Kirk nodded. “But a year away. Too bad—so long to wait. Enjoy the spring you’ve got. That would be my advice.”
He steered his car on to the pier. Another sailing day—excitement and farewells. Tourists and traveling salesmen, bored stewards waiting patiently in line.
Miss Morrow and Kirk ran up the gangplank on to the deck of the big white ship. “Just stand here by the rail, please,” said Kirk. “With the orchids—”
“What in the world for?”
“I want to see how you’ll look in the role. Back in a minute.”
When he returned, Charlie Chan was walking lightly at his side. The detective’s face was beaming with a satisfaction he could not conceal.
“Overwhelmed by your attention,” he said to the girl.
“Where have you been?” she cried. “We’ve missed you terribly.”
He grinned. “Hiding from temptation,” he explained.
“But Captain Flannery has taken all the credit for your wonderful success. It isn’t fair.”
Chan shrugged. “From the first, I knew my work on this case was like bowing in the dark. Why should I care? May I add that you present charming picture of loveliness this morning?”
“What does she look like to you, Charlie?” Kirk inquired. “Standing there by the rail with those flowers?”
“A bride,” answered Chan promptly, as one who had been coached. “A bride who sails for honeymoon in pleasant company of newly-captured husband.”
“Precisely,” Kirk agreed. “She’s rehearsing the part, you know.”
“The first I’ve heard of it,” objected Miss Morrow.
“Wise man has said, ‘The beautiful bird gets caged,’ ” Chan told her. “You could not hope to escape.”
The girl handed him a little package. “This is for—the other Barry—with my love.”
“My warmest thanks. He will be proud boy. But you will not give him all your love. You will not overlook original of same name. Chinese are psychic people, and I have sensed it. Am I right? My precious reputation hangs shaking on your answer.”
Miss Morrow smiled. “I’m very much afraid—you’re always right.”
“Now this is truly my happiest day,” Chan told her.
“Mine too,” cried Kirk. He took an envelope from his pocket. “That being arranged, I also have something for little Barry. Give it to him with my warm regards.”
Chan accepted the envelope, heavy with gold pieces. “My heart flows over,” he said. “Small son will express thanks in person when you arrive in Honolulu thrilled with the high delight of honeymoon.”
“Then he’ll have to learn to talk mighty soon,” Kirk answered. “But with a father like you—”
The final call of “visitors ashore” was sounding. They shook hands with Charlie and ran. At the top of the gangplank they were engulfed in a very frenzy of farewell. Mad embraces, hasty kisses, final promises and admonitions. Kirk leaned quickly over and kissed Miss Morrow.
“Oh—how could you!” she cried.
“Pardon me. I was still pretending you were going too.”
“But I’m not. Neither are you.”
“No one will notice in this melee. Come on.”
They descended to the pier, and ran along it until they stood opposite Charlie Chan. The detective had procured a roll of bright pink paper, and holding fast to one end, he tossed it to the girl.
Kirk smiled happily. “If anyone had told me two weeks ago I was going to kiss a lawyer—and like it—” He was interrupted by the hoarse cry of the ship’s siren.
Slowly the vessel drew away from the pier. The pink streamer broke, its ends trailing in the water. Charlie leaned far over the rail.
“Aloha,” he called. “Until we meet again.” His fat face shone with joy. The big ship paused, trembled, and set out for Hawaii.
Colophon
Behind That Curtain
was published in 1928 by
Earl Derr Biggers.
This ebook was produced for
Standard Ebooks
by
Norman C. Walz,
and is based on a transcription produced in 2012 by
David T. Jones, Mary Meehan, Al Haines, and The Distributed Proofreaders Canada Team
for
Faded Page Canada
and on digital scans from the
Internet Archive.
The cover page is adapted from
City at Night,
a painting completed in 1905 by
Arthur Beecher Carles.
The cover and title pages feature the
League Spartan and Sorts Mill Goudy
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The League of Moveable Type.
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