 Presenting Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons, a new weekly feature on NBC's all-star festival of mystery, comedy, music and drama. Brought to you by Chesterfield, always milder, better-tasting, cooler smoking, plus no unpleasant aftertaste, by Anderson for fast relief from pain of headache, neuritis and neuralgia, and by RCA Victor, world leader in radio, first in recorded music and first in television. And now here's Ben Crosby with the word about vacations. Oh, Ken, when you mentioned vacations, it brings a tear to my eye and a lump in my throat. Poor Uncle Herbert. Well, what happened to your Uncle Herbert? Uncle Herbert loves to fish, so on his vacation he hide himself off all alone to a secluded spot way back in the woods. Poor Uncle Herbert. He forgot his fishing pole? He forgot his Chesterfield. So friends, take a tip from me whether you're packing to take off for the weekend or for that long anticipated vacation. Pack a couple of cartons of those milder Chesterfields. When you take off on a trip like that, you like to go where you want and do what you want. So take along the cigarette that gives you what you want. Chesterfield. Chesterfield gives you its famous ABC's. Always milder, better-tasting, cooler smoking, plus no unpleasant aftertaste. Yep, the country's first and only cigarette taste panel reported of all brands tested. Only Chesterfield leaves no unpleasant aftertaste. Vacation time anytime. Take Chesterfields with you. Now, Mr. Keene, tracer of Lost Persons. One of the most famous characters of American fiction in one of radio's most thrilling dramas. Tonight, the famous old investigator's case is entitled, The Abandoned Well Murder Case. Our scene is a deserted farm about 60 miles from New York. It's almost dusk and a middle-aged, well-dressed man with iron gray hair paces back and forth near an abandoned well. With mounting annoyance, he glances toward the overgrown shrubbery that surrounds the well. Conn founded it must be almost 7.30. I don't like to be kept waiting. What that devil can do? Who's that? Is that you? Well, it's about time you... You? What are you doing with that gun? Are you crazy? No! No, don't shoot! You've killed it. Well, here, Mr. Keene, are them papers on the Brennan case. All ready to file and mark closed. Yes, Mike, that was a difficult case. Now, perhaps it's time you and I took a few days' vacation. No fishing trip, or... Can I help you, ma'am? Are you Mr. Keene? No, I'm his partner, Mike Clancy. Oh, please, I must see Mr. Keene at once. I didn't phone for an appointment. Well, now, who are you, ma'am? I'm Mrs. Crane, Mrs. Rachel Crane. This is Mr. Keene right here. And how do you do, Mrs. Crane? Oh, Mr. Keene, I'm so upset, so frightened. Well, please, sit down and tell me what's the trouble. Thank you. Mr. Keene, my employer, Henry Kellogg, has been murdered. Your employer? Yes, sir. I'm his housekeeper at Hillview. That's Mr. Kellogg, the state about 60 miles from here. Ten years ago, he took me and my little daughter into his home and gave me a position as his housekeeper. No one could have been more kind, more sympathetic. Try to compose yourself, Mrs. Crane, and go on with your story. Well, Mr. Keene, the night before last, Mr. Kellogg left the house for his evening walk. When he didn't return by midnight, I became worried and called the local police. Yesterday afternoon, they found Mr. Kellogg's body at the bottom of an abandoned well on the farm next to ours. He'd been shot through the heart. St. Spraservus, you mean he'd been murdered and his body dumped into the well? Yes, Mr. Clancy. Oh, it was a horrible thing. Mrs. Crane, I assume the local police are investigating the murder. So why have you come to me? Because, Mr. Keene, unless you can help me, they'll probably arrest me for Henry Kellogg's murder. Why do you say that? Because I happen to know that he was leading me $20,000 in his will. After all, I've been working for him for 10 years. But last week, he told someone in town that he was discharging me. Discharging you? After 10 years of service as his housekeeper? What was the reason? Well, I can't imagine, Mr. Keene. Had you ever had a disagreement or a serious quarrel of any kind with Mr. Kellogg? No, no, nothing like that. Did he tell you he was going to discharge you? No, but he was a man of impulse, of sudden whims. Mr. Keene, you can see this puts me in a frightening position. The police will think I knew I was being discharged and that I murdered poor Mr. Kellogg before he had a chance to change his will. Well, a $20,000 inheritance could be a motive for committing murder. And another thing. The police found that the bullet that killed Mr. Kellogg was from a gun he kept on the estate. A gun which any member of his household might have gotten hold of. I see. Mrs. Keene, who else lives there on the estate? Just myself and my daughter Doris. She's a young woman now. She's 21 years old. Mr. Kellogg has no close relatives? Well, he has a nephew, Paul Kellogg, who lives here in New York. The police tried to reach him, but there was no answer at his apartment. I imagine he's at his cabin on Crystal Lake. Mrs. Queen, do you know if the nephew Paul Kellogg will inherit the bulk of Henry Kellogg's fortune? I know. Mr. Kellogg told me once that he intended to leave everything to charity. Everything that is except his bequest of $20,000 to you. Well, yes, Mr. Keene. And that's why I came to you. I beg you to find the real murderer so I can clear myself. Tell me, is there anyone else who might have had reason to murder your employer? Anyone who hated him possibly? Why? Yes, Mrs. Queen. There's Jasper Gibbs. He's an eccentric old man who used to own the farm next to Mr. Kellogg's estate. Two weeks ago, Mr. Kellogg foreclosed a mortgage on Jasper Gibbs' place. Jasper made all kinds of wild threats to get revenge. Indeed. Oh, but no one takes Jasper seriously. He's a harmless old crackpot. Well, we'll know more about that after Mike Clancy and I have talked to him. Oh, Mr. Keene, and you will help me. I swear to you, I had nothing to do with Mr. Kellogg's murder. I always admired him, and I was grateful for his kindness to me and my daughter Doris. Mike and I will be ready to drive you to the murdered man's home within the aisle, Mrs. Queen. I have a feeling that if we to find Henry Kellogg's murderer, there isn't a moment to lose. Here we are, Mr. Keene and Mr. Clancy. This is Mr. Kellogg's home. Well, sure, it's a mighty elegant place, boss. A real country estate. Yes, Mike. One would think it would require a staff of servants to run it. Mr. Kellogg didn't like a lot of people around. He... What is it, Mrs. Crane? Well, that car and the driveway. It's Mr. Paul's Roadster. You mean Henry Kellogg's nephew? Yes, sir. Oh, there you are, Mrs. Crane. Why, Mr. Paul, I didn't know you were here. I was up at my Lake Cabin. I got back to New York this morning and the police phoned and told me Uncle Henry had been murdered. Who are these gentlemen, Mrs. Crane? It's Mr. Keene and Mr. Clancy, the private investigators. Mr. Keene, this is Mr. Kellogg's nephew, Paul. Mr. Keene, I've often heard of you. How do you do, Mr. Kellogg? Glad to meet you, young fella. Please come into the house, gentlemen. This whole thing is shocking. But, Mrs. Crane, I had no idea that you'd gone into the city to bring Mr. Keene into the case. Doris didn't tell me. My daughter didn't know. Now, Mr. Keene, if you'll all excuse me, I want to put away my things and see where Doris is. Certainly, Mrs. Crane. Mr. Kellogg, you say you just arrived here at your uncle's home? Five minutes ago, Mr. Keene. So, Mrs. Crane, the housekeeper has asked your help in solving Uncle Henry's murder. I suppose she's very worried the situation being what it is. Just what do you mean by that, Mr. Kellogg? Well, look at the spot she's in. After that quarrel with Uncle Henry, it's no wonder she's panicky. Quarrel? Sure, Mrs. Crane never mentioned any quarreled us, boss. No, Mike. She told us she and Henry Kellogg were on the best of terms. She didn't tell you of her threats against him? Threats? What threats, Mr. Kellogg? Suppose you tell us about that? Certainly, Mr. Keene. You haven't met Mrs. Crane's daughter, Doris. When you do, you won't find it difficult to understand how she captured poor old Uncle Henry's fancy. He wanted to marry Doris Crane. Marry her? Well, sure, and I thought your uncle, the murdered man, was in his fifties. He was, Mr. Clancy. And Doris Crane is 21. About two weeks ago, her mother found out what was going on. Mrs. Crane nearly blew the roof off. You mean she disapproved? Disapproved. That's putting it mildly, Mr. Keene. She told Uncle Henry to stay away from her daughter. That she'd see him dead before she'd let Doris marry him. A man almost old enough to be Doris' grandfather. Well, sure, and I can't say that I blame the woman. A young, innocent girl like Doris Crane. Innocent? Mr. Clancy, one would hardly use that description of Doris Crane. She's as cold and calculating a female as you've ever met. Mr. Kellogg, were you here when the housekeeper, Mrs. Crane, threatened your uncle's life? Yes, I was, Mr. Keene. And how did Henry Kellogg react to it? Uncle Henry was very calm. But he said he intended to go right on doing what he felt was best. Then Mrs. Crane turned and left the room. I'll never forget the look of hatred in her eyes. Well, sure, and he never said a word to us, Mr. Keene, about her daughter being mixed up with the murdered man. However, Paul Kellogg has taken good care to mention it, haven't you, Paul? Doris, I didn't hear you come in. No, no. You were much too busy trying to cast suspicion on my mother. Uh, Mr. Keene, this is Doris Crane, the housekeeper's daughter. How do you do, Doris? This is my partner, Mike Clancy. Pleased to meet you. Mr. Keene, mother tells me she's asked your help in clearing her of suspicion in the murder. Well, she's going to need it with someone like Paul Kellogg spreading lies about her. Lies? One moment, please. Tell me, Doris, just what was your relationship with the murdered man Paul Kellogg? Well, I planned to marry him, Mr. Keene. He was head over heels in love with me. Of all the rotten luck for this to happen. You don't mind my saying so, Doris. You don't seem grief-stricken about the murder of the man you loved. I didn't say I loved Henry Kellogg. I wanted to be mistress of this estate. I wanted expensive clothes, jewels, and lots of money to spend. He could have given me those things. He never heard anything so cold-blooded. Cold-blooded? I'm simply being truthful, Mr. Clancy. Which is more than you can say for Henry Kellogg's nephew Paul. Just what is that supposed to mean? Why not tell Mr. Keene about your own relationship with your uncle? And just what was that relationship, Doris? Mr. Keene, Doris is making a mountain out of nothing. I'm perfectly willing to tell you that Uncle Henry and I never got along too well. In fact, two weeks ago he ordered you off the estate. Is that true, Mr. Kellogg? Yes, Mr. Keene, it's true. I told Uncle Henry right to his face that I thought he was a fool for wanting to marry Doris. A girl young enough to be his granddaughter. He ordered me to get out of the house. And I know that what Doris here is insinuating that I murdered Uncle Henry to get his money. I'm not so sure that you didn't, Paul Kellogg. That's a lie. You know very well I didn't. Now, Mr. Kellogg, do you inherit any of your murdered uncle's estate? No, Mr. Keene. I haven't a chance of getting a penny of it. I'm not even mentioned in his will. So I had no reason whatever to murder him. Oh! What? Since preserves. What was that? It's Mr. Keene. It's Mother. It came from a study. Come on, Mike. Mr. Keene. Mr. Keene, come here for the study quickly. What is it, Mrs. Keene? Look, there's the window, boss. It's a man trying to climb out. After him, Mike. Right, sir. Oh, no, you don't, ma'am. Fuck all you're staying right here. Get away from me. Keep away. I'm warning you. Oh, so it's a fight you're after? Is it one hour yet? There now. Oh, still, Mr. Sneaking into other people's houses, are you? Mrs. Green, do you know this man? Yes, Mr. Keene. It's Jasper Gibbs, the man I told you about. The one whose farm was foreclosed by Mr. Kellogg. Window. What do you think of that? Oh, he gave me such a scare. I was coming along the hall when I saw him at the desk in the study. The minute I screamed, he started for the window. And, Mike, you'd better search Jasper Gibbs. He may be armed. No. Take your hands off me. The hall's still now. Well, now, take a look at this boss. A long, ugly knife in the pocket of his overalls. Give me that. Not until you tell us what you meant to do with it, Jasper Gibbs. And explain why you broke into this house. I advise you to tell the truth. Because right now, you appear to be the most logical suspect in Henry Kellogg's murder. Mr. Keene will return in just a moment. But first, if you'd like to know a quick, easy way to ease the pain of headache, neuritis, or neuralgia, then by all means try anison. Your own dentist or physician may, at one time or another, have handed you an envelope containing anison tablets. Then you already know how incredibly fast and effectively anison brings relief. Anison is like a doctor's prescription. That is, anison contains not just one, but a combination of medically proven, active ingredients. For your own sake, try anison. Anison is sold to you on this guarantee. If the first few tablets do not give you all the relief you want as fast as you want it, you may return the unused portion and your money will be refunded. You can get anison tablets at any drug counter. Anison comes in handy boxes of 12 and 30 tablets and economical family size bottles of 50 and 100. Now back to Mr. Keene and the abandoned well murder case. Mr. Keene, the great investigator and his partner Mike Clancy, are investigating the mysterious murderer of wealthy Henry Kellogg, who was shot to death. His body was found at the bottom of a well on an abandoned farm next to his estate. A moment ago, Jasper Gibbs, an embittered old farmer, was found hiding in the study of the Kellogg home. Now, as Henry Kellogg's nephew Paul, his housekeeper Rachel Crane and Rachel's daughter Doris look on, Mr. Keene is saying to Jasper Gibbs, you'd better explain what you're doing here Jasper Gibbs. I've got nothing to say. You've got no right to question me. He's got every right, Mr. This is Mr. Keene. Mr. Keene, the investigator? All right, I'll tell you why I come here. When I heard about Henry Kellogg being murdered, his body found in the old well on my farm. Your farm? You mean the farmer joining this estate belongs to you? It was mine, till Henry Kellogg foreclosed the mortgage and took it away from me. And you swore that you would get even with him, didn't you Gibbs? Well, I was pretty sore, Mr. Keene. I went to Henry Kellogg and I told him what I thought of him. Did you also tell him you would kill him? Well, maybe I did. Don't remember. You know very well you did, Jasper Gibbs. You keep out of this, Rachel Crane. Mr. Keene, I've come here to find out what they were saying about me. Mrs. Crane, the housekeeper and her daughter Doris. I came in and I hid in Henry Kellogg's study, or see what I could over here. Why, that's ridiculous. Perhaps you meant to commit another murder. Watch out, what you're accusing, Mrs. Crane. Maybe you won't talk so fast when I tell Mr. Keene what I know about Henry Kellogg and your daughter. What you know about me? How dare you? One moment, Doris. What is it you know, Gibbs? Just this, Mr. Keene. This girl Doris Crane. She used to meet Henry Kellogg secretly down by the abandoned well, the place where he was murdered. I saw them there together a lot of times. Well? Then what have you did? And I wouldn't be surprised if you met him there the other night, Doris Crane, and put that bullet through his heart. Mr. Keene, this man's insane. Why should I murder Henry Kellogg? I ain't headed to marry him. It's quite possible, Doris, that Henry Kellogg may have changed his mind about marrying you. You admitted to me that you didn't love him. Perhaps he found that out. Oh, Mr. Keene, why, you don't know what you're saying. My daughter Doris wouldn't commit a murder. Yes, for you, Mrs. Crane, the fact that you neglected to tell me you strongly opposed your daughter's relationship with Henry Kellogg, that you even threatened him... Who told you about that? Paul Kellogg, the murdered man's nephew. Yes, I did, Mrs. Crane. I felt Mr. Keene should know all the facts. Including the fact that you and your uncle hated each other? Mr. Keene knows about my quarrels with Uncle Henry. He also knows that I would have had nothing to gain by killing him. Mr. Keene, maybe I know something that'll help you. What is it, Jasper Gims? If you come down to the old mill with me, the old well, the place where Henry Kellogg was murdered, something I got to show you. Boss, I'll bet it's a trick. Very well, Gims. Now the rest of you wait here, please. Come along, Mike. Let's find out what it is that Jasper Gims is so anxious to show us at the scene of the murder. There's the old well right up ahead, Mr. Keene. So I see. Now then, Gims, what did you want to show us? Mr. Keene, soon as I heard about Henry Kellogg being murdered, here at the old well, I came snooping around and I found something that the police didn't notice. Right there, where I'm hiding. What is it, Mr. Keene, sir? There seems to be some tiny pieces of glass at the edge of the well, Mike. That's right. And back at the house I seen the housekeeper's daughter, Doris Crane. She was wearing a necklace made of glass beads. It was overseas, right, boss? I saw the necklace myself. And so did I, Mike. But Jasper Gims, it seems to me you're very eager to plant suspicion on Doris Crane. I'm only trying to help you find Henry Kellogg's murderer. Well, I'll put these slivers of glass in my pocket and Mike and I will be getting back to the house. Where are you staying, Gims? Well, I got a room in town. I warn you, don't try to leave. Or you may find yourself in an even more dangerous position than you already are. Come along, Mike. Let's get back to Henry Kellogg's house. Well, here's the front door, Mr. Keene. They've got the light slit inside. It's getting dark. I'll ring the doorbell, Mike. And Mike, remember, not a word about those slivers of glass we found at the old well. I'm sure I won't say a thing, sir. Oh, Mr. Keene and Mr. Clancy, come in. Yes, Mrs. Crane. Well, what did that crazy old man Jasper Gims have to show you down at the well? Nothing of importance, Mrs. Crane. Of course not. He's an eccentric old crackpot. But completely harmless. I'm not so sure, Paul Kellogg. In fact, I've been wondering just why he sneaked in here a while ago and what he was doing at the desk in your uncle's study. My uncle kept all his private papers in that desk. Mr. Keene, do you think... Maybe Jasper Gims was trying to steal the mortgage papers hoping to get his farm back. I'm afraid that wouldn't do him much good. Maybe we ought to keep the door to that study locked, at least until Uncle Henry's murder is caught. I think that's a good idea, Mr. Kellogg. None of your uncle's private papers should be touched until I've had a chance to go over them thoroughly. In fact, I want to search the entire study for a possible clue. Do you want to do that now, Mr. Keene? No, it's getting late. But Mike and I will do it first thing in the morning. Mrs. Crane, is there a room for us to spend the night in here in the house? Oh, yes, Mr. Keene. You and Mr. Clancy can have the guest room on the second floor. Good. And Mrs. Crane, do you have the key to Henry Kellogg's study? Why, yes. It's here on the mantle. Mr. Kellogg always kept it in this little box. Would you give the key to Mike Clancy, please? But I... Why do you hesitate, Mrs. Crane? I... very well. Here's the key, Mr. Clancy. Well, thanks. Mike, I want you to lock the door to Henry Kellogg's study and keep the key in your pocket. Right, sir. Tomorrow morning we'll go over every inch of the study. Because I have a feeling we may discover something in that room, which may lead us straight to Henry Kellogg's murderer. Well, Mr. Keene, it's 1.30 in the morning. We've been hiding here in Henry Kellogg's study for two hours. I don't think we'll have much longer to wait, Mike. I'm sure none of them heard us come in here. Well, boss, do you think... Wait, Mike. Someone's at the window. Quick, let's get in that closet. Right, sir. Leave the closet door open just to crack, Mike, so we can see and hear what goes on. Okay. Someone's claiming in the window. Just as I expected, since Preserver's boss says. Right, Mike. Open the closet door, Mike. Good evening, Paul Kellogg. Keene and Clancy, what are you doing here? We don't have to ask what you're doing here. You came to get that envelope from the secret drawer in your uncle's desk. Hand it over, please. No, the boss says to hand it over. There's the envelope, Mr. Keene, sir. Thank you, Mike. Look inside. Look at this, Mike. It's a fortune in negotiable bonds. I should say at least $200,000 worth. Give me those bonds. I don't think so, Paul Kellogg. I'll need them as evidence that you murdered your uncle Henry Kellogg. You're out of your mind, Keene. You can't prove a thing. I have evidence that puts you on the scene of the crime. You claim that you first heard of your uncle's murder this morning, but I found slivers of glass near the spot where he was shot to death. What does that prove? Later, I noticed that the crystal on your wristwatch is broken. You must have smashed it when you pushed your uncle's body into the well. It'll be an easy matter to prove that the slivers of glass came from your watch. You're licked, mister, so you may as well admit it. Paul, I'd all admit it. I murdered my uncle to get those bonds. A month ago, I found out by accident that he kept them in that secret drawer in his desk. Nobody knew about them. They weren't even mentioned in his will. But I knew I'd have to work fast before he married that girl Doris Crane, and she found out about them. So you murdered your uncle, hoping to pin the crime on Doris or her mother. You planned to come back here later to get hold of the hidden bonds. But a few hours ago, when you suggested that the study door be kept locked, I suspected the truth that something was hidden in here that you were anxious to get your hands on. So you laid a trap for me. All right, Keen, but you haven't trapped me yet. Get your hands up, both of you! Watch it, boss! You shot me in the hand! Lucky I didn't put a bullet in your head, Kellogg. I was waiting for you to pull a gun, so I shot right through my coat pocket. Good work, Mike. You can take Paul Kellogg into custody. And when he faces a judge in jury, he'll learn the price he'll have to pay for murder. And so Mr. Keen finds this pollution to the abandoned well murder case. Here's a word from RCA Victor. When you buy RCA Victor Television with RCA Factory Service, you get television's greatest combination. Any RCA Victor Television owner can get RCA Factory Service with or without a contract. If your RCA Victor Television set needs attention, simply call the RCA Service Company branch nearest you. Attention, engineers. RCA is the world leader in radio, first in television and first in recorded music. To maintain this position and to achieve even greater development in this unlimited field of electronics, RCA can use more engineers. RCA is producing electronic products for the armed forces, as well as a wide variety of commercial products and needs qualified engineers for these long-range projects now. If you are an electronics engineer, RCA can offer you substantial opportunities. Send a complete resume of your education and experience to Radio Corporation of America, Box One, RCA Building, Radio City, New York. Remember, RCA Building, Box One, Radio City, New York. Listen again next week to Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons, a new weekly feature on NBC's All-Star Festival of Mystery, Comedy, Music and Drama, brought to you by Chesterfield, always milder, better tasting, cooler smoking, plus no unpleasant aftertaste. By Anderson, for fast relief from pain of headache, neuritis and neuralgia, and by RCA Victor, world leader in radio, first in recorded music and first in television. Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons, is based on the novel Mr. Keen. The radio sequel is originated and produced by Frank and Ann Hummert. Dialogue by Gene Carroll, directed by Richard Leonard. Philip Clark plays Mr. Keen, your announcer Jack Costello. Remember, Mr. Keen is now on the air at this new time every Friday at 9.30 Eastern Daylight Saving Time. Don't miss Mr. Keen next Friday, when the kindly old Tracer turns to the poisoned sandwich murder Keen. Next, it's music with Roy Shields on NBC.