Nick Carter 43-07-06 (013) The Echo of Death

Summary

Detailed Summary of "Nick Carter 43-07-06 (013) The Echo of Death"

Introduction

In the January 7, 2025 release of Harold's Old Time Radio, listeners are transported back to the Golden Age of Radio with the gripping episode titled "Nick Carter 43-07-06 (013) The Echo of Death." Hosted by Harolds Old Time Radio, this episode features the illustrious detective Nick Carter as he unravels a complex case involving disappearance, deceit, and murder set against the mysterious backdrop of Echo Valley Lodge.

Plot Overview

The episode begins with Nick Carter receiving a call about the disappearance of James Thurlow, a prominent financial columnist known for exposing major stock scandals like the Nemo bank scandal. Thurlow had recently hinted at uncovering a significant conspiracy involving politicians and major operators poised to defraud the public of millions. Invited to Echo Valley Lodge by Howard Manstead, a wealthy sportsman, Carter arrives with his companions, Patsy and Scubby Wilson, to investigate Thurlow's unexplained vanishing.

Upon arrival, Carter and his team encounter a mysterious private amphibian plane piloted by Manstead's associate, Johnny. The pilot attempts evasive maneuvers, hinting at foul play. The trio witnesses the pilot's perilous dismount from the plane, ultimately leading to his demise when his parachute fails, and he becomes entangled in the trees—a sign pointing towards murder rather than accident.

As the investigation progresses, Carter discovers Thurlow's hat near a waterfall and traces footprints leading to an old, seemingly abandoned cabin. Inside, they find Thurlow dead, with evidence suggesting a staged suicide. However, inconsistencies, such as the nature of the footprints and the boarded window, lead Carter to suspect foul play. Ultimately, through keen observation of echoing sounds and the discovery of freshly hammered nails on the cabin's roof, Carter deduces that Howard Manstead orchestrated Thurlow's murder to conceal a deeper financial conspiracy.

Key Characters

• Nick Carter (Portrayed by Lon Clark): The quintessential master detective whose analytical prowess drives the investigation.
  • Notable Quote: “[25:27] “You all remember that Mrs. Thurlow said she heard the echo of hammer blows.””
• Patsy (Portrayed by Helen Choate): Carter's astute and resourceful companion who aids in deciphering clues.
  • Notable Quote: “[20:31] “To think that the one man in the world. Who do you suppose he could have meant?””
• Scubby Wilson: Another of Carter's companions, offering both comic relief and critical assistance during the investigation.
  • Notable Quote: “[22:05] “A nail. And Mrs. Thoreau said she heard the echo of hammer blows the morning her husband died.””
• Howard Manstead: A millionaire sportsman who invites Thurlow and later becomes the primary suspect in the case.
  • Notable Quote: “[18:16] “We're only 100 miles from the border. And in the past, planes engaged in smuggling aliens into this country have landed in this region.””

Clues and Investigations

1. Mysterious Plane Encounter ([05:20] - [07:54])

   • The sighting and subsequent crash of a private amphibian plane set the initial tone of mystery. The pilot’s attempt to avoid detection and his eventual fatal landing suggest intentional sabotage.
   • Notable Quote: “[06:28] “Pilot, overtake that plane if you can.””

2. Discovery of Thurlow’s Hat ([10:37] - [11:10])

   • Finding Thurlow’s hat near the waterfall leads the team deeper into the wilderness, uncovering more about his last known movements.
   • Notable Quote: “[11:31] “Thurlo. Good gosh, will you listen to that?””

3. Evidence at the Cabin ([12:44] - [13:10])

   • The locked cabin with boarded windows and fresh footprints raises suspicions of murder rather than suicide.
   • Notable Quote: “[13:10] “The window's boarded over. The boards haven't been touched. I nailed the window up myself. Three years ago.””

4. Echo as a Critical Clue ([22:43] - [27:21])

   • Mrs. Thurlow’s mention of hearing an echo resembling someone hammering down a coffin lid becomes pivotal. The discovery of newly hammered nails on the cabin roof confirms the use of echo to mask the sound of the murder.
   • Notable Quote: “[26:43] “This is a small cabin with a roof lightly nailed in place. Now, look up there. What's that flashing in the sun? Looks like nail heads.””

Conclusion

In a tense confrontation, Howard Manstead attempts to eliminate Nick Carter and Patsy, revealing his complicity with pilot Johnny in murdering James Thurlow. Utilizing the unique echoing properties of Echo Valley, Manstead orchestrated a scene to appear as suicide. Carter’s meticulous analysis and the strategic use of echoes as clues lead to the unveiling of the truth. The episode culminates with Manstead's exposure and the resolution of Thurlow's case, showcasing Carter's unmatched detective skills.

• Final Notable Quote: “[27:21] “Manstead and Johnny pried up the flimsy roof before they kill Thurlow. Then, leaving the door pod, they climbed out and Johnny nailed the roof back into place.””

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

1. Nick Carter on the Plane Crash
   “[06:28] “Pilot, overtake that plane if you can.””

2. Patsy on the Hat Discovery
   “[11:31] “Thurlo. Good gosh, will you listen to that?””

3. Howard Manstead on Smuggling Theory
   “[18:16] “We're only 100 miles from the border. And in the past, planes engaged in smuggling aliens into this country have landed in this region.””

4. Culmination of the Murder Plot
   “[27:21] “Manstead and Johnny pried up the flimsy roof before they kill Thurlow. Then, leaving the door pod, they climbed out and Johnny nailed the roof back into place.””

Closing Remarks

"The Echo of Death" stands as a testament to the intricate storytelling and suspense that defined the Golden Age of Radio. Through Nick Carter’s unwavering determination and sharp intellect, listeners are treated to a masterfully woven narrative filled with twists, clues, and dramatic revelations. This episode not only entertains but also highlights the timeless appeal of detective fiction, making it a standout installment in the Nick Carter series.

Teaser for Next Episode

The episode concludes with an enticing preview of the next adventure, "Death Across the Tracks," promising another enthralling case where Nick Carter delves into the murder of a railroad detective entwined with his latest investigation.

---

Harolds Old Time Radio continues to preserve the rich legacy of classic radio dramas, delivering engaging and immersive stories that captivate both long-time fans and new listeners alike.

Transcript

[Bombas]

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[Scubby Wilson]

To feel good and do good, go.

[Nick Carter]

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[Scubby Wilson]

For 20% off your first purchase.

[Bombas]

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[Nick Carter]

Colleague Nick Carter.

[Narrator]

Another case for Nick Carter, Master detective. Yes, it's another case for that most famous of all manhunters, the detective whose ability at solving crime is unequaled in the history of detective fiction. Nick Cotter, Master Detective. Tonight's curious adventure is the Echo of.

[Nick Carter]

Death or Nick Carter and the Phantom Clue.

[Howard Manstead]

No.

[Nick Carter]

No, please don't kill me. Don't kill me.

[Howard Manstead]

Hold him still. There, just like that. This has got to look right.

[Nick Carter]

No, I'll. I'll do anything you say. I'll forget everything I know.

[Howard Manstead]

Only.

[Nick Carter]

Don't.

[Howard Manstead]

All right, he's dead. Now. Come on.

[Nick Carter]

Hello? Yes, this is Nick Carter speaking. Case? What kind of case? The disappearance. Well, that's hardly in my line. Oh, I see. Yes, yes, yes, I understand. All right. Expect us late this afternoon. You got that on the extension, Patsy?

[Patsy]

I should say so. Echo Valley Lodge. Private amphibian plane waiting for you at the airport. Come at once. Never mind the fee. Who is this Howard Manstead who tosses money around like confetti?

[Nick Carter]

A well known millionaire sportsman, Patsy. But wouldn't it be more to the point to ask about the man who's disappeared?

[Patsy]

Oh, you mean James Thelow, the columnist? Why, he's. He. Say, who is he anyway?

[Nick Carter]

That's what you get for not reading the financial pages of the paper, Patsy. Well, come along. We gotta find a taxi and get to the airport.

[Patsy]

Well, aren't we gonna take anything with us?

[Nick Carter]

Oh, yes, of course. I was forgetting.

[Patsy]

I thought you were. I'll need my new dress.

[Nick Carter]

You want Scubby, call him and tell him to meet us at the airport. He knows Thurlow. They write for the same paper.

[Patsy]

But why aren't we gonna.

[Nick Carter]

Oh, and one other thing, Patsy. Bring along volume three of the encyclopedia.

[Patsy]

E To H. Scoffy Wilson in volume three of an encyclopedia. That's just what a girl needs for a visit to a millionaire's hunting. Though seldom visited because of its somewhat inaccessible location, Echo Valley is A natural freak of singular interest.

[Scubby Wilson]

I have friends you could say the same thing about. But the encyclopedia doesn't mention them.

[Nick Carter]

Quiet, Scabby. Let Patsy finish reading.

[Patsy]

Echo Valley is of great interest to scientists. Sounds occurring in certain areas of Echo Valley may be repeated as many as 13 times. Echoing from Cliff in gradually diminishing volume.

[Scubby Wilson]

Why do encyclopedias always use so many words to say so little?

[Patsy]

That's what I wonder about newspaper reporters sometimes, too.

[Scubby Wilson]

So we'll change the subject. What else does it say?

[Patsy]

That's all.

[Scubby Wilson]

Well, that's no help. Thurlow certainly wasn't carried off by an echo.

[Nick Carter]

He's probably just lost in the woods.

[Patsy]

In any case, I don't see why Manstead insisted on you coming out to look for him, Nick. You're no Indian guide, Patsy.

[Nick Carter]

If Thurlow isn't found alive, it may cost the public millions.

[Patsy]

Millions? He's just a columnist.

[Scubby Wilson]

Isn't he Just a columnist? He's the smartest financial reporter in New York.

[Nick Carter]

Thurlow's more than just a reporter, Patsy. In the financial column he writes, he sometimes tips the authorities off to big stock swindles and other kinds of financial skullduggery.

[Scubby Wilson]

Right. It was Thurlow who broke open the Nemo bank scandal three years ago and sent the whole board of directors to.

[Nick Carter]

And for some time, Patsy, Thurlow has been hinting in his column that he was on the verge of revealing some kind of tie up between certain politicians and one or two big operators that would rob the public of millions.

[Patsy]

Oh, then if anything happened to him now, before he's had a chance to tell anybody what he knew, the scheme would go through his schedule.

[Scubby Wilson]

Right? That's why he went to Echo Valley Lodge. Manstead, an old friend of his, invited him out so he could work in peace for a few weeks.

[Nick Carter]

Scubby, huh? Is it true that Thurlow was on the verge of a nervous breakdown when he left?

[Scubby Wilson]

Oh, he was walking around in circles talking to himself, Nick. He had almost all the dope he wanted. But he still hadn't got the name of the guy behind the whole scheme. He took along a whole bunch of records of stock transactions. He said they might give him the clue he needed. And, hey, look ahead of us.

[Patsy]

Echo Valley it is, isn't it, Nick?

[Nick Carter]

No doubt of it, Patsy.

[Scubby Wilson]

But look. That isn't any Echo flying tortoise.

[Patsy]

A plane, Nick. It's a plane flying up out of Echo Valley.

[Nick Carter]

Yes. Yes. It's a private amphibian.

[Scubby Wilson]

I thought this plane of Manstead's Was the only one in these parts.

[Nick Carter]

Now the pilot's seen us, huh? He's turning out of our line of flight.

[Patsy]

I suppose he wants to avoid us.

[Scubby Wilson]

I'll bet he doesn't want us to see his markings.

[Patsy]

He is trying to avoid us.

[Nick Carter]

Oh, pilot, swing over so we can get a look at that plane down there.

[Howard Manstead]

Right, Mr. Carter.

[Patsy]

He knows we're trying to get closer to him.

[Scubby Wilson]

Look at him bank to avoid us.

[Patsy]

He's turned back. He's heading away from us now.

[Nick Carter]

Pilot, overtake that plane if you can.

[Howard Manstead]

Yes, I'm Connor.

[Scubby Wilson]

Say, isn't that the Manstead hunting lodge down there, right on the edge of the lake?

[Nick Carter]

Yes, Cubby, it is. But we're not going to land until we get some idea what that plane's up to.

[Patsy]

Look, he's diving straight down.

[Nick Carter]

Now he's gonna try to get away underneath us.

[Scubby Wilson]

Oh, he'll never make it. Those private planes aren't built.

[Patsy]

His wing, it's breaking off.

[Nick Carter]

Couldn't take the strain.

[Scubby Wilson]

He's heading straight for the ground. If he hasn't got a parachute, nobody has.

[Patsy]

Look, he's jumping. Yeah, the shoot's helping.

[Nick Carter]

And there goes his plane into the trees. Well, that was a narrow escape. He didn't have more than 500ft of altitude.

[Patsy]

He's come down on the top of that tall pine. He's caught there. See? His parachute won't come loose.

[Nick Carter]

Yes, well, we'll have to land and rescue him. Besides, I want to know why he was so anxious to avoid having his plane identified. Oh, pilot.

[Howard Manstead]

Yes, Mr. Connor?

[Nick Carter]

Land in the lake and taxi up as close as possible to the place that fellow came down.

[Howard Manstead]

Yes.

[Scubby Wilson]

Oh, wait a minute, Patsy. I'll lift this one up for you.

[Nick Carter]

Watch out that branch doesn't snap back in your face.

[Patsy]

Patsy, aren't we almost there?

[Nick Carter]

Yes, there's the clearing just ahead. Only a few more steps.

[Scubby Wilson]

Oh, and they say exercise is good for you.

[Patsy]

Oh, there. There's his parachute. I think I can see him hanging among the branches.

[Nick Carter]

He's hurt or he'd call to us. Come on.

[Scubby Wilson]

His shroud lines are caught among the branches. I can see that much.

[Patsy]

Well, he's just. Just dangling there.

[Nick Carter]

Hey, you up there. Can you hear us? You all right?

[Scubby Wilson]

He doesn't answer. Look, I'll climb up and see if I can.

[Nick Carter]

No, wait.

[Scubby Wilson]

What is it, Nick?

[Nick Carter]

Look at those shroud lines.

[Patsy]

They're wrapped around his neck.

[Scubby Wilson]

Yeah, look at the way his head is twisted to one side.

[Nick Carter]

Yes, his neck's broken. He's dead.

[Patsy]

What oh, when he landed in the tree, he got tangled in the lines.

[Nick Carter]

And I wonder, Nick, what do you mean? Look down at your feet. Scubby. Huh?

[Scubby Wilson]

Cigarette butt.

[Patsy]

Why, somebody must have been here before us.

[Nick Carter]

Maybe. But its precision makes me think the cigarette was smoked by him up there.

[Scubby Wilson]

But that's impossible, Nick.

[Nick Carter]

It's been just about an hour Scubby since he crashed. He knew we'd come after him. So if he was hurt and couldn't get out of his shoot harness, would have been more natural than for him to smoke a cigarette and wait to be rescued.

[Patsy]

But he.

[Nick Carter]

He's dead because somebody reached him before we did and murdered.

[Howard Manstead]

And so that's the story, Mr. Carter. As much as we know. Anyway, Thurlow just wandered away yesterday morning and never returned.

[Nick Carter]

Hmm. I see, Mr. Manson. And you don't think this mysterious airplane we met just before we reached here has any connection with Thurlow's vanishing?

[Howard Manstead]

Well, I don't see how it could. But then, as I said, I haven't the slightest idea where the plane could have come from or who was flying it.

[Nick Carter]

Now, let's go over the facts again, if you don't mind.

[Howard Manstead]

Of course not.

[Nick Carter]

Thurlow arrived here a week ago?

[Howard Manstead]

Yes, with his wife. I had them flown in in my plane. They had the lodge to themselves with my permanent housekeeper to look after them.

[Nick Carter]

And you arrived yesterday?

[Howard Manstead]

In the middle of the afternoon.

[Nick Carter]

But Thurlow wasn't here when you arrived?

[Howard Manstead]

No, he'd already gone out. He told his wife he was taking his revolver along and would take pot shots at the trees and rocks.

[Nick Carter]

So you never actually saw him?

[Howard Manstead]

That's right. The woodsman I employ to look after the property asked me to come and examine some trees he wanted to cut down. About sundown, I got back to the lodge, and Thurlow still hadn't returned. Mrs. Thurlow was becoming worried. I ordered the floodlights we used for landing the plane at night, but he didn't show up.

[Nick Carter]

And then in the morning, you called me.

[Howard Manstead]

Well, first I phoned the nearest forest ranger station, and after that, Mrs. Thurlow was so agitated, I had promised I'd send for you.

[Nick Carter]

Where is Mrs. Thurlow? I'd like to ask a few questions.

[Howard Manstead]

Well, she's sleeping now. She was up all night, and this morning the housekeeper gave her a sleeping tablet. Shall we wake her?

[Nick Carter]

No, no, no, no, no. Not just now. There's still an hour of daylight left. I'd like to take a look around outside. Perhaps I'll find. I'll open it, Mr. Manstead.

[Howard Manstead]

Johnny. What is it?

[Nick Carter]

His hat. We found it.

[Howard Manstead]

Thurlow's hat. Where?

[Nick Carter]

Near the waterfall.

[Howard Manstead]

Well, that's not far. It's only a mile from here. It's still light. Do you want to come with us and look for him, Mr. Carter?

[Nick Carter]

Yes, I do.

[Scubby Wilson]

Oh, gosh, my anger. Oh, boy.

[Narrator]

There.

[Patsy]

There.

[Nick Carter]

There's the hat, Mr. Manstead. In that bush.

[Howard Manstead]

But what in the world could Thurlow have been doing in here? This isn't a trail to the waterfall.

[Scubby Wilson]

It isn't a trail at all. As far as I'm concerned, it's a jungle.

[Howard Manstead]

It used to be a trail to an old one room cabin. But there's no reason Thurlow would go there.

[Scubby Wilson]

Well, maybe if we yell, he'll hear us. He might be in there with a busted ankle or something.

[Nick Carter]

Go ahead and try, Scubby.

[Narrator]

Thurlow.

[Scubby Wilson]

Thurlo. Good gosh, will you listen to that?

[Howard Manstead]

Well, that's one reason this is called Echo Valley. The cliffs around the waterfall down the trail make a perfect sounding board.

[Scubby Wilson]

Well, if he didn't hear that, he must be dead.

[Nick Carter]

If there's a cabin in there, we better take a look at it.

[Howard Manstead]

Right. I don't see what in the world Thurlow could have come this way for. But maybe he did. Let's find out. There it is.

[Nick Carter]

Where am I, Sid?

[Howard Manstead]

Oh, there. Between those two trees. See it?

[Nick Carter]

Oh, yes.

[Howard Manstead]

It's only another 40 yards.

[Scubby Wilson]

Well, come on then.

[Nick Carter]

Or Scubby. Wait.

[Patsy]

Sure.

[Scubby Wilson]

Nick. What is it?

[Nick Carter]

That bear patch of ground there. Those footprints.

[Scubby Wilson]

Thurlow's footprints.

[Nick Carter]

You sure, Scubby?

[Scubby Wilson]

Sure. I've seen those pointed shoes of his too often not to recognize the footprints any place. Come on, Nick.

[Nick Carter]

Yes, yes, I'm coming. Fellow's a tall man, isn't he, Scubby?

[Scubby Wilson]

He's a tall man like I'm Henry ford. He's about 5ft 5.

[Nick Carter]

Why, I thought it. Well, never mind. There's the cabin.

[Scubby Wilson]

Gosh, it doesn't look as if it had been opened in years.

[Howard Manstead]

Well, it hasn't that I know of.

[Scubby Wilson]

But there are thermos footprints going right up to the door.

[Nick Carter]

And somebody's opened the door recently. Look at these broken spiderwebs around the door jamb. But it won't open now.

[Howard Manstead]

Here, let me try. It ought to open without any trouble.

[Scubby Wilson]

Yeah, but it doesn't budge.

[Howard Manstead]

That's strange. Let's take a look through the window.

[Nick Carter]

The window's boarded over. The boards haven't been touched. I nailed the window up myself. Three years ago. Nobody came here since. And someone has come here. Thurlow. And he must be inside now.

[Scubby Wilson]

But the window hasn't been touched and the door is barred on the inside.

[Howard Manstead]

Looks bad. We'd better break the door down.

[Nick Carter]

Suppose we have old Johnny use his axe on it. That'll be quicker.

[Howard Manstead]

Of course. Johnny, smash the door open for us.

[Nick Carter]

Stand back, please.

[Scubby Wilson]

That door was locked. To stay locked.

[Nick Carter]

Starting to go.

[Howard Manstead]

Yeah, that does it. It's open.

[Nick Carter]

If you don't mind, I'd like to go in first.

[Howard Manstead]

Of course. It's dark inside. Here, take my flashlight.

[Nick Carter]

Thanks.

[Scubby Wilson]

There he is.

[Narrator]

Thurlow.

[Howard Manstead]

He's. He's dead. He came here, bolted himself in and shot himself. With his own revolver.

[Nick Carter]

Yes, he's dead all right. And it does look like suicide, doesn't it?

[Patsy]

Now, now, Mrs.

[Mrs. Thurlow]

Jim couldn't have killed himself, Mr. Carter. He couldn't have.

[Nick Carter]

I'm sorry, Mrs. Thurlow. I wouldn't intrude on your grief if it wasn't necessary. Now, first of all, what kind of mood was your husband in yesterday morning just before he disappeared?

[Mrs. Thurlow]

He was very agitated.

[Nick Carter]

Agitated? Well, do you know any reason why he should have been?

[Mrs. Thurlow]

I think he just found a clue to the identity of the man he was seeking. The one behind this plot to upset the stock market.

[Nick Carter]

Did he say who it was?

[Mrs. Thurlow]

No, no. He just said he'd stumbled on a clue and he'd be so shocked he could hardly believe the evidence. That was why he went out into the woods. He wanted to be alone, to think the matter through.

[Nick Carter]

Perhaps his notes will tell us what.

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[Patsy]

Yeah, I thought of that, Nick. After Mrs. Thurlow woke up. And I talked to her while you and Scobby were out with Mr. Manstead. We tried to read his notes, but they're in some kind of a shorthand that nobody can read but himself.

[Mrs. Thurlow]

I can make out a few words here and there, but not enough to help.

[Nick Carter]

Well, we'll have another try at it later. Please go on, Mrs. Thurlow.

[Mrs. Thurlow]

Well, that's almost all, Mr. Carter. Jim went out about 10 in the morning I stayed here in my room reading. About half an hour later, I thought I heard a shot. All of a sudden I was terribly frightened.

[Nick Carter]

Frightened of what?

[Mrs. Thurlow]

I don't know. It was just a feeling. Then. Then I heard the far off echo of somebody hammering. It was. It sounded like somebody hammering down the lid of a coffin. And I'm positive it meant it.

[Scubby Wilson]

Jim.

[Mrs. Thurlow]

Wasted.

[Patsy]

It's probably someone chopping down a tree. She heard Nick. Anyway, she went back to her reading and forgot about it. And around one, Manstead phoned in the village, this little town about 10 miles from the hills, for Johnny to come for him in the station wagon.

[Nick Carter]

Manstead phoned? But didn't he fly in by plane yesterday?

[Patsy]

Seems not. The plane was in New York getting a new propeller, so he took the night train.

[Nick Carter]

Is that so?

[Patsy]

Anyway, Johnny went to meet him. He got here about 2:30. The rest of the story is just the way he told it to us. Nick Thurlow must have killed himself. There just isn't any other answer.

[Nick Carter]

I wonder, Patsy. I wonder. Hello? Yes, speaking. Did you get the dope I wanted? He was. And the plane? Then check every airfield within 50 miles of the city. Yes, I know it's a big order, but somebody's playing this game for big stakes. No, that's all. Call me back when you've learned something.

[Howard Manstead]

Oh, hello, Carter. I. I didn't know anybody was here. In the library.

[Nick Carter]

I took the liberty of phoning New York. I was trying to check on that mysterious plane that we saw crash yesterday afternoon.

[Howard Manstead]

I see. Did you learn anything?

[Nick Carter]

Nothing yet.

[Howard Manstead]

You know, I have a theory about that plane, Carter.

[Nick Carter]

I'd be interested to hear it, Mr. Manstead.

[Howard Manstead]

Well, we're only 100 miles from the border. And in the past, planes engaged in smuggling aliens into this country have landed in this region. Now, I'm willing to wager this chap who was so anxious to avoid being seen was engaged in doing something like that.

[Nick Carter]

Certainly sounds plausible. Nick. Oh, Nick. Oh, yes. Guppy.

[Scubby Wilson]

Oh, there you are. Oh. Top of the morning to you, Mr. Manstead.

[Howard Manstead]

Good morning.

[Scubby Wilson]

Say, I was looking for the two of you. Forest Ranger Thompson and two of his men are down at the landing waiting in your launch, Mr. Manstead. They want to get started down the lake to bring in the body of that flyer who. Who was so unlucky when he bailed out of his plane yesterday.

[Howard Manstead]

Of course, you're coming with us, aren't you, Carter?

[Nick Carter]

Yes, indeed. I'm just as interested as you are to see if your theory turns out to Be right.

[Scubby Wilson]

Oh, what about Patsy? Shall I go find her?

[Nick Carter]

Oh, no, Scubby. She's staying here in the Lodge with Mrs. Thurlow. They're going to spend the morning going over Thurlow's notes, trying to decipher them.

[Scubby Wilson]

Well, let's get going. I want to get back in time to phone a story to my paper.

[Mrs. Thurlow]

I'm afraid it's no use, miss.

[Patsy]

Please, just call me Patsy.

[Mrs. Thurlow]

It's just impossible to read these notes of Jim's, Patsy. They're not only in his own shorthand, but most of them are in code, too.

[Patsy]

Here's something that seems as if it might mean something. See, it says, I can H. Be.

[Mrs. Thurlow]

It HB Hardly believe. I can hardly believe it. Yes, of course. That's what it means.

[Patsy]

And here's some more. It's Clara. Shall I tell Manstead what I know?

[Mrs. Thurlow]

The next line. Better not.

[Patsy]

Instead, must get back to New York. That's clear enough.

[Mrs. Thurlow]

But the next line. My life. M. B. Indeed. That doesn't mean anything to me.

[Patsy]

My life. MBND My life may be in danger. And then there's just one last sentence that he never finished. To think that the one man in the world. That's all there is.

[Mrs. Thurlow]

Oh. Oh, if it only finished.

[Patsy]

To think that the one man in the world. Who do you suppose he could have meant?

[Mrs. Thurlow]

I can't even make a guess.

[Patsy]

The one man. Mrs. Thurlow.

[Mrs. Thurlow]

What? Patsy.

[Patsy]

Mrs. Thurlow. We're going to go and take a look at that cabin now while all the others are away. I have a theory, and we're going to find some evidence to prove it. It has to be there. It just has to be.

[Scubby Wilson]

Hello, Nick, my friend. Hey, what's troubling you? You've been sitting out here on this rock for an hour, ever since we got back, looking mean enough to bite your grandmother.

[Nick Carter]

Scubby, that poor devil of an aviator whose body we brought in was murdered and Thurlow was murdered, and I can't prove it.

[Scubby Wilson]

But, Nick, couldn't you be wrong? The Aviator certainly looked like a natural accident. And Thurlow. If I ever saw a case that looked more like suicide. Well, I don't know where it was.

[Nick Carter]

That's just it. The aviator. I can explain. Someone slipped through the woods, reached him before we did, climbed the tree he was caught in and strangled him with the shroud lines and his parachute while pretending to help free him.

[Scubby Wilson]

But Thurlow. His own footprints leading into the cabin, the window boarded over and the door bolted on the inside. If somebody Killed him? Well, how did they get out?

[Nick Carter]

I don't know. Scobby. Isn't possible. And it was done. I'm going to break the. Hey, Scuppy, what's that in your hand?

[Scubby Wilson]

All just a shiny new nail I picked up somewhere. Somebody must have been fixing something.

[Nick Carter]

A nail. And Mrs. Thoreau said she heard the echo of hammer blows the morning her husband died.

[Scubby Wilson]

Yeah. Said they sounded like somebody hammering down the lid of a coffin. Dame sure have imagination.

[Nick Carter]

But that's just what she did here. Huh? She heard the echoes of somebody nailing down the lid of a coffin.

[Patsy]

But there must be a clue. There must be.

[Mrs. Thurlow]

But we've been all over the cabin, inside and out, a dozen times. Now, Patsy, if there was anything here, we'd have found it.

[Patsy]

Mrs. Thurlow, somehow your husband was murdered here and his body left inside this cabin so it would look like suicide. I'm going to find out how the murderer got out, leaving the door and window bolted or. Or die.

[Howard Manstead]

I'm afraid you're much more likely to die, Patsy.

[Patsy]

Oh, Mr. Manstead.

[Howard Manstead]

Yes, Mr. Manstead. After we returned to the lodge and I learned the two of you had disappeared in this direction, I thought I'd better find out what you were up to.

[Mrs. Thurlow]

You. You killed my husband.

[Patsy]

Of course he did. Who else could your husband have meant by the one man in the world he'd never have believed guilty?

[Mrs. Thurlow]

But. But he was Jim's friend.

[Patsy]

That's what he wanted you to think. He pretended to be a friend so he could always keep checking what your husband learned. And he invited you both here so he could commit murder if he decided it was necessary.

[Howard Manstead]

A very interesting theory. But I'm afraid I can't give you a chance to tell it to anyone else. Johnny.

[Nick Carter]

Right here, Mr. Manstead.

[Howard Manstead]

Come inside and close the door.

[Nick Carter]

What are you going to do to us?

[Patsy]

He thinks he's going to kill us. He hasn't got that gun in his hand for fun, Johnny.

[Howard Manstead]

The old mine shaft is close by. Now, if these two ladies out walking had the misfortune to stumble into it, it would be very tragic, wouldn't it?

[Nick Carter]

Lots of people fall down old mine shafts.

[Howard Manstead]

So they do. And I'm afraid another such accident is about to happen.

[Patsy]

You can't get away with it, Mr. Manstead. Nick Carter won't let you.

[Howard Manstead]

Oh, well, Perhaps even clever Mr. Carter may have to have an accident. Help me silence him, Johnny. Quickly.

[Scubby Wilson]

Quiet.

[Narrator]

Quiet, I say.

[Howard Manstead]

All right now, Johnny. Knock them both on the head to keep them quiet.

[Nick Carter]

All right, Manstead. Let go of her. You.

[Howard Manstead]

Carter, look out.

[Bombas]

His gun.

[Nick Carter]

Drop it, Manstead, or I. Johnny. Kill him. Kill him, Johnny. Put down that axe or I'll shoot. Yes, sir.

[Patsy]

He.

[Mrs. Thurlow]

He's dead?

[Nick Carter]

I'm afraid so. That's. Either of you hurt?

[Patsy]

No, Nick. You came just in time. But how.

[Nick Carter]

How did I know Manstead was a murderer? I knew that from the time we found this cabin. But it took an echo to prove it. The echo, Mrs. Thurlow, that you said sounded like someone hammering.

[Mrs. Thurlow]

But I don't understand.

[Nick Carter]

Scuppy's bringing Ranger Thompson. Soon as they get here. I think I'll be able to clear up a lot of mysteries. So Manstead was behind the plot that Thurlow uncovered. He invited Thurlow here in order to find out what he knew. Discovered Thurlow had evidence which would tell him the truth and therefore decided to eliminate Thurlow. But, Mr. Carter, Manster didn't get here until after Thurlow was dead. He came by train.

[Scubby Wilson]

Oh, Ranger Thompson's right, Nick.

[Nick Carter]

He appeared to come by train. Actually, he flew in the night before in a plane whose pilot was used to taking big fees for keeping his mouth shut. That was a plane that we saw crash. Something delayed it from leaving in time to avoid us. And in the pilot's effort to keep away from us. Well, we all know what happened.

[Patsy]

But, Nick, why was the pilot murdered?

[Nick Carter]

That was Johnny's work. As soon as Thurlow saw the crash, he sent Johnny by a secret trail to the woods to make sure the pilot didn't live to talk. Otherwise, his murder scheme would have collapsed. Isn't that right, Johnny? Yes, sir.

[Patsy]

So Manstead flew here the night before he murdered Thurlow. In the morning, when Thurlow left the house, he and Johnny waylaid him. Is that it, Nick?

[Nick Carter]

That's it, Betsy. They brought him to the cabin here. Manstead put on his victim shoes and made a trail of footprints. Then they killed Thurlow, put his shoes back on him and left him in the locked cabin. A clear case of suicide. But Manstead made a mistake there. His footprints were too far apart. They were the steps of a tall man. When Scubby said Thurlow was a short man, I began to suspect. Well, it certainly does sound plausible, Mr. Carter. But you've still got to convince me. Manstead could get out of that cabin and leave the door barred from the inside.

[Scubby Wilson]

Make it good, Nick.

[Nick Carter]

Johnny knows the answer. You all remember that Mrs. Thurlow said she heard the echo of hammer blows.

[Patsy]

You mean she really did Hear someone hammering?

[Nick Carter]

Exactly. This is a small cabin with a roof lightly nailed in place. Now, look up there. What's that flashing in the sun? Looks like nail heads.

[Scubby Wilson]

Somebody's hammered new nails into that roof all along this side.

[Patsy]

Nick, is that the clue I was looking for?

[Nick Carter]

That's the clue you were looking for. Scobby and I saw it yesterday. But we weren't smart enough to know what it meant. Here, I'll take Johnny's axe and push the blade in on the eaves and pry upward like that. The whole roof's lifting up.

[Scubby Wilson]

Well, blow me down.

[Patsy]

Manstead and Johnny pried up the flimsy roof before they kill Thurlow. Then, leaving the door pod, they climbed out and Johnny nailed the roof back into place.

[Nick Carter]

Right. So they were hammering the lid in the coffin, so to speak. Thurlow's coffin. And due to the curious echoing qualities of the rocks the sound carried to the lodge. And Mrs. Thurlow heard it. I didn't think it meant anything until I noticed the nail Scubby picked up someplace. The nail Johnny must have dropped. And then I remembered the hammering sound Mr. Thurlow spoke of. And suddenly the whole thing was clear. Well, it sure wouldn't have been clear to me if you hadn't explained it, Mr. Carter. I certainly wouldn't ever have worked it out with just an echo for a clue.

[Scubby Wilson]

Oh, but that was an unusual echo. Remember how cleverly it answered?

[Patsy]

And when it comes to answers, Scuppy Nick Carter is the man who gets them.

[Narrator]

This was another strange experience of Nick Cotter called the Echo of Death or Nick Cotter and the Phantom Clue. The curious adventures of Nick Cotter, master detective are brought to you every Monday night at 9:30 Eastern. Wartime. We'll let Nick himself tell you about next week's story. What'll it be about, Nick?

[Nick Carter]

I call it Death across the Tracks. It began with the murder of a.

[Patsy]

Detective, a railroad detective who lived in the station alongside the tracks. He was working on a case, but he had it only partly solved when he was murdered.

[Nick Carter]

And I picked it up from there.

[Patsy]

I'll say you did, Nick. You almost picked up a few bullets into the bargain the way the victim did when you called it death across the tracks. You were right in more ways than one.

[Narrator]

This sounds more and more intriguing. And how'd it wind up, Nick?

[Nick Carter]

Well, we'll tell you that next week. But I can say this much. I had a stroke of luck.

[Patsy]

Nick always calls it luck when he uses foresight. Good night, folks.

[Nick Carter]

Yes, good night, folks.

[Narrator]

And Good night. Patsy and Nick in tonight's strange adventure, Nick Carter was impersonated by Lon Clark. Patsy was impersonated by Helen Choate. Original music was played by Lou White. The entire production was under the direction of Jock McGregor. Next week at half past nine o'clock Eastern wartime, listen to another curious adventure of Nick Carter entitled Deaths across the.

[Nick Carter]

Tracks or Nick Carter and the Mystery.

[Howard Manstead]

Of the Midnight Straight.

[Narrator]

This story is a copyrighted feature of street and Smith Publications Incorporated. And here's a special note. Beginning next week, Nick Cotter will be heard over most of these same stations on Mondays at 9:30pm Eastern. Wartime. The Cisco Kid will be presented on Tuesdays at 9:30pm Eastern. War time. This is mutual.