earlderrbiggers.thehousewithoutakey-第13章

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ut　game　with　the　fast…moving　clouds　all　evening；　was　again　obscured。　Exotic　odors　assailed　her　nostrils；　she　heard　all　about　her　the　soft　intriguing　noises　of　the　tropic　night。　She　really　should　get　to　bed；　she　knew；　but　with　a　happy　truant　feeling　she　turned　from　the　front　walk　and　went　to　the　side　of　the　house　for　a　last　look　at　the　breakers。
　She　stood　there　under　a　poinciana　tree　near　the　door　leading　into　Dan's　living…room。　For　nearly　two　weeks　the　Kona　wind　had　prevailed；　but　now　on　her　cheek；　she　thought　she　felt　the　first　kindly　breath　of　the　trades。　Very　wide　awake；　she　stared　out　at　the　dim　foaming　lines　of　surf　between　the　shore　and　the　coral　reef。　Her　mind　strayed　back　to　the　Honolulu　she　had　known　in　Kalakaua's　day；　to　that　era　when　the　Islands　were　so　naive；　so　colorful　…　unspoiled。　Ruined　now；　Dan　had　said；　ruined　by　a　damned　mechanical　civilization。　〃But　away　down　underneath；　Minerva；　there　are　deep　dark　waters　flowing　still。〃
　The　moon　came　out；　touching　with　silver　the　waters　at　the　crossroads；　then　was　lost　again　under　fleecy　clouds。　With　a　little　sigh　that　was　perhaps　for　her　lost　youth　and　the　'eighties；　Miss　Minerva　pushed　open　the　unlocked　door　leading　into　the　great　living…room；　and　closed　it　gently　so　as　not　to　waken　Dan。
　An　intense　darkness　engulfed　her。　But　she　knew　her　way　across　the　polished　floor　and　set　out　confidently；　walking　on　tiptoe。　She　had　gone　half…way　to　the　hall　door　when　she　stopped；　her　heart　in　her　mouth。　For　not　five　feet　away　she　saw　the　luminous　dial　of　a　watch；　and　as　she　stared　at　it　with　frightened　eyes；　it　moved。
　Not　for　nothing　had　Miss　Minerva　studied　restraint　through　more　than　fifty　years。　Many　women　would　have　screamed　and　fainted。　Miss　Minerva's　heart　pounded　madly；　but　that　was　all。　Standing　very　still；　she　studied　that　phosphorescent　dial。　Its　movement　had　been　slight；　it　was　now　at　rest　again。　A　watch　worn　on　some　one's　wrist。　Some　one　who　had　been　on　the　point　of　action；　but　had　now　assumed　an　attitude　of　cautious　waiting。
　Well；　Miss　Minerva　grimly　asked　herself；　what　was　she　going　to　do　about　it？　Should　she　cry　out　a　sharp：　〃Who's　there？〃　She　was　a　brave　woman；　but　the　foolhardiness　of　such　a　course　was　apparent。　She　had　a　vision　of　that　dial　flashing　nearer；　a　blow；　perhaps　strong　hands　at　her　throat。
　She　took　a　tentative　step；　and　then　another。　Now；　surely；　the　dial　would　stir　again。　But　it　remained　motionless；　steady；　as　though　the　arm　that　wore　it　were　rigid　at　the　intruder's　side。
　Suddenly　Miss　Minerva　realized　the　situation。　The　wearer　of　the　watch　had　forgotten　the　tell…tale　numerals　on　his　wrist；　he　thought　himself　hidden　in　the　dark。　He　was　waiting　for　her　to　go　on　through　the　room。　If　she　made　no　sound；　gave　no　sign　of　alarm；　she　might　be　safe。　Once　beyond　that　bamboo　curtain　leading　into　the　hall；　she　could　rouse　the　household。
　She　was　a　woman　of　great　will　power；　but　it　took　all　she　had　to　move　serenely　on　her　way。　She　shut　her　lips　tightly　and　acplished　it；　veering　a　bit　from　that　circle　of　light　that　menaced　her；　looking　back　at　it　over　her　shoulder　as　she　went。　After　what　seemed　an　eternity　the　bamboo　curtain　received　her；　she　was　through　it；　she　was　on　the　stairs。　But　it　seemed　to　her　that　never　again　would　she　be　able　to　look　at　a　watch　or　a　clock　and　find　that　the　hour　was　anything　save　twenty　minutes　past　one！
　When　she　was　half…way　up　the　stairs；　she　recalled　that　it　had　been　her　intention　to　snap　on　the　lights　in　the　lower　hall。　She　did　not　turn　back；　nor　did　she　search　for　the　switch　at　the　head　of　the　stairs。　Instead；　she　went　hastily　on　into　her　room；　and　just　as　though　she　had　been　an　ordinary　woman；　she　closed　her　door　and　dropped　down；　trembling　a　little；　on　a　chair。
　But　she　was　no　ordinary　woman；　and　in　two　seconds　she　was　up　and　had　reopened　her　door。　Her　sudden　terror　was　evaporating；　she　felt　her　heart　beat　in　a　strong　regular　rhythm　again。　Action　was　required　of　her　now；　calm　confident　action；　she　was　a　Winterslip　and　she　was　ready。
　The　servants'　quarters　were　in　a　wing　over　the　kitchen；　she　went　there　at　once　and　knocked　on　the　first　door　she　came　to。　She　knocked　once；　then　again；　and　finally　the　head　of　a　very　sleepy　Japanese　man　appeared。
　〃Haku；〃　said　Miss　Minerva；　〃there　is　some　one　in　the　living…room。　You　must　go　down　and　investigate　at　once。〃
　He　stared　at　her；　seeming　unable　to　prehend。
　〃We　must　go　down；〃　amended　Miss　Minerva。
　He　disappeared；　and　Miss　Minerva　waited　impatiently。　Where　was　her　nerve；　she　wondered；　why　hadn't　she　seen　this　through　alone？　At　home；　no　doubt；　she　could　have　managed　it；　but　here　there　was　something　strange　and　terrifying　in　the　very　air。　The　moonlight　poured　in　through　a　small　window　beside　her；　forming　a　bright　square　at　her　feet。　Haku　reappeared；　wearing　a　gaudy　kimono　that　he　often　sported　on　the　beach。
　Another　door　opened　suddenly；　and　Miss　Minerva　started。　Bah！　What　ailed　her；　anyhow；　she　wondered。　It　was　only　Kamaikui；　standing　there　a　massive　figure　in　the　dim　doorway；　a　bronze　statue　clad　in　a　holoku。
　〃Some　one　in　the　living…room；〃　Miss　Minerva　explained　again。　〃I　saw　him　as　I　came　through。〃
　Kamaikui　made　no　reply；　but　joined　the　odd　little　procession。　In　the　upper　hall　Haku　switched　on　the　lights；　both　up…stairs　and　down。　At　the　head　of　the　stairs　there　was　a　brief　pause　…　then　Miss　Minerva　took　her　rightful　place　at　the　head　of　the　line。　She　descended　with　a　firm　step；　courageous　and　petent；　Boston　at　its　best。　After　her　followed　a　stolid　little　Japanese　man　in　a　kimono　gay　with　passionate　poppies；　and　a　Polynesian　woman　who　wore　the　fearful　Mother　Hubbard　of　the　missionaries　as　though　it　were　a　robe　of　state。
　In　the　lower　hall　Miss　Minerva　did　not　hesitate。　She　pushed　on　through　the　bamboo　curtain　and　her　hand　…　it　trembled　ever　so　slightly　…　found　the　electric　switch　and　flooded　the　living…room　with　light。　She　heard　the　crackle　of　bamboo　behind　her　as　her　strange　panions　followed　where　she　led。　She　stood　looking　curiously　about　her。
　There　was　no　one　in　sight；　no　sign　of　any　disturbance；　and　it　suddenly　occurred　to　Miss　Minerva　that　perhaps　she　was　behaving　in　a　rather　silly　fashion。　After　all；　she　had　neither　seen　nor　heard　a　living　thing。　The　illuminated　dial　of　a　watch　that　moved　a　little　…　might　it　not　have　been　a　figment　of　her　imagination？　She　had　experienced　a　stirring　evening。　Then；　too；　she　remembered；　there　had　been　that　small　glass　of　okolehau。　A　potent　concoction！
　Kamaikui　and　Haku　were　looking　at　her　with　the　inquiring　eyes　of　little　children。　Had　she　roused　them　for　a　fool's　errand？　Her　cheeks　flushed　slightly。　Certainly　in　this　big　brilliant　room；　furnished　with　magnificent　native　woods　and　green　with　many　potted　ferns；　everything　seemed　proper　and　in　order。
　〃I　…　I　may　have　been　mistaken；〃　she　said　in　a　low　voice。　〃I　was　quite　sure　…　but　there's　no　sign　of　anything　wrong。　Mr。　Winterslip　has　not　been　resting　well　of　late。　If　he　should　be　asleep　we　won't　waken　him。〃
　She　went　to　the　door　leading　on　to　the　lanai　and　pushed　aside　the　curtain。　Bright　moonlight　outside　revealed　most　of　the　veranda's　furnishings；　and　here；　too；　all　seemed　well。　〃Dan；〃　Miss　Minerva　called　softly。　〃Dan。　Are　you　awake？〃
　No　answer。　Miss　Minerva　was　certain　now　that　she　was　making　a　mountain　out　of　a　molehill。　She　was　about　to　turn　back　into　the　living…room　when　her　eyes；　grown　more　accustomed　to　the　semi…darkness；　noted　a　rather　startling　fact。
　Day　and　night；　over　Dan's　cot　in　one　corner　of　the　lanai；　hung　a　white　mosquito　netting。　It　was　not　there　now。
　〃e；　Haku；〃　Miss　Minerva　said。　〃Turn　on　the　light　out　here。〃
　Haku　came；　and　the　green…shaded　lamp　glowed　under　his　touch。　The　little　lamp　by　which　Dan　had　been　reading　his　evening　paper　that　night　when　he　had　seemed　suddenly　so　disturbed；　and　rushed　off　to　send　a　letter　to　Roger　in　San　Francisco。　Miss　Minerva　stood　recalling　that　incident；　she　recalled　others；　because　she　was　very　reluctant　to　turn　toward　that　cot　in　the　corner。　She　was　conscious　of　Kamaikui　brushing　by　her；　and　then　she　heard　a　low；　half…savage　moan　of　fear　and　sorrow。
　Miss　Minerva　stepped　to　the　cot。　The　mosquito　netting　had　been　torn　down　as　though　in　some　terrific　struggle　and　there；　entangled　in　the　meshes　of　it；