 The signal oil program The whistler that whistle is your signal for the signal oil program The whistler 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 Yes friends, it's time for the whistler and remember that every traffic signal remind you with new signal gasoline You do go farther than ever Look for the familiar big yellow and black circle sign that identifies those popular signal service stations throughout the west from Canada to Mexico And now the whistler strange story the sellout It didn't take Lloyd Miller very long to learn one bitter fact That a bankroll when subjected to a steady pummeling from the adverse left hand of lady luck can become a nemic in less than no time Cards dice and horses when they're wrong. They're all wrong Lloyd found that out Of course, he told himself. It was just a streak of bad luck. It would pass But until it did there were obligations to me pressing one That was why he left his drafting table this Thursday afternoon Adjusted his time nervously took one last long puff at a cigarette and held the smoke Let it out on a deep sigh and knocked on the door to mr. Collins office Are you busy mr. Collins? Oh little aren't we all? Yes, I guess we are. Are you coming along with the sketches of the sonic detection device? The sketches of fine mr. Collins just fine good keep at him. I'll see you later, but I came in to see about something Yes Well, let's have it Miller. Let's have it. I've been down to the accounting department mr. Collins and what's the devil you're doing down there? well I'm a little pinched for money. I wanted them to okay in advance Let me get this straight on a hundred and a quarter a week your pinch Yes, I had some unexpected expenses. You see things came up suddenly sort of footholds in my reserve fund Didn't last long that's too bad Well, what else? Well, that's all mr. Collins. What do you want me to do about it? I thought I Thought perhaps you could call accounting and okay in advance for me. I'm sorry Miller. No can do that department is none of my business But I've got to have two weeks advanced. It's an emergency. It's urgent. What's the emergency? Just an emergency. I really do need to give the accounting department turned you down. I can't put in but Will the 10 spot help you out on this little payday? No, I Know thanks. I don't want to borrow good boy. Now you better get back to your drawing board, huh? Well, I'm excuse me now. Will you Miller busy? You know? Yes, sir Thanks That was bad wasn't it Lloyd turned down and you do need money badly You've got 75 cents in your pocket. That's all and that evening you walked the streets trying to figure some way out But there's only one way and that's to get some money, but how how You're still thinking about it as you let yourself in your flat The flat you owe two months rent for you open the door Bartman close the door Miller, but you get in here your landlady. Let me in charming woman likes to talk Seems you owe a two-months rent Miller. Well, she knows how to pair. That's what I mean Charming maybe overconfident too I'm in a spot. I know it Ever see this before It's my IOU. I'm glad you don't need glasses only a calendar Huh? I've had this IOU for six weeks now getting tired of looking at what you're gonna afford the way cancer It's only 500 bars, but I'm gonna pay it all I need is a little what you need Miller is a little convincing about welching on bets I mean, I tell you I'm gonna pay it. How are you gonna pay it? Now wait a minute bars when you know that rough stuff doesn't go anymore. You won't get by with it You've been to too many movies Miller. I'm not gonna touch you in the river. I You haven't been going for a minute. I thought you were serious. I am Huh? Nowadays, it's much more effective and safer For example, you wake up Monday morning or any morning for that matter. You're feeling fine swell and That night you're in the hospital Prolonged stay when you get out. You're a little Hard to recognize That way a lot of other welches can see the horrible example They think twice before sticking the big bad gambling house owner with a bad IOU Barsman I'll get it for you. I swear I'll get it for you. I just had a run a bad luck That's all but you at first you'll get the 500 before anybody else shut up and listen I didn't come here to collect the money. He made it give you a break Break From me what I hear you're a draftsman at Brewster electronics, right? What's that got to do with it again a friend will pay two thousand for the sketches of the new sonic detection device Are you crazy? That's government stuff secret. Sure. You're in just the right spot to make them a little less secret Or do you know what you're talking about? That's a term in federal prison if you get caught. Well, how can I help getting caught? Listen, how big of those sketches? Well, we're just regular-sized paper, but they're only pencil sketches perfect Perfect for what sending them through the mail. Oh No, no, that's out Barsman. My friend needs those sketches by Saturday morning. He's in San Francisco Email from Los Angeles are doing Well, how can I replace them easy you get them back? My friend in San Francisco photographs him and emails him back. You'll get a Monday and who's the wise like a I Can't do it. I'd be scared stiff Barton. You were scared just a minute ago, remember? Now here is a thousand and a count. There's another package just like this waiting Well, here's the name and address of my friend in San Francisco and Don't try it double-cross I think you can take it or leave it and If I leave it you won't Will you I don't think you'll leave it Miller But if you do, I'll have to sort of Make plans, you know Think it over Miller You can get me at this number Beacon two three oh five Think it over. Mr. Barsman means business this time You can take it or leave it and if you leave it he has plans for you, hasn't he? You try to think rationally, but it doesn't work for an hour after he's gone You paste the floor light cigarette throw them away start towards the phone a dozen times to tell him it's all off, but you won't sell out You just can't sell out. Can you Lloyd? It's government stuff important The FBI will have the finger on you before you can turn around. No, you can't sell out That's all there is to it. It's almost midnight when you pick up the phone determine this time Well, I will listen boys. Mila. Okay, I'll do it Give me the address in San Francisco. I knew you were my boy. Miller bought and paid for With the prologue of the sellout the signal oil company brings you another strange tale by the whistler You know friends this afternoon while I was looking over one of the new model cars I was particularly impressed with the results of modern engineering Through clever streamlining and the elimination of unnecessary weight They not only increased speed and pick up, but they also increased the gasoline mileage Well, it occurred to me. That's the same thing modern engineering has done for signal gasoline When scientists rearranged the atoms in gasoline molecules to put increased power into new signal gasoline They not only gave you quicker starting faster pickup and higher anti-knots that makes even vintage model cars feel young again But they also achieved a bonus of extra mileage After all, it's only natural that the gasoline that gets the most efficient performance from your motor Also helps you get the most miles per gallon That's an important point to remember It's power the same power that gets extra driving pleasure from your motor That now helps you go farther than ever with new signal gasoline And now back to the whistler They're in a tight spot And you may as well face the fact that the only thing that will get you out of it is cold hard cash You know, Mr. Barsman, you could see the tight vicious look around his mouth when he talked about the $500 IOU and the steps he might be forced to take should you choose to turn down his proposition To decide not to sell out and not to mail the sketches to his friend in San Francisco Yes, there's no future in that is there Lloyd The only way out now is Mr. Barsman's way and a Friday morning wears on you work on the sketches at your drafting table Carefully pencil in the important details Maybe bars when it right Lloyd it might be easier than you think Miller's right. Oh Yes, it's kind of some matter Nothing, I didn't see you see you come up. I was kind of busy. Well, let me take a look at those sketches, will you? Yes Bad Miller Better outline this relay a little more clearly and Princeton was in the tube number. Okay, I'll do it right away What do you think you'll have him ready for photostat? Oh? Tuesday that's the latest Tuesday it is. Oh, Pat wait up there. I was calling. Yes, uh Do you think you'll be wanting to see these anymore today, huh? What do I said? Well, I thought I'd ink them fast and get what I have for the staff. Well Alright, I'll let you alone with them. Thanks Thanks, Mr. Collins That's better that gives you until Tuesday Lloyd and the sketches will come back to you Monday morning Now you work fast you fill several pages of paper with sketches to look like the ones you're going to mail That's to make it look good isn't it Lloyd now put the real drawings into an envelope and You're using a company envelope so it would attract suspicion Then you put on an air mail stamp another one to make sure you've got enough poster John and then What's the matter? Say what the devil is wrong with you today? You jump like a gas famine. No his pale as a ghost I feel alright with the Colin. Well, you don't look it. You sure you're all right. Yes, I'm sure it Did you want anything? Yes, come into my office and we'll What's that? What's what oh Letter huh, but yes a letter It's to my sister. I haven't written to my sister for a long time. I thought huh using company envelopes, eh? Oh, it was the only one I had well don't make a practice of it now come along. Yes, better bring the letter along Breaking along. Yes, bring it along One thing you've got to learn especially if you ever expect to get married Never leave an unmailed letter laying around you can mail it in the shoot in the car Oh, I can mail it later. There's no hurry. Come along Miller Don't be one of those fellows who walk around with unmailed letters in their pockets But I want to see you about won't take long Miller and There's the shoot go ahead Miller. Oh, but I don't a head man Now what's the matter? It's a little too big for the slot. What did you do right up? Well, I'll take it downstairs later We don't wait. Oh wonder you can't get it in You've got a crumpled here. Give it to me. No, I'll take it. Give it to me There that did it now come into my office. There's jumpy as a cat sit down. Yes, sir Miller You're a good man Thanks, Mr. Collins, but you're a little slow Slow. Yes, apparently too slow for Uncle Sam The inspectors coming Monday to look at those sketches of the sonic device Monday But I said I couldn't possibly have them ready. It'll choose the I can't have them before then Don't get so upset about it. We'll show him what you finished and explain the details of the rest Understand I mean it's a pretty complicated thing. He better wait until we can get the photos as an inspector Miller You know him McVeigh from Washington. He knows the score McVeigh. Yes, that's right. I've got him a room at the continental hotel. He's flying in Monday morning Those sketches Lloyd in the mailbox five floors below You've got to get that envelope before collection and there's one at noon or time is it now? 1158 you press the button for the elevator and then you remember the cars are crowded at noon stop at every floor You take five flights of stairs at breakneck speed into the lobby in the big brass mailbox at the end of the shoot Melvin, I wonder if he's not yet. Well, I What are you doing? You're just exactly what I thought I'd have to do keep you from getting cold feet and welching to get Barsman, you don't get it. You don't understand. I've got Barsman, there's a mailman. Please let me get that envelope and I'll explain later Please you were paid two thousand to see that the mailman gets it Barsman You're gonna let me get that envelope. He's taking the mail out now. Are you gonna leave them there? Come on Get out of this lobby for the love that come on It's certainly chilled off fast Miller quickest case of cold feet on record What's the idea an inspector's coming Monday to look at those sketches money. Yeah, the inspector's coming in the morning Well, I say it's up to you man, but if those sketches aren't in there though I took them by me only want to handle them. They'll trace them. They'll find out where they went There'll be a job for the FBI. They'll get to you I've seen them pick up a colder trail than this and Suppose you're fixed so you can't talk you can even do that may get to you. I've seen them do it by them Maybe you got something there Hey, what's this inspector's name? Oh, McFay, you know him. Well, yes I know what hotel he'll stay at. Well, I already know that the continental Then what are you worried about? We delay him until we show the sketches are back Barthelene's a government man. He can't do any shut up Listen, there won't be any rough stuff. He'll be delayed until we show the sketches are back You sure you can work it sure I can but you got to be at the continental hotel Monday morning when McFay gets there But why me because you know what he looks like I don't just give me the tip I'll take care of the rest The rest of the day is agony to you isn't it Lloyds you work over the fake sketches your heart and your mouth every time Mr. Collins passes your drafting board But he doesn't stop when it lasts the day is over Saturday is even worse agony and Sunday You wait for a call from bars Cigarettes are piled up on the ash tray for your bed your mouth is dry and the cigarettes don't help do they and then toward evening Hello Yes, listen be at the hotel at eight in the morning. Our friends should get there at bars, but Listen, that's all Lloyds Just be at the continental hotel at eight in the morning Monday morning to identify McFay for bars Now all you've got to worry about is whether bars means to kill the inspector or Just delay him Not much sleep tonight. Is there time goes so slowly and then it seems to speed up toward morning Seven o'clock already seven thirty. It's after eight when you hurry into the lobby of the hotel What kept you I got here soothe could all right And watch that door. What are you gonna do bars man? Leave that to me I sit down and shut up and tip me off when McFay comes in So you sit next to barsman and try to read the newspaper But the page is blank isn't it and the door to the hotel. It seems so large so very large Why a thousand people could come through it and you've missed McFay never see him It's after eight thirty more and more people come in you can hardly look at them all is that McFay That man in the gray hat and blue suit with his back turned walking toward the desk so you can't see his face But you've got to because he walks like McFay. He might be McFay That's the man that man gray hat blue suit at the desk. Oh, yeah, idiot. Why'd you let him get that far get over that desk before it gets away Well, you you could check the register. Let the click identify me not me. Go ahead But he might see me listen if you don't get up there in two seconds I'll take my chances by putting it where you can't talk now go on what I All right, what about it? Good thing. All right get back to the office fast. What are you gonna shut up? I'll get going Yes, you're now it'll never work and all the way back to the office you fight the urge to run away to forget about the whole fantastic plan Somehow you manage to get a hold of yourself and appear nonchalant is you take the elevator to the fifth floor Walk across the office to your drafting table at the end of the room then Your knees nearly give way you have to grab the edge of the table for support They are on the corner of your table of the sketches now envelope just the sketches you grab them up and rush into the mail department Robert oh, hello, mr. Miller these sketches. They were lying on my desk when I came in this morning Where they come from why I put them there. I thought they belong in your department. That's all it just came to you And you open it and put them there. That's all why? Nothing nothing at all It's not important Things are looking up now, and you're playing it smart aren't you Lloyd you don't make a point of it with Robert Nothing unusual at all. You'll forget all about it. You're confident now for the first time They are the original sketches complete already for the inspector at a quarter of ten the phone ring Miller speaking Bosman Yes, our friends clear out the other side of town. I arranged a special taxi for them Hey, what about we're in They arrived this morning. Yeah, you can tell them to deliver the passenger now I'm all ready for it. Okay Thanks, honey Did a nice job the whistler will return in just a moment with a strange ending of tonight's story But now since your mind is all sharpened up for a good mystery suppose you try solving this little riddle What are five important points on a car that the driver seldom ever sees if at all But other drivers and pedestrians see them every time they're used Got it Of course, they're the headlights and tail lights and stop lights You can't see them when you're behind the wheel when you get out of the car you turn them off Which probably explains why 51% of the defects found in the recent police traffic safety check were faulty lights Now friends right there is just one of the little ways in which your signal dealer can be of extra service to you He'll be glad to test your life and if one of them is out He'll install a replacement bulb before you can say accident Maybe your windshield wiper blade is worn and leaving streaks in just a few minutes Your signal dealer will install a fine new blade for safe clear vision You see signal stations are much more than headquarters for signals famous go farther gasoline And that great new signal premium motor oil Stop in wherever you find the big signal circle sign in yellow and black There you'll also find a complete line of services and accessories to help your car run better look better and last longer And now back to the whistler You're out of the woods now, but it was close wasn't it? The sketches are back at your desk all ready for McVeigh of the government inspector After the taxi ride which conveniently took him to the other side of town a taxi mr. Barsman arranged for him in exactly the right moment Yes, you can relax Lloyd for the first time in four days. You can relax At a quarter past 11 mr. Collins called you in with office naturally He'll want to be sure you have everything ready for McVeigh. You want me miss Collins Yes, McVeigh just called. He's on his way delayed by some stupid taxi driver who didn't know his way around You're all ready for him. Yes the sketches are on my desk. I know they are I Asked Roberts to put them there What do you mean I asked Roberts to put them there. That's what I said. I asked Robert to put them there Well What have you got to say Miller? Where'd you get them? I wondered why you're acting strangely last Friday. I Can understand why you were nervous Miller, you know You know all about it. Don't you there's no use trying to lie your way out of it Miller. All right, let's have it Well, mr. Collins, I needed the money. I didn't know what to do. I had to have it or Listen, you don't know boys when he'd do anything. I Well, the man in San Francisco photograph the sketches I sent them to him because Boseman would have Listen, I'll Tell you the whole thing, but you gotta understand mr. Collins. It's not me. It's barsman Boseman, that's why McVeigh was delayed barsman did it so I'd have time to get the sketches back Go on Go on and call a FBI. I'll tell him everything So you sold out, huh? That's what was wrong with you. I had to have the money in a minute Yes, Mr. Collins get me the FBI when you're right away. Yes, sir He forced me to do it. Mr. Collins. I didn't want to be This is all very interesting Miller You'd better organize that story. They'll be here in a few minutes Yes, sir. I'm rather glad you chose to confess Yeah, I had no idea it could have been that serious You what I thought it was a pretty unfortunate mistake of course sticking the sketches into the envelope instead of the letter you wrote to your sister But you I decided you were in such a state last Friday. You could have done anything. You you didn't know no I didn't know But the sketches there were to be returned to me mark personal they came back in the general mail of course What yes You see in your excitement last Friday. You forgot something Something that's going to cost you a lot What do you mean you carefully put sufficient postage on the letter But you forgot to put on the address Nine 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 Featured in tonight's program where Elliott Lewis Jack Moyles and Charles Seale This program produced by George W. Allen with tonight's story by Russell Hughes music by Wilbur hatch is Transmitted to our troops overseas by the Armed Forces radio service is your signal for the signal oil program the whistler This is Marvin Miller speaking reminding you to look for those familiar yellow and black circle signs that identify those popular signal oil stations Throughout the west from Canada to Mexico. This is CBS the Columbia broadcasting system