The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1915-12-16

earlier in the day. and the suave man
ner of Blair puzzled Luke. Blair told
him that be Gukei was well within
his rights in demanding share of the
sp0ils-Arthur's wealth
Call at the house" said Blair. land
kick up a row. You'll get yours, for
I'll back you up
Then when Luke had departed from
the Office Blair called up the police and
told them a threatening fellow was
hanging around the Powell mansion
evidently bent on blackmail.
Another caller at the Powell house
was Marmaduke Smythe. legal repre-
sentative of the Earls of Stanley. He
had never met Arthur Stanley. Arthur
being fugitive from Virginia when
Smythe had come to notify him he was
Earl of Stanley. But Blake. the Rich
mond detective. had given Smythe a
letter TO John Powell in Los Angeles.
Blake informing Smythe that Powell
could tell him something of the missing
Arthur Stanley.
AS Vivian arrives and after Luke
admitted. Flushed with WINE and en-
liyened with drugs. Arthur is wild and
boaStful. Smythe produces Il newspa-
per and speaks of the circus tragedy
and recovery of the great diamond.
Suddenly Arthur dashed down his
wine glass and stood erect.
1T is the diamond from the skyF'
bo will hI1v ar tho aIlrtiOn
If you are the lawyer of the Earls of
Stanley. listen: am the earl! l am not
John Powell. but Arthur Stanley of
Stanley hallr'
Blair aid Durand and De VauX, who
were present. started in surprise at
this announcement The lawyers jaw
dropped. he stepped back pace and
fell backward over his chair.
Just then the servant announced that
rough fellow was at the door who
demanded to see Mr. Powell and Mr.
Blair Stanley.
The party left the library and cross
ed to the door Luke had followed the
butler in. and Blair and Durand with
out ado seized the gypsy and thrust
him out.
A policeman was waiting, and Luke.
struggling and protesting. was thrown
/ into an automobile and taken to the
| station house. the others going along
as complaining witnesses.
| AT the station house Luke, strangely
| silent now, was searched.
A claspknife and some silver coin
| were all that was found upon him. and
| then the policeman fished from an OBJ
scure pocket a small. creased. stained
slip of paper. Ii was broken manila
| band. such as are put around packages
| of banknotes. Printed on it were thu
! words
WELLS FARGO EXPRESS.
$500
Over the heads of those closest II
him Luke glanced fixedly at Arthur
who blanched and trembled. 1t was g
slip of paper such as had been around
the tram robber treasure Arthur had
come upon in the desert. funds upOI
which he had founded the great JohT
Powell fortune.
1t had been among the bank notes
Arthur had given to Luke. 1t had beer
hidden among them and Luke had hel6
to it, when the money was gone. as evi
dence against Arthur, for Luke ha(
suspicious where the money had COM
from.
4 This looks like train robbery stun?
said the desk sergeant.
And then Durand spoke up. Il re
1 member this fellow" he said, pointing
, to Luke. 81 met him at a place sail
to be a train robbers hangout at thu
mining town of Mammoth. where Mr.
Powell here was injured some week.
ago"
wen hold him till we find out" saiC
the sergeant. Lock him up!'
And Luke was taken away.
, By the aid of the police station
/ messenger, Luke got word of his pligh
to Quabba and asked that Esther b
brought to see him.
Quabba appraised Esther by tele
phone She had just received tele
gram from the convalescing Hagar ask
ing her to return to Richmond. an,
Esther had just wired in reply that sh
would come. guardedly adding that Al
thur seemed to be under evil infiuance
here and that she was discouraged re
garding him.
at the station house Esther brief
explained that Luke had been serV
ant of her mother in Virginia for year
and that she knew him TO be honest.
Quabba waited for Esther. Nor
strange company. thought the sergeant
But Esther spoke of Tom Blake. tn
famous Richmond detective. and tn
sergeant absolved her from suspicion
especially when she winsomely smile
1 end admitted cho was 0F oyvpSv hIoad