earlderrbiggers.thehousewithoutakey-第21部分

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s　my　attention。　Odd　enough；　when　we　enumerate　clues　this　morning；　we　pass　over　watch。　Foolish。　Very　good…looking　clue。　One　large　fault；　we　do　not　possess　it。　However；　my　eyes　are　sharp　to　apprehend　it。〃
　〃I　understand；〃　John　Quincy　said；　〃that　you've　been　rather　successful　as　a　detective。〃
　Chan　grinned　broadly。　〃You　are　educated；　maybe　you　know；〃　he　said。　〃Chinese　most　psychic　people　in　the　world。　Sensitives；　like　film　in　camera。　A　look；　a　laugh；　a　gesture　perhaps。　Something　go　click。〃
　John　Quincy　was　aware　of　a　sudden　disturbance　at　the　door　of　the　All　American　Restaurant。　Bowker；　the　steward；　gloriously　drunk；　was　making　a　noisy　entrance。　He　plunged　into　the　room；　followed　by　a　dark；　anxious…looking　youth。
　Embarrassed；　John　Quincy　turned　away　his　face；　but　to　no　avail。　Bowker　was　bearing　down　upon　him；　waving　his　arms。
　〃Well；　well；　well；　well！〃　he　bellowed。　〃My　o'　college　chum。　See　you　through　the　window。〃　He　leaned　heavily　on　the　table。　〃How　you　been；　o'　fellow？〃
　〃I'm　all　right；　thanks；〃　John　Quincy　said。
　The　dark　young　man　came　up。　He　was；　from　his　dress；　a　shore　acquaintance　of　Bowker's。　〃Look　here；　Ted；〃　he　said。　〃You've　got　to　be　getting　along　…〃
　〃Jush　a　minute；〃　cried　Bowker。　〃I　want　y'　to　meet　Mr。　Quincy　from　Boston。　One　best　fellows　God　ever　made。　Mushual　friend　o'　Tim's　…　you've　heard　me　speak　of　Tim　…〃
　〃Yes　…　e　along；〃　urged　the　dark　young　man。
　〃Not　yet。　Gotta　buy　shish　boy　a　lil'　drink。　What　you　having；　Quincy；　o'　man？〃
　〃Not　a　thing；〃　smiled　John　Quincy。　〃You　warned　me　against　these　Island　drinks　yourself。〃
　〃Who　…　me？〃　Bowker　was　hurt。　〃You're　wrong　that　time；　o'　man。　Don'　like　to　conter　…　conterdict；　but　it　mush　have　been　somebody　else。　Not　me。　Never　said　a　word　…〃
　The　young　man　took　his　arm。　〃e　on　…　you're　due　on　the　ship　…〃
　Bowker　wrenched　away。　〃Don'　paw　me；〃　he　cried。　〃Keep　your　hands　off。　I'm　my　own　mashter；　ain't　I？　I　can　speak　to　an　o'　friend；　can't　I？　Now；　Quincy；　o'　man　…　what's　yours？〃
　〃I'm　sorry；〃　said　John　Quincy。　〃Some　other　time。〃
　Bowker's　panion　took　his　arm　in　a　firmer　grasp。　〃You　can't　buy　anything　here；〃　he　said。　〃This　is　a　restaurant。　You　e　with　me　…　I　know　a　place　…〃
　〃Awright；〃　agreed　Bowker。　〃Now　you're　talking。　Quincy；　o'　man；　you　e　along　…〃
　〃Some　other　time；〃　John　Quincy　repeated。
　Bowker　assumed　a　look　of　offended　dignity。　〃Jush　as　you　say；〃　he　replied。　〃Some　other　time。　In　Boston；　hey？　At　Tim's　place。　Only　Tim's　place　is　gone。〃　A　great　grief　assailed　him。　〃Tim's　gone　…　dropped　out　…　as　though　the　earth　swallowed　him　up　…〃
　〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　the　young　man　soothingly。　〃That's　too　bad。　But　you　e　with　me。〃
　Submitting　at　last；　Bowker　permitted　his　panion　to　pilot　him　to　the　street。　John　Quincy　looked　across　at　Chan。
　〃My　steward　on　the　President　Tyler；〃　he　explained。　〃The　worse　for　wear；　isn't　he？〃
　The　waiter　set　a　fresh　piece　of　pie　before　the　Chinaman。
　〃Ah；〃　remarked　Chan；　〃this　has　a　more　perfect　appearance。〃　He　tasted　it。　〃Appearance；〃　he　added　with　a　grimace；　〃are　a　hellish　liar。　If　you　are　quite　ready　to　depart　…〃
　In　the　street　Chan　halted。　〃Excuse　abrupt　departure；〃　he　said。　〃Most　honored　to　work　with　you。　The　results　will　be　fascinating；　I　am　sure。　For　now；　good　evening。〃
　John　Quincy　was　alone　again　in　that　strange　town。　A　sudden　homesickness　engulfed　him。　Walking　along；　he　came　to　a　news…cart　that　was　as　well　supplied　with　literature　as　his　club　reading　room。　A　brisk　young　man　in　a　cap　was　in　charge。
　〃Have　you　the　latest　Atlantic？〃　inquired　John　Quincy。
　The　young　man　put　a　dark　brown　periodical　into　his　hand。　〃No；〃　said　John　Quincy。　〃This　is　the　June　issue。　I've　seen　it。〃
　〃July　ain't　in。　I'll　save　you　one；　if　you　say　so。〃
　〃I　wish　you　would；〃　John　Quincy　replied。　〃The　name　is　Winterslip。〃
　He　went　on　to　the　corner；　regretting　that　July　wasn't　in。　A　copy　of　the　Atlantic　would　have　been　a　sort　of　link　with　home；　a　reminder　that　Boston　still　stood。　And　he　felt　the　need　of　a　link；　a　reminder。
　A　trolley…car　marked　〃Waikiki〃　was　approaching。　John　Quincy　hailed　it　and　hopped　aboard。　Three　giggling　Japanese　girls　in　bright　kimonos　drew　in　their　tiny　sandaled　feet　and　he　slipped　past　them　to　a　seat。
　
　CHAPTER　XI　
　The　Tree　Of　Jewels
　
　TWO　HOURS　later；　John　Quincy　rose　from　the　table　where　he　and　his　aunt　had　dined　together。
　〃Just　to　show　you　how　quick　I　am　to　learn　a　new　language；〃　he　remarked；　〃I'm　quite　pau。　Now　I'm　going　makai　to　sit　on　the　lanai；　there　to　forget　the　pilikia　of　the　day。〃
　Miss　Minerva　smiled　and　rose　too。　〃I　expect　Amos　shortly；〃　she　said　as　they　crossed　the　hall。　〃A　family　conference　seemed　advisable；　so　I've　asked　him　to　e　over。〃
　〃Strange　you　had　to　send　for　him；〃　said　John　Quincy；　lighting　a　cigarette。
　〃Not　at　all；〃　she　answered。　She　explained　about　the　long　feud　between　the　brothers。
　〃Didn't　think　old　Amos　had　that　much　fire　in　him；〃　mented　John　Quincy；　as　they　found　chairs　on　the　lanai。　〃A　rather　anemic　specimen；　judging　by　the　look　I　had　at　him　this　morning。　But　then；　the　Winterslips　always　were　good　haters。〃
　For　a　moment　they　sat　in　silence。　Outside　the　darkness　was　deepening　rapidly；　the　tropic　darkness　that　had　brought　tragedy　the　night　before。　John　Quincy　pointed　to　a　small　lizard　on　the　screen。
　〃Pleasant　little　beast；〃　he　said。
　〃Oh；　they're　quite　harmless；〃　Miss　Minerva　told　him。　〃And　they　eat　the　mosquitos。〃
　〃They　do；　eh？〃　The　boy　slapped　his　ankle　savagely。　〃Well；　there's　no　accounting　for　tastes。〃
　Amos　arrived　presently；　looking　unusually　pale　in　the　half…light。　〃You　asked　me　to　e　over；　Minerva；〃　he　said；　as　he　sat　down　gingerly　on　one　of　Dan　Winterslip's　Hong…Kong　chairs。
　〃I　did。　Smoke　if　you　like。〃　Amos　lighted　a　cigarette；　which　seemed　oddly　out　of　place　between　his　thin　lips。　〃I'm　sure；〃　Miss　Minerva　continued；　〃that　we　are　all　determined　to　bring　to　justice　the　person　who　did　this　ghastly　thing。〃
　〃Naturally；〃　said　Amos。
　〃The　only　drawback；〃　she　went　on；　〃is　that　in　the　course　of　the　investigation　some　rather　unpleasant　facts　about　Dan's　past　are　likely　to　be　revealed。〃
　〃They're　bound　to　be；〃　remarked　Amos　coldly。
　〃For　Barbara's　sake；〃　Miss　Minerva　said；　〃I'm　intent　on　seeing　that　nothing　is　revealed　that　is　not　absolutely　essential　to　the　discovery　of　the　murderer。　For　that　reason；　I　haven't　taken　the　police　pletely　into　my　confidence。〃
　〃What！〃　cried　Amos。
　John　Quincy　stood　up。　〃Now　look　here；　Aunt　Minerva　…〃
　〃Sit　down；〃　snapped　his　aunt。　〃Amos；　to　go　back　to　a　talk　we　had　at　your　house　when　I　was　there；　Dan　was　somewhat　involved　with　this　woman　down　the　beach。　Arlene　pton；　I　believe　she　calls　herself。〃
　Amos　nodded。　〃Yes；　and　a　worthless　lot　she　is。　But　Dan　wouldn't　see　it；　though　I　understand　his　friends　pointed　it　out　to　him。　He　talked　of　marrying　her。〃
　〃You　knew　a　good　deal　about　Dan；　even　if　you　never　spoke　to　him；〃　Miss　Minerva　went　on。　〃Just　what　was　his　status　with　this　woman　at　the　time　of　his　murder　…　only　last　night；　but　it　seems　ages　ago。〃
　〃I　can't　quite　tell　you　that；〃　Amos　replied。　〃I　do　know　that　for　the　past　month　a　malihini　named　Leatherbee　…　the　black　sheep　of　a　good　family　in　Philadelphia；　they　tell　me　…　has　been　hanging　around　the　pton　woman；　and　that　Dan　resented　his　presence。〃
　〃Humph。〃　Miss　Minerva　handed　to　Amos　an　odd　old　brooch；　a　tree　of　jewels　against　an　onyx　background。　〃Ever　see　that　before；　Amos？〃
　He　took　it；　and　nodded。　〃It's　part　of　a　little　collection　of　jewelry　Dan　brought　back　from　the　South　Seas　in　the　'eighties。　There　were　ear…rings　and　a　bracelet；　too。　He　acted　rather　queerly　about　those　trinkets　…　never　let　Barbara's　mother　or　any　one　else　wear　them。　But　he　must　have　got　over　that　idea　recently。　For　I　saw　this　only　a　few　weeks　ago。〃
　〃Where？〃　asked　Miss　Minerva。
　〃Our　office　has　the　renting　of　the　cottage　down　the　beach　occupied　at　present　by　the　pton　woman。　She　came　in　not　long　ago　to　pay　her　rent；　and　she　was　wearing　this　brooch。〃　He　looked　suddenly　at　Miss　Minerva。　〃Where　did　you　get　it？〃　he　demanded。
　〃Kamaikui　gave　it　to　me　early　this　morning；〃　Miss　Minerva　explained。　〃She　picked　it　up　from　the　floor　of　the　lanai　before　the　police　came。〃
　John　Quincy　leaped　to　his　feet。　〃You're　all　wrong；　Aunt　Minerva；〃　he　cried。　〃You　can't　do　this　sort　of　thing。　You　ask　the　help　of　the　police；　and　you　aren't　on　the　level　with　them。　I'm　ashamed　of　you　…〃
　〃Please　wait　a　moment；〃　said　his　aunt。
　〃Wait　nothing！〃　he　answered。　〃Give　me　that　brooch。　I'm　going　to　turn　it　over　to　Chan　at　once。　I　couldn't　look　him　in　the　eye　if　I　didn't。〃
　〃We'll　turn　it　over　to　Chan；〃　said　Miss　Minerva　calmly；　〃if　it　seems　important。　But　there　is　no　reason　in　the　world　why　we　should　not　investigate　a　bit　ourselves　before　we　do　so。　The　woman　may　have　a　perfectly　logical　explanation　…〃
　〃Rot！〃　interrupted　John　Quincy。　〃The　trouble　with　you　is；　you　think　you're　Sherlock　Holmes。〃
　〃What　is　your　opinion；　Amos？〃　inquired　Miss　Minerva。
　〃I'm　inclined　to　agree　with　John　Quincy；〃　Amos　said。　〃You　are　hardly　fair　to　Captain　Hallet。　And　as　for　keeping　anything　dark　on　account　of　Barbara　…　or　on　anybody's　account　…　that　won't　be　possible；　I'm　afraid。　No　getting　round　it；　Minerva；　Dan's　indiscretions　are　going　to　be　dragged　into　the　open　at　last。〃
　She　caught　the　note　of　satisfaction　in　his