 signal gasoline let every traffic signal remind you you do go farther with signal gasoline yes you do go farther with signal the signal oil company and your neighborhood signal dealer bring you another curious story by the whistler tonight summer thunder I am the whistler and I know many things for 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 there is a curious connection between an entry in the records of the British Weather Bureau and a corresponding item in the annals of the police department of Plymouth the first indicates that at 9 p.m. on the night of August 18th 1937 tourists and vacationers on the southern channel coast of England were disturbed by a radio warning attention all vessels in channel waters between lands and Cornwall and beachy head Sussex low pressure area approaching rapidly from the southwest violent storm and prospect put into the nearest port immediately I'll repeat that attention all vessels in channel the heat was oppressive deadly the atmosphere was so heavy and damp that breathing was an achievement people at the watering places of Torquay and Bricsom couldn't sleep and tried to pass the night over tall drinks and sodden bridge games on the verandas so much for the weather report the police records indicated on the same night a night when the heat had put everyone in southern England on edge murder was taking shape in the mind of at least one human being it began in Plymouth in the second floor apartment of Perry Elliott I haven't said where have you been I've been calling all over town for you I'm sorry Perry it's nine o'clock I know it's nine o'clock why didn't you call I thought I'd better wait will you come to the point Perry I'm sorry dear this blaster heats getting on my nerves I suppose I know now come on let's sit down here and I'll explain now I I know this is going to be difficult for you dear I want you to try and understand what are you getting at Claudia I've been up to Ivy Bridge what do you mean I've just had a talk with your uncle Rodney Claudia you had no right Perry let me finish he realizes now how very foolish it was to disinherit you I think it was a good idea for the first time in my life I'm free let's listen Claudia I know him like a book he's frustrated he doesn't know which way to turn he's discovered for once there's something he's felt the money won't buy for him he can't pull strings anymore and watch me jump about like a marionette you don't understand I'm afraid I do did he call you no it was your aunt she's she knows better than that she's only trying to make peace in the family Perry I tell you I don't want his money is that clear he changed his will let him leave it that way I said he's sorry about it he wants to apologize apologize wait a minute do you know why it all happened he didn't approve of you he said I'd married a social climber I was dragging the noble name of Elliot in the mud Claudia I can't understand how you could fall for it I said I'll forgive him Perry I see he's bought you off like the rest of them you're not being fair and you're not very perceptive don't shout at me very well cigarette no thank you do you have a match I don't know what's become of my lighter here you are thanks well Perry Claudia darling tonight for the first time in my life I feel quite capable of killing a man I'm rather pleased about it it'll put me on equal terms with Uncle Rodney what do you mean I'm going to see him dear now two hours later an unreal calm settled around Plymouth nothing stirred cricket stopped chirping trees suddenly became very still and the bridge players paused to note there was an electric feeling in the air the mind of the murderer was tense too like the atmosphere then it hit bridges washed out roads became bugs and shortly after midnight the telephone rang in Claudia Elliot's apartment yes Claudia oh yes on that what is it something terrible has happened Rodney's dead where's Perry I don't know he and Rodney had a terrible scene about money or something did you did you notify the police the inspector will be here directly I'd better come out right away here's something for you drivers to think about do all Chevrolets get the same number of miles per gallon of gas do all fours of course not for it's an established fact that the mileage you get depends on three things the condition of your car the way you drive and the kind of gasoline you use well those first two factors they're up to you but when it comes to gasoline that's where I come in for the same company that sponsors the Whistler signal oil company also makes the gasoline that's become famous throughout the west as the go farther gasoline yes for years wise western drivers who kept careful record of mileage found you do go farther with signal gasoline but what's most important is that even today you still go as far as before the war with signal and I'll tell you why you see all those certain high octane anti-knock ingredients are reserved for war the mileage ingredients which made pre-war signal famous are still in today's signal formula and what's more new hydrocarbons rich in mileage have even been added but you're not interested in chemical formulas you're interested in miles and there's an easy way to prove that for yourself invest your next gas stamps at one of the friendly stations displaying signals yellow and black circle sign let your own car prove that it's as true today as before the war you do go farther with signal gasoline and now back to the Whistler your stun Claudia as you hang up the phone you aren't conscious of the storm raging outside all you can hear is Perry's voice over and over saying tonight I feel quite capable of killing a man he should be home in a while Claudia what can you do what can you say to him now no he couldn't have done you mustn't even think of it go out to Ivy Bridge and see the inspector find out for yourself better take a coat Perry's raincoat hanging on the rack near the door yes it's going to be a rough trip but you arrive safely the inspector yet not yet madam I expect the storm will delay him considerably where's Aunt Agatha upstairs madam be down directly Edmund tell me what happened where is rock I mean the body in his room on the floor exactly where I found him you found him yes madam I found you don't seem very disturbed Edmund I'm not madam I see you for 20 years I served him now I'm through no madam I'm not disturbed oh what are you looking for oh I had some cigarette somewhere there's some on the table oh thank you matches there too thanks I've got lighter I take your coat madam thank you hmm get a soaking madam Edmund yeah I see the body well I don't know madam the inspector said to leave everything as it was very important I won't touch anything very well this way in here madam he was strangled with a chain the marks are still in his throat he was struck first a madam oh no no he couldn't have done it come along where are you why did you take her in there Edmund he asked me to madam you should have known better there dear you may go Edmund it wasn't very on I guess I really it wasn't he said some awful things but just a minute dear I said you may go Edmund we won't need you anymore tonight very well madam I must try and call Perry he may be home by now you can't dear the lines are down I just tried oh what can I do I'm sure he didn't do it of course he didn't I'd better go back the roads are impossible dear you'd be taking an awful chance I know it but now suppose you get some rest the storm will very likely blow itself out before morning and you can go back to town with the inspector yes Claudia you could use some rest but you lie awake until three in the morning telling yourself over and over that Perry had nothing to do with it never quite believing yourself you finally drop off to sleep only to find Perry smiling at you from a hundred angles as he toys with a short length of chain you're trying to tell him trying to explain but he continues to smile and tie loops and knots in the chain until finally morning six o'clock by your watch all you can think of now is finding it you dress hurriedly and leave while the others are still asleep the storm has passed the sky is blue and the morning air is cool in your face as you drive back to town to your apartment the bed's been slept in and piled in a heap on the closet floor or the clothes Perry wore last night the navy blue jacket and white linen pants sodden and muddy you lay them out on the floor and then this is a suspicious looking stain on the left leg of the white trousers quickly go through the pockets a card with a red smear on it a fingerprint in blood now the coat in a right outside pocket a short length of chain yes Inspector Tutton city police calling is this Mrs. Elliot yes we're detaining your husband here at eight quarters Mrs. Elliot oh could I speak to him he's being questioned at the moment if you don't mind I'd like to come out and have a look at your apartment oh of course I know I'll be out in 20 minutes very well Claudia that puts it up to you doesn't it you can go one way or the other you can produce the piece of chain and the bloodstain linen trousers and see Perry safely off to the gallows or you can do what you really want to after all does it matter what he's done if you love him you better decide Claudia there isn't much time first you burn the card then connect the electric iron get out soap and warm water and a bottle of benzene blood is nasty stuff to get out isn't it it takes a lot of scrubbing but finally it's gone no trace you iron it partly dry and rumple it up there a little dust from the floor and you can't tell it's been touched but what can you do with the chain there's the inspector quickly Claudia put it anywhere in your purse that's it good morning inspector how do you do mrs. Elliot you'll return rather early for my reverie didn't you I was quite concerned about Perry we couldn't get through on the telephone did you think of calling at headquarters I just arrived when you telephone I see now let's take a look hey mr. Elliot presumably slept in this room last night yes you haven't disturbed anything no yeah here we are these are the clothes that he wore last night yes blue jacket and white linen trousers I'll take these along if I don't mind let me see you hmm what is it nothing in the pocket say well I suppose he emptied them when he changed clothes I'm afraid your husband is getting into this thing rather deeply mrs. Elliot what do you mean I think you'd better come along oh couldn't I couldn't I drop down later perhaps a half hour I'd like to clean up it's rather peculiar position to take mrs. Elliot perhaps you aren't aware of the fact that your husband's life is at stake I I realize that inspector I'll get my purse yes Claudia your husband's life is at stake and you realize that you ride to headquarters with inspector Dutton that his fate may depend on what you do with that short piece of chain your purse inspector I've got a frightful headache would you mind stopping for a minute at that chemist I'd like to get an aspirin of course I'll get it for you no please I insisted long you take a moment but I'd rather I'll be back in a minute you can still get rid of it Claudia look here comes a dump truck it's filled with dirt throw it in the back ready now you'll see it Claudia lying there in the street next to the car pick it up hurry here he comes this you are right next to the car the other side he can't see you throw it oh here we are they didn't have any aspirin will the bromide do oh yes yes that will be splendid yes inspector mr. Reeves this is mrs. Elliot how do you do ma'am would you get mr. Elliot please yes sir he's right here in the next room sit down please thank you I mean mr. Elliot hello Claudia Perry sit down Elliot now I want the complete story this time I must warn you that anything that you say may be used in evidence against you take it down Reeves yes sir I've said it so often I know it by heart I'll say it again I lived Uncle Rodney's 1115 at 1130 the storm broke and I got stuck in the mud about halfway home I was there for three hours no it's a juicy poor alibi I told you I can prove it the chap who stopped to help well what about him I asked him for his card I was going to try to find him and reciprocate what's his name I didn't even read it the cards in the pocket of my blue jacket though you can call him the card isn't in the pocket mr. Elliot you can see for yourself yeah why I don't know how why it was there last night all right where's the chain what chain Perry wait a minute Claudia I told you inspector the man tried to pull me out of the ditch for the chain but but the chain broke I remember putting the odd piece in my pocket what have you done with it I haven't done anything with it that jacket's exactly the way I found it on the floor of your closet you're lying inspector it's got to be there it's not there you can see for yourself when the motor went dead he thought he met it might be a clogged petrol line so we drained a quarter-serve Ethel from his petrol tank to fill the carburetor I spilled some on my trousers I remember there was a red stain on them when I got in this morning I I never use Ethel petrol do I Claude you do I here to the trousers Elliot look at them why I what you see Elliot you don't have much of an alley by I don't know and furthermore can you explain the cut on your hands I look very much as if you took too tight a grip on a chain they'd quite a bit didn't they I was holding on to the shackle when he pulled me out it was a chain of course it's it's a frame-up inspector someone's been in my apartment no one's been in your apartment except your wife I don't know what I can make it alone I know it's difficult mrs. Elliot just because he can't prove you go a long way we have more positive evidence of course we know for example that he was in the bedroom at the deceased about the time he was killed oh you're wrong what is an inspector you've got to believe me this may sound fantastic but it's true I just tried that evidence I burned the card I cleaned the red spot of the trousers you talking about I tell you I didn't why because because I thought period done it the car had a bloody thumb print on it I thought the trousers was blood I thought I was protecting what about the chain I thought that was what he killed our little Rodney was what did you do with that I threw it in the sewer by the chemist when you went in for the aspirin that's why I wanted you to stop I'm sorry mrs. Elliot you don't believe me no of course we'll check but to her reeves take the lady home I said I'm sorry mrs. Elliot good day well Claudia you're finally beginning to grasp the horror of the thing you've done you couldn't have made a smoother job of it if you tried to frame your husband there's no way out or is there you do believe Perry don't you he didn't do it but if he didn't who did Rodney wasn't what you call a model of popularity he had enemies plenty of them some perhaps with motive enough to kill him who would know and Agatha as soon as you can get a call through to Ivy Bridge you telephone her perhaps she can help you feel better when she arrives at the apartment late in the afternoon I'm so glad you've come on to Agatha I've made a terrible model of things I wish there was some way I could help dear you you believe Perry don't you believe what he's getting stuck in the ditch and having a man help him I I don't know what do you mean he acted so strangely with Rodney last night I tried to make him understand but first thing I knew Rodney said some things he shouldn't have said and there was a horrible scene Perry went into a blue rage and threatened Rodney I had to leave Claudia I was afraid of him what's that the back door blew open I'll get it leave it it's so hot on that he couldn't I know Perry has a temper but but he's kind and good oh don't you see it must have been someone else but who I don't know uncle Rodney had lots of enemies there must have been someone who would gain something by his death don't you see he had nothing to gain and everything to lose he wasn't thinking clearly dear you must know of someone else it's really why I asked you to come here there must be someone why I don't know Agatha they can't convict him just because he can't prove it alibi can they well I think that's pretty important inspector said something about more positive evidence what did he mean why I don't know the lighter perhaps the what his cigarette lighter they found it next to the body next to the impossible what do you mean he didn't have it last night he left it in the pocket of his raincoat I had it I used it right there in the house and when I came back this morning I left the coat Agatha somebody took that lighter out of the coat and put it near the body before the police arrived afternoon madam Edmond what are you doing here he's dropping so that's it you better take it easy madam I've got a gun the whistler will return in just a moment with the strange ending of tonight's story meantime I'd like to tell you about two live wire young Californians who typify the more conscientious more thorough service your car gets from a privately owned signal station I'm talking about Bud Morley and Frank Sager who just a year ago took over their own signal station in Burbank California both of course it had years of experience servicing cars well before long Bud Morley and Frank Sager had more than double their business now there must be good reasons for such success and there are those boys are friendly courteous eager to please they not only give service with a smile but include many little unasked for extras for after all being in business for themselves they have a personal reason for keeping customers so well pleased they'll come back again and again and their friends you have the important difference in signal service a difference in thoroughness and conscientiousness that can add so much to the life of your car what's more it costs nothing extra it's ready for your car at your neighborhood signal gasoline dealers and now back to the whistler well Claudia it came to you in a flash the minute Agatha mentioned the lighter Edmund the peculiar remarks he made when you arrived at the house last night I am not disturbed he said and then something about being free after 20 years yes it all fits together now Claudia too bad he's standing in front of you with a gun in his head you're being very foolish Edmund you think you can get away with this matter of fact madam it's precisely what I was going to ask you what do you mean Edmund you took the lighter didn't you you put it in the bedroom next to the body before the police arrived making your pardon Mrs. Elliott but if I may say so you're underestimating my intelligence do you think I'd be so foolish as to plant a piece of evidence which I knew wasn't there at the time of the killing I saw you use the lighter you know I took your coat Edmund I refuse to listen that will be enough from you miss Agatha you'll have your chance to talk directly Inspector Dutton is on his way what do you mean I heard you saying that mr. Perry had nothing to gain Mrs. Elliott that perhaps there was someone with a bit more of a payoff you might say don't listen to him Claudia what are you trying to say mr. Rodney was determined to change the will and mr. Perry's favor madam but he didn't he planned to call the lawyer this morning he told me to remind him just before the unfortunate incident so you see there was someone who stood to lose everything if he lived if you hadn't tried to make it too perfect miss Agatha he's lying the monsters making this up the small matter of the cigarette lighter you see only you could have made the mistake of thinking mr. Perry had left his raincoat at the house for the lighter and the pocket you beast you can't prove it you can't you have a chance to talk madam and you'd better be working on your speech Inspector Dutton is a mighty critical listener next Monday at 9 o'clock the whistler will bring you another strange tale the whistler is broadcast for your entertainment by the marketers of signal gasoline and motor oil and fine quality automotive accessories and by your neighborhood signal dealer this program directed by George W. Allen tonight story by Harold Swanton music by Wilbur hatch transmitted to our troops overseas by the armed forces radio service this is Marvin Miller speaking and suggesting that you let every traffic signal remind you that you do go farther with signal gasoline yes you do go farther with signal this is CBS the Columbia broadcasting system