The Springdale news., 1915-10-08

for himself when Esther arrived in Los Angeles also.
 Quabba, whose tastes were bohemian if not vagrom, permitted himself a change of costume so far as to take out his earrings and don a straw hat, the very shape and feel of which he detested, and immediately sought for John Powell
 Under this name Arthur Stanley was a leading figure in Los Angeles, and Quabba soon found himself at the of Aces of the Good Hope Oil company.
 Here supercilious office boy and a condescending telephone girl reluctant ly informed the strange looking in- quirer that MT. John Powell had gone far off into the distant Sierras to ac- Quire some mines. It would seem that John Powell, the new oil millionaire, was extensively branching out into other industrial Investments.
 It was this same information, but more agreeably given, that was vouch safed to Blair when he called later ir the day at the suggestion of Viviar Marston when Blair had joined that vivacious lady, who had married him in haste for the diamond and parted from him in equal celerity at the loss of it.
 From the beginning Vivian made their relative positions clear to Blair
 You are very dear boy" she said "and there is refreshing air of youth fulness about your wicked ways. But you are so delightfully."- incapable of doing the right thing when there Is g wrong thing to do at the same time that I cannot be too closely concerned with you in the matters we have il hand
 "I want the diamond from the sky I don't care where it Is or who has 1t I would sell my soul for it, and would not care how many lives stood in the way of my desire; no, not ever if your life was one of them, my deal boyr'
 Blafr's eyes glittered murderously You go too far with me, Vivian h. panted No one knows better than you that there isn't anything wouldn't dare for yor.
 Vivian seated herself on the edge ot the table, still keeping Blair at his dis tance with a significant gesture of calm earnestness.
 That is just the trouble she an swered coolly ..There isn't anything you would not dare for me or for any thing else you desire-Esther Harding for instance
 Blair winced An continued Vi vian mockingly, tI see that shot went home and it was Il chance one. You dare to love me, and you dare to love the shy and timid gypsy girl.
 Well, if you have double lives why may We not have double loves? Now, don't seowl, Blair, my dear You can't frighten me for one moment. Phys ically you are stronger than l am, and I have no doubt if you had me alone some place you might strangle me, bat you could not frighten me.
 NOW listen," continued Vivian. ''I ou know how the desire for the diamond obsessed you when you saw it in the hands of the old doctor whom you murdered for 1t I do not care if this diamond rightfully belongs to you of whether 1t rightfully belongs to Arthur Stanley, and I do not care whether your suspicious as to his being in your way wrongfully are correct or are mis taken.
 II only know that Arthur Stanley Is known out here as John Powell and only know that John Powell has many millions and is making more. You cannot expose him, because. after all he knows he is not guilty of the mur- der of Dr. Lee and he knows you are That he has tacitly accepted the guilt by his flight from Virginia and living here under a false name does not con cern me I only know that you hate him and that he Is fond of you. In the minds of those who knew him in Nir- ginia he is believed to be a murderer and he lets this onus rest on his name or, rather, the name he wore back there. for your sake.
 If the diamond rightfully belongs tC Arthur Stanley will marry him for 1t even as l married you for it, and fl you say word I will send you to the gallows. As desperate as you are, my l dear Blair can see you do not wish to go to the gallows. You do not wish 1 even to be charged and tried and i'm prisoned for the murder you know yot 1 are guilty of, although you told Arthur 1 that pr. Lee died from excitement when you broke into his house to gel i the diamond.
 If you are the rightful heir to tht i diamond and the eardom all well anL 1 good. I want the diamond, and would dearly love to be Lady Stanley i of Stanley castle, Warwickshire. Btu your very recklessness has placed yot ] in your present position.
 You can claim nothing. So if yor will think 1t over you will see that while We had better work together. f must not be as man and wife. Yol arc mt fO venture too raShlV and