Original subtitles

happiness myself.

Came in handy for snagging the olives out of martinis.

Look at these flies, Paul.

A retired government man up near Palo Alto teaching me how to hand -tie them.

Well, if I were a trout in Scotland, I wouldn't worry too much.

What do you mean by that?

Look at the record.

For three years now, you've been polishing up your Highland brogue and

casting, and the closest you've gotten to Scotland so far is Pasadena.

I know, Paul.

But this time, nothing interferes.

Lawyers have as much right to vacations as plumbers, stockbroker, and

or private investigators. I couldn't agree more. But eight to five, you don't

make it.

Yeah.

Jet nonstop to London.

Birth in the night train to Edinburgh.

Confirmed two weeks reservation at the inn at Glenkindy in the Cairngorm

Mountains.

By this time Monday, I'll be knee deep in some little stream fishing.

Yes, Bill?

I know you said no business today, but there's a young lady outside who insists

on seeing you.

Della, even if Cleopatra were out there, I still wouldn't see her.

I have a feeling she's in trouble.

You always have that feeling about prospective clients.

Especially if they're personable young ladies, which I'm sure she must be.

more than personable, Perry.

You'll fall in love with her at first sight.

Well, it might be better to explain to her in person.

All right, Della, have her come in. All right, Della, have her come in.

Miss Smith?

Hello.

This is Mr. Drake.

And this is Mr. Mason.

How do you do?

Excuse me?

How do you do?

Won't you sit down?

Now, Miss Smith.

I'm Peggy.

All right, Peggy.

Now, you wanted to consult me about something?

Yes, Mr. Mason.

Virginia Hobson recommended you.

Virginia Hobson?

She's my best friend at Westcroft.

That's the school I go to.

Virginia said her father said that you were the only lawyer he would go to if

were in trouble.

trouble, Peggy?

Yes.

Well, how can I help you?

Could you find out who I am, Mr. Mason?

Find out who you are?

Yes. You see, nobody seems to know.

But you see, Mr. Mason, I wasn't here when Peggy was enrolled at Westcroft.

Miss Clemens was headmistress then.

She must have told you something about Peggy's background.

Oh, I never met Miss Clemens. She died before I came west.

As for Peggy's background, well, all I know is that she's apparently the

offspring of a Swiss bank and an electronic brain.

That's a rather odd combination.

What's she told you?

Well, only that she doesn't think she's Peggy Smith and she'd like me to find

out who she really is.

And that in the five years she's been here, she hasn't received...

One visit or one letter from anyone.

That does seem absurd.

Absurd but true, Mr. Mason.

You see, Peggy's tuition is paid by Tobler & Sons Bank in Geneva,

We bill them quarterly for her clothing, medical expenses, allowance, summer

camp, everything.

And back comes a check.

So, Laura, who brought Peggy here in the first place?

Well... The story goes that she arrived in a gleaming limousine, unaccompanied

except for a rag doll and a chauffeur who just left her. No reference names in

her file?

No names at all.

Well, certainly a glamorous mystery, all right.

Swiss banks, gleaming limousines.

Where does the electronic brain come in?

I'll show you in Peggy's room. Will you come with me, please?

She's just lovely.

Her name is Maggie, and she came here with me.

I used to pretend she was my sister, but that's only when I was a little girl.

Not that I'd mind having a real sister.

Or somebody.

Peggy, aren't they good to you here?

Oh, yes, they're very good.

Especially Miss Lorimer. The teachers aren't the same as a family of your own.

Are they, Miss Street?

Well...

Maybe not.

But if you don't have a family, who gave you all of these beautiful dolls?

I was just going to tell Mr. Mason about the dolls, Miss Street.

Hi, Mr. Mason.

Hi, Peggy.

You were also going to tell me about the electronic brain.

Oh, well, it's the only thing I can think of that could be sending Peggy her

dolls.

You see, each year, two of these arrive.

One on the day before Christmas.

and the other on the 11th of june no card no message nothing just a doll nine

since peggy's been here the 11th of june is that uh peggy's birthday

we think so is that your birthday peggy nobody ever told me

oh surely you remember having a birthday party before you came here We think

Peggy was about three then, so naturally her memories are rather dim.

Now, the only names that she can recall are Auntie and Martha.

And Maggie, too. She's my own doll.

There's one lead here.

These dolls all came from the same shop.

Oh.

Kringles, Gifts, and Dolls.

Gestalt, Switzerland.

You know, a good investigator working in Geneva and Gaston should, without any

trouble on earth, the person who bought these dolls.

You see, Mr. Mason, we'd all like to help Peggy find out who she is, but I'm

afraid it's just not a thing that Westcroft School has any business

I understand.

I'm afraid we'll have to be going now, Peggy.

Goodbye, Mr. Mason.

Bye, honey.

May I see you for a moment, Miss Larimer? Well, of course.

Bye -bye, Peg.

Take good care of Maggie.

But...

But

what?

I thought if I could find my family and they could see I really wasn't so

terrible, they might want me back again.

Peggy, I'll come and see you.

I'll come and see you real soon.

Okay?

Okay.

Goodbye, dear.

Bye.

I received your cable, Mr. Mason. And I must tell you at once, I can't give you

any information about Peggy Smith.

You must know something about her, Mr. Tobler.

Otherwise, you wouldn't be paying for her education.

Tobler and Sansa are not paying. We merely act as agents.

Agents for whom?

I'm sorry, Mr. Mason, but I cannot tell you that.

Mr. Tobler, Peggy Smith is a little girl, a rather pathetic little girl, who

needs a family.

A family to love and to be loved by. You're denying her that.

I have no choice.

Very well, then. Tell me this.

Do you forward her bills to someone?

Or has an account been set up for her?

An account, Mr. Mason.

A numbered account.

One with no name attached.

Exactly. Except in a secret book which, under the Swiss law, I'm forbidden to

show anyone except in case of national emergency.

You could hardly call the problem of one child in America a Swiss national

emergency. Could one, Mr. Mason.

Thank you. Now, I don't suppose one could.

I'm extremely sorry to have bothered you, Mr. Tobler. Oh, it's quite all

Bonjour, monsieur.

Mademoiselle, I wish to place a call to the United States of America, Los

Angeles, California.

The number is Crestview 14699.

She's beautiful, isn't she?

You send many of these to America, Mr. Kringle?

No, most of them are sold to tourists here in Stade.

Except, of course, two we send to Los Angeles each year. Yes, of course.

To Peggy Smith?

Yes.

Oh, please wait.

I'll be with you in just a moment.

Are you sure that's the man?

I'll look at that. We'll tell the register. Very nice.

Linda, remember when we were kids and we used to think this was Santa Claus'

shop? Whatever gave you that idea?

Kringle, stupid.

Chris Kringle.

Miss Asplund, I'll be with you right away. All right, Miss Kringle.

Now, you know Peggy Smith?

Mason, yes, I know her.

Then perhaps you can explain something which has been puzzling us here.

I'd be glad to try.

Exactly who is Peggy Smith?

A collector of dolls?

Oh, no, she's a little girl in a boarding school.

Miss Osborne, our mystery has been solved.

Peggy Smith is a little girl, just as you thought.

Yes, I heard.

Mr. Kringle told me about the dolls. We're old friends.

But apparently there's even more mystery.

Well, I would like to find out who's been paying for the dolls.

What? Tobler and Sons, a bank in Geneva.

How did you know?

Mr. Kringle told me.

And somebody picked out those dolls?

I picked them out, Hermes.

Well, when did all this get started, Mr. Kringle? Who ordered the dolls in the

first place?

It began five years ago.

A letter came from the bank describing a certain doll and asking it to be sent.

For three dolls, it was this way.

The fourth, only a check, leaving the selection to me.

And it has been this way ever since.

Ah, fair Mason, but very good business for English.

Yes, a very baffling business for me.

Excuse me?

That's right, operator.

The Westcroft School in Brentwood.

I wanted to speak... Oh, you have. Yes, I'm ready.

Hello?

This is Perry Mason. I'd like to speak to Miss Lorimer, please.

She isn't.

Or is it possible for Peggy Smith to come to the telephone?

Went out with whom?

Well, who was the woman?

You don't know?

All right, thank you.

Operator?

Operator?

Hello?

Perry, where are you?

Gestad?

That's pretty fancy even in summer, isn't it?

Me? Oh, I'm just stealing a couple of your books.

Sure, what's wrong?

Peggy Smith?

Well, shouldn't I notify the police?

Okay, as soon as I check.

I'll call you the minute I get... Wait a minute.

You can relax.

Nothing's happened to Peggy.

Now, that's good.

But, Paul, I still want some things done.

A day and night watch put on the school until I get back.

And this I'd like you to handle personally.

Uh, hold on a minute, Perry.

Female birds in the county, June 11th, seven, eight, and nine years ago.

Perry, that'll run into thousands.

Oh,

this female's named Margaret.

Okay, we'll do it once. And, uh, send us a wire and we'll meet you.

Well, this certainly is a coincidence.

Not only the same plane, but the next seat.

My lucky day, Miss Osborne.

Thank you.

And your quest for the person sending the dolls to the little girl, were you

lucky with that, too?

Oh, I might have come across something.

Did you live with your brother in Los Angeles, Miss Osborne?

No, with my uncle, Courtney Jeffords.

The oil man?

My mother was his sister.

We went to live with him when my father died.

And then when Mother died, I just stayed on.

You know, I'm surprised a girl as pretty as you hasn't married.

I got as far as the altar once.

Any more questions, Mr. Mason?

Yes.

Yesterday I had a very curious feeling that I was being followed all the way to

the toy shop.

Followed by you, your brother, and his wife.

Why, that's absurd. We were just out for a stroll.

And later, did one of you stroll into my room with a broken doll?

A broken doll?

And a note attached.

I don't know anything about it. What was in the note?

Nothing, really.

Probably just a joke of some kind.

Probably just a joke.

Nothing on Fitzjames.

Margaret Lawson, see Jeffers.

Jeffers, Jeffers, Jeffers.

Margaret Jeffers, here's one.

Oil heiress elopes with bond salesman.

Margaret Peggy Jeffers, daughter of oil tycoon Courtney Jeffers, early this

morning eloped to Las Vegas with Clark Lawson, a bond salesman.

Here's a picture of him.

Oh, there's some bad news.

What? Oil heiress killed in Palm Springs crash.

Yeah, I remember that one.

When was this?

Six and a half years ago. Does it say anything about her being survived by a

baby daughter?

You're lucky you got that much.

Courtney Jeffers hates publicity.

And besides being a friend of the publisher of this newspaper, he's

of the most cantankerous old buffaloes in this city.

Walter!

I'm coming, Mr. Jeffers, I'm coming. Where the devil is Linda? It's after

and her plane was supposed to land at three.

She's here, sir.

Then why hasn't she been in to see me?

Who'd dare wake an old grizzly bear when he takes a nap?

You're the only one who would dare, Miss Linda. Go away, go away, go away.

I've missed you, child.

And you still had Martha to roar at. No, it's not the same, because you always

roared back.

Leave that fire alone, Martha, and get out.

Yes, Mr. Jeffers.

You see, what fun is the yelling at her?

I was guessed on.

Lovely. Your mother always thought so, too. And you tripped back.

All right. Most of the time I sat next to a man named Perry Mason.

We didn't hit it off at first, but later I found him charming.

Charming indeed.

Do you know who Mason is?

He's a criminal lawyer.

And he'll charm the gold right out of your back teeth.

Mr. Jeffers? Yes, Benson.

A caller, sir. A Mr. Mason.

Perry Mason?

I believe so, Mr. Ballinger. Of all the unmitigated golf.

Not three hours off the plane and he has the nerve to come calling.

Or did you invite him? Not I.

He asked for you, sir.

Me?

Very well.

Show him in.

Aren't you staying?

He asked for you on the plane.

Right in here, sir.

Thank you.

Mr. Jeffers, my name is Mason.

I'm an attorney. I know who you are. What do you want?

I'm here on behalf of a young child named Peggy Smith.

Peggy Smith? The name means nothing to me.

I've every reason to believe that she's your granddaughter.

Granddaughter? I have no granddaughter. I have no children.

What are you up to, Mason?

You had a daughter, Margaret, who married a man named Clark Lawson.

Get out.

I don't quite understand.

Ever since her marriage, Margaret's name has, up until now, been mentioned but

twice in this house.

When I disinherited her and when she died, it is not to be mentioned again.

Very well.

Did you also intend to disinherit your granddaughter?

There was no granddaughter. According to the records in the county clerk's

office, there was.

Here's a photostat of the birth certificate.

Are you by any chance representing Clark Lawson?

No, I'm not. Well, he is back of it.

And you yourself are either a knave or a dupe.

Won't you read this photostat? It's a forgery or another one of Lawson's

Get out.

A piece of paper can easily be destroyed, Mr. Jeffers.

It's another matter when it comes to one's own flesh and blood.

Won't you at least see Peggy? Won't you at least talk to her?

Benson!

Yes, Mr. Jeffers?

Show this man out.

That won't be necessary.

Mr. Mason, I'd like to come out with Della.

Mr. Jeffers doesn't sound very nice anyway.

Peggy, he's probably very nice.

Perhaps he just wasn't feeling well today.

I suppose so.

Yes, Gertie?

Just a minute.

Would you like to see Linda Osborne?

Linda Osborne?

Peggy, would you mind if I spoke to Miss Osborne for a moment before we start

back to school?

No, Mr. Mason.

All right.

Take Peggy into the library.

Bring Mrs. Osborne in, will you, please? I'll hold the guests this long.

Come on.

Gertie, Della will be right out.

Any word from Baldrake?

Well, keep on checking.

Thank you.

Now, Mrs. Osborne, this is rather a surprise.

Won't you sit down? No, thank you. I had to come, Mr. Mason, to beg you to

please leave my uncle alone.

He's old and ill, and a hoax like this could kill him.

Well, what makes you think this is a hoax?

I grew up with Margaret Jeffers, and I know she never had a child.

Were you with her all the time between her marriage and her death?

No, but my mother was, and she certainly would have told me if Margaret had had

a baby.

Didn't Mr. Jeffers tell you I'd found a record of the birth?

He said records could be forged.

Then little girls, can they also be forged?

what you were talking about.

If Mr.

Mason is right, we're maybe relatives, aren't we? You and me.

I always knew if I belonged to somebody, it just must be somebody as pretty as

you are.

I'm Peggy, and this is Maggie.

Don't touch me.

Don't you dare touch me.

You keep her away from me.

You keep her away from our house.

Could I go back to school now, Mr. Mason?

A little more brandy, Helene?

I need something to liven things up.

This has been more like a wake than a welcome home party.

You two have a quarrel or something?

No, I'm just tired, I guess. It's been a long day.

Not that long.

What's eating you, sis? You're acting as though your best friend had just kicked

the bucket.

Mr. Jeffers.

What is it, Benson?

Mr. Mason is here again, sir.

Mr. Mason? I sent for him, Linda. He's in the library, sir.

Go away! Go away!

Linda, please.

Why is Mason here? What does he want?

You two just sit tight.

I didn't think you'd dare, Producer Mason.

She's right here, Mr. Jeffers.

You brought her here?

Miss Allison.

I'm sorry I upset you so this afternoon.

I didn't mean to.

Really, I didn't.

Peggy.

My Peggy.

Come here, child.

Come to your grandfather.

The foregoing instrument was on the date hereof by the said Courtney Jeffers,

subscribed, published, and declared to be his last will and testament.

In the presence of us, who at his request and in his presence, and in the

presence of each other, have signed the same as witnesses thereto.

Leave the usual underlying places for the witnesses' signatures, Dillon.

And that ends that.

Once I'm happy for Peggy, I could almost cry.

If that makes any sense.

Of course it makes sense.

Under that new will, Peggy stands to be a very rich girl.

Oh, I'll get it.

Hello.

What's that?

Mr. Mason.

Something awful is happening.

Something awful.

I'm going to need your help.

I...

I'm going to need your help.

These last three days have been a nightmare.

Questions and questions.

But I didn't kill him, Mr. Mason. I swear I didn't.

I believe you, Linda.

Now, you must understand that today will be just the preliminary hearing. I'll

try to clear you, of course.

But if I can't, that won't be the end of things. Not by a long shot.

Now, just remember what I said.

Thank you.

What about Peggy?

I told you, I won't see her.

Why?

Why do you dislike her so, when all she wants is just someone to be close to?

Because she is so like her mother.

But her mother was your best friend. You grew up together.

Margaret, Peggy's mother, eloped to Las Vegas with Clark Lawson.

Yes, I do know that.

What you don't know is that on that very day Clark and I were to be married, I

was left waiting at the church like a bride in the comics.

Only it wasn't funny to me.

The two people I love most in the world.

Uncle Courtney sided with me and kept it out of the papers, but... I was

crushed.

Mickey brought it all back that day in your office.

Brings it back every time I look at her.

I know it's not her fault.

She's a wonderful little girl, but I just can't bear to have her around.

I hate myself for it, but I just can't bear it. I just can't.

a motivation based upon a hidden relationship.

Now, if it please the court, I would like to explain.

Mr. Jeffers, at the time of his death, believed that through the activities of

Perry Mason, he had discovered a grandchild about whom he knew nothing.

Now, it may well appear that this young woman actually was a grandchild, but

that matter will have to be established to refute it in another court at another

time. But the fact that the deceased did believe that this girl was his

grandchild... caused him to prepare to change his will.

And the state contends it was this change in the will that brought about

murder.

At the hands of the defendant.

Now, just where did you find that button, Sergeant Willoughby?

By the dead man's right hand.

Mr. Jefferson.

And what did you do about it?

I showed it to Lieutenant Traig.

And then?

He told me to see if I could find the garment it came from.

Were you successful in this?

I was.

I located it in a closet upstairs.

Now, I ask you to examine this robe.

That's the garment.

You can see where the button was pulled off.

Did you discover to whom this robe belonged?

Yes, sir. To Linda Osborne, the defendant.

Sergeant Willoughby, I think you heard the coroner's physician testify that in

his opinion, death was caused by a blow from a rod -like metal object.

Yes, sir, I did.

I now show you this poker, already entered into evidence. Do you recognize

Yes, sir. It's the one I found by the body.

That's my identifying tag on the handle.

Did you test this poker in the crime lab?

Yes. Toward the working end were traces of blood, identical in type to those of

the decedent.

On the handle were found fingerprints, the defendant's fingerprints.

Thank you.

You're a witness, Mr. Mason.

May I see that poker again, Mr. Chamberlain? Of course.

Looking isn't going to erase either bloodstains or fingerprints, Counselor.

Sergeant, in taking samples of blood for testing in the laboratory, it was

necessary to clean this poker?

No, sir, the poker was clean, except for blood traces.

And all I removed of them were a few dried flakes, as you can see.

And the only fingerprints found on it were those of the defendant?

Yes, sir.

Thank you, Sergeant.

No more questions at this time.

Uncle Courtney called Linda and me into the library after Mr.

Mason left and told us about the new will.

You two being the sole heirs up to this point.

So we'd been given to understand.

Now you were cut off completely in favor of this granddaughter that had

materialized out of thin air.

Well, that's the general idea.

Were you angry about this?

Well, no. No, not really. Why should we be? I have a job.

After all, it was his money, wasn't it?

Then you didn't go into the library with your husband and Miss Osborne.

No, I wasn't included in the will.

You waited for your husband to come out.

Yes, and when he did, he said, let's have another brandy. And I said, why?

he said, because it isn't every day you lose nine million dollars.

Then he told me what had happened.

Now, while you were drinking this brandy, Mrs. Osborne, did you hear

unusual?

Yes. Linda and Uncle Courtney were shouting at each other in the library

Like a couple of Indians on the warpath.

No, they ain't.

Well, Larry, I can't help it. That's how they sounded.

We can do without any outbursts, Mr. Osborne.

Please resume your seat.

Could you hear what they were saying in the library?

No, just their voices.

And then Linda stormed out mad as a hatter and ran upstairs.

Objection, Your Honor.

So far as the mad hatter is concerned, the witness is volunteering an opinion.

Objection sustained.

The witnesses' answer after just their voices will be stricken.

You will please confine yourself to answering such questions as you are

Mrs. Osborne.

Yes, Your Honor.

Now, what did you and your husband do after the defendant ran up the stairs?

We went home.

Thank you.

Then you were in the library, Mrs. Benson, during this quarrel. I mean this

rather noisy discussion that went on between Miss Osborne and her uncle.

Yes, sir.

with the warm milk and the two pills that I always took to Mr. Jeffers at 10

'clock. What was the discussion about?

It was about the little girl.

Go on.

Well, Mr. Jeffers was determined to bring her into the house so Miss Linda

care for her.

What was Miss Osborne's reaction to this?

Well, Miss Linda not only said she would not care for her, but she would not

even live in the same house with her.

And Mr. Jeffers' reply?

Well, he told her to back up and get out.

But, of course, he did not mean that.

Now, it isn't your function, Mrs. Benson, to determine what he did or did

mean.

What happened after that?

Miss Linder ran out of the library.

And you were still in the kitchen at 11 o 'clock that night, Mr. Benson?

Yes, sir, polishing the silvers I do each week.

And your wife is helping you?

No, sir. She'd gone to bed.

Oh, then this is not the same quarrel that she testified to. Oh, no, sir. This

was a good hour later.

Well, tell us what happened.

Well, I went into the dining room to put some of the silver back.

Suddenly, from the direction of the library, I heard Mr.

Jeffers speak.

Linda, he asked.

Then he said...

No. Oh, no.

Then I heard a kind of thud.

I looked out into the hall and caught a glimpse of Miss Linda just disappearing

up the hall stairs.

What was she wearing, Mr. Benson?

A robe of some sort.

That's all for the prosecution, Your Honor.

Gentlemen, it's already ten minutes past eleven.

Unless I have a motion for a new trial set in another case at this time.

I declare a recess of this court until 2 o 'clock this afternoon.

News, Perry, and at least some of it's good.

You located Tobler? No, not yet. My people in Switzerland say they're going

run around at both his house and the bank.

Sometimes it's better to use the direct approach. Della put in a long -distance

call, Mr. Tobler. I don't want this phone tied up.

No, fine.

What about Clark Lawson?

Well, we ran him down through his GI insurance.

He was killed in Korea. No known relative.

Mr. Poker from the upstairs sitting room? From Linda's room?

Mm -hmm.

How did you know it would be the same?

I didn't.

Just hoped it would.

Well, why don't you see the chemist report?

Here.

What about the other robe?

Apparently it doesn't own one, but I'm having my men check all the cleaning

establishments in my neighborhood.

They find it fast, Paul.

And there's one final thing, though I don't know what it means.

For the past three years, Larry Osborne has been drawing large checks to cash on

his personal account.

They add up to ten grand a year.

No clue as to what he's been doing with the money?

Not a one.

Yes, Della?

I got through to Switzerland, but Perry, Mr. Tobler's here.

What? He's here in Los Angeles.

At the Sunset Hills Hotel.

You're forgetting that I'm a Swiss citizen. As such, you cannot compel me

break my own country's laws.

This is a murder case, Mr. Tobler. A young woman's life is in jeopardy. I

help that. Then I cannot help giving you this subpoena.

Answerable in Superior Court at 2 o 'clock this afternoon.

And I can assure you, if you refuse to answer my questions at that time, you'll

be held in contempt of court Swiss law or no Swiss law.

I cannot have you do that.

My reputation and the banks would be ruined.

It can be easily prevented, Mr. Tobler, by answering the questions now.

You wish to know who created the fund for Peggy Smith?

That's right.

Mr. Jeffers' late sister, Constance Osborne.

The mother of Larry and Linda Osborne?

Yes.

Then you were the one who notified them of my inquiries.

I notified Larry Osborne. I called him in Los Angeles, found out he was in

Gestalt, and I called him there.

What are you doing here in Los Angeles now, Mr. Tobler?

Mr. Mason, the Tobler Bank is not as cold -blooded as you think.

I came here to tell Larry Osborne we would gladly release all details about

Peggy Smith's fund if it would save his sister.

And he refused to let you do this?

Yes, Mr. Mason.

I know it was wrong, but I was hoping Linda would get off without the story

having to come out.

Will you please tell this court the whole story, beginning with the Las

elopement of Margaret Jeffers and Clark Lawson?

Well, in less than two months, Margaret realized what a mistake she'd made and

kicked Lawson off. I think he joined the army or something.

Did Mr. Jeffers know that?

Margaret didn't want him to know. He disinherited her, cut off

She wanted to keep it that way.

Even after the baby came?

She let my mother and Martha help her with it, but she still wouldn't let them

tell Uncle Courtney.

What was done with the baby?

She was placed in a foster home and then in the Westcroft School.

It was at that same time that my mother set up the fund with the Tobler Bank.

Why didn't she tell Mr. Jeffers about the baby?

Well, that was the shameful part. She... She wanted the estate for Linda and me.

She knew we'd be left out of it if he ever found out about Peggy.

She told me all this just before she died three years ago.

Told just you, not your sister.

Just me.

So you were the one who left the broken doll in my room in Gestalt.

Broken doll? What broken doll? Did you kill your uncle? No, I'd never do such a

thing, never.

But you were perfectly willing by keeping silent to cheat a mere child out

rightful inheritance.

Yes, I was.

You were also willing to be blackmailed to accomplish that, were you not?

Blackmailed to the tune of 10 ,000 a year? How did you know that?

Never mind how, just tell me who was blackmailing you.

To whom were you paying the money?

Uncle Courtney's man, Benson.

You were recalled to the stand, Mr. Benson, for the purpose of clarifying

issues. Now, will you please answer the question?

Well, I don't call it blackmail at all.

Just a simple business deal.

It may not be quite so simple that Mr. Osborne decides to press charges against

you.

Now, I'd like you to look at this poker. It came from what room in Mr. Jeffers'

house? Why, the library, of course.

Isn't there another poker just exactly like it in Miss Osborne's sitting room

upstairs? Well, since the poker was missing from the downstairs set, I

thought... I'd like you to take a look at this robe again.

Are you sure this is the robe you saw vanishing up the stairs after you heard

Mr. Jeffers cry out?

No, I can't say positively.

Can you say positively that the woman in the robe was Linda Osborne?

Well, I didn't think it could be anyone else.

Miss Linda was living there.

Couldn't it have been someone else who was familiar with the house?

Yes, I suppose so.

Couldn't it have been Helene Osborne, for instance?

Well, yes. I guess it could have been Mrs. Osborne.

I admit that, Mr. Mason.

I did put the broken doll in the note in your hotel room, but I was trying to

help Larry.

So you knew about Peggy, about who she was?

Yes.

Larry told me a long time ago, but I didn't kill his uncle. I didn't.

Where were you between 10 .30 and 11 .30 on the night of the murder?

I was with Larry.

He can tell you that. So can Martha. She saw us leave the house together.

Yes, sir.

They left together. All right, I know that.

Of course, I can't say that either one of them didn't come back.

And you, Mrs. Benson, where were you between 10 .30 and 11 .30?

I was in bed.

Are you sure, Mrs. Benson?

Are you sure you didn't wait until Mr. Jeffers was finally alone and then enter

the library and kill him?

What?

Of course not.

When Mr. Jeffers saw that it was Linda, he called out her name.

Yes, he called out her name, thinking it was Linda.

But it was you, was it not?

It was you wearing the robe your husband saw vanishing up the stairs?

Wearing this robe?

Your robe?

The robe you sent to the cleaners after vainly trying to wash blood from it?

Your employer's blood, Mrs. Benson?

No. No.

No?

Take a look at this poker, then.

This is the poker you ran upstairs to get because you knew her fingerprints

would be on it instead of yours.

This is the poker you exchanged for the real murder weapon.

And while you were upstairs, you tore a button from the defendant's robe, did

you not, to further incriminate her?

Won't you tell the truth now, Mrs. Benson?

Or must I show you that second poker?

Must I show you the chemist's report of finding on that poker minute traces of

blood? Your employer's blood.

Stop it! The blood of the man you killed.

It's... It's... True.

I... Killed... Mr.

James.

We were in his will, quite generously.

But when Mr.

Jeffers found out what we'd done, how Mr.

Larry had been paying us, how we'd helped keep his grandchild

from him, then he was going

to cut us out.

He was going to get rid of us.

He was going to discharge us.

But don't you see?

We were going to lose everything.

I remembered using that poker here in the library myself.

So when the police said only your fingerprints were on it, I became rather

curious. That's when he sent Paul upstairs, when he discovered the

She'd wiped the other poker clean, of course, but not quite clean enough.

I'm so terribly grateful to you, Mr. Mason. Thank you.

What are your plans now?

A trip, I think.

Then perhaps Peggy better go back to Westcroft School.

Unless, of course, you'd like to take her with you.

No, I'm afraid I can't do that.

She'd like you to continue living here in the house when you get back.

Thank you, Peggy.

But I'm afraid I can't do that either.

Now, if you'll all excuse me, please.

I just

wanted

to say goodbye.

Oh, Peggy.

When Tony camps out under a billboard to raise money for the PTA, he gets an

education in frostbite. Will this put the freeze on his fundraising?

Who's the Boss? Saturday night at 6 on Fox 5.