earlderrbiggers.thehousewithoutakey-第13节

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d　his　way。　Dallied　often　along　forbidden　paths；　they　said；　but　his　smile　had　been　so　friendly　and　his　voice　so　full　of　cheer　…　always　until　these　last　two　weeks。
　Ever　since　that　night　he　sent　the　letter　to　Roger；　he　had　seemed　a　different　man。　There　were　lines　for　the　first　time　in　his　face；　a　weary　apprehensive　look　in　his　gray　eyes。　And　how　furious　he　had　been　when；　last　Wednesday；　he　received　a　cable　from　Roger。　What　was　in　that　message；　Miss　Minerva　wondered；　what　were　those　few　typewritten　words　that　had　caused　him　to　fly　into　such　a　rage　and　set　him　to　pacing　the　floor　with　tigerish　step？
　She　thought　of　him　as　she　had　seen　him　last　…　he　had　seemed　rather　pathetic　to　her　then。　When　the　news　came　that　the　President　Tyler　could　not　dock　until　morning；　and　that　Barbara　…
　Miss　Minerva　stopped。　For　the　first　time　she　thought　of　Barbara。　She　thought　of　a　sprightly；　vivacious　girl　as　yet　untouched　by　sorrow　…　and　of　the　morning's　homeing。　Tears　came　into　her　eyes；　and　it　was　through　a　mist　she　saw　the　bamboo　curtain　that　led　into　the　hall　pushed　aside；　and　the　thin　white　face　of　Amos　framed　there。
　Amos　entered；　walking　gingerly；　for　he　was　treading　ground　he　had　sworn　his　feet　should　never　touch。　He　paused　before　Miss　Minerva。
　〃What's　this？〃　he　said。　〃What's　all　this？〃
　She　nodded　toward　the　lanai；　and　he　went　out　there。　After　what　seemed　a　long　time；　he　reappeared。　His　shoulders　drooped　wearily　and　his　watery　eyes　were　staring。
　〃Stabbed　through　the　heart；〃　he　muttered。　He　stood　for　a　moment　regarding　his　father's　picture　on　the　wall。　〃The　wages　of　sin　is　death；〃　he　added；　as　though　to　old　Jedediah　Winterslip。
　〃Yes；　Amos；〃　said　Miss　Minerva　sharply。　〃I　expected　we　should　hear　that　from　you。　And　there's　another　one　you　may　have　heard　…　judge　not　that　ye　be　not　judged。　Further　than　that；　we'll　waste　no　time　moralizing。　Dan　is　dead；　and　I　for　one　am　sorry。〃
　〃Sorry！〃　repeated　Amos　drearily。　〃How　about　me？　My　brother　…　my　young　brother　…　I　taught　him　to　walk　on　this　very　beach　…〃
　〃Yes。〃　Miss　Minerva　looked　at　him　keenly。　〃I　wonder。　Well；　Dan's　gone。　Some　one　has　killed　him。　He　was　one　of　us　…　a　Winterslip。　What　are　we　going　to　do　about　it？〃
　〃I've　notified　the　police；〃　said　Amos。
　〃Then　why　aren't　they　here？　In　Boston　by　this　time　…　but　then；　I　know　this　isn't　Boston。　Stabbed；　you　say。　Was　there　any　sign　of　a　weapon？〃
　〃None　whatever；　that　I　could　see。〃
　〃How　about　that　Malay　kris　on　the　table　out　there？　The　one　Dan　used　as　a　paper　cutter？〃
　〃I　didn't　notice；〃　Amos　replied。　〃This　is　a　strange　house　to　me；　Minerva。〃
　〃So　it　is。〃　Miss　Minerva　rose　and　started　for　the　lanai。　She　was　her　old　petent　self　again。　At　that　moment　a　loud　knock　sounded　on　the　screen　door　at　the　front　of　the　house。　Presently　there　were　voices　in　the　hall；　and　Haku　ushered　three　men　into　the　living…room。　Though　evidently　police；　they　were　all　in　plain　clothes。　One　of　them；　a　tall；　angular　Yankee　with　the　look　of　a　sailing　master　about　him；　stepped　forward。
　〃I'm　Hallet；〃　he　said。　〃Captain　of　Detectives。　You're　Mr。　Amos　Winterslip；　I　believe？〃
　〃I　am；〃　Amos　answered。　He　introduced　Miss　Minerva。　Captain　Hallet　gave　her　a　casual　nod；　this　was　man's　business　and　he　disliked　having　a　woman　involved。
　〃Dan　Winterslip；　you　said；〃　he　remarked；　turning　back　to　Amos。　〃That's　a　great　pity。　Where　is　he？〃
　Amos　indicated　the　lanai。　〃e；　Doctor；〃　Hallet　said；　and　went　through　the　curtain；　followed　by　the　smaller　of　the　two　men。
　As　they　went　out；　the　third　man　stepped　farther　into　the　room；　and　Miss　Minerva　gave　a　little　gasp　of　astonishment　as　she　looked　at　him。　In　those　warm　islands　thin　men　were　the　rule；　but　here　was　a　striking　exception。　He　was　very　fat　indeed；　yet　he　walked　with　the　light　dainty　step　of　a　woman。　His　cheeks　were　as　chubby　as　a　baby's；　his　skin　ivory　tinted；　his　black　hair　close…cropped；　his　amber　eyes　slanting。　As　he　passed　Miss　Minerva　he　bowed　with　a　courtesy　encountered　all　too　rarely　in　a　work…a…day　world；　then　moved　on　after　Hallet。
　〃Amos！〃　cried　Miss　Minerva。　〃That　man　…　why　he　…〃
　〃Charlie　Chan；〃　Amos　explained。　〃I'm　glad　they　brought　him。　He's　the　best　detective　on　the　force。〃
　〃But　…　he's　Chinese！〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　Miss　Minerva　sank　into　a　chair。　Ah；　yes；　they　had　policemen　out　here；　after　all。
　In　a　few　moments　Hallet　came　briskly　back　into　the　living…room。　〃Look　here；〃　he　said。　〃The　doctor　tells　me　Mr。　Winterslip　has　been　dead　a　very　short　while。　I　don't　want　your　evidence　just　yet　…　but　if　either　of　you　can　give　me　some　idea　as　to　the　hour　when　this　thing　happened　…〃
　〃I　can　give　you　a　rather　definite　idea；〃　said　Miss　Minerva　calmly。　〃It　happened　just　previous　to　twenty　minutes　past　one。　Say　about　one　fifteen。〃
　Hallet　stared　at　her。　〃You're　sure　of　that？〃
　〃I　ought　to　be。　I　got　the　time　from　the　wrist　watch　of　the　person　who　mitted　the　murder。〃
　〃What！　You　saw　him！〃
　〃I　didn't　say　that。　I　said　I　saw　his　wrist　watch。〃
　Hallet　frowned。　〃I'll　get　that　straight　later；〃　he　said。　〃Just　now　I　propose　to　b　this　part　of　town。　Where's　the　telephone？〃
　Miss　Minerva　pointed　it　out　to　him；　and　heard　him　in　earnest　conversation　with　a　man　at　headquarters　named　Tom。　Tom's　job；　it　seemed；　was　to　muster　all　available　men　and　search　Honolulu；　particularly　the　Waikiki　district；　rounding　up　any　suspicious　characters。　He　was　also　to　have　on　hand；　awaiting　his　chief's　return；　the　passenger　lists　of　all　ships　that　had　made　port　at　Honolulu　during　the　past　week。
　Hallet　returned　to　the　living…room。　He　took　a　stand　directly　in　front　of　Miss　Minerva。　〃Now；〃　he　began；　〃you　didn't　see　the　murderer；　but　you　saw　his　wrist　watch。　I'm　a　great　believer　in　taking　things　in　an　orderly　fashion。　You're　a　stranger　here。　From　Boston；　I　believe？〃
　〃I　am；〃　snapped　Miss　Minerva。
　〃Stopping　in　this　house？〃
　〃Precisely。〃
　〃Anybody　here　besides　you　and　Mr。　Winterslip？〃
　Miss　Minerva's　eyes　flashed。　〃The　servants；〃　she　said。　〃And　I　would　like　to　call　your　attention　to　the　fact　that　I　am　Dan　Winterslip's　first　cousin。〃
　〃Oh；　sure　…　no　offense。　He　has　a　daughter；　hasn't　he？〃
　〃Miss　Barbara　is　on　her　way　home　from　college。　Her　ship　will　dock　in　the　morning。〃
　〃I　see。　Just　you　and　Winterslip。　You're　going　to　be　an　important　witness。〃
　〃It　will　be　a　novel　experience；　at　any　rate；〃　she　remarked。
　〃I　dare　say。　Now；　go　back　…〃　Miss　Minerva　glared　at　him　…　it　was　a　glare　that　had　frightened　guards　on　the　Cambridge　subway。　He　brushed　it　aside。　〃You　understand　that　I　haven't　time　for　please；　Miss　Winterslip。　Go　back　and　describe　last　evening　in　this　house。〃
　〃I　was　here　only　until　eight…thirty；〃　she　told　him；　〃when　I　went　to　a　luau　with　some　friends。　Previous　to　that；　Mr。　Winterslip　dined　at　his　usual　hour　and　we　chatted　for　a　time　on　the　lanai。〃
　〃Did　he　seem　to　have　anything　on　his　mind？〃
　〃Well；　he　has　appeared　a　bit　upset　…〃
　〃Wait　a　minute！〃　The　captain　took　out　a　note…book。　〃Want　to　put　down　some　of　this。　Been　upset；　has　he？　For　how　long？〃
　〃For　the　past　two　weeks。　Let　me　think　…　just　two　weeks　ago　to…night　…　or　rather；　last　night　…　he　and　I　were　sitting　on　the　lanai；　and　he　was　reading　the　evening　paper。　Something　in　it　seemed　to　disturb　him。　He　got　up；　wrote　a　note　to　his　cousin　Roger　in　San　Francisco；　and　took　it　down　for　a　friend　aboard　the　President　Tyler　to　deliver。　From　that　moment　he　appeared　restless　and　unhappy。〃
　〃Go　on。　This　may　be　important。〃
　〃Last　Wednesday　morning　he　received　a　cable　from　Roger　that　infuriated　him。〃
　〃A　cable。　What　was　in　it？〃
　〃It　was　not　addressed　to　me；〃　said　Miss　Minerva　haughtily。
　〃Well；　that's　all　right。　We'll　dig　it　up。　Now；　about　last　night。　Did　he　act　more　upset　than　ever？〃
　〃He　did。　But　that　may　have　been　due　to　the　fact　he　had　hoped　his　daughter's　ship　would　dock　yesterday　afternoon；　and　had　learned　it　could　not　land　its　passengers　until　this　morning。〃
　〃I　see。　You　said　you　was　only　here　until　eight…thirty？〃
　〃I　did　not；〃　replied　Miss　Minerva　coldly。　〃I　said　I　was　here　only　until　eight…thirty。〃
　〃Same　thing。〃
　〃Well；　hardly。〃
　〃I'm　not　here　to　talk　grammar；〃　Hallet　said　sharply。　〃Did　anything　occur　…　anything　out　of　the　ordinary　…　before　you　left？〃
　〃No。　Wait　a　moment。　Some　one　called　Mr。　Winterslip　on　the　telephone　while　he　was　at　dinner。　I　couldn't　help　overhearing　the　conversation。〃
　〃Good　for　you！〃　She　glared　at　him　again。　〃Repeat　it。〃
　〃I　heard　Mr。　Winterslip　say：　'Hello；　Egan。　What　…　you're　not　ing　over？　Oh；　yes　you　are。　I　want　to　see　you。　I　insist　on　it。　e　about　eleven。　I　want　to　see　you。'　That　was；　at　least；　the　import　of　his　remarks。〃
　〃Did　he　seem　excited？〃
　〃He　raised　his　voice　above　the　ordinary　tone。〃
　〃Ah；　yes。〃　The　captain　stared　at　his　note…book。　〃Must　have　been　Jim　Egan；　who　runs　this　God…forsaken　Reef　and　Palm　Hotel　down　the　beach。〃　He　turned　to　Amos。　〃Was　Egan　a　friend　of　your　brother？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Amos。
　〃You　see；　Amos　was　not　a　friend　of　his　brother；　either；〃　explained　Miss　Minerva。　〃There　was　an　old　feud　between　them。　Speaking　for　myself；　I　never　heard　Dan　mention　Egan；　and　he　certainly　never　came　to　the　house　while　I　was　here。〃
　Hallet　nodded。　〃Well；　you　left　at　eight…thirty。　Now　tell　us　where　you　went　and　when　you　got　back。　And　all　about　the　wrist　watch。〃
　Miss　Minerva　rapidly　ske