 wait a minute have you heard the strange tales of the whistler I didn't steal the money I just want to use it for a few days I was gonna put it back but things went wrong now there's gonna be a change of ownership that means an early audit Sunday night and again CBS presents the whistler the whistler know many things for I walk by night I know many strange tales many secrets hidden in the hearts of men and women who have stepped into the shadows and so I tell you tonight the tale of the accounting Tom Bradford is a middle-aged rancher living a few miles out of town Tom has married a widow with a grown son named Ralph was inclined to be shiftless and lazy Tom resents this because times are difficult and he's short of help he further resents the fact that the boy has married a girl from the town and brought her to live with them they've been here for two months now Tom has grown crabby and unpleasant you know the way conditions are Mary just can't get any help in this ranch there's too much for me to handle alone I know Tom but Ralph doesn't know anything about a ranch Ralph was raised in the city he can learn but he's too lazy only does it sit around read magazines but he's a delicate sort of boy he always has well let him go out and do a little work he won't be so delicate you made a baby out of him I've done no such thing if Ralph were able to help you I'd be the first one to ask him to do it if he amounted to anything you wouldn't have to be asked wish the army would take him they deferred him because he wasn't strong enough well he's not too weak do a little something around here that wife of his that Vera she's worse than he is she could do something though she does is dress herself up and baby Ralph's she'd love never washes a dish because it might ruin her hands she can't cook she can't do a thing I don't like her I think there is a nice girl I can do without her being here you mean you don't want her here that's exactly what I mean but if she left that would mean that why Ralph wouldn't stay here without Vera then they can both go you know what you're saying Ralph is my son I don't care who he is he can get out and shift for himself and take that steaming little brat of a wife with him oh you're just upset Tom you'll feel different about things in a few days you must try to control yourself Mary before they came here you and I got along very nicely since they've come we've had nothing but arguments and hard feelings Ralph and Vera are constantly stirring up trouble naturally you take Ralph's side you can't see his faults because you're his mother at the same time you're his worst enemy Tom how can you say such a thing I know what I'm talking about and I've made up my mind they've got to go where what will they do Ralph figure it out let him get a job job what can he do a lot of things he's not that helpless but Tom please you don't understand I understand all right and that's final he and Vera can get out in the morning very well I'll tell them and perhaps I should go to is that what you want oh now don't be ridiculous Mary I didn't say that I thought you love me I never dreamed you could be like this not being mean Mary and I don't want to talk about it anymore you're going to tell them or shall I yes Tom I'll tell them very well I'm very tired good night Mary Ralph darling his mother may I come in oh yes mother sorry to disturb you so late but I have to talk to you and Vera oh yeah what's the matter well I it's about Tom what about him well I I don't know how to say it say what what's wrong with him I don't know he just isn't himself you know how terribly upset he's been lately yeah but he doesn't understand Ralph he just doesn't understand why he doesn't understand you you and Vera what's wrong with me nothing very it's just Tom he's in one of those spells he doesn't like anything or anybody you mean he saw us yes Ralph he's terribly upset what have I done well he thinks you're lazy he's angry because you won't help him around the ranch what oh that's silly what do I know about a ranch nothing I told him that but he said you could learn why I wouldn't last half a day doing this kind of work I'm not the time he's terribly unreasonable he refuses to see it that way well not a heck with him then I'm lazy too is that what he thinks yes Vera I'm terribly sorry and embarrassed we aren't farmers I'm not gonna let Vera tend those confounded chickens and I'm not gonna milk any cows what do they think I am please Ralph don't get excited well if he feels that way about me I'll get out what you do know such thing we'll stay right here like it ready to leave Ralph darling Tom wants you to leave in the morning why well of all the nerd this is your house too isn't it yes but Ralph if you stay here you'll have to work and I don't want you to have to do that you couldn't stand it it wouldn't be good for you you mean you want us to leave no I don't want you too but I've thought it all over and I think you'd better go into town but don't worry I'll see that you get along all right how well I'll have to get a job well maybe you can find something to do something light what a fine man I'm sorry darling but you better go in the morning go I wouldn't stay around here another day well I know bookkeeping maybe I could get a job in a bank that isn't such hard work no but don't worry darling I won't good night the next morning after breakfast Ralph and Vera leave the ranch and go into town a few days later Ralph obtains a job in the bank then after a month or so he is promoted from the adding machine to the teller's cage now two months more have passed in the young teller in the next cage steps into Ralph's compartment busy Ralph oh no her by I just I think it's going all right her yeah seem to be having some trouble Ralph trouble what do you mean oh I don't know you look a little worried I thought maybe you were having a bit of difficulty making things balance what do you mean I'm not having any trouble what gave you that idea well I've been off a few cents a couple of times and believe me I know what it means why I've worked all night several times trying to find what happened to two cents I know how it feels yeah did you find it well I didn't find the two cents but I found the error in my fingers well I haven't found the error in my fingers haven't you well that's that's good what would be wrong with my books why I didn't say anything would be wrong I well I just thought you looked a bit worried what maybe I could help you I don't need any help I'm quite able to take care of my responsibility good glad to hear it uh by the way have you heard the news what news this bank is being taken over by a system and is to become one of its branches you know what that means no what's it means a complete audit before the end of this month that isn't very far away about 15 days yeah I just thought you would want everything in order I know I would yeah well thanks for the information you're welcome Ralph for a few moments Ralph stands in a stupor perspiration stands out in large beads on his foreign the next hour he studies over his books frantically then when closing time comes he rushes home hello darling oh you have no idea how much I've missed you all day yeah kiss me yeah what's the matter with you nothing well I'm certainly disappointed what about you come in like this with a long face and look at the lovely dinner I fixed for you I'm not very hungry Vera I got a headache oh poor darling you eat something and then I'll rub your head well I don't want to be let me alone please Ralph what on earth is wrong with you nothing's wrong with me shut up how dare you talk to me like that what do you think you are I'm sorry darling I I'm just upset I'm all on edge what about just my nerves more than nerves why don't you tell me what's happened who said anything can happen I can tell have you lost your job no is that fellow you lost $50 to in that poker game threatening you is that it look Vera I'm in a spot I don't know what to do the the bank is changing hands there'll be an audit before the end of the month well what of it what's that to do with the poker player oh nothing I paid him off but it wasn't $50 wasn't 50 what was it $2,000 $2,000 I didn't lose it all at once but I tried to make back what I'd lost I only got in deeper then if you lost $2,000 how did you pay him off I borrowed it from the bank how could you borrow $2,000 from the bank I took it what yes but I was sure I could put it back before the end of the month no I'm worried I don't know what to do if I don't put it back before the audit I'll get caught and set the prison where are we going to get $2,000 I don't know but there must be some way some place to get it how about your mother she'd give it to you Tom has money he doesn't like us no well maybe we could make him like us at least we could try let's drive over there this is Saturday afternoon and next Monday is a legal holiday let's drive over and see what we can do all right at least we can do is try we'll go and as they go up to the porch they hear Tom arguing in a loud voice with another man just around the corner of the house they slip to the edge of the porch and listen all right glad for two years now and you I've tried my best to make it pay I I've worked hard is these subsistence farmers just growing up heat let it go at that that's a lie Brett oh is it I'm foreclosing tomorrow there's a lot of money tied up in that land and I need it what's all of I every cent I have is there I want you out of there by tomorrow but look here my wife is sick I can't leave now I won't oh can't you won't you well you better be out by noon or you just try it I guess as soon as you look at her what did you say I'll go I'll go but you just remember what I said wow what do you think of that come on let's go on in and talk to your mother Tom's gonna have a stroke one of these days even warned about those fits of temper might be a good thing for everybody if something did happen to him yeah maybe so oh hello Ralph darling I didn't expect you down today he has an extra day off so we thought we'd come down do you hear Tom arguing that fella Miller just now yes I heard them Tom better not play around with Miller he's a tough looking customer Tom gets worse every day he rants and rays at the least hasn't spoken to me civilly for weeks I can't stand it here any longer I'm glad you came because I'm going back with you going back leaving Tom I've got to he's unbearable but mother you can't leave him that is not just now why not well you've got to put up with him for a while longer because why don't you tell her Ralph Ralph what is it what's happened Ralph is in trouble he needs some money darling what's happened till mother well I I borrowed some money from the bank I have to pay it back before the end of the month how much $2,000 what good heavens well if you can't pay it back now they'll have to extend it they can't do anything else oh yes they can now send him to jail you see they didn't know I borrowed it Ralph darling you mean you stole it no I didn't steal it I I just wanted for a few days I was gonna pay it back but things went wrong and now there's gonna be a change of ownership and that means an audit you've got to have the money right away but what can I do I haven't done you've got to get it from Tom you've got Tom needs every cent he has to hold on to this place well you can ask him you've got to do something do you want Ralph to go to the penitentiary good heavens no and hurry up and talk to him but I what do I say oh you'll think of something go on in and talk to him but do you think this is the time I'm desperate I need that money in one way or another I'm gonna get it oh yes yes darling don't get excited it isn't good for you I'll I'll talk to him now he just came in the back way we'll wait in here yes all right oh Tom look at your face it's flaming red you shouldn't let yourself get so worked up over things Melissa lazy good for nothing fool well he knows I mean business he'd better be gone but a more or no he'll go don't worry huh you can threaten to kill me please Tom forget about it come on dear sit down your lunch is ready don't really need that land just that I can't tolerate shipless irresponsible people that place is worth five thousand dollars Miller paid 750 down been on a two years and hasn't made a dime since Tom dear I uh I need some money yes well that's not unusual hand me the checkbook by the way I've got a list of things you can get for me in town how much do you want Mary I want to borrow some money Tom this one do you have to borrow money well I want to borrow it that's ridiculous borrow it now how much do you want two thousand dollars two thousand two thousand are you crazy no Tom I need two thousand dollars you possibly need that would cost that much you certainly have everything that wait a minute what are you getting at Mary please Tom please lend it to me I'll pay it back I promise how just how would you pay it back you have no earning capacity well I know but but Ralph has he could well I thought it was something like that but she got up her sleeve he needs two thousand right away oh he does well what for what she does why nothing but he has an opportunity to well it's a business proposition you expect me to believe that what's he done something at the bank he well quit stalling did he borrow from the bank and forget to tell him about it yes oh Tom please please let me have it they might send him to jail jail oh no not Ralph why he couldn't stand please Tom please he's so young he didn't realize what he was doing let him go to jail maybe they'll teach him that the world wasn't made for him alone oh you don't mean that don't I I knew he was no good from the first day he came here and that snip of Avira is worse she probably put him up please help us Tom please I wouldn't give a dime to help him he belongs in a jail as far as I'm concerned that just where he'll go Tom please Tom listen to me he refused he won't help I heard of the stingy old crap so he doesn't like me eh well he should know what I think about him I could stick a knife between his ribs and well yeah he really could yes what are you saying what are you thinking nothing nothing I'm just thinking Tom has been very good healthy he ought to be careful about those rages he's likely to die in one of those spells yes that would be too bad has Tom any living relatives no I hope for your sake brother that he he's kept up in that insurance policy but he has let's see now how much was that 50,000 wasn't it yes that's a lot of money oh but we mustn't talk like this mother would feel terrible if if Tom should after all he's her husband she loves him yes yes of course you'll have to face it sooner or later he's getting along years on the other hand he may live a long time yet who knows yeah yeah I'd be afraid of that Miller after the threats we heard of me Ralph darling I yes mother what are you gonna say nothing I wasn't going to say anything come on Vera let's get our things out of the car Tom goes into town and arranges for the eviction papers to be served on Miller he returns late that evening and goes straight to bed the night passes and morning comes Tom being an outdoor man is usually up before sunrise but this morning only Mary Ralph and Vera appear for breakfast finally Mary becoming worried goes to Tom's room and knocks does not answer she opens the door and screams in horror there on the bed lies Tom's tapped in the heart well he's been dead since about midnight bedroom window was open but we can't find the weapon boy he probably took it with him Sheriff who well that fellow Miller he must have done it how do you know that well he was here yesterday afternoon and he and Tom had a terrific argument Tom was a victim and Miller threatened to kill Tom anybody else hear him say that yes I heard him so did I yeah then it looks like Miller's our man we'll get over there right away before he has a chance to skip come on Bill Ralph don't you know no you you better go to your room and try to rest yes certainly hope they catch Miller do you think they can pin it on him without any evidence certainly you heard what the sheriff said Miller's threats all they need you think Miller did it don't you why of course I do what a silly question and the sheriff arrives he finds that Miller has gone they put out a search for him now Ralph is back at the bank in the cage next to her well Ralph they haven't found that fellow Miller yet no well I'll find her do you really think it was Miller who killed your stepfather well of course I do he threatened to kill him three of us heard him well sometimes people say things that they never mean to carry out well you should have heard him he meant it maybe he did but that doesn't mean he did it what are you talking about oh I was just thinking yeah circumstantial evidence is an awful thing sometimes what do you mean well so many people have been convicted on a mere word a mere nothing people hear a person say something and at the time they repeated in court they enlarge on it a dozen times I remember a fellow who worked here in fact in your cage what about him well he used to play poker quite a bit and one night he made a haul one four five hundred dollars when flashing his roll around town and boasting so what was wrong with that well he went into the drug store and started showing off and when the old drugist asked him where he got all of that money he kiddingly remarked that he had robbed the bank well had got around and finally took on a serious tone they checked up here at the bank and sure enough there was a five hundred dollar shortage and even though his pals swore that he'd won it in the game they convicted him on his statement and sent him up or maybe it did steal us he had the opportunity I have and you have yeah well are they still in the pan no he was lucky he got out after five years how'd he get up he was exonerated another teller confessed to it later they sent him up let the other kid out he was lucky five years yeah it's a long time it'd be a shame if Miller were convicted in the same way and then they later found out that he was innocent wouldn't it yeah well he did it he had the motive the opportunity he said he'd do it well he may not have been the only one with the motive so after three I'm gonna run along see in the morning heard so long Ralph grabs his hat his face tense with anxiety as he hurries down the street to his car he drives quickly to the ranch and enters the house standing in the middle of the room as the sheriff hello Ralph you're just in time huh in time how long have you been here just drove a second before you did well what do you want uh did you find Miller no not yet but hey well well you certainly got a case against them all right you won't have a chance I wanted to ask you and your mother and your wife a few more questions yeah well all right what do you want to know we got a message from someone in town saying that Miller was seen at the gas station about seven o'clock on the night Tom Bradford was killed well so what maybe was they checked with the attendant he said Miller had his car packed had his family and headed out of town in the opposite direction well maybe he circled around and then came back no no no he couldn't have done that why not because he wouldn't have had time he was seen in the next town an hour later still had at east he wouldn't have had time to get that far if he'd circle back here see what I mean yeah yeah I see but he must have come back he not unless he flew and that isn't probable but there must be some explanation he must have gotten here some way maybe he killed him earlier maybe that's say that's right no no no we can figure the time of death closer than that was near midnight that's definite I see well who told you about this who sent you this message we uh we don't know it was printed with a pencil and mailed in town yeah that all it said well no no there was more to it huh what else well there's always cranks butting into cases like this amateur detectives are always getting hunches and yeah they're seldom ever right oh what did it say I'll tell you I'll tell you calm down yes Ralph take it easy oh yes darling don't be so upset it isn't good for you well it said that the real murderer would probably be found in the immediate household of Tom Bradford what and since we haven't found the weapon we might check over the house I never heard of such a thing that's the biggest bunch of nonsense I've ever heard of what my mother loved Tom Bradford so did I so did Vera he would like a father to it please Ralph don't shout well my partner has been looking over the place while we've been talking I imagine that he'll find just a minute I hate to bother you right now but uh hey Archer take a look at this well a knife apparently covered with blood that's right I found it in Mrs Bradford's room right under the mattress what how did it get there yes yes Mrs Bradford how did it get there I put it there afterwards mother what are you saying you're out of your mind did you kill your husband yes yes I killed it oh she did not she could I killed him and I had a good reason I hated him he was cruel cruel to me and he hated Ralph I couldn't stand it any longer so I killed his life she didn't know I don't know we know Miller didn't do it you can't do this mother I know what you're trying to do what she's doing she's trying to protect me she thinks I did it mother do you realize what this means tell him the truth tell him I did it I killed him the knife is from my own kitchen I did it and I'm glad he's crazy she couldn't have done it because I killed him she's trying to protect me Ralph what are you saying I did it I tell you I ought to know I had a better motive than she what motive I'll tell you that later I don't believe you killed him Ralph you're trying to protect your mother now because you know she did it I did it I tell you I did it well it's enough for me I believe her but we'll soon find out we'll check the fingerprints on the knife that won't prove anything why not because I used a glove mother must have taken the knife from the body and hidden it thinking that I slipped off that's just so much talk and you're just shooting in the dark come on Bill let's get back to town and do some checking the only fingerprints on the knife were Mary's and try as he might Ralph could not convince them that he wasn't trying to shield his mother Ralph realized finally that his mother was sure to be convicted and the day of the audit grew closer he became frantic about the money he had to have on the day his mother was sentenced to prison he visited the attorney I thought I'd drop in and see about that policy Tom Bradford left for my mother quite a few things to be take care of you know well I'll tell you Ralph that policy would have been paid long ago but there are certain technicalities in this state regarding insurance what's that we had to wait till the finish of the trial well why she's a beneficiary she's entitled as insurance not here if the beneficiary is convicted of killing the insured the beneficiary cannot receive the procedure the policy the same as true as to Tom's farms another property what what about me I'm the son there are no other as you were not the blood kid to Tom Bradford and you were not legally adopted therefore all the property and the insurance reverts to Tom's estate nothing we can do about it well Ralph there you are holding the bag now you've got to face the music at the bank with all your scheming nothing was gained you planned to kill Tom and blame it on Miller but instead got your mother upset and she killed him because she wanted to keep you from doing it that's what you believe Ralph but you're wrong I know your mother didn't do it she found the body and removed the knife thinking you'd slipped up it was your dear little wife Vera who did it and she'll never tell but she'll pay for it later I know the CBS has presented the Whistler original music for this production was composed and conducted by Wilbur Hatch the Whistler is written and directed by J. Donald Wilson and originates from Columbia Square in Hollywood I the Whistler will return to tell you another interesting tale good night this is the Columbia Broadcasting System