The Shadow - The Flight of the Vulture

Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The shadow knows. The shadow knows. The Shadow, mysterious character who aids the forces of law and order, is in reality Lamont Cranston, wealthy young man about town. The Shadow uses his hypnotic power to cloud men's minds so that they cannot see him. Cranston's friend and companion, the lovely Margot Lane, is the only person who knows to whom the unseen voice of the Shadow belongs. Today's story, The Flight of the Vulture. The Flight of the Vulture. Come on, you guys. Get those old knights into the barn and make it snappy. We're working as fast as we can, boy. Hey, you and that dirt stockman. You left headlamps out. Okay, all right. Come on, come on. Lock up those vans. We'll be here all night. All right. Okay, Cal State. All set. The old nags in the barn, the thoroughbreds in the stock van. Did you count them carefully? Sure did. One old nag in the barn for every thoroughbred horse we took out. Ten horses in, ten horses out. All right, all right. All right, you men driving those stock vans, you've got your orders, so get going. Okay, boss. Here we go. All right. Come on. Come on. Push him along. Roll him fast. Put him. Hark. Yeah, boy. All those old mags tied up in their stalls? Yeah. Not a chance of any of them getting out. They're tied fast. All right. Let's go in the barn. Right. Open it up. Well, I guess everything's all set. Watch as they're quiet in their stalls. All right. Put them out to that straw in the corner. Right. Place ought to go up like a piece of paper. There she goes, Cal State. All right, let's get out of here. Bolt that door. They're beginning to yell good now. I guess they know what's up. All right, what's the difference? They're all old or sick. Nags, they die soon anyway, wouldn't they? I've seen a lot of things in my time. But I don't want to be around when the fire hits them nags. Let's scram, Cal State. All right. I'm hungry anyway. Let's go eat. Do you think this Mr. Cal State is going to show up? He said he would, Clara. Honest, Mark, I most wish he wouldn't show up at all. I know how you feel, Clara. I hate to part with old Jim myself. Well, that old horse practically raised our Bobby. You know, I'm mindful of the time he waited out in the river when Bobby was drowning. That old horse acted like a human. He pulled alongside so the lad could climb on his back. I wish we could keep old Jim, Clara, but what can we do? If we don't pay no taxes, we won't have no home. All I know is we're in want. I know. The Lord's providing. It ain't for us to wonder why. Blessed be the Lord. Amen. Hold it, Margo. Rain up. Oh, poor boy. What is it, Amar? Why are we stopping? I just wanted you to feast your eyes on this countryside. Oh, it is lovely, isn't it? Isn't it? Doesn't that hill over there remind you of a scene in one of those old western movies you saw when you were a kid? Say, it does, it's that. All it needs is a silhouette of William S. Hart on horseback. Say, Margo. Did you ever know that I almost became a cowboy once? Oh, Lamont, you're kidding. No, that's a fact. Oh, I don't believe it. I can never picture calling you Hoot Cranston. I spent a year and a half on a ranch when I was a youngster. Really? Here, I'll prove it to you. Just drop your handkerchief on the ground. Oh, now, wait a minute. Those ranch days are over. Just drop your handkerchief. Okay, Hoot, but take it easy. Now, back ten paces. Come on, boy. Back. Back. All right, Margo. Here I come. Well, anyway, you got the handkerchief. Yes, but who's going to get my horse? Here he comes back again. Listen, from now on, Hoot, I'd advise you to do all your handkerchief picking up in department stores. I think you're right, Margo. Well, hello, John. Well, Bobby Heflin, you're getting to be quite a little man. Why, you've grown a lot since the last time we visited the Wentworth. Gee, Miss Lane, you look pretty in that riding suit. Oh, Bobby, bless you, and thanks. That Mr. Cranston thinks so, too. Tell you, Lamont, there's nothing wrong with that young man's poise. Oh, quite the urban young gentleman. I'll have to tear a leaf from his book. Not a bad idea. How are your mother and father, Bobby? Mother's fine, but Dad's ailing with rheumatism. Oh, that's too bad. Oh, how about your old horse, Jim? I hope he's all right. There he is. See? Over by the barn. Oh, yes. Suppose he remembers us, Bobby. Oh, Jim? Say, he never forgets a friend. Call him. Hey, Jim. Look at his ears go up. Come on, Jim. Come on, sir. Come on. Oh, he is coming. He remembers you all right, Mr. Cranston. Come on, old fella. Come on. Oh, he's a wonderful old horse, isn't he? Wonderful. Of course he is. Well, Jim, old boy, how. Are you? See, Mr. Cranston, he's talking to you. Well, you're a good old horse. You were one of the finest jumpers I've ever seen. Weren't you, Jim, huh? Aren't you, Hed? That's it. Can you still laugh, Bobby? Oh, sure. Want to see? Hey, Jim, give Miss Lane a smile. He's not smiling. He's laughing at me. Well, Bobby. We must be going alone. Thanks for a very interesting little exhibition. You're welcome. Goodbye, Miss Lane. Goodbye, Mr. Cranston. Bye, Bobby. So long, Jim. Bye, Bobby. Bye. Come on, Jim. Let's go and get you some water. Gee, Jim. Someday I'm going to get a nice riding suit like Mr. Cranston had. Then you and me will ride way over to Martinsville. Hey, Bobby. Come here, son. Oh, Pa. Miss Lane and Mr. Cranston were just here. They're visiting the Wentworth. That's so. You just missed them. Oh, did I? That's too bad. Hey, Hep. You go to the house, son. Your ma wants you. Can I take Jim to water first, Pa? No, no, son. You leave Jim here. This gentleman wants to look him over. Look him over? What for? Are you a veterinary, mister? No, kid. Bobby, go to the house. I'll tell you all about it later. All right, Pa. Don't talk in front of the boy, Mr. Calsade. Old Jim's the apple of his eye. I guess the old horse loves the boy just about as much. Yeah, kids are funny. They can get attached to any old miserable nag. Yeah. Well, I told you, old Jim didn't amount to much as you figure horse flesh. Certainly a bag of bones, all right. But he means a lot to folks hereabouts. Well, if anyone's willing to pay more than twenty dollars for him, they'll better my price. Twenty dollars. Is that what you're offering me? Well, I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll give you $ 35. All right. Now, before you answer me, look at my stock van out there on the road. See them old nags? Huh? Well, I bought the push of them for what I'm offering you for this one. All right. All right, the horse is yours. Treat him well. He's been a good old fellow. Yeah, yeah. Don't worry about that, mister. I know how to treat horses. Yep. Poor old Jim. Oh, Pa. Bobby, go back to the house, son. Go back. That man, he's taking old Jim away. Where's he taking him, Pa? Where's he? Look, look, son. You love your Ma and Pa, don't you? Yes, Pa. And old Jim, too. I love him. Yes, I know you do. We all do. But, son, you know me or your Ma wouldn't do anything out and out wrong, don't you? Yes, Pa. Well, you'd believe me if I tell you we were in danger of losing the farm. Yes, Pa. I. You know, Jim never refused to do anything to help us. No, never, but, Pa. Listen to me now, son. All right, Pa. That's what Jim's doing now. He's helping us, same as always. Helping us keep our farm. And you got to help, too, son. But being a little man now, you. But, Pa, how's Jim helping us by going away with that man? Well, son, it's... It's like this. He. We need money. Need it bad. Taxes to pay. Pa, you ain't sold, Jim. Answer me, Pa. Yes, son, we had to. Oh, no. No. Oh, don't, Pa. Get him back. Easy now, son. Pa, Jim's our friend. Do people sell a friend? No, no, but... Would you sell me, Pa? Oh, Lord bless you, no, son. Of course not. You sold Jim? Son, I'm trying to make you understand. There's a lot of things people have to do against their will. This is one of those things. Don't you understand that? No, Pa. Well, you will some day. Someday you'll understand. Now, come on, son. Let's go to your ma. Pa! Look! Look! That man. He's making Jim get in with those other boys. Don't look over there, son. Come to the house now. He's whipping Jim. Paul, stop him. Don't let him do that. Come on, son. Come on. No. No, make him stop. Make him let Jim go. Son. Jim. Jim. Come back, son. You can't do that. Come back, son. Jim. I can't come back, Pa. Can't come back. Gotta save Jim. Bobby, here, son. Take this for your ma. Come on, like the doctor said you ought to. Do... do people... sell a friend, Pa? Oh, Jim. Jim. Your pa's gone to get Jim back, son. Now won't you take this? So she'll get a little bit of sleep. Jim. Jim. Never come back. Never. Oh, Lord have mercy. Ain't nothing to be done for our little Tice. Nothing. Oh, don't, Mrs. Heflin. Don't give way. Here. Let me have that medicine. He closed an eye in two days. Margo? Yes, I'm on it. Take the spoon. All right. Bobby. Bobby, now listen to me. This is Mr. Cranston. Mr. Cranston? Yes. Mr. Cranston. Mr. Cranston. I saw you coming over here. Riding old Jim. Bobby, will you drink this for me? It'll put you to sleep. And when you wake up, we'll talk about Jim. Will you bring him back? Yes, Bobby, I will. Oh, Mr. Cranston. If you do, I'll pray for you. So will Jim. Oh, Bobby. Thank you, Bobby. Now, will you take the medicine? Here we are. That's it. Take a good long drink, son. And just a little more. Yeah, that's fine. Now, lie back and sleep. Sleep. Wake up. Talk about Jim. Talk about. Old Jim. Bobby. Something. Oh, you've done it. Praise be the Lord. You've done it. He's going off to sleep. Oh, thank heaven. He certainly needs it badly. Well, there's only one thing to do. Old Jim will have to be brought back. Back? What do we give the farm if need be to get him? Poor Mark's walked his shoes bare trying to find that Mr. Calsade. Nobody knows him hereabouts. You say nobody knows this man Calsade? None that we can find. He'd just come round and paid us $ 35 for Jim. Then he loaded him in a van with three other old horses and went on his way. And that's all we know about him. For all of us, he may be on the other side of the country. $ 35? That's right. A dealer in old horses. Strange. Listen, there's Mark coming up the porch now. Good. Good. I do hope he has some word. Oh, Mr. Cranston. Miss Lane. Hello, Mark. Mark. Come to see the little tyke, did you? Yes, Mark. That's mighty nice of you. How is he, Clara? Mark, he's asleep. Oh, good, good. Oh, ain't no use in me asking. I can see it in your eyes. You didn't find him. No, Clara, I didn't. Oh, Mark. Mark. What are we going to do? Easy, Clara. Girl, ain't no use you putting yourself down, too. No trace at all, eh, Mark? Traces, yeah, but that's all. I ran into a couple of farmers that sold him horses, but he'd gone. Old horses? Some old, some sick or blind. Margo, I promised that boy I'd bring old Jim back. Well, maybe I can't, but I'm going to give an idea I have a good fling. Oh, good for you, Lamont. Good night, Mrs. Heflin. If I stir anything up, Mark, I'll get in touch with you right away. In the meantime, don't lose hope. Thank you, Mr. Cratchit. Good night. Good night. Good night. Well, Lamont, let's see now. You've got the whole state and a couple of million people. And out of all that, you've got to find one Mr. Calsade, trader in old horses. How do you think you're going to bring about such a momentous social event? Well, suppose we start by calling on some farmers. Or rather, let me correct myself. Suppose the shadow starts by calling on some farmers. Tell Sage to see. He never heard of him. Never. Night before last, he was here. Bought an old sorrel horse. Long about noon today he came, but I had nothing to do with it. Oh, I come from Alabama with a banjo on my knee. Oh, I come from Alabama for my true love, for the sea. Oh. Uh-oh. Sorry to interrupt your song, but I'm pressed for time. Pull up. Whoa there, mustard plaster. Whoa. Whoa there. Yeah, that's better. Now we can talk. Avoid that addressing Rupert. Wherever you is, come on out and under that hay. That ain't no place. For talking with a gentleman. I'm not hiding in your load of hay, Rufus. I'm sitting right beside you. Yeah, you see, you. Oh, now, chicken fitters, I done ate. What kind of game are you all playing? I don't see nobody beside me. You can't see me, Rufus. I have the power to cloud men's minds and make myself invisible. Oh, Lord, help me. You're not afraid, are you, Rufus? Afraid? Mister, I'm scared stiff. I mean no harm. I simply want to ask you a few questions. Well, you ain't the man from down below, is you? Because if you is, I want to tell you. No, no, Rufus. I'm not the man from down below. I'm the shadow. Yes. I want to ask you if you know a man by the name of Calcade. Boss, I swear I never met the gentleman my whole life. He's a horse trader, and he goes about. A horse trader? Yes. Horse trader, you say? Well, there's a gentleman who was buying a horse from my boss tonight. Yes? What kind of horse? Well, sir, he ain't no county... An old horse? No, sir. Yes, sir. Rufus, don't mention a word of this to a soul. I want to follow that man when he leaves your boss's farm. Remember now, not a word. Mr. Shadow, after this, I don't reckon I'll be able to open my mouth for at least four days. Faster, Muggle, faster. I've got it right down the floor now. It's no use, Muggle. The car ahead has given us the slip. Well, are you sure it was Cal State? Positive. He had two horses in the van. Bought one from Rufus's boss. It was Cal State, all right. We've lost him. Well, he couldn't outride us with that van. He must have turned in one of those side. Roads back there. Maybe. Turn back, Margo. We'll scour the countryside. We've got to get a line on Cal State. Okay, Hockey, the stock van's with the thoroughbreds got away safe. Now we've got to work fast. Pile up that hay net he installed. Right, boss. Hey, you think that car on the road was tailing us, Cal State? I don't know, but I ain't taking any chances. Got to burn up those old nags fast. Well, there won't be anything left to prove anything when we get through here. Hey, but look, Cal State. We've been pretty lucky so far with all the stables we've been burning. But how much longer are we going to get away with it? Yeah, let me worry about that. Ah, that's that nag old Jim we've had so much trouble with. Ah, the one that belonged to the kid? Yeah, that's the one. Hey, how's that, Cal State? I got all the hay piled up. Ah, that's swell. Now drop a match on it. Ah, gee, this is the part that I don't like, boss. Shut up and do what I tell you. That'll take care of it. All right. Now let's get out and shut the nags in. Yeah, I'm glad to get out. Come on, stupid, make it snappy. I'm hurrying, I'm hurrying. Gee, I don't like this business. Keep quiet. All right, that's got it. Let's get in the car and scram. Come on out, Margo. They've gone. Thank heaven. Phew, that Brammer's had my face all scratched. That was a strange performance, wasn't it? I don't understand it, Lamont. They took ten thoroughbred horses out of that barn and then put ten old ones into it. Yes. I wish we could have been near enough to hear what those two were talking about. Lamont, look. What? Margo, it's smoke. The barn's on fire. The horses, they'll be burned up. Oh, Lamont, we've got to get them out. Hurry, Margo, hurry. Well, what are you going to do? Stand back, Margo. I'm going to try and run those horses out. Well, I'm going in with you. No, Margo, you can't do that. Well, you can't handle all those horses alone, Lamar. All right. Release those in the center store. Fire hasn't reached there yet. They're running for the door. Well, how are you going to. Get the others to pass the plane? I'll blindfold them with my coat. Way fast, Margo. Be careful, Lamar. Come on. Come on, boy. Good boy. Come on. Margot. Yes, Lamont? Where are you? I'm out here. I'm all right. Have we got them all? I don't think so. Oh, they're so blinded. I can't see the cut. Let's see now. There were ten. Margot. What is it, Lamont? Jim. Where's Jim? Oh, Lamont. He's not out here. Jim. Jim. Jim. He's still inside, Margo. I've got to get him. Oh, you can't go in there now, Lamont. The side wall's. Ready to come down. I've got you, Margo. I've got to get Jim. Lamont. Lamont, don't go in there, please. Jim. Jim. There. Get him, old boy. Come on, Jim. Come on, boy. Lamont. What kind of an insurance outfit is this? How long do I have to wait, Macy? Sit down, Mr. Carl Sade, and calm yourself now. Check's being drawn. It has to be okayed by several officials first. Oh, uh, by the way, Mr. Carl Sade, this is. The fifth time in two months that you've lost a stable full of horses. Rather unusual, isn't it? And enough that I lost my fine-blooded stock without being tied up in red tape and answering your silly questions. Are you laughing at me? I didn't laugh. I laughed, Carl Sade. You're... Hey, what is this? Who's doing the talking? It is I, Calcide. The Shadow. The Shadow? Why, this is screwy. I hear the guy and I don't see him. No, Calcide, you can't see me. And that's too bad. You can't see how sorry I am for your pathetic plight. The loss of your fine-blooded stock. The stock, yeah. In fact, you don't realize how completely you've lost them. This time you've failed, Calcide. What are you... Your ten thoroughbreds are in the hands of the police. And so are the rest of your gang. What is this, a gag? Fire chief told me the horses were all burned up. Did you see the charred remains when you returned to the barn after the fire? No. Chief said they'd already been removed. That's right. He acted in accordance with instructions from the shadow. That's a lie. You're trying to trick me. The ten old horses you substituted for the insured stock are alive and well. You've been doing this vicious thing again and again all over the country. But at last, the police have enough evidence to send you away for the rest of your life. You can't prove nothing. I have his signed claim, Shadow. Good. Open that door, Mr. Macy. The police are waiting for you outside, Calcide. Well, package is all set, Margo. How about the note? Here you are, Lamont. All right. Read it to me, will you, Margo? Mm-hmm. Dear Bobby... Enclosed is your riding habit, made just exactly like Mr. Cranston's. Old Jim's blanket should reach you before you get this. We are both looking forward to our ride over to Martinsville with you and Jim. Love. Good. I'll put it right on top. All right. There we are. Well, can you think of anything else we might do for the boy, Margo? Well, you could teach him your handkerchief trick. Oh, no. Hoot Cranston does not ride again.