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person's private memorandum for some combination of elements。 C
might stand for carbon and H for hydrogen。 But that would not make a
poison in the ordinary accepted meaning of the term。 I am sure you are
mistaken if you think that is a chemical symbol。〃
〃I am sure； also；〃 said the detective with a smile。 〃I just wanted your
opinion； that is all。 Then those letters and figures would mean nothing to
you？〃
〃Nothing at all。 Wait though … 〃
Young Dr。 Percy Baird looked at the slip again。 〃No； it would mean
nothing to me；〃 he saidfinally。
〃Thank you；〃 said the colonel。
He came out of the physician's office to find Jean Forette calmly
reading in his side of the car。 The paper was put away at once； and with
a whirr from the self…starter the motor throbbed。
〃It there a free public library in town； Jean？〃 asked the detective。
〃Yes； monsieur。
〃Take me there。〃
The library was one built partly with the money donated by a
celebrated millionaire； and contained a fair variety of books。 To the main
desk； behind which sat a pretty girl； marched Colonel Ashley。
〃Have you any books on poisons？〃 he asked。
〃Poisons？〃 She looked up at him； startled； a flush mantling her fair
cheeks。
〃Yes。 Any works on poisons … a chemistry would do。〃
〃Oh； yes； we have books on poisons。 I'll jot down the numbers for
you。 We have not many； I'm afraid。 It is … it isn't a pleasant subject。〃
〃No； I imagine not。〃
She busied herself with the card index； and came back to him in a
moment with a slip of paper。
〃I'm sorry；〃 said the pretty girl； 〃but we seem to have only one book on
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poisons； and I'm afraid that isn't what you want。 It is entitled 'Poisonous
Plants of New Jersey；' and is one of the bulletins of the New Jersey
Agricultural Experiment Station at New Brunswick。 But it is out at
present。 Here is the number of it； and if it comes in … 〃
〃I should be glad to see it；〃 interrupted the colonel pleasantly。
〃Here is the number；〃 and the pretty girl extended to him a slip which
read： 58 C。 H … i6i*
〃What is the star for？〃 asked the colonel。
〃It indicates that the book was donated by the state and was not
purchased with the endowment appropriation；〃 she informed him。
〃And it is out now。 I wonder if you could tell me who has it？〃
〃Why； yes； sir。 Just a moment。〃
She looked at some more cards； and came back to him。 She looked a
bit disturbed。
〃The book； ‘Poisonous Plants of New Jersey' was taken out by Miss
Viola Carwell；〃 said the girl。
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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 wasn't
doing all possible； under the circumstances。〃
〃Oh； no； it wasn't anything like that。 She just wanted to be at home。
And I think； too；〃 and Miss Carwell lowered her voice； after a glance at
the door； 〃that she wanted to see him。〃
〃You mean … ？〃
〃Mr。 Bartlett！ There's no use disguising the fact that his family and
ours aren't on friendly terms。 I think he did a grave injustice to my
brother in a business way； and I'll never forgive him for it。 I don't want to
see Viola marry him … that is I didn't。 I hardly believe； now； after he has
been arrested； that she will。 But there is no doubt she cares for him； and
would do anything to prove that this charge was groundless。〃
〃Well； yes； I suppose that's natural；〃 assented the detective。 〃I'd be
glad； myself； to believe that Harry Bartlett had nothing to do with the
death of Mr。 Carwell。〃
〃But you believe he did have； don't you？〃
〃I haven't yet made up my mind；〃 was the cautious answer。 〃The golf
course mystery； I don't mind admitting； is one of the most puzzling I've
ever run across。 It won't do to make up one's mind at once。〃
〃But my brother either committed suicide； or else he was deliberately
poisoned ！〃 insisted Miss Carwell。 〃And those of us who knew him feel
sure he would never take his own life。 He must have been killed； and if
Harry Bartlett didn't do it who did？〃
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〃I don't know；〃 frankly replied the colonel。 〃That's what I'm going to
try to find out。 So Miss Viola feels much sympathy for him； does she？〃
〃Yes。 And she wants to go to see him at the jail。 Of course I know
they don't exactly call it a jail； but that's what I call it！〃
Miss Carwell was nothing if not determined in her language。
〃Would you let her go if you were I … go to see him？〃 she asked。
〃I don't see how you are going to prevent it；〃 replied the colonel。
〃Miss Viola is of legal age； and she seems to have a will of her own。 But I
hardly believe that she will see Mr。 Bartlett。〃
〃Oh； but she said she was going to。 That's one reason she made me
come home ahead of time； I believe。 She says she's going to see him；
and what she says she'll do she generally does。〃
〃However I don't believe she'll see him；〃 went on the detective。 〃The
prosecutor has given orders since yesterday that no one except Mr。
Bartlett's legal adviser must communicate with him； so I don't believe
Miss Viola will be admitted。〃
This proved to be correct。 Viola was very insistent； but to no avail。 The
warden at the jail would not admit her to the witness rooms； where Harry
Bartlett paced up and down； wondering； wondering； and wondering。 And
much of his wonder had to do with the girl who tried so hard to see him。
She had sent word by his lawyer that she believed in his innocence and
that she would do all she could for him； but he wanted more than that。 He
wanted to see her … to feast his hungry eyes on her … to hold her hand； to …
Oh； well； what was the use？ he wearily asked himself。 Would the
horrible tangle ever be straightened out？ He shook his head and resumed
his pacing of the rooms … for there were two at his disposal。 He was weary
to death of the dismal view to be had through the barred windows。
〃Did you see him？〃 asked her aunt； when Viola； much dispirited；
returned home。
〃No； and I suppose you're glad of it！〃
〃I am。 There's no use saying I'm not。〃
〃Aunt Mary； I think it's perfectly horrid of you to think； even for a
moment； that Harry had anything to do with this terrible thing。 He'd
never dream of it； not if he had quarreled with my father a dozen times。
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And I don't see what they quarreled about； either。 I'm sure I was with
Harry a good deal of the time before the game； and I didn't hear him and
my father have any words。〃
〃Perhaps； as it was about you； they took care you shouldn't hear。〃
〃Who says it was about me？〃
〃Can't you easily guess that it was； and that's why Harry doesn't want
to tell？〃 asked Miss Mary。
〃I don't believe anything of the sort！〃 declared Viola。
〃Well；〃 sighed Miss Carwell； 〃I don't know what to believe。 If your
poor； dear father wasn't a suicide； some one must have killed him； and it
may well have been … 〃
〃Don't dar