earlderrbiggers.thehousewithoutakey-第46部分

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　〃I'd　enjoy　it　…　if　they're　all　like　you。〃
　〃Like　me？　They're　much　more　intelligent　and　charming　than　I　am。　Some　of　them　are　dropping　in　at　my　house　tonight　for　an　informal　little　party。　A　bit　of　a　chat；　and　then　a　moonlight　swim。　Won't　you　e　too？〃
　〃I　want　to；　of　course；〃　John　Quincy　replied。　〃But　there's　Cousin　Dan　…〃
　Her　eyes　flashed。　〃I'll　say　it；　even　if　he　was　your　relative。　Ten　minutes　of　mourning　for　Cousin　Dan　is　ample。　I'll　be　looking　for　you。〃
　John　Quincy　laughed。　〃I'll　e。〃
　〃Do；〃　she　answered。　〃And　bring　your　Aunt　Minerva。　Tell　her　I　said　she　might　as　well　be　dead　as　hog…tied　by　convention。〃
　John　Quincy　went　out　to　the　corner　of　Fort　and　King　Streets；　near　which　he　had　parked　the　car。　As　he　was　about　to　climb　into　it；　he　paused。　A　familiar　figure　was　jauntily　crossing　the　street。　The　figure　of　Bowker；　the　steward；　and　with　him　was　Willie　Chan；　demon　back…stopper　of　the　Pacific。
　〃Hello；　Bowker；〃　John　Quincy　called。
　Mr。　Bowker　came　blithely　to　join　him。　〃Well；　well；　well。　My　old　friend　Mr。　Winterslip。　Shake　hands　with　William　Chan；　the　local　Ty　Cobb。〃
　〃Mr。　Chan　and　I　have　met　before；〃　John　Quincy　told　him。
　〃Know　all　the　celebrities；　eh？　That's　good。　Well；　we　missed　you　on　the　President　Tyler。〃
　Bowker　was　evidently　quite　sober。　〃Just　got　in；　I　take　it；〃　John　Quincy　remarked。
　〃A　few　minutes　ago。　How　about　joining　us？〃　He　came　closer　and　lowered　his　voice。　〃This　intelligent　young　man　tells　me　he　knows　a　taxi　stand　out　near　the　beach　where　one　may　obtain　a　superior　brand　of　fusel　oil　with　a　very　pretty　label　on　the　bottle。〃
　〃Sorry；〃　John　Quincy　answered。　〃My　cousin's　ing　in　shortly　on　an　Inter…Island　boat；　and　I'm　elected　to　meet　her。〃
　〃I'm　sorry；　too；〃　said　the　graduate　of　Dublin　University。　〃If　my　strength　holds　out　I'm　aiming　to　stage　quite　a　little　party；　and　I'd　like　to　have　you　in　on　it。　Yes；　a　rather　large　affair　…　in　memory　of　Tim；　and　as　a　last　long　lingering　farewell　to　the　seven　seas。〃
　〃What？　You're　pau？〃
　〃Pau　it　is。　When　I　sail　out　of　here　to…night　at　nine　on　the　old　P。T。　I'm　through　for　ever。　You　don't　happen　to　know　a　good　country　newspaper　that　can　be　bought　for　…　well；　say　ten　grand。〃
　〃This　is　rather　sudden；　isn't　it？〃　John　Quincy　inquired。
　〃This　is　sudden　country　out　here；　sir。　Well；　we　must　roll　along。　Sorry　you　can't　join　us。　If　the　going's　not　too　rough　and　I　can　find　a　nice　smooth　table　top；　I　intend　to　turn　down　an　empty　glass。　For　poor　old　Tim。　So　long；　sir　…　and　happy　days。〃
　He　nodded　to　Willie　Chan；　and　they　went　on　down　the　street。　John　Quincy　stood　staring　after　them；　a　puzzled　expression　on　his　face。
　Barbara　seemed　paler　and　thinner　than　ever；　but　she　announced　that　her　visit　had　been　an　enjoyable　one；　and　on　the　ride　to　the　beach　appeared　to　be　making　a　distinct　effort　to　be　gay　and　sprightly。　When　they　reached　the　house；　John　Quincy　repeated　to　his　aunt　Mrs。　Maynard's　invitation。
　〃Better　e　along；〃　he　urged。
　〃Perhaps　I　will；〃　she　answered。　〃I'll　see。〃
　The　day　passed　quietly；　and　it　was　not　until　evening　that　the　monotony　was　broken。　Leaving　the　dining…room　with　his　aunt　and　Barbara；　John　Quincy　was　handed　a　cablegram。　He　hastily　opened　it。　It　had　been　sent　from　Boston；　evidently　Agatha　Parker；　overwhelmed　by　the　crude　impossibility　of　the　West；　had　fled　home　again；　and　John　Quincy's　brief　〃San　Francisco　or　nothing〃　had　followed　her　there。　Hence　the　delay。
　The　cablegram　said　simply：　〃Nothing。　Agatha。〃　John　Quincy　crushed　it　in　his　hand；　he　tried　to　suffer　a　little；　but　it　was　no　use。　He　was　a　mighty　happy　man。　The　end　of　a　romance　…　no。　There　had　never　been　any　nonsense　of　that　kind　between　them　…　just　an　affectionate　regard　too　slight　to　stand　the　strain　of　parting。　Agatha　was　younger　than　he；　she　would　marry　some　nice　proper　boy　who　had　no　desire　to　roam。　And　John　Quincy　Winterslip　would　read　of　her　wedding　…　in　the　San　Francisco　papers。
　He　found　Miss　Minerva　alone　in　the　living…room。　〃It's　none　of　my　business；〃　she　said；　〃but　I'm　wondering　what　was　in　your　cablegram。〃
　〃Nothing；〃　he　answered　truthfully。
　〃All　the　same；　you　were　very　pleased　to　get　it？〃
　He　nodded。　〃Yes。　I　imagine　nobody　was　ever　so　happy　over　nothing　before。〃
　〃Good　heavens；〃　she　cried。　〃Have　you　given　up　grammar；　too？〃
　〃I'm　thinking　of　it。　How　about　going　down　the　beach　with　me？〃
　She　shook　her　head。　〃Some　one　is　ing　to　look　at　the　house　…　a　leading　lawyer；　I　believe　he　is。　He's　thinking　of　buying；　and　I　feel　I　should　be　here　to　show　him　about。　Barbara　appears　so　listless　and　disinterested。　Tell　Sally　Maynard　I　may　drop　in　later。〃
　At　a　quarter　to　eight；　John　Quincy　took　his　bathing　suit　and　wandered　down　Kalia　Road。　It　was　another　of　those　nights；　a　bright　moon　was　riding　high；　from　a　bungalow　buried　under　purple　alamander　came　the　soft　croon　of　Hawaiian　music。　Through　the　hedges　of　flaming　hibiscus　he　caught　again　the　exquisite　odors　of　this　exotic　island。
　Mrs。　Maynard's　big　house　was　a　particularly　unlovely　type　of　New　England　architecture；　but　a　hundred　flowering　vines　did　much　to　conceal　that　fact。　John　Quincy　found　his　hostess　enthroned　in　her　great　airy　drawing…room；　surrounded　by　a　handsome　laughing　group　of　the　best　people。　Pleasant　people；　too；　as　she　introduced　him　he　began　to　wonder　if　he　hadn't　been　missing　a　great　deal　of　congenial　panionship。
　〃I　dragged　him　here　against　his　will；〃　the　old　lady　explained。　〃I　felt　I　owed　it　to　Hawaii。　He's　been　associating　with　the　riff…raff　long　enough。〃
　They　insisted　that　he　take　an　enormous　chair；　pressed　cigarettes　upon　him；　showered　him　with　hospitable　attentions。　As　he　sat　down　and　the　chatter　was　resumed；　he　reflected　that　here　was　as　civilized　a　pany　as　Boston　itself　could　offer。　And　why　not？　Most　of　these　families　came　originally　from　New　England；　and　had　kept　in　their　exile　the　old　ideals　of　culture　and　caste。
　〃It　might　interest　Beacon　Street　to　know；〃　Mrs。　Maynard　said；　〃that　long　before　the　days　of　'forty…nine　the　people　of　California　were　sending　their　children　over　here　to　be　educated　in　the　missionary　schools。　And　importing　their　wheat　from　here；　too。〃
　〃Go　on；　tell　him　the　other　one；　Aunt　Sally；〃　laughed　a　pretty　girl　in　blue。　〃That　about　the　first　printing　press　in　San　Francisco　being　brought　over　from　Honolulu。〃
　Madame　Maynard　shrugged　her　shoulders。　〃Oh；　what's　the　use？　We're　so　far　away；　New　England　will　never　get　us　straight。〃
　John　Quincy　looked　up　to　see　Carlota　Egan　in　the　doorway。　A　moment　later　Lieutenant　Booth；　of　Richmond；　appeared　at　her　side。　It　occurred　to　the　young　man　from　Boston　that　the　fleet　was　rather　overdoing　its　stop　at　Honolulu。
　Mrs。　Maynard　rose　to　greet　the　girl。　〃e　in；　my　dear。　You　know　most　of　these　people。〃　She　turned　to　the　others。　〃This　is　Miss　Egan；　a　neighbor　of　mine　on　the　beach。〃
　It　was　amusing　to　note　that　most　of　these　people　knew　Carlota　too。　John　Quincy　smiled　…　the　British　Admiralty　and　the　soap　business。　It　must　have　been　rather　an　ordeal　for　the　girl；　but　she　saw　it　through　with　a　sweet　graciousness　that　led　John　Quincy　to　reflect　that　she　would　be　at　home　in　England　…　if　she　went　there。
　Carlota　sat　down　on　a　sofa；　and　while　Lieutenant　Booth　was　busily　arranging　a　cushion　at　her　back；　John　Quincy　dropped　down　beside　her。　The　sofa　was；　fortunately；　too　small　for　three。
　〃I　rather　expected　to　see　you；〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice。　〃I　was　brought　here　to　meet　the　best　people　of　Honolulu；　and　the　way　I　see　it；　you're　the　best　of　all。〃
　She　smiled　at　him；　and　again　the　chatter　of　small　talk　filled　the　room。　Presently　the　voice　of　a　tall　young　man　with　glasses　rose　above　the　general　hubbub。
　〃They　got　a　cable　from　Joe　Clark　out　at　the　Country　Club　this　afternoon；〃　he　announced。
　The　din　ceased；　and　every　one　listened　with　interest。　〃Clark's　our　professional；〃　explained　the　young　man　to　John　Quincy。　〃He　went　over　a　month　ago　to　play　in　the　British　Open。〃
　〃Did　he　win？〃　asked　the　girl　in　blue。
　〃He　was　put　out　by　Hagen　in　the　semi…finals；〃　the　young　man　said。　〃But　he　had　the　distinction　of　driving　the　longest　ball　ever　seen　on　the　St。　Andrews　course。〃
　〃Why　shouldn't　he？〃　asked　an　older　man。　〃He's　got　the　strongest　wrists　I　ever　saw　on　anybody！〃
　John　Quincy　sat　up；　suddenly　interested。　〃How　do　you　account　for　that？〃　he　asked。
　The　older　man　smiled。　〃We've　all　got　pretty　big　wrists　out　here；〃　he　answered。　〃Surf…boarding　…　that's　what　does　it。　Joe　Clark　was　a　champion　at　one　time　…　body…surfing　and　board…surfing　too。　He　used　to　disappear　for　hours　in　the　rollers　out　by　the　reef。　The　result　was　a　marvelous　wrist　development。　I've　seen　him　drive　a　golf　ball　three　hundred　and　eighty　yards。　Yes；　sir；　I'll　bet　he　made　those　Englishmen　sit　up　and　take　notice。〃
　While　John　Quincy　was　thinking　this　over；　some　one　suggested　that　it　was　time　for　the　swim；　and　confusion　reigned。　A　Chinese　servant　led　the　way　to　the　dressing…rooms；　which　opened　off　the　lanai；　and　the　young　people　trouped　joyously　after　him。
　〃I'll　be　waiting　for　you　on　the　beach；〃　John　Quincy　said　to　Carlota　Egan。
　〃I　came　with　Johnnie；　you　know；〃　she　reminded　him。
　〃I　know　all　about　it；〃　he　answered。　〃But　it　was　the　week…end　you　promised　to　the　navy。　People　who　try　to　stretch　their　week…end　through　the　following　Wednesday　night　deserve　all　they　get。