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She looked up at him; her eyes filled with sudden tears。 〃I was so happy on the boat;〃 she said。 〃I knew it couldn't last。〃
He sat down。 〃Nonsense。 Everything will e out all right。 Your father is probably shielding some one …〃
She nodded。 〃Of course。 But if he's made up his mind not to talk; he just simply won't talk。 He's odd that way。 They may keep him down there; and I shall be all alone …〃
〃Not quite alone;〃 John Quincy told her。
〃No; no;〃 she said。 〃I've warned you。 We're not the sort the best people care to know …〃
〃The more fools they;〃 cut in the boy。 〃I'm John Quincy Winterslip; of Boston。 And you …〃
〃Carlota Maria Egan;〃 she answered。 〃You see; my mother was half Portuguese。 The other half was Scotch…Irish … my father's English。 This is the melting pot out here; you know。〃 She was silent for a moment。 〃My mother was very beautiful;〃 she added wistfully。 〃So they tell me … I never knew。〃
John Quincy was touched。 〃I thought how beautiful she must have been;〃 he said gently。 〃That day I met you on the ferry。〃
The girl dabbed at her eyes with an absurd little handkerchief; and stood up。 〃Well;〃 she remarked; 〃this is just another thing that has to be faced。 Another call for courage … I must meet it。〃 She smiled。 〃The lady manager of the Reef and Palm。 Can I show you a room?〃
〃I say; it'll be a rather stiff job; won't it?〃 John Quincy rose too。
〃Oh; I shan't mind。 I've helped dad before。 Only one thing troubles me … bills and all that。 I've no head for arithmetic。〃
〃That's all right … I have;〃 replied John Quincy。 He stopped。 Wasn't he getting in a little deep?
〃How wonderful;〃 the girl said。
〃Why; not at all;〃 John Quincy protested。 〃It's my line; at home。〃 Home! Yes; he had a home; he recalled。 〃Bonds and interest and all that sort of thing。 I'll drop in later in the day to see how you're getting on。〃 He moved away in a mild panic。 〃I'd better be going now;〃 he added。
〃Of course。〃 She followed him to the door。 〃You're altogether too kind。 Shall you be in Honolulu long?〃
〃That depends;〃 John Quincy said。 〃I've made up my mind to one thing。 I shan't stir from here until this mystery about Cousin Dan is solved。 And I'm going to do everything in my power to help in solving it。〃
〃I'm sure you're very clever; too;〃 she told him。
He shook his head。 〃I wouldn't say that。 But I intend to make the effort of my life。 I've got a lot of incentives for seeing this affair through。〃 Something else trembled on his tongue。 Better not say it。 Oh; lord; he was saying it。 〃You're one of them;〃 he added; and clattered down the stairs。
〃Do be careful;〃 called the girl。 〃Those steps are even worse than they were when I left。 Just another thing to be repaired … some day … when our ship es in。〃
He left her smiling wistfully in the doorway and hurrying through the garden; stepped out on Kalakaua Avenue。 The blazing sun beat down on his defenseless head。 Gorgeous trees flaunted scarlet banners along his path; tall cocoanut palms swayed above him at the touch of the friendly trades; not far away rainbow…tinted waters lapped a snowy beach。 A sweet land … all of that。
Did he wish that Agatha Parker were there to see it with him? Pursuing the truth further; as Charlie Chan would put it; he did not。
CHAPTER X
A Newspaper Ripped In Anger
WHEN John Quincy got back to the living…room he found Miss Minerva pacing up and down with the light of battle in her eyes。 He selected a large; fortable…looking chair and sank into it。
〃Anything the matter?〃 he inquired。 〃You seem disturbed。〃
〃I've just been having a lot of pilikia;〃 she announced。
〃What's that … another native drink?〃 he said with interest。 〃Could I have some too?〃
〃Pilikia means trouble;〃 she translated。 〃Several reporters have been here; and you'd hardly credit the questions they asked。〃
〃About Cousin Dan; eh?〃 John Quincy nodded。 〃I can imagine。〃
〃However; they got nothing out of me。 I took good care of that。〃
〃Go easy;〃 advised John Quincy。 〃A fellow back home who had a divorce case in his family was telling me that if you're not polite to the newspaper boys they just plain break your heart。〃
〃Don't worry;〃 said Miss Minerva。 〃I was diplomatic; of course。 I think I handled them rather well; under the circumstances。 They were the first reporters I'd ever met … though I've had the pleasure of talking with gentlemen from the Transcript。 What happened at the Reef and Palm Hotel?〃
John Quincy told her … in part。
〃Well; I shouldn't be surprised if Egan turned out to be guilty;〃 she mented。 〃I've made a few inquiries about him this morning; and he doesn't appear to amount to much。 A sort of glorified beachber。〃
〃Nonsense;〃 objected John Quincy。 〃Egan's a gentleman。 Just because he doesn't happen to have prospered is no reason for condemning him without a hearing。〃
〃He's had a hearing;〃 snapped Miss Minerva。 〃And it seems he's been mixed up in something he's not precisely proud of。 There; I've gone and ended a sentence with a preposition。 Probably all this has upset me more than I realize。〃
John Quincy smiled。 〃Cousin Dan;〃 he reminded her; 〃was also mixed up in a few affairs he could hardly have looked back on with pride。 No; Aunt Minerva; I feel Hallet is on the wrong trail there。 It's just as Egan's daughter said …〃
She glanced at him quickly。 〃Oh … so Egan has a daughter?〃
〃Yes; and a mighty attractive girl。 It's a confounded shame to put this thing on her。〃
〃Humph;〃 said Miss Minerva。
John Quincy glanced at his watch。 〃Good lord … it's only ten o'clock!〃 A great calm had settled over the house; there was no sound save the soft lapping of waves on the beach outside。 〃What; in heaven's name; do you do out here?〃
〃Oh; you'll bee accustomed to it shortly;〃 Miss Minerva answered。 〃At first; you just sit and think。 After a time; you just sit。〃
〃Sounds fascinating;〃 said John Quincy sarcastically。
〃That's the odd part of it;〃 his aunt replied; 〃it is。 One of the things you think about; at first; is going home。 When you stop thinking; that naturally slips your mind。〃
〃We gathered that;〃 John Quincy told her。
〃You'll meet a man on the beach;〃 said Miss Minerva; 〃who stopped over between boats to have his laundry done。 That was twenty years ago; and he's still here。〃
〃Probably they haven't finished his laundry;〃 suggested John Quincy; yawning openly。 〃Ho; hum。 I'm going up to my room to change; and after that I believe I'll write a few letters。〃 He rose with an effort and went to the door。 〃How's Barbara?〃 he asked。
Miss Minerva shook her head。 〃Dan was all the poor child had;〃 she said。 〃She's taken it rather hard。 You won't see her for some time; and when you do … the least said about all this; the better。〃
〃Why; naturally;〃 agreed John Quincy; and went up…stairs。
After he had bathed and put on his whitest; thinnest clothes; he explored the desk that stood near his bed and found it well supplied with note paper。 Languidly laying out a sheet; he began to write。
〃DEAR AGATHA: Here I am in Honolulu and outside my window I can hear the lazy swish of waters lapping the famous beach of …〃
Lazy; indeed。 John Quincy had a feeling for words。 He stopped an