In the Arizona desert, two older gentleman and a girl are sitting around a campfire, watching the sun go down until dark. Doctor Harold is an archeologist, Miss Larrie, is his niece, and Mason is their guide. They are in the desert to study ancient Indian culture. The three soon hear a wolf howling somewhere nearby, as their horses start to become nervous. Mason goes out to check on them, when suddenly, a stranger appears out of the darkness holding a gun. Larrie notices the stranger's arm is bleeding. He asks her for a bandage. It seems that the stranger is an escaped bandit of a bank in Flagstaff. He stole 20 thousand dollars in a running gun battle with the police. The FBI in Flagstaff was notified and Special Agent Blake drove in to confer with Sherriff Hickman.

At 3:00 AM, on the outskirts of Houston, Texas, at the Palace Grove Modern Tourist Camp, a man crept by the all-night clerk, headed to Cabin 4. Upon entering, he woke Kitty, his girlfriend, who was asleep. She said "Jack, what are you doing here? His name was John Fredrick Benson, but she calls him "Jack". He said "They were taking me to the Federal Building this afternoon, and I broke out. I made it out to the freight yards, and have been there for twelve hours. I need you to get a hacksaw to cut my handcuffs off". The next morning, Kitty buys a hacksaw and uses it to remove the handcuffs. He says "I have to find some place to lay low for a while. How about your sister Nora's farm in Kansas?" Kitty says "Allright, if that's what you want". Three weeks later, Jack is working on the farm, but he getting very bored and restless.

Jeff was called in to Mr. Lyon's office to meet the client, Mr. Carter, who was telling them about his daughter, Patrice. Carter says "she left about five years ago and, since then, I have never heard from her. I can understand, in a way, because ever since her mother died I sent her away to boarding schools. I haven't been the best companion for her, but I want her back Mr. Regan". Jeff says "I can see how you feel". Carter says "I have offered Mr. Lyon a two thousand dollar fee if he can find my daughter. Let me know when you find anything". When Carter leaves, Lyon hands Jeff a train ticket to New Orleans and says "she had a boyfriend next door, but he hasn't seen her in a year. She has another boyfriend in New Orleans and went to see him there. I found that out with two phone calls. Go to New Orleans and bring her back".

Sergeant Barnes of the Dewhurst Police is relaying the facts of the case to Inspector Carr. He says "A farmer named Tom Ferguson was shot last night when he was returning from a party in the company of a Mr. Flynn, who called for an ambulance. However, Ferguson was deceased by the time the ambulance arrived at the hospital. He lived at Greystone Farm, along with Vera Hammond. a widow, and her 20 year old son, Robert. Vera was a Ferguson before she married. Tom Ferguson was her nephew. The farm was originally owned by Vera's brother, but when he died, Tom inherited it". Inspector Carr asks "Did Tom have a girlfriend?" Barnes says "yes, he was engaged to Evelyn Todd, from a neighboring farm. Once they were married, they planned to live at Greystone, so Vera Hammond and Robert would have had to move out.

A young lady named Miss Wonderly walks into the offices of Spade and Archer, Private Detectives. Miss Wonderly had just told Sam Spade why she needed to employ his services, when Miles Archer enters the room. Sam says "Miss Wonderly just told me her sister Corrine ran away with a guy named Floyd Thursby, and they are here in San Francisco. She wants Corrine away from Thursby because she believes he is dangerous. Miss Wonderly says that has a meeting with Thursby after 8 o'clock tonight in her hotel lobby. Archer agrees to be there to watch over her. Later that night, Police Lieutenant Duffy calls Sam and tells him that his partner Archer has been found in an alley, shot through the heart.

A man named Donald Stryker pays a visit to Sam. He tells Sam that a somewhat reliable source has told him that he is a marked man. Stryker tells Sam that a wild-eyed man named George Strutt came to his door last night, and showed him a picture of a pretty girl cut out from a newspaper, with no name or identification. He said "you can still save yourself. Beware the siren song she sings. You are number six, I am five, and the four before us are doomed. Beware of this sinister, redhaired handmaiden of the dark angel". Sam says "Mr. Stryker, are you sure this Strutt isn't some harmless escapee from the local sanitarium?" Stryker says "he isn't, I made some phone calls this morning, he is a quasi-successful cigar salesman downtown, with an apartment on Leavenworth Street. Please, Mr. Spade, I must get to the bottom of this issue".

Mr. Wolfe is generally not too fond of traveling anywhere, but when he gets a call from Mr. Zabro saying that he has a new shipment orchids in his flower shop, he changes his mind. Shortly after the phone call, Mr. Hansen appears at Zabro's Flower Shop wanting his money. Hansen says "I don't like the way you have been avoiding me, Zabro. You have 24 hours to pay me what you owe, or I will be the owner of this flower shop". Later, Hansen's niece, Enid, pays a visit. Hansen says "he is not here, John Arndt. His job is to take care of my orchids. I suppose he believes when he marries you, he won't need a job anymore, since you will inherit my estate. I have instructed my lawyers to add a codicil to my will to say that all my money goes to you, but only if you do not marry John Arndt now or in the future. I will sign that codicil as soon as it is ready".

Dan Holiday accepts a dinner invitation from the wealthy Mr. Charles Winthrop. After the dinner, Mr. Winthrop has a proposition for Dan. He says "somewhere in this city I have hidden a packet containing 100 one thousand dollar bills. There will be three other individuals also looking for the money. At midnight tonight, I will drop four identical letters in the mailbox. Each will contain the first clue of where to find the money. Finding the first clue will lead you to the second clue, and the second will lead you to the third, and so on. The person who finds the money will have the choice of keeping it, or donating it to charity. If he chooses to donate it, I will add another one hundred thousand dollars to the donation." At first, Dan is hesitant to play this rich man's game, but Winthrop says "your first clue will arrive in the morning, you can then decide to participate or not."