"His car was parked about twenty yards farther down the road."

"What was he doing when you saw him?"

"He was coming from the direction of the Laxter house with a cat in his arms."

"Did you recognize the cat?"

"I did. It was Clinker."

"The cat which has been tagged with the name 'Clinker, and which is now here in court?"

"That's the cat."

"What time was this?"

"Right around eleven o'clock, perhaps two or three minutes after eleven."

"You were driving an automobile?"

"Yes."

"Where had you been prior to the time you saw the defendant?"

"I'd been in Mr. Shuster's office. Mr. Sam Laxter asked me to take him to Mr. Shuster's office. I arrived at Shuster's office shortly before ten o'clock and remained there until a little before eleven, when Mr. Laxter told me I could take the car and go home. I then drove back to the Laxter house, put up the car, entered the house and remained there during the evening."

"Was Mr. Oafley there when you arrived?"

"No, sir; he came in some ten or fifteen minutes later."

"You may inquire," Truslow said.

"Was the defendant carrying a crutch when you saw him?"

"No, sir."

"You're certain it was Clinker that he was carrying?"

"Yes, sir; I saw him very clearly in the lights of the automobile."

"Did he subsequently return to the house?"

"I don't know. I think he did."

"What makes you say that?" Mason inquired.

"I heard a car drive around the driveway and stop at a point opposite the window to Ashton's bedroom. I thought it was the defendant's car, but I didn't look. That is, I thought the motor sounded like the motor on his car."

"How long was the car there?"

The witness leered at Perry Mason. "Two or three minutes," he said. "Plenty long enough for the defendant to pick up a crutch and put it in the car."

The courtroom tittered.

"Exactly," Mason said. "Now if he had driven back to pick up the crutch, why didn't he pick up the cat at the same time? What was the object in carrying the cat in his arms if he was going to return later on with the automobile?"

"I don't know," the witness said after a moment.

"I'm quite certain you don't," Mason observed, getting to his feet. "Now, you'd been taking quite an interest in Charles Ashton, hadn't you?"

"Me, sir?"

"Yes, you."

"Why, I don't think so."

Mason stared steadily at the witness, and Brandon, squirming uncomfortably in the chair, avoided his eyes.

"Do you know when Ashton came to consult me about his cat?"

"I can't say," the witness said.

Mason, staring at him coldly, said. "You're under oath, remember that. When Ashton came to my office, you followed him, didn't you?"

"No, sir."

"You had the green Pontiac," Mason said slowly. "You parked it in front of my office. You waited until Ashton came out and then you followed him, driving slowly in the car, didn't you?"

The witness wet his lips, remained silent. Judge Pennymaker leaned forward, his face showing interest. Truslow looked puzzled.

"Go on," Mason said; "answer the question."

"Yes, sir," the witness said finally; "I did."

"And you went to Babson, the crutch maker, and asked him about Ashton's crutch, didn't you?"

Once more, there was a perceptible period of hesitation, then Brandon said slowly, "Yes, sir; I did."

"And found out that Babson had hollowed out a receptacle in Ashton's crutch."

"Yes, sir."

"Why did you do that?"

"I was instructed to."

"Who instructed you?"

"Frank Oafley."

"Did he say why he wanted you to do that?"

"No, sir. He told me to shadow Ashton every time Ashton left the premises. He asked me to find out where Ashton went, report on everyone Ashton saw, and find out how much money Ashton spent. He was particularly anxious about the money."

"When did he tell you that?"

"On the twentieth."

"And when did he tell you you didn't need to shadow Ashton any more?"

"On the evening of the twentythird."

"At what time?"

"At dinner time."

Perry Mason returned to the counsel table, sat down in his chair and smiled over at Truslow.

"That," he said, "is all."

Truslow hesitated, then slowly said, "I think that's all. Dr. Robert Jason will please take the stand."

Dr. Robert Jason took the stand, testified to the fact that the body of Peter Laxter had been exhumed; that he had made a careful post mortem examination for the purpose of determining whether the burns had been inflicted before death or afterwards.

"What did you determine?" Truslow asked.

"The body was almost incinerated, but there were several places where the clothing had protected the flesh. It is an established fact that, where death results from burning, at points where the clothing is tight around the body, there is less damage to the flesh. On these areas I was able to make an examination from which I reached my conclusion."

"What was that conclusion?"

"That the deceased met his death prior to the fire."

"Crossexamine," Truslow announced.

"Did you determine whether the cause of death had been burning or carbon monoxide poisoning?" Mason asked.

Dr. Jason shook his head. "In all cases of burning there is usually present carbon monoxide residue in the tissues."

"So it would be virtually impossible to tell whether a person had met death from carbon monoxide poisoning, which was administered through fumes liberated from the exhaust of a motor vehicle, or by being asphyxiated and burnt in a burning house. Is that right?"

"That is approximately correct; yes sir."

"Therefore, acting on the assumption that the body would show evidences of carbon monoxide poisoning in either event, you failed to make any test for it in this post mortem examination?"

"That's right."

"Did you make any xrays of the bones?"

"No. Why?"

"I was wondering if the body showed that the right leg had recently been broken."

Dr. Jason frowned.

"What would that have to do with it?" Truslow inquired.

"I would just like to have such a test made," Mason remarked, "and, if we are going to have this evidence introduced at all, I feel that I am entitled to know whether there was evidence of carbon monoxide poisoning."

"But," Judge Pennymaker pointed out, "the witness has just stated that such evidence would be present, regardless of how the man met his death."

"Oh, no, he didn't," Mason said. "He simply testified that such evidence would be present whether death had been from burning or from carbon monoxide. I would like to have this witness instructed to ascertain immediately those two things and return to court."

"I can telephone to my office and have one of my assistants make the test immediately," the witness said.

"That will be quite agreeable," Perry Mason observed.

"That would be irregular," Judge Pennymaker pointed out.

"I know, your Honor, but the hour is getting late and I would like to have the matter completed today. After all, this isn't a case in a superior court before a jury. The function of this hearing is only to determine whether a crime has been committed and whether there is reasonable ground to suppose the defendant is guilty."

"Very well," Judge Pennymaker said; "you may do that, Dr. Jason."

Dr. Jason left the witness stand.

Della Street came pushing forward toward the rail which separated the place reserved for court officials from the balance of the courtroom. She caught Perry Mason's eye.

"Just a moment, if the Court will indulge me," Perry Mason said, and went to the rail.

Della Street whispered to him, "I've been calling the insurance company and asking for information. They've just advised me that the police in Santa Fe, New Mexico, have recovered my car. A man was driving it who claims he is Watson Clammert, but can offer no proof of his identity other than some receipts which the police think are forged, because the receipts show that he purchased and paid for the car, as Watson Clammert. But the peculiar thing is that they think he's a bank robber, as well, because in a suitcase in the car there was over a million dollars in currency."