"Your name?" Burger asked.

" Dalton C. Bates."

"Your profession?"

"I'm a maker of artificial eyes."

"How long have you been making artificial eyes?"

"Ever since I was fifteen years of age. I started an apprenticeship in Germany at that age."

"Is there any particular advantage in studying in Germany?"

"Yes, sir."

"What is it?"

"All of the glass that is used in making artificial eyes is manufactured in two places in Germany. The formula under which the glass is manufactured is kept secret. It has never been duplicated in this country. It takes a certain particular type of glass."

"Where did you study in Germany?"

"I served an apprenticeship in Wiesbaden."

"Over what period of time?"

"Five years."

"Then what did you do?"

"Then I worked with one of the best artificial eye experts in Germany for ten years. I came to San Francisco and studied for a while with Sidney O. Noles. Then I started in business for myself, and since that time I have been manufacturing artificial eyes."

Perry Mason sat forward on the edge of his chair, his eyes surveying the witness.

"You're qualifying this man as an expert?" he asked of the district attorney.

"Yes!" Burger said shortly.

"Go ahead, then," Mason said.

"The making of artificial eyes is a profession, and a highly specialized profession?" Burger asked.

"Yes, sir. Very much so."

"Can you describe how an artificial eye is made—that is, generally?"

"Yes, sir. The glass is first blown into a ball. That is, the glass comes in a tube. It is then blown and pinched off in the flame in such a manner that it forms a ball. The particular color of glass chosen is that which will match the white of the eye to be duplicated.

"The iris of the eye is then built up on the surface of the ball by the use of solid bits of colored glass which are blended carefully while the glass ball is being rotated. If you will study the human eye you will see that it is composed of numerous colors. While one color predominates, there are various different shades in the iris. These shades must not only be duplicated, but the glass must be fused in such a manner that there is not only a true color, but a true formation of the little color patches, and of brilliance, as well. The pupil is made by using a very black glass which, incidentally, is backed with purple, and the size and shape of the pupil must be carefully considered.

"It is also necessary to study the blood supply of the eye which is to be duplicated. Veins must be traced upon the artificial eye. These veins are more plentiful on either side of the iris, and vary greatly in color with the individual, some having a yellowish tinge, some being redder than others, some being more prominent.

"When the eye is finished, it is covered with a clear crystal, which is fused onto the glass. After this is done, the ball of glass is cut by a torch and molded into shape.

"I have given you only a brief outline of the steps involved."

Burger nodded and said, "It is, then, a very specialized profession?"

"Very much so."

"Can you give us any better idea of what a specialized profession it is?" Burger asked.

"I can tell you this," Bates said. "There are not more than thirteen men in the United States who are recognized as being firstclass artificial eye makers. There are so many things which enter into the making of an eye; first, there must be a very expert manipulation of the materials; then there must be a certain individual artistry of color blending. A really successful maker of artificial eyes must combine the skill of an artist, when it comes to blending colors, with the craftsmanship of a very expert glassblower."

"It is, therefore, possible to recognize the work of certain individuals," Burger asked, "in the same manner that an artist could recognize the work of another artist by reason of the manner in which the pigments were applied?"

"In many instances it is," Bates said.

"I will," Burger said, "hand you herewith an artificial eye, which has been introduced in evidence as People's Exhibit A. It is an eye which was found clasped in the hand of a murdered man. I will ask you to examine such eye and state whether or not you can tell anything concerning that eye."

Bates looked at the eye which Burger handed him and nodded his head.

"Yes," he said, "I can tell a great deal about it."

"What can you tell?" Burger asked.

Judge Winters frowned, looked at Perry Mason as though expecting an objection. When he heard none he said to Burger, "The question is rather peculiarly put, Counselor."

"There is no objection," Mason said.

"This eye," Bates stated, "was made by a very expert craftsman. I think that I can give the name of that craftsman. He is one who resides in San Francisco. The eye is a bloodshot eye. That is, it is an eye which was made to be worn only on occasions, yet, the eye has been worn, or used, as you may care to put it. The man who wore it is one who has a very high degree of bodily acidity."

"How," asked Burger, "can you tell that?"

"By this ring, which you can see about the edge of the eye. That is caused by body acids entering the glass and causing a slight discoloration. After a certain period of use, this discoloration becomes quite pronounced. It can be partially removed by a bleaching treatment, but the life of the eye is shortened by these body acids which enter the glass and which cause it to become unduly brittle."

Burger nodded to Perry Mason.

"With your permission, Counselor," he said, "I will ask this witness questions concerning another eye, which I will subsequently identify. In order that there may be no question of taking advantage of Counsel, I will state that the eye, concerning which I am about to interrogate Doctor Bates, was one which was found in the hand of another dead person, to wit, one Harry McLane."

"It is your contention," Judge Winters asked, "that you have the right to introduce evidence of more than one crime, Counselor?"

"No," said Burger, "I am introducing evidence only against these defendants for the murder of Hartley Basset. The evidence which I am now about to introduce is evidence to explain motivation."

"Very well," Judge Winters said, "it will be limited to that purpose."

Burger opened another envelope, took from it an artificial eye, and dropped it into the extended palm of the witness.

"What can you tell us about this eye, Doctor?"

"This eye was not as carefully constructed as the other. It is, I would say, a stock eye. That is, it is an eye which was not made to order for any particular person, but is one of a large stock of eyes such as is kept by any wellequipped optician in a large city."

"What are your reasons for making that statement, Doctor?"

"The eye was completed and was covered with crystal. It was then a clear eye—that is, it was an eye made to match a normally clear eye. After it was covered with crystal, a hurried attempt was made to simulate a bloodshot eye. These little glass veins, which give the white of the eye the bloodshot appearance, were put on after the crystal covering had been placed on the eye. There is no trace whatever of any color line on the eye, and I would, therefore, say that it had not been worn, at any rate, for any appreciable period of time, particularly by the person who wore the other eye which you first gave me."

"May we," Burger asked, "have this eye marked, for identification, as People's Exhibit B?"

"No objection," Mason said.

"Let it be marked for identification," Judge Winters ordered.

"Crossexamine," Burger said.

Mason asked casually, "Why should a person have a socalled bloodshot eye, Doctor?"

"Some people are very sensitive about their artificial eyes. They don't want it known that they have them. For that reason, they go to elaborate precautions to keep from being discovered. They have eyes made to wear in the evening; eyes to wear when they're not feeling well; eyes made to wear when their natural eye is inflamed."