 The signal oil program The Whistler Whistle is your signal for the signal oil program The Whistler 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 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 and Signal gasoline is tops two tops in quality It takes extra quality, you know 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 stations from Canada to Mexico And now the Whistler strange story Wedding gift it wasn't according to the rulebook, but somehow Chris didn't care Here on the day before the wedding the groom had dared to call on the bride at her apartment and Both of them standing in the middle of the room in each other's arms through tradition and the latest edition of the book of etiquette Out the window and we're happy Happy oh, I'm in heaven Not supposed to see you today dear will you make it right with me this post she'll understand While you're at it you might as well fix up the wedding dress with it. Well, what's wrong with that? I saw the grass in the store. I like So you went ahead and picked it out for me. Oh, that reminds me darling You've got to go now the dressmaker will be here any minute. Hmm. Well, if you insist By the way, I'm being married tomorrow Church of the pine do drop around I'll see if I can fit it into my schedule It's been a long time coming Chris an uphill fight against poverty and squalor in the commonplace a Fight that turned a nobody into a somebody in a few short years a Battle that took you to the topmost rung of the ladder and made your name a synonym for career girls Yes, it was a brilliant fight Chris and it will end tomorrow in shining victory in your marriage to John Gray There's music inside you now a song of triumph as at five minutes before noon You wait for the dressmaker to arrive with your wedding dress And just five minutes later the song suddenly changes to an ominous one as you open the door for Mariam hello Chris What? Well, Mary telling it's been so long since I've seen you. I thought it was the dressmaker. That's why it is I'm the dressmaker Chris And I didn't even know you were in town. I saw your order in the file made it a point to get the assignment well Good heavens. It's been years. Yes Since you and father I'm trying to forget that now Marion. I wish I could forget it You've come a long way since Denver Haven't you up and forward the Horatio algae girl that is over and done with not for me It'll always be there in front of me The picture of you warming your way into my father's affections until he thought you loved him until he told my mother Marion Number one The step number one wasn't it the girl's secretary who wanted to go places and wouldn't let anything stand in her way Your father was a Very irrational man I remember hearing you say that before To the coroner I had nothing to do with his killing himself course you didn't they called it suicide And it was all the coincidence that father had just signed over the controlling interest in his business to you the week before Marion I'm very sorry about all this. I've tried to be pleasant just won't work Please take the dress and go. I'll make other arrangements. I Don't think you will why not The man you love Has his heart set on this dress He might wonder why you change your mind. I'd be only too happy to tell him Now Let's get on with the fitting Get the dress out. All right there Like it. Yes, of course long white Reminds me of the one Nora was wearing you get around to that sooner or later. I wonder where Nora is now Chris I wonder what she's doing What she can do now Is it all right Chris? Why? Why does you hate me? Why hate? It's a terrible Practical hate Chris What do you mean? I? Mean standing here right now if Someone put a gun in my hand I'd kill you with the prologue of wedding gift the signal oil company is bringing you another strange story by the Whistler Incidentally if we have the Whistler cast sound a bit on the excited side tonight, there's good reason Tonight marks the beginning of a fifth consecutive year for the signal oil program the Whistler Even through the summers when so many programs go off the air signal oil company has continued the Whistler and Steadily its popularity has grown so that for many months the Whistler has ranked tops in popularity among all Pacific coast program Well, believe me. We have the cast a mighty grateful for your loyalty which has made this record possible In fact, there's only about one thing I can think of which could make us any happier That is if when you stop at a signal service station You'd mention to the operator that you listen to his program the Whistler That would make both him and us feel as pleased as Well as pleased as as a driver who has just tried his first tank full of signal gasoline And now back to the Whistler You've come a long way since Denver in the years of struggle those other years that other light You've conveniently locked up in a cabinet and filed away to be forgotten And that's why it hit so hard This coincidence that struck like a thunderbolt when Marion Lance walked out of the past now of all times When your hopes your dreams everything is reaching fulfillment in your marriage to John Gray Naturally, there's nothing else but the wedding on your mind during the ceremony But after it's over after the congratulations the well-wishers the champagne at the reception after all that There's still an intangible feeling of dread even as you sit next to John driving off on your honeymoon Well, Mrs. Gray Yes, John, you're awfully quiet. Aren't you at all curious about what where we're going well on our honeymoon I suppose I like to be surprised you will be I'm taking you up to my sister's place in the mountain Oh, I didn't know you had a sister We didn't have much time to find out about each other did we? After all three months we did rather rush it a lot of I might be perfectly horrible when you get to know me I Love you John. That's all that matters And you love me. Don't you I married you didn't I? Pull into this restaurant. Oh, what's the matter car isn't acting right You can run in to have a sandwich while I take it over to the garage This is the last stop before the mountains. I'd hate to have anything go wrong Chris Yes, there's nothing wrong. Is it somehow you don't seem yourself. I'm sorry John Guess I'm just a little tired the wedding. You know it sure All right, go on now run over to the restaurant. You'll feel better after a good hot cup of coffee Donna What is it? Nothing Nothing go on dear. I'll see you in a few minutes You're away from Marion now Chris. She's somewhere behind you in the city and yet you know it isn't over But now it's catching up with you Somehow you've got to prepare for it sooner or later John is bound to find out And you're wondering what to say to him as you slide into a booth in the roadside restaurant I'd leave pick up a menu Unconscious of the man who walks quietly up to the table. You feel his presence there even before you look up at his face Edgar Hi, Chris Startled me for a moment. Sorry You know might of course if I join you Have you been Edgar? Been a long time. Yes, it has but I'm getting along Chris somehow. I'm glad sure I Yeah Heard you were getting married the wedding was this morning. Yeah, I was just having a drink on it. Sorry. I missed it Edgar What are you doing here? I plan to have dinner anything unusual about that. No only I Only I saw Marion Lance yesterday. She worked on my wedding. They're how nice of her. How is Marion? She came to the wedding too or Did you already know? Always sparring aren't you Chris wanting to be sure of your ground What's so odd about seeing two old friends? You've certainly got plenty of them around then you didn't know about Marion the two of you What is it Chris? You're worried about your husband Think he'd object to it. Certainly not. My husband loves me very much. I'd go. I don't probably object to Nora too, don't you think? Well, what about Nora Chris? Have a seer anymore? Not for some time Sorry, Edgar, but I must be leaving John. Oh, no, don't run off not when we got so many things to talk about I haven't time now model agency for instance. How's it doing thriving as usual? I No longer have the agency Neither have I but I'm sure it went out of your hands with a nice profit Businesses business Edgar not that kind No Chris your way of operating with something else something something wonderful. I thought at first Mm-hmm, wasn't I a fool? Does it still hand your life? I never laughed at you Edgar. I I've always been very fond of you You know, I really believe that once I didn't know it was all part of a plan a plan to steal my business away from me Gaining my confidence while you destroyed the confidence of my clients. That's not true. You shouldn't have started drinking so heavily That's what ruined everything for you. Can you blame me for that? Watching you take over everything and not being able to do anything about it You can't blame your clients for not being willing to listen. You weren't responsible after you came along I wasn't no Chris you were good You did a thorough job a neat clean job of taking everything and tossing me out in a snow All right, Chris all right, I'll lower it Because I shouldn't tell the whole world that if I had the opportunity I'd kill you Me alone Edgar I've done nothing to you His laughter follows you across the room doesn't it Chris But as you reach the door and glance back you see that he hasn't moved That for some reason he remains at the table looking after you as you rush outside John I'm really not hungry. I don't want to stop, but then I can't we go on Well, I'm not too happy about the car I've been getting a headache John. You know all the excitement. I feel much better riding along Well, it'll make you feel any better. Well, John, I know it will Yes, I'd better tell you I I have been worried. Well, I was right then. Yeah, you know whatever success I've had is Been made from almost nothing. I admire you for it. I'm glad But along the way John no matter how hard I've tried to be fair. I have made enemies Well, that's a natural thing, isn't it? I just wanted you to understand Know that well, you might hear things about me from time to time, you know Maybe even meet people who say things you won't like to hear. Oh Oh Don't know that should happen. Will you come to me? Will you hear my side of it? I said I wanted to marry you Chris No one can ever change that The most wonderful thing that ever happened Let's not even talk about anything else. Besides, I've got deep dark worries of my own. Oh Car like the way this motor's missing everybody on the roads passing. We thought we almost there Yeah, it's just a few more minutes, and it's a good thing Chris What do you think the place? Oh, oh, John. It's beautiful. My sister usually stays up here the year around Come on. He's on the porch. I had no idea. We're gonna be so Isolating Afraid of your husband. No, that seems far away Yeah, I had to keep Yeah, my sister says it's like her own little world. I Believe it New life, I'm so happy Well, I'm glad you're in a good mood, Mrs. Gray Makes it easier to tell you I've got to leave for a while leave no that car believe me We just limped in if I don't have it taken care of right away. We'll be here all winter Well, it's very impractical I'll just run it into the village be back for you. No, what do you really have to John? All right, go on say it and are all alike make more of their automobiles than of their wives I won't say it Kiss me Don't be gone home. Don't worry. Just make yourself at home Look the place over He waves as he drives away Chris and you stand looking after him for a moment Then you close the door start across the big living room towards the stairs You wonder idly about the fire already going in the heart and then stop at the sound of voices from the next room At first you think you're imagining things that it's because you have Edgar and Marion on your mind But the voices continue when you feel yourself drawn as if by a magnet to the other room Did you remember Nora They're sitting there talking idly no They don't even look up as you stand there Marion's hands continue to manipulate a pair of long heavy knitting needles Edgar's moves slowly across the barrel of a hunting rifle. He's cleaning as he talks As you walk toward them you tell yourself that you must fight down your terror Try to bluff it through with the calm you've always shown very much about poor Nora. She had a Hello Chris Well Christine Would you two mind telling me exactly what you're doing here? We meet so often of late. Yes. How nice isn't it? But surely you're not our hostess Where is she? I don't know what you're talking about Marion. My husband and I are spending our honeymoon here and we At all sounds like some sort of dreadful mistake. What a shame Edgar and you'd hope to stay on and do some hunting You wasted time cleaning your rifle. Oh I don't know I Don't want to seem rude, but I must ask you both to leave but my dear we were invited. Yes We have as much right here as you that's ridiculous perhaps but true and we're staying Aren't we Marion? Oh, I wouldn't drive that mountain road again without a night sleep impossible I See Well, you must have something in mind. Let's get to it. I Know how you feel about me. You think I've done wrong. I think I've done absolutely nothing In a business transaction that would put us at an impact However, you're both old friends Thank you dear now. I want to see the right thing done exactly why we came Chris our very feelings You're not going to anger me Edgar or frighten me. No Strange I had the feeling that you're trembling so inside. You'd almost like to scream You're wrong Edgar. Let's have a drink shall we? I'll fix it. Delighted bring soda for mine Chris. I Never learned to drink like Edgar. I'll get them right away Where's the phone? Operator operator listen closely. I can only say this once. This is Christine Gray My husband John Gray is at the garage there in the village. Yes, get a message to him Tell him I'm I'm in danger of my life. Please if you can't reach him send someone up here right away White oak large. I know the place. This is great. Oh, thank you You've never been so thankful to anyone as to that operator. Have you Chris because Edgar is right? You're trembling so inside that you could scream and as you set up their drinks your hands shake almost uncontrollably But the knowledge that someone maybe even John is on the way steadies you You're able to act composed as you join them again in the other room We can all fix our own good. We were talking about Nora Chris. You said you haven't seen her for some time No, I haven't well. She was in the hospital for so long. I guess quite a number of her friends forgot. I didn't forget Oh, no, no, no, of course You were busy. It's just as well. Chris never liked to look at Unpleasant for Nora. She's not a pretty sight Steve doesn't even know where she is. You know her husband Yes, it was a terrible accident Was it Chris? I'd like to believe that So would I But it solves things much too conveniently Chris. I don't know what you're talking about She was the only one in your way wasn't she and Nora had a charm and beauty about her that couldn't be ignored only destroyed You're drinking too much a match one tiny little match dropped on an inflammable dress Must have happened so fast he almost burned to death. I tried to call the others. It was too late Yes, you waited a few moments too long didn't you Chris? Of course you would. It was the hideous accident. Everyone believes me Everyone except Marion and Nora and me Chris. We know better We're three people who know that you haven't any right to live Now if you'll excuse me. Where are you going? My drinks a little warm. I believe the ice is in the kitchen What is all this Marion? What are you going to do? I thought I made that clear yesterday when I brought your dress That's exactly what I do At the moment, I don't know which of us it will be But for what you've done to us One of us is going to kill you Tonight no right to condemn me this way no matter what I've done. You're not justified in killing me Perhaps not Chris But sometimes hatred goes beyond the bounds of reason Of course my husband will be back in a minute. I'm sure that doesn't worry me Chris Certainly it doesn't bother Edgar and least of all Nora if she were here you Well, you are a jumpy archer Chris. I wasn't sure it was possible I'm not staying in this house I'm going outside you understand and you're not stopping me neither of you You're not going anywhere Chris Get back in a chair That won't do any good. No one can hear you this time Chris. There's no one to lie to this time The whistler will return in just a moment with a strange ending to tonight's story Meantime let me give you a clue toward solving another mystery how to make today's shrinking dollars By more value When it comes to your gasoline dollars if you want to be sure you're choosing the gasoline that gives you the very maximum in Performance and mileage there are just two things to remember one in gasoline It takes extra quality to go farther and two signal is the famous go farther gasoline Yes, it's a fact your best yardstick of gasoline quality is mileage the thing signal gasoline is famous for After all in order for a gasoline to give you more miles per gallon It has to help your motor run more efficiently and when your motor runs more efficiently naturally you enjoy quicker starting faster pickup smoother knock-free power in Other words the superior performance you expect of a superior gasoline That's why we say to be sure of the tops in gasoline quality. Just remember two things one in gasoline it takes extra quality to go farther and Two signal is the famous go farther gasoline And now back to the whistler It seems far away now doesn't it Chris the danger the terror there by the flickering fire as Marion and Edgar Calmly announced they were going to kill you and you're safe in John's protective arms Sobbing like a frightened child Somehow we'll understand Chris somehow you can explain away those two vicious people standing quietly at the other side of the room They were going to kill me Chris I want you to meet my sister I picked her up tonight at the telephone office She's the operator you talked to a few minutes ago on the telephone Nora hello Chris John You knew her as Nora Lancaster her maiden name was Gray Yes, Chris you didn't destroy my voice that's about all you left me What are you doing? I'm going now Chris If my car will get me down there, I'm going down to the village to notify the police You can stay here with your friend John you love me. I never said I loved you. I said I wanted to marry you what you're doing Johnny Yes, you do know Part of it too. We were helpless all of us until you made one mistake Chris you fell in love with me John That's why that's why I married you didn't think what I was doing. I was poor. I couldn't stand being poor John Your husband is gone Chris and this is his wedding gift to you this house and the three of us Let that whistle be your signal for the signal oil program the whistler Each Wednesday night at the same time 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 speed be courteous and obey traffic regulations It may save a life possibly your own I Featured in tonight's story were Betty Lou Gerson, Jeanette Nolan, John McIntyre and Arnold Moss Whistler was produced by George W. Allen with story by Merritt Stone and David Clark music by Wilbur hatch and was transmitted to our Troops overseas by the Armed Forces radio service Next Wednesday for a full hour of mystery over most of these stations tune in a half hour earlier Enjoy the saint as well as the whistler. This is Marvin Miller speaking This is CBS the Columbia broadcasting system