The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-05-11


Bennett had said correctly enough that
Alice could find work If she came to the
village of Hexam, for a sick-nurse was
greatly required, and Alice's talents in that
line soon made themselves known. In a
very short time she found herself almost
overwhelmed with work, and was earning
sufficient to cover the expense Of food and
lodging for jess and Meenie as we'll as for
herself, in Mrs. Benefits cottage. Jess
worked too; she got needlework from the
Vicarage and neighboring houses, but she
was not very quick or skillful needle
woman and her earnings were necessarily
small.
DR.. Price was struck afresh by her mourn
full beauty as he came up to her that Sun
day morning, and noticed how the sun
beams glimmered in her golden hair and
brought faint color to the delicate face.
Her eyes looked large and sad, and there
were hopeless lines about the mouth that
used not to be apparent, but the brow was
untroubled, and there was a quiet restful-
ness in the pose of her figure that made it
doubly graceful.
You are looking better, Mrs. Wood"
said the doctor
"Yes, sir; am better than was in Lon
DOM
And this little girls she yoursa"
"Yes, sirn
"Ah, pretty little thing" said the doc
tor, benignly; land how's Alicel Here she
comes to answer for herself"
Alice did not look better for the change.
he thought. She was still pale and grave
and worn. The burden of Stephen Eyre's
death weighed heavily upon her; the prob
lem of his murder filled her soul.
DR.. Price sat down and chatted lightly
upon many subjects. Presently the church
bells began to ring, and jess rose from her
chair.
sits time to dress for church, Alice" she
said warningly.
"Church on day like thisw exclaimed
the doctor. "Why, you ought to go out
for a good long walk, Mrs. Wood. Can't 1
tempt you to come into the fields with meY'
Jess shook her head unsmilingly. ee
Everybody respectable goes to church in
this place." she said simply. ut would
harm Meenie if I didn't go. l don't care
about going-if it weren't for that.'
''And you, Aliceg'
II do care about going,n said Alice,
although the minister isn't exactly to my
mind. But l must hear the word some
times, and there's no Salvation Army down
here-more's the pity, think. Won't you
come with us, DIR. PriceP'
The doctor laughed and shook his head.
mot l." he said. 'That's not much in
my line, you know. moan to take long
walk-over to Wychford, 1 fancy. l don't
think it's more than seven miles away"
He noticed at once that jess gave a VIC
lent start, and turned first red and then
pale when the name of Wychford was pro-
nounced. He looked at her fixedly as Alice
answered.
81 think it's nearer eight. Isn't it, Mrs.
Bennett?"
Eight by the road, said Mrs. Bennett,
shut seven by the fields, if you want to
a1I, Nt,A xrrlk<. i
live, which it's quite one of the show places
of the county,"
Jess stood as If transfxed. Even Alice
looked up In amaze.
Eastwood she repeated under her
breath. Eastwood. wonder-n
But what she wondered she did not say.
sits only few days ago since Col. East
wood died" said Mrs. Bennett stolidly, $50
the house Is empty now. The heirs away
from home.n
"Who was the heirg" asked DR.. Price.
"a Mr.. George Eastwood, the nephew of
the colonel. He was never very much at
WEXFORD until lately. just before Christ
mas saw him about the place good deal.
La Dece :uber, they say, he went up to Lon
don and didn't come back again, and the
colonel was in fearful way. Everybody
was talking about it; and l believe they put
advertisements in the paper, and set detec-
tives to look for him."
"What had become Of him, then~
swell, they've heard since that
he had been taken ill and gone
Off to the continent without say
ingsNa word to anybody. 1t sounded
very Queer. and If l had been the colonel /
shouldn d have liked it at all. However, he
was very fond of Mr.. George and put up
with lot FROM him, and now he's dead Mr..
George has got She property, and can do as
That's the Sp second bell, Jess said Alice,
hugggiedly. Hadn't we better sHt our things
But jess did not mova,
"What had the colonefto put up with
from Mr. GeorgeW asked tho doctor. who
seemed bent on trying to mako Mrs, Ben
nett talk.
ooh, well, sir, couldn't exactly ten you,"
said the schoolmistress doubtfully People
talked about him good deal. He wanted
to be an artist for one thing-a painter. you
know, sir, which was not suitable for on1 of
the Eastwood family, suppose. Aud then
| have heard it said that the colonel wanted
him to marry Miss Diana Helmont-n
'Helmont" calculated Jess. She KIN
the name
Eyes, Hemont, relative Of theirs; b
that, for some reason or other, he refuse
And then Miss Helmont married Lord He,
ham, and they live close by-at Hexha
Court-which, as you may know, sir, is jul
outside the villagen
''And Mr.. Eastwood did not MARK
thenF'
mo, sir, | suppose not; which seems
pity, considering what a grand place he
got and how fine lady his wife would b
The Eastwoods are thought good deal
in this neighborhood, sir. But / must |
getting ready for church. Are you comm
Alicep'
Mrs. Bennett slipped away, and Alice TO
lowed her up the narrow wooden stair
which led from the kitchen to the uppt,
rooms. DR., Price was left with jess, VIII
stood facing him with diIated eyes an
quivering lips.
do you know anything of the Eas,
woodsF he asked her presently, ignorin
the tragic element in her expression alt,
gether.
NO" she answered, strangely.
II thought you might Youog Eastw
is wise in keeping out of the country
now"
10, whyp said Jess, involuntarily claf
her child closer TO her breast
HE is under suspicion
The color left her lips; she start
ward with stifed cry of terror.
"Whyi Tell me whyg'
But DR.. Price did not answer. 7
and looked at her curiously, mott
detail OF her face, figure and mo
no sign OF emotion escaped him.
student of psychology, and he Sell