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Perry Mason nodded his head； shook hands； and sat down。
〃Well；〃 Fran Celane said； 〃I'll be running along and leave my future in your hands。〃
She smiled at them and left the room。 As she closed the door of the private office； Mason heard her voice rattling in swift conversation with Don Graves； the secretary。
Edward Norton did not waste a single second in idle talk。
〃Undoubtedly you have looked up the terms of the decree of distribution and the trust；〃 he said。
〃I have；〃 Mason told him。
〃You are familiar with them？〃
〃I am。〃
〃Then； you understand； a great deal is left to my discretion。〃
〃I would say a very great deal；〃 said Mason cautiously。
〃And I take it my niece has asked you to secure some specific modification of the provisions of the trust？〃
〃Not necessarily；〃 said Mason； choosing his words cautiously。 〃She would like； I think to have a certain amount of latitude； and would like to know your possible reactions in the event she should do certain things。〃
〃In the event she should marry； eh？〃 said Norton。
〃Well； we might consider that as one of the possibilities；〃 Mason admitted。
〃Yes；〃 said Norton dryly； 〃we do so consider it。 Her father considered it； and I consider it。 You probably don't realize it yet； Mr。 Mason； but my niece has one of the most ungovernable tempers in the world。 She is a veritable tigress when she is aroused。 She is also impulsive； headstrong； selfish； and yet thoroughly lovable。
〃Her father realized that she had to be protected from herself。 He also realized that leaving her any large sum of money might turn out to be the worst thing he could do for her。 He knew that I shared his views； and that was the reason this trust was created。
〃I want you to understand that in the event I exercise the discretion given to me under that trust； and disburse the money elsewhere than to my niece； I shall do it only because I consider it would be very much to her disadvantage to give her the money。 Great riches； with a temperament such as hers； frequently lead to great suffering。〃
〃Don't you think；〃 said Mason diplomatically； 〃that it would be much better； however； all around； to accustom her to the handling of larger sums of money by gradually increasing the amount which she receives？ And don't you think； perhaps； that marriage might exert a steadying influence？〃
〃I am familiar with all those arguments；〃 said Norton。 〃I have heard them until I am tired of them。 You will pardon me。 I mean nothing personal。 I say simply what I have in mind。
〃I am the trustee of this estate。 I have administered it wisely。 In fact； despite the economic readjustment of values which has taken place in the last few years； I am glad to report that the trust funds have shown a steady increase； until now the amount of the trust is far in excess of what it was at the time it was created。 Recently I have entirely cut off my niece's allowance。 She is not receiving a penny。〃
Mason's face showed surprise。
〃I see；〃 said Norton； 〃that she has not confided to you the exact situation。〃
〃I didn't know that you had cut off her ine entirely；〃 said Mason。 〃May I ask what is the reason for such a step？〃
〃Certainly；〃 said Norton； 〃I have every reason to believe that my niece is being blackmailed。 I have asked her about it； and she refuses to tell me who is blackmailing her； or what specific indiscretion she has mitted which gives a blackmailer an opportunity to collect money from her。
〃Therefore I have determined to place it out of her power to make any cash donations to any blackmailer。 Under those circumstances； I am satisfied that another few days will force the situation to a head。〃
Norton stared at Mason with cold eyes which contained no trace of cordiality； yet no trace of hostility。
〃You understand my position in the matter？〃 asked Mason。
〃Certainly；〃 said Norton。 〃I'm glad that my niece has consulted an attorney。 I don't know if she has made arrangements for your pensation。 In the event she has not； I propose to see that a sufficient amount is forthing from the trust fund to furnish you a reasonable fee。 But I want you to impress upon her mind that she is legally powerless to do anything。〃
〃No；〃 said Perry Mason； 〃I'll take my fee from her and I'm not binding myself to give any particular advice。 Let's talk about the way you're going to use your discretion； instead of whether you've got the right to use it。〃
〃No；〃 said Norton； 〃that is one matter which is not open to discussion。〃
〃Well；〃 Mason remarked； smiling affably and keeping his temper； 〃that is primarily what I came here to discuss。〃
〃No；〃 Edward Norton said coldly； 〃that phase of the discussion is entirely out of order。 You will confine yourself to a discussion of the legal rights of your client under the trust。〃
Mason's eyes were cold and appraising。
〃I've always found；〃 he said； 〃that a legal matter has a lot of angles。 If you'll just look at this thing from the human viewpoint and consider。。。〃
〃I will allow you to be heard；〃 Norton interrupted； in cold； level tones； 〃upon no matter other than the question of the legality of the trust and the interpretation thereof。〃
Mason pushed back his chair； and got to his feet。
His voice was as cold as that of the other。 〃I'm not accustomed to having people tell me what I will talk about and what I won't talk about。 I'm here representing the rights of Frances Celane； your niece； and my client。 I'll say anything I damned please concerning those rights！〃
Edward Norton reached out to a button and pressed it with his bony forefinger。 The gesture was utterly devoid of emotion。
〃I am ringing；〃 he said； 〃for the butler； who wild show you to the door。 So far as I am concerned； the discussion is terminated。〃
Perry Mason planted his feet wide apart； standing spread…legged； he said： 〃You'd better ring for two butlers； and the secretary too。 It'll take all of them to put me out of here before I say what I've got to say！
〃You're making a mistake； treating this niece of yours as though she were a chattel or a lump of clay。 She's a high…spirited； high…strung girl。 I don't know where you get the idea that she's being blackmailed； but if you have any such idea。。。〃
The door of the private office opened； and a broad…shouldered； burly man； with a wooden face； bowed from the hips。
〃You rang sir？〃 he asked。
〃Yes；〃 said Edward Norton； 〃show this gentleman out。〃
The butler put a firm hand on Perry Mason's arm。 The lawyer shook him off； savagely； continued to face Norton。
〃Nobody；〃 he said； 〃is going to show me out； or is going to throw me out until I have had an opportunity to say what I want to say。 If that girl is being blackmailed； you'd better act like a human being instead of a cash register； and give her a break。。。〃
There was a rustle of motion； and Frances Celane rushed into the room。
She looked at Mason with black eyes； which gave the effect of being expressionless； with a face that seemed pouting