transcript
Speaker 1:
[00:00] Welcome to Choice Classic Radio, where we bring to the greatest old time radio shows. Like us on Facebook, subscribe to us on YouTube, and thank you for donating at choiceclassicradio.com.
Speaker 2:
[00:34] Thank you.
Speaker 3:
[01:11] Ladies and gentlemen, in a moment, the shadow will be on the air with a thrilling new adventure. But first, let me tell you about a new kind of tire that makes wet weather driving safer than you've ever dreamed possible. It's the new Goodrich Silvertown tire with the Life Saver tread. Next time it rains, just notice the way your windshield wiper sweeps the water right and left to give you clear, safe vision. Well, that's how the amazing Life Saver tread on the new Goodrich Silvertown tire performs on a wet road. It sweeps the water right and left, forces it out through the deep drainage grooves, makes a dry track for the rubber to grip, gives you the quickest non-skid stops you've ever seen. And you get this life-saving skid protection plus Golden Ply blowout protection at no extra cost. So play safe. Equip your car with good rich, safety silver town. The Shadow, Lamont Cranston, a man of wealth, a student of science, and a master of other people's minds, devotes his life to righting wrongs, protecting the innocent, and punishing the guilty. Cranston is known to the underworld as The Shadow. Never seen, only heard. Shadow's true identity is known only to his constant friend and aid, Margot Lane. Today's story, The Tomb of Terror. And so, gentlemen, we are gathered here on the grounds of the City Museum to pay tribute to those who have successfully brought to this country the building that stands before you, the authentic tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh, King Kupratep. It is my pleasure to present to you now the man who is largely responsible for its discovery, transportation, and reassembly, the director of the expedition, Dr. Romney Hale. Thank you. Thank you. Directors of the Museum and fellow workers, I am very grateful. It has been through your cooperation that this work has been made possible, although perhaps we owe a vote of thanks to good King Kupratep himself. In spite of the legendary curse that all who gaze upon King Kupratep's mummy shall die, the bulk of our job is finished. Now, before you are admitted for the inspection, will you excuse Mr. Avery, Mr. Johnson and myself, while we make a brief check of the interior of the tomb? Harry, Jack, will you come with me? Certainly, Doctor. Well, gentlemen, how does the place look to you?
Speaker 4:
[04:02] Why, Doctor, you've done an amazing job.
Speaker 3:
[04:04] It looks exactly as it did when we first on earth sent in Egypt.
Speaker 4:
[04:07] Thank you.
Speaker 3:
[04:08] Would you like to pay your respects to His Majesty? Oh, indeed I would, Doctor.
Speaker 2:
[04:12] Very well.
Speaker 3:
[04:13] Will you help me with the lid of the money case?
Speaker 2:
[04:14] Oh, sure.
Speaker 4:
[04:18] There you are.
Speaker 3:
[04:19] Kupra kept the key, Lord of Egypt.
Speaker 4:
[04:22] My magnificent face.
Speaker 3:
[04:25] Yes, wonderfully preserved. We are defying the ancient curse by looking upon that face.
Speaker 5:
[04:29] Oh, come, Doctor.
Speaker 3:
[04:31] Hell, surely you don't believe us.
Speaker 2:
[04:32] Look. Look at the mummy's eyes.
Speaker 4:
[04:35] Why, that's strange.
Speaker 3:
[04:36] They seem to glow. Yes, I see it too. A sort of unearthly light. What is this, Doctor, a trick?
Speaker 4:
[04:41] No, gentlemen.
Speaker 3:
[04:42] I give you my word. I don't know what it could be.
Speaker 4:
[04:45] The light's growing brighter.
Speaker 3:
[04:46] I don't like this. It's uncanny. Close that case. Let's get out of here, Doctor. I can't understand it. If we hadn't all seen it, I would...
Speaker 4:
[04:56] Doctor Hale, what's the matter?
Speaker 3:
[04:58] Take his arm, Jack.
Speaker 2:
[04:59] Let's get him outside.
Speaker 3:
[05:01] What's wrong? What's the matter with Doctor Hale?
Speaker 4:
[05:03] I don't know.
Speaker 3:
[05:03] He suddenly collapsed.
Speaker 4:
[05:04] He was...
Speaker 3:
[05:06] Jack, Jack, what's the matter with you? Someone get a doctor, quick. These two men are very ill. Harry, what happened in there?
Speaker 4:
[05:13] Well, Mr. Rafferty, I was...
Speaker 3:
[05:16] Harry! Harry, tell me, what happened?
Speaker 4:
[05:19] Mr. Rafferty, it was the eyes. The eyes.
Speaker 3:
[05:24] Yes, yes.
Speaker 4:
[05:25] It's, it's King Cufrit's curse.
Speaker 3:
[05:36] Doctor, doctor, tell me, how are they?
Speaker 5:
[05:38] All three of these men are dead.
Speaker 4:
[05:45] What have you got, chief?
Speaker 5:
[05:46] A terrific yawn. Dr. Romany Hale, the archaeologist and two of his assistants, died mysteriously on Aragon King Coupe with that storm. Play up the curse angle and spread it for all its worth.
Speaker 4:
[06:00] Dread, two, cream on the side.
Speaker 2:
[06:01] Some of those donuts, too, please.
Speaker 6:
[06:03] Donuts? Lamont, you suppose we can dunk?
Speaker 2:
[06:05] Certainly, Margo. Lunch wagon etiquette not only allows dunking, it encourages it.
Speaker 4:
[06:10] As you thought, chief. That'll be 20 cents.
Speaker 2:
[06:12] Here you are. Just keep the change.
Speaker 4:
[06:15] Ah, thanks. Say, buddy, is there anything new on them guys that kicked off over at that coffee, or the kippa, you know, that Egyptian king?
Speaker 2:
[06:22] No, nothing new. Hey, how about my ham on rye?
Speaker 4:
[06:25] Right with you, right with you.
Speaker 6:
[06:26] Just what do you make of that tomb, affair le mot?
Speaker 2:
[06:28] It's most amazing, and the newspapers are playing up the superstition fallacy.
Speaker 6:
[06:32] You don't think that all three deaths would do to coincide?
Speaker 2:
[06:34] Hardly that, but I certainly don't hold to the Kufatep curse theory.
Speaker 6:
[06:37] But something strange must have happened in that tomb.
Speaker 2:
[06:39] Oh, questionably.
Speaker 6:
[06:41] According to the newspaper report, one of the three men before he died was heard to mutter something about eyes, terrible eyes, and his last words were King Kufatep's curse.
Speaker 2:
[06:51] They were undoubtedly terrified by something they saw in there. He did not die of fear.
Speaker 6:
[06:55] Oh, I know. According to the doctors, they all died in natural death.
Speaker 2:
[06:58] Yes, that's quite true.
Speaker 6:
[06:59] One of pneumonia, one of typhoid, and one of heart disease.
Speaker 2:
[07:02] That's the way the doctors had to write their death certificates. Perhaps when the truth is known, they will have to be changed.
Speaker 6:
[07:08] Changed? What do you mean, Lamont?
Speaker 1:
[07:10] You finished eating?
Speaker 6:
[07:12] Oh, yes.
Speaker 2:
[07:13] Shall we take a walk?
Speaker 6:
[07:14] Oh, all right. Let's go. Good night, boys.
Speaker 2:
[07:16] Good night.
Speaker 6:
[07:21] Lamont, what do you mean, the death certificates will have to be changed?
Speaker 2:
[07:25] Three men do not die within seconds of one another of different diseases without a single underlying cause.
Speaker 6:
[07:30] Oh, that's true.
Speaker 2:
[07:30] Margo, the mysterious deaths of those three men must challenge the imagination of the shadow. I must find out the medical details of the deaths of those men.
Speaker 6:
[07:41] Then you think there's more in it than the papers have printed.
Speaker 2:
[07:44] I know there is.
Speaker 6:
[07:45] I can get those details for you.
Speaker 2:
[07:47] As soon as you have the necessary information, communicate with me. The shadow will await your call. Hello.
Speaker 6:
[08:02] Lamont, this is Margo.
Speaker 2:
[08:03] Oh, yes, Margo. What did you find out?
Speaker 6:
[08:04] I just talked to Dr. Burleigh, who, he's in charge of the case.
Speaker 2:
[08:06] Yes?
Speaker 6:
[08:07] He said that the three men actually died, as the paper said, but there was one detail that was not printed.
Speaker 2:
[08:11] What was that?
Speaker 6:
[08:13] Well, the doctors themselves don't seem to understand it, but an examination of the victim's blood has shown in each case a complete absence of leukocytes.
Speaker 2:
[08:21] Leucocytes. Those are white corpuscles.
Speaker 6:
[08:23] Yes.
Speaker 2:
[08:23] Do you know what that means? Without white corpuscles in the blood, the human system would have nothing of which to combat disease. No wonder they died. Marco, this is the first key to the mystery. Perhaps the shadow can find the answer to the next question within the museum walls.
Speaker 3:
[08:47] I tell you, we must go through with the public opening of the tomb, as originally planned.
Speaker 5:
[08:50] But will the public be there?
Speaker 4:
[08:51] We'll have to take that chance. Gentlemen, I wish we had never started this project.
Speaker 3:
[08:55] Now see here, Kent, you've been acting like an old woman about this whole thing. But Mr. Rafferty, I... We've poured thousands of dollars of the museum's money into the tomb, and it's up to us to dispel this nonsense about the Coupatep Curse.
Speaker 2:
[09:05] I am not so sure that it is nonsense.
Speaker 3:
[09:07] Rubbish! No, you can't dismiss the fact that three men died. They all died natural deaths.
Speaker 2:
[09:11] I wouldn't be too sure about that, Mr. Rafferty.
Speaker 3:
[09:14] Who's speaking?
Speaker 2:
[09:14] Who is that? I am called The Shadow. The Shadow?
Speaker 3:
[09:18] I've heard of you. What do you want of us?
Speaker 2:
[09:21] I've been investigating the deaths of your three colleagues. I've come to warn you that no one must be permitted within the walls of the tomb.
Speaker 3:
[09:30] Why do you say that?
Speaker 2:
[09:31] Because anyone who enters may not come out alive.
Speaker 3:
[09:34] Are you implying that there is truth in the Coupatep Curse?
Speaker 2:
[09:37] I am telling you, Mr. Rafferty, I have reason to believe that the name of the curse of Coupatep is coal, premeditated murder. Nonsense! Nonsense! Not nonsense, Mr. Stevenson.
Speaker 4:
[09:46] With all respect to your unsolicited information, we are not going to be intimidated by an unknown voice.
Speaker 3:
[09:51] Speak for yourself, Mr. Stevenson. I am inclined to respect the Shadow's warning. Quiet, Kent. On what grounds, Shadow, do you abase your statement?
Speaker 2:
[09:59] You will have to accept what I have said on faith. I have had enough of this.
Speaker 4:
[10:03] Wait, Mr. Stevenson. No, no, I am going to rid us of this hocus-pocus once and for all.
Speaker 3:
[10:07] Yes, what do you propose to do, Stevenson?
Speaker 4:
[10:09] I am going into that tomb tonight, right now.
Speaker 2:
[10:11] Don't do that, Mr. Stevenson.
Speaker 4:
[10:13] I know what I am doing, Shadow. Well, who will accompany me?
Speaker 2:
[10:18] Don't tell me that you are all afraid.
Speaker 3:
[10:19] No, no, not at all. But perhaps none of us should be too hasty.
Speaker 2:
[10:23] Very wisely spoken, Mr. Rafferty.
Speaker 4:
[10:24] Very well, then I shall go alone.
Speaker 2:
[10:26] You are very foolhardy, Stevenson.
Speaker 4:
[10:27] We shall see who has the key to the tomb.
Speaker 3:
[10:30] I have, Mr. Stevenson, but... Give it to me.
Speaker 4:
[10:32] Mr. Rafferty, can't you persuade him to change his mind?
Speaker 3:
[10:34] Don't you think, Stevenson, we might...
Speaker 4:
[10:35] Can't give me the key. Very well, here you are.
Speaker 2:
[10:38] Thank you. Wait, wait, we will accompany you to the door of the tomb.
Speaker 3:
[10:40] All right.
Speaker 2:
[10:41] You may be going to your death, Stevenson.
Speaker 4:
[10:43] I'll chance that.
Speaker 2:
[10:44] Come along, then.
Speaker 4:
[10:49] Well, here we are. Have any of you changed your mind, Mr. Rafferty? No, thank you.
Speaker 3:
[10:55] Hawkins?
Speaker 5:
[10:56] I prefer to wait outside.
Speaker 4:
[10:58] I know, there's no use asking you, Kent. Don't go in there, Mr. Stevenson, don't go in.
Speaker 3:
[11:02] There may be something horrible waiting for you in there.
Speaker 4:
[11:04] Give me that flashlight. I'll find that out for myself.
Speaker 3:
[11:08] He's in the tomb.
Speaker 4:
[11:11] Nothing horrible has happened in here yet.
Speaker 3:
[11:14] Don't touch the mummy case.
Speaker 4:
[11:15] Why not? Might as well make the investigation complete.
Speaker 3:
[11:19] Don't, don't, Stevenson, you mustn't. Can't any of you stop him? What can we do?
Speaker 4:
[11:24] I'm opening the mummy case.
Speaker 3:
[11:26] We've got to get him out of there.
Speaker 2:
[11:27] I'll go myself.
Speaker 3:
[11:28] Here, here, come back here, Kent.
Speaker 2:
[11:30] Stevenson, Stevenson.
Speaker 4:
[11:32] I'm looking at the mummy's face. Hey, that's strange. There's something peculiar here.
Speaker 2:
[11:39] Come away from that mummy, Stevenson.
Speaker 3:
[11:41] Kent! Stevenson! I insist that you both come out of there at once.
Speaker 4:
[11:44] But there's something here that I don't understand. There seems to be...
Speaker 5:
[11:49] Oh, God, Kent!
Speaker 4:
[11:50] Let me, let me...
Speaker 3:
[11:51] It's happened! He's choking! Kent, bring him out here! I'm trying to.
Speaker 2:
[11:55] Here.
Speaker 3:
[11:56] All right, Stevenson.
Speaker 2:
[11:57] Here, now just lean on me.
Speaker 3:
[11:58] Stevenson. Man, what happened?
Speaker 4:
[12:01] I looked, I looked, I looked at Kufra. Oh, he's dead!
Speaker 3:
[12:05] He's dead!
Speaker 2:
[12:06] It's not possible.
Speaker 3:
[12:07] The Shadow was right.
Speaker 2:
[12:08] Yes, gentlemen. Stevenson ignored my warning. This perished. This should convince all of you that there is a ruthless killer masked behind the Kufra-tep curse.
Speaker 3:
[12:28] Ladies and gentlemen, one warning from The Shadow strikes fear into the hearts of his adversaries. Yes, and just one skid is enough to put the fear of wet slippery roads into any motorist's heart.
Speaker 2:
[12:39] The Shadow knows the thousands of motorists who are killed or injured every year when slithering skids throw cars out of control would never risk the danger, grief, and expense of riding on unsafe tires if they had another chance.
Speaker 3:
[12:56] Motorists, I've already told you that the new Goodrich Silvertown tire will stop you quicker, safer on wet pavements than you've ever stopped before. But you don't have to take my word for it. Here are the facts. Exhaustive road tests of both regular and premium-priced tires of America's six largest tire manufacturers were made by the nation's largest independent testing laboratory, the Pittsburgh Testing Laboratory. And here's what they found. The new Goodrich Silvertown with Lifesaver Tread gave greater skid resistance than any other tire tested. Yes, and that included those tires listed at from 40 percent to 70 percent higher in price. The Goodrich Safety Silvertown gave more non-skid mileage than any other tire tested in its own price range, averaged 19.1 percent more miles before the tires were smooth. That's performance in any car owner's language. The kind of performance that spells safer, more economical driving for you. Remember, there's double protection in these life-saving Goodrich Silvertowns at no extra cost.
Speaker 2:
[14:10] Margot, where did you learn about Steedenson's death?
Speaker 6:
[14:12] Well, Lamont, the doctors officially called it influenza.
Speaker 2:
[14:15] What about the blood test?
Speaker 6:
[14:16] It was the same as the others. The white corpuscles had been destroyed.
Speaker 2:
[14:19] Just as I thought, that proves that Steedenson was murdered too and by the same instrument.
Speaker 6:
[14:22] But Lamont, what can that instrument be?
Speaker 2:
[14:24] It may be a serum, poison gas, I don't know. More important than the killing device is to find the killer's motive.
Speaker 6:
[14:30] You found out something, Lamont?
Speaker 2:
[14:31] Not exactly, but I saw a man at the museum about whom I should like to know more.
Speaker 6:
[14:34] Who is he?
Speaker 2:
[14:35] Aldous Kent, an assistant curator. I'm sure that he has more knowledge of this affair than he allows himself to show.
Speaker 6:
[14:40] Why do you suspect him?
Speaker 2:
[14:41] For several reasons. His apparent concern for Steedenson's safety was a bit overdone. For a scientist, he was surprisingly naive about the Kufratep curse, and most important, in spite of his outward fear, he followed Steedenson into the tomb. I'd like to know more about that man, Margo, and that's where you can help me.
Speaker 6:
[15:01] Yes, Lamont, but how?
Speaker 2:
[15:02] By visiting Kant as a newspaper woman. Interview him about his career. Find out whether he's interested in any branch of science other than archaeology. Well, Margo?
Speaker 6:
[15:26] I saw all of Ken.
Speaker 2:
[15:27] Yes?
Speaker 6:
[15:28] He hasn't always been an archaeologist, he worked at many things.
Speaker 2:
[15:31] For instance?
Speaker 6:
[15:31] Well, before he went to work for the museum, he was employed as an assistant by Dr. Faber, you know, the well-known biologist.
Speaker 2:
[15:37] Very interesting, Margo. I think that's all I'll have to know.
Speaker 6:
[15:41] Lamont, does that have any bearing on the murders?
Speaker 2:
[15:43] It may have everything to do with them. I'll be able to answer that question after The Shadow pays a call on Dr. Faber. Dr. Faber.
Speaker 3:
[16:00] What? Who is that?
Speaker 2:
[16:02] Don't be startled, Dr. Faber. Who are you? I am The Shadow.
Speaker 3:
[16:06] Are you in this room? I can't see you.
Speaker 2:
[16:08] I regret that I must remain in The Shadows.
Speaker 3:
[16:11] What do you want?
Speaker 2:
[16:12] I am seeking information.
Speaker 3:
[16:14] Well?
Speaker 2:
[16:15] I would like to have you tell me what you know of Aldous Kent.
Speaker 3:
[16:19] Aldous Kent?
Speaker 2:
[16:20] Well, he worked for me.
Speaker 3:
[16:21] He was my assistant for several years.
Speaker 2:
[16:23] Yes, I know that, Dr. Faber. What kind of a man was he?
Speaker 3:
[16:27] Very efficient laboratory man.
Speaker 2:
[16:28] Why did he leave your employ?
Speaker 3:
[16:31] Well, frankly, because he was dissatisfied.
Speaker 2:
[16:33] Kent was a very moody man.
Speaker 3:
[16:35] He felt that his work should be more fully recognized.
Speaker 2:
[16:38] What sort of work did he do?
Speaker 3:
[16:39] He was active in all the routine laboratory experiments.
Speaker 2:
[16:42] Can you recall what some of those experiments were?
Speaker 5:
[16:45] Well, let me see. Well, he made some really brilliant contributions to our work with the Rolken Ray.
Speaker 2:
[16:51] That's the X-ray, of course. Yes, I know. Exactly what were those experiments?
Speaker 3:
[16:56] We were varying the ray to determine its effect on animal life.
Speaker 2:
[16:59] What was that effect?
Speaker 3:
[17:00] Well, at one stage of the game, it was destructive.
Speaker 5:
[17:03] We developed a ray that was capable of destroying the white corpuscles in the blood of the laboratory animals.
Speaker 2:
[17:08] It's enormously interesting, Doctor. Tell me, does such a ray have the same effect on human beings? Oh, yes, yes, probably does. Thank you, Doctor Faber. You have given me the solution to the mystery of the Kufrata curse. I feel certain, Margo, that the machine of death is concealed somewhere within Kufratep's tomb.
Speaker 6:
[17:35] But why must you go there tonight?
Speaker 2:
[17:36] Because I can investigate without danger of interference, and there's no time to be lost.
Speaker 6:
[17:40] Can't you confront Kent with the information you already have?
Speaker 2:
[17:42] No, Kent's a clever man. I give him time to destroy the evidence, and we could pin nothing on him.
Speaker 6:
[17:47] Yes, I see.
Speaker 2:
[17:48] If I can uncover the deadly ray and positively identify Kent with it, he can be tricked into capture.
Speaker 6:
[17:54] Here's the museum.
Speaker 2:
[17:55] I'm going to turn in this driveway. It's a precaution. I'll switch off the headlights.
Speaker 6:
[18:00] Lamont, I hate to have you going into that tomb alone. It's an eerie looking place.
Speaker 2:
[18:05] No, nothing will happen to me.
Speaker 6:
[18:06] Yes, that's what the others thought.
Speaker 2:
[18:08] The others weren't aware of the real dangers. I am. Hand me the flashlight, Margo.
Speaker 6:
[18:12] Here you are.
Speaker 2:
[18:12] Thank you.
Speaker 6:
[18:14] Wait. What's that over there among the trees?
Speaker 2:
[18:16] It appears to be someone carrying a lantern.
Speaker 6:
[18:18] He's approaching the tomb. Lamont, who can it be?
Speaker 4:
[18:21] Wait.
Speaker 2:
[18:22] I think I recognize him.
Speaker 6:
[18:24] Yes.
Speaker 2:
[18:25] The old watchman.
Speaker 6:
[18:26] Oh. Shall you wait now until he goes?
Speaker 2:
[18:29] I'm not sure that he's going. He seems to be entering the tomb.
Speaker 6:
[18:33] Lamont. Isn't it strange, after all that's happened, that he should dare to enter there alone?
Speaker 2:
[18:38] Very strange. And I'm going to find out why. I don't need this flashlight, Margo.
Speaker 6:
[18:43] What are you going to do?
Speaker 2:
[18:44] It is the shadow who will enter that tomb for a little conversation with the old watchman.
Speaker 6:
[18:48] Shall I wait for him?
Speaker 2:
[18:49] No. Take the car and return home. Stand by for the shortwave wireless. I may need your help in communicating a message of vital importance.
Speaker 5:
[19:07] Good evening, Your Imperial Majesty. I have come again to see that you are everything well. Your work is nearly done. Only one more, one more to gaze into your eyes. Then, then the vengeance is complete.
Speaker 2:
[19:27] You have served me well.
Speaker 5:
[19:30] Who speaks?
Speaker 2:
[19:31] Who indeed would speak within the resting place of the king.
Speaker 5:
[19:35] Are you, are you the...
Speaker 2:
[19:37] Yes, it is I, Khufra Tep, Pharaoh of Egypt.
Speaker 5:
[19:43] Oh, Your Majesty.
Speaker 2:
[19:46] Rise up. You need not kneel in my presence.
Speaker 5:
[19:51] Yes, yes, Your Highness.
Speaker 2:
[19:53] Do not tremble. You have nothing to fear.
Speaker 5:
[19:57] You are not angry?
Speaker 2:
[19:58] Angry. Why should I be angry toward one who serves my interests? I have come to reward you.
Speaker 5:
[20:06] To reward me?
Speaker 2:
[20:08] Yes, but first I must have an accounting.
Speaker 5:
[20:13] Well, what do you mean?
Speaker 2:
[20:15] You must tell me how you brought death to the defilers of my tomb, by the curse which bears my name.
Speaker 5:
[20:22] Oh, the credit is not mine, Your Majesty.
Speaker 2:
[20:26] Whose then?
Speaker 5:
[20:28] Aldous Kent.
Speaker 2:
[20:29] Aldous Kent? Why should he concern himself with me?
Speaker 5:
[20:34] It is not your vengeance alone that he seeks, but his own as well, and mine. Kent is a great man, but no one will recognize him. They keep him slaving in the museum, day after day, doing all the real work. There will some others get the glory, just as they did to me. Now he's evening his score. Hale, Avery, Johnson, Stevenson, all those have paid for their stolen fame. But one more must die. Hawkins, and then Kent will achieve the position that is rightfully his.
Speaker 2:
[21:18] Do you know how Kent destroyed those men?
Speaker 5:
[21:21] Of course. I helped him, Your Majesty. It was clever, so clever. They all scoffed at the legend of your curse, but it was really you who killed them. I killed them? Well, no one would dream that within your mummy there lies concealed the generator of the ray.
Speaker 2:
[21:43] What ray?
Speaker 5:
[21:44] The ray that shines from your eyes and destroys all who look upon you.
Speaker 2:
[21:49] Show me how this is done.
Speaker 5:
[21:51] No, it's so easy, Your Majesty. Here. Hidden here in the wall is a switch, you see. It is thrown like this. Then whoever approaches the mummy case, as I'm doing, then lifts the lid so, and gazes into your eyes. The gleam of death shines upon them. What have I done? I didn't mean to look.
Speaker 6:
[22:30] I, I couldn't have.
Speaker 5:
[22:32] Save me.
Speaker 6:
[22:34] Save you.
Speaker 2:
[22:35] I cannot save you. Your own evil knowledge has destroyed you. But by your death, you have pointed the way to all the scant's undoing. Margot Lane, calling Margot Lane, calling Margot Lane. Communicate with Rafferty, the director of the museum, at once. Tell him to arrange the public opening of the tomb tomorrow as planned. Be sure that both Kent and Hawkins will be there. This is important, Margot. Tell Rafferty that he must follow my directions implicitly.
Speaker 4:
[23:13] A man's life is at stake.
Speaker 3:
[23:21] Before admitting to the public, I have invited you, gentlemen of the press, to gather here to dispel once and for all this nonsense about the legend of the Cooper Tep curse.
Speaker 4:
[23:30] Well, just how do you propose to do that?
Speaker 3:
[23:32] Well, Mr. Burke, as you know, the tradition is that everyone who looks at the face of the mummy dies.
Speaker 4:
[23:37] Sure, sure, I know that.
Speaker 3:
[23:38] And this is Mr. Hawkins, gentlemen. He is the sole survivor of the Cooper Tep expedition.
Speaker 4:
[23:43] Yeah, we know Hawkins.
Speaker 3:
[23:45] He has volunteered to show you that there is no truth in the stories that your newspapers have played in the national prominence.
Speaker 4:
[23:50] What's he gonna do?
Speaker 3:
[23:52] The mummy case will be opened in your presence, and Mr. Hawkins will personally gaze on Cooper Tep. Now, this ought to be good. Are you ready, Mr. Hawkins?
Speaker 5:
[24:01] Well, I... Very well, you may proceed. So, Mr. Rafferty, I... Well, I...
Speaker 3:
[24:07] Go ahead, Hawkins.
Speaker 5:
[24:08] Mr. Rafferty, I... I can't. I changed my mind. What?
Speaker 3:
[24:13] But Mr. Hawkins, do you realize what this means?
Speaker 4:
[24:16] Yes, Hawkins, you must go through with it.
Speaker 5:
[24:18] I'm afraid not, Kent.
Speaker 1:
[24:20] I...
Speaker 5:
[24:20] I've lost my nerve.
Speaker 4:
[24:21] The prestige of the museum is at stake.
Speaker 5:
[24:23] Well, you seem to have changed your attitude, Kent.
Speaker 4:
[24:25] Well, I...
Speaker 3:
[24:26] I disapproved at this plan at the beginning, but as long as you've gone this far, I think you should carry it out.
Speaker 4:
[24:31] Well, Kent is right. Well, I...
Speaker 5:
[24:33] I'm sorry, but... Well, when I think of the others, what happened to them? Seeing them die, I just can't...
Speaker 3:
[24:40] Well, boys, looks like the show's over.
Speaker 4:
[24:42] Let's go.
Speaker 2:
[24:43] Wait, gentlemen, don't leave. Now, Mr. Hawkins, if I volunteer to look on the mummy's face first, will you follow me?
Speaker 4:
[24:48] Well, I...
Speaker 3:
[24:49] Is that certainly fair enough, Hawkins?
Speaker 4:
[24:51] Very well.
Speaker 2:
[24:52] Have I your permission to open the mummy case, Mr. Rafferty?
Speaker 3:
[24:54] Yes, you have.
Speaker 2:
[24:55] You're very brave, Mr. Kent.
Speaker 4:
[24:57] Who's that?
Speaker 2:
[24:58] It's The Shadow.
Speaker 4:
[24:59] The Shadow? Boy, what a yarn this is going to be.
Speaker 3:
[25:02] Shadow? Why are you here?
Speaker 2:
[25:04] I anticipated your performance, Mr. Kent, and I came to see that it was carried out properly.
Speaker 3:
[25:09] What do you mean by that?
Speaker 2:
[25:10] Before you proceed, I suggest that somebody throw the switch, concealed in the carving on the wall.
Speaker 3:
[25:15] I don't know what you're talking about.
Speaker 2:
[25:16] You do know, Mr. Kent. I want your demonstration to duplicate Hales, Stephensons and the others. The switch was thrown in. Oh, this is absurd.
Speaker 3:
[25:26] Here it is.
Speaker 4:
[25:27] I found the switch.
Speaker 2:
[25:28] Please turn it on, Mr. Rafferty.
Speaker 4:
[25:30] There you are.
Speaker 3:
[25:32] It's on.
Speaker 2:
[25:32] Good. Now you may continue your little performance, Mr. Kent. This whole thing is ridiculous.
Speaker 3:
[25:38] I refuse to be made a fool of.
Speaker 2:
[25:39] Are you trying to back out, Kent?
Speaker 4:
[25:41] I will not continue under these conditions.
Speaker 2:
[25:42] I thought you wouldn't. You know that to look on the mummy's face when the switch is on would mean death.
Speaker 3:
[25:47] That is not true.
Speaker 4:
[25:48] But it is.
Speaker 2:
[25:49] No one should know better than you. Concealed within that mummy is a murderous ray.
Speaker 4:
[25:57] That's a lie, there is no ray. Because I... I... Oh no, no! Come on, Kent, I won't, I won't.
Speaker 2:
[26:08] Let go of me, I said, let go! Yeah, let go.
Speaker 4:
[26:11] I won't look, I won't look! No, no, I didn't.
Speaker 2:
[26:26] I killed them, I confess. I killed them with dogs.
Speaker 3:
[26:28] Dogs make me look like...
Speaker 2:
[26:34] He's dead. Then it's true.
Speaker 3:
[26:37] There is a ray.
Speaker 2:
[26:38] Not any longer, gentlemen. I removed the machinery that generated that ray. All that you have just seen was carefully staged to trap Aldous Kent. He is dead. He died of fear. Fear of the thing which he himself created. You have all witnessed the end of the curse of Kufratep. A curse which fell justly on the true desecrator of the tomb.
Speaker 3:
[27:11] You have been listening to a dramatized version of one of the many copyrighted stories which appear in The Shadow magazine, now on sale at your local newsstand.
Speaker 2:
[27:39] The shadow knows.
Speaker 3:
[27:49] All the characters and all the places named are fictitious, and a similarity to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.