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〃Did he？〃 asked the lawyer。
〃I'm asking you what would happen if he had。〃
〃Well；〃 said Mason； 〃there certainly isn't any evidence that he did； is there？〃
〃There ain't now；〃 she said。
〃Exactly what do you mean？〃 he asked。
〃Suppose there should be some evidence like that？〃
〃We'll cross that bridge when we e to it；〃 said Mason。
〃Well；〃 she snapped； 〃if you don't do business with me； you'll e to it。〃
〃That's hardly possible；〃 said the lawyer。 〃e； e； Mrs。 Mayfield； if you want to make any insinuations against Miss Celane； you will have to make them in a manner which will be substantiated by the circumstances of the case。
〃The evidence in this case shows that Miss Celane left the house before eleven o'clock and didn't return until after the police had arrived。〃
〃Yes；〃 said the woman； 〃that's what the evidence shows； and you'd better see that it ain't changed。〃
〃I still don't get what you mean；〃 said Perry Mason。
〃You will；〃 said the woman； 〃when you've made Fran Celane e clean and quit pulling the wool over your eyes。 I'm not going to stand here and have you high hat me with your lawyer talk。 I've told you what I want； and I'm too smart to make any threats。〃
〃In other words；〃 said Mason； 〃you want money。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Very good；〃 said Mason。 〃I take it that everyone wants money。〃
〃You know what I mean；〃 she said； 〃and if you want to get some more evidence； you might look up what Bob Gleason was doing at the time this murder was mitted。〃
〃Gleason？〃 said Mason； arching his eyebrows。 〃Why Gleason wasn't even here in the house。〃
〃Oh wasn't he？〃 said the woman。
〃Was he？〃 asked Mason。
〃Ask your Frances；〃 she said。
Mason suddenly turned； planted his feet wide apart； and stared at her。
〃Look here； my woman；〃 he said； in his best courtroom manner； 〃I don't know whether it's ever occurred to you； but you may be guilty of a very serious crime。 If you are seeking to frighten me or to frighten Miss Celane into paying you money by making insinuations； you are guilty of a crime known as extortion； and in a case of this kind it might be a very serious crime。〃
The beady black eyes stared at him snappingly with hostility reflected from their burnished surfaces。
〃You're not frightening me a bit；〃 she said。
〃And；〃 said Perry Mason； 〃may I advise you that you are not frightening me in the least？〃
〃I ain't trying to frighten you … yet；〃 she said。 〃I just told you certain things。〃
〃What things？〃 he asked。
〃That I'm going to get some money out of it。 Otherwise； nobody gets any money。〃
〃Nobody？〃 he asked。
〃Neither you nor the girl；〃 she agreed。
〃That would be unfortunate；〃 said Mason tonelessly。
〃Wouldn't it？〃 she said。 〃And then again I might find somebody that would pay me； if you didn't see which side of the bread had the butter。 Some of these charities for instance。〃
〃Really；〃 said Mason； 〃I don't get you。 You've got to give me more particulars of what you're driving at。〃
She said： 〃I'm too smart for you； Mister Lawyer。 You go ahead and make your own investigation。 Don't think that you're dealing with an ignorant woman； because you ain't。 You talk with Frances Celane； and then you can talk some more with me。〃
〃I have talked with Miss Celane；〃 said Mason。
The woman's laugh was harsh and bitter。
〃Oh no； you haven't；〃 she said； 〃you've listened to her。 Frances Celane is the best little liar in the world。 Don't listen to her。 Talk to her。 Make her mad and then see what she says。〃
And the woman turned and walked from the room with quick； vigorous strides； a veritable bundle of energy。
Perry Mason stared at her broad back until she had left his field of vision。 His eyes were clouded with speculation。
He was standing so； when a man with keen gray eyes and bushy white hair came walking through the room beyond； to the door of the solarium。 His manner was grave and dignified； his walk unhurried； his face placidly serene。
Perry Mason bowed to him。
〃Judge Purley；〃 he said； 〃I have practiced before you； Judge。〃
The judge fastened his keen eyes upon the attorney； and nodded。
〃Perry Mason； I believe。 Good evening； Mr。 Mason。〃
〃We can call it morning； I think；〃 said Mason。 〃It will be daylight pretty soon。〃
Judge Purley frowned。
〃I was in a hurry to get home too；〃 he said。 〃I was very； very tired。〃
〃The police about finished with their investigation？〃 asked Mason。
〃I think so；〃 said Purley。 〃They've got the man who did it； beyond any doubt。〃
〃This chap； Devoe？〃 asked Mason。
〃That's the chap。 He made rather a bungling job of it； too； if you ask me。〃
〃I didn't get the details；〃 said Mason invitingly。
Judge Purley selected one of the reclining chairs； stretched himself in it； gave a sigh of weariness； and took a cigar from his waistcoat pocket。
He carefully clipped off the end of the cigar； smelled the wrapper and muttered： 〃Pardon me； Mr。 Mason； but this is my last； and I need it。〃
〃Go right ahead；〃 said Mason。 〃I only smoke cigarettes anyway。〃
〃Yes；〃 said the judge； speaking gravely and judiciously； in measured tones； 〃the thing that confused the murderer； of course； was the fact that our machine turned around and came directly back to the house。 He had counted on an interval of half an hour or so during which he could have masked his crime。
〃However； when he heard us returning to the house； he knew that the only thing for him to do was to get into bed and pretend he was dead drunk。 He managed to get the odor of whisky pretty well on his breath； and put up rather a credible imitation of intoxication。
〃In fact； it is possible he imbibed enough so that he was genuinely intoxicated。 A man can drink a lot of whisky in a short time。〃
Perry Mason smiled。
〃That is； judge；〃 he said； 〃if he has it to drink。〃
The judge saw no humor in the remark。 He looked at Perry Mason with judicial appraisal。
〃Well；〃 he said； 〃this man had plenty to drink。〃
〃He's the chauffeur； I believe？〃 asked Mason。
〃Yes； the chauffeur。〃
〃Wasn't he going out some place？〃 asked Mason。 〃Didn't Norton telephone for him to take one of the cars and run an errand？〃
〃If my understanding is correct；〃 said Judge Purley； 〃that is what happened。 Norton wanted his secretary to get some papers at Mr。 Crinston's house； and the chauffeur was to go and pick him up。〃
Perry Mason eyed the judge in shrewd appraisal。
〃Well；〃 he said； 〃let's see if we can figure out what happened。 Norton asked you to permit Graves to ride in your car； is that right？〃
〃That is correct。 That is； Norton addressed his ment； I believe； to Mr。 Crinston； but I； of course； heard it。 He called out the window。〃
〃Okay； then；〃 said Mason。 〃Let's start from there。 Graves went downstairs to join you two。 It's reasonable to suppose that Norton then sent for the chauffeur。 He probably simply told him to e to his office。 Now； it would have taken the chauffeur a minute or two to get there。〃
〃That's right；〃 said Judge Purley wearily。 〃But if you'll pardon me； counselor； I don't see as there's anything to be gained by going over the ground。〃
〃No；〃 said Perry Mason； almost dreamily； 〃I was just wondering how much time the two men had to quarrel。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 asked Judge Purley with sudden interest。
〃If；〃 said Perry Mason； 〃the murder was mitted by the time your car had arrived at the top of the hill； and if during that time Norton had summoned the chauffeur； and there had been a quarrel； the quarrel would； of necessity； have been of long standing。〃
〃That doesn't follow at all；〃 Judge Purley said。 〃The quarrel could have started right then。 In fact； it isn't reasonable to suppose that Norton would have retained Devoe in his service if there had been a previous quarrel between them。〃
Perry Mason's eyes glinted。
〃Then；〃 he said； 〃you must agree that there wasn't opportunity for a great deal of premeditation。〃
Judge Purley regarded him quizzically。
〃Just what are you leading up to？〃 he asked。
〃Nothing；〃 said Perry Mason nonmittally。
〃In the eyes of the law；〃 said Judge Purley； as though he were pronouncing some judgment； 〃there is no particular time required for premeditation。 An instant's premeditation is all that is necessary to make a crime first degree murder。〃
〃All right；〃 said Perry Mason。 〃Now； let's look at the case from another angle。 As I understand it； one of the windows had been jimmied open； and there were the marks of footprints under the window。 These things tended to indicate that a burglar had entered the place。〃
〃All a frame…up；〃 said Judge Purley。 〃The police have demonstrated that。〃
〃Precisely；〃 said Perry Mason。 〃But it took some time to plant these clews。 Now； the point I am getting at is that there is nothing in the evidence to show whether they were done before the murder； or afterwards。 The police have been inclined to the theory that they were done afterwards。 But it is barely possible they were done before。〃
Judge Purley looked at him through the blue haze of his cigar smoke； with a forehead that was washboarded in thought。
〃In that case；〃 he said； 〃the fact that Norton sent for the chauffeur would have had nothing to do with it。 The chauffeur would have been waiting our departure； in order to enter Norton's study。〃
〃Now；〃 said Perry Mason； nodding his head； 〃you're mencing to get to the meat of the situation。〃
Judge Purley studied the tip of his cigar。
Perry Mason said； in a low tone of voice： 〃You were in the room where the crime was mitted； Judge？〃
〃Yes。 The police allowed me to look through the place。 Because of my position； they gave me every liberty。〃
〃Then；〃 said Perry Mason； 〃if it's a fair question； did you notice anything unusual？〃
Judge Purley acted as though the question had given him a great deal of satisfaction。 He settled back in his chair； and spoke in slow； deliberate tones； gesturing once in a while with the tip of his cigar。
〃The man had been struck from behind；〃 he said； 〃apparently while he was seated at his desk。 He had fallen forward across the desk； and had never moved after the blow crushed in his head。 The telephone instrument was at his left hand。 There were some papers on the desk； an envelope； I think； and a blank sheet of paper； and an insurance policy for the stolen automobile。〃
〃Ah；〃 said Perry Mason； in a voice that was purring。 〃The stolen car was insured then？〃
〃Of course it was insured；〃 said Judge Purley。 〃Naturally； it would be。〃
〃Are you certain the policy was for the stolen car？〃 asked Mason。
〃Yes；〃 said Judge Purley。 〃I checked it； and the police checked it。 The policy covered a Buick sedan numbered 6754093。 It was a policy of full coverage。〃
〃Did you；〃 asked Perry Mason； 〃know Edward Norton in his lifetime； Judge？〃
〃No； I had never met him。 I am quite well acquainted with Mr。 Crinston； Mr。 Norton's business partner； and Mr。 Crinston has spoken to me so often about Mr。 Norton and his peculiarities that I feel as though I had known him personally。 But I had never met him。 Mr。 Norton was a bit difficult to approach； and I had never had any business dealings which would have caused me to make his acquaintance。〃
Perry Mason suddenly turned to face Judge Purley。
〃Judge Purley；〃 he said； 〃Edward Norton wasn't killed as the result of a quarrel。〃
Judge Purley shifted his eyes。
〃You're referring again to the time element？〃 he said。 〃The fact that there wasn't time for a quarrel？〃
〃Partially；〃 said Perry Mason。 〃Devoe wouldn't have had time to get to the room； have a quarrel with the man； and work himself up into the frenzy of rage necessary to result in murder。 Furthermore； the clews which were planted； and were for the purpose of directing suspicion toward a couple of burglars； indicate the murderer knew the