Thats right, Della said.
Would you mind corning in the bedroom with me and helping me unpack? My eyes are just no good at all and its difficult to unpack by feeling... Oh, I can see outlines and get a vague impression of faces, but bright light bothers me and I cant see anything in a half-light. Im getting worse all the time. I have to rely more and more on a sense of touch.
Ill be glad to do anything I can to help, Della Street said.
You have loyalty and efficiency, Miss Corning announced, and unless Im very much mistaken, you have a great deal of ability. Come along now.
The women retired to the bedroom. Mason settled back in one of the comfortable chairs, tried to relax but couldnt, then got up and started thoughtfully pacing the floor.
The lawyer was still pacing when knuckles tapped gently on the outer door. Mason opened it and a frightened Susan Fisher stood in the hallway.
Come in, Mason said.
She entered the room, looking around apprehensively.
Theyre in the bedroom unpacking and Miss Corning is freshening up, Mason said.
How bad is it? Sue Fisher asked.
Not bad at all at least not so far. Miss Corning is a very well-balanced, unemotional woman who gives the impression of being most considerate.
Has Mr. Campbell got hold of her yet?
No, Mason said. As far as I know, Campbell has no idea that she is in the city. Hes expecting her tomorrow.
How did you know she was here?
Mason grinned and said, I anticipated it.
What do you mean?
Well, Mason said, I knew she was due to arrive tomorrow and I thought she might arrive a day ahead of time. So Paul Drake had men at the airport waiting for her to arrive. When she showed up, Drakes man stepped forward and met her and told her hed take charge of her baggage and promptly proceeded to notify Paul Drake, who, in turn, notified me. And here we are.
You mean you thought all that out in advance?
There wasnt anything much to think out in advance, Mason said. We knew that Miss Corning was going to show up at the airport and I wanted to have an opportunity to tell her your side of the story before Endicott Campbell told her his side of the story. Thats all there was to it.
Susan Fisher impulsively took Masons hand in both of hers. I think youre absolutely wonderful, she said. Why didnt you tell me what you were doing?
I was afraid you might worry, Mason said. I wanted you to get a good nights sleep. Did you?
I slept off and on, she said, but it wasnt what youd call a good nights sleep. Do I look a wreck?
You look wonderful, Mason told her. But Miss Corning doesnt depend too much on her eyes. She depends a great deal on her ears. She likes to listen to persons voices when they talk and makes an appraisal of character from those voices. She
The bedroom door opened and Della Street pushed Miss Cornings wheelchair out into the room.
Hello, Susan, Della Street said. This is Miss Corning. Miss Corning, Susan Fisher is here.
Where are you, child? Miss Corning asked.
Right here, Sue said, corning forward to the chair. Oh, Miss Corning, I feel so terrible about what happened yesterday. Mr. Mason says hes told you the facts.
Sit down here close to me, Miss Corning said, and tell me what happened.
Della Street said, Ill wheel Miss Corning over here by this chair, Susan, then you can talk with her on one side and Mr. Mason will be on the other.
Miss Corning said, I suppose this isnt very ethical, Mr. Mason, but I would like to steal your secretary. I dont know what Mr. Mason is paying you, Miss Street, but Ill double it.
Now just a minute, Mason interposed. This is criminal conspiracy, grand larceny, and treason.
No such thing, Miss Corning said. Its a business proposition and theres no treason involved because I dont owe you any loyalty and she wouldnt even consider such a proposition. Would you, Della?
Im afraid not, Della Street said, laughing.
Well, lets get down to business. Now then, young lady... whats your name Fisher?
Thats right, Susan Fisher.
How old are you, Susan?
Twenty-four.
Good figure?
Susan laughed in an embarrassed manner and Della Street said, Very good, Miss Corning.
In love? Miss Corning asked.
Not at the moment.
How long have you been working in the office there?
More than a year.
Did you start in as Mr. Campbells secretary?
No. I started in as a stenographer.
He picked you out to become his secretary?
Yes.
How good are you at typing?
Im quite good.
Shorthand?
I think Im rather good.
Did Mr. Campbell pick you out because of your ability or because of your figure?
Susan Fisher laughed in an embarrassed manner.
Go ahead, Miss Corning said, answer the question.
Frankly, Miss Corning, I think he picked me out because of my figure. But after he had tried out my shorthand and typing, I think he kept me because of my ability.
Ever make passes at you?
Susan hesitated, then said, quietly, Yes.
Ever get anywhere?
No.
What kind of passes?
Just the ordinary kind, just sort of exploring to see where the No Trespassing signs were.
Cant blame him for that, Miss Corning said. Any normal man will do that with a good-looking girl whos working with him. All right now, is Mr. Campbell crooked or not?
Im sure I couldnt tell you.
What do you think?
I dont know, Miss Corning, and I wish I did. There are some things going on there that bother me very much. Im not in the auditing department. I simply type up statements and
You ran an adding machine?
Oh, yes.
All right, go on. You type up statements and then what?
Well, I get the statements primarily from the auditing department or Mr. Campbell gives me the statements... I will say this, the business is so departmentalized that, frankly, I doubt if anyone other than Mr. Campbell has a general comprehensive picture of what goes on. And Ive been concerned about this Mojave Monarch mine.
Why?
Well, for one thing, Susan said, I went out there to Mojave on a drive. I didnt have any idea of looking at the mine; in fact, Id forgotten all about the mine being in that part of the country. I was just out there driving around and I saw a sign on a road, a rather weather-beaten piece of wood nailed to a stake. It said on this sign, Mojave Monarch. So I turned in there just out of curiosity.
And what did you find?
I found a mine, but there certainly was no one working there. I went to one of the service stations and asked if there was any other Mojave Monarch around there and the service station man said hed never heard of any, that the only Mojave Monarch he knew had been closed ever since one of the veins had faulted out.
The monthly reports show that the mine is operating, but operating at a heavy loss, Miss Corning said.
Im quite familiar with the monthly reports, Susan Fisher said. I do the typing.
But you dont think the mine is working?
I dont know.
Then if the reports are false, Mr. Campbell is crooked?
I wouldnt say that. The reports come in from a manager in Mojave and
Endicott Campbell has never been out to Mojave to look the mine over?
I dont know.
Well, if hes going to manage my business he should know whats going on in a mine thats almost in his back yard.
Susan Fisher said nothing.
Well, Miss Corning snapped, say something! Should he or shouldnt he?
Susan said, Mr. Campbell is very, very busy around the office. Hes making out reports and correlating affairs and hes had quite a bit of trouble with the income-tax people. Frankly, I dont think hes ever gone to Mojave. I think he feels the mine is somewhat out of his jurisdiction. I dont know where he
The door opened and Endicott Campbell, standing in the doorway, said, Who says Ive never gone to Mojave? Whats going on here? What are you folks trying to do, get behind my back and tear my business reputation to shreds?
I suppose, Miss Corning said, that irate, rasping voice belongs to my manager, Endicott Campbell. Come in, Mr. Campbell, and sit down. Its customary to knock before entering.
I dont care whether its customary or not, Campbell said. I dont know whats going on here, and, despite the fact that Im working for you, Miss Corning, I resent the idea of you corning here and gathering my employees around you to discuss the efficiency of my management before you have even taken the matter up with me or let me know that you were here.
Now just a minute, Campbell, Mason said. We tried to get in touch with you on the telephone.
How did you know Miss Corning was here? Campbell demanded.
I anticipated her arrival, Mason said.
She wasnt due until tomorrow.
I know she wasnt, Mason told him, but in case you want to know, I had men watching the airport so that we could pick her up on her arrival. That was something that you could have done if youd wanted to or if youd thought of it.
Im afraid my mind doesnt work in these somewhat devious channels, Campbell said. And then to Miss Corning, Im sorry, Miss Corning, that Im acting in this manner, but, frankly, Im angry.
Go ahead, go ahead, Miss Corning said. Get angry. I like to hear two men fight.
Well, I dont like the idea of Mr. Mason homing in on this thing and trying to get around behind my back.
Now, just a minute, Mason told him. In the first place, I dont give a damn whether you like it or not. In the second place, nobody is going behind your back. Were out in front of you and scooping up the ball that youd fumbled. Now, just remember one thing. Im representing Susan Fisher. Shes my client. I have an idea that youre intending to make her some sort of a football that you can kick around in order to disguise your own shortcornings. I dont intend to let you do it. I wanted Miss Corning to know the facts as they were before you had a chance to garble them.
Well, Campbell said, I would have liked to have had Miss Corning know the facts as they were before you got to her and garbled them.
Were talking facts, Mason said.
You were talking about the intimate affairs of the company.
We were answering Miss Cornings questions about the Mojave Monarch, and I think that perhaps Miss Corning can well ask you about the Mojave Monarch. If you think weve garbled the facts, Id like to hear what you have to say about them.
And so would I, Miss Corning said.
Much of the belligerence left Campbells manner. All right, he said, as far as the Mojave Monarch is concerned, the only thing I can say to Miss Corning is that apparently I was victimized by a man who was in charge of the property at Mojave, a man who apparently made false reports to me in person, in writing, and over the telephone.