Whistler 42-08-22 ep015 Death Has a Thirst

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Whistler 42-08-22 ep015 Death Has a Thirst"

Title: Death Has a Thirst
Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Host/Author: Harold's Old Time Radio
Release Date: May 19, 2025
Duration: 31:17

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Introduction

"Death Has a Thirst" is a gripping installment of "The Whistler" series, masterfully blending suspense, mystery, and psychological drama. Set against the backdrop of mid-20th century America, the episode delves into themes of love, betrayal, and the destructive power of addiction.

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Characters Introduced

• Donna Jackson (MM:02:40): A distressed wife battling her husband's alcoholism and suspected insanity.
• Harvey Davis (MM:02:40): Donna’s confidant, who assists in managing her troubled marriage.
• Victor Jackson (MM:02:40): Donna's husband, whose descent into alcoholism leads to erratic and dangerous behavior.
• Doctor Saunders (MM:00:32): A physician involved in Victor's treatment, harboring deeper knowledge about the family's dark secrets.
• The Whistler (MM:00:55): The enigmatic narrator who weaves the tale with eerie insights.

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Plot Progression

1. The Struggle with Addiction

The episode opens with Donna Jackson expressing her desperation to Harvey Davis about her husband Victor's worsening alcoholism and subsequent behavioral changes.

Donna Jackson (02:40): "He's suspicious of every move I make. He accuses me of lying to him about everything."

Harvey empathizes but reveals that managing Victor's condition is becoming increasingly difficult.

2. Intervention and Escalation

Desperate for solutions, Donna and Harvey decide to transport Victor to a sanitarium. However, Dr. Saunders reveals a family history of insanity:

Doctor Saunders (14:14): "There’s been a secret in Victor's family for several generations. Not even Victor knew."

This revelation deepens the sense of inevitability surrounding Victor's condition.

3. The Voyage to Save Victor

Believing a drastic measure might help, Donna and Harvey take Victor aboard Harvey's yacht, hoping isolation at sea will purge his addiction. Tensions escalate as Victor becomes increasingly paranoid and accuses Donna and Harvey of wanting to kill him.

Victor Jackson (10:20): "You want to get rid of me. You want me to die."

4. Psychological Warfare on the Boat

As days pass, dehydration and suspicion heighten. Victor's behavior becomes more erratic, leading to confrontations over limited water resources. The stress culminates in a tense standoff where Victor believes he is being poisoned.

Victor Jackson (24:00): "You sneaked it out of there while I was asleep. You tried to make me think it was poison."

5. The Revelation and Aftermath

In a dramatic twist, it’s revealed that Harvey Davis had intentionally manipulated the situation to end Victor's life, believing it was the only way to save Donna and prevent the perpetuation of the family's curse.

Harvey Davis (28:49): "After Victor took the canteen from Donna and drank the few swallows in it, he fell off to sleep... I found I do love Donna."

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Climax

The climax occurs as dawn breaks, revealing Victor's lifeless body. Donna confesses to stabbing Victor, but Dr. Saunders clarifies that it was Harvey who orchestrated the poisoning. The moral ambiguity of Harvey's actions—choosing death over continued suffering—adds depth to the narrative.

Donna Jackson (27:12): "No, he didn’t. I stabbed him."

Dr. Saunders (28:16): "There's nothing to tell. Except Victor Jackson poisoned himself in a fit of extreme thirst."

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Resolution

With Victor dead, Donna and Harvey survive, bound by the secret of what transpired. Dr. Saunders ensures that the truth remains concealed, allowing Donna and Harvey to begin life anew free from Victor's shadow.

Harvey Davis (28:49): "I knew he'd wake up with a greater thirst. And he did. But I'm not sorry. He's better off."

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Donna Jackson (02:45): "I only hope it'll do some good. Victor never drank a drop while we were in school."
• Harvey Davis (03:24): "If he's going to be suspicious of any man, it would logically be me."
• Doctor Saunders (05:28): "He's in a cheap dive of a rooming house downtown."
• Donna Jackson (06:00): "A long ocean trip might be the answer."
• Victor Jackson (10:20): "You want to get rid of me. You want me to die."
• Harvey Davis (28:49): "I knew he'd wake up with a greater thirst."

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Themes and Insights

• The Destructive Nature of Addiction: Victor's struggle with alcoholism serves as a catalyst for the ensuing drama, highlighting how addiction can distort relationships and erode trust.
• Moral Ambiguity: Harvey's decision to poison Victor raises questions about right and wrong, sacrifice, and the lengths one might go to protect loved ones.
• Psychological Manipulation: The episode meticulously portrays the breakdown of Victor's sanity and the psychological games played by all characters to achieve their ends.
• Family Curses and Inherited Traits: Dr. Saunders' revelation about the Jackson family's history adds a layer of fatalism, suggesting that certain traits or destinies are inescapable.

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Conclusion

"Death Has a Thirst" is a compelling narrative that intertwines personal tragedy with dark secrets, culminating in a resolution that leaves listeners contemplating the ethical complexities of the characters' actions. Harold's Old Time Radio masterfully captures the essence of suspense and psychological drama, making this episode a standout in "The Whistler" series.

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Note: This summary excludes advertisements, intros, outros, and non-content sections as per the guidelines, focusing solely on the core narrative and its elements.

Transcript

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[Doctor Saunders]

Wait a minute. Have you heard the weird tales of the Whistler?

[The Whistler]

I'm the Whistler.

[Donna Jackson]

Here's the sanitarium, Javi.

[Harvey Davis]

Is he still unconscious?

[Donna Jackson]

Yes. Here comes the attendant.

[Doctor Saunders]

We're all ready for him, Mrs. Jackson. Take his feet, Harold. Oh, had to tie him, eh?

[Harvey Davis]

Yes, I had to give him a good one on the chin.

[Donna Jackson]

You'll have to watch him. He may try to get away when he comes to.

[Announcer]

Don't worry.

[Doctor Saunders]

We've got a lot of tough cases here.

[Donna Jackson]

Don't let him know who brought him here.

[Harvey Davis]

And don't let him know I had anything to do with it.

[Doctor Saunders]

Leave everything to us.

[Harvey Davis]

It's a two hour drive back to the city, Donna.

[Donna Jackson]

Yes. Well, I. I'll phone you tomorrow.

[Harvey Davis]

Good.

[Doctor Saunders]

If anything happens, we'll call you.

[Donna Jackson]

Thank you. Good night.

[Announcer]

Saturday night.

[Doctor Saunders]

And again, CBS presents the Whistler.

[The Whistler]

I, the Whistler, know many things. For I walk by night. I know many strange tales. I know many secrets hidden in the hearts of men and women who have stepped into the shadows. And so I tell you tonight the mysterious tale of death has a thirst. The long black car with a handsome man at the wheel and the woman beside him returns to the highway and speeds on through the night. The man and woman sit staring ahead, lost in thought. The man is Harvey Davis. The woman, Mrs. Victor Jackson, wife of the unconscious man recently deposited at the sanitarium.

[Donna Jackson]

I'm sorry I dragged you into this, Harvey, but I had to have some help and I knew I could depend on you.

[Harvey Davis]

It's all right, Donna. I only hope it'll do some good. Victor never drank a drop while we were in school.

[Donna Jackson]

He didn't drink when we were first married. But after his father died and Victor took over the business he started.

[Harvey Davis]

It's a huge concern and I guess he just couldn't take it. He's always had an Inferiority complex.

[Donna Jackson]

But the thing that hurts me most is that the drinking has completely changed him. Why, he's suspicious of every move I make. He accuses me of the most disgraceful things. Accuses me of lying to him about everything. And of being. Being in love with other men. Oh, countless things.

[Harvey Davis]

Other men? What men?

[Donna Jackson]

Any man I speak to. Even you, Harvey.

[Doctor Saunders]

Me?

[Harvey Davis]

Well, after all, if he's going to be suspicious of any man, it would logically be me. Why, you've brought most of your troubles to me. He knows that I'm as good a victim as any. He knows I'm terribly fond of you.

[Donna Jackson]

Are you, Harvey?

[Harvey Davis]

From the first day I met you, I said, here's a woman. A strong woman. Maybe she'll develop some backbone in my willy nipples. Friend Victor.

[Donna Jackson]

That's very nicely put, Harvey.

[Harvey Davis]

Let's hope the sanitarium does him some good.

[Donna Jackson]

If it doesn't, I don't know what I'll do.

[Harvey Davis]

Don't worry, Donna. Just remember, I'll do anything for you.

[Donna Jackson]

Thank you, Harvey.

[The Whistler]

About midnight, the black sedan arrives at the Jackson mansion. The butler greets Harvey and Donna at the door.

[Announcer]

Evening, Mrs. Jackson. Evening, Mr. Davis.

[Harvey Davis]

Evening.

[Announcer]

Dr. Saunders is in the library, ma' am. He's waiting for you.

[Donna Jackson]

Dr. Saunders? At this hour? What on earth does he want?

[Harvey Davis]

You'd better see him, Donna. Maybe he knows how.

[Donna Jackson]

Could he? Come with me, Harvey?

[Harvey Davis]

Of course.

[Donna Jackson]

Oh, good evening, Dr. Saunders.

[Doctor Saunders]

Good evening, Donna. Evening, Harvey.

[Harvey Davis]

Hello, Doctor.

[Donna Jackson]

This is quite a surprise.

[Doctor Saunders]

I can imagine.

[Donna Jackson]

I. Harvey and I, we've just been for a little drive. I felt I needed some air.

[Doctor Saunders]

All right.

[Donna Jackson]

So did you come to see Victor?

[Doctor Saunders]

Victor isn't here.

[Donna Jackson]

Really?

[Doctor Saunders]

But I know where he is.

[Donna Jackson]

You do?

[Doctor Saunders]

He's in a cheap dive of a rooming house downtown.

[Harvey Davis]

What? But that's impossible.

[Doctor Saunders]

That's where he always goes.

[Donna Jackson]

Well, you're wrong this time, Doctor. I took him by force to a sanitarium tonight. Harvey, help me. Maybe they can do something for him.

[Doctor Saunders]

You told the sanitarium that I was his physician, didn't you?

[Donna Jackson]

Yes.

[Doctor Saunders]

Well, they called me an hour ago. He's escaped.

[Harvey Davis]

What?

[Doctor Saunders]

They said he came to and broke away from them. I know where he usually goes and I can find him if you want me to find him.

[Donna Jackson]

What are you inferring, Doctor?

[Doctor Saunders]

Donna, I know what you've been through with Victor. I know what a trial it's been. I've tried and you've tried. We've all tried everything we could do to make him stop. Not many women would have put up with what you have we've dragged him through before. We probably can do it again. I just thought, well, maybe you'd had enough.

[Donna Jackson]

You do know where he is?

[Doctor Saunders]

Yes, I'm pretty sure I know.

[Donna Jackson]

Well, then find him. I'm determined to cure him if I have to. Take him to a desert island.

[Doctor Saunders]

That's an idea. A long ocean trip might be the answer. You'd have to hog time.

[Donna Jackson]

I could do that too.

[Doctor Saunders]

Very well. I'll have a talk with him. I'll phone you in the morning. Good night.

[Donna Jackson]

Good night, Doctor. Oh, Harvey.

[Harvey Davis]

No, no, no. You've done your best, Donna.

[Donna Jackson]

Oh, but I feel so hopeless. I don't know what to do.

[Harvey Davis]

Try the desert island.

[Donna Jackson]

Why not? Harvey, it might work, mightn't it? You can help your yacht. Dr. Saunders may be right. Oh, at least it's worth a try.

[Harvey Davis]

I wonder.

[Donna Jackson]

Please. Javier may be the answer.

[Harvey Davis]

I can't get away just now, but if you're determined, you're welcome to the aunt.

[Donna Jackson]

Oh, please. I'd feel better if you came along.

[Harvey Davis]

All right, Donna, I'll go. I'll arrange it. But he won't want to come.

[Donna Jackson]

We'll take him aboard by force.

[Harvey Davis]

Shanghai. Well, all right. Just let me know when you find him and I'll arrange everything.

[Donna Jackson]

He sure was plastered. Well, I'll leave you alone with him, Doctor.

[Doctor Saunders]

Thanks. That hypo will bring him out of this. Victor. Victor.

[Donna Jackson]

What.

[Announcer]

What's going on here?

[Doctor Saunders]

Who are you?

[Announcer]

Get away.

[Doctor Saunders]

Quiet. Quiet. Take it easy, Victor.

[Donna Jackson]

Huh?

[Doctor Saunders]

Who are you? Doc Saunders.

[Announcer]

Doc, what you want?

[Doctor Saunders]

I want to talk to you, Victor. It's very important.

[Announcer]

Important?

[Doctor Saunders]

Come on, Victor, snap out of it. Hey, what's the idea?

[Announcer]

But you slapped me for it.

[Doctor Saunders]

Wake you up? I've got to talk to you.

[Announcer]

Hello, Doc. What are you after?

[Doctor Saunders]

Is your head clear?

[Announcer]

I guess so.

[Doctor Saunders]

Then listen to me. You know where you are?

[Announcer]

Yeah, yeah, My old haunt.

[Doctor Saunders]

You know how you got here?

[Announcer]

Well, let me see. I. No, I can't seem to remember.

[Doctor Saunders]

Well, I'll tell you where you're going if you don't pull yourself together.

[Announcer]

Where?

[Doctor Saunders]

To the insane asylum.

[Announcer]

Did you say asylum?

[Doctor Saunders]

I did. I haven't told you this, but your great grandfather died insane.

[Announcer]

What?

[Doctor Saunders]

And that was your father's greatest fear, that he would be a victim. There's nothing that hastens final mental breakdown more than alcohol, insanity.

[Announcer]

Are you just telling me that?

[Doctor Saunders]

No. I can prove it.

[Announcer]

Good Lord.

[Doctor Saunders]

You want that to happen to you?

[Announcer]

No, no. But I. I just can't seem to quit.

[Doctor Saunders]

You're going away, Vic.

[Announcer]

Away where?

[Doctor Saunders]

I'm sending you on a long voyage with no liquor.

[Announcer]

Oh, no. No, you're not. No, no. I'll get hold of myself.

[Doctor Saunders]

You said that before.

[Announcer]

I can take it or leave it alone if I want to.

[Doctor Saunders]

What you haven't so far. You've gone from bad to worse. Now you're going where you can't get it.

[Announcer]

But, Doc, I can't. I'd die. I couldn't stand it.

[Doctor Saunders]

You'll stand it and like it if I have to kill you.

[Announcer]

No. No. I won't be pushed around by anyone. I know who's back of this. Donna. She wants to get rid of me. Asylum? Yeah. Yeah, that suit her fine. She'd like that. So she can cavort around with Harvey and all the others.

[Doctor Saunders]

Shut up, Vic.

[Announcer]

You're all planning to get rid of me. You don't like me.

[Doctor Saunders]

You're taking a trip.

[Announcer]

Get rid of me and you all share in the estate. Well, you'll see how much good it'll do.

[Doctor Saunders]

But you are taking a trip, Victor.

[The Whistler]

And now here you are, Victor, several hundred miles at sea. And worried too, aren't you, Victor? That talk about insanity really upsets you. You believe it too, don't you?

[Announcer]

What's this? Where am I at?

[Doctor Saunders]

Donna?

[Donna Jackson]

Do you feel better?

[Announcer]

What is is it. It's moving. I feel dizzy.

[Donna Jackson]

I don't think you're dizzy. We're on a boat, darling.

[Announcer]

What boat?

[Donna Jackson]

We're on a boat in the middle of the ocean.

[Announcer]

A boat? Doc Saunders. That's what he said. A voyage. It's his idea.

[Donna Jackson]

Oh, now, Victor, everything's going to be all right.

[Announcer]

I know what you're planning to do. You're planning to kill me. You want to get rid of me. Want me to die.

[Donna Jackson]

You won't die.

[Announcer]

Whose boat is this?

[Donna Jackson]

Harvey. Jard Harvey.

[Announcer]

Now I know it's a plot. Now I know what it's all about. You and Harvey. That's it.

[Donna Jackson]

Please don't be ridiculous, Victor. Harvey consented to let me have the yacht.

[Announcer]

Is he on board?

[The Whistler]

Yes, of course.

[Announcer]

You and Harvey and me are prisoner. What a perfect setup.

[Donna Jackson]

You don't mean that, Victor.

[Announcer]

I've been suspicious of you two all along. Who else is on board?

[Donna Jackson]

Nobody but the captain and the crew of four. And Harvey and the doctor.

[Announcer]

Where are you taking me?

[Donna Jackson]

We're just cruising.

[The Whistler]

Just cruising?

[Announcer]

Did you find the right spot?

[Donna Jackson]

Right spot for what?

[Announcer]

To dump me overboard. No one will ever know, will they? And you'll say I jumped over. I was washed over the side.

[Donna Jackson]

Oh, Victor. What has happened to you? You're like a stranger to me. I. I just don't know you. It doesn't seem possible that you're the man I married. My darling, what's happened to you?

[Announcer]

Don't you know?

[Donna Jackson]

If I only did.

[Announcer]

Why, I'm crazy.

[The Whistler]

Insane.

[Announcer]

Surely you knew that my great grandfather was insane. And my grandfather and undoubtedly my father. So why not me?

[Donna Jackson]

You're talking none.

[Announcer]

No. Hasn't Doc Saunders told you what he knows?

[Donna Jackson]

No.

[Announcer]

Oh, come now. You three are closer than that.

[Donna Jackson]

Stop talking such nonsense. I won't listen.

[Announcer]

I'm getting out of this cabin. I can't stand to be cooped up like that.

[Donna Jackson]

No, please stay here for a while, Victor. Please. Here. I. I brought you some milk. Please drink it.

[Announcer]

Milk? Ah. Got a funny color to it. And it smells strange. What's in it? Arsenic.

[Donna Jackson]

It's just plain milk, Victor. Now drink it.

[Announcer]

Do you like milk, Donna?

[Donna Jackson]

Yes, I love milk.

[Announcer]

Then drink it yourself, Victor.

[Donna Jackson]

Oh. All over my breath.

[Announcer]

You're trying to poison me. That's it. Now get out of here. Get out.

[Donna Jackson]

Oh, Victor, Please, darling.

[Announcer]

Get out. Oh, what do you want, Doc?

[Doctor Saunders]

How do you feel?

[Announcer]

Victor, they're trying to kill me. They plan to kill me.

[Doctor Saunders]

Who?

[Announcer]

Donna and Harvey. She just brought me some milk. And it had poison in it. I could tell by the color.

[Doctor Saunders]

I think you're imagining things, Victor.

[Announcer]

No. No, I'm not. They want me out of the way. I can tell.

[Doctor Saunders]

What made you think the milk was poison?

[Announcer]

It was a purplish color. Here is the glass. Smell it. Maybe I'm not so crazy.

[Doctor Saunders]

I didn't say you were crazy. I only want you to stop drinking. Drink may. Bring it on, Doc.

[The Whistler]

Where would they get poor poison?

[Doctor Saunders]

Oh, come now. Forget it.

[Announcer]

Do you know where they get poison, Doc?

[Doctor Saunders]

I'll see you later, Victor.

[Announcer]

Maybe.

[Donna Jackson]

Did you send for me, Doctor?

[Doctor Saunders]

Yes. Did you take some milk to Victor?

[Donna Jackson]

Yes, I did.

[Doctor Saunders]

What you put him at.

[Donna Jackson]

Why should I put anything in it?

[Doctor Saunders]

Victor thinks you did.

[Donna Jackson]

You should know me better than that, Doctor.

[Doctor Saunders]

You did put something in it?

[Donna Jackson]

Oh, yes, I did. Some of that red liquid to make him quiet.

[Doctor Saunders]

Oh, yes, of course. That's what it was.

[Donna Jackson]

He threw it all over me. Oh, I. I'm thoroughly disgusted, Doctor. I. I can't go on with him this way. He isn't drinking the. There's something wrong. I decided to give it up as a bad job. I. I'm going to get a divorce.

[Doctor Saunders]

Divorce? I'm afraid it's too late for that, Donna.

[Donna Jackson]

Too late? Why? What do you mean.

[Doctor Saunders]

Well, there's something I haven't told you. I've been hoping it wouldn't be necessary, but after today, I've given up all hope.

[Donna Jackson]

Why can't I get a divorce?

[Doctor Saunders]

You can't get a divorce from an insane person.

[Donna Jackson]

Insane? Good heavens.

[Doctor Saunders]

There's been a secret in Victor's family for several generations. Not even Victor knew. Touched his father ever so lightly. But Victor has all the symptoms and the liquor has hastened the crack up. I couldn't be certain as long as he was drinking. But today I realized the truth.

[Donna Jackson]

I'm bewildered. I've never been so shocked in my life. I wish you hadn't told me.

[Doctor Saunders]

I'm sorry, Donna. I wanted you to be on your guard. He has some strange hallucination about you and Harvey. He thinks you're planning to do away with him.

[Donna Jackson]

Do away with him? Oh, but that's ridiculous. I. I've never had such a thought. Never. Oh, but now I am frightened, Doctor. What about Alice?

[Doctor Saunders]

Your daughter's only 8 years old. There are no symptoms and it may miss her entirely.

[Donna Jackson]

But think what this will mean if this gets out about Victor. Why, it may ruin her whole life. I understand that that must never happen. It must remain a secret.

[Doctor Saunders]

That'll be difficult. It's going to be hard to handle when that craving returns.

[Donna Jackson]

Yes, he will. I'll think of something. I'll find a way.

[Announcer]

Captain, come quickly. It's Harvey Davis.

[Doctor Saunders]

What's wrong, Captain? Hunt him in his bunk with a.

[Announcer]

Cord around his neck.

[Doctor Saunders]

Good heavens. Be quiet, Donna. Come along.

[Donna Jackson]

Is he dead?

[Doctor Saunders]

Oh, he's breathing. Found him just in time. He'll be all right in a few minutes.

[Donna Jackson]

Thank heaven.

[Doctor Saunders]

Harvey. Harvey.

[Donna Jackson]

Harvey.

[Harvey Davis]

Donna, what's wrong?

[Doctor Saunders]

What's happened? Nothing much, Harvey. Just a little accident. You'll be all right. Oh, my throat.

[Harvey Davis]

What's going on?

[Doctor Saunders]

You don't remember?

[Harvey Davis]

No, I was just taking a little nap.

[Doctor Saunders]

I. I feel as though I'd been choked. Better tell him, Donna. Come along, Captain. Any liquor aboard, Captain? Yes, Doctor. Several bottles in the locker in my cabin. Let's have a look. I keep it locked because.

[Announcer]

Hey, it's been jimmied.

[Doctor Saunders]

Well, what do you know?

[Announcer]

It's all gone.

[Doctor Saunders]

I expected that. I'll skin those men alive. Don't. Don't blame the men, Captain.

[Announcer]

What do you mean?

[Doctor Saunders]

What the devil is that? We've hit something.

[Announcer]

Come on. Captain. Captain.

[Doctor Saunders]

What is it, man? What's wrong with you?

[Announcer]

The boilers blew up.

[The Whistler]

We must have hit a reef. All three of the men of the crew?

[Announcer]

Were down there.

[The Whistler]

We've got to abandon I. I'm a hurt bad.

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[Doctor Saunders]

Round up the others. I'll go below. Yes, Captain.

[Announcer]

Murphy? John Murphy, are you there? Good God, what a mess. I can't imagine.

[The Whistler]

Two days pass. The sun beats down relentlessly on the five survivors in the open boat. The Doctor watches anxiously over the still unconscious Captain. Donna and Harvey keep a constant eye on Victor, who sits alone in the end of the boat staring at the horizon.

[Harvey Davis]

How's the Captain, Doctor?

[Doctor Saunders]

Still holding his own. Must have had a bad fall down that companion way.

[Harvey Davis]

I don't think he fell.

[Doctor Saunders]

Good thing you went down after him.

[Harvey Davis]

Running low on water. I hope we sight some land today. How much water have you left in your canteen, Donna?

[Donna Jackson]

Half full.

[Doctor Saunders]

Hey, look over there. What's that?

[Donna Jackson]

Why, it's a ship.

[Harvey Davis]

No, it's land. An island. Grab an orb, Victor. Come on, Doc. Well, I've looked all around. Places as barren of food and water as the Sahara Desert. I'm afraid if we do locate any water, it won't be fit to drink.

[Announcer]

There must be water.

[Harvey Davis]

What do you care about water? You've got a canteen full of whiskey.

[Announcer]

How much water is left?

[Donna Jackson]

I have some and Dr. Saunders has some.

[Harvey Davis]

So I'd better get busy. Although my experiences on these islands haven't been so good.

[Doctor Saunders]

Here's a chance to put your chemistry to use. Harvey, you know the test for lead and zinc?

[Harvey Davis]

Yes.

[Doctor Saunders]

I'll give you two vials, some sodium sulfide tablets and some potassium chromate. You know the test. One tablet of each and 10cc with water. A dark precipitate means poison.

[Harvey Davis]

Yes, I know. Thanks, Doc. Well, I'll start off and keep a direct line to the other side. Wherever that is.

[Announcer]

Wait a minute, Harvey. I think I'll go with you.

[Harvey Davis]

Oh, why?

[Announcer]

Oh, maybe I can help.

[Doctor Saunders]

I'd go with you, Harvey, but I'd better keep my eye on the captain. He's the only one who knows where we are. I've got to pull him through.

[Harvey Davis]

That's all right, Doc. I don't need any help.

[Announcer]

I think I'll go anyway.

[Harvey Davis]

All right, if you insist.

[Donna Jackson]

Come on, Harvey. Wait. I'm going, too.

[Announcer]

Why?

[Donna Jackson]

Because I want to.

[Announcer]

We don't need you.

[Donna Jackson]

But I'm coming just the same. Please, Harvey. I. I'd like to come.

[Harvey Davis]

All right, let's go. It's certainly hot. How do you feel, Donna?

[Donna Jackson]

All right. How far have we come?

[Harvey Davis]

Oh, 10 miles, I should say. This is a pretty big island at that. And nothing but desert.

[Announcer]

Are you sure those last two water holes were poisoned?

[Harvey Davis]

Certainly.

[Announcer]

Look good to me. I'm getting mighty thirsty.

[Harvey Davis]

Better quit drinking that whiskey. It'll only make you thirstier.

[Donna Jackson]

Javi, can I have a little water?

[Harvey Davis]

I'm sorry, Donna, but you'll have to suffer it as long as you can. Please. Wait.

[Donna Jackson]

You suppose we'll ever get out of here?

[Harvey Davis]

I don't know.

[Donna Jackson]

Oh, it's all my fault. What a shame to get you into such a mess. Please forgive me, Harvey.

[Harvey Davis]

There's nothing to forgive, Donna. I'd do it again a hundred times over for you.

[Donna Jackson]

Would you, Harvey?

[Harvey Davis]

Yes. Poor Victor. What a sad thing.

[Donna Jackson]

No one must ever know, Harvey, promise me. If we get out of this, promise me you'll never let anyone know.

[Harvey Davis]

No one will ever learn from me.

[Announcer]

I got him. I got him.

[Harvey Davis]

What on earth got?

[Donna Jackson]

A gun.

[Harvey Davis]

Where'd he get it? Come on.

[Announcer]

I got him. Look. Look. A lizard. A big one. I knew we'd find something.

[Harvey Davis]

That down. You can't eat that.

[Announcer]

There must be water around here. There must be.

[Harvey Davis]

Where'd you get that gun?

[Announcer]

Out of the captain's locker.

[Harvey Davis]

Better take it easy with those shells. We may need them.

[Announcer]

Yeah, maybe I will have a drink.

[Harvey Davis]

No.

[Announcer]

Hmm. I'd sure like some water. How about it?

[Harvey Davis]

There's just enough for one of us to get back. And if only one goes back, it'll be Donna.

[Announcer]

Donna. How chivalrous. Who's got the water?

[Donna Jackson]

I have.

[Harvey Davis]

Come on, let's keep moving.

[Announcer]

There's water around here. There must be, and I'm gonna find it.

[Harvey Davis]

Donna, if we don't find water, he's going to start pleading for what you have. No matter how much he raves or pleads, don't give it to him. Even if he threatens us with a gun. Tell him you drank it all. I want you to have the best break out of this.

[Donna Jackson]

Thanks, Harvey. I appreciate it.

[Announcer]

I found it.

[Harvey Davis]

Water.

[Announcer]

I found water.

[Harvey Davis]

Hurry, Donna, hurry.

[Announcer]

Well, what about it? What's the test show?

[Harvey Davis]

Just like all the rest. It's full of lead and zinc and heaven knows what else.

[Announcer]

Poison, huh?

[Harvey Davis]

Where's Jen?

[Announcer]

How about some of that water?

[Harvey Davis]

What water?

[Announcer]

In Donner's canteen.

[Harvey Davis]

There isn't anymore.

[Announcer]

Who drank it?

[Donna Jackson]

I did.

[Announcer]

You both did. You left none for me.

[Harvey Davis]

You've got your whiskey.

[Announcer]

I can't drink whiskey all the time.

[Donna Jackson]

Done pretty well on it for several years.

[Announcer]

I've got to have some water.

[Donna Jackson]

Harvey warned you.

[Announcer]

Harvey, Harvey, Harvey. Is that all you think about, Harvey? You should have married Harvey.

[Donna Jackson]

Perhaps you're right about that.

[Announcer]

Are you sure that water's poison?

[Harvey Davis]

I'm not drinking it. And I'm thirsty, too.

[Announcer]

Maybe you're just waiting.

[Donna Jackson]

For what?

[Announcer]

I don't know. But I can imagine a few things.

[Harvey Davis]

We'd better stop here for the night. Are you very tired, Donna?

[Donna Jackson]

Awfully.

[Harvey Davis]

Better try and get some sleep. Where are you going, Victor?

[Announcer]

Just going to look around. May find something. I'm hungry.

[Harvey Davis]

I'm gonna build a fire with this brush. Don't get too far away.

[Announcer]

I'll be around. Don't worry.

[Harvey Davis]

Keep a close watch on your canteen, Donna. I have an idea what he's up to. I'll try not to sleep, but I'm dead tired.

[Donna Jackson]

I'll do my best, Javi.

[Harvey Davis]

If he goes to sleep, I'll try to get that gun away from him. Good night, Donna.

[Donna Jackson]

Good night, Harvey.

[The Whistler]

Night comes on. The fire burns low. Only a red glow remains. Donna, in spite of herself, drops off into a sound sleep. Victor stirs from his place 20ft away, looks about him and crawls silently toward the sleeping Donner.

[Harvey Davis]

Put it down, Victor.

[Announcer]

I want some water.

[Harvey Davis]

There isn't any more.

[Announcer]

I think there is.

[Harvey Davis]

You heard what I said.

[Announcer]

You're lying. You have got some.

[Donna Jackson]

Victor. What is it?

[Announcer]

You've got some water, and you won't give me any. Harvey, I'm wise to you. You don't want me to have any. You want me to die. You're in love with each other.

[Harvey Davis]

You're drunk.

[Donna Jackson]

What if I am in love with Harvey?

[Harvey Davis]

What of it, Donna?

[Announcer]

You want me out of the way? Either of you is very thirsty? No. Because you had some water and you got it out of that pool. You're lying to me. It's good water.

[Harvey Davis]

You're crazy.

[Announcer]

You sneaked it out of there while I was asleep. You tried to make me think it was poison. I ought to shoot you both.

[Harvey Davis]

All right, Victor. If you're so positive, go on down and drink out of the pool.

[Announcer]

That gives me an idea. I'll just find out if that water's poisoned. Go drink some of it, Harvey.

[Harvey Davis]

Certainly not.

[Announcer]

I'll give you 30 seconds.

[Donna Jackson]

It's poison, Victor.

[Announcer]

Go ahead, drink or I'll shoot.

[Donna Jackson]

No, don't do it, Harvey.

[Announcer]

Then supposing you drink some, Donna.

[Donna Jackson]

Very well. I will.

[Harvey Davis]

Victor. It'll kill her. Donna. Wait. I'll drink it. You're a fool, Victor. But come along.

[Announcer]

This is gonna be very interesting.

[Harvey Davis]

Not as much as you think.

[Announcer]

Get off of me. I'll tell you. Maybe that'll hold you. Harvey.

[Harvey Davis]

Harvey. I'm all right. Donna dusted my shoulder. I hope you're satisfied now that it is poison. Victor.

[Announcer]

Maybe. But you two are getting water from someplace. All right, hand over that canteen, Donna.

[Harvey Davis]

Please, Victor. That's what.

[Announcer]

Donna. I'll take care of him for all of us. And if either of you make a move toward me, I'll shoot both of you. Good night and sleep tight. Both of you.

[The Whistler]

The night slowly fades. The chill of dawn creeps in. Then, as the sun comes over the horizon, Harvey stirs fretfully, opens his eyes and looks for Donna. She sits beyond the dead embers at the campfire, her hands full of before her, staring blankly into space. Harvey raises up with a start and moves quickly to her side. Victor is sprawled on his back, the hilt of a hunting knife protruding from his breast.

[Harvey Davis]

Donna.

[Announcer]

Donna. Good.

[Harvey Davis]

What's happened to Victor?

[Donna Jackson]

He's dead, Harvey.

[Doctor Saunders]

Dead?

[Harvey Davis]

At night. Watch yours, Donna.

[Donna Jackson]

Yes, it's mine now. No one will ever know, will they, Harvey?

[Harvey Davis]

No.

[Donna Jackson]

I had to. I had to.

[Doctor Saunders]

Harvey. Hello there.

[Harvey Davis]

It's Dr. Saunders. Here we are.

[Doctor Saunders]

Thank heavens we found you. Sighted a ship, built a signal fire. They're waiting for us. Well, what's this?

[Harvey Davis]

Well, Victor must have. Must have gone crazy in the night and stabbed himself.

[Doctor Saunders]

Let me see. He's dead. Harvey. How'd this happen?

[Harvey Davis]

I told you. He.

[Doctor Saunders]

He must have stabbed himself.

[Announcer]

No. No, he.

[Donna Jackson]

No, he didn't. I stabbed him. It's my knife. I. I got to thinking and I did it. I crept over and I stabbed him.

[Doctor Saunders]

I see. When did you do this, Donna?

[Donna Jackson]

It was now more than an hour ago. I couldn't help it, Doctor. I. I couldn't help it.

[Harvey Davis]

Please, Donna.

[Doctor Saunders]

Please.

[Harvey Davis]

There's nothing to fear.

[Donna Jackson]

I didn't want anybody to Know?

[Doctor Saunders]

Because of Alice, they won't know. Donna, you didn't kill him.

[Harvey Davis]

What?

[Doctor Saunders]

He's been dead for at least three hours.

[Donna Jackson]

What do you mean?

[Doctor Saunders]

Look at his eyes. Look at his lips and his tongue, the swelling of his stomach. Did you test the pool, Harvey?

[Harvey Davis]

Yes. Every pool we've come to has been heavy in mineral content. I warned him, but he thought we were lying to him. Last night he pulled a gun and took down his canteen. There wasn't much in it, but it was all we had.

[Doctor Saunders]

He's been drinking whiskey, so a little water wouldn't satisfy him. So he drank from the pool and. Poor Victor. I guess it's just as well.

[Harvey Davis]

Don't worry, Donna. No one will ever know. Will they, Doctor?

[Doctor Saunders]

There's nothing to tell. Except Victor Jackson poisoned himself in a fit of extreme thirst.

[Announcer]

No, Donna.

[The Whistler]

No one will ever know. You did your best. You tried hard to make things work out. But somehow fate seemed to take things right out of your hands. But you know better, don't you, Harvey? You know what happened. Tell us, Harvey. Tell us.

[Harvey Davis]

After Victor took the canteen from Donna and drank the few swallows in it, he fell off to sleep. Then I took the canteen and filled it from the poison pool. I knew he'd wake up with a greater thirst. And he did. But I'm not sorry. He's better off. And I found I do love Donna. And I'll take care of her for the rest of her days.

[The Whistler]

There you are. From drama to tragedy. From tragedy to a beautiful love story wherein they will live happily ever after. I know.

[Doctor Saunders]

CBS has presented the Whistler original music for this production was composed and conducted by Wilbur Hatch. The Whistler stories are written and directed.

[Harvey Davis]

By J. Donald Wilson and originate from.

[Doctor Saunders]

Columbia Square in Hollywood.

[Announcer]

Next week, same time I, the Whistler.

[The Whistler]

Return to tell you the incredible tale of the Secret seven.

[Donna Jackson]

Good night.

[Harvey Davis]

This is the Columbia Broadcasting System.

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