Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-09-12

sincerely on this resolution.
At II clock that night Mr.. Padger,
having remained at home all the even
ing, once more left his lodgings, and
wendell his way to the summit of the
cliffs, and thence to the beach. 1t was q
curious time to select for battle, but the
towels which he carried in a bundle
under his arm would have assured the
most casual observer that such must
undoubtedly be his intention. The pc
culiarity of this proceeding might have
been explained if the aforesaid observer
had been at pains to follow him.
1t was lovely, warm night. and the
great circle of the full moon flooded
with radiance the quiet sea, aud the wide
stretch of sand glistening with moisture
left by the ebbing tide. Carefully sur
veying his position by the bearings he
had taken the precautiOn to note, Mr..
Padger deposited his towels and pro-
ceeded to undress upon the very spot
that the blood stained bathing machine
had occupied on the day Of the murder.
During the long review of the situation
which he had made that afternoon he
had been puzzled by the utter disappear
ence of Mrs. Ennis watch Whether his
solution OF the mystery was right one
or not, this point was fraught with diff
Guilty. In any case it was ridiculous to
suppose that the murderer should have
carried off an article so comparatively
valueless, and so easily traceable, leav-
ing behind him G27 in solid coin, and the
only conclusion was that the watch had
for soIie undiscoverable reason fallen or
been flung into the sea.
To search for, and if possible 70 re-
OOVpr ha had alrpa5V 6pna with the
pearl handled knife, was Mr.. Padger's
present purpose. He was aware that
some little distance out below the lowest
water-mark, broad ledge Of smooth,
level rock was thrust up through the
spread of sand. If the watch had fallen
upon this it was probably still to be found
there, as there was no fear Of sand hav-
ing drifted over it, and the sea
had been so invariably calm
since the day of the murder
that at that depth it could not have been
washed off. To search in the day time
was, however, impossible, for If the
watch was really unheeded on the rocky
bottom beneath the waves, it was in all
likelihood III that portion which was de-
voted exclusively TO ladies, and was ia
ho0;te the rougher sex. Consequently at
night ,jf at all, the investigation must be
made =
SloBfy Mr.. Padger waded backwards
and, forwards as before, further and fur.
ther out, above his knees, above his
waist; until the water murmered round
his chin Then there was a slight splash
and-Mr. Padger disappeared from view.
For a short time the smooth surface of
the sea was unbToken, and then he reap
peared above the rpples some ninety
yards to the left of his former position,
putting, blowing and dashing the water
from his eyes.
Again and again, for upwards of half
an hour, Mr.. Padger alternately melted
away and emerged once more into the
At length at the cor clusion
of an unusually long disappearance,
which restored him to the surface still
further to the left of his starting point,
he gave up the pursuit and struck out for
shsce.
1TeSSwas stiff and chilled by his pro-
1onged immersion, and wearied by his
tremendous efforts; but as has already
been remarked, he was an accomplished
swimmer and diver, and a brisk rub
down with the towels, rapid SPIN upon
the beach and swig of Scotch whisky
from flask which he had brought with
him, restored the warmth to his body
and the elasticity to his limbs.
"'Thanks, ''he exclaimed as he climbed
the steps to the summit of the cliff.
''Thanks TO the happy chance that made
me take an interest in diving -
1t might be gathered from this that
he had succeeded in procuring the OBJ
ject of his search, but the conclusion
would be erroneous. He had not. He
had failed to find the missing watch,
but he had found something, and it was
the desire to ascertain more precisely
what that something was that fastened
his steps homeward.
As soon as he was safely locked in the
seclusion of his sitting roOm-a precau-
ton he took as usual though his land
lady had gone to bed-he drew from his
pocket and deposited upon the table the
sole reward of his eXeTtious.
It was a small box, covered externally
with polished steel, but slightly furnished
by its sojourn under water, and bearing
no mark or ornament upon its surface
save the simple incised initials, @. F.
Before opening it MIR. Padger, in his
customary business-like way deliberately
took Its measurements and noted them
down in his pOcketboOk.
Length. three inches; height, two
inches; width, two inches.
Having verified these, and assured
himself that they were strictly accur-
ate, he proceeded to carry the examina-
tion further. 1t opened with spring
which had been somewhat affected by
the damp, but little exertion seemed
to overcome its resistance, and revealed
the interior.
The man who made it had done his
work so thoroughly that scarcely a drop
of water had found its way between the
box and the lid, and the fittings were
very little injured.
1t was filled, flush with the top, with 1
some solid material, covered with quill
ted crimson plush. In the center was
an oval depression, also lined with plush.
the worn appearance of which indicated
that the article which it had contained,
but which was now removed from its
position, had been constantly taken DUB
and replaced.
"Whew!'' whistled Mr.. Padger. GA
jewel case or 1 IN Dutchman. Padger,
my boy, there is more in this than has
met your eye as yet. That murder was
not so motiveless as you imagined.
This discovery, in fact, if it had any