so good as
to send him here I'll get him to open my bag and take out a note-book I
wish to use."

A little later Colonel Ashley had thrown himself heart and soul into the
"Golf Course Mystery," as he marked it on a page in his note-book.

On the preceding page were the last entries in a case, the beginning
of which was inscribed "The Diamond Cross Mystery." It was thus that
Colonel Ashley kept the salient facts of his problems before him as he
worked.

Between them Viola Carwell and Harry Bartlett told the colonel such
facts leading up to the death of Mr. Carwell as they knew. They spoke of
the day of the big golf matches, and the exhilaration of Mr. Carwell as
he anticipated winning the championship contest.

The scene at the links was portrayed, the little excitement among
the parked cars, caused, as developed later, by a blaze in a machine
standing next the big red, white, and blue car belonging to Mr. Carwell,
and then the sudden collapse of Carwell as he make his winning stroke.
The finding of some peculiar poison in the stomach and viscera of the
dead man was spoken of, and then Viola made her appeal again for a
disclosure of such truth as Colonel Ashley might reveal.

"I'll do my best," he promised. "But I believe it will be better to wait
until after the inquest before I take an active part. And I think I can
best work if I remain unknown--that is if it is not published broadcast
that I am here in my official capacity."

To this Viola and Bartlett agreed. As neither of them had, as yet,
spoken of bringing the colonel into the case, it was a comparatively
easy matter to pass him off as an old friend of the family; which, in
truth, he was.

So Colonel Ashley was given the guest chamber, Shag was provided with
comfortable quarters, and then Viola seemed more content.

"I know," she said to her aunt, "that the truth will be found out now."

"But suppose the truth is more painful than uncertainty, Viola?"

"How can it be?" asked the girl, as tears filled her eyes.

"I don't know," answered Miss Carwell softly. "It is all so terrible,
that I don't believe it can be any worse. But we must hope for the best.
I trust business matters will go along all right. I confess I don't like
the forgetting, on the part of LeGrand Blossom, of attending to the bank
matter."

"It was probably only an oversight."

"Yes. But it has started a rumor that your poor father's affairs might
not be in the best shape. Oh, dear,