earlderrbiggers.thehousewithoutakey-第43部分

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　Hallet　picked　up　the　letter。　〃I'll　keep　this。　It　may　prove　to　be　evidence。〃
　〃Surely；〃　agreed　John　Quincy。　〃And　you　haven't　got　any　too　much　evidence；　as　I　see　it。〃
　〃Is　that　so？〃　growled　Hallet。　〃We've　made　a　rather　important　discovery　about　that　Corsican　cigarette。〃
　〃Oh；　I'm　not　saying　Charlie　isn't　good；〃　smiled　John　Quincy。　〃I　was　with　him　when　he　worked　that　out。〃
　A　uniformed　man　appeared　at　the　door。　〃Egan　and　his　daughter　and　Captain　Cope；〃　he　announced　to　Greene。　〃Want　to　see　them　now；　sir？〃
　〃Send　them　in；〃　ordered　the　prosecutor。
　〃I'd　like　to　stay；　if　you　don't　mind；〃　John　Quincy　suggested。
　〃Oh；　by　all　means；〃　Greene　answered。　〃We　couldn't　get　along　without　you。〃
　The　policeman　brought　Egan　to　the　door；　and　the　proprietor　of　the　Reef　and　Palm　came　into　the　room。　His　face　was　haggard　and　pale；　his　long　siege　with　the　authorities　had　begun　to　tell。　But　a　stubborn　light　still　flamed　in　his　eyes。　After　him　came　Carlota　Egan；　fresh　and　beautiful；　and　with　a　new　air　of　confidence　about　her。　Captain　Cope　followed；　tall；　haughty；　a　man　of　evident　power　and　determination。
　〃This　is　the　prosecutor；　I　believe？〃　he　said。　〃Ah；　Mr。　Winterslip；　I　find　you　everywhere　I　go。〃
　〃You　don't　mind　my　staying？〃　inquired　John　Quincy。
　〃Not　in　the　least；　my　boy。　Our　business　here　will　take　but　a　moment。〃　He　turned　to　Greene。　〃Just　as　a　preliminary；〃　he　continued；　〃I　am　Captain　Arthur　Temple　Cope　of　the　British　Admiralty；　and　this　gentleman〃　…　he　nodded　toward　the　proprietor　of　the　Reef　and　Palm　…　〃is　my　brother。〃
　〃Really？〃　said　Greene。　〃His　name　is　Egan；　as　I　understand　it。〃
　〃His　name　is　James　Egan　Cope；〃　the　captain　replied。　〃He　dropped　the　Cope　many　years　ago　for　reasons　that　do　not　concern　us　now。　I　am　here　simply　to　say；　sir；　that　you　are　holding　my　brother　on　the　flimsiest　pretext　I　have　ever　encountered　in　the　course　of　my　rather　extensive　travels。　If　necessary；　I　propose　to　engage　the　best　lawyer　in　Honolulu　and　have　him　free　by　night。　But　I'm　giving　you　this　last　chance　to　release　him　and　avoid　a　somewhat　painful　expose　of　the　sort　of　nonsense　you　go　in　for。〃
　John　Quincy　glanced　at　Carlota　Egan。　Her　eyes　were　shining　but　not　on　him。　They　were　on　her　uncle。
　Greene　flushed　slightly。　〃A　good　bluff；　Captain；　is　always　worth　trying；〃　he　said。
　〃Oh；　then　you　admit　you've　been　bluffing；〃　said　Cope　quickly。
　〃I　was　referring　to　your　attitude；　sir；〃　Greene　replied。
　〃Oh；　I　see；〃　Cope　said。　〃I'll　sit　down；　if　you　don't　mind。　As　I　understand　it；　you　have　two　things　against　old　Jim　here。　One　is　that　he　visited　Dan　Winterslip　on　the　night　of　the　murder；　and　now　refuses　to　divulge　the　nature　of　that　call。　The　other　is　the　stub　of　a　Corsican　cigarette　which　was　found　by　the　walk　outside　the　door　of　Winterslip's　living…room。〃
　Greene　shook　his　head。　〃Only　the　first；〃　he　responded。　〃The　Corsican　cigarette　is　no　longer　evidence　against　Egan。〃　He　leaned　suddenly　across　his　desk。　〃It　is；　my　dear　Captain　Cope；　evidence　against　you。〃
　Cope　met　his　look　unflinchingly。　〃Really？〃　he　remarked。
　John　Quincy　noted　a　flash　of　startled　bewilderment　in　Carlota　Egan's　eyes。
　〃That's　what　I　said；〃　Greene　continued。　〃I'm　very　glad　you　dropped　in　this　morning；　sir。　I've　been　wanting　to　talk　to　you。　I've　been　told　that　you　were　heard　to　express　a　strong　dislike　for　Dan　Winterslip。〃
　〃I　may　have。　I　certainly　felt　it。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃As　a　midshipman　on　a　British　war…ship；　I　was　familiar　with　Australian　gossip　in　the　'eighties。　Mr。　Dan　Winterslip　had　an　unsavory　reputation。　It　was　rumored　on　good　authority　that　he　rifled　the　sea　chest　of　his　dead　captain　on　the　Maid　of　Shiloh。　Perhaps　we're　a　bit　squeamish；　but　that　is　the　sort　of　thing　we　sailors　can　not　forgive。　There　were　other　quaint　deeds　in　connection　with　his　blackbirding　activities。　Yes；　my　dear　sir；　I　heartily　disliked　Dan　Winterslip；　and　if　I　haven't　said　so　before；　I　say　it　now。〃
　〃You　arrived　in　Honolulu　a　week　ago　yesterday；〃　Greene　continued。　〃At　noon　…　Monday　noon。　You　left　the　following　day。　Did　you；　by　any　chance；　call　on　Dan　Winterslip　during　that　period？〃
　〃I　did　not。〃
　〃Ah；　yes。　I　may　tell　you；　sir；　that　the　Corsican　cigarettes　found　in　Egan's　case　were　of　Turkish　tobacco。　The　stub　found　near　the　scene　of　Dan　Winterslip's　murder　was　of　Virginia　tobacco。　So　also；　my　dear　Captain　Cope；　was　the　Corsican　cigarette　you　gave　our　man　Charlie　Chan　in　the　lobby　of　the　Alexander　Young　Hotel　last　Sunday　night。〃
　Cope　looked　at　Chan；　and　smiled。　〃Always　the　detective；　eh？〃　he　said。
　〃Never　mind　that！〃　Greene　cried。　〃I'm　asking　for　an　explanation。〃
　〃The　explanation　is　very　simple；〃　Cope　replied。　〃I　was　about　to　give　it　to　you　when　you　launched　into　this　silly　cross…examination。　The　Corsican　cigarette　found　by　Dan　Winterslip's　door　was；　naturally；　of　Virginia　tobacco。　I　never　smoke　any　other　kind。〃
　〃What！〃
　〃There　can　be　no　question　about　it；　sir。　I　dropped　that　cigarette　there　myself。〃
　〃But　you　just　told　me　you　didn't　call　on　Dan　Winterslip。〃
　〃That　was　true。　I　didn't。　I　called　on　Miss　Minerva　Winterslip；　of　Boston；　who　is　a　guest　in　the　house。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　had　tea　with　her　last　Monday　at　five　o'clock。　You　may　verify　that　by　telephoning　the　lady。〃
　Greene　glanced　at　Hallet；　who　glanced　at　the　telephone；　then　turned　angrily　to　John　Quincy。　〃Why　the　devil　didn't　she　tell　me　that？〃　he　demanded。
　John　Quincy　smiled。　〃I　don't　know；　sir。　Possibly　because　she　never　thought　of　Captain　Cope　in　connection　with　the　murder。〃
　〃She'd　hardly　be　likely　to；〃　Cope　said。　〃Miss　Winterslip　and　I　had　tea　in　the　living…room；　then　went　out　and　sat　on　a　bench　in　the　garden；　chatting　over　old　times。　When　I　returned　to　the　house　I　was　smoking　a　cigarette。　I　dropped　it　just　outside　the　living…room　door。　Whether　Miss　Winterslip　noted　my　action　or　not；　I　don't　know。　She　probably　didn't；　it　isn't　the　sort　of　thing　one　remembers。　You　may　call　her　on　the　telephone　if　you　wish；　sir。〃
　Again　Greene　looked　at　Hallet；　who　shook　his　head。　〃I'll　talk　with　her　later；〃　announced　the　Captain　of　Detectives。　Evidently　Miss　Minerva　had　an　unpleasant　interview　ahead。
　〃At　any　rate；〃　Cope　continued　to　the　prosecutor；　〃you　had　yourself　disposed　of　the　cigarette　as　evidence　against　old　Jim。　That　leaves　only　the　fact　of　his　silence　…〃
　〃His　silence；　yes；〃　Greene　cut　in；　〃and　the　fact　that　Winterslip　had　been　heard　to　express　a　fear　of　Jim　Egan。〃
　Cope　frowned。　〃Had　he；　really？〃　He　considered　a　moment。　〃Well；　what　of　it？　Winterslip　had　good　reason　to　fear　a　great　many　honest　men。　No；　my　dear　sir；　you　have　nothing　save　my　brother's　silence　against　him；　and　that　is　not　enough。　I　demand　…〃
　Greene　raised　his　hand。　〃Just　a　minute。　I　said　you　were　bluffing；　and　I　still　think　so。　Any　other　assumption　would　be　an　insult　to　your　intelligence。　Surely　you　know　enough　about　the　law　to　understand　that　your　brother's　refusal　to　tell　me　his　business　with　Winterslip；　added　to　the　fact　that　he　was　presumably　the　last　person　to　see　Winterslip　alive；　is　sufficient　excuse　for　holding　him。　I　can　hold　him　on　those　grounds；　I　am　holding　him；　and；　my　dear　Captain；　I　shall　continue　to　hold　him　until　hell　freezes　over。〃
　〃Very　good；〃　said　Cope；　rising。　〃I　shall　engage　a　capable　lawyer　…〃
　〃That　is；　of　course；　your　privilege；〃　snapped　Greene。　〃Good　morning。〃
　Cope　hesitated。　He　turned　to　Egan。　〃It　means　more　publicity；　Jim；〃　he　said。　〃Delay；　too。　More　unhappiness　for　Carlota　here。　And　since　everything　you　did　was　done　for　her　…〃
　〃How　did　you　know　that？〃　asked　Egan　quickly。
　〃I've　guessed　it。　I　can　put　two　and　two　together；　Jim。　Carlota　was　to　return　with　me　for　a　bit　of　schooling　in　England。　You　said　you　had　the　money；　but　you　hadn't。　That　was　your　pride　again；　Jim。　It's　got　you　into　a　lifetime　of　trouble。　You　cast　about　for　the　funds；　and　you　remembered　Winterslip。　I'm　beginning　to　see　it　all　now。　You　had　something　on　Dan　Winterslip；　and　you　went　to　his　house　that　night　to　…　er　…〃
　〃To　blackmail　him；〃　suggested　Greene。
　〃It　wasn't　a　pretty　thing　to　do；　Jim；〃　Cope　went　on。　〃But　you　weren't　doing　it　for　yourself。　Carlota　and　I　know　you　would　have　died　first。　You　did　it　for　your　girl；　and　we　both　forgive　you。〃　He　turned　to　Carlota。　〃Don't　we；　my　dear？〃
　The　girl's　eyes　were　wet。　Sh