The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-04-20
CHAPTER XVIII.

This LITTLE HANDw
Jess shook her head at last.
81 can't tell you anything; but it's my
ring"
''How can l know that's"
81 could tell you the letters"
''You saw them this moment. No, that
is no proof. II you tell me how you lost it,
| then can judge"
"Ips no use," said Jess, sorrowfully. 81
can't tell you anything at all. There's moth
ing to tell"
''Nothingl Are you sure of thatp'
Again she changed color.
"Quite sure. SO, if you won't let me
have it, l must go without. It was just
| that Dick got it away from me once, and
would not give 1t me back. Nothing
more.
But she did not look him in the face as she
spoke.
81 think I'll keep it for Bit" quoth the
| doctor, coolly. sits an interesting addi-
ton to my collection of curiosities."
"You like it, | suppose" said Jess, hesi-
| tatingly, because it had something to do
with-the Eyresp'
| Yes, with the Eyres and the Mill Street
Mystery"
| Then there was pause.
| "Why should it be called a mystery 81
| said Jess, trembling. "If he fell out"
"Ah. if he fell Quit But if somebody
| pushed him down"
"Yes, what thenG" said Jess, her eyes di-
lating.
"Why, then it would be a murder, you
know" replied the doctor, lightly.
"And the person who did it-would
| "a murderer, or"-looking at her curl
ously-"a murderess, il woman. If she
| did it in self-defense, / could excuse her;
| but it would have besn better. in that case,
if she had told the truth at once. Conceal
ment is always bad"
"Yes, yes, said jess, with heart-broken
little sigh. st is always bad"
She had drawn back into the shadow, SO
| as to be outside the circle of light shed by
the surgery lamp, and stood leaning against
the wall, her hands hanging at hor sides.
| Her face, indisinctly as the doctor saw 1t,
seemed to him TO be very pale.
| "Well,n he said, his eagerness getting q
| little the better of his discretion at last,
shave you nothing else to ssyT'
NO." said Jess, heavily. Nothing"
She moved slowly along the wall until
she came to the door, and then quickly I'M
| fastening it, she went out into the darkness.
The doctor looked after her with puzzled
face
Something wrong therer' he said to
himself. "She has the look of a woman
almost driven to desperation aud ready for
any extremity. l wonder what it ;sg'
But DR.. Price was the last person in whom
jess was likely to confide.
Something that he had said had certainly
shaken her composure very much. AS she
went along the dark streets that lay between
the surgery and her lodgings. she muffled
| her face in her shawl so that the sobs
| which surged up in her throat might not be
| heard if they got beyond her own control.
More than once she stopped and leaned
| against blank wall, as if her strength had
| failed her. and then she hurried on again as
| If to make up for lost time. But when
1 she reached Mil street, she made an effort
| to calm herself; she pressed both hands upon
her heart, drew one or two long breaths,
| smoothed back her disordered golden hair
| Then she went slowly and YEARLY up the
| common stair of the house in which she
| lived.
George Eastwood was much better Dur.
| ing the last two or three days, he had
gained strength visibly, but the prostration
induced by fever was very great, and he had
not yet felt inclined TO question Jess as to
the history of his illness. Jess had left him
fast asleep, and hoped that he would con-
| tinue so until her return. But when she
gently pushed open the door of the room
she found him not only awake but sitting
up, with pillow pushed behind his should
ers to prevent him from fatigue. She ut
tered an exclamation OF surprise.
80, George, dear! You are awake, and
| l was out! Aud the fire is 50 lowp
sit does not matter. Jess-I want to
speak to you"
Eyes, George Shall get candle9"
mo. We can talk very well in this
| light. Sit down here"
There was quite a new tone In his voice.
Jess loosened her shawl and sank into the
seat at his bedside. She was vaguely afraid
of what he was going to say. Her hands
turned cold and began to tremble as she
waited for his next words. She noticed that
his face was flushed and his eyes bright,
and her nursing instincts came to her as.
| sistance.
George dear. ought you to talks Are
YOU not tired alreadyw
''No, am not tired. l have had visi-
| tori
81 am sure you ought to rest. then. Dear,
suppose you were to be i'll again.
Il shall not be i'll again. l have got over
| it ali now. ELSEWHERE was | when was
| first taken ilg'
She told him in low voice the number Of
the house to which she had taken him on his
| first arrival
go on, tell me the rest. What happened
thenSn
"What should happsnc' said Jess sooth-
lngIy. ''You we're Ill, and l had to get you
moved into another house, because there
| -, x,~<,,,ar. f,.rni&tsra That fa oil