BLAKE KESTON'S VOW.

Otago Witness, Issue 3278, 10 January 1917, Page 48

BLAKE KESTON'S VOW.

THE BTOVSLIST.

(Publishrd ny Special Arrangement.}

By WINIFRED CARTER. Author of '"Ashes of Eden," "kittle No body," " Her Mother's Voice," etc.

[COPYIUGHT.] SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS. CHAPTERS I AND" ll.—Blake Keston and his sweetheart, Y iol€t Daunforth, are punting on the Thames. A stranger gazes at Violet admiringly. It is Binns, the sausage man, worth a hundred thousand pounds. Violet encourages him. She complains to Blake that she wants those things that wealth can buy. Afterwards she engages to meet her new admirer on Hammersmith Bridge. Arrived at her mother's Hat at Barnes, Violet complains of headache. In the evening she dresses in her best, and goes to meet Binns. In ignorance of her daughter's designs, Mrs Daunforth stalks Violet, and notes the lovers' meeting on the bridge. Indignantly she confronts them. CHAPTERS 111 & IV.—Ebenezer Binns begins to woo Violet Daunforth ardently, but disappears when her mother springs on them. After this Blake Keston fails to understand Violet's caprices, who, having two strings to her bow, has to walk warily. The morning after an affectionate leave-taking of Blake the girl sallies forth in her best walking attires and marries Ebenezer Binns at a registry office. He loads her with gems and jewellery. Immediately after the wedding ceremony Violet discovers that sho loves Blake.

f CHAPTER V.—VANISHED HOPES. LAKE Keston, when he got back home from seeing Vi, s settled hard to work. Lately he had taken to literary work in his spare time, and the book he had commenced interested him intensely. He put down the fact that he was writing to Vi's good influence, and he thanked her in his heart as he wrote each page. That was what a good wife did for a man, he thought happily. She helped him to success unconsciously. If he could add to his income by writing what a good tiling it would be. But presently he-felt disinclined for work. It was already one o'clock, and he had added a new chapter to his book. Now he felt tired and yet not ready for bed. He looked back over his life, thoughtfully, and compared his state of mind a little while ago to his happiness now. And he would be far happier when once Vi was his wife, lie lived for that time, when she would always be near him, to be protected and adored. His parents were dead, and only in the world had he Vi. He had a half-sister. Alicia de Presney, but she was not interested in Blake. She was a self-centred woman who had married money, and so had gone completely out of his life. She worshipped the rich and successful, and cared for no one whose income was less than a thousand a year. He had on the whole been happy enough, and had not noticed he was lonely until he met Vi. Now he knew that he was terribly lonely. He wanted Vi badly. Some queer pain throbbed in his breast as he thought of her, so fragile, so delicately pretty. How thankful he would be when she was cradled in his nest, his little shy bird. lie did not want to wait even a moment for her. How delightful she would look, flitting about the flat, with her Mowers and her books and her ornaments. He yawned, and put his manuscript away, then went leisurely to bed. Life was full, exceedingly full of happiness. Somehow ho had felt more of an answering note from Vi to-night. She had seemed to give herself more to his kisses. That last kiss in the hall below the flat had been a revelation to him -as it had been to her.

On his mantelpiece was a large photograph of her. Her beseeching eyes smiled at him from the picture, eyes that seemed to hold some spell for him, as they gazed at him.

And so thinking of her, ho fell asleep. The next morning ho whistled as lie dressed, joked aloud with himself as he shaved, and s-ang as he fastened his boots. To-night ho was going to meet her, and they would settle the first batch of furniture for their little flat. "Was it any wonder he whistled when heaven loomed so gloriously near'/ His work of adding up figures, unin-

teresting mechanical work, was inter sper.-.ed with flashing smiles, litile petulan rnoues and pouts, sreh as Vi so oftei made.

He could scarcely wait when half-past four came and the hank closed. lie rushed off homo to have his tea So that ho could meet Vi. She didn't get out until six, and sometimes even later than that.

The first things he saw on his table were a couple of letters. One was. in Vi's writing, and instead of opening it first. as would naturally be a lover's first action, lie kissed it ardently, and put it on one side to read comfortably after the other. And so it was that Vi's letter, announcing her deception, was not read first.

But the other letter was full of wonderful news. He gave a great boyish whoop as he read it. How little he minded for himself, but for Vi 1 Why for Vi it would mean—oh! ho couldn't think what it would mean. Scarcely able to believe it he read it

agam : Dear Sir, —We have to announce to you the death of an uncle here in Brisbane. Blake Keston was his name, and many years ago he ran away to sea. He did not lose sight of his family in England, though everyone in England seemed to have forgotten him. He took a great interest in you and followed your life minutely, though of course you knew nothing about it. He made a great success of sheep farming, and owns property worth half a million pounds here in Australia. It would greatly facilitate matters if you could come over. He has made you his heir to his wealth without any reservations. We have wired £SCO to Eraser's Bank so that you can draw on it for immediate supplies.—Yours sincerely, Bouxx and Son. Money! Money! Half a million of money! Why it meant that Vi could have jewels and furs and motors and grand houses. Oh! to think that he could really give her all she wanted! Now when it meant just everything to him, this wonderful thing had happened. He wanted to shout. Nay, indeed he would shout! His voice in its hearty intonation sounded weird in the room. "Hip ! Hip ! Hoorah!" he yelled, and he flung up the cushion to the ceiling. Then with feelings that trembled with eagerness he opened Vi's letter. My dear Blake, —I don't know how to tell you, but I am not going to marry you. It's not that I don't love you,'l think Ido love you very much, but not enough to let it weigh against money and the things money can buy me. I am going to marry Ebenezer Binns. You remember him as the man who vexed you by staring at me that Sunday on the river. It s because of him that I have been so queer lately. He wanted to marry me, and I didn't like to break with you. But last night decided me. I don't want to marry for love, and I'm so afraid that you will make me. I want good things so badly. I daren't think of what you will think of me, but I have never been what you thought. I am selfish and want my own way. All' of you have spoiled me, and poor mother knows nothing of it. I'm not going to write to her. You'll have to go and see her and tell her. It is my last request. I'm sorry, for I did like you. You are so handsome.

Vi. P.S.—When you get this I shall be married. The letter was crushed in his hands. That letter that had killed all faith in him. If it would kill him how grateful he would be. It had destroyed all hope! If she had taken a knife and had stabbed him to the heart she could not have wounded him so vitally. For a long time he sat there. The room and its familiar pictures and drab walls faded away. He saw nothing but the imaged face. She was looking at him, as sha had so often done, beseechingly, but no longer was her face tho fnee of the girl who was to be his wife. She was even now another man's. A fierce distressing shudder shook him. How could he endure it? The agony was too keen, the knife-thrust too sharp. The love that filled his life swelled until he felt his heart would burst. .How could he bear his lonelv, wretched life without her? And to have married Binns! Why, the man was so Ugly, . c o distressingly common! What could have made her iose her wits and behave so foolishly? And then he remembered how that Sunday she had harped on wanting money. She had been discontented, and he had thought it only just a little envy, gone in a moment. But, if he blamed anyone it was Binns, for tempting his pure saint with money, and the things money could buy. ' > ' . And then for the first time it dawned upon him, that had she waited for just a few hours she would have had double, nay more than that, to spend. This fortune from his uncle had come a few hours too late. It was no use to him unless he had Vi to spend it with him. Gone was the little flat and it* visionary ideals of homo. He would never have a home. He would be a wanderer on the face of the earth! How could he live through his life! Up to the brassy heavens went his cry. For hours he wit there thinking! Life was so long, so lonely, so hopeless! How could he endure it?" That was his bitter heart-broken cry !

Ho dared not think of Vi as married. He felt that if he did ho should go mad. She was so innocent. Did she understand all that marriage meant? He felt sure she didn't, or if she did, she had not realised it. How could marriage with a man like Binns be anything but'hell on earth'? Did the child think money could hide and cover all things? Once more he read her letter, and then a pang of pity came into his frozen heart for -poor Mrs Daunfcrth. Vi's selfishness came up again, for =;ur-ely her mother deserved belter at her hands

than to be left in doubt and ignorance. [le looked at his watch. It was ten o'clock. J lad he really been brooding there for hours'/ Ho forgot his sudden access of wraith, and took an Underground, laughing bitterly as his fingers touched the letter from" the Australian lawyer in his pocket. It was getting on for eleven when lie got to Barnes. Lights were in the window of the flat that faced the river. He expected that Mrs Daunforth would be off her head with anxiety. He rang the bell, and almo.it at once the door was opened.

He came in and went past her upstairs. On the little couch lay a cloak of Vi's, evidently .Mrs Daunforth had been mending it. Oh! how could ho tell her! But even then his plan was the worse, for nothing could take away the fact that she was Vi's mother! He was nothing now to Vi and never could be!

"I ought to have come before," he said, and his voice was husky and full of feeling. "I got a letter from Vi. She -S married to-day to a rich man, Ebenezer Binns. She was frightened and dared not tell us. I believe she loved me best (there was something terribly pathetic : n this statement) " but she married him because she was tired of being poor, my little Vi."

There was dead silence. It suddenly came to Blake that Mrs Daunforth was not so surprised or so startled as he had expected. "You don't blame Vi, you don't condemn her utterly, then?" said Mrs Daunforth in a voice of force'! calmness. "What do you mean?" said Blake. "I loved her desperately. I can never take up the strings of life in the same fashion. I loved her so, but we all spoiled her, and now sho pays the penalty for our weakness." Suddenly he went as white as a ghost and he caught hold of Mrs Daunforth's hand. " Listen," he said hastily, " what was that?" The sound of low-, muffled, heart-broken sobbing came to him. ''lt's Vi," said her mother quietly, "she's come home."

CHAPTER VI.—I LOVE YOU NOW. Mrs Daunforth drew the amazed Blake to a chair, and sat down beside him. For a moment she looked at him pitifully. He had suffered, poor hoy, as well as her foolish, silly little Vi. "I want you to try and forgive her,"' she said wistfully. "Poor little thing, she thought she knew so much of life, but she found out her mistake. She knew nothing at all." "I'd better tell you the story as she told it me." "I was sitting darning her stockings, and mending generally, most of the evening; 1 thought of how glad I was that soon you and s'lie would be married, and there would be no more need to worry about her. Ten passed, and then I began to wonder why she was so late. Time crept on till it got to half-past ten and then I was very anxious. "Then tlie door opened softly downstairs, and Vi crept up. Her face was dead white. All her childishness had gone for the moment, and she looked a weary woman. She had on a wonderful black satin coat, with bands of expensive fur round it, and her fingers were simply laden with marvellous rings. She undid the cloak, and her own frock underneath was still the same grey frock she had gone out in.

"For a moment I could say nothing, and she crept across to me as though she had sinned against me. She flung herself on the lloor; 'Mother, mother! Take mo back,' she moaned. I did not understand but fear kept me silent. She had gone out from me that morning her usual self; she returned like a hunted criminal." " 'I have run away from him, I couldn't bear it. I didn't know. I did net realise all marriage meant.' She shivered, yet her hands were burning hot. At first 1 thought you had taken her away without my knowledge, and had married her secretly, but there were the rings and the little jewelled watch peejnng from her dress held in place by a green emerald dragon fly. Those had to be accounted for. I felt almost mad with suspense. ''And then, when she saw I did not turn from her, I had my hands on her head and was stroking it gently all the time, she told it all." "She had married Ebenezer Binns because he was rich, but when he had kissed her first she had known her mistake, and she knew that she could not be his wife, so when he was speaking to the chauffeur she slipped off, and took a bus, and came home to me." ''Then she is really married," Blake said dully. "There is no doubt but that the man married her. I feel that I should like to see him just to give him a piece of my mind," said (he mother indignantly. Blake hardly heard her talking now. Nothing mattered if Vi were here. Yet what could he be to her now! Nothing! (She was a married woman—Mrs Binns! A great gasping sigh, shook him. Really he could hardly bear it. To think of Vi so far away from him ! Why marriage was almost as long as eternity. And then he heard a little moan, and there, on the threshold, was Violet. So fragile, so wan and lovely si>e looked, that he fcrgot everything. He leaped across the room and took her to his beating heart. lie rained kisses on her upturned face, and he flinched as a look of perfect and wonderful happiness came into Vi's expressive face.

" I love you, Blake," she whispered thiillingly. "I never knew how much I loved you until now." Upon this moment of sweet intimacy broke Mrs Daunforth's voice. She belonged to the good old-fashioned school that will not countenance a Avord of love from a married woman to any other man, than her husband. "Yon must not do it," she said peremptorily. "It was diSei'innt before, but no

thing can alter the fact that Vi is the man's legal wife. There shall be no more love-making between you and Blake.' Vi shivered and clung desperately to Blake's arm.

"You won't take any notice of mother, Blake, will you?" she pleaded fearfully, "she doesn't understand." And looking into the blue depths of Vi's beautiful eyes he felt he could not let her go. "I can't listen to you, Mrs Daunforth. he said coldly. "I 'love Vi. She would have been my wife had not mesmerised her into marrying him." Mrs Daunforth looked at the two miscreants sternly, and for the first time in Vi's life she came up against her mother s will. Perhaps it would have been better for Vi had she come up against it oftener. "Look here, Vi," she said gravely. "I know that if the man was partly to blame you were to blame, too. A girl cannot marry one man in the morning and return to her old loi-e at night. You must understand this, that if I let you stay here and protect vou from your real husband, I will allow no carrvings on with Blake. You'll have to shut Blake out of your heart, once and for all." "Oh, mother!" wailed Vi. "You cant mean it."

"I do, though," said her mother, without the slightest signs of yielding. "if I never stood against you in my life before, I'm going to now." Vi threw herself, weeping, into Blake's arms. The sensation when she was clasped tight to Blake's heart was so delicious that she wished she had married him with all her heart.

Love was worth everything, at least it was just at that moment. She had felt so terribly frightened when she knew that she was irrevocably married to Ben, that she had trembled "all over. Though he had made her forget her tremors for awhile by buying her clothes which were to be forwarded to the hotel where he had engaged rooms, yet as soon as the shopping was done, and she knew that the rest of her life had to be lived 'n the closest intimacy with this little ugly man, she felt numb with terror. Recollections of the mother who had never been a broken reed, came to her. It was "Mother!" she cried in her heart, and eventually so strong did her terrors become that she ran away at the first opportunity, leaving her disconsolate bridegroom to think what he liked. And now her mother was being hard and unkind. She was no longer a willing slave, but had an opiuon contrary to her child's, and no amount of persuasion could alter her.

Oh! life was brutal to a girl! Here she had no one to depend on but Blake. Now that she couldn't have him, the one thing to be desired was Blake.

She wept piteously, her head pillowed on Blake's breast. And Blake was racked with emotion. He felt that though Mrs Daunforth was right, yet he could not give up wilful, naughty, but fascinating Vi. And then, upon that solemn moment, came a ring at the downstairs door. Blake and Vi parted, and Mrs Daimforth went downstairs. None had heard a motor stop at the flat. They had been so busy with human woes and frailties. And then they heard Mrs Daunforth speak and a man's voice answer.

Surely she was not going to bring anyone upstairs to-night! Already Vi was panting with tear. What if it should be Ben! Yet there was a feeling of elation, too. She was the main actress in this soul-stirring drama! After all, to think that she could so upset everybody, because she was so lovely and bewitching, was a glorious thought. "But all the same she didn't want Ben to come up. She was a little ashamed. She knew only too well that she had led him on; that it was because she had made up her mind to marry him, he had done it. It was her fault. She didn't intend to let anyone else know it. but to herself she was bound to admit it. They heard Mrs Daunforth's low troubled voice, and then the door opened and Ben came in.

He had visibly shrunk during the past hour or so. When lie saw Vi standing there he ran to her and bent and kissed her hand.

"My darling! Oh! my love," he Stammered, "I was afraid yon were lost. Oh! how can I say how glad I am!" Vi smiled. She had forgotten how she hated him. She forgot everything but that he had been so troubled at losing her. She forgot, too, that Blake was watching with bitter eyes. "Did you mind so much?" she said Boftlv.

"I wanted to go and get drowned. I felt such a wicked fool for letting you 40. I didn't think until a little while ago that you might have come hack here. What did I rio to frighten you?" he said tremulously, "I only want to do your will always, and I wouldn't hurt you for worlds, von little, shy, white lamb.

A look of positive distaste came into Blake's face. He wanted to take the man and throw him down the stairs, but then he hsid no right, and certainly the man did love her.

Perhaps, too. a curtain was being drawn slowly from Irs eyes* Perhaps a glimpse of the real, true', selfish, vain Vi was beinj' accurately shown him.

Ft was pleasing her to have the rich man kneel to her. She was delighted that he had suffered, too.

"I'm sorry that I upset you, but I don't want to he your wife after all." she said childishly. "You don't want to be my wife?" he said, incrcduouslv, " but you can't help it! We're married!"

fie had never dreamed of j?uch a situation in his life, lie wiped the beads of perspiration from his brow. "You can release me. surely?" she said plaintively. "You will, won't yon?" For a moment he .saw red, the poor little under-sized satisage manufacture" And Blake admired him lor the first time.

as he clenched his hands and stood upright. .. You could see that words were tumbling over themselves to get out, words of furious anger. But again Mrs Daunforth intervened softly • - Be patient, she is but a child, she said in a whisper to Ben.

"Let me woo and win you over again, said Ben, with a wonderful inspiration "Let's pretend we're not married, and I'll do my best to make you like me. I won't consider you my wife until you give me leave. What do you think of that?" Vi looked at him. Just now, with that triumphant expression gone and his heart evidently fluttering for fear he should lose her, he was not so objectionable. After all he was rich and could give her the things she wanted, and she was not afraid with her mother and Blake to protect her. And then if she gave him up, she would have to give up, too, her lovely rings, and those ducky clothes she had bought. She had spent the afternoon in a glorious round of shopping, and she could do th.i-t as often as she wished. Then he ready wasn't so bad if he didn't kiss her!

"Will you promise not to kiss me?" she said poutingly. "Anything you like, my queen," said the man solemnly.

Blake had watched it all with the deepest disgust filling him. He saw that Vi was not worth the love he had bestowed upon her. She had said but a few moments before that she loved Blake, and now she was making terms with the rich man.- No, indeed, she was not worth it. He looked at her, at the beauty of her soft pink and white cheeks, at the long golden lashes that swept her face, at the deep blue eyes, and ho knew that in spite of her pretty face she was as shallow as it was possible to be. No woman with any soul would so change, no real woman would throw away the gold for the dross in this fashion. He saw, too, that Vi had led this poor moth on with her every wile, and then she had become frightened because she herself had aroused something stronger than she liked. He felt that if he were to break in now and say: "I am richer than this man. I have half a million, and he has only a hundred thousand pounds. I am handsome and you love me, this man you can barely endure," she might have turned from Ebenezer and have come across to him, pleading for his love and forgiveness. But he would not say it. He was too proud. Though it was like plucking out his heart, he would not have her come because he was richer than the other man. He turned on his heel and went softly downstairs. So busy was Vi that she did not notice him. Mrs Daunforth came after him.

The mother was happy. He coiild see it. After all she thought Yi had chosen well. The other man was rich arid he was poor. The other man was her husband and he—well, he could never be anything to Yi again. Down in the hall Mrs Daunforth took his hands eagerly. "You'll give her up, Blake?" she said insistently. "If you will leave her alone she will learn to love him. She would love anyone who worshipped her as he does. He will take her away to France and give her a good time, and though I can't bear to say it. Vi cares so much for these things that if she were to have married you she would always have regretted and thrown it in your teeth that you were poor."

Blake laughed a little, hurt, heartbroken laugh. "You needn't fear," he said quietly. "I'll efface myself. Vi shall never see me again if I can help it. Then he strode from the house. (To be continued.)