The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1915-10-21

sHdfIe4 bl21f FD Luxe You 70 back
to the coach and find hers. anu viii
guard her here
Il would as soon trust her with
wolf groWied Luke Then he turned
to Esther aud held his arms OUT to her.
You say tie word. Esther he said.
''and will kill this blackguard for
your
But Esther shrank from the fierce
passionate gypsy Il hate you as
hate him. she said. You will get no
document. you viii get nothing, and
do not fear either or both of you.
Arthur Stanley will repay you we'll
and fittingly for even daring to lay
hand upon me-
We'll tie you up then, missy" said
Luke. Struggling his shoulders IF /
can't have the lady ! will take the
gold. Matt Harding. your dead father.
If he was Your father, made his for
tune out of the Stanley secret. and
win make mine. AS for Arthur Stan
ley. he can't help you. We know
enough to disgrace him if we expose
him here In California and show he is
not John Powell, the millionaire, but
Arthur Stanley. wanted for murder in
Virginiar'
Esther scorned TO answer. The two
worthless. neither trusting the other.
tied her securely and went together
back TO the wrecked coach to find her
suit case and, as they hoped, the Stan
ley document. But at the coach, in
their absence, Marmaduke Smythe had
revived before the driver had secured
his horses and, bruised and dazed.
had recovered sufficiently to revive his
comrade and then seek for his passen-
gers. When the driver had nmped
down the hill to the wrecked coach
and inquired of the recovering Smythe
where the young woman passenger
was, Smythe had replied. Il do not
know where she is gone, but jolly
well know l am going myselfr' And
gathering up the suit case he thought
was his, and taking his gun and the
mounted deer head, the trophy that he
priced beyond all his possessions, the
English lawyer tottered off into the
wilds in the direction of the Lady
Veronica mines, as he thought
When Luke and Blair arrived upon
the scene they told the driver his
young lady passenger was safe at the
blacksmith shop and they had come
for her belongings. None could be
found. however. and Luke and Blair
returned reviling each other.
Darkness was falling at the time
the accident occurred. 1t was dark in
the blacksmith shop, but Esther felt
the drawer at the absence of the two
men. She struggled and freed herself
from the ropes that had bound her
and beat upon the great heavy door
of the shop, crying for help.
Quabba, mourning his young mis-
tress and bewailing his fate that he
had so strangely found and so strange
" lost the diamond from the sky
again, had set out on foot for the
mines to find Arthur. but especially to
find Esther. his young mistress. 1t
was just at nightfaIl that he reached
the forge, some three miles yet from
the mines. 1t was locked, gloomy and
deserted in the darkness. But from
within he heard voice he recognized.
the voice of his young mistress APP
pealingly crying for help. A sledge
stood by the door. Quabba seized il
and shattered down the door and soon
he was shedding tears of joy as he
clasped the hands of Esther.
There was no time for explanation
Feel,
sped off through the darkness, to be
followed few moments later by Blair
and Luke returning to find their fair
prisoner had been freed and was gone.
Over the mountains, through the dark
ness went pursuers and pursued, while
by log near marsh Lawyer Marina
duke Smythe gathered up some dry
trash and lit his fire to camp for the
night. He had lost his way, but philo-
sophically he accepted the situation.
II am a lucky beggar that thought
to bring a tin of biscuit and flask of
brandy in my luggage he remarked
half aloud. And he opened the suit
case he had borne so far together with
his other impedimenta of gun and deer
nCdu " ~ AO10s luG WLOAo pullman
teaur' he exclaimed as in the fire light
he brought forth woman's dainty
nfghtrobe and boudoir cap. "WeIl, no
matter, he added resignedly; ..they
will protect me from the drafts in this
jungle. Now, if ! only had night light
in case my fire goes out. ] am used to
having night light. and if / had that
and my portable bathtub / could stand
the wilderness. But If the late Lord
Cecil Stanley could only see me now!
he added fervently as he surveyed him.
self in his strange night attire by
Joye, this is roughing it with a vengc-
ancet'
The moon came up, and as If waiting
for it as a signal the harsh, discordant
chorus of croaking marsh frogs sound
ed on all sides
Indians. Savage Iroquoisr' cried
the alarmed lawyer. Selling his gun.
But no. he added to himself; IT will
not shoot. Their warwhoops on every
side show they surround me. / will