the golf course mystery(高尔夫教程)-第39节
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Morocco Kate was mixed up in this？〃
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〃No！ Is she？〃
〃Seems to be。〃
〃Good night； nurse！ Whew！ If he fell for her … 〃
〃I don't believe he did； Jack。 My old friend was a sport； but not that
kind。 He was clean； all through。〃
〃Glad to hear you say so； Colonel。 Well； what next？〃
They sat talking until far into the night。
There was rather a sensation in Lakeside two days later when it
became known that the coroner's jury was to be called together again； to
consider more evidence in the Carwell case。
〃What does it mean？〃 Viola asked Colonel Ashley。 〃Does it mean
that Harry will be … 〃
〃Now don't distress yourself； my dear；〃 returned the detective；
soothingly。 〃I have been nosing around some； and I happen to know that
the prosecutor and coroner haven't a bit more evidence than they had at
first when they held Mr。 Bartlett。〃
〃Does that mean Harry will be released？〃
〃I think so。〃
〃Does it mean he will be proved innocent？〃
〃That I can't say。 I hardly think the verdict will be conclusive in any
case。 But they haven't any more evidence than at first … that he had a
quarrel with your father just before the fatal end。 As to the nature of the
quarrel； Harry is silent … obstinately silent even to his own counsel； and in
this I can not uphold him。 However； that is his affair。〃
〃But I'm sure； Colonel； that he had nothing to do with my father's
death； aren't you？〃
〃If I said I was sure； my dear； and afterward； through force of evidence
and circumstance； were forced to change my opinion； you would not thank
me for now saying what you want me to say；〃 was the reply。 〃It is better
for me to say that I do not know。 I trust for the best。 I hope； for your
sake and his； that he had nothing to do with the terrible crime。 I want to
see the guilty person discovered and punished； and to that end I am
working night and day。 And if I find out who it is； I will disclose him … or
her … no matter what anguish it costs me personally … no matter what
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THE GOLF COURSE MYSTERY
anguish it may bring to others。 I would not be doing my full duty
otherwise。〃
〃No； I realize that； Colonel。 Oh； it is hard … so hard！ If we only
knew！〃
〃We may know；〃 said the colonel gently。
〃Soon ？〃 she asked hopefully。
〃Sooner than you expect；〃 he answered with a smile。 〃Now I must
attend the jury session。〃
It was brief； and not at all sensational； much to the regret of the
reporters for the New York papers who flocked to the quiet and
fashionable seaside resort。 The upshot of the matter was that the
chemists for the state reported that Mr。 Carwell had met his death from the
effects of some violent poison； the nature of which resembled several
kinds； but which did not analyze as being any particular one with which
they were； at present； familiar。
There were traces of both arsenic and strychnine； but mingled with
them was some narcotic of strange composition； which was deadly in its
effect； as had been proved on guinea pigs； some of the residue from the
stomach and viscera of the dead man having been injected into the hapless
animals。
Harry Bartlett was not called to the stand； but； pale from his
confinement； sat an interested and vital spectator of the proceedings。
The prosecutor announced that the efforts of his detectives had
resulted in nothing more。 There was not sufficient evidence to warrant
accusing any one else； and that against Harry Bartlett was of so slender
and circumstantial a character that it could not be held to have any real
value before the grand jury nor in a trial court。
〃What is your motion； then？〃 asked the coroner。
Well； I don't know that I have any motion to make；〃 said Mr。 Stryker。
〃If this were before a county judge； and the prisoner's counsel demanded it；
I should have to agree to a nolle pros。 As it is I simply say I have no
other evidence to offer at this time。〃
〃Then the jury may consider that already before it？〃 asked Billy Teller。
〃Yes。〃
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〃You have heard what the prosecutor said； gentlemen；〃 went on the
coroner。 〃You may retire and consider your verdict。〃
This they did； for fifteen minutes … fifteen nerve…racking minutes for
more than one in the improvised courtroom。 Then the twelve men filed
back； and in answer to the usual questions the foreman announced：
〃We find that Horace Carwell came to his death through poison
administered by a person； or persons； unknown。〃
There was silence for a moment； and then； as Bartlett started from his
seat； a flush mantling his pale face； Viola； with a murmured 〃Thank God！〃
fainted。
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CHAPTER XX
A MEETING
Harry Bartlett walked from the court a free man； physically； but not
mentally。 He felt； and others did also； that there was a stain on him …
something unexplained； and which he would not； or could not； clear up …
the quarrel with Mr。 Carwell just before the latter's death。 And even to
Viola； when； in the seclusion of her home； she asked Harry about it after
the trial； or rather； the verdict； he replied：
〃I can not tell。 It was nothing that concerns you or me or this case。 I
will never tell。〃
And Colonel Ashley； hearing this； pondered over it more and more。
The little green book was all but forgotten during these days； and as
for the rods； lines； and reels； Shag arranged them； polished them and laid
them out； in hourly expectation of being called on for them； but the call
did not come。 The colonel was after bigger fish than dwelt in the sea or
the rivers that ran into the sea。
It was a week after the rather unsatisfactory verdict of the coroner's
jury that Bartlett； out in his 〃Spanish Omelet；〃 came most unexpectedly on
Captain Gerry Poland； some fifty miles from Lakeside。 The captain was
in his big machine； and he seemed surprised on meeting Bartlett。
〃Oh！〃 he exclaimed。 〃Then you are … 〃
〃Out； at any rate；〃 was the somewhat bitter reply。 〃Where have you
been； Gerry？〃
〃Away。 I couldn't stand it around there。〃
〃I suppose you know they have been looking for you？〃
〃Looking for me？ Oh； you mean Colonel Ashley wanted some
information about certain business matters。 Well； I didn't see that I owed
him any explanation about private matters between Mr。 Carwell and
myself； so I didn't answer。
〃You know what the imputation is； Gerry？〃 questioned Bartlett； as
each man sat in his car； near a lonely stretch of woods。
〃I don't know that I do；〃 was the calm reply。
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〃Well； Viola has told me of the finding of the papers in her father's
private safe。 I told her I would see you； if I could； and get an explanation。
I did not think I would find you so soon。〃
〃I didn't know you were looking； Harry； or I would have come to you。
What do you mean about papers in a private safe？〃
〃I mean those which indicate that Mr。 Carwell owed you fifteen
thousand dollars。〃
〃Well； he did owe me that；〃 said the captain calmly。
〃He did？〃 and Harry Bartlett accented the last word。
〃Yes； but it was paid。 He did not owe me a dollar at the time of his
death。〃
〃That is astonishing news！ There is no r
