 Yes, it's another case for that most famous of all man hunters. The detective's ability of solving crime is unequaled in the history of detective fiction. Nick Carter, master detective. Tonight's curious adventure. The double disguise. For Nick Carter and the mystery of the kidnapped heiress. Could you tell me which way to Bond Avenue, please? Bond Avenue? Well, yes. Uh, just walk three blocks ahead. Okay, mister. There's a stick up. What? Yeah. Hand it over and be quick about it. And what over? Your wallet, of course. Come on. Oh, come now. Isn't it quite late in the evening for this sort of thing? That's nothing funny about this. I mean business. You haven't been in the business very long, have you? That's enough talk. Just hand it over. Hand it over. I'll shoot. You really would shoot me, would you? Yes. This is your last chance. Please, I don't want to have to kill you. Okay. But you won't find very much... All right, I'll take that toy pistol now. You knew all the while. Sure. We'd have fooled most people, but you just happened to pick on the wrong man. I'm Nick Carter. Nick Carter? Gosh, I guess I did. My name is Brown. Chester Brown. Well, Mr. Brown, let's have it. What's the story? You're no gunman. You're right, Mr. Carter. I've never done this sort of thing before. Why'd you try to hold me up then? I was desperate. I've been out of work for three months now. In times like these? Yes, I know, but I'm a salesman. There's no need for them now. How about manual work? I tried that, but my heart isn't very strong. I see. Married? Yes, I was married six months ago. Where do you live? We live in a couple of rooms in a boarding house. Only a few blocks from here, Mr. Carter. What do you ask? I'd like to go home with you and meet your wife. Oh, that means you aren't going to turn me over to the police. No, not yet, at least. Oh, thanks. But one never knows, Mr. Brown. Let's go. Right this way, Mr. Carter. Stella! Oh, Stella! That's strange. She isn't home. Maybe she went out for a while. At this time of night? She'd be back by now. What does it mean? Well, it probably doesn't mean... Oh, wait a minute. Here's a note. Perhaps this'll explain things. Here, let me have it. Dear Chet, I'll be gone for a few days. Don't worry about me. All our troubles will soon be over. We're coming into a fortune. I can't explain any more now. You're Stella. Well, congratulations. Ah, look what's enclosed. Hmm, a hundred-dollar bill. May I see it, please? Here you are. Gosh, I can't believe it. It's too good to be true. Tell me, Mr. Brown. Is your wife any rich relatives? Rich relatives? Never heard of any. Mother and father no longer living. Well, she has an uncle. Man by the name of James Spear. He lives somewhere out in Colorado. Maybe it's he. Yes, maybe. What are you doing, Mr. Carter? Just checking the number on this bill against the list I have here. Why? Ah, what is it? Mr. Brown, I'm afraid my congratulations were a bit premature. What do you mean? Have you read the evening paper? No, I haven't seen a paper all day. Why? Michael Steelefield, a banker, was murdered last night. $10,000 was stolen from his private vault in one of the cleverest safe-cracking jobs seen here in years. What's that got to do with this? The stolen money consisted of hundred-dollar bills. So what? The bill your wife left for you was one of those stolen by the murderer. Oh, but Mr. Carter, she had nothing to do with that. I feel sure of that, Mr. Brown. Then why should you want to... Suppose you went out tomorrow morning and tried to spend that bill. What would have happened? Why, ah... Oh... Oh, I see. Ah, I'd have probably been arrested as the murderer. Exactly. But... Why did she leave that bill for me? Because she's as much a victim of this frame-up as you are. Brown, if my hunch is correct, someone's trying to make trouble for you and for her. Oh, but Mr. Carter, why should... Now, look, don't ask questions yet. Just listen to me. Pack up a bag and get out of here tonight. Go to 73 Bleaker Revenue. That's a rooming house run by friends of mine on the other side of town. Sit tight until you hear from me. Don't tell anyone where you are and don't use your right name. But... Suppose my wife comes back. I said to leave it all in my hands. Oh, but why should I... Now, don't be a fool. If you don't follow my directions, she may be dead before morning. Oh, you don't think either Brown or his wife had anything to do with the murder, Nick? No, Patsy, I don't. Too obvious a frame-up. A frame-up? Yes, don't you see? The murderer persuades Mrs. Brown to go somewhere with him on some pretext or other and gives her one of the stolen bills to leave for her husband, who's sure to be arrested if he tries to spend it. But why should the murderer want up in the job on Mr. Brown? That I don't know the answer to, Patsy. Except that for some reason, rather, he wants to get Brown out of the way. Hello? Hello, Nick. I'm glad I found you in. Oh, Riley, what is it? You still say you're not interested in this till-fueled killing? Well, as a matter of fact, Riley, something's happened since you spoke to me about it. I have changed my mind. Oh, so you've heard already? Heard? What? About the big postal express robbery down on Front Street. That's where I'm calling from. I know. That's news to me. What do they got, Riley? $40,000 in negotiable bonds. Right out of the vault, Nick. Not bad. Yes, and this is the interesting part. Yeah? Do you know who those bonds would be in ship to? Michael Stillfield. Stillfield? OK, Riley. Thanks. I'll be right down. Well, Patsy, this thing gets more interesting by the minute. Let's go. There you are, Nick. Yeah, hello, Patsy. Hello, Dennis. Well, Riley, let's have a look. Sure thing, Nick. Come on inside. Oh, this is Mr. Johnson, Nick. He's in charge of the express office. Howdy-roo. So glad you came, Mr. Carter. Nothing like this has happened in the 30 years I've been with the company. Well, I suppose there's always a first time, Mr. Johnson. That's the vault over there, Mr. Carter. Oh, thanks. Certainly don't come any finer. That's true, Mr. Carter. Absolutely burglar-proof. Or so we thought. Was anything else taken? No, just the bonds. And they're as good as cash, you know. Why did you discover that they were missing? This morning, they were putting that vault last night. I watched the bookkeeper do it myself. I see. And you were the one who closed the vaults? That's right. I closed it and adjusted the time mechanism myself. Seems to be intact. That's just it, Mr. Carter. I can't understand it. Neither the vault locked nor the time attachment had been tampered with. It looks like the devil's own work. It's absolutely incredible, Mr. Carter. Well, there you have it. The safe was open and the bonds are gone. Well, what do you make of it, Nick? There aren't many men who could have pulled off this kind of a job. Well, you're right there, Nick. As a matter of fact, I don't know anybody, but Nick Carter could have done it. He's that handy with locks of all kinds. You have some idea, Mr. Carter? You say the bonds were put in the vault last night. Yes, that's right. But what time would you say? Well, we received them from the west on the five o'clock tree. Hey, did you say from the west? Well, yes. They came from Colorado. And they were addressed to Michael Stilfield? That's right. And they were put in the vault a little after five. And as you already know, that's the last we've seen of them. Thank you, Mr. Johnson. I don't think we need bother you any further. I do hope you'll be able to track down that thief. It's more than a thief you've put me in the track of. The man we're looking for, Mr. Johnson, is a murderer. Hey, what was that stuff you were given, Johnson, about looking for a murderer, Nick? That's exactly what I meant, Raleigh. You mean there's a connection between the murder of Michael Stilfield and this robber, Nick? You catch on fast, Benzy. How do you figure it, Nick? Well, in both cases, there was Stilfield's property that was stolen. And in both cases, there was a remarkable safe-cracking job, right? There's no doubt about it. Looks like it could be the same ones, all right. And you recall where Johnson said those bonds came from? Yes, from Colorado, Nick. Sure, I remember to say in that, but what's that got to do with it? Just a hunch, Raleigh. By judging by the way, these two safes are broken into. I think I know who probably did it. Who? Clint Bartow. Clint Bartow? Oh, you'll have in me believe in the dead come to life again, Nick. Why, don't you remember? He was reported dead five years ago up in Canada, some place. Yes, but where Clint Bartow's concerned, I don't have much faith in that kind of a report. He's the most dangerous and resourceful criminal in the continent. Raleigh, I wouldn't be surprised that he had that report circulated purposely. No, I hadn't thought of it that way. Furthermore, I suggest you make a thorough check on the background of Michael Stilfield, the murdered banker. An idea, there may be some interesting facts turned up. Okay, Nick, it's as good as done. When you get the information... Well... What is it, Nick? We're being followed. Well, not for long we won't be, and I'll just let be. No, wait a minute, wait a minute. I want to handle this my own way, Raleigh. You continue on the way you're going. Patsy and I'll turn up this side street. Okay, Nick. I'll be seeing you, so long. So long, Raleigh. All right, I should come along this way. He's still following Nick? Yeah. He's hanging on, all right. Here, into this doorway here. Okay. Now what? Well, just wait. He'll be along. Be careful, Nick. Hey, you, what's the idea of following me? What? Who? Me? Yes, you. You've been tailing me ever since. Oh, no, you don't. Hey, hold it. Let go of me. I ain't done nothing, mister. No, not yet, you have it. Now talk, my friend, and let's hear something interesting. Okay, I was tailing you. That's what I thought. What's your game? Oh, not my game. It was some bloke I met near the express office. Yes, what about this bloke? Well, he says there's a tense part in it for me if I keep an eye on you all day. You know, see where you go and what you do. Well, then what? Well, that's all, mister. And I was supposed to report back to 9 at 8 with a dope and get paid. I see. Where were you supposed to report back? Beach Street, opposite the railway station. What did this man look like? Oh, you can't miss him, mister. He's about six foot six. Dark hair and he has a long, curved nose. Well, so he's the one. Oh, you know him, huh? Yes, I think I do. You were offered $10, you say? Here's 20. What for? Well, forgetting all about reporting back, see. Oh, I get it. Sure thing. Thanks. Wait a minute. Yeah? I want to get a good look at you. Huh? Mm-hmm. Yeah. OK, I shan't forget what you look like in a hurry. Now, beat it and remember, stay out of my way. OK, mister. All right, Patsy, come on. What now, Nick? We're going back to the office. I've got a special job to do now that requires a complete change of wardrobe. In fact, Patsy, a complete change of everything. There, that does it. Hand me that mirror, will you, Patsy? Mm-hmm. Here, Nick. Hmm, not bad. Well, Patsy, do you think I look like the man who was following us? Simply perfect, Nick. Why, positively, couldn't tell the two of you apart now. Now, the voice. OK, lady, thanks. Well, I guess I better blow it. The mob's waiting for me. Ha, ha, ha. Nick. Yes? What is it, Patsy? I'm afraid of what you may be letting yourself in for. Oh, now, don't worry. I'll be watching my step. You better. Make one false move with Bartow, OK? Yes, Patsy. I know the kind of man I'm up against. Hello? Oh, yes, Raleigh. Oh, you did, huh? What you find? I see. Yeah, well, that's fine, Raleigh. Oh, no, no, no. I've got a plan of my own. Yeah, I'll do that. All right, Raleigh, thanks. Bye. Well, what is it, Nick? Patsy, my suspicions were right. The report came through on Michael Stilfield. He proves to be none other than James Spear. Spear? You mean Mrs. Brown's uncle? Right. Seems he made his money out west many years ago, then got into some difficulties there. Changed his name and came east. And he never got in touch with his niece? Apparently not. Well, then that fortune Mrs. Brown spoke about and her note is true. Yes. According to his will, she becomes sole heir to the entire estate being his only surviving relative. Well, not bad. If she lives, Patsy. If she lives? Why shouldn't she live, Nick? The person she left home with last night must be the same person who killed Stilfield. The $100 bill she left her husband proves that. And you think that... I think that if that person is Bartow, she's in very real danger. Stilfield owned a fortune and was killed. Now Mrs. Brown owns it. And she may very well be next on the list. I see what you mean. What time is it now, Patsy? 7.30. Okay, I better be off. I'm going to keep my 8 o'clock date. You will be careful, Nick. Yes, of course I will. You know what you ought to do. Yes, I'll do just what you told me. Good. Well, so long, Patsy. I'll be seeing you. I hope so, Nick. I hope so. 8 o'clock. And this is the corner, all right? Well, nobody seems to be sure. You're waiting for someone, bud? Yeah. I was supposed to meet a guy here at 8. Okay, I guess you're the one. Follow me. Where are we going? I'm taking you to the boss. Where's that? You'll find out. Come on. Here we are. Just a minute. It's me, boss. Is this the guy, boss? Yeah. Come in. Close the door, my lord. Well, what did you find out? I followed the guy, like you said. Well? How about that tent spot you promised? Don't worry, you'll get it. Now, what happened? Nothing. What do you mean? I tailed the guy to a house on Elm Street. They went in, I didn't see him come out all day. I see. Well, okay, you did a good job. Here's the tent. Anything else, mister? I could use more dough. And I ain't particular how I make it. If you get what I mean. Yeah, I get what you mean. You see, I figure you must have some kind of a racket, mister. Very clever reasoning on your part. Yeah, I'd sort of like to get in on it. That is, if you could use a guy like me. Maybe I could. You were... You don't happen to know the name of that man you were following, do you? Never seen him before. Well, that was Nick Carter. Nick Carter? Who's he? Never heard of him, eh? Well, he's just about the greatest detective of the side of the Atlantic. This Carter must be quite a guy. Quite a guy is right. But quite a bag of tricks. He's the one man that stood between me and a fortune on three different occasions. Put you in the jug, eh? No, not quite. But on account of him, I've had a lay low the last five years. Now I've got another fortune within my grasp, and he's not gonna stand in my way again. No, sir. I'll see to that. Yeah, and wiped out a scheme, eh? Yeah. Beautiful one. Beautiful and simple. He's gonna be hoist by his own petard. Come again? One of his own great tricks is gonna be his undoing. I don't get you. All right, Nick Carter, you can come out from one of that trick voice now. Keep him covered and alone. Yeah, right. Well, congratulations, Bartle. I was sure I had you fooled. It was a neat job, Carter. Your resemblance to Trigger is absolutely uncanny. Trigger? Yeah, one of my own men. It was all a frame when you fell for it. Knowing you and your tricks, I figured that's exactly what you do. And now that I'm here, what are you proposed to do? Something I should have done a long time ago. This is the end of the road for you, Carter. Bartle, I think you're bluffing. Oh, you do. Yes, I do. Why'd you have to go to all this trouble? You could have had one of your men shoot me in the street. Oh, Carter, I had a special reason for wanting to bring you here alive. Yeah? What's that? I wanted to see the look on your face when I opened the door to this inner room and you saw this. What? Chester Brown. Yeah. And I assure you he wouldn't be sleeping so peacefully if he knew what I was planning for him and for you. Hey, you wake up. Wake up, you've got company. Yeah, you gave him too much of that dope alone. You might have killed him. Who's a what, boss? Ain't that what you want? Yeah, but I want him to wait until Mr. Carter could keep him company. I want them to go out together. Come on, you, wake up. What's all of... You may not believe it, Brown, but this tough-looking thug is really our old friend Nick Carter. Oh, oh, so it's you, Mr. Carter. I thought I told you to hide away that address I gave you. I did. These guys found out where I was. Did you tell anybody where you were? No, no, nobody. I just gave my address to my old landlady so she could forward my mail. Right, boy, isn't it, Carter? Well, now that I've got you both here together, I'm going to hang you both together. Trigger. Yeah, boss? Come in here. Help Malone tie this great detective up while I keep him covered. It'll be a pleasure, boss. Hello there, detective, and thanks again for that 20. Don't mention it. I want this other guy too, boss. Yeah, I got him up on his feet. I want to watch him dance together. Yeah, come on, you. Come on up, sonny Gwanya. Okay, boss, all set. Did you frisk him? Yeah, he's clean. Here's his gun. All right, then. Carter, what are they going to do? Looks as if they mean to hang us. No, no, they can't do that. You can't. I haven't done anything. You squeal like a stuck pig. Be like Carter. He isn't saying a word. I still don't believe you're going through with this, Barrow. No. Get Carter's rope over the rafter at this end. Put Brown's rope over the other end. No, no, no. Come on. Come on. There you are, boss. Good. Now a couple of chairs for him to stand up. Be here, Barrow. With nothing to gain by murdering us in cold blood this way, you killed one man already. You've stolen $50,000, but more do you want? $50,000? That's pin money. Still feels worth five million. What about it? That fortune's going to be mine, every cent of it. And you're the only man that might stop me so I'm taking no chances. I know you're clever, Barrow, but I can't see how you're going to get your hands on Steelfield's money now that he's dead. On the contrary, Carter, that's what makes it all so simple. Because it makes Mrs. Brown his sole heir. And Mrs. Brown has been led to believe, by something that I said, that I'm a lawyer. And she's already turned over to me all the credentials necessary to claim her uncle's fortune. I'm sure my own wife will have no trouble at all convincing the real lawyers that she is Mrs. Brown. The real Mrs. Brown poor woman won't be with us very long, I'm afraid. Are you fiends? You devil! You! So that's your devilish game, is it? Yes, and it's a scheme that I'm sure is going to pay off. I don't think so, Barrow. What do you mean? You really don't think I was foolish enough to come up here without taking certain precautions? Such as what? The police know exactly where I am. Afraid they'll laugh sound you, Barrow. Yeah. Look out of the window, Trigger. Okay. I don't see nothin'. Hey, wait. Say, there is a cop across the street. What's he doing? Just stand there. Hey, maybe there's something to it, boss. Let's get that thing over with and beat it. Okay. Maybe what you said was so, Carter, it isn't going to help you much. Get them up in the chairs, boys. Aye. Come on. Up you go. Come on. Up you go. Ah, that's it. Are the ropes tight fast, Malone? Yeah, boys. Both of them are okay. Well, goodbye, Mr. Brown and Mr. Carter. No, no, no! You can't! No, it's on the street. Kick the chairs away, boys. No! No! You can't! Dance, Carter! Dance, dance! All right, boys. Let's get back to the hideaway. So, that was his plan, Patsy. Yes, Lieutenant. I see. And if Nick didn't come out in a half an hour, we would have gone after him. The time's just about... Oh, look, Lieutenant. What is it, Patsy? Those three men leaving the building. They're getting into that car. And in an awful hurry, too. Come on, Patsy, let's go in. Try this door. No, it's not here. Try that one over there. It's not here. It's getting so dark, you get... Here I am. Patsy, listen. Here I am. Oh, Nick, are you all right? Let me find the light here. Oh, Nick, what's happened? What are you telling me? They tried to hang us. Hang you. Who's that with you, Nick? That's Brown. He nearly passed out. But I think he's going to pull through now. Oh, Nick, are you all right now? Yeah, I'm... I'm okay. My throat's pretty sore, but I live long enough to see Bartle and his men behind bars. Take it easy, Nick. There's time enough for that. No, there isn't, Rally. Patsy, you stay here with Brown. Look out for him. Rally, where's your car? It was just on the block. Wait. We have a second to lose. We've got to follow Bartle. That counts now. And the woman's life's at stake. There's no sign of him yet, Nick. Oh, that's all right, Rally. Keep straight ahead on this road. Hey, do you have an extra gun on the car? Yeah. You'll find one under the seat there. Good. Oh, yes. Here it is. How does your head feel, Nick? Much better now. How did you ever get loose, Nick? They actually had just trung up, didn't they? They sure did. I can still feel it. Well, how did you do it? After they tied my wrists, I got proud of the talking and gave me time to work them loose. Oh, you mean you swelled your wrists when they tied them so that when you relaxed, they'd be so much smaller, huh? Mm-hmm. Except that having my hands free wouldn't have helped me much if Bartle and his men hadn't left right away. Fortunately, they saw you coming across the street and they ran as soon as they strung us up. What did you do then, Nick? By that time, I'd work my hands loose. So I grabbed the rope above my head, pulled myself up. Phew. That was close. Yes, it was. I cut the rope with a little trick knife that's built into my tie clasp. I never thought to look for one there. And I cut brown down. Poor fellow, he was almost gone. Well, thank heavens you outsmarted them, Nick. There's for Bartle that dirty murderer no good scoundrel like him. Oh, look, Raleigh. Huh? There's a car ahead of us. Oh, who's that? The right one, Nick. Let me see. That's the most dust on that set. 3J20. R7. Is that the last one? Oh, 6. Yes, that's the car. All right, now take it easy, Raleigh. I don't want him to get suspicious. Right. Yeah, they're turning up that dirt road there, Nick. Shall I follow them? Hey, I know where that hideout is now. Oh, you do? Yes. It must be the old Fairbanks Cave. Not far from here. Bartle, use it before. You stop the car here. He flucks with us. This is the end of the trail. And the end of Bartle. All we have to do now is sit tight and wait for him to come out. No, that won't do. $20. Now for the boss himself. Well, boys, what are we going to get it over with? Right now, Malone. Did you take a look at her? Yeah, she's all tied up the way we left her. All right. Hey, trigger. Trigger. Yeah, boys, coming. What's up? That special little job on the lady inside. We're going to take care of that right now. Then what, boss? What do you mean, then what? Then we bury her, of course. That's the end of Mrs. Brown. Then my wife takes over, claims the fortune, and we're all set for life. Oh, yeah, yeah. I was forgetting that you're going to palm the wife off as Mrs. Brown. You talk too much, trigger. I prefer action. And so do I. Get your hands up, Clint Bartle, and you too, Malone. Hey, what is this? That's... Hoist is my hoist by his own batard. Hey, Bartle. They caught her. Happy, boss. But it is. Now back up both of you and keep those hands up high. Raleigh. Yeah, Nick. Come on in. Ah, good work, Nick. Where are you in time? Yes. Mrs. Brown's okay. She's inside there. Well, I guess we can call it a day, Nick. He's saved the lives of the Browns and we got Bartle and his gang where we can put him away forever. Yeah, that's Raleigh. That's true. Huh. Clint Bartle won his tricks. Hoist by his own batard. Huh? What in the world does that expression mean, Nick? That... Oh, it's an old Hindu proverb, Raleigh. It means, man who make news for other fellow, sometime find it around own neck. This has been another of the strange adventures of Nick Carter, master detective, which are brought to you regularly at the same time by W.O.R. Mutual. What's on the menu for next week, Nick? Imagine a murderer sitting in a death cell at state's prison. It's just eight hours before he's scheduled to die in the electric chair. And then suddenly he sends for Nick Carter to prove he's innocent. Why did he wait so long before he sent for Nick? Well, that's all a part of the story, Joe. But I want to tell you that the next eight hours are about the busiest eight hours that Nick ever spent. And was he innocent? Ah, that's also a part of next week's story. In other words, Mr. Ripley, we're just not telling anymore until next week. So I see. But I think when you've heard it, you'll agree that it's a story well worth hearing. So long. So long, folks. So long to both of you for another week. In the strange adventure you have just heard, Nick Carter was impersonated by Lon Clark, Patsy by Helen Chote. The story was written for Nick Carter by Ralph Burkey. Original music was played by Lou White. The entire production was under the direction of Jack McGregor. Next week, at the same time, listen to another curious experience of Nick Carter entitled Nine Hours to Live, or Nick Carter and the Mystery of the Death House. This story is a copyrighted feature of Street and Smith Publications, Inc. The return of Nick Carter is produced in the studios of WOR and is broadcast over most of these stations every Saturday evening at 7 o'clock Eastern wartime. This is Mutual.