The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1915-11-18
CHAPTER VIII.
The New York Society rSeiie."

Va Z EANWHILE, desperate and
E1M fear stricken, Blair Stanley
" E wns endeavoring to forget
his peril present apd prcsDec'
tive, tn wild and reckless hdulgences
tn Richmond
While his fugitive cousin tay IN hum.
bic lodgings, Blair Stanley lorded 1t at
o f1no hotel and every night found him
gambling at the exclusive establish
ment Of Abe Bloom In Desperation.
finding himself Cleaned out" at Mr..
Blooms luxurious temple Of chance
Blair had got that astute gentleman to
cash his personal check on the Bank
Of Fairfax.
In few Days this would be returned
marked "No funds" Blair well knew,
but ho hoped meanwhile to recoup his
losses and laugh In Abe Blooms hawk
Ike face as he made good the bum
check out Of the winning he eN-
pected to gain at -Abes own roulette
wheel
But the $1,000 went the way Of the
$500 hts mother had given him-back
into the Golfers of the gambling house
Keeper who had advanced the money
ON the worthless check.
One desperate chance was left. Blair
resolved to pawn hts watch end with
the proceeds invoke the whats Of
chance agatl and by streak Of aocks
who knows, win back all and so square
himself and the check when It came
back, for Blt1 found Rtchmnnd to bis
liking Then, ton he worried over the
mysterious vEh 10 Fairfax of Tom
Rleka The detective Who had hired
Blake?
There was also the baa to be given
by Mrs. Burton Randolph, who was a
neaahve o3 bis nother ana counted
upon Blatrs presence at her grand
ball, the event of the social year In
Richmond.
Also Blair thonghs Of Vivian Mars
ton Glorious Vivian, luxurious Vfvhn!
She had come to Richmond, sworn
friend Of Mrs. Randolph, who had met
her the winter before at Palm Beach
It was known of Vivian Marston that
she was a wealthy and dashing young
widow, high In the circles Of New
York's -four hundred"
Blair Stanley had met her at hts
mothers cousins mansion, and Blair
had been first among those to fall vic
tim of her charmA
Arthur stauley entered the pawn
shop Of Ike Bloom, brother and some
satd partner Of the redoubtable Abe
Bloom, king of the Richmond gam
blers. The pawnshop was divided into
partition spaces Arthur saw tie vul-
ture eyes Of Isaac Bloom gleam when
they fastened upnn the diamond from
the sky. with its antique chain and
curious setting.
Only too eagerly did the pawnbruker
hand over the $500 Arthur asked on It,
and only too eagerly did he hide IL IN
q drawer.
Arthur was about to slip from be-
hind the privacy partitions to the
street when be heard q voice say, II
want $50 on this watch" He stag.
gered, half fatntins with fear and JOY,
against the partition.
It was the voice Of Blair Stanley!
There could be no mistake. In O re-
vulston of feeling TO find he was not
q murderer and that Blair was alive
and well Arthur threw himself around
the partition and into the arms OF
Blair.
Somewhat surprised, but fetgnfng Joy
also, Blair repeated hts supposed cous'
tn's cries Of wild delight Then be
made haste to explain that DR.. Lee
had called him to his study and had
given him the diamond from the sky
and that, having done this, the doctor,
who was greatly agttated, had fallen
dead tn his chair.
T was afraid / would be suspected
Of killing him for the diamond. How
could explain when you caught hold
Of mer' lied Blair glibly. "1 did moi
mean any reflection upon Esther, as
you thought I did," he continued. 81
only thought any alteration at such a
time and the doctor lying dead might
teopardize her good name. I was too
frightened to explain, and you were
too angry to listen to me.
'I was only stunned and got home
all right. But there has been a De.
tectve hired, and 1 believe he WILL
find some clew, and your evidence
would only tend to convict me. ana
am tnnocentF'
Arthur reflected that Dr. Lee had
known he was the spurious heir and
that the diamond did properly belong
TO Blair I'm consequence. He did not
tell Blair the Stanley secret, that ne'
Arthur, was but a gypsy changel1ng.
But he resolved TO stand by Blair and
thus In reparattn do what good ne
could until the time came when ne
might tell So for the time being he
resolved to keep Hagar's secret|and
his own.