 signal gasoline let every traffic signal remind you you do go farther with signal gasoline yes you do go farther with signal the signal oil company and your neighborhood signal dealer bring you another curious story by the whistler tonight the man who came to murder I 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 you can live too long did you know that oh yes especially if you have money a lot of it and air like Ellen Hargrove Miss Ellen has a lot of money left to her at her husband's death years ago she lives in a great Victorian house just outside of town she has been a helpless invalid ever since she had that terrible heart attack just a year ago nobody thought she could live yet there she still is in the great carved bed in the second floor bedroom this morning there are three people in the bedroom beside Miss Ellen there's Mrs. Merton her devoted housekeeper Dr. Stone who has come to make another examination and Wendell Robinson Wendell has shown the most touching anxiety about miss Ellen all through her illness is her nephew and air deep breath miss Ellen make it a good one yes doctor it's enough of that now let's check that pulse again but you've already taken my part any good reason I shouldn't take it again I like to hold a lovely lady's hand you doctor stone what a thing to say to an old woman like me till I suppose we're never too old to be flattered well and you are do that she isn't Mr. Wendell and never will be miss Ellen's got a heart in her expression sweet as a child all right Mrs. Merton I finished let me have my bag right here doctor Dr. Stone am I is there any change yes doctor how about it wants a verdict to you Ellen Hargrove you've made a liar out of me oh I don't a year ago I said you couldn't live a month and you are frisky as a lamb in the past you you mean she isn't going to she'll live exactly you'll have to take it easy of course avoid excitement fatigue but with proper care she'll live to be a hundred didn't I tell you ma'am just you do what the doctor tells you I said and you'll be on your feet again Oh miss Ellen I'm very sorry you must wait for us don't you cry it's a very happy day so it is my dear a happy day for all of us hey Wendell yeah it's quite a day oh there's midnight come to hear the good news too I'll get him for you and oh no don't chase him he'll hop up on the bed by himself he spends most of his time here with me there you see I lie down boy it's all right come along Wendell time we were off good news can be as hard on the nerves as bad miss Ellen needs to rest now but you'll both come back to dying with me tonight surely I might have a little celebration all right we'll carry you downstairs if you promise to go to bed right after that oh I will and Wendell you won't forget to bring my account account no no I won't forget hold your horses can't you I'm coming well who is it Wendell wait a minute crazy fool coming in here in the daytime somebody spotted you your woman catches on we're married she'll cut you off without a thin die shut up will you she isn't gonna die what are you crazy the doctor I said now he says you'll live to be a hundred if she takes care of herself and avoids excitement and that's not the worst nothing could be worse she wants to check up on her accounts after a whole year of leaving them in my hand she's she's got to see her bank statements tonight you know what'll happen you find out about those checks I raised well we got to get out of it Wendy how she knows that you raised the checks other people have cashed him for her that housekeeper even her chauffeur she'll find out somehow and send me to jail you don't know her like I do listen to me Wendy you take her those statements tonight you're out of your mind oh she won't be able to prove it was you raise the checks you were one of the servants she's so crazy about not tonight she won't but no matter who raised him it ought to be quite a shock to the old girl remember what the doc said avoid excitement like that well you're a wonder I don't think she'll be around tomorrow to do any finding out here's an angle on making your car last longer that may not have occurred to you when you choose a doctor for your own health you're careful to select the most reliable most conscientious doctor you can find well to keep your car healthy it's just as important to select a service station operator who's conscientious and experienced at the job he's doing which explains why so many drivers these days are switching to independently operated signal gasoline stations you see each signal dealer is in business for himself servicing cars is his permanent work naturally he wants his business to grow so he has a personal interest in pleasing you so well you'll come back again and again and be his steady customer as a result you get not just the minimum service you ask for at your signal gasoline dealers but also those little unasked for extras that can make such a big difference in the life of your car with the average car on the road today over seven years old this conscientious thorough signal service is more important to you than ever before more reason than ever why you should make it a point soon to get acquainted with your neighborhood signal gasoline dealer and now back to the whistler it's hard to be an air especially when the person you expect to inherit from clings to her pitiful useless life it makes you nervous after a while you might even step up beside death and guide his groping hands it is a doctor going to be there you won't want him around will you when still you can take care of the doctor all right can't you and or can you hello I don't want to come in certainly dear boy hello doctor don't meet me here a few minutes well and Ellen here your bank statements cancel checks to you may put a lot of them just leave them here on the bed beside one moment midnight you have to get down I'm sorry I should need room for my paper down now the papers thank you window if you'll excuse us dr. Stone we'll just run through this stuff Mr. Merton's left a decanter of sherry in the library oh no window you and the doctor must have your wine together I can then eat quite well by myself well it's all right I'm a long window I don't often get sherry like Miss Ellen coming I'll just shut the door and Ellen so no one will disturb you know it was easy to get the doctor out of the room after all here he is shut up with you in the library and upstairs your aunt is shot in a room alone where nobody can hear her she cries out you're congratulating yourself aren't you Wendell it's working out as smooth as butter more sherry doctor by all means second glass can't hurt me out of this stuff grand wine uncle laid it down right before I was born are you sure it's all right what do I know no and Ellen letting her work over those statements why wouldn't it be all right you don't think it might excite her too much bring on another attack your concern is admirable my boy but there's very little excitement in bank statement I didn't mean excitement tired that's the word she might overdo nonsense Miss Ellen will be all the better for knowing exactly where she stands and by the way she was just telling me how proud she is of you of the way you've changed taking things over and drop that young woman I'm sure it helped her condition a lot excuse me Mr Wendell Miss Ellen is like to speak to you in her room and Ellen how did you know she told me yourself just a moment ago excuse me doctor surely you needn't come up Mrs Martin oh it's no bother to me I was going up anyway to tidy Miss Ellen for the evening stay here do you understand my answer for me well I mean plenty of time to get ready after I come down very well sir I wait in the hall careful there Wendell and air shouldn't make mistakes not when he's helping his beloved aunt out of the world the doctor and Mrs Merton looked at you very strangely just then better not trust those nerves of yours too far better make sure the old woman dies now you want to see me at Ellen oh well no come here please I made a disturbing discovery most disturbing why what's the matter I don't seem possible but I believe the bank must have made a mistake mistake the bank all come down I don't seem strange but there can't be any other explanation it's got to be banks don't make mistakes the statements are wrong you mean they don't agree with the checks you drew oh but they do add Ellen remember I've gone over these myself no it's the checks themselves look at this one it's drawn to cash for a thousand dollars what's so funny about that costs money to run this house but everything is paid for by check the household expenses salaries any large bills I never write checks to cash except for a little ready money in case of emergency and never for more than a hundred dollars a hundred you sure about that certainly I am this is one for a thousand and there are I see Wendell deal what is it look here at Ellen you haven't been able to go to the bank yourself lately who's cast your checks for you are you most of the time but Mrs. Merton and Robert's have also gone to the bank for me nobody else no dear I'm certain look at this check that your signature oh yes when of course it is and there's no question about it about somebody's been raising your checks and Ellen somebody's changed the amounts from a hundred to a thousand that's impossible no one has cast checks for me except you and Mrs. Merton and Robert Wendell yeah Roberts and Merton and me take your choice no no Mrs. Merton she's been with me for nearly 30 years Robert was our stable boy and you don't try to wiggle out of it when you got sick one of us saw a swell chance one of us did a sweet job of robbing you at 900 bucks a throw your old so few people left everyone else gone family friends only you three and one of it is a thief it's true you know it can't I can't believe what is it then I'll tell you when they'll help me yeah yeah I'll help you please the doctor yeah the doctor and Ellen if it worked all right the sick old woman's heart won't stand much and the doctor told you once she collapses she must have immediate attention or she will die you're going to slip out of this room softly you're going to close the door behind you without a sound you're going to keep Mrs. Merton talking downstairs and when it lies she comes up she'll find your aunt dead of a sudden heart attack safe when the fire you backing away can't you turn your head away from that still body on the bed there's something behind you when the black furry shadow on the floor it's midnight when they'll sound asleep you're stepping so very softly careful look out I didn't mean to hurt you keep quiet that won't do come up here quick Mrs. Martin we were just talking all of a sudden she fell over miss Ellen dear I tell you she just fell over I was running for help I didn't see the cat I I told the doctor I warned him too much for her doctor get out of my way you shouldn't let her go of all this stuff we were just talking quietly to see fellow please doctor no she's not weird that a devil is my but I saw her die she didn't die and she won't if I can help it get along Wendell I've got work to do everything ruined because you stepped on a cat's tail such a little accident to spoil a perfect murder the doctor told you to get out didn't he well you're going out of the room out of the house like a scared child making for home and Lill poor Lill she expected a lot from you Wendell money and security for the rest of her life but she knows the moment she sees your face just kept the doctor out a few minutes longer it was going swell little she was dying I know it cut it out what's the use of crying the doctor got there too soon and that's all there is to it no it isn't all she knows now that somebody's been after her money she'll track us down what we do little you name it listen we can't get away we've got hours all night maybe longer the doctor would let and Ellen talk sick as he is the police never kept up with us don't kid yourself they always catch up what we just can't sit here what you wake up tomorrow we're through if she wakes up tomorrow if she will what's the matter with that she's had a shock hasn't she she might die in spite of everything the doctor can do she might die in her sleep perfectly naturally and if she doesn't if she doesn't it'd be her own fault she ought to die a year ago that's my Wendy it can't be any tomorrow all right little good guy can you get my health easy she keeps a window open for the cat there's a big oak tree outside I can let myself down from a limb to the balcony wait a second won't there be a nurse with her not a chance and Ellen can't stand having a nurse in the house says they make her nervous Mrs. Merton takes care of her the housekeeper will she be in the room why should she be her own rooms right across the hall the doors are kept open doors open you'll have to be awful quiet I'm not taking a brass bang I thought a knife a knife use your head darkest pitch already no moon in an overcast sky you weren't thinking of putting on the lot no no I got and wake up the whole house what you need is a sock yeah a good strong one like those wool things your aunt knits for you sure one of them will do it fill it with pebbles and tie it tight even dark as it is you ought to be able to make out her head on the pillow just one soft dump yeah one ought to do it you'll die easy suppose somebody sees me late at night in a hick town folks around here go to bed with the chickens besides you'll have an alibi yeah we're gonna leave my place now and go to your room we're gonna make good and sure somebody sees us later on you'll slip out but I say see and when they come to tell you about your aunt I can swear you haven't left the place and nobody will be able to prove the thing that's right isn't it Wendell nobody will be able to prove the thing so you walk brazenly down the street with Lill and just outside your apartment you run into an incredible piece of luck things are breaking just right for there you meet mr. Leary the town constable oh evening mr. Leary huh who's that mr. Robinson yep that's me all right now come on well here's Raleigh she's going to see you this time of night listen to him what's it to you constable yeah anything wrong with asking a friend in for a drink well it's your own business but the old lady out the big house ain't good like you're taking up with Lill again you're like you said it's my business come on Lill get the door open fast well he saw us come in as soon as he's out of the way perfect Wendell everything's perfect when he's gone you slip out and go the big house is quiet the windows are dark you slip off your shoes swing yourself up into the oak tree edge along the big limb over the balcony let yourself down now easy without a sound beside your eyes open window step over the sill darker than ever in here isn't it Wendell pause for a moment staring toward the bed until your eyes make out a blur on the pillow three light steps in your stocking feet as you tug something out of your pocket now and no one has heard you there isn't a sound no sound what's that an automobile turning into your late ants drive at this time of night run Wendell run for your life grab the balcony rail and swing yourself down but you keep your head don't you you remember your shoes at the foot of the oak tree grab one in each hand and make off across the lawn you're away back at your place you tell Lill what happened and the two of you prepare for what sure to come you've got to you haven't been out so put on slippers get that cold chicken from the icebox bring in the carving knife carve off a slice settle down with a sandwich relaxed comfortable you and Lill just two people spending a quiet evening together and soon they are outside right here here take a knife carve me a piece of chicken quick what are you going to do as I say and stuff something in your own mouth Dr. Stone and the chief of police when Dr. Stone what are you doing here aren't you surprised to see me here too well well sure I am chief I didn't I Wendell worried about his aunt maybe he thought she was worse Dr. Stone coming here that's it she's all right isn't she I'm afraid not what does that mean might as well tell him straight out doc awful thing happened out the big house tonight somebody broke into your aunt's room broke in you mean a plowler might be nothing was taken but maybe Doc's car scared him away before he could look or maybe he came on purpose to murder murder is that Ellen dead I'm sorry Wendell terrible poor Wendell don't understand who would want to kill Ellen that's what I wondered figure on finding out to get him all right when we do not you Mr. Robinson me don't reckon I'll have much trouble the fella left the murder weapon behind him but Wendell yep must be a shock when the car drives right up while you're doing murder fella needed both hands to swing down off that balcony maybe never knew he dropped it ever seen anything like this before just a sock and ordinary sock not ordinary this one's hand knit know anybody that knit socks around here doc yes miss Ellen that's so who'd she knit them for for Wendell what are you up to you can't frame me for this I never saw that sock before sure about that mighty fine wool in this sock expensive don't know is anybody in town but miss Ellen could afford it Mrs. Merton says she ordered it special from New York Merton's a lying old troublemaker I tell you I never saw it before of course not for as we know it's just an ordinary sock filled with pebbles well now ain't that interesting you never saw it before and how did you know it was filled with pebbles I I didn't I said so for witnesses they're always filled with pebbles or dirt or sand you'd have to feel to know which unless you mixed it up yourself I don't know anything about this you haven't got a thing on me only your own confession that you knew what was in this sock I don't know a thing about this I tell you I'm getting out of here yeah we'll all get out down to the station I came to arrest Wendell you'll go along as an accomplice accomplice you know what an accomplice gets same thing as the murder death in the gas chamber now I didn't have any to do with it it was Wendell he'd been stealing from her she was gonna find your mouth shut you aren't gonna drag me down with you Wendell Robinson for your idea all of it I beg you why you threatened me said he'd kill me if I told you he said he'd kill you he's got a knife Robinson put down that carving knife no no Wendell no the whistler will return in just a moment with a strange ending of tonight's story meantime here's some hot weather motor mathematics for you drivers to think about take the temperature of the day add 2800 degrees the temperature inside the average cylinder head. That adds up to a lot of heat. A mighty good reason why car cooling systems should be in tip top shape to protect motors through summer driving. How's yours? If it hasn't been inspected recently, your signal gasoline dealer will be glad to do it for you. Perhaps your radiator is choked with sludge and rust. Your signal dealer has a special rust and sludge dissolving compound that will not only restore cooling efficiency but can't harm the metal. Another thing, he has a radiator sealer to stop small leaks and a rust preventive to protect radiator and motor from further corrosion. If you need a new water hose or fan belt, your signal dealer has the finest heavy duty quality and he will absolve them while you wait. You see, your signal dealer is much more than a place to buy signals famous go farther gasoline and fine lubricants. Wherever you see signals, yellow and black circle sign, there you will also find complete conscientious signal service to help your car run better, look better, and last longer. And now, back to the whistler. So it was Lil who broke down after all and Wendell killed her for it, stabbed her with a carving knife. An upsetting business murder. You shouldn't try it without good, strong nerves. When you lose your nerve, you're sure to make mistakes, like Lil and Wendell. You shouldn't have done that, Wendell. Why not? They won't kill me any deader for two murders than for one. Two murders? And Ellens and Lil's. Your aunt's all right. What? You told me that. I said I was sorry. I am because someday your aunt will have to learn about you. Miss Ellen, I sound asleep in the hospital where I took her as soon as I said it took effect. She dislikes trained nurses in her house, and I want her to have absolute quiet. I was bringing Mrs. Merton home when you ran away. But there was someone in the bed on the pillow. I saw it. Oh, yes. There was something there. Possibly the SPCA could have you find, but I doubt that a jury would sentence you to death for the murder of your Aunt Ellen's cat. Next Monday at 9 o'clock, the whistler will bring you another strange tale. The whistler is broadcast for your entertainment by the marketers of signal, gasoline, and motor oil, and fine quality automotive accessories, and by your neighborhood signal dealer. This program, directed by George W. Allen, with tonight's story by Sally Forson, music by Wilbur Hatch, is transmitted to our troops overseas by the Armed Forces Radio Service. This is Marvin Miller speaking, and suggesting that you let every traffic signal remind you that you do go farther with signal, gasoline. Yes, you do go farther with signal. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.