Music Standard of California, on behalf of independent Chevron gas stations and standard stations throughout the west, invites you to let George do it. Music Out of Mind, Another Adventure of George Valentine Personal notice, danger is my stock and trade. If life's more sound and fury than you can stand, you got a job for me, George Valentine. Write full details. Music Dear Mr. Valentine, a dark, inexplicable thing is happening in the lives of my two sisters. The mind of a man is driving them to inevitable tragedy. He came to their house as a guest and lingered on like a poisonous growth. It's a weird situation in which I find myself helpless. You may have the answer. Will you call my office so we can arrange to meet and take the suburban special to Fenton? Yours truly, Roger Winslow. Music No matter how tricky it might seem, Winslow, there's always an answer to that sort of mental gymnastics. I tell you, Valentine, this man really can read your mind. Oh, does he wear a turban and call off the serial numbers on the bills in your wallet? Nothing like that, Miss Brooks. He's very much the continental galant, with just that touch of the roux, women can't seem to resist. Louvain the Mentalist, yeah, I've heard of him. But how did he get entrenched in your sister's house? That brings us to Birdie. She's the older one, 38, unmarried, frustrated, and a pushover for every cult and fad that comes her way. She saw Louvain perform in the Fenton Civic Auditorium about a month ago, and she asked him to spend a weekend at the house. He's been there ever since. Well, this is just a random observation, Mr. Winslow, but you seem well able to bounce Mr. Louvain right out on his psychic phenomena. I tried that last weekend, but my sisters were all over me like a couple of wailing banshees. Besides, clearly it wasn't my house. But I thought you... No, before my father died, we both decided that the house and whatever money he had should go to the girls. I'm well able to take care of myself. Oh, from what I gather, Winslow, Louvain doesn't just go around reading minds. He seems to have some kind of a hold over civil, too. Now what's she like, your younger sister? I'm afraid you're going to begin to think our family is a roster of improbable characters. Sybil has been starved for beauty ever since she got out of college. She thinks Louvain is the only man who's ever understood her frail, sensitive soul. No, I know what you mean. I passed through that poetic phase, too. I thought I was another Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and I was... Except that you had the constitution of a horse. Well, you could have at least said Phyllis. Go on, Winslow. Sybil is still young and beautiful enough for me to hope she'll desert the muse for marriage and kids before she's 30. You said something about the inevitable tragedy. If you're talking about two jealous women fighting over a man, I don't see that I have any place in this picture, Winslow. Well, maybe I'm over-dramatizing it, Valentine, but I'm afraid Louvain is uncovering something in my sisters that they themselves don't know exists. Something hateful and ugly, perhaps. Have you got any reason to think that? My father, he was a very successful doctor, tried to make Clearview a happy place, apart from the world. He built it high on the side of a mountain, sort of symbol of the way he felt. What do you mean? He wanted his children to be above all the petty meannesses of the world. And now, in the person of Louvain, everything that Dad despised has come right into the house. Sybil and Birdie aren't used to being exposed to anything like that. The poisonous growth you mentioned in your letter? Yes. I get the feeling that Louvain just stands and listens somewhere. Every time Birdie and Sybil fly at each other over the smallest, most trivial things. I won't let you go through with it, Sybil. I won't. Don't shout at me. The tar room is on my side of the house. You know Father would never stand to see anything altered. Father is dead, Birdie. Please, Miss Birdie, Miss Sybil. Please be quiet, Mr. Gump. Yes, ladies. I have to live my own life. Do you want me to grow into something like you? An hysterical old maid? Oh! Why don't you slap me again, Brady? Won't make any difference. I'll still be here to remind you of all the emotions you let shrivel up because you're afraid to live. Um, about that balcony again, ladies. Two men working on it, you know. Time and a half after five. I insist that things remain the way Father left them. Isn't it enough that we made shrines out of his consulting room and a dispensary? They're in your half of the house. I don't care. But in my house... Father wanted the wall of the tower room to blend right in with the side of the mountain. He would have hated a balcony and I saw something out of Romeo and Juliet. You already made French doors in the tower room for the balcony. Gotta make up your minds now. Finish it, Mr. Gump. Yes, ma'am. You stay where you are. Yes, ma'am. You're not fooling me, Sybil. All this fundamental posturing, your solitary walks in the moonlight, a balcony so you can feel you're all alone between heaven and earth. All to impress Levain, isn't it? You're in love with him, isn't it? Here's my answer. Mr. Gump. Huh? Go and finish the job. Yes, Miss Sybil. Don't know what I can do tonight, but it'll get done. You'll never have Levain, Sybil, no matter what I have to do about it. Well, Valentine, now that you've had dinner, what do you think? Well, I think we'd be stupid if we imagined we were fooling Levain. He doesn't believe we're just a couple of friends you brought to your sister's house for the weekend. My feminine intuition tells me that this war of nerves between Bertie and Sybil is going to turn into a scorcher any day now. You know, frankly, Winslow, what this situation calls for is a combination of human relations, counselor, and a psychiatrist. There's nothing particularly sinister about this setup. It's only too human. I know, but as I said- I'm afraid I'd be like the man who tries to stop a husband from beating his wife. Ends with both jumping all over him. Now, thanks. I think Miss Brooks and I will be taking the first train back in the morning. I do hope I am not intruding. Not at all. Come in, Levain. Thank you. You know, it is always interesting to be present when one is being discussed. Go on, please. How do you know you're going to like what we might say about you? The human ego is easily satisfied. The mere sound of one's name is rewarding in itself. Incidentally, Mr. Valentine, there's an 810 out of Fenton in the morning. Well, now that's just fine. Is there someone on it you want me to wave to when it leaves? No. But you are thinking of going back to town, aren't you? I take it this is the mentalist at work. Or an ear at the keyhole. You know, Miss Brooks, at first Roger here also doubted my ability to read the human mind. Nothing gives me greater pleasure than to make converts out of cynics. Suppose I tell you what you're thinking about. Okay, but you'd better censor it as you go along. In so many words, it is something like this. This Levain, he is a handsome, charming rascal at that. I wonder if that is a real wave in his hair, or is he wearing a toupee? Yes, that's part of it, but how? Delightfully feminine. Rest assured, Sherry, this is the hair I was born with. All right, Levain, we don't need any more of your demonstration. Now, you, Mr. Valentine. Oh, that'll be a pushover. I've only got one thought, and it's not very feminine. I know. You're saying to yourself, in these very words, what I would not give to sock-buster here right in the, uh, kisser? Huh? Huh? Hmm, my feminine intuition. You heard that, didn't you, Levain? How could it be helped? Two foolish, susceptible women, each with a small fortune. You play one off against the other. Well, have you decided which one you're going to hurt? You forget I'm in this house by invitation. Which one would be easier to handle? I'm not going to give you a chance to decide. I'm going to eat hot-head art when Sloan is sitting down. I'm so spotting with him. Don't make a martyr out of him. Use your head. Well, have you people been trying to outdo Birdie and me? Oh, it was nothing, Siever. Roger was merely trying to illustrate his brotherly concern. Oh. Well, let's clear the atmosphere right now. Roger, I'll repeat what I just told Birdie. Levain and I love each other. We're going to get married. Well, what do you want me to say? Not a word. We can dispense with all the deception now. You can pay off Mr. Valentine so we can step out of our affairs. Oh, yes, that eight-ten in the morning, Valentine. I got news for you, Buster. I'm staying on. I'm also a guest in this house. You forget this is my house. Only half of it, Sybil. And I promise we'll stay on Birdie's side. Well, a beautiful Saturday morning in the country, George, and nobody enjoying it except the bird. And that character stretched out there on the lawn. You know, he looks beautiful in short. Yeah. Levain's supposed to be replenishing his cosmic cells or something. Look at him sipping hot milk on a day like this. Oh, well, that's to relax his nerves, Angel. My brother, he can afford to relax. He knows Roger isn't getting anywhere arguing with Sybil. And he's just as sure Birdie's tears aren't going to change his plans. Do you think he can really read minds, George? Well, that isn't important one way or the other now. I don't mean to interrupt nothing, but anybody see Miss Sybil? What's that? Mark Gumpel's the name. Contractor. That's nice. I've been taking my men off the job for the day. Wanted to make sure Sybil ain't going to change her mind about that balcony. Well, I'm afraid she's pretty tired up at the moment. Did what you told me this morning. Just checking. Levain! George, look! There she is. Breathe. What's going on? Hurry, please! What is it, Birdie? What's the matter with you? Look at me, Levain. What's the matter? I don't know. Night, nice stomach. Levain! Oh, darling! Now what? Is this not one of his acts? I came out of the lawn to talk to him and I found him just... Somebody better call a doctor. Looks like he's been poisoned. I don't understand it, Valentine. Don't understand it at all. What don't you understand, Doctor? He said no doubt about it. Levain was poisoned. According to every tenant in the pharmacopoeia, he should have died almost instantly. And he's been hanging on for hours. In other words, he's not only a mental marvel, but a medical freak. Well, I've done everything I can for him. We'll just have to wait. Doctor Adams, as an old friend of Dr. Winslow and his family, this will probably come as a rude shock to you, but... I know what you're going to say. Someone in this house is guilty of attempted murder. One of John's children. He's incredible. A man like Levain makes incredible things happen. Yes, I could see something like this coming. Of course, I should call the police. But perhaps if we wait and the man pulls through... Then we could call it Telmaine. The lobster Levain had for dinner last night? I don't know. In a situation like this, it's hard to be sure when you're doing right. Doctor, there's a row of match bottles in the dispensary. John's pride and joy, that dispensary. Everything's so neatly in its place. The bottle of agro-fine isn't there. Whoever took it still has it. What? Roger, Bertie, Sybil. They were all in and out of the kitchen when the cook was warming up the milk full of vein. Valentine, they're all nice people. I can't believe any one of them would do a thing like this, no matter what the provocation. Oh, George, I... Oh, pardon me. That's all right, Brooks. We don't have to keep anything from the doctor. Well, you were right, George. Someone did come back to put that bottle with the other. Yeah, who? Bertie. Good heavens. I'm afraid she knows I saw her. If it had to be one of the three, I guess it would be Bertie. Poor, unhappy Bertie. Well, we might be able to say that puzzle was cleared up. Except for one thing. What's that? Well, didn't you notice, Brooksie? There's another bottle missing in that row. What was it, Valentine? The label on the shelf right under the empty space says, Pharyllic acid. We'll return to tonight's adventure of George Valentine in just a moment. Have you read about it? Heard about it? It's that new, improved, Shaverne Supreme gasoline. Through constant laboratory research and road testing, Standard of California has perfected Shaverne Supreme to give modern cars peak performance. For today's high compression engines, you can't buy a better gasoline. It's specially blended to assure faster starts, faster warmups, extra pep in traffic, and ping-free power on hills. And it's a premium quality gasoline that's climate tailored. No matter which temperature or altitude zone of the west you're driving in, you may be sure new Shaverne Supreme gets the best out of your car. Try a tankful tomorrow. Ask for new Shaverne Supreme at Standard stations and at independent Shaverne gas stations, where they say, and mean, we take better care of your car. And now back to tonight's adventure of George Valentine. Two sisters, jealously squabbling over a man. The man in question, a most unsavory character. But after all, you're not writing a paper on why women prefer heels. But before you can bow out, the man, Louvain, is poisoned. And what's more, Marley lingers on, and there's still another bottle of deadly poison circulating through the house. If like George Valentine, you believe in direct action, you don't pull any punches when you talk to the brother of the two ladies involved. Yes, Winslow was birdie who thought Louvain's milk should be fortified with a liberal shot of poison. What's the... what makes you so sure? I'm afraid I saw it going in and out of your father's dispensary, Roger. I'm sorry. I see. Well, Louvain isn't dead yet. No one need ever know if he doesn't... Now look, I gotta talk to Birdie. You know where she is? Yes, I spoke to her a few minutes ago. I needn't tell you what state of mind she's in. And now to upset her even more... Never mind that. Where did she go? Strange. She said she was going upstairs to the power room. What? Catch a breath of fresh air on the new balcony. It is strange after they've been rowing over it so much. George, where are you going? The tower room. Get away from me. You have no right to stop me. Hey, come away from those doors, Birdie. Now don't open them. You heard me. No, no, you take your hand off me. George, I can't find the light. Never mind that. Just help me with her. Get a hold of her arms, will you? You don't leave me alone. I'll scratch my eyes out. Now look, Birdie, cut it out. Birdie, what's the matter? You've gone crazy. Oh, Roger. It's all right. Now it's all over. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It's all right. It's never going to be over. Not now. Lane's going to die. I killed him. You didn't. You couldn't. Look, Birdie, it's better if you didn't say anything, at least for the time being. There isn't anything to say that you don't already know. This brook saw me putting the poison back on the shelf in the dispensary. I was just going to confess in my own way. But you had to stop me. Hasn't there been enough grief and trouble in this house without you jumping off balconies ? Go on, Brooks. You take her to her room. Ask Dr. Adams to give us something to quiet her down. Yeah, come along, Birdie. Oh, Roger. I won't let anything happen to you, Birdie. Now go on. Yes, Roger. I, uh, I think you'd better turn into one as long as you rest. You know I couldn't sleep. You just want to get rid of me. What's on your mind, Valentine? Blue vein. When a guy gets a lethal dose of poison, he ought to drop dead. Deadly poison. They're effects and properties by Sebastian Kinsler, M.D. You want to finish that tonight, George? I'm almost finished now, Angel. Hand me that pad, will you? Well, shouldn't every doctor's dispensary have a couch? Now here's a book I'd like to curl up with. The Human Foot. It's Anatomy and Pathology. Now, what are you doing? What are you scribbling? Huh? Book C, I have just verified a universal truth. Oh, goody. Every cause has an effect, and by the same token, vice versa. You know, you got something there, mister? Whatever it is. But if you don't break it down so that I can un... Oh, Roger. I was wondering when you were going to show up. I couldn't let Birdie take the blame for something I did, could I? Hey, what's going on here? You'd better put that bottle of pyrrolagic acid back on the shelf before anybody finds out who took it. You don't seem surprised. I said I poisoned Louvain. I put this stuff in his milk this morning. Here, Book C. Put this bottle back where it belongs. Yes, but... Oh, okay. Birdie tried to take the blame because she thought I did it. And tried to kill herself. I'm not going to risk that happening again. But she did poison Louvain, just as you did. What? Both Birdie and Roger? She used agrofen. And you, Winslow, you let him have pyrrolagic acid. Dr. Adams diagnosed agrofen poisoning because it was the stronger dose. That's insane, Valentine. He couldn't possibly have lived through that. Yeah. He should have dropped dead twice. So let's go upstairs and see if he's making any concessions to what's expected from ordinary human beings. Can't you see that I'm here? Call Dr. Adams. George, I hope you know what you're doing. Come on, Buster. Sit up. Maybe Adams should be in on this, Valentine. Louvain, you'll never improve on the death scene from Camille. The act is over. Please, go away. Now, look, I've had just about enough out of you. Nothing but a two-bit exhibitionist, but you're dangerous. While you wallow around up here in bed, things are happening to people's lives. Really? Birdie tried to go away with herself, Sybill's outside somewhere, walking up and down, worrying about you. Dr. Adams is neglecting his practice, waiting for you to decide between life and death. And all the time, you've been no sicker than if you'd swallowed a bad oyster. Don't tell me he's been faking all this time. Why, I ought to drag you out of that... You are not going to do anything, Roger. No one is going to do anything. I'm sorry. I underestimated you, Valentine. Don't let it worry a friend. But tell me, how did you discover that the two poisons, agrofine and ferulic acid, cancel each other? I looked it up, just as you did. I happened to see Roger leaving the dispensary. Since hardly anyone ever goes in there, I thought well. I thought I'd tell you. Look, I noticed that there were two bottles missing, so out of curiosity, I checked up on their properties. You see, I was sure they were going to be used to make my dethautia from clear view quite a permanent one. I suppose you found that out by reading mine. In this case, that was not necessary, Miss Brooks. After everything that happened, I suspected that my morning glass of milk would provide Birdie and Roger with the opportunity they wanted. When I saw each of them go in and out of the kitchen, there was no doubt about it. There was a thousand-and-one chance that they should have picked those two particular poisons, one an antidote to the other. But if they had killed you, Levain, it would have been something you brought on yourself. You know, you asked for something like this ever since you came into this house. But now you're going to get out, Levain. If you don't, I will kill you. But this time, I won't use anything but my hands. I'll amplify what I said before, Roger. You're not going to do anything except what I tell you. Roger, get Birdie and meet me in the tower room. Why? I would like to have a little family conference before Sybil gets back. I would rather not have her know how unscrupulous I can really be. Before you call for the spotlight, Levain, maybe I ought to remind you of something. What is that, Valentine? There is a person in this house who wouldn't be willing to swear you weren't poisoned, and the dispensary door had never been opened. Now you are underestimating me. I poured off a little of the milk before I drank it. I have it to be analyzed whenever the occasion calls for it. Why did I bring you into this house? You're not human. None of that, Birdie. Please. Well, here is what I am going to do. My self-esteem would suffer badly if I did not take advantage of my improved position after two attempts on my life. George, can't you make him get to the point? It better, Levain. Sybil will be back any minute. She'll be up here in the tower room looking for us. I shall, of course, marry Sybil. Sorry, Birdie. But then we'll always find room somewhere in the house for you. I should expect you not to tell my future wife anything about our conversation here tonight. Now, about the financial arrangements. I was wondering when you were going to get to that. Naturally, I shall have Sybil's half of the estate. But I know that you and Birdie will be very happy to add to that generously because I've spared you all scandal and unpleasantness. Roger, you are the spokesman for the family. What do you say to my terms? Valentine. What can I do? I may not buy on any of it. People have lived through worse things than what happened here today. Roger, let him shoot his mouth off. You know the holiday the papers would have with this story. We'd never live it down. And Sybil, still in love with him. He'd make her hate us for what we did. She'd never believe anything about blackmail. All right, Levain. I know when I don't have it out. So... Where is everybody? Dr. Adam said it. Oh, oh, Levain, darling. You're all better. Yes, of course, Sybil. Thank heaven. I was so frightened. Oh, that talk about poison, so much nonsense. It was nothing more glamorous than domain. And all is sweetness and light once again. Yes, I was wondering about this conclave in the middle of the night. Just to congratulate us, my dear. Even Birdie wishes us the best now. Don't you? I... Don't answer, my dear. Let me read your mind. Oh, another performance yet. Oh, Birdie. How can you be thinking of Sybil's new balcony at a time like this? At least let my thoughts be my own. Oh, Birdie, I meant to tell you... Life just beginning for me in this lovely place. I owe myself a view of what shall be mine for years to come. Levain! No! Levain! George! Oh, dear lord! There is no balcony. Nothing out there. He said he was reading my mind. I thought the balcony was there. I honestly did. I was trying to explain. This morning I ordered Mr. Gumbel to tear it down. Oh, jeepers, George. I'll be glad to get back to town. Yeah. I don't think I'll ever forget that sight. Levain stepping out into space like that. Well, fake or genius, he certainly read Birdie's mind. You couldn't have expected him to prove it more conclusively. Darling? I feel a lot better right now if you could read my mind. Well, let's see how... How do I get it? Uh-huh. Hmm. Exactly what I was thinking of. How'd you ever do it? Guesswork, Bruxy, guesswork. When you closed your eyes like that, it could have been that you were just, uh, sleepy. Motorists want to put spring in your driving? Then let me remind you about that new Chevron Supreme gasoline. It's specially blended to give your car faster starts, faster warmups, new alertness in traffic, and on hills, all the ping-free power you could hope for. In fact, for today's high compression engines, you can't buy a better gasoline. You'll like the way new Chevron Supreme is specially tailored to the West's different altitude and temperature zones. That means wherever you drive, new Chevron Supreme gets the best out of your car. Try this new motoring thrill tomorrow. Get a tank full at an independent Chevron gas station or at a standard station, where they say, and meme, we take better care of your car. Next week, when a somewhat breathless George Valentine rushes into a lavish apartment to meet Bruxy, we'll hear, Hey, what goes here, Bruxy? Has Nick been over there like that all that time? I don't know, George. I just found him that way. Where have you been? Now somebody wanted that briefcase so bad they floated me out of town. The pictures. Right now I want to find out if Nicky knows something we ought to know. Hey, Buster, snap out of it. Come on, sit on that chair. George. One of our friends fixed it so Nick will be stone cold on the hottest day in July. Tonight's adventure of George Valentine has been brought to you by Standard of California on behalf of independent Chevron gas stations and standard stations throughout the West. Robert Thaley is starred as George with Francis Robinson as Bruxy. But George do it was written by David Victor and Herbert Little Jr. and directed by Don Clark. Also heard in the cast were Jane Avello, Louvain, Ken Harvey as Roger, Frank Hale as Birdie, Lorraine Tuttle as Sybil, Don Messick as Mr. Gumpel and Ralph Moody as Dr. Adams. The music is composed and presented by Eddie Dunstetter, your announcer, John Easton. Listen again next week, same time, same station to let George do it. This is the Mutual Don Lee Broadcasting System.
