 Personal notice, dangerous my stock and trade. If the job's too tough for you to handle, you got a job for me, George Valentine. Write full details. Standard Oil Company of California, on behalf of independent Chevron gas stations and standard stations throughout the west, invites you to let George do it. The Amhill, another adventure of George Valentine. Who is this? However I need... Riley, it's you, isn't it? Lieutenant Riley. Yes. All right, have it your own way. Only, what are you talking about? Valentine, I've got a client for you. A little ugly stumble bum wants your help. A slot machine repair man, no less. It won't help me unless somebody helps him. Only he won't trust the police. I don't blame him. You make so much sense. But the idea... Riley, hold it, will you? You said this guy's dying? The doctor gives him a day or two at the best. Can't operate, can't stop the infection. From what, Lieutenant? Oh, gunshot wounds, Miss Brooks. One gun, but all six shells. Happened in a dark alley. Whoever it was, didn't want to miss him, I guess. That little man must be tough. Maybe. Or lucky or unlucky. He's one of those guys who was born to end up at the bottom of the pile, Valentine. Then why are you so interested in him? It's just possible that he can steer us all the way to the top of the pile. His name's Trailer. I told you he was the littlest shrimp in the slot machine racket. The repair man. Well, we've never found out who the big shrimp is. I see. I worm my way into the man's confidence, and then maybe he spells. Is that it? Blows the whole racket apart. No, no, no. You just help the little guy find his girl. Betty. Betty, that's her name. I was going to see her tonight. Betty who, Trailer? What's the rest of her name? She's beautiful. Not but she is. I'm just her bill, she said. You don't believe in anything, do you? Trailer, can you understand me? There's nobody in the world who believes. You've got to be careful you can't trust people. You've got to trust them and trust them and trust them. And then you can't trust them because they're all the same. You're talking about the racket? I won't tell you anything. I won't. I shouldn't. Oh, I know why I take it easy. Ants. Ants is what I'm talking about. Ants. Ah. You ever catch ants? Climbing on top of each other higher and higher and higher. Like, like ants. Did you? They all got to get ahead. I'm done at the bottom and I'm happy. I'm happy. Oh sure, you're different. You're happy. That's right. That's right. Full shot. Ants. You can test people to see if they're ants, you know. Put honey in front of them. See if they took themselves. Only, Diane's not bad. Why did you ask me? I don't know anything. I'm just, just... Betty. Fine Betty. Hey look, Trillian. Nurse. Guess you can have him back for a while. My tenor and master mechanic fixes slot machines. Drifts around a lot. Rally I'm willing to bet he doesn't know anything that'll ever help you pry open the big time. Is that so? Well, just let me show you. Look in here. Oh. You mean the tall skinny man over there? Yeah. Yeah, Wilton. The highest price legal beagle in the state. Waiting to see if anybody off stage needs defending. That's it. The watchdog. Ever let. Just in case the police have a squealer who might stop worrying about the girlfriend and climb out of his delirium log and up to sing. Sing? What's this? What's all this, Lieutenant? Somebody's singing? That's right, Mr. Wilton. Trailer in there tells me you own all the slot machines in this state. Yes, of course. It's just a sideline. All rather a bother, particularly when I don't live in this town. Here on business, Mr. Wilton. Mr. Big, your pardon? Mr. Valentine and Ms. Brooks. How do you do? Charles. No, I've been retained by a client, Mr. Valentine. Oh, who's that? The black company. Riley here knows about it. Oh, yes, yes. Sure, sure. Out-of-town corporation. Manufacturers will of the wisps. Well, I'm only a lawyer. I'm not familiar. All the black company's quite an Alfred Valentine. Perfectly legal. Only nobody knows who runs it. But do they own the slot machines? Of course not. Do they know who they make bank deposits for? Does this bird trailer even know who he works for? Does anybody? The basis of all good organization, Lieutenant, is the pyramid. Like a spy system, huh? No one man knows enough to incriminate any of the others. Then why are you here, Mr. Wilton? Why are you worried about this trailer person? I haven't really said I even know the man, have I? Or that the company I represent isn't interested in any more than employees indemnity, his accident and so on. Spoken like a lawyer. Riley, maybe it is possible that the best pyramids get a little wobbly once in a while. Maybe it is possible that the reason the trailer in there got shot was that he found out too much about the higher ups. Yeah, hold it, hold it. Yeah, hello, Lieutenant Riley. Oh, I... I wanted to speak to the nurse about Bill Traylor. Well, all right. Who's calling? Well, I... just the nurse, please. The nurse on duty there. Well, just a second. Valentine. Valentine, it's a girl. I'll take it, will you? You're the intern on duty or anybody. What's this? Misrepresentation, Lieutenant? Here, let me have it. Hello? Nurse? Well, she'll be here in a second, honey. I'm the receptionist. Well, I just wanted to find out about a patient. His name is Traylor. Traylor? Well, where do I get my cards here? Traylor. Hurry up, please. Somebody said he was there, but I want to know what happened to him. Well, we had an appendix case come in this morning. Oh, just tell me what happened to him. Just... What? You don't handle cases like that in the police ward. I meant in the other ward. Hmm. She hung up? It's all right. We've got the number. A call came from a phone in a bar at 1612 commercial lane. The old Durphy Hill section, huh? Yeah, yeah. It's kind of district. A 50-cent flop house or a $5,000 penthouse. It's what the harness boys call the Ant Hill Valentine. The Ant Hill, huh? Mm-hmm. Let's go, Brooksy. A million people a day use that phone. My friend, every third one, tries to slug. But bartender, all we wanted to know was... Besides the whistle of the day, where's it kept you? Maybe your boyfriend's a prize fighter. Me, I'll take television any day. The girl used the phone only a few minutes ago. Who was she? Should I know? Should I watch the cash register and be a bulldog for the phone company at the same time? All right, all right. You don't know. Or maybe you don't want to know. I suppose you never heard of a guy named Trailer around here, either. Trailer? No, not until a fight last night. What fight? Him and Louie. Who'd you think? Nice guy, that trailer, I guess. But he'll never amount to much. Make sure you end up with a guy like Louie. Slow down. Well, just slow down. Who's Louie? And what was this fight about? Well, a dame natural. Classy blonde lives up the street named Betty. Quite ended quick. We threw him both out. Betty? Sure. See what I mean about whistling at dame? You mean this guy Louie's tough? Come on. Come on, more about Louie. Working his way up for a good outfit makes collections for the black company. That's slot machines to you. Oh, fellow employee, huh? Only Louie's higher up in the pile. He makes collections from guys like you. From me? You're crazy. Sure. Sure. What's the rest of his name? Louie what? Ask me no questions. I'll tell you no lies. Good day, friend. Proxy, this is where your job begins. I said I'm sorry, sister. Wrong place. Nobody here. Ready? Find your party? Well, no, this gentleman said not. Look, what is this? A census bureau? Bax of flowers, Max. Sign here. What? Oh, look. All of you go something. I haven't got all day signed in. Don't keep the pen. All right. All right. Eh. Not clear off. A dime. Ah. People send you flowers? Come on in. I don't know where Betty is. What do you want? Whoa. Just to see her. Betty sings down the nightclub I found out. She mentioned to me once about a job and I thought maybe dancing and selling cigarettes. Oh, you're great unemployed, huh? Look, you got to be a jerk not to get along in this world, sister. What's the matter? No angle? Oh, I'm just new in town. See, that's a pretty box, isn't it? You going to open them? How do you like that? Dated yesterday. Now, there's a florist who's going to fall right out of business. Betty gets them like that all the time, sister. She knows her way around. Nothing better than the best. Gee. Betty's boyfriend too wants trailer or something. That's what he told you? Boyfriend. There's a laugh. Most sure he wasn't dressed so good. Oh, hopeful, Harry. She can do better than him any day. I didn't know. You mean you're the one she... Say, Rosa. Look, I'm Betty's brother. My name is Louie. Oh. Now, where did you say you met Betty? Gee, has the girl got to relieve all of her privacy? We was only in the beauty shop. I was seeing about a tent. Don't look at me that way. She spoke to me because I complimented her. And of course, I, she said her boyfriend gave her. Boyfriend. Look at that, sister. Those aren't just roses. There's a wristwatch wrapped around them, you see? Holy smoke. I'm an admirer, see? A guy she hasn't even met told you she was good looking. You ought to hear what they say about her singing. Well, God places her in me. You don't have to hate my wrist about it. So go be unemployed. Beat her, will you? Dear Betty, I look forward to meeting you. What's that? I'm on the level, and I don't mean just opposite your eyes when I say I'm not a masher, and won't you please, please telephone me at Derpy Hills. Yeah, give me that. Hey, look, go. Just a card with the roses, that's all. Come on, get out of here. Gosh. I'm not going to try to beat Betty's time or anything. I'll tell you not. I never... That name anyway, Mr. Black or... Black! Of course, she's all right. You talk to her yourself, did you? Sure, Brooks, he read me the note she'd seen on the flowers, but right... We had a man watching him. Go up in the opposite direction like a blind. What you've been doing... That Derpy Hill number on the flower note, it's a new number, Riley. Private listing and installed only a couple of days ago from somebody from out of town who just rented this place. What place? The fanciest penthouse in the whole section. Hey, Riley, people really look like ants from up here. You mean... Sure. Sure, I'm in the place. There was a loose hinge on the service door and nobody inside. You've got the loose hinge, my friend. Don't you realize it was a Mr. Black who sent those flowers? Oh, Riley, add two and two, would you? Nobody knows who owns the slot machines. Who runs the black company? And yet a mysterious Mr. Black shows up in town, a man nobody's seen, not even a janitor downstairs. Trailer's girl, Betty, she must have seen him! No, remember, he just wanted to meet her. Probably he had seen her at the nightclub or something. But that was Black's mistake if he wanted to stay in Cognito, giving a girl his telephone number. Because now here I am with $10,000 in my pocket. What did you say? Sure, must be collection time in the three-lemon business. About two seconds ago, a delivery boy hands me an envelope at the door. Inside was an accounting sheet for all the slot machines on the south side and proceeds for the past month. Well, I... Riley, I figured out who's the man at the top of the anthill. Don't ask me how long it'll last or why it works this way. But right now, Riley, that man seems to be me. We'll return to tonight's adventure of George Valentine in just a moment. Anyone who has done a lot of driving in hot desert country knows what happens to car engines there every day. 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You go to help Lieutenant Riley because there's a man dying in the police hospital who might tell what he knows about the slot machine racket, provided somebody helps him find his girl Betty. Well, so far you haven't found Betty, though you have discovered that there's someone else in her life, someone a little more successful than Trailer, a man who calls himself Mr. Black, who owns the slot machines, whose identity is a secret even from his own employees. Only if your name is George Valentine, now it's you who occupy Mr. Black's apartment. It's a dangerous game and no one realizes that's better than Claire Brooks. Down at the police hospital now, she seems unable to help. I don't know anything. I tell you, I don't know. If you could just remember why you and Louis had that fight last night in the bar, was it over Betty? Betty. Or is something wrong in the business? In the Black company? Fine, Betty. Just fine, Betty. No, of course not, Brooks. See, we've gone way past Trailer now. We're in the middle of the ants, the scramblers. The police have the apartment surrounded now, George. I'm going to keep out and lay low unless I whistle for help. George? Angel will never find out who fired those shots into Trailer, or who runs this rack, unless we ride right along with a gang. You'll ride yourself right into a funeral notice. Sooner or later, the person who rented that apartment will come back and miss you. I said don't worry. Will you, Brooks, see as long as I can... What? What do you people wash those shirts in anyway? So that makes sense. The collars come back with ground glass on the edge. George, what's the matter? Well, just don't use so much starch. That's all. Hello. I didn't mean to interrupt. The door was open. All right, then shut it and come in. What is it? What do you want? Don't get so, boss. I'll take it easy. Your name's Louie, isn't it? Yes, sir. Sure it is. How'd you know? You've fed the description. Look, I know I'm not supposed to be here. I know I should have just sent the stuff up by messenger the way we always do, wherever the point is each month. Oh, so that's it, huh? You're a collector. A derpy hill in East Side, sir. You brought some money. All right, let's have it. Here. Here. The counting sheet's right on top. I had all those figures in my head. It's a trick I taught myself. Right, Paul. No, it's not healthy to come up here and find out who you are like this. Relax, relax with you. Wow. Yeah, yeah, I knew you wouldn't mind when you saw that. It's almost double last month. 23,500 bucks. What did you do? Fix the machine so they pay in bubble gum instead of jackpot? Oh, no, sir. No, I didn't touch them. But I've been in there giving them the old boost, you know, talking it up with a bartender. A real climber in the business, aren't you, Louie? What's this really about, Buster? How did you make so much money this month? Well, the truth of the matter is... What happened to Traylor? The repairman? I don't know what you mean, happened. Who shot him? Boss, listen, he was cheating you. Did you know that ditch I can fool he was? He was what? Hold him out. Jack was setting up the machines and then split the rake over with bartenders. That's how he did it. You must have heard the same thing about the district. He floated around all of them, didn't he? You know what's getting too complicated? Now, wait a minute. Listen, that's how I build up my total for them all, by catching them at it and stopping it. Yeah, you earned the silver star all right. Look, who are you going to call? Listen to the rest of what I got. Muster, I'm going to see a man about pinning a medal on you. But I didn't do it. I didn't empty any gun into him. Well, everything happens at once. You want me to get it for you? No, no, I'll get it. Go make yourself a drink or something. Don't mind if I do. I know who it is anyway. Huh? This is great. Oh. Hello. I guess you're a man, huh? Are you the girl? Don't be funny. I mean... Well, after all the notes you've been sending me with the flowers. Oh, sure. Come in. Come in, Betty. Thanks. Hey. You live all right, don't you? I hope to. You know, you're not so easy to find, Betty. I've been wanting to meet you for some time now. Yeah, I got the idea. Do you always use that whirlwind stuff, flowers and presents on a girl, Mr. or whatever your name is, black bears? Hey, slow down. Take your coat off. Sure. How? You wanted to meet me. Saw me in the night club and you heard my singing and you wanted to meet me. Well, now who wouldn't? You're very beautiful. Do a girl good to be known she associates with you. No comment. Any girl would break her neck to get up here, give her ITs to walk up close till you're like this. Hey. What's the matter, you dirty bitch? Hey, sis, cut it out. Cut it out, sis. I don't... You said you'd be nice. Now stop it or you'll cut it out. I don't know what's the matter with the boss. Honest, I suppose you're both be quiet. She said she was coming up here to see you. She promised you would. You know, I told her what a great guy I... I said shut up, killer. Now look, boss, this is my sister. Say, one of the greatest kids in the world. I know. I know. A guy could go places if his sister associated with a big shot like me. What did you say? Look how rude... Ready, you came up here to find out about Trailer, didn't you? To slap my face and ask the big shot which one of his hired hands was responsible for your boyfriend being down there in the hospital. Wasn't that it? He's not a boyfriend. He's ten times as good as him. He's only been hanging around a couple of months. Sure, he's not an eager beaver like you, Buster. He wouldn't try to use his own sister to get him ahead in the world. Oh, no. No, they just thought about it. In that party of the night... Oh, yeah, but that was all... I told him to stay away and he got mean and took me away. One at a time, will you? Honestly. You live with the ants. Don't you know what they're like yet? Oh, is that what you saw in Trailer? That he was a little different from the scramblers. It was a dope. He was stealing. Hold him out. You want to bet it with you who was holding out from collections, Louis? And he caught you at it? Boss, hold him out. No longer a chance to get rid of two birds with one stone. Get in the boss's good graces and cover your own tracks by being the guy... You said you didn't see Trailer after that fight. All I know, buddy, is that your brother said something to me a minute ago about a gun being emptied into Trailer. Well, it so happens he was shot six times. Only how could you know about that little specific thing, Louis, unless you were the guy? Look, everything I've done is for you. It's for the good of the company. I'm looking ahead all the time. See? I want to... Hey, who's that poor... got a gun? Shut up. Hello, Mr. Wilton. Party's over, huh? Yes. Yes, the party's over, I'm afraid, and besides, it's making too much noise. Next door? No, I've been in the back of a wardrobe you overlooked. Oh, sure. Well, I didn't think it could last. It never did make sense that such a careful set of business apartment wouldn't have... Wouldn't have me. Yes, me. That's a surprise. Yeah. So's Louis. So's Betty. I don't know what you're talking about. Well, who is this guy? Now, if the three of you will just take down that gun buster... Don't worry. He can't get away with anything. Louis, stop it. You're making a mistake. Ah! Ambitious to the end. Couldn't resist trying to make one last impression on you. Could he, Mr. Valentine? Mr. what? Yes, Betty. I'm afraid I'm the Mr. Black who's been so anxious to meet you. It was too bad. Things couldn't have worked out better for us. You're Mr. Black. A great organiser. The best of pyramids taught her once in a while. I was here to make my own collections this time. I thought it was about time for a visit to South America. So if you'll just hand over my money... Why don't you come and get it? You've caused enough trouble already, Valentine. Sure, come on. Come on. Shoot some more people. I'm warning you. It's the only way you're going to get out of here. Valentine! That's that gun! Well, thanks, Riley. Mr. Sloth Machine King, see what the sound of those shots brought you? Three lemons. And that was it, Triller. A gun test proved that Louis shot you. Yeah. Why? Well, ambition, I guess. Cover his own mistakes, get him good with a big boss. Can you understand me, Triller? Can you understand what I'm saying? Yes, yes. Oh, scrambling around. That's all Louis was. Sure. That's all Wilton is, too. But the girl's different. I think she'd like to see you, Triller. Yeah. Yeah, we found Betty. She's a nice girl. Yes. Yes, I know. Since when? What? I said, since when did you know? I mean that she was the kind of a girl who's a little different, who might have really meant it when she said she liked a nuggy little guy like you. Mr. Valentine, I'm very tired. I'm very... Wilton isn't kidding anybody. I just want you to know that I know that, Triller. I've begun to guess that I... His biggest mistake was trying to take over the Sloth Machine Empire tonight. Like the rest, he couldn't resist the opportunity. George. Think back, Angel. Wilton's tall and skinny. Would he have ever written a note to Betty, just an ordinary sized girl saying, I'm on the level and I don't mean just opposite your eyes? No, of course he wouldn't. He's only a lawyer. A rat trying to grab what he can off a sinking ship. Mr. Valentine, I had no idea... I'll say it for you, Triller. Wilton didn't ever own the Sloth Machines like he claimed he did at the last minute. And he wasn't the Mr. Black in the notes. Now they'd have to be a short man, probably. A little guy. Yeah. A little guy. Like maybe a man who had made such a success out of not trusting anybody that he couldn't believe a girl like him. He had to test if I'm making her think a big shot was after her to see if she'd drop him and run for the hunting. He was in town for the collections anyway and it knows around the way he always did inspecting the ant hill he built while looking like a repairman. You mean, Triller here is really Mr. Black? Yeah, Brooks. What would you have done, Triller, if Betty had dropped you and chased after you, Mr. Black, the right way her brother wanted it to? I... I would have killed her. No. No, I... I wouldn't. I... I don't... I know, Buster. It's pretty ironic. You kept your identity so secret. You did so well and what happened? You got shot by a guy whose only ambition was to get in good with the boss, make a big fine impression on you. Now you still want to talk to Betty while you can, Mr. Black? No. No. She... leave her out of our ant hill. Maybe Triller really wished that he could be just a repairman. Oh, there are lots of maybes, Brooks. Maybe he was sick of himself. He was so high, must have looked down on a lot of squirming underneath. But George, it's all in the way you look at an ant hill. The city of workers, too, and they help each other. They don't climb over each other's backs or knife each other to get ahead. That's what's so wrong about the whole thing. None of those ideas, Triller, hadn't made any sense. Crime never makes sense, doesn't it, Brooks? See, where's my client? Where's Riley? I wonder just how you send a bill to the police department. For services, Render? Let's pretend you're on a weekend motoring trip. It's a bright, sunny day. Everything's fine, except it's too bright. And the eye strain is terrific. Well, you can easily avoid that discomfort for your eyes. Just stop in tomorrow at an independent Chevron gas station or a standard station and ask for Polaroid Day glasses. Ordinary sunglasses, merely dim, reflected glare. But Polaroid Day glasses are scientifically made to actually blot out dazzling reflections. The kind of glare that bounces off highways, water, beaches and snow to hit you in the eyes. These smartly styled glasses are light and comfortable to wear. They have wide-angle coverage, and there's no obstruction of view. You can drive all day through bright weather, and Polaroid Day glasses will leave your eyes feeling no strain. There's a lot of bright weather ahead, so for your own driving comfort, why not get these glasses right away? Buy them at the Chevron Gas Station where they say, and mean, we take better care of your car. Tonight's adventure of George Valentine has been brought to you by Standard Oil Company of California on behalf of independent Chevron gas stations and standard stations throughout the west. Robert Bailey has starred as George with Virginia Greg as Bruxy. Let George do it is written by David Victor and Jackson Gillis and directed by Don Clark. John Heston as the bartender Bill Boucher as Wilton Gene Bates as Betty Jim Nusser as the bartender and Anthony Barrett as Louis. The music is composed and presented by Eddie Dunstetter. You're an outster, John Heston. Listen again next week, same time, same station to let George do it. This is the mutual Don Lee broadcasting system.