 It's another 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. Presented by the three great Linux home brightness. Linux clear glass, Linux cream polish, and Linux self-polishing wax. Created by ACME, America's great producer of ACME quality paints. Today's curious adventure. Monkey sees murder. Or Nick Carter. And the mystery of the Peruvian red mark. In just a moment, we'll hear how Nick Carter solved the mystery of the Peruvian red mark with the aid of Professor Ben Tool's stuffed monkey. But first, a word about good housekeeping. Millions of women have wisely come to depend upon Kemptone, the miracle wall finish. 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Well, I'd much rather stay home Patsy, but I feel that Professor Coleman really needs my help. How do you happen to know this Professor Coleman? Well, some years ago, before you came to work with me, a friend of my father's took me in an expedition into the wilds of Peru. Professor Coleman was one of the men in charge. We've been close friends ever since. Where's that letter you got from him? Right here. Thanks. Dear Carter, is there a chance of you getting up this way? I should like to discuss with you a most delicate problem which has suddenly come up. One which is driving me out of my mind. I've tried to write it, but without success. With exams coming up, I can't get away. Please come. I need you desperately, Charlie Coleman. Well, it certainly sounds pretty serious. Yes, can't imagine what he's talking about, but I think enough of him to want to help him possibly can. So I'm going to Boston cold and no cold. Wondering if old John is still with the Professor. Who's old John? Oh, he was sort of a handyman around the university for a long time. Then his memory began to fail him, and after a rather serious accident that cost the chemical lab quite a bit of money, had let him go. Professor Coleman took pity on him and gave him a job as his housekeeper. Old John idolizes the Professor. When do you get there, Nick? Oh, I should be there about dinner time this afternoon, I expect. Certainly be glad to see the old boy again. Stupid of me. The door is open, not even a last. That's odd. Anyone home? Are you here, Professor? That is what we're going to wait for. Professor? What on earth? Not long ago. John! John! Well, obviously it's the case with the police. Police headquarters, please. Police headquarters, yes, sir. Who's there? Oh, it's you, John. Yes, sir. Oh, how are you, Mr. Carter? Police headquarters, Sergeant Donnelly speaking. This is Nick Carter, Sergeant. I want to report that Professor Coleman of 4873 Beacon Street has been murdered. I just found the body. Don't leave the house. I'll have someone up there right away. I'll wait. Goodbye. Did I hear you saying on the phone that he was dead? Yes. Where have you been, John? Well, I've been out. Yes, I know, but where? Well, he said for me to go over to Loch Ness Hall to elect you. He ain't really dead, is he? You're just saying that, ain't you? He told you to go out. Why? Well, I don't know. Maybe he was expecting company. He told me to go. Who was he expecting, John? I don't know. Maybe the man who was here twice already asked conformed. The man who looked kind of like the professor himself. I see. John, tell me, do you know anyone who would want to kill the professor? Oh, no, sir. No, indeed. Well, what about this man who looks like him, who came here twice, you say? Oh, he just came. The professor was out each time, so he went away. Did he leave his name? No, sir, he didn't. He just looked sad and went away. You told Professor Coleman about this man, didn't you? Yes, sir. What did he say when you told him? Well, he seemed sort of troubled, sir. He kept asking me what the man looked like and what he said and what he did and all like that. Do you think the professor was afraid? Well, I don't know. Maybe a little. Oh, I'll go let him in with Carter. I'm Captain Jeffery, police department. Is the man who phoned us? Yes, I'm Nick Carter, an old friend of the professor's. He's... His body is in the living room there. Okay, thanks. We'll look the place over. Then I'd like you to tell us what you can about. Wait here with us. And you say you've known Coleman for years. Yes, ever since we went on that Peruvian expedition together. I only stayed there a few months, but Benjamin Tull, the head of the expedition and most of the others stayed on until their work was finished. Well, Mr. Carter, if there's nothing else you can tell us, we'll be getting back to headquarters. You're going to be in the city for a while? Yes, at least until this is cleared up. Where'll you be? I imagine Ben Tull will want me to stay with him when he knows I'm in town. He generally does. I see. You can get me there if you want me. Well, this is a surprise. When did you get into town? This afternoon. Well, well, I'll call Peterson and Charlie Coleman right away. We must have a real old-time reunion. I've just come from Professor Coleman's, Ben. He's dead. Dead? Oh, surely you're not serious? I'm afraid I am, Ben. He was murdered late this afternoon. Murdered? It seemed possible. Didn't to me either. You see here, we better call Peterson and tell him he should know at once. I suppose I ask him to come over right away. But you don't realize, Nick, how he and Coleman have drifted apart in the last couple of years. He's still hot-headed as ever, I'm afraid. Oh? Why, what was the trouble between him and Coleman? Coleman thought Peterson drank too much. Peterson was in his department, you know. Peterson thought it was none of Coleman's business what he did outside of ours once they actually came to blows very briefly. I see. I suppose Pete will take over Professor Coleman's job now. He was in line for it, wasn't he? Yes, with a nice salary increase, too. Well, I'll give him a ring when he gets here. You can tell us both all the details. And that's all I can tell you. I don't suppose, Peterson, that you have any more idea than Ben does what the problem was that Coleman wanted to discuss with me. Not the slightest gutter. You know, we're scarcely on as intimate terms as that. Of course, I'm sorry that he's dead, but I don't expect to go into mourning for him. We're all sorry he's dead. He was a good man and a good scientist. I've got to be running along. I have work to do. It's nice to have seen you caught him. Now, wait a minute, Peterson. Let's drink a toast to Coleman's memory before you go. No, thanks. I've stopped drinking. Since when? Stuff was beginning to get me. I was beginning to do things without knowing it. You changed, Peterson. Things like that didn't use to worry you. Yes, yes, I know. Yes, I'm getting older. Well, good night. I'll see you again if you stay around a few days, Nick. I'll let you out if you want to. Never mind, Ben. I know my way around here. Good night. I'll stay here with me, of course, Nick. We're glad to, Ben. I'd rather hope you'd ask me. Before we turn in, I'd like to show you the work I've been doing. My work on the expedition, you know. Oh, yes. How's it coming along? Nearly finished at last. It's been a terrific job to correlate all that material that we gathered in that year in Peru. It's not the money I'm after, you know. It's recognition. Recognition for all those months and years of hard work and perseverance. I'm getting old, you know, and I may not have... Where's it been? Look here. All of them are my manuscripts. These red marks. Oh, what do they mean? You know what this is, don't you? The mark that's scrolled all over these papers. Why, it looks like a big red letter, F. Is it? After you left the expedition and went back to New York, we found one of our headguides murdered in his tent one morning. And on his face and all over the walls of the tent, written in his blood, was the same symbol. The natives told us it was a message, a warning. A promise of death. But who in the world could have... I don't know. I don't understand it at all. First, Charlie Coleman murdered, and now this. What can it mean? I don't know, Ben. But the best thing to do right now is call the police. Sundotity linked to Charlie Coleman's death, some way. He's now nixed since Charlie was killed and my manuscript was mutilated. Now the police gone to sleep entirely. I talked to Captain Jeffrey yesterday, Ben, but he hadn't learned much. That was of any help. Pardon me, Nick, I'll see who's there. Good afternoon, Professor True. Hello, Captain Jeffrey. Have you got some news? Well, yes and no. Oh, hello, Mr. Carter. Captain. There, you're here. See what you took and make out of this. What is it, Captain? This letter. We found it among Professor Coleman's things yesterday. As you see, it's dated about a week ago and comes from a firm of lawyers in Chicago. Do you care to read it, Mr. Carter? Yes, of course. That's odd. What is it, Nick? Briefly, it says that Professor Coleman's father died a few weeks ago, and the lawyers just found out. His will left his entire estate to his two sons, Charles and Bennett. Well, that fits in with what old John was telling me the other day about the stranger who resembled Coleman. I hadn't heard that. And Professor Coleman's servant told us about it, and we checked up on him. It's pretty certain that a man who looks a lot like the professor has been seen around quite a bit recently. Several persons have seen him. Was he alone hours? Yeah. No one has ever seen him with a professor. Did you read the rest of the letter? Yes. It goes on to say, Ben, that if one brother only survives, he shall have all the money. The letter says the lawyers have had no word about Bennett's whereabouts for over five years. They want to know if the professor could help them. The surviving brother gets the whole estate? That's it. Then maybe the stranger was Bennett. And maybe he killed Charlie so that he'd be the surviving brother. Or perhaps they had an argument over the money and the professor was killed in a quarrel. Did you know about his brother, Ben? Yes. Charlie told me a long time ago, but he swore me to secrecy. But after what's happened, I think I'd better tell you. Charlie's brother, Bennett Coleman, has another name, Vern Call. Vern Call? Why, he's a crook. Is he Charlie's brother? Yes, and he's bad. All bad. He recently escaped from a Carolina prison after serving three years of a long sentence for armed robbery. Well, that's the answer to the whole thing right there. As this Bennett was a fugitive from justice, he knew he couldn't collect his share of the money without being caught. So he made tracks here to see his brother. They had an argument? That seemed possible. Why? Bennett couldn't have come here for his share of the money because he was seen here in town before Charlie got the letter telling of their father's death. Well, maybe I was wrong about the motive, but I'm right about him being the killer. That delicate situation the professor wrote you about could very well have been because Vern Call was hanging around. And that would have been very delicate for a professor in a college like this. You make it sound very simple, Captain. Well, it is simple, so why complicate it? Our job right now is to find Vern Call. I'll get out an alarm for him immediately. So Professor Coleman has a brother who is an escaped convict. He's been seen near the scene of the crime. That seems to be the obvious answer. But is Nick himself satisfied with the solution or do his suspicions point in another direction? We'll see in just a moment. These are days when your folks are likely to come tracking into the house with wet boots and galoshes. And those tracks can mean a great deal of work for you homemakers. Not only do you have to wipe up the floors, but it's quite likely that moisture may impair the floor finish. So here's the wise thing to do. Protect the floor surfaces in your home with Linux Clear Gloss varnish. It's easy to brush on and it leaves your floors and linoleum with a lustrous finish that keeps its beauty a long, long time. Well, Linux Clear Gloss provides an elastic, transparent finish that really wears. It actually resists damage by hot grease, boiling water, fruit acids, perfume, even alcohol. And it lessens your housework amazingly for it keeps dirt on the surface where you can wipe it away easily with a damp cloth. Depend on Linux Clear Gloss, the super varnish. Thousands of wise homemakers have found it the finest household protective finish in their experience. So ask for it at your dealers. Linux, L-I-N-Dash-X. Linux Clear Gloss varnish. You'll find all three great Linux home brightners and ChemTone, the miracle wall finish at hardware, paint, and department stores everywhere. Now back to our story. As we pick up our story, it's about 10 o'clock in the evening. Nick and Professor Ben Toul are sitting in the professor's study. I think I'll turn in Ben if you don't mind. Nick, do you think Captain Jeffrey was right this afternoon? No, I doubt it. Vern Kohl doesn't explain the marks on your manuscript. I be... It sounded like the window in your study, Ben. What I thought. The stuffed monkey on my desk. What the juice? Somebody moved the monkey from the top of the bookcase down onto my desk. Put the dunce cap on him and put that card in his hand. That red ink sign on the card. The same as the one that was on your manuscript, isn't it? Yes, Nick. The same sign. It's come again. Is your window locked? No. No, it isn't. That's how we got in. But who, Nick, and why? Ben, this card is fastened to the monkey's paw by a hunk of chewing gum. Chewing gum? Yes. Then I'm going out. I don't yet know why this stuffed monkey was placed on your desk, but I think I know who did it. Quick, you're soaking wet. Peterson was here, just left a few moments ago. I phoned him to come over after you went out. Ben, old John Dyson was murdered tonight. Old John murdered it. Yes, shot. Same as the professor was. I knew it. I could feel it in the air. How did you happen to go there? Chewing gum that fastened that card to the monkey's paw was centered with clove. And old John chews clove-flavored gum all the time. You're soaked through, Nick. You already have a bad cold. Would you like some coffee? Peterson and I had some. There's a little left. It's still quite hot. Yes, I think I would, Ben. I feel pretty down just now. Let me hang my coat up. But, Nick, what's back of all this? Burned cold surely wouldn't have any reason to kill old John, too. I wish I could answer that, Ben. I have a general idea of what's going on, but I can't make it sound sensible. Ah, second cup of coffee was just what I needed. I think if you don't mind, Nick, I'll go to bed. I'm all in. Certainly, Ben, run along. I'll sit here for a while and finish my coffee and try to think things out. My stomach. Something I hate. That poisoned coffee. Oh, I gotta find something. I'll get rid of it. Get my stomach emptied out. Oh, I've got to get rid of it. What are you feeling now, Ben? We nearly died, Nick. Don't I know it? Feel sure that if I'd retired at a reasonable hour, I should have died without ever getting out of bed. But fortunately, when the poison took effect, I was still sitting in the study. I managed to get to the kitchen and find some mustard and eggs and warm water and got cleaned out. Oh, if you hadn't holed me out of bed and treated me, I don't think I could have made it. I couldn't move when you found me. What causes it, you suppose? Must have been that coffee you made, Ben. I didn't make it. Peterson did. Peterson made it? Yes. I poured us each a cup from what was left. Ben, I'm going over to the chemistry lab and analyze that coffee we drank. See if there's anything in it except coffee. You found there was arsenic in the coffee left in your cup, Connor? Unquestionably, Captain. Enough to have killed us both many times over. Ah, and too old. Says Peterson made the coffee. Yes. Say, Peterson was with you on that Peruvian expedition, wasn't he? Oh, yes, he was, but there's no motive, Captain. Oh, by the way, the alarm I sent out for Vern Call or Bennett Coleman, if you prefer, has brought results. He's been in a hospital in Alabama for the past month, the broken back victim of a head and run driver. I was right then. I thought it was funny he and Charlie were never seen together. Then who was the stranger who looks so much like Professor Coleman? Hey, maybe Peterson turtle something about that. He's got a lot to explain before he's in the clear. What's this all about, Carter? Why did you want me to meet you here at Professor Coleman's residence? A hunch, Captain Jeffrey. You see, it's like this. After I left you this morning, I got to thinking. And suddenly things began to fall into place. That was when I called you and asked you to meet me here. I need one more piece of evidence, and I hope we'll find it here. What are you going to do, Carter? I want to go through old John Dyson's things. It may take time, but I feel sure it'll be worth it. Well, if you can find any place in this room that you haven't gone over with a fine tooth comb, I'll eat it. The only place you've missed is that old tobacco jar over there. That's right. And old John didn't smoke. Here, I'll drop it out here at the table. Candy, chewing gum, a few buttons, and a sheet of paper. Well, is that what you want, Connor? I'll say it is. Come on, let's show this letter to Ben Toomey. And see what he thinks of it. Then you can make your arrest. This is Ben's room. Come in. Jeffrey, have you found some? Yes, Ben. We found this. Here. You see, where did you find it? In old John's room. In the tobacco jar. The tobacco jar? I didn't look there, I thought. Even at the murder, I was a failure. Like everything else. Yes, Ben, you've made a mess of your whole life, I'm afraid. You know what I did. Yes, I know everything. Well, I guess it's time for me to take over here. I'm sorry, Professor Toomey, but you're under arrest for the murder of Professor Coleman and old John Dyson. The attempted murder of Nick Carter. I'm sorry, Nick. I've always liked you. But I couldn't stand the thought of being known as a failure in my chosen profession. Yes. Ben, I do. And I'm sorry for you. But murder is never the answer. It can't be. Although most murderers find it out too late. You gave Professor Toomey a letter to read. What did it say? It was a letter from Professor Coleman to me. One he wrote to me, but never sent. But what did it say? It was that he, Professor Coleman, had suddenly learned that the whole affair of the expedition to Peru was a colossal fake. What? Engineered by men who made a small fortune by selling us supplies and running us the Indians we used as guides and porters. It was a gigantic frame-up with fossils and other relics planted for us to find. Gee. It was done by men who knew the subject well enough to fool everyone at the time. And Coleman says it was only very recently that he accidentally discovered it. He investigated further and found that it was true. Ben Toomey was writing his life's work on the basis of a fake lot of evidence. Ben must have known it, of course, but must have decided to go through with it rather than admit the truth. Gosh, what a terrible thing it would be to find that the biggest thing in your life was found. Exactly, Betsy. So terrible that when Ben found Coleman knew he resolved to kill him before he could tell anyone. So he made himself up to look like Coleman and hoped to be taken for his brother. But they were never seen together. That was my first clue. Oh? Then having set the stage that way and knowing that the brother being an escaped convict could not appear to defend himself, he killed Coleman. But Nick, what about that red Indian sign on Professor Toomey's manuscript? They weren't Indian marks at all, Betsy. They were plain, everyday Fs. Fs? Ben never flunked a student except for cheating. And then always put a big red F on the paper. Oh? Well, old John found the letter Coleman wrote to me and didn't send, realized what it was, and kept it to torment Ben with. He hated Ben because Ben was one of those who had old John fired from the college after the accident in the chem lab. He marked the manuscript himself to show he knew Ben was cheating. Oh, he must have hated him to do a thing like that. He did. And putting the dunce cap on the stuffed monkey and putting the card in his paw with the big red F on it was his way of rubbing it in. But he gave himself away with a clothes-scented gum he used. And when I left Ben's house to go see old John, Ben knew where I was going and beat me to it. And, of course, poisoning the coffee was the really fatal mistake. You mean because you didn't die? No. Because he put a lot of poison in my cup and only enough in his own to make him slightly ill. He drank a whole cup and was only barely sick while I drank only a little of mine and nearly died. Oh, I see. So the poison couldn't have been in the coffee. He just put in the cups themselves while I went to put my coat away. And what was that delicate problem that Professor Coleman wanted to put up to you? Oh, Patsy, don't you see that yet? Oh, I'm afraid not. Should I know? Well, I think so. Coleman simply wanted to consult with me as to whether we should tell the truth about Ben and his expedition or let Ben get away with it. He hadn't learned the truth about the expedition. He'd still be alive. And so would old John. And Professor Tool wouldn't be waiting for his execution. Very true, Patsy. Sometimes the things we learn by accident are the most important things in our lives. In just a moment, Nick and Patsy will bring you a preview of next week's exciting case. But first, note this. Pleasant surroundings make you happier, calmer, more contented, don't they? That's why thoughtful homemakers make a point of keeping their homes pleasant, shining bright, and sparkling clean. Thousands of American women have turned to the three great Linux home brightners to help them with this task. For instance, Linux Cream Polish for fine furniture gives your household things a handsome, lustrous look in half the time. That's because Linux Cream Polish cleans as it polishes, saving one whole step in your cleaning day routine. Only one quick application is needed to remove that cloudy accumulation of dust and previous polish. And at the same time, Linux Cream Polish does away with messy fingerprints and helps conceal ugly scratches. And it leaves no oily film to attract more dust to make more work. There's no doubt about it. Linux Cream Polish is a really worthwhile shortcut to furniture upkeep. It's the modern way to protect your fine belongings. So make a point of asking your dealer for Linux Cream Polish. Get all three great Linux home brightners. Remember that's Linux, spelled L-I-N-dash-X. You'll find them all. Linux Self Polishing Wax, Linux Cream Polish, and Linux Clear Gloss Varnish at your nearest hardware, paint, or department store. And now let's hear from Nick Carter himself. What's the subject of your story for next week, Nick? It's about a fire, Ken. A fire that started mysteriously in a button factory in the dead of night. But what interested Nick was that a girl was found, bound and gagged and burned to death on the top floor of the factory. Yes, Ken, it was not only first-degree arson, it was first-degree murder. Sounds good. What's the title of the story? I call it Murder by Fire. Well, the mystery of the Midnight Alarm. No more for now. Join us again next week for one of the most exciting stories in a long time. So long. So long, everybody. And so long to you both. We'll be looking forward to seeing you again next week. Next week at this same time, listen to another curious experience of Nick Carter, master detective, entitled Murder by Fire. Or Nick Carter in the mystery of the Midnight Alarm. Nick Carter, master detective, is featured in Street and Smith magazines. Lawn Clark is starred as Nick with Helen Choate as Patsy. Original music is played by Lou White and the programs are written and directed by Jock McGregor. Nick Carter, master detective, is presented each week at this same time over these same stations by the three great Linux home brightness. Linux clear glass varnish, Linux cream polish, and Linux self-polishing wax created by Acme, America's great producer of Acme fine quality paints. This is Ken Powell speaking for the thousands of Linux dealers all over America and saying, so long until next week, this is Mutual.