Mysterious Intruder

" I am The Whistler ."

" And I know many things for I walk by night ."

" I know many strange tales hidden in the hearts of men and women .."

" Who have stepped into the shadows ."

" Yes. I know the nameless terrors of which they dare not speak ."

" It is Edward Stillwell who walks alone ."

" He's a kindly, unimportant little man ."

" The type you pass on the street without noticing ."

" Tonight however, something will happen to him that changes everything ."

" Something to make his life important and exciting and dangerous ."

Mr Stillwell? - Yes, ma'am.

I have an appointment to see Mr Gale. - Yes. I know.

Mr Stillwell is here. - " Send him in ."

Go right in.

Thank you.

Mr Stillwell?

Yes, sir. - Come in, sir.

Come in.

I want to thank you for staying in so late to see me.

Don't mention it. Sit down.

Thank you.

What can I do for you?

I want to how much it would cost to have a young lady traced.

Well, that I cannot say offhand.

When did she disappear? Who is she?

Her name is Elora Lund.

" It is seven years now since I saw her ."

" That was when her mother died ."

" Elora was fourteen then ."

Seven years is a long time.

It might cost a lot of money to find her.

Are you a professional or a businessman, Mr Stillwell?

I have a store at 2319 McCall Street.

A music store.

Phonographs. New and second hand.

Where do you live?

I beg your pardon? - I said where do you live?

2319 McCall street.

Same address as the store?

Yes. I have an apartment in the back.

Elora and her mother live somewhere in the neighborhood too.

I know that because I see Elora playing along the block.

And see her mother coming home from work.

The husband had been dead a good many years.

He was a violinist.

Can you give me an address to start from?

Just the neighborhood.

What does a girl like at fourteen?

Ah, she was just a little girl.

I would see lots of them playing along the block.

And Elora Lund was no different than the others.

Except.

She was thin.

And had long, blond curls.

And big blue eyes.

Was she a tall or short fourteen or just average?

She was going to be tall I think.

What happened to her after her mother died?

Did relatives take her? Was she put into an institution or what?

I don't know.

Well, if she's alive she can be found.

But it will take money.

I got a hundred dollars.

A hundred dollars?

Can't you did deeper?

Isn't there any way you can raise money?

Maybe you're not very interested in locating her.

I can mortgage my business for a few hundred.

I wouldn't do that to you.

A hundred buck would go like that and we'd be no nearer to her.

Would it make any difference if I tell you ..

If you find Elora Lund.

She will pay you any sum.

Thousands.

Yes. Tens of thousands for bringing us together.

What makes you think so? - Nothing I'm at liberty to discuss.

Let me say.

The success of this office relies on the mutual trust between clients and myself.

I'm sorry.

I may not be the greatest detective in the world.

But I am the most unusual.

Now, if you want to put your confidence in me.

I will find Elora.

All I can tell you is this.

If you find Elora Lund.

It's possible she will make you a wealthy man.

Well.

I'll see what I can do with this.

In the meantime, have you tried to locate her?

Oh yes. I put an ad in the newspapers.

In the personal column.

If anyone tries to answer that ad.

I want you to get in touch with men night or day. Will you?

Sure.

And I'll let you know when I've anything to report.

Thank you.

Good evening.

You want me to save this? - Certainly.

Open a file for Mr Stillwell. - Will you really look for that girl?

Of course I am. What's more, I will find her.

" Thee days have passed ."

" And Stillwell has had no word from the private detective he engaged ."

" He has almost given up hope that he will ever find Elora Lund ."

" But tonight his long search is coming to an end ."

Mr Stillwell.

Mr Stillwell.

Mr Stillwell.

Daddy Stillwell?

How are you?

What can I do for you?

It's a miracle that I ever knew you were looking for me.

I've been away.

But a girl I went to school with sent me a clipping.

Elora?

Elora Lund.

My, how you've grown.

You're just like I pictured you.

And you're just like I remembered you.

You haven't changed a bit.

Seven years don't make much difference at my age.

Come Elora. Here.

Sit down.

There.

Now come on. Tell me.

What have you been doing?

And why didn't you come to see me?

I was afraid they would put me in an orphanage.

So I took what little money there was in the house and ran away.

I suppose you're wondering why I advertized for you?

Of course I am.

And even if you only wanted to talk to me I'm glad you did.

I guess I was too young to appreciate everything but ..

I'll never forget what a friend you were to mother and me.

Do you remember those odds and ends your mother used to bring me to sell for her?

I brought some myself when she was ill.

Well.

I never sold them.

I thought perhaps if your mother got well ..

She would like to buy them back.

They were heirlooms.

Things she brought from Sweden.

Would you like me to buy them back now?

Is that why you wanted to find me?

No, no, no.

My dear.

I wanted to tell you.

You are a rich young woman.

Among those odds and ends I found a treasure that is worth a fortune.

What is it?

All in good time, Elora.

All in good time.

But I must go out for a minute or two.

But you can wait right here.

I engaged a detective to try and find you, my dear.

And I told him I'd let him know the minute you answered my advertisement.

I'll be back in a minute or two.

Mr Gale?

This is Mr Stillwell.

Hello, Mr Stillwell.

She is?

And I'm sure she is Elora Lund.

Elora.

Elora.

Mr Stillwell.

I was frightened.

I thought I heard somebody in the store.

Nobody would come at this hour.

I've got something to show you while we are waiting for Mr Gale.

See. It's a newspaper clipping.

I thought of you the minute I read it.

Here it is.

Read it, Elora.

And you'll understand why I said ..

You are a rich young woman.

Yes?

What can I do for you?

What happened, Mr Gale? - Gentlemen, wait a minute.

The owner of this store, Mr Stillwell, was murdered.

Who discovered the body? - Me.

Again?

Mr Stillwell has been running ads in the newspapers to try to locate a Miss Lund.

Yeah?

He phoned me to say she's in the store.

When I arrived he was dead and she'd gone.

Give us a break. - Wait a minute.

A significant feature of the whole thing is that this girl is not Elora Lund.

Who is she? - An imposter.

You can print that or put it on the air.

Where's the phone? - Upstairs. First landing.

Thanks, Mr Gale. Thanks very much.

Just a minute.

Dr Gale for Miss Hanson. - Oh.

You dirty rat.

You got your nerve to come here.

Why? What have I done?

You said it would be easy. There was no danger.

You put me on a swell spot.

I got you off that spot too, didn't I?

Oh you did? How?

Open the door, Freda.