the golf course mystery(高尔夫教程)-第40章
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to show you； and then I'm done。 Now we come to the time when； after
he found he couldn't get out of a legal marriage； Jean put his foot in it； so
to speak。 He was tied right； this time； so he took refuge in a lie when he
wanted to shake off the bonds of matrimony； as my friend Jack Young
would say。 He told his wife … and she was his wife； and is yet … he told
her the ceremony was a fake； that the priest was a false one； in his pay。〃
〃All lies！ What do I care？〃 sneered Mazi； again shrugging her
shoulders。
〃Well； now let's get along。 After our friend Jean found he was tired
of his wife he shamed her into leaving him and she went … well； that isn't
pleasant to dwell on； either。 Except that he's the villain responsible for
her going to the dogs。 He sent her there just as he would have sent you；
Mazi； except for what has happened。〃
〃You mean he is not my husband？〃
〃Not in the least。〃
〃I do not believe you。 It is all lies。 These women are but jealous。
Proceed。〃
〃That's about all there is to it； Mazi； except to show you the letter from
your own priest； who confirms the fact that the priest who married Jean
Carnot and Annie Tighe was legally authorized to do so； both by the laws
of his own church and those of New York State； where the ceremony took
place。 You will believe Father Capoti； won't you？〃 and he laid beside the
girl a letter which she read eagerly。
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This time she said nothing about lies； but her face turned deadly pale。
〃And this is the last exhibit；〃 went on the colonel； as he laid a
photograph before Mazi。 It showed a man and a girl； evidently in their
wedding finery； and the face of the man was that of Jean Forette； and that
of the girl was of the woman who had groveled on the sand at the feet of
the chauffeur the night before； … Morocco Kate。
〃Look on the back；〃 suggested the detective； and when Mazi turned
the photograph over she read：
〃The happiest day of my life … Jean Carnot。〃
〃If you happen to have any love letters from him … and I guess you
have；〃 went on the colonel； 〃you might compare the writing and … 〃
〃I have no need； monsieur；〃 was the low answer。 〃I … God help me。 … I
believe now！ Oh； the liar！ If I could see him now … 〃
〃I rather thought you'd want to；〃 murmured the colonel。 〃Bring him
in！〃 he called。
The door opened； and； handcuffed to a stalwart officer； in slunk Jean
of the many names。
Mazi sprang to her feet； her face livid。 She would have leaped at the
prisoner； but the colonel held her back。 But he could not hold back the
flood of voluble French that poured from her lips。
〃Liar！ Dog！〃 she hissed at him。 〃And so you have deceived me as
you deceived others！ You lied … and I thought he lied！〃 and she motioned
to the colonel。 〃Oh； what a silly fool I've been！ But now my eyes are
open！ I see！ I see！〃
With a quick gesture； before the colonel could stop her； she tore in half
the picture that had swept away all her doubts。
〃Mustn't do that！〃 chided the colonel； as he picked up the pieces which
she was about to grind under her feet。 〃I'll need that at the trial。〃
〃You … you beast！〃 whispered the girl； but the whisper seemed louder
than a shout would have been。 〃You beast！ No longer will I lie for you。
Why you wanted me to； I do not know。 Yes； I do！ It was so that you
might be with some one else when you should have been with me。 Listen；
all of you！〃 she cried； as she flung her arms wide。 〃No longer will I
shield him。 He told me to say that he was with me when that golf man …
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Monsieur Carwell died … before he died … but he was not。 No more will I
lie for you； Jean of the many names！ You were not with me！ I did not
even see you that day。 Bah！ You were kissing some other fool maybe！
Oh； my God！ I … I … 〃
And the colonel gently laid the trembling； shrieking girl down on a
bench； while the eyes of the shrinking figure of Jean the chauffeur
followed every movement。
He raised his free hand； and seemed to be struggling to loosen his
collar that appeared to choke him。 For a moment the attention of Colonel
Ashley was turned toward Mazi； who was sobbing frantically。 Then；
when he saw that she was becoming quieter； he turned to the prisoner。
〃You heard all that went on； I know；〃 said the detective。 〃That's why
I put you in the next room。〃
〃Yes； I heard；〃 was the calm answer。 〃But what of it？ You can
prove nothing only that women are fools。 I shall hire a good lawyer and …
poof！ What would you have … a man must live。 Bigamy； it is not such a
serious charge。〃
〃Oh； no； there are worse；〃 said the colonel calmly。 〃You're going to
hear one presently。 She told me just what I wanted to know； as I thought
she would if I could get her roused up enough against you。 So； you
weren't riding； as you said； with her the day Mr。 Carwell came to his end。
I never thought you were； Jean of the many names。 And now； officer； if
you'll take him back and lock him up； I guess this will be about all to…day。〃
〃But I want to get bail！〃 exclaimed the prisoner。 〃I have a right to be
bailed。 My lawyer says so。〃
〃There isn't any bail in your case；〃 said the detective。
〃Pooh！ Nonsense！ Bigamy； it is not such a serious charge。〃
〃Oh； didn't I tell you？ I meant to；〃 said the colonel gently。 〃You're
under another accusation now。 Jean Forette； to call you by your latest
alias； you're under arrest； charged with the murder； by poison； of Horace
Carwell； and I think we'll come pretty near convicting you by the
testimony of Mazi。 Ah； would you … not quite！〃
He struck down the hand the prisoner had raised to his mouth； and
there rolled over the floor a little capsule。 The top came off and a white
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powder spilled out。
〃Don't step on it！〃 warned the colonel as several other officers came in
to assist in handling the prisoner； who was struggling violently。 〃It's
probably the same poison； mixed with French dope； that killed Mr。
Carwell。 Jean had it hidden in the collar band of his shirt ready for
emergencies。 But you shan't cheat the chair； Jean of the many names！〃
They led the Frenchman away； struggling and screaming that he was
innocent； that it was all a mistake。 By turns he prayed and blasphemed
horribly。
〃That's the way they usually do when they can't get a shot of their
dope；〃 said the jail physician； after he had visited the prisoner and given
him a big dose of bromide。 〃He'll be a wreck from now on。 He's
rotten with some French drug； the like of which I've never seen used
before。〃
The coroner's jury had been called together again。 Once more the
sordid evidence was gone over； but this time there was more of it； and it
had to do with a story told weepingly on the stand by Mazi； and
corroborated by Colonel Ashley。
And a little later； when the jury filed in； it was to report：
〃We find that Horace Carwell came to his death through poison
administered by Jean Carnot； alias Jean Forette； with intent to kill。〃
And a little later； when the grand jury had indicted him； the man's
nerve failed him completely； because his supply of drug was kept from
him and he babbled the truth like a child； weeping。
He had stolen two hundred dollars from the pocketbook of Mr。
Carwell the day before the championship golf game； and； the crime having
been detected by Viola's father； the chauffeur had been given twenty…four
hours in which to return the money or be exposed。 He was in financial
straits； and； as developed later； had stolen elsewhere； so that he feared
arrest and exposure and was at his wit's end。 He had spent much of the
money on Mazi； whom he induced to go through a secret marriage
ceremony with him。
Then Jean； like a cornered rat； and crazy from the drug he had filled
himself with； conceived the idea of poisoning Mr。 Carwell。 That would
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prevent arrest and exposure； he reasoned。
The chauffeur found his opportunity when he was ordered to stop the
big red； white and blue car at a roadhouse just prior to the game。 Mr。
Carwell was thirsty； and in bad humor； and ordered the chauffeur to bring
out some champagne。 It was into this that Jean slipped the poison； mixed
with some of his own drug which he knew would retard the action of the
deadly stuff for some time。 And it worked just as he had expected；
dropping Mr。 Carwell in his tracks about two hours later； as he made the
stroke that won the game。
〃But how did a chauffeur know so much about poison and dope as to
be able to mix a dose that would fool the chemists？〃 asked Jack Young of
his chief； a little later。
〃Jean's father was a French chemist； and a clever one。 It was there
that Jean learned to mix the powder dope he took； and he learned much of
other drugs。 I suspect； though I can't prove it； that he poisoned his first
wife。 A devil all the way through；〃 answered the colonel。
〃But what did Bartlett and Mr。 Carwell quarrel about so seriously that
Bartlett wouldn't tell？〃
〃It w
