the golf course mystery(高尔夫教程)-第16部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
from the record。〃
〃Rub it out；〃 ordered the coroner； looking over at the stenographer；
and the latter； with a smile； ran his pen through the curious hooks and
curves that represented the 〃opinion〃 of LeGrand Blossom。
He was allowed to leave the stand； and Harry Bartlett was called next。
He nodded and smiled at Viola as he walked forward through the crowd；
and Captain Poland； who was sitting in front； waved his hand to his rival。
For the young men were friends； even if both were in love with Viola
Carwell。
〃Mr Bartlett；〃 began the prosecutor； after some unimportant
64
… Page 65…
THE GOLF COURSE MYSTERY
preliminary questions； 〃I haye been informed that you had a conversation
with Mr。 Carwell shortly before his death。 Is that true？〃
〃Yes； we had a talk。〃
Viola started at hearing this … started so visibly that several about her
noticed it； and even Colonel Ashley turned his head。
〃What was the nature of the talk？〃 asked Mr。 Stryker。
〃That I can not tell；〃 said Bartlett firmly。 〃But it had nothing to do
with the matter in hand。〃
There was a rustle of expectancy on hearing this； and the prosecutor
quickly asked：
〃What do you mean by ‘the matter in hand'？〃
〃Well； his death。〃
〃Naturally you didn't talk about his death； for it hadn't taken place；〃
said Mr。 Stryker。 〃Nor could it have been foreseen； I imagine。 But what
did you talk about？〃
〃I decline to answer。〃
There was a gasp that swept over the courtroom； and Billy Teller
banged the gavel as he had seen real judges do。
〃You decline to answer；〃 repeated the prosecutor。 〃Is it on the ground
that it might incriminate you？〃
〃No〃
〃Then I must insist on an answer。 However； I will not do so now； but
at the proper time。 I will now ask you one other question； and I think you
willanswer that。 Did you resume friendly relations with Mr。 Carwell
after your quarrel with him that day？〃 and Mr。 Stryker fairly hurled the
question at Harry Bartlett。
If this was a trap it was a most skillfully set one。 For there must be
an answer； and either no or yes would involve explanations。
〃Answer me！〃 exclaimed the prosecutor。 〃Did you make up after the
quarrel？〃
There was a tense silence as Bartlett； whose face showed pale under
his tan； said：
〃I did not。〃
〃Then you admit that you had a quarrel with Mr。 Carwell？〃
65
… Page 66…
THE GOLF COURSE MYSTERY
〃Yes； but … 〃
Just at this moment Viola Carwell fainted in the arms of her aunt； the
resultant commotion being such that an adjournment was taken while she
was carried to an anteroom； where Dr。 Lambert attended her。
〃We will resume where we left off；〃 said the prosecutor； when Bartlett
again took the stand； and it might have been noticed that during the
temporary recess one of the regular court constables from the county
building at Loch Harbor remained close at his side。 〃Will you now state
the nature of your quarrel with Mr。 Carwell？〃 asked Mr。 Stryker。
〃I do not feel that I can。〃
〃Very well；〃 was the calm rejoinder。 〃Then； your honor；〃 and again
Billy Teller seemed to swell with importance at the title； 〃I ask that this
witness be held without bail to await a further session of this court； and I
ask for an adjournment to summon other witnesses。〃
〃Granted；〃 replied Teller； who had been coached what to answer。
〃Held！〃 exclaimed Bartlett； as he rose to his feet in indignation。 〃You
are going to hold me！ On what grounds？〃
〃On suspicion；〃 answered the prosecutor。
〃Suspicion of what？〃
〃Of knowing something concerning the death of Mr。 Carwell。〃
An exclamation broke from the crowd； and Bartlett reeled slightly。
He was quickly approached by the same constable who had remained at
his side during the recess； and a moment later Coroner Billy Teller
adjourned court。
66
… Page 67…
THE GOLF COURSE MYSTERY
CHAPTER IX
58 C。 H。… I6I*
There was considerable excitement when it became known to the
crowd； as it speedily did； that Harry Bartlett； almost universally accepted
as the fiance of Viola Carwell； had been held as having vital knowledge of
her father's death。 Indeed there were not a few wild rumors which
insisted that he had been held on a charge of murder。
〃Oh； I can't believe it！ I can't believe it！〃 exclaimed Viola； when
they told her。 〃It can't be possible that they can hold him on such a
charge。 It's unfair！〃
〃Perhaps；〃 gently admitted Dr。 Lambert。 〃The law is not always fair；
but it seeks to know the truth。〃
Viola and her aunt were again in the room where Viola had been
revived from her indisposition caused by the shock of Bartlett's testimony。
Colonel Ashley； who； truth to tell； had been expecting some such
summons； went with Dr。 Lambert。
〃Oh； isn't it terrible； Colonel？〃 began Viola。 〃Have they a right to … to
lock him up on this charge？〃
〃It isn't exactly a charge； Viola； my dear； and they have； I am sorry to
say； a right to lock him up。 But it will not be in a cell。〃
〃Not in a … a cell ？〃
〃No； as a witness； merely； he has a right to better quarters； and I
understand that he will be given them on the order of the prosecutor。〃
〃He'll be in jail； though； won't he？〃
〃Yes； but in very decent quarters。 The witness rooms are not at all
like cells； though they have barred windows。〃
〃But why can't he get out on bail？〃 asked Viola； rather petulantly。 〃I'm
sure the charge； absurd as it is； is not such as would make them keep him
locked up without being allowed to get bail。 I thought only murder cases
were not bailable。〃
〃That is usually the case；〃 said Colonel Ashley。 〃But if this is not a
suicide case it is a murder case； and though Harry is not accused of murder；
67
… Page 68…
THE GOLF COURSE MYSTERY
in law the distinction is so fine that the prosecutor； doubtless； feels
justified in refusing bail。〃
〃But we could give it … I could … I have money！〃 cried Viola。 〃Aunt
Mary has money； too。 You'd go his bail； wouldn't you？〃 and the girl
appealed to her father's sister。
〃Well； Viola； I … of course I'd do anything for you in the world。 You
know that； dearie。 But if the law feels that Harry must be locked up I
wouldn't like to interfere。〃
〃Oh； Aunt Mary ！〃
〃Besides； he says he did quarrel with your father；〃 went on Miss
Carwell。 〃And he won't say what it was about。 I don't want to talk about
any one； Vi； but it does look suspicious for Mr。 Bartlett。〃
〃Oh； Aunt Mary！ Oh； I'll never forgive you for that！〃 and poor Viola
broke into tears。
They left the courtroom and returned to The Haven。 Harry Bartlett
sent a hastily written note to Viola； asking her to suspend judgment and
trust in him； and then he was taken to the county jail by the sheriff …
being assured that he would be treated with every consideration and
lodged in one of the witness rooms。
〃Isn't there some process by which we could free him？〃 asked Viola。
〃Seems to me I've heard of some process … a habeas corpus writ； or
something like that。〃
〃Often persons； who can not be gotten out of the custody of the law in
any other way； may be temporarily freed by habeas corpus proceedings；〃
said Colonel Ashley。 〃In brief that means an order from the court； calling
on the sheriff； or whoever has the custody of a prisoner； to produce his
body in court。 Of course a live body is understood in such cases。
〃But such an expedient is only temporary。 Its use is resorted to in
order to bring out certain testimony that might be the means of freeing the
accused。 In this case； if Harry persisted in his refusal not to tell about the
quarrel； the judge would have no other course open but to return him to
jail。 So I can't see that a habeas corpus would be of any service。〃
〃In that case； no；〃 sighed Viola。 〃But； oh； Colonel Ashley； I am sure
something can be done。 You must solve this mystery！〃
68
… Page 69…
THE GOLF COURSE MYSTERY
〃I am going to try； my dear Viola。 I'll try both for your sake and that
of the memory of your father。 I loved him very much。〃
The day passed； and night settled down on the house of death。
Throughout Lakeside and Loch Harbor； as well as the neighboring seaside
places； talk
