 The Whistler, another signal mystery. And I know many things, for I walk by night. I know many strange tales, many secrets 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. Tonight, the Signal Oil Company, marketers of signals famous go farther, gasoline and motor oil, bring you another in a series of strange tales by the Whistler. The story of a strange and desperate crime, a crime so carefully planned it was practically foolproof. The first I'd like to take a moment to tell you about Jack Henley, who's signal service station in Santa Ana, California, has been on the same corner for 13 years. While I was getting acquainted, it would rather surprise me to find how many cars come to this station for lubrication. As many as 298 signals safety chart lubrications in one month. You see, Jack Henley guarantees no squeaks for 1,000 miles. Because folks know that Henley stands back of his work like that, many drivers trust their car's entire care to his signal station. One of his old customers, a doctor recently remarked, I've traded with Henley's signal station for 10 years, because I know my car will always be ready to go. Well friends, there in a nutshell is one reason why so many drivers are switching to signal stations these days. They know that signal dealers, being in business for themselves, give the conscientious kind of service that keeps regular customers. And they'll be there, year after year, standing back at their work. These days when cars must last, that's the kind of service you need. The kind you will find at your friendly neighborhood signal oil dealer. And now, the Whistler. Edward Bowman and Marco Lorenz are the proprietors of a popular little lending library in a quiet residential section of town. They cater to a highly respectable clientele, a clientele who might be surprised to overhear their breakfast table conversation this morning. As they sit in the back of their shop, huddled over a crudely drawn diagram, the smoke from their cigarettes curls upward, to hang like a cloud in the stream of morning sunlight. Suddenly Marco, with a gesture of disgust, pushes the diagram aside. The whole thing is impossible, Eddie. They got the place locked up tighter than a drum. I told you it was the guy who never gave up. Here's a hundred grand in negotiable bonds, and you want to kiss a goodbye. Listen, Marco, look at this diagram. Now look, here's the vault where they keep the bonds. Now it's five yards from there to the door. Here is where we can cut the wires and the alarm system. See? Once we get inside, the job's a pushover. Sure it's a pushover, if we can get inside. There ought to be. We spent three months casing the joint. But how do we get in? You couldn't blast through that door, and it's for the windows. And I suppose you're going to shrink yourself down and crawl between the bars. Well, what's wrong with using a hacksaw? I already told you it takes too long. It's too risky. They've only got two bars in each window. If we could get one bar out, I might be able to squeeze through. But if you need it, it's a nine-year-old kid, a small nine-year-old. Yeah, one with a criminal record preferred. Hey, are you still planning to fence this stuff with Jake? Yeah, right after we pull the job. I'm not taking any chances. Jake will give us fifty grand for the bonds. And then we're sitting pretty. No hot money, no stolen goods. Yes, we'll be sitting pretty. If we can only dream up a way to crack that office. Don't tell me we've got a custom of this here. I'll go. Oh, good morning, Mrs. Miles. Good morning, Mr. Bowman. I brought someone in to meet you. This is Mr. Johnson. Well, I... How do you do? What are there, Bowman? And the name is Shorty. Shorty Johnson. Known to millions as a small-change kid with a million-dollar personality. Well, uh, just call me Eddie. Mr. Johnson... Oh, Shorty is my new tenant. Your new tenant? Yes, he just came in from the east. He plans to go to work in the aircraft industry. Fuses, you know. Ah, fuselage, ma'am, fuselage. Yes, sir, Eddie. I walked out on a great theatrical career to come out to the west coast and serve my country. A great career. You're, uh, you're an actor? Acrobat, my boy acrobat. Played the palace for eight weeks. Tumbling Tom Thumb, the world's mightiest mate. That's how they billed me. But from now on, I'm taking my cues from Uncle Sam. Yes, sir, E. Well, now then, what have you got in the way of a rootin', tootin', hair-raisin' yarn? Well, I got to... That was the first thing Shorty asked about when he moved in, Mr. Bowman, where he could get books. I think you're going to have a very steady customer on your hand. That's right, Eddie. I'm a sucker for exciting literature. Mysteries, westerns, spicy stories, anything. Yeah, well, we've got a new mystery called Another Man's Poison. It's a bestseller. Yeah, now, I'm tired of poison. Haven't you got something with a lot of gunplay in it? You know, an old-fashioned gangster story with lots of shooting? Yeah, well, let's see now. Hey, what's keeping you, Eddie? Oh, sorry, Mrs. Miles, I didn't see you. Hello, Mr. Lorraine. Oh, Marko, this is Mr. Johnson, Shorty Johnson. Huh? What are you staring at, brother? Haven't you ever seen a midget before? Oh, sure. I mean, how are you? Shorty just came in from the east. He's written a room over at Mrs. Miles. Oh, I see. Yes, Shorty's quite a bookworm. That's why I brought him over this morning. I told him you boys had the best rental library in town. Well, I hope he's as good a customer as you are, Mrs. Miles. Well, I guess we might as well push off, ma'am. Uh, nice meeting you boys. I'll see you around. Yeah, yeah, you're best. Sure. Goodbye, Mr. Bowman. Mr. Lorraine. Goodbye. Goodbye. Now I've seen everything. The richest game in town takes in a rumor. Oh, I know. She's got plenty of room to spare. Yeah, I guess so. Friendly little guy, wasn't he? Oh, Shorty? Yeah, kind of a character. Yeah, how big would you say he is? Huh? Oh, uh, about four feet tall. 75 pounds. Why? Just the right size. Sure. Just right. What are you talking about? Nothing. Just an idea I had. What could Marco be thinking? Could it be how very fortunate it is, just when they need a very small man to complete their plan, the midget walks in? But what kind of man is Shorty the midget? The kind who would listen to a business proposition? It certainly wouldn't seem so, as Shorty just a few blocks away spends a quiet evening at the home of his wealthy benefactor, Mrs. Miles. What are you reading now, Shorty? Temptations of a gun mouth. Uh, the boys just got it in today. I suppose this one is a regular humdinger? A tipperoo to say the least, ma'am. You'll have to read this one, Mrs. M. Make your blood pressure zoom right up to 300. Yes, sir, just what the doctor ordered. Shorty, what would my friends think if they caught me reading temptations of a gun mouth? Only trying to improve your education, ma'am. I used to teach school, you know. Ma, you certainly had a checkered career, haven't you? Checkered is the word for it, ma'am. But no more. From now on, it's a time clock and a pair of overalls. Oh, uh, then you've heard from the plant? Yep. I'll start to work any day now. A simple honest toiler. That's my new role in life. Well, that's fine. I guess it's about time I started paying you back for everything I owe you. No, Shorty, we agreed not to talk about that. Why, goodness' sake, you've been such a help to me. I don't know how I'll get along when you go to work. On the contrary, Mrs. M., on the contrary, having you fuss and worry over me makes me feel like... well, like that someone's taken an interest. You know what I mean? After ten years of traveling around from one circuit to another, living out at trunks, it feels pretty good to talk over your problems with someone besides agents and producers. Oh, you poor boy. It must have been terribly hard for you all those years. It wasn't easy, ma'am, especially for a fella like me. Hey, listen here, young lady. Don't you know what time it is? Half past eleven. Come on now, come on, off to bed with you. Oh, not yet. Oh, yes, come on now. Oh, no, but I don't sleep. Now, none of your back talk, miss. Hurry up now. Oh, all right, you tyrant. Oh, I guess I'll take that book if you're through with it. Are you going to pass up Shakespeare tonight? Well, I think I ought to branch out a little. One can get in a rut with Shakespeare, you know. One certainly can. Well, good night, ma'am. Good night, Shorty. Oh, well, wait a minute. Yes? Aren't you forgetting something? A picture on the wall? The picket. Oh, the safe. I don't think that's really necessary, Shorty. No, yes it is. You want to wake up some morning with your throat cut? Besides, you'll have to poke your eye out and you're sleeping with one of those rings. Oh, all right, but it seems so silly. I've never used that safe for anything but old love letters. Well, from now on you're keeping your jewels there. You certainly need a man to look after you. I guess I have one. Well, you store your little trinkets away. All right. I'm going to curl up on the sofa with Sagebrush Destiny. All right. Oh, pearls. I almost forgot. That's done. I hope you're satisfied. Good night, Shorty. Shorty. Why, for goodness sake, he sound asleep. Man is sound asleep. The tight, sharp little face is relaxed now and the lamp light reveals a network of fine lines around the eyes. A tired droop in the lips. The old lady smiles down at the small, strange figure on the couch and she turns off the light and quietly leaves the room. There is no sleep, no rest. Eddie Bowman and Markola Wren sit facing each other across the kitchen table, their eyes narrowed, their voices raised in an excited argument. You're crazy, you're crazy, Marko. You're off your nut. We can't get away with a thing like that. What do you mean we can? I got it all worked out. Shorty's room is in the back of the house and he's got a separate entrance. And the old lady sleeps upstairs in the front of the house. That's right. Drive over there tomorrow night, about midnight, when the old lady's sure to be in bed. She won't hear a thing. We get Shorty first. He'll come easy. The thing is a cinch the way I got it planned. Now look, we give Shorty the combination to the vault. Then we push him through the window and he cracks the vault. Won't take more than two minutes. We get the bonds and take them right over to Jake. 50 grand in cold cash and the rest is smooth sailing. And what about Shorty? He won't be any trouble. We got a nice burl of cement for him. Only for him it won't even take a burl. Hey, no, Marko. Let's not get mixed up in anything like that. No one can pin a thing on us. We got a perfect alibi. We got a alibi for the robbery, yeah. But what about the other? Okay, what happens when Shorty's missing? The old lady Miles calls the police. Meanwhile, the police are trying to figure out how the bond firm was robbed. Well, they find out the midget's missing. Naturally, they put two and two together. And they find out he was a steady customer here, so they come around here and stop pumping us. Yeah, but they're not going to be looking for a body. They're going to be looking for an escaped thief. We don't know a thing about it. The setup is beautiful. Absolutely foolproof. You are listening to The Whistler, another signal mystery brought to you by your friend, the Signal Oil Company. Marketers of signals famous go farther, gasoline and motor oil. Partners in the business of lending books and borrowing other things have decided to add a third and unwilling partner, but only for a very short time. Tonight is the night, and they've driven out to the home of Mrs. Miles to pick up their intended victim, Shorty, the midget, at his private entrance in the rear of the house. Hey, Shorty. I need this light on. Shorty. Yeah, we just dropped over for a little visit. Well, it's awfully late. I was just getting ready for bed. Well, we just stay for a minute. What goes on? What are you packing for? Physical over at the plant. I'm leaving tomorrow morning. Leave what? You're walking out, huh? Going back to the big dump. Get away from that suitcase. Marko, please be careful. I've got everything all neatly packed. I thought you were trying to hide something, your little rat. Trying to get away with one of our books, huh? Hey, what do you know? Sagebrush Destiny. A brand new one, too. Where's the other one? Temptations of a gunman. Mr. Marko, here, take the book. Put that book back in the suitcase. I thought... You have what he said. We mean business short stuff. Now come on, snap into it. You're ready. Now close the suitcase. Okay. Shut up. Okay, Eddie. You take him to the car. I'll bring the suitcase. Move over, Shorty. You're not better than we planned. Yeah, you're leaving town at a very convenient time, Shorty. Very convenient. What's all this about, fellas? I haven't done anything wrong. I don't like this, Marko. What's Eddie doing with a gun? Never mind about the gun. Just keep your mouth shut and your eyes open, and you'll be all right. I don't like this, Marko. Come on me out, please. I said keep your mouth shut. Boris will tell him now, Marko. Yeah. Have you ever heard of the J.M. Donahue firm? Stocks and bonds? Yeah. That's where we're going right now. But what for? For 100 grand in negotiable bonds. You're crazy, Marko. You can't get away with a thing like that. Oh, yes we can. With your help, Shorty. What are you talking about? The only way to get into the place is through a window. And that's where you come in. No, no, I won't do it. You can't make... You do it all right, my friend. You want to keep healthy. Either way, it's not going to be so healthy for him, is it? But he doesn't know that as the car pulls up to the curb at the rear of a small building and a three of them alight. The preliminaries are over quickly. A strip of the pliers and the emergency alarm system is cut. Eddie goes to work on the window. A few twists to Eddie's gym and... It's easier slicing a cake. Okay. Here, Shorty. The combination of the sabers on this paper. Can you read it? Yeah, I guess so. Okay, now when you get inside, the vault's just a few feet to your right. Go straight there. Open it and get the stack of bonds. And bring them straight back here, understand? Yeah. Yeah, I understand, Marko. And listen, you little runt. No funny business. We can see every move you make. We ain't got these rods for luck, see. I know it. Okay, come on, Shorty. I'll give you a boost. Give me a hand. Okay. Oh, I grab hold. That's right. And a boy. You can squeeze through the bar sideways. That's it. In you go now. Okay? Okay. All right, get going. And don't waste any time. Do you think he can crack it, Marko? It's better. It's a simple combination. If he has any trouble, we'll know he's sterling. Hey, he's turning the dial now. Huh? Hey, that's right. Four to the left. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now, right. Two. Yeah. Then back. Okay. That should be it. Pull it open. Did it. He's getting the bounce now. I told you it'd be a push-over. It takes you with Jake to take the stuff tonight. Yeah, I told him we'd be there at 2.30. It's 20 after now. Good. Okay, Shorty. Don't bother to close the ball. Just bring the stuff over to the window. Okay. Look at that lettuce. 100,000 smackers right in my hand. Not bad, huh, pal? Hey, listen, Marko, give me a hand. I can't get out of here by myself. Yeah. Maybe you're going to catch a train. Okay, here. Get my hand. Wait a minute. I heard you. What did you mean? What are you talking about? What you just said. Don't waste time. Take my hand. No. I'd catch a train. He didn't mean nothing, Shorty. No, I was just kidding, Shorty. Come on. Take my hand. No. I thought you wanted to get out of there. No, I did. No, listen, Shorty. No. We'll even cut you on the take, honest. We just come on down. Get out of there. No, no, no. Marko, he's running back. He won't blab to a cop. He's a crazy fool. We had a perfect galify, and you had to put your hands up. Yeah, but Marko, I... Never mind. There's no time to talk now. Let's get out of here. But Marko, they can't pin anything on us now. They can't pin anything on the medjord, you mean? We'll find this body in there. And then they're going to start looking for the guys who stole the bonds. I mean, now it won't be just a grand loss in the rap. It'll be murder. I'm sorry, Marko. I must have lost my head. I told him if he got into that vault and hid... Well, he could have gotten them out some way. I assume our gun's given them half the take something, but now... Well, what are we going to do? I don't know, but they've got to get another alibi quick. Yeah, yeah. Hey, hey, how about this? Suppose we just walked into the police station, see, and told them we heard gunshots near there, see? That ought to throw them off our trail. Yeah, it might work. It's dangerous, but we've got to do something. I guess we better take a chance. I mean, come on, we've got to get this stuff over to Jake's first and get rid of it. A hundred thousand in bonds missing, and a body lying at the door of the open vault. And you're going to walk into the police station and tell them about it. But, well, it may work. Anyway, you feel better about it now that Jake has the bonds and you have the cash safely put away. And the desk sergeant doesn't seem too interested when you walk in and start to tell him about it. Where'd you say you heard these shots? The vicinity of Fort and Powell Street. How long ago? About 15 minutes, I guess. Yeah, well, it took you so long. That's not that far from here. Well, you see, at first we thought they might be backfires from a car. So we drove on our ways and we talked it over and decided to come back and report it. Okay. Hogan, take down their names and addresses. Okay, bud, you first. Come on, come on. Marco Lorenz. Marco Lorenz. Address? Bowman Lorenz Library, Reggie Street. Reggie Street. Okay, your name? Edward Bowman. Address? Same as he is. Business together? Yeah. Is that all? I guess so. Just a minute, boys. You say you run the Bowman Lorenz Library books? Yeah, that's right. What were you fellas doing driving down near Fort and Powell Street this late at night? Well, you see, we were gone on a vacation. We wanted to get an early start. You know, Mr. traffic. Yeah, we even got our suitcases out in the car. Oh, you even got your suitcase in the car, huh? Hogan, maybe you better run out and take a look at the car. Yeah, and you'd better bring in the suitcase. Okay. Hey, what's the idea? It's dangerous to leave valuables in a parked car on the street at night. You wouldn't want it stolen now, would you? Yeah, but we were just leaving. Yeah. Well, if you don't mind, I'd like for you to stick around for a few minutes. You see, I'm very much interested in books. Books? Yeah, this one, for instance, called Temptations of a Gun Mile. Ever see this one before? I don't know. That's funny, because it has your stamp on it, see? The Bowman Lorenz Library. Yeah, where'd you get that book? Oh, I picked it up a few minutes ago. Oh, good, Hogan. You got the suitcase. Yes, sir. Well, gentlemen, I've been thinking about taking a vacation myself, and I'd like to see what to take along. You won't mind if I just take a look at what you're carrying, will you? You can't do that. You can't search a person's possessions without a chance. And who knows? Maybe I've got a charge. Why? Maybe the charge is suspicion of robbery, shall we say? Okay, Hogan, open up. Robbery? That's ridiculous, is it? What'd you find, Hogan? Well, nothing much, Sarge. Kids' clothes. Hey, wait a minute. There's something down here at the bottom. Sarge, take a look. Yes, that's what I was looking for. What'd you find? As if you didn't know. Jewels. I suppose you didn't think they'd be missed this soon. But we got an emergency call to go out to Mrs. Miles' house about an hour ago. Shorty. Listen, you can't pin a jewel robbery on us. That old dame can't do that to us. We know who did it. You don't know what she told you. She didn't tell us anything. When we got there, she was sitting on a sofa with this book in her hand. So what? But she wasn't reading. She couldn't. You see, she had a little round bullet hole right between the eyes. No. No. Lock him up, Hogan, on suspicion of murder. Now, in just a moment, the whistler will return to give you the ending of tonight's tale. First, let me give you a life insurance tip for your car. The youngest cars on the road today are three years old. Most are much older. Vital parts for many of these cars can't be replaced. And when one irreplaceable part wears out, the whole car stops running. Uncle Sam says that one in every 12 cars will break down and go out of service this year. To help prevent that happening to your car, your signal oil dealer takes this double precaution when he lubricates your car. He has a safety chart on which the engineers who made your particular car show every lubrication point and the exact oil or grease it should have. Before he returns your car to you, your signal dealer checks every part against this safety chart. Not just once, but twice. That's your double assurance that no irreplaceable part on your car will be left un-nubricated and thus wear out. It's typical of the extra thorough job signal dealers do to help today's cars go farther. If it's been a thousand miles or two months since your last lubrication, now's a good time to get acquainted with your neighborhood signal oil dealer. Make a date tomorrow to have your car signal safety lubricated. And now, back to the Whistler. Well, that was quite a mix-up, wasn't it? For a crime that was supposed to be foolproof. What Eddie and Marco didn't know was that shorty pumped a bullet into Mrs. Miles and was getting away with her jewels when they kidnapped him to help them rob the security office. Yes, shorty killed Mrs. Miles. Eddie and Marco shot shorty. And now they'll die for the murder shorty committed. It all came out even, didn't it? Well, no, not quite. Because you see, in the hospital ward, the doctor bends over a still small figure. He shakes his head. Shorty Johnson will live. The shots Eddie fired didn't kill him. Though Eddie and Marco will burn for a crime they didn't commit. And shorty will go free for it. Yes, free. But he won't get off without paying. Oh, no. Because as a result of the gun wounds, the mightiest might of them all, the tumbling Tom Thumb, who lived by his agility and skill, will lie helplessly in his bed all the rest of his life. A hopeless paralytic. The Wesley will bring you another Signal Mystery. Bill Pannell speaking. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.