The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-03-23
LALL RIGHTS RESERVED
PART ].
CHAPTER XIX.

account of the events Of the previous few
& months Stephen Eyre's blow produced
somewhat grave results. Eastwood had in
Il ficted upon him an apparently greater in
4 jury. for he had ''drawn Blood" but Eyre's
4 reprisals were found to have besn really
more effective. Some obscure injury to the
4 brain had been done, and the state of ex-
4 element into which he was throwa by the
4 receipt OF Jess message, as be supposed it,
was exceedingly prejudicial to him. For
days and weeks he lay almost insensible at
Helmont's house and when he could be re-
moved to the country ne was SO weak and
listless, that the doctors expressed a fear
lest he should never entirely recover
strength.
During his illness, however, Francis Hell
mont had not been idle. Mrs Fcgg, who
had Of course known him for many years,
sought him in great tribulation when she
found that her master did not reappear at
Jasmine Villa. To him she told, as far as
she knew it, the whole story Of Georges
relations with jess Armstrong; and the i'm
preston made upon Mr.. Helmont's mind
was a very painful one. He quite agreed
with Mrs Fogg and, indeed. with Stephen
lowed the girl to pass under the name OF
JeSsicl Strong if he were already married
to her, That be had had some intention of
marrying her by and by seemed evident.
And the history of those few months of alb
sepce from England still remained unex-
planned. On the whole, Helmont, though
charitably disposed, inclined to the darkest
possible view of the matter, and excused
Georges conduct little, only because that
of jess Armstrong seemed to have bsen far
worse.
He did his best to find the girl, though
with little hope Of success. He diligently
questioned the persons who in his opinion
were most likely to have seen or heard
something of Jess, but he met with no re-
suit He went to Stephen Eyre's workshop
and insisted on crcss-examiniug MIN. But
he got nothing out of Stephen An appeal
to the Salvation Army officers was equally
fruitless. Stephen hardly belonged to them
now, they said; he did no work amongst
them, they seemed to think that he was 60
ing to the bad. Mr.. Helmont gathered that
the young man had fallen into a morbid,
unhappy state of mind, and that his efforts
at street-preaching and evangeization had
of late been discontinued. The captain to
whom he spoke mentioned that an equally
disastrous change seemed to have taken
place in Alice Drew, who had once helped
In SUM work and worn the slum sisters
dress. She had lately devoted herself en-
tirely to old Mrs Flint, whom Stephen had
taken into his rooms, and acted as a sort Of
housekeeper for the Eyres as we'll The
Salvatlonist captain vaguely limited at a
possible marriage in the future between
Stephen and Alice Drew: and without
meaning it, he contrived to throw Mr. Hell
mont off the scent, by intimating that
Stephen had given up all thought of Jess
Armstrong.
The parsons next move in the game of
hide-and-seek, which was being played was
to call on Mrs. Flint. Here he was admitted
at once, without more than moments de-
lay. But that moment had been enough for
preparation. His blindness incapacitated
him, as it had often done before, for dis
covery of the truth. jess was actually in
the room with him for minute or two but
Dick Eyre had thrust his hand into her
mouth, SO that she could not cry out; and
stephen hustled her away into his work
room downstairs; and the moment passed
without result. Old Mrs. Flint was ready
enough to swear that she had "never set
eyes on" her granddaughter since the pre-
vious summer Stephen had threatened her
with the workhouse if she said word.
And Alice Drew, while fully believing her
self very wicked for telling lies, dared not.
for love rather than fear Of Stephen, say
anything but what he had told her to say
to Mr.. Helmont.
Georges illness ensured Stephens sue
cess. By hook or by crook he would have
surinounted obstacles and discovered Jess
retreat had he been in his usual state of
health and strength; no one but he could
have done the work 50 well. But incapable
of exertion, incapable of suggestions even
or of requests, as he then was, he could do
nothing, and time-precious tilne-was lost
before he was able to make any search for
Jess Mr.. Helmont's search was perhaps
not very vigorous, he never doubted for one
Sl,o IF of bav
message; and, believing as he did, that Jess
was hopelessly, irretrievably bad, he had no
desire to restore her to Georges arms. If
he had found her, he would have urged her
to enter a home or penitentiary.
And before George was well enough to
set to work at what seemed certainly 20 be
a very hopeless quest, Stephen Eyre had
seen fit to leave the localityin which he had
been known 50 long, and, with his family,
as 1t might be called, to settle down in
part OF London whore it was very unlikely
that Eastwood or Frank Helmont would
ever come to look for them.
George was long, however, in recovering
from the shock given him by Jess de7erGion
ard his illness. He was taken down TO
Wychford as soon as he could travel, and
Col. Eastwood worried himself until he was
i'll, too, ever his nephew's state Of health
and spirits. Mrs. Helmont was an admira-
Die nurse, and under her care George began
SAe'NNaAtI 70 IecONeT uOAc- w hcu tLo IA ~
warm days of spring came he was able To
sit out on the lawn in a luxuriously com
Portable chair, and even to enjoy-as who
could not help enjoyings-the balmy air
and tho fragrance of tho spring flowers.
he stiffness Of tho garden, the absence of
dlscordant sounds or ugly sights, made the
place paradise to George Eastwood in his
still eufeebled state. 1t was with almost a
feeling Of disrate that he saw, one lovely
afternoon, the tall black figure Of his
cousin Francis conducted iy oae Of the SER
wants toward his resting place upon tho
lawn. Francis bad visited him many
times during his illness, but Georges best
recollection OF him was IN tho elergymaa's
study, where the fact OF Jess disappearance
had beoa diyulgei and her last message do
lgcred. u Nns hardly y be wondered az,
therefore, u he started aud changed color
oneo or twice as Francis HelmOnt drew
near.
Tho two mon grasped hands cordially
and then tbe clergyman took a seat BY
Georges couch FOR some minntos they
talked on everyday erb.osts; but az last