Christopher Warner, a young man who has spent two months in the Venezuelan back country, is ready to ship a live bushmaster snake to New York for a museum. He is aboard the ship with Captain Wood and the crew, and the captain has forbidden any risk to passengers. After a storm, the crate is found smashed and the snake is missing somewhere aboard. Christopher, the captain, and the chief steward Mr. Bowman search the ship as the passengers grow uneasy and the crew tense. The story is told in the first person by Christopher, and the series is Suspense, first broadcast on April 3, 1960. Lead actors: Bernard Grant as Chris and Inga Swenson as Mother Willis.
Characters: Christopher Warner, Captain Wood, Mother Willis, Mr. Bowman, Sanchez
The transcript of “A Shipment of Mute Fate”, an episode of Suspense first broadcast April 3, 1960. Press a time to play from that line (a 60-second preview; Potato Plus plays it all). Suspense plays Suspense free, live around the clock. Search inside this transcript.
Transcript
And now, another tale well calculated to keep you in... suspense. Martin Storm's great story, a shipment of mute fate. I stopped on the war for La Guara, and I looked up the gangplank toward the line of Chansay, standing there quietly at her moorings.
Today was warm under a bright bend as a wail and sun, and the harbor beyond the ship lay drowsy and silent. But all at once, in the midst of those peaceful surrounds, a cold chilled grip me, and I shevered with suction dread, dread of the thing I was about to do.
But too much had happened to turn back now. I'd gone too far to stop. I set the box down on the edge of the fourth, placed it carefully so as to be in plain sight and within gunshot of the captain's bridge.
When I turned and started up the gangplank, I knew what I was going to do. But I couldn't forget that a certain pair of beady eyes were watching every move I made. Eyes that never blinked and never closed, just watched and waited.
And I... Oh! Excuse me, Sir, I didn't... It's Mr. Warner. Well, hello, Mother Willis, and how's the best-looking stewardess on the seven seas? What? I'm fine, Mr. Warner. It's nice seeing you again. Wait a minute. That's a fine greeting after two months.
Well, I have a great deal to do, boy. I don't believe a word of it. Sailing days tomorrow. You simply avoiding me. That's all. Oh, no. Really, I'm not. And on the trip down from New York, you said I was your favorite passenger, remember?
And so you were. Now, if you'll excuse me. Oh, wait a minute. What are you carrying there? Apron. Oh, nothing. Just supplies. Supplies. Let's have a look. No, please. Come on. Hey, it's a cat.
…
I pulled open the doors of the cabinet, found a can of milk, and a saucer. Then I dropped down on my knees. Suspense. You've been listening to A Shipment of Mute Fate, written for suspense by Martin Storm.
Heard in tonight's story were Bernard Grant as Chris and Inga Swenson as Mother Willis. included in the cast were Ralph Bell, Bob Dryden, Frank Thomas Jr, and Frank Milano. Listen again next week when we return with Two Horse Parley by Water Black.
Another tale well calculated to keep you in. Get the complete news first on the CBS Radio Network.
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