Boy's Cinema (1935-39)

Every Tuesday a neatly folded pile on the window-silt and shook it out. "Get away from that window!" cried Eva Beltei- wildly. "What'a the matter now?" asked Perry. "Now I won't sign. I won't sign!" "You'll sign that confession, or I'll start all ov»n- again!" "How do I know yon won't nfie it against mo V' "Because I'm your altornoy, Mrs. Belter, and I havc-er— a code of honour, to say nothing- of a code in the iioad!" The confession was signed, and it? signatory said; back on the chesterfield. "Delia, darling," said Perry, taking his neglected bri<le in his arms, "I'm so sorry about our honeymoon." "Oh, I think it'.s lovely up here at Pinehurst," returned Delia derisively. " Such air! And I've never been given so much of it!" She sneezed, and Perry became very much afraid that she had caught his cold. But before lie could utter a word of connniseration Detective-Sergeant Hoffman burst into the room with Jones, and HofTman said in a loud and official voice: "Perry iVla.son, you're under arrest I" Perry laughed, let go of Delia, and picked lip the confession. "Here's a break for you, sergeant," he said. "You're going to make a real arrest. Here's Mrs. Belter's confession to the murder of iier husband, signed, sealed, and delivered!" The sergeant took the sheet of paper and scaimed the typewritten words on it. "It's a lucky break for you. big boy," he boomed, "ina.smuch as I've got a minder warrant in my jwcket all made out in your name. C'ome on, Mis. Belter!" Eva was jerivcd to her feet, but she turned a blazing face upon I'erry. "You double-crossing back-stabber, you!" she screamed. Hoffman tugged her towards the door. "Tell the District Attorney I'll be down ?nd straighten up matters in the m o r n i n g, ' said Perry. Herbert B. Jones folded the confession and pocketed it, and lie and the sergeant disappeared w i t h tticir prisoner. Perry tossed the two en- velopes on to the (i but they fell ofi' coals into the grau> "Oh, what are >\oii doing?" cried Delia, and the envelopes were retrieve d. "Mind if I read t!ie i n c r i m i n a t i n g evidence, Pen-y?" "Not at all," ho replied. She opened (he velopes in turn, all thoy contained was blank paper. " Photographs o f the Inide and groom at Einchnrst,"_ she said wiiimsically. "My, but it's awfully good of you. Perry!" Perry laughed, sneezed, and in- formed Spudsy there was work him to do. "This case hardly begim," said. "Get out get going on Norma Veite and her BOY'S CINEMA mother. I want to know eveiything about them, from the year one till the present day. Spud.sy went o\it, and l\"rry cxtilained to Delia that Kva Belter had not killed her husbaiul, although she thought the had. "Well, what about her signed con- fession you made me get ready?" asked Delia. "Just throwing a bone to the District Attorney." • Perry poured himself another drink. "Well, I've got to get bu.sy." "And I've got to get a lawyer," said Delia. "I'm through -understand? 1 never should have married you in the first place. ."Ml I've got is a cold in the head!" She sneezed violently and made for the door. "Delia," said Perry sternly, "if you leave this Hat you'll never see mc again." He sneezed and hekl his hand to his heart. "Oh, the pain's here again! Good-bye, darling! Rcinembei' that I loved you !" Delia flounced away to the bedroom, and a few minutes later Spiuisy rushed into the sitting-room waving an evening paper. "Look, bo.ss!" he cried. "They're gettin* married! Carl GrifKn and Norma Veite!" Perry took the paper, and there on the front page was a heatUine: "Mur- dered Man's Nephew to Wed House- keeper's Daughter," and under the head- line were pictures of the red-headed young man and the goldeu-haired servant. Perry shook hands with Spudsy. "Too late to interest me, old boy," he said mournfully. " Good-bye. You've been faithful!" Spudsy went out in a state of bewil- derment, and in the room htted up as a gymnasium he found Delia, who had not even put on a hat. " H-has he gone; Spudsy?" she asked apprehensively. 19 "Yeah, dalfy," said Spudsy, "in the other loom !" She ran into the sitting-room, but Perry was not there. She ran into the bed room, calling his name, but ho was not there. The window, however, was open. She leaned out over its sill—and there was I'eriy on the liie-cacape, appar- ently about to fling Inniself from it into the darkness. "Perry Mason," she hi.ssed, "you come hack in this room this minute!" Perry stretched out his arms to the night, declaiming: I "'And all our yeslertlays have lighte'l fools the way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!' " "Perry! Perry, yon fool!" she cried. He sneezed three limes in rapid .suc- cession and scrambled back into tlio room. "Sweetheart!" he said, and clasped her in his arms. In Chinatown PERRY and Delia were sitting Ijy Iho fire in the other room when a com- motion arose in the hallway, and Spudsy rushed in to them. "Say, boss, the cojjs are here!" ho blurted. " Sergeant Jloft'man, Jones — hundreds of them!" "Tell 'cm to go away," said Perry. "I did, but they won't!" Hoffman strode into the room, and there followed .several plain-clotlies men and some reporters. I'erry rose and sneezed at them. "Haven't I solved a murder ca«e for you idiots?" he demanded. "Whj- don't you go away and leave me alone ? This is my home, my castle !" "The District Attorney wants to see you, Perry," gaid Hoffman. "He thinks that Belter confession has a slight odour of fish!" "What are you driving at, my low- browed friend?" retorted Periy. "Do 1 undersland that on the word of that incredible woman I'm being accused of murder?" " You've got it right the very first guess!'' " Now we'll see whether or not you're lying," said Perry grimly. those handles and squeeze I Squeeze I Squeeze ! Take hold January 9tli, 1937.