 and now stay tuned for the program that is rated tops in popularity for a longer period of time than any other west coast program in radio history the signal oil program the whistler signal the famous go farther gasoline invite you to sit back and enjoy another strange story by the whistler for extra driving pleasure the signal to look for is the yellow and black circle sign that identifies signal service stations from canada to mexico and for sunday evening listening pleasure the signal to listen for is this whistle that identifies 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 and now for the signal oil company the whistler's strange story burden of guilt it's a big comfortable room the library and the ramirez mansion in the hills beyond san diego everything about it from its paneled walls to the high beam ceiling and back again to the peg oak floors reflects permanence solid security and this early afternoon with a steady winter rain falling against its windows the ramirez library offers warmth and welcome to the three people seated before its great fireplace monwell ramirez one of the world's wealthiest men his wife helen and his secretary warren coats on the surface it's an all together pleasant scene their talk is concerned itself chiefly with trips because each of them plans one but for one of these three the trip is more than just a trip it's actually a well planned long anticipated escape monwell ramirez rises from his lounge chair goes to the near window and studies the rain for a long moment and then facing his wife and secretary again he speaks warren this rain you think it will cancel your flight not according to the airport they say it's just a local storm we should be clear but soon after the takeoff eh well that is good i guess you know i still cannot convince myself that you are actually leaving me i've known for weeks now but now that the day is at hand i cannot believe it i don't think i quite believe it myself senora mirrors but this ticket in my pocket says it's true i'll miss you sir and senora thank you my boy we should miss you too hey helen of course we will everyone always says it at a time like this but it really won't be the same without you oh thank you it's been a wonderful association these past five years i still wonder if i've made the right decision one can never be sure my boy but you have a good mind you say yourself this decision was not made in haste so you take your chances everyone takes chances at one time or another warren and always you learn something well i'm certainly willing to learn but all this talk of my trip how about you too senora mirrors you still taking off for the spout prize zone next week eh yes if the weather is right before long we should be soaking up the sun on the beach at darbaro and i'll be trying to explain the gabrielle and dana why you are not there well the explanations in good hands i'm sure now i've got to go still got some packing to do you know eh well if you must you know best monwell the package remember oh yes yes of course my dear here warren for you a small token of my appreciation senora i'm very grateful uh so am i warren uh you you run along now we are both embarrassed uh you were you opened it later yes senora senora i'll never forget you you've given me so much i'll never never forget no you'll never forget manuel remiris will you warren you played your farewell scene very well and now you're in your car opening the small token of remiris appreciation it's a watch handsome expensive and engraved to warren a faithful friend and assistant m remiris but unknowingly he's given you more than that hasn't he warren slowly systematically through those years he's also given you fifty thousand dollars that he doesn't know about does he and he won't know it ever you've manipulated things nicely perfectly he's never questioned your integrity has always written checks or advanced cash without question later in your apartment you packed the few remaining items you'll need the fifty thousand dollars you've had changed into large bills are now resting in a large manila envelope in your coat pocket and then as you look around for a last minute check of the apartment senora remiris hello again mr coats may i come in of course yes do come in thank you you were just leaving oh yes yes i was good then i've caught you just in time is something wrong senora nothing that can't be fixed mr coats and you're pretty good at fixing things aren't you mr coats i don't believe i understand you asked me if something is wrong suppose i say that something is fifty thousand dollars wrong would you understand that no frankly i wouldn't i think you would mr coats i think you do and you needn't look at your shiny new watch for the time you're not going anywhere i suppose you tell me what this is all about senora remiris i'd be glad to and from now on let's make it helen and warren we're about to know each other very well warren all right helen if you say so you know i've known about your clever little manipulations for some time now warren the stocks you were supposed to buy and didn't the checks you wrote when monwell had already given you the cash shall i go on warren you can't prove any of this you know yes i can if i have to but i don't think i'll have to you see i don't care what you've done warren you've sold it away a tidy little fifty thousand or so and that's just buying with me but then what do you what do i want i want what you're going to have one escape you want to leave manuel looked like a very good thing when i married him one of the richest men in the world fat bald and tired but it was all going to be worth it because he was rich well he's still rich and i haven't got a dime but someday someday i'll inherit it he's a very healthy man monwell is 55 and has sound as all his dollars no warren i can't wait to inherit it millions i'll settle for thousands now and escape and you're going to get those thousands for me warren i am look helen you've got the wrong boy i'm leaving in less than an hour i don't think you are you have no choice for me i can stop you from leaving and you know it and besides you could use another fifty thousand couldn't you what is it you want me to do there's two hundred thousand dollars in cash in the library wall safe you know the combination just walk in and take it it's about that simple tonight at ten manuel will be in bed the servants will be in their quarters in the other wing probably asleep i'll give you the key to the terrace door just off the library it won't take you five minutes and it's worth fifty thousand dollars to you and if i don't i've already looked up the district to turn his phone number see where will you be all this time i'll meet you here right after you get the money well i guess you said it when you said i didn't have much choice okay you've got yourself a deal i'd better have one remember that you stand at the window until you see your car drive away then quickly you check your watch your plane leaves in thirty five minutes you can still make it one by ten o'clock tonight you'll be at least a thousand miles from san diego out of anybody's reach ellen will have to get her freedom without you you can let your luggage go down to the entrance on the side street and hail a cab and soon you're a part of san diego's late afternoon traffic enroute to linburg field you enter the terminal building the envelope containing the fifty thousand safely tucked away in your inside coat pocket american airlines flight 90 for mexico city now boarding an american airlines concourse date 12 you walk over to the news stand pick up the evening paper and look over the headlines then as you put it in your pocket you glance toward the telephone booth calling the district attorney for you shall i complete the call that won't be necessary funny thing warren i didn't trust you at all but i will now because i'm staying with you all evening until ten o'clock tonight's twenty dollar signal gasoline book goes to miss meredith manchester of hollywood california for this limerick my 38 car is a riot it looks sad and i won't deny it but the way that old fossil performs is colossal on a signal go farther gas diet signal signal signal gasoline your car will go far with no further gasoline a smart young lady that driver in tonight's limerick she knows what more and more drivers discover when they switch to signal that mileage and performance are like birds of a feather they go together so if you're looking for quick cold weather starting if you're looking for flashing pickup if you're looking for smooth quiet power just remember you'll find them all when you fill up with signal the famous go farther gasoline you're trapped aren't you warren helen remiris has blocked your escape and you know she won't hesitate to tell the police that you've embezzled fifty thousand dollars from manuel remiris she'll be able to prove it too even though her husband suspects nothing yes she'll tell them unless you help her carry out her little plan rob her husband safe and help pave the way for her escape you have no choice but to do what she says and so you follow her back out to a car and drive into town the two of you have dinner at the quiet restaurant and go over your plans carefully then finally you're driving into the storm up the narrow twisting road leading to the remiris estate slow down will you warren we've plenty of time i want to get this over with so do i look i know this road i've been on it often enough warren what lights up ahead through the trees it's a car parked along the road i don't know wait a minute it's the one from the telephone company it was there when i drove by this afternoon storm must have blown the lines down well at least the phones at the house won't be working if anything goes wrong nothing will go wrong warren all right all right you drive on saying little for the next few miles finally you turn off the headlights and bring helen's car to a stop before the gates of the remiris estate you know what to do i'll drive the car off the road park under the trees and wait for you helen you're sure everything is fixed of course i'm sure what about the caretaker Pablo will be in his cottage you don't expect him to be roaming around the grounds on a night like this do you i want to be sure everything's all right that's all it is now hurry you watch helen's car slip quietly down the road and then turning you lower your head in the face of the driving ring enter a small gate and hurry up to the house as you reach the terrace you see the entire house is in darkness you move quickly to the terrace door leading to a library unlocked with helen's key then you step inside for a moment you wait in the darkness of the library listening hearing the fury of the storm outside then you make your way across the room and as you do you reach down quickly pick up the music box you knocked over you stand rooted at the spot unable to move hardly daring to breathe waiting listening and finally certain that no one has heard you you move cautiously across for the wall safe use the combination you know so well and open the safe it's empty there's nothing in the safe except a pistol a 38 automatic and then as you reach for it who is there you stiffen at the voice the beam of light cuts through the darkness it's Ramirez he's discovered you you won't find any money there Warren I took it to the bank is afternoon don't move or I will shoot your hand closes over the gun inside the safe Warren and you will aim at the figure behind the flashlight fire Ramirez cries out the flashlight drops to the floor he's hit one in the dim light coming from the hall you see him sprawled out in the doorway and you feel sure that he's dead a wave of panic sweeps over you rush from the room out to the terrace then down the path wondering if the old caretaker has heard the shots and then as you race around the hedge and start across the lawn in the darkness you run into a man your fist crashes into his face and he staggers back falls against the hedge as you sprint across the lawn you're positive it was Pablo the caretaker and you wonder if you recognize you you tell yourself it was too dark and you head for the trees where Helen is waiting with a car and running and stumbling you make your way through the trees to the road suddenly Helen turns on the headlights and you run toward them Warren what's happened I heard the shots let's get out of here what's happened Warren I thought you said Ramirez would be asleep walked in on me did he recognize you yes not that it makes any difference now I ran into Pablo what do you mean Warren about Manuel you didn't you expected me to stick around let Ramirez turn me over to the police come on get this car going no matter what this thing Warren the money I wasn't any money in that safe no money don't look so surprised you probably knew all the time there wouldn't be anything in there except the gun no that's not true you had it figured like this all along Ramirez would show and I'd have to shoot no get this car going Warren you've got to believe me I the telephone truck it's stopping the driver he's getting out and he's coming this way quickly get in the back seat get rid of him Helen getting in trouble lady why yes a little I don't know what's wrong I can't seem to get it started quite away from the main road you get lost no I live over there oh there it is thank goodness yeah hey you better have a garage check it lady the wiring may be bad well yes I will thank you oh uh just a minute yeah uh you're with the phone company aren't you that's right and I know what you're going to ask we'll have the lines fixed service restored within an hour or two I see thank you nine nine all right Warren he's gone let's get out of here you heard about the phone service yes that's a break Pablo won't be able to call the police for an hour at least that'll give me a head start I'll drive you back into town you've got to do more than that Helen you've got me into this mess and you're gonna get me out what can I do look you don't expect to dump me back in town pat me on the head and let it go at that do you Warren wait what's the matter look up there her car is coming down from the house it's Pablo he's going for the police Helen let's get going drop me off at the gate what are you going to do stop him from going to the police you keep going after you drop me off park down the road away I'll take care of Pablo at the gates of the estate you jump from the car wait in the darkness for the car coming down the road from the house you watch Pablo as he steps out of the car and hurries forward to open the gates and then as the gate swing wide you step out of the shadows and bring the pistol butt down on its head you grab him as he starts to fall and drag him off the driveway into the brush then quickly you slip in behind the wheel of the big black convertible Pablo was driving and drive out the gates down the road to where Helen is waiting in her car what did you do with you sleeping it off look I'm taking this car Pablo was driving Helen I'm heading for the border border I can't take any chances Pablo might have recognized me in the yard when I ran into him if he did I want a nice head start once I'm over that border they'll never find me I know my way around Mexico I've been on enough hunting trips but but if Pablo didn't recognize you then I can stop running come back that's where you're going to help me Helen oh right now I want you to go up to the house no no I can't my well dead I you've got to Pablo probably won't come to for a while I want you to be there when he does find out if he recognized me but Warren I'll call you from the border by the time I get there you'll know if Pablo spotted me if I have to keep on running or if I'm in the clear yes you're going to play it safe aren't you on once you're at the border and you phone Helen you'll know what to do and it all depends on Pablo if he recognized you or not soon you're on the highway racing south at the wheel of the Ramirez convertible you took from Pablo as the car rolls along the water soaked road the storm increases in intensity but not once do you slacken your speed until suddenly a half a dozen red lights loom up ahead stretched across the highway a roadblock Warren your foot slams down on the brake the big car swerves and twists wildly you finally managed to bring it under control just a few feet from the barrier and you sit frozen at the wheel staring through the spattered windshield and you watch the man in the raincoat approach hey hey what are you trying to do buddy kill yourself what's wrong why the way you came barreling down the highway hey you must be in an awful hurry I am what's the roadblock for bridge washed out up ahead what right you can't get through what I've got to I've got to get through look buddy I said the bridge is washed out but I can't turn back you don't have to what you can take a detour over there it's only a couple of miles just follow the signs you breathe a sigh of relief wheel the car around and start down the narrow dirt road it's a delay isn't it one but not enough to really matter so when you're back on the main highway again racing through the night and then finally you site the border up ahead you're going to make it work now there'll only be the routine check by the guards but you're not worried about them are you or Helen you know she's so deeply involved in the shooting of her own husband that she won't dare go to the police and you're not greatly concerned about Pablo either are you you're sure he didn't recognize you and once across the border it'll be a simple matter for you to lose yourself in Mexico and the authorities will never find you evening inspector good evening senior how things would be in but better without the rain I yeah what a night oh by the way they're a phone handy you see if you will pull over to the side there you will find a telephone in the office thanks inspector I just want to make sure everything all right did you know that in 1925 the average car was scrapped when it was only six and a half years old and had gone less than 26,000 miles whereas today the average car lasts over 12 years and is driven over 100,000 miles much of the credit for this longer motor life goes to automotive engineers for superior construction but much credit also goes to oil engineers for the superior protection your motor gets from such vastly improved oil as signal premium the compounded motor oil that does so much more than just lubricate you see because it's 100% pure paraffin base is fortified with scientific compounds signal premium not only keeps your motor cleaner but also prevents destructive acid corrosion which can cause more wear than friction result motors stay young far far longer with signal premium compounded motor oil so if you want your car to give you more miles of smiles remember make your next oil change a change to signal premium the extra duty motor oil that you get only at signal service stations you've reached the border now warren and once you're in mexico you're certain that you'll be out of danger the $50,000 that you've stolen over the years from your employer manuel remeeris is safe in your inside pocket as you hurry inside the small office to the telephone you glance at your watch you've made excellent time haven't you and you're certain that even if pablo did recognize you if pablo has already called the police to tell them remeeris was shot the alarm will come too late to stop you you're more curious than worried about pablo aren't you you drop the money into the coin slot and call san diego helen as you wait for your call to be put through you begin to wonder if perhaps the telephone lines are still down and then hello helen i see phone service has been resumed warren where are you at the border did you recognize me no he didn't everything's okay no it isn't pablo called the police what if he did if he didn't recognize me he can't say who it was to me the gate knocked him out and took his car pablo was driving my husband to the hospital the car now that you're driving wait a minute i don't send your send your if you will come with me the chief inspector would like to talk with you what's wrong wrong well perhaps you can explain senior but there is a dead man in the back seat of your car let that whistle be your signal for the signal oil program the whistler each sunday night at the same time brought to you by the signal oil company marketers of signal gasoline and motor oil and fine automotive accessories signal has asked me to remind you to get the most driving pleasure drive at sensible speeds be courteous and obey traffic regulations it may save a life possibly your own tonight's story where david ellis and bv janice the whistler was produced and directed by george w allen with story by harrison negley music by wilbur hatch and was transmitted to our troops overseas by the armed forces radio service the whistler is entirely fictional and all characters portrayed on the whistler are also fictional any similarity of names or resemblance two persons living or dead this purely coincidental remember at the same time next sunday another strange tale by the whistler paralysis strikes you need the help that is supported by the march of dimes the march of dimes needs your help now give one dime or as many as you can afford but give something this is marvin miller speaking for the signal oil company this is cbs the columbia broadcasting system