earlderrbiggers.thehousewithoutakey-第53章

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st　fifty　yards　under　water　to　surprise　you；〃　he　sputtered。
　〃Well；　you　succeeded；〃　said　John　Quincy　without　enthusiasm。
　The　lieutenant　sat　down　with　the　manner　of　one　booked　to　remain　indefinitely。　〃I'll　tell　the　world　it's　some　night；〃　he　offered。
　〃Speaking　of　the　world；　when　do　you　fellows　leave　Honolulu？〃　asked　John　Quincy。
　〃I　don't　know。　To…morrow；　I　guess。　Me；　I　don't　care　if　we　never　go。　Hawaii's　not　so　easy　to　leave。　Is　it；　Cary？〃
　She　shook　her　head。　〃Hardest　place　I　know　of；　Johnnie。　I　shall　have　to　be　sailing　presently；　and　I　know　what　a　wrench　it　will　be。　Perhaps　I'll　follow　the　example　of　Waioli　the　swimmer；　and　leave　the　boat　when　it　passes　Waikiki。〃
　They　lolled　for　a　moment　in　silence。　Suddenly　John　Quincy　sat　up。　〃What　was　that　you　said？〃　he　asked。
　〃About　Waioli？　Didn't　I　ever　tell　you？　He　was　one　of　our　best　swimmers；　and　for　years　they　tried　to　get　him　to　go　to　the　mainland　to　take　part　in　athletic　meets；　like　Duke　Kahanamoku。　But　he　was　a　sentimentalist　…　he　couldn't　bring　himself　to　leave　Hawaii。　Finally　they　persuaded　him；　and　one　sunny　morning　he　sailed　on　the　Matsonia；　with　a　very　sad　face。　When　the　ship　was　opposite　Waikiki　he　slipped　overboard　and　swam　ashore。　And　that　was　that。　He　never　got　on　a　ship　again。　You　see　…〃
　John　Quincy　was　on　his　feet。　〃What　time　was　it　when　we　left　the　beach？〃　he　asked　in　a　low　tense　voice。
　〃About　eight…thirty；〃　said　Booth。
　John　Quincy　talked　very　fast。　〃That　means　I've　got　just　thirty　minutes　to　get　ashore；　dress；　and　reach　the　dock　before　the　President　Tyler　sails。　I'm　sorry　to　go；　but　it's　vital　…　vital。　Cary；　I'd　started　to　tell　you　something。　I　don't　know　when　I'll　get　back；　but　I　must　see　you　when　I　do；　either　at　Mrs。　Maynard's　or　the　hotel。　Will　you　wait　up　for　me？〃
　She　was　startled　by　the　seriousness　of　his　tone。　〃Yes；　I'll　be　waiting；〃　she　told　him。
　〃That's　great。〃　He　hesitated　a　moment；　it　is　a　risky　business　to　leave　the　girl　you　love　on　a　float　in　the　moonlight　with　a　handsome　naval　officer。　But　it　had　to　be　done。　〃I'm　off；〃　he　said；　and　dove。
　When　he　came　up　he　heard　the　lieutenant's　voice。　〃Say；　old　man；　that　dive　was　all　wrong。　You　let　me　show　you　…〃
　〃Go　to　the　devil；〃　muttered　John　Quincy　wetly；　and　swam　with　long　powerful　strokes　toward　the　shore。　Mad　with　haste；　he　plunged　into　the　dressing…room；　donned　his　clothes；　then　dashed　out　again。　No　time　for　apologies　to　his　hostess。　He　ran　along　the　beach　to　the　Winterslip　house。　Haku　was　dozing　in　the　hall。
　〃Wikiwiki；〃　shouted　John　Quincy。　〃Tell　the　chauffeur　to　get　the　roadster　into　the　drive　and　start　the　engine。　Wake　up！　Travel！　Where's　Miss　Barbara？〃
　〃Last　seen　on　beach　…〃　began　the　startled　Haku。
　On　the　bench　under　the　hau　tree　he　found　Barbara　sitting　alone。　He　stood　panting　before　her。
　My　dear；〃　he　said。　〃I　know　at　last　who　killed　your　father　…〃
　She　was　on　her　feet。　〃You　do？〃
　〃Yes　…　shall　I　tell　you？〃
　〃No；〃　she　said。　〃No　…　I　can't　bear　to　hear。　It's　too　horrible。〃
　〃Then　you've　suspected？〃
　〃Yes　…　just　suspicion　…　a　feeling　…　intuition。　I　couldn't　believe　it　…　I　didn't　want　to　believe　it。　I　went　away　to　get　it　out　of　my　mind。　It's　all　too　terrible　…〃
　He　put　his　hand　on　her　shoulder。　〃Poor　Barbara。　Don't　you　worry。　You　won't　appear　in　this　in　any　way。　I'll　keep　you　out　of　it。〃
　〃What　…　what　has　happened？〃
　〃Can't　stop　now。　Tell　you　later。〃　He　ran　toward　the　drive。　Miss　Minerva　appeared　from　the　house。　〃Haven't　time　to　talk；〃　he　cried；　leaping　into　the　roadster。
　〃But　John　Quincy　…　a　curious　thing　has　happened　…　that　lawyer　who　was　here　to　look　at　the　house　…　he　said　that　Dan；　just　a　week　before　he　died；　spoke　to　him　about　a　new　will　…〃
　〃That's　good！　That's　evidence！〃　John　Quincy　cried。
　〃But　why　a　new　will？　Surely　Barbara　was　all　he　had　…〃
　〃Listen　to　me；〃　cut　in　John　Quincy。　〃You've　delayed　me　already。　Get　the　big　car　and　go　to　the　station　…　tell　that　to　Hallet。　Tell　him　too　that　I'm　on　the　President　Tyler　and　to　send　Chan　there　at　once。〃
　He　stepped　on　the　gas。　By　the　clock　in　the　automobile　he　had　just　seventeen　minutes；　to　reach　the　dock　before　the　President　Tyler　would　sail。　He　shot　like　a　madman　through　the　brilliant　Hawaiian　night。　Kalakaua　Avenue；　smooth　and　deserted；　proved　a　glorious　speedway。　It　took　him　just　eight　minutes　to　travel　the　three　miles　to　the　dock。　A　bit　of　traffic　and　an　angry　policeman　in　the　center　of　the　city　caused　the　delay。
　A　scattering　of　people　in　the　dim　pier…shed　waited　for　the　imminent　sailing　of　the　liner。　John　Quincy　dashed　through　them　and　up　the　gangplank。　The　second　officer；　Hepworth；　stood　at　the　top。
　〃Hello；　Mr。　Winterslip；〃　he　said。　〃You　sailing？〃
　〃No。　But　let　me　aboard！〃
　〃I'm　sorry。　We're　about　to　draw　in　the　plank。〃
　〃No；　no　…　you　mustn't。　This　is　life　and　death。　Hold　off　just　a　few　minutes。　There's　a　steward　named　Bowker　…　I　must　find　him　at　once。　Life　and　death；　I　tell　you。〃
　Hepworth　stood　aside。　〃Oh；　well；　in　that　case。　But　please　hurry；　sir　…〃
　〃I　will。〃　John　Quincy　passed　him　on　the　run。　He　was　on　his　way　to　the　cabins　presided　over　by　Bowker　when　a　tall　figure　caught　his　eye。　A　man　in　a　long　green　ulster　and　a　battered　green　hat　…　a　hat　John　Quincy　had　last　seen　on　the　links　of　the　Oahu　Country　Club。
　The　tall　figure　moved　on　up　a　stairway　to　the　topmost　deck。　John　Quincy　followed。　He　saw　the　ulster　disappear　into　one　of　the　de　luxe　cabins。　Still　he　followed；　and　pushed　open　the　cabin　door。　The　man　in　the　ulster　was　back　to；　but　he　swung　round　suddenly。
　〃Ah；　Mr。　Jennison；〃　John　Quincy　cried。　〃Were　you　thinking　of　sailing　on　this　boat？〃
　For　an　instant　Jennison　stared　at　him。　〃I　was；〃　he　said　quietly。
　〃Forget　it；〃　John　Quincy　answered。　〃You're　going　ashore　with　me。〃
　〃Really？　What　is　your　authority？〃
　〃No　authority　whatever；〃　said　the　boy　grimly。　〃I'm　taking　you；　that's　all。〃
　Jennison　smiled；　but　there　was　a　gleam　of　hate　behind　it。　And　in　John　Quincy's　heart；　usually　so　gentle　and　civilized；　there　was　hate　too　as　he　faced　this　man。　He　thought　of　Dan　Winterslip；　dead　on　his　cot。　He　thought　of　Jennison　walking　down　the　gangplank　with　them　that　morning　they　landed；　Jennison　putting　his　arm　about　poor　Barbara　when　she　faltered　under　the　blow。　He　thought　of　the　shots　fired　at　him　from　the　bush；　of　the　red…haired　man　battering　him　in　that　red　room。　Well；　he　must　fight　again。　No　way　out　of　it。　The　siren　of　the　President　Tyler　sounded　a　sharp　warning。
　〃You　get　out　of　here；〃　said　Jennison　through　his　teeth。　〃I'll　go　with　you　to　the　gangplank　…〃
　He　stopped；　as　the　disadvantages　of　that　plan　came　home　to　him。　His　right　hand　went　swiftly　to　his　pocket。　Inspired；　John　Quincy　seized　a　filled　water　bottle　and　hurled　it　at　the　man's　head。　Jennison　dodged；　the　bottle　crashed　through　one　of　the　windows。　The　clatter　of　glass　rang　through　the　night；　but　no　one　appeared。　John　Quincy　saw　Jennison　leap　toward　him；　something　gleaming　in　his　hand。　Stepping　aside；　he　threw　himself　on　the　man's　back　and　forced　him　to　his　knees。　He　seized　the　wrist　of　Jennison's　right　hand；　which　held　the　automatic；　in　a　firm　grip。　They　kept　that　posture　for　a　moment；　and　then　Jennison　began　slowly　to　rise　to　his　feet。　The　hand　that　held　the　pistol　began　to　tear　away。　John　Quincy　shut　his　teeth　and　sought　to　maintain　his　grip。　But　he　was　up　against　a　more　powerful　antagonist　than　the　red…haired　sailor；　he　was　outclassed；　and　the　realization　of　it　crept　over　him　with　a　sickening　force。
　Jennison　was　on　his　feet　now；　the　right　hand　nearly　free。　Another　moment　…　what　then；　John　Quincy　wondered？　This　man　had　no　intention　of　letting　him　go　ashore；　he　had　changed　that　plan　the　moment　he　put　it　into　words。　A　muffled　shot；　and　later　in　the　night　when　the　ship　was　well　out　on　the　Pacific　…　John　Quincy　thought　of　Boston；　his　mother。　He　thought　of　Carlota　waiting　his　return。　He　summoned　his　strength　for　one　last　desperate　effort　to　renew　his　grip。
　A　serene；　ivory…colored　face　appeared　suddenly　at　the　broken　window。　An　arm　with　a　weapon　was　extended　through　the　jagged　opening。
　〃Relinquish　the　firearms；　Mr。　Jennison；〃　manded　Charlie　Chan；　〃or　I　am　forced　to　make　fatal　insertion　in　vital　organ　belonging　to　you。〃
　Jennison's　pistol　dropped　to　the　floor；　and　John　Quincy　staggered　back　again