And now stay tuned for the program that has rated tops in popularity for a longer period of time than any other West Coast program in radio history. The Signal Oil Program, The Whistler. Signal, the famous go-farther gasoline, invites you to sit back and enjoy another strange story by The Whistler. I am The Whistler and I know many things for I walk by night. I know many strange tales hidden in the hearts of men and women who have stepped into the shadows. Yes, I know the nameless terrors of which they dare not speak. And now for The Signal Oil Company, The Whistler's strange story, The House on Hainsley Boulevard. The old Hackett Place on Hainsley Boulevard was a monument to the past, built by the very first of the Hacketts to arrive in California a good many years before. It clung now to its former grandeur with a sort of quiet, determined tenacity. But one evening shortly after midnight, the quiet of the neighborhood was suddenly shattered. The air torn with a startling cry, Fire! Fire! Yes, the cry of fire knifing through the stillness of tree line Hainsley Boulevard. The old house threatened as flames lead to envelop it and immediately the street was alive with activity. And miraculously, coming swiftly to the rescue, a fire engine. Its crew working skillfully, fighting off the threat of destruction. And then out of the crowd a man appeared. Hello Mr. Hackett, the house is safe. Yeah, I see. No one in there is there, Mr. Hackett. Your aunt Leonor away? She's away, thank heaven. Spending the night in Glendale. How did it happen, Lieutenant Mullen? How did it start? I don't know. I went past about half an hour ago going on duty. I know. Aunt Leonor will be grateful to you, Lieutenant. Oh, forget it. Funny thing though, Mr. Hackett, I thought I saw somebody running away from the place. Huh? Yeah, that's right. Well, I'll see you later, Mr. Hackett. Sure. And thanks, Mullen. I'd have been sick if anything had happened to the old place. You are sick inside, aren't you, Frank? Because your plan failed so completely. And even as you thank Police Lieutenant Mullen for his swift action, you inwardly curse yourself, forgetting that he passes this way regularly. And that only a matter of a half an hour destroyed your timing. And you have to have money soon. Five thousand dollars to clear the door. And you have to be ready to go. I'm going to go. And you have to have money soon. Five thousand dollars to clear your gambling debt with Dino de Costa. Or the payoff will be your life. Even with the damage very slight, the scene with Aunt Leonor the next morning is an unpleasant one. As she surveys the scorched section at the rear of the old place. Disgraceful. Oh, there's very little damage, Aunt Leonor. It isn't the extent of the damage. It's your carelessness that disturbs me. I've left you everything I have in my will. And all I ask in return is that you assume some responsibility. And make things easier for me while I'm still here. Look, Aunt Leonor, it could have been much worse. You were yourself sick over this house. It's my home, isn't it? It's my home too, Aunt Leonor. Half mine, half yours, according to Kathy's will. And it'll be all yours when I die, along with everything else I have. But I'm not dead yet, Frank. Just the same we ought to accept Mr. Fleming's offer to buy, if you ask me. No one's asking you. The old argument sounds even more hollow than usual, doesn't it, Frank? You're not getting anywhere with Aunt Leonor. And you wish she were out of your way. You can't help thinking how pleasant your situation would be if something happened to her. You'd have everything you wanted. You could square yourself with Dino and have all you'd ever need besides. And there isn't much time, is there, Frank? Dino's given you ten days. You can't stall much longer. Later that day, you seek out the only solace these last few months have offered. Adele Richards. Lovely, beautiful. You could marry her if you could support her. Couldn't you, Frank? She's a stubborn old woman. Fleming's offered us bought at most of the other houses along the street, but she won't sell. She's going to put up an office building eventually. Probably want to sell then. Sure, sure, when it's too late. Old Cappy had the right idea. Cappy? Captain Hackett, Aunt Leonor's husband. He up and left about eight years ago. Went out one night for some pipe tobacco. So he said. Never came back. I don't blame him. But then he had some money. He could afford to run. I can't. You want to run, Frank? From her and from that infernal old house, yes. From you, darling. Never. Oh, Frank. Oh, great. Don't answer it. It's silly. I have to. Hello? Oh, yes. Yes, he's here. I'll call him. It's for you, Frank. It's Dina de Kauff. He knows you're here. Okay. Hello, Dino. I thought I might catch you at your girlfriend's. I was reading the papers, Frank. That was a dumb thing to do. What was? Set and fire your house. You're nuts. No, no, Dino, you're wrong. I didn't do it. Sure you did, and it didn't work. Just wanted you to know. That's up for mingle, Frank. I don't like it. What difference does it make to you what I do to settle with you? I don't like strings on anything that's mine. That five granule me. I want it on time, but I want it clean. Remember that, Frank. Hello? Hello? Frank, what is it? Nothing. Oh, Frank. I'm sorry, honey. I've got a lot on my mind. Something to do with gambling and Dino DeCosta, that's obvious. What is it? It's... Well, might as well know. I'm into Dino for $5,000. Frank. I've got to get hold of the money some way. Oh, Frank, why don't you go to your aunt? Tell her everything. She'll be able... She'll blow her stack. You don't know Aunt Leonardelle. If I did that, she'd cut me out of her will, everything. No. I'll have to get the money for Dino... some other way. Yes, Frank, some other way. And the time is short, very short. It's ironic, isn't it? Old Hackett House isn't worth much to anybody except Aunt Leonardelle and Mr. Fleming, who wants very much to buy it. You could settle your debt with Dino if you'd agree to take Mr. Fleming's offer. That night, after Leonard retires, you're groping for a solution when the phone rings. Hello. Mr. Hackett, John Fleming. Oh, yes, Mr. Fleming. Hope it's not too late to bother you, but about the house, have you talked it out with your aunt? I... no. That is, I have talked to her, Mr. Fleming, and, well, she's weakening, but... Nothing definite yet, though. Nothing settled, eh? No. Well, you know how it is, living there so long. She's pretty attached to the place. I know, but we can't stall this thing indefinitely. I wish you'd get a decision soon. Oh, I will, sir. Very soon. And it's going to be a favorable one, I'm sure. She is weakening. Good. We'll talk again soon, then, eh? You wish it were true, don't you, Frank? There was even a slight sign of Aunt Leona weakening in her stand against selling the house. The next morning, you decide to bring the subject up once more, when, as you step out into the yard, you hear voices raised angrily. Aunt Leona's voice, and the voice of old Bozen Pete, an old friend, former shipmate of Captain Hackett, who now does odd jobs about the place. My favorite mess, my rose bed, my favorite rose bed. And what will you do? Neglect it? Ignore it? Oh, the soil's been worked to death there, Miss Hackett. The best thing to do is rip all them prickly old scraggs out of there. Don't you dare talk that way about my roses. Your roses, your house. You ever think anything of anybody else's? Like my patients? Where's my thinner on you, Miss... I want to tell you right here. Now, look here, Bozen, if you don't enjoy the way I do things, you don't have to stay around, you know. All right, I will quit, and with pleasure. Goodbye to you, Miss Leona. Old fool. Aunt Leona. Oh, Frank, well, I suppose you heard. Who didn't? Well, the neighbors must have heard you, too. Aunt Leona, you can't send that old gent away. Can't I? Captain Hackett said he was to have a place here as long as he wished it. Captain Hackett's been gone over seven years, Frank. I'd say that makes him legally dead. And dead people don't dictate to me. Not all life ones either. Something in Aunt Leona's manner has suddenly set you to wondering. Wondering if the rose bed might hold a grim secret of your aunt's. Perhaps even the secret of her husband's strange disappearance. And you're determined to find out. At dinner that night, you ask her an important quest... This weekend, Aunt Leona. Going to Glendale, as usual. Cousin Ellie's. Thought I might. Why? Nothing. Just wondered. If I do go, I hope I can trust you to remain in the premises... and look after the place better than last time. Oh, of course you can, Aunt Leona. I'll look after the place very well this time. Tonight I'm predicting again. This time, a sight you're going to see oftener and oftener as the days grow warmer. Overheated cars parked at the side of the road to let their steam out. To make sure this annoying occurrence doesn't mar your summer driving fun, signal service stations are now ready to serve you with these useful little items to rejuvenate your cooling system. Radiator cleaner to remove clogging, scale, sludge, and rust. Rust preventive to protect radiators of old cars or new ones from further corrosion. Radiator sealer that stops small leaks in a jiffy. Plus, new fan belts and radiator hose in case yours need replacing. And these, mind you, are just five items from your signal dealer's complete line of recognized quality motoring needs, which include Lee tires, nationally advertised brands of spark plugs and windshield wiper blades, plus many others. So when you drive into a signal dealer's to fill up with the famous go-farther gasoline, remember he's also headquarters for a complete line of fine accessories and services to help your car run better, look better, and last longer. It's a haunch, isn't it, Frank? A growing belief. And quite possibly something that will help you considerably in your contest with Aunt Leona. It's far more than a test of individual wills, isn't it, Frank? The days are slipping by, and Dino da Costa will collect your gambling debt with him one way or another. And now with your aunt spending the weekend in Glendale, giving you some time alone on the premises, another more promising thought has entered your head. That's why you set to work as soon as she's gone. Set to work digging into the rosebed. Digging deep. But all your efforts avail you exactly nothing. Only a ruined flower bed. And at work the following Monday, you get the angry phone call you expected. Frank? Frank, how could you? How could you allow that terrible man to take his revenge this way? Terrible? Terrible man? Boats and feet. He's dug up my rosebed, ruined it for good, and you let him do it, you, when you said you'd watch the place. Well, I'm sorry, Aunt Leona. I only left for a short time. I had no idea that Boats and would do such a thing. I'm going to get the police on him. Lieutenant Mullen. I'll report him to Lieutenant Mullen. That evening as you sit on the front porch of Hackett House with Aunt Leona, you're a little hesitant to bring up the matter of Mr. Fleming's offer, aren't you, Frank? Yes, because you know she's still upset about the rosebeds. You're sitting back puffing on a cigarette, trying to think of some way you can ease into the subject when... Someone's coming up the path, Frank. Oh, yeah. Looks like...Boson. Boson? Well, well, I've got something to say to him. Now, now, take it easy, Aunt Leona. From the looks of that walkie, he's had a few beers. Hello, Frank. Miss Leone. Well, you have a nerve coming back, showing your face around here after what you've done. What are you talking about? I'm talking about your tearing up my rosebeds. I didn't have nothing to do with them rosebeds. I just come for my money. Your money? What money? You know what money. Long before Cappy went away, he said I should have part of his money when he died. Oh, did he tell you that? He told you, too, and you know it. Really? I don't seem to recall. Listen, Miss Leone, I'm warning you. I better get my money or you'll be sorry. Are you threatening me? Well, call it what you want. I'll get my money if I have to choke it out of you. Come on, Boson. Let's take a walk. Don't let go, Frank. I ain't finished here yet. Yes, you are. Come on. You lead him away, Frank, the Boson shouting threats. Walk him down the street for several blocks to calm him down. Then you leave him. You feel sorry for the Boson, don't you? But as you turn, start back for the house. He's quickly forgotten. You have other things in your mind. Dino, Aunt Leone, Adele. You haven't seen her in days, have you? Then as you reach the crest of the hill, sight Hackett House silhouetted against the sky, you stop. Suddenly an idea hits you. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Sure. Why didn't I think of that before? Aunt Leone. Aunt Leone. In the kitchen, Frank. I was fixing a cup of tea. Would you care for one? No, no, thanks. Look, I just got an idea, Aunt Leone. Cappy left you several lots up in Glendale, didn't he? Not far from Cousinelli's place? Yes, that's right. Aunt Leone, why couldn't we have the house moved there? Just have it picked up, hauled away. Moved? To the lots in Glendale. Why not, Aunt Leone? Why not? Why not? Why not? Why not? Why not? Why not? Why not, Aunt Leone? Why not? Why not, indeed. It would be nice being close to Ellie. Sure, sure it would. But wait, wouldn't it cost a bit of money? Oh, I don't know. Look, let me talk to Fleming. Now, don't rush me into this, Frank. I want some time to think it over. Okay. Okay, you think it over. But I've got another idea. And I'm going to see Fleming about it first thing in the morning. Hello? Aunt Leone, I talked to Mr. Fleming this morning, and he called me back a few minutes ago. His company is willing to move the house for us, stand all the expense. Oh, really, Frank? How about it? Do I tell him it's a deal? Well, all right, Frank. All right. Good. Now, listen, they're anxious to get on this thing right away, so you'd better scout around, see if you can find us another place to live for the time being. There's a cottage just down the corner from here and up the street. It's for rent. I saw it this morning. Check on it right away. I'll see you tonight, Aunt Leone. Hello? Hello, darling. Frank, where on earth have you been? Well, it's a long story, but I'll be... You're through talking, Frank. Well, go on, darling. What do you want? I'll... You hear me? I'm going to the house. I'll call you later, Adele. But Frank! Later, Adele. All right. What's the idea, Dino? I came to call. That's the idea. Wasn't your neighbor as the saying goes and decided to drop in. You're not the social type, Dino. Oh, I ain't. So we won't visit very long. Five more days, Frank. Or are you keeping score, too? I know. And it looks good, Dino. I'm not so sure. Five days, Frank. That's all the time you got. I need to do myself bad. Five days. It's gotta be. I'll try, Dino, but I can't... I'd do that, Frank, if I were you. Just as if your life depended on it. Dino means business, doesn't he, Frank? Five more days, and that's all. Somehow you managed to move yourself and Aunt Leone to the little cottage not far from Hackett House in two days' time. And then you go to Mr. Fleming's office to press for payment for your property. So any time your company wants to start moving the house is fine with us. Good, my boy, good. I'll file for the moving permit right away. Sometimes there are little delays in getting it, and sometimes not. But we'll move the house as soon as we get the permits. Well, as a matter of fact, Mr. Fleming, when you move the house is of no importance to me. I don't even want to hear about Hackett House until it's safely planted on those lots in Glendale. I'm... well, about the money for the property. Since Aunt Leone and I own the property jointly, can we each receive a check for half the total amount? Perfectly agreeable with us, and I should say, if there's some rush about it, our accounting department could get the checks out for you right away. Oh, fine, Mr. Fleming, fine. There is some rush about it. It's a relief, isn't it, Frank? You leave Fleming's office fortified with two checks, one made out to Aunt Leone for her half, the other to you for exactly the amount you must pay Dino de Casta. $5,000, your half, all for Dino. You're glad you have the money for Dino, but after you pay him, you'll be no better off than you were before. Now you know you'll never be, unless something happens to your Aunt Leone. As you walk along the busy downtown street, you suddenly see an old friend right in front of you. Well, Bolson, how are you? Hello, Frank. Look, I've been wanting to get in touch with you. I wanted to, well, ask Miss Leone to forgive me for the other night. Oh, forget it. I didn't mean to say all those things, but, well, I kind of needed the money. Oh? Things pretty tough? Yeah, pretty tough. Well, let's see what I can do, Bolson. Oh, would you, Frank? You know I didn't mean to harm her or nothing like that. Where are you staying? At Seaman's Hotel. I'll get in touch. You watch Bolson as he turns away, disappears into the noonday crowd. Now you know what you're going to do, don't you, Frank? But Bolson is your answer. Soon you'll have everything you want, including a den. Yes, Bolson Pete has given the solution, hasn't he? That night, a little after midnight, you make it a point to run into another old friend, Lieutenant Mullen of the police department, on his way to work. And as the two of you stand and chat on the street corner, you manage to steer the conversation in the direction you want it to go. Yeah, I was beginning to wonder about Bolson. Haven't seen him in the neighborhood for some time. Well, he's living downtown now, I understand. Uh, I heard he had a run-in with your aunt, is that right? About the rose beds? Yeah, what a session it was. He'd been drinking. Well, I really don't think he meant what he said. Threatening her, you know. Really? Still, you can't be too sure. He's got quite a temper and a gun. I didn't know that. Yes. But I don't think you have to worry too much about the Bolson. Oh, here comes my streetcar. I'll see you later, Mr. Hackett. Good night. Good night, Lieutenant. You're pleased, aren't you, Frank? Satisfied with your meeting with Lieutenant Mullen? The following afternoon, you phone the Siemens Hotel. Ask Bolson to pick you up that night. Drive you out to the cottage. You've made a decision, haven't you, Frank? Set your plan in motion. Your debt with Dino will be settled. And when it's all over, you won't have to share the money from the sale of Hackett House with anyone. And you'll have all your aunt Leona's money beside. Late that night, you're waiting on a quiet side street for Bolson to pick you up. And finally, he rounds the corner and pulls up at the curb. Hello, Frank. Right on time, Bolson. Yeah. You shouldn't want to keep Leona waiting, you know. Sure she'll be up this late? She's like a funny time of night. Oh, you're wrong, Bolson. The time's perfect. Just perfect for this. Ten minutes later, you're parked in front of the cottage, and you're wearing Bolson's pea jacket and cap. Bolson is out of sight, slumped down on the seat beside you, still unconscious. You glance at your watch, then slip out of the car and hurry quietly up to the porch of the cottage to wait. It'll all be over soon, won't it, Frank? Once you get away, you'll wreck the car. Bolson will be killed, and the murder weapon will be found in his pocket. You'll glance at your watch again, a little after 12, and down the street. And you'll see him approaching, right on schedule. It's Lieutenant Mullen. Yes? Who is it? It's Frank. Well, Frank, did you forget your key? What in the world are you doing in the Bolson's camp? What? As your Aunt Leona slumps to the floor, you whirl, run back to the car, jump inside. Through the rear-view mirror, you can see Lieutenant Mullen running toward you. And as you put the car in gear, you let the Bolson's camp fall to the street. Bye-bye, Lieutenant, and thanks. Thanks for being right on time. Like a spare tire without air. That's just how much good an oil filter does your car when the filter cartridge inside is filled up with sludge and goo. It can no longer do the job it was put there to do. And what is that job? Well, for every one gallon of gasoline an engine uses, it sucks in up to 9,000 gallons of air. And air carries gritty dust, which gets into the oil and has to be strained out by the oil filter. Also, tiny metal particles wearing off engine parts must be trapped by the oil filter, so they won't act as an abrasive on other costly parts. In recognition of the importance of oil filters, signal dealers are this month joining in the national program of the purilator company to check the condition of oil filters. If he finds your filter cartridge too clogged to give your motor proper protection, your signal dealer can replace it with a genuine purilator filter cartridge. After all, the best two ways we know to prevent engine wear are, one, a good clean oil filter, and, two, a change to new signal premium, the heavy duty type oil that reduces engine wear due to lubrication 50 percent. The crowd had gathered in the usually quiet side street on the fringe of downtown Los Angeles. Fog and excited whispers stared at the body on the sidewalk. A few feet away, Lieutenant Mullen stood by, puffing slowly on a cigarette, and his face wore a puzzled frown. Then another officer pushed his way through the crowd and joined him. Uh, this one dead, Lieutenant? Yeah, name's Frank Hacker. He killed the old lady back there at the cottage? Uh-huh. Tried to make it look like Bolson did it. Bolson? The man over there in the Essex. How's he doing? Oh, he's finally coming around. Uh, how'd you nail this Hacker fellow? Saw him run out of the cottage his aunt had rented after I heard the shots. Thought at first it was Bolson the way he was dressed. I took off after him. I never caught him either except that after he turned the corner, he had to abandon the car and go down the foot. That's when my bullet nailed him. Something go wrong with his car? No, the street was blocked. Blocked? Yeah. The movers were hauling a house away. It blocked the whole street. Hackett here couldn't drive the car around it. Funny thing too, it was his home they were moving. Hackett house. Music Let that whistle be your signal for the signal oil program The Whistler each Sunday night at this same time. And before you start your vacation trip, be sure to ask your signal dealer for a free copy of Lane's Guide, a booklet prepared by an independent travel organization to help you find good eating and lodging places. While no pocket-sized booklet can include all the good hotels, motels, and dining places, Lane's Guide covers a representative selection in hundreds of cities and towns. And a copy of this handy publication is yours free at signal stations. Featured in tonight's story were Bill Foreman, John Stevenson, Norma Varden, Jean Bates, Cliff Arquette, Herbert Rawlinson, Frank Richards, and Charles Seale. The Whistler was produced and directed by George W. Allen, with story by Adrian John Doe, music by Wilbur Hatch, and was transmitted to our troops overseas by the Armed Forces Radio Service. The Whistler is entirely fictional and all characters portrayed on The Whistler are also fictional. Any similarity of names or resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. Remember to tune in at the same time next Sunday when the Signal Oil Company will bring you another strange story by The Whistler. Marvin Miller speaking for the Signal Oil Company. Stay tuned now for our Miss Brooks starring Eve Arden, which follows immediately over most of these stations. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.
