In this thrilling episode, we delve into a mysterious case involving two eccentric sisters, Amy and Prudence Edwards, who hire Crash Carson to dig a grave-sized hole in their backyard. The sisters plan to bury a tin trunk filled with their treasures, intending to leave a conundrum for their heirs to solve after their passing. However, the situation takes a dark turn when Carson receives a mysterious phone call urging him to return to the sisters' home, only to discover a body buried in the same spot, leading to a complex investigation by Inspector Bottomley of Scotland Yard.
The plot thickens as Carson and Inspector Bottomley uncover a web of deceit involving a cursed silver chalice, a stolen parchment, and a murder that implicates the sisters. The investigation reveals that the chalice, believed to be cursed, is filled with precious stones worth a fortune, hidden under layers of lead. The true culprit, the church verger Mr. Leith, is unmasked, having orchestrated the murder to frame the sisters and steal the chalice. This episode is a gripping tale of greed, betrayal, and the lengths people will go to for hidden treasures.
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[00:00:02]
Unknown:
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[00:00:31] Unknown:
It is that digging a hole is so important, Prudence. Measurements are eight feet by four feet by six feet deep. What is important is that we have a trustworthy worker who will keep its whereabouts secret. It's the same size as a grave. So we can't just employ any old labourer for the job. And we certainly can't trust the local grave digger. In which case, I suggest that we secure the services of a man from this organisation at 33
[00:00:59] Unknown:
Half Moon Street. Or be mason at your service. At assignments unlimited, we do anything anywhere at any time. 33
[00:01:08] Unknown:
Half Moon Street.
[00:01:26] Unknown:
The curse of the silver chalice. The resignation was made by phone for an address in Stepney by a voice that I took to be that of a middle aged spinster. Don't ask me why. It just sounded that way. A request for a man in good physical shape who would be relied upon to keep his mouth shut. Having made it clear that we would accept no work of an unlawful nature and having been assured that this task was quite above board, I summoned Crashed Carson into the office, briefed him, and dispatched him to Stepney. I've been more perspicacious than I thought.
18 Amalia Street, Stepney was the home of two middle aged spinsters, the Edwards sisters, Amy and Prudence. Over tea and tennis biscuits, they explained to Carson exactly what they wanted.
[00:02:13] Unknown:
You must dig a hole in our our back garden, Mr Carson. More tea. It's a rather big hole, eight feet by four feet by six feet deep. You had two sugars before, didn't you? I suppose it could be three feet wide. Then it wouldn't be the same size as a grave. It doesn't have to be the same size, does it? No. I suppose not. Why do they have graves four feet wide, mister Castle?
[00:02:38] Unknown:
Search me, ma'am. Maybe three feet is a yard and four feet is a graveyard.
[00:02:44] Unknown:
Oh, I see. That was meant to be a joke, Prudence, was it? Oh, I'm terribly sorry. My sense of humor is appalling.
[00:02:54] Unknown:
Another tennis biscuit, mister Carson? Not right now, miss Edwards.
[00:02:58] Unknown:
Tell me something. What do you want this whole dug for? Because we can't do it ourselves. That's not what mister Carson means, Prudence. I hinted at great secrecy when spoke to Mr Mason and he assured me that you are his most reliable worker. Good for him. Prudence and I never got married, you see, and our only relatives are a few nephews, nieces and cousins, most of whom we've never even seen. I'm afraid we're a bit old fashioned from modern company. However, it occurred to us that sometime in the future we shall be called to our day of reckoning, and the problem will arise.
What to do with all our possessions.'
[00:03:37] Unknown:
'Look how most people make out a will.' oh, we thought of that ourselves.'
[00:03:41] Unknown:
the trouble with the will is that we don't know half of our relatives whether they're rich or poor, good or bad, so we hit upon this scheme to award our, treasure to the one who is cleverest. When the time comes, our heirs will indulge in a treasure hunt. Treasure hunt? Oh, it'll be terrific fun to watch? After you've,
[00:04:05] Unknown:
passed on.
[00:04:06] Unknown:
That's one for Ripley. Prudence always gets carried away. You see, mister Carson, we have all our precious possessions locked away in a tin trunk. We want you to bury that trunk in the yard. A clue to its whereabouts will be left with our lawyers in the form of a conundrum. After we're gone, the first one to find the treasure will be legally entitled to its naughty, Mr Coss. No thanks, ma'am.
[00:04:32] Unknown:
So all you want me to do is to bury a trunk in your yard? In a hole the shape of a grave.
[00:04:38] Unknown:
It's part of one of the clues that the hole will be that shape. Of course, you realize that you'll be the only living person, apart from ourselves, who will know where the the trunk is buried. That's why we ask for complete secrecy.
[00:04:53] Unknown:
Will you do it, mister Carson? Sure, ma'am. That's what I'm paid for. Say, this, treasure, is it very valuable? Extremely so. Worth a fortune. Is it gonna be safe buried in your backyard?
[00:05:06] Unknown:
Only you know the secret, and you won't tell him? That's some responsibility.
[00:05:12] Unknown:
Okay. I'll do it. But now I know what the gravedigger felt like who buried Ptolemy in his Egyptian sarcophagus.
[00:05:19] Unknown:
I don't think you'll ever know that, mister Carson. How come? If I remember my Egyptology, in those days, the gravedigger was buried with the king.
[00:05:32] Unknown:
I got to work on the digging and at last, after liberal intervals of tea and tennis biscuits, I had it finished. Aubrey Mason had made the fee high, but that didn't seem to bother those two pixelated old ladies. They paid by check, and I returned to my apartment in Shaftesbury Avenue. At 09:30PM, my cuckoo poked his head out the clock door for a solitary peep, and then the phone rang. Crash Carson.
[00:06:04] Unknown:
Good evening, mister Carson. Sorry to ring you at this late hour, but I had an urgent request to get hold of you from Amy and Prudence Edwards. You did a job for them today. Yeah. That's right. What can I do for you? Their telephone isn't working for some reason, and they want to contact you urgently. I was passing by their home, and they asked me if I'd give you a ring. And what's it all about? I haven't any idea, but I suppose it must be the hole you dug for them. Can you run over there this evening? He seemed most anxious. In that case, I'd better get over there, haven't I? They'll be very grateful.
[00:06:41] Unknown:
Goodbye. Hey, just a minute. Who are hung up. Now, what do you suppose they want at this time of night? Okay. I'd better go. I went to the house in Stepney. It was was in darkness. I got no reply to my repeated knocking. I began to get needled figuring that maybe it was a joke in poor taste when I remembered what that bird had said on the phone. It must be the hole you dug. Some secret if a perfect stranger knew all about it. That's when I decided to climb over the wall and take a look at the hole I dug. And I guess that's just what my mysterious caller had intended I do. You see, I temped down the loose earth and left the surface even with the rest of the yard.
It was supposed to be secret. Remember? But someone had been digging there again. And this time the earth was thrown back to form a along the trench. Now it really looked like a grave. In fact, it was intended to look like a grave because erected at one end of it was a marble tombstone.
[00:08:08] Unknown:
I'll, have a search warrant along here anytime now, Carson. If my men do find anything in that hole, we'll break into the house. I might have got you out on a wild goose chase, Inspector.
[00:08:19] Unknown:
Those two old dames are real pixelated.
[00:08:21] Unknown:
You did right in calling me at the yard.
[00:08:24] Unknown:
There must be some reason for that anonymous phone call. Unless the whole thing is some sick gag, in which case some wise guy must be busting his ribs right now, getting the murder squad out in the middle of the night. I treat it as an operational excite. Inspector, we we found something, inspector.
[00:08:39] Unknown:
A tin trunk? No. Nothing as odd as that. You better come quick, sir. Come on, Carson. Okay.
[00:08:46] Unknown:
Snake's alive. A body. Now lift him out and lay him under a tree. Preston, now get down to the local call box and ring doctor Green. Tell him about the body and say we suspect foul play. And can he get down here as fast as he can? Right away, sir. Oh, he wants to arrive by the way, sir. Oh, thank you.
[00:09:13] Unknown:
Ever seen him before, Carson? Complete stranger to me. Well, it shouldn't be hard to identify.
[00:09:18] Unknown:
Look at his color. The man's a cleric,
[00:09:21] Unknown:
A dead person in the backyard, and the grave was made to fit. I've been played for a sucker. Those two old names really had me on. Perhaps.
[00:09:32] Unknown:
But you weren't the only accomplice. He's been battered to death, and that couldn't have been achieved by two aging spinsters. This was no innocent accomplice who helped out here. I don't get it, inspector.
[00:09:44] Unknown:
If they've got a muscle man to knock off the local parson, why get me along the diggy's grave? And what happened to that tin trunk? They couldn't have lifted that out without help. I don't suppose you looked inside the trunk, did you? The idea did occur to me, but it was locked with an iron flatlock.
[00:10:00] Unknown:
And the missus Edwards have been ferreted. Betrayed. Your mysterious caller knew all about this grave. He meant you to discover it. Then that lets him out as the murderer. I suppose so. The immediate question to be answered is, where are the two missus Edwards? Edwards? We might find the answer to that inside the house. If they are inside, they must know their presence here by now. But the place is still as silent as a tomb. Look. You've got a warrant. Let's break in. Are you sure you want to come? If they are in there and they're guilty, they
[00:10:33] Unknown:
guilty, they might not bother to stop at one murder. Inspector, we've been friends for a long time. Wild horses couldn't keep me away from that house. Believe me, if anyone feels like committing murder at this moment, it's me.
[00:10:47] Unknown:
Armed with his search warrant, inspector Bottomley snapped the lock on the kitchen door and went inside with Carson. It was an old ramshackle house of four rooms up and four down, but not one of the rooms was fitted out as a bedroom and there was no sign of the Edwards sisters. The two men had given up hope when Carson spotted a small door leading on from a bookcase in what went for a study on the Ground Floor.
[00:11:23] Unknown:
Now there's a door here. Where does this lead? Is it open? Yeah. Hey. Steps leading down to a cellar. Come on.
[00:11:39] Unknown:
It's It's them.
[00:11:40] Unknown:
What are you doing here? Oh, mister Carr, some day you break into our bedroom. He's come to rob us with their other men. That other man is Inspector Bottomley of the murder squad, New Scotland Yard. Murder squad? I don't believe him here. I have my card, man. I must ask you to answer a few questions. What on earth is all this about? We've just dug up a corpse in your backyard.
[00:12:01] Unknown:
Now let me handle this, sir Carton. Would you ladies mind telling me why you choose a cellar for your bedroom when you have a whole house to yourselves?
[00:12:10] Unknown:
We've always slept in the cellar. We feel safer this way. We come down here at 08:00 every night, never receive visitors after dark. How did you get into the house? We broke in. It's alright. I have a warrant and would make good any damage. Didn't you hear me knocking on your door around 10:30? We can hear nothing down here. We never answer the door to anyone after 08:00.
[00:12:32] Unknown:
Okay. That explains why you didn't hear us in the garden.
[00:12:35] Unknown:
How about the telephone? There's an extension here. As you see, we always answer the telephone. It it might be an emergency. Didn't your caller say their telephone was out of order? Yeah. That's right. He did.
[00:12:46] Unknown:
A man telephoned me at my apartment, ma'am. He said your phone was out of order, so he was asking me on your behalf to come over urgently.
[00:12:54] Unknown:
Did you ask a man to do that? Certainly not. And there's nothing wrong with our friend. It's dead.
[00:13:00] Unknown:
I wanted to phone the yard to tell them I've executed my wallet. Preston is checking the line. Now I'm afraid that for once you ladies will have to break your routine. If you get dressed, please, and come upstairs. Amy,
[00:13:13] Unknown:
do as they say, Prudence. Will you gentlemen please leave our bedroom? Certainly.
[00:13:20] Unknown:
Sir, sir, excuse me, sir. Another one. I have a whole squad of men in the garden. The murder squad, Prudence.
[00:13:26] Unknown:
What is it, Preston? The telephone wire was cut in the kitchen, sir. I've joined it back. Cut. Doctor Green is here, sir. He's examining the body now. Oh, and the, the print boys are going over the house. Tell them to go over that tombstone as well, will you? Right away, sir. Tombstone? Yeah.
[00:13:41] Unknown:
I'll see you ladies upstairs when you're dressed. Let's go, Carson.
[00:13:52] Unknown:
Okay. Cigarette. Thanks.
[00:14:01] Unknown:
Well,
[00:14:02] Unknown:
that's the $64,000 question. Who helped them to dig up that trunk, knock off the parson, and bury him? And put a tombstone on his grave. Yeah.
[00:14:11] Unknown:
If it reads the way it looks, those two old girls are stark raving mad. And you don't think they are? You use the word pixelated. That's one thing. To commit this crazy crime is another. Leave it. Now press and fix the wires. It'll ring in their bedroom in the cellar. Quiet. I want to eavesdrop on this extension.
[00:14:41] Unknown:
And I wondered if you'd seen him today at all. No, Lee. He hasn't been here
[00:14:46] Unknown:
it's most unlike the reverend Martin to stay away for a whole day
[00:14:50] Unknown:
what is it miss Edmond
[00:14:52] Unknown:
we believe something terrible has happened here at least terrible I think you better come right away. You sound most disturbed.
[00:15:02] Unknown:
It's something to do with the reverend Martin. Well, it it might be.
[00:15:07] Unknown:
Oh, dear, Lisa. I don't know what to do. Will you come over? Of course, I will, miss Edwards. I'll be there in ten minutes. Oh, thank you, Lisa. Goodbye. Goodbye, miss Edwards.
[00:15:19] Unknown:
What was it, inspector?
[00:15:21] Unknown:
A friend inquiring about a missing person. Look. Why didn't you let me in on it? I might have recognized the voice. I think it might have been the man who rang you earlier. It's always worth a try. Well, we'll meet him in ten minutes. He's on his way over.
[00:15:40] Unknown:
We're ready now, Inspector. Properly dressed. A solemn telephone from the church, the third year I asked him to come over. Do you mind? He's a very pleasant man. No, I don't mind. Now, ladies, I have an unpleasant task for you to
[00:15:54] Unknown:
perform. Have you ever seen a dead person?
[00:15:57] Unknown:
Of course. Many times. We've been connected with church work all our lives. The sick and the departed.
[00:16:03] Unknown:
We found a man in the garden. A parson. He He's dead. The real what? I don't know. You see, I've never met the gentleman. That's what I want you to do, identify him. Do you feel up to it?
[00:16:20] Unknown:
Yes. Where is he? This
[00:16:23] Unknown:
way. Is this the reverend Martin?
[00:16:32] Unknown:
Yes. What was it inspector? A motor car accident.
[00:16:37] Unknown:
Look over there. Oh, the whole of the chest. The grave. Yes, miss Edwards. That's what it turned out to be, a grave. We found the reverend Martin buried there. But that's impossible.
[00:16:51] Unknown:
Mister Carson here buried a tin trunk for us in that hole. Only today. That's right. I did. But somebody dug it up again and put the reverend there in its place. Any idea who might do a thing like that? No. Oh, no. Dear reverend. You went to a great deal of trouble to maintain secrecy over this operation. You said yourself that apart from you too, I was the only one who knew that trunk was buried there. Now I didn't dig it up. And if I didn't, who did? I don't know, mister Casner. I don't know. Tell me the truth. What was in that trunk? I could answer that, sir. Good evening.
[00:17:27] Unknown:
My name is Leith. I'm the Virgil of the local church. Leith.
[00:17:31] Unknown:
Oh, Leith. Something terrible has happened to the reverend Martin. I saw that when I came in.
[00:17:37] Unknown:
Are you police officers? I am. Inspector Bottom, near Scotland Yard. This is mister Crash Carson. So you're the gentleman who phoned a short while ago. Yes. And you know something of the tinned trunk that was buried here? I know their guilty secret
[00:17:53] Unknown:
if that's what you want to know. Grace, how can you? Alright. I'm waiting, mister Leith. Last year, the reverend Martin acquired a silver chattice from South Biz. He got it cheap because it has an unfortunate history. It's said to be cursed. It is. It isn't. And the poor reverend Martin's the proof that it's cursed. Please go on, mister Leith. Nobody knows its complete history, but it was filled with lead at some time in the distant past to make it more difficult to steal. But the mrs Edwards contrived to steal it anyway. For the good of everyone, it was cursed. So it's true. You did steal it. Yes. It's true. The reason nobody knew its complete history is because the paramesests that came with it bestowen.
That's one piece of writing over another on a piece of parchment. If I might explain. Of course. In olden times, the monks parchment was scarce. This cellist had such a parchment palimpsest
[00:18:55] Unknown:
and it was believed that underneath the top writing
[00:18:58] Unknown:
chalice. With modern chemicals, it would be easy to find out what was written underneath, but the parchment was stolen.
[00:19:06] Unknown:
And after the parchment, the chalice? Yes.
[00:19:10] Unknown:
Inspector, could I have a word with you, in private?
[00:19:13] Unknown:
Of course, Carson. Would you all please go into the house, and I'll be with you in a few moments. If you'll stay in the lounge, please. Oh, yes. Of course, Inspector. Now what is it, Carson?
[00:19:26] Unknown:
Cussin? Powerful looking guy that leaf. What of it? Oh, nothing. Look. Could I borrow Preston for a couple of minutes? If you wish. What do you want him to do? I want him to make a phone call from the local telephone booth. Where to? Right here, inspector. Right here. Let him pick up the receiver in the lounge. Just about now, I'd say.
[00:19:53] Unknown:
So the reason I'm phoning is because I just wanted to ask you a few questions. I'm afraid I can't speak to the press. But sir, please stay here and I'd have to ask them first. Perhaps I can
[00:20:02] Unknown:
The same man who ran your apartment. Yeah. The same man. The verger, mister Leif. Now all I gotta do is to ask the Edwards sisters one question. I'll have it clinched. What question? What was in that tin trunk? Because friend, whatever it was, it was no silver chalice filled with lead.
[00:20:19] Unknown:
Carson sat with inspector Bottomley at Scotland Yard after Leif had been arrested and formally charged with the murder of the reverend
[00:20:27] Unknown:
Martin. What was in that trunk, Carson? Rocks. Just plain ordinary rocks.
[00:20:32] Unknown:
They'd hidden the chalice in the cellar where they slept, and the clue of its whereabouts was written on a piece of paper in the tin trunk. Leith knew about that trunk, and you could imagine his disappointment when he dug it up only to find one written step in a treasure hunt. Leif stole that parchment and deciphered it. The reverend Martin found out and so Leif decided to kill him. By burying the body in the old lady's garden and drawing our attention to it, he was was able or so he thought to kill two birds with one stone. Put the blame of the murder, fair and square on the old ladies, and leave the house empty for him to steal the chalice. It all adds up.
[00:21:08] Unknown:
But why go to all the trouble for a cheap silver chalice with a curse on it? Now the game's up. Leaf will tell you himself.
[00:21:14] Unknown:
He found out from the parchment that years ago, the chalice had been filled with precious stones worth half a million, and only then was the lead poured over to conceal them.
[00:21:24] Unknown:
Half a million. Oh, there'll be a big reward on that Carson. Not for me, inspector.
[00:21:29] Unknown:
I wouldn't accept anything from that chalice. Not even from my mother-in-law.
What you're hearing is Hardie fiber cement siding living up to its reputation as the siding that handles hail impact with ease. James Hardie knows how important a reputation is, especially when you're a contractor. That's why Hardie's siding withstands severe weather better than vinyl siding, with styles to match its strength, so you can be sure you're providing your clients with the best. Protect your reputation with exterior products by James Hardie.
[00:00:31] Unknown:
It is that digging a hole is so important, Prudence. Measurements are eight feet by four feet by six feet deep. What is important is that we have a trustworthy worker who will keep its whereabouts secret. It's the same size as a grave. So we can't just employ any old labourer for the job. And we certainly can't trust the local grave digger. In which case, I suggest that we secure the services of a man from this organisation at 33
[00:00:59] Unknown:
Half Moon Street. Or be mason at your service. At assignments unlimited, we do anything anywhere at any time. 33
[00:01:08] Unknown:
Half Moon Street.
[00:01:26] Unknown:
The curse of the silver chalice. The resignation was made by phone for an address in Stepney by a voice that I took to be that of a middle aged spinster. Don't ask me why. It just sounded that way. A request for a man in good physical shape who would be relied upon to keep his mouth shut. Having made it clear that we would accept no work of an unlawful nature and having been assured that this task was quite above board, I summoned Crashed Carson into the office, briefed him, and dispatched him to Stepney. I've been more perspicacious than I thought.
18 Amalia Street, Stepney was the home of two middle aged spinsters, the Edwards sisters, Amy and Prudence. Over tea and tennis biscuits, they explained to Carson exactly what they wanted.
[00:02:13] Unknown:
You must dig a hole in our our back garden, Mr Carson. More tea. It's a rather big hole, eight feet by four feet by six feet deep. You had two sugars before, didn't you? I suppose it could be three feet wide. Then it wouldn't be the same size as a grave. It doesn't have to be the same size, does it? No. I suppose not. Why do they have graves four feet wide, mister Castle?
[00:02:38] Unknown:
Search me, ma'am. Maybe three feet is a yard and four feet is a graveyard.
[00:02:44] Unknown:
Oh, I see. That was meant to be a joke, Prudence, was it? Oh, I'm terribly sorry. My sense of humor is appalling.
[00:02:54] Unknown:
Another tennis biscuit, mister Carson? Not right now, miss Edwards.
[00:02:58] Unknown:
Tell me something. What do you want this whole dug for? Because we can't do it ourselves. That's not what mister Carson means, Prudence. I hinted at great secrecy when spoke to Mr Mason and he assured me that you are his most reliable worker. Good for him. Prudence and I never got married, you see, and our only relatives are a few nephews, nieces and cousins, most of whom we've never even seen. I'm afraid we're a bit old fashioned from modern company. However, it occurred to us that sometime in the future we shall be called to our day of reckoning, and the problem will arise.
What to do with all our possessions.'
[00:03:37] Unknown:
'Look how most people make out a will.' oh, we thought of that ourselves.'
[00:03:41] Unknown:
the trouble with the will is that we don't know half of our relatives whether they're rich or poor, good or bad, so we hit upon this scheme to award our, treasure to the one who is cleverest. When the time comes, our heirs will indulge in a treasure hunt. Treasure hunt? Oh, it'll be terrific fun to watch? After you've,
[00:04:05] Unknown:
passed on.
[00:04:06] Unknown:
That's one for Ripley. Prudence always gets carried away. You see, mister Carson, we have all our precious possessions locked away in a tin trunk. We want you to bury that trunk in the yard. A clue to its whereabouts will be left with our lawyers in the form of a conundrum. After we're gone, the first one to find the treasure will be legally entitled to its naughty, Mr Coss. No thanks, ma'am.
[00:04:32] Unknown:
So all you want me to do is to bury a trunk in your yard? In a hole the shape of a grave.
[00:04:38] Unknown:
It's part of one of the clues that the hole will be that shape. Of course, you realize that you'll be the only living person, apart from ourselves, who will know where the the trunk is buried. That's why we ask for complete secrecy.
[00:04:53] Unknown:
Will you do it, mister Carson? Sure, ma'am. That's what I'm paid for. Say, this, treasure, is it very valuable? Extremely so. Worth a fortune. Is it gonna be safe buried in your backyard?
[00:05:06] Unknown:
Only you know the secret, and you won't tell him? That's some responsibility.
[00:05:12] Unknown:
Okay. I'll do it. But now I know what the gravedigger felt like who buried Ptolemy in his Egyptian sarcophagus.
[00:05:19] Unknown:
I don't think you'll ever know that, mister Carson. How come? If I remember my Egyptology, in those days, the gravedigger was buried with the king.
[00:05:32] Unknown:
I got to work on the digging and at last, after liberal intervals of tea and tennis biscuits, I had it finished. Aubrey Mason had made the fee high, but that didn't seem to bother those two pixelated old ladies. They paid by check, and I returned to my apartment in Shaftesbury Avenue. At 09:30PM, my cuckoo poked his head out the clock door for a solitary peep, and then the phone rang. Crash Carson.
[00:06:04] Unknown:
Good evening, mister Carson. Sorry to ring you at this late hour, but I had an urgent request to get hold of you from Amy and Prudence Edwards. You did a job for them today. Yeah. That's right. What can I do for you? Their telephone isn't working for some reason, and they want to contact you urgently. I was passing by their home, and they asked me if I'd give you a ring. And what's it all about? I haven't any idea, but I suppose it must be the hole you dug for them. Can you run over there this evening? He seemed most anxious. In that case, I'd better get over there, haven't I? They'll be very grateful.
[00:06:41] Unknown:
Goodbye. Hey, just a minute. Who are hung up. Now, what do you suppose they want at this time of night? Okay. I'd better go. I went to the house in Stepney. It was was in darkness. I got no reply to my repeated knocking. I began to get needled figuring that maybe it was a joke in poor taste when I remembered what that bird had said on the phone. It must be the hole you dug. Some secret if a perfect stranger knew all about it. That's when I decided to climb over the wall and take a look at the hole I dug. And I guess that's just what my mysterious caller had intended I do. You see, I temped down the loose earth and left the surface even with the rest of the yard.
It was supposed to be secret. Remember? But someone had been digging there again. And this time the earth was thrown back to form a along the trench. Now it really looked like a grave. In fact, it was intended to look like a grave because erected at one end of it was a marble tombstone.
[00:08:08] Unknown:
I'll, have a search warrant along here anytime now, Carson. If my men do find anything in that hole, we'll break into the house. I might have got you out on a wild goose chase, Inspector.
[00:08:19] Unknown:
Those two old dames are real pixelated.
[00:08:21] Unknown:
You did right in calling me at the yard.
[00:08:24] Unknown:
There must be some reason for that anonymous phone call. Unless the whole thing is some sick gag, in which case some wise guy must be busting his ribs right now, getting the murder squad out in the middle of the night. I treat it as an operational excite. Inspector, we we found something, inspector.
[00:08:39] Unknown:
A tin trunk? No. Nothing as odd as that. You better come quick, sir. Come on, Carson. Okay.
[00:08:46] Unknown:
Snake's alive. A body. Now lift him out and lay him under a tree. Preston, now get down to the local call box and ring doctor Green. Tell him about the body and say we suspect foul play. And can he get down here as fast as he can? Right away, sir. Oh, he wants to arrive by the way, sir. Oh, thank you.
[00:09:13] Unknown:
Ever seen him before, Carson? Complete stranger to me. Well, it shouldn't be hard to identify.
[00:09:18] Unknown:
Look at his color. The man's a cleric,
[00:09:21] Unknown:
A dead person in the backyard, and the grave was made to fit. I've been played for a sucker. Those two old names really had me on. Perhaps.
[00:09:32] Unknown:
But you weren't the only accomplice. He's been battered to death, and that couldn't have been achieved by two aging spinsters. This was no innocent accomplice who helped out here. I don't get it, inspector.
[00:09:44] Unknown:
If they've got a muscle man to knock off the local parson, why get me along the diggy's grave? And what happened to that tin trunk? They couldn't have lifted that out without help. I don't suppose you looked inside the trunk, did you? The idea did occur to me, but it was locked with an iron flatlock.
[00:10:00] Unknown:
And the missus Edwards have been ferreted. Betrayed. Your mysterious caller knew all about this grave. He meant you to discover it. Then that lets him out as the murderer. I suppose so. The immediate question to be answered is, where are the two missus Edwards? Edwards? We might find the answer to that inside the house. If they are inside, they must know their presence here by now. But the place is still as silent as a tomb. Look. You've got a warrant. Let's break in. Are you sure you want to come? If they are in there and they're guilty, they
[00:10:33] Unknown:
guilty, they might not bother to stop at one murder. Inspector, we've been friends for a long time. Wild horses couldn't keep me away from that house. Believe me, if anyone feels like committing murder at this moment, it's me.
[00:10:47] Unknown:
Armed with his search warrant, inspector Bottomley snapped the lock on the kitchen door and went inside with Carson. It was an old ramshackle house of four rooms up and four down, but not one of the rooms was fitted out as a bedroom and there was no sign of the Edwards sisters. The two men had given up hope when Carson spotted a small door leading on from a bookcase in what went for a study on the Ground Floor.
[00:11:23] Unknown:
Now there's a door here. Where does this lead? Is it open? Yeah. Hey. Steps leading down to a cellar. Come on.
[00:11:39] Unknown:
It's It's them.
[00:11:40] Unknown:
What are you doing here? Oh, mister Carr, some day you break into our bedroom. He's come to rob us with their other men. That other man is Inspector Bottomley of the murder squad, New Scotland Yard. Murder squad? I don't believe him here. I have my card, man. I must ask you to answer a few questions. What on earth is all this about? We've just dug up a corpse in your backyard.
[00:12:01] Unknown:
Now let me handle this, sir Carton. Would you ladies mind telling me why you choose a cellar for your bedroom when you have a whole house to yourselves?
[00:12:10] Unknown:
We've always slept in the cellar. We feel safer this way. We come down here at 08:00 every night, never receive visitors after dark. How did you get into the house? We broke in. It's alright. I have a warrant and would make good any damage. Didn't you hear me knocking on your door around 10:30? We can hear nothing down here. We never answer the door to anyone after 08:00.
[00:12:32] Unknown:
Okay. That explains why you didn't hear us in the garden.
[00:12:35] Unknown:
How about the telephone? There's an extension here. As you see, we always answer the telephone. It it might be an emergency. Didn't your caller say their telephone was out of order? Yeah. That's right. He did.
[00:12:46] Unknown:
A man telephoned me at my apartment, ma'am. He said your phone was out of order, so he was asking me on your behalf to come over urgently.
[00:12:54] Unknown:
Did you ask a man to do that? Certainly not. And there's nothing wrong with our friend. It's dead.
[00:13:00] Unknown:
I wanted to phone the yard to tell them I've executed my wallet. Preston is checking the line. Now I'm afraid that for once you ladies will have to break your routine. If you get dressed, please, and come upstairs. Amy,
[00:13:13] Unknown:
do as they say, Prudence. Will you gentlemen please leave our bedroom? Certainly.
[00:13:20] Unknown:
Sir, sir, excuse me, sir. Another one. I have a whole squad of men in the garden. The murder squad, Prudence.
[00:13:26] Unknown:
What is it, Preston? The telephone wire was cut in the kitchen, sir. I've joined it back. Cut. Doctor Green is here, sir. He's examining the body now. Oh, and the, the print boys are going over the house. Tell them to go over that tombstone as well, will you? Right away, sir. Tombstone? Yeah.
[00:13:41] Unknown:
I'll see you ladies upstairs when you're dressed. Let's go, Carson.
[00:13:52] Unknown:
Okay. Cigarette. Thanks.
[00:14:01] Unknown:
Well,
[00:14:02] Unknown:
that's the $64,000 question. Who helped them to dig up that trunk, knock off the parson, and bury him? And put a tombstone on his grave. Yeah.
[00:14:11] Unknown:
If it reads the way it looks, those two old girls are stark raving mad. And you don't think they are? You use the word pixelated. That's one thing. To commit this crazy crime is another. Leave it. Now press and fix the wires. It'll ring in their bedroom in the cellar. Quiet. I want to eavesdrop on this extension.
[00:14:41] Unknown:
And I wondered if you'd seen him today at all. No, Lee. He hasn't been here
[00:14:46] Unknown:
it's most unlike the reverend Martin to stay away for a whole day
[00:14:50] Unknown:
what is it miss Edmond
[00:14:52] Unknown:
we believe something terrible has happened here at least terrible I think you better come right away. You sound most disturbed.
[00:15:02] Unknown:
It's something to do with the reverend Martin. Well, it it might be.
[00:15:07] Unknown:
Oh, dear, Lisa. I don't know what to do. Will you come over? Of course, I will, miss Edwards. I'll be there in ten minutes. Oh, thank you, Lisa. Goodbye. Goodbye, miss Edwards.
[00:15:19] Unknown:
What was it, inspector?
[00:15:21] Unknown:
A friend inquiring about a missing person. Look. Why didn't you let me in on it? I might have recognized the voice. I think it might have been the man who rang you earlier. It's always worth a try. Well, we'll meet him in ten minutes. He's on his way over.
[00:15:40] Unknown:
We're ready now, Inspector. Properly dressed. A solemn telephone from the church, the third year I asked him to come over. Do you mind? He's a very pleasant man. No, I don't mind. Now, ladies, I have an unpleasant task for you to
[00:15:54] Unknown:
perform. Have you ever seen a dead person?
[00:15:57] Unknown:
Of course. Many times. We've been connected with church work all our lives. The sick and the departed.
[00:16:03] Unknown:
We found a man in the garden. A parson. He He's dead. The real what? I don't know. You see, I've never met the gentleman. That's what I want you to do, identify him. Do you feel up to it?
[00:16:20] Unknown:
Yes. Where is he? This
[00:16:23] Unknown:
way. Is this the reverend Martin?
[00:16:32] Unknown:
Yes. What was it inspector? A motor car accident.
[00:16:37] Unknown:
Look over there. Oh, the whole of the chest. The grave. Yes, miss Edwards. That's what it turned out to be, a grave. We found the reverend Martin buried there. But that's impossible.
[00:16:51] Unknown:
Mister Carson here buried a tin trunk for us in that hole. Only today. That's right. I did. But somebody dug it up again and put the reverend there in its place. Any idea who might do a thing like that? No. Oh, no. Dear reverend. You went to a great deal of trouble to maintain secrecy over this operation. You said yourself that apart from you too, I was the only one who knew that trunk was buried there. Now I didn't dig it up. And if I didn't, who did? I don't know, mister Casner. I don't know. Tell me the truth. What was in that trunk? I could answer that, sir. Good evening.
[00:17:27] Unknown:
My name is Leith. I'm the Virgil of the local church. Leith.
[00:17:31] Unknown:
Oh, Leith. Something terrible has happened to the reverend Martin. I saw that when I came in.
[00:17:37] Unknown:
Are you police officers? I am. Inspector Bottom, near Scotland Yard. This is mister Crash Carson. So you're the gentleman who phoned a short while ago. Yes. And you know something of the tinned trunk that was buried here? I know their guilty secret
[00:17:53] Unknown:
if that's what you want to know. Grace, how can you? Alright. I'm waiting, mister Leith. Last year, the reverend Martin acquired a silver chattice from South Biz. He got it cheap because it has an unfortunate history. It's said to be cursed. It is. It isn't. And the poor reverend Martin's the proof that it's cursed. Please go on, mister Leith. Nobody knows its complete history, but it was filled with lead at some time in the distant past to make it more difficult to steal. But the mrs Edwards contrived to steal it anyway. For the good of everyone, it was cursed. So it's true. You did steal it. Yes. It's true. The reason nobody knew its complete history is because the paramesests that came with it bestowen.
That's one piece of writing over another on a piece of parchment. If I might explain. Of course. In olden times, the monks parchment was scarce. This cellist had such a parchment palimpsest
[00:18:55] Unknown:
and it was believed that underneath the top writing
[00:18:58] Unknown:
chalice. With modern chemicals, it would be easy to find out what was written underneath, but the parchment was stolen.
[00:19:06] Unknown:
And after the parchment, the chalice? Yes.
[00:19:10] Unknown:
Inspector, could I have a word with you, in private?
[00:19:13] Unknown:
Of course, Carson. Would you all please go into the house, and I'll be with you in a few moments. If you'll stay in the lounge, please. Oh, yes. Of course, Inspector. Now what is it, Carson?
[00:19:26] Unknown:
Cussin? Powerful looking guy that leaf. What of it? Oh, nothing. Look. Could I borrow Preston for a couple of minutes? If you wish. What do you want him to do? I want him to make a phone call from the local telephone booth. Where to? Right here, inspector. Right here. Let him pick up the receiver in the lounge. Just about now, I'd say.
[00:19:53] Unknown:
So the reason I'm phoning is because I just wanted to ask you a few questions. I'm afraid I can't speak to the press. But sir, please stay here and I'd have to ask them first. Perhaps I can
[00:20:02] Unknown:
The same man who ran your apartment. Yeah. The same man. The verger, mister Leif. Now all I gotta do is to ask the Edwards sisters one question. I'll have it clinched. What question? What was in that tin trunk? Because friend, whatever it was, it was no silver chalice filled with lead.
[00:20:19] Unknown:
Carson sat with inspector Bottomley at Scotland Yard after Leif had been arrested and formally charged with the murder of the reverend
[00:20:27] Unknown:
Martin. What was in that trunk, Carson? Rocks. Just plain ordinary rocks.
[00:20:32] Unknown:
They'd hidden the chalice in the cellar where they slept, and the clue of its whereabouts was written on a piece of paper in the tin trunk. Leith knew about that trunk, and you could imagine his disappointment when he dug it up only to find one written step in a treasure hunt. Leif stole that parchment and deciphered it. The reverend Martin found out and so Leif decided to kill him. By burying the body in the old lady's garden and drawing our attention to it, he was was able or so he thought to kill two birds with one stone. Put the blame of the murder, fair and square on the old ladies, and leave the house empty for him to steal the chalice. It all adds up.
[00:21:08] Unknown:
But why go to all the trouble for a cheap silver chalice with a curse on it? Now the game's up. Leaf will tell you himself.
[00:21:14] Unknown:
He found out from the parchment that years ago, the chalice had been filled with precious stones worth half a million, and only then was the lead poured over to conceal them.
[00:21:24] Unknown:
Half a million. Oh, there'll be a big reward on that Carson. Not for me, inspector.
[00:21:29] Unknown:
I wouldn't accept anything from that chalice. Not even from my mother-in-law.
