earlderrbiggers.thehousewithoutakey-第12部分

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　back　at　it　over　her　shoulder　as　she　went。　After　what　seemed　an　eternity　the　bamboo　curtain　received　her；　she　was　through　it；　she　was　on　the　stairs。　But　it　seemed　to　her　that　never　again　would　she　be　able　to　look　at　a　watch　or　a　clock　and　find　that　the　hour　was　anything　save　twenty　minutes　past　one！
　When　she　was　half…way　up　the　stairs；　she　recalled　that　it　had　been　her　intention　to　snap　on　the　lights　in　the　lower　hall。　She　did　not　turn　back；　nor　did　she　search　for　the　switch　at　the　head　of　the　stairs。　Instead；　she　went　hastily　on　into　her　room；　and　just　as　though　she　had　been　an　ordinary　woman；　she　closed　her　door　and　dropped　down；　trembling　a　little；　on　a　chair。
　But　she　was　no　ordinary　woman；　and　in　two　seconds　she　was　up　and　had　reopened　her　door。　Her　sudden　terror　was　evaporating；　she　felt　her　heart　beat　in　a　strong　regular　rhythm　again。　Action　was　required　of　her　now；　calm　confident　action；　she　was　a　Winterslip　and　she　was　ready。
　The　servants'　quarters　were　in　a　wing　over　the　kitchen；　she　went　there　at　once　and　knocked　on　the　first　door　she　came　to。　She　knocked　once；　then　again；　and　finally　the　head　of　a　very　sleepy　Japanese　man　appeared。
　〃Haku；〃　said　Miss　Minerva；　〃there　is　some　one　in　the　living…room。　You　must　go　down　and　investigate　at　once。〃
　He　stared　at　her；　seeming　unable　to　prehend。
　〃We　must　go　down；〃　amended　Miss　Minerva。
　He　disappeared；　and　Miss　Minerva　waited　impatiently。　Where　was　her　nerve；　she　wondered；　why　hadn't　she　seen　this　through　alone？　At　home；　no　doubt；　she　could　have　managed　it；　but　here　there　was　something　strange　and　terrifying　in　the　very　air。　The　moonlight　poured　in　through　a　small　window　beside　her；　forming　a　bright　square　at　her　feet。　Haku　reappeared；　wearing　a　gaudy　kimono　that　he　often　sported　on　the　beach。
　Another　door　opened　suddenly；　and　Miss　Minerva　started。　Bah！　What　ailed　her；　anyhow；　she　wondered。　It　was　only　Kamaikui；　standing　there　a　massive　figure　in　the　dim　doorway；　a　bronze　statue　clad　in　a　holoku。
　〃Some　one　in　the　living…room；〃　Miss　Minerva　explained　again。　〃I　saw　him　as　I　came　through。〃
　Kamaikui　made　no　reply；　but　joined　the　odd　little　procession。　In　the　upper　hall　Haku　switched　on　the　lights；　both　up…stairs　and　down。　At　the　head　of　the　stairs　there　was　a　brief　pause　…　then　Miss　Minerva　took　her　rightful　place　at　the　head　of　the　line。　She　descended　with　a　firm　step；　courageous　and　petent；　Boston　at　its　best。　After　her　followed　a　stolid　little　Japanese　man　in　a　kimono　gay　with　passionate　poppies；　and　a　Polynesian　woman　who　wore　the　fearful　Mother　Hubbard　of　the　missionaries　as　though　it　were　a　robe　of　state。
　In　the　lower　hall　Miss　Minerva　did　not　hesitate。　She　pushed　on　through　the　bamboo　curtain　and　her　hand　…　it　trembled　ever　so　slightly　…　found　the　electric　switch　and　flooded　the　living…room　with　light。　She　heard　the　crackle　of　bamboo　behind　her　as　her　strange　panions　followed　where　she　led。　She　stood　looking　curiously　about　her。
　There　was　no　one　in　sight；　no　sign　of　any　disturbance；　and　it　suddenly　occurred　to　Miss　Minerva　that　perhaps　she　was　behaving　in　a　rather　silly　fashion。　After　all；　she　had　neither　seen　nor　heard　a　living　thing。　The　illuminated　dial　of　a　watch　that　moved　a　little　…　might　it　not　have　been　a　figment　of　her　imagination？　She　had　experienced　a　stirring　evening。　Then；　too；　she　remembered；　there　had　been　that　small　glass　of　okolehau。　A　potent　concoction！
　Kamaikui　and　Haku　were　looking　at　her　with　the　inquiring　eyes　of　little　children。　Had　she　roused　them　for　a　fool's　errand？　Her　cheeks　flushed　slightly。　Certainly　in　this　big　brilliant　room；　furnished　with　magnificent　native　woods　and　green　with　many　potted　ferns；　everything　seemed　proper　and　in　order。
　〃I　…　I　may　have　been　mistaken；〃　she　said　in　a　low　voice。　〃I　was　quite　sure　…　but　there's　no　sign　of　anything　wrong。　Mr。　Winterslip　has　not　been　resting　well　of　late。　If　he　should　be　asleep　we　won't　waken　him。〃
　She　went　to　the　door　leading　on　to　the　lanai　and　pushed　aside　the　curtain。　Bright　moonlight　outside　revealed　most　of　the　veranda's　furnishings；　and　here；　too；　all　seemed　well。　〃Dan；〃　Miss　Minerva　called　softly。　〃Dan。　Are　you　awake？〃
　No　answer。　Miss　Minerva　was　certain　now　that　she　was　making　a　mountain　out　of　a　molehill。　She　was　about　to　turn　back　into　the　living…room　when　her　eyes；　grown　more　accustomed　to　the　semi…darkness；　noted　a　rather　startling　fact。
　Day　and　night；　over　Dan's　cot　in　one　corner　of　the　lanai；　hung　a　white　mosquito　netting。　It　was　not　there　now。
　〃e；　Haku；〃　Miss　Minerva　said。　〃Turn　on　the　light　out　here。〃
　Haku　came；　and　the　green…shaded　lamp　glowed　under　his　touch。　The　little　lamp　by　which　Dan　had　been　reading　his　evening　paper　that　night　when　he　had　seemed　suddenly　so　disturbed；　and　rushed　off　to　send　a　letter　to　Roger　in　San　Francisco。　Miss　Minerva　stood　recalling　that　incident；　she　recalled　others；　because　she　was　very　reluctant　to　turn　toward　that　cot　in　the　corner。　She　was　conscious　of　Kamaikui　brushing　by　her；　and　then　she　heard　a　low；　half…savage　moan　of　fear　and　sorrow。
　Miss　Minerva　stepped　to　the　cot。　The　mosquito　netting　had　been　torn　down　as　though　in　some　terrific　struggle　and　there；　entangled　in　the　meshes　of　it；　she　saw　Dan　Winterslip。　He　was　lying　on　his　left　side；　and　as　she　stared　down　at　him；　one　of　the　harmless　little　Island　lizards　ran　up　his　chest　and　over　his　shoulder　…　and　left　a　crimson　trail　on　his　white　pajamas。
　
　CHAPTER　VII　
　Enter　Charlie　Chan
　
　MISS　MINERVA　leaned　far　over；　her　keen　eyes　seeking　Dan's　face。　It　was　turned　toward　the　wall；　half　buried　in　the　pillow。　〃Dan；〃　she　said　brokenly。　She　put　her　hand　on　his　cheek。　The　night　air　was　warm　and　muggy；　but　she　shivered　a　little　as　she　drew　the　hand　quickly　away。　Steady！　She　must　be　steady　now。
　She　hurried　through　the　living…room　to　the　hall；　the　telephone　was　in　a　closet　under　the　front　stairs。　Her　fingers　were　trembling　again　as　she　fumbled　with　the　numerals　on　the　dial。　She　got　her　number；　heard　finally　an　answering　voice。
　〃Amos？　Is　that　you；　Amos？　This　is　Minerva。　e　over　here　to　Dan's　as　quickly　as　you　can。〃
　The　voice　muttered　in　protest。　Miss　Minerva　cut　in　on　it　sharply。
　〃For　God's　sake；　Amos；　forget　your　silly　feud。　Your　brother　is　dead。〃
　〃Dead？〃　he　repeated　dully。
　〃Murdered；　Amos。　Will　you　e　now？〃
　A　long　silence。　What　thoughts；　Miss　Minerva　wondered；　were　passing　through　the　mind　of　that　stern　unbending　Puritan？
　〃I'll　e；〃　a　strange　voice　said　at　last。　And　then；　a　voice　more　like　that　of　the　Amos　she　knew：　〃The　police！　I'll　notify　them；　and　then　I'll　e　right　over。〃
　Returning　to　the　hall；　Miss　Minerva　saw　that　the　big　front　door　was　closed。　Amos　would　enter　that　way；　she　knew；　so　she　went　over　and　opened　it。　There　was；　she　noted；　an　imposing　lock；　but　the　key　had　long　since　been　lost　and　forgotten。　Indeed；　in　all　Dan's　great　house；　she　could　not　recall　ever　having　seen　a　key。　In　these　friendly　trusting　islands；　locked　doors　were　obsolete。
　She　reentered　the　living…room。　Should　she　summon　a　doctor？　But　no；　it　was　too　late；　she　knew　that　only　too　well。　And　the　police　…　didn't　they　bring　some　sort　of　doctor　with　them？　Suddenly　she　began　to　wonder　about　the　police。　During　all　her　time　in　Honolulu　she　had　never　given　them　a　thought　before。　Away　off　here　at　the　end　of　the　world　…　did　they　have　policemen？　She　couldn't　remember　ever　having　seen　one。　Oh；　yes　…　there　was　that　handsome；　brown…skinned　Hawaiian　who　stood　on　a　box　at　the　corner　of　Fort　and　King　Streets；　directing　traffic　with　an　air　that　would　have　bee　Kamehameha　himself。　She　heard　the　scrape　of　a　chair　being　moved　on　the　lanai；　and　went　to　the　door。
　〃Nothing　is　to　be　touched　out　here；〃　she　said。　〃Leave　it　just　as　it　was。　You'd　better　go　up…stairs　and　dress；　both　of　you。〃
　The　two　frightened　servants　came　into　the　living…room；　and　stood　there　regarding　her。　They　seemed　to　feel　that　this　terrible　affair　called　for　discussion。　But　what　was　there　to　be　said？　Even　in　the　event　of　murder；　a　Winterslip　must　maintain　a　certain　well…bred　aloofness　in　dealing　with　servants。　Miss　Minerva's　feeling　for　them　was　kindly。　She　sympathized　with　their　evident　grief；　but　there　was；　she　felt；　nothing　to　discuss。
　〃After　you've　dressed；〃　she　ordered；　〃stay　within　reach。　You'll　both　be　wanted。〃
　They　went　out；　Haku　in　his　absurd　costume；　Kamaikui　moaning　and　muttering　in　a　way　that　sent　shivers　up　and　down　Miss　Minerva's　spine。　They　left　her　there　alone　…　with　Dan　…　and　she　who　had　always　thought　herself　equal　to　anything　still　hesitated　about　going　out　on　the　lanai。
　She　sat　down　in　a　huge　chair　in　the　living…room　and　gazed　about　her　at　the　trappings　of　wealth　and　position　that　Dan　had　left　for　ever　now。　Poor　Dan。　Despite　all　the　whispering　against　him；　she　had　liked　him　immensely。　It　is　said　of　many　…　usually　with　small　reason　…　that　their　lives　would　make　an　interesting　book。　It　had　been　said　of　Dan；　and　in　his　case　it　was　true。　What　a　book　his　life　would　have　made　…　and　how　promptly　it　would　have　been　barred　for　all　time　from　the　shelves　of　the　Boston　Public　Library！　For　Dan　had　lived　life　to　the　full；　made　his　own　laws；　fought　his　battles　without　mercy；　prospered　and　had　his　way。　Dallied　often　along　forbidden　paths；　they　said；　but　his　smile　had　been　so　friendly　and　hi