The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-03-09
PART l.
CHAPTER XIV.
GnEE

GOMEZ
When George Eastwood left Jasmine cot
tage, the little house in MAZDA Vale, he was
telling considerable irritation against poor
jess. He had managed to speak softly, be-
cause he had learnt by this time that it was
impossible to do anything with her by
harShness; she was SO sensitive that a
rough word from him would bring torrents
of tears and plunge her into unimaginable
woe. Nevertheless, he had lately begun to
feel it it q great restraint to have always to
speak gently, and to be entirely considsrate
of her feelings. He was a selfish man; he
had been spoiled AMI petted from his youth
up; and it was not natural to him to deny
himself for others. A woman like Diana,
noble and generous in all her instincts,
might have shamed him into unselishness:
poor jess only ministered to her lovers pas
sions by yielding so completely TO his will
At first her submission had been delightful,
then it palled little; now it was beginning
to disgust him. jess might hold Stephen
Eyre captive and bend him to her will bu t
she did not know how to bind to her the
man whom she really loved.
He went away from her that night with
the suspicion that he had made a great
mistake. jess was not the rare creature he
had thought. She was, after all, common
Commonplace she would never rise to his
level-never be taught to hold her own
amongst the women of his class It was
almost a pity that he had taken her away
from her own people. Poor, pretty creature
she was too frail a flower to be trans
planted The air of the dollhouse made her
drOop.
Thus he went on his way, musing on his
own generosity AMI Jess many shortcom-
ings until he had quite restored himself to
complacency by the time he reached his
club, where he was to dine with a friend.
He then went to the theater and afterward
to supper at Gatti's. He slept at his studio,
where he now had bed kept ready for
him; and he intended to spend the next
day in painting, for, although less resolute
in his inteltion of becoming an artist than
he used 10 be, he had not yet relinQuished
it. The chance of life at Wychford had
lately been gaining ground with him. Now
that Diana was out Of the way, and his
uncle could not always be urging him to
marry her, George began to think rather
fondy of the easy-going luxurious life at
the old country house AID to wonder
whether, after all, be could not set up his
easel in one of the many unoccupied rooms,
and combine the profession of artist with
the many enjoyments of a country squire.
But then there was Jess-al ways jess to
stand in his wayl
He had begun to paint when, about 10
O'Clock in the morning, telegram was
brought to his door. He opened it without
much interest; kilograms were frequent
with him, d he had no anxiety present to
his mind. But when he had mastered the
words of the message, the color left his
face, and the thin paper fiuttered to tue
ground, while for a moment he stood posi-
lively trembling and completely unnerved.
And yet the words were simple, and would
have told little to a stranger:
"Miss Jessica Strong left here last night
and mas not returned"
The message was from Mrs. Fogg.
"Left-and has not returnedl" calculated
the young man. been away all night
Why, she has not friend in London to go
to-except those wretched Mill street peo-
pie, and she would never be mad enough
to visit them! What upon earth can it
meanY
He hastily changed his coat, locked up
his studio. and nailed passing hanson
cab. In the shortest possible time he had
reached the little house in Mazda Vale and
was interrogating Mrs. Fogg.
Mrs. Fogg was someYhat on the defen-
SlNe. WIN leT was nlbS V 1L6T, u SuOTD,
pale, sandy-haired little woman, who had
been employed to teach jess every morning
in the character of young lady whose edu-
cation had been neglected. Miss Vyner
was fearful and alarmed, while Mrs. Fogg,
who had been strictly forbidden by her
master to mention Jess antecedent history
to the governess, snorted at her prognosti-
casions of evil, and was disposed to snub
her generally for folly and presumption.
''W hich it we're not me, sir, as sent the
telegraph she said to Eastwood as soon as
he appeared, although my name was put
to it; but it were Miss Vyner here as took
upon herself to tell me my dooty, and made
such piece Of work"
tYor we're quite right, Mrs. Fogg, quite
right, Miss Vyner," said George, ahsently
failing to perceive that two women could
not both be right; land I'm very mnca
Obliged TO vou-but do come to the point at
oncel Jess-Mlss Stronghold the house
last Might, do you says-aloneT
las far as / know 1t was alone" said
Mrs. Fogg. uartly. "She went soon after
Won left. Sir. between 5 and o'clock. And
me not knowing where she was off TO or
anything and sitting up till 3 o'clock this
morning, and then falling off to sleep with
all my clothes ON
''But-- but--did she notsay where she was
going" said George, stammering helplessly
ana looking from one Idce w Jus OUuel Va
the two women, with such look OF torture
and perplexty in his eyes, that Miss Vyner
fairly burst into tears.
30, it is terrlblen she sobbed. Poor
dear Jessica She must have been robbed
and murdered, or trapped into some horri-
bic den of thievesr'
''Not she,' said the housekeeper. "She
knew Lond n ways too w II for that. And
no doubt sac ha her plans" She loosed
signiicantlyat George. "She took black
bag with her sir, and that looks as If she
Knew she wai going to spend the night with
friends"
"a bagp George repeated.
Yes, sir, black bag, just large enough
70 Id whatsle wanted for the night"
And did she take her things tooP said
Miss Vyner, clasping her hands. 80, Mrs.
foRg, you meyer told me that. ="
~ kept that for Dir. Eastwod's ear. "
said Mrs. Fog grimly. "Aiiss Vyner put
herself abult W much when she found that
Miss strong was not here that l was forced
10 telegra ~ you, sir. | told her wa
sure no harm had happened 70 tho you z
lady, and tlat most likely you gnew-belng
her gnardial hnd relative and all that
where she lad gone; but she gos lnto SUCH a
dreadful stlte-shich "a VI say call re-
dick'lous, that ] thought I'D better lot her
send The teigraph 70 you.
in mixing this speech, Mrs foxg Grndu-
ally furnDihef back On Miss NyDer, aud
executed a sefies u facial c0utortionsl