The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-03-30
CHAPTER XXI.
''I'D DIE FIRsTr'

! When jess recovered consciousness she
was still in the cart. but the crowd had
/ melted away. and only one Or two people
| were beside her. She thought she heard
| Alice DTew'S voice say, with q tone of re-
/ lief: There, she's better now And then
! came an inarticulate murmur of thanksgiv-
( ing from Stephen; by which time she had
/ got her eyes open, aud was gazing INTO the
| dark vaulted sky above her head and won
| dering how she came TO be in place where
| the stars could SHINE SO brightly 1t did not
! seem to her that she had looked at the stars
for many months. Was she abroad again,
| living on her back in a boat while she
| flOated with George Eastwood through some
still lagoonl Was it the sound of water
that seemed to be rushing past her ears?
| Were Georges arms supporting her 50 ten
derlv:
Ard then SIZE came to herself e-.i remem-
bered ALL With start of terror, her eyes
| came down from the star-baspangled SKY,
Redeemed with the glow of the innumerable
lights of London, aud peered into the dark
ness hat surrounded her. 1t was Stephen
upon whose arm her head was lying, aud it
was his face which came out of the dark
ness and hung above her head with tender
ness and anxiety in all its lines. But in
spitesof the tenderness. the sight Of it made
jess sniver and close her eyes.
"Drink this, my dear" she then heard
Alice say. ITS hot it will do YOU good.
Poor soul. it's been too much for her.
Stephen; she amt accustomed to bearing
testimony"
She'll be better soon," said Stephen,
| quietly. Come, jess, cheer up; you've got
| to 60 home to baby, you know"
40, yes. baby" said Jess, half raising
herself and then falling back as if out of
| utter weakness. shell be wanting me, of
course. But where-wnere's-wh where's
Georgep
Never mind him." said Stephen, with
unaccustomed patience. Hes gone"
Wont he come back? o, want to tell
him-O, George, George."
is this the way you talk just after you've
| been enabled to bear testimony as to all
that God has done for you?" inquired Alice
Drew, with severity as unusual as Stephens
| milduess.
80, can't bear testimony no morer' Jess
broke out wildly. 81 amt one of your sort.
| Pm just as bad as everl o, George, George,
| Georgei to think that maybe you don't even
know as your own little baby is alivel O,
I'd rather be lost with you than saved with
anybody elsel'
Alice, who had been kneeling at Jess
| side, in the cart, drew back with something
| like an air of repulsion.
II didn't think as we'd ever hear her talk
in that heather fashion" she said, looking
appealingly to Stephen. ''Ain't you goiny
to tell her how bad it is, Steye?n
But Stephen shook his head impatiently.
Its nature-human nature" he replied
| Leave her alone; she amt herself iusr
| now. She'll come round by and by
Half affrOnted, Alice crept away from
Jess side; the cart was open at the back and
she could easily slip out. At first Stephen
| thought she had really gone, but in q mo-
ment or two she returned, bearing in her
arms great sheet of tarpauling, which, she
explained. she had borro wed from friendly
| shopkeeper close by.
You'll give ii him back when you've
done with it, won't you, Stephen. It'll keep
her warm until she feels able to walk"
Stephen nodded assent. Ha was ill sup
| porting Jess with one arm, aud the girl was
| leaning against it with closed eyes He was
looking at her pale face so intently that it
did not seem as if he could spare time to at
tend to anybody else. Alice, standing be-
side the low cart, which had been propped
up by empty boxes SO as TO make a level
platform for the street preachers, looked
first at him and then at jess, while a pang
Of jealousy shot through her heart
"de don't care for me so long as he has
her." she said to hersel and she was per
fectly right. But a moments reflection
helped her to conquer the jealous feeling.
at was always So aad l nesd not lock for
anything else" she thought. Then aloud :
And I'll go back to the Models, Stephen,
and look after Granny and the babv You'll
bring jess home when she's better, | sup
pose / needn't wait for you"
20, no, don't wait" said Stephen, care
lessly, his eyes still fixed on Jess face.
"We'll come by and by"
Alice moved away. The street was n
quiet one, and the snopmen were already
} putting up their shutters. Stephen and
Jess were almost invisible in the darkness
for jess was still lying down, and Stephen
knee.ing beside her, with his arm under her
} head. 1t must have been cramping and
painful position for him; but he gave nc
} sign of impotence or of distress Aud jess
lay perfectly still
GOLD Jess?n he asked her.
She shook her head.
you wouldn't like to be moving Just
yet2"
Not just yet, please" she answered.
do you still feel bad, JESSE" he asked
} after another pause.
She stirred uueaslly.
) Not when l keep still. 1t makes me
feel sick to move; can't stay here bltln
IAN night, if you like" said Stephen.
80, no, not all night-thinll of baby
| But just for few minutes till Pm better.
/ don't know why turned so silly"
at was that fellows fault" growled
Stephen, incautiously.
Her eyes opened full upon him.
? He was there then! It wasn't fancy OF
mine! You saw him tooT
Stephen was n little bswildered.
why, you were calling ous for him t.
coma ba k g minute or two az ), = he said.
"Was IN She raised her hea a moment
, and looked round. He was really here
therI"
9 Eyes
l And ne heard all | saidT'
+; 81 suppose he did"
( Then why said Jess, plaintively. "wh,
should he be so angry, Stepheng VIII,
should he not understand that l know nov
a that did wrong, and that I'm s1rryr
!, For minute or two Stephen made no an
{ swer.
y 81 expect it's the natural feeling Of tn,
o unregeuerate man, he said at length, aw k.
wardiy eaough.
a Maybe said jess, in a sad but madita,
3 tive way. 81 SUPPOSE he's never been awak
:, eued like me. You see, before yon talkee
. u me-. Steve, ] thought it was all right:
$ didn't eXactly understand that we haAn'i
j ever been properly married, and 1 diiu'
know that We wore living wicked lie
4 DO YOU t1ink he didn't know ether.
. ''Ol course hs knew, " said Stenhen. IN ,
4 tone OF such suppre SCI vehene zee that 4
j fairly frightened po)r jess "He klsw fas
. enough, and he'll be -- Tor IT, /
o he don't repent. be added as a sort OF coun
s ter gut 10 MS denuncint.on.
. go Steve sad jess, the tears yelling M
u l1nnnn IA har hnIf eloeaI a. laIfdt o.N ,...f 4.