15th Annual SYSK Halloween Spooktacular! | STUFF YOU SHOULD KNOW

[Music]. welcome to stuff you should know a. production of iHeart. [Music]. Radio hey and welcome to the. Spooktacular spook cast I'm Josh and. there's Chuck Jerry's here too and we. are all wrapped in bandages because. we're mon scary mummies mummies that.

have been dead for thousands of years. but now want to pull your brains out. with the hooks we were buried. with that's good thanks I've been. writing it and workshopping it for. months I think it paid off my friend so. uh if you are new to the show or new. enough that you don't know what we do on. Halloween uh what we do is we each pick. a spooky story that's in the public. domain so we don't get sued and we read. it uh.

together sometimes with fun accents. sometimes. without uh we this is an adree episode. we uh have it we've mentioned this. before but we had it written into our. work contract that Halloween and. Christmas are um I guess barricaded off. from ads so you can enjoy the. Spooktacular without having ads right in. the middle of it yeah I think it was a. good move good move yeah so uh Josh. we're going to read yours first you want.

to set this one up uh yes this is a. story by alren and Blackwood he's a. recurring friend of the Spooktacular. episodes uh because he's squarely in the. public domain but he's also a good. writer of ghost stories for sure this. one um it's not his best work but we um. and you in particular uh but I think we. both did looked for a a story written by. a woman and it's harder to do than you. would think because the stuff that's in.

the public domain I think we're up to. 1928 or 29 there weren't a lot of women. published at the time at least it was. very disproportionate compared to men so. um what we did this time was we found a. a story written by a man but told from. the point of view of a woman that's as. good as we could get this year everybody. that's right uh the other thing too is. especially back in those days women. didn't write a bunch of horror short. horror yeah and um I did find some good. ones in the weird Tales.

magazines but um those I don't think are. in the public domain yet that's where. you can oh some are these these from. like the 1940s or 50s I found some from. like like 1928 29 and they're pretty. good yeah it's also hard to find like a. clean copy of those like the one I found. I had to blow up a PDF of the magazine. itself which was kind of cool wow um but. ended up uh ended up being too long but. maybe uh I don't know maybe we can knock. that one out one year that's funny we.

both found a new source of rich source. of uh how horror stories to use in the. future at the same time well mine was. weird Tales what was yours uh Amazing. Stories astounding story something like. that I don't remember but the first one. I sent you that was from one of those P. magazines oh okay cool well maybe you. know if we live long enough we'll be. able to read some of those yeah I was. thinking if we keep this up for another. like 50 70 years we're really going to. get into some good stuff and I won't. have to do a creepy accent.

then all right I'm going to start okay. all right so I'm playing the woman a. Monty Python style I guess right I'm. going to be the. man okay and by the way this story for a. quote unquote Horror Story gets a gets a. little sexy it does for sure you know uh. I just realized something the entire. story is told by the woman from her. point of view so you're going to be. doing a lot of reading unless we split. up the stuff where she's relating the.

story well no no no I think that's what. you should do okay I'll just read her. part and once once the man comes in you. know he gets his due I think okay but we. can also switch you can be the lady if. no no it's okay I was just saying it. occurred to me that we um we should hash. this out right here live on the on the. episode that's what we usually do okay. you ready all right yeah let's do it. what's it called This is the woman's. Ghost Story by alenin. Blackwood oh jeez sorry one more quick.

question are they. British uh they can be it doesn't matter. okay okay I'll probably do British you. know I'm so good at it I think ALR and. Blackwood was I think 100% British so we. so we'll go Brit on this one at least I. will oh and then one more thing big hat. tip and a big thank you to uh guest. producer Ben who's handling the sound. effects this episode so thanks a lot. Ben that's right Jerry decided she. didn't like fun in her like.

[Music]. anymore okay so here we go with the. woman's Ghost Story by Aldrin and. Blackwood uh yeah. sorry good take two all right back to. one everybody so I start then then. you're going to read the other stuff. right yes sorry okay all right ready. here we. go yes she said from her seat in the. dark corner.

I'll tell you an experience if you care. to listen and what's more I'll tell it. briefly without trimmings I mean without. un Essentials that's the thing. storytellers never do you know she. laughed they drag in all the UN. Essentials and leave your listeners to. disentangle but I'll give you just the. essentials and you can make of it what. you please but on one condition that at. the end you ask no questions because I. can't explain and have no wish to we. agreed we were all serious after.

listening to a dozen prolic stories from. people who merely wished to talk but had. nothing to tell we wanted. Essentials in those days she began. feeling from the quality of our silence. that we were with her in those days I. was interested in psychic things and had. arranged to sit up alone in a haunted. house in the middle of London she's not. really British is she no Middle English. sure all. right it was a cheap and dingy lodging. house in a Street unfurnished I had.

already made a preliminary examination. in daylight that afternoon and the keys. from the caretaker who lived next door. were in my. pocket that doesn't seem essential to me. quite honestly I know the story was a. good one satisfied me at any rate that. it was worth investigating and I won't. weary you with details as to the woman's. murder and all the tiresome elaboration. as to why the place was alive enough. that it was I was a good deal bored. therefore to see a man whom I took to be. the itive old caretaker waiting for me.

on the steps when I went in at 11:00. p.m. for I had sufficiently explained. that I wish to be there alone for the. [Music]. night I wish to show you to the room he. mumbled and of course I couldn't exactly. refuse having tipped him for the. temporary loan of a chair and table come. in then and let's be quick I said we. went in he shuffling after me through. the unlighted hall up to the first floor. where the murder murder had taken place.

and I prepared myself to hear his. inevitable account before turning him. out with a half crown his persistence. had earned after lighting the gas I sat. down in the armchair he had provided a. faded brown plush armchair don't be dumb. and turned for the first time to face. him and get through with the performance. as quickly as possible and it was in. that instant I got my first shock the. man was not the caretaker it was not the. old fool Carrie I had interviewed.

earlier in the day and made my plans. with my heart gave a horrid jump now who. are you pray I said you're not Carrie. the man I arranged with this afternoon. who are you I felt uncomfortable as you. might imagine I was a psychical. researcher and a young woman of new. Tendencies and proud of my Liberty but I. did not care to find myself in an empty. house with a stranger something of my. confidence left me confidence with women. you know is all humbug after a certain. point written by a man or perhaps you.

don't know for most of you are men but. anyhow my pluck ebbed in a quick rush. and I felt afraid who are you I repeated. quickly and nervously the fellow was. well-dressed youngish and good-looking. but with a face of great sadness I. myself was barely 30 I'm giving you. Essentials or I would not mention it out. of quite ordinary things comes the story. I think that's why it has value boy. she's really talking a lot about how.

how great her story story yeah she fills. it with mundane details all right here. we go the keys were in her pocket. everybody that's right and now. you no he said I am the man who is. frightened to. death his voice and his words ran. through me like a knife and I felt ready. to drop in my pocket was the book I had. bought to make notes in I felt the. pencil sticking in the socket I felt too. the extra warm things I had put on to. sit up in as no bed or sofa was.

available a hundred things dashed. through my mind foolishly and without. sequence or meaning as the way is when. one is really frightened un. Essentials un Essentials leaped up and. puzzled me and I thought of what the. papers might say if it came out and what. my smart brother-in-law would think and. whether it be told I had cigarettes in. my pocket and was a freeth thinker. oo the man was frightened to death I. repeated a gas that's me.

he said. [Laughter]. stupidly well your name is. Gomer I stared at him just as you would. have done any one of you men now. listening to me and felt my life ebbing. and flowing like a sort of hot fluid. you'd need laugh that's how I felt small. things you know touch the mind with. great earnestness when terror is there. real terror but I might have been at a. middle class tea potty for all the ideas. I had they were so ordinary. but I thought you were the caretaker I.

tipped this afternoon to let me sleep. here I gasped did did Carrie send you to. meet me no he replied in a voice that. touched my boots somehow I am the man. who was frightened to death and what is. more I am frightened. now so so am I I managed to utter. speaking. instinctively I'm simply terrified yes. he replied in that same odd voice that. seemed to sound with in me but you are.

still in the flesh and I am. not I felt the need for vigorous self. assertion I stood up in that empty. unfurnished room digging the nails into. my palms and clinching my teeth I was. determined to assert my individuality. and my courage as a new woman and a free. Soul you mean to say you are not in the. flesh I. gasped what in the world are you talking. about The Silence of the night swallowed. up my voice for the first time I.

realized that Darkness was over the city. that dust lay upon the stairs that the. floor above was untenanted and the floor. below empty I was alone in an unoccupied. and haunted house unprotected and a. woman I chilled I heard the wind around. the house and knew the stars were hidden. my thoughts rushed to policemen and. omnibuses and everything that was useful. and comforting I suddenly realized what. a fool I was to come to such a house. alone I was ically afraid I thought the. end of my life had come I was an utter. fool to go in for physical I'm sorry.

psychical research when I had not the. necessary nerve good God I gasped if. you're not Carrie the man I arranged. with who are you she's kind of. dense I know. man I was really stiff with Terror the. man moved slowly towards me across the. empty room I held up my arm to stop him. getting up out of my chair at the same. moment and he came to Halt just up. opposite to me a smile on his worn sad.

face I told you who I am he repeated. quietly with a. sigh looking at me with the saddest eyes. I have ever seen and I am frightened. still by this time I was convinced that. I was entertaining either a rogue or a. madman and I cursed my stupidity and. bringing the man in without having seen. his face my mind was quickly made up and. I knew what to do ghosts and psychic. phenomena flew to the winds if I angered.

the creature my life might pay the price. I must humor him till I got to the door. and then race for the street I stood. bolt upright and faced him we were about. to a height and I was a strong athletic. woman who played hockey in Winter and. climbed Alps in the summer my hand. itched for a stick but I had. none now of course I remember I said. with a sort of stiff smile that was very. hard to. force now I remember your case and the. one wonderful way you behaved the man.

stared at me stupidly turning his head. to watch me I backed more and more. quickly to the door but when his face. broke into a smile I could control. myself no longer I reached the door in a. run and shot out on the landing like a. fool I turned the wrong way and stumbled. over the stairs leading to the next. story but it was too late to change the. man was after me I was sure though no. sounds of footsteps came and I dashed up. the next flight tearing my skirt and. banging my ribs in the darkness and. rushed headlong into the first room I.

came to luckily the door stood a jar and. still more fortunate there was a key in. the lock in a second I had slammed the. door flung my whole weight against it. and turned the. key I was safe but my heart was beating. like a drum a second later it seemed to. stop altogether for I saw that there was. someone else in the room besides myself. a man's figure stood between me and the. windows where the street lamps gave just. enough light to outline his shape. against the glass. I'm a Plucky woman you know for even.

then I didn't give up hope but I may. tell you that I have never felt so vly. frightened in all my born days I had. locked myself in with. him the man leaned against the window. watching me where I lay in a collapsed. Heap up on the floor so there were two. men in the house with me I reflected. perhaps other rooms were occupied too. what could it all mean but as I stared. something changed in the room or in me. hard to say which itch and I realized my.

mistake so that my fear which had so far. been physical at once altered its. character and became. psychical I became afraid in my soul. instead of in my heart and I knew. immediately who this man was how in the. world did you get up here I stammered to. him across the empty room amazement. momentarily stemming my fear now let me. tell you he began in that odd far away. voice of his that went down my spine. Like a Knife I'm in different space for. one thing and you'd find me in any room.

you went into for according to your way. of measuring I'm all over the house. space is a bodily condition but I am out. of the body and am not affected by space. it's my condition that keeps me here I. want something to change my condition. for me for then I could get away what I. want is sympathy or really more than. sympathy I want affection I want. love that accent are you from.

[Laughter]. Toledo while he was speaking I gathered. myself slowly upon my feet I wanted to. scream and cry and laugh all at once but. I only succeeded in. sighing for my emotion was exhausted and. a numbness was coming over me I felt for. the matches in my pocket and made a. movement toward the gas jet so this. lady's already bored of talking to a. ghost right yeah that that wants love. right I should be much happier if you. didn't like the gas he said at once for.

the vibrations of your light hurt me a. good deal you need not be afraid that I. shall injure you I can't touch your body. to begin with for there's a great G. fixed you know and really this half. light suits me best now let me continue. what I was trying to say. before Oh you know so many people have. come to this house to see me and most of. them have seen me and one in all have. been terrified if only oh if only. someone would not be terrified but kind.

and loving to me then you see I might be. able to change my condition and get. away H his voice was so sad that I felt. Tears start somewhere at the back of my. eyes but fear kept all else in check and. I stood shaking as cold as I listened to. him well who are you then of course. Carrie didn't send you I know now I. managed to utter my thoughts scattered. dreadfully and I could think of nothing. to say I was afraid of a stroke an elf.

stroke I know nothing about Carrie or. who he is continued the man quietly oh. sorry I know nothing about Carrie or who. he is continued the man quietly in the. name my body had I have forgotten thank. God but I am the man who was frightened. to death in this house 10 years ago and. I've been frightened ever since and I'm. frightened still for the succession of. cruel and curious people who come to. this house to see The Ghost and thus. keep alive its atmosphere of Terror only.

helps to render my condition worse if. only someone would be kind to me laugh. speak gently and rationally with me cry. if they like pity Comfort soothe me. anything but come in here and curiosity. and tremble as you are now doing in the. corner now Madam won't you take pity on. me his voice Rose to a dreadful cry. won't you step into the middle of the. room and try to love me a little.

a horrible little laughter came gurgling. up in my throat as I heard him but the. sense of pity was stronger than the. laughter and I found myself actually. leaving the support of the wall and. approaching the center of the. floor by God he cried at once. straightening up against the window you. have done a kind act that's the first. attempt at sympathy that has been shown. to me since I died and I feel better. already in life you know I was a missing.

everything went wrong with me I can. understand this and I came to hate my. fellow men so much that I couldn't bear. to see them even of course like begets. like and this hate was returned finally. I suffered from horrible delusions and. my room became haunted with demons that. laughed and grimaced and laughed and. grimaced and laughed and grimaced and. one night I ran into a whole cluster of. them near the bed and the Fright stopped. my heart and killed me it's hate and. remorse as much as Terror that clogs me.

so thickly and keeps me here if only. someone could feel pity and sympathy and. perhaps a little love for me I could get. away and be happy when you came this. afternoon to see over the house I. watched you and a little hope came to me. for the first time I saw you had courage. originality resource love if only I. could touch your heart without. frightening you I knew I could perhaps. tap that love you had have. stored up in your being there and thus.

borrow the wings for my. Escape it sounds like he's asking for. consent it does sound a lot like it just. very uh Forward Thinking at the time. yeah that's Aldren in Blackwood for you. that's. right uh all right where were we he was. about to tap something right. okay now I must confess my heart began. to ache a little as fear left me and the. man's words sank their sad meaning into. me still the whole Affair was so.

incredible and so touched with Unholy. quality and the story of a woman's. murder I had come to investigate had so. obviously nothing to do with this thing. that I felt myself in a kind of wild. dream that seemed likely to stop at any. moment and leave me somewhere in bed. after a nightmare moreover his words. possess me to such an extent that I. found it impossible to reflect upon. anything else at all or to consider. adequately any ways or means of action. or Escape I moved a little nearer to him.

in the Gloom horribly frightened of. course but with the beginnings of a. strange determination in my. heart you women he continued his voice. plainly thrilling at my Approach you. wonderful women to whom life often. brings no opportunity of spending your. great love oh if only you could know how. many of us simply yearn for it it would. save our souls if but you knew if you. might find the chance that you now have.

but if you only spent your love freely. without definite object just letting it. flow openly all over the place for all. who need you would reach hundreds and. thousands of souls like me and release. us oh Madam I ask you again to feel with. me to be kind and gentle and if you can. to love me a. little am I being love. bombed yes it see it seems like if for. sure he's a little desperate even for a.

ghost. mhm my heart did leap within me and this. time the tears did come for I could not. restrain them I laugh too for the way he. called me Madame sounded so odd here in. this empty room at midnight in a London. Street but my laughter stopped dead and. merged in a flood of weeping when I saw. how my change of feeling affected him he. had left his place by the window and was. kneeling on the floor at my feet his ha. hand stretched out toward me and the.

first signs of a kind of Glory about his. head he was doing downward dog I think. so put your arms around me and kiss me. for the love of God he cried Kiss Me Oh. kiss me and I shall be freed you've done. so much already now do. this I know it's getting hot and steamy. it really is uh I stuck there hesitating. shaking my determination on the verge of. yet not quite able to Compass it but the.

terror had almost gone forget that I'm a. man and you're woman he continued in the. most beseeching voice I ever heard. forget that I'm a ghost and come out. boldly and press me to you with a great. kiss and let your love flow into me. forget yourself for just one minute and. do a brave thing oh love me love me love. me and I shall be free. wow this Halloween episode is taking a.

toin the words or the Deep Force they. somehow released in the center of my. being stirred me profoundly and an. emotion infinitely greater than fear. surged up over me and carried me with it. across the edge of action without. hesitation I took two steps towards him. where he knelt and held out my arms pity. and love were in my heart at that moment. genuine pity I swear and genuine love I. I forgot myself and my little tremblings.

in a great desire to help another soul I. love you poor aching unhappy thing I. love you I cried through hot tears and I. am not the least bit afraid in the. world the man uttered a curious sound. like laughter yet not. [Music]. [Laughter]. laughter Oh. I was waiting for.

it oh boy. uh. okay yet not laughter and turned his. face up to me the light from the street. below fell on it but there was another. light too shining all around it that. seemed to come from the eyes and skin he. rose to his feet and met me and in that. second I folded him to my breast and. kissed him full on the lips again and. again all our pipes had gone out and not.

even a skirt rustled in that dark Studio. as the Storyteller paused a moment to. steady her voice and put a hand softly. up to her eyes before going on. again now what can I say and how can I. describe to you all all you skeptical. men sitting there with pipes in your. mouths the amazing sensation I. experienced of holding an intangible imp. palpable thing so closely to my heart. that had touched my body with equal. pressure all the way down and then.

melted away somewhere into my very being. and it's at this moment the pipes fell. from their mouths. yeah for it was like seizing A Rush of. cool wind and feeling a touch of burning. fire the moment it had struck its Swift. blow and passed on a series of shocks. ran all over and all through me a. momentary Ecstasy of flaming sweetness. and wonder thrilled down into me my. heart gave another great leap and then I.

was alone I wonder if this story is just. one big. euphemism maybe I just realized in doing. Harvey Corman from Blazing Saddles nice. that's technically the second Harvey. appearance because she mentioned Mean. Streets earlier and Harvey kitel was in. that that's right uh is this me okay. here we go the room was empty I turned. on the gas and struck a match to prove. it all fear had left me and something. was singing around me in the air in my. heart like a joy of a spring morning in.

youth not all the Devils or Shadows or. hauntings in the world could have caused. me a single trimmer I unlocked the door. and went all over the dark house even. into kitchen and Cellar and up among the. ghostly attics but the house was empty. something had left it I lingered a short. hour analyzing thinking wondering you. can guess what and how perhaps but I. won't detail for I promised only. Essentials remember and then went out to. sleep the remainder of the night in my. own flat locking the door behind me upon.

a house no longer haunted but my uncle. Sir Henry the owner of the house. required an account of my adventure and. of course I was in Duty bound to give. him some kind of a true story before I. could begin however he held up his hand. to stop me first he said I wish to tell. you a little deception I ventured to. practice on you so many people have been. to that house and seen the ghost that I. came to think the story acted on their. imaginations and I wish to make a better. test so I invented for their benefit.

another story with the idea that if you. did see anything I could be sure it was. not dear merely to an excited. imagination he's a horse by the way I'm. doing a horse for her uncle I thought. that was really good you went for the. accent then what you told me about a. woman having been murdered and all that. was not a true story of The Haunting no. well was not the true story is that of a. cousin of mine went mad in that house. and killed himself in a fit of morbid. Terror following upon years of miserable.

hypochondriasis it is his figure that. investigators. see that explains then I guessed no. explain what I thought of that poor. struggling Soul longing all these years. for escape and determined to keep my. story for the present to. myself explains I mean why I did not see. the ghost of the murdered woman I. concluded precisely said said Sir Henry. and why if you had seen anything it.

would have had value in as much as it. could not have been caused by the. imagination working upon a story you. already. [Music]. knew and and. scene wow that one got pretty sexy yeah. I figure that most of our Halloween. episodes are not quite steamy enough so. I wanted to steam this one up yeah and. it all makes sense now without on. Blackwood writing the story from a.

woman's point of view he basically wrote. he's like yeah. exactly every every couple paragraph he. stopped and made that sound right uh you. did great by the way I mean you really. carried that story Chu and I mean. appreciate you had the accent the whole. way through it was just a delight to. listen to you she's a part of me now you. know yeah she is forever and plus I a. part of you uh I don't know about that I. mean I held you to my bosom and we. kissed we made out a lot my my Toledo.

and ghost I like the horse guy too uh. yeah he was great can you just see like. his huge mutton chops oh yeah totally so. uh now we're on to your story right it's. time for your story the story you chose. that's right this is from Ambrose beer. uh it's called the middlle toe of the. right foot uh not on but of the right. foot MH and uh here we go just to give. you a little Preamble this is a story. about a uh some men who go to a haunted.

house and um some stuff. happens I should probably do some of. this reading huh yeah you should do a. lot of this reading um and it it's kind. of hard to tell who's who at first yeah. uh because it goes for a chapter and. then it jumps back and tells the. pre-story in Chapter 2 and then back to. the present so uh we'll figure it out. yeah all right take it away. okay the middle toe of the right foot by. Ambrose beer the wickedest man.

[Music]. alive it is well known that the old. Manton house is haunted in all the rural. district nearabout and even in the town. of Marshall a mile away not one person. of unbiased mind entertains a doubt of. it incredulity is confined to those. opinionated person who will be called. cranks as soon as the useful word shall. have penetrated the in ual DeMent of the. Marshall advance I think this is worth.

explaining so he was basically taking a. shot at the local paper saying that. they're intellectually they weren't even. smart enough to use the word cranks yet. yeah I had to read that like five times. so I thought it might be worth pointing. out no totally I didn't get it so now I. do thank you thank you thank you for. thanking me you're. welcome the evidence that the house is. haunted is of two kinds the testimony of. disinterested Witnesses who have had.

ocular proof ocular meaning I Witnesses. and that of the house itself the former. may be disregarded and ruled out on any. of the various grounds of objection. which may be urged against it by the. ingenious but facts within the. observation of all are material and. controlling I'm not going to explain. that last but because even I still don't. understand it okay in the first place. the mant house has been unoccupied by. Mortals for more than than 10 years and. with its outbuildings is slowly falling.

into Decay a circumstance which in. itself the judicious will hardly venture. to ignore it stands a little way off the. loneliest reach of the Marshall and. hariston Road in an opening which was. once a farm and is still disfigured with. strips of rotting fence and half covered. with brambles overrunning a Stony and. sterile soil long unacquainted with the. plow the house itself is in tolerably. good condition. though badly weather stained and in dire.

need of attention from the Glazier the. smaller male population of the region. having attested in the manner of its. kind its disapprovals of dwelling. without dwellers that means that the. kids throw stones Through the Windows. and had broken them all yeah this place. is not in great shape no and Ambrose. beer composes such thick plumage it's. hard to see the meat sometimes that's. right he uh he's not all about the. essentials no. he hasn't even mentioned the keys in his.

pocket yet that's right or that he. climbs the. Alps it is this is the house it is two. stories in height nearly Square its. front's pierced by a single doorway. flanked on each side by a window boarded. up to the very top corresponding Windows. above not protected serve to admit light. and Rain to the rooms of the Upper Floor. grass and weeds grow pretty rankly all. about and a few shade trees somewhat the. worst for wind and all leaning in One. Direction seem to be making a concerted.

effort to run away in short as the. Marshall Town humorist explained in The. Columns of the advance the proposition. that the Manon house is badly haunted is. the only logical conclusion from the. premises the fact that in this dwelling. Mr Manton thought it expedient one night. some 10 years ago to rise and cut the. throats of his wife and two small. children removing at once to another. part of the country has no doubt done. its share in directing public attention. to the fitness of the place for. supernatural.

phenomena all right so there's our first. little reveal here is that the the. former Manon uh gentleman murdered his. wife and child and left and fled that's. right all right he was a real putts he. was uh oh you want me to keep going. sure to this house one summer evening. came four men in a wagon three of them. promptly alighted and the one who had. been driving hitched the team to the. only remaining post of what had been a. fence the fourth remained seated in the.

wagon come said one of his companions. approaching him while the others moved. away in the direction of the dwelling. this is the place the man addressed do. you want to be the man addressed uh. sure the man. address the man addressed did not move. by God he said harshly this is a trick. and it looks to me as if you were in it. perhaps I am the other said looking him. straight in the face and speaking in a. tone which had something of contempt in.

it you will remember however that the. choice of place was with your own Ascent. left to the other side of course if you. are afraid of Spooks I'm afraid of. nothing the man interrupted with another. oath darn it and sprang to the ground. the two then joined the others at the. door which one of them had already. opened with some. difficulty caused by rust of Lock and. hinge All In Ed inside it was dark but.

the man who had unlocked the door. produced a candle in matches and made a. light he then unlocked a door on their. right as they stood in the passage this. gave them entrance to a large Square. Room that the candle but dimly lighted. the floor had a thick carpeting of dust. which partly muffled their footfalls. cobwebs were in the angles of the walls. and depended from the ceiling like. strips of rotting lace making undulatory. movements in the the Disturbed air the. room had two windows in adjoining sides.

but from neither could anything be seen. except the rough inner surface of boards. a few inches from the glass there was no. fireplace no furniture there was nothing. besides the cobwebs and the dust the. four men were the only objects there. which were not a part of the. structure uh all right so four men are. now visiting this old haunted man house. where a supposed murder has taken place. and one of them doesn't seem to like. really know the other guys and seems. like he's saying hey you played a trick.

on me by bringing me here and they were. like you agreed to it buddy yeah is that. right shut your mouth yeah exactly shut. that Pie. Hole uh you want me to pick up yeah you. pick up all right strange enough they. looked in the yellow light of the candle. the one who had so reluctantly El. lighted was especially spectacular he. might have been called Sensational he. was a middle-age heavily built deep. chested and Broad shouldered ah I know. why I'm playing him. looking at his figure one would have. said that he had a giant strength oh.

maybe not at his features that he would. use it like a giant he was clean shaven. his hair rather closely cropped in Gray. his low forehead was seamed with. wrinkles above the eyes and over the. nose these became vertical those are. called Els you can have them taken care. of with. filler uh is that what in between those. little worry lines are called Els yeah. in between your brows never heard of. that cuz they're vertical lines so it. looks like an.

11 the heavy black brows followed the. same law of the 11 saved from meeting. only by an upper turn at what would. otherwise have been the point of contact. deeply sunken beneath these glowed in. the Obscure light a pair of eyes of. Uncertain color but obviously enough too. small there was something forbidding in. their expression which was not bettered. by the cruel mouth and wide jaw the nose. was well enough as noses go one does not. expect much of noses all that was.

Sinister in the man's face seemed. accentuated by an unnatural palor he. appeared altogether bloodless so this. guy that they brought with them the. three guys brought is like creepy. looking and weird looking yeah and seems. pretty. grumpy stand offish yes I agree you want. me to pick up or you going to keep going. uh well let me do this part and then. we'll get to the uh the play parts. the appearance of the other men was. sufficiently commonplace they were such.

persons as one meets and forgets that he. met all were younger than the man. described between whom and the eldest of. the others who stood apart there was. apparently no kindly feeling they. avoided looking at each other so the. other three are younger than the grumpy. man and they don't really like him or. vice versa it looks like right and I. think the grumpy man is gross Smith. right yeah uh no I don't remember what. they call him grossmith.

is yeah no because the yeah we'll we'll. get there one day yeah what we should. tell everybody if you haven't noticed. already one of the reasons it's so. difficult to keep up with who's who is. ambro beer didn't go to the trouble of. naming most of them until partway. through and it's just confusing I. definitely know gr Smith is the big. creepy guy that they brought there oh is. that right. okay uh I think that's Rosser no that's. Rosser is it yeah cuz listen gentle yeah.

yeah okay you're right go. ahead gentlemen said the man holding the. candle and keys I believe everything is. right are you ready Mr Rosser the man. standing apart from the group bowed and. smiled which is what you would do if. your name was Rosser right and not a. part of the group and you Mr grossmith. the heavy man bowed and scowled oh wait. see this is so confusing so you're right. gr Smith is the grumpy older man I think.

so why do I even argue with you you know. well hey everyone I promise we read. these several times on our own it's just. a little confusing this was not just put. in front of us by Jerry that's right uh. the heavy man bowed and scowled that's. Mr gouth the grumpy guy right you will. be pleased to remove your outer clothing. so it's getting steamy in this one too. yeah they hats coats waist coats and. neck Weare were soon removed and thrown. outside the door in the passage the man.

with the candle now nodded and the. fourth man who had urged grossmith to. leave the wagon produced from the pocket. of his Overcoat two long murderous. looking buoy knives which he drew now. from their leather. Scabbard they are exactly alike he said. presenting one to each of the two. principles for by this time the dullest. Observer would have understood the. nature of this meaning it was to be a. duel to the death. [Music].

wow yeah you see what's happening here I. didn't realize it until he said it was a. duel or really until they produced the. knives that that's what was going on so. yeah yeah it's a little confusing uh you. want me to take it yeah sure all. right each combatant took a knife. examined it critically near the candle. and tested the strength of the blade and. handle across his lifted knee their. persons were then searched in turn each.

by the second of the other the second is. in the second of the duel is that right. yeah the like the assistant Dueler yeah. your backup your wingman for the duel. all right go ahead oh if it is agreeable. to you Mr grossmith said the man holding. the light you will place yourself in. that corner he indicated the angle of. the room farthest from the door wither. grossmith retired his second parting. from him with a grasp of the hand which. had nothing of cordiality in it oh okay.

so a second is sounds like he was forced. into this maybe it sounds like it in the. angle nearest the door Mr Rosser. stationed himself and after a whispered. consultation his second left joined him. joining the other near the door at that. moment the candle was suddenly. extinguished leaving all in profound. Darkness this may have been done by a. draft from the open door whatever the. cause the effect was startling gentlemen. said a voice which sounded strangely. unfamiliar in the altered condition.

affecting the relations of the senses. gentlemen you will not move until you. hear the closing of the outer. door a sound of trampling ensued then. the closing of the inner door and. finally the outer one closed with a. concussion That Shook the entire. building so these guys have been locked. in a dark room with knives to fight to. the death that's pretty creepy yeah.

a few minutes afterward a belated. Farmers boy met a light wagon which was. being drawn furiously toward the town of. Marshall he declared that behind the two. figures on the front seat stood a third. with its hands upon the Bode shoulders. of the others who appeared to struggle. vainly to free themselves from its grasp. this figure unlike the others was clad. in white and had undoubtedly boarded the. wagon as it passed the haunted house at. the lad could boast a considerable. former experience with with the. supernatural thereabouts his word had.

the weight justly due to the testimony. of an. expert so this guy had seen this kind of. thing before basically yeah and also. Ambrose beer was meant to be read uh. silently. right the story in connection with the. next day's events eventually appeared in. the advance which is the newspaper mhm. with some slight literary embellishments. and a concluding imitation that the. gentleman referred to would be ow the. use of the papers columns for their. version of the knight's Adventure but.

the privilege remained without a claim. it okay some weird stuff happened four. men go in three men fly past a. superstitious farm boy who mentions it. to the paper and the paper says this is. crazy anybody who wants to come forward. and say this was us and tell us the. story go ahead and no one did right. that's right and now chapter two we jump. back.

time the events that led to this duel in. the dark were simple enough one evening. three young men of the town of Marshall. were sitting in a quiet corner of the. porch of the village Hotel smoking in. discussing such matters as three. educated young men of a Southern Village. would naturally find interesting Hogs. their names were King saner and Rosser. at a little distance within easy hearing. but taking no part in the conversation. set a fourth he was a stranger to the. others they merely knew that on his.

arrival by the stage coach that. afternoon he had written in the hotel. register the name of Robert grossmith he. had not been observed to speak to anyone. except the hotel clerk he seemed indeed. singularly fond of his own company or as. the Personnel of the advance expressed. it grossly addicted to evil. associations but then it should be said. in Justice to the stranger that the. Personnel was himself of two convivial. position fairly to judge one differently. gifted and had moreover experienced a.

slight rebuff in an effort at an. interview you want to be king. sure I hate any kind of deformity in a. woman said King whether natural or. acquired I have a theory that any. physical defect has its correlative. mental and moral. defect uh. okay I am further. then said roster.

Gravely that a lady lacking the moral. advantage of a nose would find the. struggle to become Mrs King in arduous. Enterprise I'm doing Leonardo Dicaprio. and Django Unchained okay where's my. beautiful. sister that was so. creepy uh so is this me uh yeah I think. so of course you may put it that way was. the reply but but seriously I once threw. over a most Charming girl on learning.

quite accidentally that she had suffered. amputation of a toe my conduct was. brutal if you like but if I had married. that girl I should have been miserable. for life and should have made her so I. just want to point out you morphed just. briefly into Zack galanakis in the. middle of that. okay uh who's saner am I saner or is she. new yeah I like it you could be sancher. uh let's see whereas said SRE with a.

light laugh by marrying a gentleman of. more liberal view she escaped with a. parted. throat ah you know to whom I refer yes. she married Manon but I don't know about. his liberality I'm not sure but he cut. her throat because he discovered that. she lacked that excellent thing in a. woman the middle toe with her right foot. am I right. guys look at that chap said broser in a. low voice his eyes fixed upon the.

stranger that chap was obviously. listening intently to the conversation. damn his. impudence muttered King what ought we to. do that's an easy one my gu just turned. into Forest G roster replied Rising sir. he continued addressing the stranger I. think it would be better if you would. remove your chair to the other end of. the Vera the presence of gentlemen is. evidently an unfamiliar situation to yo.

so so these guys are talking about what. happened to the the guy who supposedly. killed his wife because she had no toe. and he's oh this guy's overhearing this. conversation and they're not too. thrilled with that right yeah and one of. them apparently dated her for a while. but found out that she didn't have a toe. and was like no way no how. right uh all right I'll pick up you. ready mhm. the man sprang to his feet and stroe. toward with clenched hands his face.

white with rage all were now standing. saner stepped between the. belligerent you are Hasty and unjust he. said to Rosser this gentleman has done. nothing to deserve such language but. Rosser would not withdraw a word by the. custom of the country and the time there. could be but one outcome to the quarrel. you're the stranger I think right that's. right and I forget how I was doing him. I demand the satisfaction due to a. gentleman said the Str oh yeah this is.

you said the stranger who had become. more calm I have not an acquaintance in. this region perhaps you sir bowing to. sander will be kind enough to represent. me in this. matter Sandra accepted the trust. somewhat reluctantly it must be. confessed for the man's appearance and. manner were not at all to his liking. King who during the colloquy had hardly. removed his eyes from the stranger's. face and had not spoken a word consented. with a nod to act F Rosser so they're.

figuring out who the seconds are right. mhm mhm yeah and the upshot oh there you. go Josh I noticed that too and the. upshot of it was the principals having. retired a meeting was arranged for the. next evening the nature of the. arrangements has been already disclosed. the duel with knives in a dark room was. once a commoner feature of Southwestern. life than it is likely to be again how. thin a veneering of chivalry covered the. essential brutality of the code under. such encounters were possible we shall.

see yeah so just uh and by South Western. he's basically talking about Louisiana. or Mississippi probably at that point. yeah I guess so and also what he's. talking about is like so one man was. insulted by another man and now they've. agreed to a duel yeah because he was. eavesdropping yeah yeah and uh in the. South especially at these times you uh. basically had to kill somebody else who. insulted you yeah you you mind your own. business uh you want me to pick up a. chapter three please chapter.

three in the blaze of A Midsummer noon. day the old manten house was hardly true. to its Traditions it was of the earth. earthy the sunshine caressed it warmly. and affectionately with evident. disregard of its bad reputation the. grass scening all the expanse in its. front seemed to grow not rankly but with. a natural and joyous exuberance and the. the weeds blossomed quite like plants. full of charming lights and shadows and.

populace with Pleasant voed Birds the. neglected shade trees no longer. struggled to run away but bent. reverently beneath their burdens of sun. and song even in the glassless upper. Windows was an expression of peace and. contentment due to The Light Within over. the Stony Fields the visible heat danced. with a lively Tremor incompatible with. the gravity which is an attribute of the. supernatural such was the aspect under. which the Place presented itself to. sheriff Adams and two other men who had. come out from Marshall to look at it one.

of these men was Mr King the sheriff's. deputy aha mhm the other whose name was. Brewer was a brother of the late Mrs. Manton aha under a beneficent law of the. state relating to property and if you. put all those three together you have a. proper sentence. yeah which has been for a certain period. abandoned by an owner whose residence. cannot be ascertained the sheriff was. legal custodian of the Manon farm and.

apperences there unto belonging so in. other words the sheriff is if it's an. abandoned house the sheriff is sort of. taken care of it yeah he owns all the. apperences right and so this is the. sheriff the sheriff and his Deputy he. was one of the four guys and. Brewer the brother of the killed woman. are now after this duel going to the. house to check things out right yeah. yeah okay. his present visit was in a mere. perfunctory compliance with some order.

of a court in which Mr Brewer had an. action to get possession of the property. as heir to his deceased sister by a mere. coincidence the visit was made on the. day after the night that Deputy King had. unlocked the house for another and very. different purpose his presence now was. not of his own choosing he had been. ordered to accompany his Superior and at. the moment could think of nothing more. prudent than simulated alacrity in in. obedience to the. command uh me keep going me keep going.

yeah maybe I. should me read. now it. me carelessly opening the front door. which to his surprise was not locked the. sheriff was amazed to see lying on the. floor of the passage into which it. opened a confused heap of men's apparel. examination showed it to consist of two. hats and the same number of coats waste. coats and scarves all in a remarkably.

good state of preservation albeit. somewhat defiled by the dust in which. they lay so this is the the stuff they. were took off the night before I guess. yeah Mr Brewer was equally astonished. but Mr King's emotion is not of record. mhm he knows why those clothes are there. mhm with a new and Lively interest in. his own actions the sheriff now. unlatched and pushed open a door on the. right and the three entered the room was. apparently vacant no. as their eyes became accustomed to the. dimmer light something was visible in.

the farthest angle of the wall it's a. human figure that of a man crouching. close in the. corner something in the attitude made. The Intruders halt when they had barely. passed the threshold the figure more and. more clearly defined itself the man was. upon one knee his back in the angle of. the wall his shoulders elevated to the. level of his ears his hands before his. face face Palms outward the fingers. spread and crooked like claws the white.

face turned upward on the retracted neck. had an expression of unutterable fright. the mouth half Open the Eyes incredibly. expanded he was stoned dead yet with the. exception of a Bowie. knife which had evidently fallen from. his own hand not another object was in. the. [Music]. room all right I'll do this paragraph. and you can take it home ready yep in. thick dust that covered the floor were. some confused Footprints near the door.

and along the wall through which it. opened along one of the adjoining walls. too past the boarded up Windows was the. trail made by the man himself in. reaching his Corner instinctively in. approaching the body The Three Men. followed that trail the sheriff grasped. one of the outr arms it was as rigid as. iron and the application of a gentle. Force rocked the entire body without. alerting the relation of its parts. Brewer pale with excitement gazed.

intently into the distorted. face God of Mercy he suddenly cried it. is. Manton am I King you're King you're. right said King with an evident attempt. at calmness uh I knew Manton he then. wore a full beard and his hair long but. this is he. he might have added I recognized him. when he challenged Roser I told Rosser.

and sander who he was before we played. him this horrible trick when roster left. this dark room at our heels forgetting. his outer clothing in the excitement and. driving away with us in his shirt. sleeves all through the discreditable. proceedings we knew with whom we were. dealing murderer and coward that he was. so the original murderer of in the M man. house is has now come back is that what. we're to believe yeah and he went by.

grossmith but these three recognized him. immediately and so they I don't know if. they set up a duel or whatever I don't. know if they set the whole thing up but. once a duel was going on they knew. exactly where they were going to take. him which was the very house that he. murdered his wife and children in can. you imagine being in that position no no. you can't no but they didn't kill him no. you ready yeah let's do it take it home. brother but nothing of this did Mr King.

say with his better light he was trying. to penetrate The Mystery of the man's. death that he had not once moved from. the corner where he had been stationed. that his posture was that of neither. attack nor defense that he had dropped. his weapon that he had obviously. perished of sheer horror of something. that he saw these were circumstances. which Mr King's Disturbed intelligence. could not rightly comprehend groping in. intellectual Darkness for a clue to his. Maze of Doubt his gaze directed. mechanically downward in the way of one.

who pers momentous matters fell upon. something which there in the light of. day and in the presence of living. companions affected him with Terror in. the dust of years that lay thick upon. the floor leading from the door by which. they had entered straight across the. room to within a yard of manon's. crouching corpse were three parallel. lines of footprints light but definite. impressions of bare feet the outer ones. those of small children the inner of.

woman's from the point at which they. ended they did not return they pointed. all one way Brewer who had observed them. at the same moment was leaning forward. in an attitude of wrapped attention. horribly pale you. Brewer look at that he cried pointing. with both hands at the nearest print of. the woman's right foot where she had. apparently stopped and stood the middle. toe is is missing it was Gertrude. Gertrude was the late Mrs Manon sister.

to. Mr oh boy so she came back for some. revenge and the kids too that's right. the kids were chanting and clapping kill. kill kill kill and the mom was like you. got it you think you think I look weird. without this middl toe Che out my neck.

how'd you like it up your. butt nice that was probably how Ambrose. Pierce would have written it I think so. that was great Chuck you did great I did. great we did great Jerry did great I Ben. will do great Ben's going to do great. and you guys all did great listening to. us and thrilling to the adventures that. we wo for you that's right uh I guess we. want to say happy Halloween to everybody. have a safe and happy and fun and Candy.

filled Halloween that's right and this. one falls on Halloween for a change so. uh that's pretty pretty much a bonus for. us yes so happy Halloween to the. max yeah and since I said happy. Halloween to the max we're not going to. do a a listener mail right we're just. going to end this and say adios that's. right so if you want to get in touch. with us you can send us an email to. stuff podcast iheartradio.com. [Music].

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