the golf course mystery(高尔夫教程)-第13章
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words。
〃You mean that you suspect … 〃 began Colonel Ashley。
〃Oh； I don't know what to think； and certainly I don't dare suspect any
one！〃 exclaimed Viola。 〃It is all so terrible！ But one thing I would like
all father's friends to know … that he did not take his own life。 He would
not do such a thing。〃
〃Then；〃 said Colonel Ashley； 〃we must show that it was either an
accident … that he took the fatal dose by mistake or that some one gave it to
him。 Forgive me for thus brutally putting it； but that is what it simmers
down to。〃
〃Yes； I have thought of that；〃 returned Viola； and her shrinking form
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and the haunted look in her eyes told what an ordeal it was for her。 〃I leave
it all to you； Colonel Ashley。 Father often spoke of you； and he often
said； if ever he had any mystery to clear up； that you were the only man he
would trust。 Now that I am alone I must trust you；〃 and she smiled at the
colonel。 It was something of her former smile … a look that had turned
many a man's head； some even as settled in life and years as Colonel
Ashley。
〃Well； I'll do my best for the sake of you and your father；〃 replied the
detective。 〃I don't mind saying that I hoped I was done with all mystery
cases； but fate seems to be against me。
〃Mind； I am not complaining！〃 he said quickly； as he saw Viola about
to protest。 〃It's just my luck。 And I can't promise you anything。 From
what Mr。 Bartlett told me； there seem to be very few suspicious
circumstances connected with the case。〃
〃I realize that；〃 answered Viola。 〃And that makes it all the stranger。
But tell me； Colonel； haven't you often found that the cases which； at first；
seemed perfectly plain and simple； afterward turned out to be the most
mysterious？〃
〃Jove； but that's true ！〃 exclaimed the former soldier。 〃You spoke the
truth then； Miss Viola。 My friend Izaak never put a statement more
plainly。 And that's the theory I always go on。 Now then； let me have all
the facts in your possession。 And you too； 〃he added； turning to Bartlett。
〃You might remain while Miss Carwell talks to me； and you can add
anything she may forget； while she can do the same in your case。 I
suppose you know there is to be a coroner's inquest？〃 he added to the girl。
〃Yes；〃 she answered。 〃I have received a subpoena。 I think it is well
to have it； for it will show the public how mistaken a verdict arrived at
when all the facts are not known may be。 I shall attend。〃
〃I just received a summons；〃 said Bartlett； and he seemed to breathe
more easily。
〃Shag … Where's that black boy of mine？〃 exclaimed the colonel。
〃I sent him to the servants' quarters；〃 said Miss Mary Carwell； coming
in just then。 〃How do you do； Colonel Ashley。 I don't know whether you
remember me； but … 〃
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〃Indeed I do。 And I remember that the last time I dined with you we
had chicken and waffles that … well； the taste lingers yet！〃 and the colonel
bowed gallantly； which seemed to please Miss Carwell very much indeed。
〃So you have looked after Shag； have you？〃
〃Yes。 We have plenty of spare rooms； and I thought you'd want him
near you。〃
〃I want him this moment；〃 said the detective。 〃If you will be so good
as to send him here I'll get him to open my bag and take out a note…book I
wish to use。〃
A little later Colonel Ashley had thrown himself heart and soul into the
〃Golf Course Mystery；〃 as he marked it on a page in his note…book。
On the preceding page were the last entries in a case； the beginning of
which was inscribed 〃The Diamond Cross Mystery。〃 It was thus that
Colonel Ashley kept the salient facts of his problems before him as he
worked。
Between them Viola Carwell and Harry Bartlett told the colonel such
facts leading up to the death of Mr。 Carwell as they knew。 They spoke of
the day of the big golf matches； and the exhilaration of Mr。 Carwell as he
anticipated winning the championship contest。
The scene at the links was portrayed； the little excitement among the
parked cars； caused； as developed later； by a blaze in a machine standing
next the big red； white； and blue car belonging to Mr。 Carwell； and then
the sudden collapse of Carwell as he make his winning stroke。 The finding
of some peculiar poison in the stomach and viscera of the dead man was
spoken of； and then Viola made her appeal again for a disclosure of such
truth as Colonel Ashley might reveal。
〃I'll do my best；〃 he promised。 〃But I believe it will be better to wait
until after the inquest before I take an active part。 And I think I can best
work if I remain unknown … that is if it is not published broadcast that I am
here in my official capacity。〃
To this Viola and Bartlett agreed。 As neither of them had； as yet；
spoken of bringing the colonel into the case； it was a comparatively easy
matter to pass him off as an old friend of the family； which； in truth； he
was。
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So Colonel Ashley was given the guest chamber； Shag was provided
with comfortable quarters； and then Viola seemed more content。
〃I know；〃 she said to her aunt； 〃that the truth will be found out now。〃
〃But suppose the truth is more painful than uncertainty； Viola？〃
〃How can it be？〃 asked the girl； as tears filled her eyes。
〃I don't know；〃 answered Miss Carwell softly。 〃It is all so terrible；
that I don't believe it can be any worse。 But we must hope for the best。
I trust business matters will go along all right。 I confess I don't like the
forgetting； on the part of LeGrand Blossom； of attending to the bank
matter。〃
〃It was probably only an oversight。〃
〃Yes。 But it has started a rumor that your poor father's affairs might
not be in the best shape。 Oh； dear； it's all so terrible！〃
But there were other terrors to come。
Following his plan of acting merely as a guest and an old friend of the
family who had journeyed from afar to attend the funeral； Colonel Ashley
went about as silent as though on a fishing trip。 He looked and listened；
but said little。 He was not yet ready for a cast。 He was but inspecting
the stream … several streams； in fact； to see where he could best toss in
his baited hook。
And it was in this same spirit that he attended the coroner's inquest；
which was held in the town hall。 Over the deliberations； which were； at
best； rather informal； Coroner Billy Teller presided。
The office of coroner was； in Lakeside； as in most New Jersey cities or
towns； much of an empty title。 At every election the names of certain
men were put on the ticket to be voted for as coroners。
Few took the trouble to ballot for them； scarcely any one against them；
and they were automatically inducted into office by reason of a few votes。
Just what their functions were few knew and less cared。 There used
to be a rumor； perhaps it is current yet in many Jersey counties； that a
coroner was the only official who could legally arrest the sheriff in case
that official needed taking into custody。 As to the truth of this it is not
important。
Certain it is that Billy Teller had never before found himself in such
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demand and prominence。 He was to act in the capacity of judge； though
the verdict in the case； providing one could be returned； would be given by
the jury he might impanel。
There was a large throng in attendance at the town hall when the
inquest began。 Reporters had been sent out by metropolitan papers； for
Horace Carwell was a well known figure in the sporting and the financial
world； and the mere fact that there was a suspicion that his death was not
from natural causes was enough to make it a good story。
Billy Teller was； frankly； unacquainted with the method of procedure；
and he confessed as much to the prosecutor； an astute lawyer。 As the
latter would have the conducting of the case for the state in case it came to
a trial in the upper courts； Mr。 Stryker saw to it that legal forms were
followed in the selection of a jury and the swearing in of the members of
the panel。 Then began the taking of testimony。
The doctors told of the finding of evidences of poison in Mr。 Carwell's
body。 Its nature was as yet undetermined； for it was not of the common
type。
This much Dr。 Lambert stated calmly； and without attempting to go
into technical details。 Not so Dr。 Baird。 He spoke learnedly of
Reinsch's test for arsenic； of Bloxam's method； of the distillation process。
He juggled with words； and finally； when pinned down by a direct but
homely question from Billy Teller； admitted that he did not know what had
killed Mr。 Carwell。
Testimony to the same effect was given by several chemists who had
analyzed the stomach and viscera of the dead man。 There was a sediment
of poison present； they admitted； and sufficient had been extracted in a
free state to end the lives of several guinea pigs on which it had been
tested。 But as to the exact nature of the poison they could not yet say。
More time for analysis was needed。
It was certain that Mr。 Carwell had come to his death by an active
agent in the nature of some substance； as yet unknown； which he either
swallowed purposely； by accident； or because some one gave it to him
either knowingly or unknowingly。 This was a sufficient
