earlderrbiggers.thehousewithoutakey-第19章

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　Action　…　he　must　have　action！　He　rushed　through　the　living…room；　past　the　astonished　Miss　Minerva。　In　the　drive　stood　a　car；　the　three　men　were　already　in　it。
　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　called　John　Quincy。　〃I'm　going　with　you。〃
　〃Hop　in；〃　said　Captain　Hallet。
　The　car　rolled　down　the　drive　and　out　on　to　the　hot　asphalt　of　Kalia　Road。　John　Quincy　sat　erect；　his　eyes　flashing；　by　the　side　of　a　huge　grinning　Chinese　man。
　
　CHAPTER　IX　
　At　The　Reef　And　Palm
　
　THEY　reached　Kalakaua　Avenue　and　swerving　sharply　to　the　right；　Captain　Hallet　stepped　on　the　gas。　Since　the　car　was　without　a　top；　John　Quincy　was　getting　an　unrestricted　view　of　this　land　that　lay　at　his　journey's　end。　As　a　small　boy　squirming　about　on　the　hard　pew　in　the　First　Unitarian　Church；　he　had　heard　much　of　Heaven；　and　his　youthful　imagination　had　pictured　it　as　something　like　this。　A　warm；　rather　languid　country　freshly　painted　in　the　gaudiest　colors　available。
　Creamy　white　clouds　wrapped　the　tops　of　the　distant　mountains；　and　their　slopes　were　bright　with　tropical　foliage。　John　Quincy　heard　near　at　hand　the　low　monotone　of　breakers　lapping　the　shore。　Occasionally　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　apple…green　water　and　a　dazzling　white　stretch　of　sand。　〃Oh；　Waikiki！　Oh；　scene　of　peace　…〃　What　was　the　rest　of　that　poem　his　Aunt　Minerva　had　quoted　in　her　last　letter　…　the　one　in　which　she　had　announced　that　she　was　staying　on　indefinitely。　〃And　looking　down　from　tum…tum　skies；　the　angels　smile　on　Waikiki。〃　Sentimental；　but　sentiment　was　one　of　Hawaii's　chief　exports。　One　had　only　to　look　at　the　place　to　understand　and　forgive。
　John　Quincy　had　not　delayed　for　a　hat；　and　the　sun　was　beating　down　fiercely　on　his　brown　head。　Charlie　Chan　glanced　at　him。
　〃Humbly　begging　pardon；〃　he　remarked；　〃would　say　it　is　unadvisable　to　venture　forth　without　headgear。　Especially　since　you　are　a　malihini。〃
　〃A　what？〃
　〃The　term　carries　no　offense。　Malihini　…　stranger；　newer。〃
　〃Oh。〃　John　Quincy　looked　at　him　curiously。　〃Are　you　a　malihini？〃
　〃Not　in　the　least；〃　grinned　Chan。　〃I　am　kamaaina　…　old…timer。　Pursuing　the　truth　further；　I　have　been　twenty…five　years　in　the　Islands。〃
　They　passed　a　huge　hotel；　and　presently　John　Quincy　saw　Diamond　Head　standing　an　impressive　guardian　at　the　far　end　of　that　lovely　curving　beach。　A　little　farther　along　the　captain　drew　up　to　the　curb　and　the　four　men　alighted。　On　the　other　side　of　a　dilapidated　fence　was　a　garden　that　might　have　been　Eden　at　its　best。
　Entering　past　a　gate　that　hung　sorrowfully　on　one　hinge　they　walked　up　a　dirt　path　and　in　a　moment　a　ramshackle　old　building　came　into　view。　They　were　approaching　it　on　an　angle；　and　John　Quincy　saw　that　the　greater　part　of　it　extended　out　over　the　water。　The　tottering　structure　was　of　two　stories；　with　double…decked　balconies　on　both　sides　and　the　rear。　It　had　rather　an　air　about　it；　once；　no　doubt；　it　had　been　worthy　to　stand　in　this　setting。　Flowering　vines　clambered　over　it　in　a　friendly　endeavor　to　hide　its　imperfections　from　the　world。
　〃Some　day；〃　announced　Charlie　Chan　solemnly；　〃those　rafters　underneath　will　disintegrate　and　the　Reef　and　Palm　Hotel　will　descend　into　the　sea　with　a　most　horrid　gurgle。〃
　As　they　drew　nearer；　it　seemed　to　John　Quincy　that　Chan's　prophecy　might　e　true　at　any　moment。　They　paused　at　the　foot　of　a　crumbling　stair　that　led　to　the　front　door；　and　as　they　did　so　a　man　emerged　hurriedly　from　the　Reef　and　Palm。　His　once　white　clothes　were　yellowed；　his　face　lined；　his　eyes　tired　and　disillusioned。　But　about　him；　as　about　the　hotel；　hung　the　suggestion　of　a　distinguished　past。
　〃Mr。　Egan；〃　said　Captain　Hallet　promptly。
　〃Oh　…　how　are　you？〃　the　man　replied；　with　an　accent　that　recalled　to　John　Quincy's　mind　his　meeting　with　Captain　Arthur　Temple　Cope。
　〃We　want　to　talk　to　you；〃　announced　Hallet　brusquely。
　A　shadow　crossed　Egan's　face。　〃I'm　frightfully　sorry；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　have　a　most　important　engagement；　and　I'm　late　as　it　is。　Some　other　time　…〃
　〃Now！〃　cut　in　Hallet。　The　word　shot　through　the　morning　like　a　rocket。　He　started　up　the　steps。
　〃Impossible；〃　said　Egan。　He　did　not　raise　his　voice。　〃Nothing　on　earth　could　keep　me　from　the　dock　this　morning　…〃
　The　captain　of　detectives　seized　his　arm。　〃e　inside！〃　he　ordered。
　Egan's　face　flushed。　〃Take　your　hand　off　me；　damn　you！　By　what　right　…〃
　〃You　watch　your　step；　Egan；〃　advised　Hallet　angrily。　〃You　know　why　I'm　here。〃
　〃I　do　not。〃
　Hallet　stared　into　the　man's　face。　〃Dan　Winterslip　was　murdered　last　night；〃　he　said。
　Jim　Egan　removed　his　hat；　and　looked　helplessly　out　toward　Kalakaua　Avenue。　〃So　I　read　in　the　morning　paper；〃　he　replied。　〃What　has　his　death　to　do　with　me？〃
　〃You　were　the　last　person　to　see　him　alive；〃　Hallet　answered。　〃Now　quit　bluffing　and　e　inside。〃
　Egan　cast　one　final　baffled　glance　at　the　street；　where　a　trolley　bound　for　the　city　three　miles　away　was　rattling　swiftly　by。　Then　he　bowed　his　head　and　led　the　way　into　the　hotel。
　They　entered　a　huge；　poorly　furnished　public　room；　deserted　save　for　a　woman　tourist　writing　post…cards　at　a　table；　and　a　shabby　Japanese　clerk　lolling　behind　the　desk。　〃This　way；〃　Egan　said；　and　they　followed　him　past　the　desk　and　into　a　small　private　office。　Here　all　was　confusion；　dusty　piles　of　magazines　and　newspapers　were　everywhere；　battered　old　ledgers　lay　upon　the　floor。　On　the　wall　hung　a　portrait　of　Queen　Victoria；　many　pictures　cut　from　the　London　illustrated　weeklies　were　tacked　up　haphazardly。　Jennison　spread　a　newspaper　carefully　over　the　window…sill　and　sat　down　there。　Egan　cleared　chairs　for　Hallet；　Chan　and　John　Quincy；　and　himself　took　his　place　before　an　ancient　roll…top　desk。
　〃If　you　will　be　brief；　Captain；〃　he　suggested；　〃I　might　still　have　time　…〃　He　glanced　at　a　clock　above　the　desk。
　〃Forget　that；〃　advised　Hallet　sharply。　His　manner　was　considerably　different　from　that　he　employed　in　the　house　of　a　leading　citizen　like　Dan　Winterslip。　〃Let's　get　to　business。〃　He　turned　to　Chan。　〃Got　your　book；　Charlie？〃
　〃Preparations　are　plete；〃　replied　Chan；　his　pencil　poised。
　〃All　right。〃　Hallet　drew　his　chair　closer　to　the　desk。　〃Now　Egan；　you　e　through　and　e　clean。　I　know　that　last　night　about　seven…thirty　you　called　up　Dan　Winterslip　and　tried　to　slide　out　of　an　appointment　you　had　made　with　him。　I　know　that　he　refused　to　let　you　off；　and　insisted　on　seeing　you　at　eleven。　About　that　time；　you　went　to　his　house。　You　and　he　had　a　rather　excited　talk。　At　one…twenty…five　Winterslip　was　found　dead。　Murdered；　Egan！　Now　give　me　your　end　of　it。〃
　Jim　Egan　ran　his　fingers　through　his　curly；　close…cropped　hair　…　straw…colored　once；　but　now　mostly　gray。　〃That's　all　quite　true；〃　he　said。　〃Do　…　do　you　mind　if　I　smoke？〃　He　took　out　a　silver　case　and　removed　a　cigarette。　His　hand　trembled　slightly　as　he　applied　the　match。　〃I　did　make　an　appointment　with　Winterslip　for　last　night；〃　he　continued。　〃During　the　course　of　the　day　I　…　I　changed　my　mind。　When　I　called　up　to　tell　him　so；　he　insisted　on　seeing　me。　He　urged　me　to　e　at　eleven；　and　I　went。〃
　〃Who　let　you　in？〃　Hallet　asked。
　〃Winterslip　was　waiting　in　the　garden　when　I　came。　We　went　inside　…〃
　Hallet　glanced　at　the　cigarette　in　Egan's　hand。　〃By　the　door　leading　directly　into　the　living…room？〃　he　asked。
　〃No；〃　said　Egan。　〃By　the　big　door　at　the　front　of　the　house。　Winterslip　took　me　out　on　his　lanai；　and　we　had　a　bit　of　a　chat　regarding　the　…　the　business　that　had　brought　me。　About　half　an　hour　later；　I　came　away。　When　I　left；　Winterslip　was　alive　and　well　…　in　good　spirits；　too。　Smiling；　as　a　matter　of　fact。〃
　〃By　what　door　did　you　leave？〃
　〃The　front　door　…　the　one　I'd　entered　by。〃
　〃I　see。〃　Hallet　looked　at　him　thoughtfully　for　a　moment。　〃You　went　back　later；　perhaps。〃
　〃I　did　not；〃　said　Egan　promptly。　〃I　came　directly　here　and　went　to　bed。〃
　〃Who　saw　you？〃
　〃No　one。　My　clerk　goes　off　duty　at　eleven。　The　hotel　is　open；　but　there　is　no　one　in　charge。　My　patronage　is　…　not　large。〃
　〃You　came　here　at　eleven…thirty　and　went　to　bed；〃　Hallet　said。　〃But　no　one　saw　you。　Tell　me；　were　you　well　acquainted　with　Dan　Winterslip？〃
　Egan　shook　his　head。　〃In　the　twenty…three　years　I've　been　in　Honolulu；　I　had　never　spoken　to　him　until　I　called　him　on