Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-09-19

mucn help, because he was as tar as ever
from beng able TO show that anybody had
done so, but such as it was-he determined
TO make the most of it. 1t would in any
case be worth his time to trace the man
in blue, if he could. 1t would do his case
no harm, though it did not seem likely to
do it much good. To have pockets in
ones bathing dress is not an indictable
offense, and there was nothing criminal
in hesitating to dive off boat 1t seemed
after all a very thin thread to depend
upon, but as far as Mary was concerned
he resolved to act as if Miss Ennis inno-
cence was beyond question.
Mary, my dear, he said as ne en-
tered, cit IS all right, and I'll put up
the bonus just as soon as you are ready.
DO you mean that Miss Gertrude had
nothing to do with it?'' cried Mary, her
eyes sparkling with delight.
"'She had no more to do with it be-
lieve, than 1 had, or you, my dear, ,
said Mr.. Padger, drawing somewhat
strongly upon his resolution
''Oh, MIR. Padger Joshua can you
prove lt?''
Well, - he said cautiously, 81 don t
know that can prove it just at present,
for there is one little point waiting to be
cleared up, and no one can do that for
me except Miss Ennis herself Mary
my dear, must speak to her.
'"Oh, Joshua how can you? 1t IS down
right impossible. -
81 must, possible or not, - he in
sisted. Mary you must take me up to
her .
81 daren It, exclaimed Mary, in hor-
ror at the proposal.
''Well then, you must just shut your
eyes, and let me go by myself. -
'But what will you do, Joshua, what
will you say?''
Never mind. Trust me TO find that
out when the time comes. -
1t called for all his powers of persua-
sion to induce Mary TO consent to such an
unwarrantable intrusion, but his con-
tinued assurance that it was essential to
Miss Ennis IS safety, and their happiness,
finally overcame her determination.
''She won t remember seeing me, you
may be sure - said he. And even if
she should, she doesn It know that I am
acquainted with you, so whatever hap
pens it can't be brought back to your
door. -
And Mary verya grudgingly gave her
consent to what she regarded as an I'M
precedented breach of social decorum.
There was no one in the drawing room
in which he had expected to find the
young lady, and he was about to with
draw as silently as he came when he
heard voices in a conservatory which
opened from the long room at right
angles.
He had no scruples as to the propriety
Af The act If W nQT II nf his hnCjnpcS IN
pick up intelligence how and when he
could, and without hesitation he crept a
little nearer and listened.
One voice, woman $, was unmistak-
ably Miss Ennis the other equally u
dubitably belonged to the man with
whom she had held the interview IN the
darkness of the avenue. 1t was clear
that her dismissal of him then had not
proved final. He was speaking when
Mr.. Padger noiselessly approached with
in earshot.
''Hes bound to find it out sooner or
later. you know how, - he said.
con, jack" replied Miss Ennis. CT
iaren t tell him.
Well then. - expostulated the man
'let me. 1 DON'T believe he'll mind
when he knows After all we've re-
ieved him. of a burden. -
81 don 'tthink you should speak of it
ike that. -
Gwen, 1 won t, but let me go straight
AWAY and tell him how it all came
Shout
T ''Oh, Jack!'' cried Miss Ennis. Sup
pose he should never forgive your"
"'Oh, he viii, never fear. OF course
ne was very much under her influence
n Mill faa fOr hut no
,ver it. l shall tell him and have done
With it -
"No, no, Jack. Wait bit
''What is the use of prolonging the
agony. 1 want to get 1t off my mind. I
hail tell him.
NO don't Don It be hasty -
''Look here. Suppose you were to
cave it about so that he could come
lcrOss it by chance.
''Why Jack 1 couldn It. The shock
night kill him for all you know. -
''Well, then, will you tell hIm?'1
81 daren It, Jack; indeed 1 daren It s" |
''Then | shall.
This last announcement was followed |
" such evident preparations for NOV
ng that Mr.. PaGger hastily tip toed |
Jack to the door of the room and seemed /
o enter for the first time, slamming the !
oor behind him as if by accident, just |
s Gertrude Ennis appeared in the en-
rance to the conservatory. She was
lone
Miss Ennis, l believe, - said Mr.
'adger cOurteouslY, with a low bow
Who are you?'' she said in umis-
akable astOnIshment.
"Padger, Miss, Joshua
She stared haughtily, evidently recol-
Getting neither his face nor name
''What do you want?'' she said after
pause, during which Mr. Padger was
how he could manage to get
n unsupported peep at the man in the
60 word with you, if you please F"
e replied. Your father sent me to
six you a question.
This was, as we know, a diplomatic
erversion of the truth, but Mr.. Padger
id not regret it when he perceived the
feet which it produced Miss Ennis
tarted and turned deadly pale, while Il
ustle in the conservatory told him that
ne shot had gone home there also.
"My-my father?'' gasped Miss
nnis
''It's quite a simple matter, :" con-
nued Mr.. Padger reassuringly. 'There
no occasion for alarm. What
ere you DONG between half past twelve
nd quarter to two on the day of the
lurder?