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〃Exactly what is it you want to know？〃
〃You had on your glad rags last night；〃 he said。
〃What do you mean？〃
〃You know what I mean。 You were all dolled up in your evening gown； without any back； and with your satin shoes； and Sunday…go…to…meeting stockings。〃
〃Well？〃
〃And your husband had been taking a bath。〃
〃Well； what of that？〃
〃You didn't dress up just on your husband's account；〃 he said。
〃Of course not。〃
〃Do you dress every evening？〃
〃Sometimes。〃
〃As a matter of fact；〃 he said； 〃you were out last night； and didn't get back in until shortly before your husband was murdered。 Isn't that right？〃
She shook her head vigorously。 Once more her manner became frigidly dignified。
〃No；〃 she said； 〃I was in all evening。〃
Perry Mason looked at her with cold； searching eyes。
〃The housekeeper told me when I was down in the kitchen getting some coffee that she heard your maid tell you that somebody had rung up with a message about some shoes；〃 he ventured。
It was obvious that Eva Belter was taken by surprise but she controlled herself with an effort。
〃Why； what's wrong with that？〃 she asked。
〃Tell me first；〃 said Mason； 〃whether or not your maid did bring you such a message。〃
〃Why； yes；〃 said Eva Belter； casually； 〃I think she did。 I can't be certain。 I had some shoes that I was very anxious to get； and there has been some trouble about them。 I think that Marie received some message about them； and told me what it was。 The events crowded it out of my mind。〃
〃Do you know anything at all about how they hang people？〃 Perry Mason asked abruptly。
〃What do you mean？〃 she demanded。
〃For murder；〃 he went on。 〃It usually happens along in the morning。 They e down to the death cell and read the death warrant。 Then they strap your hands behind your back； and strap a board along your back； so that you can't cave in。 They start a march down the corridor to the scaffold。 There are thirteen steps that you have to climb； and then you walk over and stand on a trap。 There are prison officials standing by the side of the trap； who look things over； and； in a little cubby…hole back of the trap； are three convicts with sharp knives。 There are three strings that run across a board。 The hangman puts a noose over your head； and a black bag； and then puts straps around your legs。。。〃
She screamed。
〃All right。 That's exactly what's ing to you if you don't tell me the God's truth。〃
Her face was white； her lips pale and quivering； and her eyes dark with panic。
〃I'm t…t…t…telling you the truth；〃 she said。
He shook his head。 〃Listen；〃 he told her； 〃you've got to learn to be frank and to e clean if we're going to get you out of this jam。 Now you know； and I know； that that message about the shoes was just a stall。 It was a code that you had； meaning that Harrison Burke wanted you to get in touch with him。 Just the same way you gave me a code to tell the maid when I wanted to get in touch with you。〃
She was still shaken and white。 Dumbly she nodded her head。
〃All right；〃 said Mason； 〃now tell me what happened。 Harrison Burke sent that message to you。 He wanted you to get in touch with him。 Then you told him that you would meet him some place； and you put on your things and went out。 Is that right？〃
〃No；〃 she said； 〃he came to the house。〃
〃He did what？〃
〃It's a fact；〃 she went on。 〃I told him not to； but he came anyway。 He wanted to talk with me； and I told him that I wouldn't； that I couldn't see him。 So he came to the house。 You had told him that George was the owner of Spicy Bits。 At first he wouldn't believe it。 Finally he did。 Then he wanted to talk with George。 He thought that he could explain to George。 He was willing to do anything in order to keep Spicy Bits from going ahead with its attack。〃
〃You didn't know he was ing？〃 he asked。
〃No。〃
There was a moment's silence。
Then she said； 〃How did you know？〃
〃Know what？〃
〃About the shoes being the code he used。〃
〃Oh； he told me；〃 said Mason。
〃And then the housekeeper told you about the message？〃 she asked。 〃I wonder if she told the police。〃
Mason shook his head； and smiled。
〃No；〃 he said； 〃she didn't tell the police and she didn't tell me。 That was just a little bluff I resorted to in order to get you to give me the real facts。 I knew that you must have seen Harrison Burke some time last night； and I knew that he was the kind that would be trying to get in touch with you。 When he's worried； he wants some one to share his worry with him。 So I figured that he must have left that message with the maid。〃
She looked hurt。
〃Do you think that's a nice way to treat me？〃 she asked。 〃Do you think that's being fair with me？〃
He grinned。
〃What a sweet angel you are to sit around and talk to a man about playing fair。〃
She pouted。 〃I don't like that；〃 she said。
〃I didn't think you would；〃 he told her。 〃There's going to be lots about this you don't like before we get done。 So Harrison Burke came to the house； did he？〃
〃Yes；〃 she said in a weak voice。
〃All right； what happened？〃
〃He kept insisting that he wanted to see George。 I told him that it would be suicidal even to go near George。 He said that he wouldn't mention my name at all。 He thought that if he could go to George and explain the circumstances to him； and tell him that he was willing to do anything after he was elected George would order Frank Locke to lay off the publicity。〃
〃All right；〃 said Mason； 〃now we are getting someplace。 He wanted to go see your husband； and you tried to keep him from doing it。 Is that it？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Why；〃 he asked； 〃did you want to keep him from doing it？〃
She said slowly； 〃I was afraid that he would mention my name。〃
〃Did he？〃 asked Mason。
〃I don't know；〃 she said； and then suddenly added： 〃That is； of course not； he didn't see George at all。 He talked with me； and I convinced him that he mustn't talk with George。 And then he left the house。〃
Perry Mason chuckled。 〃You thought of that trap just a little bit too late； young lady。 So you don't know whether or not he mentioned your name to George； eh？〃
She said sullenly： 〃I told you he didn't see him。〃
〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃I know； but the fact is that he did see him。 He went upstairs to his study and talked with him。〃
〃How do you know？〃
〃Because；〃 he said； 〃I've got a theory about this thing； and I want to run it down。 I've got a pretty good idea of what happened。〃
〃What did happen？〃 she asked。
He grinned at her。
〃You know what happened；〃 he told her。
〃No； no；〃 she said； 〃what was it that happened？〃
His voice was a steady； expressionless monotone。 〃So Harrison Burke went upstairs and talked with your husband；〃 he droned。 〃How long was he up there？〃
〃I don't know。 Not over fifteen minutes。〃
〃That's better。 And you didn't see him after he came down？〃
〃No。〃
〃Now； as a matter of fact；〃 he inquired； 〃was there a shot fired while Harrison Burke was up there； and then did he run down the stairs； and out of the house without saying anything to you？〃
She shook her head emphatically。 〃No；〃 she said； 〃Burke left before my husband was shot。〃
〃How long before？〃
〃I don't know； perhaps fifteen minutes。 Perhaps longer。 Perhaps not quite so long。〃
〃And now；〃 he pointed out； 〃Harrison Burke can't be found。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Exactly what I said。 He can't be found。 He doesn't answer his telephone。 He isn't at his residence。〃
〃How do you know？〃
〃I kept trying to get him on the telephone； and I sent detectives out to his residence。〃
〃Why did you do that？〃
〃Because I knew he was going to be implicated in the shooting。〃
She widened her eyes again。 〃How could that be？〃 she asked。 〃Nobody knows that he was out at the house except us。 And of course we wouldn't tell； because that would make the situation that much worse for everybody。 He left before the other man came； who fired the shot。〃
Perry Mason held her eyes in a steady gaze。 〃It was his gun that fired the shot；〃 he said； slowly。
She stared at him； her eyes startled。