The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1915-12-16
THE
DIAMOND FROM
THE SKY
Continued from Last Week.
c@aPTER XIV.
CEi.i I fhe clutch Of Druca


IT .se coachman take the reins.
"A Durand. 81 b consciously
N changing from his careless air
OF raccfoer 10 the grave de
meanor Of physician Lend a hand.
Blair ne added as the coachnan work,
ed around from the back seat by the
groom to the drivers place on the
tallyho.
Blair and Vivian. assisting as best
they could. ailed Durand in dragging
Arthur from the box seat to the second
one. Here the drug victim collapsed.
murmuring:
Esther? How plainly / saw her-in
her gypsy dress! She spoke to me. The
hunchback fellow was with herr
1T was Imagination said Vivian
s0Othingly to the stricken man as the
pseudo physician. Durand, administer
ed the all too handy hypoderrnic. "a
touch of sun. wasn't Ii, doctor?"
yes" said Durand in equally sooth-
ing accents. II think II was the sun
and too much eXertion. We shouldn't
have let you drive. Mr. Powell; you are
aot strong enough yet for these things.
Blair said nothing. He could have
almost pitied Arthur that in so Short
tiCte as had elapsed since his injuries
his character had been so weakened
from his hurts and the drugs admins
tered that Arthur could be convince
that the evidence of his own eyes was
but he phantom of disordered mag
ination.
Neither the coachman nor the groom
had understood the significance of his
mas, er's collapse at the sight of two
gypI musicians with piano. pony cart
and monkey by the roadside Tie
eoachman ind groom, like the other
servants at the Powell mansion, only
knew their master had never been men
tally the same since his injuries at the
mines and his first homecoming to his
new, grand mansion. a battered, shat
tered, insensible form on stretcher.
In few moments the effect of the
stimulating drug had claimed Arthur.
and he was sitting with closed eyes on
the second seat, with Blair and Vivian
: and Durandt The conspirators decided
/. to return home.
passing auto coming In the sam.
direction slowed beside the coach, and
The occupants called to the driver and
the tallyIo party that there was man
ON behind.
He looks like a tough customer. too"
added the driver of the car.
The groom on the rear seat looked
down and ordered the tough looking
customer to get off. The tough looking
WIS I IIi- ,I.o 4, II
come back to Los Angeles sullenly de
termined TO make ali asset of his secret
and blacklnail either Arthur Stanley
or Blair. preferably both.
Luke Lowell growed curse back at
the groom and held on. The coachman
with practiced dexterity dashed the
whip back of the coach at signai
from the groom. The thong cut Luke
across the face twice before he could
shield himself. But again and again
! the lash cut and Stung him cruelty ON
meek and shoulders, and despite his
Mardihood and determination to stand
the onslaught Luke was compelled to
let go and drop off, He limped to the
sidewalk Of the quiet suburban resi-
dence street and sat in the shade of a
tree by the curb.
Near him leaking fire hydrant trick
1ed. Luke mopped his brow and the
burning cuts across his face with the
cooling water. The pain slowly subsid-
ed. and Luke looked about him.
There. far Off down the street. but
yet distinct to the keen eyes of the
gypsy. were two figures Flooding by
a pony piano cart. two figures he knew
as well as he knew his own Esther
and Quabba.
Old emotions, old fealties stirred in
Luke Lowell at the sight. Esther.
daughter of Hagar. the queen of the
gypsies: Esther, whom he had always