To the left are representative panels selected from the sequence; blame poorly-photographed microfilm and the ancient microfilm printers (which probably pre-date the sequence itself) at the Boston Public Library for the horizontal scratches and other schmutz.

Following is a plot synopsis of the Daddy-O Duckcut sequence:

Rock-jawed Steve Roper is an investigative reporter and photographer for the muckraking monthly magazine Proof. Fresh from the successful completion of his story exposing the "gift from the dead" swindle, Roper is resting up between assignments. His publisher, Major McCoy, learns that avuncular Ralph Ledger, trusted long-time Proof accountant, has been caught embezzling over $3000 of Proof funds. Confronted with the allegation, Ledger explains that he took the money to support his sexy young wife Grace's hobby of writing poetry. A certain Daddy-O Duckcut, pompadoured president of the Hi-Art Publishing and Recording Co., had told Grace that her poems have surefire hit potential, if only they were put to music. However, the fee for Hi-Art's melody-setting and recording of Grace's poems has grown so large that Ledger has had to resort to embezzlement to pay the tab. But he assures Major McCoy that his intent all along was to pay it back, plus interest, once the finished recordings start burning up the charts.

Sensing something fishy in Hi-Art's form letter touting Grace's poems, Roper smells a hot new assignment for himself. Toting a spy camera hidden inside a volume of Byron, he accompanies the Ledgers as they observe the recording session of her songs. Based on what he sees and the photos he shoots with the poetry-cam, he returns to his office and immediately writes the story, which will expose Duckcut's operation. But Ledger ferrets an advance copy of Roper's story out of the office to prove to his wife that Daddy-O Duckcut is not on the level. Upset at being deluded and at the money lost (although it was never theirs in the first place), she harangues her husband into confronting Duckcut. A scuffle ensues. Duckcut smashes Ledger over the head with a heavy, blunt instrument -- a device used to flatten out his cheap, warped recording blanks. Ledger is killed instantly.

Although his article is already completed, Roper returns to the Hi-Art studio to further entrap Duckcut. He discovers Ledger's body, but Duckcut has split the scene. A massive manhunt ensues. When Roper visits Mrs. Ledger the next day at her new job working for the Helping Hand Mission of the Christian Soldiers, Inc., he discovers Duckcut, in disguise, playing trumpet in the Helping Hand band. A scuffle ensues. Coming to Roper's aid, Captain Goodhart, director of the mission, plugs Daddy-O Duckcut with Duckcut's own pistol, killing him instantly. The coroner's inquest rules that Goodhart acted without criminal intent, and no charges are filed.