The Diamond
From the Sky
By ROYLMcCARDELL
Copyright, 1915, by Roy L McCirdell
SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAP.
TERS.
A bitter feud has existed between Colo
nel Arthur Stanley and hla coualn, Judge
Lamar Stanley. The feud haa been en
rendered In family Jealousy over an heir
loom, the diamond from the sky, that
waa found In a fallen meteor by an ad
venturer ancestor. Also, the succession
to the Stanley earldom In England may
come to an American Stanley. When
a daughter la born to Colonel 8tnley of
'4hs eldest branch of the Stanley In
America and the mother of the child
dies at Its birth, the chagrined colonel
tuyt a newborn gypsy boy . and substi
tutes him aa heir. Three years later the
gypsy mother, having bad no part In this
bargain, steals the colonel's III tie daugh
ter, being reared In secret, and leaves Mr
aon undetected as the heir. The gT fr
ay mother baa slao obtained ooesesslon
of the diamond from' the sky and a docu
ment containing the, secret of the fahte
telr. She rears the little girt, Bsths
Stanley, .aa her own and grows to lave
her. When Bather la frowii a beautiful
voung girl. Matar.hew gypsy !,' re
isms to Virginia with her. She 'has a
wltd plan that Dr. Lee, the late CotoaeT
Stanley's old friend, may new adept Ble
ther, as originally Intended. Her hope a lea
ss that her son, the supposed Arthur Bte
Hey M. may fall 1 hi lev with Mather
j4 thus the Innocent girl may become
y marriage what she la by blrtii-mls-trees,
of Stanley hall. Dr. . Iee, ad opto
Esther, but also demands that Hagar turn
over to hla custody the diamoad' from
the sky. Dr. Lea also Informs Hagar
that' her aon, the supposed Arthur Stan
ley M, Is a profligate and not worthy of
Esther, but Hagsr hones for the best and
with her people departs. ; Arthur Stanley
does fall In love with Rather and so does
Ms boon companion, T Blair Stanley, the
cousin who would be the rightful mala
heir of Stanley were the Stanley secret
known. In stealing the diamond Blair
causes the death of the doctor. Outside
Is Arthur, serenading Bather. Blair, es
caping. Insultingly Infers to Arthur that
tie has left Esther's room. Arthur forces
him to light a duel In which Arthur Is
victor and tumbles Blair Into aa opett
grave. ' He searches Blair and takes the
diamond from the sky. Blair' la only
stunned and tries,' with the 'aid' of hla
mother, to place the blame for the mur
der of Dr. Lee upon 'Arthur.' The sheriff
Attempts to take ' Arthur, bat after a
thrilling drive In a high powered motor-car
Arthur eludes his pursuers and la
thrown Into the river after a smashup.
"His body la seen floating down the river.
CHAPTER VII.
The Prodigal's Progreoe.
1, 1KB Rachel of old, Hagar, th
gypsy, "mourned for nor etalW
dren and would not b' com
forted." The years, had brought
nought but a harvest of heartaches for
Hagar.
The aon she had bom had beed torn
from her ere scarce she bad felt hui
JJttle head against Iter heart, and aa
And the Facs Was That of Arthur
Stanley, Son of Hagar)
for the child she had taken from the
house of those she deemed her ene
mies, the Kill Esther, the child she hud
taken In retribution for the great
wrong dune her, the child she had nur
tured in hate and bad grown to love
with every fiber of her being, aweet
Esther, the rightful Stanley, of her.
too. Hagar was uow bereft.
Here, while her Had heart still mourn
ed for both her children, yet longed
the mowt for sweet Esther, cauie the
homing pigeon to the rocks where It
bad been reared, and here Hagar saw
It flying laden with lt menage and
' read the call for her that Esther sent
It did not take her long to mount au
ride away. '
Within a few hours she waa at Dr.
Te'a cottage to flud Esther already
, uut out bv the cold.-lrotld widow of
Judge Stauley. Blulr Stanley's mother,
.h neit of kin to Dr. Lee. For the
doctor had delayed, in hi easy going
.-r lust one day too loug to -adopt
v.ihr leirallr. to tell her who she waa
and to see a he regained the heritage of
Stanley hall and what was left or tue
estate the auppoHod heir waa wuuiy
mintirlnif.
So It wa Hagar arrived Just In time
to spare the Klirlnklug Mather from lur-
h , L
IW ou miTUTlonu XBJ " as TJeyra
heme tn the flunk and crossed the ford
at the river near the gypsy camp, the
only home that aweet Esther aeemed
fated to know, the hoofs of 1 1 agar 's
horse, that Nro them both, splashed
water on the face of what seemed the
corpse of a man In the sedge.
And the face of the seeming corpse
was the face of Arthur Stanley, aon
of Hagar!
At Hagar's wild calls the gy pries
came running from tbelr camp not ftr
I 'S' njf) J
Lvall 01
Hegar Talis Arthur of Hia Parantafe,
from the river bank. ' The unconscious
form of Arthur waa tenderly borne to
,Uagara luxurioua van. But era they
bora htm there Hagar'a hand, feeling
for hla faint heart beata In the dusk,
had cloaed about the diamoad from the
ky.
Distracting Other's agonised atten
tion, Hagar had, nnclasjied the great
Jewel and hldiieo It in her breast un
seen, w a roe knowing why abe did so.
When Arthur recovered conscious
ness Sheriff Swain and bis deputy had
reached the camp lu their search and
Inquired for the fugitive. No corpse
had been found when the wrecked and
overturned auto had been dragged from
the river bed. and the sheriff knew that
Arthur Stanley, dead or alive, had float
ed unseen down the river. The sheriff
failed to find Arthur at the camp. ,
It was with biasing eyea tbat Hagar
confronted Arthur when he was strong
enough to bear her fierce reitroacbes.
"My sacrifice has been all In vain."
she cried bitterly. "A ruined man and
a murderer, you have wasted every
chance in life for which I bowed my
bead in bitterness and sorrow. Better
bad you been bred the poor gypsy you
were iwrn, rather than to be a fugitive
Impostor Who has squandered a herit
age tbat was not his!"
Arthur regarded her as though she
were, what abe seemed to him, an In
sane harridan, who raged at him In
half Incoherent frensy. Then Hagar
drew a brass bound box from Its hid
ing place, and. opening It with a key
from her bosom, handed him a sealed
document, yellow and musty with age,
on the outside of which were the
words:
"To be opened only after my death
In cane my son, Arthur Stanley 2d,
should prove unworthy of the name of
Stauley."
With trembling hands be broke the
seal and realised Uie woman before
him had apokeu the dreadful troth.
For there, affiled, waa the signature of
Colonel Stanley, which be knew well,
and alxo Dr. Lee's, also known to him,
as witness.
"Nothing belougs to you, not even
your name, .and much less this for
which you stained your bands with
blood!" cried Hagar hysterically. And
she threw down Into the open brass
box with a gcature of diadaln the dia
mond from the sky.1
"But I am not guilty of the death
of Dr. Ie; he was my friend," re
plied Arthur hoarsely. "I did kill my
aupKHed couhIu Blair, aud he now
lies In n grave dug for another, but not
for this." and he pointed to the baleful
Jewel. "I killed Blair Stanley becautte
he spoke III of Esther. Why have you
driven her out to reproach me with
what 1 am not guilty? Tell me, If I
am not Arthur Stanley, who is she?
Is she my sister? I aak this, for by
every wild deed of my reckless life in
the past and for every good deed I
hope to achieve I love her!"
"No matter who she la, you are not
good enough to breathe the same air
with het!" replied Hagar fiercely.
"Make the better man of yourself that
you boast you will! Make a name for
yourself In place of the one you have
lost uml then return to me. Jor a moth
er's blessing and to learn who Es
ther la!" .
H saying Iliigar, for she felt her
fortitude giving way, walked with dry
eyes and head erect from the van.
Arthur picked up the diamond from
the sky. In her agitation Hagar had
forgotten it, nnd Arthur was of the
belief that hU Spartan mother had left
It there that ho might take it and
make sotue teuiMrary ue of It to
build his fortunes with. For Arthur
believed that Itlalr still lay dead by
his baud in the grave dug for not Ike r,
aud with hiui the last male Stanley
save the old earl lu England had per
ished. As Arthur passed from the van he
saw Esther come toward him from
Hagar's side aud was glad to note his
nerve, stem mother made no attempt
to stay her. And Esther had evident
ly bceu told ns much as Hagar cared
to tell her.
She called him "brother" and walk
el with him to I lie woods at the edge
of the caiup, and there they paused
and male Clt TireweTTa," """
"Be a rwd man, Arthur, my broth
er, and let uie be proud of you I" s-
ther v !!pe:cl tenderly. And Arthur j
foldM her to his heart and kissed her'
and strode away.
He looked back once aud saw heti
lean Ins against a great tree and weep-
Imt. But neither he nor the weeping,
Esther beheld the dark face of Luke'
Lovell Herlng at them through the
fthrubtiery.
It was not until next morning that
Hagar sought for the diamond and
found It missing. Again her rage at
Arthur burned high. Hagar haled the
Stanley name ami despised every Stan
ley possession, but she was resolved
since nil the Sl.-tnley line was near at
end that Esther, defrauded of every
other bill h right, should have the dia
mond from the sky.
Hagar had not wholly believed Ar
thur guilty of Dr. Lee's- murder, even
when she had first learned of bis being
suspected from Esther's lips when she
had come for Esther to Fairfax the
day before. Hagsr resolved to go to
Itlchtnond, the nearest big city, feel
ing sure Arthur would be there In hid
ing. In the hope of finding him and se
curing the diamond from the sky for
Esther, even If It were necessary to
give Arthur, her own son, up to the
law.
She telegraphed from the nearest
railroad station, from which they took
train to Richmond, This telegram waa
to the Blake agency, and It waa sent
to recall Tom Blake,' the bead of the
concern, from Fairfax to itlcuinond.
No suspicion In the slightest had been
directed at Blair In connection with
the doctor's murder, nor did any living
soul In Fairfax, aave Blair and ) his
mother, know of the encounter Blair
had bad' wlttt Arthur In the doctor's
dooryard nor of the grewsome duet
serosa the open grave at midnight that
had followed Blair's wild ruse, to de
fame Eetber'a good name that Arthur
might not suspect him of. murder and
robbery, the real guilt Blair felt the
burden of.' ,t '
But In order to be aafe, and at his
mother's suggestion. Blair Stanley had
gone to Kl hnioud. hla mother giving
the excuse that be went to attend to
argent matters brought about by the
doctor's auddeu and tragic death. 1
Esther, too,, was gone from Fairfax
now, and this, with the flight of Ar
thur and the presence of the Bleb
motMt detective, made the countryside
of old aristocratic Fairfax county ring
with rumors and the revival of old,
long forgotten tragic and mysterious
happenings among the Stanleys.
In Richmond Arthur Stauley, giving
himself the name of John Powell,
found bumble lodgings awaiting oppor
tunity to slip' from Rli-bmond when the
hue aud cry lifter him had died down,
it wss necessary for him t to have
funis. To obtain these be- resolved to
pawn the diamoud from the sky, be
lieving that uo living person save Ha
gar knew of Ms extslence. ,
In eighteen years the diamond from
the' sky had almost come to be regard
ed as a myth lu Fairfax county. Homo'
there ware who claimed K had never
g
.
"Bs a good man, Arthur, my brothsrl"
existed at ail aud others who believed
It had been a bit of old trumpery that
Colonel Stanley had found valueless
and destroyed.
It waji ouly when he came out of his
hiding place after several days that
Arthur dared buy aud read a Rich
mond iaper. There were no further
uccounts from Fairfax of the death of
Dr. Lee aud the flight of hU supposed
murderer.
Arthur also came to the conclusion
that the death of Blair Stanley and hla
being found shot through the huad In
a new grave intended for another bad
also ceased toabe n three days' wonder
in the Richmond uewwpapersi lu Fair
fax, like enough, the whole country
side was still agog at this double trag
edy, Arthur reasoned, but here In Rich
mond the papers gave uo mention to It
now. Their one absorbing topic was
the imll to be given by Richmond's so
ciety . leader, the wealthy Mrs. Burton
Randolph.
CHAPTER VMI.
The New York Society Bells."
RANWHILE, desperate ami
fear stricken, Blstr Stanley
was eudeavorlng to forget
his peril, present aud prospec
tive, in wild and recklex iudulgeuces
lu Richmond.
While his fugitive couslu lay in bum
ble liHlgiugs, Blair Stanley lorded U at
a fine hotel, uud every night found him
gambling ut the exclusive establish
ment of Aim Illooui. lu desjteratlou.
finding hlmsi-lf "cleaned out" at Mr
J
ffioosa's luxurious7 tempi ot fiwwem,
Blair bad got that antatw gvHMlemae) t
cash his persona r check on' the Bank
of Fairfai.
In a few days this would be returned
marked "No funds," Blair well knew,
but he ho.Hd meanwhile to recoup hla
Iiwes and laugh In Abe Bloom's hawk
like face ns he "made good the, bum
check" out of the wtnnlug bo ex
liected to gain at Abe's own roulettt
wheel.
But the $2,000 went the way of the
$.VW bis mother had given him back
luto the coffers of the gambling house
keeper who had advanced the money
on the worthless check.
One desperate chance was left Blair
resolved to puwn his watch aud with
the proceed Invoke the wheels of
chance sgalu aud by a streak of luck,
who knows, win back all and so square
himself and the check when it came
back, for Itlalr found Richmond to bis
liking. Then, too, be worried over the
mysterious visit to' Fairfax of Tom
Blnke. the detective. Who had hired
Blake?
There wn also the ball to be given
by Mrs. Burton Randolph, who was a
relative of bis mother, and counted
npon Blalr'a presence at her grand
ball, the event of the social year In
Richmond.
Also Blair thought of Vivian Mars
ton. tJlorlous Vlviau, luxurious Vivian!
Sb bad come to Richmond, swprn
Wend of Mrs. Randolph, who bad met
her the winter before at Palm Bench.
It was known of Vivian Mars ton that
abe was a wealthy and dashing young
widow, high In the circles f New
York's -four hundred."
Blair Stanley had met her at his
other's cousin's maustoo, and Blal
had, been first among those to fall vic
tim of tMr-rhnrasst.
Arthur Stanley entered tb pawn
shop of Ike Bloosn. brother and sora
said partner of tb redoubtable Aba
Bloom, king f, the Richmond . gam
biers. The- pwwushop. was dlvhlsd into
partition spaces. Arthur saw t vnl-ture-
eyea of Isnac Bfootn glean! when
they fastened1 npoo the diamond from
the sky, with It antique chain and
curious setting. .
Only too-eagerly did tb pawnbroker
hnd over the t-'lOO Arthur asked on It,
anr only too- eagerly did be hid It In
a dra wer.
Arthur vw about to slip from be
hind the- privacy partition to the
atreet when he- beard a voic say, "I
want r' on this watch." II atag'
gered, half fainting with fenr and joy,
against the- partition.
It ww the- vulc Blatr Stauley!
There- couid be no mistake. In a re
vulsion of feeling to flud he was not
a murderer and that Blair was aliv
and weiU Arthur threw himself around
the partition and into the arm of
Blair.
Somewhat surprised, but feigning joy
also. Blair repeated hla supposed cous
in's cries of wild delight Then be
made haste to explain that Dr. Le
had called bliu to his study and had
given him the diamond front tb sky
and that, having don thla. tb doctor,
who was greatly agitated, had fallen
dead to his chsir.
"I waa afraid I would b suspected
f klllTng him for the diamond. How
could 1 explain when you caught hold
of my lied Blair gMbly. "I did not
mean any reflection upon Esther, as
yoti thought I did." b coutlnued. "I
only thought nay altercation at such n
time and th doctor lytng dead might
Jeopardize her good nam. I was too
frlithtetied to- exptatu. and yon wr
too angry to listen t lu. ,
"I was only stunned and got borne
all right Bnt there haa been a de
tective hired, and I believe he will
find some clew, aud your evidence
would only tend t convict me, and I
am innocent!"
Arthur reflected that Dr. Le had
known he was tb spurious heir and
tbat tb diitmoud did properly belong
to Blab hi consequence, lie did not
tell Blatr tb Stanley secret tbat be,
Arthur, was but a gypsy changeling.
But he resolved to stand by Blair aud
thus in reps ration do wbat good be
could uutU the time came when be
might tell. So for the time being be
resolved to keep Hagar's secret and
his own.
Blair was quick to take advantage
of Arthur's Joous aud softened mood.
"I never wlii be able to prove I did
not kill Dr. 1-ee." be said, with affected
ssduess. "True, there would not be
any proof to convict me, but the sus
picion of It would ruin me. You mut
stand by me, Arthur."
Aud Arthur, lu the foolish Impulsive
generosity of his nature, promised.
The relief be felt at seeing Blatr alive
pin cel him in the mood to promise
anything thut Blatr might ask.
Then, too, with an inward sliame,
he realized that after all he was an
tmisstor aud stood In Blair's way, and
yet he could not bring himself to le de
spised of Blair should he lell hlui the
Stanley secret.
The spirits of Blair rose corresiMjud
lugly. With Arthur goue, suspicion
would forever rest uoii the hidden fu
gitive! Blair heaved a sigh of relief
and then said to Arthur, "You do not
know my mother's cousin. Mrs. Bur
ton Randolph, who gives the grand ball
In Richmond tonight. Come, let us
have one fling, oue good time together,
In memory of the' old days at Stauley
hall before you go to the west. I will
Introduce you uuder any uame you
choose. There is a stirnnitig young
New York widow lots of mouey and
style about her I want yon to meet
She's Just my style aud I want join
approval of her."
Arthur hesitated a moment and then
realized that if the pursuit Were still
hot on his trail the last place he won!.
be sought for would be at a liU'lt km I
ty fWlW Bob. shoos, nana was . fT ttoV trofW gl TWr "5r
Walr and exclaimed beartOy: j ajryw
nil go- yon, Blalrt On good gin-! -5vf yon mind about that, kldleV
before I go west to tnak my fortnn. rui Mr. Bloom affably. "I'll gtv
AutI If I tuak It Blair, I promle yon yoU . ,,,,, t,v ro,her Ik to lend y
that yon shall share If ai the Ice In the refrigerator. He'll
For Arthur all his generous Impulse
were now founded ou the deslr U
Hs gar's Half Servant, Half Bodyguard,
tuk Loveit
' pin
A eC vr o X
I nav'tn novel diversion or real gyn
rco3p4M Blslr for th herHsg h-"a!s to tell fortune at her ball, gase4,'
bad, unknowingly till ( now, deprived , to, to see th diamond flsuutd bfid
hlm of. And' Arthur was youog,' For : ly , by this dark, luiurlous stranger
him th itrong, brotherly affection he' from tb 'great city. , ,
bore for Esther and tb deslr In his Kb thought Arthur bad givai tain
heart to do Justice to Blair wer now bold faced beauty th diamond (roan
the main motive of his llf." And be - th sky" and her heart again harden-
would have this farewell Joyanc with
Blair.
, Blair took him first to Abraham
Bloom's private "club,' aud here, de-
spit Arthur's wiser counsels, counsel
the wisdom of which h uow wonder-
ed at himself. Blair plunged again at'
roulette and loaf the money he bad
got ou his watch at the pawnbroker's
and half of what Arthur bad got from
the same source ou the disraoud from
the sky, of which, of course. Blair
knew nothing.
Up to Richmond this night of Mrs.
Rsudolpb's ball came Hagar. She
brought with her Esther, from whom
she was resolved never again to be
parted. Hagar brought also as hslf
servant half.bodygusrd her lieutenant
In bef gypsy queenshlp, Luk lovell.
Tom Blake, th detective, returned to
Rh hmond at her summons and mt
her. It took but few inquiries with
tb means at Blake'a command to h
rat Blair Stanley, cutting a swath lu
Ricbmoud s gayest circles. It was with
annuls Hagsr learned, and a haunv
aurprlse, too. that Blair Stauley was
alive and seemingly uninjured the
while Arthur hsd believed he hsd kill;
ed him.
Later lu th eveulng Blake brought '
her word thst Arthur ws with Blair
under an assumed name and It was
evident waa going to the Randolph ball
with Blair thst night
On niauy occasions th thrifty Hagsr
had turned such fashionable fnnctlous
as the Randolph ball to good account
She knew the Idle rich welcomed th
,.r,....UM,,pir..-,
of a gypsy fortune teller ou such occa
it.. . . , ..... . .
sions. As a gypsy fortune teller sh.
determined to appear and confront Ar
thur aud get the diamond ere he left
Richmond to make his way lu the
world. .
Meanwhile a fair vislou was ou th
threshold of Abraham Bloom'a prirat)
"club." This fair vision wss none oth
er than the stunningly attired and viva
cious woman of the world. Vlviau
Marstou. j
Abe's "club" wss ou a quiet side
street. The suposed "New York so
ciety bell" ran little risk of being
seen by any of Richmond's "best socl
ety iicople" at 4 In the afternoon as
she hurriedly passed from her waiting
cab into the double doorway of the
"clubhouse." j
Abraham Bloom received the sup-
posed "New York society leader" with
an astonishing air of friendly familiar- j
lty. Vivian Marston may not have i
been a society leader In New York.
as the rest of Richmond supposed, but
It was true enough tbat she was a
gay New Yorker, and Mr. Bloom had
met her there on more occasions than
one when be bad visited the gay me
troMi!l. "Surprised to see me in your town,
Ale?" asked Vlviau gayly. "Well. I
met one of your society dames, Mrs.
Randolph, at I'alin Beach last winter.
I made a hit with her, and I am here
as her guest
"She gives that big blowout you hear
so much about tonight I want to pick '
up Mune rich guy of Richmond and
marry and settle down among the I
soutlieru aristocracy. I have got pie,,.
ty of fine clothes, but I had to hock
my Ic.f In New York to get them and
get here.
"I went to leg. lsrrow or steal a
fine outfit of Jewelry, and I want yon
to help me get the loan of some, un
ices you get enlargement of tb heart
and present U to me." I
"Nix ou that generosity stuff, VI. old
girl," replied Mr. Bloom. "Business
is bum. There's no money in Rich
moud except the old Confederate bills
they printed here by the ton during
the war. But 1 got a brother who
runs a hock shop"
"And you and your brother catch
them coining and going," merrily Inter
jected the New York society leader, so
called. "After son break the boobs
fl-on out with sparklers till ron'U
looR tike a chandelier."
The lady departed from Mr. fVoora's
establishment with a compelling not
to his brother, the pawnbroker. Th
best Mr. Ike Bloom had In th shop
was the diamond from the sky. In
a fatal moment be displayed It to tb
opulent looking lndy friend of hln
brother, Miss Marston of New York,
lid that daxr.led young person hsd
eyes for nothing else.
- "That for me!" she cried, "and noth
ing elset It would be a sacrilege to
wear anything else with thatr
"Be very careful of It" warned th
cautious Bloom reluctantly. "1 don't
know where It came from, but when
you wear that I know you are wearing
ouu of the finest , diamonds In th
world!"
"They isn't come too gosl for me,
Mr. Bloom," said Vivian, as abe gaxed
euraptured at the great Jewel In Its
antique setting.
That night Vivian Marston, In all her
luxuriant beauty, net off aa It was by
the diamond of the sky biasing on bar
fair bosom, .was th cyuosur of all
yes at Mrs. Randolph's ball a ah
stood with her hostess In th receiving
line.
Arthur and Blair gasped at bar I
ty, but stared as If turned to
e th' diamond front th sky i
Ing on th bosom of this fair
lu Richmond, ; i
Hagar, admitted aa soon as br appli
es tl on reached th hostess, havpyj to
ed to bun. ,
rUher,'dailed by th lighto a'ad'th
luxury, clung timidly to Hagar's arm.
8h bad never seen th diamond front
th sky lfor nor had ah ever heard
Its history. , . . .,
Outside Luke Lovell loitered Idly,
awaltlug to guard Hagar and Bstber
back from th ball whcti th function
should com to an end.
"Shall w have the fortune first?"
asked the hostess of her guest frotn
New York. "It will b great fun mud
help to get things started."
Hagar bad given uo sign of rewognl-
,0 t Arthur, and be in turn- we Vw
lhvd that hla gypsy mother did hot
Bem lutent on creating any cn. H
" 100,1 w,,h Bllr 4 "'nt, in
both 'of them gated from afar fag
twwgh frlnate.l at th diamond ffoo
tbe Waxing on th breast ofVlvbja
, Marston..
Hnw ra, 11 here? wae th thought
of bot wf ilMa' for elr recou-
illation they hsd sedulously svofefod
lacusnlnf th baleful gem of thalr
cestur. " (
. "I have a wondrous fortune to 14)
this lady." ssld Hagar huskily a ah
Indicated Vivian. "Will th lndy' go
aside and wait for me?" ; ;
;"Whst fuu! You must tell m'aU
your wondrous fortune; Now, deal
forget f exclaimed Mrs. Randolph', a
Vivian Marston smiled and nodded a
' sent to this and glided away to seat
by a low, heavily curtaiued wlotiovr
In the small tea room off tb groat
Randolph parlors,
Vivian liett tout utrl.t ttrml k
" - " " - - - ' wwwtm
th serene self sstlsfactlon tbat
'7
:7
r;vv'i'
a V SW , - ' - VI
i. . f - vsls m-'I
A Strong Hsnd Clutched st Her Threat
was the seiisatlou of the evening, sh
and the great blaxlug gem upon her
breast Then she saw Hagar, leaving
Esther to be gently patronized by Mr.
Randolph, coming toward her to tell
her fortune.
She settled herself back in the low
gilt chair against the parted' velvet
hangings of the window, and then ah
" "" ,u 4
Z h"th' ""i
fJ"""'d Bnt V"?' 7
felt a stroug band dutch at her throat
Ins so
Then n
brawny forearm drew back ber shape
ly neck, and the strangling hsnd loos
ened Its hold on her neck and snatched
away boldly the diamond from the
ky.
CHAPTER IX.
"Fee the Saks of a False Friend."
M
ACAR'S hands almost touched
the diamoud from th aky aa
she clutched at It over th
shoulder of Vivian Marston a
It disapjeared through the velvet win
dow curtains clinched In a strong, dark
fist
U f.,r Vivian Muratnn hha cauirht
' hr breath with a enter. E-ulnln sob.
bean-
stone) to
rWa-
strangjnr