 And now stay tuned for the mystery program that is unique among all mystery programs. Because even when you know who is guilty, you always receive a startling surprise at the final curtain. In the Signal Oil program, the Whistler. Signal, the famous Go Father gasoline, invites you to sit back and enjoy another strange story by the Whistler. I am the Whistler, and I know many things before 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. And now for the Signal Oil Company, the Whistler's strange story. Treasure Hunt. Looking into the future life of Robert Bolton, and then back at that portion he's already lived, we find it neatly divided into two halves, divided by a matchstick. The first half was exciting. He lived by his wits, and because they were extraordinary wits, he managed to dodge, double in his tracks like a smart football player avoiding tackles, and keep one jump ahead of the law. The second half began when the train you were riding on pulled onto the siding in the little town of Redmond in Northern California. Didn't it, Robert? You stepped off to stretch your leg, put a cigarette in your mouth, and fumbled in your pockets for a match. Finding none, you shrugged and scrolled across the street to the general merchandise store to buy a box. Two hundred thousand dollars at least. That's what you've been saying ever since Colonel Randolph died. They've been living on credit for five years. Oh, every soul in town. We're never going to see one red cent. You mark my words, Charlie Mott. Martha and Evie are bound to find that money any day now. If I hear that again, I'll scream out loud. When we find Grandfather Randolph's two hundred thousand dollars, we'll pay our bills. Well, they haven't found it, and they're not going to. I guess the old Colonel hid it plenty good. And that's another thing. Why would any man hide a fortune like that and leave a crazy poem that nobody can understand to tell where it was? Oh, I know, Lou. It's just that Martha and Evie Randolph are such nice ladies. They could take in boarders, at least. They're willing to take in boarders, but who stops over in Redmond? Well, talking about it won't get us our money. But I'm getting pretty tired of... Hello, mister. Been here long? No, I just came in for a box of matches. Sure, sure. Here you are. Thanks. You just pass them through on the train. Only stop ten minutes, let the limiters go by. You have a nice town here, Mr. Mott. I was on my way to Southern California, but Redmond is such a charming little place. You might stay over a while, eh? Could be, Mr. Mott. Could be. Oh, conductor. My name is Robert Bolton. I'm in car 63, bedroom G. Will you have the floor to get my baggage, please? I'm getting off here. Old car, she ain't what she used to be. Ain't what she used to be. If you're one of the many drivers who are singing that lament about your car these days, has it ever occurred to you, maybe it's not your car, but what you're feeding it? For instance, if the starting isn't as prompt as it used to be, just try some signal effle, the premium grade of signals famous go farther gasoline. See if your motor doesn't spring to life the instant you touch the starter. If the pickup isn't what it used to be, just try signal effle. See if your car doesn't display new pep that makes you proud. And if the power on hills isn't what it used to be, just try, you know what? See if signal effle doesn't change those pings to a contented prrrr. For after all, signal effle is scientifically engineered to bring out the best in any car of any age. Well, maybe it won't quite turn a vintage model into a new car, but the next best thing to a new car is your car, powered with signal effle. Yes, Robert, that matchstick made a difference, didn't it? Mr. and Mrs. Mott laid it on the line for you while you were waiting at the counter in their store. The situation of the Randolph sisters and their hidden wealth. And you're thinking it over carefully now as you sit in the parlor of the huge old Randolph home in Redmond, making your first impression on the Randolph sisters. Heavy, ailing, suspicious, jealous of the family traditions. Martha, 40, hungry for sympathy, color and laughter. Your opening move is a triple play. You talk to Heavy, your remarks are aimed at Martha, and your mind is on the $200,000 hidden by Grandfather Randolph. So you see, Miss Heavy, I had to stop in here and inquire about a room. It's such a perfect place to finish my book. Oh, oh, you're an author. Yes, Miss Martha, poetry. Poetry? I love it. Your judgment is not to be considered, Martha. But go on, Mr. Bolton. Well, I've just got to have some place in which to write a place like this, Miss Randolph, for those lovely trees, these grand old rooms with their fine floors, that mahogany staircase, why, that's a poem in itself, Miss Randolph. A sweeping curve ascending high to end its rapture in the sky. Oh, that's William Brown. Why, yes, Miss Martha, do you know his poems? He that the voice is near, breaking from your ivory pale. Need not walk abroad to hear the delightful nightingale. Mr. Bolton, you may have the room. Oh, that's wonderful of you, Miss Randolph. There are conditions, Mr. Bolton. Conditions? I'm not a well woman. Miss Heavy understood that should I change my mind at any time, I shall expect you to understand. Martha. Yes, Miss. You may show Mr. Bolton to the room above the veranda. Thank you again, Miss Randolph. I'm sure that my stay here will prove mutually profitable. Well, you're established in the Randolph House, aren't you, Ralph? But there's work to be done if there is $200,000 hidden someplace. You know, Heavy Randolph is shrewd, almost as clever as you are. But again, there's Martha, poor, homely, pathetically eager Martha who hangs on your words. And you can be charming, can't you, Ralph? Your critics will never applaud your poetry, but Martha does. It's not long before you've made a conquest and such a simple one. Martha has never had such wonderful times, has she? Movies, poetry, a drive and a rented car. Oh, please, Mr. Bolton, you mustn't go so fast. Why not? It's like living in another world, just flashes of the earth we know gone before you can see the ugliness, the drab grayness. Oh yes, yes, it is like that. That's wonderful to hear you laugh, Martha, wonderful. Oh, I was laughing, wasn't I? Her laughter, like the bell delete. Oh, it's all so lovely, Robert, all so lovely. You really mean this is the first movie you've seen in three years? I'd never go out very much, Robert, to see Izzy. Oh, you're wonderful, Martha, so unselfish. Yes, Robert, it takes only a few weeks. Martha is hopelessly in love with you. But you've been very careful not to make love to her, haven't you? That you've been saving for a very important moment, a moment that comes one day as you walk with Martha in the garden of the Randolph place. Robert, Izzy, is there anything wrong? Well, I... well, it's the book. It isn't going so well. Oh, is that all? But you've got to expect time. When you think things are all wrong, you told me that yourself, Robert. No, but this is different. Martha, I'm... Well, maybe I'm a failure. Maybe people are right when they say a poet is some odd kind of freak. Oh, I don't feel that way. Oh, I know that, Martha, and I'm grateful. No. No, I'm the one who should be grateful, and I am, Robert, so grateful. You? But what for? Why, because you've made me laugh and you've brought something here that... Oh, well, I shouldn't talk like this. But why not, Martha? I... Yes? Oh, no, I won't say it. Say what, Robert? Well, I... You know, for the first time in my life, I find myself unable to choose the right words. But, Martha, what would you say if I told you I loved you? Oh, no, no, please, Robert. Oh, but I do. There's nothing for you to fall in love with. I'm ugly, Robert. Ugly. Don't say that. True. Listen to me, Martha. What is beauty if it has no soul? What is loveliness if there is no heart? That's... Oh, Robert. No, I shouldn't have. What have I to offer you? Nothing. You and your sister have all this. The house, the garden, money. Money? Oh, Robert, dear. We have no... no more money than you. Oh, you... you're a joke. No, no, I'm not. Evie and I have been living on credit. Everyone thinks we'll find grandfather Randolph's fortune. Oh, then there is money. But I don't believe it, but Evie does. She's looked for it so many times. Oh, you mean like a treasure hunt? You're making fun of it. Oh, no, no, dear. No, not really. But things like that just don't happen. Not in real life. But suppose... And we found it. Then you wouldn't have to worry about staying here with Evie. She could have the money and we... We could have each other. Oh, do you mean that, Robert? Don't you believe me, Martha? Oh, yes. But Evie would never let us see the verse. Verse? I don't understand. Well, grandfather Randolph left the secret of his money hidden in a little verse he wrote. Evie keeps it in her room. I've only seen it once. Oh. Well then, that's that. But I could make a copy of it when she's asleep she wouldn't have to know. Oh, you're so clever, sweetheart. I'd never have thought of that. That was simple, wasn't it, Robert? Having Martha suggest the plan herself was clever. She doesn't suspect a thing. Poor, homely Martha. Who doesn't know you're going to leave the moment you find the money. And that night she brings you a piece of paper. Robert, here it is. Are you sure that Evie... and I left her medicine on the table by her bed. Oh, you are so clever, my darling. Now, let me see the verse, huh? Here it is. Where the black queen's bishop points at three. There a shadow long you'll see. Four steps left then two steps right. Careful now you'll need the light. Oh, it does sound crazy. Just a minute, just a minute. The black queen's bishop. I... Look, that chess table in the corner. Has it ever been moved? No, no, no. Evie wouldn't allow anything to be moved. Oh, good God. It's all set up. What are you doing? You'll see. Here's the black queen's bishop. It moves diagonally across the board in two directions. Now, if we move it in this direction, it'll be pointed into the room. But if we move it this way, it'll be pointing at that big window. And a three. And a shadow long you'll see. That's it. All we have to do is find a shadow right outside this window. At three o'clock. Oh, it's Evie. She woke up. You better go. We'll continue this tomorrow night. Well, go ahead. I hope Evie won't wake up tonight. I hope not, Robert, but did you figure out the verse? Yeah, I think so. Now, where the black queen's bishop points at three. There a shadow long you'll see. Now look outside, Martha. At three o'clock in the afternoon, the shadow of that elm tree would be... Come on! You're so wonderful, Robert. Oh, it's all so simple like I told you a while ago. The shadow of that tree would end about here. Now, four steps left. And two steps right. You're right in front of the old cooling shed. Come here, Martha. Now, the next line reaves. Careful now. You'll need the light. Martha, that means we'll need a light to see inside the cooling shed. That's it. The money's in the cooling shed. Well, it is. It is. But we haven't got a light now. We'll wait until tomorrow night. I can get a lamp. Oh, no, darling. No, we'll wait until tomorrow night. But why? How do we tell Evie now? Oh, no, dear. We mustn't tell Evie until we get the money. Well, I... All right, Robert, anything you say. Of course, Robert. Wait until tomorrow night. Then you'll plan to sneak outside without Martha. And you need time to pack, don't you? To get ready to leave suddenly with the money and without Martha. The next day, you sit in the garden smoking a cigarette, smiling to yourself, thinking how easy it was. And then suddenly... Howdy, Mr. Bolton. Oh, hello, Sheriff Conway. You know me, huh? Why, of course, you've been pointed out to me. In addition, that star glittering on your vest is in itself a monumental advertisement. Yep. Mind if I sit out of mine? I certainly not, Sheriff. Make yourself at home. Now, did you come here just to sit in the sun, or do you have something more important on your mind? What'd you do for a living before you got here, Bolton? I've always written poetry, Sheriff. Ever shall any? No, I was sold enough to get by. All right, anything else on your mind? Well, Bolton, I ain't one to beat around the bush. There's some talk going around about you and Miss Martha. Really? What harm is there in that? Well, you're still a young man, handsome and... Why, thank you, Sheriff. I didn't know you cared. I don't think you're up to any good, Bolton. Martha's quite a bit older than you, and... Oh, so that's the way the wind blows is at torch-bearing in the provinces. Hey, you love her, don't you? Listen, I came here real friendly, like... Right now I'm having a hard time to keep him smashing that putty face of yours. No, you won't do it, Sheriff, because you'd look a great deal sillier and more stupid than you do now. You can't afford that, Sheriff. You're smart, ain't you, Bolton? No, I'm smart enough to know you haven't got a thing to say in this matter. Now, you listen. I intend to stay here as long as I like. You're after their money. What money? The money old man Randolph hid somewhere around here before he died. You'd have a hard time proving that, wouldn't you, Sheriff? It doesn't have to. Oh, Miss Evie, if you hadn't ought to come out here, I... Please, Sheriff Conway, I can handle this. Mr. Bolton. Yes, Miss Evie. I gave you to understand when you came here that any time I chose to ask you to leave, you would do so. So what? Consider this your last day here. You'd better reconsider that. You heard Miss Evie Bolton. Sheriff. Yes, Miss Evie. Mr. Bolton, I'm a sick woman, but I'm not blind. My sister Martha's impressionable. She's infatuated with you and you've done nothing to discourage her. Perhaps I love her. That's ridiculous and you know it. Mr. Bolton, if you are not out of the house in... in one hour, I shall ask Sheriff Conway to evict you. Martha might have something to say about this. I've already told her. You have one hour, Mr. Bolton. Well, Robert, that was a blow, wasn't it? If you leave, the money stays in the cooling shed. If you stay, the Sheriff will have a field day throwing you out. Your only hope is Martha, isn't it? And you haven't much time. You sit alone in the garden thinking. Then suddenly it comes to you. There is a way, isn't there? You hurry over to the little pharmacy where you and Martha bought the medicine for Evie. The clerk knows you. He says nothing when you ask for a little bottle of poison to kill rats. You sign the poison book. Hurry back to Martha with a half hour to go. She's in the parlor, playing the piano. Please, Martha, go on playing. I want to remember you like this. It fits the mood. Please, Robert. I'll just stand here by the piano and I... Oh, I'll get it. The bottle you dropped. Robert, it's poison. What were you going to do with this? You weren't supposed to see that. Give it to me. You were going to kill yourself? In my life I had cherished and loved things taken away from me. I'm tired, Martha, tired and beaten. Misunderstood by the people I love the most, your sister, you. Oh, no, no, not me, Robert. I swear it, not me. You were going to stand by and let me leave, weren't you? What could I do, Evie? You see. I love you, Robert. I love you so much. And does that solve the problem? No. What can we do? What can I do? You could marry me. Then Evie would see that I do love you. Robert, marry? Don't you want to, my darling? But, but Evie... Give me that bottle. No, no, I'll marry you, Robert. Now, today, we can go to Middletown right away. Yes, yes, anything you say, Robert, anything you say. You don't seem to like me as a brother-in-law, Evie. I despise and loathe you, Mr. Bolton. Oh, Evie, you don't know, Robert. You don't understand me. You poor, blind fool. Don't you see what he's after? But, Evie... Just a moment, Martha. Very well, Mr. Bolton. I suppose I have no alternative. You're quite correct. Martha, would you leave the room for a moment? What? Mr. Bolton and I have something to discuss in private. Well, if you say so, Evie... I'll be with you in a moment, dear. Yes, Robert. Now, Mr. Bolton. This is what you wanted, isn't it, Mr. Bolton? Two hundred thousand dollars in securities. You've got it! Of course I've had it for ten years. The verse was simple for me, too, Mr. Bolton. Well, I... I thought it was cash. No, but half of them are yours anyway. Shall we divide them now? Well, we'll have to have them analyzed. It'll take time. It's simpler than you think, Mr. Bolton. As a matter of fact, I'd just as soon you had them all. What are you talking about? I'm not being generous, Mr. Bolton. You see, these securities have been worthless since nineteen twenty-nine. What? Yes, the companies which issue these securities are completely out of existence. Take them, Mr. Bolton, and get out. What kind of a trick is this? I said, get out! You know it now. Tell the whole town about it. They defrauded them. We lived for ten years on credit because they believed we'd have money. You let me marry that stupid sister of yours. She knew it all the time. She didn't know it because I never told her I found them. She was happy or not knowing. Now, get out. Get out! Take your securities, Mr. Bolton. You got what you came for. Martha! Martha, come with me. Oh, Robert, please help. Not me. She can die as far as I'm concerned. I'm leaving. Robert! You rush to your room, hurriedly throw all your belongings into your luggage. In a matter of minutes, you're rapidly negotiating the few blocks to the railroad station. You didn't get the two hundred thousand dollars as you'd planned, but you console yourself with a thought that all you've lost is a little time, that in a few minutes the Randolph sisters will be out of your life forever. You reach the platform just as the southbound train holds to a stop. I made it. Goodbye, Redmond, and goodbye, Martha. I won't be back. Every person who drives a car should know about what has been called the greatest improvement in automobile batteries in twenty years, an improvement which is now yours to enjoy in signal-deluxe batteries. I'm talking about micro-porous all-rubber separators. Because these highly porous separators hold twice as much acid solution between the plates, new signal-deluxe batteries deliver up to thirty-five percent more power, plenty to run your car radio, and the many other electrical devices on today's cars. What's more, the extra long life made possible by micro-porous separators permits signal to guarantee these new deluxe batteries, not just for the usual twelve or eighteen months, but for a full thirty months on a service basis. That makes the cost per month so low you're actually saving money while you're enjoying the extra power and dependability of a signal-deluxe battery. So before you buy any battery, get your signal-dealers trade-in offer for your old battery. Find out his convenient credit terms. Prove for yourself that today's best battery buy is today's finest battery, the new improved signal-deluxe battery at Signal service station. Yes, Robert, you're confident as you hurry into the station to buy your ticket on the train. Certainly in a few minutes you'll be streaking away from the sleepy little town of Redmond and your exasperating experience with Evie and Martha Randolph and their worthless security. You're glad to be returning to the life you enjoyed before you got off the train in Redmond in search of a match. Now you've purchased your ticket and you move out to the platform and head toward the train. I figured you'd be in a hurry to leave, Mr. Bolton. Sheriff Conway, look, get out of my way. I'm in a hurry. There ain't taken no train, so you might as well simmer down. Yeah? Well try to stop me. Let Martha charge the desertion. Let her do anything. Martha ain't charging anything, Bolton. I am. And I'm charging you with murder. Oh, come on. Now look. Evie Randolph's dead, Bolton. Dead of the poison you bought at Rigby's Pharmacy. But I bought that poison for myself, ask Martha. I got a feeling the jury's not going to believe anything Martha says about you. They think she was trying to cover up for you. I ain't telling you anything, though, am I? You likely know juries pretty well by now. Now look, Sheriff, if Evie was poisoned, she must have gotten it by mistake. Sure. Martha took it away from you and hid it in the medicine cabinet. And that's where poor Evie found it, the poor, sick, dazed thing. And you don't believe I did it? Who says I don't? Well, you just said... What are you getting at, Sheriff? Well, you can have your pick. You can leave Redmond. Yes. You can leave Redmond and face a murder charge on all this evidence. And it's solid evidence, Bolton. There's the money, the fight you had with Evie, the poison register at the drugstore. Wait a minute, you can't get away with this. No. Or you can stay here and make Martha a good husband, write enough poetry to take care of her, take her ride and make her happy. She deserves it. And I'll forget about the other. Well? I won't do it. Murder isn't a mistake at the gas chamber, Bolton. All right, looks like you win, Sheriff. No. No, I lose. What do you mean you lose? You see, you married Martha. But remember, Bolton, I'll be around checking up. And if you ever try to run out on her, I'll reopen the case on grounds of new evidence. And I swear before heaven and earth, Bolton, I'll send you to the gas chamber. Let that whistle be your signal for the signal oil program The Whistler each Sunday night at this same time. Signal Oil Company has asked me to remind all of you who play cards, a 12-page booklet giving complete rules for the exciting new three-deck version of Canasta called Hollywood Canasta is yours for the asking at any signal station. No purchase required, no obligation. Any signal dealer will be glad to give you this booklet on Hollywood Canasta free while his supply lasts. Featured in tonight's story were Bill Foreman, Gerald Moore, Sarah Selby, Mary Lansing and Herb Lytton. The Whistler was produced and directed by George W. Allen with story by Russell Hughes, music by Wilbur Hatch and was transmitted to our troops overseas by the Armed Forces Radio Service. The Whistler is entirely fictional and all characters portrayed on the Whistler are also fictional. Any similarity of names or resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. Remember at this same time next Sunday another strange tale by The Whistler. Marvin Miller speaking for the Signal Oil Company. Stay tuned now for our Miss Brooks starring Eve Arden which follows immediately over most of these stations. This is CBS The Columbia Broadcasting System.