the golf course mystery(高尔夫教程)-第8章
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sooner or later； the tragic verdict must be told。
〃Can't you say anything？〃 he asked； a bit sharply； looking from one
physician to the other 〃Is this all you came to tell … that Mr。 Carwell was a
suicide？ Isn't there any mitigating circumstance？〃
〃I believe he poisoned himself before he began his championship
game；〃 said Dr。 Baird； with startling frankness … almost brutal it seemed。
〃But why should he do such a thing？〃 demanded the captain； rather
petulantly。
〃He may have taken some dope； thinking would brace him up；〃 went
on the young medical man； 〃and it had the opposite effect … a depressing
action on the heart。 Or； he may have taken a overdose of his favorite
drug。 That is what shall have to find out by making suitable inquiries of
members of the family。〃
〃Oh； must we tell…them 〃 exclaimed Captain Poland in startled tones。
And it was easy to determine by his voice that by 〃them〃 he meant Viola。
〃Must we tell？〃 he repeated。
〃I must do my duty as a physician both to the public and to the
family；〃 said Dr。 Lambert； and he straightened up as though ready to
assume the burden he knew would faIl heavily on his shoulders。 〃I must
also think of Viola。 I feel like another father to her now。 I have always；
more or less； regarded her as my little girl； though she is a young lady now。
But the facts must come out。 Even if I were disposed to aid in a
concealment … which I am far from doing…Dr。 Rowland； the county
physician； was present at the autopsy。 He knows。〃
〃Does he know the poison used？〃 asked Captain Poland quickly； and
then； almost as soon as the words had left his lips； he seemed sorry he had
uttered them。
〃No； no more than we；〃 said Dr。 Baird。 〃It will require some nice
work in medical jurisprudence； and also a very delicate analysis； to
determine that。 I am inclined to think … 〃
But what he thought no one heard or cared to hear at that moment； for；
even as he spoke； the door of the little room was thrown hastily and
somewhat violently open； and Viola Carwell confronted the three men。
Her face showed traces of grief； but it had lost little of the beauty for
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which she was noted。
Tall and dark； with hair of that blue … black sheen so rarely observed；
with violet eyes and a poise and grace that made her much observed； Viola
Carwell was at the height of her beauty。 In a sense she had the gentle
grace of her mother and with that the verve and sprightliness of her father
mingled perfectly。 It was no wonder that Captain Poland and Harry
Bartlett and many others； for that matter； were rivals for her favors。
〃I thought you were here；〃 she said quietly to Dr。 Lambert。 〃Oh；
Uncle Add； what is it？ Tell me the truth！〃 she begged as she placed a
hand on his arm； a hand that trembled in spite of her determination to
remain calm。 〃Please tell me the truth ！〃
〃The truth； Viola ？〃 he questioned gently。
〃Yes。 I'm afraid you are trying to keep something back from me。
This looks like it … you men in here talking … consulting as to what is best
to do。 Tell me。 My father is dead。 But that； I know； is not the worst
that can happen。 Tell me！ Is there…is there any disgrace？ I know … 〃
Viola stopped as though she herself feared the words she was about to
utter。 Dr。 Lambert quickly spoke。
〃There has been no disgrace； my dear Viola；〃 he said； gently。 〃We
have just come from the … from having made an investigation … Dr。 Baird
and myself and Dr。 Rowland。 We discovered that your father was
poisoned； and … 〃
〃Poisoned？〃 she gasped； and started back as though struck； while her
rapid glances went from face to face； resting longest on the countenance of
Captain Poland。 It was as though； in this great emergency； she looked to
him for comfort more than to the old doctor who had ushered her into the
world。
〃I am sorry to have to say it； Viola； but such is the case；〃 went on
the family physician。 〃Your father was poisoned。 But the kind of
poison we have not yet determined。〃
〃But who gave it to him ？〃 she cried。 〃Oh； it doesn't seem that any
one would hate him so； not even his worst enemy。 And he had so many
friends…too many； perhaps。〃
〃We don't know that any one gave him the poison； Viola；〃 said Dr。
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Lambert； gently。 〃In fact； it does not seem that any one did； or your
father would have known it。 Certainly if any one had tried to make him
take poison there would have been a struggle that he would have
mentioned。 But he died of poison； nevertheless。〃
〃Then there can be but one other explanation；〃 she murmured； and her
voice was tense and strained。 〃He must have … 〃
〃We fear he took it himself；〃 blurted out Dr。 Baird； in spite of the
warning look cast at him by his colleague。
〃Oh； I won't believe that！ It can't be true！〃 cried Viola； and she burst
into a storm of sobs。 Dr。 Lambert placed his arms about her。
〃Tell me it isn't true； Uncle Add！ Tell me it isn't true！〃 she sobbed。
The three men； looking at one another … Dr。 Lambert's glance coming
over the bowed head of Viola … said nothing for a few moments。 Then as
her sobs died away； and she became calmer； the old physician said：
〃You mustnot take on so； Vi。 I know it is hard； but you must meet the
issue squarely。 At the same time you must realize that even the most
suspicious circumstances may be explained away。 While it does look as
though your father had deliberately taken the poison； it may easily be
established by an investigation that it was an accident … an accident of
which even your father was ignorant。〃
〃There are so many poisons that do not manifest themselves for a long
time … often days … after they are taken； that there is every chance of
proving this to have been an accident。〃
〃Then there must be an investigation！〃 was Viola's quick decision。
There were still tears in her eyes； but she looked through them now； as
through a veil that must be torn aside。 〃I can not believe that my father
was a … a suicide … 〃 she halted at the awful word。 〃I will not believe it！〃
she went on more firmly。 〃It can not be true！〃
Hardly had she uttered the last word than a figure passed through the
hall； flitting past the half…opened door of the little room where Viola stood
with the three men。
〃Who is there ？〃 she called sharply； for she had spoken rather loudly；
and she did not want any of the servants to hear。 〃Who is there？〃
〃It is I … Minnie；〃 was the answer。 〃Dear Viola； I have come to see if
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I could do anything。 I rang and rang； but no one answered the bell； and；
as the door was open； I walked in。〃
〃I'm afraid I didn't close it when I let you in；〃 said Captain Poland to
Dr。 Lambert。
〃Dear Viola ！〃 said Minnie Webb； as she placed cheek against that of
her friend。 〃Is there anything I can do in your terrible trouble？ Please
let me do something！〃
〃Thank you； Minnie。 You are very kind。 I don't know。 We are in
such distress。 Tell me … 〃 and Viola seemed to nerve herself for some
effort。 〃Tell me！ Did you hear what I said just now … as you passed the
door？〃
〃Do you mean about not believing that your father was a suicide？〃
asked Minnie； in a low voice。
〃Yes。〃
〃I … I heard you。〃
〃Then the only thing you can do is to help me prove otherwise；〃 said
Viola。 〃That would be the greatest help。 It can't be true； and we want
that made plain。 Father never killed himself。 He was not that kind of
man。 He did not fear death； but he would not go deliberately to meet it。
It is not true that he killed himself！〃 and Viola's voice seemed to ring out。
A strange look came over the face of Minnie Webb。 There was a
great pity shining in her eyes as she said：
〃I … I am sorry； Viola； but … but I am afraid it may be true。〃
〃What！ That my father committed suicide？〃
〃Yes；〃 whispered Minnie。 〃I … I'm afraid it may be true！〃
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CHAPTER V
HARRY'S MISSION
Minnie Webb'S announcement affected her four hearers in four
different ways。 It shocked Viola … shocked her greatly； for she had；
naturally； expected kindly sympathy and agreement from her friend。
Dr。 Baird； who had involuntarily begun to twist his small mustache at
the entrance of Miss Webb； looked at her in admiration of her good looks
and because she upheld a theory to which he felt himself committed … a
theory that Mr。 Carwell was a plain out…and…out suicide。
Dr。 Lambert was plainly indignant at the bald manner in which Minnie
Webb made her statement； and at the same time he had pity for the
ignorance of the lay mind that will pronounce judgment against the more
cautious opinions of science。 And this was not the first poisoning case
with which the aged practitioner had dealt。
As for Captain Poland； h
