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iece's being blackmailed weighed very heavily on Mr。 Norton's mind； and he insisted upon postponing all further business discussion in order to ask my advice about that。〃
〃And why did he say she was being blackmailed？〃 asked Perry Mason。
〃He thought that she was being blackmailed over something she had done。〃
〃Naturally；〃 said Perry Mason。 〃Did he mention what it was？〃
〃No； I don't think he did。〃
〃Did he mention what it might have been？〃
〃He mentioned that she had an ungovernable temper；〃 said Crinston suddenly； and then bit his lip and said： 〃Wait a minute； I'll withdraw that。 I don't think he said that。 That was my mistake。〃
〃Your mistake；〃 asked Mason； 〃or are you trying to protect the defendant； Frances Celane？〃
Crinston's face purpled。
〃I'm trying to protect her a lot better than you are！〃 he roared。
Judge Markham's gavel banged upon his desk。
〃Mr。 Crinston；〃 he said； 〃the court cautioned you once before。 The court now pronounces you in contempt of court； and assesses a fine of one hundred dollars for contempt of court。〃
Crinston； his face purple； bowed his head。
〃Proceed with the case；〃 said Judge Markham。
〃Was anything else discussed by you and Mr。 Norton； save the matter of indebtedness to the bank； the partnership affairs； and the possibility that his niece was being blackmailed？〃
〃No； sir；〃 said Arthur Crinston； evidently with relief that the question was no more searching as to the possibilities of the blackmail。
Perry Mason smiled urbanely。
〃I may desire to recall Mr。 Crinston for further cross…examination later on； Your Honor；〃 he said； 〃but I have no more questions at the present time。〃
Judge Markham nodded。
〃Any redirect？〃 he asked。
〃Not at this time；〃 said Claude Drumm； 〃but if counsel reserves the right to recall the witness for further cross…examination； I would like to reserve the right to recall the witness for further redirect examination。〃
〃Granted；〃 snapped Judge Markham。 〃Proceed。〃
Claude Drumm raised his voice dramatically。
〃Call Mr。 Don Graves；〃 he said。
Don Graves arose and pushed his way forward； while the spectators turned to exchange swiftly whispered ments。 The murder trial was proceeding with a dispatch which was unusual； and the attorney for the defense seemed to be overlooking many opportunities in his cross…examination。
Yet those who knew Perry Mason knew him as one whose trial technique was a by…word among attorneys。
And it was equally apparent that Judge Markham was mystified； as well as the spectators。 From time to time； his eyes dwelt upon the placid face of Perry Mason with thoughtful speculation。
Don Graves cleared his throat and looked expectantly at Claude Drumm。
〃Your name is Don Graves； and you were employed on the twenty…third of October of this year； and had been employed for some time prior thereto； as the confidential secretary of Mr。 Edward Norton？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃You were with Mr。 Norton on the evening of October twenty…third？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃When did you last see him on that evening？〃
〃At approximately eleven thirty in the evening。〃
〃You had seen him before that？〃
〃Oh； yes。 Mr。 Crinston left about eleven twenty…seven or eleven twenty…eight； and Mr。 Norton came out of his private office when Mr。 Crinston left。 They talked for a minute or two and Mr。 Norton asked me to get some papers which Mr。 Crinston had at his house。〃
〃Then what happened？〃 asked Claude Drumm。
〃Then Mr。 Crinston went downstairs； and Mr。 Norton told me to call Mr。 Peter Devoe； the chauffeur； and get him to drive me to Crinston's residence。 Then； just as I was starting for the stairs； he said： 'Wait a minute。 I have an other idea；' or words to that effect； and went to the window and called down to Mr。 Crinston to ask if I could acpany him。
〃Mr。 Crinston said that he was with Judge Purley and would have to get Judge Purley's permission； and I； knowing that Judge Purley would give his permission and that time was valuable； ran down the stairs and was just ing out of the front door when Mr。 Crinston called up that Judge Purley said he would be glad to acmodate me。
〃I ran across and got in Judge Purley's automobile； getting in the rear seat； and then Judge Purley started the automobile and we drove up the winding road until we came to a spot； the approximate location of which Judge Purley has marked on the map。〃
〃And then what happened？〃
〃At that point；〃 said Don Graves dramatically； 〃I turned and looked back； and saw through the rear window of the automobile into the study window of Edward Norton。〃
〃And what did you see？〃 purred Claude Drumm。
〃I saw a figure raise a club and strike Mr。 Norton on the head。〃
〃Could you recognize who that person was？〃
〃I thought I could；〃 he said。
〃Who did you think it was？〃 asked Drumm。
〃Just a minute；〃 said Perry Mason； 〃that is objected to as calling for a conclusion of the witness； and as leading and suggestive。 The witness has stated that he thought he could make the identification。〃
Judge Markham looked at Perry Mason as though expecting to hear an extended argument upon this crucial point。 There was no argument。
He looked at Claude Drumm。
Claude Drumm shrugged his shoulders。
〃He has stated that in his opinion he could make an identification；〃 he said。 〃The word 'thought' is merely a colloquial expression。〃
〃You'd better clear the matter up；〃 said Judge Markham。
〃Very well；〃 said Claude Drumm。
〃Mr。 Graves；〃 he said； 〃you say that you thought you could identify the witness。 Just what do you mean by that？〃
〃I believe；〃 said Don Graves； 〃that I know who that man was。 I think that I recognized him。 I did not see his face clearly； but I think that I could recognize him by the manner in which he held his head； from his shoulders and the general outline of his body。〃
〃That is sufficient； if the court please；〃 said Claude Drumm。 〃A man doesn't need to see the facial characteristics of another in order to make an identification。 The objection goes to the weight； rather than the admissibility of the evidence。〃
Judge Markham looked expectantly at Perry Mason。
Perry Mason said nothing。
〃I will overrule the objection；〃 said Judge Markham。 〃Answer the question； young man。〃
〃That man was Robert Gleason；〃 said Don Graves in a low voice。
〃Was there anyone else in the room？〃 asked Claude Drumm。
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Who was that other person？〃
〃A woman； sir； who was attired in a pink garment of some sort。〃
〃Could you see that woman？〃
〃I saw part of her shoulder； just a bit of her hair； and her arm。〃
〃Could you recognize that woman from what you saw of her？〃
Judge Markham interrupted。
〃I think； counselor；〃 he said； 〃that while I permitted the first identification upon the ground that the objection went to the weight rather than the admissibility of the evidence； that whe