The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1915-12-22
THE
DIAMOND FROM
THE SKY
Continued from Last Week.
CHAPTER xLVlI.
sod to John POWELL"

80 Is IL you a5I through. gentlemen
"a reiterated the auctioneer II
- have been offered $4,000 for
this magnificent diamond Its
previous history is unknown. but local
experts have pronounced it to be worth
ten times the sum you offer. Where
did 1t come from? That 7 cannot tell
you. but by the decree of the court #
ts adjudged an asset of the SantIey
circus. bankrupt. As such the pur-
chaser's title will be valid. Am I offer
ed any more? Seventy thousand. sew
e1ty thousand. seventy fhousandr'
Homer Graydon. wealthy spend
fhrift that be was. grew ashen faced.
Seventy thousand dollars would tax
1Aim to raise. but Vivian Marston gave
him an alluring smile. and as his pride
WAS also at stake. he made an effort TO
smile back at Vivian and nodded to
John Powell az IL TO say. go higher If
you CAM
The rival bidder laughed reckiessIy.
aeasness of his wild youth as Arthur
Stanley OF Stanley Hall.
Eighty thousandr' be cried.
Vivian was In fiutter or unhoiy de
Hight TO realize she was the inspiration
or the money mad rivalry between John
Powell and Homer Graydon as they
eagerly bid for the bauble that had
been talisman of death.
Eighty thousand | am bid by Mr..
Powell!'' cllanted the auctioneer.
tCome. come. Dir. Graydon. DO not
Bet superstition stop you. The lion
would have killed the lady and the
Jealous husband would have killed Sam
Sant,ey even had this diamond not fig
uEed in @Ie case perhaps. All great
diamonds have their dramatic history.
Remember tie kohinoor and Orloff dia-
monds. This diamond may be lucky
stone for all we know despite what has
happened
Arthur knew better. Blair knew bet
ser. and SO did Vivian and the English
lawyer. Smythe. So did Durand. the.
international diamond thief and swim.
der. And so did his accomplice and
1ackal, the dapper Count de vaux But
Homer Graydon only knew that Vivian
Marston's favor depended on the dia
mOnd.
"Eighty-ive thousand dolarsr' he
cSfed; then he gulped and grew ashen
pale again. To raise $4,000 cash to
pay for this bauble TO give 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! Nnety
thousand. for the last time" He paus-
cd. Going, going. gone! Sold to Mr..
John Powell for $9O.OO0!"
Arthur scrubbed check as the
crowd buzzed and swayed around him.
Vivian gave hysterical laugh and
cIutched Arthur by the arm as the auc-
Honeer handed him the diamond from
the sky Then as the purchaser and
his little coterie of friends passed
through the dispensing crowd Vivian
looked Homer Graydon In the face de-
fiberately and turned her back upon
aim.
y
In her room at her modest hotel Es-
Their debated nervously with herself.
The rank injustice done Luke. who
hal been railroaded to prison by the In
fuence of Blair Stanley and Frank
Durand while Arthur had never inter
Gered made her more bitter than she
had been at the strange attitude Ar
thur had taken toward her since his
recovery from his injuries. Rumors
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 .Iohn Powell. the mad mil
Monaire.'
For herself she would never agair
hntrude upon Arthur. surrounded as hi
was by sydophants and parasites VIII
worked him evil. But for Luke Lowell
done great injustice. she would make
one last appeal before she returned t.
Rinhrncrd ar Harar The renfarS,