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The Whistler - "Death Demands a Payment" (Old Time Radio, 1943) · The Whistler | Old Time Radio

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: On a stormy night, a young couple with a disabled
• 0:02
  Speaker 1: car is directed from a gas station to shelter at
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: an isolated, darkened hotel. Their search for refuge brings them
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: face to face with an old woman, her son, and
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: before long, the arrival of police. From December 19, 1943,
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: this is The Whistler, Episode 83, Death Demands a Payment,
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: heard over the CBS Pacific Network with Signal Oil as sponsor. J.
• 0:30
  Speaker 2: Donald Wilson wrote and.
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: Directed this broadcast, a retitled return of the story first
• 0:36
  Speaker 1: heard as the series premiere, Retribution, in May of 1942.
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: And now, our story begins.
• 0:51
  Speaker 3: The Signal Oil Company is bringing you The Whistler. Today,
• 1:00
  Speaker 3: we will tell you a tale of avarice and greed.
• 1:02
  Speaker 3: The awful price John Hendricks paid for selling his soul
• 1:06
  Speaker 3: to the devil. The story of Death Demands a Payment.
• 1:14
  Speaker 3: But first, if you'll bear with me for a moment,
• 1:16
  Speaker 3: I'd like to make a suggestion about your car. Because
• 1:19
  Speaker 3: right now, it's a very valuable possession. One you won't
• 1:22
  Speaker 3: be able to replace until six months or a year
• 1:24
  Speaker 3: after the war. Keeping your present car running is dependent
• 1:27
  Speaker 3: on current lubrication... More so than most people realize. When
• 1:32
  Speaker 3: you leave your car anywhere handy and just, say, grease it,
• 1:35
  Speaker 3: you're likely to find later that certain hard-to-find lubrication points
• 1:39
  Speaker 3: have been missed. And in these times, even minor repairs
• 1:42
  Speaker 3: can lay a car up for days. If lubrication fails
• 1:45
  Speaker 3: on parts you can't repair or replace, then you're really
• 1:49
  Speaker 3: out of luck.
• 1:50
  Speaker 2: Doesn't seem worth that much worry, does it?
• 1:52
  Speaker 3: Especially when getting acquainted with a convenient signal dealer can
• 1:55
  Speaker 3: relieve you of it. He knows his stuff, uses the
• 1:58
  Speaker 3: auto manufacturer's own lubrication chart in taking.
• 2:01
  Speaker 4: Care of your car.
• 2:02
  Speaker 3: In fact, checks every lubrication point twice. You see, he's
• 2:06
  Speaker 3: not just an attendant, but an independent businessman in his
• 2:10
  Speaker 3: community with a genuine interest in keeping his customers' cars
• 2:13
  Speaker 3: in service. I think you'd find it pleasant and profitable
• 2:17
  Speaker 3: to have him count you as one of his regulars.
• 2:20
  Speaker 3: So stop by next week for a really correct lubrication
• 2:23
  Speaker 3: job or anything else on which your signal dealer can
• 2:26
  Speaker 3: help you out. I believe you'll thank me for the tip.
• 2:30
  Speaker 2: And now.
• 2:46
  Speaker 5: I am the whistler.
• 2:48
  Speaker 3: And I know many things, for I walk by night.
• 2:56
  Speaker 5: I know many strange tales, many secrets, hidden in the
• 3:01
  Speaker 5: hearts of men and women who have stepped into the shadows. Yes,
• 3:06
  Speaker 5: I know the nameless terrors of which they dare not speak.
• 3:12
  Speaker 5: A huge, sprawling stone structure surrounded by high gray walls
• 3:18
  Speaker 5: appears against the storm-lashed, lightning-streaked night sky. The State Penitentiary.
• 3:27
  Speaker 5: In a cell in this dismal building sit two men.
• 3:30
  Speaker 5: One is John Hendricks, a man of 60, a lifer,
• 3:34
  Speaker 5: sentenced 10 years ago for the murder of his wife
• 3:37
  Speaker 5: and stepson. Murdered Martha and her simple-minded son for the $ 10, 000
• 3:42
  Speaker 5: she kept hidden in the big house on the outskirts
• 3:46
  Speaker 5: of town. John's cellmate is one Bill Smith, otherwise known
• 3:52
  Speaker 5: as Number 1014. Bill has changed in the five years
• 3:57
  Speaker 5: he's been here. He's decided to go straight if he
• 4:01
  Speaker 5: ever gets out. Bill Smith started reading here. Reading philosophy
• 4:07
  Speaker 5: and so forth. Bill Smith has changed. But John Hendricks
• 4:12
  Speaker 5: hasn't changed. Not Hendricks. Because he has a plan. He
• 4:18
  Speaker 5: has a clever plan in mind.
• 4:20
  Speaker 2: Well.
• 4:21
  Speaker 6: All I got to say, Bill, is that I think
• 4:22
  Speaker 6: you're crazy enough to make the try with me.
• 4:24
  Speaker 4: It's a matter of opinion, isn't it?
• 4:25
  Speaker 2: It's all fixed. Not a chance of a slip-up.
• 4:28
  Speaker 4: Don't tell me you got the break fixed with the warden.
• 4:30
  Speaker 2: What difference does it make who it is so long
• 4:32
  Speaker 2: as the whole thing is set?
• 4:33
  Speaker 4: I think you're nuts. You're crazy. Yeah.
• 4:36
  Speaker 6: I'm getting out of this place. I got a reason,
• 4:38
  Speaker 6: a good reason. I got something waiting for me outside.
• 4:41
  Speaker 6: Something that belongs to me. I'm the only one that
• 4:43
  Speaker 6: knows where it is. I'm getting out of here.
• 4:46
  Speaker 2: You're in here for a long time, Bill. If you
• 4:48
  Speaker 2: don't want to make the try with me, you can
• 4:50
  Speaker 2: stay and rot.
• 4:51
  Speaker 4: Suppose you do find this money hidden away in the
• 4:53
  Speaker 4: old lady's estate.
• 4:54
  Speaker 2: What good will it do you?
• 4:55
  Speaker 4: You killed her and her stepson to get it, didn't you?
• 4:57
  Speaker 7: I did not.
• 4:58
  Speaker 2: I didn't kill anybody. I say you did. That ain't true.
• 5:01
  Speaker 2: But I know where the money is.
• 5:02
  Speaker 5: Okay.
• 5:03
  Speaker 4: You can break out. You can have the money. But
• 5:06
  Speaker 4: I've done a lot of thinking and reading since I've
• 5:08
  Speaker 4: been here.
• 5:08
  Speaker 2: Yeah. You've gone soft. Maybe so.
• 5:12
  Speaker 4: But this much I do know. If I ever do
• 5:14
  Speaker 4: get out, I'll do things differently.
• 5:17
  Speaker 5: Yeah.
• 5:18
  Speaker 4: I'm not.
• 5:19
  Speaker 2: No, no, no, no.
• 5:20
  Speaker 4: You just got religion. I get exactly what's coming. And
• 5:24
  Speaker 4: believe me, I think so are you. If you break out,
• 5:27
  Speaker 4: they'll have your back one way or another. Watch and see.
• 5:30
  Speaker 2: Well, I'm going, so you watch and see. Just watch.
• 5:43
  Speaker 5: And now, another night, several months later, another storm....
• 5:49
  Speaker 2: A lonely country road.
• 5:50
  Speaker 5: A car.
• 5:53
  Speaker 2: The southern part of the state.
• 5:55
  Speaker 5: That village we passed a few miles back. That silent
• 5:58
  Speaker 5: sleeping village was Marsdenburg. And that small stone building.
• 6:03
  Speaker 2: Was the county courthouse.
• 6:04
  Speaker 5: The courthouse where John Hendricks was tried and convicted for
• 6:09
  Speaker 5: the murder of his wife and her simple-minded son, Henry.
• 6:13
  Speaker 5: We're on the outskirts of town now. A young man
• 6:16
  Speaker 5: is driving the old car, and there's a girl beside him.
• 6:20
  Speaker 2: Motor trouble? There, just ahead, a light.
• 6:23
  Speaker 5: Yes, it's a little crossroads store.
• 6:29
  Speaker 8: There's a light inside, George, but I don't see anybody.
• 6:33
  Speaker 8: It's close. We'd better drive on.
• 6:34
  Speaker 2: Yeah. I guess you're right, John.
• 6:37
  Speaker 7: Evening, folks.
• 6:38
  Speaker 2: There's trouble. Well, we're having motor trouble. That's all.
• 6:42
  Speaker 9: What are you doing driving around on a night like this?
• 6:46
  Speaker 2: We're on our way west.
• 6:47
  Speaker 8: Mr., is there an inn or something around here where
• 6:49
  Speaker 8: we can stay for the night?
• 6:50
  Speaker 5: Inn?
• 6:52
  Speaker 2: Well, there's a place about eight miles up the road.
• 6:54
  Speaker 4: They'll probably put you up.
• 6:56
  Speaker 9: Sign on the left-hand side of the road.
• 6:57
  Speaker 2: You can't miss it. This road's pretty bad, though, in
• 7:00
  Speaker 2: the rain. Got to be careful or you'll find yourself walking. Well,
• 7:03
  Speaker 2: thank you. We'll try it. Good night.
• 7:06
  Speaker 8: Good luck, mister.
• 7:07
  Speaker 2: You'll need the luck.
• 7:21
  Speaker 5: The storm is increasing now. The little car lurches and
• 7:25
  Speaker 5: bounces in its fight to keep the center of the highway...
• 7:32
  Speaker 5: Two miles, three miles, four, maybe five, and look, there
• 7:39
  Speaker 5: it is, straight ahead.
• 7:41
  Speaker 2: On the right side of the road, a blue light.
• 7:44
  Speaker 2: That's it. Wait, George.
• 7:48
  Speaker 5: Did the old man say on the right side or
• 7:51
  Speaker 5: the left side of the road?
• 7:52
  Speaker 2: Oh, George, what's wrong? Oh, I don't know. The distributor
• 7:57
  Speaker 2: must have gotten wet.
• 7:59
  Speaker 7: Look, George.
• 8:00
  Speaker 5: What?
• 8:01
  Speaker 8: That blue light we saw.
• 8:02
  Speaker 2: It's gone.
• 8:03
  Speaker 5: Where is it?
• 8:06
  Speaker 2: We must have passed it. We couldn't have.
• 8:07
  Speaker 5: I was looking right at it.
• 8:08
  Speaker 8: It seemed as though it just disappeared into thin air.
• 8:12
  Speaker 2: I'd better turn in here. This motor won't last much longer.
• 8:16
  Speaker 8: I guess so.
• 8:18
  Speaker 2: I can't see a thing, can you?
• 8:19
  Speaker 8: It's certainly a desolate looking place.
• 8:22
  Speaker 2: There must be a house back in there.
• 8:25
  Speaker 7: Oh, there it is.
• 8:28
  Speaker 8: There's the driveway 20 feet ahead.
• 8:30
  Speaker 2: Yeah.
• 8:30
  Speaker 9: Well, this motor's about to conk out. We'd better drive
• 8:34
  Speaker 9: in and see what we can find.
• 8:37
  Speaker 2: Yes.
• 8:37
  Speaker 5: Drive in, George. You'll find something.
• 8:40
  Speaker 2: That's right. Through the gate. Make the curve.
• 8:45
  Speaker 5: Hurry.
• 8:46
  Speaker 2: There goes your motor.
• 8:47
  Speaker 7: A little more. Now.
• 8:51
  Speaker 8: Oh, we just made it. Thank heaven.
• 8:54
  Speaker 5: Yes.
• 8:55
  Speaker 2: That's right.
• 8:56
  Speaker 5: Always thank heaven at a time like this.
• 9:00
  Speaker 2: All right.
• 9:01
  Speaker 5: Get out and go up on the porch.
• 9:04
  Speaker 2: Let me help you, Joan.
• 9:05
  Speaker 8: I'm all right. What do we do with the bag?
• 9:08
  Speaker 9: We leave them here until we find out if there's
• 9:10
  Speaker 9: anyone here.
• 9:12
  Speaker 7: Come on.
• 9:23
  Speaker 8: Do you see a bell?
• 9:25
  Speaker 2: No. I can't see a thing. Gee, this place looks
• 9:30
  Speaker 2: completely deserted, I think. I don't think anyone lives here.
• 9:33
  Speaker 4: I don't either.
• 9:35
  Speaker 7: Oh, let's go.
• 9:36
  Speaker 2: Where do I get my flashlight?
• 9:38
  Speaker 5: There.
• 9:39
  Speaker 2: No, there's no bell that I can see. Maybe you're right.
• 9:44
  Speaker 4: Maybe it is deserted.
• 9:45
  Speaker 8: Then why should they have a light on the road
• 9:47
  Speaker 8: saying lodging?
• 9:48
  Speaker 2: That is strange, isn't it? But I wonder why it
• 9:50
  Speaker 2: went out just as we reached it.
• 9:52
  Speaker 8: I wonder. Oh, George, let's don't knock. I don't like
• 9:56
  Speaker 8: this place. Let's go on.
• 9:58
  Speaker 5: How?
• 9:58
  Speaker 2: With a dead motor? Where could we go?
• 10:01
  Speaker 5: No.
• 10:02
  Speaker 2: I'll knock.
• 10:03
  Speaker 8: Well, all right.
• 10:08
  Speaker 2: Ah, that's right. Knock, George.
• 10:12
  Speaker 5: Knock.
• 10:13
  Speaker 4: Go ahead.
• 10:15
  Speaker 7: Louder.
• 10:16
  Speaker 5: Louder.
• 10:20
  Speaker 4: Again.
• 10:21
  Speaker 9: We've just got to have shelter.
• 10:25
  Speaker 8: Yes, we can't stay in that car any longer.
• 10:27
  Speaker 2: Can we?
• 10:29
  Speaker 5: No.
• 10:29
  Speaker 9: I'm afraid not.
• 10:35
  Speaker 2: Here it comes.
• 10:36
  Speaker 5: Now you're on your own, George. On your own.
• 10:39
  Speaker 2: There is someone there. Yes?
• 10:50
  Speaker 8: Oh.
• 10:51
  Speaker 2: Good evening. What is it? Well, um, our car.
• 10:56
  Speaker 9: Yes, our car stalled. We can't go any farther. It's
• 11:00
  Speaker 9: such a terrible night out that we thought we could
• 11:01
  Speaker 9: stop here for the evening.
• 11:02
  Speaker 5: Stop here?
• 11:04
  Speaker 8: Why, yes, we saw your light. Light?
• 11:08
  Speaker 2: What light? Well, the blue neon out in front. There
• 11:13
  Speaker 2: is no light. A few rooms.
• 11:16
  Speaker 5: Yes, there is a room.
• 11:19
  Speaker 2: Well, could we come in?
• 11:20
  Speaker 9: I mean, it's awfully wet out here.
• 11:23
  Speaker 8: You may come in.
• 11:26
  Speaker 4: If you wish.
• 11:27
  Speaker 8: Oh, thank you.
• 11:34
  Speaker 2: It's quite a relief. We were afraid you'd closed up
• 11:36
  Speaker 2: for the night. Especially when all the lights were out.
• 11:39
  Speaker 2: All the lights out. Yes, you see.
• 11:41
  Speaker 5: Huh?
• 11:43
  Speaker 8: Of course the lights are out. Oh.
• 11:46
  Speaker 5: I didn't know.
• 11:49
  Speaker 8: You do take tourists, do you?
• 11:53
  Speaker 2: Well, yes, that's what they told us.
• 11:56
  Speaker 7: Who told you?
• 11:57
  Speaker 5: The man.
• 11:58
  Speaker 8: The old man at the little store back at the
• 12:00
  Speaker 8: crossroad told us. Little store?
• 12:03
  Speaker 2: Yes, at the crossroad about five miles back. You know
• 12:07
  Speaker 2: where the crossroad is, don't you? There is no store
• 12:10
  Speaker 2: at the crossroad. There isn't?
• 12:13
  Speaker 5: No.
• 12:15
  Speaker 2: Oh, I see.
• 12:17
  Speaker 9: Well, look, madam, would you mind turning on the lights?
• 12:20
  Speaker 2: I can't see a thing.
• 12:22
  Speaker 5: We have no lights here.
• 12:25
  Speaker 2: No?
• 12:26
  Speaker 5: No lights?
• 12:26
  Speaker 2: Give me a flashlight, Joan. She means there's no electricity here.
• 12:29
  Speaker 4: No, there is no light here.
• 12:32
  Speaker 8: Throw the flashlight around. There must be a lamp.
• 12:35
  Speaker 5: No, don't make a noise. We see well in the dark.
• 12:42
  Speaker 8: We? Who's we? Is there someone else.
• 12:45
  Speaker 9: In the house?
• 12:46
  Speaker 2: My son. Oh, oh, well, he's gone to bed.
• 12:49
  Speaker 4: He's standing beside you.
• 12:54
  Speaker 8: Beside who?
• 12:55
  Speaker 5: You.
• 12:57
  Speaker 2: Son.
• 12:58
  Speaker 5: Yes, mother. Oh.
• 13:00
  Speaker 2: Give me that flash.
• 13:01
  Speaker 8: You've got it. You've got it.
• 13:03
  Speaker 2: Oh, yeah, I have. Gee whiz. How long you been
• 13:07
  Speaker 2: standing here, bub? Since you came in. That so?
• 13:11
  Speaker 9: Well, I didn't see.
• 13:13
  Speaker 2: You make a noise like a spook.
• 13:15
  Speaker 8: Who are you?
• 13:16
  Speaker 5: What is your name?
• 13:18
  Speaker 2: It's George Kimball. This is my wife, Joan. We're on
• 13:21
  Speaker 2: our way west as travelers. Travelers? Who are we?
• 13:25
  Speaker 7: What?
• 13:26
  Speaker 5: Quiet, son, quiet.
• 13:28
  Speaker 2: No, no, no, let him talk. He's quiet enough.
• 13:32
  Speaker 8: How long have you folks been living here?
• 13:34
  Speaker 5: We've lived here all our lives.
• 13:39
  Speaker 2: Say, how about closing the door?
• 13:41
  Speaker 5: Is the door open?
• 13:44
  Speaker 2: Of course it is. What?
• 13:46
  Speaker 7: Oh, George.
• 13:50
  Speaker 2: Take it easy, darling. Don't get excited. Look, madam, there's
• 13:52
  Speaker 2: a candle on that table over there by the fireplace.
• 13:55
  Speaker 5: Yes, sir.
• 13:57
  Speaker 2: Yes, and if you don't mind, I'm going to light it.
• 13:59
  Speaker 2: Please don't. Wait a minute. If you want us to
• 14:03
  Speaker 2: stay here, I insist that we have some light. You
• 14:06
  Speaker 2: do want us to stay here, don't you?
• 14:10
  Speaker 5: Do we?
• 14:11
  Speaker 7: Do we, son?
• 14:13
  Speaker 2: Yes, mother. What.
• 14:15
  Speaker 8: What are you looking at me for?
• 14:17
  Speaker 2: Yes, mother.
• 14:18
  Speaker 4: Without lying.
• 14:20
  Speaker 2: Yes, mother. Oh, George, let's go.
• 14:24
  Speaker 8: I don't want to stay here tonight. This place doesn't
• 14:26
  Speaker 8: look good to me.
• 14:27
  Speaker 5: There has been no good here for many years.
• 14:31
  Speaker 8: You see what I mean, George?
• 14:33
  Speaker 2: I don't get it. You don't seem to want us,
• 14:35
  Speaker 2: and yet your son does. How do you make any
• 14:37
  Speaker 2: money that way?
• 14:38
  Speaker 8: We don't make money.
• 14:41
  Speaker 2: You don't? You mean you haven't had any guests lately?
• 14:44
  Speaker 3: No.
• 14:45
  Speaker 5: Not for many years.
• 14:48
  Speaker 2: Well, you can't expect any if you act like this.
• 14:51
  Speaker 8: But we do expect a guest.
• 14:55
  Speaker 2: Don't we, son? Yes, mother. He certainly has a surprise coming.
• 15:00
  Speaker 5: Yes, he has.
• 15:03
  Speaker 2: How many rooms have you? There are many rooms, but
• 15:08
  Speaker 2: only one. Only one? Oh, that doesn't make sense. What
• 15:12
  Speaker 2: do you mean? Only one for guests. Oh, you mean
• 15:16
  Speaker 2: only one equipped? Yes. Well, then, if you've got a
• 15:19
  Speaker 2: reserve for this guest, you expect, what are we going
• 15:22
  Speaker 2: to do?
• 15:22
  Speaker 5: There is an inn farther along the road.
• 15:26
  Speaker 2: They have rooms.
• 15:27
  Speaker 4: They will take you. It will be best for us.
• 15:33
  Speaker 2: Yes, but our distributor got wet, so the car won't
• 15:35
  Speaker 2: even run.
• 15:36
  Speaker 4: Where is your car?
• 15:38
  Speaker 2: It's right there at the further steps.
• 15:41
  Speaker 5: I see no car.
• 15:42
  Speaker 2: You don't? Why, it's standing right there.
• 15:45
  Speaker 5: George.
• 15:46
  Speaker 8: George, where is it?
• 15:48
  Speaker 7: It's gone. Holy smoke, it is gone.
• 15:52
  Speaker 2: Where and how? I didn't hear a sign. Oh, it
• 15:55
  Speaker 2: must have rolled ahead.
• 15:56
  Speaker 8: Throw your light around.
• 15:57
  Speaker 2: No, that's the sign. Say, what goes on here? Son,
• 16:05
  Speaker 2: here's to us.
• 16:07
  Speaker 8: You moved the car?
• 16:09
  Speaker 2: Yes, mother.
• 16:10
  Speaker 8: Why?
• 16:12
  Speaker 2: Him.
• 16:14
  Speaker 7: I understand, son.
• 16:16
  Speaker 2: I understand. Now, wait a minute. Your son moved it? Well,
• 16:19
  Speaker 2: how could he? The motor won't run and he would. Well,
• 16:23
  Speaker 2: we didn't hear a sound.
• 16:24
  Speaker 5: No sound.
• 16:25
  Speaker 2: How'd you move it? I don't know. That's a fine thing.
• 16:29
  Speaker 2: Here we are in a place where they don't want
• 16:30
  Speaker 2: us and no way of leaving. Well, you've got us
• 16:33
  Speaker 2: on your hands now. You'll have to make the best
• 16:36
  Speaker 2: of it.
• 16:36
  Speaker 4: Oh, no, George.
• 16:37
  Speaker 8: We'll leave.
• 16:38
  Speaker 2: Oh, no. This is all silly. Now, come on. Let's
• 16:40
  Speaker 2: have some light and cut the monkey business. Wait, son.
• 16:43
  Speaker 8: What have we decided?
• 16:45
  Speaker 2: Yes, mother.
• 16:46
  Speaker 5: We've decided yet.
• 16:48
  Speaker 4: Very well, if you wish.
• 16:50
  Speaker 8: If you wish, you may stay.
• 16:53
  Speaker 5: Stay until.
• 16:55
  Speaker 2: Until when? All night.
• 16:57
  Speaker 9: Yes, mother.
• 16:58
  Speaker 8: If you wish.
• 16:59
  Speaker 2: Well, that's better. Now, that's more like it. Now, I'll
• 17:02
  Speaker 2: light this candle. There we are.
• 17:06
  Speaker 8: George, look.
• 17:09
  Speaker 2: Well, dear. Look at that death in the car, boy.
• 17:13
  Speaker 2: This place looks deserted. It looks like an old cellar. Well,
• 17:17
  Speaker 2: how about the room? Do we get it or the guests,
• 17:19
  Speaker 2: do you expect?
• 17:20
  Speaker 8: There is another room that will look bad. Well, could
• 17:24
  Speaker 8: we see it?
• 17:25
  Speaker 2: By the way, how much did you charge?
• 17:27
  Speaker 5: We charge nothing.
• 17:29
  Speaker 8: You charge nothing?
• 17:31
  Speaker 2: Nothing. Sounds silly, but it's a break for us. We're
• 17:34
  Speaker 2: running short anyway. Let's see the room. Very well.
• 17:37
  Speaker 5: It is upstairs.
• 17:40
  Speaker 2: After you, ma'am.
• 17:41
  Speaker 8: No, you go first.
• 17:43
  Speaker 2: Very well. Come on, John. Bring that out of the can.
• 17:47
  Speaker 5: Come, son. Follow me.
• 17:52
  Speaker 2: Yes, ma'am.
• 17:55
  Speaker 8: I never saw so much dust.
• 17:58
  Speaker 2: They must like it, you know. Nice, clean dust.
• 18:01
  Speaker 4: That room at the head of the stairs.
• 18:03
  Speaker 5: Yes.
• 18:06
  Speaker 2: Why, this room's well furnished. Is this the room reserved
• 18:10
  Speaker 2: for your expected guests? No. But you said you only
• 18:12
  Speaker 2: had one room furnished. Who sleeps here?
• 18:15
  Speaker 8: This is my room.
• 18:17
  Speaker 2: What's your room?
• 18:18
  Speaker 8: I stay here now.
• 18:20
  Speaker 2: Oh, I see. Or do I?
• 18:23
  Speaker 8: It's a nice soft bed.
• 18:25
  Speaker 2: It was always comfortable.
• 18:29
  Speaker 8: We leave you now.
• 18:31
  Speaker 2: Come, son.
• 18:33
  Speaker 8: We must leave them alone now.
• 18:35
  Speaker 2: Yes, son.
• 18:36
  Speaker 5: Leave them alone.
• 18:38
  Speaker 8: Good night. Good night.
• 18:41
  Speaker 2: You will lock your door.
• 18:43
  Speaker 5: Huh?
• 18:45
  Speaker 8: Oh. Oh, yes.
• 18:47
  Speaker 2: We'll lock it. Goodbye. Did she say good night? Or goodbye?
• 18:59
  Speaker 8: I don't know. I thought she said.
• 19:04
  Speaker 8: She did say goodbye.
• 19:05
  Speaker 4: What a screwy outfit.
• 19:10
  Speaker 2: Boy, I wish we hadn't had car trouble. That's what
• 19:13
  Speaker 2: we get for trying to drive in the rain.
• 19:15
  Speaker 8: How much money have we left?
• 19:16
  Speaker 2: Not very much. Just enough to get to Los Angeles.
• 19:19
  Speaker 2: The way I figure. But once we get there, I
• 19:22
  Speaker 2: know there'll be a job for me. We'll make it.
• 19:24
  Speaker 2: Don't you worry. You'll see me in a nice job
• 19:27
  Speaker 2: in Hollywood.
• 19:28
  Speaker 8: I'm not worried about seeing you in Hollywood.
• 19:30
  Speaker 5: No?
• 19:31
  Speaker 2: No.
• 19:33
  Speaker 8: I'm just worried about seeing you in... in the morning.
• 19:40
  Speaker 5: The same night, but later. It's midnight. Another car on
• 19:57
  Speaker 5: the same road. You know who it is. It's John Hendricks.
• 20:02
  Speaker 2: And you know where he's going.
• 20:04
  Speaker 5: He turns in at our deserted mansion, up the driveway,
• 20:08
  Speaker 5: and stops. He steps out, flips up the step, opens
• 20:17
  Speaker 5: the door, and throws his flash about the dusty room.
• 20:22
  Speaker 5: The cobwebs glisten in the beam. A few moments, and
• 20:26
  Speaker 5: the light comes to rest on the fireplace. He steps
• 20:30
  Speaker 5: quickly to the mantel, draws a small hammer and a
• 20:33
  Speaker 5: chisel from his pocket, and sets to work, removing a brick.
• 20:41
  Speaker 5: Now he's finished. The brick is loose. He reaches in
• 20:45
  Speaker 5: and withdraws a heavy yellow envelope. He starts to put
• 20:49
  Speaker 5: it in his pocket, but suddenly freezes in his tracks.
• 20:53
  Speaker 2: He can't move.
• 20:54
  Speaker 5: He turns icy cold.
• 20:57
  Speaker 2: Turn around, Hendricks. Turn around. Look.
• 21:01
  Speaker 5: At the foot of the stairs across the room stands
• 21:05
  Speaker 5: a woman holding a candle. And beside her, a grinning
• 21:08
  Speaker 5: youth holding an axe.
• 21:11
  Speaker 2: Turn around, Hendricks. Look at their heads covered with blood.
• 21:16
  Speaker 5: Turn around.
• 21:18
  Speaker 8: John Hendricks, murderer.
• 21:21
  Speaker 2: John Hendricks, thief. Martha.
• 21:28
  Speaker 7: Yes, John.
• 21:29
  Speaker 5: Henry. Yes, John.
• 21:31
  Speaker 2: No, no. We'll come for you, John. The same way
• 21:35
  Speaker 2: you came for us.
• 21:36
  Speaker 8: No, no. We've been waiting for you, John.
• 21:38
  Speaker 4: Please come back for the money.
• 21:41
  Speaker 5: No, I.
• 21:41
  Speaker 8: We've been waiting.
• 21:42
  Speaker 4: We've come to save you, John.
• 21:44
  Speaker 2: No, no, no, no.
• 21:44
  Speaker 4: Please don't come near me.
• 21:45
  Speaker 2: Please.
• 21:46
  Speaker 8: You must suffer, John, as we have suffered.
• 21:49
  Speaker 2: I've suffered.
• 21:50
  Speaker 5: I've suffered.
• 21:50
  Speaker 8: Not enough, John. Not enough.
• 21:53
  Speaker 2: I didn't mean to do it. I didn't plan to
• 21:54
  Speaker 2: kill you.
• 21:54
  Speaker 4: I went mad. I lost my head. No, no, no, no.
• 21:56
  Speaker 4: Don't come near me. You can have the money.
• 21:57
  Speaker 2: You can have the money. Then give it to us, John. No, please.
• 22:00
  Speaker 2: Don't come near me.
• 22:00
  Speaker 5: Please.
• 22:01
  Speaker 2: Give us the money. No, please. You can have the money.
• 22:04
  Speaker 4: Come, son.
• 22:05
  Speaker 2: You must have the money and we will pay, John.
• 22:08
  Speaker 8: No.
• 22:09
  Speaker 2: No, no, there's the money on the floor. Please, please.
• 22:14
  Speaker 4: Please don't come in here.
• 22:16
  Speaker 8: No, no, no, please. Close my head. Close my head.
• 22:22
  Speaker 2: No, you don't understand. No, please don't come any closer.
• 22:24
  Speaker 6: Don't come any closer.
• 22:25
  Speaker 2: Please, please.
• 22:26
  Speaker 8: No, no, no, no, no, no.
• 22:27
  Speaker 2: No, I'll shoot.
• 22:28
  Speaker 4: I'll shoot.
• 22:29
  Speaker 7: I'll shoot. Oh, good Lord, George.
• 22:38
  Speaker 8: What was that?
• 22:39
  Speaker 2: I heard a scream. It's downstairs.
• 22:41
  Speaker 8: So did I.
• 22:41
  Speaker 5: And sure.
• 22:42
  Speaker 8: I'll open the door.
• 22:43
  Speaker 2: It must have been downstairs. I don't see a thing. Here.
• 22:48
  Speaker 8: Here's your flashlight.
• 22:50
  Speaker 2: Oh, it's gone.
• 22:51
  Speaker 5: Look.
• 22:52
  Speaker 2: The man down there on the floor. Come on. He's dead.
• 23:03
  Speaker 8: Look at the gun.
• 23:05
  Speaker 2: It's been fired, but I don't see a mark on him.
• 23:09
  Speaker 4: Get out of here.
• 23:09
  Speaker 2: I'll say, come on.
• 23:10
  Speaker 4: No, you don't. Stand where you are.
• 23:12
  Speaker 8: George, come.
• 23:14
  Speaker 4: What's going on here? Hand over that gun.
• 23:16
  Speaker 7: Thanks.
• 23:18
  Speaker 4: What are you doing here?
• 23:19
  Speaker 8: We're stopping here. That is with us leaving.
• 23:22
  Speaker 4: I can see that. Know this man on the floor?
• 23:25
  Speaker 2: Know him?
• 23:26
  Speaker 5: Yes, yes.
• 23:27
  Speaker 2: Joan, what's the matter with you? Oh, no, no.
• 23:28
  Speaker 8: We don't know him.
• 23:29
  Speaker 4: Take a look at him, Frank.
• 23:30
  Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
• 23:32
  Speaker 4: What are you two doing here?
• 23:33
  Speaker 2: Why, we're guests.
• 23:36
  Speaker 8: Yes, we're both guests.
• 23:37
  Speaker 3: Guests?
• 23:39
  Speaker 2: Whose guests? Well, guests. Lodges. Tourists. Guests of the old lady.
• 23:43
  Speaker 4: What old lady?
• 23:45
  Speaker 2: The old lady who lives here. The old lady and
• 23:47
  Speaker 2: her son.
• 23:48
  Speaker 4: Well, you'll have to cook up a better one than that.
• 23:51
  Speaker 2: What do you mean? Drive here. Where's your car? Why,
• 23:54
  Speaker 2: the son took it. Son?
• 23:57
  Speaker 4: Old lady? What are you talking about?
• 24:00
  Speaker 9: They live here. They said they owned this place. We
• 24:03
  Speaker 9: had motor trouble and they put us up for the night.
• 24:04
  Speaker 4: What about him, Frank?
• 24:05
  Speaker 2: He isn't dead. Breathing. Looks like he had a stroke
• 24:08
  Speaker 2: or something. Him, all right. John Hendricks.
• 24:11
  Speaker 4: Take a look around, see if there's anyone else there.
• 24:13
  Speaker 2: Yes, sir.
• 24:14
  Speaker 5: You.
• 24:15
  Speaker 4: What's your name?
• 24:15
  Speaker 2: George Kimball. This is my wife. We're on our way
• 24:18
  Speaker 2: to California. You know who this man is? Certainly.
• 24:22
  Speaker 4: We've been on his trail. He's an escaped convict. Is
• 24:25
  Speaker 4: this your gun?
• 24:26
  Speaker 2: No, sir.
• 24:27
  Speaker 4: Did he shoot at you?
• 24:28
  Speaker 2: No, sir.
• 24:28
  Speaker 4: Well, this gun's been fired. We heard shots as we
• 24:31
  Speaker 4: turned in the driveway.
• 24:33
  Speaker 3: Ah.
• 24:35
  Speaker 4: Look at the bullet holes near the ceiling. Hendricks probably
• 24:37
  Speaker 4: missed whoever he shot at because of the stroke. Oh, Frank,
• 24:40
  Speaker 4: what'd you find?
• 24:41
  Speaker 2: Not a sight of anyone, sir. Nothing but dust and cobwebs.
• 24:44
  Speaker 5: Oh.
• 24:45
  Speaker 4: Look, Kimball, you said there was an old lady and
• 24:49
  Speaker 4: her son here.
• 24:49
  Speaker 2: Well, sure. They were here all evening.
• 24:51
  Speaker 4: They're not here now.
• 24:53
  Speaker 2: Well, they let us in and showed us to our room.
• 24:55
  Speaker 2: They certainly were here.
• 24:57
  Speaker 4: What, uh, what did the old lady look like?
• 25:00
  Speaker 9: Well, she had gray hair and wore kind of a
• 25:02
  Speaker 9: house dress and an apron.
• 25:04
  Speaker 2: Hmm.
• 25:05
  Speaker 4: What'd the boy look like?
• 25:06
  Speaker 2: Oh, he was a big kid.
• 25:07
  Speaker 5: I'd say about 20, had a round, rosy face, and
• 25:10
  Speaker 5: I think.
• 25:10
  Speaker 2: In fact, I know he was kind of simple-minded. He
• 25:13
  Speaker 2: had a strange laugh. Oh, yes, and he had red hair.
• 25:16
  Speaker 4: Well, I'll be darned. What do you think of that, Frank?
• 25:20
  Speaker 2: Golly, gives me the creeps. Why so?
• 25:22
  Speaker 4: Do you know who you've just described?
• 25:24
  Speaker 2: No.
• 25:25
  Speaker 4: The old lady and her son who used to live here.
• 25:27
  Speaker 4: Used to live here? Yes, they were murdered here ten
• 25:30
  Speaker 4: years ago.
• 25:30
  Speaker 5: What?
• 25:31
  Speaker 2: Murdered? Sure, sure.
• 25:33
  Speaker 4: This man on the floor was her husband, the boy's stepfather.
• 25:36
  Speaker 4: He was tried for killing them with a knife and
• 25:38
  Speaker 4: stealing her money and bonds. He got off with second
• 25:40
  Speaker 4: degree because of lack of evidence. He escaped, or we
• 25:42
  Speaker 4: could go and head it this way. We've been on
• 25:44
  Speaker 4: his trail ever since he entered this county. So you see, Kimball,
• 25:48
  Speaker 4: if there was anybody else here tonight, it must have
• 25:50
  Speaker 4: been a figment of your imagination.
• 25:53
  Speaker 5: This house has been deserted for ten years.
• 25:56
  Speaker 8: Oh, oh, George.
• 25:57
  Speaker 2: Good Lord. Look, Duggan. I found this envelope on the
• 26:00
  Speaker 2: dining room floor there.
• 26:02
  Speaker 4: Well, what do you know? The Barnes. Old Martha Hendricks Barnes.
• 26:06
  Speaker 4: That's why Hendricks came here. Look around. We'll probably find
• 26:09
  Speaker 4: the money, too.
• 26:10
  Speaker 8: But where did they go, the old lady?
• 26:12
  Speaker 2: No place.
• 26:13
  Speaker 4: Because they weren't here, Kimball. Well, we'd better get him
• 26:17
  Speaker 4: out of there and back to headquarters.
• 26:18
  Speaker 2: Hey, wait a minute. Don't leave us.
• 26:19
  Speaker 4: We won't. You're coming along, too.
• 26:22
  Speaker 2: Why?
• 26:22
  Speaker 4: We'll need you for a day or two. Now, let's
• 26:24
  Speaker 4: get going, Frank. Come on.
• 26:25
  Speaker 2: But where did they go? We saw them. We know
• 26:28
  Speaker 2: they were here.
• 26:29
  Speaker 4: Well, you certainly described them to a T, but... Oh,
• 26:33
  Speaker 4: don't worry too much about it. You know, things like
• 26:35
  Speaker 4: this can drive you nuts. You know what I mean.
• 26:38
  Speaker 4: Things like this... Well, things like this sometimes just... just happen.
• 26:45
  Speaker 2: You know what I mean?
• 26:46
  Speaker 4: No.
• 26:47
  Speaker 2: No.
• 26:48
  Speaker 4: Oh, come on, come on. Let's go before I get
• 26:52
  Speaker 4: the heebie-jeebies.
• 27:02
  Speaker 3: The Whistler will finish his strange tale in just a moment.
• 27:05
  Speaker 3: While we're waiting for his explanation, here's an interesting statement
• 27:09
  Speaker 3: from a military expert about the gasoline we're all doing without.
• 27:13
  Speaker 4: If you've been to several gas.
• 27:14
  Speaker 3: Stations and found them out, you'll appreciate it. This military
• 27:18
  Speaker 3: authority says, quote, We're fighting a war of engines. The
• 27:22
  Speaker 3: side which keeps the most tanks and trucks rolling, the
• 27:25
  Speaker 3: most planes flying, will win. This takes many more engines
• 27:29
  Speaker 3: than we had to keep running in peacetime. And some
• 27:31
  Speaker 3: of these military motors burn a gallon of gas a minute.
• 27:35
  Speaker 3: The oil industry's job is to keep the fuel tanks
• 27:37
  Speaker 3: of these engines full. It's a tremendous job. Oil men
• 27:41
  Speaker 3: are doing everything they can to increase production. But over
• 27:45
  Speaker 3: 53% of all the gasoline produced must now go into
• 27:48
  Speaker 3: military use.
• 27:50
  Speaker 2: Unquote.
• 27:51
  Speaker 3: The Signal Oil Company brings you these facts so that
• 27:54
  Speaker 3: when your signal dealer can't fill her up as he
• 27:56
  Speaker 3: used to, you can better appreciate how the gallons you're
• 27:59
  Speaker 3: doing without are helping carry us down the road to victory.
• 28:03
  Speaker 3: Another way by which America's unequaled resources are winning this war.
• 28:09
  Speaker 2: Now, the whistler. What was it the officer said?
• 28:21
  Speaker 5: Things like this just sometimes happen.
• 28:24
  Speaker 2: Just happen.
• 28:25
  Speaker 5: Well, sometimes they do and can't always be explained.
• 28:30
  Speaker 2: But not this time. Oh, no.
• 28:33
  Speaker 5: Not this time. This can be explained. Remember John Hendricks'
• 28:38
  Speaker 5: cellmate Bill?
• 28:39
  Speaker 2: Bill Smith, number 1014? He can explain.
• 28:43
  Speaker 5: He knows all about it because he planned it.
• 28:47
  Speaker 3: Yes.
• 28:48
  Speaker 5: He had learned all the dope from Hendricks, and he
• 28:50
  Speaker 5: sent his pals, the phony spooks, to get the money
• 28:54
  Speaker 5: when Hendricks recovered it. You see, he didn't want to
• 28:59
  Speaker 5: hurt John. He wanted to scare him out of it.
• 29:03
  Speaker 2: Remember?
• 29:05
  Speaker 5: Bill 1014 said he had changed. He said he'd never
• 29:09
  Speaker 5: do things the way he'd done them before.
• 29:11
  Speaker 2: And he didn't. But he hadn't changed. I know.
• 29:24
  Speaker 5: Next week, same time, I, the Whistler, will return to
• 29:30
  Speaker 5: tell you another unusual story.
• 29:34
  Speaker 2: Good night.
• 29:54
  Speaker 3: Original music for this production was composed and conducted by
• 29:57
  Speaker 3: Wilbur Hatch. The Whistler, brought to you by the Signal
• 30:00
  Speaker 3: Oil Company, is written and directed by J. Donald Wilson
• 30:04
  Speaker 3: and originates from Columbia Square in Hollywood.
• 30:07
  Speaker 4: Bill Pennell speaking. This is.
• 30:13
  Speaker 2: The Columbia Broadcasting System.
• 30:26
  Speaker 1: The night has passed and the whistler is silent once more.
• 30:29
  Speaker 1: Until the next broadcast, good evening.