The Greatest Works of Earl Derr Biggers (Illustrated Edition). Earl Derr Biggers

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      "I didn't say that," replied Hallet, suddenly cautious. "The investigation is young yet. You are withholding much needed information, and I believe that after you've spent a few hours at the station, you'll change your mind and talk. In fact, I'm sure of it. I haven't any warrant, but your position will be a lot more dignified if you come willingly without one."

      Egan considered a moment. "I fancy you're right," he said. "I have certain orders to give the servants, if you don't mind—"

      Hallet nodded. "Make it snappy. Charlie will go with you."

      Egan and the Chinaman disappeared. The captain, John Quincy and Jennison went out and sat down in the public room. Five minutes passed, ten, fifteen—

      Jennison glanced at his watch. "See here, Hallet," he said. "The man's making a monkey of you—"

      Hallet reddened, and stood up. At that instant Egan and Chan came down the big open stairway at one side of the room. Hallet went up to the Englishman.

      "Say, Egan—what are you doing? Playing for time?"

      Egan smiled. "That's precisely what I'm doing," he replied. "My daughter's coming in this morning on the Matsonia—the boat ought to be at the dock now. She's been at school on the mainland, and I haven't seen her for nine months. You've done me out of the pleasure of meeting her, but in a few minutes—"

      "Nothing doing," cried Hallet. "Now you get your hat. I'm pau."

      Egan hesitated a moment, then slowly took his battered old straw hat from the desk. The five men walked through the blooming garden toward Hallet's car. As they emerged into the street, a taxi drew up to the curb. Egan ran forward, and the girl John Quincy had last seen at the gateway to San Francisco leaped out into the Englishman's arms.

      "Dad—where were you?" she cried.

      "Cary, darling," he said. "I was so frightfully sorry—I meant to be at the dock but I was detained. How are you, my dear?"

      "I'm fine, dad—but—where are you going?" She looked at Hallet; John Quincy remained discreetly in the background.

      "I've—I've a little business in the city, my dear," Egan said. "I'll be home presently, I fancy. If—if I shouldn't be, I leave you in charge."

      "Why, dad—"

      "Don't worry," he added pleadingly. "That's all I can say now, Cary. Don't worry, my dear." He turned to Hallet. "Shall we go. Captain?"

      The two policemen, Jennison and Egan entered the car. John Quincy stepped forward. The girl's big perplexed eyes met his.

      "You?" she cried.

      "Coming, Mr. Winterslip?" inquired Hallet.

      John Quincy smiled at the girl. "You were quite right," he said. "I haven't needed that hat."

      She looked up at him. "But you're not wearing any at all. That's hardly wise—"

      "Mr. Winterslip!" barked Hallet.

      John Quincy turned. "Oh, pardon me, Captain," he said. "I forgot to mention it, but I'm leaving you here. Good-by."

      Hallet grunted and started his car. While the girl paid for her taxi out of a tiny purse, John Quincy picked up her suit-case.

      "This time," he said, "I insist on carrying it." They stepped through the gateway into the garden that might have been Eden on one of its better days. "You didn't tell me we might meet in Honolulu," the boy remarked.

      "I wasn't sure we would." She glanced at the shabby old hotel. "You see, I'm not exactly a social favorite out here." John Quincy could think of no reply, and they mounted the crumbling steps. The public room was quite deserted. "And why have we met?" the girl continued. "I'm fearfully puzzled. What was dad's business with those men? One of them was Captain Hallet—a policeman—"

      John Quincy frowned. "I'm not so sure your father wants you to know."

      "But I've got to know, that's obvious. Please tell me."

      John Quincy relinquished the suit-case, and brought forward a chair. The girl sat down.

      "It's this way," he began. "My Cousin Dan was murdered in the night."

      Her eyes were tragic. "Oh—poor Barbara!" she cried. That's right, he mustn't forget Barbara. "But dad—oh, go on please—"

      "Your father visited Cousin Dan last night at eleven, and he refuses to say why. There are other things he refuses to tell."

      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 come 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 СКАЧАТЬ