 The FW Fitch Company makers of Fitch's saponified coconut oil shampoo and Fitch's shaving creams presents Dick Powell as private investigator Richard Rhoag in Rhoag's gallery. Rhoag speaking. As I walked down the corridor of the death house, the butterflies in my stomach were doing a soft shoe dance to the beat of a dirge. In a half hour, Mike Royal, the man I was about to see, would die of sitting in a chair. An occupational disease common to the business of murdering. This was not my idea of a pleasant way to start an evening, but that's the way it was. I was there by special request to the condemned man and completely in the darkest of why. When the guard and I reached the cage, Mike Royal was standing there with his face squeezed into the bars. Already they had slit his trouser leg and shaved his head, so 50,000 volts could enter quickly without knocking. Here we are, Rhoag. Thanks, Ensign. Hello, Mike. Thank God you're here, Rhoag. I didn't know if they'd let you come. I got here as fast as I could. Go on in, Rhoag, but you've only got five minutes. Okay, that's all we need. Well, Mike? Has he gone? Listen, Rhoag, you've got to help me. Now, Mike, your lawyer's throwing the book at them. Every appeal's been turned down. What can I do for you? I'm not talking about something from me. I want you to help somebody else. Who? My kid. Didn't know you had a kid, Mike. Yeah, yeah, a girl. Florence, she's 14 in the parochial school at Arlington. Father Shane knows you must help me get some money for her, Logan. Well, sure, Mike. Sure. The press boys will chip in. We'll get up a little benefit. No, you'll get up to nothing. I don't want a handout. But, Mike... Listen, listen, listen. I only have a minute left. Now, I want you to get the reward money and split it with her. Ten grand for her and five for you, huh? Oh, save your breath, Mike. The insurance company isn't paying 15,000 for your pals, even if you do turn them in. They'll only pay for the return of the stones. I'm talking about the stones. I wouldn't sin on my pals. You know, you know, they know it. But what they don't know is where the stones are. And I do, and I'm going to tell you. Why not tell the cops? Because I want her to get the money. You hear? I've never done anything for her all the time that I was alive. And now that I'm as good as dead, I can. You hear? Yes, Mike. I killed a man, and I'm ready to burn for it. Well, that's okay. But whatever I'm going and whoever I have to answer to, I can face it better if I check out doing something decent. You're the only one who can help me, Rogan. Well, you've just got to give me a break. Okay, Mike. Okay. I'll do what I can. Not for you now, but for your kid. Where do I get the stones? An angel will hand them to you. Come back to earth, will you, Mike? Where do I get the stones? An angel will hand them to you. An angel, huh? I see. Yeah, I get it. That's all I can tell you, Rogan. That's all I can tell you. Okay, Mike. Anything you say. Time's up, Rogan. Right, Hanson? Promise me you'll do it, Rogan. Sure I will, Mike. Sure I will. Anything you say. Yeah, yeah. And split it ten and five, huh? Sure. Anything you say. Rogan. Yeah? So long, Mike. That was very nice of you, Mr. Rogan. Oh, Father Shea. I didn't see you. I just couldn't help hearing you promise to do something for Mike. I don't know what it is, but your heart's in the right place. Father, you haven't been worrying about me. I confess I was beginning to. You know you've been pretty close to the line of the law. Always just inside, Father. I think you can stop worrying. Perhaps I will. Granting a dying man's last wish is a good sign. A very good sign. Well, the least I could do was say I would. Say you would. You mean you're not going to? I would if I could, Father, but I can't read his mind. Mike's got angels and his daughter and $15,000 all mixed up in his mind like farmer's salad. Perhaps I can find out what he means and tell you. No, Father. Mike told me to go see an angel. But I'm not quite ready to meet the angels yet. Father Shea turned and walked back to Mike's cell. Then Hanson, the guard, joined me. And we started down the corridor. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. I will be done. I could hear Father Shea and Mike praying together. I wished I could help Mike's kid. But I couldn't see myself getting mixed up in this thing even if it did have a payoff. No, sir. I couldn't see it. The prison gates clang behind me and I grabbed a cab. Told the driver where to go and leaned back with my thoughts. I thought of four big shining diamonds. I thought of a $15,000 reward and of a little girl in parochial school. And of her father, who had made a death house will and testament naming me executor. And I thought of Father Shea's eyes when he thought I was backing out on my promise and that one screwy line of Mike's. An angel will hand them to you. But anyway, I looked at it. All it added up to was a headache. By the time I got home, I was, I was plenty tired. Maybe in the morning it would make sense. What I needed now was sleep. I went up to my apartment, walked in, and speaking of angels, there in my favorite armchair sat what appeared to be at least a very reasonable facsimile. A dark-eyed red-headed dame who smiled and said, Well, the manager let me in. I said I was an old friend. You're not seeing things. That's what you think. Who poured you into that gown? Won't you come in? I won't bite you. Thanks. I'm a back-and-dog myself. Won't you sit down? Thank you. Oh, here's your purse. Thank you. I make it a point never to sit on ladies' purses, especially when there's a gun in them. It might go off. All right, baby, what is this? We'll continue our story in just a moment. But first, here's something a woman told us the other day. 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Ask for a bottle of Fitch's saponified shampoo at your drug or toilet goods counter, or have a professional application at your beauty shop. Now back to Dick Powell as private investigator Richard Rogue in Rogue's Gallery. I'm not the type who expects handouts from angels. So when Mike Royal told me just before he was executed that an angel would hand me the Marist diamonds, I was as groggy as a New Year's morning. But when I reached my apartment, there sat something that looked very much like an angel. Until I found a gun in her purse. You're very clever, aren't you? Well, the doctors at Yale and Harvard are both bidding for my head when I die. I might give one to each. Anything else you'd like to know? Yes. What did Mike Royal tell you? Mike Royal? I didn't come here to play games. What a pity. What did he tell you? Now listen, baby, I don't know who you are or what you want, but I haven't got it. You're poison and I don't want any part of you. Now beat it before my fists get out of control and take your water gun with you as soon as I empty the water. There you are. Now crawl back under your rock. Now listen, Mike Royal told you something. And you're in this whether you like it or not. I don't work alone and my friends play rough. Baby, I don't care how rough your friends play. We knew Mike would talk before he died. We tailed every visitor and tapped his lawyer's phone. We knew when he sent for you. You were the last guy to see Mike alive and we also knew you wouldn't tell the cops because you love a greenback more than anything in the world. That's right. I love greenbacks. 15,000 of them. 15,000? For the arrest of the Marys vault breakers and killers of the guard and for the return of a four-minute jewelry. Wouldn't be easy to find those persons. For 15 grand I'll work hard. So that's it. Little boy scout catches the gang, turns in the stones and collects the merit badge. And 15,000. The stone's worth half a million that you can turn in now for 100,000 cash. Is that smart? Play along and we'll be rich. We? Who's we? You and me. Don't you think we could get along? Well, uh, I shouldn't be surprised. What about the rest? You're a friend. They're on their own. I said you and me. We could go away somewhere together. Think of it, Rogue. $100,000. Well, that's, uh, that's a lot of move. You can have anything you want, Rogue. Anything you want. Just you and me all the way. Well, what do you say? I, uh, I'm hanging on the ropes, baby. I keep punching. Look outside. It's snowing. It's cold. But in Florida, it's warm. Mermuda all year round. It's getting warmer right here. What did Mike tell you? How do I know you're on the level? Here's a down payment, baby. Then it hit me. Oh, the guy must have flown out of the closet like a moth. A two-legged moth swinging a sap that caught me over the right here. Every steeple in the world began chiming nine o'clock. The hands of one big clock kept whirling around like a propeller. With me stuck like a hunk of gum on the end of the minute hand. Then the clock fell over on its back. I was still whirling. But now the hands of the clock were of merry go-round faster and faster and faster. There I was on cloud eight. My home away from home. Where my old friend, my alter ego, Eugor, was waiting for me. You've been for the last couple of weeks. Oh, hello. Hello, Eugor. Say, Eugor, do you know any angels? An angel with a handful of diamonds? Hey, rope downstairs. You're in trouble. What did Mike mean? I can't figure it out. No, I did. I did. For a baseball, somebody batted it for the circuit. That's why I'm here. Go on, Eugor. Over this side, you go, Eugor. So are you, Eugor. What did he tell you? Come on, or I'll beat it out of you. Did you see Mike Royal tonight? Yes, I saw him. Did he say anything about the jewels? Did he say they weren't a vault? Did he say they weren't a safety deposit box? Did he say he gave them to a fence? Who did he say you'd get them from? Oh, from an angel. What? An angel. Oh, no, it solely gives us double talk. I'll slap it out of him if I have to slap his head off. Maybe he really doesn't know. He knows plenty. He's seen us, hasn't he? Wait a minute. Listen, Rogue, I'm going to give you one chance more. Who did Mike say would give you the jewels? An angel. Oh, Joe, take care of him. It's almost 10. I've got to dance at the club in 20 minutes. I don't want them to think there's anything wrong. Keep him here. I'll be back. Okay, leave him to me. Just be careful, Joe. Now, brother, I don't want to hear no more talk about angels. Well, then stop asking. I'll keep asking until I get a straight answer. A more funny talk. What did Mike tell you? Here we go again. Sure we do, until you talk. I'm going to ask you just 10 questions. One with each knuckle. What did Mike tell you? What did Mike tell you? Come on, Tom! He hit me with everything he had. I went sailing across the room, three sheets in the wind. I hit the wall and fell to my knees, grabbing at the telephone table for support, and then the phone fell off the cradle. Hang up that phone. And I did. Hung it right on his head. No! He went down like the 29 stock market. And now something besides Joe's fist was connecting in my head. Madge said she had to dance at a club. Mike Royal used to hang around the chair of club. The chair of club. It was a shot in the dark, but I couldn't stop now. I looked at Joe sleeping on the floor. His return train from the land of dreams wouldn't leave for at least an hour. So I let out for the chair of club. Mike Royal had tagged me, and I guess I was it. Whether I wanted the play or not. Throw him again, Mr. Rogue. Yeah, throw him again. Forge your point again. You can have fun to that member, ain't you? Yeah, I don't know why. Six. What's up, Mr. Rogue? Oh, yeah. Say, why don't you keep your mind on this game? Gonna watch the floor show, watch the floor show. Gonna play dice, play dice. I'm sorry, Sam, I'm just looking at the club over. Looking at over? Thinking of buying in a seven? No, it's just that I see a lot of changes since I was here last. All for the worst, too. Yeah, nobody would look after the place since Mike Royal got in trouble and left. Who are Mike? Hey, Mike did hang around here a lot, didn't he, huh? No, he was General Handyman. Down the place up. Fixed props for the girls in the line. Mike was always puttering around. Busy little man. Yeah, too busy. Come on, Mr. Rogue, throw the dice. Your point's four. Seven out. Wanna go again? No, just a minute, Sam. Say, you got a dancing doll here who answers to the name of Madge. Madge? Sure, she's out on the floor now. In that line? Mm, second from the end. Oh, in the devil costume you mean with the pitchfork? No, that's Lil. Madge is on the other side. The angel with the wings and the crown. Angel? Yeah. They hadn't changed that hungry number for three months since before Mike left. I can't look at it anymore. Angel, huh? Hey, Sam. Sam, I got 10 bucks that says you can't tell me how to get backstage. I'll take that bet. Huh? Oh. Hello, Joe. I thought I left you in Dreamland. I'm a light sleeper. What are you doing here? Playing tiddlywinks. What are you doing here? What does it look like? Playing dice, stupid. Don't get funny. Joe, for Pete's sake, don't start anything here. You know the boss don't like it. Stay out of this, Sam. Okay, Rogue, you don't wanna talk? You can walk. Where to? You wanted to go backstage. Okay, this gun will show you the way. We'll return to Rogue's gallery in a moment. But now, a word to the men. Your face is something that accompanies you wherever you go. So every man wants a face that's smooth-shaven without nicks and scars. If you're the type whose super-sensitive skin makes shaving a chore, try Fitch's no-brush shaving cream next time. It has a special skin conditioning action that lubricates your skin the instant it's applied. This skin conditioning action protects your skin from irritation and allows you to shave in solid comfort. After you're shaved, your face will feel so cool and refreshed and look so smooth you'll be proud to take it places. And men, Fitch's no-brush shaving cream has a creamy, non-greasy texture. It won't clog the razor or the drain. If you're a man who swears there's nothing like leather for a smooth, comfortable shave. Try Fitch's brush cream. It, too, has the special skin conditioning action that's such a treat for sensitive skins. Both Fitch's brush and Fitch's no-brush shaving cream come in big 25 and 50-cent sizes. For solid comfort shaving, switch to Fitch. Now back to Dick Powell as private investigator Richard Rogue in Rogue's gallery. I was looking for an angel and just when it turned out magic really was one with wings and crown and all, a gun poked me in the stomach. I looked up and saw Joe on the other end of it. Seems my phone call to his skull must have been a bum connection. Because there he was, walking around again. Friendly as a toothache. He took me to a back office and shoved me in a chair. No use looking around, Rogue. There ain't no phone in this place. How'd you know to come here? A little bird told me. Yeah, a jailbird. Mike Royal told you, didn't he? And he told you where the jewels were, too, didn't he? Maybe. And you were going to turn us over to the cops, weren't you? It's a weed burn, too, weren't you? I'll take it easy with you, Joe. And you were going to get the stones and collect all the dough yourself, weren't you? Give me a chance to explain, will you, Joe? I ain't very smart. You can out-talk me, but you can't out-talk this hunk of lead. Relax, Joe. Maybe I know something that'll do you some good. Oh, sure. You know too much. That's why I'm going to kill you. Joe, you fool, why did you bring him here? Who brought him? He hits me over the head with a telephone. When I come to, he's gone. I ran over to tell you and found him nosing around, shooting dice. Now I'm going to kill the rat. Don't do it, Joe. I'm going to kill the rat. Don't do it, not here. What if he tipped the police? Get out of my way. What do you want, the chair? Give me one more chance with him, Joe. Rogue, where are the diamonds? Are you going to talk or not? I'll talk. Go ahead. But not with this ape in the room. Get out, Joe. No, no, you don't. I'm not going to talk. You don't. I don't sit still for no double cross between you two. I'm staying here. If you're going to talk, talk. I don't talk with a gun crowding my tonsils. Tell this bug to put it away. Put it away, Joe. Now put a slug into him. Put it away, I said. All right, Rogue. Where are we going to get the diamonds? From an angel. Angels again. You know what I mean. Don't you, angel? No. I'm telling you that's all I know. All right, Joe. Do it your way. But not with a gun slug him. Drag him out of the car like we were walking a drunk. Then we'll finish him. Wait. Can't we... Go ahead. I got him covered. Look, I'm telling you the truth. All right, George Washington. Here's a little phone bill I owe you. No, no. Wait. Joe. Joe, there are the diamonds. What? There they are. Madge is wearing them. What are you talking about? Mike told me an angel would hand them to me. Madge is the angel, Joe. Look at the way she's dressed. Those are the jewels in her crown. Four of them, see? You're crazy. No, they're not. Listen, Joe, Mike worked here, didn't he? Gave the girls their props. They've been doing this number at the club since before Mike was put away. There were four stones, weren't there? There were four in that crown. Look at those stones, Joe. They're real. Madge, give me that crown. Don't fall for that, Joe. Finish him off. Didn't I tell you before an angel had them? Yeah, you said it before. You dim bulb can't you see, stalling? She knows it's true, Joe. She's going to try to pull a double cross. Give me that crown. Wait a minute, Joe. Don't let her get out of this room with those stones, Joe. She'll double cross his board. Get it out, Rome. You're getting Joe excited. He doesn't know what he's doing half the time anyway. Give me that crown. Listen to me. I'm still running the show, and you're going to take my orders. You'd have burned with Mike tonight if it weren't for me. Shut up. You just watch this monkey until I get back. Keep your gun on him. You ain't leaving this room with that crown. Don't be nuts. Madge. Let go of me. Look out, Joe. Too late, baby. I've got him. Hey, you're breaking my arm. I will if you don't drop that gun. Madge, get this guy off me. Okay, let go of him, Rome. Oh, no. You don't, baby. Oh, claws, huh? Okay. Break it up. Break it up. I've got you covered all of you. Hey, cops. Urban. Oh, Urban. Where did you come from? Well, the switchboard girl to your hotel called me when you didn't answer after your phone fell off the hook. I got to your room in time to see this lug stagger out. And I tailed him here. But I didn't know where you were until I heard this couple. Now, what the devil is going on anywhere? Well, I'll explain in a minute, Urban. First, there's a little unfinished business to attend. Yeah, what's that? Just this. Oh! Ah, little joy boys have been asking for that all night. I'm sorry I can't oblige you too, Madge, but I'm a gentleman, darn it. Hey, Rogue, what gives? Well, Urban, you'll probably be pleased to know that my little playmates here are the Marist Jewel thieves. Yeah? Yeah. Now, Madge, if you'll just give the nice man the crown you're wearing. No, no, you don't. Listen, baby, I could forget about being a gentleman very easily. Give it to him. Here you go. That's better. OK, O'Brien, take these two down and book them on suspicion. Come on, you two. Now, Rogue, what's this crown business? That, my friend, is a death house legacy. A 10 grand whenfall to a skinny little kid. Huh? Mike Royal knew where the Marist Jewels were. He wanted to tell me so I could turn the men and split the reward with his kid. But he knew his pals would be laying for me. And he knew they'd try to beat out of me, whatever he told me. But what I didn't know, I couldn't tell. Under fists or bullets. So? So all he told me was that an angel would hand them to me. He hoped they wouldn't be able to figure it out, and I would. And, uh, you did? I certainly did. As usual, I might say. And they are the Jewels in that crown. In this crown? Rogue, are you kidding? These are paste, 10-cent store stuff. I know diamonds when I see them. Oh, let's not go through that again. Those are diamonds. Yeah? Suppose I pound them a little with my gun. If they're diamonds, it won't hurt them. Go ahead. Look, that's one. There's a second one, Rogie. Oh. Oh, brother. Well, it's like a one, Rogie, or... Do we just go home? You win, Urban. Let's, uh, let's get out of here. Uh, the Cherub Club. Well, I'm glad to see the outside of this place. The Marist Jewels. Oh, brother, telling me about diamonds. Thanks for the lumps, lady. Hey, Rogie, who are you talking to? The angel on that sign up there. That sign... Hey, uh, hey, Urban. You say you know costume jewelry when you see it? A mile away. Uh, well, take a look at that sign up there. See the stars in that angel's hand? See how bright they are? Now, what would you say they were? Four glitter stones. From the five and ten? From the five and ten. Ah, get yourself a ladder, Urban. Climb it and take the Marist Jewels out of that angel's hand. Well, I, uh, I knew it all the time. I was kidding about the crown. You see, Mike didn't tell me an angel would give them to me. He said an angel would hand them to me. Smart, wasn't I? Yes, I found the jewels all right. Mike Royal, the club handyman, had put them in the angel's hand when he knew the police were closing in. And Mike's daughter in the parochial school got the ten grand all right. And Joe and Mads got theirs too, life. And me, well, I took my five grand and had a wonderful time. Went right back to the Galloping Dominoes at the Cherub Club. Tried all night long, but I never did make my point. You know, that four is hard to make. Even the easy way. You know what I mean? This is Dick Powell again, ladies and gentlemen. I hope you liked our story tonight. Thanks for listening, and I'll once again here's Jim Doyle. Be with us again at the same time next week. And be sure to see Dick Powell in his latest RKO picture cornered at your local theater. Remember, tune in next Thursday, same time, same station, when you will again hear Dick Powell as private investigator Richard Rogue in Rogue's Gallery. Remember, if dandruff is your problem, ask for Fitch's Dandruff Remover Shampoo. 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