earlderrbiggers.thehousewithoutakey-第24章

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Japanese　girls　in　bright　kimonos　drew　in　their　tiny　sandaled　feet　and　he　slipped　past　them　to　a　seat。
　
　CHAPTER　XI　
　The　Tree　Of　Jewels
　
　TWO　HOURS　later；　John　Quincy　rose　from　the　table　where　he　and　his　aunt　had　dined　together。
　〃Just　to　show　you　how　quick　I　am　to　learn　a　new　language；〃　he　remarked；　〃I'm　quite　pau。　Now　I'm　going　makai　to　sit　on　the　lanai；　there　to　forget　the　pilikia　of　the　day。〃
　Miss　Minerva　smiled　and　rose　too。　〃I　expect　Amos　shortly；〃　she　said　as　they　crossed　the　hall。　〃A　family　conference　seemed　advisable；　so　I've　asked　him　to　e　over。〃
　〃Strange　you　had　to　send　for　him；〃　said　John　Quincy；　lighting　a　cigarette。
　〃Not　at　all；〃　she　answered。　She　explained　about　the　long　feud　between　the　brothers。
　〃Didn't　think　old　Amos　had　that　much　fire　in　him；〃　mented　John　Quincy；　as　they　found　chairs　on　the　lanai。　〃A　rather　anemic　specimen；　judging　by　the　look　I　had　at　him　this　morning。　But　then；　the　Winterslips　always　were　good　haters。〃
　For　a　moment　they　sat　in　silence。　Outside　the　darkness　was　deepening　rapidly；　the　tropic　darkness　that　had　brought　tragedy　the　night　before。　John　Quincy　pointed　to　a　small　lizard　on　the　screen。
　〃Pleasant　little　beast；〃　he　said。
　〃Oh；　they're　quite　harmless；〃　Miss　Minerva　told　him。　〃And　they　eat　the　mosquitos。〃
　〃They　do；　eh？〃　The　boy　slapped　his　ankle　savagely。　〃Well；　there's　no　accounting　for　tastes。〃
　Amos　arrived　presently；　looking　unusually　pale　in　the　half…light。　〃You　asked　me　to　e　over；　Minerva；〃　he　said；　as　he　sat　down　gingerly　on　one　of　Dan　Winterslip's　Hong…Kong　chairs。
　〃I　did。　Smoke　if　you　like。〃　Amos　lighted　a　cigarette；　which　seemed　oddly　out　of　place　between　his　thin　lips。　〃I'm　sure；〃　Miss　Minerva　continued；　〃that　we　are　all　determined　to　bring　to　justice　the　person　who　did　this　ghastly　thing。〃
　〃Naturally；〃　said　Amos。
　〃The　only　drawback；〃　she　went　on；　〃is　that　in　the　course　of　the　investigation　some　rather　unpleasant　facts　about　Dan's　past　are　likely　to　be　revealed。〃
　〃They're　bound　to　be；〃　remarked　Amos　coldly。
　〃For　Barbara's　sake；〃　Miss　Minerva　said；　〃I'm　intent　on　seeing　that　nothing　is　revealed　that　is　not　absolutely　essential　to　the　discovery　of　the　murderer。　For　that　reason；　I　haven't　taken　the　police　pletely　into　my　confidence。〃
　〃What！〃　cried　Amos。
　John　Quincy　stood　up。　〃Now　look　here；　Aunt　Minerva　…〃
　〃Sit　down；〃　snapped　his　aunt。　〃Amos；　to　go　back　to　a　talk　we　had　at　your　house　when　I　was　there；　Dan　was　somewhat　involved　with　this　woman　down　the　beach。　Arlene　pton；　I　believe　she　calls　herself。〃
　Amos　nodded。　〃Yes；　and　a　worthless　lot　she　is。　But　Dan　wouldn't　see　it；　though　I　understand　his　friends　pointed　it　out　to　him。　He　talked　of　marrying　her。〃
　〃You　knew　a　good　deal　about　Dan；　even　if　you　never　spoke　to　him；〃　Miss　Minerva　went　on。　〃Just　what　was　his　status　with　this　woman　at　the　time　of　his　murder　…　only　last　night；　but　it　seems　ages　ago。〃
　〃I　can't　quite　tell　you　that；〃　Amos　replied。　〃I　do　know　that　for　the　past　month　a　malihini　named　Leatherbee　…　the　black　sheep　of　a　good　family　in　Philadelphia；　they　tell　me　…　has　been　hanging　around　the　pton　woman；　and　that　Dan　resented　his　presence。〃
　〃Humph。〃　Miss　Minerva　handed　to　Amos　an　odd　old　brooch；　a　tree　of　jewels　against　an　onyx　background。　〃Ever　see　that　before；　Amos？〃
　He　took　it；　and　nodded。　〃It's　part　of　a　little　collection　of　jewelry　Dan　brought　back　from　the　South　Seas　in　the　'eighties。　There　were　ear…rings　and　a　bracelet；　too。　He　acted　rather　queerly　about　those　trinkets　…　never　let　Barbara's　mother　or　any　one　else　wear　them。　But　he　must　have　got　over　that　idea　recently。　For　I　saw　this　only　a　few　weeks　ago。〃
　〃Where？〃　asked　Miss　Minerva。
　〃Our　office　has　the　renting　of　the　cottage　down　the　beach　occupied　at　present　by　the　pton　woman。　She　came　in　not　long　ago　to　pay　her　rent；　and　she　was　wearing　this　brooch。〃　He　looked　suddenly　at　Miss　Minerva。　〃Where　did　you　get　it？〃　he　demanded。
　〃Kamaikui　gave　it　to　me　early　this　morning；〃　Miss　Minerva　explained。　〃She　picked　it　up　from　the　floor　of　the　lanai　before　the　police　came。〃
　John　Quincy　leaped　to　his　feet。　〃You're　all　wrong；　Aunt　Minerva；〃　he　cried。　〃You　can't　do　this　sort　of　thing。　You　ask　the　help　of　the　police；　and　you　aren't　on　the　level　with　them。　I'm　ashamed　of　you　…〃
　〃Please　wait　a　moment；〃　said　his　aunt。
　〃Wait　nothing！〃　he　answered。　〃Give　me　that　brooch。　I'm　going　to　turn　it　over　to　Chan　at　once。　I　couldn't　look　him　in　the　eye　if　I　didn't。〃
　〃We'll　turn　it　over　to　Chan；〃　said　Miss　Minerva　calmly；　〃if　it　seems　important。　But　there　is　no　reason　in　the　world　why　we　should　not　investigate　a　bit　ourselves　before　we　do　so。　The　woman　may　have　a　perfectly　logical　explanation　…〃
　〃Rot！〃　interrupted　John　Quincy。　〃The　trouble　with　you　is；　you　think　you're　Sherlock　Holmes。〃
　〃What　is　your　opinion；　Amos？〃　inquired　Miss　Minerva。
　〃I'm　inclined　to　agree　with　John　Quincy；〃　Amos　said。　〃You　are　hardly　fair　to　Captain　Hallet。　And　as　for　keeping　anything　dark　on　account　of　Barbara　…　or　on　anybody's　account　…　that　won't　be　possible；　I'm　afraid。　No　getting　round　it；　Minerva；　Dan's　indiscretions　are　going　to　be　dragged　into　the　open　at　last。〃
　She　caught　the　note　of　satisfaction　in　his　tone；　and　was　nettled　by　it。　〃Perhaps。　At　the　same　time；　it　isn't　going　to　do　any　harm　for　some　member　of　the　family　to　have　a　talk　with　this　woman　before　we　consult　the　police。　If　she　should　have　a　perfectly　sincere　and　genuine　explanation　…〃
　〃Oh；　yes；〃　cut　in　John　Quincy。　〃She　wouldn't　have　any　other　kind。〃
　〃It　won't　be　so　much　what　she　says；〃　persisted　Miss　Minerva。　〃It　will　be　the　manner　in　which　she　says　it。　Any　intelligent　person　can　see　through　deceit　and　falsehood。　The　only　question　is；　which　of　us　is　the　intelligent　person　best　fitted　to　examine　her。〃
　〃Count　me　out；〃　said　Amos　promptly。
　〃John　Quincy？〃
　The　boy　considered。　He　had　asked　for　the　privilege　of　working　with　Chan；　and　here；　perhaps；　was　an　opportunity　to　win　his　respect。　But　this　sounded　rather　like　a　woman　who　would　be　too　much　for　him。
　〃No；　thanks；〃　he　said。
　〃Very　good；〃　replied　Miss　Minerva；　rising。　〃I'll　go　myself。〃
　〃Oh；　no；〃　cried　John　Quincy；　shocked。
　〃Why　not？　If　none　of　the　men　in　the　family　are　up　to　it。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　wele　the　opportunity　…〃
　Amos　shook　his　head。　〃She'll　twist　you　round　her　little　finger；〃　he　predicted。
　Miss　Minerva　smiled　grimly。　〃I　should　like　to　see　her　do　it。　Will　you　wait　here？〃
　John　Quincy　went　over　and　took　the　brooch　from　Amos's　hand。　〃Sit　down；　Aunt　Minerva；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　see　this　woman。　But　I　warn　you　that　immediately　afterward　I　shall　send　for　Chan。〃
　〃That；〃　his　aunt　told　him；　〃will　be　decided　at　another　conference。　I'm　not　so　sure；　John　Quincy；　that　you　are　the　proper　person　to　go。　After　all；　what　experience　have　you　had　with　women　of　this　type？〃
　John　Quincy　was　offended。　He　was　a　man；　and　he　felt　that　he　could　meet　and　outwit　a　woman　of　any　type。　He　said　as　much。
　Amos　described　the　woman's　house　as　a　small　cottage　several　hundred　yards　down　the　beach；　and　directed　the　boy　how　to　get　there。　John　Quincy　set　out。
　Night　had　fallen　over　the　Island　when　he　reached　Kalia　Road；　a　bright　silvery　night；　for　the　Kona　weather　was　over　and　the　moon　traveled　a　cloudless　sky。　The　scent　of　plumaria　and　ginger　stole　out　to　him　through　hedges　of　flaming　hibiscus；　the　trade　winds；　blowing　across　a　thousand　miles　of　warm　water；　still　managed　a　cool　touch　on　his　cheek。　As　he　approached　what　he　judged　must　be　the　neighborhood　of　the　woman's　house；　a　flock　of　Indian　myna　birds　in　a　spreading　algaroba　screamed　loudly；　their　harsh　voices　the　only　note　of　discord　in　that　peaceful　scene。
　He　had　some　difficulty　locating　the　cottage；　which　was　almost　pletely　hidden　under　masses　of　flowering　alamander；　its　blossoms　pale　yellow　in　the　moonlight。　Before　the　door；　a　dark　fragrant　spot　under　a　heavily　laden　trellis；　he　paused　uncertainly。　A　rather　delicate　errand；　this　was。　But　he　summoned　his　courage　and　knocked。
　Only　the　myna　birds　replied。　John　Quincy　stood　there；　growing　momentarily　more　hostile　to　the　Widow　of　Waikiki。　Some　huge　coarse　creature；　no　doubt；　a　man's　woman；　a　good　fellow　at　a　party　…　that　kind。　Then　the　door　opened　and　the　boy　got　a　shock。　For　the　figure　outlined