 Blair of the Mounties, a story of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. We present the 22nd episode in Blair of the Mounties. Our story is set in Victoria, British Columbia, lying like a jewel in Canada's western gate. Victoria presents a picture of quiet homes and old world English gardens, flowering in the calm sunshine. A city that stands apart from the noise and bustle of the modern world. Our friend Inspector Blair has moved up in society. Tonight is the occasion of a ball at Government House in honour of the young southern of Tallango. As the scene opens, we find Blair at the hotel, struggling into evening dress with the doubtful assistance of Sergeant Marshall. Good Lord, it's a quarter to nine, Marshall. How does this tie look? Looks like the devil, if you ask me. Do you have a go at it, Marshall? Oh, nothing doing, I'm a poor hand at millinery. Why not stick a pin in it? Oh, don't be silly. It's a wonderful thing to be in society. You're getting to be quite a nib, Inspector. Oh, dry up, Marshall. You can find that out of the stud, will you? Who is this southern bloke, anyway? He's a Malayan prince. Very wealthy, I believe. Goes about wearing expensive jewels. That's why I'm in on this confounded ball. Afraid somebody might pinch his regalia. I don't like that. Wonder if Miss Guest is ready. There she is now. Come in. Oh, do hurry, Inspector. It's a quarter to nine in the car. I haven't said come here and help me with this tie, Miss Guest. Oh, dear. How ever did you get it like that? Oh, still. That's all this poodle-faking business, anyhow. Oh, do keep still. That's better. Hand me that coat, Marshall. Splendid. You really look awfully nice, Inspector. Reminds me of a prized bulldog. All right, you would like it out of this kit, my boy. No, fair. Go ahead. Here we are. Come on, Miss Guest. We'll just make it if we hurry. Hey, wake up, Marshall. Come on. Oh, who is it? Oh, hello. Oh, what's that? Is the party over? Yes, it's Turk's heart. Got any whiskey? Yes, it's in the door. Help yourself. All right. Let me get this confounded collar off before I strangle to death. That's better. Have a good time at the party. Good time? What do you think? I was busy dodging after this sultanchap. He's quite a boy. The women took quite a fancy to him. Hmm. Disgusting. Can he speak English? Of course, just as well as I can. He's quite civilized, wore ordinary evening clothes except for a silk turban. Any jewelry? Yes, he had an enormous ruby in his turban. The most gorgeous thing I ever saw. Worth having knows how much. It's a very famous stone, a star ruby. Hmm. Is it stopping at Government House? No, he's staying with the Colonel Endley on Rockland Avenue. Colonel's a nice old fellow. Spent most of his life in Burma and the Mille Peninsula. So he's acting as host to the sultan. I got through at 135. Saw the sultan home at the Colonel's house. And that finishes my job. Oh, hello. Yes? Yes, Mr Blair speaking. Hello? Oh, yes, Perry, what's wrong? What? Dead. You sure? Good heavens, when? I see. Yes. All right, I'll be right out. Who's that now? That's a sultan. Stab to death at Colonel Endley's. Roll out, Marshal, it's a job. Hmm, that's nice. I say, how do you stand on the responsibility? All right, in one sense. All the party home. The local police had a couple of men on at the Colonel's house. So it's not exactly up to me. But the lieutenant governor wants me to take charge. Looks like an interesting case, Marshal. Yes. Hurry up, Marshal. Bring that fingerprint outfit. I'll run along and tell Miss Guest what's doing. You're the only one I get back. Righto, Inspector. Inspector Blair, RCMP. Colonel Endley here. Oh, yes. Come in, Inspector. This way. Ah, who's this gentleman? This is Sergeant Marshal. He's my assistant, sir. I see. This is the most terrible business, Inspector. Yes. Can I see where it happened? Ah, yes. Doctor Pollan is there now. This way, Inspector. Morning, Inspector. Morning, Doctor. Have you moved anything? No. Just looking things over, Inspector. Very curious case. Where's the wound, Doctor? See this narrow slit in the shoulder of the coat? Some sort of thin knife or dagger was driven down inside the collarbone penetrating the heart. But there isn't any blood. No, there wouldn't be, except very little at the point of entrance. The hemorrhage would be internal. Hmm, a very curious wound. I took out the weapon. Permit me, gentlemen. Now that Inspector Blair is here, I understand you're in charge of the investigation, Inspector. Hey, so, Colonel Endley, what were you going to say? Inspector, I feel a very serious responsibility in this matter. For many years, I was political advisor to the old sultan of Telangor, the father of this unfortunate young man. Yes, but what about this wound? Quite so. It is no doubt unfamiliar to a western mind, but in the Malay Peninsula are very familiar things. Really? Let's have the explanation then, sir. Get this down, Marshal. Yes, sir. You see, the doctor had the weapon with which the crime was committed. Permit me, doctor. Hold on. Don't touch that piece, Colonel Endley. Ah, yes. As you wish. It is a small Malayan crisp with a slightly waved blade and a heavy handle. Both edges are as sharp as a razor. The point is very slender. Yes, I see. Why would it be used in this way? It is a familiar method, as I said. The weapon is held vertically. The point is placed in the depression behind the collarbone. The sharp downward blow on the heavy hilt with the flat of the hand drives the point directly into the heart. Ah, I see. That's a new one on me. Very ingenious. Yes, it requires considerable experience. I have seen a number of such cases. The thing is all too familiar to me, unfortunately. Who found him, Colonel? I did myself. When the prince came in, he sat down to rest in this chair before the fire. His personal servant came to attend his master. I was due to see that the prince's suite was ready. Just a moment, sir. How many personal attendants has the prince with him? One only. Prince, you see, is very modern. His servant had our Ali. An old and trusted servant is his only attendant. And where is this servant? That inspector is the mystery. The house and grounds have been searched by the local police. No one was seen to leave the house. The servant is not to be found. Do you suspect him of this crime, Colonel Enderley? I have no opinion, Inspector. I shall leave that to the police. It seems the wisest cause. You may depend, however, on my utmost assistance in this. Thank you, sir. I understand this star ruby is missing. Any idea about that? Ah, there is one thing. As I left the room, the servant was in the act of removing the prince's turban. You see, the turban is here on the table. But the jewel is gone. Tell me, was it usual for the servant to do this? Quite usual, Inspector. That is the first thing always when the prince returns home. Not only to remove the turban, but also to remove the jewel to a place of safety. Where would that be in this case? To a small, strong box containing jewelry in the prince's bedroom. But perhaps it's there all right. No. The box is open. All the other jewelry is intact. But the ruby is not there. I verified this in company with the chief of the local police who has taken the box away for safekeeping. I see. This ruby was extremely valuable. A very fine stone, I believe. Ah, yes, indeed. A glorious stone. The fire of the tropics burned in its heart. Like a sacred flame that has no ending. Forgive me, gentlemen. I'm an enthusiast. But such great stones are beyond the nice lenderine. I see. Well, Colonel, Marshall and I have some routine work to do, and I'd like to talk to Dr. Pauling. Quite so. You'll ring if you require any further assistance. Thank you. Well, Doctor, what do you think? It's a very funny case, Inspector. That description of the wound is the cause of death. Does that check up? Yes, as far as I can see, without a post mortem. Oh, here's Macmillan of the city police. How are you, Inspector? Oh, hey. Hello, Mac. Understand you're looking after this case. Yes, those are the orders. Don't want to tread on your toes, though, Mac. You won't do that, Inspector. You know how we feel. The chief and I are right with you. Rather, you had this job than us. Thanks, Mac. Is it all right to move the body? Yes, we've got everything, I think. Go ahead, soon as you like. Just a minute. How about that native servant? No, we got Warrenans out. Sure to pick him up. To know how we got out of here, we are men in the garden. Yes, it is funny. You think he did it? Not a doubt in the world. That's not jump to conclusions. Don't you see? That Malayan dagger gives him away. And that method of using it, too. Maybe. Yes, well, let's leave that. We mustn't start getting yet. Where are all the servants in this house? There is nobody here except the butler. Why? How's that? Oh, it's a queer household. There are three other servants. They only work here in the detain. Only the colonel and the butler purpose sleep on the premises. I see. What's all of a man is this butler? He's an old and trusted servant. Been with the colonel endally ever since he was a young soldier. He was the colonel's servant in the army. That's interesting. We will be getting along, Marshal. By the way, Mac, how many men have you on duty? There's one in the room here and three in the groan. And one at the gate. And I'll be here till daybreak. May I keep a close watch, Mac? I'll see to it, Inspector. Then I'll see you in the morning. Good night, dear. Inspector Blair. Oh, hello, Miss Guest. Find anything out about that ruby? Rather, I've got the whole story. What? Oh, dear, I don't mean about murder. Just the star ruby. I'll bring something for a minute. Well, really, I have got a theory, Inspector. Hold it, hold it. Thanks, First Miss Guest. What about this stone? Yes, it's extremely valuable of course. I know that. What's its history? I'm coming to that. It's been missing for 40 years. How do you mean missing? Quite was stolen from a Buddhist temple in Telangor. It used to be on an image of Buddha. Oh, sure. But that doesn't mean anything. How did the prince get it? That's the question. You see, he had a passion for precious stones. But until the appearance of this ruby at the ball, the stone hadn't been seen for years. And what do you think? I think the prince must have acquired it privately and kept it dark in his own country. Then on this trip he may have yielded the temptation to wear the stone in his turban. Then you think this crime was a sort of a religious murder? I certainly think so. Yes, it might be. But if that's so, it lets out the native servants. It might, of course. But in that case, where is he? That's what we have to find out. The Telangor monasteries run by a very curious brotherhood of Buddhist monks. Don't you think it's possible that they found out about the prince having the ruby, traced him to Victoria, pulled off that murder and got the stone back? That's a theory. If so, how did they gain entrance to Colonel Enderley's house? And how did they get away? Haven't you thought of the possibility that the murderer may still be there? Yes, of course. That's why we're keeping the place so closely watched. Somehow, I don't think that's any good. What makes you think so? There's a funny thing I learned about Colonel Enderley through intelligence channels. Well, let's have it. He spent 28 years in Burma and the Malay Peninsula. Yes, I got that. And 15 years ago, he became a Buddhist. Can't you get that? Good lord, no. The 22 of Blair of the Mountains, being the first part of the star ruby of Telangor. For the second and concluding part of this story, tune in for Episode 23 in the series.