earlderrbiggers.thehousewithoutakey-第32部分

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　the　name　of　Thomas　Macan　Brade　was　on　no　sailing　list。　Through　far　settlements　that　were　called　villages　but　were　nothing　save　clusters　of　Japanese　huts；　in　lonely　coves　where　the　surf　moaned　dismally；　over　pineapple　and　sugar　plantations；　the　emissaries　of　Hallet　pursued　their　quest。　Their　efforts　came　to　nothing。
　John　Quincy　drifted　idly　with　the　days。　He　knew　now　the　glamour　of　Waikiki　waters；　he　had　felt　their　warm　embrace。　Every　afternoon　he　experimented　with　a　board　in　the　malihini　surf；　and　he　was　eager　for　the　moment　when　he　could　dare　the　big　rollers　farther　out。　Boston　seemed　like　a　tale　that　is　told；　State　Street　and　Beacon　memories　of　another　more　active　existence　now　abandoned。　No　longer　was　he　at　a　loss　to　understand　his　aunt's　reluctance　to　depart　these　friendly　shores。
　Early　Friday　afternoon　Miss　Minerva　found　him　reading　a　book　on　the　lanai。　Something　in　the　nonchalance　of　his　manner　irritated　her。　She　had　always　been　for　action；　and　the　urge　was　on　her　even　in　Hawaii。
　〃Have　you　seen　Mr。　Chan　lately？〃　she　inquired。
　〃Talked　with　him　this　morning。　They're　doing　their　best　to　find　Brade。〃
　〃Humph；〃　sniffed　Miss　Minerva。　〃Their　best　is　none　too　good。　I'd　like　to　have　a　few　Boston　detectives　on　this　case。〃
　〃Oh；　give　them　time；〃　yawned　John　Quincy。
　〃They've　had　three　days；〃　she　snapped。　〃Time　enough。　Brade　never　left　this　island　of　Oahu；　that's　certain。　And　when　you　consider　that　you　can　drive　across　it　in　a　motor　in　two　hours；　and　around　it　in　about　six；　Mr。　Hallet's　brilliance　does　not　impress。　I'll　have　to　end　by　solving　this　thing　myself。〃
　John　Quincy　laughed。　〃Yes；　maybe　you　will。〃
　〃Well；　I've　given　them　the　two　best　clues　they　have。　If　they'd　keep　their　eyes　open　the　way　I　do　…〃
　〃Charlie's　eyes　are　open；〃　protested　John　Quincy。
　〃Think　so？　They　look　pretty　sleepy　to　me。〃
　Barbara　appeared　on　the　lanai；　dressed　for　a　drive。　Her　eyes　were　somewhat　happier；　a　bit　of　color　had　e　back　to　her　cheeks。　〃What　are　you　reading；　John　Quincy？〃　she　asked。
　He　held　up　the　book。　〃The　City　by　the　Golden　Gate；〃　he　told　her。
　〃Oh；　really？　If　you're　interested；　I　believe　dad　had　quite　a　library　on　San　Francisco。　I　remember　there　was　a　history　of　the　stock　exchange　…　he　wanted　me　to　read　it；　but　I　couldn't。〃
　〃You　missed　a　good　one；〃　John　Quincy　informed　her。　〃I　finished　it　this　morning。　I've　read　five　other　books　on　San　Francisco　since　I　came。〃
　His　aunt　stared　at　him。　〃What　for？〃　she　asked。
　〃Well　…〃　He　hesitated。　〃I've　taken　sort　of　a　fancy　to　the　town。　I　don't　know　…　sometimes　I　think　I'd　rather　like　to　live　there。〃
　Miss　Minerva　smiled　grimly。　〃And　they　sent　you　out　to　take　me　back　to　Boston；〃　she　remarked。
　〃Boston's　all　right；〃　said　her　nephew　hastily。　〃It's　Winterslip　headquarters　…　but　its　hold　has　never　been　strong　enough　to　prevent　an　occasional　Winterslip　from　hitting　the　trail。　You　know；　when　I　came　into　San　Francisco　harbor；　I　had　the　oddest　feeling。〃　He　told　them　about　it。　〃And　the　more　I　saw　of　the　city；　the　better　I　liked　it。　There's　a　snap　and　sparkle　in　the　air；　and　the　people　seem　to　know　how　to　get　the　most　out　of　life。〃
　Barbara　smiled　on　him　approvingly。　〃Follow　that　impulse；　John　Quincy；〃　she　advised。
　〃Maybe　I　will。　All　this　reminds　me　…　I　must　write　a　letter。〃　He　rose　and　left　the　lanai。
　〃Does　he　really　intend　to　desert　Boston？〃　Barbara　asked。
　Miss　Minerva　shook　her　head。　〃Just　a　moment's　madness；〃　she　explained。　〃I'm　glad　he's　going　through　it　…　he'll　be　more　human　in　the　future。　But　as　for　leaving　Boston！　John　Quincy！　As　well　expect　Bunker　Hill　Monument　to　emigrate　to　England。〃
　In　his　room　up…stairs；　however；　John　Quincy's　madness　was　persisting。　He　had　never　pleted　that　letter　to　Agatha　Parker；　but　he　now　plunged　into　his　task　with　enthusiasm。　San　Francisco　was　his　topic；　and　he　wrote　well。　He　pictured　the　city　in　words　that　glowed　with　life；　and　he　wondered　…　just　a　suggestion　…　how　she'd　like　to　live　there。
　Agatha　was　now；　he　recalled；　on　a　ranch　in　Wyoming　…　her　first　encounter　with　the　West　…　and　that　was　providential。　She　had　felt　for　herself　the　lure　of　the　wide　open　spaces。　Well；　the　farther　you　went　the　wider　and　opener　they　got。　In　California　life　was　all　color　and　light。　Just　a　suggestion；　of　course。
　As　he　sealed　the　flap　of　the　envelope；　he　seemed　to　glimpse　Agatha's　thin　patrician　face；　and　his　heart　sank。　Her　gray　eyes　were　cool；　so　different　from　Barbara's；　so　very　different　from　those　of　Carlota　Maria　Egan。
　On　Saturday　afternoon　John　Quincy　had　an　engagement　to　play　golf　with　Harry　Jennison。　He　drove　up　Nuuanu　Valley　in　Barbara's　roadster　…　for　Dan　Winterslip's　will　had　been　read　and　everything　he　possessed　was　Barbara's　now。　In　that　sheltered　spot　a　brisk　rain　was　falling；　as　is　usually　the　case；　though　the　sun　was　shining　brightly。　John　Quincy　had　grown　accustomed　to　this　phenomenon；　〃liquid　sunshine〃　the　people　of　Hawaii　call　such　rain；　and　pay　no　attention　to　it。　Half　a　dozen　different　rainbows　added　to　the　beauty　of　the　Country　Club　links。
　Jennison　was　waiting　on　the　veranda；　a　striking　figure　in　white。　He　appeared　genuinely　glad　to　see　his　guest；　and　they　set　out　on　a　round　of　golf　that　John　Quincy　would　long　remember。　Never　before　had　he　played　amid　such　beauty。　The　low　hills　stood　on　guard；　their　slopes　bright　with　tropical　colors　…　the　yellow　of　kukui　trees；　the　gray　of　ferns；　the　emerald　of　ohia　and　banana　trees；　here　and　there　a　splotch　of　brick…red　earth。　The　course　was　a　green　velvet　carpet　beneath　their　feet；　the　showers　came　and　went。　Jennison　was　a　proficient　driver；　but　the　boy　was　his　superior　on　approaches；　and　at　the　end　of　the　match　John　Quincy　was　four　up。　They　putted　through　a　rainbow　and　returned　to　the　locker　room。
　In　the　roadster　going　home；　Jennison　brought　up　the　subject　of　Dan　Winterslip's　murder。　John　Quincy　was　interested　to　get　the　reaction　of　a　lawyer　to　the　evidence。
　〃I've　kept　more　or　less　in　touch　with　the　case；〃　Jennison　said。　〃Egan　is　still　my　choice。〃
　Somehow；　John　Quincy　resented　this。　A　picture　of　Carlota　Egan's　lovely　but　unhappy　face　flashed　through　his　mind。　〃How　about　Leatherbee　and　the　pton　woman？〃　he　asked。
　〃Well；　of　course；　I　wasn't　present　when　they　told　their　story；〃　Jennison　replied。　〃But　Hallet　claims　it　sounded　perfectly　plausible。　And　it　doesn't　seem　likely　that　if　he'd　had　anything　to　do　with　the　murder；　Leatherbee　would　have　been　fool　enough　to　keep　that　page　from　the　guest　book。〃
　〃There's　Brade；　too；〃　John　Quincy　suggested。
　〃Yes　…　Brade　plicates　things。　But　when　they　run　him　down　…　if　they　do　…　I　imagine　the　result　will　be　nil。〃
　〃You　know　that　Kamaikui's　grandson　is　mixed　up　somehow　with　Brade？〃
　〃So　I　understand。　It's　a　matter　that　wants　looking　into。　But　mark　my　words；　when　all　these　trails　are　followed　to　the　end；　everything　will　e　back　to　Jim　Egan。〃
　〃What　have　you　against　Egan？〃　inquired　John　Quincy；　swerving　to　avoid　another　car。
　〃I　have　nothing　against　Egan；〃　Jennison　replied。　〃But　I　can't　forget　the　look　on　Dan　Winterslip's　face　that　day　he　told　me　he　was　afraid　of　the　man。　Then　there　is　the　stub　of　the　Corsican　cigarette。　Most　important　of　all；　Egan's　silence　regarding　his　business　with　Winterslip。　Men　who　are　facing　a　charge　of　murder；　my　boy；　talk；　and　talk　fast。　Unless　it　so　happens　that　what　they　have　to　say　would　further　incriminate　them。〃
　They　drove　on　in　silence　into　the　heart　of　the　city。　〃Hallet　tells　me　you're　doing　a　little　detective　work　yourself；〃　smiled　Jennison。
　〃I've　tried；　but　I'm　a　duffer；〃　John　Quincy　admitted。　〃Just　at　present　my　efforts　consist　of　a　still　hunt　for　that　watch　Aunt　Minerva　saw　on　the　murderer's　wrist。　Whenever　I　see　a　wrist　watch　I　get　as　close　to　it　as　I　can；　and　stare。　But　as　most　of　my　sleuthing　is　done　in　the　day　time；　it　isn't　so　easy　to　determine　whether　the　numeral　two　is　bright　or　dim。〃
　〃Persistence；〃　urged　Jennison。　〃That's　the　secret　of　a　good　detective。　Stick　to　the　job　and　you　may　succeed　yet。〃
　The　lawyer　was　to　dine　with　the　family　at　Waikiki。　John　Quincy　set　him　down　at　his　office；　where　he　had　a　few　letters　to　sign；　and　then　drove　him　out　to　the　beach。　Barbara　was　gowned　in　white；　she　was　slim　and　wistful　and　beautiful；　and　considering　the　events　of　the　immediate　past；