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〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Just describe that call； Sergeant。〃
〃Mr。 Edward Norton called； sir； and。。。〃
Perry Mason started to his feet； but Claude Drumm was the one who interrupted the witness。
〃Just a moment； Sergeant；〃 he said。 〃Let me caution you that you are under oath； and are to testify only to the things which you know of your own knowledge。 You didn't know that that call came from Edward Norton。 You only know that someone called。〃
〃He said he was Edward Norton；〃 blurted the sergeant。
There was a ripple of laughter； which ran through the courtroom； and was promptly silenced by a banging of the judge's gavel。
〃Just tell what was said to you over the telephone；〃 said Drumm； and glanced sidelong at Perry Mason； waiting for the attorney to object。
But Perry Mason remained placidly indifferent。
Judge Markham said： 〃Is it claimed that this is part of the res gestae； counselor？〃
Drumm looked unfortable。
〃There is no objection to it； in any event； Your Honor；〃 said Perry Mason。
〃Very well；〃 said Judge Markham。 〃Proceed； Sergeant。〃
〃This call came in； and I noticed the time of it；〃 said Sergeant Mahoney。 〃It was fourteen minutes past eleven。 The man said that he was Edward Norton； and that he wanted to report a stolen automobile； that a Buick sedan； belonging to him； No。 6754093； with a license number of I2MI834 had been stolen； and that he wanted the car picked up and the driver arrested； no matter who the driver might be。 I believe that he stated that even if the driver should be related to him； he wanted him or her arrested。〃
〃You may inquire； counselor；〃 said Claude Drumm； with the smiling gesture of one who had landed a telling blow。
〃Did that call e in all at once？〃 asked Perry Mason； casually。
〃How do you mean； sir？〃
〃I am just testing your recollection；〃 said Perry Mason。
〃Of course it came in all at once；〃 said the sergeant。
Perry Mason reached in his brief case and took out a newspaper。
〃You made a statement to the newspaper reporters when this matter was more fresh in your mind； Sergeant？〃
〃Well； I believe I said something to them the next morning； yes。〃
〃And didn't you state at that time that the call was interrupted？〃
〃Just a moment；〃 said the Deputy District Attorney。 〃That is not the proper way to lay a foundation for an impeaching question。〃
〃I am just refreshing the recollection of the witness； if the Court please；〃 said Perry Mason。
Sergeant Mahoney made frantic gestures。
Judge Markham smiled and said： 〃I think from the demeanor of the witness that his recollection has been refreshed。 Proceed； Sergeant。〃
〃That's right；〃 said Sergeant Mahoney； 〃I remember now。 The call came in； and he was cut off right in the middle of the conversation … right at the first part of it； I think it was。 He gave his name and address and wanted to know if he was talking with the police department； and said he had a crime to report。 Then the line went dead。 I looked up his telephone number in the book； to call him back； when the call came in again； and he went right along talking。 He said he'd been cut off。〃
〃That；〃 said Perry Mason； with emphasis； 〃is all。〃
Claude Drumm looked puzzled。
〃What's that got to do with it？〃 he asked sharply。
Judge Markham banged his gavel on the desk。
〃Order！〃 he snapped。 〃Is there any redirect examination； counselor？〃
〃None；〃 said Claude Drumm； but his eyes were thoughtful as he stared at Perry Mason。
〃The next witness；〃 said Judge Markham。
〃Arthur Crinston；〃 snapped Claude Drumm。
Arthur Crinston arose from a seat within the bar； walked to the clerk； was sworn； and took the witness stand。
〃Your name is Arthur Crinston； and you are the surviving partner of the firm of Crinston & Norton； the said firm being posed of yourself and Edward Norton？〃
〃That is correct； sir。〃
〃Edward Norton is dead？〃
〃He is； sir。〃
〃Did you see the body of Edward Norton； Mr。 Crinston？〃
〃Yes sir。 On the twenty…third day of October of this year。〃
〃At about what time？〃
〃I saw his body at approximately eleven thirty…five or eleven thirty…six。〃
〃Where was his body？〃
〃Lying across his desk in the study； with the top of the head crushed in。〃
〃What did you do then？〃
〃I notified the police。〃
〃Did you see the defendant； Frances Celane； on that night？〃
〃I did。〃
〃At about what time？〃
〃At approximately midnight or a little before。〃
〃Did you tell her anything about the death of her uncle？〃
〃I did。〃
〃Did you mention anything about the reported theft of a Buick automobile？〃
〃I did。〃
〃Did she make any statement to you at that time as to the said Buick automobile？〃
〃That can be answered yes or no；〃 said Judge Markham； in a cautioning tone of voice。 〃It is preliminary； merely。〃
〃Yes； she did；〃 said Arthur Crinston。
〃At what time was this？〃
〃At about midnight。〃
〃Who was present？〃
〃Miss Celane； Mr。 Don Graves； and myself。〃
〃There was no one else present？〃
〃No sir。〃
〃What did she say？〃
〃She said that she had taken the Buick automobile at about ten forty…five o'clock and gone for a ride； returning at approximately fifteen minutes past twelve； midnight。〃
〃What was Mr。 Norton doing the last time you saw him alive； Mr。 Crinston？〃
〃Standing in the window of his study calling down to me。〃
〃What did he say？〃
〃He asked me if Don Graves could acpany me to the city； that is； to my residence。〃
〃And what did you tell him？〃
〃I told him that I would have to ask Judge Purley； in whose car I was riding。〃
〃Then what happened？〃
〃I stepped across to ask Judge Purley； and received an affirmative answer from him to my request。 Then I returned to notify Mr。 Norton。 He was standing in his study … a few feet back from the window at that time。 I called up to him that it was all right； and Mr。 Graves； who had anticipated Judge Purley's consent； was then ing down the steps from the front doorway to join me。〃
〃Then what happened？〃
〃Then I got in the front seat of the automobile with Judge Purley； Mr。 Don Graves got in the rear seat； we started up the winding road shown on the map； until we came to a certain point； where we turned around and went back to the house。 I take it that I cannot state any conversation that took place in the automobile？〃
〃That is the ruling of the court； Mr。 Crinston。〃
〃Very well。 I returned in the automobile； re…entered the house； and found Mr。 Norton's body as described； whereupon I notified the police。〃
〃Cross…examine；〃 snapped Claude Drumm unexpectedly； turning to Perry Mason。
Perry Mason surveyed Arthur Crinston with an expressionless face for a few seconds； then said abruptly： 〃You had been in conversation with Mr。 Norton during the evening？〃
〃Yes。 I had an appointment and was a few minutes late for that appointment。 I