Latest / The Shadow | Old Time Radio / The Shadow - "Death and the Black Fedora" (Old Time Radio)

Transcript

The Shadow - "Death and the Black Fedora" (Old Time Radio) · The Shadow | Old Time Radio

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Ladies and gentlemen, our program is The Shadow, and the
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: episode is Death and the Black Fedora. It is a
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: welcome chance to spend a few moments in the company
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: of one of radio's familiar dramatic names. Here is the
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: original broadcast. The Shadow.
• 0:34
  Speaker 2: Who knows.
• 0:37
  Speaker 3: What evil lurks in the hearts of men? The shadow knows.
• 0:50
  Speaker 4: Once again, your neighborhood blue coal dealer brings you the
• 0:53
  Speaker 4: thrilling adventures of the shadow. The hard and relentless fight
• 0:57
  Speaker 4: of one man against the forces of evil. These dramatizations
• 1:01
  Speaker 4: are designed to demonstrate forcefully to old and young alike
• 1:04
  Speaker 4: that crime does not fade. There is enough anthracite for
• 1:13
  Speaker 4: all the lucky householders whose homes are heated with hard coal.
• 1:17
  Speaker 4: These homes are enjoying healthful warmth in every room. Even
• 1:22
  Speaker 4: though winter winds blow, there is no need to cut
• 1:24
  Speaker 4: down heat or close off rooms in homes heated with
• 1:27
  Speaker 4: dependable hard coal.
• 1:29
  Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
• 1:30
  Speaker 4: When you have a supply of hard coal in your basement,
• 1:33
  Speaker 4: you're the boss of heating your house. You are absolutely
• 1:36
  Speaker 4: independent of any outside service. Be glad you heat with anthracite,
• 1:41
  Speaker 4: the home heating fuel that never fails. And remember, blue
• 1:45
  Speaker 4: coal is the finest anthracite money can buy. The Shadow,
• 1:58
  Speaker 4: who aids the forces of law and order... is in
• 2:00
  Speaker 4: reality Lamont Cranston, wealthy young man about town. Years ago
• 2:05
  Speaker 4: in the Orient, Cranston learned a strange and mysterious secret,
• 2:08
  Speaker 4: the hypnotic power to cloud men's minds so they cannot
• 2:11
  Speaker 4: see him. Cranston's friend and companion, the lovely Margot Lane,
• 2:16
  Speaker 4: is the only person who knows to whom the voice
• 2:18
  Speaker 4: of the invisible shadow belongs. Today's drama, Death and the
• 2:24
  Speaker 4: Black Fedora. It is a little after nine in the morning.
• 2:41
  Speaker 4: Robert Gardner is just leaving for the office as.
• 2:43
  Speaker 2: The phone rings.
• 2:46
  Speaker 3: His wife, Janet, answers it.
• 2:49
  Speaker 5: Hello?
• 2:49
  Speaker 6: This is Dr. Lansdowne, Mrs.
• 2:51
  Speaker 3: Gardner.
• 2:51
  Speaker 5: Oh, good morning, Doctor. Robert seems to be feeling a
• 2:54
  Speaker 5: good deal better today, thanks to you.
• 2:56
  Speaker 7: Mrs.
• 2:56
  Speaker 3: Gardner, I should like to see you and your husband
• 2:58
  Speaker 3: as soon as possible.
• 2:59
  Speaker 5: Oh, why?
• 3:00
  Speaker 3: Never mind why.
• 3:02
  Speaker 6: That'll wait until later.
• 3:04
  Speaker 3: Meanwhile, I've made plans for you and Robert to dine
• 3:06
  Speaker 3: with me at 7.
• 3:07
  Speaker 5: This evening?
• 3:08
  Speaker 2: At my house.
• 3:09
  Speaker 5: Oh, but I'm afraid we have other plans.
• 3:10
  Speaker 3: Then you'd better change them.
• 3:11
  Speaker 5: Dr.
• 3:12
  Speaker 6: Lansdowne.
• 3:12
  Speaker 5: Believe me, Mrs.
• 3:13
  Speaker 3: Gardner, this is more important.
• 3:16
  Speaker 5: Hello.
• 3:17
  Speaker 3: Hello!
• 3:19
  Speaker 2: Well, of all the... Lansdowne, Janet?
• 3:20
  Speaker 3: Yes.
• 3:22
  Speaker 5: Seems we're having dinner with him, whether we want to
• 3:24
  Speaker 5: or not.
• 3:24
  Speaker 2: Why shouldn't we want to? He's been awfully helpful to
• 3:27
  Speaker 2: me in my illness.
• 3:28
  Speaker 5: Yes, of course, dear, but... Sounded so obsessed.
• 3:30
  Speaker 2: All doctors sound a little brusque at times, dear.
• 3:33
  Speaker 5: I suppose so.
• 3:33
  Speaker 2: Well, I'd better be going. By the way, where's my hat?
• 3:36
  Speaker 7: Hmm?
• 3:37
  Speaker 5: Which one?
• 3:37
  Speaker 2: The black fedora.
• 3:38
  Speaker 5: Hanging in the closet, probably.
• 3:40
  Speaker 3: No, it isn't. I've looked.
• 3:42
  Speaker 5: Perhaps you didn't bring it home.
• 3:43
  Speaker 6: No.
• 3:43
  Speaker 2: Do you mean I... I just walked off and left
• 3:46
  Speaker 2: it somewhere? My own hat? Robert, please.
• 3:47
  Speaker 3: But, Janet, I.
• 3:48
  Speaker 5: You mustn't excite yourself.
• 3:50
  Speaker 8: Dr.
• 3:50
  Speaker 5: Lansdowne says your nerves are much better.
• 3:51
  Speaker 2: I wonder if he knows. I wonder if it's as
• 3:54
  Speaker 2: simple as nerves.
• 3:55
  Speaker 5: What do you mean?
• 3:56
  Speaker 2: I mean I'm afraid the doctor's letting me down easily.
• 3:58
  Speaker 5: Oh, darling.
• 3:59
  Speaker 2: I mean it's... This sort of thing has been going
• 4:01
  Speaker 2: on for weeks. It's getting steadily worse.
• 4:04
  Speaker 9: I wonder if I'm not losing my memory altogether, my
• 4:06
  Speaker 9: memory or my mind.
• 4:06
  Speaker 5: Stop it.
• 4:07
  Speaker 10: I won't listen to such talk. All because of an
• 4:10
  Speaker 10: old black fedora. Now, you just forget and buy yourself
• 4:13
  Speaker 10: a new one.
• 4:13
  Speaker 2: You can't very well do that, either.
• 4:15
  Speaker 5: Why not?
• 4:15
  Speaker 9: Well, this illness of mine has cost us money, Janet.
• 4:18
  Speaker 9: Lansdowne's bills have been high. In fact, we're almost broke.
• 4:21
  Speaker 5: But I thought you had lunch with your Uncle Theodore
• 4:23
  Speaker 5: yesterday to borrow some money.
• 4:25
  Speaker 3: I did.
• 4:26
  Speaker 2: Well? He... He said no, Janet.
• 4:29
  Speaker 8: Oh, Robert, how could he?
• 4:31
  Speaker 5: The money's your inheritance.
• 4:32
  Speaker 9: It's my inheritance, but it's in his trust until he dies.
• 4:35
  Speaker 9: He's completely within his rights.
• 4:38
  Speaker 5: Well, it's all right, dear. We'll get by. How much
• 4:42
  Speaker 5: do we have in the bank?
• 4:43
  Speaker 9: Something like $ 200, I think. I'm afraid to trust my
• 4:46
  Speaker 9: own memory even about that.
• 4:47
  Speaker 5: You don't have to. Just relax. The bank statement came
• 4:50
  Speaker 5: this morning.
• 4:51
  Speaker 3: Oh, where is it?
• 4:52
  Speaker 5: I put it in with your morning mail, but you
• 4:54
  Speaker 5: forgot to open it.
• 4:54
  Speaker 2: Well, take a look at it for me. I.
• 4:58
  Speaker 2: I want you to know that I begged Uncle Theodore.
• 5:01
  Speaker 2: I used every argument I could think of.
• 5:02
  Speaker 3: Robert. Yes?
• 5:05
  Speaker 5: There isn't $ 200 in the account.
• 5:07
  Speaker 10: There's $ 10, 200.
• 5:09
  Speaker 6: What?
• 5:10
  Speaker 5: Look. Here, see for yourself.
• 5:13
  Speaker 8: $ 10, 000?
• 5:14
  Speaker 3: Deposited to the account of Robert Gardner.
• 5:19
  Speaker 2: Yesterday afternoon.
• 5:20
  Speaker 5: I don't understand.
• 5:21
  Speaker 2: Neither do I. Call the bank. They should have some
• 5:24
  Speaker 2: explanation for.
• 5:27
  Speaker 6: Janet!
• 5:27
  Speaker 5: What are you staring at?
• 5:28
  Speaker 2: The morning paper.
• 5:30
  Speaker 3: Here on the telephone tape.
• 5:31
  Speaker 5: What about it?
• 5:32
  Speaker 3: This headline.
• 5:33
  Speaker 2: Prominent citizen attacked in home yesterday afternoon.
• 5:37
  Speaker 5: Is that anyone we know?
• 5:38
  Speaker 2: Someone we know very well. Uncle Theodore Gardner.
• 5:42
  Speaker 3: Oh, no.
• 5:42
  Speaker 12: Yes.
• 5:44
  Speaker 2: I better phone his house at once. Finish reading the article.
• 5:47
  Speaker 5: Well-known retired broker suffers skull injury.
• 5:50
  Speaker 6: Number, please.
• 5:51
  Speaker 2: I want the lesson gate, 2-9-0-5-0.
• 5:53
  Speaker 5: Theodore Gardner was brutally attacked in his home at number
• 5:57
  Speaker 5: 2 Burlington Street a little after 12 a.m. yesterday.
• 6:00
  Speaker 6: Dr.
• 6:01
  Speaker 5: John Lansdowne, a family physician, who arrived on the scene
• 6:04
  Speaker 5: shortly after the attack, gave the following details to the press.
• 6:08
  Speaker 12: Hello, the Gardner residence.
• 6:10
  Speaker 2: I'd like to speak to Theodore Gardner, please.
• 6:12
  Speaker 3: Who is this?
• 6:13
  Speaker 2: This is nephew, Robert. Will you ask my uncle to
• 6:16
  Speaker 2: come to the phone, please?
• 6:18
  Speaker 12: I'm afraid he can't do that.
• 6:20
  Speaker 3: Why not?
• 6:20
  Speaker 12: Because, young man, he's dead. This is the superintendent of
• 6:25
  Speaker 12: the building. Your uncle passed away at 5.30 this morning
• 6:29
  Speaker 12: as a result of the beating he took yesterday.
• 6:33
  Speaker 3: Hello? Hello?
• 6:36
  Speaker 5: Robert, what's wrong?
• 6:38
  Speaker 2: Finish reading that article.
• 6:39
  Speaker 5: But I.
• 6:40
  Speaker 2: Finish reading it, Janet.
• 6:41
  Speaker 5: The elderly man was discovered in his drawing room by
• 6:44
  Speaker 5: his physician... He'd been struck repeatedly with a pair of
• 6:48
  Speaker 5: heavy brass fire tongs. The motive was obviously robbery as
• 6:52
  Speaker 5: it was revealed that cash was missing from the safe
• 6:55
  Speaker 5: to the account of.
• 6:57
  Speaker 9: Go on.
• 6:58
  Speaker 3: Go on.
• 7:01
  Speaker 2: To the amount of $ 10, 000. That's what it says, doesn't it?
• 7:04
  Speaker 2: Doesn't it?
• 7:05
  Speaker 3: Yes.
• 7:06
  Speaker 2: The exact amount deposited in my account yesterday. Robert, you didn't...
• 7:09
  Speaker 2: I don't know.
• 7:10
  Speaker 5: Frank, can't you remember?
• 7:11
  Speaker 3: Remember, remember.
• 7:12
  Speaker 2: How can I trust anything I remember?
• 7:14
  Speaker 5: What's that?
• 7:15
  Speaker 2: I'll see.
• 7:16
  Speaker 3: Hello?
• 7:17
  Speaker 6: Mr. Robert Gardner?
• 7:19
  Speaker 2: Robert Gardner speaking.
• 7:20
  Speaker 6: My name is Squires. I have a little business at
• 7:23
  Speaker 6: 241 West 9th Street. And I'd appreciate your trade, Mr. Gardner.
• 7:28
  Speaker 2: You'll have to call another time.
• 7:29
  Speaker 6: I'm in the fancy dress business, Mr. Gardner. The Gaiety
• 7:32
  Speaker 6: Masquerade Costume Company.
• 7:33
  Speaker 2: Look, I don't want any costume.
• 7:34
  Speaker 6: But you will, Mr.
• 7:35
  Speaker 2: Gardner.
• 7:37
  Speaker 13: You'll need a shroud if you're not here in the
• 7:40
  Speaker 13: next 30 minutes.
• 7:53
  Speaker 2: Is this the Gaiety Masquerade Costume Company? Yes, sir.
• 7:57
  Speaker 8: And we've got every little thing here for a good time.
• 8:00
  Speaker 6: Mask.
• 8:00
  Speaker 8: Wigs, costumes, finest in town and cheap. Now you look
• 8:04
  Speaker 8: at this clown suit.
• 8:04
  Speaker 2: I don't want.
• 8:05
  Speaker 8: Too fancy, hmm? How about this pirate outfit? He looks
• 8:08
  Speaker 8: like him.
• 8:09
  Speaker 3: You don't understand.
• 8:09
  Speaker 8: Maybe for a gentleman like yourself, this would fill the bill.
• 8:13
  Speaker 8: A British morning coat?
• 8:14
  Speaker 2: I'm not interested.
• 8:15
  Speaker 8: Wait till you see the hat that goes with it. There.
• 8:20
  Speaker 13: I tell you I don't... Where did you get that?
• 8:24
  Speaker 13: A black fedora, only slightly worn. The whole outfit is yours, Mr. Gardner,
• 8:29
  Speaker 13: at the special price of.
• 8:30
  Speaker 3: $ 50, 000.
• 8:30
  Speaker 8: $ 50, 000?
• 8:31
  Speaker 13: Sounds a little high, but you're not only buying the costume, Gardner.
• 8:38
  Speaker 8: You're buying a lot of silence.
• 8:40
  Speaker 3: Silence?
• 8:41
  Speaker 13: You left this hat at your uncle's house yesterday.
• 8:42
  Speaker 8: And you killed him.
• 8:44
  Speaker 5: Who?
• 8:45
  Speaker 2: Who told you that?
• 8:45
  Speaker 8: A gentleman who saw you in action.
• 8:47
  Speaker 13: Dr.
• 8:48
  Speaker 8: Lansdowne. Lansdowne?
• 8:50
  Speaker 13: Who was in the entrance hall at your uncle's house
• 8:51
  Speaker 13: when you came out of the drawing room with $ 10, 000
• 8:53
  Speaker 13: in your hand.
• 8:55
  Speaker 8: And blood on your shirt front.
• 8:57
  Speaker 3: No!
• 8:57
  Speaker 8: You can deliver the 50 grand when you get to
• 8:59
  Speaker 8: Lansdowne's house tonight.
• 9:00
  Speaker 2: But I haven't got $ 50, 000.
• 9:03
  Speaker 13: Lansdowne is expecting you and your wife at 7 o'clock, Mr.
• 9:06
  Speaker 3: Gardner.
• 9:07
  Speaker 13: If you bring along the 50 grand, he'll be glad
• 9:11
  Speaker 13: to talk business.
• 9:13
  Speaker 2: And if not?
• 9:14
  Speaker 8: He'll be glad to talk.
• 9:30
  Speaker 5: We're not late, are we, Lamont?
• 9:31
  Speaker 3: We're right on time, Margo.
• 9:32
  Speaker 14: Dr.
• 9:32
  Speaker 3: Lansdowne said 7 o'clock.
• 9:34
  Speaker 5: Who else going to be there?
• 9:35
  Speaker 3: Oh, just another couple. Gardner, I believe their name is. Janet,
• 9:39
  Speaker 3: Robert Gardner. I'll ring. You know, darling, I've decided I
• 9:45
  Speaker 3: like your new hairdo.
• 9:46
  Speaker 2: Oh, thanks.
• 9:47
  Speaker 5: Bit of an experiment.
• 9:50
  Speaker 2: Lamont and the Slams.
• 9:51
  Speaker 6: Hello, Dr.
• 9:51
  Speaker 2: Lansdowne.
• 9:52
  Speaker 3: Come in, come in. Thank you.
• 9:54
  Speaker 5: Mrs.
• 9:55
  Speaker 3: Gardner just got here. Robert will be along in a minute.
• 9:57
  Speaker 3: Right this way. Uh, Margo, this is Janet Gardner. I
• 10:03
  Speaker 3: don't think you've met.
• 10:04
  Speaker 5: How do you do?
• 10:05
  Speaker 2: And Lamont Cranston, Mrs.
• 10:06
  Speaker 3: Gardner. Gardner.
• 10:07
  Speaker 5: Delighted, Mr.
• 10:08
  Speaker 6: Cranston.
• 10:09
  Speaker 3: Now then, shall I get us all a drink?
• 10:11
  Speaker 5: Shall I, Lamont?
• 10:12
  Speaker 2: No, not for me, thank you.
• 10:13
  Speaker 3: Skipping the beverages? Yes, but I'd like to use your phone,
• 10:15
  Speaker 3: if you don't mind. Not at all, by all means.
• 10:17
  Speaker 3: It's right there on the end table. Thank you, sir.
• 10:19
  Speaker 2: What about you, Martha? Just one cocktail before death?
• 10:22
  Speaker 5: Oh, I don't know.
• 10:23
  Speaker 2: Hello.
• 10:25
  Speaker 5: What's the matter, Martha?
• 10:27
  Speaker 3: Phone. I'm afraid the line is dead. Dead? Oh, I'm sorry.
• 10:32
  Speaker 3: Someone must have left the extension off the hook in
• 10:33
  Speaker 3: the upstairs library. I'll go and see. Oh, don't bother. Please.
• 10:35
  Speaker 15: Don't bother at all. You make yourselves at home. Well,
• 10:47
  Speaker 15: just as I expected. Saw the hooker all right. Whoever
• 10:51
  Speaker 15: did this?
• 10:52
  Speaker 2: I did, Lansdowne.
• 10:53
  Speaker 3: Pardon me.
• 10:54
  Speaker 2: I thought it might be as good a way as
• 10:56
  Speaker 2: any of attracting your attention.
• 10:57
  Speaker 3: How did you get up here?
• 10:59
  Speaker 2: The rear door is latched. I climbed up the vines
• 11:01
  Speaker 2: at the side of the house onto a porch out there.
• 11:04
  Speaker 3: Well, well, my black English army has finally been put
• 11:07
  Speaker 3: to some use. Though a rather unusual one, I admit.
• 11:11
  Speaker 3: It's a rather unusual situation, Lansdowne. I wanted to see
• 11:14
  Speaker 3: you alone. Frankly, I wanted to see you.
• 11:16
  Speaker 2: I heard you did.
• 11:18
  Speaker 3: As you know, I was not only your uncle's doctor,
• 11:20
  Speaker 3: but his friend.
• 11:20
  Speaker 12: And?
• 11:21
  Speaker 3: And despite certain misgivings, I have every intention of going
• 11:24
  Speaker 3: to the police.
• 11:25
  Speaker 2: I see.
• 11:26
  Speaker 3: I have absolute proof in my possession.
• 11:28
  Speaker 2: I have something else in my possession.
• 11:29
  Speaker 14: Gardner.
• 11:30
  Speaker 2: I can't afford to buy your silenced lands down, but
• 11:32
  Speaker 2: I can create it. Put that gun down. So you
• 11:35
  Speaker 2: have every intention of informing the police. I... I won't
• 11:38
  Speaker 2: if you say not to.
• 11:39
  Speaker 3: Really? Gardner, wait.
• 11:40
  Speaker 2: I promise you I won't talk. You think I'd trust you?
• 11:43
  Speaker 2: You've got to. You've got to listen to me.
• 11:45
  Speaker 3: Do I?
• 11:46
  Speaker 8: No.
• 11:59
  Speaker 6: Langston!
• 12:00
  Speaker 2: Langston!
• 12:03
  Speaker 5: I'm afraid he won't answer you, Mr.
• 12:05
  Speaker 6: Cranston.
• 12:06
  Speaker 5: Lamont, is he.
• 12:09
  Speaker 3: Yes. One of the bullets pierced his heart.
• 12:12
  Speaker 6: Oh.
• 12:13
  Speaker 3: Easy, darling.
• 12:14
  Speaker 5: But who could have done this?
• 12:17
  Speaker 3: Who else was in the house?
• 12:19
  Speaker 5: Nobody except the four of us. Someone else is here now.
• 12:25
  Speaker 3: What's that?
• 12:25
  Speaker 5: And he's standing right in the door.
• 12:27
  Speaker 3: Oh. Who are you?
• 12:32
  Speaker 8: My name is Squires. And I run the Katie Costume Company.
• 12:38
  Speaker 8: What happened to Lansdowne?
• 12:41
  Speaker 5: He's dead.
• 12:42
  Speaker 8: Dead?
• 12:43
  Speaker 3: He's been murdered. What?
• 12:45
  Speaker 8: Did you say murdered?
• 12:46
  Speaker 3: Yes. Well, where's Robert Gardner? I haven't seen him.
• 12:49
  Speaker 14: Why?
• 12:50
  Speaker 8: Because I saw him.
• 12:51
  Speaker 2: Not long ago, I showed him a black fedora and
• 12:53
  Speaker 2: told him something.
• 12:54
  Speaker 3: Told him what?
• 12:55
  Speaker 8: I told him that Lansdowne... Squires! Lansdowne.
• 13:13
  Speaker 4: We'll return to the shadow in just a moment. Friends,
• 13:16
  Speaker 4: during the recent severe weather, homes, apartment houses, schools, and
• 13:20
  Speaker 4: other public buildings, heated with hard coal, have enjoyed full, healthful,
• 13:25
  Speaker 4: uninterrupted warmth. Regardless of snowstorms, halting highway traffic, or causing
• 13:30
  Speaker 4: power failures, homes and other buildings heated with hand-fired hard
• 13:34
  Speaker 4: coal have been sure of continued heat. That's because enough
• 13:38
  Speaker 4: coal can be stored to carry you right through the
• 13:40
  Speaker 4: severe part of the heating season. Yes, when you have
• 13:43
  Speaker 4: a supply of hard coal in your basement, you have
• 13:45
  Speaker 4: the assurance of a warm and snug home at all times.
• 13:49
  Speaker 4: Now here is something else. Coal can be just as
• 13:52
  Speaker 4: convenient to burn as any other fuel. With a blue
• 13:55
  Speaker 4: coal temp master on your furnace, all trips to the
• 13:58
  Speaker 4: basement to adjust furnace dampers are eliminated. The temp master
• 14:02
  Speaker 4: automatically adjusts them for you, keeping your home constantly at
• 14:06
  Speaker 4: the healthful temperature you set on the upstairs dial. You'll
• 14:10
  Speaker 4: be glad you heat with dependable hard coal when you
• 14:12
  Speaker 4: discover how little attention your furnace requires with a temp master.
• 14:16
  Speaker 3: Automatic heat regulator.
• 14:18
  Speaker 4: The blue coal temp master can be installed on any
• 14:21
  Speaker 4: furnace without interrupting the heat in your homes. And a
• 14:24
  Speaker 4: temp master will save you a lot of coal. Call
• 14:28
  Speaker 4: the nearest blue coal dealer tomorrow and ask him to
• 14:30
  Speaker 4: demonstrate the temp master in your home.
• 14:34
  Speaker 3: Now, back to the shadow.
• 14:36
  Speaker 11: Margot Lamont and Janet Gardner.
• 14:50
  Speaker 2: Have just found Dr.
• 14:52
  Speaker 3: Lansdowne shot to death in his upstairs library when squires
• 14:55
  Speaker 3: of the Gaiety Costume Company walked in out of nowhere,
• 14:58
  Speaker 3: asked where Robert Gardner was, and was also shot by
• 15:02
  Speaker 3: an unknown assailant. Margot and Lamont have just gone downstairs
• 15:05
  Speaker 3: to phone the police when... Someone at the front door.
• 15:10
  Speaker 3: I'll get it. What's happened?
• 15:14
  Speaker 2: What's happened?
• 15:15
  Speaker 3: Who are you?
• 15:15
  Speaker 2: I'm Robert Gardner.
• 15:16
  Speaker 14: Oh.
• 15:17
  Speaker 2: I was just coming up the drive and I thought
• 15:18
  Speaker 2: I heard a pistol shot.
• 15:19
  Speaker 3: You did. There have been two murders in the past
• 15:21
  Speaker 3: few minutes. Murders? Yes. Who are you? I'm Lamont Cranston.
• 15:25
  Speaker 3: This is Miss Lane.
• 15:25
  Speaker 11: Robert!
• 15:26
  Speaker 2: It's my wife. Where is she?
• 15:28
  Speaker 3: Upstairs with the victims.
• 15:29
  Speaker 2: No objection to my going up?
• 15:31
  Speaker 3: Is there, Mr. Cranston? Now go, Mr. Gardner. Now then, Margaret,
• 15:36
  Speaker 3: we'd best call the police. This is peculiar.
• 15:40
  Speaker 5: What is?
• 15:42
  Speaker 3: This. Here on the floor.
• 15:44
  Speaker 5: Let me see. What is that?
• 15:47
  Speaker 3: A leaf. Black English ivy.
• 15:51
  Speaker 11: Where'd it come from?
• 15:53
  Speaker 3: Fell from Gardner's overcoat just now as you took it off.
• 15:56
  Speaker 5: What could happen?
• 15:58
  Speaker 3: Could mean that Gardner didn't just come up the drive, Margo.
• 16:02
  Speaker 3: There's been a round to the side of this house
• 16:03
  Speaker 3: where this ivy grows up the wall. The second floor porch.
• 16:08
  Speaker 5: You mean you think Gardner.
• 16:09
  Speaker 3: I think it's worth a visit, Margo. And simple.
• 16:28
  Speaker 5: They're both dead, Robert.
• 16:29
  Speaker 2: Line's done.
• 16:31
  Speaker 5: Have you ever seen him before? Squires, I mean.
• 16:34
  Speaker 2: No.
• 16:35
  Speaker 3: No, never.
• 16:36
  Speaker 5: You're lying to me.
• 16:37
  Speaker 2: Janet.
• 16:38
  Speaker 5: You're going to need help, Robert. Now, Cranston's clever. Please
• 16:41
  Speaker 5: tell me the truth.
• 16:42
  Speaker 2: There are some things it's better not to know too
• 16:44
  Speaker 2: much about, Janet.
• 16:46
  Speaker 5: I see. I'm going downstairs to keep an eye on things.
• 16:51
  Speaker 6: Yes, sir.
• 16:52
  Speaker 2: Join you a little later.
• 16:53
  Speaker 5: Be careful, Robert. Oh, please be careful.
• 16:57
  Speaker 3: Squires.
• 16:58
  Speaker 2: What were you doing here?
• 17:00
  Speaker 9: How much did you get a chance to tell them?
• 17:05
  Speaker 6: Laughter.
• 17:06
  Speaker 2: Where did that come from? It couldn't be them. Dead
• 17:08
  Speaker 2: men don't laugh.
• 17:11
  Speaker 3: It's happening.
• 17:13
  Speaker 2: It's happening. My mind is going.
• 17:14
  Speaker 3: Robert Gardner. Why did you kill Lansdowne?
• 17:18
  Speaker 2: That voice.
• 17:19
  Speaker 3: What is it? What is it? I am the shadow.
• 17:23
  Speaker 3: Unseen by your eyes, but here beside you to see
• 17:25
  Speaker 3: that justice is done. Why did you kill Lansdowne, Robert Gardner?
• 17:29
  Speaker 3: Let me alone, please. Not until I know the truth.
• 17:32
  Speaker 3: Why did you kill him?
• 17:34
  Speaker 2: Because he knew I murdered Uncle Theodore.
• 17:36
  Speaker 3: Theodore Gardner?
• 17:38
  Speaker 14: Yes.
• 17:39
  Speaker 2: Lansdowne was going to talk if I didn't give him $ 50, 000.
• 17:41
  Speaker 2: So you killed him in cold blood? Yes. No, no,
• 17:44
  Speaker 2: not exactly.
• 17:44
  Speaker 7: No?
• 17:45
  Speaker 3: But there he is, dead at your feet.
• 17:48
  Speaker 2: I don't know what happened. When I faced him, he
• 17:51
  Speaker 2: promised to be quiet.
• 17:52
  Speaker 9: He said he wouldn't betray me, and I was just
• 17:54
  Speaker 9: beginning to think I wouldn't have to kill him when
• 17:56
  Speaker 9: my finger must have slipped.
• 17:58
  Speaker 2: The shots rang out.
• 17:58
  Speaker 3: Where is the gun?
• 18:00
  Speaker 2: Somewhere on the lawn.
• 18:01
  Speaker 12: What?
• 18:02
  Speaker 2: I threw it out of the window, and my excitement
• 18:04
  Speaker 2: is down there somewhere.
• 18:05
  Speaker 7: I see.
• 18:07
  Speaker 3: Listen to me, Gardner. If what you said is true...
• 18:10
  Speaker 3: It is. It is. There may be a way to
• 18:12
  Speaker 3: help you. Yes. But meanwhile... You try to escape, the
• 18:16
  Speaker 3: shadow will find you wherever you hide.
• 18:19
  Speaker 8: Mr.
• 18:19
  Speaker 7: Cranston?
• 18:31
  Speaker 8: Oh, Mrs.
• 18:36
  Speaker 5: Cranston, it's you.
• 18:38
  Speaker 2: Where have you been, Mr.
• 18:40
  Speaker 5: Cranston?
• 18:41
  Speaker 3: Out on the lawn.
• 18:42
  Speaker 5: Getting some fresh air?
• 18:43
  Speaker 7: No, looking for something.
• 18:45
  Speaker 5: Looking for something?
• 18:46
  Speaker 3: Yes, for this. You recognize it, Mrs. Gardner? I.
• 18:52
  Speaker 5: I know.
• 18:52
  Speaker 8: No, I don't.
• 18:54
  Speaker 3: Well, perhaps you might. It's your husband's revolver.
• 18:57
  Speaker 6: My husband?
• 19:00
  Speaker 3: I don't think you're entirely ignorant of what's been happening, Mrs. Gardner.
• 19:04
  Speaker 3: Though I admire your loyalty to Robert, I ask you
• 19:07
  Speaker 3: not to insult my intelligence. Yes, Mr.
• 19:10
  Speaker 5: Cranston, I do know all about it. Uncle Theodore and
• 19:13
  Speaker 5: all that.
• 19:14
  Speaker 3: Thank you, for the honor.
• 19:15
  Speaker 5: But you don't understand. Robert's been so ill. Practically deranged mentally.
• 19:19
  Speaker 5: There must be some way we can help him.
• 19:21
  Speaker 3: Perhaps. At all events, there's some pretty interesting points about
• 19:24
  Speaker 3: this pistol of his.
• 19:26
  Speaker 5: What do you mean?
• 19:27
  Speaker 3: Here, take a look at it.
• 19:28
  Speaker 2: Thanks.
• 19:29
  Speaker 5: Is it loaded?
• 19:30
  Speaker 3: Yes, but there's no reason for you to be afraid
• 19:33
  Speaker 3: of it.
• 19:34
  Speaker 5: But it's a reason for you to be afraid of it, though.
• 19:37
  Speaker 8: What? Put up your hands.
• 19:40
  Speaker 5: Put up your hands, Mr. Cranston, and walk.
• 19:46
  Speaker 3: Where are we going?
• 19:49
  Speaker 5: Right here. Lansdowne. There's someone waiting inside for you.
• 19:53
  Speaker 3: Who?
• 19:54
  Speaker 5: A lovely and terrified Miss Lane.
• 19:58
  Speaker 3: Easy now, darling. We'll come through this somehow.
• 20:00
  Speaker 5: Not necessarily, but there's the bright side, Mr. Cranston. It's
• 20:04
  Speaker 5: a lesson they teach you not to interfere in matters
• 20:06
  Speaker 5: that don't concern you.
• 20:07
  Speaker 3: I doubt it, Mrs. Gardner.
• 20:08
  Speaker 5: It really doesn't matter, though. You'll never live to interfere again.
• 20:12
  Speaker 3: He's the heart of Susanna. I was down for the
• 20:37
  Speaker 3: past ten minutes.
• 20:39
  Speaker 5: How are we going to get out of here?
• 20:40
  Speaker 3: I'm afraid the doors are only changing.
• 20:42
  Speaker 8: What about the window?
• 20:44
  Speaker 3: Latticed with iron.
• 20:45
  Speaker 5: But that woman locked the door.
• 20:49
  Speaker 3: There may be a key. Where? I never know till
• 20:52
  Speaker 3: you look. Maybe in the stairs.
• 20:55
  Speaker 6: Come on.
• 20:56
  Speaker 7: Yes?
• 20:58
  Speaker 8: What's this?
• 20:59
  Speaker 3: Let's see. Looks like a legal document.
• 21:02
  Speaker 13: Look.
• 21:04
  Speaker 11: Lands down, see?
• 21:05
  Speaker 2: Let me see that.
• 21:09
  Speaker 3: Listen to this. To the authorities, my capacity as Theodore
• 21:14
  Speaker 3: Gardner's friend and physician, I've become familiar with his affairs,
• 21:18
  Speaker 3: and I regret to say that of the $ 500, 000 he
• 21:20
  Speaker 3: was holding in trust for his nephew Robert, he's disposed
• 21:24
  Speaker 3: of the sum of $ 200, 000 on his personal expenses.
• 21:27
  Speaker 5: Mark, does that mean that Theodore Gardner's been stealing from
• 21:31
  Speaker 5: his nephews in Harrison?
• 21:33
  Speaker 3: Looks like it, Margo. It also means I have the
• 21:36
  Speaker 3: clue to this curious little Chinese puzzle at last.
• 21:39
  Speaker 5: But I don't let it.
• 21:42
  Speaker 3: Smell it.
• 21:44
  Speaker 5: Smoke. Thought I smelled smoke.
• 21:47
  Speaker 3: I'm afraid you do smell just that.
• 21:50
  Speaker 8: Come on.
• 21:50
  Speaker 3: Easy.
• 21:51
  Speaker 5: We've got to get out of here.
• 21:52
  Speaker 3: We'll do our best.
• 21:54
  Speaker 6: What's that?
• 21:56
  Speaker 3: Who's there?
• 21:57
  Speaker 2: Robert Gardner.
• 21:57
  Speaker 11: Gardner?
• 21:59
  Speaker 3: You thought the house was deserted, Gardner.
• 22:02
  Speaker 2: I was left behind to do the dirty work.
• 22:04
  Speaker 3: Such as?
• 22:04
  Speaker 2: Setting this place on fire.
• 22:07
  Speaker 3: Leaving us locked in this room, of course.
• 22:09
  Speaker 5: Yes.
• 22:11
  Speaker 3: Is it possible you're finding it hard to do?
• 22:13
  Speaker 2: If only we could make a deal, Cranston. If only
• 22:17
  Speaker 2: you'd agree not to tell the police about the fact
• 22:19
  Speaker 2: that I killed Dr. Lansdowne.
• 22:21
  Speaker 3: You didn't, Gardner.
• 22:22
  Speaker 7: What?
• 22:23
  Speaker 3: Your gun proved you didn't kill him.
• 22:24
  Speaker 2: How?
• 22:25
  Speaker 3: When I found it on the lawn, the chambers were full.
• 22:27
  Speaker 3: It hadn't been fired.
• 22:28
  Speaker 2: I don't understand what happened.
• 22:30
  Speaker 3: Open this door. Maybe I can explain. Open it, man.
• 22:35
  Speaker 3: All right, now. Tell me, where's Janet?
• 22:37
  Speaker 2: She's gone.
• 22:37
  Speaker 3: What's she doing?
• 22:38
  Speaker 2: I'll meet her at home in half an hour. We're
• 22:40
  Speaker 2: arranging to help me get away.
• 22:41
  Speaker 8: I see.
• 22:45
  Speaker 3: Well, go on. Meet her.
• 22:46
  Speaker 2: But I still want to know.
• 22:47
  Speaker 3: Tell her you... Tell her you've gotten yourself a ticket
• 22:50
  Speaker 3: to Tahiti or someplace, that your boat leaves in half
• 22:52
  Speaker 3: an hour. And I think you'll get all the explanations
• 22:56
  Speaker 3: you're looking for. All right, Mr. Cranston.
• 22:59
  Speaker 2: I'll do as you say.
• 23:01
  Speaker 3: Good luck, Gardner. So am I.
• 23:04
  Speaker 5: You think we should let him go alone?
• 23:06
  Speaker 3: He won't be alone. When he needs help, there'll be
• 23:09
  Speaker 3: someone on hand.
• 23:10
  Speaker 11: With Shannon?
• 23:22
  Speaker 2: Shannon.
• 23:23
  Speaker 5: Police headquarters?
• 23:27
  Speaker 12: Yes?
• 23:27
  Speaker 5: This is Janet Gardner. I'm calling from my home at
• 23:30
  Speaker 5: 825 Terrace Drive.
• 23:32
  Speaker 7: Yes?
• 23:32
  Speaker 10: I want to report two murders that have been committed
• 23:35
  Speaker 10: since 7 o'clock this evening.
• 23:36
  Speaker 9: What?
• 23:36
  Speaker 10: I thought you'd like to know that the man who
• 23:38
  Speaker 10: committed them will arrive at this house within the next
• 23:41
  Speaker 10: five minutes.
• 23:42
  Speaker 3: How do you know?
• 23:43
  Speaker 5: The man happens to be my husband, Mr. Robert Gardner.
• 23:46
  Speaker 7: What?
• 23:47
  Speaker 3: What did you say?
• 23:48
  Speaker 12: Hello?
• 23:51
  Speaker 11: Hello?
• 23:54
  Speaker 5: Just a moment, Robert, darling. Oh, come in, dear.
• 23:59
  Speaker 2: Janet, I... I just came back to say goodbye. What?
• 24:03
  Speaker 2: I'm leaving, Janet. I'm on my way.
• 24:05
  Speaker 5: Where do you think you're going?
• 24:07
  Speaker 2: Tahiti. My boat leaves in half an hour.
• 24:09
  Speaker 5: You're not going anywhere, Robert.
• 24:12
  Speaker 3: Why not?
• 24:13
  Speaker 5: Because if you take another step, I'll kill you.
• 24:16
  Speaker 8: Janet.
• 24:20
  Speaker 5: Better listen to reason, darling. I can say you tried
• 24:23
  Speaker 5: to escape and I told you in the struggle.
• 24:24
  Speaker 2: Janet. Then it's true.
• 24:27
  Speaker 6: It's you.
• 24:28
  Speaker 5: What are you talking about?
• 24:30
  Speaker 14: You'll kill them.
• 24:31
  Speaker 3: Both Lansdowne and Squires.
• 24:33
  Speaker 7: Oh, you're crazy.
• 24:36
  Speaker 3: Is he, Janet?
• 24:37
  Speaker 5: What was that?
• 24:38
  Speaker 3: Is he crazy?
• 24:39
  Speaker 2: Somebody else.
• 24:41
  Speaker 5: Somebody else in this room.
• 24:42
  Speaker 6: The shadow.
• 24:43
  Speaker 3: Your husband isn't crazy, Janet. He's perfectly sane. It wasn't
• 24:48
  Speaker 3: he who murdered Squires or Lansdowne.
• 24:50
  Speaker 5: He did, I tell you. He murdered them because they
• 24:52
  Speaker 5: knew he killed his Uncle Theodore.
• 24:53
  Speaker 3: But he didn't kill his Uncle Theodore.
• 24:56
  Speaker 9: I didn't?
• 24:56
  Speaker 3: No, Robert.
• 24:57
  Speaker 2: But then who did?
• 25:00
  Speaker 3: Who did?
• 25:01
  Speaker 2: Nobody did. But he's dead.
• 25:04
  Speaker 3: Is he? Who saw him dead, Robert?
• 25:08
  Speaker 2: I know one now that I think of it.
• 25:10
  Speaker 3: Exactly. What's more, you'll find no obituary notice in the
• 25:13
  Speaker 3: evening paper. As a matter of fact, Robert, no one
• 25:16
  Speaker 3: was even told he was dead. Except you.
• 25:20
  Speaker 2: Who's that? Open the door and see.
• 25:23
  Speaker 6: Open it.
• 25:25
  Speaker 3: Uncle Theodore. Yes, my boy. I heard you were in trouble. Murder,
• 25:29
  Speaker 3: I believe. I've come to help you as best I can.
• 25:33
  Speaker 2: You?
• 25:34
  Speaker 5: But.
• 25:35
  Speaker 2: But you were killed.
• 25:36
  Speaker 3: Aye.
• 25:39
  Speaker 2: The voice on the telephone this morning said you were dead.
• 25:42
  Speaker 3: Nonsense. Impossible. You must have imagined it, Robert. Your.
• 25:45
  Speaker 2: Your nerves, you know.
• 25:47
  Speaker 3: I heard a voice.
• 25:48
  Speaker 2: I know I did.
• 25:48
  Speaker 7: You did, Robert.
• 25:50
  Speaker 3: You heard the voice of your Uncle Theodore. What was that?
• 25:53
  Speaker 3: It was your voice, Theodore Gardner. You disguised your own
• 25:56
  Speaker 3: voice and announced your death to your nephew... Part of
• 25:58
  Speaker 3: the plot you and Janet worked out together. What are
• 26:00
  Speaker 3: you talking about? You arranged with Janet to play on
• 26:02
  Speaker 3: Robert's nervous illness and persuade him that his mind had
• 26:05
  Speaker 3: failed and that he'd murdered you.
• 26:06
  Speaker 5: You're crazy. Why would I fall in with such a scheme?
• 26:08
  Speaker 3: To get rid of a husband you didn't love and
• 26:11
  Speaker 3: for a share of what Uncle Theodore had left of
• 26:13
  Speaker 3: Robert's inheritance. That's not true.
• 26:14
  Speaker 7: It is true, Uncle Theodore.
• 26:16
  Speaker 2: You wanted to get rid of Dr.
• 26:18
  Speaker 3: Lansdowne.
• 26:18
  Speaker 2: That was at the bottom of everything.
• 26:20
  Speaker 3: You wanted him out of the way because the doctor
• 26:22
  Speaker 3: knew you were stealing from Robert's inheritance. That's lies.
• 26:25
  Speaker 14: All lies.
• 26:26
  Speaker 3: You thought if Lansdowne became an eyewitness to Robert's crime,
• 26:28
  Speaker 3: Robert would kill the doctor for you.
• 26:30
  Speaker 2: I intended to kill him. He said he was going
• 26:32
  Speaker 2: to the police. You intended to, yes.
• 26:35
  Speaker 3: But Uncle Theodore out on the terrace saw that things
• 26:38
  Speaker 3: weren't going according to schedule and shot Lansdowne himself to
• 26:41
  Speaker 3: make sure.
• 26:42
  Speaker 2: Uncle Theodore killed Lansdowne?
• 26:44
  Speaker 3: And later shot Squire from the same vantage point when
• 26:46
  Speaker 3: he realized that gentleman might renege too.
• 26:49
  Speaker 12: He.
• 26:50
  Speaker 3: Shot Squires, too? Yes, Robert. Your murdered uncle was the
• 26:55
  Speaker 3: one who committed the murders. Whatever you are, you're smart.
• 26:58
  Speaker 9: Too smart.
• 26:59
  Speaker 3: Where are you going? Out that door. Come along, Janet.
• 27:01
  Speaker 3: I wouldn't use that door if I were you.
• 27:03
  Speaker 2: Why not?
• 27:04
  Speaker 3: Open up. Come on, open up. The house is surrounded. Because,
• 27:08
  Speaker 3: as the officer says, the house is surrounded. Surrounded by
• 27:13
  Speaker 3: police that Janet sent. To arrest her husband for murder.
• 27:18
  Speaker 3: Now let me present Blue Coal's Distinguished Heating Authority, John Barclay.
• 27:23
  Speaker 3: Thank you, Andre Barouch, and good evening, friends.
• 27:27
  Speaker 13: This winter, millions of people are mighty thankful they heat
• 27:31
  Speaker 13: with hard coal.
• 27:44
  Speaker 14: All winter long, they're able to keep their homes at
• 27:47
  Speaker 14: any temperature they please. Yes, when you use hard coal,
• 27:51
  Speaker 14: no one will request that you turn your furnace down
• 27:54
  Speaker 14: to conserve fuel. And now users of hard coal can
• 27:58
  Speaker 14: have this failure-proof heating automatically controlled thanks to the Blue
• 28:02
  Speaker 14: Coal Temp Master heat regulator. It's like an electric brain
• 28:06
  Speaker 14: on your furnace. The Temp Master opens and closes the
• 28:09
  Speaker 14: dampers without even a thought on your part.
• 28:12
  Speaker 2: It saves countless steps and saves a.
• 28:15
  Speaker 3: Lot of coal, too.
• 28:16
  Speaker 14: Modernize your furnace by installing a blue coal temp master
• 28:20
  Speaker 14: and assure yourself of economical, carefree heating comfort. It will
• 28:25
  Speaker 14: pay you to call the nearest blue coal dealer tomorrow
• 28:28
  Speaker 14: for a free demonstration in your own home.
• 28:31
  Speaker 3: I thank you. This story is copyrighted by Street &
• 28:41
  Speaker 3: Smith Publications, Inc.
• 28:43
  Speaker 4: The characters, names, places, and plot are fictitious. Any similarity
• 28:48
  Speaker 4: to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. Again next week,
• 28:53
  Speaker 4: The Shadow will demonstrate that.
• 28:55
  Speaker 3: The weed of crime bears bitter fruit. Crime does not pay.
• 29:03
  Speaker 3: The Shadow knows.
• 29:14
  Speaker 4: Next week, same time, same station, your friendly blue coal
• 29:18
  Speaker 4: dealer brings you another strange and thrilling adventure in the
• 29:21
  Speaker 4: Shadow's daring battle against the forces of evil. The Shadow
• 29:24
  Speaker 4: is presented by the D.
• 29:25
  Speaker 3: Allen W.
• 29:26
  Speaker 4: Coal Company, distributors of blue coal. Lamont Cranston is played
• 29:30
  Speaker 4: by Brett Morrison. Margot by Grace Matthews. Your announcer is
• 29:34
  Speaker 4: Andre Baruch. Remember, it's blue coal for finest heating service.
• 29:41
  Speaker 1: We have been listening to The Shadow in Death and
• 29:44
  Speaker 1: the Black Fedora. Good night, and thank you for joining us.