earlderrbiggers.thehousewithoutakey-第15部分

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　〃Amos！〃　cried　Miss　Minerva。　〃That　man　…　why　he　…〃
　〃Charlie　Chan；〃　Amos　explained。　〃I'm　glad　they　brought　him。　He's　the　best　detective　on　the　force。〃
　〃But　…　he's　Chinese！〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　Miss　Minerva　sank　into　a　chair。　Ah；　yes；　they　had　policemen　out　here；　after　all。
　In　a　few　moments　Hallet　came　briskly　back　into　the　living…room。　〃Look　here；〃　he　said。　〃The　doctor　tells　me　Mr。　Winterslip　has　been　dead　a　very　short　while。　I　don't　want　your　evidence　just　yet　…　but　if　either　of　you　can　give　me　some　idea　as　to　the　hour　when　this　thing　happened　…〃
　〃I　can　give　you　a　rather　definite　idea；〃　said　Miss　Minerva　calmly。　〃It　happened　just　previous　to　twenty　minutes　past　one。　Say　about　one　fifteen。〃
　Hallet　stared　at　her。　〃You're　sure　of　that？〃
　〃I　ought　to　be。　I　got　the　time　from　the　wrist　watch　of　the　person　who　mitted　the　murder。〃
　〃What！　You　saw　him！〃
　〃I　didn't　say　that。　I　said　I　saw　his　wrist　watch。〃
　Hallet　frowned。　〃I'll　get　that　straight　later；〃　he　said。　〃Just　now　I　propose　to　b　this　part　of　town。　Where's　the　telephone？〃
　Miss　Minerva　pointed　it　out　to　him；　and　heard　him　in　earnest　conversation　with　a　man　at　headquarters　named　Tom。　Tom's　job；　it　seemed；　was　to　muster　all　available　men　and　search　Honolulu；　particularly　the　Waikiki　district；　rounding　up　any　suspicious　characters。　He　was　also　to　have　on　hand；　awaiting　his　chief's　return；　the　passenger　lists　of　all　ships　that　had　made　port　at　Honolulu　during　the　past　week。
　Hallet　returned　to　the　living…room。　He　took　a　stand　directly　in　front　of　Miss　Minerva。　〃Now；〃　he　began；　〃you　didn't　see　the　murderer；　but　you　saw　his　wrist　watch。　I'm　a　great　believer　in　taking　things　in　an　orderly　fashion。　You're　a　stranger　here。　From　Boston；　I　believe？〃
　〃I　am；〃　snapped　Miss　Minerva。
　〃Stopping　in　this　house？〃
　〃Precisely。〃
　〃Anybody　here　besides　you　and　Mr。　Winterslip？〃
　Miss　Minerva's　eyes　flashed。　〃The　servants；〃　she　said。　〃And　I　would　like　to　call　your　attention　to　the　fact　that　I　am　Dan　Winterslip's　first　cousin。〃
　〃Oh；　sure　…　no　offense。　He　has　a　daughter；　hasn't　he？〃
　〃Miss　Barbara　is　on　her　way　home　from　college。　Her　ship　will　dock　in　the　morning。〃
　〃I　see。　Just　you　and　Winterslip。　You're　going　to　be　an　important　witness。〃
　〃It　will　be　a　novel　experience；　at　any　rate；〃　she　remarked。
　〃I　dare　say。　Now；　go　back　…〃　Miss　Minerva　glared　at　him　…　it　was　a　glare　that　had　frightened　guards　on　the　Cambridge　subway。　He　brushed　it　aside。　〃You　understand　that　I　haven't　time　for　please；　Miss　Winterslip。　Go　back　and　describe　last　evening　in　this　house。〃
　〃I　was　here　only　until　eight…thirty；〃　she　told　him；　〃when　I　went　to　a　luau　with　some　friends。　Previous　to　that；　Mr。　Winterslip　dined　at　his　usual　hour　and　we　chatted　for　a　time　on　the　lanai。〃
　〃Did　he　seem　to　have　anything　on　his　mind？〃
　〃Well；　he　has　appeared　a　bit　upset　…〃
　〃Wait　a　minute！〃　The　captain　took　out　a　note…book。　〃Want　to　put　down　some　of　this。　Been　upset；　has　he？　For　how　long？〃
　〃For　the　past　two　weeks。　Let　me　think　…　just　two　weeks　ago　to…night　…　or　rather；　last　night　…　he　and　I　were　sitting　on　the　lanai；　and　he　was　reading　the　evening　paper。　Something　in　it　seemed　to　disturb　him。　He　got　up；　wrote　a　note　to　his　cousin　Roger　in　San　Francisco；　and　took　it　down　for　a　friend　aboard　the　President　Tyler　to　deliver。　From　that　moment　he　appeared　restless　and　unhappy。〃
　〃Go　on。　This　may　be　important。〃
　〃Last　Wednesday　morning　he　received　a　cable　from　Roger　that　infuriated　him。〃
　〃A　cable。　What　was　in　it？〃
　〃It　was　not　addressed　to　me；〃　said　Miss　Minerva　haughtily。
　〃Well；　that's　all　right。　We'll　dig　it　up。　Now；　about　last　night。　Did　he　act　more　upset　than　ever？〃
　〃He　did。　But　that　may　have　been　due　to　the　fact　he　had　hoped　his　daughter's　ship　would　dock　yesterday　afternoon；　and　had　learned　it　could　not　land　its　passengers　until　this　morning。〃
　〃I　see。　You　said　you　was　only　here　until　eight…thirty？〃
　〃I　did　not；〃　replied　Miss　Minerva　coldly。　〃I　said　I　was　here　only　until　eight…thirty。〃
　〃Same　thing。〃
　〃Well；　hardly。〃
　〃I'm　not　here　to　talk　grammar；〃　Hallet　said　sharply。　〃Did　anything　occur　…　anything　out　of　the　ordinary　…　before　you　left？〃
　〃No。　Wait　a　moment。　Some　one　called　Mr。　Winterslip　on　the　telephone　while　he　was　at　dinner。　I　couldn't　help　overhearing　the　conversation。〃
　〃Good　for　you！〃　She　glared　at　him　again。　〃Repeat　it。〃
　〃I　heard　Mr。　Winterslip　say：　'Hello；　Egan。　What　…　you're　not　ing　over？　Oh；　yes　you　are。　I　want　to　see　you。　I　insist　on　it。　e　about　eleven。　I　want　to　see　you。'　That　was；　at　least；　the　import　of　his　remarks。〃
　〃Did　he　seem　excited？〃
　〃He　raised　his　voice　above　the　ordinary　tone。〃
　〃Ah；　yes。〃　The　captain　stared　at　his　note…book。　〃Must　have　been　Jim　Egan；　who　runs　this　God…forsaken　Reef　and　Palm　Hotel　down　the　beach。〃　He　turned　to　Amos。　〃Was　Egan　a　friend　of　your　brother？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Amos。
　〃You　see；　Amos　was　not　a　friend　of　his　brother；　either；〃　explained　Miss　Minerva。　〃There　was　an　old　feud　between　them。　Speaking　for　myself；　I　never　heard　Dan　mention　Egan；　and　he　certainly　never　came　to　the　house　while　I　was　here。〃
　Hallet　nodded。　〃Well；　you　left　at　eight…thirty。　Now　tell　us　where　you　went　and　when　you　got　back。　And　all　about　the　wrist　watch。〃
　Miss　Minerva　rapidly　sketched　her　evening　at　the　luau。　She　described　her　return　to　Dan's　living…room；　her　adventure　in　the　dark　…　the　luminous　dial　that　waited　for　her　to　pass。
　〃I　wish　you'd　seen　more；〃　Hallet　plained。　〃Too　many　people　wear　wrist　watches。〃
　〃Probably　not　many；〃　said　Miss　Minerva；　〃wear　a　wrist　watch　like　that　one。〃
　〃Oh。　It　had　some　distinguishing　mark？〃
　〃It　certainly　did。　The　numerals　were　illuminated；　and　stood　out　clearly　…　with　an　exception。　The　figure　2　was　very　dim　…　practically　obliterated。〃
　He　looked　at　her　admiringly。　〃Well；　you　certainly　had　your　wits　about　you。〃
　〃That's　a　habit　I　formed　early　in　life；〃　replied　Miss　Minerva。　〃And　old　habits　are　hard　to　break。〃
　He　smiled；　and　asked　her　to　continue。　She　told　of　rousing　the　two　servants　and；　finally；　of　the　gruesome　discovery　on　the　lanai。
　〃But　it　was　Mr。　Amos；〃　Hallet　said；　〃who　called　the　station。〃
　〃Yes。　I　telephoned　him　at　once；　and　he　offered　to　attend　to　that。〃
　Hallet　turned　to　Amos。　〃How　long　did　it　take　you　to　reach　here；　Mr。　Winterslip？〃　he　inquired。
　〃Not　more　than　ten　minutes；〃　said　Amos。
　〃You　could　dress　and　get　here　in　that　time？〃
　Amos　hesitated。　〃I　…　I　did　not　need　to　dress；〃　he　explained。　〃I　hadn't　gone　to　bed。〃
　Hallet　regarded　him　with　a　new　interest。　〃Half　past　one　…　and　you　were　still　up？〃
　〃I　…　I　don't　sleep　very　well；〃　said　Amos。　〃I'm　up　till　all　hours。〃
　〃I　see。　You　weren't　on　friendly　terms　with　your　brother？　An　old　quarrel　between　you？〃
　〃No　particular　quarrel。　I　didn't　approve　of　his　manner　of　living；　and　we　went　separate　ways。〃
　〃And　stopped　speaking　to　each　other；　eh？〃
　〃Yes。　That　was　the　situation；〃　Amos　admitted。
　〃Humph。〃　For　a　moment　the　captain　stared　at　Amos；　and　Miss　Minerva　stared　at　him　too。　Amos！　It　flashed　through　her　mind　that　Amos　had　been　a　long　time　alone　out　there　on　the　lanai　before　the　arrival　of　the　police。
　〃Those　two　servants　who　came　down…stairs　with　you；　Miss　Winterslip；〃　Hallet　said。　〃I'll　see　them　now。　The　others　can　go　over　until　morning。〃
　Haku　and　Kamaikui　appeared；　frightened　and　wide…eyed。　Haku　had　nothing　to　tell；　he　had　been　sleeping　soundly　from　nine　until　the　moment　Miss　Minerva　knocked　on　his　door。　He　swore　it。　But　Kamaikui　had　something　to　contribute。
　〃I　e　here　with　fruit。〃　She　pointed　to　a　basket　on　the　table。　〃On　lanai　out　there　are　talking　…　Mr。　Dan；　a　man；　a　woman。　Oh；　very　much　angry。〃
　〃What　time　was　that？〃　Hallet　asked。
　〃Ten　o'clock　I　think。〃
　〃Did　you　recognize　any　voice　except　your　master's？〃
　Miss　Minerva　thought　the　woman　hesitated　a　second。　〃No。　I　do　not。〃
　〃Anything　else？〃
　〃Yes。　Maybe　eleven　o'clock。　I　am　sitting　close　to　window　up…stairs。　More　talking　on　lanai。　Mr。　Dan　and　other　man。　Not　so　much　angry　this　time。〃
　〃At　eleven；　eh？　Do　you　know　Mr。　Jim　Egan？〃
　〃I　have　seen　him。〃
　〃Could　you　say　if　it　was　his　voice？〃
　〃I　could　not　say。〃
　〃All　right。　You　two　can　go　now。〃　He　turned　to　Miss　Minerva　and　Amos。　〃We'll　see　what　Charlie　has　dug　up　out　here；〃　he　sa