Chapter XIINOBODYS FOOLThe night was breaking, and
a gray mist lay over Waikiki.
Loaf on a palm-fringed shore and forgetyour
troubles. Loaf on a palm-fringed shore and forgetyour troubles.
Your passionate labors in this house are ended for
thenight. I have very good notion to put youin jail, he remarked.
He would have preferred grapefruit and coffee, but
flowers weremore in keeping with the scene.
The Chinese are at their best at night; it is their
favorite time.
Ive got to have the prestige of adollar, he
insisted. It was eight-twenty-five, so I went to my room to brush up and getmy hat.
I thought thenthat I felt a little tug at my pocket.
You may recall that I told you I hadanother tree.
Miss Dixon, he said, may I make further request of you?
But I neverdreamed any one hated her as much as
this.
Through the moonlight hesaw approaching him the
jaunty figure of Smith, the beach-comber. I give you myword of honor as a gentleman.
The bird chooses the tree, not the tree the bird, heremarked. The matter is
serious,and I dont like to guess.
When you telephoned me,Chan added, I was about to
begin serious operation on a small fish.
I give you myword of honor as a gentleman. Shelah
arrived here in need of money, as always. Would Smith pause at thatcorner for a
Waikiki car? His report ofFyfes subsequent, easily punctured confession, evidently
puzzled hissuperior.
Chapter XIINOBODYS FOOLThe night was breaking, and
a gray mist lay over Waikiki.
Good fortune had taken him by the hand and ledhim
to that pavilion window.
Oh, well, then Ill just have to drip perspiration
on this immortalstory Im about to write.
Iam stopping at the Waioli Hotel, on Fort Street,
he added.
Youre not really as much in the dark on this case
as you say you are? Thats a nasty scratch on your forehead, Martino, the
fortune-tellercried.
The tropic night was beginning to live up to its
reputation.