the golf course mystery(高尔夫教程)-第34章
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don't mind anything but the love…making。 I hate to break in on that！〃
There was an eloquent silence； and then LeGrand Blossom said：
〃I am very happy； Minnie。〃
〃And so am I。 Now what shall we do？〃
〃Get married as soon as possible； of course。 I've got to wind up
matters here； and as soon as I can I may take up an offer that came from
Boston。 It's a very good one。 Would you go there with me？〃
〃Yes； LeGrand。 I'd go anywhere with you … you know that。〃
〃I'm glad I do； my dear。 It may be necessary to go very soon； and …
well； we won't stop to say good…bye； either。〃
〃Why！ what do you mean 〃 and the hidden detective knew that the girl
had drawn away from the young man。
〃Oh； I mean that we won't bother about the fuss of a farewell…party。
I'm not tied to the Carwell business。 In fact I'd be glad to chuck it。
There's nothing in it any more； since there's no chance for a partnership。
We'll just go off by ourselves and be happy … won't we； Minnie？〃
〃I hope so； LeGrand。 But must we go away？ Can't you get something
else here？〃
〃I think we must； yes。〃
〃You haven't had trouble with … with Viola； have you？〃
〃No。 What made you think of that？〃
〃Oh； it was just a notion。 Well； if we have to leave we will。 I shall
hate to go； however。 But； I'll be with you … 〃 and again the words were
smothered。
〃I wonder what sort of a double…cross game he's playing；〃 mused the
colonel when the two had left the park and he； rather stiff from his
position； shuffled to the lonely spot where he had before made a change of
garments。 Attired as his usual self； he went back to The Haven； and
spent rather a restless night。
Minnie Webb was perplexed。 She loved LeGrand Blossom … there
was no doubt of that … but she did not see why he should have to leave the
vicinity of Lakeside where she had lived so many years … at least during
the summer months。 All her friends and acquaintances were there。
〃I wonder if Viola has given him notice to leave since she came into
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her father's property；〃 mused Minnie。 〃I'm going to ask her。 He may
never get such a good place in Boston as he has here。 I'll see if I can't
find out why he wants to leave。 It can't be just because father does not
care much for him。〃
So she called on Viola； as she had done often of late； and found her
friend sitting silent； and with unseeing eyes staring at the rows of books in
the library。
〃Oh； Minnie； it was so good of you to come！ I'm very glad to see you。
Since father went it has been very lonely。 You look extremely well。〃
〃I am well … and … happy。 Oh； Viola； you're the first I have told； but
… but Mr。 Blossom has … asked me to marry him； and … 〃
〃Oh； how lovely！ And you've said ‘yes！' I can tell that！〃 and Viola
smiled and kissed her friend impulsively。 〃Tell me all about it！〃
〃And so it's all settled；〃 went on Minnie； after much talk and many
questions and answers。 〃Only I'm sorry he's going to leave you。〃
〃Going to leave me！〃 exclaimed Viola。 Her voice was incredulous。
〃Well； I mean going to give up the management of your business。 I'm
sure you'll miss him。〃
〃I shall indeed！ But I did not know Mr。 Blossom was going to leave。
He has said nothing to me or Aunt Mary about it。 In fact； I … 〃
〃Oh； is there something wrong？〃 asked Minnie quickly； struck by
something in Viola's voice。
〃Well； nothing wrong； as far as we know。 But … 〃
〃Oh； please tell me！〃 begged Minnie。 〃I am sure you are concealing
something。〃
〃Well； I will tell you！〃 said Viola at last。 〃I feel that I ought to； as
you may hear of it publicly。 It concerns fifteen thousand dollars；〃 and
she went into details about the loan； which one party said had been paid；
and of which Blossom said there was no record。
〃Oh！〃 gasped Minnie Webb。 〃Oh； what does it mean？〃 and； worried
and heartsick； lest she should have made a mistake； she sat looking
dumbly at Viola。。。
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CHAPTER XXI
THE LIBRARY POSTAL
〃My dear； I am sorry if I have told you anything that distresses you；〃
said Viola gently。 〃But I thought … 〃
〃Oh； yes； it is best to know；〃 was the low response。 〃Only … only I
was so happy a little while ago； and now … 〃
〃But perhaps it may all be explained！〃 interrupted Viola。 〃It is only
some tiresome business deal； I'm sure。 I never could understand them；
and I don't want to。 But it does seem queer that there is no record of that
fifteen thousand dollars being paid back。〃
〃What does Captain Poland say about it？〃
〃Oh； he told Harry； very frankly； that father paid the money； and that
the receipt was sent to Mr。 Blossom。 But the latter says it can not be
found。〃
〃And do you suspect Mr。 Blossom ？〃 asked Minnie； and her voice held
a challenge。
〃Well；〃 answered Viola slowly； 〃there isn't much of which to suspect
him。 It isn't as if Captain Poland claimed to have paid father the fifteen
thousand dollars； and the money couldn't be found。 It's only a receipt for
money which the captain admits having gotten back that is missing。 But it
makes such confusion。 And there are so many other things involved … 〃
〃You mean about the poisoning？〃
〃Yes。 Oh； I wish it were all cleared up！ Don't let's talk of it。 I
must find out about Mr。 Blossom going away。 We shall have to get some
one in his place。 Aunt Mary will be so disturbed … 〃
〃Don't say that I told you！〃 cautioned Minnie。 〃Perhaps I should not
have mentioned it。 Oh； dear； I am so miserable！〃 And she certainly
looked it。
〃And so am I！〃 confessed Viola。 〃If only Harry would tell what he is
keeping back。〃
〃You mean about that quarrel with your father？〃
〃Yes。 And he acts so strangely of late； and looks at me in such a
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queer way。 Oh； I'm afraid； and I don't know what I'm afraid of！〃
〃I'm the same way； Viola！〃 admitted Minnie。
I wonder why we two should have all the trouble in the world？〃
And the two were miserable together。
They were not the only ones to suffer in those days。 Captain Gerry
Poland could not drive Viola from his mind。 To the yachtsman； she was
the most beautiful woman he had ever met； and he wondered if fortune
would ever make it possible for him to approach her again on the subject
that lay so close to his heart。
And then there was Bartlett。 It was true he walked the streets … 0r
rather rode around them in his 〃Spanish Omelet〃 … a free man； yet the
finger of suspicion was constantly pointed at him。
More than once in the town he met people who sneered openly at him；
as if to say； 〃You are guilty； but we can't prove it。〃 And once on the golf
course he went up to three men who had formerly been quite friendly and
suggested a game of golf； upon which one after another the others made
trivial excuses and begged to be excused。 Upon this occasion the young
man had rushed away； his face scarlet； and he had only calmed down after
a mad tour of many miles in his racing machine。
〃It's an outrage！〃 he had muttered to himself。 〃A dastardly outrage！
But what is a fellow going to do？〃
Meanwhile Colonel Ashley and Jack Young were puzzling their heads
over many matters connected with the golf course mystery。 Jack had
obeyed the colonel's instructions to the letter。 He had played many
rounds on the links and had gotten to a certain degree of friendship with
Jean Forette。 He had even formed a liking for Bruce Garrigan； who；
offhand； informed him that the amount of India ink used in tattooing
sailors during the past year was less by fifteen hundred ounces than the
total output of radium salts for 1916； while the wheat crop of Minnesota
for the same period was 66；255 bushels。 All of which information； useful
in a way； no doubt； was accepted by Jack with a smile。 He was there to
look and listen； and； well； he did it。
〃But I've got to pass it up；〃 he told Colonel Ashley。 〃I've stuck to that
Jean chap until I guess he must think I want him for a chauffeur if ever I'm
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able to own a car bigger than a flivver。 And aside from the fact that he
does use some kind of dope； in which he isn't alone in this world； I can't
get a line on him。〃
〃No； I didn't expect you would；〃 said Colonel Ashley； with a smile。
〃But are you well enough acquainted with him to have a talk with his
sweetheart？〃
〃You mean Mazi？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Well； I s'pose I might get a talk with her。 But what's the idea？〃
〃Nothing special； only I'd like to see if she tells you the same story she
told me。 Have a try at it when you get a chance。〃
〃On the theory； I suppose； of in any trouble； look for the lady？〃
〃Somewhat； yes。〃
They were talking in The Haven； for Jack had been put up there as a
guest at the request of Colonel Ashley。 And when the bell rang；
indicating some one at the door； they looked at one another questioningly。
Then came the postman's whistle； for Lakeside； though but a summer
