Speaker 1: The Avenger.
Speaker 2: The road to crime ends in a trap that justice sets,
crime does not pay. The Avengers sworn enemy of evil,
is actually Jim Brandon, of famous biochemists. Through his numerous
scientific experiments, Brandon has protected several inventions to aid him
in his crusade against crime as the Avenger. Most remarkable
of these inventions is the highly secret diffusion capsule, which
cloaks him in the black light of invisibility. Brandon's assistant,
the beautiful Fern Collier, is the only one who shares
his secrets and knows that he is the man the
underworld fears as the Avenger, and now.
Speaker 3: The Avenger and the shot in the dark.
Speaker 2: You fool, Ripley, you shot him, No, Corvid, it was
an accident. Armstrong tried to take my gun in the struggle.
It went come on, we'll beat it out the back way. No,
I didn't mean to kill him. It was an accident.
I'm going to turn myself in.
Speaker 1: You're crazy. Give you the hot seat for this, Ripley.
Speaker 3: But there's nothing else to do.
Speaker 2: Armstrong's body won't be discovered until morning. That will give
us time to think of something. Come on, where to
over to my place? This way, Ripley.
Speaker 4: Hurry, well, that's the way it adds up, Ripley.
Speaker 1: If you turn yourself in, they'll give you the works.
Speaker 2: Might as well save the police the trouble of looking
for me. Tomorrow morning, Armstrong's body will be found with
two buckets from my gun and him. It'll just be
a matter of time that they track me down. There
are ways to beat raps like this, Ripley. How do
you mean well, us have to have a corpus dilector
before they can tag a guy with a murder wrap,
don't they. Yes, Now, suppose I could fix it so
that Armstrong's body is never found.
Speaker 1: He'd just be a missing person, then.
Speaker 3: Wouldn't he? But how could you do that?
Speaker 5: Corvid?
Speaker 1: I got friends who could.
Speaker 2: Pull a job like that, if you'd be willing to
pay them for the trouble. How much fifty grand and
your slatest clean? I haven't that kind of money, Collvid?
What do you mean you haven't that kind of money?
You're worth five times that much, Gripley. What about that
big inheritance you just came in?
Speaker 3: But most of that money is tied up in bonds
and securities.
Speaker 1: I can't find it suit yourself. If you'd rather blow.
Speaker 2: Your whole bank roll trying to defend yourself in court,
that's your business. But if I had a wife and
kill I leave my family out of this Corbin.
Speaker 1: Okay, Ripley. I just thought maybe you forgot about them,
that's all.
Speaker 2: No, No, I'd gladly pay fifty thousand to spare them
with shame and disgrace of a murder trial on only
what what's holding you up?
Speaker 1: Then?
Speaker 2: How do I know it would end there? You know
I killed Armstrong and you're a blackmail of Corbyn. You've
already taken me for twenty thousand.
Speaker 4: Have it.
Speaker 2: You're away, Ripley, But you ain't exactly in a position
to do any bargaining. You know what about those papers
we went to Armstrong's shop to steal. You started shooting
before I had a chance to get them. Don't blame
me for that, all right, cord. If you can get
those papers and get rid of Armstrong's body, I'll pay up.
I'll talk to my boys, but you've got to have
the Doorpley by to morrow night.
Speaker 3: I'll do the best I can.
Speaker 2: Okay, Well, now that the deal is closed, you just
forget all about Armstrong. I'll take care of everything, Ripley,
every single thing. But missus Ripley, why have you come
to me. Why don't you go to the police.
Speaker 6: Because.
Speaker 5: Well, I don't think they take my story very seriously.
Mister Brandon, After all, I can't prove there's any crime involved.
Speaker 3: Well, in that case, there's nothing I can do either.
Speaker 5: I thought perhaps you could find out what's troubling my husband,
that is, without his knowing anything about it.
Speaker 2: Well, suppose you give me the details, mister Ripley, I
may at least be able to offer some advice.
Speaker 5: Well, you see, recently, my husband inherited a sizable fortune
from his grandfather. Almost immediately, he began to to act strangely,
as if he were afraid of something. I questioned him,
but he'd tell me nothing except that he was having
business troubles.
Speaker 3: Well that sounds plausible enough.
Speaker 5: Well, at first I thought so too. Then about two
weeks ago, my husband drew twenty thousand dollars out.
Speaker 7: Of our joint bank account.
Speaker 5: When he refused to explain this withdrawal, I became alarmed
went to see his business.
Speaker 2: Pardon why did he corroborate your husband's statement about his
business troubles.
Speaker 5: No, No, he assured me that my husband's business affairs
were in perfect order.
Speaker 7: He knew nothing about the two thousand dollars.
Speaker 3: Perhaps your husband gambled with the money, Missus Ripley.
Speaker 7: I tried to make myself believe that until yesterday.
Speaker 3: What happened yesterday?
Speaker 5: But yesterday I discovered that my husband had sold fifty
thousand dollars with bunds government bonds that had been purchased
for us small son. I know my husband wouldn't have
done that. That is just gamble away the money.
Speaker 3: No, that doesn't seem likely.
Speaker 7: It's brandon. I think someone's blackmailing my husband.
Speaker 5: I don't know how or why, but I'm certain that
he's in some terrible kind of trouble.
Speaker 3: Missus Ripley.
Speaker 2: I'd like to help you, but in a matter of
this kind, I have no right to interfere as far
as the law is concerned. If a man can spend
his money any way he likes, and we have no
proof that this is blackmail.
Speaker 5: My husband is living in mortal terror of someone. I'm
sure of it.
Speaker 3: Then suppose we handle it this way, Missus Ripley.
Speaker 2: You go home and speak to your husband, try to
persuade him to make a statement, and if he's in
any kind of danger, you can be sure that the
police will offer him every kind of protection. But until
he's willing to make a clean breast of things, I'm
afraid this is strictly a family matter, or perhaps a
case for his physician.
Speaker 1: Well, there it is.
Speaker 2: Jim looks like suicide, all right, not a very pretty sight.
Speaker 3: Who discovered the body? Inspector?
Speaker 8: The maid, Yes, when she came in to clean the
room about an hour ago, she didn't touch anything, though
the hotel manager kept the room locked until.
Speaker 1: We got here.
Speaker 3: Does the manager know anything about this man?
Speaker 1: And not much?
Speaker 8: Says he checked in last night and registered as Harry Johnson.
In place like this, they don't ask any questions.
Speaker 2: Well, it's evident that this man could have afforded a
dem hotel, good clothes, well kept pens, expensive shoes.
Speaker 1: H That doesn't make a difference. Now, shall we cut
him down?
Speaker 3: No, not yet. I want to check everything first.
Speaker 1: That's habbus. What happened Jim?
Speaker 8: That overturned the stool there on the floor of what
he stood on while he fastened the rope around his neck,
and he just kicked away the stool and hung himself.
Speaker 2: I don't think so. It's all now, Jim, you're not
going to tang that stool over here, Inspector, do you please,
and I'll show you. I mean, okay, As you can see,
this noose is drawn very tightly.
Speaker 1: Alright, here's the stool.
Speaker 2: Good, place it upright under this man's feet. A look, Inspector.
There's a distance of at least six inches between the
stool and this man's feet. Since the noose is tightly drawn,
that means he couldn't possibly have hung himself.
Speaker 3: No, this was murder, Inspector.
Speaker 2: Ere Now we'll cut him down and see if we
can find anything in his pockets.
Speaker 3: Take him a hand, inspector, all right, yeah, help me
put him on the bed.
Speaker 1: All right.
Speaker 8: Eh, well, I'll send a man down here to give
everything a good dusting, and I have a feeling won't
find any prints in here. Here's his wallet, a few
small bills, and some business cards.
Speaker 3: Say this man's name was Alan Ripley. Inspector.
Speaker 8: Hey, isn't he the fellow that came into a pile
of money a couple.
Speaker 1: Of months ago?
Speaker 3: That's right?
Speaker 2: His wife came to see me yesterday morning she thought
he was being blackmailed, but couldn't offer any proof of it.
Speaker 1: Well, I'd give this a leader.
Speaker 2: They worth investigating, and the light of what's happened, let's
see what we can turn up on it.
Speaker 6: Did missus Ripley identify the body? Jim?
Speaker 3: Yes, Fern was her husband?
Speaker 6: All right, Jim, I don't trust these women who come
here crying for help. Remember the wild goose chase that
Edith Walley led us on MM and all the time
she herself was guilty.
Speaker 2: In other words, you think missus Ripley blackmailed her husband
and then murdered him.
Speaker 6: Well, I think we should check her story before we
put any faith in it.
Speaker 3: Don't worry, we will.
Speaker 2: Oh uh, did you get me those back numbers of
the newspapers?
Speaker 3: Bern?
Speaker 6: Yes, they're in the library, Jim, But what do you
want with them?
Speaker 2: Well, according to missus Ripley, her husband's trouble began when
he inherited that money. Now, if we're up against the
work of an organized blackmail ring, Ripley wasn't their only victim.
Speaker 6: Oh, you mean the girt to check up on all
the other people who inherited money recently?
Speaker 1: That's right?
Speaker 2: If we can get hold of somebody will talk. We
can save a lot of time on this.
Speaker 6: Well, how did you make out this time?
Speaker 5: Jim?
Speaker 6: Oh?
Speaker 3: Another blank, Fern.
Speaker 2: If any of these people have been blackmailed, they're afraid
to admit it.
Speaker 6: Well, after what happened to Ripley, I can't say that
I blame them. But what's our next move, Jim?
Speaker 2: There's only one way to force these blackmails into the open,
and that's by going on the offensive. But we'll throw
them a bait of faith. Yes, a young lady who
has just inherited a million dollars. That should do the trick.
Speaker 8: Hey, Jim, is it true about Fern inheriting a million
dollars from an aunt in South America?
Speaker 3: That's what the paper said.
Speaker 1: Well where is she?
Speaker 8: I want to congratulate her, Kelly a million bucks some like.
Speaker 1: That, Inspector.
Speaker 3: Hit a minute, you'd better brace yourself for another shock.
What are you talking about to him? That story was
a fake. Ferdin didn't inherit anything, all right, don't get it.
Speaker 1: What's going on here, Jim?
Speaker 3: We're setting Fairren up as a decoy to trap this
black ceiling ring. Inspector.
Speaker 1: That's dangerous business.
Speaker 2: Jim, I know, but I've taken every precaution there where
is Fern? She's taken an apartment in the house next door.
I've had the place completely wired, and there's a dictaphone
in every.
Speaker 8: Room, and those dictaphones are connected here in your lab.
Speaker 2: Right.
Speaker 3: Well, I can breathe easier then. Uh, that's Ferren on
the wire now, yes, Fern, what is it?
Speaker 2: Jim?
Speaker 6: It's awful sitting around this apartment has nothing to do.
Why can't I bring the typewriter over and do some work?
Speaker 3: Fun waiting because a NAT doesn't have to work.
Speaker 2: Fern.
Speaker 6: Well, I hope this life of these won't last too long.
Speaker 5: I can't take it.
Speaker 2: Well, now you just said tight, Pretend you're on a vacation.
I'll have some more books sent up this afternoon.
Speaker 6: Jim. Somebody's at the door.
Speaker 2: Okay, answer it and don't worry. The inspector and I
are here. I'm the lab listening to everything.
Speaker 3: Good luck.
Speaker 2: Well, here you go, well, inspector, it looks as though
we've got a bite.
Speaker 1: Listen, Yes, what is it?
Speaker 5: Please? Are you for an Collier? Yes? Let me command.
I got some private business with you. Private business? Who
are you? You can call me Dorothy for the time being,
Miss Collier, I come to have a talk with you
about your inheritance. My lawyer takes careful My business is
is not this. I don't think you'd care to have
your lawyer and know anything about this.
Speaker 6: What are you talking about.
Speaker 5: Miss Collier? I can prove that you're collecting an inheritance
that don't belong to you. That's ridiculous. I don't believe
the police would think so. I just take a look
at these photo stacks. These records show that you didn't
live in South America at the time you said you did.
Where did you get these? Never mind? Met Is it
worth five thousand dollars to you for me to forget them?
Speaker 6: Yes, you know it is.
Speaker 5: How soon can you get the money?
Speaker 6: Not before tomorrow night?
Speaker 5: Okay, okay, I'll get in touch with you and I
try to duck out. I used the sensation for all
its words.
Speaker 1: Now back to the Avenger and the shot in the dark.
Speaker 8: Well, friend, did you find that door with these picture
in the fires?
Speaker 6: No, inspector, she's not here. I guess we just have
to sit back. Can wait for her to contact me,
don't you think.
Speaker 1: So, Jim?
Speaker 2: Yes, we do that anyway, because she's just funning for someone.
We're out to get the whole gang all that.
Speaker 8: Dorothy's smart, all right, I was all set to tailor,
but she must have ducked down through the basement in
the back.
Speaker 3: Now, Inspector, what would you say if that happened to
one of your men?
Speaker 1: Well, a man can be too close.
Speaker 3: A doesn't matter.
Speaker 2: Dorothy is not likely to drop out of sight now
that Fern has promised to pay up.
Speaker 6: Oh, Jim, i'd better get back to the apartment in
case she calls.
Speaker 3: Oh, that's right, here's the five thousand dollars.
Speaker 1: Pray, Jim.
Speaker 8: Aren't you going to mark those bills? Just in case
they should give us the slip? These bills are marked, inspector.
Speaker 1: Let me see. They look all right to me.
Speaker 8: I can't detect any markings here.
Speaker 3: Put these glasses on here. Now what do you see?
Speaker 8: Hey, Jim? Hey, these bills are marked all right? How
come I can only see that with these glasses on it?
Because they're marked with black light ink. Only those special
lenses can detect it.
Speaker 6: What next?
Speaker 1: Now?
Speaker 2: Give Farren the money and she'll be on her way.
We mustn't keep miss Dorothy waiting or.
Speaker 8: Keep me posted, won't you, Jim. I'll have a few
men standing bar in case.
Speaker 1: You need them.
Speaker 3: That may be very soon, Inspector.
Speaker 7: H this is the neatest setup we ever had, Corbyn.
Speaker 2: Yeah, a phony heiress. We ought to be able to
take her for the whole role, Doarthy.
Speaker 7: I wouldn't be surprised.
Speaker 5: She's plenty scared well.
Speaker 2: In that case, I don't see why we should wait.
When she comes around with a five grand tonight, I'll
put the bianna for another fifty right away. What do
you think, Armstrong? I think you're getting too ambitious, Corbyn.
You don't last long in this game unless you play
it slow. What are you talking about? You got one
hundred grand from Ripley in a couple of weeks, didn't we, Yeah,
and then you had to bump him off to keep
him from squawking.
Speaker 3: Don't forget that.
Speaker 2: Well, if we can take this little phony Jane for
another hundred ges, we'll be set for life.
Speaker 1: That'll bring our bank rode close to the mark.
Speaker 7: You can count me in on that, Corbyn. I got
a nice little ranch picked Tallic.
Speaker 3: Just over the border.
Speaker 7: If we can swing this job, I'm going to retire.
Speaker 2: Well, what about you, Armstrong? Are you willing a string
along or do I have to get a fast substitute?
Speaker 5: Come on, arms Strong, you're not scared of a little
dame that's as quick as you are, are you? No?
Speaker 3: I guess not.
Speaker 2: But after this job, I'm pulling out a record like
this can't last forever.
Speaker 1: Okay, okay, now listen.
Speaker 2: Tonight I'll meet this Cardier girl and tell her we're
not interested in anything less than fifty grand for them papers.
I'll make a date to take her to armstrong shop
tomorrow night to get the papers and pay off the money.
Speaker 5: Then you and Armstrong go into your act and you
got a right where you want her. She won't dare
to talk. She'll put up another fifty grand to keep
you quiet.
Speaker 2: That's it, okay, Dotty. You go to a pay station
in midtown and give the little lady a ring. Tell
her to drive out to the old church at Black
Point at ten o'clock tonight alone.
Speaker 7: Do I give her your name?
Speaker 2: Sure, this Corbin alias has proved lucky for a whole year.
We'll stick to that for the time being. But be
sure to tell that girl that if she doesn't follow
instructions to the letter. She'll never live to collect that inheritance.
Oh are you sure you've got everything straight? For Old
black Point is just about two miles ahead.
Speaker 6: I think so, Jim. The money's in the compartment. I'm
sure I wasn't followed, and and I know how they
found out I'm not the real heiress.
Speaker 3: Well, maybe we'd better go over that last part again,
all right.
Speaker 6: During that summer I was supposed to be in South America,
I was really at a farm near Himel with an
old teacher of mine. Since she's dead now, her chauffeur
is the only person who could have tipped them off
to this. I'm willing to pay plenty to keep him
and them quiet.
Speaker 3: Right now.
Speaker 2: If this corbin demands more money, pretend to fall for it,
because we wanna follow this racket.
Speaker 3: Right down the line. I will, Barn.
Speaker 2: I'm going to become the Avenger now, but I won't
reveal myself at black Point unless you're in some sort
of danger.
Speaker 6: All right, As long as I know you're there, I
hope be afraid. Oh there's the old church just ahead,
but I can't see if there's a car there or not. Oh, Oh, yes,
there it is somebody. Just flash the headlights. I'll pull up.
Speaker 1: Oh thank you, miss Kityer.
Speaker 6: Yes, stay where you are.
Speaker 1: I want to examine your car.
Speaker 6: I'm alone. If that's what you mean, that's.
Speaker 1: What I mean.
Speaker 2: Alright, yep, I guess you are at that Okay, miss Kitier.
I've got a little business proposition off of you. Them
papers I got say, you're not the girl you're pretending
to be. That means you're trying to hone in on
a lot of money that don't belong to you.
Speaker 1: Now, don't get me wrong. That's okay with me, But
I think you should be willing to make a fair deal.
Speaker 6: What kind of a deal.
Speaker 2: Well, since you stand and collect a million, what do
you say to fifty grand for them documents?
Speaker 6: Fifty thousand?
Speaker 1: Let's not bargain this carrier. Are you willing to pay
or not?
Speaker 3: Well?
Speaker 6: I have no choice, you know that. When must I
have the money?
Speaker 2: Tomorrow night? The papers are locked up in the little
hawk shop I know about. We'll have to steal them.
Speaker 6: Steal them just a minute, I don't understand. Do you
mean this shop owner has the papers?
Speaker 2: Yes, but we can get them and that will put
them out of the picture completely. Oh, I'll meet you
at midnight tomorrow at seventh.
Speaker 1: Avenue in Clay Street. You'll bring the money and we'll get.
Speaker 2: The papers, all right, then I go now, yeah, but uh,
I'll take that five grand you brought just on a count.
Seventh Avenue in Clay Street is the next block. Burn
you go ahead, now I'll follow up.
Speaker 6: Oh, Jim, I'm getting scared. I think we should have
brought some of the inspectors in't it with us?
Speaker 2: No, there's only one way to discover the fool proof
angle they've been employing in the set up.
Speaker 3: We've got to string along until they spring that.
Speaker 6: Well, keep close behind us, wat you, Jim.
Speaker 3: Don't worry.
Speaker 2: N When you and that gator Corbin enter the Hawk shop,
the Avenger will be right behind you. Go ahead, now,
this is the place, miss Cutter. We ducked through this
alley and get in the back way.
Speaker 6: I don't understand why I had to come here. Why
couldn't you steal the papers yourself?
Speaker 1: Why should I take all the chances for.
Speaker 6: Fifty thousand dollars?
Speaker 3: Here we are?
Speaker 6: Isn't this back to a lot?
Speaker 1: Sure? I'll force this window and get inside and open
it out. Yeah, that was easy. Wait right where you are.
I'll have the door open in a minute, Jim.
Speaker 2: Yes, Vern, it's time now for the Avenger. Okay, miss Coger,
come inside. I think the shop keepers asleep on the
second floor.
Speaker 6: Where are the papers and.
Speaker 2: That little safe in the corner here? Take these a
flashlight and a gun?
Speaker 6: A gun?
Speaker 1: What for if anyone comes in while I'm at the safe, you'll.
Speaker 3: Have to put them.
Speaker 6: I'll do no such thing.
Speaker 1: Keep quiet and do as I tell you.
Speaker 3: I've taken out the light bulb. Now I'll go to
work on the safe.
Speaker 1: Give me some light over here? What was that?
Speaker 6: Somebody's coming.
Speaker 3: Must be Armstrong, the store keeper. We're in for it now, heay,
what's going on here?
Speaker 2: He's got a flashlight. Plug him before he gets a
gander at h We'll hand over that gun, young lady.
You take that gun.
Speaker 6: You on need to struggle. Willing to give you the gun?
Speaker 1: Shot me.
Speaker 6: I didn't touch the trigger.
Speaker 2: Arm Strong, it's a dead duck. Come on, we've got
to get out of here. The cops may be here.
You're right, Corbyn. The Avenger is here now, the Avenger. Yes,
And I've just witnessed a very dramatic climax to a
long history of blackmailing.
Speaker 1: The girl shot Armstrong. You saw that there was.
Speaker 2: A shot in the dark, and this young lady holds
a gun. You could blackmail her for life with evidence
like that, could Corbyn?
Speaker 3: Young lady, have you a gun of your own?
Speaker 6: Yes, in my purse?
Speaker 2: Take it out now. Let us make a little experiment.
If Armstrong is dead, he wouldn't care one way or
another about an extra bullet in the heart. But if
he isn't, he'd better be off that floor with his
hands up within five seconds.
Speaker 1: One, two, No, don't shoot? Who's a frame up?
Speaker 3: Don't shoot?
Speaker 1: I'll spill everything, David Armstrong.
Speaker 3: Call the police, young lady.
Speaker 2: We'll let them handle Armstrong's confession.
Speaker 6: Jim. The papers are calling this case the Clay Well, that's.
Speaker 2: Accurate enough as far as Armstrong is concerned. For him,
he was murdered by six different people and lived to
tell about.
Speaker 6: It, Jim, Just how did they manage that?
Speaker 2: The gun Corp gave his victims to a hold was
filled with blanks. In the framed up struggle, Armstrong pulled
the trigger himself, but the victims were too frightened to
realize that they thought they'd killed Armstrong.
Speaker 6: But when they didn't see anything about the murder in
the papers, why didn't they become suspicious?
Speaker 2: Because each of the victims paid Corbin enormous sums to
get rid of Armstrong's body.
Speaker 6: Good heaven, no wonder you couldn't get any information from
those people when you first went to work on the case.
But what about Ripley, Jim, Why was he murdered?
Speaker 1: Ripley?
Speaker 2: Ripley paid up, but his conscience bothered him and he
decided to go to the police and confess. Fern that
was his death warrant Corbyn killed him.
Speaker 6: Well, it was some set up. I would have been
willing to swear that I shot Armstrong.
Speaker 2: Well, if you hadn't been so frightened, friend, you would
have noticed that Armstrong didn't bleed when he was shot.
Speaker 3: Neither did he stop breathing.
Speaker 1: Too.
Speaker 3: Phenomenal discruntancy, I should say so.
Speaker 6: But somehow, when a gun goes off and a man
falls over, we just take it for granted you shot him.
Speaker 2: Well, am I right in taking it for granted that
you are ready to go to work. We're way behind
in our speriments, Yes.
Speaker 6: Sir Gosh Jim. I'll bet no one ever went through
a million dollars as fast as I did.
Speaker 2: All characters, names, places, and plots used in the Avenger
program are fictitious. Any similarity to persons living or dead
is purely coincidental. This is a thought, a thought, a thought. Remember.
Listen for another adventure of
Speaker 3: The Avenger