 What is it? It's a case for Nick Carter, master detective. Yes, it's another case for that most famous of all man hunters. The detective whose ability at solving crime is unequaled in the history of detective fiction. Nick Carter, master detective. But it's not true, June, darling. Don't you suppose I'd know it if you were going crazy? But why do I hear these noises all the time? Why am I so cold when it's really warm in here? Listen, June, you're just working yourself up over nothing. Now, why don't you hear that? Alex told me my mother acted the same way, silly. My husband didn't mean that. That mother heard noises like thunder in her ears. He told me that she was cold and shivering no matter what the temperature was. Alex told me that. Well, even if that's true, it doesn't prove it. It does, it does. I'll kill myself before I let them take me away. I won't go to an asylum. I won't. I won't. A young girl convinced that she is going insane. A fiance who is not convinced, who doubts that it can be true in spite of the evidence, and appealed to Nick Carter, master detective, the uncovering of a strange and unnatural plot, not for money, not for power, but for hate. This is the story unfolded in the case of the demented daughter. That must be Randy Wyatt. I made a date for him to see you at 1030. Is Mr. Carter here yet? Yes, he is. Won't you come in? Thank you. Mr. Carter? Yes? I'm Randy Wyatt. Your father and mine used to be pretty good friends. That's why I'm taking the liberty of asking you to help me now. Why, no liberty at all. Come in, sit down. Thank you, sir. What seems to be the trouble? Well, last night, I got this note from the girl I'm engaged to. She sent my ring back with it. May I see it? It's no use, Randy, darling. I'm doomed. And I won't have you burdened with an insane wife. So this is goodbye, your heartbroken June. I tried to call her as soon as I got the note, but the housekeeper wouldn't let me talk to her. I said she was too ill to come to the phone. Well, have you seen any signs of this insanity, she speaks of? I know, and I don't believe it. There's been something funny going on somewhere. She's been a little more nervous than usual when we'd been out together this past month, but that isn't insanity. You say when we've been out together. Does that mean that you don't see her at home much? Well, for the past month, she seemed to prefer to get out of the house. Doesn't want to stay home anymore. Well, have you seen her at home at all? Well, I was there one night about a week ago. Her sister, Phyllis, and her brother-in-law, Alex Benson were out, and we spent the evening there alone. Did she seem to be the same as usual? Why, except for one little thing, yes. She complained that she felt cold, almost shivery. The house was cold even for me. The thermometer said 78, but it wasn't as warm as that in there. But the fact that she was cold when the thermometer said 78 seemed to prey on her mind. I tried to tell her that thermometer was wrong and that I was chilly, too, but she insisted I would just be nice to her. I see. Well, is there any reason to be afraid of going out of her mind? When I was waiting for June the other night, Alex, her brother-in-law, warned me that she was acting queer. Said he felt I ought to know. Told me her mother died in the Harrah Hill Sanitarium. I tried to laugh at him, but he insisted he and Phyllis had seen definite symptoms. Anyone else live there with June beside Phyllis and her husband? The housekeeper, Ms. Everett, a cook and a maid. They must have plenty of money. Oh, yes. June's father was a rich man. And he left his entire estate to be divided between the two girls. How long ago did her mother go to the sanitarium? Let me see. June was six then, so it must have been 1932. She died there in 1940. I see. What does this Alex Benson do? He has a very good business, I understand. Doing very well. And this housekeeper you spoke of? Has she been with him long? Since a couple of years after Ms. Kemper was taken away. She's a peppery old lady, but an excellent housekeeper. She and Phyllis brought June up. I'd like to talk to you if you want to say a word. Can you arrange it? That's what I'd hoped you'd say, Mr. Carter. June isn't crazy. I know that. Just as sure as I know my own name. Well, when can we see her? Around five this afternoon, perhaps? We can try. Where shall I meet you? You better be here at the office about 4.30. We'll go up together. I'll be here. Oh, Mr. Carter, I do hope you can straighten this out. I'll certainly do what I can, Wyatt. You're swell, Mr. Carter. Well, see you at 4.30. Goodbye. So long. Goodbye, Mr. Wyatt. Oh, the poor kid. Losing her mind at her age. I'm not at all sure she is, Betsy. Huh? Look at this note she sent Wyatt. Well, what about it? Writing looks awkward, but she was probably upset. Well, look closely. See how the pencil bears down much harder in some places than in others? Yes. It's not always in the places where the lines would naturally be heavier. Which means? One explanation would be that somebody was guiding her hand, forcing her to write this. Betsy, I think we'll do some checking up. OK. What do we do? Call Scuppy the paper. Ask him for a full report on both Phyllis and Alex Benson. Society doings and any other information he may find them more. Also tell him to check up on Alex's business and financial ratings. All right. Anything else? Yes. I want you to call in the housekeeper. Give her some excuse, find out all you can about it. I'll tell you what. I'll pretend I'm making a check up of the conditions under which housekeepers work for some magazine, say. That'll do it. Good. While you do that, I'm going down to the surrogate's office and take a look at the father's will. If there's any conspiracy going on, there's very likely to be money involved. OK, Nick. See you here as soon as I get the dope by Mrs. Everett. As I told you when you called, young lady, I can give you only a few minutes. Well, I'm glad you could see me at all, Mrs. Everett. We can sit here in the breakfast room. Thank you. Now, ask your questions, and I'll answer them if they're not personal. Well, they are personal, but only in a general way. How long have you been here? Since 1936, the year after Mrs. Kemple died. Had you worked previously? I had 14 years, two jobs. In each case, I left because I was offered more money. If somebody offered me more money than I'm getting here, I'd leave tomorrow. Are you married, Mrs. Everett? I was. My husband died. Any children? I have not. I hate them. How do you find working conditions here? I've seen better and I've seen worse. How do you get along with your employers? Mr. Kemple was a fine man. We got along well. Oh, do you mean you're having trouble with Mr. and Mrs. Benson? No, Phyllis and Alex are all right. We got along well enough, but that June, I can't stand her. I never courted. Do you have any special reason to feel that way? Or is it because you don't like children? She's a brat, always was. Used to play kicks on me when I first came here. Left a toy wagon for me to stumble over when she was little, and I fell and broke my ankle. I'd have left here then, but Mr. Kemple offered me so much money I couldn't afford to go. But I made that June pay for what she did. Why, I was, I'm talking too much. What else do you want to know? You wouldn't want to tell me what they pay you here, would you? I wouldn't. I told you not to get personal. Now, I got to go. Good day. Goodbye, and thank you, Mrs. Everett. All right, Scubby, I'll tell him. Thanks. Goodbye. Oh, hi, Patsy. How'd you make out? Here's a tight-fitting report of my interview. I didn't like that Mrs. Everett at all. Oh, she doesn't like June, no? Oh, good work, Patsy. That covers it. You really like it, Nick? I do. Get your hat. We're taking it right out to Harrow Hill Sanatorium where Mrs. Kemple died. I want to talk to the doctor out there. All right with you, Nick. Well, there went out after your phone, but he'll be back pretty soon. Nor have you heard from Scubby yet? Oh, yes, he says he found plenty of stuff about Phyllis and Alex, but nothing he'd want. Except that Alex's business is in a pretty bad shape. He needs to expand and has been having trouble getting capital to do it. Yes? Scubby says he couldn't find out whether he'd put any of his wife's money into it or not. I see. What'd you find out at the Surrogate's office? I found that Mr. Kemple left a large fortune, divided equally between the two girls. There were two interesting causes in the will. One was that should either daughter develop a mental weakness of any kind. The other daughter was to have control of the money and administered for the other's benefit. Hey, Nick, that's something. The other, Keulia, is a statement that since the circumstances surrounding the birth of the two sisters were fully taken into account and drawing the will, no claims on that basis were to be allowed under penalty of forfeiture of all rights under the will. What in the world does that mean? Wish I knew. I called the lawyer, drew it, but refused to talk about it. So I'm having Walter look up the birth certificates of both girls. Might be some help there. You think the doctor at the sanatorium could help you? I don't know. I hope so. That's one reason I want to have a talk with him. I'm sorry I can't be of more help to you, Mr. Carter, but my knowledge of the Kemple family is limited to Mrs. Kemple herself, as I said. Doctor, tell me, did Mrs. Kemple know what was happening to him? Yes, some years before it actually happened, it became evident that sooner or later she would have trouble. Hers, as I said, was a case of schizophrenia, split personality. And in her case, the other side of her was homicidal. But you say it can be inherited, doctor. It can be, but fortunately, it rarely is. Well, thank you for your time, Dr. Lennox, and for your information. I think it'll help us to get to the bottom of this. Turn left here, Mr. Carter. The Kemple place is halfway down the next block. Nick, did I hear Walter telling you he could find only Phyllis' birth certificate? That's right, Patsy. No record of June's birth at all. Why, do you know where June is born? No, I don't. Oh, by the way, Mr. Carter, I tried to get in touch with June to tell her we were coming, but the housekeeper wouldn't let me speak to her. Said she was asleep. Darling, that woman, I don't trust her at all. Is this the house? Yeah, that's it. You'll have to wait in the car, Patsy. Mrs. Everett knows you. Right, Nick. I hope we can get in. Oh, I think we'll manage somehow. If Phyllis is here, she'll let me in. When there's somebody sick in the house, you ought to know better than to make so much noise. Mrs. Everett, I'm sorry. But we must see June Kemple at once. She's in her room and in no condition to see anyone at once. Who are you? This is Mr. Nick Carter, Mrs. Everett. Please let us see June. What's the detective doing here? I'm not here as a detective. Well, there's a friend. May we see June? Very well. She's in her room. You can go up and make it as short as you can. She's sick. Thank you. Come on, Mr. Carter. I can't understand Mrs. Everett's dislike for June. She never has a good word for her. Some people are like that, Wyatt. Some people just don't say that. That's June. Come on. June, honey, what's wrong? Couldn't open the door. I couldn't make my hands open the door. It was probably stuck, June. No, no, it wasn't the door. It was me, my hands. Why, what do you mean by that, Mrs. Kemple? It's just the way my mother acted when she was sick. Alex told me about it last night. She couldn't make her hands do what she wanted. I tried to open my door, and I couldn't. I just couldn't. I had to try and try before I could get it open. Oh, Randy. Light me. Oh, come on, light me. Come now, honey, don't cry like that. I just can't stand it. Please, honey. Wyatt, look here. Oh, what is it, sir? You notice this? Wyatt, well, that's wax, isn't it? It is. Wax that someone stuffed in the latch of a door to make it difficult to open. Not impossible, just difficult. Then there is a plot to drive her insane. I knew it. Either that or a plot to make her think she's insane. Nothing very mental about a piece of wax in a door lock. Listen, June, honey, marry me right now. Now, let me get you out of this house. You'll be safe once I get you waiting here. No, Randy, I can't. It wouldn't be fair to you. Listen, someone just came in. I'm glad you got that. Randy Wyatt had done a detective while I was talking to June. And she shouldn't be seeing anyone. She was sick. I tried to keep the mouth, but I couldn't. Now, go up and see what they're doing. Is everything all right, June? Yes, Miss Benson. There's nothing wrong with June. I'm surprised you felt you had to see her when she's so ill. Miss Benson, this is Mr. Carter, a friend of mine. How do you do? I wanted him to see June. Well, now that you've seen her, you better go. Come, June. I'll take you back to your room. You better lie down and be quiet. All right, but it's no use. It's no use. Well, Mr. Carter, I guess we'll. Yes. Come on, Wyatt. I'm sorry that Phyllis seemed a little abrupt, but we're really very much worried about June. As I told you, Randy, she's exhibiting all the symptoms her mother had just before she was taken away. Alex, this is Mr. Carter. He knew my father years ago. How are you, Mr. Benson? How do you do, sir? Benson, do you happen to know where June was born? June? Yeah. No, I don't think I do. Wait a minute. It seems to me I've heard Phyllis say that she was born in Barnstable. And where's that? It's about an hour out of the city, I believe, on the River Churn Fight. Uh, Phyllis, wasn't June born in Barnstable? Yes, she was. Oh, Alex, I don't know what we're going to do with that girl. She's possessed with that one idea. And since mother, oh, I don't know what to do. Come on, Mr. Carter, we'd better get out of here. Yes, our work is finished here for now. But Nick, aren't you going to eat anything before you go? Yeah, we'll grab a sandwich and a cup of coffee on the way. Why, oh, Sim Carter, you ought to go. But what are you expecting to find in Barnstable? June was born there. Her birth certificate doesn't give us a clue to that clause in Campbell's will. Well, I'll find somebody there who can. That's why you wait here at the office for me. But what do you expect from me, Mr. Carter? You say you found the birth certificate in good order. After we finally got that guy to open up town halls so we could have a look, oh, boy, was he up and mad and being called away from his supper. Dr. Jessup, you signed the birth certificate, so you should be able to answer my question. What is there about June's birth that would cause her father to put that strange clause in his will? I couldn't tell you, Mr. Carter. Mrs. Campbell came up here for a rest, and June was born while she was here. Ah. Dr. Jessup, suppose I should tell you that I think someone is trying to make June think she's losing her mind because her mother did. Would that stir your memory? Losing her mind because her mother. Oh, no, that's impossible. Why, pardon me, I must see who's at the door. Certainly, we'll wait. It's strange that they should come to the back door. Nick, he knows something. Sure as you're a foot high, he knows something. Yes, Waldo, I think he does, and I think he's going to talk. Oh, no! Nick, sounds as if he's in... Dr. Jessup, what's wrong? Dr. Jessup. You're right. See, Leona Perkins? See, she... Look at Nick. He was shot twice right through the chest. So I see. But we didn't hear no shots. Silence, sir, apparently. Waldo, see if you can spot anyone out there. Right, Nick. I'll get him. Oh, poor guy. I hadn't come here when... Waldo! Waldo! Did you...? No, good, Nick. I thought I saw a guy hiding in the trees there, so I took a couple of shots at him. I guess it was just shadows. You ought to know better than to go shooting off that old 44 of yours blindly that way. But, Nick, I wanted you to stay here. Call the sheriff. Tell him what happened. I'm going to find Leona Perkins before someone tries to eliminate her, too. Have you got that, Patsy? Tell Mary to have his man keep constant watch on the Kimple House and tell me just who goes in or out. Uh-huh. And he's to wait until you come and report to you. Right. I'll pick you up at the office on my way back. Oh, and have Randy Wyatt there, too, so we can go with us. Oh, where did you say you are now? In Bonstable, at the home of Leona Perkins. She was June's nurse after she was born. She knows the answers if anyone does. All right, I'll see you at the office, Patsy. Sorry, Mrs. Perkins, but I had to get that call through without delay. Now, you know Dr. Jessup, of course. Yes, of course. I worked with him for 15 years. He sent you to me? Yes. I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but Dr. Jessup has just been killed. Uh, Dr. Jessup killed? Yes, shot. Someone who wanted to keep him from telling me what I came to Bonstable to find out. Dr. Jessup dead. I can't believe it. Before he died, he told me to come to you. Now, you would tell me what the mystery is about June Kemple's birth. Why are you asking these questions, Mr. Carter? Because June's sanity is in danger. June insane. She can't be. Why not? Her mother was, I understand. Died in the sanitarium. Then you understand wrongly, Mr. Carter. Her mother is perfectly sane and she's still alive. Alive and well. What's that you're saying? Do I look insane to you? You? Why, no, no, of course not. Mr. Carter, I am June's mother. You? You are June's mother. I am. June is really my daughter. Miss Perkins, I'm afraid I don't understand. Why was she brought up as the Kemple's child? Mrs. Kemple had one daughter and she wanted another desperately. But she knew she was gradually going out of her mind and she was afraid if she bore another child, it too might be susceptible to the same red disease. So she decided to adopt a baby, but secretly, to prevent any possible discrimination against it. She made inquiries in several places. Dr. Jessup heard of her search and came to me. How did it happen to come to you? It was my doctor. My husband had just been killed in an accident and my baby was to be born in three days. We were very poor and I was frantic with worry. I had no money, Mr. Carter, no relatives. I'd never worked a day in my life. I could see no way to provide for the child who was coming. And you agreed to give up your baby? Yes. In the moment of weakness, I did. When June was born, Dr. Jessup registered hers being born to Mrs. Kemple instead of to me. Oh, perhaps it was wrong of him, but he felt it was the wisest thing to do. You've never seen her since? No, Mr. Carter. But only as I've regretted my decision, I'd sworn I'd never try to see her again. And I never have. Did anyone else beside you, the doctor and the Kemples know of this? No, not a soul. Even Phyllis was never told. She believes June to be her own natural sister. I doubt that she does now. Mrs. Perkins, you must go back to the city with me at once. Not only June's sanity, but her life may be in danger at this very moment. And you say you've found some real evidence, Nick? The best in the world, Patsy. I found Mrs. Perkins here. Well, I understand, Nick. You'll know the whole story in a few minutes, as soon as we get to the Kemples' house. Is it a plot against June, Mr. Carter? Is she really all right? Yes, Wyatt, I believe so. It'll take time to get her back on her feet, but basically, she's as sane as you or I. But who would want to do a thing like this? It'd only be one person. And how she found out about it, I don't know. But she did, obviously. Mr. Carter, how much further? I promised once I'd never see June again, but now I... That's one promise that is better broken than kept. Well, here we are. Well, that makes you a maddie's man across the street. You three go in. I'll be with you as soon as I get his report. I must protest, Mr. Carter. This is outrageous. This is final tonight. It has to be done this way. Everybody's here, Nick, all except Phyllis. She's been in bed with a migraine headache ever since dinner. Ah, I will go ahead without her. OK. June? Yes? You say various things happen to you that seem to indicate that you're losing your mind. Yes, Mr. Carter. Just like my poor mother when... She was losing her mind. How do you know about your mother? Oh, I... I... Alex told me. Alex told you? Mm-hmm. Mr. Benson? May I ask if you knew Mrs. Kemple? Well, I know I didn't. She died before I met Phyllis. And how do you know how she reacted while she was going to pieces? Well, I've heard the story from Phyllis. Complete with details? Well, yes. Recently? Well, I guess she has told me more in the last few weeks than she ever did before, but what are you getting at? I won't let them take me away. I'll kill myself first. I will. I will. Steady, June. Steady. That won't be necessary. There's nothing wrong with you mentally and there never has been. But... But all those queer things... Every single one of those things is a trick. Suggestion planted in your mind. But my mother died in that place. No, June. You're wrong. She didn't. What? What? What? June's mother is alive and well today. I'd like to introduce her to you. Mrs. Leona Perkins. Sir, Mrs. Perkins... I knew it! This is the most fantastic story I ever heard. Are you sure? I am. I have positive proof. Dr. Jessup's story and Mrs. Perkins' story which can be backed up with documentary proof. And if you want something you can see for yourself, look at June's little finger. I've just now noticed how she has the same peculiar little crook at the end of it that Mrs. Perkins has. My golly, Nick, you're right. It's just the same. You're... My mother. My real mother? Yes, June, darling. Your real mother. Oh, my... Mr. Carter, who in heaven's name would want to do this to June? A person who was afraid that she might be susceptible to the thing that killed her mother and consequently hated the person who wasn't. A person who wanted to prove that it was someone else, not her who was the weak one. Carter, do you realize what you're saying? Unfortunately, Benson, I do. But you mean that Phyllis... Phyllis? Of course he doesn't, Alex. That's sheer nonsense. Mrs. Benson, didn't you help June write the note that broke her engagement to Randy Wyatt? Yes, at her request. After you'd taught me into doing it. And didn't you suggest that June heard things and felt things? And then when you got her believing she did, didn't you suggest to Alex that those things were a sign of mental weakness? She did. I can tell now. She was always asking me if I didn't feel this or hear that. I thought she was trying to help me, but... I was trying to help. Where have you been the last two, three hours? In my room with a headache. No, you weren't. You drove to Barnstable's. Shot Dr. Jessup, so he couldn't tell me the secret and came back here. My man saw you come in. You sneaked in the back door and up to your room, changed your shoes because they got muddy in the doctor's backyard, and then you came down here to brazen it out. Randy, if you look, I'm sure you'll find the muddy shoes in her room and you'll find the motor of her car still hot. And probably you'll find a gun in her car too. I'll take a look right now. See where you are, all of you. You may find the muddy shoes, but I've got the pistol right here and I'm going to kill you all. You're a pack of sneaky, filthy... Better take it away, officer, before she hurts someone. Officer, I'll take that gun. I'll sit down, take it. Shit! All right, all right. No harm done. Alex, take her upstairs. Keep her in her room. Yes, Mr. Coyle. Come on, Phyllis. Sure, lock me up. Just the way they locked my mother up. You think I'm crazy, but I'm not. I'm as sane as any of you. I'll show you, I'll show you. How could you do such a thing, Phyllis? Why should you hate me so? Why shouldn't I hate you? I've hated you from the moment I found those old letters of father's after he died. Those letters from Dr. Jessup which gave away the whole story. Dr. Jessup said he hoped I'd never suffer as my mother did. Said he could understand how pleased father was to know that there was no possibility of you having inherited any tendency to a mental weakness. I knew what he meant, and I hated you for it. I wish I'd killed you long ago. Come, Phyllis. You'll feel better in your own room. Mrs. Everett, will you come with us, please? Of course, Mr. Best. Take your hands off me. What a terrible thing. Yes. She never found those letters. This whole thing might never have happened. They not only turned her against June, they planted the fear of insanity in her own mind. And the hate and the fear together grew into a phobia that was too strong for her. Mr. Carter, I don't know what to say. If there's any way I can repay you, you have only to name it. Oh, yes, Mr. Carter. I feel as if a load had been lifted off my heart. This is a wonderful thing you've done, Mr. Carter. A wonderful thing. God bless you for doing it. Nick? In the excitement, I forgot. Forgot what? Waldo. What about Waldo? Waldo is being held in Barnstable on charge of killing Dr. Jessup. What? Yes. He called us before you got back, said he'd try to explain what happened, but the sheriff didn't believe him. Especially since two shots had been fired from his pistol and two shots killed Dr. Jessup. Poor Waldo. I suppose the more they questioned him, the more excited he got that he finally talked himself right into his cell. You better do something about it, Nick, before Waldo goes crazy before he... OK, OK, Patsy. I'll use your phone, June. Certainly. Well, operator, I want the sheriff's office in Barnstable. There's the sheriff over there, Brad. And I want to talk to the sheriff himself. Yes, the sheriff. Well, Nick, how about a little look in the next week's story? Now, sooner said than done, Hugh. It all started with a man being strangled in his hotel room in the very early hours of the morning. And then went on to include a piece of silk torn from a shirt, a dictaphone record, and a missing wife. Who was missing because her husband wanted it that way, but refused to stay missing when she received a letter containing a railroad ticket. It was really the hotel maid. Patsy, say something for next week. Uh, what do you call your story, Nick? I call it the case of the dictaphone murder. Nick Carter, master detective, which is produced and directed by Jock McGregor, is copyrighted by Street and Smith Publications Incorporated. Pictured stories of Nick Carter appear in every issue of the Shadow Comics. In the broadcast of Nick Carter, master detective, Lon Clark is starred as Nick, Charlotte Manson is featured as Patsy. Original music is played by George Wright. Script is by Jock McGregor and Peggy Mayer. Any resemblance of these programs to actual persons living or dead or to actual places is purely coincidental. Nick Carter, master detective, is presented over most of these mutual stations each week at this same time. This is Hugh Sanders saying so long, until next week. This program was heard in Canada through the facilities of the Canadian...