Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-12-12

curious interest cODWcD III one COr-
ner which the careless housemaid had
overlooked-an ink-Stain on the car
pet.
II am waiting, Tessa."
Austen spoke at last. Every trace
of softness had died out of his voice;
cold and chilling as an icy blast the
words fell upon Tessa's ears. She
shivered little, looked up piteously
into the face which had suddenly
grown so cold and stern.
waiting? For what, Austen9" she
faltered.
"For the explanation which even
you-hardened, abandoned, lost to all
sense OF shame as you must be-will
acknowledge / have right to de-
mand," Austen returned coldly.
Tessa's fingers twined and untwined
nervously. Oh, if only he could go
on, if he would but tell her how much
he knew, the girl thought passionate
~, it would make her task SO much
easier!
Explanation of WHAT don't UNI
derstand," she stammered.
"You must be remarka bly, densem
and Austen sneered again. ''Well.
l will tell you then, as you ask. l
missed you from the drawing room,
went in search of you and found you
oh, you know well enough, there is 70
need to assume that look of virtuous
indignation-with your hand clasped
in your lover's-witnessed your fare
well!'
my lover?" Tessa started and
looked up with cad little smile. IL
thought you were that, Austen" Tessa
went on softly.
IL was; but l resign the privilege;
l have no wish to share it in common
with other men," Austen said haught-
| ily-''either with Cleveland nor any
one else"
"Cleveland?" Austen could almost
have fancied that Tesza looked re-
lieved
"Yes, you need not deny lit was
Clcveland am sure Of that" he re-
turned coldly. at would have been
bad enough if it had been any one else
but Cleveland-a married man! Oh,
it is shamful, horrible! You must in
deed be lost TO all sense Of decency
when you can steal out OF the house,
where the woman who was so good to
you-the woman you professed TO love
so well-lies dead and cold in her cof-
fin, TO hold clandestine meetings with
a lover who is too married mani"
Tessa's heart sank at the cold voice.
Anything, any anger, however great,
would been better TO bear, easier to
overcome, than his calm, passionless
contempt.
"Surely, il he knew all he could not
be more angrym she thought, and she
put out her hand and touched his
sleeve gently. "Austen, will you please
listen momet?" she began; but
Austen moved he hand away quiet
ly, but with little loathing gesture
from which Tessa covered as from q
blow.
why should listen? To be fooled
againp" he said, in his cold, bitter
voice. at is not the first time have
seen you together. Scarcely fort
night ago you were with him in the
laurel walk at an hour when no decent
girl would be out OF her home even
with her promised husband. / saw you
with him! Oh, l remember it we'll
enough. and how few minutes after
wards the lips which had just betrayed
me smiled at me and kissed me with
Judas's kisses!"
A strange feeling OF unreality and
numbness was stealing over Tessa.
Oh, we'll might Austen's enemies call
him hard and unforgiving, she thought.
Was it possible that those stern cold
eyes were the eyes which had so often
looked into hers full OF intense pas
sionate love-that those condemning
lips had ever whispered protestations
of endless undyiug love? She felt
powerless to struggle against such
overwhelming evidence-against such
stern Judge. She looked helplessly
round the room, noticed with linger-
ing tenderness each familiar object.
1t was a very shabby little room; but
Tessa had spent many happy hour
there, and every picture, nay, every
ChStll anu bOtlhCh W DllhH OdSh
with tantalizing distinctness those
happy memories. Austen's lathe stood
in one corner, his fretwork machine
by the window. Only month ago
Tessa had received sharp reprimand
for meddling with and breaking some
OF his favorite saws. She remember
ed her saucy retort-the lovers quar-
rel-the pretty little scene Of recon-
ciliation which followed. Was it only
a month agop 1t seemed like a year!
she thought She managed to speak
at last.
"Austen, you will please listen to
me for moment" she pleaded. II
know what you saw tonight and be-
fore must have seemed very strange to
you; but If you will listen-if you will
let me explain"
"ExplainP Conduct such as yours
is incapable Of explanation-satisfac-
tory explanation, ut all events" Aus
ten answered coldly, "No, | will not
listen. / believe the evidence of my
senses sooner than any lying tale you