They continued their researches； while John Quincy sat silent by the window。 Presently Carlota Egan appeared outside。 She walked slowly to a chair on the lanai； and sat down。 For a moment she stared at the breakers； then she began to weep。
John Quincy turned unfortably away。 It came to him that here in this so…called paradise sorrow was altogether too rampant。 The only girls he knew were given to frequent tears； and not without reason。
〃If you'll excuse me …〃 he said。 Hallet and Chan； searching avidly； made no reply； and climbing over the sill； he stepped on to the lanai。 The girl looked up as he approached。
〃Oh；〃 she said； 〃I thought I was alone。〃
〃You'd like to be； perhaps；〃 he answered。 〃But it might help if you told me what has happened。 Did you speak to your father about that check？〃
She nodded。 〃Yes； I showed it to him。 And what do you think he did？ He snatched it out of my hand and tore it into a hundred pieces。 He gave me the pieces to … to throw away。 And he said I was never to mention it to a soul。〃
〃I don't understand that；〃 frowned John Quincy。
〃Neither do I。 He was simply furious … not like himself at all。 And when I told him you knew about it； he lost his temper again。〃
〃But you can rely on me。 I shan't tell any one。〃
〃I know that。 But of course father wasn't so sure of you as … as I am。 Poor dad … he's having a horrible time of it。 They don't give him a moment's rest … keep after him constantly … trying to make him tell。 But all the policemen in the world couldn't … Oh； poor old dad！〃
She was weeping again； and John Quincy felt toward her as he had felt toward Barbara。 He wanted to put his arm about her； just by way of fort and cheer。 But alas； Carlota Maria Egan was not a Winterslip。
〃Now； now；〃 he said； 〃that won't do a bit of good。〃
She looked at him through her tears。 〃Won't it？ I … I don't know。 It seems to help a little。 But〃 … she dried her eyes … 〃I really haven't time for it now。 I must go in and see about lunch。〃
She rose； and John Quincy walked with her along the balcony。 〃I wouldn't worry if I were you；〃 he said。 〃The police are on an entirely new trail this morning。〃
〃Really？〃 she answered eagerly。
〃Yes。 There's a man named Brade stopping at your hotel。 You know him； I suppose？〃
She shook her head。 〃No； I don't。〃
〃What！ Why； he's a guest here。〃
〃He was。 But he isn't here now。〃
〃Wait a minute！〃 John Quincy laid his hand on her arm； and they stopped。 〃This is interesting。 Brade's gone； you say？〃
〃Yes。 I understand from the clerk that Mr。 and Mrs。 Brade arrived here last Saturday。 But early Tuesday morning； before my boat got in； Mr。 Brade disappeared and he hasn't been seen since。〃
〃Mr。 Brade gets better all the time；〃 John Quincy said。 〃Hallet and Chan are in his room now； and they've unearthed some rather intriguing facts。 You'd better go in and tell Hallet what you've just told me。〃
They entered the lobby by a side door。 As they did so； a slim young Hawaiian boy was ing in through the big door at the front。 Something in his manner caught the attention of John Quincy； and he stopped。 At that instant a purple bathing suit slipped by him； and Mr。 Saladine also approached the desk。 Carlota Egan went on down the corridor toward room nineteen； but John Quincy remained in the lobby。
The Hawaiian boy moved rather diffidently toward the clerk。 〃Excuse me； please；〃 he said。 〃I e to see Mr。 Brade。 Mr。 Thomas Brade。〃
〃Mr。 Brade not here；〃 replied the clerk。
〃Then I will wait till he es。〃
The clerk frowned。 〃No good。 Mr。 Brade not in Honolulu now。〃
〃Not in Honolulu！〃 The Hawaiian seemed startled by the news。
〃Mrs。 Brade outside on the beach；〃 continued the clerk。
〃Oh； then Mr。 Brade returns；〃 said the boy with evident relief。 〃I call again。〃
He turned away； moving rapidly now。 The clerk addressed Mr。 Saladine； who was hovering near the cigar case。 〃Yes； sir； please？〃
〃Thigarettes；〃 said the bereft Mr。 Saladine。
The clerk evidently knew the brand desired； and handed over a box。
〃Juth put it on my bill；〃 said Saladine。 He stood for a moment staring after the Hawaiian； who was disappearing through the front door。 As he swung round his eyes encountered those of John Quincy。 He looked quickly away and hurried out。
The two policemen and the girl entered from the corridor。 〃Well； Mr。 Winterslip；〃 said Hallet； 〃the bird has flown。〃
〃So I understand；〃 John Quincy answered。
〃But we'll find him；〃 continued Hallet。 〃I'll go over these islands with a drag…net。 First of all； I want a talk with his wife。〃 He turned to Carlota Egan。 〃Get her in here；〃 he ordered。 The girl looked at him。 〃Please；〃 he added。
She motioned to the clerk； who went out the door。
〃By the way；〃 remarked John Quincy； 〃someone was just here asking for Brade。〃
〃What's that！〃 Hallet was interested。
〃A young Hawaiian； about twenty； I should say。 Tall and slim。 If you go to the door； you may catch a glimpse of him。〃
Hallet hurried over and glanced out into the garden。 In a second he returned。 〃Humph；〃 he said。 〃I know him。 Did he say he'd e again？〃
〃He did。〃
Hallet considered。 〃I've changed my mind；〃 he announced。 〃I won't question Mrs。 Brade； after all。 For the present； I don't want her to know we're looking for her husband。 I'll trust you to fix that up with your clerk；〃 he added to the girl。 She nodded。 〃Lucky we left things as we found them in nineteen；〃 he went on。 〃Unless she misses that letter and the cigarettes； which isn't likely； we're all right。 Now； Miss Egan； we three will go into your father's office there behind the desk； and leave the door open。 When Mrs。 Brade es in； I want you to question her about her husband's absence。 Get all you can out of her。 I'll be listening。〃
〃I understand；〃 the girl said。
Hallet； Chan and John Quincy went into Jim Egan's sanctum。 〃You found nothing else in the room？〃 the latter inquired of the Chinese man。
Chan shook his head。 〃Even so； fates are in smiling mood。 What we have now are plentiful。〃
〃Sh！〃 warned Hallet。
〃Mrs。 Brade； a young man was just here inquiring for your husband。〃 It was Carlota Egan's voice。
〃Really？〃 The accent was unmistakably British。
〃He wanted to know where he could find him。 We couldn't say。〃
〃No … of course not。〃
〃Your husband has left town； Mrs。 Brade？〃
〃Yes。 I fancy he has。〃
〃You know when he will return； perhaps？〃
〃I really couldn't say。 Is the mail in？〃
〃Not yet。 We expect it about one。〃
〃Thank you so much。〃
〃Go to the door；〃 Hallet directed John Quincy。
〃She's gone to her room；〃 announced the boy。
The three of them emerged from Egan's office。
〃Oh； Captain？〃 said the girl。 〃I'm afraid I wasn't very successful。〃
〃That's all right；〃 replied Hallet。 〃I didn't think you would be。〃 The clerk was again at his post behind the desk。 Hallet turned to him。 〃Look here；〃 he said。 〃I understand some one was here a minute ago asking for Brade。 It was Dick Kaohla； wasn't it？〃
〃Yes…s；〃 answered the clerk。
〃Had he been here before to see Brade？〃
〃Yes…s。 Sunday night。 Mr。 Brade and him have long talk on the beach。〃
Hallet nodded grimly。 〃e on； Charlie；〃 he said。 〃We've got our work cut out for us。 Wherever Brade is； we must find him。〃
John Quincy stepped forward。 〃Pardon me； Captain；〃 he remarked。 〃But if you don't mind … just who is Dick Kaohla？〃
Hallet hesitated。 〃Kaohla's father … he's dead now … was a sort of confidential servant to Dan Winterslip。 The boy's just plain no good。 And oh； yes … he's the grandson of that woman who's over at your place now。 Kamaikui … is that her name？〃
CHAPTER XIV
What Kaohla Carried
SEVERAL DAYS slipped by so rapidly John Quincy scarcely noted their passing。 Dan Winterslip was sleeping now under the royal palms of the lovely island where he had been born。 Sun and moon shone brightly in turn on his last dwelling place； but those who sought the person he had encountered that Monday night on his lanai were still groping in the dark。
Hallet had kept his word； he was bing the Islands for Brade。 But Brade was nowhere。 Ships paused at the crossroads and sailed again； the name of Thomas Macan Brade was on no sailing list。 Through far settlements that were call