the golf course mystery(高尔夫教程)-第6部分
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〃Almost； yes。〃
〃But father never did。 Oh； I must go to him ！〃
She struggled a little and moved away from his half encircling arm； for
he had seen that her strength was failing her and had supported her as he
led her away。 〃I must go to him ！〃
〃Better not just now；〃 said Captain Poland gently。 〃Harry is there
with him； the major and other friends。 They will look after him。 You
had better come with me to the clubhouse and lie down。 I will get you a
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cup of tea。〃
〃No！ I must be with my father！〃 she insisted。 〃He will need me
when he … when he revives。 Please let me go to him！〃
The captain saw that it was of little use to oppose her so he led her
back toward the throng that was still about the prostrate player。 A
clubman was hurrying back with a young man who carried a small black
bag。
〃They've got a doctor； I think；〃 said Gerry。 〃Not Dr。 Rowland；
though。 However； I dare say it will be all right。〃
A fit of trembling seized Viola； and it was so violent that； for a
moment； Captain Poland thought she would fall。 He had to hold her
close； and he wished there was some place near at hand to which he might
take her。 But the clubhouse was some distance away； and there were no
conveyances within call。
However； Viola soon recovered her composure； or at least seemed to；
and smiled up at him； though there was no mirth in it。
〃I'll be all right now；〃 she said。 〃Please take me to him。 He will ask
for me as soon as he recovers。〃
The young doctor had made his way through the throng and now knelt
beside the prostrate man。 The examination was brief … a raising of the
eyelids； an ear pressed over the heart； supplemented by the use of the
stethoscope； and then the young medical man looked up； searching the
ring of faces about him as though seeking for some one in authority to
whom information might be imparted。 Then he announced； generally：
〃He is dead。〃
〃Dead！〃 exclaimed several。
〃Hush！〃 cautioned Harry Bartlett 〃She'll hear you！〃
He looked in the direction whence Viola and Captain Poland were
approaching the scene。
〃Are you sure； Dr。 Baird？〃 he asked。
〃Positive。 The heart action has entirely stopped。〃
〃But might that not be from some cause … some temporary cause？〃
〃Yes； but not in this case。 Mr。 Carwell is dead。 I can do nothing for
him。〃
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It sounded brutal； but it was only a medical man's plain statement of
the case。
〃Some one must tell her；〃 murmured Minnie Webb； who had been
attracted to the crowd； though she was not much of a golf enthusiast。
〃Poor Viola！ Some one must tell her。〃
〃I will；〃 offered Bartlett； and he made his way through a living lane
that opened for him。 Then it closed again； hiding the body from sight。
Some one placed a sweater over the face that had been so ruddy； and was
now so pale。
Captain Poland； still supporting Viola on his arm； saw Bartlett
approaching。 Somehow he surmised what his fellow clubman was going
to say。
〃Oh； Harry！〃 exclaimed Viola； impulsively holding out her hands to
him。 〃Is he all right？ Is he better？〃
〃I am sorry；〃 began Harry； and then she seemed to sense what he was
going to add。
〃He isn't … Oh； don't tell me he is … 〃
〃The doctor says he is dead； Viola；〃 answered Bartlett gently。 〃He
passed away without pain or suffering。 It must have been heart disease。〃
But Viola Carwell never heard the last words； for she really fainted
this time； and Captain Poland laid her gently down on the soft； green
grass。
〃Better get the doctor for her；〃 he advised Bartlett。 〃She'll need him；
if her father doesn't。〃 As Harry Bartlett turned aside； waving back the
curiosity seekers that were already leaving the former scene of excitement
for the latest； LeGrand Blossom came up。 He seemed very cool and not
at all excited； considering what had happened。
〃I will look after Miss Carwell；〃 he said。
〃Perhaps you had better see to Mr。 Carwell … Mr。 Carwell's remains；
Blossom；〃 suggested Captain Poland。 〃Miss Carwell will be herself very
soon。 She has only fainted。 Her father is dead。
〃Dead？ Are you sure？〃 asked LeGrand Blossom； and his manner
seemed a trifle more naturally excited。
〃Dr。 Baird says so。 You'd better go to him。 He may want to ask
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some questions； and you were more closely associated with Carwell than
any of the rest of us。〃
〃Very well； I'll look after the body；〃 said the secretary。 〃Did the
doctor say what killed him？〃
〃No。 That will be gone into later； I dare say。 Probably heart disease；
though I never knew he had it；〃 said Bartlett。
〃Nor I；〃 added Blossom。 〃I'd be more inclined to suspect apoplexy。
But are you sure Miss Carwell will be all right？〃
〃Yes；〃 answered Captain Poland； who had raised her head after
sprinkling in her face some water a caddy brought in his cap。 〃She is
reviving。〃
Dr。 Baird came up just then and gave her some aromatic spirits of
ammonia。
Viola opened her eyes。 There was no comprehension in them； and
she looked about in wonder。 Then； as her benumbed brain again took up
its work； she exclaimed：
〃Oh； it isn't true！ It can't be true！ Tell me it isn't！〃
〃I am sorry； but it seems to be but too true；〃 said Captain Poland gently。
〃Did he ever speak of trouble with his heart； Viola ？〃
〃Never； Gerry。 He was always so well and strong。〃
〃You had better come to the clubhouse；〃 suggested Bartlett； and she
went with them both。
A little later the body of Horace Carwell was carried to the 〃nineteenth
hole〃 … that place where all games are played over again in detail as the
contestants put away their clubs。
A throng followed the silent figure； borne on the shoulders of some
grounds workmen； but only club members were admitted to the house。
And among them buzzed talk of the tragedy that had so suddenly ended
the day of sports。
〃He looked all right when he started to play；〃 said one。 〃Never saw
him in better form； and some of his shots were marvelous。〃
〃He'd been drinking a little too much for a man to play his best；
especially on a hot day；〃 ventured another。 〃He must have been taken ill
from that； and the excitement of trying to win over the major； and it
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affected his heart。〃
〃Never knew him to have heart disease；〃 declared Bruce Garrigan。
〃Lots of us have it and don't know it；〃 commented Tom Sharwell。 〃I
suppose it will take an autopsy to decide。〃
〃Rather tough on Miss Carwell；〃 was another comment。
〃That's true ！〃 several agreed。
The body of Horace Carwell was placed in one of the small card
rooms； and the door locked。 Then followed some quick telephoning on
the part of Dr。 Baird； who had recently joined the golf club； and who had
arrived at the clubhouse shortly before Mr。 Carwell dropped dead。 It was
at the suggestion of Harry Bartlett that Dr。 Addison Lambert； the Carwell
family physician； was sent for； and that rather aged practitioner arrived as
soon as possible。
He was taken in to view the body； together with Dr。 Baird； who was
almost pathetically deferential to his senior colleague。 The two medical
men were together in the room with the body for some time； and when
they came out Viola Carwell was there to meet them。 Dr。 Lambert put
his arms about her。 He had known her all her life … since she first
ventured into this world； in fact … and his manner was most fatherly。
〃Oh； Uncle Add ！〃 she murmured to him … for she had long called him
by this endearing title … Oh； Uncle Add！ What is it？ Is my father … is he
really … 〃
〃My dear little girl； your father is dead； I am sorry to say。 You must
be very brave； and bear up。 Be the brave woman he would want you to
be。〃
〃I will； Uncle Add。 But； oh； it is so hard！ He was all I had！ Oh；
what made him die？〃
She questioned almost as a little child might have done。
〃That I don't know； my dear；〃 answered Dr。 Lambert gently。 〃We
shall have to find that out later by … Well； we'll find out later； Dr。 Baird and
I。 You had better go
