Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-09-22

i
shrieked ''When? What was the
date?'
81 know not. Wy you want to KNOW
"Why?'' cried Mr.. Padger, why?
Look there. That's why. Can you
doubt that that refers TO the identical
| stone?''
Mr.. Van Cooler read the measurements
in the note book presented to him, and
returned it with phlegmatie shrug.
IT seems to me, mein freund Bad
ger, he said cody, ''dot you shomp
ubon your CONCLUSIONS -
land you know nothing as to the
| facts of the murder?'' asked Mr. Pad
ger, ignoring the suggestion as to the
| unreliabiiity of his method of investiga-
| ton
holdings, - was the reply, mod
| dings Voteffer. Vot is he TO me der muir
| der? Dere ees in England blenty muir
ders enof nitout drobbling oneselluf nit
| dose aproad. -
''Well, thank you very much, Mr..
Van Cooler, - said Mr.. Padger. hurried
ly preparing to depart, 81
cutting of yours is worth its weight ii
gold -
Dot would not pc much, remarked
Mr.. Van Cooler, sardonically. ''Vere
you go 20 vast-heim?
ITO find out all about the Freiliger
murder, - cried Mr.. Padger from half
way down the stairs.
"Oeh. mien freund Badger, MUIR
INJURED Mr.. Van Cooler to himself as he
once more locked up his little book
che ees a cOot peeZness man, but he
shomps doc much ubond his gonglu-
sions -
This reiterated criticism did not reach
the ears of the subject OF it, who was al
ready hurrying down the street outside,
but even if it had it would have in no
way affected him. The mere coincidence
in the size of the stones would have sat-
isfied him that he was right, had he pos
sessed no evidence in support, but as he
fastened along HOlbOrn on his way to
Charing Cross he recalled the initials e..
F. plainly incised upon the casket, and
he had not for an instant the slightest
doubt that they stood for the name of the
unfortunate man, George Freiliger.
CHAPTER XVI.
MR.. PADGER SENDS TELEGRAM.
In the course of his career Mr.. Padger
had made many acquaintance and not
few friends among the fellow members of
his profession, and among these was one
who, fortunately, was in position to
oblige him now with exactly the infor-
nation he so ardently desired to obtain.
A man named Sewell had been con-
cerned with him in the investigation of
several matters while they were both in
the employment of the same private en-
quiry agency, and Mr.. Padger, whose
judgment in such matters was not TO be
despised, had been led by his persever-
ance and acumen to form very high
opinion of his abilities, so much so that
when he began life for himself be had
written tOOffer him permanent engage
ment, with the prospect of being ulti-
mately taken into partnership.
AS it happened the first occupation he
gave him necessitated his taking jour
ney to South Africa to make certain I'M
pOTtant inquiries with reference to the
diamond robberies, and when these were
satisfactorily completed he had written
to Mr.. Padger to say that he was so thor
oughly contented with the prospects of
wealth and distinction presented to him
there that he had decided not to return
to England, but to establish a business
for himself in Cape Town.
This which, when it occurred, struck
Mr.. Padger as in every way regretable,
now seemed to him a direct interposition
not as yet know the date of the Freiliger
murder, but the impression produced by
such an event was not one to fade
quickly, and he felt convinced that his
friend, even if he was not there at the
time it was committed, must frequently
have heard of it, and could have no
difficulty in ascertaining all the details,
if he was not already acquainted with
them.
Acting on this assurance, he made his
way to the telegraph office and dis
patched the following telegram:
''Send all particulars Freiliger murder
old address Padger. -
Having thus set in action the ma
chinery which he believed would in |
course of time close upon and crush the !
perpetrator of the Westcliffe murder, he |
returned home to make his preparations |
for at once Ievisiting that watering
place.
Until the letter, which he expected to |
receive in reply to his telegram, should |
arrive he could not expect to make much |
advance in his inquiry, but Rag Barlow |
was still to be interviewed, the man in |
the strange bathing dress identified if |
possible, and there was moreover GER
tain amount of mystery about Dr. |
ing. 1t was, in addition essential to as
certain whether Miss or Mr.. Ennis were |
aware of the existence of the diamond |
before he could trust himself to indulge |
in any speoulations on the subject.
1t was very easy for him to say that he
would think no more about that part of |
the matter until he could apply his ener-
giles to it with some purpose, but it was
by no means so easy to sdhere to this
resolution. He had been
devoting all his attention to 1t far too long I
to suddenly, by mere effort of will, put
it from him, and his mind setting words
to The monotonous rattle of the train
over and over again who did
it? Who did it? Who did it?''
To divert his thoughts from such idle
he forced himself to consider I
a question of no little difficulty How
was he to discover whether Miss or Mr.
Ennis knew of the jewel?
The suspicious circumstances against
each of them were too many and too
strong to justify HIM in venturing TO put
the question directly TO either, but he
was afraid that IN this case his faithful
ally, Mary, was not likely to prove of
much assistance. Finally he was reduced