earlderrbiggers.thehousewithoutakey-第39章

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　〃Yes；　indeed。〃　Chan　rose。　〃Recalls　I　must　hasten　home　where　she　attends　the　children　who　are　now；　by　actual　count；　nine　in　number。〃　He　looked　down　at　John　Quincy　thoughtfully。　〃Are　you　well…fitted　with　the　armor　of　preparation？〃　he　said。　〃Consider。　Some　night　the　moon　has　splendor　in　this　neighborhood；　the　cocoa…palms　bow　lowly　and　turn　away　their　heads　so　they　do　not　see。　And　the　white　man　kisses　without　intending　to　do　so。〃
　〃Oh；　don't　worry　about　me；〃　John　Quincy　laughed。　〃I'm　from　Boston；　and　immune。〃
　〃Immune；〃　repeated　Chan。　〃Ah；　yes；　I　grasp　meaning。　In　my　home　I　have　idol　brought　from　China　with　insides　of　solid　stone。　He　would　think　he　is　…　immune。　But　even　so　I　would　not　entrust　him　on　this　beach。　As　my　cousin　Willie　Chan　say　with　vulgarity；　see　you　later。〃
　John　Quincy　sat　for　a　time　on　the　sand；　then　rose　and　strolled　toward　home。　His　path　lay　close　to　the　lanai　of　Arlene　pton's　cottage；　and　he　was　surprised　to　hear　his　name　called　from　behind　the　screen。　He　stepped　to　the　door　and　looked　in。　The　woman　was　sitting　there　alone。
　〃e　in　a　minute；　Mr。　Winterslip；〃　she　said。
　John　Quincy　hesitated。　He　did　not　care　to　make　any　social　calls　on　this　lady；　but　he　did　not　have　it　in　him　to　be　rude。　He　went　inside　and　sat　down　gingerly；　poised　for　flight。　〃Got　to　hurry　back　for　dinner；〃　he　explained。
　〃Dinner？　You'll　want　a　cocktail。〃
　〃No；　thanks。　I'm　…　I'm　on　the　wagon。〃
　〃You'll　find　it　hard　to　stick　out　here；〃　she　said　a　little　bitterly。　〃I　won't　keep　you　long。　I　just　want　to　know　…　are　those　boneheads　down　at　the　station　getting　anywhere；　or　ain't　they？〃
　〃The　police；〃　smiled　John　Quincy。　〃They　seem　to　be　making　progress。　But　it's　slow。　It's　very　slow。〃
　〃I'll　tell　the　world　it's　slow。　And　I　got　to　stick　here　till　they　pin　it　on　somebody。　Pleasant　outlook；　ain't　it？〃
　〃Is　Mr。　Leatherbee　still　with　you？〃　inquired　John　Quincy。
　〃What　do　you　mean　is　he　still　with　me？〃　she　flared。
　〃Pardon　me。　Is　he　still　in　town？〃
　〃Of　course　he's　in　town。　They　won't　let　him　go；　either。　But　I　ain't　worrying　about　him。　I　got　troubles　of　my　own。　I　want　to　go　home。〃　She　nodded　toward　a　newspaper　on　the　table。　〃I　just　got　hold　of　an　old　Variety　and　seen　about　a　show　opening　in　Atlantic　City。　A　lot　of　the　gang　is　in　it；　working　like　dogs；　rehearsing　night　and　day；　worrying　themselves　sick　over　how　long　the　thing　will　last。　Gee；　don't　I　envy　them。　I　was　near　to　bawling　when　you　came　along。〃
　〃You'll　get　back　all　right；〃　forted　John　Quincy。
　〃Say　…　if　I　ever　do！　I'll　stop　everybody　I　meet　on　Broadway　and　promise　never　to　leave　'em　again。〃　John　Quincy　rose。　〃You　tell　that　guy　Hallet　to　get　a　move　on；〃　she　urged。
　〃I'll　tell　him；〃　he　agreed。
　〃And　drop　in　to　see　me　now　and　then；〃　she　added　wistfully。　〃Us　easterners　ought　to　stick　together　out　here。〃
　〃That's　right；　we　should；〃　John　Quincy　answered。　〃Good…by。〃
　As　he　walked　along　the　beach；　he　thought　of　her　with　pity。　The　story　she　and　Leatherbee　had　told　might　be　entirely　false；　even　so；　she　was　a　human　and　appealing　figure　and　her　homesickness　touched　his　heart。
　Later　that　evening　when　John　Quincy　came　downstairs　faultlessly　attired　for　dinner；　he　encountered　Amos　Winterslip　in　the　living…room。　Cousin　Amos's　lean　face　was　whiter　than　ever；　his　manner　listless。　He　had　been　robbed　of　his　hate；　his　evenings　beneath　the　algaroba　tree　had　lost　their　savor；　life　was　devoid　of　spice。
　Dinner　was　not　a　particularly　jolly　affair。　Barbara　seemed　intent　on　knowing　now　the　details　of　the　search　the　police　were　conducting；　and　it　fell　to　John　Quincy　to　enlighten　her。　Reluctantly　he　came　at　last　to　the　story　of　Brade。　She　listened　in　silence。　After　dinner　she　and　John　Quincy　went　out　into　the　garden　and　sat　on　a　bench　under　the　hau　tree；　facing　the　water。
　〃I'm　terribly　sorry　I　had　to　tell　you　that　about　Brade；〃　John　Quincy　said　gently。　〃But　it　seemed　necessary。〃
　〃Of　course；〃　she　agreed。　〃Poor　dad！　He　was　weak　…　weak　…〃
　〃Forgive　and　forget；〃　John　Quincy　suggested。　〃Man　is　a　creature　of　environment。〃　He　wondered　dimly　where　he　had　heard　that　before。　〃Your　father　was　not　entirely　to　blame　…〃
　〃You're　terribly　kind；　John　Quincy；〃　she　told　him。
　〃No　…　but　I　mean　it；〃　he　protested。　〃Just　picture　the　scene　to　yourself。　That　lonely　ocean；　wealth　at　his　feet　for　the　taking；　no　one　to　see　or　know。〃
　She　shook　her　head。　〃Oh；　but　it　was　wrong；　wrong。　Poor　Mr。　Brade。　I　must　make　things　right　with　him　as　nearly　as　I　can。　I　shall　ask　Harry　to　talk　with　him　to…morrow　…〃
　〃Just　a　suggestion；〃　interposed　John　Quincy。　〃Whatever　you　agree　to　do　for　Brade　must　not　be　done　until　the　man　who　killed　your　father　is　found。〃
　She　stared　at　him。　〃What！　You　don't　think　that　Brade　…〃
　〃I　don't　know。　Nobody　knows。　Brade　is　unable　to　prove　where　he　was　early　last　Tuesday　morning。〃
　They　sat　silent　for　a　moment；　then　the　girl　suddenly　collapsed　and　buried　her　face　in　her　hands。　Her　slim　shoulders　trembled　convulsively　and　John　Quincy；　deeply　sympathetic；　moved　closer。　He　put　his　arm　about　her。　The　moonlight　shone　on　her　bright　hair；　the　trades　whispered　in　the　hau　tree；　the　breakers　murmured　on　the　beach。　She　lifted　her　face；　and　he　kissed　her。　A　cousinly　kiss　he　had　meant　it　to　be；　but　somehow　it　wasn't　…　it　was　a　kiss　he　would　never　have　been　up　to　on　Beacon　Street。
　〃Miss　Minerva　said　I'd　find　you　here；〃　remarked　a　voice　behind　them。
　John　Quincy　leaped　to　his　feet　and　found　himself　staring　into　the　cynical　eyes　of　Harry　Jennison。　Even　though　you　are　the　girl's　cousin；　it　is　a　bit　embarrassing　to　have　a　man　find　you　kissing　his　fiancee。　Particularly　if　the　kiss　wasn't　at　all　cousinly　…　John　Quincy　wondered　if　Jennison　had　noticed　that。
　〃e　in　…　I　mean；　sit　down；〃　stammered　John　Quincy。　〃I　was　just　going。〃
　〃Good…by；〃　said　Jennison　coldly。
　John　Quincy　went　hastily　through　the　living…room；　where　Miss　Minerva　sat　with　Amos。　〃Got　an　appointment　down…town；〃　he　explained；　and　picking　up　his　hat　in　the　hall；　fled　into　the　night。
　He　had　intended　taking　the　roadster；　but　to　reach　the　garage　he　would　have　to　pass　that　bench　under　the　hau　tree。　Oh；　well；　the　colorful　atmosphere　of　a　trolley　was　more　interesting；　anyhow。
　In　the　cable　office　on　the　ground　floor　of　the　Alexander　Young　Hotel；　Chan　was　waiting；　and　they　sent　off　their　inquiry　to　the　postmaster　at　Des　Moines；　signing　John　Quincy's　name　and　address。　That　attended　to；　they　returned　to　the　street。　In　the　park　across　the　way　an　unseen　group　of　young　men　strummed　steel　guitars　and　sang　in　soft　haunting　voices；　it　was　the　only　sign　of　life　in　Honolulu。
　〃Kindly　deign　to　enter　hotel　lobby　with　me；〃　suggested　Chan。　〃It　is　my　custom　to　regard　names　in　register　from　time　to　time。〃
　At　the　cigar　stand　just　inside　the　door；　the　boy　paused　to　light　his　pipe；　while　Chan　went　on　to　the　desk。　As　John　Quincy　turned　he　saw　a　man　seated　alone　in　the　lobby；　a　handsome；　distinguished　man　who　wore　immaculate　evening　clothes　that　bore　the　stamp　of　Bond　Street。　An　old　acquaintance；　Captain　Arthur　Temple　Cope。
　At　sight　of　John　Quincy；　Cope　leaped　to　his　feet　and　came　forward。　〃Hello；　I'm　glad　to　see　you；〃　he　cried；　with　a　cordiality　that　had　not　been　evident　at　former　meetings。　〃e　over　and　sit　down。〃
　John　Quincy　followed　him。　〃Aren't　you　back　rather　soon？〃　he　inquired。
　〃Sooner　than　I　expected；〃　Cope　rejoined。　〃Not　sorry；　either。〃
　〃Then　you　didn't　care　for　your　little　flock　of　islands？〃
　〃My　boy；　you　should　visit　there。　Thirty…five　white　men；　two　hundred　and　fifty　natives；　and　a　cable　station。　Jolly　place　of　an　evening；　what？〃
　Chan　came　up；　and　John　Quincy　presented　him。　Captain　Cope　was　the　perfect　host。　〃Sit　down；　both　of　you；〃　he　urged。　〃Have　a　cigarette。〃　He　extended　a　silver　case。
　〃Thanks；　I'll　stick　to　the　pipe；〃　John　Quincy　said。　Chan　gravely　accepted　a　cigarette　and　lighted　it。
　〃Tell　me；　my　boy；〃　Cope　said　when　they　were　seated；　〃is　there　anything　new　on　the　Winterslip　murder？　Haven't　run　down　the　guilty　man；　by　any　chance。〃
　〃No；　not　yet；〃　John　Quincy　replied。
　〃That's　a　great　pity。　I　…　er　…　understand　the　police　are　holding　a　chap　named　Egan？〃
　〃Yes　…　Jim　Egan；　of　the　Reef　and　Palm　Hotel。〃
　〃Just　what　evidence　have　they　against　Egan；　Mr。　Winterslip？〃
　John　Quincy　was　suddenly　aware　of　Chan　lo