the golf course mystery(高尔夫教程)-第43部分
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And so the trio … the last of the procession； if we except Fate … went
closer to the cottage whence so cheerfully gleamed the light。
〃Who is there？ What do you want？〃
It was the snarling voice of Jean Forette； late chauffeur for the
Carwells； challenging。
〃Who is it？〃 he cried。
The three figures came on。
Suddenly there was a blinding flash； and the gleam from a powerful
electric torch shone in the faces of Jack Young； Morocco Kate and Colonel
Ashley。
There was a gasp of surprise and terror trom the man beside Mazi … the
man who had thrust out the torch to see who it was advancing and closing
in on him through the darkness。
〃Ah！〃 sneered the Frenchman； recovering his self…possession。 〃It is
my friend the officer。 Ah； I am glad to see you … but just now … not！〃 and
he seemed to spit out the words。
〃Maybe not。 I can't always come when I'm expected； nor where I'm
wanted；〃 said Colonel Ashley coolly。 〃Now； my friend … Jack！〃 he cried
sharply。
〃I've got him； Colonel；〃 was the cool answer； and there was a cry of
agony from the chauffeur as his wrist was turned； almost to the breaking
point； while there dropped from his paralyzed hand a magazine pistol；
thudding to the sand at his feet。
〃Go on； Colonel；〃 said Jack； who had slipped off to one side； out of the
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focus of the glaring light； just in time to prevent Jean Forette from using
the weapon he had quickly taken from a side pocket。 〃Go on； close in。
I've drawn his stinger。〃
〃Messieurs； what does this mean？〃 demanded the girl beside Jean。
〃Who are you？ What do you want？ Ah； it is you … and you ！〃 and she
turned first to Colonel Ashley and then to Jack Young。 〃You who have
talked so kindly to me … who have asked me so much about … about my
husband！ It is you who come like thieves and assassins！ Speak to them；
Jean！ Tell them to go！〃
The Frenchman was breathing heavily； for Jack had a merciless grip
on him。
〃Speak to them； Jean！〃 implored the girl； while her mother； standing in
the door with her knitting； looked wonderingly on。 〃Why do they come
to take you like a traitor？〃
〃It … it's all a mistake ！〃 panted the chauffeur。
〃You've got me wrong； messieurs。 I … I didn't do it。 It was all an
accident。 He … I … Oh； my God！ You！〃 and he started back as Morocco
Kate stepped toward him； pulling from her face the veil that had covered it
when the glaring light showed。 Jack Young now held the electric torch。
〃You！〃 he murmured hoarsely。
〃Yes； I！〃 she cried。 〃The woman you kicked out like a sick dog！
I've found you at last； and now I'll make you suffer all I did and more …
you … devil！〃
〃Softly； Kate； softly！〃 murmured the colonel。 But she did not heed
him。
〃You … you spawn of hell ！〃 she cried。 〃It was you who sent me down
where I am … where not a decent woman will look at me and a decent man
won't speak to me。 You did it … you left me to rot in my shame so you
could find some one else … some one younger and prettier to fondle and
kiss and … Oh； God！〃
She sank in a shuddering heap on the sand at the feet of the man who
had broken her body and spirit； and lay there； sobbing out her anger。
〃Let her stay there a little；〃 said the colonel softly。 〃She'll feel better
after this outburst。〃
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〃Jean！ Jean！ What is it all about？〃 begged the girl who still
maintained her place beside him。 〃Oh； speak to me！ Tell me！ Who is
she？〃 and she pointed to the huddled figure on the sand。
〃I'll tell you who she is；〃 said Colonel Ashley。 〃She is the legal wife
of Jean Carnot； alias Jean Forette； and … 〃
A scream from Mazi stopped him。
〃Tell me it isn't true； Jean！ Tell me it isn't true！〃 begged the girl。
Jean Carnot did not speak。
〃He knows it is true；〃 said the colonel。 〃And now； my French auto
friend； I've come to take you into custody on a charge of … 〃
〃I didn't do it！ I didn't do it！〃 cried the man。 〃I swear I didn't do it。 I
was going to throw the glass away but he grabbed it from me； and … 〃
〃I arrest you on a charge of bigamy；〃 went on the calm voice of
Colonel Ashley。 And then； as he saw Mazi stagger as though about to fall；
he added：
〃All right； Jack。 I'll take care of her。 You put the bracelets on him。
And see that they're good and tight。 We don't want him slipping out and
getting married again。 He doesn't have much regard for bonds of any
sort； matrimonial or legal。〃
And then he lifted poor； little Mazi up and carried her into the cottage；
while Morocco Kate got slowly to her feet and sat down on the bench in
the darkest shadows； sobbing。
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CHAPTER XXIV
STILL WATERS
〃The records show that Henri Margot； alias Jean Carnot alias Jean
Forette was married to Isabel Pelubit in Paris on March 17； four years ago；
and that she died under suspicious circumstances three months later；
leaving her husband all of a snug little fortune she possessed。
〃All lies； monsieur … all lies！ I do not believe anything you tell me！〃
〃Well； that's very foolish of you； Mazi； for you can easily prove for
yourself everything I tell you； and it will be better for you； in the end； if
you do believe。〃
〃I do not。 But go on with … more lies！〃 She shrugged her shoulders
contemptuously。
Colonel Ashley leafed over a sheaf of papers he had spread out on the
table in front of him。 He and Mazi sat in a room in police headquarters
in Lakeside。 It was the day following the procession to the cottage on the
moor。
〃The records show；〃 went on the detective； 〃that Henri Margot was
arrested in Paris； charged with having poisoned his wife so that he might
spend on another woman the money she possessed。 But he was not
convicted； chiefly because the chemists could not agree on the kind of
poison that had caused death。〃
〃All lies … I do not believe；〃 said Mazi； stolidly。
〃Um！〃 mused the colonel。 〃Well； Mazi； you're more stubborn than I
thought。 But it doesn't make any difference to me； you know。 I'm paid
for all this。 Now let's see … what's next？ Oh； yes。 Then the records
show that Henri； or Jean； whichever you choose to call him； came to this
country。 He fell in love with a pretty girl … she wasn't as pretty as you；
Mazi； I'll say that … but he fell in love with her and married her … or
pretended to。 However； it was a fake ceremony； and she couldn't prove
anything when he had spent all her money and tossed her aside。 So there
wasn't anything we could do to him that time。〃
〃More lies；〃 said Mazi； calmly … or at least with the appearance of
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calmness。
〃The records show；〃 went on the inexorable voice of Colonel Ashley；
that next Jean Carnot； as he called himself then； became infatuated with a
pretty girl … and this time I'll say she was just about as pretty as you； Mazi
… and her name was Annie Tighe。 She was an Irish girl； and she insisted
on being married by a priest； so there wasn't any faking there。 Jean was
properly married at least。〃
〃What do I care for all these lies？〃 sneered the girl； impatiently
tapping her foot on the floor。 〃Why do you bore me？ I am not
interested！ I should like to see Jean。 Ha！ Where have you put him？〃
〃You'll see him soon enough； Mazi。 I've got just a few more records
to show you； and then I'm done。 Now we come to the time when； after
he found he couldn't get out of a legal marriage； Jean put his foot in it； so
to speak。 He was tied right； this time； so he took refuge in a lie when he
wanted to shake off the bonds of matrimony； as my friend Jack Young
would say。 He told his wife … and she was his wife； and is yet … he told
her the ceremony was a fake； that the priest was a false one； in his pay。〃
〃All lies！ What do I care？〃 sneered Mazi； again shrugging her
shoulders。
〃Well； now let's get along。 After our friend Jean found he was tired
of his wife he shamed her into leaving him and she went … well； that isn't
pleasant to dwell on； either。 Except that he's the villain responsible for
her going to the dogs。 He sent her there just as he would have sent you；
Mazi； except for what has happened。〃
〃You mean he is not my husband？〃
〃Not in the least。〃
〃I do not believe you。 It i
