Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-11-28
TESSA-
CHAPTER VIII.


1t is given TO very few people, either
men or women, to feel the sense Of
perfect happiness which came to Aus
ten Bevan during the first few weeks
OF his engagement. He had known so
little of the follies and pleasures of
youth that this new unlocked for hap
piness came like n sudden burst of sun
shine into his life and transformed and
glorifed it.
His friends might disapprove; Mrs.
Calender might, and did, prophesy
evil things; but Austen, confident in
his own and Tessa's perfect love, only
smiled in calm Indifference and in
credulity, and was supremacy happy.
For three or four weeks this state of
perfect bliss lasted; then the first
clouds arose.
For more than fortnight Tessa had
been anxiously looking for lett9'
from Mr. Cleveland. She had alreaey
received one short note from him, in
which, regretCing that he had no def
mite news of Antony TO tell her, he
had spoken Of an actress. then playing
in an obscure London theatre, who,
from his description, might prove TO
be Antony Bevan's wife.
He had promised to follow this trace
up and inform Tessa of its success or
failure; and she was now anxiously
expecting the letter. She grew more
anxious day by day; for Mrs. Bevan
was extremely unwell. She had been
more or less of an invalid for the past
five years; but she now very rarely
left her room, and it was evident, even
to Tessa's Inexperienced eyes, that
each day her hold on life grew teebler.
The news would come too late if 1t
did not arrive very soon, Tessa
thought sadly sometimes, as she
watched the old lady's failing steps
and pale face; and so she looked anx-
iHisly each morning for the letter
which was so long in coming.
There is letter for you, Tessa,"
Austen said one morning as Tessa en-
tered the breakfast-room.
So far she had generally contrived
to be down stairs before the postman
came, so that she might receive and
read her letters undisturbed by any
questions concerning the writer's or
contents. Mrs. Calender had always
been inquisitive concerning her cor
respondence, and lately Austen had
developed a similar curiosity. Tessa
who had been very anxious that this
particular letter should not be seen by
the authorities-was conscious that
she blushed and looked guilty as she
took up the letter, and its bold writing
and crested envelope, which lay by
her plate.
Austen glanced at the changing
face curiously. He waited few mo-
ments; then, finding that Tessa did
not as usual open her letter, but slip
ped it into the pocket of her dress, he
said gently, hut with an indefnable
shade of GOODNESS and suspicion in his
voice
THAT is Cleveland's crest, Tessa!
What is he writing to you about?"
"How can | tell? / haven't read it
yet" Tessa answered coldly.
"'Are you not going to read it?"
"By-and-by. Just at present the
calls of hunger are too pressing"
Tessa answered carelessly. Give me
piece of that pie, please, and re-
member it was curiosity that drove
Eve out of Paradise"
She smiled brightly into his face;
but Austen had no answering smile.
Mrs. Callender's comments on the let
ter had already excited jealous doubts
in his mind; and Tessa's evasive an
swers and reluctance to read it seemed
to confirm his suspicious. For the
first time since their engagement he
left the table abruptly, and drove off
to business without his usual affection
ate farewell
Tessa heard the dog-cart drive from
the door, and felt sorry and amused.
She was too much delighted at the
news which Cleveland's letter con-
tanned TO distress her mind over Aus
tens's ill-temper.
al have good news this time," Cleve-
land wrote. 1.-The actress | mentioned
in my last letter is Anthony Bevan's
wife. / called on her yesterday, and
saw both her and Anthony. He looks
very thin and i'll, and 1 am afraid
times are bad with them. He is de-
lighted at the idea OF seeing his mother
and will come any time you like to fix.
fancy he entertains very bitter feel
ings toward Austen and his sister, for
he says that, IL it had not been for
them, the quarrel would have been
made up long ago. enclose his adj
dress. He will be in Pennington by
the time this letter reaches you. and
will stay there until 1t is convenient for