the golf course mystery(高尔夫教程)-第10部分
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promise to him not to mention the matter； she began to wish that she had
not spoken。
〃But you must tell！〃 insisted Dr。 Lambert。 〃This amounts to an
accusation against a dead man； and you owe it to Viola to give the source
of your information。〃
〃No； Doctor； I can not！ Please don't ask me； Viola。 Oh； I shouldn't
have spoken； but I thought only to help you solve the problem。〃
〃You have only made it harder； unless you tell us more；〃 said Dr。
Lambert gently。 〃Why can not you tell us； Miss Webb？〃
〃Because I … I promised not to。 Oh； can't you find out for yourselves
… in your own way； about his affairs？ Surely an examination … 〃
〃Yes； of course； that would be the proper way； said Dr。 Lambert
gravely。 〃And it must be done； I suppose。〃
〃It will lead to nothing … it will prove nothing；〃 insisted Viola。 〃I am
sure my father's affairs were not involved。 Wait； I'll call Aunt Mary。
She was in close touch with all the money matters of our household。
Father trusted her with many business matters。 Call Aunt Mary！〃
Her eyes red with weeping； but bearing up bravely withal； Miss Mary
Carwell joined the conference。 She； it seemed； had guessed something
when Dr。Lambert and Dr。 Baird were closeted so long with Captain
Poland。
〃We must face the facts； however unpleasant they are；〃 said Dr。
Lambert； in a low voice。 〃We must recognize that this will be public talk
in a little while。 A man … so well…known a character as was my old friend
Horace Carwell … can not die suddenly in the midst of a championship golf
game； and let the matter rest there。〃
〃The papers will take it up；〃 said Dr。 Baird。
〃The papers！〃 broke in Viola。
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〃Yes； even now I have been besieged by reporters demanding to know
the cause of death。 It will have to come out。 The report of the county
physician； on which only a burial certificate can be obtained； is public
property。 The bureau of vital statistics is open to the public and the
reporters。 There is bound to be an inquiry； and； as I have said； Dr。
Rowland has already announced it as a suicide。 We must face the issue
bravely。〃
〃But even if it should prove true； that he took the poison； I am sure it
will turn out to be a mistake！〃 declared Viola。 〃As for my father's affairs
being in danger financially … Aunt Mary； did you ever hear of such
athing ？〃
〃Well； my dear； your father kept his affairs pretty much to himself；〃
was the answer of her aunt。 〃He did tell me some things； and only to…day
something came up that makes me think … Oh； I don't know what to think
… now！〃
〃What is it？〃 asked Dr。 Lambert； quietly but firmly。 〃It is best to
know the worst at once。〃
〃I can't say that it is the ‘worst；'〃 replied Miss Carwell； 〃but there was
something about a loan to the bank； and not enough collateral to cover …
Mr。 Blossom should have attended to it； but he did not； it seems； and …
Won't you tell them？〃 she appealed to Captain Poland。
〃Certainly；〃 he responded。 〃It is a simple matter；〃 he went on。 〃Mr。
Carwell； as all of us do at times； borrowed money from his bank； giving
certain securities as collateral for the loan。
〃The bank； as all banks do； kept watch this security； and when it fell in
market value below a certain point； where there was no longer sufficient
margin to cover the loan safely； demanded more collateral。
〃This； for some reason； Mr。 Carwell did not put up； nor did his clerk；
Mr。 Blossom。 I know nothing more in this respect than Miss Carwell
told me；〃 and he bowed to indicate the dead man's sister。 〃I offered to see
to the matter for her； putting up some collateral of my own until Mr。
Carwell's affairs could be straightened out。 It is a mere technicality； I
imagine； and can have nothing to do with … with the present matter； even
though Miss Webb seems to think so。〃
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〃Oh； I am so sorry if I have made a mistake！〃 exclaimed Minnie； now
very penitent。 〃But I only thought it would be helping … 〃
〃It will be … to know the truth；〃 said Dr。 Lambert。 〃Is this all that you
heard； Miss Webb？〃
〃No； it was nothing like that。 It had nothing to do with a bank loan。
Oh； please don't ask me。 I promised not to tell。〃
〃Very well； we won't force you to speak；〃 said the family physician。
〃But this matter must be gone into。 What one person knows others are
sure to find out。 We must see Blossom。 He is the one who would have
the most complete knowledge of your father's affairs； Viola。 Did I hear
something about his going into partnership with your father？〃
〃Yes； there was some such plan。 Father decided that he needed help；
and he spoke of taking in Mr。 Blossom。 I know no more than that；〃 Viola
answered。
〃Then LeGrand Blossom is the person to throw more light on that
subject；〃 said Dr。 Lambert。
To himself he added a mental reservation that he did not count much
on what information might come from the head clerk。 Blossom； in the
mind of Dr。 Lambert； was a person of not much strength of character。
There had been certain episodes in his life； information as to which had
come to the physician in a roundabout way； that did not reflect on him
very well； though； in truth； he felt that the man was weak rather than bad。
〃Then is it to be believed that my father was a suicide？〃 asked Viola；
as though seeking to know the worst； that she might fight to make it better。
〃On the bare facts in the case … yes；〃 answered Dr。 Lambert。 〃But
that is only a starting point。 We will make no hard and fast decision。〃
〃Indeed we will not；〃 declared Viola。 〃There must be a most rigid
investigation。〃
And when the others had gone； Dr。 Lambert to make funeral
arrangements for his old friend； Captain Poland to see the bank officials；
Dr。 Baird to his office； taking Minnie Webb home in his car； and Miss
Garwell to her room to lie down； Viola； left alone； gave herself up to grief。
She felt utterly downcast and very much in need of a friend。
And perhaps this feeling made her welcome； more cordially than when
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she had last seen him； Harry Bartlett； who was announced soon after the
others left。
〃Oh； Harry； have you heard the terrible news？〃 faltered Viola。
〃You mean about your father？ Yes；〃 he said gently。 〃But I do not
believe it。 I may as well speak plainly； Viola。 Your father； for some
reason best known to himself； did not care for me。 But I respected him；
and in spite of a feeling between us I admired him。 I feel sure he did not
commit suicide。〃
〃But they say it looks very suspicious； Harry！ Oh； tell me what to
do！〃 and； impulsively； Viola held out her hands to him。 Bartlett pressed
them warmly。
〃I'll serve you in any way I can；〃 he said； gazing fondly into her eyes。
〃But I confess I am puzzled。 I don't know what to do。 Perhaps it would
be better； as Dr。 Lambert says； to look into your father's affairs。〃
〃Yes。 But I want more than that！〃 declared Viola。 〃I want his name
cleared from any suspicion of suicide。 And I want you to undertake it；
Harry！〃
〃You want me ？〃 he exclaimed； drawing back。 〃Me？〃
〃Yes。 I feel that you will do better than any one else。 Oh； you will
help me； won't you？〃 she pleaded。
〃Of course； Viola。 But I don't know how。〃
〃Then let me tell you；〃 and she seemed to be in better control of
herself than at any time that day。 〃This must be gone into systematically；
and we can best do it through a detective。〃
〃A detective！〃 cried Harry Bartlett； and he started from his chair。 〃Why；
my dear Viola； a detective would be the worst possible person to call in on
a case like this！ Let me investigate； if you think it wise； but a detective …
〃
〃I am not speaking of an ordinary detective； Harry。 I have in mind an
elderly man who was a friend of my father。 He has an extraordinary
reputation for solving mysteries。〃
〃Well； of course； if you know the man it makes a difference。〃
Bartlett eyed the girl curiously。 〃I didn't know you knew any detectives。〃
〃The man I have in mind was in some business deal with my father
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once； and they became very well acquainted。
