One of RMT\'s best ever!!!! This one just exudes atmosphere from the speakers!!!-- the howling wind, the creaking ship, the fear in the voices of the frightened men. Court Benson delivers a first-rate performance! I think he\'s under-rated. He never fails to hold my attention or create a character I\'m curious to hear more about. Paul Hecht is superb as well (as always!). The whole story just draws you in and you can almost feel the chill of the Arctic whipping about you. I love the music bed used when Dr. Ray first recites from his journal aboard the Polestar. That music was also used to great effect in another Hecht episode-- \"The Guillotine\".

This episode is similar (only slightly) to \"Death Is A Woman\"--in that a woman\'s portrait is a central \"character\" and seems to have supernatural powers.

I\'m curious, has anyone ever read the Arthur Conan Doyle original of this story? How different is it? I know RMT use to take great liberties with such adaptations.A great time of the year to hear this type of tale!<br>