the golf course mystery(高尔夫教程)-第25节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
poor； dear father wasn't a suicide； some one must have killed him； and it
may well have been … 〃
〃Don't dare say it was Harry！〃 cried Viola excitedly。 〃Oh； this is
terrible！ I'm going to see Colonel Ashley and ask him if he can't end this
horrible suspense。〃
〃I wish that as eagerly as you do；〃 said Miss Mary。 〃You'll find the
colonel in the library。 He's poring over some papers； and Shag； that
funny colored man； is getting some fish lines ready； so it's easy enough to
guess where the colonel is going。 If you want to speak to him you'd
better hurry。 But there's another matter I want to call to your attention。
What about our business affairs？ Have we money enough to go on living
here and keeping up our big winter house？ We must think of that； Viola。〃
〃Yes； we must think of that；〃 agreed the girl。 〃That's one of the
reasons why I wanted to come back。 Father's affairs must be gone into
carefully。 He left no will； and the lawyer says it will take quite a while to
find out just how things stand。 If only Harry were here to help。 He's
such a good business man。〃
〃There are others；〃 sniffed Miss Mary。 〃Why don't you ask the
colonel … or Captain Poland？〃
〃Captain Poland ！〃 exclaimed Viola； startled。 〃Yes。 He helped us
out in the matter of the bank when more collateral was asked for； and he'll
be glad to go over the affairs with us； I'm sure。〃
〃I don't want him to！〃 snapped Viola。 〃Mr。 Blossom is the proper one
to do that。 He is the chief clerk； and since he was going to form a
partnership with father he will； most likely； know all the details。 We'll have
93
… Page 94…
THE GOLF COURSE MYSTERY
him up here and ask him how matters stand。〃
〃Perhaps that will be wise；〃 agreed Miss Carwell。 〃But I can't forget
how careless LeGrand Blossom was in the matter of the loan your father
had from the bank。 If he's that careless； his word won't be worth much；
I'm afraid。〃 〃Oh； any one is likely to make a mistake；〃 said Viola。 〃I'll
telephone to Mr。 Blossom and ask him to come here and have a talk with
us。 It will give me something to think about。 Besides … 〃
She did not finish； but went to the instrument and was soon talking to
the chief clerk in the office Mr。 Carwell maintained while at his summer
home。
〃He'll be up within an hour；〃 Viola reported。 〃Now I'm going to have a
talk with the colonel；〃 and she hastened to the library。
The old detective was smoking a cigar； which he hastened to lay aside
when Viola made her entrance； but she raised a restraining hand。
〃Smoke as much as you like；〃 she said。 〃I am used to it。〃
〃Thank you；〃 and he pulled forward a chair for her。
〃Oh； haven't you found out anything yet？〃 she burst out。 〃Can't you
say anything definite？〃
Colonel Ashley shook his head in negation。
〃I'm sorry；〃 he said softly。 〃I'm just as sorry about it as you are。 But I
have seldom had a case in which there were so many clews that lead into
blind allies。 I was just trying to arrange a plan of procedure that I
thought might lead to something。〃
〃Can you？〃 she asked eagerly。
〃I haven't finished yet。 What I need most is a book on poisons…a
comprehensive chemistry would do； but I haven't been able to find one
around here；〃 and he glanced at the books lining the library walls。 〃Your
father didn't go in for that sort of thing。〃
〃No。 But can't you send to New York for one？〃
〃I suppose I could … yes。 I wonder if they might have one in the local
library？〃
〃I'm sure I don't know；〃 and Viola leaned over to pick a thread from
the carpet。 〃I don't draw books from there。 When it was first opened I
took out a card； but when I saw how unclean some of the volumes were I
94
… Page 95…
THE GOLF COURSE MYSTERY
never afterward patronized the place。〃
〃Then you wouldn't know whether they had a book on poisons； or
poison plants or not？〃
〃I wouldn't in the least；〃 she answered； as she arose。 〃As I said； I
don't believe I have been in the place more than twice； and that was two
years ago。〃
〃Then I'll have to inquire myself；〃 said the colonel； and he remained
standing while Viola left the room。 And for some little time he stood
looking at the door as it closed after her。 And on Colonel Ashley's face
there was a peculiar look。
LeGrand Blossom came to The Haven bearing a bundle of books and
papers； and with rather a wry face … for he had no heart for business of this
nature。 Miss Mary Carwell sat down at the table with him and Viola。
〃We want to know just where we stand financially；〃 said Viola。
〃What is the condition of my father's affairs； Mr。 Blossom？〃
The confidential clerk hesitated a moment before answering。 Then
he said slowly：
〃Well； the affairs are anything but good。 There is a great deal of
money gone； and some of the securities left are pledged for loans。〃
〃You mean my father spent a lot of money just before he died？〃 asked
Viola。
〃He either spent it or … Well； yes； he must have spent it； for it is gone。
The car cost ten thousand； and he spent as much； if not more； on the
yacht。〃
〃But they can be sold。 I don't want either of them。 I'm afraid in the
big car；〃 said Viola； 〃and the yacht isn't seaworthy； I've heard。 I wouldn't
take a trip in her。〃
〃I don't know anything about that；〃 said LeGrand Blossom。 〃But
even if the car and yacht were sold at a forced sale they would not bring
anything like what they cost。 I have gone carefully over your father's
affairs； as you requested me； and I tell you frankly they are in bad shape。〃
〃What can be done？〃 asked Miss Carwell。
〃I don't know；〃 LeGrand Blossom frankly admitted。 〃You may call in
an expert； if you like； to go over the books； but I don't believe he would
95
… Page 96…
THE GOLF COURSE MYSTERY
come to any other conclusion than I have。 As a matter of fact； I bad a
somewhat selfish motive in looking into your father's affairs of late。 You
know I was thinking of going into partnership with him； and … and …〃 He
did not finish。
Viola nodded。
〃Perhaps I might say that he was good enough to offer me the chance；〃
the young man went on。 And； as I was to invest what was； to me； a large
sum； I wanted to see how matters were。 So I examined the books
carefully； as your father pressed me to do。 At that time his affairs were in
good shape。 But of late he had lost a lot of money。〃
〃Will it make any difference to us？〃 and Viola included her aunt in her
gesture。
〃Well； you； Miss Carwell；〃 and Blossom nodded to the older lady；
〃have your own money in trust funds。 Mr。 Carwell could not touch them。
But he did use part of the fortune left you by your mother；〃 he added to
Viola。
〃I don't mind that；〃 was her steady answer。 〃If my father needed my
money he was welcome to it。 That is past and gone。 What now remains
to me？〃
〃Very little；〃 answered LeGrand Blossom。 〃I may be able to pull the
business through and save something； but there is a lot of money lost …
spent or gone somewhere。 I haven't yet found out。 Your father
speculated too much； and unwisely。 I told him； but he would pay no heed
to me。〃
〃Do you think he knew； before his death； that his affairs were in such
bad shape？〃 asked the dead man's sister。
〃He must have； for I saw him going over the books several times。〃
〃Do you think this knowledge impelled him toto end his life？〃 faltered
Viola。
LeGrand Blossom considered a moment before answering。 Then he
slowly said：
〃It was either that； or … or； well； some one killed him。 There are no
two ways about it。〃
〃I believe
