Classic American Crime Fiction of the 1920s

by Leslie S. Klinger

  “Yet when we bring you evidence you tear it up—”

  “Bring me the right evidence,” said Hallet. “Bring me that wrist watch. I can promise you action then.”

  John Quincy was impressed by the sincerity in his tone. But he was sadly puzzled, too. “All right,” he said, “that’s that. I’m sorry if we’ve troubled you with this trivial matter—”

  “Don’t talk like that,” Hallet broke in. “I’m glad of your help. But as far as Mr. Saladine is concerned—” he looked at Chan—“let him alone.”

  Chan bowed. “You are undisputable chief,” he replied.

  They went back to Punchbowl Hill in the roadster, both rather dejected. As Chan alighted at his gate, John Quincy spoke: “Well, I’m pau. Saladine was my last hope.”

  The Chinaman stared for a moment at the moonlit Pacific that lay beyond the water-front lamps. “Stone wall surround us,” he said dreamily. “But we circle about, seeking loophole. Moment of discovery will come.”

  “I wish I thought so,” replied John Quincy.

  Chan smiled. “Patience are a very lovely virtue,” he remarked. “Seem that way to me. But maybe that are my Oriental mind. Your race, I perceive, regard patience with ever-swelling disfavor.”

  It was with swelling disfavor that John Quincy regarded it as he drove back to Waikiki. Yet he had great need of patience in the days immediately following. For nothing happened.

  The forty-eight-hour period given him to leave Hawaii expired, but the writer of that threatening letter failed to come forward and relieve the tedium. Thursday arrived, a calm day like the others; Thursday night, peaceful and serene.

  On Friday afternoon Agatha Parker broke the monotony by a cable sent from the Wyoming ranch.

  “You must be quite mad. I find the West crude and impossible.”

  John Quincy smiled; he could picture her as she wrote it, proud, haughty, unyielding. She must have been popular with the man who transmitted the message. Or was he, too, an exile from the East?

  And perhaps the girl was right. Perhaps he was mad, after all. He sat on Dan Winterslip’s lanai, trying to think things out. Boston, the office, the art gallery, the theaters. The Common on a winter’s day, with the air bracing and full of life. The thrill of a new issue of bonds, like the thrill of a theatrical first night—would it get over big or flop at his feet? Tennis at Longwood, long evenings on the Charles, golf with people of his own kind at Magnolia. Tea out of exquisite cups in dim old drawingrooms. Wasn’t he mad to think of giving up all that? But what had Miss Minerva said? “If your chance ever comes—”

  The problem was a big one, and big problems were annoying out here where the lotus grew. He yawned, and went aimlessly down-town. Drifting into the public library, he saw Charlie Chan hunched over a table that held an enormous volume. John Quincy went closer. The book was made up of back numbers of the Honolulu morning paper, and it was open at a time-yellowed sporting page.

  “Hello, Chan. What are you up to?”

  Chan gave him a smile of greeting. “Hello. Little bit of careless reading while I gallop about seeking loophole.”

  He closed the big volume casually. “You seem in the best of health.”

  “Oh, I’m all right.”

  “No more fierce shots out of bushes?”

  “Not a trigger pulled. I imagine that was a big bluff—nothing more.”

  “What do you say—bluff?”

  “I mean the fellow’s a coward, after all.”

  Chan shook his head solemnly. “Pardon humble suggestion—do not lose carefulness. Hot heads plenty in hot climate.”

  “I’ll look before I leap,” John Quincy promised. “But I’m afraid I interrupted you.”

  “Ridiculous thought,” protested Chan.

  “I’ll go along. Let me know if anything breaks.”

  “Most certainly. Up to present, everything are intact.”

  John Quincy paused at the door of the reference room. Charlie Chan had promptly opened the big book, and was again bending over it with every show of interest.

  Returning to Waikiki, John Quincy faced a dull evening. Barbara had gone to the island of Kauai for a visit with old friends of the family. He had not been sorry when she went, for he didn’t feel quite at ease in her presence. The estrangement between the girl and Jennison continued; the lawyer had not been at the dock to see her off. Yes, John Quincy had parted from her gladly, but her absence cast a pall of loneliness over the house on Kalia Road.

  After dinner, he sat with his pipe on the lanai. Down the beach at the Reef and Palm pleasant company was available—but he hesitated. He had seen Carlota Egan several times by day, on the beach or in the water. She was very happy now, though somewhat appalled at thought of her approaching visit to England. They’d had several talks about that—daylight talks. John Quincy was a bit afraid to entrust himself—as Chan had said in speaking of his stone idol—of an evening. After all, there was Agatha, there was Boston. There was Barbara, too. Being entangled with three girls at once was a rather wearing experience. He rose, and went down-town to the movies.

  On Saturday morning he was awakened early by the whir of aeroplanes above the house. The American fleet was in the offing, and the little brothers of the air service hastened out to hover overhead in friendly welcome. That day a spirit of carnival prevailed in Honolulu, flags floated from every masthead, and the streets bloomed, as Barbara had predicted, with handsome boys in spotless uniforms. They were everywhere, swarming in the souvenir stores, besieging the soda fountains, sky-larking on the trolley-cars. Evening brought a great ball at the beach hotel, and John Quincy, out for a walk, saw that every spic and span uniform moved toward Waikiki, accompanied by a fair young thing who was only too happy to serve as sweetheart in that particular port.

  John Quincy felt, suddenly, rather out of things. Each pretty girl he saw recalled Carlota Egan. He turned his wandering footsteps toward the Reef and Palm, and oddly enough, his pace quickened at once.

  The proprietor himself was behind the desk, his eyes calm and untroubled now.

  “Good evening, Mr. Egan—or should I say Mr. Cope,” remarked John Quincy.

  “Oh, we’ll stick to the Egan, I guess,” the man replied. “Sort of got out of the hang of the other. Mr. Winterslip, I’m happy to see you. Cary will be down in a moment.”

  John Quincy gazed about the big public room. It was a scene of confusion, spattered ladders, buckets of paint, rolls of new wallpaper. “What’s going on?” he inquired.

  “Freshening things up a bit,” Egan answered. “You know, we’re in society now.” He laughed. “Yes, sir, the old Reef and Palm has been standing here a long time without so much as a glance from the better element of Honolulu. But now they know I’m related to the British Admiralty, they’ve suddenly discovered it’s a quaint and interesting place. They’re dropping in for tea. Just fancy. But that’s Honolulu.”

  “That’s Boston, too,” John Quincy assured him.

  “Yes—and precisely the sort of thing I ran away from England to escape, a good many years ago. I’d tell them all to go to the devil—but there’s Cary. Somehow, women feel differently about those things. It will warm her heart a bit to have these dowagers smile upon her. And they’re smiling—you know, they’ve even dug up the fact that my Cousin George has been knighted for making a particularly efficient brand of soap.” He grimaced. “It’s nothing I’d have mentioned myself—a family skeleton, as I see it. But society has odd standards. And I mustn’t be hard on poor old George. As Arthur says, making soap is good clean fun.”

  “Is your brother still with you?”

  “No. He’s gone back to finish his job in the Fanning Group. When he returns, I’m sending Cary to England for a long stop. Yes, that’s right—I ’m sending her,” he added quickly. “I’m paying for these repairs, too. You see, I’ve been able to add a second mortgage to the one already on the poor tottering Reef and Palm. That’s another outcome of my new-found connection with the British
Admiralty and the silly old soap business. Here’s Cary now.”

  John Quincy turned. And he was glad he had, for he would not willingly have missed the picture of Carlota on the stairs. Carlota in an evening gown of some shimmering material, her dark hair dressed in a new and amazingly effective way, her white shoulders gleaming,114 her eyes happy at last. As she came quickly toward him he caught his breath, never had he seen her look so beautiful. She must have heard his voice in the office, he reflected, and with surprising speed arrayed herself thus to greet him. He was deeply grateful as he took her hand.

  “Stranger,” she rebuked. “We thought you’d deserted us.”

  “I’d never do that,” he answered. “But I’ve been rather busy—”

  A step sounded behind him. He turned, and there stood one of those ubiquitous navy boys, a tall, blond Adonis who held his cap in his hand and smiled in a devastating way.

  “Hello, Johnnie,” Carlota said. “Mr. Winterslip, of Boston, this is Lieutenant Booth, of Richmond, Virginia.”

  “How are you,” nodded the boy, without removing his eyes from the girl’s face. Just one of the guests, this Winterslip, no account at all—such was obviously the lieutenant’s idea. “All ready, Cary? The car’s outside.”

  “I’m frightfully sorry, Mr. Winterslip,” said the girl, “but we’re off to the dance. This week-end belongs to the navy, you know. You’ll come again, won’t you?”

  “Of course,” John Quincy replied. “Don’t let me keep you.”

  She smiled at him and fled with Johnnie at her side. Looking after them, John Quincy felt his heart sink to his boots, an unaccountable sensation of age and helplessness. Youth, youth was going through that door, and he was left behind.

  “A great pity she had to run,” said Egan in a kindly voice.

  “Why, that’s all right,” John Quincy assured him. “Old friend of the family, this Lieutenant Booth?”

  “Not at all. Just a lad Cary met at parties in San Francisco. Won’t you sit down and have a smoke with me?”

  “Some other time, thanks,” John Quincy said wearily. “I must hurry back to the house.”

  He wanted to escape, to get out into the calm lovely night, the night that was ruined for him now. He walked along the beach, savagely kicking his toes into the white sand. “Johnnie!” She had called him Johnnie. And the way she had looked at him, too! Again John Quincy felt that sharp pang in his heart. Foolish, foolish; better go back to Boston and forget. Peaceful old Boston, that was where he belonged. He was an old man out here—thirty, nearly. Better go away and leave these children to love and the moonlit beach.

  Miss Minerva had gone in the big car to call on friends, and the house was quiet as the tomb. John Quincy wandered aimlessly about the rooms, gloomy and bereft. Down at the Moana115 an Hawaiian orchestra was playing and Lieutenant Booth, of Richmond, was holding Carlota close in the intimate manner affected these days by the young. Bah! If he hadn’t been ordered to leave Hawaii, by gad, he’d go to-morrow.

  The telephone rang. None of the servants appeared to answer it, so John Quincy went himself.

  “Charlie Chan speaking,” said a voice. “That is you, Mr. Winterslip? Good. Big events will come to pass very quick. Meet me drug and grocery emporium of Liu Yin, number 927 River Street, soon as you can do so. You savvy locality?”

  “I’ll find it,” cried John Quincy, delighted.

  “By bank of stream. I will await. Good-by.”

  Action—action at last! John Quincy’s heart beat fast. Action was what he wanted to-night. As usually happens in a crisis, there was no automobile available; the roadster was at a garage undergoing repairs, and the other car was in use. He hastened over to Kalakaua Avenue intending to rent a machine, but a trolley approaching at the moment altered his plans and he swung aboard.

  Never had a trolley moved at so reluctant a pace. When they reached the corner of Fort Street in the center of the city, he left it and proceeded on foot. The hour was still fairly early, but the scene was one of somnolent calm. A couple of tourists drifted aimlessly by. About the bright doorway of a shooting gallery loitered a group of soldiers from the fort, with a sprinkling of enlisted navy men. John Quincy hurried on down King Street, past Chinese noodle cafés and pawn shops, and turned presently off into River Street.

  On his left was the river, on his right an array of shabby stores. He paused at the door of number 927, the establishment of Liu Yin. Inside, seated behind a screen that revealed only their heads, a number of Chinese were engrossed in a friendly little game. John Quincy opened the door; a bell tinkled, and he stepped into an odor of must and decay. Curious sights met his quick eye: dried roots and herbs, jars of sea-horse skeletons, dejected ducks flattened out and varnished to tempt the palate, gobbets of pork. An old Chinaman rose and came forward.

  “I’m looking for Mr. Charlie Chan,” said John Quincy.

  The old man nodded and led the way to a red curtain across the rear of the shop. He lifted it, and indicated that John Quincy was to pass. The boy did so, and came into a bare room furnished with a cot, a table on which an oil lamp burned dimly behind a smoky chimney, and a couple of chairs. A man who had been sitting on one of the chairs rose suddenly—a huge red-haired man with the smell of the sea about him.

  “Hello,” he said.

  “Is Mr. Chan here?” John Quincy inquired.

  “Not yet. He’ll be along in a minute. What say to a drink while we’re waiting. Hey, Liu, a couple glasses that rotten rice wine!”

  The Chinaman withdrew. “Sit down,” said the man. John Quincy obeyed; the sailor sat too. One of his eyelids drooped wickedly; he rested his hands on the table—enormous hairy hands. “Charlie’ll be here pretty quick,” he said. “Then I got a little story to tell the two of you.”

  “Yes?” John Quincy replied. He glanced about the little vilesmelling room. There was a door, a closed door, at the back. He looked again at the red-haired man. He wondered how he was going to get out of there.

  For he knew now that Charlie Chan had not called him on the telephone. It came to him belatedly that the voice was never Charlie’s. “You savvy locality?” the voice had said. A clumsy attempt at Chan’s style, but Chan was a student of English; he dragged his words painfully from the poets; he was careful to use nothing that savored of “pidgin.” No, the detective had not telephoned; he was no doubt at home now bending over his chess-board, and here was John Quincy shut up in a little room on the fringe of the River District with a husky sailorman who leered at him knowingly.

  The old Chinaman returned with two small glasses into which the liquor had already been poured. He set them on the table. The red-haired man lifted one of them. “Your health, sir,” he said.

  John Quincy took up the other glass and raised it to his lips. There was a suspicious eagerness in the sailor’s one good eye. John Quincy put the glass back on the table. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I don’t want a drink, thank you.”

  The great face with its stubble of red beard leaned close to his. “Y’ mean you won’t drink with me?” said the red-haired man belligerently.

  “That’s just what I mean,” John Quincy answered. Might as well get it over with, he felt; anything was better than this suspense. He stood up. “I’ll be going along,” he announced.

  He took a step toward the red curtain. The sailor, evidently a fellow of few words, rose and got in his way. John Quincy, himself feeling the futility of talk, said nothing, but struck the man in the face. The sailor struck back with efficiency and promptness. In another second the room was full of battle, and John Quincy saw red everywhere, red curtain, red hair, red lamp flame, great red hairy hands cunningly seeking his face. What was it Roger had said? “Ever fought with a ship’s officer—the old-fashioned kind with fists like flying hams?” No, he hadn’t up to then, but that sweet experience was his now, and it came to John Quincy pleasantly that he was doing rather well at his new trade.

  This was better than the attic; here he was prepare
d and had a chance. Time and again he got his hands on the red curtain, only to be dragged back and subjected to a new attack. The sailor was seeking to knock him out, and though many of his blows went home, that happy result—from the standpoint of the red-haired man—was unaccountably delayed. John Quincy had a similar aim in life; they lunged noisily about the room, while the surprising Orientals in the front of the shop continued their quiet game.

  John Quincy saw red everywhere—red curtain, red hair, red lamp flame, great red hairy hands cunningly seeking his face. From The House Without a Key, illustration by William Liepse (The Saturday Evening Post, February 28, 1925)

  John Quincy felt himself growing weary; his breath came painfully; he realized that his adversary had not yet begun to fight. Standing with his back to the table in an idle moment while the red-haired man made plans for the future, the boy hit on a plan of his own. He overturned the table; the lamp crashed down; darkness fell over the world. In the final glimmer of light he saw the big man coming for him and dropping to his knees he tackled in the approved manner of Soldiers’ Field, Cambridge, Massachusetts.116 Culture prevailed; the sailor went on his head with a resounding thump; John Quincy let go of him and sought the nearest exit. It happened to be the door at the rear, and it was unlocked.

  He passed hurriedly through a cluttered back yard and climbing a fence, found himself in the neighborhood known as the River District. There in crazy alleys that have no names, no sidewalks, no beginning and no end, five races live together in the dark. Some houses were above the walk level, some below, all were out of alignment. John Quincy felt he had wandered into a futurist drawing.117 As he paused he heard the whine and clatter of Chinese music, the clicking of a typewriter, the rasp of a cheap phonograph playing American jazz, the distant scream of an auto horn, a child wailing Japanese lamentations. Footsteps in the yard beyond the fence roused him, and he fled.

  He must get out of this mystic maze of mean alleys, and at once. Odd painted faces loomed in the dusk; pasty-white faces with just a suggestion of queer costumes beneath. A babel of tongues, queer eyes that glittered, once a lean hand on his arm. A group of moon-faced Chinese children under a lamp who scattered at his approach. And when he paused again, out of breath, the patter of many feet, bare feet, sandaled feet, the clatter of wooden clogs, the squeak of cheap shoes made in his own Massachusetts. Then suddenly the thump of large feet such as might belong to a husky sailor. He moved on.