Original subtitles

They'll send her to a lunatic asylum--

a criminal lunatic asylum.

George, did you learn any medicine at all before they

threw you out as hopeless?

I had two years of it.

Did they drive anything into your head?

Could you guess what a competent doctor

might say about such a wound?

Well, it's a knock for a blow.

Yes, we're aware of that.

But if a tile had fallen from the roof when he was bending

over, it could have hit him?

Yes, well, it's--

Is it possible?

Come on.

No.

Why not?

She said she hit him several times.

I can't stand it.

I can't stand it.

You have got to stand it my dear.

And get that hysterical note out of your voice.

The servants might hear you.

We're talking of weather, hmm?

George, if he had fallen down the cellar steps,

they're made of stone.

Several times in the same place.

No, no, I'm afraid not.

Let's go over it all again, Millicent.

No, please.

Millicent, we must go over it all again.

Perhaps you forgot something.

One little detail may save us or ruin us.

You don't want to be put in a lunatic asylum, do you?

Or-- or to be hanged?

They may hang you.

So come, shh.

Keep-- keep your voice quiet.

We're talking the weather.

Now--

I can't.

I can't.

So you said but--

one moment ago.

Was it-- was it known, do you think,

that you were in love with this wretched preacher?

No.

I didn't tell anybody.

Except--

Don't worry.

The whole town knows.

It's been the joke at Oak Creek Inn for months.

No doubt.

Like that ranch hand she fell for and all the others.

No doubt.

Oh, what-- well, well, we continue.

You were in the harness room--

Yes

--putting the croquet set in a box.

Yes.

You heard someone crossing the yard.

Yes. And it was Withers--

Yes.

--coming in by the back way.

Yes.

But you called him.

Yes. - Loudly?

Did you call loudly?

Could anybody have heard?

No, nobody heard.

I didn't call.

You said you did.

I waved.

And he saw me, and he came over.

But you both stepped into the stable.

It started to rain harder.

He wanted to talk to me.

And what did he say?

Every word.

He said, hello, Millie.

He said that he came to the yard because he was on his way

to Oak Creek.

And he saw the house, and he thought of me.

And he wanted to talk to me.

Yes.

Because he was so happy,

he said he wanted to share it.

He was going to have his own church in Willow Springs,

and that meant he could get married.

And I thought he meant me.

I thought he meant me.

You-- you keep your voice down.

Ella Davis.

He said he was sorry--

so sorry.

Ella Davis.

He said the things he said to me were just funny, just friendly.

I looked at him.

He was frightened.

And then?

He turned to go away from me--

to go to her.

Yes, go on.

I had the croquet mallet in my hand--

in my hand.

Did you say--

did you shout? Did you scream?

Say anything as you were hitting him?

- No. - Did you?

No.

I'm sure I didn't.

Did he?

No.

He fell down.

And you hit him again?

And you threw it down?

Hmm?

Then I came straight here.

And no one saw you?

No.

I wish I was dead.

I wish I was dead.

A wish that may be granted.

Don't cry.

It's a luxury you can't afford.

No one goes into the stables.

He was walking over to Oak Creek, came

here on the spur of the moment.

He probably told people he was going to Oak Creek.

Nobody knows he came here.

He would have gone through the woods.

He might have been attacked in the woods.

George, hmm?

It seems possible.

Now we must consider every detail--

a preacher with his head battered in.

Oh don't, Father.

Do you want to be hanged?

His head battered in, found in the woods.

But who'd want to kill Withers?

Who would want to kill Withers?

I would for one--

gladly-- with pleasure, relish, and delight.

How do you do, Mrs. Princey?

I walked right in.

I'm afraid my raincoat is dripping

abominably in your hallway.

Father, he heard you.

Well, my dear, we all have our little joke.

Why put on such a face?

A little, theoretical preacher-killing, Lowry.

These days we think of nothing but thrillers,

detectives, homicide.

Preacher-side?

Or preacher-side.

Yes, just so.

Justifiable preacher-side, right?

Oh, uh, have you heard about Ella Davis?

I shall be laughed at.

Laughed at?

She's engaged to Withers--

almost engaged to her myself.

Now don't say you didn't know.

Everybody knew.

She almost said yes.

I'm telling you.

I've told others.

And now I'm turned down.

Oh, too bad.

Fortunes of war.

Didn't come here to bore you with my troubles, however.

No, they don't bore us in the least.

Sit down, my dear brother.

Mother, Millicent, console Mr. Lowry with your--

your feminine wisdom.

Would you like a drink?

Uh, I've had enough.

I plan to go up to my cousin's place

for a couple of weeks in the mountains-- lick my wounds.

Good idea.

Get in a little hunting and fishing.

I plan to drive up in the morning.

Yes, excellent idea.

So, I just dropped by to let you know.

Keep an eye on my place, won't you?

Yeah, oh, of course, of course.

Of course, of course.

I'll be back in a few minutes.

George, come with me, will you?

Oh, now don't look so concerned, Mrs. Princey.

This isn't the first time I've made a fool of myself.

We all have our little weaknesses, haven't we, Millie?

I don't know what you mean, Mr. Lowry.

Well Millie thinks that she can beat me at croquet.

You know it's true.

Do I?

Oh, no, indeed.

I may not be good at tennis, and I don't like horses.

But when it comes to croquet, I can beat anybody.

Can't I, Mother?

Who won on Saturday?

I did.

Who won when the Hicksons were here?

I did.

You know it's true.

I could beat you any day of the week.

Any rainy day.

I had the hoops out and everything.

And then the rain came on.

I had to put everything all back again.

That's why I was in the harness room.

That's why I was there.

I didn't make him come through the yard.

Millicent.

Don't say I did it.

Of course you didn't make it rain.

Of course you didn't.

You're not going to send me to one of those places?

Not if you don't talk and excite yourself.

He look frightened.

He looked frightened.

That's what made me do it.

Jack, I wonder if you could help

us with something out here?

Oh, yes, of course.

We'll be back in a few minutes.

Start some tea, coffee.

There's something in the stable.

I'd like you to have a look.

Oh, good, good.

Nothing I like better than taking a look at things.

Well, I hope, for your sake, it's not roof trouble.

I've had that place of mine two years.

I've had the roofers in four times.

The rain still gets in.

Oh, it's not roof trouble.

Lowry, we've come out here to shoot rats, which George

heard squeaking under that tub.

Now, you must listen to me very carefully,

or you will be shot by accident.

I mean that.

Very well, go on.

There has been tragedy here this afternoon--

but even more tragic unless we can smooth it over.

Oh?

When you walked in-- in your informal way--

you heard George ask me, "Who would kill Withers?"

Millicent made an unguarded remark.

Yes, but what of it?

Nothing except that you will hear if you

survive the next few minutes.

Withers has met a violent end this very afternoon.

You killed him?

No no no, of course not--

Millicent.

Oh, oh, I see.

And you must also see that you constitute a problem.

But Millicent?

Why did she do it?

You know her weakness.

She deluded herself that she--

well, she thought that he was in love with her.

Oh, yes, of course.

He came to the house and told

her about the Davis girl.

She struck him with that thing.

Now, I have no wish that she should be proved

a lunatic or a murderess.

You could hardly live here after that.

No.

I suppose not.

This is my place.

I propose to continue to live here.

Well.

So you're a problem.

You want me to keep quiet.

I can make you keep quiet with this.

Mr. Lowry, you can either join me,

or you can join Mr. Withers.

You want me to promise not to--

A promise made at the point of a gun.

Well, if I give my word, I'll keep it.

I'm sure you would if everything went well.

But if there was questioning, there

was suspicion, fear of being an accessory-- no no no.

There must be an accident.

Listen, you can't.

You-- you wouldn't be mad enough.

I assure you.

I would.

Unless--

What?

And you gave me the idea yourself.

You said that you would kill Withers.

And you have the motive.

I was joking.

You're always joking.

People wonder what's behind it.

No, I can't trust you, Mr. Lowry.

So you must trust me, or I'll kill you

within the next few minutes.

Trust you?

How?

You must give me proof--

I told you.

I--

--proof that you did it.

Then you'll keep your mouth shut.

What kind of proof?

And George, hit him in the face very hard.

Ah! Oh.

Sorry about this.

We need traces of a struggle.

Once more, George.

And don't bruise your knuckles.

Ow, oh.

I'm telling you.

You can take my word.

Yes, I will, as soon as we're finished.

Now, George, take your handkerchief.

Pick up that croquet mallet.

Wipe that wretched girl's fingerprints off the end of it.

Hold it by the middle.

Now, Mr. Lowry, I want you to grasp the end of this mallet

very firmly.

Don't try to snatch it, or I'll shoot.

Squeeze it.

That's right.

Throw the mallet down in the corner, George.

Now, claw at his head a little.

Get two or three hairs.

Make a slight scratch.

Oh, oh!

Keep it still, Mr. Lowry, it will be much easier.

Now, under the fingernails of the right hand.

Get your knife. Clip the nail a little.

Wedge the hair in.

It's a very distinctive color--

great help.

Is that where he is?

For the moment.

And I want you to take this bar.

Mm-hmm.

Don't make any sudden movement.

And the flagstone covers the stable sewers.

Lift it off.

Go on.

Now drag him over there.

I won't touch him.

Go on.

No.

Or I'll--

George, hold him.

It's Rosa dumping some trash.

All right.

Go on.

Or I'll kill you.

Put it back.

Lowry, I'm sorry about all this.

Don't talk to me.

No, I want you to realize

that everything is safe.

It's perfectly safe.

He told Millicent he'd set out for Oak Creek.

He only came here on the spur of the moment.

It's five miles to Oak Creek.

There's thick woods half the way.

Besides, preachers when they find

themselves engaged to be married,

they sometimes react very strangely.

I mean, the woods will be searched.

They'll ask here, among other places.

But no one here has seen him.

They'll conclude he couldn't face it.

After all, Millicent-- they'll think he ran away.

Let me go now?

Come into the house for a minute to be normal.

All right?

We'll have coffee and some of Rosa's cookies.

My dear, we have a visitor.

I looked into the stables as we passed,

and there was Lowry inspecting our stalls.

You came by the short cut? - Yes.

Yes, that's it.

Rosa, bring another cup for Mr. Lowry.

Your hands are shaking, Jack.

Is that a cut on your face?

What's wrong?

Have you had a fall?

Yes, I, uh--

I-- I slipped on some wet stones.

It's nothing.

Do you want to go up to the bathroom?

I can tell Rosa to get the iodine.

No, no thank you.

It's nothing, nothing at all.

Very well.

Rosa, that's all.

Mr. Lowry is very kind.

He knows our trouble.

We can rely on him.

I have his word.

Oh?

You must thank him.

Oh, Mr. Lowry, how very kind, how very good you are.

How can we ever thank you?

It's all right.

I'd like to leave now if you don't mind.

Now you mustn't worry in the least, Jack.

I assure you everything will be all right.

There's blood in that stable.

I'll clean it up now.

Well, I'm sorry you won't stay.

I, uh, hope you have a good time in the mountains.

I think all will be well, my dear.

This little visit is all you've seen of Lowry.

Do you understand that.

And Millicent, let's make her understand that.

Millicent?

Millicent, you're getting a cold--

a bad cold.

I think you'd be better off in bed for the next few days.

Mm, where's my coffee?

Oh, you're too late, Rosa.

I'm afraid Mr. Lowry couldn't stay.

You know, I've never seen Lowry behave so strangely.

The fall must have shaken him up.

When he came out of the stables, he looked absolutely stunned,

it seemed.

Rosa, these cookies are better than ever--

best yet.

Yes, sir.

The sheriff's office, please.

Yes?

Who is this, Bob?

It's Joshua Princey out at the ranch.

I hope I'm not being an alarmist here,

but there's something very peculiar out in my stables.

Well, there's certain things out there.

Blood-- I'm sure it's blood-- and other things.

I tell you the truth, Bob. I'm terribly worried.

Could you-- could you come over?

Or maybe send one of your deputies?

Well, Jack Lowry was here a short while ago.

And he seems to be in a terrible state.

Oh, excellent.

If you come yourself, I--

I shall know the matter's in the best possible hands.

Thank you, Bob.

Thank you.