 Wait a minute. Have you heard the weird tales of the whistler? I'm the whistler Here's the sanitarium Harvey. Is he still unconscious? Yes. Here comes the attendant. We're all ready for him, Mr. Jackson. Take his feet Harold. Oh, I had to tie him, eh? Yes, I had to give him a good one on the chin. You'll have to watch him. He may try to get away when he comes to. Don't worry. We've got a lot of tough cases here. Don't let him know who brought him here. And don't let him know I had anything to do with it. Leave everything to us. It's a two hour drive back to the city, Donna. Yes, sir. Well, I'll phone you tomorrow. Good. If anything happens, we'll call you. Thank you. Good night. Saturday night and again CBS presents The Whistler. I, the whistler, know many things. For I walk by night. I know many strange tales. I know many secrets hidden in the hearts of men and women who have stepped into the shadows. And so I tell you tonight the mysterious tale of death has a thirst. The long black car with a handsome man at the wheel and the woman beside him returns to the highway and speeds on through the night. The man and woman sit staring ahead, lost in thought. The man is Harvey Davis. The woman, Mrs. Victor Jackson, wife of the unconscious man recently deposited at the sanitarium. I'm sorry I dragged you into this, Harvey. But I had to have some help and I knew I could depend on you. It's all right, Donna. I only hope it'll do some good. Victor never drank a drop while we were in school. He didn't drink when we were first married. But after his father died and Victor took over the business, he started. It's a huge concern and I guess he just couldn't take it. He's always had an inferiority complex. But the thing that hurts me most is that the drinking has completely changed him. Well, he's suspicious of every move I make. He accuses me of the most disgraceful things. He accuses me of lying to him about everything and of being in love with other men. Oh, countless things. Of a man? What man? Any man I speak to. Even you, Harvey. Me? Well, after all, if he's going to be suspicious of any man, it would logically be me. Why? You've brought most of your troubles to me. He knows that. I'm as good a victim as any. He knows I'm terribly fond of you. Are you, Harvey? From the first day I met you, I said, here's a woman, a strong woman. Maybe she'll develop some backbone in my willy-nilly friend, Victor. That's very nicely put, Harvey. Let's hope the sanitarium does him some good. But doesn't. I don't know what I'll do. Don't worry, Donna. Just remember, I'll do anything for you. Thank you, Harvey. About midnight, the Black Sedan arrives at the Jackson mansion. The butler greets Harvey and Donna at the door. Good evening, Mrs. Jackson. Good evening, Mr. Davis. Good evening. Dr. Saunders is in the library. Ma'am, he's waiting for you. Dr. Saunders at this hour? What on earth does he want? You'd better see him, Donna. Maybe he knows. Well, how could he? Come with me, Harvey. Of course. Oh, good evening, Dr. Saunders. Good evening, Donna. Good evening, Harvey. Hello, Doctor. This is quite a surprise. I can imagine. I, um, um, Harvey and I, we've just been for a little drive. I felt I needed some air. Oh, I'd so. Um, did you come to see Victor? Victor isn't here. Really? But I know where he is. You do? He's in a cheap dive of a rooming house downtown. What? But that's impossible. That's where he always goes. Well, you're wrong this time, Doctor. I took him by force to a sanitarium tonight. Harvey, help me. Maybe they can do something for him. You told the sanitarium that I was his physician, didn't you? Yes. Well, they called me an hour ago. He's escaped. What? They said he came to and broke away from them. I know where he usually goes and I can find him if you want me to find him. What are you inferring, Doctor? Donna, I know what you've been through with Victor. I know what a trial it's been. I've tried and you've tried. We've all tried everything we could do to make him stop. Not many women would have put up with what you have. We've dragged him through before. We probably can do it again. I just thought that, well, maybe you'd had enough. You do know where he is? Yes, I'm pretty sure I know. Well, then find him. I'm determined to cure him if I have to take him to a desert island. That's an idea. A long ocean trip might be the answer. But you'd have to hog time. I could do that too. Very well. I'll have a talk with him. I'll phone you in the morning. Good night. Good night, Doctor. Oh, Harvey. No, no, no. You've done your best, Donna. Oh, but I feel so hopeless. I don't know what to do. Try the desert island. Why not? Harvey, it might work, mind it. You can help. Your yacht. Dr. Sanders may be right. Or at least it's worth a try. I've wondered. Please, Harvey, it may be the answer. I can't get away just now, but if you're determined, you're welcome to the yacht. Oh, please, I'd feel better if you came along. All right, Donna. I'll go. I'll arrange it. But he won't want to come. We'll take him aboard by force. Shanghai? Well, all right. Just let me know when you find him and I'll arrange everything. He sure was plastered. Well, I'll leave you alone with him, Doctor. Thanks. That hypo would bring him out of this. Victor. Victor. What's going on here? Who are you? Get away. Quiet, quiet. Take it easy, Victor. Who are you? Dr. Sanders. Doc? What do you want? I want to talk to you, Victor. It's very important. Important? Come on, Victor. Snap out of it. What's the idea? But you slapped me for that. To wake you up, I've got to talk to you. Hello, Doc. What are you after? Is your head clear? I guess so. Then listen to me. You know where you are? Yeah, my old heart. You know how you got here? Well, let me see. I can't seem to remember. Well, I'll tell you where you're going if you don't pull yourself together. Where? To the insane asylum. Did you say asylum? I did. I haven't told you this, but your great-grandfather died insane. What? And that was your father's greatest fear that he would be a victim. And there's nothing that hastens the final mental breakdown more than alcohol. Insanity? Are you just telling me that? No, I can prove it. Good Lord. Do you want that to happen to you? Well, no, no. But I... Well, I just can't seem to quit. You're going away, Vic. Away? Where? I'm sending you on a long voyage with no liquor. Oh, no. No, you're not. Now, I'll get hold of myself. You said that before. I can take it or leave it alone if I want to. What you're having so far? You've gone from bad to worse. Now you're going where you can't get it. But, Doc, I can't. I'd die. I couldn't stand it. You'll stand it and like it. Five to kill you. No. No. I won't be pushed around by anyone. I know who's back at this, don't I? She wants to get rid of me. Asylum, yeah. Yeah, that suit her fine. She'd like that. So she can cavort around with Harvey and all the others. Shut up, Vic. You're a old planner to get rid of me. You don't like me. You're taking a trip. Get rid of me and you all share in the estate. Well, you'll see how much good it'll do. But you are taking a trip, Victor. And now here you are, Victor. Several hundred miles at sea. And worried, too, aren't you, Victor? That talk about insanity really upset you. You believe it, too, don't you? What? What's this? Where am I? Don't know. Do you feel better? What is it? It's moving. I feel dizzy. I don't think you're dizzy. We're on a boat, darling. What boat? We're on a boat in the middle of the ocean. A boat? Dr. Sonders. That's what he said. A voyage. It's his idea. Oh, now, Victor, everything's going to be all right. I know what you're planning to do. You're planning to kill me. You want to get rid of me. You want me to die. You won't die. Whose boat is this? Harvey's yacht. Harvey. Now I know it's a plot. Now I know what it's all about. You and Harvey, that's it. Don't be ridiculous, Victor. Harvey can send it to let me have the yacht. Is he on board? Yes. Of course. You and Harvey and me are prisoners. But a perfect setup. You don't mean that, Victor. I have been suspicious of you two all along. Who else is on board? Nobody but the captain and the crew of four and Harvey and the doctor. Who are you taking me? We're just cruising. Just cruising? Will you find the right spot? Right spot for what? To dump me overboard. No one will ever know, will they? And you'll say I jumped over. I was washed over the side. Oh, Victor, what has happened to you? You're like a stranger to me. I just don't know you. It doesn't seem possible that you're the man I married. My darling, what's happened to you? Don't you know? If I only did. Why, I'm crazy. Insane. Surely you knew that. My great-grandfather was insane. And my grandfather, and undoubtedly my father. So why not me? You're talking nonsense. No. Hasn't Dr. Saunders told you what he knows? I know. Oh, come now. You three are closer than that. Stop talking such nonsense. I won't listen. I'm getting out of this cabin. I can't stand to be cooped up like this. No, no. Please stay here for a while, Victor. Please. Here, I brought you some milk. Please drink it. Milk? Oh. Got a funny color to it. And it smells strange. What's in it? Hasnick? It's just plain milk, Victor. Now drink it. Do you like milk, Donna? Yes, I love milk. Then drink it yourself. Hey, Victor! All over my dress. You're trying to poison me. That's it. Now get out of here. Get out. Oh, Victor, please, darling. Get out! What do you want, Doc? How do you feel, Victor? They're trying to kill me. They plan to kill me. Who? Donna and Harvey. She just brought me some milk and it had poison in it. I could tell by the color. I think you're imagining things, Victor. No, no, I'm not. They want me out of the way. I can tell. What made you think the milk was poison? It was a purplish color. Here is the glass. Smell it. Maybe I'm not so crazy after all. I didn't say you were crazy. I only want you to stop drinking. Drink may bring it on. Doc, where would they get poison? Oh, come now. Forget it. Do you know where they get poison, Doc? I'll see you later, Victor. Maybe. Did you send for me, Doctor? Yes. Did you take some milk to Victor? Yes, I did. What did you put in it? Why should I put anything in it? Victor thinks you did. You should know me better than that, Doctor. You did put something in it? Oh, yes, I did. Some of that red liquid to make him quiet. Yes, of course. That's what it was. He threw it all over me. Oh, I'm thoroughly disgusted, Doctor. I can't go on with him this way. He isn't drinking, but there's something wrong. I decided to give it up with a bad job. I'm going to get a divorce. Divorce? I'm afraid it's too late for that, Donna. Too late? Why, what do you mean? Well, that's something I haven't told you. I've been hoping it wouldn't be necessary. But after today, I've given up all hope. Why can't I get a divorce? You can't get a divorce from an insane person. Insane? Good heavens. There's been a secret in Victor's family for several generations. Not even Victor knew it. It touched his father ever so lightly, but Victor has all the symptoms. And the liquor has hastened the cracker. I couldn't be certain as long as he was drinking. But today, I realized the truth. Well, I'm bewildered. I've never been so shocked in my life. I wish you hadn't told me. I'm sorry, Donna. I wanted you to be on your guard. He has some strange hallucination about you and Harvey. He thinks you're planning to do away with him. Do away with him? Oh, but that's ridiculous. I've never had such a thought. Never. Oh, but now I am frightened. Doctor, what about Alice? Your daughter's only eight years old. There are no symptoms, and it may miss her entirely. But think what this will mean if this gets out about Victor. Why, it may ruin her whole life. I understand that. That must never happen. It must remain a secret. That'll be difficult. It's going to be hard to handle when that craving returns. You see, Will, I'll think of something. I'll find a way. Come quickly. It's Harvey Davis. What's wrong, Captain? Find him in his bunk with a cord around his neck. Good heavens, and quiet, Donna. Come along. He's dead. Now he's breathing. He found him just in time. He'll be all right in a few minutes. Hi, Captain. Harvey, Harvey. Harvey. Donna, what's wrong? What's happened? Nothing much, Harvey. Just a little accident. You'll be all right. Oh, my throat. What's going on? You don't remember? No, I was just taking a little nap. I think it was all I had been choked. Better tell him, Donna. Come along, Captain. Any liquor or board, Captain? Yes, Doctor. Several bottles and the locker in my cabin. Let's have a look. I keep it locked because, uh, hey, it's been jimmied. Well, what do you know? It's all gone. I expected that. I'll skin those men alive. Don't, don't blame the men, Captain. What do you mean? What the devil is that? We did something. Come on. What is it, man? What's wrong with you? The boilers blew up. We must have hit a reef. All three of the men have crewed down there. We've got to abandon. I, I'm a bad Captain now. He's dead. See to the light folk. Round up the others. I'll go below. Yes, Captain. I can kind of imagine the... Two days pass. The sun beats down relentlessly on the five survivors in the open boat. The Doctor watches anxiously. The Doctor watches anxiously over the still unconscious Captain. Donna and Harvey keep a constant eye on Victor, who sits alone in the end of the boat, staring at the horizon. How's the Captain, Doctor? Still holding his own. Must have had a bad fall down that companion way. I don't think he fell. Good thing you went down after him. Running low on water, I hope we set some land today. How much water have you left in your canteen, Donna? A couple. Hey, look over there. What's that? No, it's land. An island. Grab a North Victor. Come on, Doc. It's all around. Places of barren of food and waters, the Sahara Desert. I'm afraid if we do locate any water, it won't be fit to drink. There must be water. What do you care about water? You've got a canteen full of whiskey. How much water is left? I have some, and Dr. Saunders has some. So I'd better get busy. Although my experiences on these islands haven't been so good. He has a chance to put your chemistry to use, Harvey. You know the tests for lead and zinc? Yes. I'll give you two vials, some sodium sulfide tablets and some potassium chromate. You know the test, one tablet of each and 10 cc's with water. A dark precipitate means poison. Yes, I know. Thanks, Doc. I'll start off and keep a direct line to the other side. Wherever that is. Wait a minute, Harvey. I think I'll go with you. Oh, why? Oh, maybe I can help. I'd go with you, Harvey, but I'd better keep my eye on the captain. He's the only one who knows where we are. I've got to pull him through. That's all right, Doc. I don't need any help. I think I'll go anyway. All right. If you insist, come on. Harvey, wait. I'm going to. Why? Because I want to. We don't need you. But I'm coming just to see. Please, Harvey, I'd like to come. All right. Let's go. It's certainly hot. How do you feel, Donna? All right. How far have we come? Oh, 10 miles, I should say. This is a pretty big island at that and nothing but desert. Are you sure those last two waterholes were poisoned? Certainly. Look good to me. I'm getting mighty thirsty. Better quit drinking that whiskey. It'll only make you thirstier. Harvey, can I have a little water? I'm sorry, Donna, but you'll have to suffer it as long as you can. Please wait. You suppose we'll ever get out of here? I don't know. It's all my fault. What a shame to get you into such a mess. Please forgive me, Harvey. There's nothing to forgive, Donna. I'd do it again a hundred times over for you. Would you, Harvey? Yes. Poor Victor, what a sad thing. No one must ever know, Harvey. Promise me, if we get out of this, promise me you'll never let anyone know. No one will ever learn from me. I got him! I got him! Hold on, Earth. Harvey, he's got a gun. Where'd he get it? Come on. I got him. Look. Look. A lizard, a big one. I knew we'd find something. Put that down. You can't eat that. There must be water around here. There must be. I've got a gun. Out of the captain's locker. Take it easy with those shells. We may need them. Yeah. Maybe I will. Have a drink? No. All right. God, you like some water. How about it? There's just enough for one of us to get back. And if only one goes back, it'll be Donna. Donna? How chivalrous. Who's got the water? I have. Come on. Let's keep moving. There's water around here. There must be. And I'm going to find it. Donna, if we don't find water, we're not pleading for what you have. No matter how much you raves or pleads, don't give it to him. He will be, even if he threatens us with a gun. Tell him you drank it all. I want you to have the best break out of this. Thanks, Harvey. I appreciate it. I found it. Water. I found water. Hurry, Donna. Hurry. Well, what about it? What's the test show? Cost like all the rest. Full of lead and zinc and heaven knows what else. Poison, huh? Where's Jen? How about some of that water? What water? In Donna's canteen. There isn't any more. Who drank it? I did. You both did. You left none for me. You've got your whiskey. I can't drink whiskey all the time. Done pretty well on her for several years. I've got to have some water. Harvey, won't you? Harvey, Harvey, Harvey. Is that all you think about, Harvey? You should have married Harvey. Perhaps you're right about that. Are you sure that water's poison? I'm not drinking it, and I'm thirsty, too. Maybe you're just waiting. For what? I don't know, but I can imagine a few things. We'd better stop here for the night. Are you very tired, Donna? Awfully. Better try and get some sleep. Where are you going, Victor? Just going to look around. I may find something. I'm hungry. I'm going to build a fire with this brush. Don't get too far away. I'll be around. Don't worry. Keep a close watch on your canteen, Donna. I have an idea what he's up to. I'll try not to sleep, but I'm dead tired. I'll do my best, Harvey. If he goes to sleep, I'll try to get that gun away from him. Good night, Donna. Good night, Harvey. Night comes on. The fire burns low. Only a red glow remains. Donna, in spite of herself, drops off into a sound sleep. Victor stares from his place 20 feet away, looks about him, and crawls silently toward the sleeping Donna. Put her down, Victor. I want some water. There isn't any more. I think there is. You heard what I said. You're lying. You have got some. Victor, what is it? You've got some water, and you won't give me any. Harvey. I'm wise, too. You don't want me to have any. You want me to die. You're in love with each other. You're drunk. What if I am in love with Harvey? What of it? Donna. You want me out of the way. Either of you is very thirsty. No. Because you had some water, and you got it out of that pool. You're lying to me. It's good water. You're crazy. You sneaked it out of there while I was asleep. You tried to make me think it was poison. I ought to shoot you both. All right, Victor, if you're so positive, go on down and drink out of the pool. Oh, that gives me an idea. I'll just find out if that water's poison. Go drink some of it, Harvey. Certainly not. I'll give you 30 seconds. It's poison, Victor. Go ahead, drink or I'll shoot. No, don't do it, Harvey. Then supposing you drink some, Donna. Very well, I will. Victor, it'll kill her. Donna, wait. I'll drink it. You're a fool, Victor. But come along. This is going to be very interesting. Not as much as you think. Get off of me! Get off! Maybe that'll hold you, Harvey. Harvey? All right. I'm all right, Donna. Just at my shoulder. I hope you're satisfied now that it is poison, Victor. Maybe. But you two are getting water for some place. All right. End over that canteen, Donna. Please, Victor. I'll take care of them for all of us. And if either of you make a move, tell me I'll shoot both of you. Good night. Sleep tight, both of you. The night slowly fades. The chill of dawn creeps in. Then as the sun comes over the horizon, Harvey stirs fretfully, opens his eyes and looks for Donna. She sits beyond the dead embers of the campfire, her hands pulled before her, staring blankly into space. Harvey raises up at the start and moves quickly to her side. Victor is sprawled on his back, the hilt of a hunting knife protruding from his breast. Donna, Donna! Good. What's happened to Victor? He's dead, Harvey. Dead? At night? Are you sure, Donna? Yes, it's mine. Now no one will ever know. Will I, Harvey? No. I had to. I had to. Harvey, hello there. It's Dr. Saunders. Here we are. I think haven't we found you. Sighted a ship, built a signal fire. They're waiting for us. Well, what's this? Well, Victor must have gone crazy in the night and stabbed himself. Let me see. He's dead, Harvey. How'd this happen? I told you he must have stabbed himself. No, he didn't. I stabbed him. It's my knife. I got to thinking I did it. I crept over and I stabbed him. See, when did you do this, Donna? It was not more than an hour ago. I couldn't help it, Dr. I... I couldn't help it. Please, Donna, please. There's nothing to fear. I didn't want anybody to know. Because of Alice. They won't know, Donna. You didn't kill him. What? He's been dead for at least three hours. What do you mean? Look at his eyes. Look at his lips and his tongue. The swelling of his stomach. Did you test the pool, Harvey? Yes. Every pool we've come to has been heavy in mineral content. I warned him, but he thought we were lying to him. Last night he pulled a gun and took Donna's canteen. There wasn't much in it, but it was all we had. He's been drinking whiskey, so a little water wouldn't satisfy him. So he drank from the pool. And for a Victor. I guess it's just as well. Don't worry, Donna. No one will ever know. We'll lay doctor. There's nothing to tell. Except Victor Jackson poisoned himself in a bit of extreme thirst. No, Donna. No one will ever know. You did your best. You tried hard to make things work out. But somehow fate seemed to take things right out of your hands. But you know better, don't you, Harvey? You know what happened. Tell us, Harvey. Tell us. After Victor took the canteen from Donna and drank the two swallows in it, he fell off to sleep. Then I took the canteen and filled it from the poison pool. I knew he'd wake up at the great at thirst. And he did. But I'm not sorry. He's better off. And I found I do love Donna. And I'll take care of her for the rest of her days. There you are. From drama to tragedy. From tragedy to a beautiful love story wherein they will live happily ever after. I know. CBS has presented The Whistler. Original music for this production was composed and conducted by Wilbur Hatch. The Whistler stories are written and directed by J. Donald Wilson and originate from Columbia Square in Hollywood. Next week, same time, I, The Whistler, return to tell you the incredible tale of the Secret Seven. Good night. This is the Columbia Broadcasting System.