The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1915-08-26

John Gray, noted in conservative Rich
mond as "the marrying minister
Meanwhile, driven out by the flames,
of which the Chinese den was now a
seething mass, Detective Blake. with
the Blooms, got their taxicab and hur-
ried away to avoid embarrassing Qucs
tons from the police and freinen al
ready heard hurrying to the scene. The
frenzicd Cinnamon, pouring from the
place, were too excited to stay them.
The bewildercd English barrister,
Smytlle, his respectable gray high
hat and his equally respectable frock
coat OH fire, was brushed aside by De-
tective Blake and the Mcssrs Bloom.
They were not interested in the legal
representative of the Earl Of Stanley
or his search for the fugitive heirs to
the Stanley title and estates in War
wicllshire. Their minds were all upon
the heirloom of the American Stanleys,
the diamond from the Sky.
Possession is mine points of the
law" paE;el Mr.. Abraham Bloom.
The law is that Il pawnbroker amt
responsible for Il pawned article except
ed on it. If we get hold of this dia
mond them Stanleys can whistle for
it, ell, Ike?"
But Isaac Bloom, pawnbroker, had
on actual crisis of nerves such as Mrs.
Burton Randolph had never been able
to effect. In the words of his more
hardened and experienced brother.
like was all in" He moaned in the
corner of his taxicab and begged to
be "let out of this thing!''
1T amt your fire, you should wOr-
ry," sneered his brother, the cynical
gambling housekecper.
For my fire, when l have it, l have
got an insurance." moancd the I'M
happy Isaac Bloom. But to see q fire
in which diamond goes as big as
your fist. worth $1,OO0OOO! A fire by
which you almost lose your life. as We
did-well, words can't say it, and l
want that you should let me out at my
pawnshop!'
After leaving the collapsed Ike Bloom
in the haven Of his pawnshop, Detec-
tive Blake and Abe Bloom were driven
to the latter's gambling house, and
from here to the residence Of Mrs. Bur-
ton Randolph, society leader.
CAS- you say there is $4,000 in it for
me if l set the diamond for you, I
will tell you my theory" said the detec-
tive to his gambler client. blair Stan
ley, who passed the bad check on you.
with his thumb print from the leaky
fountain pen on it. has got the dia-
mond. 1t belongs to his family. you
know. If this Arthur Stanley. who
has also fed Out l can tell you now he
is guilty of no crime that | know Of,
dies the diamond belongs to Blair
Stanley.
But Blair does not want it for him.
self; he wants it for that fair friend
of yours from New York, Miss Vivian
Marston. Blair is crazy about that
dame and she is crazy to get the dia-
mond. Wen find them at Mrs. Ran
dolph's if we are not too Late
But they We're too late. Their in
sistence forced the presence of Mrs.
Randolph herself, and just when she
was dropping OF in a sweet sleep after
having enjoyed her nerves with all the
comforts of home. Thus aroused, Mrs
lsanuolpn was quite indignant at the
detective and also at the presence Of
Mr.. Abe Bloom, Eichmond's notorious
gambling house keeper
THE idea" she murmured indis-
nantly. 'thc idea" But when the
cynical Mr.. Bloom intimated that Mrs.
Randolph's guest, the vivacious Miss
Marston, was Il friend of his, Mrs Ran
dolph sensed another impending scan
DIAL and 'came down off her perch as
Mr.. Bloom afterward described it. She
led the way to Miss Marston's cham
Der. But the bird had flown and the
detective ana gambler hurried away
leaving Mrs. Randolph inwar,lly re-
preaching herself that she had taken
up an adventures and had her as q
guest Oh the strength Of Il Palm Beach
Intimacy. Suppose this came out in
the papers?
CHAPTER XVIII