lars； indicate the murderer knew the logical motive for the killing was that of robbery。〃
Judge Purley fidgeted unfortably。 He seemed struggling with the desire to make a statement； and a reluctance to do so。 Perry Mason watched him as a sailing hawk might study a sloping hillside。
〃Well；〃 said Judge Purley； at length； 〃I must say； counselor； that you have done a very nice bit of reasoning。 I wasn't supposed to mention it； but inasmuch as you seem to know； there can be no harm in my confirming your suspicions； or perhaps I should say； your deductions。〃
〃The motive； then；〃 asked Perry Mason； 〃was robbery？〃
〃The motive was robbery；〃 said Judge Purley。
〃Money？〃 asked Mason。
〃A very large sum of money。 Mr。 Norton had on his person at the time of his death； something over forty thousand dollars in currency。 That money was in a wallet in his inside pocket。 When the body was found； the pockets had been rifled and the wallet was gone。 That is； it had been lifted from the inside pocket and lay near the body； empty。〃
〃Were any of the other pockets disturbed？〃 asked Perry Mason。
〃Yes。 They had all been turned wrong side out；〃 Judge Purley said。
〃Have the police found any of the money？〃 asked the lawyer。
〃That is something which probably won't e out until later； counselor；〃 said Judge Purley。 〃But I don't mind telling you in confidence that they have。 They found two one thousand dollar bills in Devoe's trouser pocket。 Those bills can be identified by their numbers as being part of the currency which Norton had in his possession； and Devoe has made the mistake of stating； in his maudlin way； that he doesn't have any idea how the bills got there。〃
〃Has it been brought out why Norton had such a large sum of cash in his possession？〃 Mason wanted to know。
Judge Purley started to speak； then checked himself。
〃I think； counselor；〃 he said； 〃that I have given you all of the information which I should give you。 After all； your interest in this matter； while it is parallel with that of the police； is not； of course； identical。 Much of the information which was given to me was given to me in confidence because of my judicial position； and I do not think that I should disseminate it carelessly。〃
There was a faint twinkle of amusement in the eyes of the attorney as he surveyed the ponderous form of the magistrate。 Judge Purley radiated a sense of exaggerated self…importance。
〃Of course； judge；〃 said Perry Mason； 〃one must understand and respect your position。 I didn't want you to think I was merely curious。 I was trying to get a mental picture of what had happened。 I am advised by the interested parties that I will be in charge of the estate； and； under those circumstances； I wanted to have plete information。〃
〃That's true； of course；〃 said Judge Purley； nodding his head； 〃and that's the reason that I gave you as much of the inside information as I did。 You will； however； counselor； regard it as strictly confidential。〃
〃Oh yes； of course；〃 said Perry Mason； and there was just a trace of mockery in his voice； which caused the judge to took up quickly。 But the face of the lawyer was bland and innocent。
CHAPTER NINE
SUN streamed in through the window of the room； and shone upon Edward Norton's massive desk。
A police representative sprawled in one of the chairs； a cigarette drooping from his lips； a pencil poised over a notebook。 Don Graves； the efficient secretary of the dead man； checked off the documents。
The furniture in the room was in exactly the same position it had occupied the night of the murder。 According to police orders； things were to be disturbed as little as possible。
Perry Mason； as the attorney representing the interested parties； was engaged in making a survey of the business affairs of the murdered man。
Don Graves； standing in front of the safe； turned to Perry Mason。
〃This partment of the safe； sir； contains all of the documents relating to the partnership business of Crinston & Norton。〃
〃Very well；〃 said Mason。 〃You're familiar with the details of those documents； I take it？〃
〃Oh； yes； sir。〃
〃Generally； what is the financial state of the partnership？〃
〃The partnership had a few rather unfortunate investments； sir。 There were some mitments which ran into rather a large deficit； amounting to something around million dollars。 But； aside from that； the affairs were in good shape。 There was； I believe； something like eight hundred thousand dollars on deposit in various banks。 Would you like the exact figures？〃
〃You might give them to me；〃 said Mason。 〃I want to get just a general idea of the financial set…up。〃
Graves took a book from the safe； opened it； and read off a column of figures。
〃The account was in a little better shape than I thought； sir。 There's a balance of eight hundred and seventy…six thousand； five hundred and forty…two dollars and thirty cents at the Seaboard Second National Trust pany； and two hundred and ninety…three thousand； nine hundred and four dollars and fifty cents in the Farmers and Merchants National。
〃There are notes； representing the partnership loss which are held at the Wheeler's Trust and Savings Bank in an amount of nine hundred thousand dollars； with some interest due on them； I believe； and there's a deposit in that bank of seventy…five thousand dollars。〃
〃How about the trust funds？〃 asked Mason。 〃The funds representing the trust in favor of Frances Celane？〃
〃Those are in excellent shape；〃 said Graves。 〃There is over a million dollars in stocks； bonds； and securities。 There's a list of them in this ledger。 Mr。 Norton was particularly careful about his trust obligations； and kept the account right up to date。〃
〃Are there any liabilities in the trust account？〃 asked Mason。
〃No； sir。 There's not a dollar of indebtedness。 The assets are all net。〃
〃Then how about Mr。 Norton's individual account； that is； outside the partnership of Crinston & Norton？〃
〃That's something that I can't tell you very much about；〃 said the secretary。 〃Mr。 Norton kept his private business in such shape that it required but little bookkeeping； and carried most of it in his head。 Virtually all of the mercial transactions were in the partnership of Crinston & Norton。 Mr。 Norton's private affairs were confined to the purchase of gilt…edged stocks and bonds； which he kept in a safety deposit box。〃
〃How about a will？〃 asked the lawyer。
〃Yes； sir； there's a will。 I don't know where it is。 I think it's somewhere in the safe here。 I understand generally it leaves everything to Miss Celane。 Mr。 Norton had no close relatives； you understand。〃
The police representative said casually； the words ing through an aura of cigarette smoke which seeped out from his mouth as he talked： 〃Pretty good thing for this Celane woman all around。 She gets her trust account free and clear； and also gets a gob of money from the old man； himself。〃
Perry Mason made no reply to the ment； but continued to address Don Graves。
〃Just where is the will？〃 he asked。 〃Can you find it？〃
〃Most of his personal papers were kept in this pigeon…hole in the safe；〃 said Graves； indicating a pigeon…hole。
Perry Mason walked over to the safe； reached in the pigeon…hole； and pulled out a bundle of papers。
〃Life insurance policy with the Prudential；〃 he said。 〃Amount； five hundred thousand dollars。 The beneficiary is the estate。〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 said the secretary。
〃You'll find several life insurance policies in cash to the estate。 Those were taken out in order to have sufficient ready cash in the estate to pay inheritance taxes without necessitating a sale of securities at a loss。〃
〃Good idea；〃 said the lawyer。 〃Here are some more policies。 You can list those。〃
He pulled out a small pasteboard…backed notebook from underneath the policies。
〃What's that？〃 asked the police representative。
Perry Mason turned it over slowly。
〃Looks like a car register；〃 he said； 〃of mileage。〃
Don Graves laughed。
〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃that's one of the things about Mr。 Norton。 He always wanted appointments kept to the minute； always carried watches that were adjusted to the second； always kept an account of every mile that was traveled by one of his automobiles。 He wanted to know exactly how much mileage he was getting to every gallon of gas and oil。 I presume you can tell to within a fraction of a cent how much it cost him to operate every automobile。〃
〃How many cars did he have？〃 asked Mason； fingering the notebook carelessly。
〃He had three： The Buick sedan； a Ford coupe； and a Packard roadster。〃
〃The Packard roadster was the one that Miss Celane usually drove？〃 asked the lawyer。
〃It was；〃 said Graves； 〃and you won't find any figures on that。 That was the despair of his life。 Miss Celane simply wouldn't turn in mileage figures。〃
〃I see；〃 said Mason。 〃But the others are accurately accounted for？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Miss Celane wasn't in the