earlderrbiggers.thehousewithoutakey-第41节

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　John　Quincy　was　impressed　by　the　sincerity　in　his　tone。　But　he　was　sadly　puzzled；　too。　〃All　right；〃　he　said；　〃that's　that。　I'm　sorry　if　we've　troubled　you　with　this　trivial　matter　…〃
　〃Don't　talk　like　that；〃　Hallet　broke　in。　〃I'm　glad　of　your　help。　But　as　far　as　Mr。　Saladine　is　concerned　…〃　he　looked　at　Chan　…　〃let　him　alone。〃
　Chan　bowed。　〃You　are　undisputable　chief；〃　he　replied。
　They　went　back　to　Punchbowl　Hill　in　the　roadster；　both　rather　dejected。　As　Chan　alighted　at　his　gate；　John　Quincy　spoke：　〃Well；　I'm　pau。　Saladine　was　my　last　hope。〃
　Chan　stared　for　a　moment　at　the　moonlit　Pacific　that　lay　beyond　the　water…front　lamps。　〃Stone　wall　surround　us；〃　he　said　dreamily。　〃But　we　circle　about；　seeking　loophole。　Moment　of　discovery　will　e。〃
　〃I　wish　I　thought　so；〃　replied　John　Quincy。
　Chan　smiled。　〃Patience　are　a　very　lovely　virtue；〃　he　remarked。　〃Seem　that　way　to　me。　But　maybe　that　are　my　Oriental　mind。　Your　race；　I　perceive；　regard　patience　with　ever…swelling　disfavor。〃
　It　was　with　swelling　disfavor　that　John　Quincy　regarded　it　as　he　drove　back　to　Waikiki。　Yet　he　had　great　need　of　patience　in　the　days　immediately　following。　For　nothing　happened。
　The　forty…eight…hour　period　given　him　to　leave　Hawaii　expired；　but　the　writer　of　that　threatening　letter　failed　to　e　forward　and　relieve　the　tedium。　Thursday　arrived；　a　calm　day　like　the　others；　Thursday　night；　peaceful　and　serene。
　On　Friday　afternoon　Agatha　Parker　broke　the　monotony　by　a　cable　sent　from　the　Wyoming　ranch。
　〃You　must　be　quite　mad。　I　find　the　West　crude　and　impossible。〃
　John　Quincy　smiled；　he　could　picture　her　as　she　wrote　it；　proud；　haughty；　unyielding。　She　must　have　been　popular　with　the　man　who　transmitted　the　message。　Or　was　he；　too；　an　exile　from　the　East？
　And　perhaps　the　girl　was　right。　Perhaps　he　was　mad；　after　all。　He　sat　on　Dan　Winterslip's　lanai；　trying　to　think　things　out。　Boston；　the　office；　the　art　gallery；　the　theaters。　The　mon　on　a　winter's　day；　with　the　air　bracing　and　full　of　life。　The　thrill　of　a　new　issue　of　bonds；　like　the　thrill　of　a　theatrical　first　night　…　would　it　get　over　big　or　flop　at　his　feet？　Tennis　at　Longwood；　long　evenings　on　the　Charles；　golf　with　people　of　his　own　kind　at　Magnolia。　Tea　out　of　exquisite　cups　in　dim　old　drawing…rooms。　Wasn't　he　mad　to　think　of　giving　up　all　that？　But　what　had　Miss　Minerva　said？　〃If　your　chance　ever　es　…〃
　The　problem　was　a　big　one；　and　big　problems　were　annoying　out　here　where　the　lotus　grew。　He　yawned；　and　went　aimlessly　down…town。　Drifting　into　the　public　library；　he　saw　Charlie　Chan　hunched　over　a　table　that　held　an　enormous　volume。　John　Quincy　went　closer。　The　book　was　made　up　of　back　numbers　of　the　Honolulu　morning　paper；　and　it　was　open　at　a　time…yellowed　sporting　page。
　〃Hello；　Chan。　What　are　you　up　to？〃
　Chan　gave　him　a　smile　of　greeting。　〃Hello。　Little　bit　of　careless　reading　while　I　gallop　about　seeking　loophole。〃
　He　closed　the　big　volume　casually。　〃You　seem　in　the　best　of　health。〃
　〃Oh；　I'm　all　right。〃
　〃No　more　fierce　shots　out　of　bushes？〃
　〃Not　a　trigger　pulled。　I　imagine　that　was　a　big　bluff　…　nothing　more。〃
　〃What　do　you　say　…　bluff？〃
　〃I　mean　the　fellow's　a　coward；　after　all。〃
　Chan　shook　his　head　solemnly。　〃Pardon　humble　suggestion　…　do　not　lose　carefulness。　Hot　heads　plenty　in　hot　climate。〃
　〃I'll　look　before　I　leap；〃　John　Quincy　promised。　〃But　I'm　afraid　I　interrupted　you。〃
　〃Ridiculous　thought；〃　protested　Chan。
　〃I'll　go　along。　Let　me　know　if　anything　breaks。〃
　〃Most　certainly。　Up　to　present；　everything　are　intact。〃
　John　Quincy　paused　at　the　door　of　the　reference　room。　Charlie　Chan　had　promptly　opened　the　big　book；　and　was　again　bending　over　it　with　every　show　of　interest。
　Returning　to　Waikiki；　John　Quincy　faced　a　dull　evening。　Barbara　had　gone　to　the　island　of　Kauai　for　a　visit　with　old　friends　of　the　family。　He　had　not　been　sorry　when　she　went；　for　he　didn't　feel　quite　at　ease　in　her　presence。　The　estrangement　between　the　girl　and　Jennison　continued；　the　lawyer　had　not　been　at　the　dock　to　see　her　off。　Yes；　John　Quincy　had　parted　from　her　gladly；　but　her　absence　cast　a　pall　of　loneliness　over　the　house　on　Kalia　Road。
　After　dinner；　he　sat　with　his　pipe　on　the　lanai。　Down　the　beach　at　the　Reef　and　Palm　pleasant　pany　was　available　…　but　he　hesitated。　He　had　seen　Carlota　Egan　several　times　by　day；　on　the　beach　or　in　the　water。　She　was　very　happy　now；　though　somewhat　appalled　at　thought　of　her　approaching　visit　to　England。　They'd　had　several　talks　about　that　…　daylight　talks。　John　Quincy　was　a　bit　afraid　to　entrust　himself　…　as　Chan　had　said　in　speaking　of　his　stone　idol　…　of　an　evening。　After　all；　there　was　Agatha；　there　was　Boston。　There　was　Barbara；　too。　Being　entangled　with　three　girls　at　once　was　a　rather　wearing　experience。　He　rose；　and　went　down…town　to　the　movies。
　On　Saturday　morning　he　was　awakened　early　by　the　whir　of　aeroplanes　above　the　house。　The　American　fleet　was　in　the　offing；　and　the　little　brothers　of　the　air　service　hastened　out　to　hover　overhead　in　friendly　wele。　That　day　a　spirit　of　carnival　prevailed　in　Honolulu；　flags　floated　from　every　masthead；　and　the　streets　bloomed；　as　Barbara　had　predicted；　with　handsome　boys　in　spotless　uniforms。　They　were　everywhere；　swarming　in　the　souvenir　stores；　besieging　the　soda　fountains；　skylarking　on　the　trolley…cars。　Evening　brought　a　great　ball　at　the　beach　hotel；　and　John　Quincy；　out　for　a　walk；　saw　that　every　spic　and　span　uniform　moved　toward　Waikiki；　acpanied　by　a　fair　young　thing　who　was　only　too　happy　to　serve　as　sweetheart　in　that　particular　port。
　John　Quincy　felt；　suddenly；　rather　out　of　things。　Each　pretty　girl　he　saw　recalled　Carlota　Egan。　He　turned　his　wandering　footsteps　toward　the　Reef　and　Palm；　and　oddly　enough；　his　pace　quickened　at　once。
　The　proprietor　himself　was　behind　the　desk；　his　eyes　calm　and　untroubled　now。
　〃Good　evening；　Mr。　Egan　…　or　should　I　say　Mr。　Cope；〃　remarked　John　Quincy。
　〃Oh；　we'll　stick　to　the　Egan；　I　guess；〃　the　man　replied。　〃Sort　of　got　out　of　the　hang　of　the　other。　Mr。　Winterslip；　I'm　happy　to　see　you。　Cary　will　be　down　in　a　moment。〃
　John　Quincy　gazed　about　the　big　public　room。　It　was　a　scene　of　confusion；　spattered　ladders；　buckets　of　paint；　rolls　of　new　wall…paper。　〃What's　going　on？〃　he　inquired。
　〃Freshening　things　up　a　bit；〃　Egan　answered。　〃You　know；　we're　in　society　now。〃　He　laughed。　〃Yes；　sir；　the　old　Reef　and　Palm　has　been　standing　here　a　long　time　without　so　much　as　a　glance　from　the　better　element　of　Honolulu。　But　now　they　know　I'm　related　to　the　British　Admiralty；　they've　suddenly　discovered　it's　a　quaint　and　interesting　place。　They're　dropping　in　for　tea。　Just　fancy。　But　that's　Honolulu。〃
　〃That's　Boston；　too；〃　John　Quincy　assured　him。
　〃Yes　…　and　precisely　the　sort　of　thing　I　ran　away　from　England　to　escape；　a　good　many　years　ago。　I'd　tell　them　all　to　go　to　the　devil　…　but　there's　Cary。　Somehow；　women　feel　differently　about　those　things。　It　will　warm　her　heart　a　bit　to　have　these　dowagers　smile　upon　her。　And　they're　smiling　…　you　know；　they've　even　dug　up　the　fact　that　my　Cousin　George　has　been　knighted　for　making　a　particularly　efficient　brand　of　soap。〃　He　grimaced。　〃It's　nothing　I'd　have　mentioned　myself　…　a　family　skeleton；　as　I　see　it。　But　society　has　odd　standards。　And　I　mustn't　be　hard　on　poor　old　George。　As　Arthur　says；　making　soap　is　good　clean　fun。〃
　〃Is　your　brother　still　with　you？〃
　〃No。　He's　gone　back　to　finish　his　job　in　the　Fanning　Group。　When　he　returns；　I'm　sending　Cary　to　England　for　a　long　stop。　Yes；　that's　right　…　I'm　sending　her；〃　he　added　quickly。　〃I'm　paying　for　these　repairs；　too。　You　see；　I've　been　able　to　add　a　second　mortgage　to　the　one　already　on　the　poor　tottering　Reef　and　Palm。　That's　another　oute　of　my　new…found　connection　with　the　British　Admiralty　and　the　silly　old　soap　business。　Here's　Cary　now。〃
　John　Quincy　turned。　And　he　was　glad　he　had；　for　he　would　not　willingly　have　missed　the　picture　of　Carlota　on　the　stairs。　Carlota　in　an　evening　gown　of　some　shimmering　material；　her　dark　hair　dressed　in　a　new　and　amazingly　effective　way；　her　white　shoulders　gleaming；　her　eyes　happy　at　last。　As　she　came　quickly　toward　him　he　caught　his　breath；　never　had　he　seen　her　look　so　beautiful。　She　must　have　heard　his　voice　in　the　office；　he　reflected；　and　with　surprising　speed　arrayed　herself　thus　to　greet　him。　He　was　deeply　grateful　as　he　took　her　hand。
　〃Stranger；〃　she　rebuked。　〃We　thought　you'd　deserted　us。〃
　〃I'd　never　do　that；〃　he　answered。　〃But　I've　been　rather　busy　…〃
　A　step　sounded　behind　him。　He　turned；　and　there　stood　one　of　those　ubiquitous　navy　boys；　a　tall；　blond　Adonis　who　held　his　cap　in　his　hand　and　smiled　in　a　devastating　way。
　〃Hello；　Johnnie；〃　Carlota　said。　〃Mr。　Winterslip；　of　Boston；　this　is　Lieutenant　Booth；　of　Richmond；　Virginia。〃
　〃How　are　you；〃　nodded　the　boy；　without　removing　his　eyes　from　the　girl's　face。　Just　one　of　the　guests；　this　Winterslip；　no　account　at　all　…　such　was　obviously　the　lieutenant's　idea。　〃All　ready；　Cary？　The　car's　outside。〃
　〃I'm　frightfully　sorry；　Mr。　Winterslip；〃　said　the　girl；　〃but　we're　off　to　the　dance。　This　week…end　belongs　to　the　navy；　you　know。　You'll　e　again；　won't　you？〃
　〃Of　course；〃　John　Quincy　replied。　〃Don't