Dave Darrin on the Asiatic Station

by H. Irving Hancock

  CHAPTER XVIII--MR. KATURA DOES SOME ASTOUNDING

  "Katura, my dear fellow, I'm immensely sorry to have kept you waiting,"cried Dave genially, as he entered the parlor. His nod took in Torumaand Hata as well.

  "The waiting has not been tiresome," replied Katura coldly, rising tohis feet, as did his comrades in arms.

  "And now, Katura," Dave went on, "I am going to ask you if you canclear up the mystery as to how this medallion, this magnificentheirloom of yours, fell into Mrs. Darrin's hands."

  "I came to see if _you_ could account for that," replied the littlelieutenant coldly, though his face still wore a smile.

  "Why, what do you mean?" asked Dave. "All I know is that, upon myreturn, I found that Mrs. Darrin had been presented, under very strangecircumstances, with this medallion, which I instantly recognized asyours."

  "I saw it in her hand when she opened the door to us," Katura answered."Beyond that, about all that I know, Mr. Darrin, is that, upon myarrival at the Okugawa Bank, I found the box missing from the pocket inwhich I had placed it."

  "Then it was not you who sent this box and its contents to Mrs.Darrin?" the American ensign demanded.

  "I did not send it to her," Katura rejoined.

  "Then how did she come to receive it?"

  "That is what I have come to ask you, Mr. Darrin," returned the littleinfantry lieutenant.

  "What do you mean?" asked Dave, coloring slightly, for, despite thesmiles on the three Japanese faces, there was something accusing intheir manners.

  "How did this box happen to reach your wife?" asked Lieutenant Hata,gravely.

  Dave frankly related the circumstances as told him by his wife.

  "If we could see the note, that might throw some light on the matter,"suggested Lieutenant Hata, darkly.

  "That is the curious part of it, gentlemen," said Dave, gravely. "Soonafter the gift came that note disappeared, and neither Mrs. Darrin norI have been able to find any trace of it."

  "That is certainly remarkable," said Hata, with emphasis.

  "Very remarkable," agreed Toruma.

  "So remarkable," added Katura, "that I cannot comprehend it at all."

  "At any rate, before I leave Tokio," proposed Darrin, "I shall hope tohave the whole matter cleared up."

  For the second time Lieutenant Katura's face flushed a fiery red. Hecould not help feeling that he was being lightly or insolently used. Inhis own mind the Japanese was not prepared to suspect an Americanofficer and gentleman of deliberate theft.

  "Mr. Darrin," asked Katura, "is this your idea of a really cleverjoke?"

  "What do you mean, sir?" demanded Dave Darrin, flushing in turn.

  "Can you realize, sir, how I must have felt," the little lieutenantwent on, "when my mother permitted me to take this medallion from thebank vault to show it to American friends, and then I returned to thebank to find that the heirloom was missing from my pocket?"

  "I have told you all that I know about the matter," Ensign Daveinsisted with dignity. "Is that not enough?"

  "No, sir, it is not!" replied Lieutenant Katura, firmly. "I trust youwill pardon me when I say that it was all a very stupid joke!"

  "Joke?" gasped Dave. "Do you mean--"

  He paused, unwilling to finish the sentence, for it seemed to him thatthis angry little Japanese had suddenly thrown a doubt around Mrs.Darrin's word.

  "You have no further explanation to offer me?" asked Katura frigidly.

  "There is no other explanation to be offered, sir," Dave Darrinreturned, with equal stiffness.

  "Then I am sorry, but I have to do--this!"

  Advancing a step or two, Lieutenant Katura landed the flat of his righthand across the cheek of the American ensign.

  Swifter than a flash Ensign Darrin returned the insult in the samemanner.

  "That is enough of this, between gentlemen," exclaimed LieutenantToruma, leaping between the two angry young officers. Hata followed,saying:

  "Quite enough!"

  "The rest," remarked Toruma, "can be settled in a much differentfashion."

  Dave cooled down a bit, realizing that he had sustained himself byreturning the insult in the same form in which it had been delivered.Unless he were struck again he did not propose to discredit himself bybrawling in the parlor of a hotel.

  Katura, after a moment of sullenness, flashed at Toruma a look that thelatter quite understood.

  "Have you any idea, Mr. Darrin," Toruma asked, "when I shall befortunate enough to find Mr. Dalzell in?"

  "Probably at about five-thirty," Dave answered. "He will wish to dress,and we dine at six."

  "Then we will do ourselves the honor of wishing you good afternoon,"said Hata, bowing low. In another moment the three Japanese had leftthe room.

  "Well, of all the odd experiences!" muttered Ensign Darrin, frowning.After a moment or two he left the parlor, going direct to hisapartment.

  "Was it Mr. Katura who sent me that medallion?" asked Belle, at once.

  "He says not," Dave answered.

  "Then who--"

  "Belle, dear, do you mind letting me think this little puzzle out insilence?" begged Dave.

  For a long time he sat silent. At last he told Belle what had happenedbelow.

  "But why should Mr. Katura strike you?" asked Belle, her eyes flashing.

  "That is what I cannot understand," Dave rejoined, in a hurt tone. "Ihave looked upon Katura as a fine little fellow, and I imagine him tobe the soul of honor."

  "Does he doubt your word, then, about the manner in which the medallioncame into our possession?" Belle quizzed.

  "He had better not," her young husband retorted. "I would not bepatient under an insinuation that my word is doubted. Belle, I cannotexplain any single part of the matter."

  So the pair talked it over for a long time, but no point in the tanglebecame a whit clearer.

  Late in the afternoon there came a knock at the door.

  "Come in," called Dave.

  "Hullo! There you are," cried Danny Grin, opening the door a little andshowing his head. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Darrin. Dave, old fellow, haveyou time to favor me with just a little visit in my room?"

  "Why, certainly," assented Darrin, rising at once, for there wassuppressed excitement in Dalzell's voice.

  Dan, however, remained silent until he had led the way down thecorridor and had closed the door of his room on the chums.

  "Now, Dave," gasped the other young ensign, "what is all this about?"

  "What is what about?" parried Dave.

  "Why," Danny rattled on, "there is some yarn about Katura's medallionhaving come into your possession. You and Katura had some words in theparlor, and he struck you in the face."

  "And I promptly returned the blow in kind," Darrin responded.

  "Exactly," nodded Dalzell. "That appears to have been the start that isto lead up to something very pretty. When I came in I found Toruma andHata awaiting me. They told me that Katura had sent them to see me, orany other friend or friends who you may prefer, to arrange for ameeting at which the memory of the blows exchanged should be wiped out.In plain words, David, little giant, you are challenged to fight a duelwith Lieutenant Katura."

  "A duel?" echoed Dave Darrin, aghast. "That's a joke!"

  "If it is," retorted Danny Grin, dryly, "then please help me to findout the point at which I am to laugh."

  "But I have sworn to uphold the laws of the United States and to obeythe regulations of the United States Navy," Dave continued, "anddueling is against the regulations."

  "It looks," returned Dan, soberly, "as though you would have to fight,or 'lose face.'"

  "And if I engage in a duel," Dave retorted, "I have perjured myself,for I shall have broken the regulations that I am sworn to obey."

  "Well, then," Dan inquired, "what _are_ you going to do? Go back aboardthe 'Katahdin' and forego all shore leave as long as we are in Japanesewaters? But, for that matter, would naval officers of any foreignservice respect you anywhere in the world? For the off
icers of mostnavies still fight duels at need, and the Japanese officers would belikely to snub you, in every foreign port, for what they would consideryour 'shame.'"

  "But on what basis am I expected to fight?" Dave demanded. "Because Ianswered Katura's blow on the face?"

  "I suppose that is the pretended reason," Dalzell answered, gravely."Of course every one familiar with dueling will know that some deepercause exists."

  "It must be the inexplicable matter of the medallion that makes Katuraso anxious to slit my windpipe with a sword, or drive a bullet throughmy breast," Dave went on. "I must tell you, Dan, all that I know aboutthis wretched matter of the medallion."

  Danny Grin's eyes opened wider and wider as he heard the tale.

  "That's the story," nodded Dalzell vigorously, when he had heard itall. "I understand now. Katura can't think that you _stole_ themedallion. That would be altogether contrary to the nature of anofficer and a gentleman. But he figures that you took the medallionfrom him as a joke, and when he realizes that you, in turn, might havelost it, and thinks of the anguish of his mother, who owns themedallion, then Katura's blood is up, and he must fight you. Hence, hegave you the blow in the face, which you returned. Therefore, accordingto the ideals of the duello, you owe him a meeting on the field ofhonor."

  "That field of honor will have grown into a forest, if he waits until Imeet him there," Dave declared firmly.

  "Then you simply won't fight a duel."

  "I shall not!"

  "What grounds shall I give for your refusal?"

  "Simply tell Katura's seconds that duelling is against the UnitedStates Naval Regulations, which I have sworn to obey and uphold. TellMr. Katura's seconds that I decline, on any pretext, to break theregulations knowingly."

  "Whew!" whistled Danny Grin. "The Japanese smile is historic, and athing of beauty, but I can see the assortment of Japanese smiles thatwill greet any such reply on my part. I shall get a regular Japanesehorse laugh!"

  "Then when you meet Toruma and Hata, cut the interview as short as youcan," Dave suggested, "and get it over with. But make it as plain asyou know how that I simply won't fight a duel."

  "Oh, I can make it plain enough, and they will believe me in aminute--no trouble about that," Dan murmured as he rose. "But they willdecline to believe in your lofty ideas of right and wrong, and will setit all down to plain American cowardice."

  "I am sorry to impose any such errand upon you, Danny boy," sighedDave. "But I will go with you, and speak for myself."

  "Oh, that wouldn't do at all," protested Dan, aghast. "In dueling theprincipal never goes to meet the other chap's seconds. His own secondmust do that for him."

  "But there isn't going to be any duel," smiled Dave, "and I am not aprincipal, nor are you my second. You are my friend, and the best inthe world, but you will never be my second."

  "There's going to be the dickens of a mix-up," grunted Dalzell, as,after wringing Darrin's hand, he moved toward the door. "I'll do thebest I can, but you must expect, after declining a duel, to be snubbedeverywhere in Tokio."

  "Then I shall endeavor to set Tokio an example in calmness," smiledDave again. But the instant that the door had closed on him, and hestrolled down the hallway, a thoughtful frown came to his face.

  In the meantime Dan Dalzell was hastening below, on a by no meanspleasant mission.

  Just now Dave did not want to go back to Belle, for fear she mightquestion him. After a turn or two he went back to Dalzell's room.

  Half an hour later, growing impatient, Dave decided to go below and toaddress Toruma and Hata himself.

  Down in the lobby Ensign Dave beheld Lieutenants Toruma and Hata,talking with two men who looked like Englishmen.

  "Dan must have finished his part," thought Dave. "I'll see if I candraw Toruma aside."

  Just as Dave Darrin approached the group Toruma caught sight of him.

  Some low-voiced remark ran through the group.

  "May I have a word with you, Mr. Toruma, at your convenience?" Daveinquired.

  There was no reply. The two Japanese and the English pair merelywheeled about abruptly, turning their backs upon him.