the golf course mystery(高尔夫教程)-第4章
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path that led through a little clump of bushes。 Midway he heard voices。
In an instant he recognized them as those of Horace Carwell and Harry
Bartlett。 He heard Bartlett say：
〃But don't you see how much better it would be to drop it all … to have
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nothing more to do with her？〃
〃Look here； young man； you mind your own business ！〃 snapped Mr。
Carwell。 〃I know what I'm doing！〃
〃I haven't any doubt of it； Mr。 Carwell； but I ventured to suggest？〃
went on Bartlett。
〃Keep your suggestions to yourself； if you please。 I've had about all I
want from you and your family。 And if I hear any more of your impudent
talk … 〃
Then Captain Poland moved away； for he did not want to hear any
more。
In the meantime Viola hurried back to the clubhouse； and forced
herself to be gay。 But； somehow； a cloud seemed to have come over her
day。
The throng had increased； and she caught sight； among the press； of
Jean Forette； their chauffeur。
〃Have you seen my father since he arrived； Jean？〃 asked Viola。
〃Oh； he is somewhere about； I suppose；〃 was the answer； and it was
given in such a surly tone with such a churlish manner that Viola flushed
with anger and bit her lips to keep back a sharp retort。
At that moment Minnie Webb strolled past。 She had heard the
question and the answer。
〃I just saw your father going out with the other contestants； Viola；〃
said Minnie Webb； for they were friends of some years' standing。 〃I
think they are going to start to play。 I wonder why they say the French
are such a polite race she went on； speaking lightly to cover Viola's
confusion caused by the chauffeur's manner。 〃He was positively
insulting。〃
〃He was；〃 agreed Viola。 〃But I shouldn't mind him； I suppose。 He
does not like the new machine； and father has told him to find another
place by the end of the month。 I suppose that has piqued him。〃
While there were many matches to be played at the Maraposa Club
that day； interest； as far as the older members and their friends were
concerned； was centered in that for cup…winners。 These constituted the
best players … the veterans of the game … and the contest was sure to be
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interesting and close。
Horace Carwell was a 〃sport；〃 in every meaning of the term。 Though
a man well along in his forties； he was as lithe and active as one ten years
younger。 He motored； fished； played golf； hunted； and of late had added
yachting to his amusements。 He was wealthy； as his father had been
before him； and owned a fine home in New York； but he spent a large part
of every year at Lakeside； where he might enjoy the two sports he loved
best…golfing and yachting。 Viola was an only child； her mother having
died when she was about sixteen； and since then Mr。 Carwell's maiden
sister had kept watch and ward over the handsome home； The Haven。
Viola； though loving her father with the natural affection of a daughter and
some of the love she had lavished on her mother； was not altogether in
sympathy with the sporting proclivities of Mr。 Carwell。
True； she accompanied him to his golf games and sailed with him or
rode in his big car almost as often as he asked her。 And she thoroughly
enjoyed these things。 But what she did not enjoy was the rather too
jovial comradeship that followed on the part of the men and women her
father associated with。 He was a good liver and a good spender； and he
liked to have about him such persons…men 〃sleek and fat；〃 who if they did
not 〃sleep o' nights；〃 at least had the happy faculty of turning night into
day for their own amusement。
So； in a measure； Viola and her father were out of sympathy； as had
been husband and wife before her； though there had never been a whisper
of real incompatibility； nor was there now； between father and daughter。
〃Fore！〃
It was the warning cry from the first tee to clear the course for the start
of the cup…winners' match。 In anticipation of some remarkable playing；
an unusually large gallery would follow the contestants around。 The best
caddies had been selected； clubs had been looked to with care and tested；
new balls were got out； and there was much subdued excitement； as
befitted the occasion。
Mr。 Carwell； his always flushed face perhaps a trifle more like a mild
sunset than ever； strolled to the first tee。 He swung his driver with
freedom and ease to make sure it was the one that best suited him； and
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THE GOLF COURSE MYSTERY
then turned to Major Wardell； his chief rival。 〃Do you want to take any
more？〃 he asked meaningly。
〃No； thank you；〃 was the laughing response。 〃I've got all I can carry。
Not that I'm going to let you beat me； but I'm always a stroke or two off in
my play when the sun's too bright； as it is now。 However； I'm not
crawling。〃
〃You'd better not ！〃 declared his rival。 As for me； the brighter the sun
the better I like it。 Well； are we all ready？〃
The officials held a last consultation and announced that play might
start。 Mr。 Carwell was to lead。
The first hole was not the longest in the course；but to place one's ball
on fair ground meant driving very surely； and for a longer distance than
most players liked to think about。 Also a short distance from the tee was
a deep ravine； and unless one cleared that it was a handicap hard to
overcome。
Mr。 Carwell made his little tee of sand with care； and placed the ball
on the apex。 Then he took his place and glanced back for a moment to
where Viola stood between Captain Poland and Harry Bartlett。
Something like a little frown gathered on the face of Horace Carwell as he
noted the presence of Bartlett； but it passed almost at once。
〃Well； here goes； ladies and gentlemen！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Carwell in
rather loud tones and with a free and easy manner he did not often assume。
〃Here's where I bring home the bacon and make my friend； the major； eat
humble pie。〃
Viola flushed。 It was not like her father to thus boast。 On the
contrary he was usually what the Scotch call a 〃canny〃 player。 He never
predicted that he was going to win； except； perhaps； to his close friends。
But he was now boasting like the veriest schoolboy。
〃Here I go！〃 he exclaimed again； and then he swung at the ball with
his well…known skill。
It was a marvelous drive； and the murmurs of approbation that greeted
it seemed to please Mr。 Carwell。
〃Let's see anybody beat that！〃 he cried as he stepped off the tee to give
place to Major Wardell。
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Mr。 Carwell's white ball had sailed well up on the putting green of the
first hole； a shot seldom made at Maraposa。
〃A few more strokes like that and he'll win the match；〃 murmured
Bartlett。
〃And when he does； don't forget what I told you；〃 whispered Viola to
him。
He found her hand； hidden at her side in the folds of her dress； and
pressed it。 She smiled up at him； and then they watched the major swing
at his ball。
〃It's going to be a corking match；〃 murmured more than one member
of the gallery； as they followed the players down the field。
〃If any one asked me； I should say that Carwell had taken just a little
too much champagne to make his strokes true toward the last hole；〃 said
Tom Sharwell to Bruce Garrigan。
〃Perhaps；〃 was the admission。 〃But I'd like to see him win。 And；
for the sake of saying something； let me inform you that in Africa last year
there were used in nose rings alone for the natives seventeen thousand four
hundred and twenty…one pounds of copper wire。 While for anklets … 〃
〃I'll buy you a drink if you chop it off short！〃 offered Sharwell。
〃Taken ！〃 exclaimed Garrigan； with a grin。
The cup play went on； the four contestants being well matched； and
the shots duly applauded from hole to hole。
The turn was made and the homeward course began； with the
excitement increasing as it was seen that there would be the closest
possible finish； between the major and Mr。 Carwell at least。
〃What's the row over there？〃 asked Bartlett suddenly； as he walked
along with Viola and Captain Poland。
〃Where？〃 inquired the captain。
〃Among those autos。 Looks as if one was on fire。〃
〃It does；〃 agreed Viola。 〃But I can see our patriotic palfrey； so I
guess it's all right。 There are enough people over there； anyhow。 But it
issomething！〃
There was a dense cloud of smoke hovering over the place where
some of the many automobiles were parked at one corner of the course。
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Still it might be some one starting his machine； with too much oil being
burned in the cylinders。
〃Now for the last hole！〃 exulted Mr。 Carwell； as they approached the
eighteenth。 〃I've got you two strokes now； Major； and I'll have you
fourby the end of the match。〃
〃I'm not so sure of that；〃 was the laughing and good…natured reply。
There was silence in the gallery while the players made ready for the
last hole。
There was a sharp impact as Mr。 Carwell's driver struck the little white
ball and sent it s
