 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. And now for the Whistler's strange story. Final Papers. On a clear morning you could see Catalina Island from the Craig's hilltop home. But Anna Craig was not interested in the view. No. As she paced up and down the terrace her eye was on the long winding road leading to the house. She was waiting for the mailman. Waiting. That's all you've been doing lately, isn't it, Anna? But you're certain that it can't be much longer. Then you see Mrs. Owens, your housekeeper, coming towards you and smiling. Here's a letter for you. I think perhaps it's the one you've been waiting for. Oh, Mrs. Owens. Is it? Yes. My note is to come to the Hall of Justice in two weeks. I'm to be sworn in as an American citizen. Oh, your final papers. Oh, my. It seems like yesterday that Mr. Craig came back from his business trip to Europe and brought you with him. It's been three years, Mrs. Owens. Three long years. Oh, Mr. Craig will be excited. Are you going to phone him and tell him? No. It's Wednesday. I always go down to the office on Wednesday to have lunch with him. I'll tell him then. You be careful in the traffic. So excited, I mean. And going down the mountain to the highway. It's dangerous. Oh, Mrs. Owens, you're so sweet. But don't worry about me. I've learned to handle a car very well now. Yes, but you've so much on your mind today. And I don't blame you. I know what this means to you. But Mrs. Owens doesn't know what it means to you, does she, Anna? No, she hasn't the faintest suspicion and neither has your husband Stanley Craig, who divides his time between his legal business and his hobby of raising rare plants. No, he doesn't know that your marriage to him was all part of a plan. A plan to enter the country as the wife of an American to help you in getting your citizenship sooner. Only to divorce him and bring in your sweetheart, Court Lawson. Now it's all so close. You feel a thrill of excitement which only increases on your trip downtown. Then entering your husband's office, you collide with a woman who is just coming out. I'm terribly sorry. It's quite all right. I was thinking about something. It was stupid of me. Don't mention it. Oh, hello, Mrs. Craig. Hello, Miss Brown. Is my husband busy as usual? Well, he's had a very full morning but he'll see you. Go right in. Anna, my dear. Oh, what a morning. More immigration cases? Oh, yes. A woman just left here who gave me a very bad time. She was absolutely insistent that I take her case. And you refused? I was forced to do so. I don't like her background. By the way, you may have heard of her. She's from your own country. Come to think of it. Oh, and her name? Lisa Felder. Lisa Felder? No, I... In spite of everything that can be done, undesirable people do get into this country. But they're usually detected and sent back. And that is the case of this Lisa Felder? Yes. Her past has come to light. She was mixed up in some pretty bad political business abroad. The name Lisa Felder gives you quite a start, doesn't it, Anna? You know now that Lisa is the woman you bumped into as you entered the office. If that chance meeting had taken place under different circumstances, in front of Stanley, for instance, it would have been very awkward, wouldn't it? It might have thrown suspicion on your own European political connections. You become increasingly nervous as you think about Lisa. Wonder if she recognized you. Later in the afternoon, you have the answer, a phone call, and it's Lisa. I wasn't able to place you at first, Mrs. Craig, but the consul helped me. It's been a long time. Yes, yes it has. I hate presuming on our former acquaintancehip in Europe, but I must see you, talk to you. I should like to come out to your house tonight. Well, we live in a very remote spot. It's not easily reached. Then perhaps you should like to meet me in Beverly Hills for lunch tomorrow? I have an engagement. I know a small restaurant, Northcliffs. We could talk quietly. No, I... We could talk about Kurt Lassen. You used to know him rather well, I believe. Why? Yes, long ago, but... I'll be waiting for you at Northcliffs at one, Mrs. Craig. I'm sure you'll be there. I might as well lay my cards on the table, Mrs. Craig. I'm in trouble, and I need a good lawyer. But there are many good lawyers in town. Not like your husband. Stanley Craig is considered tops where immigration is concerned. But you say you have asked him, and he has refused your case. He refused me, but he will not refuse you. I never interfere in his business. This time you must. Simply tell him you have a friend who isn't a little difficulty. She had to make some false statements in order to get into the country. The same false statements that you made, or you wouldn't be here either. I can't do that. Oh, yes, you can. You'll have to. I'll tell him myself. You wouldn't. I'm desperate, Mrs. Craig. So I'm determined. I'm sorry. But if I am deported, the wife of Stanley Craig will be deported, too. Her own papers will be reviewed. But... But that won't help you, Lisa. No. But you won't let it happen. Now. You'll talk to him tonight? Yes. Yes. But Stanley must not know that I was forced into doing this. Not unless it is necessary. I will merely tell him that I know of a fellow countrywoman who needs a little help. That's right. A fellow countrywoman who needs a little help. And she had better get that help, Mrs. Craig. You leave Lisa Felder, aren't you? But then you realize that if your husband's Stanley can be persuaded to take Lisa Felder's case, it will be weeks before he gets all the facts. By that time, you will have your own citizenship papers and will have gone to Reno for a divorce. But you have to settle the matter tonight, don't you? And it's very disconcerting with Stanley bringing home a guest for dinner. A professor of pharmaceutical botany at the university. And after dinner, the two men spend a long time discussing Stanley's unique hobby of rare plants. Finally, you join them in the garden. This has been a rare treat, Mrs. Craig. Your husband has some very exciting plants. I'm sure he has, Professor Leonard. These new ones he's important. We'll need a lot of care, Mrs. Craig. I have some suggestions I might give your gardener. Oh, Stanley will take care of these plants himself, professor. He's very devoted to his hobby. As a matter of fact, we don't have a professional gardener. We manage with a couple, Mr. and Mrs. Owens. It's pretty difficult to get help up here so far from the bus line, you know. Oh, sir, that reminds me. I mustn't miss the 11 o'clock bus. Oh, well, then let's walk over to the car. I think Owens is waiting to drive you down the hill. We usually allow about 20 minutes for the trip. It's such a steep, dangerous road. Yes, I noticed when we came up. Well, it's certainly been a very pleasant evening. We're glad to have you, Professor Leonard. I'll get in touch with you, Mr. Craig. Well, here we are. Thank you again, Mr. Craig. Not at all. Goodbye, Mrs. Craig. Goodbye. An exceptional man. It's quite an authority on plants from all over the world. Oh, I'm afraid the evening was a bit dull for you, Anna. Why not at all? I know how much your plants mean to you. I wish you could share my interest, Anna. There's some very unusual plants in this new shipment. Why don't you come and have a look at them? Well, yes, I'd like to. Oh, good, good. Now, these are African plants over here. Not much known about them in this country. That's a not-looking one over there by itself. Oh, that's a hybrid plant. Very poisonous, incidentally, particularly the root. I don't know how it'll do here. You know, Anna, plants are like people. In what way? Some plants and some people, too, move from one part of the world to another with ease. You're like that, my dear. Well, thank you, Stanley. You've transplanted well. Others don't. For instance, that woman who came to my office yesterday, you know, I told you about her, Lisa Felder. Oh, yes, Lisa Felder. She's exactly like a poisoned plant with poisoned roots. She's unsuited to this soil. But Stanley, are you sure about this woman, this Lisa Felder? Oh, yes, yes, I'm very sure. But I thought perhaps you might help her. Help her? Well, yes. Look into her case. Investigate thoroughly. I'll like you, Anna, my dear. Always sweet and sympathetic. Well, I just feel that she should have every chance to prove her innocence. She will have that, my dear. Our immigration laws are very just. But you, Stanley, isn't there something you can do? No, Anna, nothing, except follow the dictates of my own conscience. It's infuriating, isn't it, Anna? Stanley's stubbornness. He's even more righteous than you realized, isn't he? And you know what to expect in your own case if he should learn that there was something to matter with your own papers and background. He wouldn't hesitate to turn his own wife over to the authorities, would he, Anna? No. By morning, you've decided on the course of action. As soon as Stanley leaves for the office, you telephone Lisa. Lisa, this is Anna Craig. You have talked to your husband? Yes, Lisa, last night. What did he say? He'll be glad to help you, Lisa. Good. Why shall I go to his office? Tomorrow. Why not today? I want to see you first. I've thought of a few things that will help you. I need all the help I can get. Where shall I meet you? Stanley thinks it isn't wise that we should be seen together. He doesn't want anyone to suspect that he's taking your case because you're a friend of mine. I can understand that. By the way, you haven't mentioned to anyone that you know me, have you? Of course not. Do you think I'm a fool? No. No, Lisa, I think you've handled everything exactly right. It's all you need to know, isn't it, Anna? Calmly, coldly, you decide on a plan, a desperate plan. But if you carry it through successfully, you're sure your worries over Lisa Felder will be over. You arrange to pick up Lisa in front of a drugstore in Beverly Hills and then drive up a secluded canyon. Three hours later, you park your car in your garage. All next day, things go as usual, but the following evening at dinner, Stanley seems strangely preoccupied. The government has asked me to go to Europe. While I'm there, I can go to your old country, make an investigation in my free time. Yes, you can come with me, help me. See your native land once more. But I don't want to ever see Europe again, any part of it. I'll be an American citizen in a few days. I belong here. I never want to leave here, even for a little while. Well, my dear, I didn't know you felt so strongly about it. I do. Oh, Stanley, please give up this trip. I can't, my dear. I've already agreed to go. But you needn't go if you don't want to. I'll go alone and I'll be back soon. I'll fly both ways. Well, Anna, things have taken a strange turn, haven't they? If Stanley goes to Europe to investigate Lisa Felder, he's certain to find out about you at the same time, isn't he? Your falsified papers, perhaps even your plans to bring Kurt Lassen into the country. Yes. If Stanley insists on this trip, you'll have to stop him by more forceful means, won't you? The next afternoon, you're out in the terrace when an idea comes to you. The poisoned plant in Stanley's garden. You enter the garden to look about when Stanley surprises you. Well, Anna, I didn't expect to find you here, finally getting interested in my plants. Yes, Stanley, perhaps I am. But I didn't know you were home. It's Saturday. Of course. Before I forget it, Professor Lenin's coming up again tomorrow afternoon. Oh, how nice. We'll be arriving on the three o'clock bus. Servants are off on Sunday, but I can drive down the hill and pick him up myself. Of course. You don't mind having a guest with the servants gone, do you, Anna? Not at all. Mrs. Owens can prepare everything before she leaves. Oh, good, that's fine. Oh, did you look at the new African plants? Yes, they're doing quite well. Yes. What about that one over there? Isn't it the one you said had such a poisonous root? Mm-hmm. I'd rather you didn't go near the plant. Oh? It contains enough poison to kill a hundred people. What sort of poison? Most treacherous kind. It's practically tasteless, has no immediate after-effect, but about an hour later, all muscular control is suddenly lost. Really? How awful. It is. The brain remains perfectly alert, but it's impossible to control the arms or legs. It's true of several plants of the Secuta family. I know so little about such things. These Italian plants are doing nicely. They should be quite large by the time I get back. Get back? Well, yes, dear. I forgot to tell you, I have my passport in order and my plane reservation. I'm leaving for Europe on Monday. Well, Anna, you'll have to act fast, won't you? But one thing is settled. Stanley has unwittingly filled in the details of a perfect plan for his own death. Yes, the Secuta plant from Africa. Complete loss of muscular control. What if Stanley should lose such control while driving down the steep winding grade to pick up Professor Leonard? All you have to do is to serve him his lunch at the proper time and with the servants away. Yes, it all fits together, doesn't it? But you're surprised the next morning when you enter the kitchen. Mrs. Owens, you haven't left. No. And it looks like I'm not going. But what's the matter? Oh, Owens can't drive me into town. He went fishing. But that's poor as the day for you. Oh, no matter. As long as I'm here, I'll serve lunch. Oh, not on your day off, Mrs. Owens. I won't allow it. I'll tell you. Why don't you go to a movie? A movie? I'd like that. But how would I get down the hill? Perhaps Mr. Craig will take you. I'll ask him. Oh, now never mind, Mrs. Craig. That'd be too much trouble. No, it wouldn't. Oh, Stanley? Oh, yes, my dear. Mrs. Owens wants to go to a movie. You don't mind driving her down the hill? Oh, no, of course not. But I believe as long as I'm down there, I'll have lunch below and then wait and bring Professor Leonard back up with me. Oh, no. You'll be gone for two or three hours and you're leaving for Europe tomorrow. I want to have lunch with you here. Of course, my dear, if you wish it. I do. This may be our last meal alone together. That is for a long, long time. You breathe a sigh of relief when Stanley and Mrs. Owens finally start off, don't you, Anna? But you waste no time. You make a salad, go to the garden, get the poison-secuter plant, put a bit of the root in Stanley's portion and the rest of the plant down the garbage disposal. For the time Stanley returns, the lunch is ready. The salad is the first course and you serve it at exactly 1.30. Then engage your husband in conversation and make the meal proceed slowly. Suddenly you look at the clock. Stanley is nearly 2.30. So it is. I must go at once. I wouldn't want to keep Professor Leonard waiting. Of course not. Walk to the car with me, dear. Certainly, Stanley. You know, I hate to leave. It's been so nice being here alone together. I almost wish Professor Leonard weren't coming. Goodbye, Stanley. Hello. Mrs. Craig. This is Professor Leonard. Oh yes, Professor. Aren't you with Stanley? He went down the hill to get you some time ago. Mrs. Craig, there's been an accident, a serious accident. An accident? Your husband. He must have lost control of the car. Perhaps the steering gear broke. It's hard to tell. Stanley. I'm so sorry, Mrs. Craig. The car plunged over a hundred feet. Your husband was dead when they reached him. Oh. Oh. Terrible. Mrs. Craig, if there's anything I can do, I'll come up at once. No. No, thank you, Professor. If you don't mind, I'd rather be alone for the present. Entirely alone. Well, Anna, it's all over, isn't it? You've eliminated the only two obstacles threatening your happiness and security. Lisa Felder and your husband Stanley Craig. Now you're sure there's nothing to stop you're getting your final citizenship papers and bringing your sweetheart, Kurt Larson, into the country. And you're certain there won't be an autopsy, not as the result of an automobile accident. No. You feel very safe when you go to bed that night, don't you? And then early in the morning, Mrs. Owens waits you to say that Professor Leonard must see you at once in the living room. Good morning, Professor Leonard. Mrs. Craig. Well, this is unpardonable, I know, but I'm terribly worried. What is it, Professor? One of Mr. Craig's plants is missing, a very valuable and a very dangerous one. You know anything about it? No. I never touched Stanley's plants. Perhaps he destroyed it. Oh, impossible. He promised it at the University for Pharmaceutical Study. I'd intend it to get it yesterday afternoon. I'd better call the police. Police? You mean you think there's something mysterious about Stanley's death? Oh, no. But that African Secular Plant is invaluable. The only one in the country. Oh, of course. I know it just flashed through your mind, Mrs. Craig. The same thing occurred to me, but well, I discarded the idea immediately. What do you mean? If your husband had been poisoned by that plant, it would explain his accident, complete loss of muscular control. But that's too fantastic even to think about. Yes. No one would want to kill Stanley. Of course not. Why, the police would laugh at such an idea. Unless... Unless what, Professor? Unless you had some indication, some tangible proof that he met with foul play. But what proof could that be? That Secular Plant was deadly, taken internally. And an autopsy in your husband would show the poison. The root was cut and the juice of the root came in contact with the skin. Well, within 12 to 15 hours, the hands of whoever handled it would become discolored and quite swollen. Unless the culprit took the foresight to wear gloves. I see you didn't wear gloves. Did you, Mrs. Craig? Featured in tonight's story where Bill Foreman is the Whistler, Gladys Holland, Joe Kearns, Yana Delos, John Stevenson, and Gail Bonney. The Whistler was produced and directed by George W. Allen, with story by George Adrian and Carol Nix, music by Wilbur Hatch, and was transmitted overseas by the Armed Forces Radio Service. The Whistler was 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.