The Cat and the Canary Page #5

you were talking to a while ago.

No,

I haven't.

He disappeared.

He couldn't have gone far,

unless he went swimming.

Would you mind looking

about the grounds for him?

lt'll be a

pleasure, ma'am.

Thank you

so much.

Well, if you need me,

just call.

My room is

right up there.

Thanks, Fred. I guess

I'll be pretty safe tonight

with all the men

guarding me.

Charlie just told

me the same thing.

So he was here.

Leave it to him to

get anywhere first.

Shh!

I wouldn't do that if

I were you, beautiful.

Do what?

Entertain any more people

in your room tonight.

I won't.

Have you read

the letter?

No, I haven't.

Wally, come in

here a minute.

"You will open this

envelope tonight in my room,

"where you are

to sleep."

Don't do it.

Why not?

I don't know. My Aunt Minnie brought me up

to always bite

half dollars.

Look, Miss Lu says that

Mr. Norman gave this to her.

But how do we

know he did?

Maybe Miss Lu

is in cahoots

with someone who wants to know

exactly where he can find you tonight,

while you're alone.

But who would

that be?

Well, the person whose name is

in the envelope that Crosby has.

Whoever it is

would become the heir,

in case you were

out of the way.

Wally, that's a

horrible thought.

Yes, it is,

isn't it?

I got goose pimples.

Even my goose pimples

have goose pimples.

Let's get a gulp

of fresh air.

I'll bet there hasn't

been any fresh air

in this house

for a long time.

There. That's better.

Yes.

Oh, you're going to...

I thought I would as long as you're here.

"To my unknown heir,

man or woman,

"because I can take no

earthly possessions with me

"I am compelled to

leave them to you.

"Your hour

will come, too."

"In your brief

span of life,

"enjoy the glittering symbols of

the world, which I now renounce."

Ooh, that gives

me the creeps.

Here's a verse. It's

a little more cheerful.

"Find the number

beneath the vine.

"The sparkling gems

will then be thine.

"O love, what number rhymes with mine?"

It's a silly

little verse.

Yeah.

Say, Wally, it's the key to the necklace.

Yeah.

"What number

rhymes with mine?"

Well, it ain't 10.

Nine. "Beneath the vine."

That must be outdoors

in the garden.

Why does he

say "o love"?

What does love

have to do with it?

Love, affection, Venus,

the goddess of love.

Say, is there

a statue of Venus

around this joint anywhere? I don't know.

Wait.

Look.

The fountain.

Cupid. Sure. Venus' little problem child.

Let's go.

Let me get my jacket.

Wally.

Hmm?

Look.

How funny.

How comforting.

Come on.

Which way?

Up there at the

end of the hall.

Shh.

There's someone in

Mr. Crosby's room.

Maybe it's

Mr. Crosby.

What are you

doing in there?

Waiting.

What's she

waiting for?

Certainly will be glad to get

out of this terrible house.

Well, here's love.

The vine. The vine.

Beneath the vine.

Yes, the vine.

Do you suppose we have

to dig it up by the roots?

I don't see

any number nine.

Look, look, the knobs.

Yeah. Maybe he meant the ninth knob.

Where do they start? I don't know.

One, two, three,

four, five...

Six, seven,

eight, nine.

Wait a minute. Here's one that's loose.

Now that we got it, what

are we going to do with it?

I don't know.

Turn it, pull it.

Nothing happens.

Well, Uncle Cyrus

was left-handed.

Would that make any difference? No.

Well, maybe.

No, I guess the old boy was kidding.

It's no good.

Oh, dear.

Hey, look.

Say...

What's the matter?

Something soft.

Here, I'll get it.

No, I... Let me.

Say...

Wow!

I bet there's a catch

in this somewhere.

Oh, Wally!

Say, wouldn't it be a good

idea to put it back in there

where it'll be safe

until daylight?

Well, I don't know... No, I

think it'll be safer with me.

Come on, let's go.

Isn't it terrific?

Terrific.

Thanks for

everything, Wally.

Uh, say, if you're gonna sleep

with those pebbles tonight,

you'd better

take the gun.

You used to be quite a

shot with an air rifle.

Remember the time

you shot the hole

in old Scrooge's

silk hat?

I haven't fired

a gun since...

Did you know

this was empty?

Empty?

How do you

like that?

Hey, wait a minute, I

was out there all alone.

Never in my...

Oh. I guess I'm beginning to see things.

What is the matter?

I don't know, only...

I guess, I think.

What's that?

Think nothing of it.

Now, what were

you saying?

Keep talking.

It wasn't important.

It was only that I think

every woman is happier

when she has

a lot of...

Oh, be careful.

A cat.

Of all the ridiculous

things I ever saw in my life.

You with the chair,

creeping up to the window.

Wham! And a cat.

Take it easy.

Joyce! Joyce!

Aunt Sue is

loose again.

Joyce! Joyce, are you there? Open up.

Yes. In a minute.

Come on.

Wait. My mother brought me

up never to be caught twice

in the same

lady's bedroom.

Joyce!

Joyce,

what happened?

Just a minute.

Open the

door, Joyce.

Are you all right? Oh, yes, I am all right.

It was so silly.

What?

I wanted to get a breath of

fresh air and the window stuck.

I broke it just as I was trying to open it.

Oh, is that all? How did you get the...

But then I got all tangled up

in the curtain with the cat.

The cat. Miss Lu, will

you please take your cat?

Now I promise to

go straight to bed

and I won't disturb you any more.

Well, that window is barred,

so I guess it's all right.

Good night.

Oh, wait for me, Fred. Good night, dear.

Good night.

Did you say the

window stuck?

Yes, it stuck.

Okay.

Wally. Wally!

Come in.

Pretty good, huh?

Ouch!

Riding boots.

I suppose your Aunt Minnie

taught you that cute trick.

No, I got that one

from her boyfriend.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Well, I guess

I'll run along.

Do you want me to

lock the shutters?

No. Just don't make

any more noise.

Oh. Well, good night.

The road's clear. Be sure

and lock the door after me.

Don't worry,

I will.

Good night, beautiful.

I didn't mean

to be cross.

I'm getting so nervous, I could holler.

Would you like something to

quiet you? A sleeping powder?

No, thanks. I have one in my bag.

Well, how about

letting me have it?

Good night, Wally.

Never mind the powder.

Who wants to sleep?

Open! Please!

Please, Wally!

Joyce, open up.

Open the door.

Haven't you got

another key?

It's locked on the inside. What's happened?

We don't know.

She's alive,

thank heaven.

Miss Lu, get

a little brandy.

Please help! Please, oh,

please! Help me! Wally!

What happened, baby?

I don't know. My eyes were closed.

It was a hand! It came from the dark.

I felt it.

For heaven's sake, do try to be coherent!

Well, it touched me!

The necklace.

It's gone.

What necklace?

Well, the necklace.

Wally and I, we found it in the garden.

Hanging from a

tree, I suppose.

It's true,

we did find it.

But it's gone.

The hand took it.

Hand. What hand?

Oh, I don't know.

Just a hand.

It came out

of the wall.

Oh. We'd better

send for a doctor.

An alienist

would be better.

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