HARRY'S MISSION
Minnie Webb'S announcement affected her four hearers in four different ways.It shocked Viola - shocked her greatly, for she had, naturally, expected kindly sympathy and agreement from her friend.
Dr.Baird, who had involuntarily begun to twist his small mustache at the entrance of Miss Webb, looked at her in admiration of her good looks and because she upheld a theory to which he felt himself committed - a theory that Mr.Carwell was a plain out-and-out suicide.
Dr.Lambert was plainly indignant at the bald manner in which Minnie Webb made her statement, and at the same time he had pity for the ignorance of the lay mind that will pronounce judgment against the more cautious opinions of science.And this was not the first poisoning case with which the aged practitioner had dealt.
As for Captain Poland, he gazed blankly at Miss Webb for a moment following her statement, and then he looked more keenly at the young woman, as though seeking to know whence her information came.
And when Viola had recovered from her first shock this was the thought that came to her:
"What did Minnie know?"
And Viola asked that very question - asked it sharply and with an air which told of her determination to know.
"Oh, please don't ask me!" stammered Minnie Webb."But I have heard that your father's affairs are involved, Viola.""His affairs? You mean anything in his - private life?" and the daughter of Horace Carwell - "Carwell the sport," as he was frequently called - seemed to feel this blow more than the shock of death.
"Oh, no, nothing like that!" exclaimed Minnie, as though abashed at the mere suggestion."But I did hear - and I can not tell where I heard it - that he was involved financially, and that, perhaps - well, you know some men have a horror of facing the world poor and - ""That can't be true!" declared Viola stoutly."While I do not knowanything about my father's financial affairs, I know he had no fear of failure - no fear of becoming poor.""I do not believe he would have feared to face poverty if there was need.But there was not, I'm sure.Minnie, who told you this?""I - I can not tell!" said Minnie, with a memory of the insinuating manner in which LeGrand Blossom had spoken.Bearing in mind her promise to him not to mention the matter, she began to wish that she had not spoken.
"But you must tell!" insisted Dr.Lambert."This amounts to an accusation against a dead man, and you owe it to Viola to give the source of your information.""No, Doctor, I can not! Please don't ask me, Viola.Oh, I shouldn't have spoken, but I thought only to help you solve the problem.""You have only made it harder, unless you tell us more," said Dr.Lambert gently."Why can not you tell us, Miss Webb?""Because I - I promised not to.Oh, can't you find out for yourselves- in your own way, about his affairs?Surely an examination - ""Yes, of course, that would be the proper way, said Dr.Lambert gravely."And it must be done, I suppose.""It will lead to nothing - it will prove nothing," insisted Viola."I am sure my father's affairs were not involved.Wait, I'll call Aunt Mary.She was in close touch with all the money matters of our household.Father trusted her with many business matters.Call Aunt Mary!"Her eyes red with weeping, but bearing up bravely withal, Miss Mary Carwell joined the conference.She, it seemed, had guessed something when Dr.Lambert and Dr.Baird were closeted so long with Captain Poland.
"We must face the facts, however unpleasant they are," said Dr.Lambert, in a low voice."We must recognize that this will be public talk in a little while.A man - so well-known a character as was my old friend Horace Carwell - can not die suddenly in the midst of a championship golf game, and let the matter rest there.""The papers will take it up," said Dr.Baird."The papers!" broke in Viola.
"Yes, even now I have been besieged by reporters demanding to know the cause of death.It will have to come out.The report of the county physician, on which only a burial certificate can be obtained, is public property.The bureau of vital statistics is open to the public and the reporters.There is bound to be an inquiry, and, as I have said, Dr.Rowland has already announced it as a suicide.We must face the issue bravely.""But even if it should prove true, that he took the poison, I am sure it will turn out to be a mistake!" declared Viola."As for my father's affairs being in danger financially - Aunt Mary, did you ever hear of such athing ?""Well, my dear, your father kept his affairs pretty much to himself," was the answer of her aunt."He did tell me some things, and only to-day something came up that makes me think - Oh, I don't know what to think- now!"
"What is it?" asked Dr.Lambert, quietly but firmly."It is best to know the worst at once.""I can't say that it is the `worst,'" replied Miss Carwell; "but there was something about a loan to the bank, and not enough collateral to cover - Mr.Blossom should have attended to it, but he did not, it seems, and - Won't you tell them?" she appealed to Captain Poland.
"Certainly," he responded."It is a ****** matter," he went on."Mr.Carwell, as all of us do at times, borrowed money from his bank, giving certain securities as collateral for the loan.
