the golf course mystery(高尔夫教程)-第18部分
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THE GOLF COURSE MYSTERY
As yet no one had connected Colonel Ashley officially with the matter。
The reporters seemed to have missed noting that a celebrated … not to
say successful … detective was the guest of Viola Carwell。 It was an hour
after the morning meal； and the colonel was in the library； rather idly
glancing over the titles of the books； which included a goodly number on
yachting and golfing； when Viola entered。
〃Oh； I didn't know you were here ！〃 she exclaimed； drawing back。
〃Oh； come in！ Come in ！〃 invited the colonel。 〃I am just going out。
I was wondering if there happened to be a book on chemistry here … or one
on poisons。〃
〃Poisons！〃 exclaimed the girl； half drawing back。
〃Yes。 I have one； but I left it in New York。 If there happened to be
one … Or perhaps you can tell me。 Did you ever study chemistry？〃
〃As a girl in school； yes。 But I'm afraid I've forgotten all I ever
knew。〃
〃My case； too；〃 said the colonel with a laugh。 〃Then there isn't a
book giving the different symbols of chemicals ？〃
〃Not that I know of；〃 Viola answered。 〃Still I might help you out if it
wasn't too complicated。 I remember that water is H two 0 and that
sulphuric acid is H two S 0 four。 But that's about all。〃
〃Would you know what fifty…eight C H one sixty…one； with a period
after the C； a dash after the H and a star after the last number was？〃 the
colonel asked casually。
Viola shook her head。
〃I'm afraid I wouldn't；〃 she answered。 〃That is too complicated for
me。 Isn't it a shame we learn so much that we forget？'
〃Still it may have its uses；〃 said the colonel。 〃I'll have to get a book
on chemistry； I think。〃
He turned to go out。
〃Have you learned anything more？〃 Viola asked timidly。
〃Nothing to speak about；〃 was the answer。
〃Oh； I wish you would find out something … and soon；〃 she murmured。
〃This suspense is terrible！〃 and she shuddered as the detective went out。
It was late that afternoon when Colonel Ashley； having seen Miss
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THE GOLF COURSE MYSTERY
Mary Carwell and Viola walking at the far end of the garden； went softly
up the stairs to the room of the girl who had summoned him to The Haven。
With a skill of which he was master he looked quickly but carefully
through Viola's desk； which was littered with many letters and telegrams
of condolence that had been answered。
Colonel Ashley worked quickly and silently； and he was about to give
up； a look of disappointment on his face； when he found a slip of paper in
one of the pigeon holes。 And the slip bore this； written in pencil：
58 C。 H。 … I6I*
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THE GOLF COURSE MYSTERY
CHAPTER X
A WATER HAZARD
〃Isn't there some place where you can take her for a few days … some
relative's where she can rest and forget； as much as possible； the scenes
here？〃
〃Yes； there is；〃 replied Miss Mary Carwell to Colonel Ashley's
question。 〃I'll go with her myself to Pentonville。 I have a cousin there；
and it's the quietest place I know of； outside of Philadelphia；〃 and she
smiled faintly at the detective。
〃Good！〃 he announced。 〃Then get her away from here。 It will do
you both good。〃
〃But what about the case … solving the mystery？ Won't you want either
Viola or me here to help you？〃
〃I shall do very well by myself for a few days。 Indeed I shall need
the help of both of you； but you will be all the better fitted to render it
when you return。 So take her away … go yourself； and try to forget as
much of your grief as possible。〃
〃And you will stay … 〃
〃I'll stay here； yes。 Shag and I will manage very nicely； thank you。
I'm glad you have colored help。 I can always get along with that kind。 I've
been used to them since a boy in the South。〃
And so Viola and Miss Carwell went away。
It was after the sufficiently imposingly somber funeral of Horace
Carwell； for since the adjourned inquest … adjourned at the request of the
prosecutor … it was not considered necessary to keep the poor； maimed
body out of its last resting place any longer。 It had been sufficiently
viewed and examined。 In fact； parts of it were still in the hands of the
chemists。
〃And now； Shag； that we're left to ourselves … 〃 said Colonel Ashley；
when Viola and Miss Carwell had departed the day following the funeral；
〃now that we are by ourselves … 〃
〃I reckon as how you'll fix up as to who it were whut done killed de
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THE GOLF COURSE MYSTERY
gen'man； an' hab him ‘rested； won't yo'； Colonel； sah？〃 asked Shag； with
the kindly concern and freedom of an old and loved servant。
〃Indeed I'll do nothing of the sort！〃 exclaimed Colonel Ashley。 〃I'm
going fishing； Shag； and I'll be obliged to you if you'll lay out my
Kennebec rod and the sixteen line。 I think there are some fighting fish in
that little river that runs along at the end of the golf course。 Get
everything ready and then let me know；〃 and the colonel； smoking his
after…breakfast cigar； sat on the shady porch of The Haven and read：
〃0； Sir； doubt not that angling is an art： is it not an art to deceive
a trout with an artificial fly？ a trout！ that is more sharp…sighted than any
hawk you have named； and more watchful and timorous than your
high…mettled merlin is bold； and yet I doubt not to catch a brace or two
to…morrow for a friend's breakfast。〃
〃Um；〃 mused the colonel。 〃Too bad it isn't the trout season。 That
passage from Walton just naturally makes me hungry for the speckled
beauties。 But I can wait。 Meanwhile we'll see what else the stream
holds。 Shag； are you coming？〃
〃Yes； sah！ Comm' right d'rectly； sah！ Yes； sah； Colonel！〃 and Shag
shuffled along the porch with the fishing tackle。
And so Colonel Ashley sat and fished； and as he fished he thought； for
the sport was not so good that it took up his whole attention。 In fact he
was rather glad that the fish were not rising well； for he had entered into
this golf course mystery with a zest he seldom brought to any case； and he
was anxious to get to the bottom。
〃I didn't want to get into that diamond cross affair； but I was dragged
in by the heels；〃 he mused。 〃And now； just because some years ago
Horace Carwell did me a favor and enabled me to make money in the
copper market； I am trying to find out who killed him； or if； in a fit of
despondency； he killed himself。〃
〃And yet； if it was despondency； he disguised it marvelously well。
And if it was an accident it was a most skillful and fateful one。 How he
could swallow poison and not know it is beyond me。 And now to
consider who might have given it to him； arguing that it was not an
accident〃
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The colonel had walked up and down the stream at the turn of the
Maraposa golf course； Shag following at a discreet distance； and； after
trying out several places had settled down under a shady tree at an eddy
where the waters； after rushing down the bed of the small river； met with
an obstruction and turned upon themselves。 Here they had worn out a
place under an overhanging bank； making a deep pool where； if ever； fish
might he expected to lurk。
And there the colonel threw in his bait and waited。
And now； that I am waiting；〃 he mused； 〃let me consider； as my friend
Walton would； matters in their sequence。 Horace Carwell is dead。 Let
us argue that some one gave him the poison。 Who was it？〃
And then； like some file index； the colonel began to pass over in his
mind the various persons who had come under his observation； as possible
perpetrators of the crime。
〃Let us begin with one the law already suspects；〃 mused the fisherman。
〃Not that that is any criterion； but that it disposes of him in a certain order
… disposes of him or … involves him more deeply；〃 and the colonel looked
to where a ground spider had woven a web in which a small but helpless
grass hopper was then struggling。
〃Could Harry Bartlett have given the poison？〃 the colonel asked
himself。 And the answer； naturally； was that such could have been the case。
Then came the question： 〃Why？〃
〃Had he an object？ What was the quarrel about； concerning which he
refuses
