of a month or two. When Carwell's death occurred, Blossom was
in financial difficulties on account of the demands of Morocco Kate. He
could not get hold of the money he had invested, nor could he get hold
of the money he had loaned Carwell. In his quandary he took certain
securities belonging to Carwell and hypothecated them, expecting, later
on, to make good as soon as he got some of his own money back. Of course
the whole transaction was a rather shady one, and yet I still believe
the young fellow wanted to be honest."

"How does he stand now?"

"Oh, he has managed to get hold of some of his money, and with that got
back the Carwell securities. And, of course, the Carwell estate will
have to settle with him later on, and Viola and Miss Mary Carwell are
going to keep him in his present position.

"He and Minnie Webb are to be married very soon--which reminds me that I
have an invitation for you."

"For me?"

"Yes. It's to the wedding of Viola and Harry Bartlett. The affair
is going to be very quiet, so you can come without worrying about a
dress-suit, which I know you hate as much as I do."

"I should say so!"

"And did Bartlett's uncle really mulct Mr. Carwell in that insurance
deal?"

"Well, that's according to how you look at the ins and outs of modern
high finance. It was a case of skin or be skinned, and I guess Harry's
uncle skinned first and beat Mr. Carwell to it. It was six of one and a
half dozen of the other. The deal would have been legitimate either way
it swung, but it made Mr. Carwell sore for a time, and that, more
than anything else, made him quarrel with Harry when Morocco Kate was
mentioned."

The letters in the secret drawer, which had so worried Viola, proved to
be very simple, after all. They referred to a certain local committee,
organized for an international financial deal which Mr. Carwell was
endeavoring to swing with Captain Poland. The latter thought, because of
his intimate association with Viola's father, that the latter might use
his influence in the captain's love affair. But that was not to be. So
Viola's worry was for naught in this respect.

And so the golf course mystery was cleared up, though even to the end,
when he had paid the penalty for his crime, the chauffeur would not
reveal the nature of the poison he had mixed with the dope which had
made him a wreck.

Beside the still water, that ran in a deep eddy where the stream curved
under the trees, Colonel Ashley s