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The Whistler - "Death Comes at Midnight" (Old Time Radio, 1942) · The Whistler | Old Time Radio

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Writer Herbert Conner set this early Whistler drama around manufacturer
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: John Prentiss, whose nightmare foretells his murder within 48 hours.
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: The Whistler, episode 23, was heard on the CBS Pacific
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: Network on October 18, 1942. A radio live schedule placed
• 0:18
  Speaker 1: the program on Los Angeles station KNX at 9.15 that evening.
• 0:24
  Speaker 1: As events make the warning seem real, police protection offers
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: little comfort to Prentiss's family, and his daughter and her
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: fiancé begin searching when he disappears. Marvin Miller is among
• 0:36
  Speaker 1: the credited players. And now, we return to the original broadcast.
• 0:44
  Speaker 2: Wait a minute. Have you heard the strange tales of
• 0:46
  Speaker 2: the Whistler? I'm the whistler.
• 1:06
  Speaker 3: No.
• 1:10
  Speaker 2: No. No. I don't want to die. John.
• 1:15
  Speaker 4: Get away. John, wake up.
• 1:19
  Speaker 2: Oh. Where is he?
• 1:21
  Speaker 4: Where's who?
• 1:23
  Speaker 2: That man.
• 1:24
  Speaker 5: Oh, you've been having a nightmare, John.
• 1:26
  Speaker 2: Huh? Oh, good heavens, Clara.
• 1:30
  Speaker 4: It was awful. I.
• 1:33
  Speaker 6: I dreamed there was a man in this room, and
• 1:36
  Speaker 6: he stood right over me. And he said I was
• 1:38
  Speaker 6: going to die. That I was going to.
• 1:40
  Speaker 2: Be murdered within 48 hours.
• 1:46
  Speaker 7: Sunday night, and again CBS presents The Whistler. I, the whistler,
• 1:58
  Speaker 7: know many things, for I walk by night.
• 2:01
  Speaker 8: I know many strange tales, many secrets hidden in the
• 2:05
  Speaker 8: hearts of men and women who have stepped into the shadows.
• 2:09
  Speaker 8: I know the nameless terrors of which they dare not speak.
• 2:12
  Speaker 8: And so I tell you tonight the strange story, Death
• 2:16
  Speaker 8: Comes at Midnight. John Prentiss is a manufacturer, a very
• 2:23
  Speaker 8: busy man who needs his rest. But John had a
• 2:27
  Speaker 8: frightful dream. The dream was not brought on by a
• 2:30
  Speaker 8: guilty conscience, for John's life has been above reproach. He
• 2:34
  Speaker 8: loves his wife, Clara, and their grown daughter, Eva. He
• 2:38
  Speaker 8: has done no wrong to any man. Why, then, this
• 2:42
  Speaker 8: awful dream with its prophecy of death? Now, the following evening,
• 2:47
  Speaker 8: the Prentices are planning to attend a lecture, and Dwight Cooper,
• 2:51
  Speaker 8: Eva's fiancé, is going with them. The wife and daughter
• 2:55
  Speaker 8: are in the living room awaiting his arrival.
• 2:59
  Speaker 4: Well, there's Dwight now, Mother.
• 3:00
  Speaker 2: I'll go to the door.
• 3:00
  Speaker 5: Oh, wait a minute, Eva.
• 3:02
  Speaker 4: You'd better make sure who it is before you open
• 3:04
  Speaker 4: the door. Oh, Mother, are you still worrying about that
• 3:05
  Speaker 4: dream Daddy had last night? Well, I can't help being
• 3:08
  Speaker 4: nervous about it. Well, of course it's Dwight. We're expecting him,
• 3:11
  Speaker 4: aren't we? I'm going to let him in. Well, enter,
• 3:17
  Speaker 4: my Lord.
• 3:18
  Speaker 2: Hello, darling. How come you're answering the door yourself? Maid's
• 3:20
  Speaker 2: night out?
• 3:22
  Speaker 4: We haven't got a maid. She went to work in
• 3:23
  Speaker 4: a war plant.
• 3:24
  Speaker 2: Well, good for her.
• 3:25
  Speaker 4: We're going to do without a maid for the duration.
• 3:27
  Speaker 2: That's a spirit. Good evening, Miss Prentice. Good evening, Dwight.
• 3:30
  Speaker 4: You see, Mother, it wasn't a big bad wolf after all.
• 3:32
  Speaker 4: Not this time. But we'd better be careful, Eva.
• 3:35
  Speaker 2: What's this about a big bad wolf?
• 3:37
  Speaker 4: Seems that Mother believes in dreams, Dwight. And last night,
• 3:39
  Speaker 4: Dad had one that was really a honey.
• 3:41
  Speaker 5: Oh, I don't believe in dreams.
• 3:43
  Speaker 6: Oh, Daddy!
• 3:43
  Speaker 2: Yeah?
• 3:44
  Speaker 4: Dwight's here, so hurry up. I'll be there in just
• 3:47
  Speaker 4: a minute. Talk about a woman taking her time dressing.
• 3:49
  Speaker 2: Well, what about this dream?
• 3:51
  Speaker 4: You tell him, Mother. Well, I don't believe that all
• 3:54
  Speaker 4: dreams have a meaning. But this one John had was
• 3:58
  Speaker 4: a prophecy, and I'm concerned about it.
• 4:01
  Speaker 2: Yes?
• 4:01
  Speaker 4: He kept hearing a man's voice telling him over and
• 4:05
  Speaker 4: over that he was going to be murdered within 48 hours.
• 4:09
  Speaker 2: Murdered?
• 4:10
  Speaker 4: Can you imagine such a thing?
• 4:12
  Speaker 2: Oh, well, I wouldn't be alarmed, Mrs. Prentice.
• 4:14
  Speaker 9: According to psychologists, a dream has no possible relation to
• 4:17
  Speaker 9: the future. They say a dream comes from experiences of
• 4:19
  Speaker 9: the past that have been registered in subconscious mind.
• 4:22
  Speaker 5: Well, if John's been murdered in the past, I haven't
• 4:24
  Speaker 5: heard about it.
• 4:25
  Speaker 2: Oh, now, wait. I didn't mean it quite as literally
• 4:27
  Speaker 2: as all that.
• 4:28
  Speaker 4: Your mother's been counting the hours, Dwight. Let's see, the
• 4:31
  Speaker 4: dream came at midnight last night. That means Dad's hour
• 4:34
  Speaker 4: of doom is midnight tomorrow. He isn't murdered sooner.
• 4:37
  Speaker 2: Maybe we'd better not risk taking him to the lecture.
• 4:39
  Speaker 4: Oh, I wish you two wouldn't joke about it. I
• 4:42
  Speaker 4: don't think it's any joking matter. Oh, I'll get it. Hello?
• 4:49
  Speaker 3: Mr. Prentice there?
• 4:50
  Speaker 4: He's busy right now. Could I take a message?
• 4:52
  Speaker 3: Yeah. Tell him he better come to the phone, whether
• 4:55
  Speaker 3: he's busy or not, if he wants to save his life.
• 4:59
  Speaker 8: What?
• 5:00
  Speaker 3: This is a matter of life and death.
• 5:02
  Speaker 2: Oh.
• 5:03
  Speaker 4: Well, hold the line a minute. Of all the amazing things,
• 5:08
  Speaker 4: there's a man on the phone who sounds like a gangster.
• 5:11
  Speaker 4: He wants to talk to Daddy about saving Daddy's life.
• 5:14
  Speaker 4: His life.
• 5:15
  Speaker 2: Maybe I'd better talk to him.
• 5:16
  Speaker 4: Oh, no, no. No, get John on the phone.
• 5:19
  Speaker 5: Call him, Eva.
• 5:20
  Speaker 4: Daddy, you want it on the phone. It's important.
• 5:22
  Speaker 8: All right, I'm coming.
• 5:24
  Speaker 4: Oh, don't tell me that dream didn't mean anything.
• 5:27
  Speaker 5: Now, Mother, don't get excited.
• 5:28
  Speaker 2: Just what did this fellow say?
• 5:29
  Speaker 4: Well, he.
• 5:30
  Speaker 5: Oh, here's Daddy.
• 5:31
  Speaker 6: Well, hello, Dwight.
• 5:32
  Speaker 2: Good evening, Miss Prentice.
• 5:33
  Speaker 4: Daddy, wait. I don't know who that man is, but
• 5:36
  Speaker 4: he's terribly hard-boiled, and he said I'd better get you
• 5:39
  Speaker 4: to the phone if you want to save your life.
• 5:41
  Speaker 2: What's this?
• 5:41
  Speaker 5: Oh, John, I.
• 5:43
  Speaker 2: I'll see what it's all about.
• 5:44
  Speaker 6: Hello?
• 5:47
  Speaker 3: Mr. Prentice?
• 5:48
  Speaker 1: Yes?
• 5:49
  Speaker 3: You don't know me, but you better pay attention to
• 5:52
  Speaker 3: what I'm telling you, see? A certain man here in town,
• 5:57
  Speaker 3: a wealthy guy, has offered me a nice piece of
• 6:01
  Speaker 3: dough to put you out of the way. What? But
• 6:05
  Speaker 3: I want to be reasonable, see? So I'll consider... Hey,
• 6:11
  Speaker 3: are you listening?
• 6:12
  Speaker 2: Yes, yes, I'm listening. Go ahead.
• 6:15
  Speaker 3: Well, if you want to hike down to you a
• 6:17
  Speaker 3: little bit... Say to Tree Grind, I'll call off my
• 6:21
  Speaker 3: deal with this guy. What's more, I'll give you his name.
• 6:25
  Speaker 2: I see.
• 6:26
  Speaker 3: Now, Tree Grind's a small matter to you, so.
• 6:30
  Speaker 2: Wait a minute. Suppose you come here to the house
• 6:33
  Speaker 2: and we'll talk it over.
• 6:35
  Speaker 3: Do I sound like a chump? You're coming to see me,
• 6:40
  Speaker 3: and you're bringing the dough.
• 6:41
  Speaker 2: Oh, no, I'm not. You think I'm going to walk
• 6:43
  Speaker 2: into a trap?
• 6:44
  Speaker 3: You mean you're turning down my proposition?
• 6:46
  Speaker 2: I certainly am.
• 6:48
  Speaker 3: All right, mister. You asked for it. You'll be a
• 6:52
  Speaker 3: goner by midnight tomorrow.
• 6:55
  Speaker 2: All right. Say, listen. Hello. Hello.
• 6:58
  Speaker 1: Hello.
• 7:10
  Speaker 8: Midnight tomorrow. Now, not only in a dream, but in
• 7:15
  Speaker 8: actual fact. John has been told that he will not
• 7:18
  Speaker 8: live beyond that hour. John phones the police, and a
• 7:22
  Speaker 8: few minutes later, Captain Arnold arrives at the house.
• 7:26
  Speaker 3: Mr.
• 7:26
  Speaker 2: Prentiss, can you think of anyone who'd like to have
• 7:30
  Speaker 2: you put out of the way for any reason at all? No. No, Captain,
• 7:36
  Speaker 2: I really can't. Now, you've been in business a good
• 7:39
  Speaker 2: many years. How about your business rivals, Edward?
• 7:45
  Speaker 6: Of course, I've made a certain amount of enemies, of course.
• 7:48
  Speaker 6: I don't think any of them would go so far
• 7:51
  Speaker 6: as to hire somebody to kill me.
• 7:53
  Speaker 2: You never can tell. Suppose you name some of your enemies. Oh, no.
• 7:59
  Speaker 2: I'm afraid Captain, I couldn't do that. Well, see here,
• 8:01
  Speaker 2: why not?
• 8:02
  Speaker 6: Well, frankly, because I might be causing an innocent person
• 8:06
  Speaker 6: a lot of embarrassment.
• 8:07
  Speaker 2: Well, what of it? We've got to get to the
• 8:09
  Speaker 2: bottom of this some way.
• 8:10
  Speaker 8: Uh.
• 8:12
  Speaker 2: Have you had a quarrel with anyone recently? No, I haven't.
• 8:15
  Speaker 2: Think carefully now.
• 8:17
  Speaker 6: Well, yes, yes, come to think of it, I did
• 8:20
  Speaker 6: have a rather heated argument with a man the other
• 8:23
  Speaker 6: day in my office.
• 8:26
  Speaker 2: Well, then, who was he? I'd rather not say. Was
• 8:29
  Speaker 2: he a wealthy man?
• 8:30
  Speaker 6: Yes.
• 8:31
  Speaker 2: Then tell me his name. Oh, no, Captain, I'd rather not.
• 8:35
  Speaker 2: You'd go to his house and question him, and I
• 8:37
  Speaker 2: don't want.
• 8:37
  Speaker 4: How can the police help you if you won't help yourself?
• 8:40
  Speaker 2: This is none of my business, Mr. Prentiss, but if
• 8:41
  Speaker 2: I were you.
• 8:42
  Speaker 4: No.
• 8:43
  Speaker 6: No, Dwight, there's no use arguing.
• 8:45
  Speaker 2: I've got my own ideas on the subject. Well, that's that,
• 8:49
  Speaker 2: I guess. We'll have to conduct our investigation without your help, Mr. Prentiss.
• 8:54
  Speaker 6: Oh, by the way, Captain, I'd feel a lot safer
• 8:58
  Speaker 6: if you'd send an officer out to watch the house tonight.
• 9:00
  Speaker 2: Well, I brought a man with me. He's out in
• 9:03
  Speaker 2: the car... I'll leave him here. Oh, that'll be fine.
• 9:06
  Speaker 2: I'll leave the car, too, in case he needs it. Well,
• 9:10
  Speaker 2: we'll do what we can, Mr. Prentiss. Let us know
• 9:13
  Speaker 2: the developments. Of course. I want to thank you, Captain.
• 9:17
  Speaker 9: Good night.
• 9:17
  Speaker 4: Good night.
• 9:17
  Speaker 2: Good night, Captain.
• 9:26
  Speaker 8: So John is unwilling to give the name of the
• 9:28
  Speaker 8: man with whom he quarreled. Is it really because he's
• 9:33
  Speaker 8: concerned about the possible embarrassment of an innocent person? Tonight,
• 9:38
  Speaker 8: the house will be well guarded. And as an added protection,
• 9:41
  Speaker 8: Dwight has agreed to stay in the Prentiss' home. John,
• 9:44
  Speaker 8: feeling quite safe, has gone to bed and fallen into
• 9:47
  Speaker 8: a sound sleep. Then, at exactly midnight... Let me go.
• 9:52
  Speaker 2: Let me go. I don't want to die.
• 9:55
  Speaker 3: John.
• 9:56
  Speaker 2: Oh, no, don't throw me off the bridge, no.
• 9:59
  Speaker 4: Wake up, John. Oh, no, no, no. Wake up, wake up, John. Huh? What?
• 10:05
  Speaker 5: Oh, John, you're in your room. Nothing's happening to you.
• 10:08
  Speaker 8: Oh.
• 10:09
  Speaker 4: You've been shouting.
• 10:10
  Speaker 5: Your head off.
• 10:10
  Speaker 4: Mother, Mother, what is it?
• 10:12
  Speaker 5: Your father's had another nightmare.
• 10:14
  Speaker 4: I thought that was it.
• 10:15
  Speaker 2: Yes, Evelyn. It was terrible.
• 10:17
  Speaker 4: What kind of a dream was it? Like the other one?
• 10:20
  Speaker 2: Oh, it was worse. Now I know how I'm going
• 10:23
  Speaker 2: to die and when.
• 10:23
  Speaker 4: Oh, you're not going to die.
• 10:25
  Speaker 2: I'm afraid of you.
• 10:26
  Speaker 5: What did you dream, John?
• 10:29
  Speaker 2: He took me in a car to the old river
• 10:30
  Speaker 2: bridge on Tower Street.
• 10:32
  Speaker 4: Who took you?
• 10:32
  Speaker 2: I don't know.
• 10:33
  Speaker 6: I never saw him before. He tied my hands behind
• 10:36
  Speaker 6: me with a rope, and when we got to the bridge,
• 10:38
  Speaker 6: he dragged me out of the car.
• 10:40
  Speaker 2: And threw me into the river. Oh, my heaven.
• 10:43
  Speaker 6: Just as we came to the bridge, I saw an
• 10:45
  Speaker 6: illuminated clock. The hands were pointing to twelve.
• 10:50
  Speaker 2: That's when I'm going to die.
• 10:51
  Speaker 5: Oh, Daddy.
• 10:51
  Speaker 2: What time is it now?
• 10:52
  Speaker 4: Well, it's after 12.
• 10:54
  Speaker 8: Oh.
• 10:55
  Speaker 2: Then it's tomorrow at midnight, just like that man said.
• 10:57
  Speaker 4: Daddy, don't talk like that. This dream doesn't mean anything.
• 11:00
  Speaker 2: What about my other dream? It meant something.
• 11:02
  Speaker 5: No, it didn't.
• 11:03
  Speaker 4: That phone call didn't have a thing to do.
• 11:04
  Speaker 5: With your dream.
• 11:05
  Speaker 4: It was just a coincidence. Things will look different to
• 11:08
  Speaker 4: you in the morning.
• 11:08
  Speaker 2: Eva. Yes? Would you mind sending Dwight in here?
• 11:12
  Speaker 4: But he's asleep, Daddy.
• 11:13
  Speaker 2: I know, but please send him in. I want to
• 11:16
  Speaker 2: talk to him.
• 11:17
  Speaker 4: Rose? All right.
• 11:31
  Speaker 2: Sit down, Dwight. They told me about the dream, Mr. Prentiss.
• 11:34
  Speaker 6: But I wouldn't let it bother me if I were you.
• 11:35
  Speaker 6: I can't help being bothered. The dream was so vivid, Dwight.
• 11:38
  Speaker 6: And it fits in so perfectly with what's happening in
• 11:41
  Speaker 6: real life.
• 11:42
  Speaker 2: Yes, I'll admit that's rather strange. The reason I sent
• 11:44
  Speaker 2: for you, well.
• 11:46
  Speaker 6: If anything should happen to me, I want you to
• 11:48
  Speaker 6: sort of take charge of things for Clara and Eve.
• 11:50
  Speaker 2: How do you mean? I've made a will that takes
• 11:52
  Speaker 2: care of my property, but there's my life insurance. It
• 11:55
  Speaker 2: amounts to.
• 11:56
  Speaker 6: $ 100, 000, and the money will have to be invested.
• 11:59
  Speaker 2: I see. Who's the insurance payable to?
• 12:02
  Speaker 6: Clara, but of course she knows nothing about investments. You
• 12:04
  Speaker 6: advise her, will you, Dwight? I've got faith in your judgment.
• 12:07
  Speaker 2: Yes. I'd be glad to help in any way I can.
• 12:10
  Speaker 6: Come to think of it, I owe a payment on
• 12:13
  Speaker 6: that policy right now. The grace period isn't up for
• 12:16
  Speaker 6: a couple of days yet. I'll make the payment if
• 12:19
  Speaker 6: I'm still alive. Oh, I have an idea you'll be alive,
• 12:22
  Speaker 6: all right. But as you say, if anything should happen,
• 12:25
  Speaker 6: I'll be glad to advise Mrs.
• 12:26
  Speaker 2: Prentice. Oh, I knew you would, Dwight. And thanks. Next morning,
• 12:32
  Speaker 2: John announces that he will stay at home all day.
• 12:43
  Speaker 8: Clara, upset by the events of the night before, remains
• 12:46
  Speaker 8: in her room. But John is feeling much better. He
• 12:49
  Speaker 8: views things differently with the coming of a new day.
• 12:53
  Speaker 8: He will not yield to this feeling of inevitable doom.
• 12:56
  Speaker 8: He will fight the situation.
• 13:03
  Speaker 2: Hello?
• 13:03
  Speaker 9: Mr.
• 13:04
  Speaker 3: Prentiss?
• 13:04
  Speaker 2: Oh, it's you again. Dwight, get on that extension in
• 13:07
  Speaker 2: the library.
• 13:08
  Speaker 3: Just thought I'd call and ask if you've changed your mind.
• 13:12
  Speaker 2: No, I have not. What's more, I defy you to
• 13:14
  Speaker 2: even lay a hand on me. I'm being protected by
• 13:16
  Speaker 2: the police.
• 13:16
  Speaker 3: Well, ain't that fine. So you won't come across, huh?
• 13:20
  Speaker 2: No, I won't.
• 13:21
  Speaker 3: Look, Prentice, the water in that river is awful cold.
• 13:26
  Speaker 2: What? What did you say? Hello? Dwight, did you hear that?
• 13:32
  Speaker 4: What's the matter, Daddy?
• 13:33
  Speaker 6: Heard every word.
• 13:34
  Speaker 2: Sounded like he meant business.
• 13:35
  Speaker 4: Something wrong?
• 13:35
  Speaker 2: That man, he phoned me again. I don't know what
• 13:38
  Speaker 2: to think.
• 13:38
  Speaker 4: What did he say?
• 13:39
  Speaker 6: He wanted to know if I changed my mind, and
• 13:41
  Speaker 6: when I told him I hadn't, he told me the
• 13:44
  Speaker 6: water in the river would be awfully cold.
• 13:46
  Speaker 2: What? How did he know about my dream? How did
• 13:48
  Speaker 2: he know? Yeah, it's the most uncanny thing I ever
• 13:50
  Speaker 2: heard of. What's the answer to all this?
• 13:52
  Speaker 4: Daddy, he didn't know about your dream. It's just the
• 13:56
  Speaker 4: other way around.
• 13:57
  Speaker 2: What do you mean?
• 13:58
  Speaker 4: I'm afraid Mother's right. Your dreams are foretelling the future, Daddy.
• 14:03
  Speaker 4: They're warning you of what's going to happen.
• 14:14
  Speaker 8: And now John's spirits are crushed again. For if a
• 14:17
  Speaker 8: dream told the truth, then his fate is sealed in
• 14:21
  Speaker 8: spite of anything he can do. Dwight, however, is not
• 14:25
  Speaker 8: ready to give up. He is annoyed with Eva for
• 14:28
  Speaker 8: admitting her belief in the dream.
• 14:30
  Speaker 9: Darling, for your father's sake, you shouldn't have said what
• 14:32
  Speaker 9: you did, even though you believe it yourself.
• 14:34
  Speaker 4: I know, Dwight. Perhaps I shouldn't. I said it before
• 14:37
  Speaker 4: I thought. But there must be something to those dreams.
• 14:39
  Speaker 2: Yes, I know. You got me guessing. But look, let's
• 14:45
  Speaker 2: try to do something.
• 14:46
  Speaker 4: Do what?
• 14:48
  Speaker 9: I've been thinking about this quarrel your father had. He
• 14:50
  Speaker 9: won't tell us the man's name, but maybe we can
• 14:52
  Speaker 9: find out.
• 14:53
  Speaker 4: How?
• 14:54
  Speaker 2: Through your father's secretary. The quarrel took place in his office,
• 14:57
  Speaker 2: you know.
• 14:58
  Speaker 5: Oh, yes.
• 14:59
  Speaker 4: Miss Edwards might know about it.
• 15:00
  Speaker 2: Well, shall we get out and see her?
• 15:01
  Speaker 4: But look, let's not tell her what we want the
• 15:03
  Speaker 4: information for. The less we say about this situation, the better.
• 15:06
  Speaker 2: We'll give her some other reason. Yes. Get your coat
• 15:08
  Speaker 2: and hat on, honey. We'll get out of my car.
• 15:17
  Speaker 4: Miss Edwards, this is Mr. Cooper, my fiancé. How do
• 15:19
  Speaker 4: you do?
• 15:19
  Speaker 2: So it is.
• 15:20
  Speaker 4: We'd like to ask you a few questions, if you
• 15:22
  Speaker 4: can spare us a few moments. Why, yes, of course.
• 15:24
  Speaker 4: My father isn't feeling very well today, and that's why
• 15:26
  Speaker 4: he didn't come down. We've learned that he's rather upset
• 15:29
  Speaker 4: about a heated argument he had recently with some wealthy
• 15:32
  Speaker 4: man here at the office. Argument? Daddy won't talk about it.
• 15:36
  Speaker 4: He hasn't even mentioned the man's name, but it's quite
• 15:38
  Speaker 4: necessary that we find out all we can about it.
• 15:40
  Speaker 4: If you'll tell us who the man was, we'll treat
• 15:42
  Speaker 4: the matter in confidence. But, uh, I don't know of
• 15:44
  Speaker 4: any fuss your father had, Miss Prentiss. He's quite an
• 15:48
  Speaker 4: even-tempered man. Yes? Are you sure you don't remember? Very well.
• 15:53
  Speaker 4: There was an argument. I... I couldn't hear what was
• 15:57
  Speaker 4: being said. They were in your father's private office, but
• 16:00
  Speaker 4: I did hear your father talking quite angrily with Mr.
• 16:02
  Speaker 2: Reeves. Who's he?
• 16:04
  Speaker 4: Milton Reeves. He's been in several big deals with Mr. Prentiss.
• 16:08
  Speaker 4: Couldn't you hear anything that was being said?
• 16:10
  Speaker 5: No.
• 16:11
  Speaker 4: Just their loud voices.
• 16:12
  Speaker 3: Mr.
• 16:12
  Speaker 4: Reeves was angry, too, but I really couldn't make out
• 16:15
  Speaker 4: what they said.
• 16:16
  Speaker 2: No? Well, at any rate, we've got something to go on, Eva. Yes.
• 16:19
  Speaker 4: I think we'd better have a talk with Mr.
• 16:21
  Speaker 3: Reeves.
• 16:22
  Speaker 4: Thank you, Miss Edwards. You won't tell Mr. Prentiss that
• 16:24
  Speaker 4: I said anything, will you? And Mr. Reeves either. Oh, no.
• 16:28
  Speaker 4: You can depend on that.
• 16:40
  Speaker 2: I'm Dwight Cooper, Mr. Reeves.
• 16:42
  Speaker 9: This is Miss Prentice. How do you do, Miss Prentice?
• 16:45
  Speaker 9: John Prentice's daughter, aren't you?
• 16:47
  Speaker 4: Yes, I am.
• 16:48
  Speaker 2: Well, what is it, Mr. Cooper?
• 16:50
  Speaker 9: I'm in a bit of a hurry. I'm going away
• 16:53
  Speaker 9: on a trip this afternoon. I'll be very brief. We've
• 16:56
  Speaker 9: heard that you and Mr. Prentice had some sort of
• 16:58
  Speaker 9: a disagreement with each other a few days ago.
• 17:00
  Speaker 8: Yes?
• 17:01
  Speaker 2: Who told you that? Mr.
• 17:03
  Speaker 9: Prentice is quite ill, Mr. Reeves, and we think it's
• 17:05
  Speaker 9: a result of that quarrel. If we could find out
• 17:08
  Speaker 9: something about it, we might be able to straighten him out. Well,
• 17:11
  Speaker 9: John knows all about it.
• 17:12
  Speaker 4: He won't talk about it, Mr.
• 17:13
  Speaker 2: Reeves. He won't, eh?
• 17:15
  Speaker 9: Well, John shouldn't let a thing like that get him down.
• 17:17
  Speaker 9: Business is business, you know. He wanted me to renew
• 17:20
  Speaker 9: a loan, and I refused to do it.
• 17:22
  Speaker 2: So that was it. In his particular business, well....
• 17:27
  Speaker 9: I don't know what the future will be with all
• 17:28
  Speaker 9: this rationing and priorities. Had you promised to renew the loan? Well,
• 17:33
  Speaker 9: as a matter of fact, I had. But I changed
• 17:35
  Speaker 9: my mind, which is my privilege. John wanted me to
• 17:39
  Speaker 9: wait a few days. Said he was trying to borrow
• 17:40
  Speaker 9: some money from the state mutual. But I didn't think
• 17:43
  Speaker 9: it was good business to wait, so I called the loan.
• 17:46
  Speaker 2: Oh, I see. I imagine that made him pretty angry.
• 17:49
  Speaker 2: Did it?
• 17:50
  Speaker 9: You'll pardon me, Miss Prentiss, for talking so frankly about
• 17:53
  Speaker 9: your father, but... Really, I never heard a man get
• 17:55
  Speaker 9: so abusive in my life. Why, he actually threatened me.
• 17:58
  Speaker 2: Yes? He acted like a schoolboy. Said he'd get revenge.
• 18:01
  Speaker 2: Do you think he will get revenge? Oh, no, no, I.
• 18:04
  Speaker 9: Oh, yes. You're afraid of him, aren't you? You'd like
• 18:07
  Speaker 9: to arrange things so he couldn't possibly get revenge, wouldn't you, Mr.
• 18:09
  Speaker 2: Reeves?
• 18:10
  Speaker 4: Did you threaten him?
• 18:11
  Speaker 2: Say, what are you getting at? I think you know
• 18:13
  Speaker 2: what we're getting at. I do not. Now, see here.
• 18:16
  Speaker 9: I've told you all I'm going to tell you, so
• 18:18
  Speaker 9: now I'll ask you both to leave.
• 18:19
  Speaker 2: Surely. You've told us quite enough, Mr. Reeves.
• 18:32
  Speaker 4: Dwight, hadn't we better go to the police station and
• 18:34
  Speaker 4: tell Captain Arnold?
• 18:35
  Speaker 9: No, darling, not yet. But I'm sure Reeves is the
• 18:38
  Speaker 9: one who hired that thug to kill your father.
• 18:40
  Speaker 4: So am I.
• 18:41
  Speaker 9: He said he was going on a trip. He wants
• 18:44
  Speaker 9: to be out of the way when it happens, so
• 18:46
  Speaker 9: he won't be suspected.
• 18:47
  Speaker 2: Of course.
• 18:48
  Speaker 4: But why shouldn't we have him arrested?
• 18:50
  Speaker 2: I'd like to get more evidence first. I want to
• 18:52
  Speaker 2: find out more about that loan. Who do you think
• 18:55
  Speaker 2: could tell me?
• 18:56
  Speaker 4: Well, Mr. McAdams ought to be able to tell you.
• 18:59
  Speaker 4: He's the treasurer of Daddy's firm.
• 19:00
  Speaker 2: All right, I'll go see him. Look, honey, suppose you
• 19:03
  Speaker 2: take a taxi and go on home. See how things
• 19:05
  Speaker 2: are getting along.
• 19:05
  Speaker 4: Oh, Dwight, I.
• 19:06
  Speaker 2: Please, honey, I may have to do some running around. Look,
• 19:09
  Speaker 2: don't tell your father about this. Oh, no.
• 19:12
  Speaker 4: All right, Dwight, but don't be gone too long.
• 19:22
  Speaker 8: But Dwight has been gone much too long to suit Eva.
• 19:27
  Speaker 2: It is now 11.30 at night.
• 19:30
  Speaker 8: Eva and her mother have become increasingly nervous as the
• 19:33
  Speaker 8: clock ticks off the seconds, bringing the time closer and
• 19:37
  Speaker 8: closer to midnight, John's last moment on Earth.
• 19:41
  Speaker 4: Oh, for heaven's sakes, Dwight, where have you been? We've
• 19:44
  Speaker 4: been worried to death.
• 19:45
  Speaker 9: Well, one thing led to another. Gaddams had gone out
• 19:48
  Speaker 9: in the country, but I finally caught up with him.
• 19:50
  Speaker 4: Have you told the police about Mr.
• 19:51
  Speaker 2: Reeves? No, I haven't. Where's Mr.
• 19:53
  Speaker 4: Prentice? In the library. He's in a terrible state of mind, Dwight.
• 19:56
  Speaker 4: He's got the door locked. He told the policeman to
• 19:58
  Speaker 4: stand outside his window. Someone at the door.
• 20:01
  Speaker 5: Oh, my heavens.
• 20:02
  Speaker 4: Oh, why didn't that policeman stop? Now, don't get panicky.
• 20:04
  Speaker 2: I'll see who it is.
• 20:07
  Speaker 4: Open the wicket.
• 20:10
  Speaker 2: It's a messenger boy.
• 20:11
  Speaker 4: It might be a trick.
• 20:13
  Speaker 2: Looks all right. Telegram for Mr.
• 20:17
  Speaker 4: Prentice.
• 20:17
  Speaker 2: All right, I'll take it. Signed here. There you are.
• 20:21
  Speaker 4: Here.
• 20:22
  Speaker 2: Oh, thanks, mister.
• 20:25
  Speaker 4: I wonder who'd be.
• 20:26
  Speaker 2: Mrs. Prentice, have I your permission to open this message?
• 20:31
  Speaker 2: For certain reasons, I'd like to see who it's from.
• 20:34
  Speaker 4: Why, yes, do I. Go ahead. What is it, Dwight?
• 20:42
  Speaker 2: It's important. Very important. I've got to show it to
• 20:45
  Speaker 2: your father right away.
• 20:46
  Speaker 6: Mr.
• 20:50
  Speaker 2: Prentiss, open up. It's Dwight. Mr. Prentiss.
• 20:54
  Speaker 4: It's all right, Daddy. Unlock the door. Dwight's got a
• 20:57
  Speaker 4: telegram for you.
• 20:59
  Speaker 8: Hmm.
• 21:00
  Speaker 2: Why doesn't he answer? Go outside and look through the window.
• 21:03
  Speaker 2: The officer's out there. Come on.
• 21:04
  Speaker 5: Come on.
• 21:11
  Speaker 2: Where is that officer, Eva?
• 21:12
  Speaker 8: I don't see him.
• 21:12
  Speaker 4: I don't know, Dwight. Daddy told him to stay right
• 21:14
  Speaker 4: here by the window.
• 21:15
  Speaker 2: Eva, look. The window's wide open.
• 21:18
  Speaker 5: What?
• 21:20
  Speaker 2: What's that?
• 21:21
  Speaker 4: Oh, my heaven. There's a policeman on the ground. Something's
• 21:23
  Speaker 4: happened to him. He's hurt.
• 21:26
  Speaker 1: Officer.
• 21:27
  Speaker 2: Officer. He's coming around.
• 21:29
  Speaker 3: What happened? I.
• 21:33
  Speaker 9: I seen a car drive up in the alley.
• 21:35
  Speaker 2: Light-colored sedan. And just as I... I started to investigate.
• 21:40
  Speaker 2: Somebody slugs me in the back of the head. That's
• 21:43
  Speaker 2: all I remember.
• 21:44
  Speaker 4: They've got him. They've got Daddy.
• 21:46
  Speaker 2: Darling, I'm going after that sedan.
• 21:47
  Speaker 4: How do you know where it went?
• 21:48
  Speaker 2: I'll find it. I'll drive to the Tower Street Bridge.
• 21:50
  Speaker 4: I'm going with you.
• 21:51
  Speaker 2: No, you stay here, Eva.
• 22:00
  Speaker 8: And why does Dwight think he'll find the light-colored sedan
• 22:03
  Speaker 8: at the Tower Street Bridge? Is it because Mr. Prentiss
• 22:06
  Speaker 8: saw that bridge in his dream? is there another reason,
• 22:10
  Speaker 8: a reason known only to Dwight. But Eva can't wait,
• 22:13
  Speaker 8: and so a moment later, another car speeds toward the bridge,
• 22:16
  Speaker 8: the policeman's car. The officer is at the wheel, and
• 22:19
  Speaker 8: Eva and Clara are by his side.
• 22:21
  Speaker 4: Oh, officer, can't you go faster?
• 22:25
  Speaker 9: I'm driving as fast as I can, Miss Prentiss. Say,
• 22:29
  Speaker 9: I'd better put in a radio call to headquarters and
• 22:32
  Speaker 9: have them send a squad car to the other side
• 22:33
  Speaker 9: of that bridge. No telling what we'll run into there.
• 22:44
  Speaker 4: There's the bridge right ahead, officer.
• 22:46
  Speaker 2: I see it. What clock?
• 22:48
  Speaker 4: The one Daddy saw in his dream.
• 22:50
  Speaker 2: Look.
• 22:50
  Speaker 4: It's midnight.
• 22:52
  Speaker 2: I don't know nothing about the dream, Miss Prentiss.
• 22:54
  Speaker 7: All I know.
• 22:54
  Speaker 4: I see a car out on the bridge.
• 22:55
  Speaker 2: You see it? That's the baby. That's the one I
• 22:59
  Speaker 2: saw at the house.
• 22:59
  Speaker 4: Where's Dwight's car? Dwight's car isn't there.
• 23:02
  Speaker 2: He must have got lost. You say, we'd better watch
• 23:05
  Speaker 2: our step. What car? I ain't come to the other
• 23:08
  Speaker 2: end yet.
• 23:08
  Speaker 4: Oh, hurry, officer.
• 23:10
  Speaker 2: Now, don't you get out of the car. You stay here.
• 23:12
  Speaker 2: I'll see what's going on.
• 23:13
  Speaker 4: Yes, but hurry.
• 23:21
  Speaker 2: All right, Miss Ventus. You and your mother can come here.
• 23:24
  Speaker 4: Is Daddy there?
• 23:26
  Speaker 2: There ain't a soul here. The car's deserted.
• 23:28
  Speaker 4: There'll be two ladies. He's already done it.
• 23:31
  Speaker 2: Who's done what?
• 23:32
  Speaker 4: Oh, can't you remember anything I told you about Daddy's dream?
• 23:35
  Speaker 4: I'm talking about that man. He's thrown Daddy in the water.
• 23:38
  Speaker 9: Oh.
• 23:38
  Speaker 4: Isn't there something we can do? It couldn't have happened
• 23:40
  Speaker 4: very long ago.
• 23:41
  Speaker 9: If your father's been thrown in the river, Miss Pintus,
• 23:43
  Speaker 9: he's a goner. But now, nobody could swim in that pond.
• 23:47
  Speaker 4: Oh, poor Daddy.
• 23:48
  Speaker 2: What I can't figure out is why the guy left
• 23:50
  Speaker 2: the car here.
• 23:51
  Speaker 4: Oh, poor John. Hey, look.
• 23:54
  Speaker 2: There's some rope in the back of the car. And
• 23:56
  Speaker 2: a knife.
• 23:57
  Speaker 4: He tied Daddy's hands.
• 23:59
  Speaker 2: Hey, here comes the squad car now. They're coming in
• 24:02
  Speaker 2: from the other end of the bridge.
• 24:04
  Speaker 4: Officer, who's this car registered to?
• 24:06
  Speaker 2: Wait a minute. By golly, there's no registration slip in it.
• 24:11
  Speaker 4: I know who it belongs to. Milton Reed.
• 24:14
  Speaker 2: I'll take the number and we'll check on it later.
• 24:16
  Speaker 2: What's up, Gack? It looks like there's some dirty work
• 24:22
  Speaker 2: been going on here.
• 24:23
  Speaker 4: Yeah?
• 24:23
  Speaker 2: Yeah. Maybe this guy knows something about it. Quit showing me,
• 24:27
  Speaker 2: will you? Where'd you pick him up? He was running
• 24:30
  Speaker 2: away from the bridge. Oh, he was, huh? All right, buddy.
• 24:34
  Speaker 2: What do you know about this sedan? Not a thing.
• 24:37
  Speaker 2: I wasn't on the bridge.
• 24:38
  Speaker 4: That's him. That's the man who threatened Daddy over the phone.
• 24:41
  Speaker 4: I can tell by his voice.
• 24:42
  Speaker 2: Well, now we're getting someplace. All right, you. Give. Where's Mr. Prentiss?
• 24:49
  Speaker 2: I don't know what you're talking about. You threw him
• 24:51
  Speaker 2: into the river, didn't you? No. You're a liar. Come on, talk.
• 24:54
  Speaker 2: I don't know nothing. We'll get you to talk at headquarters.
• 25:04
  Speaker 8: A few minutes later, the river's being dragged for Prentiss's body.
• 25:08
  Speaker 8: But what has become of Dwight? He hasn't been seen
• 25:11
  Speaker 8: since he drove away toward the bridge. Two heartbroken women
• 25:15
  Speaker 8: return home to wait for the sad news. They step
• 25:18
  Speaker 8: into the house. Mrs. Prentiss breaks into a sob.
• 25:23
  Speaker 4: Our mother, he was trying to get hold of you, Sue.
• 25:26
  Speaker 4: We must try to be brave. Oh, I know, dear.
• 25:29
  Speaker 5: I know.
• 25:30
  Speaker 4: What has become of Dwight? I don't know what on
• 25:34
  Speaker 4: earth could have happened to him.
• 25:36
  Speaker 2: Eva, darling.
• 25:37
  Speaker 4: Dwight, what are you doing there in the library? We
• 25:39
  Speaker 4: thought you'd run out on us.
• 25:41
  Speaker 2: Well, I haven't been here long.
• 25:43
  Speaker 4: Oh, Dwight, it's terrible. I never dreamed such a thing
• 25:46
  Speaker 4: was going to happen.
• 25:47
  Speaker 2: Now, now, just be patient, darling. I'll tell you everything.
• 25:51
  Speaker 2: I told you I finally saw McAdams.
• 25:52
  Speaker 6: Yes.
• 25:53
  Speaker 9: Well, the story about the loan was a lot worse
• 25:56
  Speaker 9: than we thought. I found that Reeves had a grudge
• 25:59
  Speaker 9: against your father. So he planned to ruin him and
• 26:02
  Speaker 9: get everything he had. And he did just that. By
• 26:05
  Speaker 9: refusing to renew and calling the loan. He did it deliberately.
• 26:10
  Speaker 9: He worked in a backhanded manner and wrecked the business.
• 26:13
  Speaker 9: He held the paper on everything your father owned.
• 26:16
  Speaker 4: Father... Father's broke.
• 26:19
  Speaker 2: Yes.
• 26:21
  Speaker 9: Reeves broke your father. Absolutely penniless. Reeves has the business,
• 26:25
  Speaker 9: this house, everything. He pulled it so fast that your
• 26:28
  Speaker 9: father hadn't a chance to get on his feet. When
• 26:31
  Speaker 9: I found that out, I suspected the truth, but I
• 26:32
  Speaker 9: wasn't sure until I.
• 26:33
  Speaker 2: Got to that bridge.
• 26:34
  Speaker 4: The truth? Then you did go to the bridge.
• 26:36
  Speaker 2: I did.
• 26:37
  Speaker 9: And I got there just in time to prevent the tragedy.
• 26:39
  Speaker 9: I pulled your father into my car by force, turned
• 26:42
  Speaker 9: around on the bridge, and came back here.
• 26:43
  Speaker 4: What are you saying? He isn't dead.
• 26:46
  Speaker 2: No, he's here, in the library.
• 26:48
  Speaker 4: Oh, Kevin.
• 26:50
  Speaker 2: John. No, no, just a minute, please. I'll bring him in.
• 26:56
  Speaker 2: Come in, Miss Prentiss.
• 26:57
  Speaker 4: Oh, Father, thank heaven you're safe. John, what happened?
• 27:00
  Speaker 2: I know how you feel, Mr. Prentiss, but you'd better
• 27:03
  Speaker 2: tell them. Yes, Dwight, I will.
• 27:05
  Speaker 6: You see, my dears, I just couldn't bear the thought
• 27:08
  Speaker 6: of my wife and daughter suffering poverty. The only thing
• 27:10
  Speaker 6: I had left was that insurance policy, and it would
• 27:12
  Speaker 6: have lapsed.
• 27:13
  Speaker 2: In another day. I had to think fast.
• 27:15
  Speaker 4: John, you don't mean.
• 27:16
  Speaker 6: If I'd commit suicide while the policy was in effect,
• 27:18
  Speaker 6: you'd get.
• 27:19
  Speaker 2: $ 100, 000.
• 27:20
  Speaker 6: But I wanted to spare you the disgrace of a suicide,
• 27:22
  Speaker 6: so I decided to kill myself and make it appear as.
• 27:25
  Speaker 2: Though I'd been murdered. Oh. Then, as I developed the plan,
• 27:28
  Speaker 2: I got an inspiration. Why not hang the murder on Reeves,
• 27:31
  Speaker 2: the man who had deliberately ruined me? That would be
• 27:33
  Speaker 2: my revenge. Well, now you know the whole story. Now
• 27:38
  Speaker 2: you understand the nightmares.
• 27:39
  Speaker 4: But the telephone call.
• 27:41
  Speaker 6: I hired the man to make the calls and steal
• 27:43
  Speaker 6: Reeves' car and drive me to the bridge and then
• 27:45
  Speaker 6: Jimmy the motor, as though it had stalled. All so
• 27:48
  Speaker 6: that my murder could be traced directly to Reeves, who
• 27:51
  Speaker 6: really had a motive to kill me.
• 27:52
  Speaker 2: What motive? My secretary knew all about it.
• 27:54
  Speaker 6: When I discovered it was Reeves who was back at
• 27:56
  Speaker 6: my failure, I threatened to divulge something I knew about him.
• 27:59
  Speaker 2: He flew into a rage.
• 28:01
  Speaker 6: The secretary heard him, and that was just what I wanted.
• 28:04
  Speaker 6: But I knew I couldn't raise the money quickly enough,
• 28:06
  Speaker 6: and my insurance policy was up tomorrow at noon. Well,
• 28:12
  Speaker 6: that's the story. And it's all a miserable mess.
• 28:20
  Speaker 8: Yes, John, it's all a very, very sad situation. Oh,
• 28:24
  Speaker 8: but wait a minute. What about that telegram the boy
• 28:27
  Speaker 8: delivered earlier? Where does that fit in? Was that part
• 28:30
  Speaker 8: of your plan, John?
• 28:32
  Speaker 2: Telegram? What telegram? Let me see it, Dwight. Why, it's...
• 28:39
  Speaker 2: it's from the state mutual.
• 28:40
  Speaker 6: They've granted the loan I requested.
• 28:44
  Speaker 8: Yes, John, they've granted the loan. Now you can straighten
• 28:47
  Speaker 8: things out. Now you can get back on your feet again.
• 28:49
  Speaker 8: But think, John, what a sad tale this would have been...
• 28:53
  Speaker 8: if you'd followed through with your plan and Dwight hadn't
• 28:57
  Speaker 8: caught you on the bridge at midnight.
• 29:00
  Speaker 5: The End.
• 29:22
  Speaker 7: CBS has presented The Whistler. Original music for this production
• 29:32
  Speaker 7: was composed and conducted by Wilbur Hatch. Tonight's Whistler story
• 29:36
  Speaker 7: was written by Herbert Conner, directed by J.
• 29:39
  Speaker 2: Donald Wilson. and came to you from Columbia Square in Hollywood.
• 29:44
  Speaker 2: Next Sunday, 9.15... I, the.
• 29:47
  Speaker 8: Whistler, will return to tell you another unusual tale.
• 29:53
  Speaker 2: Good night. This is the Columbia Broadcasting System.
• 30:14
  Speaker 1: Our time with The Whistler, Death Comes at Midnight, has
• 30:17
  Speaker 1: come to a close. Follow The Whistler for more classic broadcasts.