Wait a minute. Have you heard the strange tales of the Whistler? I'm the Whistler. I didn't steal the money. I just wanted to use it for a few days. I was going to put it back, but things went wrong. Now there's going to be a change of ownership. That means an early audit. Sunday night and again CBS presents The Whistler. I, the Whistler, know many things, for I walk by night. I know many strange tales, many secrets hidden in the hearts of men and women who have stepped into the shadows. And so I tell you tonight the tale of the accounting. Tom Bradford is a middle-aged rancher living a few miles out of town. Tom has married a widow with a grown son named Ralph, who is inclined to be shiftless and lazy. Tom resents this because times are difficult and he's short of help. He further resents the fact that the boy has married a girl from the town and brought her to live with them. They've been here for two months now and Tom has grown crabby and unpleasant. You know the way conditions are, Mary. Just can't get any help in this ranch. It's too much for me to handle alone. I know, Tom, but Ralph doesn't know anything about a ranch. Ralph was raised in the city. He can learn, but he's too lazy. All he does is sit around and read magazines. But he's a delicate sort of boy. He always has been. Well, let him go out and do a little work and he won't be so delicate. You've made a baby out of him. I've done no such thing. If Ralph were able to help you, I'd be the first one to ask him to do it. Oh, if he amounted to anything, it wouldn't have to be asked. I wish the army would take him. They deferred him because he wasn't strong enough. Well, he's not too weak to do a little something around here. That wife of his, that Vera, she's worse than he is. She could do something. All she does is dress herself up and baby Ralphs. She loves you. Never washes a dish because it might ruin her hands. She can't cook. She can't do a thing. I don't like her. I think Vera's a nice girl. And I can do without her being here. You mean you don't want her here? That's exactly what I mean. But if she left, that would mean that... Why, Ralph wouldn't stay here without Vera. Then they can both go. Do you know what you're saying? Ralph is my son. I don't care who he is. He can get out and shift for himself. And take that scheming little brat of a wife with him. Oh, you're just upset, Tom. You'll feel different about things in a few days. You must try to control yourself. Mary, before they came here, you and I got along very nicely. Since they've come, we've had nothing but arguments and hard feelings. Ralph and Vera are constantly stirring up trouble. Naturally, you take Ralph's side. You can't see his faults because you're his mother. But at the same time, you're his worst enemy. Tom, how can you say such a thing? I know what I'm talking about. I've made up my mind. They've got to go. Go where? What will they do? Well, after Ralph figure it out, let them get a job. A job? What can he do? A lot of things. He's not that helpless. Oh, but Tom, please, you don't understand. I understand all right, and that's final. He and Vera can get out in the morning. Very well. I'll tell them. And perhaps I should go too. Is that what you want? Oh, now don't be ridiculous, Mary. I didn't say that. I thought you loved me. I never dreamed you could be like this. I'm not being mean, Mary, and I don't want to talk about it anymore. You going to tell them or shall I? Yes, Tom, I'll tell them. Very well. I'm very tired. Good night, Mary. Yes? Ralph, darling, it's Mother. May I come in? Oh, yes, Mother. Sorry to disturb you so late, but I have to talk to you and Vera. Oh, yeah? What's the matter? Well, I... It's about Tom. What about him? Well, I... I don't know how to say it. Say what? What's wrong with him? I don't know. He just isn't himself. You know how terribly upset he's been lately. Yeah. But he doesn't understand, Ralph. He just doesn't understand. Understand what? He doesn't understand you. You and Vera. What's wrong with me? Nothing, Vera. It's just Tom. He's in one of those spells. He doesn't like anything or anybody. You mean he saw us? Yes, Ralph. He's terribly upset. What have I done? Well, he thinks you're lazy. He's angry because you won't help him around the ranch. What? Oh, that's silly. What do I know about a ranch? Nothing. I told him that, but he said you could learn. Why, I wouldn't last half a day doing this kind of work. I'm not the type. He's terribly unreasonable. He refuses to see it that way. Well, go to heck with him, then. I'm lazy, too. Is that what he thinks? Yes, Vera. I'm terribly sorry and embarrassed. We aren't farmers. I'm not going to let Vera tend those confauna chickens, and I'm not going to milk any cows. Ralph, what does he think I am? Please, Ralph, don't get excited. Well, if he feels that way about me, I'll get out. What? You'll do no such thing. We'll stay right here till I get ready to leave. Ralph, darling, Tom wants you to leave in the morning. Why? He'll love all the nerds. This is your house, too, isn't it? Yes, but, Ralph, if you stay here, you'll have to work, and I don't want you to have to do that. You couldn't stand it. It wouldn't be good for you. You mean you want us to leave? No, I don't want you to. But I've thought it all over, and I think you'd better go into town. But don't worry. I'll see that you get along all right. How? I'll have to get a job. Well, maybe you can find something to do, something light. What a fine man. I'm sorry, darling, but you'd better go in the morning. Go? I wouldn't stay around here another day. Well, I know bookkeeping. Maybe I could get a job in the bank. That isn't such hard work. No, but don't worry, darling. I won't. Good night. The next morning after breakfast, Ralph and Vera leave the ranch and go into town. A few days later, Ralph obtains a job in the bank. Then, after a month or so, he is promoted from the adding machine to the teller's cage. Now, two months more have passed, and the young teller in the next cage steps into Ralph's compartment. Busy, Ralph? Oh, I'm not very busy. I'm just a little busy. How are things going? All right, Herb. Yeah? You seem to be having some trouble, Ralph. Trouble? What do you mean? Oh, I don't know. You look a little worried. I thought maybe you were having a bit of difficulty making things balance. What do you mean? I'm not having any trouble. What gave you that idea? Well, I've been off a few cents a couple of times, and believe me, I know what it means. Why, I've worked all night, several times, trying to find what happened to two cents. I know how it feels. Yeah? Did you find it? Well, I didn't find the two cents, but I found the error in my figures. Well, I haven't found the error in my figures. Haven't you? Well, that's good. What would be wrong with my books? Why, I didn't say anything would be wrong. I...well, I just thought you looked a bit worried. Thought maybe I couldn't help you. I don't need any help. I'm quite able to take care of my responsibilities. Good. Glad to hear it. By the way, have you heard the news? What news? This bank is being taken over by a system, and is to become one of its branches. You know what that means. No, what's it mean? It means a complete audit before the end of this month. That isn't very far away. About 15 days. Yeah? I just thought you would want everything in order. I know I would. Yeah? Well, thanks for the information. You're welcome, Ralph. For a few moments, Ralph stands in a stupor. Perspiration stands out in large beads on his forehead. For the next hour, he studies over his books frantically. Then, when closing time comes, he rushes home. Hello, darling. Oh, you have no idea how much I've missed you all day. Yeah? Kiss me. Yeah. What's the matter with you? Nothing, I... Well, I'm certainly disappointed. What about? You come in like this with a long face and look at the lovely dinner I fixed for you. I'm not very hungry, Vera. I got a headache. Oh, poor darling. You eat something and then I'll rub your head for you. No, I don't want to do it. Let me alone, please. Ralph, what on earth is wrong with you? Nothing's wrong with me. Shut up! How dare you talk to me like that? Who do you think you are? Well... I'm sorry, darling. I'm just upset. I'm all on edge. What about? Just my nerves. More than nerves. Why don't you tell me what's happened? Who said anything could happen? I can tell. Have you lost your job? No. Is that fellow you lost $50 to in that poker game threatening you? Is that it? Look, Vera, I'm in a spot. I don't know what to do. The bank is changing hands and there'll be an audit before the end of the month. Well, what of it? What's that to do with the poker player? Oh, nothing. I paid him off, but... But it wasn't $50. Wasn't $50? What was it? $2,000. $2,000? I didn't lose it all at once, but I tried to make back what I'd lost and I only got in deeper. Then if you lost $2,000, how did you pay him off? I borrowed it from the bank. How could you borrow $2,000 from the bank? I took it. What? Yes, but I was sure I could put it back before the end of the month. No, I'm worried. I don't know what to do. If I don't put it back before the audit, I'll get caught and sent to prison. Where are we going to get $2,000? I don't know, but there must be some way, some place to get it. How about your mother? She'd give it to you. Tom has money. He doesn't like us. No? Well, maybe we could make him like us. At least we could try. Let's drive over there. This is Saturday afternoon and next Monday is a legal holiday. Let's drive over and see what we can do. All right. At least we can do is try. We'll go. Ralph and Vera drive to the ranch. As they go up to the porch, they hear Tom arguing in a loud voice with another man just around the corner of the house. They slip to the edge of the porch and listen. All right. All right, I'll tell you what I'm going to do. I've given you all the time I can, Miller. You've been on that piece of land for two years now and you haven't paid a dollar beyond the down payment. I've tried my best to make it, payor. I've worked hard. Oh, you haven't done a thing. You know what you are? You're just one of those lazy subsistence farmers. Just grow enough to eat and let it go at that. That's a lie, Brad. Oh, is it? I'm foreclosing tomorrow. There's a lot of money tied up in that land and I need it. Well, so have I. Every cent I have is there. I want you out of there by tomorrow. But look here. My wife is sick. I can't leave now. I won't. Oh, can't you? Won't you? Well, you'd better be out by noon, Miller. Well, you just try it. I just assume the killers look at you. What did you say? Get out of there. Get out of there! I'll go. I'll go. But you just remember what I said. Well, what do you think of that? Come on. Let's go on in and talk to your mother. Tom's got to have a stroke one of these days. He's been warned about those fits of temper. Might be a good thing for everybody if something did happen to him. Yeah? Maybe so. Oh, hello, Ralph, darling. I didn't expect you down today. He has an extra day off, so we thought we'd come down. Did you hear Tom arguing with that fellow Miller just now? Yes, I heard them. Tom better not play around with Miller. He's a tough-looking customer. Tom gets worse every day. He rants and raves at the least little thing. He hasn't spoken to me civilly for weeks. I can't stand it here any longer. I'm glad you came because I'm going back with you. Going back? Leaving Tom? I've got to. He's unbearable. But, Mother, you can't leave him. That is not just now. Why not? You've got to put up with him for a while longer because... Why don't you tell her, Ralph? Ralph, what is it? What's happened? Ralph is in trouble. He needs some money. Oh, darling, what's happened? Tell Mother. Well, I borrowed some money from the bank. I have to pay it back before the end of the month. How much? $2,000. What? Good heavens! Well, if you can't pay it back now, they'll have to extend it. They can't do anything else. Oh, yes, they can. They'll send him to jail. You see, they didn't know I borrowed it. Ralph, darling, you mean you stole it? No, I didn't steal it. I was just wanted for a few days. I was going to pay it back, but things went wrong. Now there's going to be a change of ownership. That means an audit. He's got to have the money right away. But what can I do? I haven't any... You've got to get it from Tom. You've got to. Tom needs every cent he has to hold on to this place. Well, you can ask him. You've got to do something. Do you want Ralph to go to the penitentiary? Good heavens, no. Then hurry up and talk to him. But I... What'll I say? Oh, you'll think of something. Go on in and talk to him. But do you think this is the time? I'm desperate. I need that money in one way or another. I'm going to get it. Oh, yes. Yes, darling, don't get excited. It isn't good for you. Oh, I'll talk to him now. He just came in the back way. We'll wait in here. Yes, all right. Oh, Tom, look at your face. It's flaming red. You shouldn't let yourself get so worked up over things. Melissa Lacey, good-for-nothing fool. Well, he knows I mean business. He'd better be gone by tomorrow noon. He'll go. Don't worry. You can threaten to kill me. Please, Tom, forget about it. Come on, dear, sit down. Your lunch is ready. I don't really need that land. Just that I can't tolerate shiftless, irresponsible people. That place is worth $5,000. Miller paid $750 down, been on it two years, and hasn't made a dime since. Tom, dear, I, uh... I need some money. Yes? Well, that's not unusual. Hand me the checkbook. By the way, I've got a list of things you can get from me in town. How much do you want, Mary? I, uh, want to borrow some money, Tom. Since when do you have to borrow money? Well, I want to borrow it. That's ridiculous, borrow it. Now, how much do you want? $2,000. $2,000? Are you crazy? No, Tom, I need $2,000. You possibly need it, but it costs that much. You certainly have everything that... Wait a minute. What are you getting at, Mary? Please, Tom, please lend it to me. I'll pay it back, I promise. How? Just how would you pay it back? You have no earning capacity. Well, the way Ralph has, he could pay... Ralph? I thought it was something like that. What's he got up his sleeve? He needs $2,000 right away. Oh, he does. Well, what for? What's he done? Why, nothing, but he has an opportunity to... Well, it's a business proposition. You expect me to believe that? What's he done? Something at the bank? He... Well... Quit stalling. Did he borrow from the bank and forget to tell them about it? Yes. Oh, Tom, please, please let me have it. They might send him to jail. Jail? Oh, no, not Ralph. Why, he couldn't stand it. Please, Tom, please. He's so young. He didn't realize what he was doing. Let him go to jail. Maybe they'll teach him that the world wasn't made for him alone. Oh, you don't mean that, Tom. Don't I? I knew he was no good from the first day he came here. And that snip of a vera is worse. She probably put him up to it. Please help us, Tom, please. I wouldn't give a dime to help him. He belongs in a jail. As far as I'm concerned, that's just where he'll go. Oh, Tom, please. Jail to him. Please, Tom, listen to me. Oh, Ralph, darling. He refused. He won't help me. I heard of the stingy old crap. So he doesn't like me, eh? Well, he should know what I think about him. I could stick a knife between his ribs. And... Well... Yeah? He really could? Yes. What are you saying? What are you thinking? Nothing, Mother, nothing. I'm just thinking, Tom isn't in very good health. He ought to be careful about those ragers. He's likely to die in one of those spells. Yes. That would be too bad. Has Tom any living relatives? No. Well, I hope for your sake, Mother, that he's kept up on that insurance policy. But he has. Let's see now. How much was that? 50,000, wasn't it? Yes. Well, it's a lot of money. Oh. But we mustn't talk like this. Mother would feel terrible if... If Tom should... Well, after all, he's her husband. She loves him. Yes. Yes, of course. But you'll have to face it, sooner or later, he's getting along years. On the other hand, he may live a long time yet. Who knows? Yeah, yeah. I'd be afraid of that miller after the threats we heard of me. Ralph, darling, I... Yes, Mother? What were you going to say? Nothing. I wasn't going to say anything. Come on, Vera. Let's get our things out of the car. Tom goes into town and arranges for the eviction papers to be served on Miller. He returns late that evening and goes straight to bed. The night passes and morning comes. Tom, being an outdoor man, is usually up before sunrise. But this morning, only Mary, Ralph and Vera appear for breakfast. Finally, Mary, becoming worried, goes to Tom's room and knocks. He does not answer. She opens the door and screams in horror. There on the bed lies Tom, stabbed in the heart. Well, he's been dead since about midnight. The bedroom window was open, but we can't find the weapon. Well, he probably took it with him, Sheriff. Who? That fellow Miller. He must have done it. How do you know that? Well, he was here yesterday afternoon and he and Tom had a terrific argument. Tom was evicting him and Miller threatened to kill Tom. Anybody else hear him say that? Yes. I heard him. So did I. Well, then it looks like Miller's our man. We'll get over there right away before he has a chance to skip. Come on, Bill. Oh, Ralph. Ralph, darling. No, no. You better go to your room and try to rest. Yes. I certainly hope they catch Miller. Do you think they can pin it on him without any evidence? Certainly. You heard what the sheriff said. Miller's been dead for a long time. Certainly. You heard what the sheriff said. Miller's threat's all he need. You think Miller did it, don't you? Why, of course I do. What a silly question. When the sheriff arrives, he finds that Miller has gone. They put out a search for him. Now, Ralph is back at the bank in the cage next to her. Well, Ralph, they haven't found that fellow Miller yet. No? Well, they'll find him. Do you really think it was Miller who killed your stepfather? Well, of course I do. He threatened to kill him. Three of us heard him. Well, sometimes people say things that they never mean to carry out. Well, you should have heard him. He meant it. Maybe he did. But that doesn't mean he did it. What are you talking about? Oh, I was just thinking. Yeah? Circumstantial evidence is an awful thing sometimes. What do you mean? Well, so many people have been convicted on a mere word, a mere nothing. People hear a person say something, and by the time they repeat it in court, they enlarge on it a dozen times. I remember a fellow who worked here. In fact, in your cage? What about him? Well, he used to play poker quite a bit. One night he made a haul, won four or five hundred dollars, and went flashing his roll around town and boasting. So what? What's wrong with that? Well, he went into the drug store and started showing off. And when the old druggist asked him where he got all of that money, he kiddingly remarked that he had robbed the bank. Well, that got around and finally took on a serious tone. They checked up here at the bank, and sure enough, there was a five hundred dollar shortage. And even though his pals swore that he had won it in the game, they convicted him on his statement and sent him up. Well, maybe it did steal it. He had the opportunity. I have. And you have. Yeah? Well, is he still in the pen? No, he was lucky. He got out after five years. How? How'd he get out? He was exonerated. Another teller confessed to it later, and they sent him up and let the other kid out. He was lucky. Five years, huh? Yep. It's a long time. It'd be a shame if Miller were convicted in the same way, and then they later found out that he was innocent, wouldn't it? Yeah, but... Oh, he did it. He had the motive, the opportunity. He said he'd do it. Well, he may not have been the only one with a motive. It's after three. I'm going to run along. See you in the morning, Herb. So long. Ralph grabs his hat. His face taints with anxiety as he hurries down the street to his car. He drives quickly to the ranch and enters the house. Standing in the middle of the room is the sheriff. Hello, Ralph. You're just in time. What? In time? How long have you been here? Just drove up a second before you did. Well, what do you want? Did you find Miller? No. Not yet, but they will. Well, we certainly got a case against him, all right. He won't have a chance. I wanted to ask you and your mother and your wife a few more questions. Yeah? Well, all right. What do you want to know? We got a message from someone in town saying that Miller was seen at the gas station about 7 o'clock on the night Tom Bradford was killed. Well, so what? Maybe he was. I did check with the attendant. He said Miller had his car packed, had his family, and headed out of town in the opposite direction. Well, maybe he circled around and then came back. No, no, no. He couldn't have done that. Why not? Because he wouldn't have had time. He was seen in the next town an hour later, still headed east. He wouldn't have had time to get that far if he'd circled back here. See what I mean? Yeah, yeah, I see. But he must have come back here. There's no clue, and that isn't probable. But there must be some explanation. He must have gotten here some way. Maybe he killed him earlier. Maybe that's it. Say, that's right. No, no, no. We can figure the time of death closer than that. It was near midnight. That's definite. I see. Well, who told you about this? Who sent you this message? We, uh, we don't know. It was printed with a pencil and mailed in town. Yeah? Is that all it said? Well, no, no. There was more to it. Eh? What else? There's always cranks budding into cases like this. Amateur detectives are always getting hunches, and they're seldom ever right. What did it say? I'll tell you. I'll tell you. Calm down. Yes, Ralph, take it easy. Oh, yes, darling. Don't be so upset. It isn't good for you. Well? It said that the real murderer would probably be found in the immediate household of Tom Bradford. What? And since we haven't found the weapon, we might check over the house. I never heard of such a thing. It's the biggest bunch of nonsense I've ever heard of. My mother loved Tom Bradford. So did I, so did Vera. He was like a father to it. Please, Ralph, don't shout. I'm... Well, my partner's been looking over the place while we've been talking. I imagine that he'll find... Oh, just a minute. It ain't be a bother you right now, but, uh... Here you are, Sheriff. Take a look at this. Well, a knife. Apparently, covered with blood. That's right. I found it in Mrs. Bradford's room. Right under the mattress. What? Well, how did it get there? Yes, yes, Mrs. Bradford. How did it get there? I put it there. Afterward... Mother, what are you saying? You're out of your mind. Did you kill your husband? Yes. Yes, I killed him. Oh, she did not. She couldn't have. I killed him and I had a good reason. I hated him. He was cruel, cruel to me and he hated Ralph. I couldn't stand it any longer, so I killed him. He's lying. She didn't do it. We ought to know. We know Miller didn't do it. You can't do this, Mother. I know what you're trying to do. What's she doing? She's trying to protect me. She thinks I did it. Thinks you did it? Mother, do you realize what this means? Tell him the truth. Tell him. I did it. I killed him. The knife is from my own kitchen. I did it and I'm glad. She's crazy. She couldn't have done it. Why, lad? Because I killed him. She's trying to protect me. Ralph, what are you saying? I did it, I tell you. I ought to know. I had a better motive than she. What motive? I'll tell you that later. I don't believe you killed him, Ralph. You're trying to protect your mother now because you know she did it. I did it, I tell you. I did it. Well, that's enough for me. I believe her. But we'll soon find out. We'll check the fingerprints on the knife. That won't prove anything. Why not? Because I used a glove. Mother must have taken the knife from the body and hidden it, thinking that I'd slipped up. That's just so much talk and you're just shooting in the dark. Come on, Bill. Let's go back to town and do some checking. But the only fingerprints on the knife were Mary's. And try as he might, Ralph could not convince them that he wasn't trying to shield his mother. Ralph realized finally that his mother was sure to be convicted. And as the day of the audit grew closer, he became frantic about the money he had to have. On the day his mother was sentenced to prison, he visited the attorney. I thought I'd drop in and see about that policy Tom Bradford left for my mother. Quite a few things to be taken care of, you know. Well, I'll tell you, Ralph. That policy would have been paid long ago, but there are certain technicalities in this state regarding insurance. What's that? We had to wait till the finish of the trial. Why? She's a beneficiary. She's entitled as insurance. Not here. If the beneficiary is convicted of killing the insurer, the beneficiary cannot receive the proceeds of the policy. The same is true as to Tom's farms and other property. What? What about me? I'm the son. There are no other heirs. You were not the blood kid to Tom Bradford. And you were not legally adopted. Therefore, all the property and the insurance reverts to Tom's estate. Nothing we can do about it. Well, Ralph, there you are, holding the bag. Now you've got to face the music at the bank. With all your scheming, nothing was gained. You planned to kill Tom and blame it on Miller, but instead got your mother upset and she killed him because she wanted to keep you from doing it. That's what you believe, Ralph, but you're wrong. I know. Your mother didn't do it. She found the body and removed the knife, thinking you'd slipped up. It was your dear little wife, Vera, who did it. And she'll never tell. But she'll pay for it later. I know. CBS has presented The Whistler. Original music for this production was composed and conducted by Wilbur Hatch. The Whistler is written and directed by J. Donald Wilson and originates from Columbia Square in Hollywood. I, The Whistler, will return to tell you another interesting tale. Good night. This is the Columbia Broadcasting System.
