the golf course mystery(高尔夫教程)-第9部分
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with violet eyes and a poise and grace that made her much observed； Viola
Carwell was at the height of her beauty。 In a sense she had the gentle
grace of her mother and with that the verve and sprightliness of her father
mingled perfectly。 It was no wonder that Captain Poland and Harry
Bartlett and many others； for that matter； were rivals for her favors。
〃I thought you were here；〃 she said quietly to Dr。 Lambert。 〃Oh；
Uncle Add； what is it？ Tell me the truth！〃 she begged as she placed a
hand on his arm； a hand that trembled in spite of her determination to
remain calm。 〃Please tell me the truth ！〃
〃The truth； Viola ？〃 he questioned gently。
〃Yes。 I'm afraid you are trying to keep something back from me。
This looks like it … you men in here talking … consulting as to what is best
to do。 Tell me。 My father is dead。 But that； I know； is not the worst
that can happen。 Tell me！ Is there…is there any disgrace？ I know … 〃
Viola stopped as though she herself feared the words she was about to
utter。 Dr。 Lambert quickly spoke。
〃There has been no disgrace； my dear Viola；〃 he said； gently。 〃We
have just come from the … from having made an investigation … Dr。 Baird
and myself and Dr。 Rowland。 We discovered that your father was
poisoned； and … 〃
〃Poisoned？〃 she gasped； and started back as though struck； while her
rapid glances went from face to face； resting longest on the countenance of
Captain Poland。 It was as though； in this great emergency； she looked to
him for comfort more than to the old doctor who had ushered her into the
world。
〃I am sorry to have to say it； Viola； but such is the case；〃 went on
the family physician。 〃Your father was poisoned。 But the kind of
poison we have not yet determined。〃
〃But who gave it to him ？〃 she cried。 〃Oh； it doesn't seem that any
one would hate him so； not even his worst enemy。 And he had so many
friends…too many； perhaps。〃
〃We don't know that any one gave him the poison； Viola；〃 said Dr。
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Lambert； gently。 〃In fact； it does not seem that any one did； or your
father would have known it。 Certainly if any one had tried to make him
take poison there would have been a struggle that he would have
mentioned。 But he died of poison； nevertheless。〃
〃Then there can be but one other explanation；〃 she murmured； and her
voice was tense and strained。 〃He must have … 〃
〃We fear he took it himself；〃 blurted out Dr。 Baird； in spite of the
warning look cast at him by his colleague。
〃Oh； I won't believe that！ It can't be true！〃 cried Viola； and she burst
into a storm of sobs。 Dr。 Lambert placed his arms about her。
〃Tell me it isn't true； Uncle Add！ Tell me it isn't true！〃 she sobbed。
The three men； looking at one another … Dr。 Lambert's glance coming
over the bowed head of Viola … said nothing for a few moments。 Then as
her sobs died away； and she became calmer； the old physician said：
〃You mustnot take on so； Vi。 I know it is hard； but you must meet the
issue squarely。 At the same time you must realize that even the most
suspicious circumstances may be explained away。 While it does look as
though your father had deliberately taken the poison； it may easily be
established by an investigation that it was an accident … an accident of
which even your father was ignorant。〃
〃There are so many poisons that do not manifest themselves for a long
time … often days … after they are taken； that there is every chance of
proving this to have been an accident。〃
〃Then there must be an investigation！〃 was Viola's quick decision。
There were still tears in her eyes； but she looked through them now； as
through a veil that must be torn aside。 〃I can not believe that my father
was a … a suicide … 〃 she halted at the awful word。 〃I will not believe it！〃
she went on more firmly。 〃It can not be true！〃
Hardly had she uttered the last word than a figure passed through the
hall； flitting past the half…opened door of the little room where Viola stood
with the three men。
〃Who is there ？〃 she called sharply； for she had spoken rather loudly；
and she did not want any of the servants to hear。 〃Who is there？〃
〃It is I … Minnie；〃 was the answer。 〃Dear Viola； I have come to see if
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I could do anything。 I rang and rang； but no one answered the bell； and；
as the door was open； I walked in。〃
〃I'm afraid I didn't close it when I let you in；〃 said Captain Poland to
Dr。 Lambert。
〃Dear Viola ！〃 said Minnie Webb； as she placed cheek against that of
her friend。 〃Is there anything I can do in your terrible trouble？ Please
let me do something！〃
〃Thank you； Minnie。 You are very kind。 I don't know。 We are in
such distress。 Tell me … 〃 and Viola seemed to nerve herself for some
effort。 〃Tell me！ Did you hear what I said just now … as you passed the
door？〃
〃Do you mean about not believing that your father was a suicide？〃
asked Minnie； in a low voice。
〃Yes。〃
〃I … I heard you。〃
〃Then the only thing you can do is to help me prove otherwise；〃 said
Viola。 〃That would be the greatest help。 It can't be true； and we want
that made plain。 Father never killed himself。 He was not that kind of
man。 He did not fear death； but he would not go deliberately to meet it。
It is not true that he killed himself！〃 and Viola's voice seemed to ring out。
A strange look came over the face of Minnie Webb。 There was a
great pity shining in her eyes as she said：
〃I … I am sorry； Viola； but … but I am afraid it may be true。〃
〃What！ That my father committed suicide？〃
〃Yes；〃 whispered Minnie。 〃I … I'm afraid it may be true！〃
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CHAPTER V
HARRY'S MISSION
Minnie Webb'S announcement affected her four hearers in four
different ways。 It shocked Viola … shocked her greatly； for she had；
naturally； expected kindly sympathy and agreement from her friend。
Dr。 Baird； who had involuntarily begun to twist his small mustache at
the entrance of Miss Webb； looked at her in admiration of her good looks
and because she upheld a theory to which he felt himself committed … a
theory that Mr。 Carwell was a plain out…and…out suicide。
Dr。 Lambert was plainly indignant at the bald manner in which Minnie
Webb made her statement； and at the same time he had pity for the
ignorance of the lay mind that will pronounce judgment against the more
cautious opinions of science。 And this was not the first poisoning case
with which the aged practitioner had dealt。
As for Captain Poland； he gazed blankly at Miss Webb for a moment
following her statement； and then he looked more keenly at the young
woman； as though seeking to know whence her information came。
And when Viola had recovered from her first shock this was the
thought that came to her：
〃What did Minnie know？〃
And Viola asked that very question … asked it sharply and with an air
which told of her determination to know。
〃Oh； please don't ask me！〃 stammered Minnie Webb。 〃But I have
heard that your father's affairs are involved； Viola。〃
〃His affairs？ You mean anything in his … private life？〃 and the daughter
of Horace Carwell … 〃Carwell the sport；〃 as he was frequently called …
seemed to feel this blow more than the shock of death。
〃Oh； no； nothing like that！〃 exclaimed Minnie； as though abashed at
the mere suggestion。 〃But I did hear … and I can not tell where I heard it …
that he was involved financially； and that； perhaps … well； you know some
men have a horror of facing the world poor and … 〃
〃That can't be true！〃 declared Viola stoutly。 〃While I do not know
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anything about my father's financial affairs； I know he had no fear of
failure … no fear of becoming poor。〃
〃I do not believe he would have feared to face poverty if there was
need。 But there was not； I'm sure。 Minnie； who told you this？〃
〃I … I can not tell！〃 said Minnie； with a memory of the insinuating
manner in which LeGrand Blossom had spoken。 Bearing in mind her
promise to him not to mention the matter； she began to wish that she had
not spoken。
