Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-09-15

Mr.. Padger made mental note OF the
admission for future consideration. S
"Wiil you answer my question, MIS-
Ennis?'' he asked, taking no fnrtherHR-
tice of the man. 80
Miss Ennis shook her head witE9lt
speaking, and glanced despairlnglEsat
her champion.
"You refuse to make any statement a.
to your whereabouts?
Miss Ennis nodded with the same ST.
lent reserve.
"'who, then, was the man you met in
the public garden at a quarter to one
that day?''
Miss Ennis gave cry of CONSERVATION,
and the man broke out with an oath.
''By -! this is too much. She was
with me, sir What Is that to you?
81 beg your pardon, said Mr.. Pad
ger drvly, ''you were right, and 1 was
wrong. The question does not concern
you.
''More than it does you, it seems TO
me, - said the young doctor.
"HardIy, - said Mr.. Pndger still more
dryly; what may ask were you doing
between then and half past one, when
saw you on the beach if I remember
rightly?
s'May you ask2' cried the man, beside
himself with rage, or terror. mo, SIT,
you may not ask; and if you do, you will
get no answer.
els that your answer, also, Miss En-
nis?'' said Mr.. Padger gravely.
cit is, she said in low, shaken
voice.
MIR. Padger had intended, if he found
her altogether impracticable, to explain
to her the suspicious which her continued
silence drew down upon her, but she
could not, he thought, be ignorant OF
them, and the matter had assumed SO
gloomy a complexion that he could not
afford to risk hasty and nl-consldered
step, so after one more unsuccessful at
| tempt to induce her to change her de-
| termination he left the room, closely FOL
| lowed by Dr.. Benton, who waited to see
him fairly outside the front door before
| he returned to Miss Ennis.
To re-enter by the back one did not
take Mr.. Padger long, and he found
| Mary in a state of extreme apprehension
at the possible result of his temerity.
sis it all right?' she asked eagerly,
as he walked into the room.
81 hope so; hope so; said Mr.. Pad
ger uneasily. 81 say, Mary; she's got
will OF her own, that young lady of
yours.
81 should rather say she had, - as
scented Mary willingly, and not without
touch Of pride "'When she has once
made up her mind about anything
she ism t the one to stick at tritie to get
her own way.
Mr.. Padger shuddered slightly at the
hideou 8 suggestiveness of this simple,
every day phrase.
''Stick at a trife, he thought.
"'Stick at-!'
''Who is the young gentleman with
her, Mary my dear?'' he asked.
CDR. Benton, l suppose, said Mary
indifferently.
''Ah! Nice man, said Mr.. Padger
grimly, recalling his overbearing con-
duct.
$50 Miss Gertrude thinks, - said Mary
| with bewitching sIyness. "But missus
couldn't abear him. It's my belief
thew ID have been married before now if
it hadn It been for her.
This innocent announcement started
Mr.. Padger's mind of on new train of
ideas. and he cut his farewells to Mary
as short as possible, being anxious to be
safely posted in an advantageous place
of observation before DIR. Benton left
the house, in order TO follow that gentle
man whose moments, past and present,
had suddenly assumed new excessive
Importance.
Goodbye, joshua dear, - said
Mary at last. "'YoU won't be long
away. will you? You'll come back as
sooH as ever you can, won't you?
'tDon's you worry yourself, Mary +,
nv dear, - he said, thinking more, it is
to be feared, of the new lights that day
shall be back in WestclIffe Just as quickly
as ever can manage it. -
He need not, as it turned out, have
abridged his adeux so ruthlessly for he
wandered up anu down on the other side
of the road for a tediously long time be-
fore he beheld DR.. Benton from dis
lance advancing down the long avenue
from Monplaisir.
AS he emerged from the gates, he cast
a rapid glance around him, but Mr.. Pad
ger had had ample time to survey his
Dosition, and was thoroughly accustomed
70 efface himself effectually when peces-
sary. AS a consequence the man, re-
assured apparently, almost Immediately
started off at brisk walk down the hill
unite unconscious of being watched, and
Mr.. Padger proceeded to follow at safe
distance.
This man, somewhat contrary to his
expectations, made no attempt to throw
q DOSSlDle ODSGIkGI OL MS II dSh W.
made his way straight to sman house
one of a row of semi-detached villas near
the sea, into which he admitted himself
with q latch-key, and in which he pre-
sumably lived.
There was now nothing further to be
done until he had again left the house
but MIR. Padger awaited that desired
event IL vain Hour after hour rolled
away, until it became clear to him thai
if he really intended TO go to town tina
night he had no time to waste.
He had, for moment, entertained the
idea of sending q telegram to say Chat ht
, was unavoidably detained, but the busl-
: ness which awaited his return was fal
, too pressing to be neglected, and M
J could not afford to throw partridge wei
/ worth plucking, which lay in his hand
t on the chance even Of bagging a whole
covey who were still in the bush.
} He was compelled, in consequence, t
? console himself as best he might with thu
determination to get it over as quickly a
3 | possible and return.
+ | No 10 Of foO6 for his 70,