The Springdale news., 1915-12-17

Powell and Homer Graydon as they eagerly bid for the bauble that l. d been a taIisman of death
 Eighty thousand l am bid by Mfr Powell!' chanted the auctioneer Come. come, Mir Graydon. Do not let superstition stop you. The lion would have Killed the lady and the jealous husband would have killed sam Santley even had this diamond not tig ured in the case perhaps. Ali great diamonds have their dramatic history Remember the Kohinoor and Orloff dia monds. This diamond may be lucky stone for all We know despite what has happened.
 Arthur knew better. Blax knew bet ter. and so did Vivian and Nt.Ie English lawyer, Smythe. So did Durand, the international difmond thief and swim dler. And So did his accomplice and jackaI. the dapper Count de Vaux. But Homer Grayden only knew that Vivian Marstons favor depended on the dia- mond.
 "Eighty-fve thousand dollars.'' he cried; then he gulped and grew ashen pale again To raise $S5,O00 cash to pay for this bauble to give a woman would be his ruin.
 Ninety thousandr' cried John Pow ell
 Homer Graydon gave the auctioneer a negative jerk of the head in reply to his inquiring gaze.
 Ninety thousand Ninety thousand! Are you all done? Ninety thousand. once, Ninety thousand. twice, Ninety thousand, for the last time" He paus ed Going, going. gone. Sold to Mir John Powell for S9o,0O0"
 Arthur scrubbed a check as the crowd buzzed and swayed around him Vivian gave a hysterical laugh and clutched Arthur by the arm as the que tioneer handed him the diamond from the sky Then as the purchaser and his little coterle of friends passed through the dispersing crowd Vivian looked Homer Graydon in the face de liberately and turned her back upon him.
 
 In her room at her modest hotel Els ther debated neryously with herself The rank injustice done Luke, who hal been railroaded 10 prison by tue in fuence Of Blair Stanley and Frank Durand while Arthur had never inter rered made her more bitter than she had been at the strange attitude Ar thur had taken toward her since his recovery from his injuries. Ramors that his mind was affected as a result of his hurts were rife in Los Angeles. where those who had formerly called him the golden man" now designated Arthur as John Powell the mad mil lionaire.a
 For herself she would never again intrude upon Arthur, surrounded as he was by sycophants and parasites who worked him evil. But for Luke Lowell, done a great injustice, she would make ole last appeal before she returned to Richmond and Hagar The remorse and contrition of Luke that he had ever been disloyal to her and Hagar, Esther felt genuine. She determined to take the English lawyer Smythe into her confidence and found occasion to send Quabba to Smythe with mes sage.
 Lawyer Smythe was also preparing to leave Los Angeles. He had shipped his precious deer head by express with much misgiving and forehoding of harm befalling it ere il reached his dearly beloved England. where he was shortly to follow. Like Esther, the ec- centric but loyal English lawyer was becoming discouraged and dismaXed at the puzZling conduct of the American heir. fugitive from justice in XH ginia, fourishing under the name of John Powell, q thousand leagues from Stanley hall, Virginia.
 T confess it is an enigma to me" lie explained to Esther. of course. Blair