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The Whistler - "Death of Mr Penny Ep Afrs" (Old Time Radio, 1949) · The Whistler | Old Time Radio

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: At Clear Valley Ski Lodge, a wealthy woman and her
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: husband Frederick, a ski instructor of modest means, appear to
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: be enjoying a day on the slopes, while an observer
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: watches them through field glasses. Their marriage conceals dangerous tensions,
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: and when blackmail enters the picture, the snowy resort becomes
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: the setting for a crime drama. From March 20th, 1949,
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: this is The Whistler, episode 354, Death of Mr. Penny,
• 0:30
  Speaker 1: a 30-minute CBS Pacific Network broadcast sponsored by Signal Oil.
• 0:36
  Speaker 1: Written by Adrian Gendot and directed by Gordon T. Hughes,
• 0:40
  Speaker 1: it features Jeff Corey and the cast with the lodge
• 0:43
  Speaker 1: and surrounding ski slopes as its setting. Now, back to
• 0:48
  Speaker 1: the golden age of radio.
• 0:50
  Speaker 2: The Whistler.
• 1:02
  Speaker 3: Now the Whistler's strange story, Death of Mr.
• 1:06
  Speaker 4: Penny. On the icy slope high above Clear Valley Ski Lodge,
• 1:14
  Speaker 4: the two people racing down together side by side appeared
• 1:18
  Speaker 4: like two moving specks of black against a sea of white.
• 1:22
  Speaker 4: To the little man who had his field glasses carefully
• 1:24
  Speaker 4: trained upon them, the picture was far more complete. He
• 1:28
  Speaker 4: saw a very handsome couple, the woman fresh, radiant, and wholesome,
• 1:32
  Speaker 4: the man tall, athletic. And as they swung to a
• 1:35
  Speaker 4: stop at the end of the ski slope, their happiness
• 1:38
  Speaker 4: with each other seemed very apparent. Yes, Mr. and Mrs.
• 1:42
  Speaker 4: Frederick Eklund seemed perfectly matched. The little man with the
• 1:46
  Speaker 4: field glasses could not help but marvel at the strange
• 1:49
  Speaker 4: course of true love, how it could so neatly bridge
• 1:52
  Speaker 4: the gap between the fact of Mrs. Eklund's almost fabulous
• 1:56
  Speaker 4: wealth and the modest means of Mr. Eklund, the mere
• 1:59
  Speaker 4: ski instructor. And the little man had to admit that
• 2:03
  Speaker 4: the two were getting along famously.
• 2:06
  Speaker 5: Oh, darling, you're wonderful.
• 2:08
  Speaker 2: Your favorite ski instructor?
• 2:10
  Speaker 6: My favorite ski instructor.
• 2:12
  Speaker 2: Well, then you'll accept my criticisms a little more graciously, Mrs. E.
• 2:16
  Speaker 2: At last, Christy was bad. Fine way to turn an ankle.
• 2:19
  Speaker 6: And be carried home by the tall, bronzed instructor.
• 2:23
  Speaker 5: I think I'll do it.
• 2:23
  Speaker 2: I think you won't. We're heading back to the lodge
• 2:26
  Speaker 2: right now.
• 2:27
  Speaker 6: All right, darling, whatever you say.
• 2:29
  Speaker 5: But I've still got that headache.
• 2:34
  Speaker 2: Barbara.
• 2:35
  Speaker 4: Yes?
• 2:35
  Speaker 2: Something on your mind? You were so quiet up there
• 2:38
  Speaker 2: on the slope just before we came down.
• 2:40
  Speaker 4: Quiet?
• 2:44
  Speaker 6: Just taking time to tell myself I'm not in a dream.
• 2:47
  Speaker 6: That we're really together.
• 2:50
  Speaker 4: Married.
• 2:51
  Speaker 6: And so happy.
• 2:52
  Speaker 2: Are you sure that's all?
• 2:53
  Speaker 6: I'm sure that's all.
• 2:55
  Speaker 5: And the headache can either be cured or made worse
• 2:57
  Speaker 5: by a dry martini.
• 2:59
  Speaker 6: Shall we go take the gamble?
• 3:00
  Speaker 2: Oh, you don't have to suggest that twice.
• 3:04
  Speaker 6: I wonder if you'll always be such an agreeable man.
• 3:06
  Speaker 2: Yeah, as long as I'm thirsty. Let's go.
• 3:08
  Speaker 4: An agreeable man. Yes, Fred, you've been mad with Barbara,
• 3:20
  Speaker 4: haven't you? That and more. And you know that she
• 3:23
  Speaker 4: appreciates it. That you've made her very happy. But you
• 3:26
  Speaker 4: also know that there is something disturbing her this afternoon.
• 3:30
  Speaker 4: Something more than a simple headache. You worry about it yourself.
• 3:35
  Speaker 4: Bring it up again as the two of you sit
• 3:36
  Speaker 4: by the roaring fire of the lodge and look out
• 3:39
  Speaker 4: at the landscape through a giant picture window.
• 3:42
  Speaker 2: You, uh, still don't feel any better, dear? No.
• 3:48
  Speaker 5: I'm afraid I'm going to have to go upstairs, nap
• 3:50
  Speaker 5: for a couple of hours before dinner.
• 3:52
  Speaker 4: Mind?
• 3:52
  Speaker 2: No, I don't.
• 3:54
  Speaker 6: What will you do to amuse yourself?
• 3:56
  Speaker 2: Oh, look at the scenery.
• 3:57
  Speaker 6: Well, it's not novel enough. You know it too well.
• 4:01
  Speaker 2: Oh, no. I see something different every time I look
• 4:03
  Speaker 2: out the window.
• 4:04
  Speaker 4: Here.
• 4:05
  Speaker 2: Here, I'll prove it. You ever see anything like that?
• 4:09
  Speaker 6: I don't see what.
• 4:11
  Speaker 6: You mean that little man on the terrace? Uh-huh.
• 4:14
  Speaker 2: The one with the field glasses. Looks like an African explorer. Now,
• 4:18
  Speaker 2: you can't say I see anything like that every day.
• 4:20
  Speaker 6: No, but I didn't mean people. Frederick, if you don't mind,
• 4:29
  Speaker 6: I'm going upstairs right now.
• 4:30
  Speaker 4: Oh, but you haven't finished your.
• 4:30
  Speaker 6: I'm sorry, darling, I don't want my drink.
• 4:33
  Speaker 2: Oh, well, I'll go up with you, dear.
• 4:35
  Speaker 6: No, please, I... Frederick, you could do something for me.
• 4:42
  Speaker 6: That new book I want. The manager said they have
• 4:44
  Speaker 6: it in the village now.
• 4:44
  Speaker 2: Oh, I'll drive right down. I'll get it for you.
• 4:46
  Speaker 2: They are glad to. But, uh, are you sure you're
• 4:49
  Speaker 2: all right?
• 4:49
  Speaker 6: Oh, I will be. Just give me an hour. I'll
• 4:53
  Speaker 6: be brought as a new penny. Brought as a dollar.
• 4:57
  Speaker 6: By dinner time.
• 4:59
  Speaker 2: Sounds worth waiting for. Go ahead, darling.
• 5:01
  Speaker 4: Thanks, darling. You watch Barbara turn away, go to the stairs.
• 5:11
  Speaker 4: A moment later, you get up, start outside as if
• 5:13
  Speaker 4: to get the car. But at the end of the terrace,
• 5:16
  Speaker 4: you stop and wait a moment. He goes right inside,
• 5:19
  Speaker 4: doesn't he, Fred? The funny little man that Barbara didn't
• 5:22
  Speaker 4: want to look at. You walk back and see him
• 5:25
  Speaker 4: hurry up the stairs after her. Ten minutes later, he's
• 5:28
  Speaker 4: back down, heading toward the cocktail lounge. You walk in
• 5:32
  Speaker 4: casually and slide into the booth beside him.
• 5:35
  Speaker 2: Well, Mr. Penny, it's going very well. You got it?
• 5:38
  Speaker 2: I did. 5,000 as usual.
• 5:38
  Speaker 4: Mm-hmm.
• 5:40
  Speaker 2: I was a little worried this afternoon. Thought Barbara might
• 5:43
  Speaker 2: have guessed something. About you? Mm-hmm. But I was wrong.
• 5:46
  Speaker 6: Of course.
• 5:47
  Speaker 3: Oh, Barbara threatened me today. She said that this must
• 5:49
  Speaker 3: be the last payment. She's convinced that you'd be quite
• 5:52
  Speaker 3: understanding about those letters.
• 5:54
  Speaker 2: Oh. I'll have to take a different tack. Yes, or
• 5:57
  Speaker 2: spoil the act. Oh, they're really nothing, you know, the letters.
• 6:00
  Speaker 3: She just feels that you'd be very hurt if you
• 6:02
  Speaker 3: ever knew there'd been another man in her.
• 6:04
  Speaker 2: Life once, a married man. I hurt. You know, Freddy,
• 6:09
  Speaker 2: you are the odd one.
• 6:10
  Speaker 3: Long as I've known you, I always marvel. What is
• 6:13
  Speaker 3: it that keeps you from simply presenting your case to
• 6:15
  Speaker 3: these women, demanding.
• 6:16
  Speaker 4: All the money you want?
• 6:18
  Speaker 2: Obviously, my dear Penny, you'll never know women. There are
• 6:21
  Speaker 2: things that cannot be told. One of the things is
• 6:24
  Speaker 2: that love alone is not sufficient to hold their man.
• 6:26
  Speaker 2: You're right, I suppose. Well, I've always left that part
• 6:30
  Speaker 2: of it to you. Yeah, let's keep it that way, huh?
• 6:32
  Speaker 2: I'll take care of the romancing. You stick with the
• 6:34
  Speaker 2: business end of the deal. If you don't mind, I'll
• 6:38
  Speaker 2: take my half the money now. To be sure, Freddy.
• 6:40
  Speaker 2: To be sure.
• 6:47
  Speaker 4: As you conclude your present business with Mr. Penny, he
• 6:50
  Speaker 4: excuses himself and hurries away. A moment later, you're conscious
• 6:54
  Speaker 4: of the voice. The song that comes from the large
• 6:57
  Speaker 4: dining hall. Susan, a delightful girl, isn't she, Fred? Talented
• 7:06
  Speaker 4: and beautiful. Yes, and since you met her a month ago,
• 7:09
  Speaker 4: she's been quite overwhelmed by your charm. You stroll across
• 7:13
  Speaker 4: the lobby and stand there at the entrance of the
• 7:15
  Speaker 4: dining hall and watch her as she sings.
• 7:17
  Speaker 2: She's beautiful, isn't she? Oh, Penny, I thought you were leaving.
• 7:26
  Speaker 2: I'm going in to have dinner. Now look, Penny, Barbara
• 7:28
  Speaker 2: will be coming down soon. She isn't pleasant to be
• 7:30
  Speaker 2: with when you're around. Your wife is resting, Freddie. She
• 7:32
  Speaker 2: won't be down for some time. But, shh, I want
• 7:34
  Speaker 2: to listen to you.
• 7:36
  Speaker 5: And so all else above, I'm waiting for the.
• 7:43
  Speaker 3: Man I love.
• 7:51
  Speaker 4: That was wonderful, wonderful. Oh, Susan sings beautifully, does she not, Freddie,
• 7:56
  Speaker 4: my boy?
• 7:57
  Speaker 2: Mm-hmm. She's quite a girl. Quite a girl. Yes.
• 8:03
  Speaker 3: Another one of your many side interests.
• 8:04
  Speaker 2: You've always had them, haven't you? Frankie, my boy. Let
• 8:09
  Speaker 2: us go out on the terrace for a moment. I
• 8:10
  Speaker 2: want to talk to you. Come along. The idea we've
• 8:14
  Speaker 2: already talked everything out?
• 8:15
  Speaker 4: No, not quite, my boy.
• 8:17
  Speaker 2: After you. All right, what's on your mind, Penny? Susan.
• 8:24
  Speaker 2: I want to speak to you about Susan. Oh? You're
• 8:27
  Speaker 2: quite interested in her, aren't you? Oh, I don't know.
• 8:30
  Speaker 2: Just for laughs, maybe. Oh, I see. Then you won't
• 8:33
  Speaker 2: mind if I ask you to stay away from her.
• 8:35
  Speaker 2: To stay away... You're asking me.
• 8:41
  Speaker 2: Wait a minute, Betty. You don't mean to... You find
• 8:45
  Speaker 2: it amusing, my boy. Why, she wouldn't even look at you.
• 8:48
  Speaker 3: But, Betty, she has many times, so often that I
• 8:52
  Speaker 3: don't want you to see her anymore.
• 8:53
  Speaker 2: Oh, just like that, eh? And just what do you
• 8:56
  Speaker 2: do if I ignore your advice, lover boy? Oh... I
• 9:01
  Speaker 2: could make things rather unpleasant for you. Really, I could. Really?
• 9:05
  Speaker 2: Like what? Oh, tell your wife.
• 9:07
  Speaker 3: That you're my business partner? That we're blackmailing her together?
• 9:12
  Speaker 2: You know what I'd do? No, what would you do, Freddy?
• 9:14
  Speaker 2: I'd tell her you forced me into it a trick.
• 9:16
  Speaker 2: I was only playing along with you until I saw
• 9:18
  Speaker 2: my chance to turn you over to the police. Barbara's
• 9:21
  Speaker 2: very much in love with me, Penny. She'd believe it. Yes, yes,
• 9:24
  Speaker 2: I suppose she would. Well, in that case, I should
• 9:28
  Speaker 2: have to tell her about the Carson widow. The incident
• 9:31
  Speaker 2: at Sun Valley two years ago.
• 9:32
  Speaker 4: What?
• 9:33
  Speaker 3: That the police are interested in finding the man who
• 9:35
  Speaker 3: went skiing with a Carson woman the morning she was killed.
• 9:38
  Speaker 2: Accidentally. Now, wait a minute, Penny.
• 9:40
  Speaker 3: I could tell your wife what really happened, Freddy. So
• 9:44
  Speaker 3: be a good boy and stay away from Susan, eh?
• 9:46
  Speaker 4: The End.
• 9:54
  Speaker 3: It came as.
• 10:00
  Speaker 5: A shock, didn't it, Fred?
• 10:09
  Speaker 2: Mr.
• 10:10
  Speaker 3: Penny's warnings.
• 10:19
  Speaker 4: And you wonder if your odd little partner really means
• 10:21
  Speaker 4: to carry out his threat, to make trouble for you
• 10:24
  Speaker 4: if you continue to see Susan. He could make things
• 10:27
  Speaker 4: quite difficult, reviving the Carson incident at this time. It
• 10:31
  Speaker 4: would never do if your wife Barbara found out about that,
• 10:34
  Speaker 4: would it? But in the days that follow, you decide
• 10:37
  Speaker 4: to risk it, to test Mr. Penny's threat. And then
• 10:40
  Speaker 4: one evening at the lodge, as you sit in the
• 10:42
  Speaker 4: cocktail lounge with Barbara.
• 10:44
  Speaker 2: Fred?
• 10:46
  Speaker 4: Yes, dear?
• 10:48
  Speaker 6: Did you happen to run over to Shelville the night
• 10:51
  Speaker 6: before last?
• 10:51
  Speaker 2: Shelville? Why, no.
• 10:54
  Speaker 5: Betty mentioned it this afternoon. She and Greg thought they
• 10:58
  Speaker 5: saw you there.
• 10:59
  Speaker 2: No, no, they were mistaken. Oh, I did go down
• 11:01
  Speaker 2: to the village here. That's the night I ran into Higby,
• 11:03
  Speaker 2: an old friend of mine. Do you remember, darling? I
• 11:05
  Speaker 2: called you. Told you I'd be late getting back.
• 11:07
  Speaker 6: Yes, I know.
• 11:08
  Speaker 2: As a matter of fact, Higby and I spent most
• 11:10
  Speaker 2: of the evening at the Buckhorn Cafe talking over old times.
• 11:15
  Speaker 2: See here, Barbara, you don't think I'd... At last.
• 11:18
  Speaker 6: Of course not, darling. You know how Betty is, wrong
• 11:23
  Speaker 6: as usual. Um, see if you can get the waiter,
• 11:27
  Speaker 6: will you, dear? I think I'd like another brandy before
• 11:29
  Speaker 6: turning in.
• 11:43
  Speaker 4: Oh, Freddie, my boy.
• 11:45
  Speaker 2: I could say that this is a pleasant surprise, but
• 11:47
  Speaker 2: it isn't really. I've been expecting you. Can I come in? Well,
• 11:50
  Speaker 2: I was about to retire, but thanks. I won't take
• 11:55
  Speaker 2: up too much of your time.
• 11:56
  Speaker 4: Oh, no hurry.
• 11:56
  Speaker 2: Fix yourself a drink, my boy. Thanks again. Oh, none
• 11:59
  Speaker 2: for me. I have my glass of milk to see. Well,
• 12:04
  Speaker 2: here's to you, Penny. The winner. Oh? It's all yours. Susan,
• 12:10
  Speaker 2: I mean. I'll stay away.
• 12:13
  Speaker 4: Good, good.
• 12:15
  Speaker 2: You told Barbara you saw me in Shellville the other night,
• 12:18
  Speaker 2: didn't you?
• 12:18
  Speaker 4: Did I?
• 12:19
  Speaker 2: It was just a warning, just in case I had
• 12:21
  Speaker 2: any ideas about not playing ball, huh? Well, I could
• 12:23
  Speaker 2: have told her you were with Susan, but I didn't. Thanks, thanks.
• 12:26
  Speaker 2: It was big of you. I thought so. However, Freddie,
• 12:30
  Speaker 2: my boy, if you insist... I know, I know. Now
• 12:33
  Speaker 2: stay away from Susan. It's all settled. Uh, settled? No, no,
• 12:37
  Speaker 2: not quite. I've been thinking, Freddy, my boy. What about?
• 12:41
  Speaker 2: The money we collect from your wife. Five thousand every
• 12:44
  Speaker 2: three months. Well, it doesn't seem worthwhile. Now, wait a minute.
• 12:49
  Speaker 2: I wouldn't push Barbara too hard. Two thousand more isn't
• 12:52
  Speaker 2: such a push. Yeah, but there might be trouble. I
• 12:53
  Speaker 2: wouldn't try. Let's leave it the way it is, huh?
• 12:56
  Speaker 2: Five thousand's good enough.
• 12:57
  Speaker 3: Perhaps, but when one has to split it two ways.
• 13:00
  Speaker 2: I said it's enough. For you, perhaps, but not for me. Yes,
• 13:04
  Speaker 2: I've been thinking, Freddy.
• 13:06
  Speaker 3: I've been thinking I should dissolve our little partnership.
• 13:09
  Speaker 4: What? Yes.
• 13:10
  Speaker 2: I think that from now on, I shall keep all
• 13:13
  Speaker 2: the money. Wait a minute. I'm the one who gave
• 13:14
  Speaker 2: you Barbara's letters in the first place.
• 13:16
  Speaker 4: So what?
• 13:17
  Speaker 2: You think I'll hold still for you cutting me out?
• 13:18
  Speaker 3: But, my boy, there's nothing you can do about it.
• 13:22
  Speaker 2: Because of Sun Valley, Mrs. Carson.
• 13:25
  Speaker 3: Why, you.
• 13:25
  Speaker 2: Oh, please don't get excited.
• 13:28
  Speaker 4: I ought to wring your scrawny little neck.
• 13:30
  Speaker 2: But you will not. You will do nothing. Now, please, go.
• 13:34
  Speaker 2: I'm quite tired. Good night, Freddy.
• 13:43
  Speaker 4: For a moment you stand there staring at the little man.
• 13:47
  Speaker 4: You watch him as he calmly drops a sleeping capsule
• 13:49
  Speaker 4: into the glass of milk. As he raises it to
• 13:52
  Speaker 4: his lips, he smiles at you. And you know he
• 13:55
  Speaker 4: has you at his mercy, don't you, Fred? You whirl
• 13:58
  Speaker 4: and rush out into the corridor. And as you hurry
• 14:01
  Speaker 4: back to your room, the rage within you mounts with
• 14:03
  Speaker 4: each step.
• 14:04
  Speaker 6: Yes, Mr.
• 14:05
  Speaker 4: Penny has complete control of the situation for the present.
• 14:09
  Speaker 4: But you're not going to let him get away with it,
• 14:11
  Speaker 4: are you? No, the money he gets from your wife
• 14:14
  Speaker 4: means too much to you. And you know that somehow
• 14:18
  Speaker 4: you're going to get rid of Mr. Penny and the
• 14:21
  Speaker 4: threat he holds over you. It isn't until the following
• 14:28
  Speaker 4: afternoon that you know just how you're going to do it.
• 14:31
  Speaker 4: On an errand for Barbara, you stop at the village drugstore,
• 14:35
  Speaker 4: Pop Grandin's place. That be all, Freddy?
• 14:38
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I guess so, Pop. Okay.
• 14:41
  Speaker 4: Oh, say, you going back up to Lodge?
• 14:43
  Speaker 2: Yeah, why?
• 14:44
  Speaker 4: I wonder if you'd mind dropping off a prescription for me.
• 14:46
  Speaker 2: Oh, of course not. You can just drop it off
• 14:48
  Speaker 2: at the desk.
• 14:48
  Speaker 4: Come on back.
• 14:49
  Speaker 2: I'll make it up right away.
• 14:53
  Speaker 4: You walk with Pop Grandin to the back of the shop.
• 14:55
  Speaker 4: Watch him as he prepares the prescription. Then your eyes
• 14:58
  Speaker 4: wander over the shelves lined with bottles. At the far
• 15:02
  Speaker 4: end of the lower shelf, you see a bottle filled
• 15:04
  Speaker 4: with tiny red capsules. Just like the one you saw Mr.
• 15:08
  Speaker 4: Penny drop into the glass of milk last night. Oh,
• 15:12
  Speaker 4: dreaded that telephone. Excuse me, will you, Freddie?
• 15:16
  Speaker 2: Oh, sure, sure.
• 15:17
  Speaker 4: I never saw it to feel every time I get
• 15:19
  Speaker 4: back here that dog gone.
• 15:21
  Speaker 2: Couldn't have picked a better time.
• 15:29
  Speaker 4: As you take the bottle down off the shelf, the
• 15:31
  Speaker 4: idea hits you, doesn't it?
• 15:33
  Speaker 2: Yes.
• 15:34
  Speaker 4: This could be the way, couldn't it, Fred? Quickly, you
• 15:36
  Speaker 4: unscrew the cap, drop the capsule into your pocket and
• 15:39
  Speaker 4: replace the bottle. Then your eyes skip along the shelf
• 15:42
  Speaker 4: and finally stop on a small bottle filled with white
• 15:45
  Speaker 4: powder marked poison. Deadly poison, Fred. Sorry to be so long, Freddy.
• 15:58
  Speaker 4: That was Mrs. Ferguson, and you know how she is. Talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk. Hey,
• 16:03
  Speaker 4: where was I?
• 16:04
  Speaker 3: The prescription.
• 16:05
  Speaker 4: Oh, yes, yes. Well, I'll only be a minute, Freddy.
• 16:08
  Speaker 4: Sure nice of you to do this little favor for me.
• 16:11
  Speaker 2: Not at all, Pop, not at all. It's a pleasure.
• 16:21
  Speaker 4: You're thankful that Barbara is out when you return to
• 16:23
  Speaker 4: your room at the lodge. Quickly, you empty the contents
• 16:26
  Speaker 4: of the red capsule into the wash basin. Then you
• 16:28
  Speaker 4: fill the capsule with the white powder you took from
• 16:30
  Speaker 4: the shelf at Grandin's drugstore. Moments later, you leave the room,
• 16:35
  Speaker 4: the capsule containing the deadly poison safely tucked away in
• 16:38
  Speaker 4: your pocket. Early that evening, you pay another call on Mr. Penny.
• 16:48
  Speaker 2: Oh, come in, Freddy, my boy. Come in. Thanks. I'm
• 16:51
  Speaker 2: going out shortly. You don't mind if I finish shaving,
• 16:53
  Speaker 2: do you? No, no. Go ahead.
• 16:54
  Speaker 3: Make yourself at home, my boy.
• 16:56
  Speaker 2: Fix yourself a drink.
• 16:56
  Speaker 3: Thanks.
• 16:57
  Speaker 2: I'll skip this one.
• 16:58
  Speaker 4: As you wish.
• 16:59
  Speaker 2: Tell me, to what do I owe the honor of
• 17:01
  Speaker 2: this visit? Well, I thought maybe you'd reconsider.
• 17:05
  Speaker 6: What?
• 17:06
  Speaker 2: After the way you double-crossed me with Susan? Not a chance,
• 17:09
  Speaker 2: my boy. Not a chance. I'd take a smaller cut.
• 17:13
  Speaker 4: And as a matter of fact, I've been seriously thinking
• 17:15
  Speaker 4: of asking your wife.
• 17:16
  Speaker 2: For more money. I told you before, that would be
• 17:18
  Speaker 2: a mistake. She won't pay it. We shall see.
• 17:21
  Speaker 4: We shall see.
• 17:27
  Speaker 2: What are you doing, Freddy? Hmm? Oh, just looking at
• 17:30
  Speaker 2: this magazine on your nightstand. Holidays, huh? Planning a trip?
• 17:34
  Speaker 4: Perhaps.
• 17:36
  Speaker 2: Oh, look, Penny, I need the money. Why can't we
• 17:38
  Speaker 2: make some sort of arrangement? You're wasting your time, boy.
• 17:41
  Speaker 3: This is too good a thing for me to share
• 17:43
  Speaker 3: with anyone. I am rather surprised, and Roy, too, that
• 17:47
  Speaker 3: I didn't think of having the matter.
• 17:48
  Speaker 2: This way long ago. You, uh... You won't change your mind? No.
• 17:53
  Speaker 2: After all, you still have Barbara. She's a wealthy woman.
• 17:56
  Speaker 2: You begrudge me a few thousand dollars now and then?
• 17:59
  Speaker 2: All right. That's the way you want it? Yes, that's
• 18:02
  Speaker 2: the way I want it, my boy. Good night. Good night.
• 18:09
  Speaker 2: No hard feelings, Freddie. No. See you in the morning, then. Yeah.
• 18:14
  Speaker 2: Maybe you will, Penny. And maybe not.
• 18:24
  Speaker 4: It's done, isn't it, Fred? There were only four capsules
• 18:27
  Speaker 4: in the box. You replace one with a capsule containing
• 18:30
  Speaker 4: the deadly poison. And now all you can do is wait.
• 18:35
  Speaker 4: And you know it won't be long, for Mr. Penny
• 18:38
  Speaker 4: takes a sleeping capsule every night. You're a little disappointed
• 18:47
  Speaker 4: the following morning at breakfast when you see Mr. Penny
• 18:49
  Speaker 4: sitting at his usual table. It was a little too
• 18:52
  Speaker 4: much to hope for, wasn't it, Fred? That he'd take
• 18:55
  Speaker 4: the poison capsule the first night. But then there are
• 18:58
  Speaker 4: only three capsules in the box now. The next morning,
• 19:03
  Speaker 4: you're in for another disappointment. For as you enter the
• 19:05
  Speaker 4: dining hall, you see Mr. Penny again, sitting at the
• 19:08
  Speaker 4: table near the window. He looks up as you and
• 19:11
  Speaker 4: Barbara seat yourself only a few tables away. He smiles, nods,
• 19:17
  Speaker 4: then returns to his morning paper. And then something that
• 19:19
  Speaker 4: Barbara says startles you.
• 19:21
  Speaker 6: Only two left, Frederick.
• 19:24
  Speaker 4: What?
• 19:24
  Speaker 6: Only two empty tables left. I'm glad we came down
• 19:27
  Speaker 6: to breakfast when we did. I hate to wait.
• 19:30
  Speaker 2: Oh. Oh, yes.
• 19:33
  Speaker 6: Oh, goodness, darling. You jumped still. Something wrong?
• 19:37
  Speaker 2: No. Oh, no, of course not. I had my mind
• 19:39
  Speaker 2: on something else. Yes.
• 19:44
  Speaker 4: You were thinking of the capsules in the box, weren't you, Fred?
• 19:47
  Speaker 4: There are only two left now, and it's... an even
• 19:50
  Speaker 4: money bet. However, the following morning when you arrive at
• 19:58
  Speaker 4: the dining hall, Mr. Penny is absent. It's almost 11
• 20:02
  Speaker 4: o'clock when you and Barbara leave your table, and there's
• 20:05
  Speaker 4: been no sign of him. You're sure he's dead and
• 20:07
  Speaker 4: you're free at last, aren't you, Fred? Yes.
• 20:10
  Speaker 2: With Mr.
• 20:11
  Speaker 4: Penny out of the way, the Sun Valley incident is closed.
• 20:15
  Speaker 4: It'll be a simple matter with your connection to find
• 20:18
  Speaker 4: someone more trustworthy than Penny to do your blackmailing. As
• 20:22
  Speaker 4: Barbara hurries upstairs for her scarf, the death clerk calls
• 20:26
  Speaker 4: out to you. Oh, uh, Mr.
• 20:28
  Speaker 2: Eklund. Yes? What is it?
• 20:31
  Speaker 4: A message for you, sir, this envelope.
• 20:33
  Speaker 2: Oh, thank you.
• 20:34
  Speaker 4: For a moment, you're puzzled. Stare at the envelope. Then
• 20:37
  Speaker 4: you rip it open. Suddenly, an icy hand closes around
• 20:41
  Speaker 4: your heart as a tiny red capsule tumbles out of
• 20:44
  Speaker 4: the envelope into the palm of your hand. Penny has
• 20:50
  Speaker 4: known all along, hasn't he, friend? He must have watched
• 20:53
  Speaker 4: you in the mirror when he was shaving, saw you
• 20:55
  Speaker 4: place the poison capsule in the box. A cold wave
• 20:58
  Speaker 4: of fear sweeps over you as you realize what he'll
• 21:00
  Speaker 4: do now. Your first thought is for you and Barbara
• 21:03
  Speaker 4: to get away. You hurry to your room upstairs. And
• 21:06
  Speaker 4: as you're about to open the door, you hear Barbara's voice. Well, yes.
• 21:12
  Speaker 6: Yes, whatever you say. What?
• 21:16
  Speaker 4: No, not here.
• 21:17
  Speaker 6: I'll meet you at the point. Inspiration point. Tonight.
• 21:23
  Speaker 2: Yes.
• 21:24
  Speaker 6: Nine o'clock, Mr. Penning.
• 21:26
  Speaker 2: Nine o'clock.
• 21:32
  Speaker 6: Mr.
• 21:32
  Speaker 4: Penny isn't wasting any time getting his revenge, is he, Fred?
• 21:36
  Speaker 4: Your first thought is to get away. And then suddenly
• 21:38
  Speaker 4: you realize it's useless to run. He'd find you and
• 21:41
  Speaker 4: Barbara sooner or later. No, you've got to take care
• 21:44
  Speaker 4: of him now, once and for all. And this time
• 21:48
  Speaker 4: you can't afford to miss. That night you're standing in
• 21:57
  Speaker 4: the shadows of the fir trees near the point. You
• 22:00
  Speaker 4: see Barbara hurrying up the path.
• 22:02
  Speaker 2: Mr.
• 22:03
  Speaker 4: Penny is not far behind.
• 22:04
  Speaker 2: Hello, Penny.
• 22:07
  Speaker 4: What? Oh.
• 22:09
  Speaker 2: Oh, it's you, Freddy. What are you doing here? I
• 22:12
  Speaker 2: could ask you the same thing. But I know what
• 22:15
  Speaker 2: you're doing here. Too bad you'll never keep that appointment
• 22:18
  Speaker 2: with my wife, Penny.
• 22:19
  Speaker 4: What?
• 22:20
  Speaker 2: Take a look down there. It's an awful drop, isn't it?
• 22:23
  Speaker 2: What are you... What are you going to do? You're
• 22:26
  Speaker 2: a smart little operator, Penny. You ought to be able
• 22:29
  Speaker 2: to figure that out.
• 22:44
  Speaker 4: It's all over, isn't it, Fred? Mr. Penny is out
• 22:47
  Speaker 4: of the way at last. The threat he held over
• 22:50
  Speaker 4: you is gone, and now you're free. Back at the village,
• 22:53
  Speaker 4: the Buckhorn Cafe... You spend the next several hours chatting
• 22:57
  Speaker 4: with old friends, and then shortly after midnight, you return
• 23:00
  Speaker 4: to the lodge, to your room. As you enter, you're
• 23:03
  Speaker 4: surprised to see Barbara pacing up and down.
• 23:07
  Speaker 6: Oh, Fred, where have you been?
• 23:09
  Speaker 2: The village, dear. I told you I had to.
• 23:11
  Speaker 6: Fred, did you hear about it?
• 23:12
  Speaker 4: The accident?
• 23:14
  Speaker 2: Oh, the man who fell off the cliffs, yeah. They
• 23:17
  Speaker 2: were talking about it in the lobby when I came in.
• 23:19
  Speaker 2: Matter of fact, the sheriff is down there now talking
• 23:20
  Speaker 2: to the manager.
• 23:21
  Speaker 6: The man's name was Penny.
• 23:25
  Speaker 2: You knew him?
• 23:26
  Speaker 6: Yes. He was blackmailing me.
• 23:31
  Speaker 2: What?
• 23:32
  Speaker 6: He came to me about a year ago with some
• 23:33
  Speaker 6: letters I'd written. Foolish letters. He wanted $ 5, 000 for each one.
• 23:38
  Speaker 6: I laughed at him. He meant nothing to me. I
• 23:43
  Speaker 6: threatened to call the police.
• 23:45
  Speaker 4: You threatened?
• 23:45
  Speaker 6: Yes, I threatened to. Then Mr. Penny showed me some
• 23:51
  Speaker 6: other letters. A woman's letters.
• 23:55
  Speaker 4: Mrs.
• 23:56
  Speaker 6: Carson.
• 23:58
  Speaker 2: Mrs. Carson.
• 23:59
  Speaker 5: Her letters to you, Fred. When you were at Sun Valley.
• 24:04
  Speaker 5: He said the police would be anxious to see them.
• 24:06
  Speaker 5: I couldn't believe you'd done anything wrong.
• 24:08
  Speaker 6: But then when he said... Send the letters to the
• 24:11
  Speaker 6: Idaho police.
• 24:16
  Speaker 4: I was afraid.
• 24:17
  Speaker 2: He's been blackmailing you all this time because of those
• 24:20
  Speaker 2: letters to me?
• 24:20
  Speaker 4: Yes.
• 24:22
  Speaker 2: Barbara, listen to me. I've got.
• 24:23
  Speaker 4: It's not true, is it, Fred?
• 24:24
  Speaker 6: The skiing accident. You didn't kill it, did you?
• 24:27
  Speaker 2: He told you that?
• 24:27
  Speaker 6: This morning, yes. He called me on the phone, told
• 24:30
  Speaker 6: me he could prove it, that you'd killed him. Made
• 24:32
  Speaker 6: it look like an accident.
• 24:33
  Speaker 2: That's not true.
• 24:40
  Speaker 4: But he was lying.
• 24:41
  Speaker 6: Oh, I knew it, darling. I knew it all along.
• 24:45
  Speaker 6: But I agreed to meet him at the point tonight.
• 24:48
  Speaker 6: He said he'd bring all the proof I needed. Letters, documents,
• 24:51
  Speaker 6: all the evidence.
• 24:51
  Speaker 2: He... He had all that with him tonight?
• 24:55
  Speaker 4: Yes.
• 24:56
  Speaker 6: But he never arrived. He fell off the cliffs on
• 24:59
  Speaker 6: the way.
• 25:01
  Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah, he fell off the cliffs. Oh, darling. Darling.
• 25:08
  Speaker 6: I'm so glad Mr. Penny was lying.
• 25:12
  Speaker 5: If he'd had any evidence on him... Police certainly would
• 25:15
  Speaker 5: have discovered it when they found his body.
• 25:17
  Speaker 6: Wouldn't they?
• 25:18
  Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah, I guess they would. I'll go, Barbara. I'm
• 25:30
  Speaker 2: sure it's for me.
• 25:34
  Speaker 3: This is the United States Armed Forces Radio Service, the
• 25:37
  Speaker 3: voice of information and education.
• 26:13
  Speaker 1: We leave The Whistler with Death of Mr.
• 26:15
  Speaker 2: Penny. Follow The Whistler for more classic broadcasts.