 You're twice as sure with two great names, Frigidaire and General Motors. Frigidaire presents Herbert Marshall as the man called X. Whenever there is mystery, intrigue, romance, in all the strange and dangerous places of the world, there you will find the man called X. Now Frigidaire presents Herbert Marshall as Ken Thurston, the man called X. Good evening, Mr. Thurston. I have a little message for you. If you don't mind, I'll give it to you right now. Yes? Have you got Cairo? Not yet, Chief. We're still trying, but the wire's to Cairo. I don't care how busy they are. There must be some worry by now about Thurston's killers. Get out of them again. Tell them I want action fast. Yes, sir. I'll try immediately. Now what do you want, Pagan? I wanted to tell you something very important about the late departed, Mr. Thurston. Something I'm sure you never realized, Mr. Chief. I happen to be his only heir. Is what? So many times he told me, Pagan, when I go, I wish to leave everything to you. Unfortunately, I don't know where all his money is, but if you would help me to locate it for a reason of a commission... Pagan, you dirty, chiseling, black-hearted... Yes, I know, I know, but if you would help me collect his estate, I could give you percentage. A small one, of course, but... Get out of my office. Get out before I... Yes? There's a call from Cairo, sir. It just came through. I'll take it. Hello? Hello? You sound a skeptic, Chief. And what if I do? What business is it of you? Ken. Ken Thurston. Hi, Chief. But what? It can't be you. The reports of your death... Ken, what happened there in Cairo? A local lab was working with me. He was in my room alone when a female visitor came calling on me. Her charms prove fatal. Yes, but why... Why send out the story that you were killed? Chief, if the boys were after think I'm dead, maybe they'll relax a little. Oh, then the looting of that steamer carrying an American relief shipment isn't just an isolated case. Not a chance. The pilots who bought it on the Red Sea were too well-organized. Oh, what a filthy racket. The American people pay for shipments of food and clothing for those poor, starving, unfortunate... I know. And they pay Captain Kidd for the black market. And they lead yet on who's behind it? Chief, send me the Harbourman file by the first plane. The Harbourman file? Good Lord Ken, what makes you think he's mixed up in this? Because I was killed with three silver bullets. Silver bullets? Do I get that file? Yes, yes, right away. Where'll my man get in touch with you? At the Kismet. A crummy little cafe near the Nile. A good place for you to hide out? No, terrible. But they serve the finest martinis I've ever traced in. Here, Effendi, you martini with the onion. Good. Now bring another for the young lady. I see no young lady at your table. Are you well any second? Very well, Effendi. I heard you ordered that drink for me. Too bad I wanted to surprise you. How did you know I would join you? I saw you come in and check the unattached males, and I thought, well... I had a friend once who liked onions in his martinis. He had excellent taste in drinks. Nothing wrong with his taste in women. Your martini, Effendi. Good, here. Well, thank you, Effendi. Shall we drink? To our meeting? To your friend who brought it about. To my friend. What was your friend's name? I thought it was... Ken Thurston. Unfortunately, he died before I learned his real name. Too bad. How did that happen? I killed him. They hear martini. It is too strong, perhaps. So this meeting is no accident. You knew it was not. Are you going to shoot me again? That depends. I'm very fond of money. I'm very fond of living. We could both be happy. If you were to remain alive, you could pay me money for information. Would it be worth it? Would it not be worth almost any amount if it concerned silver? You're a very interesting person. I could be even more... What's the matter? Outside through that window. I thought I saw... I should have to leave now. Can you meet me later tonight? Where? At the Silver Scourge. Meet me there in an hour. Have the martini waiting. The young lady is leaving, Effendi. She is left. If I can't get to 10, I'll be gone too. Never mind counting. It's too late now. No, Mr. Thurston. Don't go out there. Where did you come from? I'll talk to you later. Get out of my way. No, Mr. Thurston, people are shooting out there. Give me the job. I've got to get to that girl. Well, well... Is that the girl you were after, Mr. X? That one lying there in the street? Yes. I say, what's all this rumpus about? Fearfully noisy neighborhood. Fellow conquered a decent night's sleep. Girl's been hurt, eh? Let's have a look at her. You a doctor? Having for 40 years. Sibley's the name. Dr. Ford Sibley. My place is right across the street. I've been practicing here, but let me see it that way. Never mind your life's history. What about hers? Any future to it? Girl's future's all in her past, young man. She's dead. Yes, I saw it all, Mr. Thurston. The car was parked waiting for her. She opened the door, she screamed, and then came the shots. So you do open the door with the kids that are scared rabbit instead of getting the license number? For which you should thank me. We have no time to chase local murderers. Not while this dangerous Haberman is still alive. What do you know about Haberman? What do I... Why else would the chief send me to you with this file? Probably because you talked him into it for your usual slight consideration. So that's what you're doing here in Cairo. There you go. Oh, skip it. Well, as I was saying, did you know that this fellow Haberman is an international soldier, a fortune, and a pirate? I did. Oh. Did you know that there is no description of him anywhere? Not even his sex? The only clue is that he's nuts about silver. All his jewelry, ornaments, even his weapons are of silver. Remind me to buy you a dictionary, Pagan. Dictionary? So you can learn the meaning of secret and confidential. There's stamped on the outside of the reports you brought me. Oh. But Mr. X, why do you think Haberman is here in Cairo? The bullets that killed that man in my room were made of silver. This Haberman deserves to be caught and hung using such a precious metal in such a wasteful fashion. I'll work on it, Pagan, starting right here. Here? But we've stopped in front of a nightclub. That's right. The Silver Scarab. Ah. The floor show. And a female dancer, too. You know, Mr. Therson, there's nothing I like better than a female dancer, unless it's a female. Mr. X. She's the dead girl. The dancer is the dead girl. Come back to life. The resemblance is close, but not that close. Oh. Oh, yes, you're right. I can see that now. Sure. But for a minute, I thought, hmm, look at those silver spangles in her dress. Fascinating. Fascinating. Yeah. Oh. Stay here, Pagan. I'll pick up later. But why leave now, Mr. Therson? There will be other dancers, I hope. Yeah, I'm gonna see this one in her dressing room. Nothing about it. It was her own idea. I think it's your lies, Aida. Why did she visit this man? I tell you, I do not know. I don't... Oh. When I ask you, Saida, why did she visit him? Playing pretty rough, aren't you? What is the meaning of this intrusion? Do I have to write it out for you? Your humor is as badly conceived as your entrance here. Perhaps this will teach you to mend your menace. Never the lead with your right. It gets into trouble. Release my arm. You're breaking it. Funny thing about judo, it's liable to hurt people. I'll kill you for this. Let's talk about it later. Good night. You were very foolish. I meant that. I've been foolish before. Not with men like that. Worse. With women. Oh. Do I get a choice tonight? That might depend. And what you can tell me of my sister Deborah's death. Mr. Thurston. Good old Egyptian grapevine. Well, are you still in a foolish mood? Sure, but not here. No? Then where? Why not a little boat ride on the Nile? It's a full moon. You see, Ken. My sister Deborah preferred the easy life. Quick money. Men like Paul Zeen. The man you threw out of my dressing room. He's a wealthy and powerful man, Ken. Owner of the Euphrates shipping company. Euphrates shipping company. He was her friend. It was because of him, I think, that Deborah was involved in this trouble. What? I was later. That's just it. I do not know any details. That was why I wished to speak with you. I thought perhaps you could tell me something about it. I'll be drawing a blank here as later. I only met her a couple of hours ago, and then only for a few minutes. I see. Now my poor sister Deborah's dead. Well, the Fates have decided. There's nothing we can do to alter their decision. I'm a great believer in the Fates, Ken. What did they tell you about the immediate future? I do not know, Ken. Do you mind to guess? I'm not sure. Afraid to find out? Afraid, yes. But you could give me courage, Ken. I could try. Do you want me to? Yes, Ken. Yes, I want you to. Very much. Then I'll try. But first... Oh! You better drop that gun. Oh, let go of my wrist. Let go, I say. Drop the gun. I drop your wrist. No. No, I... All right, Ken. All right. How did you get that little inspiration? Because I have sworn to kill the man who murdered Deborah, and I think you are the one. Let's keep an open mind about this. You cannot convince me otherwise. No, I can try. And hold you to my arms this way, there isn't very much you can do about it. Everything is... it's so mixed up. What can I do? I don't know yet. But you've got to change your mind later. And this is the pleasantest way of trying to convince you I can think of. Mr. Thurston, this is a definite imposition in my good nature. Dragging me around in dark alleys like this. Would you mind telling me why we're here? To find out what makes the wealthy Mr. Pozine wealthy. And do you think you can find out that I'll be sneaking around behind all these warehouses? Not all of them, just this one. You've created a shipping company. Now get out your jackknife, pay gone, and jimmy that window. You talk as though I was a professional warehouse breaker. I don't know how to do this. And I'll give eight to five that Hoverman's loot is mostly silver. Oh, of course merely as a favor to you, Mr. Thurston. I might try being new at this. I don't know how successful I will be, but... Well, look, Mr. Thurston. What? Amazing. Let's climb in. It's as black as Hoverman's soul in here, Mr. Thurston. Quiet be gone. There's a light under that door. There's somebody. Isn't there? Probably with a gun or a knife. Let's go in and see. Do we have to? Can't we just...? Well... Coffins. The room is filled with coffins. What would they be doing in a warehouse of the Euphrates? All right. Let's see if we can find the answer. We'll look inside one of them. Huh? Oh, no, Mr. Thurston. Let the dead rest in peace. If we leave them alone, maybe they'll leave us alone. Maybe... Hey. Mr. Thurston. Look. Yeah. Rifles, submachine guns, all kinds of guns. But for the peculiar cargo for coffins. Yeah. Let's check this one. This one's a different playground. I'm leaving. I just remembered an important engagement. I left my waffle iron burning. Don't be a fool. She can't hurt you now. How do I know? If she can move from the street and fill the kismet into this coffin, she can do anything. Mr. X. There's no chance of a mistake. No. No. A girl in that coffin. That's Deborah. Now to return to Frigidaire's man-called ex-starring Herbert Marshall. Mr. X is in Cairo to track down the international bandit, Tauberman. The trail is led into a warehouse of the Euphrates shipping company, which he finds filled with coffins containing rifles and machine guns, except one which holds the body of the mysterious Egyptian girl, Deborah. We join him now as he and Pagon stand there looking down. Please, Mr. Thurston, let's get out of here. Small round bruise on her throat just above the artery, I wonder. The only thing I wonder about is why are we still standing here? Wait till I check the shipping tags on these coffins. That's an Arabic, but a few words. Pretty clear. Port Said, Mohammed Bay, Mecca. Come on, Pagon, we're leaving. But where are we going? To Port Said. By way of Dr. Sibley's joint across from the kismet café. I was waiting for the authorities to arrive to get the girl's body, you know, when this Arabian fellow approached and struck me unconscious. Came to, and the girl was gone. Ever seen him before, doctor? Once or twice, Mr. Thurston, frequenting the kismet. Never even been introduced. Makes me furious. Can't do that to me. I want to be in the know, Thurston, definitely. Don't know what's up. No, that sort of thing, but I want to be in the know. How well do you know Port Said, doctor? Been in the Middle East 40 years. Know the place like a book. Good, you're in. I'll give you a brief you later. Right now. Get us to Port Said in a hurry. Right. What's the time? Don't ever watch. Never carry the beastly thing. All was stopping on me. It's 11.43. Splendid. Time enough to catch the last night train. I'll phone for a cab. Be right back. Mr. Thurston, I'm not going to ask you about the guns or about the pole zine or the dead girl or the dancer Zahida. Not even about Haberman. I just want to know one thing. Why we're going to Port Said? Yes, why we're... You said it. We're going there to find out about the guns. We're going to find out about pole zine, Deborah, Zahida and Haberman. Mr. Thurston, night train to Port Said. First-class carriages are on this side. Shall we go board? Yes, but not together. Oh, um... No, no. You got to compartment for yourself. We'll meet in Port Said. Quite undercover sort of thing. What suggest we meet at the El Akbar Hotel? El Akbar. A middle-class traveller's lodging. Quite respectable. Um... Oh, write it down for me, will you? Sorry, car. No pen or pencil. Never carry them. Pins always leak and the pencils run out of lead. That's all right. I'll remember. See you there. Right, here you are. We'll see you at the good old Akbar. Well, Mr. Thurston, did we get aboard too? Yeah. No. Huh? Hello, pole zine. You have a faculty for appearing where you're not wanted, Mr. Thurston. Sir, I've been told. Going somewhere? Port Said, for instance? Crying into my affairs or interfering with them is a very dangerous pastime. Good night, Mr. Thurston. You know something? That man's personality doesn't like me. He doesn't exactly send me. Let's get aboard. We'll take the third compartment on the left. Why the third one? Because pole zine's taking the second. Well, wouldn't it be less crowded if we took the fourth compartment? You know, a little farther away? There's another friend of ours in four. Huh? She got aboard while pole zine was talking to us. She? Said, huh? It's been so wonderful. Just the two of us here in this compartment. And now we're nearing Port Said and our journey together will end. I wonder. Ken, listen to me. You must forget this business that brings you here. You don't know how powerful the forces are working against you. I took a correspondence course in muscle building once. Please, Ken, this is no joking matter. The pit has already been dug. The pit intended to be the grave of the man called X. There must be another letter in the alphabet. I better find it. Too many people seem to know that one. Then you will not listen to me. Oh, Ken, please don't die, please. That's good advice, Said. I'll try to follow it. There are times, Mr. X, when you're the most tiring of all, man. No sooner do we arrive at Port Said when you rush me like men to commissioner of the port. Well? And then before I have even had a chance to chase my breath. We're off again. This time down here to the docks. There's your answer, Pagon. The Mohammed Bay. The Mohammed... So... So that's what Mohammed Bay stands for. A rusty old tramp steamer. And look at the cargo they're loading. Coffins. Coffins. Yeah. Those jeans built up a live trade in dead Mohammedans, lugging coffins to Mecca, who suspected a sanctimonious guy of substituting guns for bodies and brought him off to Harbourman. Ah, so that's how he can be a regular pirate and steal the American reliefs. Sure. But how do you know that these coffins are the same ones that we saw in the warehouse? I don't. That's why I'm going to sneak aboard and find out. Huh? Oh, no. You meet Dr. Sibley at the El Akbar Hotel. Wait for me there. And if you don't happen to show up, you know, they could kill you, you know. Find yourself a nice nightclub. Maybe the dancers can help you forget your bereavement. It's now my turn to ask the question, Mr. Theston. Are you going somewhere? Prozine, you remind me of a summer cold, very unpleasant and hard to get rid of. Sometimes, if colds are ignored and get bad enough, they can prove to be fatal. What is this? National pistol week? I haven't seen so many guns since the last gangster picture. Unlike the weapons in the cinema, this one does not shoot blanks. Huh? Turn around with your back toward me. I haven't got much choice, have I? You are going aboard the Mohammed Bay to a much warmer welcome than you had expected. Mr. X. Well, Theston, how do you feel now? All right. Oh, well, I see your cabin has all the latest conveniences, including the lovely Zaida. I'm sorry, Ken. I tried to warn you, but you would not listen to me. It sounded appealing, but I couldn't go for it. Now, our harbourman was known up while he was still running around loose. Ah, yes, harbourman. Now that the Mohammed Bay has started her journey, you can forget about him. Long before we reach Mecca, you will have forgotten about everything. Because you will land fast, everyone. Pagan. Mr. Theston, we have come to the rescue. Shoot the first pirate who moves, Mr. Dr. Sibley. Sibley. We will make them board the gank like later. Pagan, you idiot. How'd you ever dream this out? That's gratitude for you. I meet Dr. Sibley on the dock. We witness your abduction, risk our lives to come aboard and save you from sudden death, and you call me an idiot. Don't take my word for it. Ask harbourman. What has he got to do with it? You brought him aboard with you. Mr. Theston, this strain has caused you to lose your mind. I only brought Dr. Sibley aboard. So how could I have... how could I... Oh, no. Oh, tell me he's wrong, doctor. Tell me he's... he's... Impossible, old chap. He's quite correct. You can relax now, Pulsine. Zyda, I have some covered. Tell me, Mr. X, how did you know? Your old weakness, harbourman Silver. It showed up in your disguise. Nonsense. I deliberately wore nothing metallic on you. Oh, that's what I mean. You went overboard. I never heard of a doctor not carrying a watch or fountain pen or pencil. When I thought about it, it wasn't too tough to figure out why they'd all be silver. But the worst mistake you made was in killing Deborah. Killing Deborah? But my sister was killed by shots from a car. One of harbourman's twoages shot alright, but the bullets didn't kill her. The small round bruise on her throat proved that. I do not understand, Ken. When harbourman was playing doctor, you must have found a pulse in her throat. That meant she might still talk. After she failed to kill you at the hotel and was going to double-cross me by selling information to you, I had no alternative but to strangle her. Kind of looks like she's the man you've been looking for, Zayda. Yes. The man who killed my sister. The man I swore I would kill in turn. The man I am going to kill. Zayda, that knife. Put down that knife or I'll... Zayda, you fool. What have you done? Hold that pulse in. Some knife throw right through the shoulder. Pick up his gun. Pick on. Sure, Mr. X. Swat. Thanks, Zayda. Ken, I don't know what to say. So you tied up with these two to find out who killed Deborah? It's true, Ken. I swear it. Well, pulse in? You forget we're practically on the high seas, Thurston. You cannot possibly hope to take this ship over by yourself. That's why I arranged for a little help before I came aboard. You'll notice we're losing way. That means the destroyer is coming alongside. You're right, Mr. Thurston. So we don't have to make a pilgrimage after all. No, Fager. But harbourman and pulse in do. A one-way pilgrimage to the final payoff of piracy. There's nothing in this world lower than the rats who profit by stealing from the poor and starving. That's why they've got to stop them. It's a long, tough job. But you know, I can think of 140 million people who just love to roll up their shirt sleeves and do it. At Alfred Gilairstar, Herbert Marshall. Thanks for being with us. And next week, I promise you another story filled with suspense and mystery. As usual, there'll be Leon Balasco along with Pagon Zelschmidt. So join us, won't you, where next I return as the man called X. Good night. Frigidaire's Man Called X is directed by Jack John Stahl, with music composed and conducted by Johnny Green. Tonight's story was written by Sidney Marshall. So until next week, same time, same station, this is Wendell Niles speaking for Frigidaire, made only by General Motors. All characters and incidents used are fictitious. And any resemblance to actual persons or incidents is purely coincidental. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.