The Case of the Stuttering Bishop by Erle Stanley Gardner Page A
Authors: Erle Stanley Gardner
Tags: Crime
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evening."
Mason slit open the envelope. A five-dollar bill was clipped to a sheet of hotel stationery. A brief note read:
"DEAR MR. MASON: I realized I was being followed shortly after I left your office, so I got the janitor to let me out through the basement and alley. I subsequently telephoned to try and locate my cab, and found that you had paid it off. I am, therefore, reimbursing you herewith.
Insofar as the advice which you have given me is concerned, I beg you to consider it as bread cast upon the waters, and believe I can assure you that it will be returned a thousandfold. WILLIAM MALLORY"
Mason sighed, pulled the five-dollar bill from the clip, folded it, and slipped it in his vest pocket. "The bishop didn't say when he'd be back, did he?" Mason asked.
Jim Pauley shook his head, said, "A mighty nice chap, the bishop. Didn't seem to resent things at all. He got a lulu of a crack on his head. Couldn't even wear his hat. Had to be all bandaged up like a turban."
Mason nodded to Drake and said significantly, "Suppose you call your office, Paul."
Drake went into the telephone booth and talked for several moments into the transmitter. Then he opened the door of the booth and beckoned to Mason. "My operatives have reported back," he said in a low monotone, keeping his head back in the shadows of the booth. "They followed the bishop to Piers 157-158, Los Angeles harbor. He stopped at a pawnshop on the way, and bought two suitcases and some clothes. They followed him from there to the pier. He went up the gangplank of the S.S. Monterey, and he didn't come down again. The Monterey sailed tonight for Australia via Honolulu and Pago Pago. My men followed the ship in a speed launch well beyond the breakwater, to make sure the bishop didn't get off. Looks like your friend has taken a run-out powder. Watch your step, Perry. He's a phoney."
Mason shrugged and said, "Let me at that phone, Paul."
Della Street's voice on the line was excited, "Hello, Chief," she said. "You win."
"On what?" he asked.
"Julia Branner is here at the office, waiting for you; says she must see you at once."
Chapter 5
Julia Branner stared at Perry Mason with reddish-brown eyes which matched the glint in her hair. Her face was that of a young woman in the late twenties, save for a line beneath her chin and incipient calipers which stretched from her nose to the corners of her lips when she smiled.
"It's rather unusual for me to see clients at this hour," Mason said.
"I just got in," she told him. "I saw a light in your office, so I came in. Your secretary said you might see me."
"Live here in the city?" Mason asked.
"I'm staying with a friend at 214-A West Beechwood. I'm going to share an apartment with her."
"Married or single?" Mason asked casually.
"I go by the name of Miss Branner."
"You're working?"
"Not at present, but I've been working until recently. I have a little money."
"You've been working here in this city?"
"No, not here."
"Where?"
"Does that make any difference?"
"Yes," Mason told her.
"In Salt Lake City."
"And you say you're sharing an apartment with a woman here?"
"Yes."
"Someone you've known for some time?"
"Yes, I knew her in Salt Lake City. I've known her for years. We shared an apartment in Salt Lake."
"Telephone?"
"Yes, Gladstone eight-seven-one-nine."
"What's your occupation?"
"I'm a nurse… But wouldn't it be better for me to tell you what I want to see you about, Mr. Mason, before we go into all of these incidental matters?"
Mason shook his head slowly and said, "I always like to get the picture. How did you happen to consult me?"
"I heard you were a very fine lawyer."
"So you came on here from Salt Lake City to see me?"
"Well, not exactly."
"You came by train?"
"No, by plane."
"When?"
"Recently."
"Precisely when did you arrive?"
"At ten o'clock this morning – if you have to know."
"Who recommended me to you?"
"A man I knew in Australia."
Mason raised his eyebrows in silent
Mason slit open the envelope. A five-dollar bill was clipped to a sheet of hotel stationery. A brief note read:
"DEAR MR. MASON: I realized I was being followed shortly after I left your office, so I got the janitor to let me out through the basement and alley. I subsequently telephoned to try and locate my cab, and found that you had paid it off. I am, therefore, reimbursing you herewith.
Insofar as the advice which you have given me is concerned, I beg you to consider it as bread cast upon the waters, and believe I can assure you that it will be returned a thousandfold. WILLIAM MALLORY"
Mason sighed, pulled the five-dollar bill from the clip, folded it, and slipped it in his vest pocket. "The bishop didn't say when he'd be back, did he?" Mason asked.
Jim Pauley shook his head, said, "A mighty nice chap, the bishop. Didn't seem to resent things at all. He got a lulu of a crack on his head. Couldn't even wear his hat. Had to be all bandaged up like a turban."
Mason nodded to Drake and said significantly, "Suppose you call your office, Paul."
Drake went into the telephone booth and talked for several moments into the transmitter. Then he opened the door of the booth and beckoned to Mason. "My operatives have reported back," he said in a low monotone, keeping his head back in the shadows of the booth. "They followed the bishop to Piers 157-158, Los Angeles harbor. He stopped at a pawnshop on the way, and bought two suitcases and some clothes. They followed him from there to the pier. He went up the gangplank of the S.S. Monterey, and he didn't come down again. The Monterey sailed tonight for Australia via Honolulu and Pago Pago. My men followed the ship in a speed launch well beyond the breakwater, to make sure the bishop didn't get off. Looks like your friend has taken a run-out powder. Watch your step, Perry. He's a phoney."
Mason shrugged and said, "Let me at that phone, Paul."
Della Street's voice on the line was excited, "Hello, Chief," she said. "You win."
"On what?" he asked.
"Julia Branner is here at the office, waiting for you; says she must see you at once."
Chapter 5
Julia Branner stared at Perry Mason with reddish-brown eyes which matched the glint in her hair. Her face was that of a young woman in the late twenties, save for a line beneath her chin and incipient calipers which stretched from her nose to the corners of her lips when she smiled.
"It's rather unusual for me to see clients at this hour," Mason said.
"I just got in," she told him. "I saw a light in your office, so I came in. Your secretary said you might see me."
"Live here in the city?" Mason asked.
"I'm staying with a friend at 214-A West Beechwood. I'm going to share an apartment with her."
"Married or single?" Mason asked casually.
"I go by the name of Miss Branner."
"You're working?"
"Not at present, but I've been working until recently. I have a little money."
"You've been working here in this city?"
"No, not here."
"Where?"
"Does that make any difference?"
"Yes," Mason told her.
"In Salt Lake City."
"And you say you're sharing an apartment with a woman here?"
"Yes."
"Someone you've known for some time?"
"Yes, I knew her in Salt Lake City. I've known her for years. We shared an apartment in Salt Lake."
"Telephone?"
"Yes, Gladstone eight-seven-one-nine."
"What's your occupation?"
"I'm a nurse… But wouldn't it be better for me to tell you what I want to see you about, Mr. Mason, before we go into all of these incidental matters?"
Mason shook his head slowly and said, "I always like to get the picture. How did you happen to consult me?"
"I heard you were a very fine lawyer."
"So you came on here from Salt Lake City to see me?"
"Well, not exactly."
"You came by train?"
"No, by plane."
"When?"
"Recently."
"Precisely when did you arrive?"
"At ten o'clock this morning – if you have to know."
"Who recommended me to you?"
"A man I knew in Australia."
Mason raised his eyebrows in silent
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