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〃The place is being closed for the season； sir；〃 answered the man；
evidently a caretaker。
〃Closed？ So early？〃 exclaimed the colonel； in surprise。
〃The captain has gone away；〃 the man went on。 〃I got orders
yesterday to close the place for the season。 Captain Poland will not be
back。〃
〃Oh！〃 softly exclaimed the colonel。 And then to himself he added：
〃He won't be back！ Well； perhaps I shall have to bring him back。
Another link！ There may be three people in this instead of two！〃
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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。
〃Won't you sit down？〃 asked Viola。
〃Thank you。 I won't detain you long。 I called merely on business；
though I suppose you think I'm not a very business…like looking person。
But I am strictly business； all the way through；〃 and she tittered。 〃I find
it pays better to really dress the part；〃 she added。
〃I was so sorry to hear about your dear father's death。 I knew him …
quite well I may say … he was very good to me。〃
〃Yes；〃 murmured Viola； and somehow her heart was beating strangely。
What did it all mean？ Who was this … this impossible person who
claimed business relations； yes； even friendliness； with the late Mr。
Carwell？
〃And now to tell you what I came for；〃 went on Miss Tighe。 〃Your
dear father … and in his death I feel that I have lost a very dear friend and
adviser … your dear father purchased many valuable books of me。 I sell
only the rarest and most expensive bindings； chiefly full morocco。 Your
father was very fond of books； wasn't he？〃
Viola could not help admitting it； as far as purchasing expensive； if
unread； editions was concerned。 The library shelves testified to this。
〃Yes； indeed； he just loved them； and he was always glad when I
brought his attention to a new set； my dear Miss Carwell。 Well； that is
what I came about now。 Just before his terrible death … it was terrible；
wasn't it？ Oh； I feel so sorry for you；〃 and she dabbed a much…perfumed
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THE GOLF COURSE MYSTERY
handkerchief to her eyes。 〃Just before his lamented death he bought a
lovely white morocco set of the Arabian Nights from me。 Forty volumes；
unexpurgated； my dear。 Mind you that … unexpurgated！〃 and Morocco
Kate seemed to dwell on this with relish。 〃As I say； he bought a lovely
set from me。 It was the most expensive set I ever sold … forty…five
hundred dollars。〃
〃Forty…five hundred dollars for a set of books！〃 exclaimed Viola； in
unaffected wonder。
〃Oh； my dear； that is nothing。 These were some books；〃 and she
winked understandingly。
〃It isn't everybody who could get them！ The edition was limited。
But I happened on a set and I knew your father wanted them； so I got them
for him。 He made the first payment； and then he died … I read it in the
papers。 Naturally I didn't want to bother you while the terrible affair was
so fresh； so I waited。 And now I'm here！〃
She seemed to be … very much so； as she settled herself back in the big
leather chair； and made sure that her hair was properly fluffed around her
much…powdered face。
〃You are here to … 〃 faltered Viola。 〃To get the balance for the books
… that's it； dear Miss Carwell。 Naturally I'm not in for my health； and of
course I don't publish books myself。 I'm only a poor business woman；
and I work on commission。 The firm likes have all contracts cleaned up；
but in this case they didn't press matters； knowing Mr。 Carwell was all
right； or； if he wasn't； his estate was。 I've sold him many a choice and
rare book … books you don't see in every library； my dear。 Of course there
were … ahem … some you wouldn't care to read； and I can't say I care much
about 'em myself。 A good French novel is all right； I say； but some of
‘em well； you know！〃 and she winked boldly； and dabbed her face with the
handkerchief which was quickly filling the room with an overpowering
odor。
〃You mean my father owes you money？〃 faltered Viola。
〃Well； not me； exactly … the firm。 But I don't mind telling you I get
my rake…off。 I have to so I can live。 The balance is only three thousand
dollars； and if you could give me a check … 〃
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〃Excuse me；〃 interrupted Viola； 〃but I have nothing to do with the
business end of my father's affairs。〃
〃You're his daughter； aren't you？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃And you'll get all his property？〃 Morocco Kate was getting vindictive
now。
〃I cannot discuss that with you；〃 said Viola； simply。 〃All matters of
business are attended to at the office。 You will have to see Mr。 Blossom。〃
〃Huh！ LeGrand Blossom！ No use seeing him。 I've tried。 But I'll
try again； and say you sent me。〃 The voice was back to its original dulcet
tones now。 〃That's what I'll do； my dear Miss Carwell。 I'll tell LeGrand
Blossom you sent me。 He needn't think he can play fast and loose with
me as he has。 If he doesn't want to pay this bill； contracted by your
father in the regular way … and I must say he was very nice to me … well；
there are other ways of collecting。 I haven't told all I know。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 demanded Viola hotly。 〃Oh； there's time
enough to tell later；〃 was the answer。 〃I haven't been in the rare edition
business for nothing； nor just for my health。 But wait until I see LeGrand
Blossom。 Then I may call on you again！〃 And with this rather veiled
threat Morocco Kate took her leave。
〃What horrible person was that？〃 asked Miss Mary Carwell； who met
Viola in the hail after her visitor's departure。 〃She was positively vulgar；
I should say； though I didn't see her。〃
〃Oh； she was just a book agent。 I sent her to Mr。 Blossom。〃
〃To Mr。 Blossom； my dear！ I didn't know he was literary。〃
〃Neither was this person； Aunt Mary。 I think I shall go and lie down。
I have a headache。〃
And as she locked herself in her room shed bitter tears on her pillow。
Who was this person who seemed to know Mr。 Carwell so well； who
boasted of how 〃good〃 he was to her？ Why did Colonel Ashley want to
gain all the information he could about her？
〃Oh； what does it all mean？〃 asked Viola in shrinking terror。 〃Is
there to be some terrible … some horrible scandal？〃
She put the question to Colonel Ashley a little later。
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〃Who is this woman？〃
The colonel considered a moment before replying。 Then； with a
shrewd look at Viola； he replied：
〃Well； my dear； she isn't your kind； of course； but I've known her； and
known of her； for several years。 She； and those she associates with； work
the de luxe game。〃
〃The de luxe game？ What is it？〃
〃In brief； it's a blackmailing scheme。 A woman of the type of Miss
Tighe； to give her one of her names； associat