The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-08-13 00:00:00

CHAPTER XVILL
ACCUSED.

When fortune means to men most good,
She looks upon them with a threatening eye.'
—SLIAKESPEAR..
Mn. JARVIS woke very early after a short sleep, his
mind full of the keenest anxiety. Like Helen he
feared the worst, and came to the conclusion that
Frank had been murdered for the sake of what
jewellery and money he might have had about him.
• The ring,' he said to himself. Whoever did it
will try and get rid of that. I must find out what
his become of it, poor boy; and I thought but lightly
of nis ao ienee all ye•iter lay, and now.'
• Ile Passed h s hand hastily across his eyes—there
was no one to see his emotion' and he had loved the
missing lad very dearly. He looked at his watch, it
vas five o'clock and a bright morning; the summer
had ( e-pei,el into awumn since he had placed his
ward with Mrs. Churchill, but the weal her had been
gloriously fine and the sun was rising in a perfect
blaze of beauty, rand shining ad:oss the pretty garden
as if there were no sorrow nor crime in all this lower
world; the birds were beginning to sing in the trees,
and the flowers to spread themselves to the sunshine,
and the lawyer sighed as he thought how insensible
all nature is to human suffering.
The world was intended to be a happy one,' he
said to Wins( lf .as he made his toilet. 'lt is the
wickedness of man that has made it otherwise. I
can't sleep. I must get out.
lie style quietly out of the house without disturb-
ing anyone, and made his way to the high road that
led into the town. He would get back to London by
an early train, he thought, as soon as he bad seen if
there was anything further to be heard at Hillford,
and have a search begun for the ring. The police
here were clew r leows enough in their way, but was
their way the right one? That wretched boy might be
some one else's catspave—Barney Grubb's, according
to whir, had transpired already—but somehow or
ether the lawyer could not think that the ferryman
was the guilty person.
He had thought him odd and peculiar, but he had
been interested in him, and had studied his face and
mane eri with considerable curiosity. on the day of the
p 011 W. Se fancied Helen was riNht, and that the
rime—if crime there were--would be traced to some

one else,
'There was no guilt in that lad'a face,' he said to
lii.riself as he walked to the town. There was con-
tud' ii and bravado, and considerable fright. aud a'
wish to rnistify everybody that lie could, but there
w,ifi no dread of the hangman. If my poor lad has '
iw en murdered, he knows nothing of the deed. If
,rney Grubb—l—l beg your pardon! I hope I
didn't hurt you.'
the last sentence came out in gasps, for he had
been so occupied in his self-communing that he tied
ron against some one cnning in the opposite direc-
tion with c,nsiderable force, and they had nearly
knocked each other down.
I bed yours,' said the other person. The fault, was
mine, I am cure;' and Mr. Jarvis taw to his surprise
that it was the Rev. Horace Gayford he had struck
against. They stared at each other for a moment in
surprise, and then the clergyman held out his hand.
I had no idea you were here,' he ssid. 'l'm glad
to see you. You are early astir.'
I came here last night,' Mr. Jarvis replied. Helen
telegraphed for me. I could not sleep—l am too
anxious, I suppose.'
Anxious, yes: that is it. I cannot sleep, either.
.11re air rieerns,f al of murder—that is what they say
now you -know, of course.'
'Yes, I have heard everything, Ycia. are looking
ill, Mr.
•Gayford, very ill.'
lie was astonished at the alteration in the young
man's face, even in the short time since he had st en
adrder and bin last; he looked as if years instead of days had
i
passed sin c:e thatvv:rvee
agirnegat• blilacek wciarsclhesagugn
sleeplessness and unrest, his lips were
we
yoersn
t,
haaT dt tl e
or
fe
quivering, and his hands were twitching restlessly as
he spoke to the lawyer.
I don't think lam ill,' he said, the words coming
out with an effort. 'I shall be better when everything
is elelred and the man arrested. It is the suspense,
t horrible uncertainty, the listening for every foot-
stepPon't mind
that may come with news, and
me. Mr. Jarvis, I am a little overwrought, and not
quite myself now and then, I think.'
Mr. Jarvis thought of the decanters and wine
isses, and felt sure that his suFpicion had been
correct, and that the Rev. II orace indulged a little now
and hen; he guessed from his appearance that be had
not been in bed all night—and he was right. Since
the news had come that, his cousin was missing, he had
never properly slept or eaten, and he had had recourse
very often to the support and stimulant of drink. It
,•eemed to give him momentary relief from his
torturing anxiety—an anxiety that no one but himself
could understand. He seemed rather discomposed
by meeting Mr. Jarvis, and he would have turned
away, but that the lawyer took him by the arm and
wanted with him.
I suppose you have heard nothing more, he said.
4 Nothing,' Horace Gayford replied. 'What more is
thrre to hear? Nothing_but theworsti nothing buit
the worst ?
you are more.desnairts than Helen. even.'_ Mr.