the golf course mystery(高尔夫教程)-第31部分
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escaped a collision。
〃Oh； no； monsieur； but this is the way I like to drive。 It is much more
… what you call pep！〃
〃Yes；〃 mused the colonel to himself； 〃it's pep all right。 But I wonder
what put the pep into you？ You didn't have it when we started out。 Some
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French dope you take； I'll wager。 Well； it may put pep into you now； but
it'll take the starch out of you later on。
Jean left the colonel at the dock； whither Shag had already made his
way； coming in a more prosaic trolley car from The Haven； and soon they
were ready to row down the inlet in a boat。
〃Shall I call for you？〃 asked Jean； as he prepared to drive back。
〃No；〃 answered the colonel； 〃I can't tell what luck I'll have。 We'll
come home when it suits us。〃
〃Very good； monsieur。〃
And so the colonel went fishing； and his thoughts were rather more on
the telephone talk he had overheard than on his rod and line。
Contrary to the poor luck that had held all week； so the dockman said；
the colonel's good luck was exceptional。 Shag had a goodly string of
snappers of large size to carry back with him。
〃How'd you do it？〃 asked the boatman； as he made fast the skiff。
〃Oh； they just bit and I hauled ‘em in；〃 said he colonel。 〃By the
way；〃 he went on； 〃is there a place around here called Allawanda？〃
〃Yes； there's a little village named that； about ten miles back in the
country；〃 said the boatman。
〃Nothing there； though； but a few houses and one store。〃
〃Oh； I thought it might be quite a place。〃
〃No； and nobody'd know it was there if there wasn't a boat around here
named after it。〃
〃Is there a boat called that？〃 asked the colonel； and he tried to keep the
eagerness out of his voice。
〃Yes。 The ferryboat that runs from Lakeside to Loch Elarbor is
named that。 Seems that one of the men in the company that owns it used
to live at Allawanda when he was a boy； and he called the boat that。 It's
an old tub of a ferry； though； about like the town itself； I guess。 Well； you
sure did have good luck！〃
〃Yes； indeed；〃 agreed the colonel； and his luck was better than the
boatman guessed； and of a different kind。
It was in pursuance of this same luck that caused the colonel； later that
day； when the shadows of evening were falling； to take his limp satchel
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and slip out of the house。 He went afoot to the ferry dock； and when the
Allawanda floundered in like a porpoise he went on board。 It was his first
visit to this part of the inlet that separated Lakeside from Loch Harbor； and
this means of getting to the yachting center was seldom used by any guests
of The Haven。 They went around by the highway in automobiles。
〃Well；〃 mused the colonel； as he went to the men's cabin with his limp
valise； 〃I hope Mr。 Blossom keeps his promise and comes here to…night。 I
shall be interested in noting to whom he pays the money。〃
Then； seeing that the little cabin of the ramshackle boat was deserted
at that hour； the colonel went to a dark corner； and from it emerged； a little
later； with a beard on that would have done credit to the most orthodox
inhabitant of New York's Ghetto。
Still the colonel did not look like a Jew； and he was not going to
attempt that character。 He made his way to the stern of the craft； where
he could watch all who came aboard； and finding a deck hand who was
sweeping； said：
〃I'm not feeling very well。 Thought maybe a ride back and forth
across the inlet would do me good if I stayed out in the air。 So if you see
me here don't think I'm trying to beat my fare。 Here's a dollar； you may
keep the change。〃
〃Thanks … ride all you like；〃 said the man。 At five cents a trip； with
the boat stopping at midnight； there would still be a good tip in it for him。
The colonel ensconced himself in a dark corner and waited。
The first two trips over and back were fruitless as far as his object was
concerned。 But just as the Allawanda was about to pull out for her third
voyage across the inlet； there came on board a woman； with a shawl so
closely wrapped about her that her features were completely hidden。 There
were only a few oil lamps on the old…fashioned craft； and the illumination
was poor。
The colonel thought there was something vaguely familiar about the
figure； but he was not certain。 He tried to get near enough to her； in a
casual walk up and down the deck； to view her countenance； but； either by
accident or design； she turned away and looked over the rail。 He was close
enough； however； to note that the shawl was of fine texture and of a
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peculiar pattern。
Retiring again to his corner in the stern of the boat； and noting that the
woman kept her place there； Colonel Ashley waited in patience。 And he
had his reward。
The Allawanrda was whistling to tell the deck hands to cast off the
mooring ropes； when LeGrand Blossom came running down the inclined
gangway and got on board。 He seemed in a hurry and excited； and；
apparently unaware of the presence of the detective in the dark corner； he
went directly to the woman in the shawl。 The boat began to move from
her slip。
〃Did you think I was never coming？〃 asked LeGrand Blossom。
〃No； I was detained；〃 the woman answered； and at the sound of her
voice Colonel Ashley started and uttered a smothered exclamation。 〃I
but just arrived；〃 the woman went on。 〃Did you bring it？〃
〃Hush！ Yes。 Not so loud。 Some one may hear you。〃
〃There is no one here。 One man； with a heavy beard； passed by me
as I came on board。 At first I thought it was you； disguised； but when I
saw it was not I kept to myself。 There is no one here。〃
〃I hope not；〃 murmured LeGrand Blossom； as he looked cautiously
around。 The after deck was but dimly lighted。
For a time the woman and man talked in tones so low that the
detective could hear nothing； and he dared not leave his hidden corner to
come closer。
But； just as the Allawanda was nearing her slip on the other side； the
man spoke in louder tones。 〃And so we come to the end！〃 he said。
〃No； please don't say that！〃 begged the woman。
〃I must；〃 Blossom answered。 〃We can't go on this way any longer。
Here is what I promised you。 It is all I can raise； and I had a hard time
doing that。 Every one is suspicious； and that detective is all eyes and ears。
It is the best I can do。 You must not bother me any more。〃
The lights from a passing boat fell on the couple as they stood close to
the rail； and； from his vantage point in the darkness； the colonel saw
LeGrand Blossom hand the woman in the shawl a package。 She took it
eagerly； and thrust it into her bosom。 Then； turning to the man； she
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saidreproachfully：
〃You say this is the end。 Then you don't love me any more？〃
LeGrand Blossom did not answer for a moment。
〃You don't … do you？〃 the woman insisted。 〃No；〃 was the slow reply。
〃I might as well be brutally frank about it； and say I don't。 And you don't
care either。〃
〃Oh； I do！ I do！〃 she eagerly protested。
〃No； you only think you do。 It is better for both of us to have it end
this way。 But let us make sure that it is an end。 There must be no more
of it。 I have given you all I can。 You must go away as you promised。〃
〃Yes； I suppose I must；〃 and her voice was broken。 〃Oh； I wish I had
never met you！〃
〃Perhaps it would have been better that way；〃 was Blossom's cold
response。 〃However； it's too late for that now。 Good…bye；〃 he added； as
the boat was grating her way along the Loch Harbor slip。 〃I'm not going
to get off。 Don't telephone me again。 This is all I can ever give you。〃
〃Oh； yes； I suppose； now you've finished； you can get rid of me。 Well；
let it be so；〃 she said bitterly。 And then； as the boat bumped to a landing
she cried： 〃If I could only find … 〃
But the rattle of the chains and the clatter of the wheels on the ferry
bridge drowned her voice。 She rushed away from LeGrand Blossoms's
side and； clutching her shawl close around her as if to make sure of the
package the man had given her； she disappeared into the interior of the
ferryboat。
Colonel Ashley started to follow； but as LeGrand Blossom remained
on board he decided to watch him instead of the woman； though he was
vaguely disquieted trying to remember where he had heard her voice
bef
