the golf course mystery(高尔夫教程)-第16章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃I'm not afraid！〃 cried Viola。 〃I know Harry Bartlett is not guilty！〃
〃If he is not … who then？〃 asked the colonel。
〃Oh； I don't know！ I don't know what to think！ I suspect … No； I
mustn't say that … Oh； I'm almost distracted！〃 And； with sobs shaking her
frame； Viola Carwell rushed from the room。
Colonel Ashley looked after her for a moment； as though half of a
mind to follow； and then； slowly shaking his head； he again picked up the
paper he had been reading； delving through a maze of technical poisoning
detection formulae； from Vortmann's nitroprusside test to a consideration
of the best method of estimating the toxicity of chemical compounds by
blood hemolysis。 The reporter and young Dr。 Baird certainly left little to
the imagination。
Colonel Ashley read until rather late that evening； and his reading was
not altogether from Izaak Walton's 〃Compleat Angler。〃 He delved into
several books； and again read； very carefully； the artide on the effects of
various poisons as it appeared in the paper he had been glancing over
when Viola talked with him。
As the colonel was getting ready to retire a servant brought him a note。
It was damp； as though it had been splashed with water； and when the
detective had read it and had noted Viola's signature； he knew that her
tears had blurred the writing。
〃Please excuse my impulsiveness；〃 she penned。 〃I am distracted。 I
know Harry is not guilty。 Please do something！〃
〃I am trying to；〃 mused the colonel as he got into bed； and turned his
thoughts to a passage he had read in Walton just before switching off his
light。 It was an old rhyme； the source of which was not given； but which
seemed wonderfully comforting under the circumstances。 It was a bit of
advice given by our friend Izaak； and as part of what a good fisherman
should provide specified： 〃My rod and my line； my float and my lead；
My hook and my plummet； my whetstone and knife。 My basket； my
baits； both living and dead； My net and my meat （for that is the chief）：
71
… Page 72…
THE GOLF COURSE MYSTERY
Then I must have thread； and hairs green and small； With mine
angling purse … and so you have all。〃
〃And；〃 reflected Colonel Ashley； as he dozed off； 〃I guess I'll need all
that and more to solve this mystery。〃
The detective was up betimes the next morning； as he would have said
had he been discoursing in the talk of Mr。 Walton； and on going to the
window to fill his lungs with fresh air； he saw a letter slipped under his
door。
〃From Viola； I imagine；〃 he mused； as he picked it up。 〃Unless it's
from Shag； telling me the fish are biting unusually well。 I hope they're
not； for I must do considerable to…day； and I don't want to be tempted to
stray to the fields。
〃It isn't from Shag； though。 He never could muster as neat a pen as
this。 Nor yet is it from Viola。 Printed； too！ The old device to prevent
detection of the handwriting。 Well； mysterious missive； what have you to
say this fine morning？〃
He opened the envelope carefully； preserving it and not tearing the
address； which； as he had said； was printed； not written。 It bore his name；
and nothing else。
Within the envelope was a small piece of paper on which was printed
this：
〃Ask Miss Viola what this means。 58 C。 H。 … 161*。〃
Colonel Ashley read the message through three times without saying a
word。 Then he held the paper and envelope up to the light to see if they
bore a water mark。 Neither did； and the paper was of a cheap； common
variety which might be come upon in almost any stationery store。 The
colonel read the message again； looked at the back and front of the
envelope； and then； placing both in his pocket； went down to breakfast； the
bell for which he heard just as he finished his simple breathing exercises。
The morning papers were at his place； which was the only one at the
table。 Either Viola and her aunt had already breakfasted； or would do so
later。 The colonel ate and read。
There was not much new in the papers。 Harry Bartlett was still held
as a witness； and the prosecutor's detectives were still working on the case。
72
… Page 73…
THE GOLF COURSE MYSTERY
As yet no one had connected Colonel Ashley officially with the matter。
The reporters seemed to have missed noting that a celebrated … not to
say successful … detective was the guest of Viola Carwell。 It was an hour
after the morning meal； and the colonel was in the library； rather idly
glancing over the titles of the books； which included a goodly number on
yachting and golfing； when Viola entered。
〃Oh； I didn't know you were here ！〃 she exclaimed； drawing back。
〃Oh； come in！ Come in ！〃 invited the colonel。 〃I am just going out。
I was wondering if there happened to be a book on chemistry here … or one
on poisons。〃
〃Poisons！〃 exclaimed the girl； half drawing back。
〃Yes。 I have one； but I left it in New York。 If there happened to be
one … Or perhaps you can tell me。 Did you ever study chemistry？〃
〃As a girl in school； yes。 But I'm afraid I've forgotten all I ever
knew。〃
〃My case； too；〃 said the colonel with a laugh。 〃Then there isn't a
book giving the different symbols of chemicals ？〃
〃Not that I know of；〃 Viola answered。 〃Still I might help you out if it
wasn't too complicated。 I remember that water is H two 0 and that
sulphuric acid is H two S 0 four。 But that's about all。〃
〃Would you know what fifty…eight C H one sixty…one； with a period
after the C； a dash after the H and a star after the last number was？〃 the
colonel asked casually。
Viola shook her head。
〃I'm afraid I wouldn't；〃 she answered。 〃That is too complicated for
me。 Isn't it a shame we learn so much that we forget？'
〃Still it may have its uses；〃 said the colonel。 〃I'll have to get a book
on chemistry； I think。〃
He turned to go out。
〃Have you learned anything more？〃 Viola asked timidly。
〃Nothing to speak about；〃 was the answer。
〃Oh； I wish you would find out something … and soon；〃 she murmured。
〃This suspense is terrible！〃 and she shuddered as the detective went out。
It was late that afternoon when Colonel Ashley； having seen Miss
73
… Page 74…
THE GOLF COURSE MYSTERY
Mary Carwell and Viola walking at the far end of the garden； went softly
up the stairs to the room of the girl who had summoned him to The Haven。
With a skill of which he was master he looked quickly but carefully
through Viola's desk； which was littered with many letters and telegrams
of condolence that had been answered。
Colonel Ashley worked quickly and silently； and he was about to give
up； a look of disappointment on his face； when he found a slip of paper in
one of the pigeon holes。 And the slip bore this； written in pencil：
58 C。 H。 … I6I*
74
… Page 75…
THE GOLF COURSE MYSTERY
CHAPTER X
A WATER HAZARD
〃Isn't there some place where you can take her for a few days … some
relative's where she can rest and forget； as much as possible； the scenes
here？〃
〃Yes； there is；〃 replied Miss Mary Carwell to Colonel Ashley's
question。 〃I'll go with her myself to Pentonville。 I have a cousin there；
and it's the quietest place I know of； outside of Philadelphia；〃 and she
smiled faintly at the detective。
〃Good！〃 he announced。 〃Then get her away from here。 It will do
you both good。〃
〃But what about the case … solving the mystery？ Won't you want either
Viola or me here to help you？〃
〃I shall do very well by myself for a few days。 Indeed I shall need
the help of both of you； but you will be all the better fitted to render it
when you return。 So take her away … go yourself； and try to forget as
much of your grief as possible。〃
〃And you will stay … 〃
〃I'll stay here； yes。 Shag and I will manage very nicely； thank you。
I'm glad you have colored help。 I can always get along with that kind。 I've
been used to them since a boy in the South。〃
And so Viola and Miss Carwell went away。
It was after the sufficiently imposingly somber funeral of Horace
Carwell； for since the adjourned inquest … adjourned at the request of the
prosecutor … it was not considered necessary to keep the poor； maimed
body out of its last resting place any longer。 It had been sufficiently
viewed and examined。 In fact； parts of it were still in the hands of the
chemists。
〃And now； Shag； that we're left to ourselves … 〃 said Colonel Ashley；
when Viola and Miss Carwell had departed the day following the funeral；
〃now that we are by ourselves … 〃
〃I reckon as how you'll fix up as to who it were whut done killed de
75
… Page 76…
THE GOLF COURSE MYSTERY
gen'man； an' hab him ‘rested； won't yo'； Colonel； sah？〃 asked Shag； with
the kindly concern and freedom of an old and loved servant。
〃Indeed I'll do nothing of the sort！〃 exclaimed Colonel Ashley。 〃I'm
going fishing； Shag； and I'll be obliged to you if you'll lay out my
Kennebec rod and the sixteen line。 I think there are some fighting fish in
that little river that runs along at the end of the golf course。 Get
everything ready and then let me know；〃 and the
