Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-11-14

ed anxiously into Tessa's startled face.
She stepped forward and laid her hand
upon the girls arm with n firm yet
gentle touch.
IL am SO glad you have come, my
dear! 1t is so dull being here alone!
she said, in curiously absent clear
voice. "And now you will help me to
look for twill you notP'
look for itp What have you lost?"
Tessa faltered.
Something in the strangers voice
and manner struck her as odd and un-
usual, and her heart beat quickly as
she asked the question.
"Ah, l can't remember. have tried
and tried, but | can't remember what
it Isl" she said, passing her hand
across her forehead with weary
sigh. "But l think it must be here
somewhere; and now you have come
l dare say we shall find it. Come
and the firm CLASP frightened rounl
Tessa's arm-'I will show you where
l think it is"
Dragging the girl after her with a
gentle bat irresistible force, she
walked quickly down the narrow
path.
Tessa was too much startled 10 make
any resistance. Passively she allowed
herself to be hurried along behind the
trees by her strange companion until
they stood on the bank of the fish
pond.
1t was shut in on all sides by thick
belt of fir-tTees, which looked dark
and sombre now against the sunset
sky. Half the water lay in deep shad-
ow; the other half was dyed blood-red
by the setting sun; the bats were
whirling overhead, and from the wood
an owls melancholy note sounded now
and then. 1t was a strange and weird
place to be in at that hour and with
such companion, and Tessa felt
frightened and nervous.
The woman, without relaxing her
tight hold, pointed with the other hand
to the water.
IL think it must be there" she said,
in gentle but determined voice
down among the water-lilies, you
hhOhs NOlht"ANb hS jump AZ oAiN
look for it'
The firm clasp tightcned on 1essa's
arm; with wild terror she felt that
she was being drawn nearer to the
edge of the water, and with the resolu-
ton of despair she forced smile to
her lips.
Il don't think so; it is much more
likely to be somewhere in the Priory,"
she said.
lin the Priory?" The other shook
her head. "Oh, mo- have looked
all over for it! In every room but
Noel's study; and dare not GO there
he does not like his papers and
books to be touched, Perhaps you do
not know my name, my dearP l am
Mrs. Noel Cleveland, and | live at the
Priory." She drew up her head with
little proud smile. Il came there
oh, long time ago!-with my hus-
band and my baby"
The smile faded, and was suddenly
replaced by look OF terrible passion
ate despair; she clasped her hands
across her eyes, and burst into wild
sobbing.
"Oh, / remember now--it was my
baby! They took it away from me,
and | have never seen it SINCE" she
cried passionate'y.
At that moment to Tessa's intense
relief, amid the wild sobbing came the
sound of footsteps, and in another in
slant Noel Cleveland appeared.
lie did not notice Tessa just at first.
Gently, but decisively he put his hand
within his wile's arm, and stro6ed the
golden head and soothed her as he
might have soothed crying child.
"Why, what are you doing here,
my dearP" he asked gently. Come
home or you will catch cold and be i'll
again"
Mrs. Cleveland chung to him pite-
ously.
"Oh, Noel, / can't find it! Where
have you put my babyP' she moaned.
'.She" pointing at Tessa-says it
must be in the Priory. Is it?
perhaps so. Come-we will look
for it, dear.
"Then ask her to come-I like her,
Mrs. Cleveland said, pointing at Tessa.
For the first time Noel glanced at
Tessa; his face flushed, and he looked
surprised and annoyed.
'Miss Caroline will you crafty this
poor girls fancy?' he said, after a
pause, and in an odd Inundated tone.
And Tessa, feeling too sorry and sad
to answer. bent her head silently and
followed them to the house.
She noticed that Mr.. Cleveland, as
he approached the house, turned aside
from the principal drive and led the
way up narrow path behind the
thick hedge to side door, which
opened into quaint square garden.
Entering the house, he opened the
door of small room which looked
like study, and requested Tessa to
wait there for an instant while he took
his wife to her own apartment.
Tessa, standing in the study, heard
the sound of heavy doors closing one
after another-heard the low sobbing
become fainter and fainter till it died