the golf course mystery(高尔夫教程)-第20章
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poisons； and I'm afraid that isn't what you want。 It is entitled 'Poisonous
Plants of New Jersey；' and is one of the bulletins of the New Jersey
Agricultural Experiment Station at New Brunswick。 But it is out at
present。 Here is the number of it； and if it comes in … 〃
〃I should be glad to see it；〃 interrupted the colonel pleasantly。
〃Here is the number；〃 and the pretty girl extended to him a slip which
read： 58 C。 H … i6i*
〃What is the star for？〃 asked the colonel。
〃It indicates that the book was donated by the state and was not
purchased with the endowment appropriation；〃 she informed him。
〃And it is out now。 I wonder if you could tell me who has it？〃
〃Why； yes； sir。 Just a moment。〃
She looked at some more cards； and came back to him。 She looked a
bit disturbed。
〃The book； ‘Poisonous Plants of New Jersey' was taken out by Miss
Viola Carwell；〃 said the girl。
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CHAPTER XII
BLOSSOM'S SUSPICIONS
Characteristic as it was of Colonel Ashley not to show surprise； he
could hardly restrain an indication of it when he reached The Haven； and
found Miss Mary Carwell and Viola there。 They were not expected until
the next day； but while her niece was temporarily absent Miss Carwell
explained the matter。
〃She couldn't stand it another minute。 She insisted that I should pack
and come with her。 Something seemed to drive her home。〃
〃I hope；〃 said the Colonel gently； 〃that she didn't imagine that I wasn't
doing all possible； under the circumstances。〃
〃Oh； no； it wasn't anything like that。 She just wanted to be at home。
And I think； too；〃 and Miss Carwell lowered her voice； after a glance at
the door； 〃that she wanted to see him。〃
〃You mean … ？〃
〃Mr。 Bartlett！ There's no use disguising the fact that his family and
ours aren't on friendly terms。 I think he did a grave injustice to my
brother in a business way； and I'll never forgive him for it。 I don't want to
see Viola marry him … that is I didn't。 I hardly believe； now； after he has
been arrested； that she will。 But there is no doubt she cares for him； and
would do anything to prove that this charge was groundless。〃
〃Well； yes； I suppose that's natural；〃 assented the detective。 〃I'd be
glad； myself； to believe that Harry Bartlett had nothing to do with the
death of Mr。 Carwell。〃
〃But you believe he did have； don't you？〃
〃I haven't yet made up my mind；〃 was the cautious answer。 〃The golf
course mystery； I don't mind admitting； is one of the most puzzling I've
ever run across。 It won't do to make up one's mind at once。〃
〃But my brother either committed suicide； or else he was deliberately
poisoned ！〃 insisted Miss Carwell。 〃And those of us who knew him feel
sure he would never take his own life。 He must have been killed； and if
Harry Bartlett didn't do it who did？〃
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〃I don't know；〃 frankly replied the colonel。 〃That's what I'm going to
try to find out。 So Miss Viola feels much sympathy for him； does she？〃
〃Yes。 And she wants to go to see him at the jail。 Of course I know
they don't exactly call it a jail； but that's what I call it！〃
Miss Carwell was nothing if not determined in her language。
〃Would you let her go if you were I … go to see him？〃 she asked。
〃I don't see how you are going to prevent it；〃 replied the colonel。
〃Miss Viola is of legal age； and she seems to have a will of her own。 But I
hardly believe that she will see Mr。 Bartlett。〃
〃Oh； but she said she was going to。 That's one reason she made me
come home ahead of time； I believe。 She says she's going to see him；
and what she says she'll do she generally does。〃
〃However I don't believe she'll see him；〃 went on the detective。 〃The
prosecutor has given orders since yesterday that no one except Mr。
Bartlett's legal adviser must communicate with him； so I don't believe
Miss Viola will be admitted。〃
This proved to be correct。 Viola was very insistent； but to no avail。 The
warden at the jail would not admit her to the witness rooms； where Harry
Bartlett paced up and down； wondering； wondering； and wondering。 And
much of his wonder had to do with the girl who tried so hard to see him。
She had sent word by his lawyer that she believed in his innocence and
that she would do all she could for him； but he wanted more than that。 He
wanted to see her … to feast his hungry eyes on her … to hold her hand； to …
Oh； well； what was the use？ he wearily asked himself。 Would the
horrible tangle ever be straightened out？ He shook his head and resumed
his pacing of the rooms … for there were two at his disposal。 He was weary
to death of the dismal view to be had through the barred windows。
〃Did you see him？〃 asked her aunt； when Viola； much dispirited；
returned home。
〃No； and I suppose you're glad of it！〃
〃I am。 There's no use saying I'm not。〃
〃Aunt Mary； I think it's perfectly horrid of you to think； even for a
moment； that Harry had anything to do with this terrible thing。 He'd
never dream of it； not if he had quarreled with my father a dozen times。
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And I don't see what they quarreled about； either。 I'm sure I was with
Harry a good deal of the time before the game； and I didn't hear him and
my father have any words。〃
〃Perhaps； as it was about you； they took care you shouldn't hear。〃
〃Who says it was about me？〃
〃Can't you easily guess that it was； and that's why Harry doesn't want
to tell？〃 asked Miss Mary。
〃I don't believe anything of the sort！〃 declared Viola。
〃Well；〃 sighed Miss Carwell； 〃I don't know what to believe。 If your
poor； dear father wasn't a suicide； some one must have killed him； and it
may well have been … 〃
〃Don't dare say it was Harry！〃 cried Viola excitedly。 〃Oh； this is
terrible！ I'm going to see Colonel Ashley and ask him if he can't end this
horrible suspense。〃
〃I wish that as eagerly as you do；〃 said Miss Mary。 〃You'll find the
colonel in the library。 He's poring over some papers； and Shag； that
funny colored man； is getting some fish lines ready； so it's easy enough to
guess where the colonel is going。 If you want to speak to him you'd
better hurry。 But there's another matter I want to call to your attention。
What about our business affairs？ Have we money enough to go on living
here and keeping up our big winter house？ We must think of that； Viola。〃
〃Yes； we must think of that；〃 agreed the girl。 〃That's one of the
reasons why I wanted to come back。 Father's affairs must be gone into
carefully。 He left no will； and the lawyer says it will take quite a while to
find out just how things stand。 If only Harry were here to help。 He's
such a good business man。〃
〃There are others；〃 sniffed Miss Mary。 〃Why don't you ask the
colonel … or Captain Poland？〃
〃Captain Poland ！〃 exclaimed Viola； startled。 〃Yes。 He helped us
out in the matter of the bank when more collateral was asked for； and he'll
be glad to go over the affairs with us； I'm sure。〃
〃I don't want him to！〃 snapped Viola。 〃Mr。 Blossom is the proper one
to do that。 He is the chief clerk； and since he was going to form a
partnership with father he will； most likely； know all the details。 We'll have
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him up here and ask him how matters stand。〃
〃Perhaps that will be wise；〃 agreed Miss Carwell。 〃But I can't forget
how careless LeGrand Blossom was in the matter of the loan your father
had from the bank。 If he's that careless； his word won't be worth much；
I'm afraid。〃 〃Oh； any one is likely to make a mistake；〃 said Viola。 〃I'll
telephone to Mr。 Blossom and ask him to come here and have a talk with
us。 It will give me something to think about。 Besides … 〃
She did not finish； but went to the instrument and was soon talking to
the chief clerk in the office Mr。 Carwell maintained while at his summer
home。
〃He'll be up within an hour；〃 Viola reported。 〃Now I'm going to have a
talk with the colonel；〃 and she hastened to the library。
The old detective was smoking a cigar； which he hastened to lay aside
when Viola made her entrance； but she raised a restraining hand。
〃Smoke as much as you like；〃 she said。 〃I am used to it。〃
〃Thank you；〃 and he pulled forward a chair for her。
〃Oh； haven't you found out anything yet？〃 she burst out。 〃Can't you
say anything definite？〃
Colonel Ashley shook his head in negation。
〃I'm sorry；〃 he said softly。 〃I'm just as sorry about it as you are。 But I
have seldom had a case in which there were so many clews that lead into
blind allies。 I was just trying to arrange a plan of procedure that I
thought might lead to something。〃
〃Can you？〃 she asked eagerly。
〃I haven't finished yet。 What I need most is a book on poisons…a
comprehensive chemistry would do； but I haven't been able to find one
around here；〃 and he glanced at the books lining the library walls。 〃Your
father didn't go in for that sort of thing。〃
〃No。 But can't you send to New York for one？〃
〃I suppose I could … yes。 I wonder if
