A BROKEN VOW.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 10994, 11 August 1897, Page 4

A BROKEN VOW.

4By BERTHA M. CLAY, Author of The Burden of a Secret, Love in a Mask, The "Woman Between Them, Lord Lynn's Choice, One Woman's Sin, <&c. CHAPTER VU.— Continued.

Hs^pto' A.M pleased to see you at home again, papa," she said, ii£tf$ anil n^ i>is anser vanisiied A^IN. l H at the sight of her pale sad iS»?. face. rk »a^ " And *am cleli s lltcd to }§*?, V conio home, lima," he answered, $r kissing her. ''Have you no welcome for me? 1 ' asked Ada, advancing to lima, with outstretched hanls. lima bowed and said: "Yon have received a welcome from others; you did not expect oue from me, Lady Yorke," Sir Randolph fr jwned, bvit the dinner, bell rang just then, so he offered In 3 arm to Ada, and they oil went into the dining room. Ada laughed and talked all the lime, and Sir Randolph soon joined i her; Mis 3 Hilton, also,- spoke to Lady Yorke, bnt lima sat like a pale, beautiful statue, neither speaking nor listening to what was going on. During the evening Ada tr'ed often to make fpentU nith lima, but she met wilh a cold response each time, i Once Sir Randolph asked her to sing, • and Ada said. * Please to sing for us, lima; I have near heard you sing," "I will sing for you, papa, if you wish it, but won't Lady Yorke sing for'you?"' "I am tired to-night," replied Ada, before Sir Randolph had time to speak. lima went to the piano, and sat there playing for some time, and she could hear Ada's bright langh and her father's voice. "They hare quite forgotten me," she thought; ''they do not even remember tbat they asked me to sing. How I hato that girl who has taken everything from me, even my father's love." | Still she continued playing, and the sweet, sad tunes seemed in harmony with her thoughts. k Presently she heard A.da say: "Randolph, I should like to go out for a few minutes; will you lake me?" "With pleasure, my durling,' ho cried. <% It is a lovely night, and I shall enjoy it. ' " Bring a cigar with you, and you may 6moke," and they went out together, laughing and happy. " He forgets th?tlamhere," thonght lima, and she stifled the sob tbat struggled in her throat. Miss Hilton rote from her seat and went over to the piano; she put her arms round Ilma's neck, and raised the pale face to hers. " lima, your music is so sad, dear; I cannot hear any more of it. Will you sing something now?" She sung a flweet, sad song in her rich contralto voice, and she grow so intont upon the words she wa's singing that she did not hear Sir Randolph or . Lady Yorke enter the room . The last worda of the song died away in a low moan, and AdaS voice broke the silence tbat followed: " Thank you Umo, that iras very beautiful, bnt ratber doleful. Let me sing something." Seating herself at the piano she sang one bright, pretty song and then another, Sir Randolph standing near her all the time. ' lima 'could not bear it; she went j — -—qoitoly out of the room. She was not missed; the gay young girl at the piano kept Sir Randolph perpetually engaged and amused, although she herself was ! making up hor mind to spend no more I dull evenings like this, bnt to hare plonty of visitors to amuse her, and give her something to do. Next morning at breakfast Sir Randolph said: "~ (( lima, Broadlands is sold at last." "Is it papa?. I am glad, for the house was wns getting quite dilapidated. And who has bought it?" " I do not know, but I shall find out t]iis morning." " Where is Broadlands?" asked -Lady Yorko. " Broadlands is a fine estate that joins this. It is, if anything, larger than Alton Park, but the the house is newer ■ than Alton Toners," answered Sir Randolph. " So we shall have some new neighhours," said Ada. "I am gltd of that. I never heard you mention this -place -- at Christmas, and I don't remember seeing it." '• It was empty then and has been L. for five years. The owner, poor fellow, R CapUin Davis, went through his fortune very quickly. So he had to leave I, '^JEUfi^dhmds, and live in a strange land. sf For the last threo years ho has been ■ trying to sell it, and now I hear he lias j succeeded. I am glad for his sake poor fellow." | " And lam glad for ours," said Ada /"laughingly. "It will bo pleasant to i have now people there; lima, shall not f you bo pleased to have some new . | friends?' ,f " I prefer old friends, Lady Yorko." t, ' l Randolph what are we going to do * to day?" asfcad Ada. J •' Just whatever you like, my darling, '"""I must attend to my letters, ani look < , over a few business papers this morn- "■ ing. What will yon do? 1 ' '/"" " Perhaps lima will show me the ', beauties of the garden, will yo.u lima?" 1 She did not answer at once, but Sir r ~ Randolph broke in. „ '• Of course, she will, and I hope you ~.two will becomo close friends, undor the 'influence of this lovely blue sky. ' i " I am friendly already," laughed /Ada. * \ • And 1 shall never -be friendly,' \ thought lima; but she did not speak. i "'i hey spent the mo.-ning together, | and in the afternoon a number of people called to welcome the new Lady Yorke. ; So the day passed pleasantly enough * for Ada, who enjoyed the homage and 3 adulation she received, and never gave I, a thought to what lima must feel, to see i» a stranger taking her place. % CHAPTER VIII. jj, A MAN WIIO HAS SUFFERED. Jj Lady Yorke had no reason to fill her house to prevent her being dnlj, for all her neighbours began to giyo balls, garden parties, and every kind of entortainment, in honor of the bride. Ada was de'ighted. the saw herself feted and courted more than any other woman in the country, and sho complgtely^en. joyed her triuniph, Sir Randolph was pleased, too, was pleased at his wife's success, but he often ielt jealous when " w lie~Baw her sujropnded by tnen, flattering her, and vicing with other to sco who should pay her the nr Q3t attention There nere times, too, when he wished she would bq a little moro dignified, and not a; pear to flirt so much. Then he renumbered she was only a girl, not twenty yet, and so in his own mind 1 c made excuses for her,

Once, Sir Randolph was looking lor bis wife, as he wanted to speak to her, and unable to Gad her in the house, he went out and walked across the lawn to the rose garden, which was Ada's favorite spot. To his surprise he found her there with a young officer who was staying in the neighborhood. Sir Randolph knew that Captain Elliot had called about an hour before, but thought that he had gone away again. He stood still for a minutes and heard the captain say: ' Now, Lady Yorke, give me one of those roses that you curry. I want one." 11 Which will you have?" she asked. "I will have that white one." Sir Kandolph saw her take a beautifnl white rose out of the bunch she held in h3r hand, and give it to the young officer. He held it for a moment, and then siid: '•What am I <o do with it? Will you fasten it in my «nt for me?" She laid down her flowers and placed the rose in his coat; then he caught her hand in his and kissed it. She laughed: and Bir Eandolph turned awny with a frown on his face. The next time he met her hes\id: "Ada, how long- did Captain Elliot stay this afternoon?" "About two hours, I think, dear. He was so amusing, I quite liked him-" "So it appeared,",answered Sir Randolph. "Is he in the habit of kissing your hand, Ada?" She looked up and laughed a low rippling laugh, and went to her husband. "No, Randolph, of course not. I believe he did this afternoon, but I scolded him. Were yon jealous, dear? ' And she laughed again as she kissed him. ' I don't think it 13 exactly n laughing matter, Ada. It is not at all dignified, or proper for you to allow such a thing." "Aro you cross, then? ' sho asked. ' Surely lima is dignified enough to make up for my want of dignity, and I thonght you were to.fond of me, Kandolph, to be vexed about such a little thing." "1 am fond of you, darling," he answered, taking hcr-in his arms, but it is ju3t because I love you that I don't like to see you do anything that I should be ashamed of others setiug. Do you understand?' 1 "\cs, you jealous old darling," she cried, as she slipped from his arms: and he could not help noticing that there wa9 no word of sorrow at having displeased him; she seemed rather amused because she had made him jealous. So he did not spuak to her again about anything of the kind, but his loving heart was wounded every time he saw her flirting with her admirers. Bir Randolph had been delighted to fiad that tho purchaser of Broadlands was Lord Eupert Chandos, though he wondered why the owner of Cbandos Court shonld want another large place, like Broadlands. As soon as Lord. Chsndos had put the house in order, and the gardens were in pretty good condition, he sent out invitations for a large garden party. It wa3 to take place on the tenth of August, and all tho3e who were invited were eagerly looking forward to it. Lady Yorke preferred garden parties to any other kind of entertainment; and oven lima was pleased to go. Tho tenth came at last, and it was a bright, warm, sunshiny day. Lady Yorke looked very pretty in a charming costume of pale green muslin, wbieh showed her fair beauty to advantage lima, in a picturesque dress of cream colour and crimson, with a crimson sose at her throat, looked most beautifnl. Lord Chandos welcomed them with a flush on his handsome fair face, and passionate admiration in his eyes as they rested on lima. * In after life, lima lookod back on that day as tho hipp'iist in her life. She was eagerly sought altar, and much admired, but Lord Chandos almost monopolized her. He showed her all round the the gardens; he took her over the house, and when sho was tired he led her down to the river, and placing her in a little boat, he rowed her along the water, under the Bhade of the tall tree 9. the was supremely happy, and he forgot all tie world in the pleasure of watching her beautiful face, and listening (0 her sweet voice, and musical, rippling laugh. He noticed that when he spoke to 'her, sho rarely lifted her eyes, and that when he looked at her, a bright, blnsh rose to her face. At last he brought the boat to the landing place, and then he could not restrain himself any longer. He took her band in his, and in passionate, pleading words ho told her how b. 3 loved her. (to be contindkd).