 Personal notice, danger's my stock and trade. If the job's too tough for you and a handle, you got a job for me, George Valentine. Write full details. Standard Oil Company of California, on behalf of independent chevron gas stations and standard stations throughout the West, invites you to let George do it. The Chair of Humanities, another adventure of George Valentine. Dear Mr. Valentine, you must... Hello, can you hear me? Of course. Go on, Mr. Valentine. Dear Mr. Valentine, you must telephone me at once at our home on Faculty Road, Dury College. Yes. Yes, that's right. Well, then you are Mrs. Gloria Cable. My husband is Professor Cable, Edward M. Cable. He has a chair of humanities here at the college. He's very well known. Oh, I see. Chair of humanities. And then you did write this letter to me, Mrs. Cable. Yes. Yes, that's right. And you closed with a PS saying that it was extremely urgent. Oh, yes. Well, why? What is it? Well, here I am. I'm phoning. I remember things so clearly that happened ten years ago. A woman doesn't always do things she's proud of. Well, if she's cursed with being attractive like they say I am, I mean... Mrs. Cable... I'm sorry, Mr. Valentine. This has nothing to do with it, with anything. I'm just talking. I'm sorry. Thank you for telephoning. It's nothing. Mrs. Cable, is what you're trying to say that you wanted me urgently because there's nothing wrong? What? Yes. Yes, that's it. Thank you for calling. There's absolutely nothing wrong. Come again. Come again, all of you. Now, Mrs. Brooks, Mr. Valentine, I'm so sorry if it puts you out driving all the way up here. No, no, Professor Cable, not at all. All these young people Monday afternoon tea for students with problems are obligated to endure the professor's hospitality. It sounded to me like they loved it. But you're worried about my wife, you say. Oh, no, I didn't say that. It was just that her telephone call... It sounded so... so strange, and yet she wanted it. Is your wife ill, Professor? I beg your pardon. Well, I mean the way she talked. I'd probably know more about this sort of thing than you do, Mr. Valentine. Well, of course, only what sort of thing? Well, really, my wife... I mustn't interfere, must I? It's her affair between you and her. You'll see her. Come along. Perhaps the young people have left a bit of cake or tea, or maybe you'd like something stronger. I have my own imported scotch room. No, thanks, not just now. Professor, we find you rather famous. Seems you have quite a reputation for helping people. Nonsense. Nonsense. A man does what he... My wife is very beautiful, you know. Oh, I'm very sorry. Jesse. Excuse me. Wait a minute, Jesse. Just cleaning up, that's all. Just taking the dishes out. No, wait. This is Jesse, my wife's sister. How do you do? How do you do? Jesse's my guardian angel. Glory has never been too strong, you know. But Jesse makes up for everything, don't you? And besides, she's the most magnificent cook in the world. There's more cake if you want some, but it isn't as light as it should be. Glory is upstairs, packing, I think. No, no, no. Ask her to come down, will you? And, Jesse, Jesse's beauty is as beauty does, isn't it? Thank you. I was... Well, I... Excuse me. Ah, your wife is upstairs, packing, Professor? Poor Jesse. Sure you won't join me? No. No, none for me either. Why do you say that? Poor Jesse. Oh, she has the misfortune of being a worshiper of me, for one thing. But I suppose tending me at least keeps her busy. I've tried to help Jesse. Make her understand about her own shyness, ugliness, if you insist. Maybe it's just that romance has missed her, I don't know. Never done anything but work here, all alone. Excuse me, Professor, but I'm still curious about something else. Jesse said your wife was packing. Valentine, my wife. I've done everything possible, everything for years, money, time, attention. I'm afraid I acted like a schoolboy just now, being offended when you ask if my wife were ill. Why do I pretend? Yes, she's upstairs, packing now. The doctor is already a little late. The doctor? Yes. You see, against my better judgment. Today is the day that he's coming to take her away, as the saying goes, to a place where she can get some mental rest. Mr. Valentine, don't apologize. I'm so sorry I bothered you, that's all. Darling, you mentioned to him on the telephone something about ten years ago. I know, I know. I can remember all that. And I can explain to you quite simply... Well, I really don't think it's any of our business, Mrs. Cable. No, of course not. Darling... But that's what I was thinking about at the time. And now, today, when I'm leaving my husband, I'm just going away and leaving. Darling, you're not deserting anyone, not failing anyone. I am, you know I am. Just like I did ten years ago. You didn't. You've never failed me. Oh, you're just too nice to admit it. Too wonderful yourself to ever stop forgiving. Mary Magdalene never failed anyone. Oh, get out of here! Get out of here, all of you! I'm afraid this is none of our business, Professor, so good- Mr. Valentine, it is your business. I was just as curious as you as to why she wrote you. Her memory of the present keeps slipping, I know. But she loves me a great deal. And I thought perhaps yesterday she had seen the cat die. What? Yes, the cat. Oh, I wasn't even sure of it then. But I thought perhaps she was worried about me because I am sure of it now. And Mr. Valentine, it's I who need your help. Yes, yes, for the first time in my life I need someone to turn to. Then stop going around in circles, would you? What is it? I'm trying to get used to the idea that I'm actually in danger. Mr. Valentine, I'm trying to face the fact that someone is trying to murder me. Professor, how are you doing? Oh, what in the name? Jesse said that I could see you now. Oh, excuse me, sir, I didn't know you weren't alone. You said show him in, Edward, the minute he came in. I told you there'd be people here. I didn't mean to intrude, Professor, I'll be back. No, no, no, you're here now. This is Bill Russeter. How do you do? How do you do? Oh, what is it, Bill? Let's get it over with. More trouble? Well, no, no, it's just that it's the first of the month, that's all. Oh, why don't I come back? Oh, of course, I'm sorry. It don't be. So embarrassed, Miss Brooks, Mr. Valentine, understand these things. I didn't have them on me. Relax, Bill. Here, I just mixed it. Have a drink, won't you? A drink? Go on. Go on, one won't hurt you. I don't normally. Professor, here. What's this? Oh, the money. Of course, $25. Well, you could have waited if it's inconvenience to Bill. Oh, no, no, no, I... I think I would like a drink, if you don't mind. Thank you. I just... Cheers, Mr. Valentine. Put that down, Bill Russeter, put that down! Jesse, Jesse, I spilled it. I am so sorry. You know you can't touch that stuff. Get out of here. I cleaned it up. Jesse, just get me a rake. I said get out of here, you weak-willed... All right, all right, Jesse, I'm going. I'm going. I thought he'd have the strength to turn it down, Jesse. I know, Edwin. So did I. Excuse me, all of you. I'm afraid I'm the one who's embarrassed now. Poor Jesse. I think she loved that man once. Licker, his trouble? It was embezzlement originally. Six or seven years ago, worked in the treasurer's office. Had quite a future in finance. But the $25. He might have gone to prison if anyone had ever found out. It's repayment. That's all, Miss Brooks. I tried to help him out. I kept it a secret. Gave him the cash to cover up his mistakes. But you know, it's a strange thing about a person who is... It's a strange thing about a lot of the world, Professor. Everybody's got troubles. But let's stick to yours. Is that most important? Worrying about yourself? Never mind the philosophy. Just the facts. About murder. The cat. Yes. I enjoy living well. For instance, here in my study, I have my own little larder. Which no one else touches, though everyone knows about it. Here's salted beef jerky to munch on. The cat ate a piece of it yesterday. And died. Let me see. It might be rotten. Salted? No. Besides, it's a peculiar odor. I noticed the same odor in some brandy this morning. It didn't touch it, of course. You think poison? But that whisky you just now offered... Oh, I bought the scotch myself this morning. Four warned is four armed. But there's a special cheese here which I love. Imported. Same peculiar odor. Same whatever it is, Mr. Valentine. So what do you think? Or do you think that perhaps in the midst of all these peculiar people, I have become the most peculiar of all that my imagination... I'm not going to waste any more time in thinking, Professor Cable. I'm going to find out. Come on, Bruxy. Let's go. About two CCs mixed in with the salt there on the jerky, Mr. Valentine. You can see here where I precipitated. Here's another report from the laboratory, George. A chemical analysis of brandy shows three or four CCs of a cyan... Oh, yes, Mr. Valentine. The same thing in this report. Another CC and a half of the same stuff in the cheese. And it's deadly all right, one of the strongest. Poison. That's what it is. Poison. Captain, it's dark. You can park on the side. I know, I know. I've bossed the campus police for 25 years. I don't know where Professor Cable lives. Do you know him yourself, Captain Martinson? Sure. I can't imagine who'd want to be poisoning a good-hearted guy like you. Never mind worrying about that now. All I want to do is search the house. A shot! Come on. Here in this room, I think. Hey, wait. Listen. Someone's trying to get out. It's locked. We can get in through the bathroom. Around the end of the hall. Yeah. Yeah, here we are. In here. There's the French door left open. The gun. Isn't that a gun there in the moonlight? Sure. Somebody threw it down when they ran out the French door. Now, the lights must be someplace. By the door that was locked over here. They're still alive, still trying to unlock it. And it's not the Professor. And I'm afraid she's dead. It's Jessie. She's the one who was shot. It's poor Jessie. We'll return to tonight's adventure of George Valentine in just a moment. Mr. Jones is a wise man. He owns a car which he uses most of the year for short, cross-town trips. His wife sometimes uses the car to do the family shopping. So why is Mr. Jones wise? Because he knows that kind of driving is tough on car engines. Short trips prevent an engine from warming up. And every time the ignition is turned off, acid-laden moisture can cause corrosive rust in the cylinders. That's why city motorists everywhere in the west will tell you more people prefer RPM motor oil than any other brand. And the reason RPM is first choice, where driving's toughest, is because it's compounded to adhere to all interior engine parts at all times. Even if you left your car standing idle for weeks, corrosive rust couldn't get started. RPM is further compounded to stop oxidation, prevent carbon and lacquer formations. In fact, it's the best engine insurance you can buy. Ask tomorrow for the oil that's first choice, where driving's toughest. Ask for RPM at standard stations and independent Chevron gas stations, for they say and mean, we take better care of your car. Back to tonight's adventure of George Valentine. Professor Edward M. Cable occupies the chair of Humanities at Durley College. Not exactly the kind of person you'd expect to be, tapped for a membership among the dead, even though his private larder was so carefully poisoned. But it wasn't poison that killed anyone. It wasn't the professor who died. No, it was poor Jesse, the ugly, hard-working sister-in-law that you, George Valentine, on dying shot to death. George? Hello, Angel. What did the police captain have to say, Mr. Valentine? Oh, he's gone downtown to take the body down, pictures and so on. But he'll be back pretty soon. Anything new? No. Oh, they located where the poison came from, though. That cyanic, whatever it was, 15 CCs were apparently stolen from one of the science supply shops the other night, Professor. From right under campus. Well, I suppose nearly everyone around must know about those shops. They supply the laboratories. Yeah. That's what I thought. Could have been anybody. The stuff was clearly labeled, so it wouldn't even take an expert. You mean, not even a professor? Oh, I know how the mind of a detective works. Lucky you. Now, there were too many booby traps aimed just at you, I'm afraid, Professor, the brandy, the cheese. The police ran a rather hasty search through here, through the whole house, warned us still not to touch anything. Yeah, I know. But the only thing that bothers me is my wife. Is that doctor still upstairs with her, or did you...? No, it's not. Of course it's not. Why should he be? Huh? Darling... Hello, Miss Skibble. You shouldn't have come down. Why not? Just because my own sister died. When bad things happen, you get stronger. Isn't that the way it works? Besides, that policeman said I'd have to answer some questions. Oh, I don't think very many, Miss Skibble. Well, where I was, and if I heard the shot, and where you were, and... Well, won't there be things like that? Well, of course, darling, but you mustn't worry about... Mr. Valentine, I know my answers, too. I was in my room lying down, and if I heard anything, I didn't realize what it was, and I wasn't even aware anyone else existed. Well, I'd gone out for a walk, darling, just after Mr. Valentine and Miss Brooks left the house. I didn't get back until afterwards. Edward, I saw you cleaning the gun. What's that? You saw what, Mrs. Skibble? Saw me cleaning the gun, I think she said. Go on, darling, go on. Mr. Valentine, when I wrote to you on your phone, and I couldn't remember, that's all it was. Yesterday, I saw Edward here cleaning the gun, a revolver, and it scared me. So that's it? I knew you saw me, of course. Hey, now, wait a minute, friend, wait a minute. This gun, was it the same one we found? I haven't even seen that one yet. I was cleaning a 38. 38? Yeah. George, it must be the same one. Excuse me, I want to use the telephone. Okay, Captain, I'll wait for you. Gonna run some tests, Brooksy. George! How do you like that with tables? Hey! Hey, what's going on? Are you crazy? Ross better break it up, will you? Let go of him. I said let go of him. Come on, come on, get in here. He just jumped out at me. I didn't even see him there. Shut up, shut up. Bill, Ross, Bill, you've been drinking. And what if I have? Is that any affair of yours? You've been drinking? About 14 sniffs, and he's all ready to set sail, aren't you, Buster? Will you let go of my arm? No, no, he's all right, Valentine. I'm sure he's all right. Probably a good deal better than my jaw. What's the matter? Did I break it? Buster, I know you don't like the professor much, but why? Did I say that? Professor, did I say... He fished you out of a hole once, so what are you doing? No, no, no, I didn't say that. It's just that I... I always used to like Jesse pretty well. And so you attack me. Well, that certainly makes good sense. I just... I just think you killed her. Who else could have? George? L? Am I supposed to answer this, Mr. Valentine? Now, all of you listen. The professor didn't kill her. What? I said he didn't do it. There's no question about that. Well, I... I didn't really have anything to go on, of course, professor. I don't know what comes over me exactly when I get this way. Of course he couldn't. Of course he couldn't. He's never done anything bad in his whole life. Mrs. Cable, please. Ten years ago, there was a young English instructor. Oh, he's not even here anymore. But I thought for a while that I'd married the wrong man. Darling, it's all forgotten. I mean, I... I couldn't help myself. You've never once blamed me. You've never once raised your voice or hailed or forgiven. For the last time, Mr. Cable, we don't want to hear it. Come on, professor, I can't stand any more of this. Well... You know what I mean. Valentine, you've just seen that when a man tries to help people, sooner or later they turn on him. They hate him for it. That's a good cliché. Do you mind if I fix myself a brand-new encoder? Why? You want to take it back in there and wave it in front of poor Ross? He's an unfortunate case. Just no will power. You should know. Aren't you afraid you'll pour yourself some poison? Oh, no. When I went out this evening, I picked up a fresh bottle. And the soda, too. You're so careful. You're so rude. Oh, hi. I don't mean to offend, but you did just say that you knew I hadn't killed Jesse. So, really... Buster, do you want me to draw you a diagram? Pardon me, I'll... Oh, no, I'm getting that. Yeah, hello. Speaking. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. That's it, huh? Okay, thanks. George, what was it? Well, Valentine, come on, come on. Keep us in suspense. It's what I asked the police to check earlier. It's what everything has been pointing to and nobody's yet looked at. Buster, it's exactly what you know it is. What? Jesse committed suicide. Suicide? Yeah. It all fits, doesn't it? Who's the most likely person to have done the poisoning? Well, I know it's Jesse. She kept house. She was here all the time. And if you assume for a minute that she was the poisoning, then the rest of it falls together, too. The bright boy here got suspicious. She got scared. And then who shows up at the house, the cops? I thought she died before you and Captain Martins and got back here. She didn't. I heard the shot myself, and she must have heard the siren. But, George, the open-finch windows and the locked hall door and the gun wasn't even near her body... Jesse stands by the open windows to see who's coming. And when she sees, she kills herself. And then her dying effort is to crawl for that hall door. Do you unlock it? Oh, no, Angel. To lock it. To keep us out. To keep from ever having to tell what she'd done. You mean the poisoning? Only George... Yes, the poisoning. I got him to run all the tests, powder burns, paraffin, the works. They even got Jesse's fingerprints off that smelly imported cheese. A feeling of guilt. Well, it was a pretty weak thing to do. The poisoning? Yeah. I'm not so sure. You knew she was doing it, didn't you, Professor? Of course not. Because that's what tipped me, you know. Yesterday, you cleaned the gun and let everybody see you do it. Just in case anyone wanted to use it. Late this afternoon, when Jesse knew the poison wasn't working and the police were coming close, she must have wanted to use it on you. But where were you? I told you. Yes, I know, sure. Out taking a walk, sure. From the time we left until after we got back, and the poor frantic woman must have hoped and hoped that you'd get home first. But you didn't. And so she had to use it on herself. Just the way you planned, she might. Mr. Valentine, sometimes people like yourself resent it when they come up against someone they can't understand. If you're talking about yourself, I think I can, Professor. Well, I doubt if your wife can. Or Bill Rossiter in there. I'll say they can't. I've never met so many deluded people. They're weak. And you're strong. They lean on you, don't they? You make them lean on you until they don't even know their own mind. I'm afraid I know what's best for them, my dear. You know what's best for yourself, you mean. It's what you live on, isn't it? The missteps and the little mistakes that you've forgiven others. And never let them forget that you're so forgiving. I help those people, every one of them, if it weren't for me, they would... Yes, if it weren't for you, they might have faced the music of their own actions and now been able to walk around like human beings. But I've seen how you do it. I saw you make Bill Rossiter pay his little installment money in front of us, in front of strangers. The big kind protector who owned him money, who kept his crime secret and then waved a drink in his face to make him smell his own weakness. Well, he is weak. Yes. And I saw you throw digs at poor Jessie about her ugliness and your wife about her condition that you must have caused and a million more things to make them all worship the Tim God Professor of Humanities. You're as mentally sick as your wife. Bruxy, Bruxy, cut it out. We'll just stop it. It doesn't do any good. We can't have approved anything about him. We'll never get back at him any better than Jessie did. The one person who could see through him, whose life he'd wrecked and who could see what he'd done to the lives of other people, she tried with poison and she lost out. She wasn't smart enough to pull the trick. So let's get out of here before I just plain pull his wings off. Hey, wait a second, Bruxy. I had these figures, would you? No, don't talk to me. That man in there, I'm so mad. No, no, wait a minute. Listen. Two CCs plus three or four CCs plus one and a half CCs is about seven or eight, isn't it? What, you mean the poison? Yeah. Doesn't add up to 15, does it? And that's what was stolen. George, well, they searched the house once. They looked every place you'd think of. Jessie thought Gloria'd be gone. The professor alone in the house. Come on. But he's buying all of his own things, even his soda water. He's not using it. Look at him. It's too late. But he hasn't touched anything except his own drink. No, no. But what goes into a Brandy highball? Brandy and soda. And ice cubes, Bruxy. Poisoned ice cubes. Jessie accomplished what she set out to do after all. George, in a way, I'm sorry for a man like Professor Cable. Oh, yes, you're a great guy, great guy. Help old ladies across the street and then push them into a manhole. George, what's the chair of humanities? Oh, search me. It covers a lot of subjects, doesn't it? Why, are you thinking of applying for the vacancy? No, no, darling. I don't want a chair. I'd be happy with just a lap. A switch in time can save you money and increase your safety. I'm talking about the tires on your car. Switching them around at recommended intervals is the only way to make them wear evenly for maximum tire life. At standard stations and independent chevron gas stations, they have a speedy method for rotating your tires. Why not play it economical and safe by asking for this car saver service regularly? If your tires are already down to those last dangerous miles, you can get new Atlas tires on easy budget terms with a trade-in allowance for your old tires. Atlas grip-safe tires in passenger car service carry a double-written warranty. One, against tire damage from any road hazard for a year. Two, for workmanship and material for the life of the tire. This double warranty is honored by 38,000 Atlas dealers across the United States and Canada. So for economy and safety, have your tires checked at an independent chevron gas station or a standard station where they say and mean, we take better care of your car. Tonight's adventure of George Valentine has been brought to you by Standard Oil Company of California on behalf of independent chevron gas stations and standard stations throughout the West. Robert Bailey is starred as George, with Virginia Gregg as Brooksy. Let George do it is written by David Victor in Jackson Gillis and directed by Don Clark. Ted Osborne was heard as Cable, Lerene Tuttle as Gloria, Bob Griffin as Rosseter, Noreen Gamil as Jesse and Victor Rodman as the captain. The music was 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.