Vicars' Walk

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 21, 26 January 1933, Page 21

Vicars' Walk

By HORACE ANNESLEY VACHELL (Author of "Quinn»jf's")——————— ——

(CHAPTER lll.—Continued.) * VI. The guide was a quiet man with a pair of dark eyes and thin slender hands. He began at once: "I want to call your attention to the stalactites and stalagmites, -which are made of carbonate of liinc. The stalactite hangs down, as you see, and the stalagmite slowly raises itself "up to" meet it. When they meet a pillar is formed, and slowly that pillar increases in size so long as water flows over it leaving its deposit of lime. All these wonderful forms which you will see have been thus made. A stalactite in these caves, so it has been estimated, grows about one inch in a thousand years— —" "00-o-o! " said Felicity. The guide indicated a stalactite and stalagmite separated one from the other by a gap of some five inches. Willie's voice was heard: " You say those two will join up some day, get married ? " " Yes." "Drop me a post card when they do. I live in Vicars' Walk, Fountains." ' This provoked a titter from most of the girls, but the guide had the last and loudest laugh. "I know Vicars' Walk," he said gravely. " I'm surprised to hear that popinjays nest there." - - The tour ended too soon for Enoch, but he could see that Felicity was not listening very attentively, hoping, possibly, that Mr. Hiles would make another enlivening remark. Enoch perceived that these youngsters had no imagination- The caves to them were eaves— not much more. Their superlative beauty, o:n a miniature scale, the' pillars, pinnacles, and pilasters, some white, some pink, some deep red—all exquisitely reflected in tiny pools of crystaline water —evoked grunts from the boys and gasps from the girls. But Enoch could magnify what he beheld; he could sec vast halls, cathedrals, palaces. He knew that what he saw was the work of a million years; ho knew that prehistoric men, prehistoric beasts, had lived in these caves.

To his surprise Bessie Custard dieplayed intelligence. He had to amend previous judgments of her, ■ but he remembered that she had been a bright girl at school. He remembered also that she had mocked him when he -was an awkward, bashful lout wearing—thanks to a father's parsimony—coats and trousers out of which thin wrists and ankles portruded. To-day, Bessie was almost deferential in her manner.

They came out into the sunshine. Immediately the boys began to buy souvenirs for the girls, as the guide explained that bits of bone offered for sale belonged to mammoths and cave bears. Again Felicity exclaimed "00-o-o! " The girls were now together, giggling and whispering. Bessie remained by Enoch. • What did you think of that cave?'" he asked. "I thought it fairyland. I—l could give lunch a miss and go back there. I would if you went with-me." Enoch blushed. . ■ \ t "I believe," Bessie went on, cooingly, "that you are the only boy here with brains." YIL The cold collation so generously proTided by Mr. Kerridge, senior, was indeed a banquet worthy of such an occasion. The baby-boy had smoked his huge cigar, and —none the worse—proceeded to gorge himself with cold salmon 1 Young Alf advised everybody to drink the cyder cup, which he had made him; self. It was harmless enough; but Alf had added a pint of sherry. Felicity refused the cup, and asked for ginger beer. During luncheon Alf paid her marked attention. Whereupon Lucy Banter, who knew her Alf, paid even more attention to Willie Hiles. Bessie Custard made unblushing advances to Enoch, finally placing a strawberry between her lips and inviting him to share it. He felt and looked rather a fool because he declined this sportingl offer.

As soon as luncheon was over —they spent an hour over it—the boys smoked, whilst the girls wandered off again, seeking spots whence proper views of the castle and Lion's Rock could be had. Meanwhile Enoch wondered if he should ever be alone with Fee. Quite impossible, unless the rest of. the party paired. Young Alf said presently: "The girl 3 will want to pick flowers. After tea, boys, comes kissing time." To this Willie Hiles replied flippantly: "And have you made up your mind, my lord, who is to have the honour of being kissed by you?" Alf said grinningly: "No complaints if you take a ramble with Lucy." Then, still grinning, he looked at Enoch. "If' you aren't careful, Enie, Bessie will be hugging you." This provoked loud laughter from the other boys. Enoch was furious, but he lad to dissemble his fury. It says much for his powers of self-control that he could do this. Temptation seized him to confront these grinning youths with the truth. Then, according to the unwritten law, both he and Felicity would be left alone. But he knew that Felicity would be terribly -upset. As lightly as la could, and twisting his mouth into rather a silly smile, he said: "Damn Bessie, and you too!" Presently the girls wandered back, Bitting down demurely enough as if they lad agreed among themselves to postpone pairing. Bessie called upon Enoch to tell them more about the gorge. Thus challenged, and much heartened because Alf had slipped away to attend to hi 3 horses, Enoch held forth. He knew his subject, but his delivery was halting. Alone with Felicity he would have been eloquent, and without doubt she would lave listened delightfully with her tender eyes looking up into his. Instead, she sat beside .another girl, leaning against her. • The other girl was a good plump, rosy-cheeked creature with maternal instincts. She held Felicity's land, and stroked it gently. Felicity fell asleep. VTEL The wild flowers had been gathered; the sights had been seen; the souvenirs had been bought. One hour remained. The boys, having talked themselves out, ogled the girls; the girls tittered and blushed. Enoch knew that the dangerous moment had come. With a boldness that surprised himself, he marched up to Felicity, and said pleasantly: "Fee, will you take a brisk little walk with me? We haven't seen the top of the gorge yet." Felicity laughed, "Yes, I will, Enie. It's a duty, isn't it? My! I've eaten so much that I feel like going . Jo sleep for. ever and

"Come on," said Enoch. Heedless of what the others might do, Enoch, with Felicity trotting at his side, strode oil. Bessie bit her lip; Lucy Panter smiled; all the boys glanced at Alf, who—thanks to the Gallic tincture —threw back his handsome head and laughed. "Enoch Saint," he said, "may live to pick a winner." "Don't walk so fast, Eniie," pleaded Felicity. "Sorry! I wanted to get away from them." "Why ? How odd you look. What's wrong?" "Everything." "Let's sit down. I'm so hot already, and so are you." Without replying, Enoch left the road and began to ascend a steep slope. Here were enormous boulders, huge enough to screen from observation a brakeful of trippers. Enoch flung himself down behind one. Felicity, panting and bewildered, wondered why he didn't kiss her. "You look so cross. Why?" He answered the question torrentially, as all that he had suppressed burst out of Mm. The day had been spoiled from the very minute when that silly ass lxad tried to tickle her. She might thank her stars that she wasn't alone with either Willie or Alf. She had flirted shamelessly with Alf at lunch, and later when he (Enoch) was talking for her, and at her, talking, too, about a wonderland, she had shown her appreciation of all the pains which he had taken entirely and solely on her account to fall asleep !

At this point, had he paused, Felicity, sensible that she had disgraced herself by dozing off, might have expressed contrition. Then, probably, Enoch would have kissed and forgiven her,. Unhappily, excess of intelligence undid this young man. Ho perceived only too clearly what bad escaped her. He knew that the day would have been delightful, enchanting, had they gone on the expedition as an engaged couple. She had imposed secrecy; she had wanted it both ways. She wanted his undivided devotion; she wanted also to have a good time with other boys. And that was not playing the game.

When he did pause, Felicity set about her defence with a fire and fury which Miss Bessie Custard might have envied— and commended. How dared he accuse her of light behaviour? Oh, the cheek of it, after the way he had carried on with that hateful Bessie. And he, the son of a verger, brought up as he had been, must have a filthy mind. Willie Hiles meant no harm. He tried to tickle every girl. Suppose even that she had gone for a stroll with young Alf Kerridge— couldn't she take care of herself? Now he had spoiled the day, wrecked it irretrievably. He had been hateful, and she was perfectly miserable. Would he please take her back to Brenda. She proposed to take a last look at the village, because never, never, would she willingly gaze upon the beastly place again. So there!

The critical will observe that Miss Vye evaded the real issue; and Enoch was quick to see this. He was not quick, being so sadly inexperienced in women's ways, to perceive her point of view, essentially girlish, and altogether natural. However, he tempered his tone:

"Fee—don't be silly. Can't you see that all this has come about because we are secretly engaged?"

"We aren't engaged now " "You are talking like a fretful child- " , i

"Go it! Say all the nasty things you can "

"Come, come, be teasonable. Prom the very first I couldn't make, out why you persuaded me and coaxed' me to do something which I knew in my bones was deceitful and wrong. Don't-speak! I—l repeat —deceitful and wrong. If we had marched straight to our people there might have beeil a bit of a rumpus, but in the end we should have won through. Your folks like me; my folks like you. Had we done this, you would be wearing to-day the pretty ring which I'm aching to buy for you. I don't say we shouldn't have to wait for the other ring, but we have to do that anyway."

She jumped up. • "Take me back, please. If you don't I'll walk back by myself. That's what I want to do, but it would start a lot of talk." "Fee, darling, give me leave to speak to your mother to-night?" "No." "You are breaking our engagement?" "There never was, and now there never will bo a real engagement. I—l hate to hurt you, Enoch, but you've asked for this. When you kissed me in Gate House, you made too sure of me. I—l wasn't sure of myself. I'd never had an affair. If we'd gone to mother, she'd have asked me, as soon as we were alone, if you were everything, everything in the world to me. I know she would. And I couldn't have lied to her. Now you know the truth. I only wanted to wait, to —to c-c-carry on till I was perfectly sure that you were everything in the world to me—and. you aren't."

Her voice died on a whisper. Enoch stared at her paralysed with misery and dismay. He opened his lips and closed them, unable to articulate. Slowly her face hardened, as he remained silent.

"We must pretend," she said coldly. "I sha'n't give myself away to those grinning boys. Come "

The eternal hills heard and made no sign. So this was the end of what might have been a perfect day! Felicity ran down the steep slope. For an instant Enoch stood still. Then, with a muttered curse, he hastened after the Felicity, who might spell happiness for another, but not —so every aching tissue in body and brain told him —not for him. (To be continued daily.)'