 You're twice as sure with two great names Frigidaire and General Motors all the strange and dangerous places of the world There you will find a man called X Servant moral American homes like Marshall is Ken Thurston the man called X The other tenants in the same building of course know very little about Ken That's the way it is in a New York apartment house But there are other people who do know and some of them have rung the door of buzzer and invented meta do Ken's lodgings Sometimes the caller has been an old friend at other times. It's been Pagan Zell Schmidt Mr. Thurston Why should I come here at one o'clock in the morning if I didn't have a good reason? I don't know Pagon the last time You wanted about ten bucks, but this is serious by morning. I may be a dead man Maybe soon if you don't get out of here, let me get back to bed Yeah, I'll bet you wouldn't talk like this if if you would seem the ghost of your old dear friend Jose Martinez I haven't gotten the old dear friend Jose Martinez neither have I anymore you got grounded the ship the Papago The one that hit a mine and blowed up Papago About six months ago. Yeah, I want him not to go around making like a sailor wait You saw this man tonight alive. Well not alive exactly. He's a ghost and when I came to Somebody was throwing cold water over me. Just take a look at the shirt Information chief. It seems that Papago If you had a floating mine somewhere near the Azores and sank with all hands Only wreckage found was mostly deck stuff a couple of lifeboats. What cargo was she carrying Ken? One that gives us very a reason to come in on the case Medical supplies for Greece. Well, that's reason enough. All right only what makes you think there is a case Chief the fact that Pagon saw a crew member of that freighter here in New York last night when everybody on board supposedly drowned Looks a little screwy, doesn't that? Pagon really did see the man Who owned that ship can some little layout called the Jordan transportation company offices of Los Angeles Harblin's and Pedro They own a sister ship the Pima Both been loading out there now for a run to the South China coast But suppose the Papago did strike a drifting mine several boats have done the same thing since the war Where's any case in that? Medical supplies are pretty good items on the European black market But how can you sell anything on the black market when it's already sunk in the ocean? Maybe the same way a dead man can walk down the street six months later chief I'm going to San Pedro too much about that Jordan set up Well, I'll come Dave. I thought you boys in the harbor police would know if anybody did well as far as I know They've never been tied up with anything crooked So who's in charge of their office here in San Pedro a fellow by the name of Myron Sharp And the name we have listed as owner of the company is E. Jordan likes to eat at the Casa de Sevilla in Santa Barbara That's a very fine restaurant about a hundred miles up the coast. Oh, yeah, I know the Casa de Sevilla Used to go to Santa Barbara vacation vacation. Yeah, why don't we go up there for a week right now? I think I'm shut up. You see as far as we've known Ken the Jordan company is a small layout Operating a couple of freighters out of various ports only one now Dave They lost the Papago six months ago. Yes, I know about that But they bought another ship about six weeks afterward called the South Wave huh left here just last month on a South American run South Wave a Dave when's the Pima schedule to sail in four days if they get done loading See mr. Thurston we got time for a short trip to Santa Barbara, and that's exactly where I'm going good I'll get ready right away. You buy yourself a pair of dungarees You're gonna stay here and try to get a job at the Jordan company, but why should I want a job? I don't even know anybody here in San Pedro. Oh, you might run across a roll friend around the docks Jose Martinez for instance say I might have that I always did like Jose. Hey, he's dead Oh No, it's good to have you with us again. How long are you planning to stay again? Not long enough Pete? I'm not on vacation this time. I'm looking for somebody. Well, no I'm sure none of the patterns here at the Casa de Sevilla could possibly oh, no, no, no nothing of that sort This guy is the owner of a shipping company not some Pedro. Let's see the name E Jordan Jordan. Oh, yes. Yes. Come on into the lounge. Can I'll introduce? You've never met this guy, huh? No, I just got the name from the harbor police in San Pedro. I see over this way Excuse me, Mother Jordan. Oh I'd like to present an old friend again thirst mother Jordan. How do you do? See you later. Yes, Pete. Yes Sort of break in on your piano playing mother Jordan. Oh, that's all right, Mr. First and I just do it to make the time go faster. Did you want to see me about something special? Well, yes, I was told in some Pedro that you own the Jordan transportation company. Oh Dear, I'm afraid you've had a trip all the way up here for nothing You see I just leave everything to mr. Sharp down in San Pedro He's an awfully nice boy, and I'm sure you yes I understood mr. Sharp as your manager, but I thought I'd better talk to you about this first I'm afraid you think I'm not even very intelligent. You see I only inherited the business from my Well, my dear husband passed away last year. Oh Then it's mr. Sharp who really runs the company. Yes, and I was awfully lucky to get him He's always so nice so polite. I'm sure he'll be able to take care of you. Yeah, Mother Jordan Have you ever thought somebody in the company might be doing something? Well underhanded why mr.. Thurston what a thing to say Why don't you and I go down there together? Straighten things out. Well now I would enjoy the trip Only young man don't you dare go down to San Pedro and start a fight with anybody Mother Jordan. I don't have the slightest intention of starting a fight not As far as I can see mr. Thurston the whole idea is ridiculous We lost the Papago through an accident, but that's no indication that people will run into any danger on this China trip I don't know mr. Sharp. They've reported drifting mines north of the Philippines I've been drifting mines all over the world since the war mr. Thurston several ships have been sunk by him That's right Captain Blake, but I doubt of any of the crewmen who drowned on the others ever turned up alive later I've shown you the crew log of the Papago mr. Thurston. There were no Jose Martinez on board You could have signed on with another name At least mr. Thurston is being nice and polite about it. Sorry, Mother Jordan. Yeah, well Guess I'll go on board part my bedtime. When's the Pima schedule to sail Friday if everything works? No It'll be before midnight Thursday or else on Saturday Start no voyage on Friday I'll see you in the morning He's an awfully nice man so strong and everything he'd been with the company a long time This is his first trip. He was in the China coast trade. Oh, if you'll excuse me I think I'll just go on up to my room. You see mr. Thurston My dear husband built a little apartment up over the office here, and I have some knitting I must work on good night Now you find a quite a trusting employer, don't you mr. Son and just what do you mean by that? Nothing. Maybe it's true Anyway, I wait Oh Mr. Thurston, what's wrong Pagon? What's wrong if you only knew what I just saw out there on the deck of that ship Oh, I know all right Who's a Martinez or his ghost? And he's up here on the foredeck someplace mr. Thurston. Oh, it could be any place by now Pagon I want to get away from shop Unit trouble getting a job now The sharp guy said no chance, but I run into captain Blake when I was leaving and he put me on I'm a deck hand, but whatever that is good Now what you find out? That that little storeroom next to the bridges packed full of dynamite cases. Oh, so that's it That's where I was when I saw the ghost of who's is mr. X. It's What was that I don't know on the other side of the deck cabin come on I don't really care about finding out what it was mr. X. Yeah, give me that flashlight Hmm nobody in sight well that case why don't we get out of here look out that hatch is open right behind you Say say somebody could very easily fall down Look Looks like a dead man lying down there dead man That nothing mr. X It's been dead for six months That's that ghost of Jose Martinez How to continue with Frigidaire's man-called X starring Herbert Marshall The freighter Papago struck a drifting mine and sank with all hands But six months later Jose Martinez who'd been one of her crew showed up in New York alive And now the trail has led Ken and Pagon to the dark hole of the Papago sister ship the freighter Pima Lying out of orphan San Pedro, California They're bending over the body of a man who is dying for the second time Jose Martinez Easy Pagon lift his head up He's in bad shape Blake look mr. Thurston. He's been stabbed in the back. Yeah, Jose. What about Blake Blake? What about Captain Blake? Yeah, Pagon If you meet him again now, he will be a ghost Reminds me. He looks as solid as anybody. I don't see how he should quiet Yeah, Pagon. He must have been dead for five or ten minutes too bad. He won't be able to talk What's trouble anyway Captain Blake looks if somebody knocked off one of your crew Jose Martinez, huh? It's not Martinez. It's a seaman named Tony Zork. Mm-hmm Come Pagon Better not leave the dock captain Blake and the same goes for sharp if you can find him What are we going mr. Thurston? A couple of places and Pagon we've got to move fast Oh sure Ken the south wave lay over there at the Jordan War for ten days or so. I saw her quite a number of times good What did you look like Dave? I mean in a general way the overall outline Oh, I don't know about the same size and shape as the Pima She had a cleaner deck line though no after cabin no superstructure above the bridge level in other words If you took those items off the Pima should look pretty much like the south wave. Sure, but I don't wait a minute Papago was a sister ship of the Pima right Dave and the Jordan company supposedly bought the south wave six weeks after The Papago supposedly sank. Yeah, but how could they change it over that way at sea? I grew up with a fast clean job of cutting steel with dynamite if you know how Where did they claim they bought the south wave? Let me see According to our registry from the coach and Saigon line of Shanghai Logs and papers all in order a company on the China coast day. Hmm Dave. I Think I'd better make a phone call Thanks a lot chief. I'll let you know what happens So long chief, but Tony Zorks real name was Jose Martinez. Is that it Captain Blake? That's right, mr. Thurston. I sure wouldn't sign a man on this ship. I knew he was going around under an assumed name What makes you think any different didn't you work for the coach in Saigon line was? Yeah, that's right. I What was that? What do you mean? I thought I Nothing I guess mm-hmm. How'd you happen to leave the Shanghai company? Got tired of the way that What's wrong Captain Blake look there at the Port Hall and face. It's Martinez off imagination. I don't see anything Anyway, you were called him Tony's don't before that's who I mean Zork It's gone now. Did you kill him? No, no did no I was here in my cab and I there it is again, Jose No Can't you see him there at the Port Hall? Why should I I don't have a guilty conscience that? Oh He's gone now Mr. Thurston What do you think he wants? Maybe he wants you to start talking. I've got nothing to say. Well, then you'll probably go right on seeing You're gonna talk. No What is it you want to know? How did you fake the sinking of the Papago? What do you mean? Well, we Blasted off some of the superstructure threw it overboard And we headed south out of the shipping lanes repainted the vessel and Changed her name to the South Wave. What happened to the cargo? I Sold it on the black market at Marseille And we went back What about the log and papers the South Wave was read as it under forged? No They were the real McCoy. I stole them from the coach and say gone at the time they scrapped the ship I suppose the same deal was being planned for the Pima on this next trip. Yeah, that's right We we'd already started rumors about mines being seen north of the Philippines only this time We'd changed heaven's name change and sold it to some China coast company You don't need papers for that and these medical supplies would have ended up on the Shanghai black market Instead of going to the people they were meant for well What are you gonna do? I'm gonna smash this thing wide open Who planned all this anyway Blake? Who'd you take your orders from? Well, I Sharp he takes his orders from me first of well sharp Not so gun you're carrying. Yes shoots nice, too. What happened to pay gone. You scared him off now Caught him out there on deck shoving Martinez body up to the window. Huh? He's either knocked out or dead So that was it. I thought it was a spirit you superstitious fool First and tricked you and you started right in shooting off your mouth I can't take any more chances with you Blake. No, no wait. I won't talk you can trust me I'll be able to trust both of you in about 15 seconds. Did you kill Martinez mr. Sharp? That's right Didn't want you to identify him now. You can tell him hello for me. No He fell down you hit him all right two shots right on the back of the head Come on in mother Jordan And I simply can't understand it he was always Such a nice polite young man Thank goodness my dear husband always made me carry this Revolver in my knitting bag. Yeah Pagan you all right. I Wake up and find I must sleep with a dead body My head feels like a cantaloupe. Hey, what hit me anyhow the late Myron sharp hit you Pagan Hey, he's dead. You shot him mr. Thurston. No mother Jordan did that You mean she could shoot somebody well, I had to mr. Selschmidt He was going to kill these two gentlemen. That's why Pagan and then too He might have spilled the fact that she's the brains behind this racket Thurston what a thing to say isn't it though Suppose you explain how sharp we pull all these deals without the owner of the company finding out Well, I told you my dear husband always took care of your husband He wouldn't have been a man named bully Jordan. Would he head of a powered up fleet on the young sea river back in No, I don't try it They've taken us right behind you. I'll take that gun Thank you, Mrs. Jordan. Come on. Let's go you too Blake. Come on. Just a moment, please I Think I'll need my knitting Mr. X When a nice sweet-looking goat lady like that turns out to be a dirty crook Then then I'm completely disillusioned. That's the trouble Pagan Can't always tell by looking There's a lot of things in this old world that look pretty good on the service But you have to go deeper Sometimes you even have to think about them and thinking isn't so tough once you get used to it Why don't we do more of it? Ladies and gentlemen America's production depends on steel and steel depends on scrap metal So please help increase the production of the things you need and help to keep employment high by collecting steel and scrap I'm around your own home Turn it into your local drive or call your local scrap dealer right away now next week our story is called a Ruby for pearl and it has to do with one of the smartest international rackets you ever heard of as Usual the unblessed will be along as big on judgment. So join us. Won't you wear next? I return as the man called X. Good night Man called X is directed by Jack Johnstone with music composed and conducted by Johnny Green Tonight's story was written by less Crutchfield so until next week same time same station This is Wendell Niles speaking for frigid air made only by General Motors All characters and incidents used on this program are fictitious Then he resemblance to actual persons or incidents is purely coincidental