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00:01:00Henry, please keep away from that window.
00:01:10Don't take chances if you think we're in danger.
00:01:12Elsa, is she going to see that man next door again?
00:01:16I don't like it.
00:01:17Oh, I don't worry about her.
00:01:19It's all right, dear brother.
00:01:21Don't take unnecessary risks.
00:01:38She's gone next door again.
00:01:40I know it.
00:01:41I saw her.
00:01:42Yes, sir.
00:01:43What you'd like to know, that's all.
00:01:47Good afternoon, Mr. Merkley.
00:01:50How are you, dear?
00:01:51Fine, Miss Carson.
00:01:52Thank you for asking.
00:01:53Go right in.
00:01:54Hello, Mr. Bernard.
00:01:55Hello, Elsa.
00:01:56Sit down, please.
00:01:57I must have started something when I introduced you to Landis.
00:02:02Why?
00:02:03What do you mean?
00:02:04Did you come over just to have tea with an old man?
00:02:07Or is someone else coming?
00:02:09I don't know.
00:02:10Of course, if Jim drops in.
00:02:12Oh, well, now is it?
00:02:14Well, Landis is a fine chap, all right, but detectives shouldn't get married.
00:02:18Not until they retire.
00:02:20What do you mean?
00:02:21How about that lady who lives next door to us?
00:02:24Mrs. Tallman?
00:02:25You and I are just old friends.
00:02:27So I've noticed.
00:02:29Say, if you get any more crazy notions about me, you can meet Landis in your uncle's home
00:02:33instead of my garden.
00:02:36If you knew how I've hated my uncle's house.
00:02:38And now it's even worse.
00:02:41I wanted to talk to you about this, Mr. Bernard.
00:02:43I don't feel that everything is right with my uncles.
00:02:46Financially?
00:02:47No, it isn't that.
00:02:48It's just little things I notice.
00:02:50Well, tell me some of the things, Elsa.
00:02:52Well, none of them seems anything by itself.
00:02:55Oh, I suppose it's natural enough for two elderly men not to venture out of the house after dark.
00:03:00Anyone might hate to sit in a lighted room unless the blinds were drawn,
00:03:03and anyone might be nervous of burglars or fly into a rage at the mere mention of peddlers.
00:03:07Well, how long have they seemed nervous?
00:03:09I noticed it about two weeks ago.
00:03:12Have you any idea what makes them so nervous?
00:03:14They're rather mysteries in the neighborhood, you know.
00:03:17I've wondered about Deegan.
00:03:19Who's Deegan?
00:03:20He was the last man we had.
00:03:22He shouted all sorts of threats when Uncle Henry discharged him.
00:03:26I don't think he'd do anything really dangerous, though.
00:03:29I like Deegan.
00:03:31Much better, in fact, than our present man.
00:03:33Good.
00:03:34Good afternoon, Mr. Bernard.
00:03:44Hello, Elsa.
00:03:45Sit down. I'll pour you some tea.
00:03:47Are you all through?
00:03:48Yep. I have my man in jail and my work here is finished.
00:03:50I'm going to town tonight.
00:03:51Give my regards to all the gang at headquarters.
00:03:54I surely will, sir.
00:03:55But don't think for a moment you're forgotten.
00:03:57The old-timers all hold you up as a shining example to me.
00:04:00They call me Sherlock, Jr.
00:04:02Well, the old ways have certain merits.
00:04:04Don't disregard them entirely.
00:04:08You're not finished already?
00:04:09What's the hurry?
00:04:10I was going to take you for a little drive.
00:04:11It's the last chance I'll have for a while.
00:04:13Oh, don't mind me.
00:04:14I'll go for a stroll.
00:04:15Sit down.
00:04:16We have nothing to say that can't be said before you.
00:04:18Oh, haven't we?
00:04:19Hello, everybody.
00:04:20Having a little tea party?
00:04:21Mr. Landis, this is Mr. Blake.
00:04:23How are you?
00:04:24How am I?
00:04:25Mr. Blake is my, uh, paying guest.
00:04:28Calls himself a chemist.
00:04:30He's not as horrible a stench as any criterion.
00:04:32He is.
00:04:34I'll surprise you one of these days and make Dr. Millican take a back seat.
00:04:37How bad is what?
00:04:38Mr. Blake in?
00:04:39Oh, excuse me.
00:04:41What is it, chum?
00:04:43Excuse me, please.
00:04:44I want some carbon tetrachloride.
00:04:47What do you know about carbon tetrachloride?
00:04:49Oh, me one time a terror.
00:04:51Oh, yeah?
00:04:52Come on out to my laboratory.
00:04:53Oh, thank you very much.
00:04:56Let's go before Blake gets back.
00:04:57Oh, he's not as bad as all that.
00:04:59But remember, this is my last day here.
00:05:01All right, run along then.
00:05:02I'll be seeing you again soon, sir.
00:05:04You don't have to tell me that.
00:05:12What a glorious thing you've is.
00:05:14Pity it's wasted on the young.
00:05:16I beg your pardon, sir?
00:05:17Oh, nothing, nothing.
00:05:18Aren't you going to let Mr. Blake have some tea?
00:05:21What's the matter, Blake?
00:05:23Oh, nothing.
00:05:24Has Miss Carson gone?
00:05:25Has your hated rival kidnapped her?
00:05:27Who is he?
00:05:28Oh, a youngster who got on the detective force through political pull.
00:05:32Then upset all predictions by making good.
00:05:35I should think she's better than that.
00:05:37She'll inherit all her uncle's money, won't she?
00:05:39Yes, and the old misers are quite wealthy too.
00:05:44You said you'd see the way was clear for me and you haven't kept your bargain.
00:05:48Keep a civil tongue in your head, you pup.
00:05:52You better talk to her or...
00:05:54Or what?
00:05:55You'll find out.
00:05:57Any more of this double crossing and I'll wring that scrawny old neck of yours.
00:06:13Won't you please say yes, dear?
00:06:16I can't now.
00:06:17Oh, it's no use pretending I love my uncles.
00:06:19I don't.
00:06:20They wouldn't let me when my mother and father were killed and I first came to live with them.
00:06:24But they need me, Jim.
00:06:33I saw you, you rake.
00:06:35Under my very nose.
00:06:37Now get into the house, you baggage.
00:06:38Hold on, sir.
00:06:39You must be crazy.
00:06:40I'll show you a load of buckshot how crazy I am.
00:06:42Get out of here.
00:06:44Wait, Elsa.
00:06:49I'm going to marry your niece whether you like it or not.
00:06:51Over my dead body?
00:06:52That may be a prophecy.
00:06:53What's that?
00:06:54Excitement is dangerous to a man of your age.
00:07:04I'm glad to see you home again, Mrs. Solomon.
00:07:06Oh, that's very nice of you to say so.
00:07:08For two reasons.
00:07:10Have you seen Elsa's uncles lately?
00:07:12I'm as welcome in that house as a polecat at a garden party.
00:07:16I only moved here to be close to Elsa.
00:07:18Oh, you're not their sister then?
00:07:20Heaven forbid.
00:07:23But Elsa's mother was.
00:07:25They wanted her to marry a scoundrel, but my brother stole her right under their very noses.
00:07:30They've never forgotten it.
00:07:34Yes?
00:07:36Mr. Landis to see Mr. Barnard.
00:07:39Hello.
00:07:42Pardon me.
00:07:43I was next door and saw you come in here.
00:07:44You know Mr. Landis, Mrs. Solomon.
00:07:46So you're the young man Elsa wrote about.
00:07:49What's the matter, boy?
00:07:50Elsa's uncle.
00:07:51I'm not going to have her subjected to those insults.
00:07:53What insults?
00:07:54What did he do?
00:07:55A couple of things that I won't stand for and said that I would marry her only over his dead body.
00:08:00That's not a bad idea.
00:08:03What have they got against me?
00:08:05Perhaps they don't like detectives.
00:08:07Just what do you mean by that?
00:08:08Well, nothing, but they won't even speak to me and I'm retired.
00:08:12I've decided not to leave tonight.
00:08:22Henry!
00:08:24There's a man sneaking about the garden.
00:08:26What did you tell me about keeping away from the window?
00:08:29What are you trying to do, make a target of yourself?
00:08:32But whom are you afraid of, Henry?
00:08:35You'll know soon enough if you're not more careful.
00:08:40You'll know soon enough if you're not more careful.
00:09:00Hello?
00:09:03Who is it?
00:09:05Who else is it?
00:09:06Please come over.
00:09:07Something terrible has happened.
00:09:09It'll be over as soon as I get rest.
00:09:14Oh, please, Mr. Bernard, tell me what to do.
00:09:17There, there, now, dear, keep cool. Now tell me, what's happened?
00:09:20Uncle Henry, in there.
00:09:29Oh, no, no, I can't go in there again.
00:09:39Hello, doctor. Henry Carson is in there in the library, stabbed in the back.
00:10:00Great, Scott. Murdered?
00:10:09Good. This is the one time I didn't expect to see you as if you'd stepped out of a band box.
00:10:20Did you think I'd be wearing an old flannel nightshirt?
00:10:29There, there, it was a dreadful shock, wasn't it?
00:10:32Come in and stay at the door, Jim.
00:10:40Well, I'm glad you're on this case, young fellow.
00:10:42Thanks.
00:10:43The body's in the library. There's Foote who first found it.
00:10:46Tell Mr. Landis all you know, will you, Foote? Unless you'd rather look in the library first.
00:10:49Anything you suggest. I suppose you'll take charge.
00:10:52Oh, no. I'm on the shelf, but I'll help you if you want me to.
00:10:55Thanks.
00:10:57What do you know about it?
00:10:59I woke about two o'clock, sir. It was very warm, so I got up and opened the window.
00:11:04I saw the light from the library shining on the lawn, so I came downstairs.
00:11:08I thought Mr. Henry was asleep. I shook him very gently, but he wasn't asleep.
00:11:14So I called Miss Elsa.
00:11:20Elsa, were you awake when the butler rapped on your door?
00:11:23Yes. I mean, no, I don't think so.
00:11:28Did you hear anything unusual before he rapped?
00:11:31No, I didn't.
00:11:35I see.
00:11:36And now may I be permitted to suggest that Mrs. Tallman take Miss Carson up to her room?
00:11:41You don't have to. I was going to do it anyway.
00:11:44On your way, young lady.
00:11:48Oh, Uncle Charles, don't come down. Please.
00:11:51Why not? What's the matter?
00:11:56We hope to break it to you gently, Charles, but you'll have to know it sooner or later.
00:12:00What is it? Why don't you tell me?
00:12:03It's Uncle Henry.
00:12:05He's dead.
00:12:08Dead? Henry.
00:12:12I knew it.
00:12:14My poor brother.
00:12:17I'll go next.
00:12:22Do you think the stab in the back was the cause of death?
00:12:25Naturally. But this was done with a fine instrument, which accounts for so little superficial bleeding.
00:12:32There was none.
00:12:34The edges of the cut in his shirt and undershirt were bloodstained.
00:12:38Yet if the instrument reached the heart, there would be blood on it when it was withdrawn.
00:12:43If it reached the heart.
00:12:46If it reached the heart.
00:12:49Young man, I'm short of sleep.
00:12:52Good night.
00:12:54If it reached the heart.
00:13:01Seems annoyed, doesn't he?
00:13:03Well, naturally. First you doubt the wound is the cause of death.
00:13:07Then you talk about it having reached the heart.
00:13:09That's right.
00:13:10So I think I'll be saying good night, too.
00:13:12Now listen.
00:13:13I don't want to bother you if you're not interested.
00:13:15But I'd be mighty grateful for your advice and assistance.
00:13:18Will you help?
00:13:20Well, if you put it that way, I'll do what I can.
00:13:22Okay.
00:13:23Would you prefer to work independently or shall we compare notes as we go along?
00:13:27Well, we'll make notes as we go along and then draw our own conclusions.
00:13:30Well.
00:13:31Now, if you don't mind, I'll start with this room.
00:13:35All right, young fellow. Go ahead. I'll follow you.
00:13:43Evidently, the murderer didn't come in by the window.
00:13:45Well, there's no sign of a struggle.
00:13:47Carson was stabbed without warning as he sat at his desk.
00:13:50Not moved to that position afterwards.
00:13:52I'm with you on that.
00:13:59Hey, look here a minute.
00:14:02How do you suppose that blood got there?
00:14:04Did you expect to find it?
00:14:06No.
00:14:08How do you suppose that blood got there?
00:14:10Did you expect to find it?
00:14:11No. Just noticed it.
00:14:13What do you make of it?
00:14:15I don't make anything of it unless someone cut himself accidentally.
00:14:18Carson's wound never bled like that.
00:14:20Look, there's a little mark here, too, in line with these spots where a sharp point scratched the shellac.
00:14:27That's interesting.
00:14:28Someone dropped a sharp instrument here that had blood on it and the blood dripped a little.
00:14:35Well, for the present, that explanation ought to serve.
00:14:40But where's the weapon?
00:14:42I haven't seen a sign of any possible weapon, bloodstained or not.
00:14:46What's that on the little table by the sofa?
00:14:55An empty scabbard.
00:14:58It doesn't look as though it would fit the weapon that inflicted the wound.
00:15:01Possibly not. And that's interesting, too.
00:15:04But where's the weapon that belongs to it?
00:15:06Might be worth finding out.
00:15:08Well, we'll look into that tomorrow.
00:15:10Meanwhile, is there anything more you want to do tonight?
00:15:13I don't want to keep you up, but I'd like to sleep on this with as much information as I can get.
00:15:18You know more about the household than you were here first.
00:15:20All right. Come over to my house and I'll give you 15 minutes.
00:15:35I've only got to know Elsa through her aunt, Mrs. Tallman.
00:15:39Well, that about covers everyone.
00:15:41Well, except Peter Blake, my lodger.
00:15:43What does he to do with it?
00:15:44Oh, probably nothing.
00:15:46But he's had his eye on Elsa for some time and he knows she'll inherit her uncle's fortune.
00:15:50Well, as far as that goes, I could be suspected myself.
00:15:52Oh, Mrs. Tallman, you remember what she said.
00:15:55Well, now there's something else.
00:15:57Elsa was very agitated, of course.
00:15:59But wouldn't let me send for the police, which struck me as, well, unusual.
00:16:03She naturally wants to have the murderer punished.
00:16:05Yes, I think so.
00:16:07And yet, when I suggested that she send for her aunt, she stammered a very poor excuse.
00:16:11But you did send for her.
00:16:13Oh, yes. Now, don't misunderstand me.
00:16:15I don't, for a moment, suspect either one of these two women.
00:16:17But there's something peculiar at the back of my mind.
00:16:20What is it?
00:16:21I don't know.
00:16:22I mean, I don't, for a moment, suspect either one of these two women.
00:16:25But there's something peculiar at the back of Elsa's attitude.
00:16:28She's fond of her aunt, isn't she?
00:16:30Oh, devoted to her.
00:16:31Well, I guess that's all.
00:16:33Well, let me show you what I found.
00:16:40I found it beneath the dead man's hand.
00:16:47Interesting.
00:16:49What else?
00:16:53A dead mouse.
00:16:55That's interesting, too.
00:16:57It's prima facie evidence against the housemaid,
00:16:59but it's not just the kind of evidence we're looking for, is it?
00:17:02Maybe not.
00:17:03Who knows?
00:17:09Good morning, dear.
00:17:12I wanted a moment with you alone before Bernard arrives.
00:17:16Let's go to the sitting room.
00:17:18I'm afraid I had no washout this morning.
00:17:20I hardly slept all night.
00:17:22I know. The shock must have been terrible.
00:17:30Jim, I'm terribly upset.
00:17:32There, there. Don't worry.
00:17:33We found a number of clues.
00:17:38Mr. Bernard.
00:17:41Just wait outside.
00:17:44Well, good morning, dear.
00:17:46Good morning.
00:17:47Any inspirations in the night?
00:17:49No, but I've arranged for the autopsy and had a look over the grounds.
00:17:52I was just going to ask about this man, Deegan.
00:17:57Do you think he had anything to do with last night's tragedy?
00:18:00I don't think so.
00:18:02I don't know.
00:18:04Of course not.
00:18:06Elsa, were your uncles still engaged in business?
00:18:09I believe Uncle Henry wasn't away.
00:18:11They seldom went out, but Uncle Henry wrote a good many letters.
00:18:14It was he who handled the details, then?
00:18:16I suppose so.
00:18:19But you know nothing of the nature of their business.
00:18:22They never talked much of it.
00:18:24Some real estate investments, I think.
00:18:27You never overheard them mention an enemy?
00:18:29No, I never have.
00:18:31Would it be possible for us to see your Uncle Charles for a moment?
00:18:34Oh, no, you mustn't.
00:18:35Please, don't disturb him now.
00:18:43You know what he meant when he said,
00:18:45I knew it.
00:18:47Only that he's been afraid of something for weeks.
00:18:50Do you know of any quarrels your uncles may have had with anyone?
00:18:52Anyone at all, recently?
00:18:56Why me?
00:18:57If I'm guilty, I'll kill myself.
00:19:00Did anyone else call at the house yesterday or last night?
00:19:04Well, what was that?
00:19:06Did anyone else call yesterday or last night?
00:19:10I don't think so.
00:19:12Won't you let me go now?
00:19:14Before you go,
00:19:16may I ask you one more question?
00:19:18What is it?
00:19:19I just want to know whether you saw anyone
00:19:21other than the regular household about the place
00:19:23last night before the tragedy.
00:19:27No, I did not.
00:19:39Come in, Pud.
00:19:42Sit down.
00:19:49I have a few questions to ask you.
00:19:51This is unlocked, Foot. Did you lock it last night?
00:19:53No, sir.
00:19:54Miss Elsa is in the habit of doing that before she retires.
00:19:57But you locked up the rest of the house?
00:19:59Yes, sir.
00:20:01When I retired,
00:20:03the cook was reading in the kitchen,
00:20:05Mr. Henry was in the library,
00:20:07and Miss Elsa was in her room.
00:20:09And Miss Elsa was in her room, I believe.
00:20:12Is there anyone else in the household?
00:20:14A housemaid, Helen Smith.
00:20:16Thanks, that's all. Send the cook in to us.
00:20:19Oh, wait.
00:20:22Did you see or hear anyone last night?
00:20:24Not exactly.
00:20:26What do you mean by that?
00:20:28Nothing, sir.
00:20:30Okay, send the cook in.
00:20:35A little experiment in psychology.
00:20:37Foot knows that we know he's holding something back.
00:20:40You have a good alibi.
00:20:42All the better. We'll check it and place him in the case one way or another.
00:20:47Come in.
00:20:52I'm afraid I don't know your name.
00:20:54I'm Miss Devon, sir.
00:20:56Now, Miss Devon, I want you to tell me what happened last night.
00:20:59Sit down, please.
00:21:02Well, it was after dinner,
00:21:04when the dishes was washed up,
00:21:06with the help of Helen Smith,
00:21:08who is always neat and helpful,
00:21:10with a quiet tongue and tidy ways.
00:21:13Not like that Mr. Foot, who thinks he owns the house.
00:21:15Skip that. Go ahead.
00:21:18Mr. Foot had some silver to polish in the pantry,
00:21:21so I settled down to read a book called Passions in the Purple.
00:21:25And, sir, while I don't go much for princes or princesses in a room,
00:21:29I must say,
00:21:31those two was as deserving a pair of young lovers
00:21:34as you could ever hope to find.
00:21:36Exactly. And after you read about them for a while,
00:21:39you went to bed.
00:21:40Yes, sir. But it was quite late.
00:21:43And then I had such a fright.
00:21:45What frightened you?
00:21:47It was nearly midnight,
00:21:49when suddenly I looked up from the book page,
00:21:52as if some power outside myself had drawn my eyes to the window.
00:21:57And there was a man's face,
00:21:59right up against the glass.
00:22:01I nearly fell off of the chair,
00:22:03because in the book the prince has been captured.
00:22:06Did you recognize the face?
00:22:08No, sir. I was much too scared.
00:22:10Did you warn Mr. Henry?
00:22:11Me, warn Mr. Henry?
00:22:13With his terrible temper?
00:22:15No, sir.
00:22:16But I told Mr. Foot this morning.
00:22:18Quite right. We won't detain you any longer. You may go.
00:22:26Well, that's that. What do you make of it?
00:22:28I think I'd like to have a few more words with our friend Foot.
00:22:33Yes, sir.
00:22:38Foot!
00:22:44We have a few more questions to ask you.
00:22:46Yes, sir.
00:22:47Have you put down any poison against rats or mice lately?
00:22:50No, sir.
00:22:51I didn't know of any having been put down.
00:22:54Say, by the way,
00:22:55why didn't you tell us about the face at the window last night?
00:23:00Slipped my memory, sir.
00:23:02Years ago, I asked you whether you saw or heard anyone last night.
00:23:05You answered, not exactly.
00:23:07Well, sir, I told you that I woke up shortly before 2 o'clock.
00:23:13I woke before that.
00:23:15Around midnight, I believe.
00:23:17I was awakened by voices.
00:23:21A voice, anyway.
00:23:22Did you recognize the voice?
00:23:24Did you recall any words?
00:23:26No, sir.
00:23:27But I felt sure I'd been awakened by a voice.
00:23:30Did you get up?
00:23:32Why did the murdered man fire a deacon?
00:23:34I'm sure I don't know, sir.
00:23:36What hold did you have on Henry Carson
00:23:38to make him fire a good man without cause
00:23:40just to make a place for you?
00:23:42You'll excuse me, sir,
00:23:44but I don't know what you're talking about.
00:23:46Did you ever hear of Foxy Wilder?
00:23:49No, sir.
00:23:51That's all. Send in Miss Smith.
00:23:58What was all that about?
00:23:59A shot in the dark that hit home.
00:24:01Did you see a foot ticket?
00:24:02I certainly did.
00:24:03Who was the man?
00:24:04A forger that I haven't seen for 15 years or so.
00:24:06He was arrested twice,
00:24:07but wiggled out of both convictions.
00:24:09We have his fingerprints, though,
00:24:10and I'm practically certain he's the same.
00:24:13The idea that he might have had a hold on Carson
00:24:15on the past is interesting.
00:24:17Yes, very interesting.
00:24:24Take a seat, Miss Smith.
00:24:27I know nothing about the murder of Henry Carson.
00:24:30I was in bed and asleep by 10 o'clock.
00:24:33Miss Smith,
00:24:34did you sweep the library this morning?
00:24:36I did not.
00:24:37It was swept the day before.
00:24:39Did you dust the little table by the couch?
00:24:41Of course I did.
00:24:42Did you see the dagger there in its cabin?
00:24:44Of course.
00:24:45To whom does the dagger belong?
00:24:47To...
00:24:49Why?
00:24:50We're asking questions.
00:24:51To whom does the dagger belong?
00:24:56I haven't any idea.
00:24:58Does it belong to Miss Elsa?
00:25:01If you're trying to accuse that poor, innocent girl...
00:25:03It does belong to Miss Elsa, eh?
00:25:06I haven't the faintest idea.
00:25:08That's all, Miss Smith. You may go.
00:25:16Well, you found out what you wanted to know.
00:25:19Now, look here.
00:25:20You don't imagine that Elsa...
00:25:21I imagine nothing.
00:25:22There's a lot of things I want to know.
00:25:27Hello, what's up?
00:25:32Who?
00:25:33Henry Carson.
00:25:34He was a friend of yours, I believe.
00:25:37Well, I just knew him.
00:25:41What are you doing here, Mr. Blake?
00:25:44Oh, just experimenting.
00:25:51You have a lot of poison gas, I see.
00:25:53Why, yes.
00:25:54Oh, no, not exactly.
00:25:56But, say, Mr. Landis, I wouldn't think of killing old Carson.
00:25:59Oh, of course not.
00:26:00You'll be ready in a few minutes.
00:26:01Why, I'm going out to lunch.
00:26:03I have an engagement.
00:26:04Going far?
00:26:05Oh, no, just around here.
00:26:19Hello!
00:26:20Well, you've just missed lunch.
00:26:22Oh, no!
00:26:23Well, you've just missed lunch.
00:26:24What's the bag for?
00:26:25Uncle Charles insisted I come to stay with you.
00:26:28Well, wonders never cease.
00:26:30Well, you're welcome, my dear.
00:26:32Take any room you like upstairs and make yourself at home.
00:26:35Are you acting as convoys?
00:26:36No, we just met outside.
00:26:38Landis wanted to call on you, so I came to take care of him.
00:26:41Well, a lot of help you would be.
00:26:43Step into the drawing room.
00:26:44Chong, take Miss Elsa's bag upstairs.
00:26:48We'll just see what they want.
00:26:53Sit down.
00:26:58You want to talk to me?
00:27:01Did I or did I not kill Henry Carson?
00:27:04That'll do for a start.
00:27:06Well, what do you think, curing detective?
00:27:09You'd be surprised at the number of charming-looking women
00:27:11that permit themselves the luxury of murder.
00:27:14You know, I'm beginning to like you.
00:27:16But you haven't answered my question.
00:27:18I'm not going to, young man.
00:27:19Find out for yourself.
00:27:21I'll admit I once shot a man.
00:27:23But it was a very poor shot and I was terribly ashamed of it.
00:27:26Carson's death was no great grief to you, was it?
00:27:29No.
00:27:30I'm a good hater.
00:27:32As anyone who is unkind to Elsa will find out.
00:27:34Have you been in touch with the Carson house lately?
00:27:37Let's see.
00:27:38We talked it over last night.
00:27:41But we couldn't imagine who might have done it.
00:27:44I mean, were you in touch with the Carson house, Mrs. Tallman?
00:27:48Why, I haven't seen Aunt Marion for days.
00:27:51But you talked to her?
00:27:54After we found Uncle Henry, Aunt Marion came over and...
00:27:58Don't be silly, child.
00:28:00You telephoned me last night about 10 o'clock and asked me to come over.
00:28:05Why didn't you tell us that, Elsa?
00:28:07What is telephoning my aunt to do with a murder?
00:28:09It might have a lot to do with it.
00:28:11Did you go?
00:28:12No.
00:28:13I knew that a row with her uncle would just make matters worse for her.
00:28:17Was it because of the incident between your Uncle Henry and me?
00:28:20Yes, he was much worse after you left.
00:28:23You mustn't let our business upset either.
00:28:25Oh, certainly not.
00:28:26But on the other hand, Mrs. Tallman, I must ask you not to attempt to leave town.
00:28:30I have no intentions of leaving town.
00:28:32You'll find it very hard to arrest me while Chong is still with me.
00:28:37Good afternoon, gentlemen.
00:28:40I'll inform Mr. Carson that you're here, sir.
00:28:47Say, Foote seems to be cocky.
00:28:49Did you notice the change?
00:28:58What's the matter?
00:28:59Never going to speak to me again?
00:29:01Look, Harry, I'm not going to speak to you.
00:29:03I'm going to tell you something.
00:29:06What's the matter?
00:29:07Never going to speak to me again?
00:29:08Look, Harry, young fellow.
00:29:10What is the idea of that last crack to Mrs. Tallman?
00:29:12Too bad if it turns out to be her.
00:29:16You go chase yourself.
00:29:20Well, gentlemen, here I am.
00:29:26Be seated, gentlemen, please.
00:29:36It's very kind of you to give us this interview.
00:29:39We have no definite clue as yet, so we've been forced to come to you for help.
00:29:43I'm afraid there's little help that I can afford you.
00:29:48You see, my brother was a good man.
00:29:52But he had a violent temper, which made him many enemies.
00:29:56Cause for your nervousness of late.
00:29:58Figure sneaking about the grounds.
00:30:01Yeah, and at what time?
00:30:03I was reading in my room late at night.
00:30:06When I put out the light and opened the window,
00:30:08I saw a figure there by the hedge.
00:30:12Did you discover the man at all?
00:30:14No, it was too dark.
00:30:16Did you hear anything last night?
00:30:18I was very tired, and I didn't wake up until Foote called me.
00:30:21I'm sorry I can be of little assistance.
00:30:24But I'm hearing of yourself lately, haven't you?
00:30:26You said something about being the next to go.
00:30:29Yes.
00:30:30I regretted those words the moment I had spoken them.
00:30:33I had wished to frighten Elsa more than she'd been frightened already
00:30:37by the tragic fate of others.
00:30:41Mr. Carson.
00:30:43What do you know about Foote, your butler?
00:30:45Why, almost nothing.
00:30:48My brother hired him, I think,
00:30:50because of a letter that he wrote asking for a position.
00:30:54Foote is a friend out of the past.
00:30:57Yes.
00:30:58I suppose so, Mr. Barnard.
00:31:01I felt that sometimes he presumed upon it a little.
00:31:09Mr. Carson.
00:31:11I have one more question to ask.
00:31:14We found no trace of the weapon yet.
00:31:16Search the house.
00:31:17Of course, gentlemen.
00:31:19Search wherever you will.
00:31:23Why are you just looking in there?
00:31:25If it were hidden among her clothes, she'd have found it herself.
00:31:30Curious?
00:31:32Look at it.
00:31:34What about it?
00:31:36Nothing.
00:31:48It's too close in here.
00:31:51Curious?
00:31:56Look at it.
00:31:58What about it?
00:31:59Why, look at it. Elsa never wore a dress like that in her life.
00:32:02Well, maybe it belonged to her mother.
00:32:04Take a good look, will you, Landis?
00:32:06This dress has been worn recently.
00:32:08Look, the bottom of the skirt is muddy.
00:32:10The mud isn't quite dry, see?
00:32:12You're right.
00:32:13There's another odd thing.
00:32:15Look at that cuff.
00:32:17Singed.
00:32:18Quite recent, too.
00:32:20Elsa must have been doing some cooking.
00:32:22Yes, and put her whole arm in the stove.
00:32:24Look at the length of that skirt.
00:32:26And another thing that's too big for her.
00:32:28Looks more like a dress Mrs. Tolman might wear.
00:32:30I believe it'd fit her.
00:32:32I'm going to have a look at that stove.
00:32:34Meet you downstairs.
00:32:50Excuse me, sir.
00:33:15I thought Foote was here.
00:33:25Foote.
00:33:27Do you remember anything more about the voice that awakened you earlier in the evening?
00:33:31I really don't remember anything more than I told you, sir.
00:33:34Well, do me a favor and try hard to remember now, will you?
00:33:38I'll try, sir.
00:33:44It's no good, sir.
00:33:46I really can't remember.
00:33:47And I don't want to lie about it.
00:33:49All right, keep on trying.
00:33:51I'll do that with pleasure, sir.
00:33:59No, I can't say that I noticed anything peculiar about the library chandelier.
00:34:03Well, I did.
00:34:04When we were waiting in there for Charles Carson, I happened to look up at it.
00:34:08One of the gas jets was fully open and parallel with the pipe.
00:34:11With Gray Scott, man, we would have smelled it.
00:34:13Oh, no, we wouldn't.
00:34:15The cop tells me that Henry Carson had had a scrap with the gas company and it was shut off all over the house.
00:34:20She uses a cold stove.
00:34:21That's how I found out about it.
00:34:23Well, what harm could it do to her if it were open?
00:34:26When I went in to speak to Foote, it was closed again.
00:34:30But who would have touched it?
00:34:33It was put in there long enough to have turned it off.
00:34:35Oh, quite.
00:34:37What on earth has that got to do with the case?
00:34:38You don't see the connection?
00:34:40No, frankly, I don't.
00:34:42Well, possibly not.
00:34:43It was just a crazy idea I had about Blake.
00:34:47I don't take much stock in this affected humility of yours, young fellow.
00:34:51Come on now, watch the connection.
00:34:54We'll see.
00:34:56Oh, I took the facts out of the cook that the man at the window looked like a foreigner.
00:35:00Wore a cap, had gray or blue eyes, an unshaven face, and a black mustache.
00:35:07A complete description.
00:35:08Either she was lying in the first place or she's made it all up.
00:35:11No, she didn't know she knew it.
00:35:12Then we'll have no difficulty in finding her.
00:35:14Want me to do it?
00:35:15I'd be glad if you would.
00:35:20Now, before I leave, I think I'll pay Mr. Blake another little visit.
00:35:32Look here, what do you want to know all this for?
00:35:34You prefer not to answer?
00:35:36No, I don't mind. I was only joking.
00:35:38The fact is I'm working on a new infallible gas disinfectant.
00:35:41Rooms where people have had contagious diseases.
00:35:43You have a number of gas containers here. What are they?
00:35:46Well, there's natural gas, there's...
00:35:48And in those, carboys?
00:35:50Ether, ammonia, and chloroform.
00:35:56Is this the company that supplies you? Bar Chemical Company?
00:35:59Yes.
00:36:04Anyone come in here?
00:36:07Well, there was Chong, you know.
00:36:09But wait, that fellow Foote from Overt Carsons was in here one day.
00:36:12What did he want?
00:36:13Oh, I promised Elsa a good cleaning fluid for her gloves and she sent Foote over for it.
00:36:18That was three days ago.
00:36:21What time did you go to bed last night?
00:36:24Oh, about 20 minutes after 11, I think.
00:36:27You didn't go out?
00:36:28No, of course not.
00:36:30You're lying, you know.
00:36:32What makes you think so?
00:36:33What time did you go out?
00:36:37Oh, about 10.30, I guess.
00:36:40No harm in going out for a breath of air.
00:36:42Where'd you go?
00:36:44Look here, you haven't any right to come here trying to third degree me.
00:36:47You don't care to answer?
00:36:48No, I don't.
00:36:49Very well.
00:36:50Well, wait a minute. What are you going to do about it?
00:36:52Nothing for the moment.
00:36:53But when you get ready to tell me what you were doing on the night of the murder, let me know.
00:37:07Good morning, good morning.
00:37:09You're an early bird.
00:37:10Where haven't you been to bed?
00:37:12You realize this is the third day now and we're just about where we started?
00:37:15Oh, I wouldn't say that.
00:37:17Well, I'm anxious to hear what you found out yesterday.
00:37:20Good. Sit down then.
00:37:21Over the way, I checked on Deegan.
00:37:23The people who employ him were giving a party that night and he was on duty until four in the morning.
00:37:28So that eliminates him.
00:37:29Well, I had better luck.
00:37:31I expect to produce the face at the window today.
00:37:34How?
00:37:35Through Briggs.
00:37:36The man Henry Carson was writing to.
00:37:38He's their real estate agent and none too honest, I fear.
00:37:42I found out through Briggs that the Carsons own a number of tenements.
00:37:45That he bought for them under an assumed name.
00:37:48He also admitted that there have been a number of fires in those buildings lately.
00:37:52Obviously Sapphire.
00:37:54Were the buildings heavily insured?
00:37:56Yes, but that doesn't seem to be the angle.
00:37:58In fact, Henry Carson told Briggs to take steps to stop the fires.
00:38:02Briggs engaged a private detective, but the fires didn't stop.
00:38:05There was an attempt at firing one of the buildings on the very night Carson was murdered.
00:38:09What time?
00:38:10A little before midnight.
00:38:12Well, then the same man couldn't have killed Henry Carson.
00:38:14Well, he'd have had time, only it wasn't a man.
00:38:17A woman?
00:38:19The private detective described her as being tall, dressed of some dark material, small hat and a veil.
00:38:25She moved with a free-swinging stride, like a woman who'd been used to an outdoor life.
00:38:32But that's extraordinary.
00:38:34The description fits Mrs. Tallman.
00:38:43I knew you'd say that.
00:38:46I asked Charles Carson if he had any clue to the firebuck.
00:38:51He's got someone in the back of his mind, but he wouldn't say.
00:38:54Though he hinted that the firebuck and the murderer might be the same person.
00:38:58You think Mrs. Tallman couldn't have done it?
00:39:01That dress in Elsa's room.
00:39:03Well?
00:39:05If she had just escaped arrest and thought somebody was following her,
00:39:10and instead of making for her own home, she made for the Carsons',
00:39:13Henry Carson admitted her and swore at her for disturbing him.
00:39:17His voice, or hers, woke forth.
00:39:20In the heat of the moment, she picked up the dagger, stabbed Carson, then hurried off.
00:39:25Now let's say that by that time, Elsa had come out into the upper hall,
00:39:29so Mrs. Tallman pulled herself together, went upstairs to the girl,
00:39:33and borrowed another dress to go home in, leaving hers with the cinched cuff.
00:39:38So you figure that you put two and two together, eh?
00:39:40His attitude?
00:39:41Yes, but it wouldn't explain the face at the kitchen window,
00:39:44which is an exception of one of Carson's and our tenants,
00:39:48the man who lost his wife and child in one of the fires.
00:39:51Let's go see Foote.
00:39:56Good morning, Doctor.
00:39:57Yes, and I was here very late last night.
00:39:59Carson's in pretty bad shape.
00:40:01Now, what's the matter with those servants?
00:40:04I've rung three times.
00:40:06Oh, good morning, Doctor.
00:40:10Takes you a long time to answer that bell.
00:40:13It isn't my job to open the door.
00:40:14It's Foote's.
00:40:15Will you send Foote to us, please, Miss Smith?
00:40:17Yes, sir.
00:40:18He'll be waiting in the library.
00:40:20He'll be safe.
00:40:44What's the matter?
00:40:45What happened?
00:40:46Foote!
00:40:47Foote!
00:40:48Oh, Mr. Landis!
00:40:49What's the matter?
00:40:50Foote isn't here, sir.
00:40:51What?
00:40:52The fact is, Mr. Carson, Foote has been injured.
00:40:55What? How could he be?
00:40:57He had no business leaving the house at this hour of the day.
00:40:59What's dead?
00:41:01Dead?
00:41:03Foote?
00:41:04Oh, nonsense!
00:41:05Now, don't get excited, Mr. Carson.
00:41:08Foote was killed last night.
00:41:10Murdered?
00:41:11Was he killed here?
00:41:13Mr. Landis, was he killed here?
00:41:15That's right.
00:41:17What does it mean?
00:41:33Look here, Landis.
00:41:35What do you make of this?
00:41:37Looks as if some very muddy article was dragged across the sill.
00:41:43You see that out there?
00:41:45Yes.
00:41:46The flowerbed is covered with footprints that have been carefully trodden out.
00:41:56Did you look at that?
00:41:58Oh, the traces of...
00:42:00Your eyes are better than mine, young fellow.
00:42:03He must have dropped his dagger in the mud.
00:42:06Or buried it after the first murder and dug it up again for this one.
00:42:09Another murder, all right.
00:42:11Exactly.
00:42:13He was dead probably seven or eight hours.
00:42:15He died instantly.
00:42:17Or very nearly so.
00:42:19The wounds are very similar.
00:42:21And were probably made with the same instrument with which Henry Carson was stabbed.
00:42:25Yeah, just a minute. Where are you going?
00:42:27Let me go! Keep your hands off me, Jim Brooks!
00:42:29What do you mean, poking your nose into other people's business?
00:42:32Asking me where I'm going and...
00:42:33Stop that noise!
00:42:35You want Mr. Carson down here again?
00:42:37Well, I'm not going to stay in this house to be murdered, too.
00:42:39Go back to the kitchen.
00:42:40If you try to leave this house before I give you permission, I'll put you in jail.
00:42:54Helen Smith is gone and there's only the cook, so I had to come back.
00:42:57Yes, dear, we let her go home.
00:42:59I've questioned both of them and I can't throw any light on the case.
00:43:02Now, I want you to trust me, young sir.
00:43:06I... I do trust you, Mr. Bernard.
00:43:08Then I want you to tell me how you knew that your aunt came here at a late hour the night your uncle died.
00:43:17I can't.
00:43:18You'll tell Jim and he already suspects Aunt Marion. She told me so.
00:43:22Now, my dear, you've asked me to help you, but you won't help me.
00:43:25I want to prove her record is clear, but I can't do it unless I know everything.
00:43:31I suppose I ought to trust you.
00:43:33I know you wouldn't say that, just find out.
00:43:35No, no, I wouldn't.
00:43:38All right.
00:43:40I got up to get a drink of water and I heard the library door close and looked downstairs.
00:43:45What time is it?
00:43:46A little after one in the morning.
00:43:48What did you see?
00:43:50It seemed so treacherous.
00:43:52I saw my aunt.
00:43:54Was there a light down?
00:43:55Just a dim night light, but I called out, Aunt Marion.
00:43:58Yes, what did she say?
00:44:00She didn't say anything.
00:44:02She put her fingers to her lips, then she waved me a kiss and hurried out the front door.
00:44:06What sort of clothes was she wearing?
00:44:08Something dark, a dark brown or green dress and a small hat.
00:44:12Could you see her face?
00:44:13Not clearly. There was very little light and her face was in shadow.
00:44:17Could it have been the figure of the housemaid?
00:44:19I suppose it might.
00:44:21Oh, no, it couldn't.
00:44:23Aunt Marion waved a kiss to me. Helen would never do that.
00:44:26Could it have been the cook?
00:44:27No.
00:44:29Oh, Mr. Bernard, do you suppose it wasn't my aunt after all?
00:44:33She didn't speak.
00:44:34And one might have the presence of mind when you called out Aunt Marion to play the part of your aunt.
00:44:39I hope you're right.
00:44:41I couldn't believe Aunt Marion would do anything so horrible.
00:44:44Neither could I.
00:44:46But in the meantime, don't say anything about her to anyone, especially Mrs. Tallman.
00:44:50And don't worry.
00:44:52You are a comfort and a darling.
00:44:55I want you to promise me that you won't arrest Mrs. Tallman for 33 days.
00:44:59I'll call her to haunt you if you like.
00:45:01All right, sir. I'll take a chance on your judgment.
00:45:04What are we doing here?
00:45:05I'm going to have another look at that dress.
00:45:14Gone. Gone.
00:45:16I'll have a chat with Elsa about it.
00:45:18Gone.
00:45:19I'll have a chat with Elsa about it.
00:45:30There's your man, sir.
00:45:36Is this the man you saw at the window?
00:45:38It's the very man, sir.
00:45:41We have a few questions to ask you. Come in here.
00:45:49Sit down.
00:45:59Honest gentlemen, I don't know nothing about it.
00:46:02Don't worry about that now. Sit down.
00:46:05We haven't accused you of anything yet, you know.
00:46:08Now you tell us your story in your own way.
00:46:13Well, it was like this.
00:46:16A month ago I was a contented man with a wife and a baby.
00:46:21He was as pretty a kid as...
00:46:25Well, I'd been working one night and I was getting home late.
00:46:28I saw a lot of people running towards my street, so I ran too.
00:46:46Back there.
00:46:47But my wife and kid, they're in fire.
00:46:49Everybody's out.
00:46:50My wife and kid, are they safe?
00:46:53There was a woman and kid, but they took them to the hospital.
00:46:58The hospital.
00:47:08Excuse me.
00:47:09Excuse me.
00:47:10Excuse me.
00:47:11Excuse me.
00:47:12Excuse me.
00:47:13Excuse me.
00:47:15Excuse me, gentlemen.
00:47:18I ain't been the same since that night.
00:47:22Well, I rushed over to the hospital.
00:47:27And there was Alice and little Bill lying on the bed together.
00:47:32With a sheet pulled over their faces.
00:47:35So you set out to find the owner of the building?
00:47:38That's it, sir.
00:47:40All I was asking was the price of a tombstone like Alice had wanted, that's all.
00:47:44But Briggs, he wouldn't tell me.
00:47:46So a friend of mine in the fire department, he made him spill the names of the owners and their address.
00:47:54So you came out here?
00:47:55That's right, sir.
00:47:56But I couldn't get here till late because I got mixed up finding the place.
00:48:02Must have been about half past eleven by the time I got here.
00:48:06What did you do after you got to the house?
00:48:08Well, I looked in the back window.
00:48:11There was a woman there sitting and reading.
00:48:14Well, she let out a yell, so I ducked.
00:48:17You mean you went home?
00:48:18No, sir. I wanted my rights.
00:48:21I came round this window here, but all of a sudden the lights upstairs went out.
00:48:25So I ducked, scared somebody might look down and see me.
00:48:28That's just what happened.
00:48:30You were seen.
00:48:31Now come clean.
00:48:32So help me, I'm telling the truth.
00:48:35Well, after a while I crept back and looked under the shade.
00:48:40At this desk here there was an old man looking over some papers.
00:48:44Did you rap on the window?
00:48:46Not me, sir. I wasn't looking for trouble.
00:48:49I just walked along the house to see what kind of a car they had.
00:48:53To see if they was rich.
00:48:55The garage was empty, so I went home.
00:48:59Is that all?
00:49:01I guess that's all.
00:49:03But I didn't murder the old man.
00:49:07You better tell us everything, Bell.
00:49:09Oh, what's the use? You wouldn't believe me.
00:49:13Why don't you try?
00:49:19It was like this, sir.
00:49:22The garage was all dark inside, but I carry a torch.
00:49:26And just as I took it out, something hissed at me from the back of the garage.
00:49:29His statue?
00:49:30Yes, sir. I swore to it.
00:49:32And it scared me so bad that I ducked again.
00:49:35And how did you know there was no car there?
00:49:38Well, after a while I came back and I flashed on the torch.
00:49:42And that time I saw it.
00:49:43Well, what was it?
00:49:44I said you wouldn't believe me, but I'll take my oath it was a snake.
00:49:47Wiggling away toward the back.
00:49:49Are you sure it wasn't a long red herring?
00:49:51I'll take my oath it was a snake.
00:49:54So you went home?
00:49:55Yes, sir. I went straight home as fast as I could.
00:49:59You were never near this place before?
00:50:00Well, I never found out the address until the day before. How could I come?
00:50:03You came again?
00:50:04I never did, sir. I never came near that place again.
00:50:06You came here last night.
00:50:07Trapped him.
00:50:08Stabbed another man at that desk.
00:50:10Just as you stabbed Henry Koss.
00:50:11I didn't, sir. I didn't. I swear, I didn't.
00:50:13Where were you last night after midnight?
00:50:15I was in the picture shop.
00:50:16Anybody with you to prove it?
00:50:18No, sir. I went alone.
00:50:21I'm going to send this fellow home now, but don't lose track of him for a few days.
00:50:29All right, pal. You can go home now.
00:50:32Home?
00:50:33I'm going to see what I can do about raising the price of that tombstone.
00:50:39Thank you. Thank you, sir.
00:50:43Well, what do you make of it?
00:50:45Well, that was a shot in the dark that didn't strike home.
00:50:49Let's see else about that dress.
00:50:51I'm convinced that that dress was worn by the woman she mistook for her aunt.
00:50:55Do you really think it possible that it was Helen Smith or the cook?
00:50:58I didn't date the Helen Smith.
00:51:00She showed a vicious temper and was quite callous at leaving Elsa alone.
00:51:04And for a good cook, Miss Devon strikes me as being unconvincingly brainless.
00:51:10She told the truth about the man at the window.
00:51:12Yes.
00:51:14She was the only person in the household that was up late the night that Henry Koss met his death.
00:51:19And so far as we know, she was alone downstairs with Foote last night when he died.
00:51:28Where are you going with this?
00:51:30To the kitchen, sir.
00:51:32And the incinerator, I suppose.
00:51:34No, sir. Miss Elsie thought I might be able to wear it.
00:51:37Elsa!
00:51:44Did you give this dress to the cook?
00:51:46Why, yes. I found it at the bottom of Foote's trunk.
00:51:49Foote.
00:51:53Well, Foote, I'm afraid you'll have to come with me.
00:51:56Well, Foote must have planted that dress in here.
00:51:59And it would be the logical place for him to hide anything else while Elsa was away.
00:52:25Come on.
00:52:49You... you found it.
00:52:52Yes, Elsa. Where are you hid it?
00:52:53Oh, I know I shouldn't have done it, but it lay there.
00:52:56Where?
00:52:58It lay on the floor of the library. Foote hadn't seen it, so I sent him for water.
00:53:02Then I ran upstairs and threw it in my wardrobe.
00:53:05That's why you called Mr. Bernard from upstairs, but why did you hide the dagger, Elsa?
00:53:09Oh, don't you understand? I thought I had seen Aunt Marion leaving the library.
00:53:13When I saw that dagger covered with blood...
00:53:17Then you washed it and later hid it in the drawer.
00:53:19You did a very foolish and dangerous thing.
00:53:21Oh, it wasn't as bad as all that, dear.
00:53:23I'm sorry.
00:53:25But I'm not frightened anymore.
00:53:30The gentleman from the chemical company wants to see you, Mr. Landis.
00:53:34Oh, thank you. Will you come too?
00:53:37Excuse us, dear.
00:53:42Did you see Blake?
00:53:44No, I didn't.
00:53:46What new theory is this?
00:53:48It's not a theory. I had the chemical company send out Mr. Watson here to examine Blake's laboratory.
00:53:52What did you find, Mr. Watson?
00:53:54The pressure is good in all the gas tanks except the carbon monoxide.
00:53:57Which means?
00:53:59That most of the gas has been drawn off.
00:54:01Well, could it have leaked out?
00:54:03Our tanks don't leak.
00:54:05Somebody might have left the tap open a little, but if he did, he'd be lying around there somewhere.
00:54:09Well, that's all I wanted to know. Thank you.
00:54:12I'm glad to help you if I can.
00:54:15You've been holding out on me, huh?
00:54:17Not on facts. Only theory.
00:54:18Carson's wound didn't bleed.
00:54:20That's why I made such a point of whether it reached the heart or not.
00:54:23My idea was that when Henry Carson was stabbed, he was already dead.
00:54:27The autopsy showed a scarcity of oxygen in the lungs.
00:54:30In that case, the wound wouldn't bleed at all.
00:54:32It didn't.
00:54:34But let's take the evidence in order.
00:54:36First, there's the mouse.
00:54:38The little beggars never die out in the open unless they've been poisoned.
00:54:41But nobody had put down any poison.
00:54:43Where's the connection?
00:54:44Suppose that Henry Carson had been sitting quietly at his desk,
00:54:47and Mr. Mouse ventured into the middle of the room.
00:54:49Then let's suppose that death suddenly gathered both man and mouse at the same instant.
00:54:54Carbon monoxide.
00:54:56Suppose we see if your logic is in.
00:55:05Well, it looks like he skipped.
00:55:07I'll broadcast his description. We'll soon pick him up.
00:55:09Say, Landers,
00:55:10how do you figure the gas got in the library?
00:55:14From the gas jet in the chandelier.
00:55:16Blake tapped the pipe and let in the carbon monoxide from the tank.
00:55:19That sounds interesting, but I'm inclined to think it's all moonshine and coincidence.
00:55:23How did that hook up with the stabbing of Henry Carson,
00:55:26and the stabbing of Foote, and the dagger, and the disappearing dress,
00:55:29and the woman in the hallway?
00:55:31Were they all in the plot together?
00:55:35We're not even sure that Foote and Carson were stabbed with the same dagger.
00:55:38We're sure they weren't.
00:55:40Elsa hid it long before Foote was murdered.
00:55:43Oh, quite so.
00:55:45But that doesn't prove that both men were not stabbed with one and the same dagger.
00:55:48For the love of Mike, man, you don't suspect Elsa.
00:55:50I don't think Henry Carson was stabbed with a dagger at all.
00:55:53It was planted there.
00:55:55On the evidence of Elsa,
00:55:57the dagger was covered with blood, dripped on the floor,
00:56:00and yet the wound did not bleed.
00:56:03Whatever blood was on the weapon came off on the cloth,
00:56:05when it was withdrawn.
00:56:07That's right.
00:56:09Well, then we can eliminate at once both Arthur Bell and Peter Blake.
00:56:12For neither of them had the intelligence to conceive such well-planned crimes.
00:56:15Well, I'm not eliminating Blake, and I'm not eliminating Mrs. Tallman.
00:56:18All right.
00:56:20But there's an experiment I'd like to try.
00:56:24What is your experiment?
00:56:26Well, it's quite simple.
00:56:28All I ask is that you place yourself at my disposal tonight,
00:56:30and possibly tomorrow night.
00:56:32Okay.
00:56:33If you still have a man watching Mrs. Tallman,
00:56:35I want you to call him off,
00:56:37and let me convey to Mrs. Tallman
00:56:39in a roundabout way that you've done so.
00:56:41You agree?
00:56:43I do.
00:56:58Hello, Elsa.
00:57:00Well, I think I have some good news.
00:57:01Landis has agreed to remove the man who's watching Mrs. Tallman.
00:57:04And he doesn't suspect her anymore?
00:57:06Oh, may I tell her so?
00:57:08Oh, I don't see why I shouldn't tell her.
00:57:10I don't think there's any secret about it.
00:57:14Well, I wouldn't be surprised
00:57:16if we had the real culprit any time now.
00:57:18Oh, it's a pleasure.
00:57:20Goodbye.
00:57:22All right, I've called off my man.
00:57:24What next?
00:57:26I want you to go back to your hotel
00:57:28and stay there quite openly.
00:57:29And about 11 tonight, slip out
00:57:31and creep up to my back door
00:57:33without letting anyone see you.
00:57:35Anyone at all.
00:57:37Can you do it?
00:57:39I think so.
00:57:41All right, then, off you go.
00:57:47I'm going to want grass.
00:57:49You wait here until I come out again.
00:57:59All right.
00:58:30I'm going to want grass.
00:58:56Say, what's the idea?
00:58:57Say, what's the idea?
00:58:59That's the experiment.
00:59:01Don't talk, not a sound.
00:59:02Don't talk, not a sound.
00:59:24Don't talk, not a sound.
00:59:48That's it, come on!
00:59:55Are you hurt bad?
00:59:56No, just great.
00:59:57Hurry, we must catch him.
01:00:03Where the deuce are you going?
01:00:07What is all this?
01:00:08Now, this is my show, Landis.
01:00:10Bruce here is the detective working for me.
01:00:12You identify the firebug, Bruce?
01:00:14All by the dresser, same height, carriage, and walk.
01:00:16Uh-huh.
01:00:22Mr. Landis, I know that I've done wrong.
01:00:24Would you tell me, please, if I'm to be incarcerated tonight or permitted to sleep here?
01:00:30What do you think we're going to charge you with?
01:00:31Dressing as a woman, I know it's illegal, but I wanted to find the murderer of my brother.
01:00:37We're saving you the trouble.
01:00:39We're charging you with the murder of your brother.
01:00:41And the murder of foot, setting fire to your tenements, and the consequent death of Martha Bell's wife and child.
01:00:47Ridiculous.
01:00:48You know that I was in my room, and at what hour I put out my lights.
01:00:52Yes, I found the clockwork arrangement that put out your lights.
01:00:54Now I'm going to find the dagger with which you stabbed your victims.
01:00:58That was a smart idea of yours, planting the dagger smeared with your own blood.
01:01:02You see, I saw the first morning that you had a piece of tape on one of your fingers.
01:01:06Lies, lies.
01:01:07Mr. Landis, how long is this farce to continue?
01:01:10Until you confess.
01:01:12Come on, Landis, let's find that dagger.
01:01:14I think I know where to look.
01:01:15One moment, gentlemen, please.
01:01:18I admit I'm the firebug.
01:01:20Unfortunately, I'm the miserable victim of a pathological mania.
01:01:25But I know nothing about the murder of my brother or of foot.
01:01:28That woman next door did it.
01:01:31You murdered them both.
01:01:33You fired your buildings for the insurance.
01:01:35Then you came home that night and found your brother, as you thought, asleep.
01:01:38With him out of the way, you would possess his fortune as well as your own.
01:01:42You saw the letter he was writing to Briggs,
01:01:44and you stabbed him to put an end to him and his interference.
01:01:47You're mad.
01:01:48The deltas cry awake and foot who came down and found you in feminine attire.
01:01:52He proceeded to blackmail you.
01:01:53You lured him into the library where you stabbed him as you did your brother.
01:01:57Pray tell me, where is the weapon with which you imagine I killed my poor brother and foot?
01:02:02It isn't in the house,
01:02:03so it must be somewhere in your course between the front door and the side door
01:02:06where you reentered the house.
01:02:08Come on, Landis. We'll look the ground over again.
01:02:10Right.
01:02:11So, uh, you've got your flashlight?
01:02:13Well, we'll take Carson along.
01:02:29Look there, Landis.
01:02:31Doesn't it seem strange that such a tall plant should be tied to such a short stake?
01:02:36That stake? That wouldn't help it any.
01:02:39Bruce, pull it up and let's have a look at it.
01:02:48That accounts for the mud on foot's back.
01:02:52You win, Bernard.
01:02:54But it took you years to do it.
01:02:57But I got you in the last trap.
01:03:00Okay, Bruce.
01:03:07Clear at last, and you're foiled again, Jack Dalton.
01:03:11I'm sorry, Mrs. Dollar.
01:03:12Oh, forget it.
01:03:13I suppose you want to talk to the mastermind.
01:03:15Yes, but I wondered...
01:03:17Oh, I know what you're wondering.
01:03:18I'll just see if she's presentable.
01:03:20She's had quite a shock, you know.
01:03:22Yes, she must have had.
01:03:23You'll find Sherlock in there.
01:03:28Good morning.
01:03:29Oh, good morning.
01:03:30Oh, don't get up.
01:03:31See now that it's so late,
01:03:32Good morning.
01:03:33Oh, good morning.
01:03:34Oh, don't get up.
01:03:35See, now that it's all over,
01:03:36do you mind telling me how you happened to suspect Carson?
01:03:39Not at all.
01:03:40You took it for granted that Carson wouldn't murder his own brother,
01:03:43and you never looked his way.
01:03:45I didn't, and did.
01:03:47That's all.
01:03:48Well, that's not all by a long shot.
01:03:49But I believe congratulations are in order.
01:03:51Oh.
01:03:52But don't forget, you must congratulate me too.
01:03:54For what?
01:03:56Because I've got the man who really killed Carson.
01:03:58Blake?
01:03:59Yes, again.
01:04:01What is this, a game?
01:04:02Where is the real murderer?
01:04:04I have him by the hand.
01:04:06Are you trying to kid me?
01:04:08I'm not kidding.
01:04:09You killed Henry Carson.
01:04:12I never could figure why Foote should turn back that gas jet in the library.
01:04:15It didn't make sense.
01:04:16But you were there too.
01:04:17It was easy for you to answer the library while I was talking to the cook.
01:04:20Go ahead.
01:04:21Carson's last words when he was caught
01:04:23implied that you had known each other before,
01:04:25but you were certainly not old friends.
01:04:26So you must have been enemies.
01:04:28You on the side of the law,
01:04:29he against it.
01:04:30So far you're right.
01:04:32But not once could I get evidence to justify an arrest.
01:04:35Now what else, young fellow?
01:04:37There was Arthur Bell on the hiss of the snake.
01:04:40I took another look at the Carson garage this afternoon.
01:04:43In the back wall, behind the firewood,
01:04:45there's a small hole, recently bored,
01:04:47leading to your garage.
01:04:49And there were yards of rubber tubing in the back seat of your car.
01:04:52Naturally.
01:04:54It's no dice.
01:04:59You'd already opened the gas jet in the library
01:05:01that day you called about the fence.
01:05:04What else?
01:05:08You made sure that Henry Carson was at his desk.
01:05:10Then you connected the tube
01:05:12with the gas jet in the garage.
01:05:14You then went back to your own garage,
01:05:15connected the tube to the tank,
01:05:17and turned on the gas.
01:05:18That was the hiss that scared Bell.
01:05:20You let in enough gas to kill a dozen men.
01:05:23And a mouse.
01:05:25Then you drew back the tube.
01:05:26And it was the end of that writing tube that Bell saw.
01:05:28Of course, he thought it was a snake.
01:05:30And the confessed stabbing of Henry by Charles.
01:05:33Henry Carson was as dead as that mouse
01:05:35when his brother stabbed him.
01:05:37An interesting bit of reasoning.
01:05:39How long have you believed it?
01:05:40I suspected it days ago.
01:05:42You were so down on my theory of gas,
01:05:44and so unwilling to involve Blake.
01:05:47Landis, you've done some fine reasoning.
01:05:48I never thought you'd figure it out.
01:05:50But you don't know the harm those two men have done.
01:05:53I came here to live with no idea but to crap.
01:05:56You see, we never actually met.
01:05:58But they knew me as well as I knew them.
01:06:03Hello.
01:06:04Are you two still congratulating each other?
01:06:06We're pretty good.
01:06:07Well, there's someone outside who thinks so, too.
01:06:09Oh, you'll pardon me if I carry this investigation a little further.
01:06:14Won't you sit down, Mrs. Toland?
01:06:16Certainly.
01:06:18Well, I suppose you're very busy now
01:06:20with Sean gone and Elsa on your hands.
01:06:22But if you have a minute,
01:06:23I've got something to tell you and something to ask you.
01:06:25An hour, if you like.
01:06:27Well, I thought you'd like to know
01:06:29that Landis has traced the murder of Henry Carson to me.
01:06:33What?
01:06:34But you didn't do it.
01:06:35Of course not, but I've practically confessed it
01:06:37and Landis has let the matter drop.
01:06:39Well, I'll be...
01:06:41Shh, shh, shh.
01:06:42It's all right, it's all right.
01:06:44What else could I do?
01:06:46You see, I found some rubber tubing
01:06:47that belonged to you hidden behind the firewood in the garage.
01:06:50I parted over to hide your fingerprints and leave my own,
01:06:53then I hid it in the back of my car.
01:06:56But will you tell me, please, in confidence,
01:06:59how you got that tank of carbon monoxide
01:07:01to asphyxiate Henry Carson that night?
01:07:03That's the only thing I don't understand,
01:07:05the only thing that doesn't fit.
01:07:08Do you mean to say that you confessed to such a crime
01:07:10to shield me?
01:07:12What else could I do?
01:07:14But I didn't do it.
01:07:16What? Then who the heck did?
01:07:19Well, you're just in time, children.
01:07:21For what?
01:07:23You accused Mr. Bernard of killing Carson.
01:07:26Now I'm going to tell you who really came.
01:07:29Two weeks ago, I was fool enough to remark in Chong's hearing
01:07:32that if somebody would only murder Henry Carson,
01:07:34I'd be the happiest woman in the world.
01:07:36The morning after Henry was killed, I remembered.
01:07:39And knowing Chong's devotion to me, I accused him of it.
01:07:43He blandly admitted that he pried open the window,
01:07:46sneaked into your house,
01:07:47stole the gas from Blake's laboratory,
01:07:49and asphyxiated the old scoundrel.
01:07:52Well, I'll be...
01:07:53Shh, shh, shh, shh.
01:07:54But he'll have to be arrested.
01:07:56Why, certainly.
01:07:57Where is he?
01:07:58On his way to China.
01:08:00Nevertheless, we'll get him.
01:08:01You were wondering where we'd spend our honeymoon.
01:08:03Well, it looks like China to me.
01:08:09You're a man, Forben.
01:08:10Fool, fool.
01:08:11Well, have it your own way.
01:08:12But I'll tell you what I'll do.
01:08:14I'll marry you.
01:08:15Who asked you?
01:08:16Hold your tongue.
01:08:17I'm not asking you, I'm telling you.
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