earlderrbiggers.thehousewithoutakey-第14章

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　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；　she　saw　Dan　Winterslip。　He　was　lying　on　his　left　side；　and　as　she　stared　down　at　him；　one　of　the　harmless　little　Island　lizards　ran　up　his　chest　and　over　his　shoulder　…　and　left　a　crimson　trail　on　his　white　pajamas。
　
　CHAPTER　VII　
　Enter　Charlie　Chan
　
　MISS　MINERVA　leaned　far　over；　her　keen　eyes　seeking　Dan's　face。　It　was　turned　toward　the　wall；　half　buried　in　the　pillow。　〃Dan；〃　she　said　brokenly。　She　put　her　hand　on　his　cheek。　The　night　air　was　warm　and　muggy；　but　she　shivered　a　little　as　she　drew　the　hand　quickly　away。　Steady！　She　must　be　steady　now。
　She　hurried　through　the　living…room　to　the　hall；　the　telephone　was　in　a　closet　under　the　front　stairs。　Her　fingers　were　trembling　again　as　she　fumbled　with　the　numerals　on　the　dial。　She　got　her　number；　heard　finally　an　answering　voice。
　〃Amos？　Is　that　you；　Amos？　This　is　Minerva。　e　over　here　to　Dan's　as　quickly　as　you　can。〃
　The　voice　muttered　in　protest。　Miss　Minerva　cut　in　on　it　sharply。
　〃For　God's　sake；　Amos；　forget　your　silly　feud。　Your　brother　is　dead。〃
　〃Dead？〃　he　repeated　dully。
　〃Murdered；　Amos。　Will　you　e　now？〃
　A　long　silence。　What　thoughts；　Miss　Minerva　wondered；　were　passing　through　the　mind　of　that　stern　unbending　Puritan？
　〃I'll　e；〃　a　strange　voice　said　at　last。　And　then；　a　voice　more　like　that　of　the　Amos　she　knew：　〃The　police！　I'll　notify　them；　and　then　I'll　e　right　over。〃
　Returning　to　the　hall；　Miss　Minerva　saw　that　the　big　front　door　was　closed。　Amos　would　enter　that　way；　she　knew；　so　she　went　over　and　opened　it。　There　was；　she　noted；　an　imposing　lock；　but　the　key　had　long　since　been　lost　and　forgotten。　Indeed；　in　all　Dan's　great　house；　she　could　not　recall　ever　having　seen　a　key。　In　these　friendly　trusting　islands；　locked　doors　were　obsolete。
　She　reentered　the　living…room。　Should　she　summon　a　doctor？　But　no；　it　was　too　late；　she　knew　that　only　too　well。　And　the　police　…　didn't　they　bring　some　sort　of　doctor　with　them？　Suddenly　she　began　to　wonder　about　the　police。　During　all　her　time　in　Honolulu　she　had　never　given　them　a　thought　before。　Away　off　here　at　the　end　of　the　world　…　did　they　have　policemen？　She　couldn't　remember　ever　having　seen　one。　Oh；　yes　…　there　was　that　handsome；　brown…skinned　Hawaiian　who　stood　on　a　box　at　the　corner　of　Fort　and　King　Streets；　directing　traffic　with　an　air　that　would　have　bee　Kamehameha　himself。　She　heard　the　scrape　of　a　chair　being　moved　on　the　lanai；　and　went　to　the　door。
　〃Nothing　is　to　be　touched　out　here；〃　she　said。　〃Leave　it　just　as　it　was。　You'd　better　go　up…stairs　and　dress；　both　of　you。〃
　The　two　frightened　servants　came　into　the　living…room；　and　stood　there　regarding　her。　They　seemed　to　feel　that　this　terrible　affair　called　for　discussion。　But　what　was　there　to　be　said？　Even　in　the　event　of　murder；　a　Winterslip　must　maintain　a　certain　well…bred　aloofness　in　dealing　with　servants。　Miss　Minerva's　feeling　for　them　was　kindly。　She　sympathized　with　their　evident　grief；　but　there　was；　she　felt；　nothing　to　discuss。
　〃After　you've　dressed；〃　she　ordered；　〃stay　within　reach。　You'll　both　be　wanted。〃
　They　went　out；　Haku　in　his　absurd　costume；　Kamaikui　moaning　and　muttering　in　a　way　that　sent　shivers　up　and　down　Miss　Minerva's　spine。　They　left　her　there　alone　…　with　Dan　…　and　she　who　had　always　thought　herself　equal　to　anything　still　hesitated　about　going　out　on　the　lanai。
　She　sat　down　in　a　huge　chair　in　the　living…room　and　gazed　about　her　at　the　trappings　of　wealth　and　position　that　Dan　had　left　for　ever　now。　Poor　Dan。　Despite　all　the　whispering　against　him；　she　had　liked　him　immensely。　It　is　said　of　many　…　usually　with　small　reason　…　that　their　lives　would　make　an　interesting　book。　It　had　been　said　of　Dan；　and　in　his　case　it　was　true。　What　a　book　his　life　would　have　made　…　and　how　promptly　it　would　have　been　barred　for　all　time　from　the　shelves　of　the　Boston　Public　Library！　For　Dan　had　lived　life　to　the　full；　made　his　own　laws；　fought　his　battles　without　mercy；　prospered　and　had　his　way。　Dallied　often　along　forbidden　paths；　they　said；　but　his　smile　had　been　so　friendly　and　his　voice　so　full　of　cheer　…　always　until　these　last　two　weeks。
　Ever　since　that　night　he　sent　the　letter　to　Roger；　he　had　seemed　a　different　man。　There　were　lines　for　the　first　time　in　his　face；　a　weary　apprehensive　look　in　his　gray　eyes。　And　how　furious　he　had　been　when；　last　Wednesday；　he　received　a　cable　from　Roger。　What　was　in　that　message；　Miss　Minerva　wondered；　what　were　those　few　typewritten　words　that　had　caused　him　to　fly　into　such　a　rage　and　set　him　to　pacing　the　floor　with　tigerish　step？
　She　thought　of　him　as　she　had　seen　him　last　…　he　had　seemed　rather　pathetic　to　her　then。　When　the　news　came　that　the　President　Tyler　could　not　dock　until　morning；　and　that　Barbara　…
　Miss　Minerva　stopped。　For　the　first　time　she　thought　of　Barbara。　She　thought　of　a　sprightly；　vivacious　girl　as　yet　untouched　by　sorrow　…　and　of　the　morning's　homeing。　Tears　came　into　her　eyes；　and　it　was　through　a　mist　she　saw　the　bamboo　curtain　that　led　into　the　hall　pushed　aside；　and　the　thin　white　face　of　Amos　framed　there。
　Amos　entered；　walking　gingerly；　for　he　was　treading　ground　he　had　sworn　his　feet　should　never　touch。　He　paused　before　Miss　Minerva。
　〃What's　this？〃　he　said。　〃What's　all　this？〃
　She　nodded　toward　the　lanai；　and　he　went　out　there。　After　what　seemed　a　long　time；　he　reappeared。　His　shoulders　drooped　wearily　and　his　watery　eyes　were　staring。
　〃Stabbed　through　the　heart；〃　he　muttered。　He　stood　for　a　moment　regarding　his　father's　picture　on　the　wall。　〃The　wages　of　sin　is　death；〃　he　added；　as　though　to　old　Jedediah　Winterslip。
　〃Yes；　Amos；〃　said　Miss　Minerva　sharply。　〃I　expected　we　should　hear　that　from　you。　And　there's　another　one　you　may　have　heard　…　judge　not　that　ye　be　not　judged。　Further　than　that；　we'll　waste　no　time　moralizing。　Dan　is　dead；　and　I　for　one　am　sorry。〃
　〃Sorry！〃　repeated　Amos　drearily。　〃How　about　me？　My　brother　…　my　young　brother　…　I　taught　him　to　walk　on　this　very　beach　…〃
　〃Yes。〃　Miss　Minerva　looked　at　him　keenly。　〃I　wonder。　Well；　Dan's　gone。　Some　one　has　killed　him。　He　was　one　of　us　…　a　Winterslip。　What　are　we　going　to　do　about　it？〃
　〃I've　notified　the　police；〃　said　Amos。
　〃Then　why　aren't　they　here？　In　Boston　by　this　time　…　but　then；　I　know　this　isn't　Boston。　Stabbed；　you　say。　Was　there　any　sign　of　a　weapon？〃
　〃None　whatever；　that　I　could　see。〃
　〃How　about　that　Malay　kris　on　the　table　out　there？　The　one　Dan　used　as　a　paper　cutter？〃
　〃I　didn't　notice；〃　Amos　replied。　〃This　is　a　strange　house　to　me；　Minerva。〃
　〃So　it　is。〃　Miss　Minerva　rose　and　started　for　the　lanai。　She　was　her　old　petent　self　again。　At　that　moment　a　loud　knock　sounded　on　the　screen　door　at　the　front　of　the　house。　Presently　there　were　voices　in　the　hall；　and　Haku　ushered　three　men　into　the　living…room。　Though　evidently　police；　they　were　all　in　plain　clothes。　One　of　them；　a　tall；　angular　Yankee　with　the　look　of　a　sailing　master　about　him；　stepped　forward。
　〃I'm　Hallet；〃　he　said。　〃Captain　of　Detectives。　You're　Mr。　Amos　Winterslip；　I　believe？〃
　〃I　am；〃　Amos　answered。　He　introduced　Miss　Minerva。　Captain　Hallet　gave　her　a　casual　nod；　this　was　man's　business　and　he　disliked　having　a　woman　involved。
　〃Dan　Winterslip；　you　said；〃　he　remarked；　turning　back　to　Amos。　〃That's　a　great　pity。　Where　is　he？〃
　Amos　indicated　the　lanai。　〃e；　Doctor；〃　Hallet　said；　and　went　through　the　curtain；　followed　by　the　smaller　of　the　two　men。
　As　they　went　out；　the　third　man　stepped　farther　into　the　room；　and　Miss　Minerva　gave　a　little　gasp　of　astonishment　as　she　looked　at　him。　In　those　warm　islands　thin　men　were　the　rule；　but　here　was　a　striking　exception。　He　was　very　fat　indeed；　yet　he　walked　with　the　light　dainty　step　of　a　woman。　His　cheeks　were　as　chubby　as　a　baby's；　his　skin　ivory　tinted；　his　black　hair　close…cropped；　his　amber　eyes　slanting。　As　he　passed　Miss　Minerva　he　bowed　with　a　courtesy　encountered　all　too　rarely　in　a　work…a…day　world；　then　moved　on　after　Hallet。
　〃Amos！〃　cried　Miss　Minerva。　〃That　man　…　why　he　…〃
　〃Charlie　Chan；〃　Amos　explained。　〃I'm　glad　they　brought