the golf course mystery(高尔夫教程)-第37章
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he murmured：
〃I guess you'll keep； LeGrand Blossom； and you； too； Minnie Webb。
Morocco Kate needs watching。 And I think； now； she'll lead me right
where I've been wanting to go for a long time。 The darkness is fast
fading away；〃 which was a strange thing to say； seeing that the night was
blacker than ever。
Back on the desolate moor； near the bridge under which the black tide
was now hurrying； murmuring and whispering to the rushes tales of the
deep and distant sea； stood two figures。
〃Do you believe in me； Minnie？〃 asked the man brokenly。
There was a pause。 The murmuring of the tide grew louder； and it
seemed to sing now； as it rose higher and higher。
〃Do you？〃 he repeated； wistfully。
〃Yes；〃 was the whispered reply。 〃And； Lee； I'll help you to come
through … clean！ I believe in you！〃
And the tide washed up the shores of the creek so that； even in the
darkness； the white sands seemed to gleam。
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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 she cares。〃
Then he answered； almost as gently as to a grieving child：
〃It is not LeGrand Blossom。 But it is a friend of his； and I want to be
a friend to you。 Wait a moment。〃
Then； as he came close to her side and flashed on his face a gleam
from an electric torch he always carried； she started back； and cried：
〃Colonel Ashley！ Heavens！〃
〃Exactly！〃 he chuckled。 〃You didn't expect to see me here； did you？
Well； it's all right。〃
〃Then you're not after me for … 〃 She gasped and could not go on。
〃That last deal was straight。 I'm not the one you want。〃
〃Don't get Spotty's habit； and throw up your hands just because you
see me； Kate；〃 went on the colonel soothingly。 〃I'm not after you
professionally this time。 In fact； if things turn out the way I want； I may
shut my eyes to one or two little phases of your … er … let us call it career。
I may ignore one or two little things that； under other circumstances； might
need explaining。〃
〃You mean you want me for a stool pigeon？〃
〃Something like that； yes。〃
〃And suppose I refuse？〃
〃That's up to you； Kate。 I may be able to get along without you … I
don't say I can； but I may。 However it would mean harder work and a
delay； and I don't mind； seeing it's you； saying that I'd like to get back to
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my fishing。 So if you'll come to reason； and tell me what I want to know；
it will help you and … Blossom。〃
〃Blossom！〃 she gasped。 〃Then you know … 〃
〃I may as well tell you that I was back there … a while ago；〃 and the
colonel nodded vaguely to the splotch of blackness from whence Morocco
Kate had rushed with that despairing cry on her lips。
〃I'm a friend of LeGrand Blossom's … at least； I am now since I
overheard what he had to say to you and Miss Webb；〃 went on the
detective。 〃Now then； if you'll tell me what I want to know； I'll help him
to come across … clean； and I'll help you to the extent I mentioned。〃
Morocco Kate seemed to be considering as she stood in the darkness。
Then a long sigh came from her lips； and it was as though she had come to
the end of everything。
〃I'll tell；〃 she said simply。 〃What do you want to know？ But first；
let me say I didn't no more have an idea that Sport Carwell was going to
die than you have Do you believe that？〃 she asked fiercely。
〃I believe you； Kate。 Now let's get down to brass tacks。 Who is
Jean Carnot； and where can I find him？〃
〃Oh！〃 she murmured。 〃You want him？〃
〃Very much； I think。 Don't you？〃
〃Yes； I do！ I … I would like to tear out his eyes！ I'd like to … 〃
〃Now； Kate； be nice！ No use losing your temper。 That's got you
into trouble more than once。 Try to play the lady … you can do it when
you have to。 Calling names isn't going to get us anywhere。 Just tell me
where I can find your former husband … or the one you thought was your
husband … Jean Carnot。〃
〃You're right； Colonel Ashley； I did think him my husband；〃 said
Morocco Kate simply。 〃And when I found out he had tricked me by a
false marriage； and wouldn't make it good … well； I just went to the devil
and hell … that's all。〃
〃I know it； Kate； and I appreciate your position。 I'm not throwing any
stones at you。 I've seen enough of life to know that none of us can do
that with impunity。 Now tell me all you can。 And I'll say this … that
after this is all over； if you want to try and do as Blossom is going to do …
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come through clean … I'll help you to the best of my ability。〃
〃Will you； Colonel？〃 the big blonde woman asked eagerly。
〃I will … and here's my hand on it！〃
He reached out in the darkness； but there was no answering clasp。
The woman seemed to shrink away。 And then she said：
〃I don't believe it would be of any use。 I guess I'm too far down to
crawl up。 But I'll help you all I can。〃
〃Don't give up； Kate！〃 said the detective gently。 〃I've seen lots worse
than you … you notice I'm not mincing words … I've seen lots worse than
you start over again。 All I'll say is that I'll give you the chance if you
want it。 There's nothing in this life you're leading。 You know the end
and the answer as well as I do。 You've seen it many a time。〃
〃God help me … I have！〃 she murmured。 〃Well； I … I'll think about it。〃
〃And； meanwhile； tell me about this Jean Carnot；〃 went on the colonel。
〃You were married to him？〃
〃I thought I was。〃
〃What sort of man was he？ Come； sit down on this sand dune and
tell me all about it。 I think I want that man。〃
〃No more than I do；〃 she said fiercely。 〃He left me as he would an
old coat he couldn't use any more！ He cast me aside； trampled on me；
left me like a sick dog！ Oh； God … 〃
For a moment she could not go on。 But she calmed herself and
resumed。 Then； by degrees； she told the whole； sordid story。 It was
common enough … the colonel had listened to many like it before。 And
when it was finished； brokenly and in tears； he put forth his hand on the
shoulder of Morocco Kate and said：
〃Now； Kate； let's get down to business。 Are you willing to help me
finish this up？〃
〃I'll do all I can； Colonel Ashley。 But I don't see how we're going to
find this devil of a Jean。〃
〃Leave that to me。 Now where can I find you when I want you … in a
hurry； mind。 I may want you in a great hurry。 Where can I find you？〃
〃I'm stopping in the village。 I'll arrange to be within call for the next
few days。 Will it take long？〃
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〃No； not very。 If I can I'll clean it all up tomorrow。 Things are
beginning to clear up。 And now allow me the pleasure of walking back
to town with you。 It's getting late and beginning to rain。 I have an
umbrella； and you haven't。〃
And through the rain which began to fall； as though it might wash
away some of the sordid sin that had been told of in the darkness； the
strangely different couple walked through the dark night； Morocco Kate as
an ally of Colonel Ashley。
The clean； fresh sun was shining in through the windows of Colonel
Ashley's room at The Haven when he awakened the next morning。 As he
sprang up and made ready for his bath he called toward the next
apartment：
〃Are you up； Jack？〃
〃Just getting。 Any rush？〃
〃Well； I think this may be our busy day； and again it may not。 Better
tumble out。〃
Just as you say。 How you feeling； Colonel？〃
〃Never better。 I feel just like fishing； and you … 〃
〃'Nough said。 I'm with you。〃
And then； as he started toward his bath； the colonel saw a dirty slip of
paper under the door of his room。
〃Ha！〃 he ejaculated。 〃Another printed message。 The writer is
getting impatient。 I think it's time to act。〃
And he read：
〃Why does not the great detective arrest the poisoner of her
father？ If he will look behind the book case he will find something
that will prove everything … the poison book and … something else。〃
The printed scrawl was signed： 〃Justice。〃
〃Well； 'Justice；' I'll do as you say； for once；〃 said the colonel softly； and
there was a grim smile on his face。
And so it came about that after his bath and a breakfast Colonel Ashley；
winking mysteriously to Jack Young； indicated to his helper that he was
wanted in the library。
〃What is it？〃 asked Jack； when they were alone in the room。 〃A new
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clew？〃
〃No； just a blind trail； but I want to clean it up。
