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roast me。〃
〃All right；〃 snapped Drumm； 〃leave him to me。 Are we ready？〃
〃All ready；〃 said Perry Mason。
They took their positions in the automobile for the last time。 Flashlights boomed up in puffs of dazzling flame as newspaper photographers took action pictures of the car pulling away from the curb。
Judge Purley snapped it through the gears and drove up the winding roadway at a fair rate of speed。
〃It is understood；〃 said Perry Mason； 〃that Don Graves will not look back until Judge Purley indicates the place on the road where Graves first gave his exclamation。〃
〃So understood；〃 snapped Drumm。
The car purred up the roadway； swinging around the curves。
〃Now！〃 said Judge Purley。
Don Graves pushed his face up against the rear window of the automobile and cupped his hands around his eyes。
Perry Mason flashed a glance at the study window of the house。
The figures could be seen for a single brief glimpse； standing in position。
The car swept around the curve in the roadway； and the house vanished from view。
〃I got it； sir；〃 said Don Graves。
〃Who was it？〃 asked Judge Purley； braking the car to a stop。
〃The man in the blue serge suit with the dark hair； and the woman in the pink dress；〃 said Don Graves。
Claude Drumm heaved a sigh。
〃There； counselor；〃 he said to Perry Mason； 〃goes your defense in this case … blown to smithereens！〃
Perry Mason said nothing。
Judge Purley sighed ponderously。
〃I will now turn around and go back；〃 he said。 〃I presume the newspaper people will want to make some more photographs。〃
〃Very well；〃 Drumm told him。
Perry Mason said nothing。 His rugged face was expressionless。 The patient； thoughtful eyes stared meditatively at the face of Judge Purley。
CHAPTER TWENTY…FIVE
THE courtroom was jammed with spectators as Judge Markham marched in from the chambers in the rear of the bench。
〃Stand up；〃 shouted the bailiff。
The spectators arose and remained standing while Judge Markham strode to the judicial chair and the bailiff intoned the formula which convened the session of court。
Judge Markham sat down； and banged the gavel； and spectators； attorneys； jurors and defendants dropped into their seats。
The atmosphere of the courtroom was electric； but sympathies were all with the prosecution。
In man there is implanted a sporting instinct to side with the underdog； but this is in man； the individual。 Mob psychology is different from individual psychology； and the psychology of the pack is to tear down the weaker and devour the wounded。 Man may sympathize with the underdog； but he wants to side with the winner。
And the results of the test had been spread to the public through the pages of every newspaper in the city。 It had been dramatic and spectacular。 There had been about it something of the element of a gambling proposition。 The defense had staked much on the happening of a certain event； on the turn of a single card； and it is human nature to crowd breathlessly forward as spectators when men are risking high stakes on a single card。
Therefore the reading public eagerly devoured the newspaper accounts of that which had happened。 The oute of the case was now a foregone conclusion。 Don Graves had vindicated his ability to identify the occupants of the room from the exact point where he had seen the murder omitted； and under exactly similar circumstances。
The gaze of the spectators in the courtroom had shifted now from the witnesses； and was fastened upon the defendants； particularly upon the shapely and slender figure of Frances Celane。
Old campaigners who have participated in hard fought legal battles will agree that this is the most ominous sign which a courtroom can give。 When a case first starts； the attention of the spectators is fastened upon the defendants。 They strain their necks with curiosity； watch the faces of the defendants for some flicker of expression which will convey a hint of their feelings。 The average spectator likes to look at a defendant； try to visualize the defendant in the midst of the circumstances surrounding the crime； and reach an opinion as to the guilt or innocence of the prisoner； to the extent that he or she seems visually to fit into that picture。
Then； after the trial is under way； the auditors bee interested in the unfolding of the story of the crime itself； in the battle over testimony。 Their attention is centered upon the witnesses； upon the judge； upon the dramatic personalities of the attorneys as they match wits in legal arguments。
So long as the issue is in doubt； so long as the interest remains centered upon the oute of the case； so long will the spectators continue to fasten their eyes upon the witnesses； upon the actors in the drama that is being unfurled。 But let some event crash the testimony to a climax； remove the element of uncertainty； convince the spectators of the guilt of the defendant； and the eyes of the spectators will automatically shift to the defendant； not trying now to visualize how the defendant looked in the mission of the crime； but staring at the prisoner with that morbid curiosity which es to men who look at one who is about to die。 They like to terrify themselves by thinking of the morning when the inevitable hands will drag the protesting prisoner from the cell and march the lagging footsteps along that last grim walk。
It is the sign which lawyers dread； the verdict of these masses； the thumbs…down signal which shows the turning point has been passed； and that the prisoner is condemned。
Never a veteran trial lawyer who has fought his way through the intricate web of many cases； but has learned to appreciate the dread portent of that shifting attention。 Defendants do not know its fatal significance； often they smirk with satisfaction as they see themselves the sudden cynosure of the eyes of the spectators； but not so the attorney who sits at the counselors' table； his law books piled in front of him； his face calm and serene； but his soul shrinking from the portent of that silent verdict。
In this case the silent verdict had been rendered。 It was guilty of murder in the first degree for both defendants； and there was no remendation of mercy。
Judge Markham's level tones cut the tense silence of the courtroom。
〃Mr。 Don Graves was on the witness stand；〃 he said； 〃and was being cross…examined。 The case was continued from last week； pursuant to a stipulation by counsel that a test was to be made with this witness … a test that had been suggested by the defense； and stipulated to by the prosecution。
〃Gentlemen； do I understand that the results of that test were to be received in evidence？〃
Claude Drumm rose to his feet and said sneeringly： 〃It was a test which was conducted with every possible degree of fairness to the defense； at the challenge of the defense； and pursuant to stipulation。 It was participated in by this witness under conditions identical to those which surrounded the mission of the crime； and I asked that it be received in evidence。〃
Judge Markham looked at Perry Mason。
Perry Mason rose to his feet。
〃If the court please；〃 he said； 〃there is no objection to that。 It is； however； not a part of my cross…examination。 That is； it must e in as a part of the redirect examination of this witness； and the question is therefore not properly before the court at the present time。 But； when the question does e before the court； if the District Attorney desires to examine this witness as to the test； I shall make no objection； subject； however； to the fact that I shall have the right to cross…examine the various witnesses to that test； as to the actual circumstances surrounding it。〃
It had been said of Judge Markham that the lawyer did not live who had ever brought an expression of surprise to the face of the magistrate when he was sitting in a court of law。 Now Judge Markham stared at Perry Mason as though he would try to read what might be in the mind of the counsel for the defense； and his eyes were wide and thoughtful。
Perry Mason met his gaze calmly and placidly。
〃Shall I proceed with the cross…examination of the witness？〃 he asked。
〃Proceed；〃 snapped Judge Markham。
〃You are familiar with the business affairs of Edward Norton？〃 asked Perry Mason in an even monotone of passionless inquiry。
〃I am fully familiar with all of those affairs；〃 said Don Graves。
〃You are then familiar with the expiration date of the insurance policy which lay upon the desk of Edward Norton？〃 asked Perry Mason。
〃I am。〃
〃What was the expiration date of that insurance policy？〃
〃The twenty…sixth of October of the present year。〃
〃Ah！ Then the insurance policy expired but three days after the murder of Edward Norton？〃
〃That is correct。〃
〃Is it a fact； Mr。 Graves； that you have some animus； some prejudice against the defendant； Frances Celane； in this case； due to the fact that she is married to Robert Gleason？〃
The question came as a surprise； and there was that suppressed rustle of motion from the courtroom which indicates a sudden snapping to attention on the part of the spectators； a craning of necks； a pushing forward to the extreme edges of the seats。
〃That is not true！〃 protested Don Graves； with a show of feeling。 〃I did everything I could to keep the name of Frances Celane out of this。 I am testifying in this matter only because I was forced to court under a subpoena。〃
〃And you have no bias against Frances Celane for any other reason？〃
〃None。〃
〃Or against Robert Gleason？〃
〃No。 I hold no feeling of friendship for Robert Gleason because I know him but slightly； but for Miss Celane； my feelings are entirely different。 I would not say a word in this courtroom which would connect her in any way with the murder of Edward Norton unless I knew absolutely and beyond all reasonable doubt that what I said was true and correct。〃
〃No further questions；〃 said Perry Mason； with the air of a man who has been defeated。
Claude Drumm got to his feet； and said with just a trace of a sneer in his air of triumph： 〃I have a few questions to ask upon redirect examination。 You were asked upon cross…examination； Mr。 Graves； whether you had ever made a test； under circumstances identical with the circumstances surrounding the murder of Edward Norton； to determine if you could recognize persons in the room where Edward Norton was murdered。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Don Graves； 〃I was asked that question。〃
〃Since that question was asked you；〃 persisted Claude Drumm； 〃have you made such a test under exactly identical circumstances？〃
〃I have；〃 said Don Graves。
〃Describe the circumstances under which that test was conducted； and the result of it；〃 said Claude Drumm。
〃The test was made at night；〃 said Don Graves slowly； and in a low tone of voice； while spectators held their breath。 〃There were three men in Edward Norton's study and two women。 One of the women was dressed in black； and one in pink。 One of the men had on a blue serge suit； one had on a tweed suit； and one had on a plaid suit。 I knew each one of the men； but had never seen the women before。 There were present representatives of the press； and there were present Mr。 Drumm； the Deputy District Attorney； also Perry Mason； the attorney for the defense。〃
〃Then what happened？〃 asked Claude Drumm。
〃Then；〃 said Graves； still speaking in that low； strained voice； 〃we got in the automobile and went up the winding road which goes over the hills toward the main boulevard。 When Judge Purley had the car at the place where it had been the night of the murder； when I gave the exclamation； he told me to look back。 I looked back； and continued to look until the car had swung around the curve； and out of sight。〃
〃What did you see？〃 asked Claude Drumm。
〃I saw a woman； the one who had the pink dress on； standing in about the same position that Frances Celane was standing when Mr。 Norton was killed； and