"He either spent it or - Well, yes, he must have spent it, for it is gone.The car cost ten thousand, and he spent as much, if not more, on the yacht.""But they can be sold.I don't want either of them.I'm afraid in the big car," said Viola, "and the yacht isn't seaworthy, I've heard.I wouldn't take a trip in her.""I don't know anything about that," said LeGrand Blossom."But even if the car and yacht were sold at a forced sale they would not bring anything like what they cost.I have gone carefully over your father's affairs, as you requested me, and I tell you frankly they are in bad shape.""What can be done?" asked Miss Carwell.
"I don't know," LeGrand Blossom frankly admitted."You may call in an expert, if you like, to go over the books; but I don't believe he wouldcome to any other conclusion than I have.As a matter of fact, I bad a somewhat selfish motive in looking into your father's affairs of late.You know I was thinking of going into partnership with him, and - and -" He did not finish.
Viola nodded.
"Perhaps I might say that he was good enough to offer me the chance," the young man went on.And, as I was to invest what was, to me, a large sum, I wanted to see how matters were.So I examined the books carefully, as your father pressed me to do.At that time his affairs were in good shape.But of late he had lost a lot of money.""Will it make any difference to us?" and Viola included her aunt in her gesture.
"Well, you, Miss Carwell," and Blossom nodded to the older lady, "have your own money in trust funds.Mr.Carwell could not touch them.But he did use part of the fortune left you by your mother," he added to Viola.
"I don't mind that," was her steady answer."If my father needed my money he was welcome to it.That is past and gone.What now remains to me?""Very little," answered LeGrand Blossom."I may be able to pull the business through and save something, but there is a lot of money lost - spent or gone somewhere.I haven't yet found out.Your father speculated too much, and unwisely.I told him, but he would pay no heed to me.""Do you think he knew, before his death, that his affairs were in such bad shape?" asked the dead man's sister.
"He must have, for I saw him going over the books several times.""Do you think this knowledge impelled him toto end his life?" faltered Viola.
LeGrand Blossom considered a moment before answering.Then he slowly said:
"It was either that, or - or, well, some one killed him.There are no two ways about it.""I believe some one killed him!" burst out Viola."But I think theauthorities have made a horrible mistake in detaining Mr.Bartlett," she added."Don't you, Mr.Blossom?""I - er - I don't know what to think.Your father had some enemies, it is true.Every business man has.And a person with a temper easily aroused, such as - "LeGrand Blossom stopped suddenly.
"You were about to name some one?" asked Viola.
"Well, I was about to give, merely as an instance, Jean Forette the chauffeur.Not that I think the Frenchman had a thing to do with the matter.But he has a violent temper at times, and again he is as meek as any one I ever knew.But say a person did give way to violent passion, such as I have seen him do at times when something went wrong with the hig, new car, might not such a person, for a fancied wrong, take means of ending the life of a person who had angered him?""I never liked Jean Forette," put in Miss Carwell, "and I was glad when I heard Horace was to let him go.""Do yon think-do you believe he had anything to do with my father's death?" asked Viola quickly.
"Not the least in the world," answered the head clerk hastily."I just used him as an iliustration.""But he quarreled with my father," the girl went on."They had words, I know.""Yes, they did, and I heard some of them," admitted LeGrand Blossom."But that passed over, and they were friendly enough the day of the golf game.So there could not have been murder in the heart of that Frenchman.No, I don't mean even to hint at him: hut I believe some one, angry at, and with a grudge against, your father, ended his life.""I believe that, too!" declared Viola firmly."And while I feel, as you do, about Jean, still it is a clew that must not be overlooked.I'll tell Colonel Ashley."I fancy he knows it already," said LeGrand Blossom."There isn't much that escapes that fisherman."
