Personal notice, danger is my stock and trade. If the job's too tough for you to handle, you've got a job for me, George Valentine. Write full details. Music Standard Oil Company of California invites you to let George do it. Music Before we begin tonight's adventure, here's a reminder about gasoline. If horns shout, move over, then you'd better switch now to the gas with all eight Chevron Supreme. A balanced blend of all eight high-performance qualities, Chevron Supreme gives you full power, quick starting, fast warm-up, area blending, vapor lock prevention, anti-knock, smooth acceleration, and economy mileage. Stop in soon and fill up with the gas with all eight Chevron Supreme gasoline at standard stations and independent Chevron gas stations where they say and mean, we take better care of your car. Music And now, tonight's story, the violent Van Patten's, a transcribed adventure of George Valentine. Music Dear Mr. Valentine, I suppose many families have their own special kind of curse. The Van Patten's have the curse of violence, a sort of violence that's been born of the roaring crash of the sea and the loneliness of Foghorn Island and laughter that has no mirth in it at all. I know all this doesn't make much sense, but you must at least try and understand it if you're going to help me. And I need help, Mr. Valentine. Please meet a man named Max at the foot of the Eighth Street Bridge. He'll have a boat and he'll take you and Miss Brooks to see the violent Van Patten's. Sincerely, Leader Van Patten. Music But Max, there must be something you can tell us about the Van Patten's. I only work for the Captain, mister. I don't talk about him or his folks. Well, that's a very noble attitude, but we're not really trying to pry into family secrets. Leader Van Patten, is she the Captain's wife? Niece. I see. Are there any other ladies on this Foghorn Island, just as a matter of girlish curiosity? There's Miss Rachel, Captain's adopted sister. One of the guests is a lady. Quite a ways out from the shore, isn't it, George? That's right, Brooks. Violence born of the roaring crash of the sea and the loneliness of Foghorn Island. Used to be a lighthouse, I understand, before they built a new one down the coast. They still left some Foghorns around, you hear them? No, just the Van Patten's live on Foghorn Island. The Van Patten's and me. Oh, you aren't one of the family, then, I take it, Max? Me? I'm just a man of all trades, take care of the big house. Me? Who used to be a second mate. Captain lives by himself in the old lighthouse. How cozy. Mister, I wouldn't be a Van Patten for all the money in the world. Why? Quite a squall coming up, Misty. Quite a squall. Laughter that has no mercy in it at all. What did you say, my dear? Nothing. Nothing, Miss Van Patten. Rachel. Call me Rachel. The Van Patten name was only given me grudgingly as an act of charity. Do you hear? Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry, I lost my temper. That's a terrible thing to do, isn't it, Mr. Valentine? Well, it isn't good. The captain lost his temper once and near to kill the man I loved. And the young man went away, and here I am, a spinster, who can only play solitaire all day and laugh at jokes I alone can hear. Oh, I'm sorry, Miss Rachel. About Leeda, are you sure she knows we're here? Oh, yes, Max told her. She'll be here with the young man who's visiting us. Lloyd and Doris Rankin will be here, too. Rankin's? Lloyd is Leeda's second cousin. Doris is his wife, a charming girl, but she drinks too much. But you know Leeda has some secret. That's why you're here, I bet. Leeda's always loved secrets. Yes, Aunt Rachel. So once you're right, I do have a secret. Oh, Leeda, you startled me. Hello, Mr. Valentine. Miss Brooks Lowe. This is Lloyd and Doris Rankin. Hello. And this is Jim Simmons, my husband. Yes, that's our secret. You married Leeda? To somebody the captain didn't choose for him. Oh, that was brilliant of you, Leeda. Brilliant. And you're jealous, Lloyd, is that it? Shut up. My beloved husband. I said shut up. Lloyd, Doris. Oh, temper, everybody. Temper, please. Well, congratulations, Van Patten, or rather Mrs. Simmons. But if I could speak to you alone, I'd like to know... Know why you're here? Well, it would be a help. Mr. Valentine, I want you to break the happy news to my uncle. Frankly, it's a job which has its dangers and one for which someone deserves to be paid. Well, this is a twist. Valentine will sort of carry you across the threshold, Jim. Lloyd, be quiet. Jim, Jim, darling, I know I lied to you. I told you Mr. Valentine and Miss Brooks were dear friends of mine, and I just had to have them near me when I announced our marriage. But believe me, Jim, I know what I'm doing. I know my uncle. Stop that, Aunt Rachel. Oh, go on. It's worth a good laugh. A husband who needs a paid strong man to speak for him is something to laugh about. Jim, wait. No, I'll speak to the ogre myself, and then I'm taking you off this island. Please, please go after him, Mr. Valentine. I need your help more than ever now. Okay, Simmons, okay, I understand your pride is hurt. Frankly, I don't blame you for feeling the way you do. I didn't know Lita has all this money coming from her uncle. If he doesn't like the guy she married, let him cut her off without a cent. Relax, friend, relax. He probably will. Let me finish packing, will you? Sure. Say, that's quite a fancy knife. Japanese war souvenir. Here, now put it in that drawer. And now listen to me, will you, Jim? Put all those things back where they belong. Sure, sure. Lita has known her uncle a lot longer than either you and I. And if she feels I should be the one to break the happy tidings to him, well, let's play it her way. Yeah, but... Maybe coming from a stranger, the news will be easier to take. Anyway, my shoulders are pretty broad. Let's give it a try. And so my dear niece got married, eh, Mr. Valentine? Yeah, that's right, Captain Van Patten. Yeah, just got married. Here she is. The deed is done. Take it or leave it, dear uncle. Yeah, you've had nothing to say about it, dear uncle, and if you don't like it, you can keep your precious fortune. Well, that's about the same. Good for her. Good for you, young man, for bringing me such good news. Oh, what? Yeah, sure, here, shake, shake. Come on, come on. Shake hands with a big bad tyrant of Four-Gorn Island. Yeah, sure, of course. Yeah, Leader's done the first brave thing any of the Van Pattens have done in 20 years. Yeah, and I'm just a big enough bully to appreciate it. Well, that's a relief. Yes, I have always taken anything I wanted from life and now Leader did too, eh? Well, hang around till this evening, young fellow, and we'll all have a pep of a celebration, eh? Well, yeah, thank you. Thank you very much. Can't you persuade him to stay, Mr. Rowe? Mr. Valentine makes the decision for this outset, Mr. Simmons. Just as no point in hanging around, Leader. The job proved no job at all. I'm very happy for you. Oh, and I'm happy too. And so grateful. So all's well ends well. Oh, there's Max. Yeah, I told him to get the boat. Mr. Pattens! Mr. Valentine! Send things around. Yeah, come on. What's the matter, Max? The boat. Somebody's been mucking around with it. What do you mean? Look, the engine's all busted up. Yeah, you can say that again. But why? Who'd want to do that? Those are interesting questions. I bet the answers would be even more interesting. Okay, we'll use another boat, Max. Yeah. This was the only one there is. I see. No telephone in one boat. That's how Uncle's always kept Foghorn Island, his own private empire. How will this boat ever be fixed? We're going to have to put a message in a bottle and hope somebody in Australia will pick it up. Well, it's not quite that bad. But it looks as though you'll have to stay at least until this evening, Mr. Valentine. And then? Well, then Uncle will turn on the big light on top of his beloved tower. In the dark it can be seen on the mainland and then people will know that something's wrong here. It's sort of a tradition. How charming. Well, Brooksie, it looks as though we'll have to stay on Foghorn Island whether we want to or not. George, I wish it would get dark. It's getting me nervous. Yeah, I know, I know. The violent vent patterns. And the only one who's not violent at all is the big bad ogre himself. Well, the only reason I can think of for the broken boat is to keep us here. But why? I don't know. Maybe somebody's desperate for a fourth and bridge, right? Mr. Valentine! Mr. Valentine! What is it, Simmons? What's the matter? The captain! Captain Van Parnen! Captain! I will not delay us to thank him for being so swell about me and Leeda. He was mourning. Mourning. And then he died. Right there in front of me. He died. What do you mean, died? Come on, snap out of it. There was a knife in his back. My knife. All right, everybody, all right, please listen to me and listen carefully. There's nothing we can do until it gets dark and somebody comes out here from the mainland. Somebody we can send back for the police. It was the young fellow's knife. He must have had an argument with the captain and killed him. He didn't. Jim wouldn't hurt anybody. Of course he wouldn't. He's not a Van Parnen. Only a Van Parnen would hurt people. Please, Richard, please. Sorry, my dear. You must admit there's something to Max's logic, Mr. Valentine. You stay out of it, Lloyd. Thinking is something you don't do very well. Thank you, my dear wife. Of course it was my knife, but don't you see? Somebody's trying to frame me. Or it could be you, James, pulling a fast one, hoping that we would think you were being framed. Oh, you're wrong. So wrong. Well, I'm not the police. It doesn't matter whether I'm right or wrong. I was simply saying that everybody should stick pretty close to his own room. Let's say just for safety's sake. Safety's sake? Yeah. There's one thing about murder. It tends to become a habit. Going back into the house, Brooks, is poor. No, darling, I'll be all right. Leave it in your coat. I want to go to the lighthouse with you. Okay. I guess in a setup like this, almost anybody could have killed a captain. Uh-huh. I just got through talking to them. Nobody has an alibi except Rachel and Lloyd Rankin. They were playing double solitaire. I suppose the police will think that either Leader or his husband would have the best motive for the murder. Yeah. Leader's the only beneficiary in the captain's will. And of course, Jim Simmons shares whatever Leader gets. I wish we could get off this island. Leader's right. It just seems to breed violence and hatred. What do you mean? Here, Angel, come and get over here and open the door. Yes, George. Open this key, will you? George, look out! Oh, I just missed you by inches. Atlanta. I saw it before on the sale of the captain's room. That's where it came from, Brooksie. The question is, did they think you were Leader, or was it meant for us? We'll return to tonight's adventure of George Valentine in just a moment. Summertime is vacation time, and no time to have your vacation trip spoiled by battery trouble. And yet, American motorists have to call for emergency service because of battery failure over 10 million times a year. Most of these failures need never happen. You can escape this annoying trouble by having your battery serviced regularly by the car savers at independent Chevron gas stations and standard stations. Car savers make it their business to take regular care of your battery. They give it a periodic cell-by-cell check to see that it's kept filled with water. Car savers clean the terminals and coat them with a corrosion resistant. And of course, they test your battery to be sure it's capable of dependable starting. Car savers have a safety meter that gives a quick, accurate report on your battery's condition. If it needs a charge, they also have a fast charger to bring it back up to full power fast. So stop in soon for a complete car saver battery check-up. Make sure you're not one of those who will have to call for emergency service this year. If you'd rather be safe than sorry, see your neighborhood car saver soon at any standard station or independent Chevron gas station, for they say and mean we take better care of your car. Music You come to lonely Foghorn Island as, well, a sort of Cupid. To be more exact, your job is to tell a man with a legendary temper that his only niece had gotten married without his knowledge or consent. You do that, and the violent Captain Ben Patton turns out to be surprisingly genial. Then only a short while later, he's found murdered. Even if your name weren't George Valentine, you'd know that in this case, one murder was only the beginning, because now a heavy lantern just crashes at your feet, missing you by inches. Come on, come on, come on. Open up, will you? Oh, the key would stick. Come on. That does it. Now where are the stairs? Uh-oh, I could save myself a climb. Whoever was up there went out that back door, and it could have been anybody. Hey, you out there, stop, wait. I told you to stop. What's the matter with you? What are you doing? I ain't telling you, Winks. Come on, Lanks, get up and do some fast talking. Talking about what? I'll give you three guesses. Come on. Now, what were you doing in that lighthouse just now? In that lighthouse? You heard me, come on. I was just going in there, make sure that light was okay for when it got dark. And I heard someone shouting. I didn't know who it was, so I got scared and ran. You think fast, don't you, Max? I don't know what you're talking about. Uh-huh. You didn't see anybody else around the lighthouse as you were about to go in, did you? No, not a soul. Let's see. Well, anything else you want from me, mister? No, no. Well, then I'm going to go in and check on that light. Yeah, do that. I'll be seeing you, Max. Mr. Valentine. Mr. Valentine. Yeah? Oh, Mrs. Rankin. Yes. I was waiting for you on the sea. It's important. Sure, of course. Here. You can go through here and go to the leaders room, just now. Right. Okay, now, what's on your mind? No, no. Let me shut the door first. There. Oh. Now I better find me a chair and sit down. Yeah, you'd better do that. I've been drinking more than I should, but you must believe me. Look, here's the make-me-say-this. Say what? I... Yeah? Lloyd killed Captain Van Patten. Say it's nature he killed. Do you realize what you're saying, Mrs. Rankin? Yes. I'm saying that my husband is no good. He's cruel and heartless. But Miss Rachel told me she was playing cards with Mr. Rankin at the time the captain was killed. I know. I can understand that. But I want to be sure you understand something. Yeah, what's that? Lloyd always wanted to marry Leda. That's the only reason he married me is because he thought I had more money. And he wouldn't have to wait for Captain Van Patten to die. Nice boy. Why, the surprise he got. What a beautiful surprise. A wife with no money. A wife who had no love and so... I need a drink. I think we'd better go back and join the others. Yeah. No reason why I should burden you with my troubles. I just wanted to tell you about Lloyd. But really, there's no reason why... Oh, dear Lord. Mrs. Rankin. Mrs. Rankin. Oh, it... it hurts. Mrs. Rankin. Oh, no. The dirty murderer. The dirty murderer. Gone. Of course he's gone. Nothing out here but rain and fog. But why? Why would anyone want to kill Doris? She never would have harmed anyone. Lloyd, don't, please. It won't do anybody any good. That's right, old man. Rachel, will you stop that? I'm sorry. I don't know why I left. I don't see anything funny. There isn't anything funny. I just can't help myself. Well, the light is on and it's stopped raining, so somebody on the mainland should see it. I hope somebody comes out here soon. And until they do, Miss Brooks, what are we doing till they come out? Don't, darling. But there's a murderer here. One of us is a murderer. How many more is he going to kill? Stop that, Lita. Why? They have every right to want to know. Maybe the murderer didn't want to kill Doris at all. Maybe it was a mistake. What are you talking about? Well, come on, answer me. Doris was sitting in my chair, her back to the window. Maybe the murderer thought he was shooting at me. That's right. And at Latin. Maybe it was meant for me, too. Ha ha ha. Mistake. That would be funny. It wouldn't, eh? Okay, okay. Cut that out, all of you. Hey, Max. Max, come in here. Girl, close the door. Okay, now we're all here. And we're going to stay here and wait. That's a good idea, George. But you must have some idea who the murderer is, Mr. Valentine. You must. As a matter of fact, Lita, your husband would be a very prominent candidate for that honor. Me? Oh, no. It was his knife that killed the captain. His motives are the best. And if Doris was killed by mistake, the motives are even better. Yeah, with you out of the way, Lita, he'd have the entire Van Patten fortune. He must have done it. He must have taken that knife out of the drawer and killed the captain. But just where were you when Doris was shot, Jim? Where were you? What's the matter with all of you? I told you. I was out looking at the book, see if I could fix it. Yeah. Yeah, sure. Okay, Lloyd, that's enough. I think it's time for me to have a private talk with Jimmy Boy. Come on, climb on your feet. Come on with me. Oh, I don't understand any of this, fellas. Don't try. Just do what I tell you and believe in me. Sure. It sounds so wrong to... Don't argue. Would you please just start screaming as though you were being beaten to a pulp? Okay. Come on. No! Please don't! That's it. Come on. Stop! Stop! I'm sorry, Lita. I tried to protect you. Protect me? I just couldn't. Valentine made me tell the truth. What was the truth, George? Let him tell it. I saw you take the knife, Lita. I saw you go into the lighthouse when that lantern fell down. I saw you push it down. You... you what? I... I saw you outside of your room and Doris was shot. You tell such... such lies about me? To get the money? Oh, Jim. I'm sorry, Lita. Very sorry. I had to tell him. Well, that's all, everybody. You can go wherever you want. It's all over. Miss Brooks and I will stay with Mrs. Simmons until the police arrive. George, give me at least one hand. No time, Angel. I've set the trap. Now I must get up to Jim's room. Come on, murderer. Come on. You're not afraid of the dark. Come on in. That's it. And you come now. Now! Put some light on you. What? No, no. Leave that gun to me and put it, Lloyd, in the desk. No, Jim. I said leave it, my rent! Whoa! Good boy. After all, that's where you wanted the police to find the teacher. You're crazy. Open the drawer on my wrist. Am I? You know better. No, let go of me. Oh, no, no. I like it nice and cozy like this. Your wrist doesn't hurt anywhere as much as Doris was hurt when you shot her. It hurts, she told me just before she died. What are you talking about? Give me the bad slip, Lloyd. You were too anxious to build a case against Jim, and so you said he took the knife out of the drawer and killed the captain. So what? How did you know what a knife was? I took it out of Jim's release and put it into the drawer myself. You knew only because that's where you got it from. That's no proof. No, that's why I had to set this trap. Having Leda held for the two murders was the last thing you wanted, wasn't it? Wasn't it, Lloyd? You're making up this fairy tale. Go on, keep talking. All right. You never gave up the idea of trying to get Leda and her money, but she got married, and you tried a desperate scheme. Step one, kill the captain so Leda gets the money. Nobody will believe you. Step two, kill Doris so you'll be free. Step three, make sure Jim gets caught for the two murders by planting the gun in his room so Leda will be free. Yes, you're guessing. What's up? Well, Rachel, come in, come on in. What are you two doing here? I got an alibi. Oh, do you remember Valentine? I got an alibi. Oh, yeah, your alibi. Go on, Rachel, tell him again. You and I were playing double solitaire when the captain was killed. Were we? You remember? You told it to them before. I don't remember, did I? Honey, sometimes I remember things. Other times I don't remember at all. Rachel, you've got to remember. I told you what to say. Paying the price now, Buster. He used a half-crazy woman who hated her brother to lie for you. Now she can't even remember the lie. But she's got to remember. I don't know why I laugh. There really isn't anything funny, is there, Mr. Valentine? No, no, Rachel, funny isn't the right word. Ironic is a much better one. Music Listen to the results of this performance test using heavy-duty RPM motor oil. A fleet of taxi cabs operated by Tanner Motor Tours of Las Vegas, Nevada, used to average only 35,000 miles between overhauls. Today, using heavy-duty RPM, these same cabs travel 100,000 miles before overhauling. Heavy-duty RPM actually more than doubled engine life, time between major overhauls due to lubrication. Remember these facts the next time you buy oil for top protection and top economy of operation. Switch over now to heavy-duty RPM motor oil for your car at any independent Chevron gas station or standard station where they say, and meme, we take better care of your car. Music We'll be right with you, Max, old boy. Yes, sir. The boat's ready any time you miss book, sir. Mr. Valentine, Jim and I'll never be able to thank you. Well, then why try? I didn't know what you were trying to do. And when I had to say all those terrible things about leader, accuser of those murders. You never really believed your momentum, did you, leader? Well, I didn't and I did. It was horrible. I still can't get over Boyd's cock-eyed plan. Even after I heard him admit everything. He's been wrecking the boat so you'd have to stay here, Valentine, and help the police put the blame on me. Well, it was a desperate plan, all right. There was so much money at stake, he must have felt it was worth taking a long shot. Claire. Yes, leader? We're going to spend our honeymoon here on Foghorn Island. Oh, good. When you need a place for your honeymoon, you will let me know, won't you? I certainly will. If you'll just take those foghorn away from here. Unless you like foghorn, George. All right, Max, don't be so impatient. After all, a honeymoon is for two. We're coming, Max, we're coming. They're coming. Tonight's Transcribed Adventure of George Valentine has been brought to you by Standard Oil Company of California on behalf of independent Chevron gas stations and standard stations throughout the West. Robert Bailey, starred as George, with Virginia Gregg as Brooksy. Let George Do It was written by David Victor and Jackson Gillis and directed by Kenneth Webb. Bill Boucher was heard as the captain. Gene Bates as Rachel, Virginia Eyler as Leda, Roland Morris as Jim, and Tony Barrett as Lloyd. The music was composed and presented by George Wright, your announcer, John Heaston. Listen again next week, same time, same station, to Let George Do It. Let George Do It is heard overseas through the worldwide facilities of the Armed Forces radio service. This is the Mutual Broadcasting System.
