earlderrbiggers.thehousewithoutakey-第27章

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　on　her　nerves。
　〃Well　…　I　…〃　John　Quincy　hesitated。
　〃Speak　out；〃　said　Miss　Minerva。　〃Mr。　Chan　knows　everything。〃
　〃Most　flattering；〃　grinned　Chan。　〃Some　things　are　not　entirely　well　known　to　me。　But　about　your　call　on　Widow　of　Waikiki　I　learn　soon　after　door　receives　you。〃
　〃The　devil　you　did；〃　said　John　Quincy。
　〃Simple　enough；〃　Chan　went　on。　〃Study　human　people；　as　I　relate　to　you。　pton　lady　was　friend　to　Mr。　Dan　Winterslip。　Mr。　Leatherbee　rival　friend。　Enter　jealous　feelings。　Since　morning　both　of　these　people　are　under　watchful　regard　of　Honolulu　police。　Into　the　scene；　you　walk。　I　am　notified　and　fly　to　beach。〃
　〃Ah　…　does　he　also　know　…〃　began　John　Quincy。
　〃About　the　brooch？〃　finished　Miss　Minerva。　〃Yes　…　I've　confessed　everything。　And　he's　been　kind　enough　to　forgive　me。〃
　〃But　not　nice　thing　to　do；〃　added　Chan。　〃Humbly　begging　pardon　to　mention　it。　All　cards　should　repose　on　table　when　police　are　called　upon。〃
　〃Yes；〃　said　Miss　Minerva；　〃he　forgave　me；　but　I　have　been　gently　chided。　I　have　been　made　to　feel；　as　he　puts　it；　most　naughty。〃
　〃So　sorry；〃　bowed　Chan。
　〃Well；　as　a　matter　of　fact；〃　said　John　Quincy；　〃I　was　going　to　tell　Mr。　Chan　the　whole　story　at　once。〃　He　turned　to　him。　〃I've　already　tried　to　reach　you　by　telephone　at　the　station。　When　I　left　the　woman's　cottage　…〃
　〃Police　affairs　forbid　utmost　courtesy；〃　interrupted　Chan。　〃I　cut　in　to　remark　from　the　beginning；　if　you　will　please　do　so。〃
　〃Oh；　yes；〃　smiled　John　Quincy。　〃Well；　the　woman　herself　let　me　in；　and　showed　me　into　her　little　living…room。　When　I　got　there　this　fellow　Leatherbee　was　mixing　cocktails　by　the　table　…〃
　Haku　appeared　at　the　door。　〃Mr。　Charlie　Chan　wanted　by　telephone；〃　he　announced。
　Chan　apologized　and　hastened　out。
　〃I　intend　to　tell　everything；〃　John　Quincy　warned　his　aunt。
　〃I　shan't　interfere；〃　she　answered。　〃He　has　been　sitting　here　looking　at　me　more　in　sorrow　than　in　anger　for　the　better　part　of　an　hour；　and　I've　made　up　my　mind　to　one　thing。　I　shall　have　no　more　secrets　from　the　police。〃
　Chan　reentered　the　room。　〃As　I　was　saying；〃　John　Quincy　began；　〃this　fellow　Leatherbee　was　standing　by　the　table；　and　…〃
　〃Most　sorry；〃　said　Chan；　〃but　the　remainder　of　that　interesting　recital　is　to　be　told　at　the　station…house。〃
　〃At　the　station…house！〃　cried　John　Quincy。
　〃Precisely　the　fact。　I　am　presuming　you　do　me　the　great　honor　to　e　with　me　to　that　spot。　The　man　Leatherbee　is　apprehended　aboard　boat　Niagara　on　verge　of　sailing　to　Australia。　Woman　are　also　apprehended　in　act　of　tearful　farewell。　Both　now　relax　at　police　station。〃
　〃I　thought　so；〃　said　John　Quincy。
　〃One　more　amazing　fact　es　into　light；〃　added　Chan。　〃In　pocket　of　Leatherbee　is　the　page　ruthlessly　extracted　from　guest　book。　Kindly　procure　your　hat。　Outside　I　have　waiting　for　me　one　Ford　automobile。〃
　
　CHAPTER　XII　
　Tom　Brade　The　Blackbirder
　
　IN　HALLET'S　room　at　headquarters　they　found　the　Captain　of　Detectives　seated　grimly　behind　his　desk　staring　at　two　reluctant　visitors。　One　of　the　visitors；　Mr。　Stephen　Leatherbee；　stared　back　with　a　look　of　sullen　defiance。　Mrs。　Arlene　pton；　late　of　Broadway　and　the　Automat；　was　dabbing　at　her　eyes　with　a　tiny　handkerchief。　John　Quincy　perceived　that　she　had　carelessly　allowed　tears　to　play　havoc　with　her　make…up。
　〃Hello；　Charlie；〃　said　Hallet。　〃Mr。　Winterslip；　I'm　glad　you　came　along。　As　you　may　have　heard；　we've　just　pulled　this　young　man　off　the　Niagara。　He　seemed　inclined　to　leave　us。　We　found　this　in　his　pocket。〃
　He　put　into　Chan's　hand　a　time…yellowed　page　obviously　from　Dan　Winterslip's　guest　book。　John　Quincy　and　Chan　bent　over　it　together。　The　inscription　was　written　in　an　old…fashioned　hand；　and　the　ink　was　fading　fast。　It　ran：
　〃In　Hawaii　all　things　are　perfect；　none　more　so　than　the　hospitality　I　have　enjoyed　in　this　house。　…　Joseph　E。　Gleason；　124　Little　Bourke　Street；　Melbourne；　Victoria。〃
　John　Quincy　turned　away；　shocked。　No　wonder　that　page　had　been　ripped　out！　Evidently　Mr。　Gleason　had　not　enjoyed　the　privilege　of　studying　A。　S。　Hill's　book　on　the　principles　of　rhetoric。　How　could　one　thing　be　more　perfect　than　another？
　〃Before　I　take　a　statement　from　these　people；〃　Hallet　was　saying；　〃what's　all　this　about　a　brooch？〃
　John　Quincy　laid　the　piece　of　jewelry　on　the　captain's　desk。　He　explained　that　it　had　been　given　Mrs。　pton　by　Dan　Winterslip；　and　told　of　its　being　discovered　on　the　floor　of　the　lanai。
　〃When　was　it　found？〃　demanded　the　captain；　glaring　his　disapproval。
　〃Most　regrettable　misunderstanding；〃　put　in　Chan　hastily。　〃Now　pletely　wiped　out。　The　littlest　said；　sooner　repairs　are　made。　Mr。　Winterslip　has　already　tonight　examined　this　woman　…〃
　〃Oh；　he　has；　has　he！〃　Hallet　turned　angrily　on　John　Quincy。　〃Just　who　is　conducting　this　case？〃
　〃Well；〃　began　John　Quincy　unfortably；　〃it　seemed　best　to　the　family　…〃
　〃Damn　the　family！〃　Hallet　exploded。　〃This　affair　is　in　my　hands　…〃
　〃Please；〃　broke　in　Chan　soothingly。　〃Waste　of　time　to　winnow　that　out。　Already　I　have　boldness　to　offer　suitable　rebukes。〃
　〃Well；　you　talked　with　the　woman；　then；〃　said　Hallet。　〃What　did　you　get　out　of　her？〃
　〃Say；　listen；〃　put　in　Mrs。　pton。　〃I　want　to　take　back　anything　I　told　this　bright…eyed　boy。〃
　〃Lied　to　him；　eh？〃　said　Hallet。
　〃Why　not？　What　right　did　he　have　to　question　me？〃　Her　voice　became　wheedling。　〃I　wouldn't　lie　to　a　cop；〃　she　added。
　〃You　bet　your　life　you　wouldn't；〃　Hallet　remarked。　〃Not　if　you　know　what's　good　for　you。　However；　I　want　to　hear　what　you　told　this　amateur　detective。　Sometimes　lies　are　significant。　Go　on；　Winterslip。〃
　John　Quincy　was　deeply　annoyed。　What　was　this　mix…up　he　had　let　himself　in　for；　anyhow？　He　had　a　notion　to　rise；　and　with　a　cold　bow；　leave　the　room。　Something　told　him；　however；　that　he　couldn't　get　away　with　it。
　Very　much　on　his　dignity；　he　repeated　the　woman's　story　to　him。　Winterslip　had　e　to　her　cottage　the　night　before　to　make　a　final　appeal　for　the　brooch。　On　his　promise　to　replace　it　with　something　else；　she　had　given　it　up。　He　had　taken　it　and　left　her　at　nine…thirty。
　〃That　was　the　last　she　saw　of　him；〃　finished　John　Quincy。
　Hallet　smiled　grimly。　〃So　she　told　you；　at　any　rate。　But　she　admits　she　was　lying。　If　you'd　had　the　sense　to　leave　this　sort　of　thing　to　the　proper　people　…〃　He　wheeled　on　the　woman。　〃You　were　lying；　weren't　you？〃
　She　nodded　nonchalantly。　〃In　a　way。　Dan　did　leave　my　cottage　at　nine…thirty　…　or　a　little　later。　But　I　went　with　him　…　to　his　house。　Oh；　it　was　perfectly　proper。　Steve　went　along。〃
　〃Oh；　yes　…　Steve。〃　Hallet　glanced　at　Mr。　Leatherbee；　who　did　not　appear　quite　the　ideal　chaperon。　〃Now；　young　woman；　go　back　to　the　beginning。　Nothing　but　the　truth。〃
　〃So　help　me；〃　said　Mrs。　pton。　She　attempted　a　devastating　smile。　〃I　wouldn't　lie　to　you；　Captain　…　you　know　I　wouldn't。　I　realize　you're　a　big　man　out　here；　and　…〃
　〃Give　me　your　story；〃　cut　in　Hallet　coldly。
　〃Sure。　Dan　dropped　into　my　place　for　a　chat　last　night　about　nine；　and　he　found　Mr。　Leatherbee　there。　He　was　jealous　as　sin；　Dan　was　…　honest　to　God；　I　don't　know　why。　Me　and　Steve　are　just　pals　…　eh；　Steve？〃
　〃Pals；　that's　all；〃　said　Steve。
　〃But　anyhow；　Dan　flew　off　the　handle；　and　we　had　one　grand　blow…up。　I　tried　to　explain　Steve　was　just　stopping　over　on　his　way　to　Australia；　and　Dan　wants　to　know　what's　detaining　him。　So　Steve　tells　about　how　he　lost　all　his　money　at　bridge　on　the　boat　ing　out　here。　'Will　you　move　on；'　says　Dan；　'if　I　pay　your　passage？'　And　Steve　answers　he　will；　like　a　shot。　Am　I　getting　this　straight；　Steve？〃
　〃Absolutely；〃　approved　Mr。　Leatherbee。　〃It's　just　as　she　says；　Captain。　Winterslip　offered　to　give　…　loan　me　passage　money。　It　was　only　a　loan。　And　I　agreed　to　sail　on　the　Niagara　to…night。　He　said　he　had　a　little　cash　in　his　safe　at　the　house；　and　invited　Arlene　and　me　to　go　back　with　him　…〃
　〃Which　we　did；〃　said　Arlene。　〃Dan　opened　the　safe　and　took　out　a　roll　of　bills。　He　peeled　off　three　hundred　dollars。　You　didn't　often　see　him　in　that　frame　of　mind　…　but　as　I　was　saying；　he　give　the　money　to　Steve。　Then　Steve　begins　to　beef　a　little　…　yes；　you　did；　Steve　…　and　wants　to　know　what　he's　going　to　do　in　Australia。　Says　he　don't　know　a　soul　down　there　an