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of panic。 Mason planted himself firmly in front of the other man； his eyes cold； hard； and ominous。
〃All right；〃 he said； 〃let's not have any misunderstanding about this。 From now on I'm not representing you； is that right？〃
〃You bet that's right！〃
〃And don't think；〃 said Mason； 〃that your business is so damned important。 Miss Celane would have let me handle the estate if it hadn't been for the fact that I couldn't place myself in the position of acting as attorney both for the estate； and for the surviving partner。〃
〃Well；〃 Crinston told him； 〃you don't need to worry about that anymore。 On the other hand； don't think you're going to represent the estate。 You aren't going to represent anything or anybody。 I'm going to get another attorney to represent me； and he's going to represent Frances Celane； as well。〃
Perry Mason said； slowly； ominously： 〃Just to show you what a fool you are； and how you've walked into a trap； the man that you're going to get to represent you is one that was suggested to you by Blackman。〃
〃What if he is？〃 Crinston demanded。
Mason's smile was frosty。
〃Nothing；〃 he said。 〃Go right ahead。 Walk into the trap just as deeply as you want to。〃
Crinston's eyes softened somewhat。
〃Look here； Mason；〃 he said； 〃I've got nothing against you personally； but this is a business matter。 I think you're bungling things； and I think you're too damned ethical。 I don't want you to misunderstand me。 Frances Celane means a lot to me。 I'm just like an uncle to her。 She's a kid that I've taken a lot of interest in； and I'm going to see that she gets a square deal。 I think that this case requires someone who can deal with Blackman。 He says he wouldn't deal with you anymore if you were the last man left on earth。〃
Perry Mason laughed a bitter； mirthless laugh。
Crinston went on doggedly。 〃No matter what happens； I'm for Frances Celane。 I don't know what the evidence may disclose before it gets done； but I'm going to stick by the kid no matter what happens。 Get that； and get it straight。 I'm a business man； and she doesn't know a thing about business。 I'm going to see that she gets a square deal； beginning immediately。〃
He turned and walked with ponderous dignity toward the door。
Perry Mason watched him with thoughtful concentration。
〃What a sucker you are；〃 as Crinston jerked the door open。
Crinston whirled on him。 〃I hate that word！〃 he said。 〃I don't let anybody call me a sucker。〃
〃You'll hate it a lot worse before you're done；〃 said Mason； and； turning on his heel； walked back to his desk。
Crinston hesitated a moment； then turned and walked back into the room。
〃All right； wise guy；〃 he said； 〃now I'm going to tell you something。
〃You've bungled this case from the time you started in on it。 I know that I can't fire you as Miss Celane's lawyer。 That's something that's entirely up to her。 I'm going to advise her to let you go。 In the event she doesn't； however； I'm going to give you one tip； and that's watch Purkett； the butler。〃
〃Now；〃 said Perry Mason； 〃you interest me。 Go ahead and tell me what you're driving at。〃
〃Oh；〃 said Crinston sarcastically； 〃you do want to take a little advice； eh？〃
〃I want you to tell me why you made that remark about Purkett；〃 said Perry Mason； his eyes cold。
Crinston's eyes surveyed the lawyer in thoughtful appraisal。
〃If I told you；〃 he asked； 〃would you have sense enough to use the information？〃
Perry Mason said nothing； but held his head slightly on one side； after the manner of a person anxious to hear that which is about to be said。
〃The evidence in this case；〃 said Crinston； 〃pointed unmistakably to Devoe。 A good lawyer would have seen that the police never had a chance to consider the possibility that such evidence wasn't conclusive。 However； you sat back and did nothing while the police began to doubt that evidence and make other investigations。
〃Then； when that investigation was under way； you did nothing to keep them from involving your client。 Now； if Devoe is guilty； that's the end of it。 If he isn't guilty； someone else is。 There's a stronger probability that that someone else is Purkett than anyone else。 Yet you're letting him keep entirely in the background。〃
Crinston stopped speaking and stood in an attitude of glowering belligerency。
〃Is that all you have to say？〃 asked Perry Mason。
〃That's all。〃
Perry Mason smiled。
〃Blackman's address；〃 he said； 〃is in the Mutual Building。 I thought I would save you looking it up in the telephone book。〃
Crinston's face showed a slight flicker of surprise； then set in grim lines。
〃Very well；〃 he said； jerked the office door open； and slammed it behind him。
Perry Mason sat for a few minutes； then clamped his hat down firmly on his head。 He walked through the outer office； saying to his secretary as he went past； 〃I don't know just when I'll be back； Della。 Close up the office at five o'clock。〃
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
PERRY MASON walked into the garage where he stored his automobile and asked for the mechanic。
〃How much of a job would it be；〃 he said； 〃to turn a speedometer back a few miles？ That is； suppose you had a speedometer that registered around 15；350 miles； and you wanted to turn it back to 15；304。7 miles。 How much of a job would it be？〃
〃Not much of a job；〃 said the mechanic grinning； 〃only； if you were going to turn it back that far； you should make a good job of it and turn it back to 3000 miles and sell the car as a demonstrator。〃
〃No；〃 said the lawyer； 〃I didn't mean to slip one over on the car dealer or on a customer。 I was trying to find out about evidence。 How long would it take to set the speedometer back？〃
〃Not so very long；〃 said the mechanic。 〃It's a simple job。〃
Perry Mason gave him half a dollar and walked from the garage； his head bowed in thought。
He stepped into a drug store and telephoned the number of Edward Norton's residence。
The voice that answered the telephone； apparently that of the butler； was filled with that type of formality which es when one has answered a telephone innumerable times in connection with some tragedy which has attracted much public interest。
〃I want to talk with Mr。 John Mayfield； the gardener；〃 said Mason。
〃I beg your pardon； sir；〃 said the voice； 〃but it's rather unusual for calls to e through for Mr。 Mayfield。 I don't know whether he's supposed to take calls on this telephone or not； sir。〃
〃That's all right；〃 said Mason； without disclosing his identity。 〃This is in connection with some police business。 Get him on the phone； and don't waste time。〃
There was a moment of hesitant silence at the other end of the line； and then the butler's voice said： 〃Very good； sir。 Just a moment； sir。〃
After a delay of several minutes a heavy； stolid voice said： 〃Hello；〃 and Perry Mason spoke rapidly。
〃Don't tell anybody who this is；〃 he said； 〃but this is Mason； the lawyer； who represents Frances Celane。 Your wi