Presenting an unusual story of love and mystery on Front Page Detective.
Starring Mr. Edmund Lowe and brought to you by Feld, F-E-L-D, Feld Chevrolet.
And now another thrilling adventure of the famed newspaper columnist and amateur detective, David Chaps.
You know, I think a special law of relativity governs human events.
What one man does in Hong Kong or Port Said or Johannesburg may very well affect the lives and fortunes of many others in London or New York or Seattle.
In Singapore, an international crook wrapped up in his nefarious little scheme made a mighty small package as far as I was concerned.
I never knew he existed.
At least not then.
But that shipping label turned out to be the most unusual card of introduction I ever received.
Usually when you receive a card of introduction, it is accompanied by a handshake.
This card, after it arrived in America, got me something quite different, I assure you.
Oh, yep, it got me this.
That calling card and what came with it had taken some time to arrive.
I'd read a news story some weeks before about an international smuggler named Eric, alias Dutch Schmidt.
I might have read that story with more interest if I'd known there was a bullet in his gun that had my name on it.
Here.
Corned beef for four weeks, nothing else but corned beef.
That's all I could steal from the cook's locker.
So stop your grouching.
That's the last meal you'll get till we hit New York.
How long?
Oh, we'll be in quarantine pretty soon.
So?
Here.
Will that New York operator of yours, what's his name, a Grandel, call for those things when we dock in New York?
I do not think so.
I write him from Singapore, I ship the shells, but I did not say what ship.
You see, Duke, my boy, I was planning to sail to New York like a gentleman on a luxury liner, not like this.
You're a bleeding gentleman, all right.
I would arrive ahead of this shipment.
If you touch this Grandel, we will handle it together, he and I.
He and you?
And me?
Yeah, and you.
I did not think that the Singapore police would be after me that quickly.
Right after I made the last shipment, they came knocking at the door.
Swine.
You know, you were pretty lucky to stow yourself away on the ship like this.
There ain't many crew that would have taken care of you the way I have.
They'd have turned you over to the ship's officers and make no mistake about it.
You're a good boy, Duke.
I shall never forget you.
Well, I'll see that you don't.
I've got to get back on deck.
I'll be seeing you.
Cheerio.
Get the ventilators open and the hatches free!
Aye, aye, sir!
Dutch!
Dutch!
It's time!
Come on, Dutch!
I'm going to eyes in the ventilator, up forward.
We'll both jump ship tonight.
Hurry!
I didn't get mixed up in this until two days after the melee prints docked.
In fact, I wouldn't have gotten mixed up in it at all if it hadn't been for my girl, Sharon Richards.
She'd met a waterfront carrier named Lil Carver,
who ran a warehouse at the end of the Diamond Flag Pier.
Lil, Sharon swore, was a regular female trader horn,
a natural for a human interest story.
Well, to me it all sounded like so much saltwater corn.
Sally, uh, shall I ring that bell?
Sure, why not?
Well, that sounds like a fire alarm. That ought to wake her up.
Golly, Dave, she must be out on the pier.
They're unloading a freighter.
What does she do, double as a loan sherman?
Of course not.
The Diamond Flag shipping line uses her warehouse to store goods that haven't been claimed immediately.
I suppose she...
Time for your in unloader, Jennifer. That's what you're waiting for.
The cargoes...
Well, Miss Richards, it's nice to have you aboard.
I know it's rather late to be calling.
Never late as far as you're concerned.
Mrs. Carver, this is my fiancé, David Chase.
Your fiancé? Well, what do you know?
Likewise, sure.
David's a newspaper man.
I told him all about the Longshoremen's Association
nominating you the Outstanding Personality of the Metropolitan Waterfront.
Ah, sure.
It's nothing.
Say, you brought along them dress patterns, did you?
I have the preliminary design right here.
Oh, David, one of the prizes she received is a handsome, hand-tailored gown.
Oh, so that's your angle, huh?
Well, we thought it would be nice to give you a little write-up in my column.
Well, now, ain't that something?
Say, but do you mind first if I see them patterns? Sure, I'm blowing along.
After I have a look, see? Take a look around my emporium in the meantime, huh?
Oh, may I? Thanks. Sure.
We won't be long, darling. Come on, sit down.
Now...
The contents of Lil' Carver's warehouse looked like a sampling of every product
from every port in the world.
Goods of all varieties.
Most of it had obviously come off Diamond Flag ships
and was awaiting its owners.
But some was evidently stuff that Lil' had bought for her own trading purposes.
I wondered why anyone would bother shipping abalone shells
unless the oriental variety was more valuable than the domestic variety.
I can't explain the feeling I had just then.
A centipede of premonition started crawling down my spine.
What do you want to do, play hide-and-go-seek?
Put up your hands. Who are you?
Trying to follow me, eh?
Now, wait a minute. Take it easy with that gun.
If this is a stick-up, I'll pay you...
Shut up, Americanas, my noon.
Do not try to be clever on me. I know your tricks.
Now, look. Turn around.
Americana police will have to be more clever.
No gun, huh?
I'm trying to tell you that there's nothing to it.
Couple of women over there.
David, what happened?
What was that shot?
He had a visitor, Lil'.
I'm sure not going after him. You better call the cops.
What do you mean, visitor?
Hiding behind those bales with a scar on his face and a luger in his hand.
David, you've been shot. Quick, Lil', call a doctor.
No, no, no. It's all right. Call the cops first.
You don't have to call the cops.
I'm sure you'll be able to find him.
I'm sure you'll be able to find him.
I'm sure you'll be able to find him.
Call the cops first.
You don't know how bad it is.
If I was ventilated, I'd feel the breeze, honey.
It's only a scratch, believe me.
I hope so. I'll get the first aid kit and then call the cops.
It's just a graze, baby. Barely broke the skin.
Well, at least the bleeding stopped.
Thank you, Florence Nightingale.
It was so dark, we couldn't tell which way the louser went.
He took off like a frightened cantaloupe.
Like a frightened cantaloupe?
How he ever got in here, I'll never know.
Probably when you were out in the pier.
Hey, Chase, I want...
I'm getting so the gangsters are taking over the whole dugong harbor
while you cops play rummy down to the station.
Now, listen, Lil', if you don't mind, I'd like to hear what Chase has to say.
Well, there's not much more to tell, Lieutenant.
He was heavy set, had a guttural accent, stuck a luger in my face.
Got out the same way he came in through the back door.
As far as I was concerned, I didn't see him take anything.
He had a scar on the left side of his face, didn't he?
How do you know?
Oh, it was just a hunch.
Your crystal ball isn't that good.
I don't need no crystal ball.
The Treasury Department prints a bulletin of wanted characters with pictures.
The team has seemed to have an idea that maybe Dutch Schmidt might be around.
Dutch who?
Dutch Schmidt. He's an international smuggler.
Well, uh, how could they tell it was he?
Well, he was last seen in Singapore about a month ago.
He ran a blind for his operations there, some kind of a phony export company.
Team men got a cable that maybe he'd be trying to stow away on one of a number of vessels,
these freighters. Some of them were bound for New York.
Yeah, but why didn't they radio every ship leaving port during that time
so they could nab them en route?
Oh, they did. And they found a lot of stowaways.
But from the evidence, there was just some, uh, oh, some empty food tins and stuff like that.
But we figure that maybe one of them stowaways got ashore without being detected
from that Malay prince a couple of days ago.
Well, why the devil did he come here?
Oh, I don't know. To hide, I guess.
The harbor police caught him a couple of hours ago trying to break into the Malay prince.
They threw a spotlight on him, but he got away.
Now, hold everything. Wait a minute.
Why, for the love of Pete, would he want to break back into the same ship
that he escaped from Singapore on?
Search me, Chase. Anyhow, it's nothing for me to worry about.
Treasury Department got their own men working on it.
Well, if you're sure you don't want me to call a doctor...
Maybe you should, David.
No, I'm all right, honey. Wait a minute, Lieutenant.
Yeah?
Tell me, uh, is the Malay prince sailing soon?
Yeah, I think it's going to...
Nah, she's docked in port indefinitely, I can tell you that.
Uh-huh, well, then it's a cinch. He wasn't trying to stow away again.
He went back after something.
Oh, sure. Maybe he forgot his umbrella.
Could be. Maybe he was saving something else for a rainy day.
Tell me, did you, uh, did you search the place where he was hiding on the ship?
Why, sure we did.
All we found was a dirty plate and some empty corned beef tins.
Oh, don't ask me why he was trying to get back aboard.
Mm-hmm. Well, I still think we should have another look.
Oh, you're crazy, Chase.
So is Columbus, but look what he found.
I won't be long, honey. We'll be right back.
Oh, very well. I might have known it.
Now, look, darling, we'll have dinner at Victor's just as we planned.
If I'm late, however, you, you go on over there.
All right.
How would you like to join us, Lil?
Wonderful!
What do you say?
I'd love it!
Good! We'll expect you.
Ah, Kate.
We're only going to give the ship the once-over, that's all.
Where do you get that we stuff?
Come on, Lieutenant.
No, no, no, no, don't push me, Chase.
You know, George, you're like a wheelbarrow.
You never get anywhere unless you're pushed.
Says you!
Says me!
I don't know why I take this.
We found some pieces of canvas piled up here.
The stowaway had evidently used them as a bed.
There were some empty food cans.
Whoever hid them here must have disposed of most of the debris.
Hmm. One of your men, no doubt.
Naturally.
Any idea who he is, Captain?
Well, it might have been one of the seamen I signed on at Zingavore.
Duke Wilson.
Wilson?
The man you reported as having jumped your ship yesterday?
Exactly.
We found a lot of canned food in his locker.
Stuff he'd stolen from the galley.
They matched the empty cans we found down here.
Well, Chase, does that satisfy you?
Not yet.
Uh, Captain, have you any idea why Smith would, uh, want to come down here again?
It's a mystery to me, sir.
It's obvious he couldn't have thought we were setting sail again and try to stow away a second time.
We haven't any steam up.
The crew has shipped aboard other vessels.
No, I have no idea why she'd want to come aboard.
This one will do so much for your figure, Lou.
Yeah, that's where he had his bed.
Well, Chase, what do you expect to find down here?
Termites?
Look, Smith came back here for a reason.
Whatever that reason was, it's right here in this hold.
Uh, Andrews, tell me, uh, what sort of goods, uh, did Smith deal in primarily?
Russian furs, mostly.
Why?
Well, he wouldn't risk capture trying to break in here, and...
unless the thing that he came back here for was pretty valuable.
You're trying to say that maybe he stashed a mink coat down here and came back to get it?
Doesn't have to be a mink coat.
Might be something else.
Oh, ha, ha, ha, see, now, you know, that's the kind of rigging I ain't never worn in all my born days.
It'd look lovely on you, Lou.
First ain't nothing like the Sunday go-to-meeting dress I got now.
Oh, I'd love to see it.
Oh, you will, you will, dearie.
I'm going to wear it on our date with Davy tonight.
Uh, I'm sure proud of that dress, though.
Ma, I had one just like it.
Your mother?
Mm-hmm, copied the pattern.
But see, it's about time we're getting over to my place.
I got to get dressed.
Well, that's right, let's go.
Leave me lock up first.
I'll be with you in a second.
Hmm.
Could have sworn I closed it.
Could have sworn I closed it.
Oh, Chase, I don't know why I let you talk me into wasting my time this way.
How many times have I told you there's nothing down here?
What do you think I am, a weather vane influenced by a little wind?
I doubt very much if you'll find anything of value down here, Mr. Chase.
As I told you before...
What do you got there?
Pieces of seashell, it looks like.
Seashells, seashells.
Come on, let's go.
What's that?
Well, abalone shells.
Abalone shells.
Now, ain't that dandy?
It must have broken out of a freight shipment.
And hidden itself behind that pipe?
Say, look, this is filled with something.
Hold that a minute, will you, Cap?
There.
What is it?
Look.
Let's see what...
I'll be...
Yeah, diamonds.
Come on.
Come on, we found it.
Are you sure you examined every one of those shells?
We all did.
Every blasted one.
Maybe Dutch only sent six diamonds.
There was eight shells, three diamonds apiece.
He told me so himself.
Oh, he did, did he?
Yes, he did.
And why?
You didn't think I knew, did you?
Of course you knew, Duke, my lad.
Think I'm a bleeding fool?
Think I'll take care of this blighter for nothing?
Eight shells.
24 sparklers.
$100,000 in American money.
And I gets an equal share.
To be sure.
To be sure.
Provided, of course, there are 24 diamonds.
Duke, are you positive there's no chance of Dutch getting off that ship with the shells on him?
Not a chance.
You talked to Smith on the phone a little while ago, didn't you?
Where is he?
He's been laying low ever since he left the Melee Prince.
The police spotted him today.
Barely escaped.
Yeah, I heard the cops tried to put the arm on somebody down at the docks today.
So that was Dutch.
Exactly.
Oh, the idiot.
I still don't know why we had to put the snatch on those shells.
Why didn't you just say it was Oscar Grandel?
Pay the freight and claim him.
Indeed.
Just like that.
You fool.
The police may have spotted that shipment, tipped off Mrs. Carver to call them if anyone claimed it.
There's only one possibility.
What's that?
The bag containing those shells wasn't tied very tightly.
Perhaps some of the shells were lost, either in the ship or in the warehouse.
Blimey!
You mean we have to jump the blinking ship?
Exactly.
First, however, I think we'd better pay a visit to Mrs. Carver's warehouse.
Why not?
Exactly.
Why not?
There's no time like the present, gentlemen.
And let's see if we can't do this without bundling it.
Six shells and 18 diamonds.
Now, George, don't say I never gave you anything.
Chase, if these are the real MacKay...
Oh, that must be worth a fortune.
18 of them.
And look at the size of them.
Andrews, with what you've got on you, you'd better get yourself measured for an armored car.
I'll escort you down to headquarters.
You'd better be escorting yourself to customs headquarters tomorrow morning for the inquiry.
You and Mrs. Carver.
Oh, I'll tell a little personally.
I've got a date with her tonight, remember?
Oh, and George, don't you want her without declaring them.
I'm afraid they simply aren't here, me lads.
Perhaps if we'd go over the interior once again.
Again?
I've been through this junk house with a fine-tooth comb.
Neddy, how are you coming up the safe?
I haven't got it yet.
Sharon, Mrs. Carver.
Duke, I'll cover the door.
Right.
Sharon, I'm back.
Steam up, chum.
Won't you come in, sir?
This is indeed an unexpected pleasure.
Yeah, I'm sure it's unexpected, but I don't know about the pleasure.
I'm looking for Miss Riches and Mrs. Carver.
So you're a personal friend of the estimable Mrs. Carver, I take it.
What happened?
Did you...
Don't act.
We're asking the questions.
Forgive me, sir, if circumstances force us to give forth only a minimum of courtesy.
But the ladies you expected were not here when we arrived.
I see.
Well, if you'll pardon me, I'll...
One moment, sir.
You mentioned coming back.
Am I to convey that you had been here previously?
Yes.
I left my burglar's tools at home.
Very amusing.
And what was your mission?
What does one usually come to a warehouse for?
To claim a shipment?
Why not?
Of what, may I ask?
The crown jewels of Siam.
What's the difference?
Singular that you should mention jewels.
What do you mean?
I'm not sure yet.
What did you and Mrs. Carver do with those shells?
Shells?
What shells?
What are you talking about?
The abalone shells, sir.
The ones that were lost from the bag that was brought here from the Melee Prince.
Now, look, if this is a joke, I'm not going to...
Nobody's laughing.
Ah, boss, this jerk don't know nothing.
Perhaps.
Perhaps not.
But I think we'll be on the safe side until you come along with us.
I'm very happy to learn, sir, that you're not carrying any weapons.
It's frightfully bad manners, you know.
You may put your hands down.
You know, Doc, you should give lessons in manners.
You know all the bad ones.
I'm not interested in your opinion.
Neddy, turn off the lights.
Duke, see if the way is clear outside.
Aye.
I left the lights on.
Somebody must have been here.
Terry!
Well, well, so it's you.
After all these years, our paths cross again, eh?
Who is this?
Oh, it's Neddy Wells, my right-hand man.
He's perfectly reliable, never fear.
You.
No, him.
I'm sorry our last meeting was so informal, Mr. Smith.
What is he doing here?
Most of those shells were missing from that last shipment you made.
We thought perhaps he knew something about it.
I'm glad you brought the swinehound.
He got in my way when the police were after me this morning.
It would be a pleasure to settle accounts with him.
Why don't you stick to business, Smith?
When you pulled that gun and stuck it in my face...
Come to think of it, he's right.
I say keep it businesslike.
Knocking him off ain't gonna show no profit.
That's right.
Boys, believe me, you're looking at the biggest dead loss in the smuggling trade.
Let's kick him out and forget it.
Get that rope over there and tie him to a chair.
Maybe you think you're the boss here, yeah?
There's something about you which don't smell right.
Get going!
Perhaps Nettie's right.
I don't know.
Shut up!
Hurry up with that rope!
Oh, no you don't!
Who are you?
Sorry, I had to kill Grandel.
I could have used him as a witness.
Oh, yeah, sure, of course.
You're an undercover man from the Treasury Department.
It's a good thing you broke things off just when you did.
Oh, boy, I'll say it is.
Otherwise, by tomorrow morning, we'd be at the bottom of the river...
...wearing brand-new cement overcoats.
Yeah.
Sounds like a set of friends coming to eat.
Come on, up you go, Duke.
From now on, you're changing your course, old boy.
From Easy Street to the Federal Pen.
Well, as I said, I went back to the warehouse...
...because I wasn't sure whether you two were still there.
Ah, they might have scuttled you, the murdering lousers!
It's really wonderful.
Yeah, it really is.
I mean, the way you make trouble pay off.
How do you mean?
Well, it's obvious, isn't it?
You get shot, held up, nearly killed, and what happens?
That Treasury man says you'll get a hatful of money as your share of the fine.
Thousands!
Not my share, sweetheart.
Our share.
Huh?
Half of that belongs to you, Lil.
Oh, no, Dave, it was all your doing, not mine.
The loot belongs to you.
Now, listen.
Listen, Lil.
Half of this belongs to you, and that's final.
Now, I'm going to take my half and give it to my favorite charity.
Oh!
Look, Lil.
If it hadn't been for you, I wouldn't have had those attractive stories in my column.
Ha, ha, ha, ha!
David, you're a sweet boy.
You know, if I were just ten years younger, well, maybe fifteen...
Oh, you're enough competition now, Lil.
Ha, ha, ha, ha!
I don't know about that, but I'm as strong as an ox and frisky as a mule.
Ha, ha, ha, ha!
Well, a woman must always hang on to her youth.
Yeah, except when he's driving.
Ha, ha, ha, ha!
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The End