earlderrbiggers.thehousewithoutakey-第40章

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　〃Just　what　evidence　have　they　against　Egan；　Mr。　Winterslip？〃
　John　Quincy　was　suddenly　aware　of　Chan　looking　at　him　in　a　peculiar　way。　〃Oh；　they've　dug　up　several　things；〃　he　answered　vaguely。
　〃Mr。　Chan；　you　are　a　member　of　the　police　force；〃　Captain　Cope　went　on。　〃Perhaps　you　can　tell　me？〃
　Chan's　little　eyes　narrowed。　〃Such　matters　are　not　yet　presented　to　public；〃　he　replied。
　〃Ah；　yes；　naturally。〃　Captain　Cope's　tone　suggested　disappointment。
　〃You　have　interest　in　this　murder；　I　think？〃　Chan　said。
　〃Why；　yes　…　every　one　out　this　way　is　puzzling　about　it；　I　fancy。　The　thing　has　so　many　angles。〃
　〃Is　it　possible　that　you　were　an　acquaintance　with　Mr。　Dan　Winterslip？〃　the　detective　persisted。
　〃I　…　I　knew　him　slightly。　But　that　was　many　years　ago。〃
　Chan　stood。　〃Humbly　begging　pardon　to　be　so　abrupt；〃　he　said。　He　turned　to　John　Quincy。　〃The　moment　of　our　appointment　is　eminent　…〃
　〃Of　course；〃　agreed　John　Quincy。　〃See　you　again；　Captain。〃　Perplexed；　he　followed　Chan　to　the　street。　〃What　appointment　…〃　he　began；　and　stopped。　Chan　was　carefully　extinguishing　the　light　of　the　cigarette　against　the　stone　facade　of　the　hotel。　That　done；　he　dropped　the　stub　into　his　pocket。
　〃You　will　see；〃　he　promised。　〃First　we　visit　police　station。　As　we　journey；　kindly　relate　all　known　facts　concerning　this　Captain　Cope。〃
　John　Quincy　told　of　his　first　meeting　with　Cope　in　the　San　Francisco　club；　and　repeated　the　conversation　as　he　recalled　it。
　〃Evidence　of　warm　dislike　for　Dan　Winterslip　were　not　to　be　concealed？〃　inquired　Chan。
　〃Oh；　quite　plain；　Charlie。　He　certainly　had　no　love　for　Cousin　Dan。　But　what　…〃
　〃Immediately　he　was　leaving　for　Hawaii　…　pardon　the　interrupt。　Does　it　happily　chance　you　know　his　date　of　arrival　here？〃
　〃I　do。　I　saw　him　in　the　Alexander　Young　Hotel　last　Tuesday　evening　when　I　was　looking　for　you。　He　was　rushing　off　to　the　Fanning　Islands；　and　he　told　me　he　had　got　in　the　previous　day　at　noon　…〃
　〃Monday　noon　to　put　it　lucidly。〃
　〃Yes　…　Monday　noon。　But　Charlie　…　what　are　you　trying　to　get　at？〃
　〃Groping　about；〃　Chan　smiled。　〃Seeking　to　seize　truth　in　my　hot　hands。〃
　They　walked　on　in　silence　to　the　station；　where　Chan　led　the　way　into　the　deserted　room　of　Captain　Hallet。　He　went　directly　to　the　safe　and　opened　it。　From　a　drawer　he　removed　several　small　objects；　which　he　carried　over　to　the　captain's　table。
　〃Property　Mr。　Jim　Egan；〃　he　announced；　and　laid　a　case　of　tarnished　silver　before　John　Quincy。　〃Open　it　…　what　do　you　find　now？　Corsican　cigarettes。〃　He　set　down　another　exhibit。　〃Tin　box　found　in　room　of　Mr。　Brade。　Open　that；　also。　You　find　more　Corsican　cigarettes。〃
　He　removed　an　envelope　from　his　pocket　and　taking　out　a　charred　stub；　laid　that　too　on　the　table。　〃Fragment　found　by　walk　outside　door　of　Dan　Winterslip's　mansion；〃　he　elucidated。　〃Also　Corsican　brand。〃
　Frowning　deeply；　he　removed　a　second　charred　stub　from　his　pocket　and　laid　it　some　distance　from　the　other　exhibits。　〃Cigarette　offered　just　now　with　winning　air　of　hospitality　by　Captain　Arthur　Temple　Cope。　Lean　close　and　perceive。　More　Corsican　brand！〃
　〃Good　lord！〃　John　Quincy　cried。
　〃Can　it　be　you　are　familiar　with　these　Corsicans？〃　inquired　Chan。
　〃Not　at　all。〃
　〃I　am　more　happily　located。　This　afternoon　before　the　swim　I　pause　at　public　library　for　listless　reading。　In　Australian　newspaper　I　encounter　advertising　talk　of　Corsican　cigarette。　It　are　assembled　in　two　distinct　fashions；　one；　labeled　on　tin　222；　holds　Turkish　tobacco。　Note　222　on　tin　of　Brade。　Other　labeled　444　made　up　from　Virginia　weeds。　Is　it　that　you　are　clever　to　know　difference　between　Turkish　and　Virginia　tobacco？〃
　〃Well；　I　think　so　…〃　began　John　Quincy。
　〃Same　with　me；　but　thinking　are　not　enough　now。　The　moment　are　serious。　We　will　interrogate　expert　opinion。　Honor　me　by　a　journey　to　smoking　emporium。〃
　He　took　a　cigarette　from　Brade's　tin；　put　it　in　an　envelope　and　wrote　something　on　the　outside；　then　did　the　same　with　one　from　Egan's　case。　The　two　stubs　were　similarly　classified。
　They　went　in　silence　to　the　street。　John　Quincy；　amazed　by　this　new　turn　of　events；　told　himself　the　idea　was　absurd。　But　Chan's　face　was　grave；　his　eyes　awake　and　eager。
　John　Quincy　was　vastly　more　amazed　when　they　emerged　from　the　tobacco　shop　after　a　brisk　interview　with　the　young　man　in　charge。　Chan　was　jubilant　now。
　〃Again　we　advance！　You　hear　what　he　tells　us。　Cigarette　from　Brade's　tin　and　little　brother　from　Egan's　case　are　of　identical　contents；　both　being　of　Turkish　tobacco。　Stub　found　near　walk　are　of　Virginia　stuff。　So　also　are　remnant　received　by　me　from　the　cordial　hand　of　Captain　Arthur　Temple　Cope！〃
　〃It's　beyond　me；〃　replied　John　Quincy。　〃By　gad　…　that　lets　Egan　out。　Great　news　for　Carlota。　I'll　hurry　to　the　Reef　and　Palm　and　tell　her　…〃
　〃Oh；　no；　no；〃　protested　Chan。　〃Please　to　let　that　happy　moment　wait。　For　the　present；　indulge　only　in　silence。　Before　asking　Captain　Cope　for　statement　we　spy　over　his　every　move。　Much　may　be　revealed　by　the　unsuspecting。　I　go　to　station　to　make　arrangements　…〃
　〃But　the　man's　a　gentleman；〃　John　Quincy　cried。　〃A　captain　in　the　British　Admiralty。　What　you　suggest　is　impossible。〃
　Chan　shook　his　head。　〃Impossible　in　Rear　Bay　at　Boston；〃　he　said；　〃but　here　at　moonly　crossroads　of　Pacific；　not　so　much　so。　Twenty…five　years　of　my　life　are　consumed　in　Hawaii；　and　I　have　many　times　been　witness　when　the　impossible　roused　itself　and　occurred。〃
　
　CHAPTER　XVII　
　Night　Life　In　Honolulu
　
　MONDAY　brought　no　new　developments；　and　John　Quincy　spent　a　restless　day。　Several　times　he　called　Chan　at　the　police　station；　but　the　detective　was　always　out。
　Honolulu；　according　to　the　evening　paper；　was　agog。　This　was　not；　as　John　Quincy　learned　to　his　surprise；　a　reference　to　the　Winterslip　case。　An　American　fleet　had　just　left　the　harbor　of　San　Pedro　bound　for　Hawaii。　This　was　the　annual　cruise　of　the　graduating　class　at　Annapolis；　the　war…ships　were　overflowing　with　future　captains　and　admirals。　They　would　linger　at　the　port　of　Honolulu　for　several　days　and　a　gay　round　of　social　events　impended　…　dinners；　dances；　moonlight　swimming　parties。
　John　Quincy　had　not　seen　Barbara　all　day；　the　girl　had　not　appeared　at　breakfast　and　had　lunched　with　a　friend　down　the　beach。　They　met　at　dinner；　however；　and　it　seemed　to　him　that　she　looked　more　tired　and　wan　than　ever。　She　spoke　about　the　ing　of　the　warships。
　〃It's　always　such　a　happy　time；〃　she　said　wistfully。　〃The　town　simply　blooms　with　handsome　boys　in　uniform。　I　don't　like　to　have　you　miss　all　the　parties；　John　Quincy。　You're　not　seeing　Honolulu　at　its　best。〃
　〃Why　…　that's　all　right；〃　John　Quincy　assured　her。
　She　shook　her　head。　〃Not　with　me。　You　know；　we're　not　such　slaves　to　convention　out　here。　If　I　should　get　you　a　few　invitations　…　what　do　you　think；　Cousin　Minerva？〃
　〃I'm　an　old　woman；〃　said　Miss　Minerva。　〃According　to　the　standards　of　your　generation；　I　suppose　it　would　be　quite　the　thing。　But　it's　not　the　sort　of　conduct　I　can　view　approvingly。　Now；　in　my　day　…〃
　〃Don't　you　worry；　Barbara；〃　John　Quincy　broke　in。　〃Parties　mean　nothing　to　me。　Speaking　of　old　women；　I'm　an　old　man　myself　…　thirty　my　next　birthday。　Just　my　pipe　and　slippers　by　the　fire　…　or　the　electric　fan　…　that's　all　I　ask　of　life　now。〃
　She　smiled　and　dropped　the　matter。　After　dinner；　she　followed　John　Quincy　to　the　lanai。　〃I　want　you　to　do　something　for　me；〃　she　began。
　〃Anything　you　say。〃
　〃Have　a　talk　with　Mr。　Brade；　and　tell　me　what　he　wants。〃
　〃Why；　I　thought　that　Jennison　…〃　said　John　Quincy。
　〃No；　I　didn't　ask　him　to　do　it；〃　she　replied。　For　a　long　moment　she　was　silent。　〃I　ought　to　tell　you　…　I'm　not　going　to　marry　Mr。　Jennison；　after　all。〃
　A　shiver　of　apprehension　ran　down　John　Quincy's　spine。　Good　lord　…　that　kiss！　Had　she　misunderstood？　And　he　hadn't　meant　a　thing　by　it。　Just　a　cousinly　salute　…　at　least；　that　was　what　it　had　started　out　to　be。　Barbara　was　a　sweet　girl；　yes；　but　a　relative；　a　Winterslip；　and　relatives　shouldn't　marry；　no　matter　how　distant　the　connection。　Then；　too；　there　was　Agatha。　He　was　bound　to　Agatha　by　all　the　ties　of　honor。　What　had　he　got　himself　into；　anyhow？
　〃I'm　awfully　sorry　to　hear　th