earlderrbiggers.thehousewithoutakey-第3章

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　〃It's　been　ruined；〃　he　plained　sadly。　〃Too　much　aping　of　the　mainland。　Too　much　of　your　damned　mechanical　civilization　…　automobiles；　phonographs；　radios　…　bah！　And　yet　…　and　yet；　Minerva　…　away　down　underneath　there　are　deep　dark　waters　flowing　still。〃
　She　nodded；　and　they　sat　for　a　moment　busy　with　their　memories。　Presently　Dan　Winterslip　snapped　on　a　small　reading　light　at　his　side。　〃I'll　just　glance　at　the　evening　paper；　if　you　don't　mind。〃
　〃Oh；　do；〃　urged　Miss　Minerva。
　She　was　glad　of　a　moment　without　talk。　For　this；　after　all；　was　the　time　she　loved　Waikiki　best。　So　brief；　this　tropic　dusk；　so　quick　the　ing　of　the　soft　alluring　night。　The　carpet　of　the　waters；　apple…green　by　day；　crimson　and　gold　at　sunset；　was　a　deep　purple　now。　On　top　of　that　extinct　volcano　called　Diamond　Head　a　yellow　eye　was　winking；　as　though　to　hint　there　might　still　be　fire　beneath。　Three　miles　down；　the　harbor　lights　began　to　twinkle；　and　out　toward　the　reef　the　lanterns　of　Japanese　sampans　glowed　intermittently。　Beyond；　in　the　roadstead；　loomed　the　battered　hulk　of　an　old　brig　slowly　moving　toward　the　channel　entrance。　Always；　out　there；　a　ship　or　two；　in　from　the　East　with　a　cargo　of　spice　or　tea　or　ivory；　or　eastward　bound　with　a　load　of　tractor　salesmen。　Ships　of　all　sorts；　the　spic　and　span　liner　and　the　rakish　tramp；　ships　from　Melbourne　and　Seattle；　New　York　and　Yokohama；　Tahiti　and　Rio；　any　port　on　the　seven　seas。　For　this　was　Honolulu；　the　Crossroads　of　the　Pacific　…　the　glamorous　crossroads　where；　they　said；　in　time　all　paths　crossed　again。　Miss　Minerva　sighed。
　She　was　conscious　of　a　quick　movement　on　Dan's　part。　She　turned　and　looked　at　him。　He　had　laid　the　paper　on　his　knee；　and　was　staring　straight　ahead。　That　bluff　about　being　young　…　no　good　now。　For　his　face　was　old；　old。
　〃Why；　Dan　…〃　she　said。
　〃I　…　I'm　wondering；　Minerva；〃　he　began　slowly。　〃Tell　me　again　about　that　nephew　of　yours。〃
　She　was　surprised；　but　hid　it。　〃John　Quincy？〃　she　said。　〃He's　just　the　usual　thing；　for　Boston。　Conventional。　His　whole　life　has　been　planned　for　him；　from　the　cradle　to　the　grave。　So　far　he's　walked　the　line。　The　inevitable　preparatory　school；　Harvard；　the　proper　clubs；　the　family　banking　house　…　even　gone　and　got　himself　engaged　to　the　very　girl　his　mother　would　have　picked　for　him。　There　have　been　times　when　I　hoped　he　might　kick　over　…　the　war　…　but　no；　he　came　back　and　got　meekly　into　the　old　rut。〃
　〃Then　he's　reliable　…　steady？〃
　Miss　Minerva　smiled。　〃Dan；　pared　with　that　boy；　Gibraltar　wobbles　occasionally。〃
　〃Discreet；　I　take　it？〃
　〃He　invented　discretion。　That's　what　I'm　telling　you。　I　love　him　…　but　a　little　bit　of　recklessness　now　and　then　…　However；　I'm　afraid　it's　too　late　now。　John　Quincy　is　nearly　thirty。〃
　Dan　Winterslip　was　on　his　feet；　his　manner　that　of　a　man　who　had　made　an　important　decision。　Beyond　the　bamboo　curtain　that　hung　in　the　door　leading　to　the　living…room　a　light　appeared。　〃Haku！〃　Winterslip　called。　The　Japanese　servant　came　swiftly。
　〃Haku；　tell　the　chauffeur　…　quick　…　the　big　car！　I　must　get　to　the　dock　before　the　President　Tyler　sails　for　San　Francisco。　Wikiwiki！〃
　The　servant　disappeared　into　the　living…room；　and　Winterslip　followed。　Somewhat　puzzled；　Miss　Minerva　sat　for　a　moment；　then　rose　and　pushed　aside　the　curtain。　〃Are　you　sailing；　Dan？〃　she　asked。
　He　was　seated　at　his　desk；　writing　hurriedly。　〃No；　no　…　just　a　note　…　I　must　get　it　off　on　that　boat　…〃
　There　was　an　air　of　suppressed　excitement　about　him。　Miss　Minerva　stepped　over　the　threshold　into　the　living…room。　In　another　moment　Haku　appeared　with　an　announcement　that　was　unnecessary；　for　the　engine　of　an　automobile　was　humming　in　the　drive。　Dan　Winterslip　took　his　hat　from　Haku。　〃Make　yourself　at　home；　Minerva　…　I'll　be　back　shortly；〃　he　cried；　and　rushed　out。
　Some　business　matter；　no　doubt。　Miss　Minerva　strolled　aimlessly　about　the　big　airy　room；　pausing　finally　before　the　portrait　of　Jedediah　Winterslip；　the　father　of　Dan　and　Amos；　and　her　uncle。　Dan　had　had　it　painted　from　a　photograph　after　the　old　man's　death；　it　was　the　work　of　an　artist　whose　forte　was　reputed　to　be　landscapes　…　oh　it　must　assuredly　have　been　landscapes；　Miss　Minerva　thought。　But　even　so　there　was　no　mistaking　the　power　and　personality　of　this　New　Englander　who　had　set　up　in　Honolulu　as　a　whaler。　The　only　time　she　had　seen　him；　in　the　'eighties；　he　had　been　broken　and　old；　mourning　his　lost　fortune；　which　had　gone　with　his　ships　in　an　Arctic　disaster　a　short　time　before。
　Well；　Dan　had　brought　the　family　back；　Miss　Minerva　reflected。　Won　again　that　lost　fortune　and　much　more。　There　were　queer　rumors　about　his　methods　…　but　so　there　were　about　the　methods　of　Bostonians　who　had　never　strayed　from　home。　A　charming　fellow；　whatever　his　past。　Miss　Minerva　sat　down　at　the　grand　piano　and　played　a　few　old　familiar　bars　…　The　Beautiful　Blue　Danube。　Her　thoughts　went　back　to　the　'eighties。
　Dan　Winterslip　was　thinking　of　the　'eighties　too　as　his　car　sped　townward　along　Kalakaua　Avenue。　But　it　was　the　present　that　concerned　him　when　they　reached　the　dock　and　he　ran；　panting　a　little；　through　a　dim　pier…shed　toward　the　gangplank　of　the　President　Tyler。　He　had　no　time　to　spare；　the　ship　was　on　the　point　of　sailing。　Since　it　was　a　through　boat　from　the　Orient　it　left　without　the　ceremonies　that　attend　the　departure　of　a　liner　plying　only　between　Honolulu　and　the　mainland。　Even　so；　there　were　cries　of　〃Aloha；〃　some　hearty　and　some　tremulous；　most　of　the　travelers　were　bedecked　with　leis；　and　a　confused　little　crowd　milled　about　the　foot　of　the　plank。
　Dan　Winterslip　pushed　his　way　forward　and　ran　up　the　sharp　incline。　As　he　reached　the　dock　he　encountered　an　old　acquaintance；　Hepworth；　the　second　officer。
　〃You're　the　man　I'm　looking　for；〃　he　cried。
　〃How　are　you；　sir；〃　Hepworth　said。　〃I　didn't　see　your　name　on　the　list。〃
　〃No；　I'm　not　sailing。　I'm　here　to　ask　a　favor。〃
　〃Glad　to　oblige；　Mr。　Winterslip。〃
　Winterslip　thrust　a　letter　into　his　hand。　〃You　know　my　cousin　Roger　in　'Frisco。　Please　give　him　that　…　him　and　no　one　else　…　as　soon　after　you　land　as　you　possibly　can。　I'm　too　late　for　the　mail　…　and　I　prefer　this　way　anyhow。　I'll　be　mighty　grateful。〃
　〃Don't　mention　it　…　you've　been　very　kind　to　me　and　I'll　be　only　too　happy　…　I'm　afraid　you'll　have　to　go　ashore；　sir。　Just　a　minute；　there　…〃　He　took　Winterslip's　arm　and　gently　urged　him　back　on　to　the　plank。　The　instant　Dan's　feet　touched　the　dock；　the　plank　was　drawn　up　behind　him。
　For　a　moment　he　stood；　held　by　the　fascination　an　Islander　always　feels　at　sight　of　a　ship　outward　bound。　Then　he　turned　and　walked　slowly　through　the　pier…shed。　Ahead　of　him　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　slender　lithe　figure　which　he　recognized　at　once　as　that　of　Dick　Kaohla；　the　grandson　of　Kamaikui。　He　quickened　his　pace　and　joined　the　boy。
　〃Hello；　Dick；〃　he　said。
　〃Hello。〃　The　brown　face　was　sullen；　unfriendly。
　〃You　haven't　been　to　see　me　for　a　long　time；〃　Dan　Winterslip　said。　〃Everything　all　right？〃
　〃Sure；〃　replied　Kaohla。　〃Sure　it's　all　right。〃　They　reached　the　street；　and　the　boy　turned　quickly　away。　〃Good　night；〃　he　muttered。
　Dan　Winterslip　stood　for　a　moment；　thoughtfully　looking　after　him。　Then　he　got　into　the　car。　〃No　hurry　now；〃　he　remarked　to　the　chauffeur。
　When　he　reappeared　in　his　living…room；　Miss　Minerva　glanced　up　from　the　book　she　was　reading。　〃Were　you　in　time；　Dan？〃　she　asked。
　〃Just　made　it；〃　he　told　her。
　〃Good；〃　she　said；　rising。　〃I'll　take　my　book　and　go　up…stairs。　Pleasant　dreams。〃
　He　waited　until　she　reached　the　door　before　he　spoke。　〃Ah　…　Minerva　…　don't　trouble　to　write　your　nephew　about　stopping　here。〃
　〃No；　Dan？〃　she　said；　puzzled　again。
　〃No。　I've　attended　to　the　invitation　myself。　Good　night。〃
　〃Oh　…　good　night；〃　she　answered；　and　left　him。
　Alone　in　the　great　room；　he　paced　restlessly　back　and　forth　over　the　polished　floor。　In　a　moment　he　went　out　on　to　the　lanai；　and　found　the　newspaper　he　had　been　reading　earlier　in　the　evening。　He　brought　it　back　to　the　living…room　and　tried　to　finish　it；　but　something　seemed　to　trouble　him。　His　eyes　kept　straying　…　straying　…　with　a　sharp　exclamation　he　tore　one　corner　from　the　shipping　page；　savagely　ripped