V. Morrow. I had heard that in the States young women were emancipated -“
“Of course, you don’t approve,” she said.
“Oh - but I do,” he murmured.
“And Mr. Chan. I’m sure Mr. Chan disapproves of me.”
Chan regarded her blankly. “Does the elephant disapprove of the butterfly? And who cares?”
“No answer at all,” smiled the girl. “You are returning to Honolulu soon, Mr. Chan?”
A delighted expression appeared on the blank face. “Tomorrow at noon the Maui receives my humble person. We churn over to Hawaii together.”
“I see you are eager to go,” said the girl.
“The brightest eyes are sometimes blind,” replied Chan. “Not true in your case. It is now three weeks since I arrived on the mainland, thinking to taste the joys of holiday. Before I am aware events engulf me, and like the postman who has day of rest I foolishly set out on long, tiresome walk. Happy to say that walk are ended now. With beating heart I turn toward little home on Punchbowl Hill.”
“I know how you feel,” said Miss Morrow.
“Humbly begging pardon to mention it, you do not. I have hesitation in adding to your ear that one thing calls me home with unbearable force. I am soon to be happy father.”
“For the first time?” asked Barry Kirk.
“The eleventh occasion of the kind,” Chan answered.
“Must be sort of an old story by now,” Bill Rankin suggested.
“That is one story which does not get aged,” Chan replied. “You will learn. But my trivial affairs have no place here. We are met to honor a distinguished guest.” He looked toward Sir Frederic.
Bill Rankin thought of his coming story. “I was moved to get you two together,” he said, “because I found you think alike. Sir Frederic is also scornful of science as an aid to crime detection.”
“I have formed that view from my experience,” remarked Sir Frederic.
“A great pleasure,” Chan beamed, “to hear that huge mind like Sir Frederic’s moves in same groove as my poor head-piece. Intricate mechanics good in books, in real life not so much so. My experience tell me to think deep about human people. Human passions. Back of murder what, always? Hate, greed, revenge, need to make silent the slain one. Study human people at all times.”
“Precisely,” agreed Sir Frederic. “The human element - that is what counts. I have had no luck with scientific devices.
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