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It drives itself to a hard lustrous finish that saves countless scrubbing Makes dingy floors shine like new yet aero wax costs only 25 cents a pint Try aero wax A-E-R-O-W-A-X tomorrow Mr. Keen Tracer of Lost Persons is on the air Ladies and gentlemen the makers of colonel's toothpaste present Mr. Keen Tracer of Lost Persons One of the most famous characters of American fiction and one of radio's most thrilling dramas tonight at every Thursday night from 730 to 8 Eastern wartime the famous old investigator will take from his files and bring to us one of his most celebrated missing persons cases But first would you like to have an attractive dazzling smile teeth that sparkle with all and natural brilliance Then try the new colonel's a high polishing toothpaste colonel's acts like a jeweler's polish in removing tarnish from silver Erasing the common surface stains and dingy film that so often robs you of an attractive smile See the difference it makes in the appearance of your teeth. Try colonel's toothpaste KOLY NOS tonight And now mr. Keen tracer of lost persons Our story this time opens far from mr. Keen's comfortable office in new york On a stormy night in the deep south a night lashed by wind and rain A ramshackle old cab makes its way up a back road Over his shoulder the old negro driver talks to his two passengers mr. Keen and the latter's assistant mike clancy So y'all lost me to drop you off at the mead place. Yes driver. That's what I said Will we soon be there in hardly a minute boss? Wouldn't get me to go visiting in there at night and why not most unnatural folks in there crazy folks All touched in the head and the heart. Why do you say that you will meet them, boy? Here you are gentlemen this gate right over here Hmm quite a big place no walled in I'll get out and ring the bell for you Thank you And I'll wait here till someone comes for the fetcher, but I ain't going inside Driver, you wouldn't be superstitious. Oh, no, no sir. Just intelligent I was very intelligent about places where not to go. Oh, mr. Keen and I I just remembered something terribly important. What's that mike? Well, I got an appointment tonight to go bowling in New York Steady bike There comes somebody now. Oh, it's a great dame big as a horse and a woman with him. She's unlocking the gate Come on mike. Let's get out on your responsibility, sir Driver I leave this covers the fair. Thank you, sir. And uh, good luck to you Oh, sure mr. Keen. Yes, and this is my assistant Mike Clancy. I'm Dorothea me. How do you do? How do you do? Please come in. Sorry you had to make the trip in such weather mr. Keen Not at all I'm much more troubled by what you had to say in your letter miss me. Yes, it's so disturbing about uncle adam Let's walk along the driveway. Shall we who get some shelter from the trees? Well These are water oaks, I believe 12 all together in a double row They're magnificent. Yes, but they've been going to pieces lately There's the house on up ahead. Oh, yes That's one of the most beautiful and majestic southern mansions I've ever seen But decaying like everything else around here. Oh, be careful of that first step mr. Keen. It's loose. I have it Just fasten Nero's leash to the post here Please come inside And just to hang your coat and hat from those hooks there. Thank you. That's good to be an out of the rain Well, if you come across the hall now, we'll make ourselves comfortable in the library Stop where you are. Saints preserves turn around get out of this house. It's that man at the top of the stairs You're not wanted here. Get out. Oh now stop it cousin Roscoe. You're being very rude. I don't like strangers I hate them go on back to your room dear And work on your plans. Otherwise, you'll never capture Washington. Oh, yes Washington I'll move up reinforcements to the arm of the Potomac Don't fear see that I'm not disturbed Glory be poor Roscoe is still fighting the war of the states mr. Keen. So it would seem Here, let's go into the library cross Now if you'll just make yourselves comfortable Well now mr. Earth here to get a few facts straight This place belongs to your uncle Adam. Yes, mr. Keen. How old is he about 80 and he disappeared just 10 days ago That's right. That's why I want you to investigate Well now who are all the members of the household? Well, I myself. I'm just visiting here Then there are two nephews and another niece. You've just met one of the nephews my cousin Roscoe I'd say then there's also Roscoe sister Harriet both about 50. Yes Finally, there's my cousin Herbert need about 40 very charming He lived for years in India. Oh, did he came back last year with wonderful gifts for all of us? I believe he's enormously wealthy at any rate. That was the entire household except for the service Your uncle and two nieces and two nephews. Yes Now tell me about the exact circumstance of his disappearance mr. Earth here Well After dinner that night, uncle Adam decided to go for a walk It was very dark moonless, but quite mild. He went by himself No, nero trotted off with him mr. Keen. Mm-hmm Who was the last person to see him? Oh, I was I went out after him to offer him a flashlight. He said Nonsense my dear. I don't need it. Oh, but it's so awfully dark uncle Adam I know every pebble around here by its first name. Come along nero. Let's go get some air And that was the last time you saw him, eh What about nero? We found nero here the next morning tied to a post Well, we presumed that uncle Adam had decided not to take him after all Or disappeared after returning did you start a search for him the very next morning, mr. Keen Oh, the police went all over the grounds and no trace of him Then I decided to write to you. I'm so terribly worried What could have happened to him mr. Keen? It's much too early to start guessing my dear Mr. Earth here quite frankly How did your uncle get along with the other members of the household? Well, I He was something of a tease. You see it. Oh Hello cousin Herbert. I know darth here. I understand mr. Keen has arrived. Yes This is his assistant mr. Clancy. How do you do indom? There's a dreadful business if there's any way I can help mr. Keen. I may want to talk to you later, mr. Mead I'll be in my room delighted to have met you miss Keen Seems like a very pleasant sort. Oh, he's a dear And about the only one that uncle Adam never picked on Of course, uncle Adam's been supporting roscoe and harriet for years as permanent guests But he could never let off reminding harriet about her age He'd say Harriet my dear niece Sometimes I begin to think you'll never find a husband. He's still uncle Adam I must admit though that I met a fella the other day who's quite smitten with you harriet Oh Did you miss harriet? He said the isn't the flashy kind but for solid good looks she can't be beat Tell me who said that oh a fellow in the old man's home I hate you uncle Adam. I hate you That wasn't very kind but in money matters. He was the very soul of generosity here look inside the drawer this table mr. Keen Simply stuffed with bills it was there for roscoe and harriet to use as they wish interesting boss There's something very hard about the size of those bills Yes, this is the old-fashioned currency mike About 50% larger than what's issued nowadays one of my uncle's eccentricities He's got the bale of cash in a bank vault for years and he's still drawing on it. I see Well now mr. Harriet beside the servants was there anybody else around the grounds about the time he disappeared Well, yes, uncle Adam had hired three or four men to work on the oaks that double row. We saw as we came in Yes, and I can get you the names of all the men who worked here that can wait until morning Oh, yes, of course. Let me show you to your rooms now Here you are mr. Keen Your room mr. Clancy is the one down the hall there. Thank you, mr. Arthea, I'll be one to talk a minute with the boss. I'll find it later Everything's all laid out for you. Good night. Good night Boss what do you make of it? Nothing yet. Oh, this place gives me the creeps Relax Mike. Oh, I get the feeling that eyes are on me all the time And then that darn rainstorm, you know, I I wish he hadn't put us off in this lonely old wing by ourselves steady Mike Go to sleep. Well, I'll try to anyhow. Good night, boss. Good night Almost 11 o'clock It is a strange house and the strange family I wonder if that storm will clear by morning Must have a look around the grounds as soon as possible and see Great Scott It's Mike Clancy Somebody's turned off the whole light One moment Mike while I find the whole light There you are lying in the floor Wait Mike wait, I'll fasten it from your neck There we are St. Sprizo What was it a silk stocking Drawn around your neck like a noose Glory be tell me what happened I don't know boss. I I stepped out into the hall. I started from the own room Suddenly the light went out and I was being chalked with a silk stocking There's no better use for silk stockings in times like these one second You notice anything about the color of this? Well, it's it's it's dark sort of Gunmetal the same color that Dorothea mead was wearing. Oh boss. I I told you I should have went bowling tonight in little old New York Morning, mr. Keyes. Good morning. You enjoying the view from the port. Yes, it's beautiful Thank heavens the storm has cleared Yes, you gave me the chance to look around the ground. Oh, did you find anything interesting? But on mr. Clancy's neck Look at this Stocking But it looks like one of my own it was used last night in an attempt to choke mr. Clancy Oh Oh, dear god. I wonder if you can explain well I'm afraid that I can I I have several pairs like that When I went back to my room last night Roscoe was coming out Was he he said he'd been looking for some book Oh, I know he has bits of temper, but I hate to believe he actually would Here he comes now up the gravel path That you keen just the man I want to see good I want to talk with you Tell me keen If you were in a situation where your major forces were disposed along the Potomac and grant was moving along your flank Oh, mr. Mead. Oh, oh, you think I'm a bit of a fool. Don't you? Well, look at these The horror bill a dozen of them the old fashion size I've been investigating for a week all on my own You know where they all turned up in the bar back in town the bartender told me I bought them all up. You know why well why because they'd all been spent there by ben matley Oh, who's he? He's one of the men working on the grounds when my uncle disappeared Simple as could be Matley murdered uncle adam. Well, that's very much worth looking into but what about this stocking mr. Mead Ever see it before Have you of course I'm dorothea's leg One moment, mr. Mead. I'm afraid I'll have to go after it Mr. Mead Stop where you are. Mr. Keen. This is cousin harry. I don't want this man here telling us go alone Cousin harry's if we're ever to find uncle adam why is him? I don't much care if we do This seems to be a house of hate with motives on every side But mr. Keen continues his search Meanwhile thousands of girls who suffer the heartache of being unpopular clever pretty smartly dressed girls Have just one thing to blame Teeth that rob them of charm when they smile Thousands of men whose livelihood depends on selling themselves to others have the same weakness of appearance to blame They don't know it or notice it, but the people they contact do You may or may not be one of those people But if you have the slightest suspicion that you are Try the new colonos toothpaste a high polishing toothpaste Its action is like a jewelers polish removing tarnish from a piece of silver You'll find colonos helps remove those dingy unattractive surface stains from your teeth Brings out all the natural lustre and brilliance that adds so much to your smile Start using the new colonos tonight. Remember, it's a high polishing toothpaste You can get colonos k o l y n o s colonos toothpaste at any drugstore Now back to mr. Keen who is knocking on the door of a cottage near the mead estate Good morning. Are you ben matley sure enough keen is my name? Yeah I heard they were calling you from new york to find old mr. Adam mead Well matley I'm going to ask you a very blunt question. Yeah How do you come to have so many of those large size bills that mr. Adam mead always used? Heck I work for him for weeks on them trees You would seem to be spending more than your normal share Sure. I'm good at poker and the other boys ain't Well, tell me matley about the work you did in those water oaks Now I gathered that it consisted of hollowing out the rotted parts and filling them with cement Yeah, sure enough and then where they finished Yep a couple of weeks ago today before mr. Mead disappeared Day before Sure had big holes in them one of the way that rock gets in water oaks holds big as a house mr. Keen But it never affects black walnut trees that way does it hardly ever what he asked me for why? For an excellent reason We're ready for lunch mr. Keen. Good mr. Rathia. I worked up quite an appetite with all my walking this morning Not this way. The others are all waiting How do you Sitting here by my side. Will you sit next to cousin Herbert mr. Keen? I'm delighted Any progress mr. Keen progress? Why I believe excuse me. Oh, did you drop something on the floor? Got a pebble in my shoe. I'll have it out in a moment Ah, there we are You were saying mr. Keen negative progress I mean that we can safely eliminate one theory and what is that if your uncle has been murdered mr. Harriet I don't believe it was for a legacy Why do you say that mr. Keen because mr. Rathia he has been made to disappear so completely I don't follow not at all mr. Keen Assuming that he is dead his will cannot be probated nor can his estate be distributed for at least five years You see there must be proof of death Through the finding of the body or else under the laws of the state Five years must pass until he can be presumed to be legally dead. I didn't know that Everybody knows that be that as it may cousin Herbert uncle Adam will turn up all right What makes you so sure miss Harriet dad penny always turns up Hello Somebody knocking Oh come in One moment. I'll switch you on the bed lamp I'm sorry to wake in you. It was my first chance to break away from the others. What's the trouble? I Don't know whether Doris here has been completely frank mr. Keen and what we got When uncle Adam walked off that night He wasn't alone. Oh really? I was looking out of the library window Down the path uncle Adam was joined by it Well family loyalty is a good thing, but come come mr. Mead the best ways to have it all come out now Surely we could enter a plea of insanity for him or Roscoe you mean? You've seen one of his rages. I believe yes Uncle Adam always was with a cooling poor Roscoe's military campaigns. What the body mr. Keen I know the grounds have already been searched once But I noticed this morning that the way Miro was moaning around in back of the house It's only a stab on the dark, but I yes go on Tomorrow by daylight We'll go there together. All right first thing in the morning Good morning, mr. Keen Good morning, Mike. Huh something on your mind boss Well, Mike yesterday at lunch I set a trap and Tell me about it. There was no pebble in my shoe yesterday. I was examining a trouser cuff I I don't follow you come along Mike. We have an appointment this morning with Herbert me Maybe he's gone downstairs by now mr. Keen soup maybe let's try the door. Okay Boss Look at him there in the bed Blood all over his face. Let's get to him. Listen to me Herbert Herbert. Oh my a nasty gash on his forehead Herbert. Can you hear me? Boss He must be dead. No He seems to be just barely breathing Mike run downstairs Have somebody phone for a doctor. Okay boss What are you doing there, sir? Having a look in the closet Mike what for the killer? No, just his trousers Certainly had a fright mr. Keen. What does the doctor say mr. Artea nasty cut for cousin Herbert But no fracture fortunately. Does Herbert have any idea who attacked him? Just going back to discuss that with him now You coming with me mr. Keen is a matter of fact. I'll join you later if you don't mind I want to have a look in your uncle's tool shed if I may of course anything Only we must find out once and for all who's responsible for all these horrors in this house Oh poor Herbert. Don't you think you should pay him the head? Don't worry Dorothy. I'll be all right And you have no idea who it was. I was deep asleep Next thing something came down to my head. I remember the pain and nothing. Oh, you could have been killed I Wasn't hit with much force the doctor said And Dorothy that makes me start wondering perhaps. Oh, no, no, but Harriet is such a strange one always hulking always taking Vasco's part May I come in? Of course mr. Keen I see you're sitting up, mr. Me and any news, mr. Keen. I'm afraid so my dear afraid What I mean is uh You know that old black walnut tree out there in back You can just about see the top of it from that window. Yes, what about it? Well just before your uncle's disappearance some work was being done on the 12 oaks out in front, wasn't it? They had rotted earthward so and that's understandable But I find also that another tree was treated the same way Bored out and refilled with cement That is very strange. Why mr. Keen? Black walnut doesn't usually decay like that It doesn't ordinarily require that sort of surgery A few minutes ago. I had that cement filling broken open Oh, dear god, do you mean your uncle Adam mead has been lying inside that tree for two weeks Dead fall and tuned in the black walnut by the person who killed him Who was that person? The possibility is innumerous Somebody who was mentally unbalanced possibly a thief possibly You mean or else a rather greedy and ruthless man who knew nothing about the laws of inheritance. Who who? You Herbert mead What did you say? Oh, we've got a third lunatic in the house But keen don't you realize that I was nearly killed here myself nearly killed. Yes You stayed that attack yourself and hit yourself just hard enough to bring blood no words. That's ridiculous But when you found me I was completely unconscious correct The answer is in this night table See A box of sleeping powders half gone First you gassed yourself then took a big dose of the sleeping powders and then waited for results Oh, you're out of your mind. You see while you lay there unconscious I didn't waste too much time in pity. I looked in your closet Zam in the cups of every pair of trousers you wear I don't understand in two of them. I found granules of wood A black walnut scraping in a third bits of cement Oh, just come on night after night while the men working on the oaks left their equipment around You went out and worked on the black walnut making a tomb Then when it was ready You went out in the dark after your uncle and strangled him month in the same way you attacked my assistant later You see You did not understand the laws of legacy service me But when I mentioned it at the table yesterday, you realized you've made a mistake You realized the body had to be found And you gave me hints to guide me You said Nero had been moving around in back Then my dear fellow you really gave yourself away stand back king both of you Careful me to the closet you told you won't get far me. I've already been in touch with the police I'll let me I've got you covered Thank you, sir That was well done. I heard every word of it I rest you Herbert mead for the murder of your uncle Adam mead Well, the train's on time Mike. He'll soon be getting into pennsylvania station And sure wouldn't I tell me old lady just how close she came to losing her precious michael clancy Oh boy But boss, I wonder what a nurse you'd ever do if you didn't happen to know about things like Black walnut trees and the laws of inheritance. What would I do mike? I wouldn't be a detective And so ends the case of the moonless night Listen next week at the same time as mr. King brings us the bizarre and baffling case of the missing witness To help bring out the gleaming natural brightness of your teeth Remove common surface stains by brushing them with a new colonos a high polishing tooth paste colonos acts like a jeweler's polish in removing tarnish from silver It quickly removes surface stains and helps make your teeth and smile look their dazzling romantic best Try the new colonos till space tonight You have just been listening to mr. King tracer of lost person Now on the air at a new time every thursday night 7 30 to 8 eastern wartime over this network Don't miss mr. King next Thursday night when the kindly old tracer turns to the case of the missing witness And now one closing thought Many of you listening in have signed the home front pledge a pledge made by 15 million americans in the past year To pay no more than top legal prices and accept no ration goods without ration points If all of us will do these two simple things We will soon wipe out the black market cut down the cost of living And ensure a fair share of food for the wives and families of our fighting men and millions of others living on 16 thumbs This is where reality saying good night for the makers of colonos till space and mr. 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