A BROKEN VOW.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 10987, 3 August 1897, Page 4

A BROKEN VOW.

By BERTHA M. CLAY,

Author of Tho Burden of a Secret, Love in a Mask, The Woman Between Them, Lord Lynn's Choice, One Woman's Sin, &c. CHAPTER "V '—Continued. j|~ T is poifectly beautiful, Sir ' I^^& Randolph, I never saw anyvg|K§j^ tiling to equal it." J|ft|iw& She was standing by a tall "wlir^ RTccn fain, aud her white ?jfs=%z° liiiirers gently touched the ..."vraSft' "Ada," ho said, taking jrp^ v botii lier hands in hi°, "forgive me for u-ing jour name, without permission. I have a roqnobt to make to you. Will you grant it?" '' If 1 can, Sir Randolph," she anBwere.l . " I am afraid to ask it, Ada my darling, I know I a-n much older than yon and altogether unworthy of you; but 1 love you, and want you to be my wife Do not turn away from mo, perhaps I hare startled you by spcilctng so snd•denly; but I could not wait any longer. Oh, my darling, Ilovo you; will you be my wife? ' " Yes," she whispered, and he caught her in his arms and covered her face with passionate kisses. ', My darling, my beautiful goldenhaired love, how happy you have made 'me.' Do you then love me a little?" " Yes, Sir Randolph, I lovo yon.' "Do not say 'sir' say 'Randolph I love you.' " And she repeated the words. Sho talked to him in her soft, sweet way for a short time, then laying her head on his arm, she raised her faco to his and said: '• Randolph, will yon promise mo one thing?" » " Yes, anything, dear one," " I want you to promise to keep onr engagement a secret just at present; wil you?" A shade of disappointment crossed his face and he said: " If it pleases you I will; but why do you \vi9ll it, Ada?'\ " For many reasons, dear. First, I should not like Utna to know, until she has learned to love me; then, if auntie knew, she might want to take me home, you know; and 1 don't want ao leave you." And she laid her goldon head on his shoulder. J' Very well, my own dear love; I will tio as you wish. Atter all, I think you ' y u are right; we should not quite like all these people to know that we are engaged. But you will wear this ring, won't you? 1 ' and ho slipped a beautiful diamond riug on her finger. •• Yes, Randolph, I will wear it always." *' We shall be married very soon, Ada? You will not insist upon a long engagement? " " Why, Randolph," she cried "I hardly real'.zo that 1 am engaged ' yet, and yoa talk of being married. We mu3t wait a little while." " I shall not wait long, my darling, ao yoa can make up your mind to that." Then after kissing her again, they returned to the drawing-room, whera a merry littlo gronp was making arrangements for a charade party. CHAPTER VI. "I IIATE HKRI I SHALL WABN HER NOT TO TBY TO FILL MY HOTHfifi'S PLACE!" The ball was a brilliant success. lima stood near her father, and received her guests with stately grace and dignity. Sho wore a dres3 of rich amber-colored velvet, which fell in graceful folds endv-_ ing in a long train; diamonds shone in her hair, on her lovely arms, and round her slender throat. She looked wonderfully beautiful; her dark southern beauty shewed to great advantage, by the side of the fair English girls. Lord Ohandos had made up his mind to tell lima how much he loved her, but when he saw her, in all her magnificent, regal beauty, his courage failed. " She is far above me, my beautiful lima; she is too good for me. I will not ask for her love yet, I will wait till I have done something to deserve it," ,Ho went up to her, and bowed bis head low before, as he askei to see her programme. " May I put my name down for a dance, Miss Yorke? " " Certainly, Lord Ohnndos." When he handed back the little tablets, she saw that he had chosen the first and the last waltz. Very soon her programme was filled; Cyril Fayne was happy for the night, because lima gave him one dance; but she only laughed when he told her how he should long for that danco, all the evening. Ada looked pretty in a pale blue dress, with whito flowers in her hair and in her hand, but she was careful never to stand near lima, for she knew how her beauty must pale, before the dark lovliuess of fcir Randolph's daughter, bhe noticed, too, that Lord Chandos hardly took his eye 3 from Ilma's face, and that he hastened to her aide as soon as the band played the opening chords of the first waltz. •' Miss Yorke," he said " this is onr danco, did you remember?" " Yes, I remember, Lord Chandos, because it is the first." As they waltz found tho room, maDy eyes followed them, and people paid, " What a handsome pair! ' and Ada was envious as she heard them. ."■ ir Randolph had to open the *• ball j with tho young Countess of Bellew, and Ada's first partner was a young officer ' ■with whom sho flirted to her heart's content. Sir Randolph claimed her for the second danco, and Lord Chandos felt as though lie hated the fair girl who had fouud her way into tho baronet's heart, nnd whom he feared would soon be Lady Yorka. "What will my beautiful lima do, if ehe has to resign her place as mistress to this shallow, vain girl! Oh, if I conld only savo her from it, as I once saved her from the sea." Other people noticed how frequently Sir Randolph danced with Miss Thornton, and how lovingly he looked at her. lima W3B resting on a seat that was hidden by flowers and ferns; and she overheard n conversation between two gentlemen, She recognized the voices as those of the Earl of Bellew, and Lord St. Leonard. "Do yon think ho is 7" asked the earl. "He is too sensible, I should hope, to think of marrying again." "Yes, he seemed to have buried his heart with his first wife, I thought; but if so, he has fouud another." "I wonder what Miss Yorko will say?" said the earl. "Jf I were Yorke I should hesitate, before bringing a new mistress here; that beautiful girl reigns like a queen, at Alton Towers." . Still talking, they walked away, and lima started up, with a white, scared face. '•Have I been dreaming?" she thought; "can it bo true, what I have beard? It mast be, or else two strangers

would not have noticed it. I have lived ' in the house, and yet have not known, j Oh, what shall T do, what shall I do?" She walked across the room, and went I out into the long corridor. She saw the pale moonbeams through a window nt the other end, and she went to it. Tears stood in her lovely eye 3 and a sharp pain in her heart, made her cry out. "My beautiful home, am I to lose yon?" From the window she saw the lawns covered with snow; the bare branches of the trees, swayed in the wind; the lake was frozen: and the pale moon shed its silver light over all. "Oh, lovely moon; tell me, is it trne? Is my dear mother forgotten? Has papa's heart gone to another? And will this fair girl take my home from me? Tell me that it is not trne! I cannot ' bear it. ' The tears fell from her ejes and a long, low sigh escaped from between the sweet sensitive lips. She was smnding there, with her faco raised to the star-lit sky; her hands clasped, and her eyes full of tears, when Lord Chando3 caught sight of her. He went up to her, and in a gentle voice, he asked her what was the matter. "Miss ii r orke, are you unhappy? can I do anythiug for you?" "No," she answered, quickly, "there is nothing the matter only — I wish that I were dead ." And she buried her face in her hands, and cried as though her heart would break. How he longed to take her in his arms to comfort ker; to kiss away her tears, and tell her how much he loved her. But he restrained himself; while she was in such tiouble, he could not plead his love. '•Miss Yorke, pray do not cry so; yon distress me beyond words. Aro you snre that I cannot help you?" Her only answer was the samo pitiful cry, "I wish that I were dead." Suddenly it strnck him that perhaps she had discovered hor father's affection for Mis 3 Thornton, and his heart ached for her; for he knew that no one could help her. "Miss Yorko, forgive me for speaking so to you, but don' t yon think that people will wonder if they see yon in such trouble? I know you aro too proud to care for them to guess at your trouble, or to apeak abont it; so please try to control yourself." "Yes, you are right, Lord Chandos. Thank you for your kindness. I will go to my room for a few minutes, and then I will come down again.'' "Poor lima, what she has to suffer!" he thought, as he returned to the ball room; and all the pleasure of the ball, was over for him. [to be continued]