the golf course mystery(高尔夫教程)-第36部分
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myself； so I didn't answer。
〃You know what the imputation is； Gerry？〃 questioned Bartlett； as
each man sat in his car； near a lonely stretch of woods。
〃I don't know that I do；〃 was the calm reply。
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〃Well； Viola has told me of the finding of the papers in her father's
private safe。 I told her I would see you； if I could； and get an explanation。
I did not think I would find you so soon。〃
〃I didn't know you were looking； Harry； or I would have come to you。
What do you mean about papers in a private safe？〃
〃I mean those which indicate that Mr。 Carwell owed you fifteen
thousand dollars。〃
〃Well； he did owe me that；〃 said the captain calmly。
〃He did？〃 and Harry Bartlett accented the last word。
〃Yes； but it was paid。 He did not owe me a dollar at the time of his
death。〃
〃That is astonishing news！ There is no record of the money having
been paid！〃
〃Nevertheless the debt is canceled；〃 insisted the captain。 〃I sent the
receipt and the canceled note to LeGrand Blossom。〃
〃It's false！〃 cried Bartlett。 〃He hasn't any such documents！〃
For a moment Captain Poland seemed about to leap from his car and
attack the man who had given him the lie direct。 Then； by an effort； he
composed himself； and quietly answered：
〃I can prove every word I say； and I will take immediate steps to do so。
Mr。 Carwell paid me the fifteen thousand dollars on the twenty…third； and I
… 〃
〃He paid you the money on the twenty…third？ the very day he died？〃
cried Harry。
〃Yes。〃
〃Then … Why； good heavens； man！ Don't you see what this means？
It means you were with him just before his death； the same as I was。
We're both in the same boat as far as that goes！〃
〃Yes； I admit that I was with him； and that he paid me the fifteen
thousand dollars shortly before his unfortunate end；〃 returned Captain
Poland。 〃But our meeting was a most peaceful one； even friendly； and … 〃
〃You mean that I … Oh； I see！〃 and Bartlett's voice was full of
meaning。 〃So that'swhat you are driving at。 Well； two can play atthat
game。 I've learned something； anyhow！〃
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There was a grinding of gears； and the 〃Spanish Omelet〃 shot away。
Captain Poland watched it for a moment； and then； with a shrug of his
shoulders； threw in the clutch and speeded down the road in the opposite
direction。
Harry Bartlett lost no time in acquainting Colonel Ashley with the
admission made by Captain Poland。
〃So the wind is veering；〃 the detective murmured。 〃I shall watch him。
I wondered why he didn't answer my letters。 Now we must see LeGrand
Blossom。〃
〃I'll come with you；〃 offered Bartlett。 〃I want to see this thing
through now。 Shall we tell her？〃 and he motioned toward Viola's room。
〃Not now。 We'll see Blossom first。〃
If the head clerk was perturbed at all by the visit to the office of
Colonel Ashley and Harry Bartlett； he did not disclose it。 He welcomed
the two visitors； and took them to his private room。
Colonel Ashley went bluntly into the business in hand。
〃Have you any papers to show that Captain Poland acknowledged the
receipt of the fifteen thousand dollars owed to him by Mr。 Carwell？〃
〃I have not；〃 was the frank answer。 〃I have been searching for
something to prove that the debt was paid； as I knew of its contraction。 It
was not canceled as far as I can find。〃
〃Yet Captain Poland says it was paid；〃 said Bartlett； 〃and that he sent
you the receipt。〃
〃I never got it！〃 insisted LeGrand Blossom。 Harry Bartlett and
Colonel Ashley looked at one another； and then the detective； with an
effort at cheerfulness which he did not feel； said：
〃Oh； well； perhaps in the confusion the papers were mislaid。 I shall
ask Viola about them。 Another search must be made。〃
And so the two went back to The Haven； not much more enlightened
than when they left it。
〃‘What is to be done？〃 asked Bartlett。 〃Blossom says he knows
nothing of it。〃
〃Then I must know a little more about Mr。 Blossom；〃 mentally decided
the colonel。 〃I think I shall shadow him a bit。 It may prove fruitful。〃
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And when two nights later LeGrand Blossom left his boarding place
and met a veiled woman at a lonely spot on the beach； Colonel Ashley；
who had been waiting as he so well knew how to do； hid himself on the
sand behind some sedge grass and began to think that the game was
coming his way after all。
〃For a man who pretends to be open and above board； his actions are
very queet；〃 mused the detective； as he silently crawled nearer to where
eGrand Blossom and the woman stood talking in low tones on the lonely
sands。 〃I don't see what object he could have in making away with
Carwell； and yet it begins to look black for him。 Maybe there is more
than the fifteen thousand dollars involved。 There are so many angles to
the case now。 I must find out who this woman is。
And when she spoke in louder tones than usual； drawing from
LeGrand Blossom an impatient 〃Hush！〃 the colonel had his answer。
〃Morocco Kate again！ What's her part now？〃
The detective was near enough now to hear some of the talk。
〃Did you bring it？〃 asked the woman eagerly。
〃Hush！ can't you？〃 snapped LeGrand Blossom。
〃Pooh！ What's the harm？ There's no one in this lonely place！ It
gives me the creeps。 Li'l ole Broadway for mine！〃
〃You never know who's anywhere these days！〃 muttered LeGrand。
〃That infernal detective seems to be all over。 He looks at me … oh； he
looks at me； and I don't like it。〃 Morocco Kate laughed。
〃Shut up！〃 ordered the head clerk。 〃Do you think this is funny？〃
〃It used to be；〃 was the answer。 〃It used to be funny； when you
thought you were in love with me。 Oh； it was delicious！〃
〃I was a bigger fool than I ever thought I'd be！〃 growled LeGrand
Blossom。
〃You aren't the only one；〃 was the consoling answer。 〃But what I'm
interested in now； is … did you bring the mazumma … the cush … the dope？〃
〃All I could get；〃 was the answer。 〃I'm in a devil of a mess； and the
estate hasn't been settled yet。 I may get some more out of it then； but
you'll have to quit bleeding me。 I'm through with you； I tell you！〃
〃But I'm not with you；〃 was the sharp rejoinder。 〃I'll take this now；
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but I'll need more。 The game isn't going as it used to。 Mind； I'll need
more； and soon。〃
〃You won't get it！〃
〃Oh； won't I？ Well； there are others that'll pay well for what I'm able
to tell； I guess。 I rather think you'll see me again； Lee。 So…long now；
but I'll see you again！〃
She moved off in the darkness； laughing mirthlessly； and with
muttered imprecations LeGrand Blossom turned in the opposite direction；
passing within a few feet of the hidden detective。 〃Blackmail； or is it a
division of the spoils？〃 mused Colonel Ashley。 〃I've got to find out
which。 Mr。 Blossom； I think I'll have to stick to you until you fall into
the sear and yellow leaf。〃
The next day as Colonel Ashley sat trying to fix his attention on a
passage from Walton； a messenger brought him a note。 It was from a
young man who； at the colonel's suggestion； had been given a clerical
place in the office of the late Horace Carwell。 Not even Viola knew that
the young man was one of the colonel's aides。
〃Blossom just sent out a note to a Miss Minnie Webb；〃 the screed；
which the colonel perused； read。 〃He's going to meet her in the park at
Silver Lake at nine to…night。 Thought I'd let you know。〃
〃I'm glad he did；〃 mused the detective。 〃I'll be there。〃
And he was； skillfully though not ostentatiously attired as a loitering
fisherman of the native type； of which there were many in and about
Lakeside。
The fisherman strolled about the little park in the center of which was
a body of fresh water known as Silver Lake。 It was little more than a
pond； and was fed by springs and by drainage。 In the park were trees and
benches； and it was a favorite trysting spot。
Up and down the paths walked Colonel Ashley； his clothes odorous of
fis
