The Golf Course Mystery

ggest in the slightest degree the awful tragedy so close at hand-that tragedy which so puzzle

lmost stationary in one spot, while, with eager and far-seeing eyes, he peered into the depths below. The bird was a dark blotch against the perfect

vainly struggling in its talons, and from a dusty gray roadster, which had halted along t

a machine of vivid yellow, christened by some who had ridden in it the "Spanish Omelet." "Did you see tha

work, Gerry. But rather o

ping? What

tter. It's altogether too perfect a day

ou wouldn't have even a fish-hawk get a much needed meal on a bright, sunshiny day, when, if ever, he must have a whale of an appetite. You'd have him wait u

ed as he leaned forward preparatory to throwing the switch of his machine's

ourtesy title, bestowed because he was president of the Maraposa Yacht Club. "I was ju

enough to get a moss-bunker. Well, the f

e, even if it's only to be eaten. Gad! I didn't expect to get on such a gruesome subject when we starte

know there wa

idy odds against our friend Carwell. I'm tak

ke Horace Carwell and the crowd of past-performers and cup-winners he trails along with. He's just as likely t

lay. I'm banking on him. At the same time I haven't bet all my money. I've a ten spot left that says I can

said Harry Ba

ouds of dust-the sinister gray car and the more showy yellow-while above them, driving its talons deeper into the sides of

d spots of blood, some of which dripped to the grou

Bartlett, as he drove on with ever-increasing speed in an endeavor to gain a length on his opponent, could not

g with cunningly found balls; skillful waiters hurrying here and there with trays on which glasses of various shapes, sizes, and of diversified contents t

yed several matches, not the least in importance being that of the cup-winners, open

re to try their skill against one another, to the delight of a large gallery, interest centered in the cup-winners' bat

eans of getting cattle through a fence without taking down the bars, and there was talk that Horace Carwell had made a pretty stiff bet with

t emptied with every indication of delight in its contents. "If it had been made to order couldn't be improved on," and he f

the laughing response. "Never mind the ashes

the total precipitation, including rain and melted snow in Yuma, Arizona, for the cale

tting any more of those statistics out of your system, come on over and we'll d

ional forests of the United States in the last year there was cut 840,612,

f those beastly dry figures-Say, there comes something that does inter

t on, as a shift of wind blew the dust to one side and revealed the

o, at times, would inform his companions on almost any subject that chanced to come uppermo

"And it looks, now, as though the captain rather had the

've heard about both of them-that each hopes to place

," answered Sharwell. "And it also happens, if that old lady, Mrs. G. 0. 5.

d made a tidy sum on that ship-

n one of the big mergers in which his family took a prominent part, they, or some one connected with them, pinche

s the gam

has to Gerry-as far as any one can tell-there has been talk that Harry is persona no

hey watched the racing automobiles swing around

was before my time-I mean before I

m interested. I expect to have some business deali

all straight on his relatives' part. But it's like shaking a mince pie at a Thanksgiving turkey to mention the m

e inside edge on the love game. Well, Mis

a boy. She was a dear, somewhat conventional lady. How she ever came to take up with the

. Carwell

ister, Miss Mary, keeps The Haven up

the regular calling list, though

the two automobilists, far off as they were. For the yello

he road again, and swung up alongside his rival for the home

race, murmurs arising as it was seen how close it was likely to be. And close it was, for when the two machines, with doleful whinings of b

eaped out and motioned for one of the serv

land, as he pushed his goggles ba

" asked Bartlet

pot that I'd beat you.

ett. "The race was to be for a finish, not

ly, as he sat down at a table after greeting some fri

r. Have any of the matches started yet, Bruce

f novices, do you know that in Scotland th

Tom-and we'll make it two bottles. Anything to choke off yo

tlett, as the four young men sat about the table un

ell, as he consulted a card. "Hardl

s he raised his glass and seemed to be studying th

e gets here," answe

ptain. "Does he have a

hear his car bef

w h

an. "He's just bought a new ten thousand dollar Fre

lue?" chorused th

er he's honoring Uncle Sam or the French Republic.

sh with him!" murm

n do eighty on fourth speed, and Carwell is sporty

l I get my new machine, t

ually dropped out of the conversation

r affairs. It lay a few miles back from the shore near Lakeside, in New Jersey. The club

anchored, and a mile or so in the opposite direction was Lake Tacoma, on the shore of which was Lakesid

ng about, casually greeting friends and acquaintances, when he heard his name call

a rather tall and dark girl who extended her sli

play much myself," answered Minnie Webb. "I'm sur

gallery to-day. Meanwhile, if you don't min

," and she moved over to make room fo

very close friends-engaged some rumors had it. But

ls' new machine?

ut it. I presume they'l

Viola

e, some one said-more of a racer than a

rstand he's soon to be taken in

ly very much interested in the vein structure of a lea

rivate secretary, were engaged. But there had been no formal announcement, though the

ollowed by a murmur of voices, and Minnie, pe

olor at all! I'm as patriotic as any one, but to

ugh to leave the summerhouse, but as he saw Captain Poland step up and off

ously to the delight of Mr. Carwell, who was pr

any other time Minnie Webb would have noticed it and taxed him with it, but now, she, too, had her attention centered elsewhere. She watched eagerly the group

ct he was glad of the diversion, for he saw Viola Carwell turn with what he thought was impatience

she drifted. But he made his way through the press of persons to where Viola

n," she murmured to him, as he took her hand, an

idn't you?" Bartlett

to smooth things over with father. If he wins, as he feels sure he will, you must congratulate him very heartily-exceptiona

I haven't done anything

tter against you, though I'm sure you had nothing to do with it. Now, if he wins, an

ds, you know that, Viola. But

rn, Harry!" an

I am. When I

ou forget i

't see

won't you won't, I suppose. Only

r the match, Viola. I'll

ill be all worked up if he wins, and he'll want a fus

ed Bartlett. And then a servant cam

as watching her from the tail of his eye, and he wa

ll," said the captain. "I just heard that they've postponed the c

's too perfect a day to sit around, and

en. She really was a little provoked with Bartlett's stubbornness, or what she called that, and she though

er or not she would admit Captain Poland

that had come most inopportunely for him, Viola Carwell and Cap

she was thankful, Minnie Webb drifted

s at her, though his face showed no great amount of jollity. "You're as solemn as

as he fell into step beside her, and they st

with you. Has there been any hitch in th

ot exa

ou lost

't say tha

spaper reporter?" and Minnie Webb laughed, showing a perfect set of t

it's anything much,"

hing!" insi

l you now," he said, with rather an air of desperation, and as though driven t

of money. Not a multi-millionaire, of course, but b

eeps up the pace he's set of late," went on

do you

to buy that ten-thousand-dollar yacht so soon after spending eve

o tell me he's bo

own the coast in. Paid a cool ten thousand for it, though if

oughtn't to worry Mr. Carwell,

been on the wrong side of the market for some time. Then, to

ich Harry's uncle and Mr.

there are rumors that he lost quite a sum i

siness horrid! I'm glad I'm not a man.

esn't tell me everything, even if he has planned to take m

nnie Webb leaned just the l

But don't mention this to any one, Minnie. If it got out it might precipitate matters, and then the whole business would tumb

ell mentioned

his golf game that may make him club champ

back toward the clubhouse, for they had r

expected she would. As a matter of fact it had been undertaken largely to cause Bartlett a

rning something he had fully expected to speak

son to feel that she cared for him, though whether enough to wa

ll and have it out with him about that insurance deal. Maybe he holds that against me, though the last time I talked with him he gave me to understand that I'd

ouse and helped Viola out. "I think we are in ple

ct course. "I'll go to look for dad and wish him luck. He always wants me to do that before he starts hi

through a little clump of bushes. Midway he heard voices. In an instant he reco

r it would be to drop it all-to h

your own business!" snapped Mr.

Mr. Carwell; but I ventured

. I've had about all I want from you and your fam

ed away, for he did not

house, and forced herself to be gay. But, some

e caught sight, among the press,

ther since he arrive

s given in such a surly tone with such a churlish manner that Vio

trolled past. She had heard

years' standing. I think they are going to start to play. I wonder why they say the French are such a polite race," s

oes not like the new machine, and father has told him to find anot

lder members and their friends were concerned, was centered in that for cup-winners. These constitu

. He motored, fished, played golf, hunted, and of late had added yachting to his amusements. He was wealthy, as his father had been before him, and own

watch and ward over the handsome home, The Haven. Viola, though loving her father with the natural affection of a daughter and

id not enjoy was the rather too jovial comradeship that followed on the part of the men and women her father associated with. He was a good liver and a good spender, and he li

en husband and wife before her; though there had never been a whisper

or

remarkable playing, an unusually large gallery would follow the contestants around. The best caddies had been selected, clubs h

e first tee. He swung his driver with freedom and ease to make sure it was the one that best suited him

that I'm going to let you beat me, but I'm always a stroke or two off in

"As for me, the brighter the sun the b

ation and announced that play mig

ing very surely, and for a longer distance than most players liked to think about. Also a short dis

lanced back for a moment to where Viola stood between Captain Poland and Harry Bartlett. Something like a little

ud tones and with a free and easy manner he did not often assume. "Here's w

what the Scotch call a "canny" player. He never predicted that he was going to win, ex

in, and then he swung at the

murmurs of approbation that greete

e cried as he stepped off the te

ll up on the putting green of the firs

that and he'll win the

forget what I told you,

of her dress, and pressed it. She smiled up at him,

ed more than one member of the gallery, as

just a little too much champagne to make his strokes true

ing, let me inform you that in Africa last year there were used in nose rings alone for the na

if you chop it off sho

aimed Garriga

stants being well matched, and the s

tement increasing as it was seen that there would be the close

Bartlett suddenly, as he walked a

nquired th

os. Looks as if

ic palfrey, so I guess it's all right. There are en

any automobiles were parked at one corner of the course. Still it might be s

pproached the eighteenth. "I've got you two strokes now

at," was the laughing

allery while the players m

struck the little white ball and sent it sailin

n Poland. "On the green again! Anoth

boasted Carwell, who o

e trouble was among the automobiles. She looked back as she saw her father stoop to send the ball into the little depressed cup.

r?" mused Viola, as she saw the smoke growing denser. "Da

him make the putt that won the game at the last hole. Then, to her horror she saw him re

laimed, and deadly fear clutched at