 Standard of California, on behalf of independent Chevron gas stations and standard stations throughout the west, invites you to let George do it. Laura's House, another adventure of George Valentine. Personal notice. Stanges my stock and trade. If life seems like a hurricane and you can't find a storm cellar, you got a job for me, George Valentine. Write full details. Dear Mr. Valentine, my name is Ms. Torrance. Next to Bonny Burke, Francine Melton is my dearest friend. I don't want to leave Francine unless I have to. After all, we've been together for years. Ever since the days when we taught in the same grade school together. But Mr. Valentine, I can't stand it much longer. Francine has become hypnotized. Now I don't believe in supernatural things, but I can see what will happen to the three of us and that you come to help. There'll be the murmur of ghostly laughter, the growing insanity of constant fear, and sooner or later the screaming arms of death. You see, Francine has been hypnotized by a house. Laura's House. You George Valentine, Clairbrooke? Yeah, that's right. Well, come on, hop in. My name is Bonny, Bonny Burke. Oh yes, Ms. Torrance mentioned your name. She asked me to meet you. Afraid if she got into this one horse shed, it'd break down. This is what I call being met in style. Yeah, come on, Napoleon. I bet you're confused, aren't you? But you see there's the three of us, Ms. Torrance. Francine Melton and I, we've lived together for years. None of us too lucky at the altar. We all used to tea. Oh, what happened? Francine got an inheritance, but the only part of it worth anything was this estate out here. So we all put our jobs to come out and sell it. Is there a place called Laura's House? Yeah, but don't ask me who Laura was. Somebody dead, that's all I know. Somebody with a doting husband who built it for her years and years ago. And now the three of you want to sell it? For sure to get cash. See the world. We're still young, have fun. And you know, these woods aren't exactly full of men. Well, Bonny, how does Francine feel about it? She's the owner now, isn't she? Well, we've always shared everything. We don't have any relatives, and well, this place isn't good for Francine. Why not? Hmm, Francine isn't like other people. Now, Torrance is simple. He eats too much and reads too much. Me, I'm just healthy and dumb. But Francine, well, you'll meet her, you'll see. If you can get her to talk to you. Come on, Napoleon. Bonny, why isn't Laura's house good for Francine? It's haunted. What? Oh, now wait a minute. Sounds wacky, doesn't it? Well, Torrance wrote you the letter. She's the one that got you here, and I'll bet that's what she'll tell you. It is, kid. Laura's house. That place can't have spook. No, really something, isn't it? Why, it's like a great big white doll's house. It's so sunny in the gardens. Look, George, there's even a tea house and rose garden. Yeah, the house in the middle of the woods where three witches live. Hey, Fairbanks. I'm coming, ladies. I'm coming. Fairbanks knows everything. There is to know about everything. Here, catch their bags for them. Hey, take it easy. I'm getting them. Take it easy. Heavier when you throw suitcases down like that, you know? Gravity. I'll put up the horse and buggy. Show Mr. Valentine where he can find Miss Torrance. Simple physics, that's all. Probably in her room, it's juggled around to make space. Torrance was going to move to the front corner upstairs. Get up. See you later. Yeah, okay, Bonnie. Thanks. Crazy school teachers. What'd she say, Mr. What? Well, I think she said that Miss Torrance had moved into the front corner room upstairs. Find it yourself. Oh, what's the matter? I wouldn't go near that room. In fact, that's all front corner upstairs. That's Laura's room. Oh, George, it's all so ridiculous. The inside is even prettier than the outside. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Easy, Bruxy. What? That must be Miss Torrance there through the open door. Oh, reading her book. I'll bet it's Edgar Allen. Oh, she's fallen asleep, George. Um, Miss Torrance. Miss Torrance, she's dead there. Oh, just sitting there. There's no sunshine. There's not a mark on her, Bruxy. Nothing seems to be wrong. Oh, George. Listen. It's a carousel. Yeah. Now, what in the deuce is a carousel doing in a place like this? It's Laura's carousel. Oh, what? It's Laura's. And that's Laura. Her husband had it built there four years ago. I love carousels, don't you? Well, yes. Now, you must be Francine Melton. Yes. Yes, I'm Francine. But you don't have to look at me, you know? I, well, I just didn't realize your leg. Oh, I'm sorry I said that. I haven't said a thing like that since I was a little girl. Torrance is dead, isn't she? Yes. You already know? I found her five minutes ago. I'd been in my room crying. I phoned the doctor. She said there was nothing I could do. No, I guess not. He'll be here as soon as he can, though. He's the goner, too. Miss Melton, had she been sick? I mean, well, what happened? Her heart, didn't you know? She said you were friends with her coming to visit. Well, yes, that's right, but... But then didn't she tell you? She's always had a dangerous heart. Didn't she tell you about her heart? Oh, Miss Melton. Miss Melton's car coming up the drive. Looks like it might be the... Oh. All right, Fairbanks. That will be all, thank you. Dead? Dead, ain't she? That makes three of them dead. Three of them, I tell you. Fairbanks, please come. No, wait a minute. What's he talking about? I might have known it happened sooner or later. Three of them dead in the same room. I told you I wouldn't go in there, Mr. Death likes that room. Fairbanks. Oh. Oh, that horrible life. Those awful, fantastic things to say. What sort of things do you think, Miss Melton? I'm glad my friend died in here. It's a beautiful room. A happy room. Laura was beautiful and happy, too. There's a painting over there, you see? Laura loved the world. I know she did because... because she was a cripple just like me. Laura wouldn't want to hurt anyone. I'm Ethan Marker, Mr. Valentine. Oh, yes, yes. I was waiting for his report. Well, he said you were the nearest neighbor out there, Mr. Marker, so I thought perhaps... I know. You thought perhaps I could tell you about the local ghost. Ah. Laura. Everyone asks. But it's a little different at a time like this, isn't it, Mr. Valentine? Maybe. Maybe. I don't know yet. Now, tell me. What's Fairbanks mean? What's he talking about? Two other deaths in the same room and so on. Mr. Valentine. Laura was crippled, but not in the soul. And she'd married the handsomest man for miles around. He built the place as a sort of house for his bluebird. The carousel for her to ride around and because she couldn't dance. The island in the wilderness. Now, there are many of us who would like to find such a place. Ah, yes, sure, sure. I agree. And it's very interesting, Mr. Marker, but... All right, all right. Yes, the deaths. After Laura passed on, many legends grew up about her. Naturally, the sheltered one. Fascinating legends, too. But anyway, the house reverted to banks and so on. Only two people who bought it tried to live in it. They both died. How? Quite mysteriously. One was 90 and had a stroke. The other one shot himself, cleaning his own gun. Oh, but I assure you, the legends have colored all this. It wouldn't sound the same if Fairbanks told it to you. I'd say Laura did it. But you're telling me it's all Tommy Rodgers. Well, of course. You don't believe in the supernatural, do you? Okay, Mr. Marker, thanks very much. Not at all. And now the school teachers. Mr. Valentine, I hope you won't feel it necessary to pry about. Why not? What do you mean? Oh, nothing. But you're not just here as a friend, are you? I, uh... I admire Miss Melton very much. Oh, I say, she's... she's beautiful. As Laura must have been. I wouldn't want her annoyed. All right, Mr. Valentine, here's that report. Okay, let's have it, Doctor. Miss Torrance died of a coronary condition, all right. The heart just stopped, that's all. Oh, sure, sure. But what made it stop? Well, really, to the layman. We could have been a shock, couldn't it? If she had a weak heart and somebody told her stories, scared her... I found no evidence of foul play. I said scared her, Doctor. Now she heard something, she saw something. There was a shock that was too much for her. Mr. Valentine, I've already checked with her city physician. She had a coronary disease. Not nerves. Disease. Mr. Valentine, I have a new car. I'd be glad to give you a lift back to Laura's house. Thanks, Mr. Marker. But I think the walk would do me good. Very well. Come and visit our corner of the woods again sometime. Good night, Mr. Marker. Oh, Bruxy. Bruxy, I'm back. Bruxy, yes. Yes, hello. George, I've never used a house phone before. I saw you out the window coming in the door. Neat, isn't it? They always have them in haunted houses. Oh, sure, sure. Well, what happened? Oh, the corner says nothing doing. Big false alarm. That's all. Client just dead. Hey, Bruxy, where are you? I mean, I'm in your room. You and mine. George, I'm in Laura's room. You know, there are lots of things about her in this room. I mean, besides the painting, George has a whole closet full of her clothes. Actually, real last-century things. So old they crack when you touch them. Okay, Angel, okay. I'll be up and look at the museum. There are music boxes and a sachet drawer. There are shoes and a funny old wooden brace. Hey, Bruxy, what was that? Hey, did you hear me? What was that? She's on the lawn. In the moonlight. George, I'm not crazy. I see her. It's like the painting. George, I see her. It's Laura. 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And now back to tonight's adventure of George Valentine. Laura's house built like a doll's house in the middle of the woods. Built years ago for a woman long dead who once lived to ride on the carousel. But other people who try to live in Laura's domain have a habit of dying too like the nervous school teacher who wrote you a letter and then passed away of a heart attack before you could talk to her. Well, of course, if you're anything like George Valentine, you don't believe in the supernatural. But you certainly waste no time when your assistant, Claire Brooks, tells you that she has just seen Laura herself. No, George, I did see her. Just for a second out in the moonlight by the rose garden, walking. Then she disappeared in the shadow. Brooks, are you sure? I swear it. She looked just like the picture even to the little lace parasol. Okay, then, Angel, what you saw must have been a real person. Yeah. Well, now that you're here, yes. Somebody must have got one of these dresses and dolled up for the job. Only why, Brooksy? What's the point of playing ghost trying to scare people? Who's trying to do what? Cooper Cranham! Oh! Well, what are you doing in there, Valentine? Picking out a dress for your girl. Oh, hello, Bonnie. I was just getting ready to hit the hay. What? What's going on? I heard your racket in here. I knew it wasn't mine. So did I. Francine. What was it, Mr. Valentine? What was it? I'll tell you. I'll tell both of you. I saw a ghost. No, I thought you couldn't have. Don't say such a thing. What Miss Brooks means is she saw somebody out of the rose garden in one of Laura's dresses. Maybe Torrance saw something, too. I don't know. It's awful how scared it is to death, whatever it was. It was just her heart. I don't believe in all this junk, but Torrance did. I'll be glad when it's all over. When we get out of here, all the sands are tough and dumb, and maybe I am. But there's something crazy here. Something insane, abnormal. And Valentine, if you don't find out what it is, I'm going to. Bonnie! She doesn't understand. Miss Melton, I was telling the truth. There was someone out there. I saw her. No. I'm sure you were mistaken. But I tell you I'm not. No, stop it, please. This is my house. Well, this isn't easy to say, Mr. Valentine. I hope you understand. I'm not trying to offend. But I want you to go. I want you to get out of here. I want you to leave my house. Evening, lady. Got a message here for Mr. Valentine. Oh, all right. Of course. Wait a second. I'll get it. That's for me, friend. Okay. Okay. There you are. Thanks. Likewise. Good night. What is it, George? Another mind, Booksy. But Miss Melton, I guess we might as well take your suggestion. We will get out of here. Oh, thank George. We're fairly unpacked anyway, and it's a short walk to town, so you won't have to bother about anything. We'll just plain get out of your hair. That'll make you happy. Oh, Mr. Valentine. There are some things too fragile to be touched. That's all. This looks like a good place for the bags. Got to make time, Angel. We'll be back for them, so don't worry. And I got a hunch it'll be fast. George, what was in that message? Oh, it's not enough moonlight to read it, I guess. Oh, I've got a match. A note says, come to town and hurry. Meet a guy at the corner drugstore. It's important. Who? The local historian, Angel, a guy named Ethan. Hey, put out that match. Oh, boy, I'm one of a sucker. You see that? Something shiny? Come on. It's over here. Sure. Sure, a car. Parked in the shadows off the road. A nice new car. And if I remember rightly, wait a minute, I'll turn on the dash light. Huh, huh? I do. It's registered to Mr. Ethan Marker. Then... then the note was just a lureth into town to get us out of the way. The radio is still warm, Angel. Yeah. Come on, let's get back there. Run. Oh, no. Look! Look, there's a light. The upstairs corner room. Yeah. And we turned that light off when we left up there. Laura's room. Yeah. Hey! Hey! What do you think you're going? Fairbanks, where are you going? Out to Melange. Get some sleep. Simple facts in nature. Then you just left the house. Who's up there? Who's in the corner room? Heh! That athletic one. That Bonnie thing. I warned her. I warned her just like I warned Miss Torrance the day they came here. Stay away from Laura, I says. It's death. Death loves Laura's room. All right, fancy. I got the idea. Up there with the door lock. Says she's going to stay a coonsage if she has to to find out what's wrong. Heh! Lights won't help. Door lock won't help. I'm telling you, Miss Torrance. All right, I said you don't have... Hey, what's that in your hand? Huh? Shoes. Bruxy, give me those maps. Yeah, here you are, George. A woman's shoes. Of course. Miss Francine's. Found them in the back hallway. Thought I'd better take them out for a little cleaning. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, they need it all right. That's a good idea, Fairbanks. Good night. Heh! There was mud all over those shoes, George. Yeah, Bruxy, even the rose garden. Where ghosts walk. Francine. Well, come on, George. We've got to get upstairs to Laura's room before... Hold it, Bruxy, hold it. Now, listen, there was something that Ghoul said. He said it before. He said he'd warn Miss Torrance about the upstairs room. Remember? Well, yes, but... Okay, then. This time, it begins to make sense. There was something wrong about Torrance's death. What's that? I don't mean the heart attack part. I mean her being up there in that room. She was nervous. She was superstitious. When they juggled the rooms around for our coming, she would never have taken that one. No, she wouldn't. But Angel, there's one way that it does make sense. And that's if you figure Torrance took that room after she was dead. You get it? Yeah. Somebody moved her body. Somebody who's willing to commit a real murder. Well, don't just stand there. Hurry up. We've got to get upstairs to Bonnie before... No, no, there isn't time. I've got to think it out. I've got to... Oh, Lord, Bruxy, I'll have to just plain guess. Come on, the back lawn. What? Come on, come on, around this room. George. Yeah, the carousel. Lucky guess. Shh. There she is. Laura. It is Framcina. Yeah. Riding a white horse. All alone in the moonlight. Oh, the poor thing. It's the same dress she had on when I saw her. George, look at her. Framcina's herself is so shy. And being crippled, she keeps her head down, but now she's smiling. Oh, George, she's beautiful. Yeah. And somebody else said that to me before. Hey. Hey, what's wrong with it? It's going faster. Come on. Come on. Come on. Get her for me. I'll stop it. Did you get her? Is she all right? Yes. Good. Now take her up to the house. I'll be up in a minute. Okay, George. Okay. Okay, come on out of there, whoever you are. Come on now. I know you're in there. I don't know you don't. Come on, slow down, Sprinter. All right. I don't like to tag a ladies, but you... Come on. Come on. Sit still, sister. Well, so you were supposed to be in Laura's room, were you? Well, Bonnie, you almost did it, didn't you? Almost killed a poor crippled girl. I suppose you were the one who sent me that note signed Ethan Markey to get me out of here so you could do it. And who else around this house would have been strong enough to move Torrance's body into Lauren's room? Muscle girl? I... she was dead. I didn't kill her. No, but you tried to make it look like she'd been frightened, make Francine feel guilty, hate the place. But none of it worked, did it. She still wanted to stay on. Valentine, I wasn't trying to kill Francine. Honest, I wasn't. Yes, you were, Bonnie. You thought you had to. No. You knew she'd been secretly tying on those dresses, taking walks in the rose garden. You know, if she had an accident out here in costume, everybody'd agree she was nuts. But she's different. She is strange. Sure, sure. The little girl's shy. She's touchy. But she was starting to come out of herself. Those dresses were part of it. They were why you had to get rid of her. That's not true. The dresses were making an impression on somebody, weren't they? Somebody who could kick you out. Sure. You had to do away with Francine fast while she still had no relatives. While you were still her closest friend still in control, still able to inherit her dose. Oh, no. I don't know what you're talking about. Bonnie, you want to bet he's down there now? You want to bet he was already expecting a little sentimental rendezvous with her tonight that he heard the commotion that came running? No. Don't, don't, please. Hey, Mr. Marker. Ethan Marker, you down there? Why should she find someone that's carless and run the plane of someone? Chin-up, sister. We'll find you a place to live in jail. Yes, I know Bonnie needed my money. But perhaps she was right. Listen, Francine. They've got the carousel fixed again. Torrance said so, too. Perhaps I don't belong here. Tell me the things that I'm not... dreaming. Well, lady, the carriage awaits. Your steeds are prancing. Oh, stop it. It's silly. It's ridiculous. I'm going to sell this half a place. I'm Francine Melton, and I'm playing, looking, and I teach Latin. And you don't have to look at me, any of... I beg your pardon, Miss Butcher. I wasn't addressing you. Will you do me the honor, Laura? Beautiful Laura. Thank you, sir. You are being more patient. I do believe I did the right thing. My arm, my dear. Oh, George, she was beautiful again. Some things are almost too fragile to touch. Well, come on. How about a ride for us? No, no, no. Not our style. We're built for reality, you and I, Booksy. Oh, George, what's not real about a carousel in the wilderness? You asking me? That's exactly what love is, isn't it? Okay, you win, Angel. Well, lady, will you do me the honor? My honor. There's nothing like a vacation with a change of scenery and new experiences to give you a grand live. Two, when your vacation means a motoring trip, there's nothing like knowing your car's engine has the best possible protection, compounded RPM motor oil. At home or wherever you drive, depend on RPM to keep the entire engine system cleaner. For one of the compounds in this premium quality motor oil is a detergent, a chemical that keeps carbon particles and other abrasives harmlessly dispersed in the oil where they can't damage those mirror-smooth internal engine parts. When you have the crankcase drained, this contamination is drained out with the used oil. So for a cleaner engine with more mileage and fewer repair bills, get RPM, the motor oil, its first choice in the west. Get RPM at independent chevron gas stations and at standard stations where they say, and mean we take better care of your car. Next week, when George Valentine finds himself on a new job as dizzy as a merry-go-round, we'll hear... You didn't listen to me, Valentine. You're still on the Pharrell case. Now, look, last time we met Redhead, you were offering me 200 bucks to get off the case. Just whom do you work for, anyway? You heard me. Your aim... Come on, answer me. Don't be a sucker. You'll have to be caught right in the middle. That's where you are right now, Valentine. No 200 bucks now. This time I bought a gun. Tonight's adventure of George Valentine has been brought to you by Standard of California on behalf of independent chevron gas stations and standard stations throughout the west. Robert Daley has starred as George with Francis Robinson as Bruxy. Let George Do It is written by David Victor and Jackson Gillis and directed by Don Clark. Also heard in the cast were Frank Hale as Miss Torrance, Florence Ravenel as Bonnie, Herbert Butterfield as Fairbanks, William Johnstone as Marker, Marine Tuttle as Francine, Stanley Farrar as The Coroner. The music is 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.