〃Would there be any chance；〃 asked Mason； slowly； 〃that Crinston could persuade your uncle to give up the administration of the trust and let you have the entire trust fund？〃
〃There's always a chance of anything；〃 she said； abruptly； getting to her feet。 〃I'm going to have Mr。 Crinston e in and see you。〃
〃Sometime to…morrow？〃 asked Mason。
〃Sometime this afternoon；〃 she said。
He regarded his watch。 〃It's twenty minutes past four。 I close the office at five。 Of course I could wait a few minutes。〃
〃He'll be here at quarter of five；〃 she said。
〃Do you want to telephone from here？〃 he asked。
〃No； it won't be necessary。〃
〃What；〃 asked Perry Mason； snapping the question at her without warning； as she stood in the doorway of the office； 〃did Rob Gleason mean when he said that you were being blackmailed？〃
She regarded him with wide； tranquil eyes。
〃I'm sure；〃 she said； 〃I haven't the faintest idea；〃 … and closed the door。
CHAPTER THREE
ARTHUR CRINSTON was forty…five； broad…shouldered； and affable。 He strode across Mason's private office； with his hand outstretched； and said in a booming voice of ready cordiality：
〃Mighty glad to meet you； Mr。 Mason。 Fran told me that I must e in right away； so I dropped everything to run up。〃
Perry Mason shook hands and surveyed Crinston with his steady； appraising stare。
〃Sit down；〃 he said。
Arthur Crinston dropped into the same black leather chair which Frances Celane had occupied； fished a cigar from his pocket； scraped a match across the sole of his shoe； lit the cigar and grinned through the smoke at the lawyer。
〃Wants to get married pretty badly； doesn't she？〃 he said。
〃You know about that？〃 asked Perry Mason。
〃Sure；〃 said Crinston heartily； 〃I know everything about Fran。 In fact； she's nearer being my niece than Edward's niece。 That is； we get along together and understand each other。〃
〃Do you think；〃 asked Mason； 〃that anything could be done by a talk with Edward Norton？〃
〃Talk by whom？〃 asked Crinston。
〃By you；〃 Mason suggested。
Crinston shook his head。
〃By Miss Celane then？〃 ventured Mason。
Again Crinston shook his head。
〃No；〃 he said； 〃there's only one person who could talk with Norton and do any good。〃
〃And who is that？〃 asked Mason。
〃You；〃 said Crinston emphatically。
The lawyer's face did not change expression； only his eyes betrayed surprise。 〃From all I can hear of Mr。 Norton's character；〃 he said； 〃I would think my interference would be exactly the thing that he would resent。〃
〃No it wouldn't；〃 said Crinston。 〃Edward Norton is a peculiar chap。 He doesn't want any sentiment to influence his business judgment。 He's perfectly cold…blooded。 He'd be far more apt to listen to you making him a purely business and legal proposition； than to either Fran or myself； who would have to talk with him on the around of sentiment。〃
〃You'll pardon me；〃 said Perry Mason； 〃but that hardly seems logical。〃
〃It doesn't make any difference how it seems；〃 said Crinston； grinning； 〃and I don't know as it makes any difference whether it's logical or not。 It's a fact。 It's just the character of the man。 You'd have to see Norton and talk with him in order to appreciate it。〃
Della Street opened the door from the outer office。 〃The young lady who was here this afternoon is on the telephone and would like to speak with you；〃 she said。
Mason nodded and picked up the French telephone on his desk。
〃Hello；〃 he said。
He heard Miss Celane's voice speaking rapidly。
〃Did Mr。 Crinston e there？〃
〃Yes。 He's here now。〃
〃What does he say？〃
〃He suggests that I should interview your uncle。
〃Well； will you please do so then？〃
〃You think I should？〃
〃If Arthur Crinston thinks so； yes。〃
〃Very well。 Sometime to…morrow？〃
〃No。 Please do it to…night。〃
Mason frowned。 〃On a matter of this importance；〃 he said； 〃I'd prefer to take some time to figure out the best method of approach。〃
〃Oh that's all right；〃 said the girl。 〃Arthur Crinston will tell you just what to say。 I'll make an appointment with my uncle for eight…thirty this evening。 I'll pick you up at your office and drive you out there。 I'll meet you at eight o'clock。 Will that be all right？〃
〃Hold the line a moment please；〃 Mason said； and turned to Arthur Crinston。
〃Miss Celane is on the line and thinks I should see her uncle this evening。 She says she'll make an appointment。〃
〃That's fine；〃 boomed Crinston； 〃a splendid idea。 I don't know of anything that could be better。〃
Mason said into the receiver： 〃Very well； Miss Celane； I'll meet you at my office at eight o'clock； and you can drive me out。〃
He hung up the telephone and stared thoughtfully at Crinston。
〃There's something strange about this affair；〃 he mented。 〃There seems to be a frantic haste on the part of everyone concerned。〃
Arthur Crinston laughed。
〃You don't know Fran Celane very well；〃 he said。
〃She seems to be a very calm and very poised young lady；〃 Mason remarked tonelessly。
Crinston took the cigar out of his mouth to laugh explosively。
〃You should be enough of a judge of human nature； Mason；〃 he boomed； 〃to know that you can't tell a damned thing about these modern young ladies from the way they appear。 Don't ever let her get her temper up。 When she gets mad she's a hell…cat。〃
Mason regarded his visitor unsmilingly。
〃Indeed；〃 he said； in that same toneless voice。
〃I didn't mean any offense；〃 Crinston said； 〃but you certainly have missed it on Fran Celane。 That girl is just plain dynamite。
〃Now； I'll tell you what I'll do。 If you're going to see Norton to…night； I'll run out a little bit in advance of your appointment； and try and soften him up a trifle。 He's a peculiar chap。 You'll understand when you see him。 He's all cold…blooded business efficiency。〃
〃Will Miss Celane have any difficulty making an appointment for this evening？〃 asked Mason； watching Crinston shrewdly。
〃Oh no；〃 said Crinston； 〃he's one of these fellows who likes to work nights。 He has a regular office fixed up in the house； and he likes to do a lot of night work。 He makes most of his appointments for afternoons and evenings。〃
He pulled himself to his feet； strode across to the attorney； and extended his hand。
〃Mighty glad I met you；〃 he said； 〃and I'll see if I can soften up Edward Norton a bit before you talk to him。〃
〃Have you any suggestions；〃 asked Mason； 〃as to the line of argument I should use with him？〃
〃None at all；〃 said Crinston； 〃except that I would advise you not to make any particular plan of approach。 You'll find that Edward Norton is very much of a law unto himself。〃
When Crinston had left； Mason paced back and forth for a few moments； then opened the door of his office； and stepped out into the outer room。
His private office was in the corner of a suite of offices which included two reception rooms； a law library； a stenographic room； and two private offices。
Perry Mason employed a typist； Della Street； bination stenographer and secretary； and Frank Everly； a young lawyer who was getting practical experience in Mason's office。
Perry Mason strode across the office to the law library； opened the door and nodded to Frank Everly。
〃Frank；〃 he said； 〃I want you to do something for me； and do it quickly。〃
Everly pushed back a calf…skin book which he had been reading； and got to his feet。
〃Yes sir；〃 he said。
〃I think；〃 said Perry Mason； 〃that a certain Robert Gleason has married a certain Frances Celane。 I don't know just when the marriage took place； but probably it was several weeks ago。 They've tried to cover it up。 You've got to chase through the licenses to find what you want。 Ring up some clerk in the license bureau； arrange to have him wait over after hours。 They'll be closing in a few minutes； and you've got to work quickly。〃
〃Yes； Chief；〃 said Everly； 〃when I get the information where do I reach you？〃
〃When you get the information；〃 said Mason； 〃write out whatever you find； seal it in an envelope； mark it personal and confidential； and put it under the blotter on the desk in my private office。〃
〃Okay； Chief；〃 said Everly； and started for the telephone。
Mason walked back to his private office； hooked his thumbs through the armholes of his vest； and started slowly and rhythmically pacing the floor。
CHAPTER FOUR
FRAN CELANE drove the big Packard roadster with a deft touch on the wheel； and skilled foot on the throttle。
When she had sat in the huge leather chair at the lawyer's office； she had seemed small； frail and helpless。 Now that suggestion of helplessness had gone from her。 The hint of the feline power in her nature was more pronounced。 Her handling of the car was swiftly savage as she sent it hurtling through openings in traffic； ing to abrupt stops when the