The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-07-13
CHAPTER L.
UNION.

until a second winter had passed and a
second spring was budding that George
Eastwood revisited the place where his wife
had died. He had not been seen at Wych-
ford since the day of her funeral, when he
had attended the last rites in mourning
,garb, and with a face which showed that
mis- grief was no pretense. Those who
thought that they knew his story and that
of his wife marveled over this appearance
of sorrow and where disposed to question
its reality; but in little while their doubt
was changed to establishment and even TO
sort of unwilling admiration.
For the first thing that George Eastwood
did after the funeral was to publish far and
wide the story of Jess self-sacrifice for his
sake. He almost besought the ministers
of Justice to mete out to him the punish
ment which she had suffered; he declared
himself ready to expiate in every possible
wav the mistake which had been made.
But there were legal difficulties in the way.
The evidence was not deemed sufficient.
George could not honestly say that he was
conscious of having attacked Stephen Eyre
in his delirium; he remembers ed something,
but not much, of that frightful scene In
Mil street. DIR. Price was called in to give
his testimony; but even this was lnconclu-
sive No one could corroborate the truth
of Jess story, and George found himself, to
his infinite distress. looked upon in many
ouarters either as the dupe of an infamous
woman or the frenZied lover of murder
ess. He told himself at first in a reaction
of despair, that he had done no good by his
confession-that it was quite impossible
now for him to clear Jess name.
One thing he did, however. In these
hours of regret and loneliness, he once
more took up the brush which he had laid
for so long aside. Once more he painted
.Jess-as no Lily Maid this time, no fancy
fgure-but as she looked to him in the last
hours of her life-psle, emaciated, ethereal
lied, with the radla nee of beautiful soul
making itself visible in the pathetic eyes,
the soft curves Of the mouth. 1t was a
head only-the thIh neck was shrouded in
flmy lace, the golden hair was poised
against white draIsery, with a tint of blue,
as if the sky shona out behind. Very little
color of any kind was given-it seemed
like mere sketch of face; and yet the
feeling in it, ats dehcacy, its spiritual
grace, gave it a charm which was all its
own.
Eastwood never did better work than
this the critics said. But it was not the
quality of the Work half so much as the
emotion transfusing it which made this
picture remarkable. And it acted to some
extent as George wanted it to act
"a woman with that angel face" the
world said, sis it possible that she can have
been murderess9 Either the mans story
is true, or she was monster" And many
people preferred to believe henceforth in
Georges story rather than in a mon
strosity.
But there were certain persons who be-
lieved the truth from the beginning
chiefly people who knew something of
oh md bod Id
by the arrangement between him and his
wife. They perhaps OWNED the truth
that George was not likely to humble him
self to the dust either for mere fancy or
to vindicate his wife's character at his own
expense; and they believed his story. And
the members of Jess family believed it, and
grieved over it, and took Meenie to their
hearts, instead of the noble-hearted, if mis-
guided, woman, who had paid SO dearly for
her mistake in life
Some of Georges friends, indeed, rated
him much higher for these acts OF expia-
ton than they had ever done before. They
saw in them proof that the mans soul
was not dead; that he was capable of higher
things than had yet been required of
him. Amongst these were Diana, Lady
Hexham, and her nephew, Tom Lorimer.
Tom stood up bravely for him, which was
generous thing to do. Sybil was always
rather silent on the subject; 1t was more
difficult for her to forget that she had been
deceived, or to forgive-for all women's
sake-the wrong that had been done to an
other woman.
When George had made his story clear to
the world at large, and had finished his pic
ture, he went abroad for time He was
recalled to England by sad news Lady
Hexham had lost her little boy-the child
who had been TO her as the apple of her
eye. For awhile she was crushed with
grlet; but Diana could never be perma-
nently crushed. After time she seemed
to recover her calmness; she took Meenie
more than ever to her heart and was as
usual, gentle and caressing 70 Sybil. But
everyone could see that her life must hence
forward be Swallowed life, and the very
lact tnat she would now be obliged to seek
another home emphasized the darkness of
tne shadow. Tom Lorimer was the heir,
and he and Sybil were to reign in
her stead. They begged her to stay with
tnen'' but she very wisely refused, and be-
gan preparations for quitting the court and
taxing up her abode at the Dover House.
Whlch had always been reserved for the
Dowager Lady Hexham.
one had just made the final move into
nel 5e" nome when George Eastwood ar
rived lie had been travelling hard. from a
remote part of Asia, ever since he had re-
ce!Feo the news Of her boys death. Some
enllg drew him toward her in her trouble
ne Knew not what. He felt only that if she
we're sorrow-stricken and desolate, it be-
moved MIN to go to her, as she had often
gone 10 comfort him in his trouble. He
gaVe himself no rest until he arrived in
l ct III spite OF all this haste he did not
go 10 see her for some hours after his ar
rival. w hen he reached his own home. il
appeared to him almost indecent to appear
before her so hurriedly. Was not his first
uuty to Jess-poor Jess-who Law in the
green churchyard. He had a fancy for
Diana 'oNSuo
lie lad had the simplest of white marble
SioSSeS erected over the spot where Jess
was lying; but in the church he had set no
ah exquisite piece of statuary, representing
me DEAD woman in all her pathetic and
spiritual loneliness. Strangers came from
lar and near to see that marble semblaucl.
OF poor, broken-hearted jess. But East
WOOD dld not go to the church: he went
straight to Jess grave, and stood looking at
tne Whlte cross as if he could not tear him
eell away. There were flowers on the grave
sweet vlolets and lilies; he wondered
MhoSe hand and placed them there. After a
tline he stopped and lifted violet from the
Sou lie pressed it for a moment to mis-
lps; 1t was the only sign of feeling that he
showed, although feeling was strong and
ueep enough within him at that moment.
ana then he turned AWAY Without liftino-