 The signal oil program The whistler that whistle is your signal for the signal oil program The whistler I'm 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 Yes friends, it's time for the signal oil program the whistler Rated by independent research the most popular West Coast program in radio history In gasoline, you know it takes extra quality to give you extra mileage and Signal is the famous go farther gasoline So look for the signal circle sign in yellow and black that identifies friendly dealer owned signal service stations from Canada to Mexico And now the whistler strange story 18 Bowden Lane Like everything else in Edgar Merkel's life the decision to take the cottage at Cape Defiance for the summer was carefully thought out in advance Spring had a great deal to do with it, of course It seemed that each of the 14 Springs He'd spent teaching penmanship at Groverner Academy had been a little harder to bear than the one before it The warmth and greenness and beauty outside Pointing up the drabness around him his helpless hopeless longing for excitement and adventure and escape Or in spite of the shabby tweed suit the weak chin the squinting near-sighted eyes Edgar Merkel was a romanticist and imagine her a great and wondrous thing a Night of the round table wrapped up in a wheeze and little body and delivered 12 centuries too late But he decided now it was going to be different this spring and that of course is what lay behind his decision to take the cottage at Cape Defiance Robinson really company Robinson speaking. This is mr. Merkel M-e-r-k-l-e I am calling about the cottage at Cape Defiance mr. Robinson. Oh, yes, mr. Merkel I spoke to the owner this morning. You can have it on the 15th. I see I told them it might be a little early for you that Your school semester wasn't over until the end of the month. Oh, that'll be quite all right, mr. Robinson I plan to send my wife down for a while beforehand. Oh good. They have the rental be 80 a month That includes something for the caretaker of course caretaker I don't know fellow who keeps an eye on things around there. His name's Hiram something or other. Oh, of course Now let me make sure of that address 18 18 Lane, thank you. I've got it down Edgar dear, I don't want to see one reasonable, but I think this thing is getting out of hand Why do you say that it is this whole business of summer on the Cape? I think we're being quite extravagant Oh 80 a month is very reasonable, but why do we have to hire a maid on top of that? It's very simple dear. I wanted to be vacationed for you too. It's it's only fair I'm not so sure. I've talked to Freddy this afternoon. Edith Why must you always discuss these things with your brother when it involves my money, Edgar? I have a right to talk to anyone I choose Freddy can't understand it at all. He says it doesn't make sense now Why after spending 14 summer vacations at home? Do you suddenly decide on a seashore cottage with a maid Edith? If I told you your money isn't involved at all What I Wouldn't believe it. It's true I've been very careful this past year Sitting aside a little each month out of my salary Edgar you You're paying for it. Why not? I owe it to you my dear With that heart of yours. I think you need a rest more than I do Edgar I Don't know what to say Then don't say it Now I think you better start getting your things together We're due down there day after tomorrow and what about this maid? Well, I interviewed several Decided on a young girl named flora She'll be here tomorrow evening and drive down to the Cape with us. All right Suppose but I still think it's terribly extravagant But it's not extravagant at all. Is it Edgar? It's a kind of investment and like all good investments There's a promise of reward Part of the investment is flora of course Edith doesn't know it But the decision to take the cottage on the Cape was made six months ago when you first met flora and decided after careful Investigation that she was ideal a Mousy unattractive little being who came to idolize you in her own peculiar way You're busy at your desk when flora arrives the next evening you listen to Edith quizzing her in the hallway and then sit up Expectantly as Edith finally comes in I'll admit. I'm glad you engage you. I'm afraid I'm in for one of my spells my heart's beating a fit to burst Oh sit down by the desk dear. Yes Why are your hand is wet with perspiration? Of course it is. I do hope there's a good heart specialist on the Cape I've already checked it. There's an excellent one a dr. Gordon. He'll be spending his vacation nearby Edgar What in the world are you doing with this man? Oh, it's a not really a map my dear. It's a chart of the waters around the Cape put out by the coast and geodetic survey Shows the direction and velocity of the tides and currents Since when have you been interested in ocean currents? Oh, it's a fascinating subject Edith I've calculated that anyone unfortunate enough to be swept out of the cove there Wouldn't turn up for oh 10 days or maybe two weeks Sounds very unpleasant Edgar What's in this package something I thought you'd need I picked it up today Edgar I don't know what's got into you lately. You're so thoughtful and oh Stationary yes, you'll be wanting to write and oh oh dear me. There's a shower coming up. I Wonder if it's the one forecast for tomorrow. It's glossy to you know, I hate glossy paper To last me a week. Oh, you must be mistaken here. It says on the box I can see what it says, but you've been cheated Close that window the stationery is going all over the floor. Oh, I'm sorry dear Help me pick it up. No, you'd better do it while I run upstairs and close the other windows before it rains Stupid nagging mills to I Don't like this cottage or anything else about Cape Defiant Listen to that the storm is going to break any minute. Oh, you're writing to dear ready Telling him what a wonderful view I have from the desk window with a street sign stuck right in front of oh Come now. He did it's not as bad as all that what happened to Flora. Oh, she's uh gone to the grocery store Why I wanted to mail this letter for me. Oh, we can mail it on the way dear on the way Have you forgotten our walk walk? Good heavens Edgar. It'll be pulling in a minute. Oh, it's only a short way to the boathouse. I have something down there You'll want to see oh can't wait until tomorrow. No, we better leave right away dear come now It'll only take us a few minutes Seems so strange lately Edgar. What's all this business about a surprise? I don't excuse me dear Hiram. Yes, mr. Merkel. Would you come here a minute? This is the man who looks after the cottages. I want you to meet him Sorry, mr. Merkel. It didn't recognize it. They're cold. I'm quite near sighted, you know, of course Hiram I want you to meet my wife. Oh, howdy, miss Merkel. We're going to take a walk down at the boathouse and back Is there a mailbox around I have a letter here and I don't come a man Better get a move on you though them black clouds. It's all rolling up Um, I'd like a word with you before I leave. Can you finish clipping that hedge before the storm? It not if I stand around here talking glad to have met you, ma'am. See you when you get back Come my dear Hiram's right. We don't have much time Careful dear so dark Wooden planking runs around the sides of the boathouse, but be careful It's all water in the middle. I wish you'd tell me what time you might I don't like it here at all The far end is open to the cove you see they used to run the launch right in here Is the water that deep? Oh my goodness. Yes, but a very treacherous undertow See at this very moment. The peptide is sweeping out to the cove Eight miles an hour to be exact. I can go back. But what about my surprise idea? Most interesting surprises in life are intangible Edith If I didn't know you were shivering my dear Yeah, let's put that coat on shall we thrown around your shoulders that way. Oh, thank you, I guess Now let's see not this time eat it's not You think I'd overlook that detail my dear with the prologue of 18 Bowden Lane the signal oil company brings you another strange story by the Whistler But now a question for you drivers in gasoline, which do you consider more important mileage or performance? Well, don't bother to answer that question because mileage is the result of the same features a gasoline must have to give you superior performance You see to put that thrilling knock-free power back of your accelerator Signal gasoline must help your motor run more efficiently and when your motor runs more efficiently Naturally you get better mileage That's why signal says in gasoline it takes extra quality to go farther And that's why we're so proud of the fact that signal is the famous go farther gasoline Now back to the Whistler the figure a lot of thought went into your investment in the cottage at Cape Defiance The summer vacation you plan for Edith But outside of the months you spent carefully cultivating flora the simple A few pennies for a weather forecast and a set of coastal tide max $80 in advance on the cottage a cheap box of glossy stationary That's all And as you watch the black water swirl out into the cold, you know, it was a wise investor Yes, you're free now Edgar There's time and money in a wide horizon ahead of you and most important of all Edith is gone Lost in the black water back in the boathouse Over here flora. All right. Fine my dear. I Thought I heard a call out Did you do it? Please flora? Mrs. Merkel met with an unfortunate accident. That's all They believe that Edgar the Coast Guard know why don't we just tell them that they never are you forgetting? There's a brother Freddie. Oh, but it ready thought it happened while I was here Well, we simply couldn't get away with it You know best I think so my dear It has to be the way we planned When this is all over we'll get married won't we and travel around the world like you said You're the only person who ever treated me like a human being Edgar I'll do anything you want me to poor little flurry now Put Mrs. Merkel's coat over your shoulders. We've got to walk back to the house More nearsighted than I am He saw my wife's coat come down. I Wanted to see her coat go back with me All right, you needn't worry. He's working on the other side of the house. He couldn't have seen you come down my dear. Oh, no It's just don't be afraid flurry come along now You understand about this week. Oh, yes, I've gone over and over in my mind See that the letters are mailed to me in proper order. Uh-huh and be friendly with Hiram You know talk about Mrs. Merkel with him and once in a while Let him see her Moving about the house. Oh, I understand Edgar. I'll wear a coat and stand with my back to the window. Fine We'll pass Hiram soon now. Oh Keep the coat pushed out from you a bit flurry with your arms Mrs. Merkel is Was somewhat stouter than you might hear you got miss Merkel inside just in time. Yes indeed. I'm I hope this weather Don't frighten her it won't she's tired of her until I down Hiram I want you and flora to keep an eye on her while I'm away. See that's right You got to go back to town only long enough to conduct my final examinations. Well, you don't have to worry none I'll be right around of course Mrs. Merkel will probably be arriving me. I know you'll take the letters into the village sure thing You just go right ahead mr. Merkel and don't think about a thing another thing But there are things to think about aren't there Edgar? Yes The house back in the city is all yours now, but you can't relax in it not yet Not until these extra days of life you've created for Eden are over The forge letters from the Cape arrive on schedule Flora is doing very well Almost as well as you did in writing them almost but not quite Your 14 years teaching penmanship added to your years with Eden make the letters little masterpieces of accuracy The style is there to perfection And every line is what she herself would have written all the complaining the fears about her health Everything you pen your reply to each in turn Consoling and beautiful It's working smoothly until the sixth day The day before the final letter it do that evening brings a surprise to your door Freddie that's right Edgar. You're getting brighter Well, do I stand outside all night? Oh? No, no Come in Freddie. I'm sort of busy You know going over exam papers. I know same old rut Eat it is not home. I know she's at the cold. I got a letter from it. Oh, yes She wrote you the day we arrived not only wrote Edgar, but invited me down I'll stay over and we'll drive down together in the morning. Okay Alright Freddie. Oh, how about a drink? Do you have something in the house adjust some cherry? Sherry's fine. I I'll get it right away Yes, Edgar you get the sherry right away Because it's the only thing that can prevent Freddie from Insisting on an early start in the morning and that can't happen Canada Not with the postman arriving around 10 with eat its last letter the one that sold very important You'll find some sleeping powders in the medicine cabinet Managed to drop them into the wine glass without arousing Freddie's suspicion a Few hours later. He's asleep in your room. He remains asleep until very late the next morning In fact, he's just sitting up in bed when you come in with the letter Freddie this letter. It's from Edith. What are we? She's not herself. There's there's something wrong Freddie. She Oh, no, what is it? Let me see that. She's threatening to kill herself. So what's Eaters or this is crazy. Well, there's so many things could do down there that rugged good Lord, Edgar You don't think she means this get ready. We've got to get down there right away. I just can't see her doing anything like this Freddie If anything happened, I'd never forgive myself For my senior just before breakfast. All right, I am is that right for oh, yes, she went for a walk Poor Edith. What about your men show any luck they're dragging the cove But the undertow down there dead tides might be strong The kill your currents along this coast, you know Body swept out wouldn't be washed sure for at least 10 maybe 14 days And you all agree. She was mighty low in spirit, sir Well, she sent me several other letters besides the suicide note I'll show them to you good. I want to see them. So will I oh not that I mistrust you Edgar It's just that there are some things I don't understand But you're not worried about Freddie. Are you Edgar? He's smart suspicious, but you're prepared for that The next day you give the letters to the sheriff Confident that there'll be no questions raised by his experts It's 12 days later when the discovery of Edith's body Washed onto the beach brings you back to Kate defines and the cottage in Bowdoin Lane Freddie is talking to the sheriff in the living room when you arrive I don't give a hang. What's the higher man says or that girl either? She could be working with Edgar Maybe they both are that's a serious charge. Mr. Oh Excuse me. Oh, howdy, Mr. Merkel. I'm glad you were here your brother-in-law has a theory you bet I have I Don't think Edith committed suicide Edgar. I think you killed him. Well, that's interesting Don't smile mr. Merkel. He's not joking, but isn't it a little ridiculous under the circumstances? I haven't seen Edith since the day I brought her down here. I know I checked it. He got around it somewhere I tell you what about the letters my handwriting letters don't be an idiot. He's a handwriting expert himself He could write letters from George Washington. I Want to see those letters sheriff and take it easy. I've got them right here and uh, what did the experts say? Frankly, they don't agree One says they're definitely your wives and the others sure they aren't oh sheriff I tell you the whole thing's perfectly clear anyone can figure really sheriff I mean at a time like this must I be subjected and now wait mr. Merkel if your brother-in-law here as a theory it's not gonna hurt us to listen to it Is it well I am naturally he doesn't want to hear it, but I can give it to you in a nutshell. All right I'm listening. Okay get this Edgar brings Edith out here and pushes her into the water Here's the tides all figured in advance, but that's not all He writes the letters to himself in her handwriting and has someone mail them that makes us think Edith was still alive After he got back to the city. He's got a perfect alibi. You see how simple it is. Oh Oh Well, mr. Merkel, what do you say to that? Hi Sheriff I Don't think it even deserves an answer. I do. It's an interesting theory. It's clever Thank you, sir, and it fits all the facts you bet it does well except for one detail What a kind of detail all amateur meddlers like you overlook Freddy You see we not only had those letters checked for handwriting. We also had them checked for fingerprints And and that knocks your theory right into a cocktail Mrs. Merkel's fingerprints are all over every one of those letters But I tell you you told me enough now if I were you I'd offer mr. Merkel an apology Thank you sheriff. You don't know how much your faith means to me The whistler will return in just a moment with the strange ending to tonight's story Meantime I have some surprising facts for you drivers who wonder whether the kind of oil you choose for your motor really makes any difference in the way Your car runs In an actual road test two identical cars were run over 70,000 miles One using today's finest straight motor oil the other using signal premium motor oil the new type lubricant that combines 100% pure paraffin base with five scientific compounds When these motors were torn down for inspection the one using signal premium oil had only one sixth as much carbon deposit and One third less cylinder wear and what does this mean to you? Well less carbon means that your motor runs quieter smoother and less cylinder wear means more power Good reason. I'd say for making your next oil change a change to signal premium motor oil It's your guarantee of a sweeter running motor and now back to the whistler So every investment involves a risk at what the cold clear thinking behind your investment in the murder of your wife It keep defiance Reduced the risk to almost nothing Attention to detail is what did it little details like buying a gift of glossy stationary and then dropping it on the floor So your wife's fingerprints would appear on every sheet You're quite proud of yourself aren't you and and there is an Irrepressible glow of triumph in your face as you watch Freddy sitting in the corner pouring over the letters you so carefully Prepared just before you kill them The sheriff is leaning against the desk by the window watching him too Of course, I'll hold one those letters sheriff They mean a great deal to me I reckon they do no reason why you can't have them when your brother-in-law is through reading them They were the last thing she wrote Sitting right here by the window. Yep. I heard man said he saw her here a couple of times while he was working outside I suppose I'll always have a special feeling about Cape Defiance poor Edith in her state of mind sitting here by this window Looking out there that lonely Cape I Remember how to know it her that What's the matter mr. Mirko something wrong out there? No, no, it's nothing a shock, you know Yes, Edgar What's wrong? Nothing at all Freddy. No What about that view? You didn't spend much time looking out this window. Did you please Freddy? I always it just that you had other things to think about Like what was going to happen after you killed either well that dumb little maid would stand up under grilling by the sheriff and The letters. Oh, no, that was one part of it. You were sure. Yeah, what are you driving at this time? I was watching Edgar the way he jumped there at the window Go ahead Tell him what you saw nothing. I didn't see anything. Don't tell me it was the street sign wasn't it quite a shock Hey, I Don't know I but you should have known Edgar Here you are sheriff Here's the only letter Edith actually wrote sent to me the day she arrived Incidentally, that was the day she died wasn't it Edgar? Huh? Look here on the back of her letter to me 18 Bowden Lane How's it spelled? B O W D O I N But yes the correct spelling the way it is on that sign out there Now Edgar, maybe you can tell us why it is you spelled B O W D E N on every one of the letters Edith is supposed to have written to you Would she have written it that way sitting at the desk here with B O W D O I N on the street signs tearing her in the face or Maybe you'd better tell us how you wrote those letters That whistle be your signal for the signal oil program the whistler each Monday at 8 Brought to you by the signal oil company marketers of signal gasoline and motor oil and fine quality automotive accessories Signal has asked me to remind you to get the most driving pleasure drive at sensible speeds be courteous and obey traffic regulations It may save a life Possibly your own Tonight's story were Don Morrison and Martha Wentworth The whistler was produced by George W. Allen with music by Wilbur hatch story by Jack Kelsey And was transmitted to our troops overseas by the armed forces radio service This is Marvin Miller speaking for the signal oil company. This is CBS the Columbia Broadcasting System