the golf course mystery(高尔夫教程)-第44节
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Minnie； please leave us for a moment。 I'll come to you as soon as I can。〃
〃Oh； yes！ Of course！〃 sneered the other。 〃She's younger and prettier
than I … quite a flapper。 I was that way … once。 And I suppose you said
the same thing to some one else you wanted to get rid of before you took
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me on。 Oh； to the devil with the men； anyhow！〃
Minnie gasped。
〃Shocked you； did I； kid？ Well； you'll hear worse than that； believe
me。 If I was to tell … 〃
〃Stop！〃 and LeGrand Blossom snapped out the words in such a
manner that the desperate woman did stop。
〃Minnie； go away；〃 he pleaded； more gently。 〃I'll come to you as
soon as I can； and explain everything。 Please believe in me！〃
〃I … I don't believe I can … again； LeGrand；〃 faltered Minnie。 〃I … I
heard what you said to her just now … that you couldn't do anything more
for her。 Oh； what have you been doing for her？ Who is she？ Tell me！
Oh； I must hear it； though I dread it！〃
〃Yes； you shall hear it ！〃 cried LeGrand Blossom； and there was
desperation in his voice。 〃I was going to tell you； anyhow； before I
married you … 〃
〃Oh； you're really going to marry her； are you？〃 sneered the blonde。
〃Really？ How interesting！〃
〃Will you be quiet？〃 said LeGrand； and there was that in his voice
which seemed to cow the blonde woman。
〃Minnie；〃 went on LeGrand Blossom； its a hard thing for a man to talk
about a woman； but sometimes it has to be done。 And it's doubly hard
when it's about a woman a man once cared for。 But I'm going to take my
medicine； and she's got to take hers。〃
〃I'm no quitter！ I'm a sport； I am！〃 was the defiant remark。 〃So was
Mr。 Carwell … Old Carwell we used to call him。 But he had more pep
than some of you younger chaps。
〃Leave his name out of this！〃 growled LeGrand； like some dog trying
to keep his temper against the attacks of a cur。
〃This woman … I needn't tell you her name now； for she has several；〃
he went on to Minnie。 〃This woman and I were once engaged to be
married。 She was younger then … and … different。 But she began
drinking and … well； she became impossible。 Believe me；〃 he said；
turning to the figure beside him； 〃I don't want to tell this； but I've got to
square myself。〃
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〃Yes；〃 and the other's voice was broken。 〃I may as well give up now
as later。 If anything can be saved out of the wreck … my wreck … go to it！
Shoot； kid！ Tell the worst！ I'll stand the gaff！〃
〃Well； that makes it easier；〃 resumed Blossom。 〃We were going to be
married； but she got in with a fast crowd； and I couldn't stand the pace。 I
admit； I wasn't sport enough。〃
〃I'm glad you weren't；〃 murmured Minnie； her breast heaving。
〃The result was；〃 went on Blossom； 〃that she and I separated。 It was
as much her wish as mine … toward the end。 And she married a
Frenchman with whom she seemed to be fascinated。〃
〃Yes； he sure had me hypnotized；〃 agreed the blonde woman。 〃It was
more my fault than yours； Lee。 Perhaps if you'd taken a whip to me； and
made me behave … Some of us women need a beating now and then。
But it's too late now。〃 Of a sudden she seemed strangely subdued。
LeGrand Blossom went on with the sordid tale。
〃Well； the marriage didn't turn out happily。 It was … 〃
〃It was hell！ I'm not afraid to use the word！〃 interrupted the blonde。
〃It was just plain； unadulterated hell！ And I went into it with my eyes
open。 That's what it was … hell！ I've had such a lot here on earth that
maybe they'll give me a discount when I get … well； when I get where I'm
going！〃 and she laughed； but there was no mirth in it。
Minnie shuddered； and drew nearer to LeGrand。 And it did not seem
to be because of the chill night wind； either。
〃It was the same old story；〃 went on the clerk。 〃No need of going
over that； Minnie。 It doesn't concern the question now。 In the end the
Frenchman cast her off； and she had to live； somehow。 She came to me；
and I； for the sake of old times； agreed to help her。 I didn't think I was
doing anything wrong； but it seems I was。 I thought the rare and
expensive book publishing business she said she was in was legitimate。
Instead it was … 〃
〃Yes； it was a blackmailing scheme！〃 interrupted Morocco Kate； not
without some curious and perverted sense of pride。 〃I admit that。 I got
you in wrong； LeGrand； but it wasn't because I hated you； for I didn't。 I
really loved you； and I was a fool to take up with Jean。 But that's past and
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gone。 Only I didn't really mean to make trouble for you。 I thought you
might be able to wiggle out； knowing business men as you did。〃
〃Instead；〃 said the clerk； 〃I only became the more involved。 It began
to look as though I was a partner in the infernal schemes； and she and
those she worked with held the threat over my head to extort money
from me。〃
〃Believe me； LeGrand； I didn't do that willingly；〃 interrupted Morocco
Kate。 〃The others had a hold over me； and they forced me to use you as
their tool。 They bled me； as I； in turn； bled you。 Oh； it was all a rotten
game； and I'm glad the end's at hand。 I suppose it's all up now？〃 she
asked Blossom。
〃The end is； as far as it concerns you and me；〃 he said。 〃I'm going to
confess； and take my medicine。 Minnie； I've lied to give this woman
money to prevent her exposing me。 Now I'm through。 I've told my last
lie； and given my last dollar。 Thank God … who has been better to me
than I deserve … thank God！ I'm still young enough to make good the
money I've lost。 The lies I can't undo； but I can tell the truth。 I'm going to
confess everything！〃
〃Oh； LeGrand！〃 cried Minnie； and she held out her hands to him。
〃Not … not everything！〃
〃Yes； the whole rotten business。 That's the only way to begin over
again； and begin clean。 I'll come through clean！〃
〃Oh ！〃 murmured Minnie。 〃It will be so … so hard！〃
〃Yes；〃 and LeGrand gritted his teeth； 〃it isn't going to be easy； but it'll
be a bed of roses compared to what I've been lying on the last year。 This
woman had such a hold on me that I couldn't clear myself before … that is；
clear myself of grave charges。 But now I can。 This is the end。 I can
prove that I wasn't mixed up in the Roswell de luxe book case； and that's
what she's been holding over me。〃
〃The Roswell case！〃 faltered Minnie。
〃Yes； you don't know about it； but I'll tell you； later。 Now I'm free。
This is the end。 I came here to…night to tell her so。 How you happened
to follow me I don't know。〃
〃I didn't follow； LeGrand。 It was all an accident。〃
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〃Then it's a lucky accident； Minnie。 This is the end。 From now on …
〃
〃Yes； it's the end！〃 bitterly cried the other woman。 〃It's the end of
everything。 Oh； if I could only make it the end for Jean Carnot； I'd be
satisfied。 He made me what I am … an outcast from the world。 If I could
find Jean Carnot … 〃
And then； with the suddenness of a bird wheeling in mid air； the
blonde woman turned and rushed away in the darkness。
For an instant Colonel Ashley hesitated in his hiding place。 And then
he murmured：
〃I guess you
