the golf course mystery(高尔夫教程)-第32部分
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on board he decided to watch him instead of the woman； though he was
vaguely disquieted trying to remember where he had heard her voice
before。
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THE GOLF COURSE MYSTERY
CHAPTER XVIII
A LARGE BLONDE LADY
Reaching The Haven； Colonel Ashley； who had trailed LeGrand
Blossom to the latter's boarding place without anything having developed；
was met by Shag； who was up later than usual； for it was now close to
midnight。
〃What now； Shag！〃 exclaimed the colonel。 〃Don't tell me there are
any more detective cases for me to work on。 I simply won't listen。 I
wish I hadn't to this one。 It's getting more and more tangled every minute；
and the fish are biting well。 Hang it all； Shag； why did you let me take
up this golf course mystery？〃
〃I didn't do it； Colonel； no； sah！〃
〃What's the use of talking that way； Shag！ You know you did！〃
〃Yes； sah； Colonel。 Dat's whut I did！〃 confessed Shag with a grin。
When the colonel was in this mood there was nothing for it but to agree
with him。
〃And it's the worst tangle you ever got me into！〃 went on Shag's
master。 〃There's no head or tail to it。〃
〃Den it ain't laik a fish； am it？〃 asked Shag； with the freedom of long
years of faithful service。
〃No； it isn't … worse luck！〃 stormed the colonel。 〃I never saw such a
case。 The diamond cross mystery was nothing like it。〃
〃But I thought； Colonel； sah； dat de mo' of a puzzle it were； de bettah
yo' laiked it！〃 ventured Shag。
Colonel Ashley tried to repress a smile。
〃Get to bed； you black rascal！〃 he said with an affectionate pat on
Shag's back。 〃Get to bed！ What are you staying up so late for；
anyhow？〃
〃To gib yo' a message； Colonel； sah；〃 answered Shag。 〃Miss Viola
done say I was t' wait up； an'； when yo' come in； t' tell yo' dat she wants t'
see you。〃
〃Oh； all right。 Where is she？〃
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〃In de liberry； Colonel； sah！〃
The detective made his way through the dimly…lighted hall； and； on
tapping at the library door； was bidden by Viola to enter。
〃Still up？〃 he asked。 〃It was time for you to be asleep long ago if you
want your eyes to keep as bright as they always are。〃
〃They don't feel very bright；〃 she answered； with a little laugh。
〃They seem to be full of sticks。 But I wanted to ask you something … to
consult with you … and I didn't want to go to sleep without doing it。 I want
you to read these；〃 and she spread out before him the letters she had found
hidden in the drawer of the safe。
Colonel Ashley； in silence； looked over one document after another；
including the torn ones。 When he had finished he looked across the table
at Viola。
〃What do you make of it？〃 she asked。 〃I don't know；〃 he frankly
confessed。 〃But we must find out if your father owed the captain
anything … for money advanced in an emergency； or for anything else。
Who would know about the money affairs？〃
〃Mr。 Blossom。 He has full charge of the office now； and access to all
the books。 Aunt Mary and I have to trust to him for everything。 It is all
we can do。〃
〃Yes； I suppose so；〃 agreed the detective。 And he did not speak of the
scene of which he had recently been a witness。
〃Then if you will come with me； we will go the first thing in the
morning to father's office and see LeGrand Blossom；〃 decided Viola。 〃We
will ask Mr。 Blossom if he knows anything about the debt between my
father and Captain Poland。〃
〃It would be wise； I think。〃
And as the colonel retired that night he said； musingly：
〃Another angle； and another tangle。 I must read a little Izaak Walton
to compose my mind。〃
So he opened the little green book and read this observation from the
Venator：
〃And as for the dogs that we use； who can commend their
excellency to that height which they deserve？ How perfect is the hound
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THE GOLF COURSE MYSTERY
at smelling； who never leaves or forsakes his first scent； but follows it
through so many changes and varieties of other scents； even over and in
the water； and into the earth。〃
〃Ah；〃 mused the colonel； 〃I think I must cling to my first scent； and
follow it through or over the water or into the earth。〃
Then； laying aside the little green book； with its atmosphere of calm
delight； he picked up a little thin volume； which bore on its title page 〃The
Poisonous Plants of New Jersey。〃
And in that he read：
〃The water hemlock （Cicuta maculata L。） is the most poisonous
plant in the flora of the United States； and has probably destroyed
more human lives than all our other toxic plants combined。 As a
member of the parsley family （Umbellifera） it resembles in general
appearance the carrot and parsnip of the same group of plants。 It
grows in swampy land。 The poisoning of the human is chiefly with the
fleshy roots。
〃The active principle of this cicuta is the volatile alkaloid canine；
common also to the poison hemlock （Conium macula turn L。） The
symptoms of the poisoning are many； including violent contraction of
the muscles； dilated pupils and epilepsy。 。 。 No antidote for canine
poisoning is known。 。 。 The active canine 。 。 。 was the poison
employed by the Greeks in putting prisoners to death； Socrates being one
of its illustrious victims。〃
And having read that much； Colonel Ashley looked at a little slip in
the book。 It bore the penciled memorandum 〃58 C。 H。… ~I6I*。〃
〃I wonder … I wonder；〃 mused the colonel； and so wondering； and with
fitful dreams attending his slumbers； he passed the night。
Jean Forette drove the colonel and Viola to the office。 They arrived
rather early。 In fact LeGrand Blossom was not yet in； and when he did
enter； a few minutes later； he was plainly surprised to see them。
〃Is anything the matter？〃 asked the confidential clerk； as he quickly
opened his desk。 〃I am sorry I was late this morning。 But I had some
matters to look after … 〃
〃No apology necessary；〃 said Colonel Ashley； quickly。 〃We have not
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THE GOLF COURSE MYSTERY
been waiting long。 We have discovered something。〃
If his life had depended on it LeGrand Blossom could not； at that
moment； have concealed a start of surprise。
〃You mean you have found out who killed Mr。 Carwell？〃 he asked；
and his tongue went quickly around his dry lips。
〃Not that；〃 the colonel answered。 〃But we have found some letters
that seem to need explaining。 Here they are。〃
Then when Viola had told how she discovered them； she asked：
〃Did my father ever owe Captain Poland any money？〃
〃Yes；〃 answered LeGrand Blossom； frankly； 〃he did。〃
〃How much？〃
〃Fifteen thousand dollars。〃
〃Was it ever paid back？〃 asked Colonel Ashley。 〃That I cannot say；〃
replied the head clerk。 〃The papers in that particular transaction are
missing。 I looked for them the other day； but failed to find them。 I was
intending to ask you； Miss Carwell； if you knew anything about them。
Now； it seems you do not。 The fact remains that your father was at one
time indebted to the captain for fifteen thousand dollars。 Whether it was
repaid I can not say。〃
〃Who would know？〃 asked Colonel Ashley。
〃Why； Captain Poland； of course；〃 answered Mr。 Blossom。 〃One
would think that it would be paid by check； but in that case the canceled
one would come back from the bank； which it has not。 It is possible that
Mr。 Carwell had an account in some other bank； or he may have paid the
captain in cash。 In either case a receipt would be given； I should say。
Captain Poland is the only one who now would know。〃
〃Then we had better see him；〃 suggested Colonel Ashley。 〃Shall we
call on him； Viola？〃
She hesitated a moment before answering； and then replied in a low
voice：
〃I think it would be better。 We must end this mystery！〃
They left LeGrand Blossom and again entered the car。 Jean Forette
was driving； and the detective again noticed the strange and sudden
change in his manner。 Whereas he had been morose and sullen the first
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THE GOL
