 New Post-War Old Dutch Cleanser, famous for chasing dirt, presents Nick Carter, famous for chasing crime. Every week at this time two great names are joined. As New Post-War Old Dutch Cleanser brings you one of the most resourceful and daring characters in all detective fiction. Nick Carter, master detective. Patsy, I'm going to make a date for you. Well now, a date with whom, Nick? The young boy you met this morning. Oh, but why? I want you to find out why he wouldn't take a tip for delivering a letter to the wrong house. That's why. And now, the case of the professional beggar. Today's adventure starring Lon Clark as Nick Carter. Brought to you by New Post-War Old Dutch Cleanser. At 9.15 this morning, Patsy Bowen rushes down the street toward the old Brownstone mansion on the corner of Fifth and Fourth. She clutches her hat and purse and starts up the front steps blindly colliding with a young boy who has just come running from the opposite direction. Oh, sorry. Sorry, lady. Are you going in this house? Yes, I work here. Here, lady. Take this, will you? But I... This letter. Here, take it. But what in the world? Will you take this letter, please? It's for this house. Sure, but what's your hurry? I gotta be going. Hey, wait a minute. I'll give you a tip. Well, I'm not waiting for anything. Hey, this isn't for us. Just let us go to the house next door. Sunny! There'd be some giving me an excuse for being late. Oh, good morning, Patsy. Sorry, I'm late, Nick. I'd have been almost on time if I hadn't had a collision when I was coming in. A collision? Yeah, I ran smack into a boy on the set. He was trying to deliver this letter, but it's not for us. Well, who is it for? It belongs next door. It's addressed to Walter Van Dyke. Golly, that boy was scared. He just shoved the letter into my hand and tore off a bit. The wolves were after him. Well, the wolves are going to be after us if we don't settle down to work. Hmm. Suppose you take that letter next door and then get busy with your typewriter, huh? You know, Nick, he was such a nice-looking boy. I'd really like to know what frightened him. Comparison of profile photographs of the missing man and the person who claims to be him reveals the claimant as an impostor. Mm-hmm. Especially the upper helix in the right here. Hi, honey. Oh, Sergeant, am I glad to see you. Nick's getting to be the worst slave driver. Glad to see you, Maddie, but we're awfully busy. Well, that's okay, you folks go ahead and work. I'd just like to sit here a while. What's the matter, Sergeant? Oh, I just came from a stinker of a case pat seen at the press meeting. You go ahead with your dictation, Nick. Why, Maddie, I've never seen you down in the mouth before. Or is this an act? What? Why, Nick, what a thing to say. Well, maybe, but I know Maddie. He used tricks to get me interested in cases before. Oh, not this time, Nick. Look, Nick, we can't let an old friend down. We've got to cheer him up. No, honestly, Pat, see, I'd rather not talk. Sergeant Madison, now you tell Papa Nick your troubles. Go ahead, Maddie. I'll listen. Well, you knew Billy Davis, the assistant DA. Actually, nice boy. Oh, one of the best. He was murdered this morning. What? Yeah, at nine o'clock this morning. How? He was walking down Holland Street. A black sedan drove by and he got 13 machine gun slugs through it. Oh, gee, that's terrible. Any idea who killed him? Now it was revenge, most likely, but a dozen rats hated Davis. Could be anyone. Any witnesses? Oh, a few people saw the killing from the windows. Yeah, but not one of them can give us any description of anybody. What a break. There was only one other witness who could possibly identify the killer. Oh, is that, you know? No, we can't locate him, Nick. All we know is that it was a boy, a messenger boy. He saw the murder and scooted off in a panic. A messenger boy? Yeah, Pat. He was carrying a letter. A letter? We'll get in a blue envelope? Yeah, the envelope was blue. And that's it, Nick. Now look for the love of heaven, Nick. If you've got anything, spill it, Maddie. You say the murder was at nine o'clock? Yeah, on Holland Street. Right? Fast running would take a boy from Holland Street to this house in just about 15 minutes. Yeah. Then that's why he was so frightening. Hey, wait a minute. What is all this? Come on, Maddie. I'll help you find who killed Davis. Good. And we'll start with a visit to Mr. Van Dyke next door. Mr. Van Dyke, as you undoubtedly know, I'm your neighbor, Nick Carter. Of course, Mr. Carter. It's so nice to see you. This is my secretary, Miss Bowen. Mr. Van Dyke. And this is Sergeant Matheson of the Homicide Squad. Oh, this is quite an honor, Mr. Carter. I wondered how long I was going to live next door to a celebrity without getting acquainted. Mr. Van Dyke, I want to ask a favor out of you. Yes. Did you receive a letter this morning in a blue envelope? Yes, Mr. Carter. Your secretary delivered it to me. Well, you tell me who sent it, please. Why, I don't know. It was from a stranger. You don't know? No, but it's an extremely touching letter, but I don't know the man who sent it. Well, we're trying to locate the boy who delivered it. I'm afraid I don't know him either. Well, may we see the letter? Well, yes, yes, certainly. I have it right here. There you are. Thank you. Dear Mr. Van Dyke, it's a bitter blow to my pride to be forced to make this appeal to you. I do so only because I'm connected with your family through your second cousin Emily Gray, because I'm sadly in need of food and clothing. Oh, and if I stop it in the morning... Sad case, isn't it? Yes. Very sad. Shined major hectic doubt. Any address, Nick? Yeah, 44 Poultry Square. Hey, that's a tough neighborhood. Yes, it's quite sad. Quite sad. Well, thank you, Mr. Van Dyke. You've helped a lot. I don't quite know what I've done to you, Mr. Carter, but you're more than welcome, I'm sure. Thank you. Come on, Maddie. I've got work to do. Right with you. So long, Mr. Van Dyke. Bye. Goodbye. Do drop in again, Mr. Carter. Thank you. Well, Maddie, there's our lead. Major hectic doubt, 44 Poultry Square. Yeah? It's a lead, all right? Why don't you get a dragnet going to pick up every crook who might possibly hate Billy Davis enough to kill him? I'll do that. In the meantime, I'll hustle down a major doubt and see whether I can locate the boy who delivered this letter. Right, Nick. There's a 20-to-1 chance he's your key witness. Is that a Rodney? Yes, sir. There, Mr. Hollingsworth. Colin. Colin. It is a bitter blow to my pride to be forced to make this appeal to you. Full stop. Capital. I do so only because I am connected with your family through, uh, nah, one moment, Rodney. Yes, sir. A glance in who's who to refresh my memory. Itch. Itch. Uh, Hollingsworth. Yes, we will continue, Rodney. Connected with your family through your great aunt, comma, Sarah Crain, comma. And because I am certainly in need of... Idiot! Watch your pen! You blotted the page! Ha! Oh, please, major. Your lazy, careless, impudent... You're hurting me, major. Nothing to do all day but write a few letters and then deliver them. You wretched boy! Do you expect me to write to myself? You know your handwriting is much more genteel than mine, major. Ha! Sorry I made the plot, major. I'm kind of nervous. What I saw this morning scared me. What did you see up withering us? I saw Mr. Slade. Slade? The hoodlum who pretends to laud it over this neighborhood? A man called Gatslade. I saw him kill somebody. What? You what? When I was taking your letter to Mr. Van Dyke. I saw Slade drive up the street in the car and kill a man. Oh, is the man a killer? I don't know. Are you sure you saw this Slade killer? Yes, major. I'm positive. Ha! Well, I'm sorry. Yes. Rodney, my dear, dear boy. You know that I have only your best-interested heart, don't you? Well, I... Yeah. Now you must listen to me carefully. Yes, major. You're in great danger, dear boy. We must protect you. Major. Now leave everything to me, you Rodney. Yours not to reason why. Yours what to do and that. I'll be honest. Yes, major. You must cuddle down to the basement of this house at once. The basement? Yes. Go at once and remain in hiding there until I come for it. But, major, I don't... No arguments, my boy. Obey your commander. Now go. All right, major. Slade speaking. Ha-ha. Mr. Slade. This is a nibble of yours. Major Dahl. The major, huh? I kind of thought I'd be hearing from you. I've just received a startling piece of information. The boy told you, huh? Yes. Rodney told me. Oh. That's too bad. Too bad for you, sir. Yes. I think of your ways. You'll come to my quarters at once. We have business to discuss. Your safety and my pocket. All right, major. Let's get the steel going. I do business wide open, understand? You know all about me. I know all about you and your phony letter racket. Ha! The kid saw me this morning. He did, sir. Where is he? In a safe place. Oh. He got him hidden, huh? Absolutely. I must look out for his wealth, huh? Okay. So how much you want for him? Well, uh, come on. How much for the boy? You I ain't worried about. You're old enough to scare. You'll keep your mouth shut. Yes, sir. That's your thing. But who can scare sense into a kid's head? I gotta close his mouth myself. Mr. Sane, you... How much you want for the boy? You're asking me to deliver Rodney over to you. My own flesh and blood. Don't give me that, major. You got the kid of an orphan asylum. He's no kid to you. Even so, slave. How much? I couldn't possibly do that. Now, look at me. Hey, maybe that's the kid now while we're waiting in the bedroom. When you figure out your price, send him in the bedroom. I, uh... Just one moment. Major Down? Why, uh... My name is Nick Carter. Nick Carter? Mind if I come in? Why, no, not at all. Thank you. Down, I need your help. My help, Mr. Carter? Yes. I want to know who delivers your letters. I don't think I understand, huh? Look, Down, I know you're a professional beggar, and that your specialty is letters supposedly sent by a poor but worthy gentleman, usually written to rich but not overly intelligent suckers. How dare you, sir? You send those letters by messenger to avoid arrest for illegal use of the mail. Your messenger is a young boy who... Oh, I see. He lives you with him. That's... What for, sir? I live alone. Oh? Do you make model airplanes, Major? You wear a junior-sized windbreaker, sneakers, and a baseball cap? Well, I... I did not. I want that boy. Mr. Carter, I don't... He's a soul and vital witness in a murder case. We need his evidence. More important than that, I think his life's in danger. I don't know what you mean, sir. This is what I mean. This boy saw the man who killed Billy Davis. It's very likely the killer saw him. And any rat who would cut down an assistant DA with a machine gun wouldn't hesitate to murder a boy. Mr. Carter, you must... Where is he? I can't tell you. You mean you won't? Well, I don't know. You're lying, Dad. Mr. Carter, you... You're scared and you're lying. Yeah. Now, wait a minute. Okay? It's just possible that someone got here before I... Mr. Carter! Come out of there, you. Where'd you see it? The way your eyes kept watching your bedroom door, I thought there might be someone in here. All right, then. I don't want to worry you, but there's money on the bed, huh? Money? You would really leave a thousand dollars lying around like this? Like how I... Now, let's get back to business. Dad, where's the boy? Mr. Carter, I'll trouble you to hand that money over to me and get out of here. I know nothing about this boy. You'll think of nothing, son. And I know you're lying. Your touching story of his danger is no specific. I'm afraid I'm in no position to put a vent to death of a boy I know nothing about. Nick turns and leaves the apartment. Major Dad watches him with quick-cunning eyes. One thousand dollars firmly grasped in his hand. We'll see what happens in just a moment. Now, back to the case of the professional beggar. Today's adventure with Nick Carter, brought to you by new post-war old Dutch cleanser. Outside the tenement in which Major Dowd lives, Nick sprints across the street to a candy store, dashes into a telephone booth, and hastily dials a number, his eyes watching the tenement house entrance through the window. Nick Carter, his office. Patsy Bowen speaking. Patsy, this is Nick. Oh, any luck? Not yet. Now, look, Patsy, I want you to come down to Poultry Square right away. Of course, Nick, what's up? Major Dowd's got that boy hidden somewhere down here. I've got to stick to this place until I locate him. And since you're the only one who's seen the boy, I'll need you to identify him for me. The Major's still inside. How about the boy? No boy of any description has been through that door since I've been here. You sure the boy lives with him? Positive. Now, we better work fast, Patsy. Yeah. Dowd's been warned. Think he's trying to use the boy for his own advantage. Like blackmail, for instance? Exactly. So he's got to be located at once. You have a plan? Yeah. I'm going to phone Major Dowd and get him out of the house. Then you and I go in and look for the boy. Well... If he's in there, we'll take him with us. If he isn't, well, we'll wait for him. All right. There's a phone in the candy store here. I'll call him from there. You keep an eye on the door. Yeah. This is Major Dowd speaking. Major Dowd, this is Walter van Dijk. Walter van... Oh, yes. Honored that you should call, sir. I was impressed by your letter, Major. I should hate to think that a relation of cousin Emily was a need. Well, that's very kind of you, sir. Can you come to my house immediately? I have a check for you. Why, Mr. van Dijk, this is too kind, too kind, sir. I should be delighted to renew my acquaintance with dear Emily's favorite cousin. But it would be difficult for me to come immediately. I have some business at hand. Well, it's a rather large check, Major. And I'm leaving town within the hour. I want to make sure you have no trouble cashing it. What? This is most generous, sir, most generous. Yes, my business can wait an hour or so. I shall call on you immediately. No sign of a Major yet, Nick. Give him time. Give him time, Patsy. It's only a few minutes since I called. Okay. But I wonder what's keeping him. Offhand, I'd say he was putting on his best clothes for the big touch. Nick, look. That big car's going to park right in front of the door. Man, it's cutting off our line of sight. Now we'll have to move. Nick, look who's getting out. It's Scott. It's Water Bandai. And he's going into the house. Going to see Dowd, confounded. Oh, he'll blow your plan higher than a kite. Yes, I'm afraid you're right, Patsy. Well, all we can do now is sit tight and see what happens. Oh, let me see. Spats, boulder, stick, all in order. And confounded boy might have polished me boots better, but they'll do. Ah, well, they should have a flower for my buttonhole. And Joe, now who could that be? Surely not Carter. I'm positive I'm putting off the scent. Coming, coming. Uh, Major Hector Dowd. I am Major Dowd, sir, but I'm afraid you have the advantage of me. I received your letter this morning. I'm Water Bandai. Water Bandai? That was the most touching letter you sent me. It bothered me all day. Oh, I decided to come down to see you. But, cut, Mr. Bandai, there was no need to make the trip. When I spoke to you on the phone less than a quarter of an hour ago, I'd say... You spoke to me on the phone. You called me, didn't you? I never called you, Major Dowd. You never... Oh, no. I say, I'm afraid I've been duped. Will you excuse me, Mr. Bandai? What Major Dowd? There are other times that I beg you, some other time. I've just had some shocking information. I must leave at once, Mr. Bandai. At once. I think Mr. Bandai's coming out of the house. And Dowd's right behind him. Oh, he's onto your trick. Oh, naturally. But the Major's not getting into the car with Bandai. He looks worried. And he's moving fast. That could mean trouble for the boy. And what are we going to do? I think I better follow the Major. What about me? You go up to the Major's apartment, second floor rear, see whether you can find the boy. I'll do my best, Nick. Either you'll find him or Major Dowd will lead me to him. We've got to be quick about it, Betsy. In another hour, the boy may be dead. He's out delivering more letters. I better... Quite a surprise, huh? Oh, yes? I'm looking for the Major and I find you. You're Patsy Bowen, huh? Why not? Don't move, sister. What? You're gasoline. I know you. I've been hanging around at Bank Alley, waiting for the kid to show up. Then I decided to come upstairs. Do you mean the boy? Saw me knock off Davis. Yeah. Oh. You know, one trouble with a killer is you're never finished. First, I got to take care of the kid. Now, you... But I... Your carter's girl, see? That means you're trouble to me. But, Mr. Trey... Did the Major squeal a carter? Boy, I... I think you... Sister, I think you better take a walk with me. But I... Yeah, there's a nice, quiet basement in this building. You and me will go down and have a talk. But I... Between us, we'll figure out how I'm going to get rid of the Major, the boy, and you. His heavy hand fastened on Patsy's arm like a vice. Gas slayed leads the girl down toward the cellar where, unknown to him, Rodney is hiding. We'll see what happens in just a moment. Now, for the conclusion of the case of the professional beggar, today's adventure with Nick Carter brought to you by new post-war old Dutch cleanser. Five minutes after Major Dowd leaves his apartment, he arrives in front of a tenement door across Poultry Square and knocks energetically. Mr. Slade, Mr. Slade, sir, open up. This is Major Dowd. There's been an unexpected crisis, sir. A well-known detective has just entered the scene. They've went to complete our business and Mr. Slade got it once. Major Dowd. How's that? A well-known detective who has just entered the scene. The Carter. Where's the boy, Dowd? I told you I was... You were calling to Slade. That wouldn't be gas-slate, would it? Why, I... He left that thousand dollars for you, didn't he? You were going to sell him the witness. Sir, I protested. Where's the boy? I don't know what you're affording to, sir. I think you're going to know very soon, Major. Let's go back to your apartment and see whether we can refresh your memory. Well, ain't this nice and cozy, Miss Bowen? We marched down into the basement and who do we run smack in the butt little Rodney? Now, look, Mr. Slade... So we got my problem all solved, huh? You haven't got the Major. No. That old Gimster will keep me still scared to do any talking. But he won't stay scared long. I'll get him before he gets his knife back after I've taken care of you. But can we... Okay, let's get it over with. Oh, please, Mr. Slade. Please don't kill us, Mr. Slade. Now turn around. You look, Mr. Slade. What? Oh, brother. If I were to get you ten, it's the Major. Look at Rodney, yeah. This is my lucky day. Now I get all three of you. Come right in, Major. Slade! I found your little friend Rodney, Major. Now we can gas slates here. Carter! Oh, please! Stop spilling gas. You just caught a slug in your hand. Oh, you did find me. Yes, Betsy, thanks for your cleverness. Nick, this is Rodney. Hiya, Mr. Carter. Well, hello, Rodney. You certainly gave us a lot of trouble today. I'm sorry, sir. All we wanted to do was tip you for delivering the wrong letter to the right address. That was a lucky break for you. But a bad one for our friend Slade, as he'll soon find out. Well, Nick, it turned out to be a nice day after all. Your blues all gone now, Sergeant. I sure why not. We got gas slate on the murder rap. We got down on the charge of fraud, and we also got the kid away from him. Yes, Manny. He'll go into the downtown boys' club. He'll be all right there. Yeah, he sure will. Hey, but look, Nick, you said Dowd refused to tell you where he had Rodney hidden. That's right. All right, then how in blazes did you trail Patsy right to the basement? Well, he followed the trail I left for him. Yeah. A trail of what? Trail of lipstick, Manny. Now, wait a minute. What are you giving me? It's a fact, Sergeant. When gas slate said he was going to take me down to the cellar with him, I got my lipstick out of my bag. Yeah. And whenever I could, I made a mark on the wall with it. Well, now, how come Slade let you do that? Oh, he didn't. What? I refused to go along with him willingly. So he had to drag me. And I kept struggling and swinging my arms around. And making a mark on the wall or the banister with each swing, eh, Patsy? That's it, Miss. But, Nick, how did you know it was Patsy's lipstick? And how did you know it was a trail you were supposed to follow? Well, Mary, I'll tell you. The first mark was in the apartment living room just inside the door. Mm-hmm. And I knew I hadn't seen it when I was there a short time before. So? Seemed logical to think it meant something. So? I followed it. And it did. Oh, Patsy, I sure am proud of you. That's what I call fast thinking. Oh, why? Thank you, Sergeant. Yes, Mary. I just followed the line of red lipstick and caught up with a killer. And while Slade followed the line that leads to the electric chair, he can remember that red stands for danger. Nick, what sort of adventure does new Patsy have for us next week? Well, Mike, it started when a man was murdered back in the year 1815. And it ended when his great-great-granddaughter was killed in the same room with every door and window locked on the inside. Of course, we had plenty of clues, but they all seemed to prove that the murderer was an Indian chief. Oh, an Indian chief, huh? Uh-huh. But it made things a little difficult, Mike, because the chief had been dead a hundred and fifty years ago. And it ended when his great-great-granddaughter was killed in the same room with a red, uh, hundred and fifty years. Uh, local waitin' list. But what do you call this adventure, Nick? I call it The Case of the Red Arrow. Nick Carter, master detective, is presented each week at this time by the Cuddehy Packing Company. It is produced and directed by Jock McGregor and is copyrighted by Street and Smith Publications Incorporated. Charlotte Manson is featured as Patsy. Ed Latimer plays Matty. Today's script was written by Alfred Bester, original music is played by Henry Sylvurn. This program is fictional and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental. This is Michael Fitzmaurice saying, when minutes count, use new post-war old Dutch cleansers. This is the Mutual Broadcasting System.