Boy's Cinema (1935-39)

Every Tuesday BOY'S CINEMA 13 The barrel of the automatic was jabbed against Perry's spine, and the girl who held it said imperiously " I need legal advice I *• before she had tinned the corner from i tlie passage. i Periy leturrpd to liis flat, in Jefferson Sqiiaie with a bottle of champagne in eacii hand and one in liis coat-pocket. Flourishing the bottles in his hands, he kissed his bride—and sneezed. "Good health!" said Delia. "Thanks!" said he. " Spndsy, some glasses. The honeymoon has officially begun!" Spudsy fetched glasses from the dining- room ; Perry seated In'niself beside Delia on the chesterfield. "You're home early, darling." said she with sarcasm. "Did you liave a hard day at the office?" "Yes, dear," sighed Perry, and then the telephone-bell rang. Spudsy went over to the instrument. "Mr. Mason is at Pinehurst Lodge with his bride," prompted Delia; and that is what Spudsy stated. But it did not satisfy the caller, for almost imme- diately he said: "Who? Mrs. Belter?" " That's the young woman of the five thousand dollars," remarked Perry, and held out his hand for the telephone. "I thought you said her name was Stewart!" said Delia. "Hallo, Mrs. Belter!" said Perry into the telephone. "What's the matter? Do you want to donate another five thousand ?" "Perry Mason," accused Delia, "you're lying!" Perry chuckled. "Mrs. Belter," he said, "what was the name you gave when yon called on me earlier this evening?" Ho held the receiver to Delia's ear, and Delia heard, distinctly enough: ■' Eva Stewart." The receiver was transfeii'ed to Perry's car. "What's that, again?" he asked. "I must see you at once!" was the sliarp reply. "You can't," said he. "I'm at Pine inust Lodge with my bride." He sat suddenly upright. "What's that?" "I said I think someone shot my hu.'iband. Yes, shot him!" "Oh, very well—I'll be right there. Where arc you calling from? All right!" lis rose and put the telephone back in its place. "Spudsy," he said, "my boots and saddle. l5arling, I'm terribly sorry. I'll be back in an lioiu-—I swear I will!" "It's all right, my sweet," returned Delia wryly. "I haven't touched my mending, and Junior's socks must be darned before school opens. Yes, and you can be darned, too, you big chump!" "Aw, Delia!" he protested; and then Spudsy reappeared witli the hat and the overcoat. A Shock for Perry EVA BELTER had rung up from a public telephone-box in Jefferson Square, and she was standing iii the doorway of the apartment-house when Pen-y reached it. Without a Mord for her, he went rotmd to the garages at the side of the building and backed out from one of them in his own streamlined saloon. She got into it beside him, and in an agitated voice she said: "Perry, pilease turn out that light!" Instead of obeying, he grinned at her. "I went to see if von lie, mv dear. Talk, and talk fast."" "Well, just after you left onr house to-night. I went back to my room. Sud- denly I heard voices—angry voices. Coming from my husband's study. I crept along the upper hall to listen. There was a shot, and the sound of a falling body!" "What time was that?" asked Perry, his keen blue ej'es boring into her brown ones. "A liltle licfore nine," she replied, after a nUHuent's thought. "" Then I heard a man ruuiiiug down the stairs. Oh. Perry, I'm so frighleued !" She clung to him, and he switched olf the light in haste. "Come, come. ]Mrs. Belter!" he re- proved. "You foiget I'm a marrictl man!" He set off for Elmwood Drive, and the" house was reached without further inci- dent. Eva Belter opened the front door with a key of her own, but it was witli marked reluctance that she followed him up the stairs, and when lie (>pcneil the door of the study she shrairk back. "Come on in!" he said. " Yon didn't like him. did you ?" She shook her head, and but for the artificial colour on her lips he felt Sure they wouitl have been nearly white. "All right, you'd better stay outside and watch the stairs," he decided. "Let me know if anybody comes up." He went into the room, carrying his overcoat. The body of George 0. Belter was lying on the carpet at one end of the desk, and for a while he stooped over it. Then he took a scribbling-[iad from the desk, a pencil from iiis pocket, and, almo.st sitting on one heel, proceeded to make notes as he gazed about the floor. An automatic lay near, and not far from it an empty cartridge-case engaged his attention. A few minutes later, ho was on his feet and ringing up his own flat on the telephone. Spudsy answered the call, suspending weight-lifting exercises in a room fitted up as a gymnasium to do so. Delia had retired to her husband's bed-room, if not to bed. "Oh. Spudsy," .said Perry, "got a pencil ?" Spudsy swept over to a di.»carded coat and returned to the instrument armed with pencil and paper. "Get this down," directed Perry. "Thirty-two calibre Colt automatic, Jauuarj Ulli, 1337.