the golf course mystery(高尔夫教程)-第23章
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〃Oh！〃
Viola stood irresolute a moment； and then turned back toward the
house； Shag walking beside her。
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CHAPTER XIV
THE PRIVATE SAFE
Divided as she was among several opinions； torn by doubts and
sufferings from grief； Viola Carwell found distinct relief in a message that
awaited her on her return to the house after her failure to find Colonel
Ashley。 The message； given her by a maid； was to the effect：
〃The safe man has come。〃
〃The who？〃 asked Viola； not at first understanding。
〃The safe man。 He said you sent for him to open a safe and … 〃
〃Oh； yes； I understand； Jane。 Where is he？〃
〃In the library； Miss Viola。〃
Viola hastened to the room where so many fateful talks had taken
place of late； and found there a quiet man； beside whose chair was a limp
valise that rattled with a metallic jingle as his foot brushed against it when
he arose on her entrance。
〃Have you come from the safe company？〃 she asked。
〃Yes。 I understood that there was one of our safes which could not be
opened； and they sent me。 Here is the order；〃 and he held out the paper。
He spoke with quiet dignity； omitting the 〃ma'am；〃 from his salutation。
And Viola was glad of this。 He was a relief from the usual plumber or
carpenter； who seemed to lack initiative。
〃It is my father's private safe that we wish opened；〃 she said。 〃He
alone had the combination to it； and he … he is dead；〃 she added softly。
〃So I understood；〃 he responded with appreciation of what her grief
must be。 〃Well； I think I shall be able to open the safe without damaging
it。 That was what you wanted； was it not？〃
〃Yes。 Father never let any one but himself open the safe when he
was alive。 I don't believe my mother or I saw it open more than ten times；
and then by accident。 In it he kept his private papers。 But； now that he
is … is gone； there is need to see how his affairs stand。 The lawyer tells
me I had better open the safe。
〃When we found that none of us knew the combination； and when it
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was not found written down anywhere among father's other papers； and
when his clerk； Mr。 Blossom； did not have it； we sent to the company。〃
〃I understand；〃 said the safe expert。 〃If you will show me … 〃
Viola touched a button on the wall； a button so cleverly concealed that
the ordinary observer would never have noticed it； and a panel slid back；
revealing the door of the safe。
〃It was one of father's ideas that his strong box was better hidden this
way；〃 said Viola； with a little wan smile。 〃Is there room enough for you
to work？ The safe is built into the wall。〃
〃Oh； there is plenty of room； thank you。 I can very easily get at it。 It
isn't the first safe I've had to work on this way。 Many families have safes
hidden like this。 It's a good idea。〃
He looked at the safe； noted the manufacturer's number； and consulted
a little book he carried with him。 Then he began to turn the knob gently；
listening the while； with acute and trained ears； to the noise the tumblers
made as they clicked their way； unseen； amid the mazes of the
combination。
〃Will it be difficult； do you think？〃 asked Viola。 〃Will it take you
long？〃
〃That is hard to say。〃
〃Do you mind if I watch you？〃 she asked eagerly。 She wanted
something to take her mind off the many things that were tearing at it as
the not far distant sea tore at the shore which stood as a barrier in its way。
〃Not at all；〃 answered the expert。 Then he went on with his work。
In a way it was as delicate an operation as that which sometimes
confronts a physician who is in doubt as to what ails his patient。 There
was a twisting and a turning of the knob； a listening with an ear to the
heavy steel door； as a doctor listens to the breathing of a pneumonia victim。
Then with his little finger held against the numbered dial； the expert again
twirled the nickel knob； seeking to tell； by the vibration； when the little
catches fell into the slots provided for them。
It was rather a lengthy operation； and he tried several of the more
common and usual combinations without result。 As he straightened up to
rest Viola asked：
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〃Do you think you can manage it？ Can you open it？〃
〃Oh； yes。 It will take a little time； but I can do it。 Your father
evidently used a more complicated combination than is usually set on
these safes。 But I shall find it。〃
Viola's determination to open the safe had been arrived at soon after
the funeral； when it was found that； as far as could be ascertained； her
father had left no will。 A stickler for system； in its many branches and
ramifications； and insisting for minute detail on the part of his
subordinates； Horace Carwell did what many a better and worse man has
done … put off the making of his will。 And that made it necessary for the
surrogate to appoint an administrator； who； in this case； Viola renouncing
her natural rights； was Miss Mary Carwell。
〃I'd rather you acted than I；〃 Viola had said； though she； being of age
and the direct heir； could well and legally have served。
Miss Carwell had agreed to act。 Then it became necessary to find out
certain facts； and when they were not disclosed by a perusal of the papers
of the dead man found in his office and in the safe deposit box at the bank；
recourse was had to the private safe。 LeGrand Blossom knew nothing of
what was in the strong box…not even being entrusted with the combination。
〃There！ It's open！〃 announced the expert at length； and he turned the
handle and swung back the door。
〃Thank you；〃 said Viola。 Then； as she looked within the safe； she
exclaimed：
〃Oh； there is an inner compartment； and that's locked； too！〃
〃Only with a key。 That will give no trouble at all；〃 said the man。 He
proved it by opening it with the third key he tried from a bunch of many
he took from his valise。 That was all there was for him to do； save to set
the combination with a simpler system； which he did； giving Viola the
numbers。
〃Was it as easy as you thought？〃 she asked； when the expert was about
to leave。
〃Not quite … no。 The combination was a double one。 That is； in two
parts。 First the one had to be disposed of； and then the other worked。〃
〃Why was that？〃
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〃Well； it is on the same principle as the safe deposit boxes in a bank。
The depositor has one key； and the bank the other。 The box cannot be
opened by either party alone。 Both keys must be used。 That insures
that no one person alone can get into the box。 It was the same way with
this safe。 The combination was in two parts。〃
〃And did my father set it that way？〃
〃He must have done so； or had some one arrange the combination for
him。〃
〃Then he … he must have shared the combination with some one else！〃
There was fright in Viola's eyes； and a catch in her voice。
〃Yes；〃 assented the expert。 〃Either that or he set it that way merely
for what we might call a 'bluff；' to throw any casual intruder off the track。
Your father might have possessed both combinations himself。〃
〃And yet he might have shared them with … with another person？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃And the other…the other person〃 … Viola hesitated noticeably over the
word … 〃would have to be present when the safe was opened？〃 She did not
say 〃he〃 or 〃she。〃
〃Well； not necessarily；〃 answered the expert。 〃He might have had the
combination in two parts； and used both of them himself。 It is often done。
Though； of course； he could； at any time； have shared the secret of the safe
with some one else。〃
〃That would only be in the event of there being something in it that
both he and some other person would want to take out at the same time；
something that one could not get at without the knowledge of the other；
would it not？〃
〃Naturally； yes。 But； as I say； it might be the other way … that the
double combination was used merely as an additional precaution。〃
〃Thank you；〃 said Viola。
She sat for several minutes in front of the opened safe after the expert
had gone； and did not offer to take out any of the papers that were now
exposed to view。 There was a strange look on her face。
〃Two persons！〃 she murmured。 〃Two persons！ Did he share the
secrets of this safe with some one … some one else？〃
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Viola reached forth her hand and took hold of a bundle of papers tied
with a red band…tape it was； of the kind used in lawyers' offices。 The
bundle appeared to contain letters … old letters； and the handwriting was
that of a woman。
〃I wonder if I had better get Aunt Mary？〃 mused the girl。 〃She is the
administrator； and she will have to know。 But there are some things I
might keep from her … if I had to。〃
She looked more closely at the letters； and when she saw that they
were in the well…remembered hand of her mother she breathed more easily。
〃If he kept … these … it must be … all right！〃 she falt
