The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-03-09
CHAPTER XVI.

Ir was after mid. day when George reached
Mill street. 1t seemed to him that he had
wasted an infinity of time; but as matter
OF fact, he had been remarkably quick In
getting from place TO place, and few persons
could have done so much in so short space.
He easily found the house where Jess
grandmother used to live, and he ascended
the narrow. creaking stair with mixture
of emotions in his reast. What on earth
| could have induced Jess to return to this
noisome place? For he had quite made up
his mind that he should find Jess with her
| grandmother. There was nowhere else for
her TO go-after all she was not mad
woma and ne had no doubt at all of fad
| ing her. The terrible fear that was making
his heart beat wildly fro n time to time was
crushed down out of sight. He could not
bear to confront it. Jess must be safel
He reached the door of Mrs. Flint's room.
1t stood slightly ajar. He pushed it open
with an unsteady hand and stood there
amazed. The room was empty. Swept
and garnished, clean even and fresh with
the air from a broken window, but empty.
An old truckle-bel stood in one corner aud
broken down cdair In another. And that
was all.
After the first moment Of startled sur
prise, George thought he must have mis-
taken the room. He went out on the landing
and looked round him. But no; there was
no possibility Of error. He remembered
the landing perfectly, and the half obllter-
ated number on the door. In this room he
had found Jess working, wsewing coarse
sacks, he now remembsred-when he had
begged her to come out with him, and told
her that she must consent. to be his wife. No,
there was no mistake.
With half-snOthere1 ejaculation Of dis.
may, he turned once more into the desert I'd
room, his eyes travelling round it hastily as
if in search of some trace OF the missing
girl. And some such trace ne found.
A little glitter of light from from the
dusty boards attracted him. A passing
sunbeam had pointed as if it had teen the
veritable finger of God, towards the place
where something glimmered in the everast-
ing dusk Of the dimly lighted rom. lie
stopped and picked it up, and then q sudden
trembling fell upon him, and he grasped
at the rickety door for support. He held in
his hand tiny heart-shaped golden locket
set with brilliants, which Jess al ways wore
on her watch chain. He had bought it for
her In Paris, and had liked her to wear it in
memory of their first days together, al
though it was not of much intrinsic value
1t generally formed one of little bunch of
charms and ornaments that she was fond of,
and it was plain proof to him that she
had at any rate been in the vicnity-per-
haps in this room itself. She might have
dropped it. Sne mi ght have dropped it-or
sac might have b9en robbed OF it. She
might perhaps have come here in search OF
her grandmother, and then-the thought
gave HIM fresh hope-have followed the
old woman to some new lodging. Yes, that
was the explanation; she had come to visit
the disreputable Mrs. Flint and had been
accidentally detained. He must of all find
out where Mrs. Flint had gone.
He called up the neighbors; he inter
viewed the siatCernly woman who kept the
house; but all in vain. They either did not
know or would not say where Mrs. Flint
had gone. Daddy Trotter was dead-they
were all sure of tha5-and some Of them
thought that Mrs. Flint was dead too, but
upon this point they were not agreed. Some
of them suggested that Stephen Eyre, or
the blind pArson might know. Bat none of
them would give any information. As a
matter Of fact, they suspected Eastwood's
| intentions, AMI thought That he wanted to
prosecute the old woman for some INSIDE
! meanor; and they were cautious, therefore,
not to betray any knowledge of her where
abouts. BY the pro Mise OF reward he
persuaded a boy, however, TO say some
| thing.
"5teve Eyre; ho'll know all about Mother
! Flint
"And where does he liver
80, up Baldwin's Court. Hes got her
there"
"And her granddaughter--" George
querled breathlesslY.
40, yes, see rsd-'aired jess yesterday
afternoon" said the urcain, shameless!y, IN
the nope Of aao sher half-cro wn. "She was
| dressed In silks I'd sattings, with red
| flowers Ia her bonnet, and a ssal-skin jacket
! down b ner feet, shs was-so therep
He concluded denantly, because East
wood had turned away in disgust The
| bows lies had one unfortunate effect, for
| George did not believe single word that
dad besn said, aud Therefore did not pro-
coed at once to Bald~tDs curt, where IL
boen more successful.
Inst al OF going there, he suddenly re-
solved b seek out Francis Helmont, whom
~ had not sea tor some moatilA Hell