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Don Graves said in a very low voice： 〃I don't think； if I were you； sir； that I'd go into that。〃
〃Why not？〃 asked Perry Mason explosively。
〃I'd rather not state；〃 said Graves； squirming unfortably。 〃But you might find； if you pressed that line of inquiry too far； that it wasn't of any particular advantage； either to you or your client。〃
〃I think I see；〃 said Perry Mason softly。
Graves sighed his relief。
〃You were； of course； some distance away？〃 asked Mason。
〃Yes；〃 said Graves； 〃I was some distance away。〃
Mason looked at the young man searchingly； but Don Graves kept his eyes averted。
〃How clearly could you see？〃 Mason pressed。
Graves took a deep breath。 〃I could see quite clearly that somebody was standing over somebody else； and striking a blow；〃 he blurted。
〃And did you see that other person fall？〃
〃I don't think so。 You know； it was quite a distance away； and I only had a flash as the car was swinging around the curve in the road。〃
〃Could you say that there were only two people in the room？〃 asked Mason。
〃No； of course not； because I couldn't see the entire room。〃
〃Could you say that you only saw two people in the room？〃 Mason inquired。
〃I did say that；〃 said Graves； and added after a moment； 〃to the police。〃
Perry Mason's voice was low。 〃Let's not misunderstand each other； Graves。 In the event that you saw anything which indicated that there was another person in the room； did you see anything that would identify that person？〃
Graves spoke very softly and； with obvious reluctance。 〃Confidentially； Mr。 Mason； one can't trust one's impressions in a momentary glimpse like that。 It isn't as though you had a photograph of it。 And yet there's something that's etched on my brain that I haven't mentioned … to the police。 I might tell you； in strict confidence； that； if there was another person in that room； and if I saw such a person； that person was a woman。〃
Perry Mason stared steadily at Graves； then asked：
〃Could you identify that woman？〃
〃I have not mentioned to anyone that I saw that woman；〃 said Graves slowly； 〃and I would not care to make any identification。〃
〃But；〃 said Mason； 〃have you been absolutely positive and emphatic in saying that you did not see such a person？〃
Graves met his eyes。 〃I have tried to tell the truth； Mr。 Mason。 So far； whenever the question has been asked me； I have answered in such a way that the inquiry has taken another turn。 You understand that I am going to answer questions truthfully when I get on the witness stand； if I get on the witness stand。 But you will also understand that every one of us is exceedingly loyal to your client。〃
〃Meaning？〃 asked Mason。
〃Meaning Miss Celane。〃
〃Do I understand；〃 said Mason very softly and almost ominously； 〃that such a loyalty would lead you to protect her against a murder charge？〃
〃No；〃 said Graves frankly； 〃it would not。 But it certainly would be sufficient to lead us to keep her name out of an investigation which could only be abortive at any rate。〃
〃And what do you mean by that？〃 pressed the attorney。
〃I mean by that； that inasmuch as Miss Celane was not in the house at the time； it would naturally have been impossible for her to have been in that room。〃
〃Then you did not see a woman in the room？〃 Mason asked。
〃I didn't say that either；〃 said Graves。 〃I said that if there had been another person in the room that I had seen； that person would probably have been a woman。〃
〃Why；〃 asked the lawyer； 〃do you say that？〃
〃Well；〃 said Graves； 〃there is in my mind a more or less confused impression of a woman's head and shoulders showing momentarily in one corner of the window。 But of course I couldn't be sure of it； because my glance was riveted on the man with his arm upraised。〃
〃One more question；〃 said Mason。 〃Did the police take down； in shorthand； the answers which you gave to the questions they asked you； when they inquired about what you had seen？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Graves。
〃And you didn't mention anything about a woman at that time？〃
〃No。〃
Mason said slowly： 〃You understand； Graves； that there is something very peculiar about this。 Both you and Crinston have intimated to me that my client might be in some danger。 Yet； apparently； she was not anywhere near the house at the time。〃
〃That's right；〃 said Graves eagerly； 〃she wasn't here。〃
〃Then how could she be in any danger？〃 asked Mason。
〃She isn't；〃 said Graves。 〃That's the point I'm trying to make。 And I'm trying to protect her against any insinuations which might be made； because； you understand； there's a motive which might be attached to her。〃
〃Very mendable；〃 said Mason dryly。 〃I wouldn't want you to mit any perjury； Graves； but you will； of course； understand that if you tell your story a few times without mentioning the woman； and that story is recorded in shorthand； or reported in the press； and then you should subsequently be placed upon the stand and asked specifically if you saw a woman or had the impression that a woman was there； an answer which tended to change your previous story wouldn't do my client such a great amount of harm。 On the other hand； it wouldn't do you such a great amount of good。〃
Graves said with dignity： 〃I am prepared to make some sacrifices in order to protect the good name of Miss Celane。〃
〃And；〃 went on Perry Mason； ominously； 〃when you did amplify your story to include a woman； as being present in that room； I'd rip you wide open。〃
〃Sure；〃 said Graves； readily。
〃And；〃 Mason told him grimly； 〃when I say wide open； I mean wide open。〃
At that moment； a door opened and a detective looked into the room； stared at Mason； then shifted his eyes to Graves； and beckoned。
〃Graves；〃 he said； 〃we want you back upstairs。 There are one or two questions we want to ask you。 When you gave your statement； you seemed to have evaded answering one of the questions。 That is； the chief thinks that you did； now that your statement is being read over。〃
Graves looked at Mason with eyes that were suddenly apprehensive。
〃You won't mind answering these questions？〃 asked the detective。
〃Not at all；〃 said Graves； and walked from the solarium。
When the door closed behind Graves and the detective； Perry Mason pulled a paper from his pocket； unfolded it and examined it with thoughtful appraisal。 The paper was Frances Celane's promissory note for forty thousand dollars。
CHAPTER EIGHT
THE woman slipped in through the door of the solarium and stared at Perry Mason； watched him pacing back and forth； following him with her eyes； studying every motion。
There was a keen concentration in the intentness of her gaze； she might have been a motion picture director； studying a new star for the strong； as well as the weak； points。 She was short and broad； but not particularly fat。 She seemed heavily muscled and big…boned； a woman of immense strength； capable and self reliant； and in