You will live the life of a Chakotah in the sacred city until your mind and soul have become the life and soul of an Indian. Don't let me die. Let me die.

Let me die. And when the time shall come, you will be given back this lovely body of yours, and I shall lead you to my Anaheim and place you by his side upon the throne of gold, empress of the world. Why? Why? Hush now, Signorita. You must not be frightened. Come. I will show you how very simple it will all be. What are you going to do? Show you something that will ease your mind.

Show you what lies in the next room. It will help you to understand what is to happen to you. The childish science of modern civilization would give much to understand what lies beyond this door. Enter. What is it? Where are we? Is it a tomb? No, it is just a room where men rest from this world for a time. Are all these men dead? Here, come closer, senorita. Look at them.

Why, those Spaniards. They're dressed. Dressed as the conquerors of South America, dressed in the year 1521. See the armor, the swords, the gay dress? They are the conquerors of Chile. But they're all dead. They are as men who have laid themselves down for a rest. They are not dead, Cinerita. Not dead? What are you telling me? Men 400 years old, not dead? They are not dead. Their souls, their minds are in the sacred city of the living dead.

Is that what's going to happen to me? We keep their bodies here. You mean their minds are in the bodies of the Chakotay Indians? That is it exactly. Oh, no. You are the first outsider ever to see this wonderful phenomena, a science which has descended to us from the beginning of time, passed from hand to hand by the Chakotay masters. Please, help me.

Please take me back to my father. Do not ask the impossible, Senorita English. Come, it is time our task was begun. You will sit here on the stone bench. No, no. What are you going to do? Sit down, please. It will do no good to fight against it. My mind is many times stronger than yours. No, no, no, no, no. I won't look at you.

I won't look at you, no. You are going to do what I tell you. You are going to do what I ask of you. You are now going to lift up your head. Lift up your head. You are going to look into my eyes. Into my eyes.

You are going to sit beside Maya Naheb on the throne of gold in the city of the sun, empress of the world. You are going to be empress of the world.

Captain. Captain Friday. Here I am, Skip. Where's Dr. English? Right here with Skip. What was that noise, Captain? There's someone in here with us. Sounds like he's over yonder. It's so plain dark you can't see nothing. Moves around as though he had wings. First he's here, then over there. And not a sound. Not a footstep. Stand still. Listen. Captain, there's a cell here to our right. Let's shut ourselves in. I don't like this fellow, whatever he is. Yeah, he can't get out of through these iron bars. He's in here with us. Who are you? What do you want? Captain.

Answer me. Who are you? I am Nameless. It spoke, Captain. It spoke. No name. What do you mean by that? Nameless. Nameless. What are you doing here? It is my punishment. The brothers to the living dead decreed it. So long as life remains in me, I am to roam these black caverns. So you have eyesight.

Can you see in this dark? As well as you see in the sunshine. What do you want with us? I have driven you into this cell to talk with you. To make you suffer as I have suffered. The man's mad. Perhaps you too will be mad before you leave this place. What can you do to us? There's three of us against you.

I can tell you of the fate that awaits one near and dear to you. You mean Judith? You can tell us about Judith? Easy, Skip. I can tell you where to find her. Thank heavens. Where is she? Where? But first, hear what they are doing to her. What is happening to her this very minute. Tell us. Tell us. Are they torturing her? Do you know what they are doing? They are taking her mind.

Her soul from her body. They are giving her soul to a Chakotah Indian girl. What have I done to this? The Indian girl will wear this white soul, the soul of your daughter, until it is warped and deformed to fit the Chakotah code of life. Oh, I don't believe it. It's a lie. The masters can do strange things with the soul.

Take it from a man and send it where he please. I've got my revolver trained on you. Open this door or I'll shoot. You have no weapon. I can see. Your hands are empty. It's no use, Captain. He has eyes like a cat. Thousands and thousands of men have been brought to these dungeons for their souls. Doctor of their souls.

They use souls in the city of the living dead. Oh, stop. I don't want to hear any more. They call it the river of souls. The river of souls. Doctor, did you hear that? The river of souls. Mrs. Satis mentioned that. She thought it was the passage to the sacred city. A passage for souls.

A passage no one has ever seen. A passage for souls. Poor, pitiful souls. Sometimes there are so many that the light of the sun cannot shine through. Surely this is the maddest thing I have ever heard. Yes, but how much of its madness and how much the truth? He knows about Judas. And now, now, Dr. English, I am going to reveal to you the hiding place of your daughter. You're going to let us out of here? When I have finished. But listen...

You will find her in the room beneath the stairway to the sun. The room at the head of the underpassage to the sacred city. The underpassage. That must be the passage the werewolf took Judith into. And you will reach it through the torture chamber. Yes. Yes, we've been there. We know where that is. Then hurry, else you will be too late. Here, I give you your freedom. Now, the door's open. Come on, quickly. Hello, where are you?

Yeah, he's gone, vanished. Tom, no time to look for him. We've got to find Judith. All right. Up the stairs to the torture chamber. It's about a hundred steps up, if I remember. Look out for these skeletons chained to the wall. Don't step on them. Don't think of the dead now. Our object is to get Judith. Save your breath. Run on your tiptoes. Look, a lighted chamber up ahead. Hey, it's a torture chamber. I recognize it. Not so fast, Skip. When there's a light, there are liable to be guards. Easy now. No noise. See anything, Captain? No. Place is empty.

Not a sound but the dripping water. The light we saw is from the burning torch in the wall. There's an opening in the wall on the other side of the room. Yeah, wait till I get that torch. We'll need that light. All right, come on. I'll lead the way. Here's our passage. That madman knew what he was talking about. If we get caught with this, light will sunk. There's no way of putting it out quickly. I wonder how far we gotta go. Look ahead. We're running into a cul-de-sac. A blank wall.

Then we've been fooled. Nothing of the kind. There's a door. I suppose it's locked. We'll soon see about that. No, it's unlocked. It's a huge stone chamber. Easy now. In we go. Judith! Judith! Why, she... she isn't here. Oh, we've been tricked. Nothing here. Wait a minute. What's that behind the stone bench? It... it's a body. What? Captain! They've killed her! They've killed Judith! Shut up, you fool. It's the body of a man. It...

You sure? Look for yourself. Snap out of it now, Skipper. Captain, hold your torch over here. Yeah. Look. It's one of the masters. Masters? One of Mayan Nahib's right-hand men. You can tell by his dress. You're a stab through the heart. And... Wait, look! It's my sacrificial knife. Your knife, Doctor? Yes, yes. You remember, Captain. The one I had in San Francisco. Are you certain, Doctor? How did it get here? Well, you...

I know it's mine. Look, there are my initials on the handle. But what's it doing here? Mrs. Santos saw it while she was in the house. She begged me for it. Said it might be of use to us. That it had as great religious significance. And you gave it to her? Yes. Well, then Mrs. Santos has turned out to be a murderess as well as a traitor. Yes, but what about Judith? We've got to find Judith! The knife carried by Mrs. Santos has slain one of the masters. But where is she now?

Where is the werewolf? And above all, where is Judith? Next week at this same hour, you will hear episode eight of The Land of the Living Dead. You are listening to Adventures by Morse. Adventures by Morse. Cartoonie Morse presents The Land of the Living Dead, featuring Captain Friday. If you like high adventure, come with me. If you like the stealth of intrigue,

Come with me. If you like blood and thunder, come with me. When last we were with Judith English, she was in the hands of one of the masters of the Brotherhood of the Living Dead. This priest had taken her to a room beneath the magnificent stairway to the sun and was in the act of stealing her mind, as he explained it, to give to a Chakotah Indian girl in the sacred city, the stronghold of Maya Naheeb.

Then we followed Captain Friday, Skip Turner, and Dr. English to the same room, only to find that Judith was gone, and the body of the master on the floor, an Indian sacrificial knife in his back. Dr. English recognized the knife as one given to Mrs. Santos by him before the party had left San Francisco. The master dead.

Another pawn removed from my and Ive's side of the board. That Santus woman is a terror. She's double-crossed us at every turn. Now she's begun to murder her Chakotah friend. Yeah, but what about Judith? We gotta find Judith! Well, it's a cinch if we can get our hands on Mrs. Santus, Judith won't be far off. I hope you're right, Captain Freddy. Anything's better than the brothers to the living dead. I'm not so sure, Dr. English. That Santus woman is my idea of a perfect double-cross.

Well, there's no use in standing here. Let's go back through the torture chamber and up to the stairway to the sun. Yeah, yeah, they must have taken Judith toward the sacred city. Come on, come on. Just a moment. Hold that torch down here, Captain. Dr. English, you ain't gonna rob a dead body. Skip. If there's a flashlight on the body, I don't know why we shouldn't have it. Oh, I'm sorry, Doctor. I shouldn't have said it. Nerves, I guess. Well, think before you say anything like that again. Find anything, Doctor? Yes.

Yes, there's a flashlight. A gun, too. Great. Which do you want, Captain? Perhaps I'd better take the gun. Good, I'll carry the flash. Skip wouldn't care for anything off a dead body anyway, I don't suppose. Hey, I said I was sorry. It's all right, Skip. Good lesson. Skip, put that reed torch back on the wall. We won't need it now. Yeah, sure. You'll have to lead the way, Doctor, if you're going to carry the light. I'll be right at your elbow. Very well. Keep close behind me, Skip. Right with you. Here we are in the torture chamber. Keep your voices down. There's a sharp echo in here. Man, listen to that water drip.

Gets on my nerves worse every time I hear it. I wonder how many centuries it's been dripping on that stone chair. Yeah, or how many heads it has pounded into madness. Well, we're past that. With us, Skip? Sure. All right, now. Up the stairs we go. Don't stumble over any of those skeletons chained to the wall. I've been trying to figure out our position, Captain. Well? If this stairway in the heart of this mountain goes clear to the cone at this same slant...

We've got two miles of steps to climb. I'm beginning to feel like a mole. Seems like years since I've seen daylight. Think of the millions and millions of tons of dirt over our heads. Turn the light on the ceiling, will you, Doctor? Yeah. Ceiling's about 15 feet above our heads. Yeah. There's about a mile of dirt between us and fresh air and sunshine. Oh, Skip. Skip! Doctor, we've lost Skip. He's not behind me. Not behind you? No, he was here just a second ago. Captain! I got you! I got you! Ow!

Captain! Doc English, it's Tula! It's Tula! She's coming towards you! Grab her! Tula! Tula? Doctor, shoot your light out of the stairway. There she is. Hold your flash on her. I'll get her. Look out, Captain. She'll be armed. Keep your flashlight in her eyes so she can't see the chute. Yeah. I'm going for her. I got her. I made a flying leap. Give me a hand, Skip. She's fighting like a whale. Look out! She's got a knife. Oh, stare at me, would you? No. Hey.

There, now. Now you stay put. Hate to sit on a lady. Skip, where the blazers are you? Here I am, boss. Well, take your belt. Tie her feet. Doctor, hold your flash on her face. Yeah, it's too low, right? What a beautiful girl. Her feet are tied. Look out, now. Don't let loose of her hands. She's savage all the way through. Me, let loose of these pretty hands? I guess not. Haven't been wanting to hold them ever since I first saw her. Here, sit up and act like a lady. What a strange pair of eyes.

Looks as though she were in a trance. Yeah, looks savage to me. Tula, stand up. Unless you enjoy lying on those bones. Quite a wrestling match we had among those skeletons. Did you hear the chains rattling?

Ha, won't talk, huh? Look here, Skip. How'd you happen to find Tula? Well, I heard her step behind us and I slipped into a cell and let you fellas go on ahead. Yeah? Pretty soon this girl slipped by. She didn't see me. When she was between us, I grabbed her. She slipped out of your hands, huh? Slipped out? Look at my face. Good heavens, Skip. You've been sliced with a knife. No, it's just scratches. She's got nails like a cat. Ha, ha, ha.

Certainly spoil your complexion for the time being. Wait until Judah sees you. I wish I knew where to look for Judah. Yeah, there's only one place to search, and that's the sacred city. Here, take this gun. It's the one the doctor gave me. Yeah, but you... I've got a neat little weapon Tula was carrying. And a knife, besides. But what are we going to do with her now that we have her? Take her along with us. You're not hurt, are you, Tula?

No, she's not hurt. I can tell by the way she glares. Man, how she hates us. But what'll we do with her? Well, personally, I'm gonna cultivate her. She may be able to tell us something about Judith. She's a murderess. She killed Robert. Here, Skip. Take my belt off. I can't let loose of her hands. Now, strap her arms behind me. Good and tight. Not too tight. You're hurting her. Well, why shouldn't I? You don't have to be a savage just because she is. Never mind. I'll take charge of her.

Doctor, hang on to her for a moment while I undo the strap around her ankles. She's got to walk. Here's your belt back, Skip. Are we going on up the steps? Yes, of course. You go ahead, Doctor. I'll stay in the middle with Tula. Skip, you bring up the rear. This climb is making me dizzy. I must be getting old. No, it ain't age, Doctor. We've climbed up more than a mile of these steps. It's darn hard work if you ain't used to it. I'm winded myself. Matter of fact, I am too. Shh.

Tula here seems to be the only one holding out. She certainly ain't wasting her breath talking. She ain't said a word since we've taken her. Not a quiver or sob out of her. Chakotah stoicism, I suppose. I don't believe she is a Chakotah Indian. Are you, Tula? No use questioning her. She will answer you. I think she will. Here, let's rest a moment. Hey, there's a cell on this landing. Should we go in there? Yeah, good idea. At least we'll be out of sight. Open the door, Skip. Yeah.

Georgia. Good to rest a moment. Yeah, how is the girl? I think she's ready for a few questions. You're not a Chakotah neophyte, are you? Answer me. Where's your tongue? Who are you? Where do you live? Who's Maya Nahim? What are you doing here? Why did you shoot Robert English? Keep it up, Captain. You're beginning to get under the skin. Are you married? Let me see your hand. No ring. Are you an Indian? Ah, now you got us started. Are you really a murderous tooler? Answer me. Are you a killer? No.

Why do you kill? They hang killers. Don't you know that? Do you want to hang? Rope around your pretty neck? Drop through a trap? You want to die that way? Then why did you kill Robert English? Did he ever hurt you? No, of course not. That's Robert's father there. Look at him. Look at him. There. Think of the sorrow you've brought him. Killed his son. Broke his heart. Ruined his life. Endangered the life of his daughter. Why don't you talk?

Why don't you speak? What have you done with Judith? You should die. You deserve to die. I came down here to kill you. I swore an oath I'd kill you the night you killed Robert English back in San Francisco. Oh, stop it, Captain. I can't stand anymore. Leave her alone. Very well, Doctor. If you're rested, let's move along. Do you mind, Captain? I need a few minutes more. Say, Doctor, I was just thinking about what you said down in that chamber under the stage under...

About another pawn being taken from Maya Nahib's side of the chessboard. What do you mean, Skip? Well, I was just thinking of all that's happened since the night Robert was killed. Think of the trail of death we've left in our wake. I don't like to think... First there was Robert. Then the priest aboard ship who jumped into the ocean. Then Mendoza, our guide in La Jolla. And that priest, Ixlan. Then the guide thrown to the flesh-eaten tree. Then all the monks in the monastery. And now, the master.

Looks like Maya Nahid's had the best of it so far, don't it? Yes, I'm afraid he has. That's not all. The worst is still to come. Remember, only two more days now until he's to strike his blow at civilization. Yeah, I'd almost forgotten. Only two more days. Two days more. Do you suppose we're going to be able to do anything? Anything to stop him? We've made a sad mess of everything so far. I was depending on the map of the Sacred Passage to give us quick entrance to the Sacred City.

I thought we'd strike a quick blow, capture or kill Mayanayib, and stop this terrible destruction. But I failed. Failed miserably. Yeah, but we've still got a chance. By what do you mean, Skip? Well, don't you see? If we can make Tula talk, she's an important priestess. If we can make her talk, maybe she'll give us a clue to the entrance to the sacred city. That's right.

I say, Captain Friday. There'll be no forcing Tula to talk. But, Cappy, it may mean saving Judith's life, our lives, the lives of hundreds of millions of people. You heard me. We're not going to stoop to their methods of torture. You ain't falling for this, babe, are you, Cappy? That's enough of that, Skip. Come, come, come, boys. I'm ready to go on. Let's be on our way. Get the cell door, Skip. And keep your voices down when we get on the stairway. Get up, Tula. Come on.

Hey, look, Cappy, you've got to realize that hundreds of millions of lives are worth more than this murderous... Shut up. Be quiet, Skip. Well, let me tell you two something. Judith's more important to me than this... Will you pipe down and give me a chance to think? Skip, come up here with me. Yes, you go ahead with the doctor. I'll bring up the rear. The closer we get to the top, the more chance of running into agents of the Brotherhood. I can't argue with you and watch the girl, too. Well, just be careful you don't lose her. I'll take care of that. Come, come. No need for quarreling. Come along, Skip. Oh, listen to me.

When I loosen this strap on your hands, slip out your arms and run down the stairway. Do you hear me? You coming, Captain? Yes, of course. Never mind why I'm doing this. I ought to kill you. Are your hands free? Then run. Run! Doctor, skip! She got away! Tula got away! Well, doggone you, boss! Quick, where'd she go? Let's get after her. That's no use. She went like lightning. I was out of sight before I knew what had happened. Oh, there goes our only chance to... Hey...

Let me see that strap that was around her hands. What for? You let me see that strap. Now, now, Skip. I'll bet he turned her loose. Oh, go ahead and look at it. Does it tell you anything? No. Our only chance to save Judith, and now it's gone.

Captain Friday has committed one of the most surprising acts of his whole career. Just now, he with Skip and Dr. English caught the green-eyed murderess Tula as they were climbing the stairway to the sun in the heart of the Hollow Mountain. Then, when Skip and Dr. English's backs were turned, he let her escape. Let Tula escape. The girl who might have led them into the sacred city of the enemy. The girl who might have told them where to find Judith.

And now the three men are climbing higher and higher inside the cone of the mountain on the broad golden stairway. Here, Doctor, skip. Notice anything? Oh, nothing except how my legs ache. Oh, man, I never want to see another stairway as long as I live. Well, I can't go much further. We're not near the top, now. That's what I mean. I think we are near the end of our climb. Smell the air. Hey, that's fresh air. Exactly. That musty smell's gone.

There must be an opening into the Sacred City very near. Well, come on then, let's go. Oh, I ain't seen daylight for two days. Take it easy, Skip. We don't want to run into a nest of Maya Naheeb's agents. The fact that they haven't had the stairway to the sun guided can mean only one thing. What's that? That the entrance into the Sacred City is well protected. Surely by this time they must know that we're out of the dungeon and wandering somewhere in the Undergone Passage. Of course. They know we can't get out. They've got the monastery in their hands, so we can't go back.

All they have to do is wait and grab us when we near the top of the stairway. Exactly. So undoubtedly, there'll be a big guard at the end of the passage. And we'll go carefully from now on. Don't talk above a whisper. Keep your gun handy, Skip. Here, Doctor, you take this knife I took from Tula. Use it in an emergency. Come on. Hey, what's that? Quiet. Sounds like an airplane. Yeah, that's it. Airplane's still gathering at the sacred city. That shows just how close we are to the entrance. No noise now. Hey.

Voices. On your toes now. Don't make a sound. See anything? No. Turn off your flashlight. Come on. Follow me closely. Hello? What is it, Captain? The stairway turns a corner here. And ends. Ends? Yeah. I looked around the corner. There's a passage of about 20 feet. Yeah, let me look. Hey, Cap, I can see daylight. Yeah. Yeah, I saw that too. But did you see those guards? Guards? How many, Captain? Oh, half a dozen, I should judge.

At the end of the passage, there seems to be a big open-air room, sort of a stone balcony. You check with that, Skip? It looks like it, all right. Anyway, the passage is clear. Are we going to try it? What do you say, Doctor? Of course. We can't stay here. All right. I'll go ahead. If you like. Then come on.

Be ready for a fight, and make it a good one. Here, Doctor, you take the revolver and give me the knife. I'm in just the mood to stick in one of them fellas. But Skip... Go ahead, Doctor. Young fella like me can swing a knife better than you. And you know how to make a gun talk. Quiet back there. Not another sound. Keep next to the wall, we'll get as near the doorway as we can. Then wait for a signal from me. If it's clear, we'll rush him. Quiet now. They haven't heard us. Keep back into the shadow until I get the lay of the land.

There are eight of them. Big huskies, armed to the teeth. It's a huge stone balcony they're on. It's hanging on the side of a sheer cliff. Man, look at that. I suppose the losers get thrown over the rail. I'll be sure you're not a loser then. Are you gonna jump them? What do you say, Doctor? We've got to get into the Sacred City. There's no time to lose. All right, here we go then. Get your weapons ready. Hey, Captain. Captain, look. Skip, it's Dool again. Well, that'll show you where she stands. Is there any doubt in your mind now that she's an enemy? No.

Say, she must be of a good deal of importance. Look how the guards back away to keep a respectful distance. They're only slaves, Captain. They're under the strict rule of Mayanib's priests. Hey, look, she's pointing to the entrance. Do you suppose she's spotted us? Drop back, quick. Back away from the entrance. We won't have a chance if we don't get them by surprise. Hey, look, one of the guards is coming into the passage. Tula said it. Tula? Then she knows we're here. Quiet now. If he comes this far, I'll tap him on the head with the bottom of my revolver. Here he comes. Shh.

You got him. Shall we tie him up? Don't bother. He'll be good for a couple of hours. Look, Tula sent another guard in here. What do you suppose it means? I don't know, except that he's got to go the way of his brother. Get ready to grab him in case I should miss. Whatever you do, don't let him holler. Here he comes. I'd better tie and gag him. He didn't get a very hard crack. I'm liable to wake up. Here, give me a hand, Doctor. Help me lay him against the wall here.

Hey, what's Tula doing now, Captain? She's talking to a third guard and pointing in this direction. She seems to be very angry. This is the doggone thing I ever saw. They don't seem the least bit afraid to come into the passageway. They haven't grasped the significance of what's happening yet. Well, you'd think Tula'd catch on. As a matter of fact, I think she has. Oh, man, look at the size of this one. Hey, give him a good clip, boss, or we'll have a job on our hands. Quiet. He's taking his sandals off. He's going to sneak up on us.

Hit him again, Cappy. Quick. That finished him. Here, give me a hand, Doctor. We'll file him away for future reference. I'm afraid that noise has queered our little game. Why, did they hear it? How could they help it? They're all on their feet staring at the mouth of the passage. Yeah, but Tula don't seem to be the least bit disturbed. Look, she's trying to calm them. I wish I could hear what she's saying. Look, she's sending two men in this time. Oh, fine. They got their revolvers drawn. And they've got torches. Yeah, now we're in for it.

Doctor, when they get so close, their torches will reveal us. Pot them. Right. Let them have it and they're shooting on them. There are only three left outside. We'll go for them next. Right, Captain. You give the word. Let them have it. They're both down. Tie them up, Doctor. Come on, Skip. We'll get the other three. Right with you. I got a gun, too, now. Hey, look at them. Look. What are they doing? Stop them. Stop them. They're going to jump. They're going over the railing. But where's Tula? Where's Tula? Disappear. But, Captain, did you ever see such tremendous heights?

Look, we're on a balcony a good half mile above the floor of the valley, on the side of a sheer cliff. Did you see Tula disappear, Skip? Answer me, did you? Did you see her jump? No, of course not, boss. Tula didn't jump. I tell you, she vanished when the trouble started. Hey, look, there's a door over yonder. She must have got away through that. Yeah, so there is. I didn't see that. It's locked on the inside. Oh, got away again, huh?

Well, she did us a good turn that time. Captain. Hmm? Skip. One of the guards escaped. What's wrong, Doctor? What's the matter? One of them escaped. One of the wounded men. He leaped to his feet and ran for the stairway. Got away, huh? That's bad. Yeah, but he fell on the stairs and the last I heard he was still rolling.

I don't think he'll bother us anymore. Well, the three out on the balcony leaped over the moment they saw us. They must have fallen a good half mile to the floor of the valley. I believe they'd all jump off the balcony if we'd give them a chance. I've tied up the ones in the passageway. I don't think we'll have any trouble from that quarter. What about Tula? Yeah, Tula may be carrying the news of our arrival to Mayanahi. Oh, that would be fatal. We've got to keep our presence a secret if we hope to have any success. Look here, Doctor. I've got an idea that Tula isn't going to give us away. Why, what do you mean, Captain? I...

Joe, boys. What a wonderful bit of architecture. Look at this balcony, hooked on the side of this cliff like an eagle's nest. Look, look, the fog's rising out of the valley. Hey, the sacred city. Look, doctor, isn't that a temple coming up out of the mist? Beautiful, beautiful. The sacred city of the Brotherhood of the Living Dead. A golden temple on the edge of a blue lake. Look, on the other side of the lake.

There's another temple. It's white as milk in the sun. Yes, that's the temple of the moon goddess. Look, a truly feminine building. Just as the rugged virile lines and spires of the golden temple designate it as masculine. Oh, it's marvelous. The one is dedicated to the sun god, the other to the moon goddess. Well, there's a big city below us. Look, now that the fog's cleared away. Yes, see?

The temples divided by the tiny blue lake are in the exact center of the city. Thousands and thousands of Chakotas live in that city. But what do they do out here away from civilization? They're sufficient unto themselves. They've but one purpose in life, to protect the secrets of the ancient Chakotas.

They're trained from infancy to become small stones in the barrier reared by the Chakotah priests against the advancement of civilization. We can't stand here like this, wasting time. It looks as though we'd have a difficult time getting down. I don't see any path. Oh, there's a path, all right. It begins behind that silly-looking idol over at the other end of the balcony.

It'll take a mountain goat to follow it, though. In heaven's name, Captain. Hey, look here, Cappy. You don't mean we've got to travel that path. Well, it's not more than a foot wide and cut right into the face of the cliff. I know it, but that's the path. You reckon Tula escaped that way? Yeah, I think she did. Then we'll probably be met by a young Chakotah army as we descend. She's had time enough to warn the whole country. I don't think Tula's going to give us away. I started to tell you before. I, um... I've got a confession to make. Uh...

Confession? I did turn Tula free back there on the stairway, just as you and Skip suspected I did. Uh-huh. I see. You deliberately turned her loose. That's right. But look here, Captain. Why? I can't tell you right now. Let's say it was an impulse. Never mind, Captain. I think I understand. Yeah, well, I don't. He turned that girl loose when we might have made her tell us where Judith is. It'll be a long time before I forget this. Just a moment, Skip. Captain, is that the reason you think this Tula girl won't give us away in the Sacred City?

Just an impulse? Something more than that. I think Tula knew we were in the passageway back there all the while, while she was sending those guards into us one at a time. I think she did it deliberately to clear the balcony for us. That's absurd. And you may be right.

But I'd swear she did. But why? Why should she? Because I released her. Oh, this thing's getting beyond me. I'm all mixed up. Who is on which side? Mrs. Santos turns traitor. She says she's not, but everything she does indicates she is. Were the monks at the monastery friends or enemies? Were they murdered by the Brotherhood or are they laughing up their sleeves at us?

Carlos turned traitor and got thrown to the tree that eats flesh for his troubles. Captain Friday goes back on us by turning Tula the murderess free. Well, first thing we know, we'll be on our knees in front of Maya Nahi. Skip, don't call Tula murderess again. Well, she is. She killed Robert. Don't say that again. Captain Skip, come.

We've got to take this dangerous way down. Let's get it over with. Okay, but I'm still burning. Come, Captain. This is no time for quarreling. We've got work to do. Very well. I'll lead. You will please do nothing of the kind, Captain Friday. Hey, Mrs. Sandals. Where did you come from? From the other side of the door you found locked, Captain. You were there all the while? I was there all the time.

I was... Mrs. Santos, put up that revolver. You are going to do what I tell you. Now what? You three men are going into that room out of which I just came. No, we're not. We're going down into the sacred city. You are not. You are my prisoners. Mrs. Santos, tell me, where's Judith? At least tell me that. Is she all right? Get into that room, all of you. Put your hands in the air, Captain Friday.

Now get into that room. Mrs. Sanders, please tell me about Judith. Is she safe? Dr. English, go into that room. Mrs. Sanders, I'll give anything, anything for Judith's return. Save her and I'll... I'll even give you the map you want. The map of the secret passage. You are not carrying it with you, are you? No, but... The map. Dr. English, I do not want your precious map. I know now more than that map could ever tell me. No!

So Mrs. Santos knows more than even the precious map revealed. What does that promise for Captain Friday, Skip, and Dr. Ingle? And is Judith lost to the outside world forever, swallowed up in the maze of the sacred city? Listen next week at the same hour for Chapter 8 of The Land of the Living Dead. You are listening to Adventures by Morse. Adventures by Morse.

Carton E. Morse presents The Land of the Living Dead, featuring Captain Friday. If you like high adventure, come with me. If you like the stealth of intrigue, come with me. If you like blood and thunder, come with me.

Mrs. Santos had struck another blow against the Dr. English expedition. Captain Friday, Skip Turner, and Dr. English had struggled up the two miles of underground stairway to the sun in the hope of reaching the sacred city and saving the doctor's daughter Judith before she fell into the hands of Maya Naib, high priest of the Brotherhood of the Living Dead. On their way up the stairs, they captured Tula, the green-eyed priestess known as Robert English's murderer.

Captain Friday, without giving any reason to skip or the doctor, let her escape. Yes, I did do that. But almost immediately after, Oliver, she helped the three of us overcome the Chakotah Indian guards at the head of the stairway, giving us free access to the sacred city. As we were on the point of descending from the high cliff into the city, Mrs. Santus appeared on the scene. Armed with a revolver, she ordered us into a big stone chamber at the head of the stairway.

Dr. English broke down and offered Mrs. Santos his precious map, which led to the secret passage in the legendary room full of Chakotah gold, if she would return his daughter Judith safely from the sacred city. And then came an unexpected blow. Mrs. Santos announced that she didn't want the map, that she now knew more than the map could possibly tell her. Dr. English, go into that chamber, quickly. Just a minute, Mrs. Santos. Not another word, Captain Friday, or I shoot. Do as I say.

There. That is right. There. I have you where I want you now. Yeah, but what's the big idea of locking yourself in here with us? Mrs. Sanders, what's to prevent us from taking that gun from you? You will not do that, Captain Friday. You are going to listen to me. But Judith, Mrs. Sanders, one of my daughter, where is she? Has she fallen into the hands of Maya Naib? Senorita English will come later. Just now there are more important matters. Nothing's more important than Judith. Then all the rest of us, Senor Turner...

The girl is more important than the whole of the civilized world? Is that what you mean? I didn't say that, but she's my... Senores, it is time we had a showdown. I've been thinking that for a long time, Mrs. Santos. So far I have received nothing but discourtesy, suspicion, and inconsideration from you. Are you still pretending to be a friend? If I am not still your friend, it is you who have cast me out.

Believe me, Capitan, I have been working toward the end which I told you of back in San Francisco on the night that Dr. English's son was killed. You're working against Maya Nahib? I have been doing so with my heart and soul. Then why are you holding us prisoners in this stone chamber? After tonight, there'll be but two days left before Maya Nahib strikes to wipe out all civilization. Yeah, why don't you let us go down into the secret city and at least try to kill the monster that calls himself a high priest? Because such a move would be more than useless.

You would all be captured or killed before you even approach the Temple of the Sun, where my Anahi resides. But even that would be better than dying in this raffle. And that is exactly what is going to happen to all of you unless you listen to me. Well, go ahead. In the first place, I want your confidence. I want you to trust in me. You can't win confidence at the point of a pistol. No, I do not expect that. That's very good of you. Doctor English.

Do you remember when we all stood together in that dark cell under the monastery and saw the werewolf and his men with Judith a captive in their midst? Yes, Mrs. Santos, I remember. Dr. English, do you remember what you said to me then? Yes. Repeat it. I said that if you'd save Judith from those Jakota priests, I'd never doubt you again, that my faith in you'd be complete. Good. Good.

And, Captain Friday, what was it you said? I said the same, but you didn't say... Just a moment, Captain. And did you not say the same, Senor Turner? Sure did. And do you still mean it? Yes. Yes, of course. What about you, Skip? Listen, you saved Judith and nothing else matters. And that goes for me, too, Mrs. Sanders. Very well. Doctor English, see that door over there? Yes. Here is the key to it. Unlock it.

Judith! Judith! Oh, my dear, it's really you. It's really you. Judith! Hey, look, it's really Judith! Mrs. Silas, did you save Judith from Maya Nahim? Si, Capitaine Friday. Well, then it looks like I owe you an apology. Why have you been so rabid against me? Why have you doubted me as you have? Well, it began back in La Jolla, when you bent over that dying Chakotah priest, Ixcon, after he'd stabbed himself. Si, Capitaine Friday.

I heard him whisper to you, you must strike at once if you would save Tula. Well? After that, everything you did had a mysterious side to it. First, you disappeared with Judith. Then you saved us from the werewolf by some secret signal. You were in the sacrificial chamber when they had Dr. English stretched on the stone. We caught you coming out of a conference with a werewolf and a master of the sacred city. Si, si, I understand that. On the other hand, Capitán Friday...

Did you stop to figure how many times I have saved your lives since we met? How many of my mysterious acts, as you call them, were performed to save you? Yeah, that's true, Mrs. Santos. I suppose my whole theory of suspicion was based on the words whispered to you by that Chakuta priest. Strike it once if you would save Tula. Ah, si. I was pretty bitter over Robert English's death, and I had my doubts about anyone connected with Tula, the girl who killed him.

Capitan Friday, I am going to tell you something that no one in the world except Maya Nahib, the masters of the sacred city, and I know. Something that will sound like an Arabian night's tale. Something about Tula. About Tula? Si, about Tula.

It explains the meaning of the priest's words. Oh, Judith, but it's good to see you alive and safe and happy. But, Judith, tell us what happened to you. Well, the werewolf made two huge Chakotah Indians carry me down through a long passageway. This was right after I was captured in the monastery. And the passage seemed to lead around under the stairway to the sun. Yes, yes, we saw you go. It was when they entered that passageway we sent Mrs. Santos out to save you. Yes, I saw her. They captured her, too.

Well, they put me in a chamber under the stairway right near the torture chamber and locked me up. Yeah, we tried to follow you. I was horribly frightened. I waited and waited, and then suddenly the door was unlocked and a huge priest entered. He didn't look like the rest of the Chakotah Indians I'd seen. He looked awfully intelligent, like a scholar. One of the masters? That's what he called himself.

He said he was going to take my mind away from me and give it to an Indian girl in the sacred city. Judith, then it was true. What do you mean? After you disappeared, we met a weird creature down at the foot of the stairway who told us that your soul was to be taken from you. Yes, yes, it was true. He took me into sort of a vault and showed me some Spaniards whose souls had been taken from them. They were laying out in a row on stone beds...

They looked as though they were just sleeping. Spaniards? Yes. He said that they had been like that for 400 years. That they were some of Cortez's men. Judith, where was this vault? I must see these men. The room is just beyond the torture chamber. Skip, I'd give anything in the world to be able to take those bodies back to civilization with us. Father, how can you? It makes me ill to just think of it. Then what happened to you, Judith? Then the master led me back into the first chamber...

and made me sit down and look into his eyes. Look into his eyes? I tried to resist him. I fought his mind with every bit of me, but I couldn't. I felt myself slipping, slipping. I was losing consciousness. Then suddenly I grew horribly dizzy, and everything went black. And that's the last you remember? The next thing I knew, I was being violently shaken. It was Mrs. Sattles? Yes. Yes.

When I opened my eyes, Mrs. Santos was bending over me, shaking me and calling my name. She gave me something to drink, and in a moment I felt better. Then she took me from that awful room and brought me up the stairway to the sun to this chamber. Well, then, you don't know what became of the master? No. We found his body behind a stone bench in the room.

Mrs. Santos had stabbed him to death. Mrs. Santos? That is not so. I did not kill the master, Senor Turner. Oh, Mrs. Santos. I didn't know you was listening. I thought you were still in the other room with Captain Friday. It does not matter. Then who did kill the master? We found the sacrificial knife which I gave you back in San Francisco buried in his back. Si. I know, Dr. English.

Do you remember telling me, doctor, that this knife would be of assistance to us down here in the La Jolla jungle? Yes. Well, it was. The werewolf killed the master. The werewolf? Si. The werewolf hated the master because he was superior to himself. He wanted revenge because the master scorned him, called him a dog, taunted him with being a beast in human form. And you took advantage of that? Si, Capitain Friday.

The master ordered the werewolf to take me to the torture chamber, while he himself went to talk with Senorita English. As we went down the stairway, I told the werewolf of the sacred Chicota sacrificial knife which I possess.

I told him how he might use it to even matters with the master. You're a courageous woman, Mrs. Santos. Then I showed him the knife and offered to give it to him. If he would free me and help me to save Senorita English, it worked like magic. But I don't understand. If he wanted the knife, why didn't he simply take it from you? There is a Chicota belief that to steal a sacred knife is to court everlasting punishment. Even the werewolf dared not take it from me.

But he could receive it as a gift. And so he turned Judas and knifed his own master in the back. And saved the life of the senorita. But what's become of the werewolf, Mrs. Santos? Is he in the sacred city? Do you suppose anyone who had slain a master would dare enter the sacred city? No. He is most likely even now fleeing for his life. You don't have much sympathy for him. And why should I? He wanted his revenge. I gave it to him. Dr. English, I despise a betrayer.

even though I did have to employ him. He probably deserved whatever fate held for him. Come, senores. Now that we once more understand each other, there is much to be done. Yes. Yes, doctor. Mrs. Santos has discovered the underground passage to the Chakotah treasure room. To the treasure room? You found the passage shown on my map? Si. And the passage in which the treasure is hidden does not connect with the old monastery at all.

It leads from the sacred city to a subterranean riverbed to the other side of that huge peak which is called the Finger of God. And you found it? Si. I have even explored it. Hey, did you find a Chakotah's room full of gold? I had other things to do besides hunt treasure, Senor Turner. There is the civilization of the world to be saved.

Oh, yeah. But how are we to reach the underground passage? First, we must pass through the sacred city itself. And just how do we do that? This room we are in is the uppermost in this series, which dropped down tier after tier through this cliff. In regular cliff-dweller fashion? Si.

By steps or ladders, we may descend from room to room until we reach the level of the valley in which the sacred city stands. Mrs. Santos, do you know what you're leading us into? Have you plans after we reach the sacred city? Dr. Ord, I have plans that are so tremendous I dare not even whisper them here.

Come. When we have passed through the sacred city and reached the safety of the underground passage, I will tell you. We'll have to be lucky to ever get through the sacred city. Before we take a step toward the sacred city, you are to put on these robes I have secured for you. Robes? Si. They are the robes from the guards whom Tula helped you to overcome on the balcony. Then Tula did knowingly assist us. Si, but enough of that. Now put on the robes.

I have stained here to darken your faces. Disguises, huh? You will need it. A white man could not hope to walk the streets of the sacred city. Here, Senorita English, this is for you. And I will wear this one. Remember, you are not to utter a word. It would mean death. But if we are approached... Then let me do the talking. I speak the Chicota tongue. Good. There, Senorita English, you will pass. The stain is a little dark, but it will do. Now we are ready.

And remember, we cannot reach the underground passage until we have safely passed through the sacred city. You must place yourselves in my hands. Come. Yeah, man. Let's open at them. Led by Mrs. Santos, the Dr. English party is on its secret and dangerous passage down through the tiers of rooms leading to the sacred city of the living dead. Their faces are stained. They are wearing the garb of the Chakotah Indians.

To be found now means death, such as these ancient people alone know how to meet out. Are we almost there? One more set of steps, one more room to pass through, and we will be on the floor of the valley at the entrance to the city. I guess I'm about all in.

I wish we could have a light. Better to travel in darkness. Senorita English, it will soon be over now. Judith, what's the matter? Something cold touched me. Cold? Yes, it was a hand. Are you sure? Yes, it's right in front of me. It's right in front of me. Captain Friday, turn on your light. Yeah.

A man hanging from the ceiling. It touched me. It touched me. Be quiet, senorita. Turn off that light, Capitano. Come. We must get out of this room at once. But see here, Mrs. Sal... Be quiet. Follow close to me. There. Now we are safe. Turn on that light again, please. But who was it? Did none of you recognize him? Yes, yes, I saw him.

It was the werewolf. Werewolf? Are you sure? Si. It was the werewolf. Then the fellow's already paid for killing the master. Si, he has paid. But not at the hands of Mayanahi. Then who? Could you not see? Everything pointed to it. What the heck are you talking about, Miss Sarrows? Senor Turner, the werewolf hanged himself. Hanged? But why? Why should he? Why did Judas hang himself? Why does any traitor hang himself? Remorse. Remorse.

Fear. Self-hate. That is why. Oh, I feel sick. Get hold of yourself, senorita. Look. Do you know what is on the other side of that door? What is it, Mrs. Santos? The sacred city. We are about to enter the sacred city. Hey, here we go. The sacred city. Not another word. Remember, do not speak a word. Heed my one last warning or we will never reach the underground passage.

Keep your eyes open. See everything. Say nothing. We are going to cross this sacred city and there will be much to see. You three men especially. Watch for the lake of molten lava. Lake of lava? Examine it with care, but do not pause. Watch depends on what you see. Watch the lake of boiling lava. Wonderful.

Wonderful. You are the first white people but one to have passed safely through the sacred city. And this is the underground passage to the Chakora treasure chamber. It is the underground passage. It's beyond my wildest dream, Mrs. Santos. Marvelous. Those inscriptions. Si, si, of course, Dr. English. It is a natural cavern, cut through the rock by some ancient river and worn smooth by its waters.

After the waters were stopped, the ancient Chakotas came here to carve the history of the world upon the walls. But how on earth did its whereabouts become lost to the Chakota masters? Only history could tell us that, Captain Friday. Such things do happen sometimes. And the treasure of the Chakotas is hidden somewhere in here? Si, somewhere in here. But tell me, did you all examine the lake of lava in the sacred city as we passed? I certainly did. What a nasty place. It must be 200 feet from the surface of the ground down to that boiling lava.

How far is the crater across? A quarter of a mile. The whole valley in which the sacred city is situated was, many centuries ago, a seething mass of white hot liquid rock like that. What an amazing phenomenon. Si. And, my friends, it is even more amazing. The thing I propose to do... Well, please explain, Mr. Santus. Senores, Maya Nahi was speaking the truth when he said that he intended destroying the civilization of the world.

He means it. And what is more, he has the power with which to do it. You know he has the power? Si, Capitan, I know. And we have only two more days in which to stop him. Yeah, but you said you had a plan. Si, a most terrible plan. A plan that will cost thousands of people their lives. That bad, huh?

It means sacrificing thousands to save millions. To save the whole world from destruction. Then horrible as it may seem, certainly it's justified. I would gladly sacrifice my life to prevent the crime which my Anahib is about to commit. Well, Mrs. Santos, what is your plan?

When we entered the underground passage, did you notice that the entrance is on the hillside, pointing directly down on the lava lake? That's right. And the other entrance to the passage is high on the side of that highest of all peaks I once pointed out to you, known as the Finger of God. Yeah, I remember. You said it was so tall that it caused storms in its vicinity every day. Si. And it was from that conversation that I got my clue to the underground passage.

When I spoke of the storms and lightning, if you remember, Senorita English looked startled, and Dr. English was highly annoyed. I suspected something. And so I went up on the slopes of the Finger of God and stumbled on some ancient ruins. And in those ruins, I found the outer entrance to the underground passage.

It was the same symbol which brought you to the secret passage in the monastery. That's good work, Mrs. Sandman. Remarkable. I never thought of it. And these ruins are on the edge of a tremendous lake. A lake on the side of the mountain? Si. A lake at least a mile across, and it looks to be exceedingly deep. But I don't see what this has to do with the... Just a moment, Dr. English. What do you suppose would happen...

Were that great lake suddenly to descend into that pit of boiling lava. In heaven's name, Mrs. Santos. Exactly. There would suddenly be a gaseous condition formed in the bowels of the earth that would blow the sacred city into eternity. The sacred city? Why, it'd rock the whole state of La Jolla. It'd have an effect on the surface of both continents. It would wipe out Mayanahi, Dr. English. It would wipe us all out. That is my plan. I am willing to sacrifice my life.

Are the rest of you willing? Yeah, but I don't get it. How are you going to get the water of the lake into the lava bed? It is too easy, even though there is but 30 feet of sandstone between the lake and the entrance to the underground passage.

A little well-placed dynamite would send the whole lake rushing down to this underground passage and into the boiling lava. Holy Moses. It's too big for me. I can't grasp it. I've got to think it over. But does it mean that we'll all be blown up? It may mean that, senorita. That is the chance we will have to take. But, Mrs. Sanders, there is another way. Not too much on that, Captain Friday. It may be a way. But you told me that. I have little faith in anything where my anahib is concerned, Captain Friday. Oh.

I see. No. If you go into this, you must do so with your eyes open, knowing that it may be your last act upon Earth. If I only had myself to consider. That's exactly how I feel about it, Doctor. You... You... Oh, I know. You're both holding back because of me. Now, now, Judith. I won't have it. Now, look, Judith. I won't. If the rest of you are willing to take a chance, so am I. But, Judith, honey... I won't listen.

I vote for Mrs. Santos' plan. Good for you, Judith. Dr. English, your daughter has chosen. Judith, are you sure? Father, I won't have you afraid for me. Very well. Mrs. Santos, Judith and I agree on your plan. And you, Senor Turner? Yeah, of course. Well, let's settle it.

Now then, when does the celebration come off? The whole city will be asleep by ten o'clock. The best time will be tomorrow night at ten o'clock. Then this is the night before Maya Nahib's big show. Hey, look here. I just thought of something. Well? Where are we going to get the dynamite? Senor Turner, the dynamite is at this moment hidden in the passage. I have seen to that. I have a friend in the sacred city. Mrs. Santos, you mean that... Captain Friday, of that we do not speak.

Well, then there's nothing to do but wait. Nothing to do tonight and all day tomorrow but wait. Oh, if we could only do it now and get it over with. I feel like a condemned person. If you like, Signorita English, I can put your mind at ease, put you to sleep so that you will not even dream bad dreams. Oh, no, no.

When you say that, all I can think of is that horrible master who tried to take my mind. There, there. I should not have mentioned it. Say, I've got an idea. Yeah? What? Let's look for the Chakotas treasure chamber while we're waiting. Oh, Captain, do you suppose we could? Father's told me about the fabulous jewels and treasure of the Chakotas. Of course we can. Come on. Come on, snap out of it, Skip. Come on, Doctor. Splendid idea, Captain. It would take our minds off what is about to happen. Here, each of you take a flashlight. Everyone will set out to look for himself.

The one who finds the room full of gold and jewels wins the prize. Oh, and what will the prize be, Captain? Well, we'll let Skip figure out the prize. All right. Well, why not give the finder his choice of the room full of jewels? Oh, I forgot. Jewels won't do us much good after tomorrow night. Skip. That was a dumb remark. Oh, I'm sorry. Come on, Judith. You and I'll go together. No, I guess I won't go after all.

That last remark sort of took the pep out of me. Oh, please forget it, honey. Come on, give me the chance to deck you out in all the jewels in the world. Well, all right. I'll come. Who's that? Is that you, Capitán Friday? Oh, Mrs. Santos. How fortunate. The rest are scattered off someplace. I've been wanting to talk to you. I thought we had come to an understanding. But if you only knew how much I admire... Capitán Friday!

I ask you not to say any more. Oh, I suppose you're right. I told you how I felt about the matter. What more can I do? I know. Put the matter out of your mind. You are only making yourself miserable by thinking about it. You can hold out no hope, then? It seems strange, does it not, Capitaine? That only a few hours ago you were condemning me bitterly as a faithless friend. Now you talk to me about affection? I ask you again. Can you give me no hope? No more than I have given you.

If this terrible project comes off as we have planned, and if we escape, oh, what is the use of talking anymore about it until this horrible strain is past? Mrs. Sanders, you're a brave woman. I admire you with my whole heart. And if somehow we are saved, I... Yeah, there, I won't mention the matter again. Shall we join in the search for the treasure? If you like. Thank you.

He does not seem to mind much. Hey, you found it! Judith found the room! Skip, don't act like a madman. Are you certain? Yeah, yeah, come on, I'll show you. I left her there. Come on, come on. Where's Dr. English? Doctor! Hi, Doctor! Yes, Captain, here I am. Come here, Doctor. Judith found the treasure. It wasn't hidden at all. Just a little door off the passageway. Oh, there you are, Doctor. Why, what's happened? Judith found the Chakotah's room full of treasure. Where? Where? Get out of here, John. See, there's Judith's flashlight waving to us. Come on. Wait.

There's something the matter. Look how that flashlight waves. Come on, Judith's in trouble. For the moment, the plan for the destruction of the sacred city and Mayanahib, its high priest, were forgotten in the excitement of finding the fabulous treasure. But with the cry of desperation from Judith, all the horror and fear of these last hours have returned to the party. Next week at this same hour, you will hear the tenth and final episode of The Land of the Living Dead. You are listening to Adventures by Morse. ♪♪

Adventures by Morse. Carlton E. Morse presents The Land of the Living Dead, featuring Captain Friday. If you like high adventure, come with me. If you like the stealth of intrigue, come with me. If you like blood and thunder, come with me.

Dr. English's entire party has been once more united, this time in the famous secret passage, safe for the moment, from Maya Nahib, high priest of the sacred city of the priests of the living dead. With them is Mrs. Roberto Santos, who by her acts of saving Judith from the werewolf and smuggling the entire party through the sacred city, has proved herself finally to be a staunch, although somewhat mysterious, ally.

The party has found a way of ending the menace of Mayanahi. At the upper end of the secret passage is a great mountain lake, separated from the mouth of the passage only by a few yards of sandstone. In the heart of the sacred city, and almost directly beneath the lower end of the secret passage, is a great lake of boiling lava, the living remains of a once great volcano.

By releasing the water of the mountain lake into the secret passage and down into this crater of white-hot lava, the English party know that gas and steam will be formed in the bowels of the earth sufficient to blow the sacred city into eternity. That right, Captain Friday? Yes, but this means that our own lives will be endangered also. However, there seems to be no other way. If we don't destroy Maya Nahib and his agents within 12 hours, the high priest will destroy the civilization of the world.

There's no choice. And so Judith, Mrs. Santos, Dr. English, Skip Turner, and I have determined on this personal sacrifice. We have set the hour for the great catastrophe for 10 o'clock of the night before Maya Nahib is to strike against civilization. While waiting for the hour, we set out to hunt through the secret passage in search of the magnificent treasure room of the Chakotah ancients, which we know is hidden somewhere in the passage.

Judith and Skip found the room. Skip left Judith on guard and rushed back to get the rest of us when we suddenly heard Judith scream. We dashed back to where he left Judith. She's dead. Judith's dead and it's all my fault.

Oh, Dr. English, it's all my fault. Pinned to the wall with spears. I shouldn't have left her. I shouldn't have left her. The Chakotas have killed her. In heaven's name, Captain, help me pull these spears out of the wood. Skip, get a hold of yourself. Look here. Look, the spears haven't touched her body. They've gone through her coat. Yeah, but look here how her head hangs. No, she just fainted. Dr. English, Judith isn't dead. It's only a faint. What's that? Here, loosen the spears while I lift her down. Come on. Oh, Judith, what an experience. Look, she's opening her eyes. Judith...

Judith, honey. Oh, Father. Father, they're after us. The Chakotas are after us. Yes, right. Someone must have thrown those spears. The Chakotas are guarding the treasure. They'll kill us all. Guarding the treasure? Judith, are the Chakotas in that treasure room? Yes. The spears came at me from all directions when I opened the door. But that is impossible. No one knows about the treasure. It's been lost for 400 years. But it's true. It's true. There are men over there in the shadows.

When I stepped inside the room, I... Now, honey, just rest your head on my arm. There. Now, tell me what happened. It was awful. I stepped into the room and turned my flashlight into the dark. Suddenly, the air was filled with gleaming spears. I couldn't see where they came from. They struck the door all around me, and I felt myself pinned to the door. Then...

I guess I fainted. It's all right now, my dear. There's something doggone funny going on here. If there is someone guarding the treasure, why haven't we been attacked? Our flashlight should have attracted their attention. I think I found your answer, Doctor. Look there. There was a booby trap. A booby trap? What is it, Captain? I see. Yeah, see here? Wires along the ceiling and attached to the door. They evidently run out to some sort of spring traps in the back of the room.

The moment the door was opened, the springs were released and a dozen spears came flying at the intruder. Then there ain't nobody in the room. That's right. And there hasn't been for 400 years. Pretty clever fellows, those old Chakotah priests. Oh, Judith, you don't know what a close call you had on me. What difference does it make, Skip?

I'd just as soon die by a spear as be blown to pieces when we blow up the sacred city. Judith, my dear, don't talk like that. Here, here, now. Why talk about death with a hundred million dollars in front of us? Look at this mountain of gold and jewels. And pearls, Judith. Look at these great baskets of pearls. Yeah, man, oh, man, will you look at it?

This is what I call wallowing in wealth. I wonder what's in those bales. Big as a bale of hay. Robes. Priceless robes of the ancient kings of La Jolla. What a treasure. Speaking of kings, Doctor, look. Throw your flash over here. By Jove, Captain, it's beyond comprehension. Those mummies are the ancient kings.

Oh, if only Robert could have seen this. And all this treasure belongs to the Chakotah priest? Yes, Skip. Most of it was looted from Montezuma's slaves while Cortez was marching down upon his capital. Captain, Judith, all of you, come here quickly. What is it, Doctor? What have you found? Oh, beautiful, simply beautiful. Oh, Father. A giant Gila monster. A Gila monster on a yellow disc.

Well, that disc must be ten feet across. The monster in the sun. That disc is of solid gold, and the monster across its face is pure jade. Well, doctor, it must weigh tons. And that was stolen from Montezuma? Yes. Then Montezuma must have known of the legend of the monster in the sun. Why, of course. The legend is as old as man. The coming of Cortez was prophesied in just such a manifestation. Come over here, Captain. I want you to see this. Judith. Yes, Gibb.

Oh, Skip, isn't that beautiful? Why, it's the loveliest ring I ever saw. Where did you get it? Out of this little gold box. Just look here at the pearls, big as pigeon eggs. The ring was laying right on top of the pearls. Oh, but it's beautiful. Judith, honey. Yes, Skip. Judith, will you wear this ring for me? But, Skip, do you think we should take it? Why, of course. All this stuff belongs to us. We found it, didn't we?

Miss English, that is your engagement ring. Oh, Skip, you're a dear. I love it. I just adore it. I can read a few of the hieroglyphics, Captain. Doctor, there's such a stupendous wealth of treasure, I can't realize it. Hello. Somebody's wearing a ring. Uh-huh. Isn't it lovely? Any significance? Of course it has. Hasn't it, Skip? You're doggone tootin' it has. Oh, Dr. English, I've asked Judith to marry me.

That's as it should be, my son. And, my boy, as a wedding gift, I grant you one-fifth of the treasure of the Chakotas. One-fifth? Make it one-fourth, Captain Friday. I will not claim my share. Hey, Miss Santos, where you been? Miss Santos, you look ill. What's the matter? The city sleeps, Dr. English. We have one hour more in which to complete our task. Now, Miss Santos, is it time?

Must we die now? Señorita English. Look here, Mrs. Sanders, I'm going to tell them about the... Captain Friday, you have nothing to tell. But I thought... You have nothing to tell. Come now, the hour is near. There are many things yet to be done. You mean we're going to just leave this room full of treasure like this? We cannot take it with us, señorita.

But Mrs. Santos, all this wealth and beauty blown to pieces. Buried under a million tons of earth. Come on, let's get out of this place. We're all getting morbid. Hey, Captain, look at Dr. English. Poor old fellow sitting over the other side of the cell. Tears on his face. Yeah, he's already sacrificed his son, Robert. Now it looks like Judith's going to be sacrificed. Yeah, and his own life. I wish we could do something for him. But it's too late now. Well, we're getting it, boss.

A little more and we'll have the dynamite placed. Hand me those fuses. Oh, man, look at them stars overhead. Soft wind blowing. What a night for the right gal and the right fella. Keep your eyes open. We don't want someone sneaking up on us out here on the edge of the lake. Yeah, I'm watching. I ain't seen a soul. Get down. Get down. Somebody's coming. How many? Couldn't tell. I just saw a shadow moving his way. Listen. Capitán Friday. Ah.

It's you, Mrs. Sanderson. Si, it is I. How is the work coming? We have the holes drilled for the dynamite. Get back at it, Skip. Yeah. Just half an hour more, Captain Friday. I know. We're putting the powder in the holes now. It's a delicate job, tamping the earth down around those caps. The fuses aren't any too long. We will have to make the best of it.

Did you inspect the fuses and caps closely? There must not be any slip. I have done my best, Mrs. Stantus. The entire lake will pour down through the secret passage and into the crater of boiling lava within a few minutes after the explosion. Good. And a half hour after that should come the most stupendous explosion in the history of man. Yeah, there. There.

The last hole is filled and tamped down. I've braided all the fuses together. One match will light the whole works. Still 20 minutes to go. Skip, will you go down to the mouth of the passageway and bring Judith and Dr. English up? Yeah, sure. It'll only take a minute. Mrs. Sanders, what's happened? Are we going to be let down? Captain Friday, you know as much as I do. It is in the hands of the gods now. I have done everything I can. But shouldn't it be here by now? You're certain you made the place it was to come clear? My instructions were definite.

No, Captain. If anything goes wrong now, it will be because Maya Nahib's strength was greater than ours. But why not tell the whole story to the others? It would at least give them some last-minute hope. No. Why raise hopes that may never come to pass? When it does come, we'll be time enough. But if it doesn't come? If it doesn't come, Mrs. Santos? Then we go to our death with Maya Nahib and his agents. I

I made it clear that the lake would be blown into eternity at 10 o'clock, whether it came or not. Are you going to send Dr. English and Judith and Skip to their deaths without any explanation? They've put their lives in your hands. Oh, here they come now. If you insist, there is still 15 minutes. Please, they'd want it. Very well, then. I will tell them all that they could wish to know. Good. They deserve that much. Well, here they are, Captain. Oh, there you are, Mrs. Hennessey.

How's it going, Captain? Dynamite's all in. Nothing to do but wait now. How much time have we, Mrs. Santos? Still 15 minutes, Senorita English. Listen, I have a few things to explain to you before Captain Friday touches off the dynamite. A lot of good and explanations are going to do us now. True. Still, I do not know a better way to spend the last 15 minutes of my life. Confession is good for the soul, they say. Get on with it, please, Mrs. Santos. In the first place, I want to tell you about Maya Nahid.

Dr. English, Maya Nahib is not a Chikota Indian. He's not a Chikota? No. Maya Nahib is an Englishman. Mrs. Santos, what are you saying? Are you telling us that a civilized white man could kill and ravish and destroy with all the brutality of a savage? That I tell you. Maya Nahib is a white man. A very devil of a white man.

In the last minutes of their existence, before the lake water flows into the pit of boiling lava to blow the sacred city from the face of the earth, Mrs. Santos unfolds a story. The story of Maya Nahib, the evil high priest of the Brothers of the Living Dead. Mrs. Santos has just revealed the startling fact that the great priest is a white man. Maya Nahib is an Englishman.

Before the war, you knew Maya Nahib as Sir Cecil Brookfield, Earl of Lexington. Sir Cecil, the famous ethnologist? The same. Mrs. Santos, that's impossible. Sir Cecil was killed in the war. He was not. He disappeared, and it was supposed that he was killed. But that is not true.

He was a psychoneurotic case. His madness took the form of hallucinations. He believed himself a reincarnation of one of the ancient Chicota high priests. Oh, that's terrible. As a sane man, he was an inspiration to learned scientists. He was ruthless. But he might have continued to his death as Mayanahi, the high priest, say for one thing. And that? With his madness came a terrible obsession against civilization. All civilization. But especially England.

Do you remember the message he sent by the werewolf to his agents in the room off the stairway to the sun five days ago? In five days, strike to wipe out civilization. But wipe out London first. It was an obsession. Miss Santos, how did you happen to be in that room that day with a werewolf and a master? The men in the monastery had captured one of the masters. I took his robe, covered my head and face, and attended the meeting as a spy.

Unfortunately, Captain Friday caught me at... That was a courageous thing to do, Mrs. Hattos. There is no time for praise, Dr. English. We have only eight minutes left. Until these madmen came to the throne of the sacred city, the great mysteries of life which the original line of Chikota masters were preserving had been safe. But my Anaheim...

But Sir Cecil abused his power. That was fatal. Now I begin to understand many things. See, the change soon became apparent. Mystics all over the world became alarmed for the safety of mankind. They sent their best men to the sacred city to defeat my Anaheim. They were killed one by one. My husband, Roberto Santos. Your own son, Robert English. These are but two of the many brave men who died trying to curb Sir Cecil's power. And Robert never told me a word.

He was under oath to keep silent. I took over my husband's work. Then Robert came down here and we joined forces. Then he was killed in San Francisco. And in desperation, I brought all of you into it. I needed friends badly. You were a straw-draining person. I grasped you to me. We're grateful you did.

And now it looks as though I had led you to your death. We're glad to sacrifice ourselves, Mrs. Santos. We are succeeding where everyone else has failed. Mrs. Santos, only four minutes more. I guess there's no use hoping. Four minutes. Keep your eye on the watch. On the exact second. Dynamite the lake. I'll take care of it. We have four minutes left. Ask me any questions you like. Well, Mrs. Santos, it don't matter now, but...

What did that dying Chakotah priest, Ixcan, mean when he whispered to you... if you'd save Tula, you must strike at once? Oh, no. Oh, I'm sorry, Miss Sanders. It don't matter now. It was just curiosity. No, I will answer that question, Senor Turner. Tula had served her purpose as Maya Nahib's agent. He had sent her over the world recruiting agents, acting as emissary... striking here, then banishing, only to strike again at some other five places...

Finally, she got to be known over the world. That was not good. So Mayanahib was planning to destroy Tula. That was what the priest Iskan meant. Yeah, but what difference did it make to you? Why'd he tell you? Two minutes to go. You'd all better be moving around the edge of the lake to that long, flat section of high ground. Mrs. Santos, you know where it is. Si, I know. Come, I will lead the way. One minute. I'll join you as soon as I light the fuses. I'll have to run for it. Listen. She's coming. She's coming.

She's coming. The plane. The plane. Captain Friday, we are safe. She is coming. Gracias a Dios. Gracias a Dios. Here, here. Don't give away now. Get these people to the open space. Look, it's dropping flares to find the landing place. Hurry and touch off the ground flares. Si. Light diffuses, then join us at once. Yes, yes. Hurry. I've only half a minute left. She's coming down. She's coming down.

She's safely down. There she is. There she is. Tula has come. Tula has... The dynamite. Where's Captain Friday? Where's Captain Friday? It's done. It's done. I've dynamited the lake. The water's coming down on us. Get in the plane, quick. Run for the plane.

Oh, everything is so mixed up. I don't understand what's happened. Here we are in an airplane piloted by Tula. Yeah, Tula, the girl who killed Robert. Tula did not kill Robert, Senor Turner. But I saw her. Did you see her fire the shot? Well, no. I had my back turned. But the moment after the shot, I turned and saw Tula with the gun. That was the werewolf's work. He killed your brother, Robert, and used Tula as a decoy in case the police were put on the trail of the killer.

The moment after you had seen Tula, she was whisked away. The werewolf used Tula over and over again as a blind for his dirty work. That is the reason Tula's name is known in every police department in the country. Can you prove that, Mrs. Santos? I can remove every stain from her character. Oh, look. Look below. We're over the sacred city. The water is filling up the cauldron of lava. It's already throwing hot steam into the air. Tula, you better get this ship out of here quick. Things are going to happen.

Oh, the people must be going crazy down there. The poor things. It is the only way. We sacrifice these few to save the many. There, hear that? That's the first explosion. We are not out of danger yet. When the big blow-up comes...

Hey, what's those noises? The sacred city's gone. It's blown up. Yeah, but that whistling noise... That's part of the sacred city whizzing by. We've started a new volcano. Those are tons and tons of rock and dirt being thrown into the air. What if one of them should hit us? Then it's just too bad for us.

Man, that tulip babe sure can't pilot a plane, can she? Look how steady her hand is. Well, she's got plenty of nerve. Mayanahib saw that she had splendid training. She will get us through. Listen to that. We're leaving the fireworks behind. Oh, man, I'm glad of that. Diving and zooming among those hunks of the sacred city got on my nerves. At last. At last it is over. The sacred city and its diabolical rule of Mayanahib are no more.

We are safe. And now, Mrs. Santos, may I tell them about Tula? Something more about Tula? You haven't heard anything yet. Si, Capitano. You may tell them. Folks, Tula is the daughter of Mrs. Santos. What? But Mrs. Santos, why didn't you tell us before? Just a moment. I'll explain everything. So that's a mysterious link you've had with the Brothers of the Living Dead, Mrs. Santos. Si, Doctor English.

But Captain Friday will explain. At the time of the death of Dr. Roberto Santos, Mrs. Santos' husband, Maya Nahib also kidnapped their daughter, Tula, then only 17. Maya Nahib hated Dr. Santos for his great Chakotah discoveries, and

And he took revenge on the doctor's wife and daughter. He knew that he could make Mrs. Santa suffer most by making the girl one of his agents. But she didn't have to be an agent, did she? Well, with his ancient knowledge, Maya Nahib was able to rule Tula's mind just as the master attempted to rule yours, Judith. Oh, how awful. Yes. Maya Nahib kept his hold over her and sent her to all parts of the world to do his bidding.

Always with the werewolf at her side to see that she didn't get away. And I have been fighting all these years to win my daughter, Tula, back from that horrible creature. It was a battle of minds. Mrs. Santos' mind against that of Maya Nahid. Still, the balance was in favor of Maya Nahid. Until you came into the picture, Captain Friday. Yes. Yes, it was I who turned the tide of battle in favor of Mrs. Santos. You? What'd you do? Well, I... I'm afraid I went all out for Tula. Huh? I love Tula.

Hey, I knew doggone well you was in love with that babe. Is that bad? Well, it's the first time it's ever happened since I've been tied up with you. You gonna marry the girl? Well, it's not part of the story. Anyway, the combined forces of Mrs. Santos' mind and my own was too great for my Anaheim. Didn't you notice how Tula began to turn from being our savage enemy to a friendly ally?

The first time was when she released me from the dungeon in the underground passage, remember? So that was Tula, eh? Yeah. Then she helped us overpower the guards at the end of the stairway to the sun. So you knew Tula was coming in a plane to save us, and you let us go on thinking we was going to be destroyed with the sacred city. Yes, we didn't want to disappoint you in case she didn't come. Yeah, but, Mrs. Sanders, why didn't you tell us in the beginning that Tula was your daughter? Then we could have helped you more. Senorita English had told you that Tula killed Robert.

Would you have had anything to do with me had you known that I was Pulas Mordor? No wonder you were frantic. Oh, I'm so thankful it came out all right. How brave you've been, Mrs. Santos. What's that? I just turned on the radio set. Listen. Hey, listen. Listen. Tremendous volcanic explosions are reported in the heart of the jungles of La Jolla, Chile. Earthquakes are being felt throughout South America, Mexico, and the United States. Reports of earthquakes have come in from as far south as Brazil.

Scientists are puzzled by the sudden and unusual volcanic outbreak. The entire west coastline of South and Central America is undergoing a drastic change, causing tidal floods and severe landslides in the Panama Canal. Stand by for late bulletins in just a moment. Jupiter, we did all that? Si, it is too bad. But it is not one millionth the damage that would have befallen the world had we not done it. Yeah. Hey, Miss Santos.

What was Maya Nahid going to do to the world? Destroy civilization? That was his one ambition. To destroy the whole of civilization and start life anew. Yeah, but how? It's one thing to want to do something like that and another thing to carry it out. Oh, do not be misled. The high priest had the power to carry out his plan. Are you certain? Si. You saw all these great black planes gather at the sacred city. Planes swarming in from all parts of the world like great black flies.

This is one of the planes we are riding in now. Yeah, of course. Tomorrow morning at dawn, these planes were to have taken off from the sacred city to every part of the world carrying death. Death in great quantities. Yeah, but what kind of death? Senor Turner...

Maya Nahib got hold of the key to a scientific fact that ancient wise men have known from the beginning of time. He knew that by exploding a single cell in the human body, he could unravel the entire body as a needle unravels a sweater. The planes were to have been loaded with a scientific powder capable of breaking down flesh cells. Hundreds of these planes were to fly over the entire world dropping this powder. The moment a speck of that powder touched the skin,

the person attacked would begin to disintegrate. Oh, how terrible. So fast did the powder work that the entire world would have been dead before modern science could have begun research for something to combat the plague. Yeah, but what about the Chakotas who were to distribute the powder? They were protected by a lotion spread upon their body.

The powder lost its effectiveness after two or three weeks. All the Chicota had to do was stay out of the infected areas during that period, or else keep bathing the protecting lotion. Oh, that's almost beyond human belief, Mrs. Santos. I know. And yet it was true. Horribly true. Well, then the catastrophe predicted by the shadow of the Gila monster on the sun was prevented after all. The catastrophe predicted by the Gila monster on the sun has taken place, Senor Turner. What?

Why, I thought the destruction of civilization was the catastrophe predicted. We certainly saved the world. But, Señor Turner, have you stopped to think of what the world has lost? Well, no. The sacred city was the last living evidence of the birth of civilization.

In this sacred city was all the history, the documentary evidence, the mysteries and the secrets of the past. Everything that the scientific world so longs to know. Don't speak of it. It makes me deathly sick when I think of the treasures we've destroyed. So the prophecy did come true. The prophecy was fulfilled. See, down to the last bit of dregs. The prophecy is fulfilled and the story is finished.

Next week, you'll meet Captain Friday and Skip Turner deep in the strange, death-dealing, dismal swamp of South Carolina. You'll hear the opening episode of It's Dismal to Die, a story of swamp life and the people who live on the verge of sudden and violent death. Watch for It's Dismal to Die next week at the same hour. You are listening to Adventures by Morse.

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I'm Darren Marlar. Thanks for joining me for tonight's Retro Radio, old-time radio in the dark.