earlderrbiggers.thehousewithoutakey-第8章

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　〃I　see　my　mistake；〃　went　on　John　Quincy。　〃I　should　have　trained　for　this　trip　out　here。　A　stiff　course　in　a　gymnasium。　But　don't　worry。　The　next　lad　that　makes　a　pass　at　me　will　find　a　different　target。　I'll　do　a　daily　three　dozen　and　I'll　take　boxing　lessons。　From　now　on　until　I　get　home；　I'll　be　expecting　the　worst。〃
　Roger　laughed。　〃That's　a　nasty　cut　on　your　cheek；〃　he　remarked。　〃We'd　better　stop　at　this　drug　store　and　have　it　dressed。〃
　A　solicitous　drug　clerk　ministered　to　John　Quincy　with　iodine；　cotton　and　court　plaster；　and　he　reentered　the　limousine　bearing　honorably　the　scar　of　battle。　The　drive　to　Nob　Hill　was　devoid　of　light　chatter。
　Just　inside　the　door　of　Roger's　house；　a　whirlwind　in　a　gay　gown　descended　upon　them。　〃Barbara！〃　Roger　said。　〃Where　did　you　e　from？〃
　〃Hello；　old　dear；〃　she　cried；　kissing　him。　〃I　motored　up　from　Burlingame。　Spending　the　night　with　you　…　I'm　sailing　on　the　President　Tyler　in　the　morning。　Is　this　John　Quincy？〃
　〃Cousin　John；〃　smiled　Roger。　〃He　deserves　a　kiss；　too。　He's　had　a　bad　evening。〃
　The　girl　moved　swiftly　toward　the　defenseless　John　Quincy。　Again　he　was　unprepared；　and　this　time　it　was　his　other　cheek　that　suffered；　though　not　unpleasantly。　〃Just　by　way　of　wele；〃　Barbara　laughed。　She　was　blonde　and　slender。　John　Quincy　thought　he　had　never　seen　so　much　energy　imprisoned　in　so　slight　a　form。　〃I　hear　you're　bound　for　the　Islands？〃　she　said。
　〃To…morrow；〃　John　Quincy　answered。　〃On　your　boat。〃
　〃Splendid！〃　she　cried。　〃When　did　you　get　in？〃
　〃John　Quincy　came　this　morning；〃　Roger　told　her。
　〃And　he's　had　a　bad　evening？〃　the　girl　said。　〃How　lucky　I　came　along。　Where　are　you　taking　us；　Roger？〃
　John　Quincy　stared。　Taking　them？　At　this　hour？
　〃I'll　be　getting　along　up…stairs；〃　he　ventured。
　〃Why；　it's　just　after　twelve；〃　said　Barbara。　〃Lots　of　places　open。　You　dance；　don't　you？　Let　me　show　you　San　Francisco。　Roger's　a　dear　old　thing　…　we'll　let　him　pay　the　checks。〃
　〃Well　…　I　…　I　…〃　stammered　John　Quincy。　His　cheek　was　throbbing　and　he　thought　longingly　of　that　bed　in　the　room　up…stairs。　What　a　place；　this　West！
　〃e　along！〃　The　girl　was　humming　a　gay　little　tune。　All　vivacity；　all　life。　Rather　pleasant　sort　at　that。　John　Quincy　took　up　his　hat。
　Roger's　chauffeur　had　lingered　a　moment　before　the　house　to　inspect　his　engine。　When　he　saw　them　ing　down　the　steps；　he　looked　as　though　he　rather　wished　he　hadn't。　But　escape　was　impossible；　he　climbed　to　his　place　behind　the　wheel。
　〃Where　to；　Barbara？〃　Roger　asked。　〃Tait's？〃
　〃Not　Tait's；〃　she　answered。　〃I've　just　e　from　there。〃
　〃What！　I　thought　you　motored　in　from　Burlingame？〃
　〃So　I　did　…　at　five。　I've　traveled　a　bit　since　then。　How　about　some　chop…suey　for　this　Boston　boy？〃
　Good　lord；　John　Quincy　thought。　Was　there　anything　in　the　world　he　wanted　less？　No　matter。　Barbara　took　him　among　the　Chinese。
　He　didn't　give　a　hang　about　the　Chinese。　Nor　the　Mexicans；　whose　restaurants　interested　the　girl　next。　At　the　moment；　he　was　unsympathetic　toward　Italy。　And　even　toward　France。　But　he　struggled　on　the　international　round；　affronting　his　digestion　with　queer　dishes；　and　dancing　thousands　of　miles　with　the　slim　Barbara　in　his　arms。　After　scrambled　eggs　at　a　place　called　Pete's　Fashion；　she　consented　to　call　it　an　evening。
　As　John　Quincy　staggered　into　Roger's　house；　the　great　clock　in　the　hall　was　striking　three。　The　girl　was　still　alert　and　sparkling。　John　Quincy　hastily　concealed　a　yawn。
　〃All　wrong　to　e　home　so　early；〃　she　cried。　〃But　we'll　have　a　dance　or　two　on　the　boat。　By　the　way；　I've　been　wanting　to　ask。　What　does　it　mean？　The　injured　cheek？〃
　〃Why　…　er　…　I　…〃　John　Quincy　remarked。　Over　the　girl's　shoulder　he　saw　Roger　violently　shaking　his　head。　〃Oh；　that；〃　said　John　Quincy；　lightly　touching　the　wound。　〃That's　where　the　West　begins。　Good　night。　I've　had　a　bully　time。〃　And　at　last　he　got　up…stairs。
　He　stood　for　a　moment　at　his　bedroom　window；　gazing　down　at　the　torchlight　procession　of　the　streets　through　this　amazing　city。　He　was　a　little　dazed。　That　soft　warm　presence　close　by　his　side　in　the　car　…　pleasant；　very　pleasant。　Remarkable　girls　out　here。　Different！
　Beyond　shone　the　harbor　lights。　That　other　girl　…　wonderful　eyes　she　had。　Just　because　she　had　laughed　at　him；　his　treasured　hat　box　floated　now　forlorn　on　those　dark　waters。　He　yawned　again。　Better　be　careful。　Mustn't　be　so　easily　influenced。　No　telling　where　it　would　end。
　
　CHAPTER　IV　　
　A　Friend　Of　Tim's
　
　IT　WAS　another　of　those　mornings　on　which　the　fog　maybe　did　not　e。　Roger　and　his　guests　were　in　the　limousine　again；　it　seemed　to　John　Quincy　that　they　had　left　it　only　a　few　minutes　before。　So　it　must　have　seemed　to　the　chauffeur　too　as；　sleepy…eyed；　he　hurried　them　toward　the　water…front。
　〃By　the　way；　John　Quincy；〃　Roger　said；　〃you'll　want　to　change　your　money　before　you　go　aboard。〃
　John　Quincy　gathered　his　wandering　thoughts。　〃Oh；　yes；　of　course；〃　he　answered。
　Roger　smiled。　〃Just　what　sort　of　money　would　you　like　to　change　it　for？〃　he　inquired。
　〃Why　…〃　began　John　Quincy。　He　stopped。　〃Why；　I　always　thought　…〃
　〃Don't　pay　any　attention　to　Roger；〃　Barbara　laughed。　〃He's　spoofing　you。〃　She　was　fresh　and　blooming；　a　little　matter　like　three　A。M。　made　no　difference　to　her。　〃Only　about　one　person　out　of　a　thousand　in　this　country　knows　that　Hawaii　is　a　part　of　the　United　States；　and　the　fact　annoys　us　deeply　over　in　the　Islands。　Dear　old　Roger　was　trying　to　get　you　in　wrong　with　me　by　enrolling　you　among　the　nine　hundred　and　ninety…nine。〃
　〃Almost　did　it；　too；〃　chuckled　Roger。
　〃Nonsense；〃　said　Barbara。　〃John　Quincy　is　too　intelligent。　He's　not　like　that　congressman　who　wrote　a　letter　to　the　American　Consul　at　Honolulu。〃
　〃Did　one　of　them　do　that？〃　smiled　John　Quincy。
　〃He　certainly　did。　We　almost　gave　up　the　struggle　after　that。　Then　there　was　the　senator　who　came　out　on　a　junket；　and　began　a　speech　with：　'When　I　get　home　to　my　country　…'　Some　one　in　the　audience　shouted：　'You're　there　now；　you　big　stiff！'　It　wasn't　elegant；　of　course；　but　it　expressed　our　feeling　perfectly。　Oh；　we're　touchy；　John　Quincy。〃
　〃Don't　blame　you　a　bit；〃　he　told　her。　〃I'll　very　careful　what　I　say。〃
　They　had　reached　the　Embarcadero；　and　the　car　halted　before　one　of　the　piers。　The　chauffeur　descended　and　began　to　gather　up　the　baggage。　Roger　and　John　Quincy　took　a　share　of　it；　and　they　traversed　the　pier…shed　to　the　gangplank。
　〃Get　along　to　your　office；　Roger；〃　Barbara　said。
　〃No　hurry；〃　he　answered。　〃I'll　go　aboard　with　you；　of　course。〃
　Amid　the　confusion　of　the　deck；　a　party　of　girls　swept　down　on　Barbara；　pretty　lively　girls　of　the　California　brand。　John　Quincy　learned　with　some　regret　that　they　were　there　only　to　see　Barbara　off。　A　big　broad…shouldered　man　in　white　pushed　his　way　through　the　crowd。
　〃Hello　there！〃　he　called　to　Barbara。
　〃Hello；　Harry；〃　she　answered。　〃You　know　Roger；　don't　you？　John　Quincy；　this　is　an　old　friend　of　mine；　Harry　Jennison。〃
　Mr。　Jennison　was　extremely　good…looking；　his　face　was　deeply　tanned　by　the　Island　sun；　his　hair　blond　and　wavy；　his　gray　eyes　amused　and　cynical。　Altogether；　he　was　the　type　of　man　women　look　at　twice　and　never　forget；　John　Quincy　felt　himself　at　once　supplanted　in　the　eyes　of　Barbara's　friends。
　Jennison　seized　the　boy's　hand　in　a　firm　grip。　〃Sailing　too；　Mr。　Winterslip？〃　he　inquired。　〃That's　good。　Between　us　we　ought　to　be　able　to　keep　this　young　woman　entertained。〃
　The　shore　call　sounded；　and　the　confusion　increased。　Along　the　deck　came　a　little　old　lady；　followed　by　a　Chinese　woman　servant。　They　walked　briskly；　and　the　crowd　gave　way　before　them。
　〃Hello　…　this　is　luck；〃　cried　Roger。　〃Madame　Maynard　…　just　a　moment。　I　want　you　to　meet　a　cousin　of　mine　from　Boston。〃　He　introduced　John　Quincy。　〃I　give　him　into　your　charge。　Couldn't　find　a　better　guide；　philosopher　and　friend　for　him　if　I　bed　the　Islands。〃
　The　old　lady　glanced　at　John　Quincy。　Her　black　eyes　snapped。　〃Another　Winterslip；　eh？〃　she　said。　〃Hawaii's　all　cluttered　up　with　'em　now。　Well；　the　more　the　merrier。　I　know　your　aunt。〃
　〃Stick　close　to　her；　John　Quincy；〃　Roger　admonished。
　She　shook　her　head。　〃I'm　a　million　years　old；〃　she　protested。　〃The　boys　don't　stick　so