 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 the deadly innocent 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 have you ever hated a man enough to kill him no well that's the kind of hate that grows with the years grows and grows into an all consuming passion that's the way it was with Lambert Dean he has wanted to kill someone for 25 years that's why he has come down to the offices of the mammoth construction company at nine o'clock at night that's why he's chatted casually with the old night watchman who took him up in the elevator chatting oh so casually but he thought out every word in advance the night watchman will remember them later just a little later there should be just a crack of light showing under the door of the president's office yes there it is and Lambert is going toward it so you've never wanted to kill a man listen you may get a few pointers hello Joe oh what are you doing here why did I start her to Joe I'm so sorry what do you mean by busting into my office can't you knock oh sure Joe I never think of walking into the president's office without knocking during working hours I didn't think it would matter tonight any time I'm here is working hours remember that if you want to hang on to your job now get out well don't you want to know why I came down tonight I do not any fool could take care of the bookkeeping department the daytime if you have to work nice to keep up with simple routine that's your look out oh I don't have to work on them they're all fixed up just the way I want them I came here to tell you about them Joe you can keep it the books will wait until tomorrow better listen now if you want to hear it at all how many times have I got to tell you to get what do you mean better listen tomorrow be too late you'd better listen Joe yeah maybe I had what are you up to anything wrong with the books haha you're a smart guy Joe you always were even back when you were a kid Nick or for the love of Pete if you're going to start raking of past history as soon as you let me talk the sooner you'll get it over with if you've got anything to say say it my time is valuable as you were smart making up to me when we were kids you were my pal you looked after me never let anybody bullet your dad had dough mine didn't huh it was worth having you hung around my neck if it got me the kind of life I wanted and it didn't it pretty soon you just about moved in on us when I went to college dad sent you to good kind Joe Carson always looked after poor little me all right all right so you finally tumbled to it whatever it when dad got wiped out and we had to leave school and hunt work you didn't drop me I'm no fool you still belonged on the right side of the tracks you knew the folks that counted sure Joe sure you were smart I knew the men with the jobs to give I found out about old Jennings needing a bookkeeper down here at mammoth only when I got around to applying they already had a new bookkeeper you know if you were dope enough to tell me about it you deserved what you got maybe I wouldn't have seen the future in a piddling little bookkeeping job if you hadn't run off of the mouth about that too I'm going to be the bright young man who catches Jennings eye Joe I'm going to marry Betsy Jennings someday I'll own mammoth lock stock and barrel you haven't got mammoth yet smart guy no just all the rest give me time old man Jennings is on his last legs and you know it now get out they're fired haven't you forgotten the books Joe I'll check them by myself now out no get out or out no I'm not going you are what this is the end of the line for you Joe tomorrow I'll move into your office pretty soon I'll move into your house with Betty before long I'll own mammoth you're crazy like a fox I'm gonna kill you Joe signal goes as far as before the war yes signal gasoline still goes as far as before the war but how can it I hear you asking how can it when certain gasoline ingredients are reserved for war well that's what I want to tell you you see it's true certain of the more volatile ingredients such as isopentane have been reserved for war that's why signal oil company is frank to admit no gasoline today can promise you all the pep and anti-knock performance you found in pre-war signal gasoline and which you'll be enjoying again in even further improved signal post war gasoline but when it comes to mileage that's another story for today's signal formula contains not only all the high energy components that gave pre-war signal its superior mileage but in addition new hydrocarbons rich in mileage have been added that's why it's a fact the famous signal formula still places the emphasis on mileage that's why it's just as true today as it was before the war you do go farther with signal gasoline and now back to the whistler well they say even the humblest worm will turn if you step on him hard enough you didn't think of that did you Joe Carson when you used your pal for a step ladder stole his job his girl the life he planned you weren't quite smart enough you're alone in your office now with the night pressing around you alone with the turned worm he's going to kill you Joe sit down Joe drop that gun you're crazy fool sit down that's better wouldn't like you to be uncomfortable you've got a nice easy chair to die in Joe the president's chair lamb lamb listen let's talk this thing over we're both businessmen maybe we can make a deal yeah an old man Jennings kicks off there'll be plenty for both of us come on put down that gun why Joe I like it feels good in the hand a sweet gun Joe the day you bought it you signed your death warrant you know that would you like to know about it that's right Lambert tell Joe about it don't let him die without knowing how smart you've been for a change remind him of the day mr. Jennings retired from the business the day Joe put that gun in his desk drawer and bragged that the payroll would be safe Joe's own gun in Joe's own desk with mr. Jennings for a witness convenient wasn't it but don't stop there tell him your whole plan tell him about that day two months ago when you started on your careful deadly trail hello Mr. Dean have a good lunch no not very I'm afraid nothing seems to agree with me these days you may go to your own lunch now Miss Neil okay if you ask me your stomach could be a lot better off without all those pills you keep stuffing down your neck I was not aware that I'd ask you miss Neil your stomach bye back to miss Neil have you seen my tablets they don't seem to be in my pocket I'm sure I had them this morning I remember taking a couple when I got to the office you left him on the water cooler big boy Carson raised Kane about it when he went out to eat what he got against you anyhow against me you must be mistaken Miss Neil Joe is my friend we were boyhood friends and why is he always picking on you and yelling at you looks to me like he wants to run you out of here only doesn't dare long as the old man's alive miss Neil I cannot allow you to speak like that about my friend now that mr. Carson is in so charge of the business he's naturally under a strain we must all make allowances here I hid your pills under the stuff on your desk how many you want to put at your hand thank you now you sit still I bring you some water that's very one moment these aren't my tablets why sure they are they're right out of your bottle a little brown ball you always hauling out see that's my bottle but the tablets mine were white too but considerably smaller I showed you one yesterday don't you remember remember one tablet from another oh honest mr. Dean well see your eyes you said some kind of trade name stamped on them these are perfectly plain that's that's strange isn't it somebody's playing a dirty trick on you probably thought it'd be a good joke to give you something that really upset your tummy why I can't believe this say there's mr. Carson what Joe that's it I bet you anything it'd be just like him on our Miss Neil please we have no proof that mr. Carson had anything to do with this he saw the bottle didn't he he yelled about it and he hates you you know he does these tablets may be perfectly harmless harmless oh golly you don't suppose mr. Carson would not not not don't let your imagination run away with you but Mr. Dean he obviously wants to get now please please miss Neil I forbid you to speak of this to anyone I'm going to destroy these tablets at once and we'll forget all about it well it's your funeral but if it was me I'd have those pills analyzed that's right Lambert that was step one along the trail leading to Joe's untimely death but don't stop there before you pull the trigger tell him the whole story tell him about step two you all right mr. yes I I think I'm he didn't hit me boy you got luck to burn if you hadn't jumped like a grasshopper that car made men's meat out of you I was walking along close to the pavement somebody shoved me hard then I was out in the street in that car what do you know hey I guess it could happen easy enough with all these crowds on the sidewalk yeah easy enough you didn't happen to notice who was behind me in all that gang look mr. there were dozens of people businessmen and lady shopper and well I thought you might have seen one special person he'd be a big man gray hat and top coat you'd notice him wait a minute you mean that show wasn't no accident this guy was out to get you I'd rather not say anymore word that's the way it was let me think let me think here seems to me I do remember a gray hat big man around 45 with a red face yeah yeah he'd have to be big to stand out in the crowd wouldn't he red face sure I remember now perhaps you saw the face towering over me towering over you must have been for me to pick him out special hey that puts the fellow right smack behind you I thought so thank you mr. Robinson's name DL Robinson you're gonna report this to the police ain't you I could go along with you and tell him what I see well not just yet I can't be sure if I was in your shoes I wouldn't wait to be so all fired sure anybody start shove me under car please I'll call on you if I need you in the meantime perhaps you better have my name too it's Dean Lambert Dean you remember in in case of accident Lambert Dean you bet I won't forget joined if I could take a thing like this in my stride if I was you I'd be yelling for the police so loud they'd hear me and Jericho nice work Lambert that was step two and it was easy all you had to do was plant an idea and watch it grow little miss Neil was already sorry for you because Joe Carson kept bawling you out easy to make her think a few sodium in tablets might be poison especially since you destroyed the evidence easy to step off the curbing into the path of a car and then convince an excited witness that you were pushed pushed by a big floored man like Joe Carson only what's the motive Lambert why should Joe attempt to kill you the police will want to know you waited didn't you waited until this very afternoon when Joe Carson was out and told Mr Jennings made one of his rare visits to the office I mean well I mean come in my boy Mr Jennings may I speak to you privately certainly but if it's anything about the business you'd better wait until Joe gets back he's in charge now you know no I I'd rather Joe didn't know about this not just yet Mr Jennings Mr Jennings I shall have to ask you to treat this conversation as confidential very well Mr Jennings I have reason to believe that two attempts have been made upon my life what did you say somebody's trying to kill myself I'm sure of it good heavens never yes that's just the way I felt I couldn't believe it the first time but it happened again but why should anyone want to kill you with it isn't any reason unless unless my death would cover up for someone else have a what up well I got to thinking about it Mr Jennings there wasn't any funny business going on around here until after you retired I got to wondering if somebody had just waited until you were out of the way this afternoon I checked over my books for the last few weeks and I found discrepancy sir discrepancy you mean somebody has altered my fingers on several occasions somebody's done a good job of forging my handwriting there's a lot more money paid out than I ever handle so much so far I found $17,000 who did it someone in the office one of the staff that's just it the books are locked in the safe right here in your office perhaps I should say Joe's office except when they're actually in my hands then it had to be someone who knew the combination of the safe well now you can see why somebody wanted me out of the way country these altered figures look like mine if I died you wouldn't hunt any further you see every everybody would believe that I took the money gambled it away and committed suicide someone who knew the combination no one knew it except you and me and Joe that's clear enough for me what are you going to do I'm going to call the police this is my company whoever steals from me will pay for it even if it's a member of my own family Mr Jennings you promise to keep this confidential you can't expect me to keep a thing like this to myself but you can't afford to make a mistake it might not be the person we think no no I wouldn't want to what shall I do Lambert leave it to me sir I've got an appointment tonight with the person if he did it I'll get the proof you're going to see him alone yes sir well that could be dangerous you say he's already tried to kill you twice I know but I've got to clear my name sir if if anything should go wrong I've written the whole thing down for you the attempts on my life the names of the people who were with me at the time the altered books and here here sir I thought if you'd put it in your personal lock compartment in the safe it would give you the whole story to be opened in case of my death Lambert the risk I can't don't worry about me sir I can take care of myself if you just give me the keys to your compartment the safe is already open very well take them Lambert put the letter there yourself I I think I and rest a few minutes before I go home mr. Jennings it's a shock to him to find out his son-in-law as a thief you forged a fine strong chain of circumstantial evidence haven't you Lambert just one more link and you'll be ready to kill you won't overlook that last link will you not a careful man like you Lambert you working late tonight good evening bill not exactly working I have an appointment mr. Carson here yeah yeah took him up about half hour ago come on over the elevator I'll ride you up thank you I did sure steer clear mr. Carson tonight though if I was you why why he told me plain as a whistle he didn't want nobody coming near him didn't want anybody to come near him except me looky here mr. Dean you don't mean there's been some mighty funny talk going round this building talk that little miss Neil it works in your bookkeeping department she's been spreading it around about somebody wanted to bump you off of course I didn't pay no mind to her time women always bill I want you to do something for me well sure mr. Dean it's a one night the window in mr. Carson's office on the second floor will probably be open you stay in your cubby hole on the first floor and keep your window open too if you hear anything well out of the way don't you worry I'll get up there so fast you can't see me for no no call the police if you want to get killed to kill me oh mr. Dean you'll be all right if you do as I say get the police here if you hear anything funny yes sir mr. Dean I'm sure now take me up to the second floor yes you don't forget now I'll be glued to my window mr. Now you've done it now you've told Joe the whole story right up to this minute well it's almost time to pull the trigger Lambert but don't be in too much of a hurry yeah yeah well there you are Joe that's the whole story the watchman's waiting downstairs right now I worked the whole thing out as you can see why you you framed me that's a smart boy right the first time yeah why don't you congratulate me you ought to appreciate smart words I never stole anything that's my job my girl my whole life I came up here to check the bids I didn't make any appointment with you who's going to believe that you plan to kill me you could claim you discovered a shortage that when you accuse me I went for you you had to shoot me in self-defense but I'm I didn't I never only you won't be around to put in a claim oh Bill is going to hear something all right just one shot just one when the police get here they'll find you dead I accused you Joe you see you went for your gun and I went for you in the tussle the gun went off so sorry you're crazy you're crazy and why well somebody's going to run the business after your regrettable demise I've been here nearly as long as you have who knows it better than me somebody sure to console your window one of these days I've known her since I was a kid I'm stepping into your shoes Joe now wait wait I am listen to me that letter you're counting on that yes I'm a careful man the police won't find that letter it's gone and you haven't got a case without that oh come on bright boy can't you do better than that but I tell you it's gone I destroyed it I found it tonight in old man Jenny's compartment don't make me laugh but I've got a key to it he had it made for me when he stopped working look lamb I'll show you keep your hands out of your pockets oh I only want to show you I've got it right here hands up I want right here in my pocket did you think you could kid me Joe think you could stop me with that cocking bull story oh I don't answer Joe through talking for good I'd better get a move on it'll be a minute or two before the police get here but I want to be sure gun right beside him won't matter if my prints are on a tool we tussle for let's see now his pocket what was he going for in his pockets he had another gun better make sure keys he was going after his keys no no no don't get excited he couldn't have had the key to mr. Jenny's compartment he couldn't this one it can't be but it looks like if that letter is gone it can't be the key but it is the key to mr. Jennings locked compartment in the safe and what about the letter Lambert did Joe find it and destroy it take it easy Lambert don't get so excited right 15 left 35 right I've left it won't fit the key won't it does look at it off I put it right on top and it isn't there maybe slid down behind the other stuff oh yes Lambert the letters gone but there's no reason to get so excited it doesn't matter you still got a case you've planted the evidence very carefully don't lose your head Lambert you think your case will sound funny without the letter to back it up you're getting more upset the more you think of it and the police will be here any minute watch out you ruin everything you've built up so carefully but you can't see that can you wait Lambert wait on my way hey you stop the fire escape he's getting away down to fire escape come on Fred okay stop what you can you see him not halfway get your flashlight on him yeah how's that okay stop I tell you get him Fred will return in just a moment with a strange ending of tonight's story meantime a question for you drivers does your windshield look different lately has something new been added I'm talking about the new 1945 federal use stamp it's time for it you know and it's also time to pick up one of signals free use stamp protectors if you want to be sure of getting yours signal oil company had these neat transparent little shields made up to protect your use stamp from moisture and scuffing so it will stay on without peeling through a whole year of wear and window washing every car needs one but like all things in wartime quantities are naturally limited and that's why I'd suggest that you get yours this week tomorrow if possible just drive into any of the friendly stations displaying signals yellow and black circle sign and say I'd like one of signals use stamp protectors that was offered free on the whistler and now back to the whistler so Lambert's revenge wasn't complete he killed Joe but he himself was killed by the police when he ran from them he'd counted on that letter to prove he killed Joe and self defense when the letter was gone he lost his head you see the unexpected it happened it so frequently does in murders remember that when you think you'd like to kill somebody poor Lambert if he'd only had a minute to think well we're through with the books mr. Jennings the figures had been tampered with sure the original figures have been changed we talked to the witnesses to that girl in your office the fellow that witnessed the street accident you watchman I guess there isn't much doubt about what happened there is none to my mind Lambert must have accused Joe of theft perhaps he was even unwise enough to tell Joe about the letter he had left in my care Lambert was a good man a responsible man but mentally a little slow yeah way I figure it Carson knew the game was up he must have got the drop on mr. Dean held him up while he got set for a getaway the safe was open and the stuff in your private box was scattered all over the place I kept money for my personal use there sometimes fairly large sums Joe knew it I'd had a key made for him so that he could bring me cash from time to time when I was unable to get to the office well I can understand Carson's death that was an accident when they fought over the gun what I don't get is why Lambert Dean ran out on us I don't like shooting down innocent man you mustn't blame yourself you couldn't have known as I said Lambert was not quick I suppose he thought he could not prove Joe had attacked him oh we might not have either without that letter yes it's a fortunate thing I remembered that Joe had the key to my compartment of course I removed the letter at once and took it home with me a very fortunate thing otherwise we might never have known what happened nine 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 fine quality automotive accessories and by your neighborhood signal dealer this program directed by George W. Allen with tonight's story by Sally Thorson music by Wilbur hatch is 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