Transcontinental Terror 2025 #2: The Shadow: The Three Ghosts

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The following audio drama is rated PG for parental guidance recommended. The following audio drama is rated PG for parental guidance. Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The shadow knows. The Shadow, the man of mystery who strikes terror in the very souls of evildoers, the lawbreakers and criminals.

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Seven. No, Arthur, don't. Please. Night. This is the hour, my dear. I can't stand it. I tell you. Always at nine o'clock it comes, but if I hear this horrible thing one more time, I just, I just, I know I'm going to go crazy. Oh, this is just an awful house. But it's quiet, my dear. Way out in the country like this.

I can install my laboratory here as soon as I get around to it. As for these strange sounds you insist you keep hearing, well, haunted houses have always fascinated me. I always wanted to meet a ghost, shake hands with him, invite him to tea. No, stop talking like that. I'm serious. Please, I've tried to stand it for your sake, Arthur. I don't know how much longer. My heart isn't strong and I just can't.

Do you hear it? That's only the wind, isn't it? No, no. It always starts like that. You know it does. Wait. Don't move. What? Listen. I think he's coming back. It's coming. Well, we'll see. I'll meet him this time. I'll meet him halfway. Stop! Just stop! Well, come. We'll both meet him. Give me your hand. No! It stopped. Can't you hear me? Goodness me! Has the shark killed her? No, her heart still beats. She's only fainted again. Just passed out.

Turn here, Lamont. It's that house up on the hill. The big one with the overgrown trees. The one that looks like it's been staring at us for miles. What's the reason for this late-night visit, Margot? It's Caroline Sneed. I'm worried about her. When I saw her last week in town... Lamont, she looked terrible. She used to be so lively, but now...

I don't know. There was something dead in her eyes. Perhaps married life may not agree with her. I mean, she was single for nearly 40 years, wasn't she? It's more than that. Caroline's a wealthy woman. She didn't need to marry anyone. And yet, she rushed into this marriage with a man nobody knows anything about. That doesn't sit right with me. Yes, but right now I'm not the shadow, remember? I'm your patient chauffeur, darling.

That monk we visited sensed a need for a rest from my famous mystery man. My last adventure took a lot out of me, you know. Yes, well, I've been keeping an eye on you. But something's wrong here, Lamont. Caroline met this man, this Professor Sneed, six months ago. He swept her off her feet, but I've only met him once. A marriage problem is hardly...

Matter for... Well, nobody knows anything about this man she married. He met Caroline in some accidental manner at the county fair. I don't like his looks. Something sinister, I gather. Sinister mustache or shifty eyes, hence the shadow idea? Well, frankly, yes. He does look like that. Well, who is he, anyway? Professor Sneed has a small office in town where he's supposed to be working on inventions or something. Well, here we are. You're usually pretty level-headed, Margo.

Don't let your aversion to this man you're seeing be too apparent. Dreary place, isn't it? Feels like it's been abandoned for years. I don't see any bell. I guess you're supposed to use the knocker. Here he comes. Who is... It's you, Miss Ling. Yes. Good evening, Professor Sneed. I hope we aren't too late. Too late? Too late for what? I...

I told Caroline we'd drop in just to say hello. She didn't tell me. Caroline isn't feeling well at the moment. I'm sorry. Good night. Oh, but please. I only want to see her for a moment. That is, unless it's something really serious. It isn't as serious as she pretends to think it is, but, well, come on. Thank you. This is my... friend. Lamont Cranston. Friend now, eh? Come on in. I'm very happy to see Mr. Cranston. I've heard a lot about him. How do you do? You say Caroline is ill.

She didn't mention it when I last spoke to her. Well, it came on suddenly. She's been in a nervous condition lately, but it's mostly imaginary. I made her go to bed. Well, would it be all right if I saw her for a few? Well, I suppose so. Go on up, if you like. Well, thanks. I'll only be a few minutes, Lamont. What seems to be the trouble with your wife, Professor Sneed? She's run down, I guess. Just constantly nervous. She, uh...

She has some absurd notion that this place is haunted. Haunted? It's only the wind, of course. Creaking of an old house. The ghosts. She keeps talking about ghosts, and I... Can't persuade her that there are no such things. Of course, all houses have a habit of getting themselves haunted, Professor. As for myself, I'm not so sure there aren't such things as ghosts. Surely, Mr. Cranston.

Hmm. Oh, not the conventional sort, perhaps, but I mean people's spirits, their souls, whatever you want to call them, haunting the places where they've been unhappy. Very interesting, I'm sure, but a lot of tosh. I put no stock in it. No. I'm just noticing the rather rare book on the table, Professor. Neuroses of Death. What? If you're interested in that, well, I'm sure you must be interested in ghosts. I understand its morbid analysis of the factors of violent death are quite interesting.

What do you know about it? Oh, I get into all sorts of things, Professor. That's the truth. Professor Sneed? Yes, Miss Lane? Can Averline want her sedative? Yes, yes, I'll... Go up and give it to her. Did you find her comfortable on this leg? Yes, but more nervous than anything else. Well, excuse me just a moment, won't you? Lamont.

There's something wrong here. I was afraid there was. I don't know what it is, but it's something terrible. What's the matter with Caroline? She hardly recognized me. And she talks like... Someone in a trance, as though she were in the grip of some deadly fear. When I suggested sending the doctor over, she shook her head, but I'm going to just the same. I can't help feeling it's that man.

Her husband. He isn't very pleasant, is he? His skin has an odd pallor like a man who spent some time in prison. Many traits in his behavior that interest me as a psychologist. Remarkable man. You don't know what he... I don't know, but I think... I think we'll investigate this more or less formally. Margot, I'll visit the professor tomorrow, his office in town. If there are ghosts involved here, perhaps the shadow can bring them to light.

Yes, Caroline. Don't worry, my dear. I'll leave the office here at 5 and I'll be home before 6. Yes, I understand. Goodbye, dear. Who is it? Is that you, Miss White? Who's that opening that door? Don't get up, Professor. I'll close it after me. What? I thought I might find you in. Who said that? Who are you? Your conscience speaking, Professor. Or have you a conscience? I'll show you what I've got. Don't excite yourself.

I'm only a voice. A voice they call a professor. Have you ever heard of the Shadow? The Shadow? Yes. You seem to have heard of me. What do you want? I've come to warn you, Sneed. Warn me? Warn me about what? I know what you're doing. What? Yes. And I know how it's going to end. The end. is death. Death? I have something here. I'll toss it in your lap. There. You hear it? Why, you get out of here, I tell you! See it? Look.

It's half of the ace of spades. When you find the other half of the ace of spades, that will be the end. Get out of here. Leave me alone. All right, Sneed. I'll go. But don't forget.

The shadow knows. Trying to frighten me with his tricks. Well, coming back, are you? Oh, it's you, Miss White. There are two gentlemen here to see you, Professor Sneed. Two gentlemen I'm not expecting. Oh, guess you may remember us, Professor Sneed. Yeah, an old friend, Spike Collins and Mr. Wilson. Yes, of course. Please take those circulars on your desk, Ms. White, and nail them at the post office right away. Yes, sir. Lock the door, Mr. Wilson. What are you staring at, Sneed?

We ain't ghosts. I thought you two were doing a stretch of Leavenworth. Yeah, well, we were, but no thanks to you, we found a getaway. And now, we come to see an old pal. Now listen, Spike, I'd help you if I could. We've been watching you, and we know your game. We ain't got no time to stall, so that dame you married, she's got plenty of...

I don't know what you're driving at. Oh, yeah, yeah. You'll know if we squawk about that thing you married out in Idaho that croaked without anybody knowing what was the matter with it. Well, cards on the table, Sneed. So this one signed all of her money over to you, yeah? Yes, well, she, uh, fixed her will in my favor. Oh, now, now. Step back, Mr. Wilson. I got this. Well, uh...

Well, what are we going to do to get it, Sneed? Well, she has a weak heart, and I am making ghosts and scaring her to death. Don't roll your eyes at him, Mr. Wilson. He's being creative. Playing ghosts again, huh? Well, listen. That's too slow, Sneed. I got a better scheme. We break into the house, we stage a burglary, see? And in the scuffle, the old dame gets shot dead. It's quick. Oh, no, no, you can't do that. No? Well, you'll see.

Spike Collins. Spike Collins. Wake up, Spike Collins. Who's that? Just a voice, Collins. The voice of your own thoughts. Coming to warn you. No one but you can hear me. Your friend Sneed is going to double-cross you tonight. Sneed is going to double-cross you. It's your move. Be there to prevent him. Be there in time. Six o'clock. Be there. The Shadow will return in just a few moments.

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comfortable in that chair, Caroline? Yes. Thank you, Margot Dira. And I do appreciate you coming out here and staying with me. Glad to do it. But it's six o'clock. your husband ought to be coming home pretty soon shouldn't he well he phoned just before you got here and he said he was starting he seemed very agitated oh he's a strange unaccountable man sometimes

There are things about him I don't seem to understand. Yes, I know, dear. He has the car, I suppose. Yes, he's driving. He's probably on his way now. I've got to think. I've got to think of something. I know, we leave town. We'll just disappear and... You're driving rather recklessly, Sneed. You again! I'm going to haunt you. Try to forget that I'm here in the rear seat if it annoys you. No, don't look under the seat. Or behind you. After all...

You're driving pretty fast. If I could only see you, get my hands on you. I'd show you how much it annoys me. Shut up! I'm the voice of your conscience, Snead. Perhaps you have a conscience after all. I could choke that voice down your throat without any trouble to my conscience. If you only had the power of second sight, you could... see me. That's an invaluable gift, Snead, being able to see things that other men can't. Some people call it mental telepathy, some by other names. Remember,

I can see the pictures you make in your mind. I told you about that. You can warn all you like. That's not evidence. Not in court. A lot of wild guesses that don't mean a thing. Well, doesn't it frighten you a little, Sneed? I simply will you not to see me, and you don't. Careful about that truck coming at you down the road. Better sound your horn.

Fool's taking up the whole road. The whole road! Look out! But it's gone. There wasn't any truck. No. I willed you to see it. And you saw it. No truck at all. Just... Hypnotism. That's the way to dispel hallucinations. Drive straight through them. Devil! We're near your house on this old mill road. It's tricky. Look, Sneed.

There's a man in the road ahead of you. There is, huh? Really? Why, it looks like one of your two pals that called on you today. I knew he would be here. Really? Yes, don't look for me. You keep driving over again if you don't watch out. Nor of your hallucinations. You think that'll leave you again, don't you? Well, I won't. Look out! This time it was no hallucination. He was in front of you.

Help you, mister? Yes, I'll take one. Here you are, sir. What's it about, Lamont? Spike Collins found dead on Old Mill Road? That's up by the Sneed's place. Yes, yes. I believe it is. A notorious criminal struck by an automobile and killed. Well, he was certainly struck by an automobile. I wonder if Sneed knew anything about it. He acted very strange when he got home. Strange?

He was pale and shaking, hardly seemed to know I was there. He told Caroline he'd had a message from out of town and they had to pack and leave. Did he say when? They thought they could get the trucks and things ready by this afternoon sometime. You're not going to let Caroline go with him tomorrow. Not if I can help it. Let's see. It's a little after nine. I imagine Commissioner Weston is rather startled by the morning's news. I think I'll have a word with Commissioner Weston.

and I'm sending Colin's body into the morgue. And you went out there this morning and checked all the details, Officer Zito? Yes, I did, and whatever hit him, certainly smashed him up good. His face was all out of shape, but I couldn't recognize him. We found these in his pocket. Well, let's see what we got. A letter from his girl on the west, looks like. Insurance policy. Library card of Ludenworth Penitentiary.

And this ring, sir. That calls all his war with the figure eight on it. Oh, yes. Well, that's a good job, officer. Whoever did it, tag that stuff. Then file it, and let me know when a meat wagon comes. Yes, sir. Police Department, Commissioner Weston speaking. Good morning, Commissioner. This is your good friend, the Shadow. Oh, yeah? But what places do you want? To be of a little assistance, as usual. Yes, I see. I'm getting rather tired of rigmarole.

Though how he knows, things happen when you phone. And what's the assistance today? Why didn't you investigate the ghost that haunts Sneed House Commissioner on the Old Mill Road? Well, you messed that one up, Mr. Shadow. I don't put much thought in ghosts. But we went out there and checked up. Search the house. That's all that is. No? Go again today, Commissioner. And this time, you'll get your evidence.

Is that the last trunk, Arthur? Yes, sir. The express man won't be here until four. Another hour yet. Why don't you go up and lie down for a while, Caroline? Yes, I will try to sleep a little now. It's daylight. You told the milkman we wanted to pay him for the month. He can come to the back. Must be him now at the back door. Oh! Get back! What's the matter, Sneed? Feel like you're seeing a ghost? Stop. Don't come near me. You... You... Oh, snap out of it, will you? Spike Collins.

You're alive. It wasn't me you hit with that car last night on the back road. I guess you wish you'd had been. Well, who was it? That was Mr. Wilson. Fool got half pickled, trying to get up the nerve for a job. Staggered out onto the road before I could stop him, and wham, it was all over. Wilson. Yeah, that was my chance, see? Him and me, about the same size. His face and his hands all smashed flat.

I put my stuff in his pockets, my ring on what was left of his finger, and there I was, dead. And all that time, you was giving me the double cross. Maybe I am a ghost, and I can deal with you now. Sneed. I can't sleep. Who's down there Arthur? Just a minute Caroline. No listen Spike.

There's only one way to see this thing through. You and I have got to stick together. The shadow is after us both. We've got to get out together, away from this. Ah, don't tell you anymore about this shadow. You see this gun? I'm here on business, and I'm going through with it. Put the old lady out of her misery. What's that? There, on the table. Uh, nothing but a torn playing card, you know? Yeah, it's a spade, or half of it anyway. You've got to stop it, Spike. You've got to stop. Stop what?

What's the matter? Who's this man? Caroline, this is a friend of mine. Friend? Yeah, sure. A friend. With a pistol? I don't understand. It's just my way of doing business, lady. Your husband here does it differently. You know, scaring you to death, ain't he? Making you think the place was haunted. That's how he normally does it. Stop it, Spock. What does your friend mean? He used to be an electrician, see? He rigs up an electrical sound box and some speakers with a remote control switch.

Usually puts the switch over here by doors. Ah, here it is. What's it all about, Arthur? The Ace of Spades. The End. Death. Yeah, yeah, you gotta switch. You hear the ghost and all you have to do is turn the knob. Yeah, that's the way it works, lady. I hear it. I say I hear the ghost. Turn that thing off, you idiot. I didn't turn it on. You haven't? What is making those sounds?

I am. It's him. He's come. The Shadow. I'm coming up these cellar stairs. I will enter and stand beside you. Where is he? Stand back or I'll shoot! When I enter, I will touch one of you on the shoulder. Stop it! Stop him! And that one will die. The ghost is real. It's the cops. Come here, Snead. What have I done? Don't shoot, Spike. Come here, I see you play, calling the cops.

Not like this. Don't touch me. The jig is up. We have pulled it off. I'm just going to give you a life, you double-crossing skunk. You killed him. Secure all... Lies. This was all lies. I trusted him. Don't even. My gun. Who? Grab him. Collins? How? Who died over here with that thing? Collins? Whoever it was, I didn't do it. Who is that? Where are you? Don't be alarmed. I'm here behind you.

In the shadows. No need to search for him, Caroline. The shadow is always closer than you think. Boyko! Arthur is dead! What is happening? I've been watching, waiting for the right moment. Arthur's secrets are far darker than you realize, Caroline. Oh. I see it now. He was the ghost wanting to kill me. But it's over. Oh, so you're here, Shadow. Maybe you know who got killed here last night.

The man killed last night, Commissioner, is a ghost. Oh, yeah? Yes. There are now two ghosts in this little adventure. Mr. Collins will probably make the third. You really should believe in ghosts. And in shadows. And sometimes, Commissioner, the dead have more to say than the living. Indeed.

before today's adventure with The Shadow, The Three Ghosts, comes to a close, John Barclay, one of Blue Coal's own heating experts, he's here to give us another of his practical talks. on automatic heating. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Barclay. Good evening, friends. It's these weekly talks of mine. I've shown you the importance of having the temperature of your home properly controlled with a blue coal automatic heat regulator.

That is in terms of health and convenience. Now tonight, I'm going to give... Oh! You shot Mr. Barkley! Yes! And now I've mixed three ghosts in another adventure, Margo. And to everyone from us, a happy Halloween. I'm John Barkley, one of Blue Cold's recently deceased eating experts. Thanking you for listening tonight, and watch out for a quite dangerous man of mystery, the Shadow... ladies and gentlemen who says the weed of crime bears bitter fruit crime does not pay the shadow knows