The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-05-18
CHAPTER XXXV.
"LET SLEEPING DOGS LIE"

MN OuU OF Uu6 WluuOWg
''No; he fell out. The woodwork gave
way. think he could have been helped up
again; but pushed him down."
The doctor looked at her strangely, as il
he wero diagnosing the case of person
afflicted by some new disease.
They had paused in their walk. He
planted himself against the trunk Of 6
great beech tree, folded his arms, and con
tinued to survey her.
She, standing about six feet away from
him, with the golden sunlight Pickering
through the beech leaves upon her bent
.tlead, remained moionless and silent.
sNow, should like to know" he said i,
y deliberate tones, "what has made YOU
adopt this courses For yon have reason
no doubt"
''Yes, 1 have a reason. One ought to
speak the truth, ought one nots"
"H'm-not when ones neck is imperiled
by doing So"
He saw that she blanched at the words.
81 can't help it" she said, ia smothered
voice. sit is better for me to suffer than
any one-else-"
THAN George Eastwood, for instancea'
said the doctor, CURLY.
"A
ment from her eyes, but before he could
arrest or interpret it, it was gone. An ex-
preston of great observation-disclosures TO be
called obstinacy-settled upon her face.
''Mr. Eastwood had nothing to do with
Stephen Eyre's DEATH" she said. 81 be-
leve that ne was abroad at the time. Mr.
Helmont says SO. You can ask MIR. Hell
month
''Who was with you in that empty houses
Number Twenty, was it notg The man
that attended in the next house, suppose!
Woodp'
''No." said Jess, stolidly.
''Who, theng"
81 don't know who it was" she answered.
"There were two or three of them-and
me. They'd been drinking and playing
cards. Stephen heard of it and came to
reprove 'em, and they fell to fighting.
was afraid that Stephen would hurt one of
them; and son-lowering her eyes-"I
pushed him down.
t5AsYou must have cared good deal for the
man for whose sake you pushed Stephen
Eyre out OF the Windows"
She flinched little.
\ mo" she said, turning aside. 81 didn't
care for him in particular. | didn't want
murder done, that's all.
$50 you did it yourself"
There was silence, during which she
pressed her hands very tightly together
and wrung them little beneath her shawl.
''What was the name of the man" said
the doctor, noticing this action.
Her answer was ready.
'sHis name was Smith-John Smith,
''Where is he now."
81 don't know"
sYou have not seen him sincs that
| nightp.,
''Nor ever will again, supposes"
''No, sir.n
snow, my dear girl" said Dr. Price, EN-.
phatically, "this won't do. believe that
you are simply telling pack of lies. You
have invented John Smith in order tC
screen somebody else There is no Johr
Smith. There never was; you'll never SET
him again because you never made his &C
Quaintance. You have no business to put
a slur on the fair name of your innocent
child by making an idiotic confession of thi.
sortn
Jess looked at him seriously.
''You are wrong" she said, so earnestly
that DR.. Price was staggered in his convic-
ton of her innocence. II was there il
Number Twenty-ask Mr.. Helmont il
Dick Eyre did not tell him that was there
and helped-I helped to kill Stephen
Eyre"
Her face was white as snow, but her eyes
were clear, grave, steady. The doctor was
however, not yet convinced.
''Weu,n he said, ''you may be telling par
of tho truth, but you are not telling tht
whole. Who was with you In Number
Twenty? That is the question:"
John Smith," said Jess, firmly.
Tut! John Smith, indeedI 1t was the
man Wood"
mo, sir, it was not Wood"
"Who was Wood, thenw
HE paid me for nursing him, sir. I'm
sure l don't know where he came from"
His real name was Eastwood" said Or.
Price, abruptly.
He thought that he had caught her in his
, trap that time. She gave a start aud q
shudder, and seemed not to know what to
say in reply. But, collecting herself, she
answered steadily:
mot that know of. Mr.. Eastwood-the
one used to know-went abroad a long
time ago.n
He did not marry you, thenp said the
doctor, looking her full in the face.
II do not know What business that is Of
yours, sir" jess said, with a quiet dig
nifty, which seemed to him to be something
new.
"He is your child's father, is he not9" said
the doctor, unabashed.
She made no answer
VI told you" he went on, shat Eastwood
was likely to be arrested for this murder.
You-to save him-immediately accuse
would do anything to save him, would you
notY
Watching her. he noticed the strange
look of spiritual illumination glorify her
FACE, as George Eastwood had noted it once
before. She even smiled a little, as she an
. swered:
You are wrong. I do not love him. But
cannot bear that an innocent man should
suffer for my sins. If he is accused, I must
clear him, at any COST"
Wait till he is accused, them
She turned upon him swiftly.
You said that he had been accused-that
he was going to be arrested-n
u did not speak quite accurately
You mean that you wanted to trap me-
10 see what should say?" said Jess, flush
ing violently.
Something like it," replied the doctor,
with a smile.
She bit her lip; the flush subsidized as
rapidly as it had arisen, but left her very
pale 1t was evident that tears were near
be- eyes.