The Diamond From the Sky By ROY LMcCARDELL Cepyrifht, 1915, by Roy L McCardetl . CHAPTER XIV. Here Are the Proofs!' f ND lira. Burton Randolph re l torn to Richmond. Vivian AA and Blair nave quarreled. Viv. tan aallna VdlrflT will Ha f uB while It feasts upon gossip that still not intereat ber. She will return to Richmond with her friend. With a woman's prescience aha resl Ihm that ninlr'a mother tntultlvelv sus pects ber. 80 Vlrlan Maraton thlnka R beat to return to Richmond too. That night the Montlcello bunt la mi ens a member. Inquiry and Inrestlga fjosi bring some of the huntsmen to Stanley hall. . The dead man la Identl "ne tot the nan be really la and la "Hare are the proof that your eon murdered Dr. Loo!" &erne away. And the breach la wider yet between Fairfax and Montlcello In -consequence. The next day ilugar had a visitor at (Stanley hall. It la Detective Tom Clake of Richmond, and he bcara with aim curious flat portfolio of curioua photographs. He and Ilagar examine 4neee curioua photograph In the libra ry at Stanley ball, leuvtug Esther upon the broad platen, iunoceiit of any k knowledge of what passes between the gypsy woman and the astute private detective Hagnr employe. But the photographs are vital things. ltal especially to Blair Stanley, for ney bold the evidence that proves him guilty of the murder of Dr. Lee! For the photographs are the telltale reproduction 6f Blair Stanley's finger print. Some were made by Blake from Impressions he found on the rl fled cash box nud the dead doctor's throat, and one other Is the reproduc tion of the plalu mark of his iuk stain ed thumb, stained by n leaky fountain pen, made ou the bad check he passed en Abe Bloom, gambling den keeper of Uiqpmoud. The check has come buck to the Tin dictlve, angry gambler marked "No .funds," aud when Abe Itlooiu has call ed upon the Blnke Detective agency to Id him recover the amount of the Check the wily Tom P.lake lias in his possession the convincing identification be has been Reeking the duplicate thumb print of the murderer of Dr. JLee, the thumb print of Blnir Stanleyl The astute if not overscrupulous de tective Is working only for his client, Ilagar Harding, who pays him well. There Is uo reward offered for the ap prehension of Itlulr Stauley or any oth er man save the Innocent Arthur Stan ley. Detective Blake knows that Ilagar will use the evidence he brings her In ber own time and in her own way. It concerns him t no further, for the nrMMit at taunt m ti1 lio l,Lu kla m - " - . . v . m v o uw m ud returns to Richmond, strangely enough, on the same train that bears Airs. Burton Randolph and Vivian Maraton. Blair and his mother have returned from the little Mat ion at Fairfax after aeelng their late guests to the tram. I ! air aud bis mother are at daggers drawn. He asks that she give him money and let him go upon his way In the world, aa be wishes to leave Fair - fas and never return. "Ton hare been under enough evil Influences in following the promptings of your own unfortunate ways," says his mother coldly. This Vivian Mars ton cannot deceive tne for a moment And aa abe aeema to have also com fHetely deceived and Infatuated you. rou shall have no money of my gar- t Vv J , m? ' V"1 At".. ,w-.. - fig, , VtiVfc : II I J j.: f fr J, Ing to wn?te upon an adventuress." Itlalr made no reply, but Inwardly be felt wild curses mounting to his lips. and he flung himself In the bouse, leaving his mother alone on the porch ere be might otter them. But lie na resolved to leave Fair fax, mid he was resolved to again see and tgnln the favor of Vivian. There was no lime like the present was bis thought. Blair went rapidly up the steps and Into the living room on the second floor, while his mother remained In bitter contemplation on the plMtr-n. ' ITe nerved to his desperate andertak- Ing. fie closed the door of the living room !ehlnd blm. ne pressed the spring, and the "Tory biding place" lieblnd the chimney opened. Taking the heavy poker from the fireplace that now waa awung outward Into the room, Blair stepped Into the recess and closed the hldlug place aft er him. Here he lit a candle and furiously pried at the old Iron bound cheat where, among his fatber'e papers, his mother kept the ready money which he, like ber husband bad before her. lent out at heavy Interest to such un fortunates aa fell Into ber meshes when their security waa good. At Stanley ball, after the departure of Detective Blake, Ilagar ordered her carriage. "I am going to pay a call. I will not be long," waa all the Informa tion she rouchaafed to Esther. But father knew that, whatever waa the errand that called Ilagar away, al though a secret, it waa one that waa for Esther's good. Luke Lovell, who spent his time at Btanley hall partly and partly aa head man tinder Ilagar at the gypsy rendea- Toua aome doeen miles away In a bid den fastness of the Bine Ridge, brought around the bone and buggy to the front of Stanley halL At this Instant a diversion waa caused by the appear ance of a hunchback organ grinder hurrying np the driveway. It waa Quabba, his monkey, shriek- lng with fright, clinging closely to bis master' a breast Behind them came Sheriff Sam Bwaln on horseback, lash ing the unfortunate Quabba. . Ilagar and Esther both flew to the rescue of the poor hunchback. "lie's lucky I am not chasing blm ent of the county V explained the irate sheriff. "But for the trick he played upon me yesterday I would have caught Arthur Stanley. 1 Do yon know what thla organ grinding monkey toting Imp of Satan did? "Why, be handcuffed me to Blair Btanley, and Arthur Stanley, the mur derer, who had the nerve to come rid ing at the mask tournament got awayl I could have thla organ grinding scoun drel sent up for a year for interfering with an officer in the discharge of bis duty!" - . , . "I didn't mean any harm," whined Quabba. "You were teasing and Jok ing with me, Baying you were going to put the handcuff a on me, and I only Joked with you and the other gentle man in putting them on you and blm.' "Young feller," said the sheriff Im pressively, "never Joke with an officer of the law. It la against the peace and dignity of the commonwealth of Vir ginia and the law and the statutes that therein apply V And, having delivered himself of this pseudo legal dictum. the sheriff touched his bat to Ilagar and Esther and cantered off. Quabba was a wandering, solitary gypsy of Italian stock. A word in Romany fell on bis astonished ear from the lips of the grande dame at the portals of this grand house, who gave orders to Luke that Quabba be cared for at the kitchen of Stanley ball. This done. Hagar was prepared to go upon her mysterious errand with. as Esther noticed, the black flat port folio the strange man from Richmond had brought that day, when ber keen gypsy eye noticed that the horse was slightly lame. liair angrily she ordered lxvell to return it to the stable, nud after Lov ell. with the equipage and Quabba, the latter uttering expressions of bU grat itude, had turned the corner of the great house. "I am not going so very r-- -- . Quabba Appears at Stanley Hall. far, so it doesn't matter if 1 walk," said Hagar an ktead Esther again t It A A and went upon her way. little did Other dream of the strange return this secretive yet kind woman, whom she deemed ber mother, was te make to Stanley ball. At Mrs. Ijimar Stanley' a house that austere woman sat upon her piazza, rocking and waiting for Blair to re torn from Inside the house. She had more to say to her son, and aa abe re flected upon the bitter phrasing of the words she would apeak ber heart ached dully. What waa the use? she kept saying to herself.. Wbat was the use. what use the ambition, the cold, calculating ambition that bad darkened her life and had cansed tbe tragic death of her husband eighteen long years agoT Wbat waa the use to scheme and plot and bope and hate for a bauble that bad disappeared th.e diamond from tbe sky and en earldom farther away than even distant Warwickshire? Tbe diamond from the sky and the earldom were not for ber. They were never to be tbe possessions of ber aon either, it would seem. Dead men lay between and a living man, a wanderer and a fugitive, and tbe earl, old and feeble, a helpless In valid for years, still lingered on. And Arthur Stanley, proscribed as a mur derer though he was, bore a charmed life that stood between her -son and the earldom and the diamond from the efcy. The diamond from the sky itself was gone, vanished from the sight of man. As for her son, that son waa infatu ated with a worthless woman. Vivian Maraton would make a fit mate for Blair Stanley, son she had borne and reared! Dot bitter as all these reflections were, the Stanley pride was strong In the' breast of Blair's mother. Bad aa he waa, she thought. It were better be never possess the diamond from the aky or the Btanley earldom with such woman to share these great posses sions, i And then the Judge's widow saw coming toward her Hagar Harding, the present mistress of Stanley ball. At the sight of Hagar Mra. Stanley stiffened, and Instinctively all tbe old hopes and all the old hatreds leaped again within her withered breast She rose as if to enter ber house and Ignore Hagar, but Hagar stayed ber with a gesture. - "Do not go, Mrs. Stanley," said Ha gar in even tones. "I have with me tbe proofs that your son and not Ar thur Stanley la guilty of the murder of Dr. nenry Lee." And she indicated with a meaning gesture the flat black portfolio she carried, the same portfo lio Detective Blake had brought from Richmond. "Hush!" whispered the Judge's wid ow tensely. "Come Insider And she led ber strange guest within the por tals of her home and op to the living room. , Here Hagar without a further word ahowed her the photographs of the thumb prints left by the murderer In Dr. Lee's study and the photograph of the returned dishonored check, with the fatal inky thumb print of Blair Stanley resting against his signature, aa though he bad attested to it "I will get my son. He Is some where about the house r cried Mrs. Judge Stanley. "What Is tbe price you ask for your silence? I cannot think you would come here except to bargain." "My price Is an easy one," replied Ilagar. "I ask that you and all your friends receive my daughter Esther and myself In Fairfax. I have only this to say: Deem me who you may, my daughter Esther is of aa high birth and blood as tbe proudest families of Fairfax." ' "What you ask can be arranged, I feel sure." said the judge's widow, re gaining her cold composure. "Wait here till I And my sou." ' Mrs. Stanley lowed and hurried down to tbe porch, where she called loudly for Blair, thluking perhaps be was in the garden or at the stable. Meanwhile Blalrln the "Tory hiding place" behind thp chimney had heard every word that bad been uttered in tile room.. In his hands he clutched a mass of bunk notes. Thrusting them lu his pocket, be touched the spring and pushed aside the swinging fire place noiselessly. Hngar stood by the table, her back to the fireplace, watching the door. In her hands M ere the incriminating pho tographs of the thumbprints 0f Blair Stanley. As she turned at the sound of Clair's advance he struck her down with the heavy iron poker, and she fell to the floor as though lifeless, in a crumpled heap. Aa Blair stooped to seize the photo graphs of his guilty thumb prints that had fallen to the floor a gleam of steel on the table caught his eye. It was tbe sheriff's handcuffs that Vivian Marston had brought to tbe bouse with ber and left for Blair, aa she said mockingly, "as a souvenir of tbe white knight's leap." Hagar moaned and stirred. Blair could bear bis mother calling him in tbe hallway now. , He seized tbe haud cuffs and clasped. them on the unre sisting wrists of Hagar. , v ricking her up, he thrust her In the "Tory's biding place" and hastily awung the wall fcack la position, leav ing the unconscious and manacled form of nagar imprisoned by the broken ipen chest in the darkened niche. At this Instant he beard bis mother on the threshold and turned and fled with the photographs and the atolen money by the door that led to the Inner rooms and was gone, 0 0 EiT away a colored bojv who had been driving a pig the day the gentle folk of Fairfax held their vaunted tournament Is playing be Is a hunter after eagles. He has a wooden gun. this colored. boy who herds pigs while gentle white folk ride to tournament and to chase the fox, and with his wooden gun be plays a part In the destinies of those eoncemed In this strange story. For beneath a wayside tree be finds a handful of feathers., "Owls up darP says the mimic hunter, and be drops the rude wooden gun and climbs tbe tree. An owl flies from its best with a qnerulons screech. That evening an obscure negro ur chin, whose lot It Is that he must at tend to swine, leans ever a noisome pen and danglea before an nnapprecia tive rig. gorging at bis swill, the dia mond from the skyl CHAPTER XV. -A Mind In the Past" A DULL, aching resentment burn ed in the bosom of Blair's mother as with a voice hoarse to ber own ears she called to summon Blair to make his part of the bargain with the implacable visitor, who waited for them in tbe somber living room upstairs, with the photo graphs of tbe guilty thumb prints of Blair. No answer was returned to ber call, and Mrs. Stanley remembered again the bitter quarrel she bad bad with Blair over Vivian Marston. With a bitter sigh the realization came to ber again that all tbe stern, persisting ambitions that had embit tered her life the desire for tbe earl dom and the great diamond for ber most unworthy son were not worth tbe heartache and tragedy that bad dark ened her life. It was with a fierce resolve, In a sudden revulsion of desperation and despair, that Mrs. Stanley returned to the living room to tell her strange vis itor, Hagar. to do ber worst let the consequences be what they might. For herself the austere Mrs. Stanley resolved to strive no more for the sake of her dissolute and desperate son. "1 will make no bargain with this woman even to save Blair from the gallows," waa her grim thought "Nei ther she nor the strange girl who was Dr. Lee's ward and whom she now mothers at Stanley hall shall have so cial countenance from me." But as she ascended the stairs to make known ber resolve she heard the alam of a door and tbe sound of hur rying feet from tbe living room to tbe chambers at the back of the house. She opened the door from the stair landing to the living room. The cen ter table was overturned, and there were other signs of a struggle, but the joom was empty. Then a muffled groan, a low moan of pain, fell upon the ears of Blair's moth er. The sound came from near the floor, behind tbe fireplace. Mrs. Stanley pressed the spring, and the wall with the fireplace turned out and there in the semldarkness of tbe "Tory's biding place" lay the uncon scious figure of Hagar. It was man acled with tbe sheriff's handcuffs that Vivian Marston had brought to tbe bouse after the tournament in mockery of Blair. Tbe form of Hagar lay half reclining against the rifled family strong' box. Mrs. Stanley picked up the key of tbe 1 handcuffs, lying near, and unfastened tbe manacles on the wrists of the dazed and unresisting nagar. Then tbe Judge's widow realized that here was the culmination of the wick ed deeds of the son she had inculcated with a lawless desire for things that were not bis. She raised Hagar, dragged ber out into the room and closed tbe biding place. She was not surprised to note that the photographs of the thumb prints were gone. She revived Hagar aud regarded her stricken visitor, pre pared for a harsh defiance with no thought of compromise. But the whole expression of IIa?ar had softened to a pathetic, cowed wil fulness. Her face seemed younger, her eyes moist aud pleading. She turned to Mrs. Stanley with out stretched arms and murmured, "Give me my child'." And then Blair's moth er saw that the blow ber sou had dealt the strange visitor hud deprived her of all realization of the present. The stricken brain of Hagar Hard ing was cognizaut of no recent hap pening. Her mind waa In the past Rut the Judge's widow was not a ware that the disordered Intellect of the wo man before her dwelt only on the great tragedy of Hagar Harding's life, the sale of her bou to be foisted as tbe male heir to the earldom and tbe dia mond from the sky. nearly twenty yea re ago. Mrs. Stanley bad no suspicion of the import of Hagar's words, but she real ized the crazed woman was no menace to either herself or ber son. and abe led ber downstairs and to tbe door, where, she set her on her way to Stan ley hall. At Stanley ball in tbe gathering twi light Esther waited for Hagar. It waa a sad homecoming. Tbe dull eyes of Hagar gleamed with recognition of the portals of Stauley ball. But tbe face of Esther, the gentle, loving Esther, was the face of a stranger to ber. Alarmed and weeping, Esther led the moaning woman she deemed to be ber mother up tbe broad steps and into the wide hallway of Stauley halL Here a fierce, wild change came over Hagar. She sprsng to the door of the library and threw It open. "See. he is in here!". Bhe cried. "They have blm in there, the child they atole and sold from me. See the diamond that blazes on his tittle breast! Take CLthe,iiutnoiMU Tbej.". k curLpa it for alf our race! Take oft the fine raiment! Olve blm back his rags! He Is my son!" As It had been with Blair Stanley's austere mother, tbe wistful Esther sensed no Importance In the wild pleadings of nagar. Now, too, even the crazed mind of Hagar seemed to realize the library was empty and unoccupied, for she gave a wild cry and fell sobbing on tbe breast of Esther. (Continued next week) lie ware of Ointments for ' Catarrh That Contain Mercury as mercury will surely destroy the sense of smell and completely de range the whole system when enter ing it through the mucous surfaces. Such articles should never be used except on prescriptions from reputa ble physicians, as the damage they will do is ten fold to the good you can possibly derive from them. Hall's Catarrh Cure, manufactured by F. J. Cheney & Co., Toledo, O., contains no mercury, and is taken Internally, acting directly upon the blood and mucous surfaces of the system. In buying Hall's Catarrh Cure be sure you get the genuine. It is taken In ternally and made in Toledo, Ohio, by F. J. Cheney & Co. Testimonial! free. Sold by Druggists, price 75c per bottle. Take Hairs Family Pills for con stipation. Adv August HERALD WANT ADS PAT. CLASSIFIED DEPARTMENT RATBSr The charge for both rem Ur and special editions Is le per wore Mr Insertion, six words to the line. Advertisers so desiring; may hava aa wars to their advertisement address ed to a box number, care of The Her aid. Advertisements charged to patrons having accounts ar measured by ta line, not by the word. N.B. The Herald cannot be resnon slble for mora than one wrong inser tion dua to typographical error. Ne claim for error can t allowed eftei the 10th of the following month. Any advertisement inserted to run until forbidden must be stopped by wrlttea oraer. FOR SALE. One new eight room house, partially modern, large barn, hen house, milk house, and one acre of ground with apple, cherry and small fruits. A large windmill .supplies water for the house, barn and milk house; corner of 10th and Missouri. Phone Black 243 or call Mrs. Amy I.. Brown. 29-tf-5677 FOR SALE: Brick house, com pletely -modern. Good barn. Grounds fully Improved. Also several real dence lots. L. H. HIGHLAND. 31-tf-B830 FOR IU-R fcAJIDS, LAND FOR SALE 640 acres, If miles from Alliance, two miles ffoh) Canton. Call at Herald oBlce or ad dress Box 5629, care Alliance Her aid. 26-tf-562t JAJfDJTO TRADER FOR EXCHANGE for western Nebr aska land. S20 acra improved farm la Nance county, Nebraska, flva miles from Palmer and aeventeen mllet from Fullerton. Address Box (714. care Alliance Herald, with full des cription of land which you wish to ax chan go and price of same. MWJBlAirEOTJi Tamksm. k enned yTdentist First National Bank Building-, Alli ance, Nebr. Phones: Office, IS; Resi dence. Black 10. Money to loan on real estate, tf F. E. REDDISH RECORD FOR TRAM MBIT Railroad men can secure a very use ful book at The Herald office. It Is a daily time book for trainmen and en- flnemen. The price Is reasonable. -tf-5728 WANTED Horses to pasture Write C. V. Kennedy, Marsland. Neb raska, or phone 340. 19-tf-5408 FOR SALE Bargain in five room cottage at 116 Missouri avenue. Large rooms. Renting for 312 per month. In good repair. Price $1000. DR. GEORGE J. HAND. 29-tf-5690 MONEY TO LOAN on your land Write the First Mortgage Loan & Se curity Co., Council Bluff 8, Iowa. 27-tf-4933 s AUTOS FOR SALE One Cadillac auto In good condi tion; made by same firm thatSnade the Wm. Mitchell and R. M. Hamp ton autoa; price $75. Also one two cylinder Reo, 1160; and ere four-cylinder Studebaker, price $300. W. D. RUMER. 34-tf-6"900 . BARN FOR Phone 263. 37-3t-5972$ RENT Close in. FOR SALE One hay team, with wag-on and harness. Team well broke to ride or drive; weight about 850 each. Harness and wagon in stood shape. Will take 1 130 cash. Write Herman Hreiuniger, Jennings, Nebr. 85-4t-5!63 WANTED A COOK, on ranch, sin gle and colored preferred, lixht work, wages 25, and 135 per month, during hayingr, good references necessary, so ber Write Box 5969, Alliance Herald. FOREMAN WANTED On 8500 acre rattle ranch, in sand hills. 225 miles from Alliance. Single preferred. Must know all the "ins and outs" of ranch work, also haying. Wages $50 to start with good chance for competent nvan to advance. Must be entirely temper ate while on ranch, good references re quired. Write Bos 5968, Alliance Her-aid. STRAYED OR BTOLEN One whits face cow four years old; dehorned; branded CJ right hip: haa calf. Also two other cows branded right hip. S500 reward for Information leading to re covery of animals and arrest and con Nebraska "" C' UACH- Whitman, M-st-tmf von RTONT t rooms for light- hnusrkrrplng at 210 Yellowstone. No- children. Mrs. I J. Cisco. in n-tr-E97n- o . t v i nl r t land two and one-hUalf miles east of Aillanoe. Fenced. Level, inesp ror cn r : , v , n,nn. mlr 141 or see W. V. Holllday, 10th and Missouri, Alliance. 8-tf-B931 vnn RATR Ont srood top bufrgr an on (food low bugry. One. bath " n.,.nn,hu nrica for cash or bankable note. If sold at once. Mrs. Amy I. Drown, phone lilac zt. S6-tf-692 ' auhi r n. DAiiu v. -w - . i i i pIihii J. U Nlcholat, Reo Oarage, Alliance. AGENCY for BALM OF FIG3 Mrs. C. Fox, 306 West 3rd St. 36-3t-5943$ f 10.00 REWARD We havet lost three head of borse from our pastures. Information aa to their whereabouts will be appreci ated. . - w will nav 110.00 reward for each horse returned to us at Alliance. MITCHELL, HILLIKER ft SIMPSON 37-2t-5971 MOVE FURNITTJRK 8AFELY We have eauloned our dray wag ons and auto truck with the latest appliances for moving furniture without marring or scratcning or damage. Up-to-date wagon pads will be used by us on all moving jobs. JOHN R. snxdkk. rnone 10. 37-tf-5960 MICE AND ANT EXTERMINATOR Enough of the exterminator to clean your house of all these peets will be sent postpaid on receipt or one dollar postal order. Harnueaa to pets and children. M. J. BAUMGARDNER, CIS Big Horn Avenue, Alliance, Nebraska. 37-2t-647l WASHING WANTED by eoae- tent colored lady. Phone Black 4S. 37-2t-5988$ Buy your receipt books, legal, blankB, blank notes, all kinds of blanks at Tbe Herald office. Putee reasonable. A big assortment. A New Roof must be put on the house or barn this spring. The old shingles cam not withstand the sun and storm an other season. , If this job Is not to be done over again for at least ten years you bet tor use OUR Shingles They are' good for that length of time, anyway, and perhaps longer. At a lower price we can sell yet shingles not quite so good. Lumber, too, for repairs about the place. v v. Dierks Lumber Co. Groceries and Feed GROCERIES AND FEED We carry a clean line of "We invite you to call at the HOTEL AS1IBY when in town for a good meal or 1 m ciean, iresn bed. fresh groceries, flour and feed. All kinds of overalls, Brans and shoeR, etc. If your goods come from store you are assured -at. . this that mey are good, fresh and clean. pure HUBBARDS MERCAN TILE COMPANY ASHBY, NEBRASKA Geo. J. Hand.n.D. Asthma and Hay Fever Ke, Ear, Nose and Throat PHONE 251 Oalls answered from office day or night.' tii?ew tirS-