earlderrbiggers.thehousewithoutakey-第37章

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　Brade；〃　he　explained。　〃As　a　matter　of　fact；　he　was　a　rather　distant　relative　of　mine。　I　can't　presume　to　speak　for　his　daughter；　but　I'm　reasonably　sure　that　when　she　knows　your　story；　this　matter　can　be　settled　out　of　court。　You'll　wait；　of　course？〃
　〃I'll　wait；〃　agreed　Brade。　〃And　now；　Captain　…〃
　Hallet　raised　his　hand。　〃Just　a　minute。　You　didn't　call　on　Winterslip？　You　didn't　go　near　his　house？〃
　〃I　did　not；〃　said　Brade。
　〃Yet　just　outside　the　door　of　his　living…room　we　found；　as　I　told　you；　the　stub　of　a　Corsican　cigarette。　It's　a　matter　still　to　be　cleared　up。〃
　Brade　considered　briefly。　〃I　don't　want　to　get　any　one　into　trouble；〃　he　said。　〃But　the　man　is　nothing　to　me；　and　I　must　clear　my　own　name。　In　the　course　of　a　chat　with　the　proprietor　of　the　Reef　and　Palm　Hotel；　I　offered　him　a　cigarette。　He　was　delighted　when　he　recognized　the　brand　…　said　it　had　been　years　since　he'd　seen　one。　So　I　gave　him　a　handful；　and　he　filled　his　case　…〃
　〃You're　speaking　of　Jim　Egan；〃　suggested　Hallet　delightedly。
　〃Of　Mr。　James　Egan；　yes；〃　Brade　replied。
　〃That's　all　I　want　to　know；〃　said　Hallet。　〃Well；　Mr。　Greene　…〃
　The　prosecutor　addressed　Brade。　〃For　the　present；　we　can't　permit　you　to　leave　Honolulu；〃　he　said。　〃But　you　are　free　to　go　to　your　hotel。　This　box　will　remain　here　until　we　can　settle　its　final　disposition。〃
　〃Naturally。〃　Brade　rose。
　John　Quincy　faced　him。　〃I'll　call　on　you　very　soon；〃　he　promised。
　〃What？　Oh；　yes　…　yes；　of　course。〃　The　man　stared　nervously　about　him。　〃If　you'll　pardon　me；　gentlemen；　I　must　run　…　I　really　must　…〃
　He　went　out。　The　prosecutor　looked　at　his　watch。　〃Well；　that's　that。　I'll　have　a　conference　with　you　in　the　morning；　Hallet。　My　wife's　waiting　for　me　at　the　Country　Club。　Good　night；　Mr。　Winterslip。〃　He　saw　the　look　on　John　Quincy's　face；　and　smiled。　〃Don't　take　those　revelations　about　your　cousin　too　seriously。　The　'eighties　are　ancient　history；　you　know。〃
　As　Greene　disappeared；　Hallet　turned　to　John　Quincy。　〃What　about　this　Kaohla？〃　he　inquired。　〃It　will　be　a　pretty　plicated　job　to　prosecute　him　and　his　housebreaking　friend　on　the　President　Tyler；　but　it　can　be　done　…〃
　A　uniformed　policeman　appeared　at　the　door；　summoning　Chan　outside。
　〃Oh；　no；〃　said　John　Quincy。　〃Let　the　boy　go。　We　don't　want　any　publicity　about　this。　I'll　ask　you；　Captain；　to　keep　Brade's　story　out　of　the　papers。〃
　〃I'll　try；〃　Hallet　replied。　He　turned　to　the　Hawaiian。　〃e　here！〃　The　boy　rose。　〃You　heard　what　this　gentleman　said。　You　ought　to　be　sent　up　for　this；　but　we've　got　more　important　things　to　attend　to　now。　Run　along　…　beat　it　…〃
　Chan　came　in　just　in　time　to　hear　the　last。　At　his　heels　followed　a　sly　little　Japanese　man　and　a　young　Chinese　boy。　The　latter　was　attired　in　the　extreme　of　college…cut　clothes；　he　was　an　American　and　he　emphasized　the　fact。
　〃Only　one　moment；〃　Chan　cried。　〃New　and　interesting　fact　emerge　into　light。　Gentlemen；　my　Cousin　Willie　Chan；　captain　All　Chinese　baseball　team　and　demon　back…stopper　of　the　Pacific！〃
　〃Pleased　to　meetchu；〃　said　Willie　Chan。
　〃Also　Okamoto；　who　have　auto　stand　on　Kalakaua　Avenue；　not　far　from　Winterslip　household　…〃
　〃I　know　Okamoto；〃　said　Hallet。　〃He　sells　okolehau　on　the　side。〃
　〃No；　indeed；〃　protested　Okamoto。　〃Auto　stand；　that　is　what。〃
　〃Willie　do　small　investigating　to　help　out　crowded　hours；〃　went　on　Chan。　〃He　have　dug　up　strange　event　out　of　this　Okamoto　here。　On　early　morning　of　Tuesday；　July　first；　Okamoto　is　roused　from　slumber　by　fierce　knocks　on　door　of　room。　He　go　to　door　…〃
　〃Let　him　tell　it；〃　suggested　Hallet。　〃What　time　was　this？〃
　〃Two　of　the　morning；〃　said　Okamoto。　〃Knocks　were　as　described。　I　rouse　and　look　at　watch；　run　to　door。　Mr。　Dick　Kaohla　here　is　waiting。　Demand　I　drive　him　to　home　over　in　Iwilei　district。　I　done　so。〃
　〃All　right；〃　said　Hallet。　〃Anything　else？　No？　Charlie　…　take　them　out　and　thank　them　…　that's　your　specialty。〃　He　waited　until　the　Orientals　had　left　the　room；　then　turned　fiercely　on　Kaohla。　〃Well；　here　you　are　back　in　the　limelight；〃　he　cried。　〃Now；　e　across。　What　were　you　doing　out　near　Winterslip's　house　the　night　of　the　murder？〃
　〃Nothing；〃　said　the　Hawaiian。
　〃Nothing！　A　little　late　to　be　up　doing　nothing；　wasn't　it？　Look　here；　my　boy；　I'm　beginning　to　get　you。　For　years　Dan　Winterslip　gave　you　money；　supported　you；　until　he　finally　decided　you　were　no　good。　So　he　stopped　the　funds　and　you　and　he　had　a　big　row。　Now；　didn't　you？〃
　〃Yes；〃　admitted　Dick　Kaohla。
　〃On　Sunday　night　Brade　offered　you　five　thousand　for　the　box。　You　thought　it　wasn't　enough。　The　idea　struck　you　that　maybe　Dan　Winterslip　would　pay　more。　You　were　a　little　afraid　of　him；　but　you　screwed　up　your　courage　and　went　to　his　house　…〃
　〃No；　no；〃　the　boy　cried。　〃I　did　not　go　there。〃
　〃I　say　you　did。　You'd　made　up　your　mind　to　double…cross　Brade。　You　and　Dan　Winterslip　had　another　big　scrap；　you　drew　a　knife　…〃
　〃Lies；　all　lies；〃　the　boy　shouted；　terrified。
　〃Don't　tell　me　I　lie！　You　killed　Winterslip　and　I'll　get　it　out　of　you！　I　got　the　other　and　I'll　get　this。〃　Hallet　rose　threateningly　from　his　chair。
　Chan　suddenly　reentered　the　room；　and　handed　Hallet　a　note。　〃Arrive　this　moment　by　special　messenger；〃　he　explained。
　Hallet　ripped　open　the　envelope　and　read。　His　expression　altered。　He　turned　disgustedly　to　Kaohla。　〃Beat　it！〃　he　scowled。
　The　boy　fled　gratefully。　John　Quincy　and　Chan　looked　wonderingly　at　the　captain。　Hallet　sat　down　at　his　desk。　〃It　all　es　back　to　Egan；〃　he　said。　〃I've　known　it　from　the　first。〃
　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　cried　John　Quincy。　〃What　about　that　boy？〃
　Hallet　crumpled　the　letter　in　his　hand。　〃Kaohla？　Oh；　he's　out　of　it　now。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃That's　all　I　can　tell　you。　He's　out　of　it。〃
　〃That's　not　enough；〃　John　Quincy　said。　〃I　demand　to　know　…〃
　Hallet　glared　at　him。　〃You　know　all　you're　going　to；〃　he　answered　angrily。　〃I　say　Kaohla's　out；　and　that　settles　it。　Egan　killed　Winterslip；　and　before　I　get　through　with　him　…〃
　〃Permit　me　to　say；〃　interrupted　John　Quincy；　〃that　you　have　the　most　trusting　nature　I　ever　met。　Everybody's　story　goes　with　you。　The　pton　woman　and　that　rat　Leatherbee　e　in　here　and　spin　a　yarn；　and　you　bow　them　out。　And　Brade！　What　about　Brade！　In　bed　at　one…twenty　last　Tuesday　morning；　eh？　Who　says　so？　He　does。　Who　can　prove　it？　His　wife　can。　What　was　to　prevent　his　stepping　out　on　the　balcony　of　the　Reef　and　Palm　and　walking　along　the　beach　to　my　cousin's　house？　Answer　me　that！〃
　Hallet　shook　his　head。　〃It's　Egan。　That　cigarette　…〃
　〃Yes　…　that　cigarette。　Has　it　occurred　to　you　that　Brade　may　have　given　him　those　cigarettes　purposely　…〃
　〃Egan　did　it；〃　cut　in　Hallet　stubbornly。　〃All　I　need　now　is　his　story；　I'll　get　it。　I　have　ways　and　means　…〃
　〃I　congratulate　you　on　your　magnificent　stupidity；〃　cried　John　Quincy。　〃Good　night；　sir。〃
　He　walked　along　Bethel　Street；　Chan　at　his　side。
　〃You　are　partly　consumed　by　anger；〃　said　the　Chinaman。　〃Humbly　suggest　you　cool。　Calm　heads　needed。〃
　〃But　what　was　in　that　note？　Why　wouldn't　he　tell　us？〃
　〃In　good　time；　we　know。　Captain　honest　man。　Be　patient。〃
　〃But　we're　all　at　sea　again；〃　protested　John　Quincy。　〃Who　killed　Cousin　Dan？　We　get　nowhere。〃
　〃So　very　true；〃　agreed　Chan。　〃More　clues　lead　us　into　presence　of　immovable　stone　wall。　We　sway　about；　seeking　still　other　path。〃
　〃I'll　say　we　do；〃　answered　John　Quincy。　〃There　es　my　car。　Good　night！〃
　Not　until　the　trolley　was　half…way　to　Waikiki　did　he　remember　Mr。　Saladine。　Saladine　crouching　outside　that　window　at　the　Reef　and　Palm。　What　did　that　mean？　But　Saladine　was　a　ic　figure；　a　lisping　searcher　after　bridge…work　in　the　limpid　waters　of　Waikiki。　Even　so；　perhaps　his　humble　activities　should　be　investigated。
　
　CHAPTER　XVI　
　The　Return　Of　Captain　Cope
　
　AFTER　BREAKFAST　on　Sunday　morning；　John　Quincy　followed　Miss　Minerva　to　the　lanai。　It　was　a　neat　world　that　lay　outside　the　screen；　for　Dan　Winterslip's　yard　boy　had　been　busy　until　a　late　hour　the　night　before；　sweeping　the　lawn　with　the　same　loving　thoroughness　a　housewife　might　display　on　a　precious　Oriental　rug。
　Barbara　had　not　e　down　to　breakfast；　and　John　Quincy　had　seized　the　opportunity　to　tell　his　aunt　of　Brade's　return；　and　repeat　the　man's　story　of