按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
the light of Roger's candle that it was red when it came away。 〃He wore a ring；〃 added John Quincy。 〃Damned bad taste！〃
〃Hit you； eh？〃 inquired Roger。
〃I'll say he did。〃
〃Look！〃 Roger cried。 He pointed。 〃The trunk…lock smashed。〃 He went over to investigate。 〃And the box is gone。 Poor old Dan！〃
John Quincy continued to brush himself off。 Poor old Dan's plight gave him a vast pain； a pain which had nothing to do with his throbbing jaw。 A fine nerve poor old Dan had to ask a plete stranger to offer his face for punishment in a dusty attic at midnight。 What was it all about； anyhow？
Roger continued his search。 〃No use；〃 he announced。 〃The box is gone； that's plain。 e on； we'll go down…stairs and look about。 There's your candle on the floor。〃
John Quincy picked up the candle and relighted it from Roger's flame。 Silently they went below。 The outer door of the kitchen stood open。 〃Left that way；〃 said Roger。 〃And see〃 … he pointed to a window with a broken pane … 〃that's where he came in。〃
〃How about the police？〃 suggested John Quincy。
Roger stared at him。 〃The police？ I should say not！ Where's your discretion； my boy？ This is not a police matter。 I'll have a new glass put in that window to…morrow。 e on … we might as well go home。 We've failed。〃
The note of reproof in his voice angered John Quincy anew。 They left the extinguished candles on a table in the hall； and returned to the street。
〃Well； I'll have to cable Dan；〃 Roger said； as they walked toward the corner。 〃I'm afraid he'll be terribly upset by this。 It won't tend to endear you to him； either。〃
〃I can struggle along；〃 said John Quincy； 〃without his affection。〃
〃If you could only have held that fellow till I came …〃
〃Look here；〃 said John Quincy； 〃I was taken unawares。 How could I know that I was going up against the heavyweight champion in that attic？ He came at me out of the dark … and I'm not in condition …〃
〃No offense； my boy；〃 Roger put in。
〃I see my mistake；〃 went on John Quincy。 〃I should have trained for this trip out here。 A stiff course in a gymnasium。 But don't worry。 The next lad that makes a pass at me will find a different target。 I'll do a daily three dozen and I'll take boxing lessons。 From now on until I get home； I'll be expecting the worst。〃
Roger laughed。 〃That's a nasty cut on your cheek；〃 he remarked。 〃We'd better stop at this drug store and have it dressed。〃
A solicitous drug clerk ministered to John Quincy with iodine； cotton and court plaster； and he reentered the limousine bearing honorably the scar of battle。 The drive to Nob Hill was devoid of light chatter。
Just inside the door of Roger's house； a whirlwind in a gay gown descended upon them。 〃Barbara！〃 Roger said。 〃Where did you e from？〃
〃Hello； old dear；〃 she cried； kissing him。 〃I motored up from Burlingame。 Spending the night with you … I'm sailing on the President Tyler in the morning。 Is this John Quincy？〃
〃Cousin John；〃 smiled Roger。 〃He deserves a kiss； too。 He's had a bad evening。〃
The girl moved swiftly toward the defenseless John Quincy。 Again he was unprepared； and this time it was his other cheek that suffered； though not unpleasantly。 〃Just by way of wele；〃 Barbara laughed。 She was blonde and slender。 John Quincy thought he had never seen so much energy imprisoned in so slight a form。 〃I hear you're bound for the Islands？〃 she said。
〃To…morrow；〃 John Quincy answered。 〃On your boat。〃
〃Splendid！〃 she cried。 〃When did you get in？〃
〃John Quincy came this morning；〃 Roger told her。
〃And he's had a bad evening？〃 the girl said。 〃How lucky I came along。 Where are you taking us； Roger？〃
John Quincy stared。 Taking them？ At this hour？
〃I'll be getting along up…stairs；〃 he ventured。
〃Why； it's just after twelve；〃 said Barbara。 〃Lots of places open。 You dance； don't you？ Let me show you San Francisco。 Roger's a dear old thing … we'll let him pay the checks。〃
〃Well … I … I …〃 stammered John Quincy。 His cheek was throbbing and he thought longingly of that bed in the room up…stairs。 What a place； this West！
〃e along！〃 The girl was humming a gay little tune。 All vivacity； all life。 Rather pleasant sort at that。 John Quincy took up his hat。
Roger's chauffeur had lingered a moment before the house to inspect his engine。 When he saw them ing down the steps； he looked as though he rather wished he hadn't。 But escape was impossible； he climbed to his place behind the wheel。
〃Where to； Barbara？〃 Roger asked。 〃Tait's？〃
〃Not Tait's；〃 she answered。 〃I've just e from there。〃
〃What！ I thought you motored in from Burlingame？〃
〃So I did … at five。 I've traveled a bit since then。 How about some chop…suey for this Boston boy？〃
Good lord； John Quincy thought。 Was there anything in the world he wanted less？ No matter。 Barbara took him among the Chinese。
He didn't give a hang about the Chinese。 Nor the Mexicans； whose restaurants interested the girl next。 At the moment； he was unsympathetic toward Italy。 And even toward France。 But he struggled on the international round； affronting his digestion with queer dishes； and dancing thousands of miles with the slim Barbara in his arms。 After scrambled eggs at a place called Pete's Fashion； she consented to call it an evening。
As John Quincy staggered into Roger's house； the great clock in the hall was striking three。 The girl was still alert and sparkling。 John Quincy hastily concealed a yawn。
〃All wrong to e home so early；〃 she cried。 〃But we'll have a dance or two on the boat。 By the way； I've been wanting to ask。 What does it mean？ The injured cheek？〃
〃Why … er … I …〃 John Quincy remarked。 Over the girl's shoulder he saw Roger violently shaking his head。 〃Oh； that；〃 said John Quincy； lightly touching the wound。 〃That's where the West begins。 Good night。 I've had a bully time。〃 And at last he got up…stairs。
He stood for a moment at his bedroom window； gazing down at the torchlight procession of the streets through this amazing city。 He was a little dazed。 That soft warm presence close by his side in the car … pleasant； very pleasant。 Remarkable girls out here。 Different！
Beyond shone the harbor lights。 That other girl … wonderful eyes she had。 Just because she had laughed at him； his treasured hat box floated now forlorn on those dark waters。 He yawned again。 Better be careful。 Mustn't be so easily influenced。 No telling where it would end。
CHAPTER IV
A Friend Of Tim's
IT WAS another of those mornings on which the fog maybe did not e。 Roger and his guests were in the limousine again； it seemed to John Quincy that they had left it only a few minutes before。 So it must have seemed to the chauffeur too as； sleepy…eyed； he hurried them toward the water…front。
〃By the way； John Quincy；〃 Roger said； 〃you'll want to change your money before you go aboard。〃
John Quincy gathered his wandering thoughts。 〃Oh； yes； of course；〃 he answered。
Roger smiled。 〃Just what sort of money would you like to change it for？〃 he inquired。
〃Why …〃 began John Quincy。 He stopped。 〃Why； I always thought …〃
〃Don't pay any attention to Roger；〃 Barbara laughed。 〃He's spoofing you。〃 She was fresh and blooming； a little matter like three A。M。 made no difference to her。 〃Only about one person out of a thousand in this country knows that Hawaii is a part of the United States； and the fact annoys us deeply over in the Islands。 Dear old Roger was trying to get you in wrong with me by enrolling you among the nine hundred and ninety…nine。〃
〃Almost did it； too；〃 chuckled Roger。
〃Nonsense；〃 said Barbara。 〃John Quincy is too intelligent。 He's not like that congressman who wrote a letter to the American Consul at Honolulu。〃
〃Did one of them do that？〃 smiled John Quincy。
〃He certainly did。 We almost gave up the struggle after that。 Then there was the senator who came out on a junket； and began a speech with： 'When I get home to my country …' Some one in the audience shouted： 'You're there now； you big stiff！' It wasn't elegant； of course； but it expressed our feeling perfectly。 Oh； we're touchy； John Quincy。〃
〃Don't blame you a bit；〃 he told her。 〃I'll very careful what I say。〃
They had reached the Embarcadero； and the car halted before one of the piers。 The chauffeur descended and began to gather up the baggage。 Roger and John Quincy took a share of it； and they traversed the pier…shed to the gangplank。
〃Get along to your office； Roger；〃 Barbara said。
〃No hurry；〃 he answered。 〃I'll go aboard with you； of course。〃
Amid the confusion of the deck； a party of girls swept down on Barbara； pretty lively girls of the California brand。 John Quincy learned with some regret that they were there only to see Barbara off。 A big broad…shouldered man in white pushed his way through the crowd。
〃Hello there！〃 he called to Barbara。
〃Hello； Harry；〃 she answered。 〃You know Roger； don't you？ John Quincy； this is an old friend of mine； Harry Jennison。〃
Mr。 Jennison was extremely good…looking； his face was deeply tanned by the Island sun； his hair blond and wavy； his gray eyes amused and cynical。 Altogether； he was the type of man women look at twice and never forget； John Quincy felt himself at once supplanted in the eyes of Barbara's friends。
Jennison se