The Case of the Singing Skirt by Erle Stanley Gardner Page B

said. "Perhaps she did. I-"
    "Lieutenant," the plain-clothes man said.
    Tragg turned.
    "This way," the plain-clothes man said.
    Tragg stood, peering down at the revolver that had been uncovered in the suitcase.
    "Well, well, well! What's this?" he asked.
    "I don't know," Ellen Robb said. "It's a revolver that I found in my baggage when I left George Anclitas' place-you know, The Big Barn in Rowena."
    "And when was that?"
    "I left Tuesday night."
    "And you noticed this in your things this morning?"
    "Yes."
    "And what did you do about it?"
    "Let's not answer any questions about that gun right now," Mason said. "Let's wait until we know why Lieutenant Tragg is interested in the gun."
    "I'm interested in it," Tragg said, "because it's a.38caliber Smith Sc Wesson revolver, and I want to know about it."
    "My client found it in her baggage," Mason said. "She told me about it as soon as she discovered it. I advised her to leave it there."
    "She didn't know anything at all about it, about where it came from or anything about it? It isn't her gun?"
    "That's right. She just found it there. Someone evidently put that gun in her suitcase."
    "How nice," Lt. Tragg said sarcastically. "How perfectly nice that Ellen Robb has an attorney representing her. What a happy coincidence that you were here."
    "What's so important about the gun?" Mason asked.
    "We'll tell you about that a little later," Tragg said.
    "Well, let me give you a little advice," Mason told him. "Just so you don't stick your neck out too far, Tragg, don't make any statements about that gun until you know what you're talking about."
    "What do you mean?"
    "I think you'll find that gun has absolutely no significance whatever."
    "What do you mean, no significance whatever?"
    "Just what I said. I can't elaborate. I'm giving you a personal, friendly tip, Lieutenant."
    "Thanks," Tragg said. "I could hardly hold down my job if it wasn't for your personal, friendly tips, Perry."
    "This one may be a little more significant than you think at the moment."
    "Why? What do you know?"
    "Not very much as yet," Mason said. "But there is a chance I may know more than my client."
    "Should you hold out on her that way?" Tragg asked sarcastically.
    "It may be for the best interests of all concerned," Mason said.
    Tragg said, "Miss Robb, would you mind letting me take your fingerprints so I can make a comparison with certain photographs?"
    Ellen Robb looked questioningly at Perry Mason.
    "Let him take your fingerprints," Mason said.
    Tragg opened the bag he was carrying, took out a portable fingerprint outfit, took Ellen Robb's fingerprints, then studied them carefully with a magnifying glass.
    He looked up at Ellen Robb, said, "You knew that Helman Ellis had a yacht that he called Cap's Eyes?"
    She nodded.
    "You've been aboard that yacht?"
    "Yes."
    "When was the last time?"
    "Early Tuesday evening."
    "What time?"
    "I don't know. About… oh, I'd say along about dusk.'' "What were you doing aboard?"
    "Looking 'for Mrs. Ellis."
    "Did you find her?"
    "No one was aboard. I heard that she and her husband were going on a cruise. I wanted to catch her before they left."
    "Why were you so anxious to see her?"
    "I wanted to talk with her."
    "What about?"
    "About various things. About… well, frankly, because I wanted to discuss her husband with her."
    "Why should you be discussing her husband with her?"
    "I think she had become jealous of me."
    "Why?"
    "I worked at The Big Barn, and her husband, Helman, spent some time there."
    "And you talked with him?"
    "At The Barn?"
    "Yes."
    "Of course I talked with him. That was part of my job, to keep the customers feeling good."
    "And Mrs. Ellis resented that?"
    "Frankly, I don't know. I heard she was jealous and I wanted to see her."
    "Why?"
    "I wanted to tell her there was absolutely no ground for any jealousy whatever."
    "So you went aboard the yacht?"
    "Yes."
    "And you had this gun with you?"
    "No."
    "No?"
    "No. Definitely not. That was before the gun was put in