Boy's Cinema (1935-39)

s. Every Tuesday sikli things," he growled. "Tell him to go io and talk with Morgan—Morgan knows all about dofrs." "Ho rcfiisos to SCO anyone but you. Says it's terribly important. He acts so strangely. I wish you'd see him for a minute." "Well, all rij;Iit," surrendered Perry Mason, "send him in." Arthur Cartwright was ushered into the room, and his agitation was manifest. He was not a bad-looking man, but his hands were shaky and his brown eyes were wild. "Sit down.!' said Perry Mason. "My secretary told me you wanted to see me about a dog." "Yes." said Cartwright, dropping into a chair facing the lawyer, "about a dog and a will." "A will? Oh, well, let's talk about f!ie will fust." "Just as you like." A cigarette was offered and lit; Perry Mason picked up a pencil. "First a little per.sonal history," ho said. "Your full name?" "Arthur Cartwright." "Age?" "Thirty-two." "Reiiidence?" " Four-eight-ninc-threc Milpas Drive." "Married or .single?" Cartwright hesitated. "Do we need to go into that?" he asked. " Ye6." "Well, I don't think it makes any difference in the kind of will I'm draw- ing lip—I moan on account of the way I'm leaving my property.'" "Just for my own information," in- sisted Perry,Mason. "Your wife's name, please?" "E\clyn Cartwright, aged twenty- seven." *"Eosiding with you?" "No," said Cartwright, and com- fivesscd quite a lot of bitterness into the iltlc word. BOY'S CINEMA "Any children?' "No!" "Very well." Mason leaned bnck in his chair. "Now then, how do you want to leave your pro|)erly?" "Before we go into that," Cartwright burst out, "I want to know if a will is valiil no matter how a man dies. Sup- pose he dies on the gallows, or in the electric chair? You know, suppose he's oxeculcd for a iruirder—then what happens to his will?" Not by the flicker of an eyelid did Poiry Mason betray any surprise at such an extraordinary question. " It makes no difference how a man dies," he replied quietly. "His will is not affected." Cartwright seemed relieved. "All right," he said. "Suppo.se 1 write the will entirely in my own hand- writing—will I need witnesses?" "No. A will is valid and binding, in this State, providing the date, contents, and signature are all in your own hand- writing, and that there's no other writing on the document." He opened a drawer of the desk and took out a printed sheet of blue paper. "Here's a form, if you want it," he said. Cartwright took the form and put it in his pocket. "Well, that seems to clear up that point," he sighed. "I' intend to leave my property , to Mrs. Clinton Foley, living at four-eight-nine-one Milpas Drive." "A neighbour?" "Yes." " Don't liave any secrets from your lawyer, Cartwright. I won't betray your confidence." "That's all there is to it." Perry Ma.son «as convinced to the con- trary, but dismis'sod the subject. "All right," he said. "Now let's hear al)Out the dog." His visitor immediately got to his feet, walked the length of the desk, and clenched his hands. 3 "A dog has been howling for forty- eight hours," he cried, "mostly at night, but sometimes during ilx! (hiy, and that continual howling is driving nie crazy. You know, when a dog howls it'« an omen of death in the neighbourhood." "Where is the dog?" inquired Mu^on. "In Clinton Foley's house." "Suppose you tell me all about it, Cartwright." Cartwright went back to his chair, but did not sit down. "Look here," he blurted, "there — there's one more question about the will. Supijose—suppose Mrs. Clinton Foley shouldn't really be Mrs. Foley. I mean, suppose he {livorced the original Mif. Foley, and this is another one?" "That wouldn't make any difTerenee," replied Perry Mason, "if you described her in the will as the Mrs. Clinton Foley living at four-eight-ninc-one Milpas Drive." "All right. But suppose the original Mrs. Clinton Foley is sfill alive?" "If you leave your property to tlic woman who is now the wife of Clinton Foley, that's all ib«rt will be necessary." "Ah, good,'''T*ood!" exclaimed Cart- wiight. "Now then, about that dog! We've got to do something to stop that howling! I—I want Clinton Foley arrested!" Perry Mason pushed asids the pad on which he had made notes and pulled a law book towards him. , • "I'm afraid I won't be able to handle this matter for you, ^^^■: Cartwright," he said. "I'm e.xceptionally buiy" just now." - -f- Arthur Cartwright gulped. r "Oh, but look here," ho sWilleH.' "you've got to handle it! I'll make it worth your while. - I'll pay ,vchi " He whisked a wad of notes from his breast-pocket and held therii out. "There's ten thousand dollars! There'll bo more—more—if you need it!" Perry Mason looked up at him with a curious expression on his face. "Ten thousand dollars to handle a case over a howling dog?" he scoffed. The notes were placed on the blotting- pad before him, but he Hipped them aside with his pencil. "You're forgetting the will!" Cart- wright protested. "You're to handle that, too. you know." For a few seconds Perry Mason studied the distraught young m.an thoughtful', then he rose and walked round the desk. thousand dollars to handle a case howling dog? " scoffed Perry Mason. ieljru.vrj 9tti, lUS,*,