 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. The night's curious adventure. Murder by magic. Or Nick Carter and the mystery of the missing identity. I wonder how Scubby's making out. Do you suppose that he had any trouble, Nick? I doubt it, Betsy. Scubby knows Philadelphia well enough to get all the information I want without any difficulty. Yes, but he's been gone three days now. He didn't plan to be gone that long, did he? Well, no, Betsy. But it's that all that's possible to tell in advance how long it's going to take to find... Nick Carter's office. Nick there, Betsy. Scubby. Yes, he's here. How are you making out? Oh, please put, Nick Carter. I've got to talk to him in quick. Well, sure, Scubby. Here he is. Nick, it's Scubby. He sounds as though there was something wrong. Well, I hope not. Hello, Scubby. What's up? Nick, can you come to Chicago right away? Chicago? Thought you went to Philadelphia. So did I, but I landed in Chicago. What? And am I in trouble? What kind of trouble? I seem to have killed a man. Oh, no, don't try to be funny, Scubby, which is all about. I'm not being funny, Nick. I'm really in a jam. I apparently killed a man last night. Oh, look here, Scubby. You certainly know whether you've killed somebody or not. But I don't, Nick. What makes you think you have? It says so in the paper. What paper? The Chicago paper. Oh, please, Nick, would you come out here right away? I've got to have help in a hurry. All right, Scubby. Betsy and I'll leave at once. Where are you staying? In a little hotel on the edge of town called Paradise Mansion. I haven't dared to stay out of here since I read about the murder. OK, Scubby, sit tight. We'll be there as soon as the plane can get us there. That's Nick. We were awfully lucky to get seats on this plane. Yes, Betsy. Well, now that we're safely on our way, let's take a look at these Chicago papers I bought. See what they have to say about our friends, Scubby. OK. Look, Nick, on the front page. Murderer of nightclub patients, sort. Yeah. And here's a snapshot of the killer taken at the nightclub. I wonder how they happened to get that. It does look kind of like Scubby doesn't. Yes, could be. Now, look at these fingerprints. And certainly, Scubby's. I'd know them anywhere. And certainly, Scubby's cigarette lighter. It's the one I gave him last Christmas. So I see. It says here, a cold-blooded killing reminiscent of the gang wars of years ago. Oh, Nick, do you think that Scubby could? Oh, I wouldn't believe it if he admitted that Scubby couldn't kill anybody. But it certainly looks as if he got himself into some real trouble this time. And what's he doing in Chicago? Nice, Scubby. Oh, I never was so glad to see anyone in my whole life. Scubby, are you happy? Come in quick. Let me get this door closed. Gittery, aren't you? Yeah. I'm glad to see you're still out of jail. Oh, Nick, don't joke about it. I'm just about crazy. Look, I'm in a jam. Well, suppose you sit down and tell us that's what happened. And begin at the beginning. Don't leave out anything. All right. Well, it's quite a story and pretty unbelievable. But I'll try to tell it the best I can. As you know, I started for Philadelphia. I was sitting in the airport waiting room, waiting for my plane to be announced, when somebody stumbled over my feet. I looked up expecting them to say, excuse me. And then I heard a funny shrill little voice say, Stupid, why don't you keep your feet where they belong? Oh, why don't you look where you're going? You're too stupid to be allowed out in public. Yeah, well, nobody asks you for your opinion. You don't like my feet. Just keep away from them. Trying to insult me, are you? You're not even fit to speak to me, you stupid idiot. Look here, bud. That's three times you've used that word stupid about me. The fourth time might get you a skin nose. Come on, on your way. You are attempting to divert my senses from the concentration of inner thoughts to the grosser contemplations of the external world. Come again? But you are as clumsy as a cow at doing it. Look, fella, if you've got somewhere to go, just go ahead. Your room is better than your company. You are being sarcastic. That is because you do not know who I am. All right, I'll buy. Who are you? You tell me and see if I care. It is useless to tell you. That thing you think is your mind is a rusted, worthless tool, a sponge, too dried out to soak up anything. Oh, dumb you mean. Exactly. You really want to know who I am? Quite frankly, I don't give a tinker's damn. I am Chichi, the omnipotent. In the central council of the farthest inward, I am the most completely self-equipped. Brother, you don't make sense. I am the mystic. In the whole council, I am the most honored. There has been in 20 generations no other great enough to be the mystic, but I am he. Oh, OK. Well, now that we've settled that, I was about some peace and quiet. You have offended me grievously. I do not let such offenses go unpunished. I shall sit here beside you and decide what your punishment is going to be. I shall say no more until I have decided. OK. Well, happy thoughts, my mystic, a little pal. Though he sat down beside me and didn't say another word, he was a funny, weaseled-up little man, and he amused me rather than worried me, so I forgot all about him. Did he take the same plane you did? Oh, don't get ahead of me, Patsy. I was tired from working all night and the night before, and I guess I must have dozed off. The next thing I knew, somebody was shaking me by the shoulder. Come on, palsy, snap out of it. This is as far as this camp goes. I wake up, palsy. This is where you get off. Oh, sure. Sure, I'm away. Come on, palsy, this is your hotel. There must have been some night you had last night, huh, palsy? Stop calling me palsy. Sure, sure, whatever you say, palsy. What the deuce does the matter with me? Why does my head feel so foggy? What? Hey, where am I? Where's the plane? Look, palsy, I don't know who you're kidding, but this is where you live. Are you getting out or are you going to stay in a cab? Well, where's my baggage? You're a great little kid, palsy. Now, come on, come on, get out, get out. You better get some sleep. There's nothing like it for a hangover. Oh, all right. Oh, hey, you better give me a hand to get out of here. Oh, game, palsy, here you go. All right, there you are. Oh, what does the meter say? Same as always, palsy, 50 cents. Yeah? Well, here's six bits. Keep the change. Hey, look, palsy, you generally give me five bucks for hauling you. I'll get you not on the head if you don't stop ribbing me. OK, palsy. Yeah, now you sound more like yourself. See you later. And he drove off, leaving me standing in front of the crummiest-looking hotel I ever hope to stop at. You mean you have no notion of how you got there? No, not the faintest. No, but, scobby, you just have to. Oh, hold everything. Where did I finish the story? Well, I was apparently expected to go in the hotel I did. As I approached the desk, the room clerk, a sad sack with a sour puss, tossed me a key. There you are, Mr. Gerson. I picked up the key and started to ask the clerk a lot of questions. But my head was so dizzy that I couldn't think straight. So I went up to room 714, which was the number on the key. And what was it like, scobby? Oh, cheap and flashy. And I reeked of cheap Persian. I found some letter paper on the writing desk, and the letterhead said, Hotel Prince Royal, Chicago. Then I at least knew where I was. My head was aching so that I stumbled into the bathroom to bathe it. I got one look at myself in the mirror, and it almost finished me. How do you mean, scobby? Well, it wasn't me I saw in the mirror. That's ridiculous. How could it be anyone else? Well, that's what I wanted to know. What I saw was a typical cheap, pasty-faced gangster with red hair. But your hair isn't red. Well, it was then. And then I discovered that I was wearing a zoot suit. What a sight you must have been. Well, it didn't amuse me, Nick. By this time, I was scared sick. My head was so dizzy, I couldn't think straight. How about maybe I was still having some kind of nightmare? So I picked up the house phone, and when the operator answered, I asked her, what day is this? It's Friday, Mr. Gerson. Friday, March 24th? Of course, Mr. Gerson. Then it was yesterday that I left New York. What's that, Mr. Gerson? Oh, nothing. That's all. Thanks. Oh, how are they? Huh? I just heard from the hospital. You just broke Betty's arm, that's all. What? Oh, when was that? Well, last night, you remember. But don't worry, Betty's a good kid. She won't say nothing to the cops. Oh. Oh, yeah, thanks. Goodbye. And then I hung up the phone. Oh, it was getting worse and worse. I went back into the bathroom for another look at my new face. And then the room door opened, and I heard someone come in. You hear, pal? Huh? Oh, hello. Hi, Pelsey. What's cooking, Snuggins? Give me a match. Thanks, thanks. What? Would you mind telling me who you are? That's another one on Dolly, Pelsey. What's the rib? Oh, I just want to find out who you are. I'm Dolly, the spare rib, the girlfriend. You're my girlfriend? Say, Pelsey, you're talking awful funny. What goes? There's some new kind of a brush off? Oh, no, no, you must understand me. Say, if you're trying to give me the air. No, no. No, it's still love. Dove? Well, it's more like it. For a minute, you had me guessing. See, by the way, Pelsey, where was you last night? We had a date gate. Why'd you stand me up? Huh? Did I? I don't like that, Rat. You better explain and make it good. Well, I, well, I had business. Oh, I get it. It is a job you want me to cover for you. OK, where do I say we went last night, you and me? Oh, well, I, well, I think that we better say that. I'll get that. There's something going on around here. I ain't in on. Hello. OK, thanks. What, what was it? She says there's four guys named Spike, Steve, Braini, and Lucky coming up to see you. I got a blow. Them guys give me the chills, honey. They're real killers, and they ain't supposed to see who they kill. We've seen you. I fly, goodbye. Gosh, Gubby, what happened then? Were these four gentlemen up to expectations? Oh, they were gangsters, all right. They came sliding into the room as if they were afraid of me. Well, I already discovered I was supposed to be a guy named Palsy Gerson, a mug who broke girls' arms when I wanted to. And I was a no good who gave $5 tips to taxi drivers. And I was a crook who had his girlfriend cover up for him when he did a job. And now I seem to be buddies with this gang of hoodlums. Oh, one of them, the guy with a squint eye, did all the talking. Hi, Palsy. Look, you guys, look me over carefully. Am I Palsy Gerson? What's the matter, Palsy? Bad hangover? Oh, let it go. What's cooking? Look, Palsy, we're clean. There's not a rod on any of us. We come here for a peace talk. Yeah? Yeah. We've been pals working together for a long time now. We've been like that, right? So what? So everybody knows we're tied up with you. Even the cops know it. Now, if you get pulled in, we all get pulled in, because the cops will figure we're all in it together. Oh, what are you getting at? It's about this robot last night. We didn't know nothing about that, Palsy. You didn't tell us. So we want you to give us the lowdown, so we'll know what to say if one of us gets picked up. Oh, what are you talking about? Now, look, Palsy, everybody knows about last night's killing. We know it was your job, even if you did hire someone else to do it for you. Well, it's in all the newspapers this morning. Let me see that paper. There was the headline, all right? Murder in Nycliffe. And there was a picture of me. Not a picture of this, Palsy Gerson, but of me, Scubby Wilson, taken on the spot by the nightclub photographer, it said. And there were my fingerprints, Nick. Those prints that both of us know so well, found on the gun that was used. And a picture of the cigarette lighter passed he gave me last Christmas. Look, you got me all wrong. I'm not Palsy, Gerson. There's been a terrible mistake. Palsy, you mean you ain't going to be straight with us? I tell you, this is all a mistake. Palsy, you trying to cross us up? We don't like it. We ain't going to take it in a minute. You can't finish it. You know what, Palsy? Come on, boys, take them over. Watch out for his rod. You ain't crossing us and getting away with it. Oh, I was so weak, I couldn't do a thing. And a minute later, they bent a blackjack over my left ear, and I went out cold. Scubby, you poor guy, you certainly had a tough time. Well, how did you get out of that Palsy Gerson role you were playing? I don't know, Nick. When I came to again, I was on the bed in this room. I lay there a few minutes, getting my senses back. Then I jumped off the bed and raced to the mirror. I was myself again. I was Scubby Wilson once more, and in my own clothes. And my hair wasn't red anymore. And my own luggage was on the rack at the foot of the bed. But things like that just don't happen, Scubby. So I've heard passively, but you can't prove it by me. So you went to sleep in the airport in New York. When you woke up, your mind was in the body of a local crook named Palsy Gerson. And some of Gerson's pals knocked you over the head. And when you woke up again, you were back in your own body in this hotel. Yeah, that's right. And while you were using Gerson's body, somebody was using your body to kill that guy in the nightclub. Yeah. You know, I know it sounds insane, Nick, but that's the way I see it from here. And unless something happens, I'm slated for the electric chair. Oh, gosh, Nick, we can't let anything happen to Scubby. Don't worry about it. We won't. Now, first we'll dye Scubby's hair, make him up so that he won't be too easily recognized in case the police are looking for him. Then I'll have the police pick up this Palsy Gerson, his girlfriend Dolly, and his four thugs, if they really exist. And somehow I think they do. I want to see what the body Scubby was using has to say for itself. Well, Nick, these past two days haven't gotten us very far. We located Palsy Gerson, and he satisfied the police, but he knows nothing about it. His girlfriend Dolly isn't the same girl who came to see me, and the telephone operator would call me Palsy has disappeared and can't be found, all of which adds up to a large round zero. You're wrong, Scubby. It all adds up to proof that you were part of a well-aid plan. But why, Nick, why? Look, Scubby, if the police discover that you're the one who apparently killed the man in the nightclub, they'll arrest you. And I, even with my reputation for being on the right side of the law, will be arrested with you as an accessory after the fact. Police couldn't do anything else. All of which would be an excellent way for somebody to commit a murder, and at the same time, get someone he didn't like jailed for the said killing. Scubby, I think I'm the one thereafter. And they used you to get me. But how are we going to stop them, Nick? They got proof that I did that murder, that we can't prove that I didn't do it. That's what I'm trying to do now, Scubby, get that proof before the police catch up with us. So far, I haven't had... Oh, Patsy, see who that is with you. Sure, Nick, hold everything, hold everything. We have warrants for the arrest of Scubby Wilson and Nick Carter in connection with the murder of John Walters. But why didn't they keep you in jail, too, Nick? Because they were extremely decent about it, Patsy. They told me that, although they had positive proof that Scubby committed the murder and that I'd been abetting him in defiance of the law, they were so impressed with my insistence that Scubby didn't murder him, that out of consideration for my past reputation, they were going to give me 10 days to prove his innocence. I could. If I fail in that time, I get myself up. And they proceeded the charges against Scubby and me. How did they find out about him, Nick? Very simple, Patsy. They sent the fingerprints they found on the gun to Washington, to the FBI. And they identified them as Scubbies. You know, he and I are both on file. There's law enforcement agents. They did an investigation, found Scubby was living here, and the rest was easy. What's your next move, Nick? Patsy, if my hunch is right, the man behind this wants to get at me, for some reason, rather. So he's going to be awful mad when he finds the police and let me go again. And he may try to do something himself about getting me out of the way. And if he doesn't? I have a couple of the boys keeping their eyes open for anyone who looks like that mystic Scubby was telling us about. I believe he's at the bottom of all this, Patsy. If I can lay my hands on him, I feel sure he can tell us all the answers. But he might mystic you too, Nick, the way he did Scubby. He might. But I doubt it. Well, I'm going down to pick up a new... a paper at the newsstand. I'll be right back, Patsy. Evening journal, please. Thanks. Don't make any sudden moves, bud. Looking for me? You, Nick Carter? Yes? Then you're the one we want. What can I do for you? Keep your hands in plain sight, so me and my two boys here don't have to do any sudden shooting. This ain't a water pistol I got here. I'll take your word for it. What do we do now? A mystic wants to talk to you. Come on. And come quiet. Any idea why the mystic wants to talk to me? I don't think he likes the idea of the cops letting you go after they took you to the jug. He thought you was out of the way for keeps. So now he's going to do something himself about getting rid of me, huh? No. Me and the boys are going to do it for him. When? Now. As soon as we get down to the pier. Oh. An old abandoned pier, I suppose. Yeah. One where there ain't nobody to bother us when we take care of you. Just around the corner. What are you planning to do with me? Oh, a couple of sash weights tied to your leg to do the trick after putting a couple of bullets through your head. Lucky, you get out the sash weights and the rope in the back of the car. Barney, right, you go get the girl. We'll take care of both the girl and Carter at the same time like the boys suggested. All right, Carter, you and me you'll walk out on the pier together. Don't forget I got this little persuader in my hand. Getting dark, which is what we want. But even if you can't see this 38 of mine, it's still there pointing at you. I have no doubt you're right. And I shan't forget. You know, you can't hope to kill me and not pay for it. I'll take my chances on that, Carter. You ain't the first guy I bumped off and you ain't going to be the last. This'll be far enough. Well, then, there's not much I can do about it, is there? No. Oh, is that the girl coming with your pal there? Where? Oh, yeah, I guess that's going to break your arm. Drop it, drop it. No noise if you want to stay alive. Oh, don't drop it. Thanks. Now, I'll take charge here. I'll do just as I say, and you won't get hurt but try any funny business. You'll never see daylight again. You understand? Yeah, yeah, I got you. You didn't need to break my arm or go by. Here comes the girl and Barney. Not a sound of you. OK, OK. Yes, yes, Mike. Had enough waiting for the tone? Answer him. Answer him right. Yeah, we've got enough. Can I bring her over here? Bring her over here. Yeah, we're coming. You didn't want to come, but I'm here. Stop your gun and get your hands up, Barney. Quick, quick, I said, get those hands up. I'll take your gun, too. Now, Barney, come over here. Just a little closer now. What are you going to do? Just getting dark now. It's time for bed, so I'm just going to put you to sleep. Like this, then. Gee, you're wonderful. You don't have to kill him. Do your kind. I didn't kill him. You nickered him? Well, yes, I am. Oh, I've been praying something like this had happened, but I didn't think it would. Quiet. We're not out of the woods yet. All right. OK, fine. Just make sure you keep your mouth shut if you want to keep on living. When he gets here, tell him to bring you the weights and stuff. What do I do with this stuff? Now, tell him. Bring the stuff over here, Lucky. OK. Don't move, Lucky. I've got the gun this time. All right, young lady. Will you get the gun out of his pocket, please? All right. Here it is. I'll take it. Thanks. Now, Lucky, I want you to tie up your pal, Bruny, there. Then you can tie up Spike. Then I'll tie you up. Give the finishing touches to all three of you and be on my way. You mean you're going to leave us here? That's exactly what I mean. Why are you doing it? All right, Lucky. Get busy with those ropes. Time's getting short, and I've got a real score to settle with your boss. Gee, Mr. Coy, you're wonderful. You sure these lugs ain't going to get out of these ropes? I'm sure. I've got lots of practice in this sort of thing. There. All right, come on. We can leave them there safely now. See, look, I ain't told you who I am yet, have I? Well, I know. Who are you? I'm Dolly. Dolly? You're not Gerson's friend. No, I'm the other one. The one that Mr. Coy had to visit your friend in the hotel. So that's who you are. Good. How much do you know about this racket? Well, I didn't know nothing about it then, but since they snatched me and kept me locked up in their hideout, I learned a lot from listening to them talk. Let's stop here a minute. What's this all about, Dolly? If that's your name. Now, my real name's Zian. Did your friend really think he was palsy, Gerson? Yes, he certainly did for a while. That's absurd, of course. The mystic done it. He has an amnesthetic gas that he gives you when you're asleep and knocked out. He doped your friend in the airport in Brown, Chicago. Then he had somebody make him up like a mobster and he let him wake up in that taxi cab. Now, suppose he paid all those people to put on the act that convinced Scubby he really was palsy, Gerson. Only the taxi driver, the telephone girl, the hotel clerk and me. The four thugs was already members of the gang. And they beat him up so this mystic could give him another shot of the gas while he was unconscious. And let him wake up as himself? Yes. And he was so doped all the time he was putting on the act that he never could figure out what was going on. Very clever. And how did you get in on this? I wanted to be an actor. They hired me to put on a act. They told me they were ribbing some friends of theirs. But when they saw all the publicity and the papers and I saw that you got arrested too, I knew it wasn't no gag. I went to where their headquarters was one day to see if they were still there so I could go to the police. But somebody saw me there and grabbed me. I've been locked up ever since. You know why they wanted to do all this? The mystic knew your friend was going to Philadelphia to get some dope on a racket. The mystic was ahead of the gang. And he wanted to scare your friend off. He hoped he'd scare you off too. He'd get ready to work his same racket all over the country. And he was the only one who was getting hot on his trail. I thought that was it. And when we didn't scare off, we had to take matters into his own hands. I suppose it was one of the mystic's thugs who did the killing in the nightclub? Yeah, it was Spike, made up to look like your pal. And he left the evidence at the cop's house. Who was the man who killed? Some fellow wouldn't play ball away one and two. Look, you know where the headquarters of this gang is? Sure. Just about a block from here. Want me to show you? You bet I do. With your help, I'm going to get that mystic. If he's there. Come on. It's over this way. That's the place. That little house beside the warehouse. There another entrance? Yeah, around on the side. That's all. How many in the gang? Five besides the board. You've got three of them tied up on the piece. Good. Can you handle a gun? I don't know. I'll try it if you want me to. Good. Take this one. Go around to the other door. When you hear me far or once, you shoot that gun six shots fast. Can you do that? Sure. What are you going to do? I'm going to pick the lock on this door, go in and try to trap them. They try to make a getaway through the other door. The shots you fire will make them think they're surrounded. Okay? Sure. Good luck, Mr. Carter. I'll be listening for you. No, Mr. Mystic. Let's see how mystical you really are. First I get this door open. Yeah. That was easy. I guess they're not expecting trouble. Now to find them. Despite taking care of Carter and the cops taking care of that stooge who he is, we don't have nothing to worry about any further. I guess we were too clever for the great Nick Carter. I think so, don't you? Up with your hands, Oliver, you'll make a snap. Nick Carter, Nick Carter, where's my gun? Oh, good. You're surrounded. You can't get away. Got it, boys. We ain't got a chance. Drop your guns if you want to stay alive. Now you have. You've got too many corners this time. Got your boys. Thank you. Now turn and stand up against the wall with your hands in the air. That's it. Oh, Anne. Anne, it's all over now. You can come in. The fight's over. The gun is a contact evasion. All right, Anne. Go to the nearest telephone and call police headquarters. Tell them we have the correct answers to the killing that Scubby's charged with and tell them to send some cops down here after them right away. It's your thing, Mr. Carter. Now who's on top, Mr. Mystic? Why don't you try a little magic now? All right, Anne. Good going. Scubby will be very anxious to get this good news. Come on my way, Mr. Carter. You mean? You mean you didn't have any police help with you? No, my mystical friend. Just me and the girl. By using my own special brand of magic, you couldn't tell the difference. And that's the kind of magic worth using. This has been another of the strange adventures of Nick Carter, master detective, which are brought to you regularly each week at the same time by W.O.R. Mutual. Well, Nick, I'd like to hear a few of the high spots from next week's story. OK. Next week's story started with a cat. But not a common ordinary cat. This one was a lemon yellow Persian cat with a pedigree. The chase started when I tried to find the said pedigree, Persian puss, which had been stolen from its rightful and very ultra-ultra owner. But before long, I found I was involved in theft, kidnapping, murder, and other varieties of law breaking. Which included being hit over the head and being shot at in the dark. Not exactly an amusing case. No, Patsy, it was a deadly serious case before it was finished. I call it a cat brings death. Or the mystery of the missing Persian. And that's all for now. So long. So long, everybody. And so long to you both, Nick and Patsy. In the strange adventure you have just heard, Nick Carter was impersonated by Lon Clark, Patsy by Helen Schultz, Gubby by John Caine. Original music was played by Lou White. The entire production was written and directed by Jacques McGregor. Next week, at the same time, listen to another curious experience of Nick Carter entitled, A Cat Brings Death. Or Nick Carter and the Mystery of the Missing Persian. This story is a copyrighted feature of Strudensmith Publications Incorporators. The return of Nick Carter is produced in the studios of W.O.R. and is broadcast over most of these stations every Saturday evening at 10, 15 Eastern War time. This is Mutual.