 Good evening friends. This is your host to welcome you through the creaking door into the inner sanctum. Well, I put it myself over to a traveling freak show this afternoon. You see how the competition was doing. Ran into an old schoolmate fascinating fellow. We once voted him most likely to succeed. He did and how? He's a high man in the snake pit. A frightful accident happened near the squirrel cage. The peanut concessionaire went up in flames. Yes, some joke had given him a hot foot. But before I left the the owner offered me a very lucrative job. Pick any cage you like, he said. I told him I'd think it over sometime when I got my mind back. Tonight's inner sanctum mystery, The Corpse is Lonely, was written by John Robert and stars Larry Haynes and the role of Smitty with Barbara Weeks as Julie. And now for tonight's anguish. We're on the ground level of an old abandoned lighthouse on Jellico Strip, a narrow aisle at two miles off the North Atlantic mainland. It's the exact instant a sputtering fuse hisses close to a wooden box that reads danger, dynamite. Near the box lying days the two figures Julie a boy and a girl. Julie. The boy rises, staggers unsteadily reaches down frantically toward the unconscious girl. Julie, get up. Julie will be blowing the pit. Stop it! The hundred year old lighthouse lies toppled in a crazy pile of shattered stone. One figure lies outside it, flung clear of the wreckage in a freakish whim of the fates. One figure, the boy. Blood spurts from head wounds and mixes with the sand under him. His eyes open slowly and he stares in a slow circle, away from the lighthouse as if trying to find it. His eyes fix on nothing. Julie. Julie, I can't see. I can't see. I'm blind. Write my story on the wind. Yes. The short happy story of Smitty Lonegan. It began with an old green bottle on the beach. Only yesterday. I'd been out all day casting for sea bass and an old rowboat rigged up with an outboard motor. Well, it hadn't enough. I ran the boat up on the beach. Except for the seagulls. I was alone. I thought it was a beach at the tip of nowhere, a four mile walk from town. I just dropped my anchor when I saw the old green bottle lying on the edge of the beach like it had just been washed ashore. There was something inside it, rolled up. And a metal stopper that took every ounce of strength I had trying to pull it free. Let me give you a hand at that, kid. Who are you? Sharky. You don't even look so green. I ain't gonna bite you. Well, where'd you come from just now? I didn't see you. I was watching you from up on the dunes. Hand me that bottle. There just takes a little muscle. Now let's see what you found, kid. And a sheet of paper. Looks more like old parchment. Yeah, it does. There's a coin with it. Old green coin. Looks Portuguese to me. No, no. It's American. It's an old gold coin. Well, what do you know? $50 gold piece at that. What does the paper say? Well, it's old script, hard to make out. Don't give me that. Make it up. Well, rate it for yourself. Why don't you? I don't rate it. Oh, come on, kid. Come on. No need to get in your back up. I can make out the words one-third to the Lady Jane, one-third to the Croker, and one-third to the Sea. One-third to the Lady Jane, one-third to the Croker, one-third to the Sea. Well, what does that double-talk mean? I don't know. There's a signature on it. Captain Crow. That's... That's all there is. Well, I sticking out all over your face, kid. What do you mean? There's more on the back of that paper. Give it to me. Part of a map. This is the third of the map that went into the bottle you fetched out of the sea. The second piece went to some Lady Jane and another third to the Croker. You get the three-thirds together and you've got a map leading to a lot more of that gold. Now, look, Mr. Sharkey, I found the bottle and you're horning in. No, kid. I'm not horning in. I'm taking over. Map, gold piece, right in Sharkey's jeans. Hey, don't like it, huh? You're a cheap crook. Gonna hike to town. Tell the sheriff. You bet your life I am. Kid, I never yet saw a dead man walk to town any town. Yeah. You gonna kill me? Sure. Learned like that. Sharkey. No, the map is all yours. That's why you're blabbing around town. It is not. Kid, I'm shot. She shot me. You're alone. Yeah. But I don't see anybody. She'll show from over the dunes when it saves. Sharkey. Sharkey was dead. And Julie showed. I watched her come down over the dunes, holding a rifle aimed and ready. A girl gotten up like a beachcomber. She's wearing fisherman's pants, slid along the thigh, with long hair flying wildly. Sharkey done for? Yes. Yes, he's dead. You saved my life. All I did was kill Sharkey. Get the stuff he stole from me out of his pocket. Yeah, sure. What's all this? Oh, just some old junk I found in an old bottle. Sharkey wasn't killing you because of some old junk. I don't like liars, mister. Sharkey was a liar. All right. It's an old gold coin. There's a letter and part of a map. Part of a map that leads to more gold coins. Was that the way Sharkey figured it? Yes. Then that's how I figure it. We're partners, mister. What's your name? Smitty. We're partners, Smitty. Now help me dig a hole for Sharkey. Partnership is ours, Julie. I'm on my own. This rifle says otherwise. I just traded in Sharkey for you, handsome. Now dig that hole and start chasing down the gold. The gentler's sakes. Whoever coined that phrase never met Julie. Well, I went right to the one source that could tell me the most about Captain Crow, the signer of the old letter I found. My informant was a peg-legged old man called Uncle Kale, the village record keeper. Captain Crow, huh? Funny you should come inquiring about him. Well, I'm writing a book on New England history. There was a Captain Crow, eh? There was until the county hung him 20 years ago. About the time I lost this leg. Hung him, you say? Why? Well, piracy was only one of the reasons. Crow had put out the signal flare lit off an old gelical lighthouse so that pass and ships had ram into the rocks and sink. Oh. I, uh, I guess Captain Crow's scheme met him quite a lot. Yeah, I reckon it did. Everything floating to shore was salvage and Crow knew just where to lay waiting for it. What went down, Crow went down after. Diving suit? Yep. And grappling irons. Oh, I suppose he came by a lot of gold that way. Yeah, I can't say he didn't. There was talk once about a gold shipment that never got past them rocks off an gelical lighthouse. Uh-huh. I, uh, I ran into a couple of funny names connected with Captain Crow. I wonder if they make any sense to you. Far away. Lady Jane and the Croker. Lady Jane and the Croker? Now, where did you come by them? Around. They mean something? They're right here in my records in the last Will and Testament old Captain Crow made out before they hung him. I remember reading them names like it was only yesterday. Can I, uh, can I see the Will? Yeah, I guess you can. You'll be in the book, right? I'll go scout it up. Got it right here. Hand by old Captain Crow himself. Let's see what it says. The ship's clock, grappling irons, a diver's suit, wingless, a rocker, a picture of Lady Jane. And there's one of your questions answered, son. A picture of Lady Jane? Yep. A hand-painted picture of a sailing boat went to his sister right here in the village the way he wanted it. Hester Crow's got the picture now hanging over a mantle. Uh, what about the Croker? Well, the Croker is written down here as his stuffed parrot. Stuck parrot. Who did Captain Crow leave that to? His brother Tom. Yeah, Tom's got that stuffed bird sitting on the table in his parlor right now. I've seen it there. Say, you want to hear the rest of what Crow divided around in his will? Uh, no. No, thanks. I... I know all I want to know. Thanks. Hester Crow and Tom Crow. The surviving brother and sister of old Captain Crow. I had two stops to make. To pick up a painting of a ship and a stuffed parrot. Yeah. Pick them up somehow. Buy them if I could. Steal them if I had to. Hester Crow's cottage faced the sea in a deserted corner of the village. Picking my way up a short flower path to the weather-beaten front door. I knew I wouldn't have to buy or steal the Lady Jane picture. Hester Crow was just about giving up claim to me. Inside on the floor with a face as much green and purple and twisted as if she'd just screamed that the devil was Hester Crow. Stop staring stupid and get the painting down off the mantelpiece. Julie, Julie, you killed Hester Crow. It didn't have to be murder. When you're chasing gold, it's kill or be killed. How'd you know to go after Hester Crow? I was outside the window listening to you pump that record keeper. You just thanked him and walked away, sucker. You got a double-tracked back there sometimes, Smitty. Then murder Uncle Kale, I couldn't. Then I'll have to do it for you. I'll get that Lady Jane picture down. Grip off the back. Well, is it there, isn't it? It's there. Another one-third of a map. That proves the letter in that bottle was in McCoy. Yeah, I guess it does. We just need the last third of that mantel. The stuffed bird sitting on Tom Crow's parlor table. A stuffed parrot's going to make us rich. Why are you staring at me like that, Pa? You're crazy. Maybe, but you're going to be crazy about me. Am I? You'll see. Now you go down to the beach and wait for me. I'll go get that stuffed bird. You're going to kill Tom Crow. You forgot what I told you about chasing gold? No. No, I didn't forget. You said, kill or be killed. I hiked four miles back to the beach as Julie adored me to. And I waited for her to come back with the stuffed parrot. Oh, I was in deep. Playing patsy to a crazy murderous. With no way out. The hours went by and the dawn came up. But Julie didn't show. But somebody else did. Somebody else came scooting along the surf in a 20-foot motorboat. A burly guy with a wind-tanned face and a yellow poncho and a rain hat. With a sheriff's badge pinned on his chest. And with him piloting the motorboat onto the beach was a short, hollow-skinned fisherman. Hi, sir. I'm Sheriff Kirkus. Hiya. Came but out here. Yeah, yeah. Is it okay? I guess it is. Outside the town limits here. Where are you from? Inland away, Fall River. On the bum? Sort of. I'm between jobs. I thought I'd like to get a little fishing in before locating again. Fish biting? Some. Yeah. What line are you in when you work? No line. Especially soda-jerking and odd jobs. Been into the village lately? Yeah, I thought I'd look at that. Yeah, I thought I'd look it over. Why? There's no reason, especially. You got any objection to looking it over some more? Me showing you around? Do I have to? Maybe you do. Got no reason not to want to have you. Oh, no. Why do you ask that? There's no reason, especially. Old Hester Crow died mysteriously last night, but that shouldn't bother you any. Didn't even know the old lady, did you? No, I didn't. If you're ready now, we'll go. And if I'm not ready now? Then I'll have to take in. Son, you're the... Julie! It was Julie who shot you, Sheriff. I don't see nobody. Sure shall. From over the dunes. Julie showed. I watched her come down the dunes. A rifle aimed and ready, pointing at the olive-skinned little guy who piloted the motorboat for the sheriff. The sheriff changed his mind, handsome? He's dead. He came to arrest me for the murder of Hester Crow. That's all your needs knocking from up there. Good thing for us the sheriff came along. Good thing. And how? They got a real motorboat now and a pilot with it. You there, what's your name? Pedro, say your... What do we need a motorboat and pilot for? A gelico lighthouse and get that gold. Gelico lighthouse? Yeah. Here's the third of that map that was sold in the stuffed parrot. Put the three pieces together and read it for yourself. What happened to the owner of the stuffed parrot, Ed Crowley? We just got to know, huh? Read the map, handsome. According to the directions and arrows, there's something buried in the foundation of the gelico lighthouse. And there's something gold. Well, to get at it, we'd have to take the whole structure down. That means wrecking equipment. It's too big a job for us. You sure quit easy. What's wrong with dynamite in the lighthouse? How do we get the dynamite? By getting it. Pedro, come here. Sí, señora. You want to stay alive? Oh, sí, sí, señora. Then tell us where to lay our hands on a box of dynamite. What, señora? Pedro, do not know. Pedro had better know. Pedro did know. We watched Pedro steal a box of dynamite from the private pier at the county construction company. I have stole the box of dynamite, señora. Now, let's get out here. Head straight for the gelico lighthouse. Pedro, as fast as you can push this tunnel. The gelico lighthouse is over there, señora. On that little island. Sí, I throw the light on it. I see it. The lighthouse is abandoned, isn't it? Oh, sí, señora. For a long time, there is nobody in it. Stop the boat here. Here? In the middle of the water? Right here. Turn around, Pedro. What for? Do as I say. Surely. Pedro's house is... One of you's got to go, handsome. I can't keep an eye on both of you in the dark and on that island at the same time. I'm only a helpless woman. Which will it be, Smitty? You are Pedro. Go ahead, make it to me. You'll kill me anyway, señora later. Maybe I won't. Ready for it, Pedro? Sí, señora. If I have to die, I am ready. Thank you, senor, for trying to save Pedro. We planted the dynamite in the ground level of the gelico lighthouse during the lashing gale. Pencil strips of moon shining on Julie's face looked like tiger stripes. There was a crazy gloating burning in her eyes. Is it all right, handsome? Yes, it's okay. Now, delete the fuse. The whole lighthouse will blow the sky high in a minute. Then shower us with gold. Let's get out of here before we blow up. Let's not get out of here. Let's not. But Julie will... No, you will. Move and I'll shoot you. Go ahead, shoot. I'm coming for you. Not good enough, Julie. I've got enough left to choke a living friend. He kills. He kills himself. He sank in my hands and fell over unconscious. I couldn't bring her to a drag myself out in time. I'm here now on the beach, blinded by the blast, writing my story on the wind. Hello, son. Did you find that gold yet? Uncle Kellogg, how'd you know to come here? I was the one who sent you here. You sent me here? Oh, sure. You gave me the lead on... on what Lady Jane and the Croker meant. More than that, I was the one who drew up that letter and map and put it into that old rum bottle for some scavenger to find on the beach. I don't get it. Old Captain Crow never had any gold? It was me that made you think he had by forging them writings on an old paper I tore out of a book, by hiding pieces of a map in the back of that picture and in the stuffed parrot. Why did you do all that? Payment for my leg. The leg I lost. Oh, sounds crazy. I lost my leg in the service of the county, but not a cent come to me for the loss. I was to get my pension from the county board, except for two votes going against it. Two votes. That's the crow and that crow voted against it. They did? May they squirm everlastingly in their graves? So, your scheme was to get them murdered by someone who was after the pieces of a map you planted in their homes? Yeah, and it worked. Jim Dandy. Why did you come here now? To laugh at me for playing sucky? No, son. You make my peace with you before you die. I left the story behind me all written out and they'll be coming here after me. I've had my revenge. I allow I'm touched in the head some, but I wanted to make my peace with a good lad like you before you die. You scared? Not of dying so much. Then of what? Of someone waiting to meet me where I'm going. She swapped chalky in for me. You hear her? I got rid of her once, but I'm afraid she's going to get me this time. What do you bet now that he's crossed the great divide? Smitty's troubles begin to multiply. Julie won't take no for an answer, especially now that she knows Smitty's a real dumb guy. Did somebody say Uncle Cale gambled a $50 coin and hit the crackpot? What do you say we close this merriment with a moral, everybody? When bottle washes out of the sea, don't pull the stopper, sucker. You might blow your own top. Be with us again next week at this same time for another Inner Sanctum Mystery. This program was heard in the United States over CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System, and has been rebroadcast for servicemen and women overseas. 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