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The Whistler - "Deadly Rumor" (Old Time Radio, 1950) · The Whistler | Old Time Radio

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Frances Holbrook's death at the Holbrook home is ruled a suicide,
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: and her longtime nurse is left visibly shaken. From there,
• 0:08
  Speaker 1: a rumor moves through the household, drawing private resentments and
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: closely kept secrets into the open. On September 17, 1950,
• 0:18
  Speaker 1: CBS Pacific carried Signal Oil's The Whistler, episode 433, Deadly Rumor,
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: in a 30-minute presentation. Bill Foreman is heard as the whistler,
• 0:30
  Speaker 1: guiding a story in which suspicion, blackmail, and revenge gather
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: around the Holbrook household. Robert Hafter directed. Ladies and gentlemen,
• 0:40
  Speaker 1: the lights are low, the microphones are waiting, and the
• 0:43
  Speaker 1: whistler is ready to speak. We now take you back
• 0:46
  Speaker 1: to the original broadcast.
• 0:49
  Speaker 2: And now, stay tuned for the mystery program that is
• 0:52
  Speaker 2: unique among all mystery programs. Because even when you know
• 0:56
  Speaker 2: who's guilty... you always receive a startling surprise at the
• 1:00
  Speaker 2: final curtain. In the Signal Oil program, The Whistler. Signal,
• 1:19
  Speaker 2: the famous go-farther gasoline, invites you to sit back and
• 1:22
  Speaker 2: enjoy another strange story by The Whistler.
• 1:44
  Speaker 3: I am the Whistler, and I know many things, for
• 1:48
  Speaker 3: I walk by night. I know many strange tales, hidden
• 1:52
  Speaker 3: in the hearts of men and women who have stepped
• 1:54
  Speaker 3: into the shadows. Yes. I know the nameless terrors of
• 1:59
  Speaker 3: which they dare not speak.
• 2:02
  Speaker 2: And now, for the Signal Oil Company, the Whistler's strange story,
• 2:08
  Speaker 2: Deadly Rumor. Deadly Rumor.
• 2:25
  Speaker 3: It was quiet in the Holbrook home. Upstairs, a doctor
• 2:29
  Speaker 3: and nurse stood near the foot of the bed. The
• 2:32
  Speaker 3: nurse who had attended Francis Holbrook for many months. She
• 2:35
  Speaker 3: appeared stunned and confused at the doctor's verdict. I.
• 2:40
  Speaker 4: I just can't believe it, doctor. That she could take
• 2:43
  Speaker 4: her own life after we've worked so. Struggled to bring
• 2:49
  Speaker 4: her back to health.
• 2:50
  Speaker 5: Mrs. Holbrook was more than an invalid, Lillian. She was tired.
• 2:55
  Speaker 5: I can believe it. Mr.
• 2:57
  Speaker 4: Holbrook, he'll be terribly shocked.
• 3:01
  Speaker 5: I think it will be easier if you tell him, Lillian.
• 3:04
  Speaker 5: It will be gentler that way.
• 3:05
  Speaker 4: I'll go downstairs. Call his office.
• 3:09
  Speaker 3: I'll wait.
• 3:10
  Speaker 5: Tell him to come at once.
• 3:18
  Speaker 3: It's going well, isn't it, Lillian? Very well. And there's
• 3:22
  Speaker 3: even a certain pleasure that you're the one to call
• 3:25
  Speaker 3: Ralph Holbrook. Explain. You almost wish you could tell him more.
• 3:30
  Speaker 3: Especially as you sense the relief he displays instead of
• 3:33
  Speaker 3: outright shock or grief.
• 3:36
  Speaker 5: Yes.
• 3:37
  Speaker 3: You know that Ralph is actually glad that his wife
• 3:40
  Speaker 3: Frances is dead. But he manages to put on a
• 3:44
  Speaker 3: good act in front of the doctor when he arrives home. Frances.
• 3:49
  Speaker 3: Poor Frances.
• 3:51
  Speaker 5: Now, she suffered for a long time, Mr. Holbrook. It
• 3:54
  Speaker 5: isn't as if she were in perfect health.
• 3:56
  Speaker 4: And you gave her a great deal of happiness, Mr.
• 4:00
  Speaker 3: Holbrook. Thank you, Lillian.
• 4:02
  Speaker 5: You'll excuse me now. I've got to fill out my report. Suicide.
• 4:08
  Speaker 3: You've got to put that down?
• 4:11
  Speaker 5: Mm-hmm.
• 4:12
  Speaker 6: Overdose of sleeping tablets. You see here? Very few left.
• 4:17
  Speaker 6: That's what she did all right. The way she hung
• 4:21
  Speaker 6: on all those months. Wouldn't think she'd do a thing
• 4:24
  Speaker 6: like that. Don't you agree, Lillian?
• 4:28
  Speaker 4: Oh, I do. I was telling the doctor the same thing.
• 4:32
  Speaker 4: But it seems obvious.
• 4:35
  Speaker 5: Yes.
• 4:37
  Speaker 3: Yes, it does. Doesn't it?
• 4:40
  Speaker 7: Yes.
• 4:50
  Speaker 3: He said it strangely, didn't he, Lillian? And in the
• 4:52
  Speaker 3: days that follow, you wonder about Ralph. How much he suspects.
• 4:57
  Speaker 3: You're certain that he'd be aware of the reason you
• 4:59
  Speaker 3: killed her. You're sure of how he feels about you.
• 5:03
  Speaker 3: Certain that he's aware of your own feelings toward him.
• 5:06
  Speaker 3: But you felt all along that he would do nothing
• 5:08
  Speaker 3: about it as long as Francis lived. You wonder how
• 5:12
  Speaker 3: long it'll be before Ralph comes to you and asks
• 5:15
  Speaker 3: you to marry him. And then on the day after
• 5:18
  Speaker 3: the funeral, you overhear him talking on the telephone. Yes, darling.
• 5:23
  Speaker 3: I'll meet you tonight. We can plan everything.
• 5:27
  Speaker 4: What?
• 5:28
  Speaker 3: Nancy, you know how much I love you. I don't
• 5:31
  Speaker 3: want to put it off. I don't care what anybody thinks.
• 5:39
  Speaker 3: You listen, completely stunned at Ralph's words of endearment to
• 5:42
  Speaker 3: someone else. Nancy... A girl you remember who called him
• 5:47
  Speaker 3: once before. Yes, you remember how he hung up quickly
• 5:51
  Speaker 3: when he saw that you were nearby. It's beginning to
• 5:54
  Speaker 3: fit together, isn't it, Lillian? A clever calculation on Ralph's
• 5:58
  Speaker 3: part which added up correctly. One, he tricked you into
• 6:02
  Speaker 3: believing he cared for you. Two, you fell in love
• 6:05
  Speaker 3: with him. Three, and most important of all, because you
• 6:09
  Speaker 3: thought he loved you. You put his wife out of
• 6:11
  Speaker 3: the way to clear the path for him. Literally set
• 6:14
  Speaker 3: him free for someone else. You continue to listen. Yes,
• 6:19
  Speaker 3: I know. You've been wonderful, sweetheart. Sweetheart.
• 6:23
  Speaker 4: I'll show him. He won't make a fool of me.
• 6:26
  Speaker 3: Goodbye, darling. See you tonight. Wait.
• 6:31
  Speaker 5: Oh.
• 6:33
  Speaker 3: Oh, Lillian. Been standing there long?
• 6:37
  Speaker 8: Oh, no.
• 6:38
  Speaker 4: Not very. I was just looking for you, Mr.
• 6:42
  Speaker 3: Holbrook.
• 6:43
  Speaker 9: Oh?
• 6:44
  Speaker 3: Well, that's a coincidence. I was going to look for
• 6:47
  Speaker 3: you in just a few minutes. But now that you're here.
• 6:49
  Speaker 4: Then you do have something to say to me. At last. I, uh.
• 6:54
  Speaker 3: Yes, I do. I really haven't had the chance to
• 6:59
  Speaker 3: say it before. I wanted to thank you, Lillian. You've
• 7:02
  Speaker 3: been especially kind, considerate to Francis, and very helpful to me.
• 7:09
  Speaker 8: Have I, Ralph?
• 7:10
  Speaker 5: Yes, Lillian. You have.
• 7:13
  Speaker 3: I think you know how much I appreciate all you've done.
• 7:16
  Speaker 4: I wonder if I do.
• 7:20
  Speaker 3: I hope this check I've made out to you will help, Convincial.
• 7:23
  Speaker 3: Let's see now. Here it is.
• 7:28
  Speaker 10: Five....
• 7:30
  Speaker 4: Five hundred dollars.
• 7:32
  Speaker 3: I insist you accept it. After all, you were so
• 7:35
  Speaker 3: much more than just France's nurse.
• 7:36
  Speaker 4: I thought I was. I tried to be so much more.
• 7:40
  Speaker 3: You were splendid, really. Now, I imagine you'll be leaving
• 7:45
  Speaker 3: some new job. Is that what you want me to
• 7:47
  Speaker 3: do now? Leave? Why, what else, Lillian? I don't need.
• 7:51
  Speaker 4: You don't need me anymore. I've served your purpose.
• 7:54
  Speaker 3: My dear Lillian, I can't imagine what you're talking about.
• 7:57
  Speaker 8: Can't you?
• 7:59
  Speaker 11: I think you can. I didn't imagine it, you know.
• 8:03
  Speaker 11: You did leave me, huh? You wanted me to think
• 8:05
  Speaker 11: you were in love with me. Wanted me to think
• 8:07
  Speaker 11: that if anything happened to Francis, we'd be together someday.
• 8:10
  Speaker 3: You wanted me to....
• 8:14
  Speaker 4: You wanted her to die.
• 8:17
  Speaker 3: Perhaps I did, my dear. And she committed suicide.
• 8:22
  Speaker 5: Didn't she?
• 8:25
  Speaker 3: Yes.
• 8:26
  Speaker 10: Of course.
• 8:27
  Speaker 3: And now that you know I'm in love with someone else,
• 8:30
  Speaker 3: I'm sure you don't want to hang around. Hang around?
• 8:35
  Speaker 3: Of course, if you want a recommendation, I'll be glad
• 8:37
  Speaker 3: to send it to you any time. Just let me
• 8:40
  Speaker 3: hear from you.
• 8:41
  Speaker 8: Yes, Mr.
• 8:42
  Speaker 5: Holbrook.
• 8:44
  Speaker 4: You'll hear from me. You can plan on it.
• 8:48
  Speaker 10: Soon.
• 8:58
  Speaker 2: Tonight I'd like to have a little chat, especially with
• 9:01
  Speaker 2: you drivers who buy just any brand of gasoline that
• 9:04
  Speaker 2: happens to be convenient, because you think gasoline is gasoline.
• 9:09
  Speaker 2: You'd change your mind in a hurry if you'd spend
• 9:11
  Speaker 2: some time around signal service stations, as I do, listening
• 9:14
  Speaker 2: to comments of regular signal customers. You'd hear them telling
• 9:18
  Speaker 2: about records they've kept, which prove the good mileage that
• 9:22
  Speaker 2: has made signal famous as the go-farther gasoline. You'd hear
• 9:26
  Speaker 2: them bragging about their car's performance, its lively getaway, and
• 9:30
  Speaker 2: the smooth, quiet way it walks up those steep hills
• 9:34
  Speaker 2: in high since they switched to signal. What's more, there
• 9:37
  Speaker 2: are now so many drivers like this who won't be
• 9:40
  Speaker 2: satisfied with anything less than Signal. This summer has been
• 9:44
  Speaker 2: by far the biggest summer in the entire history of
• 9:47
  Speaker 2: Signal Oil Company. Well, friend, when a gasoline is increasing
• 9:52
  Speaker 2: so in popularity, it seems to me you just naturally
• 9:55
  Speaker 2: want to find out what it is about that gasoline
• 9:58
  Speaker 2: which makes.
• 9:59
  Speaker 3: Drivers prefer it.
• 10:00
  Speaker 5: It.
• 10:00
  Speaker 2: There's no better time to find out than with your
• 10:03
  Speaker 2: very next tank.
• 10:04
  Speaker 3: Full of gasoline.
• 10:06
  Speaker 2: And no better place to get it than at the
• 10:08
  Speaker 2: next signal station you see.
• 10:32
  Speaker 3: Well, Lillian, it's backfired, hasn't it? Your plan to kill
• 10:36
  Speaker 3: Ralph Holbrook's wife so that he would be free to
• 10:38
  Speaker 3: marry you has turned into mockery. Now you know that
• 10:42
  Speaker 3: Ralph was leading you on all the time, actually bringing
• 10:45
  Speaker 3: you to the point of murder so that he could
• 10:48
  Speaker 3: be free but to marry someone else. But if Ralph
• 10:56
  Speaker 3: thinks he's through with you, if he believes that his
• 10:58
  Speaker 3: check for $ 500 is a final payoff that you'll accept,
• 11:02
  Speaker 3: he's very wrong, isn't he? He's going to pay for
• 11:05
  Speaker 3: his double-cross, and pay in full, isn't he? Already your
• 11:09
  Speaker 3: mind is at work on another plan, a plan for
• 11:11
  Speaker 3: complete revenge. And part of your plan goes into action
• 11:15
  Speaker 3: less than a week later, when you accept another case
• 11:18
  Speaker 3: only a block or so away.
• 11:21
  Speaker 5: Mrs.
• 11:21
  Speaker 3: Pringle, your new employer, is one of the neighborhood gossip.
• 11:25
  Speaker 3: And that fits in perfectly. You know what she will
• 11:28
  Speaker 3: do with a few well-timed insinuations.
• 11:31
  Speaker 12: Now, you mustn't think I'm inquisitive, my dear, but you
• 11:34
  Speaker 12: were quite close to Mrs.
• 11:35
  Speaker 3: Holbrook.
• 11:36
  Speaker 5: Oh, yes.
• 11:37
  Speaker 4: She was a fine woman. Very patient, in spite of
• 11:41
  Speaker 4: her suffering.
• 11:41
  Speaker 12: Well, now, I was just thinking, someone who stood so
• 11:45
  Speaker 12: much pain so patiently, well, it seems rather strange that
• 11:50
  Speaker 12: she suddenly decided to do away with herself.
• 11:53
  Speaker 7: Mrs.
• 11:53
  Speaker 4: Pringle, I... I wish you hadn't brought that up.
• 11:57
  Speaker 5: Oh?
• 11:59
  Speaker 4: I shouldn't talk about it. I shouldn't even think it. Yes, yes, yes.
• 12:04
  Speaker 4: I've so often thought that Mr. Holbrook, that he.
• 12:09
  Speaker 5: No.
• 12:11
  Speaker 4: No, I shouldn't say this.
• 12:12
  Speaker 5: Oh, do.
• 12:13
  Speaker 8: Please do. You know I wouldn't breathe it to a soul.
• 12:17
  Speaker 8: You thought what about Mr. Holbrook?
• 12:19
  Speaker 4: Well, he always seemed so kind and so devoted and...
• 12:23
  Speaker 4: Poor Mrs.
• 12:24
  Speaker 5: Holbrook.
• 12:25
  Speaker 4: She adored him so.
• 12:27
  Speaker 8: Yes, poor thing. Go on, dear.
• 12:30
  Speaker 4: Well, like I say, he seemed devoted, but I wondered
• 12:34
  Speaker 4: if maybe she hadn't discovered something about him.
• 12:38
  Speaker 8: Discovered something? You mean something like another woman?
• 12:42
  Speaker 4: Oh, I shouldn't say it. Still, she did change. She
• 12:47
  Speaker 4: wasn't cheerful, but... kind of quiet, deep in thought, just
• 12:51
  Speaker 4: toward the end.
• 12:51
  Speaker 5: Mm-hmm.
• 12:53
  Speaker 12: Did you ever hear them quarreling?
• 12:54
  Speaker 8: Oh, Mrs.
• 12:55
  Speaker 4: Pringle, really, I don't think we should talk about it.
• 12:58
  Speaker 8: Oh, my dear, it's just conversation, just idle conversation. We're
• 13:03
  Speaker 8: just supposing. Now, aren't we?
• 13:06
  Speaker 5: Yes, we are.
• 13:07
  Speaker 4: And you won't repeat or even suggest that I've thought
• 13:11
  Speaker 4: such things, will you?
• 13:12
  Speaker 8: Oh, my dear, you know I won't. Why, I wouldn't
• 13:16
  Speaker 8: think of it. Let sleeping dogs lie, I always say.
• 13:21
  Speaker 4: I'm glad that's what you always say.
• 13:32
  Speaker 3: But the very next day, Lillian, you hear something that
• 13:34
  Speaker 3: assures you that your plan is a good one. Over
• 13:37
  Speaker 3: the back fence, two of Mrs. Pringle's neighbors are talking,
• 13:41
  Speaker 3: unaware that you're around as they discuss a very choice
• 13:43
  Speaker 3: bit of gossip.
• 13:45
  Speaker 13: Now, you know, Madeline, Eunice Pringle wouldn't want this repeated.
• 13:48
  Speaker 13: And she swears that that new nurse she's hired doesn't
• 13:50
  Speaker 13: even realize the import of her remarks. But Eunice managed
• 13:54
  Speaker 13: to draw out some very interesting items.
• 13:56
  Speaker 3: Really, Louise?
• 13:57
  Speaker 4: Such as what?
• 13:57
  Speaker 8: Such as the fact that Mrs. Holbrook's death might not
• 14:00
  Speaker 8: have been by her own hand.
• 14:02
  Speaker 12: You mean.
• 14:03
  Speaker 4: I mean her husband.
• 14:05
  Speaker 5: No.
• 14:05
  Speaker 8: Yes.
• 14:06
  Speaker 5: Well, go on, Louise.
• 14:07
  Speaker 13: Well, Eunice says that she's been adding things up. Oh,
• 14:10
  Speaker 13: the few innocent remarks from a nurse, the facts as
• 14:13
  Speaker 13: they appeared in the papers, and a motive.
• 14:16
  Speaker 3: Motive?
• 14:17
  Speaker 4: Oldest motive in the world. Another woman.
• 14:20
  Speaker 5: No.
• 14:21
  Speaker 3: Yes.
• 14:22
  Speaker 4: Younger and prettier.
• 14:23
  Speaker 7: I'll bet she's the one I saw him with the
• 14:25
  Speaker 7: other day.
• 14:34
  Speaker 3: It's all well underway now, isn't it, Lillian? And you're
• 14:37
  Speaker 3: only waiting for Mrs. Pringle to take the final bold step,
• 14:40
  Speaker 3: bring it out into the open. And then one afternoon,
• 14:43
  Speaker 3: as you sit in the garden with Mrs. Pringle, reading
• 14:46
  Speaker 3: to her.
• 14:47
  Speaker 4: Though the day of my destiny's over, and the star
• 14:50
  Speaker 4: of my fate hath declined, thy soft heart refused to
• 14:55
  Speaker 4: discover the faults which so many could find. Though thy
• 15:00
  Speaker 4: soul with my grief was acquainted, it shrank not to
• 15:04
  Speaker 4: share it with me. And the.
• 15:06
  Speaker 3: Lillian, dear.
• 15:06
  Speaker 4: Oh, yes, Mrs. Pringle.
• 15:09
  Speaker 8: Why don't you tell the truth?
• 15:12
  Speaker 4: What?
• 15:13
  Speaker 8: I mean, now tell me. Tell me what you really
• 15:16
  Speaker 8: think about the Holbrooks. Poor Francis' suicide.
• 15:20
  Speaker 4: Why, I... I don't know what you mean.
• 15:23
  Speaker 14: You know as well as I do that it's entirely
• 15:25
  Speaker 14: possible that Ralph Holbrook had something to do with her death.
• 15:28
  Speaker 5: Why, Mrs.
• 15:29
  Speaker 3: Pringle.
• 15:30
  Speaker 8: After all, there was another woman.
• 15:33
  Speaker 4: Well, yes, but.
• 15:34
  Speaker 8: Wouldn't be the first time a man murdered his wife.
• 15:37
  Speaker 5: Oh, really, Mrs. Pringle?
• 15:39
  Speaker 4: You think that Mr. Holbrook.
• 15:41
  Speaker 8: Why not?
• 15:42
  Speaker 3: Why, I.
• 15:43
  Speaker 8: Do you mean to tell me the thought hadn't occurred
• 15:45
  Speaker 8: to you?
• 15:47
  Speaker 4: Well, Mrs. Pringle, as a matter of fact.
• 15:51
  Speaker 8: Of course, my dear.
• 15:52
  Speaker 14: Of course it occurred to you. I never did care
• 15:54
  Speaker 14: for that Ralph Holbrook. From the very first day that
• 15:57
  Speaker 14: Francis introduced me to him... there was something sneaky about him. Shifty-eyed,
• 16:01
  Speaker 14: you know.
• 16:02
  Speaker 8: Oh, go on reading, Lillian. I do so love Byron,
• 16:07
  Speaker 8: don't you?
• 16:07
  Speaker 3: It's building, isn't it, Lillian? The case against Ralph Holbrook,
• 16:20
  Speaker 3: and you're pleased. It's going exactly as you planned, thanks
• 16:24
  Speaker 3: to Mrs. Pringle. Later that afternoon, several of the neighborhood
• 16:28
  Speaker 3: ladies drop in for tea. You note the excited whispers,
• 16:31
  Speaker 3: the glances they exchange. And now you're certain that in
• 16:34
  Speaker 3: a matter of hours, the latest rumor about Ralph Holbrook
• 16:38
  Speaker 3: will spread through town like wildfire. That evening at your
• 16:46
  Speaker 3: small cottage. You stand at your kitchen window, chatting with
• 16:50
  Speaker 3: your next-door neighbor, Mrs. Armstrong, standing outside. Well, I've always
• 16:54
  Speaker 3: thought it rather queer all along, dear.
• 16:56
  Speaker 9: You see, I knew Frances Holbrook quite well, and it
• 16:59
  Speaker 9: just seemed odd to me that she'd ever consider suicide.
• 17:02
  Speaker 4: Oh, I don't know, Mrs.
• 17:03
  Speaker 5: Armstrong.
• 17:04
  Speaker 4: It's rather difficult to tell about things like that.
• 17:07
  Speaker 9: Even so, my dear, I just can't bring myself around
• 17:10
  Speaker 9: to believe that Frances Holbrook would take her own life.
• 17:13
  Speaker 4: Oh, excuse me. Someone's at my door.
• 17:15
  Speaker 8: Of course, dear.
• 17:19
  Speaker 5: Good evening, Lillian.
• 17:20
  Speaker 3: Why, Mr. Holbrook. I want to talk to you. Well, I... Yes,
• 17:25
  Speaker 3: we're going to have a little chat right here and now.
• 17:27
  Speaker 4: Now, see here.
• 17:28
  Speaker 3: This won't take long.
• 17:30
  Speaker 8: Is something wrong, Ralph?
• 17:32
  Speaker 3: Yes, something's wrong, very wrong. There is. Someone's been spreading
• 17:36
  Speaker 3: some rather ugly rumors about me.
• 17:38
  Speaker 5: Oh?
• 17:38
  Speaker 3: Wouldn't know anything about that, would you?
• 17:40
  Speaker 4: Really, Mr.
• 17:42
  Speaker 9: Holbrook.
• 17:42
  Speaker 3: Oh, stop it! I'm no fool. You've been feeding your patient,
• 17:46
  Speaker 3: that Gabby Mrs. Pringle, a lot of lies about me,
• 17:48
  Speaker 3: and she's been spreading them all over town, and I
• 17:50
  Speaker 3: don't like it. I don't like it at all.
• 17:51
  Speaker 4: I don't know what you're talking about.
• 17:54
  Speaker 3: Oh, yes, you do, and I won't stand for it.
• 17:55
  Speaker 3: I'm warning you. Those rumors had better stop.
• 17:58
  Speaker 4: Just a minute, Mr.
• 17:59
  Speaker 3: Holbrook.
• 18:00
  Speaker 4: What right have you to come in here and.
• 18:02
  Speaker 8: Get out.
• 18:03
  Speaker 11: Get out this instant.
• 18:04
  Speaker 3: Not until I put you straight. Now sit down.
• 18:06
  Speaker 8: I said get out.
• 18:07
  Speaker 3: And I said sit down. You're frightened, aren't you, Lillian,
• 18:18
  Speaker 3: as Ralph grabs you by the shoulders and shoves you
• 18:20
  Speaker 3: down into the chair. You've never seen him like this before.
• 18:24
  Speaker 3: His face flushed with anger, his eyes blazing with hatred,
• 18:27
  Speaker 3: his voice trembling, rising higher and higher. And then suddenly
• 18:31
  Speaker 3: you remember the open kitchen window.
• 18:34
  Speaker 5: Mrs.
• 18:34
  Speaker 3: Armstrong in her yard next door listening. And then finally....
• 18:39
  Speaker 8: Do you mind if I answer the door, Mr.
• 18:42
  Speaker 4: Holbrook?
• 18:43
  Speaker 5: Go ahead.
• 18:44
  Speaker 3: I've had my say.
• 18:45
  Speaker 5: I'm leaving.
• 18:49
  Speaker 7: Hello, Lillian. I.
• 18:51
  Speaker 3: Oh, good evening, Mr. Holbrook.
• 18:53
  Speaker 5: Mrs. Armstrong. Excuse me.
• 18:55
  Speaker 7: Couldn't help overhearing him, my dear. I was worried, afraid
• 18:58
  Speaker 7: he might harm you. That's why I came over.
• 19:00
  Speaker 4: Oh, I'm so glad you did. I was frightened, so
• 19:03
  Speaker 4: terribly frightened. I didn't know what he was going to do.
• 19:05
  Speaker 3: Oh, poor dear.
• 19:06
  Speaker 4: He accused me of spreading rumors. Said I told people
• 19:12
  Speaker 4: he'd murdered Mrs.
• 19:12
  Speaker 8: Holbrook.
• 19:15
  Speaker 4: He threatens me.
• 19:15
  Speaker 7: My dear, I think it's time you face something.
• 19:18
  Speaker 3: I really believe it is.
• 19:19
  Speaker 4: Face something?
• 19:20
  Speaker 8: The rumors about his wife's supposed suicide.
• 19:23
  Speaker 7: Lillian, heaven knows they're all over town. Be honest with yourself.
• 19:27
  Speaker 7: What do you really think about them?
• 19:29
  Speaker 3: Could they be true?
• 19:31
  Speaker 5: True? Why, I.
• 19:33
  Speaker 7: Surely you can tell.
• 19:34
  Speaker 3: Me, Lillian.
• 19:35
  Speaker 7: You were there caring for Francis Holbrook all those months.
• 19:38
  Speaker 7: You must have noticed the way he acted, things he did.
• 19:42
  Speaker 4: I suppose there were things I should have sensed.
• 19:46
  Speaker 3: Yes.
• 19:47
  Speaker 4: Now that I look back on it, there toward the last...
• 19:51
  Speaker 4: I'm sure he didn't want her to live. He got
• 19:54
  Speaker 4: so he insisted on giving her the sleeping pills himself
• 19:57
  Speaker 4: every night.
• 19:58
  Speaker 7: He insisted he give them to her?
• 20:00
  Speaker 4: I thought it was just a kind, loving gesture, but.
• 20:03
  Speaker 7: But now, my dear, since he's threatened you, surely.
• 20:06
  Speaker 8: Yes, Mrs.
• 20:06
  Speaker 4: Armstrong, now I must think of myself... I couldn't believe
• 20:10
  Speaker 4: it of him. But he did give her sleeping pills. And, well,
• 20:17
  Speaker 4: there isn't anything else to think, is there?
• 20:29
  Speaker 3: It's all happened naturally enough, hasn't it, Lillian? A bit
• 20:32
  Speaker 3: more suddenly than you'd planned, but Ralph's surprise visit, his
• 20:36
  Speaker 3: angry threats Mrs. Armstrong overheard, That's a break you hadn't expected.
• 20:41
  Speaker 3: Now there's no reason for delay. No reason why you
• 20:44
  Speaker 3: can't go ahead and make your final move. Mrs. Armstrong
• 20:47
  Speaker 3: will make a perfect witness, won't she, Lillian? An hour later,
• 20:55
  Speaker 3: you arrive at the Holbrook home. Park your car a
• 20:57
  Speaker 3: safe distance away and find the house in total darkness.
• 21:02
  Speaker 3: Hurry around to the rear entrance. And then using the
• 21:04
  Speaker 3: key Francis had once given you, The key you neglected
• 21:07
  Speaker 3: to return when you left the Holbrook house. You slip inside.
• 21:12
  Speaker 3: You make your way along the downstairs corridor. Then, inside
• 21:20
  Speaker 3: the study, you find what you came for. Ralph Holbrook's
• 21:25
  Speaker 3: gun in the desk drawer. You slip it into your
• 21:28
  Speaker 3: coat pocket. And then, a wave of panic sweeps over
• 21:32
  Speaker 3: you as you hear Ralph's approaching footsteps. You glance around
• 21:35
  Speaker 3: the room frantically. And then slip behind the window drapes
• 21:38
  Speaker 3: an instant before the study door opens. And then Ralph
• 21:44
  Speaker 3: dials a number on the phone. Hello, Nancy? Oh, well,
• 21:51
  Speaker 3: may I speak with Miss Nancy Arnold, please? What's that?
• 21:56
  Speaker 3: But I've been trying to reach her all day.
• 21:58
  Speaker 5: I see.
• 22:01
  Speaker 3: Any idea when she'll be back? All right. All right?
• 22:06
  Speaker 5: No.
• 22:07
  Speaker 3: No message. I'll call her later. You wait in the
• 22:11
  Speaker 3: darkness and hear Ralph's footsteps on the stairs. And then
• 22:15
  Speaker 3: when you hear the bedroom door close, you slip into
• 22:18
  Speaker 3: the corridor, out the rear entrance, and race back to
• 22:21
  Speaker 3: your car. When you get to your own home, you
• 22:28
  Speaker 3: step to the telephone and dial Ralph's number. As you
• 22:32
  Speaker 3: wait for him to answer, you stare at the gun.
• 22:35
  Speaker 3: His gun. lying on the table beside you.
• 22:38
  Speaker 2: Hello?
• 22:39
  Speaker 3: Mr.
• 22:39
  Speaker 4: Holbrook?
• 22:40
  Speaker 9: Yes?
• 22:41
  Speaker 8: This is Lillian Parker, Ralph.
• 22:44
  Speaker 4: I must see you right away.
• 22:45
  Speaker 3: We've nothing further to discuss, Lillian.
• 22:47
  Speaker 10: Please.
• 22:48
  Speaker 4: It's very important.
• 22:50
  Speaker 3: What's it all about?
• 22:51
  Speaker 4: Oh, since you were here, I've thought it over. And
• 22:55
  Speaker 4: I've decided to leave town.
• 22:57
  Speaker 9: Oh?
• 22:57
  Speaker 4: I could stay.
• 22:58
  Speaker 8: Here and make a lot of trouble for you, but
• 23:01
  Speaker 8: that wouldn't be smart.
• 23:03
  Speaker 3: I'm glad you see it that way.
• 23:05
  Speaker 8: Oh, don't get me wrong, Ralph.
• 23:06
  Speaker 15: You're not frightening me one bit, you know. It's just
• 23:10
  Speaker 15: that I happen to be a little low on funds.
• 23:13
  Speaker 15: I have some bills to pay, some things to buy,
• 23:16
  Speaker 15: including a plane ticket to New York.
• 23:19
  Speaker 3: I see.
• 23:21
  Speaker 8: I wouldn't need much.
• 23:23
  Speaker 3: A few thousand?
• 23:24
  Speaker 8: I'd never come back. Surely it would be worth it
• 23:28
  Speaker 8: to you.
• 23:28
  Speaker 3: Yes, it would be worth it to me. I'll stop
• 23:32
  Speaker 3: by the office and get the cash. and I'll be
• 23:33
  Speaker 3: right over. It's done, isn't it, Lillian? Now there's nothing
• 23:42
  Speaker 3: to do but wait. You pace the floor of your
• 23:44
  Speaker 3: living room, and as the minutes tick by, you grow
• 23:47
  Speaker 3: more and more confident, certain that your plan won't fail. Finally,
• 23:51
  Speaker 3: you hear a car stop out front. You glance out
• 23:54
  Speaker 3: and see Ralph Holbrook coming up the walk. Quickly, you
• 23:57
  Speaker 3: look next door. Mrs. Armstrong's lights are still on. Ralph's
• 24:02
  Speaker 3: loaded gun is in your jacket pocket as you answer
• 24:05
  Speaker 3: his knock on the door. Well, Lillian?
• 24:09
  Speaker 8: Come in, Ralph.
• 24:11
  Speaker 3: Come right in. I came as soon as I could.
• 24:16
  Speaker 3: I hope you're ready for me.
• 24:18
  Speaker 8: Believe me, Mr. Holbrook.
• 24:22
  Speaker 4: I am ready for you.
• 24:24
  Speaker 3: The End.
• 24:38
  Speaker 7: Mrs.
• 24:38
  Speaker 9: Armstrong!
• 24:39
  Speaker 5: Mrs. Armstrong!
• 24:40
  Speaker 7: He's over the door!
• 24:42
  Speaker 3: Please!
• 24:43
  Speaker 2: My dear, what happened?
• 24:45
  Speaker 5: Oh, Mrs.
• 24:46
  Speaker 8: Armstrong.
• 24:46
  Speaker 3: I heard the shot.
• 24:47
  Speaker 9: I was just getting into my robe.
• 24:49
  Speaker 8: It's Ralph Holbrook.
• 24:52
  Speaker 4: He tried to kill me.
• 24:54
  Speaker 8: We struggled for the gun.
• 24:57
  Speaker 3: I think he's... I think he's dead.
• 25:09
  Speaker 2: During the summer months, cars take quite a beating, what
• 25:12
  Speaker 2: with long, fast vacation trips, in addition to frequent weekend outings.
• 25:16
  Speaker 2: And that's why now is a good time to get
• 25:18
  Speaker 2: your car back in shape by making sure that all
• 25:22
  Speaker 2: wearing parts are freshly and properly lubricated. For the chassis,
• 25:26
  Speaker 2: that means a signal double-checked lube job. We call it
• 25:29
  Speaker 2: double check because signal dealers check each lubrication point not
• 25:33
  Speaker 2: just once but twice to make double sure that not
• 25:36
  Speaker 2: a single part is ever overlooked. Perhaps it's also time
• 25:40
  Speaker 2: to look after those points on your car which need
• 25:43
  Speaker 2: attention twice a year or each 5,000 miles, such as
• 25:47
  Speaker 2: transmission and differential, front wheel bearings and shock absorbers. You'll
• 25:52
  Speaker 2: find that signal dealers are experts at these and many
• 25:55
  Speaker 2: more upkeep services. After all, signal dealers are independent businessmen
• 26:00
  Speaker 2: who have a personal interest in pleasing you. This conscientious service,
• 26:06
  Speaker 2: plus fine quality signal products, are just two reasons why
• 26:10
  Speaker 2: cars run so well and last so long when serviced
• 26:14
  Speaker 2: regularly by signal dealers.
• 26:28
  Speaker 3: It's over, isn't it, Lillian? Ralph Holbrook is dead, just
• 26:31
  Speaker 3: as you planned. You killed him with his own gun
• 26:34
  Speaker 3: in your home, and then racing across to Mrs. Armstrong's
• 26:37
  Speaker 3: house next door, you sobbed out the story that he
• 26:40
  Speaker 3: had tried to kill you. Minutes later, the police arrived.
• 26:45
  Speaker 3: You saw them across the way, moving around in your home.
• 26:48
  Speaker 3: Now they're back in Mrs. Armstrong's living room, and you've
• 26:52
  Speaker 3: told them your version of the tragedy.
• 26:54
  Speaker 10: You say, Miss Parkinson, That he offered you money.
• 26:57
  Speaker 3: To leave town?
• 26:58
  Speaker 4: Yes, that's right.
• 27:01
  Speaker 10: Uh-huh. He found over $ 3, 000 in his pocket.
• 27:04
  Speaker 4: Well, when I refused the money, he pulled out the gun.
• 27:07
  Speaker 4: I grabbed for it. There was a struggle.
• 27:09
  Speaker 10: And the gun went off.
• 27:11
  Speaker 9: Yes.
• 27:12
  Speaker 10: And, Miss Parker.
• 27:14
  Speaker 9: Yes?
• 27:15
  Speaker 10: There have been a lot of rumors circulating through the
• 27:17
  Speaker 10: town about Holbrook and the.
• 27:19
  Speaker 3: Death of his wife.
• 27:20
  Speaker 4: Yes, I've heard some of the talk.
• 27:23
  Speaker 10: So have we at headquarters. We've had some calls about it,
• 27:26
  Speaker 10: none very conclusive. But only tonight we received one that
• 27:30
  Speaker 10: moved us toward immediate action. I.
• 27:33
  Speaker 4: I don't understand.
• 27:33
  Speaker 10: A call saying Holbrook had threatened you, Miss Parker, because
• 27:37
  Speaker 10: you said he'd killed his wife. That call came from
• 27:41
  Speaker 10: your neighbor, Mrs.
• 27:42
  Speaker 5: Armstrong.
• 27:43
  Speaker 4: Mrs. Armstrong called you? Told you this?
• 27:46
  Speaker 5: Yes. Yes.
• 27:48
  Speaker 10: On the strength of her call, we assigned a man
• 27:50
  Speaker 10: to keep an eye on Holbrook. Sergeant Dunn here got
• 27:53
  Speaker 10: to Holbrook's house tonight just in time to follow him here.
• 27:56
  Speaker 4: Here?
• 27:57
  Speaker 16: That's right, Miss Parker. I was right behind Holbrook. I
• 28:01
  Speaker 16: got to your living room window just after he entered.
• 28:03
  Speaker 3: But then.
• 28:04
  Speaker 16: I had my gun ready to protect you. But there
• 28:07
  Speaker 16: was no struggle, Miss Parker. I saw you pull the gun,
• 28:12
  Speaker 16: shoot Holbrook down in cold blood.
• 28:15
  Speaker 10: I don't know why you killed him, Miss Parker. But
• 28:19
  Speaker 10: I'll bet whoever started these rumors about Holbrook had no
• 28:23
  Speaker 10: idea they'd turn out to be so deadly.
• 28:55
  Speaker 2: Let that whistle be your signal for the Signal Oil program,
• 28:59
  Speaker 2: The Whistler, each Sunday night at this same time. Signal
• 29:03
  Speaker 2: Oil Company has asked me to remind you, now that
• 29:06
  Speaker 2: school days are here again, it's even more important to
• 29:10
  Speaker 2: drive at sensible speeds, be courteous, and obey traffic regulations.
• 29:15
  Speaker 3: It may save a life. Possibly a child.
• 29:28
  Speaker 2: Featured in tonight's story were Bill Foreman, Gene Bates, and
• 29:31
  Speaker 2: Ted Osborne. The Whistler was produced by George W. Allen
• 29:35
  Speaker 2: and directed by Robert Hafter. With story by Joel Malone,
• 29:38
  Speaker 2: music by Wilbur Haskins. The Whistler is entirely fictional, and
• 29:31
  Speaker 2: all characters portrayed on The Whistler are also fictional. Any
• 29:34
  Speaker 2: similarity of names or resemblance to persons living or dead
• 29:37
  Speaker 2: is purely coincidental. Remember at this same time next Sunday,
• 30:00
  Speaker 2: another strange tale by the Whistler. Marvin Miller speaking for
• 30:06
  Speaker 2: the Signal Oil Company. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.
• 30:24
  Speaker 1: Thank you for joining us for The Whistler, Deadly Rumor.
• 30:28
  Speaker 1: Follow The Whistler for more classic broadcasts.