Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-09-01
Copyrighted 1889 by s. s. Mcclure.
A WILD THEORY.


distance in front of him trim little fig
ure tripping lightly along, which he
recognized at once as belonging to the
charming Mary Carne. He FASTENED his
pace Immediately in order to catch her
up, FOR he was determined TO speak to
her. although he was not unnaturally
doubtful as to the nature of the reception
which his advances would meet with.
He had by no means forgotten the looks
of indignation that had famed at him
from those sparkling eyes, when his
identity and occupation had stood plainly
revealed at the adjourned inquest. There
was 10 doubt in his mind that Mary
Carne was seriously angry with him for
the part he had played and for what she
could not but consider the underhand
wav in which he had entrapped her into
admissions which might have proved,
nav, which still might prove so damag-
Ing to her beloved young mistress.
Mr. Padger, however, was not easily
daunted, and little opposition seemed
10 excite and Intiame his determination =,
rather than to quepch his aTdOT.
''Good afternoon, Miss Carne, - he
said, politely raising his hat when he had
overtaken her.
''Don't speak to me if you please,
Mr.. -"
''Padger, 3" interposed that unbashed
individual cheerfnIIv.
''Padger, - she repeated in q tone of
inefabe contempt, flingIng at him at
the same time a glance of indignant
sccrn "Padger, on Badger, or BTander,
or-or fifty other names L dare say.
Ono, - he replied coolly to this ex-
pected outburst. "Padger, only Padger.
Yours afectionately and devotedly-
Joshua PadgeT. -
''Oh. that I daresay
''Now, Mary my dear" began the
unGauuted PadgeT.
''Dou I Mary me, sir, if you please, -
burst Eut the enTaged beauty.
"'But that is Just what l intend to do,
my dear, - said Mr.. Padger, punnIng
atrOciously.
"Oh, indeed! Not without my consent
] should hope, - answered the maiden,
somewhat Modified by his unfaiIing good
humoT.
''Well, not il l can get 1t. -
"And that you never VIII, never. -
''Never' 5 a long time, - remarked
Mr.. PadgeT sententiOusly.
81 wonder you aren Z ashamed of
yourself, said Mary, after they had
walked for some time in silence side by
side
HBut I am replied Mr. Padger,
humbly, though his secret soul was filled
with eXultatiOn. She was leading the
conversation in the very direction which
he desired it TO take. If he could only
once get her to argue the question of his
original subterfuge he felt assured of
overcoming her wrath.
"Comiug spying around on the sly
like that. l don t see how you could. -
- q do it again tomorrow if I was
sure of meeting you, D said Mr.. Padger
Eallantly.
Taking the words off a poor girls
lips, too.
"'WelI you know If was your fault that
I didn { take anything else. -
'Get along with you, said Mary OBJ
viously not displeased.
IAN right, said Mr.. Padger prompt
ly. "I'm off 30
"Stop!' exclaimed Mary as he moved
away, you needn t be in such a hur-
ry.,
"Hurry cried Mr.. Padger, who had
no intention of parting just then, Lord
bless you, 1 would stay with you all day
long If you would let me.
''Tell me, now. You don't believe
that Miss Gertrude did it. -
believe it? of course not. - said Mr..
Padger, with an assumption of certainty
on the subject which ne neither felt, nor
was warranted in feeling.
because she didn It. -
COZ course she didn t. -
But you did believe it - persisted
Mary, who had completely forgotten Mr..
Padgcr's disgraceful behavior.
Well. yOu must own, Mary, my
dear, - said Mr.. Padger, without seeking
any further remOnstrance from that
young lady, "that things did look rather
fishy. That little bit Of obstinacy about
her proceedings between half past twelve
and quarter to two had an ugly look,
You must allow.
II don I know where she was ex-
claimed Mary hotly. land what is
more don / care. I know she was after
no harm -
''No, my dear, no, of course not -
said Mr.. Padger soothingly. :" But You
can I expect other people TO look at 1t in
the same light. -
''Why you don't mean TO say they
suspect cried Mary, and stopped
aEhsst
Mr.. Padger nodded assent, with a
shruG, and a rueful screw Of his mouth.
Its disgraceful. -
so If is, my dear, so it is, but there
IS only one way 10 stop it
What's shat?''
% Find out suggested Mr.. Padger
inslduously-'' where she was that day
between the time she left the bathing
machine and the time she returned
home. Where she was, and what she
was doing "
Surely, Mr.. Padger-" she said
with returning indignation-''you don t
expect me to 90 sneaking and spying
about. -
No. my dear girl, certainly not, -
replied Mr.. PaGger, who had ut length
arrived at the opening he wished for.
''OnIy don't be so hard on me if 1 do. -
Well, she said forgivingly, 81
suppose II 5 your business. -
'And Jolly good one too, can tell
you, said Mr.. Padger confdentiaIly.
fWhat are you going TO do now?''
80 am going to find out who commit
ted that murder -
land clear Miss Gertrude?' cried
Mary, joyfully clasping her hands
land clear Miss Gertrude, - re-
echoed Mr.. Padger, not without hesita-
ton
EGOb IF Won 10 T'Il T'J55