earlderrbiggers.thehousewithoutakey-第6节

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reading　old　familiar　ground。　In　far；　forgotten；　happy　times　he　had　known　the　life　of　this　city's　streets。　Strange；　but　true。　He　spoke　to　Roger　about　it。
　Roger　smiled。　〃A　Winterslip；　after　all；〃　he　said。　〃And　they　told　me　you　were　just　a　sort　of　…　of　Puritan　survival。　My　father　used　to　know　that　sensation　you　speak　of；　only　he　felt　it　whenever　he　entered　a　new　town。　Might　be　something　in　reincarnation；　after　all。〃
　〃Nonsense；〃　said　John　Quincy。
　〃Probably。　Just　the　blood　of　the　roaming　Winterslips　in　your　veins。〃　He　leaned　across　the　table。　〃How　would　you　like　to　e　to　San　Francisco　to　live？〃
　〃Wha　…　what？〃　asked　John　Quincy；　startled。
　〃I'm　getting　along　in　years；　and　I'm　all　alone。　Lots　of　financial　details　in　my　office　…　take　you　in　there　and　let　you　look　after　them。　Make　it　worth　your　while。〃
　〃No；　no；　thank　you；〃　said　John　Quincy　firmly。　〃I　belong　back　east。　Besides；　I　could　never　persuade　Agatha　to　e　out　here。〃
　〃Agatha　who？〃
　〃Agatha　Parker　…　the　girl　I'm　engaged　to　…　in　a　way。　Been　sort　of　understood　between　us　for　several　years。　No；〃　he　added；　〃I　guess　I'd　better　stay　where　I　belong。〃
　Roger　Winterslip　looked　his　disappointment。　〃Probably　had；〃　he　admitted。　〃I　fancy　no　girl　with　that　name　would　follow　you　here。　Though　a　girl　worth　having　will　follow　her　man　anywhere　…　but　no　matter。〃　He　studied　John　Quincy　keenly　for　a　moment。　〃I　must　have　been　wrong　about　you；　anyhow。〃
　John　Quincy　felt　a　sudden　resentment。　〃Just　what　do　you　mean　by　that？〃　he　inquired。
　〃In　the　old　days；〃　Roger　said；　〃Winterslips　were　the　stuff　of　which　pioneers　are　made。　They　didn't　cling　to　the　apron…strings　of　civilization。　They　got　up　some　fine　morning　and　nonchalantly　strolled　off　beyond　the　horizon。　They　lived　…　but　there；　you're　of　another　generation。　You　can't　understand。〃
　〃Why　can't　I？〃　demanded　John　Quincy。
　〃Because　the　same　old　rut　has　evidently　been　good　enough　for　you。　You've　never　known　a　thrill。　Or　have　you？　Have　you　ever　forgot　to　go　to　bed　because　of　some　utterly　silly　reason　…　because；　for　example；　you　were　young　and　the　moon　was　shining　on　a　beach　lapped　by　southern　seas？　Have　you　ever　lied　like　a　gentleman　to　protect　a　woman　not　worth　the　trouble？　Ever　made　love　to　the　wrong　girl？〃
　〃Of　course　not；〃　said　John　Quincy　stiffly。
　〃Ever　run　for　your　life　through　crooked　streets　in　the　rowdy　quarter　of　a　strange　town？　Ever　fought　with　a　ship's　officer　…　the　old…fashioned　kind　with　fists　like　flying　hams？　Ever　gone　out　on　a　man　hunt　and　when　you　got　your　quarry　cornered；　leaped　upon　him　with　no　weapon　but　your　bare　hands？　Have　you　ever　…〃
　〃The　type　of　person　you　describe；〃　John　Quincy　cut　in；　〃is　hardly　admirable。〃
　〃Probably　not；〃　Roger　agreed。　〃And　yet　…　those　are　incidents　from　my　own　past；　my　boy。〃　He　regarded　John　Quincy　sadly。　〃Yes；　I　must　have　been　wrong　about　you。　A　Puritan　survival　after　all。〃
　John　Quincy　deigned　no　reply。　There　was　an　odd　light　in　the　older　man's　eyes　…　was　Roger　secretly　laughing　at　him？　He　appeared　to　be；　and　the　boy　resented　it。
　But　he　forgot　to　be　resentful　at　the　revue；　which　proved　to　be　witty　and　gay；　and　Roger　and　he　emerged　from　the　theater　at　eleven　the　best　of　friends　again。　As　they　stepped　into　Roger's　car；　the　older　man　gave　the　chauffeur　an　address　on　Russian　Hill。
　〃Dan's　San　Francisco　house；〃　he　explained；　as　he　climbed　in　after　John　Quincy。　〃He　es　over　about　two　months　each　year；　and　keeps　a　place　here。　Got　more　money　than　I　have。〃
　Dan's　San　Francisco　house？　〃Oh；〃　said　John　Quincy；　〃the　errand　you　mentioned？〃
　Roger　nodded。　〃Yes。〃　He　snapped　on　a　light　in　the　top　of　the　limousine；　and　took　an　envelope　from　his　pocket。　〃Read　this　letter。　It　was　delivered　to　me　two　days　ago　by　the　Second　Officer　of　the　President　Tyler。〃
　John　Quincy　removed　a　sheet　of　note　paper　from　the　envelope。　The　message　appeared　to　be　rather　hastily　scrawled。
　〃DEAR　ROGER；〃　he　read。　〃You　can　do　me　a　great　service　…　you　and　that　discreet　lad　from　Boston　who　is　to　stop　over　with　you　on　his　way　out　here。　First　of　all；　give　John　Quincy　my　regards　and　tell　him　that　he　must　make　my　house　his　home　while　he　is　in　the　Islands。　I'll　be　delighted　to　have　him。
　〃About　the　errand。　You　have　a　key　to　my　house　on　Russian　Hill。　Go　up　there　…　better　go　at　night　when　the　caretaker's　not　likely　to　be　around。　The　lights　are　off；　but　you'll　find　candles　in　the　pantry。　In　the　store　room　on　the　top　floor　is　an　old　brown　trunk。　Locked；　probably　…　mash　the　lock　if　it　is。　In　the　lower　section　you'll　find　a　battered　strong　box　made　of　ohia　wood　and　bound　with　copper。　Initials　on　it　…　T。M。B。
　〃Wrap　it　up　and　take　it　away。　It's　rather　an　armful；　but　you　can　manage　it。　Have　John　Quincy　conceal　it　in　his　luggage　and　some　dark　night　when　the　ship's　about　half…way　over；　I　want　him　to　take　it　on　deck　and　quietly　drop　it　overboard。　Tell　him　to　be　sure　nobody　sees　him。　That's　all。　But　send　me　a　guarded　cable　when　you　get　the　box；　and　tell　him　to　send　me　a　radio　when　the　Pacific　has　it　at　last。　I'll　sleep　better　then。
　〃Not　a　word；　Roger。　Not　a　word　to　any　one。　You'll　understand。　Sometimes　the　dead　past　needs　a　bit　of　help　in　burying　its　dead。
　〃YOUR　COUSIN　DAN。〃
　Solemnly　John　Quincy　handed　the　letter　back　into　Roger's　keeping。　The　older　man　thoughtfully　tore　it　to　bits　and　tossed　them　through　the　car　window　open　beside　him。　〃Well；〃　said　John　Quincy。　〃Well　…〃　A　fitting　ment　eluded　him。
　〃Simple　enough；〃　smiled　Roger。　〃If　we　can　help　poor　old　Dan　to　sleep　better　as　easily　as　that；　we　must　do　it；　eh？〃
　〃I　…　I　suppose　so；〃　John　Quincy　agreed。
　They　had　climbed　Russian　Hill；　and　were　speeding　along　a　deserted　avenue　lined　by　imposing　mansions。　Roger　leaned　forward。　〃Go　on　to　the　corner；〃　he　said　to　the　chauffeur。　〃We　can　walk　back；〃　he　explained　to　John　Quincy。　〃Best　not　to　leave　the　car　before　the　house。　Might　excite　suspicion。〃
　Still　John　Quincy　had　no　ment　to　make。　They　alighted　at　the　corner　and　walked　slowly　back　along　the　avenue。　In　front　of　a　big　stone　house；　Roger　paused。　He　looked　carefully　in　all　directions；　then　ran　with　surprising　speed　up　the　steps。　〃e　on；〃　he　called　softly。
　John　Quincy　came。　Roger　unlocked　the　door　and　they　stepped　into　a　dark　vestibule。　Beyond　that；　darker　still；　was　a　huge　hall；　the　dim　suggestion　of　a　grand　staircase。　Here　and　there　an　article　of　furniture；　shrouded　in　white；　stood　like　a　ghost；　marooned　but　patient。　Roger　took　out　a　box　of　matches。
　〃Meant　to　bring　a　flashlight；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　clean　forgot。　Wait　here　…　I'll　hunt　those　candles　in　the　pantry。〃
　He　went　off　into　the　dark。　John　Quincy　took　a　few　cautious　steps。　He　was　about　to　sit　down　on　a　chair　…　but　it　was　like　sitting　on　the　lap　of　a　ghost。　He　changed　his　mind；　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　floor；　waited。　Quiet；　deathly　quiet。　The　black　had　swallowed　Roger；　with　not　so　much　as　a　gurgle。
　After　what　seemed　an　age；　Roger　returned；　bearing　two　lighted　candles。　One　each；　he　explained。　John　Quincy　took　his；　held　it　high。　The　flickering　yellow　flame　accentuated　the　shadows；　was　really　of　small　help。
　Roger　led　the　way　up　the　grand　staircase；　then　up　a　narrower　flight。　At　the　foot　of　still　another　flight；　in　a　stuffy　passage　on　the　third　floor；　he　halted。
　〃Here　we　are；〃　he　said。　〃This　leads　to　the　storage　room　under　the　roof。　By　gad；　I'm　getting　too　old　for　this　sort　of　thing。　I　meant　to　bring　a　chisel　to　use　on　that　lock。　I　know　where　the　tools　are　…　I'll　be　gone　only　a　minute。　You　go　on　up　and　locate　the　trunk。〃
　〃All　…　all　right；〃　answered　John　Quincy。
　Again　Roger　left　him。　John　Quincy　hesitated。　Something　about　a　deserted　house　at　midnight　to　dismay　the　stoutest　heart　…　but　nonsense！　He　was　a　grown　man。　He　smiled；　and　started　up　the　narrow　stair。　High　above　his　head　the　yellow　light　of　the　candle　flickered　on　the　brown　rafters　of　the　unfinished　store　room。
　He　reached　the　top　of　the　stairs；　and　paused。　Gloom；　gloom　everywhere。　Odd　how　floor　boards　will　creak　even　when　no　one　is　moving　over　them。　One　was　creaking　back　of　him　now。
　He　was　about　to　turn　when　a　hand　reached　from　behind　and　knocked　the　candle　out　of　his　grasp。　It　rolled　on　the　floor；　extinguished。
　This　was　downright　rude！　〃See　here；〃　cried　John　Quincy；　〃wh　…　who　are　you？〃
　A　bit　of　moonlight　struggled　in　through　a　far　window；　and　suddenly　between　John　Quincy　and　that　distant　light　there　loomed　the　determined　figure　of　a　man。　Something　told　the　boy　he　had　better　get　ready；　but　where　he　came　from　one　had　a　moment　or　two　for　preparation。　He　had　none　here。　A　fist　shot　out　and　found　his　face；　and　John　Quincy　Winterslip　of　Boston　went　down　amid　the　rubbish　of　a　San　Francisco　attic。　He　heard；　for　a　second；　the　crash　of　planets　in　collision；　and　then　the　clatter　of　large　feet　on　the　stairs。　After　that；　he　was　alone　with　the　debris。
　He　got　up；　thoroughly　angry；　and　began　brushing　off　the　dinner　coat　that　had　been　his　tailor's　pride。　Roger　arrived。　〃Who　was　that？〃　he　demanded　breathlessly。　〃Somebody　went　down　the　back　stairs　to　the　kitchen。　Who　was　it？〃
　〃How　should　I　know？〃　inquired　John　Quincy　with　pardonable　peevishness。　〃He　didn't　introduce　himself　to　me。〃　His　cheek　was　stinging；　he　put　his　handkerchief　to　it　and　noted　in　the　light　of　Roger's　candle　that　it　was　red　when　it　came　away。　〃He　wore　a　ring；〃　added　John　Quincy。