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The Whistler - "Till Death Do Us Part" (Old Time Radio, 1944) · The Whistler | Old Time Radio

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: On July 30th, 1944, The Whistler aired episode 115. This
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: installment is titled, Till Death Do Us Part. Settle in
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: for another visit with one of radio's enduring suspense series.
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: And now, we return to the original broadcast.
• 0:18
  Speaker 2: And now, stay tuned for the mystery program that is
• 0:20
  Speaker 2: unique among all mystery programs. Because even when you know
• 0:24
  Speaker 2: who's guilty, you always receive a startling surprise at the
• 0:28
  Speaker 2: final curtain.
• 0:29
  Speaker 3: In The Whistler.
• 0:48
  Speaker 4: I am The Whistler. And I know many things, for
• 0:51
  Speaker 4: I walk by night. I know many strange tales hidden
• 0:55
  Speaker 4: in the hearts of men and women who have stepped
• 0:57
  Speaker 4: into the shadows.
• 0:59
  Speaker 5: Yes, I know the nameless terrors of which they dare
• 1:03
  Speaker 5: not speak.
• 1:10
  Speaker 2: Yes, friends, it's time for The Whistler, rated by Independent Research,
• 1:14
  Speaker 2: the most popular West Coast program in radio history.
• 1:37
  Speaker 6: And now, The Whistler's Strange Story.
• 1:40
  Speaker 3: Till death do us part.
• 1:50
  Speaker 5: Roy Layton's quarters in the cheap boarding house were anything
• 1:53
  Speaker 5: but inviting. And from where he sat on the edge
• 1:56
  Speaker 5: of the sagging brass post of bed, Roy's.
• 1:59
  Speaker 4: View of the outside world was a dismal one.
• 2:02
  Speaker 5: The assortment of unopened bills and collection notices in the
• 2:06
  Speaker 5: nearby wastebasket held their grim message, too. They told him
• 2:10
  Speaker 5: that he'd have to be moving on soon.
• 2:12
  Speaker 4: Change his address. The one that he wanted, but had
• 2:16
  Speaker 4: given up hoping for, wasn't there.
• 2:18
  Speaker 6: Never would be, he reasoned.
• 2:20
  Speaker 5: And the knock on the door, rousing him from his
• 2:23
  Speaker 5: mental fumblings, could mean only one thing.
• 2:26
  Speaker 4: The landlady and her oft-repeated demand.
• 2:30
  Speaker 7: I'm back again, Mr.
• 2:31
  Speaker 8: Layton, to ask you once and for all, do you have.
• 2:35
  Speaker 4: The rent money? I know, I know.
• 2:38
  Speaker 9: You know that the minute I hear from my uncle.
• 2:40
  Speaker 6: You've been saying that for months now.
• 2:42
  Speaker 7: The minute you hear from your Uncle Morton in Mexico. Well,
• 2:46
  Speaker 7: I'm tired of that, too. Tired of hearing of an
• 2:49
  Speaker 7: uncle that, for all I know, might not even exist.
• 2:52
  Speaker 4: Oh, you're so sweet.
• 2:54
  Speaker 6: A real doll.
• 2:56
  Speaker 9: I'm sorry about the rent. Now, if you'll excuse me,
• 2:59
  Speaker 9: I'm going out to get a breath of air.
• 3:01
  Speaker 4: Good night, Mrs.
• 3:02
  Speaker 6: Bizzacchioli.
• 3:03
  Speaker 9: I'd appreciate it if you'd fix the latch while I'm out.
• 3:06
  Speaker 7: I'll fix the latch. Oh, well, it's shut.
• 3:09
  Speaker 8: That's what I'll do.
• 3:19
  Speaker 5: As you leave the house and start walking toward Vermont Avenue,
• 3:23
  Speaker 5: you're pretty sure that this time your landlady means what
• 3:26
  Speaker 5: she says. It's tough, isn't it, Roy? Things never seem
• 3:30
  Speaker 5: to go right for you. You'd like a drink, then
• 3:33
  Speaker 5: decide you'd better skip it. Conserve the few dollars you
• 3:36
  Speaker 5: have left in case your landlady carries out a threat
• 3:39
  Speaker 5: to lock you out. Then you remember Angelo's, a second-rate
• 3:44
  Speaker 5: cocktail lounge a couple of blocks away. Whereas late as yesterday,
• 3:48
  Speaker 5: your credit was still good. But once there, you find
• 3:51
  Speaker 5: things have changed at Angelo's, too. Mac, the bartender is
• 3:55
  Speaker 5: even slower than usual in coming over to you.
• 3:58
  Speaker 4: Sorry, kid. And when he does... No dice.
• 4:00
  Speaker 7: Huh?
• 4:00
  Speaker 4: What are you talking about, Mac? I didn't even order. Well,
• 4:04
  Speaker 4: I thought I'd save you the trouble. Angelo says no
• 4:06
  Speaker 4: more stuff on the cup. But, Mac, I haven't run
• 4:09
  Speaker 4: up a bill on him. At least not a big one. Yeah,
• 4:11
  Speaker 4: Angelo knows that. But he wants to keep it that way.
• 4:14
  Speaker 4: I'm sorry, kid. I just work here. I want to
• 4:16
  Speaker 4: keep on working here.
• 4:18
  Speaker 7: In that case, you better get busy and fix my
• 4:20
  Speaker 7: friend a drink.
• 4:20
  Speaker 8: Huh?
• 4:22
  Speaker 7: You don't mind, do you, Roy?
• 4:23
  Speaker 3: Roy?
• 4:25
  Speaker 7: Roy Layton. That is your name, isn't it? Sure.
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  Speaker 4: How did you know?
• 4:31
  Speaker 7: Well, I know quite a little about you. I've been
• 4:34
  Speaker 7: checking up. Um, what's his name?
• 4:38
  Speaker 4: Oh, Mac?
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  Speaker 7: Mac, yes.
• 4:41
  Speaker 8: Mac, you'd better get started before all your eyes melt.
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  Speaker 8: A pair of scotch and suez.
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  Speaker 4: Oh, sure, lady.
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  Speaker 7: Sure.
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  Speaker 4: Say, now, wait a minute. Why should a good-looking, strange gal.
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  Speaker 8: Now, Roy, don't go saying things you don't mean. Besides,
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  Speaker 8: I don't have to be a strange gal. Not if
• 5:00
  Speaker 8: you know my name.
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  Speaker 7: It's Linda. Linda McKelvey.
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  Speaker 4: So?
• 5:06
  Speaker 7: So, uh, don't you think it's kind of pretty?
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  Speaker 4: Maybe. Anyway, these drinks are. Set them down easy, Mac.
• 5:14
  Speaker 9: Yeah.
• 5:15
  Speaker 4: And since I'm drinking with a lady, trot out a
• 5:16
  Speaker 4: couple of cocktail napkins. Okay, okay.
• 5:19
  Speaker 7: Thank you, Mac.
• 5:20
  Speaker 4: Skip it.
• 5:22
  Speaker 7: To us, Roy.
• 5:23
  Speaker 4: Huh? Sure. To us.
• 5:27
  Speaker 7: Mmm.
• 5:29
  Speaker 4: Drinks okay.
• 5:30
  Speaker 7: Very good for a place like this.
• 5:33
  Speaker 4: You look like you could afford better. What brought you along?
• 5:37
  Speaker 5: You.
• 5:38
  Speaker 9: Me?
• 5:39
  Speaker 4: Oh, sure. Now, look, lady.
• 5:43
  Speaker 7: Linda.
• 5:44
  Speaker 4: Linda, look, I'm just sitting here minding my own business.
• 5:48
  Speaker 7: But unable to do any, huh?
• 5:49
  Speaker 4: So that's my business, too.
• 5:51
  Speaker 7: And mine.
• 5:53
  Speaker 6: Roy.
• 5:54
  Speaker 8: Roy, I've been checking up on you for quite a while.
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  Speaker 8: And you fit my picture very nicely. And you do need.
• 6:04
  Speaker 7: $ 5, 000.
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  Speaker 5: Yes.
• 6:09
  Speaker 9: I need $ 5, 000.
• 6:12
  Speaker 4: Oh, I get it.
• 6:13
  Speaker 9: Santa Claus finally got my letter and he sent you
• 6:16
  Speaker 9: to bring it.
• 6:18
  Speaker 7: Nothing like that. Nothing altruistic.
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  Speaker 4: Big word. You are out of place here.
• 6:24
  Speaker 7: So are you, Roy.
• 6:26
  Speaker 8: I've got $ 5, 000 that says you are.
• 6:31
  Speaker 7: Going to listen to me?
• 6:33
  Speaker 4: How can I help it? Go ahead.
• 6:36
  Speaker 7: Roy, Roy, I'm... well, I'm.
• 6:40
  Speaker 8: Used to nice things. To be crass, I like money.
• 6:47
  Speaker 8: My share, I mean. Maybe even a little bit more.
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  Speaker 8: I guess I'm just not a very nice person.
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  Speaker 4: Not many of my friends are. But I'm still listening.
• 6:59
  Speaker 4: Fair enough.
• 7:01
  Speaker 7: Oh, how about going somewhere else, huh?
• 7:04
  Speaker 6: Hmm?
• 7:05
  Speaker 7: My car's parked outside.
• 7:08
  Speaker 4: Okay, lady.
• 7:10
  Speaker 7: Linda. And you'd better get used to it.
• 7:20
  Speaker 5: It's as bewildering to you as it was to Mac,
• 7:22
  Speaker 5: isn't it? This girl, Linda McKelvey, dropping into your life
• 7:26
  Speaker 5: from nowhere. Talking in circles and buying rounds of drinks.
• 7:31
  Speaker 5: You wonder when the dream will turn into a nightmare.
• 7:35
  Speaker 5: When she is going to give you the name of
• 7:36
  Speaker 5: the bank she once held up. But it's nothing like that,
• 7:40
  Speaker 5: is it? And sitting beside her in the car, you
• 7:43
  Speaker 5: finally get.
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  Speaker 4: The complete picture.
• 7:45
  Speaker 6: It's a little fantastic.
• 7:47
  Speaker 5: You want her to repeat part of it, and then
• 7:49
  Speaker 5: it's all quite clear.
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  Speaker 6: You really mean it?
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  Speaker 4: You want me to marry you, and you'll pay me 5,000 bucks?
• 7:58
  Speaker 7: Now, is it such a difficult assignment?
• 8:01
  Speaker 4: No, no, but.
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  Speaker 7: But you still can't see why, huh?
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  Speaker 8: All right, I'll run through it again, as many times
• 8:09
  Speaker 8: as you want to hear it, Roy. I've got to
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  Speaker 8: have a husband, a legal, honest-to-goodness man about the house.
• 8:15
  Speaker 4: And you've got to have him, me, by this certain
• 8:18
  Speaker 4: date you mentioned.
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  Speaker 7: Yes, my 25th birthday, two months from now. Oh, simple enough.
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  Speaker 7: My late uncle was eccentric, narrow-minded, opinionated.
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  Speaker 4: And rich.
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  Speaker 7: Very rich.
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  Speaker 8: According to his will, if I marry on or before
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  Speaker 8: my 25th birthday, I inherit over a quarter of a
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  Speaker 8: million dollars.
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  Speaker 7: And if I don't, everything goes to charity.
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  Speaker 4: And you are your favorite charity.
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  Speaker 7: I certainly am.
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  Speaker 4: But why me, Linda? You could have lots of guys.
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  Speaker 7: I don't want lots of guys.
• 8:52
  Speaker 4: Oh, now wait a minute. You don't know me for madam.
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  Speaker 7: All right, Roy. I'll tell you the truth.
• 9:00
  Speaker 8: I love someone else, but... I made the mistake of
• 9:03
  Speaker 8: falling for a married man. And his divorce won't be
• 9:06
  Speaker 8: final for six months. That's too late to meet the
• 9:09
  Speaker 8: demands of the inheritance.
• 9:10
  Speaker 4: Oh, that's different. You ought to eat your cake and
• 9:13
  Speaker 4: have 250 G's.
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  Speaker 7: Well, something like that.
• 9:18
  Speaker 6: Well, Roy? I marry you, we make it look.
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  Speaker 4: Good, and then later we get a quiet divorce.
• 9:23
  Speaker 7: Exactly. You're $ 5, 000 richer and nobody's the wiser. Once I've
• 9:30
  Speaker 7: got the money, there's nothing anybody can do about it.
• 9:33
  Speaker 7: What do you say, Roy?
• 9:34
  Speaker 9: I say I wish I had a rich uncle. Mine,
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  Speaker 9: he doesn't even answer my letters. Yours leaves you a
• 9:40
  Speaker 9: quarter of a million bucks.
• 9:41
  Speaker 7: Why, that $ 5, 000 will give you a new start in life, Roy.
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  Speaker 8: And until we're divorced, why, you'll dress well and live
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  Speaker 8: quite comfortably in Mr.
• 9:52
  Speaker 3: And Mrs.
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  Speaker 7: Roy Layton's apartment.
• 9:56
  Speaker 6: Well.
• 9:58
  Speaker 7: Must I unbended knee?
• 10:00
  Speaker 4: Find the preacher, honey. I'll do anything for money.
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  Speaker 8: Flatterer.
• 10:16
  Speaker 5: The wedding a few days later isn't what every boy
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  Speaker 5: and girl dreams about, is.
• 10:20
  Speaker 6: It, Roy? But the hollow words the pair of.
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  Speaker 5: You speak are just as binding in a legal sense.
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  Speaker 5: And you drive off swiftly as Mr.
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  Speaker 4: And Mrs.
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  Speaker 6: Roy Layton.
• 10:30
  Speaker 4: You even have a sense of elation in the new
• 10:32
  Speaker 4: clothes you're wearing.
• 10:34
  Speaker 5: And returning to Linda's top floor apartment, twelve floors up
• 10:38
  Speaker 5: in the best part of town, makes it complete. More
• 10:41
  Speaker 5: complete than either of you expected. For as you step
• 10:44
  Speaker 5: from the elevator and she opens the door to let
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  Speaker 5: you in.
• 10:51
  Speaker 4: What the devil?
• 10:52
  Speaker 7: No, no, Linda, dear, don't come in.
• 10:54
  Speaker 6: He must carry you.
• 10:56
  Speaker 7: Carry you across the threshold.
• 10:57
  Speaker 6: Oh, yes.
• 11:00
  Speaker 7: Well, Roy?
• 11:01
  Speaker 4: Oh, of course. Great, great.
• 11:04
  Speaker 6: That's better, much better. And now we'll all just scoot
• 11:07
  Speaker 6: right along, Mrs.
• 11:07
  Speaker 7: Layton.
• 11:08
  Speaker 6: We just didn't want you two to arrive without any
• 11:10
  Speaker 6: reception at all.
• 11:11
  Speaker 7: Why, that's awfully nice of you to know, Miss Prentiss.
• 11:14
  Speaker 7: Not at all, and I enjoyed it. Oh, so romantic. Mrs. Roy,
• 11:22
  Speaker 7: my husband.
• 11:22
  Speaker 4: Nice to meet you.
• 11:23
  Speaker 6: You'll forgive us, won't you, Mrs.
• 11:25
  Speaker 7: Layton?
• 11:25
  Speaker 6: We just wanted you to know your neighbors are happy
• 11:28
  Speaker 6: for you.
• 11:28
  Speaker 7: Why, of course. It was nice of you all to
• 11:31
  Speaker 7: think about it.
• 11:31
  Speaker 6: Well, we'll be running along. Good night.
• 11:33
  Speaker 4: Good night.
• 11:34
  Speaker 7: Good night. And drop in and see us any time, Mr.
• 11:37
  Speaker 5: Knowles.
• 11:38
  Speaker 6: Good night.
• 11:38
  Speaker 4: How did they get in here? Mr.
• 11:44
  Speaker 7: Knowles manages the apartment.
• 11:46
  Speaker 4: Oh, well. Well, incidentally, it's some layout.
• 11:53
  Speaker 7: As I told you, I like nice things, Royce.
• 11:55
  Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah.
• 11:57
  Speaker 7: You know that Miss Prentiss? We'll have to watch her.
• 12:00
  Speaker 7: She's an inquisitive type.
• 12:01
  Speaker 4: Hmm?
• 12:02
  Speaker 7: But wait. She can help us in a way. Her
• 12:06
  Speaker 7: balcony adjoins this one.
• 12:09
  Speaker 8: It won't hurt a bit to let her see us
• 12:10
  Speaker 8: out there once in a while looking over the city.
• 12:13
  Speaker 4: My arms around you, a few fervent kisses... Got the idea?
• 12:17
  Speaker 7: Um, just for Miss Prentiss, yes.
• 12:21
  Speaker 9: Well, anyway, this beat stevedoring in Frisco, working in the
• 12:26
  Speaker 9: Oklahoma oil fields, digging around Mexico when Uncle Mort was wildcatting.
• 12:31
  Speaker 7: Well, make yourself to home, Mr.
• 12:34
  Speaker 4: Layton. Okay, Mrs.
• 12:35
  Speaker 5: Layton, I'll do just that. It's all going smoothly, isn't it, Roy?
• 12:49
  Speaker 5: Just as Linda planned. As the weeks go by, you
• 12:52
  Speaker 5: meet other people in the apartment. People Linda had.
• 12:55
  Speaker 4: Met before she married you. They seem to like you.
• 12:58
  Speaker 4: And most of all, they approve of the match.
• 13:01
  Speaker 5: Linda assures you there'll be no trouble in having her
• 13:04
  Speaker 5: uncle's lawyer accept it all as completely genuine.
• 13:08
  Speaker 4: As the weeks pass, both play your roles well.
• 13:12
  Speaker 5: And then late one afternoon, you hear some excitement in
• 13:14
  Speaker 5: the hall and rush to the door.
• 13:16
  Speaker 7: Oh, you poor dear. You might have been killed. I'm
• 13:21
  Speaker 7: all right now.
• 13:22
  Speaker 6: Really, I am.
• 13:22
  Speaker 7: You'd better lie down, dear, as soon as you get inside.
• 13:25
  Speaker 6: That fool, he wasn't even looking where he was going.
• 13:27
  Speaker 6: What is it?
• 13:27
  Speaker 4: What's happened?
• 13:28
  Speaker 7: I'm all right now, Roy. It was nothing at all.
• 13:31
  Speaker 6: She was backing out of the garage. Another car hit her.
• 13:34
  Speaker 8: Well, thanks very much, you two, but please don't bother anymore.
• 13:37
  Speaker 8: Roy can take care of it.
• 13:38
  Speaker 4: I'll carry you to the bedroom.
• 13:40
  Speaker 7: You don't have to carry me, Roy. I'll be all right.
• 13:43
  Speaker 7: Poor Dee.
• 13:43
  Speaker 4: Maybe I'd better call a doctor.
• 13:44
  Speaker 7: No, Roy, I'm not hurt. I'm just shaken up. I
• 13:47
  Speaker 7: don't think it's bad. It's only.
• 13:48
  Speaker 8: Well, it could have been so much worse.
• 13:52
  Speaker 7: Just think, Miss Layton.
• 13:54
  Speaker 8: What would you have left if anything really happened to her?
• 13:58
  Speaker 3: Yes.
• 14:00
  Speaker 4: Yes, what would I have? It's a terrible thought, Miss Prentiss. Terrible.
• 14:08
  Speaker 1: Now back to the whistler.
• 14:40
  Speaker 5: Miss Prentiss' question planted an interesting thought in your mind
• 14:44
  Speaker 5: when she asked you what you'd have left if anything
• 14:46
  Speaker 5: happened to Linda, didn't it, Roy? In the days to
• 14:50
  Speaker 5: follow Linda's near accident, you often ask yourself the same question.
• 14:54
  Speaker 5: What would you have if anything fatal happened to Linda?
• 14:58
  Speaker 5: And the answer is very attractive, isn't it, Roy? You'd
• 15:01
  Speaker 5: have a quarter of a million dollars. As Linda's husband,
• 15:04
  Speaker 5: you'd inherit her money. But there's an easier way than murder,
• 15:08
  Speaker 5: isn't there, Roy?
• 15:09
  Speaker 4: A safer way.
• 15:11
  Speaker 5: If you can make Linda fall in love with you,
• 15:13
  Speaker 5: you'll be able to share her money.
• 15:15
  Speaker 4: It's worth a try.
• 15:17
  Speaker 5: You plan your campaign very carefully. Carry it out with
• 15:21
  Speaker 5: all the charm at your command. Then one evening, while
• 15:24
  Speaker 5: the two of you are out dancing, you suggest a
• 15:27
  Speaker 5: breath of air and lead Linda from the dance floor
• 15:30
  Speaker 5: to the beautiful terrace outside.
• 15:36
  Speaker 7: May I have a cigarette, Roy?
• 15:37
  Speaker 4: Why, sure. Here you are.
• 15:40
  Speaker 7: Thanks. Thanks again. Oh, isn't it a beautiful night? I
• 15:51
  Speaker 7: just love it out here.
• 15:53
  Speaker 4: Linda.
• 15:54
  Speaker 7: Yes?
• 15:56
  Speaker 4: Linda, I've been thinking about us. This little act we're
• 16:00
  Speaker 4: putting on.
• 16:01
  Speaker 7: You've been doing splendidly, darling.
• 16:02
  Speaker 4: Uh-huh.
• 16:03
  Speaker 9: Yes, the happy devoted husband. Head over heels in love
• 16:06
  Speaker 9: with his pretty bride.
• 16:08
  Speaker 4: Yes, yes. Only now, Linda. Now it's no longer a night.
• 16:14
  Speaker 6: What?
• 16:16
  Speaker 7: What do you mean?
• 16:18
  Speaker 4: Isn't it quite obvious?
• 16:20
  Speaker 7: You're... you're in love with me?
• 16:22
  Speaker 4: Oh, so much in love with you, Linda.
• 16:23
  Speaker 7: No, wait, Roy.
• 16:24
  Speaker 4: I know, I know. It wasn't in the bargain to
• 16:26
  Speaker 4: fall in love with you. I have fallen in love, Linda.
• 16:30
  Speaker 7: I couldn't help it.
• 16:31
  Speaker 5: Roy.
• 16:32
  Speaker 4: Oh, now, look.
• 16:33
  Speaker 9: Look, I'm really not such a bad guy. I'm a
• 16:36
  Speaker 9: good dancer. I wear my clothes well, in perfect health. Oh,
• 16:40
  Speaker 9: I do have a few faults, that's true, but.
• 16:45
  Speaker 7: Roy, I'm not in love with you.
• 16:47
  Speaker 4: But you... You could be, darling.
• 16:50
  Speaker 7: No, Roy. Please don't.
• 16:56
  Speaker 4: Oh, Linda, Linda, darling.
• 16:58
  Speaker 7: Let me go, Roy, please.
• 16:59
  Speaker 4: I shouldn't have kissed you, I know that, but Linda.
• 17:01
  Speaker 7: Look, we made a bargain. Now let's keep it that way.
• 17:04
  Speaker 4: Oh, but Linda, please.
• 17:05
  Speaker 7: I mean it, Roy.
• 17:11
  Speaker 4: Okay. Okay.
• 17:14
  Speaker 7: I'm sorry, but that's the way it's got to be.
• 17:18
  Speaker 3: Yeah.
• 17:20
  Speaker 4: I'm sorry, too. Very sorry. She means it, doesn't she, Roy?
• 17:33
  Speaker 5: And you're certain there's nothing you can do to make
• 17:35
  Speaker 5: her change her mind about the divorce.
• 17:38
  Speaker 4: There isn't time.
• 17:39
  Speaker 5: Linda has told you the money from her inheritance is
• 17:42
  Speaker 5: already deposited to her credit at her... And in a
• 17:46
  Speaker 5: week or so, the two of you will be on
• 17:47
  Speaker 5: your way to Reno and that quiet divorce. No, there
• 17:52
  Speaker 5: isn't time to make her fall in love with you, Roy.
• 17:55
  Speaker 5: But you decide there is time for something else. Next day,
• 18:00
  Speaker 5: Linda leaves before luncheon to spend the afternoon at her
• 18:03
  Speaker 5: lawyer's office, fishing up her affairs. Long after she's gone,
• 18:07
  Speaker 5: you pace the floor of the apartment, searching your mind
• 18:10
  Speaker 5: for a plan, a way to kill Linda, make it
• 18:13
  Speaker 5: appear to be an accident. Early that afternoon, you're in
• 18:17
  Speaker 5: the bedroom looking around when.
• 18:18
  Speaker 4: Hello?
• 18:23
  Speaker 2: Roy?
• 18:24
  Speaker 4: Yes?
• 18:24
  Speaker 7: This is Amelia Fleming.
• 18:26
  Speaker 4: Oh, Mrs.
• 18:26
  Speaker 6: Fleming, how are you?
• 18:27
  Speaker 5: I'm splendid, thank you.
• 18:28
  Speaker 3: Oh, is Linda home?
• 18:29
  Speaker 4: Why, no, no, no, she isn't. I don't expect her
• 18:31
  Speaker 4: back until after five or so.
• 18:32
  Speaker 6: I see.
• 18:33
  Speaker 4: Well, it was nothing important, really. Well, I'm sure she'll
• 18:36
  Speaker 4: be back around five. Why don't you call her then?
• 18:38
  Speaker 7: You better have her call me.
• 18:40
  Speaker 5: I'd probably call.
• 18:41
  Speaker 4: While she was in the bathtub. Oh, don't you worry
• 18:44
  Speaker 4: about that.
• 18:44
  Speaker 6: Linda generally takes the phone right... Yes?
• 18:49
  Speaker 1: Roy?
• 18:50
  Speaker 7: Oh, yes.
• 18:50
  Speaker 6: Yes, Mrs. Fleming. I'll tell Linda you called and have.
• 18:54
  Speaker 4: Her phone you.
• 18:55
  Speaker 7: Oh, that's fine.
• 18:58
  Speaker 5: You stand there for a moment, staring at the telephone
• 19:01
  Speaker 5: in your hand. Then slowly you replace the receiver, walk
• 19:05
  Speaker 5: back into the living room. A plan has suddenly emerged,
• 19:09
  Speaker 5: hasn't it, Roy? A telephone, a loose wire, and a
• 19:14
  Speaker 5: bathtub full of water. You've read of it happening, and
• 19:17
  Speaker 5: you're sure there's no reason why it can't work. And
• 19:20
  Speaker 5: by the time Linda returns shortly after five, you've arranged everything.
• 19:25
  Speaker 5: You wait until you hear the bathwater running. Then you
• 19:28
  Speaker 5: call out to her in the bedroom.
• 19:29
  Speaker 6: Linda!
• 19:30
  Speaker 8: Yes?
• 19:31
  Speaker 6: I'm going out for a few minutes.
• 19:32
  Speaker 4: Fresh out of cigarettes.
• 19:33
  Speaker 6: Can I get you anything?
• 19:34
  Speaker 7: Not a thing, Roy.
• 19:36
  Speaker 6: Oh, I'll be back soon.
• 19:37
  Speaker 8: No hurry.
• 19:38
  Speaker 7: I'm going to soak in the tub.
• 19:39
  Speaker 6: For a while.
• 19:46
  Speaker 4: You walk down to the corner drugstore. Wait over a
• 19:49
  Speaker 4: cup of coffee. coffee for five minutes.
• 19:51
  Speaker 5: Then you step to the phone booth, but there's someone inside.
• 19:56
  Speaker 5: You look at your watch and return to the counter.
• 19:58
  Speaker 5: Five minutes go by and then ten. And then the
• 20:01
  Speaker 5: booth door opens and the woman who had been monopolizing
• 20:04
  Speaker 5: the phone walks away.
• 20:07
  Speaker 4: There's still time, isn't there, Roy? You're certain of that?
• 20:10
  Speaker 5: Linda will still be in the tub, the phone on
• 20:13
  Speaker 5: the stand within easy reach. When she answers it, the
• 20:16
  Speaker 5: loose wire will pull away from the receiver and fall
• 20:20
  Speaker 5: into the tub of water.
• 20:23
  Speaker 4: Hello?
• 20:26
  Speaker 5: Linda? Linda? That does it. Slowly, you walk back to
• 20:37
  Speaker 5: the apartment. But instead of going on up to your
• 20:40
  Speaker 5: apartment on the 12th floor, you stop at the manager's
• 20:43
  Speaker 5: apartment and ring the bell.
• 20:45
  Speaker 6: Yes? Oh, Mr.
• 20:47
  Speaker 4: Layton.
• 20:48
  Speaker 6: Mr.
• 20:48
  Speaker 4: Knowles, I wonder if you'd do something for me.
• 20:50
  Speaker 7: Of course, of course.
• 20:51
  Speaker 4: Well, our refrigerator's been acting up a bit lately. I'd
• 20:54
  Speaker 4: like you to have a look at it, if you
• 20:55
  Speaker 4: don't mind me. Glad to, Mr.
• 20:56
  Speaker 6: Layton.
• 20:57
  Speaker 4: I hope I'm not taking you away from your dinner.
• 20:59
  Speaker 6: No, nothing like that.
• 21:00
  Speaker 4: Come on, let's go up and have a look at it, eh?
• 21:02
  Speaker 5: Sure.
• 21:11
  Speaker 4: It seems like it's been running a lot more than
• 21:13
  Speaker 4: it should. Is that so? Well, we just see what's wrong. Yes,
• 21:17
  Speaker 4: come in, come in. Linda!
• 21:19
  Speaker 6: Linda, you home, darling?
• 21:23
  Speaker 4: Oh, that's funny. She shouldn't be around.
• 21:25
  Speaker 7: Linda! Yes, Roy? What's the matter, Roy? Oh.
• 21:32
  Speaker 6: Oh, nothing, nothing.
• 21:33
  Speaker 4: It's just that you answered so.
• 21:35
  Speaker 6: Suddenly, that's all.
• 21:36
  Speaker 7: Oh, good evening, Mr. Knowles.
• 21:38
  Speaker 4: Good evening, ma'am.
• 21:38
  Speaker 9: I asked Mr. Knowles up to have a look at
• 21:41
  Speaker 9: our refrigerator, Linda. You know it hasn't been acting right.
• 21:44
  Speaker 8: Oh, hasn't it?
• 21:45
  Speaker 4: No, no, it hasn't.
• 21:46
  Speaker 7: Well, I'm awfully glad you're here, Mr.
• 21:48
  Speaker 8: Knowles. I was about to come downstairs to ask you
• 21:50
  Speaker 8: to call the telephone company. Something rather startling just happened.
• 21:54
  Speaker 7: It scared me to death.
• 21:55
  Speaker 4: What's that, ma'am?
• 21:56
  Speaker 7: Well, I'd just gotten out of my tub when the
• 21:58
  Speaker 7: phone rang.
• 21:59
  Speaker 8: It was on the stand in the bathroom, and I
• 22:01
  Speaker 8: picked up the receiver, and by the way, I just
• 22:04
  Speaker 8: slipped out.
• 22:05
  Speaker 7: It fell into the tub.
• 22:06
  Speaker 5: Say, we'd better see about that right away.
• 22:08
  Speaker 6: Good thing you weren't in the tub when it happened, Mrs.
• 22:10
  Speaker 4: Layton.
• 22:11
  Speaker 7: Well, I should say so. I might have been electrocuted.
• 22:20
  Speaker 4: It didn't work, did it, Roy? And Linda is still
• 22:23
  Speaker 4: very much alive.
• 22:25
  Speaker 5: Somehow you managed to cover your disappointment, act properly concerned
• 22:29
  Speaker 5: over the near tragedy. You've got to find another way now,
• 22:33
  Speaker 5: and there isn't much time left. It's after dinner that
• 22:37
  Speaker 5: the idea comes to you. Perfect, isn't it, Roy? And
• 22:41
  Speaker 5: this time you'll make certain. While Linda is busy in
• 22:44
  Speaker 5: the kitchen, you slip out onto the balcony, take a wrench,
• 22:49
  Speaker 5: And loosen the bolts on the handrail. If Linda leans
• 22:52
  Speaker 5: against the rail, your problem is solved. If not a
• 22:56
  Speaker 5: light push, just the slightest jar will accomplish your purpose.
• 23:01
  Speaker 5: And Linda's money will belong to you. At the sound
• 23:05
  Speaker 5: behind you, you drop the wrench into the flower box
• 23:07
  Speaker 5: and straighten up.
• 23:08
  Speaker 7: What are you doing, Roy?
• 23:09
  Speaker 4: Oh, nothing. I'm just looking for my cuff link. I
• 23:12
  Speaker 4: must have dropped it here somewhere.
• 23:13
  Speaker 5: Oh.
• 23:14
  Speaker 8: Oh, Roy, I meant to tell you, I... Well, I
• 23:18
  Speaker 8: was downtown today. I made plane reservations for tomorrow. We'll
• 23:23
  Speaker 8: be leaving in the afternoon, four o'clock.
• 23:25
  Speaker 4: Oh, I see. So this is our last evening here.
• 23:32
  Speaker 7: I'm afraid so.
• 23:33
  Speaker 4: Well, I'm going to miss all this, Linda. You won't
• 23:39
  Speaker 4: change your mind, I suppose. I mean, about us.
• 23:43
  Speaker 7: No, Roy.
• 23:44
  Speaker 5: I won't change my mind. Well, say, how about a
• 23:51
  Speaker 5: drink out here on the balcony, huh? One last look
• 23:55
  Speaker 5: at the city of Los Angeles together.
• 23:58
  Speaker 7: Why, Roy, I think that's a wonderful idea.
• 24:00
  Speaker 4: All right, you just stay right here, Linda. I'll get
• 24:02
  Speaker 4: the drinks. Our farewell drink.
• 24:14
  Speaker 2: The Whistler will return in just a moment with a
• 24:16
  Speaker 2: strange ending to tonight's story. Now back to the whistler.
• 24:33
  Speaker 5: There's little question of the suspect's guilt. To Police Lieutenant Cosgrove,
• 24:37
  Speaker 5: it was a clear case of murder. The victim had
• 24:40
  Speaker 5: been deliberately pushed off the 12th story balcony. Lieutenant Cosgrove
• 24:45
  Speaker 5: knew that. And before long, he'd know the motive, too.
• 24:49
  Speaker 5: as he paced slowly back and forth in the small
• 24:51
  Speaker 5: room at police headquarters. He felt certain that a full
• 24:54
  Speaker 5: confession was close at hand. Finally, he stopped pacing, sat
• 24:59
  Speaker 5: down in a chair facing the suspect, who was sitting
• 25:02
  Speaker 5: rigid and tense, trying to avoid the lieutenant's gaze.
• 25:06
  Speaker 4: Look, you might as well break down and tell us
• 25:09
  Speaker 4: what this is all about.
• 25:10
  Speaker 2: You know, Miss Prentice, who lives in the apartment next
• 25:13
  Speaker 2: to yours, saw you push your victim.
• 25:15
  Speaker 4: Off the balcony.
• 25:16
  Speaker 2: All right.
• 25:18
  Speaker 7: All right.
• 25:20
  Speaker 4: Why, Mrs.
• 25:20
  Speaker 3: Layton?
• 25:21
  Speaker 4: Why did you do it?
• 25:24
  Speaker 7: It's a long story.
• 25:25
  Speaker 4: All right, take your time.
• 25:30
  Speaker 8: Perhaps it isn't such a long story at that. You see,
• 25:35
  Speaker 8: I was born in Los Angeles. Lived here until a
• 25:38
  Speaker 8: few years ago when I took a job in Mexico.
• 25:40
  Speaker 8: And up to six months ago, I was secretary to
• 25:45
  Speaker 8: a man there named Morton Layton.
• 25:48
  Speaker 4: Layton? Any relation to the deceased?
• 25:51
  Speaker 7: Yes.
• 25:53
  Speaker 8: Yes, he was Roy's uncle. He died about six months ago.
• 25:59
  Speaker 8: Before that, he'd been trying to find Roy. Roy wrote
• 26:02
  Speaker 8: him several letters before he died, but Morton Layton never
• 26:05
  Speaker 8: knew about them. I.
• 26:08
  Speaker 7: I destroyed them.
• 26:09
  Speaker 4: Why?
• 26:10
  Speaker 7: Because I didn't want them to get together. And then when.
• 26:15
  Speaker 8: when old man Layton died, I came back to Los
• 26:18
  Speaker 8: Angeles Where I knew I'd find Roy.
• 26:23
  Speaker 7: And marry him.
• 26:24
  Speaker 4: And murdered him because you thought.
• 26:25
  Speaker 7: Well, I never knew it. He never knew that he
• 26:29
  Speaker 7: was a missing heir.
• 26:29
  Speaker 8: You see, his uncle struck it rich in Mexico.
• 26:34
  Speaker 7: He left him a quarter of a million dollars.
• 26:38
  Speaker 8: I was trying to get that money for myself.
• 26:43
  Speaker 7: As Roy's widow.
• 27:22
  Speaker 10: All music for The Whistler composed and conducted by Wilbur
• 27:24
  Speaker 10: Hatch and is the property of Herman Music Incorporated, ASCAP, Hollywood, California.
• 27:30
  Speaker 10: Broadcast rights granted solely to Audio Arts Productions, La Mirada, California.
• 27:52
  Speaker 1: We conclude with The Whistler. Till death do us part,
• 27:55
  Speaker 1: follow The Whistler for more classic broadcasts.