Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-11-12
CHAPTER XVI.
blair Seeks tho Document,

"HE reckless, desperate and I'M
scrupulous ancestor, the first
Arthur Stanley. who had found
the diamond from the sky in
the fallen meteor 800 years agone, had
a worthy descendant in the equally
reckless, desperate and INSCRIPTIONS
Blair Stanley.
It is to be doubted if Blair Stanley
gave any thought Of the great wrong
he might do the gentle Esther in the
furtherance, of the cold ambitious
schemes of his mother and his own i'm
pulsive lawless ones. He cared not a
whit whether II he should marry Es-
Their such an alliance would be biga-
NOUS and shameful in case his mar
rage with Vivian should prove subse-
quently legal and binding.
To get Esther and to get the. diamond
by such means, not to speak Of the
Stanley earldom in England, appealed
to Blair. The thought of Vivian fight.
ing for her rights as the consort Of an
earl appealed to Blair's cynical sense
Of humor. N"'r
With a meekness almost puritanical
in its sleek hypocrisy he had answer
ed his mother to the effect that he
would do as she desired. He prepared
himself, at his mothers suggestion, to
return to Richmond and make amends
with the disgruntled relative and So
ciety leader, Mrs. Burton Randolph,
for Mrs. Randolph had developed an
unselfsh fondness for Esther. 8,
Meanwhile Esther had been received
with open arms by the gypsy people
when she had returned with Quabba
when first setting out in search of Ar
thur with tho loyal hunchback. An
other search OF Hagar's van at the
camp had been fruitless. There was
no trace or evidence of any wealth
that it had always been supposed that
Hagar possessed.
Esther announced to the gypsies
that, while Hagar gave evidence Of
eventually recovering, it was necessary
that she esther must journey far to
seek a friend who could aid her in
these days of trial. The generous
Romanys Of the tribe pressed their lit
tie boards Of money upon Esther,
whom they acknowledged their prin-
cess. But Esther refused to. accept.
The more canny and practical Quab-
ba, however, accepted all tributes of
this kind, unknown to Esther, and 81
creted them against coming days OF
need. f. - .
Followed far from the camp by the
kindly gypsies, and v the little gyp-
lux children who loved EsthersNith the
loyal devotion Of their elders. Quabba
and Esther set out upon thcir taEfay.
Quabbas MAS further gla4aepeI M a
royal giro a large street piano and
cart and pony to; haulit, IA III s
Starting west and north upon their
quest for Arthur, Esther and Quabba
with their quaint cquipage took their
way. They halted at the farm Of
Farmer Smith, where Arthur had
worked, and proceeded on, intending to
skirt through Richmond to ascertain
Hagar's condition ere going west.
%.Journeying to Richmond, Blair Stan
ley beheld Quabba and Esther and the
pony and organ cart as his train pass
ed BY, them: The reckless Blair bad
no patience to wait till the train reach
ed the next station. He pulled the, pir-
brake cord, alighted,t and ass the train
pulled out he hid by the roadsidesb by
the track, and after Esther and Quabba
had toiled past him on foot by their
pony organ cart, he stealthily trailed
them to the outskirts of Richmond.
From here he fastened to Mrs. Ran
dolLh's. and made his peace and ell
listed her sympathy and cooperation