“I wanted to discuss Celinda’s temperament with you,” Dail said. “The child is rather nervous. She’s never been in court before and she’s read in the newspapers something of your vigorous cross-examination of Aileen Fell. I thought that perhaps we might reach some arrangement, Mr. Mason, by which Celinda wouldn’t be subjected to such a grilling cross-examination.”
Mason said, “What agreement did you have in mind?”
“Well,” Dail said, “of course the matter is rather delicate and I wouldn’t want you to misunderstand what I have in mind, but as I understand it, five thousand dollars of the money I have just paid goes toward your fees, five thousand goes to Mrs. Moar. Now, it seems to me that the very clever and adroit representation you are giving Mrs. Moar should entitle you to a larger fee. And, because she was a fellow passenger on the ship, I might be willing to interest myself somewhat in her behalf.”
“You mean to the extent of adding to my fees?” Mason asked.
“Yes,” Dail said.
Mason’s mouth twisted in a fighting grin. “I think I understand you perfectly, Dail,” he said, “and it happens I’m very glad your daughter is going to be a witness.”
“Why?” Dail said. “I thought the fact that she had seen Mrs. Moar carrying that money belt might... well, might be damaging.”
Mason said, “Never mind that. When Celinda gets on the stand, I’m entitled to show, by way of cross-examination, her bias toward the parties.
“I happen to know that Celinda found out from Belle that she’d graduated from the University of Southern California; that she sent a wireless to Rooney asking him to look up a Belle Newberry who had graduated from the University of Southern California. With that to go on, it didn’t take Rooney long to find out that her stepfather was Carl Moar. Celinda wanted to humiliate Belle Newberry. She thought the best way to do it would be to have detectives waiting at the gangplank to take Moar into custody. I have reason to believe she had made all the arrangements. Now then, on cross-examination I am entitled to show all of that in order to show bias on the part of the witness.”
“But,” Dail said, “I don’t see what that’s going to gain you. After all, it’s rather petty, it certainly doesn’t affect Mrs. Moar—”