← Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio
Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio
Sherlock Holmes: The Dancing Men (Hobbs & Shelley)
00:29:26
Loading summary
Transcript3 lines
- [00:00]
Podcast Host
This podcast is sponsored by Talkspace. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and Talkspace, the leading virtual therapy provider, is telling everyone let's face it in therapy by talking or texting with a supportive licensed therapist at Talkspace, you can face whatever is holding you back, whether it's mental health symptoms, relationship drama, past trauma, bad habits or another challenge that you need support to work through. It's easy to sign up. Just go to talkspace.com and you'll be paired with a provider, typically within 48 hours. And and because you'll meet your therapist online, you don't have to take time off work or arrange childcare. You'll meet on your schedule. Plus, Talkspace is in network with most major insurers and most insured members have a zero dollar copay. Make your mental health a priority and start today. If you're not covered by Insurance, get $80 off your first month with Talkspace when you go to talkspace.com and enter promo code SPACE80. That's S P A CE83. To match with a licensed therapist today, go to talkspace.com and Enter promo code SPACE80. Welcome to Choice Classic Radio where we bring to you the greatest old time radio shows like us on Facebook. Subscribe to us on YouTube and thank you for donating@ChoiceClassicRadio.com.
- [01:20]
Narrator
Sherlock Holmes we present the first of a new twice weekly series of plays based on the short stories of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, dramatized by Michael Hardwick, with Carlton Hobbs as Sherlock Holmes and Norman Shelley as Dr. Watson. And now here is Dr. Watson to introduce the Case of the Dancing Man. Thank you, sir. I have told elsewhere of the joyful return of my friend Mr. Sherlock Holmes, three years after his supposed death struggle with the late Professor Morati at the Reichenbach Falls. After his restless wanderings in Houston on the continent, he seemed content to be at anchor once more in the haven of our former lodging at 221B Baker street, where our landlady, Mrs. Hudson, proceeded, as usual to spoil him while continuing to deploy his irregular and untidy habits. But it was not long before he had become absorbed again in his practice as a consulting detective, ready for any investigation that gave promise of stretching his remarkable powers to their limit. I see him now one morning, sitting in silence, his long thin back curved over a chemical vessel in which he was brewing a particularly malodorous product. His head was sunk upon his breast. He looked from my point of view like a strange lank bird with dull grey plumage and a black top knot. You do not Propose to invest in South African securities on earth. You know that. Confess yourself utterly. Taken aback, I am. I ought to make you sign a paper to that event. Why? Because in five minutes you'll say it's all so absurdly simple. Holmes, I shall say nothing of the kind. We shall see. Well, Esther? Now, Watson, you heard me remark before that it is not difficult to construct a series of inferences, each dependent upon its predecessor and each simple in itself. Frequently, if after doing so, one simply knocks out all the central inferences and presents one's audience with the starting point of the conclusion, one may produce a startling, though possibly a meretricious effect. Holmes, I don't quite see what all this is about. Now, it was not really difficult by an inspection of the groove between your left forefinger and thumb to feel sure you did not propose to invest your small capital in the goldfield. What she mean? I don't see any connection. When you returned from the club last night, you had chalk between your left forefinger and thumb. What I mean, I put it there instead of me cue. You never pay billiard except to spare. Now, you told me four weeks ago that Thurston had an option on some South African property which would expire in a month and which he desired you to share with it. Ah. Yet your checkbook is locked in my drawer and you haven't asked for the key. Therefore, my dear Watson, you do not propose to invest your money in the sterner. Absolutely simple, Holmes. Quite so. Every problem becomes very childish once it's explained to you. Now, here's an unexplained one on this piece of paper. So what do you mean of that? What a look is it Looks like a row of little men, one or two of them waving slang. You see, this there is supposed to be dancing. Child is all right, Holmes. It's a child's drawing of a line of dancing men childish enough to have terrified a young woman half out of her wits and to bring her husband post haste all the way from Norfolk to consult me. I fancy that's him on our care now. Come in. Mr. Cubitt, sir. Thank you, Mrs. Hudson. Mr. Holmes. I am Holmes. This is my friend and colleague, Dr. Watson. So how do you do, gentlemen? How do you do, Mr. Tibbett? Sergio. Sergio. Ah, I see you have my dodging men there. What you make of them, Mr. Holmes? At first sight, a childish prank. Prank? You have my letter, Mr. Holmes. I tell you, he's frightening my wife to death. So I understand. I think for my friend's benefit, you'd better have your whole story from the beginning, Mr. Hubert. Well, I'm not much of a Tory really, you know. A countryman born and bred. There's no family better known than the cubits in the whole of Norfolk. Squires of bridling thought for five centuries. Quite so. And I understand that you'd remained a bachelor until only recently. That's right. I came up to London for the Golden Jubilee last year. I met a young American woman in a portrait my boarding heart. Well, to cut a long story short, before the month was up, I was as much in love as a man could be. Married her in the registry office and took her back to whittling for congratulations. Well, some thought I was mad. I don't doubt a man of good old family taking a wife an American reserve without knowing a blessed thing about her family or her past. But if you saw her, you'd understand why I did it. Did she tell you nothing about her background? Oh, yes. As she said, I bid you never to ask about my past. But you take me, Hilton, she says. You take a woman who has done nothing that she need personally be ashamed of. But you'll have to be content with my word for it. If you can't, then go back to Norfolk and forget all about me. That was very straightforward. Well, there was no going back for me. I took her on those church. That was just a year ago. We've been very happy. Blissfully. Until just the other morning we were coming back from an early morning ride. Hunt, he's the stable lad, took our horses and Elsie ran on ahead into the hut. I'll tell Sandra's breakfast in ten minutes, darling. Right, Earl. Ah, good boy. Best gallop for a month. You can take him now, Hunt. I suppose. Hey, what are all these chalk marks? Come here. Nothing to do with me, sir. You don't suppose the mistress or I go round chalking? What are they? Little men dancing? You don't suppose we go around chalking such things on window ledges, do you eat, sir? Or Saunders or Cook? Oh, come on now. I can't eat you for it. Twasn't me all very well. And you, Kitty rubbed off and I don't want to see any more of it. Do you understand? I see. Thanks. Goat. No, darling, not you. Drinking coffee, thanks. No. That young hump. No, he's not all that bright at all. I don't like a liar. Is that what he means? Talking rubbish of a willow ledge? Rude rubbish? Well, some sort of scribble little men for dancing about, idling his Time. A little chalk in his hand, I suppose, but on the house it's too bear, Darling. Fathers, fathers, quick. The mistress is fainted. She didn't injure herself, I hope. No, she was round again in a few moments. Tried to make out if it was just a disease. Fell that long gallop on an empty stomach, you know. Was able to go on with her breakfast and I didn't think much more about it, but after the second time. The following morning has been yesterday, Mr. Holmes. Just after breakfast this time, went out for a little stroll in the garden together. I don't know again until we reached Sundial. That's where we found this paper I sent you. The second lot of dancing men, or whatever you call them. At least his oven shows her with our Cynthia. Thought she was going to change away again on the spot. Great heavens, Mr. Cubitt, these dancing men you found on the sunbath, can you possibly say whether the drawing is the same as the one you saw on the windowsill? That crossed my mind in the train, but I can't say. Only took a glance at the first Lord, you know. Understandably. Tell me, have you heard of any strangers in your neighborhood lately? Strangers? Don't think so. I presume. It's a very quiet place any fresh face would call. Comment? Oh, bonjour then. I suggest you return to Norfolk. But can't you advise me? Then I am doing, sir. Go home, take an exact copy of any fresh dancing men that may appear, and make discreet inquiries as to any strangers in the neighborhood. Do you reckon these drawings add up to something? Evidently. If their meaning is purely arbitrary, then it may be impossible for us to solve it. On the other hand, if it's systematic, I have no doubt we shall get to the bottom of it. Good day, Mr. Cubitt. If there are any fresh development, I shall always be ready to run down and see you in August. Is that your advice and terms? And well, good day, gentlemen. Good day. Ah, Mr. Cubitt, come in, won't you? Thank you, Dr. Watson. Mr. Holmes, I'm sorry to return like this in less than a week, but this business is getting on my nerves. Have there been further events? There certainly have. Look at these. Three more sets of these figures. Thank you. Ah. Oh, Different. Oh, excellent, excellent. Drayton has everything in ordinance. Well, when I got back to Riddling Thorpe after seeing you the other day, the first thing I saw was a fresh crop of dancing men folked on the stable door. That was this one. Did you rub out the mask after copying them? Certainly. But two mornings later there Was this press inscription in their place? Capital. Our material is really accumulating. Three days later a message was left called on paper on the sundial again. This one, I reckon. All this work was being done by night. So last night I determined to sit up in my study in the dark with a revolver in my hand. Well, it was about 2 in the morning, nothing had happened. And when I heard the study door opening quietly behind me. Else there. What the. Oh, Silver, you scared me. Sid, what are you doing? Why, you're fully dressed and a gun. What are you doing? More likely. I guess I couldn't sleep. I came to look for a book without being alive. There's the movie. Now see here, Elsie, this has gone far enough. If you don't. What is it? What are you looking at? By heavens, there's someone out there, isn't there? No, no, there's no one. I just thought there's somebody there. Well, I'm going to get him and we'll head this out. Oh, no, you mustn't. Get out of my way, please. I won't. Oh, yes, you will. Oh, you. So I won't let you take over. Heaven's sake, I'm asking for your own good. No, darling, I know, but I won't let you go. Do you hear me? I can't let you. She held on to me for all she was worth. At last I got here. But by the time I got outside there was no one to see me. She said she'd stop me going out because I might come to some harm. But for a moment I thought the truth was that she was free of him coming to some harm to me. By God, he would have done. Is that what you believe? A moment, Holmes. There's a tone in my wife's voice and a look in her eyes which forbids doubt. And I'm sure that it was indeed my own safety that she had in her mind. How long can you stay in London? I must be going now. Wouldn't leave Elsie alone those night for a minute. Neither would I in your place. If you could have stopped, I might possibly have been able to return to Norfolk with you in a day or two. But I must apply myself to these singular pieces of paper for some while. I think it's very likely that I shall then be able to pay you a visit and throw some light upon your most interesting day. Holmes. It says here in the papers the. Watson. Oh, sorry, sorry, I forgot. Thank you, Dr. Watson, Mrs. Hudson. Now if Mr. Holmes will kindly let me have the table. Oh, no Indians. What again? He hasn't eaten since yesterday. I know, I know. Tell you what, I'll come down to the kitchen and eat right there. But Doctor, was. How dare you. What? What? What is it? You better turn to North Walam tonight. I'll look for you. What night is it? Wednesday of course. I just wondered. You've been working two days on those Bessie drawings. Time seems to mean so little. It might have been Thursday by now. Dennis Watson. Yes, here we are. North Watson. What time? No, the last one's just left. Confounded. If only this new letter from Cupid had arrived sooner this evening we could have caught that plane. This affair has gone far enough. More dancing men. You found something then Said our presence is most urgently needed. Yes, Mrs. Hudson. Is that an answer to my cablegram? It is sir. The boy's waiting if you should wish to reply. Well I very much doubt if it could be. Ah Watson, this settles it. We must get there without delay. What is this in danger I fear, sir. Well why not warn them by telegram? M? Go Du Bois. No, no, no, the place is too remote. It won't be delivered tonight. Our only hope is to take the very first train in the morning. It. Good day gentlemen. Have you got business here? Most certainly, sir. My name is Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock? Oh, Martin, sir. Inspector Martin. Martin. Fabulous how to do. But how could you have heard? I mean the crime was only committed at 3 o' clock this morning. But what happened, Inspector? Quickly did shot move on Mr. And Mrs. He's dead in peace? No. Oh I anticipated a crime. I came in the hope of preventing it. You did? Then you mean you got some evidence? I have the evidence for the dancing men. The dancing inspector. Martin, will you associate me in your investigation or would you prefer me to act independently? Boy, I'd be very proud to feel I was watching with you, Mr. Holmes. In that case I should be glad to examine the house and hear the evidence without further delay. Oh no. The body's in the study just as it was found. Mrs. Cooper's been taken upstairs and the doctor's with her. But she don't hold up much hope I hear. Well you'll follow me gentlemen. Well question seems to be did he shoot her and then himself or did she shoot him then try to do away with herself? He was lying here dead just as you see him. And he was over near the window where you see all that blood. The revolver lay about midway between them. It was the only revolver in the room. Yes. Two chambers have been fired and the window is shut. Is that how it was found? Yes, sir. Mrs. King. The cook will depose to all that. Yes, sir. Definitely two shots. I heard one louder. Which was the louder, Mrs. King? The first must have been so woke me. Might what you heard have been two shots fired simultaneously, followed by a single shot which sounded much less loud by comparison, sir. I couldn't say as to that, sir. No, no, no, quite. What did you do? I come downstairs. My any lights on? I brought the candle. But how did you know which room to approach? By the smell. Smell? No one said anything to me about the smell. The smoke from the down. As soon as I reached the hall I could smell it coming from the Spaddish, so I went in. Was the door open? A bit. I went in and. And there they was. The poor master and mistress lied. Try not to upset yourself, Mrs. King. Mrs. King, only one more question. Yes, sir. Was there no light in the study when you entered? Only the candle, the one you were carrying and the other one on the table near the window. Now madam, you say there was a candle burning close to the window. Was the window open or shut? Shut, sir. You didn't shut it yourself? No, sir, I touched nothing. The candle stood here then and the window was shut. I don't quite see the significance of it, Holmes. Nor do I, Doctor. Here we have a revolver with two shots fired. One bullet in Kurbet's heart, the other lies near to his wife's brain. A only question is how you account for the bullet which obviously struck the bottom of the window frame here. Eh? Where? By George, Mr. Holmes. However. However did you come to see that? Because I looked for it. Then three shots were fired and only two of them from this revolver. Holmes, you mean to say there was a third person? Undoubtedly Mrs. King's evidence told me that. But how on earth? He smelt corvite fumes as she came down into the hall. Some draught from India must have been necessary to blow them from the room so quickly. The window must have been opened for a time, though not long enough to extinguish the candle. As I conceded, a third person stood outside the window and fired in. A shot was fired at him and struck the bottom of the window frame. Then who shut the window? Mrs. Cubitt. But she would. A woman's instinct, Inspector, Just were fired. She sprang to the window and shut it for protection. What's the dice? Hello. What's this? That? Oh, her handbag sounds lying near her. No message or anything, but plenty of cash. So I see. Yes. 2050 pound notes. Thousand pounds. It must be preserved as it is, it will figure in the trial. What do you make of it, sir? Now there are several points of this problem which I've not been able to explain to you yet, and this must remain one of them. But we must act quickly. How, sir? Firstly, by searching the flower bed outside this window where I have no doubt we shall find the spent case of the third cartridge. And then. Mr. Martin, is there any inn in this neighborhood known as Eldridges? Eldridges? Eldridges? No, I can't hold on. There's an Eldridge's farm over to East Ruston. Is that alone they pass? Ah, very, sir. Ah, then perhaps they'll not yet have heard of all that happened here during the night. Very likely not, sir. Capital. Will you have the goodness to instruct one of the stable lads to saddle a horse and go there at once with a message which I forgive him. I don't see it. Now, Watson, a piece of paper from that bureau please. There you are. Thank you. Now then, what? Abe Slaney, A religious farm. Who's Abe Slaney? You'll find out soon enough. And Inspector, I think you'd do well to telegraph for an escort that you may have to convey a particularly dangerous prisoner to the county jail. Really? The boy who takes this note could no doubt forward your telegrams. As you see, Watson, this, this is not my usual form of communication. Dancing then? Now, Holmes, Watson, I thought we'd wait in this morning room because it has a very pleasant view of the drive. Very pretty, I'm sure. Make yourself comfortable, gentlemen. And while we await the outcome of my dispatch to East Rostran, I think I can help you to pass the time in an interesting and profitable manner. To you, friend Watson, I owe every atonement for having allowed your natural curiosity to remain so long unsatisfied. To Mr. Martin the whole incident may appeal as a remarkable professional study. Remarkable is the word, eh doctor? I am fairly familiar with all forms of secret writing and I am myself the author of a trifling monograph upon the subject in which I analyze 160 separate ciphers. But the use of these dancing men is entirely new to me and has been invented apparently to conceal that a message is being conveyed to by giving the impression of random sketches by some child. Now, as you are aware, E is the most common letter in the English Alphabet. The figure most common in all these troops of dancing men was this little fellow with legs apart and left arm upright. OPERATIC tenor taking a high C. Very good, Watson. Only it's an E in this Case. Now, speaking roughly, the order in which the other letters of the English Alphabet tend to predominate is is, T, A, O, I, N, S. And so I had two messages complete, the first of which read, and hear Abe Slaney at Elridge's. Now, I had every reason to suppose that this Slaney was an American. Well, how is that, huh? Abe is an American contraction. Mrs. Cubitt's American origin and her recklessness about her past suggested that there was some criminal secret involved. I therefore cabled to the New York police, Theodore, asking whether the name of Abe Slaney was known to them, and received the reply, abe Slaney, the most dangerous crook in Chicago. By George, on the very evening this answer arrived, Hubert sent me the last of his Dancing Men messages. It read, elsie, prepare to meet thy God. I knew there wasn't a moment to lose. Unfortunately, Watson, we did lose our moment and reached here to find that the worst had already occurred. Yes, hello, who's this? If I'm not mistaken, Abe. Flaming what? What's he doing here? I invited him. He doesn't know it as I. Powerful little gentleman, isn't he? I've given instructions that he could be directed immediately to this room, so I suggest we take our positions behind the door. You need your handcuffs, Inspector, but you can. Needless talking to me, Alfie, take him. What? Rascal. What the. Come out of here now. Okay. Somebody got the job on Abe's lady at last. But who are you guys? Where's Elsie? He's in his chair. William, Mrs. Hilton Cubitt is seriously wounded. What? She may die. Are you crazy? He shot at me and I shot at him. If you think I'd have touched her hair, or else his head, she was mine. Who did this Cupid guy think he was taking her away from me? He did not take her. She broke away from our country. And you, when she discovered the kind of man you are, but you had to dog her steps to England and threaten her. Well, Savie, you caused the death of an innocent man and driven his wife to attempt suicide. Suicide? Home. There, now I know you're crazy. Say, if she's hurt so bad, how did she write this telling me to get over here first? I wrote it. L. Kelsey Spar. Old Patrick invented this dancing men code and nobody outside the gang knew it. What one man can invent, another can discover. Her father was in a gang with Julius H. Sure, he was the boss. Now you know what's in her past. I also know that she expected you to come here last night and Had a thousand pounds ready to offer you if you'd leave her and her husband in peace. But he was waiting here too, wasn't he? Slamming. Look, it was self defense, I tell you. He shot at me first and hit the window frame. You shot back through the open window simultaneously and killed him. A servant thought both shots were one. You fled. Mrs. Stewart sprang to the window and shut it, then picked up her husband's gun and turned it on herself. From remorse, I dare say, for bringing him to his death. If she recovers, she may yet have to face a charge of murdering her husband. The least that you owe her is to make it clear to the whole world that she was in no way directly or indirectly responsible for his again. Okay. I ask nothing better, I guess you fell as a cuff. All right, you can take me. I won't try anything. I guess I've done enough. I'll bring in a couple of my constables then. Mr. Holmes. I only hope if ever I have an important case again, I'll have the good fortune to have you by my side. Thank you, Inspector. The credit shall be yours. For myself, there has been the satisfaction of a singular inquiry as to my friend Watson. I think that I provided you with something unusual for your notebook. Yes, indeed. Then come along. 3:40 is our train. I fancy we should be back in Baker street in time for dinner. The Dancing Men by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was adapted for radio by Michael Hardwick. The part of Sherlock Holmes was played by Carlton Hobbs and Dr. Watson by Norman Shelley Hilton Cubitt. Humphrey Morton, Elsie Cubitt, Ann Murray, Mrs. Hudson, Janet Morrison, Inspector Martin, Fred Yule, Mrs. King, Janet Hitchman, Abe Slaney, John Bentley Hunt, John Gray. The production was by Graham Gore. The next play in the series, A Case of Identity, can be heard at 8:15 on Thursday on Radio 2.
- [30:26]
Podcast Host
This podcast is sponsored by Talkspace. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and Talkspace, the leading virtual therapy provider, is telling everyone, let's face it in therapy, by talking or texting with a supportive licensed therapist at Talkspace, you can face whatever is holding you back, whether it's mental health symptoms, relationship drama, past trauma, bad habits or another challenge that you need support to work through. It's easy to sign up. Just go to talkspace.com and you'll be paired with a provider, typically within 48 hours. And because you'll meet your therapist online, you don't have to take time off work or arrange childcare. You'll meet on your schedule. Plus, Talkspace is in network with most major insurers. And most insured members have a zero dollar copay. Make your mental health a priority and start today. If you're not covered by insurance, get $80 off your first month with Talkspace when you go to talkspace.com and enter promo code SPACE80. That's S P A CE80 to match with a licensed therapist. Today, go to talkspace.com and Enter promo code SPACE80.