the golf course mystery(高尔夫教程)-第35节
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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
before。
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THE GOLF COURSE MYSTERY
CHAPTER XVIII
A LARGE BLONDE LADY
Reaching The Haven； Colonel Ashley； who had trailed LeGrand
Blossom to the latter's boarding place without anything having developed；
was met by Shag； who was up later than usual； for it was now close to
midnight。
〃What now； Shag！〃 exclaimed the colonel。 〃Don't tell me there are
any more detective cases for me to work on。 I simply won't listen。 I
wish I hadn't to this one。 It's getting more and more tangled every minute；
and the fish are biting well。 Hang it all； Shag； why did you let me take
up this golf course mystery？〃
〃I didn't do it； Colonel； no； sah！〃
〃What's the use of talking that way； Shag！ You know you did！〃
〃Yes； sah； Colonel。 Dat's whut I did！〃 confessed Shag with a grin。
When the colonel was in this mood there was nothing for it but to agree
with him。
〃And it's the worst tangle you ever got me into！〃 went on Shag's
master。 〃There's no head or tail to it。〃
〃Den it ain't laik a fish； am it？〃 asked Shag； with the freedom of long
years of faithful service。
〃No； it isn't … worse luck！〃 stormed the colonel。 〃I never saw such a
case。 The diamond cross mystery was nothing like it。〃
〃But I thought； Colonel； sah； dat de mo' of a puzzle it were； de bettah
yo' laiked it！〃 ventured Shag。
Colonel Ashley tried to repress a smile。
〃Get to bed； you black rascal！〃 he said with an affectionate pat on
Shag's back。 〃Get to bed！ What are you staying up so late for；
anyhow？〃
〃To gib yo' a message； Colonel； sah；〃 answered Shag。 〃Miss Viola
done say I was t' wait up； an'； when yo' come in； t' tell yo' dat she wants t'
see you。〃
〃Oh； all right。 Where is she？〃
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〃In de liberry； Colonel； sah！〃
The detective made his way through the dimly…lighted hall； and； on
tapping at the library door； was bidden by Viola to enter。
〃Still up？〃 he asked。 〃It was time for you to be asleep long ago if you
want your eyes to keep as bright as they always are。〃
〃They don't feel very bright；〃 she answered； with a little laugh。
〃They seem to be full of sticks。 But I wanted to ask you something … to
consult with you … and I didn't want to go to sleep without doing it。 I want
you to read these；〃 and she spread out before him the letters she had found
hidden in the drawer of the safe。
Colonel Ashley； in silence； looked over one document after another；
including the torn ones。 When he had finished he looked across the table
at Viola。
〃What do you make of it？〃 she asked。 〃I don't know；〃 he frankly
confessed。 〃But we must find out if your father owed the captain
anything … for money advanced in an emergency； or for anything else。
Who would know about the money affairs？〃
〃Mr。 Blossom。 He has full charge of the office now； and access to all
the books。 Aunt Mary and I have to trust to him for everything。 It is all
we can do。〃
〃Yes； I suppose so；〃 agreed the detective。 And he did not speak of the
scene of which he had recently been a witness。
〃Then if you will come with me； we will go the first thing in the
morning to father's office and see LeGrand Blossom；〃 decided Viola。 〃We
will ask Mr。 Blossom if he knows anything about the debt between my
father and Captain Poland。〃
〃It would be wise； I think。〃
And as the colonel retired that night he said； musingly：
〃Another angle； and another tangle。 I must read a little Izaak Walton
to compose my mind。〃
So he opened the little green book and read this observation from the
Venator：
〃And as for the dogs that we use； who can commend their
excellency to that height which they deserve？ How perfect is the hound
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at smelling； who never leaves or forsakes his first scent； but follows it
through so many changes and va
