The Clock and the Rope

Originally Aired: December 5, 1947 Suspense #274, "The Clock and the Rope," young Henry Guildford finds himself trapped in a nightmare he never saw coming. Working nights at a gas station, the shy Hank finally works up the courage to ask out an attractive customer who's been dropping hints for weeks. They arrange to meet at the Owl Inn after midnight, but when Hank arrives early, he stumbles upon the girl arguing with a man named Joe in the grove outside. The confrontation turns violent when Joe pulls a blackjack, and in the struggle, Hank strikes him down. The girl insists Hank leave while she takes care of things, but within hours, the police arrive at Hank's door with terrible news: Joe is dead, and they're charging Hank with murder. Now Hank faces the nightmare of an innocent man condemned. The police don't believe his story about self-defense or the mysterious girl who seems to have vanished without a trace. They claim Joe's pockets were turned inside out, suggesting robbery. With a court-appointed lawyer who seems to be merely stalling for time and a case built entirely on circumstantial evidence, Hank's situation grows increasingly desperate as he faces the ultimate penalty: the hangman's rope.