Arizona republican., 1915-10-17

camp. but the blackboard and hosses and everybody was gone. Them two fellers stole hosses from San Marcos ranch and they must have caught the girl and the little Italian feler"
 The beauty and charm of Esther the strange secrecy of her quest for the man she too called John Powell. in his hearing had impressed the mlne foreman. The cost of the long distance telephoning to Los An geles to his mind prodiGi thing; but well was his desperate eXtravagance- though charged to the company-rewarded by the broken. excited thanks of his mill Hcnaire employer.
 "Yes. yes. you did right. Mckenzie, to call me up and tell mel Oh damn the ex- pense. man! I'll give you ten thousand dol lars if the young lady is all right Stop all work arm all the men. and search everywhere till the girl is found, Don't stop to ask any questions; and if the men caught who molested her. string them up shoot them down-or both! I'm talk ing the fastest and I'm making for the mines!'
 At his office in Los Angeles Arthur dashed like madman from the telephone crying eXcitediy to his secretary he went that a most urgent matter called him to the mines. and ran from the building to his waiting auto, followed by the bewil- dered office porter. with his auto cap and coat.
 
 sage from Santa Barbara arrived. and with in the hour Esther received the following answer:
 Los Angeles Il a. m. ITO Miss Esther Harding, Santa Barbara,
 Cal.
 Replying to your wire MT. Powell left for mines seeking you. No way of com municating with him. as he is en route in auto. F. GRAY. Secretary"
 Since Hagar's sudden mental aflictio1. of which only Blair Stanley knew the cause and guiltily. the wealth Esther's gypsy mother supposed to possess seemed to have utterly disappeared, and Esther had been dependent on the generOsity-a gen erosity sudden as it was stranEe-of Blair's mother and the more friendly kind ness of Mrs Randolph in Richmond. until she had received the s1,O00 rnysteriously.
 With this money which she correctly sur missed was from Arthur, Esther, with Quabba. had come to California in search of him, Blake. the Richmond detective hav- ing thought it advisable to hint to her that John Powell" the new millionaire oil and mining magnate, and Arthur were one and the same. Esther still in sufficient funds, therefore, to continue her quest which was now like d game of hide and seek-for Arthur. It was her one purpose in life. and no other interest held her cept that she worried as to Hagar's con- dition and had wired to Detective Blake III 1tlcnmOnu GcCelNlnS the comforting re- ply that there every indication of com plete recovery in due time and not to worry.
 Esther and Quabba took train to the nearest station to the mountain mine, and, hiring horses, proceeded on.
 Blair found time lying heavy upon his hands aboard the yacht, and deeming from his telegrams th2t he in a chastened frame of mind, Vivian thought the time propitious to have Blair to Los An geles and meet with Durand, the King of Diamonds. and his accomplice the dapper Count de Vaux, who had strangely pro jected themselves out from Vivian's past, lured by the strange rumors that had reached the upper tendon oi the crook world regarding the fabulous value of the diamond from the sky and it's last appear ance among men in the last train robbery.
 If everybody has a past ft behooves to asl. awkward questions. Blair, sulleny at times and again with some show of fellowship accepted association with the debonaire and polished Durand and the dapper and cunning Count de Vaux. But ~ I