 Standard of California, on behalf of independent Chevron gas stations and standard stations throughout the west, invites you to let George do it. The problem of Joe Martin, another adventure of George Valentine. Personal notice, dangerous livestock and trade. If life for you is like trying to walk a tightrope in a high wind, you got a job for me, George Valentine. Write full details. Dear Mr. Valentine Esquire, who is Joe Martin? Most people in the United States of America, I find to be friendly, particularly if they say you have money. But Joe Martin, I find, but he is not at all friendly. In my native South America, I am an important man. I have three telephones on my desk. I am not accustomed when a man refuses to answer long distance, when the politeness of my letters come back unanswered. What is the matter with this Joe Martin? All I wish for him is his hand, so that I may fill it with money. Please see me to offer a suggestion, respectfully and cordially, Bolivar Estoso. Tell me, where could it happen in the United States? A South American eating a Spanish Mexican dish in an Italian restaurant to North American music? Yeah, sure, it's a small world, Mr. Estoso, but we don't have to just keep running around in circles, do we? Who is Joe Martin? Joe Martin. Joe Martin came to my country to the Andes. He was what you would call a full-hardy one. He wished to charter a plane to fly alone over the mountains, just to see if he could. Oh, did he succeed? Yes and no, or rather, no, and yes. His plane disappeared. There was a search, of course, but no choice of him. Hope was given up. And while I was sent to the United States, that he was dead. Only then he came back from the Andes, eh? Two months later, to the coast. He was a rag of bones, a hank of hair. Or is that a woman? If you don't mind, what happened to Joe Martin? Well, it was hard to tell exactly. There had been a crash, of course, and a fire. He was burned. A physical skeleton, a nervous wreck. But he was given the best of treatment and sent back as soon as possible to his home. To his wife. And now you're trying to contact him to give him some money? Why? International relations, she's my friend. Mr. Valentine, I am representing many companies on this trip. One of them is the company which rented to Joe Martin the airplane. There was a government investigation, the company was at fault. You mean something had been wrong with the plane? Or improper servicing, that is all. And it's a thing which would not happen again. But naturally the company wishes to make a restitution. You mean it's afraid it'll be sued and wants to make a settlement first? You don't know. We want to make payment. We want to maintain our reputation. But Joe Martin... Well, maybe the reason he doesn't answer your letters is because he doesn't want the money. Maybe he's wealthy or something. What if he is? I have contacted his bank, wealthy, yes, but money troubles too late, like everyone else. And there is no one so well off he will refuse $10,000. Yeah, all right, you are. No, I guess you've got the wrong address. He's moved, or he's still in a hospital somewhere. There has been plenty of time to recover his health. And I know where is this Joe Martin, a place in the country, a house on the coast. You see, there was once on the telephone, I was able to reach the home. It was a bad connection. And after a long minutes of waiting, all I could hear was crying. A man crying. Well, Boxy, it looks like we're in for a little trip. Joe Martin, huh? The man who wanted to conquer the Andes. Well, let's see now, Martin Place is right next to mine, but we like lots of elbow room around here. Take the second turn down the road, about five miles. Okay, thanks. Anybody home there now, do you think? Guess so, all three of them. They never seem to go out. Three of them? Well, even the wife and that fellow lives there came back with Martin. You mean back from South America? Guess so, I don't know. Well, look, I'm not really crying. Well, maybe I am. But do you know much about Joe Martin? Do you see him often? No, but my little boy saw him the other day. They have some late cherries, royal hands, I think, got back at their gardens. Boys like cherries, you know. But sometimes they get caught up. Well, Joe Martin didn't say anything. Just threw a rock at the little boy. You'd better ask somebody else about Joe Martin. You want to see my husband, Mr. Valentine. What about? Well, it's about his airplane wreck in South America, Mrs. Martin. Just a minute. There. Funny life out here, isn't it? When the fog comes in, there's nothing to do but sit in front of the fireplace and play phonograph records and read books. Joe's out right now. Out? You mean he's gone to town? No, no, he just walks. He likes to walk. At least that's where he is, walking. Lord knows there's plenty of places to walk around here. No, I'm sure he's not in the house. I'll be back. Senor Astosa said he'd written to your husband a couple of times. My husband never looks at Mayo. And I don't know anything about business. Oh, I do remember the letters. Yes, of course. Lawrence Kegley's the one you should see. Lawrence Kegley, your house guest? Oh, no, no. That's somebody else. Lawrence handles the money. He's in town, but he'll be out this evening. You know, business advisor, like a lawyer, only with a shave instead of a shingle. Yes, well, Mrs. Martin, we'd like very much to... Lord, I'm not being much of a hostess, am I? I'm sure you're hungry or thirsty. Oh, don't worry about us, Mrs. Martin. We just came out to see... Oh, it's just a car. Yeah. Yeah, maybe that's Lawrence Kegley now, huh? Perhaps. I'll get it. It's you. Hello. Well, don't bite my head off. Did you see Joe? Joe? Why, no. Should I? I thought you might have. Driving in, he's out there somewhere. Walking. Oh, running loose, communing with the great... Rick, please! This is Rick Winders, Miss Brooks, Mr. Valentine. How do you do? Well, come to admire the fog, huh? Creeps in on little cat feet. Can you imagine anything worse than a wet cat walking across your face? I, um... I don't know cats that well. I do. Mr. Winders, I guess you came back from South America with Mr. Martin, didn't you? What's this? She's just making conversation because you called me a cat. Now, Estelle, don't be so sensitive. Well, I'll clear it up for you, Miss Brooks. The person who lives here, the house guest, is Mr. Douglas Dewar. But he didn't come from South America. I'm telling it! Mr. Dewar's from the city. He's... he's just a friend of my husband. How will you tell it? Yes, and Rick is just... Well, anyway. There are no adjectives sufficient. How about a drink, anybody? Or some music, maybe? Skip it, Buster. Now, don't resent me, Mr. Valentine. I'm a nice guy. That's a nice tune. It certainly dates me, though, doesn't it? I guess so. Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Turn that thing off! Estelle, what's the matter? What are you doing here? I was here earlier. Why shouldn't I come back? If you don't feel like talking, I can always chat with Joe. Yes, you can. Can't you? But I'm sure we're shocking your guests. No, don't be ridiculous. Would you like us to leave, Mrs. Martin? I don't know. Yes, yes, please. Oh, there's Kegley. Got a new car, hasn't he? No! No, it's the same old one. That's Kegley, huh? Okay, Mrs. Martin. Suppose Miss Brooks and I step outside and meet him. And if your husband still hasn't shown up... You wouldn't want to see Joe anyway. Why not? Well, I don't know what your business is, but Joe Martin would be sure to think it was something else and start yelling at you like a banshee. No, Mr. Valentine. You don't want to see Joe Martin. Now look, Mr. Kegley, it's simple. Mr. Estoso represents a South American company which wants to pay Joe... Oh, I know, I know. And I'm sorry we didn't get the letters answered, but it's only been a week or so. Of course we want the 10,000. Naturally. Atel Estoso, I said so. Oh, that's fine, but when can Mr. Martin come to town? There are some papers for both of them to sign, you know. What? Impossible. Impossible. I don't know how it could be arranged. No, no. I'll write to Estoso. We'll forget the whole thing for the time being. Why? Why can't Joe Martin come to town now? Oh, how should I know? How should I be expected to make any sense? Joe Martin won't even talk to me anymore. Ask Douglas Doerr. Ask Douglas... Hey, what kind of a run around is this? His wife says, see you and you say, see somebody else. What are you talking about? George! Yeah, come on. Douglas Doerr. I found him lying there. Lying there. Lying there. I was coming out the back way to ask if you wouldn't have some supper before you went back to town. He's dead. Yeah. Yeah, he's dead, all right. Heads been bashed in with a stick or maybe a rock. Estelle, Estelle, I looked all over for Joe. I can't find him. He hasn't come back to the house. What? Isn't Joe in his room? No, Lawrence, I... I haven't seen either one of them for more than an hour. And I guess Douglas Doerr has been dead for almost that long. Joe is out somewhere? Why wasn't there a lock on that room? He should have been locked up. But with Douglas Doerr... Hey, hold it, hold it, both of you. Yeah. Yeah, I think I'm beginning to catch on. Just who was Douglas Doerr? He's the doctor sent him out from the city. It was only a precaution. He was a male nurse. My husband's keeper. We'll return to tonight's adventure of George Valentine in just a moment. If your vacation trip means you're going to be motoring through a lot of western territory, take a tip from independent chevron gas stations and standard stations. Use chevron supreme gasoline. It's climate tailor to give your car peak performance wherever you drive, in cool mountain country and hot deserts and along the coast. When you get premium quality chevron supreme, you can be sure of ping-free power. That's because it's specially blended to give faster starts, quicker pickup, and extra power on hills with never an engine knock. A pinging engine is a strained and laboring engine that's wasting both power and fuel, you know. So rely on chevron supreme for thrift and for more pleasant motoring, whether you're on vacation or just driving around town. Remember, you can't buy a better gasoline for today's high compression engines. Get chevron supreme at standard stations and independent chevron gas stations, where they say, and mean, we take better care of your car. Who is Joe Martin? A man so careless of his own life he would fly over the Andes by himself just for the fun of it. A man who would throw rocks at a boy stealing cherries. A man who is trustful of no one. A man so alone in his own mind that he required a keeper. But now the keeper is dead. Well, if your name is George Valentine, you just got into this because of a small matter of South America business. But now that you're here, you seem to find yourself the only center pole in a badly sagging tent. Because, as everybody knows, outside somewhere, outside in the fog, still out there is Joe Martin. A creature like that on the loose. He should have been locked up. We should never have... Oh, Mr. Kegley, will you please shut up? I got your husband's doctor on the telephone, Mr. Martin. Thank you. I call the sheriff too, Mr. Kegley. Sheriff? Yes, I had to. It'll take him at least 20 minutes to drive out here. Joe Martin... He must have found out who Douglas Dua really was. What? Douglas always pretended he was just here as a friend. A physical instructor to help Bill Joe up again after his experience in South America. But Joe must have found out, don't you see? Found out he was really a nurse, a guard. Someone Joe would think of as against him. That's why he lashed out, killed him. That's how these things work. No, Mr. Kegley, stop chattering, will you? Mr. Valentine. Joe thinks I'm against him. Oh, why? You were bad business advising. Well, there were reversals even before his disappearance in South America. We did think he was dead, Mr. Valentine. Certain adjustments were made, naturally. Reinvestments and... Well, it's always been difficult to convince Joe he's not any wealthier than he really is. Oh, it's not your fault, Lawrence. It's not. Mrs. Martin, why wasn't your husband put in a sanitarium? Oh, but he's never been that sick. I'd never have dreamed that he... Well, he was always unstable, I suppose. And after that horrible experience in the Andes, he was a wreck, of course. Complete collapse. But thought it was mostly a matter of rest and care at home, building up a strain. Look, Mrs. Martin, if you know... Oh, Joe's been perfectly rational. I don't know if it's conceivable they had a fight or something. Oh, Mr. Valentine, I still can't believe my husband would be violent. Would want to kill? What did Douglas do, I think, about him? I say my imagine. He did send a wire to the doctor this evening, but I don't know what he said. Just heard him phone into Western Union, and then I heard the doors close. That was when both of them left the house, I guess. And that's exactly what I'm going to do right now. Leave. It's only a few minutes since you called. I'm going to drive in and get that sheriff myself. There's nothing cowardly about being a little more skeptical than you are about wanting to preserve Moan Hyde. Oh, then, Mr. Valentine... Mrs. Martin, I wonder if you'd excuse me, too. Yeah, I just thought of something. Look, Western Union, all I want is the text of the wire to the doctor, not the charges. Yes, I know the sheriff's office told you it was okay. I just want the... Well, okay, hurry it up, will you? Yeah, call me back. George... George, well... Hey, Booksy. George, I saw him. I did. I saw Joe Martin. He was out here, George. I'd been in the living room with Rick Winters, and when I stepped out on the porch for a minute, and there, right there through the fog, there's a fence over there. You sure it was Martin? Yes, he was tall, like they said. He was crossing the fence on a stile. I could hear his feet on the board. Come on, let's take a look. He was holding his arms close as though we were carrying something. I called out, I couldn't help it, and then he ran away. Oh, the poor guy. George, don't you think we should... Well, I mean, you're not strong enough to handle him alone. Hey, Angel, didn't Kegley leave the house? Kegley? Well, sure, a few minutes ago, I think. George! Yeah, his car's still here. Booksy, look! Looks like Lawrence Kegley walked right into it, doesn't he? Oh, didn't even reach his car to get away. He's dead, all right, Booksy. Just like do we. You have to keep playing it! Okay, still. I was only trying to keep our minds away from the maw, the fog, and the crackling twigs outside. There, there you see, you jumped a foot just then. The tick of the clock that doesn't bring help fast enough. Buster, I think we can do without that treatment. All right, I'll stick to music. Do you like music, Miss Brooks? Mr. Winters, I think you're just hurting yourself. I think you're both being pretty foolish about something. I think it's pretty obvious what it is. Observant, aren't you? I told you to come away. I told you I didn't want to see you again. Yes. Yes, late this afternoon, she stood out there in the sunken garden with the sunset in her hair. And I kissed her goodbye. How could I help but come back? Oh, I hate you. But I think I'm here to stay now, don't you? Oh, can't you ever think of poor Joe? Hmm, that's a laugh. Get out of here. Mrs. Martin, you never worried about Joe before. You're pretty much of a heel, aren't you, Buster? I've never hurt Joe. I've never. Ah, both of you. No, no, no, I'll get it. Yeah, hello. Oh, yeah, what is it? Yeah. Yes, I've got it. Okay, thanks. Who was it? What did they want? Uh, it, uh... Well, it was a sheriff's office, that song. Yeah, he left some time ago. Be here pretty soon. Yes. Yes, the sheriff will be here. And he'll bring men. And the men will have guns because people are afraid of people who kill other people. But Joe doesn't know what he's doing. He's out there all alone thinking everyone's plotting against him. Don't get carried away now. And I've plotted myself, at least in my mind. I did love Rick once when I thought my husband was dead. Well, I'm not going to let him kill him now. I'm going to find him myself. Estelle. If you were half a man, you'd feel the same way. Mrs. Martin, stop. Get your hands off me. I'm going alone. Joe won't hurt me if I'm alone. He trusts me. He doesn't know about Rick. Joe loves me. It's the least I can do. George. Yeah, and I don't worry. And Joe will be right behind you. Here, take a look at this fast. What? That wasn't the sheriff's office on the phone. It was Western Union. Oh, the telegram Douglas sent to the doctor. Yeah, I scribbled it down here. Joe Martin took sudden turn for worse late this afternoon. Yeah. Violent for first time. Take him precautions and we'll bring him into hospital first thing in the morning. But George... Hey, come on. There she goes. I guess her idea is right, George. She can bring him in without frightening him. He wouldn't hurt her, but in this fog and in his own male nursery, he was violent. See, we didn't have to be told Joe Martin was violent. No! Which room in the house did her husband have? What? Well, I don't know. The one up front, I think. Uh-huh. And this is the sunken garden right here. Hmm? Late this afternoon. Late? George, you could see this garden from Joe's room. Yeah. You could see Rick Winter's kissing your wife. And the telegram said the same time, Joe violent. Oh, George, he must have seen one. Something must have snapped inside of him. Only then it's Rick Winter's who's likely to be... Hey, back to it. What? But who's... Joe! Hey, Joe! Winter's the crazy... He took a day to be a man, didn't he? Hey, Joe! Joe! But he's the one who's in danger to him. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. Good. Scared away. Heard us coming. You didn't get a full swing. Uh, Rick! Uh... Yeah. Yeah, a rock was lifted up and swung against his head, just like the other two. We keep asking for it, don't we? Rick, I... It's okay. I've got it, Mrs. Martin. Now let's get him back to the house. George! Look... Joe! By the fence. Steps. On the… He's coming back. He's coming back, Joe. He wouldn't hurt me. I could call Art and I could... No! Quick, stay where the book's in. He's headed for the house. I'll be with you as soon as I can make it. I think Rick here is gonna be okay if we get into a hospital first enough. George, the door's locked. Okay, I'll go around and... No! Mrs. Martin, your husband won't hurt you. Now I know he won't. Miss, I should. I haven't cared for him, Miss. I should. I haven't understood his illness. Yeah, yeah. He's a pretty sick man, all right? The telegram said he was violent. But Douglas also told the doctor he'd taken precautions. And Joe looks very calm now. What are you talking about? It's just too bad you didn't know what those precautions were, Mrs. Martin. You could have saved yourself so much acting. Wait. Listen. It's Joe. It's Joe! I said don't be afraid of him, Mrs. Martin. He's quite calm. And he holds his arms close as though he were carrying something just like Brooks said. He can't pick up any rocks to swing at people like you can. Yes, Mrs. Martin. Joe has been wearing a straight jacket. But, Mr. Valentine, consider the end is. Terrible things happen to men in the end is. Hey, look, will you please not interrupt if you want the whole story? Okay, okay. Now, Mrs. Martin did it. She did all of it. Why? Well, she didn't plan it that way, I guess. But when it all happened, it would have been so easy to blame her killings on a man who was out of his mind. Not response. That is what I say. The end is. Oh, you mean Joe Martin was that way because of his plane crash? Uh-uh. He'd always been a little unstable. But Estelle didn't help it much. She'd already talked Lawrence Kegley into playing around with his dough for her benefit. She had Rick Winters in her pocket even though he knew what she was up to. And after the crash, his mind sought escape. Well, see, that is what happens. Yeah, yeah. But most people don't have wives who push their minds in that direction. Because that's why she didn't want him in a sanitarium. He would have been cured. He will be. I do not understand North American women. Why not? In my country and the slopes of the Andes, a woman would use a machete. Huh? What? I'm recording a little very nicely in the valley. A woman with machete. Yeah, look, senor, you don't mind if Miss Brooks and I dance, do you? Not at all. The woman was also burdened with too much weight. No, wait in. Hey, wait, bring that man on order of chili conconi. Come on, Angel. This is where we came in. If you're a motorist, here's a word of advice from independent Chevron gas stations and standard stations. It's a proofed fact that corrosive rust causes 80% of all engine wear. This high-cost corrosion starts the moment your engine stops. It's caused by acid-laden moisture that instantly settles on internal parts in an idle engine. To stop the attack of rust, special compounds have been added to RPM motor oil. One compound in RPM is an adhering agent. It keeps a moisture-proof film on internal parts so that rust can't get a start, even if your car stands idle for weeks. Ordinary oil couldn't possibly give your car's engine this complete protection. No wonder premium quality RPM is first choice in the West. It's the oil that stops 80% of what engine wear. So for longer car life, get RPM motor oil. Ask for it at standard stations and at independent Chevron gas stations, where they say, and mean, we take better care of your car. Next week, when we catch up with George Valentine, as he's trying to enjoy a well-earned vacation with a little fishing, we'll hear Bruxy saying, George, you caught something. Pull it in. I am, I am. It's not putting a bunch of a fight, though. I don't... Oh. Yeah, well, no wonder. Why, it's a body. A little boy. Only it's the first little boy I ever saw with gray hair. But then it's a niche. Yeah, Angel. Brother, this is going to be some vacation. Tonight's adventure of George Valentine has been brought to you by Standard of California on behalf of independent Chevron gas stations and standard stations throughout the West. Robert Bailey is starred as George with Francis Robinson as Bruxy. Let George Do It is written by David Victor and Jackson Gillis and directed by Don Clark. Also heard in the cast were J. Novello as Estoso, Dara Singleton as Estelle, Robert Bruce as Bergstrom, Peter Leeds as Rick, and Will Wright as Kegley. The music is composed and presented by Eddie Dunstetter. Your announcer, John Heaston. Listen again next week, same time, same station, to Let George Do It. This is the mutual Don Lee Broadcasting System.