Copyright. 191 J. by 'Roy L. McCardtll
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"THE
DIAMOND FROM
THE SKY"
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in
lYNOPSIS OP PRECEDING CHAP-
TER8.
'; X bitter feud exists between Colonel Ar-
hur Stanley and hla cousin, Judge Lamar
.Stanley, wealthy Virginia aristocrats. The
(feud haa been engendered In family jeal-
aouay for the posaeaslon o( an heirloom
iknown aa the diamond from the sky,
Wound by a noble adventurer ancestor In
aa, fallen meteor.- The feud la further
.augmented by th. fact that th. death of
a noble kinsman In England makes the
iarstborn male of the elder branch of the
Virginia Stanleys belr to the Stanley
asaridom In Warwickshire, aa well aa poa
hsessor of the diamond from the skv.
(Judge Lamar Stanley haa a son. the pre
sumptive heir to both theee coveted hon
ore. But a child le about to be born to
the fair vounc wlfa of Calnnal HtanU
FWhen the child Is born and proves to be
?i girl and Ita mother dlea Colonel Stanley
n chagrin and disappointment and aided
ay the doctor and the nurse buva a new.
feoorn gypey male child from Its unnatural
land money greyly father. In so doing
talon el Stanley and those assisting him
o cheat his enemy coualn'a ambitious
ihopea have believed the gypsy mother haa
consented to the secrej transaction. But
ZHagar. the mother, finds her way to Stan
ley hail to denounce her e-reedv and bru.
Hal husband and secure again her beloved
nrstborn. She arrives just aa the suddosI.
(tlUous heir Is being verified according to
wne Stanley custom by the English law
tyer representing the Earl of Stanley and
Sudge Lamar Stanley, tha colonel's en.
kaf and father of the boy who is thus be
lting deprived of a title and the diamond
.rfrom the sky.
CHAPTER III.
Tha Queen of th. Gypsies.
B Colonel Stanley fell uncon
scious across the library table
Matt Harding silently closed
ttie library door from tbe out-
klde. Ills right band closed tightly
lover tha mouth of I Is cur. nreventlnir
fthe weak and anguished mother from
(making aa outcry, as before her eyas.
Good Old Doctor Lee.
before the door closed on tbe scene,
he beheld her boy, her first born, ar
rayed In flue linen, a great Jewel glow
Jug on his little breast, tbe center of
bom strange aristocratic rite or cere
xnony.
LSo silent bad been tbe struggle In the
til that, wlalle the keen ears of Judge
(Stanley tad beard a rustle and a gasp.
& attention bad been so taken up
th anguish on the face of his
man enemy. Colonel Stanley, aa
the colonel tottered and fell face for
A . V, y .eiaW- "If
-1
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I V .;rS?& .. P
!
1
17.. v
Br HOr If. At 8 CARDDLL
pare
ward on the table, that tbe Judge bad
hardly heeded these alight extraneous
sounds.
As for Marmaduke Smytho, the timid
and bewildered English representative
of the Earl of Stanley, be. like tbe
judge, was facing the swooning colo
nel and also was unaware of the sl'ent
struggle In the hallway tbe struggle
that had caused Colonel Stanley to
swoon, for tbe colonel saw In bis
mind's eye the baring of bis plot, bis
own disgrace at undertaking It and,
worst of all, tbe triumph of bis enemy
of blood.
Like a stole Mammy Lucy, holding
tbe false belr, bad never stirred or
changed attitude.
Dr. Lee, standing closer to the colo
nel, sprang at once to the aid of his
friend and with all his skill sought to
revive tbe stricken man.
Down the ball to the great open
doorway Matt Harding bore bis strug'
gling, silenced wife. The bank notes
in bis bosom, the price of tbe sale of
bis own flesh and blood, rustled as be
struggled with tbe frenzied, half stran
gled Hagar. Dy the sheer force of
bis brutal strength the gypsy dragged
tbe woman to the little copse when
their meager camp was pitched. Hen
he bound her with ropes to the seat of
tbe Tan, gagged ber with bis neck
kerchief, bitched bis bones and drovt
off toward the dawn.
In the library tbe ministrations of
Dr. Lee bad revived Colonel Stanley
Brace yourself!" tbe doctor whisper
ed. "Remember, your heart will not
stand much of this!"
I am all right now," said Colonel
Stanley, moistening bis Ups. "xou.
doctor, will certify that this is a male
child born belr to the Stanley estates,
and I will attest that be is my son.
belr at my death to the diamond from
the sky and also belr to tbe earldom
of Stanley at tbe death of the present
earl."
Tbe English lawyer tumbled In his
green bag and produced the already
drawn up document of attestation.
With a firm band, but giving the colo
nel a' sad but searching glance as he
did so, Dr. Lee signed the paper as
physician In attendance at the birth.
Tbe colonel signed as father of "Ar
thur Stanley 2d of Stanley hall, Vir
ginia." And then it was the turn of
Judge Stanley to sign as next of kin.
For a minute be faltered, a look of bit
ter hatred on bis saturnine counte
nance, and then ho affixed bis slgna
ture and threw down tbe pen with a
bitter curse for what be did. A mock
lug smile played upon the face of Colo
nel Stanley. For one brief moment he
forgot the flower face of the beloved
dead woman upstairs. For one brief
moment be forgot tbe girl child born
of their deep love, whose birthright
bad been taken away in tbe fulfillment
of bis bate for bis disappointed and
chagrined kinsman.
A few brief and stilted farewells and
perfunctory congratulations ensued be
tween the still embarrassed English
lawyer, Marmaduke Smythe, and tbe
colonel and tbe doctor. There was
some evil brooding In the air, and the
aura of bate was felt by the English
man of law.
It la only a veneer of civilization
that thinly covers these crude Yankees
In these wild parts." said the English
lawyer to himself as he awkwardly
mounted his horse In tbe moonlight
outside Stanley hall and rode down the
darkened lanes behind tbe gloomy
Judge. "They jolly well would toma
bowk and burn each other at the stake
if they bad opportunity," he added to
himself. "I shall start back to London
tomorrow If I can and deuced glad
of itr
Uneventfully three years went their
round. Tbe supposititious heir at
Stanley hall grew to be a sturdy little
boy of handsome appearance, but of
violent and ungovernable temper even
as a child.
On tbe little girl, Esther, reared In
secrecy In a closed chamber In the
great bouse and ministered to only by
tbe silent and faithful Mammy Lucy,
the colonel lavished and outpoured the
great and growing love and affection
of hla Invalided and aging years. For
already tbe band of death was plain
upon blm and every day be rode to the
cross upon tbe grave of hla dead wife
and prayed that be might see her face
to face and be forgiven in the great
tenderness of tbe love they had borne
each other In life, for tho wrong be
bad done their child.
The fear of the colonel that the wild
gypsy blood in the putative belr might
bring him to courses that would dis
grace th. Stanley name preyed upon
tbe colonel
And so tbe colouel drew up a docn
ment, which he securely sealed and
placed among his papers. Cpou the
outside be suierscrlbed it: "To be
opened in case my son. Arthur Stan
ley 2d. ever does anything to disgrace
the Stanley name." This document be
left by bis will in the car. of Dr. Hen
ry Lee, should the physician survive
him. as bis executor. Then, too, tbe
colonel realized that be could not long
hope to roar bis beloved little da ugh
ter like a flower In the dark secretly
at Stanley ball. He was arranging
with th kindly old widower friend
nud lonfiflant Dr. Lee. that little Es
ther would le secretly delivered to him
iin.l the doctor otild wive out the story
it wn mi orphan relative that he hud
ndoptt-d n- ills daughter. To this sup
p.-wed daughter of Ills dearest friend
I lie tolonol prriwd to will ns turn I)
of lils iiii-nns us would have come to a
girl opi-nly ac!ew ledgod.
Meanwhile Die unliMppy Hagar had
been liorne fur awy ly the brutal nnd
ever wnttuful Matt Harding.
With blm a nephew devoted to him.
one Luke I .o veil, nn Liigusn gyp'.
aided Matt In keeping watch and ward
UKn Hagar without knowing or auk
lng why. And tben Matt Harding fell
upon evil courses in bis Romany pros
perity, and drink made an end to blm.
Hagar succeeded to bis gypsy wealth
and gypsy power. The king was dead;
long live the queen! Ills henchman
transferred bis allegiance from tbe
dead husband to the living wife.
In the grim household of Judge La
mar Stanley tbe shadow of cheated
hoies and blighted ambition fell heavy
upon tbe family. The proud ami
grasping wife, the cold and taciturn
Judge, bad one unifying cause In com
mon; that was that death might strike
Th. Aura of Hat. Wa. Fait by th.
English Man of Law.
the lives that lay between their only
child that be might possess both the
diamond from the sky aud the Eng
ILbh earldom.
Such was the state of affairs when
Hagar and ber tribe came back tu Vir
ginlu, three years ufter the death of
the colonel's wife aud tbe substitution
of Hagur's child as the belr of Stan
ley. Leaving ber (eople camped at a
distance, Hagar Journeyed to the
neighborhood of Stanley hall, and
there, hidden In the shrubbery, with
bursting heart beheld her son ride
forth, the petted and pampered little
master of Stanley ball.
Colonel Stanley, with tbe boy, was
riding on his dally pilgrimage to the
cross surmounted grave of his dead
wife. Tbe road led him past tbe bouse
of Judge Stanley. Looking from bis
window after bis enemy and tbe little
belr of the Stanleys on his pony be
side the colonel, the Judge was aware
of a gypsy woman who stalked after
tbe colonel and tbe boy as swiftly and
aa furtively aa an Indian tracker. Selz
lng bis hat, the Judge quietly emerged
from his house and trailed the gypsy
woman.
By tbe gate of tbe graveyard Hagar
hid panting behind a huge bowlder.
She watched so intently tbe bare bead
ed figure of tbe colonel praying by tbe
grave of bis wife, and she watched still
more attentively and with such a bun
gerlng heart the little boy upon bis
iwny by the colonel, that she was not
aware of the presence of the Judge un
til bis strong band grasped ber wrist
and his harsh voice hissed In ber ear.
"Why do you spy upon them?' To
the startled Hagar tbe cruel face of
the judge was the face of a well re
membered enemy. Her account of Jus
tice and retribution with Colonel Stan
ley was between them alone. She would
have no confidence in or dealing with
Judge Stanley. For she knew Instinct
tvely that if be bated the colonel he
equally hated and was prepared to
harm th colonel's supposed son, her
child.
She did not struggle or attempt to
free herself from tbe grasp of the
Judge. But aa the colonel, with tbe
little boy, rode from the grave toward
the gate she slipped down beside tbe
judge and bid with blm from tbe ob
servation of the oncomers, aa though
she were an accomplice of the colonel's
enemy.
Neither would she speak In answer
to tbe judge's rapid fire of questions
when tbe colouel and little Arthur bad
passed out of sight She affected a
sullen dumbuess. And when the Judge
hailed a passing stocklly built man
driving a buckboard, the constable of
tbe district and gave ber in charge as
a wauderuig mad woman Hagar would
speak no word.
That night with gross disregard of
legal procedure, tbe Judge, alone in his
courtroom with his creature, the con
stable, committed th silent gypsy wo
man to Uw county madhouse, with In
structions to those In charge, through
the constable, that whan th seeming
ly sullea. Insane woman spok or was
ready to apeak b should b sent for.
:
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?-; jj
CHAPTER IV.
What Will th. Harv.st BeT
FIJENZY of fenr and rage over
A
came ber w hen sue round her
self In tbe madhouse to which
Judge Stanley bad committed
her without warrant of law, and she
screamed and straggled. Tbe matron
and a burly wanlen overpowered ber
with dlUk'Ulty, placed ber in a strait-
Jacket and threw ber upon the cot In
the cell and locked the clanging door
aud left ber.
A wild idea suddenly seized Hagar.
She staggered to ber feet and gazed
around. Above ber cot some eight feet
from tbe floor of tbe cell, was a small
barred window. Hagar listened for a
moment at tbe Iron barred, heavy oak
en door; tben she backed toward tbe
table and pressed tbe lacings that held
tbe sleeves of the strattjacket against
the flame of the candle. The leather
thongs In the eyelets at tbe back of
the strattjacket smoked and burned;
then, with a great effort she parted
tbe smoldering thongs. To release her
self from tbe straitjacket now her
arms were free, was but tbe work of a
few momenta.
Mounting the table, she drew up the
oaken stool and with ita sturdy legs
she pried the bars from their cement
ed sockets. The ground was only some
ten feet below. She held to tbe ledge
of the window a moment and then
dropped. She struck the earth with
out injury and mad. off in tbe dark
ness, a free woman.
On thia very night Colonel Stanley
bad sent for the doctor to take away
the Uttle girl.
At Stanley ball the old nurse was
preparing Uttle Esther for tbe night
Journey. In his library Colonel Stan
ley gazed In the lamplight at tbe dla
mond from tbe sky and tbe sealed
document be bad prepared that would
betray the Stanley secret He heard
the sound o( the opening of. the long
French window by the fireplace, and
there be saw Hagar entering, dishevel
ed, panting, but resolved to have her
own. At this apparition tbe colonel
arose and faced the wild Intruder. "1
have come for the child!" sold Hagar
hoarsely. Colonel Stanley felt a sud
den pang through bis heart It waa
the last shock tbe doctor bad foretold
for him. He gave a moaning, inartic
ulate cry and sank back a dead man!
Hardly knowing what she did, Hagar
swept into her bosom tbe diamond
from the sky and the sealed document
with other papers on the table. Then.
turning, she softly opened the library
door and as softly crept up tbe stair
way. Led by unerring instinct, she
opened the door upon tbe landing and
entered the room where the child, her
own son, the putative heir of Stanley
hall, lay sleeping. She marked the ele
gance of his surroundings as the risen
full moon 8houe in tbe window, light
ing It fully. What should she do? If
she left her child here she would be
cheating the cheaters. What would be
th. wild and lawless upbringing she
could give her son in comparlsou to all
that would be bis as belr of Stanley
ball?
As she faltered she beard footsteps
outside, and, gazing out cautiously, be
held tbe old colored nurse descending
with the little girl, the rightful belr of
Stanley balL Hagar huddled upon tbe
landing place and listened. A wild
shriek arose from tbe colored nurse as
she entered the library and discovered
ber dead master. Then the bell rang
in the servants' quarters from the ner
vous pull on tbe bell rope of the old
nurse in the library. And shortly aft
erward liagar could bear tbe nurse
was Joined by old Ned. the colored but
ler. Just at thia Instant Dr. Lee drove up
outside, and soon tbe great knocker on
4
J
(AS
X
Th. Colonel Faced th. Wild Intruder.
the front door was clamoring Ita Iron
summons through tbe bouse. Two old
servants rushed to the door and broke
the news of the tragedy to the friend
of the dead man. Hagar stole unseen
down tbe staircase and into the library
once more. There, cloaked and bood
ed, stood the Uttle girl whimpering
"Wake up, daddy, aud kiss me!" Ha
gar paused. "An eye for an eye!" she
muttered. Then, lifting tbe little girl
tu ber arms, aud stifling her cries of
fear aud alarm. Hagar, with ber bur
den, passed out of tbe low French win
dow by which she had first entered
and closed It after her.
As tbe doctor with tbe two frighten
ed colored servants stood over the
dead man in the library, and before tha
old nurse had noticed the absence of
th child, Hagar had com around th
mansion to th front Loosening th
trap that held th horse, ah entered
th doctor's carriage, still holding th ,
frightened Uttle girl so Ita cries wer
silenced, and drove away.
The next morning the news of his
enemy's death reached Judge Stanley.
With It were vague rumors and whis
pered suspicions. Other news came,
too news of the escape of the gypsy
mad woman anil the disappearance of
Dr. Lee'a horse and buggy. The Judge
stayed not to rejoice at tbe death of
his enemy. He refused even to tell bis
wife what f.iige business called him
hence, with a pistol In the bolster at
bis saddle side.
In a narrow defile In the Blue Ridge
Judge Stanley tracked down bis prey.
Hagar had abandoned the doctor s ex
hausted horse nnd the now broken gig
and, bearing the child on ber strong
shoulder, was climbing the rocky trail
when she heard the rattle of horse
hoof 9 and beard the voice of Judge
Stanley call upon her to halt. Sin
Wasting His
Subrtanc
Living.
In Rlotoua
turned to see the Judge on horseback
down below, hla army pistol leveled at
ber.
Hagar held up the child, not so much
to shield herself as that its pretty In
nocence might soften tbe bard heart of
the relentless pursuer. But whet net
by accident or design will never be
known, tbe heavy explosion of the pis
tol echoed among tbe rocks. Tbe but
let whistled past tbe flinching Hagar
and tbe terrified child. The horse rear
ed at tbe crack of the pistol, throwing
his rider, breaking tbe neck of the
vengeful Judge and dashing his brains
against a Jagged rock.
Raising tbe child to ber shoulder and
supporting ber there with her strong
right hand, Hagar looked down upor
her dead persecutor and called upor.
him, with a gypsy's curse, the death ot
tbe vultures she bad predicted for him
when first they met. Theu she climb
ed over the summit of the ridge with
ber precious burden and was gone.
Eighteen years have passed since
Judge Stanley s shattered body was
found in tbe mountains, the seal of
def upon his Hps.
Ueuold Arthur Stanley za, master or
Stanley hall and wasting his sub
stance In riotous living.
Behold Dr. Henry Lee, pressed with
the weight of years, guardian of tbe
belr of Stanley and wondering what
will the harvest be?
The old colored nurse la dead, as is
also the old colored factotum, Ned.
There is none alive that knows what
really happened on that tragic night
and In the tragic time that followed
save the venerable old doctor and the
gypsy woman whom he has sought for
secretly, but In vain, through all these
years.
While Arthur Stanley 2d carouses
with his cousin and other wUd compan
Ions at Stanley hall and while old Dr
Lee muses in his study and wonders
what will tbe harvest be. the harvest lu
close at band. Fate, weaver of destl
ules. In the shape of Hagar comes
upon tbe scene.
If the doctor has wondered if In his
bate of one dead man and his love for
another be has not done wrong Hagar,
queen of the gypsies, wonders, too, If
her vengeance has not gone all awry.
Esther Stanley, or, as she Is known,
Esther nardlng, Is a beautiful and
sweetly dlsposltloned young woman
now. Tbe wild mother love Hagar
bore for tbe son that waa sold from her
has passed to sweet Esther. So it Is
that Hagar returns to Virginia, re
solved again to sacrifice her very heart
A wild gypsy camp la no abiding place
for a fair young girl of gentle blood.
Hagar know all the documents she
took from Stanley ball when she ab
ducted Esther, knows them by heart
as she knows every facet on the dia
mond from tbe sky, which she wrung
that night from the dead band of Colo
nel Stanley. She would see her boy
again in his manhood. Tbe wild hope
possesses ber that be may fall In love
with Esther and that the secret that
only two living people know shall rest
Ughtly with the dead when Esther Is
mistress by marriage. If not by right
of Stanley hall.
Her message for Dr. Lee Is a written
one. It reads:
I have come back after eighteen years.
1 have had my revenge, but I love the
girl. What ehalj be done with her?
HAQAR HARDING.
Esther only learns from the kindly
lip of tbe doctor and the tremulous
one of her supposed mother that I
new life haa opened for her: that she
must take her place In the society of
th countryside as the adopted daugh
ter of Dr. Lee. aa long arranged. Thia
la aU ah knows; this U all ah Is told,
a with bar belongings ah bid a
Ml
0m, :
DIAMONDS
ALBERT EDHOLM
OMAHA'S
OLDEST ESTABLISHED
JEWELER
VVRlTt
U.L.VAUOHAN I
WAMGE BLD'G. OMAHA I
weeping adieu to the steru but kindly
gypsy woman she has known as moth
er aU ber conscious years. And she
rides away as the doctor's daughter
from the gypsy camp. With Esther
the doctor takes the diamond from the
sky, demanded of Hagar as part of Es
ther's Inheritance. ,
Hardly has the doctor's carriage de '
parted than Luke Lovell, Hagar s bead
man. Is given command to strike camp.
In an Instant all Is bustle and confu
sion. Within an hour Hagar and bet
tribe are on their way.
In three months, though the proud
women of tne neighborhood: looic
askance, Esther is the belle of the
countryside. Tbe vine clad porch of
tbe doctor's old bouse sees nightly
gathered there tbe young sparks of
Fairfax.
Tben comes a night In June, and In
the moonlight are four young men, all
paying court to the happy Esther.
Chief among them ore the Stanley
cousins, Arthur and Blair. Some slight
attention to his cousin, Blair, rouses
Arthur to a temper of Jealousy, rret
tlly rebuked by Esther, Arthur leaves
hi a huff. Then Esther vents her co
quettish displeasure upon tbe till then
triumphant Blair, and he, now angry
also, arises and departs, leaving tbe
field to two swains.
In his study that overlooks tbe gar- .
dens at the side the old doctor Is gaz
ing wonderingly In the light of the
study lamp at the great diamond.
Sulkily straying by tbe bouse, in hla
Jealousy and auger, Blair Sttnley see
tbe light gleaming from the study.
Curious and not overnice In bis curios
ity, he peers through the window. He
starts back, clinching bis hands. He
remembers now the oft whispered sus
picions of his mother: "Dr. Lee waa
alone with Colonel Stanley when be
died. Who else but he has taken and
hidden away the Stanley heirloom?"
The obsession of the desire for thia
priceless Stanley heirloom has been
born and bred In Blair Stanley, ne
hies away, but that night, when tbe
swains have long departed and tbe
good doctor and the fair Esther have
long retired to slumber, Blair Stanley
returns prepared to break In and bear
away the diamond from tbe 6ky.
In the library at Stanley hall the
young heir or Stanley muses ana
dreams in softened mood of Esther.
nia guitar lies near blm. and be picks
it up nnd gently strums it. In bis
mind's eye lie sees himself serenading
sweet Esther Lee. ns she is now called,
and begging ber gentle pardon In the
moonlight should she come to ber win
dow to listen. Tbe romantic idea suits
bis mood. He takes tbe guitar and
hastens again to the doctor's house.
Blair Stanley has clambered through
the study window, closed it and drawn
the shade. He has softly lit the doc
tor's study lamp and rifled the drawer
of the old secretary and the cash box
It holds. He haa seized the diamond
from tbe sky and clasped It in agitat
ed ecstacy upon his bosom. Tben upon
8om. Slight Attention Rouse. Arthur's
Jealousy.
his guilty ears falls the strain of a
guitar. He hides the diamond and th
chain and locket that holds It beneath
nis collar and under his shirt
Meanwhile, sleeping the light slum
ber of tbe aged, the old doctor haa
aroused by the opening of the window.
candle in hand, he descend - i -
study and enters Just ns t!i .,
from tbe diamond In t'
shrouded by the si !
the night Tbt r.
n
struggle. Frei,
covetousne- n
der rather t!i;i
heirloom, B; .
with fear and i. (1
doctor till the weak ... . uj..,, ba'
to hla chair, bis heart stopped lu death.
Then the murderer backs from th
window, where the strains from tha
KlghT1"
Ik
A