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24 chapters
CHAPTER I. PUTTING OUT
CHAPTER I. PUTTING OUT
There was nothing in that clear, calm day, with its blue sky and its flooding sunshine, to suggest in the slightest degree the awful tragedy so close at hand—that tragedy which so puzzled the authorities and which came so close to wrecking the happiness of several innocent people. The waters of the inlet sparkled like silver, and over those waters poised the osprey, his rapidly moving wings and fan-spread tail suspending him almost stationary in one spot, while, with eager and far-seeing eyes, h
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CHAPTER II. THE NINETEENTH HOLE
CHAPTER II. THE NINETEENTH HOLE
For several seconds after Mr. Carwell fell so heavily on the putting green, having completed the last stroke that sent the white ball into the cup and made him club champion, there was not a stir among the other players grouped about him; nor did the gallery, grouped some distance back, rush up. The most natural thought, and one that was in the minds of the majority, was that the clubman had overbalanced himself in making his stance for the putt shot, and had fallen. There was even a little thou
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CHAPTER III. “WHY?”
CHAPTER III. “WHY?”
Through the silent house echoed the vibration of the electric bell, sounding unnecessarily loud, it seemed. The maid who answered took the caller's card to Miss Mary Carwell, Viola's aunt. “He wants to see Miss Viola,” the servant reported. “Shall I tell her?” “You had better, yes. She went to lie down, but she will want to see Captain Poland. Wait, I'll tell her myself. Where is he?” “In the library, ma am. “Very well. I'll see him.” Mr. Carwell's sister literally swept down the stairs, her bla
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CHAPTER IV. VIOLA'S DECISION
CHAPTER IV. VIOLA'S DECISION
“That is the very question we have been asking ourselves, my dear Captain,” said Dr. Lambert wearily. “And we are no nearer an answer now than, apparently, you are. Why did he do it?” The three men, two gravely professional, one, the younger, more so than his elder colleague, and the third plainly upset over the surprising news, looked at one another behind the closed door of the little room off the imposing reception hall at The Haven. They were in the house of death, and they had to do with mo
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CHAPTER V. HARRY'S MISSION
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
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CHAPTER VI. BY A QUIET STREAM
CHAPTER VI. BY A QUIET STREAM
Drooping willows dipped their pendant branches in the stream that foamed and rippled over green, mossy stones. In a meadow that stretched fair and wide on either side of the water, innumerable grasshoppers were singing their song of summer. On a verdant bank reclined a man, whose advanced age might be indicated in his whitening locks, but whose bright eyes, and the quick, nervous movements as he leafed the pages of a small, green-covered book, made negative the first analysis. A little distance
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CHAPTER VII. THE INQUEST
CHAPTER VII. THE INQUEST
“Ready, now, Shag! Ready!” called Colonel Ashley, in tense tones. “Ready with the net!” “Yes, sah! All ready!” “I've got him about ready for you! And he's better than I thought!” “Yes, sah, Colonel! I won't miss!” “If you do you may look for another place!” At this dire threat Shag turned as white as he would ever become, and took a firmer grip on the “Ready now, Shag!” called the colonel, at the same time directing his helper to come down the bank toward a little pool whither he was leading the
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CHAPTER VIII. ON SUSPICION
CHAPTER VIII. ON SUSPICION
Colonel Robert Lee Ashley was used to surprises. This was natural, considering his calling, and at some of the surprises he was a silent spectator, while at others he furnished the surprise. In this case he served in his former capacity, merely noting the rather startled look on the face of Harry Bartlett when handed the subpoena to the coroner's inquest. “I thought they weren't going to have any,” Bartlett repeated, but whether to himself in a sort of daze, to Colonel Ashley, or to the man from
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CHAPTER IX. 58 C. H.—161*
CHAPTER IX. 58 C. H.—161*
There was considerable excitement when it became known to the crowd, as it speedily did, that Harry Bartlett, almost universally accepted as the fiance of Viola Carwell, had been held as having vital knowledge of her father's death. Indeed there were not a few wild rumors which insisted that he had been held on a charge of murder. “Oh, I can't believe it! I can't believe it!” exclaimed Viola, when they told her. “It can't be possible that they can hold him on such a charge. It's unfair!” “Perhap
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CHAPTER X. A WATER HAZARD
CHAPTER X. A WATER HAZARD
“Isn't there some place where you can take her for a few days—some relative's where she can rest and forget, as much as possible, the scenes here?” “Yes, there is,” replied Miss Mary Carwell to Colonel Ashley's question. “I'll go with her myself to Pentonville. I have a cousin there, and it's the quietest place I know of, outside of Philadelphia,” and she smiled faintly at the detective. “Good!” he announced. “Then get her away from here. It will do you both good.” “But what about the case—solvi
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CHAPTER XI. POISONOUS PLANTS
CHAPTER XI. POISONOUS PLANTS
Colonel Ashley still stood, holding his now useless rod and line, gazing first at that, then at Shag and, anon, at the little swirl of the waters, marking where the big fish had disappeared from view. “Shag!” exclaimed the colonel in an ominously, quiet voice. “Yes, sah!” “Do you know what that was?” “No, sab, Colonel, I don't.” “Well, that was a spirit manifestation of Izaak Walton. It was jealous of my success and took that revenge. It was the spirit of the old fisherman himself.” “Good land o
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CHAPTER XII. BLOSSOM'S SUSPICIONS
CHAPTER XII. BLOSSOM'S SUSPICIONS
Characteristic as it was of Colonel Ashley not to show surprise, he could hardly restrain an indication of it when he reached The Haven, and found Miss Mary Carwell and Viola there. They were not expected until the next day, but while her niece was temporarily absent Miss Carwell explained the matter. “She couldn't stand it another minute. She insisted that I should pack and come with her. Something seemed to drive her home.” “I hope,” said the Colonel gently, “that she didn't imagine that I was
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CHAPTER XIII. CAPTAIN POLAND CONFESSES
CHAPTER XIII. CAPTAIN POLAND CONFESSES
When LeGrand Blossom had taken his departure, carrying with him the books and papers, he left behind two very disconsolate persons. “It's terrible!” exclaimed Mr. Carwell's sister. “To think that poor Horace could be so careless! I knew his sporting life would bring trouble, but I never dreamed of this.” “We must face it, terrible as it is,” said Viola. “Nothing would matter if he—if he were only left to us. I'm sure he never meant to spend so much money. It was just because—he didn't think.” “T
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CHAPTER XIV. THE PRIVATE SAFE
CHAPTER XIV. THE PRIVATE SAFE
Divided as she was among several opinions, torn by doubts and sufferings from grief, Viola Carwell found distinct relief in a message that awaited her on her return to the house after her failure to find Colonel Ashley. The message, given her by a maid, was to the effect: “The safe man has come.” “The who?” asked Viola, not at first understanding. “The safe man. He said you sent for him to open a safe and—” “Oh, yes, I understand, Jane. Where is he?” “In the library, Miss Viola.” Viola hastened
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CHAPTER XV. POOR FISHING
CHAPTER XV. POOR FISHING
“Have a drink, Colonel?” “Eh?” “I said—Here, boy! A Scotch high and a mint julep.” Colonel Ashley, roused from his reverie as he sat in his club, gazing out on the busy, fashionable, hurrying, jostling, worried, happy, sad, and otherwise throngs that swept past the big Fifth avenue windows, shifted himself in the comfortable leather chair, and looked at his cigar. It had gone out, and he decided that it was not worth relighting. “Cigars, too!” ordered Bruce Garrigan. “Oh, were you speaking to me
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CHAPTER XVI. SOME LETTERS
CHAPTER XVI. SOME LETTERS
When Jean Forette, whose month was not quite up and who had not yet completed arrangements for his new position, alighted from the Shore Express at Lakeside and made his way-afoot and not in a machine—to the Three Pines, the picturesque figure of the Southern gentleman followed. “I wonder,” mused Colonel Ashley, “whether he takes Scotch Highballs or absinthe, and what dope he mixes with it? Absinthe is rather hard to get out here, I should imagine, but they might have a green brand of whiskey th
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CHAPTER XVII. OVER THE TELEPHONE
CHAPTER XVII. OVER THE TELEPHONE
Viola's first movement was of concealment—to toss over the scattered letters on her desk a lace shawl she had been wearing earlier in the evening. Then satisfied that should the unknown knocker prove to be some one whom she might admit—her Aunt Mary or one of the maids—satisfied that no one would, at first glance, see the letters which might mean nothing or much, Viola asked in a voice that slightly trembled: “Who is it?” “I did not mean to disturb you,” came the answer, and with a sense of reli
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CHAPTER XVIII. A LARGE BLONDE LADY
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
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CHAPTER XIX. “UNKNOWN”
CHAPTER XIX. “UNKNOWN”
“So sweet of you to see me, Miss Carwell, in all your grief, and I must apologize for troubling you.” Miss Tighe, alias Morocco Kate, fairly gushed out the words as she extended a hand to Viola in the library. The first glance at the “large blonde,” as the maid had described her, shocked the girl. She could hardly repress a shudder of disgust as she looked at the bleached hair. But, nerving herself for the effort, Viola let her hand rest limply for a moment in the warm moist grip of Miss Tighe.
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CHAPTER XX. A MEETING
CHAPTER XX. A MEETING
Harry Bartlett walked from the court a free man, physically, but not mentally. He felt, and others did also, that there was a stain on him—something unexplained, and which he would not, or could not, clear up—the quarrel with Mr. Carwell just before the latter's death. And even to Viola, when, in the seclusion of her home, she asked Harry about it after the trial, or rather, the verdict, he replied: “I can not tell. It was nothing that concerns you or me or this case. I will never tell.” And Col
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CHAPTER XXI. THE LIBRARY POSTAL
CHAPTER XXI. THE LIBRARY POSTAL
“My dear, I am sorry if I have told you anything that distresses you,” said Viola gently. “But I thought—” “Oh, yes, it is best to know,” was the low response. “Only—only I was so happy a little while ago, and now—” “But perhaps it may all be explained!” interrupted Viola. “It is only some tiresome business deal, I'm sure. I never could understand them, and I don't want to. But it does seem queer that there is no record of that fifteen thousand dollars being paid back.” “What does Captain Poland
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CHAPTER XXII. THE LARGE BLONDE AGAIN
CHAPTER XXII. THE LARGE BLONDE AGAIN
The trail was not a difficult one to follow. The night was particularly black, with low-hanging clouds which seemed to hold a threat of rain, and the wind sighed dolefully through the scrub pines. Against this dim murkiness the figure of the woman in white stood out ghostily. “Poor Minnie Webb!” mused Colonel Ashley, as he hurried on after her. “She must be desperate now—after what she heard. I wonder—” He did not put his wonder into words then, but his suspicion was confirmed as he saw her head
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CHAPTER. XXIII. MOROCCO KATE, ALLY
CHAPTER. XXIII. MOROCCO KATE, ALLY
“Who are you? Who is trailing me? Is that you, LeGrand?” The challenge came sharply out of the darkness, and Colonel Ashley, who had been following Morocco Kate, plodding along through the sand, stumbling over the hillocks of sedge grass, halted. “Who's there?” was the insistent demand. “I know some one is following me. Is it you, LeGrand Blossom? Have you—have you—” The voice died out in a choking sob. “She's gamer than I thought,” mused the detective. “And, strange as it may seem, I believe sh
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CHAPTER XXIV. STILL WATERS
CHAPTER XXIV. STILL WATERS
“The records show that Henri Margot, alias Jean Carnot alias Jean Forette was married to Isabel Pelubit in Paris on March 17, four years ago, and that she died under suspicious circumstances three months later, leaving her husband all of a snug little fortune she possessed. “All lies, monsieur—all lies! I do not believe anything you tell me!” “Well, that's very foolish of you, Mazi, for you can easily prove for yourself everything I tell you, and it will be better for you, in the end, if you do
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