the golf course mystery(高尔夫教程)-第39部分
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〃Do you really think Blossom could have done it？〃
〃He could； of course。 The main question is； did he have an object in
getting Mr。 Carwell out of the way？〃
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〃And did he have？〃 〃I think he did。 I've been trailing him lately；
when he didn't suspect it； and I've seen him in some queer situations。 I
know he needed a lot of money and … well； I'm going to take him into
custody as the murderer of Mr。 Carwell。 〃I Want you to … 〃
But that was as far as the detective got； for there was a shriek in the
hall … a cry of mortal anguish that could only come from a woman … and
then； past the library door； rushed a figure in white。
Out and away it rushed； flinging open the front door； speeding down
the steps and across the lawn。
〃Quick ！〃 cried Colonel Ashley。 〃Who was that？〃
〃I don't know！〃 answered Jack。 〃Must have been the person I thought
I heard in the hall。〃
〃We must find out who it was！〃 went on the detective。 〃You make
some inquiries。 I'll take after her。〃
〃Could it have been Miss Viola？〃
The question was answered almost as soon as it was asked； for； at that
moment； Viola herself came down the front stairs。
〃What is it？〃 she asked the two detectives。 〃Who cried out like that？
Is some one hurt？〃
〃I don't know；〃 answered Colonel Ashley。 〃Mr。 Young and I were
talking in the library when we heard the scream。 Then a woman rushed
out。〃
〃It must have been Minnie Webb！〃 cried Viola。 〃She was here a
moment ago。 The maid told me she was waiting in the parlor； and I was
detained upstairs。 It must have been Minnie。 But why did she scream
so？〃
Colonel Ashley did not stop to answer。
〃Look after things here； Jack！〃 he called to his assistant。 〃I'm going
to follow her。 If ever there was a desperate woman she is。〃
And he sped through the darkness after the figure in white。
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CHAPTER XXII
THE LARGE BLONDE AGAIN
The trail was not a difficult one to follow。 The night was
particularly black； with low…hanging clouds which seemed to hold a threat
of rain； and the wind sighed dolefully through the scrub pines。 Against
this dim murkiness the figure of the woman in white stood out ghostily。
〃Poor Minnie Webb！〃 mused Colonel Ashley； as he hurried on after her。
〃She must be desperate now … after what she heard。 I wonder … 〃
He did not put his wonder into words then； but his suspicion was
confirmed as he saw her head for the bridge that spanned a creek； not far
from where the ferry ran over to Loch Harbor。
At certain times this creek was not deep enough to afford passage for
small rowboats； but when the tide was in there was draught enough for
motor launches。
〃And the tide is in now；〃 mused the colonel； as he remembered passing
among the sand dunes late that afternoon； and noting the state of the sea。
〃Too bad； poor little woman！〃 he added gently； as he followed her。 〃Not so
fast！ Not so fast！ There is no need of rushing to destruction。 It comes soon
enough without our going out to meet it。 Poor girl！〃
He went on through the darkness； following； following； following
distracted Minnie； who； with the fateful words still ringing in her ears；
hardly knew whither she hurried。
Colonel Ashley； in spite of the desperate manner in which the chase
had begun； felt that he was safe from observation。 He had on dark
clothes； which did not contrast so strongly with the night as did the light
and filmy dress of Minnie Webb。 Besides； she was too distracted to
notice that she was being followed。
〃She is going to the bridge； and the tide is in；〃 mused the detective。 〃I
didn't think she had that much spunk … for it does take spunk to attempt
anything like this in the dark。 However； I'll try to get there as soon as she
does。〃
The fleeing girl in white passed over an open moor； fleeced here and
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there with scanty bushes； which gave the detective all the cover he needed。
But the girl did not look back； and the night was dark。 The clouds were
thicker too； and the very air seemed so full of rain that an incautious
movement would bring it spattering about one's head； as a shake of a tree；
after a shower； precipitates the drops。
And then there suddenly loomed； like grotesque shadows on the night；
two other figures at the very end of the bridge that Minnie Webb sought to
cross。 They seemed to bar her way； and yet they were as much startled as
she； for they drew back on her approach。
And Colonel Ashley； stealing his way up unseen； heard from Minnie
Webb the startled ejaculation：
〃LeGrand！ You here？ And who … who is this？〃
Then； as if in defiance； or perhaps to see who the challenger was； the
figure standing beside that of LeGrand Blossom flashed a little pocket
electric torch。 And by the gleam of it Colonel Ashley saw the large
blonde woman again。
〃Morocco Kate！〃 he murmured。 〃So she is mixed up in it after all！ I
think I begin to see daylight in spite of the darkness。 Morocco Kate！〃
Then； crouching down behind some bushes； he waited and listened and
thought swiftly。
〃Speak to me！〃 implored Minnie of the young man。 〃What does it
mean； LeGrand？ Why are you here with … with … 〃
〃He knows my name well enough； if he wants to tell it；〃 broke in the
other。 〃I'm not ashamed of it； either。 But who are you； I'd like to know？
I never saw you before！〃 and the blonde woman flashed her light full on
Minnie's white face。
And as the girl shrank back； Morocco Kate； so called； sneered：
〃Some one else he's got on a string； I suppose！ Ho！ It's a merry life
you lead； LeGrand Blossom！〃
〃Stop！〃 the young man exclaimed。 〃I can't let you go on this way。
Minnie； please leave us for a moment。 I'll come to you as soon as I can。〃
〃Oh； yes！ Of course！〃 sneered the other。 〃She's younger and prettier
than I … quite a flapper。 I was that way … once。 And I suppose you said
the same thing to some one else you wanted to get rid of before you took
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me on。 Oh； to the devil with the men； anyhow！〃
Minnie gasped。
〃Shocked you； did I； kid？ Well； you'll hear worse than that； believe
me。 If I was to tell … 〃
〃Stop！〃 and LeGrand Blossom snapped out the words in such a
manner that the desperate woman did stop。
〃Minnie； go away；〃 he pleaded； more gently。 〃I'll come to you as
soon as I can； and explain everything。 Please believe in me！〃
〃I … I don't believe I can … again； LeGrand；〃 faltered Minnie。 〃I … I
heard what you said to her just now … that you couldn't do anything more
for her。 Oh； what have you been doing for her？ Who is she？ Tell me！
Oh； I must hear it； though I dread it！〃
〃Yes； you shall hear it ！〃 cried LeGrand Blossom； and there was
desperation in his voice。 〃I was going to tell you； anyhow； before I
married you … 〃
〃Oh； you're really going to marry her； are you？〃 sneered the blonde。
〃Really？ How interesting！〃
〃Will you be quiet？〃 said LeGrand； and there was that in his voice
which seemed to cow the blonde woman。
〃Minnie；〃 went on LeGrand Blossom； its a hard thing for a man to talk
about a woman； but sometimes it has to be done。 And it's doubly hard
when it's about a woman a man once cared for。 But I'm going to take my
medicine； and she's got to take hers。〃
〃I'm no quitter！ I'm a sport； I am！〃 was the defiant remark。 〃So was
Mr。 Carwell … Old Carwell we used to call him。 But he had more pep
than some of you younger chaps。
〃Leave his name out of this！〃 growled LeGrand； like some dog trying
to keep his temper against the attacks of a cur。
〃This woman … I needn't tell you her name now； for she has several；〃
he went on to Minnie。 〃This woman and I were once engaged to be
married。 She was younger then … and … different。 But she began
drinking and … well； she became impossible。 Believe me；〃 he said；
turning to the figure beside him； 〃I don't want to tell this； but I've got to
square myself。〃
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〃Yes；〃 and the other's voice was broken。 〃I may as well give up now
as later。 If anything can
