earlderrbiggers.thehousewithoutakey-第38章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　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　Dan　Winterslip's　theft　on　board　the　Maid　of　Shiloh。　Now　he　lighted　a　cigarette　and　sat　staring　seriously　out　at　the　distant　water。
　〃Cheer　up；〃　said　Miss　Minerva。　〃You　look　like　a　judge。　I　presume　you're　thinking　of　poor　Dan。〃
　〃I　am。〃
　〃Forgive　and　forget。　None　of　us　ever　suspected　Dan　of　being　a　saint。〃
　〃A　saint！　Far　from　it！　He　was　just　a　plain　…〃
　〃Never　mind；〃　put　in　his　aunt　sharply。　〃Remember；　John　Quincy；　man　is　a　creature　of　environment。　And　the　temptation　must　have　been　great。　Picture　Dan　on　that　ship　in　these　easy…going　latitudes；　wealth　at　his　feet　and　not　a　soul　in　sight　to　claim　it。　Ill…gotten　wealth；　at　that。　Even　you　…〃
　〃Even　I；〃　said　John　Quincy　sternly；　〃would　have　recalled　I　am　a　Winterslip。　I　never　dreamed　I'd　live　to　hear　you　offering　apologies　for　that　sort　of　conduct。〃
　She　laughed。　〃You　know　what　they　say　about　white　women　who　go　to　the　tropics。　They　lose　first　their　plexion；　then　their　teeth；　and　finally　their　moral　sense。〃　She　hesitated。　〃I've　had　to　visit　the　dentist　a　good　deal　of　late；〃　she　added。
　John　Quincy　was　shocked。　〃My　advice　to　you　is　to　hurry　home；〃　he　said。
　〃When　are　you　going？〃
　〃Oh；　soon　…　soon。〃
　〃That's　what　we　all　say。　Returning　to　Boston；　I　suppose？〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　〃How　about　San　Francisco？〃
　〃Oh；　that's　off。　I　did　suggest　it　to　Agatha；　but　I'm　certain　she　won't　hear　of　it。　And　I'm　beginning　to　think　she'd　be　quite　right。〃　His　aunt　rose。　〃You'd　better　go　to　church；〃　said　John　Quincy　severely。
　〃That's　just　where　I　am　going；〃　she　smiled。　〃By　the　way；　Amos　is　ing　to　dinner　to…night；　and　he'd　best　hear　the　Brade　story　from　us；　rather　than　in　some　garbled　form。　Barbara　must　hear　it　too。　If　it　proves　to　be　true；　the　family　ought　to　do　something　for　Mr。　Brade。〃
　〃Oh；　the　family　will　do　something　for　him；　all　right；〃　John　Quincy　remarked。　〃Whether　it　wants　to　or　not。〃
　〃Well；　I'll　let　you　tell　Barbara　about　him；〃　Miss　Minerva　promised。
　〃Thank　you　so　much；〃　replied　her　nephew　sarcastically。
　〃Not　at　all。　Are　you　ing　to　church？〃
　〃No；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　need　it　the　way　you　do。〃
　She　left　him　there　to　face　a　lazy　uneventful　day。　By　five　in　the　afternoon　Waikiki　was　alive　with　its　usual　Sunday　crowd　…　not　the　unsavory　holiday　throng　seen　on　a　mainland　beach；　but　a　scattering　of　good…looking　people　whose　tanned　straight　bodies　would　have　delighted　the　heart　of　a　physical　culture　enthusiast。　John　Quincy　summoned　sufficient　energy　to　don　a　bathing　suit　and　plunge　in。
　There　was　something　soothing　in　the　warm　touch　of　the　water；　and　he　was　being　more　at　home　there　every　day。　With　long　powerful　strokes　he　drew　away　from　the　malihini　breakers　to　dare　the　great　rollers　beyond。　Surfboard　riders　flashed　by　him；　now　and　then　he　had　to　alter　his　course　to　avoid　an　outrigger　canoe。
　On　the　farthest　float　of　all　he　saw　Carlota　Egan。　She　sat　there；　a　slender　lovely　figure　vibrant　with　life；　and　awaited　his　ing。　As　he　climbed　up　beside　her　and　looked　into　her　eyes　he　was　…　perhaps　from　his　exertion　in　the　water　…　a　little　breathless。
　〃I　rather　hoped　I'd　find　you；〃　he　panted。
　〃Did　you？〃　She　smiled　faintly。　〃I　hoped　it　too。　You　see；　I　need　a　lot　of　cheering　up。〃
　〃On　a　perfect　day　like　this！〃
　〃I'd　pinned　such　hopes　on　Mr。　Brade；〃　she　explained。　〃Perhaps　you　know　he's　back　…　and　from　what　I　can　gather；　his　return　hasn't　meant　a　thing　so　far　as　dad's　concerned。　Not　a　thing。〃
　〃Well；　I'm　afraid　it　hasn't；〃　John　Quincy　admitted。　〃But　we　mustn't　get　discouraged。　As　Chan　puts　it；　we　sway　about；　seeking　a　new　path。　You　and　I　have　a　bit　of　swaying　to　do。　How　about　Mr。　Saladine？〃
　〃I've　been　thinking　about　Mr。　Saladine。　But　I　can't　get　excited　about　him；　somehow。　He's　so　ridiculous。〃
　〃We　mustn't　pass　him　up　on　that　account；〃　admonished　John　Quincy。　〃I　caught　a　glimpse　of　his　purple　bathing　suit　on　the　first　float。　e　on　…　we'll　just　casually　drop　in　on　him。　I'll　race　you　there。〃
　She　smiled　again；　and　leaped　to　her　feet。　For　a　second　she　stood　poised；　then　dived　in　a　way　that　John　Quincy　could　never　hope　to　emulate。　He　slipped　off　in　pursuit；　and　though　he　put　forth　every　effort；　she　reached　Saladine's　side　five　seconds　before　he　did。
　〃Hello；　Mr。　Saladine；〃　she　said。　〃This　is　Mr。　Winterslip；　of　Boston。〃
　〃Ah；　yeth；〃　responded　Mr。　Saladine；　gloomily。　〃Mr。　Winterthlip。〃　He　regarded　the　young　man　with　interest。
　〃Any　luck；　sir？〃　inquired　John　Quincy　sympathetically。
　〃Oh　…　you　heard　about　my　accthident？〃
　〃I　did；　sir；　and　I'm　sorry。〃
　〃I　am；　too；〃　said　Mr。　Saladine　feelingly。　〃Not　a　thrath　of　them　tho　far。　And　I　muth　go　home　in　a　few　deth。〃
　〃I　believe　Miss　Egan　said　you　lived　in　Des　Moines？〃
　〃Yeth。　Deth　…　Deth　…　I　can't　they　it。〃
　〃In　business　there？〃　inquired　John　Quincy　nonchalantly。
　〃Yeth。　Wholethale　grothery　buthineth；〃　answered　Mr。　Saladine；　slowly　but　not　very　successfully。
　John　Quincy　turned　away　to　hide　a　smile。　〃Shall　we　go　along？〃　he　said　to　the　girl。　〃Good　luck　to　you；　sir。〃　He　dove　off；　and　as　they　swam　toward　the　shore；　he　reflected　that　they　were　on　a　false　trail　there　…　a　trail　as　spurious　as　the　teeth。　That　little　business　man　was　too　conventional　a　figure　to　have　any　connection　with　the　murder　of　Dan　Winterslip。　He　kept　these　thoughts　to　himself；　however。
　Half…way　to　the　beach；　they　encountered　an　enormous　figure　floating　languidly　on　the　water。　Just　beyond　the　great　stomach　John　Quincy　perceived　the　serene　face　of　Charlie　Chan。
　〃Hello；　Charlie；〃　he　cried。　〃It's　a　small　ocean；　after　all！　Got　your　Ford　with　you？〃
　Chan　righted　himself　and　grinned。　〃Little　pleasant　recreation；〃　he　explained。　〃Forget　detective　worries　out　here　floating　idle　like　leaf　on　stream。〃
　〃Please　float　ashore；〃　suggested　John　Quincy。　〃I　have　something　to　tell　you。〃
　〃Only　too　happy；〃　agreed　Chan。
　He　followed　them　in　and　they　sat；　an　odd　trio；　on　the　white　sand。　John　Quincy　told　the　detective　about　Saladine's　activities　outside　the　window　the　night　before；　and　repeated　the　conversation　he　had　just　had　with　the　middle　westerner。　〃Of　course；　the　man　seems　almost　too　foolish　to　mean　anything；〃　he　added。
　Chan　shook　his　head。　〃Begging　most　humble　pardon；〃　he　said；　〃that　are　wrong　attitude　pletely。　Detective　business　made　up　of　unsignificant　trifles。　One　after　other　our　clues　go　burst　in　our　countenance。　Wise　to　pursue　matter　of　Mr。　Saladine。〃
　〃What　do　you　suggest？〃　John　Quincy　asked。
　〃To…night　I　visit　city　for　night　work　to　drive　off　my　piled　tasks；〃　Chan　replied。　〃After　evening　meal；　suggest　you　join　with　me　at　cable　office。　We　despatch　message　to　postmaster　of　this　Des　Moines；　inquiring　what　are　present　locality　of　Mr。　Saladine；　expert　in　wholeselling　provisions。　Your　name　will　be　signed　to　message；　much　better　than　police　meddling。〃
　〃All　right；〃　John　Quincy　agreed；　〃I'll　meet　you　there　at　eight…thirty。〃
　Carlota　Egan　rose。　〃I　must　get　back　to　the　Reef　and　Palm。　You've　no　idea　all　I　have　to　do　…〃
　John　Quincy　stood　beside　her。　〃If　I　can　help；　you　know　…〃
　〃I　know；〃　she　smiled。　〃I'm　thinking　of　making　you　assistant　manager。　They'd　be　so　proud　of　you　…　in　Boston。〃
　She　moved　off　toward　the　water　for　her　homeward　swim；　and　John　Quincy　dropped　down　beside　Chan。　Chan's　amber　eyes　followed　the　girl。　〃Endeavoring　to　make　English　language　my　slave；〃　he　said；　〃I　pursue　poetry。　Who　were　the　great　poet　who　said　…　'She　walks　in　beauty　like　the　night？'〃
　〃Why；　that　was　…　er　…　who　was　it？〃　remarked　John　Quincy　helpfully。
　〃Name　is　slippery；〃　went　on　Chan。　〃But　no　matter。　Lines　pop　into　brain　whenever　I　see　this　Miss　Egan。　Beauty　like　the　night；　Hawaiian　night　maybe；　lovely　as　purest　jade。　Most　especially　on　this　beach。　Spot　of　heartbreaking　charm；　this　beach。〃
　〃Surely　is；〃　agreed　John　Quincy；　amused　at　Chan's　obviously　sentimental　mood。
　〃Here　on　gleaming　sand　I　first　regard　my　future　wife；〃　continued　Chan。　〃Slender　as　the　bamboo　is　slender；　beautiful　as　blossom　of　the　plum　…〃
　〃Your　wife；〃　repeated　John　Quincy。　The　idea　was　a　new　one。
　〃Yes；　indeed。〃　Chan　rose。　〃Recalls　I　must　hasten　home　where　she　attends　the　children　who　are　now；　by　actual　count；　nine　in　number。〃　He　lo